DELIVERING A SUSTAINABLY FARMED LANDSCAPES IN THE EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE

The East Riding Programme delivers a collaborative, geographically focused, farmer engagement initiative focused on sustainability, improving soil quality, water management and innovative production methods that encompass both profitability and long-term environmental considerations.

With the creation of this group, our partnership with Yorkshire Water reached a huge milestone – with now more than 50,000 hectares of Yorkshire farmland managed using regenerative agriculture techniques.

DELIVERING A SUSTAINABLY FARMED LANDSCAPES IN THE EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE

The East Riding Programme delivers a collaborative, geographically focused, farmer engagement initiative focused on sustainability, improving soil quality, water management and innovative production methods that encompass both profitability and long-term environmental considerations.

With the creation of this group, our partnership with Yorkshire Water reached a huge milestone – with now more than 50,000 hectares of Yorkshire farmland managed using regenerative agriculture techniques.

PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES

1

IMPROVE SOIL STRUCTURE

To prevent soil erosion and flooding whilst increasing soil water holding capacity

2

NEW FARMING METHODS

Introduce farming methods that create co-benefits for farm profitability, supply chain resilience and the natural environment.

3

REDUCE NITROGEN LEACHING

Building soil health whilst reducing the risks of nitrogen leaching into surface water, boosting biodiversity

4

LANDSCAPE WIDE EFFECTIVENESS

Create a landscape-wide programme that benefits all stakeholders

LOCATION

The East Riding Programme is based in the catchment of the River Hull. This area is a key water management area, recently prone to flooding and influencing water entering the River Hull. The River Hull runs down towards the city of Hull and then into the Humber. Under extreme weather events the River Hull has the potential to flood Hull itself.

LOCATION

The East Riding Programme is based in the catchment of the River Hull. This area is a key water management area, recently prone to flooding and influencing water entering the River Hull. The River Hull runs down towards the city of Hull and then into the Humber. Under extreme weather events the River Hull has the potential to flood Hull itself.

“Keeping soils healthy and where they belong is good for the environment; the resilience and profitability of farming and improves the water we treat for our customers. Sustainable Landscapes is a platform to share, develop and implement best practice within and by the farming community. We believe it has the potential to make a real difference where everybody wins, not least the environment”.

Andrew Walker

Catchment Strategy Manager, Yorkshire Water

“Keeping soils healthy and where they belong is good for the environment; the resilience and profitability of farming and improves the water we treat for our customers. Sustainable Landscapes is a platform to share, develop and implement best practice within and by the farming community. We believe it has the potential to make a real difference where everybody wins, not least the environment”.

Andrew Walker

Catchment Strategy Manager, Yorkshire Water

ABOUT THE PROGRAMME

To maximise the impact of our activities, Sustainable Landscapes has always had a whole farm approach to sustainability. Working across the whole rotation as production moves from one crop to another from year to year developing farming techniques that improve soil quality and structure, at the same time improving water quality, biodiversity. These techniques not only can improve soil fertility reducing the crop’s fertiliser requirements but can also hold water up in the soil organic matter, reducing the impact of drought as well as helping with flood attenuation and reducing soil erosion.

To improve soil organic matter, through the programme farmers will look to grow cover crops to capture any residual nutrients left in the soil from the previous crop. This will reduce the potential for over winter leaching into the aquifers, and reduce the next year’s fertiliser requirement. These cover crops also draw down CO2 from the atmosphere help to sequestrate carbon.

We are currently developing the technique of companion cropping to further draw down carbon, reduce the dependence on bag Nitrogen and improve biodiversity across the whole field. Also, the team are developing the use of functional field margins, to supercharge bio-diversity and improve carbon drawdown.

The farmers will also look at ways of reducing their use of chemical Nitrogen, improve the utilisation of that Nitrogen, and “look to get more from less” at the same time improving profitability. FFSL recently ran a Masterclass event close to Driffield to explore ways to “ Make the Most of Manures”. This focused on the utilisation of organic manures to improve crop yields, reduce fertiliser costs and reduce pollution.