New industry-research collaboration on Greenhouse Gas mitigation
The Greenhouse Gas Hub, a major new research collaboration, has been launched at the VistaMilk Research Ireland Centre based in Teagasc Moorepark.
Aimed at accelerating greenhouse-gas mitigation in Ireland’s pasture-based dairy sector, the hub will see collaborative, co-funded research take place between the VistaMilk Research Ireland Centre, the Teagasc Climate Centre and five leading dairy co-operatives: Carbery Group, Dairygold, Kerry Dairy Ireland, Lakeland Dairies, and Ornua.
The new project formally launched on 20th November 2025 and welcoming the announcement, Dr. Ben Lahart, Funded Investigator with VistaMilk, said: “Our ambition is to support a dairy sector that is both profitable and sustainable.
“This new co-funded project, working alongside the Teagasc Climate Centre, will allow us to harness the very best of Irish research and industry collaboration to reduce emissions while maintaining economic viability.”
The Greenhouse Gas Hub will focus on developing solutions to reduce enteric (livestock) methane emissions from pasture-based dairy systems. The partnership aims to build a real-time understanding of these emissions at farm level that will support strategies that help the sector meet national climate targets and reduce the carbon footprint, while maintaining farm economic viability, food safety, and animal welfare.
Early research backed trials will evaluate a range of strategies to reduce enteric methane emissions within pasture-based systems. The most promising approaches will then be assessed over long term system studies to assess their total environmental and economic impacts. A stakeholder advisory group will help guide priorities, ensuring the research remains relevant and impactful across the sector.
Also commenting at the launch, Professor Laurence Shalloo of VistaMilk and Teagasc stated: “The findings on pasture and enteric methane in VistaMilk Phase I have been game changing and have helped reinforce a significant refocus on enteric methane in pasture-based settings globally.”
This strong body of research during the first phase of VistaMilk included work to improve the accuracy of methane emission predictions for dairy production systems. That research has provided evidence that enteric methane emissions from pasture-based systems are 8 to 10% lower than previously thought. Additional studies have also delivered new insights into how enteric methane varies in response to pasture characteristics, genetics, feeding, and management.
As to the importance of the Greenhouse Gas Hub, Professor Shalloo commented: “This partnership represents a vital, industry-driven model of collaborative scientific research, strengthening the link between evidence and real-world impact.
“The impact of this research helps our understanding of enteric methane from grazing dairy cows, as well as helping develop strategies to reduce enteric methane in a cost-effective manner,” Professor Shalloo said.
VistaMilk is a collaborative research centre that brings together expertise from 13 research institutes across Ireland, and it is uniquely co-funded by Research Ireland and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).