4-26 IAT Vegetarian

There is environmentalism and then there is taking it over the top. A recent article in Idaho’s magazine Business Insider quoted an International Agriculture Research group as suggesting that food output may contribute up to 30 percent of all man-made greenhouse gases. As the article went on to say, one of the recommendations that would have a big effect on Idaho farming and ranching is a suggestion that the world shift from animal consumption to a vegetarian diet, not only because of the extensive use of inputs to produce livestock (land, pasture, grains, water), but also because of the undesirable gases produced by animals, primarily methane, ammonia, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. On this one I couldn’t wait to call Wyatt Prescott, Executive Director of the Idaho Cattle Association and ask him if he had an opinion: “You bet.  it is absolutely absurd that the science is extremely loose and there are significant studies that actually exhibit the complete opposite and lend credence to the efficiencies of animal agriculture.