Smart Net-Zero

March 24, 2026 | LTN Taiwan |

Taiwan's Livestock Research Institute (TLRI) has completed a cradle-to-gate carbon footprint assessment for domestic fresh beef, using a representative Kinmen (金門) beef farm as the survey case. The inventory covered on-farm management, slaughter, waste treatment, and retail stages, and found a carbon footprint of 29.74 kg CO₂e per kilogram of fresh beef. The assessed farm kept 320 cattle, produced 20,022 kg of beef, and generated total emissions of 595.48 metric tons of CO₂e. The primary purpose of this inventory is to provide a scientific basis for the industry's transition and to encourage domestic producers to obtain "Carbon Footprint Labels" to meet national net-zero emission demands. The institute noted that the main sources of emissions were animal metabolism and energy use, but that local feed sourcing, such as using Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor by-products and manure recycling, could help improve efficiency and support lower-carbon production.