Ruminants (on which around half of UK agriculture by output value is based) are a significant source of methane, so a clearer understanding of their contribution to warming and net zero targets is vital.
The NFU wants to see dual reporting using both metrics, GWP100 and GWP*, and to significantly reduce the risk of unintended consequences.
The diversity of ruminant farming systems brings economic, social, and environmental benefits whilst meeting wide-ranging consumer demands – which must not be lost as a result of using a single metric.
The NFU sees that the need for innovation is clear, but there is no ‘silver bullet’ for managing our methane emissions.
More information on effectiveness needed
Methane suppressing feed products are one possible tool in the toolbox, but we require more information on the effectiveness of these products, their impact on animal health and welfare, and resolution of who pays.
We believe that mandating such products should be avoided.
The NFU agrees that for successful implementation of climate action in livestock management, the benefits and co-benefits, including socio-economic and food security dimensions, must be considered holistically.
Strong safeguards are required to ensure that our highly trade-exposed sector is not at risk of carbon leakage.
The NFU strongly believes that future farming policy must enable farmers to meet the food production needs of the nation alongside our wider economic, environmental, and social goals.
We know that investment in climate-friendly farming capabilities is currently hindered by the low levels of short- and medium-term business confidence.
We therefore want to see government commit to a balanced agricultural budget which would deliver a globally competitive, productive, and sustainable sector, and drive significant environmental improvements at unprecedented scale.
This would include:
- Long-term public investment in productivity. Productivity improvements, resulting from improved genetics, management of feed and nutrients, animal health etc, are critical in reducing absolute emissions of all GHGs (Greenhouse gas) and emissions intensity.
- Investment in the economic stability of the sector, establishing minimum standards to promote a fair and functioning supply chain. British farmers are currently facing many challenges which are having a negative impact on their own health and on their businesses.
- Targeted incentives in the tax system.
- Encouraging investment in rural infrastructure, and an accommodating and responsive planning system.
- Addressing the economics and regulatory barriers to investment in small-scale anaerobic digestion and other advanced slurry management technologies, recognising the multiple public goods they can provide.
The NFU strongly appreciates the importance of data for monitoring and reporting of emissions.
Continual improvement of GHG accounting (national inventory and on-farm calculators) are critical to benefit the farm business, demonstrate progress made by the industry and to highlight any gaps in implementation.
The NFU believes that achieving this includes:
- Government to incentivise KPI and GHG assessments, and support industry initiatives which aim to reduce duplication and drive the provision of reliable, streamlined data.
- Collaborative working on the next steps in harmonising GHG accounting tools for agriculture.
- A multi-species Livestock Information Service that makes greater use of the statutory data already collected and integrates non-statutory information to increase productivity.
NFU members can download the full response at: NFU responds to Call for Evidence on methane emissions
