RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesManny Rutinel, Democratic candidate for Congress in Colorado's 8th Congressional District, once co-authored a paper that argued that livestock — not fossil fuels — should be more of a focus to combat global warming.
"Simply put, achieving the Paris Agreement goals will be nearly impossible without ambitious policies that reform our food system," Rutinel wrote in a 2022 paper with the Environmental Law Institute.
"Despite the growing awareness of animal agriculture’s climate impact, climate policy and action have historically focused on electricity and fuel use."
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The resurfaced paper is just the most recent resurfaced content complicating the political calculus for Rutinel as he strives to convince voters that his past rhetoric on climate and farming is not fully representative of his views now.
Four years since the publication of his work, Rutinel's election very well could depend on the heavy ranching presence in his district.
Colorado’s 8th district is Colorado’s leading producer of beef cattle and dairy, accounting for 26% of the state’s output, according to Upstate Colorado Economic Development. Of its 2.5 million acres, 75% are devoted to farming and raising livestock.
In recent months, Rutinel has worked to convince voters that he recognizes the industry's importance.
"Like all industry, there are bad apples, and I’ve spoken out against those bad apples that cause extreme and unnecessary animal cruelty in parts of the food industry and against the environmental cost of unsustainable food practices," he said.
"They’re good stewards of the land, they care for their animals, and they are the backbone of our economy and our communities. Colorado ranchers are my friends and neighbors, and I’ve gotten to know them," he added.
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But through advocacy in college, testimony made before local government and a climate group he started , Rutinel has pressed the case that many climate advocates have articulated in the past: that livestock contribute to global emissions as a byproduct through their digestive systems.
The resurfaced paper brings a government-led approach to many of his vocalized positions.
In it, Rutinel argued that ranchers and animal farmers should be incentivized through government initiatives to transition to plant-based farming with either a carrot or a stick.
"Governments can require that agribusiness internalize the environmental, public health, and animal welfare costs of animal farms through regulations, mandates or taxes ," Rutinel wrote, suggesting penalties for companies to make up for their production.
"But one food system policy idea has not received sufficient attention: the direct funding of farm transitions from concentrated animal feeding operations to plant-based operations," he added.
Rutinel also argued state and local governments could finance offsetting projects that would reduce emissions.
"For example, a manufacturing facility in California can decrease its net emissions by purchasing offset credits that finance a reforestation project in Brazil. Offset credits can be purchased voluntarily or to exceed emission allowances within a compliance market."
To some onlookers who have cast doubt on Rutinel's positions in the past, the statements appear to confirm that his position is further left on energy than many Democrats pushing aggressive climate initiatives through legislation like the Green New Deal.
"You have to be legitimately insane to look at the Green New Deal and think it doesn't go far enough. Meatless Manny's vision to ban ranching would not only lead to catastrophic job losses in Colorado but also cause a beef shortage across America," Zach Kraft, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
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Rutinel’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether he continues to believe that climate reform must, on some level, mean change for farming industries.
Having cleared the Democratic primary , Rutinel will face off against Rep. Gabe Evans in the state’s Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
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