Beef industry quietly squashes part of its own science curriculum after ranchers protest
Summary
The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture removed a lesson on cattle methane and climate after ranchers criticized it. The foundation says it is revising the material, but a replacement lesson published in July discusses cattle digestion without mentioning methane or climate.Key Facts
- The foundation’s free science curriculum reaches about 1.2 million students in more than 100 school districts.
- The foundation announced the lesson, “Methane & Cattle: A Climate Connection,” late last year.
- Ranchers objected to the lesson, including Brett Kenzy, who said it was unfair to claim cows harm the environment.
- The foundation’s education director said the lesson was taken down after it received feedback and would be edited.
- The curriculum is funded by a mandatory levy on cattle sales known as the beef checkoff.
- The foundation said it is developing a longer lesson and reviewing research with researchers and university experts.
- The removed lesson incorrectly said livestock produces about 2% of human-caused methane emissions; climate scientist Drew Shindell said the figure is a little over 30%.
- Climate scientist Carl-Friedrich Schleussner said ongoing biogenic methane emissions account for about 0.3°C of global warming to date.
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