Each of these free, self-paced modules tackles a specific topic about climate change and animal agriculture. It is best to go through the materials/topics in order as they are designed to progressively take you through the material.
Climate and Weather Trends
How has climate changed? What are the recent trends in rainfall, temperature, etc.? How do I learn more about my region?
Climate Impacts on Animal Production
How does/will climate change impact animal production? Are there opportunities as well? The materials are categorized by species (beef, dairy, pigs, poultry).
Adaptation & Risk Management
Will farmers need to look at investing in ways to manage the risks of extreme weather events? Includes information specific to different species and disaster management resources.
Sources of Greenhouse Gases and Introduction to Life Cycle Assessment
Which greenhouse gases (GHGs) are produced by animal agriculture? How much and how does the industry compare to other GHG sources?
- Sources of GHGs – looks at agriculture in the U.S. and includes resources on researching worldwide agricultural emissions
- [pigs] How many GHGs do pig farms produce?
Mitigating (Reducing or Eliminating) GHGs
How does animal production, in general, reduce the amount of greenhouse gases it emits? What items or practices are unique to each species?
- Mitigating GHG emissions from animal agriculture
- See also pork production and environmental footprint for swine-specific information
Regulations, Opportunities and Market Options
What are the main ways policy makers could approach greenhouse gas reductions? Are there opportunities for agriculture?
Communicating Science Amidst Controversy
How do I provide science-based information when people do not even agree about the topic?
Acknowledgements
This page was developed as part of a project “Animal Agriculture and Climate Change” an extension facilitation project to increase capacity for ag professionals. It was funded by USDA-NIFA under award # 2011-67003-30206. If you have questions about any of the topics or have problems with links, contact Crystal Powers cpowers2@unl.edu or Jill Heemstra jheemstra@unl.edu.
For questions about the AACC project, contact Rick Stowell rstowell2@unl.edu or Crystal Powers.