Tag: sustainability

From Soya to Sustainability Conference

Posted on December 13, 2024 by - News

From Soya to Sustainability Logo

A new event is setting out to drive the transition to a more sustainable, resilient and secure
food system in the UK through reduced dependency on imported soya. This event is part of the Nitrogen Climate Smart Project, in which the Farm Carbon Toolkit is a project partner.

‘From Soya to Sustainability’ will be held on January 22, 2025 at KingsGate Conference
Centre, Peterborough. It will bring together farmers, processors, manufacturers, researchers,
policymakers and industry leaders to explore innovative strategies for integrating beans and
other pulses into livestock diets, reducing the need for imported soya.

Headline speaker Philip Lymbery will emphasise the urgent need for change in our food
systems. Philip is Global Chief Executive of Compassion in World Farming and author of
Sixty Harvests Left: How to Reach a Nature-Friendly Future with other roles including visiting
Professor at the University of Winchester. He was appointed UN ambassadorial ‘Champion’
for the 2021 Food Systems Summit in New York and co-lead of its Sustainable Livestock
Solutions Cluster.

Other speakers will include experts leading the charge for reduced use of soya in the UK
who will share the latest research and innovations in the production and use of peas and
beans.

There will also be ample networking opportunities enabling delegates to connect with like-
minded experts from across the supply chain.

Roger Vickers of PGRO and lead of the NCS Project which is coordinating the event said:

“This event is a call to action for all in the agri-food supply chain to play their part in the
move from soya to sustainability, which is urgently needed if we are to reduce our
environmental impact.

“Growing more pulse crops in the UK and using them in livestock feed would help tackle our
dependency on imported soya while also promoting agricultural practices that benefit
farmers and the environment. There are multiple wins, but it is not an easy fix.

“We need urgent and concerted action across the supply chain if we are to make a
difference. I encourage anyone working in the agri-food supply chain to attend and be part of
a movement for change.”

To find out more and secure tickets, visit ncsproject.co.uk

From Soya to Sustainability Logo

ENDS

Notes to editors:

All press enquiries for NCS and From Soya to Sustainability should be directed to Clemmie Gleeson
clemmie@bofin.org.uk

A selection of high-resolution pictures, including photos of key project representatives, general shots
of pulse and legume crops and logos can be found here.

From Soya to Sustainability is organised by partners in the NCS Project.

Nitrogen Efficient Plants for Climate Smart Arable Cropping Systems (NCS) is a four-year £5.9M
research programme involving 200 UK farms and 17 partners.

The project aims to bring about a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for UK agriculture through increasing pulse and legume cropping in arable rotations to 20% across the UK and replacing 50% of imported soya meal used in livestock feed rations with home-grown legumes.

The project is steered by science and proven by real farm enterprises, with significant benefits for both
crop and livestock productivity, including cost savings of over £1bn/yr.

PGRO (Processors and Growers Research Organisation) leads the consortium that includes AB Agri,
ADAS, Agrii, BOFIN (British On-Farm Innovation Network), Cranfield University, Farm Carbon Toolkit,
Firstmilk, GWCT (Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust), The James Hutton Institute, Kelvin Cave,
LC Beef Nutrition, LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming), McArthur BDC, PBL Technology, SRUC
and Wessex Water.

The NCS Project is funded by the Farming Futures R&D Fund: Climate smart farming, part of Defra’s
Farming Innovation Programme. Defra are working in partnership with Innovate UK who are delivering
the programme. Project number: 10043778

Innovate UK is the UK’s national innovation agency. It supports business-led innovation in all sectors,
technologies and UK regions, helping businesses grow through the development and
commercialisation of new products, processes, and services. ukri.org

Farmers are encouraged to join the PulsePEP community, a platform and knowledge exchange hub.
For more, visit ncsproject.co.uk

Farm Net Zero at Oxford Real Farming Conference 2024

Posted on January 20, 2024 by - News, Farm Net Zero

An intrepid band of Farm Net Zero farmers and project staff made their way to Oxford for the Real Farming Conference where we were presenting a session called “It Takes a Farm Community to be Net Zero: A Case Study from Cornwall”. This was a sell-out, with people queuing to get in, and helped to demonstrate the excellent work the FNZ farmers are doing as part of their communities. The film we produced was well-received, even earning a “whoop” from the crowd! It is available to watch here: https://farmcarbontoolkit.org.uk/2024/01/18/five-farms-in-cornwall/. 

As well as the impressive range of sessions we were able to attend (covering everything from the role of vets in ecological sustainability to farm succession planning), we watched the premiere of “Six Inches of Soil” – a new film about farming starring Farm Net Zero monitor farmer Ben Thomas and featuring Farm Net Zero’s own Hannah Jones.

Premiere of “Six Inches of Soil”

Sheep – how well adapted are your livestock for your management and environment?

Posted on July 15, 2023 by - Insights

Blog written by Rob Purdew and Hannah Jones

In the absence of sophisticated pharmaceuticals and feed blends, local breeds were historically adapted to their local environment. These adaptations included the ability to withstand weather extremes, the local pest or parasite burden, and the ability to finish on local, often low quality, forage. Local breeds, from Herdwick to Norfolk Horns, were selected for generations and identified as the most efficient livestock for their specific set of conditions.

On the cliff tops of Cornwall, highland cattle are the one of the stalwart cattle breeds for scrub management, where season long grazing results in an average 0.5kg growth rate a day. The same animal in a shed with silage and a more tailored ration will continue to grow at 0.5kg per day with much higher associated costs. Unpicking the carbon footprint integrates the sequestration potential of that scrub, soil management, no bought in feed and the added benefit of habitat provision. The animals may finish older, but as I was told once by a farmer “go for optimum not maximum”, in the scrub environment the highlands were profitable.

A recent event at Trefranck farm, showcasing the innovative work between Matt and Pip Smith with the Castle Vets and Moredun research (funded by Innovate UK) has brought another exciting perspective on sustainability, through the breeding of worm tolerance in Romney sheep. With a careful eye on welfare throughout the project, the first insights into breeding for tolerance to worm load has been unpicked.

Tolerance to worm burden is defined as the ability of a lamb to maintain weight gain irrespective of worm burden. Those lambs with the desirable genetics showed the least growth penalty in the presence of an average worm burden. A comparison of finishing time showed that there was a 10 day difference between the least and the most tolerant lambs. When extrapolated across a whole flock this represents a significant reduction in both forage costs and carbon footprint. This research is driven by the need to address the huge problem of anthelmintic resistance found in roundworms in UK sheep populations, and further incorporates guidelines on targeted selective treatment to ensure the selection of resistant worms in pastures is impeded. Good breeding, alongside good management of pasture environment and animal movement will improve welfare and reduce loss of productivity from worm burden.

Reducing overheads, and your carbon footprint can be achieved by doing the basics –  the right breed in the right environment – and doing it really well.