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patronizing tone and misguided content. A few weeks later came the announcement that the ministry would in future desist from catering which includes meat or fish, as it had to set the example for responsible behavior. However, we need to accept the fact that there are many of us who love cows and need to keep dairy and beef on the menu. In my view, the responsible approach is to connect with this reality and find a solution that lines up all the actors from farm to fork through a positive motivation. While some have made headlines in denying climate change, most people are willing to take direct action to protect the planet. Our research shows that an overwhelming majority of Germans are willing to pay more for climate-friendly beef and dairy products, and this, of course, would generate economic value for farmers, industry and retailers. Therefore, one should ask whether indeed there is a more effective way to restore the value of a product and encourage responsible consumption than putting a price on it?Sadly, the polemic is increasingly invading our own homes. Last month my 13-year-old daughter, who not only likes beef but very much needs it as she is slightly anemic, told me that one of the teachers in her school had just seen ‘Cowspiracy’. She told the class that cows are the number one culprit behind global warming. Therefore, I spent an hour going through the facts with my daughter and discussing the broader perspective on the issue, before we enjoyed a dinner of steak together.Of course, it makes sense to look for a plan B to meet the world’s protein needs, alternative to growing another billion cows. Some would argue that artificial meat, fed with calf blood and grown in laboratories, is the way forward. However, I would first focus on making the heritage product – real beef and dairy – more sustainable before venturing into a direction that has many fundamental questions to answer, from energy consumption to safety and so on. Let us then do a fact-based all-encompassing comparison, taking into account the environmental, economic and societal benefits of real cows. No doubt the ‘let us feed cows seaweed and we will cut 100 per cent of the methane’ mindset will still ghost around on many international events. However, nobody mentions the fact that we would have to grow enormous amounts of additional seaweed around the world, with unknown consequences and damage to the ozone layer. I believe that progress on the climate debate will not happen without a sales-centric, market-driven approach, and only if we tone down the polemic and hype that can drive even the most concerned citizens to negate the need for urgent action to protect our planet. Meanwhile, the majority of us – willing to make a real difference here and now – are ready to vote with our purse, but only if we know where the money goes and if we can keep the few things we hold dear. Cows and sheep and their produce very much being one of them. ■ABOUT THE AUTHORChristoph Staeuble is CEO of the Zaluvida Group. Mr Staeuble has many years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry with a focus on prescription-free treatments and consumer goods. During his six years as Chief Operating Officer at Omega Pharma, he successfully positioned the company in the European market. Previously, he worked for 17 years at Procter & Gamble, where he became Managing Director of the Health Care Division. Pictured: Christoph StaeubleAbove: In October 2017, climate-friendly beef was sampled by thousands of German consumers. Over 50 per cent are willing to pay more for a climate-friendly standardBelow left: Cows transform biomass such as grass into valuable nutrients for a growing human population. With a healthier digestion they no longer have to be big pollutersAGRICULTURE 067