The government’s climate change report has been welcomed by the agricultural community, despite its somewhat inconclusive findings.

The Soil Association and the joint agricultural Climate Change Task Force (CCTF) have welcomed the report by the Committee on Climate Change, which stated that reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture was a complex issue and needed more research.

The CCTF said the committee had clearly taken on board the cost implications and uncertainties for the agriculture sector. The likely abatement potential for non-CO2 greenhouse gases described in the report was seen as a realistic starting point.

The committee intends to carry out further research on the sector to understand what is feasible in the next year.

The Soil Association also reacted favourably to the report, pleased with the statement from Lord Turner, the chair of the committee, that there is “scope for significant emissions cuts in agriculture”.

Peter Melchett, Social Association policy director said: "We share Lord Turner's apparent disappointment that so little has been done to look for options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture. When the food we buy accounts for 30 per cent of our personal carbon footprint, we think it is a scandal that the government has neglected the climate change impact of food and farming.”

The CCTF also hoped the committee would look at covering soil and nutrient management, livestock diets and refinement of the UK GHG inventory and removing regulatory barriers to uptake of anaerobic digestion and other renewable energy opportunities in agriculture over the next 12 months.