Clean Air Strategy and its implications for UK agriculture

The five most damaging air pollutants it focusses on are; fine particular matter, ammonia, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide and non-methane volatile organic compounds.

The consultation period will then inform the final Clean Air Strategy and detailed National Air Pollution Control Programme due to be published in March.

If the proposals outlined in the consultation are implemented then it’s estimated that it would save the UK economy an estimated £1 billion by 2020, rising to £2.5 billion by 2030 as a result of reduced healthcare requirements. 

The agricultural sector accounts for 88% of the UK’s ammonia emissions as a result of storage and spreading of manures and slurries, and through the use of inorganic fertilisers. As well as this, agriculture also accounts for 51% of methane emissions and 14% of non-methane volatile organic compounds.  

It is not unsurprising that cattle farming, particularly dairy farming, accounts for over a quarter of ammonia emissions, closely followed by fertiliser applications.

These sources of emissions (slurries, manures and inorganic fertilisers) are also a primary cause of pollutants to surface and ground waters, such as nitrates and phosphates. It is estimated that up to 60% of nitrates going into water systems and 25% of phosphate are from agriculture, which is unacceptable to many in the industry.  

The Clean Air Strategy will be another catalyst for change in the agricultural sector and one which is long overdue: it is a shame that farmers have generally been slow to understand the impact that farming operations has on the wider ecosystems.

The proposed draft changes are likely to have short term cost implications but in the medium to long term will make businesses more efficient and mitigate the impact on the environment, which is to be applauded.  

From an agricultural point of view, the changes are likely to include:

• Introduction of new fertiliser limits

• Changes to environmental permitting of dairy farms

• Mandatory design standards for new livestock buildings

• Changes to slurry and digestate storage

• Changes to application of manures, slurries and inorganic fertilisers

Whilst some will see the introduction of legislation as an attack on their ability to farm, the reality is that the industry has been slow to adapt, evolve and follow the example of other countries. 

A number of individuals and farming organisations have expressed views that agriculture is being targeted and other major polluters, such as transport and energy generation, have been ignored.

 Irrespective of whether legislation is introduced targeting other sectors, the evidence of agriculture’s impact on the environment is irrefutable and the industry has a duty of care to act and start to repair the damage caused.  

This is a consultation and working groups are being established to look at the practicalities and make recommendations to go into the final strategy.

In the UK the agricultural sector is notoriously poor at responding to consultations which is a concern, as they are the individuals most affected by this. I’d encourage farmers to engage with this, share ideas and get their views heard, but I wouldn’t expect any downgrading or watering down of the draft proposals. 

Tom Heathcote is Knight Frank's new Head of Agri Consultancy.