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Wednesday, April 07, 2010 5:53:04 AM
Carbon 'cost' of Kiwi lamb calculated
NZPA .. 06/04/2010
MARION VAN DIJK
The "carbon footprint" for New Zealand
lamb eaten in Britain has been worked out.
A 100gm serving of New Zealand lamb consumed in Britain carries a carbon
"cost" equivalent to nearly 2kg of carbon dioxide, new research shows.
The "carbon footprint" for New Zealand lamb eaten in Britain has been estimated as equivalent to 1.9kg of carbon
dioxide, for each 100gm serving of lamb - 80 percent of that generated by farmers and their livestock on-farm.
Just 3 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions came from processing, and 5
percent from transport, with the remaining 12 percent down to retailers and consumers.
The New Zealand study by AgResearch and released today by meat companies, is the first published carbon footprint
to cover the entire life cycle from farm, through to cooking and eating the meat, and the disposal of waste and sewage.
Meat Industry Association chairman Bill Falconer said today it would be hard to assess how carbon emissions for
New Zealand lamb compared with overseas products, until there was a globally-agreed methodology for "footprinting".
"It is hard to assess how New Zealand's footprint compares," he said.
"We're not aware of overseas studies with a comparable scope or level of detail in the methodology."
But the industry was confident that low-input and efficient farming, in a temperate climate and using a high
proportion of renewable energy meant New Zealand lamb compared favourably in its emissions performance on-farm.
"It is likely that the small proportion of the footprint contributed by transport and processing costs...will also compare well."
Mr Falconer said the overall breakdown of the carbon footprint for NZ lamb, and the high
proportion of emissions on-farm were "in line with expectations". Ruminant livestock such as
sheep "burp" large amounts of methane, and release nitrous oxide through their wastes.
The lamb industry now had a science-based benchmark to measure further progress.
"We want to use this study as a platform from which to move forward and
improve the footprint from the farm, through processing and in transport.
"The biggest opportunity to reduce the lamb footprint is on-farm, and
there is already considerable investment into research in that area."
In comparison with pre-Kyoto Protocol farming, the sheep industry was already producing more meat from less
pasture, with lower emissions. Though NZ farms produced slightly more lamb than in 2003, the national sheep
flock was 43 percent smaller, and this had reduced the carbon footprint of lamb by more than 20 percent.
Research was underway into livestock emissions, better energy use in meat
processing through improved waste-water treatment, and use of biofuels.
Meat exporters were also working with individual shipping lines to identify ways to carbon footprint of oceanic freight.
There was also scope for consumers to be taught more energy-efficient ways to buy, cook and store meat.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/3551647/Carbon-cost-of-Kiwi-lamb-calculated
NZ opens centre to tackle agriculture emissions
03 Mar 2010
Reuters
WELLINGTON, March 3 (Reuters) - New Zealand has pledged to spend tens of millions of dollars on research to reduce emissions
from agriculture, the first step from a global alliance which has been established to target reductions in the sector.
Agriculture is a major source of greenhouse gases that scientists blame for heating up the planet and about
half of New Zealand's emissions come from this sector, a higher proportion than any other developed country.
A centre combining private and public sector science bodies was opened on Wednesday to drive research into cutting agricultural
emissions, such as methane and nitrous oxide, both far more powerful greenhouse gases than carbon dioxide.
"This centre will support New Zealand in taking a significant leap forward in meeting the challenge of reducing greenhouse
gas emissions from agriculture while increasing productivity," Agriculture Minister David Carter said in a statement.
"New Zealand must meet its international commitments to the Kyoto Protocol and it must
support farmers and growers to achieve this through new technologies," Carter added.
The primary sector, which includes agriculture, forestry, wine growing and horticulture, accounts for about half of New Zealand's exports, with diary by far the largest contributor. New Zealand's largest company is dairy co-operative Fonterra, which generates about 7 percent of GDP. Methane, produced in the digestive tracts of sheep, cows and goats, is a major byproduct of dairy farming. Nitrous oxide is produced mainly from the use of nitrogen fertilisers.
The research centre is the first step to tackle agricultural emissions research from the 20-country
Global Research Alliance formed during the Copenhagen climate change talks, the government said.
The government has pledged to spend NZ$50 million ($35 million) over the next five years to fund the centre.
The country will also host the first meeting of the alliance, which includes
the United States, Britain, Australia, India, France and Germany, in April.
The government has a target of cutting national emissions by between 10 and 20 percent
from 1990 levels by 2020, primarily through a cap-and-trade based emissions trading scheme.
For more on climate change in New Zealand and Australia, click on [ID:nCARBONAU]
On Dec. 16, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it would spend $130 million over the next four years on research into curbing emissions from agriculture. ($1 = NZ$1.43) (Reporting by Adrian Bathgate; Editing by David Fogarty)
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SGE6210LM.htm
Australian scientists hope to breed burp-less sheep to help tackle climate change
By Jorja Orreal
The Courier-Mail
January 18, 2010
It's no gas - scientists are trying to develop
burp-less sheep to help tackle climate change.
AUSTRALIAN scientists are hoping to breed burp-less sheep in a bid to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The agriculture sector is the nation's second biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions behind the energy
sector, producing about 16 per cent of Australia's total emissions, the Courier-Mail reports.
Two-thirds of that figure is produced by livestock, and 66 per cent of those emissions
are released as methane from the guts of grazing livestock such as sheep and cattle.
The Sheep Co-operative Research Centre is conducting a world-first study into about 700 sheep with 20 different
genetic lines – each is fed, then shepherded into a booth where scientists measure their burp outputs.
One study leader, Dr Roger Hegarty, said sheep burped large amounts of
methane and there was environmental pressure to see whether that could be minimised.
"We're looking into how to reduce emissions from sheep – all over Australia teams are testing different approaches:
changing the microbes in the gut, changing their diet, or changing the genetics of the animal," he said.
"Our sheep studies are (primarily) aiming to find out if there is genetic
control over methane production and, if so, is that a good thing to pursue?"
Dr Hegarty said researchers were wary not to produce other problems in their bid to reduce the animal's carbon footprint.
"Methane is the exhaust from livestock, and – just as you can't put your hand over the exhaust pipe of a car
and expect it to keep running – we're treading carefully to reduce emissions without causing other problems.
"There really is a global effort on this – it will take a lot of hard yakka and time."
Other study leader, Dr John Goopy of the NSW Department of Industry and Innovation,
said if a 10 per cent reduction could be achieved per animal it would be a good thing.
"Once we work out how to reduce methane emissions, and if our strategies prove to be valid, we will
keep gaining advantage and over time there will be larger decreases in methane emissions," he said.
Dr Hegarty said scientists were also looking to do a similar thing with beef cattle.
http://www.news.com.au/weird-true-freaky/australian-scientists-hope-to-breed-burp-less-sheep-to-help-tackle-climate-change/story-e6frflri-1225820718524
Pesky critters, aren't we.
NZPA .. 06/04/2010
MARION VAN DIJK
The "carbon footprint" for New Zealand
lamb eaten in Britain has been worked out.
A 100gm serving of New Zealand lamb consumed in Britain carries a carbon
"cost" equivalent to nearly 2kg of carbon dioxide, new research shows.
The "carbon footprint" for New Zealand lamb eaten in Britain has been estimated as equivalent to 1.9kg of carbon
dioxide, for each 100gm serving of lamb - 80 percent of that generated by farmers and their livestock on-farm.
Just 3 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions came from processing, and 5
percent from transport, with the remaining 12 percent down to retailers and consumers.
The New Zealand study by AgResearch and released today by meat companies, is the first published carbon footprint
to cover the entire life cycle from farm, through to cooking and eating the meat, and the disposal of waste and sewage.
Meat Industry Association chairman Bill Falconer said today it would be hard to assess how carbon emissions for
New Zealand lamb compared with overseas products, until there was a globally-agreed methodology for "footprinting".
"It is hard to assess how New Zealand's footprint compares," he said.
"We're not aware of overseas studies with a comparable scope or level of detail in the methodology."
But the industry was confident that low-input and efficient farming, in a temperate climate and using a high
proportion of renewable energy meant New Zealand lamb compared favourably in its emissions performance on-farm.
"It is likely that the small proportion of the footprint contributed by transport and processing costs...will also compare well."
Mr Falconer said the overall breakdown of the carbon footprint for NZ lamb, and the high
proportion of emissions on-farm were "in line with expectations". Ruminant livestock such as
sheep "burp" large amounts of methane, and release nitrous oxide through their wastes.
The lamb industry now had a science-based benchmark to measure further progress.
"We want to use this study as a platform from which to move forward and
improve the footprint from the farm, through processing and in transport.
"The biggest opportunity to reduce the lamb footprint is on-farm, and
there is already considerable investment into research in that area."
In comparison with pre-Kyoto Protocol farming, the sheep industry was already producing more meat from less
pasture, with lower emissions. Though NZ farms produced slightly more lamb than in 2003, the national sheep
flock was 43 percent smaller, and this had reduced the carbon footprint of lamb by more than 20 percent.
Research was underway into livestock emissions, better energy use in meat
processing through improved waste-water treatment, and use of biofuels.
Meat exporters were also working with individual shipping lines to identify ways to carbon footprint of oceanic freight.
There was also scope for consumers to be taught more energy-efficient ways to buy, cook and store meat.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/3551647/Carbon-cost-of-Kiwi-lamb-calculated
NZ opens centre to tackle agriculture emissions
03 Mar 2010
Reuters
WELLINGTON, March 3 (Reuters) - New Zealand has pledged to spend tens of millions of dollars on research to reduce emissions
from agriculture, the first step from a global alliance which has been established to target reductions in the sector.
Agriculture is a major source of greenhouse gases that scientists blame for heating up the planet and about
half of New Zealand's emissions come from this sector, a higher proportion than any other developed country.
A centre combining private and public sector science bodies was opened on Wednesday to drive research into cutting agricultural
emissions, such as methane and nitrous oxide, both far more powerful greenhouse gases than carbon dioxide.
"This centre will support New Zealand in taking a significant leap forward in meeting the challenge of reducing greenhouse
gas emissions from agriculture while increasing productivity," Agriculture Minister David Carter said in a statement.
"New Zealand must meet its international commitments to the Kyoto Protocol and it must
support farmers and growers to achieve this through new technologies," Carter added.
The primary sector, which includes agriculture, forestry, wine growing and horticulture, accounts for about half of New Zealand's exports, with diary by far the largest contributor. New Zealand's largest company is dairy co-operative Fonterra, which generates about 7 percent of GDP. Methane, produced in the digestive tracts of sheep, cows and goats, is a major byproduct of dairy farming. Nitrous oxide is produced mainly from the use of nitrogen fertilisers.
The research centre is the first step to tackle agricultural emissions research from the 20-country
Global Research Alliance formed during the Copenhagen climate change talks, the government said.
The government has pledged to spend NZ$50 million ($35 million) over the next five years to fund the centre.
The country will also host the first meeting of the alliance, which includes
the United States, Britain, Australia, India, France and Germany, in April.
The government has a target of cutting national emissions by between 10 and 20 percent
from 1990 levels by 2020, primarily through a cap-and-trade based emissions trading scheme.
For more on climate change in New Zealand and Australia, click on [ID:nCARBONAU]
On Dec. 16, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it would spend $130 million over the next four years on research into curbing emissions from agriculture. ($1 = NZ$1.43) (Reporting by Adrian Bathgate; Editing by David Fogarty)
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SGE6210LM.htm
Australian scientists hope to breed burp-less sheep to help tackle climate change
By Jorja Orreal
The Courier-Mail
January 18, 2010
It's no gas - scientists are trying to develop
burp-less sheep to help tackle climate change.
AUSTRALIAN scientists are hoping to breed burp-less sheep in a bid to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The agriculture sector is the nation's second biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions behind the energy
sector, producing about 16 per cent of Australia's total emissions, the Courier-Mail reports.
Two-thirds of that figure is produced by livestock, and 66 per cent of those emissions
are released as methane from the guts of grazing livestock such as sheep and cattle.
The Sheep Co-operative Research Centre is conducting a world-first study into about 700 sheep with 20 different
genetic lines – each is fed, then shepherded into a booth where scientists measure their burp outputs.
One study leader, Dr Roger Hegarty, said sheep burped large amounts of
methane and there was environmental pressure to see whether that could be minimised.
"We're looking into how to reduce emissions from sheep – all over Australia teams are testing different approaches:
changing the microbes in the gut, changing their diet, or changing the genetics of the animal," he said.
"Our sheep studies are (primarily) aiming to find out if there is genetic
control over methane production and, if so, is that a good thing to pursue?"
Dr Hegarty said researchers were wary not to produce other problems in their bid to reduce the animal's carbon footprint.
"Methane is the exhaust from livestock, and – just as you can't put your hand over the exhaust pipe of a car
and expect it to keep running – we're treading carefully to reduce emissions without causing other problems.
"There really is a global effort on this – it will take a lot of hard yakka and time."
Other study leader, Dr John Goopy of the NSW Department of Industry and Innovation,
said if a 10 per cent reduction could be achieved per animal it would be a good thing.
"Once we work out how to reduce methane emissions, and if our strategies prove to be valid, we will
keep gaining advantage and over time there will be larger decreases in methane emissions," he said.
Dr Hegarty said scientists were also looking to do a similar thing with beef cattle.
http://www.news.com.au/weird-true-freaky/australian-scientists-hope-to-breed-burp-less-sheep-to-help-tackle-climate-change/story-e6frflri-1225820718524
Pesky critters, aren't we.
Jonathan Swift said, "May you live all the days of your life!"
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