sustainability

Sustainability may be a ‘buzz word’ in many conversations concerning agriculture at the moment, but what does it mean to farmers at the coal face?

The chemical element carbon has some notable properties. It exists in pure form but also combines with other elements to form more compounds than all other elements combined.

Now is the time for farmers and agronomists to act to address carbon footprint on farms, according to Farmacy agronomist and service leader Matt Ward.

Foxburrow Farm, a mixed arable and livestock farm in Norfolk, has reduced its carbon footprint as a result of changes to its cultivation strategy, the consequent reduction in time spent on the land, Controlled Traffic Management and decreased herbicide and insecticide use.

New Holland is in the final stages of bringing a methane-powered version of its T6-180 tractor to market which will deliver impressive reductions in particulates, nitrous oxide and CO2, reduced running costs and a resulting reduction in carbon footprint.

The principles behind Horsch are at the heart of a good carbon management strategy. Founded in 1984, Horsch says its focus has always been on no-till and min-till farming.

Ben Sell, who is based at a 300-hectare family-run farm close to the New Holland factory at Basildon and runs a farming and contracting operation with his family, has been one of a small group of tractor users testing the pre-production T6.180 Methane Power tractor.

Origin Fertilisers is supporting farmers in reducing their carbon footprint and increasing the sustainability of farming through its NUTRI-CO2OL® service and NUTRI-MATCH tools.

To set the record straight about agriculture and climate change, Hannah Binns asks Dr Ceris Jones, NFU climate change adviser, to dispel the most common myths.

Prof Judy Buttriss, director general of the British Nutrition Foundation, tells Hannah Binns how messaging around sustainable nutrition could support UK agriculture.