A Natural Approach
Regenerative agriculture is currently one of the hottest, and most controversial, topics in the farming world. A trending discussion as it offers the opportunity to produce high yields of crops while applying far lower amounts of artificial chemicals and fertilisers; controversial because its detractors believe the UK should be focusing on food security not more environmentally friendly ways of farming.
However, given the decline in the quality of our soils, the drop in biodiversity levels and the sharp rise, exacerbated by war in Ukraine, of input costs, the practice is attracting a growing number of followers, including some of the UK’s most well-known estates like Holkham in Norfolk.
Read more about how our team is supporting Holkham with their strategy.
At its heart, regenerative agriculture is all about looking after the soil by allowing micro-organisms to flourish and restoring lost carbon. This can be done by introducing organic manures, keeping soil tillage to a minimum and using less intensive cropping rotations that include nitrogen-fixing crops like clover.
Better soil sequesters more carbon, helping in the battle against climate change, and as a result, grows more nutritious crops that are ultimately better for our health. However, unlike organic farming, regenerative agriculture is not an all-or-nothing way to produce food and can be done in conjunction with the use of technological solutions such as precision-farming techniques. The results are not instantaneous and switching systems can take several years.
Our team of specialists can help you decide what will work best for your farming business and guide you through the conversion process.
Nature vs food: the big debate: read more here.