Wisconsin Farms May Need Big Changes to Meet Climate Goals

By Blake Jackson

Wisconsin agriculture would need significant changes to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, according to a new report released by environmental organizations and agricultural research groups.

However, the authors acknowledge that many of the recommended changes may be difficult to implement under current economic and political conditions.

The report, developed by Clean Wisconsin in partnership with the Savanna Institute, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Grassland 2.0 initiative, examines strategies to reduce emissions from a sector that has seen greenhouse gas output increase by 20 percent over the past two decades.

Current climate initiatives promote practices such as no-till farming, cover crops, and improved nitrogen fertilizer management. Yet, Paul Mathewson, the report’s lead author, said those measures alone would have a limited impact.

“Simple changes to that system — the annual cropping systems — like no-till and cover crop, are really just not adequate to really get us anywhere close to net-zero,” Mathewson said.

The report suggests broader adoption of perennial agriculture, including crops such as hazelnuts and Kernza, along with agroforestry and silvopasture systems that integrate trees, crops, and livestock.

Reaching net-zero targets would require widespread use of conservation practices, reduced fertilizer applications, and converting millions of acres of annual cropland to perennial systems.

Under the most ambitious scenario, large dairy farms would transition to fully grass-fed herds. While that change could reduce emissions, it could also lower statewide milk production by as much as 57 percent.

Randy Jackson, a UW-Madison grassland ecology professor and contributor to the report, emphasized the environmental advantages of perennial systems.

“If we switch from a confined feeding operation to a grass-fed operation, you’re going to have fewer animals, they’re going to produce less, but it should be a lot more profitable on a per-cow basis, even if it’s less productive,” Jackson said.

Industry representatives noted that continued innovation in nutrition, genetics, herd management, and farm practices will also play a key role in reducing agricultural emissions.

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