greenhouse gases and animal agriculture
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Agriculture and Greenhouse Gases
Jill Heemstra, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
Why Is This Important?
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
• Agriculture emits greenhouse gases (GHGs)• Agricultural activities can capture or
sequester GHGs• Changing climate can impact on-farm
management decisions• Policy conversations & development will
include agriculture
U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
U.S. EPA 2012
Climate Change Policy
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
©University of Nebraska Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources
What Do We Need to Know?
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
•Greenhouse gases (GHGs) associated with agriculture• Agricultural activities that emit GHGs• Strategies for mitigation & adaptation• Opportunities
Greenhouse Gases Associated With Agriculture
• Carbon dioxide - CO2
• Methane - CH4 (21 times the global warming potential, GWP, as CO2)
• Nitrous oxide - N2O (310 GWP)
When reading about total GHG emissions, the amounts reported are generally carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) which converts some gases to a higher number to factor in their higher global warming potential
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
Agriculture Activities
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
• Nitrous oxide– Agricultural soil management
(Fertilizer application & cropping practices)
– Manure management
– Field Burning of ag residuesPhoto courtesy Rick Koelsch, University of Nebraska
Agriculture Activities
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
• Methane– Enteric fermentation (digestion)– Manure management
(uncovered manure storage)
– Rice cultivation– Field burning ag residues
Photo courtesy USDA NRCS
Photo courtesy Mark Rice, North Carolina State University
Agriculture Activities
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
• Carbon dioxide– Fossil fuels– Electricity
Carbon FootprintCarbon footprint: The total amount of greenhouse
gases are emitted into the atmosphere each year by a person, family, building, organization, or company, including emissions from direct sources as well as indirect sources.
Life Cycle Analysis: A process to calculate carbon footprint
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
Mitigation and Adaptation
Mitigation=reducing GHGs
Adaptation=risk management
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
Farm Management Decisions
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
Adaptation• Preparation for changes in:
– Temperature– Frequency of extreme weather events– Hydrologic cycles and connections (water
quantity)– Timing of farm operations– Invasive species (plant and animal)
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
Adaptation Examples• Extreme rainfall events are
causing more frequent manure storage spills in your state. This pattern isexpected to continue.
• How can a farmmanage this risk?
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
Photos courtesy Kevin Erb, University of Wisconsin
Adaptation Examples• A ranch in an arid or semi-arid environment
is developing a 10 year plan. What climate influences need to be considered?
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
Animal Ag & Climate Change
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
Mitigating GHG Emissions• Soil carbon sequestration (CO2)• Biofuel production (CO2)• Nitrogen use efficiency (N2O)• Covered manure storage (CH4)• Animal diet (CH4 & some N2O) • Energy efficiency; reducing fuel use (CO2)
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
Agriculture & Sequestration
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
“Agricultural practices collectively can make a significant contribution at low cost to increasing soil carbon sinks, to GHG emission reductions, and by contributing biomass feedstocks for energy use”
IPCC Fourth Assessment Report on Climate Change 2007
Mitigating GHG Emissions• Soil carbon sequestration (CO2)
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
No-till
Perennials
Cover Crops
Manure
Photo courtesy USDA NRCS
Photo courtesy USDA NRCS
Mitigating GHG Emissions• Biofuel production (CO2)
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
©University of Nebraska Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources
©University of Nebraska Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Algae
SwitchgrassEthanol plant
Mitigating GHG Emissions• Nitrogen use efficiency (N2O)
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
©University of Nebraska Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Mitigating GHG Emissions• Covered manure storage (CH4)
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
Examples of manure anaerobic digesters
Photo courtesy Doug Hamilton, Oklahoma State University
Photo courtesy Rick Stowell, University of Nebraska
Mitigating GHG Emissions• Animal diets (CH4, N2O)
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
Photo courtesy Sharon Sakirkin, Texas AgriLife Extension System
Mitigating GHG Emissions• Energy efficiency; reducing fuel use (CO2)
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
Photo courtesy Anne Cumbie RandleRandle Organic Farm, AL
Photo courtesy Mark Risse, University of Georgia
Mitigating GHG Emissions• Trade offs
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
Trade-Offs• If feeding grain to ruminants results in less
methane emissions, does that mean we should craft programs that encourage farmers to feed moregrain and lessforage?
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
Photo courtesy USDA NRCS
Trade-Offs• If switching to perennial crops can
sequester more carbon in the soil, should we be converting significant amount of crop land to perennials?
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
Policy & Mitigation
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
• 2009 EPA finding of “endangerment”• Mandatory GHG Reporting Rule
• Cap & trade• Carbon tax• State regulations
Opportunities• Reduced input costs• Carbon payments or renewable energy
credits• Incentivize BMPs• Market access/advantage
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
Summary• Agriculture is a significant source of
methane and nitrous oxide• Many current recommended management
practices also mitigate GHGs• Production efficiency is key
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
Summary• Farm and ranch business plans should
consider and prepare for:– Ways to adapt to changing climate– Financial opportunities– Possibility of regulations
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
Photo courtesy USDA NRCS
Contact Information
Building Environmental Leaders in Animal Agriculture (BELAA)
• Jill Heemstra: – jheemstra@unl.edu
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