Food & Drink Digital’s Post

Agrivoltaics: Transforming Louisiana’s Crawfish Farming Through Sustainable Innovation As Louisiana's crawfish farmers grapple with unpredictable weather and water scarcity, agrivoltaic systems emerge as a promising solution. By installing solar panels over crawfish ponds, farmers can create a semi-shaded environment that conserves water, regulates temperatures, and supports optimal crawfish growth—all while generating renewable energy. This approach provides a dual-use model, ideal for the more than 1,300 crawfish farmers in Louisiana looking for sustainable, resilient farming methods. Technically, agrivoltaics offers multifaceted benefits: solar panels reduce water evaporation by up to 20% and can minimize temperature fluctuations in ponds, reducing stress on crawfish populations. Additionally, solar arrays can be optimized to allow adequate sunlight penetration, supporting underwater ecosystems while maximizing energy output. By adopting these systems, Louisiana’s crawfish industry can enhance both economic stability and environmental impact. For Louisiana, this model means resilience. Partnering with agrivoltaic developers can empower farmers to secure their livelihoods against environmental challenges while contributing to the state’s renewable energy goals. Agrivoltaics is not just an innovation for sustainable agriculture; it’s a scalable blueprint for a future where agriculture and renewable energy work symbiotically to support both livelihoods and ecological stability. Let's make this shift for a more resilient tomorrow. #Agrivoltaics #SustainableFarming #RenewableEnergy #CrawfishFarming #LouisianaAgriculture #ClimateResilience #DualUseAgriculture #ULatLafayette #LaSEL #LouisianaSolar

Farmers are turning to agrivoltaics—combining solar panels with crops—as a solution to boost productivity and sustainability. This approach enhances energy independence, food security, and climate resilience, marking a step toward more sustainable farming. #Agrivoltaics #SustainableFarming #RenewableEnergy #PoweringTheFuture #TuesdaysWithToddTemple https://lnkd.in/dGdDXh6G

Cattle farming is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane, which is produced during digestion and manure decomposition. Methane has a much higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide, making cattle a major contributor to climate change. However, innovations in agriculture are paving the way for more sustainable and even carbon-positive cattle farming. Carbon-positive farming refers to systems where more carbon is sequestered in the soil or biomass than emitted, effectively reversing the carbon footprint. This can be achieved through several strategies: -Regenerative agriculture practices, such as rotational grazing and improving soil health, help capture carbon in the soil, turning pastures into carbon sinks. -Diet improvements, such as adding seaweed or specialized feed, can reduce the methane cows emit during digestion. -Manure management technologies, like anaerobic digesters, capture methane from manure and convert it into biogas, reducing emissions and providing renewable energy. -Agroforestry and incorporating trees into grazing systems help sequester additional carbon, further offsetting emissions. While reaching full carbon positivity in cattle breeding remains a challenge, these methods show promise in significantly reducing emissions. Combined with financial incentives like carbon credits and growing consumer demand for sustainable products, carbon-positive cattle farming could become a reality in the future, contributing to the fight against climate change. #proteins #sustainability #goodfood #foodindustry #regenerativeagriculture Part of a picture from Freepik (http://www.freepik.es/)

Carbon farming has been hailed for its potential to mitigate climate change whilst providing an income stream for producers, yet take-up of schemes has so far been fairly slow. From a lack of consensus over measuring carbon and incentivising farmers, to distrust over carbon contracts and government legislation, Farming Future Food unpacks the reasons delaying farmers from signing up - and what needs to change to encourage the industry to get on board: https://lnkd.in/eu4M_iD2 #carbonfarming #carbon #sustainableagriculture #soilcarbon #carbonstorage

ICYMI: The results of our latest Carbon Farming Scorecard - produced in partnership with KPMG Australia - were released earlier this week. "Several jurisdictions have set ambitious bipartisan 2035 targets, and the government is developing a comprehensive sectoral approach to achieving net zero ambitions. To continue to build investor and community confidence, these must now be accompanied by clearer articulation of the role of carbon farming in supporting decarbonisation and reversing deforestation, ecological restoration and carbon removal." - John Connor READ MORE: https://lnkd.in/gV8DS45K #carbonfarming #carbonmarkets #carboncredits #emissionsreduction #naturebasedsolutions #landbasedsequestration #climateaction #climatechange #climatefinance #climatepolicy #netzero #netnegative

Billions in USDA funding are now directed towards climate-smart initiatives, with a focus on climate-negative farming practices. This recent report from GREENBIZ highlights a crucial shift towards sustainability in agriculture. By investing in climate-positive approaches, we're not only reducing greenhouse gas emissions but actively reversing climate change. It's time to embrace innovative solutions for a more sustainable future. #ClimateSmartFarming #Sustainability #USDA #esg #ClimateAction

This is a welcome development. Agriculture and farming are improving their methods all the time but extra efforts like this to reduce #CO2 are to be applauded. https://lnkd.in/ewqqktBj #sustainability

Since becoming involved with the renewable (bio) propane / LPG industry, helping SHV Energy in North America as their consultant, I've been paying more attention to farming and sustainable practices than I have since I left the farming countryside of South Gloucestershire in England, where I grew up (allegedly). Propane is a vital fuel for the farming and remote communities in North America, so this all fits together for me. This animated report from the Financial Times and Rabobank does a nice job of explaining where sustainable farming comes from, why it works, which bits are bigger contributors but, most importantly, why the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. The underlying message is that these climate solutions are choices: we need to make the right choices. Worth a ten minute scroll. https://lnkd.in/ddiZ_ij6

Regenerative agriculture could boost biodiversity, combat climate change and support farmers while reshaping our food system for the better. 🌱 This way of farming is nature-inclusive and combines traditional practices and new technology. These practices ultimately aim to feed the soil in order to produce healthy and sustainable food. If done within local context, conditions and community in mind, regenerative agriculture holds significant potential to help restore our planet’s life-supporting ecosystems while providing economic and social benefits at the same time. Read more in this explainer story at Financial Times to explore the possibilities and learn from Rabobank-clients McCain Foods and Ralston Family Farms in Arkansas and their journey towards a future-proof food system. ➡️ https://lnkd.in/ez9GKvFt #regenerativeagriculture #farming

New Internal Revenue Service guidance on the Sustainable Aviation Fuel tax credit calls for the use of no-till and cover crops. By adopting conservation practices now, you can be sure your corn and soybeans will be the right input for ethanol producers. Agroecology + Innovation Matters thanks the resilient producers who are putting in the needed effort to build healthier soil and protect our waterways. Please share the positive impacts of conservation agriculture. https://lnkd.in/gU6dhzTT #AIMillinois #TakeAIM #conservation #illinoisagriculture #sustainablefarming #regenerativeagriculture #regenerativefarming #regenerativefarm #agvocacy #agriculture #farmer #illinois #farmersofillinois #sustainability #covercrops #soilhealth #farming #farm #agriculturelife #conservationchampions #notill #notillfarming