Surprising as it may sound but agricultural and horticultural equipment can actually help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality. Dealers can play their part by selling eco-friendly machinery.
There is a lot of pressure being put on the farming industry to lower its greenhouse gas emissions. The EU have set a target of a 25% reduction by 2030. This is a tall order to accomplish in just seven years. Agriculture contributes to over 30% of our national greenhouse gas emissions. One suggestion of achieving this target is to lower the heard number. However, this is very controversial as it will have a huge impact on farmers’ incomes.
A recent Teagasc sustainability report showed that 30% of agricultural emissions comes from nitrogen fertilisers while the remaining 70% is from slurry management and animals.
The use of Low Emissions Slurry Spreading (LESS) equipment is playing a significant role in helping to improve air quality by reducing ammonia emissions. The Teagasc sustainability report, which I just mentioned, says that 48% of all slurry applied on farms used LESS equipment. Interestingly, for dairy farms, the comparable figure was 74%. Using LESS equipment can reduce ammonia gas emissions by up to 60%, compared to the traditional slurry tanker using a splash-plate method. That is a significant reduction.
The use of GPS technology in precision farming is already established in farming life. We know that this method helps reduce fertiliser and spray applications, saving money for the farmer and also benefiting the environment as fertilisers and sprays are used more sparingly and only where needed.
Another example of agricultural machinery helping the environment is from tractors that use alternative fuels such as methane, electric power and hydrogen. The Auga Group (based in Lithuania) and New Holland, for example, have already produced tractors fuelled by biomethane. The New Holland T6 Methane Power tractor is already being used in Ireland. New Holland claim that the T6 Methane Power tractor produces 80% lower overall emissions than its diesel counterpart. JCB just recently unveiled their hydrogen combustion engine at the Conexpo 2023 show in Las Vegas. Prototype JCB hydrogen engines are already powering backhoe loader and Loadall telescopic handler machines.
Using electric tractors will probably be more practical on smaller farms, as the workload will be a lot less. The sportsturf and amenity sectors are already embracing this technology in parks, golf courses and pitches by using electric mowers, strimmers, chainsaws and utility vehicles. Electric tractors would be great for the environment if the electricity used to drive them is produced from sustainable sources. Some farmers have considered installing solar panels on their farm to produce the electricity needed to charge the tractor batteries.
The development of all this technology comes at a price. This is reflected in the high cost of producing environmentally friendly equipment and the research and development that is required. Even so, it will do no harm for sales reps to promote these machines, highlighting the benefits they have on the environment. The savings they will make on running costs should outweigh their initial investment cost. With that in mind, farmers and growers will be prepared to pay that bit extra to help protect the planet.
