UK: Growers urged to consider SFI's potential impact on pulse crops

Published 2024년 3월 28일

Tridge summary

The Processors and Growers Research Organisation (PGRO) is expressing concerns over the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) agreements, particularly those options that encourage the use of legumes, which could inadvertently raise the risk of soil-borne diseases and impact the future viability of pulse crops. PGRO's CEO, Roger Vickers, stresses the importance of fully understanding these risks before committing to SFI agreements, highlighting the existing challenges in protecting pulse crops from diseases. To address these concerns, PGRO has released a comprehensive paper and is conducting a survey to gauge farmers' intentions towards pulse cultivation within the SFI framework.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

Growers entering agreements for the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) are being advised to ensure they fully understand the potential impact their decisions will have on future pulse crop rotations. Concerns are growing that well-intentioned SFI agreements could negatively impact future pulse production opportunities, the Processors and Growers Research Organisation (PGRO) says. With legumes being included in some SFI options it could mean that they are left in the ground for a number of years – or are very frequently present – increasing the likelihood of soil-borne diseases in future pulse crops. PGRO has set out a detailed paper written by Dr Becky Howard highlighting some of the potential unintended consequences which it advises all arable farmers to read before embarking on an SFI option. PGRO CEO Roger Vickers said: “We are not against the Sustainable Farming Incentive; in fact we agree that farmers should be paid for providing positive environmental outcomes. “But PGRO ...

Source: FarmingUK