Crucial farming decisions in a tough year
“A nation that destroys its soil, destroys itself.” Franklin D Roosevelt.
It has been a memorable year for all the wrong reasons, and now farmers have branded this summer ‘A Harvest to Forget’ after satellite images confirm the worst recorded UK harvest in 25 years.
Following the wet weather of autumn 2019, many growers may now be tempted to bring forward autumn drilling to the end of September. However this simple timeline change can be devastating in other areas of concern, such as the control of black-grass.
The decisions made by farmers at this juncture are crucial, especially as we move into the next six months of lockdown restrictions and its subsequent impact on food supply chains.
The Agriculture Bill has placed a renewed focus on soil health, recognising this as a measure for which farmers should receive payments, noting soil as an invaluable carbon sink on the pathway to net zero and ultimately climate resilience.
Our agritech innovators at Farm491 are working to empower farmers through technology, to go beyond the usual methods of crop rotation, cultivation choices and chemical management allowing growers to make long lasting, strategic management decisions.
Our ‘Digging for Innovation’ Challenge hopes to answer the big question – can biodiversity and productivity co-exist?
Tara Dickinson-Barry is Farm491 marketing & outreach officer
