Topic 1.4
Intensive Livestock Production

Work towards a transition to more sustainable food production that is climate and nature friendly.

Industrially produced food feeds the fast food industry.

Diets rich in animal products can increase the risk of several health conditions.

Nutrient pollution from agriculture is restricting housing development.

Development provides limited benefit to the local economy.

Development is fossil-fuel intensive and a major greenhouse gas (GHG) emitter. 

Planning applications that support industries that have high greenhouse gas emissions threaten the delivery of the UK Government’s net zero commitment. To meet national climate change targets, the Committee on Climate Change recommends a 20-50% reduction in meat consumption by 2050.

NPPF includes an objective to move to a low-carbon economy.

Ensure all intensive livestock applications have a comprehensive greenhouse gas assessment and waste management strategy.

Assess the impact of intensive livestock production on the climate, rivers, wildlife and the economy and ensure proposals are fully evaluated when considering planning applications.

Avoid the expansion of existing, or development of new buildings for intensive animal agriculture*, where this is in conflict with a climate emergency declaration, biodiversity, pollution or nature recovery policies.

Deliver climate adaptation measures including water retention, flood alleviation, use of waste streams, urban cooling as appropriate in all food growing and food production developments.

Support agro-ecological farming, sustainable horticulture and organic and free-range animal agriculture to contribute to climate adaptation and help meet national zero carbon targets.

Gather evidence on the impact of intensive livestock production on the climate, rivers, wildlife and the economy.

Cheshire has 3,546,830 factory farmed animals and 17 mega farms. Factory farming in Cheshire West and Chester can produce up to 113.32 tonnes of animal waste every day. This creates 935.55 tonnes of nutrient pollution every year. Factory farm manure is transported to farmland as fertiliser.

* The definition of intensive animal agriculture is based on the classification ‘megafarms’ used by CIWF and Defra’s Intensive Farming Environmental Permitting Guidance.

Some forms of food production will be in conflict with local climate emergency, biodiversity, pollution or nature recovery policies.

Farming and fishing, transport, food processing and waste is responsible for 20-30% of greenhouse gas emissions globally. As a major risk factor for future zoonotic diseases, as well as a leading driver of habitat loss and antibiotic resistance, diets and farming practices combined are a great threat to the health of our planet. 

Some areas of Cheshire and Merseyside have a high risk of pollution from the waste from intensive livestock units. Ammonia and other nitrate pollution poses a risk to human health, the climate, and wildlife.

Direct and indirect climate impacts of industrial livestock units considered when deciding on factory farm planning applications.

Air and water pollution indicators (for ammonia, nitrates and phosphates

Environmental Impact Assessments submitted with planning applications

These models for farm diversification, with nature-friendly farming at their heart have been shown to create more and better jobs. Here are some examples:

• 600 hectare organic farm in Essex – 12 full time staff on the farm and its three farm shops, 34 part time and seasonal staff
• Acorn Dairy, County Durham (280 hectares) – 25 staff on the farm, processing and marketing, On-farm processing and local sales
• Coleshill Farm, Oxfordshire – 12 Hectares – 18 staff – diverse fruit and veg crops.

Building a UK food economy where food justice and food resilience are a reality. Planning can support increase of UK grown pulses with positive policies to protect agricultural land for food growing. Food system interventions would benefit low-income and marginalised communities who can eat pulses directly rather than imported soy being fed first to animals.

https://www.eci.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2023-10/Beans-as-a-vehicle-for-transformation.pdf