Scientific Rigor, Review Helps Ensure Credibility of Athian-Validated Protocols
Protocols are the foundation of the Athian process. An accepted protocol represents a scientifically sound and validated intervention that livestock producers can implement on their farm or ranch to reduce emissions and improve environmental outcomes. But what goes into the development of a protocol and how is the methodology vetted and verified?
It All Starts With an Idea
Ideation is the genesis of innovation. Around the world, scientists in the public and private sector are working tirelessly to create new products, practices and solutions to help reduce the emissions footprint of livestock production. This focus on scientific innovation has led to notable progress, like the use of feed ingredients to reduce enteric methane (CH4) emissions from cattle; alternative manure management programs (AMMP) to change practices surrounding the collection, treatment and/or storage of manure to reduce the amount of CH4 and/or nitrous oxide (N2O) emitted – and more. An idea alone, however, is not enough to qualify as an approved Athian protocol.
A Collaborative Process
“Anything that can reduce emissions on a farm can be considered for a proposal,” said Emily Pretzlaff, Athian program protocol manager. “But verifying the associated emissions reduction; identifying how we will measure impact; and ensuring it can be repeated, validated and verified, is an iterative and really collaborative process.”
To help potential protocol sponsors draft their submissions, Athian has a template and staff support to explain what each required component means, what might need to be considered and what level of scientific evidence must exist to receive approval. The protocol template expects sponsors to be able to answer questions like:
- What is the mode-of-action?
- What is changing or continuing, that otherwise wouldn’t, on the farm?
- What emissions are actually impacted and by how much?
Scientific Advisory Board Review
Once a sponsor has answered these questions – and more – through their protocol draft, they are invited to pitch the protocol proposal to Athian’s Scientific Advisory Board (SAB).
“The approach Athian is taking is very important,” said Dr. Wei Liao, SAB member and professor at Michigan State University. “Everyone [on the SAB] speaks from different angles and perspectives, especially as we review protocols. We’re all grounded in scientific facts and comments, but different perspectives help us understand all consequences and potential outcomes.”
While it is rare for a prospective protocol to receive approval upon first pitch to the SAB, that initial conversation results in feedback and suggestions from the SAB to the sponsor to improve and strengthen the scientific integrity of the protocol.
“Some of the most common areas for improvement we see with prospective protocols include intended use, causality and boundaries,” said Pretzlaff. “Everything that goes into the protocol should match how you expect farmers to use the product; you must be able to justify the boundaries of where a protocol affects emissions; and you must be able to articulate what you are asking farmers to do differently, or what you’re asking them to continue doing that they would not in the absence of potential incentive from Athian.”
This includes having a bank of published and/or peer-reviewed scientific evidence to support any claims made throughout the proposed protocol.
Third-Party Validation and Technology Readiness
Following a second (or sometimes more) review, once a protocol is given the greenlight from the SAB, it moves into the third-party validation stage. In this stage of protocol development, an ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB)-accredited Validation and Verification Body (VVB) audits the protocol against both Athian governance standards and ISO Standards.
Concurrently, Athian’s team of programmers and software engineers work to set up the prospective protocol within Athian’s cloud-based platform, which ultimately serves as the system to monitor, report and verify emissions reductions realized by farmers or ranchers implementing the protocol on their farm.
Launching Final Protocols to Producers
Once a protocol has been finalized, it is ready to launch to producers as part of the Athian Protocol Library. A published protocol can be implemented by any producer who meets the eligibility requirements as outlined within the protocol text, giving them the opportunity to receive financial incentive for improved environmental outcomes on the farm. Producers who seek to participate in the Athian marketplace must deliver against ongoing data collection requirements and other measures to help maintain the integrity of the approved protocol’s use and validate the resulting credits.
A Living Document
“Protocol finalization s not one-and-done,” said Pretzlaff. “Protocols are living documents. After final validation, we continue to evaluate things like, ‘can multiple protocols be combined without double counting outcomes?’ ‘Can we integrate other technology partners for data collection that weren’t part of the initial protocol?’ and more. We also actively review every protocol on an annual basis to ensure the science is still valid and any new scientific evidence is incorporated.”
