Let’s talk about agriculture and climate change for a moment. The information cited in this short blog can be found in more detail here and it’s also worth noting that this blog is not Washington state-specific.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated the agriculture sector represented 9.9 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States in 2018; the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimated agriculture represented 9.3 percent.

Comparatively, the EPA estimated the following economic sectors contributed more greenhouse gas emissions than agriculture: transportation accounted for 28 percent; electricity generation accounted for 27 percent; industry accounted for 22 percent. The following economic sectors contributed fewer greenhouse gas emissions than agriculture: commercial accounted for 7 percent; residential accounted for 5 percent; and the U.S. territories accounted for 1 percent.

The IPCC estimates economic sectors differently and attributed 83 percent of greenhouse gas emissions to energy generation; 6 percent to industrial processes; and 2 percent to waste.

What about cattle flatulence?

Well, the EPA and IPCC weighed in on that, too.

When looking at “enteric fermentation” – aka those famous burps and other expulsions – and manure management, livestock accounted for less than 4 percent of all agricultural-related greenhouse gas emissions. Enteric fermentation accounted for 2.66 percent in 2018.