Hidden protein 6X more efficient than beef

Population growth will challenge humanities eating habits. The world’s population grew from 1.5 billion in 1912 to 7 billion in just 100 years. In that same year, 2012, there were 70 billion farmed animals, cows being one of the most common. Compared to humans, cows drink 8X more water, eat 6X more food, occupy over 90% of US farmland, & produce 130X more (untreated) sh*t. As the population continues to grow exponentially, what will happen to America’s favorite livestock?

In today's issue:

• Health: The protein source thats killing us

• Feature Story: The farming challenges of cattle

• Early Adopters: Seitan and regenerative agriculture

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

While this message may seem bleak, it's important to know why we need a greener tomorrow. Tune in every week to learn about small changes that make a big difference. That being said, consider professional advice (not me) when changing your lifestyle.

HEALTH

Beef is most sought after because of its versatility and protein content. There are over 20 common cuts of beef that make their way into breakfast sausages, hamburgers, & steak dinners.

Depending on the cut of meat, a 3.5 oz. (100 g) serving provides 25 g of protein, ranking as one of the best protein sources on Earth. Sadly, the story doesn’t end there. Beef also provides a large amount of saturated fat linked to heart disease, stroke and cardiovascular disease to name a few.

FEATURE STORY

The farming challenges of cattle

Cows are actually very useful animals. They’re adaptive grazers that evolved to ferment cellulose in their rumen to create energy. This energy then produces milk, fertilizer and at the end of their life, leather & meat. But when livestock outnumber humans 10:1 we have a problem. 

What's so bad about beef? 

For easier management, most beef cattle live on feedlots. Since most operations have hundreds of cattle it’s practical to grow hundreds of acres of feed.

On feedlots, cows live for 15 months instead of their natural lifespan of 15 years. During their lifetime they produce nitrogen-rich fertilizer that doesn’t get treated but instead gets sprayed across farmland. However, due to the excessive amount of fertilizer & runoff, there are over 500 dead zones in the US alone. These dead zones are too filled with nitrogen to sustain life as a byproduct of fertilizer secreting into groundwater, lakes, rivers and eventually the ocean.

So let's eat pasture-raised beef then?

Pasture-raised cattle solves the fertilizer problem seen on feedlots. They naturally spread their manure across a pasture as they graze, but pasture-raised cows require 6 acres per cow instead of 4 acres on feedlots. For 315 million Americans to eat pasture-raised beef, at the current consumption rate, we would need 3.7 billion acres. If we converted all of the contiguous US into farmland for pasture-raised beef, we would still need to deforest over 1 billion acres to meet this demand. Then with each passing day, we would need 34K acres of diverse wildlife converted into farmland.

One of the most devastating effects of deforestation is removing carbon sinks. Carbon sinks are unique features like swamps or heavily forested areas that are rich with diverse plant life. These ecosystems remove carbon from the atmosphere and stores it underground. Pasture-raised beef may sound like a better option; however it not only produces greenhouse gasses but it eliminates ecosystems that can absorb them.

What about dairy cows?

Cheese and other dairy products require a dairy cow who recently gave birth to produce milk. For female dairy cows, instead of getting harvested after 15 months like feedlot cows, they live for 6 years or until they stop producing milk at a high enough rate. When this happens they are sold to feedlots for the remainder of their life. Marketing campaigns often tout happy dairy cows come from California; where they are in fact feedlot cows that take a few more years to harvest. 

So why are farmers doing this?

Farming is one of the most selfless professions. They work long hours, sometimes in unsanitary conditions, and on average make 30 cents of profit per acre per year. All so that animal products are readily available in our stores.

The details of these subsidies change every 5 years through a Congress passing bill called the Farm Bill. The 2024 Farm Bill is planned to have greater focus on regenerative practices. Regenerative agriculture is a handful of farming practices that go beyond organic certifications to help farmers rely on natural systems to care for their land. While Big Ag definitely has lobbying power aimed towards large-scale feedlot farming, a policy approach is the best approach to incentivize farmers, become stewards of the land and support population growth. 

So what's the point?

US agriculture is animal agriculture. This form of agriculture substitutes sustainability for convenience and is incentivized at the highest level of government. Dampening the demand for meat and dairy will signal to decision-makers the need for new products. Products that are better for you and better for the planet.

SPOTLIGHT

AI Startups:

• Regrow Ag - Founded in 2016 to help create a regenerative farm.

• Planet FWD - Founded in 2019 to help track and reduce agricultural carbon footprint.

• Bowery Farms - Founded in 2015 to monitor vertical farms with computer vision.

JOBS

There are 2.5 million people that work in agriculture across the US. Majority of which are less sustainable jobs that will see tremendous volatility in the coming decades. Before joining the industry and relying on government subsidies, consider joining a regenerative farm and the diverse revenue streams that follow.

EARLY ADOPTERS

Early adopters are embracing a plant-based diet that excludes milk, butter, yogurt, eggs, fish, beef and all other meats from their diet. Some are motivated by the health benefits explained in the video below, while others the environmental benefits.

The ones motivated by environmental benefits want to remove livestock as the middleman for caloric transfer. This is because animals consume 6X more protein than they produce. For an exponentially growing population, cattle as a food source doesn’t make too much sense.

Consider the hidden protein you probably haven’t heard of, Seitan. Seitan is made out of wheat yet has a meaty texture and savory taste. 100 g of seitan provides the same amount of protein (25 g) as beef with a few added benefits. First, it has 6X less saturated fat and half the calories allowing you to get protein without the health risks associated with beef. Seitan also has the same composition of vitamins and minerals with the exception of Zinc. Lastly, seitan is cheap, can be made at home or easily found in the healthy foods section of grocery stores.

To the few that don’t want to give up beef, there are still options. Early adopters are reducing their beef consumption and supplementing with other sources for protein. Others who find the ritual of eating beef unmatched are buying beef from regenerative farms. While the health risks of beef are still present, they are rewarding farmers that consider the impact of their operations.

TIGHT 5

• Deforestation: 25 million acres of land… annually.

• Emissions: Cow farts, or methane, is 86X more harmful than CO² .

• Land Usage: 15X more plant-based protein can be produced on any given area of land compared to animal-based protein.

• Animal Protein: is linked to a 400 - 500% increased risk of death from most cancers including prostate, breast & colon.

• Plant-based: 51% of US consumers have never tried a plant-based alternative.