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Conservation Agriculture and Sustainable Farming Systems project

Conservation agriculture crop establishment techniques can deliver up to 18% uplift in growers net profits, whilst also providing significant enhancement of key environmental and ecological measures, according to the latest findings of the Syngenta Conservation Agriculture and Sustainable Farming Systems project. Get an overview of the project from Belinda Bailey here.

Conservation Ag

Read the full five-year summary results of the Conservation Agriculture and Sustainable Farming Systems project lead by Syngenta in partnership with GWCT, The Allerton project and NIAB. The project has been examining the entire cereals-based rotation on a field scale, with over 80,000 data sets measuring the long term economic and environmental impact on farm. 

Read the full results

"As the agricultural industry changes, we want to support our growers with advice on how to manage farms in a sustainable way. Conservation Agriculture may provide us with a chance to reduce costs, improve soil health and develop a sustainable farming system to maintain or possibly improve farm profitability and food security whilst supporting wider biodiversity and protecting natural resources.”

- Belinda Bailey, Syngenta Sustainable Farming Manager

Conservation Ag Initiative Yr 3 results panel 1

Find out how the Syngenta Conservation Agriculture initiative is seeking to understand, identify and assess the economic and environmental benefits of conservation agriculture establishment techniques, on a field and whole farm scale

Get the details here
Conservation Ag Initiative Yr 3 results panel 2

Performance results from the trials' third year show the potential for environmental and economic gains from direct drill-based establishment systems. Whilst yields may be slightly down, the cost savings add up to increased overall net profit, for a more sustainable option

See all the results on light and heavy land soils
Conservation Ag Initiative Yr 3 results panel 3

The Conservation Agriculture initiative has clearly shown enhancement in key measures for soil health, carbon reduction and wider farm biodiversity - opening opportunities in tune with UK farm policy reform and developing sustainable systems.

See the implications of establishment systems for soil health and earthworms

Trialing three farming systems

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Conservation Agriculture and Sustainable Farming Practices Project at Loddington

Conventional plough-based cultivations and establishment of principally winter crops in rotation.

Introduces practices of reduced non-inversion tillage, along with spring crops and cover crops.

Further moves to no-tillage and direct drilling for crop establishment, including cover crops.

Watch Conservation Agriculture and Sustainable Farming Practices Project at Loddington.

About the trials sites

Joe Stanley

Trial at Loddington

in conjunction with GWCT and NIAB

  • Heavy land site
  • 5 fields split 3 ways to cover each scenario
  • 5 year rotation: Hyvido-OSR-WW-S Beans/Peas-WW
Andy Barr

Trial in Kent

in conjunction with NIAB

  • Light land site
  • 4 fields split 3 ways to cover each system
  • 5 year rotation: WW-SB-S Beans-WW-OSR
View results from year 1