NY Times Beef Op Ed

NY Times Beef Op Ed

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
I’m Bob Larson. A Midwest U.S. lawmaker has a ‘beef’ with the New York Times over its editorial alleging the beef industry is destroying the planet.

South Dakota Congressman Dusty Johnson says the New York Times editorial made “sweeping, inaccurate statements” about the U.S. beef industry …

JOHNSON … “I was disappointed earlier this week to see the New York Times had an opinion piece titled, and I’m not making this up, ’Meet the People Being Paid to Kill Our Planet.’”

Johnson says, It’s just the opposite …

JOHNSON … “In recent decades, the U.S. beef industry has reduced net emissions by more than 40 percent. And so, net emissions from U.S. beef production are ten times lower than net emissions in other parts of the world. Additionally, U.S. ranchers are producing the same amount of beef as they did in 1977 with 33 percent fewer animals, and, of course, less land being used as well.”

With farm productivity 287 % greater in 2017 than in 1948, U.S. farmers and ranchers are the most productive in the world.

Livestock Chair Jim Costa says he couldn’t agree more …

COSTA … “The collaborative and constructive efforts on behalf of American agriculture on a region by region basis, I think, has been significant. Yes, we can do more, and that’s part of the purpose of this subcommittee hearing.

The fact is American agriculture does more with less.”

Johnson added a more sustainable Ag future will NOT come from the “harsh, scolding voices of the naysayers,” but the leadership and innovation of ag research and production.

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