"To avoid the most catastrophic climate change scenarios, the evidence is clear that citizens in high-meat consuming countries—such as the United States—need to dramatically reduce their meat and dairy intake."
~ Brent Kim, Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future
By Pete Kennedy
The Biden administration’s plan to cut greenhouse emissions by 50%-52% from their 2005 levels by 2030 is raising questions as to how this could be done. “Experts” say Americans will have to drastically reduce their meat consumption to reach that goal and avoid what they describe as “catastrophic” effects on the climate. Some are even calling for a 90% reduction in beef consumption.
For our first discussion about the “War on Meat,” I invited holistic veterinarian Will Winter, DVM, to weigh in on the topic of meat consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Is it possible to raise livestock in a way that reduces greenhouse gases, restores or increases biodiversity, and improves the environment and health? Dr. Winter explains how, with the use of regenerative farming.
Dr. Winter, now retired from his veterinary practice, consults on holistic livestock management and related topics for clients such as Thousand Hills Cattle Company, whose farmers raise grassfed beef around the U.S. He is also an inspector for the American Grassfed Association (AGA), visiting about 100 farms a year.
Dr. Winter has graciously offered to answer questions about livestock and grass-fed meat. Please submit your questions to foodseries@solari.com.
For Let's Go to the Movies, I recommend the movie Sacred Cow: The Nutritional, Environmental and Ethical Case for Better Meat. This film is particularly relevant as efforts are increasing to eliminate or significantly reduce animal proteins in our diet.
In Money & Markets, Catherine and John Titus will review the latest financial and geopolitical news, and discuss what to watch for in the second half of 2021. E-mail your questions for Ask Catherine or post at the Money & Markets commentary for the first week of July here.
Talk to you on Thursday!
Related Links:
Will Winter’s website
American Grassfed Association (AGA)
Thousand Hills Cattle Company
Books:
Dirt to Soil: One Family’s Journey into Regenerative Agriculture by Gabe Brown
Sacred Cow: The Case for (Better) Meat: Why Well-Raised Meat Is Good for You and Good for the Planet by Diana Rodgers and Robb Wolf
Defending Beef: The Case for Sustainable Meat Production by Nicolette Hahn Niman
Sources for Grassfed Meat:
Farmmatch.com
Eatwild.com
Localharvest.com
Realmilk.com
Other Resources:
Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund
The Weston A. Price Foundation
EXCELLENT series – thank you.
And yet another hit on organic food and food growers:
“Amish Farm Fined $250K, Facing Jail Time for Humanely Raising and Selling Food to Willing Customers”
https://www.activistpost.com/2021/08/amish-farm-fined-250k-facing-jail-time-for-humanely-raising-and-selling-food-to-willing-customers.html
Also:
Would love to see you interview Dr Zach Bush on…well just about anything but his death, dying and rebirth discussions are phenomenal.
https://zachbushmd.com/about/
CO2 is main reason earth can feed 7 billion people. But plants are still undernourished. Plants evolved few billion years ago when level of CO2 were significantly higher. it was 3-4000. Today is 400.
People are adding CO2 to aquariums and greenhouses, so plants can grow better.
I couldn’t stand listening to all the global warming baloney and turned it off. So disappointing to hear this here. Don’t we get enough of these lies everywhere else?
My impression is Dr. Winter is having to live and navigate with the BS – in the meantime, he had a lot of good information.
Well, whatever you say, but he and Pete both sounded like true believers to me. Total waste of time talking nonsense about carbon capture blah, blah, blah. As if cow farts are our biggest problem. I only wish.
Totally understand your frustration with the Climate Alarmism (if you haven’t read it, Marc Morano’s book “Green Fraud” is a nice succinct summary of the best, most recent, arguments against it). But personally I have to deal with the fact that the best food in town (local organic liver — didn’t think it even existed in Australia) is sold by vegan climate activists. A Scylla and Charybdis most Solari subscribers will have to deal with at some point.
Excellent point.
Catharine:
Yes, cows create much more carbon than squads of F-35s and John Kerry’s private plane.
🙂
Catherine
Plants capture CO2; keep C release O2. Cows eat plants, combine O2 with C and release CO2. It is a closed system.
Burning coal and oil release the CO that was stored by plants for billions of years. But we are just releasing the food for plants. Closing the circle. CO2 level went from 4000 to 100. plants were severely undernourished. still are. If CO2 halves, food production halves.
One purpose of the audiocast is to show that–even if the climate change advocates are correct–raising grassfed meat is a solution to the problem, not a cause. I never bought into the climate-change narrative, but I think CAFOs and corn-and-soy monoculture operations have damaged the environment and harmed human health.
An increase in the market for grassfed beef will help reverse the environmental damage as well as reduce demand for healthcare services.
Very informative, thank you Pete.
Dr Winter mentioned troubles with the Feds with buying clubs. We belong to one for 10 years or so, perhaps you’re familiar with Millers Organic Farm (Amos Miller) He’s been battling the Feds for a long time, ordering that they couldn’t slaughter animals on his farm. Just received news the Feds have ordered him to pay a $250,000 penalty or risk jail and repay enforcement costs of $14436.26. If they continue fines will be $25,00 a day. This is all so freakin sad, do you know if he’s being represented by the lawyers Dr. Will spoke about?
One of the lawyers Will alluded to is co-counsel for Amos Miller. It’s a difficult case given the fact situation. Anyone who wants to help keep Millers Organic Farm in business can donate to a GoFundMe campaign at https://gofund.me/d13d6d56
Yes, we have donated. Great cause to support!
Good to know Pete, we’ve donated and ordered lot’s meat, apparently if he can’t get rid of it the Feds will make sure it all ends up in the landfill. Incidentally his pork chops are amazing, the pigs eat mostly whey from the cheese making, should anyone care to join the club.
https://nobull.mikecallicrate.com/2021/06/30/the-current-state-of-u-s-agriculture-and-food-infrastructure-and-solutions/“Livestock should be at the center of the new farm and ranching operations. We need to think about how we build soil health, how we sequester carbon through well-manged grazing programs.”
“We need to reassert, what is purpose of antitrust? It’s to prevent monopoly!”
What’s the difference? Thanks to Brenna Quinlan.
https://nobull.mikecallicrate.com/2021/06/30/the-current-state-of-u-s-agriculture-and-food-infrastructure-and-solutions/. “Livestock should be at the center of the new farm and ranching operations. We need to think about how we build soil health, how we sequester carbon through well-manged grazing programs.”
“We need to reassert, what is purpose of antitrust? It’s to prevent monopoly!”
What’s the difference? Thanks to Brenna Quinlan.
Very nice interview with good information.
Thank you.
So interesting Pete!
Well done
Dr Winter should set up his own YouTube channel, very interesting! I envy Americans that they have such access to first class grass-fed meat. In Poland people don’t even know what “grass-fed” means. Most butchers are not aware how the animals were fed, “eco” certified meat means just factory farmed and corn-fed, farmers are very poor salesmen and marketers. We are suffering from the effects of 500 years of bad, intensive farming practices. Good products are not valued, meat is treated like a commodity and 50% of farmers’ income comes from EU subsidies.