As we hurtle toward crucial tipping points on a warming planet, an international team of scientists is recruiting a surprising ally to make a powerful dent in greenhouse gas emissions: the cow.

Representatives from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign broke ground Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, on a state-of-the-art greenhouse in the Research Park.

Victoria Kramer is a Field and Greenhouse Technician at the RIPE High-Throughput Phenotyping Facility where she helps with the day-to-day upkeep of the plants.

If you walked into the RIPE HTPF, located on the southern part of the Illinois campus, the first thing you would notice is the never-ending rows of plants. At any given time, several hundred plants are carefully cultivated over the 8000-foot greenhouse, lovingly tended to by a dedicated staff.