29 November 2019
Farming Connect has launched a new interactive online resource to help Welsh farmers put in place changes to cut greenhouse gas emissions from their businesses.
The interactive resource, developed by Farming Connect and unveiled at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair on 25 November, gives advice on achievable steps farmers can take to reduce emissions.
With farmers under pressure from environmentalists on the contribution agriculture makes to climate change, the 10 situations featured in the resource, such as reducing cow size from 700kg to 500kg and increasing number of calves reared by 5%, to 85%, aim to improve efficiency and potentially lift farm profitability.
Sioned Llywelyn, Development and Mentoring Manager at Farming Connect, who helped to develop the resource, said farmers often mistakenly believe that any steps they might take to reduce emissions will cost them money.
This resource not only dispels that fear but demonstrates how changes can often increase productivity, she told stakeholders attending the launch.
“Farmers sometimes don’t realise that farm efficiency is directly linked to reducing greenhouse gas emissions,’’ she said.
One example is the eradication of BVD – healthy stock emits less methane. Another is increasing the number of lambs reared per ewe from 120% to 140% – increasing the productivity of a ewe lowers the carbon footprint of the meat produced by that animal.
“If farmers make changes that make their systems more productive they can reduce emissions and this will benefit them economically too,’’ said Sioned.
The 10 scenarios included in the resource are as follows:
- Increase the number of calves reared from 80% to 85%
- Reduce cow size from 700kg to 500kg
- Increase the number of lambs reared from 120% to 140%
- Eradicate BVD from a beef herd
- Prevent Johne’s disease from affecting 10% of a dairy herd
- The importance of agricultural soils
- Decrease the use of nitrogen (as synthetic fertilisers) by 10%
- Reduce the use of diesel by 10%
- Reduce the use of electricity by 10% on a dairy farm
- Agriculture and the environment
Not all these changes would work for every farm but at least one will be applicable, whatever the system.
The resource also highlights the positive messages that farmers make to the environment, such as the ability of agricultural soils to store large amounts of carbon, and the role agriculture has in providing clean drinking water and habitats.
Farming Connect already offers many services that tackle issues around emissions, such as advice on livestock production and animal health.
The new resource can be found here.
Farming Connect, which is delivered by Menter a Busnes and Lantra, is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and Welsh Government.