Building Team Chemistry: The Bigger Picture Behind Cows & Climate
Conor McCabe
Animal Biology Graduate Student, UC Davis
Dairy, Soil & Water Regeneration Grant Promotes Integrated Research to Support Dairy Industry Commitment to Sustainability
What is the problem this research tackling?
Dairy farmers face increasing pressure from the private and public sectors to reduce global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This grant to the Dairy Research Institute (DRI) addresses research gaps in integrated agricultural soil and water management strategies and manure-based fertilizer products that support the dairy community’s Net Zero Initiative, an industry-wide effort to adopt practices and technologies that improve environmental health.
The funding will support the first five years of a six-year project, “Dairy Soil & Water Regeneration: building soil health to reduce greenhouse gases, improve water quality and enable new economic benefits,” that will produce data to be broadly shared among the dairy community to:
- Provide measurement-based assessments of dairy’s greenhouse gas footprint for feed production.
- Set the stage for new market opportunities related to carbon, water quality and soil health.
Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) scientists are leading the project to determine how soil characteristics vary in response to field setting and management practices across different U.S. regions where dairy operations are concentrated. The team is also evaluating the ecosystem benefits of new manure-based fertilizer products. Researchers will investigate how familiar soil health practices interact with water management practices and work with modelers to improve predicted outcomes of alternative management strategies. Through foundational science, on-farm pilots and development of new product markets, NZI aims to create incentives for farmers that will lead to economic viability and positive environmental impacts.
Addressing the U.S. dairy industry’s emissions is a critical solution to climate change. I know dairy farmers are working hard to decrease their environmental footprint and I’m thrilled to support their efforts by advancing research needed to adopt climate-smart practices on dairy farms across the country.Sally Rockey, Ph.D.
Executive Director Emeritus
Why this research is important
Dairy farmers face increasing pressure from the private and public sectors to reduce environmental impacts from feed production. Agricultural soil and water resource conditions are inextricably linked and must be managed together. This research aims to better understand how soil water content, and thereby agriculature water management, influences the biogeochemical processes underlying soil health to help farmers reduce their enivornmental impact.
Four U.S. Diary Regions & Eight Regional Farms Participating
This research will be executed across four dairy regions responsible for about 80% of U.S. milk production: Northeast, Lakes, Mountain and Pacific. Dozens of dairies representing different climates and soils across major production regions are participating in a baseline survey of soil health and carbon storage. Additionally, eight regional farms, including five operating dairies, two university research dairies and one USDA-ARS research farm, are participating in the project. At these sites, researchers are:
- Quantifing the state of soil carbon stock and soil health at geographically dispersed dairies across the U.S.
- Delivering science-based, credible data on GHG emissions, nutrient management, and soil carbon storage on novel soil health management systems in large-plot and field-scale experiments.
- Socializing learnings across the dairy community
The objective is to engage farmers in soil health management practices and monitor changes in greenhouse gas emissions, soil carbon storage, soil health and water quality.
About the U.S. Dairy Net Zero Initiative and Its Partners
Net Zero Initiative is an industry-wide effort led by six national dairy organizations: DMI, Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, International Dairy Foods Association, Newtrient, National Milk Producers Federation and the U.S. Dairy Export Council.
The FFAR grant will advance the work of the Net Zero Initiative in collaboration with the Soil Health Institute and leading dairy research institutions, including: Cornell University, University of California at Davis, University of Texas A&M AgriLife Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, University of Vermont and USDA-ARS, Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research in Kimberly, ID. For information about the dairy checkoff, visit www.usdairy.com.
About Dairy Management Inc.
Dairy Management Inc.™ (DMI) is funded by America’s 35,000 dairy farmers, as well as dairy importers. Created to help increase sales and demand for dairy products, DMI and its related organizations work to increase demand for dairy through research, education and innovation, and to maintain confidence in dairy foods, farms and businesses. DMI manages National Dairy Council and the American Dairy Association, and founded the U.S. Dairy Export Council, and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.
About the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy and U.S. Dairy Net Zero Initiative
The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy® is a leadership forum that brings together the dairy community and third parties to address the changing needs and expectations of consumers and customers. Initiated in 2008 by dairy farmers through the dairy checkoff, Innovation Center leaders and members collaborate on important areas like the environment, nutrition and health, animal care, food safety, and community contributions. Through the Innovation Center, the U.S. dairy community demonstrates its commitment to continuous improvement from farm to table, striving to ensure a socially responsible and economically viable dairy community. Learn more.
How This Research Contributes to Our Mission
This project supports FFAR’s Sustainable Water Management Challenge Area, as well as the Advanced Animal Systems and Soil Health Challenge Areas by engaging farmers in soil health management practices and monitoring changes in greenhouse gas emissions, soil carbon storage and water quality.
Matching Funders
Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), Newtrient and other Net Zero Initiative partners are providing funding and in-kind support.
