Join us!
Learn how you can help reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) in agriculture and forestry!
For landowners, farmers, foresters, extension agents, and citizens
Every 3rd Thursday, 10am – noon.
Soils & GHG: October 21, webinar recordings found HERE.
Livestock & GHG: November 18, webinar recordings found HERE.
Forests & GHG: December 16, scroll to the bottom for details.
Missed one? Recordings will be catalogued HERE.
Structure of the Event
10-11am: The 1st hour is a conceptual overview of emissions & opportunities to reduce GHG from working lands.
11-noon: The 2nd hour will provide training, skills, incentives, or support for implementing a GHG reducing project!
Please register for the following webinars (free) and join at anytime in the 2-hour event.
SOILS & GHG: October 21 (in collaboration with the Soil Health Initiative) 10am-12pm. Recordings HERE.
10am: Introduction to agricultural Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission and mitigation potential – a New York case study applicable to the Northeast
–––Jenifer Wightman (Cornell University, Soil & Crop Sciences)
Agriculture is both a source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and a constructive landscape to reduce global emissions. Using New York State (NYS) as a case study, participants will learn about sources of emissions on farms, how the different sources of emissions add up, and targeted mechanisms to help reduce them. Emphasis will be on net greenhouse gas accounting from a change in practice, which means adding together the changes in carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). The goal is to help land managers identify real and permanent GHG reduction strategies to ensure farmers in the future have a more stable climate.
11am: Examining net greenhouse gas impacts of soil health practices – using the FAST-GHG tool and key research results.
–––Peter Woodbury (Cornell University, Soil & Crop Sciences)
Soil health practices such as reduced tillage, cover crops, and nitrogen fertilizer management affect greenhouse gas emissions in many ways. This seminar will use the FAST-GHG tool, which allows a user to consider the different ways these practices and their interactions affect greenhouse gas emissions. Participants will come away with a better understanding of how crop and soil nitrogen cycling, crop yield, and equipment use affect the greenhouse gas impacts of different soil health practices (such as reduced tillage, cover crops, and nitrogen fertilizer management).
LIVESTOCK & GHG : November 18, 10am-12pm Register Here:
10am: The Role of Models in Farm Systems Management for GHG Mitigation
–––Kristan Foster Reed (Assistant Professor of Dairy Cattle Nutrition & Management, Cornell University)
Dairy farms are complex systems with the main sources of GHG emissions coming from enteric methane, manure management, and feed production. However, opportunities exist to mitigate emissions from each of these sources and due to the nature of the dairy farm system, a single management decision can mitigate multiple emission sources. Models are tools that help us understand the downstream impacts of management practices and quantify emissions and other environmental impacts. I will review some existing dairy farm system models and introduce the Ruminant Farm Systems model currently under development.
11am: Feed Management Implementation From a PA NRCS Perspective- Moving from Water Quality to GHG Mitigation
–––Dan Ludwig (State Resource Conservationist, USDA-NRCS Pennsylvania)
During this presentation, participants will learn about what comprises a feed management plan as well as the concepts on how a feed management plan allows producers to make improvements to water and air quality on their farm as well as it’s potential to improve income over feed costs. This presentation will share results of ration manipulation on select farms in Pennsylvania as well as the potential interaction of ration adjustments to mitigate GHGs. The presentation will also discussion financial assistant options through NRCS programs and how nutritionists can become qualified plan writers or Technical Service Providers (TSP).
FORESTS & GHG: December 16, 10am-12pm Register Here:
10am: Forest Management for Climate Change Mitigation in New York
–––Tim Fahey (Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor, Cornell University)
Land management offers the potential for climate change mitigation through sequestration of carbon, especially in the forest sector. This webinar will explain and evaluate key aspects of this potential with a focus on New York State. The webinar will cover such topics as: carbon stocks in trees and soils, silvicultural options in a changing climate, natural disturbances and risks, wood products and substitution for fossil fuels.
11am: New York State climate change legislation impact on forests and carbon sequestration statewide panel recommendations and current incentives for private landowners.
–––Bryan Ellis (Forest Climate Section Leader, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Lands and Forests)
New York forests are a critical component to reaching NYs climate goals through their sequestration and storage of carbon. To achieve these goals the CLCPA Agriculture and Forestry panel recommended five main strategies 1) keep forests as forests, avoided conversion 2) improved forest management 3) afforestation/reforestation 4) urban forestry 5) bioeconomy. While many of the mechanisms for these systematic changes are still underway there are currently opportunities available for landowners to help combat climate change on their properties.
This series is co-hosted with the USDA Northeast Climate Hub.
The Soils section on October 21, is also co-hosted with the Soil Health Initiative.
This series is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Smith Lever Project 2019-20-110.
