Peter Kendall, President NFU says-

Farming for food, bio-energy and wildlife

In common with the vast majority of arable farmers, I take great pride in how my farm looks and the wildlife it supports. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than to hear a skylark singing on a spring morning, or to watch a barn owl hunting along a field margin on a summer's evening. But I also have to run a profitable farm, making its optimum contribution to the ever growing demand for crops for food and fuel. So, is it possible both to provide an attractive, wildlife-rich countryside, and world-class yields of top quality crops? The clear message from the SAFFIE project is yes, it is. If we combine intelligent research like this with smart science and the right incentives, farmers can rise to the challenge of providing the country with the food and fuel it needs, and a countryside of which we can all be proud. That is the way ahead.

Graham Wynne, Chief Executive RSPB says-

Thinking big for biodiversity

As one of the largest contributors arable farmers are the guardians of much of our farmland wildlife,which has specifically adapted to arable landscapes. Managing profitable intensive enterprises brings big environmental challenges, but also great opportunities. As one of the largest consortiums ever to work on arable biodiversity, SAFFIE had the capacity to think big. It took problems and ideas, developed and tested solutions, then rolled them out to the arable community. I'm particularly proud to see skylark plots in the countryside and options being developed for enhancing grass margins. SAFFIE is a significant milestone on the road towards sustainable rural businesses improving the environment.

Key findings (click to expand)

• +     Skylark plots increase chick numbers by up to 50%

Leaving small, unsown areas in winter cereals improves foraging access for adult birds resulting in improved chick survival. There is the potential to increase farmland birds if uptake of skylark plots in Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) can be improved.

• +    Wild flowers in field margins increase beneficial insects by up to 80%

  Most field margins are sown with a mixture of low cost grasses. Adding selected wild flowers to these mixtures encourage a wide range of insects including beetles, bugs, butterflies and bumblebees. Adding wild flowers is an extra one-off cost of up to £1,000/ha, so incentives are needed to encourage uptake.

• +    Selective herbicides only in spring, benefit biodiversity within crops

  Some weeds have little impact on yield, but provide valuable food and habitat for insects and birds. Using selective herbicides in spring leaves desirable species behind. Specialist advice will be needed as failure to control undesirable weeds can cause substantial yield loss without biodiversity benefits.

• +    Opening up grass margins improves farmland biodiversity

  Grass margins are typically left to grow and mown once a year. New approaches, such as scarification or graminicides, create habitats for beetles and other insects. These approaches also encourage native wild flowers and improve access for birds to feed and nest.

• +     Skylark plots with open margins increase farmland birds four fold

  Winter cereals and field margins can contain much wildlife and biodiversity. Farmland birds (eg skylark, finches, yellowhammer and other buntings, yellow wagtail and whitethroat) need gaps in which to land and feed on seeds and insects. Dense crops and lush margins are inaccessible to birds. Placing skylark plots in fields with scarified margins sown with grasses and wild flowers improves access and increases farmland bird numbers four fold.

• +     Environmental stewardship increases biodiversity benefits

  The SAFFIE research has shown that a few simple measures can significantly improve arable farmland biodiversity. Some of the measures developed by the project are already in environmental stewardship, but all have an economic cost. Appropriate encouragement is needed to ensure greater uptake by farmers of measures in combinations which best deliver arable diversity.