Draft methodology to standardize carbon measurement, tracing & allocation in the US beef supply chain
Client Challenge
FAI Farms and Standard Soil partnered with OnePointFive to address a key challenge in the U.S. beef industry: creating a standard approach to measuring, tracing, and allocating carbon across the supply chain. With beef production responsible for about 3.7% of annual U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, we worked to establish a science-based framework for tracking emissions that could drive industry-wide efforts to reduce and remove carbon.
OPF’s Solution
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Stakeholder engagement & resource synthesis
OnePointFive coordinated the development of a detailed report that captures insights from 40+ industry stakeholders and examines 35+ external resources on carbon measurement and emissions reporting.
Developed measurement framework with industry partners
We worked directly with beef growers, processors, and researchers to establish measurement protocols. This included partnerships with major multinational food manufacturers and sustainability-focused companies & universities in the protein sector.
Evaluation of on-farm carbon footprint calculators and measurement tools
In collaboration with FAI and Standard Soil, we assessed 10 on-farm carbon footprint calculators and examined 16+ carbon measurement technologies, developing a tailored Measurement, Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MMRV) toolkit for future field testing.
Innovative emissions allocation based on global standards
Drawing on leading methodologies (such as the EU Product Environmental Footprint (PEF), the IDF Global Carbon Footprint Standard for Dairy, and the FAO’s Large Ruminant Guidelines) we designed a new emissions allocation model tied to USDA price data for over 70 beef sub-products.
(Content has been modified, anonymized, or abstracted to protect sensitive information and ensure client confidentiality.)
Key Outcomes
✅ Drafted an industry-ready methodology for U.S. beef supply chain carbon measurement, tracing, and allocation (MMRV).
✅ Developed a novel economic allocation model for 70 beef sub-products based on USDA market data.
✅ Recommended a practical MMRV toolkit after assessing 10 on-farm carbon footprint calculators and 16+ carbon measurement tools.
✅ Built agreement with 5 leading multinational food, fast food, and pet food companies to advance methodology testing and adoption.
