Agriculture Methane in the UK

Agricultural methane emissions in the UK reached 996 thousand tonnes in 2021, representing 49% of all UK methane emissions in 2022. While emissions have fallen by 14% since 1990, they have remained constant since 2009. The document identifies enteric emissions from ruminants as the primary source (85%) and manure as the secondary source (15%). It evaluates several mitigation tools, including feed additives like 3-NOP, selective breeding for low methane emissions, anaerobic digesters (AD), and improved manure management. Key recommendations for the UK Government include investing in research for pasture-based feed additives, developing a breeding value for methane efficiency, creating a Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) system for rural anaerobic digesters, and updating the Slurry Infrastructure Grant to specifically target greenhouse gas reductions.

• Agricultural methane is the primary source of methane in the UK, accounting for 49% of all UK methane emissions in 2022, with total agricultural emissions reaching 996 thousand tonnes in 2021.
• The majority of agricultural methane emissions in the UK come from enteric emissions (approximately 85%), while manure storage accounts for the remaining 15%.
• Despite a 7% reduction in livestock numbers since 2009, UK methane emissions have remained constant during that period, although they have decreased by 14% since 1990.
• Feed additives, specifically 3-NOP, are an emerging technology approved for ruminants in milk production and reproduction with an average reduction potential of 30%, though no feasible solution currently exists for pasture-based systems.
• Selective breeding for low methane emissions could potentially reduce emissions by 20-30% by 2050 for cattle and 15% for sheep, but there is an urgent need for research to develop breeding values for the UK beef, dairy, and sheep sectors.
• Anaerobic digestion (AD) adoption in the UK is currently skewed toward large projects, and the Environment Agency lacks the ability to regulate digesters located on farms, which may lead to leaks that negate climate benefits.
• The Slurry Infrastructure Grant is identified as a policy gap because it does not specifically address greenhouse gas emissions when supporting the replacement or expansion of slurry stores.

APA

Ferreira, F., & Tremain, R. (2025). Agriculture Methane in the UK. Clean Air Task Force. https://www.catf.us/resource/agriculture-methane-uk/

Chicago

Ferreira, Fernanda, and Rebecca Tremain. Agriculture Methane in the UK. Clean Air Task Force, 2025. https://www.catf.us/resource/agriculture-methane-uk/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ferreira |first1=Fernanda |last2=Tremain |first2=Rebecca |title=Agriculture Methane in the UK |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=25 February 2025 |url=https://www.catf.us/resource/agriculture-methane-uk/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ferreira2025agriculture, author = {Ferreira, Fernanda and Tremain, Rebecca}, title = {{Agriculture Methane in the UK}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2025}, month = feb, url = {https://www.catf.us/resource/agriculture-methane-uk/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }