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Biodiversity Poll Analysis January 2024
Biodiversity
This time we asked 524 LOCUS farmers;
What measures have you put in place to increase biodiversity on your farm? and What impact has this had on biodiversity on your farm?
When looking at the report there are some signs that biodiversity initiatives are starting to gain traction on farm. The Eastern region registering the lowest percentage of “Nothing” votes. As always with environmental schemes it is important to consider the context of cropping versus livestock farms, with annual and perennial cropping cycles. Arable farmers perhaps more used to growing “Environmental Strips”, livestock farmers more used to managing existing environmental features.
Hedge management is a key feature across all regions and highlights the knowledge of the importance these often-ancient land boundaries in supporting our native wildlife. Similarly, tree-planting is picking up steam as its profile grows in the national media as the current chosen method to best curb climate issues.
When discussing impact, the overwhelming feedback is around creating a habitat/food for nature on the farm, although notably “soil health” and “carbon footprint” are both mentioned, which suggests these messages are top-of-mind for those at the agricultural coal face and not just policy makers.
As always feel free to get in touch to discuss further on our social media pages Kynetec.UK.NFRU on Facebook and Instagram.
Hedge management and participation in the CSS are the top two measures that farmers have adopted to increase biodiversity on farm. However, there are 40% of farmers in GB who haven’t adopted any measures to increase biodiversity
Base: Farmers GB
Qpoll - What measures have you put in place to increase biodiversity on your farm?
The provision of wildlife habitat, food sources for wildlife and nesting sites for birds are the primary impacts from those that are implementing measures to increase biodiversity on farms
Base: Farmers GB who have implemented biodiversity measures
Qpoll - What measures have you put in place to increase biodiversity on your farm? And, for each measure what impact has this had on your farm business? *Low Base*
Survey reveals farmers struggling with climate cognitive dissonance
Kynetec’s Farmer Engagement Survey shows that while farmers understand the biggest risks to their farms in the mid-term, they aren’t using readily available tools to manage these threats. Is it surprising that farmers recognise the practical work that needs to be done on-farm to manage the effect of climate change, but are unsure on how to make long-term management progress using the vast amount of information available?
Climate change and governmental policy are cited by farmers in three European countries as the biggest risk to their businesses, according to the recent Farmer Engagement survey of 1539 farmers across the UK, Germany, and France by Kynetec. Farms surveyed were a mix of conventional, conventional organic mixed and organic, growing livestock, arable and speciality crops – but regardless of business model, farmers were consistent in their responses. Farmers know about regenerative practices and smart farming tools that might help them manage their businesses better over the mid- to long-term, but crucially, very few are taking the step to engage with the transition to on-farm. For example, while 54% of the total surveyed famers considered themselves aware, or even very familiar, with carbon credit programs, 96% were not participating in such a program.
Ask anyone how climate change could affect agriculture, and the answer is typically rising temperatures and more extreme weather patterns. That is true, but when you dive down into the detail, climate change is a fundamental risk to food security on a global scale, as well as a risk to the survival of individual farm businesses. Farmers already mitigating against changing rain patterns leading to flooding and droughts, warmer seasons increasing irrigation requirements and increasing incidence of disease in both plants and animals -requiring further chemical or medicinal inputs to achieve yield.
Smart farming use in less than half of farms
While a small number of farmers believe their farm will not be affected by climate change, 66% of farmers surveyed agreed that climate change and extreme weather is already impacting their future plans for their farm business. Interestingly, the cognitive dissonance between the understanding of climate impact, versus using the management steps readily available is clear. 48% of the same farmers don’t use smart farming applications on their farms, and of those farmers not using tech, 71% don’t have an implementation plan over the next two years.
Importance of Smart Farming
How important is smart farming on your farm?
Smart farming offers growers the opportunity to be on the front foot when it comes to farm management. It builds on the experience of the farmer, the well-respected gut instinct often built up over generations, and adds a layer of record keeping, ease and technology. Specifically, smart farming allows users to save money, optimise use of inputs, increase productivity, manage livestock and veterinary medicines, precision planting and spraying among a myriad of life-simplifying management tools. So why aren’t farmers glued to their iPhones, and saving money by using these simple-to-navigate apps? The complexity of the number of improvements to be made, among a whole toolbox of marginal gains required to achieve a 180˚ flip in approach from conventional to regenerative ag is a big ask of farming businesses, traditionally family-run, lone workers, with farmers typically in their 50’s.
That said, specific elements of smart farming have been identified as gaining traction in specific markets. In France, soil scanning is the most used application at 56% of farmers. In Germany, satellite imagery for crop management attracts 22% of users, with 19% also using precision application functions. The UK has lower overall rates of smart farming; with typical use of machine-based tech already supplied with the tractor or implement, such as yield mapping on combine harvesters, and variable rate nutrient application in sprayers.
Policy is driving positive on-farm change
In the UK, governmental policy shift away from the BPS payments based on eligible agricultural hectarage and into ELMs is resulting in a demonstrable shift in behaviour, with 69% agreeing that these “public money for public good” policies will impact farm businesses. As the transition away from BPS payments phases out until 2028 when the money stops altogether, farmers have engaged with newer schemes that focus on one of two things: growing more and better food; or focusing on environmental benefit.
Changes in crop management through licensing actives, and outlining spraying practices are also strongly driven by regulation. Looking at a high level, it is possible for the wider agribusiness industry to monitor these changes in line with farmer behaviour driven by policy changes using tools such as Kynetec’s MachineryTrak, a data and analytics platform that ties together detailed machinery use with expenditure by crop type and protection category, demonstrably allowing agribusinesses to monitor the changing landscape of farm needs.
Regenerative farming: mega trend or essential transition?
CSS, Countryside Stewardship Schemes, encourage the use of regenerative practices and pay per hectare for use of cover cropping, low input grassland, herbal ley mixes and overwinter bird feed among others. This increase in focus on biodiversity, targeted use of applications as well as integrating livestock into arable rotations has sped up the implementation of regenerative practice, as the BPS deadline looms.
Article by Belén Valverde, Executive Director at Kynetec
National Farm Research Charitable Donations
Cumulative Donations since Oct 2018 | |
RABI | £12,552.75 |
RSABI | £1,545.91 |
Forage Aid | £8,644.21 |
Farming Community Network | £5,322.00 |
Rural Support NI | £564.60 |
Embrace Farm | 4,350.90€ |
RABI - Freephone helpline on 0800 188 4444.
Email at
RSABI - Freephone 0808 1234 555
Forage Aid (Addington Fund) – Helpline 01926 620135
Farming Community Network – Helpline 03000 111 999
email
Rural Support – Helpline 0800 1381 678
Embrace Farm Ireland – Helpline Ireland 085 77 09 966
Our Support for Farmers
Farmers participating in our on-going research studies can gain valuable BASIS and NRoSO points. Simply give your BASIS number to our interviewer when they call to update your record. To claim your NRoSO points please log onto the website and enter code NO471443f
This code is valid for 12 months from the 1st September 2023
We are always pleased to receive your feedback, or if you would like to have your views and opinions heard by taking part in our research projects please email: