New Zealand is on a mission to clean up its waterways and restore its ‘clean and green’ image, after the problems of nitrate runoff from dairies made international headlines. It’s now requiring all farmers with over 20ha to report on their pollution levels and sustainability measures. In this episode, dairy farmer Mat Hocken and sustainability veteran Brdgit Hawkins discuss what these regulations mean for innovation and whether they will act as a driver for agtech adoption.
The promises and pitfalls of making livestock sustainable
Livestock, and especially cows, get a bad rap when it comes to climate change. But is this fair? There’s no doubt that cows emit methane; however, scientific advancements are increasing our understanding of how methane contributes to global warming, and emerging companies are developing solutions to reduce enteric emissions through advancements such as feed additives and methods to accelerate genetic progress. This episode features Professor Frank Mitloehner, air quality specialist at UC Davis, and Kerryann Kocher, CEO of Vytelle.