TESCO held an open day in Lincolnshire recently to showcase the work it is carrying out with growers and food processors in its supply base.
Hosted by GB Potatoes and Branston Ltd, the event focussed on sustainable, carbon-neutral potato crop rotations and soil health and showcased methods aiming to cut emissions in potato farming by over 50%
The event took place at The Tesco Low Carbon Concept Farm in Langrick, South Lincolnshire, bringing together growers, industry stakeholders, and agricultural experts. Hosted with the permission of grower Paul Grant, it gave attendees a firsthand insight into efforts to establish a carbon-neutral potato rotation system.
Participants were able to explore soil health and biology, assess the impact of farming practices throughout the crop rotation cycle, and learn how available resources can be used more efficiently.
The Tesco Low Carbon Concept Farm trial utilised several lower-carbon fertilisers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50%. These included: CCm which recycles food waste and anaerobic digestion (AD) digestate into pellet form; R-Leaf, a unique crop nutrition spray made from a chemical composite that captures nitrous oxides from the air and converts them into plant-absorbable nitrogen; Yara Crop Nutrition, a program utilising fertilisers that are produced through renewable energy instead of traditional, carbon-intensive synthetic nitrogen.
The wider rotation system was also on display, featuring contributions from Greenyard (peas), Haygate (wheat), and TH Clements (brassicas and leeks). In an online video launched in tandem with the event, Tesco CEO Ashwin Prasad stressed the vital role suppliers play in the supply chain. Tesco’s key suppliers include Branston Potatoes and Mark Willcox of Branston demonstrated how the company uses sensors, soil analysis and nitrogen efficiency technologies to deliver potato crops more efficiently.
