Group 3 winter wheat Bamford outyielded LG Astronomer, despite early N sampling tests recording the Astronomer crop as containing a higher amount of N.

Independent seed breeder Elsoms Seeds, in collaboration with German seed breeder Saaten Union, launched a series of trials in 2020 looking at N efficiency in all their candidate varieties and near market lines, Elsoms technical manager George Goodwin confirmed.

“Elsom’s company ambition is ‘Grow more from less’ and the best way to achieve that is to observe how varieties react to Nitrogen in response to differing timings and volumes,” he said.

According to Mr Goodwin, the trials aimed to identify how far N inputs could be reduced without having a drastic effect on yield or quality. Other than determining which varieties are the most N efficient, the findings also revealed the reasons for this increased efficiency, enabling the team to isolate specific genetic traits for future cross breeding.

“The key benefit to our growers is that we can then offer them specific husbandry advice when the variety becomes commercialised, saving them money on the cost of N and potentially time, if we can reduce the number of N applications from 3 to 2 on certain varieties,” he added.

Having run the trials across two sites over the last three years, Saaten Union UK cereal product manager Andrew Creasy believes the data set will enable arable farmers to increase crop productivity while reducing artificial inputs.

“Over the last 3 years, we’ve annually assessed 10 different winter wheat varieties including 3 controls, across 4 different Nitrogen regimes. The rates we looked at were zero N, 85kg of N – early applied, 150kg of N applied in 2 splits, and finally 200kg of N applied in 3 splits of 50, 100 and then 50kg.

“Trials were replicated twice each year, on heavy soils at our Cowlinge trial site, and then on lighter soils at our site near Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk to give us the widest performance comparison across different soil types,” he added.

While the research is still ongoing, Mr Creasy revealed several important discoveries that have already been made.

“One significant result is that of the varieties we’ve trialled, many with French and German parentage, have yielded better when 150kg of N is applied early in the season in 2 splits, than under the longer 3-phase approach of applying 200kg of N.

“Given the recent predominance of dry spring and summer weather it’s clear that much of the late applied N is not getting into the plants due to a lack of soil moisture. However, there’s also enough evidence in the data to suggest that the varieties with German and French parentage perform much better when N is front loaded, regardless of weather conditions – given that not every year has been consistently dry between 2020 and 2022.

“The 2021 N efficiency trials also gave us a revealing insight into optimising yields from the Group 2 milling wheat Mayflower. When 85kg of N was applied early, Mayflower outyielded competitor variety KWS Extase and when both varieties received 150kg of N, applied early across 2 splits, there was no difference in yield between the 2 varieties,” he explained.

Alongside Mayflower, other varieties have also demonstrated positive effects, Mr Creasy added.

“In the 2022 trial, the Group 3 wheat Bamford outyielded LG Astronomer, despite early N sampling tests recording Astronomer as containing a higher amount of N than Bamford at the early flag leaf growth stage.

“This demonstrated that Bamford was able to make better use of its N than Astronomer in the same growing conditions, and across all input regimes, in 2 different sites,” he remarked.

The performance of Bamford and LG Astronomer in the 2022 trials is illustrated in the graph below:

Graph comparing Bamford and Astronomer yield based on 2022 trials.

Commenting on the results, Mr Creasy said: “Taking varieties out of their comfort zone to find their optimum level of N for yield and quality is a significant step forward when looking to develop new varieties that are able to express the same use efficiency characteristics.

“Our future objective will be to pass this key husbandry advice onto agronomists and growers to support them in their variety decision making process,” he concluded.

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The source of sulphur applied makes a big difference. Elemental sulphur has to undergo an oxidation process before it becomes plant-available, this is weather-dependent and could take up to 6 weeks in the spring. Sulphur in the sulphate form is plant-available and therefore the crop can utilise it quickly and efficiently.

Sulphur also increases nitrogen use efficiency, for plants to utilise nitrogen correctly sufficient sulphur levels are required, this is due to the close relationship between the two nutrients. When applying sulphur it should go on little and often, the same way you would apply your nitrogen, because it has the same leachability characteristics in the soil. The addition of sulphur applied in this way typically increases the yield by an average of 0.50-0.85t/ha for oilseed and wheat.

Quality of the product is also a key factor for buying decisions. Does it spread the required distance evenly to give a good spread pattern? Fertiliser is a big investment therefore buying a product that has a good CV, hard granules/prills (no dust), uniform size and shape (no segregation), all nutrients in one granule/prill (even nutrition in the field) and a low emissions means an overall reliable return on investment.

YaraBela Axan (27%N 9% SO₃) is a high-quality NS compound which delivers these attributes and more. It is ideal for a multitude of crops when applied throughout the growing season, reducing the requirement of straight nitrogen, for a more efficiently grown crop.

YaraBela Axan

Thinking now of phosphate, research of how P behaves in the soil shows it doesn’t become significantly plant-available until soils reach a temperature of 8°C and above. If we think of soils at the end of February, they’re not likely to have reached this temperature, therefore we are feeding the crops with nitrogen and encouraging growth without them being able to access P from the soil. Couple this with a potentially poor root system and the crop can soon begin to struggle.

The way to combat this is to apply some fresh P in the spring, even if it is a small amount such as 35kg/ha, to give the crop an available source of P whilst it’s waiting for soils to warm up, where it will then be able to access soil-P.

For a simple and effective approach, using a compound NPKS such as YaraMila 52S (20.6-8.2-11.6 + 6.5% SO₃) at the first nitrogen timing in the spring will give the crop the 4 key nutrients it requires at the start of its regrowth and set it up for increasing its biomass successfully.

YaraMila 52S into spreader

Whether you drilled cereals early or late, foliar phosphate is an efficient way of getting the nutrient into the plant to aid root growth.

Later drilled crops, in particular, don’t have as long to establish much biomass i.e. decent root systems, before the soils cool and the crops slow down growth for the winter. Phosphate is well-known for its role in plant root development but isn’t plant-available once soil temperatures start to drop. It also easily gets locked up in the soil, with up to 40% of an application of MAP/DAP locked up 2 weeks after application due to becoming attached to ions (such as Al, Fe, Ca) in the soil.

A more effective method of getting phosphate into the plant, when it has a limited root system, is to apply it as a foliar spray. Foliar phosphate uptake is much more efficient when the roots aren’t able to access soil-P, meaning that the later drilled crops can access it.

A micronutrient mixture, YaraVita Maize Boost, is a particularly useful product for application to cereals in the autumn. It not only contains P and K but also zinc and magnesium, both of which aid establishment and help reduce levels of disease infection within a plant.

Independent trial work carried out on two sites in 2021 gave an average yield increase of 1.2t/ha from an application of 3.0l/ha Maize Boost in the autumn, followed by 2.0l/ha Gramitrel in the spring. Another trial in 2022 showed that an application of Maize Boost at T0 followed by Gramitrel (same rates as before) gave 0.6t/ha yield increase. Therefore, whether you can apply Maize Boost in the autumn or early in the spring at T0, there are good returns with an average yield increase of nearly 1t/ha, making it well worth the investment.

Yara Agronomist Natalie Wood

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1. Sulphur – the all-important sidekick

The winter wheat trial compared an ammonium nitrate fertiliser (YaraBela EXTRAN) with a nitrogen and sulphur fertiliser (YaraBela AXAN). The sulphur product delivered a 0.3 tonnes per hectare yield increase. The same increase occurred on the same site when comparing urea versus urea with sulphur. “Vitally, sulphur boosts nitrogen use efficiency,” Natalie explains.

Of course, Yara is in the same boat as farmers when it comes to the weather, so it carries out its trials over several years to get an average. “One year we saw a difference of 1.4 tonnes per hectare, which is an amazing response. Yes, it’s an outlier, but it goes to show that some sites will be that responsive.” Natalie adds, “Nitrogen’s not cheap, but by having the sulphur there with it, you will ensure you’re going to make the most of it.”

2. Nitrogen – can a result be too good?

Yara’s research on nitrogen stretches back nearly 50 years, and every year new trials add to their findings.

“The long range is so useful because we can look back and find a year with similar conditions and work out what to expect as the optimum for this year, taking into account the price,” Natalie says.

But some of Yara’s 2022 research considers a newer iteration of nitrogen: foliar nitrogen. There’s been a buzz around the topic over the past couple of years, so it was an important focus in 2022.

The foliar nitrogen dose response trial

• Wheat was treated with 60kg of straight N followed by 40kg
• Next it was treated with a 300g/l foliar nitrogen fertiliser (YaraVita Safe-N) – one application at growth stage 37 and another at growth stage 45.

“This is the second year that we’ve done this trial,” Natalie says. “There was some variation between 2021 and 2022 but the key message was that the nitrogen use efficiency was much too high – it was at 120%. At 100% and above, what’s happening is you’ve started to mine the inherent soil fertility.”

Natalie emphasises growers should be careful with that risk. “Farmers have spent recent years focusing on building soil fertility, and foliar nitrogen can deplete in one year what’s been built up in several.”

Natalie then went on to highlight another potential issue with foliar nitrogen when it comes to protein levels. “In grain analysis, we found a significant drop in the protein levels from that foliar application, suggesting foliar nitrogen probably isn’t the right product if protein is your goal.”

3. Micronutrients – part of a powerful mix

Yara have various trials running on their micronutrient fertiliser range – YaraVita. “In a potato trial, we looked at the effects of combining micronutrients and biostimulants. We know they can make a slight difference on their own, but wanted to see what they can do when paired together.”

The trial compared a control, with YaraVita MAGPHOS K (a liquid fertiliser containing phosphate, potash and magnesium), and YaraVita MAGPHOS K plus a biostimulant. The results were compelling.

Adding MAGPHOS K increased the marketable yield by 4 tonnes per hectare. Adding both MAGPHOS K and the bio stimulant increased yields by a further 4 tonnes per hectare, creating a huge 8-tonne difference compared to the control.

Natalie acknowledges that many potato growers really suffered in 2022, but it seems this trial avoided the worst of the issues. “These are certainly some very encouraging results, but this is the first year of this particular trial, so naturally we’ll run some more trials on it to make sure the data’s robust.”

Natalie’s three key takeaways for farmers

1. Foliar nitrogen isn’t a magic wand:“There are good stories out there, but make sure you don’t take too much from your soil. Keep on top of monitoring, and be mindful about protein.”
2. What’s your switch strategy:“If you’re switching to a new variety, bear in mind that different varieties can have different nitrogen use efficiency.”
3. Do your own trials on your own farm:“If you’re deliberating over biostimulants or micronutrient mixtures, set up your own trial. It’s the perfect way to test your options whilst adding minimal risk into your strategy. In addition, zero-nitrogen plots are a good way of monitoring nitrogen and mineralisation on your own fields.”

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The meeting, featuring inspiring presentations from speakers involved in farmer-led research, aimed to find solutions to the ongoing fertiliser crisis that continues to impose considerable strain on the agricultural sector.

Jerry Alford, senior farming advisor at the Soil Association, opened the session by introducing the Innovative Farmers network and its role in creating more on-farm fertility production to reduce the scale of fertiliser inputs.

Putting the soil before the product can go a long way

Offering a unique perspective on the issue at hand, market gardener Amelia Lake provided delegates with detailed insight into the operations of her small but mighty Real Food Garden business in Cornwall.

From humble beginnings starting out with less than two acres of land, Ms Lake’s market garden grew into a thriving business selling produce via an on-site farm shop and veg box scheme. Between June and January each year, an impressive 55-60 veg boxes are produced per week, which is made possible by the smarter utilisation of available space.

Ms Lake explained that, by taking a restorative and holistic approach to soil health, she and her partner Chloe have been able to build resilience in the soil over time and increase what the ground is able to give.

Almost from the beginning, the team of two have been involved with The Soil Carbon project, now known as Farm Net Zero, which works in collaboration with the Farm Carbon Toolkit. As a result, they have been better able to assess and monitor the soil, which has helped to demonstrate the viability of their approach.

“Through our carbon calculator, we know we’re locking in 31 tons of carbon every year, and the soil is sequestering 19 tonnes of that,” Ms Lake said. She added that there has also been a 1.1% increase in soil organic matter per annum, which is about ten times the average rate.

Nutrient density of the fresh produce is also being measured using a spectrometer and compared to organic products on retailer shelves. Ms Lake found the nutrient density of her produce to be consistently higher, which she attributes to the healthy soil foodweb at the garden.

“Instead of thinking about the product, we’re thinking about the soil,” she pointed out, saying the approach has been highly productive for the business so far.

With regards to increasing soil fertility, Ms Lake and her partner are conducting a two-year fertility building programme on designated areas, which involves rotating brassicas with non-brassica crops. The aim is to ultimately build organic matter and resilience in the soil through plant root growth as opposed to using compost.

Ms Lake also addressed tackling food waste at the Real Food Garden, saying she managed to close the loop on food waste by cultivating crop residue back into the soil and using chickens, sheep and pigs to turn it into manure.

Moreover, the garden has been using green waste compost (GWC) since its launch, which is high in carbon and a valuable food source for the food web. Not only does it enhance soil structure and fertility, but also improves soil pH which has been really valuable, Ms Lake explained.

However, GWC also has its downsides, in that it comes from off-farm and the labour to spread it is really significant for the business. Therefore, to make sure every kg of material is paying its weight, Ms Lake enrolled in a field lab led by Innovative Farmers and Farm Net Zero to find out if there is a way to increase biological activity in the compost.

The trial involves comparing GWC inoculated with hedge soil, home-made compost and wood chip material with an uninoculated control and looking at differences in crop yield and quality. Ms Lake said the aim is to develop a better compost in the same volume, or in other words, to use less of the same material with better results.

The results of the field lab will be released following the 2023 growing season. For more information and to follow the progress of the trial, visit: https://www.innovativefarmers.org/field-lab?id=cc682427-a840-ed11-81a8-005056ad0bd4

Untangling controversies around sheep and red clover

Gillian Preece, livestock farmer and senior agri consultant for ADAS, shared details of an Innovative Farmers project conducted to debunk a long-standing myth in the industry relating to mating breeding ewes on fields containing red clover (RC).

According to Ms Preece, the current recommendation is not to mate sheep on RC due to the legume’s phytoestrogen content. However, anecdotal evidence has so far indicated the practice shouldn’t cause issues, which goes directly against industry guidelines.

In the hope of uncovering the true facts and potentially remove barriers to sheep farmers rearing on RC, Ms Preece applied and got accepted to do an Innovative Farmers project investigating fertility issues in ewes relating to RC.

The trial involved four farms across the West Midlands and into Wales that have existing herbal leys containing RC and sheep of the same age, breed and history. Three weeks prior to tupping time, the flocks were each split into two groups, with one mating on sward containing RC and the other on non-RC.

Sward assessments revealed quite a large variation in RC content between the four farms. Ms Preece explained that the farmers have all planted herbal leys to comply with Countryside Stewardship guidelines, which require a minimum of 10% RC content. However, because they are in different years of establishment, the RC content of swards was uneven.

The results of the trial revealed no negative effects on ewe fertility when grazing swards containing an average of 18% RC (by fresh weight). Scanning results showed a 170% average scanning percentage in ewes on a grass-only diet versus 181% in ewes on RC. There was also no significant difference in barren rate between the two groups, Ms Preece added.

While the results indicate farmers can have confidence mating sheep on RC, Ms Preece pointed out the evidence is still insufficient to cause a change of attitude in the industry as the trial was conducted on only four farms and wasn’t fully controlled.

Therefore, she highlighted the need for further investigation so farmers and in particular vets, feed advisors and seed reps can have more confidence in the results.

Putting the trial into perspective, Ms Preece said: “There’s an increasing focus on the use of legumes within grassland systems to reduce nitrogen use and also to capitalise on environmental stewardship opportunities.

“We need to see more legumes be grown so we can ultimately reduce that reliance on artificial nitrogen within red meat production.”

Working towards improved nutrient cycling through better soil health

Next up, Matthew Izod, who farms a 500-acre conventional arable farm with his father just outside Chipping Norton, talked delegates through a couple of Innovative Farmers trials he has been involved in and the lessons learned so far.

The first trial, sponsored by Thames Water, is looking at the effects of a no-till & cover crop system on soil nutrient availability over a five-year period. While improvement has been negligible so far, Mr Izod noted the system takes a bit of time to work and is eager to see the results at the end of the trial.

The second project backed by AHDB tested the effects of a living mulch clover understory on the 2021 cropping season. According to Mr Izod, the clover established really well and acted as an effective weed deterrent for the cash crop as well as improving soil structure and providing ground cover after harvest.

Unfortunately, the mulch caused a major yield penalty, and so improved methods are needed to control it in the next trial, Mr Izod concluded.

Like many farmers, Mr Izod has been working to reduce the amount of fertiliser applied due to the major cost it incurs. Instead of the usual 200-250kg product/ha a year, the farm now uses 160 kg of product/ha with a reduced rate of liquid nitrogen. To increase the efficiency of fertiliser, Mr Izod also adds some Boost to the mix, which is a carbon and molasses-based fertiliser improver.

Tissue sampling is also carried out throughout the season to assess the nutritional needs of the crop. In addition, Mr Izod tested the soil for nutrient availability, which led to some profound realisations.

The results returned from the lab revealed that the amount of total nutrients present in the top layers of the soil (specifically potash, phosphorus and sulphur) is 20 to 200 times higher than the amount available to crops.

Therefore, instead of buying I artificial products, farmers need to focus on building fertility in the soil and making those nutrients available to the crop, Mr Izod pointed out. He added that nutrient cycling in the soil can be improved via the use of cover crops, especially legumes, as well as different drilling and cultivation strategies.

Improving rotation and integrating livestock on cover crops will be part of the solution, Mr Izod continued, saying they now cover 100% of the farm during winter. Sheep has been brought on farm in recent years to graze the cover crops and build soil fertility, and Mr Izod is looking to expand the size of his exiting flock.

Looking into the future, he said the ultimate goal is to have “a system where the livestock is working for me and the crops are working side-by-side.” Lastly, he reminded farmers while there is no quick fix to the fertiliser crisis, small changes can make a big difference.

The benefits of diverse forage crops for livestock and soil health

Last but not least, Sarah Whaley from the Farming Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) shared some fascinating findings from an ongoing Innovative Farmers field lab. In the role of project coordinator, she has been working closely with the four participating farmers in Devon and Somerset, as well as soil scientists and ecologists involved in the project.

Outlining the background to the trial, Ms Whaley said many farmers are dissatisfied with the current system of mono-culture forage crops for outwintering livestock as they provide minimal benefit to the soil and can actually deplete its health and cause structural issues like compaction.

Moreover, mono crops can be more susceptible to pests and diseases, requiring higher levels of chemical and fertiliser input. In addition, forage crops like kale provide insufficient fibre for sustaining livestock throughout winter, and farmers will need to supplementary feed hay which can be destructive to fields and adds to farmer workload.

A closer look to the 16-species mix on a trial field.

Ms Whaley pointed out that, although mono-culture winter brassicas produce reasonably reliable and low-cost forage, they under-deliver for soil health, water and the wider environment, animal welfare, public perception and farmer wellbeing. Therefore, the aim of the field lab has been to find and validate a diverse species mix solution as an alternative to winter grazing kale.

The trial was set up in May 2022 on two organic and two conventional farms in the South West. Each farm was required to drill 4 ha of a 16-species seed mix next to 4 ha of their usual winter forage crop.

The farmers selected for various traits in the seed mix, such as for soil benefit, winter hardiness, ecological benefit and birdseed. The full list of crops included in the diverse mix can be found on the Innovative Farmers website.

Cattle were weighed and body condition scored before the trial and have been monitored closely since the start of winter grazing in early November 2022. Soil sampling and testing was also performed before the trial and VESS scoring, earthworm counts, and rhizosheath development monitoring have also been carried out at regular intervals.

According to Ms Whaley, observations so far have shown significant improvements in soil health and biodiversity on diverse mix fields compared to kale.

The greater root biomass of the diverse mix has produced a much-improved soil structure on trial fields, with soil pit tests revealing an ideal chocolate cake-like texture. In contrast, the ground was much more compacted on the kale side and also had poor drainage, causing issues with water runoff and erosion.

In terms of biodiversity, the diverse mix attracted a greater number of invertebrates including pollinator species, while diversity in the kale crop was largely limited to cabbage butterflies.

Livestock has been doing well on both sides so far, but have appeared more content on the diverse mix fields, Ms Whaley said. She added the ground appears to be holding up better under the mixed plot, which helps keep the animals out of the mud and working less hard.

Even though the multispecies mix has largely been grazed down on triallist Richard Stanbury’s farm, the first signs of regrowth are already evident.

While all farms have moved through their mixed species plots faster than kale and had to provide supplementary hay, regrowth is already happening on mixed fields and farmers are hoping for a spring bite. Time will tell if the seed mix also offers economic benefits alongside soil health and biodiversity improvement, and Ms Whaley said there is still a lot to learn.

With regards to the fertiliser crisis, Ms Whaley suggested farmers should think of it as an opportunity rather than a hindrance.

“If I said, ‘what is the fertiliser crisis,’ many people would say ‘well, it’s the cost of fertiliser,’ but actually, the crisis is we’re using far too much of it. So, it’s our addiction to fertiliser that is the crisis,” she said.

Ms Whaley believes the solution starts with the soil and farmers working together with nature rather than against it: “We need to look at our farms in a much more holistic way and stop micro-managing every little aspect of a biological living system,” she concluded.

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The transportation and storage of all fertilisers is strictly regulated, and farmers should take steps to abide by these rules, says Hutchinsons fertiliser and crop nutrition specialist Rob Jewers. In particular, he warns careful attention must be paid when storing urea and ammonium nitrate (AN) products together.

Since there are regulations prohibiting urea and AN being transported or stored in the same space, farmers could risk failing ACCS or Red Tractor inspections by not following the appropriate guidelines. There is also an increased risk of loss to property should there be an incident, Mr Jewers cautioned.

“Urea has been more competitively priced than ammonium nitrate this year, by quite some margin,” he added. “One kilo of AN nitrogen was priced at around £2.60 at the end of September, whereas a kilo of urea nitrogen worked out to be about £1.90, so we have seen more demand for it.

“There may well be farmers who haven’t bought urea before, or haven’t used it for a long time, that perhaps aren’t aware the two [AN and urea] shouldn’t be stored together. It is something to think about, otherwise you might be in for a shock if there’s an ACCS inspection.”

Mr Jewers explained that the reason urea and AN cannot be stored or transported together is less to do with the products reacting with each other, and more with the fact that urea is an organic material that acts as a carbon source. Therefore, if the AN was to set on fire, the urea would become an additional fuel source.

Ideally, farmers shouldn’t be storing the two products in the same building, Mr Jewers said. However, if this is unavoidable, guidelines suggest leaving a minimum 5m gap between urea and AN fertiliser bags.

Growers should also be aware of the general principles of safe fertiliser storage, which include:

• Store fertiliser in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place, out of direct sunlight
• Preferably store out of public view in a secure (lockable) shed
• Ensure correct signage is in place on buildings
• Do not store fertiliser alongside other potential fuel sources (e.g. hay, straw, diesel, wooden pallets, etc.)
• Ensure the surface is level and free from any objects that could puncture bags
• Do not store bags more than three high
• Leave at least 1-2m between fertiliser bags and any parked machinery
• Avoid using potential sources of ignition near fertiliser (e.g. naked flames, smoking, welding/ grinders)
• Follow the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) Fertiliser Security Five Point Plan (see below).

According to Mr Jewers, urea fertiliser is slightly more prone to absorbing moisture from the air than AN. However, this can be prevented by storing bags correctly and taking care not to damage bags when moving or storing them.

He also advised farmers who haven’t used urea fertiliser before to account for it being bulkier than other products when assessing storage space requirements.

The NaCTSO’s five point plan for storing fertilisers securely is as follows:

1. Wherever possible use a Fertiliser Industry Assurance Scheme (FIAS) approved supplier
2. Wherever possible keep in a secure area, such as a building, or out of public view
3. Carry out regular stock checks and report any loss to the police immediately (call 101)
4. Avoid leaving fertiliser in a field overnight or for a long period of time
5. Remember it is illegal to sell ammonium nitrate without the correct documentation.

The Fertiliser Security Five Point Plan is supported by the Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC – FIAS), NFU and NFU Scotland, Assured Food Standards (Red Tractor), DEFRA and the HSE.

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CF Fertilisers will instead import ammonia to produce AN fertiliser and nitric acid at the site. It expects to fulfil all ammonia and nitric acid contracts and all orders of AN contracted for delivery in the coming months.

The company said that at current natural gas and carbon prices, its ammonia production is uneconomical, with marginal costs above £2,000 per tonne and global ammonia prices at about half that level.

The current cost of natural gas at NBP is more than twice as high as it was one year ago, with the NBP forward strip suggesting that this price will continue to rise in the months ahead.

The company has notified customers who purchase carbon dioxide (CO₂) on a contract basis from the Billingham complex about the impending temporary halt of ammonia production. Once the ammonia plant is safely shut down, CO₂ production, which is a by-product of the ammonia production process, will stop until the plant is restarted.

CF Fertilisers has not yet determined the exact date it will begin the temporary shutdown of the ammonia plant. It does not anticipate any impact on employees regarding this announcement, given the substantial level of activity that will continue to occur at Billingham.

Meanwhile Yara has announced further curtailments, which will take its total European ammonia capacity utilisation to around 35%.

With this, Yara will have curtailed an annual capacity equivalent of 3.1 million tonnes ammonia and 4.0 million tonnes finished products (1.8 million tonnes urea, 1.9 million tonnes nitrates and 0.3 million tonnes NPK) across its production system in Europe.

In a statement, Yara said it will, where possible, use its global sourcing and production system to optimise operations and meet customer demand, including continued nitrate production using imported ammonia when feasible. Yara will also continue to monitor the situation and adapt to market conditions going forward.

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With constant scrutiny from government, food brands, social media activists – not to mention an entire payments system based around the environment – it is hardly surprising many farmers are feeling the strain when it comes to reducing their emissions.

Of course, this is completely necessary and all industries must strive for continual improvement when it comes to sustainability and the future of the planet.

But farmers suffer the difficult task of balancing producing enough food to feed a growing population with the use of crop inputs, some of which are extremely energy intensive to make. It’s a basic formula – use less of the latter and you get less of the former – and that’s where the conflict arises.

But is that always the case? It is well known that ammonium-based fertilisers require a huge energy input to manufacture, but is this true of others? Is there a way to significantly reduce a farm’s carbon footprint with a relatively modest change in a nutrient programme? You may be surprised to learn that a small tweak could result in a large cut in emissions. That is good for the environment, the consumer, and for farming.

Synthetic vs natural fertilisers

With most synthetic fertilisers, it is the manufacturing process that is responsible for the bulk of their carbon footprint. The fact is, making synthetic fertilisers requires a huge energy input, most of which is currently derived from fossil fuels.

This also makes them particularly vulnerable energy price increases, especially during times of serious global turmoil, as many are currently finding out to their cost.

Couple this with the fact that many synthetic fertilisers are highly susceptible to leaching, and you find that much of the energy used to create these inputs is wasted. It is a significant problem for the industry, and one there is mounting pressure to solve.

But contrast this with a natural fertiliser and you start to see a possible solution emerge.

By natural fertilisers, we don’t just mean manures and slurries produced by livestock, but mineral nutrients as well. By minimising the manufacturing processes involved in creating fertilisers, carbon emissions are naturally cut, and that is good news for all, including the farmer’s bottom line.

Polysulphate – a case in point

ICL’s Polysulphate is a case in point. Polysulphate is mined from 1,200m below the North York Moors in Boulby – the only mine the world to produce it.

It is extracted in its raw form as a rock called Polyhalite, and to turn that into Polysulphate, it is simply a case of crushing and screening it. This process also takes place at the mine, after which it is ready to be sold either as a straight, or mixed into blends.

Polysulphate consists of sulphur (48%), potassium (14%), magnesium (6%) and calcium (14%), all of which play vital roles in promoting plant health including facilitating the uptake of nitrogen, aiding photosynthesis, rooting development, yield and tip development.

It also benefits from a prolonged release mechanism, releasing its nutrients over a 50-60 day period, meaning it continues to provide nutrients to a crop long after it has been applied, in line with the plant’s requirements.

Sixty per cent of its nutrients are given up in the first 12 days after application, however, helping to facilitate plant emergence.

Global warming potential

So, what does all this mean in the real world?

Global warming potential (GWP) is a measure of a product’s potential to contribute towards global warming. Put simply, the higher a product rates on the GWP scale, the worse its impact on the environment.

Due to the lack of chemical or industrial processing, Polysulphate has an extremely low GWP compared to other fertilisers, measuring just 0.0377 kg C0₂e per kg of product. What this means is that every kilogram of Polysulphate created and delivered to a storage facility releases the equivalent of 0.0377kg of carbon dioxide, the standard greenhouse gas used to quantify environmental impacts.

By comparison, ammonium sulphate has a GWP of just below 0.6 kg C0₂e per kg of product – 16 times higher than Polysulphate. Ammonium sulphate nitrate weighs in at more than 0.8 and ammonium nitrate scales the dizzy heights of almost 1.2 kg C0₂e per kg of product.

Seen in this light, Polysulphate has a much reduced carbon footprint than all synthetic fertilisers.

It doesn’t end there!

But it is not just in the manufacturing process, or lack of it, that the savings are made.

Polysulphate is produced in the UK. It doesn’t have to be imported in bulk from countries thousands of miles away, so the emissions associated with storage and logistics are significantly less than those fertilisers that do.

Also, the prolonged release mechanism means the farmers can harvest all the benefits of the fertiliser from a single application, potentially reducing diesel use. As Polysulphate releases it nutrients over an extended time, it will continue feeding the crop throughout its growing cycle, while at the same time, reducing leaching.

Single source of nitrogen

Many of you might now be saying ‘Polysulphate doesn’t contain nitrogen, meaning we still have to apply nitrogen, which has a high carbon footprint’, and we understand. That is certainly the case.

But Polysulphate enables farmers to apply a single source of nitrogen rather than doubling up with applications of ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulphate, as well as additional potash applications and others. Although it by no means completely eradicates the carbon emissions generated by crop inputs, bringing Polysulphate into a nutrient programme enables it to be streamlined and made more efficient, both in terms of the overall impact of the nutrients themselves, and by minimising the application process.

It also facilitates plants to take up nitrogen more readily, meaning the N you do apply is used more efficient, potentially leading to an overall reduction in nitrogen usage.

Although not a complete solution to reducing the environmental impact of crop inputs, every little bit will surely help. With its extremely low carbon footprint compared to manufactured, synthetic fertiliser, all evidence suggests adopting Polysulphate into your nutrient programme will have a significant, positive impact on the overall sustainability of your farm business.

To find out more about Polysulphate, including advice on how and when to apply it, email plantnutrition@icl-group.com

The post Natural fertilisers – the key to reducing on farm carbon footprint? appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Today’s announcements include updated information and guidance on the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), Farming Rules for Water and the future use of urea fertiliser.

NFU president Minette Batters commented: “Farmers are experiencing unprecedented costs when buying fertiliser, alongside tightening supplies, and it’s critical that government put in place measures to mitigate some of these effects.”

Many of the measures are positive for farmers, she added – particularly around the industry-led regulation of urea; the updated guidance on the Farming Rules for Water, which will allow autumn manure spreading; and the extension of Defra’s Market Monitoring Group to understand trends in the market.

Ban on solid urea fertilisers avoided

Environment secretary George Eustice said changes to the use of urea fertiliser will be delayed by at least a year to help farmers manage costs and allow more time to adapt in light of the global rise in gas prices, which has led to pressures on the supply of ammonium nitrate fertilisers.

A consultation on restrictions was launch a year ago to reduce ammonia pollution in the air. When restrictions are introduced, these will include the use of ammonia inhibitors rather than a total ban.

“Through the involvement of Red Tractor, the industry has avoided the proposed outright ban on urea fertiliser which means that farmers and growers will continue to have the flexibility to use the right product at the right time,” said NFU deputy president Tom Bradshaw.

“Today’s announcement means farmers and growers can keep using a vital product, to help grow sustainable climate-friendly food, while at the same time significantly cutting ammonia emissions in line with government and industry ambitions.”

AIC’s chief executive Robert Sheasby welcomed the news of a self-regulation approach to the use of solid urea fertilisers: “We believe working together across the industry to deliver greater Nitrogen Use Efficiency for all nitrogen fertilisers is the best route forward. By utilising existing farm assurance structures farmers will be able to retain the use of solid urea, providing flexibility to use the right product at the right time to minimise environmental impact, whilst ensuring healthy plant growth and a competitive fertiliser sector.”

From 1st April next year, Red Tractor will issue new environmental standards for all farmers in England requiring them to use protected fertilisers at the times of year when the risks of ammonia emissions are at their highest. Farmers will need to start to plan their fertiliser orders to meet the new standards which will be implemented from October 2023, AIC said.

A commitment has been made with Government that by 2024–2025, all farmers in England will be able to meet the new requirements and all fertiliser containing urea will have to be protected against ammonia emissions if spread after 1st April each year. This will apply unless ammonia mitigation has been achieved by incorporating the fertilisers into the soil or with sufficient irrigation, as signed off by a registered FACTS-qualified professional.

Updated information on the SFI

Commenting on the additional information about the Sustainable Farming Incentive, Mrs Batters said the NFU supports the move to a rolling application window, as it will offer farmers and growers flexibility to apply at a time that suits their business.

“This also needs to be matched by certainty over when agreements will start once an application has been submitted.”

Mark Tufnell, president of the Country Land and Business Association, added: “The announcement of payment rates for the Sustainable Farming Incentive, and additional guidance on the compatibility of the scheme with Countryside Stewardship, goes some way to explaining to farmers the impact of the agricultural transition on their own businesses.”

However, while the offer will be suitable for some farms, there are still not viable options for all, Mrs Batters added, and there are concerns about varying approaches to support across the UK.

“It’s essential for all farmers who wish to enter these new schemes that payment rates properly recognise the public goods they will be delivering. With such huge uncertainty I remain extremely concerned that farmers in England are facing a very different approach to the rest of the UK. With farmers in England receiving less direct support, the government must ensure new ways of farmers and growers managing their risk and volatility.”

Interpretation of Farming Rules for Water

Revised and statutory guidance has been published on how farmers should limit the use of slurry and other farmyard manure at certain times of year. The government says this will provide clarity on how slurry and other manures during autumn and winter to meet agronomic needs.

Farmers will also be supported through new slurry storage grants as of this year, helping to meet the Farming Rules for Water and reducing dependence on artificial fertilisers by storing organic nutrients until needed or for onward processing.

Commenting on new guidance Mr Bradshaw said it provides clarity for farmers and growers who have had significant concerns for some time about how the regulations are being interpreted.

“Over the past year the NFU has played an important role bringing together the farming industry, Environment Agency and Defra to agree that organic manures can be spread in the autumn, so crops are receiving the vital nutrients they require. This new guidance will enable farm businesses to plan with confidence and importantly, drive improvements that benefit soil and plant health as well as water quality.”

Challenging times

An industry fertiliser roundtable, meeting for the first time this week, will be chaired by farming minister, Victoria Prentis to continue work on these issues, identify solutions and better understand the impact of current pressures on farmers. Defra is also extending the membership of its longstanding Market Monitoring Group, which involves industry expertise to understand trends in markets.

Announcing the new measures today Mr Eustice commented: “The significant rise in the cost of fertiliser is a reminder that we need to reduce our dependence on manufacturing processes dependent on gas. Many of the challenges we face in agriculture will require a fusion of new technology with conventional principles of good farm husbandry. The measures we have announced today are not the whole solution but will help farmers manage their nitrogen needs in the year ahead.”

The post Defra announces steps to help farmers with spiralling costs appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Progressing OSR growth

How can growers manage these variations effectively? “We’re aiming for a green area index (GAI) of 3.5 at the beginning of flowering,” says Natalie. “The key determining factor for that is N. Each unit of GAI needs 50kg of N per hectare to achieve that 3.5 we’re looking for. Ordinarily, OSR needs 220kg of N per hectare in spring to achieve this, in two or three applications.”

While N clearly plays the most critical role in crop nutrition, any backward OSR crops could well be suffering from other deficiencies. “If a crop has taken damage, we need to encourage those shoots and roots to regrow,” says Natalie. “We’re at a time where P isn’t quite available in the soil, but OSR crops need it. If there’s a deficit, that will only exacerbate issues for any struggling crops. Making P (and K) available during the rapid growth phase means we don’t hinder crop progress and help foster as much biomass as possible.”

Oscar concurs with this: “For forward looking crops, a nitrogen and sulphur fertiliser is the right approach. Otherwise, consider what system you’re running, and which product is right for you.”

Micronutrients

At this time of year, micronutrients are vital for ensuring each crop can reach its full potential. Despite this, many tissue samples continue to display high levels of deficiency, indicating that the problem is more widespread than we might think.

“For OSR, the key micronutrients are magnesium, manganese, boron, calcium, and molybdenum,” says Natalie. “Using a product specific to the crop will help increase micronutrient levels to where they should be. We’ve done six years of trials and seen an average yield increase of 0.27t/ha when applying three litres of Yara’s own OSR-specific product in autumn and spring, for example.”

“We need to think beyond nitrogen and aim for efficiency with all nutrients. Choose products and tools that will help deliver the right nutrients at the right time to ensure robust and resilient growth when the crop needs it most.”

Oscar adds: “OSR prices are fairly buoyant, so it’s worth the investment. Even a crop that doesn’t look like much at first can produce a lot at harvest if given what it needs.”

For more information, visit www.yara.co.uk

The post Get the most from your OSR this spring appeared first on Farmers Guide.

NFUS vice president Andrew Connon said fertiliser must be viewed by politicians as a vital component in ensuring food supplies rather than simply a by-product of carbon dioxide production.

NFU Scotland says it is signposting its members to online planning tools and encouraging industry bodies to direct resources towards supporting the industry amid soaring fertiliser costs.

Nitrogen fertiliser has rapidly increased in price, from just over £200/t in spring to around £700/t by the end of autumn. Phosphate and potash prices have also increased by over 70% over the same period.

Grain prices have also been rising, but not to the same extent, leaving farmers questioning how fertiliser and other input cost increases can be managed and absorbed, NFUS said.

With reduced European fertiliser production and increased global demand, there are predictions of a lasting shortfall across Europe. For the fertiliser price to fall, there needs to be changes in energy costs, trade policies of fertiliser producing countries, and global crop demand, the union added.

At this early stage, it is predicted that the impacts of a shortage will be most acute in early spring 2022.

Looking at next year, NFUS vice president Andrew Connon said: “Fertiliser must be viewed by politicians as a vital component in ensuring food supplies rather than simply a by-product of carbon dioxide production. The cost implications of recent fertiliser price increases will affect almost every farming business.

“For those growing combinable crops, potatoes, fruit and veg, decisions will be made as to whether to maintain previous acreages. The livestock sector is also seriously affected by the rise. Across all sectors a substantial rise in working capital is needed and restricted credit terms from suppliers will create pressures on cash flow.”

Mr Connon noted that, as Brexit and Covid-19 are causing ongoing uncertainty, and with global demand for fertiliser being higher than ever, it is difficult to predict when prices will fall again.

As a small player in the global fertiliser market, the UK is exposed to these severe price hikes. Whether or not current grain price rises will be enough to cover the higher fertiliser costs will depend on harvests around the world.

“However, one thing which is certain is the need to get the most out of nitrogen fertiliser, slurries and manures,” Mr Connon added.

“Adopting technologies that monitor crops and soils in real-time could identify smarter ways of applying nitrogen to crops. Getting fertiliser onto crops and grass in the right way, in the right conditions, and at the optimum time could increase fertiliser utilisation, potentially maintaining or producing higher yields from lower applications at a field scale. This improvement in efficiency also benefits the environment, as nitrous oxide from fertiliser is the arable sector’s biggest source of emissions.

“We will continue to engage with stakeholders and use communications channels to signpost key information as we approach a very challenging spring.”

The post Planning tools offered to help tackle fertiliser “cost crisis” appeared first on Farmers Guide.