By Dawn Attride for Sentient.
Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration

Last Friday, Congress heard from several speakers on the urgency of clamping down on methane, an extremely potent greenhouse gas that primarily comes from agriculture. Atmospheric methane levels have jumped 30 percent since the Industrial Revolution, largely due to human activities. The main solution proposed at the Congressional briefing was anaerobic digesters, otherwise known as dairy digesters, which convert organic or animal waste into natural gas and are increasingly gaining interest from both the agricultural and energy industry.

California Congressman, Jim Costa, among others, hailed the technology as economically sound and a “win” for reducing methane. While these digesters somewhat address the problem of emissions from animal manure specifically, they don’t address the largest issue of enteric methane –– a natural byproduct of cow digestion which is responsible for over 70 percent of agricultural methane emissions.

Researchers at World Resources Institute say the average American can cut their environmental footprint in half by reducing their dairy and meat consumption, thus reducing their diet-related land use and greenhouse gas emissions.

What Is a Dairy Digester and How Does It Combat Methane Emissions?

Dairy digesters work by breaking down animal waste and manure into biogas to be used for energy. In a sealed environment free of oxygen, bacteria degrade organic matter in the manure, producing various compounds and gasses that can be converted to natural gas. Livestock manure is responsible for roughly 14 percent of agriculture’s total greenhouse emissions in the U.S.

“Reducing methane is the single fastest way to slow down [global] warming,” Ilissa Ocko, Senior Advisor for the United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, told the audience at the briefing. Ocko called the methane problem “largely solvable” with the use of various emission-cutting technologies such as dairy digesters, but added that agriculture is a “large” and “very complicated piece of the puzzle.”

The Global Methane Pledge launched in 2021 by the U.S. and European Union — which now has 158 participating countries — plans to cut methane 30 percent by 2030 globally, relative to 2020. To do this, Ocko and other speakers urged for timely investment and implementation of policy and technology into methane abatement solutions.

Energy Vision, a New York-based environmental research group, hosted the briefing and spoke about the large-scale financial investment needed to curb methane emissions. Based on data from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Agriculture, the group found “opportunity to deploy close to 5000 new digester systems across the country” which would “get us about 14 percent of the way to the 30 percent of the 2030 goal,” said Matt Tomich, President of Energy Vision. That would require close to $75 billion in capital, which Tomich says the private sector is “lining up to deploy.”

A Focus on California

California is the leading dairy producer in the United States with approximately 1.7 million cows and over 1,300 dairy farms that contribute up to $10.4 billion to the state’s economy. This production is responsible for over half of California’s methane emissions.

At the hearing, Jim Costa, Congressman for California’s 21st district, hailed dairy digesters as a solution, with 238 digester facilities planned, and 129 facilities currently in operation in California. “[Many] dairies now in California have some form of digesters and sometimes dairies that are adjacent to one another partner in digester facilities because it makes sense. And it’s good economics and it helps reduce your waste stream, besides controlling the methane. So it’s a win, win, win,” Costa said.

He also mentioned a bipartisan bill introduced in 2023 called the Converting our Waste Sustainability Act (COWS), which will grant funding to alternative manure management systems for dairy and livestock producers to “reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air and water quality.” By investing federal tax credits, Costa said “methane digesters” can be adopted around the country to convert animal waste into natural gas and support the conversion of biogas into energy, adding that digesters can be linked up to gas fuel cells for further “efficiency.”

However, in California, CalBio, a biodigester company, has linked up with Bloom Energy, a fuel cell company that has had significant financial trouble in the past, such as blowing through billions for technology that has been challenged over the efficacy of their “clean” fuel cells.

The energy harnessed from cow manure is already used in a very real way, Kevin Abernathy, general manager of the Milk Producers Council, said. He spoke about his involvement in California’s first hydrogen fueling station from “cow power,” or manure, and his plans for developing a “cow powered hydrogen highway.” Abernathy added that so far, 2.4 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent had been collected from California dairy farms, powering 15,000 vehicles a day.

Why Dairy Digesters Ignore the Industry’s Biggest Methane Problem

While dairy digesters and manure management appear to be an effective methane reduction pathway, they contribute nothing to dairy’s biggest methane problem: cow belches, otherwise known as enteric methane.

When asked by Sentient, Ocko agreed these technologies do little to prevent the bulk of livestock methane emissions coming from enteric fermentation. She noted that more research is needed, citing “exciting” solutions such as selective breeding and adding supplements to cows’ diet to reduce their methane output.

Other concerns with dairy digesters that were briefly mentioned at the hearing were pipeline transport and accessibility. Ocko noted that this natural gas is still methane which can escape into the atmosphere if pipeline transport and scaling isn’t carefully planned. “[With pipelines] it’s always better to use it close to where you’ve made it because that limits the opportunity for it to escape into the atmosphere,” she said.

Production and transport of this natural gas can be expensive and dangerous, as dairy digesters can explode or leak. A recent case study in Wisconsin found all five Kewaunee County Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) with digesters had at least one spill since digester installation, including one farm that had 23 spills since installation in 2009. Further, Kewaunee County does not have a pipeline injection site, so these dairies truck the methane gas instead, which can create air pollution.

Dairy digesters are not the only solution to combat agriculture’s methane problem. Research says that decreasing herd sizes, and creating financial incentives for farmers to do so, can significantly reduce methane emissions in comparison with dairy digesters. This move could be supplemented with a larger conversation about transitioning our diets to eat less meat and dairy and opting for plant-based foods to reduce dependency on the high-emitting animal industry. And while there are beneficial uses to utilizing organic waste to power our cars or our homes, it’s clear that the larger chunk of agricultural methane –– specifically enteric methane from cow burps –– needs to be addressed if we’re serious about meeting the 2030 goal.


Dawn Attride wrote this article for Sentient.


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The Florida tomato industry is stepping into uncharted territory following the termination of a decades old trade agreement with Mexico, marking what growers hope will be a turning point in their fight for fair competition.

The U.S. Department of Commerce's decision to end the 2019 Tomato Suspension Agreement has been met with optimism from domestic producers but the path forward remains uncertain as the market adjusts to new trade realities.

Robert Guenther, executive vice president of the Florida Tomato Exchange, framed the move as a necessary reset for protection from unfair competition.

"This decision has been affirmed multiple times now, by the U.S. government, in multiple administrations during the time period of this agreement that dumping has occurred," Guenther explained. "Thus, there need to be penalties applied to the Mexican industry to ensure that the American tomato farmers can have a just and fair playing field."

If it stays the course, on July 14, most Mexican tomatoes will face a 20.91% tariff. U.S. growers lost half their market share since 1994, with imports surging 400% under the agreement. Mexico plans to renegotiate while maintaining antidumping tariffs on pork and chicken, replicating its tomato deal strategy.

The transition unfolds as Florida's agricultural sector faces parallel challenges, particularly with labor costs Guenther identified as the industry's "highest input cost" which depends heavily on the H-2A visa program, which brings workers into the country to work temporarily.

"That's been a very successful program for the tomato industry and a lot of specialty crops and fruit and vegetables in Florida," Guenther noted. "Still, the cost of that program it continues to rise, the bureaucracy of that program continues to rise."

The intersecting challenges, trade policy, labor supply and market dynamics, will determine whether Florida's tomato fields see a renaissance or continued struggle in the post-agreement era. The Commerce Department's 90-day implementation clock continues ticking toward a July deadline which could redefine fresh produce aisles across North America.


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When consumers buy a meat product, they might like the idea it came from a local farm or ranch. But experts say there are still logjams in regional supply chains and a bipartisan bill in Congress is back in play to open pathways for more processing.

This week, a handful of federal lawmakers from both parties reintroduced a bill they have said would make it easier for local livestock and poultry producers to rely on processing sites close by. It would address issues related to inspections, and create a competitive grant program for smaller establishments.

Corey Hart, president of Bowdon Meat Processing in North Dakota, welcomes the approach, noting even when busy, it can be tough to stay competitive.

"Everything's so costly in the meat-processing business," Hart pointed out. "Everything's stainless steel as far as your equipment, plus the building costs."

He said local shops handle the challenges while trying to meet strong demand. Bill supporters said their plan is another way to make local food production more resilient in an industry often dominated by a handful of corporations. The bill's main sponsor is Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., and Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-S.D., is a co-sponsor.

Despite the bipartisan push, it is unclear how far the measure will go.

Connor Kippe, policy specialist for the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, said the plan would likely have to be part of the next Farm Bill, a sometimes politically divisive topic. If the proposal does become a reality, he noted consumers might see more meat products raised in an environmentally friendly way.

"Theoretically, it'll allow for a more diversified processing sphere: mixed-species plants versus large single-species plants," Kippe explained.

For example, building up capacity could allow for more processing of grass-fed beef. Kippe added the timing is important because of increased uncertainty for farmers under the emerging trade war.


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Members of a Texas House committee this week will consider a bill that would limit the number of permits farmers must have to participate at farmers markets.

Currently in Texas, growers must have a permit from both the state health department and their local jurisdiction. House Bill 5459 would make it so they only need one permit.

Judith McGeary, executive director of the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, said extra permits add expenses that cut into farmers' profits.

"And it's particularly damaging when you think about smaller markets, especially those in food deserts where people have less access to healthy food," she said, "because the reality is, when farmers markets set up, odds are those farmers are making even less money."

McGeary said the bill would expand opportunities for farmers and increase access to healthy food across Texas.

Several other bills designed to help small growers are being considered by state lawmakers. One bill would allow farmers to sell ungraded eggs to restaurants and retailers. Another bill being considered is called the "cottage food law," which allows Texans to make foods in their home kitchens and make up to $50,000 annually by selling it.

McGeary said everyone benefits if these bills are passed.

"It is valuable to the entire community to make it easier for our farmers to grow and get healthy food to the consumers," she said.

The legislative session ends on June 2. McGeary encouraged anyone interested in these bills to reach out to their legislators.


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