Dairy Sector Climate Change Group: report
Report from the Dairy Sector Climate Change Group, one of the farmer-led groups established to develop advice and proposals for the Scottish Government. It focusses on how to cut emissions and tackle climate change, something that was re-emphasised in the updated Climate Change Plan.
Annex 4: Recommendations and Support Required
5 Establishing the Baseline
Recommendation | Actions / Examples | Type of Support |
---|---|---|
Comparison of Carbon auditing tools to develop modular calculator using standardised set of assumptions and data. | Scottish Government to commission Research | Research and innovation |
Pilot programme to carbon audit all farms in Scotland | Phase 1 of new agricultural programme - full cost recovery for farmers | Funding and investment |
Training and advice for farmers and advisers | Advice and training | |
Ensure data collected from baseline exercise is useable and fed into the smart inventory to influence development and reflect Scottish agriculture. | Scottish Government to fund research institutes | Research and innovation |
Development of scenario planning within the auditing tools | Scottish Government to fund research institutes | Research and innovation |
Life Cycle analysis of a sample of Scottish Dairy Farms | Scottish Government to fund research institutes | Research and innovation |
Develop a Whole farm Climate Review tool to enable farmers to identify the optimum set of plans and actions required to address the carbon balance on farm. | Phase 2 of agricultural programme - full cost recovery for farmers | Funding and investment |
Undertake Life Cycle Analysis of a sample of Scottish Dairy Farms | Scottish Government to fund research institutes | Research and innovation |
6.1.1 Genetic Efficiency
Recommendation | Actions / Examples | Type of Support |
---|---|---|
Support for genomic testing as part of a breeding programme | Subsidise genomic testing of heifers | Funding and investment |
Training and advice on developing breeding programmes | Advice and training | |
Capital items, e.g.
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Funding and investment |
6.1.2 Feeding Efficiency
Recommendation | Actions / Examples | Type of Support |
---|---|---|
Encourage adoption of low emission feeding strategies; Support for feeding efficiency measures including precision feeding and feed additives: |
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Funding and investment Research and innovation Advice and training |
Encourage increased feed efficiency and reduce feed waste (should be below 10%) through monitoring and improving intakes |
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Funding and investment |
6.1.3 Energy Efficiency
Recommendation | Actions / Examples | Type of Support |
---|---|---|
Capital support for energy efficiency investments |
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Funding and investment |
Encourage and enable renewable energy investment on farm by removing barriers |
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Funding and investment |
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Advice and training | |
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Funding and investment |
6.1.4 Herd Health and Management
Recommendation | Actions / Examples | Type of Support |
---|---|---|
Enable farmers to improve herd health including disease prevention, reduction in lameness and other general welfare measures to reduce mortality rates. Develop key performance indicator matrix and collation to inform inventory and measure improvements Capital support for improved efficiency |
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Advice and training Funding and investment Advice and training Research and innovation Funding and investment |
Encourage farmers to develop herd fertility plans which maximise longevity and efficiency and reduce replacement numbers and include targets for improvement year on year Reduce number of heifers failing to get to first calving (target 10%) Reduce age at first calving (reduction in % calving over 24 months) Encourage rearing healthy and robust youngstock |
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Advice and training Funding and investment Funding and investment Funding and investment |
6.1.5 Grassland Management
Recommendation | Actions / Examples | Type of Support |
---|---|---|
Demonstration of best grassland management practice within different dairying systems in Scotland | Funded monitor and demonstration farms developing best practice and transferring knowledge to farmers | Research and innovation Advice and training |
6.1.6 Nutrient Management
Recommendation | Actions / Examples | Type of Support |
---|---|---|
Facilitate better storage, management and application of organic manures Encourage better soil pH management Facilitate on farm anaerobic digestion of slurry by supporting establishment and running costs |
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Funding and investment Research and innovation Funding and investment Advice and training Funding and investment Funding and investment |
6.2 Carbon Sequestration
Recommendation | Actions / Examples | Type of Support |
---|---|---|
Prioritisation for achieving recognition of the role of farmland in the sequestration and storage of carbon and enabling this to be taken into account in the smart inventory for agriculture. Demonstration of best practice in soil carbon management and soil health Encourage restoration and protection of peat soils |
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Research and innovation Research and innovation Advice and training Funding and investment |
Incentivise small scale tree and hedgerow/corridor planting with sequestration captured in the carbon audits and inventory for agriculture Encourage planting for both biodiversity and carbon sequestration Investigate the viability of other climate change mitigation techniques and technologies not yet widely adopted in the UK but used elsewhere in the world |
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Funding and investment Research and innovation Advice and training Research and innovation |
7 Opportunity and Innovation
Recommendation | Actions / Examples | Type of Support |
---|---|---|
Active participation by government and industry in the GWP* debate |
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Research and innovation |
Capitalisation of low emission logistics and milk processing technology to secure export opportunities |
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Funding and investment |
Enable non-exclusive contracts to allow greater flexibility for farmers Support joint ventures and co-operative opportunities Enable farmers with carbon positive balance sheet to trade assets and develop income stream |
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Regulation Funding and investment Research and innovation Regulation |
8 Collaboration
Recommendation | Actions / Examples | Type of Support |
---|---|---|
Improved climate collaboration within the dairy supply chain, with government facilitation, to deliver greater transparency and sharing of best practice to deliver improved carbon efficiency. Collaboration within the dairy supply chain to try to standardise Scope 3 reporting to ensure aligned objectives and the avoidance of duplication, working with the proposed Centre of Excellence to ensure it is informed by the latest scientific advice. |
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Research and innovation |
Collaboration within the banking sector on TCFD reporting to ensure aligned objectives and the avoidance of duplication, working with the proposed Centre of Excellence (Section 9.1) to ensure it is informed by the latest scientific advice. |
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Research and innovation |
Further exploration of opportunities for public private partnerships through supply chain collaboration and the Centre of Excellence (see 9.1 - A Centre of Excellence) |
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Research and innovation |
Prioritisation of investment in local and regional processing and increasing supply chain and milk field resilience. |
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Funding and investment |
Creation of an Agricultural Climate Change Centre of Excellence as a single entity with scientific research and innovation at its heart, but with close links to farmers, advisers, suppliers, processors and retailers. Improved cross-industry communication, collaboration, knowledge transfer would be its core function, together with media communication. |
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Research and innovation Funding and investment Advice and training |
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