Parliamentary Report Launch Highlights Role of Conservation Agriculture in Meeting UK Farming and Climate Goals

On 19 May, the Glyphosate Renewal Group supported the launch in Parliament of a new report, “Seeding the Future through Conservation and Regenerative Agriculture to Meet the UK’s Agricultural and Climate Challenges”. The report was produced by the European Conservation Agriculture Federation (ECAF) and the University of Gloucestershire.

The event was hosted in the House of Commons by Alistair Carmichael MP, Chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, and brought together representatives from across the farming and policy community. Speakers included NFU President Tom Bradshaw, Professor Gottlieb Basch, and Dave Bell, Chair of the Voluntary Initiative.

The report highlights the importance of conservation and regenerative agriculture practices for the future of UK farming. It sets out how these approaches can support food production, strengthen rural communities, improve soil health, and contribute to climate and environmental objectives.

A key theme throughout the discussion was that conservation agriculture depends on farmers having access to a reliable and effective toolbox to manage these systems successfully. Herbicides are an essential part of that toolbox, enabling farmers to control weeds and terminate cover crops without repeated mechanical cultivation. Without herbicides, conservation agriculture and no-till systems become significantly more difficult to implement effectively.

By reducing the need for ploughing and intensive tillage, herbicide-supported systems help protect soil structure, reduce erosion and nutrient runoff, conserve soil moisture, and improve water infiltration. They also help reduce fuel consumption, labour requirements, and greenhouse gas emissions associated with repeated tractor passes and mechanical soil disturbance.

Glyphosate in particular plays an important role in reduced tillage and no-tillage farming systems, supporting farmers in applying the three core principles of conservation and regenerative agriculture: minimising soil disturbance, maintaining permanent soil cover, and improving crop diversification.

The full report can be accessed here. Click here for some additional coverage of the event: