As the COP26 Climate Change Summit has concluded, a serendipitous scientific finding at Lincoln University virtually eliminates the methane emitted from effluent ponds and if uptook by 2030 will half dairy's emmission targets.

As this week's Sarah's Country Change Maker, Mike Manning, General Manager Innovation and Strategy at Ravensdown, explains the breakthrough discovery of the EcoPond system to target methane with an additive normally used in the treatment of drinking water.

Nearly all dairy farms use effluent ponds and they are the second-largest source of on-farm methane emissions. An average NZ dairy farm of around 400 cows that installed EcoPond could cut total farm methane emissions by about 4 to 5%, depending on the individual farm.

They also found that EcoPond reduced the risk of Dissolved Reactive Phosphate loss to water by up to 99% meaning that this essential nutrient can be recycled with reduced risk of water contamination. The EcoPond system also strips out E.coli so that the dairy effluent is much safer to irrigate to pasture.

Thanks to our mates at Farmlands Co-Operative for partnering with Sarah's Country this season!