Turning Grain Supply Into Verified, Field-Level Sustainability Data

THE PROBLEM

A grain merchant saw an opportunity to offer their premium food manufacturing customer something the market could not: verified, field-level sustainability data on every tonne of contracted wheat.

Sustainability reporting is becoming a commercial requirement across the food supply chain.

The challenge was data.

• Cultivation data sat on farm

• Quality data sat with the manufacturer

• Carbon data was not being calculated

• There was no consistent way to bring this together across a grower group

At scale, this required a system that worked for farmers as well as the supply chain.

THE REQUIREMENT

• Collect consistent cultivation data across a contracted grower group

• Link farm data with grain quality data at a field level

• Generate a verified, auditable view of carbon performance

• Provide outputs that could support supply chain reporting and decision-making

• Ensure participation worked commercially for farmers

THE APPROACH

The merchant introduced a structured grower programme, with financial incentives for both grain and data submission.

• Farmers were paid a premium for providing cultivation data

• Data collection aligned with existing farm workflows

• Key variables included variety, nitrogen application, tillage, straw management, and yield

• Cultivation data was linked with grain quality data at farm level

• Data was cleaned, standardised, and prepared for analysis

Around 80% of participating farms had data that could be successfully linked, creating a large, auditable dataset across the grower group.

THE OUTCOME

• A verified dataset linking cultivation practices, grain quality, and carbon performance

• The ability to analyse emissions per tonne across the grower group

• A structured evidence base to support customer reporting requirements

• A commercially viable model, with farmers incentivised to participate

• A differentiated offer in supply chain conversations

THE IMPACT

The dataset provided clear, field-level insight into the drivers of carbon and performance:

• Nitrogen application was the dominant driver of emissions, accounting for the majority of variation in carbon per tonne

• Emissions increased faster than both yield and protein as nitrogen rates rose

• Minimum tillage was associated with higher yields and lower emissions per tonne

• Variety choice highlighted a trade-off between yield, protein performance, and emissions

• Straw baling was associated with a reduction in emissions per tonne

• Soil type influenced outcomes, with lighter soils showing lower emissions

Across the group, emissions per tonne were below available UK benchmarks, supported by above-average yields.

The result was a commercially differentiated supply chain; one where sustainability data is verified, repeatable, and directly linked to every tonne supplied.