About this archived opportunity

The California Department of Food and Agriculture's (CDFA) 2023 Livestock Enteric Methane Emission Reduction Research Program (LEMER-RP) will award competitive grant(s) to fund demonstration trials evaluating additives and dietary modifications that have the potential to reduce enteric methane emissions in the dairy and livestock sectors. These research projects will help address key barriers to achieving California’s climate goals, which include the reduction of methane emissions to 40% below 2013 levels by 2030 as codified in SB 1383 (Lara, 2016) as well as efforts to continue advancing climate-smart agriculture. The funding allocated from the Budget Act of 2022 (AB 179, Section 194) will be directed towards the dairy and livestock sectors for demonstration projects to: • Supplement feed with additives or ingredients, that have scientifically demonstrated efficacy in reducing methane emissions, and • Research dietary modifications that are intended to reduce methane emissions from livestock The 2023 Livestock Enteric Methane Emission Reduction Research Program (LEMER- RP) will support demonstration projects for dairy and/or livestock operations to supplement feed with additives or ingredients, that have scientifically demonstrated efficacy of reducing methane emissions and/or research dietary modifications that are intended to reduce methane emissions from livestock. Projects must minimally address the impact areas below, but the scope of work may be expanded outside of the impact area to address additional research questions relevant to decreasing methane emissions in the dairy and livestock sectors and/or addressing human health and safety concerns associated with downstream production of products, such as milk and meat from animals fed feed additives with methane reducing properties or dietary modifications that decrease methane emissions. Additionally, Universities, including UC and CSU systems and elsewhere, may apply for funds to add methane measurement infrastructure to their facilities and train staff and students on using this equipment. CDFA reserves the right to award each impact area or change allocations as it seems fit. • Impact Area 1 – One project, up to $2.5 Million: Administration of feed additives for one full and/or multiple lactations. • Impact Area 2 – Two projects, up to $1.5 million per project. Dual intervention studies. Studies investigating two or more interventions. One project is to be awarded to a protocol for parallel usage and one for a sequencing protocol. • Impact Area 3 -Two projects, up to $1.25 million per project. Cow-calf grazing systems studies. Studies could include, but are not limited to, early life intervention strategies and monitoring, salt lick/bait delivery systems, bolus technology, water delivery or other deliverables, feasible to pasture systems, among other strategies. Multiple trials are encouraged. • Impact Area 4- Two projects, up to $750,000 dollars per project. Dietary modifications that are intended to reduce methane emissions from livestock studies. Examples include dietary manipulation, such as improving forage quality, altering the proportions of forage in the diet, etc.