U.S. Beef Cattle Production Becoming More Sustainable

Aug 19, 2013

U.S. Beef Cattle Production Becoming More Sustainable

By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com

A new assessment reveals that the sustainability of U.S. beef production has improved significantly from 2005 to 2011.

The findings were released at a Cattle Industry Summer Conference held in Denver, Colo., earlier this month. The assessment was check-off-funded, which looked at the social, economic and environmental impacts of producing beef in the United States.

Inputs and outputs related to producing a pound of beef were examined. The findings suggest that the beef industry is becoming more innovative and efficient. The completed life cycle assessment (LCA) took into consideration the entire value chain of production. Additionally, the assessment sought out historical data from the 1970s, 2005 and 20011 when determining overall sustainability improvement.

Key findings from 2005-2011:

•Environmental impacts reduced by 7%;
•Sustainability has improved by 5%;
•Greenhouse gas emissions reduced by 2%;
•Water emissions reduced by 10%;
•Water usage decreased by 3%;
•Reduced resource consumption by 2%

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.