American Farm Bureau foundation removes cattle methane lesson after rancher criticism

The short version

• The American Farm Bureau Foundation removed a cattle methane and climate lesson within months after rancher criticism.[The Guardian]
• The free curriculum reaches about 1.2 million students in more than 100 districts and is funded by the mandatory beef checkoff levy.[The Guardian]
• Education director Rick Henningfeld said in February the lesson was being edited, and it had not returned as of reporting.[The Guardian]
• A climate scientist says the lesson misstated livestock's share of methane emissions, while the USDA says it had no role in the removal.[The Guardian]

Key facts

• The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture's free curriculum reaches about 1.2 million students across more than 100 US school districts.[The Guardian]
• The curriculum is funded by the beef checkoff, a mandatory levy on cattle sales.[The Guardian]
• A cattle methane and climate lesson was announced late last year and was removed within months after online criticism from ranchers.[The Guardian]
• The foundation's education director said at CattleCon in February that the lesson was taken down and is being edited.[The Guardian]
• A new July lesson on cattle digestion makes no mention of methane or climate.[The Guardian]
• In September, the USDA ordered checkoff programs to end support for ESG initiatives and net-zero targets.[The Guardian]
• The USDA said it had no role in the decision to remove the methane lesson.[The Guardian]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.

• Beef industry quietly squashes part of its own science curriculum after ranchers protestThe Guardian - World