Tag: dairy methane

Methane-Reducing Feed Additive Creates Revenue Streams

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

With FDA’s review complete, Elanco’s Bovaer is getting ready for the U.S. marketplace. But the methane-reducing feed additive’s success will be as much about economic as environmental sustainability, said Katie Cook, Elanco’s Vice President of Livestock Sustainability and Farm Animal Marketing, in a Dairy Defined podcast released today.

“The biggest thing, and the thing that’s most important, is not only are we making sure that we’re providing an environmental sustainability practice to our producers, but most importantly we’re providing them with additional profitability,” Cook said. “It’s a key tool as we think about telling our dairy story and the value that our dairy products bring to consumers. But more importantly, as a producer, it’s also giving you an additional revenue stream as we think about the economic viability of our farms’ longer term.”

You can find and subscribe to the Dairy Defined podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify 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.

Bovaer Feed Additive to Enter Market After Years of NMPF Advocacy

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Years of NMPF efforts for dairy farmers paid off May 28 when the U.S. Food & Drug Administration announced that it’s granting Elanco the right to market its Bovaer (3-NOP) feed additive in the United States for use in lactating dairy cows after completing a multi-year review. Bovaer has a proven history of reducing enteric methane emissions in dairy cows and provides a key tool toward dairy meeting its industry Net Zero commitment.

The news came after persistent and patient – but at times aggressive — NMPF advocacy that included direct engagement with FDA, USDA, and the White House; multiple letters and comments; and numerous congressional letters, hearing questions, and staff-level outreach.

“FDA approval of Elanco’s Bovaer is another important step on U.S. dairy’s journey toward a net-zero future, one in which dairy farmers have already made great progress,” said NMPF President and CEO Gregg Doud in a statement. “Bovaer and other new technologies that reduce enteric emissions will help U.S. farmers be rewarded for participating in voluntary, producer-led sustainability initiatives, which is critical for the success of such efforts.

“Consumers around the world are demanding lower-carbon foods. Innovations such as Bovaer will help U.S. dairy farmers remain globally competitive and maintain their role as leaders in more sustainable dairy production. We thank FDA for its recognition of and support for these efforts.”

FDA’s approval of Bovaer paves the way for USDA to move forward with the fiscal year 2023 funds awarded to several NMPF member cooperatives for feed management under the Regional Conservation Partnership Program. It also highlights the importance of the FY 2024 application process, which is open until July 2. USDA’s announcement for that program is available here.

NMPF Lauds FDA’s Approval of Bovaer

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

From Gregg Doud, President and CEO, National Milk Producers Federation:

“FDA approval of Elanco’s Bovaer is another important step on U.S. dairy’s journey toward a net-zero future, one in which dairy farmers have already made great progress. Bovaer and other new technologies that reduce enteric emissions will help U.S. farmers be rewarded for participating in voluntary, producer-led sustainability initiatives, which is critical for the success of such efforts.

“Consumers around the world are demanding lower-carbon foods. Innovations such as Bovaer will help U.S. dairy farmers remain globally competitive and maintain their role as leaders in more sustainable dairy production. We thank FDA for its recognition of and support for these efforts.”

“We also commend Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and his team at USDA for supporting dairy farmers as they prepare to use Bovaer on their own operations. We are grateful to the department for awarding more than $90 million to dairy farmer-owned cooperatives and partner organizations for innovative feed management under the Regional Conservation Partnership Program for fiscal year 2023. FDA’s approval of Bovaer now enables these key resources to move forward, and sets the stage for dairy to build on this first round in fiscal year 2024.”

NMPF-Led Feed Additive Legislation Advances in Senate

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF efforts to spur approval of animal feed ingredients that can reduce enteric methane emissions in dairy cows took an important step forward June 15 when the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee approved the bipartisan Innovative FEED Act (S. 1842) by a 19-2 vote.

The legislation sponsored by Sens. Roger Marshall, R-KS, Tammy Baldwin, D-WI, Jerry Moran, R-KS, and Michael Bennet, D-CO, would give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to review animal feed additives, which are not drugs, using the Food Additive Petition (FAP) pathway as opposed to the drug pathway. That would make FDA reviews more efficient and help U.S. dairy farmers act quickly and proactively to reduce enteric methane emissions and maintain global competitiveness without compromising animal, human, or environmental safety.

Feed ingredients like Elanco’s Bovaer, or 3-NOP, can reduce enteric methane emissions by as much as 30 percent and, once approved for use, are poised to play a key role in dairy industry sustainability efforts.

The Innovative FEED Act was adopted as an amendment to the larger Animal Drug and Animal Generic Drug User Fee Amendments of 2023 (S. 1844), which subsequently passed the committee unanimously. NMPF worked closely with Sens. Marshall and Baldwin to develop and advance the language and looks forward to working with the bill sponsors and other stakeholders to move this measure across the finish line in final negotiations with the House.

NMPF Comments Urge USDA to Elevate Dairy in Conservation Programs

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF submitted comments Dec. 21 to USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service urging it to prioritize critical opportunities for dairy as it implements new climate-smart conservation funding in the Inflation Reduction Act enacted in August.

In its letter, NMPF urged USDA to develop new initiatives focused on manure and feed management, both of which will help dairy farmers advance their sustainability leadership as the sector works to fulfill its voluntary, producer-led goal of becoming greenhouse gas neutral or better by 2050.

NMPF supported the Inflation Reduction Act’s $20 billion in landmark new funding for farm bill conservation programs.

“Dairy farmers seize environmental sustainability opportunities whenever possible,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. The funding increases “better position dairy farmers to effectively implement the dairy sector’s Net Zero Initiative and fulfill its 2050 environmental stewardship goals.”

USDA conservation programs offer important voluntary, incentive-based assistance to dairy farmers as they carry out multiple stewardship practices, but more can be done to emphasize systems and technologies that can yield meaningful environmental benefits for dairy producers. In its letter, NMPF urged USDA to “give priority to innovative approaches to manure and feed management, both of which are significant areas of opportunity for dairy producers as the industry strives to become GHG-neutral or better by 2050.”

NMPF’s submission recommended a new multi-pronged manure management initiative within the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, which received the largest share of the new funding provided in the Inflation Reduction Act. This initiative, if implemented, would focus on reducing methane emissions associated with manure handling and storage by targeting investments in waste separation and handling as well as methane digesters, which can capture as much as 80 percent of the methane from a waste stream. The initiative would also include a cap and flare component, emphasizing an approach better suited to those dairy operations that do not have the capacity for larger technologies like methane digesters.

NMPF also urged an enhanced focus on feed management to help dairy farmers augment their work to reduce enteric methane emissions, which can comprise as much as one-third of a dairy farm’s greenhouse gas footprint. NMPF’s recommendation included a focused effort to better educate NRCS staff on innovative new feed management strategies to increase the number of technical service providers that can work directly with producers on feed management plans.

NMPF will work closely with USDA as the department moves forward with implementation of this important new funding and will also partner with Congress in the upcoming farm bill to further target conservation programs toward meeting dairy’s environmental stewardship needs.