IFEAA article in Farmers Weekly suggests planning reforms could unlock progress on farm ammonia emissions
An article by IFEAA’s Chair, George Eustice, has been published in Farmers Weekly. The article, published on 3rd April, suggests that new planning reforms could help tackle agricultural ammonia emissions by removing barriers that currently prevent farms from upgrading infrastructure.
He argues that existing Habitats Regulations can block emission-reducing developments because they are assessed against a “zero-emissions” baseline, creating a situation where higher-emitting farms continue operating while improvements are delayed.
The Planning and Infrastructure Act introduces Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs), which would take a more strategic, area-based approach. Farmers could contribute financially to wider mitigation schemes—such as slurry store covers or low-emission spreading technologies—in return for smoother planning approval.
Eustice suggests this approach could enable meaningful ammonia reductions while allowing farms to modernise more effectively.
