Farming and Pollution

Farming Today

• Episode: Farming and Pollution
• Website: Farming Today
• Feed URL: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qj8q/episodes/downloads.rss
• Duration: 00:24:37
• Published: 2017-03-11 01:00

What are the links between farming and pollution? Charlotte Smith finds out with the help of University of Reading staff who discuss methane, ammonia and nitrate runoff. It's part of the BBC's 'So I Can Breathe' season, which is examining possible solutions to the problems caused by air pollution. And, as we hear, whilst farming contributes enormously to UK pollution issues, there are attempts to also offer solutions. Professor of Climate Processes, Bill Collins explains how farm pollution - particularly ammonia - mixes with vehicle emissions such as diesel particulates and industrial pollutants that together are harmful to health. He also explains the role of methane as a greenhouse gas. Dairy specialist Professor Chris Reynolds shows Charlotte their experiments at the University's Centre for Dairy Research (CEDAR) which grows species-rich grasses for cattle which cut down the need for dressing the land with nitrogen. He's joined by his colleague Dr Martin Lukac who explains why this can lead to reduced runoff of pollutants into water courses. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Mark Smalley.