POTATO production is due to start this year at McCain’s new Farm of the Future in North Yorkshire.
Developed in partnership with the University of Leeds, the site is the company’s third commercial-scale research and innovation farm dedicated to testing regenerative agriculture practices. The company has already established Farms of the Future that are now operational in Canada and South Africa.
Farm of the Future UK is designed to accelerate the adoption of regenerative practices under real-world conditions.
The new farm’s practices will include controlled traffic farming, year-round soil cover and biodiversity enhancement. It will also pilot a circular nutrient system developed with the University of Leeds National Pig Centre, using pig manure to enrich soils, reduce waste and support mixed farming systems that aim to improve soil health while lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
McCain and the University of Leeds will collaborate on scientific validation and teaching programmes, with independent measurement of soil health, biodiversity and emissions. Additional trials will include autonomous vehicles and alternative fuels for farm equipment.
