NYS dairy farms produce emissions under national estimates

CORNELL UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICE

FOR RELEASE: April 29, 2025

Kaitlyn Serrao

607-882-1140

kms465@cornell.edu

ITHACA, N.Y. - A number of New York dairy farms achieve low greenhouse gas emissions with sustainable management practices like growing a high proportion of their own feed and making the most of manure, according to new Cornell University research. The findings establish the first regional baseline for dairy farm emissions using data from real farms.

In the study, researchers collected data from 36 medium to large dairy farms in New York state from the 2022 calendar year. They found that emission intensities were lower per gallon of milk than national estimates and among the lowest reported across continents. Those lower emissions were due mainly to farmers growing their own high-quality feed and using manure rather than outside fertilizers and manure treatment systems to reduce methane.

“The key finding was that New York dairy farms produce a lot of feed on the farm, and that’s a huge advantage for them,” said first author Olivia Godber, research associate with the Cornell Nutrient Management Spear Program. “They’re doing a really good job of producing high quality crops with minimal inputs, and because those crops make good quality feeds, that is helping them get high milk yields which also lowers their emissions. This emphasis on good crop production is really helping in all the other aspects.”

The study is the first to collect and analyze data that capture “whole farm” emissions from New York farms, which includes feed production, animal feeding, manure management and energy use.

Similar to other studies, the researchers found that methane from the cow directly was the biggest contributor to emissions, accounting for 45%, with feed production at 25%. Manure management practices accounted for 20% and had the widest variability between farms. Fuel, energy and transport made up the remaining 10%. Changes in manure management – incorporating strategies that capture methane, for example – offered the greatest opportunity for lowering emissions on some farms.

The data could help farmers make decisions about the financial and environmental implications of incorporating practices that further reduce emissions. In addition to lowering the carbon footprint, sustainable practices can be associated with higher productivity and may give the farms greater access to incentives and new markets.

“If they take on a new practice on the farm, it’s often not just to bring down their emissions – it’s also going to increase crop yields, milk yields, reduce the amount of money they’re spending on fertilizer,” Godber said. “Many aim to be sustainable dairy farms, but they may also see a commercial advantage.”

The research is part of a larger extension effort, through the Nutrient Management Spear Program, that has been building relationships with New York farmers since 2000 and aims to help them identify, develop and implement more sustainable and more productive management practices. Close collaboration with PRO-DAIRY, a Cornell extension and applied research program to bolster New York state dairy farms, has further strengthened relationships.

The study was supported with funding from Chobani, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

For additional information, read this Cornell Chronicle story.

-30-