Climate change targets could end farming as we know it - NFU - Telegraph

New targets to cut the UK's greenhouse emissions by at least 80 per cent will cripple agriculture in the UK, according to farmers.

The Climate Change Committee, that is advising the Government on carbon-cutting legisation, recommended last week the target be raised from 60 to 80 per cent and include all greenhouse gases.

This means that methane and nitrouse oxide, which are mainly produced by farming practices, will have to drop significantly.

The NFU said it would be "nigh on impossible" for farming to make the cuts without a massive reduction in livestock farming - which produces methane and cultivating the land - which produces nitrous oxide.

Dr Jonathan Scurlock, chief adviser on renewable energy and climate change at the National Farmers' Union, explained that ploughing the soil and using fertiliser produces large amounts of nitrous oxide.

He said Britain would have to stop producing its own food in order to meet the targets and rely on imports instead, which will just mean the carbon emissions are produced elsewhere in the world.

"Were we to try to attain that target by a reduction in agricultural production the consequences would be a lot of farms over large areas of Britain would be turned into national parks and we would be importing 80 to 90 per cent of our food rather than 30 to 40 per cent," he said.