The meat industry’s koala problem

The meat industry is identified as responsible for two-thirds or more of Australia's annual deforestation of over 700,000 acres. This land clearing, driven by cattle production for export to markets including the US, Japan, and Korea, results in the annual death or displacement of 50 to 100 million native animals and contributes to the degradation of the Great Barrier Reef through erosion and runoff. The author highlights a 'loophole' where Australian beef is often exempt from the conservation policies that companies apply to other regions like the Amazon.

• Australia destroys more than 700,000 acres of forest annually, a rate higher than almost every other country, including Indonesia. The meat industry is responsible for at least two-thirds of this deforestation.
• The deforestation caused by the cattle industry leads to the injury, displacement, and death of 50 to 100 million native Australian animals every year. Specifically, every 100 hectares of deforestation kills 2,000 birds, 15,000 reptiles, and 500 native mammals.
• Koalas are classified as endangered in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, and Queensland.
• Deforestation for cattle increases erosion and runoff, which smothers the Great Barrier Reef in mud, while climate pollution further damages the reef through coral bleaching and ocean acidification.
• Corporate conservation policies often contain a loophole that exempts beef and other products sourced from Australia, despite similar destruction occurring in Latin America and the Amazon.
• JBS is the dominant meat processor in Australia, with a volume five times larger than its nearest competitor, Cargill.

APA

Hurowitz, G. (2026). The meat industry’s koala problem. Mighty Earth. https://mightyearth.org/article/ceo-note-the-meat-industrys-koala-problem/

Chicago

Hurowitz, Glenn. The meat industry’s koala problem. Mighty Earth, 2026. https://mightyearth.org/article/ceo-note-the-meat-industrys-koala-problem/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Hurowitz |first1=Glenn |title=The meat industry’s koala problem |publisher=Mighty Earth |date=31 July 2026 |url=https://mightyearth.org/article/ceo-note-the-meat-industrys-koala-problem/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{hurowitz2026meat, author = {Hurowitz, Glenn}, title = {{The meat industry’s koala problem}}, publisher = {Mighty Earth}, year = {2026}, month = jul, url = {https://mightyearth.org/article/ceo-note-the-meat-industrys-koala-problem/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }