Dairy’s Environmental Progress, Greenhouse Gas 101, and Key Outcomes from COP28 with Frank Mitloehner, PhD

What this episode covers

Why does the dairy sector have such a good story to tell about environmental sustainability, and how can each of us be a better storyteller for the industry? Join us for a mega episode of Dairy Digressions to find out! Host Matt Lucy is joined by esteemed guest Frank Mitloehner, PhD, a professor and extension specialist in the Department of Animal Science at the University of California, Davis, and director of the UC Davis CLEAR Center. An agricultural engineer and air-quality expert, Frank explains exactly why today’s climate change is outside of normal climate patterns, outlines the three main gases responsible for the greenhouse gas effect (carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide), and illustrates how their increase leads to higher environmental temperatures. While we know that the energy sector, particularly carbon from fossil fuels, accounts for the majority of global emissions, agriculture and the methane from livestock play a critical role in moving the needle toward our shared net zero–emissions future. With a majority of American refrigerators containing animal-sourced foods, Frank is focused on how we can produce those foods while addressing environmental issues ranging from air quality and emissions to animal welfare, worker health and safety, and more. Using Frank’s home state of California as an example, the two discuss how agriculture is currently excelling in finding ways to turn methane from a liability into an asset; dairy farms are on track to achieve 40% or more methane reduction by 2030, reach climate neutrality, and sell credits to other sectors. Despite these incredible advancements, it can feel like the climate narrative around agriculture remains thorny. Frank explains why he established the CLEAR Center and his work—including a recent trip to speak at COP28—to not only advance the science around climate in agriculture but to break down misconceptions and help consumers and thought leaders better understand the importance of agriculture in sustainably nourishing the world. Episode Twelve Show Notes Learn more about Frank Mitloehner’s work at the UC Davis CLEAR Center, read his blog posts, and connect with him on LinkedIn and X/Twitter. Catch up on the papers and the news articles discussed in the episode: Big oil distracts from their carbon footprint by tricking you to focus on yours, GHG Guru (2020) New report: California is pioneering a pathway to significant dairy methane reduction, UC Davis CLEAR Center (2022) Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2023) Animal board invited review: Opportunities and challenges in using GWP* to report the impact of ruminant livestock on global temperature change, Animal (2023) Fifty years of environmental progress for United States dairy farms, Journal of Dairy Science (2024)

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