Farmers urged to displace imported soya with UK-grown bean crops

Farmers are being urged to displace imported soya with home-grown bean crops due to the environmental and agronomic benefits they bring. The Nitrogen Efficient Plants for Climate Smart Arable Cropping Systems (NCS) project has a goal of instigating a reduction of 1.5Mt CO2e per annum. NCS is made up of a consortium of UK companies, research institutes and farmer networks, led by the Processors and Growers Research Organisation (PGRO). They are working together to bring about the reduction, which is calculated as 54% of the maximum potential for UK agriculture. To do this, the four-year £5.9m research project will work to increase pulse cropping in arable rotations to 20% across the UK - currently 5% - and develop and test new feed rations. This will help livestock farmers to substitute up to 50% of imported soya meal used in feed with more climate-friendly home-grown pulses and legumes. PGRO chief executive, Roger Vickers, who leads the NCS consortium, said pulses and legumes had ...