YOUR TEXAS AGRICULTURE MINUTE

Ranchers call bull on blaming beef

By Gene Hall

Apparently, it’s time to beat up on beef. Again.

Meatless Mondays and meatless work places—they’re trendy. They’re also based off faulty information.

Some say beef is the largest culprit of greenhouse gas emissions.

You know what I say? Baloney! Beef baloney!

In fact, U.S. beef production accounts for a tiny amount of greenhouse gas emissions. The staggering majority of greenhouse gases are due to internal combustion engines and manufacturing.

Some think if we stop raising livestock, we can use that land to grow other crops. That might be the case for some pastures, but not for most. On much of this land, grass is all that will grow. And without ruminants, millions of pasture acres would be of no human food value.

Eating beef, and all meat, is a choice—free of climate guilt.

And in Texas, we drink our sweet tea, wave to folks on the road and eat plenty of beef.

The preceding commentary is brought to you by Texas Farm Bureau, the “Voice of Texas Agriculture.” Called “Your Texas Agriculture Minute,” TFB will issue thought-provoking editorials each week—via print and audio—to spark understanding of agriculture in the Lone Star State and its impact on each and every Texan.

You may read this week’s editorial above or listen to the audio version.

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