Farming for our future: sustainable agriculture within the UK and its impact on climate change

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Climate change is a pervasive and persistent crisis. But what is being done about it? There is a bigger issue at hand, and it starts and ends with farmers.

The top ten food manufacturers in the United Kingdom alone are producing more greenhouse gasses than the entirety of air travel around the globe as well as any other enterprise in the UK. These food companies have said that they have tried to be more climate friendly, but their 477 million tonnes of carbon waste in 2022 says otherwise.

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The UK is already experiencing increases in water levels, rainfall and localized flooding, as well as the destruction of marine ecosystems and biodiversity. The crux of the problem lies in soil health and peatland erosion, the consumption of environmentally intensive foods such as lamb and beef, and farm waste management systems.

Due to issues such as soil compaction and erosion, arable soils have lost most of their organic carbon, which can lead to further damage from flooding and contribute to the destruction of wildlife habitats and other natural resources. Around 80% of peatlands, or wetland ecosystems made up of organic matter, have been impacted due to harmful farming practices, therefore increasing the amount of greenhouse gasses they emit. Altering methods of cultivation to account for soil and peatland health comes in the form of sowing plants in between crops, testing soils, applying fertilizer or manure that aids soil nutrient levels, and determining climate and ground conditions to prevent surface erosion and maintain organic material.

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The digestive processes of cattle such as cows and sheep also contribute to the UK’s rising greenhouse gas emissions. The production of beef puts almost twice as much strain on the environment as lamb and mutton, and needs more resources because cows take more time to grow and reproduce, and need more land and food. To help decrease the emissions from such carbon-intensive, animal-based products, farmers should aim to improve cattle and sheep health by keeping minimal numbers to reduce possible contamination in transport and to lessen the effects of overgrazing on soil, and introduce nitrate and other probiotics into livestock feed.

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Animal urine and excrement make up the slurry and manure that increases levels of ammonium and nitrogen released into the air and contribute to the majority of ammonia emissions throughout the UK. The deposition of ammonia disrupts plants that depend on low levels of nitrogen and generates surpluses of acid in soil when ammonia is released as a gas. To combat this, slurry should be acidified to lower ammonia content and expand nutrients in soil, as well as assist with air quality and the reduction of odor produced by farms. Additionally, shifting the utilization of manure from fall to spring can help with reducing nitrogen dissipation into the air and ground, reduce the use of inorganic fertilizer, and enhance the efficiency of using nitrogen to improve biodiversity.

One way to make a difference in your personal carbon emissions is by decreasing food waste and increasing recycling habits. In 2020, around 25% of the public reported attempting to reduce their food waste in order to be more conscious of climate change. Household recycling increased 5% between 2010 and 2019, echoing a 11% rise in the level of concern about the effects of climate change from 2012 to 2020.

The worst we can do is not try to change our habits. The fate of our planet relies on it.

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