Dairy Farm Question:
Do dairy farms produce a lot of greenhouse gases?
Answer:
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's U.S. Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emission Report, dairy production contributes less than 1 percent of US greenhouse gas emissions. And dairy farmers and other sin the dairy community have committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020.
Greenhouse gases include water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone. Today, producing a pound of milk takes three times less methane than it did in 1924 because of the many efficiencies practiced by dairy farmers. Dairy farmers are continuing to find ways to further reduce methane emissions by feeding grains and high-quality forage and by continuing to use other tools such as genetic improvement and superior herd management, according to researchers.
Greenhouse gases include water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone. Today, producing a pound of milk takes three times less methane than it did in 1924 because of the many efficiencies practiced by dairy farmers. Dairy farmers are continuing to find ways to further reduce methane emissions by feeding grains and high-quality forage and by continuing to use other tools such as genetic improvement and superior herd management, according to researchers.
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