Cows produce methane, a greenhouse gas, while they are burping and flatulence, some countries plan to impose a tax on livestock methane emissions, and scientists are researching ways to reduce the methane emissions. Now, the first low methane milk 'Eco-Milk,' is available for purchase in Tasmania, Austria, and consumers can buy it in supermarkets. 

'Eco-Milk' was developed through a collaboration between the Tasmania family farm Ashgrove and the startup Sea Forest. The feed for the cows is supplemented with a special seaweed which can reduce methane emissions by 25%. A 2-liter bottle is priced at 5.5 AUD, approximately 118 NTD, which is about 5 NTD more than regular whole milk. 

Collaboration between the Tasmania family farm and startup 

Ruminants such as cattle and sheep produce methane during the digestion of cellulose. Methane is the second most significant greenhouse gas, with global warming potential over 80 times greater than that of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. The global livestock industry, with more than 1 billion cattle and 1.2 billion sheep in the world, is responsible for about 30% of global methane emissions.

Richard Bennett, the General Manager of Ashgrove, told Reuters that since February this year, they have been adding SeaFeed, a seaweed extract, to the cows' feed. About 500 of the farm's 1,000 cows, or one-fifth of the herd, are participating in this program, which produces around 10,000 liters of milk per day.

'Our methane emissions have reduced by about 25%,' Bennett said. He added that sales are currently progressing well, but a decision has not yet been made on whether to expand production. 

The seaweed additive SeaFeed is the product developed by Sea Forest, is extracted from Asparagopsis, a type of seaweed grown in Tasmanian waters. It interacts with the enzymes in the cattle's digestive system, reducing the methane emissions during digestion. 

In 2023, Sea Forest was nominated for the prestigious Earthshot Prize, established by Prince William of the United Kingdom, for this innovation. According to the prize's official website, if 15% of the world's cattle were to consume this additive, it could reduce methane emissions by 3 billion tons.

Rely on consumers or taxation?

Bennett told the ABC that people can reduce greenhouse gases by spending just a bit more on milk, "which is much cheaper than buying a Tesla or an electric vehicle." However, he admitted that gaining long-term consumer support is not easy.

Sea Forest plans to expand into the UK and European markets. These countries are committed to reducing agricultural carbon emissions, and carbon prices are more than twice as high as in Australia, creating a stronger economic incentive for using seaweed additives.

Denmark plans to impose a "cow flatulence tax" of approximately 3,000 NTD per cow starting in 2030. Last year, French cheese manufacturer Bel Group announced it would use similar additives for its 10,000 cows in Slovakia to produce low-methane milk. Additionally, the food giant Danone is heavily investing in a global initiative to reduce methane emissions from ruminants—the Enteric Fermentation R&D Accelerator. The project has already raised 200 million USD and will research feed additives, plant and animal genetics, vaccines, and other methods to reduce methane emissions.

References:
♦ Reuters（2024.7.22）），Tasmanian 'Eco-Milk' tests shoppers' thirst for climate-friendly dairy
♦ ABC News（2024.3.26），Northern Tasmanian dairy farmers Ashgrove partners with SeaForest to produce a climate-friendly milk alternative
♦ ABC News（2023.10.1）），Sam Elsom's bold seaweed solution to tackle climate change, one cow at a time
♦ The Earthshot Prize（2024.5.9），Sea Forest Launches World’s First Climate-Friendly Dairy Milk
♦ Ashgrove Cheese ASHGROVE ECO-MILK™ FAQs
♦ Danone（2023年11月22日），Danone and the Global Methane Hub join forces together to accelerate innovation in methane reduction

Source: Environmental Information Center