Don’t expect the Elites to give up their own eating of meat, this is all about your peasants
‘A wake-up call for the industry’: Meat production in France under scrutiny amid climate change
As meat consumption remains the biggest contributor to food-related greenhouse gas emissions, developing more eco-responsible habits requires changes to our diets. For livestock farmers, this translates into a need to find new ways of production.
Following Neige (Snow), Idéale (Perfect) and Imminence, the new ambassador of the International Agriculture Show, which opened February 25 in Paris, isOvalie, a 5-year-old cow of the Salers breed. As usual, the star gets to have her photo printed on posters for this annual event and her official public presentation is also set to be one of the high points of the show. This tradition highlights the importance of animal husbandry in French agriculture. But as climate activists often decry the environmental impact of meat production, the show also serves as an occasion to rethink our methods of production as well as the steaks on our plates.
“In France, we eat an average of 100 to 110 grams per day per person, which is the equivalent of 85 kilograms per year. Twice the global average”, noted agricultural economist Carine Barbier, researcher for the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and The International Research Centre on Environment and Development (CIRED). A mere quarter of the population describes itself as flexitarian, eating meat only occasionally, while 2.2 percent describes itself as vegetarian.
“It’s the principal cause of dietary-related greenhouse gas emissions” Barbier added. “Ultimately, the whole food industry already represents 25 percent of French emissions, this includes the entire process, from the production to our plates as well as imports. Animal farming alone represents 9 percent of total emissions.”
Whoa, whoa, wait a minute. Weren’t they just telling us that fossil fuels were the primary driver? In fairness, the methane and other greenhouse gases from all of the food sector, including meat, are minor drivers for the current warm period. Anthropogenic. I’ve always said this. But, the climate Fascists will use this to institute controls over the lives of the average citizen. For all the talk of things like change the diets of animals, fewer fertilizers and such, the grand poobahs do want to ban you from eating meat.
Read: Good News, French Peasants: They’re Coming For Your Meat »