Insights From Sam Canning: Bovaer and mRNA in Cattle
More and more of our customers are asking us the question - do Cannings producers use Bovaer or mRNA vaccines when raising their cattle. Cannings is proudly free from both of these supplements/treatments - let's talk a little bit about why.
Well isn't the internet exploding with the news of the methane reducing additive, BOVAER?? There is understandably a lot of emotion behind this finding. I too am quite disappointed in the departments, regulators and producers that are getting behind this unnecessary technology. I say technology in a very deliberate manner given the ingredients, and the level of caution required by those handling the additive.
Ingredients: Silicon dioxide, propylene glycol, 3-nitrooxypropanol
Caution: Not for human use. Caution should be exercised when handling this product. 3-nitrooxypropanol may damage male fertility and reproductive organs, is potentially harmful when inhaled, and is a skin and eye irritant. Personal protective gear, including eyewear, a dust mask, and impervious gloves, should be worn when handling this product.
Ingredients: Silicon dioxide, propylene glycol, 3-nitrooxypropanol
Caution: Not for human use. Caution should be exercised when handling this product. 3-nitrooxypropanol may damage male fertility and reproductive organs, is potentially harmful when inhaled, and is a skin and eye irritant. Personal protective gear, including eyewear, a dust mask, and impervious gloves, should be worn when handling this product.
So, firstly, I'm going to raise my hand and say that I have no authority to determine what is safe. All the science and technology wrapped into delightful Bovaer might very well be safe for the cattle to ingest, and it may well be safe for humans to eat the meat from these cattle, but unfortunately for Bovaer, this technology falls well outside of what I am looking for when sourcing produce for Cannings. The more technology inserted into a product, the less it resembles food to me.
To continue walking this tightrope of controversial topics with you, there is another contaminant that I'm quite determined to keep out of Cannings stores, and that is a particular mRNA based vaccine used to prevent foot and mouth (FMD) and lumpy skin disease (LSD). Why is this so important to me? Well, again, we are talking about unproven technology, and I don't like eating technology. I like eating clean, unadulterated food, as a means of fueling and healing my vessel. It's safe to say, with the amount of concern surrounding these two technologies, I am not alone with my preferences.
Back to Bovaer (pronounced bov-air). This technology exists to reduce the methane emissions from intensively reared cattle. Meaning, Bovair is used in larger scale commercial feedlot operations that are pushing product through larger channels such as the major supermarkets. My humble opinion is that this is another government led, supermarket facilitated, ESG driven box ticking exercise designed to satisfy the virtue signalling few who care more about how they look on paper than the cause they are advocating for. Can we take a sec to dig a little further into the methane cycle that has been so eloquently communicated in the book Sacred Cow? Long story short, cattle are transforming existing carbon, in the form of grass and other fibrous materials, into methane as part of their digestive process. Methane is then belched out and after about 10 years, is broken back down into water and carbon dioxide molecules. The CO2 and H2O are cycled back to grow more grass and the cycle continues. This biological process is part of a system, and provides no net inputs to the system. If you would like to know more about this process, I encourage you to read this page. The constant vilification of cattle for being one of the main contributors towards climate change needs to stop, or at the very least, needs to be ignored.
Our position on Bovaer and mRNA vaccinated produce is simple and solid. We do not stock any produce that has been supplemented with Bovaer or been administered mRNA vaccines. Our suppliers have pledged this in writing as part of the mandatory Cannings Supplier Declaration.
As someone with a genuine interest in clean food, you have my word that I am keeping my ear VERY close to the ground on these topics and I will always be open, honest and upfront with you on all matters involving our food integrity.
Much love to you all.
As someone with a genuine interest in clean food, you have my word that I am keeping my ear VERY close to the ground on these topics and I will always be open, honest and upfront with you on all matters involving our food integrity.
Much love to you all.
Sam Canning
Founder
