Burping and farting by cows produce the greenhouse gas methane. Some countries are considering imposing a fart tax, and scientists are researching ways to reduce methane emissions from cows. Now, the first low-methane milk, "Eco-Milk," is available in supermarkets in Tasmania, Australia.
Eco-Milk was developed in collaboration between Ashgrove, a Tasmanian family-owned dairy farm, and startup Sea Forest. The addition of specialized seaweed to cattle feed reduces methane emissions by 25%. A 2-liter bottle costs 5.5 Australian dollars, or approximately 118 New Taiwan dollars, about 5 New Taiwan dollars more than regular whole milk.
Mastania Family Farms and New Startups Collaboration
Ruminant livestock, such as cattle and sheep, produce methane when digesting cellulose. Methane is the second-most powerful greenhouse gas, trapping more than 80 times more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. The global livestock industry, with over 1 billion cattle and 1.2 billion sheep, produces approximately 30% of the global methane emissions.
Ashgrove general manager Richard Bennett told Reuters that they began adding SeaFeed, a seaweed extract, to their cattle feed in February this year. About 500 of the farm's 500 cows, one-fifth of the farm's total, are participating in the program, producing 10,000 liters of milk a day.
"We've reduced our methane emissions by about 25%," Bennett said, adding that sales are going well but no decision has been made on expanding production.
SeaFeed, a seaweed additive developed by Sea Forest, is extracted from Asparagopsis produced in Tasmanian waters. It can interact with enzymes in the cow's digestive system to reduce methane produced during digestion.
In 2023, Sea Forest was shortlisted for the Earthshot Prize, a prestigious environmental award established by Prince William of the United Kingdom, for this innovation. The prize's official website states that if 15% of the world's cattle consumed this additive, methane emissions could be reduced by 3 billion metric tons.
Rely on consumers or on taxation?
Bennett told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that by paying a little more for milk, people can reduce greenhouse gases, "which is much cheaper than buying a Tesla or an electric car." But he admitted that it is not easy to get consumers to support it in the long term.
Sea Forest is interested in expanding into the UK and European markets. These countries are committed to reducing agricultural carbon emissions, and with carbon prices more than double Australia's, there's a greater economic incentive to use seaweed additives.
Denmark is planning to require each cow to pay a "cow fart tax" of approximately NT$3,000 starting in 2030. French cheese maker Bel Group announced last year that it would use a similar additive on 10,000 cows in Slovakia to produce low-methane milk. Food giant Danone is investing heavily in the Enteric Fermentation R&D Accelerator, the world's largest program to reduce enteric methane emissions from ruminants. The program has raised $200 million in funding and will research feed additives, plant and animal genetics, vaccines, and other methods to reduce methane.
References：
♦ Reuters (July 22, 2024),Tasmanian ‘Eco-Milk’ tests shoppers’ thirst for climate-friendly dairy
♦ Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) (March 26, 2024),Northern Tasmanian dairy farmers Ashgrove partners with SeaForest to produce a climate-friendly milk alternative
♦ Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) (October 1, 2023),Sam Elsom’s bold seaweed solution to tackle climate change, one cow at a time
♦ Earthshot Award (May 9, 2024),Sea Forest Launches World’s First Climate-Friendly Dairy Milk
♦ Ashgrove Cheese ASHGROVE ECO-MILK™ FAQs
Danone (November 22, 2023),Danone and the Global Methane Hub join forces together to accelerate innovation in methane reduction
Sources: Environmental Information Center
