Cory Carman of Carman Ranch with her herd. Source: New York Times
Cory Carman is a 4th generation rancher based in Wallowa, Oregon, USA, who teamed up with Neutral to reduce the climate footprint of her farm. Now she is implementing a solution that could reduce the methane emissions from her livestock by up to 80%.
At Neutral, we are all about radically reducing methane emissions. We want to help climate-conscious ranchers and farmers who want what's best for their farms and the environment.
With the climate crisis in full swing, the cost of making climate-friendly investments can be steep for farmers and ranchers, but there is also a rise in market trends for environmentally friendly products. At Neutral, we are witnessing with our own eyes how more and more people, families, farmers, and corporations, are showing their interest in doing what’s right for the planet.
Ranchers like Cory Carman of Carman Ranch and Carman Ranch Provisions have recognized the emerging green market trends and sought solutions on how to best reduce emissions on Carman Ranch. In Eastern Oregon, Cory has been raising her herd on a grass diet, a practice that has existed for millennia. While methane emissions resulting from cows' digestion on this grass diet have remained a constant issue over time, the climate crisis is new and it demands immediate attention and solutions. The Neutral team and Cory Carman were searching for solutions to reduce enteric methane emissions on her ranch in Eastern Oregon when Symbrosia emerged as a game changer. Symbroisa is the maker of SeaGraze™, a supplement made from red seaweed (Asparagopsis taxiformis) that has been shown to reduce enteric methane emissions by over 80% when added to livestock feed. This month, Neutral, Carman Ranch and Symbrosia are launching a trial designed to (1) demonstrate the efficacy of enteric methane reduction with SeaGraze™ on Carman Ranch and (2) answer outstanding operational and logistical questions that Cory and other producers have about giving her herd this new climate-friendly diet.
During this trial, we will collaborate with Cory to monitor the weight of her herd to ensure that expected gains are achieved. We will also assist Cory in testing the meat to ensure its safety for consumers and that it meets the high standards of quality that consumers have come to expect and love from Carman Ranch products.
Symbrosia’s red seaweed has been shown to reduce enteric methane emissions by 80% when added to livestock feed.
It's essential to work with farmers and ranchers to implement long-term climate solutions on agricultural lands. It will ensure that new technologies are practical, effective, and profitable, while farmers are able to retain the taste and quality of their products.
We are excited to be embarking on this partnership with Symbrosia and Carman Ranch, which represents a meaningful step towards addressing the urgent need to support climate-friendly agricultural practices. The growing demand from consumers for environmentally-friendly products is a clear indication to stakeholders that projects like these are worth pursuing.
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56 w
Brilliant idea in reducing emissions
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59 w
is there enough red seaweed for all the cows?
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59 w
@petter seaweed is usually easy to grow but it's a good question!
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58 w
@petter This is definitely the follow up question. How are you we growing this seaweed?
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49 w
@petter Really, really important question. Thanks! We asked the Symbrosia team to answer this one and here's what they said: Today, there isn't anywhere near enough red seaweed for all the cows. This species (Asparagopsis taxiformis) does grow naturally, but if we tried to wild-harvest it we would deplete native populations, damage coastal ecosystems, and we still wouldn't have enough to feed the world's cows. This is precisely why the work of companies like Symbrosia is so important. Symbrosia is bringing cutting-edge science, novel engineering, and creative partnerships to scale red seaweed production by several orders of magnitude. Our scaling strategy breaks down into 3 components: Science - our in-house R&D, Cultivation, and Engineering teams are collaborating to unlock the secrets of asparagopsis cultivation. We've bred our own strains of the red seaweed that grow much faster than wild types, and are optimizing everything from shade level to nutrient mix to tank layout to get the most out of every single acre. Build - we are building our own multi-acre red seaweed production facilities to implement the knowledge we've unlocked at commercial scale. We are actively designing and building the red seaweed mega-factories of the future. Partner - we know this problem is so big that we can't build the solution alone. That's why we're also partnering with the world's largest existing algae growers to use their facilities to grow our red seaweed. We recently announced a partnership with Cyanotech, which operates a 96-acre state-of-the-art microalgae production facility on the Kona coast of Hawai`i, to explore ways to grow our red seaweed product in their algae ponds: https://nutraceuticalbusinessreview.com/news/article_page/Cyanotech_joins_forces_with_Symbrosia_to_grow_its_strain_of_seaweed/208790 We are always looking for more innovation, more space to build algae facilities, and more strategic partnerships. We believe that if we move fast enough, we can create a world where red seaweed is abundant and available to all the cows that want it!
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49 w
@Neutral very interesting! Thanks for the answer. Keep it up! Btw. Have you heard of the Swedish startup https://www.voltagreentech.com/ Is their solution the same?
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46 w
@Rentzhog We're not familiar with the specifics at It is the same type of intervention as SeaGraze by Symbrosia. There has been an explosion of companies working on seaweed and the active ingredient (bromoform) in recent years and we're really excited by its potential.
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59 w
This is great, a step towards the right direction.
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59 w
Very interesting. We have so many solutions! Companies such as Neutral that implement those solutions and spread awareness about them are so important!
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46 w
@Rentzhog thank you! The more solutions-based companies get to work, the better!
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59 w
This sounds like such a logical and easy solution with a massive impact! What's the main obstacle for farmers to adopt it?
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49 w
@sarah_chabane We asked Symbrosia this great question and here's what they said: The main obstacle for farmers to adopt SeaGraze™, or any other red seaweed feed additive is that there isn't enough of it! We have farmers approaching us every day asking us to test, try, or buy SeaGraze™. However, in these early days of production we're allocating all red seaweed we grow to trials like this one with Carman Ranch, Neutral Foods, and Kansas State University, or to further lab research. During our trials, we use scientific design (treatment vs. control group) and we measure as much as we possibly can - enteric methane emissions, animal weight, forage samples, residue analysis, feed control efficiency, meat texture and taste, feed intake, and so much more. It's crucial that we run these trials first because the data that we generate is what is going to show the world that SeaGraze™ is viable, safe, and valuable. Check out our answer to @petter's question to learn about how we're going to scale production to make enough SeaGraze™ for all the hungry cows out there!
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59 w
Incredible climate solution! I hope this solution can be adopted across farms worldwide!