Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to reduce methane emissions from agriculture.

Agriculture accounts for around 10% of the UK's total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Emissions from methane (54%) and nitrous oxide (32%) make up the bulk of agriculture's GHG emissions. The most significant sources of emissions are due to enteric fermentation from livestock and from the use of fertilisers on agricultural soils.

Achieving our net zero target is a priority for the Government, and we are developing a range of measures to address it through the Agriculture Act, our future farming policy, the 25 Year Environment Plan, and our response to Henry Dimbleby's Independent Review of the food system and national food strategy review. All of these are aimed at enabling farmers to optimise sustainable food production, reduce emissions from agriculture and allow consumer choices to drive those changes.

We are also introducing three schemes that reward environmental benefits: The Sustainable Farming Incentive, Local Nature Recovery and Landscape Recovery. Together, these schemes are intended to provide a powerful vehicle for achieving the goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan and our commitment to Net Zero emissions by 2050, while supporting our rural economy. Through these schemes, farmers and other land managers may enter into agreements to be paid for delivering public goods, including adaptation to and mitigation of climate change.

We recognise the contribution to GHG emissions made by the livestock and dairy sectors. Defra has worked with industry to reduce emissions through improved productivity and has already made progress in this space. Defra works with the NFU, CLA and other industry partners to support the industry led Greenhouse Gas Action Plan. We also continue to work in partnership with industry partners including AHDB on breeding strategies to reduce emissions from ruminant livestock, mainly through improved feed efficiency. Defra is exploring the potential for feed additives such as seaweed or methane inhibitors to reduce the environmental impacts of farming.