Pilgrim's Europe, together with key industry stakeholders, is trialling an innovative Nitrogen Utilisation Efficiency of Legumes (NUE-Leg) project which aims to eliminate the UK's dependence on applied nitrogen fertilisers in grassland farming.

The DEFRA and Innovate UK funded NUE-Leg project combines scientific research with on-farm trials and knowledge transfer among farmers and food industry leaders.

Working in partnership with Dr Christina Marley, who leads the Agricultural Systems Research Group at Aberystwyth University, the project is trialling three specially developed legume species, each bred to address specific challenges in sustainable grassland management. This includes red clover, hybrid white clover and Birdsfoot Trefoil.

A specific objective of the project is to enable farms to use clover and fix up to 300kg of nitrogen per hectare per year. The project includes testing clover varieties in real farm conditions to identify the strongest performers.

Daniel Owen, Lamb Supply Chain Development Manager at Pilgrim's Europe, said: "The aim of this trial is to reduce inorganic nitrogen requirements while boosting productivity and cutting on-farm emissions. The results so far have been extremely promising. Our ultimate ambition is to enhance business productivity and profitability, while strengthening sustainability credentials and supporting producers in meeting their future environmental commitments."

Dafydd Parry Jones, organic beef and sheep farmer at Maesllwyni, a trial farm who has supplied Pilgrim's Europe lamb for over 20 years, said: "Being part of the NUE-Leg project has been a real eye-opener. I'm very excited to learn more about the new varieties, that could generate a positive impact on my farming system in the future. It's not just about trials in a field – it's about finding solutions that work for farmers day-to-day, helping us build more resilient, productive systems that are better for the environment too."

The company's involvement in NUE-Leg complements its participation in the Breed4Change - breeding efficient maternal sheep with a naturally lower carbon footprint, forming a comprehensive approach to reducing agricultural emissions, enhancing soil health and building resilience across its UK supply chain.

About NUE-Leg

The NUE-Leg (Nitrogen Utilisation Efficiency in Legumes) project brings together key industry stakeholders including Germinal, IBERS Aberystwyth University, The James Hutton Institute, LEAF, Agrecalc, Origin, Dovecote Park, Muller and Pilgrim's Europe, combining cutting-edge agricultural research with practical on-farm implementation.

About Pilgrim's Europe 

Pilgrim's Europe is a top UK and European food company employing 17,000+ team members across 40+ sites in the UK, Ireland, France and The Netherlands. We are a leader in making quality food sustainably in partnership with local farmers through our Poultry, Pork, Lamb and Beef supply chains.

www.pilgrimseurope.com