EA report reveals cleaner, greener farming
An Environment Agency report published today shows that farming is becoming a cleaner, greener industry, with serious pollution incidents caused by farming down by 35 per cent to their lowest ever level last year.
"Putting the brakes on climate change" is a spotlight on business performance and the way in which industries – including agriculture – impact on the environment and the countryside. The report says that tackling diffuse pollution and better management of agricultural waste should be the priorities from now on.
The report highlights 'that agriculture has a big role to play in protecting rivers, lakes and estuaries from diffuse pollution,' and that working with farmers as a part of catchment sensitive farming initiatives and other schemes is the best way to get good results for the environment. It goes on to state 'the drop in the number of pollution incidents from farming suggests that this is the case.'
The NFU is encouraged by figures in the report which show that:
The number of serious pollution incidents caused by farming fell by 35 per cent last year to the lowest on record.
There were more than 30,000 entry level scheme agreements in England and more than half of these contain measures protecting soil and water. In Wales there are nearly 4,000 Tir Cynnal (entry level) agreements to date and the higher level scheme (Tir Gofal) now covers about one-sixth of Wales.
About a quarter of farmers now recycle or recover non-natural waste.
Since the introduction of agricultural waste controls, over half a million waste exemptions have been registered.
Agriculture contributed more than six per cent of the total UK greenhouse gases in 2005 but uses less than two per cent of the primary energy, and less than four per cent of the electricity, used by all sectors in the report.
Some farmers are already acting to adapt to climate change by using water more efficiently, changing cropping practices to suit the changing climate and helping to reduce flood risk by altering soil and crop management practices.
NFU President Peter Kendall said: "We are pleased the Environment Agency is able to acknowledge the improvements that have been made by the agricultural industry.
"However the NFU accepts there is still more work to do and schemes such as Environmental Stewardship, the catchment sensitive farming initiative and the Voluntary Initiative will continue to play a vital role in improving our environmental performance.
"In the past few years farmers have worked hard to make many improvements and they are continuing this work to adapt their businesses to ensure they are as environmentally sustainable as possible. Our farming businesses and our land have a key role to play to keep both our businesses and the wider community sustainable in a changing climate. But, when you look at the way agricultural markets are, it is important farmers are given time to adapt and to react to improve their performance rather than regulating them out of existence."
