Smart Farming…… Delivering Public Goods Challenging the Status … · 2019-03-18 · Dowth’s...
Transcript of Smart Farming…… Delivering Public Goods Challenging the Status … · 2019-03-18 · Dowth’s...
Smart Farming…… Delivering Public GoodsChallenging the Status Quo
Dr John Gilliland OBEBIAC Business Management Conference, March 2019
John Gilliland’s Experience in the Farming & Food Sector A Farmer
- Irish Tillage Farmer of the Year, 1992
- UK Green Energy Farmer of the Year, Runner up, 2012
An Industry Leader
- Director of Agriculture & Sustainability, Devenish
- Past President of Ulster Farmers Union (Foot & Mouth Crisis)
A Policy Advisor
- Chair, N. Ireland Sustainable Land Management & Ammonia, Expert Working Group
- Former Chair, UK Rural Climate Change Forum, DEFRA, London (2005 to 2012)
- Former Vice Chair, UK Sustainable Development Commission (Nuclear & Severn Barrage)
- Former Non Ex. Director for SAC/SRUC, Edinburgh (Carbon Management Centre)
A Regulator
- Former Non Ex. Director of the N. Ireland Authority of Utility Regulation
Producer
Processor
Retailer
Consumer
Improving Human
& Environmental
HealthOne Health…..
from “Soil to Society”
Food, Diet, Deaths & Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYS)Setting the Record Straight, 2016 Global Disease Risk Factors, Lancet 2017
DALYs, rather than
Deaths the bigger issue
Diet, rather than Food
Is the bigger problem
Deficiencies, rather
than Excesses
Is the bigger problem
Food today …..
is not always as Nutritious as it could be…
Diet-related Diseases are Increasing
Turn Around Fellas,
We Got it All Wrong!!
US study of nutritional data from both 1950 & 1999 for 43 different vegetables & fruits, found statistically significant declines in the amount of:
• Protein 6%
• Calcium 16%
• Phosphorus 16%
• Iron 15%
• Riboflavin 38%
• Vitamin C 20%
Changes in Nutrient Content of Vegetables & Fruit over time
Fan et al. J.Trace Elements in Medicine & Biology 2008
Changes in Nutrient content of Wheat over last 160 years
Levels of EPA+DHA ( g/100g ) in farmed Scottish Atlantic salmon between 2006 - 2015
Sprague et al. Nature 2016
Changes in the Nutrient Content of Oily Fish in the last Ten Years
Challenges in Developing Bio-enriched Food, via Livestock Feed
• Required levels of enrichment in food, after cooking
• Source of nutrient & inclusion level in feed
• Timing of inclusion
• Within flock/ herd variability
• Portion variability
• Eating quality & shelf life
• Animal performance & welfare
Choosing an Enrichment, or Public Good Global Blood Levels of EPA & DHA Omega 3 fatty acids, in Adults
K.D. Stark et al. 2016
Quantifying the Current Lack of Public GoodUK’s Current Daily Intake of Omega 3 vis a vis Recommended Daily Intake
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
11-15 yr 16-24 yr 25-49 yr 50-64 yr
LC n
3 in
take
mg
n3
/we
ek
(via
oily
fis
h)
Age group
Not enough!
Low Risk
High Risk
0%
4%
8%
12%
Om
eg
a 3
In
de
x
(EP
A a
nd
DH
A IN
RB
C)
UK Mean for Adults 3.68%
Being able to Quantify the Scale of the Positive ImpactOmega 3 Index – An Internationally recognised Index of Cardiovascular Disease Risk
UK Mean for Children 2.46%
Effects of 6 months of eating on 160 people:-
• Omega-3 enriched chicken-meat versus control chicken meat.
• Omega-3 enriched eggs versus control eggs.
Chicken-meat Eggs
>3 Portions Control Chicken-meat/Week
(n=80)
>3 Control Eggs/Week (n=40)
>3 Omega-3-PUFA Enriched Eggs/Week (n=40)
>3 Portions Omega-3-PUFA Enriched
Chicken-meat/Week
(n=80)
>3 Control Eggs/Week (n=40)
>3 Omega-3-PUFA Enriched Eggs/Week (n=40)
Gold Standard
Being able to Validate the Positive Impact CrediblyRandomised Double Blind Control Human Trial
Human Health Improvement, using the WHO Omega 3 Index
67.6
34.432.4
62.5
03.1
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Control Chicken and Control Eggs Omega 3 Chicken and Omega 3 Eggs
High Risk Medium Risk Low Risk
Number of people with
High Risk Omega-3
Index was
Halved by Eating Both
Omega-3 Chicken &
Eggs
As a Result…. Delivering the Public Good June 2016, Waitrose launches World’s first, Naturally enriched Chicken Meat
Nov 2017, American Heart Association awards Research, best International Paper
Adding Value Pre Farmgate, with unique rapid human Bio Availability
Food as a Public Good EAT–Lancet Reference Diet & Impacts on Premature Deaths & Disease Burdens
If globally adopted
11 Million premature deaths avoided,
mainly due to changes in reductions in
Sodium, & increases Fruits, Vegetables,
Whole Grains & Nuts
A 90% Decrease in Red & Processed
Meats intake;
• WILL NOT save many lives or DALYs.
• WILL RESULT in greater deficiencies in
Iron, Omega-3-PUFAs, Calcium,
Vitamins D & B12 and Protein, with
disproportionate effects on women and
children
Improving Environmental Public Goods through Innovation in FarmingThe Purchase of the Devenish Lands at Dowth, Nov 2013
The Devenish Lands at DowthCreating a Robust, Scientific Base Line to aid Future Management Decisions
Surveys carried out since 2014
Aerial LiDAR; Geophysics by Romano Germanic Commission; GPS Soil Analysis
Overseen by Dr Steve Davis, UCD School of Archaeology, for Devenish
The Lands at Dowth – LiDAR Surveying
Initially, Using LiDAR to find new Archaeological Landscape features
Subsequently, to aid Credible Land Management Decisions
(S. Davis, UCD. 2014)
Lessons from the Past, the Phosphate Legacy Challenge
Geophysical & Soil Surveys show Phosphate tail
of 1,000 & 1,600 Years respectively
(S. Davis, J. Gilliland, P. Ward, 2014)
Rectangular Enclosure
1,000 ADConcentric
Enclosure
400 AD
The Conclusion – 6,000 yrs of Food Production EvolutionDemonstrated uniquely, by the presence of Six Heritage Landscapes
1. The Passage Tombs, Middle Neolithic, c. 5,500 years old
2. The Henge, Late Neolithic, c. 4,500 years old
3. The Bronze Age Settlement, c. 3,000 years old
4. The Concentric Enclosures, Early Medieval, c. 1,400 years old
5. The Rectangular Enclosures, Late Medieval, c. 1,000 years old
6. The Demesne Landscape, c. 300 years old
Dowth’s Future – A Landscape “Performance House” for RuminantsMeasuring & Managing to improving Public Goods
Delivering Soil Improvement Measuring Carbon Sequestration
Respecting Our Heritage Reducing Over Land Flow
The Devenish
Lands at Dowth
A UNESCO
World Heritage Site
6,000 Years of Farming Evolution
Getting the Basics right, Understanding Soils & Nutrient UptakeSummary of Northern Ireland’s Grassland Sector
Soil pHNitrogen
Utilisation Phosphorus Utilisation
Potassium Utilisation
% of Fertiliser Wasted
5.0-5.5 77% 48% 77% 32%
5.5-6.0 85% 52% 100% 21%
6.0-6.5 100% 100% 100% 0%
Teagasc Green Book 2017
- Grass Dry Matter Utilisable Yields – Average 5.1t/ha/yr
Top Grassland Yields 16t/ha/yr
- Soil Analysis – Only 2% analysed on an annual basis
- Soil pH – Optimal 6.0, 64% not achieving optimal
- % Soils at optimal fertility – 18%
Creating a Baseline at Dowth to Restore our Soil Fertility – Soil pHMeasuring…..Managing…..& Measuring again!!
Feb. 2014
Average pH 5.5
Feb. 2018
Average pH 6.1
Feb. 2016
Average pH 5.7
5t/ha Lime (spread Uniformly)
Sept 2014
2-8t/ha Lime (Variable rate)
Sept 2016
2014 20182016
Observations - Soil Potash levels Increase with Grazing,
but, Reduce with Cutting for Silage or Hay
Precision Soil Analysis shows expected Impact of 4 previous years Management!!
Measuring Management Impacts on Dowth’s Soil Fertility – PotashMeasuring…..Managing…..& Measuring again!!
Cut
Cut
Grazed
The Ultimate Dilemma for Grass Based Ruminant AgricultureThe Recognition that farms can sequester GHGs, as well as emit them
But - How could this be credibly validated, independently??
Ruminants and Climate ChangeA Vision from the UK’s Committee on Climate Change, Nov 18
Predicted Consumption change by 2050
Beef, Lamb & Dairy Products down by 46%
Pig & Poultry up by 25%
At a Landscape Scale - Creating the Baseline 1. Soil Carbon Levels & their Variations
Dowth Grass Swards & its Soils
Soil A Horizon sampled to 30cm in 88 soil pits
No ploughing for 40 Years
Some land never ploughed
Soil Type – Brown Earth
Average Soil Carbon - 2.1%
Expected Soil Carbon – 4 to 5%
Why the disparity in Soil Carbon Levels??
(L. Graham, Devenish. 2017)
S. Green, Teagasc, 2014
Creating the Baseline – 2. Above Ground Carbon in Trees & HedgesUsing Aerial LiDAR Survey to measure Above Ground Trees & Hedges
International Recognition for the Use of LiDAR T
Please be alert and observant?!!Carbon Credits for 460,000 ha of Congo Rain Forest Secured by WWF
91 114 137 159 182 205 228
580
726
871
1016
1161
1306
1451
-76
69
214
359
504
649
795
-200
0
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1200
1400
1600
1 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 2.25 2.5
cows No sequestration potential Nett carbon emissions (incl. sequestration)
GHG displacement by Sequestration at Max Non Derogated Stocking RateSuckler Cows & Calves, Grazing System, on 90 ha of Grass at Dowth
Red dashed line represents a Stocking Rate of 2 LU/ha, At which point,
Dowth’s Sequestration displaces 56% of all GHGs emitted by Cows & Calves
665 tonnes of CO2e is the difference
between Counting & Not Counting
Sequestration, at Dowth, on annual basis
Stocking rateLU/ha
Suckler cows
& followers
Net Carbon
Sequestration
Tonnes/yr
Blue bar. Total
CO2e, with no
sequestration
CO
2e E
mis
sio
ns (
ton
nes/y
r)
How to Sequester more Carbon at the Devenish Lands at Dowth
• Improve Soil pH
• Increase use of Legumes within the Sward
• Reduce age of trees and hedges to encourage more vigorous growth
• Incorporate agroforestry in grazing platform
• Soil pH being corrected since 2014
• Management of woodlands and hedgerows started 2018
• Multi species swards trials starting 2019 with UCD, funded by DAFM
• Starting agroforestry in 2019
Maximising Sequestration, while extending Grazing SeasonAgroforestry - Trebling Sequestration, while extending Trafficability by 17 weeks!!
J. McAdam, 2017
Gordon, 2007
Using LiDAR to Access “Over Land Flow” of Water & Phosphate
80% of Phosphate enters water course through “Over Land Flow!”2018 – Digital analysis of LiDAR surveys allow individual Watersheds to be identified
N. Ireland Sustainable Land Management Strategy PilotUpper River Bann Catchment
Funded by EU Exceptional Emergency Aid
Outreach Communication of
Soil Sampling & LiDAR Analysis
Individual Farm Maps of
Soil Fertility & Risk issued
Led by CAFRE
Analysed by AFBI
Finished April 2018
Validation through Building Credible Research PartnershipsSelected as Wageningen International Lighthouse Farm
Smart Farming…… Delivering Public Goods
Investing in Research, creating credible, verifiable Solutions….. “Soil to Society”Where food production is seen as a solution & not just a problem
Challenging the “Status Quo!”