MPs on an influential committee that oversees the work of the environment department have urged farmers to improve manure and fertiliser management to tackle air pollution.

The call was made as the EFRA Committee published its report on Air Quality on Wednesday. MPs who compiled the report said urgent action is needed to stop 50,000 people a year dying early from air pollution-related illnesses.

As well as calling for clean air zones and a devolved approach to tackling pollution in the most polluted cities in the country, the committee demanded action on diesel vehicles, which produce more nitrogen oxides than petrol or alternatively fuelled vehicles. Nitrogen oxides have a much higher global warming potential than other fossil fuel emissions (nitrous oxide - N2O - has an effect on global warming 300 times greater than carbon dioxide, and is agriculture is a major source of emissions).

On Wednesday, the Committee urged the Government to consider introducing a diesel scrappage scheme for older vehicles.

They also called for moves to increase uptake of greener, more modern farming techniques, which could cut greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants from the agriculture industry.

Committee chair Neil Parish, a former farmer and Conservative MP for Tiverton, said, "Farmers are under huge financial pressures at the moment. They can save money and help to clean up the environment and improve health if they use the latest methods for managing manure and fertiliser and for feeding their livestock.”

However, he advised against a regulatory approach, saying, “Defra needs to target best practice support, rather than add regulation, to make sure the agricultural sector does all it can to cut pollution and reduce greenhouse gas emissions"