By Brian Richardson, Head of Agriculture, Virgin Money

2022 will be the year the industry focusses on sustainability and the journey to Net Zero. To create farm-level plans which map out how carbon can be reduced, you first need to understand where you are now. Therefore, a priority for farming enterprises should be to work with an experienced professional to complete a carbon audit as soon as possible.

Working with your team, the audit should be reviewed and made into a farm strategy that will also identify opportunities for productivity improvements and cost savings. This will make the business more resilient in the longer term.

There are always arguments about how the calculations are made and more bureaucracy, but make no mistake, a clear direction of travel is coming. Those who get involved in the process early will have the best chance of making the most out of the changes coming to the farming sector.