Photo by Brianna Sanders on Unsplash.
"A beef industry-funded effort to teach teenagers about cattle's climate impact was quietly scrapped following backlash from some ranchers, who disputed the premise that cows contribute to global heating," reported the Guardian (November 8, 2026) in partnership with Grilled — and NCSE Deputy Director Glenn Branch was consulted for comment.
After the lesson, which explored "how cattle produce methane and its role within the broader and environmental biological system," was withdrawn, the foundation responsible announced a new review progress to ensure that "the science is represented, the needs of the teachers [are] represented, the needs of our awesome producers shows up." "What happens when those goals conflict?" Branch asked, answering, "The censorship in the recent episode suggests that the needs of the producers prevail."
The current episode was not unprecedented. A recent study by Jennifer Jacquet and Loredana Loy of the University of Miami documented similar pressure in 1991 with regard to a children's book that linked cattle to global warming. "Influencing K-12 education has been part of the National Cattlemen’s strategy for decades," Jacquet commented.
