NFU rejects claims that large dairy farms are bad for nature

Claims that so-called “mega-dairies” pose a disproportionate risk to nature have been rebuffed by farmer representatives, who say farm size alone is not a reliable indicator of environmental performance.

The accusations are contained in a new report from the Wildlife Trusts called Doing Dairy Differently, which suggests “the rise in mega-dairies is pushing nature to breaking point”.

See also: Dairy Roadmap seeks further cuts in methane emissions

The report notes there are now more than 40 such farms in the UK – the largest of which houses around 2,600 cows – and claims that 71% of serious agricultural pollution incidents in England over the past five years were linked to dairy activity.

“The number of farms keeping cattle indoors year-round has more than doubled over the past decade, increasing the volume of slurry that must be stored and managed,” says the report.

“Yet unlike intensive pig and poultry units, large dairy and beef farms are not subject to the same government monitoring, meaning their size and environmental impacts are left unchecked.”

The Wildlife Trusts is therefore calling for stronger regulation for the “highest risk” dairy systems, “including the permitting of very large, housed units and farms with little or no grazing”.

Management is key

However, NFU Dairy Board chairman Ian Harvey was quick to point out that environmental performance was not directly related to farm size or grazing system.

“What matters is how well a dairy farm is managed,” he said.

“The recent Dairy Roadmap Pathways report recognised how much work has been carried out over the past decade to improve the environmental footprint on farm, with many dairy businesses investing significantly in technologies and infrastructure that helps reduce emissions, improves nutrient management, protects water quality and enhances animal welfare.”

He also pointed to Environment Agency data that presented an improving picture for dairying, with a 5% decrease in environmental “non-compliances” in the past year compared to the five-year average.

AHDB dairy sector director Paul Flanagan agreed the debate should not be reduced to a choice between larger farms and nature-friendly farming.

“Grazing, mixed and housed systems can all deliver strong outcomes when they are well managed,” he said, rejecting the idea of “blanket prescriptions” (such as environmental permitting) that could “add cost without improving outcomes”.

Emma Gregson, environmental manager at Dairy UK, highlighted the need for greater government support, noting that of the 2.087 farmers who applied for a share of the £108m recently made available through the Slurry Infrastructure Grant, just 186 (9%) ultimately received any funding.