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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cost to farmers of reducing ammonia emissions as proposed in their Clean Air Strategy.

The Government has a statutory commitment to reduce ammonia emissions from 2005 levels by 8% by 2020 and by 16% by 2030. Farming accounts for 88% of UK emissions of ammonia. Ammonia emissions are responsible for acidification of soils and freshwaters, and overloading land and water with nitrogen, which reduces biodiversity in sensitive habitats. Ammonia also reacts with other pollutants to form particulate matter which is harmful to human health.

The Government’s consultation on a Clean Air Strategy, published on 22 May, is seeking views on three possible approaches to regulation in the agriculture sector. Defra’s initial assessment indicates that the costs in reducing ammonia emissions to meet our 2030 target in England will be around £73 million per year by 2030 (based on 2016 prices). We will be refining these estimates as we develop specific policies for further consultation. We will also refine our estimates of anticipated societal benefits.

The government has recently consulted on a new system of financial support for farmers, this includes improving air quality and reducing ammonia emissions.