Cattle ranching is responsible for about 65 to 70% of deforestation and has been occurring for decades for many reasons (Mongabay). Understanding why Brazil has become such a large producer of beef in the global market is a step towards managing this threat. With cheap labor and investment in a profitable and useful good that is not as dependent on climate and environmental changes such as cash crops, cattle ranching provides incentive for farmers to clear forests to create land for farms. In addition, the Brazilian government hands out subsidies to farmers providing further incentive in a favorable market.
Unfortunately various negative effects occur from cattle ranching:
-Soil is depleted of nutrients as cattle eat the grass and is unable to replenish itself
-The cutting down of forests to sustain these farms creates an enormous amount of pollution and is encroaching on the habitat of many species
-Finally the roads created to provide access to these farms are in itself creating habitat fragmentation and pollution as well causing environmental issues to come full circle.
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