Agriculture Minister, Todd McClay has officially opened Waikato’s new ‘Methane Barn’ research facility that is set to enable large-scale monitoring and measurement of methane produced by lactating dairy cows.
The Minister (pictured) said Livestock Improvement Corporation’s (LIC) new research hub will assist farmers to select lower-emitting genetics and 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,” said Mr McClay.
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.
