WSU scientist says beef production greener now than 30 years ago
Washington Ag Today August 3, 2010 After completing a life cycle assessment of the U.S. beef industry, Washington State University Assistant Professor Dr. Jude Capper, says U.S. beef production is greener now than it was in 1977. Capper: “What we basically found was that resources and environmental impacts per pound of beef has come down considerably since then. We‘ve cut the carbon footprint per pound of beef by 18% and we have to keep doing that over and over again as we have more people and therefore need more food in future.” :16 Capper spoke at the Cattle Industry Summer Conference in Denver. She previously studied the carbon footprint for dairy. In that work Capper concluded that since 1944 dairy cow numbers in the U.S. are 60 percent less yet 59 percent more milk is produced. That’s a reduction in the carbon footprint per gallon of milk of 63 percent. During that Cattle Industry Summer Conference the Federation of State Beef Councils, which includes the Washington Beef Commission, passed a resolution to maintain its partnership with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Federation Division Chair Scott George says it’s clear that greater independence is needed but not separation. George says a structure will be developed that ensures greater independence, while still maintaining the 14-year successful working relationship with NCBA. In June the executive committee of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, had recommended a complete separation between the Federation of State Beef Councils and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on Northwest Aginfo Net. ?
