Everyday Environmentalists
America's farming and ranching families love the land! They are committed to leaving the environment in better shape for the next generation. Preserving, conserving and restoring this country's natural resources like open space, grasslands, wetlands, clean air and wildlife habitat are a priority for beef farmers and ranchers. The land sustains them and they understand that they must sustain the land while thoughtfully raising cattle to produce tender, delicious, healthful beef.
Cattle farmers and ranchers take many of the same steps to conserve as consumers do, including recycling, composting and installing energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs in their homes. In addition, beef farmers apply specialized environmental practices on farms and ranches to conserve and improve the natural resources that are critical to their business. They have numerous practices in place to accomplish environmental goals such as nurturing wildlife, preventing erosion or conserving and protecting water.
Today's farmers and ranchers are using fewer natural resources to produce a more abundant and affordable supply of great tasting, nutrient rich beef. Farmers and ranchers who raise cattle are doing their part to protect the environment while providing food for a hungry world.
- Today's American farmer feeds about 144 people worldwide.
- 1.8 million fewer farms are feeding a U.S. population that has increased 61 percent since 1960.
- U.S. beef farmers and ranchers provide 25 percent of the world's beef supply with 10 percent of the world's cattle.
- More than half the agricultural land in the United States is unsuitable for crop production.
- Grazing animals on this land more than doubles the land area that can be used to produce food in this country.
Environment and health-conscious consumers should feel good about choosing beef. Beef contributes significantly to a healthy diet and minimally to total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, livestock production in the U.S. contributes less than 3 percent of total U.S. GHG emissions.
Beef farmers and ranchers are everyday environmentalists. For more information on beef production and the environment, please visit http://www.beeffrompasturetoplate.org/environment.aspx.
