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The EU needs to switch at the least among the fertiliser it imports from Russia with merchandise processed from “homegrown” animal dung and urine to scale back revenues going to Moscow’s struggle machine.
Christophe Hansen, the agriculture commissioner, advised journalists that manure-based fertiliser might cut back dependency on imported chemical fertilisers, and was cheaper than synthetic equivalents, which require a variety of vitality to provide.
“The livestock sector can present a optimistic enter to the round economic system — that’s domestically grown and doesn’t want to return from outdoors and isn’t based mostly on excessive vitality costs like gasoline,” he mentioned. “We have to see the alternatives as nicely [as the challenges].”
Manure and meals waste may also be tapped for biogas instead supply of vitality, with the EU looking for ultimately to chop all gasoline provides from Russia, as soon as its greatest provider.
Russia has in impact continued to export its gasoline by means of fertiliser manufacturing, the EU fertiliser trade claims. Massive quantities of gasoline are wanted to provide the ammonia utilized in chemical fertilisers. Excessive gasoline costs have additionally made home fertilisers uncompetitive, hitting jobs.
Final month the European Fee proposed tariffs on Russian fertiliser imports. However some member states are reluctant to help them as a result of farmers must pay extra for different provides.
Russia has captured 30 per cent of the imported fertiliser market within the EU, up from 17 per cent in late 2022. Different large suppliers embody Morocco and Egypt. Farmers purchased 5.7mn tonnes price €1.9bn from Russia in 2024, in keeping with Eurostat.
Using Renure, brief for “recovered nitrogen from manure”, would lower fertiliser prices by practically 5 per cent in livestock areas, in keeping with a research by Dutch and Belgian teachers within the journal Sources, Conservation and Recycling revealed by Elsevier.
Brussels has thus far restricted how a lot manure will be unfold on fields, as a result of its excessive nitrogen content material runs off into water programs. That encourages the expansion of some algae and invasive plant species, which crowd out different vegetation and subsequently the animals that depend on them.
The Netherlands, a small nation with intensive livestock holdings, was pressured by a court docket judgment to chop its use. Proposals to cull cattle and compulsorily buy farms sparked a farming revolt which unfold Europe-wide after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Farmers with tractors from throughout the continent have invaded Brussels a number of instances, spraying manure at the police and EU buildings.
The Fee is anticipated this 12 months to approve using Renure, which is handled to scale back its nitrogen content material, after heavy Dutch authorities lobbying.
The Fee’s “Imaginative and prescient for Agriculture” paper revealed on Wednesday says that it might be a “win-win” for the surroundings and local weather “by means of the help for the uptake of low-carbon fertilisers and recycled vitamins, corresponding to Renure and digestate after acceptable remedy and their environment friendly use”.
Jessika Roswall, the surroundings commissioner in control of reforming the nitrates directive that limits nitrogen emissions, advised the Monetary Occasions: “Managing vitamins extra successfully is crucial to make agriculture future-proof and guarantee a stage taking part in area. I’m working with member states to construct a majority for a balanced remedy of Renure, and I’m exchanging with nations and stakeholders involved to sort out air pollution hotspots.”
Agriculture contributes greater than 10 per cent of the EU’s whole greenhouse gasoline emissions, mainly by means of the discharge of methane by cows and different animals burping and breaking wind, and nitrous oxide from pure and synthetic fertilisers.
Such agricultural emissions must drop by 40 per cent from 2005 ranges by 2030 to satisfy EU targets however are on track to fall solely 7 per cent, says the European Environment Agency.
In some nations corresponding to Eire and Bulgaria emissions are larger than 2005.
The previous Irish authorities mentioned a cow cull whereas Denmark is taxing livestock farmers.
However Hansen mentioned voluntary incentives had been higher than targets for reducing emissions. Cow diets might be modified to scale back methane output.
He additionally mentioned the EU livestock herd was shrinking by round 1 per cent yearly.
“I believe to say bluntly, cut back, cut back a share by member state . . . that’s not the way in which ahead.”
“We even have the duty in the direction of third nations to proceed to feed the world as nicely . . . I don’t see the farming neighborhood as a part of the issue however as a part of the answer.”
Inexperienced teams criticised the plans. WWF mentioned the Fee didn’t “intend to step up efforts to scale back pesticide and fertiliser use, which is regarding given worsening water high quality — a menace to our well being — attributable to agriculture and nitrogen air pollution”.
It added: “If there are fewer circumstances and extra incentives below the Widespread Agricultural Coverage for upholding environmental requirements, then these incentives have to be very nicely designed.”
