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Mitloehner is on a mission

University of California-Davis animal scientist and air quality specialist Dr. Frank Mitloehner is on a mission.

Mitloehner says he wants to help dispel the myth that the nation’s livestock sector is a major emitter of greenhouse gases.

“According to the U.S. EPA, those sectors of our society consuming fossil fuels, such as transportation, electricity and industry, contribute to 80 percent of all greenhouse gases,” Mitloehner says.

“In contrast, all of animal agriculture combined contributed to 3.9 percent. Yet livestock, and therefore our consumption of animal protein, often bears the brunt of the blame for climate change.”

Mitloehner says reducing meat consumption would not have a significant impact on climate change.

“It’s staggering how many people think that merely us giving up meat, even once a week, will make a significant impact on their individual carbon footprints,” he says. “If every American subscribes to Meatless Mondays, it would only reduce our carbon footprint by 0.3 percent.”

Mitloehner testified this week at a Senate Ag Committee hearing on climate change and the ag sector.