Pig and poultry sectors reject new claims about ammonia levels

Pig and poultry organisations have hit back at attempts by green lobby groups to denigrate their sectors based on ammonia emissions, calling the latest efforts “another concocted outrage”.

A campaign launched by welfare group Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) and food alliance Sustain on Thursday (16 April) includes an interactive “ammonia map”.

This, it is claimed, shows that “the areas of the UK with the highest emissions correspond with the highest concentrations of large-scale intensive farms”, with so-called “pollution hotspots” found in Lincolnshire, Herefordshire and Norfolk.

“This raises major concerns about air quality, the wider public health impact of industrial farming, and damage to nearby ecosystems,” the organisations say in a joint statement.

See also: On-farm ammonia reduction trials see breakthrough

Ammonia combines with other pollutants to form fine particulate matter, which has been directly linked to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Excess nitrogen from ammonia deposition can also acidify soil and degrade water habitats.

Government data suggests that almost 90% of national ammonia emissions are derived from agriculture.

Anthony Field, head of Compassion UK, said: “Factory farming sits at the heart of the UK’s ammonia crisis.

“By cramming large numbers of animals into confined spaces and relying heavily on fertilisers, these intensive systems release far more ammonia than the environment or our bodies can cope with.

“The spread of industrial factory farming must stop.”

Response

Livestock farming organisations have defended their record, however, and challenged the voracity of the map.

It is based on estimates of pig and poultry numbers in each area of the UK – making a correlation between ammonia output and livestock production an inevitability.

The report itself makes clear the map is not designed to show ammonia concentrations in the air or deposition rates.

Lizzie Wilson, chief executive of the National Pig Association, said: “While we would question how the data for the ammonia map is derived, we acknowledge the sector has a responsibility to ensure its impact on air quality is as limited as possible.

“We have continued to improve our efficiency and therefore our carbon footprint by producing greater quantities of pigmeat from a declining national sow herd to meet the demand of a growing population.”

Environmental permitting

Environmental permitting ensures the pig sector is one of the most highly regulated sectors within agriculture, and only accounts for 8% of total UK ammonia emissions and is declining, she added.

Richard Griffiths, chief executive of the British Poultry Council, also pointed to the “strict and robust” regulation controlling emissions in the UK poultrymeat sector.

“British poultrymeat is a huge contributor to this country’s food security.

“And is farmed to high standards with as low an impact as possible,” he said.

“CIWF’s renewed attack on livestock farming is yet another concocted outrage based on their dislike of what we do.

“The fact is the poultry sector is working hard to enhance its sustainability while feeding the nation with safe, nutritious, and affordable products enjoyed by the majority of consumers.”