I hope to simplify a complex debate; the biggest environmental ‘beef’ with beef, is usually about methane. Methane is potent greenhouse gas and is harmful to the environment; In very oversimplified terms, the beef and methane argument goes something like this:
Ruminants eat grass and other plant species which are very hard to digest, cattle have adapted and can thrive off this diet however unfortunately they ‘burp’ methane as a by-product of their clever but inefficient digestive system.
The general assumption then made, is that, in order to make beef more environmentally friendly, we need to ‘finish’ the animals for slaughter as quickly as possible. This argument suits some farming companies very well, it apparently provides ‘green’ justification for grain feeding, the quicker the time to slaughter = less methane.
Grain feeding is a BIG BADDY in my books for environmental sustainability, health of the animal, human nutrition and for many other ethical reasons. We also need to dispel the illusion that UK ‘grass fed or free range’ meat is grain or GM free –not always so. But I shall refrain from that particular rant here!
I think the ‘efficient methane’ standard of measuring sustainable meat is wrong, and is only actually relevant if you accept the assumption that we all NEED to eat large volumes of cheap meat. Some points I hope illustrate this are:
• It is generally accepted that we eat twice as much meat as we did in 1950, and much more of the ‘prime cuts’ and less of the offal, broths etc.
• We shouldn’t be feeding good ‘human food’ to animals. It takes 6- 8kg of grain to produce 1kg beef, if we need more food globally this does not make sense!
• The methane output is only part of the overall environmental impact picture – grain production has a large, long term negative impact on the planet.
• An area almost the size of Wales would be needed to grow all of the food we throw away from our homes each year. Of that waste 7% is meat – we are clearly not placing a high enough value on meat.
• Of the total UK land mass 70.1% is agricultural land, 24.3% is arable and therefore capable of growing crops and 11.9% is forest. Therefore 33.9% of the UK is potential or actual grazing land.
• Some experts have calculated if we ate half the meat we could produce most of it from grazing land and food waste.
So what am I suggesting?
Eat half as much meat and ensure it is 100% grass/pasture fed
Why?
Because the land is here anyway; the land grows pasture better than anything else; we can’t eat grass but cows can; it is a drought and flood hardy, it is an all year round food source that locks carbon out of the atmosphere and improves the nutritional quality of the meat and milk the cows produce.
But shouldn’t we manage it for nature conservation?
Absolutely, but it is important to have a range of habitats that support a broad diversity of species, it’s no good allowing all land to revert to scrub and woodland – great if you’re a woodland bird or animal, not so good if your bog asphodel and need a moist acidic moorland! Habitats need managing.
Some of the UK’s most fragile and important upland habitats have been damaged by overgrazing in the post war period. Sheep quota subsidies encouraged many farmers to increase sheep numbers. Unfortunately the way that sheep graze on higher ground is selective towards many of the more sensitive species, they find the rough and coarse grasses unpalatable. Many conservationists advised the total removal of livestock from many fell, heath and moorland areas.
What they failed to realise was, that a mixed farming system – particularly cattle grazing – is what actually created these important habitats in the first place!
In the absence of any grazing, many upland habitats become smothered by coarse and rank grass through which nothing else can grow. Eventually the penny dropped and after many studies and trials, most conservationists now accept you need some controlled grazing by cattle or other less selective grazers in order to restore and maintain a great upland habitat.
We are working with an amazing couple who work with conservationists to manage their internationally important limestone grassland in the Dales using their herd of Belted Galloway cattle. You can clearly see the progress that Neil and Leigh’s farming methods have made to restore this remarkable habitat. See Neil on Country file talking about his animals with Adam.
I really hope this gives you an insight into the issue and it would be a huge help if you could help us raise awareness by passing this on to anyone you know who also cares about the impact of the food they chose.
Caroline x
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