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Foyle Food Group
04 Dec 2024
Foyle Food Group is adopting a number of sustainable farming practices such as introducing Bokashi, a Japenese method for fermenting organic matter. This innovative method of organic waste management is part of the Group’s on-going commitment to reducing farm-level carbon footprints and promoting regenerative agriculture within the cattle supply chain
Traditionally, composting is an aerobic process that produces heat meaning energy and valuable nutrients are lost. In contrast, the Bokashi process is anaerobic and uses beneficial microbes to ferment organic waste, turning it into nutrient-rich compost. These fermenting mircobes do not require temperatures above 40 degrees meaning all energy is retained in the Bokashi to stimulate life in the soil and improve soil fertility.
At the Foyle Farms of Excellence, a nutrient binder, PH balancer and effective microorganisms are combined with the bedding before ensiling for 8 weeks of fermentation once it is mucked out. A further benefit of this process is that nearly all of the carbon is kept in the end product to increase the levels of soil organic matter.
“100t of organic matter can lose as much as 30t of carbon, Bokashi keeps hold of this losing only 3%”
Biome Connect
Once Bokashi is applied to fields, the nutrients are immediately available to the soil because the material has already been broken down and decomposed through the fermentation process. The Bokashi material also breaks down into soil much more quickly than conventional farm yard manure. Although Bokashi does not typically result in higher crop yields, the return on investment comes from reduced fertilisr costs.
As microbes break down the straw to increase its surface area, farmers will usually see a decrease in the amount of straw bedding used. The larger the surface area, the greater the ability of straw to absorb water and keep the bedding dry. Adding microbes will also reduce the smell of ammonia which also increases the amount of total nitrogen within the bedding.
Through iniatives like this, Foyle continues to drive forward practices and encourage farmers to uptake methods that will ensure sustainability of the farming industry for generations to come. The Group is committed to helping improve productivity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions when rearing animals, while maintaining high animal welfare standards.
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