New research will look at tracking vehicle transport in an effort to reduce disease outbreak potentials

Mar 22, 2022

Ottawa is investing in the development of biosecurity technology to help producers mitigate the risk of disease outbreaks.

Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced over $113 thousand dollars on Friday to determine and promote an innovative technology system that will help protect the livestock industry in the event of a disease outbreak.

She says the investment in Be Seen Be Safe Ltd. supports the development of a data analysis tool that will help contain potential outbreaks to stop the spread of disease.

"This type of innovation means producers can better protect their animals and their business and continue delivering high-quality food to Canadians and consumers around the world."

Disease outbreaks can have major impacts on animal welfare, food supply, productivity and producer mental health, and can result in significant economic losses.

Founder and President of Be Seen Be Safe Ltd, Tim Nelson, says livestock and poultry disease outbreaks cost the industry millions of dollars.

"Pathogens move on both people and vehicles, so the value of a robust vehicle track and trace system in managing outbreaks cannot be underestimated. Asset tracking devices are designed to provide real-time data on vehicle movements and this AAFC funded project is testing the efficacy of asset tracking devices in preventing disease spread and reducing costs."

Be Seen Be Safe Ltd will publish recommendations on the best-fit technology once the trials are complete.

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.