Publications

In February the Government announced they were adding 6 new SFI (Sustainable Farming Incentive) Standards during 2023. A Hedgerow Standard has been included in the scheme which aims to help the government progress towards their environment and climate goals. This insight explores the government aims for hedgerows, the grants available under Countryside Stewardship (CS) and the new SFI Hedgerow Standard and what they could mean for your hedgerow management.

Restrictions on winter slurry spreading to prevent pollution and the greater need to make more efficient use of farm nutrients because of rising fertiliser costs means all dairy farmers should be thinking about whether their slurry storage is optimised. The fact grants for six months' worth of covered storage should become available later this year also means it's an area well worth considering. This dairy insight is designed to be read alongside Slurry Storage – Covers.

The use of acidification or pH reduction systems to lower the pH of slurry is increasingly being talked about by Government as a means of hitting ammonia and methane reduction targets. In fact, acidification equipment was listed as one of the big budget items eligible for the Improving Farm Productivity Grant released at the start of the year. Slurry acidification boosts the available nutrient value of slurry, whilst also potentially removing the need to cover slurry stores. However, this high-cost system comes with technical challenges, health and safety risks and needs careful consideration.

Urea fertiliser can be a cost-effective alternative to ammonium nitrate (AN) in some circumstances. However, a recent government consultation has cast doubt on its future role in agriculture following concerns over its contribution to ammonia emissions. Until decisions are made on its future, there are steps farmers can take to optimise its use and reduce environmental risk. This DAIRY insight explores the use of Urea as a source of nitrogen fertiliser.

Dramatically reducing nitrogen application rates in an attempt to save costs in light of escalating fertiliser prices could potentially be a false economy compromising forage production and feed costs. Instead, the focus should be on understanding and making the most of home-produced nutrients, together with targeted, early application of nitrogen to achieve the biggest return on investment. This dairy insight explores the benefits of nitrogen for grass and how to apply.

Understanding the value of home produced nutrients and balancing them with bought-in fertiliser as part of a Nutrient Management Plan has never been so important considering rising input costs. 'Making the most of nitrogen for grass – Part 1' looked at the value of nitrogen and when to apply. This Dairy Insight gives an overview of how to design a Nutrition Management Plan using The Nutrient Management Guide (RB209). In doing so, farmers will be able to make efficient use of nitrogen, whilst protecting the environment.

The costs of ammonium nitrate and urea have more than doubled in the last year, taking prices to over £500 and £600 per tonne respectively. Optimising fertiliser use should therefore be at the forefront of every farmer's mind. With grass being the cheapest feed on the farm, paying attention to detail for efficient production is crucial to maximising margins. This DAIRY insight explores what you can do on your farm to ensure soils are working well, organic manures are used efficiently and fertiliser plans are carefully calculated to make the best use of costly fertilisers.

Some of the UK's most precious and valued habitats such as woodland, peatland, grassland and saltmarshes remove vast amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it as carbon, having a positive impact on climate change. However, it's not just near-natural habitats that have this ability: improved grassland, arable soils, plantation forestry, hedgerows, agro-forestry, and other managed landscapes hold immense potential to continually remove and store carbon. This business insight explores how these carbon sinks can potentially be a source of income.

Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) has become a bit of a buzz word in the industry. This may have prompted you to investigate the SOC within your own soils, or it may be something that you are considering. After all, if you put aside the current interest in carbon from an environmental angle, farmers ought to be focussed on maintaining or increasing the carbon in their soils, from the standpoint that soils with a high level of carbon are healthy soils – all the more reason to understand the SOC levels in your soils. In this DAIRY insight we look at interpreting your SOC analysis and using the results to benchmark your soil, to help you make informed decisions on how to maintain or improve SOC going forward.

In order to achieve Net Zero by 2040, British Farming needs to capture more carbon (C). Hedgerows, woodland and soils have all been identified as key areas for C-sequestration (permanent removal of C from the atmosphere). Grassland has a major role to play, because unlike woodland, where the majority of C is stored in the vegetation, as much as 90% of the C in pasture is located in the soil. In this DAIRY insight we look at why you might want to measure your soil organic carbon (SOC), what analysis is available, taking an accurate soil sample and what else you might want to measure.

An average of 13,000 tons of plastic is produced by UK farms each year. Reducing waste on your farm can reduce costs, reduce time as well as being better for the environment. This DAIRY insight covers; ways to reduce plastic waste, the laws surrounding waste, how to reuse and recycle plastic, farm plastic schemes and plastic alternatives.

This Soil Carbon Report, 'Soil – completing the carbon jigsaw' combines the key findings from the Kingshay Soil Organic Carbon Project, alongside other research and knowledge. The aim of the project was to better understand the current soil organic carbon (SOC) levels of grassland soils and gain a better knowledge of carbon sequestration and how management practices on farm may influence carbon levels. It is intended to be a practical guide for farmers who want to improve or maintain soil organic carbon in their grassland soils. This report will help farmers to understand how they can play their part in climate change mitigation whilst improving the health of their soil, having a positive impact on their profitability.