With interest in regenerative farming continuing to increase, leading agronomy firm Hutchinsons has launched its groundbreaking agroecology charter to help growers and agronomists successfully understand and implement the intricacies of regen practices. Hutchinsons’ Head of Agroecology Ed Brown explains the significance of this charter to UK farming.
First announced at the Hutchinsons Agroecology Conference in January, the charter was unveiled at the Groundswell event in Hertfordshire. It provides much-needed clarity on the practical implementation of the five core principles of regenerative farming (see box), the risks involved and how best to make regen work on individual farms.
The agroecology charter addresses these issues by clearly defining the meaning of agroecological (regenerative) farming and providing a framework to help growers and agronomists identify a clear pathway to implement the necessary management changes while identifying the risks that may need mitigating in the process.
It also demonstrates to end-users, consumers and the supply chain how agroecology advice, services and crop management practices will support their sustainability objectives.
Agroecology is about maximising cultural methods to optimise soil and plant health in conjunction with carefully targeted inputs.
This balance between cultural techniques and conventional agronomy is highly complex and requires the highest quality advice, which is based upon multiple years of research, experience and knowledge.
Hutchinsons has many years of practical agroecology experience, supported by significant research and field trials, including the Helix Agroecology Farm in Shropshire, which in 2021 became the first Helix farm to focus solely on the principles and practices of agroecology.
We have considerable technical understanding and have learned many lessons. We understand what is required, what is expected, what the risks are and, most importantly, how best to mitigate those risks.
For agroecological crop management to be successful and its objectives to be achieved, any farm business must carefully consider a host of different aspects, from resources such as soils, machinery, labour and farm buildings to other practical considerations around cropping, pest/weed/disease control and nutrition.
Start with soils
Soil is the most important resource on any farm, regardless of the production practices used, and is understandably a key focus of the core regenerative agriculture principles, so should be the starting point for anyone beginning the transition to regenerative farming.
It is therefore essential that farmers, in conjunction with their agronomist, can determine what a healthy soil is.
This means looking beyond the one-dimensional measurements of pH, P, K and Mg, and instead measuring and interpreting three-dimensional soil assessments, which include the physical, chemical and biological indicators of soil health.
Only when these factors have been comprehensibly assessed and analysed can a suitable soil management plan be designed and implemented.
To illustrate the complex issues outlined within regenerative farming and explained in the charter, we can look at some considerations associated with the first of the core regen principles; minimising soil disturbance.
Reducing tillage intensity should be a phased approach over several years to allow the various biological, chemical and physical soil processes to adapt to a lower disturbance environment. Comprehensive soil tests will provide an insight into a soil’s current nutrient cycling ability and enable informed decisions on appropriate rates of change.
The use of cover and catch crops throughout the rotation, placement fertilisers and other measures may also help the transition to reduced tillage, although in some situations it may not be possible to achieve a completely zero-tillage farm.
The five core regen principles
- Minimise soil disturbance
- Maximise crop diversity
- Keep the soil covered all year round
- Maintain living roots all year round
- Increase soil organic matter
Ed Brown
