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Alongside social and economic indicators, environmental parameters are a key component
of a product’s sustainability.
The NBSA’s environmental assessment is comprised of an
Environmental Life Cycle Assessment (E-LCA) and a Land Use Assessment (LUA).1
An E-LCA’s major strength lies in its holistic approach, which evaluates multiple environmental indicators across a product’s life cycle. In the case of Canadian beef production, the E-LCA provides an extensive evaluation of the environmental performance indicators from birth through farm-gate to your plate such as the carbon footprint and water use.2
Findings of the E-LCA have also been peer-reviewed and published in the Canadian Journal of Animal Science.
L'EUT complète ces indicateurs de performance en évaluant les services écosystémiques bénéfiques, tels que la séquestration du carbone et la capacité d'habitat faunique, fournis par la production canadienne de bovins de boucherie.1
1 Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef. (2024a). National Beef Sustainability Assessment: Environmental and Social Assessments. Calgary, AB: Groupe AGECO.
2 Aboagye et al. 2024. An assessment of the environmental sustainability of beef production in Canada. Canadian Journal of Animal Science. 104(2): 221-240. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjas-2023-0077
Développez les sections de sujets ci-dessous pour obtenir des détails plus détaillés sur chaque aspect des indicateurs et des résultats de l'évaluation environnementale.
The Canadian beef industry has made great strides from 2014 to 2021 in increasing its production efficiency to reduce its carbon footprint, which encompasses contributions from enteric methane, manure management and feed production, and from smaller contributors including transport, bedding, water, energy and grazing.1,2
From 2014 to 2021 bringing 1 kg of boneless beef from the farm gate to your plate produces 15% less greenhouse gases1,2, on track towards the Canadian beef industry’s goal of a 33% reduction in emissions intensity by 2030.3
Through a combination of improved production practices such as management, genetics and nutrition, cattle have increased their feed efficiency, leading to faster growth and reduced time to reach market weight. This means less resources (land, feed, water) are needed to raise an animal.1,2 Since less time and resources are needed, the overall GHG emissions decreased per kg of boneless beef, consumed – leading to a smaller carbon footprint (alongside improvements in other environmental indicators; fossil fuel depletion, freshwater eutrophication and photochemical oxidant formation).1,2
Il s'agit d'un progrès significatif auquel contribue l'ensemble de la chaîne d'approvisionnement et qui nous met sur la bonne voie pour atteindre l'objectif du secteur, à savoir une réduction de 33 % de l'intensité des émissions d'ici à 2030.1,2,3
1 CRSB NBSA, 2024a
2 Aboagye et al., 2024
3 Canadian Beef Advisors GHG and Carbon 2030 Goals
Le rôle du bétail au pâturage au Canada dans la préservation du carbone stocké dans le sol ne peut être sous-estimé. On estime que les terres utilisées pour la production de viande bovine, dont 84 % est patûrnage, contiennent 1,9 milliards de tonnes of soil organic carbon1 ce qui équivaut à peu près aux émissions annuelles de plus d'un demi-milliard de voitures.4
The majority of carbon is held in native (67%) and tame (24%) grasslands – highlighting the importance to keep this land intact and maintain its carbon stock.1
In addition, land use and beneficial management practices can further enhance soil carbon storage and can help offset emissions from beef production. Grassland management practices – such as rotational grazing – that increase net accumulation of carbon in grasslands are needed as they have the potential to minimize the rising concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide1. With the accounting of removals and emissions associated with Land Management Change (LMC) and (Land Use Change) taken into consideration the net carbon footprint of beef production in western Canada is estimated to decrease by a further 6%1.
1 CRSB NBSA, 2024a
4 Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator | Natural Resources Canada
Water consumption is measured by evaluating the volume of water (L) that is used but not returned to the same water body. The assessment indicated a reduction of 177 L/kg boneless beef (consumed) in both eastern and western Canada since 2014, mostly due to increased feed efficiency and less feed needed as irrigation and drinking levels remained stable.1,2
En raison d'une proportion accrue de la production de bœuf dans l'ouest du Canada, la valeur globale de la consommation d'eau à l'échelle nationale a montré une légère augmentation (+0,4 % - augmentation de 7 L/kg), attribuée à une plus grande utilisation de l'irrigation dans l'ouest du Canada.1,2
A larger proportion of blue water is used in the west due to a lack of rainfall and drought conditions, increasing the need for irrigation. As grasses thrive in drier conditions, it is the most suitable cover type for these areas.1 Furthermore, humans are not able to digest grasses, and therefore, raising cattle on these lands allows us to grow a powerful protein source on land we otherwise, cannot utilize for food production.
Water consumption values in Canada are extremely efficient when compared to global levels and are less than values reported in many other beef producing countries, largely due to efficient irrigation practices here in Canada.1 Although Canada has highly efficient water consumption values, promoting further improvement in irrigation practices remains important.
Water quality, measured by eutrophication potential, also improved since 2014, mainly attributed to improvements in feed rations.1,2
La production de bœuf s'étend sur l'ensemble du pays et englobe une variété d'écosystèmes à travers le paysage. S'il est important de connaître la superficie des terres utilisées, il est essentiel de préserver la santé d'un écosystème important (et menacé) au Canada : les prairies indigènes. Par conséquent, l'évaluation de la biodiversité et de la séquestration du carbone est un élément important pour considérer la durabilité environnementale globale.
Si l'on considère l'ensemble des terres cultivées et des pâturages du Canada :
In Canada, there are 545 wildlife species (332 birds, 134 mammals, 41 amphibians and 38 reptiles) that use agricultural land for feeding and reproduction1. The inability of cropland alone to fulfill habitat requirements for most wildlife species demonstrates the importance of natural and semi-natural land including unimproved pasture, native grassland, forest, forest wetland, wetland and water) in Canadian agricultural landscapes.1
Au Canada, la plupart des prairies indigènes et pâturages restants sont sous la responsabilité des producteurs de bœuf,1
Il existe un lien étroit entre la biodiversité et les terres utilisées par les bovins.1
THEREFORE, grazing cattle is critical to preserving habitat and supporting biodiversity.1
Note: Biodiversity and wildlife habitat was assessed using the Wildlife Habitat Capacity on Agricultural Land Index (WHCI) developed by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). Results were provided directly from AAFC.
Table ronde Canadienne sur le bœuf durable
180-6815 8th Street NE, Calgary, AB T2E 7H7
info@crsb.ca
© 2024 Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef
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