Resilient Agroecosystems: Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Beef and Ethanol Production Amidst Climate Change

The agricultural sector is a significant contributor to climate change, accounting for around 20 to 25% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions–including methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), and nitrous oxide (N₂O). This literature review investigates selective breeding, optimized cattle diets, methane capture, and agrivoltaics. Selective breeding works to produce low-emitting cattle using recent technology in genetics without compromising productivity. Dietary additives such as red seaweed, oils, and fats also can reduce CH₄ emissions by up to 82%. Another viable method involves adopting bioenergy technologies through the use of a CH₄ capture system using anaerobic digesters, which convert waste into biogas energy. Similarly, agrivoltaics is a burgeoning area of research with rapidly evolving technology and policy that supports global food and energy security. We also discuss precision agriculture as an innovative strategy to mitigate ethanol production emissions by integrating Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing technologies, robotics automation, and GPS field mapping for efficient fertilizer application and crop monitoring. Moreover, the implications of cellulosic ethanol include using leftover corn stover, chemical pretreatments, and enzymatic hydrolysis to enhance ethanol yields while minimizing waste. We examine the production systems’ environmental impact and current mitigation strategies–aligning with United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as Affordable and Clean Energy (7), Responsible Consumption and Production (12), Climate Action (13), Life on Land (15), and Partnership among Stakeholders (17). Our study integrates USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Topics, including Environment, Farming and Ranching, Animals, Advanced Technology, Plants, Business and Economics, and Natural Resources. Our findings emphasize the need for continued innovation and policy support engagement to achieve a more sustainable agricultural industry. In addition, this research contributes to the broader understanding of how integrated approaches in agriculture can lead to significant environmental benefits and co-benefits among sectors of the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus. Policy support from the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), Farm Bill, Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), as well as Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), and carbon credits are just a few of the programs that help fund research and implement solutions.