Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to (a) mandate and (b) support UK farmers to reduce their methane emissions through better slurry management such as through (i) acidification of slurry stores, or (ii) methane capture and processing.

Investing in proper slurry storage is a critical step livestock farmers need to take to make best use of their organic nutrients and prevent pollution, including reducing methane emissions. Defra has launched a new Slurry Infrastructure grant this autumn to support farmers to reduce these risks. The grant will help livestock farmers already using a slurry system to upgrade their slurry storage, to reach six months storage capacity and to cover grant funded stores with impermeable covers.

We intend to adapt the Slurry Infrastructure grant offer over time to ensure that any public funding for better slurry management supports adoption of innovative treatments such as acidification and circular use of slurry such as methane capture for energy and fuel. Grants were available earlier this year for acidification of slurry stores through the Farming Transformation Fund.