Creating Progress toward Zero Emissions in Minnesota's Agricultural and Food System

Synthesizing Climate Solutions in Agriculture

The agriculture and food systems sector is the third largest greenhouse gas (GHG) emitter in Minnesota. There is potential for this sector to become either zero or negative in emissions, but only through a multiplicative approach to emissions reductions.

There is no “silver bullet” solution to GHG reduction in the food system. Not every strategy will result in similar reductions on every acre of land or across every supply chain structure. However, this project team noticed there had been no coordinated effort to catalog progress or identify gaps among the many quantification initiatives underway across Minnesota.

This project synthesized and defined GHG reduction potentials and measured the co-benefits generated by emission reductions to create a clearer, statewide picture of impact.

Outcomes

• Held an interdisciplinary workshop with nearly 60 community members from 24 different organizations to discuss tracking and monitoring approaches for agricultural GHG emissions and their associated additional environmental and social impacts
• Created four tailored recommendation documents for state agencies, state legislators, community and farm organizations, and researchers

Find the report, synthesis document and recommendation papers for legislators, stage agencies, community and farm organizations, and researchers on the Green Lands Blue Waters website.