Drought bout

Cattle+belonging+to+rancher+Rob+Frost+graze+on+dirt+near+Santa+Paula%2C+Calif.%2C+Jan.+27.

Cattle belonging to rancher Rob Frost graze on dirt near Santa Paula, Calif., Jan. 27.

The severity of the current drought in the United States ranges across the board, but the idea that livestock water consumption is the be all and end all of humanity’s water footprint has surfaced with an exceptional intensity.

Animal agriculture is receiving the brunt of the blame for excessive and unnecessary water use by environmentalists. However, the water required to raise the global livestock populace is relatively minimal compared to overall water use by agriculture.    

The U.S. Drought Monitor shows both short-term and long-term drought in various regions of the United States, according the U.S. Department of Agriculture. California, one of the major hubs of U.S. agriculture, is marked by severe drought.

Fruits, vegetables and certain crops can be incredibly water intensive, including broccoli, walnuts, lettuce, tomatoes, almonds, pistachios, strawberries, and grapes, according to Mother Jones.

California produces the majority of these items destined for food consumption in the United States, and in such severe drought conditions water management gets called into question. Water is not a limitless resource, and water used for crops and animals is under strain.

Water may cover about 71 percent of the earth’s surface, but not all water is created equal, and droughts can create the ultimate supply and demand problem. Unchecked, overall water demand could easily outweigh the supply one day, and environmentalists’ concerns about excessive water use are credible.

Be that as it may, cutting the production of meat is not necessarily the ultimate solution.

One popular opinion surfacing during this drought is that meat is making the planet thirsty. Supposedly, reducing or eliminating consumption of animal products is the best way to reduce California’s water footprint, said James McWilliams, author of “The Politics of the Pasture: How Two Cattle Inspired a National Debate About Eating Animals” in The New York Times.

Animal products such as meat and eggs can have great health benefits and are calorie-dense, which means consuming less is actually more.

A pound of beef can go a whole lot farther than a pound of broccoli. Both have important dietary roles, and a diet balanced with animal products, fruits and vegetables is one of the easiest ways to stay healthy.

Meat production will be vital to feeding an ever-expanding population. Feeding the globe solely on crops, vegetables and fruits is virtually impossible and absolutely impractical.

However, the main argument belittling the tear-down of animal agriculture comes from scientific data. Water usage to raise crops far outweighs the amount of water required to grow pasture and raise livestock, according to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.   

Some crops, such as alfalfa, are used to feed livestock animals. Regardless, the amounts of cereal grains, vegetables, fruits, and nuts required to make up the nutrients lost if meat, milk and egg production was reduced or stopped would likely require a great increase in water usage.    

Farmers of all varieties are facing difficulties with the current drought, according to The Guardian. The situation with the drought will likely get worse before it gets better.

However, throwing animal agriculture under the bus is not the solution.

– Corrine Harris is a senior animal science major from Edmonds. She can be contacted at 335-2290 or by [email protected]. The opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily those of the staff of The Daily Evergreen or those of Student Publications.