M&S has announced the promising results from its groundbreaking ‘autonomous field’ trial, marking a significant milestone as the first retailer to grow and sell a lower carbon vegetable. This innovation means customers will be able to purchase lower carbon parsnips later this year, setting M&S apart as a leader in sustainable farming.
In collaboration with long-standing supplier Huntapac, M&S will introduce fully autonomously farmed parsnips in selected stores this November. The trial brings together cutting-edge technology, including two robots for bed forming, planting, and weeding, alongside two types of drones for monitoring and maintaining crop health. This technology, combined with the latest soil health and carbon impact testing, promises a future where farming has a substantially reduced environmental footprint. “Much like when agriculture moved from horse and plough to mechanical tractors, these latest technologies offer a future of farming that will aid farmers, create more highly skilled jobs in the industry, and attract new talent,” the team explained.
Central to the project is a minimum till approach to help sequester carbon in the soil, as well as the use of green fertilisers and technology that significantly cuts diesel use compared to traditional tractors. The green fertiliser not only has a smaller carbon footprint but also converts nitrogen dioxide from the air into nitrogen, a key element for plant photosynthesis. Early results reveal a remarkable 46% reduction in carbon emissions compared to conventional farming methods.
The benefits go beyond carbon reduction. The use of AI to monitor crop health, alongside autonomous technology, has led to improved crop quality and yields. This year’s unpredictable weather, including the wettest six months in England since 1871, would have hindered traditional tractors, but the autonomous robot was able to plant despite the challenging conditions. As a result, the team has seen a 16% higher yield of grade one parsnips compared to other fields, further reducing waste.
The field also incorporates elements from M&S’s ‘Farming with Nature’ programme, which promotes biodiversity. The trial features AgriSound technology, which uses listening devices to monitor pollinator activity, and wildflower borders to enhance local wildlife.
These innovative parsnips, grown in Yorkshire, will be available in selected M&S stores this November.
The trial is the first to be funded by the M&S Plan A Net Zero accelerator fund. This initiative was created to fast-track innovation projects aimed at helping M&S achieve its Plan A goal of becoming a Net Zero business across its entire supply chain by 2040.