Agriculture & land management

Project Carbon Harvest will support farmers in the transition to more regenerative land practices, aligning with agri-environmental policies and encouraging custodianship of UK soils.

Future Biogas intend to source energy crops grown as break-crops in food crop rotations. We acknowledge that transitioning to more sustainable farming practices requires investment and commitment. Future Biogas will therefore pay growers for Project Carbon Harvest a fixed premium above the crop market rate throughout the duration of the feedstock agreement, to enable the investment needed to implement and transition towards Sustainable Farming Practices.

Future Biogas have defined these practices as:

• Minimising soil disturbance by using min-till, no-till and direct drilling establishment techniques

• Protecting soils from erosion by using cover crops, under-sowing and reducing exposure of bare, uncovered soil

• Building natural resilience through more diverse crop rotations

• Substitution of artificial fertilisers with liquid and solid digestate

• Reducing chemical and synthetic fertiliser inputs where possible and selecting lower greenhouse gas emission inputs if required e.g., by choosing abated N products

• Reducing diesel use through limiting cultivations, improving workability of soils, adopting efficient harvest procedures and consideration of alternative fuels

It is recognised that on occasion, growers may need to employ more traditional tillage and cultivation practices to help remediate soil or crop health issues caused by extreme weather or seasonal events. This will be reflected in annual modelling and calculations conducted by Future Biogas, or as part of independent soil accreditation modelling conducted by a 3rd party.

Our growers work with Future Biogas’ dedicated farming team, on hand throughout the year providing advice and support from years of experience - from seed right through to harvest, ensiling and digestate return.