Eight months on from its UK launch, YaraPlus is already proving a success with arable and grassland farmers – and agronomists too. Darren Glegg, Yara's Commercial Solutions Manager, explains why uptake has been so positive and how the platform's tools can help growers make the most of what's left of this season, and also plan ahead for spring.

YaraPlus brings all Yara's nutrient management tools together in one place, on the web or via an app. Launched here in January 2026, it gives farmers and advisors the digital tools they need to make informed decisions in one place. 

"The uptake has been great," says Darren. "We've been asking farmers about it, and the clear message is that YaraPlus is both useful and easy to use. That's probably the best feedback we could ask for."

Much more than an arable tool

When YaraPlus first launched the focus was on its benefits for arable farmers and Darren admits that's so far shaped perceptions about it. But grassland is now firmly in the YaraPlus spotlight. "There are really useful elements to YaraPlus for the grassland farmer as well," says Darren. "Grassland is our biggest fertiliser market. So, it's important we provide tools to help grassland farmers get more out of our fertiliser products." 

With grass growth now increasing after a dry summer, Darren anticipates plenty of silage cutting through September as farmers rebuild feedstocks for winter. Bespoke maps available in YaraPlus are particularly useful here: one showing overall crop growth and variability across a field, the other a nitrogen uptake map developed at Yara's R&D centre in Germany. 

"You can look at maps for all your fields to see how each field compares in terms of the nitrogen taken up," says Darren. "That can help you decide whether a field needs more nitrogen, or when to cut your silage." The same data can also help dairy farmers grazing on a paddock basis decide their grazing order, based on which paddocks have taken up the most nitrogen.

Farmers' own experiences add real value on top of the maps. "Our maps were created under scientifictrials, regimes and data collection through R&D. Individual farm and field maps can be integrated directly into YaraPlus through John Deer Operations Center^TM, AtFarm or a farm's own farm management system. So as farmers use these tools more, it gives them more specific insight and learnings based on what they've applied in practice and how their crops have responded."

A good time to look back over the season

With harvest wrapping up, Darren says now is a good moment for arable and grassland farmers alike to look back over the season. "If you have some yield maps, you can go back in YaraPlus and look at the satellite imagery, select any date and see how the crop varied across the field, then compare that with the yield map," he explains.

Another YaraPlus tool worth flagging is Photo Analysis. This measures the biomass of oil seed rape crops as they shut down for winter, which Darren says is a key driver behind spring nitrogen recommendations. "This is a really useful tool for measuring how much nitrogen is in OSR and providing a nitrogen recommendation in spring," he says. "Photo Analysis is a fantastic tool if you're growing oilseed rape and I thoroughly recommend farmers use it in late autumn, then again before their spring applications."

Building a dynamic plan for spring

Armed with this information, farmers can begin building next year's fertiliser programme. Fields and crops can be entered into YaraPlus to set target nitrogen rates and build a plan across two, three or four applications. Crucially, the plan adjusts itself as the season unfolds. "Once you've made your first application in the spring, whatever that application has been, the second and third application rates will automatically adjust so that it stays in line with your end target rate for the whole season," Darren explains. The same applies if N-Tester or Photo Analysis readings are used to fine-tune rates during spring applications.

Easy to set up, and genuinely free

New users can choose between the YaraPlus app, available on Android and iOS, or the YaraPlus.com website, and both sync from a single account. Photo Analysis needs the app's camera, while mapping tasks are a little easier on the bigger screen of the web version. Yara's UK and Ireland sales team can help with set up and use, alongside a dedicated help desk accessible through the app or web.

For arable growers, Darren recommends three autumn actions: review the season against yield maps, use Photo Analysis to capture an accurate nitrogen reading on OSR before it shuts down for winter, and build a dynamic fertilisation plan ready for spring. 

For grassland farmers, YaraPlus can help monitor silage fields, flag which crops need more nitrogen or are ready for cutting, and support paddock grazing decisions based on nitrogen uptake. 

"That's some really good uses of the app immediately for grassland and then planning for the spring in arable" he says. 

And the cost? "We don't charge for YaraPlus, so there's no cost and no catch," says Darren. "We've developed these tools over the years to help people get the most out of their Yara fertiliser. We're not just selling fertiliser; we're here to help farmers get the most out of it."