Although 2030 is still several seasons away, it's the point businesses in the food industry must show they're making real, measurable progress towards net zero. So manufacturers, processors and retailers are already building carbon reduction and Scope 3 targets into how they buy. Yara's Dale Turner and Gareth Flockhart explore how this is already having an impact on the farm. And why growers who prepare now, rather than react later, will be the ones best placed for what's ahead.

A milestone, not just a deadline

"2030 wasn't a date chosen by accident," says Dale, Yara's Head of Marketing, Agronomy and Value Chain. "The governments of 110 counties, and businesses globally, committed to net zero for 2050 and 2030 is very much seen as the halfway mark – a chance to benchmark progress on the way to achieving those longer-term goals. Not only that, many food manufacturers, retailers and other agricultural businesses have set their own 2030 carbon reduction and Scope 3 targets, whether that's an end goal in itself, or one of the key milestones along the way."

Gareth Flockhart, Yara's Crop Nutrition Key Account Manager, says the date carries significance that leads right back to the farm gate. "2030 aligns with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, so it sits on that same progression path," he says. "Businesses didn't want 2050 to feel purely aspirational, they wanted a check-in point to demonstrate real, measurable progress. For growers, this 'check-in point' is starting to show up in everyday conversations."

Change is already under way

From barley for whisky to oats for breakfast cereals, requests to reduce Scope 3 emissions are increasing, accompanied by requests for carbon footprint data to prove it. Across the supply chain companies are now building lower-carbon requirements directly into contracts, trials and commercial initiatives that are starting to scale. 

"There's definitely a growing need to be more evidence-based and data-driven," Dale adds. "The whole area of being auditable and traceable is only going to strengthen, both at farm level and right the way back up to the food company. We've already seen that shift over the last couple of years, and that demand is likely to continue growing and developing."

No need to overhaul the farm

One of the most persistent misconceptions, according to Gareth, is that lower-carbon farming means a compromise on quality or yield, or a costly change of system. Neither is true. "It's not unusual for growers to believe that any change to nitrogen fertiliser could lead to a yield loss," he says. "That doesn't have to be the case. In fact, growers switching from a blended product to a compounded one can even see an initial increase in output. The other misconception is that it needs a lot of system changes – it doesn't."

Yara has already decreased the carbon footprint of its standard fertiliser range by 40% since the 1990s. Now, it's breakthrough lower-carbon range, available under the Yara Climate Choice Fertilisers (YCCF) portfolio, is available at scale and designed to ensure growers are 2030 ready. The products  are produced in the same way, simply  utilising different technologies across its manufacturing network to achieve the carbon reduction. The PCCS range produced using carbon capture and storage technology delivers around 40% lower emissions, while the REL electrolysis-based product can achieve product carbon footprint reductions of up to 90% compared to conventional Yara products. 

"There's no new sprayer, no new spreader, nothing extra to buy," adds Gareth. "Our aim is for growers to have lower carbon footprint versions of the high quality Yara products they already use. This should also bring flexibility so growers don't have to apply it across the whole farm either – they can just choose the fields or crops linked to specific lower carbon initiatives or contracts."

Why verified data matters

As scrutiny increases, growers and food companies alike are having to prove their numbers rather than simply state them. "Having independent, third-party verified data is becoming more and more of a requirement from the market," says Dale. "Any commercial company, including Yara, can make its own claims. But an independent verification step adds real credibility to what you're doing."

Since introducing abatement technology in 2009, Yara has verified its production carbon footprint annually through third-party, global assurance provider DNV. It has also reissued a statement whenever there's been a variance of more than 10%. "It's not just a Yara number – that's what gives it the credibility with food companies, retailers and, ultimately, consumers that growers really need." Gareth adds.

Early movers securing stronger contracts

That credibility is already translating into a commercial advantage for growers. For example, in the malting barley and whisky sector, Gareth cites growers who are securing better contract terms simply by being able to prove they're using lower-carbon fertiliser. Yara also works with major food businesses such as PepsiCo, supplying farms producing oats, potatoes and oilseed rape across the UK, where verified carbon data is becoming part of the everyday purchasing criteria.

"Meaningful improvements take time – this has been three or four years in the making for us," says Gareth. "Growers who start now, even if the first step is simply understanding their own baseline, will be in a stronger position and will likely have fewer, less dramatic changes to make as milestones approach."

Preparing for 2030 starts today

Both Dale and Gareth agree that the best starting point is establishing a baseline. "There's a saying amongst farmers: You can't manage what you don't measure," says Gareth. And whether it's carbon footprint, yield or nutrient use efficiency, growers are generally well practised at recording data. Carbon footprint is simply another metric to add. Tools such as Cool Farm Tool and AgriCalc, combined with Yara's product verification statements, let growers see exactly what a switch to lower-carbon fertiliser would mean for their own numbers.

Looking ahead, Dale believes the growers who thrive by 2030 will be those who get a combination of fundamentals right. "They'll be the ones who continue to innovate. It's a challenging operating environment currently where the need to balance investment versus output is often fine margin. With the right attention to detail and approach on crop nutrition, continuing to drive yield, quality and better nutrient use efficiency will all play a role in achieving that," he says. "I think sustainability, and a lower-carbon element within that, will increasingly be part of what defines success over time."

To those attributes Gareth adds 'curiosity', and a willingness to question new claims in the market, will also set successful growers apart. "There's a lot of noise out there at the moment, with everyone making claims about reductions and premiums," he says. "The growers who ask the right questions, and who can back up their own progress with reliable, credible data, will be the ones food companies want to work with."

For growers wondering where to start, the message from Yara is one of confidence rather than alarm. The tools, technology and verified evidence needed to prepare for 2030 already exist, without disrupting the way the farm is run today.