Edibles Production

Report rules against increase in organic farming as climate change solution

Horticulture Week
05 February 2010

Be the first to comment The Crop Protection Association (CPA) has welcomed a new report from WWF-UK and the Food Climate Research Network that challenges the belief that organic production holds the key to combating climate change in the agriculture and food production sector.

How Low Can We Go? examines the UK food chain's contribution to current greenhouse gas emissions and identifies how they could be reduced over the next 40 years. The study suggests that a combination of production and consumption measures will be required and that "there is little scope for emission reductions through the exclusion of production technologies - for example, through the widespread adoption of organic farming."

CPA chief executive Dominic Dyer said: "This report is a significant and thought-provoking contribution to the climate change debate, and the first from a respected environmental non-governmental organisation to acknowledge that a wholesale switch to organic farming systems is not the most effective way to reduce food-related greenhouse gas emissions."

"It may be counter-intuitive for many, but there is firm evidence that the adoption of more intensive farming practices, including the responsible use of modern crop-protection products, offers the most effective route to mitigate and cope with the effects of climate change, while at the same time increasing production in line with global food needs."

As the first study of its kind to include land use change overseas in producing food for the UK, the report suggests that food accounts for 30 per cent of the country's carbon footprint, which is higher than previous estimates of around 20 per cent.

To help keep average global temperature rises below 2 degsC, the report warns that food chain emissions need to be cut by at least 70 per cent by 2050. Though achievable, this will require major changes in food production technology and consumption patterns, it adds.

UK PESTICIDE GUIDE

The 2010 edition of the UK Pesticide Guide has been published. Editor Martin Lainsbury said: "New for this year is information on the products' UN numbers, packaging and transport codes.

"This will make it more relevant to people who transport products, as well as to the emergency services, who may encounter these products."

An online subscription edition is also available. For further information — and to take out an annual subscription of the online version (£60 + VAT) — visit www.plantprotection.co.uk.