U.S. Agriculture Achieves Decade-Low Greenhouse Gas Emissions

A recent report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicates that America’s agricultural sector has achieved its lowest greenhouse gas emission levels in a decade. The “Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2022” shows a nearly 2 percent emissions reduction between 2021 and 2022, the largest drop recorded across all economic sectors.

Analysis by the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) found that the agricultural sector contributed just under 10 percent of total U.S. emissions in 2022. This amounts to 634 million metric tons in CO2 equivalents and represents a 1.8 percent (12 million metric ton) reduction from the previous year.

The report highlights specific emission reductions within the sector: a 2.1% decrease in livestock emissions, a 1.7% decrease in crop cultivation emissions, and a 1.2% decrease in emissions from fuel combustion.