Meet The SAB | Dr. Logan Thompson

Meet Dr. Logan Thompson

Dr. Thompson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry at Kansas State University.

‍

Why is it important for you to be part of the Scientific Advisory Board?

Being a professor involves teaching kids, but it also involves working with our industry to help solve their challenges — the challenges of today and perceived challenges of the future. Right now, the challenge is, “how do we reduce our environmental impact, and how do we do so in a way that is, ideally, profitable for producers?” I think Athian provides me a great platform to support that process in a new way outside of just research and extension. It’s just another tool that I have to help the industry out.

‍

What are you most excited about in the sustainability space right now?

There’s this school of thought that exists outside the industry that cattle ranchers can be stuck in their ways. I’ve had more conversations with people in small town Alabama, Kentucky, North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado, Kansas — ranchers who are from towns that don’t have stoplights — and they want to know what’s going on with enteric methane emissions, how can we be a part of this, how can we help your research. I think that’s very exciting, and I think that will lead to a lot of rapid advancements in this space.

‍

What do you wish more people knew about beef sustainability?

It’s not just greenhouse gas emissions. Ranchers are stewards of their landscape. They often consider themselves as land managers in addition to food producers. They’re using cattle production as a tool to minimize invasive species, reduce erosion and improve the diversity of native plant species, for example, and that can’t be forgotten in this discussion around greenhouse gas emissions..

‍

‍