David runs a 180-acre farm just outside Okehampton, where he manages a 90-head dairy herd and raises young stock for beef. He sought advice on nutrient management and how best to utilise on-farm nutrients, such as slurry, to minimise the need for synthetic fertilisers. He also wanted support with potential capital grants that could help him address infrastructure issues identified during a recent visit from the Environment Agency. His farm is not part of any environmental schemes, so he had several queries about what new funding could be available to him through ELMS.

David successfully applied for support through the Intensive Agri-Innovation programme, a project funded by Devon County Council and delivered by Business Information Point. This project funded 30 hours of one-to-one support with Vicky, an agricultural advisor from Business Information Point and up to £2000 for specialist advice from a consultant.

Improving slurry storage & usage

David and Vicky met several times on the farm to discuss how best to tackle his concerns and work towards his goal of utilising slurry more efficiently. It was clear the yard infrastructure needed improvements to minimise the risk of pollution and allow David to have sufficient slurry storage so he could utilise the slurry with a more targeted approach and spread to land when the nutrients are most likely to be used by the crops.

Vicky liaised with Catchment Sensitive Farming Officers to understand which grant funding would be appropriate and then worked with David to put together a plan for funded infrastructure improvements. They simulated the changes using software such as Slurry Wizard and LIDAR mapping to ensure the plans would bring David into compliancy with SSAFO regulations, and also reviewed the finances to understand the investments required.

Development of an on-farm nutrient management plan

After submitting the grant application, they then turned their focus to soils and crop management. Vicky enlisted the help of Luppo Diepenbroek from Straight Line Nutrition Ltd, a grassland management and soil health consultant, agreeing with David that this would be the best use of the specialist support funding available within this project. Vicky requested that Luppo conduct a nutrient analysis of the slurry and collect several soil samples across the farm, allowing him to develop a nutrient management plan that would inform David on how to make the best use of on-farm nutrients and minimise the need for synthetic fertilisers. Luppo also worked with David to enhance animal nutrition and pasture health, ensuring David maximised his dairy yield while minimising external inputs to maximise profitability.