User:AllisonStacho/Environmental impacts of animal agriculture

= Article Draft = Paragraphs added:

1 paragraph at the end of "water use"

1 paragraph at the end of "aquatic ecosystems"

2 paragraphs at the end of "meat-reduction strategies"

Water use
Almost one-third of the water used in the western United States goes to crops that feed cattle. This is despite the claim that withdrawn surface water and groundwater used for crop irrigation in the US exceeds that for livestock by about a ratio of 60:1. This excessive use of river water distresses ecosystems and communities, and drives scores of species of fish closer to extinction during times of drought.

Irrigation accounts for about 37 percent of US withdrawn freshwater use, and groundwater provides about 42 percent of US irrigation water. Irrigation water applied in production of livestock feed and forage has been estimated to account for about 9 percent of withdrawn freshwater use in the United States. Groundwater depletion is a concern in some areas because of sustainability issues (and in some cases, land subsidence and/or saltwater intrusion). A particularly important North American example where depletion is occurring involves the High Plains (Ogallala) Aquifer, which underlies about 174,000 square miles in parts of eight states, and supplies 30 percent of the groundwater withdrawn for irrigation in the US. Some irrigated livestock feed production is not hydrologically sustainable in the long run because of aquifer depletion. Rainfed agriculture, which cannot deplete its water source, produces much of the livestock feed in North America. Corn (maize) is of particular interest, accounting for about 91.8 percent of the grain fed to US livestock and poultry in 2010. About 14 percent of US corn-for grain land is irrigated, accounting for about 17 percent of US corn-for-grain production, and about 13 percent of US irrigation water use, but only about 40 percent of US corn grain is fed to US livestock and poultry.

A 2019 study revolved around the linkages between water usage in relation to animal agriculture and animal husbandry in China. The results of the study showed that water resources were being used mostly for animal agricultural practices - the highest categories being animal husbandry, agriculture, slaughtering and processing of meat, fisheries, and other foods. All of them accounting for the consumption of 2408.10 billion m3 embodied water, roughly equating to 39.98% of total embodied water by the whole system. This means that more than one third of China's entire water consumption is being used for food processing purposes, and mostly for animal agricultural practices.

Aquatic ecosystems
In the Western United States, many stream and riparian habitats have been negatively affected by livestock grazing. This has resulted in increased phosphates, nitrates, decreased dissolved oxygen, increased temperature, turbidity, and eutrophication events, and reduced species diversity. Livestock management options for riparian protection include salt and mineral placement, limiting seasonal access, use of alternative water sources, provision of "hardened" stream crossings, herding, and fencing. In the Eastern United States, a 1997 study found that waste release from pork farms have also been shown to cause large-scale eutrophication of bodies of water, including the Mississippi River and Atlantic Ocean (Palmquist, et al., 1997). In North Carolina, where the study was done, measures have since been taken to reduce the risk of accidental discharges from manure lagoons; also, since then there is evidence of improved environmental management in US hog production. Implementation of manure and wastewater management planning can help assure low risk of problematic discharge into aquatic systems.

In Central-Eastern Argentina, a 2017 study found large quantities of metal pollutants (chromium, copper, arsenic and lead) in their freshwater streams, disrupting the aquatic biota. The level of Cr in the freshwater systems exceeded 181.5x the recommended guidelines necessary for survival of aquatic life, while Pb was 41.6x, Cu was 57.5x, and As exceeded 12.9x. The results showed excess metal accumulation due to agricultural runoff, the use of pesticides, and poor mitigation efforts to stop the excess runoff.

Meat-reduction strategies
(Large-scale) education and awareness building are important strategies to promote more sustainable consumption styles. In 2022 the city of Haarlem, Netherlands announced that advertisements for factory-farmed meat will be banned in public places, starting in 2024.

Other types of policy interventions could accelerate the shifts and could include "restrictions or fiscal mechanisms such as [meat] taxes". In the case of fiscal mechanisms, such could be based on forms of scientific calculation of external costs (externalities currently not reflected in any way in the monetary price) to make the polluter pay, for example for the damage done by excess nitrogen. In the case of restrictions, such could be based on limited domestic supply or Personal (Carbon) Allowances (certificates and credits which would reward sustainable behavior).

Relevant to such a strategy, estimating the environmental impacts of food products in a standardized way – as has been done with a dataset of more than 57,000 food products in supermarkets – could also be used to inform consumers or in policy and would make consumers more aware of the environmental impacts of animal-based products (or require them to take such into consideration).

A review concluded that "low and moderate meat consumption levels are compatible with the climate targets and broader sustainable development, even for 10 billion people".

The Netherlands is reducing the amount of livestock by buying out some farmers.

A reduction in meat portion sizes could potentially be more beneficial than cutting out meat entirely from ones diet, according to a 2022 study. The study revolved around young Dutch adults, and showed that the adults were more reluctant to cut out meat entirely to make the change to plant-based diets due to habitual behaviours. Increasing, as well as improving, plant-based alternatives, as well as the education behind plant-based alternatives proved to be one of the most effective ways to combat these behaviours. The lack of education behind plant-based alternatives is a road-block for most people - most adults do not know how to properly cook plant-based meals, or know the health risks/benefits associated with a vegetarian diet - which is why education among adults is important in meat-reduction strategies.

Young adults that were faced with new physical or social environments were more likely to make dietary changes, and reduce their meat intake (for example, moving away from home). Increasing the prices of meat, while also reducing the prices of plant-based products could show a significant impact on meat-reduction. In the Netherlands, a meat tax of 15% to 30% could show a reduction of meat consumption by 8% - 16%.