Alberta Beef Life Cycle Analysis

Evaluating Environmental and Economic Impact for Beef Production in Alberta using Life Cycle Analysis - Phases 1 and 2

Environmental issues are becoming more important for consumers, industry and government. Issues about the environment translate into incremental costs and benefits for producers. Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD) initiated the beef life cycle analysis (LCA) project to provide an understanding of the environmental and economic impacts associated with beef production in Alberta.

The project was led by the Economics and Competitiveness Division, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD). The project received funding from Growing Forward, A Federal-Provincial-Territorial Initiative and was completed in two phases.

The Phase 1 study completed in April 2010 yielded an estimate of the carbon footprint intensity and other environmental impacts such as eutrophication, acidification, and non-renewable energy consumption, of beef production in Alberta on a per kilogram basis (live shrunk weight). In addition, it identified key beneficial management practices (BMPs) for reducing the footprint of beef production.

The Phase 2 study completed in March 2011 used the phase 1 model to perform a cost benefit assessment of adopting selected BMPs for reducing the footprint of beef production in Alberta.

The project was completed by Conestoga-Rovers & Associates (CRA). CRA teamed up with the Pembina Institute to complete the Phase 1 study and with JRG Consulting Group to complete Phase 2.

Phase I

Phase 2

For more information about the content of this document, contact Emmanuel Anum Laate (Project Manager).

Alberta Beef Life Cycle Analysis

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