Beef Farmers Set Impressive Standards to Cut Emissions

In Canada, beef farmers have found a way to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions while keeping the same production and animal count as before.

The cattle industry in Canada is on track to meet its goal of cutting emissions by a third before 2030. The latest report for the years of 2014 to 2021 by the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef highlights a 15 percent reduction in total greenhouse gas emissions within the industry.

The farmers are using various initiatives to promote emission reduction. The practice of moving cattle is one such initiative, as research suggests that moving cattle multiple times per day – compared to a more traditional approach of once every four to eight days – can support 40 per cent more grazing days. Another initiative is the reduction of ploughed soil, a practice which releases carbon dioxide. A technique of spreading seeds on frozen pastures in late winter or early spring allows farmers to create the same harvest without ploughing the land. Both such methods, among others, enable these farmers to continue making a living while simultaneously reducing their emissions for the health of planet Earth.