Farmers on the Fertilizer Choices of the Future: No to New Machinery

In January, Energibyen Skive participated in the Plant Congress and the Fjordland Congress as part of the Interreg Baltic Sea Region project CiNURGi to gain insights into what is most important for farmers when selecting fertilizer.

-Dialogue with farmers is crucial to understand the requirements that future fertilizers must meet. In the CiNURGi project, we are looking at possibilities for more efficient recycling of nutrients from agriculture, public utilities and industry back to agriculture in the form of new fertilizer products. Insights from farmers support our understanding of which competitive parameters are most important for new products to succeed on the market, says Cathy Brown Stummann, project manager for CiNURGi at Energibyen Skive.

Existing Machinery Over New Investments

One of the primary factors for farmers was that new fertilizers should be compatible with existing machinery to avoid new investments. At the same time, farmers demand transparency regarding the content of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N), but they were surprisingly flexible about whether the P/N ratio was the same with each delivery.

– Among the farmers we spoke with, it was important to know the exact composition per bulk bag, so they can then adjust the application as needed. Several also pointed out that traceability of biomass in fertilizer products could become a more important factor in the future, says Cathy Brown Stummann.

Biochar: Great Interest, but Also Skepticism

The use of biochar in agriculture was also actively discussed. Many farmers see potential in biochar as a resource, but they also expressed reservations – especially regarding which biomass is used in its production. While biochar made from agricultural residues was generally seen as an interesting opportunity, there was greater skepticism towards biochar based on sewage sludge.

-Biochar is definitely a topic many farmers are interested in. But it is also very clear that their interest comes with reservations. Particularly, the choice of biomass weighs heavily in their considerations, and we see a clear trend in which types they find most sensible, says Cathy Brown Stummann.

The Danish government’s new strategy and work program for pyrolysis announced in the autumn of 2024 focuses on research into the long-term climate benefits of biochar, agronomic effects, and the risk of phosphorus leaching.

Future Regulations and Next Steps

Farmers in Denmark are also awaiting new regulations for nitrogen fertilizers, which will take effect in 2027. Nitrogen leaching from agriculture has had severe consequences for the aquatic environment, particularly in areas such as the Limfjord near Skive. The new regulatory model is expected to focus on reducing nitrogen leaching in the most vulnerable areas.

Energibyen Skive continues the dialogue with farmers and other stakeholders to support sustainable solutions and development of future fertilizer products that meet the needs of agriculture while protecting the environment.

CiNURGi receives funding from Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme and has 24 partners from eight different countries in the Baltic Sea area.

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