Here we consider the farm-to-gate system, a partial life cycle analysis method accounting for all farm operations of beef cattle production, crop production or other. This includes the direct impacts due to on-farm operations and the indirect impacts from the production and transport of synthetic fertilizers, diesel, electric energy, pesticides. We consider the emissions from growing the feed crops, but not from land use change if that was required to create the fields either for crops or pasture, and we have not included emissions related to purchase, sale, domestic use and final waste. Our emissions estimates end at the farm gate. These figures are estimates, modelled using various assumptions and scientific methods. One of the challenges is we cannot just use a “GHG meter” to measure emissions from cattle or a farmer’s field.

These are estimated here as a product of the province’s 2019 tonnes of production and the estimated emissions per kg noted above. This figure includes GHG emissions related to feed inputs and production, so it includes some emissions from grains such as wheat; it therefore includes a small amount of the wheat sector emissions. See sources noted.

You might see the “carbon footprint” of a kilogram of beef based on one of three different foundations: first, the “live weight” of the cattle, representing the highest weight of that animal as it goes to be processed. Next, the emissions may be expressed per kilogram of the “carcass weight” of the cattle, which represents the animal’s weight after removal of the head, hide, GI tract and internal organs. The smallest weight considered would be “retail beef”. This represents the packaged meat that goes to the market In Canada. These numbers are tracked meticulously through the livestock industry, and the government has some industry averages as follows:

• Carcass weight to live weight ratio =            0.56
• Retail weight to carcass weight ratio =        0.73
• Retail weight to live weight ratio =        0.41

What this means is if we express our GHG emissions per kilogram of retail weight, it is 29 kg CO₂eq per kg. However, if we express that per kilogram of live weight, it is 12 kg CO₂eq per kg. We need to know the basis of the emissions calculation¹.

[1] Government of Canada. “Red meat conversion factors.” Accessed Sept. 23, 2021. https://agriculture.canada.ca/en/canadas-agriculture-sectors/animal-industry/red-meat-and-livestock-market-information/slaughter-and-carcass-weights/conversion-factors

These figures were estimated here as a product of the province’s 2019 tonnes of production^[1] and the estimated emissions per kg noted above. That factor includes estimated changes in soil carbon, emissions from energy use, fertilizer manufacturing, nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and seeds and pesticides indirect emissions. These factors were estimated for the three Regional Units found in Alberta, resulting in an emissions estimate specific to this province.

[1] Statistics Canada. Table 32-10-0359-01  Estimated areas, yield, production, average farm price and total farm value of principal field crops, in metric and imperial units. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=3210035901

Different factors affect the GHG emissions for crops in different areas. There are site-specific factors that can make significant differences such as average rainfall, soil type, irrigation usage, no-till farming practices, application of nitrogen fertilizer and in what amount, straw burning practices (a factor in China where much of the straw in wheat fields is burned after harvest), and other factors. Because of the wide range of emissions per kg of wheat that may be seen, a jurisdiction may have mitigation measures specific to smaller regions that are most efficient for those regions.

Similar to the wheat sector, different factors affect the GHG emissions for crops in different areas. There are site-specific factors that can make significant differences such as average rainfall, soil type, irrigation usage, no-till farming practices, application of nitrogen fertilizer and in what amount, straw burning practices (a factor in China where much of the straw in fields is burned after harvest), and other factors. Because of the wide range of emissions per kg of wheat that may be seen, a jurisdiction may have mitigation measures specific to smaller regions that are most efficient for those regions.

These figures are each a product of the province’s 2020 tonnes of production and the estimated emissions per kg noted. That factor includes estimated changes in soil carbon, emissions from energy use, fertilizer manufacturing, nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and seeds and pesticides indirect emissions. These factors were estimated for the three Regional Units found in Alberta, resulting in an emissions estimate specific to this province.