Why Is Congress Bending Over Backwards To Protect Polluters?

Jun 21, 2016

By Colin O’Neil

Agriculture Policy Director

Days after the United Nations released startling new data showing that agriculture’s contribution to climate change is getting worse, the House and Senate Appropriations committees approved spending bills that would bar the Environmental Protection Agency from monitoring and regulating greenhouse gas emissions from concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs.

The manure generated by 450,000 cow, pig and chicken feeding operations in the U.S. is 13 times the amount produced by humans. This mountain of animal waste is not only bad for water quality but also causes air pollution and climate change.

The newly updated data from the UN show that global greenhouse emissions from agriculture increased at a greater rate in 2014 than emissions from burning fossil fuels for energy. More than half of agriculture’s climate impact is attributed to methane released by livestock and their manure.

Emissions by Sector (Avg. 1994-2014)

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Video: What Successful AI Implementation Looks Like in the Protein Industry | Ben Allen, CEO of BinSentry

In this conversation, Ben Allen, CEO of BinSentry, explores what separates successful AI implementation from early experimentation across the protein industry. As producers begin integrating artificial intelligence into their operations, the most effective implementations share common themes: strong data foundations, practical use cases, and a focus on solving real operational challenges. Ben discusses why data quality and integration are essential for AI to deliver meaningful results, and why technology alone is not enough. Successful adoption also depends heavily on people, training, and company culture, ensuring teams understand how to use new tools and trust the insights they provide. Looking ahead, the conversation highlights the steps protein producers can take today—from improving data infrastructure to embracing digital tools—to position their operations for long-term success in an increasingly AI-driven industry.