Climate Confident cover image

Climate Confident

Climate Action in Agriculture: Insights from the Dairy Methane Action Alliance

Dec 11, 2024
38:27

Send me a message

In this episode of the Climate Confident Podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Katie Anderson, Senior Director at the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Katie leads efforts to drive climate action in the food and agriculture supply chain, making her an incredible resource on a topic we need to tackle urgently: methane emissions in agriculture.

Methane, a potent but short-lived greenhouse gas, is responsible for a significant portion of agricultural emissions. Katie explains why addressing methane is not only crucial for curbing global warming but also an opportunity to improve resilience in the food system. We dive into the critical role of the dairy industry, which accounts for a significant share of methane emissions, and explore actionable solutions such as improved herd management, better manure management techniques, and innovative feed additives like Bovair.

Katie also shares insights into the Dairy Methane Action Alliance, a coalition of major food and agriculture companies—including Nestlé, Danone, and General Mills—working together to measure, manage, and reduce methane emissions across their supply chains. We discuss how these companies collaborate to address barriers like financing and farmer engagement while sending a strong demand signal for low-emission practices.

Key takeaways include the need for globally scalable, yet locally tailored, approaches to methane reduction and the critical importance of farmer-to-farmer learning. We also chat about exciting innovations like methane-reducing cattle feed and genetic advancements to breed lower-emission livestock.

If you're curious about how cutting-edge solutions and collective action are shaping a more sustainable agricultural future, this episode is packed with valuable insights.

For more, visit business.edf.org/DMAA or connect with Katie on LinkedIn.

Support the show

Podcast supporters
I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing supporters:

  • Lorcan Sheehan
  • Jerry Sweeney
  • Andreas Werner
  • Stephen Carroll
  • Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Support the Podcast - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one.

Contact
If you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - get in touch via direct message on Twitter/LinkedIn.

If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover the show.

Credits
Music credits - Intro by Joseph McDade, and Outro music for this podcast was composed, played, and produced by my daughter Luna Juniper

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode