The National Sheep Association (NSA) welcomes the findings of a major new study from Manchester University showing that removing livestock entirely from upland grasslands may compromise the long-term storage of stable soil carbon, highlighting the important role responsible grazing can play in sustainable land management.

The study reveals that while grazing exclusion can increase short lived plant carbon above ground, it can also lead to lower levels of durable, mineral-associated organic carbon in soils - a form of carbon that persists for decades to centuries and is crucial for long-term climate mitigation.

Grasslands hold around one third of the world’s terrestrial carbon, most of it locked up in soils rather than vegetation. NSA Chief Executive Phil Stocker says: “As governments accelerate efforts to meet net-zero targets, proposals to remove livestock from long-established grazing systems are increasingly being put forward as a large-scale climate solution. This evidence, alongside other research, implies there are alternative management strategies for achieving climate targets, which should be considered in environmental policy and land use frameworks.”

NSA recognises these insights as timely and complementary to other research projects it is actively involved in. Results recently shared from the Forage for CH4nge project in the Yorkshire Dales National Park underscore how upland sheep systems, traditional breeds and pasture management can contribute to climate-smart farming. It also compliments the active Grazing for Good project in the Lake District and surrounding areas of Cumbria, looking to provide the local, multi-disciplinary evidence base needed to design fair, effective agri-environmental interventions suitable for uplands regions.

NSA Project Manager Nicola Noble adds: “NSA is delighted to see peer-reviewed science reinforcing the importance of balanced grazing in upland systems. Evidence from the Manchester study, Forage for CH4nge and the Grazing for Good project will further enhance the critical need for sheep farmers and their grazing flocks as key allies in delivering climate-resilient land management solutions that protect soil health and biodiversity. These systems also deliver a plethora of other public goods alongside the production of protein-rich food and sustainable fibre."

NSA will continue to push for evidence-based policy and practices that supports upland farmers to manage their landscapes sustainably, recognising that sheep grazing, when managed appropriately, can maintain long-term soil carbon stocks while contributing to the sector’s net-zero goals.