Farmers are being offered free whole-farm environmental checks using satellite data, soil analysis and habitat mapping to help improve climate resilience and biodiversity.
Scientists from the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology are inviting farmers to sign up for the Farm Health Check, a free environmental audit designed to guide practical decisions on land, soils, crops and habitats.
UKCEH said the assessment requires minimal input from farmers and is based on more than 20 national datasets collected through satellite mapping, aircraft-based surveys and ground-based data.
The analysis can provide detailed mapping of habitats and landscape features at a resolution of three metres, including individual trees, hedgerows, field margins and ponds. It also maps the extent and height of hedgerows using aircraft-borne laser technology.
Farmers can receive crop mapping showing the diversity of food and cover crops grown on their farm over the past 10 years, alongside information on soil type, soil carbon storage and susceptibility to drought and waterlogging.
UKCEH said the health check can assess a farm’s potential to support wildlife, including birds, insects, mammals, amphibians and reptiles, while also highlighting opportunities for nature recovery.
The tool is aimed at helping farmers identify where environmental measures could work alongside food production, rather than replacing it.
Farmers only need to provide their SBI number to receive the free evaluation.
Those using Omnia farm management software can also give UKCEH access to additional data, allowing further assessments to support decisions on fertiliser and pesticide use.
This includes a measurement of nitrogen efficiency, based on fertiliser inputs and yield data, as well as a feature calculating environmental risks linked to pesticide use.
Dr Margaret Bolton, spatial data scientist at UKCEH, said: “Armed with these invaluable data, a farmer can then make informed decisions that will not only benefit the environment but also boost their income, through greater efficiency or enabling them to secure additional funding.”
She added: “While companies provide assessments of separate aspects of farm management, we are providing a comprehensive, whole-farm environmental audit.”
UKCEH said the Farm Health Check could help farmers make land and habitats more resilient to climate change.
Possible actions could include agroforestry, natural flood management, deep-rooted herbal leys, improving soil organic carbon, increasing crop diversity and strengthening links between habitats.
Farmers can also use UKCEH’s e-Planner tool to guide decision-making. The free digital tool uses interactive maps to help identify suitable areas for options such as woodland creation, pollinator-rich habitats and wet grassland restoration.
Julian Gold, farm manager at the Hendred Estate in Oxfordshire, said: “My first impression of the Farm Health Check is that it is an accessible and user-friendly platform that brings together the myriad of environmental issues and considerations that our farm business increasingly has to take account of alongside our food production activities.”
He said the recording and scoring of environmental features and actions would be useful for natural capital benchmarking.
UKCEH has already agreed to provide Farm Health Checks for 20 farmers through a collaboration with the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, with a further 150 checks planned by the end of the year.
Mary Vickers, senior environment manager at AHDB, said: “The Farm Health Check brings together a wealth of data that provides a unique perspective for farmers, in a way that can help them make management decisions that benefit their business and the environment.”
UKCEH will be at Stand C36 in the Demonstration Field during Groundswell, which takes place at Lannock Farm in Hertfordshire from 1 to 2 July.
Farmers interested in receiving a free Farm Health Check are being invited to visit the stand or sign up online.
