Dismantling Big Livestock

This book offers the first in-depth exploration of the finance behind Big Livestock — the mega-corporations that dominate the supply of meat and dairy — exposing its role as the food system’s biggest climate offender and the urgent need to dismantle this industry for a sustainable future. Over recent decades, corporate consolidation has concentrated the animal protein market in a few hands, driving the livestock industry to become a leading contributor to climate change. The book argues that scaling back Big Livestock is critical—and that withdrawing finance can spark this transformation. Through a detailed analysis of the funding behind major meat and dairy companies, Dismantling Big Livestock uncovers the lending and shareholding patterns that sustain Big Livestock. It draws parallels with the fossil fuel industry, examining the successes and failures of the divestment movement to reveal strategies for pressuring financial institutions, targeting key players, and setting impactful climate goals. It then goes further, working through the ten largest livestock emitters one by one to establish which banks lend to each company, which investors hold its shares and bonds, and where the leverage actually lies—finding that for most, it is lending rather than divestment that offers the way in. The book also envisions a sustainable transition for the livestock industry, exploring alternative systems to meet global protein needs and redirect funding towards greener solutions. Essential reading for anyone interested in sustainable agriculture and food systems, this book provides a compelling roadmap for defunding Big Livestock and building a more climate-conscious future.