Noble Foods has taken a significant step in precision agriculture by becoming the first UK egg producer to adopt TerraMap, an advanced soil mapping technology, at one of its organic egg farms. The move aligns with the company’s long-term environmental goals under its 2050 Impact Strategy, reinforcing its commitment to regenerative farming practices that balance productivity with sustainability.
Developed by agronomy specialists Hutchinsons, TerraMap uses passive gamma-ray detection to scan fields, producing high-resolution maps of up to 48 soil properties—from pH levels to nutrient content—at 800 sample points per hectare. This granular data offers Noble Foods an unparalleled understanding of soil health, enabling more targeted land management decisions. Unlike traditional soil testing, which relies on sporadic sampling, TerraMap provides a comprehensive, real-time snapshot of field conditions, reducing guesswork in fertiliser application, irrigation, and crop rotation planning.
The technology’s ability to measure organic and active carbon through TerraMap Carbon is particularly noteworthy. Soil carbon sequestration is a critical but often overlooked tool in reducing agricultural emissions, and accurate mapping allows Noble Foods to identify areas where carbon storage can be maximised. By pinpointing variations in soil composition, the company can adopt tailored practices—such as cover cropping or reduced tillage—to enhance carbon capture while maintaining the land’s productivity for free-range hen foraging.
Emily Marshall, Agriculture Sustainability and Customer Manager at Noble Foods, emphasised the strategic importance of soil health in the company’s broader sustainability efforts. “Our soils underpin everything—water retention, carbon storage, and even the welfare of our hens,” she explained. “TerraMap gives us data-driven insights that were previously unattainable. Understanding soil variability lets us make decisions that benefit both the environment and our birds, ensuring their habitats remain optimal.”
The partnership with Hutchinsons reflects a growing trend in agriculture, where technology bridges the gap between ecological stewardship and commercial viability. Olivia Sawford, TerraMap Services Manager at Hutchinsons, highlighted the collaborative potential of the project: “Noble Foods’ proactive approach sets a benchmark for the industry. The depth of data TerraMap provides will not only support their sustainability targets but also enhance hen welfare by optimising the land they rely on.”
Beyond soil health, the initiative complements Noble Foods’ wider biodiversity programs. Earlier this year, the company partnered with AgriSound to deploy Polly™ bioacoustic monitors across 13 organic farms, tracking pollinator activity to inform conservation strategies. Marshall noted that customers increasingly value transparent, science-backed sustainability efforts. “Farmers already work closely with the land,” she said. “Now, technology like TerraMap and Polly™ ensures our biodiversity plans are grounded in hard data, not just good intentions.”
The pilot’s success on the organic farm has paved the way for a broader rollout across Noble Foods’ operations. As the company expands TerraMap’s use, the insights gained will shape its 2050 Impact Strategy, influencing everything from carbon reduction initiatives to habitat restoration projects. With biodiversity action plans already in development across all Noble-owned sites, the integration of high-resolution soil and pollinator data marks a shift toward a more holistic, metrics-driven approach to sustainable farming.
For an industry under pressure to reduce its environmental footprint, Noble Foods’ adoption of TerraMap signals a practical path forward—one where innovation in soil science doesn’t just mitigate harm but actively regenerates the land. As other producers watch closely, the project may well set a new standard for how technology can harmonise agricultural productivity with ecological health.