A symposium of experts, industry representatives, scientists, retail partners and policymakers yesterday heard how carbon emissions can be significantly reduced by farmers. The meeting, being held by the recently formed Centre of Excellence for UK Farming (CEUKF) in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, was convened to address major issues concerning the food supply chain, the aim being to help farmers and food producers find ways of becoming more efficient and sustainable.

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Attendees discussed how the UK can ensure safe and nutritious food is produced, whilst combating climate change and other 21st Century challenges. The CEUKF, a partnership whose members include Waitrose, the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) at Aberystwyth University and the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB), set up the meeting to create a forum for discussion and collaboration between research and industry stakeholders to address the key problems.

In the year since it was established, the centre has already launched a pilot to measure the carbon footprint of food, aimed at reducing the polluting effects of farming. A study measuring a simplified carbon footprint looked at the agricultural causes of greenhouse gases, including tractor diesel, fertilisers and sprays, to calculate an individual field’s carbon footprint during the 2011 harvest.

As a result of the research, a bespoke carbon calculator has now been was developed for the CEUKF which uses individual farm and field data. This means that the amounts of greenhouse gas emissions per tonne of wheat harvested can now be monitored alongside the crop management and local conditions of that field.

The CEUKF said it now aims to build on this work with data from further fields and seasons, as well as developing similar indicators for other sustainability criteria, such as soil, water and wildlife habitat. It said it would also look to extend this approach across a range of farming and horticultural products.

Speaking prior to yesterday’s conference, Professor Wayne Powell of IBERS, said, “I look forward to our first Conference and the opportunity to interact with a wide cross section of stakeholders from producers, research scientists, policy makers and the retail sector. Farming is now at the centre of some of the most important debates facing society and CEUKF is committed to ensuring that the UK is able to produce a secure supply of safe and nutritious food in the presence of climate change.”

Heather Jenkins, Director of Agriculture, Waitrose, commented, “Farmers and the food chain are fundamental to our response to the global challenge of feeding more people and with reduced environmental impact. Securing a balance between increased productivity and more efficient use of natural resources will require new thinking and innovative approaches. That objective is why the Centre of Excellence in UK Farming was established, and this event along with their ground breaking research is already challenging the industry into tackling global food issues.”