Summary
This dissertation investigates three interconnected approaches to mitigating environmental impacts of intensive Midwestern agriculture: cultured meat production, anaerobic digestion for swine operations, and perennial cover cropping systems. The analysis reveals that whilst cultured meat demonstrates superior areal productivities for protein and energy compared to conventional livestock, nitrogen management remains a critical sustainability factor. For anaerobic digestion, the study finds that farm-scale systems are economically uncompetitive with natural gas prices, but centralised, multi-farm models become viable with policy incentive support, with historical variations in these programmes significantly affecting deployment rates.
UK applicability
The findings on cultured meat efficiency and anaerobic digestion economics have direct relevance to UK agricultural policy, particularly around net-zero commitments and renewable energy targets. However, the focus on Midwestern swine production and large-scale arable systems may require adaptation to UK farm structure, scale, and existing incentive frameworks, including different feed conversion ratios and grid connection infrastructure.
Key measures
Protein and calorie areal productivities; nitrogen management impact; biogas upgrading costs; natural gas grid injection economics; farm-scale versus centralised digester viability; incentive programme effects on renewable energy deployment
Outcomes reported
The study assessed protein and calorie use efficiencies of cultured meat versus conventional meat production; evaluated the economic viability of anaerobic digestion systems on swine farms under different scenarios and incentive programmes; and examined large-scale intensive crop production systems with perennial groundcover approaches.
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