Thursday, December 3, 2015

Beef industry reduces greenhouse gas impact

The North American Meat Institute claims the beef industry has reduced its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions by 16 per cent over the last 40 years.

It makes the claim in the sixth in a series of MythCrusher videos that seek to shape public opinions about the meat industry.

Eric Mittenthal, NAMI vice president of public affairs, said  “a close look at the data shows that the environmental impact of the meat industry has declined considerably over the last 40 years.

“Specific to beef, the industry has produced 13 per  cent more total beef from 30 per cent fewer animals, using 19 per cent less feed, 33 percent less land, 12 per cent less water and nine percent less fossil fuel energy with an overall carbon footprint reduction of 16 per cent,” he says.

This video is intended to counter the oft-repeated media report that emissions from global meat production are greater than from transportation. It says that study included everything from birth to slaughter to meat processing for the environmental impact of meat, but didn't take the same inclusive approach for transportation.

Mittenthal said that claim “has been widely challenged by scientists” and said there are many different definitions and numbers cited for greenhouse gas emissions from the meat industry.


NAMI is trying to point reporters to the data it prefers.