Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir, has clarified the strategy that will be used to reduce ammonia emissions across agriculture in Northern Ireland.
He has responded to a written question on the matter, raised by the vice chair of the Stormont agriculture committee, Declan McAleer.
Minister Muir referred to the the ammonia strategy delivering the most effective measures to protect our environment through providing pathways for farmers to reduce their ammonia emissions.
He also pointed out that the envisaged strategy will comprise both mandatory and voluntary on farm emission reduction measures.
“The impact of measures proposed in the draft ammonia strategy was considered through the responses to the public consultation in 2023.
“A further opportunity to provide views on the proposed mandatory ammonia reduction measures will be included as part of the consultation process during the 2024 Nutrients Action Programme Review.
“This will ensure I have all the relevant information available to inform the ammonia strategy, taking into consideration the views of all stakeholders,” he said.
Ammonia emissions
According to the minister, the on-farm emission reduction measures will apply across the diverse range of farm business types and sizes in Northern Ireland.
Not every measure will apply on every farm as the specific measures will be determined by individual farm characteristics.
“The voluntary measures in the ammonia strategy include a range of alternatives to technology-based emissions reduction measures applicable across a range of farm sizes, depending on individual farm characteristics.
“These include longer grazing seasons, reductions in crude protein levels in livestock diets, selection of livestock genetics to improve nutrient use efficiency, and the establishment of tree plantations to reduce the impact of ammonia emissions,” he outlined.
In a further written response to Declan McAleer, the minister has confirmed the latest estimates where the carbon footprint associated with sheep production is concerned.
Minister Muir said that the “2022 greenhouse gas data published by the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory indicates that sheep directly account for 327kt CO2e or 5.3% of the total agriculture sector emissions.
“Sheep will also account for a proportion of the GHG emissions generated by fuel use in agricultural vehicles and emissions from nitrogen fertilisers and lime applied to agricultural land.
“Analysis of the Northern Ireland devolved administration greenhouse gas inventory data through RSK ADAS software indicates that emissions from ewes on upland categorised farms are approximately 8% lower than the emissions from ewes on lowland categorised farms.”
