PROGRESS on cutting greenhouse gases was the hot topic at a "timely farmer workshop" held at Newton Rigg College, Penrith.

Thirty members of the non-profit support group Cumbria Farmer Network joined the discussions, as well as guests from the Federation of Cumbria Commoners and the Herdwick Sheep Breeders Association.

Many farmers were adamant that low-input, extensive farming systems could be carbon neutral or even carbon positive, meaning that farming methods store more carbon in the soil than they emit. It was agreed a trial project should be explored to accurately record the carbon footprint on several Cumbrian farms.

Farmers agreed a "one size fits all" solution to cutting greenhouse gases was "simply not applicable to Cumbria", and every farm must be evaluated case by case because of its individual location, topography, land type and farming system.

The meeting heard the agricultural industry is responsible for about 10 per cent of UK emissions and that figure is reducing year on year, but progress towards national targets "remains very slow".

Lisa Norton, head of land use group at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, at Lancaster Environment Centre, was also at the workshop. She is part of a larger research group whose intention is to feed information from the meeting back to DEFRA as part of a consultation.

She gave the workshop a review of government climate change strategies and challenged the farmers to state how their existing farming practices reduce emissions.

The meeting finished by discussing the necessary "enablers" which might help farmers take further steps to reduce emissions.

The farmers felt investment in educating the public not just on emissions from agriculture. but also in UK farming systems and food production generally, was of prime importance followed by a desire for long-term, stable government policies.

Lisa was asked by the farmers to deliver a strong message to DEFRA that whatever the policy, scheme or support payment being promoted by government in future, it is vital this integrates fully and easily with an existing farm business.

They said it must not and cannot be an "either/or" option.