According to the National Farmers Union (NFU) producers are striding forwards in their aspiration for net zero agriculture in Britain as they joined industry leaders, scientists and policy-makers  to explore what changes are needed to deliver climate-friendly food for all.

Speaking at a farming and climate change conference hosted by the NFU and Sustainable Food Trust, NFU president Minette Batters emphasised that every farmer has a role to play in contributing towards the industry’s net zero aspiration. She also urged Government to provide effective incentives to help farmers reach this target by 2040.

Mrs Batters said: “Climate change is the greatest and most compelling challenge facing society today and each and every one of us has a part to play to mitigate the climate threat. For farmers, this means tackling the climate challenge head on – adapting the way we produce food to help deliver a greener planet for us all.

“The British farming industry is pushing itself to become net zero by 2040. This does not need to impact net farm income, and certainly doesn’t mean downsizing production or exporting our production abroad. Instead we need to implement a portfolio of methods to improve our production efficiency, capture more carbon on farmland and boost our production of bioenergy and land-based renewables. Effective incentives are going to be vital in each of these areas.

“As both a sink and a source of greenhouse gasses, British agriculture is uniquely placed to be a key part of the solution to the climate challenge. Our unique landscape and diverse farming systems enable us to produce food efficiently and sustainably, and we have been very clear in our ambition to build on this further and lead the way in climate-friendly food production.

“Our journey towards climate neutrality must be made together. If we work together, learn from each other and share our ideas I truly believe we can reach our net zero aspiration, and show the world that it can be done.”