Source: New Zealand Government
The Government has invested $8 million in lower methane dairy genetics research Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has said at the opening of a new state-of-the-art methane research facility in the Waikato today.
“Livestock Improvement Corporation’s (LIC) new ‘Methane Barn’ will enable large-scale monitoring and measurement of methane produced by lactating dairy cows,” Mr McClay says.
“The research will enable farmers to select lower-emitting genetics and will be a valuable tool to help reduce biogenic methane without harming productivity.
“This research further bolsters confidence in the pipeline of new mitigation tools – giving farmers the choice in how they get emissions down.”
The Government and industry have committed more than $400 million to speed up the development of methane-cutting tools with as many as 11 to be commercially available by 2030.
“We are committed to meeting our climate obligations without closing down farms and sending jobs and production overseas. Investments like the Methane Barn will offer farmers the tools they need to reduce on-farm emissions without reducing production,” Mr McClay says.
