Replacing imported soybeans with British beans could reduce emissions by hundreds of thousands of tonnes, but the opportunity will be missed without urgent incentives across the supply chain, new analysis warns.
The UK would need an additional 1.6 million tonnes of homegrown beans to replace 50% of the soy currently fed to livestock, according to research presented at the From Soy to Sustainability event in Peterborough.
Anderson’s Center senior economist James Webster Rusk outlines the findings as part of the Defra-funded ‘Nitrogen-efficient plants for climate-smart smart cropping systems’ project.
The study examines the impact of increasing domestic protein production by increasing pulses to 20% of UK crop rotations over a four-year project period from 2023 to 2027.
Analysis shows that environmental praise can be substantial. Increasing pulses to 20% of arable crop rotations could reduce emissions by up to 600,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, or 9.4%, primarily through reduced fertilizer use in the arable supply chain.
The greatest benefits are likely to be realized in the poultry sector, where the environmental benefits of feeding beans to layer hens and broilers can outweigh costs by up to 20 times.
Initial broiler trials show that reducing contamination rates may reduce emissions and improve profits for producers, highlighting the need for further testing, although previous studies have been conducted on a small scale.
The results for grazing livestock are less clear. “Beans have the potential to reduce feed emissions, but lower growth rates may offset that increase,” Webster-Rusk said.
However, dairy trials included in the analysis showed that “the benefits to society from reduced emissions outweigh the costs to farmers from increased feed.”
Despite the environmental improvement, the report warns that current economic conditions do not bode well for arable farmers. Livestock producers see net benefits from increased use of legumes, but tillable margins are being squeezed as rotations approach 20% legumes.
“If we don’t encourage arable farmers to produce beans, there won’t be beans that will make the significant improvements that can be made in the intensive livestock sector,” Webster-Rusk said.
“We need 1.6 million tonnes of beans to make that happen, and we don’t have that at the moment.”
Tom Allen-Stevens, founder and managing director of the UK Farm Innovation Network, which is leading the project’s farm trials, said the findings highlight the need for targeted interventions across the supply chain.
“This analysis shows very clearly that while there are environmental benefits to be had, the system is currently not calibrated,” he said.
He warned that while livestock producers and society benefit from reduced emissions, arable farmers are being asked to bear the economic risks.
“If we want to replace British pulses with imported soy on a large scale, we need to introduce meaningful incentives to make pulse production a viable and attractive option for farmers,” he added.
Without this support, the report concludes, ambitions to increase domestic protein production, reduce emissions and reduce dependence on imported feed are unlikely to be realized.
