New benchmarking network planned for pea and bean growers

UK pea and bean growers are to get a new performance benchmarking network this autumn as PGRO takes over the next phase of pulse crop analysis.

The Processors and Growers Research Organisation will establish the Pulse Performance Network, known as PPN, following 10 years of pulse yield enhancement networks under ADAS.

PGRO said the new structure would provide more practical, farm-ready insights for pea and bean growers, with a sharper focus on turning crop data into management decisions.

The network will introduce new tools and approaches designed to make participation easier and more useful.

A dedicated PPN app will allow growers to record crop management information directly in the field throughout the season.

PGRO said the app should reduce the need for farmers to input large amounts of information at the end of the season.

The announcement was made at Cereals in Oxfordshire by PGRO research agronomist Erin Matlock.

She said: “The fundamental aim of the PPN is simple: to make participation easier, faster, and more valuable for growers.”

“The goal is not just to measure performance, but to ensure every dataset collected translates into something meaningful, whether that’s improving yield efficiency, enhancing crop quality, or reducing environmental impact.

“The PPN aims to turn data into decisions.”

PGRO said benchmarking had helped bring together growers, agronomists, researchers and industry partners to support crop productivity, environmental performance and grain quality.

The organisation said the move to PPN would build on that work while simplifying participation and strengthening collaboration across the pulse sector.

Ms Matlock said the new approach would support growers and the wider supply chain as the sector works towards greater productivity, consistency and resilience in UK pulse crops.

“We’re looking forward to launching this next chapter and continuing its work with growers and industry partners to drive innovation and improvement across the pulse sector,” she said.

The PPN app will be available only to participants and protected through secure login access.

Ms Matlock said many farmers currently have to recall dates, application rates and seeding rates at the end of the season.

“The new PPN app is designed to capture this information in real-time, immediately documenting all the data on-the-go,” she said.

PGRO has also confirmed that the network will operate under a single participation fee.

There will be no price differences between grower-led and sponsored entries, and no volume-based discounts.

Ms Matlock said: “This approach creates a level playing field for everyone involved and reflects the true cost of delivering robust, high-quality analysis.”

“It also reinforces our commitment to maintaining an independent, farmer-focused benchmarking system.”

The programme will also introduce focused grower groups, brought together by sponsors to test shared concepts under commercial field conditions.

PGRO said the approach was intended to generate field-scale data while allowing participants to compare their results with wider network performance.

Ms Matlock said: “Focus groups will help bridge the gap between trial work and the realities of commercial farming.”

Participation in focus groups will remain optional.

All growers will continue to have access to full benchmarking, performance analysis, annual reporting and in-season insights, regardless of sponsorship arrangements.

The final PPN report has also been redesigned to make findings easier to interpret and more useful for farm management.

It will include clearer front-page summaries, comparisons with five-year averages and greater use of in-season benchmarking information.

Ms Matlock said: “We want to move the conversation beyond simply asking how many tonnes were produced.”

“The more important question is how efficiently growers achieved the potential available to them.

“That shift helps identify realistic opportunities for continuous improvement and supports more sustainable productivity gains.”

The PPN will officially open for applications in September.