Agriculture in the U.S. represents about 9% of total greenhouse gas emissions. But new research suggests that improvements in dairy farm operations could reduce those emissions by up to 30 or 40%.
Dr. Matthew Ruark shares the results of the multi-university, $10 million research report on dairy and greenhouse gas emissions. The report titled “Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Diary Production Systems of the Great Lakes Region: Dairy Coordinated Agricultural Project” shares research on reducing emissions from all stages of dairy production. Find this report and more at sustainabledairy.org.
Dr. Ruark shares information about strategies farmers can use to increase carbon and organic matter in the soil (to retain water and supply more nutrients). Farmers can return carbon to soil with manure additions, high biomass crops, and adding cover crops. And farmers can keep the carbon in place in the soil by reducing tillage and soil disturbances.