Source: Lisa M. Keefe, MEATINGPLACE, 2/17/15

The newest video in the Meat MythCrusher series addresses one of the most commonly seen myths in the media: How much water it takes to produce a pound of beef.

One often-cited statistic suggests it could take as much as 2,400 gallons of water, but sustainability researcher Jude Capper explains that the actual amount is much smaller: 441 gallons to make a pound of boneless beef, the North America Meat Institute (NAMI) said in a news release. NAMI produces the Meat MythCrusher series online.

“While higher numbers cited may have been accurate 30 to 40 years ago,” Capper said, “the modern beef industry is so efficient in the way it feeds, breeds and cares for the animals that it is able to use far fewer resources today than ever before.”

Capper noted that a car can take 39,000 gallons to produce. He adds that consumers who want to buy the most sustainable beef should focus on corn-finished as opposed to grass-finished beef.

The Meat MythCrusher video series is produced by NAMI in conjunction with the American Meat Science Association, and seeks to bust some of the most common myths surrounding meat and poultry production and processing. The series is now in its fifth year and the new video is the 41st in the series.

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To view the video, click here.