Thirty farms in Herefordshire will have the opportunity to benefit from a free carbon audit next year, and specialist support to help them better understand their carbon footprint and how to improve it.

The free carbon audits will take place between January and June next year with a follow up audit between January and June 2026. 

Carbon audits are becoming an increasingly important if not essential tool for farms, highlighting where their business can save money and carbon, and signposting further changes to improve efficiency. 

Working with Farm Herefordshire and the NFU, Herefordshire Council’s Climate Reserve are funding the audits which will be carried out by independent consultants who’ll offer farms one-to-one support to help them understand their carbon footprint. Each farm who secures an audit will also be shown how to use a carbon calculator tool to measure their own on-farm emissions and identify areas for improvement. 

Chair of the partnership’s farming and land use working group, Steve Klenk said: “The farming community is facing challenges from all directions at the moment and more farmers are now considering regenerative methods as a way to cut costs, open up new markets for produce and improve resilience. I would really encourage local farmers to take advantage of the opportunity of a free carbon audit—it’s an important step on the road towards greener farming and a great chance to get some free expert advice tailored specifically for your farm.”

Farms are invited to submit an expression of interest (at zerocarbon.herefordshire.gov.uk) by Friday, January 6, 2023.