Tuesday, 18 April 2023 11:30

Anti-cow brigade

Written by  Milking It

OPINION: Many countries are doing their best to reduce emissions and achieve climate goals, China being an obvious exception.

Many countries with sizeable dairy sectors are looking at different tools to reduce methane emissions from cows.

In the UK, the Government is proposing giving cows 'methane blockers' to reduce their emissions of the greenhouse gas as part of plans to achieve the country's climate goals.

The government said in its net zero growth strategy published recently that it expected "high-efficacy methane-suppressing products" to enter the market from 2025 and could force farmers to use them if they prove effective.

Farmers welcomed the proposal, which follows a consultation that began in August on how new types of animal-feed products can reduce digestive emissions from the animals.

However, never satisfied, the anti-cow brigade were sceptical, arguing that the move would not address the other environmental harms resulting from the beef and dairy industries and showed a fixation on "techno fixes" rather than reducing consumption.

More like this

It's all about economics

OPINION: According to media reports, the eye-watering price of butter has prompted Finance Minister Nicola Willis to ask for a 'please explain' from her former employer Fonterra.

Red line on dairy

OPINION: As India negotiates to open its borders to more global products, dairy is proving a sticky issue.

Farmland security

OPINION: Paranoia about foreigners is at an all-time high in the US and attention is now turning to foreign-owned farmland.

Cuddling cows

OPINION: Years of floods and low food prices have driven a dairy farm in England's northeast to stop milking its cows and instead charge visitors to cuddle them.

Featured

Wool training reaches Chatham Islands

Next month, wool training will reach one of New Zealand's most remote communities, the Chatham Islands - bringing hands-on skills and industry connection to locals eager to step into the wool harvesting sector.

National

Machinery & Products

New pick-up for Reiter R10 merger

Building on experience gained during 10 years of making mergers/ windrowers, Austrian company Reiter has announced the secondgeneration pick-up on…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Remembering Bolger

OPINION: Is it now time for the country's top agricultural university to start thinking about a name change - something…

Time for action

OPINION: If David Seymour's much-trumpeted Ministry for Regulation wants a serious job they need look no further than reviewing the…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter