Modernising farm infrastructure with virtual fencing

Mathilde Chatin, Communications and Public Affairs Director | Nofence

The UK government’s recent launch of the land use consultation has set the stage for a national conversation on balancing food security with sustainable land management. As policymakers work to protect agricultural land while supporting nature recovery, the government has set ambitious environmental targets – focusing on emissions reduction, biodiversity enhancement and efficient land use. While many of these objectives are being driven through the Environmental Land Management Scheme, including the Sustainable Farming Incentive Scheme and Landscape Recovery Scheme, traditional livestock farm infrastructure remains a barrier to achieving these goals.

Effective infrastructure is the backbone of UK agriculture, yet physical fencing poses significant environmental, financial and logistical challenges for farmers. As the sector works towards sustainability targets, new technologies need to be adopted to ease this labour-intensive exercise. By integrating innovative solutions like virtual fencing into agricultural policy, the government can support more efficient, cost-effective and environmentally sustainable farming practices.

Smarter solutions for sustainable land use

Virtual fencing presents a scalable, cost-effective and sustainable alternative to physical fencing. It relies on GPS-enabled collars and a user-friendly app, allowing farmers to create, adjust or remove virtual boundaries in real time. This flexibility makes it easier to monitor livestock movement and adapt to seasonal grazing needs or environmental conditions. The technology uses audio cues that escalate in pitch and a mild electric pulse – half the intensity of electric fences – to guide livestock within designated grazing areas.

Nofence, the world’s first commercial virtual fencing system, is driving adoption across the UK, with over 700 farmers demonstrating its practical, economic and environmental benefits. For Wiltshire-based farmer James Waight, who manages livestock on Ministry of Defence land, virtual fencing has been transformative. The Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA) serves both as a military training ground and one of the UK’s most ecologically valuable conservation sites, making traditional fencing impractical or prohibited.

“We have so many rare butterflies, ground-nesting birds, and plants here – being able to exclude certain areas while creating grazed corridors is invaluable for conservation,” said Waight. Safety and sustainability play a crucial role in infrastructure planning at SPTA, ensuring that livestock grazing supports both biodiversity conservation and military operations. By offering a flexible approach to grazing management, virtual fencing enables farmers to protect sensitive habitats while maintaining productive, sustainable agriculture.

Policy support to unlock full potential

While adoption is growing, policy frameworks and financial incentives are needed to accelerate its wider use. With the right measures in place, virtual fencing can enhance agricultural environmental schemes, improve land management, and deliver sustainability benefits through a data-driven approach. This technology can also strengthen compliance with government schemes, improve land use assessments, and provide evidence-based insights for future policy development. To unlock these benefits, the government must recognise virtual fencing as a key infrastructure solution and introduce funding support to drive adoption.

To learn more about Nofence, please visit nofence.no/uk

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