Conor McCabe sits down with CLEAR Conversations host, Tracy Sellers. At the CLEAR Center at UC Davis, researchers spend their days asking a big question with global stakes: how can we raise livestock in ways that are more climate-friendly? For PhD student Conor McCabe, now approaching the end of his fifth year in the Mitloehner Lab, that question has fueled not just one research project—but nearly an entire year of long days, early mornings, and a sprawling scientific effort that spans animals, microbes, emissions, and the future of food systems.

McCabe didn’t start out as a dairy kid. He grew up on a small farm in Oregon—“pretty much an Old McDonald’s farm,” he jokes—with pigs, cattle, pumpkins, and Christmas trees. His mother once served as a dairy princess, but dairy cattle weren’t part of Connor’s life until college. After studying animal science across Cornell, Purdue, and now UC Davis, he’s seen “different pockets of cows across the country,” as he puts it. But it wasn’t until arriving at Davis that he found the right intersection of ruminant biology and real-world impact.

Dr. Troy Rowan sits down with CLEAR Conversations host, Tracy Sellers. Dr. Rowan was a featured speaker at the 2025 State of the Science Summit at UC Davis. The event will return next year on June 16-18, 2026, continuing its focus on advancing livestock methane research and collaborative solutions. Rowan, now an assistant professor at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, grew up surrounded by cattle on his family’s Charolais operation in Iowa. His family has been farming and ranching there for more than a century — long enough for the rhythms of agriculture to get in his blood. Listen on: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/clear-conversations/id1844923534 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0EsxxMUuHGRysasRq5k1bS iHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/299490214 Amazon Music/Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/94808eee-a498-49ec-a3da-9bae97d0250d

When it comes to climate action, Denmark has rarely been content to sit on the sidelines. Now, the small Nordic nation is taking another pioneering leap — becoming the first country in the world to implement a carbon tax on livestock emissions, set to begin in 2030. During a CLEAR Conversations podcast, which was filmed at the 2025 State of the Science Summit held at UC Davis, Anna Trillingsgaard from the Embassy of Denmark shared how this ambitious plan came to be and what it means for farmers, the environment, and the global agricultural community who is watching closely.

When it comes to talking about methane and cattle, few people can make the science sound both accessible and hopeful quite like Dr. Sara Place. A former UC Davis graduate student and now an associate professor of animal sciences at Colorado State University, Place has built her career around understanding how livestock can be part of the climate solution — not just part of the problem.

For over two decades, Dr. Mitloehner has been at the forefront of research on how animal agriculture affects our air and our climate. With deep expertise in emissions and volatile organic compounds, his work initially focused on air quality in regions like California’s Central Valley—home to both the nation’s richest agricultural output and some of its poorest air quality. In recent years, methane has taken center stage in climate discourse—not just scientifically, but politically. Once a topic reserved for technical discussions about manure management and feed efficiency, it has become a flashpoint in debates over sustainability, regulation, and even the legitimacy of livestock farming itself. Dr. Frank Mitloehner, Professor and Air Quality Specialist with the CLEAR Center sits down with Associate Director for Communications at the CLEAR Center, Joe Proudman.

UC Davis football will charge into their Big Sky Conference opener against conference rival Weber State, setting the stage for a night packed with excitement. With students back on campus, the energy will be electric—complete with the thrilling First-Year Field Storm, and a stadium full of Aggie spirit. Kickoff is expected at 7 p.m., but the festivities fire up well before then. At 5 p.m., join us for an ag-tastic tailgate that brings the farm right to the field. Back by popular demand, this pre-game showcase will feature cattle, sheep, goats, tractors, and more—turning the tailgate into a tribute to the roots that make UC Davis a leader in agricultural excellence. It’s a chance to honor the Animal Science Department and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and to gather with friends, faculty, students, and supporters in a true Aggie-style celebration.

“To see agriculture celebrated in such a high-energy, crowd-filled space like a football game is incredible," said Dr. Frank Mitloehner, director of the CLEAR Center. "It’s a reminder that farming isn’t just essential—it’s also deeply connected to our everyday lives. And this game brings that message to life in a way that’s fun and exciting and it will be a powerful tribute to the people driving agriculture forward.”

Hosted by CLEAR Center Director and greenhouse gas expert Dr. Frank Mitloehner, along with members of the CLEAR Center communications staff, the podcast will break down complex topics—like climate change, livestock emissions, and the future of food—into clear, relatable conversations.