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Everyone has a slightly different recipe or method for making compost, and it’s perhaps a little trickier than it seems. But get it right and you have an extremely valuable…
Twenty-five years ago, when the term "net zero" was barely known, south Oxfordshire farm manager Simon Beddows unknowingly began his carbon-cutting journey when he took the plunge to reduce cultivations…
Costs are up more than 20% for Cornish salad potato grower Phil Rogers, in a showery planting season which has required further costly cultivations to ensure perfect seed-bed conditions. Two…
Shropshire arable and pig farmer Harry Heath has begun a journey into the world of agroecology in the hope it will future-proof his business, having made the difficult decision to…
Yorkshire contractor Richard Scholes knew his contracting business had to adapt when the Farming Rules For Water legislation prohibited a number of autumn manure applications*. Faced with soaring fertiliser costs,…
Applying to be part of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) pilot made more financial sense for Oxfordshire farmer Ben Adams than entering a Mid Tier Countryside Stewardship (CS) agreement. After…
While many farmers are growing cover crops over winter before spring crops, there is also the possibility of establishing a catch crop between harvest and an autumn-drilled crop. The key…
Farmer-led organisation Base-UK will be recommending a five-stage approach to adopting regenerative farming at Cereals, for growers looking to start their no-till journey. The five steps are: 1. Have a…
Building biology on your farm doesn’t need to cost the earth, although it does require a level of patience. There is more than one way to increase microbial activity in…
As fertiliser costs spiral, Hampshire arable grower Ian Margetts is looking to cut nitrogen applications on his spring malting barley by up to 15% this season, as a result of…
Farmers considering the move to a regenerative farming system must have a plan and introduce gradual changes, or there’s a danger that they will expose their businesses to an unacceptable…
Timing is essential when terminating cover crops, go too soon and limit the amount of biomass accumulation and rooting, whereas leaving it too late on heavy land can lead to…
Soil organic matter underpins soil health, providing numerous benefits to its physical and chemical properties. But what is it, and how can farmers effectively increase levels to get the most…
A soil nitrogen (N) test that has been available for the past 20 years is in line to have its most successful season ever, not just because of sky-high fertiliser…
Growing phacelia or oil radish cover crops in vegetable rotations proved to be the most effective cover option in a trial investigating 26 different species and varieties. Run by Agri-Tech…
Growers looking to cut back on fertiliser rates next spring because of the high prices are being advised to take a field-by-field approach. Last year, fertiliser costs averaged about 65p/kg…
Cultivation measures need to evolve in-line with the increasing move towards regenerative agricultural practice. And independent soil and cultivations consultant Philip Wright will be offering his top tips on maintaining…
Bioenergy crops have the potential to fill the income gap resulting from the phasing out of Basic Payment Scheme funding payments in the coming years, and they also bring other…
Latest results from the Groundswell benchmarking group show that everything is lower in a regenerative agriculture system, except for the all-important net margin. Variable costs are 18% lower, while labour…
From government-backed schemes to voluntary private markets, there has been an explosion of interest in developing carbon and additional ecosystem service credits that could provide a new income stream for…
The first UK-certified soil carbon offsetting scheme is available to farmers who use regenerative agriculture practices, offering them a commercial opportunity worth up to £100/ha from sequestering carbon in their…
It feels like a perfect storm: the urgency of climate change, the global surge in interest in regenerative agricultural practices and the need for new income streams. They are all…
The UK’s first carbon mapping service, capable of providing an accurate baseline measure of soil carbon levels, is now available to farmers. The technology, known as Terramap Carbon, will gauge…
Fermenting organic matter in a similar way to ensiling grass, rather than composting waste, can lead to greater improvements in soil health while at the same time helping farmers to…
