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TIME magazine spreads the word to its mass audience about dairy cows’ contribution to reducing food waste in landfills. As dairy farmers have long known the benefits of their cows’ ability to consume byproducts, TIME is helping bridge an understanding to consumers as to how dairy cows are the ultimate recyclers and an important piece to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Through NZI, Starbucks partners directly with farmers in our supply chain and has committed to invest $10 million toward the research and implementation of new practices in feed production to manure management, nutrition and on-farm energy efficiency with the goal of providing farmers with technology and environmental practices.

Enteric methane, one of the largest and most complex sources of greenhouse gas emissions from the dairy industry, is being addressed through various mitigation options including development of feed additive and genetic innovations. While developing the science behind enteric methane mitigation is challenging enough, new challenges arise when it comes to maximizing the benefits of emission reductions. Carbon offset programs and government incentives have been beneficial in both short-term and long-term support of farmers to implement mitigation strategies.

“…dairy is in a unique position to help other businesses and industries that are unable to immediately reduce their own GHG emissions. When industries outside the dairy value chain purchase carbon credits from U.S. dairy farmers, it provides an important source of funding and revenue diversification. This is turn enables dairy farmers to continue ongoing reinvestment and adoption of sustainable innovations and technological advancements — further advancing the positive cycle of GHG reduction while providing safe and quality nutrition to families around the globe.”

Powering a community by what was once considered waste is not only helping the farm’s sustainability efforts, but it’s also generating additional income. Newtrient offers the following advice when exploring the carbon markets.

Analysis by UC Davis researchers shows continued implementation of California’s incentive-based dairy methane reduction efforts should, by 2030, achieve the full 40% reduction goal.

Through a large presence and emergence of climate-smart practices to reduce its environmental footprint, the dairy industry has set a goal to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. The implementation of anaerobic digesters, feed additives, energy efficiencies, and regenerative farming techniques on dairy farms are working to reduce greenhouse gases contributed by the dairy sector. Differing from one to the next, every dairy farm has its own individualized needs. Organizations like Newtrient are working to reduce the environmental impact of dairy and make it economically viable to do so through farm-specific assessments, technical assistance, and expert counsel. From these individual recommendations, farmers can consider solutions to further reduce their environmental footprint but also access other revenue streams outside of milk production.

CAFOs under The Clean Water Act is recognized as “point sources” of water pollution. Food and Water Watch wants to restrict the discharges from them into rivers and streams through a more compelling regulatory system.

Dairy farms can generate carbon credits from multiple places, whether by converting to no-till and planting cover crops, putting in a manure digester to cut down on nutrient emissions, making dietary changes to the total mixed ration or feeding more additives to lower enteric emissions (burps) from cows, or by just being more energy efficient or using less fossil fuels. “These are the four areas with the biggest impact,” Boehl said. “These are the all the opportunities for a potential market. Any area where you can reduce carbon is also an area where you can capture carbon credits.”

The Environmental Quality Commission has received a petition for rulemaking to create a dairy air emissions regulatory program. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality invites public comment on whether EQC should direct DEQ to deny the petition, grant the petition and initiate rulemaking proceedings, or pursue another action.