US beef industry campaigned to undermine climate science in the 1980s and 90s

A new study published in PLOS Climate reveals that the National Cattlemen’s Association (NCA) conducted a strategic campaign between 1986 and 1996 to undermine climate science and downplay the beef industry’s contribution to global warming.

Researchers from the University of Miami found that internal documents showed the association was aware of the industry’s role in methane emissions and the potential methods to reduce them. Instead of pursuing mitigation, the group launched a public relations effort to question global warming and seed misinformation to influence public opinion. The campaign aimed to prevent beef production and consumption from becoming a focal point of climate mitigation efforts.

Experts noted that these historical tactics, which included commissioning academic experts to produce favorable statistics, mirror broader patterns of corporate climate denial seen in other sectors.