On Farm Opportunities to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions in New York State Jenifer Wightman T. Wise, S. Vergara, A. Buttel, J. Gaunt, J. Duxbury, Cornell University With the Agricultural Ecosystems Program Team

New York State alone, contributes nearly 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions. US EPA, Energy CO2 inventories

Residential - 6% Forest - 62% Agriculture - 26% Land Use in NY 1992

Milk is the leading agricultural product in the state 12 billion pounds of milk was produced in 2003 Milk value of $1.56 billion in cash receipts. New York is the nations 3 rd leading milk producer. NY Dairy Economics

GOALS Assess Energy Inputs for the Dairy System Evaluate Greenhouse Gas Emissions from the NY Dairy Industry Identify Strategies for Agriculture to Mitigate Emissions

NY DAIRY INDUSTRYENERGY 700,000 milking cows10 9 BTU%BTU FEED Nitrogen5,17431% Phosphorus2982% Potassium2882% Lime9055% Herbicides6634% Insecticides470% Tractors3,93324% Seed1,3698% FEED Total12,67876% Feed transport 1 1,0106% Milk transport 2 1,6177% Dairy farm electricity2,20210% TOTAL for dairy system17,507100% AEP Team ENERGY Analysis Of NY Dairy Herd

NY DAIRY INDUSTRYGREENHOUSE GASES 700,000 milking cowsMTCO 2 e%CO 2 e Nitrogen1,281,67920% Phosphorus58,5711% Potassium31,4560% Lime252,1274% Herbicides43,4771% Insecticides2,2770% Tractors429,2267% Seed85,6441% FEED Total2,184,45734% Feed transport 1 73,8741% Milk transport 2 117,1211% Dairy farm electricity230,1723% Enteric CH 4 2,446,10738% Manure management (23%) CH 4 938,27715% N 2 O direct297,8465% N 2 O indirect223,3843% TOTAL for dairy system6,511,238100% AEP Team GHG Analysis of NY Dairy Herd

NY DAIRY INDUSTRYENERGYGREENHOUSE GASES 700,000 milking cows10 9 BTU%BTUMMTCO 2 e%CO 2 e FEED Total12,67876%2.1834% Enteric CH % Manure management % TOTAL for dairy system17,507100% % In Summary:

% % Cow + Manure 61 CH 4 53 Feed production 35N 2 O 22 Mechanical 9 CO Farm GWP By By Source Greenhouse Gas Methane and Nitrous Oxide contribute 75% of total farm Global Warming Potential (GWP)

Some Perspective: NY Dairy contributes 2.6% of NY Total Emissions US average agriculture 8 % waste 4 % industry 31% Pataki greenhouse gas report

1) Corn growers can optimize nitrogen application to reduce: 1) costs 2) nitrogen leaching 3) energy inputs 4) nitrous oxide emissions A 30% reduction in N application equals ~0.16% of total NY state emissions 2) Dairies can investigate manure biogas to capture methane A 50% reduction of CH4 from manure equals ~0.25% of total NY State emissions 3) Dairies can optimize feed to further reduce enteric methane ON FARM MITIGATION STRATEGIES

Can agriculture reduce total GHG’s by moving into the energy sector and producing renewable bio-fuels? Question: Can Agriculture Find Economic Opportunity in Climate Change Mitigation?

Opportunities for Agriculture to Mitigate Climate Change: Replacing Fossil Fuels with Renewable, Carbon Neutral BIOFUELS Agriculture for food, feed, fiber and FUEL

million net fuel net GHG %NY total acresMBTU/ac displacement MMTCO2e CRP land 0.2 Other Cropland 0.5 Total (ReedCG) % Woodland % Management of underutilized land for fossil fuel displacement

FARM OPTION FOR GHG MITIGATION 30% reduction in N application0.16% 50% capture of manure Methane0.25% ¾ cord/ac cull wood on farm woodlands0.58% Reed Canary grown on CRP and ‘other’ ag land0.97% Mitigation Potential (for 2000 NY total)1.96%

At the end of the day, we are all consumers. Conservation and efficiency are key

Summary: Dairy in NY state NY state contributes 1% of global GHG emissions NY state provides 12 billion pounds of milk to society with a value of $1.56 billion NY dairy contributes 6.5 MMTCO 2 e NY agriculture contributes ~2% of NY GHG emissions

Summary: Mitigation Options Optimize nitrogen use Optimize animal feeding Investigate manure biogas Farming for carbon neutral, renewable energy Efficiency of use Conservation

Acknowledgements: John Duxbury John Gaunt Tracy Wise Alison Buttel Sintana Vergara AEP project team members CSREES for funding of CU Ag. Ecosystems Program Contacts: Norm Scott (manure biogas) Jerry Cherney (grass biofuels) Harold Van Es (Nitrogen management) Peter Smallidge (forest management) Larry Chase (animal diet) John Duxbury (AEP project) Peter Woodbury (GIS Land analysis)