Dairy manure use in farming could help combat climate change.
A study in southern Idaho looked at how different fertilizers and manure affect greenhouse gas emissions from crops. They found that using dairy manure and compost can increase nitrous oxide emissions, but also help store carbon in the soil. The highest nitrous oxide emissions were from fall and spring manure applications. Overall, the study showed that using manure instead of synthetic fertilizer can help reduce global warming potential by increasing soil carbon levels.