Investigating the environmental impact of an increased adoption of plant-based protein production in the Northeast

Although the environmental benefits of plant-based diets are widely acknowl- edged on a global scale, this study explores their practical application within a regional context, focusing on the Lake Champlain Basin, Vermont. Currently, regional croplands are used primarily for corn silage and hay as feed for dairy production. Diversifying these crops to include plant-based proteins for human consumption has the potential to reduce phosphorus runoff through less fer- tilization with manure on corn and hay fields. Key water quality indicators such as nutrient loads will be modeled using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) for the Little Otter Creek, which runs through dairy farmland and into Lake Champlain. Incremental scenarios of cropland transition to black bean and soybean production will be analyzed to determine the optimal balance of land allocation for animal-based and plant-based protein production with the least environmental impact considering nonpoint source pollution.