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The 2024 report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2022”, highlights agriculture’s near 2% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 2021 to 2022, marking the largest decrease amongst all economic sectors. By leveraging various sustainability initiatives, innovative technologies, expert technical assistance, and advancements in soil, crop, and animal management practices, agriculture is steadily progressing towards its sustainability objectives.

As the need to reduce on-farm methane emissions becomes more apparent, researchers at Cornell University are working to formulate dietary strategies through feed additives to decrease enteric methane emissions in dairy cattle. To track these emissions, Dr. Joshua McFadden and his team will utilize novel respiration chambers to assess the effectiveness of various feed additives in mitigating enteric methane emissions.

Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) has recently published its 2023 Stewardship Report, highlighting the cooperative’s diverse stewardship initiatives. Driven by the dedication of its employees, these initiatives include TCCA’s sustainable certified packaging materials, enhancements in animal care, reductions in on-farm landfill waste, awarded grants, and upcoming manure management projects.

While dairy farmers have always been familiar with sustainable management practices, the scope of sustainability, particularly within carbon markets, offers expansive horizons. Carbon programs offer various incentives to farmers, encompassing both environmental and economic benefits. Taking the time to understand the workings and processes of carbon programs will help farmers effectively navigate the carbon opportunities best suited for their operation.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the availability of a historic $1.5 billion through the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). Through either an RCPP Classic or RCPP Alternative Funding Arrangements (AFA), these funds will be used to help farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners adopt and expand conservation practices and strategies to enhance natural resources while addressing the climate crisis.

Researchers at Cornell University are working to collect real farm data to quantify dairy’s environmental footprint as part of the Nutrient Management Spear Program’s Dairy Sustainability Project. Tools like the Whole Farm Nutrient Mass Balance, developed by Cornell, measures the balance between nutrient inputs and outputs on a whole farm basis. Another popular tool amongst researchers, Cool Farm Tool, estimates total farm greenhouse gas emissions as well as emissions produced from milk production.

As part of the Greener Cattle Initiative, UW-Madison assistant professor of animal and dairy sciences, Francisco Peñagaricano, was awarded a $3.3 million grant in support of research aiming to reduce enteric methane emissions from cattle. Peñagaricano’s research consists of three elements: selectively breeding dairy cattle that produce lower methane emissions, developing a milk-based test to predict a cow’s methane emissions, and studying the rumen microbiome.

A recent study published in the Journal of Dairy Science aligns the foundation of dairy’s environmental success found in the 2020 Capper and Cady study. Due to increased efficiencies over the past 50 years, the U.S. dairy industry is able to producer more milk with fewer cows, and in turn fewer emissions per unit of milk. This additional research provides valuable credibility to back the dairy industry’s sustainability story.

The dairy industry is continuously adapting and evolving, especially in the face of climate change. Through collaborative efforts between farmers, cooperatives, researchers, and other dairy industry stakeholders, dairy farmers are working to reduce their environmental impact, improve their soil health, and further implement regenerative agriculture practices.

American Dairy Association North East (ADA North East) is partnering with environmental groups across its six-state region to build relationships and trust in the dairy industry. Collaboration with environmental groups gives the dairy industry the opportunity to share how dairy farmers care for their land, air, water, and communities.