Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Riham Alkousaa is politics and general news correspondent for Thomson Reuters in Germany, with focus on the energy and climate change topics, covering Europe’s biggest economy's green transition and Europe’s energy crisis. , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved the country must curb potent methane emissions from animal farming The young bull's head disappears into a plastic green hood The hood is attached to a contraption on wheels that looks a bit like a high-tech mobile pizza oven But the only thing cooking up here is a precise measurement of methane, a highly potent gas that has a global warming impact 84 times higher than carbon dioxide (CO2) over a 20-year period. is hoovered up by a fan at 40 litres (8.8 gallons) per second and measured in this device known as a GreenFeed system the bull's burps and breaths are analysed to build a picture of just how much methane his digestive system is churning out senior scientist at agri-tech cooperative Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC) in New Zealand scrutinises the data on a computer monitor They're enticed into the GreenFeed contraption six times a day with a tasty snack of Lucerne hay cubes: "lollies they get for doing the work," she says so researchers can closely monitor food intake and weight gain alongside burps LIC and another cattle breeding cooperative have joined forces to measure the methane of 800 young bulls and counting It's the first step in breeding dairy cows that naturally produce less methane – one way New Zealand is hoping to curtail emissions of this potent with most methane (more than 85%) coming from livestock New Zealand is one of more than 100 countries signed up to the Global Methane Pledge. But while other nations focus on plugging leaks from oil fields and natural gas pipelines New Zealand's focus is on the methane brewed by microbes in the digestive tracts of farm animals and belched into the atmosphere The country has long seen this as a niche where it can punch above its weight – and it will need to do so via the country's international commitment under the Paris Agreement In 2022, New Zealand unveiled its strategy to curb greenhouse gases and transition to a low-emissions future in an emissions reduction plan In the agriculture sector – considered an important player due to its substantial chunk of the total emissions pie – plans for a world-first emissions pricing scheme featured alongside boosting mitigation tech development But a change in government following October's election has seen the demise of the pricing scheme and a shift in policy to focus on as-yet-unavailable gene editing technology What will it take to curtail methane from livestock in a country with agriculture at its heart "People are attracted to this idea of a silver bullet But it's a variety of practices and technologies that are going to be needed," says Sinead Leahy principal science advisor at the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre (NZAGRC) The NZAGRC has sought to cultivate this variety of solutions since 2009. It doesn't employ research teams directly, but strategically funds external teams investigating new technologies like vaccines and methane inhibitors Since its inception, around NZ$90m (£44m/US$56m) has been invested in research, infrastructure and capability through the NZAGRC. A 2018 review acknowledged the research is "scientifically challenging" and found a "shortfall in feasible and practical mitigation options" Currently available approaches – mostly changing how operations are managed on-farm like frequency of milking – would only result in a 10% emissions reduction at best "There may be a limited set of technologies that will be available in time for the 2030 target," she estimates Leahy is more optimistic about the potential of emerging tech in the longer term "We're really looking more in that 2030 to 2040 bracket for when investment into science will hopefully start to pay dividends," she says most reductions are likely to come from farmers becoming more efficient alongside land-use changes and reductions in the waste sector This makes it tricky to implement in New Zealand's pastoral grazing system where cattle are outdoors munching grass "We need to figure out an effective way to make it work One idea is likely to be in farmers' climate toolbox sooner than either inhibitors or vaccines. Selective breeding with low-emitting bulls could reduce the methane outputs of the country's dairy herd, which currently accounts for almost one-fifth of all of New Zealand’s emissions "We're seeing 15 to 20% differences between low emitters and the average," says McNaughton "So I'm feeling quietly optimistic." Leahy agrees that the results appear promising but notes there's a lot more research and time needed to gather data "There's still a good bit of work to be done to verify the trait and make sure there are no adverse effects for breeding a low-emitting cow a similar investigation is underway with a new generation of daughters sired by the low-emitting bulls identified so far The cows will be closely monitored for any adverse effects McNaughton expects that LIC and its competitor CRV will have a methane index for the bulls that sire 90% of New Zealand's dairy herd through artificial insemination This will mean that farmers can select bulls with lower methane profiles Selective breeding of low-methane dairy cattle rests on a foundation of sheep. While sheep emit, on average, 13kg of methane every year, compared to 98kg for a dairy cow starting with sheep was a logistical choice "Sheep are much easier to handle," says Suzanne Rowe "and their gestation period is much shorter." Fourteen years ago Rowe and a team of AgResearch scientists wondered whether a sheep's methane emission levels could be passed from one generation to the next They gathered 1,000 sheep from across New Zealand and began to measure their gas outputs over 48 hours using a respiration chamber "It took years to get through the 1,000 animals," says Rowe explaining the painstaking process to refine measurement down to just one hour instead of 48 The "huge challenge" yielded three incredibly useful things: a flock of low-emitting sheep and a portable unit for fast methane measurement changes that have emerged so far are positive "[Low-emitter] sheep had more wool," says Rowe "We also found that they have a slightly different fatty acid profile in their milk and meat the portable methane chamber has enabled farmers across New Zealand to identify the low emitters in their own flocks as part of a 'Cool Sheep' programme "We've been driving up and down the countryside measuring sheep from different farms," says Rowe estimating that they have now measured 30,000 individuals "The plan is to enable farmers to choose the low emitters within their own flocks," Rowe explains "That's really important because it means that the animals they choose are already adjusted to that environment." What impact will selective breeding have on New Zealand's methane emissions? For sheep, Rowe estimates a decrease in methane emissions of around 0.5 to 1% per year. "Over time, that quickly becomes substantial," she says. "The other benefit is that, other than the actual measurement of the animal, it's low cost And it's permanent." But the impact of selective breeding is also slow to emerge as genes filter through a population over time rather than acting instantaneously New Zealand's numbers are more conservative. In 2021, modelling by the country's Climate Change Commission suggested that low-methane breeding for sheep and beef cows would produce 4.5–7.5% reductions by 2050 breeding is predicted to come online from 2030 and yield a 7.5–13.5% methane reduction by 2050 Behind the incremental march of scientific efforts the spectre of a price on agricultural emissions looms large New Zealand's first attempt at introducing an agricultural emissions levy dates back to 2003 when a 'fart tax' furore erupted as most gases are expelled out the front end: "about 75:25 nostrils to mouth" The proposed levy would have raised NZ$8.4m (£3.1m or US$4.9m) per year for research. Vehement opposition to the idea saw one MP drive a tractor up the steps of parliament and another lead two cows around parliament grounds with one depositing a steaming cowpat in front of the parliament the agriculture sector has lobbied hard to avoid being roped into New Zealand's emissions trading scheme making it an outlier industry that doesn't pay a price for its climate pollution well-thought-through policy" is an important tool for achieving the country's climate targets a New Zealand economist with expertise in emissions pricing policy says the delay is "going to be really damaging when they have to hurry to catch up later an agricultural pricing scheme wouldn't just benefit the climate it would also help New Zealand farmers by providing consistent market signals and a mechanism to reward them for their climate action "Farmers are in this invidious position of knowing what they should be doing from a global point of view but facing really strong economic signals that are saying 'produce more' and don't focus on mitigation Pricing levels that playing field," says Kerr We're seeing 15 to 20% differences between low emitters and the average – Lorna McNaughtonWithout a pricing scheme will New Zealand be able to reach its methane reduction targets "New Zealand's history would suggest no," says Kerr In 2021, emissions from the agriculture sector dipped by 1.5% But it’s a tiny blip after almost a decade of a stubborn plateau and not necessarily enough to indicate a new trend "Improvements in lowering emissions have been offset by increased levels of production," she says "Even if they're beginning to fall in some places they're not falling nearly fast enough." The emissions from travel it took to report this story were 0kg CO2e. The digital emissions from this story are an estimated 1.2g to 3.6g CO2e per page view. Find out more about how we calculated this figure here. In advice released this week the Climate Change Commission warned that New Zealand is not on track to meet its overall emissions reduction targets the commission writes: "Existing policies alone… would not result in adequate biogenic methane reductions to meet the 2030 target." In order to achieve a 10% methane reduction by 2030 and reach the longer-term 2050 target the commission emphasised that agricultural emissions pricing from 2025 will be "key" and a "necessary tool" and increasing on-farm efficiency will also play a role in the 2030 target along with the development of methane inhibitors and vaccines will help New Zealand meet its long-term climate goals rather than proven interventions to reduce agricultural emissions It will be up to the new government whether they heed the commission's advice If the country fails to meet its agreed emissions reduction targets under the Paris Agreement, it may need to spend billions of dollars on overseas carbon credits to offset its climate pollution including the methane-laced breath of farm animals Leahy says reducing methane in line with the official targets will be "challenging" She used to give presentations and tell the audience that she wasn't even sure it would be possible to reduce the methane brewed in an animal's gut If you liked this story, sign up for The Essential List newsletter – a handpicked selection of features videos and can't-miss news delivered to your inbox every Friday Join one million Future fans by liking us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter or Instagram. Seven images that transformed our world viewWatch how the maps and images of our planet from above have changed over the last two millennia. Ten striking images of an Earth scarred by humansFrom a shipwrecking yard in Bangladesh to a river of iron dioxide in Canada, a deep dive in Ed Burtynsky's work. What snow can teach us about street designSnowfall is helping urban planners design safer and more pleasant streets in the US. Raja the elephant asking for a road tollIn Sri Lanka, a charming elephant cheekily halts traffic for treats.  Inside the hidden world of rhino romanceWatch two rhinoceroses involved in a game of 'kiss and chase'. A mother tiger on a fierce hunt to feed her cubsWhile her three offspring take a leisurely bath, this Bengal tiger mother must find food for the entire family. How foxes outsmart world's heaviest raptor in quest for foodWatch red foxes challenge the Steller's sea eagle, the world's heaviest raptor, as they search for food in Japan. Mum saves baby seal with a clever trickWatch as David Attenborough reveals the unique behaviour of a mother seal to protect her pup in icy waters. Mountain goats: A death-defying battle to mateWatch the world's largest species of goat fight for the right to mate, teetering on the edge of perilous drops. The near miraculous escape of a cave swiftThe Tam Nam Lod Cave is home to over a quarter of a million swifts. But there are hidden dangers. Meet the mudskipper: The remarkable fish that lives on landThe mudskipper is a fish that can leap with a flick of its tail. Watch a particularly agile specimen in action. Watch the dramatic escape of tiny fish from deadly sharksThe Moorish idol, a dramatic little fish with dazzling stripes, adopts a clever strategy to save its life. Who should pick up the bill for climate damage?Talking about who is responsible for climate destruction is a fraught topic, how do we work out what is fair? Earth tides: Why our planet's crust has tides tooHow do they differ from the ocean? A geophysicist breaks it down for us. Iceland's high-tech farm turning algae into foodA facility near the Icelandic capital, Reykjavik, is using innovative farming technology to grow algae. Inside the world's largest hurricane simulatorAt the University of Miami, a large indoor air-sea interaction test facility measures the impact of storms. In Australia, sea lions help researchers map the ocean floorResearchers in Australia put cameras on sea lions' backs to help them map the elusive ocean floor. The deadly plants hiding in your gardenThe Poison Garden at the Alnwick Garden has around 100 toxic, intoxicating, and narcotic plants. The scientists drilling into an active Icelandic volcanoScientists are preparing to drill into the rock of an Icelandic volcano to learn more about how volcanoes behave. Earth's spectacular and remote 'capital' of lightningWith storms occurring between 140 to 160 nights a year, it's no wonder the area is a world record holder. Sir David says his new film Ocean is one of the most important of his career. Wild beaver swims in Welsh river in 'phenomenal' momentBeavers disappeared from Britain about 400 years ago after being hunted to extinction. On 12 June 1962, three men escaped from the notorious Alcatraz prison. While their fate remains unknown, the ingenuity of their escape continues to captivate. The Italian island immediately conjures up grand bougainvillea-draped villas and a whitewashed city centre, lined by luxury boutiques. But that's – literally – only half of the story. In 1956, Commander "Buster" Crabb disappeared during a visit to the UK by Soviet leader Nikita Khruschev. In 2006, a BBC reporter read the files that detailed his secret mission. Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Richard Hellmann wasn’t the inventor of mayonnaise That honour goes to folks in a French town in the 1700s Nor was he the first person to successfully bottle and mass produce the product in the United States Amelia Schlorer of Philadelphia gets that title the name behind the most successful mayonnaise in North America going on to sell more than $1.8 billion worth in the U.S is sitting pretty atop a 52% market share today almost doubling its sales in the past 12 years the Unilever brand enjoys its 100th anniversary – working with Toronto-based creative agency Ogilvy PR firm Harbinger and media agency Mindshare – with a social and PR campaign that celebrates the birthday and updates some classic recipes by adding a healthier twist (for example It’s been a busy century for the mayonnaise including a brief scuffle with the Canadian government during its consumer protectionist phase a dip into comedy and a head-first jump into the healthy food movement While it competes against dressings and “mayonnaise-like” products Hellmann’s is the most popular “real” mayo – a claim it held dear throughout its lengthy history and that serves it well today Germany and immigrated to New York in 1905 where he married into his wife’s family business After a near run-in with death (the couple almost travelled aboard the Titanic) in 1913 Hellmann and his wife introduced two flavours of mayonnaise Hellmann’s wife put a blue ribbon around her favourite flavour giving the mayo its iconic blue ribbon logo it maintains today The product proved so popular that in 1917 Helmmann closed the shop to dedicate his time to selling his mayo buying a fleet of trucks to deliver straight to consumers and  opening a manufacturing plant General Foods bought Hellmann’s and gave the brand its rectangular logo Though actual blue ribbons were no longer used Food marketers had a tough sell over the next 25 years Between the Depression and the Second World War and many women were skeptical about buying products they could make at home Food Is Love:  Advertising and Gender Roles in Modern America Katherine Parkin found (unsurprisingly) that ads at the time reinforced the idea that a woman’s place was in the home and food ads rarely deviated from this view A woman’s validation came from her family’s appreciation of her food To convince women to buy a product she formerly made herself ads focused on it being a “smart choice” to buy packaged food because it would enhance or perfect a meal one 1930s Campbell’s ad declared that women were “Soup Wise” using the product while a Crisco ad proclaimed that the brand did the work for the woman so she could concentrate on making the best food Advertising was designed to assure her she wouldn’t be letting her family down when using packaged foods with packaged food folks preferring the picturesque pages of magazines to show off delectable meals and product instructions that Hellmann’s began any major advertising focusing largely on magazines such as cooking pub Correct Salads For All Occasions which often contained recipe cards to show women how to integrate Hellmann’s into cooking Much like other prosaic food advertisements of the time copy focused on the quality of the product and the benefit of using the “whole egg,” and highlighted the multiple uses of mayo (“Thin it serve… Hellmann’s as is” read one ad salads and in sauces,” read another) was introduced in 1933 at the Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago as a cheaper alternative to mayo during the Depression era It was a blend of mayonnaise products and used powdered eggs instead of real ones Miracle Whip is a “dressing” and not a mayonnaise because it doesn’t meet the standard of identity of mayo (which must contain eggs capturing nearly all the market share between them Hellmann’s found itself increasingly reliant on its claim to “real” as a distinguishing factor the introduction of Miracle Whip may have given Hellmann’s its strongest positioning possible and one that it retained through the next 80 years 1945-1970 An age of rapid consumerism followed the Second World War with suburbs and mass market retailers flourishing As people moved out of the cities into prefab communities with books like Entertaining is Fun recommending extreme measures – like a freshly painted front door –for parties in order to “keep up with the Joneses.” Through the ’50s and ’60s more women began working outside the home incomes increased and there was less time to cook meals fast food chains proliferated: McDonald’s opened its first franchise in 1953 Reflecting a more sophisticated and informed society with companies introducing self-deprecating humour (such as Volkswagen’s “Lemon” and “Think Small” ads) and social issues (Lever and Gillette both introduced African Americans into their ads) But despite a shift in attitudes and increased competition from fast food chains food advertising remained relatively staid Ads continued to focus on a woman’s place in the home while her cooking remained the source of her family’s love The only major change during those two decades was the increased focus on the ease and convenience of meal preparation with packaged foods Ads for Chef Boyardee emphasized the quickness of meal prep (“In five minutes…dinner with an Italian touch”) Libby’s Beef Stew promised its “most like homemade” quality and mothers were assured Campbell’s four-minute soup was perfect for growing kids Hellmann’s bucked the food advertisement trend by focusing on quality instead of speed it came out with a TV ad depicting an animated chicken happily cracking her own egg and espousing the benefits of real ingredients in the product salads and dips were cut into the cartoon promoting the brand’s ability to “bring out the best” in your home-cooked meal In the ’60s it introduced the tagline “There’s no place for second best This is the place for Hellmann’s,” with one ad featuring an elegantly styled potato salad masquerading as a two-tiered cake while another features a family at the beach with the wife making sandwiches out of a fully roasted chicken she brought along A ’60s TV spot featured a woman hosting a dinner party while a (surprisingly catchy) jingle plays over top: “It’s fun to have a party Now here’s a dip that’s so right When you want to bring out the flavour and bring out the zest Just bring out the Hellmann’s and bring out the best.” Hellmann’s deviated from the simple and fast packaged food messaging trend by featuring elaborate meals and concoctions Hellmann’s was meant to enhance a meal that took some effort to prepare Unlike brands like Campbell’s and Chef Boyardee the Canadian government became more involved in protecting consumers cracking down on false claims and potentially inaccurate brand promises Harold Simpkins (who is now a lecturer of marketing at Concordia University) began his career as product manager at Best Foods which was owned by the Corn Products Refining Company at the time and remembers receiving notice from the Department of Consumer and Corporate Affairs that Hellmann’s could no longer use the word “real” in ads Decisions from the DCCA were considered final and couldn’t be appealed “Their logic was it implied other mayonnaises aren’t real,” he says with a laugh “It got a bit scary [because] I think we would have been the only country Hellmann’s was marketed where we wouldn’t be allowed to call it real.” The brand got a reprieve in 1979 when Labatt challenged the constitutionality of the department over its decision to bar the company from naming a beer “Labatt’s Special Light,” setting a precedent that allowed brands to appeal the department’s decisions This wasn’t Hellmann’s only challenge during the decade Nutritional information began appearing on packaging and the notion that certain foods cause health problems began to emerge Butter and eggs turned into public enemy number one which was not great for a brand built upon its stance that it is made with real eggs deviating from its traditional promise of “real” by adding modified starch and sorbic acid to the recipe (low fat Hellmann’s is listed as dressing and doesn’t use the claim “real” anywhere in the messaging) Hellmann’s began to toy with the use of comedy in its commercials as did most brands in the ’80s (the other go-to being quick-cut music video-style spots) One ad featured two women continually bickering over everything only agreeing that a recipe is better with Hellmann’s The brand moved deeper into comedy and away from pure product benefits through the ’90s Hellmann’s main competitor Miracle Whip also tapped witty lines and began its “A sandwich isn’t a sandwich without Miracle Whip,” campaign with tags like “Ever seen a grown man cry?” and “You can still invite people over for the game They just won’t come” next to an empty jar This was the point when ads began to shift away from functional benefits of the brand An early ’90s Hellmann’s ad emphasized the brand’s prestige featuring a group of construction workers eating bland sandwiches declaring in a pompous tone: “Gentleman your culinary preferences are exceedingly appalling.” Another features a young boy navigating through his cheek-pinching family at a reunion only to discover his sandwich is without Hellmann’s He must brave the room again to make his sandwich complete All the ads focused on the exceptional taste of real mayo (Toronto’s BBDO picked up the account in Canada in 1994 though information wasn’t available on which of these ads it made.) Best Foods was acquired by Unilever in 2000 which maintained the ’90s advertising status quo Hellmann’s ads in the early part of the decade began to take on an almost absurd tone features a man mesmerized by a magician on TV who can bend metal with his mind only to discover the knife in his hand has been warped features three male strippers at a bridal shower who can’t compete with the attention Hellmann’s laced food is getting features a woman getting comfortable with her sandwich while she removes her bra was handled by the now-defunct Toronto agency Zig Hellmann’s was losing momentum with consumers A survey conducted in 2005 found that 75% of Canadians believed that Hellmann’s was “junk in a jar.” But there was a changing perception of food on the horizon that Hellmann’s with its claim to “real,” would be able to easily tap into Throughout the late ’80s and ’90s free trade agreements made it possible to have goods manufactured cheaply overseas but as society moved into the era of the internet and hyper-transparency in the new millennium the human and environmental toll of the migration abroad led to a push-back in the food industry people moved away from “light” or “low fat” options towards calorie controlled “skinny” (but full-flavoured) offerings and the increased “foodie” movement sparked a desire in us to play with our food and create elaborate concoctions and flavours people began examining the contents of what they ate much more closely with concern over how processed and preservative-filled foods would affect long-term health Brands like McCain’s and Maple Leaf Foods experienced sales declines or stagnation But while processed food companies raced to catch up (Maple Leaf and McCain’s have both introduced “all natural” or “all real ingredient” products in the past three years) Though it hadn’t talked about the “real eggs” and ingredients used since the 1950s the recipe for Hellmann’s hadn’t changed And with 80% of the ingredients sourced from Canada she says they were able to quickly capitalize on the locavore movement the brand has committed to using only free-range eggs by 2020.) After signing on with Ogilvy in 2005 and coming off the heels of Dove’s “Real Beauty” movement (another Unilever brand that works with Ogilvy) Hellmann’s set about creating a movement of its own The “Real Food Movement” marked a turning point for Hellmann’s in Canada It was both the creation of a social cause and the point when the bulk of ads started coming from Canada rather than the U.S While the brand still utilized American creative the Canadian office took more control over the marketing message While both countries focused on the “real” nature of the product once again highlighting the simple ingredients signed Montreal-based chef Chuck Hughes as a spokesperson in 2008 (he recently baked a birthday cake with his mom in celebration of the brand’s anniversary in a YouTube video) and began to reach out to families and kids promoting healthy eating through locally-produced fruits “We gave [consumers] an idea to buy into,” says Leung Communication and ads focused on the people – how could you support your local farmer – rather than the Hellmann’s product itself “In our [Real Food Movement] communication you’ll rarely see a pack shot,” she says which sharply contrasts with ads from the previous 90 years But Leung says it’s been a successful move “It makes sure people see the philosophy behind Hellmann’s Let’s stop talking about how creamy and delicious our mayonnaise is This isn’t about shoving a jar [at consumers] and making a chocolate cake with it we’re more than just a product.'” The brand took money from its ad budget to start up urban gardens for people to plant their own fruits and veggies in 2007.In 2009 it created a mini-documentary looking at the state of food production in Canada it established the Hellmann’s Real Food Grant Program to help organizations that connect families and kids with locally grown foods it gave a new kitchen to an Alberta school so it could make its own food rather than serve re-heated or deep-fried meals (and an online video of the kitchen demolition was later turned into a commercial “I’ve been at Unilever since 1998,” says Leung but we’re not number one,’ and you never heard a lot about it But [now] when we talk about how we grow Unilever Hellmann’s is at the forefront.” The folks from Ogilvy compiled all the footage they inherited from previous agencies Check out some of Hellmann’s advertising efforts throughout the past century [iframe_vimeo video=”68063983″]