Agriculture Methane in the UK

Why do we need fast action on agricultural methane in the UK?

Methane is considered a super pollutant, with a warming potential 80 times higher than carbon dioxide (CO₂), over a 20-year period. It is also an important precursor of tropospheric ozone, a potent warming gas responsible for losses in agricultural yields and health issues globally. 

Agricultural methane emissions reached 996 thousand tonnes in 2021, and are the largest source of methane emissions in the UK, accounting for 49% of all UK methane emissions in 2021.¹ Methane from the digestive process of ruminant animals like cattle, sheep, and goats (known as enteric emissions) represents around 85% of total annual UK agricultural methane emissions, with emissions from manure stored in farms representing around 15% (Figure 1). 

Figure 1. Percentage of agricultural methane emissions in the UK

Emissions of methane in the UK have been reduced by around 14% since 1990, mainly due to a reduction in the number of livestock. However, methane emissions have remained constant since 2009, despite a reduction of around 7% in livestock numbers since then.  

To slow near-term warming and reach the Global Methane Pledge commitment to cut global methane emissions by 30% by 2030, tackling emissions from the agricultural sector will be critical. For agriculture, a range of solutions is needed, and the UK Government must act now to accelerate the development and implementation of solutions to address methane emissions from these multiple sources. 

What are the tools currently available?  

Technology	Feed additives2	Breeding livestock for low methane emissions	Increases in productivity and efficiency	Anaerobic digesters (AD)	Alternative manure management practices3
What it addresses	Enteric emissions	Enteric emissions	Enteric emissions	Manure emissions	Manure emissions
Emissions reduction potential	Average: 30% (for 3-NOP)  Variable efficacy depending on diet (more fibre makes it less efficient)	20-30% by 2050 from cattle, 15% from sheep Permanent and additive results	Variable, must be calculated for the UK case	Variable depending on the system, leakage, digestate management, among others; should be calculated for the UK case	Variable, must be calculated for the UK case
Systems it applies to currently	All ruminants for milk production and reproduction	Dairy, beef, sheep Confined, grazing	Dairy, beef Confined, grazing	Dairy, swine Confined	Dairy, swine, beef Confined
Quantitative maximum potential4	~68 thousand tonnes of methane reduced5	~106 thousand tonnes of methane reduced6	N/A	~40 thousand tonnes of methane reduced7	N/A
Status	Emerging technology; approved for ruminants for milk production and reproduction	Semen from methane efficient bull already available through Semex (dairy); urgent need for research to develop breeding value for the beef, dairy, and sheep sectors in UK	Established technologies and practices that have multiple positive impacts beyond methane (e.g., economic benefits, reduction of other GHG emissions, reduced use of fertilisers, among others)	Established technology, better leak detection and repair framework and MRV8 needed	Established technology, better MRV needed
Existing policy	England: Government plans to mandate the use of safe and effective products in suitable cattle systems in England as soon as feasible and at the very latest by 2030	N/A – currently a policy gap	Sustainable Farming Incentive  Farming Innovation Programme	Green Gas Support Scheme (GGSS): financial incentives for new anaerobic digestion biomethane plants to increase the proportion of green gas in the gas grid (2021-2028)	Slurry Infrastructure Grant helps replace, build new or expand existing slurry stores to provide 6 months storage
Gaps	Only one product approved in the UK best fit to dairy (confined) systems; no feasible solution for pasture-based systems No clear protocol to validate use and verify efficacy of product at the farm-level New technology, proven safe to animals and consumers, but consumer perception may be negative Long term studies looking at effectiveness over multiple lactations, animal health, and its impact on manure lacking High cost per cow with no direct economic benefit to the farmer Need to develop other alternatives (e.g., tannins)	More emissions data at the animal level need to be collected across the UK More research is needed to understand how low emitter animals react to other methane-reducing strategies such as feed additives More research is needed to evaluate potential interactions between low emitter animals and diet	Research needs to quantify opportunities in improvements in animal health, better feed efficiency, and pasture-based practices that have a reduction in methane emissions Need to increase uptake of animal health and welfare by farmers Farm level understanding of sources of emissions and opportunities; coordinated work with advisory services and the industry to better advise farmers Need for financial mechanisms (incentives, regulation, or market-based) to accelerate adoption	AD adoption in the UK is skewed towards large projects due to current financial incentives, excluding dairy farmers that are not close to the gas grid Environment Agency currently cannot regulate digesters located on farms; these systems must be regulated especially because large projects can have up to 50% crops used as feedstock, and leaks in the system can negate climate benefits	The Slurry Infrastructure Grant does not address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and can be improved to support farmers in selecting and implementing manure management practices aimed at reducing GHG emissions
Opportunities to act	Incentivise policies to support farmers in adopting the technology  Investment in research to launch new products fit for the UK systems, especially for pasture-based systems Invest in monitoring and verification at the farm level, and farm-level impact	Research incentives to develop a breeding value for low methane emissions intensity  Engagement with the livestock industry which is starting to discuss this opportunity in the UK to design policies that will support farm adoption of this strategy	Accelerate change in farmer behaviour through policies as these practices are not new Review policies that support adoption of efficiency practices Better understanding of livestock production inefficiencies and the bottlenecks to change Vaccines proven to be cost effective in reducing greenhouse gas intensity of livestock products9	Create a comprehensive, economical LDAR10 system for digesters in rural properties  Evaluate the economic feasibility and long-term sustainability of modular AD systems Conduct a comprehensive and realistic feedstock availability for AD in the UK	Update the Slurry Infrastructure Grant to include methane-reducing manure management practices

Key recommendations for UK Government 

Build understanding and value proposition

• Work with livestock stakeholders to calculate the impact and the economic feasibility of opportunities for the sector, including the use of currently available technologies (e.g., methane suppressant feed additives and manure management systems) and practices (improvements in productivity through reduced young stock mortality, improved reproductive efficiency and animal health), and by investing in developing solutions in the pipeline (e.g., selective breeding). 
• Evaluate the economic feasibility and long-term sustainability of modular AD systems to allow small farmers to access anaerobic digestion technology and increase the volume of manure that can be treated through digestion. 
• Evaluate the impact and economic feasibility of alternative manure management practices that can be suitable for small livestock farmers not able to implement anaerobic digestion on their farms. 
• Improve understanding of livestock production inefficiencies and the bottlenecks to change, and review policies that support the adoption of practices that result in improved animal health and welfare (e.g., increase uptake of livestock vaccination, reduce young stock mortality), and that have positive effects across the production system, including economic benefits for famers. 
• Conduct a comprehensive and realistic feedstock availability for ADs in the UK. 
• Engage with the livestock industry on the opportunities for a methane efficiency breeding value in the UK. 

Invest in solutions and incentives

• Develop effective incentives to promote the use of existing best practices and technologies to mitigate methane emissions in agriculture. 
• Invest in research to launch new methane suppressing products, especially for pasture-based systems.  
• Invest in research to develop a breeding value for methane efficiency. This offers a permanent solution for the herd that can be combined with other practices and technologies. 
• Create a comprehensive Leak Detection and Repair system for ADs in rural properties. 
• Update the Slurry Infrastructure Grant to include methane-reducing manure management practices. 
• Mobilise finance towards methane abatement in the agriculture sector, both to incentivise uptake of best practices and to develop new technologies. 

---