THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

CAUSED BY AGRICULTURE PRACTICES IN

THE

UNITED STATES
FOR: DR. GARY KONAS

FROM: SAMANTHA NEVEU

MAY 15 2015

ABSTRACT
Agricultural practices in the United States are having adverse effects on the environment, as well
as our health. With the population of the U.S. increasing, its important that something is done
to improve the environment and to cut back on the harm that is being caused to it. Studies show
a big part of the destruction of the environment stems from the American diet, which is rich in
animal protein. Living on a meat-based diet is very unsustainable. A lot of energy is needed to
sustain the American diet, energy we will not always have at the rate that our country is growing.
It is proposed that a diet higher in plant protein would decrease the need for high energy inputs
and land usage, as well as decrease pollution and destruction of our ecosystems. This report
proposes four types of plant-based diets: Mediterranean, pescatarian, vegetarian and vegan.
These diets would largely make improvements to not only the environment, but also many
health conditions and diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, which is responsible for the
most deaths in the United States. Also, a main focus of this report is about the implications of
federal policy and how it is promoting harmful agriculture practices.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

An Unsustainable Lifestyle..................................................................................................4
The Negative Environmental Impacts Caused by Agriculture:
Pollution of water systems......................................................................................5
Overuse of land and water resources.....................................................................6
Decrease in biodiversity..........................................................................................6
Overview of Plant-based Diets:
What is a plant-based diet?.....................................................................................7
Diet Types................................................................................................................7
Environmental benefits...........................................................................................7
Health benefits.........................................................................................................9
Federal Policy: The Farm Bill............................................................................................10
Recommendations.............................................................................................................10
Conclusion

....................................................................................................................11

AN UNSUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLE
Agriculture effects many different aspect of our societyour environment, our health,
and our economy. Much of what we eat is determined by federal policy because it influences
what crops are grown, which then dictates what food products are available to consumers. As
many people know by now, heart disease is the number one killer of both Americansthis
disease is largely preventable. Diet is the main factor to heart disease; it is often caused by a diet
high in saturated fats. This epidemic has been around for years. However, we still are failing to
change federal policy to accommodate this problem. In recent years, another problem is finally
becoming more widely noticedthe declining health of the environment. Agriculture is one of
the main factors of ecosystem degradation and also to global warming.
The meat-based American diet is considered very unsustainable by many ecologists. The
US raises and kills about 10 billion livestock animals each year (farmusa.org). A lot of food and
energy is needed to sustain this high number of livestock. Its estimated our livestock consume
seven times more grain than humans in the US (Pimentel & Pimentel 2003). This means that a
large portion of our agriculture is used to feed theses animals. The meat industry produces
enough meat to supply each American with about 77g of animal protein per day, however many
dieticians recommend only 40g60g of daily protein. It is also important to note that the
distribution of meat (and food in general) is not equal; some people are consuming too much
and some are not consuming enough. However, if equal distribution occurs then our country is
overproducing animal protein. Also, when protein that is supplied by plants is added into the
total protein intake, we are producing enough protein to supply each person with 112g of protein
per day (Pimentel & Pimentel 2003). This overproduction is likely occurring because large
corporations are focused on economic expediency instead of the ecological impacts of their
inefficient practices.
It is estimated that about 15-30% of green house gas emissions are produced by
agriculture (Remsburg 2015). Cars only contribute an average of 14% of GHE (Tillman 2015).
This fact supports the idea that our agriculture systems (and diet) should be a prime focus
because it is causing a considerable amount of damage to the environment. The food industry is
using non-renewable energy, which mean eventually we will run into energy shortages. To
counter act this, as a country, we need to cut back on the amount of non-renewable energy
(fossil fuels) that is being used. The US population doubled in the past 60 years and its expected
to double again in the next 50 years, which means we will produce twice as much food (Tillman
2015). If agriculture systems are not improved, then our country will be using double the
amount of non-renewable energy and producing twice as much GHG. With the growing
population, the need for revisions to the food industry becomes even more imminent.
This problem is not limited to just the United States. The world population is expected to
increase 30% in the next 50 years. However, as more countries increase their spending power,
more meat will be consumed. Even though the world population will only increase by 30%, the
increase of meat consumption will greatly exceed that. Studies show that an increase in money
causes a lifestyle changemore money equals a higher intake of calories. As a countrys wealth
increases, they begin to add higher commodities to their diet, such as meat. As we see in our
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country, meat-base diets are vey unsustainable. If the world population increases, as so does the
percent of meat-based diets around the world, this will be a big problem (Tillman 2015).
NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
The American diet is not only unsustainable; it is harmful to our environment. It causes
pollution, uses up many of our land and water resources, and it limits biodiversity of our
ecosystems.
POLLUTION
Agriculture contributes to the pollution of rivers, lakes
and the ground water. Nitrogen and phosphorus from
fertilizers get into the soil and contaminate the ground
water, and also runs off into nearby streams and rivers.
This can create dead zones in these bodies of water
because the nitrogen uses up all of the oxygen in the
water, which kills the animals living there (Figure 1 and
2) (Tillman 2015).
Agricultural pollution affects our countrys water
quality. It is the top pollutant in rivers and lakes, and a big
contributor to ground water contamination. This pollution
is often cause by improper application of pesticides and
herbicides and the amount that is used (EPA). Often
fertilize their fields after harvest, but then allow the fields
until the next growing season. By doing this, much of the
fertilizer is absorbed into the soil and gets into the ground
water. Also, farmers typically use too much fertilizer and
the excess runs off into other bodies of water (Tillman
2015).

Figure 1: Agricultural run-off from a farm field in Iowa

[source: lakeforest.edu]

farmers
lay unused

Other countries such as Germany, France and

Figure 2: Healthy ocean floor (left) versus a dead zone
Italy do not have largely corrected this problem by
(right) [source: lakeforest.edu]
enacting laws that regulate fertilizer and pesticide usage.
After these laws were passed, studies show that even though fertilizer amounts were reduced,
yield still continued to grow. This was because instead of using excess chemicals, farmers began
conducting simple soil quality tests in order to maximize yield while keeping the amount of
chemicals used down (Tillman 2015)
Also, studies show that grass-fed beef is not much more environmentally-friendly than
grain-fed beef. Cattle that are fed a grass diet typically take longer to grow to their full sizes.
Therefore, the net effect of grass-fed cattle and grain-fed cattle is about the same in the end in
terms of methane production (Tillman 2015).

UPTAKE OF LAND AND WATER RESOURCES

Over 300 hectares of land is used for agriculture, that is over half of the land in the United
States. A big portion of these hectares are used to grow grain for livestock. For each gram of
animal protein produced, it took six grams of plant protein to feed that animal. The food that is
grown for livestock consumption could feed over 800 million people, or that same grain could
be exported to add $80 billion in trade per year (Pimentel & Pimentel 2003).
Additionally, 7080% of our fresh water supply is used by the food industry. To produce 1g of
animal protein it takes nearly 100x more water than it takes to produce 1g of plant protein
(Pimentel & Pimentel 2003).

BIODIVERSITY
Many agricultural fields grow monocrops, meaning only one crop is grown in a space at a time
(FAO). However, biodiversity actually plays a role in productivity. Studies have shown that
higher biodiversity leads to greater productivity. In an ecosystem, species evolve to fill niches.
Niches are a specific role, function or place within a system. Species within the same ecosystem
coexist and make those systems work better. This can be compared to how a community works
each professional has a specific job and brings something unique to society to help it run better.
Also, diverse systems are generally more stable. If disease or a natural disaster affects a
particular area, the more diverse systems are able to bounce back quicker for a few reasons. If
disease or an invasive pest is introduced into an ecosystem, generally not every species will be
affected. Therefore, the whole system will not fall apart and it will be able to adapt (Tillman
2015).
Monocroping has negative effects on soil quality. It uses up
the nutrients in the soil and often damages the top layer, the
humus. Some parts of the world practice intercropping,
which is planting more than one crop per field, alternating
between the crops in each row. This practice actually
provides higher yields and productivity because biodiversity
is increasedcertain pairings of crops work extremely well
together. However, many countries (including ours) do not
use this method because it makes harvesting more labor
Figure 3: Intercropping with alternating rows
intensive. However, intercropping has many benefits that
[source: environmental.lilithezine.com]
outweigh the costs. As explained, it increases productivity. It
also has many of the same benefits as crop rotation (switching the crop grown each year). With
monocropping, there is a higher risk of pest damage and disease because planting the same crop
each time allows pests and diseases to evolve and take over those areas. However, as explained
before, more diverse systems are able to remain healthier and more stable because they can
disrupt the lifecycles of pests and diseases (FAO).

PLANT-BASED DIETS
Plant-based diets are widely recognized as a healthier and more sustainable diet, compared to
diets that rely heavily on animal protein. Plant-based diets are considered safe and nutritionally
adequate (if done correctly). Also, it requires less fossil fuel to produce plant protein than it does
to produce animal protein. One way to reduce our agricultural output is to adopt a plant-based
diet. A diet less dependent on meat would allow for a reduction in farm land used to grow grain
for livestock, and instead, this land could be used to grow a variety of different crops for human
consumption.

TYPES OF DIETS
The term plant-based refers to any diet that consists of mainly plant protein. Four main plantbased diets include: Mediterranean, pescatarian, vegetarian and vegan. For each one, the
majority of the diet is made up of fruits, vegetables, and whole grainswith a few of them
consisting of occasional sources of animal protein (Table 1).
Table 1. Four main types of plant-based diets
Mediterranean
Eats mainly fruits, vegetables and grains
Consumes fish about twice a week
Eats chicken or beef once a month
Pescatarian

Vegetarian
Vegan

Eats mainly fruits, vegetables and grains

Consumes fish and seafood
Does not consume any meat
Does not consume any meat or animal byproducts (milk, eggs, honey, etc)

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
Reduces farm land
If everyone in our country reduced the amount of meat they consumed, we would see drastic
improvements to our ecosystems. Firstly, less land would be needed for farm land. The US only
has a population of 300 million people. The grain grown for livestock in a year, could feed 800
million people. Land that is used for grazing and for raising livestock could then also be used for
another purpose.
Reduces methane gas emissions
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Livestock contributes a large amount of the

methane that is found in our atmosphere.
Animals such as cows and sheep produce
methane naturally from their digestive
processes. Methane is very detrimental to our
ecosystem and high levels are associated with
global warming and climate change. Methane
(CH4) is the second most abundant GHG that
is emitted into our atmosphere. Some natural
sources emit this gas, but human activities have
Figure 4. Methane concentration by year; earlier years [CH 4]
greatly increased this output; we are responsible
was collected from ice core data and [CH4] for more recent
for 60% of methane emissions. Globally,
years, was collected from atmospheric data. [source: EPA]
agriculture is considered the primary source of
methane emissions. To reduce CH4 emission, a few things can be done. Methane can actually
be collected for energy use, and also certain manure strategies can be implemented to reduce
release of CH4. However, cutting back on the amount of animals that produce this gas would
reduce the source of CH4 in the first place (EPA).
Reduces the use of fossil fuels
It roughly takes 10 times more fossil fuel to produce 1g of animal protein than it does to produce
1g of plant protein. The average fossil fuel input to produce 1kcal of animal protein is 25:1. Beef
is the second most consumed meat in the US (chicken is the highest) and it is the second worst
in regards to energy input/energy output ratio (Table 2). In the meat industry, energy is
required to (1) grow and harvest the crops fed to livestock, (2) raise and take care of livestock,
(3) slaughter and process meatthis all adds up to a lot of energy input, for a relatively small
output (Pimental and Pimental 2003).
Table 2. Animal production in the United States and the fossil energy required to produce 1 kcal
of animal protein
Livestock and animal products
Ratio of energy input to protein output (kcal)
Lamb
57:1
Beef cattle
40:1
Eggs
39:1
Swine (pork)
14:1
Dairy (milk)
14:1
Turkeys
10:1
Broilers (chicken)
4:1

HEALTH BENEFITS
Switching to a plant-based diet can reduce the risk of getting heart disease, high blood pressure,
and type II diabetes.

Reversal of Type II Diabetes

Today 1 in 4 adults (over 60 years old) in America have type II diabetes and by 2020, its
predicted that those numbers will increase to 1 out of 2 adults. It is typically believed that type II
diabetes is irreversible (Hyman 2011). However, doctors say otherwise. With proper diet, this
disease can be reversed and patients can live medication free. A study was completed that
showed a low fat, plant-based dietwithout the help of exercise can help accomplish the
reversal. Tests revealed that the beta cells of the pancreas (responsible for producing insulin)
were revitalized within 8 weeks (Trapp and Leven 2012).
Improved heart health
Many studies show that animal fat has adverse effects on cardiovascular health and further
studies have shown that animal protein has similar effects on heart health. Polyunsaturated,
monounsaturated, and omega-3 fatty acids can all reduce the risk of CHD (Erlinger & Appel
2003). These fats can be found in various plant foods such as legumes, flax, chia and hemp
seeds, beans, leafy greens, etc.
Connection between cancer and meat
In some studies, animal protein has been linked to higher risk of certain cancers. Carcinogens
are agents that are cable of causing cancer; many carcinogens are found within the environment
(cigarette smoke, pollution, UV light, etc.). Numerous studies show that when carcinogens were
present, animals on a diet high in animal protein and fat actually had higher rates of
precancerous deformities than those on a plant-based diet (Eshel and Martin 2006).

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FEDERAL POLICY
Federal policy has a big influence on the structure of our
agricultural systems. The Farm Bill is a legislative
document that covers the majority of federal policy related to
agriculture (Remsburg 2015). It is renewed every
five years, with Congressional negotiations usually
spanning 2 to 3 years before a new updated version is
published. The current Farm Bill, the Agricultural
Act of 2014, breaks down spending into different
categoriesone of them being commodity programs.
Commodity programs offer support for certain crops
(grains, oilseeds and cotton) by reducing costs of
production (Johnson & Monke 2014). Corn and soybean
(often fed to livestock) grown in the US received around $96
billion in
subsidies in the past 15 years. This promotes the production of animal protein since the cost of
feeding livestock is made cheaper from government funding. Many of the commodities that
receive subsidies from the government are those
that do not comply with nutritional guidelines
Figure 5 [Source: PCRM]
(Figure 5) (PCRM).
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Change the Farm Bill so that commodity payments and insurance subsidies are
encouraging sustainable practices rather than promoting the largest grain yields from
the largest agro-businesses. These sustainable practices would include diversified crops
rather than monocrops needing more chemical amendments
2. Animal waste used as manure rather than fossil-fuel intensive fertilizers
3. Soil promotion based on composting, crop rotation, and cover crops
4. Subsidies for whole foods rather than processed foods.
5. Promote and increase aquaculture practices over farming of cows, pigs, and sheep
Recommendations for consumers
1. Grow own food
2. Buy whole animals directly from farmers/eat venison [in addition to cutting down on
overall meat consumption]
3. Preserve food (canning, freezing, dehydrating, etc)
4. Write to elected officials about pesticide and Farm Bill policies
CONCLUSION
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Overall, this is an important issue that needs to be addressed as soon as possible because it
easier to prevent negative outcomes than it is to fix them. Changes to agriculture must be made
otherwise our country will run into problems in the future. The meat-based, American diet is
extremely unsustainable. In order to correct this issue, both consumers and federal policy
makers need to make changes and improvements. This may not be a quick and easy fix, but it is
an issue that requires everyones attention.

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Erlinger, T.P. and L.J. Appel. 2003. The relationship between meat intake and cardiovascular
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