The Westminster government plans to offer financial incentives to farmers to cut ammonia emissions.

It comes as part of the UK government’s Clean Air Strategy launched this week, which sets out actions to be taken to reduce air pollution from transport, farming, industry and in the home.

The strategy is focused on tackling air pollution in England, but in his forward to the document, Defra Secretary Michael Gove points out that the UK as a whole must protect environment and nature.

Support

Speaking at the launch of the UK Government’s Clean Air Strategy this week, Defra Farm Minister George Eustice said that under the new strategy government will provide farmers with support to invest in infrastructure and equipment to reduce emissions.

Funding is due to be available in 2019 through the Countryside Productivity Scheme to help farmers purchase manure management equipment including low-emission spreaders.

The Countryside Stewardship Scheme also provides payments for slurry tank and lagoon covers for farmers in priority water catchments.

However, the document makes clear that government also intends to regulate ammonia emissions from agriculture.

That could include a ban on slurry spreading using splashplates, to be fully implemented by 2025, and a requirement for all slurry stores to be covered by 2027.

An expert group is to be tasked with making recommendations on the optimal form of regulation to minimise pollution from fertiliser (both organic and inorganic).