Sustainability in agriculture isn’t a buzzword that’s going away. In fact, there are more global factors than ever before that will continue to put pressure on food producers.
Dr. Frank Mitloehner, professor and air quality specialist with the UC Davis CLEAR Center, shares the latest on what’s happening globally when it comes to sustainability and how pork producers and companies in the industry can stay ahead of the curve.
0:00 - Introduction
0:45 - Recent research projects at UC Davis CLEAR Center
1:45 - CLEAR extension goals
4:35 - The narrative about what to eat has evolved over time
7:47 - American farmers are changing the narrative
8:28 - U.S. pork has reduced environmental footprint since 1960
9:57 - The challenges the livestock industry will face going forward
10:31 - Sustainability means stewardship of the land
11:52 - What greenhouse gases do and how they warm the planet
13:20 - Contributions of livestock and feed to greenhouse gases
14:15 - Methane and what it does to our planet
17:20 - Fossil fuels vs. biogenic carbon
18:23 - Soil carbon sequestration and how it works
20:14 - Trends in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions
21:30 - Behavior of livestock emissions in the atmosphere
23:35 - Livestock production is a potential climate solution - "If we manage methane, we manage the climate."
25:01 - Example: California dairies have reduced greenhouse gases with improved manure management
27:10 - Future state: climate neutral livestock industry and the opportunity for carbon credits
28:57 - White papers: rethinking methane and pathway to climate neutrality for U.S. beef and dairy
29:35 - Mitigation: interventions to improve productivity
30:19 - U.S. pork production trends
31:05 - "It's time for our pig industry to be proud of what they have achieved and communicate those achievements in a way that is understood by the people who consume your products."
32:49 - Feeding a growing global population without depleting natural resources
34:00 - China swine example
36:05 - American protein consumption over time has remained stable
39:00 - Can we eat our way out of climate change?
