Digestate supply and spreading services provided by FGS Organics

FGS Organics are specialists in the supply and spreading of digestate biofertiliser for farmers, agricultural food producers and horticulturists. Modern farming techniques have seen an increasing preference for the use of digestate as an alternative to bagged fertilisers for arable and forage crops due to their organic restoration of soil health and renewal of the local ecosystems. Within a farm nutrient plan the natural habitat is sustained, with soil enrichment, higher crop yields and even factoring in the spreading costs farmers can expect to see a reduction in annual fertiliser spend. The economical benefits are an important consideration where spreading is a substantial outlay in the agricultural annual budget. The FGS Organics team will always be happy to discuss the costs and logistics of replacing manufactured fertilisers with digestate.

Digestate Spreading

Anaerobic digestate spreading is primarily applied as a fertiliser replacement, providing organic matter and vital nutrients to enrich the land, including nitrogen, phosphate, potash, sulphur and other trace elements for soil fertility and healthy plant growth. This is an excellent alternative to fossil fuel-dependant mineral fertilisers, reducing the emission of greenhouse gases and the cultivation’s carbon footprint. Digestate is produced by the controlled biological decomposition of materials such as food wastes, together with permitted animal products which are all biodegradable. Commercial digestate which is most commonly used on arable crops can also being utilised on grass leys for multi-cut silage, hay, haylage and grazing ground.

Compliance and advice

FGS Organics has established strong working relationships with the farming and agricultural communities, our FACTS qualified staff provide advice on all aspects of the supply and application of digestate. The dedicated Organics team will carry out the relevant soil testing, land mapping and estimation of the required quantities for the area to be covered.

Advice will also be given regarding closed periods for grazing and foraging of crops to ensure full compliance with the relevant regulations, including full compliance pack to allow future agronomic decisions to be made post application.

All work undertaken will be strictly subject to statutory legislation, covering material analysis, storage, transportation and application.

High-tech application methods:

Arable application

FGS Organics use a range of modern high-tech application methods for liquid digestate spreading, including self-propelled or trailed trailing shoe applicators and umbilical trailing hose.

Grassland application

For application on grass leys we have a 12m double disc injector that allows digestate to be applied to grass effectively and efficiently. The disc injector reduces scorching risk of the grass which is common in traditional styles of application such as the splash plate. By using the specialist and unique equipment the product is placed at the root of the plant increasing nutrient uptake.

All spreaders are all operated by trained and competent operators.

Digestate fibre
We also have solid digestate fibre available in the southeast of England derived from a local AD plant. The nutrient rich fibre can be used as an alternative to artificial fertilisers and at a more cost-effective price, whilst increasing the organic matter in the soil. The fibre contains the 5 key macronutrients N, P, K, MG and S which are all readily available to the crop.

Please contact our team or call us on 01233 820055 to discuss how FGS Organics can help you to improve your crop yield and reduce your annual fertilising costs.

In addition to improving crop yields digestate can improve soil health, healthier soil can store more carbon.

Benefits of digestate include:

  • Crop available nutrients
  • Source of renewable nutrients
  • Source of moisture
  • Sulphur additions during crop growth

Average dry matter content: 4%

FGS Organics supply and apply digestate across:

  • Kent
  • Surrey
  • Sussex
  • Hampshire
  • Berkshire
  • Oxfordshire
  • Buckinghamshire
  • Bedfordshire
  • Hertfordshire
  • Essex

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is digestate?

Digestate is the organic material that remains after the anaerobic digestion process, where microorganisms break down biodegradable materials in the absence of oxygen. It is a nutrient-rich by-product often used as a fertiliser and can be found in a liquid or fibre form depending on feedstock.

What nutrients does digestate contain?

Digestate typically contains a range of nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and organic matter. The nutrient composition can vary depending on the feedstock used and the anaerobic digestion process following.

Can digestate be used on all types of crops?

Digestate can be used on various crops, but its suitability depends on the nutrient requirements of the specific plants. It’s important to conduct soil testing and adjust application rates accordingly to match crop requirements.

How should digestate be applied to crops?

Digestate can be applied through multiple methods, FGS Organics can offer application via self propelled Vredo slurry tankers or Xerion & Kaweco combination utilising our dribble bar, trailing shoe or disc application. The application method depends on the type of digestate, and the type of crops being applied to.

Digestate fibre is generally applied to land via our range of rear spinning disc spreaders utilising weigh scales and ISOBUS technology.

How can liquid digestate be stored safely?

Liquid digestate storage requires proper containment to prevent leaching and runoff. Storing digestate in covered, impermeable tanks or lagoons helps control odours, loss of nitrogen to the atmosphere, stops dilution via rainwater and prevents negative environmental impacts.

Are there regulations governing the use of digestate?

Yes, regulations regarding the use of digestate vary by location of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. It’s important to be aware of local guidelines and comply with any regulations related to the storage and application of digestate on crops. Our FACTs qualified advisors at FGS Organics are committed to the responsible application of fertilisers to land.

Video showing our digestate spreading services

To find out more about digestate and the benefits it can provide to your land...