Considerations for exploring livestock as a nutrition intervention in the rural United States

Abstract

Residents of rural communities in the United States typically have poor access to high-quality protein. Internationally, livestock nutrition intervention programs have been successful at increasing access to high-quality dietary protein in rural areas; however, these programs have not been largely explored in the rural United States. Given its lack of support facilities, availability of land, lack of zoning restrictions, and economic struggles, the rural United States is an ideal setting to pursue a livestock nutrition intervention project. What, then, would it take to establish an intervention? A number of community and livestock-related considerations need to be addressed in preparation for a livestock nutrition intervention in a rural community in the United States. Four examples of livestock are discussed.