Increasing production whilst protecting the envirnment
Our food security is safeguarded not only by the skill of our farmers but by the health of our soils, water, and biodiversity. In our search for increased production we must not repeat the mistakes of the past by adopting damaging farming practices. Research and development is crucial to helpthe industry raise production in harmony with the environment and contribute to the global challenge of food security. We must uphold our world-class science base, share expertise with international partners and work to ensure that “blue skies” research is effectively translated into real practical value.
We will look to prioritise R&D within the departmental budget and develop a long-term strategic research agenda across the whole food chain which reflects the importance we attach to raising production sustainably.
We will work to ensure our farmers and growers are equipped with the skills necessary to meet the challenges of the future.
Our farmland is a national resource for future generations and the very foundation of our food security. However, under Labour the protection of our best farmland has been downgraded and the Government has rejected some councils’ calls to keep in place local protection of this valuable asset.
We will introduce into our national planning framework rules preventing the development of the most fertile farmland, in all but exceptional circumstances.
The Conservatives recognise the important role of technology to strengthen food security but we are aware of the public concern that exists around genetic modification (GM). Trials must be allowed to go ahead under strict conditions, but commercial planting of GM crops should only be considered if it is safe for human health and the environment.
It is a matter of concern that guidelines to prevent cross-contamination are still lacking in this country, despite consent for certain GM crops to be grown here.
Our livestock farmers are dependent on imports of animal feed which cannot be grown in this country. We must support the development of alternatives to soya-based feed, such as lupins, but we recognise the need to ensure that feed imports are accessible, affordable and sustainable.
We will not permit any commercial planting of GM crops until and unless it has been assessed as safe for people and the environment.
We will develop a legally-binding protocol covering the separation of GM and non-GM material, including clear industry liability.
We will ensure that consumers have the right to choose non-GM foods through clear labelling.
We will support a pragmatic approach to the approval of GM feed commodities which recognises the potential impact of shortages on our livestock industry and food prices.
Agriculture is responsible for around 7% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions but with the right support the industry has the scope to reduce its environmental footprint and contribute to our energy security. Indeed, widespread public interest in the environment provides new opportunities for farming to demonstrate how sustainable methods can contribute to a greener, cleaner Britain.
Much of the debate about energy production from farming revolves around biofuels for road transport. In fact agriculture’s potential contribution is much broader. There is enormous scope for farmers to generate heat and electricity – and new revenue – by sending livestock manure to anaerobic digestion plants, which capture the methane from decomposing organic waste.
This technology could provide farmers with useful extra income, reduce methane emissions from current manure management practices, and help those who are facing huge investment in manure storage as a result of the Nitrates Directive.
It is increasingly common practice in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Sweden for biogas (as bio-methane) to be injected into the gas grid. There are more than 3,000 farm-based anaerobic digestion plants producing electricity in Germany alone but only around twenty in this country. According to the National Grid, up to half the country’s domestic gas heating could be met by turning waste into biogas.
We will enable biogas to replace significant quantities of our domestic gas heating by changing the regulatory regime for the gas grid and introducing ‘feed-in tariffs’ for biogas, enabling farmers to become producers as well as consumers of energy.
There are many measures farmers could take to save energy, reduce harmful emissions and cut costs. For example, thermal screens used in horticulture typically cost £20,000 but can save over £10,000 and 100 tonnes of CO2annually. However, many farmers and growers are inhibited from investing in this kind of technology due to a lack of upfront capital and the reluctance of banks to lend.
We will explore the potential to unlock private sector investment in on–farm energy and cost-saving technology through our Green Investment Bank.
Our hill and upland farmers care for our most fragile landscapes, from Dartmoor to the Peak District, producing food and providing the basis for leisure and tourism for millions of people. In addition they supply a range of important environmental services, such as reducing flooding downstream, storing carbon in undisturbed ground, and preserving habitat for many rare and declining species. However, without public support conventional livestock production will rarely be viable in our uplands.
We will develop a system of support for managing and enhancing these landscapes which more closely reflects the wider benefits provided, bydiverting money from less sensitive areas.
Our forestry and woodlands provide numerous benefits to society, from reduced air pollution, climate change mitigation and habitats for wildlife,to the alleviation of flood risk and more beautiful public spaces. However, over the past decade the area of new woodland created in England has more than halved and annual planting is now much lower than when the Conservatives left office.
Wood is also a potential source of energy, either at the end of its cycle of usage for other purposes or as specifically grown short rotation coppice. Its present use is limited to biomass combustion either alone or for co-firing in fossil fuel power stations, but its potential for local or community heating schemes is immense.
We will introduce a ‘feed-in tariff’ for micro-generation and a ‘heattariff’ to encourage the development of small-scale low carbon heat sources.
We will promote the benefits of trees on farmland in terms of both productivity and the environment.