FFTC Agricultural Policy Platform (FFTC-AP)

Demand for beef may be strong, but increasingly consumers say they are concerned about the carbon footprint of livestock production. Now, consumers who seek beef products with a lower carbon footprint may soon have more options.

Low Carbon Beef, LLC, a cattle certification program that enables farmers and ranchers to earn premiums on their cattle by reducing carbon emissions in their operations, announced it has secured approval as a USDA Process Verified Program (PVP) Service Provider from USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). This is the first USDA PVP for calculating the life cycle GHG emissions for beef production. The PVP will enable beef providers to differentiate and market beef that is raised with reduced greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs).

The USDA Process Verified Program is a verification service that offers beef producers and retailers with a unique way to market their products to customers using clearly defined, implemented, and transparent process points. To receive this PVP approval, LCB underwent a rigorous audit by the USDA’s AMS and will undergo periodic USDA audits in the future to ensure that the program is being conducted properly.  As a science-based program, LCB will continuously improve their lifecycle assessment calculations as the field continues to learn more about greenhouse gas impacts from beef production, including new research on soil carbon sequestration, anti-methane feed additives, anti-ammonia feed additives, bioenergy production from manure, and genetic influences on methane production, among others.  By implementing ongoing innovations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and continuing to provide beef producers with guidance on economical ways to reduce their emissions, LCB aims to provide additional certifications in the future corresponding to larger emissions reductions, such as 25%, 50%, and even carbon-negative beef certifications.

Read more here.