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AHDB is an evidence-based organisation, funded by farmers, growers and others in the supply chain, helping inspire world-class food and farming in a rapidly changing world.
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When it comes to the food we eat, the way it is produced has an impact on the environment.
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Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health.
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Not all meat and dairy is produced in the same way across the globe, but the food from UK farmers is produced to world-class standards.
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About Us
AHDB is an evidence-based organisation, funded by farmers, growers and others in the supply chain, helping inspire world-class food and farming in a rapidly changing world.
Environment
When it comes to the food we eat, the way it is produced has an impact on the environment.
Health & Nutrition
Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health.
Food & Farming Standards
Not all meat and dairy is produced in the same way across the globe, but the food from UK farmers is produced to world-class standards.
All Articles
Articles
When it comes to the food we eat, the way it is produced has a huge impact on its environmental impact and sustainability.
About Us
AHDB is an evidence-based organisation, funded by farmers, growers and others in the supply chain, helping inspire world-class food and farming in a rapidly changing world.
Environment
When it comes to the food we eat, the way it is produced has an impact on the environment.
Health & Nutrition
Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health.
Food & Farming Standards
Not all meat and dairy is produced in the same way across the globe, but the food from UK farmers is produced to world-class standards.
All Articles
Articles
When it comes to the food we eat, the way it is produced has a huge impact on its environmental impact and sustainability.
About Us
AHDB is an evidence-based organisation, funded by farmers, growers and others in the supply chain, helping inspire world-class food and farming in a rapidly changing world.
Environment
When it comes to the food we eat, the way it is produced has an impact on the environment.
Health & Nutrition
Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health.
Food & Farming Standards
Not all meat and dairy is produced in the same way across the globe, but the food from UK farmers is produced to world-class standards.
All Articles
Articles
When it comes to the food we eat, the way it is produced has a huge impact on its environmental impact and sustainability.
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Last updated 16th December 2020
Carbon sequestration
Most of the carbon dioxide (CO2) on Earth is stored in the ocean, the soils and in living or dead plants and animals. Through the process of sequestration, carbon dioxide (CO2) is absorbed from the atmosphere and locked up in the soils or the oceans.
As cattle and sheep farming in the UK uses and maintains the countryside we cannot grow crops on, the land they graze provides carbon sequestration.
In short, the grasseaten by cowsis madefrom CO2, so when the methane (CH4) theyburp converts to CO2 and water after 10 years, the CO2 goes into the soil tomake the grass they eat.It’sa cycle. By managing grasslands effectively,there ispotential to increase carbon sequestration and increase carbon stocks in arablelands where it has depleted.
While carbon sequestration would occur without cattle and sheep grazing, theirexistence allows us to produce food from this land while in harmony with nature.
Preventing topsoil depletion
In the UK, topsoil depletion is so severe that in 2014 the trade magazine FarmersWeekly announced wemayhave only 100 harvests left. According to theFAOreturning livestock to arable landthathas poor soil is the only way to halterosion and rebuild soil. The livestock manure also returns nutrients to the soil.
Sustainable food source
Only ruminants such as cattle and sheep are able to transform grass and forageland into food for humans such as dairy and meat. In the UK, 60% of farmland isgrassland and unsuitable to grow crops on, ruminants offer a sustainable wayto produce food from this land. They also enable this land to remain an importanthabitat for animals and plants, with wildlife and food production coexisting.
Ruminants are also able tousethe waste from our harvests, such as barley orwheat. They are also able to minimise our food waste through consuming wonkyvegetables, bread crusts and brewers grain. They are able to convert all the foodstuffs wecan’teat and convertinto something nutritious and tasty.
Flood protection
When managed effectively, upland peatland habitatscan be grazedappropriatelyby livestock and act an effective sink for water, providing flood protection forlower lying areas.
Biodiversity
Livestock grazing is crucial for encouraging and maintaining biodiversity. Withoutmaintaining a low level of grazing across grasslands, species-rich grasslands arereplaced by taller, wild grasslands with lower species diversity, oftenas a resultofthe presence of invasive species. This was demonstrated when agriculturalsubsidies transitioned to area payments, leaving much grassland unmanaged, andresulting in a sharp decrease in biodiversity. The UK Government has confirmed changes, in the Path to Sustainable Farming, which intends to further promote and reward sustainable farming practices.
Social and economic benefit to rural communities
Livestock farming provides vital social and economic benefits to ruralcommunities, such as food supply, source of income, source of employment,etc.
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