In the latest issue of this paid subscription publication that goes to 250,000 schools across the United States, Junior Scholastic printed an article that reads, “This Meat Could Help The Planet.”
Written by Rebecca Zissou, the article reads, “Cars and factories get most of the blame for polluting the environment. But another major offender could be the beef on your plate. Scientists think they have a solution. As you read, think about: how does eating beef impact the environment?”
The article reads like an advertisement for fake meat, with all the popular anti-beef rhetoric.
Follow the latest news and policy debates on sustainable agriculture, biomedicine, and other ‘disruptive’ innovations. Subscribe to our newsletter.
So, Junior Scholastic, instead of printing this obviously biased propaganda, here’s what I wish you knew about beef production:
- Did you know that when livestock, including ruminant animals like sheep and cattle, graze on the land, they work in concert with nature to up-cycle grass, crop residues and by-products that would otherwise end up in landfills into great-tasting, nutrient-dense, protein-rich beef?
- Did you know that 70% of the world’s surface is not fit for farming or development? This means pastures that are often rough, rocky, steep and arid would become barren wastelands unless cattle grazed on them.
- Did you know that when cattle graze the land, they promote new growth with each bite they graze? They are natural fertilizers and their manure enriches the organic matter of the soil. Meanwhile, they reduce the spread of wildfire by consuming brush and they aerate the soil with their hooves with every step. Proper grassland management improves soil health.
