The findings of a pioneering project of 20 farms in the Cambrian Mountains show that local beef and lamb production has some of the lowest carbon emissions in the UK.
A report of the studies findings will be launched as part of HRH, The Prince of Wales Start Festival at the National Botanic Gardens of Wales, Wednesday 8th September.
The study analysed the carbon footprints of each farm, based on their individual farming practices. Factors measured include greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural management, existing land use, and fuel/energy use.
Professor Gareth Edwards- Jones said “On average, of the 20 farms surveyed, they absorbed 58% of their local emissions footprint, with three of the farms being classified as ‘carbon negative’ – by absorbing more carbon emissions (CO2e/ha/yr) than they produced.”
The model, developed by Bangor University, has measured the carbon absorbed from the atmosphere by the farms as well as each farm’s carbon emissions.
James Raw, Chairman of the Cambrian Mountains Lamb Producer Group said “It’s been great to see that the red meat produced in the Cambrian Mountains is some of the greenest in the UK. Members of the group are particularly pleased to see how their own farms contributed to carbon absorption and I was very pleased with my own carbon footprint results.”
The collaborative project by the Cambrian Mountain Initiative (CMI), Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) and Bangor University was run for farmers within the Cambrian Mountains Initiative area, who wanted to better understand the greenhouse gas emissions that emanated from their farms and how reductions could be achieved.
CCW’s Specialist Support Team Manager Huwel Manley said: “Each farm received its own report which made recommendations on how further reductions could be made to each farm’s carbon footprint. Simple measures included allowing a percentage of farm hedgerows to grow rather than cutting them every year, or increasing woodland cover by one hectare or 50 isolated trees per farm. On one of the farms surveyed this would account for a 12% reduction in the carbon footprint.”
The Cambrian Mountain Initiative will now work with the farms to see how best to implement the recommendations and ensure that the Cambrian Mountain Initiative continues to promote sustainable rural development through the highest standards of environmental management.
