AgNext receives of $1M Conservation Innovation Grant from USDA 

(May 15, 2023) AgNext researchers have been awarded over $1M in a Conservation Innovation Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The grant will support AgNext’s efforts to promote sustainable animal agriculture practices and reduce the environmental impact of animal agriculture.  

AgNext will use the grant to develop innovative technologies to reduce beef industry greenhouse gas emissions. This project will generate science-based estimates of CO2-equivalent (CO2e) emissions from the livestock grazing and finishing sectors using novel technologies and evaluate potential CO2e reductions from conservation practices. 

“We are thrilled to receive this grant from the USDA,” said Dr. Kim Stackhouse-Lawson, the Director of AgNext and Co-PI on the grant. “This funding will allow us to study new technologies that can reduce beef industry greenhouse gas emissions.” 

The Conservation Innovation Grant program is designed to support the development of innovative technologies and approaches for conservation on working lands. AgNext’s focus on sustainable animal agriculture aligns with the USDA’s commitment to promoting environmentally sustainable agriculture practices. 

The Conservation Innovation Grant is part of the USDA’s ongoing efforts to support conservation and sustainable agriculture practices. AgNext is proud to be a part of this effort and looks forward to using this funding to promote a more sustainable future for animal agriculture. 

About the project Co-PI’s:  

  • Dr. Nathan DeLay will contribute the economic analysis of climate-mitigating practices explored in this project, focusing on the tradeoff faced by producers to inform scalable policies for adoption. He will also head up the market design aspect of the methane reduction inset program proposed in this project.  
  • Dr. Kim Stackhouse-Lawson will provide expertise in the measurement of enteric methane and analysis of data in all phases of production (grazing, backgrounding, and finishing) and assist in the development of a relevant science-based carbon reduction market that is relevant to supply chain partners. 
  • Dr. Sara Place will also contribute to the refinement of an enteric methane emissions decision tool for producers to illuminate tradeoffs between methane reduction and profitable and resilience beef cattle production systems. 
  • Dr. John Ritten will has evaluated the viability of carbon markets such as the CCX for livestock producers and examined the economic implications of technology adoption for the beef industry.  
  • Dr. Mark Enns has considerable experience in the analysis of animal performance data and the translation of research to the industry through (co)leadership in the CSU Center for Genetic Evaluation of Livestock, Dr. Enns will contribute to both the analysis of the study data and translation of results to the industry. 
  • Dr. Ann Hess will collaborate on the study design for this project and oversee the statistical analysis and presentation of results. 

About AgNext  

AgNext is a leader for research in animal and ecosystem health while enhancing profitability of the supply chain and serves as the crossroads for producers, industry partners, and researchers to come together to innovate real time solutions for sustainability animal agriculture.  Our research focuses on advancing the science of animal agriculture to ensure a continued safe, secure, and nutritious food supply. Our mission is to identify and scale innovation that fosters the health of animals and ecosystems to promote profitable industries that support vibrant communities. Learn more at agnext.colostate.edu.