British farmers have already made significant progress in improving air quality by reducing ammonia emissions on farm (Muck ado about farms’ toxic gas, Sunday Times, January 6) with levels dropping by 10% in the past 30 years through good practice in managing soil, manure, fertiliser and feed.
However, we recognise that further reductions are required from the farming industry in order to meet targets set under the Government’s Clean Air Strategy and, as I pointed out in the article last weekend, farmers are up for the challenge of making a sizeable contribution to those clean air ambitions.
The NFU believes detailed and technical solutions are needed from government, as well as addressing barriers that restrict improvement such as a lack of funding for investment and restrictive planning regulation which blocks more sustainable infrastructure being built on farm.
We also believe there is a clear need for advice and guidance and for adequate investment in mitigating ammonia emissions on farm as well as for measuring ammonia emissions nationally.
Guy Smith
NFU Deputy President