Cargill's Innovative Cattle Methane Reduction
In a progressive move towards a greener future, Cargill has joined forces with Trees Consulting to unveil a groundbreaking 'Gold Standard-approved' methodology aimed at curbing methane emissions within the beef production industry.
Trees Consulting is renowned for its sustainable land use change solutions, which encompass strategies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, foster carbon credit programs, and develop GHG accounting methodologies for scope 3 value chain activities.
The newly launched methodology will empower beef producers to comprehend the impact of feed supplements, enabling projects to quantify and measure reduced methane emissions—a potent GHG primarily derived from enteric fermentation in cattle, manifesting through burping and manure handling.
At the core of this framework lies a comprehensive means of measuring methane emissions reduction achieved through the integration of feed supplements into beef cattle diets.
Crucially, the 'Gold Standard's' certification process necessitates verifiable impacts towards three or more of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, underpinning a robust commitment to global sustainability.
This innovative approach is poised to resonate with beef producers worldwide, providing them with the tools to quantify, audit, and verify methane reductions. As a result, they can register their GHG mitigation projects for Gold Standard certification, with the Verified Emissions Reductions (VERs) obtained being eligible for trading in carbon markets, thus allowing credit purchasers to directly support these impactful endeavours.
Additionally, the efforts of beef producers adopting this methodology will be recognised within corporate value chains, fostering accountability for the reduction in supply chain GHG emissions, which contribute to their Scope 3 targets.
Joanne Sharpe, Cargill's global ruminant sustainability lead, emphasised the importance of accurate measurement tools in methane reduction initiatives. She expressed Cargill's dedication to recognising and rewarding producers for their sustainability endeavours, underscoring the significance of this methodology in advancing methane reduction goals within the beef supply chain.
Margaret Kim, CEO of Gold Standard, lauded the potential of agricultural practice changes in reducing methane emissions. She commended Cargill's support, which paves the way for the animal agriculture industry to embrace methane reduction while complementing Gold Standard's broader efforts to mitigate agriculture's impact on our planet, including their recently published methodology addressing methane emissions from rice production.
Beef producers intending to adopt this new methodology will begin by establishing a baseline for emissions during business activities over a minimum of three consecutive years. The tracking of cattle fed with supplements during the project period is vital, with the project crediting set at five years, extendable for an additional five years (excluding the baseline years). Through this systematic approach, the beef industry is poised to make significant strides in sustainability and environmental preservation.
Source: Foodbev
