Northern Ireland’s Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Edwin Poots, is supporting a UK-wide consultation on methane-reducing feed for livestock.
The online consultation was launched by the UK Government, in agreement with the devolved administrations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, today (Tuesday, August 23) and will run for 12 weeks, closing on November 15.
The governments are seeking to find out how farmers and agri-businesses can increase adoption of this technology to support more sustainable protein production.
The consultation will consider the current role of feed additives within UK farming systems, and the potential barriers that could prevent the introduction of methane-suppressing feed products in both the near and long-term future.
In 2019, agriculture accounted for 10% of total UK greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with methane accounting for approximately 54% of agricultural emissions. The UK Government has set a target to achieve net-zero GHG emissions across the whole UK economy by 2050. To meet this target all sectors must reduce their GHG emissions.
“Following my consultation on future agricultural policy for Northern Ireland earlier this year, I announced that the use of feed additives to reduce enteric methane emissions, nitrogen and phosphorus outputs would be progressed by collaborative industry research,” said Poots.
“This UK-wide call for evidence will provide further guidance to guide us along the path to reduced methane emissions from our livestock industry.”
UK Farming Minister Victoria Prentis shares Poots’ belief, adding:
“We’ve set out ambitious targets to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and it’s right to consider how we can help farmers produce food sustainably and reduce emissions from agriculture further.
“Through this call for evidence we’ll better understand the promising role emerging feed additive technologies for cattle could play and how government can help drive its development.”