A study of the relationship between dairy farmers' knowledge of the carbon credit market and their willingness to reduce greenhouse gas through offset programs

Greenhouse gas emission reduction is a major issue in the United States, as a result, President Obama has proposed a cap-and-trade system. Under this system, dairy farmers could pay to offset the methane emissions on their dairies or enroll in a carbon offset program. A consumer survey was conducted involving Texas dairy farmers. No relationship was found between a dairy farmers' knowledge of the carbon credit market and their willingness to reduce greenhouse gas through the installation of an anaerobic digester, diet modification, or conversion of annual cropping practices. Cost was the largest barrier to enrollment, yet higher participation did not always occur with subsidization.