By Paul Homewood
h/t Paul Kolk
Some UK social media users have been pouring milk down their sinks and toilets in protest at the trial of a new feed additive that claims to significantly reduce the emission of methane gas in dairy cows.
Arla Foods, a Danish-Swedish company which owns the UK’s biggest dairy cooperative, announced last week that 30 of its farms across the country would test the additive, named Bovaer.
The company says Bovaer – which is added in small quantities to cow feed – could reduce cow methane emissions by between 30-45%.
It has been approved for use by UK regulators, and several major supermarkets will stock milk produced by cattle eating feed with the additive.
Some online users have raised concerns around the use of Bovaer, citing issues around the safety of certain compounds used in it.
However, experts have told the BBC that the additive “does not pose any food safety issues”.
Other consumers have been threatening to boycott products from leading supermarkets in anger over the trial, while multiple farmers have taken to social media to inform consumers that they don’t use Bovaer.
Meanwhile, baseless claims of it being part of a “depopulation” plot have swirled online alongside misinformation about its links to US-billionaire Bill Gates.
The manufacturer, DSM-Firmenich, says “mistruths and misinformation, external” have been spread about its product. It says it is “totally safe” for use, and has been tested over many years in many countries.
What do we know about Bovaer and the new trial?
Methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide and is helping drive climate change.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8rjdgre3vpo
More misinformation from BBC Verify!
Given that methane breaks down in the atmosphere after ten years or so, it is irrelevant as far as climate change is concerned. (This is even before we consider the fact that the wavelengths affected by methane are already nearly fully saturated).
The article goes on to assure us that the additive is perfectly safe. But the real issue is that we simply don’t know. So why even take the risk of using additives which have absolutely no benefit?
