A new study published in the scientific journal Agricultural Systems says the environmental impacts of beef production is lower than perceived. The comprehensive life cycle assessment found beef production responsible for about three percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. That’s far below the global livestock figure of 14.5 percent. The ethanol industry uses more than 37 percent of the U.S. corn crop, while the corn used to feed beef cattle represents less than ten percent of corn production. Water usage is also well below previous estimates. The study was conducted by USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and the Beef Checkoff.
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