Practical Sustainability What’s in it for you? Dr Nigel Davies – Manufacturing and Sustainability Director

Emissions from Agriculture What are our targets?

GHG Emissions Reduction from Crops Government View Nitrogen measurement and use

• 40% farms have no nitrogen management plan (26% by area) • Highest N emissions from soils is where N application is high

or soils warm and wet • Use of nitrification inhibitors – cost effective?

Precision Farming • 22% use GPs; 20% use soil mapping for nitrogen • 50% of farmers say GPS is too expensive

Plant Breeding • Greater influence of root soil interaction • Breeding for nitrification inhibition in spring barley (JHI)

GHG Emissions Reduction from Crops Government View

Soil Organic Carbon • No- or reduced-till can increase soil organic carbon? Latest

studies suggests it is the same but redistributed differently • Soil C storage too risky due to potential run-off and risk of

subsequent nitrous emissions

Policy / Legislation • Roadmap of voluntary measures • Sustainable Intensification support • Possible legislation planning in 2016 for 2028-2032

“Our farmers are making an important commitment to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and we will continue to support them to achieve this … I expect the partner organisations to show clear leadership as industry works to meet this challenge.” Sir James Paice, 2012

GHG Emissions Reduction from Crops Priorities identified and by whom

10cm

6m drill on a 24m tramline

Manual No

guidance

Medium SF2/HP 10cm

+/- 5cm

RTK +/- 2cm

Effective drill

width m 5.75 5.9 5.98

Effective

tramlines m 23 23.6 23.92

Overlap

% 4 1.6 0.33

2cm

25cm

A Tape Measure Saves GHG and Money

Slide courtesy of Ian Beecher-Jones

2cm

25cm

Does it make a supply chain saving?

Data courtesy of Ian Beecher-Jones: Figures adapted from HGCA Research Review 71 – page 27 Report authors: Stuart Knight, Paul Miller & Jim Orson

SF: StarFire is a wide-area differential GPS developed by John Deere's NavCom and precision farming groups

RTK: Real Time Kinematic

Slide courtesy of Ian Beecher-Jones

Fertiliser Spreader Control

Slide courtesy of Ian Beecher-Jones

Tractor mounted sensing

Carbon Footprint of Malted Ingredients A common currency

Emissions from Crops Analysis

Carbon Footprint: Scopes 1-3

Fuel 17%

N2O from

Soil 35%

N fertiliser

48%

Difference between models

6%

.. becoming a ‘low carbon grower’ should not add cost to the production of malting barley …

Use of abated nitrogen fertiliser

Precision farming techniques that result in more efficient use of/reduction of inputs

Use of Green compost to comply with PAS100 ** to improve soil structure/reduce the inorganic fertiliser used

Use of alternative fertilisers that comply with PAS110**

Nitrogen fixing cover crops

Adherence to Conservation Grade/LEAF protocols to improve biodiversity

Compliance with the SAI Platform Protocol

To qualify as ‘low carbon’ growers must adhere to at least TWO of the following*

** No onions or other products known to taint grain are permitted

* In addition to completing a carbon footprint form

300

290

280

270

260

250

Which areas have the greatest impact? YIELD

+20%

300

TRACTOR HOURS -20%

CAN – 20%

LOW CARBON CAN

264

253

205

240

230

220

190

180

170

160

150

210

200

CA

RB

ON

FOO

TPR

INT O

F MA

LTING

BA

RLEY

kg C

O2

eq

Base level

301kg CO2 eq/tonne

Choice of Fertiliser Matters

Urea-based fertilisers generate more carbon footprint than solid ammonium nitrate. BUT …… Urea in production has the lowest carbon emission. So control of emissions in soil e.g urease inhibitors can change the balance

Cost effective Choices?

Urease inhibitor – why? If Urea applied when it is dry can lose 30% effective N in 72h

Nitrification inhibitor – why? Prevents loss of ammonium to nitrate which is easily leached

Range of Carbon Footprints of Farms Supplying Malting Barley

Example Carbon Footprints from HGCA Case Studies

Anaerobic digestion: Cradle to Cradle

BARLEY

MALT BIO-FERTILISER

MALT EXTRACT

Farmer Sustainability Group meetings What has been discussed so far

Topics identified • Cover Crops • Compost Use • Water Use • Precision Farming • External certification

Issues: • Implications of low carbon barley

supply contract • Emphasise this will not cost

farmers more • Must not disadvantage us in

securing the quality and quantity of barley we procure

• Report back to our farmers about how low carbon barley production can be achieved

LEARN: Chosen specialist topic : You will learn something new

Future Farmer Sustainability Group meetings What You Should Expect

SHARE: Experiences of applying different sustainable options

IMPROVE: You must be enabled to improve your ability to implement sustainable farming practices