Page 4 - Oxford Farming Conference Debate 2024

OFC 2024: 'Food production and nature recovery go hand in hand' - Farmers Weekly 10/01/2024, 10:21
William Cockbain © Oxford Farming Conference
One example he gave was dung beetles, which play a role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions – and the favourite diet of dung beetles is sheep muck (followed by deer muck, pony muck and then cow muck).
Another example was the decline in certain semi-alpine plant species in upland areas, which had been shaded out by more vigorous grass species, attributed to the reduction in sheep numbers on the moor.
Mr Cockbain said it was crucial to look at “environmental good” holistically and not just focus on the single metric of overgrazing.
“Even sheep can contribute to nature recovery – the same sheep that are often referred to as ‘wooly maggots’,” he said.
Contributions
The debate attracted a number of contributions from the aoor, including from NFU vice- president David Exwood, who insisted that the best landscapes were the ones that enjoy a mix of environment and farming, as farmers created food sources, not just for people, but for wildlife too.
https://www.fwi.co.uk/events/ofc/ofc-2024-food-production-and-nature-recovery-go-hand-in-hand Page 4 of 5