· 2 min read
illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on the BBC News or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: Farmers in the UK’s South West are increasingly adopting low-emission practices in response to changing climate conditions and rising environmental pressures
• Growers like Jonathan Smith of the Isles of Scilly and Andrew Brewer in Cornwall are cutting fertiliser use, enhancing soil health, and using nature-based solutions to reduce their carbon footprint
• Their actions come amid the UK’s record-breaking warm spring and forecasts of more extreme weather
🔭 The context: Farming contributes around 12% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, and agriculture is under growing pressure to align with the country’s net-zero target by 2050
• Programs like Farm Net Zero and organic methods promoted by farmers such as Smith offer practical pathways for emissions reduction
• However, the abrupt closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) earlier this year raised concerns about adequate support for farm-level climate action
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Farm-level innovation is key to transforming agriculture into a climate solution
• Practices such as reducing synthetic fertilisers, improving manure management, and increasing carbon sequestration through tree planting support both emissions reductions and biodiversity
⏭️ What's next: As part of a £5 billion investment in agriculture, the UK government has appointed Baroness Minette Batters to advise on reforms aimed at boosting farm profitability while improving sustainability
• The NFU is calling for a coherent land use strategy, a more accessible successor to the SFI, and nationwide flood resilience funding to ensure climate-smart food production can be realised at scale
• The outcome of these reforms will be pivotal in shaping the sector’s role in meeting UK climate targets
💬 One quote: “I want to make the farm better for future generations,” — Andrew Brewer, reflecting the long-term outlook many farmers are now embracing
📈 One stat: Andrew Brewer reports zero fertiliser purchases for five years, having replaced synthetic inputs with improved use of slurry and manure to cut emissions and improve soil health
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