Amarillo, TX - An ongoing research project in our area could benefit the local cattle industry.
Feedlots are one of the largest producers of methane and nitrous oxide, both of which are considered greenhouse gases, which are believed to contribute to climate change.
Texas Agrilife is conducting a study that seeks to both quantify and reduce those emissions in an effort to meet air quality goals established by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (see associated link).
Anticipated federal reporting requirements are also pressuring the industry to gather such data.
Dr. Kenneth Casey, an Agrilife air quality engineer working on the project, says the data could give cattlemen a bigger voice in the political realm, saying,
"The feedlotting industry here is significant proportionally in the U.S. industry; therefore, we should have numbers that represent the practices and the climate that exists here."
Determining those numbers now would also help ensure that future regulatory decisions are based on scientific data.
The study is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, AgriLife Research, and the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.
To read the current requirements or learn more about the IPCC or climate change, follow the associated links.
