Lecture to explore misconceptions about sustainability of beef production

American consumers often hear about the environmental impact of livestock production — particularly beef. What’s often left out of the discussion is that American beef production ranks among the most sustainable in the world, and advances in livestock production over the past 50 years have led to production techniques that are far more sustainable than ever before.

The fall 2021 Heuermann Lecture will focus on beef’s path to climate neutrality. The lecture will feature Frank Mitloehner, professor and cooperative extension air quality specialist, and director of the Leadership for Environmental Awareness and Research Center in the Department of Animal Science at the University of California, Davis. His talk will shed light on new research and lingering misconceptions about the sustainability of beef production and promote a greater understanding of how beef can be part of the climate solution. The lecture will take place at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 25 in the Great Plains Room of the Nebraska East Union, 1705 Arbor Drive.

A panel discussion, “Myth Busting: Cattle and Climate, a Discussion on Nebraska’s Livestock Environmental Footprint,” will follow Mitloehner’s talk. Panelists are Colin Woodall, chief executive officer at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association; Larry Quint, research fellow at Conagra Foods; and Galen Erickson, Cattle Industry Professor of Animal Science at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Barb Cooksley, a prominent rancher from Anselmo, will moderate the discussion.

“Consumers are interested in how their decisions impact the environment, and methane has received a lot of attention in recent years,” Erickson said. “In the United States, less than 4% of our greenhouse gas emissions are from cattle, and UNL research suggests the percentage is even lower than that. In an agricultural state like ours, that is a very important story to tell.”

The Heuermann Lecture Series is presented by the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Nebraska. A reception will take place prior to the event at 2 p.m. Learn more.