Tag: dairy farm emissions

New FARM Initiative Advances Dairy Stewardship

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

FARM Environmental Stewardship Version 3 is out – and it’s a step forward for dairy farmers both as stewards and as business managers, according to NMPF Chief Sustainability Officer Nicole Ayache, who oversaw development of the initiative through the National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program, in a Dairy Defined Podcast released today.

With new, updating modeling, under FARM ES Version 3, “farmers can actually run scenarios to assess practice or technology changes, see how those would impact their greenhouse gas emissions, and any potential impact on milk productivity as well,” Ayache said. “The scenarios, being able to project what-ifs, is the biggest benefit.”

The FARM Program is a partnership between NMPF and Dairy Management Inc. that helps ensure dairy’s success by demonstrating U.S. dairy farmer commitment to safe, high-quality, high-integrity milk. FARM ES Version 3 took effect Oct. 31.

For more information on FARM ES Version 3, visit the FARM Program website. For more of the Dairy Defined podcast, you can find and subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music under the podcast name “Dairy Defined.”

Media outlets may use clips from the podcast on the condition of attribution to the National Milk Producers Federation.

EPA Releases Draft NAEMS Dairy Emission Models

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

EPA released July 14 the preliminary draft report on ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and particulate matter emission models for dairy operations developed using data gathered during the National Air Emissions Monitoring Study (NAEMS). The report is now available via the NAEMS project site.

The report’s release will be followed by EPA’s draft report on Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) emission models for dairy farms, set for release later this year. Once the second report is released, EPA will then take time to revise and improve the preliminary draft models for all animal types. Once all the models have been reviewed and revised, EPA will release the entire set of revised draft models for a formal public comment period currently scheduled for mid-year 2023 with finalization by that year’s end. NMPF will be reviewing the current and future drafts to provide comment to EPA.

The NAEMS was established in 2006 by a voluntary Air Compliance Agreement between the EPA and the pork, dairy, egg and broiler industries, to address the lack of scientific data. Funded through a one-time authorization through the national dairy checkoff, dairy farmers provided the financial support for NAEMS so that emissions data could be collected at select sites to first, accurately assess emissions from livestock operations and compile a database for estimation of emission rates, and second, promote a national consensus for emissions-estimation methods and procedures from livestock operations.