behind the hype: ghg emissions from dairy farming explained - karen wonnacott (dairyco)
DESCRIPTION
This presentation formed part of the Farming Futures event 'Carbon & Farming - Putting Science into Practice'.29th July 2010TRANSCRIPT
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Research and Development
Brian Lindsay
Behind the hype: GHG emissions from dairy farming explained
Karen WonnacottDairyCo R&D Manager
29 July 2010
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Outline• Background• Terminology• Targets• Why reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) • Why reduce greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions?• Carbon footprinting• Benefits for dairy farmers• What is DairyCo doing?
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Greenhouse gases (GHGs)
• Nitrous oxide (N20)– 300X more potent
• Methane (CH4)– 20X more potent than CO2– 20X more potent than CO2
• Carbon dioxide (CO2) – <1% in agriculture
• Ammonia (NH3)– ‘indirect’ GHG
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The terminology• Carbon footprint
– "the total set of GHG emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, organisation, event or product" (UK Carbon Trust 2008)
• Mitigation• Adaptation• Abatement• Carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e)• Global Warming Potential (GWP)• GHG glossary available from the DairyCo website
www.dairyco.org.uk
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Targets in context• Kyoto Protocol 2012
– 12.5% reduction
• UK Low Carbon Transition Plan 2008– 11% reduction for agriculture in England– 11% reduction for agriculture in England– 3 Million tonnes* CO2equivalents (CO2e)
• National inventory measurement– Currently crude– Does not detect actual practice on farm
* DairyCo establishing start and endpoint
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GHG emissions & dairy farming
• Agriculture contributes 7% of total UK GHG emissions
• Dairy <2%† of total UK GHG emissions– Perception– Perception– Actual
• CH4 and N2O emissions have fallen by 17% and 23% respectively since 1990
• More reductions are possible†
DairyCo funded work carried out by North Wyke Research, part of Rothamsted Research
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Why reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from dairy farms?• Reduce energy consumption per unit of food
produced – definite link with profit• More cost effective use of nutrients
– Feeding the animal– Making the most of grass– Making the most of grass– Better use of manure and slurry
• If industry demonstrates voluntary GHG reductions, may be less policy/legislative intervention
• Demonstrating positive improvements to the general public
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What is a carbon footprint?
• Cradle to grave, account for all inputs and outputs, traced back to primary source, e.g.
• Milk production– Oil→fertiliser→chemicals→machinery→crops/– Oil→fertiliser→chemicals→machinery→crops/
fodder→housing→feeds →cattle→milk cooling
• Milk processing– Transport→processing→separation→pasteurisation→packing→retailer→consumer
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Components of a litre of milk
Nitrous oxide45%25%
Microbial breakdown of nitrate in soil both organic and inorganic and manure
Enteric emissions from the rumen and manure
Nitrous oxide
Carbon dioxide
Methane30%
45%
Direct inputs:Diesel, electricity, chemicals, fertiliser etc.
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Anecdotal evidence on farm
800
1000
1200
1400
Almost 50%
higher
0
200
400
600
Bottom 25% Average Top 25%
Total gCO2e/litre
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Who should calculate your carbon footprint?• A lot of tools on the market• Increasing interest• Publically Available Specification 2050
(PAS 2050) explains how you carbon (PAS 2050) explains how you carbon footprint for all products & services
• Carbon Trust accredited• Milk buyer driven• Depends on your objective
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What do I get out of it?
• A figure with which you can benchmark your farm in future years and benchmark between group members
• Information on where you could reduce your • Information on where you could reduce your carbon footprint
• An understanding of how efficient your farm is• Return of capital investments over time and
associated reduction in carbon footprint (hopefully!)
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What can you do?• Increase milk yields (regardless of system)• Reduce replacement rate• Feed by-products• Better manage manures & reduce bagged • Better manage manures & reduce bagged
fertiliser where possible• Reduce dietary protein• Invest in heat recovery, water re-use (plate
cooler & rain water), extended grazing• Use off peak electricity
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What is DairyCo doing?
• R&D projects - new and existing– Sampling guidelines project with Carbon Trust and
DairyUK - aiming to standardise carbon footprinting of milk pools/fields
– Establishment of an annual average national carbon footprint figure which will provide industry with a benchmark to measure future progress
– Opportunities for new forage species
• Environment issue statements/ GHG factsheets• Good communications with industry & Defra• Milk Roadmap
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Some of the challenges!• Still a lot of unknowns• Some GHG emissions are inevitable!• Climate events/ unexpected disease
outbreak(s)outbreak(s)• Limited farmer buy-in• Government/policy• Media• Labelling
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More reductions are possible!• Dairy sector recognises the need to reduce
GHG emissions• DairyCo leading discussions & information
provision for farmers, industry, Government• Many environmental objectives have
synergies with efficiency and cost savings• DairyCo need to get these win-win messages
over to more dairy farmers!
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Thank you for your attention!