Farm Net Zero was a partnership working with farms in East Cornwall to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while improving resilience and productivity.
Using on-farm trials, monitoring and farmer-led learning, the project identified practical actions that work in real farm systems.
Your Journey to Net Zero Starts Here
Use the roadmaps below to explore these actions step by step and identify what could work on your farm.
Every farm is different, but there are clear steps that can help reduce emissions and improve efficiency.
This is not a one-size-fits-all approach — it’s about identifying what works for your farm.
The roadmaps below bring together practical actions tested through the Farm Net Zero project.
Each one is organised as a step-by-step pathway, helping you build from the basics through to more advanced practices.
Start by selecting your enterprise, then explore actions at your own pace:
This roadmap shows the key stages at a glance.
Expand the steps below to explore each action and access supporting resources.
Arable emissions mainly come from fuel use and inputs such as fertiliser and sprays.
Start with the soil
Soil testing identifies the distribution of nutrients across a farm, allowing for targeted applications of fertilisers.
Measuring and assessing soil carbon creates an understanding of existing carbon stocks on farm. Increasing soil carbon content can offset emissions.
Earthworms are an important part of a healthy farm ecosystem, cycling nutrients and aerating soil.
The importance of managing soil pH is a vital part of reducing emissions from artificial fertiliser because incorrect soil pH disrupts fertiliser efficiency.
Soil compaction affects crop productivity and can require the use of excess fuel to remediate issues and fertiliser to boost productivity.
Joel Williams at Prideaux provided a valuable insight into the process of soil carbon cycling and storage.
Grow hedges thicker and taller
Hedgerows for carbon capture are an important feature of the farmed landscape, as well as having major biodiversity benefits.
Hedges, a win-win reports on an event held on a FNZ farm where they manage their hedgerows to increase biodiversity and carbon capture.
Use cover crops
Cover crops protect soil from erosion and compaction between cash crops. The living roots can also help to maintain carbon inputs into the soil.
Outwintering on forage/cover crops integrates livestock into arable. With appropriate management, this can boost soil nutrient cycling.
Grazed winter cover crops can include a range of plant species. This factsheet details which species grew best on Cornish farms.
Trial: Overwinter grazing at Ennis Barton, Blable and Tregooden Farms details the results of trialling cover crops for outwintering cattle and the effect on soil health on three FNZ farms.
Use minimum tillage to establish crops where possible
Maize and soil health: how it adds up summarises a trial by FNZ monitor farmers on reducing tillage in maize production and subsequent crops. Reduced tillage led to lower fuel use, with associated emissions reductions, and protected soil carbon from disturbance.
Maize: maximising soil health and crop yield highlights the benefits of reduced tillage and interrow cover crops in maize production.
Reduce artificial nitrogen fertiliser use
Reducing nitrogen usage in crop production is a key part of reducing the farm’s carbon footprint, as artificial nitrogen has a high carbon footprint.
Best practice for fertiliser use efficiency explains the benefits of optimising fertiliser application to mitigate any negative environmental effects.
Getting started with foliar feed can help to reduce the use of high emissions artificial fertiliser.
Foliar fertiliser with Tow & Fert is one method of applying liquid inputs to both arable and grass crops
Reduce chemical inputs
Diversity and efficiency – the journey at Pensipple details the steps that one FNZ farm is taking to reduce the footprint of wheat production.
Wheat: alternative options for the control of Septoria provides more information on the Septoria trial at Pensipple.
Population wheat can be one method of boosting the resilience of wheat crops, reducing their chemical inputs.
Emissions on beef and sheep farms mainly come from livestock, fertiliser and bought-in feed. The roadmap below outlines practical actions to reduce emissions and improve resilience.
Start with the soil
Soil testing identifies the distribution of nutrients across a farm, allowing for targeted applications of fertilisers.
Measuring and assessing soil carbon creates an understanding of existing carbon stocks on farm. Increasing soil carbon content can offset emissions.
Earthworms are an important part of a healthy farm ecosystem, cycling nutrients and aerating soil.
The importance of managing soil pH is a vital part of reducing emissions from artificial fertiliser because incorrect soil pH disrupts fertiliser efficiency.
Soil compaction affects crop productivity and can require the use of excess fuel to remediate issues and fertiliser to boost productivity.
Joel Williams at Prideaux provided a valuable insight into the process of soil carbon cycling and storage.
Grow hedges thicker and taller
Hedgerows for carbon capture are an important feature of the farmed landscape, as well as having major biodiversity benefits.
Hedges, a win-win reports on an event held on a FNZ farm where they manage their hedgerows to increase biodiversity and carbon capture.
Manage grazing and pasture quality
Grazing management is a crucial part of addressing emissions on livestock farms, through reduced inputs (artificial fertiliser and bought-in feed).
Herbal Leys, the hows and whys explained the many benefits of herbal leys and how to manage them effectively.
Let’s Talk about grass covered the practicalities of rotational grazing, including forage budgeting, electric fencing and water supply.
Overseeding herbal leys into permanent pasture is one method of boosting productivity with few high-emissions inputs.
How to rejuvenate pastures featured a rotaseeding demonstration to establish a herbal ley in one pass, reducing fuel use.
Overseeding permanent pastures with herbal leys covers the results of a trial on different overseeding techniques on one FNZ monitor farm.
Conservation grazing can be a useful option for low-input cattle rearing, while benefiting biodiversity.
Pastures for lambs details the results of a FNZ Field Lab on different sward mixes for weaned lambs, and how they affect the lamb worm burden.
The FNZ Sheep Conference covered several topics on reducing the footprint of sheep farming, including herbal leys and parasite management.
Reduce artificial nitrogen fertiliser use
Getting started with foliar feed can help to reduce the use of high emissions artificial fertiliser.
Foliar fertiliser with Tow & Fert is one method of applying liquid inputs to both arable and grass crops.
Reducing nitrogen usage in crop production is a key part of reducing the farm’s carbon footprint, as artificial nitrogen has a high carbon footprint.
Best practice for fertiliser use efficiency explains the benefits of optimising fertiliser application to mitigate any negative environmental effects.
Use cover crops and outwinter livestock
Outwintering on forage/cover crops with appropriate management, can be a useful method of reducing emissions through lower winter machinery work.
Cover crops protect soil from erosion and compaction between cash crops. The living roots can also help to maintain carbon inputs into the soil.
Grazed winter cover crops can include a range of plant species. This factsheet details which species grew best on Cornish farms.
“Trial: Overwinter grazing at Ennis Barton, Blable and Tregooden Farms details the results of trialling cover crops for outwintering cattle and the effect on soil health on three FNZ farms.
Use greenwaste compost for bedding and fertiliser
A nutrient comparison of compost, dirty compost bedding from Blable Farm and yarmyard manure per tonne identified the high nutrient value of compost.
Explore agroforestry
Integrating livestock and trees can help reduce a farm’s carbon footprint as trees sequester carbon. They also have multiple benefits for livestock welfare.
Trees for forage can be a useful method of gaining the environmental benefits of tree planting while maintaining farm productivity.
Emissions on dairy farms are mainly from livestock, artificial fertiliser and bought-in feed. The Farm Net Zero (FNZ) project has produced a range of resources to help understand methods of reducing emissions and increasing sequestration. These are listed below and include factsheets from trials and reports from on-farm events, collated into practical on-farm actions.
Start with the soil
Soil testing identifies the distribution of nutrients across a farm, allowing for targeted applications of fertilisers.
Measuring and assessing soil carbon creates an understanding of existing carbon stocks on farm. Increasing soil carbon content can offset emissions.
Earthworms are an important part of a healthy farm ecosystem, cycling nutrients and aerating soil.
The importance of managing soil pH is a vital part of reducing emissions from artificial fertiliser because incorrect soil pH disrupts fertiliser efficiency.
Soil Compaction affects crop productivity and can require the use of excess fuel to remediate issues and fertiliser to boost productivity.
Joel Williams at Prideaux provided a valuable insight into the process of soil carbon cycling and storage.
Grow hedges taller and thicker
Hedgerows for carbon capture are an important feature of the farmed landscape, as well as having major biodiversity benefits.
Hedges, a win-win reports on an event held on a FNZ farm where they manage their hedgerows to increase biodiversity and carbon capture.
Focus on managing grazing and pasture quality
Grazing management is a crucial part of addressing emissions on livestock farms, through reduced inputs (artificial fertiliser and bought-in feed).
Herbal Leys, the hows and whys explained the many benefits of herbal leys and how to manage them for dairy cows.
Let’s talk about grass covered the practicalities of rotational grazing, including forage budgeting, electric fencing and water supply.
Overseeding herbal leys into permanent pasture is one method of boosting productivity with few high-emissions inputs.
How to rejuvenate pastures featured a rotaseeding demonstration to establish a herbal ley in one pass, reducing fuel use.
Overseeding permanent pastures with herbal leys covers the results of a trial on different overseeding techniques on one FNZ monitor farm.
Use slurry efficiently and reduce artificial nitrogen fertiliser use
Methane capture from slurry can help to reduce methane emissions (a potent greenhouse gas) and reduce fossil fuel emissions by using the methane as fuel.
A slurry separator demo on one FNZ monitor farm highlighted the benefits of slurry separation for more efficient nutrient use and slurry handling.
Reducing nitrogen usage in crop production is a key part of reducing the farm’s carbon footprint, as artificial nitrogen has a high carbon footprint.
Best practice for fertiliser use efficiency” explains the benefits of optimising fertiliser application to mitigate any negative environmental effects.
Getting started with foliar feed can help to reduce the use of high emissions artificial fertiliser.
Foliar fertiliser with Tow & Fert is one method of applying liquid inputs to both arable and grass crops.
Consider how forage can be grown more sustainably
Making the most of homegrown protein helps to reduce emissions from bought-in feed.
Maize: maximising soil health and crop yield highlights the benefits of reduced tillage and interrow cover crops in maize production.
Maize and soil health: how it adds up summarises a trial by FNZ monitor farmers on reducing tillage in maize production and subsequent crops.
Optimising Silage Production is an important method for reducing emissions per tonne of feed.
Use alternative forages to reduce bought-in feed
How to grow lucerne details the techniques used by one FNZ monitor farm who grows lucerne for silage. This crop provides high protein feed with fewer inputs.
Plant trees for agroforestry
Integrating livestock and trees can help reduce a farm’s carbon footprint as trees sequester carbon. They also have multiple benefits for livestock welfare.
Trees for forage can be a useful method of gaining the environmental benefits of tree planting while maintaining farm productivity.
Renewables can reduce emissions from electricity use
Methane Capture from slurry creates renewable fuel for machinery and electricity generation, while reducing methane greenhouse gas emissions.
Horticultural emissions come mainly from fuel and inputs (artificial fertiliser and sprays). Over five years, the Farm Net Zero (FNZ) project has produced a range of resources to help understand methods to reduce emissions and increase sequestration. These resources are listed below and include factsheets from trials and reports from on-farm events, collated into practical on-farm actions.
Start with the soil
Soil testing identifies the distribution of nutrients across a farm, allowing for targeted applications of fertilisers.
Measuring and assessing soil carbon creates an understanding of existing carbon stocks on farm. Increasing soil carbon content can offset emissions.
Earthworms are an important part of a healthy farm ecosystem, cycling nutrients and aerating soil.
The importance of managing soil pH is a vital part of reducing emissions from artificial fertiliser. Incorrect soil pH disrupts fertiliser efficiency, creating a waste of resources, money and emissions.
Soil compaction affects crop productivity and can require the use of excess fuel to remediate issues and fertiliser to boost productivity.
Joel Williams at Prideaux provided a valuable insight into the process of soil carbon cycling and storage.
Grow hedges taller and thicker
Hedgerows for carbon capture are an important feature of the farmed landscape, as well as having major biodiversity benefits.
Hedges, a win-win reports on an event held on a FNZ farm where they manage their hedgerows to increase biodiversity and carbon capture.
Make compost to feed the soil and store carbon
Optimised compost management for productivity and soil health: initial trial results covers the trial and results of the FNZ Compost Field Lab.
Why compost? describes how to get started in compost production.
Can composting kill weeds and save carbon? is a useful video summarising the FNZ Field Lab on compost to control weeds.
How to make a microbial brew for your compost details the creation of a liquid feed. With one of the FNZ monitor farmers.
The only compost recipe you need covers the composting practices developed on two FNZ monitor farms through the Compost Field Lab.
How composting can help nature and save you money allows the FNZ Field Lab triallists to explain the benefits of compost for their gardens.
Use cover crops to protect the soil
Cover crops protect soil from erosion and compaction between cash crops. The living roots can also help to maintain carbon inputs into the soil.
Outwintering on forage/cover crops integrates livestock into arable. With appropriate management, this can boost soil nutrient cycling.
Grazed winter cover crops can include a range of plant species. This factsheet details which species grew best on Cornish farms.
Trial: overwinter grazing at Ennis Barton, Blable and Tregooden Farms details the results of trialling cover crops for outwintering cattle and the effect on soil health on three FNZ farms.
Minimise erosion risk when growing at field scale
Field vegetables in rotation – best practices for soil health covers a FNZ event on how to avoid soil erosion and damage when growing field-scale vegetables. It also includes a summary of the integration of livestock into field vegetable production, as part of a circular approach to waste.
Built using real farm data and farmer experience:
Explore Farm Net Zero Resources
Browse guides, factsheets, videos and event reports produced through the Farm Net Zero project.
Enterprise
Topic
Resource Type
Grow Slow: A Resource on Perennials and Forest Gardening
Perennials and forest gardens in agroforestry.
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Farm Net Zero Farmer Conference 2022
The first Farm Net Zero Farmer Conference was held at Blable Farm, Wadebridge.
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Field Vegetables in Rotation – Best Practices for Soil Health
Learn how Andrew Brewer has integrated vegetable production with a grass-based dairy system.
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Let's Talk About Grass
Learn about rotational and mob grazing from farmer Ben Thomas and grazing consultant James Daniel of Precision Grazing Ltd.
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Erth Barton Summer Farm Tour 2022
Adaptive multi-paddock grazing systems and pasture-cropping approaches being used at Erth Barton.
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Planning for the Future with Environmental Stewardship
With changes to farm subsidy payments, there is some uncertainty as to what will replace them.
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Holistic Worm Management and the Role of Dung Beetles
Targeted worm management in sheep can improve flock resilience, reduce anthelmintic use, and support biodiversity through healthier dung beetle populations and soil function.
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Outwintering on Forage/Cover Crop
How diverse winter cover crop mixtures can support outwintered cattle, reduce feeding and fuel costs, improve soil health, and lower the carbon footprint of beef production.
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How To Rejuvente a Pasture
How diverse winter cover crop mixtures can support outwintered cattle, reduce feeding and fuel costs, improve soil health, and lower the carbon footprint of beef production.
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Methane Capture from Slurry
How capturing methane from slurry can reduce dairy farm emissions, generate renewable fuel and electricity, and improve the fertiliser value of slurry while lowering input costs.
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Hedges, a Win-Win
Practical insights into hedgerow management, biodiversity and carbon capture.
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How to Grow Lucerne
Growing lucerne as a high-protein, drought-resilient forage crop that improves soil health, fixes nitrogen, and reduces reliance on bought-in feed and fertiliser.
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Lessons Learnt At Erth Barton
Lessons from three years of regenerative farming at Erth Barton, using cover crops, rotational grazing, composting and low-input practices to rebuild soil fertility and biological function.
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Integrating Livestock and Trees
How integrating trees into livestock systems can improve animal welfare, provide nutritious browse, enhance climate resilience, and support lower-carbon farming through agroforestry.
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Optimising Silage Production
How producing high-quality silage and reducing feed losses can improve dairy farm efficiency, lower purchased feed requirements, and reduce the carbon footprint of livestock production.
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Agronomists’ Workshop
How diverse cover crops, livestock integration, direct drilling, and reduced nitrogen fertiliser use can improve soil health, maintain crop performance, and lower farm emissions
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Getting Started with Foliar Feed
How foliar feeding, biological soil management, compost extracts and reduced cultivation can improve nutrient efficiency, cut nitrogen fertiliser use, and maintain profitable arable crop yields
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Direct Sales and Marketing
How to communicate carbon footprint results, sustainability actions, and farm stories to consumers through branding, direct sales, and social media marketing.
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Community screening of FNZ film
A community screening of the Farm Net Zero film brought local residents and farmers together to discuss climate change, biodiversity, and the future integration of farming and nature.
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Carbon Farmer of the Year, Andrew Brewer, Ennis Barton
Carbon Farmer of the Year Andrew Brewer demonstrated how integrating grazing, herbal leys, cover crops, beef finishing, and soil-focused management can produce low-carbon dairy while improving soil health and carbon sequestration.
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Farm Net Zero Sheep Conference
At the Farm Net Zero Sheep Conference, farmers explored how parasite-resilient genetics, rotational grazing, herbal leys, and improved flock health can reduce emissions while increasing the resilience and sustainability of sheep farming.
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Overseeding Herbal Leys Into Permanent Pasture
Will and Kate Martin shared findings from the HELEN project, showing how overseeding permanent pasture with herbal ley species can improve productivity, soil health, biodiversity, and carbon storage while avoiding full reseeding.
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Making the Most of Homegrown Protein
Tom and Nic Tolputt showcased trials of homegrown protein crops and bio-fertilisers, demonstrating how legumes can improve livestock feed self-sufficiency, fix nitrogen, and reduce reliance on imported feed and synthetic fertilisers.
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Filming on Your Phone Workshop
Farmers received practical training in storytelling, filming and video editing to help them communicate their Farm Net Zero experiences and share environmental successes with a wider audience.
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Farm Net Zero at Oxford Real Farming Conference 2024
Farm Net Zero farmers presented their experiences at the Oxford Real Farming Conference, showcasing how collaboration, community engagement and practical on-farm changes are helping Cornish farms progress towards net zero.
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Slurry Separator Demo
Patrick and Jack Barrett demonstrated how slurry separation and real-time nutrient analysis can improve fertiliser efficiency, enhance silage production, reduce input costs, and lower the carbon footprint of dairy farming.
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Diversity and Efficiency – The Journey at Pensipple
How integrating sheep grazing, diverse wheat varieties, strip-till establishment and biological approaches to disease management could reduce inputs, improve resilience and maintain profitable arable production.
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Joel Williams at Prideaux
How living roots, soil microbes and year-round photosynthesis drive long-term soil carbon sequestration, helping farmers build healthier soils and more resilient farming systems.
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Trees for Forage
How integrating forage trees such as willow, alder and poplar into livestock systems can provide nutritious browse, improve animal welfare through shelter and shade, enhance soil health, and increase on-farm carbon sequestration.
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Foliar Fertiliser with Tow & Fert
Rob and Liz Priest hosted a demonstration of the Tow & Fert foliar fertiliser system, showing how targeted liquid nutrient applications can improve nutrient efficiency, support soil biology, and reduce the emissions associated with conventional fertiliser use.
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Monitoring Soil Carbon
Practical guidance for measuring and monitoring soil carbon across a farm.
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Arable Farming
This Farm Net Zero arable farming guide explains how improving soil health, nitrogen efficiency, cover cropping, reduced tillage, hedgerow management and renewable energy use can lower emissions while increasing farm resilience and productivity.
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Livestock Emissions
This Farm Net Zero livestock factsheet outlines how improving livestock efficiency, manure and nutrient management, forage quality, grazing practices, soil health, and on-farm carbon sequestration can help livestock farms progress towards net zero emissions.
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Farm Carbon Footprinting
This factsheet explains how farm carbon footprinting measures greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration to help farmers identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce emissions, and track progress towards net zero.
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Rumination Trial at Ennis Barton
Andrew Brewer's rumination trial investigated whether multi-species grazing swards can maintain dairy cow performance while delivering benefits for soil health, biodiversity, resilience, and nutrient management.
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Over Winter Grazing at Ennis Barton, Blable and Tregooden Farms
Farm Net Zero's overwinter cover crop trial compared diverse grazing mixtures to assess their effects on forage production, soil health, earthworm populations, livestock preference, and the potential to support low-disturbance crop establishment.
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Nutrient Comparison of Compost, Dirty Compost Bedding from Blable Farm and Farmyard Manure per Tonne
This factsheet compares the nutrient and fertiliser value of compost, compost bedding and farmyard manure, highlighting their potential to improve nutrient recycling and reduce reliance on purchased fertilisers.
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Soil recovery at Erth Barton
The Erth Barton soil recovery trial is investigating how diverse forage mixtures, rotational grazing and climate compost can rebuild soil biology, organic matter and soil structure following intensive cultivation.
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Carbon Footprint of the Real Food Garden
The Real Food Garden carbon footprint assessment showed that increases in soil organic matter, alongside hedgerows and woodland, more than offset farm emissions, demonstrating how regenerative horticulture can contribute to net carbon sequestration.
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The Importance of Managing Soil pH
How maintaining soil pH near the optimum level improves nutrient and nitrogen use efficiency, reduces fertiliser costs and emissions, protects water quality, and supports healthier, more productive soils.
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Soil Sampling Methods
This methodology outlines how Farm Net Zero assesses soil health and carbon storage using soil organic matter sampling, infiltration testing, earthworm counts, aggregate stability assessments and soil structure measurements across representative farm fields.
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Reducing Nitrogen Usage in Crop Production
How strategic crop rotations, improved nutrient planning and better use of soil nitrogen supply can reduce fertiliser requirements, lower greenhouse gas emissions and improve the efficiency of arable farming systems.
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Best Practice for Fertiliser Use Efficiency
Practical strategies to improve fertiliser use efficiency through better nitrogen management, soil health, timing, technology, cover crops and diverse rotations, reducing costs while lowering environmental impacts and emissions.
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Cover Crops
How cover crops can improve soil health, retain nutrients, reduce erosion, support biodiversity and contribute to lower-carbon, more resilient farming systems.
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Grazing Management
How rotational grazing and effective pasture management can improve forage production, animal performance, soil health, biodiversity and farm carbon outcomes while reducing reliance on purchased inputs.
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Optimised Compost Management for Productivity and Soil Health: Initial Trial Results
This Farm Net Zero Field Lab is investigating how different composting methods affect compost quality, weed and disease control, soil health and crop performance, with early results showing successful destruction of weed propagules and plant pathogens during composting.
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Population Wheat
How genetically diverse population wheat can improve crop resilience, adapt to local conditions and support regenerative arable systems such as pasture cropping.
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Grazed Winter Cover Crops
This Farm Net Zero trial evaluated diverse grazed winter cover crop mixtures to improve forage production, support outwintering cattle, enhance soil health and biodiversity, and reduce the carbon footprint compared with housed livestock systems.
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Maize and Soil Health: How it Adds Up
This Farm Net Zero trial showed that reduced-cultivation maize establishment methods, particularly Sumo cultivation, improved soil health, reduced carbon emissions and fuel use, retained more nitrogen, and produced higher-quality forage than conventional plough-based systems.
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The Carbon Footprint of Trenance Farm, Year Ending 2022
This carbon footprint assessment showed how Trenance Farm's methane capture system dramatically reduced dairy emissions, cutting the footprint from 1.03 to 0.13 kg CO₂e per kg of milk while creating opportunities to further improve nutrient use, forage production and carbon sequestration.
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Hedgerows for Carbon Capture
How well-managed hedgerows can sequester carbon, support biodiversity, protect soils, provide livestock shelter and browse, and contribute to more resilient farming systems.
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Soil Compaction
How soil compaction reduces plant growth, nutrient uptake and water infiltration, and outlines practical solutions including rotational grazing, deep-rooting herbal leys, controlled traffic farming and mechanical aeration to restore soil health.
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Pastures for Lambs
The FORG Field Lab investigated whether diverse cover crops and herbal leys containing legumes and forage herbs could improve lamb growth, resilience and parasite management while delivering soil health benefits compared with conventional forage options.
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Earthworms
How earthworms support soil health by improving nutrient cycling, soil structure, drainage, biodiversity and plant productivity, while outlining practical management techniques to encourage healthy worm populations.
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Overseeding Permanent Pastures with Herbal Leys
The HELEN trial investigated how different overseeding methods can enhance permanent pastures with herbal ley species, improving productivity, soil health, biodiversity and carbon sequestration while maintaining compliance with environmental protections.
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Maize: Maximising Soil Health and Crop Yield
This Duchy College Field Lab demonstrated that reduced-tillage maize establishment combined with under-sown companion crops can improve soil health, water infiltration and soil stability while maintaining maize yield and forage quality.
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How to Optimise Your Compost Management
Practical lessons from the Farm Net Zero composting Field Lab, showing how high-quality compost, good moisture management, regular turning, and soil aeration can improve soil health, suppress weeds and enhance biological activity.
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Wheat: Alternative Options for the Control of Septoria
This Farm Net Zero trial at Pensipple Farm found that combining sheep grazing with genetically diverse wheat mixtures reduced septoria disease levels and may offer a lower-input alternative to conventional fungicide-based disease management.
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Bicropping Maize
This Farm Net Zero trial explored whether growing pole beans alongside maize could increase silage protein levels and reduce reliance on imported protein feeds, while maintaining forage quality and supporting lower-carbon livestock production.
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Soil Testing
Practical guidance on soil testing methods, helping farmers assess soil health, nutrient status, structure, biodiversity and soil carbon to support productive, resilient and lower-emission farming systems.
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Blable Farm Introductory Video
This Farm Net Zero Demo Farm video highlights how Blable Farm is using grazing management, diverse forage and cover crop systems, and soil-focused approaches to improve livestock productivity, resilience and environmental performance.
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Ennis Barton Introductory Video
Andrew Brewer explains how a resilient grass-based dairy system can combine soil health, cover crops, mixed-species swards, livestock integration, carbon monitoring and community engagement to move towards a more sustainable and lower-carbon farming future.
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Five Farms in Cornwall on a Journey Towards Net Zero - While Producing Nutritious, Quality Food
This Farm Net Zero community film showcases how Cornish farmers are improving soil health, forage production, biodiversity, water management and farm resilience through approaches such as herbal leys, direct drilling, tree planting, local food systems and community engagement while working towards lower-carbon farming systems.
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The Incredible Role of Dung Beetles on Livestock Farms
This Farm Net Zero dung beetle conference video explores how dung beetles support soil health, nutrient cycling, biodiversity, livestock systems and carbon reduction, while highlighting regenerative grazing and parasite-management approaches that help restore these vital insects on farms.
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Taster For 5 Short Videos Showcasing FNZ Farms in Cornwall
This is a 'taster' for five short videos showcasing farms in Cornwall that are part of the Farm Net Zero project. The videos share their journey as they work to improve the environment, produce nutritious food, while also responding to climate risk by sequestering more carbon and reducing emissions.
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Martin Howlett, Deer Park Farm, Cornwall Explains Their Work with Adult Learners and Farm Net Zero
Martin Howlett explains how Deer Park Farm combines beef, sheep and arable production with conservation, education and community engagement, using Farm Net Zero as a catalyst for environmental improvement and knowledge sharing.
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Bonny Lightfoot, Alren Farm – working with the local community to help protect homes from flooding
Bonny Lightfoot explains how Alren Farm is combining beef production, red clover forage, herbal leys, tree planting and natural flood management while working with the local community to reduce flooding and improve environmental resilience.
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Amelia Lake, The Real Food Garden – Sharing Passion for Regenerative Farming With Customers
Amelia Lake explains how the Real Food Garden uses regenerative, no-dig horticulture, integrated livestock, healthy soils and local food networks to increase soil carbon, improve biodiversity and build a resilient food-producing business.
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Claire Brewer, Ennis Barton Farm – School Children Have Fun on Farm Learning About Dairy Farming
Claire Brewer explains how Ennis Barton's dairy and dairy-beef system relies on healthy soils, home-produced fertility, livestock integration and education of future generations to build a resilient and sustainable farming business.
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Catherine Barrett, Tregooden Farm: the power of farmer-to-farmer learning in Cornwall
Catherine Barrett explains how Tregooden Farm is improving soil health through direct drilling, reducing soil erosion, enhancing hedgerows for wildlife, and sharing practical lessons with other farmers through the Farm Net Zero network.
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Can Composting Kill Weeds and Save Carbon?
This Farm Net Zero compost Field Lab demonstrates how high-quality compost, reduced compaction and cover crops can improve soil health, reduce inputs, suppress weeds, eliminate pathogens and support more circular, low-carbon horticultural systems.
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The Only Compost Recipe You Need
This video explains how to make high-quality compost by balancing green and brown materials, managing temperature and aeration, and producing a microbially rich soil amendment that recycles nutrients and supports healthy garden soils.
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How to Make a Microbial Brew for Your Compost
This video demonstrates how growers can make simple microbial brews from plants and other natural materials to increase microbial diversity, recycle nutrients and support healthier soils within horticultural systems.
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Can Milk be Green? Uncovering the Potential of Regenerative Dairying
This Groundswell panel explored how regenerative, grass-based dairy systems can improve soil health, biodiversity, carbon sequestration and farm resilience through grazing, diverse forage systems, reduced cultivation, home-grown feeds and landscape-scale environmental management while remaining financially viable.
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How composting can help nature and save you money
This video explains how composting improves soil health, fertility, carbon storage, biodiversity, water retention and crop yields, while creating a circular system that turns garden waste into a valuable resource.
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Farm Net Zero Plant Pathology webinar with Mike Harrington
This webinar explores how soil biology, microbes, nutrient balance, cover crops and regenerative soil management can improve crop resilience, reduce disease pressure, lower input requirements and build more fertile and productive farming systems.
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Ecology of Dung Beetles
This webinar explores the role of dung beetles and dung ecology in supporting biodiversity, soil health and nutrient cycling, while demonstrating how integrated parasite management can reduce routine wormer use, improve livestock health and protect beneficial farm ecosystems.
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