Meat consumption and water scarcity: beware of generalizations

The livestock industry and meat consumption have been variously associated with the problem of global water scarcity. This paper warns against generalizations on the basis that meat production systems are diverse both in farm practice and geography. Using a recently developed life cycle assessment-based methodology that takes into account local water stress where operations occur, the normalized water footprint of lamb cuts produced in south-west Victoria, Australia, and transported to the western USA for retailing and consumption was 44 L H2Oe (equivalent) per kg. This case study result, which is likely to be typical of many low input, non-irrigated grazing systems, and which is in the range of other cereal products grown in Australia, demonstrates that the production and consumption of meat does not necessarily impose a heavy burden on freshwater resource availability. The variability between meat production systems must be taken into consideration in any discussion about the role of meat in a sustainable global food system.