Government call for farmers to help reduce ammonia emissions

The Farming Today programme on BBC Radio 4 always provides an interesting coverage on pertinent matters affecting the farming community in the UK. A recent episode discussed the ongoing problem with ammonia emissions across the country and ways in which farmers can specifically help to reduce them.

The programme suggested that the farming industry is responsible for as much as 80% of all ammonia pollution in the UK. As part of its new Clean Air Strategy the Government has indicated that farmers will be required to invest in measures to help bring this figure down, supported by a new grant funding system of ‘public money for public goods’. This funding could help farmers to invest in new equipment and infrastructure to tackle the key sources of pollution on farms, some of which have been identified as the storage of livestock manure and application of farm manure and slurry.

Whilst we have seen no official information on this proposed source of funding, we consider this to be a positive move by the Government in addition to some of the other grant funding opportunities that we have seen over the last few years, including:

• Catchment Sensitive Farming - free training and advice to farmers in selected areas in England
• Countryside Stewardship – there are capital items available for covering slurry stores
• Countryside Productivity Scheme – variety of schemes still available (small grant scheme closed)
• Farming Ammonia Reduction Grant Scheme (closed January 2017)

Despite some of these being closed to new applications, we are constantly finding new opportunities to obtain grant funding.

For further information on this article along with any other farming questions, please speak with our Farm Consultant Robert Browne on 07501 720 418.

email: robert.browne@fishergerman.co.uk