Debunking the controversy around cattle and climate change

In this episode, ILM Editor Isabella Griffiths is joined by Stephen Sothmann, President of the Leather and Hide Council of America (LHCA), and Frank Mitloehner, Professor in the Department of Animal Science at the University of California, Davis, and internationally acclaimed air quality expert who specialises in measurement and mitigation of airborne pollutants from livestock production, including greenhouse gases. This highly topical and lively discussion takes a closer look at the common misconceptions that are directed against animal agriculture and the wider leather industry around the climate change debate, with Mitloehner debunking common myths around cattle and methane production, outlining the real impact of cattle farming on global warming compared to fossil-fuel based industries. The talk also examines the link between cattle farming and climate neutrality, veganism and the movement’s anti-meat and anti-leather propaganda and concludes how the leather industry can harness science and social media to push a positive message.