November 1, 2006

Canadian pork industry introduces software to calculate emissions
 

The Canadian pork industry has introduced a software package designed to help swine producers calculate the number of greenhouse gas offset credits they may be able to sell from their operations.

The Pork Greenhouse Gas Project Builder is a computer program which calculate greenhouse gas emissions from pig operations and determine the number of offset credits that could be generated by adopting certain technologies or production practices.

Operations who emit lower emissions than they are entitled to can sell the extra emissions as credits to other operations such as power companies who generate more emissions.

The latest draft is being introduced through a series of workshops that began last week and is expected to be disseminated through the rest of Canada.

Canadian Pork Council environmental programs coordinator Cedric MacLeod said the software allows producers to input production data such as feed usage and ration composition, herd inventories and operational practices. The project builder then estimates the greenhouse gas output that can be expected.

MacLeod notes there are lots of opportunities to sell the credits in regional greenhouse gas carbon markets in California, Oregon, the northeastern US states and Alberta.