Introducing
WHAT WILL WE DO?
350 farmers
We’ll be collaborating with a cross section of our beef and lamb supplier farmers, across all different sized farms.
Data driven
We’ll start with carbon footprinting across all farms and then progress to soil health, animal health, carbon, water and biodiversity with smaller interest groups, over a period of 2-3 years.
Analysis
We’ll then work with our research partners at The Anderson Centre and Harper Adams University (HAU) to compile, analyse and interpret the data.
Learnings
We’ll make all the learnings available to the participating farmers so they can take advantage of best-practice recommendations. This will take the form of a suite of general ‘how to’ improvement guides, plus an individual guide tailored to specific farmers (developed by HAU).
Sustainability Fund
We’ll then make a dedicated fund available to help our farmers implement and finance the recommendations made, and ultimately to increase their environmental and sustainability performance.
THE TIMELINE.
Carbon footprint
Our first data study started in October 2022 and focused on carbon footprints.
Soil health, biodiversity, water, animal health
Our PRISM 2030 programme will be supplemented with an array of wider sustainability metrics which will be monitored for a further 2-3 years. Interest groups will be developed around these topics.
Further assessment & feedback
We’ll repeat the assessment activity on carbon footprinting and wider biodiversity metrics to establish and understand the levels of improvement activities undertaken.
Farmer engagement & updates
A series of regional forums, programme updates, farm walks and expert speaker events.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Because better, more environmentally responsible agriculture isn’t just better for the planet, but better for business.
Because 90% of carbon emissions within the agri supply chain occur at farm level. We want to change that.
Because we want to reduce our environmental impacts to maximise the sustainability of British Beef.
CASE STUDIES
PRISM 2030 Farmer: Mike Powley
Mike Powley runs a mixed beef and arable farm based between York and Harrogate, with the arable side supplying barley and spring beans for the beef enterprise, which consists of 100 suckler cattle.
Commenting on his involvement with the new PRISM project he said: “PRISM will demonstrate how beef farming can work in tandem with the environment, especially in the face of a lot of negative press, and will provide a benchmark for how British beef and lamb compares to the rest of the world, sending a strong message for ABP to take forward in future.”
PRISM 2030 Farmer: Sam Chesney
Beef and sheep farmer Sam Chesney runs 120 suckler cattle on a calf to beef system, near Kircubbin, Northern Ireland.
Commenting on his involvement with PRISM, he said: “We have a duty as farmers to help dispel some of the myths about how beef is produced here in the UK. Farmers are a major part of the solution, as potential carbon mitigators, and the PRISM process will enable us to demonstrate and measure that potential.”
PRISM 2030 Farmer: Crosby Cleland
Sheep farmer Crosby Cleland runs a closed flock of 850 ewes over 160 acres at Brookmount Farm, Country Down. He supplies over 1000 lambs to ABP Linden yearly, which he sells via cooperative Strangford Down Lamb Group, which has 100 farmer members, supplying around 18,000 lambs annually.
“Gathering data is extremely important and is a key component of the PRISM project – we all need to know where we are performing well and badly, so we can identify improvements that can be made and drive the industry forward.”
PRISM 2030 Farmer: Stephen Doble
Beef and arable farmer Stephen Doble finishes 120 Angus cross cattle for ABP’s Integrated Farming scheme in South Oxfordshire. All cattle are grazed on the floodplain and finished on cereals and silage, grown on the farm.
Over the past two years, Stephen has been focusing primarily on improving his grazing management and reducing his fertiliser use by introducing herbal leys, which has also reduced his reliance on wormers.
PRISM 2030 Farmer: Adrian Ivory
Arable and beef farmer Adrian Ivory farms near Meigle in Perthshire. His herd comprises pedigree Simmental and Charolais, as well as a commercial Shorthorn cross Simmentals with some Herefords.
Adrian favours his Simmental cross Shorthorn commercial cows, because of the easy fleshing of the native, combined with the fast-growing results from the continental sire, quiet temperament and milking ability.
