How farms can thrive by embracing new opportunities

Tumultuous times offer exhilarating opportunities for those who are ready to embrace them, says Philip Cosgrave

Over the last six years, change has come at us fast. We’ve seen the continuing effects of Brexit, the fallout from Covid, escalating pressure from the climate crisis, the conflict in Ukraine and resulting energy price surges.

Times of transformation can create a sense of overwhelm, but Philip Cosgrave, Yara’s Country Grassland Agronomist, is keen to remind farmers of something: Without change, there would be no new opportunities.

One such opportunity is the higher profile of food security. This issue has come to the fore thanks to a combination of events, not least the import challenges of Brexit, Covid ravaging the supply chains, and war in Europe. The government has now committed to producing a food security report every three years. The initial report, published last year, confirmed what many farmers already know: the nation isn’t as selfsufficient as it once was.

Self-sufficiency is particularly important when the international trade landscape is shifting as it is at the moment, but the steep climb to the UK’s climate targets makes a boost to the nation’s self-reliance even more vital.

But Philip is under no illusions about the size of the task: “The UK is a densely populated, small island, and land is not as plentiful as we might like, so feeding ourselves, whilst protecting the environment and ensuring farmers see some financial benefits, can be difficult.”

Precision pays Fuel scarcity and inflation have nibbled away at profit margins, and Philip wants farmers to focus on two words: precision agronomy. “It’s been a buzz phrase for many years but is fast becoming the only way farmers can be sure to secure a good return for their efforts.”

Philip underlines the importance of taking inventory of all operations and taking time to fully understand the details of inputs and the resulting outcomes. That way, Philip says, “farmers can make informed decisions that will improve their return on investment.”

Harnessing scientific innovation allows for fine-tuning of outputs too, says Philip. For example, analysing outputs allows farmers to adjust nutrients and processes to optimise quality and yield.

This approach, of only adding what’s needed, is better for farmers’ wallets, but Philip is keen to emphasise its role in countryside stewardship too: “Precise delivery maximises outputs without impacting our environment. Plus, looking after our soil fertility helps to secure future yields.”

Extreme weather events are an ever-increasing part of farming, from late frosts, to heatwaves, to flash flooding. Philip underlines the importance of protecting yields with targeted, timely responses to extreme weather events: “Whilst we can’t control the weather, we can control how we react to it.”

Future-proof farming Philip has huge respect for farmers’ strength and resilience – it’s woven into the sector’s heritage. For centuries farmers have turned challenges into opportunities, and today’s farmers have access to technology and data that farmers of the past could never have dreamed of. Every farmer today has the power to innovate, Philip says.

“But using modern-day tools and understanding doesn’t mean we should ignore the past. Before World War II integrated farming systems were commonplace – arable sitting along livestock and some farmers are seeing the

Philip Cosgrave

benefits of returning to these systems.” These older systems often allow for reducing input costs as well as diversifying. Philip continues, “Innovation comes in many forms. Standing still and doing the same thing we’ve always done is no longer an option – we need to find ways of reducing costs, using land more efficiently, increasing our appeal to end users, and maximising emerging opportunities.”