Scottish barley growers are demonstrating key strengths in regenerative agriculture, according to early findings from a major supply chain project led by maltster Crisp Malt in partnership with Map of Ag.
The project comes as food and drink supply chains face growing pressure to demonstrate measurable environmental progress, particularly within the whisky sector, where long production timelines mean decisions made on-farm today could influence products reaching consumers years into the future.
Using the globally recognised SAI Regenerating Together Framework (RTF), the programme is assessing regenerative farming practices across barley-growing businesses to identify opportunities to improve resilience and long-term sustainability.
In the first phase, growers from the Aberlour Growers Group – a partnership between Chivas Brothers (the Pernod Ricard business dedicated to Scotch whisky and makers of Aberlour), Crisp Malt and associated merchants in Scotland – completed detailed surveys covering soil health, biodiversity, water management and climate resilience.
Ben Hunt, Client Technical Manager at Map of Ag, who is leading the data analysis, said one of the key findings was the widespread use of long-term grass leys in Scottish rotations, often followed by barley crops, reflecting a strong foundation for regenerative progress.
“A lot of Scottish farms still integrate livestock and arable production, with rotations that include several years of grass before returning to barley,” he said. “That delivers clear benefits for soil carbon, soil structure and long-term resilience compared with more intensive arable-only systems.”
The analysis also highlighted relatively strong uptake of Soil Mineral Nitrogen (SMN) testing, with 32% of growers already using the practice, which is higher than expected.
Mr Hunt said this demonstrated the value of targeted support. “The uptake of SMN testing in Scotland is encouraging and suggests government-backed funding and advisory support is helping drive adoption,” he said.
However, the survey also highlights opportunities to build on a strong foundation, particularly around increasing cover cropping and extending the time soils remain covered with living roots. The data showed living roots were present for 53% of the year, on average, identifying opportunities to improve soil biology via more root exudation, while 72% of ground remained bare over winter, highlighting potential to reduce nitrate leaching and improve protection against erosion.
“There is still a significant opportunity to improve soil cover during parts of the rotation,” Mr Hunt added. “Keeping living roots in the soil for longer could bring benefits for soil health, water infiltration and overall resilience.”
The findings also reinforced the importance of a region-specific approach to regenerative agriculture. Some practices widely used in England, such as aphid forecasting tools and Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus management systems, were found to be less relevant in Scotland due to different climatic conditions and pest pressures.
At the same time, several growers reported adopting Controlled Traffic Farming to reduce soil compaction risks during wetter harvest conditions.
Ellie Wood, Sustainability Manager at Crisp Malt, said the project supports the company’s long-term sustainability ambitions – and that of the Aberlour Growers Group – to foster collaboration, alongside its partner Chivas Brothers, to help future-proof the livelihoods of farmers in regional Scottish communities.
“We recognise that future food and drink supply chains will increasingly need to demonstrate measurable environmental progress,” she said. “This work is helping us understand current farming practices, identify opportunities for improvement and through close collaboration with growers, deliver practical, achievable changes in support of our shared ambition to advance regenerative agriculture.”
The programme is now moving into its next phase, where priority outcomes will be selected for ongoing monitoring, improvement and benchmarking. These are expected to include measures such as soil cover, water infiltration and biodiversity indicators, tracked through repeat surveys and field assessments.
Mr Hunt added: “It’s important farmers can see the value of the information they’ve shared and how it will help shape practical improvements that work within Scottish farming systems. It is hoped these improvements will not only help environmental performance, but also support farmers in building more resilient farming systems and ensuring their long-term viability,” he said.
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