Sustainable agriculture

We are the sole processor of the British sugar beet crop and our industry has long embraced the latest technology and innovations to improve processes, drive yield growth and productivity. We recognise the role we play in improving agricultural practices in the UK.

We work closely with our growers and the British Beet Research Organisation (BBRO) to ensure that we’re utilising the latest tools, techniques and research available to us.

Working with partners...

British Sugar works with the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) and directly with over 2,300 growers to support continuous improvement in the British sugar beet industry.

Together with NFU Sugar, we jointly fund the British Beet Research Organisation (BBRO), a non-profit company, which commissions and communicates research to increase the competitiveness and profitability of the British sugar beet industry in a sustainable and environmentally acceptable manner.

Investing in the BBRO and growers enables us to understand the impacts of changing practice through ongoing trials and research projects.

We are also working in collaboration with agricultural biotechnology company Tropic and the world-leading plant science institute the John Innes Centre (JIC) to further research into how gene editing can be used to benefit the British sugar beet crop.

Grower standards...

We are fully assured by the world-leading food chain assurance scheme Red Tractor and are audited yearly on this. All our growers must ensure that their sugar beet crop is covered under the Red Tractor Farm Assurance (Combinable Crops and Sugar Beet Standard) Scheme at all times. This assurance achieves Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) Platform Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) 3.0 Silver Level Equivalence.

We are also proud to be founding members of SAI Platform’s Regenerative Agriculture Programme – a collaborative and farmer-centred initiative that aims to address the urgent need for an aligned industry recognised, trusted and cost-effective way to assess, measure and report regenerative agriculture outcomes.

Our progress to date...

We aim to support our growers in embracing more regenerative practices on farm, which will deliver several positive outcomes for the British sugar industry and growers alike. From reducing GHG emissions to improving soil health and resilience, to increasing biodiversity. We want to work together.

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increase

in sugar yields over
the last 20 years

Working with

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growers

Jointly investing

0

annually in the BBRO
with our growers

Key areas of focus...

Reducing GHG emissions on farm

Improving soil health

Increasing biodiversity

Reducing GHG emissions on farm

Reducing GHG emissions on farm

Understanding the environmental impact of growing sugar beet is key to making improvements in the field. We have worked with external experts to understand where GHG emissions come from in our supply chain and reducing these emissions is critical to reducing the impact our crop has on climate change.

To tackle emissions, it is key we reduce inputs while protecting yields, reduce vehicle movements and improve soil health.

In collaboration with the BBRO, we are currently running a series of trials on fertiliser placement technologies and organic fertilisers. We have also been testing the viability of two robots, the first is fully automated that both seeds and mechanically weeds and is driven by a solar panel, making it a CO2 neutral operation. The second, is an autonomous implement carrier with its current set-up using a band sprayer to only spray sugar beet rows and uses AI technology to identify and map several weed types to only spray where needed.

The BBRO have also been running trials to measure CO2 emissions at a landscape scale, to understand what is emitted from growing sugar beet. At present, there is no baseline GHG data for sugar beet in the UK, so this will be an industry first.

Improving soil health

Improving soil health

Sugar beet acts as a key ‘break crop’ in arable farm rotations, increasing nitrogen in the soil which is beneficial for soil health; but we’re passionate about doing more than leaving nature to its own course.

We are exploring the use of different cultivation techniques and their effect on soil. This includes reduced disturbance methods such as strip-tillage which allows for up to 70% of the soil surface to remain untouched.

Ensuring that the soil is covered in between crops is also critical to ensuring soil health and reducing soil erosion. Many cover crops can help to improve soil fertility and structure as well as manage weeds and pests.

Increasing biodiversity

Increasing biodiversity

Across our sites and grower farms, we support many species which are suffering decline in the UK. This includes the small Heath Butterfly, the Sand Martin, Lapwing and Water Vole.

At our factories, ponds offer a unique setting for hundreds of migratory and non-migratory birds including Egyptian Goose, Little Grebe, Mallard, Grey Heron, Oystercatcher and Kingfisher.

Our Wissington site, the largest beet processing site in Europe, provides a valuable habitat for may species including the Reed Warbler, Speckled Wood Butterfly and Peregrine Falcons.

In addition to this, we are working with growers and industry partners to establish and monitor pollinator areas and wildflower strips around headlands or within fields.

Case studies

More sustainability areas of focus...

Consuming resources responsibly

Our people, communities
and partners

Making sense
of sugar

Responsible
sourcing
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