Freshly cut grass, nettles, straw and tree sap are just some of the scents farmers, backed by TV presenter Ben Fogle, have captured in a reed diffuser to evoke the sweet smell of country meadows.
House-proud Brits needn’t worry their homes will stink of pungent poo as farmer-owned dairy cooperative Arla, in partnership with fragrance experts CPL Aromas, haven’t included it in the mix – for obvious reasons.
The limited-edition scent is also being launched to inspire other farmers to ditch traditional ‘stinky’ muck-spreading methods and instead opt to ‘dribble’ or inject the slurry into the ground.
By doing this locals and day trippers won’t have their senses assaulted by ammonia and other smelly gases left hovering in the atmosphere and instead enjoy truly ‘fresh’ country air.
TV presenter Ben Fogle said: “While that whiff of cow poo in the air after muck spreading takes me back to day trips out with my family as a kid, the benefits of these more environmentally-friendly methods do more than make up for the loss in nostalgia.
“It’s great to know the agricultural community is always looking at ways to become more sustainable.”
The alternative techniques championed by Arla, including dribble bars and injecting the slurry directly into the ground with specialist equipment, can lead to a whopping reduction in air-born emissions of between 30 and 90 per cent.
These pong-free options also have additional environmental benefits as they place the slurry directly onto or into the ground.
This means nutrients within the fertiliser are pulled further into the soil – enriching it with nitrogen and also stopping nitrous oxide from being leaked into the atmosphere.
Arla farmer Jason Bayley said: “Manure handling typically contributes towards a dairy farm’s emissions, so anything we can do to reduce that amount by using alternative ways to spread the nutrient-rich manure across the land, then it feels like an obvious option to explore.
Angela Stavrevska, Creative Perfumer at CPL Aromas, said: “I’m delighted to be part of Arla’s first ever home fragrance and pay homage to fresh country air.
“Many associate the countryside with the pungent smell of muck but with this initiative, the wonderful fragrance of the countryside, including damp woodland, dry grassy fields,overgrown hedges and moss can really be smelt in all their glory.”
The potential impact such on-farm changes can have on the environment is why Arla is helping farmers monitor and share best practice on their collective journey to carbon net zero.
The farmer-owned cooperative’s Climate Checks initiative means farmers are monitoring their impact on the environment so they can identify areas to improve.
Arla is sharing vital information and learnings on this and other sustainability initiatives with all of their 2,400 farmers in a guide, helping to make the fresh country air even fresher for everyone.
Source: Smell of countryside bottled as air freshener with key scent missing – Wales Online
