Anglia Farmer - August 2022 by Countrywide Publications

August 2022

Anglia

Farmer Serving the farming industry across East Anglia for over 40 years

Groundswell: Sustainable Farming Incentive opens for applications

News Highest ag-inflation for decades

Livestock 'Invest to combat animal disease'

Arable How to keep blackgrass at bay

Pig & Poultry Plan to make supply chain fairer

Soil health First carbon payments made

Professional Services Land values higher than average

Straw: Is it best to chop or bale?

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Anglia Farmer

OPINION Johann Tasker

EDITORIAL Editor: Johann Tasker | T: 07967 634971 E: johann@ruralcity.co.uk

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Anglia Farmer is a controlled circulation magazine published monthly for farmers and growers in the eastern counties. To be included on the circulation list, a farmer must have a minimum of 70 acres of land, or 50 dairy/beef stock, or 50 breeding sows/250 growing stock, or 15,000 laying hens/broiler chickens. Intensive horticulture units are required to have a minimum of two hectares. Subscription is £18 a year (including postage). No responsibility can be accepted by the publishers for the opinions expressed by contributors. If you no longer wish to receive this magazine, please email your name, address and postcode as it appears on the wrapper to adam.gunton@micropress.co.uk © Countrywide Publications 2022 Published by Countrywide Publications, Fountain Way, Reydon Business Park, Reydon Suffolk IP18 6DH T: 01502 725800 Printed by Micropress Ltd, Suffolk. T: 01502 725800

Visit our website for all the latest farming news

Why we must control the controllables

he latest ag-inflation report by farm business consultants Andersons makes stark reading – and confirming what many producers already know. Farm input inflation has soared beyond 25% – with further increases likely, especially when it comes to fuel and fertiliser. As a result, many farm businesses are feeling the pinch – although some are doing much better than others. This is the highest level of ag-inflation any of us have seen for decades. But the report rightly points out that many arable farmers are having a stellar year. Most growers purchased fertiliser before costs soared. Meanwhile, combinable crop prices have hit record levels. The livestock sector has been far less fortunate. High grain prices mean high feed costs, which account for nearly one quarter of the weighting in the Andersons ag-inflation index. Output prices have lagged behind these huge cost increases. While pig prices have risen, the they remain insufficient to cover the soaring production costs that pig farmers have had to contend with for almost two years.

Contents

Vol 42 • No 7 • August 2022

News .................................................................... 4 Arable .................................................................. 9 Soil health ........................................................ 35 Livestock........................................................... 43

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Dairy units and other livestock farms have also been feeling the strain. The coming year is set to be even more challenging – right across the board. Input costs are likely to remain stubbornly high – squeezing margins and making it more difficult to maintain farm profits. At the same time, further cuts mean reductions to the basic payment will reach 35% during 2023. Taxation on 2022 profits will stretch working capital requirements and many farm businesses will be left with little wriggle room. Last month's heatwave is a stark reminder that farming's fortunes are ultimately out of our control. Farmers who did everything right watched in despair as months of hard work literally went up in smoke as crops were destroyed in field fires. Like the weather, markets are uncontrollable. But we can mitigate the worst impact of market uncertainty – by keeping on top of costs, particularly in terms of working capital, to ensure our businesses are best placed to ride out the current crisis. Johann Tasker Editor

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News Ag-inflation reaches 25% – highest level for decades S oaring farm input costs have propelled ag-inflation to levels not seen for decades, according to the latest figures from business consultants Andersons. Costs for key inputs are rising so fast that ag-inflation stood at 25.3% for June – almost three times higher than general inflation, as measured by the Consumer Prices Index (9.1%) and food price inflation (8.5%) The Andersons Agflation Index builds upon on Defra price indices for agricultural inputs. Each input cost is weighted by the overall spend by UK farmers to generate an up-to-date estimate of the price index for each input cost category. Ag-inflation is set to remain at elevated levels for at least the remainder of this year, says the report. Reasons include the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and upheaval across numerous commodity supply-chains, particularly feed, fuel, and fertiliser .

“

Arable farmers have fared better than livestock producers

ward their fertiliser and output prices have hit record levels – although this has contributed to rising feed costs for livestock producers. For many farmers in this position, 2022 is shaping up to be a stellar year – with wheat prices rising by more than 50% since winter crops went into the ground last autumn. But challenges loom for 2023 – including taxation on 2022 profits. Livestock sectors are under additional pressure due to increased feed costs, which account for nearly a quarter of the weighting for the Agflation Index. Pig prices have risen – but not enough to cover soaring production costs. Dairy and livestock farms have also been feeling the strain. The dairy sector has seen some significant price rises in recent months as processors and

retailers try to encourage farmers to boost production to meet consumer demand. In such times, it is crucial to manage costs and working capital carefully, said Mr Haverty, especially with basic payment scheme reductions set to reach 35% in 2023. Charles Whitaker, partner at farm business consultants Brown & Co, said it was vital that growers and livestock producers were able to generate a reasonable profit. This meant farmgate prices needed to reflect increases in production costs. “Retailers and food processors need to provide greater certainty for farmers if they wanted growers to plant crops for 2023,” said Mr Whitaker. Peas and root vegetables looked particularly vulnerable, he added.

Severe squeeze “Many farm businesses are feeling a severe squeeze on margins,” said Andersons partner Michael Haverty. “Thus far, some sectors have been better able to withstand the inflationary storm than others.” The arable sector is less affected for 2022 as most farmers have bought for-

Farmer swims Lake Geneva for brain tumour charity

orfolk farmer Sam Steggles is raising money for charity by swimming the length of Lake Geneva. He is competing as part of a team in the world’s longest inland lake swimming race – the Maillot d’Or. Swimming the 70km length of Lake Geneva, it starts at Chillon Castle on 13 August and finishes at Bains de Paquis the next day, with other teams also raising money for charity. Mr Steggles says: “We are a team of six, with varying swimming abilities, from a channel swimmer to a Frosties 25m swimming badge holder, with one clear cause in 4 ANGLIA FARMER • AUGUST 2022

mind – to raise money for the Brian Cross Memorial Trust.” A fellow farmer, Mr Cross passed away in 2006 after having a brain tumour. Only 1% of cancer research funding goes to brain tumours and the trust which was set up in memory of Mr Cross has since raised £1 million for brain tumour research. “Every donation will help us get out of bed for those early morning training sessions,” says Mr Steggles. “Whether or not we win the coveted Maillot d’Or (Golden Swimsuit) prize, we hope we can be coveted fundraising champions.”

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News

Fewer farm deaths – but accident rate still high

afety campaigners have welcomed a big drop in the number of people killed while working on farms – but warned that any fatality is one too many. Some 25 people died in agriculture during the year ending 31 March, according to the latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive. The number compares to 41 fatalities the previous year. It is the second lowest number of deaths in the last five years. In addition to 22 people killed while working on farms, three fatalities involved children. The youngest was nine years old. The figures were published to coincide with the start of Farm Safety Week (18-22 July). Organisers said they wanted everyone working in the industry to prioritise their physical and mental wellbeing every day. Awareness of farm safety is at an all-time high with 66% of UK farmers aware of Farm Safety Week, according to an NFU Mutual survey. But campaigners said but the fatality rate continued to be stubbornly high. Farm Safety Foundation manager Stephanie Berkeley said: “Despite an encouraging improvement in the HSE figures over the past year, these are very sobering statistics. Behind every fatal

notification is a worker, a visitor or a child. “We cannot become immune to the impact that each and every death has on farming families and communities. We cannot continue to accept that risk-taking is part and parcel of farming – we have to work harder to make it safer.”

Fatality causes The five most common causes of death remain the same: being hit by a moving vehicle, being struck by an object, falling from height, contact with machinery, and being killed by livestock. Tina Morgan, who chairs the rural industries group at theInstitution of Occupational Safety and Health, said: “Farm Safety Week 2022 is an important week for everyone involved in agriculture, health, safety and welfare. “This year is the 10th anniversary and we are still talking about the same type of accident as we were 10 years ago. We must never give up sharing our knowledge, resources and expertise to help those who want to change.” Ms Morgan added: “What we must remember is that most ‘accidents’ are avoidable, and this is slowly being recognised by the industry. The voice for change needs to be louder than the voice that advocates the status quo.”

The fatalities included three children who lost their lives

Big success as crowds return to Tendring Show

lmost 25,000 people flocked to the Tendring Show last month – returning in force to support the popular one-day event near Manningtree, Essex. Trade and shopping stands recorded strong sales, with big crowds coming to see the main show ring entertainment, including the Stannage Stunt team and ‘farming on the move’ demonstrations. Tendring Hundred Farmers’ Club president George Harris (pictured above with club chairman Will King) said the day was a big success. “After a two-year absence, the success of today’s show really demonstrates the strength and fortitude of the Tendring Show and the local community to have returned in such a spectacular way. “All credit must go to the organising committee, the many volunteers involved, and the returning public who created such a wonderful and warm atmosphere.”

New NFU county adviser for Suffolk

new county adviser is working on behalf of NFU members in Suffolk. Caroline Cavill replaces Charles Hesketh who has been promoted to regional policy manager. Having grown up on an arable farm in south Yorkshire, she says she is looking forward to working closely with members, officeholders and group secretaries. After university, Ms Cavill taught equine science for a number of years in agricultural colleges. She then retrained as a rural surveyor, spending 13 years at Natural England in a num6 ANGLIA FARMER • AUGUST 2022

ber of roles nationally and within East Anglia. Most recently she has been the British Horse Society access field officer for the eastern region. In her spare time, she enjoys rural pursuits, including horse riding and visiting historic places, and is also studying for an Equine Facilitated Learning Diploma. Ms Cavill said: “I am delighted to be working in a county where food and farming plays such a pivotal role. I’m looking forward to meeting members and working with key stakeholders to help Suffolk farms go from strength to strength.”

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Arable Straw: Fertiliser costs mean tricky choice to chop or bale • Straw prices higher this harvest • Ag-inflation has pushed up value • Valuable phosphate and potash

rowers are being advised to pay special attention to the benefits of incorporating straw this harvest – before deciding whether to bale and sell it off the farm. Ag-inflation has pushed up straw prices, with many growers looking to take advantage of markets that include power stations, forage and bedding. But higher fertiliser costs mean straw also has increased value as a nutrient and soil improver. Growers should consider the value of straw as a cost-effective source of phosphate and potash – and appreciate its importance for soil health and organic matter, says Rob Jewers, a fertiliser and crop nutrition specialist for Hutchinsons. To make an informed decision on whether to chop or bale, Mr Jewers says the first step is to calculate the value of nutrients removed in baled straw. These can be found in the AHDB Nutrient Management Guide (RB209 Section 4 – Arable Crops). “These figures can be used where the straw is not weighed when removed,” explains Mr Jewers, who recommends looking at the values of different straw types using current market data.

Because straw potash content can vary substantially depending on water availability during crop maturity and baling, it is also worthwhile determining the nutrient content of representative straw samples by laboratory analysis. As an example, a June 2022 price for triple super phosphate of £930/t is equivalent £2.02p/kg of phosphate, with a muriate of potash prie of £770/t equivalent to £1.28p/kg of potash. For a winter wheat crop yielding 10t/ha, if the grain and straw is taken off, this equates to 70 kg/ha of phosphate removal in the form of P2O5 and 105kg/ha of potash removal in the form of K2O. This works out at £64.87 of additional fertiliser value in straw being removed per hectare. In compari-

Value of straw removed Yield Crop (t/ha)

Phosphate Removed in Straw (kg/ha P205)

Potash Removed in Straw (kg/ha K20)

Fertiliser value of straw removed (per ha)

Fertiliser Difference value of straw last year (per ha)

Winter wheat

£64.87

£26.07

£38.80

Winter barley

£51.90

£20.86

£31.04

Winter oats

£112.86

£45.18

£67.68

Spring barley

3.5

45.5

£57.31

£22.80

£34.54

Winter OSR

£36.03

£14.79

£21.24

[Source: Hutchinsons / AHDB Nutrient Management Guide (RB209 Section 4 – Arable Crops, March 2022)]

Straw has risen in value – partly due to higher nutrient costs

“

Straw can help offset high fertiliser costs

son, at last year’s prices this was only £26.07 – which is a difference in value of £38.80/ha. As another example, removing grain and straw from an 8t/ha winter oat crop removes 77kg of phosphate and 132kg/ha of potash. The fertiliser value of straw removed is £112.86/ha, a difference of £67.68 over last year when the additional value was £45.18.”

Other factors “The important message here is that it will be important to reinvest some of the money made back into replacing the nutrition which has been removed,” says Mr Jewers. “These values are purely the financial replacement value of the nutrients removed in straw only, however there are other factors to be taken into consideration such as increased traffic and associated soil compaction. “Also take into account the timeliness of straw removal and subsequent establishment of the next crop as well as the value of organic matter with regards to building soil structure and water retention.” Finally, although recent weeks have been extremely dry, Mr Jewers says catchy summer weather means swaths may remain in the field for longer and may even have to be turned if they get wet, generating extra work. AUGUST 2022 • ANGLIA FARMER 9

Arable

New winter wheats set for autumn 2023

our new winter wheats – including two high yielding varieties with bread-making potential – could be commercially available for drilling in autumn 2023. All four varieties feature on the 2022 AHDB candidate list. They are KWS Ultimatum, KWS Wrenum, KWS Webbum and KWS Zealum. They combine high yields with solid agronomics, says KWS UK wheat breeder Mark Dodds. Potential Group 2 breadmaking variety KWS Ultimatum is a good example of this, says Mr Dodds. It could yield more than KWS Extase and has a good set of disease resistance scores, he explains.

Promising performance “It’s looking like a very promising second wheat. It’s got KWS Extase levels of untreated yield at 90% of controls and this is underpinned by an excel-

lent disease resistance package with a standout 9 for yellow rust.” KWS Wrenum is another potential Group 2 breadmaking variety with sound yield performance and excellent all-round characteristics inherited from its KWS W295 and KWS Siskin parentage, he says. “It’s supported by a good all-round disease package. Again we’re looking at it being a potential Group 2 variety with a specific weight of 77.2kg/hl an Hagberg Falling Number of 289 – the same as Extase with a similar protein content too.” Soft feed wheats KWS Webbum has a good yield at 103% of controls in the 2022 AHDB candidate list. Its non-Cougar Septoria resistance will appeal to many growers looking for an out and out barn filler with strong reliability. Finally, KWS Zealum is a KWS Basset x Reflection cross adding one of the

Mark Dodds in a plot of KWS Ultimatum winter wheat

best combinations of yellow rust resistance and Orange Wheat Blossom Midge resistance to the high yielding soft Group 4 sector, says Mr Dodds. “Strong yields across all regions, particularly in the east, and a class-leading 8.4 for yellow rust resistance allied to a 7 for Eyespot plus non-Cougar genetics, are going to make KWS Zealum a popular choice across the UK.”

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Arable

Growers join forces to combat potato cyst nematode • Better trap cropping could be solution • Study will investigate all possibilities • Benefits can include carbon storage

mproving the reliability of trap cropping could help farmers overcome potato cyst nematode (PCN), say researchers working on a new study. Trap crops can reduce PCN by more than 75%. They encourage PCN to hatch at a different time to potato planting. As a result, mature female PCN are prevented from completing their lifecycle – reducing the impact on potato crops. But inconsistent establishment means many farmers aren't trap cropping. The project aims to address this. It’s hoped that best practice involving sowing dates, weed control and management will make trap crops more appealing to growers. Funded by Defra and Innovate UK, the project is looking at solanaceous trap crops – with the aim of determining the best species and agronomic guidelines for more effective PCN suppression.

Yield losses Work is focusing on the performance of three solanaceous trap crops – solanum sysimbriifolium (DeCyst-Prickly), solanum scabrum (DeCyst-Broadleaf) and also solanum chenopodioides (DeCyst-Podium).

Matthew Back, of Harper Adams University, said: “PCN is the most prevalent potato pest in the UK. Infestation can mean yield losses of up to of 80%, and is estimated to cost the GB potato industry a huge £25.9 million each year. “As crop protection chemistry such as nematicides are revoked, and control measures limited, growers have to investigate alternative methods such as trap crops, to ensure a viable future for potatoes within their rotations.” The project also involves Produce Solutions, Crop Health and Protection (CHAP) and VCS Potatoes. It is supported by five growers: TC&N Taylor, J.M. Bubb & Son, ME Furniss & Sons (Farms), James Foskett Farms and AF Machinery.

More resilient James Lee, of Produce Solutions, said: “We need all the tools available to us to control PCN, particularly if we lose a further nematicide. Adoption of solanaceous trap crops could mean an increase in resilience and maintain productivity for the potato sector. “An additional benefit is because they are chopped and incorporated into the soil, they add organic matter and increase carbon storage. This is

“

Growers have to consider alternative methods

especially important given the move to more regenerative farming systems and emerging carbon markets.” Alex McCormack, innovation technical lead at CHAP, said: “It’s been great to support the consortium and help them to navigate the grant call and application, enabling them to build upon their previous AHDB and Innovative Farmers Fieldlab. He added: “This just demonstrates how these new farmer-focused grants from Defra could help unlock applied on farm research and development for the future.”

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Arable

Four-stage strategy keeps blackgrass under control • Cereals grown on heavier clays • Goal is to contain weed problem • Timely application still important

four-stage strategy to control blackgrass is paying dividends for David Knott, general manager of Trumpington Farms, south-west of Cambridge. Mr Knott uses targeted Avadex (tri-allate) as part of the four-stage management process which also includes cultural controls, sterile seed beds, improved cultivation techniques and stacking flufenacet-based selective herbicides. The 3,500ha farming business grows arable crops on predominantly heavy clay with challenging drainage. Blackgrass was exacerbated by recent warm winters giving Mr Knott and his team a timely opportunity to reassess their control strategy. “Although we have worked extremely hard to reduce our overall blackgrass burden to a manageable level in most fields, its unlikely we will eradicate it completely. The whole issue now is one of containment and targeted control. “We have not had a grassweed herbicide with a new mode of action for decades now. “A lack of hard winter frosts and snow has not helped either with nothing to kill off the autumn blackgrass or delay it from emerging again in the spring.”

Yield loss Blackgrass remains a big contributing factor to yield loss – especially since the 2009 ban on isoproturon and subsequent resistance issues with ALS inhibitor herbicides. “It’s disappointing that very few genuinely new solutions have come forward since.” Mr Knott says he had already widened the rotation to one in four for oilseed rape and improved cultivation techniques to limit the disturbance of any dormant blackgrass seed just below the soil surface. 14 ANGLIA FARMER • AUGUST 2022

David Knott says he is pleased with the accuracy of the Avacast GR400

He then made a key move to maximise the efficacy of Avadex by investing in an applicator to apply it as the crop was drilled – well within the key 48-hour post-drilling window. “We had historically relied on contractors to apply Avadex granules post-drilling. However, working on 40m tramlines, we’d often found that our contractor, who used an 18m applicator, always left intermediate wheelings in the newly drilled crops.”

Own applicator This became even more problematic if the work was done in wet heavy soil conditions, says Mr Knott. “The other big issue when using contractors was always delays, either due to poor weather or busy diaries.” An Avacast GR400 applicator was purchased in September 2020. It was side-mounted on the 12m Horsch Sprinter drill for easier hopper accessibility when refilling. This meant raising the height of the Avacast for additional ground clearance. Manufacturer Techneat Engineering designed a new bracket so the machine could be positioned exactly where needed. Although the applicator is specifically designed for Avadex, Mr Knott says it can also be used to apply slug pellets when drilling rape.

“The machine is quick to set-up, easy to calibrate and uses a powerful hydraulic fan to deliver the Avadex to spreader plates positioned every 500mm along the full width of the drill providing double overlap and ensuring even distribution.”

“

The machine is easy to set-up and calibrate

Automated system The Avacast GR400 comes with its own cab-mounted control box and manually operated on-off switch for headland control. Mr Knott then linked both these into a Trimble FmX guidance system, so it is fully automated. “Our blackgrass control strategy is now essentially a four-stage process. We use medium or light-tine cultivation immediately post-harvest, then spray off any volunteers and remaining blackgrass with glyphosate to create a stale seedbed pre-drilling. “As we drill, we simultaneously apply diammonium phosphate placed under the seed and Avadex over the soil surface of the newly drilled seed. This creates a protective layer preventing any dormant blackgrass seed near the surface from germinating. “We then apply two flufenacet based herbicides for pre- and post-emergence control of any later emerging weeds that get past the Avadex barrier.”

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Arable

Seed treatment helps save £180/ha in second wheats

rowers could save more than £180t/ha by using Latitude seed treatment to offset the yield impact of reducing expensive nitrogen inputs in second wheats, suggest trials. Certis Europe set up split field experiments over four seasons between 2018 and 2021. The trials compared a standard nitrogen input approach with no seed treatment against a Latitude-treated crop where 40kg/ha less nitrogen was applied. Although there was some variation between seasons, Certis UK seed treatment portfolio manager Tim Eaton (pictured right) said yields were on averaage 0.38t/ha higher from using Latitude over untreated over the four years – despite less nitrogen being applied. “The reason you are seeing that

yield benefit is because Latitude is reducing take-all infection of roots, so they can function much better and optimal nitrogen uptake is maintained,” said Mr Eaton.

Potential rewards “In a normal season, this wouldn’t be discussion point, but with nitrogen prices where they are, growers will be thinking about reducing nitrogen inputs and Latitude can help with that in second and third cereals.” Using the Certis Cost Benefit Calculator on the company’s website, the potential rewards for using Latitude at current wheat prices – combined with fertiliser cost saving on 40kg/ha – strengthened the case for its use, said Mr Eaton. With feed wheat prices at £320/t, a yield lift of 0.38t/ha from using Lati-

“

Big savings can be achieved

tude (costing £31/ha) would return £91/ ha. With ammonium nitrate (34.5% N) currently costing £700-£800/t (£2£2.30/kg N), applying 40kg/ha less would save a further £80-£92/ha. “That leaves the grower with a potential net benefit of more than £180/ ha. Although many second or third wheat growers will already be using Latitude, it will certainly help reassure them of its cost effectiveness when preparing nutrition plans this winter.”

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Arable

Welcome return for wheat after tackling blackgrass • System works 'fantastically well' • Soils were smothered in weeds • Problem is now being managed

profitable return to early winter wheat on land with a serious blackgrass history is raising hopes for growers. Trials consultant and coordinator Niall Atkinson wondered what he was getting involved with when he first set eyes on Agrovista’s flagship Lamport AgX site a decade ago. The background blackgrass population was around 2000 plants/m³ on heavy, difficult soil. The silty clay soils were smothered in the weed – typical of this area of Northamptonshire and many other arable areas. It followed years of closecropped winter wheat and oilseed rape, intensive cultivations and struggling chemistry. “When I first saw the site it frightened the life out of me,” said Mr Atkinson, at a recent Lamport AgX open day. “I had never seen grass weeds growing like they did here.”

Testing ground The site has proved an ideal testing ground for the work that has since been carried out. The initial focus was blackgrass control, which resulted in Agrovista’s proven technique of combining overwintered cover crops and

spring cropping, which drastically reduced blackgrass populations. The emphasis has now switched to the bigger soil health picture. The trials site is now examining how rotations, cover cropping and regenerative agriculture principles can interact to improve soil health and yields while maintaining blackgrass levels at manageable levels. “We have found that soil health improvement and good grass weed control seem to go pretty much hand in hand, and we’ve created a system that works fantastically well,” said Mr Atkinson. “We’ve proved to a lot of local growers that that we can grow successful spring crops on heavy, challeng-

Niall Atkinson (right) discusses return to first wheat

“

You can return to growing first wheats

ing soil, and control blackgrass at the same time.” However, given the profit potential of a good first winter wheat, many farmers want to know when they can start growing it again. “It’s a question that is even more relevant today, given the price of wheat,” said Mr Atkinson. “We’ve now found that you can return to growing first wheats, but you need stick to the guidelines or risk going backwards.” Patience certainly pays if the results at Lamport are anything to go by. First wheats grown after a run of cover crop and spring cereals look clean and healthy, with scarcely a blackgrass head to be seen. >>

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“I am very proud of these wheat plots and what we have achieved, knowing the extent of grassweed pressure here on this site, particularly as these are September-sown wheats, not drilled at the end of October or into November which can be fraught with problems on this land.”

Cover cropping Previous cropping consisted of a black oat-based cover crop followed by spring oats in 2019/20, followed by cover crop then spring beans last season. The winter wheat was direct drilled on 28 September at 300 seeds/sq m into a cheap linseed/berseem clover cover crop that was blown into the preceding crop. “The main reason the cover crop was there was to provide a bit of insurance – had it turned wet, it could have been left overwinter ahead of spring-sown wheat.” The first wheats received full rate chemistry to control blackgrass – Proclus Liberator and Avadex followed by full-rate flufenacet early post emergence. “We know even new chemistry, whether Proclus or Luximo, applied in a stack is not good enough where

Mr Atkinson cautions against pushing too far. “The next question growers ask is whether they can follow with a second winter wheat. We would say that is the last thing to do. You are locked into high input costs and losing money while making blackgrass worse again. At a site like this we would always advocate a cover crop followed by a spring crop after returning to a first wheat.

blackgrass numbers are high,” said technical manager Mark Hemmant. “We have to get to the stage where we’ve reduced the weed seedbank to a low enough level that herbicides can give us this sort of result.”

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Cover cropping “However, we have put in winter wheat in after spring wheat. But note the previous cropping – it’s been cover crops followed by spring wheat for the past four years. “We’re not advocating September sowing of the winter wheat; this was drilled on 14 October. “There is a bit of grassweed, but nothing we can’t deal with by following with a black oat-based cover crop this autumn then spring wheat. We’ll then go back into winter wheat the following autumn. “We could perhaps break after two or three years and put spring beans in – we’ll see where it goes. If it works, it could be quite a nice rotation.”

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Arable

Spout suppressant window opens fortnight early

ith potato crops around a fortnight ahead of normal, growers who haven't yet done so should consider applying sprout suppressant maleic hydrazide. Crops are fast approaching optimum end market size so the usual application window from late July to mid-August may well be too late this year, says Nick Badger, root crop protection manager for Frontier Agriculture. “Dig some roots now and find out what you’ve got,” he adds.

Lifting date “Then work back from ideal lifting date allowing three or four weeks for crops to die back and set skins and a further three to five weeks from the start

of desiccation for the crop to take up maleic hydrazide and get it down into the tubers. “If you want to be lifting in early to mid-September your maleic hydrazide application window opens in early to mid-July. As soon as conditions are right, get it on.” Mr Badger favours liquid maleic hydrazide formulation Crown MH. It comes in a 20-litre pack or a 600 litre IBC which is transferred to the sprayer tank by Wisdom Systems’ FasTran closed transfer system at a rate of 25 L/minute. “The FasTran typically gives you an extra one or two tank loads a day as well as eliminating operator exposure and waste packaging,” he says. With the weather forecast looking

Mid-August may be too late for applications this year

hot and dry over the next two weeks, particularly so in the east, growers may have to wait until late evening for suitable application conditions: temperature below 25°C and relative humidity above 75%. Mr Badger adds: “In a season like this, it’s worth taking the time to plan application early to maximise uptake of Crown MH so you get its full contribution to cost-effective sprout suppression in store.”

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Arable

Beet deal aims to keep crop in rotations • £40/tonne for sugar beet in 2023/24 • Premium for growers near factories • Further sweeteners to mitigate risks

rowers on a one-year contract will receive £40 per tonne for the 2023/24 sugar beet crop – a 48% increase on last year. The offer follows annual price talks between processing giant British Sugar and NFU Sugar, which represents some 2,800 beet growers. Growers within 20 miles of a beet factory will receive a local premium of up to £2/tonne. All growers on a multi-year contract with an existing 2023 commitment will automatically receive a price increase to £32/t from £25/t. Growers can upgrade this further to £40/t if they commit to grow sugar beet in 2024. NFU Sugar board chair Michael Sly said: “I’m incredibly pleased that we are able to announce this contract offer to growers in a timely manner, which represents a significant price increase on the previous contract.

Renewed conﬁdence “With growers facing significant cost increases, and the prices of alternative crops having risen to unprecedented levels, I am glad we agreed on a contract offer that should keep sugar beet as a valued part of growers’ rotations.” Mr Sly said he hoped the deal would provide much-needed confidence in the sector. NFU Sugar had invested considerable time working constructively with British Sugar to develop innovative features that would add value to growers. Further options for growers to consider include the choice to purchase a yield guarantee that protects farm incomes against losses due to virus yellows. Growers can use a futures-linked variable price contract for up to 20% of their 2023/24 crop. Mr Sly added: “After a couple of challenging seasons, which highlighted the increased risks growers are facing, I am pleased we have found a pioneering way of allowing growers to mitigate their yield risk. 24 ANGLIA FARMER • AUGUST 2022

“

This is a significant price increase

Michael Sly is incredibly pleased with the offer for 2023/24

Industry rebound “We have been concerned about the decline in growing area over the past two years and the subsequent impact this had on the supplier base. It was important this deal addressed that and I hope now we will see that decline reverse and the industry rebound.” British Sugar managing director Paul Kenward said £40/tonne offered growers a healthy margin – even at today's high costs. It compared very favourably with alternative crops, with yield guarantees available for a small payment. Mr Kenward said he was positive about the future for the homegrown beet industry. He added: “We are confident this straightforward, attractive offer provides choice, security and profitability during an extremely challenging time for all growers.” Mr Kenward said the processor was well-placed to partner with farmers for the long-term. “Our growers are a key part of our business and I hope that this offer provides an incentive for them to continue growing next season and beyond.”

Price increase is 'landmark agreement' British Sugar's £40/t sugar beet price is a landmark agreement for growers, says Charles Whitaker (pictured below), managing partner at farm business consultants Brown & Co. “This is a very positive step forward for the industry after many years of declining grower margins and falling acreage as a result of virus risk and declining price – down to £21/t – over any years of attrition.” The sector has seen some innovative industry-leading risk sharing too, says Mr Whitaker – including a new virus yellows insured yield protection scheme and a cash flow advance for growers ahead of this autumn's harvest. “The apocalyptic impact on global agricultural economics and the food chain caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine has caused chaos with many supply chains and historically secure production arrangements. “ABF and NFU have worked hard to deliver continuity, risk sharing and confidence to encourage growers to grow more beet, to secure a 9m tonne [crop] and the importance of UK sugar both for industry, energy and the food sector.”

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Arable

Early-warning system for sugar beet disease

ugar beet growers are being asked for feedback on an early-warning system which indicates when there is a risk of cercospora. A serious and destructive foliar disease, cercospora favours warmer and humid temperatures. Concern over its impact on UK sugar beet crops has deepened over recent years due to climate change. This season, staff from British Sugar and the British Beet Research Organisation have been monitoring 40 weather stations daily via a mobile app which displays the cercospora early-warning indicator. The indicator tells farmers when their crop is at risk from cercospora according to their postcode. It also provides growers with updates via text and advice on how, whether and when to spray to combat the disease. Sencrop head of product Kevin Guibert says: “The indicator was test-

ed for more than a season before its launch this month. We welcome feedback from sugar beet growers on how the tool can be further improved so we can keep progressing it.” Sencrop worked with the BBRO to develop the indicator. It followed a year of high levels of cercospora infection in 2020, after which British Sugar funded an extensive network of weather stations in sugar beet growing areas. These included 40 Sencrop Raincrop connected rain gauges and 40 Sencrop Leafcrop leaf wetness in-crop sensors to monitor the risk of Cercospora in beet crops in the 2021 harvest season.

Humidity BBRO head of knowledge Simon Bowen said cercospora was relatively suppressed at low humidity. But he added: “When we start getting humidity levels of more than 90% for 10-15 hours per

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Cercospora can be devastating for beet crops [photo credit: Bayer]

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Arable

Hybrid barley can help reduce fertiliser costs • Savings to be had on key inputs • Less nitrogen for a similar yield • Reliable yields can be achieved

ybrid barley receiving a reduced dose of nitrogen fertiliser can deliver similar yields to conventional winter barley receiving a standard application, suggests a study. Conducted by ADAS, the research compared two hybrid barley varieties and two conventional two-row winter feed barley varieties at various nitrogen doses up to 360kg/ha. The work formed part of a larger programme of Syngenta evaluations into hybrid barley’s benefits that may help growers respond to high fertiliser prices, a need to manage grass weeds sustainably, and a need to pro-

“

Hybrid barley is known for hybrid vigour

duce yields reliably for food security. At 200kg/ha – a nitrogen dose often used when pushing winter feed barley for yield – the hybrid varieties yielded 9.92t/ha and 9.71t/ha. This compared to 8.19t/ha and 8.13t/ha for their conventional counterparts. Dose response curves revealed a similar trend at a more standard 180kg/ha. But what was also relevant was the economic optimum nitrogen rate for the varieties, said ADAS project director Sarah Kendall. “Using a standard breakeven ratio for nitrogen fertiliser of 5:1, the data analysis revealed the hybrids required in the region of 65kg/ha less nitrogen to achieve a similar yield to one of the conventional varieties,” says Dr Kendall. The second conventional variety had an economic optimum nitrogen rate lower than the hybrids, but yielded around 1.0 t/ha less.

“These results should provide a level of confidence to growers who are looking to make modest reductions in their nitrogen rates with hybrid barley in response to cost and sustainability pressures.” Across a wide range of nitrogen rates in the trial, the hybrids also showed improved nitrogen utilisa-

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tion efficiency over the conventional varieties. For the same amount of nitrogen taken up by the crop, the hybrids produced more yield. Syngenta seeds technical expert Ben Urquhart said the ability to apply less nitrogen while maintaining barley yield offered more than financial savings in the face of high fertiliser pric-

es. It also offered environmental benefits from a reduced carbon footprint. Physically, hybrid barley is known for hybrid vigour and its vigorous roots are associated with improved nutrient uptake, said Mr Urquhart. They are also better able to compete with blackgrass, “More recent work has also shown

Hybrid barley is more efficient, suggests Sarah Kendall (left) The benefits are more than financial, says Ben Urquhart

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hybrid barley to be more competitive against ryegrass and brome species – over and above winter wheat but also conventional two and six-row varieties of winter barley. “Additionally, trials have pointed to reduced weed seed return to the soil from grass weeds surviving in hybrid barley. This is a key part of sustainable grass weed reduction. However, there are also shorter-terms benefits, and latest calculations reveal the yield benefit alone from black-grass suppression with hybrid barley could be worth more than £50/ha.”

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Arable

Trials underline value of perennial grass in AB15 Stewardship mixes AB15 is popular for August sowing. But it must be done properly.

alancing AB15 Stewardship mixes with perennial grasses is vital to optimise their effectiveness in managing problem grassweeds, confirm the latest trials. Farmed environment specialist Marek Nowakowski conducted a range of field-scale trials on ground with historic grassweed problems. They took place at Agrii’s Newton Purcell iFarm and involved three legume fallow mixes established in autumn 2020. Retained for two years, the trials replicated four times in 12mx 200m plots across the field included a legume-only mix, a mix of legumes with perennial ryegrass and a special Agrii multi-mix containing several alternative grasses with 15 legumes and other herbs. All plots were managed to stewardship guidelines with three cuts in the first year to deal with emerging grassweeds. They had good ground cover and flowers in their second season – despite being sown later than ideal in strips with a cross-slot drill. Six random 3m2 quadrat counts per plot this June showed substantial dif-

Newton Purcell AB15 trial

30 ANGLIA FARMER • AUGUST 2022

ferences in both blackgrass and brome populations between the treatments. An average of 19 heads/m2 and 18 heads/m2 respectively were recorded in the no-grass legume mix.

Annual grassweeds In contrast, less than one head/m2 and no brome whatsoever were found in the multi-mix; and the legume and ryegrass mix had less than one head/ m2 of both blackgrass and brome (see graph). “Control of annual grassweeds in the first year and a good competitive perennial ground cover into the second season meant both our grass-containing mixes did a very effective job at preventing more blackgrass and brome emergence,” said Mr Nowakowski. There was almost 20 times the grassweed population in the no-grass legume mix. Mr Nowakowski said this underlined that blackgrass control, in particular, is much more effective if perennial grasses are included. This didn't mean grasses were always needed in an AB15 mix. Rather, it showed that including them invar-

iably meant there was more chance of keeping on top of annual grassweed problems. “Herbs on their own tend to grow too slowly to develop competitive canopies going into the winter,” said Mr Nowakowski. “This gives far too much space for annual weeds to come through; especially on ground carrying significant weed seed burdens. “The name of the game with annual grassweeds has to be to prevent them setting seed by repeated mowing in the first year while building-up a competitive sward that shuts out further emergence and establishment from then on.”

Eﬀectiveness The latest trials confirm how effective perennial ryegrasses can be at doing this. But for those nervous about growing ryegrass, Mr Nowakowski said there are plenty of other grass species which would do a great job. These included the crested dog’s tail, slender creeping fescue, Chewings fescue and smooth meadow grass we included in our even more effective

Attention to detail is key for the best results, says Marek Nowakowski

Below: AB15 Multimix with grass species

trial multi-mix. “It’s important to appreciate that grasses like these are at least as valuable as many flowers as food sources for a wide range of insects and birds. So, having them in the mix is also an environmental positive.” For wildlife, grassweed control and soil structure, Mr Nowakowski says birdsfoot trefoil is better than the official guideline which suggests including 50% common vetch – not least for its much more valuable and competitive canopy and its deep rooting. “Of course, you don’t have to stick to the guidelines these days. The danger, however is if something goes wrong. You’re likely to be in the clear here if you’ve followed the guidelines. If you haven’t, though, you risk losing your AB15 payment.” Mr Nowakowski recommends sowing in first half of August for the best establishment, and broadcasting rather than drilling for even groundcover. Alongside these he has several other long-standing science and experience-based tips for AB15 success. First and foremost, he suggests those that need to put the maximum pressure on problem grassweeds think >>

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Arable >> seriously about good inclusions of perennial grasses in their mixes.

Blackgrass control “Even with the relatively open structure cross-slot drilling gave at Newton Purcell, we achieved much better blackgrass and brome control with mixes containing grasses,” he stresses. “With the new rules specifying a maximum of three years in the same place against the minimum of three years we originally designed AB15 for, ensuring the most competitive cover from the word go is especially important. “When and how often you cut in the first year is also key. As blackgrass reheads more rapidly after each cut and seeds take a relatively long time to mature and become viable after heading, I never advise mowing before the end of flowering – generally in late May or early June. “Holding your nerve like this means two or three mowings should be quite sufficient. Starting too early – unless ds.qxp_Layout 1 16/05/2019 Page 16 in you need to help the09:06 mix establish the face of a very dense initial weed burden – could mean you have to cut more than three times to prevent any

weed seed return.” The final, crucial part of the equation in Mr Nowakowski’s experience is getting the following wheat crop into the ground without waking-up any remaining grassweed seed. This may not have been so critical with the five-year duration AB15 was originally designed for, given the extent of the loss of viability of the weed seed reservoir in the ground over this time. After just two or three years, however, there is likely to be more than enough viable seed remaining. So, the emphasis has to be on spraying-off the mix effectively with glyphosate and direct drilling the wheat with the least possible spoil movement. “AB15 has proved very popular with growers for its combination of agronomic and environmental benefits,” says Nowakowski. “But getting it right is far from as simple as sowing a guideline mix and mowing it repeatedly in year one. “It hasn’t been made any easier by the way the goalposts have been shifted either. All the trial work I’ve been involved over many years shows that having a legume-based fallow down for two years is better than one, three

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AB15: Two-year sown legume fallow AB15 mixes are available for mid-tier and higher-tier Countryside Stewardship agreements on whole or part parcels in rotation – but only on arable land or temporary grassland. It pays £569 per hectare and provides food for farmland wildlife, such as pollen and nectar for pollinators including bumblebees, solitary bees, butterflies and hoverflies. It can also be a useful part of a rotation aimed at reducing blackgrass populations. The mix should be sown as soon as possible after harvest in year one and year three of the agreement – ideally by the end of August. It should be cut at least twice in the first year following the autumn sowing to control emerging blackgrass. Growers should be prepared for subsequent cuts to be as close as three weeks apart as blackgrass re-heads more rapidly after each cut. Cutting before the end of March in year 2 controls any remaining blackgrass. For full details, visit www.bit.ly/AB15mix years is better than two and four years is better than three. “A maximum of three years makes choosing the right mix and the managing it correctly through to the establishment of the following wheat crop more essential than ever.”

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Alert system means better agronomy decisions

rassica growers and agronomists can better tailor disease and pest control programmes to specific threats thanks to a new monitoring and forecasting tool. Created by the Allium & Brassica Centre, Brassica Alert now uses more sophisticated pheromone traps to detect the early presence of pests. It couples this with disease spore trapping and weather modelling to provide real-time risk assessments.

Warning system A traffic-light style system warns of the impending risk of ringspot and white blister, along with major pests, thrip, diamond back moth and silver Y moth. Growers and agronomists can opt to receive text updates to view the latest reports online. Early season reports saw a low risk of ringspot in dry conditions, but a high-risk of white blister, which requires only limited leaf wetness

to develop. Silver Y moth was identified at high-risk numbers on 90% of monitoring sites across the eastern counties. Carl Sharp, of the Allium & Brassica Centre, said Brassica Alert enabled growers to move from an industry-standard fixed spray interval disease control programme to targeted applications choosing the most appropriate products at the most suitable time. “Our independent trials have shown that two targeted fungicide applications indicated by Brassica Alert, gave comparative disease control, marketable yield and quality as using the standard four to five spray programme. Syngenta digital agronomy specialist, Ed Flint said forecasting tools could help growers better target treatments and strengthen decision making. “The greatest benefit comes when you start to couple decision support tools together,” he added.

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Soil health First carbon payments made to arable farmers • Greenhouse gas emissions cut • Carbon sequestered in the soil • Payments to UK farmers soon

lmost £1m has been paid out under a scheme to reward farmers who reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sequester carbon in their soil. The money was paid out by Soil Capital under the company's Soil Capital Carbon initiative, which rewards the transition to regenerative agriculture. Some 100 farmers in France and Belgium received payments from their generation of carbon certificates. Independently audited payments to British farmers will follow. The Soil Capital Carbon programme was introduced to the UK last year, with 50 farmers so far completing their first carbon assessments across their whole farm system.

Positive impact This is a concrete recognition of the positive impact of practices they have implemented, whether reducing tillage intensity, increasing use of organic fertilisers, planting cover crops, diversifying their rotation, or even adopting agroforestry. Soil Capital co-founder and chief agronomist Nicolas Verschuere said: "These payments are the first new revenues we have generated for farmers in Western Europe from reducing the carbon footprint of agriculture. Until now, all this has been a bit abstract. With each farm receiving an average of €10,000, Mr Verschuere said the carbon payments were higher than Soil Capital's initial commitment to farmers – thanks to better sales prices secured with buyers. This meant the minimum guaranteed price of €27.50/t of carbon dioxide equivalent (£23 in the UK) was increased to raised to €32.

Corporate buyers Soil Capital's programme generates carbon certificates against an ISO standard. Its goal is to support and remunerate farmers for the implementation of practices that regenerate the natural capital of their soil.

The scheme rewards farmers for practices which reduce carbon emissions

KEY RESULTS FROM 2020-21 35,000t of CO2 equivalent emissions reduced and carbon stored in France and Belgium.thanks to farmers participating in the Soil Capital Carbon programme Equivalent to the emissions of a typical family car driving 2,500 times around the world Carbon certificates generated across more than 20,000ha of land 70% of farmers involved have reduced their tillage density with 25% direct drilling. [Source: Soil Capital]

Carbon certificates are primarily bought within the supply chain by food and agri-businesses like Cargill, AB InBev and Royal Canin – which is part of the Mars Group – to evidence their commitment to reducing supply chain emissions. Soil Capital says the first payments confirm the robustness and credibility of its programme with farmers and food companies. It says farmers value the fertility and resilience benefits of improving soil health by locking up more carbon in their soils. Company co-founder Chuck de Liederkerke said: “The carbon payments we unlock offer a meaningful incentive to farmers to undertake the difficult work of changing practices or, in some cases, maintaining those with a net positive impact.” AUGUST 2022 • ANGLIA FARMER 35

Soil health

Soil at the heart of Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme

ayments for simple measures which maintain and enhance soil health can now be claimed by farmers. It follows the launch of the Sustainable Farming Incentive which opened for applications earlier this summer. It is the first of three new environmental land management schemes being introduced by the government. The scheme is available to all farmers who currently receive Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) payments. Defra said the scheme was designed to be accessible, and will reward sustainable practices which support food production and benefit the environment. Grassland farmers can claim £28£58/ha depending on how much eligible land they enter into the scheme. Arable and horticultural growers can claim £22-£40/ha. Applicants must produce a soil management plan and test soil organic matter.

Food security The government says the schemes will ensure long-term food security by investing in the foundations of food production: healthy soil, water, and biodiverse ecosystems. It says it worked with more than 4,000 farmers to test and trial the new approach. Defra says the two soil standards recognise the importance of healthy soil for successful farming and the environment. A moorland standard – paying farmers to assess the condition land as a basis for further action – is also being launched. Defra secretary George Eustice launched the Sustainable Farming In36 ANGLIA FARMER • AUGUST 2022

centive at the Groundswell show earlier this summer. The two-day conservation agriculture event saw over 5,500 visitors flock to Lannock Manor Farm in Hertfordshire. “It is really important that we create the space for innovation, to try new things and tailor them to the individual farm. We’ve challenged very hard to try and make sure that we stick to the principle of simplicity.”

Regular payments Successful applicants can expect their first payment within three months. Defra says regular quarterly payments will be made thereafter. Two more modules will be launched: one on nutrients and another on hedgerows.

Above: The new scheme was launched Groundswell this summer

“

Soil is at the heart of successful farming

Mr Eustice said: “There are no application windows and no deadlines. We’ve started with soil because it is at the heart of successful, profitable farming. It is also – if we get things right – the first part of the ecosystem that will start to recover.” A further SFI module will reward farmers who adopt Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques to prevent, detect and control pests, weeds, and diseases (see box) NFU president Minette Batters said the SFI was a great start but more must be done. She added: “What is needed now are the baseline metrics. Let’s get behind one tool and develop a common methodology, starting with the soil.”

Farmers wanted to develop modules for following years

rowers and livestock producers are invited to help develop a new Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) standard for Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This new Defra-funded project will develop tools and guidance to provide reliable information for farmers, growers and advisers making IPM decisions – and reward successful applicants who adopt IPM techniques. The SFI aims to help farmers manage land sensitively. The IPM standard will focus on ways that combine, cultural, biological, physical and chemical tools to manage diseases, weeds and invertebrate pests in an environmentally sensitive way.

To support the standard, an online IPM decision-making tool is being developed. It will help farmers produce IPM plans specific to their farm and cropping systems. Practical guidance will be created on how to use this online tool. ADAS technical director Neil Paveley said “With key active substances disappearing from the market and resistance on the rise... we need growers to get involved in the development now so [the SFI] is relevant and useful for all growers.” Information gathered from this process will inform the SFI standard for IPM, which is due to be rolled out in 2023. For further details, please email ipm@adas.co.uk.

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Soil health

Understanding soil is key to high yielding varieties • Nutrients and plants working together • Optimum roots deliver most nitrogen • Focus should be on untreated yields

anaging soils to optimise nutrients, soil micro-organisms and the crop itself is key to getting the most out of high yielding varieties, say experts. Understanding vital interactions taking place below ground can help growers make better use of nitrogen, avoid excessive greenhouse gas emissions and keep soil in good heart for future crops, says independent soil specialist Neil Fuller. “Get the soil working in your favour and there’s a wealth of benefits to tap in to,” Mr Fuller told visitors to an Open Day at KWS trials site at Fowlmere, Cambridgeshire. “Building up organic matter will ensure everything is held together well and there is an abundance of nutrients, but at any one time there is a symbiosis of activity going on that helps feed the plant and contributes to a healthy, high-yielding crop. “The top layer of soil is particularly important and the rhizosphere directly around the roots is where much of the action takes place. Around 75% of mineral nutrients for a crop come from the top 10cm of soil where thicker roots prevalent help maximise nutrient uptake.

an arable crop’s carbon footprint is the amount of applied nitrogen that does not get picked up by the plant and instead is converted into the powerful greenhouse gas nitrous oxide.” Poorly timed applications or those taking place in unfavourable conditions can add to the problem significantly as can poor cultivations and compacted soil structures, added Mr Fuller. “Soil compaction or poorly incorporated organic matter, such as straw, can lead to dense anaerobic layers. Subsequently, nitrogen sitting in cold wet soil can turn to nitrous oxide, which has the potential to be lost from the soil at the rate of 5kg/ha/year. “While this loss might not be noticed agronomically, it has the greenhouse gas equivalent of 1.5 t/ha of carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere every year which is highly significant.”

Biological activity Although roots near the surface boost nitrogen utilisation efficiency, they also pump carbon into the soil to promote biological activity. “The carbon balance in the soil helps regulate nitrogen uptake and this is strongly related to how carbon cycles through the crop. “A high-yielding crop has a substantial daily CO2 requirement which, if it were to take this solely from the atmosphere, it would need the equivalent of a 20m column of air per day to meet. “In good soils, CO2 concentrations are much higher than in the air and it is likely this is where most of the carbon is taken from by a high-yielding crop and again soil biology is key to this.” High untreated yields KWS technical specialist Olivia Potter says the ability of a variety to produce an abundance of shallow roots is likely to be a key factor in how effectively it is able to take up nutrients and deliver high performance. “It’s highly likely that the plants that have the highest Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) and have the great-

“

The top layer of soil is particularly important

Neil Fuller: get soil working in your favour >>

Nutrient transfer “It’s the activity of microbes around these roots that actually encourages the plant to release amino acid exudates into the rhizosphere which feed the soil biota and in turn make Nitrogen and phosphate available to the plant.” Such activity is essential for nutrient transfer, explains Mr Fuller. “Phosphate will take 30 years to shift unaided through the topsoil while nitrate takes just 10 days to move through the top 10cm of soil and for ammonia it’s around 90 days. “The role of this soil biota is key in making best use of nitrogen but better timing of applications can also result is less nitrogen being needed before yields are reduced. “One of the largest contributors to AUGUST 2022 • ANGLIA FARMER 39

Soil health >> est level of in-built resilience are the ones which also have the most appropriately adapted root systems. “High yield potential is a proven indicator of how well plants use nutrients, so a good starting point for selecting varieties able to make the best use of soil resources is to start with high untreated yield. “High untreated yield is usually an indication of plant resilience and resistance to abiotic stresses so it’s no surprise that varieties like KWS Extase and KWS Palladium with 90% plus untreated yields on the latest RL also have strong agronomic traits.”

Optimum performance Looking to the future, KWS breeders believes their new Group 4 hard wheat KWS Dawsum has many of the features required to deliver optimum performance in a variety of soils and production systems. “It’s a good blueprint for the type of variety we believe is needed for a more sustainable future and a great example of our SPP (Sowing for Peak Performance) initiative in action,” says Ms Potter. “For a start, it has high outright

yield at 104% of control indicating it uses available Nitrogen very efficiently but it also has a high untreated yield at 92% – just 1% behind the highest performer in this respect KWS Extase at 93%. “This is underpinned by resistance

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Olivia Potter: root structure a key factor

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Livestock Major investment needed to combat animal disease • Laboratory requires 'critical' repairs • Consequences could be devastating • Doing nothing risks the unthinkable

Ps have urged the government to invest more in animal disease prevention – warning that a serious outbreak could devastate the UK livestock industry. It follows a National Audit Office report which warns of an urgent need to redevelop the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) headquarters in Weybridge, Surrey. The APHA laboratory manages the threat post by disease to the UK. An animal disease outbreak could have a major impact on the UK food industry, trade, and public health, says the report. The Weybridge site “needs major investment to continue functioning” and prevent an outbreak from happening. The ageing building lacks laboratory capacity and requires major repairs, warns the document. Some £2.8bn is needed to transform the site and implement a new animal health programme. But the Treasury has formally approved only £1.2bn. Public Accounts Committee Meg Hillier MP said the centre had “lacked capital investment over many years

and it’s now at a critical stage”. Referring to the 2001 foot-and-mouth crisis, she added: “Repercussions of this not going well are very significant”. Cumbria MP Neil Hudson represents the Penrith and the Border constituency – one of the areas hardest hit by foot-and-mouth in 2001. Last month he attended a Public Accounts Committee evidence session. During the session, Mr Hudson quizzed civil servants and other experts about the risks facing the country if the Weybridge site was not adequately financed. Speaking afterwards, he said: “The evidence we heard was really alarming.” Mr Hudson added: “It was very worrying. While £2.8bn is undoubtedly a massive sum, the cost of an animal disease outbreak down the line could be astronomically higher – just look at the effects of Covid on our nation,. “I am under no illusions about the challenges currently facing the public purse but hearing the evidence given today, I urge the government to take notice. If they do not, the consequences could be devastating.”

MPs say more must be done to keep the UK disease-free

“

The evidence we heard was alarming

Mr Hudson said the issue was personal to him because he worked as a vet during the 2001 foot-and-mouth cull, witnessing scenes he never wanted to see again. “My decision to become a politician was directly impacted by these experiences. “There is a perception that DEFRA is outgunned by other departments, but sessions like today’s drive home the need for a strong, fully financed department able to prevent diseases and provide resolute action when disaster strikes.” The Public Accounts Committee will produce an official report into the redevelopment of Defra’s animal health infrastructure this coming autumn. The government will then respond at a later date.

Meat success for Platinum Jubilee

eef stole the crown at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, with 50% more burgers sold during the celebrations than in an average week. An extra 853,000kg of burgers were bought across the UK in the seven days ending on Sunday, 5 June – making it the fastest growing cut of the red meat category. Sausage rolls were also a firm favourite, with volumes up 30%, followed by a 28% rise in pork pie purchases and a 9% increase in

sausages sold. The dairy sector was also delivered a boost, with an additional 724,000 litres of fresh cream sold – one third more than an average week. Cheese also saw a lift, with an extra 228,000 kg bought – up 2%. According to the latest data from Kantar, weekly grocery sales were up 5% on an average week – with spend increasing by £109 million. Figures show that 50% of grocery categories sold more than their 2022 average.

AHDB Senior Retail Insight Manager Kim Heath said: “The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee brought a fantastic boost for the red meat and dairy sectors with burgers being a clear favourite for the royal celebrations. “This latest data shows the importance of key events for food consumption habits. Brits love a party, so even adhoc events such as the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, provides an excellent opportunity to boost sales of both red meat and dairy.” AUGUST 2022 • ANGLIA FARMER 43

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Pig & Poultry Pig industry review 'will increase fairness in supply chain' • Transparency key for producers • Rising costs and labour shortage • Defra is 'keen to help pig farmers'

government review of the pig industry will increase fairness and transparency across the sector, says Defra. The consultation follows recent challenges faced by pig producers – including rising costs and labour shortages, which industry leaders say raise serious questions about the functioning of the supply chain. The review is seeking views on issues such as transparency, price reporting, clarity of contractual terms and conditions, and market consolidation. Submissions can be made until 7 October 2022. Defra farm minister Victoria Prentis said she was inviting views from pig farmers, abattoirs, processors, retailers, marketing groups and all stakeholders involved in the pig supply chain across the whole country. The government was keen to support farmers, she said. Producers were dealing with turbulent markets, ex-

Many producers have been losing money on pigs

Victoria Prentis: range of measures

acerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, leading to increased input costs, including feed, fuel, energy, and fertiliser.

Global shortages Ms Prentis said: “Recent months have been very difficult for pig farmers due to a range of pressures including rising costs and global labour shortages. “We have engaged closely with the sector to support them in considerably reducing the backlog of pigs on farms and I continue to work with producers and retailers to support the sector. “I am a firm believer in ‘Buy British’ and supporting our domestic pig producers, and a fair and transparent supply chain is paramount. I hope the industry engages fully with this consultation so that we can help to address the challenges that they are facing.” The government had already provided a package of measures to help address the challenges faced by producers, said Ms Prentis. But many farmers

have accused Defra of acting too slowly to make a difference. Support includes temporary work visas for pork butchers, and Private Storage Aid (PSA) and Slaughter Incentive Payment (SIP) schemes to facilitate an increase in the throughput of pigs through abattoirs. Ms Prentis said the government was also working with the industry to support efforts on the longer term recruitment and retention of domestic workers – both on farms and in slaughterhouses and processing plants. To help ease pressure on farm cashflows, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board and Quality Meat Scotland, suspended the statutory levy for pig farmers and producers during November 2021 Ms Prentis has chaired three roundtables – in February, March and July 2022 – with pig industry representatives from across the UK to discuss the challenges that the sector has faced for more than a year. AUGUST 2022 • ANGLIA FARMER 45

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Pig & Poultry

How to make every gram of poultry feed count • No ‘single size fits all’ solution • Range of considerations vital • Substances can affect health

scalating cereal prices and volatile commodity markets are reinforcing the importance of strategies that maximise poultry feed utilisation. “Sky-high feed prices have left the poultry industry extremely vulnerable. Mitigating the impact while maintaining performance, however, is a challenge,” says world renowned poultry nutritionist Rick Kleyn. A good starting point is to utilise as

much of any available feed as possible, says Mr Kleyn. “Strategies that prioritise gut health are fundamental in maximising nutrient absorption and feed utilisation, particularly in the absence of antimicrobial solutions.” Gut health is a complex area, adds Mr Kleyn. It combines nutrition, as well as bird health and physiology. This means a number of important factors must be considered when optimising feed utilisation. They include maintaining intestinal barrier function, controlling parasitic infections such as coccidiosis, supporting microbial diversity and preventing dysbacteriosis, and reducing inflammation and endogenous loss.

Nutritional health From a nutritional health perspective, growers should bear in mind different

Utilising available feed is important, says Rick Kleyn.

“

Gut health is a complex area

anti-nutritional factors (ANFs) when formulating diets. These are substances which can affect health and production and can interfere with nutrient utilisation. An example of an ANF is β-mannans. These are intensively anti-nutritional and a potent stimulator of a Feed-Induced Immune Response (FIIR). They are commonly found in vegetable feed ingredients, such as legumes but also cereals. “Young chickens are very vulnerable to the ill-effects of FIIR and gut inflammation, and only low β-mannan concentrations are needed (0.20%) to trigger the immune system, making it a common problem in poultry production,” says Mr Kleyn. This makes it important to consider the potential impact of dietary β-mannans – particularly in scenarios where rations are being reformulated with ingredients that may present a higher risk.

Return on investment “There are tools available to counteract specific issues and while on the face of it they might seem expensive, the return on investment should be weighedup before rejecting their use.” The issue of β-mannans for example, can be counteracted by the inclusion of β-mannanase. This is a unique enzyme that removes the ANF and prevents the immune response. Mr Kleyn adds that the higher the feed price, generally the better the return-on-investment feed additives that support improved utilisation offer. “It can be dangerous to formulate rations based on cost alone for this very reason,” he explains. “It’s often the case that practices that make you money hold true in both good and bad times and stripping diets back in a bid to lower the cost may not yield the desired outcome in terms of profitability.”

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Pig & Poultry

Steadier temperatures boost pig productivity

ot weather – including record temperatures across the country – has prompted reminders for pig producers to review the heat settings in their piggeries. It could seem odd to actually lift the temperature when it is hot but finishing houses are typically run at 18oC, says Farmex director Hugh Crabtree. When the outside temperature is well above this, the inside of buildings will be consistently higher. “It might be worth raising the set temperature by 2-4oC so that the day/ night variation is reduced. By raising the set temperature to, say, 22oC the pigs will experience a reduced day/ night swing, and so will be more comfortable and less stressed.” Routine monitoring is always worthwhile as it tells the producer what is actually happening and when. This can often be done remotely on monitored farms, where environmental conditions can be

tracked on screen. An effective alarm system is a legal requirement to ensure pigs have sufficient ventilation.

Safeguard An upgrade introduced by Farmex further safeguards pig health and welfare when alarms are set in controlled-environment buildings. The alarm ensures people cannot permanently deactivate the alarm, for example when emptying pens. If an operator mistakenly leaves a room ‘inactive’ when restocking or while it still has pigs in it, the high, or low, temperature will still trigger the alarm. The alarm upgrades the software on Dicam controllers for pig housing. Mr Crabtree said: “With multi-room controllers, the ability to inactivate individual rooms when they are empty, or when the power is to be turned off, is obviously handy. “The upgrade overcomes the prob-

A lower temperature difference means lessstressed pigs

lem of human error if a person forgets to re-activate the room when restocking. The change means that despite a room being set inactive, temperature alarms are still active in the background.”

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Pig & Poultry

Farms wanted to help recruit next generation

he Pig Industry Scholarship Programme – which offers young entrants a career in the sector – is looking for businesses to host work placement students. The programme recruits highly qualified and committed youngsters Harper Adams University into the pig industry and associated trade. It has a track record of inspiring students who might not have considered a pigbased career. Now in its tenth year, the programme has seen more than 35 students spend their placement year within the pig industry, with many returning to their placement company after graduation. The Pig Industry Scholarship Programme was developed by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, the National Pig Association allied industry group, and Harper Adams University in 2012. AHDB Head of Pork Knowledge Exchange Jen Waters said: “I’m really keen to expand the number and range of businesses we work with to demonstrate to students just how many op-

50 ANGLIA FARMER • AUGUST 2022

portunities there are in the food and farming sector. “I am keen to talk to anyone, from all ends of the supply chain – farm to supermarket shelf – who would like to take on the challenge of enthusing a student with a placement year that opens the many career options that exist within our industry.”

Jen Waters: skilled new entrants

Pool of talent Sponsor companies attract potential new employees from a wide pool of talent. They gain first access to students who are looking for a placement and are seen as businesses that cares about upskilling the next generation. The programme is managed by a steering group of industry and university representatives. The initiative is chaired by National Pig Association pig industry group vice-chairman Hugh Crabtree, of Farmex. The deadline for expressing an interest in becoming a placement farm or sponsor for the 2023/24 academic year is 5 September 2022. For more details, email jen.waters@ahdb.org.uk.

Businesses are needed to host placement students

Live yeast can combat impact of heat stress

They were then housed under heat stress conditions for seven plus six days at 28°C). Pigs were fed a diet either with or without a live yeast. Pigs fed the live yeast Levucell SB were found to have higher levels of positive bacteria present, says Ms Elliott. This correlated with higher dry matter intake and energy retention, she adds. The trial also evaluated the benefit of Saccharomyces c. boulardii CNCM I-1079 on pig metabolism. Results highlighted the benefits of feeding the live yeast, indicating positive outcomes for animal welfare, metabolism and performance.

eeding a live yeast to alleviate the impact of heat stress in pigs could help mitigate the effect of summer temperatures on feeding behaviour. With temperatures climbing beyond 20°C in recent weeks, heat stress has prompted concerns about lower feed intakes, growth rates and animal welfare – on top of the challenges already faced by pig producers. The live yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii CNCM I-1079 can help alleviate the effects of heat stress by manipulating the microbiome to improve overall gut health, says Hannah Elliott, of Lallemand Animal Nutrition. “Scientists have shown a relationship between the gut microbial composition and the pig’s metabolic adaptation to heat stress. Manipulating the microbiome can preserve feeding behaviour, energy utilisation, and ultimately growth performance.”

Energy retention A trial to evaluate the impact of heat stress on the energetic metabolism and feeding behaviour was conducted by Lallemand Animal Nutrition in partnership with French company INRAE Pegase. Ten finishing boars were housed for 20 days in respiration chambers for seven days at 22°C.

Feed intake “While heat stress decreased feed intake in all animals, the pigs fed the live yeast showed higher feed intakes due to larger numbers of meals per day and longer meal duration compared to the control group.” At the end of the trial, feed intake was also more stable in these pigs. The Levucell SB-fed pigs had lower skin temperatures compared to the control pigs – and had increased energy retention under heat stress too. Ms Elliott says this could be explained in part by the improved gut microbiota balance. Growth performance was better preserved when feeding the live yeast under heat stress, with average daily weight gain increasing from 1.14kg to 1.28kg.

Hot weather has reduced feed intakes and growth rates. Pigs fed live yeast feed more often and for longer, says Hannah Elliott.

Scientists join forces to help tackle bird flu Top scientists are working together in a new research group dedicated to tackling bird flu. This consortium has received £1.5 million from Defra and the Biotechnology and Biosciences Research Council (BBSRC). It will be responsible for developing new strategies to tackle future bird flu outbreaks. The UK is on the migratory flight path for wild birds transiting across northern Europe. This year has seen some of the largest outbreaks the UK has ever experienced – with a huge impact on poultry health and the economy. Scientists from the Pirbright Institute hope to develop new strategies to control the spread of disease. This could boost the UK poultry industry and rural economy, which have suffered from repeated bird flu outbreaks and flock lockdowns. Key aims include monitoring current flu virus strains, better understanding the spread of disease in different bird populations and developing models to predict how the avian influenza virus may spread.

Key aims Professor Munir Iqbal, head of Pirbright’s avian influenza virus group, said: “The expertise of Pirbright’s researchers will help to achieve the key aims of this consortium and as an Institute we are extremely proud to be part of this. “Avian influenza is an economically important virus that has devastating effects on the poultry industry, therefore improved understanding of the virus will give us more insight into how it spreads and inform our control strategies to prevent it from spreading.”

Seasonal visas are 'big win' for poultry sector Allowing seasonal poultry workers from overseas to come to the UK will strengthen food security, say industry leaders, The move is among a series of measures designed to support Britain’s £8.1bn poultry industry. It will see 2,000 visas issued for poultry this year under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers scheme. British Poultry Council chief executive Richard Griffiths said the decision was a big

win for the sector. Producers and processors had suffered labour shortages driven by the effects of Brexit and compounded by the coronavirus pandemic, he warned. “The visa scheme, combined with a review into labour challenges plaguing the food and farming sector, will play a meaningful role in ensuring certainty in our workforce in peak periods to guarantee the robustness of our supply chains.

Mr Griffiths added: “The seasonal visa scheme is an example of adopting pragmatic policies that not only strengthen our food security in the short term but paves the way for ambitious change in a thriving UK post-Brexit. “If we are serious about addressing the growing risk of food insecurity in Britain, it begins with actively supporting those putting food on every table right now.” AUGUST 2022 • ANGLIA FARMER 51

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UK Dairy Day Dairy Day makes welcome return • Thousands of visitors to attend event • Showcasing the best of British dairying • Exhibitors come from UK and overseas

inal touches are being put to this year's UK Dairy Day event, which takes place next month at the International Centre, Telford, Shropshire. The dedicated annual event for the dairy industry on 14 September will bring together all facets of the industry for face-to-face networking – alongside a showcase of some of the UK’s best dairy cattle breeds. More than 300 businesses will be in attendance from the UK and further afield. The 2021 event attracted over 7,000 visitors and saw more than 170 cows in milk from six different breeds judged in the main ring. Judges for this year's one-day event have now been confirmed. They include American judge Adam Liddle who will cast his professional eye over the 2022 National Holstein Show. Mr Liddle and wife Nicole operate 120ha Liddleholme Farm in Argyle, New York, USA. The couple milk 70 Holsteins, with a strong focus on breeding. He has judged at the World Dairy Expo and national shows in Canada, Brazil, Argentina and Europe.

Holstein UK show chairman Wallace Gregg said: “Adam has worldwide judging experience and I look forward to welcoming him to the event to showcase the UK bred Holstein cattle that will be on display in the ring.”

Coloured breeds Completing the final line up for the judging of the cattle show at UK Dairy Day are the coloured breed judges for the Dairy Shorthorn, Guernsey and Jersey classes. The Dairy Shorthorn Society has chosen David Winnington who will travel the short distance from Stafford. He milks 165 original Dairy Shorthorns with his wife Debbie on their Moor End Farm with daughters Grace and Naomi. The Guernsey Society will welcome Laura Sales as its judge. She comes from Radstock, Somerset, and works for the Walters family of Creech Hill Ayrshires, where she helps with the calf rearing and relief milking. Travelling over from Ireland is Eddie Barrett to judge this year’s Jersey classes. As dairy breeding programme manager for Ireland's National Cat-

The one-day event will showcase some of the best UK dairy cattle

“

It's a global platform for UK breeders

tle Breeding Centre, he delivers elite dairy sires to NCBC shareholders and farmers. The Dairy Day cattle infrastructure sponsor is NWF Agriculture supporting free entry for cattle exhibitors. The cattle schedule will be released at the beginning of July with the stall booking deadline being Friday 5th August 2022. UK Dairy Day Cattle Show Manager and Chief Steward, Lynden Bustard, comments; “To be back in the show ring in 2021 following the Covid-19 restrictions was fantastic. There was a superb display of coloured breeds “I have no doubt this year will be even better. The live streaming and social media coverage we have at UK Dairy Day really gives breeders a global marketing platform to show off the UK’s top cattle.” For full details, including tickets, visit www.ukdairyday.co.uk

Focus on efficiency to boost margins

ilk producers have doubled down on efficiencies and are boosting herd health and fertility, confirms the latest Kingshay Dairy costings report. Looking at the main health incidences recorded in Kingshay Health Manager, producers have improved herd health and cases of mastitis, lameness, and other diseases have all declined. The report shows that lameness has fallen from 43 cases per cow to 35 cases over the past five years. Similarly, mastitis levels have fallen from 41 cases per cow to 30 casesover the same time period.

Downward trends can be attributed to more mobility scoring and improved foot management, and stringent culling protocols have helped reduce both lameness and mastitis cases, says the study. The report highlights the correlation between improved health and fertility gains. Metritis is an important cause of infertility, with infertility being the top reason for culling at 25%. Compared with last year, cases of metritis have fallen by 18.8%. Economically, higher cull values and enhanced efficiencies have seen the cost of infertility drop by 9.6% to £1.87p/litre. Calv-

ing interval rolled back by four days to 393 days and services per conception also improved to 2.3 services per conception. And while there was no change to conception rate (38%) and culling for infertility (6.7%), there was an improvement in both the 100-day in-calf rate and the 200 day not in-calf rate, the latter falling sharply from 16% to 13%. Kingshay senior farm services manager Kathryn Rowland suggested further gains could be made. At a cost of £5.23/cow for each extra calving interval day, the sums quickly added up to £1,046 per day in a 200-cow herd. AUGUST 2022 • ANGLIA FARMER 53

UK Dairy Day

Good progress achieved on calf colostrum management • Immunity-led disease prevention • Healthy metabolism in youngstock • Bigger response to calf vaccines

airy farmers are making real progress towards better calf colostrum management practices – but still need to focus on improved performance monitoring. More farmers are reaping the benefits of improved calf health by ensuring youngstock get a better start, according to a study of colostrum management practices conducted by MSD Animal Health during early 2022. “That’s great news,” said MSD youngstock category product manager Rob Simpson (pictured right), who described it as a crucial area. “Colostrum’s importance cannot be over-emphasised,” he added. In addition to providing immunity against key early life disease threats, colostrum helps kickstart sound organ development and a healthy metabolism in youngstock when fed correctly and in enough quantity.

Improvements “A good colostrum intake enables a greater response by the calf to important vaccines – up to six to ten months of age. The additive impact of sound colostrum feeding protocols and vaccination is the cornerstone of immunity-led disease prevention.”

Some 248 dairy farmers responded to the survey – including all-yearround and block-calving herds. The poll was designed to highlight any improvements following a similar survey two years ago. Some 49% of respondents said they always checked the quality of their cow colostrum before storing or feeding it, 25% said sometimes and 26% never. Two years ago, 44% of farmers said they never tested their colostrum. Newborn calves should be fed at least four litres (or 10% of bodyweight) of good quality colostrum within four hours of birth. A further two litres should be given within 12 hours of birth, said Mr Simpson.

Disease protection The earlier colostrum is fed, the quicker disease protection can be gained. Colostrum also has a local protective effect in the gut and there is evidence that it can be beneficial for calves to receive it on a daily basis up until seven days of age. More than 70% of respondents said they were feeding up to four litres of colostrum with a further 9% feeding more than four and a half li-

Above: Measuring and monitoring performance are particularly important, says Owen Atkinson (left). Inset: Monitoring colostrum quality can be done using a Brix refractometer.

tres. They were also getting it into the calf faster – more than 75% within six hours of birth and more than 15% within 12 hours. Mr Simpson said it was also encouraging that more farmers appreciated the importance of good hygiene. This is because the number of bacteria in the colostrum can double every 20 minutes if it is not stored in a fridge or frozen. “More than 60% of farmers are feeding it within 30 minutes of harvest and another 23% within the hour,” said Mr Simpson, warning that it was pointless to invest in better colostrum management and feeding practices if progress was not monitored.

Monitoring is key to better youngstock Antibody failure is nearly 14 times higher on farms that didn't properly monitor progress. But the survey found that 40% of farms never checked the transfer of antibodies from colostrum by calf blood analysis. What’s more, another 33% only do it in the event of a problem. Independent veterinary professional Owen Atkinson said 54 ANGLIA FARMER • AUGUST 2022

farmers should be checking colostrum antibody absorption routinely. “Progress has been slow in this area but now appears to be improving,” he said. “In 2015 just 3% of farms were blood testing calves5 but this latest survey suggests more than a quarter of the farms are now working with their vet in this area. That’s really encouraging.” Better calf health was possi-

bly when veterinary professionals and farmers worked together. “Measuring and monitoring are important and there are now a variety of tools available to encourage productive dialogue on farm and record progress. Preventing disease – including the use of proven vaccines – was far better than having to constantly treat problems and having to rely on antibiotics. The

MSD Animal Health Calf Checklist helped to improve management, said Mr Atkinson. It made it easier to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the calf rearing system – with periodic re-visits to monitor progress and any improvement. “I urge all dairy farmers rearing youngstock to ask their veterinary professional for help in this area.”

Professional services Eastern region farmland values outpace national average • Highest prices of any UK region • Prime arable values up by 4.2% • Big increase in farmland for sale

armland values in the East of England have continued to see year on year growth and remain ahead of the national average, according to latest research. The half year farmland price index from Savills shows that at the end of June this year ‘all types’ of farmland in East Anglia – pasture and arable – traded at an average of £8,641 an acre, the highest of any region in the UK. The figure was a 2.7% increase on June 2021 – and well ahead of the national average of £7,366 an acre. Prime arable land values in the east of England increased by 4.2% – up from £9,113 to £9,495 per in the year to 30 June 2022. This is the third highest value of any region, with the south (£9,829 an acre) and south west (£9,611 an acre) topping the list. Nationally, the value of prime arable land sits at an average of

£9,424 an acre, a rise of 2.8 per cent year on year. The East of England has also seen more farmland publicly marketed in the last 12 months than anywhere else in the UK – rising 138% from 6,528 acres on the open market in June 2021 to 15,542 acres on the open market in June 2022.

North and south In comparison, the north of England saw 18% more farmland (15,183 acres) openly marketed compared to June 2021. In Great Britain as a whole, 70,700 acres

“

Farmers are taking advantage of the strong market

were marketed during 2022 to the end June – 7% more than the same period last year. Oliver Carr, of the Savills rural team in Cambridge, said demand remained driven by purchases looking for high quality commercial units alongside corporate investors and environmentally focused buyers who want land suitable for ecological schemes. “A key feature so far this year has been the range and scale of property types available, which has come about because a growing number of farmers who were thinking of leaving the industry are now taking advantage of the strong market conditions.” “There is also a wide spread of potential buyers. Some have no past exposure to the agricultural sector and are attracted by the relatively safe investment opportunities presented by farmland at a time of considerable economic uncertainty.”

Other regions Nationally, 21% of farmland advertised during the first half of

2022 was for farms over 1,000 acres, with the 10-year average running at 11% of all farmland advertised. The largest units – both over 4,000 acres – were in Cambridgeshire and East Yorkshire. In other English regions, supply remains constrained and often sales that have come forward are because of retirements which have been accelerated due to the huge impact on the cost of and risk of production caused by the Ukraine crisis. Mr Carr said buyers remained keen to acquire additional acres or to relocate to more productive land. “Demand for smaller farms is also at unprecedented levels, with a growing pool of buyers frustrated by the lack of opportunities.” “There was evidence of keen investor appetite for large holdings launched to the market earlier this year, suggesting upbeat market sentiment for commercial agriculture – notwithstanding the Ukraine crisis and the environmental narrative of recent years.”

The Coldham Estate in Cambridgeshire is on the market with Savills and Bidwells for a £43.5m guide price.

AUGUST 2022 • ANGLIA FARMER 55

Professional services

Biodiversity net gain to generate farm income • Legal requirement to offset losses • Major provider aims for expansion • Mandatory for new developments

company specialising in biodiversity restoration is spearhead the company’s next phase of growth. The move by Environment Bank follows a multi-million-pound investment from specialist alternative asset manager Gresham House. It is the latest part of a recruitment drive to grow the team of 40 staff to more than 200 employees in the coming years. Environment Bank specialises in creating Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) units, which under the Environment Act 2021 are becoming mandatory for all new developments and infrastructure

56 ANGLIA FARMER • AUGUST 2022

projects in England. BNG is a concept pioneered by founder David Hill in 2007. Based on leaving nature in a better state than before, it requires the creation or improvement of environmental habitats to offset habitats lost or damaged by development. Environment Bank leases land from farmers and landowners over 30 years to create these ‘habitat banks’ which deliver significant gains for nature. The BNG units they create are then used by developers to meet their legal requirements. Working in partnership with landowners, the team of expert

ecologists at Environment Bank helps plan and create the habitat banks, supporting the management over the term of the lease – and generating an income for farmers. Supporters say habitat banks have the potential to create huge gains for nature – as well as providing a guaranteed diversified income stream for farmers and landowners while improving the natural environment. The new appointments see experienced environmental and real estate lawyer Alexa Culver join as general counsel for the company. Ms Culver brings with her ore than 14 years of background in environmental, natural capital and real estate law In her role with Environment Bank, Ms Culver will advise and support the team strategically – en-

suring smooth progress of their national programme of habitat land transactions and BNG unit sales.

Step-change Ms Culver said: “Although Environment Bank has been established since 2006 thanks to some of the UK's leading ecologists, this is a step-change moment for the business, after years of lobbying with the government. The Environment Act meant

Top tips for farming success on under 150 acres Harry Kennedy from Savills explores potential opportunities for smaller-scale farms. Farms of up to 150 acres shape the landscape of the UK – with many now looking for ways to broaden their income stream. Meanwhile, new non-farming buyers are typically interested in environmental projects, establishing a line of artisanal produce or building on farm tourism opportunities. For those thinking of diversifying, here’s some potential avenues to explore:

that developers would have to provide biodiversity net gain as part of a mandatory legal requirement, said Ms Culver. “It’s not easy to find creative in-house roles for lawyers so I leapt at the chance to join Environment Bank.” She added: “My experience working in transactional real estate, projects and regeneration, and in the innovative technology and environmental services sector meant I felt that I had something to offer.” Tom Brown and Kerriann McLackland join the new land team, as regional heads of land for the north and south-east regions respectively. They will lead on lease opportunities with landowners and form joint ventures that deliver on long-term landscape change.

Working with farmers Mr Brown has over nine years of experience in private practice working with farmers, landowners, and rural communities to deliver sustainable strategic rural business planning and development. He said: “I am passionate about how we farm and manage the landscape – and for the huge opportunities habitat banks offer for rural land use and the future of farming. “Environment Bank is leading the way in demonstrating how diversified income streams can be generated from nature whilst also protecting the environment, habitats and rural communities. No other business in the world is doing this.” A rural surveyor with over 20 years of experience, Mr McLackland has a background in estate management for institutional landowners, including National

Above: Environment Bank’s new regional heads of land, Tom Brown and Kerriann McLackland Left: Developers will pay farmers to create or improve habitats (Photo: Simon Collins / Shutterstock.com)

Trust, RSPB and a number of local authorities. He said: “It’s a great time to join Environment Bank and I am looking forward to engaging with more landowners. I feel like I have joined a company with a strong collective purpose and where I can make a genuine difference – to people and the planet.”

Phenomenal growth “Not only are we supporting the rural economy with guaranteed, diversified business opportunities but the habitat banks we are creating across England will make a real and lasting contribution to nature restoration and that is such an exciting prospect.” With its head office in York, Environment Bank is headed by former Natural England chief executive James Cross. It plans to roll out habitat banks in every local planning authority area by early 2024. Mr Cross said: “This is an exciting time for Environment Bank. The past 12 months have seen phenomenal growth in our business, which is great news for nature and for the economy. “Our vision and our passion mean that we are able to attract and retain the best talent which will be vital to our success. Tom, Kerriann and Alexa will play key roles in leading and shaping our future and influencing environmental change.”

1. Amenity woodland creation: This has been driven by a desire to reduce carbon emissions and improve biodiversity. For farms with a limited area to dedicate to tree planting a good choice is to establish a small firewood plantation. Logs can be sold locally – or provided for any holiday accommodation on the farm, if relevant. What you plant depends on where you are, but birch and sycamore are usually good firewood crops and are fast growing. You may also be eligible for grants such as the Forestry Commission’s England Woodland Creation Offer and the Woodland Carbon Fund. 2. Food and farming: The key here is to add value to produce and find innovative ways to sell it. Success comes from being adept at marketing and social media, expertise that hasn’t previously been central to traditional farming. Perhaps also consider on-farm vending machines. As capital costs are relatively low they are a good route to market and don’t necessarily have to be confined to the farm – think pub car parks, farm shops and even railway stations. 3. Renewables: There are increasingly attractive reasons to generate clean energy on farms. Options are dictated by geography, policy and size, and the few grants available are targeted at bigger schemes. Smaller, self-funded schemes are most likely to suit farms that use a high amount of electricity (such as cold stores). Generally, if the power generated is used on site, it is economically viable to install renewables. Solar PV is most common. 4. Building development: Redundant farm buildings can be converted for holiday lets, wedding venues and offices for small start-ups. However, there are potential barriers in the form of planning restraints and access. Chief among them are whether the building is protected from a heritage point of view, or if there’s an ecological impact both on the building and the surrounding area. Buildings also need to be structurally safe to convert. 5. Leisure: One venture that doesn’t require too much capital investment is a campsite. Demand soared during the pandemic and it’s often a good way to test the water for a larger project, such as glamping or tree houses. Other businesses are taking advantage of the increased interest in nature to offer experiences such as bat or badger watching, food foraging or night-sky gazing. Consider what the opportunities might be, what you have on site and what you could develop. Rules around health and safety and welfare will apply, speak to your insurance provider about public liability cover and keep in mind any change-of-use implications for tax planning. Harry Kennedy Savills - Norwich 07966 284226 harry.kennedy@savills.com

AUGUST 2022 • ANGLIA FARMER 57

ENDPIECE

Combine harvester fire risk as temperatures soar Heatwave conditions could spell financial ruin for farmers without insurance against fire risk, says Rupert Wailes-Fairbairn.

he summer heatwave and spate of fires involving standing crops and combine harvesters highlight the importance of proper safety checks on farm machinery. Combine harvesters are one of the main causes of agricultural fires at this time of year. They should be a notable focus of attention. Every year, fires devastate crops, costing farmers thousands. Last month alone, combine harvesters have been responsible for a number of significant blazes. Accumulated dust and chaff in the machinery, along with electrical wires in close proximity to fuel, are a constant risk. When you factor in the tinder dry conditions, this risk intensifies. In one recent case, overheated bearings proved incendiary. Combines go from many months of inactivity to intense use. It is therefore vital they undergo careful inspections and stringent maintenance checks, in addition to being reg-

“

Fires can cause severe disruption – and destroy livelihoods

58 ANGLIA FARMER • AUGUST 2022

ularly cleaned and tested. Other recommendations include using a compressor to blow away debris, keeping a fire extinguisher on the combine, using water bowsers when harvesting and cleaning equipment at the end of each day. Mirrors on stationary equipment can cause fires, so care should be taken to keep them out of sunlight.

buildings, homes and storage facilities. Leaving aside the cost and disruption to the business, of equal concern is the long waiting list for new equipment should a combine have to be replaced at short notice.

Public liability Safe storage can significantly reduce fire risk and farmers should comply with the stack and distance limits specified by their insurer. Splitting stacks and keeping them in different locations is a sensible precaution. Farm combined policies will cover damage caused to a farmer’s own buildings by spreading wildfire, and public liability insurance will provide protection if a fire spreads from a farmer’s land to a neighbour’s. It is essential the value of cereal crops is reviewed as they are put into store. Commodity prices have recently been 50% higher than this time last year with prices fluctuating dramatically, so it is imperative that the sums insured are adequate. Feed, forage and bedding to feed livestock throughout the winter is expensive to replace and, once again, farmers should ensure they have sufficient insurance in place for this eventuality.

What3Words It is also sensible to have a communication system in place so remote workers can be contacted in the event of a fire. The What3Words app, for example, can help emergency services pinpoint your precise location in farm fields. Fires can cause severe disruption at one of the busiest times of the farming year and, in some cases, even destroy livelihoods. Advice from an experienced and specialist insurance broker can help guard against this. In addition to the risk to life, crops and machinery – new combines can cost more than Rupert Wailes-Fairbairn is a chartered £500,000 – wildfire can spread rapidly to farm insurance broker with Lycetts

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T.G. ASKEW

BLUE PUMP FARM, LOW ROAD, BRESSINGHAM, DISS, NORFOLK IP22 2AA

Bulk haulage • Aggregate Road Planings • Stock Feed For further information please contact T: 01379 388156 F: 01379 388109 Email: jeremy@tgaskew.co.uk LANDSCAPING & MAINTENANCE

STORAGE TANK STORAGE TANKS

Tel 01638 712328 01638 712328

All suitable for fuel, water and effluen 2730L – 54,500L horiz/cyl Call today for details Water Tanks

single or twin comp. with cradles

www.thekinggroup.co.uk/tan

tanks@thekinggroup.co.uk INSULATION

Sprayed Foam Insulation Specialists

FOR A FREE QUOTE CALL: 01405 812682 Crow Tree Farm, Crow Tree Bank, Thorne Levels, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN8 5TF info@webstersinsulation.com www.webstersinsulation.com WANTED

WANTED TO RENT

LARGE LIVESTOCK BARN FOR WINTER 2022/23 PREFERABLY NORFOLK/SUFFOLK Please email farmoff ice@yahoo.com with details/costs

TO ADVERTISE IN THE ANGLIA FARMER BUSINESS DIRECTORY CALL 01502 725144

Protimeter Grainmaster

Aeration Pedestals and Fans

Grain Stirrers

Straw Bale Moisture Meter

Post-Harvest Grain Storage Servicing and Equipment With harvest approaching, call now to arrange grain store and equipment servicing • Moisture Meters • Automatic Fan Controllers • Mobile and Fixed Grain Driers • Aeration Pedestals & Fans • Moisture Meter Testing • Modulating Gas Heaters • Bulk Handling Equipment

Sinar 6070

Sinar 6300

Sinar 6095

Sinar 6096

Marrison Agriculture Limited, 1 Ironside Way, Hingham, Norfolk, NR9 4LF.