Even during the famine of the mid 1980's, Ethiopia was exporting grain that could have been used to feed its own people to the West - feed for livestock. Another requirement to raise livestock is land. The North American meat industry therefore looks to the south for cheaper land, which has resulted in cattle ranching becoming a major cause of rainforest destruction in Central and South America. Ranchers clear forests and drain wetlands to graze cattle for export, or to grow feed for animals, instead of growing crops for local consumption. This results in the loss of trees and habitat, as well as many different species of plants, animals, and insects.
Cattle ranching also affects North American land because it has a huge impact on soil erosion.
Around 30 percent of our farmland is used as pasture for cattle. In Canada alone, the amount of soil the prairies lose each year due to wind and water erosion is 305 million tonnes. Without access to this government land that has been clearcut, the head of BC's Cattleman's Association says there would be no beef industry in this province. Energy is required throughout the meat production process. According to a 1992 study by Alberta Agriculture, meat production requires, on average, 10-20 times more energy per edible tonne than grain production.