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illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Washington Post or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: A new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences finds that grass-fed beef has no significant climate advantage over feedlot beef
• Even when accounting for carbon sequestration in healthy pasturelands, grass-fed cattle produce higher emissions per kilogram of protein
• The findings challenge long-held claims that pasture-raised beef is better for the environment
🔭 The context: Grass-fed cattle live longer and emit more methane than grain-fed cattle, which gain weight faster and are slaughtered younger
• While some conservationists argue that well-managed grazing can store carbon, the study found this effect insufficient to offset emissions
• Previous research also highlights the high land use of grass-fed systems, further increasing their carbon footprint
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Cattle are a major source of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, making livestock emissions a key climate issue
• The study suggests that intensive, grain-fed systems may be more climate-efficient than pasture-based alternatives
• Reducing beef consumption or shifting to alternative proteins could be necessary for lowering agriculture-related emissions
⏭️ What's next: Scientists are exploring methane-reducing feed additives, such as seaweed and Bovaer, to lower cattle emissions
• Improved grazing techniques in major beef-producing nations like Brazil and Argentina could also help mitigate environmental impacts
• However, concerns over feedlots’ pollution and animal welfare remain key challenges
💬 One quote: “Accounting for soil sequestration lowers the emissions... but it does not under any circumstances make this beef desirable in terms of carbon balance.” — Gidon Eshel, lead author and environmental studies professor at Bard College
📈 One stat: Grass-fed beef’s carbon footprint is 10 to 25% higher than grain-fed U.S. beef and 42% higher when accounting for land use changes
See here detailed sustainability performance of companies like Syngenta and Valio
Click for more news covering the latest on sustainable agriculture and climate change
