Farming for the Climate

Chloe said: “The work Alex has done in supporting the Net Zero Arran group has been inspiring. His ability to attract influential stakeholders and policy makers and explain the impact of the group will increase the opportunities for others to participate in this type of activity in future.

“He should also be recognised for his work with the Agri Environment Climate Scheme. He brings a genuine enthusiasm, coupled with creativity and significant skill, and I am in no doubt there are sustainable management activities that are only happening today because Alex stepped forward to take on a really challenging job in designing and delivering a fundable application.

“Finally, on a personal note, Gavin may have been employed by SRUC as a consultant, but he was also an advisor of the old stamp, motivated by supporting farmers, friends and colleagues, and his industry. I see similar qualities in Alex and therefore this nomination is truly fitting.”

Alex said: “I am absolutely delighted and honoured to be nominated for the first Elrick Prize.

“It is a superb way to recognise Gavin’s outstanding contribution to the industry and the way in which he conducted himself.”

Ten new innovative research projects announced by AHDB and BBSRC

Ten new projects to help UK farming transition to net zero and become more sustainable have been formally announced by AHDB and BBRSC this week.

The projects aim to address challenges affecting the sector, as identified by farmers, and will be carried out by some of the country’s leading agriculture and bioscience experts, at highly esteemed institutions.

James Phillips, Senior Portfolio Manager for Agriculture at BBSRC says “We are excited to partner again with AHDB to invest in research that is directly informed by the needs of farmers. The projects are supported by £0.5M of funding and will develop novel solutions for a more sustainable agriculture”.

Dr Amanda Bennett, Environment Scientist at AHDB says “Agriculture will be instrumental in reducing the impact of climate change by cutting greenhouse gas emissions and increasing carbon storage. These new research projects will provide much needed progress in scientific knowledge on how farming can reach net zero by 2040.”

The 10 projects cover five distinct topics: technology, regenerative agriculture, soil health, improving livestock farming systems and, looking to the future, development of new resistance mechanisms.

Three projects aim to develop innovative new technology; Dr Joe Roberts at Harper Adams University will develop a new smart monitoring tool for improved night-time monitoring of vine weevils.

Dr Martin Blackwell at Rothamsted Research will develop a new field test kit to measure soil phosphate, and Dr Matthew Tinsley at Stirling University will develop best-practice for tank-mixing biopesticides.

It’s an ill wind

By Rebecca Audsley, Principal Consultant, SAC Consulting

Farmers have always worked with the weather, but our changing climate adds another layer of complexity to deal with. At time of writing, Scotland had seen four named winter storms in the space of three months, resulting in significant damage to buildings, forests, power and telecoms infrastructure, travel disruption, and also, sadly, loss of life.

The first of these named storms, Storm Arwen in November 2021, left substantial damage in its wake to forests and woodlands in Scotland. Estimates suggest approximately one million cubic metres of timber was blown over, with the impact further exacerbated by early 2022 storms Malik and Corrie.

Generic guidance messages such as conducting tree safety surveys to identify and prune/remove problem trees prior to storms occurring, still hold, and could reduce the risk of future damage, but what to do when faced with significant tree loss due to windblow on your land?

SAC Consulting’s Senior Forestry Consultant Ben Law advises that safety is the priority; trees affected by windblow are inherently dangerous, and sometimes have the added danger of bringing down utility lines. Damaged power cables can be re-energised without warning or remain live, and high voltage can arc significant distances. If you see damaged utility lines (even if these appear “dead”), call the electricity emergency number 105 and remain at a safe distance. Storm damaged trees are often under significant compression or tension forces, entangled in other blown trees and may contain suspended debris, further creating a hazardous situation. Removal of windblow should only be undertaken by trained, experienced and insured operators, so seek professional assistance.

Ben also notes that Felling Permissions are still required for windblown trees in Scotland; Scottish Forestry fast-tracked approval for windblow caused by Storm Arwen, mindful of the need for urgency when salvaging timber before it degrades beyond merchantable condition.

With climate change projections suggesting an increase in ‘extreme weather event intensity’, alongside milder and wetter winters and hotter and drier summers, it might pay to consider how we can better prepare. For more information, see our Adaptation to Climate Change pages at www.farmingforabetterclimate. org/adapting-to-climatechange and on our social media @SACFarm4Climate. Scotland’s Farm Advisory Service (FAS) at www.fas. scot has more information around the impact of storms on our woodlands and links to Scottish Forestry guidance.

To find out more about carbon auditing, practical ideas to reduce emissions from your farm, and to read about what other farmers have done, visit www.farmingforabetterclimate.org find us on Facebook and Twitter @SACFarm4Climate #26days26ways