FARMING WITH CONSCIENCE
Tracking biodiversity gains on farm
The UK is today faced with a shortage of pollinators, and with 75% of food crops relying on insect pollinators we must do all we can to help them thrive. Our outdoor pig farms can hugely benefit nature and encouraging species variety is crucial to achieve biodiversity gains. For some time now we have been looking at ways to better monitor biodiversity on farm and recently found the perfect partner to help us with this.
We have worked with AgriSound to install insect listening devices on a selection of our outdoor pig farms in Norfolk and Lincolnshire to help measure biodiversity.
AgriSound is an in field sensor that combines acoustic technology with environmental sensors that can aid us in maintaining an optimal pollination environment. It tracks pollination events, identifying areas of low and high pollinator activity, providing rich data on the biodiversity of the area.
Using this data we hope to better understand how our pigs can play a positive role in benefitting soil health, carbon sequestration and biodiversity. One of these farms is a biodiversity indicator farm for a major retail customer and we expect this initiative to be hugely beneficial to them too.
Ash Gilman, Director of Agricultural Strategy at Cranswick, said:
“We are pleased to be working with AgriSound and getting an in-depth understanding of activity on our farms. Pollinators not only form a central part of our ecosystem but are fundamental to the food cycle. The objective is to demonstrate how pigs can play a positive role within the rotation, benefitting soil health and carbon sequestration, as well as presenting new habitats to encourage and increase biodiversity. The insights from the first two months are very positive and we’re looking forward to learning more as we continue to monitor the devices.”
As part of an ongoing programme to protect and restore natural habitats on our land, we are actively measuring our impacts and are undertaking ongoing analysis of soil nutrient levels that support a good habitat for soil micro-organisms.
One of the farms where AgriSound is installed acts as biodiversity indicator farm for a major retail customer and we expect this initiative to be hugely beneficial to them too
