10 IT HAS BEENjust over 10 years since U.K.-based independent agricultural and environmental consultancy, the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service (ADAS), launched its Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) project, and what a success it’s been. The network has helped British farmers improve management practices and boost crop yields through tracking, reporting, and benchmarking. Participants have made significant gains over the past 10 years; some have even gone on to achieve world-record yields. Their success served as inspiration in North America, where industry stakeholders established the Great Lakes YEN. INSPIRED BY THE OLYMPIC GAMES Roger Sylvester-Bradley, head of crop performance at ADAS, said the inspiration to develop the Yield Enhancement Network came from the 2012 Summer Olympics, which were held in London the same year YEN was established. Not only are the games recognized as the standard of excellence for the world’s greatest athletes but as Sylvester-Bradley noted, spectators and athletes alike trust that the system by which the athletes are judged is both honest and fair. ADAS consultants believed they could create a similar competition with clear performance indicators — but for crop production. “We wanted to understand why the winners win and why the losers — well, don’t win,” Sylvester-Bradley said. YEN is much more than a yield competition, though. Participating in the contest has driven change in how growers understand yield determination and helped them make U.K. Yield Enhancement Network CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF SUCCESS Melanie Epp objective management decisions that improve production. Being a member of the extended network offers perks, but it also comes with responsibility. Upon joining, new members receive a soil health check. Throughout the growing season, they are expected to keep comprehensive records of crop inputs and are asked to track crop growth stages. They are also expected to submit grain and tissue samples for analysis. Once analysis is complete, participants receive a detailed personal report on crop growth and possible yield constraints. What growers perhaps find most exciting about the 24-page report is that it shows yield potential within the selected field. Yield potential is determined by the crop’s ability to utilize available resources — moisture, Agronomy
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