Analysis of US Manure Management and Recommendations to Mitigate Associated Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The document analyzes the climate impact of methane from U.S. dairy and swine manure, arguing that while biogas digesters are the primary focus of funding, they are often impractical for small and medium farms. It proposes underutilized alternatives—specifically solid-liquid separation, acidification, and aeration—which can reduce emissions more cost-effectively and provide on-farm benefits like odor control and improved fertilizer value. The author calls for expanded pilot programs, better data collection, and targeted financial support to scale these alternatives.

• Methane emissions from U.S. livestock manure, primarily from wet storage systems like lagoons and pits, account for more than 1% of national emissions. Methane is noted to be over 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20-year timeframe.
• Biogas digesters are the most funded solution but are expensive and only partially reduce methane emissions from storage, making them impractical for many small and medium-sized farms.
• Alternative technologies such as acidification, aeration, and solid-liquid separation offer lower-cost methane reduction and additional benefits, including reduced lagoon maintenance, improved fertilizer value, better manure handleability, and odor control.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Analysis of US Manure Management and Recommendations to Mitigate Associated Greenhouse Gas Emissions. https://www.wri.org/research/analysis-and-recommendations-mitigate-greenhouse-gas-emissions-us-manure-management

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Analysis of US Manure Management and Recommendations to Mitigate Associated Greenhouse Gas Emissions. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/analysis-and-recommendations-mitigate-greenhouse-gas-emissions-us-manure-management.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Analysis of US Manure Management and Recommendations to Mitigate Associated Greenhouse Gas Emissions |url=https://www.wri.org/research/analysis-and-recommendations-mitigate-greenhouse-gas-emissions-us-manure-management |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendanalysis, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Analysis of US Manure Management and Recommendations to Mitigate Associated Greenhouse Gas Emissions}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/analysis-and-recommendations-mitigate-greenhouse-gas-emissions-us-manure-management}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }