Meat is a dietary essential for millions, but its production has a significant impact on the planet. Fortunately, creating a more sustainable industry — from the farm to the supply chain — is possible through innovation and a return to ecological principles. Many practical and effective strategies are already being used to lower emissions. Some focus on land management, while others center on animal genetics and supply chain logistics.
The Challenge of Growing Global Demand
The consumption of eggs, poultry, pork, beef and other livestock is projected to double between 2000 and 2050, going up to around 557 million metric tons. If current production methods remain unchanged, the increasing demand can lead to:
- A massive increase in land for grazing and feed cultivation.
- An unsustainable strain on global water resources.
- A proportional increase in the meat industry’s greenhouse gas emissions, making climate goals harder to achieve.
With this prediction, shifting to sustainable practices is not an option but a necessity for global food security and environmental health.
Embracing Regenerative Farming Practices
Over two-thirds of all agricultural land is used to grow feed for livestock, while only a small fraction is devoted to growing food for human consumption. This is a highly inefficient use of resources. Regenerative agriculture offers a more sustainable solution, as it works with nature, not against it. Here’s how it produces food while rebuilding soil biodiversity and sequestering carbon:
- Minimizing soil disturbance: Plowing and tilling, which are used in feed cultivation, release carbon from the soil into the atmosphere and destroy the delicate network of fungi and microbes necessary for soil health.
- Employing rotation and mob grazing: Moving livestock frequently in dense groups mimics the natural behavior of ancient herds. This practice encourages deeper grass root growth, naturally tills manure into the soil and prevents desertification due to overgrazing.
- Using cover crops: Keeping the soil covered with plants between cash crop cycles prevents erosion, reduces the need for herbicides and adds organic matter back into the ground.
These regenerative farming practices turn farms from carbon sources into valuable carbon sinks, actively pulling carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.
Making Smarter Breeding and Feed Decisions
Not all livestock is created equal in terms of environmental impact.
The Role of Heritage Breeds
For the last few decades, industrial agriculture has prioritized breeds that grow fastest in confinement. While a convenient strategy, it came at the cost of resilience and adaptability. For low-impact and sustainable meat production, heritage breeds are the better choice because they have the following:
- Natural resistance to local diseases
- Ability to thrive on pasture and forage, reducing the need for grain-based feed
- Better mothering instincts, which reduce the need for human intervention
The Berkshire pig is a great example. This heritage breed thrives in humane pasture-based systems, which contributes to the hog’s robust flavor and excellent tenderness. Having the freedom to move enhances its meat quality, resulting in prized marbling.
Innovating Animal Feed
Many scientists are developing new types of feed to tackle the methane emissions that livestock produce. A good example that’s viable for low-impact livestock farming is a seaweed-based feed additive. When added as a supplement to cattle feed in small amounts, it can reduce the production of methane during digestion by around 37.7% without adversely affecting the animals.
Some researchers are also considering insect larvae or algae as high-protein feed sources that reduce reliance on soy and corn.
Understanding All Sources of Agricultural Emissions
While agriculture’s share of total emissions decreased slightly to 10.6% from 11.1% between 2020 and 2021, there’s no significant change in the industry’s overall output. Major contributors in the sector include:
- Manure management: Large pools of liquid manure release methane, while solid waste applied as fertilizer can release nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas. The latter accounts for around 14% of the sector’s emissions.
- Enteric fermentation: This refers to the natural digestive process in animals like cattle that produces methane, and it accounts for over a quarter of the sector’s emissions.
Other factors, such as the production of nitrogen fertilizers, can also add to the industry’s overall footprint. Turning forests and grasslands into grazing and crop lands also releases significant amounts of carbon dioxide from the soil. Reducing emissions in agriculture would require tackling these various factors.
Rethinking the Modern Supply Chain
“Farm to fork” is often a global journey, and emissions don’t stop at the farm gate. Various points in the supply chain create significant greenhouse gas emissions, such as:
- Processing: The immense energy required to run large-scale slaughterhouses and processing facilities
- Transportation: The “food miles” covered by refrigerated trucks, trains and ships moving meat across countries and continents
- Cold storage: The constant energy needed for refrigeration at distribution centers and retail stores
Having a localized supply chain can shorten the distance meat has to travel from farm to fork. Supporting local farms that sell directly to consumers can reduce food miles to a minimum, cutting down transportation emissions. It also fosters a stronger connection between consumers and food producers.
A Greener Path Forward for the Meat Industry
While the meat industry’s greenhouse gas emissions are significant, the situation can be turned around. Shifting to regenerative practices can heal the land, while embracing heritage breeds and feed innovations can reduce livestock’s carbon footprints. Localizing the supply chain can also have massive benefits. These solutions prove that a path exists that’s better for the planet and can feed a growing population.
Jack Shaw is the senior Outdoors writer for Modded, a men’s lifestyle publication. An avid outdoorsman and lover of nature, he’ll often find himself taking retreats out to explore his environment and encourages others to do the same in ways that are sustainable and beneficial to the environment.
Image by Saqib Behram
