Farming For The Future
Working with 178 farms across England, Scotland, and Wales, AHDB's five-year pilot aims to build a robust baseline of environmental data to improve how we understand, account for, and manage greenhouse emissions and carbon on farm.
A pioneering pilot aiming to assess the environmental impact of farms across Great Britain
Since the end of 2024, AHDB, with support from Quality Meat Scotland and Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC), has been delivering an Environment Baselining Pilot across the beef, lamb, cereals and oilseeds, dairy, and pork sectors in England, Scotland, and Wales.
Early findings
Insights from the initial 170 pilot farms are encouraging, and in some cases, challenge assumptions - particularly around where carbon is stored in agricultural systems.
What we're seeing so far:
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Around 95% of the estimated carbon stocks are found in the soil, with the remainder in the woody features
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30% or more of the soil carbon stock sits below 30cm deep
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Soil organic carbon stocks vary hugely across land use and soil type
Data findings continue to be analysed and focus will then shift to understanding what drives differences between farms.
What's being measured on each farm?
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Carbon stocks above and below ground, including woodland and non-farmed areas
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Net carbon position, by auditing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions against carbon removals and sequestration
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A run-off risk map
These measurements will give a baseline of each farm's environmental credentials and a starting point to track change over time. We aim to measure again after five years to show and recognise improvements.
More about the baselining pilot
The project aims to understand and explore:
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Whether more accurate data and knowledge can support better decisions on farm
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The range of on-farm emissions and carbon removals, and how they can be improved over time
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Soil carbon stocks, the link with soil health, and its capacity to remove and store carbon
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The environmental impact of agriculture practices
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The possibilities of new technology for measuring environmental change
AHDB hopes that the pilot will ultimately provide the industry with accurate on-farm environmental data it can use and help farmers make informed decisions towards a more sustainable future.