Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to reduce carbon dioxide release from agricultural practices while maintaining and increasing crop yields.
Carbon dioxide emissions make up 7% of total agricultural greenhouse gas emissions based on the UK National Inventory of Greenhouse Gases. Government and industry efforts have therefore been focused to date on the challenge of supporting crop yields while reducing nitrous oxide (53%) and methane (39%) emissions.
Defra research indicates that the major sources of carbon dioxide emissions on farm are field operations, heating of greenhouses and livestock buildings, and grain drying.
Since 2010 Defra has actively engaged with industry to develop a greenhouse gas (GHG) Action Plan which they are now taking forward. The action plan includes implementation of energy efficiency measures and renewable energy generation on farms. The major cost effective energy related emissions savings are supported by DECC’s wider energy efficiency initiatives such as the Renewable Heat Incentive.