Headline : Minnesota agriculture emissions: The CAFO challenge

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The latest biennial greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions data from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) shows major emission reductions since the last report, finding a 23% reduction in overall emissions from 2005-2020. While the state is now on track to meet its GHG emission reduction goals, the MPCA cautions that the pandemic-related shutdown was likely a significant factor in the recent sharp decline and that emissions may return to pre-pandemic levels. The new data show that the agriculture sector is the state’s largest source of emissions, with emissions slowly rising. A major share of the agriculture sector’s emissions is tied to large-scale concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) for dairy, hogs and beef. Agriculture is the state’s largest source of the potent GHGs methane and nitrous oxide. Governor Tim Walz’s climate framework supports more climate-friendly, less-emitting farming systems, particularly those focused on regenerative agriculture practices that enhance soil health. However, it will be difficult to reduce agriculture emissions significantly without addressing the state’s continued reliance on and expansion of CAFOs.  

Minnesota’s Next Generation Energy Act (passed in 2007) used 2005 as a baseline to set targets to reduce emissions in the state by 15% by 2015, 30% by 2025 and ultimately 80% by 2050. Minnesota did not meet the 2015 target but due to a pandemic-aided drop in emissions (see below) is on track to meet the 2025 target. Since 2005, Minnesota’s emissions have declined 23%. It is possible emissions will rise again when future data includes the re-opening of businesses, schools and other institutions in the state that were closed during the height of the pandemic shutdown. Governor Walz’s Climate Action Framework (CAF) targets a 50% reduction in 2005 level emissions by 2030, to reach net zero by 2050.   

While emissions in other sectors, such as electrical generation (down 54%) and transportation (down 18%), have declined since 2005, agriculture emissions have been slowly rising. Agriculture is responsible for nearly one-quarter of the state’s emissions and is the highest source of two potent GHGs, methane and nitrous oxide. Methane is a short-lived but extremely potent gas: It has around 80 times more warming potential than carbon dioxide over a 20-year timespan but only lives in the atmosphere for around a decade. Nitrous oxide is 273 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 100-year period.  

The state has elected to combine agriculture and forestry into one land-based sector, unlike at the federal level where the Environmental Protection Agency separates the two sectors. Forests, including re-growth and new plantings, can act as a carbon sink. While that sink does not sequester carbon from any emitting sector in particular, MPCA has tied it to agriculture.  

Read more from the original article on here at www.iatp.org.

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