Together with The Woodland Trust, WFF, RSPB, ClientEarth and Plantlife International, the Soil Association (SA) has written to the Government raising concern over its ‘failure to deliver on ammonia pollution’.
In a letter penned to Environment Secretary George Eustice, the alliance criticized the Government’s ‘lack of ambition or urgency in protecting public health, nature and the environment’ from the harm caused by ammonia, stating that ‘if we’re to turn the tide’ on climate and health emergencies, farmer-led research into sustainable solutions needs significant investment.
Gareth Morgan, head of farming and land use policy, comments from the SA: “The Government’s lack of action to address harmful ammonia and nitrogen pollution is deeply concerning. This toxic pollutant is shortening people’s lives and devastating wildlife.
This toxic pollutant is shortening people’s lives and devastating wildlife
“We must improve efficiency in how ammonia and nitrogen are used in farming so that less is wasted. But it’s also essential to see a reduction in the amount being used in the first place, with a radical shift away from artificial fertilizers.
“Farmers urgently need support to adopt agroecological, nature-friendly practices across the whole farm, using cover crops like clover and legumes and pulses in their rotations to naturally boost nitrogen in soils instead and reducing reliance on increasingly expensive nitrogen and ammonia fertilizer from the bag. If we’re to turn the tide on the climate, nature and health emergencies, Government urgently needs to spark ambitious action across the sector with more investment for farmer-led research into sustainable solutions.”
