‘Future ELMS should fund targeted action to protect habitats impacted by ammonia’

“However, while the extra funding is welcome, it is vital to ensure that any future regulation will enable farm businesses to remain economically viable, and we will work with government to ensure that the recommendation and timescales are acceptable.”

The Sustainable Food Trust said industrial agriculture was ‘a major contributor to air pollution due to the 120 million tonnes of artificial nitrogen fertiliser used globally every year’ – and work should be done in moving instead towards mixed farm systems ‘which utilise forage legumes, such as clover, to rebuild the soil’s natural nitrogen levels’.

‘Stubbornly high’

Policy director Richard Young said: “Future ‘public goods’ funding should be used to help shift farming systems in this more sustainable direction.”

Liz Bowles, head of farming at the Soil Association, said while UK emissions of nitrogen oxides had fallen by about 70 per cent, ammonia emissions have remained ‘stubbornly high’ – having recently increased again.

She said the ambition of the government’s strategy would only be realised if government introduced new food and farming policies that specifically supported the shift away from intensive livestock production methods, instead promoting grass-based systems and organic.

“However, we recognise that if poorly managed, all types of farming systems can cause ammonia pollution and we want to work with government to ensure this Strategy translates into a plan to ensure farmers adopt practices that transform nitrogen from being a pollutant to being an effective source of fertility,” she added.

Efra committee chairman Neil Parish however hit out at the government, suggesting the car industry was also ‘partly responsible for our toxic streets’.

Mr Parish said: “We should not forget that inner city areas suffer the most with poor air quality. We would like to see the Government take stronger action against car manufacturers as part of any upcoming legislation to improve air quality.”