EAT-Lancet Report Catches The Eye Of The Ag Industry

The EAT-Lancet Commission report released last week got the attention of many people in the agriculture industry.

The global report made from 37 scientists from around the world recommends people reduce their meat consumption.

On the EAT-Lancent Commission website, they say to avoid risks to health and the environment "calls for a significant reduction of unhealthy food consumption, particularly poorly produced meat."

The Canadian Cattlemen's Association's Advocacy Coordinator, Stina Nagel, says the report is based on misguided science and information.

"There are certain recommendations which are more health driven and others that are more planetary driven, but regardless, we know that here in Canada, utilizing the land that we have to produce red meat is one of the most sustainable and healthy things we can do with that land."

Nagel says everything has a green house gas (GHG) footprint attached to it, whether it's soybeans, lentils or even people breathing.

"Yes, cattle do emit green house gases. Canada however, is one of the lowest green house gas emissions in the world, and of that, raising cattle only represents 2.4 per cent of the country's total GHG emissions."

Nagel cautions people to be careful where they get their recommendations on food.

"Especially in Canada where you have the opportunity to engage with farmers directly at different events and things like that to ask the people that grow your food before taking advice from different reports, especially global ones."

She says more information on nutrition and the environment in regards to beef production can be found at thinkbeef.ca.