Your Animal Agriculture Questions Answered

Lucas Porter • April 29, 2022

What to Learn More About Animal Agriculture and Its Impacts?

How does AA contribute to climate change?

Animal agriculture affects the global climate in several important ways. You’ve probably heard the jokes about cow farts and methane, and while the digestive processes of cows are a significant source of emissions but the issue goes beyond that (and truthfully, most of those cow emissions A.K.A. enteric fermentation come from burps, not farts). Aside from the emissions that animals emit directly, there is a mountain of manure that also emits greenhouse gases like Nitrous Oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4). Less talked about, is the emissions (or loss of CO2 absorption potential) from the burning of forests for grazing pasture (more on this below). Animal agriculture also requires a staggering amount of grains, corn production, and other feed to help the animals grow. This ‘feed production requires a huge amount of land use in its own right, along with artificially made fertilizers. The 100 million tons of fertilizer needed to grow the feed accounts for 2% of global energy use each year, most of which comes from fossil fuels.

Is AA the biggest polluter / worse than transport?

In Canada, emissions from agriculture (both animal agriculture and crops) account for 10% of the country’s emissions. In terms of GHG emissions, the worst economic sectors are the oil and gas and transportation sectors, each of which accounts for approximately 25% of Canada’s yearly emissions. If we zoom out to a global lens of animal agriculture’s climate impact, the story shifts somewhat. The animal agriculture sector is the second largest contributor to anthropogenic climate emissions. A complete worldwide phaseout of animal agriculture would have a huge impact on climate change and pollution levels. A complete phaseout would of course create massive ripple effects in global trade patterns, food security, and livelihoods. But if we assume that this phaseout could occur rapidly, the levels of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane removed from our global yearly emissions could stabilize climate emissions for 30 years and would represent half of the emissions reductions we would need to make to reach the COP26 goal to keep warming below 2 degrees of warming.

Is AA the leading cause of deforestation?

Animal Agriculture - especially beef production - is the largest source of deforestation worldwide. Accounting for 41% of deforestation, clear-cutting or burning forests for beef production is the number one cause of deforestation worldwide. On average, 2.1 million hectares of forests are destroyed each year for cattle grazing and pasture land - that’s half the size of the Netherlands!

Is AA declining?

In 2019 and 2020, meat consumption (a decent indicator of overall animal agriculture, which includes eggs, dairy, and other animal products) declined by about 3%. This is a more significant decrease in consumption than the world has seen in over 6 decades. While this is encouraging, It is no coincidence that this decline coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic. Systems of logistics and trade were impacted by global business shutdowns and were likely a large influencing factor in this overall decline. While some are optimistic that these declines represent a shift in diets and a “post-peak-meat” world, others project that this is a blip in the trend and that animal agriculture will continue to increase in the coming years.

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2024 Canada Animal Welfare Scorecard: Alarming Findings on Animal Welfare and Corporate Commitments

By Jessica Bohrson at Mercy For Animals • November 7, 2024

The 2024 Canada Animal Welfare Scorecard evaluated animal welfare commitments and transparency across 40 leading Canadian food companies. Focusing on cage-free eggs, gestation-crate-free pork, and adherence to Better Chicken Commitment (BCC) standards, the report uncovers serious gaps in transparency, industry-wide “humanewashing,” and persistent animal welfare issues. Here’s a breakdown of the most troubling findings. 1. Lack of Transparency in Major Retailers and Foodservice Providers Walmart Canada, Calgary Co-op, and Federated Co-operatives have demonstrated minimal transparency, failing to publish updates or roadmaps on their animal welfare commitments. Walmart Canada is the only top-five retailer in Canada not reporting any progress on welfare practices, despite publishing incremental updates in the U.S. Meanwhile, Calgary Co-op still lacks any published policies or progress toward ending confinement for hens and pigs, despite its members’ vote to support humane conditions over a decade ago. 2. Misleading Industry Claims and "Humanewashing" Tactics A major issue facing Canadian consumers is the widespread “humanewashing” in the food industry, where companies use misleading labels and terminology to suggest higher animal welfare standards than actually practiced. Companies like Burnbrae Farms label their eggs as “Nestlaid,” implying cage-free conditions, which leads nearly half of surveyed consumers to mistakenly believe these eggs come from open barns. Industry groups, including Chicken Farmers of Canada , amplify this confusion by using terms like “family farms” to evoke images of small, humane operations, even when products are sourced from intensive confinement systems. Rather than improving actual welfare standards, these organizations invest heavily in shaping public opinion through corporate responsibility reports and marketing campaigns, leaving consumers misinformed about the true conditions behind their food. 3. The Crisis of "Frankenchickens" in Poultry Production The Canadian poultry industry’s use of ultrafast-growing birds, often termed “Frankenchickens,” remains a primary welfare issue. These birds are bred to grow four times faster than chickens in the 1950s, resulting in painful health problems and limiting their ability to move or access food and water. Although companies have pledged to stop using these breeds by 2026, few have shown significant action on this front. Major Canadian poultry producers continue to use these breeds, creating severe welfare implications. 4. Continued Use of Gestation Crates for Pigs Gestation crates remain the norm across Canadian pork production, confining mother pigs in cramped stalls that prevent them from turning around. Some progress is evident, with companies like Costco and Starbucks Canada reporting steps toward group housing. However, Walmart Canada and Federated Co-operatives have not published policies or progress. While the industry timeline for complete phase-out stretches to 2029, these companies have yet to implement meaningful welfare improvements, prolonging extreme confinement for Canada’s 1.2 million breeding sows. 5. Slow Progress in the Shift to Cage-Free Eggs Despite growing opposition to cage confinement from Canadian consumers, the Canadian egg industry continues to invest in “enriched” cage systems that offer only minor improvements over conventional battery cages. Companies like Metro and Sobeys committed to sourcing cage-free eggs but report slow progress across their supply chains, while Calgary Co-op has yet to report any steps forward. Globally, over 2,600 companies have committed to eliminating cages, but Canada falls behind due to its reliance on slightly modified cage systems. Moving Forward: Accountability and Clear Roadmaps Required Companies need transparent roadmaps, annual goals, and consistent reporting to keep pace with rising consumer and investor expectations. Brands such as A&W Canada, Aramark, and Panago Pizza have set strong examples, publishing BCC-compliant policies and reporting progress, proving tangible progress is achievable. However, for others, a significant gapremains between public promises and the welfare practices in their supply chains.