Ecosystem in Balance: How two farmers are working with nature to manage pests

In this webinar, two farmers discuss their approaches to supporting beneficial insects and working with biological processes to reduce pesticide use.
Martin Lines and Patrick Barker share their experiences in implementing whole farm approaches, including how they:
- Encourage predatory and parasitic insects which feed on pests
- Establish habitat-based techniques for boosting beneficial insects, including flower-rich strips, margins and hedgerows
- Choose appropriate crop rotations and varieties, including companion planting
- Unlock the benefits these changes bring to their businesses
Martin Lines, Cambridgeshire Farmer & NFFN UK Chair - Martin is a third-generation farmer and contractor who grows mainly arable crops on his family farm and rented land in Cambridgeshire. Martin is also Chair of the Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN) a farmer-led, grassroots organisation which profiles a way of farming that puts nature and the environment at its heart.
Patrick Barker, Suffolk Farmer - Patrick is a farmer and naturalist from Westhorpe in Mid-Suffolk. He co-runs his family-owned farm (545ha) and farm and environmental contracting business and farm diversification projects including storage units and commercial lets. The family farm is a LEAF Demonstration Farm, an AHDB Strategic Farm and they are past winners of both the Farmers Weekly Countryside Farmer of the Year and FWAG’s Silver Lapwing award. The family business also takes on farming and environmental contracting and farm wildlife consultancy. Conservation is integral to the farm, they have a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier scheme and Patrick’s ethos is to farm in modern, productive ways while having a farm full of wildlife. Patrick is a Steering Group member for the Nature Friendly Farming Network in England and one of Suffolk’s representatives on the NFU regional environment forum for the East. He is the lead farmer for the recently created High Suffolk Farm Cluster. He is also a BTO licensed bird ringer and ringing trainer and a past area coordinator for the Suffolk Community Barn Owl Project. Patrick is a regular contributor to farming and environmental issues on TV and radio, in the written press, and in webinars and conferences. The farm has links with Gislingham CoE Primary school and the University of Suffolk.