Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Cowgate: Animal Agriculture Not a Major Contributor to Global Warming. Any Comments?

From the Washington Post.

 

Forget all that indecorous talk of animal flatulence, cow burps, vegetarianism and global warming. Welcome to Cowgate.

Lower consumption of meat and dairy products will not have a major impact in combating global warming — despite persistent claims that link such diets to more greenhouse gases. So says a report presented Monday before the American Chemical Society.

It is the bovine version of Climategate, complete with faulty science and noisy activists with big agendas.

Cows and pigs have gotten a "bum rap," said Frank Mitloehner, an air quality expert at the University of California at Davis who authored the report. He is plenty critical of scientists and vegetarian activists such as Paul McCartney who insist that livestock account for about a fifth of all greenhouse-gas emissions.

He also is critical of highly-publicized campaigns that call for "meatless Mondays" or push the motto "Less Meat = Less Heat," a European campaign launched in December during the Copenhagen climate summit. Talk of pricey air pollution permits of a "cow tax" for already cash-strapped farmers has surfaced in the U.S. and abroad.

 

Click here to read the whole story on the Washington Post website...

Views: 339

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

It just proves once again, that the populace are being herded like a school of fish with an aquarium mind-set.

The UN clearly is focused on shifting the global wealth and has patently found the argument of "climate change" as an easily accepted vehicle that most people can readily buy into. The global warming debate lends a level of empowerment to the average citizen. We are now demanding lifestyle changes without the benefit of global "truths" such as "Producing less meat and milk will only mean more hunger in poor countries." .

How can government turn down demands from their majority of citizens?

Another good article can be found at (24 March 2010)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8583308.stm
"Dr Mitloehner contends that in developed societies such as the US - where transport emissions account for about 26% of the national total, compared with 3% for pig- and cattle-rearing - meat is the wrong target in efforts to reduce carbon emissions."
From London's Science Museum:
" The scientific community has, with some exceptions, concluded that climate change is real, largely driven by humans and requires a response," said the museum's director Professor Chris Rapley. "Our objective is to minimise the shrill tone and emotion that bedevils discussion of this subject."

with that being said... Let's get on with life and enjoy the upcoming BBQ season.
Just a note that emissions from animal agriculture are not just about bodily emissions from the animals themselves, more important is the energy and water expended in growing and transporting grain for those animals. So while the criticism of the UN in report is sound, it is not at all the point of that report. The point of the report still stands, in that reducing the consumption of grain-fed meat overall leads to significantly lower emmissions. Carbon is actually sequestered in grass-fed methods so it is the grain that matters.

It's also important to note that you can just focus on any one sector, like transportation or agriculture, as we have consider the environment in all major aspects of our lives in order to do what it takes to reduce the serious impact of climate change. Finally, to take the UN's mistake and speculate about what either global food policy or individual choices should be as Mr. Mitloehner does in the longer versio of the article, is not his role and is beyond his expertise and his work, as various commentors have stated since this 'sensational' story broke.

▶ Reply to Discussion

RSS

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

North American Agriculture Leaders Back USMCA and Long-Term Trade Stability

Agriculture leaders from across North America have renewed their commitment to maintaining predictable trade rules and strengthening cooperation on animal health, plant protection and rural development.

BASF Appoints Leta LaRush to Lead U.S. Ag Business Amid Major Restructuring

BASF Agricultural Solutions has unveiled a new organizational structure aimed at improving customer responsiveness and supporting its transition toward operating as an independent business.

Canada's Productivity Mega Deduction Could Fuel New Farm and Ag-Tech Investment

The federal government says its new Productivity Mega Deduction represents one of the most significant tax changes in decades, expanding immediate write-offs for business investments.

Agtech innovators to share validation insights at Agriculture Enlightened 2026

Testing and validating new technologies is an essential part of scaling an agtech business. This work being done at EMILI’s Innovation Farms and AIVA Network’s Validation Hubs helps innovators commercialize their products and increases the adoption of their solutions.  During Agriculture Enlightened, Canada’s Agtech Conference, hear from Marcel Kringe, founder and CEO of BranValt, and Katie Friesen, founder and CEO of FarmerTitan, about their experience validating their technologies through the AIVA Network this season. The pair will be joined by Peter Frey, CEO of Spade Technologies, and Darren Anderson, CEO of Vive Crop Protection for a discussion around what they have learned through the validation process in this panel moderated by Chelsea Platzke, board chair of BioTalent.  Marcel Kringe grew up on a family farm in Germany, where he pursued an ag engineering degree. Work and travel studies in Canada, Russia and Brazil led him to move to Canada. He learned English on the go while

Selling grain to an unlicensed buyer: Approval and sampling requirements

Before selling grain to an unlicensed buyer, producers with AFSC production insurance should understand the requirements that apply and the steps they need to take to protect their coverage. Agriculture Financial Services (AFSC) defines a licensed buyer as a grain buyer licensed by the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) as either a primary elevator or terminal elevator. AFSC only accepts receipted grades on sales from buyers holding one of these licence types. The Commission offers several classes of licences, each with different requirements. Primary and terminal elevator are the only licence classes required to sample grain upon receipt and resolve grade and dockage issues through the CGC. If grain is sold to a grain dealer, private buyer or process elevator before a post-harvest inspection is completed, AFSC may use the client’s samples. However, clients must contact their preferred branch office before moving any grain and obtain approval to collect samples for grading purposes. I

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service