Know How / Regenerative agriculture

Regenerative farming, or conservation farming, was once considered a system for mavericks, but is becoming more mainstream now that farm payments will focus on environmental practices. At its heart, regen farming is all about soil health, encompassing practices such as no-till, cover cropping, mob grazing and livestock in the arable rotation. There is no one system-fits-all, rather a vision to rebuild degraded soil biodiversity to lock in carbon, improve the water cycle and encourage biodiversity.

Practical advice

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COVER CROPS

A guide to catch cropping before autumn cereals

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…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Guide to soil biology and how to protect it

Many farms are closer to being “regenerative” than they might think, says a leading soil scientist. Ian Bell of Northern Soil Regen told delegates at Carbon Calling in Cumbria last…

LIVESTOCK

How regen practices can help cut inputs for livestock farmers

Regenerative farming can present an opportunity for dairy and mixed farms to lower production costs and greenhouse gases by reducing reliance on synthetic fertiliser and supplementary feed. Stephanie Race, founder…

SOILS

5 steps to introducing a no-till approach on arable farms

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…

WEED MANAGEMENT

Tips on tackling five weed issues in no-till systems

Radical effects on weed populations and their management are seen in low-disturbance and no-till systems, reflecting that they involve far more than just changing the drill.  Niab weed expert John…

SOILS

Regenerative agriculture: Tips on building carbon-rich soils

Carbon-rich soils that are high in organic matter bring many advantages, from higher yields, lower inputs and reduced costs to more resilience to climate instability – as well as more…

ARABLE

Regenerative agriculture: What to avoid and how to start

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…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

8 steps to get started with regen grassland management

A shift towards regenerative and more holistic grazing systems is enabling farmers to build greater resilience to fluctuations in weather patterns and market prices by working more closely with nature…

Insights

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Regen farming videos

Groundswell 2022

See all our coverage from Groundswell 2022, the UK event for farmers interested in regenerative and conservation agriculture.
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Case studies

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SOILS

How costs are falling for one regen farmer

The two big expenses on an arable farm – fuel and fertiliser – have been reduced significantly since Cambridgeshire grower David White decided to stop cultivating and move to a…

SHEEP

£40 a lamb profit forecast from arable farm's spin-off

Bringing sheep onto a Hertfordshire farm to graze multispecies leys and cover crops has helped improve soils and control blackgrass on the arable land, while becoming a profitable livestock enterprise…

ARABLE

A regenerative farmer's reservations on carbon trading

Carbon trading has become a hot topic, as farm payments transition across to rewarding farm businesses for investing in natural capital on their land. However, many farmers disagree on whether…

ARABLE

3 arable farmers, 3 regenerative agriculture journeys

Preparing their businesses for the post-Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) world is the driving aim for three arable farmers at different stages of their regenerative agriculture journey, as they look to…

AGRICULTURAL TRANSITION

Durham Estate team commits to regenerative agriculture

Raby Estate in County Durham has committed to rolling out regenerative agriculture on its 1,250ha farm and building a legacy for future generations. Farm manager Philip Vickers, one of our…

MAIZE

How maize undersown with grass provides two-fold benefit

For the past six years, David Pursey has undersown maize with Italian ryegrass to protect against soil erosion and provide a post-lambing spring bite for ewes and lambs. “We decided…

SOILS

Regen ag: Why farmers need to give the system time to deliver

Farmers who have begun putting regenerative farming in practice are becoming more confident about the system and are finding that the rewards vastly outweigh the risks. Farmers Weekly spoke to…

ARABLE

Video: Why cows and trees are part of Essex arable business

George Young is making big changes to his arable business with nature at its heart. Read the full report and watch the videos for more detail on his tree planting…