NFU finally recognises GWP* instead of GWP100

[Grass And Grain]

Game changer?

Will AHDB and DEFRA follow?

Where does this leave the NFU push for methane inhibitors?

I'm pleased to hear NFU have now recognised GWP*. Not sure what took them so long, but at least they got there. Maybe now there'll be a shift of message from "cows are killing the planet", to "cows cycle Carbon, and are beneficial for sequestration of Carbon into our agricultural soils".

NFU updates position on GWP* metric

Following studies on its accuracy when measuring the impact of methane, the NFU has declared its support for the use of the GWP* when measuring the impact of methane.

www.nfuonline.com

 

[vantage]

Just because they have, doesn’t mean the rest of the “ Save the Planet” brigade will, after all it’s in their interest not to.

 

[DaveGrohl]

Game changer?

Will AHDB and DEFRA follow?

Where does this leave the NFU push for methane inhibitors?

I'm pleased to hear NFU have now recognised GWP*. Not sure what took them so long, but at least they got there. Maybe now there'll be a shift of message from "cows are killing the planet", to "cows cycle Carbon, and are beneficial for sequestration of Carbon into our agricultural soils".

NFU updates position on GWP* metric

Following studies on its accuracy when measuring the impact of methane, the NFU has declared its support for the use of the GWP* when measuring the impact of methane.

www.nfuonline.com

On the whole, good news. They‘ve finally been dragged into the light, probably because so many ordinary farmers have been shouting in their own small way, some making their views known directly to the NFU heirachy.

From the above piece;

Debating the pros and cons of different methane metrics

The NFU, together with the CIEL (Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock), brought together scientists, including Defra Chief Scientist, Professor Gideon Henderson, and Oxford University's Professor of Geosystem Science, Myles Allen, as well as key stakeholders and NFU members to hear key...

www.nfuonline.com

Having shared a platform with Prof Allen a few years ago it seems they’ve actually listened to him properly at last. Interesting to see DEFRA’s involvement;
A scientific overview was given by Defra Chief Scientist, Professor Gideon Henderson, and Oxford University's Professor of Geosystem Science, Myles Allen.
I wonder what Prof Henderson had to say. Anyone seen a piece providing more detail around the Jan meeting?

Edit;
Also ref was made to BEIS figures, presumably these will finally be calculated on a sensible basis in due course?

 

[onesiedale]

now the MUST remove all content from their online and printed media that states that UK Ag is responsible for a percentage of climate change.
They have in effect declared that those statements are not only incorrect, but are also damaging our industry.
Hopefully , this is the game changer that will now see AHDB come out with the same statement.

 

[Grass And Grain]

Seems the BFU representatives who met with Exeter Council, and did a great job of putting across the cyclic nature of Carbon in livestock production, when the council were looking at going to plant based foods.....were ahead of the game.

@Hfd Cattle
@Muddyroads
@devonbeef

 

[DrWazzock]

Excellent news.

 

[Grass And Grain]

now the MUST remove all content from their online and printed media that states that UK Ag is responsible for a percentage of climate change.
They have in effect declared that those statements are not only incorrect, but are also damaging our industry.
Hopefully , this is the game changer that will now see AHDB come out with the same statement.

Hopefully AHDB will now listen to what you have been telling them all along!

For anyone who doesn't know, @onesiedale has been working on our behalf to get AHDB to essentially look at carbon in terms of GWP* instead of GWP100, and promote our products accordingly.

^^^^Slight over simplification, but that's more or less the gist of it?

 

[Grass And Grain]

Excellent news.

It is great news. To be fair, NFU needed to go through it with a fine tooth comb, although they could have done it a bit quicker. Whilst they've been asleep our industry, particularly the livestock sector has had a whole load of bad publicity. It's almost a given now, according to the media and public perception, that cows are killing the planet.

NFU were caught napping imho. A lot of damage has been done whilst they were asleep. At least now our industry can work to try changing the ingrained public perception

 

[Jerry]

Seems the BFU representatives who met with Exeter Council, and did a great job of putting across the cyclic nature of Carbon in livestock production, when the council were looking at going to plant based foods.....were ahead of the game.

@Hfd Cattle
@Muddyroads
@devonbeef

Oi!

 

[roscoe erf]

Oi!

feeling left out

 

[Grass And Grain]

Oi!

Oops, sorry!! (embarrassed emoji)

 

[delilah]

They now have a huge job on to reverse all of the damage they have done.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/farting-cows-food-additives-stop-29611235

National Farmers’ Union President Minette Batters welcomed the move.
“Food additives - probiotics - to make sure that cows are emitting less methane is a really good thing and it’s already online,” she told BBC1’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.

That's from just two months ago, and has been the message the NFU have been giving the public for years. We need to see and hear the change in stance being given in the Mirror and the BBC.

 

[Hampton]

Myles Allen was at the last Nfu conference I went to (think it was 2017?) people asked why Nfu were not using what Myles was saying and pushing it hard at the Govt and Guy smith (chairing the meeting) said
“We have to be careful we don’t get into; our scientists are better than yours tittle tattle!”

and in one sentence he completely missed the point of what scientific research and debate is all about and always has been.
You get scientists more credible than the opposition and push the message hard.

(not sure of my use of the semi-colon in the post, but I’m going with it)

 

[Grass And Grain]

The NFU are heavyweights. Here's to some better publicity for ruminants (hopefully NFU and AHDB won't fudge it up)

Also, hopefully some things said by BFU have done some good

 

[onesiedale]

They now have a huge job on to reverse all of the damage they have done.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/farting-cows-food-additives-stop-29611235

National Farmers’ Union President Minette Batters welcomed the move.
“Food additives - probiotics - to make sure that cows are emitting less methane is a really good thing and it’s already online,” she told BBC1’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.

That's from just two months ago, and has been the message the NFU have been giving the public for years. We need to see and hear the change in stance being given in the Mirror and the BBC.

What is still concerning at the moment is that the NFU statement is internal only.
Has anyone seen it in general media yet?

 

[melted welly]

There seems t be a bit of change in the narrative on the BBC radio. They were reporting the breeding of tasteless peas for replacement of soya in veggie and vegan food yesterday.

Reference was made to South American soya production, forest clearance, environmental damage etc etc but there was no mention of cattle or cattle feed which would have been a dead cert to get shoe horned in and pontificated upon previously.

Is it a change in the air or……..

 

[Sid]

Game changer?

Will AHDB and DEFRA follow?

Where does this leave the NFU push for methane inhibitors?

I'm pleased to hear NFU have now recognised GWP*. Not sure what took them so long, but at least they got there. Maybe now there'll be a shift of message from "cows are killing the planet", to "cows cycle Carbon, and are beneficial for sequestration of Carbon into our agricultural soils".

NFU updates position on GWP* metric

Following studies on its accuracy when measuring the impact of methane, the NFU has declared its support for the use of the GWP* when measuring the impact of methane.

www.nfuonline.com

Defra were consulting on methane inhibitors

Methane suppressing feed products: call for evidence

We’re asking for evidence to help us understand more about giving feed products to livestock that can reduce methane emissions.

www.gov.uk

Wasn't a push as far as I was aware.

GWP is the measure adopted by government. That has to change.

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

It is great news. To be fair, NFU needed to go through it with a fine tooth comb, although they could have done it a bit quicker. Whilst they've been asleep our industry, particularly the livestock sector has had a whole load of bad publicity. It's almost a given now, according to the media and public perception, that cows are killing the planet.

NFU were caught napping imho. A lot of damage has been done whilst they were asleep. At least now our industry can work to try changing the ingrained public perception

It's going to be an uphill struggle thanks to their lazy and thoughtless inaction.

 

[Sid]

Seems the BFU representatives who met with Exeter Council, and did a great job of putting across the cyclic nature of Carbon in livestock production, when the council were looking at going to plant based foods.....were ahead of the game.

@Hfd Cattle
@Muddyroads
@devonbeef

Always helps having an NFU position holder in the group

 

[neilo]

Seems the BFU representatives who met with Exeter Council, and did a great job of putting across the cyclic nature of Carbon in livestock production, when the council were looking at going to plant based foods.....were ahead of the game.

@Hfd Cattle
@Muddyroads
@devonbeef

Sorry, I may have missed it, but what was the end result of that? Did Exeter Council see the error of their ways?