Read the transcript for this report below.
ELIZABETH ARAKELIAN, HOST: Tulare County is the heart of California's dairy industry. As KVPR’s Kerry Klein reports, county officials hope a new dairy research facility will help the industry get stronger and more efficient.
KERRY KLEIN: The facility on Avenue 112 south of Tulare is owned by a company called DairyExperts. It’s got a cattle barn, but also a classroom and a lab. Michael Washam with the county’s Resource Management Agency says the company’s mission is to improve dairy best practices.
MICHAEL WASHAM: Everything from feedstocks that are coming online to nutrient supplements to even finding feed that will reduce methane.
KLEIN: Methane, a potent greenhouse gas belched out by cows. The state has committed to reducing those emissions.
Washam says the company does research, but also offers one-on-one support.
WASHAM: It’s really geared towards any dairy farmer that has the needs for on-site consulting services, training.
KLEIN: In 2021, dairy was Tulare County’s top grossing industry, bringing in more than $1.9 billion dollars. For KVPR News, I’m Kerry Klein.
