There has been a lot of media noise from militant vegans and young politicians about methane emissions from cows. They say we should eliminate cows to “save the planet.” There are claims cows are responsible for 40% of methane emissions. That is all total nonsense.

The actual methane emissions from cows are about 2% of the total, and compared to the other ruminant animals on our planet, nearly inconsequential. Millions upon millions of other animals — including deer, water buffalo, sheep, goats and caribou — emit far more methane than cows. Termites are one of the largest sources of methane.

Today’s cow herd is roughly equal to what the American bison herd once was, and those bison were not destroying the planet; they were improving it. Our Midwest prairie soils are there because of thousands of years of continuous prairie grass cover and millions of bison. 

A high school biology book will tell you about the carbon cycle, with cows and other ruminants being important players in that cycle. What comes out of the back end of a cow gets incorporated into the soil as carbon, more than making up for their methane emissions.

The largest source of methane is the production, transportation and burning of fossil fuels. There are over 1 million old oil wells in the U.S., abandoned and leaking methane. Many of our dietary habits are responsible for huge emissions, such as consuming coffee, tea and chocolate.

Coffee, of little food value, is shipped to the U.S., roasted, ground, heated again, and then served to a dozen idling cars waiting in line at Starbucks. But cows, who produce nutritious protein or milk, are thought to be a problem?

The Christian, Islamic and Jewish faiths all recognize meat-eating. But the new moralists want you to think meat-eating is somehow immoral. They should go eat their tofu and be quiet.

Don Dodd

Niles, Mich.