We’ve seen a large number of inaccurate and sensational headlines on the sustainability of cattle production. Many people are trying plant-based diets simply because they believe that eating meat is bad for the environment. Diana Rodgers of Sustainable Dish provided the infographic below with a great explanation of cattle carbon cycling vs. fossil fuels that dispels these myths.
When the carbon in fossil fuels is unlocked, the ancient carbon is directly added to the atmosphere as CO2. On the other hand, all of the carbon in the cow, both breathed and belched, came from the air and cycled through the grass that the cow ate, essentially aiding in carbon sequestration. With the help of grazing animals, carbon is taken from the air by plants and pumped into the soil. When combined with cow feces, this provides energy for soil microbes to build humus and store carbon.
Carbon sequestration is not the only environmental benefit that cattle provide. When range grasses get too long, the threat of prairie fires increases. Grazing cattle can reduce the chance of large scale fires that destroy thousands of acres of habitat for other animals, not to mention threatening human populations. From a land use perspective, about 85% of grazing land in the U.S. is unsuitable for farming. Rotational grazing from grass fed beef production can regenerate soil that has been over-farmed and help bring prairies previously used for agriculture back to a more natural state.
Bottom line, if you are concerned about the environment, there is no need to give up on steaks and burgers. And if you want to enjoy your beef and make money from the industry, you might want to consider investing in grass-fed cattle operations.