Letters to the Editor: Alternative proteins could help farmers and fight our water shortages
-
Click here to listen to this article - Share via
- More than 1 trillion gallons of Colorado River water annually fuels livestock feed production, directly driving the region’s water crisis.
- Alternative proteins — plant-based and fermentation-derived foods — could significantly reduce strain on the basin while creating profitable new markets for California farmers.
- Expanding climate-resilient crops and alternative proteins offers California a practical path to protect the river while strengthening its agricultural economy.
To the editor: This article explores how policymakers may divide a shrinking water supply, but it overlooks a central driver of the ongoing crisis (“Trump administration proposes Colorado River options that could hit California hard,” Jan. 9).
The majority of the water in the Colorado River basin — more than 1 trillion gallons — is used to grow feed for livestock. This directly links the region’s water shortages to increased levels of meat and dairy consumption. Without acknowledging this reality, discussions about water cuts risk missing one of the most effective ways to reduce strain on the basin.
As the grandson of a cattle rancher, I value the role agriculture plays in feeding people and sustaining rural communities. I also believe that expanding options for climate-resilient crops and alternative proteins — including plant-based and fermentation-derived foods — can significantly reduce the strain on our nation’s limited water supply while creating new and profitable markets for farmers and food companies.
For California, this approach offers a practical way to protect the Colorado River basin while strengthening the state’s agricultural economy.
Matt Hotze, Houston
This writer is senior director of science and technology at Good Food Institute, a nonprofit think tank promoting alternative proteins.
