Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV) is an investor in Rumin8, an Australian climate tech startup that develops feed supplements to reduce methane emissions from livestock
- Technology Rumin8’s feed supplements target methane emissions from cows’ digestive processes, including burping and flatulence. The company identifies naturally occurring compounds with anti-methanogenic properties and reproduces them in a scalable, low-cost process.
- Climate impact Gates has said that around 6% of global planet-warming emissions come from cows. He has also spoken about the importance of reducing methane emissions as part of a climate strategy.
Why has Bill Gates been dragged into the controversy?
Some of those posting online have alleged that Microsoft founder Bill Gates is involved in the development of Bovaer, a claim which the additive’s developer flatly denies.
In a strongly worded statement on 2 December, DSM-Firmenich said it had “fully developed” Bovaer and emphasised that the company had “no other investors”.
“Bill Gates is not involved in the development of Bovaer,” the statement added.
The US-based billionaire has instead invested in a rival start-up, Rumin8, which develops a similar methane reducing product.
Mr Gates has long been the subject of multiple conspiracy theories – the most extreme of which claim that he is part of an effort to depopulate the world.
Some online activists have sought to link Bovaer to such claims, pointing to a past approval letter from US regulator the FDA which found that the additive could lead to male infertility.
However, the letter was referring to precautions that must be taken when handling the product in its pure form – rather than when it is added to animal feed.
Jack Bobo of the University of Nottingham Food Systems Institute told the BBC that the concerns appeared to stem “from a misunderstanding of the FDA approval letter”.
“The letter highlights precautions related to the handling of Bovaer due to its active ingredient, 3-nitrooxypropanol. However, it’s important to note that this active ingredient does not remain in the final dairy product.”
What do we know about Bovaer and the new trial?
Methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide and is helping drive climate change.
Cows produce it when their stomachs are breaking down hard fibres like grass for digestion. This fermentation process creates methane gas which is then mostly belched out again.
Bovaer works to suppress the enzymes in a cow’s stomach that create the gas. The National Farmers Union (NFU) says when the additive is used as recommended it breaks down in the cow’s digestive system and as such is not found in milk or meat.
According to DSM-Firmenich, the additive is available for sale in 68 countries around the world.
As part of its trial, Arla Foods is working with some of the UK’s largest supermarkets, including Tesco, Morrisons and Aldi, who will stock products produced by cows which have eaten the additive.
