While Iowa livestock farmers were busy breaking ice out of cattle waterers and making sure animals were comfortable as freezing weather set in last week, a cavalcade of government officials and industry stakeholders had agriculture and food in their sights as they gathered for the United Nation’s climate change conference (COP28) in sunny Dubai. 

One of the main themes of the conference was a push for new commitments from developed countries, including the United States, to lower emissions from agriculture and food production. Specifically, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was expected...