A new Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) – the industry’s first – confirms continuous improvement in the sustainability of U.S. wheat production. The analysis, commissioned by U.S. Wheat Associates (USW), the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and the National Wheat Foundation, shows that U.S. wheat growers have made environmental progress across five key performance indicators while achieving higher yields.
Key findings of the study, conducted by researchers from Texas A&M University AgriLife Research and Colorado State University’s AgNext Institute, include:
- A 33% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions due to improved use of fertilizers and precision input application
- A 57% cut in energy use thanks to improved fuel efficiency and reduced tillage
- A 46% drop in water use, with higher yield per unit of water and reduced irrigation
- A 45% decrease in land use due to multiple production improvements and lower planted area
- A 60% reduction in soil erosion due to reduced tillage and other soil conservation practices and incentives
“Other studies have shown improvement in wheat’s environmental footprint, but did not take the full diversity of a crop grown across the United States into account,” said U.S. Wheat Associates’ Vice President of Policy Dalton Henry. “Now, the results of this LCA set a more accurate baseline of information that we can share with customers here at home and overseas.”
More about the LCA Methodology
The LCA study was conducted by researchers from Texas A&M University AgriLife Research and Colorado State University’s AgNext Institute and provides a comprehensive overview of environmental improvements in wheat farming practices from 1978 to 2018.
This timeframe was chosen to align with 1980 and 2020 estimates contained in Field to Market’s 2021 National Indicators report, but with greater emphasis on the diversity of climates and classes of wheat in the United States.
To achieve this, the research team established 110 “archetype farms” across representative wheat-producing counties and collected data on retrospective and modern practices in each county over time. They used a widely accepted Agricultural Policy Environmental Extender (APEX1) model and “openLCA” life cycle assessment software to draw their conclusions.
The resulting LCA is representative of all U.S. wheat farms, accounting for different regions, production types, rotations, yield potential and wheat classes.