A new free-to-use crop rotation planning tool, developed by ADAS through the Nitrogen Climate Smart (NCS) project, is helping growers compare the environmental and financial impacts of different rotation choices.
Drawing on data from hundreds of crops in the Yield Enhancement Network (YEN), the Crop Planner estimates how changes to a rotation may affect farm greenhouse gas emissions, gross margins, nitrogen balance, and overall energy and protein output. It is designed to help farmers and advisers understand benefits and trade-offs before introducing a new crop type or changing how often a crop is grown.
Supporting sustainable yet profitable cropping choices
Dr Pete Berry, Head of Crop Physiology at ADAS and co-developer, said the tool aims to increase confidence in exploring pulses within arable rotations by showing potential emissions and cost implications using real performance data.
Although built with arable decision-making in mind, ADAS notes it can also support policy-makers by illustrating trade-offs between sustainability, food security, and farm-gate economics.
Farming charity LEAF welcomed the Crop Planner as a practical, accessible resource for whole-rotation decision-making, bringing emissions, margins, and nitrogen balance into one place to help reduce the risks of changing management.
The Nitrogen Climate Smart (NCS) project is a farmer-led programme funded through Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme (delivered by Innovate UK) focused on expanding pulse and legume cropping and improving the sustainability of UK farming; more information is available at https://ncsproject.co.uk/.
The Crop Planner tool is available via https://farmpep.net/resource/crop-rotation-tool
Related news:
