America’s farmers and ranchers lead the way in greenhouse gas emissions reduction through voluntary conservation efforts and market-based incentives.
The Environmental Protection Agency released the “Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2022.” The report shows that American agriculture reduced emissions by two percent from 2021 to 2022, the largest decrease of any economic sector. “The latest numbers demonstrate farmers’ and ranchers’ commitment to growing the food and fiber America’s families rely on while improving the land, air, and water, a benefit to the farm and climate,” says AFBF President Zippy Duvall.
AFBF’s Market Intel report says U.S. agriculture represents just under ten percent of total U.S. emissions compared to other economic sectors. EPA says emissions from agriculture totaled 634 million metric tons in CO2 equivalents, or 9.99 percent of all emissions in 2022. That’s a 1.8 percent decrease or a drop of 12 million metric tons from 2021.
