Key insights from a packed two weeks in ๐ณ๐ฑ ๐ฉ๐ช ๐ฉ๐ฐ ๐ณ๐ด for my Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust research:
Lisa, Helga&Djessie explained how the popular BodemUp scheme pays for one-one sessions with soil advisors. Funded by government & water companies; but key is trusting the advisors & a hands-off approach. Something to copy in ๐ฌ๐ง?
ZLTO (farming union) is behind it. They are not only lobbying but also facilitating technical advice for their members. Should the NFU (National Farmers'โ Union) follow suit?
At Wageningen University & Research Prof. Johan Bouma's analogy of a hike ๐ฅพ clarified for me the range of support needed to help a farmer change how they manage their soils:
- Primary is the motivation to make the journey
- Guides along the way (other farmers, agronomists. Johan calls them 'Lighthouses'; I prefer guides as a farmer can become a guide to others)
- Financial support: sustenance for the journey
- Practical support: your 'walking boots'
- Monitoring: checking you're going the right way gives the morale boost to carry on
Soil Benchmark's Soil Management Plans already help with 2. It made me think about what more we can do for the others.
The new Sustainable Farming Incentive generated lots of interest. ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ farmers seem more positive about it than ๐ช๐บ farmers are about the Common Agricultural Policy; ๐ Jonathan/Janet.
I saw companies also stepping up on incentives, notably Arla Foods. Ashley explained how they've surveyed 8000+ farms for 4 years, detailing which farms are leading in different areas (feed efficiency, soil health, etc.). The 'FarmAhead Incentive' ups the milk price for every action a farm takes to improve.
Arla run knowledge exchange events between top & bottom scoring farms. Like BodemUp, they pay for independent, practical advice to help farms work out how to improve. These huge companies can really drive change, not just by committing resources (though that helps) but by helping share knowledge between their farms.
Jรถrn&Meinke both highlighed the role of apprenticeships in Germany in sharing knowledge. Even those growing up on farm have to work elsewhere for a few years; they usually farm differently when they come back home.
In Denmark Torkild at SEGES Innovation and Jon at Innovation Centre for Organic Farming talked me through their Levy system. Research organisations bid directly for levy money, so research is very practical. In the UK researchers get money via Innovate UK and the levy all goes to AHDB - Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board. Is this as good at making sure research meets farmers needs? It also helps that SEGES run MarkOnline (Denmark's version of Gatekeeper) and so use real farm data to drive their research.
Huge thank you to Lotte, Judith, Meinke, Sven for having me to stay and organising visits, and the Yorkshire Agricultural Society for funding my research.
I've just made it back in time for Groundswell Agriculture. Come and say hi!
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