Sustainability and North of England Upland Lamb Production
11th November 2008
The EU and the UK government's Climate Change Bill will require agriculture to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) in the near future (20% by 2020). Approximately 50% of GHGE from livestock food products are from on-farm activities and it is at farm level that mitigation measures are now being focused.
However, some of the arguments used to depict livestock as the climate change villain are overly simplistic. The review of the carbon balance of North of England upland lamb production takes a look at the systems greenhouse gas emissions but also looks at the farming system in the wider context of its contribution to the human diet, co-products, biodiversity and socio-economics. The question we must ultimately answer is:
We have a choice as to how we use our land resource; what are the best opportunities for this land?
The best use of this land resource should take into account the TYPE of land available in the context of the NEEDS of the human population (i.e. food, housing/industry, fuel, recreation) and the planet (environmental protection).
In relation to the critical human need for food production, it is often argued;
1) that the efficiency of plant based foods is significantly higher than livestock products, and
2) that monogastric animals (pigs and poultry) are more efficient converters of energy into protein than ruminants (sheep and cattle) and have lower GHGE per unit of production than ruminants.
Firstly, while less land may be required and fewer GHG's emitted for the production of 1kg of wheat compared to 1kg of lamb, the nutrition the two products provide is not comparable. A unit of comparison needs to incorporate the human nutrition benefit from any given area of land.
Secondly, an estimated 25% of the world's land is classified as rangeland or permanent pasture unsuitable for growing crops, such as the North of England Uplands. Livestock, in particular ruminants, can be reared on land which is unsuitable for other agricultural purposes and turn inedible (in human terms) grass into edible meat. Growing corn on grade 1 arable land and feeding it to livestock with a conversion ratio of 3:1, 5:1, or 10:1 (poultry, pigs grain-fed cattle respectively) may be considered inefficient when compared to low input, ruminants grazing marginal land. Ruminants such as sheep also provide valuable co-products, such as leather, wool and manure in, which would have to be substituted with alternative products, with their own carbon footprint.
To summarise the options we have for land use in the case of the North of England Uplands there seem to be three, which have different costs and benefits:
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Wilding the area, i.e. ceasing agricultural production and allowing natural regeneration would, change biodiversity and maintain or increase sequestered carbon but would destroy local livelihoods with a lost contribution to societies food needs.
Forestations, i.e. planting the entire area with trees would, substantially increase carbon sequestration but reduce biodiversity, destroy local livelihoods and landscape and provide no contribution to societies food needs.
Improved livestock farming, i.e. continuing agricultural production but with mitigation strategies would, maintain biodiversity and landscape, retain local social infrastructure and livelihoods and continue to contribute high value products to societies food needs. In terms of on-farm mitigation strategies the biggest benefit comes from targeted tree planting that can also bring biodiversity and animal welfare advantages through improved shelter. Other areas of mitigation for upland farms include off-farm animal feed sourcing strategies and reducing or removing bought in fertilizer (as both have high associated GHGEs).
Further information
Download the report: A REVIEW OF THE SUSTAINABILITY OF NORTHUMBERLAND LAMB PRODUCTION IN THE UK, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE ENVIRONMENT
THURSDAY 29th JULY - FAI have invited the residents of Wytham village to an informal evening event starting at 7.30pm to view plans for the proposed upgrade to FAI’s Education Centre. Any members of the public who are interested in seeing the proposed plans are welcome to attend.
