How to identify and map marginal land on arable farms

AHDB’s Philip Dolbear explores the use of physical and financial assessments to identify marginal arable land. With methodology tested at Strategic Cereal Farm East, find out how to use economic performance maps and other data sources to help identify the most profitable options for land.

With Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) payments reducing, it is even more important to know which farm areas contribute to profitability or detract from it. The identification of marginal land is key to make sure every square metre of the land farmed stays profitable.

Over the last 10 years, Strategic Cereal Farm East has produced yield maps, along with a detailed analysis of yield and costings, for the farm’s fields. This impressive data set facilitated the production of an economic performance map for the farm.

Using the map, we used clustering to identify patterns and areas that perform similarly within fields. This is important because such areas can be managed in the same/similar way. Critically, the map flags crop areas that haven’t produced a sufficient return year-on-year. Identification of poorly performing areas will become increasingly important – particularly when it comes to sifting through Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme options.

The approach can also draw upon other data sources, including satellite imagery, historical images, erosion risk maps and weed (e.g. black-grass) maps. This information can be combined with simple visual assessments and farm knowledge to help confirm which environmental schemes are most suited to various parts of the farm.

At Strategic Cereal Farm East, the economic performance map showed that most areas of the farm are profitable. In fact, there are very few potentially marginal areas. This is an important finding. It is not always clear-cut whether land is marginal. However, the use of an economic performance map, along with other data sources, at least allows decisions to be made from a holistic standpoint.

This blog is part of a series produced following Strategic Cereal Farm Week (winter 2021/22). Our Strategic Cereal Farms put cutting-edge research and innovation into practice on commercial farms around the UK. The week of online events featured the latest results, delivered by our farm hosts, industry experts and researchers.