By Ben Lilliston of IATP on 23 July 2025.
The U.S. cattle herd is the smallest it’s been in 70 years. In June, the price of ground beef rose over $6, the highest since the government started tracking in 1980. A smaller cattle herd has led to higher prices paid to ranchers, higher beef prices for consumers and lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions tied to cattle. Historically, the cattle herd has fluctuated up and down and the industry expects the herd to increase again in future years. But should it? Who does a larger cattle herd benefit in the highly consolidated system we have today? A smaller cattle herd could provide lessons for a just transition in livestock, where new policies support farmers and ranchers, the climate, and our food system.
Now read on at https://www.iatp.org/shrinking-cattle-herd-lowers-emissions
David Legge