Have you heard about SDGs? If you have been listening to any sustainability discussions recently, you might have heard this acronym. SDGs refer to the Sustainable Development Goals, a major building block of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
According to the United Nations, these goals are part of a “shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.” In total there are 17 goals, including zero hunger, sustainable cities and communities, climate action, partnership on goals, and many others. U.S. animal agriculture, including the pork community, is actively contributing toward progress on 15 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The U.S. animal agriculture community has a proven track record of continuously improving animal care, environmental impact, and food security and has committed to even greater achievements. Real progress toward healthy people and a healthy planet depends on recognizing and advancing those contributions.
Here are a few examples of how U.S. animal ag is supporting UN Sustainable Development Goals:
Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy. The U.S. animal agriculture community is on a mission to reduce waste, and that includes recycling waste from the farm and converting it into renewable energy. Smithfield has set a goal to implement biogas systems on 90% of company and contract finishing farms in North Carolina and on 90% of company finishing farms in Missouri by 2030.
Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. Farmers, ranchers and those involved in agriculture are often well-connected and involved in their local communities and recognize the need to invest in them.
As an example, Christensen Farms donated $300,900 in 2023 to local communities, including $14,200 to local emergency services and $22,000 to military veterans.
Goal 13: Climate Action. Many farms in the U.S. have been passed down over multiple generations. This is not possible without the everyday commitment to care for the land and preserve it for the next generation. American farmers and ranchers have been innovating for decades to reduce their environmental impact.
In the pork community, on-farm conservation practices have reduced CO2 emissions by the equivalent of taking 22,410 cars off the road. Although incredible progress toward climate change efforts has already been made, the U.S. animal ag community remains committed to furthering that progress.
Though the ag community continues to innovate and improve, we can expect to see continued attacks on animal ag’s environmental impact from those that just blatantly oppose animal agriculture. Let’s be prepared to set the record straight.
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