A consortium of over 20 farming trade teams are pushing farmers to succeed in web zero by diversifying their arable and forage cropping.
The Centre for Excessive Carbon Seize Cropping is a four-year, £5.9m mission led by crop science organisation NIAB, with the backing of the NFU and others.
It goals to assist UK farmers and growers goal web zero and construct farming resilience by means of diversifying their arable and forage cropping.
The mission may also allow new income sources by means of a carbon market and help enhanced worth chains for industries resembling textiles and building.
Working from spring 2023 till 2027, it has been awarded funding by Defra underneath the Farming Futures R&D Fund: Local weather Sensible Farming.
Analysis will give attention to 4 cropping choices, together with rotational cowl crops and annual fibre crops, resembling industrial hemp and flax.
It should additionally give attention to perennial meals, forage, and feed crops – together with cereals and natural leys – and perennial biomass crops, resembling miscanthus, willow and poplar.
Additional work will optimise the manufacturing and use of renewable biomaterials for fibre, textiles, and building and develop carbon insetting/offsetting platforms.
The Centre’s ‘Data Hub’ will present assets to help the efficient uptake and utilisation of crops with excessive carbon-capture potential.
This can embody crop guides, internet instruments and apps accessible to landowners, farmers, and agronomists.
NFU chief science advisor, Dr Helen Ferrier welcomed the mission: “One supply of alternative for farms to construct resilience, and get a return on funding from diversification – is rising carbon markets.
“This mission contributes to a route for farmers in supplying fibres and feedstocks from excessive carbon seize crops.
“There’s broad relevance right here for various sectors and places; so, in areas of uncontrollable flea beetle stress, cereal growers are on the lookout for a worthwhile various to grease seed rape as a break crop.
“And livestock farms, at specific danger as BPS is eliminated, might construct resilience by rising these crops on grazing and forage land.”
Analysis companions embody the British Hemp Alliance, Cambond, Carbon Farm Hubs, Cotswold Seeds, Crops for Vitality, Darkish Inexperienced Carbon, Elsoms Seeds, Vitality Crops Consultancy, English Tremendous Cottons, amongst others.
