Five ways AHDB is working to Net Zero

It’s been three years since the NFU announced its Net Zero by 2040 pledge and AHDB has been working hard behind the scenes to help the industry begin its journey in achieving the ambitious target.

Here are five ways we are working with farmers, growers, industry groups and government to kick off the journey to Net Zero.

1. What Works Centre

Originally coined the Evidence for Farming Initiative, AHDB piloted an easy-to-use database which outlined the current research and data for carbon saving practices, highlighting their costs, benefits and pitfalls. Recently praised in Henry Dimbleby’s National Food Strategy, the project is now well placed to be developed into a service to help levy payers make informed decisions to improve their productivity and profitability - as despite some misconceptions, increased productivity will help to deliver progress towards Net Zero.

2. Research and Innovation

Data and research will be critical for reaching Net Zero, that’s why AHDB has been working with academics and researchers to secure additional funds and identify topics to help identifying new ways the industry may reach Net Zero. Just this month, research findings were published from AHDB’s partnership work with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), where £0.5m of its funds were invested into ten projects. AHDB is also supporting a range of other projects, including the potential to utilise ammonia from pig slurry to generation hydrogen for low carbon fuel and the use of biochar (the carbon remaining after burning organic material) in soils to help build up carbon stocks.

3. Carbon Footprinting

Onto its third round, AHDB has commissioned a project to help its Strategic Farm Network to begin carbon footprinting their businesses. Initial data is demonstrating that high-cost inputs are typically the highest carbon emitters – so driving down costs will drive down carbon emissions and boosts profitability. And by assessing the data, we can identify some of the best ways each sector can reduce their carbon footprint.

4. Industry Roadmaps

Roadmaps aren’t a new thing, but in the last few years we’ve strengthened them to help the sectors sketch out a clear path to reach Net Zero. The updated Dairy Roadmap was launched by Dairy UK in October 2021 for COP26 and the Beef and Lamb Roadmap is currently being developed in partnership with farmers and other industry stakeholders.

5. Fertiliser Efficiency

As we’ve mentioned, high-cost inputs generally equate to high carbon outputs and chemical fertiliser is top of that list. Because it’s produced using natural gas. Infact, chemical fertiliser contributes up to 76% of the carbon footprint of cereal and oilseed farms. So to ensure optimal use, AHDB has updated its Fertiliser Adjustment Calculator to improve profitability and efficiency.

What’s more, AHDB has been working closely with DEFRA and the Environment Agency to ensure organic fertiliser, which is both cheaper, has lower emissions and is better for soils, can continue to be safely used to reduce dependence on artificial fertiliser.

Despite the hard work going on above and throughout the industry, reaching Net Zero can’t be achieved without an agreed standard to measuring carbon emissions. That’s why we’re working to ensure any such standards are fair for our levy payers and their products.  

Find out more about AHDB’s Environment work.