Commercial sales of a cattle feed supplement that will help reduce methane emissions have begun in Australia
Meat processor CirPro Australia, formerly known as Pirie Meats, has become the first company to buy a methane-reducing cattle feed supplement on a commercial basis.
Produced by CH4 Global, the supplement contains Asparagopsis, which has been proven to reduce enteric methane emissions in cattle by up to 90 per cent, when it is grown and processed to exacting standards.
CirPro will roll out the supplement across its feed-lot partners in what both parties say is a long-term multi-million-dollar commitment with an option for expansion.
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A sample of the Asparagopsis seaweed
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CirPro chief executive Roger Smyth says his company is excited about the partnership.
“This marks an important milestone towards the goal of a carbon-neutral beef industry in Australia by systemically reducing, not just offsetting, emissions,” he says.
“It represents a win for the beef industry, a win for Australia, and a win for the planet.”
Cassandra Kelly, Senior Advisor to FutureFeed, the holder of the patent on Asparagopsis methane-reduction efficacy claims, has added her congratulations, saying CH4 was one of the first companies to recognise the potential of the supplement.
“Just a few years ago, Asparagopsis was a largely unknown seaweed that was not cultivated in commercial quantities and had very few applications outside of niche cosmetics and as a condiment in Hawaii,” she says.
“Now we are seeing a new industry with the capability to support local communities and the creation of jobs whilst working together to make a meaningful impact on methane emissions from livestock.”
FutureFeed has further issued licenses to Australian seaweed growers CH4 Global, Sea Forest and SeaStock, to enable them to supply of Asparagopsis to the livestock market.
“It’s both inspiring and humbling to reflect on how the industry has managed to engage the brains trust, community and investment support in just under four years to make a product launch like this a reality,” Kelly says.
CH4 Global founder Steve Meller says the company is aiming for rapid commercial growth across Australia, New Zealand and the United States in 2023 and 2024.
“Scaling exponentially through our growing partner network makes this agreement the tip of an iceberg that will be more fully realised in the next few years,” he says.
“A key aspect of this global partnership network is our core principle of working with local and indigenous communities for seaweed growing partnerships.”
That said, Meller adds that “No one-off product innovator will be capable of bending the climate curve any time soon.”