{"id":16108,"date":"2021-09-06T14:39:17","date_gmt":"2021-09-06T14:39:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.omex.com\/?p=16108"},"modified":"2021-09-06T14:39:17","modified_gmt":"2021-09-06T14:39:17","slug":"reducing-emissions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omex.com\/uk\/reducing-emissions\/","title":{"rendered":"Reducing Emissions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Reduction emissions is a key consideration for farmers working towards sustainable agriculture. Below is an article from CPM<\/a>, looking at survey results OMEX<\/a> and CPM conducted:<\/p>\n

In a recent survey carried out by\u00a0CPM\u00a0<\/em>and OMEX, 75% of growers accepted that they ought to do more to reduce their farms\u2019 impact on the environment, while 59% also recognised that nitrate leaching can lead to financial losses on farm.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no getting away from the conversation about climate change and environmental protection at the moment and I think it\u2019s reassuring to know so many growers have a vested interest in doing more, as well as recognising where some of the key issues arise,\u201d explains David Booty, technical development manager at OMEX.<\/p>\n

\u201cChanging the way, we do things not only has the potential to benefit the environment but can also help reduce the bottom line and in turn, boost profitability.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"reducing<\/p>\n

According to John Williams, principal soil scientist at ADAS<\/a>, the challenge comes with trying to balance environmental protection and optimum crop production. \u201cIt\u2019s difficult because clearly fertiliser \u2013 and nitrogen in particular \u2013 is the main determinant in yield and quality. There\u2019s no escaping from the fact that we need fertiliser to grow crops, but there\u2019s an environmental consequence of this, unfortunately.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, it\u2019s reassuring that the industry is now really taking this into consideration and being more innovative about how we make best use of our inputs.\u201d<\/p>\n

So while the general consensus is that more needs to be done, 50% of growers revealed that they believe the buck stops with manufacturers who should do more to make their products environmentally friendly.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, manufacturers have a responsibility, and I think \u2013 as a general rule \u2013 most are making a conscious effort to ensure products meet adequate environmental standards,\u201d says David. \u201cHowever, much like a seatbelt in a car doesn\u2019t make someone drive safer, there\u2019s a responsibility for growers to ensure they\u2019re using products as efficiently and responsibly as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

When it comes to calculating just how efficient farms are, Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) calculations have become common practice, with 61% of growers saying this is something they actively consider when it comes to their inputs.<\/p>\n

\u201cNUE is a fairly simple benchmarking tool that can help growers simply evaluate how much of the input is actually being used,\u201d explains David. \u201cThough it can be a fairly straightforward thing to calculate, there\u2019s been a bit of confusion due to multiple methods of doing so. To boost farmer uptake, I think it would be really helpful to have a single, accepted equation.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, at its simplest level, growers can consider grain output against fertiliser input.\u201d<\/p>\n

Most recently, the Net Zero campaign has been a huge driver in the uptake of NUE on farm, believes John. \u201cBarely a conversation goes by in farming now without talking about the environmental impact of what we do.<\/p>\n

\u201cUsing equations like NUE will be key in driving this forward. And it\u2019s not just about the environment \u2013 efficient crop production is more likely to result in reduced costs.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, growers have a lot on their plates and it\u2019s important that accessing this information is easy and simple to implement.\u201d<\/p>\n

And with nitrogen losses being as high as 40%, the benefits of using nitrification inhibitors have started to gain traction, albeit perhaps rather slowly \u2013 with only 22% of growers noting that they\u2019d used them in the past. \u201cIt\u2019s disappointing to see such a low uptake when in fact there can be some real benefits of using inhibitors,\u201d explains David.<\/p>\n

So, what exactly are these benefits? Nearly three quarters of growers (69%) noted reduced nitrous oxide emissions as a key reason to use a nitrification inhibitor, while 62% highlighted reduced nitrate leaching.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a nutshell, using a nitrification inhibitor means nitrogen stays available for longer. This means it\u2019s more available to the crop and can lead to reduced wastage and a better return on investment,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n

And the benefits go beyond just reducing wastage and reduced emissions. \u201cBecause inhibitors slow down the nitrogen conversion, it gives growers the flexibility to put more on earlier in the season \u2013 rather than multiple loads over multiple passes \u2013 which reduces the impact on soil health.\u201d<\/p>\n

A significant number of growers (34%) said that a reduced number of top dressings is also a key benefit of using a nitrification inhibitor, and this is an area David has spent a lot of time researching lately.<\/p>\n

\u201cParticularly in the case of spring crops, two thirds of the nitrogen is on the seedbed and the rest is applied when the crop is planted. Potato growers, for example, may be putting two or three top dressings on, but the key concern is that what\u2019s on the seedbed might not last in years of heavy rain. However, an inhibitor keeps it in place and can reduce the workload later in the season,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n

\"DIDIN<\/p>\n

Spoilt for choice<\/strong><\/p>\n

At present, there\u2019s no official standard for ranking inhibitor products, however, there are a great number of options on the market \u2013 all offering slightly different things.<\/p>\n

And when it came to the most well-known, it was OMEX\u2019s product, DIDIN, that topped the leader board, with 65% of growers being familiar with the inhibitor.<\/p>\n

\u201cDIDIN has been around for 30 years, so it\u2019s no doubt a well-known product. However, the difficulty we and our customers have is that there\u2019s no set standard for these inhibitors in the UK,\u201d explains David.<\/p>\n

\u201cConsequently, this means that there\u2019s no standard or benchmark to measure them against and I think that\u2019s unacceptable \u2013 it\u2019s not fair on growers and potential customers as there\u2019s no way of comparing one product against another.\u201d<\/p>\n

So while the water is still murky in terms of the \u201cbest\u201d products, David says what is key is noting that not all inhibitors are alike, and this should be taken into consideration when deciding on the most appropriate product. \u201cUrease inhibitors will only stop ammonia loss, where nitrification inhibitors prevent losses from nitrate and nitrous oxide \u2013 some products will do just one of these jobs and some will do both.<\/p>\n

\u201cDidin is one that does both, so it has the potential to have benefits where both of these issues are concerned.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carbon conundrums<\/strong><\/p>\n

While being more efficient with fertiliser can help reduce costs, another key priority across the industry at the moment is the role in which fertiliser usage plays in agriculture\u2019s carbon footprint.<\/p>\n

The survey revealed that 50% of growers are already taking steps to reduce the carbon footprint of their farming operation, while 49% say this is something to consider in the future. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of political influence and pressure on agriculture to reduce its environmental impact and hold more carbon where we can,\u201d says Becky Willson, Farm Carbon Toolkit.<\/p>\n

And though the subject is no doubt attracting a lot of attention at the moment, knowing where to start \u2013 on an individual grower basis \u2013 can be a real challenge, she adds. \u201cFor those who just don\u2019t know how to take the first step, Carbon Toolkit works to turn the advice into practical, feasible steps on farm.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carbon Toolkit was founded as a result of the absence of a farmer-led organisation to provide support for growers when it comes to climate change, and Becky says there\u2019s a whole host of factors that can be looked at for those who are seeking to reduce their impact. \u201cI think one of the most important things is highlighting the link between environmental benefits and economic reward \u2013 many people don\u2019t realise just how much money they can save by being more efficient with their inputs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Becky says a good place to start is with some kind of carbon footprint audit, however, the survey revealed just 14% of growers are using this type of software right now \u2013 though 69% said that this is something they\u2019d consider in the future.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy calculating exactly what\u2019s happening on farm, it gives you a starting place, and if nothing else, allows you to benchmark against yourself in the future.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important to think about the key places emissions may be coming from, and where you might start to investigate further. It can be really helpful to look at the business through a different lens.\u201d<\/p>\n

For those growers who\u2019ve identified that fertiliser usage is a key priority on the climate change front, Becky recommends firstly looking at the existing nutrient management plan. \u201cThe main thing here is considering whether what\u2019s being applied is actually needed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are also opportunities to look at potentially cover cropping \u2013 when the main crop isn\u2019t in the ground \u2013 to capture some of the nitrogen, which will have an additional positive effect on soil health. It\u2019s all about focusing on what\u2019s going on in the soils and releasing the nutrients that are there to use them to work to your advantage.\u201d<\/p>\n

Using inhibited products can also be really beneficial in the drive against climate change, she says. \u201cThese types of products give growers the option to select for different types of fertilisers, without as much of a risk to the environment.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s estimated that between 10-40% of all nitrogen applied as fertiliser isn\u2019t utilised by crops \u2013 so it\u2019s clear that from an environmental point of view that we have to do more and make the most of options such as inhibitors to ensure that is reduced to a minimum.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn turn, better utilisation results can result in more cost-effective inputs, and ultimately \u2013 a better bottom line.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Reduction emissions is a key consideration for farmers working towards sustainable agriculture. Below is an article from CPM, looking at survey results OMEX and CPM conducted: In a recent survey carried out by\u00a0CPM\u00a0and OMEX, 75% of growers accepted that they ought to do more to reduce their farms\u2019 impact on the environment, while 59% also […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":84000,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16108","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-agriculture"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omex.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16108","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omex.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omex.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omex.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omex.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16108"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.omex.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16108\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omex.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/84000"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omex.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16108"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omex.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16108"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omex.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16108"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}