Big Meat and Dairy - Myths and Misinformation (Changing Markets Foundation)

Like many planet- and people-harming industries, Big Meat and Dairy companies are using an array of tactics to protect their businesses in the face of growing scrutiny over their climate impact. One key tactic involves deploying ‘narratives' in advertising, PR campaigns and lobbying that paint the industry as greener than it really is and frame the stakes as too high to change.

These narratives are dangerous. They have enabled the industry to successfully distract, delay and derail policies that would curb the sector's climate impact. They have even infiltrated global institutions that develop guidance on food system transformation, including the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization.¹

The science is clear: we cannot stay close to a 1.5°C temperature increase trajectory, as stipulated by the Paris Agreement, if we do not significantly cut methane emissions² and reduce consumption of animal products³ - yet both are projected to increase. The agricultural sector is both uniquely dependent on a stable climate system and one of the biggest contributors to climate change, both directly (through methane and nitrous oxide pollution from animals) and indirectly (as one of the major drivers of deforestation and land-use change).⁴ Transformative changes are both needed and possible in agriculture, particularly with regard to reducing methane emissions from livestock.

This briefing identifies, dissects and fact-checks some of the most common narratives used by Big Meat and Dairy to justify the continuation and expansion of its business model. We also explore how these narratives are shaping discussions about global meat and dairy production and consumption and the urgent need for transition to healthier and more sustainable diets.