Pig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    • June 2025
    • 2025 Innovation supplement
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Buildings supplement
    • February 2025
    • 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Pig Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • 2024 Innovation supplement
    • 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • 2024 Buildings Supplement
    • March 2024
    • 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • Health Supplement
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
Podcast
Pig WorldPig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    1. June 2025
    2. 2025 Innovation supplement
    3. May 2025
    4. April 2025
    5. March 2025
    6. 2025 Buildings supplement
    7. February 2025
    8. 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    9. January 2025
    10. December 2024
    11. November 2024
    12. 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    13. October 2024
    14. September 2024
    15. August 2024
    16. 2024 Pig Health supplement
    17. July 2024
    18. June 2024
    19. 2024 Innovation supplement
    20. 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    21. May 2024
    22. April 2024
    23. 2024 Buildings Supplement
    24. March 2024
    25. 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    26. February 2024
    27. January 2024
    28. December 2023
    29. November 2023
    30. 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    31. October 2023
    32. September 2023
    33. Health Supplement
    Featured

    June 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    June 4, 2025
    Recent

    June 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    June 4, 2025

    2025 Innovation supplement now available

    June 4, 2025

    May 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    May 1, 2025
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
LinkedIn X (Twitter)
Pig World
Nigel Penlington

May 2014: Reducing farming’s role in climate change

PW ReportersBy PW ReportersJune 6, 20143 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

As I write, the country is shrouded in a gloomy fog. We’ve had warnings from the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that human behaviour is changing the climate. Perhaps the smog has been sent to reinforce the message, seeing as the issue tends to largely go unnoticed.

Unfortunately, the UK has just been infracted by the European Commission (EC) for failing on air quality limits, not from farming directly, but vehicle emissions.

Farming is, however, also deemed part of the problem. Ammonia released from nitrogen fertilisers and livestock manures not only causes acid rain, but also reacts with other compounds in the air to form very fine particles that damage respiratory tracts. So, although this time the news reports are focusing on vehicle traffic, we need to be on guard.

We know that the EC has farming in its sights, as any of you who attended the recent BPEX workshops on the environment will have heard. Proposals are on the cards to introduce legislation combining elements of both NVZ and IPPC legislation across all 28 member states, closing the legislative gap by the back door.

We’re talking to Defra regarding implications on the ground. It’s early days, and for those in NVZs and IPPC it’s unlikely to make much difference. For those not in NVZs, however, there’ll be some levelling of the playing field concerning closed periods and how nitrogen in manures or slurries is accounted for, plus there’s the thorny issue of slurry storage periods.

Low-trajectory slurry spreading will be required, and the days of splash plates are numbered, increasing costs for some. Slurry stores will have to be covered, that will present cost and operational implications for some producers.

The big-ticket item is the proposal to require all livestock housing to be low-emission types. Luckily, many of our existing housing systems are managing to tick that box, but much depends on the outcomes of the EC revising a document called the BREF that outlines pig production’s “Best Available Techniques”. These will include what exactly low-emission housing is.

We’re at the table on this one, and luckily not battling alone. The NFU’s Anna Simpson, formerly of BPEX, is representing the European farming unions, along with myself and the Environment Agency.

My dairy and beef colleagues are looking at all of this in absolute horror, but luckily we have a better understanding and state of readiness on account of our IPPC experiences, so hopefully we can limit the impact.

The environment team has been attending workshops organised by the BPEX knowledge transfer managers; thank you to all those who have taken the time to attend. Your contributions really help us to stay in touch with reality and identify things you’d like us to address.

> Nigel Penlington joined BPEX in 2004 and is the organisation’s environment programme manager. He specialises in environmental issues affecting the UK pig industry and production technology

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticleSearch is on for pig industry hero
Next Article Moreton Show adds pig classes for the first time
PW Reporters

Read Similar Stories

Water’s key role and the need for new tank design

November 10, 2018

If you don’t ask…. you don’t get

August 5, 2018

Untapped potential in pig water systems

June 11, 2018
Latest News

Government pledges to protect UK standards in trade deals

July 1, 2025

Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) closing date approaching

July 1, 2025

Keeping your animals cool in the heatwave

July 1, 2025
Sponsored Content

THE GATEKEEPER OF RESPIRATORY HEALTH – MYCOPLASMA HYOPNEUMONIAE (M.HYO)

April 30, 2024

Tackle the root cause of PWD with free diagnostic tests

March 1, 2024
Current Pig Industry jobs
  • Experienced Pig Stockperson – Ref 1757 South East England

    • South East England
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Pig Stockperson Farm Worker – Ref 1756 UK

    • United Kingdom
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Assistant Pig Manager – Ref 1755 Oxfordshire

    • Oxfordshire
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
GETTING IN TOUCH
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Meet The Editors
  • About Us
  • Email Newsletters
  • Subscribe
  • Reuse permissions
OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
PARTNER EVENTS
RELATED SITES
  • Farmers Weekly
  • Agronomist & Arable Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • National Pig Awards
  • Pigs Tomorrow
  • Poultry News
  • Weekly Tribune
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.