Top: California dairies produces close to 20% of the nation’s milk supply. Photos courtesy Dairy Cares

Dairy Cares, a statewide coalition of California’s major dairy cooperatives, processors, and trade organizations, announced that the state’s dairy farms will achieve an annual reduction of almost 5 million metric tons of methane (5 MMTCO2e/year) in 2025. According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), the state produces close to 20% of the nation’s milk supply. Three key factors have contributed to the methane reduction achievement, notes Dairy Cares:

• Methane Capture and Utilization: California has 168 dairy digesters operating with about 75 more projects in development. As projects under development come online, methane from manure will be captured from 270 dairy farms, creating either renewable electricity, renewable natural gas, or hydrogen fuel. Estimated total annual reductions from operating projects to date are 2.53 million MTCO₂e, according to data from CDFA and digester developers.
• Methane Avoidance: California dairy farms have implemented more than 128 alternative manure management projects, with another 65 funded and in development. Projects include manure separators, compost pack barns, manure scrape and vacuum systems, and other methane avoidance practices. Estimated total annual reductions from operating projects to date are 254,000 MTCO2e, according to CDFA.
• Milk Production Efficiency/Herd Attrition: Milk production efficiencies continue to be gained in many ways, says Dairy Cares, including “improved animal nutrition, selective breeding, and enhanced animal care and comfort.” Overall, while total milk production has remained relatively stable, the number of dairy cows in California has continued to shrink, resulting in far fewer emissions. Estimated total annual reductions achieved to date are 2.13 million MTCO₂e, based on herd numbers from the California Air Resources Board’s California Dairy and Livestock Database.

California has 238 dairy digester projects operating or in development, capturing methane from 259 dairy farms.

California’s livestock methane reduction initiatives are administered by CDFA and supported through its Dairy Digester Research and Development Program (DDRDP) and the Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP). The DDRDP program requires at least 50% match per project and has made available a total of $356 million in grants since 2015.