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: 308

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

Rail Inflation Index Increased for Maximum Revenue Entitlement for Western Grain

New VRCPI determinations from the Canadian Transportation Agency show modest increases for CN and CPKC that will influence regulated western grain transportation revenues in the 2026–2027 crop year.

Pet Obesity a Growing Concern

Pet obesity is common but manageable. Veterinarians explain how to identify excess weight, manage feeding habits, encourage activity, and support long term pet health.

Lab on a Drone Lab Tests Farm Waterways Fast

Iowa State researchers developed a drone-based water testing system that measures nitrate levels quickly, helping farmers monitor runoff, protect waterways, and improve fertilizer use with real-time data.

Grain Transport Disruptions Can Cost Sector $540 Million in a Week

A single week of rail and port disruptions during peak export season can cost Canada’s grain sector up to $540 million, with most of the damage tied to lost sales that are unlikely to be recovered, according to a new analysis. Commissioned by the Ag Transport Coalition, the study found roughly 94% of the financial impact from supply chain disruptions comes from reduced sales rather than penalties or added costs. The report said that when Canadian grain does not move, international buyers often turn to competing suppliers, leaving sales permanently lost rather than simply delayed. The coalition released the findings April 27 as part of its Too Much on the Line campaign, which is calling for changes to Canada’s labour regulations to reduce the risk of future supply chain shutdowns. The report said the financial damage can begin even before a strike or lockout officially starts. Uncertainty ahead of a disruption can cause railways to stop accepting new shipments, exporters to pull b

Domestic Canola Crush Rebounds in March

After dipping below 1 million tonnes for the first time in the 2025-26 marketing year in February, the Canadian canola crush rebounded in March. A Statistics Canada crush report Thursday pegged the March canola crush at 1.097 million tonnes, up a hefty 15.3% from February’s 951,353, and 7.1% above the same month last year. The year-to-date 2025-26 crush (August to March) now stands at 8.163 million tonnes, 4.1% above the same period a year earlier. As of the end of March, the cumulative crush for the current marketing year represented 68% of Agriculture Canada’s full year projection of 12 million – nearly identical to the previous year when the crush totaled 11.412 million tonnes. At the end of February, the 2025-26 crush was running 3.7% ahead of a year earlier and represented about 58% of the full-year crush forecast. In its April supply-demand update, Agriculture Canada left its 2025-26 canola crush forecast unchanged from March at 12 million but lifted its new-crop crush ou

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service