A tool created by U of A researchers and their colleagues will help hog farmers increase productivity, decrease costs and minimize the environmental impact of swine production in the United States.
With funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the team, which includes researchers at Purdue University and Virginia Tech, is developing an integrated management tool for swine production based on a comprehensive analysis of the many processes that comprise it– from crops used for feed to methods of managing waste.
“A primary purpose of this work is to evaluate and mitigate the environmental footprint of swine-production facilities,” said Greg Thoma, professor of chemical engineering and holder of the Bates Endowed Teaching Professorship in Chemical Engineering.
“What action can we take to limit greenhouse-gas emissions from these facilities without making processes more expensive for the farmer?”