Going forward, a dairy’s value will not only be determined by the quality of their milk, but by the scale of their climate impact.

Held Nov. 29-30, this year’s event focused on the past 20 years of dairy. The first day included two farm tours and a welcome dinner, while the second day featured formal presentations on topics ranging from precision feeding and on-farm technology to the evolving carbon credit and dairy markets.

Growth and transformation have been hallmarks of the biogas and renewable natural gas (RNG) industry in North America in recent years. New regulations, technology advancements and increased interest from a range of industries in carbon markets have fueled this evolution.

There are several sustainability programs available for producers to adapt on their farms to receive carbon credits or some other incentive payment in return.

Whether your objective is sustainability, a new revenue source or odor control, interest in and development of dairy anaerobic digester projects has swelled over the past few years. The upward trend is only expected to increase as dairies seek manure solutions to meet a changing marketplace.

The October podcast goes to Denver, Colorado, for the Red Angus annual conference where David Cooper interviews Rick Funston and Jordan Shockley. Funston, a reproductive physiologist with University of Nebraska – Lincoln, explains numerous factors toward efficiency in repro rates, heifer selection and reproductive success. 

Undoubtedly, ranching demands immense effort and sacrifices. The increasing pressure to adopt environmentally friendly practices can sometimes feel at odds with producer interests. However, carbon ranching presents an opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate farmer and ranchers’ contributions in more ways than one.

Cattle grazing may be a good use of cattle grazing land, but it may not be the only good use. Particularly as nationwide climate goals have driven investment throughout the country in clean electric and carbon offset technologies, cattle graziers may find new market opportunities to make mixed use of cattle grazing land.

There’s a lot of buzz around renewable natural gas (RNG) as a means for dairy farmers to diversify revenue while improving their carbon footprints. For many operators, it can be a particularly attractive option, especially given the current market and economic conditions.