Key facts
- ADAS launched a new crop rotation planning tool.
- The tool focuses on environmental and financial benefits of crop choices.
- It estimates impacts on GHG emissions, gross margins, and nitrogen balance.
- The tool was developed as part of the Nitrogen Climate Smart (NCS) project.
- It aims to support farmers and policymakers in decision-making.
ADAS, a UK-based agricultural and environmental consultancy, has introduced a new crop rotation planning tool designed to assist growers in evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of altering their cropping strategies. The tool places a significant emphasis on environmental factors while also highlighting the financial benefits associated with various crop rotation choices, with a particular focus on peas and beans. Leveraging data from hundreds of commercially grown crops, the tool provides estimates on how changes in crop rotation might affect a farm's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, gross margins, nitrogen balance, and overall energy and protein output. This development stems from the Nitrogen Climate Smart (NCS) project, a farmer-led initiative aiming to expand the UK's pulse cropping area to 20%. Dr. Pete Berry, head of crop physiology at ADAS and a co-developer, stated that the tool aims to provide farmers, especially those new to growing pulses, with insights into potential environmental and cost implications, thereby building confidence for making changes. The tool is intended for arable farmers but is also seen as a valuable resource for policymakers to assess trade-offs between farm profitability and sustainability, as well as food security and farm-gate economics. LEAF, a UK farming charity, has endorsed the tool as a practical resource for farmers seeking to make sustainable and financially sound decisions, noting its ability to analyze whole rotations and improve efficiency and environmental performance.