Key Takeaways:
- Athian’s first sale of verified carbon credits marks a significant milestone in the livestock carbon insetting marketplace, offering a new revenue stream for dairy farmers.
- Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) has set a science-based target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030, contributing to the industry’s goal of becoming greenhouse gas neutral by 2050.
- Innovative feed management products like Elanco’s Rumensin® could potentially double CO2e avoidance in the coming year, enhancing environmental sustainability and farmer profitability.
- The insetting model not only benefits farmers and the environment but also aligns with consumer demands for sustainable choices.
- The potential environmental impact is significant, equating to taking more than 1.5 million cars off the road annually if the entire U.S. dairy industry adopted these measures.
Athian’s Landmark Sale to Dairy Farmers of America
Revolutionizing Livestock Carbon Credits
Athian (athian.ai) today announced a groundbreaking sale of verified carbon credits to Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), a pivotal move in the livestock carbon insetting marketplace. Jasper DeVos, a Texas dairy farmer, utilized Athian’s protocol to generate carbon credits by reducing enteric methane and improving feed utilization. This was achieved using Elanco Animal Health’s innovative feed management product and quantification tool, resulting in nearly 1,150 metric tons of CO2e reduction. If adopted industry-wide, this could significantly reduce emissions annually.
DFA’s Commitment to Sustainability
DFA, the largest U.S. milk marketing cooperative, is leading the charge as the first U.S. dairy cooperative to establish a science-based target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Their goal is a 30% reduction across the supply chain by 2030, contributing to the dairy industry’s broader commitment to become greenhouse gas neutral or better by 2050.
The Athian Platform: Empowering Farmers
Farmers’ Financial Incentives and Environmental Stewardship
The Athian platform provides farmers with the tools to accelerate the adoption of conservation practices and earn additional income for their sustainability efforts. This not only supports farm stewardship but also contributes to the operation’s financial health for future generations.
The Insetting Model: A Holistic Approach
Athian’s insetting model is designed to keep value within the animal protein value chain, allowing participants to gain unique value from transactions. Farmers create a new revenue stream, food companies progress in meeting their emissions reductions, and global climate goals are advanced.
Elanco’s Contribution and the Path Forward
Elanco’s Focus on Sustainability and Profitability
Elanco’s Rumensin® is an FDA-approved solution that increases milk production efficiency while reducing carbon emissions. This protocol, when adopted, qualifies dairy farmers to verify reduced emissions and sell the credits on Athian’s open carbon marketplace. The potential value for the U.S. dairy industry exceeds $200 million if the entire industry leverages this intervention.
Athian Latest News
Athian Bags Funding From DSM Venturing & California Dairies (2023/05/02)
Athian, the carbon marketplace for the livestock sector, has successfully completed its seed funding round with investments from DSM Venturing and California Dairies, Inc. Athian’s carbon credit insetting program offers economic incentives to farmers for implementing on-farm sustainability practices, thus mitigating climate change. The platform allows farmers to generate revenue for sustainability initiatives by validating and certifying greenhouse gas reductions and selling carbon credits. DSM Venturing and CDI’s investment will support Athian in promoting sustainability practice changes through carbon incentives.
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
