About the Livestock Enteric Methane Emission Reduction Research Program
The Livestock Enteric Methane Emission Reduction Research Program (LEMER-RP) is a research grant program led by the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability (OARS).
Established by the Budget Act of 2022 (AB 179, Section 194), LEMER-RP aims to reduce methane emissions in California’s dairy and livestock sectors by funding practical, science-based demonstration projects. The program supports California’s commitment to reducing methane emissions to 40% below 2013 levels by 2030, as required under SB 1383 (Lara, 2016).
Program Focus Areas
A total of $10 million was appropriated from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), with $9.46 million designated for competitive grant awards. Projects funded through LEMER-RP focus on two primary strategies:
Feed Additive Demonstration Projects
Research trials that evaluate the effectiveness of feed additives or ingredients with scientifically demonstrated potential to reduce enteric methane emissions in livestock.
Dietary Modification Trials
Projects exploring dietary changes or feed formulation strategies aimed at reducing methane emissions from enteric fermentation in ruminants, including dairy cows and other livestock.
These demonstration projects are designed to help overcome technical, logistical, and adoption-related barriers to widespread implementation of methane-reducing practices in California agriculture.
Demonstration Research Projects Solicitations
The Demonstration Research Project solicitation is closed. In the 2023 funding cycle, CDFA awarded seven demonstration research projects, totaling $9.46 million in grant funding to universities across the state and the country.
Past Solicitations
For reference materials, applicant and awardee lists from past grant solicitations, visit the LEMER-RP Archives page.
Program Status
Closed
LEMER-RP is not currently accepting proposals.