As farmers, we know that we live in a world where anything can be said on social media and “herd” of people fully believe it. For a while now, farmers have been under some some intense scrutiny and often described as destroying, polluting, or poisoning land. We want to build authentic open lines of communication with our vendors and general public on some misconceptions people may have heard in the media. Here are just a few myths we’d like to clear up about what we do.
1 – “Cattle produce the most gas emissions”
Yes, cows diets consist of a lot of plants that ferment in their stomachs, causing them to burp, which does create methane gas. A recent study showed that cow’s gas emissions only account for 2 percent of direct emissions in the United States. And, that methane is recycled out of the atmosphere and back into the ground within 12 years. Once it is back in the ground, and converted to C02, the vegetation cows graze on creates a sustainable cycle.
2 – “Beef cattle are trapped in feed lots”
More than 90% of cattle farms nationwide are family-owned. Like Sky Farms, beef farmers know that the key to producing top-tier products it requires maintaining a healthy and sustainable environment for the animals to live on.
3 – “Meat is not healthy”
We always hear about eating white meat versus dark meat, only eat lean meats, saturated fat is bad, etc. Although eating a strict meat diet can come with some health complications, we know there are huge benefits to incorporating grass fed beef into your diet. Some think that all beef has steroids and hormones injected in them, which is false.
We’ve also compile a list of a few trustworthy and factual sources about sustainable ranching:
