Meat and Dairy Lobbyists Are Using Fossil Fuel Industry Tactics to Stall Climate Policies

The meat and dairy industry, particularly in the EU and the US, is employing tactics similar to those used by the fossil fuel industry to weaken and stall climate policies. Reports by InfluenceMap and The Union of Concerned Scientists have identified how lobbyists are spreading misleading narratives to undermine the necessity of reducing emissions from the meat and dairy sector, despite their significant contribution to agricultural emissions. These tactics have impacted policymaking in both regions, with a third of EU climate policies being weakened or stalled due to industry opposition.

In the US, agribusiness and industry groups have spent over half a billion dollars since 2018 lobbying on issues related to the food and farm bill, with tactics aimed at watering down requirements for reporting climate emissions. The Union of Concerned Scientists is calling for Congress to prioritize the needs of small and midsize farmers, as well as marginalized communities, over corporate interests in shaping future agricultural policies. Lobbying efforts by the meat and dairy industry are hindering progress towards climate action and sustainable agriculture practices.