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Know How / Air and water

As part of the transition to a more sustainable future, improving air and water quality is fundamental. New regulations will come into force to reduce ammonia emissions and fertiliser use in the agricultural sector. We look at low-emission farming techniques which can help you become less reliant on inputs that are harmful to the environment.

ENVIRONMENT

£1m from government to clean up River Wye

An additional £1m to tackle water quality issues in the River Wye have been made available by the Welsh and UK governments with a series of research initiatives. The joint…

AIR AND WATER

Moorland group warns of landscape-scale wildfire risk

Recent wildfires in the Peak District have sparked concerns about the growing fire risks in moorland areas, particularly amid policies aimed at removing livestock from these landscapes. In the first…

ENVIRONMENT

Chicken manure waste ruling deals blow to poultry industry

In a major blow to the NFU, the High Court has ruled that chicken manure must be classified as “waste”, a decision that has been hailed as a victory by…

DAIRY

In-parlour sniffer sensors could provide low-cost methane test

Sensors that sample cows’ breath while they are feeding in the milking parlour could provide a simpler and more accurate solution to monitoring methane emissions. The sniffer sensor technology has…

ENVIRONMENT

Cost a major barrier to cutting farm GHG emissions

Cutting excess nitrogen use and minimum tillage are seen as most effective ways to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, according to a farmer survey. The survey, carried out by Agri-food…

BIODIVERSITY

Lottery grant to help northern farmers realise natural capital

A group supporting farmers in the north of England to capture income from natural capital markets has secured £100,000 to fund catchment-scale conservation work. Wensleydale & Swaledale Environmental Farmers (Swef)…

AIR AND WATER

Water companies offer premiums to Wildfarmed wheat growers

Four water companies in England are to pay regenerative wheat growers up to £200/ha, in some cases more, if they don’t use pesticides and adopt practices shown to reduce soil…

AIR AND WATER

Keep methane inhibitors in the toolbox, says Lords report

Adding methane inhibitors to ruminant rations has “significant potential” for mitigating emissions of this gas from agriculture and should be monitored closely, says a new House of Lords report published…

AIR AND WATER

Defra launches 'snap review' of autumn muckspreading

Alarm bells are ringing about the future of spreading organic manures in the autumn in England, after Defra launched a snap review of the statutory guidance used by the Environment…

AIR AND WATER

Somerset farmers demand EA action to prevent flooding

Farmers in Somerset are urging the Environment Agency (EA) to intensify efforts to prevent flooding on the Somerset Levels, especially as climate change increases the frequency and severity of extreme…

ARABLE

Wetter farming: Growing typha for the construction industry

Field trials at the Horsey Estate in the Broads National Park are under way as part of a project investigating the growing of wetland crops to be used in the…

AIR AND WATER

Flood-hit farmer hits out at EA 'incompetence'

Lincolnshire arable farmer Henry Ward has accused the Environment Agency of incompetence after it failed to repair several breaches of riverbanks following last year’s flooding. Mr Ward’s 80ha farm at…