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: 287

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Joann on April 8, 2010 at 2:24am
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."
Permalink Reply by Wayne Black on April 8, 2010 at 3:09pm
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.
Permalink Reply by Arik Theijsmeijer on April 9, 2010 at 2:21am
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

SS400+ Road Show Update – Strong Momentum After Week Four

First few weeks into the SS400+ road show, interest keeps rising across every stop. Dealers and growers in Ontario, Michigan, and Indiana shared strong feedback. More regions now request field demos ahead of the tour schedule. Momentum keeps building as more people hear about the performance of the SS400+ Chassis Mounted Spinner Spreader. Numbers from the first three weeks show strong output. ·         Acres covered reached 3867.6 ·         Average rate reached 177.8 lb per acre ·         Total product applied reached 606,763 lb ·         Field time reached 16 hours 44 minutes ·         Ground speed held near 17 miles per hour ·         Hourly productivity reached 231.6 acres Michigan runs reached ranges between 183 and 300 acres per hour. Indiana stops reached steady output between 250 and 275 acres per hour. Every region reported consistent pattern quality, strong control across wide swaths, and smooth operation at higher speeds. Key SS400+ features drive this level of perfo

Market Trends Report – November & December 2025

US and the World It is that time of year when farmers reach the proverbial finish line, of getting that crop in the bin. The harvest of 2025 has been abundant, and it is also taking place in a very timely fashion with very good weather across the North American corn belt. At the same time there’s been a bit of a dearth of market information as the US government shutdown has meant very little in terms of information coming out from USDA. However, this all changed on November the 14th when despite the continuing governing shutdown, the USDA released their latest WASDE report. For market watchers it was a long two months without USDA numbers. Many were expecting much lower numbers in this November report. However, it seems like big supply is still winning. The USDA actually lowered corn yield .7 bushels per acre to 186 bushels per acre. This was much lower than pre report expectations. This put US domestic production at 16.752 billion bushels above the previous record of 15.34 billion b

Grain Farmers of Ontario 2025 Legacy Scholarship Recipients Awarded

Grain Farmers of Ontario, the province’s largest commodity organization, representing Ontario’s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean, and wheat farmers, is pleased to announce the nine recipients of the 2025 Grain Farmers of Ontario Legacy Scholarship. Each student will receive $5,000 to support their studies at accredited post-secondary institutions. Now in its fourth year, the Legacy Scholarship encourages the pursuit of higher education, supporting students in areas of study that will benefit the Ontario grain sector or agri-food industry. Past recipients have studied in a variety of programs across the country, including Communications, Engineering, Sciences, Equipment Repair, Economics, and Agriculture. “Grain Farmers of Ontario is dedicated to championing the success of our agricultural community members, extending our support to students looking to make a difference in Ontario’s agriculture and agri-food industries,” says Jeff Harrison, chair, Grain Farmers of Ontario. “We were a

A New Window into Canada’s Pulse Quality

We've recently launched the Pulse Quality Dashboard — a new resource that makes Canada’s investment in pulse quality research accessible and interactive. The dashboard brings together years of data showing how genetics and environment influence the quality and nutritional attributes of Canadian peas, lentils, and faba beans. Designed for food industry professionals, researchers, and stakeholders across the value chain, this tool provides a clear view into what makes Canadian pulses a leader in global markets. With the Pulse Quality Dashboard, you can: Explore detailed datasets from 2019–2023 across peas, lentils, and faba beans Understand typical ranges for key compositional and functional attributes Track variety acreage over time, nationally and by province Canada’s continued investment in pulse research keeps our industry at the forefront of quality, innovation, and transparency. The Pulse Quality Dashboard represents another step forward in making Canada’s pulse quality data op

Statement On The Launch Of The Canada – India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement

Today, Pulse Canada issued the following statement on behalf of President Greg Cherewyk regarding the launch of negotiations toward a Canada–India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA): “Pulse Canada welcomes the launch of negotiations toward an ambitious Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between Canada and India. In 2024, pulses were Canada’s largest export to India. Canadian growers and exporters have built decades-long relationships across India, and renewed engagement is an important step toward greater market stability, lower barriers, and new opportunities for both countries. “A strong and predictable trading relationship is essential to achieving our shared vision of nutritional security. Pulses contribute to food security as an affordable, reliable staple, and to nutrition security by providing high-quality plant-based protein, fibre, and essential nutrients. “Pulse Canada supports a CEPA focused on tariff reduction, clear import policies, and a fram

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service