Category: Uncategorized

Farm Carbon Toolkit teams up with LiveTrace

Posted on March 20, 2024 by - Uncategorized

Integration with Livetrace will allow automated carbon footprinting of the potato sector.

Farm Carbon Toolkit is delighted to announce the development of an integration between LiveTrace and the Farm Carbon Calculator softwares, underpinned by our longstanding collaboration with Mercian Ltd, the UK’s largest supplier of Crisping Potatoes. 

Farm Carbon Toolkit is using its years of experience in Carbon footprinting to support carbon calculations on LiveTrace’s existing platform, bringing additional insights to the crisping potato supply chain and building on the joined-up approach LiveTrace provides for the industry.

Photo:  Kai Oberhäuser, Unsplash

Farm Carbon Toolkit’s Calculator Development Manager Dr. Lizzy Parker explains the motivation behind the collaboration.

“For over a decade, the Farm Carbon Calculator has supported farmers to understand their business through a carbon lens. Farmers are all at different stages on their carbon journey, but we believe an important first step is to get farmers thinking about the options they have to reduce emissions and remove carbon from the atmosphere. By working with LiveTrace to bring insight to farmers who are already collecting the bulk of the data they need to calculate their carbon footprint, we can support a significant proportion of the industry to understand its role in reducing emissions“

We have worked closely with Mercian Ltd to improve our calculator for one of the most important agricultural sectors in the UK. We’re now excited to see how a more seamless user experience will support more farmers and their customers to engage with action to reduce emissions.”

“As the largest supplier of crisping potatoes in the UK we felt the time was right to take the initiative” explains Jon Kemp, Director of Livetrace. “The input we received from Farm Carbon Toolkit has been both professional and very much inspirational for us. This has led to a joint approach that is building our understanding of the carbon intensity within the crisping potato supply chain. We have leveraged the data which is already being collected by the LiveTrace software as part of the everyday farming activities, together with FCT’s expertise to understand the carbon impact and guide farmers to more sustainable practices. 

We are truly hoping that technology such as this will help the UK potato industry play its part in the positive changes which are taking place across agriculture. “

About the Farm Carbon Toolkit 

Farm Carbon Toolkit is an independent, farmer-led Community Interest Company, supporting farmers to measure, understand and act on their greenhouse gas emissions, while improving their business resilience for the future.

For over a decade, Farm Carbon Toolkit has delivered a range of practical projects, tools and services that have inspired real action on the ground. Organisations they work with include Velcourt, the Duchy of Cornwall, First Milk, Tesco and WWF. The Farm Carbon Calculator is a leading on-farm carbon audit tool, used by over 7,000 farmers in the UK and beyond. To find out more visit www.farmcarbontoolkit.org.uk 

We created one of the first tools (Farm Carbon Calculator) to audit GHG emissions on farm in 2011 and were one of the first to include carbon removals as well as emissions within our audit.

For further information or to start your first carbon footprint visit calculator.farmcarbontoolkit.org.uk 

The Financial Reward of Reducing Carbon

Posted on February 13, 2024 by - Insights, News, Uncategorized

By Robert Purdew, Farm Carbon and Soils Advisor

There is a growing concern about carbon “tunnel vision” in agriculture, where the sole focus is on reducing emissions without considering the bigger picture. Reducing emissions is crucial, yet it’s important to acknowledge that it is only one piece of the puzzle and focusing solely on carbon can neglect factors such as soil health, water quality, biodiversity and other issues such as pollution. There is also often concern from farmers about how the pressures to achieve net zero targets can impact profitability, especially when incentives to be net zero are limited or non-existent, and investments in the infrastructure and technology required to transition to low-carbon farming are high.

But this doesn’t have to be the case. We can use an understanding of a farm’s emissions to make informed decisions to change management practices that can lead directly to both reduced emissions and increased profitability, and we can point to an increased number of farmers who are doing just this.

Mike and Sam Roberts farm 435 acres at Blable Farm, of which a large proportion is down to herbal leys. After Sam returned to the farm in 2018 a decision was made to review the whole operation and, in conjunction with James Daniel of Precision Grazing, the decision was made to reduce the herd slightly from 180 to 150 cows, implement rotational grazing on diverse leys and to focus on reducing inputs and improving soil health.

Cattle out wintering at Blable Farm

The effects were immediate and obvious. Soil health has seen a rapid improvement with better structure, increased earthworm numbers and soil organic matter is on the rise. The grazing period has been increased from 6 to 12 months and the farm hasn’t bought fertiliser since 2021, with none being used last year. Importantly, animal performance has increased in line with improved soil health and while cow numbers were reduced initially Mike and Sam are looking at increasing numbers again. All of this has seen a significant saving on input costs which has been re-invested into the business, including a full soil audit to better understand how soil health is improving. In line with reduced costs on-farm emissions have been reduced significantly with Mike confident the farm can reach net zero within 5 years, a commitment made as part of being a demo farm for the Farm Net Zero project.

Another example of a farmer using an understanding of their carbon footprint to drive down costs and improve profitability is Tom Burge of Oaremead Farm. Tom farms 760 acres of grassland on Exmoor and runs both a suckler herd and commercial sheep flock. In 2017 Tom began shifting to a more regenerative farming system which predominantly focussed on an improvement in grazing management, once again aided by James Daniel from Precision Grazing.

A person standing in a grassy field with cows Description automatically generated

Over 5 years, Tom has completely cut out the use of artificial fertiliser and reduced his feed use by over 70%. This has been made possible by an increase in dry matter grown of 0.9 tDM/ha, through improved grazing management, and has reduced input costs by 50%, with a similar reduction in emissions from inputs, as shown in the chart below. Crucially the farm is now profitable before taking into account income from subsidies and environmental schemes. In the next 5 years, Tom plans to completely cut out bought-in feed and to have halved fuel use and, like Mike and Sam, be well on the road to net zero while remaining highly productive and profitable.

Oaremead Farm emissions from inputs

These are just two of an increasing number of examples that we are coming across as we work with more and more farmers who are using their carbon emissions as just one metric to help improve their farm businesses. And far from impacting just a farm’s emissions and bottom line, the management changes that are being implemented are having beneficial impacts on those ecosystem services mentioned previously, soil health, biodiversity, water quality and reduced pollution. Proof if ever it was needed of the potential for long-term sustainability within our farming systems.

FNZ Agronomists’ Workshop – 28th November 2023

Posted on December 14, 2023 by - Farm Net Zero, Uncategorized

This event was designed for agronomists to learn about the results of some of the Farm Net Zero (FNZ) trials. Dr. Hannah Jones of the Farm Carbon Toolkit was joined by the farmers who hosted and designed the trials to discuss the findings. This event was made possible with thanks to the National Lottery Community Fund who fund the Farm Net Zero project.

Throughout the discussions, the new Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) payments were referred to as a potential method of reducing the risk of adopting the practices trialled by the Farm Net Zero demo and monitor farms. This report will summarise the trials presented and the discussions that followed, including the views of the agronomists present at the workshop.

Outwintering on Cover Crops

Cover crops can be useful for protecting soil by reducing erosion and nutrient leaching and preserving soil carbon stocks. In Cornwall’s mixed farming systems, cover crops can provide an opportunity for outwintering livestock in a cost-effective manner. Therefore, it is pertinent to think about the plant species included in a cover crop mix and balance up their soil health benefits with the potential feed value.

A Farm Net Zero trial was set up in winter 2021-2022, where five cover crop mixes of varying complexity were grazed by beef youngstock. Full details of the trial can be found on the Farm Net Zero Project Resources page here. The most diverse mix had the biggest improvement in soil quality, reducing compaction and attracting the most earthworms. In terms of feed value, any mixes containing black oats were the most popular with the cattle and had high dry matter, crude protein and sugars.

It was suggested that the SFI SAM2 “Multi-species winter cover” payment of £129/hectare could be used to support this practice.

Maize Establishment

FNZ Monitor Farmers, Malcolm and Catherine Barrett, have trialled different methods of establishing maize crops. In spring 2022, two fields were taken and divided into thirds – one where maize was established conventionally (plough, power harrow, drill), one cultivated with a Sumo machine, and one direct drilled with a Mzuri drill. The direct drill had the lowest fuel requirement and therefore cost. Cob weight assessments found that cobs were smallest in the ploughed area and highest where the crop was established after the cultivator. Soil sampling showed that organic matter levels dropped following ploughing, with worm numbers also reduced.

One further area of interest developed when Malcolm and Catherine noticed that the sprayed-out clover regrew in the direct drilled area. This could potentially provide nitrogen for any following crops, and so a trial was designed for the barley drilled after maize harvest. In this trial, part of the field had no nitrogen applied in order to observe any influences of the clover. Quadrat yield assessments found no significant difference between the full nitrogen fertiliser regime and the no nitrogen area and further analysis of grain nitrogen found that both the full rate and zero nitrogen well exceeded the recommended level for feed barley. This prompted discussions on the opportunities for reducing nitrogen fertiliser (and therefore reducing carbon emissions), with most of the agronomists present agreeing that this is achievable, particularly on mixed farms where livestock contribute to healthy soil. One suggestion from the group was that where soil is in good condition, nitrogen could be applied as a foliar feed direct to the plant because the healthy soil is providing good support for the plant roots.

Soil Rejuvenation after Potatoes

On FNZ Demo Farm, Ennis Barton, some ground is let for vegetable production, when this comes back in hand Andrew Brewer wants to find the fastest method of restoring soil health and returning the fields to cattle grazing. In one of the potato fields, a variety of cover crops (eligible for SAM2) were undersown with ryegrass, clovers and plantain, these were then grazed over winter. Soil quality assessments found that mixes containing Westerwolds ryegrass had the most positive effect on soil aggregate stability. However, in the following summer the Westerwolds rapidly went to seed, which made managing grazing quality a challenge. Therefore, the next best cover mix was forage rape or rye and vetch. This is another example of considering the trade-offs of mixed farming when designing systems that optimise soil quality.

Inter-Crops for Cabbages

Some of the ground rented out at Ennis Barton is used for Savoy cabbages. Following a Farm Net Zero meeting looking at managing these “risky crops”, Andrew and the cabbage growers were keen to develop methods of reducing soil erosion between the cabbage rows. A trial was designed where a mix of low-growing, deep-rooted species (chicory, plantain, white clover and buckwheat) were intersown between the cabbage rows at the beginning of October after all cabbage hoeing was completed. This trial is still being monitored, but there are hopes that intercropping will protect soil from erosion, provide feed for livestock and also reduce the amount of disease/damage to the cabbage leaf from “soil bounce” after rain. Again, this could be eligible for the SAM2 SFI payment.

Grazing Winter Cereals

Grazing winter cereals was a common practice to manage plant disease, growth rates, fertility and livestock wintering. FNZ Monitor Farmer, Anthony Ellis, tried a return to this practice on his family arable and sheep farm during winter 2022-2023. Part of a field of winter wheat was grazed with ewe lambs, with the wheat grazed right into the ground. This allowed Anthony to reduce growth regulators and fungicide and slightly reduce the nitrogen applications compared to the ungrazed remainder of the field. Septoria was reduced early in the season, but there was less difference closer to harvest as the grazed wheat caught up with the ungrazed. Some discussion followed concerning how although this is an old practice, it is now possible to put some firmer figures on the carbon savings of reduced inputs from grazing cereals.

Conclusion

Overall, this workshop for agronomists provided an excellent opportunity to share some of the project’s results so far, and to learn from agronomists who work across the project region and further afield. The ability to work collaboratively with the wider agricultural community is very valuable and helps to ensure the Farm Net Zero project reflects as many farming systems as possible.

Cotswold Seeds courses at FarmED 2023

Posted on June 6, 2023 by - Uncategorized

Image taken from Cotswold Seeds website.

Summer/Autumn 2023

The FarmED Programme for 2023 includes a wide range of courses, workshops and events that inspire, educate and connect people to build sustainable farming and food systems that nourish people and regenerate the planet. All take place in their beautiful eco buildings at the heart of their demonstration farm in the Evenlode Valley. Delicious and nutritious refreshments are freshly prepared in the FarmED kitchen.

*Further events will be added to the programme throughout the year. 

Herbal Ley Establishment & Management – June 13th

Join for a one day course on Herbal Leys Establishment and Management brought to you by the FarmED team and Cotswolds Seeds. A herbal ley is a complex seed mixture of grasses, legumes and herbs, which bring a range of benefits to forage, livestock health and soil fertility. Herbal leys can often include a mixture of up to 17 species, and can be incorporated into arable, livestock or horticultural operations with multiple benefits including building soil fertility and improving water resilience, to fostering better animal health and boosting biodiversity. Herbal leys are a traditional low-input method of farming that provides benefits to arable, livestock and horticultural operations alike.

Pollinators & Predators – July 3rd

How can we encourage pollinators and natural predators in order to reduce pests and increase production? Understand the role of these insects and learn ways to manage and maintain habitats for these unsung heroes.

Animals Into Arable Rotations – July 4th 

Are you thinking of introducing livestock back into your arable rotation? Join FarmED as
they explore the options and find practical solutions.

Sainfoin & Lucerne Field Day – July 5th 

Join the Cotswold Seeds team to learn about Sainfoin and Lucerne and how they
can benefit your farm

Wildflower Meadows & Margins – July 18th 

As well as looking appealing, wildflowers also have huge biodiversity and environmental benefits. Find out how to select and establish the seed mixtures that best suit your land.

Sort Out Your Soil – August 2nd 

We are joined by Anton Rosenfield from Garden Organic, and the Cotswold Seeds
team to show how green manures and cover crops can boost the fertility of your soil.

Self-Sufficient Leys Field Day – August 15th 

Learn how to use forage legumes to reduce reliance on nitrogen fertiliser.

Equine Grassland Management – September 12th 

Enhance you pasture management and increase species diversity to improve horse health and extend the grazing season.

Please book through  www.farm-ed.co.uk

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Follow them @RealFarmED

Cotswold Seeds kindly sponsors our Soil Farmer of the Year Competition.

Herbal Leys and Grassland Diversity

Posted on May 16, 2023 by - Uncategorized

Written by Hannah Jones, a Farm Carbon and Soils Advisor here at FCT.

The farm environment is a complex for a plant.

Success of a sowing is controlled by an interaction between management, soil type, weather, pest and disease pressures as well as a legacy of weed burden. There is a plant for almost every environment on farm that can be used for successful production whether grazing, combining or for providing environmental benefits.

On grasslands with optimal pH, mineral indices and in a mythical situation of cheap inputs, ryegrass is ideal. If the farm environment becomes more challenging more plant species are needed to optimise that sward productivity.

White clover is a stalwart for improving crude protein content of a ration and increasing soil nitrogen supply but in dry free draining soils lucerne, and sainfoin may have much to offer. In a cutting ley, red clover and alsike clover have their merits, and if the ley is to be down for longer than 2-3 years birdsfoot trefoil is of value, particularly if sheep are involved.

Herbs added to the mix can support good mineral balance, improve weed suppressiveness, complementary anthelmintics to pharmaceutical wormers, and improve soil health. Chicory and plantain are common, but yarrow is good to include too for its drought tolerance and support of herd health. In open swards consider self heal, and in freer soils salad burnet.

Finally for those grasses, a diverse range of flowering times in the rye grass has value for grazing but not cutting. Tetraploid ryegrasses are impressive for silaging but longevity is surpassed by timothy grass. Cocksfoot has value in drier, more challenging environments, but careful management is essential to avoid clumpiness. Some of the fine fescues can support a denser canopy closer to the soil, particularly relevant for sheep grazing.

Plant diversity supports more resilient system, forage supply is better maintained under extreme conditions and the plant community in your fields will return from a climatic shock more rapidly.

Many farmers we have spoken to like herbal leys, why? Because they provide a more stable supply of forage, and the stock can get on the land earlier in the year and can graze for longer near the close of the year. This provides considerable savings in housing, and also reduces the need to buffer feed in periods of drought.

There is limited evidence across herbal leys, whether 3 species or 30 species that forage or silage quality is better or worse than rye grass and white clover. However, there is much anecdotal evidence that herd health is superior. Sheep seem to particular benefit from a diet of herbal leys.

These production efficiencies will improve your carbon footprint, but it is the effect of the diverse rooting systems of herbal leys that get us most excited. Herbal leys increase soil organic matter in excess of what is achievable with a ryegrass and white clover ley particular at sampling depths of 10-30cm. This additional carbon sequestration will again benefit your carbon footprint.

Finally, maintaining species diversity in herbal leys requires a paddock-style grazing system but I think that is for another day…