Livestock Emissions Calculator | Reduce Your Ranch's Carbon Footprint

The Importance of Measurement in Sustainable Livestock Production

Achieving sustainability in livestock production and agriculture begins with accurate measurement – often the most challenging initial step. Transforming our food system from a source of carbon emissions to a carbon sink necessitates precise data collection and analysis.

To address this need, DSM, a science-driven company specializing in agriculture and food systems, collaborated with Blonk, a sustainability data analytics consultancy, to develop Sustell. This innovative solution combines software with practical services, empowering ranchers to assess and enhance the sustainability of their operations.

Defining Sustainable and Regenerative Agriculture

While a universal definition remains elusive, sustainable and regenerative agriculture generally involves modifying land management practices. These changes aim to increase carbon sequestration in the soil, utilize more eco-friendly animal feeds, and minimize fossil fuel consumption from farm machinery, among other improvements.

The overarching goal is to mitigate the 7.1 gigatonnes of CO2 released annually by the livestock industry – representing approximately 14.5% of all global greenhouse gas emissions.

“A significant demand exists for precise footprinting of animal production at the individual farm level,” stated David Nickell, Vice President of Sustainability and Business Solutions at DSM. “Each farm possesses unique characteristics, requiring a system capable of utilizing actual farm data to generate an accurate assessment.”

How Sustell Analyzes Farm Environmental Impact

The Sustell system evaluates a farm’s environmental impact across 19 distinct categories. These include climate change, resource utilization, water scarcity, runoff, and ozone depletion.

Farmers input data regarding their daily operations, encompassing feed composition and usage, manure management protocols, animal mortality rates, energy infrastructure, transportation logistics, and implemented mitigation technologies – such as scrubbers or heat recovery systems – and even packaging details.

Blonk’s environmental footprint technology then conducts a life cycle assessment, analyzing the environmental consequences of raising an animal from birth to its departure from the farm.

Currently, DSM and Blonk have developed Sustell modules for various land farm animals, including poultry, swine, and dairy and egg production. Expansion to encompass beef and aquaculture is planned.

Building on Existing Methodologies and Standards

“A crucial aspect was our ability to leverage the existing momentum of established methodologies and standards,” explained Hans Blonk, CEO of Blonk Consultants and Blonk Sustainability Tools.

Blonk consolidated agricultural environmental standards from organizations like the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the European Commission. This created a comprehensive database essential for the software to deliver valuable and actionable insights.

The Demand for Transparency and Benchmarking

“Clients are increasingly seeking a clear understanding of their current practices,” Nickell noted. “They want to establish a baseline [footprint] and assess their performance. They desire to identify areas for improvement and benchmark themselves against peers – whether at a national or industry level.”

Once Sustell provides farmers with clarity regarding their farm’s emissions, they can pinpoint areas requiring improvement. DSM then assists in implementing solutions to reduce those emissions, offering a comprehensive service aimed at achieving a positive environmental impact.

Implementing Practical Interventions for Change

“Effective interventions are essential for driving change,” Nickell emphasized. “We have invested in technologies that reduce the environmental footprint of animal product production. Our service combines measurement with the implementation of solutions that deliver tangible results – a complete approach to facilitating this vital transformation.”

Challenges to Widespread Adoption and Data Sharing

However, realizing the full potential of Sustell requires widespread adoption and the open exchange of learnings among competitors. The current structure of DSM, and the broader capitalist system, doesn’t inherently prioritize this level of collaboration.

Initially, DSM is focusing on large, integrated livestock companies. This mirrors a common pattern where innovative environmental technologies are first adopted by large agricultural entities with the financial resources to invest, potentially leaving smaller family farms behind. Nevertheless, Nickell expressed hope that Sustell can eventually be scaled to accommodate smaller farms.

The Importance of Data Transparency

A second challenge lies in data sharing. While Sustell will adhere to all applicable data privacy and ownership regulations, genuine environmental progress necessitates transparency. Competitors must share best practices for emission reduction, enabling universal adoption and planetary preservation, but many companies are protective of their data.

“I anticipate that [data sharing] will evolve over time,” Nickell stated. “We aren’t there yet, but it may become more prevalent as more customers openly report their footprint and performance.”