What next...a global tax on meat and milk consumption?

Livestock producers have enough challenges — drought, disease, consumer backlash over antibiotics, consumer concerns over cholesterol, access to export markets — without another one.

But it appears the livestock industry, currently in the upswing part of the price cycle, faces another significant long-term challenge.

This time, the concern comes from proposals to tax meat and milk in an effort to reduce methane emissions and prevent disastrous climate change.

A report by a British think tank, called Chatham House, claims that curbing global appetite for meat and milk is essential to avoid devastating climate change. The analysis says governments and even environmental groups are not taking action for fear of consumer backlash. Consumers just love their burgers and steaks. Data indicates the global livestock industry discharges more greenhouse gases than a combination of all cars, planes, trains and ships. Flatulent cows and pigs are the enemy now.

Livestock accounts for 15 per cent of global emissions with beef and diary about two-thirds of the 15 per cent.

By one study global growth in demand for meat and milk will create so much increased emissions all other sectors would have to be zero carbon to offset livestock, an impossible state of affairs.

Meat consumption is forecast to grow by 35 million tonnes from 2011 to 2021, with China taking over half the new meat.

A 40 per cent increase in the price of beef would reduce consumption by 15 per cent. Taxes on sugar and junk food have been proposed for years to reduce obesity and improve health.

A Mexican tax on sugar to reduce obesity has cut pop consumption by seven per cent a year since 2013.

Since this kind of tax seems to work, livestock producers need consumer support in future struggles with science to avoid industry devastating taxes on meat and milk.

Or the livestock industry can use science to develop feed that reduces flatulence, or a livestock Beano pill to reduce gas in livestock.

Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@ sasktel.net