Lumping all beef production together and representing it with the hamburger is also misleading in terms of climate impact. As demand for beef increased, especially that which could satisfy the demand for more lean material for ground beef, the ability to custom feed cattle for different markets became possible. From breed selection to time in feedlots and the content of their feed is entirely different for hamburger production than it is for other cuts where fat content equates to flavor and tenderness.
Feeding cattle an unnatural mix of corn and corn sweetened silage in large scale confinements is where most of the bad rap of beef comes from, as it lowers the pH of their digestive system and generates a lot of methane laden flatulence. Corn is also a very bad performer at capturing carbon so that tips the balance also. While we should eat less beef, there are other ways of making our addiction to beef less environmentally harmful.
Free-range isn’t the answer, as it requires a ridiculous amount of land to satisfy that addiction. It also adds a distinct flavor difference between regions according to available grasses and soil makeup, which doesn’t fit the cookie-cutter coast to coast model the large chains demand. Switching the feed to a hemp-based mix that doesn’t stir up the digestive system as much as corn-based feeds do would put a large dent in the methane production of the cattle and hemp sequesters carbon at twice the rate that trees do per acre and grows to maturity in about 3–4 months. Consumer demand is heading for leaner cuts anyway.
Hemp solves, or mitigates at least, many such problems. It is extremely versatile in making everything from construction material to animal feed to biofuel. It grows fast and roots much deeper than corn, which increases the carbon capacity of the soil. It is just now coming back in vogue as fiber for fabrics and is much more durable than cotton while also being soft and flexible. It is also nitrogen setting, meaning it self fertilizes and bugs don't appear to like it. That means it is pretty much chemical-free to grow, the opposite of cotton which is the most chemical-dependent crop we grow.
