Hybu Cig Cymru - Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) has recently launched a practical guide for farmers to make livestock farming in Wales even more sustainable.
The ‘Perfecting the Welsh Way’ document outlines ways in which farmers can reduce their carbon footprint. It is believed that on-farm measures, such as animal breedings and grassland management, could cut emissions from the Welsh sheep sector by 20% and that increasing carbon sequestration in soils and renewable energy generation could have an even bigger impact.
According to independent academic research, Wales is already one of the most sustainable places in the world to produce red meat, with its non-intensive farming based on abundant rainfall and grass growth.
The new document is aimed at helping the industry to improve further, to contribute to achieving the Welsh Government’s target of net zero by 2050, and ensure that consumers are given the choice to buy the most sustainable lamb and beef possible.
A major focus is grassland management. Grazed grassland, which is the large majority of agricultural land in Wales, can act as a carbon sink. Effective management of grassland will ensure both correct nutrition for cattle and sheep, while also helping to sequester carbon from the atmosphere.
There is not one ‘silver bullet’ to making the most of Welsh agriculture’s potential to contribute to mitigating climate change, but a range of measures can lead to a substantial sustainability gain.
The ‘Perfecting the Welsh Way’ report can be viewed here: http://meatpromotion.wales/environment