Try-Out Fund - bringing your idea to life

Do you have a bright idea that could help your business and the wider Welsh Agriculture become more sustainable?  

Applications are now closed for funding of up to £5,000 for farmers and growers to put towards a on-farm trial to try-out their ideas and bring them to life.

Farming Connect has developed the Try-out fund, to address specific local problems or opportunities with the aim of improving efficiencies and profitability within agricultural businesses whilst protecting the environment.
There are many changes on the horizon for agriculture and now is a great time to explore an idea that could benefit your farm allowing you to tackle ‘real’ problems or check if a research idea works in practice on your farm.  
 

Farming Connect Try Out Fund (TOF) Projects - bringing ideas to life

Eighteen TOF projects have been awarded to farmers and growers across Wales to address specific local problems or opportunities with the aim of improving efficiency and profitability within agricultural business whilst protecting the environment aligning with the Suitable Land Management Outcomes. The split between the sectors is highlighted below: 

Below is a summary of the eighteen TOF that have been awarded through two application windows in 2023.

Dairy Sector 

1. Strategies to increase soil biology

Compost extract containing hundreds of species of beneficial bacteria, fungi, protozoa and nematodes will be applied to 6 plots. Data will be collected on grass growth rate, grass mineral analysis, sap test & brix, Haney test for soil health, and infiltration rates. 
This TOF will contribute to the Sustainable Land Management outcomes including:

• Reduce, reuse and recycle inputs, nutrients and waste 
• Reduce on farm emissions and maximise carbon sequestration 
• Protect and enhance the farm ecosyste

2. Feeding enriched pasteurised transition milk to calves

To quantify the potential of feeding enriched pasteurised transition milk for 10 days in a block calving system, as opposed to an abrupt transition to whole milk/powder as is standard in the dairy industry. Data will be collected on neonatal calf diseases, Daily Liveweight Gain, antibiotic use (mg/PCE) and HP-CIA uses, plus animal welfare. This TOF will contribute to the Sustainable Land Management outcomes including:

• Resilient and productive farms 
• Reduce on farm emissions and maximise carbon sequestration 
• Benefit people, animals and places

3. Growing sunflowers with maize as a companion crop

Investigate whether growing sunflowers as a companion crop to maize in west Wales climate can provide an additional protein to support the cows’ diet. Once harvested the field will be sown with ryegrass which will limit potential soil erosion issues over winter. Data will be collected on crop yields, crop health, starch & protein values, and economic value of potentially reduced bough in protein. This TOF will contribute to the Sustainable Land Management outcomes including:

• Resilient and productive farms 
• Reduce, reuse and recycle inputs, nutrients and waste 
• Reduce on farm emissions and maximise carbon sequestration 
• Protect and enhance the farm ecosystem

4. Direct drilling herbal leys for multiple benefits

On-ffarm trial will investigate the effectiveness of three different herbal ley mixes on: 
a) regenerating perennial ryegrass pasture previously dependent on nitrogen fertiliser, and b) direct drilling as a minimal-soil-disturbance method of establishing herbal leys.
Data will be collected on yield, soil health and economic analysis. Herbal leys will also provide new food sources for pollinators. This TOF will contribute to the Sustainable Land Management outcomes including:

• Resilient and productive farms 
• Reduce, reuse and recycle inputs, nutrients and waste 
• Reduce on farm emissions and maximise carbon sequestration 
• Protect and enhance the farm ecosystem

5. Bio-chemical control of chocolate spot in spring beans

Project will evaluate the feasibility of growing spring beans as a protein crop for dairy cows with the aim of eliminating the import of soya. Chocolate spot is a common fungal disease and the project will investigate the feasibility of using bio-chemical control mitigating the purchasing of herbicides and other pesticides, and to maintain field biodiversity. The project will also assess if the spring beans which flower in June provide an additional food source for pollinators. Data will be collected on crop yield, disease level, protein analysis, and biodiversity audit. This TOF will contribute to the Sustainable Land Management outcomes including:

• Resilient and productive farms 
• Reduce, reuse and recycle inputs, nutrients and waste 
• Reduce on farm emissions and maximise carbon sequestration 
• Protect and enhance the farm ecosystem 
• Benefit people, animals and places 

Red Meat 

1.Increasing Resilience to summer drought - trialling Lucerne

Project will aim to monitor the establishment and management of a crop of lucerne which is drought resistant, potentially making Welsh farms resilient to recurring drier summers.  Lambs will graze the crop and their performance will be compared to a traditional ryegrass and clover ley. Data will be collected on crop yields, lamb performance and health, and economic analysis of both crops. This TOF will contribute to the Sustainable Land Management outcomes including:

• Resilient and productive farms 
• Reduce, reuse and recycle inputs, nutrients and waste 
• Reduce on farm emissions and maximise carbon sequestration 
• Protect and enhance the farm ecosystem

2.Establishing effective crops under Brassicas

Out wintering sheep and cattle on brassicas offers an opportunity to reduce wintering costs on farms. However there is potential risk of soil erosion and nutrient loss by runoff. The project will evaluate establishing an effective ground cover crop underneath the brassicas to reduce this risk of soil erosion and provide additional feed in spring. Data will be collected on crop yield, soil erosion, lamb performance, and economic analysis. This TOF will contribute to the Sustainable Land Management outcomes including:

• Resilient and productive farms 
• Reduce, reuse and recycle inputs, nutrients and waste 
• Reduce on farm emissions and maximise carbon sequestration 
• Protect and enhance the farm ecosystem

3.Basalt rock dust - effects on grass growth.

Research has shown Basalt rock dust can help soils store four times more carbon and increase crop yields by 20%. This project will use basalt rock dust from a quarry in Builth Wells to assess if grass yields are improved after the application of rock dust. Data will be collected on grassland yields, soil health and carbon sequestration. This TOF will contribute to the Sustainable Land Management outcomes including:

• Resilient and productive farms
• Reduce, reuse and recycle inputs, nutrients and waste 
• Reduce on farm emissions and maximise carbon sequestration

4. Use of gypsum to improve soil structure
Gypsum has been reported to improve soil structure, reduce nutrient runoff and provide a source of calcium and sulphur for plant nutrition. The project will investigate these claims by applying gypsum to agricultural land and monitoring the effects. This TOF will contribute to the Sustainable Land Management outcomes including:

• Resilient and productive farms
• Reduce, reuse and recycle inputs, nutrients and waste 
• Reduce on farm emissions and maximise carbon sequestration 
• Protect and enhance the farm ecosystem

5.Comparing lamb performance on different leys

The project will compare lamb performance and health across three different leys, which are multispecies leys, high sugar leys and  perennial leys. In addition to lamb performance, regular monitoring of faecal egg counts and blood mineral analysis will be undertaken to identify additional differences between the leys. Project will also make use of EID equipment which is a new addition to the farm. This TOF will contribute to the Sustainable Land Management outcomes including: 

• Resilient and productive farms
• Reduce, reuse and recycle inputs, nutrients and waste 
• Reduce on farm emissions and maximise carbon sequestration 
• Protect and enhance the farm ecosystem

6.Use of a bacterial and fungal additive on slurry and bokashi on farm yard manure

The project will investigate how to make the most of on farm nutrients. Additives will be added to the cattle slurry and monitored for differences in total nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, and slurry dry matter. We will have two farm yard manure heaps, one treated with bokashi and the other not, the use of bokashi reduces carbon and organic matter losses, resulting in more nutrients being available to the crop once spreaded on the ground. This TOF will contribute to the Sustainable Land Management outcomes including:

• Resilient and productive farms 
• Reduce, reuse and recycle inputs, nutrients and waste 
• Reduce on farm emissions and maximise carbon sequestration

7.The effect of Flexidine on lambs deficient in iodine

The project assesses the extent to which administration of Flexidine has on lamb performance. Treated and untreated lambs will be monitored for daily live weight gains. Lambs will also be monitored for other factors such as worm burden that could affect weight gain. The project will assess the carbon footprint of each group as well as profit margins. The project will make use of EID technology for data collection and recording. This TOF will contribute to the Sustainable Land Management outcomes including:

• Resilient and productive farms 
• Reduce on farm emissions and maximise carbon sequestration 
• Benefit people, animals and places
   

Mixed farms

1.Poultry litter derived biochar on upland grass production

The main objective of the project is to establish a value proposition for the commercial application of biochar derived from poultry manure. The biochar made from poultry litter retains the phosphorus and nitrogen and when applied to the land releases the nutrients slowly compared to poultry litter. The project will assess the circular economy benefits of poultry derived biochar, environmental benefits, grass yield after biochar application and the economic impact. This TOF will contribute to the Sustainable Land Management outcomes including:

• Resilient and productive farms 
• Reduce, reuse and recycle inputs, nutrients and waste 
• Reduce on farm emissions and maximise carbon sequestration

Woodland

1.Silvoarable agroforestry

The project will assess the viability of integrating alley cropping of trees in a spring bean crop. Consideration on the design of the silvoarable system will be investigated to ensure benefits such as reduced wind speed, soil erosion and crop evapotranspiration are achieved. The inclusion of trees can provide benefits for pest and disease of the crop whilst helping increase biodiversity and habitats. Data will be collected to provide an insight into the benefits of alley cropping. This TOF will contribute to the Sustainable Land Management outcomes including:

• Resilient and productive farms 
• Reduce, reuse and recycle inputs, nutrients and waste 
• Reduce on farm emissions and maximise carbon sequestration 
• Protect and enhance the farm ecosystem

2.Viability of growing walnut and sweet chestnut trees in west Wales

Investing the viability of growing 8 different varieties of walnut and sweet chestnut with data collection on the mortality rate, disease susceptibility and fruit yield. The project will provide much needed data of growing nut trees in Wales. This TOF will contribute to the Sustainable Land Management outcomes including:   

• Resilient and productive farms 
• Reduce on farm emissions and maximise carbon sequestration 
• Protect and enhance the farm ecosystem 
• Benefit people, animals and places

Horticulture

1.Testing a novel Alyssum-Orius trap and kill IPM strategy for the control of thrips in Welsh 60-day strawberry crops

Control of thrips in Welsh 60-day strawberry crops currently relies predominantly upon targeted sprays of the insecticide spinosad. Within this study, we propose to test the use of flowering Alyssum as a trap crop for thrips and as a banker plant for Orius in an outdoor strawberry crop. Data will be collected on thrip count, thrip species, Orius count and damage to strawberry plants. This TOF will contribute to the Sustainable Land Management outcomes including:

• Resilient and productive farms 
• Reduce on farm emissions and maximise carbon sequestration 
• Protect and enhance the farm ecosystem 
• Benefit people, animals and places

2.Growing tea plant in Wales

Project will explore the potential to grow tea plants on a hill farm in Wales. Land geospatial analysis technology will be used to identify areas the crop is most likely to thrive and produce optimal yield.The project will record phenotypic traits and the economic analysis of growing tea. The project has already attracted high interest. This TOF will contribute to the Sustainable Land Management outcomes including:

• Resilient and productive farms
• Reduce, reuse and recycle inputs, nutrients and waste
• Reduce on farm emissions and maximise carbon sequestration
• Protect and enhance the farm ecosystem 
• Benefit people, animals and places

Arable

1.Investigating the use of bioinoculants on arable crops

The aim of this project is to investigate if the application of bioinoculants and biostimulants would result in an increase in the beneficial microorganisms, and hopefully result in improved soil fertility and better crop yields. Yields will be recorded for every field at combine harvest of the oats, wheat and beans, comparing the treated areas with the control areas. This TOF will contribute to the Sustainable Land Management outcomes including:

• Resilient and productive farms 
• Reduce, reuse and recycle inputs, nutrients and waste 
• Reduce on farm emissions and maximise carbon sequestration 
• Protect and enhance the farm ecosystem 

Key results and findings from the above TOF projects will be disseminated through Farming Connect knowledge transfer channels over the next year including the website, press notices, podcasts, webinars, videos and on-farm events.