FRONT LINE
Transition to Biological Farming BY DAVID WALLIS
D
anú Farming Group is a project funded by the EU’s European Innovation Programme (EIP). The funding is administered in Ireland by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and commenced in June 2018. It will continue until December 2023. Danú consists of 12 farmers, six tillage, six grassland and five support personnel. At the beginning of the project Danú reviewed their current farming systems, identified weaknesses in their soil, crop and pasture management and subsequently began the implementation of practices to transition to a biological farming system. Each member of the group considered that their previous soil management practices were not sustainable and that the development of a fully functional soil biology would be the foundation on which sustainable and economically viable farms would be maintained into the future. The focus of the project is for Danú to learn and implement the basic principles of biological farming. The term “biological farming” was first used by Gary Zimmer, a US farmer, agricultural consultant and author of textbooks on the subject. In essence it is an approach to farming that combines the best of young plant growing with sunshine conventional and organic © istockphoto.com practices with the aim of fostering and maintaining robust soil biology. Where optimum soil biology function is attained, improved levels of nutrient density in forage, feed and food is achieved which benefits animal and human health. 20
PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGICAL FARMING: 1. Farm management, agronomy and animal husbandry focus on optimising soil biology populations and their function. 2. Over a transition period, reduction and eventual cessation of the application of certain fertilisers and all pesticides that impede optimal soil biology function. 3. Develop and maintain living plant covers throughout the entire year to provide a continuous food source for soil biodiversity. 4. Increase and maintain plant species diversity in arable and grassland systems. 5. Minimise soil disturbance (move to min-till/no-till in arable systems). 6. More efficient use of animal manures and biological inoculants. BENEFITS OF BIOLOGICAL FARMING: 1. Improved soil structure and alleviation of compaction. 2. Increased water infiltration rates, a consequence of improved top-soil structure and depth, so improving water quality in catchment areas. 3. Significant reduction in losses of nitrogen from volatilisation and leaching and phosphorus from surface run-off. Reduction in artificial nitrogen use and an increase in nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). 4. Improved sward and crop quality which benefits animal and human health. 5. Increased levels of carbon sequestration over time. 6. Increase in farm biodiversity. TRIAL PLOTS: All 12 farms set aside four plots for field sized trials in August 2018. Trials have been running now for three seasons. Plot 1 Control: Teagasc guidelines & recommendations (“Green Book”). Plot 2 As control, but all artificial nitrogen & acid phosphate (N & Acid P) buffered with a carbon source: molasses, humates, sugar, compost, slurry or farmyard manure. Plot 3 Full mineral balancing over the period of the trial and buffered N & Acid P Plot 4 Full mineral balancing plus selected biological inoculants/ treatments with buffered N & Acid P over the period of the trial.
Irish Wildlife Summer '22
020_IWT Summer_2022_Biological farming_FINAL.indd 20
11/05/2022 15:06
