Top tips on how to balance productivity with sustainability and biodiversity, while remaining profitable, is essential for long-term success of the agricultural sector, and is set to be a key theme of this year's Cereals Event on 11-12 June.

The key to achieving this balance lies in variety, like adopting innovative farming practices that enhance productivity, soil health and biology, and environmental stewardship.

Soils and environmental stewardship will both be discussed by BASE-UK with visitors to this year's Cereals Event. Rebecca Goodwin at BASE-UK says an important starting point for anyone looking to make changes to their system is looking at the health of their soils. "If you haven't already, begin making some records to get a baseline of your starting point," she advises.

"This includes pH, soil organic matter levels, and nutrient status as all these factors together can have a significant impact on productivity levels. Also, talk to other farmers who have already started on the regen 'journey' as they will have made mistakes that you can avoid."

The farmer-led network is set to discuss key soil and agri-environment topics as part of its Regen Conference at this year's Cereals Event. Sessions focusing on these topics include 'Enterprise Stacking – Diversify or Die (as they say)' and 'Robust Soil for a Robust Business'. "Without our soil there is very little to farm, so this is where we need to look to ensure that improvements can be made, and sustainability can be achieved."

Sustainable seed

What is sown can weigh heavily on both the short- and long-term sustainability of the rotation. In recognition of the critical importance of production – the yields and gross margins of now and the future – KWS's stand will feature its new initiative Productivity², which builds on their previous Sowing for Peak Performance campaign.

"Sowing for Peak Performance was about helping all growers get the very best from their crop genetics in the face of challenges like climate change, reduced availability of agrochemistry, and the need to reduce the carbon footprint of production," says the firm's Andy McGrath.

"But we've never downplayed the importance of outright productivity. And with the rising costs involved in crop production, a new emphasis on the importance of food security, and the ongoing pursuit of business sustainability - it is yield that is very much king once more."

Productivity² is a levelling up of KWS' previous position, which Mr McGrath says will help take growers into the future. "It is our commitment to identifying and developing the genetic components of yield required to fast-track the super-varieties needed to build the sustainable, secure, and resilient food supply chain we will all need."

As evidence of Productivity² in action, Mr McGrath highlights that KWS added eight new wheat varieties and four new barleys to the AHDB 2025/26 Recommended List (RL), with many setting new standards for yield, quality, and consistency of production.

SFI options

Government support and incentives will also play a crucial role in helping farmers align sustainability and profitability, with many top performing businesses now involved in schemes like SFI, says Ceres Rural's Rosie Uden.

And there are of course the environmental gains too, with lots of these options having positive impacts on soil health and biology, emissions, and wider biodiversity. When it comes to selecting the best options, Ms Uden advises clients to start with the easy wins – something the Ceres Rural team will be discussing more with visitors to Cereals.

"As an example, the majority of businesses could be undertaking soil and nutrient management plans, and integrated pest management, which is essentially just money for old rope," says Ms Uden.

To get the best balance between productivity, sustainability, and profitability within SFI, she advises focusing on the least productive areas of the farm. "Many farmers have areas – wet corners, for example – that they've taken out of production because they simply weren't profitable. But SFI offers an opportunity to make money on every part of the farm.

"As a starting point, I would advise taking a deep look at gross margins on an individual field level and questioning whether you're cropping just for the sake of it, or if the outlook could be better – both in terms of production and the environmental benefits – if it was put into an SFI option."

Where taking areas out of production appears to be the most sustainable strategy, Ms Uden says both the winter bird food (CAHL2) or unharvested cereal headland (AHW9) can be very effective, both providing good gross margins and feeding for birds over winter. "Putting the areas into grassy field corners (CAHL3) doesn't provide such exciting payment rates, but is a less labour-intensive option and complements an IPM approach."

SFI can also be used to complement the rotation with options like the low input harvested cereal crop (AHW10), which suits spring sown oats or barley and contributes a payment of £354/ha. "Similarly, the enhanced over winter stubble (AHW7) can be used as a break in the rotation, leaving fields as fallow for the year pays £589/ha, which can exceed the gross margin of a lot of existing break crops on some farms," she suggests.

She also recommends considering hedges, too. "There's a fair payment for different aspects of having hedges on farm," she says. "This all promotes better biodiversity and carbon sequestration, which could be particularly beneficial in the future - should there be a market for it."

Pulse potential

Within the SFI options now available, a number include legumes like legume fallow (NUM3), pollen and nectar flower mixture (AHL1), and multi-species winter cover crop (SAM2).

And while the inclusion of nitrogen-fixing plants can offer immense soil health, input, and biodiversity benefits, it needs to be carefully managed, according to PGRO's Dr Becky Howard, who has authored a paper on the inclusion of SFI options in legume rotations.

Alongside the PGRO team, she will be on hand at this year's event to discuss this important area of cropping. "SFI options can offer benefits for biodiversity and soil health, but if not carefully managed may lead to a build-up of pathogens, insects, or nematodes and provide reservoirs for virus infections," she explains.

"While little research has been done to evaluate the effects of the new SFI options in legume cropping rotations, some whole field [SFI] options may pose more risk to crops than those situated in margins or areas where crop production is not planned, like flower-rich mixtures which provide benefits for integrated pest management."

Dr Howard says that soil-borne diseases are a particular concern with a lack of chemical options available for some key diseases. "SFI options are proving attractive to growers - but we mustn't ignore the benefits pulses bring to the wider rotation," she says. "Their natural nitrogen fixation not only enhances soil fertility but also contributes to the long-term sustainability of farming systems.

"By integrating them into cropping plans, farmers have the potential to lower input costs, improve soil health, and reduce their reliance on chemical fertilisers, making their operations more environmentally friendly and economically viable in the long term.

"It's our belief, and the science agrees, that pulses will play a crucial role in enhancing the resilience of farming systems, and we look forward to discussing this more on stand at this year's Cereals Event."