The Price of Cheap Beef - is all beef 'unethical'?

In a recent column in The Guardian, George Monibot makes a typically confused claim that eating British beef is unethical, but eating Brazilian beef far more so. On the latter of these points, I can't help but agree with him.

The thrust of the argument is:

• Foot and Mouth has not been eradicated in Brazil - indeed a fresh outbreak was confirmed last week in Mato Grosso do Sul
• In 2004, some 26,000 sq km of Amazon rainforest was cleared 'most of it' driven by cattle ranching
• Cattle ranching 'if it keeps expanding in the Amazon' threatens two fifths of the world's rainforest
• Ranchers kill landowners when the complain that their land is being 'grabbed by cattlemen'
• 25,000 slaves are being used on cattle ranches
• "Because of the expansion of beef production in the Amazon, slavery in Brazil has quintupled in 10 years"

Unfortunately, Monibot provides no references for these 'facts' and figures. While I would not go so far as to say I didn't believe them, they do seem like big claims without reference.

What is particularly concerning, however, is his claim that in the first half of this year, Britain imported some 34,000 tonnes of Brazilian beef. Why?
The answer - as it always seems to be - lies in three main sectors wanting to cut costs - the supermarkets, prepared food manufacturers and restaurant and pub chains.
Monibot didn't get much sense out of any of these people - as you might expect - but what is clear is that we shouldn't eat beef in this country unless it explicitly tells us the beef is British.
As discussed in a previous post, British beef has a history of quality. Animal welfare regulations in this country are notably higher than in many other countries. Our climate and pasture is suited to raising beef. Beef less travelled is going to be better beef. Buy British! In fact, Buy Local.

As for Monibot's claim that "We shouldn't be eating beef at all. Because the conversion efficiency of feed to meat is so low in cattle, there is no more wasteful kind of food production" is ludicrous. Should we eliminate beef, something else will - by default - become the most wasteful kind of food production, so we should eliminate that. And the next, and the next and... you get the picture.
What is more 'wasteful' is the excess mileage to abattoirs because local slaughterhouses have been closed down. The ban on certain types of offal is also wasteful. Supermarkets buying centrally for the whole nation then transporting produce the length of the country is extremely wasteful. Supermarket packaging is terribly wasteful. Buying the Guardian in print when it's available online is wasteful too...
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