Pulse Pioneers have big goal for peas and beans

• Potential to cut carbon footprint

• Good source of domestic protein

• Need to consider wider benefits

More peas and beans in arable rotations could help farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slash the carbon footprint of UK agriculture.

About 90 growers and other industry experts gathered at Peterborough last month for a Soya to Sustainability conference to discuss ways to increase the amount of pulse crops grown in the UK.

The Nitrogen Climate Smart (NCS) initiative aims increase pulse and legume cropping in arable rotations from 5% to 20% – and displace up to half the soya currently imported into the country for animal feed.

The PGRO-led initiative involves a consortium of industry partners – and about 20 or so growers. It seeks to rapidly evolve knowledge and understanding of growing peas and beans – while testing and trialling new feed rations.

Maximum potential

Funded by Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme and delivered by Innovate UK, the consortium aims to reduce emissions by 1.5Mt CO2e per annum – equivalent to 54% of the maximum potential for UK agriculture.

PGRO chief executive Roger Vickers said: “This is ultimately about growing more peas and beans – displacing some of the soya imports coming into the country and reducing the carbon footprint of UK agriculture by using domestically produced protein instead.”

Some 17 farmers are growing peas and beans as Pulse Pioneers – looking at different ways to incorporate the crops into their rotations while improving yields, which are variable at best on many farms.

The Pulse Pioneers – have been brought together by the British On-Farm Innovation Network (BOFIN). They are co-designing trials with scientists and agronomists – and seeing what works best on their own farms.

Different practices

They include Lincolnshire grower Paul Barnes, estate manager of the organic South Ormsby Estate. Spring beans suit his rotation, he says, but he is also growing vining peas with a local contractor for a local company.

Mr Barnes has tried different practices with spring beans to understand what the crops needs. “We first grew beans on a conventional system during the organic transition period – we direct drilled them and worked with an inter-row demonstrator.”

Organic beans were conventionally established through ploughing, pressing and drilling to give them root mass. The organics outperformed the conventional system. But I think that was down to the establishment process and that’s the key.

Everyone is trying to go for a regenerative approach (minimum till or no till) but when a crop turns around and tells you it needs open space and air for a rooting system, you need to give it to them.”

Policy change needed to achieve target

Animal feed is the biggest and easiest market for UK-grown pulses. Imported soya meal has a huge carbon footprint – especially when it comes from crops grown on farmland created by destroying South American rain forests.

The feed industry could consume as many beans as UK farmers can produce, the Soya to Sustainability conference was told. But the challenge is the lack of availability and consistency of supply – and inertia in a market used to the status quo.

PGRO chief executive Roger Vickers believes a significant increase in the pulse area will depend on government policy. The UK currently allows imported soya into the country even if it is produced unsustainably using methods that are illegal here.

Lincolnshire grower Paul Barnes says: “People often question the returns, but I’m interested in the bigger, wider picture of what we can do. We’ve got to try to understand the benefits of pulse crops. However, we need to know the failures too.

“Being organic, I need to fully understand the benefits of including them in a rotation and where they should sit. “The spring wheat that followed spring beans last year was excellent – we need to know exactly why that is.”

Mr Barnes thinks understanding more about pulse production and how the UK can become more self-sufficient in its protein supplies should be a priority. “We know pulses will fix nitrogen in the soil but where else can we lead this crop?”