Farming Methods in the UK

Written By Alison Mcguire

For agriculture to become less damaging to the climate and environment, whilst being capable of feeding an increasing population, changes need to be made in the way our food is produced.

What are UK farmers doing about this? And can agriculture ever be carbon negative?

The Bigger Picture

Certain methods of farming are worse for the climate and environment. In 2019, Agriculture accounted for approximately 47% of methane and 68% of nitrous oxide emissions in the UK - both of which are potent greenhouse gases. Livestock including beef and dairy cattle, sheep and pigs are the main contributors to methane emissions in the UK. Ruminant livestock causes methane through burps and manure and nitrous oxide comes from fertiliser applied to land to grow crops.

In the UK, intensive farming methods are causing environmental disasters.

One example is the River Wye, where poultry farms and sewerage have led to high levels of dangerous pollutants, such as phosphates, being washed from the land into the rivers. Phosphates in rivers cause algae blooms, which in turn reduce the oxygen levels in the water, causing losses to fish and other wildlife. The government and DEFRA have also recognised the harmful effects of air pollution from ammonia on human health. This is caused by housing animals and the application of manure to land as fertiliser.

The AHDB (Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board) reported that despite a Greenhouse Gas Action Plan (GHGAP), the agricultural industry only achieved a third of their greenhouse gas reduction targets by 2020. Therefore, there needs to be urgent and significant changes to farming methods in the UK to help reduce greenhouse gases and to farm more sustainably.

So what are UK farmers doing about it?

In a Farm Practises Survey, 67% of farmers considered greenhouse gases to be important when making decisions about their land, crops and livestock. Furthermore, in 2021, 56% were taking action to reduce greenhouse gases from their farms.

While carbon dioxide emissions are low (9% of agricultural emissions), there is still scope for improvements, such as using low carbon technology, generating and using renewable energy and changing the way land is managed (e.g. low tillage). In agriculture, carbon dioxide emissions mainly relate to fuel use. However, the agricultural industry is responsible for high levels of other greenhouse gas emissions, such as nitrous oxide and methane which are the result of farming processes for crops and livestock.

For land, adapting cultivation techniques which reduce soil compaction and erosion, as well as managing storage, location and timings of fertiliser application (including nitrogen, slurry and manure) can reduce greenhouse gases released from the soil. For livestock, different breeds and feed can reduce methane emissions.

The National Farmers Union (NFU) believe that the UK agricultural industry can reach net zero for greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 by actively removing carbon dioxide emissions (farmland carbon storage, e.g. by adding hedgerows), and by balancing methane and nitrous oxide emissions. In addition, the NFU propose using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage as a strategy, along with expanding bio-based materials for construction, such as hemp fibre and sheep’s wool.

How can agriculture be carbon negative?

There is the potential for agriculture to not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also to go further and actively absorb more carbon dioxide than is produced. This means the agricultural industry should aim to absorb more greenhouse gases than it creates by changing how they use the land, effectively meaning more carbon is stored than is released. However, there is recognition across all industries that the ability to measure and report on greenhouse gas emissions needs developing.

If individual farmers and landowners become carbon negative, it is possible to make money through ‘carbon-farming’. Landowners can ‘sell’ the carbon emissions they have saved as a ‘carbon credit’ to others who are generating carbon so it can be offset against their emissions. Schemes include paying landowners to create new woodland, restore peatland, and create coastal habitats which sequester carbon and improve biodiversity. Different farming methods such as permaculture, growing organically, and vertical farming alongside renewable energy production, could also help pave the way to more sustainable farming which produces fewer greenhouse gases.

The additional benefits…

Regenerative agriculture is a method of farming which helps conserve and regenerate ecosystems and soil health through sustainable agricultural techniques.

Methods include crop rotation, compost application and reduced tillage (ploughing). Aside from reduced carbon emissions, benefits include greater biodiversity leading to reduced pests and diseases on crops due to natural predators and avoiding intensive growing of singular types of crops. Regenerative farmers also advocate the reduced necessity for costly pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilisers. A recent study in America aimed to test the nutrient difference between different farming methods.

They found that there were consistently greater micronutrients in the regeneratively grown food, along with improved soil health and volume. Therefore, the food grown regeneratively was also potentially better for human health due to higher amounts of nutrients and less harmful chemicals.

With climate change, our food systems will be at increasing risk from extreme weather events such as flooding and droughts. Farmers and landowners will not only need to help mitigate factors causing climate change but will also need to cope with the fall-out from climate change.

By using a more sustainable approach to farming, farmers can build resilience to drought and flooding. Farmers who embrace these changes have the potential to produce a variety of nutritious locally grown foods, with reduced food miles. In addition, this will help reduce our reliance on globally imported food and ultimately help us become more resilient to climate change in the UK.

Further reading:

We recommend watching ‘Kiss the Ground’, a documentary explaining how changing the way we farm can help with climate change Kiss the Ground Film | Official Website (kissthegroundmovie.com). (Available on Netflix)

Different approaches to how UK Agriculture can become more sustainable:

Alison Mcguire
Previous

Nottingham’s local authorities, local projects and agencies dealing with Climate Change