Revision of Key National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report Methods for Australian Feedlots

MLA has outlined an aspirational goal for the red meat industry to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. The feedlot sector wishes to understand how this can be achieved via reducing emissions, and it is evident that some methods used in the National Inventory Report (NIR) over-estimate the emissions from feedlot beef, not only resulting in higher predicted emissions, but also giving misleading guidance for mitigating emissions in some instances. The methods most in need of revision are the nitrous oxide emission factor from feedlot manure pads, and the emission estimation method for enteric methane. A preliminary review suggests there is sufficient evidence to change the nitrous oxide factor, and future research by MLA may enable a new feedlot enteric methane method to be developed.