Inside Big Beef’s ‘90s Campaign to Rewrite Its Climate Story

Documents show how the National Cattlemen’s Association launched a long-term misinformation campaign to downplay livestock’s environmental impacts.

By: Seth Millstein

Outlets: Sentient

Published: October 13, 2026

Words: 1,262

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 6 days ago

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At least as early as 1989, the top U.S. lobbying group for beef producers had an opportunity to change the course of the climate crisis. Around that time, an internal document showed that the National Cattlemen’s Association (NCA) was not only aware of the beef industry’s contribution to global warming as one of the biggest sources of methane, but it also knew there were ways to reduce livestock emissions.

Instead, as the agricultural industry’s relationship …

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