| Growing interest from producers and the public are moving technology and research advances into the fast lane.
What's driving odour management? "There are several things," says Rick Atkins, AgTech Centre Manager and Branch Head of Engineering for Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (AAFRD). "And now we're on the fast-track, big time."
"Odour management today is much more than a simple by-product of livestock production," says Atkins. "It's about an industry taking steps to operate and grow sustainably, a society with raised expectations that are driving legislation, and advances in technology development and research that aim to provide practical solutions."
These collective efforts have made odour management a front-burner issue, he says, and they reflect four key trends that are driving new thinking and producing results.
New science-based expectations
Society has raised its expectations for odour management, and this is a key factor driving new legislation governing the industry, says Atkins. The good news is that science-based knowledge and strategies are becoming the basis for both setting expectations and providing solutions.
"The new rules for confined feeding operations in Alberta are a good example of how effective odour management has become not just an issue but a requirement," he says. "Progress toward science-based tools for both measuring and controlling odour will help manage expectations and lead to practical solutions."
A changing rural population, with both growing numbers and greater urban sprawl into farmland, and the trend toward larger-scale livestock production are big reasons behind the greater societal awareness and expectations, he says. A framework for dealing with odour issues that is based on knowledge rather than emotion will help guide industry growth through this period of change.
Technology advances backed by ramped-up R&D
New technologies backed by strong research and development are playing an increasingly important role improving how odour is measured and controlled.
One example of this trend is the Alberta Odour Control Team, established in 1998 by a group of AAFRD, University of Alberta and Alberta Research Council engineers and scientists. "The team's mission is to use science-based, engineering approaches to address the issue of livestock odour," says team member and AAFRD odour control specialist Ike Edeogu.
"This includes two main components. First, we are working towards the development of protocols for odour sampling and measurement. Second, we are evaluating technology as a means of identifying proven control options and supporting the development of further tools and strategies. This effort is relatively new, but we are making good progress, and the overall amount of expertise and resources in this area is growing rapidly."
Stronger producer interest
Feedback to AAFRD indicates that producers understand the new expectations of society and the importance of proper odour management to their business and their future, says Edeogu.
"We've only been focused on odour control for the past four or five years, and one of our biggest challenges right now is keeping up with demand. Producers want odour control technology solutions faster than we can provide them."
It's a nice problem to have, he says. Producer interest will help drive the research and development effort, and many expect good adoption of new technology and information as it becomes available.
Progress linked to knowledge
On the front line, success in odour management will ultimately depend on producers having access to quality, technically-competent information on the latest technology and knowledge, says Edeogu. "This will allow producers to make well-informed econonmic decisions."
A major ongoing effort by the Odour Control Team is to produce an Odour Control Manual based on its own research and other relevant literature. The manual will provide general information about odour, odour control options - including information about cost, design criteria, efficiency - and worksheets to help guide producers through an odour assessment of their own operations and to help them develop a plan for odour control.
This is part of broader efforts by the team, the AgTech Centre and others to get relevant information into the hands of industry. |