THE importance of the net zero agenda was stressed at this year’s major sheep event in Northumberland.

A seminar revealed the results of a carbon audit carried out on the NSA North Sheep hosts’ Bradford House Farm.

Run by the Woodman family, the carbon audit showed the enterprise had emissions well below average, and highlighted the next steps that will keep the family on track to achieve their net zero target.

The seminar was presented by Virgin Money and auditors Carbon Metrics, and following North Sheep, Virgin Money’s Head of Agriculture Brian Richardson said: “The agricultural sector is clearly facing some daunting challenges right now, and the carbon net zero target might seem like just another distraction.

“Over the last two years or more we have initiated multiple pilots for carbon audits similar to the Woodmans on a number of farm types. These audits are as much about having a ‘deep delve’ into an individual business as they are specifically about carbon reduction, and understanding that the carbon challenge can offer opportunities to review soil and pasture management, effective use of FYM, improving overall performance as well as offsetting through trees, hedgerows and renewables.”

J E Woodman operate a farming system across two farms, with livestock production based at Great Chesters and the feed and finishing enterprise based at Bradford. The farm makes use of its cereal enterprises to supplement the diet of the livestock at Great Chesters, which gives the farm a lower footprint due to less bought in feed.