Dehulling and Roasting Trials with McArthur Agriculture

Pulses are leguminous crops harvested for dry protein-rich seed, with peas (pisum sativum) and beans (vicia faba) being the major crops in the UK.

The livestock industry is an integral part of the agricultural sector, encompassing various aspects of animal husbandry and production. It plays an important role in global food security and supports the livelihoods of millions of people worldwide.

Animal nutrition plays a crucial role in livestock agriculture for several reasons, as it directly impacts the health, productivity, and overall wellbeing of farm animals.

Field beans (vicia faba) are a widely grown break crop across the UK on around 170,000 ha. 

Nitrogen Efficient Plants for Climate Smart Arable Cropping Systems (NCS) is a four-year £5.9M ambitious research programme involving 200 UK farms and 18 partners. The project is funded by the Defra Farming Innovation Programme, delivered by Innovate UK. The consortium of UK companies, research institutes and farmer networks, led by PGRO, aims to bring about a reduction of 1.5Mt CO₂e per annum or 54% of the maximum potential for UK Agriculture. This will be achieved by increasing pulse and legume cropping in arable rotations to 20% across the UK (currently 5%). In addition, 50% of imported soya meal used in livestock rations will be replaced with home-grown feeds.  Both of these ambitious aims will be steered by science and proven by real farm enterprises, with significant benefits for both crop and livestock productivity, including cost savings of over £1bn/yr.