food wise 2025 and agricultural emissions

J O H N M U L D O W N E Y

A G R I C U L T U R A L I N S P E C T O R

D E P A R T M E N T O F A G R I C U L T U R E , F O O D A N D T H E M A R I N E

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

Food Wise 2025 and Agricultural Emissions

Presentation overview

• Food Wise 2025

• Sustainability

• Ammonia Emissions

• Agricultural sources of ammonia

• Air quality policy context

• Ammonia abatement strategies

• Research

Food Wise 2025

Strategic plan for the development of agri-food sector over the next decade

• 85% increase in exports to €19bn

• 65% increase in primary production value to €10bn

• 70% increase in the sectors value addition to the economy to over €13bn

• Creation of 23,000 additional jobs all along the supply chain

With over 350 enabling actions, both cross-cutting and at sectoral level

59 related to sustainability under 8 main recommendations

Food Wise 2025 and Sustainability

Environmental protection and economic competitiveness are equal and complementary

Continued development and adoption of sustainable processes and technologies all along the supply chain

SEA and AA parallel process

Intake of milk by Creameries and Pasteurisers

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

Mil

lio

n l

itr

es

Month

2014

2015

Source: CSO StatBank

Agriculture NH3 emissions – historic trend

90000

95000

100000

105000

110000

115000

120000

125000

NH

3 (

kg

s)

Year

Agriculture NH3 emissions

Agriculture NH3 emissions

IE GP & NEC emission ceiling = 116Kt NH3 (note agriculture accounts for virtually all of IE NH3 emissions

Ammonia emissions

Atmospheric ammonia (NH3)

Emissions in 2013 – 106.3kt NH3

Ireland’s national emission ceiling for NH3 under the NEC Directive is 116 Kt tonnes to be achieved by 2010 and in each year after 2010.

98.5% of national NH3 emissions attributed to agricultural practices

NH3 deposition associated with

Acidification and eutrophication of surface waters

negative impacts on sensitive ecosystems

formation of secondary particulate matter

Agricultural sources of ammonia by sector

Source: Hyde, 2012

Agricultural sources of NH3 by activity

Air Quality Policy Context

GP reviewed in 2012 to include ‘national emission reduction commitments’ to be achieved in 2020 and beyond.

Proposed NH3 target of 0.5% reduction on 2005 levels to 2020

Equates to a value of 111Kt NH3

Proposed revision of the NEC Directive

Currently being reviewed as part of EU Clean Air Package

Establishes national ‘reduction commitments’ applicable from 2020 and 2030

For any year from 2020 to 2029 1% below 2005 levels

For any year from 2030 10% below 2005 levels

Ammonia abatement strategies

1. Spreading

Move to earlier spreading (summer to spring)

Transition from summer spreading to spring spreading

Cost effective

Not suitable for all soils due to trafficability difficulties in spring

Use of abatement technologies (Trailing shoe, trailing hose)

Reduces surface area of slurry exposed to air

~40-60% reduction in ammonia emissions (summer application v. traditional splash plate application)

Reduces chemical N requirements

Equipment expensive to purchase

Biophysical constraints

Trailing shoe


2. Fertiliser usage

~350,000 t N applied annually (mostly CAN)

Emissions greater from urea-based fertilisers v. Nitrate/ ammonium based

NH3 emissions dependent on fertiliser type, weather conditions and soil type

3. Use of inhibitors

Urea with urease inhibitors

Slows the NH3 NH4 transformation process resulting is lower NH3 losses


4. Animal housing and associated storage

5. Outdoor slurry storage

6. Yard emissions

7. Animal dietary changes

Rural Development Programme 2014 - 2020

Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme II (TAMS II) to include:

Grant-aid support for the investment in mobile slurry tanks and umbilical systems with attached low emission spreading equipment such a trailing shoe, trailing hose.

Low-emissions slurry spreading (LESS) option under GLAS (agri environmental measure)

To improve the recycling of organic fertiliser and to contribute to reduced emissions including NH3.

Knowledge Transfer Programme

Topics include reducing GHG & NH3 emissions

Future abatement strategies

Housing and storage

Incorporation of air scrubbers in pig/ poultry units

External storage

Reinforced storage which would allow for the use of acidification of slurry

Chemical amendments to slurry and manure

Research

SHARP

Sustainable Healthy Agri Research Plan

Collective effort among stakeholders, research funders and research bases to identify and develop research and innovation for sustainable food production

Sustainable Management of Natural Resources

High level objective

Develop and support actions that contribute to meeting air quality targets under the NEC/ GP

Priority research

Integrated actions to reduce ammonia loss and improve N efficiency

Current ammonia abatement research

Measurement and abatement of ammonia emissions from agriculture (2013)

Feed evaluation for accurate nutrition (2012)

Sustainable nitrogen fertiliser use and disaggregated emissions of nitrogen (2011)

Conclusions

Focus on cost effective options

Focus on production efficiency & innovation

Improve knowledge & understanding of emissions

Integrate with other environmental challenges

Develop and support the sector in delivering on sustainability

Thank you