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Aspects of Land Spring / Summer 2019
INTELLIGENCE
The Government has identified air pollution
as the “top environmental risk to human
health” and contrary to what many might
think, it is not a problem that is confined to
traffic-congested cities and industrial belts.
Agriculture is responsible for 88% of
ammonia gas emissions. This can combine
with other pollutants such as sulphur
dioxide and nitrogen oxides to form
fine particulate matter that is extremely
harmful to human health, causing
cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
The Government’s Clean Air Strategy
sets out the action it intends to take across
all sectors by 2030 to meet air quality
targets – actions that it estimates could
cut the costs of air pollution to society by
£5.3 billion every year from 2030.
To support the measures required
in the Clean Air Strategy, Defra has
produced a Code of Good Agricultural
Practice for reducing ammonia emissions.
This includes such things as using a
nutrient management plan to calculate a
suitable application rate for manure and
fertiliser; keeping slurry and digestate
stores under cover; using low emission
slurry spreading equipment; and installing
grooved floors in cattle housing to allow
urine to separate from faeces (ammonia
forms when these two mix).
At present this is a voluntary code, but
much of it will be backed up by legislation
in the future and there are likely to be
several consultations later this year.
“The direction of travel is clear
and with its bans on metaldehyde
and neonicotinoid pesticides, the
Government has shown that it is willing
to take decisive action to protect the
environment,” says Andrew Teanby of
Savills Rural Research. “Farmers should
consider emissions reduction when
investing in new machinery to be sure
they are compliant at a later date.”
The Countryside Productivity Small
Grants Scheme will reopen in 2019 (date
unconfirmed), with £30 million to support
farmers investing in new equipment.
“There is likely to be further funding
to help farmers reduce emissions as
regulation is announced,” says Andrew.
n For more advice, contact Andrew Teanby,
Lincoln, 01522 507 312,
Air pollution is not
just a city problem
ENVIRONMENT
News and views from the rural sector
ENERGY SPOTLIGHT
Savills has released a Spotlight
publication dedicated to all things
energy related. Whether you can
use your land to generate clean
energy or want to get up to date
on the Government’s latest plans
to cut emissions from the UK
housing stock, there are articles
to keep you informed.
To download a copy, visit
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Slurry spreading can be a large contributor to particulate matter pollution if low-emission equipment isn’t used