Fertilisers

John Deere and Yara have announced a partnership that will help farmers transition to a more sustainable food system through optimising their use of fertilisers.

In the heart of a West Dorset dairy farm, sustainability is at the forefront of farm management philosophy. Adam Holman serves as the dedicated assistant farm manager. Recognising the importance of responsible farming, Adam has taken significant steps to minimise the farm’s environmental impact. One such step is reducing reliance on chemical fertilisers, which can have adverse effects on the environment if not managed carefully.

A free downloadable flyer has been released by the Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) to help inform farmers and growers of new photo ID requirements for ammonium nitrate fertilisers coming into force this autumn.

At a time of much uncertainty in UK agriculture, companies like Yara are taking a long and confident view of the future. With construction of a $150 million production facility about to start in the UK plus the development of new green fertilisers and digital tools, Jari Pentinmäki, managing director of Yara UK, thinks there’s cause for optimism.

Farmers, growers and buying co-operatives must brace for changes in the law which will require them to provide photo ID when purchasing ammonium nitrate (AN) fertilisers from October, the Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) has warned.

Biologicals offer a cost-effective solution to plant health and fertiliser challenges by increasing nitrogen use efficiency in crops, helping farmers reduce input costs and combat environmental challenges, according to UK biotechnology company Unium Bioscience.

Findings from a three-year nitrogen (N) efficiency trial have been labelled as a ‘potential game changer’ for growers looking to enhance farm sustainability and variety performance while reducing the overall cost of N inputs.

Thinking of spring, the majority of UK arable soils are deficient in sulphur which means that is needs to be part of the fertiliser strategy. With many buying straight nitrogen products this season, sulphur might need managing differently and you need to be aware of the differences, advises Yara.

2022’s floods, storms, drought and the volatile grain market shook the industry, but as 2023 gets underway, Natalie Wood, agronomy operations manager at Yara, discusses the findings from last years’ trials.

Farmers and researchers at the Oxford Real Farming Conference 2023 discussed various practical and cost-effective ways of increasing fertility and nutrient availability in the soil while reducing or eliminating the need for artificial fertilisers.

Following a surge in demand for urea fertiliser products, the agronomy firm Hutchinsons issued a reminder to farmers about the safe handling and storage of urea.

CF Fertilisers UK is set to temporarily halt ammonia production at its Billingham complex, while Yara has announced further curtailments.