Where’s the beef?

[begreen]

There’s been a lot of discussion about protein production lately. The AP has taken a look at what we eat. This is Interesting piece today on changing beef production to be more sustainable via regenerative farming methods.

Can we feed the world without starving the planet? | The Protein Problem

Agriculture feeds 8 billion people every day, but also threatens wild animals and plants because of the resources needed to raise our food, especially meat. The AP reported from five continents to better understand this protein problem – and learn about ways innovators are trying to solve it.

projects.apnews.com

 

[EbS-P]

There’s been a lot of discussion about protein production lately. The AP has taken a look at what we eat. This is Interesting piece today on changing beef production to be more sustainable via regenerative farming methods.

Can we feed the world without starving the planet? | The Protein Problem

Agriculture feeds 8 billion people every day, but also threatens wild animals and plants because of the resources needed to raise our food, especially meat. The AP reported from five continents to better understand this protein problem – and learn about ways innovators are trying to solve it.

projects.apnews.com

I think there is little to no incentive for any large scale adoption of greener beef production methods. Climate friendly production is a political issue now and most beef is raised in rural red areas of the country.

We get 1.5 millions tons of beef imported. We compete in a global market. I see this going nowhere until climate change degrades grazing land and farmers are forced by the reduced productivity of the land, to make changes.

Simple answer is eat less beef. Don’t buy hamburger. I still love beef but have not bought hamburger in about a year.

 

[GrumpyDad]

I think there is little to no incentive for any large scale adoption of greener beef production methods. Climate friendly production is a political issue now and most beef is raised in rural red areas of the country.

We get 1.5 millions tons of beef imported. We compete in a global market. I see this going nowhere until climate change degrades grazing land and farmers are forced by the reduced productivity of the land, to make changes.

Simple answer is eat less beef. Don’t buy hamburger. I still love beef but have not bought hamburger in about a year.

 

[weee123]

I haven’t bought beef in over a year. The jump in prices made no sense to me to buy it anymore especially when for the price that steaks were going for I could go to Texas Roadhouse for the same price.

I mainly get my red meat fix now from restaurants and venison.

 

[sloeffle]

The dairy farmers must have a good political lobby ! Find it ironic that the beef farmers generally take the heat for their global emissions while a dairy cow probably produces as much methane as a beef cow. Humans are the only species that drink milk after we are weaned from our mothers. We don't even need to drink milk, yet I hear nobody say "I'm going to eat less ice cream and drink less milk". A few of the milks alternatives ( almond ) are just as bad when it comes to water consumption though.

On my farm I practice rotational grazing also, just on a much more minute scale. I couldn't image having 3k acres.

 

[begreen]

Find it ironic that the beef farmers generally take the heat for their global emissions while a dairy cow probably produces as much methane as a beef cow.

Not a problem. I consume about a gallon of milk a year and rarely have ice cream .

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Humans are the only species that drink milk after we are weaned from our mothers. We don't even need to drink milk, yet I hear nobody say "I'm going to eat less ice cream and drink less milk".

I’d like to point out we’re the only species (that we know about, lol) that drives cars and used wood stoves too. Frankly, there are lots of activities that we do every day that other species don’t do. I haven’t seen my dog on my iPhone yet.

 

[EbS-P]

I was thinking more about wether or not I would pay more for “sustainable” beef. I decided that it’s not that I don’t value the sustainability aspect but for the 10 beef purchases a year I don’t see how it’s really making any major impacts on my personal carbon footprint. So I wouldn’t pay more than 20% more. And really at this point we are in an environment that premium beef is way more than 20% over Costco beef prices.

 

[GrumpyDad]

I’d like to point out we’re the only species (that we know about, lol) that drives cars and used wood stoves too. Frankly, there are lots of activities that we do every day that other species don’t do. I haven’t seen my dog on my iPhone yet.

Sir...

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[NHWS]

I haven’t seen my dog on my iPhone yet.

I used to have a cat that would answer the landline. It would ring, the cat would paw at it until it came off the hook, and then she would meow when the person on the other end started speaking. Never originated calls, though.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Sir...

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Right turn, Clyde!

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[GrumpyDad]

I used to have a cat that would answer the landline. It would ring, the cat would paw at it until it came off the hook, and then she would meow when the person on the other end started speaking. Never originated calls, though.

thats awesome!

 

[NHWS]

Kinda wish that cat was still alive to handle junk calls for me...

 

[Prometeo]

nothing is created, nothing is destroyed, I don't understand the problem, in Italy there are farms, which with manure produce thousands of methane and generate thousands of kW, before returning the manure to the ground, carbon is needed for vegetation to grow, I'm obviously missing something

 

[Duds13]

nothing is created, nothing is destroyed, I don't understand the problem, in Italy there are farms, which with manure produce thousands of methane and generate thousands of kW, before returning the manure to the ground, carbon is needed for vegetation to grow, I'm obviously missing something

Thank you. Thought I was the only one laughing at this nonsense.

 

[Highbeam]

I haven’t bought beef in over a year. The jump in prices made no sense to me to buy it anymore especially when for the price that steaks were going for I could go to Texas Roadhouse for the same price.

I mainly get my red meat fix now from restaurants and venison.

You're doing it wrong then. Buy beef from the restaurant stores, it is still quite cheap and that is the reason that restaraunts can apparently make it cheaper than you can buy the raw material from fancy butchers. Beef freezes well.

I eat as much beef as possible, I love that animal protein and of course the taste. I refuse to buy steak at a restaurant due to ridiculous prices, small portions, and added garbage seed oils and spit. I think I'll make hamburgers tonight since it's not raining.

 

[weee123]

You're doing it wrong then. Buy beef from the restaurant stores, it is still quite cheap and that is the reason that restaraunts can apparently make it cheaper than you can buy the raw material from fancy butchers. Beef freezes well.

I eat as much beef as possible, I love that animal protein and of course the taste. I refuse to buy steak at a restaurant due to ridiculous prices, small portions, and added garbage seed oils and spit. I think I'll make hamburgers tonight since it's not raining.

I wouldn’t consider my local grocery chain a fancy butcher by any stretch of the imagination. I know red meat freezes well because I have a stand up freezer filled with 3 deer in it.

The portions I get at a restaurant wouldn’t be considered small by anyone.

 

[Highbeam]

I wouldn’t consider my local grocery chain a fancy butcher by any stretch of the imagination. I know red meat freezes well because I have a stand up freezer filled with 3 deer in it.

The portions I get at a restaurant wouldn’t be considered small by anyone.

Try to find an actual restaurant store. If you package of meat is less than 20# you’re probably paying too much. Venison is great too.

 

[begreen]

I’d like to point out we’re the only species (that we know about, lol) that drives cars and used wood stoves too. Frankly, there are lots of activities that we do every day that other species don’t do. I haven’t seen my dog on my iPhone yet.

 

[begreen]

nothing is created, nothing is destroyed, I don't understand the problem, in Italy there are farms, which with manure produce thousands of methane and generate thousands of kW, before returning the manure to the ground, carbon is needed for vegetation to grow, I'm obviously missing something

There's a fundamental difference between carbon sequestered in the ground and carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere. This information is readily available.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

View attachment 318894

Typical of a golden. It figures. Mine was examining a blown out wrestling shoe a few days ago.

 

[ABMax24]

I wouldn't eat corn fed Beef either. I much prefer grain fed beef. I like beef, especially steak, but we've definitely cut back the last couple years. We used to eat steak at least once a week, now it's once a month or less. We still eat a bit of ground beef though.

To put the scale of the beef industry in to perspective here are some numbers:
Alberta produces the lion's share of Canada beef. We have 2 large packing plants in Southern Alberta, one process 4,500 head/day the other 4,200 head/day. A third plant in Ontario processes 1,500 head/day. Together these 3 plants process 95% of Canada's beef. We're talking 3.7 million animals per year.

I'm not much of an animal lover, and certainly not an animal rights activist, but the number of animals raised simply for slaughter are staggering and that thought has certainly influenced my diet in the last few years. And that's not even getting into the numbers for chickens or pigs.

 

[weee123]

I wouldn't eat corn fed Beef either. I much prefer grain fed beef.

Corn is a grain.

 

[Prometeo]

There's a fundamental difference between carbon sequestered in the ground and carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere. This information is readily available.

I understand but there are planets out there full of methane without cows. The atmosphere is what really saves this planet, if methane in the air was a problem, who really knows for sure what percentage comes from eating beef, and to obtain something with the same biological value, can be achieved with fewer resources, with less pollution. If someone tells me they don't eat beef or milk because they've read health research, ok, that seems reasonable to me, but not this other aspect.

 

[ABMax24]

Corn is a grain.

In this part of the world grain fed refers to Barley, Rye and sometimes Wheat. Which is why I made the distinction in my post. Corn fed beef has a different taste, and more yellow fat. Canada's Beef grading rules don't allow yellow fat in Grade A, AA, AAA, or Prime grades. Which penalizes beef finished on corn, but also on grass as it yellows the fat too.