The urgent need to address climate change has never been more evident.
As global leaders step up efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions, methane has emerged as a critical target. This potent gas, over 80 times more effective at trapping heat than CO2 over a 20-year period, is a major contributor to global warming.
Livestock farming, particularly cattle production, is responsible for nearly a third of human-driven methane emissions worldwide. While some have suggested that reducing beef and dairy consumption is the answer, this overlooks the vital role that ruminant protein plays in feeding the world's growing population and supporting the livelihoods of countless farmers and rural communities.
With the global population projected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050, finding ways to produce beef and dairy more sustainably is not just an option, but an imperative.1 The 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) climate negotiations and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organizations of the United Nations (FAO) landmark roadmap have galvanized the agrifood industry to accelerate the development and deployment of high-impact methane reduction solutions.
But what will it take for these emerging technologies to achieve widespread adoption and deliver gigatonne-scale impact by 2030? Efficacy is paramount. For any methane-mitigating feed additive or supplement to make a meaningful difference, it must consistently reduce emissions by a significant amount – the higher, the better. This level of reduction is necessary to justify the investment and operational changes required for farmers to adopt a new solution. Equally important is the solution’s ability to work effectively across diverse geographies, breeds, and feed systems.
Farmers need confidence that the product will deliver results in their specific context, whether they are raising cattle in the US Midwest, the Australian outback, or the South American Pampas.
Farm economics is another critical factor. Adopting any new technology involves costs and risks for farmers, who often operate on thin margins in a highly competitive global market. For methane-reduction solutions to scale rapidly, they must be economically viable for farmers without relying on subsidies.
The solution must offer a clear pathway to a positive return on investment through a combination of potential price premiums for low-methane beef or dairy products and efficiency savings that result from the reduction in feed energy being lost to enteric methane production.
While the ability to generate and sell carbon credits could provide an additional revenue stream, the core value proposition must be strong enough to stand on its own. Solutions that require ongoing subsidies, or that only pencil out with uncertain future carbon market revenues, will face an uphill battle in driving widespread adoption.
Cost-effective, safe and seamless
Equally important to farm-level economics is the need for cost-effective production of methane-reducing feed additives or supplements. To achieve global scale, these solutions must be able to drive down their cost of goods sold through innovative approaches to sourcing, processing, and manufacturing. The most successful solutions will be those that can leverage a combination of technological innovation, strategic partnerships, and creative business models to maximize production efficiency and economies of scale.
Safety is non-negotiable. Any feed additive or supplement must be thoroughly vetted and deemed safe for the animals consuming it, the farmers handling it, and the end consumers eating the resulting meat or dairy products. This includes rigorous testing for potential toxicity, impacts on animal health and performance, and the risk of residues in the final food products.
Solutions that can demonstrate a wide safety margin and no adverse effects, even at many times the recommended dosage, will have a significant advantage in building trust and acceptance. The most scalable solutions will likely be derived from nature-based ingredients with a long history of safe use, as opposed to synthetic novel compounds that may face higher regulatory hurdles and consumer skepticism.
Quality and consistency go hand in hand with safety. Farmers must know that the solution they purchase performs as promised, each and every time. There can be no room for variability between production batches.
Supply-chain integration is essential for seamless deployment. Methane-reduction solutions will need to fit smoothly into existing feed production, transport, storage, and delivery infrastructure with minimal disruption or added complexity for farmers and feed mills. Formulations that are stable over time, easy to handle and measure, and compatible with common on-farm mixing and delivery systems will accelerate uptake.
Solutions that can be easily incorporated into the rations cattle are already eating, such as grain or forage-based diets, will have an edge over those that require a separate feeding process. Technologies that are robust enough to withstand real-world conditions, such as fluctuating temperatures or humidity levels, will be more readily adopted than those that require delicate handling or special storage.
Creating value from farm to table
Finally, the most impactful solutions will be those that create value for the full range of stakeholders, from farm to table. While the direct benefits to farmers are critical, truly game-changing innovations will also generate positive ripple effects for feed mills, cattle processors, food brands, retailers, and consumers.
By helping to reduce the methane footprint of beef and dairy production, these solutions can create opportunities for the entire value chain to enhance their sustainability credentials, meet evolving customer demands, and contribute to the global fight against climate change.
Feed mills can play a key role in championing the adoption of methane-reducing ingredients, working in partnership with farmers to integrate these solutions seamlessly into their operations. Cattle processors and packers can leverage the lower-methane footprint of the animals they source to differentiate their products and meet the growing demand for climate-friendly beef and dairy.
Food brands, retailers, and restaurateurs can showcase their commitment to sustainability by offering low-methane options, appealing to the growing segment of environmentally conscious consumers. Governments and communities can benefit from the reduced greenhouse gas emissions associated with livestock farming, while also supporting the economic vitality of rural areas. By aligning the interests of all these stakeholders and delivering shared value, the most impactful methane-reduction solutions can create a rising tide that lifts the entire industry.
The next few years will be decisive in the race to bend the climate curve. Methane-reduction solutions that can deliver on all these fronts – efficacy, economics, safety, seamless integration, and stakeholder alignment – will be poised to drive gigatonne-scale impact within the decade.
The converse is also true – partial solutions that fall short on any of these key success factors will struggle to move the needle on the urgent timeline we face. As the agrifood industry mobilizes to tackle this challenge, these are the benchmarks against which every emerging innovation must be rigorously evaluated. Our climate future depends on it.
References
1. United Nations. Population.