What Does Sustainability Data Say About the Beef Industry?
Complex research shows beef industry has great story to tell about sustainability.
BILOXI, Miss. (June 10, 2015) — “Any time we make upgrades in agriculture, we enhance the sustainability of the industry,” emphasized Kim Stackhouse-Lawson, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) director of sustainability, to the attendees of the 2015 Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Annual Convention in Biloxi, Miss., June 9-12.
Kim Stackhouse-Lawson shared that the beef industry has improved environmental impact by 5% and social impact by 7% in the last six years.
Sustainability is not an issue that will go away, and it is an issue to which the Beef Checkoff Program contributes resources to address. While sustainability includes economic and social impacts in addition to environmental effect, she urged that, “Zero impact is not possible. It is important to remember that there are tradeoffs, and food production will result in an impact. The goal is improvement over time.”
Stackhouse-Lawson shared that the beef industry has improved environmental impact by 5% and social impact by 7% in the last six years. These improvements have resulted from innovations within the food system through crop yields, machinery and irrigation technology, manure management, precision farming, animal performance, biogas capture, closed-loop water cooling systems, waste-water recycling and “right-size” packaging.
She admitted that a few results of the research surprised her in that consumers aren’t commenting on greenhouse gasses as much as animal welfare and traceability in the varied definitions of sustainability.
Sustainability research includes energy use, emissions, toxicity potential, occupational illnesses and accidents, resource use, land use, and consumptive water use. Stackhouse-Lawson noted that one-third of energy use is owned by the consumer through big houses, inefficient refrigeration and food waste. Food waste is one of the biggest contributing factors to greenhouse gasses, she noted. The United Nations estimates that one-third of the world’s food goes to waste.
The other two-thirds of energy use is directly linked to the agriculture industry, but continuous improvement is being made. Since 2005, Stackhouse-Lawson listed these improvements:
- Energy use has been reduced by 2%;
- Emissions to soil have been reduced by 7%;
- Greenhouse gas emissions have been reduced by 2%;
- Emissions to water have been reduced by 10%;
- Water use has been reduced by 3%; and
- Occupational illness and accidents have been reduced by 32%.
She concluded that the beef industry sustainability research project has shown that the beef industry has negative consumer perceptions, but the industry does have a great story of continuous improvement. More information on the sustainability research project can be found at www.beefresearch.org/beefsustainabilityresearch.aspx.
The 2015 BIF Annual Convention was hosted by Mississippi State University and the Mississippi Extension Service June 9-12 at the Beau Rivage Casino and Hotel in Biloxi. The Angus Journal and LiveAuctions.tv provide comprehensive online coverage of the event at www.BIFconference.com. Visit the Newsroom for summaries, proceedings, PowerPoints and audio of the sessions; the Awards page for announcements of award winners; and the Photos page for photo galleries of the tour stops.
Editor’s Note: This summary was written under contract or by staff of the Angus Journal®. Through an agreement with the Beef Improvement Federation, we are encouraging reprinting of the articles to those who will adhere to the reprint guidelines available on this site. Please review those guidelines or contact Shauna Rose Hermel, editor, at 816-383-5270. PowerPoints are posted with permission of the presenter and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express permission of the presenter.
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