Agricultural News
Fluid Milk is First Ag Product to Have a Full Blown Carbon Footprint Analysis
Mon, 27 Sep 2010 4:48:54 CDT
The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy commissioned the University of Arkansas' Applied Sustainability Center to conduct a fluid milk carbon footprint study. It is a life cycle assessment (LCA) that measured the greenhouse gas emissions created from the production of milk; from when crops are grown to feed cows all the way to the disposal of the milk carton by the consumer. One of its key findings is that the increased adoption of best management practices along the entire fluid milk supply chain can increase profitability while improving environmental sustainability.
The fluid milk carbon footprint study, the first of its kind for a U.S. agricultural product, was presented last week at the International Food Life Cycle Assessment Conference. The study is the dairy industry's initial step in a comprehensive, science-based approach to measure and improve its carbon footprint. It will provide a scientific basis to identify research needs and enable the industry to identify and measure management practices and technologies that are most effective in increasing productivity and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Together with data from additional studies, the carbon footprint study indicates that total U.S. dairy greenhouse gas emissions are approximately 2 percent of total U.S. emissions.
Click here for more on the Innovation Center for US Dairy and more on this ground breaking study.
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