Currently, the NMSP team is working with dairies in New York. Findings so far show that most of the dairies in the program are producing milk with emissions under 1.0 kilogram of carbon dioxide equivalents per kilogram of fat- and protein-corrected milk, though there is quite a range.
As more researchers in different regions work on similar GHG projects, there will be more opportunities for national and international comparisons of progress in dairy GHG emissions.
Why is it important to track on-farm GHG emissions?
“It is important for individual dairy farms to be able to know their farm footprint,” said Karl Czymmek, dairy climate leadership specialist for PRO-DAIRY. “With this information, they can more easily identify practices best suited to their farm’s resources which could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
“In many ways, things farmers have always been trying to do – such as increase crop yield and milk production with fewer inputs – will continue to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions per gallon of milk,” said Czymmek.
“Tracking results over time through a greenhouse gas footprint tool helps farmers meet stewardship goals set by the dairy industry, food company targets and public policy objectives,” Czymmek continued.
We asked Beth White of Elkendale Farm – one of many farms in upstate New York that has participated in this program – for her perspective. "Completing the NMSP survey requires you to take a closer look at all aspects of your operation,” she said. “Like a financial benchmark project, the final report allows you to assess your environmental footprint, find areas to improve, and track your progress."
Where do we go from here?
“This project is key to helping us understand how New York dairy farms are performing in terms of their greenhouse gas emissions,” said Godber. “As the program continues to grow and farms with different characteristics and management practices contribute to the project, we can start to identify strengths and opportunities for reducing greenhouse gasses at the individual farm level and within the New York dairy industry as a whole.”
“In many ways, things farmers have always been trying to do – such as increase crop yield and milk production with fewer inputs – will continue to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions per gallon of milk,” said Czymmek.
There are a few options that can be easier to integrate into annual practices than others. For example, by adding and retaining organic matter, cover cropping and reduced tillage can increase carbon sequestration and organic matter in the soil, lowering some GHG emissions.
