Lets talk about emissions

Greenhouse gases (GHGs), including carbon dioxide (CO2 ), methane (CH4 ) and nitrous oxide (N2 O), absorb radiation from the sun, and trap heat in the atmosphere, acting like a greenhouse or a layer of insulation for Earth. GHGs are parts of the earth’s natural processes, but human activities over the last few centuries have increased GHG levels far past where they should be. This change has very negative consequences for our climate, including increasing global temperatures, and more frequent episodes of severe weather. Carbon dioxide is produced by farm equipment. It’s also released when soil is disturbed, or when plants decay. Methane from cattle is part of a natural carbon cycle. Released into the air through belches, methane goes into the atmosphere for a period of approximately 12 years until it breaks down. During
photosynthesis, plants capture this carbon and store it until an animal grazer comes along, digesting it and releasing the carbon as methane for the cycle to continue. It can also come from livestock manure, food waste and grasses. Nitrous oxide primarily comes from fertilizer. When plants can’t use all the nutrients that they’re given, the excess fertilizer can be lost into the air through de-nitrification as nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas estimated to be 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

Overall, GHG emissions from Canadian agriculture have stayed about the same for the last 20 years76, even though the quantity of food production has increased dramatically. That outcome is mostly because farms have become more efficient — they’re able to grow and raise more food while using less land, water, and fuel. This change also reflects the increased carbon sequestration in cropland.