Conventional livestock raising methods have been incredibly environmentally and socially destructive with soil erosion, deforestation, ground water pollution, large portions of agriculture dedicated to growing feed, extermination of billions of predators to protect free ranging livestock, infiltration of non-native plant species, disruption of traditional hunting cultures and on and on. These costs to our environment and health are irrelevant because private industries don't pay them. We do with our destroyed health and environment. In fact we fund our own destruction by unwittingly subsidizing the agricultural industry. Isn't there a better way to raise livestock than continuously warring with nature? Many believe that cattle grazing alone has caused more environmental destruction than lumbering and mining combined. If it is necessary to exterminate millions of predators to protect livestock maybe livestock shouldn't be allowed to roam around. Grazing animals coexisted with predators just fine before the white man decided to disrupt everything for profit. Should millions of acres of the country be fenced off to the rest of us only to be ruined by ranching? Many believe that no matter how cattle are grazed they don't belong in North America because they are native to much wetter Northern European climates. Grazing has been especially destructive in the arid Western part of the country. Also, doesn't the promotion of eating beef discourage the raising and consumption of native animals such as deer, elk, moose, buffalo, etc. whose production may be much more environmentally sound than raising invasive cattle? Some believe that if done properly grazing in the U.S. is not damaging to the environment and may even be beneficial. This may be true, but how many ranchers are following ecologically sound practices? What is the permaculture method of raising livestock ecologically? One reason Americans are largely unaware of food production problems or any of the core problems with the country is that the industries causing the problems own and fund the media, so why would they advertise their crimes? Wouldn't make business sense. Should we be purchasing beef from ranches that claim to graze cattle in an ecologically responsible manner, or is grazing cattle responsibly in North America yet another myth created by industry?