livestock
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Lab-grown pet food gains approval in the UK
Britain has authorized the sale of lab-grown meat for pet food, marking a pioneering step in Europe.
In short:
- Meatly, a British biotech company, received approval to sell lab-grown chicken cell meat for pets.
- The UK’s move follows Brexit, enabling more flexible regulations compared to the EU.
- Advocates highlight environmental and ethical benefits, such as reduced animal slaughter and pollution.
Key quote:
“We don’t need to raise or kill any animals…Instead of 50 billion chickens a year, it’s one egg, one time, and we’ve created an infinite amount of meat.”
— Owen Ensor, chief executive of Meatly
Why this matters:
Lab-grown pet food can significantly reduce the environmental impact of pet ownership by cutting down on traditional livestock farming. This innovation also addresses ethical concerns associated with meat production, potentially transforming the pet food industry.
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Credit: Antonio Groß/Unsplash
University research supports meat industry's image
University researchers are helping meat producers improve their public image through funded research.
In short:
- The National Pork Board funds the Real Pork Trust Consortium to counter negative perceptions of the pork industry.
- Historically, land-grant universities have partnered with the agriculture industry to boost productivity, now focusing on addressing environmental impacts while maintaining industry growth.
- Critics argue these partnerships prioritize industry profits over public and environmental health.
Key quote:
"It's sort of like increasing public trust in coal mining-based energy production, lead-based paint manufacturing, leaded fuel-dependent transportation, asbestos-dependent construction methods, or DDT-based pest control."
— Crystal Heath, veterinarian and founder of animal advocacy nonprofit Our Honor
Why this matters:
Industry-funded research at universities can bias scientific inquiries toward profit-driven goals, potentially compromising public and environmental health. While research can lead to improvements in livestock farming practices, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving animal welfare, and ensuring safer food products, critics argue that industry-funded research might downplay the negative impacts of meat production and promote findings that favor the sponsors.
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Credit: Etienne Girardet/Unsplash
Federal funds for methane-cutting digesters in farms could end up boosting methane emissions
The U.S. is investing millions in anaerobic digesters to cut methane emissions from cattle, but critics argue this may boost industrial-scale farming and methane production.
In short:
- The Inflation Reduction Act funds anaerobic digesters to convert manure into biogas, aiming to reduce methane emissions.
- Critics claim the funding encourages the expansion of larger farms, potentially increasing overall methane emissions.
- The Biden Administration views digesters as a key technology for meeting the Global Methane Pledge targets of reducing the country’s methane emissions by 30% by 2030. So far, the U.S. is falling short on achieving that goal.
Key quote:
"Cutting methane quickly is the best lever we have to slow global warming in the next couple decades. Digesters are the single most effective tool in our toolbox."
— Michael Lerner, director of research at Energy Vision, a nonprofit that focuses on methane reduction.
Why this matters:
Large-scale farming often relies on practices and technologies that, while boosting productivity, can lead to increased methane emissions. For example, livestock farming is a significant source of methane due to enteric fermentation in ruminants. The drive for higher yields and greater efficiency in agriculture might lead to a paradox where the very technologies meant to enhance food production could exacerbate methane emissions.
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Credit: Antonio Groß/Unsplash
Denmark plans world's first emissions tax on livestock
Denmark will introduce the world's first emissions tax on livestock, aiming to cut greenhouse gases from cows, pigs, and sheep starting in 2030.
In short:
- Starting in 2030, farmers will pay about $43 per metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent produced by livestock, rising to $108 in 2035, with partial tax deductions.
- The tax aims to reduce Denmark's emissions by 1.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2030.
- The bill includes creating over 600,000 acres of new forests and supports the agriculture sector’s green transition.
Key quote:
"We will be the first country in the world to introduce a real [carbon dioxide equivalent tax] on agriculture."
— Jeppe Bruus, Danish Tax Minister in a statement.
Why this matters:
Methane, produced through digestion in ruminant animals like cows and sheep, has a much higher heat-trapping ability than carbon dioxide on the short term, making livestock farming a critical area for climate action. In fact, the sector represents between 14 to 19% of all global emissions. By imposing this tax, Denmark aims to incentivize farmers to adopt more sustainable practices and reduce the environmental impact of their livestock operations.
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Credit: Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke/Pixabay
Academics' climate impact studies influenced by meat and dairy funding
A new report highlights the influence of the meat and dairy industries on academic research regarding livestock's climate impact.
In short:
- The study focuses on research centers at the University of California at Davis and Colorado State University, funded largely by the livestock industry, and their efforts to downplay the need for reduced meat and dairy consumption.
- Academics are accused of acting more as industry spokespeople than independent researchers, promoting technological solutions to emissions without advocating for reduced livestock production.
- Significant industry funding, including a $2.9 million donation to UC Davis's CLEAR Center, raises concerns about bias in research and public discourse on livestock's environmental impact.
Key quote:
"The notion that I am downplaying the importance of livestock on climate is absolutely not acceptable to me."
— Frank Mitloehner, UC Davis professor
Why this matters:
This article raises questions about the objectivity of studies critical to our understanding of environmental health and underscores the importance of scrutinizing the sources behind influential research, especially when it concerns public health and climate change policies.
Robyn Alders and Richard Kock argue that it’s time to rethink our food system and acknowledge our responsibilities to renewal of resources and the rights of existence for all life forms on Earth.
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Photo by Tommy Krombacher on Unsplash
As climate change threatens Africa’s food supply, farmers innovate
Scientists, government officials and farmers are reviving neglected crops and boosting agricultural productivity in a race to cushion Africa from growing food shortages exacerbated by climate change.
Image by 👀 Mabel Amber, who will one day from Pixabay
Abattoirs overwhelmed as farmers offload livestock before big dry begins
Wait times for farmers seeking to offload livestock to feedlots and abattoirs are increasing from weeks to months in some areas, putting further strain on producers facing a grim summer outlook.
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