Farming for the future
At J C & M W Suckley, we believe productive farming and environmental stewardship go hand in hand. As a family farming business growing potatoes, carrots, cereals and other crops, we recognise the importance of protecting the land, water and wildlife that support our farming operations.
Our approach to sustainability is guided by our LEAF Marque principles and our Landscape and Nature Conservation Enhancement Plan. This provides a framework for protecting existing habitats, enhancing biodiversity and making practical improvements across the farm.
From maintaining traditional hedgerows and managing wetland habitats to providing food and nesting sites for farmland birds, we aim to ensure that nature has a place alongside modern commercial agriculture.
Our aim is to achieve the following objectives:
Improve Biodiversity
We manage habitats across the farm to support wildlife, protect native species and encourage biodiversity through hedgerows, field margins, ponds and woodland.
Improve Soil Health
We aim to maintain healthy, productive soils through responsible land management, protecting soil structure, supporting soil biology and preserving long-term fertility.
Resource Preservation
We use our land, water and other natural resources responsibly, aiming to minimise waste, protect the environment and safeguard resources for future generations.
Renewable Energy Generation
We generate renewable electricity for export to the National Grid, contributing to a more sustainable energy supply while supporting the transition towards lower-carbon energy.
Farming With Future In Mind
Hedgerows
We look after around 9km of native hedgerow. We trim only half each year so hedges can flower and fruit, and we fill gaps with native shrubs. They give birds, bats and pollinators food, shelter and safe routes across the farm.
Species-rich margins
Wildlife-friendly margins around our fields support ground-nesting birds and beneficial insects. Alongside ditches and the River Perry they also act as buffer strips, helping to keep pollution out of our watercourses.
Owl boxes
We’re repairing and adding barn owl boxes in mature trees, and managing rough grassland and margins as hunting ground.
Bees and pollinators
To support wild pollinators and the pollination of our crops, we sow flower-rich seed mixes, retain tussocky grassland for nesting and overwintering, and provide nesting habitat in the form of bee hotels.
Sustainable Rotations
As we grow root crops such as potatoes, our rotations are designed to maintain and improve soil structure and to enhance soil organic matter. This is achieved through the use of cover crops, mid-till cultivations and, where appropriate, the integration of livestock, together with legume-rich grassland that benefits both soil health and pollinators.
LEAF and Stewardship
Our management follows a whole-farm conservation plan aligned with the LEAF Marque standard, which is reviewed annually. We also participate in a number of schemes, including the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), which operates in tandem with our sustainable farming practices.
Ground Source Stores
The ground source was first commissioned in 2020 and uses energy gathered from the ground to heat and cool two of our stores. This has allowed us to grow our potato storage space without increasing our energy requirement significantly. Our aim is to better use the natural resources available to increase our farm efficiency.
Solar Panels
To reduce our emissions further we have installed 45kWh solar panels in 2016 at our Hopton site. This provides power to the stores and offices which reduces the need for electricity from the grid greatly.
Anaerobic Digester (AD) Plant
Anaerobic digesters use bacteria to break down organic matter to produce bio-gas that is used as fuel for the engines which produce electricity. Today biomass plants produce 5.2% of the electricity in the national grid. We are proud to be part of the movement aiming to achieve net zero by 2050.
LEAF Marque Certified
We are LEAF Marque certified, showing that we are committed to sustainable farming. The LEAF accreditation focuses on:
Get In Touch
For any enquiries or sales please get in touch with our team today.
Phone
Head Office
Hopton Farm, Nesscliffe,
Shrewsbury SY4 1DJ