Duchy College

This is part 1 and 2 of a collaborative 2-part series of virtual events exploring establishment, management, soil health, grazing and ensiling in relation to herbal leys.

There is a growing recognition that in order to reduce high levels of atmospheric carbon we need not just to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also sequester atmospheric carbon in the soil. Soils are a huge asset, as they can sequester vast amounts of carbon. How to maximise the levels of carbon sequestration within the soil, while at the same time maintaining productivity and protecting environmental resources is one of the greatest challenges facing agriculture today.

Interested in diversifying? Perhaps growing some tropical crops? This report provides some useful insights from some trials run in West Cornwall.

Identify where and how you can make changes on your farm to help reduce diffuse water and air pollution and GHGs.

A grower’s experience and insights on using green waste compost within a rotational farming system to improve soil structure.

In the general stresses that surround farming including making day-to-day business decisions, not annoying the Rural Payments Agency, looking after stock and crops, managing staff, and coping with the weather, worrying about what your carbon footprint is and how it affects your business does not seem immediately relevant!

Most of us know that the ever increasing public demand for the highest standards of animal welfare and the massive threat of antimicrobial resistance, not to mention the other potential environmental and public health concerns, requires a new emphasis on the way we manage our farm animals. We also all know that prevention is better than cure when it comes to our own health. The same should apply to farm animals. We know what we need to do, but do we have the right tools to make it happen?

This knowledge hub for livestock farmers and advisors will enable proactive animal health and welfare planning and help with decision-making.

Using legumes and farming practices to maximise on free nitrogen (N); improve N availability, increase the amount fixed, minimise losses.

Farmer focused guidance on managing nutrients on your farm, with information on trials run through the Nutrient Wise project.

A SWARM Hub webpage to help you maximise on available nutrients in organic manures, make savings and reduce environmental losses.

Duchy College and Rothamsted Research’s mobile manure management app; find out how you can use it and access the app from this webpage.