A $4.85 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund and the Global Methane Hub to the Angus Foundation—part of a larger $27.4 million Global Methane Genetics Initiative—was pitched as a voluntary program to breed cattle that burp less methane. What’s clear now, however, is that ranchers see it as a stealth regulatory wedge aimed at climate control—thinly disguised as genetic efficiency.
The Grant That Triggered the Outcry
On April 8, 2025, Bezos and the Methane Hub unveiled their global livestock emissions program. Among its awards, $4.85 million went to the Angus Foundation, which will fund methane-genotype data collection on roughly 4,600 animals via Angus Genetics Inc. and the University of New England. The stated goal: breed cattle with lower methane output without altering feed or management systems.
Official messaging claims the grant is “voluntary, efficiency-driven and controlled by ranchers.” Yet, critics worry this is the first step toward centralized control of herd genetics and emissions data.
Rancher Revolt: “Damn shame… I am done.”
Reactions from ranchers have been strong, including a post from DD of “Cattlemen United”:
“So… looks like the Angus Association is getting on board with the climate idiots. Damn shame… I raise cattle now… those papers don’t mean shit… the Angus Association can kiss my ass… My cattle sell just fine.”
That quote encapsulates widespread anger. Ranchers are rejecting the idea that genetic tracking equals efficiency—and resent being co-opted as climate activists.
Bison vs. Cattle: Emissions Comparisons
Ranchers believe cattle are being unfairly singled out. A 2021 peer-reviewed study found that American bison emit about 81 g of methane per day, similar to winter-time feedlot cattle.
Moreover, historical research shows that pre-colonial bison herds emitted around 2 teragrams of methane annually, roughly comparable to modern-day cattle emissions—but did not trigger climate collapse.
These findings raise questions: if bison didn’t threaten climate stability, why target today’s cattle?
Efficiency or Entrapment?
The Angus Association has clarified that methane genetics data may inform future selection tools, but inclusion in any EPD is strictly optional, pending Board approval. However, some ranchers fear that what starts as voluntary genetic profiling could evolve into an industry or government-driven standard, with those opting out facing a de facto market penalty.
What This Means for Ranchers
The petition demanding the Angus Association return the $4.85 million Bezos Earth Fund grant has officially closed after gaining 3,600 supporters. But the fight isn’t over.
According to a final message to supporters, the Angus board voted unanimously to keep the money—doubling down on a partnership many ranchers see as a dangerous concession to globalist agendas. The board cited “efficiency” as its justification, but producers pushing back aren’t buying it.
“Researching methane emissions under the guise of efficiency, while accepting funding from a global organization with a stated mission to reduce animal agriculture, is problematic,” the petition’s organizer wrote. “Taking this money is the easy way out. But the long-term repercussions could wreak havoc on the U.S. cattle industry for decades to come.”
The letter calls for a nationwide roundtable of Angus breeders—before the Association cements its alignment with the Global Methane Hub and its affiliated policy networks. As the message makes clear: if we’re going to take a seat at any table, let it be our own.
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