New UK Nutrient Planning Tool Aims to Boost Farm Productivity and Protect Environment
– The UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a new, free online tool designed to help farmers and land managers optimize nutrient application, improve productivity, and minimize environmental impact. The tool, known as the Nutrient Management Planning Tool – Great Britain (NMPT-GB), matches nutrient inputs – including nitrogen, phosphate, potash, sulphur, and lime – to specific crop and soil needs.
The launch, announced earlier this month, addresses a critical need for precise nutrient management in modern agriculture. By enabling targeted planning of fertiliser and manure use, NMPT-GB aims to reduce waste, maximize nutrient availability for food production, and lessen nutrient losses to both water and air. This initiative directly supports the strategic aims of the UK Food Strategy and the Environment Improvement Plan 2023.
Currently available for use in England and Wales, with a planned release for Scotland later in 2026, the tool is accessible via the GOV.UK website. It builds upon existing nutrient planning tools, PLANET and MANNER-NPK, offering an updated and comprehensive solution for farmers and advisors.
Dame Angela Eagle, Farming Minister, emphasized the government’s commitment to supporting farmers with innovative technologies. “We are backing farmers with innovative tools that help them increase profitability while protecting the environment,” she said. “We’re investing in practical, science‑led technology like our nutrient planning tool to boost productivity, cut pollution, and help the farming sector thrive for generations to come.”
The development of NMPT-GB was a collaborative effort involving Defra, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), RSK ADAS, and RSK Business Solutions. The tool incorporates the latest guidance from the AHDB Nutrient Management Guide (RB209) and Scottish Technical Notes, ensuring its recommendations are based on current best practices.
According to Defra, the tool’s functionality extends to a wide range of crops, including arable, grassland, horticulture, and permanent crops, and can be utilized in both organic and regenerative farming systems. It uses farm data, such as soil analysis and expected yields, to calculate nutrient recommendations. The tool also automatically pulls in local data, including rainfall and altitude, based on the user’s postcode, with the option to manually adjust rainfall figures.
The launch of NMPT-GB comes as farmers face increasing pressure to comply with environmental regulations, including those related to Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) in England, Farming Rules for Water, and The Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) Regulations in Wales. The tool is designed to support farmers in meeting these requirements.
Defra has also assured users that any farm data entered into NMPT-GB remains confidential and is only accessible to the farmer and their designated users, addressing concerns about data privacy and regulatory access.
The tool’s development involved extensive testing on real farms over several months, with input from farmers and advisors. This practical feedback helped shape a tool that is designed to be user-friendly and effective in real-world agricultural settings. The aim is to provide a resource that simplifies nutrient planning, reduces costs, and contributes to a more sustainable and productive farming sector.
