Skip to main content

Myerscough partner with EnviroSystems in slurry emissions research project

Published
Friday 17 Jun 2022

Myerscough College has partnered with local company EnviroSystems, after “DEFRA Farm Innovation” research funding was secured.

22 08 18 Myerscough 98 Of 289

British slurry inoculant manufacturer EnviroSystems UK won a share of Defra’s highly competitive £5 million Farming Innovation Pathways (FIP) research funding to help the industry move towards net zero emissions.

The Lancashire SME has partnered with Myerscough College for an 18-month lab-to-field feasibility project, which started in August 2021. The aim of this collaboration is to deliver a unique bacterial approach to mitigating slurry ammonia emissions and enhancing slurry fertiliser value.

Dr David Townsend, Head of Research at EnviroSystems, says: “This project allows us to combine our 20 years’ experience providing SlurryBugs® to the industry with advances in technology to develop a new cost-effective option for reducing slurry ammonia emissions and bought-in synthetic fertiliser costs for farmers.

“Traditional approaches of capping or acidifying slurry to reduce ammonia emissions can have detrimental impacts on microbiological populations and lead to over acidification of soils. Our proposed solution takes a more holistic approach to this growing issue and provides a more cost-effective and sustainable approach than covering slurry stores.”

The FIP funding is delivered through UK Research and Innovation’s Transforming Food Production programme, in partnership with Defra. The project will also produce wider human health benefits through improved air quality and environmental benefits to ecosystems affected by excess ammonia emissions.

Dr Henry Russell, Operations Director at EnviroSystems, adds: “Our solution will have clear advantages over alternative strategies, both currently on the market and those recommended by DEFRA. Harnessing an existing biochemical pathway in slurry will allow wide adoption and application to any farm, regardless of their slurry system.

“We look forward to proving this technology on farms and then, once the project is completed in early 2023, rolling it out to the wider market.”

For more information, please contact Dr David Townsend or Dr Henry Russell at EnviroSystems UK Ltd on 01772 860085 or visit www.envirosystems.co.uk