The Processors and Growers Research Organisation (PGRO) is advising growers who are entering agreements for the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) to ensure that they fully understand the potential impact their decisions will have on future pulse crop rotations.
Concerns are growing that with legumes being included in some SFI options (such as NUM3, IPM3, and Countryside Stewardship AB15 options) it could mean that they are left in the ground for a number of years – or are present very frequently in rotations – 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 commented, “We are not against the Sustainable Farming Incentive, but PGRO and others involved in the pulse sector have serious concerns over the impact some options will have on cropping in the long term.”
PGRO points out that, ‘A normal, sensible rotation, would not encourage pulses closer than one crop in five, and yet in an SFI scenario soils might easily have almost continuous host legumes present.’
Crop protection could also be an issue, with Roger adding, “Factoring in that CRD now considers beans to be a major crop and therefore excluded from the EAMU system for agricultural chemical use, and the already minimal portfolio of crop protection products available for pulses in general, this adds to the increasing jeopardy for their future production. Many of the greatest threats are soil borne disease for which there are no seed treatments available. These unintended consequences are not certain as insufficient research has been conducted, but are a logical potential outcome based upon life cycle and alternative host considerations.”
PGRO is asking growers to complete a four-question survey asking farmers what their intentions are this year with regards to growing pulses in light of the SFI.
