Cornell University Research Highlights Livestock's Role in Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Impact
Jasmine Dillon, Assistant Professor of Global Livestock Sustainability at Cornell University, is conducting research that emphasizes the integral role of animals in creating sustainable food systems. Her work, as reported by Jackie Swift, communications specialist for the Cornell CALS Department of Animal Science, uses an agroecological perspective to evaluate how farm management practices, policies, and sustainability measurements influence environmental outcomes. Dillon's research employs life cycle assessments to measure the environmental impacts of products like milk, meat, and corn, alongside process modeling to understand resource conversion into agricultural outputs. She views animals as crucial recyclers of energy and matter within ecosystems, forming part of a larger agricultural system. One of her projects, in collaboration with the Environmental Defense Fund, investigates whether improving smallholder dairy efficiency in India can reduce climate impacts, specifically focusing on enteric methane ...
