A Climate Solution Is Here, and It Has Four Stomachs

Rhea-AI Summary

Elanco Animal Health's CEO, Jeff Simmons, discusses a climate solution for the dairy and meat industry in a Fast Company article. He highlights that cattle can be part of addressing global hunger and climate issues. The FDA recently approved Bovaer® (3-NOP), Elanco's methane-reducing feed ingredient for lactating dairy cattle. This product can lower methane emissions by around 30%, equivalent to 1.2 metric tons of CO2e emissions annually per cow.

Simmons emphasizes the importance of climate neutral farming and introduces tools like UpLook for measuring greenhouse gas emissions and Athian's carbon insetting marketplace. These innovations aim to help farmers reduce, measure, and monetize emission reductions, benefiting the entire food chain. The goal is to achieve climate neutral livestock farms within this decade, making U.S. farmers more competitive while helping food companies meet their emissions goals.

Positive

• FDA approval of Bovaer® (3-NOP) for use in lactating dairy cattle
• Bovaer can reduce methane emissions by 30% per cow, equivalent to 1.2 metric tons of CO2e annually
• Introduction of UpLook tool for measuring greenhouse gas emissions
• Launch of Athian's carbon insetting marketplace for monetizing emission reductions

Negative

• None.

Insights

Agricultural Technology Expert

The FDA's approval of Bovaer® (3-NOP) for lactating dairy cattle marks a significant breakthrough in reducing livestock methane emissions. This feed ingredient can lower methane emissions by around 30%, equivalent to 1.2 metric tons of CO2e per cow annually. The scale of impact is substantial; feeding Bovaer to one million cows could reduce emissions comparable to removing 285,000 cars from the road for a year.

This innovation addresses a critical challenge in the food industry: reducing Scope 3 emissions. It offers a practical solution for large food companies to meet their climate commitment goals without compromising the growing demand for animal-based protein. The technology aligns with the FAO's objectives to reduce livestock methane emissions while increasing productivity.

The development of tools like UpLook for emissions monitoring and Athian's carbon insetting marketplace creates an ecosystem that enables farmers to monetize emission reductions. This approach could accelerate the adoption of climate-neutral farming practices, making U.S. farmers more competitive globally while addressing environmental concerns.

Environmental Economist

The introduction of Bovaer® represents a paradigm shift in addressing livestock-related greenhouse gas emissions. It's a rare win-win solution that aligns environmental goals with economic incentives for farmers. The potential for dairy farmers to be financially rewarded for reducing their carbon footprint creates a strong market-driven approach to emission reduction.

From an economic perspective, this innovation could significantly impact the dairy industry's value chain. It addresses the challenging Scope 3 emissions for food companies, potentially reducing compliance costs and enhancing brand value. For consumers, it offers a way to continue consuming dairy products with a lower environmental impact, which could maintain or even boost demand in an increasingly environmentally conscious market.

The development of a carbon insetting marketplace for livestock emissions is particularly noteworthy. It creates a new economic model that could accelerate the transition to climate-neutral farming. This market mechanism, combined with technological solutions like Bovaer, has the potential to transform the livestock industry's environmental footprint while maintaining its economic viability.

Dairy and meat don't have to induce guilt-or climate change-as farming is about to change.

By Jeff Simmons

Originally published by Fast Company

NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / October 8, 2024 / From the world's largest food companies to consumers, we are focused on finding ways to reduce our impact on climate change. For some, the solution has been to give up a staple on tables across the country-the burger.

But I'm here to let you in on a secret. You can have your burger without the side of guilt. That's because the cow's environmental footprint just changed.

Some of the world's largest food companies have set significant climate commitment goals, yet the path to achieve this is one of the industry's biggest challenges. That's because it's difficult to capture the reduction value of Scope 3 emissions-indirect emissions that occur in the value chain. These food companies must not only consider their role in getting the glass of milk on your table, but the footprint of the cow too.

A response to methane

It's clear we all want a choice in what we eat. Demand for animal-based protein isn't declining- it's growing. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations recognized both the need for more animal protein production to address global hunger, while also reducing emissions. In livestock, they've identified nine measures to reduce methane emissions 25% by 2030, and to increase livestock productivity 1.7% per year globally by 2050. Cattle are a key part of the answer to addressing some of the world's biggest societal issues: hunger and climate. The cow is no longer the culprit-the cow is the how.

The biggest opportunity to make a difference in emissions is inside the animal-enteric methane. Methane is shorter lived than carbon dioxide (CO2), lasting about a decade in the atmosphere, but is 27 times more potent at trapping heat. With methane, smaller reductions can create a bigger impact. But you can't have environmental sustainability without also creating economic sustainability, meaning sustainable practices must also be profitable on the farm to create widespread adoption.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently completed its comprehensive, multi-year review safety and efficacy review of our product, Bovaer® (3-NOP), a first-in-class methane-reducing feed ingredient, for use in lactating dairy cattle. The product suppresses the methane-inducing enzyme in the cow's rumen. By giving one tablespoon of Bovaer to each lactating dairy daily, we can lower methane emissions by around 30%, equal to 1.2 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions each year. These reductions create a new opportunity for dairy farmers to be financially rewarded for reducing their dairy's carbon footprint. Feeding one million cows Bovaer would reduce emissions by the equivalent of removing more than 285,000 cars from the road for a year.

Other climate tools

Climate neutral farming keeps U.S. farmers globally competitive so that they can continue to produce more food with a lower, and ultimately balanced environmental footprint. Access to this technology now gives farmers another tool to implement. It starts with innovations in feed, like Bovaer, and other on-farm solutions, implementing tools like our tool UpLook, an insights-based engine designed to measure and monitor greenhouse gas emissions, and Athian's first-of-its-kind voluntary livestock carbon insetting marketplace to create the necessary ecosystem to help farmers reduce, measure, and monetize their emission reductions, delivering value through the entire food chain.

Climate neutral livestock farms are the future, and will happen this decade. Making the U.S. farmer more profitable and competitive, helping food companies achieve their Scope 3 emissions goals, and giving consumers what they also want-more environmentally conscious animal protein options-environmentally friendly dairy choices from milk and yogurt to cheese, ice cream, and more.

Jeff Simmons is president and CEO of Elanco Animal Health.

Apply to the Most Innovative Companies Awards and be recognized as an organization driving the world forward through innovation. Extended deadline: October 11.

Continue reading here

Source Photo: Ryan Song/Unsplash

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Elanco on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:
Spokesperson: Elanco
Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/elanco
Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Elanco

View the original press release on accesswire.com

FAQ

What is Bovaer® (3-NOP) and how does it impact methane emissions from cattle?

Bovaer® (3-NOP) is a methane-reducing feed ingredient developed by Elanco Animal Health (ELAN). It suppresses the methane-inducing enzyme in a cow's rumen, reducing methane emissions by around 30% when given to lactating dairy cattle daily.

How much can Bovaer® reduce carbon dioxide equivalent emissions per cow annually?

According to the press release, feeding Bovaer® to a lactating dairy cow can reduce carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions by 1.2 metric tons annually.

What tools has Elanco (ELAN) introduced to help farmers measure and monetize emission reductions?

Elanco has introduced UpLook, an insights-based engine for measuring and monitoring greenhouse gas emissions, and partnered with Athian to create a voluntary livestock carbon insetting marketplace for farmers to monetize their emission reductions.

When did the FDA approve Bovaer® for use in lactating dairy cattle?

The press release states that the FDA recently completed its comprehensive, multi-year review of Bovaer® (3-NOP) for safety and efficacy in lactating dairy cattle, but does not provide a specific approval date.