Farm Assessment Report Version 2 - 2016
Working together for a sustainable future
Contents Introduction from Alan Wilson, Technical Manager Agronomy
2
Introduction from Kelly Shields, WFA Project Manager
3
Introduction from Muddy Boots, Technology Partner
3
Introduction from Professor Bill Davies, Lancaster University
4
How to Interpret this Report
5
Comparing Version 1 & 2
6-8
Water 9-13 Soil 14-19 Biodiversity 20-24 Energy 25-26 Waste 27-28 Crop Protection
29-32
Protected Cropping
33-36
Final Word from Professor Bill Davies, Lancaster University
37
Our Research Partners
38
Welcome Introduction from Alan Wilson, Technical Manager Agronomy I am delighted to report upon the completion of the second version of the Waitrose Farm Assessment of the worldwide grower base where we buy our produce. The period of the assessment was November 2013 to October 2015. In total almost 1200 growers have been assessed against the criteria defined by The Waitrose Agronomy Group. We have continued to be heavily influenced by the Foresight Report on the Future of Food and Farming 2011. This is one of the lead reports detailing the severe challenges to our world and we at Waitrose recognise the need for change in order to supply great quality, affordable food while minimising practices that are not sustainable for the planet. The exciting thing about this report is that it is a measurement of our success (or not) in driving continuous improvement. This report clearly shows real advancement by our growers without trying to give the impression that we have turned a corner and the pressure is off. As you will see, progress in soil, water and biodiversity has been balanced by concerns in farm food waste and efficient energy usage. We have secured even more data to shape our thinking and the striking gain of version 2 has been the depth of information which can be used to share best practice. The progress in soil and biodiversity is most welcome and while basic in their roles for healthy plants, these two areas remain less visible to the grower than say water. For example a grower will notice soil erosion and compaction but may be less aware of how organic matter is declining, its role in water capture and how much difference soil carbon capture can make. Biodiversity is also a challenge as growers need to manipulate the right indigenous species in the process of recognising the total value of the ecosystem. We are still in the foothills of this area and much more innovative research is required.
The results delivered on the Waste category highlighted the need for some focused attention throughout the supply chain. There is clearly a gap between what is considered waste by the farmer and the retailer. Our policy is about ensuring that a high proportion of yield is marketable while the input used is optimised. It can be all too easy to accept that yield losses are driven by acts of God or climate change; we have a desire to challenge this view and show that yield losses are not inevitable. The role of Waitrose is to drive cultural change and highlight the role science can play in addressing this. The Waitrose Agronomy Group continues to work with academic partners to promote greater uptake of current research via science days and continuous support of research projects, which are valued at over £2 million. Projects are currently supported at UK and international universities including Reading, Cambridge, Warwick, Lancaster and many more. Throughout the assessment period we have been working with our suppliers to make best practice videos available and at the time of writing 30 have been placed on to the Waitrose Sustainable Agriculture communications portal. This site exists to share with growers and the wider community what is happening in fresh produce at retailer, supplier and grower level and we believe it’s the first of its kind. Another key innovation has been the launch of the Masters training programme at Lancaster University. The aim of the programme is to up-skill and provide personal and professional development opportunities for those interested in addressing the food security challenge globally, hoping to target those committed to creating more sustainable food production. By the time you read this WFA report version 3 will have been launched with further new questions and emphasis. I would like to thank all who have taken part in this process especially the assessors and for those who have taken part in the training. I would also like to thank Kelly Shields, the WFA co-ordinator for her tireless work. You will see further improvements and developments in the WFA version 3. We wish the supply base every success in assessing their growers to the same high standards as under version 2. We hope that this report highlights recent progress of the fresh produce supply chain and demonstrates what can be achieved by a skilled and well-informed work force. Best Regards Alan Wilson Technical Manager Agronomy
2.
Waitrose Farm Assessment The Waitrose Agronomy Group The Waitrose Agronomy Group has regularly met for the last 15 years, and is responsible for the creation of the Waitrose Farm Assessment and Waitrose Sustainable Agriculture communications portal. The Group also advises on the Waitrose business Fresh Produce R&D agenda, Pesticide policy and Agronomic strategy.
Introduction from Kelly Shields, WFA Project Manager Following its inception in 2010, my role within the Waitrose Farm Assessment has been to co-ordinate the scheme and manage the transitions from version 1 to version 2 in 2013, and now to version 3 in October 2015. The largest part of my role is to plan and deliver the training courses that are a requirement for assessors prior to undertaking a Waitrose Farm Assessment. Over 140 assessors were trained for the version 2 assessment, which is a fantastic amount, and we are now delivering training for version 3. Training for version 3 has changed slightly to ensure that experienced assessors are now briefed in any changes, rather than attending a full training course. New assessors are, however, still required to undertake the two day training. We aim for our training courses and briefings to stimulate discussion and shared learning, and feedback is always welcomed during these sessions. It is an exciting concept that Waitrose’s supply chain is actively seeking information to use for the mutual benefit of growers, suppliers and Waitrose. With data from over 1000 farms, taken by trained and experienced assessors, the knowledge gained is immense and the results will go on to inform the research and development programme at Waitrose. The use of the Waitrose Sustainable Agriculture comms portal as a means of communicating such findings has begun and I hope it continues to be used by growers, suppliers and consumers to share our good news stories. Thank you very much to all assessors and growers who have given up their time to ensure this process has been such a success.
Introduction from Muddy Boots, Technology Partner
Muddy Boots Software has been the proud technology partner of the Waitrose Farm Assessment since its infancy. The results that you will find within this report have been analysed and presented from Muddy Boots’ Greenlight Assessments software, providing the Waitrose supply base with an online assessment management platform to facilitate the collection of Waitrose Farm Assessment data. This can then be analysed by both Waitrose and suppliers through our Performance Analysis Dashboards. This enables interactive progress and performance analysis to understand the extent of the good work being done within the grower base to move towards more sustainable farming operations. The expansion and further development under version 2 of the Waitrose Farm Assessment has been an exciting challenge for us all, and it has been a pleasure for us to work with the supply base. More focused, detailed data gather has provided us with a much richer data set, the value of which you will see throughout this report. Now that version 3 of the Waitrose Farm Assessment is live, it is no secret that this trend will continue and we eagerly await seeing even more great data coming out of the grower base that can be evaluated and shared for the benefit of the Waitrose growing community.
Farming For The Future Introduction from Professor Bill Davies CBE, Lancaster University We are pleased to publish the results of the second Waitrose Farm Assessment (WFA), a comprehensive summary of the performance of the fresh produce supply chain in response to a range of challenges issued by the Waitrose Agronomy Group. This exercise is a key component of the Agronomy Group’s continuing effort to enhance the sustainability of the supply chain. The first version of the WFA report was compiled in the months after the publication of the UK Government’s Foresight Report on Food and Farming. This report, published late in 2011, highlighted the need for changes in the global food system. The challenge for us is to ensure that supply chains from around the world can cope more effectively with the range of factors which are converging to significantly affect the demand, production and distribution of food. Producers and suppliers are already facing growing challenges from factors as diverse as climate change, soil degradation and availability of good quality land as well as having to cope with shortages of key inputs to the food production process, such as water, nutrients, labour and energy. These challenges can only grow over the next 20 to 40 years. We are aware that consumers are increasingly concerned to eat good quality, safe and nutritious food but also expect to see less food wasted. As well as adapting our farming systems to a changing climate, we also need farming systems to contribute to climate change mitigation.
Increasing consumer awareness of environmental issues means as well as delivering more environmentally-friendly food production systems, it is important that we communicate best practice to others operating in the food chain and to policy makers and to the general public. This report is one way of doing this and one aim of the publication is to stress the synergism between the Waitrose supply chain and leading researchers in the food production and environmental sciences. We believe that the value added to supply chain operations by these interactions is a good news story which should be widely broadcast. This report will be available on the Waitrose Sustainable Agriculture website (http://sustainableagriculturewaitrose. org/) which gives a more comprehensive account of our collective activities. Since the publication of version 1 of the Farm Assessment, we have launched a Professional Postgraduate Training programme (www.lancaster.ac.uk/lec/foodchallenges) focused on those who work in the supply chain. There are several aims for this programme which seeks to support the personal and professional development of those who work to ensure the supply of sufficient, safe, high quality food. One important product of this programme is the availability of a growing cohort of professionals who are well equipped to talk authoritatively and effectively about the challenges facing us as we seek to develop and maintain an increased level of food security. These people are also uniquely placed to explain what we as a community are doing to respond effectively to these challenges. The results of this Assessment and one of the messages which can be widely communicated and should itself be valued as an example of best practice. Bill Davies Lancaster University February 2016
4.
How to Interpret this Report Throughout this report you will see many charts demonstrating the great progress that has been made under version 2 of the Waitrose Farm Assessment. The majority of these charts are representative of the example here showing a breakdown of Best Practice, Work in Progress and Development Opportunity classifications;
A Best Practice response shows that the grower is performing very well to that particular part of the assessment and is demonstrating best practice on farm that Waitrose would like to see adopted throughout the supply chain. A Work in Progress response means that the grower has made good ground in a particular area of on-farm sustainability but can still improve upon the result submitted. A Development Opportunity response is one where it has been noted that a grower could be doing more in a particular area of sustainability and may require support to drive change in this area. These charts are supported by further graphical information showing underlying Waitrose Farm Assessment data such as biodiversity approaches, reaffirming some of the great work being undertaken within the Waitrose grower base.
Comparing Waitrose Farm Assessment Results Version 1 & 2 It is encouraging to see the improvement in the overall performance that has been demonstrated by the supply base throughout version 2 of the Waitrose Farm Assessment, especially considering the enhanced level of focus that has been applied to the data collected. Version 2 also saw an increase in the number of growers assessed as part of the WFA making this performance even more pleasing.
Version 1
Version 2
Looking closer at the changes from version 1 and version 2 of the Waitrose Farm Assessment we can see that there have been some significant improvements in both the reduction of Development Opportunity responses, and the increase in Best Practice responses across the question categories. Whilst we go into much more detail and analysis as we move through the report, this shows how things have progressed in general since version 1.
Energy Version 1
Energy Version 2
The Energy section saw a positive shift from Development Opportunity to Work in Progress.
6.
Comparing Waitrose Farm Assessment Results Version 1 & 2 Biodiversity Version 1
Biodiversity Version 2
The Biodiversity section saw a 7% increase in Best Practice responses.
Biodiversity saw one of the highest increases in performance with a 7% increase in Best Practice responses overall from version 1. Whilst we have seen a 10% reduction in Development Opportunity responses in the Energy category, Best Practice responses have only improved by 2%, with the remaining 8% moving to Work in Progress. Waitrose are keen to support the progress that has been made here and are hopeful that the supply base will now continue to encourage growers to adopt best practices as demonstrated at the Waitrose science days.
Soil Version 1
Soil Version 2
The Soil section saw a 6% increase in Best Practice responses.
Comparing Waitrose Farm Assessment Results Version 1 & 2 The Soil section has shown a dramatic improvement, mainly due to growers understanding and implementing our policies and in particular focusing on soil organic matter. This encouraging result exemplified how collaboration of growers, retailers and researchers through the WFA, science days and communications portal is making a big difference in our drive towards sustainability. While there has been progress in the Waste category, we know there is more to do. This area will be one of increased focus for the Agronomy Group.
Waste Version 1
Waste Version 2
The Waste section saw a 13% increase in Best Practice responses.
Under version 2 there was also more detailed information captured that was not part of the assessment under version 1. Whilst this does not lend itself to comparison here, you can see below some really good examples of the data captured across the grower base, more of which features throughout the report and has formed a core element of version 3.
Measures in place to minimise water contamination
Growing components produced on farm
8.
Water Introduction from Dr. Mark Else - East Malling Research
Water for irrigation and food production constitutes one of the greatest pressures on fresh water resource. Agriculture accounts for ~70% of global fresh water withdrawals.
A secure and reliable supply of water of an appropriate quality is critical to businesses that grow and process fruit and vegetables, and consequently to the security of supply to retailers and ultimately consumers. These businesses are increasingly vulnerable to a range of water-related risks, and mitigation strategies are crucial for the years ahead. Communication from the supply base of the difficulties faced with drought, flood and heat are key to understanding the impact of food security for a UK retailer. Waitrose’s Water policy is helping to inform growers of the challenges they face (see Section 2.1), and also identifies a range of strategies that will help to improve resilience. The increasing reliance on water for irrigation of fresh fruit and vegetables (see Section 2.2) reflects the global drive to increase production efficiency, marketable yields and the quality of fresh produce in the face of unpredictable seasonal and annual water availability. However, the consequences of a water deficit or surfeit within the rooting zone on yields and quality of fresh produce are not always appreciated by growers, and the added value to be gained from optimising plant water availability is sometimes overlooked. Nevertheless, the likely impact of future water restrictions on business planning and financial returns is an area of concern for many growers of high value horticultural crops. At the farm level, there is a range of short-, medium- and longer-term strategies that could help growers to improve the resilience of their businesses to water-related risks.
Improving the resilience of business to water-related risks Short-term In the short-term, more detailed information about on-farm water use is needed that, together with audits of irrigation performance and detailed records of yield per irrigation block, can be used to identify potential yield gaps, and to inform mitigation strategies. Identifying irrigation best practice by benchmarking on-farm water use efficiency in the different crop sectors and regions of production will help to identify approaches, investments and practices adopted by the Best Practice Group, which can then be shared amongst other producers. The Waitrose Best Practice Group will be identified from the data collected on water optimisation achieved over the last 5 years (see Section 2.3), and their multi-faceted approach to optimising on-farm water use efficiency will be promoted throughout the supply group. Many growers now have water stored on farms (see Section 2.4) and this reflects the increased awareness of the importance of a secure water supply to help mitigate the effects of climate change. More widespread use of rain water harvesting from farm buildings and growing structures to supplement limited supplies or water of marginal quality would also help to optimise on-farm water security. Delaying covering of protected crops to optimise water availability from rainfall is a further option, provided that crop scheduling is not compromised. Medium-term In the medium-term, efforts should focus on optimising irrigation delivery systems. Drip or trickle irrigation systems are the most efficient way to apply irrigation water to the roots of crop plants (see Section 2.3 continued). However both require high initial investment and careful management to optimise outputs. Although these methods are very efficient, they may not always deliver significant water savings since growers may wish to use the water saved to support the expansion of their businesses. More applied research is needed to investigate the potential benefits that drip irrigation may offer in different crops and growing systems, alongside cost benefit analyses to determine whether this approach is economically viable. The practicality of irrigating during the night at times of low evaporative demand should also be investigated further. Despite their inherent efficiency, drip irrigation systems may not always be appropriate for a variety of reasons, but on-farm irrigation use efficiency can still be optimised if rain guns, boom sprayers, and sprinklers are inspected regularly, are well-maintained, and are operating within the correct pressure range. The use of automated precision irrigation scheduling tools and technologies in commercial production systems are becoming increasingly common as growers strive to improve the economic, environmental and social sustainability of their businesses. In a recent project led by East Malling Research, 67% of growers were keen to understand which technologies and techniques have the most impact on irrigation water use efficiency and financial returns, and to visit sites where irrigation best practice is already being implemented and can be demonstrated. The benefits to the UK soft fruit sector of deploying precision irrigation strategies are discussed in the case study. Long-term In the longer-term, efforts in pre-breeding and association genetics, combined with sequencing, transcriptomic and metabolomic approaches are helping to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) and candidate genes that bestow improved water use efficiency in the major horticultural crops. In turn, this information will inform marker-assisted breeding and the manipulation of pre-harvest agronomic factors to deliver improved resource use efficiency, marketable yields, quality and shelf-life of fresh and prepared produce.
Water Section Performance
2.1 Has the grower received a copy of the Waitrose Water policy?
“Agriculture itself is a major consumer of scarce commodities and major contributor to climate and environmental pressures. Water is identified as the resource most under pressure.” Beddington 2011.
2.2 Is irrigation used on farm?
What does this mean?
What does this mean?
A significant improvement in the communication from Waitrose has been noted between version 1 and version 2. This is common to all relevant policies throughout the Waitrose Farm Assessment and demonstrates that by raising the profile of the issue, suppliers have responded by ensuring that growers receive the information necessary.
Irrigation is used on 89% of farms supplying Waitrose. There is recognition that irrigation often increases production efficiency, marketable yields and the quality of fresh produce, particularly in the face of unpredictable seasonal and annual rainfall. This high dependency on irrigation may also reflect the increasing range of crops being grown under cover, where rainfall is excluded, to achieve the yields, quality and availability demanded by consumers.
Development Opportunity In addition to ensuring that all growers who supply Waitrose are aware of the Water policy, in the future a greater emphasis will be placed on raising grower awareness of how the effects of climate change will impact on their businesses. As Mark Else discusses, mitigation and risk management strategies are crucial for the short-, medium- and long-term. This focus will be reflected in WFA version 3.
Understanding how water is obtained and utilised is key to identifying on-farm efficiencies and best practice. In a recent project led by East Malling Research in which in-depth Irrigation Business Reviews (IBRs) were carried out with 110 irrigators across the south east of England, 77% of growers ranked ‘learning from the experiences of other irrigators’ as the most important way to improve their on-farm water use efficiency.
10.
Water Section Performance 2.3 Is there a water optimisation programme in place?
2.4 Is water stored on farm?
What does this mean?
What does this mean?
The chart in this section shows the net saving of water achieved by initiatives implemented by the growers. We can report that of the growers who monitored their water usage, an average improvement of 18.5 % over the volume of water used in the previous 5 years was delivered through optimisation methods. It is important to note that these savings were expected to be achieved without reducing marketable yields and produce quality. This is a significant step forward and shows what can be achieved as the requirement for good quality water for irrigating crops, abstraction rights and licensing reforms, on-farm water use efficiencies and the environmental impact of intensive horticulture come under increasing scrutiny.
The average length of time that growers can sustain full cropping during a drought using water stored on farm is 108 days. Over 50% of growers assessed now have water stored on farms and this reflects the increased awareness of the importance of a secure water supply to help mitigate the effects of climate change. Further to this, 23% of growers who supply Waitrose estimate that they have enough water to last for a year under drought conditions. Nevertheless, the recent drought in the UK in 2011-2012 highlighted the need for even greater access to on-farm water storage to provide insurance against up to two years of drought.
Development Opportunity
Many growers are planning to increase on-farm water storage capacity through reservoirs and rainwater harvesting, but planning constraints and limited information on which options are available are sometimes a problem.
In version 3 of the WFA, values of water productivity will be calculated; this term captures the volumes of irrigation water used to produce a unit of marketable yield, e.g. cubic metres of water used per tonne of Class 1 produce, and a lower value implies a more efficient and productive use of water. This metric will also highlight those growers where significant improvements in on-farm water use efficiency may be achievable, using some or many of the approaches, technologies and decisions made by the irrigation Best Practice Group.
Development Opportunity
In each production region, new design guides for irrigation reservoirs would be beneficial, that explain key issues such as land suitability, water availability and quality, landscape and biodiversity, planning and permits, funding and legislation. This will help growers to improve their security against waterrelated risks. Similar guides would be helpful for installing and maintaining rainwater harvesting systems.
Water 2.3 (continued) Which methods of irrigation are used on farm?
What does this mean? 57% of water is applied by trickle or hydroponic systems. These are thought to be the most efficient way to apply irrigation water to the roots of the crop plants. However both require high initial investment and careful management to optimise outputs. Hydroponics used in protected cropping is especially efficient when recycling is employed. Although these methods are very efficient, they may not always deliver significant water savings since growers may wish to use the water saved to support the expansion of their businesses. Just over one third of water applications are made using rain guns, boom sprayers, sprinklers and flood irrigation. Development Opportunity Applied research in this area is recommended to support growers in further improving their on-farm water use efficiencies. As recommended by the Foresight Report 2011, sustainability could be improved by ‘the spread and implementation of existing knowledge, technology and best practice, and by investment in new science and innovation...’. Applied research is needed to investigate the potential benefits that drip irrigation may offer in different crops and growing systems, alongside cost benefit analyses to determine whether this approach is economically viable. The practicality of irrigating during the night at times of low evaporative demand could also be investigated further. Using weather probability forecasting to inform and improve on-farm irrigation decision-making is also helping to utilise effective rainfall in uncovered crops more effectively.
12.
Water Case Study 1: Dr. Mark Else, East Malling Research in Collaboration with Berry Gardens Growers Investigation into using precision growing techniques to accelerate the sustainable intensification of soft fruit production. In the UK soft fruit sector, significant increases in marketable yield have been achieved in recent years, due to more intensive plantings of new, high-yielding varieties with improved organoleptic qualities, but further increases are possible if agronomy can be optimised. There are opportunities to manipulate resource partitioning within the plant to help to improve resource use efficiency, consistency of cropping and minimise pre- and post-harvest losses. Automated precision irrigation tools are being developed and tested in an Innovate UK (IUK) funded project, led by Berry Gardens Growers Ltd, from our detailed scientific understanding of crop responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. On-farm commercial trials have shown that significant water and fertiliser savings can be achieved without reducing marketable yields, and aspects of fruit quality including firmness and %BRIX can be improved. In tandem, digital, thermal and hyperspectral imaging techniques are being developed with our project partners to help to manage the perceived risks in scaling up these low-input approaches to many hectares of high value soft fruit production. In a second IUK project, we will incorporate these technologies into a grower-facing Decision Support System (DSS) that will also harness weather probability forecasting to provide advanced warning of extreme events to inform mitigation strategies. The DSS will be deployed on commercial grower sites to quantify impacts on resource use efficiency, marketable yields, produce quality and shelf-life. Deficit irrigation commercial farms These technological advances are paving the way for the development and testing of deficit irrigation techniques on commercial farms. In scientific experiments, deficit irrigation techniques have been shown to improve resource use efficiency without impacting on marketable yields in many horticultural crops. If applied judiciously, deficit irrigation can be used to alter canopy area, shoot and root growth and architecture, and trigger the active accumulation of volatile and non-volatile flavour compounds and antioxidants, leading to more flavoursome produce with an extended shelf-life and improved phytonutrient content. Altered resource partitioning can also improve dry matter accumulation which has positive benefits on eating quality in apples and helps to improve processing quality in leafy salad crops. Deficit irrigation strategies will be deployed on commercial grower sites, using the enabling technologies being developed in the projects mentioned above to manage and mitigate the potential risks. Staff training and technical support Given the importance of effective irrigation scheduling and the increasing complexity of irrigation system controls, more staff training is needed, but there is a lack of suitable courses and on-the-ground support, and this is a potential barrier to the wide-spread uptake of these exciting new approaches. Training needs to include irrigation system design, irrigation hardware operation and maintenance, the influence of environmental metrics on plant water needs, the impact of ineffective irrigation scheduling on yields, quality, shelf-life, and the perception of produce by consumers, the added value of precision growing, including savings in resources (water, fertilisers, pesticides, energy, labour), improved quality (flavour, shelf-life) and reduced waste on-farm and in-store. Demonstration farms showcasing the latest developments in precision horticulture together with practical advice on how to integrate these technologies into existing infrastructure would also help to accelerate the sustainable intensification of UK and global soft fruit production.
Case Study 2: RG Abrey Farm, in collaboration with Branston Ltd. RG Abrey have invested several million pounds in their irrigation infrastructure over the last 25 years. The total amount of land they can now irrigate is in excess of 1500ha per year. Their capacity to store winter harvested water is in excess of 370 million gallons across a number of storage reservoirs located on the farm and neighbouring land. Water can be pumped in an 8km radius from the main farm site. Irrigation efficiency is measured in the field by using a combination of Enviroscan monitoring, local weather stations and a traditional balance sheet method. Experience and regular soil assessments are also an important part of the efficiency monitoring. During the season 40 applicators can be running, ranging from linear applicators to booms, rain guns and drip tape. Water security on the farm has helped to maintain a long-term sustainable farming operation able to deliver consistent quality throughout the season.
Soil
Healthy soils are the basis for healthy food production.
Introduction from Dr. Tom Sizmur, Reading University Organic matter not only improves the capacity for soils to hold water, but also provides a source of food for organisms that live in soils and provide beneficial ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling, generating soil structure and suppressing pests and disease. It is a remarkable achievement that more than half of growers are applying best practice to protect and build soil carbon. The challenges for the future are to support those currently not adopting best practice and to conduct research that makes best practice better. The Waitrose Agronomy Group, in conjunction with Reading University and Rothamsted Research are investigating ways in which crop residues can be applied to soils to optimise the impact they have on the soil food web and maximise the delivery of soil ecosystem services. The Soil Security Programme (SSP) In June 2013 the EU project ‘SOILSERVICE’ reported on findings from an interdisciplinary pan-European project that linked soil ecosystem service delivery with farmer’s economic decision making. The project quantified the negative impacts of short, intensive cropping systems on soil organic matter and soil biodiversity. Since the last Farm Assessment Report there has been considerable investment into research on soil science in the UK. The Soil Security Programme (SSP) is a multi-million pound research initiative which aims to secure future soil quality to sustain ecosystems and the services they deliver; food production, flood prevention, carbon storage and clean water. This interdisciplinary initiative is based at the universities of Aberdeen, Manchester, Reading, Sheffield, Warwick and The Centre for Hydrology and Ecology. The SSP is funded jointly by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Scottish Government.
The importance of improving soil structure and how this can impact crop yield, from Professor Karl Ritz, Nottingham University Soil structure is fundamentally important to soil health. Crucially, soils need to be porous to allow air and water to permeate them, then to hold such water so that it is available for plant uptake, and to allow soil microbes and animals to be active. Ideally, there should be a wide range of different sized and well-connected pores, often related to a similarly wide range of soil aggregates, which are relatively stable when subjected to tillage or rainfall impact at the soil surface. Soils need to also be sufficiently friable so that roots are able to penetrate them effectively, and allow a good rate of root-soil contact to enable effective water and nutrient uptake. The structure of a soil is underwritten by how the various mineral and organic constituents of which soils are comprised are aggregated together and arranged in three-dimensions to form the critical pore networks. Two of the most effective means of improving and maintaining soil structure are via increasing soil organic matter content and avoiding compaction – this is why there is so much focus on these strategies in the WFA. •
Organic matter affects soil structure in several ways. Primarily, it provides energy sources for the myriad of soil organisms which create such structure via processes of moving (e.g. worm burrows and casts), adhesion of soil constituents, enmeshment by filamentous fungal hyphae and roots, and coating pore walls with stabilising materials.
•
Organic matter can also have inherently adhesive properties, holds water, sequesters nutrient elements and releases them over time, and can impart physical resilience to soil compression by acting as a form of spring.
•
Organic matter management is often predicated on the importation of materials to fields, but a convenient and effective means can also be via return of crop residues and the use of cover crops, practices which are encouraged in the formulation of soil management plans.
14.
Soil
Our soils are precious, it can take up to 1000 years to form 1cm of top soil.
Section Performance
3.3 Does the farm have a written soil management plan that is being implemented?
3.4 Does the grower understand the organic matter content of his soil? And is there evidence that they are working to improve levels? If so by what means?
What does this mean?
What does this mean?
77% of growers have a written soil management plan, this is in line with the % of growers in WFA version 1.
We are pleased that 73% of farms assessed know the organic matter of their soils, with the majority within 0-5% OM. This subject has been highlighted by Andy Whitmore and many other leading academics.
A soil management plan is a common request in several crop assurance audit schemes, however the Waitrose policy and interpretation of this question looks beyond this and looks into evidence of a plan as well as documentation. We would have liked to have seen more progress from version 1. This will be a key objective for growers for version 3. Development Opportunity Soil loss due to erosion, loss of soil fertility, salination and other forms of degradation are of international concern and therefore targets for continual improvement. It is an onward challenge to ensure that growers are aware of where they are able to identify and manage their own land issues. This will be highlighted at forthcoming Waitrose events.
Organic matter (a key driver from the Waitrose science days) is clearly better understood and universally appreciated as soil science advances and becomes a sustainability priority. Development Opportunity Growers that are using an effective soil management plan fully recognise the importance of soil organic matter. In addition, through the assessment we can measure the diversity of methods to improve SOM such as rotation straw inclusion, compost, green manures and biochar. As a consequence of intensification most farms do not have an animal source but choose other amendments to enhance their soils from a variety of sources.
Soil Sources of organic matter
3.8 Does the grower take specific measures to minimise soil compaction on the farm?
Strategies in place to minimise soil compaction
What does this mean? Compaction is an avoidable problem and the results here show great and increased awareness of this issue. We record a massive jump of 17% in Best Practice responses in soil compaction avoidance measures from version 1 to version 2. Compaction is addressed by a variety of initiatives including controlled traffic farming, minimum tillage, field drainage, flotation tyres, GPS subsoiling and vehicle size / weight.
16.
Soil Section Performance 3.9 Does the grower take specific measures to minimise erosion on the farm?
Measures taken to minimise erosion on farm
3.12 Is there a plan in place for the reduction / optimisation of artificial inputs (NPK) for specific crops?
Growers %NPK Reduction
What does this mean?
What does this mean?
Preventing soil erosion is a key challenge. It has been encouraging to record an increased number of farms achieving Best Practice from version 1 to version 2.
This is a key question of both efficiency and reducing man made inputs. Our farmers have shown a great and impressive response with 77% of all growers having an optimisation plan in place.
Activities to prevent erosion include mulches, rotations, wind breaks, contour mapping and terracing. Findings indicated that methods vary according to geographical location, climate, soil type and crop type.
Minimisation of artificial inputs is a requirement of the Waitrose Soil policy and therefore in subsequent assessments, this will become an area of focus for assessors to raise with their growers. Of those with a nutrient plan, approximately 60% have reduced artificial inputs and have measured the levels of reduction. Of those growers who have measured their reduction, 85% have reduced artificial inputs by between 1 and 30%. This area is a key driver for Waitrose as overuse of nutrients is not only potentially environmentally damaging but can affect final quality.
Soil 3.15 Have efforts been made at farm level to protect and rebuild soil carbon within the farming operation? If so by what measure?
What does this mean? As a new question in version 2, this is a previously unchallenged area and one that covers an emerging area of soil science and knowledge. Capturing and restoring soil carbon is a key challenge on a field but a key opportunity on tree crops. The management in the rows between orchard crops is a key opportunity. The most commonly used practice is the return of crop residues. This is an area being supported by Waitrose and investigated with Reading University.
Efforts made at farm level to protect and rebuild soil carbon within farming operation
Case Study 3: Global Biodiversity and Soil Assessment in Chile, Cristiån Bonacic, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile in collaboration with Primafruit Chile is a major exporter of fruits, wine, salmon, timber and other agriculture products worldwide. Intensive agriculture and other human induced land use changes are severely affecting biodiversity and sustainability. In that context, biodiversity conservation within farmland plays a major role integrating protected areas into a landscape approach for regional conservation. One hundred kilometers south of Santiago, the capital city of Chile, growers are producing high quality fruits including table grapes for Waitrose branches. An ambitious partnership between local producers, Waitrose and The Department of Ecosystems & The Environment from Pontifical Catholic University of Chile is leading the first global assessment of biodiversity and soil quality for 10 farms in the O´Higgins region of Chile. Bats, small mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs were surveyed as well as plant diversity and soil invertebrates within vineyards, orchards and in surrounding areas. The first results indicate that even within intensive production farmland some native and even endangered species are still present, and in some situations, thrive. Future work aims to encourage biodiversity within crop borders, drains and the roadside to enrich habitat conditions.
18.
Soil Organic Matter in Soil, Professor Andy Whitmore, Rothamsted Research Ongoing experiments at Rothamsted have found increases in yield as a result of adding organic matter to soil that is in excess of what can be accounted for by the nutrients in the amendments. In a series of e  xperiments funded mainly by the HGCA we are looking at the effects on yield of adding compost, farm yard manure, anaerobic digestate or crop residues. We have also been looking at the effect on different crops in rotation. Our expectation was that the benefits of adding organic matter would be indirect: that is to say, the organic matter might act as a food source for organisms in soil, large and small, that would themselves improve the structure of soil by their activities and that this improvement in structure would then lead to improvements in yield.
Progress over 3 years... Within two years there were clear changes in the shape of the response to added nitrogen in the plots where organic matter was added compared to plots that did not receive any organic amendments. We are finding more earthworms and more micro-organisms in amended soil and the increases in yield and changes in response curve have been confirmed for a third year. We have seen improvements in the yields of winter and spring sown cereals and winter oil seed rape. Results from longer term experiments at Rothamsted suggest that benefits of adding organic matter are greater in years when the crop is stressed in some way – perhaps drought – so it is possible that yields are more resilient where organic matter has been added and structure improved. Work is continuing in this area. Additional work with colleagues overseas confirms these findings in a number of different soils, crop rotations and climates, but stresses the value of amendments to spring sown crops. This data also suggests that soils with low levels of organic matter initially benefit most from amendments. This is not surprising but the data will eventually allow us to specify when and where amending soils is worthwhile given the cost of obtaining the amendment. Economic Tradeoffs Given the likely improvements to structure, it is important not to lose the benefits to yield by allowing the soil to become compacted. Maintaining the structure, once it has been improved by earthworms and microbes, will be key to continuing to derive the benefits in yield. We will be estimating the economic tradeoffs between paying for amendments and deriving more yield but a part of this complex equation is how long the benefits last after amending soil. Clearly it is important to maintain soil condition to prolong the value of any investment in soil organic matter.
Biodiversity
Bees that pollinate many of our fruit and vegetable crops are worth more than £960M to UK agriculture.
Introduction from Professor Simon Potts, University of Reading and Dr. Carly Stevens, Lancaster University
Globally biodiversity is increasingly under threat, however sustainable agriculture provides an opportunity not only to help support more wildlife, but to use biodiversity to boost food production. The Waitrose Farm Assessment highlights how its growers and suppliers are progressively integrating biodiversity into their businesses. What do we mean by biodiversity? Biodiversity is the variety of different types of life found on earth. It includes the wildlife valued by farmers and the public in its own right, such as farmland birds and butterflies. It also includes those organisms that help underpin food production, for example: • •
Ladybirds, carabid beetles and parasitoid wasps that control crop pests such as aphids. Earthworms and other below-ground invertebrates which help increase soil fertility.
Growing human populations and increasing demands for food has led to competition between land used for production and land used for wildlife conservation. But these two approaches are not incompatible and modern smart farming can deliver both. The key to achieving this is understanding that biodiversity underpins ecosystem services, which are defined as the benefits we derive from nature. Ecosystem services include the provision of food, clean water, soil nutrients, pollination of crops, climate regulation, erosion regulation, and pest and disease regulation. World-class research from the universities of Cambridge, Lancaster, Reading and Worcester working with Waitrose’s growers, have identified management practices which allow farmers to include simple changes to management practices which can protect biodiversity and enhance ecosystem services without impinging on production. For instance, boundary features which would normally be left grassy can be sown to wild flowers which provide a wide range of benefits: • • • •
Flower margins can support pollinators which help crop productivity and farmer profits. Margins can also support natural enemies, such as beetles, which can eat pests which would otherwise damage crops. Wildflowers produce seeds which help feed wildlife such as farmland birds and small mammals. The bright tapestry of flowers brings our landscapes to life and is valued by the public.
Sustainable farming recognises biodiversity as an essential natural asset which needs to be managed carefully to maximise the benefits we derive from it. The Waitrose Farm Assessment version 2 reveals a substantial increase in the adoption of best management practices, all of which are underpinned by the evidence developed by Waitrose’s science partners.
20.
Biodiversity
Soil Association - There are over 250 species of native Bee in Britain.
Section Performance 4.2 Is there a biodiversity plan for the farm that is appropriate for the growing area?
4.3 How has the farm optimised its potential for breeding habitats on the farm?
What does this mean? There is a striking improvement in the number of growers moving from Work in Progress to Best Practice by having a written biodiversity plan in place for this key area. We have moved forward by 18% on the Best Practice answer and this may reflect the prominence given to this area both in the Waitrose policy, science days, Waitrose funded research and international pressure. Optimising on-farm breeding habits is fundamental to farming and through assessment of the results we can see that progress is being made but not at as high a level as expected. There is, however, a diverse range of habitats in place on farms from field margins to wet lands. Development Opportunity Maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services whilst feeding the world is a key challenge identified in the Foresight Report. In addition, the International Convention on Biological Diversity is concerned with agricultural biodiversity and has initiatives which cover pollinators, soil biodiversity and biodiversity for food and nutrition. Whilst having a plan is the first step in acknowledging the biodiversity of a farm, for it to be effective it must be implemented and be based on sound advice and science. Waitrose, as a leading retailer, has a biodiversity policy which is designed to challenge growers. By supporting growers and providing information through the Sustainable Agriculture communication portal on best practice and publications in this area, it is hoped that growers are able to access relevant information that can revolutionise practises on farm.
Countryside Stewardship from Professor Simon Potts, University of Reading, and Dr. Carly Stevens, Lancaster University Farmers and landowners are stewards of the countryside and make a vital contribution to the protection of biodiversity. For example, over 70% of land in England is farmed and so agricultural practices have a very important influence over biodiversity and other services that the land provides for us. There have been many examples of species threatened by human impacts on the natural environment; a notable example being the general decline of farmland birds and through widespread adoption of best practices these trends may be reversed. Producing a biodiversity plan is the first step however, but these plans need to be carefully implemented and updated as knowledge on best practice is revised.
Biodiversity Section Performance 4.4 In the past year has the grower, an independent advisor or a designated person monitored and recorded sightings of key indicator species?
Number of recordings of key species on Waitrose Assessed farms
What does this mean? While improvements have been noted, there is more that needs to be done in this area and we will focus on this for version 3. With the advent of national online species monitoring initiatives in the UK, progress in this area could include the wider community to encourage species counters. Key species are being spotted and often breeding pairs are noted, however the number of farms showing recognition of active pollinators and soil life is worryingly low. Growers are by nature very aware of their growing environment and will often have anecdotal evidence of rises and falls in bird species. By encouraging growers to monitor numbers, it is hoped to engage growers further and provide good news stories. Online species monitoring initiatives could help growers deliver this. Development Opportunity By raising the profile of biodiversity and the value of ecosystem services to growers, Waitrose suppliers are able to communicate the Waitrose policy requirements and engage those who can actively make a difference in the environment in which they operate. A difficult development opportunity exists on rented land, where the grower may have no or limited influence over the management of the growing area. Close communication of the policy from grower to landlord is seen to be the greatest challenge on short-term rented land and it is this area that will be explored in future policy.
Monitoring Organism Populations from Professor Simon Potts, University of Reading and Dr. Carly Stevens, Lancaster University Monitoring of populations of key species is essential to understanding the impacts farming has not only on the key indicator species (e.g. butterflies and farmland birds) but also on the wider countryside. By collecting data on these species we can start to see changes in numbers year to year and to understand the impact that changes in management may have. If data collected can be collated and utilised at a regional or national scale this is where its real value comes because it helps us to start understanding the impact of changes in the wider countryside and make moves to prevent habitat loss and degradation.
“Some of the most threatened and diverse habitats on earth exist in very low-income countries, and interventions to make farming more wildlife friendly...or to set land aside as reserves may affect the livelihoods of the very poorest people.� Foresight Report 2011
22.
Biodiversity Case Study 4: Ecosystem services from uncropped land, Mark Ashby, Lancaster University An investigation being conducted at Lancaster University by PhD student Mark Ashby is investigating how uncropped areas contribute to farm biodiversity. Farms play a very important role in protecting biodiversity and in doing so they also provide a wide range of other services to society in addition to producing food. The ecosystem services approach recognises these benefits by considering s upporting services (e.g. nutrient cycling), provisioning services (e.g. food), regulating services (e.g. climate regulation, pollination and pest regulation) and cultural services (e.g. education, iconic wildlife species).
Mark’s project (supervised by Dr. Carly Stevens and Dr. Andrew Wilby, Lancaster University, and Professor Simon Potts, Reading University) is investigating the relationships between the area, configuration and quality of land taken out of production and the amount of benefit to biodiversity and ecosystem services. The aim is that the results of the project will help producers in devising biodiversity plans, helping them to maximise the benefits from land taken out of production. So far the project has collected data from a network of 16 farms in central and southern England. At each farm field margins of high and low quality have been investigated and data has
been collected on vegetation, pollinators and other invertebrates, soil carbon content and soil infiltration. This data and collected samples are currently being processed, first results will be available in early 2016. Next field season research will focus on pollination and b iological pest control using e xperimental plants. At the end of the project we hope to be able to produce guidelines for farmers on where to locate field margins and how to manage them in order to maximise the benefits they produce for biodiversity and a range of other services that the land provides.
Case Study 5: Ecosystem services in sustainable agriculture; maximising productivity and environmental benefits, Paul Tyson in collaboration with Berry World, Hall Hunter Partnership and R & V Emery
Ecosystem services are crucial to the productivity of agriculture in the UK and especially to our commercial horticulture. Paul Tyson’s PhD project at the University of Reading, and in partnership with Berry World, Hall Hunter Partnership and R & V Emery, aims to quantify the contribution of b iodiversity-based ecosystem services (pollination, disease regulation, and soil fertility) to commercial raised bag Junebearer and Everbearer strawberry production. The study is also quantifying the impacts of commercial production on the wider environment, in terms of biodiversity, water and carbon. The first year of the project (2013) assessed the baseline contribution of services to production with pilot studies on: pollination effects on fruit yield and quality, botrytis and powdery mildew disease control, and substrate fertility through the addition of arbuscular mycorrhiza. Paul showed that p ollination services were already optimal in the systems he was working on, however there were opportunities to enhance disease regulation and substrate fertility using services provided by biodiversity. The second year of the study narrowed the scope to focus on:
All three of these practices have potential to c ontribute to more sustainable strawberry p roduction. Paul will compare his ‘enhanced e cosystem services’ system with the ‘business-as-usual’ system using a cost benefit analysis to determine if profitability can be maintained or e nhanced in a commercial setting when applying an ecosystem service approach. The project will deliver a set of best practice recommendations for ecosystem service management in strawberry production, with the potential to further develop a set of guidelines applicable to a wider range of soft fruit production systems. The key outcome of the project will be enabling growers to reduce some of the reliance on synthetic inputs and increase the sustainability of the current soft fruit supply chain.
1. Botrytis cinerea control through Bumblebee v ectored biocontrol agent Clonostachys rosea as a replacement for traditional synthetic f ungicide sprays. 2. Podosphaera aphanis (Powdery Mildew) control though the root application of silicon as a replacement for traditional synthetic fungicides. 3. An increase in substrate fertility and plant drought tolerance through the addition of a rbuscular mycorrhiza to the coir growing m edium.
24.
Energy Section Performance
5.2 Has the farm undertaken a carbon audit for the whole farm or specific crops?
What does this mean? The findings show that 46% of farms have undertaken a carbon audit at some level – with 18% specific to CO2 emissions / kg crop and 28% measuring CO2 emissions at farm level. 30% of farmers have invested in renewable energy. We believe there needs to be clarity on both the operational and economic efficiencies of a range of renewable energies, this is a priority for the Agronomy Group. Development Opportunity Within the EU, legislation has been introduced to reduce emissions by 20% by 2020 and this target is higher in the UK, with a requirement of a 34% reduction. Whilst the creation of market incentives, e.g. grants and subsidies can help, it may attract involvement for financial gain. When these incentives are withdrawn, there is often the risk of best practice being dropped. Falls in oil prices combined with the removal of renewable grants, for example, give rise to challenges of economics versus emission reduction. A key challenge is for any incentive to be consistently supported and voluntary measures taken by the industry as part of corporate social responsibility.
“Were the organic carbon pools in the world’s soils to be increased by 10% in the 21st century, it would be the equivalent of reducing atmospheric CO2 by 100 parts per million.” Foresight Report 2011
5.5 Have reductions in carbon been made in key components of the production process?
Encouraging greater yields with similar or less inputs, may be the quickest method of achieving these stringent legislative requirements. Longer term planning and capital investment in ‘greener’ technologies may then be the next step in reducing emissions. Assisting growers by providing links to simple online carbon emission calculation tools may prove beneficial providing that growers have access to the appropriate technology. It may also be beneficial for growers to understand the close link between soil management, water use, biodiversity and vegetation management and the potential impact on atmospheric CO2 emissions.
Where have carbon reductions been made?
Energy Case Study 6: Fundo Hornitos, Exportadora Subsole SA, Chile in collaboration with Primafruit
Subsole were founded in 1992 and specialise in table grape production, they have been trading with Waitrose for over 10 years. They are exporters producing grapes, avocados, citrus, kiwis, cherries and pomegranates. Fundo Hornitos (Agricola Don Alfonso) farm was purchased in 2008. The farm is located in the middle of the Atacama desert and totals 289ha, of which 265ha are in production. Subsole were the first company in Chile to build a solar farm (solar panels and photovoltaic system) aimed at producing the required energy to produce and pack fruit. The solar farm has currently one hectare of solar panels (1280 panels); when fully completed, the solar farm will generate enough energy to pump underground waters from the wells to operate irrigation systems to 265 hectares of table grape vineyards in the middle of the Atacama desert, without polluting the environment and producing no emissions of greenhouse gases or CO2. When the vines are ‘resting’ (during the wintertime mainly), the energy produced by the solar farm will be used to pack avocados and kiwifruit in the central area of Chile. Subsole’s objective is to generate clean energy to help produce table grapes within the Atacama desert, as well as improving their production costs and CO2 footprint.
For the energy to be useful, the voltage needs to be converted from 12 volts to one suitable to our electrical grid system (220 volts). After this is done, this energy is used to pump underground waters from the wells and o perate the irrigation system on the farm; without polluting the environment and producing no emissions of greenhouse gases or CO2. Key achievements to date: • • •
Already minimising the impact of CO2 emissions. Subsole now have access to reliable, sustainable and clean energy to grow and pack their fruit. Increased awareness of environmentally friendly initiatives which Subsole hope to roll out across their growing regions.
The project has had a hugely positive effect on publicity towards Chilean agriculture.
The project was set up in conjunction with Kraftweck, a German based company. A number of studies were conducted to determine the final use of the Photovoltaic Plant Design. Latitude, movement of the sun, shadows of the mountains and anything else that could negatively affect the reception of the solar radiation was considered during the planning process. The design of the installation considers an angle of 20˚ with a separation between rows of 1.45m (4 ft. 9) optimising the use of the exceptional sunlight in the area. Photovoltaic panels employ the latest Canadian technology. Its capacity will reach 1 MW (equivalent to the energy needed to feed more than 600 households). The function of a solar inverter is to convert the variable direct current (DC) output of the solar panel into a utility frequency alternating current (AC) that can be fed into the commercial electrical grid or used by a local off-grid electrical network. The light that comes from the sun is received by the panels, which are made out of silicon, a chemical element that when hit by the light, frees an electron making a chain reaction. Then, an electrical flux is created.
26.
Waste
At Waitrose any unsold food which is not donated currently is used to create electricity through anaerobic digestion.
Introduction from Guy Thallon, Produce World Group
Tackling food waste can be a major challenge across the breadth of our food systems. It is estimated that the total amount of food lost or wasted from the field to the fridge in the UK is 15 million tonnes per annum. Organisations such as WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) work to identify, quantify and tackle food waste at key touch points across supply chains; this includes encouraging positive behaviour change with consumers (‘Love Food Hate Waste’) and funding research to drive best practice for waste utilisation on farm. As an industry there has been a push towards adopting the food waste pyramid, a hierarchy defining the prioritisation of food waste redistribution which puts feeding people and livestock above composting, energy and landfill. Understanding the sources and levels of food waste on-farm is an aim of the Waitrose Farm Assessment and an important ambition towards sustainable agriculture. To a farm business this process is about driving efficient planning and process as well as converting resultant waste streams into revenue streams. This cost-benefit balance can be achieved by selling through secondary markets, exchanging outgrade material for farm yard
manure or by investing in energy technology such as anaerobic digestion. Adopting the food waste pyramid on-farm can be challenging and the cost-benefit may not be solely derived from cash generated, for example food redistribution organisations such as FareShare and Gleaning UK will help route waste streams to charities tackling food poverty. The food waste challenge is complex and the responses need to be tailored to individual farms requirements, understanding the drivers of waste, reducing the volumes through redirection and optimising the use of streams is fundamental in achieving resilient, sustainable food systems.
Waste Section Performance 6.2 Has crop farm waste been calculated in accordance to the Waitrose policy?
6.4 Does the farm have a crop waste plan?
What does this mean?
What does this mean?
Our feedback from assessors was that many growers did not record the levels of waste in the context of the Waitrose Waste Minimisation policy. Growers understand yields of harvested product, but the issue of ‘lost’ crop or that which fails to meet its potential in the field is not necessarily routinely monitored.
It is clear that before you can manage progress you have to define how it is measured. The complexity here is that farm waste can occur at several points in the production cycle eg. before harvest, such as in the form of failed crops; during harvest, such as out grades; and post harvest due to crop degradations and a multitude of other reasons. It is clear that 40% of farms have a crop waste plan and our challenge is to embrace the substantial Work in Progress figure of 49%.
Development Opportunity Continued communication of the Waitrose Waste Minimisation policy by suppliers is essential to the global supply base. Efficiencies and best practice during each stage in the production process has a cumulative effect on the total waste of a p roduct. Losses previously thought to be ‘inevitable’ or ‘weather related’ could be reconsidered as controllable and avoidable through the use of technology and varietal consideration.
Development Opportunity Waitrose is committed to increasing its focus on waste. Waitrose will review its own Waste policy to ensure clarity and ensure that best practice is recognised through demonstration farms. Waitrose reorganises its role as a retailer to ensure that crops are utilised, we have recently launched a range of imperfect vegetables.
28.
Crop Protection It is estimated that 40% of the world’s food would not exist without crop protection products.
Introduction from Stefan De Cristoforo, Technical Manager Fresh Produce Waitrose has always believed that pesticides should be used as part of an integrated farm management system. We have traditionally taken a cautious approach listening to the views of customers, suppliers, growers and academic partners. Waitrose was one of the first retailers to publish to our suppliers a list of pesticides that restricted some, while giving direction for others that were being superseded by new chemistry or non-chemical controls. The Waitrose Farm Assessment includes a section on pesticides, simply because it is so important. As you can see our scores have moved forward but to be frank they had to as some of the areas of non-compliance were of a fundamental nature. While comfortable with progress made we know that quantifying reduction in use in a way that really justifies the progress of integrated approach is key to customer confidence and a sustainable farming system. In recent years there has been concern about a group of pesticides known as neonicotinoids due to their possible effect on pollinators. We have taken an industry leading position in removing them from our supply chain on crops that are attractive to bees. While pleased with our growers’ response we know this is not an easy route and in some sectors and countries this has proved challenging. The herbicide glyphosate, widely and effectively used in agriculture has also recently been implicated in potential residues in processed crops and this is now of concern to us. Finding alternatives to weed management that does not compromise any aspect of environmental development is key and science will need to be supported in such research to avoid knee jerk reactions. Storage, application and recording of pesticides remain compliant to Waitrose and international standards, as one would expect from professional growers. However we have seen some significant improvements in some areas such as operator safety and systems to ensure harvest internal compliance. Version 2 asked about the use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) at farm level and it was reassuring to see a wide range of non chemical control methods were being employed by the majority of Waitrose growers. We want to encourage growers to continue to increase the introduction of IPM in the future. However further work is required to effectively evaluate the success of IPM techniques in reducing the impact of pesticides on the environment and we are developing tools to monitor this. Pesticides will continue to be a central theme within the Waitrose Farm Assessments and we will continue to develop policies and tools that encourage and enable our growers to benefit from their judicious use whilst further reducing their impact.
Crop Protection Section Performance 7.13 Has the grower procedures in place to minimise impact of pesticide applications on neighbours crops?
7.8 Is there a fully documented comprehensive system for compliance with harvest intervals?
7.11 Are all farm personnel who have access to the pesticide store and responsibility for applying pesticides trained in pesticide handling and usage?
7.14 Does the grower have access to an up-to-date database of current permissions to use legally approved Plant Protection Products?
7.10 Are records kept of all pesticide applications to the crop both pre- and post-harvest, including justification for use?
7.15 Can the grower demonstrate that those responsible for selection and recommendation of crop protection chemicals are competent?
What does this mean? We include a range of questions in the WFA for pesticides due to their importance in crop protection. Our expectation is for 100% compliance (Best Practice) to the questions set. Development Opportunity Waitrose trades with growers all around the world, from the results of this assessment we are pleased but not complacent. It is clear that we need to ensure people are re-trained and up-skilled as appropriate.
30.
Crop Protection 7.12 Is there a management plan in place to reduce the likelihood of pesticide residues?
How growers work to reduce pesticide residues
What does this mean? This question is a new inclusion to version 2 of the Waitrose Farm Assessment and it is encouraging to see a strong result especially with a number of new growers being assessed under this version of the scheme. With ever increasing scrutiny on pesticide residues it’s a fundamentally important area to assess how growers are engaging with ICM to reduce the risk of residues on product so that best practice examples can be shared and adopted more readily. It is encouraging to see from this data that all growers are engaging to some extent on ICM strategies and even more encouraging that the vast majority are meeting a best practice standard. We can see from a more granular breakdown of this data where Work in Progress responses have been recorded that improvements can be achieved by more effective communication from grower and supplier and we expect to see this acknowledged as part of the next version of the Waitrose Farm Assessment.
Crop Protection Case Study 7: Dudutech & Flamingo Horticulture Group - An integrated approach to pest control and plant health
Dudutech pioneered Integrated Crop Management in Kenya utilising biological controls when the challenges of responsible and economic growing of high quality crops that relied heavily on synthetic pesticides was recognised within the Flamingo Horticulture Group. Going back to 2001, there was very little legislation to deal with biological pest control products, and Dudutech has since worked closely with various government and donor bodies in order to develop appropriate procedures and protocols that has enabled them to be the first to bring biological pest control products to the Kenyan market. Since then Dudutech has grown as a leading bio-pesticide producer and distributor, and a referral institute for Integrated Crop Management (ICM) in Africa. 230 people are now employed, all Kenyan, in three production sites, with 14ha of outdoor insect production, two dedicated indoor insectaries, and state of the art fungus and nematode production facilities. As a result, Dudutech now supplies 17 biological control products, alongside Integrated Crop Management training, into Kenyan horticulture, out-grower schemes, large scale agriculture, grain and cereal production, tea, coffee and forestry in East Africa. Dudutech have gone on to expand these operations with products now successfully exported to South Africa and Europe.
32.
Protected Cropping Introduction from Veryan Bliss, Suncrop Produce Ltd. By understanding the needs of population growth, the increased burden of food production requirements and the continuous challenges to produce environmentally sensitive, sustainable, safe, healthy, legal and flavoursome foods, protected cropping allows for a controlled and managed environment in which inputs and impacts can be critically measured, monitored and amended. Protected cropping systems allow growers to produce safe, flavoursome, nutritious and relatively inexpensive food. The precision with which inputs can be controlled within a protected cropping system minimises environmental impact and allows the extensive use of biological control techniques. The Waitrose Farm Assessment has provided data regarding the heat generation sources, the age, size and quality of the growing structures, water management and recycling practices within the Waitrose supply base. This data provides reliable statistics by which the sustainability and environmental impact of the Waitrose supply chain can be measured.
Version 2 of the Waitrose Farm Assessment has posed challenging questions to our growers and provoked them to consider changing their approach to how crops are grown, heated and irrigated and how pests and diseases are managed. Fossil fuel has been the staple source for heat generation for many years but now growers are looking towards renewable energies such as geothermal heat sources, waste heat from industry, biomass, anaerobic digestion and refined Combined Heat and Power operations. The report has identified that 94% of protected crops being grown for Waitrose are not using peat; that Integrated Crop Management is championed across the supply base and 90% of growers know the source and sustainability of their growing media. Food security and sustainability are key to our future, by questioning what we do today we can change what we do tomorrow through encouraging innovative thinking. Capturing this information will allow us to plan strategically to ensure the future of protected cropping and provide a food supply for the next generation that is sustainable and treads lightly within the environment. Waitrose is working with its suppliers to extend cropping seasons of strawberries, tomatoes, peppers and many other salad crops, and this trend looks set to increase as concerns about food security intensify. Within a defined area of production, the use of robotics for all aspects of operations will only increase in line with crop uniformity and quality developments. The opportunity to reduce food waste through innovative research into the extension of product life utilising agronomic and storage developments will continue to change the face of production.
Protected Cropping Section Performance Growing mediums used on farm
What does this mean? 94% of all the protected crops being produced for Waitrose are not using peat in any form. This demonstrates the support and implementation of the Waitrose Peat policy which was introduced in 2012. This version 2 report has identified a project area to assess and understand what more can be done to reduce its use further.
10.4 Is the grower aware of the source and sustainability of the growing medium used?
10.5 Is the growing medium recycled or re-used either by the grower or a third-party?
What does this mean? The two most common mediums used are Coir, a by-product from coconut husks which, having produced a number of crops for Waitrose is then utilised by growers in other crops or is used to enrich soil, and Rockwool which is widely recycled and used in industries such as for the production of bricks and cement. This question continues to demonstrate the effects of the Waitrose Peat policy on the thought processes of the growers and their ongoing drive to produce sustainable crops. 89% of the mediums used in the supply base is knowingly recycled or reused.
34.
Protected Cropping
10.6 Is the nursery managed effectively using principles of integrated pest management?
What does this mean? Where appropriate to the crop 93% of growers have embraced Integrated Pest Management (IPM) using beneficial insects and applications in the production of the crops, and an additional 5% are in the process of engaging. This is a key component of sustainable cropping, treading lightly and best practice and significantly demonstrates that our growers are producing responsibly with due care for the environment.
Case Study 8: ICM - A positive story about the reduction in synthetic pesticide use Greenhouse conditions in the tropics are conducive for rapid growth of pests and diseases. In the past growers relied heavily on synthetic chemical pesticides for pest and disease control. This resulted in pesticide resistance, environmental degradation, low productivity and harm to non-target organisms including human beings. Dudutech’s role was to reduce the reliance on synthetic chemical pesticides for pest and disease control by providing growers with bio-pesticides, natural enemies and technical knowledge as an Integrated Crop Management (ICM) growing solution. The introduction of biological control organisms in the crop protection programmes resulted in a change from conventional crop protection practices based almost wholly on synthetic pesticides to an integrated crop management approach. Through the integrated approach, use of high risk pesticides (WHO Class 1), which are considered highly injurious to the environment and users, was completely eradicated. Use of wisely selected and target specific synthetic products with low toxicity became more popular, leading to a general reduction in synthetic pesticide use. Additionally, pests that were believed to be resistant to pesticides – and required use of very harsh active ingredients were brought under control and can now be managed with biological control organisms and low toxicity synthetic pesticides. Use of WHO Class 1 pesticides was completely eradicated in 2006; and there is a general reduction in use of synthetic pesticides as use of biologicals increases.
Protected Cropping Heat sources used on site What does this mean? Version 2 has produced a valuable map of the sources of heat used for the various production units. The use of biomass for heat generation is higher than anticipated and the use of surplus heat from industry which is a relatively new phenomenon should see an introduction of production units nearer industry in the future, which will change the traditional face of horticulture. It is surprising to see that 32% of sites are still relying on fossil fuels. Change here will be directly related to energy costs and if incentives are given to growers to change.
Case Study 9: Duijvestijn Tomaten in collaboration with Suncrop UK Duijvestijn produces tomatoes in 14.5ha greenhouses in the Netherlands. It’s an innovative company which produces flavoursome tomatoes for Waitrose in a sustainable way. Geothermal Heat Duijvestijn has an important goal to grow crops emission free within a few years. The company is one of first worldwide making use of geothermal heat to heat the glasshouse, resulting in a high yielding, high quality tomato production with almost no use of fossil fuel and no CO2 emission. This is a great example of serious involvement in drastically reducing the possible negative effects of the production process with respect to relevant resources. When using geothermal energy we use the heat generated (at great depths) below the ground. This heat is stored in sand and water in porous rock layers. The water is deep enough under the surface to keep warm, but not too deep, so it can be transported to the surface. This is done by drilling into the stratum where the water is embedded. From this layer, the warm water is transported to the surface. At the surface the hot water is pumped through a heat exchanger. In this heat exchanger, the heat of the water heats up a second stream of water. This second water stream is used for the heating of the greenhouse. The pumped water is then pumped back into the stratum to warm up again for reuse.
36.
Final word.... Summary from Professor Bill Davies CBE, Lancaster University Documentation of many of the activities of the Waitrose fresh produce supply chain is a substantial development and part of an ambitious piece of work by the supply chain. The central aim of the project is to continue to work to develop a more environmentally sustainable food supply chain for the UK. Importantly, the documentation of progress towards this aim defines and highlights success stories and also focuses attention on particular areas where improvements in practice can deliver substantial benefit. The agenda here, defined several years ago by the Waitrose Partnership in collaboration with its supply base, is to address a high proportion of those issues defined by the Foresight Group as areas of concern in the field of food and farming. For many, this means adapting our food production systems and supply chains to a changing climate and reducing the negative impacts of food supply chains on the environment. Many now routinely use the term ‘Climate Smart Agriculture’ to describe approaches of this kind. Our own community might argue that agriculture has always needed to be climate smart and that as a community we absorbed the messages from Foresight some years ago. However, it is increasingly clear that the need for a focus of attention in this area is actually growing dramatically. Climate change modellers predict more extreme weather and increasing volatility in our climate. Those who pay attention to the media will be well aware that our concern over food insecurity and its impacts are no less acute now than they were in late 2011 when the Foresight report was first published. Indeed, as I write today, we are hearing about acute drought in Ethiopia and the problems faced by an underfunded World Food Programme in supplying extra food to very large numbers of people faced with almost unprecedented climate extremes. These have killed not just crops but also livestock. Closer to home, we have experienced two of the warmest and wettest months on record and these kinds of challenges alone will undoubtedly have important consequences for domestic food production, harvesting and storage. While those of us in the northern part of the UK are probably experiencing the sharp end of a changing climate, the whole country needs to be aware that by signing up to some very aspirational emissions reduction targets agreed at the Paris Summit in November 2015, all segments of society will need to focus on playing their part in delivering this commitment. Implications for our food industry can be substantial.
I am sure that as you absorbed the information in this report you have been impressed by how far the supply chain has come in recent years in moving towards best practice for all. Equally important is the focus on areas where there is still progress to be made. The challenge for us all is to frame the questions and the realistic changes in working practice that can comprise the challenge for version 3 of the WFA. We need this to bring about change that will spread the adoption of best practices to reduce waste and the excessive use of input resources etc., and help us deliver on climate smart agriculture and other aspirations. The Agronomy Group is working with leading researchers from around the world to deliver on some of these aims. Importantly, researchers are drawn from the food and agri-sciences as well as from the environmental sciences and ecology. At our regular Innovation and Science days and on the website, you can find details of collaborating researchers and their on-going work with the supply base. While the assessment process and the documentation process are good news stories that will pleasantly surprise many who are not familiar with the business, the much bigger story is that as a result of our innovative collaborations between Waitrose, suppliers, growers and researchers we are beginning to change farming and food supply practices for the better. There are multiple benefits from the approach that we are taking but aside from the advances quantified in this report, we are proud of the fact that our Assessment Report, our communications portal/website and our regular conferences and science days are all raising the profile of both the challenges to our operations and our responses to these challenges. Via our training programme we are working to promote the personal development of our colleagues but importantly also to grow the capacity of the supply chain to contribute effectively to the continuing development of appropriate supply chain operations. These are sensitive issues with the public and it is important that all sides of the debate are represented. We hope that you will continue to follow our progress by consulting successive reports and our website.
Bill Davies Lancaster University February 2016
Our Research Partners Beyond the growers and suppliers that have been invaluable in forming this report, Waitrose would like to express its thanks to the following individuals and research bodies: Prof. Bill Davies CBE Lancaster University Prof. Simon Potts University of Reading Prof. Karl Ritz University of Nottingham Prof. Andy Whitmore Rothamsted Research Prof. Francis Ratnieks University of Sussex Dr. Mark Else East Malling Research Dr. Lynn Dicks University of Cambridge Dr. Duncan Westbury University of Worcester Dr. Tom Sizmur University of Reading Dr. Carol Wagstaff University of Reading Dr. Carly Stevens Lancaster University Mr. Mark Ashby Lancaster University Mr. Paul Tyson University of Reading Waitrose Agronomy Group For more information please visit the Waitrose Communication Portal. http://sustainableagriculturewaitrose.org
38.
Agronomy Group