Lowering Emissions & Decarbonising with Variable Rate Nitrogen

At the FAS Conference, SoilEssentials spoke about how precision methods help farmers to reduce input waste while maintaining output. Two priorities for Scottish agriculture as costs rise and environmental expectations tighten. We invited them to revisit some of their key points on VRN in this video. The key carbon benefits from precision farming are: Nitrogen efficiency: Less wasted nitrogen means less embedded carbon in fertiliser manufacturing and less loss to the environment. Lower leaching risk: Reducing over-application decreases the chance of unused nitrogen moving down into groundwater and contributing to higher nitrate concentrations in watercourses. Reduced chemical use: Spot spraying reduces the volume of herbicide applied, often reported by 50–80% across a season, which also reduces packaging, handling, and product transport. Fuel and time savings: Less product used means less filling and fewer interruptions, improving field efficiency. Over a season, that translates into less time running pumps, moving water, and travelling for refills. Scotland’s Farm Advisory Service (FAS) is funded by the Scottish Government, providing information and resources aimed at increasing the profitability and sustainability of farms and crofts. Subscribe to our channel! https://www.youtube.com/c/FASScot/?sub_confirmation=1 Visit our website: https://www.fas.scot/ Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FASScot Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FASScot/