Guests: Dr. Frank Mitloehner, University of California, Davis; Dr. Jim Wallace, Dairy Management, Inc.; Dr. Juan Tricarico, Dairy Management, Inc. and Caleb Harper, Dairy Scale for Good

In May 2021 the Florida Ruminant Nutrition Conference’s Preconference Symposium titled, “Your Practical Guide to Achieving Net Zero Carbon Emissions” welcomed five speakers and a Q&A session to follow. This was sponsored by Balchem Animal Nutrition & Health. What you’re about to hear is that Q&A session. Full presentations can be found here.

Dr. Jim Wallace discussed the decision for the 2050 goal for net zero emissions. He said that the 30-year goal provides an adequate window and runway for more innovations. He also touched upon three ways to reduce emissions within the dairy industry by focusing on manure, energy and feed production. (4:42)

Caleb Harper discussed his background in the greenhouse industry and talked about the similarities he sees with cross ventilated barns and greenhouses. Cross ventilated barns are allowing producers to reduce emissions by using new technologies. (13:10)

Dr. Frank Mitloehner played out a scenario with his students in the classroom by asking about technology in human health first then technology in agriculture second. He claimed that the overwhelming majority were in favor of technology in human health but were against technology in animal agriculture. He also pointed out that there are more patents in a tomato than in a smart phone. (18:16)

Dr. Juan Tricarico discussed his study on byproducts fed in the dairy industry. His study focused on removing those byproducts from the diet to see if they could limit emissions. By removing byproducts from the diet they could reduce emissions but where would those byproducts go if they were not being used by the dairies? The byproducts produce less emissions being digested by the cow than they would in the landfill where the nutrients would also be wasted. (39:22)

Dr. Frank Mitloehner discussed nitrates being high in California water. Some California dairies must purchase drinking water because the nitrates are so high in their water supply. He pressed that there are more components to focus on, besides methane and greenhouse emissions, when it comes to the bigger picture of the environment and sustainability. (58:46)

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This podcast is sponsored by Balchem Animal Nutrition and Health.