Agricultural emissions targets are ‘pathetic’

Peter Melchett, who is also policy director at the Soil Association, said farmers must commit to greenhouse gas reductions of ‘at least 20 per cent’ if agriculture was to have a sustainable future.    

He told delegates at a major international conference on the future of farming last week (Thursday, November 13) that agriculture must be ‘bought in line’ with other industrial sectors that have committed to cuts of more than 20 per cent. 

“We’ve got to make fundamental changes to food and farming if we’re going to meet the Government-agreed climate target of a cut in greenhouse gas emissions of 80 per cent by 2050,” he said, adding “business as usual is not an option.”

Mr Melchett said the Government would have to commit more money into research projects to help the industry hit ambitious climate change targets.

“We need to see a dramatic increase in research funding. Sustainable farming currently gets about 11 per cent of the R&D budget but given its future, it should get at least 50 per cent,” he said.

Mr Melchett’s demands were encapsulated in the Soil Association’s new blueprint for a sustainable approach to food and farming.

The report, Food Futures: Strategies for resilient food and farming, calls for a new cross-Governmental food strategy, and includes a series of recommendations for building resilience into the food system, including:

• ·        Raising the target for greenhouse gas cuts in agriculture from 6% to at least 20% by 2020, in line with other sectors
• ·        Increasing farm payments to those farmers who maximise carbon storage in the soil – and making the minimisation of soil carbon losses a condition of the Common Agricultural Policy subsidy payments
• ·        Increasing research and development funding for sustainable farming from 11% to at least 50%
• ·        Promoting healthy diets – less meat and much more seasonal and organic food
• ·        Supporting public sector caterers to use locally-sourced and organic food
• ·        Encouraging market gardens, allotments and community ‘grow your own’ initiatives

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