To feed a growing population, agriculture looks a lot different than it did 50, 25, or even five years ago. To measure the strides U.S. farmers and ranchers are making in sustainability and animal care, the Animal Agriculture Alliance has released its updated Sustainability Impact Report ahead of Earth Day.
The U.S. farm and food community continues to be a global leader in sustainability efforts. The updated report highlights these advancements and includes a new section on the animal feed community’s role in environmental stewardship.
According to the report, more than 40 percent of ingredients used in animal feed are byproducts from other industries, including almond hulls and brewer’s grains. Research has found that feeding byproducts to cows decreases greenhouse gas emissions by more than 4.5 times compared to composting and 49 times compared to landfill disposal.
Animal feed ingredients have a smaller impact on the environment, thanks to enhancements made by farmers. Corn and soybeans, two of the most common animal feed ingredients, have reduced their GHG emissions by 31 percent and 43 percent, respectively, between 1980 and 2015.
The report also highlights continued commitments by the U.S. dairy community’s to become greenhouse gas neutral by 2050, the beef industry’s commitment to becoming climate neutral by 2040, and the U.S. pork community’s pledge to reduce emissions 40 percent from a 2051 baseline.
“Sustainability, including animal welfare, environmental stewardship, responsible antibiotic use, and other important concepts, is nothing new to the American farmer or the food supply chain at large,” said Hannah Thompson-Weeman, president and CEO, Animal Agriculture Alliance. “The food and farming communities have an incredible story to tell when it comes to progress made in reducing environmental impacts and ensuring the sustainability of food production. Everyone involved — from farm to table — should feel empowered to tell that story.”
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