English farmers are raising less livestock – and it has proven climate benefits
Registered cattle numbers are down 30%, while sheep and lamb numbers dropped by more than 40% since 2010.
England is restructuring its agriculture towards more crops and less livestock, leading to a median 18% drop in farming emissions compared to 2010.
A study published this week by nonprofit Rothamsted Research assessed intensive farming systems between 2010 and 2021, over 72,000 km² of farmland, and found significant progress around climate, soil acidification and eutrophication – nutrient run-off that can pollute rivers and lakes.
