Are Cows Destroying the Planet? One Film Thinks So

Jul 21, 2014

New Documentary Blames the Beef Cattle Industry for Environmental Woes

A soon-to-be-released environmental documentary called, “Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret,” aims to make the case that the beef cattle industry is the number one culprit for destroying the planet.

The film’s vegan creators Keegan Kuhn and Kip Anderson, say there is “one single industry destroying the plant more than any other,” and that is animal agriculture. The documentary says that raising livestock causes serious environmental issues, including: global warming, water depletion, deforestation, species extinction, and ocean dead zones.

On the YouTube channel for Cowspiracy, it says “this documentary will be as eye-opening as Blackfish and as inspiring as An Inconvenient Truth.” The trailer for the documentary goes so far to suggest that the film-makers are putting their lives at risk by creating the film. According, to the clip, the livestock industry is so powerful that even environmental groups are afraid to tackle the issue.

According to Tiffany Do, who blogs for SFWeekly, the film ends with Anderson petting a cow saying “instead of eating others, I’ll eat for others.” The full length film is expected to come to theatres in the United States this summer.

If you scroll down the bottom of the Cowspiracy website, it encourages readers to “take the 30-day vegan challenge!” Do you think the documentary is “vegan propaganda,” or is there some truth to their claims? What are your thoughts? Comment under this article.

The trailer can be viewed below:

Video: Will the 2025 USDA December Crop Report Be a Market Mover/Surprise?

Historically, the USDA December crop report is a non-event or another dud report as the USDA reserves any final supply changes to the final report in January of the following year in this case 2026. But after the longest U.S. government shutdown in history at 43 days and no October crop report will they provide more data/surprise and make an exception?
Our China U.S. soybean purchase tracker is now at 26.6% or a total of 3.2 mmt but for traders it’s taking too long to unfold.
The final Stats Canada production report was bearish canola and wheat projection a record crop in both (it adds to the global glut of supplies) and bullish local corn and soybean prices in Ontario/Quebec thanks to a drought. It will not help the fund flow short-term, the USDA may need to offset it?
A U.S. Fed interest rate cut of another 25-basis point next Wednesday (probability 87.1%) could help fund flow and sentiment in stock and ag commodities into year end.
More inflows into Bitcoin this past week saw prices rebound back above 90,000 with support at 82,000 and resistance at 96,000.
A V-shaped bottom in cattle suggest the lows are in after Mexico reported another new world screwworm case. Lower weights, seasonal demand and higher U.S. beef select/choice values with a continued closure of the Mexican border to cattle will result in a resumption of higher cattle futures into yearend.
Australia is expected to produce its 3rd largest wheat crop ever at 36 mmt adding to the global glut of supplies.
Reports of ASF in hogs in Spain the largest pork exporter in Europe could see the U.S. win more pork export business long-term.
If the rains verify into next week of 3-5 inches for Brazil it would go a long way to fixing the dry regions from the last 2-months, but the European weather model has been wrong for the past 2-months!
Natural gas futures are surging to the 3rd price count as frigid hold temps set in.
CDN $ is also surging to end the week on a very resilient economy and better employment numbers suggesting no interest rate cuts next week.
Finally, the CFTC report showed funds were net buyers of soybeans but sellers of corn, canola and wheat. In real time the funds have gone back to selling as they take some profits.