Manny Rutinel, a Democratic candidate for Congress in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, co-authored a paper in 2022 that argued livestock, not fossil fuels, should be a focus to combat global warming.

Climate Reform and Farming Industries

Rutinel’s paper, written with the Environmental Law Institute, suggested that achieving the Paris Agreement goals would be nearly impossible without ambitious policies to reform the food system. He argued that climate policy and action have historically focused on electricity and fuel use, rather than animal agriculture’s climate impact.

Rutinel’s campaign has worked to convince voters that he recognizes the importance of the ranching industry in his district, which is Colorado’s leading producer of beef cattle and dairy. However, his past advocacy for climate reform has pressed the case that livestock contribute to global emissions through their digestive systems.

The resurfaced paper has sparked controversy, with some onlookers doubting Rutinel’s positions on climate and farming. A spokesperson for the Republican National Committee called Rutinel’s vision to ban ranching ‘insane’ and said it would lead to catastrophic job losses in Colorado and a beef shortage across America.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.