U.S.-China Beef Deal Puts Higher Emissions on the Menu

The growing Chinese middle class has a love affair with beef, and it now has a new supplier.  The deal could increase U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from livestock.

For the first time in 14 years, American beef will end up on Chinese dining tables, thanks to a trade deal finalized this week.

For a meat-loving Chinese middle class, this comes as good news.  But the arrangement could lead to millions of tons of additional greenhouse gases from the United States' cattle industry, the world's largest beef producer, especially if Chinese beef consumption continues its expected climb.

The production of livestock accounts for more than 14 percent of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, the third-largest contributor after energy production and transportation.  Of all livestock, beef cattle are the most greenhouse gas-intensive, accounting for about 40 percent of all livestock-related emissions.  That's largely because of the methane cattle emit when belching and the impact of feed production, which includes lands being converted for grazing or growing grain.

The Chinese government banned imports of American beef in 2003 after mad cow disease was discovered in some U.S. cattle herds.  But the U.S. beef industry has pushed the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop measures that persuaded the Chinese government to reopen its market.  The final push came in the last couple of months, after President Donald Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss U.S.-China trade in April.

Read more at U.S.-China Beef Deal Puts Higher Emissions on the Menu