Improving Farm efficiency and Profitability through Nutrient Management

Declan BillingtonChairman (morning session)

Today’s ChallengesProducer sectors are challenged.

Today’s focus: Farmers are loosing money

Tomorrow’s Focus: Phosphorus ( for now), • The first of the European challenges to hit.• If we do not have a plan, they will give us one: (more

regulation/ restrictions, all adding cost)

How do we turn a Loose/ Loose into a Win/ Win?• Subsidies/Grants?• Benchmarking?• Knowledge transfer?

Let’s ask a Leading thinker

In the words of …..

Outcomes for todayMy challenge to the Speakers:

1. To show where we are today, how we got here and what are the sectoral contributions.

2. To show how Europe’s Regulators view us.

3. Options ( including the “do nothing” approach) and consequences

4. Conclude on some practical actions that might actually deliver Lower cost outcomes to producers and in the process significantly reduce the P surplus.

Outcomes for todayMy challenge to the Audience:

Remember Einstein…….

1. The solutions are unlikely to be new to you …. so how do we bring some new found sanity to bear in getting a whole industry to implement the win win of good ideas that reduce both “P” and cost?

2. (NB Zero marks for answers that historically have not worked)

A Parting thoughtEnvironmental sustainability is often about resource efficiency ( more product out, for less inputs, Less inputs means less waste)

Environmental sustainability/ resource effeciency = Two sides of the same coin!

NB:

1 Govt want us to reduce our environmental impact

2 Supermarkets want to show their commitment but..

What do they actually mean when they talk about sustainability….. All very blurred/confused … Carbon, Water, Quality, Biodiversity?

There in lies an opportunity

Blue sky thinking.In this vacuum, why don’t WE define key features of a sustainable industry in a way that:

1 Reflects our own issues and..

2 In a way we know we can solve profitably (and get Government behind us helping, rather than in front of us, blocking our way)

Worst case, we are going to be made to do it anyway.

Best case, we get to do it sensibly, our way, without regulation and we Trump Origin Green on the world’s supermarket shelves!

Blue sky thinking Could we…

1. “Write the script” and the underpinning actions (some of which you will identify after lunch)

And

2 Brand the outcomes (market pull)

In such a way as to reduce our costs (through efficiency) , increase our income (through branding) and have less regulation?

Land Use and Mgt.

What might a Sustainable Matrix look like?

Embedded as a corner stone ( Its about P

in Water)