Reducing ammonia emissions from urea fertilisers

Closed 26 Jan 2021

Opened 3 Nov 2020

Contact

Agricultural Emissions Team

03459 335577

ammonia@defra.gov.uk

Results updated 30 Mar 2022

We received 405 responses to this consultation. In response to this consultation, Defra has welcomed a proposal put forward by an industry consortium to reduce ammonia emissions from urea fertilisers to be delivered through the Red Tractor farm assurance scheme and FACTS qualified advisors/farmers. Due to the current uncertainty around fertiliser supply and the impacts that is having on prices, Government has decided to delay the implementation of the scheme until April 2023 (at the earliest) to continue monitoring effects on supply, prices and food security. Once implemented, Defra will monitor the scheme’s effectiveness in reducing emissions and will decide on whether to introduce regulation in 2025/26.

Links:

Overview

Ammonia is an air pollutant that is detrimental to our natural environment and is a pre-curser to particulate matter, which is detrimental to human health. Our statutory obligations to restore our degraded habitats and to reduce our ammonia emissions by 8% by 2020 and by 16% by 2030 mean that we must act urgently to tackle our ammonia emissions. As ammonia emissions are predominantly from agriculture (87%) and around 8% are from the use of solid urea fertilisers, this consultation seeks your views on three policy options that give us the greatest ammonia emission reductions from regulating the use or sale of sold urea fertilisers.

What happens next

Thank you for your interest in the consultation to reduce ammonia emissions from urea fertilisers, to which there were 405 responses. The government response to this consultation has been delayed in order to review policy options in the light of views and evidence received. A response will be published this summer.

Audiences

  • Charities/Voluntary Organisations
  • Environmental campaigners
  • Livestock show ground operators
  • Manufacturers of livestock identifiers
  • Government Agencies
  • Devolved Administrations
  • National Park Authorities
  • Recreation sector
  • Ports and Harbour Authorities and Estuaries
  • Water/water Industry sector
  • Water Abstractors
  • Local Authorities
  • Business/Private Sector
  • Transport Organisations
  • Local Authorities
  • Non-Government Organisation
  • Manufacturing Industry
  • Member of the General Public
  • Landowners and their representative bodies
  • Farmers
  • Water suppliers
  • Horticulture Industry
  • Tenant Farmers
  • Agricultural Landlords
  • Land Agents
  • Trading Standards Officers
  • Public Bodies
  • Consultants

Interests

  • Natural environment
  • Local nature partnerships
  • Biodiversity
  • Plants
  • Animals
  • Tree and plant health
  • Climate change
  • Green infrastructure
  • Ecosystems services
  • Green economy
  • Sustainable development
  • National Adaptation Programme
  • Water quality
  • Air quality
  • Air pollution
  • Local environments
  • Consultations
  • Impact Assessments
  • DEFRA Policy
  • Policy and Delivery
  • Growing and crops
  • Farm management
  • Land management
  • Nitrates and watercourses
  • Soil
  • Industry organisations representing tenant farmers and landlords
  • Recreational sector
  • Protecting wildlife