Raising the Steaks

The report analyzes the climate impact of U.S. beef production, noting that beef cattle and stored manure account for 18 percent of U.S. methane emissions. It argues that while improving forage quality and pasture management can reduce methane emissions by 15 to 30 percent, the overall impact on total U.S. global warming emissions would be less than 0.5 percent. The document compares pasture-raised systems with confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), highlighting that while CAFOs offer faster weight gain and higher feed efficiency, well-managed pastures sequester more carbon. It recommends that the USDA expand research into nutritious pasture crops and provide incentive payments for practices that curb emissions and boost carbon sequestration.

• Beef production is a significant contributor to U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, with beef cattle and stored manure accounting for 18 percent of the country's methane emissions.
• Improving the nutritional quality of forage crops through better pasture management could lower methane emissions from pasture beef by 15 to 30 percent, though the total reduction in U.S. global warming emissions would be under 0.5 percent.
• Pasture plants can sequester carbon dioxide in the soil, with the conversion of crop acres to pasture or the use of better management on poorly managed lands potentially sequestering 0.8 to 1.0 metric ton of carbon per hectare.
• Comparing pasture-raised beef to CAFOs is complex because CAFOs generally allow cattle to gain weight more rapidly and efficiently, which reduces emissions on a per-pound basis, whereas well-managed pastures typically sequester more carbon than the row crops used for CAFO feed.
• Specific management practices to reduce climate impact include increasing legume percentages in forage, avoiding excessive nitrogen fertilizer, maintaining moderate stocking densities, and preventing overgrazing.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2011). Raising the Steaks. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/global-warming-and-beef-production-summary.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Raising the Steaks. 2011. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/global-warming-and-beef-production-summary.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Raising the Steaks |date=February 2011 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/global-warming-and-beef-production-summary.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2011raising, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Raising the Steaks}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2011}, month = feb, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/global-warming-and-beef-production-summary.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }