California Reduces 5 Million Tons of Methane: What Does Brazilian Milk Need to Make This Leap?

With little data and a lack of incentives for milk, Brazil still underutilizes the potential of technologies such as biodigesters to transform sustainability into a competitive advantage.

California, the largest milk producer in the United States, has just announced a historic milestone: the annual reduction of 5 million metric tons of methane emissions from its dairy farms. The news, published by PR Newswire on May 20, 2025 , highlights the strength of a strategy based on financial incentives, clear public policies, and structured partnerships with producers .

Leading this movement is Dairy Cares , a coalition of California dairy cooperatives, processors, and organizations working in coordination with the state government to ensure the success of climate goals. The organization plays a key role in technical implementation, reporting results, and coordinating between the different stakeholders in the chain .

While Brazil, the world's fifth-largest milk producer, still lacks the data, visibility, and structure to scale sustainable solutions, the Californian case shows that it is possible to transform environmental goals into levers for rural development, competitiveness, and international reputation.

1. How California Got There

In 2016, California established by law ( SB 1383 ) a goal of reducing livestock-related methane emissions by 40 percent by 2030, based on 2013 levels. By 2025, the state had already achieved two-thirds of that goal, a feat supported by three pillars:

• Anaerobic digesters : 168 operational units and around 75 under development, transforming manure into biogas or electricity.

• Alternative manure management : more than 120 projects that mitigate methane emissions through practices such as scraping, composting and solids separation.

• Productive efficiency : increased milk production by reducing the number of cows, reducing emissions per liter through investments in genetics, nutrition and well-being.

Additionally, programs such as the Dairy Digester Research and Development Program (DDRDP ) and the Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP) , managed by the California Department of Agriculture (CDFA), structure project funding. Dairy Cares acts as a bridge between these programs and producers, ensuring compliance and effective use of funds.

2. The Brazilian scenario: opportunities and invisibilities

Brazil has one of the largest cattle herds in the world and a dairy sector that is increasingly focused on sustainability. Technologies such as biodigesters (which transform waste into renewable energy) are already a reality in some regions. However, there is no public survey quantifying how many biodigesters are operating on dairy farms in the country .

This lack of specific data weakens the sector's climate governance and hinders the creation of policies tailored to the realities of Brazilian dairy production. We know there are good examples underway, whether focusing on energy production or reducing the use of inorganic fertilizers. But without visibility, there is no scale. Without scale, there is no policy .

Meanwhile, models like the one in California show that milk can be a climate and energy agent. We need to make that institutional leap here.

3. Productive efficiency as a mitigation tool

The Californian experience also highlights a fundamental point: improving efficiency is, in itself, a climate strategy . In Brazil, this is already happening and needs to be recognized. Milk production per cow has increased, while the number of animals has stabilized or even decreased in some regions. This trend, when properly assessed, demonstrates the ongoing reduction in the intensity of GHG emissions from milk production.

Tools like PEC Calc , which calculates the carbon footprint of milk production, and BEA Score , which assesses animal welfare, help measure and communicate these advances. Created by ESGpec, these solutions democratize access to sustainability, even without specific policies.

4. What is missing for the jump to happen

The Californian lesson leaves a clear message: reducing emissions requires coordination, resources, and measurement. To move forward, Brazil needs to:

• Create funding lines focused on low-carbon milk, focusing on biodigesters and waste management.

• Measure and publicly disclose the use of biodigesters in the milk chain.

• Strengthen the work of multi-sector coalitions, along the lines of Dairy Cares, to accelerate the ESG agenda in the sector.

• Expand access to technical and financial diagnostic tools for producers of all profiles.

While we continue to follow examples from abroad, it is urgent to create our own mechanisms for encouragement, monitoring, and recognition.

5. Conclusion: Data, Governance, and Recognition

Reducing methane emissions is more than just meeting a climate target: it's about repositioning Brazilian milk on the global environmental agenda . The California case, led by coalitions like Dairy Cares and supported by well-structured public programs, shows that it's possible to combine sustainability, efficiency, and brand reputation.

Brazil has climate, science, producers, and will. It needs to translate all of this into policy, structure, and communication. The leap forward isn't just technical, it's institutional.

🟢 Milk can indeed be one of the solutions for the regenerative future of agriculture.