Livestock Production and Climate Change

Livestock Production and Climate Change Heather Owen HOwen@kentlaw.edu 1 What we’ll cover… • What is the current state of livestock production? • What is climate change and its effects? • What is the causal relationship between livestock and climate change? • How can we mitigate these effects? 2 Livestock Production • Livestock refers to domesticated animals intentionally reared in an agricultural setting to produce food or other products (leather, wool, etc.). – Includes cattle, buffalo, pigs, sheep, horses etc. – A January 2007 count indicated there were around 97 million cattle in the US • Livestock are raised in agricultural settings such as factory farms, family farms, and cattle ranches. 3 Factory Farms v. Family Farms • Family farms cannot raise the capital to compete with high efficiency factory farms and as a result…. – The number of U.S. farmers dropped by 300,000 from 1978 to 1999 – 2% of Cattle farms account for 40% of the nation’s cattle – During a 15 year period hog farms decreased by over 400,000, but the number of hogs sold increased 4 Factory Farms Today The number of farms has decreased. The size of individual farms has greatly increased. 5 Factory Farms Today Production has increased… 6 Factory Farms Today …so has efficiency. 7 Farming Today According to a USDA report… 91.2% of farms are small family farms -Make up 27.1% of production 7.1% of farms are large-scale family farms -Make up 59.1% of production 1.2% of farms are non-family farms -Make up 13.7% of production 8 Factory Farms Today 9 Livestock Production Summary • Farms are getting bigger • Number of farms are decreasing • Factory Farms are taking over the market and pushing out family farms • Factory farms have high production rates and lots of waste • Over 9 billion slaughtered, doesn’t include dairy producing animals! 10 Factory Farms and the Environment • Water Pollution – EPA estimates that animal waste from factory farms has polluted over 35,000 miles of river in 22 states and contaminated groundwater in 17 states – Livestock produce about 500 million tons of manure each year which is often sprayed onto croplands or left to sit in lagoons – Livestock pollution kills fish and contaminates drinking water • In 2001 the EPA forced a hog farm to supply bottled water to local residents because their farming activities contaminated the drinking water supply 11 Factory Farms and the Environment • Air Pollution, foul odors, and land degradation are just a few more problems that factory farms cause. Manure pit off a Hog Farm 12 Climate Change • What is climate change? – Greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere prevent heat from escaping the atmosphere • Human caused greenhouse gas emissions account for much of the problem – Carbon Dioxide (CO2) – Methane (CH4) – Nitrous Oxide (N2O) 13 14 Climate Change • Increased concentrations of heat-trapping greenhouse gases is causing temperatures to increase – Earth’s temperature has increased an average 1.2-1.4ºF since 1900 – It’s estimated that if greenhouse gases continue to increase Earth’s temperature will raise 2.5 to 10.4°F by the end of this century 15 Effects of Climate Change • • • • • Rising sea levels Shrinking glaciers Thawing of permafrost Trees blooming earlier Changes in range and distribution of plants 16 Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and feeding livestock • Fertilizer is used to grow crops fed to livestock • Large amounts of CO2 is emitted from the burning of fossil fuels to make this fertilizer • There is an estimated 40 million Tonnes of CO2 emitted annually from this practice 17 CO2 and feeding livestock • CO2 is emitted during livestock feed production (including electricity) – An estimated 60 million Tonnes 18 CO2 and Deforestation • Deforestation is essential to create land for pasture and growing feed – When forests are harvested or burned large amounts of CO2 are released into the atmosphere. 19 . 20 Methane (CH4) • Enteric Fermentation – Refers to the digestive process in animals in which microbes ferment food consumed by the animals – Methane is a natural by-product of Enteric Fermentation • The methane is exhaled – The amount of methane produced and excreted by the animal depends on the animal’s digestive system as well as the type of feed they consume 21 Methane • Ruminant animals v. non-ruminant animals – Ruminant animals (cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, and camels) are the major emitters of methane because of their unique digestive process that occurs in a large “fore-stomach” • This process allows ruminant animals to digest coarse plant material that non-ruminant animals can’t – Non-ruminant animals (swine, horses, mules) also emit methane, but at smaller levels 22 Methane • Feed quality and quantity effect the amount of methane emitted – Lower quality feed increases methane emissions – Higher quantity of feed increases methane emissions 23 Methane • In 2002 it was estimated that 5.5 tonnes of methane was emitted from enteric fermentation in the US – This accounted for 19% of total methane emissions in the US 24 Methane • Anaerobic decomposition of manure – Occurs when manure is treated and not left out – Methane is emitted during the decomposition of manure – Emissions are dependent on the storage of the manure • Factors like temperature and moisture can facilitate in the growth of methane producing bacteria – Emissions are dependent on the manure composition which is effected by feed type and the animals digestive system • Feed that is easier to digest leads to manure with lower manure emissions 25 Methane • Globally, methane emissions from manure have been estimated to total 10 million tonnes – Methane emissions from manure have been estimated to account for 4% of methane emissions in 2005 26 Animal agriculture is the single largest source of methane emissions in the US! 27 Nitrous Oxide (N2O) • Manure management – N2O emissions occur in dry waste management systems – Emissions have increased 10% from 1990 to 2005 – “Unmanaged” manure also emits greenhouse gases 28 Livestock’s Impact • Livestock account for an estimated 9% of global CO2 emissions! • Livestock account for an estimated 35-40% of global CH4 emissions! • Livestock account for an estimated 65% of NO2 emissions! 29 Mitigating CO2 emissions By replacing your “regular car” with a Toyota Prius the average person can prevent the emission of about 1 tonne of CO2 into the atmosphere 30 CO2 By replacing an omnivorous diet with a vegan diet the average person can prevent the emission of about 1.5 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere. That’s 50% more CO2 saved! 31 Mitigating CO2 emissions • Federal incentives for buying hybrid cars include tax credits of up to $3,150 • Other incentives include stickers that allow hybrids to travel in “carpool” lanes, and free parking in some cities. 32 Mitigating CO2 emissions • Would it be more effective to create incentives for vegan diets? Some things we could try… – Tax incentives for vegan eating – Food stamps only for vegan food – Tax incentives for vegan food producers 33 More Mitigation Options • Carbon sequestration – The EPA suggests carbon sequestration as a solution to climate change. Carbon sequestration is the process in which plants and trees absorb carbon from the atmosphere. • Deforestation and CO2 emissions – Create incentives for forest conservation 34 Mitigation Options • Enteric Fermentation and CH4 emissions – Increase production efficiency • Decrease the number of animals • Decrease the time they are emitting methane – Increase nutrition • Decreases the amount of methane produced 35 Mitigation Options • Manure Management and CH4 and N2O emissions – Be mindful of temperature, moisture levels, time of storage, and other factors that lead to higher emissions – Give livestock easily digestable feed to control manure contents 36 Mitigation Options The most effective way to stop greenhouse gas emissions from factory farms is to maintain a vegan diet! 37