Organic camelina meal as a replacement for soybean meal in swine finishing diets: A life cycle analysis perspective

Authors: TALLAKSEN, JOEL - University Of Minnesota; JOHNSTON, LEE - University Of Minnesota; Gesch, Russell; FORCELLA, FRANK - Retired ARS Employee; LI, YUZHI - University Of Minnesota

Submitted to: Sustainability
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/6/2025
Publication Date: 2/10/2025
Citation: Tallaksen, J., Li, Y., Johnston, L., Gesch, R.W., Forcella, F. 2025. Organic camelina meal as a replacement for soybean meal in swine finishing diets: An LCA perspective. Sustainability. 17. Article 1443. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17041443.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su17041443

Interpretive Summary: Production of organic meat and dairy products relies on limited supplies of organic protein meal. Camelina seed meal could potentially serve as an additional source of protein for the organic industry, and when relay cropped with soybean (i. e., a method of double cropping), could further increase organic protein supplies. A life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to examine the combined use of camelina and soybean meal in organic pork production. The LCA assessment used an organic field trial of relay cropping winter camelina with soybean, data from the literature, and data from a pig feeding trial to model greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and fossil energy impacts. Three different grain production scenarios were examined that included the relay crop field trial (FTR), expected relay crop yields based on the literature (AER), and a baseline yield for a single crop (monocrop) of soybean (MCS). Environmental impacts were tested at three stages including grain production, meal processing, and swine feeding. Levels of GHG emissions estimated as carbon dioxide equivalents at the grain production and meal production stages were greatest for the FTR followed by the AER scenario and lowest for the MCS. For the finishing stage of pork production, GHG emissions were highest for the FTR but were only 5% greater for the AER as compared with the MCS scenario. Findings were similar for fossil energy use. The negative environmental performance of the winter camelina-relay crop soybean system compared with monocrop soybean was primarily due to lower camelina and soybean grain yields in the relay system as compared with a single crop of soybean. Results will be of interest to the organic swine industry and will benefit scientists and consultants working on modeling the environmental impacts of incorporating the new oilseed crop camelina into U.S. cropping systems.

Technical Abstract: Production of organic meat and dairy products relies on limited supplies of organic protein meal. Camelina (Camelina sativa L.) may sustainability increase organic protein meal supplies. Relay cropping soybeans [Glycine max Merr. (L.)] and camelina could further increase protein meal supplies. An exploratory life cycle assessment (LCA) examined organic camelina and soybean meals in pork production. Using grain production trial data, research literature, and camelina feeding trial results, greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and fossil energy impacts were modeled for inclusion of 10% camelina meal in swine finishing diets. Two key camelina grain production scenarios were examined, Field Trial Relay (FTR) camelina and a higher yielding As Expected Relay (AER) camelina, with a baseline monocrop soybeans (MCS). Environmental impacts were tested at three stages, grain production, meal processing, and swine feeding. At the grain production stage, the FTR, AER, and MCS scenarios emitted 0.65, 0.43, and 0.13 kg CO2 eq./kg DM grain harvested, respectively. At the meal production stage, 0.61, 0.40, and 0.15 kg CO2 eq. were emitted per kg protein meal from the FTR, AER, and MCS scenarios respectively. GHG emission from the finishing phase of pork production were 1.43, 1.38, and 1.31 kg CO2 eq./kg live weight pork produced for the FTR, AER, and MCS scenarios respectively. Findings were similar for fossil energy use. Negative environmental performance in amended diets was the result of higher environmental burdens from camelina grain production. Primarily due to reduced yields of both camelina and soybean in relay production compared with monocrop soybean.