Anglia Farmer - October 2023

Anglia Farmer

News Delays to farm support 'just not good enough'

Autumn Conference

Flagship event focuses on sustainabiltiy

Post-harvest special Advice on maintaining grain quality in stores

Winter livestock Funding available to improve calf housing

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Anglia Farmer

EDITORIAL

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OPINION Johann Tasker

Honesty should be best policy for farm support

Last month's long-awaited launch of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) should have been something to celebrate – but instead it was more of a let-down.

After months of delays, false starts and revised options for farmers, the scheme finally opened for applications on 18 September – but it is clear that the SFI is far from the finished article.

Getting it right

Defra has made much of the fact that it is better to take a little longer to get things right, rather than rushing and getting things wrong. But that is little consolation for farmers who found they were unable to complete their applications because of glitches with the computer system.

These glitches were meant to be resolved – in fact Defra said they had been. But many applicants found that they weren't – or at least only partially, with further fixes needed.

Thousands of farm businesses of all types and sizes had registered their interest to begin their applications. Defra had even scaled up support to ensure a good service for farmers. But it wasn't up to scratch, with growers and livestock producers struggling to make sense of it all.

Unsurprising then, that the NFU waded in to warn that the roll-out of Defra's new farm support schemes remain “a million miles” away from the government commitments.

Many farmers already face a cash-flow crisis this winter, says the union, fuelled by high inflation and rising input costs. And all this on top of £720m in cuts to direct support as the phase-out of the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) continues.

To ease the pain, the government has pledged that the first farmers will start to receive their SFI payments before the end of the year. It says they will receive an advance payment of 25% of their money in ‘the first month of their agreement’.

Come clean

While the money will be welcome, it won't compensate at all for BPS losses. And the NFU says it expects most farmers will still have to wait for a wider roll-out of the SFI before they can sign up. Defra should come clean on how long this will take. As we have said before, ongoing delays are bad for farmers – and bad for the environment too.

Johann Tasker, Editor

Defra faces criticism for SFI rollout

Farmers losing out on income

Cash-flow warning this winter

Payment pledged before 2024

Payments to farmers who join the government's Sustainable Farming Incentive will be made before the year-end, says Defra.

The pledge follows NFU criticism that the government is forging ahead with the phase-out of the Basic Payment Scheme without giving farmers the opportunity to recoup at least some of the lost income because the SFI still isn't fully up and running.

NFU president Minette Batters says the loss of the BPS is a major reason many farmers are facing a cashflow crisis this coming winter.

The roll-out of farm support measures including the SFI remains “a million miles” away from government commitments, she warned.

'Essential support'

“Farmers will be pleased government has listened to them, but the backdrop to these pieces of good news is that many farmers continue to face a bleak end to the year, with money they were promised, and rely on, not coming.

“While we have been working hard to prepare for changes to the essential support schemes that support farming and environmental management, delays in the roll-out of the new scheme, coupled with reductions in the current scheme, mean most farmers have been unable to access the new SFI while facing significant holes in their finances from the withdrawal of BPS.”

A revised SFI opened for applications last month. It aims to pay farmers to take actions that support food production, farm profitability and resilience, whilst protecting and enhancing the environment.

The 2023 offer has been expanded and made more flexible, says Defra. It says it made the move in response to

farmer feedback and now offers more than twice as many new SFI actions as originally planned.

Some 23 paid-for actions are on offer. They include hedgerow and nutrient management, farmland wildlife and low input grassland.

Further improvements to the scheme mean farmers can choose what combination of actions are right for them, says Defra.

Registered interest

Thousands of farm businesses of all types and sizes have registered their interest in the SFI, says the government. Invitations to apply have been issued and scaled up to get applicants on board and ensure a good service for farmers, it adds.

Farmers with a live SFI agreement before the end of the year will receive their first quarterly payment – typically worth 25% of the annual value of their agreement – by the end of this year. But this amount will still be dwarfed by the lost BPS income.

Defra says payments will typically be made in the first month of an agreement starting. And it says there will be no cap on what individual farmers can do in the scheme or overall numbers of applications.

Defra secretary Thérèse Coffey said: “We’ll be working to get as many farmers onto the scheme as quickly as possible, so that they get payments in their pockets and are rewarded for the enthusiasm with which they are embracing this scheme.”

Warning over winter storm damage

Rural insurer NFU Mutual is reminding farmers to make sure their businesses are resilient to winter storms.

It comes after the first storm this season –Storm Agnes – brought winds of up to 75mph to parts of the UK last month, damaging buildings and causing localised flooding, with farms affected by fallen trees and falling debris.

NFU Mutual rural specialist Hannah Binns said: “With more storms likely to hit between now and the end of winter, we are urging everyone to plan ahead and take great care if working outside in stormy conditions.

“Safety for farmers, family members and workers should always be the number one priority and while fully understanding the pressures farmers are under, it is vital they avoid taking

risks which could lead to injury or fatalities.”

Farmers should keep up-to-date with weather warnings and have insurance details to hand, said Ms Binns. They should avoid being near barn doors in high winds and tell someone of their location when working alone, she added.

“There are a number of actions farmers can take while the weather is calm, such as identifying safer ground to move livestock to in the event of flooding and carrying out necessary repairs to buildings, fences and walls.

“It is also worth checking alternative fuel and power sources in case of a power cut."

NFU Mutual local offices are placed on standby to progress repairs after winter storms. This includes making emergency payments and settling simpler claims immediately.

Defra secretary Thérèse Coffey (left) and NFU president Minette Batters

Promises are not being delivered

Compressors & Pressure Washers

Technology to reduce rural crime

New approaches to improving farm security will be discussed by Norfolk police and crime commissioner Giles Orpen-Smellie this month.

The cost of rural theft increased by 52% in Norfolk in 2022, making it one of the UK's 10 worst-affected counties. Other badly-hit counties long with Cambridgeshire and Essex, according to the figures from NFU Mutual.

Online event

Mr Orpen-Smellie will discuss the situation during an online event hosted by Agri-TechE on 12 October. He will be joined by NFU Mu tual farm insurance specialist Charlie Yorke and Louis Clabburn, head of member servic es at the AF Group.

Essex farmers create special Frankenstein pumpkins

An Essex farming couple have grown Frankenstein-shaped pumpkins to give their customers an extra bit of fright this Halloween.

Guy and Emily French, owners of Foxes Farm Produce, have perfected the art of the Frankenstein pumpkins over the last sev en years. They were the first UK farmers to attempt the feat, using specially designed moulds from the USA.

Mr French said: “These Frankenstein pumpkins are a labour of love, but we know our visitors think they're great. As some of the most experienced pumpkin growers in the country, we felt up to the task, and are so pleased with the results this year.”

Guess the weight

Foxes Farm Produce is inviting visitors to their night-time pumpkin patch at Colches ter to guess the weight of the Frankenstein pumpkin on display. Entry costs £1 per guess with half the proceeds going to MacMillan Cancer Support and half to the winner.

Established in 2007, the farm business is one of the UK's leading pumpkin wholesale growers. As well as growing and selling their own pumpkins, the couple deliver through out the UK to wholesalers, retailers and fel low pumpkin patches.

They opened their first pick-your-own Pumpkin Patch in Essex in 2015 and attract thousands of visitors to their farms in Basildon and Colchester. They also have a seasonal pick your own sunflower patch, giant corn maze and a farm mud run enterprise.

Quad bikes and all-terrain vehicles are particularly vulnerable to theft. A global shortage of chips and components is also heightening demand for stolen goods, with criminals even using lightweight drones to target rural businesses.

Recommended anti-theft measures include as locking gates, removing keys from vehicles and keeping records of serial and chassis numbers. But there are also technological options available to deter criminals.

“There is no silver bullet solution but

SAR mark – and transponder tags the size of a grain of rice containing a unique code number that cannot be altered or deleted – have made it easier to identify stolen equipment, doubling the chances of return.

The online event will offer an overview of the technology currently available to farmers. Called ‘Agri-Tech to reduce rural crime’, it is being held in partnership with the AF Group and Norfolk County Council.

Remote monitoring through the ‘Internet of Things’ could be the key to improved se-

Schools learn about food and farming

More children will have the chance to learn where their food comes from thanks to an education programme run by the East of England Agricultural Society.

The society's Kids Country initiative helps primary school children understand where food comes from, the value of eating in-season UK produce and ways to keep safe in the countryside. All events will now be run on-site in schools.

Education manager Sandra Lauridsen said: “Over the past few years we have lis-

tened to teachers who have identified travel costs as a real barrier to more children accessing our events, which focus on hands-on learning experiences.”

“We are offering a more flexible approach, with our events programme re-worked to deliver our fully booked events programme into the playground and classroom.”

Primary schools across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire will also be the chance to link up with a local farm, with farmers coming into the classroom to tell the field-to-fork journey of their food.

Guy and Emily French have perfected the art of growing Frankenstein-shaped pumpkins

Autumn Farming Conference to focus on sustainability

Experts and farmers prepare to plan best way forward for agriculture

Sustainability, water management and environmental schemes will be key topics at a major regional farming event this month.

The 2023 Autumn Farming Conference takes place on Tuesday, 10 October, at Wherstead Park, Ipswich. It is being organised by regional accountancy firm Larking Gowen in conjunction with the Country Land and Business Association.

The conference will demonstrate the direction of travel for the farming industry and how the requirements of the environment and food production can be mutually compatible, says Bruce Masson, the Larking Gowen partner behind the event.

Business advice

“The emphasis will be on delivering practical information and advice which delegates can use in their own businesses. Farmers are having to deal with extremely volatile input and output prices, making it incredibly difficult to plan or budget accurately.

Mr Masson says the scale and speed of in terest rate increases following 15 years of

A top 40 accountancy firm, Larking Gowen has one of the UK's largest teams of agricultural specialists. It serves clients ranging from small family farms to large rural estates across East Anglia and beyond.

Mr Masson will be joined at the conference by fellow Larking Gowen partners Laurie Hill and Steven Rudd, head of the firm’s farms and landed estates division.

Farming roadmap

Conference speakers include farming experts who will provide an insight into the industry, the headwinds it faces and the opportunities which exist for farmers who are correctly positioned.

Chaired by CLA East director Cath Crowther, the event will include presentations by Matt Ryan, head of farmer relationships at Oxbury; Henry Welham, partnership manager at Yagro; farmer and rural policy advisor Emily Norton; and entrepreneur Ian Evans.

The conference will consider how change

only UK bank dedicated to British agriculture. CLA Energy offers energy and water procurement services, free energy health checks and sieworks management.

The conference is supported by YAGRO, Integrity Asset Finance and Impact Services.

Making the most of water

In the light of last year’s extreme drought and the last major water infrastructure in England being some 30 years ago, water management and how to make best use of water as an increasingly precious resource will be

A special session will be chaired by John Patrick of Sustainable Water Solutions, which provides a wide variety of integrated water treatment solutions which efficiently treat raw water, process waters and waste

Mr Patrick will be joined by Andrew Marriott, of the Country Land and Business Association; Charlie MacNicol, of the Stody Estate; and Norfolk farmer Sarah Kerkham, who chairs the abstraction and irrigation

All proceeds from the event will be divided between two charities: YANA (You Are Not Alone), which provides mental health support for the farming community; and the Farm Safety Foundation, known by many as ‘Yellow Wellies’ charity, which campaigns

The event on Tuesday 10 October will start at 9.15am and conclude at 4pm. For full details and tickets, please visit www.larking-gowen.co.uk/AFC.

Larking Gowen partners (l-r) Bruce Masson, Laurie Hill and Steven Rudd will represent the firm at the conference, which is being held at Wherstead Park, Ipswich.

Conference speakers

Matt Ryan

Head of farmer relationships, Oxbury Bank

Matt grew up on his family’s sheep and arable farm on the South Island of New Zealand. He says he has always enjoyed the physical ‘hands on’ side of farming, especially the technical aspects of plant and animal health.

After graduating from Lincoln University in New Zealand, Matt started his agricultural bank ing career in 2006 at ANZ Bank and Rabobank, progressing to managing client portfolios and ag ricultural banking teams, as well as offshore ag ricultural banking projects. He joined Oxbury Bank in February 2020.

In addition to his banking career, Matt has run his own successful livestock farming business and remains an independent trustee of a family-owned sheep and beef farming enterprise. His hobbies include rugby union, cricket, running and skiing.

Henry Welham

Partnership manager, Yagro

Brought up in the countryside, Henry gained a degree in agricultural business management at Newcastle University. He then joined crop protec tion manufacturer Certis UK where he gained his FACTS and BASIS qualifications.

Yagro exists to transform the food and farming industry through accessible, advanced data analytics. Founded in 2015, the firm joined the Frontier Agriculture group of companies in October 2021, although it remains independently managed.

Henry joined Yagro as partnership manager in 2022. He believes data enables growers and advisers to make better informed decisions on farming practises – and use evidence-based decision making rather than relying on gut feel or what they did last year.

Emily Norton Farmer and rural adviser

Emily is a farmer and an independent rural policy adviser with an interest in natural capital influences on land, food and farming. She has worked with major institutional and private landowners and farmers across the UK.

Retained as a policy adviser to Savills, Emily lives and works on a 150-acre Norfolk farm. Her presentation will cover the evolution of environmental and sustainability policy as it impacts on our customers and supply chains.

Emily will examine what this might mean for farms navigating the choppy waters ahead. Should you sign up for the Sustainable Farming Incentive, where are the markets for nature-based solutions, and who will pay for your farm data?

barn to create and equip a modern venue which hosts weddings, exhibitions, and corporate events, as well as pop-up art exhibitions and charity fundraisers.

Ian and Diane also own Copdock Hall Vineyard on land facing Copdock Hall. Planted in 2013, it yielded its first harvest in 2015 and currently produces a rosé wine, a white wine blend called Foster’s Fate, a sparkling Tudor Rosé brut and gin.

A journalist who spent two decades working for regional, national, and international media, Ian and his wife Diane opened Copdock Hall, their Grade II-listed Elizabethan barn in the beautiful Suffolk countryside, in April 2015.

The couple oversaw the renovation of the

CLA East director Cath Crowther will chair the event.

Ian Evans Entrepreneur

The event will deliver practical information and advice

(l-r): Matt Ryan, Henry Welham, Emily Norton and Ian Evans

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Photo ID rule to buy fertiliser this autumn

• New law to ensure fertiliser safety

• Applies to nitrogen-based fertiliser

• Concern over barriers to ordering

Achange in the law means farmers must now provide photo identification before they purchase ammonium nitrate fertiliser this autumn.

The law change came into effect on 1 October. It affects sales of AN fertilisers with a nitrogen content of 16% or more and represents a widening of the Control of Poisons and Explosives Precursors Regulations 2023.”

Threshold

The NFU says the requirement applies to compounds, blends and mixtures such as NPK fertilisers that exceed the AN threshold regardless of the overall nitrogen content. It will also apply to CAN (Calcium Ammonium Nitrate) and potassium nitrate.

In an advice note issued to farmers, the NFU suggests the photo ID doesn't need to be a passport or driving licence. But it says purchases will involve recording the type of business and a VAT number if applicable.

“At this stage, we don’t believe you’ll have to present photo ID in person – sending via email, text or another app will suffice – as long as it matches the name of the person placing the order or account holder.

“The ID provided can be of anyone in the farm business who is tasked with making the purchase, and verification will be kept on record and will need to be updated every 18 months in the case of professional users, or if there is a change to a usual order.”

Concerns

The NFU says it raised concerns that the new rule mustn't be a barrier to ordering fertiliser at a time when the market is in flux. “We’ve had assurances that there should be no requirement to provide the ID to place the order – it can be sent afterwards.”

If there are multiple people in a farm business, it should only need one person to provide the ID, says the NFU. Purchases on behalf of a group

The new rules affect ammonium nitrate and other nitrogen-based fertilisers.

mean a photo ID could be required by the merchant for someone from the farm where the fertiliser will be delivered.

“As there are many and varied scenarios where this could apply, we cannot give comprehensive examples of how this will work. But if someone is seeking to buy fertiliser on behalf of others, the key test is likely to be who is acquiring the fertiliser on delivery.”

The photo ID will be kept on file by the merchant in accordance with their data security and storage policies, says the NFU. All standard data protection and legal requirements for the safe storage of your personal data will apply, it adds.

Changes could affect farmers nationwide

NFU crops board chairman Matt Culley says the new rules must not hamper the ability of farmer to purchase important crop nutrients – especially during times of urgency to get fertiliser on farm and applied within the appropriate timeframe.

“Farmers need to be aware of this new regulation so that they can work with their suppliers to ensure it doesn't cause problems with purchases,” he says.

Other organisations lobbying the government have included the Agricultural Industries Confederation. AIC head of fertiliser Jo Gilbertson has warned that “tens of thousands” of farmers could be caught out

by the new legislation.

“While we will always support efforts to further minimise the public safety risks of fertiliser falling into the wrong hands, the government has failed to understand how ammonium nitrate products are bought and sold within agriculture."

The NFU emphasises that it wants to ensure the safe use of fertilisers. But it says it has been working with the wider

supply chain to explore the possibility of earned recognition to reduce the burden on members.

“We want to ensure the safe use of fertilisers, however, we have made the case that there are already many industry, Red Tractor and FIAS (Fertiliser Industry Assurance Scheme) procedures around the purchase, storage and application of fertiliser."

Matt Culley: New requirements

Farmers need to be aware

Hedgerows must be protected, says farm group

Afarm conservation group is urging the government to encourage hedgerow creation and maintainance.

Responding to a Defra consultation, the Nature Friendly Farming Network says the government should maintain hedgerow protection as an absolute minimum, arguing that hedges are crucial natural assets which require well-designed regulations.

The government has asked for views on hedgerow protection as it continues to pursue a post-Brexit farming strategy which is specially tailored to the England, rather than the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy.

It says hedgerows can store carbon and help the UK meet its Net Zero targets – as well as helping farmers to manage livestock, reduce soil erosion and lower water run-off while providing homes for pollinators and predators which can control pests.

bring further benefits to farmers and the farmed landscpae. A stronger programme of monitoring and enforcement could see hedgerows deliver benefits for farm businesses and the environment, it adds.

Lines said: “Hedgerows bring numerous benefits, from carbon sequestration and natural pest control to flood mitigation, but they are also a part of our countryside’s heritage."

Bad practice

Existing regulations will not be enough on their own unless there are penalties for bad practice, explained Mr Lines.

tection runs counter to the need to secure ecosystem functionality in ways that improve farming’s resilience.

ey for public goods will only be successful if it’s underpinned by a clear

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Hardwick, Cambs CB23 7QL

Late-drilled rape can still be profitable

Phoma-resistant hybrid varieties

Growers unable to drill oilseed rape until last month due to the wet summer can rest assured that sowing the crop in September is not necessarily a bad thing.

Later drilled oilseed rape can still produce a profitable crop – if it is a phoma-resistant hybrid variety variety with vigorous development, says Chris Guest, managing director of LS Plant Breeders.

Weather data shows that September-drilled rape is still an option, says Mr Guest, who has analysed daily temperatures or the last two autumns at LSPB headquarters in Impington, near Cambridge.

Analysis shows that temperatures totalled 1,131°C between the start of September and end of November in 2021 and 1,163°C for the same period in 2022. This is more than ample for successful rapeseed development, says Mr Guest.

“If we want to reach the 8-leaf stage with a robust plant based on 8mm root

neck diameter and a tap root of more than 8 cm before winter, we have to accumulate 150°C for germination and around 120-150°C per leaf pair.

“Calculating both figures together, we need minimum 750°C for a sufficient development before winter, and based on the temperature data from Impington, we can still reach that stage, even with ultra-late sowing dates going right up to the end of September.

Cautioon needed

“There are a number of provisos. Most important is to say that late sowing is advisable only for hybrid varieties with their vigorous development, Also that late sown oilseed rape crops are more at risk to phoma, so a good phoma rating is advised.”

LSPB hybrid Murray, with its vigorous growth habit and exceptional RlmS phoma resistance, is a good example of a variety suited to late drilling – depending on farm location and

adjustments like modifying your sowing rate.

“In a challenging season like this, it is worthwhile considering late sowing if your temperature data is comparable with ours from Impington,” says Mr Guest, who points out that many growers now have their own weather station.

“It means you can look at your own historic information as well as our data to make an informed decision about how late rape can be drilled and still establish successfully.”

Winning oilseed rape results from LSPB Vegas

Awinning performance by winter oilseed rape Vegas in Agrii trials reinforces the variety's position on the AHDB Recommended List, says breeder LSPB.

“Vegas was a top yielding variety in Agrii trials in both 2023 and in 2022 with an excellent disease profile and outstanding late season stem health,” says David Leaper, Agrii's technical manager for oilseeds (pictured below).

“This year there has been lots of late season disease, and filling seed

vest, it is notable that Vegas has stayed green.”

Agrii national trials in 2023 and 2022 saw Vegas ranked as a top va riety for gross output – with a very high oil content in both years. The va riety performed consistently in both years, says Mr Leaper.

“Looking at the overall charac ters, our trials show that Vegas is suitable for all soils and regions of the UK, with a fast speed of develop ment in the autumn and early, vigor ous regrowth in the spring.”

Disease resistance

The variety produces a relatively com pact canopy is very stiff, with medi um maturity, says Mr Leaper.

“Disease resistance includes the highest possible RLmS stem canker resistance and a very robust light leaf spot rating. Vegas also has excellent tolerance to Verticillium wilt with noticeably much greener stems.”

LSPB managing director Chris Guest says the variety's RlmS phoma resistance is a big player in strong stem health. “This clearly has a pos-

itive influence on its good disease scores and, in particular, helps the fight against late season stem disease.

“While we do not claim Vegas as having pod-shatter resistance, we don’t think that it is quite as cut and dry as yes/no when it comes to minimising pod-shatter, says Mr Guest.

"The variety’s good overall stem health is also important.”

Top yielding winter oilseed rape variety LSPB Vegas

Chris Guest: good phoma rating is advisable

Beware of ‘green bridge’ when spraying off stale seedbeds

Growers are reminded to avoid short gaps between spraying off and drilling, which can leave a green bridge for aphids to survive and spread barley yellow dwarf virus into new crops.

Cereal volunteers and some weed species can host grain aphids and bird cherry-oat aphids – both of which are vectors of BYDV. But infection rates are lower when there is a nine-day gap

The Bayer trials team set out to find the optimal interval between green bridge destruction and drill ing. Infected bird cherry-oat aphids were released into plots of cereal vol unteers. Plots were then sprayed off, with winter barley drilled after a twoday or nine-day gap.

Barley yields were significantly higher in plots treated with glypho sate nine days before sowing. But aphid survival was much higher in plots where there was a two-day gap – leading to significantly higher lev els of infection in the crop.

Clear results

"The results are clear, try not to have a very tight turna round between spray off and drilling where BYDV is a prob lem. With a short gap, aphids can survive on dying volun teers and weeds to migrate to the newly emerged crop."

Farmers should take care to ap ply glyphosate at the correct rate, adds Mr Siggs. Rates might need to be higher than usual this autumn be cause growing conditions were good before, during and after harvest.

“We are seeing some fairly vigorous and large weeds and volunteers which will require more robust rates than may be assumed, so get agronomic advice."

Mr Siggs emphasises that an integrated pest management approach is

Farm suppliers appoint head of sustainability

The Agricultural Industries Confederation has appointed Vicky Robinson as its first head of sustainability for the organisation which represents the UK's agri-supply industry.

Ms Robinson, who lead the trade association's sustainability policy work, was previously technical director at Linking Environment And Farming (LEAF). Before that, she worked for Natural England on agri-environment delivery and policy development.

She said: "With the increasing em-

phasis on sustainability within our food system, the pivotal role that the agricultural supply chain provides in balancing the provision of nutri tious food with the needs of the en vironment, economic and social sys tems is key.

“Working across all of the sectors that AIC represents, my role will bal ance the needs of our members in deliv ering the AIC's mission – supporting modern sustainable commercial agriculture in the UK and collaboration throughout the food chain."

Symptoms of BYDV on young plants include yellowing leaves

Inset: Shorter intervals mean grain aphids can survive on dying plants

Trials results are clear, says Matt Siggs (left)

essential for BYDV management, utilising tools such as T-sum and selecting resistant varieties. Delayed drilling is also effective and fits in well with weed control programmes.

"Because of the longer gap between application and drilling, there could be concern about additional weed germination,” he says.

“Monitor carefully before drilling and consider Roundup in the pre-emergence mix at 540gms/ha if there is further weed emergence. But keep strictly to the true pre-emergence timing – and of course get advice about it."

agri-supply roadmap for a sustainable food chain in 2020. Ms Robinson will support AIC member businesses as they transition towards net zero.

a sustainable future for AIC

Pet food company funds Suffolk landscape project

Aground-breaking partnership has seen a group of farmers team up with pet food company Nestlé Purina to undertake environmental work in Suffolk.

Known as the High Suffolk Farm Cluster, the farmers are providing sites for bird boxes made by retired carpenter and naturalist Jim Peart and funded by Nestlé Purina as part of the Landscape Enterprise Networks (LENs) programme.

The bird boxes are providing nesting sites for bird species including the little owl, kestrel, and spotted flycatcher. In addition, winter bird feed is being provided by Kings Crops via Perdix supplementary feeders.

Patrick Barker from Lodge Farm in Westhorpe said: “The collaboration is integral to sustainable landscape scale farmland nature recovery in our region and environmental improvements for the wider community.”

Farmer-led support

Nestlé UK & Ireland regeneration lead Matt Ryan emphasised that the support received by the High Suffolk Cluster was farmer-led. “Our involvement in this, and other farm clusters, provides vital financial and communications support,” he explained.

Mr Ryan said: “We are determined to assist farmers to not only continue producing high quality food, but also help them to improve on-farm biodiversity and deliver positive environmental outcomes for the wider landscape”.

Nestlé Purina has also funded a biodiversity survey conducted by Oakbank Game and Wildlife; alongside a

GIBSON’S SEEDS

SEED GROWERS, PROCESSORS & MERCHANTS

Autumn 2023 Varieties

hedgerow survey and management plan by R&R Countryside Services; and a woodland assessment across the 4,000ha farmed by the group.

These surveys will encourage beneficial hedgerow and woodland coppice management practices, improving habitats for many threatened wildlife species – and helping farmland birds through the winter hungry gap when natural food sources are scarce.

Future plans

More farms could be invited to join the cluster group. “The cluster will be open to more farms once the project is fully established," said Mr Barker.

“For farmers to have sustainable businesses in the future, we need to focus on key areas. Innovation is essential, meaning we can farm in a more sustainable way, collaboratively with our neighbours.

What is LENs?

The Landscape Enterprise Networks (LENs) programme is a system for organising the buying and selling of nature-based improvements.

Nature-based improvements are land management measures that deliver ecosystem benefits, such as water quality management, flood risk management, resilient supply of crops, carbon, or biodiversity outcomes.

LENs brings together private and public-sector organisations who fund these improvements and benefits within a given area. LENs then brokers talks – and transactions – between buyers and farmers who are able to deliver them on the ground. For details, visit landscapeenterprisenetworks.com

“We also need to be educators, both individually and as a cluster, informing consumers, policy makers and young people about the true story of food, farming and the wildlife that calls our farms home.”

KWS Zyatt, KWS Extase, KWS Palladium, KWS Brium, DSV

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Seed cleaning and dressing undertaken

Matt Ryan (left) with Suffolk farmer Patrick Barker and Emma Keller, head of sustainability at Nestlé

TRITON... ADVANCED DIRECT DRILLING

Twin hold roll pin blade removal system and backward leaning air borne upper blade for trash lift and ease of trash flow

backward leaning air borne upper blade for trash lift and ease of trash flow

Seed depth tail 40mm deep holding the seed at correct depth and placing seed on either side of seed terrace

Seed depth tail 40mm deep holding the seed at correct depth and placing seed on either side of seed terrace

Next Generation Patented Drilling Blades

Triton launched its unique deep soil engagement direct drill in 2018 to give plough based yields from direct drilling. 6 years later we are consistently achieving higher yields from the Triton than from ploughed trials on our own land. The Triton is the only all weather seed drill on the market that gives the flexibility to grow maximum profit autumn sown crops whilst reducing blackgrass from late drilling... several manufacturers are now also claiming all weather capability... if these are false claims then the farmer’s new approach will be thwarted.

Downward facing upper blade does not hook grass weed seed up from below stale seed bed and field surface

SOIL SURFACE

Downward facing upper blade does not hook grass weed seed up from below stale field surface

seed bed and

Triangular tungsten tiles for reduced draught and soil disturbance

Triangular tungsten tiles for reduced

draught and soil disturbance

SOIL SURFACE

Drilling at 40mm depth

Downward facing upper blade holds field surface in place minimising soil eruption in the stale seed bed

Drilling at 40mm

Downward facing upper blade surface in place minimising soil eruption in the stale seed bed

14cm deep lower blade takes blade deep below ground for air drainage and rooting

Buying a blade drill is now an open and shut case. Why?

Because only the Triton drill has a slot closer

14cm deep lower blade takes blade deep below ground for air drainage and rooting

The ‘must have’ seed drill for exacting maximum returns from SFI without losing crop output

Reset fields hit by resistant ryegrass

• Herbicide resistance is challenge

• Good chemistry useful backstop

• Mix of control methods important

Cultural controls are helping to rid fields of herbicide resistant ryegrass on a Nottinghamshire farm.

It comes after father and son team Peter and Rob Barlow took on 160ha of land infested with the weed. Soil types vary from gravel through to heavy loam across the farm which encompasses 260ha rented from the Crown’s Bingham Estate.

“Back in 2019 a neighbour was retiring and we thought we’d like the opportunity to take on his block of land,” explains Rob.

“From looking and talking over the hedge, we knew there was an issue. A traditional approach to farming, combined with a history of baling contractors, had enabled ryegrass to get a firm hold and spread prolifically.”

Weed control

Progress has been made combatting ryegrass with two years of careful management. But a couple of stubborn fields remain. Spring cropping isn’t an option, so the duo use a combination of Westwold grass and maize to get the same benefits.

“After harvest, we drill the grass, and graze it over winter,“ says Rob. “In the spring, a cut of silage is taken before it is sprayed off and the maize crop is sown. It’s working well and controlling the ryegrass.”

Where fields haven’t been ploughed for 5 or 6 years they’ve been able bury the seed and apply Luximo.

“That’s had great results and really brought the ryegrass back under control.”

Delaying drilling is another tool being deployed across the acreage, although Rob admits there’s often a conflict between getting a crop established and optimising weed control. “Clean

land is drilled first, usually at the very end of September.”

To reduce the risk of seed spreading, field are sprayed and combined in the same meticulous order. “All machinery is blown off and washed down to reduce the risk,” says Rob. “We go into the cleanest blocks first and do the dirty ones last.”

Spray programme

On the home farm, the herbicide programme has historically been Liberator (flufenacet and diflufenican) plus Stomp Aqua (pendimethalin) at pre-emergence followed by Axial Pro (pinoxaden) at post emergence, and it’s worked well.

But Rob says there were too many survivors on the new fields. “Our agronomist, Graham Partington, took samples and sent them off for testing. We weren’t surprised when the results confirmed resistance to herbicides.”

It was one reason Rob and Peter accepted a suggestion by BASF agronomy manager Colin Mountford-Smith to trial Luximo on their worst remaining field. With such a difficult and high population of ryegrass, it was an opportunity to test Luximo’s performance.

A crop of Typhoon was drilled across the 24ha field on 9 October

cation of 0.8 litres of Axial Pro. There were also three smaller blocks treated with Liberator and pendimethalin; Luxinum Plus and Stomp Aqua; and an untreated block.

Final count

At final count on 25 May, the untreated plot had over 670 ryegrass heads per square metre. Of the treated plots, Luxinum Plus and Stomp Aqua had the greatest efficacy with just 89 heads per square metre.

The farm standard of Liberator + Stomp Aqua followed by Axial Pro resulted in 228 heads per square metre.

“In the autumn, the control from the Luxinum Plus looked to be around 95%,” says Rob. But ryegrass re-appeared in early spring as a second flush ocurred across the UK as a very

into a grass ley.

“Ryegrass is such a massive plant that only the most serious chemistry will touch it. We can’t afford to risk it spreading to other areas of the farm,” he says.

Mr Mountford-Smith says: “That is why chemistry is the ‘backstop’ and all cultural controls are still critical.”

Where the ryegrass population isn’t as high as the trial field, Rob intends to continue with the cultural controls already in play.

The herbicide programme, however, will undergo significant change.We’ll be using a lot more Luximo,” he says.

“We’ve got a question mark over the Axial Pro but we will to wait for the resistance results before dropping it. If there is resistance, it’s a lot of money to spend. As we’ve not used Avadex before, we have options.”

Battling resistant ryegrass: Peter (left) and Rob Barlow (right) Below: Ryegrass spread prolifically and had a firm hold on the farm

‘Appropriate’ tillage is still good for farming

• Yield still king for profitability

• Encouraging for heavier soils

• A good way to control inputs

Fewer cultivations can be good for soil structure and health –but ploughing still has its place and can bring dividends, suggests the latest research.

Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) and greenhouse gas emissions both depend on crop productivity. And despite the ups and downs of grain markets and input costs, yield remains the driver of arable profitability.

This means tillage in itself need not be bad for the environment, according to field-scale trials undertaken by Agrii at the agronomy company's long-established grassweed management technology centre at Stow Longa, near Huntingdon.

Agrii agronomy specialist Colin Lloyd has overseen more than two decades of research-led at Stow Longa. And he sees plenty of room for “appropriate” tillage in arable rotations on heavy land in particular.

“You can analyse your performance down to the last square metre of land or litre of diesel. But whatever you do, you can’t get away from the fact that decent margins have always and will always depend on sufficient yield.

Different rotations

“Yes, grain quality is important – as is effective input and overhead control. But without the tonnes you’re not in the game. Which is exactly what our rotational work with a range of cereals crops is also showing with Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) and carbon emissions.”

For seven years, Mr Lloyd and his research team have managed different rotations in one hectare blocks at Stow Longa. Tillage regimes range from continuous and rotational ploughing to deep one-pass, minimum tillage and direct drilling with catch or cover crops.

Above: The trials compared different tillage regimes

As well as huge differences in grassweed populations between different rotations and tillage regimes, their pioneering work has highlighted large differences in margins after cultivations, drilling and all inputs.

In 2022, the range in margins between the best and worst rotation and tillage combination was a £1821/ha. More recently, researchers have extended their work to measure the NUE and greenhouse gas emissions from cereal crops to established protocols.

Heavy clay

Yields of first wheat Fitzroy on heavy clay land in 2022 varied by almost 3.1t/ha between the different tillage regimes. Both continuous ploughing for six years and a plough reset after five years of direct drilling delivered over 9.75t/ha.

In contrast, direct drilling after

Without yield, you’re not in the game

Colin Lloyd

Continued overleaf

five years of ploughing and six years of continuous min tilling or direct drilling produced less than 7.25t/ha.

Unsurprisingly, given exactly the same starting soil nitrogen levels and fertiliser applications, this performance was reflected in an NUE of over 67.5% for the higher tillage regimes and under 50% for the lower ones.

“Using the YEN Zero carbon tool, the lowest tillage regimes generated CO2 emissions some 10% lower per hectare than a ploughed regime. But on a per tonne basis, much higher yields meant emissions from ploughing were 25% lower (see figure 1).

Measuring emissions

“Even the highest emission regimes were well below the current 340kg CO 2eq /tonne UK feed wheat benchmark established by the authoritative 2022 CHAP Net Zero report, with the ploughed areas close to the lowest reported national crop emissions intensity.

“What’s more, we saw the same thing in our Skyway spring barley,” adds Mr Lloyd. “The higher tillage regimes gave NUEs a good 40 percentage points up on the lower tillage ones and per tonne CO2e emissions almost 25% lower (figure 2).

“Again, it’s all about yield. The plough regimes both produced more than 8.75t/ha against some 6.3t/ha for minimum tillage and direct drill regimes.”

Grassweed populations clearly played their part in these yield differ ences. But, even after five years of con tinuous min-tilling or direct drilling with catch and cover crops, our heavy ground can't support the sort of win ter wheat and spring barley yields it is does under the plough.

Work with the UK Centre for Ecol ogy and Hydrology suggests reduced tillage is good for soil microbial popu

lations. But Mr Lloyd says: “We have struggled to see any consistent differences between the regimes in either organic matter levels or soil health scores.”

It has been a slightly different story with the SY Armadillo hybrid winter barley crop. Trrials in 2022 showed much less of a yield difference between the tillage regimes, and similarly smaller NUE and GHG emissions differences (figure 3).

Encouraging results

After many years of observing how much less affected hybrid barleys are by seedbed conditions than wheat or spring barley, Mr Lloyd attributes this to their ability to cope better with the more challenging conditions the least tillage regimes present on heavy ground.

Overall, he considers the NUE and emission results particularly encouraging for growers with soils less suited to major tillage reductions, pointing out that what clearly counts in environmental terms as much as in economic ones is growing a good crop.

“It’s crystal clear from our work that, however you do it, growing a good crop will reward you in NUE and GHG emissions per tonne of production as well as on the bottom line,” says Mr Lloyd. “And in many situations this

driver. And recognising the obvious machinery and labour-saving opportunities from tillage reductions, this must mean the least tillage necessary for your particular conditions.

“You shouldn’t shy away from low disturbance lifting of heavy or high silt soils that have become too tight. Nor from using the plough as a reset where grassweed populations have become too high.

“We have to recognise that cultivations aren’t going to completely deplete soils and there is room for them in many rotations, even where the emphasis is on tillage reductions. As with so many other inputs, the secret to success is knowing how much to apply, when and where.”

Figure 1: Fitzroy Wheat Performance (Stow Longa Rotations trial 2022)

Figure 2: Skyway Spring Barley Performance (Stow Longa Rotations trial 2022)

Figure 3: SY Armadillo Winter Barley Performance (Stow Longa Rotations trial 2022)

Continued from previous page

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Decision to grow Mayflower pays off

• Milling wheat variety performs well

• Decent yield despite tough season

• Group Two earns place in rotation

ANorthamptonshire grower is drilling double the amount of winter wheat Mayflower this autumn after the variety performed well in difficult conditions.

Emma Bletsoe, of Denford Ash Farm, near Kettering, was delighted with her first-time crop of the Group Two variety which bucked the recent negative trends of sliding Hagbergs and low specific weights for milling wheats.

The 29.38ha crop of Mayflower yielded 10.62t/ha when it was combined at 13-15% moisture on 10-16 August, says Ms Bletsoe, who will now drill at least 60ha of the Elsoms variety on the back of its positive initial performance.

“After a stop-start harvest, we were delighted with Mayflower’s overall results,”she says.

“One field in particular yielded an excellent 11.18t/ha. It combined extremely well, producing a nice bold

son George and farm manager Stuart Prior. It was her son's decision to go with Mayflower last year, based largely on an untreated yield figure of 93% on the Recommended List.

Wheat on the farm is usually drilled slightly later into autumn for blackgrass control. Mayflower's agronomic package includes a score of 8.9 for Septoria tritici resistance and gene resistance to both soil-borne wheat mosaic virus and PCH1 for eyespot.

“We drilled the Mayflower on 5-12 October last year using a tine drill on one field and a Horsch Pronto on the other. All the Mayflower was grown as a first wheat following winter beans and it established well showing good early vigour.”

Some 248kg/ha of Piamon 33N – a granular urea nitrogen fertiliser with sulphur well suited to earlier applications – was applied in mid-February. Some 140kg/ha of urea followed in early March before 110kg/ha of ammonium nitrate at the end of April.

Spray programme

Agronomist Damian MacAuley of Indigro recommended a three-spray T1, T2 and T3 fungicide programme. The T2 spray included plant growth regulator Terpal (mepiquat chloride + 2-chloroethylphosphonic acid) for additional insurance.

By late May, the Mayflower was clean and standing well despite high disease pressure earlier in the spring. Agronomically, it was easy to manage and made good use of a slightly restricted nitrogen programme due to last year’s high fertiliser prices.

Endorsing the positive evaluation,

Elsoms head of technical George Goodwin said he was delighted with interest in Mayflower. Feedback for the variety had been positive in a very challenging year for milling wheats, he said.

“There’s little doubt that this year’s challenges have had an impact on harvest. Many farmers have frustratingly navigated a stop-start harvest which has negatively affected both yield and quality.

Weather woes

“We’ve had all the right weather this year, just in the wrong order. The cool wet spring meant cereal crops were less resilient to take on the extended dry, hot period we experienced across May and June.

“It feels like insult to injury to have what is predicted as the wettest March and the wettest July on record in the same year - yet, at the same time, ideal for showcasing varieties like Mayflower’s resilience.

A strong tillering variety with vigorous spring growth, Mayflower has emerged through a tricky season better than many other Group 2 wheats, said Mr Goodwin.

The variety continued to grow in popularity catching the eye of many progressive farmers, he added. The buzz of positive news around its performance this year should give growers reassurance that they’ve made the right choice

“With its very high untreated yield there’s a good opportunity for growers to reduce fungicide inputs for greater cost efficiency, and, on marketing, beyond its bread making qualities, Mayflower is also suitable for export.”

Emma Bledsoe is drilling at least 60ha of Mayflower winter wheat this autumn.

Below: Damian MacAuley from Indigro recommended a three-spray programme

We were delighted with the results

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Post-harvest review

5 tips for successful control

1 Look for signs of rodents such as droppings and gnaw marks. Regularly walk the farm and record where rodent activity is apparent. Just because there are signs of rodents it doesn’t mean baiting that area will always be totally effective.

2 Rats do not like open spaces, so reduce activity by keeping the farm clear of rubbish, weeds, and objects – especially around grain stores. Preventing access to food and water will reduce the likelihood of rats breeding.

How best to protect stores from rodents

Integrated approach to control rates

Asharp rise in autumn rodent numbers is prompting reminders to protect grain stores as falling temperatures see rats seek solace on farms.

“Farmers should take an integrated pest management approach and use a variety of baits to combat resistant rats and prevent infestations that can result in grain losses and contamination,” says David Reece, from pest control specialist Lodi.

Rats can thrive in a grain store and multiply quickly. But protecting stores does not have to involve the use of rodenticides, says Mr Reece. Farmers should select bait carefully to avoid wasting money baiting resistant rats, he adds.

“Farmers can take many non-chemical measures such as proofing buildings, identifying areas that rodents may be using for harbourage and making regular checks by walking the farm,” Mr Reece explains.

Resistant rats

Rodenticides should contain actives such as cholecalciferol or brodifacoum because some rats are now resistant to previously popular actives such as bromadiolone and difenacoum,” he says.

The advice comes ahead of next year's changes to rodenticide authorisation. The

changes will effectively rule out using any second-generation anticoagulant (SGAR) in open areas away from buildings.

Alan Buckle, chairman of the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CCRU) says many farmers will face a challenge when modifying control measures in a way that remains effective, affordable and environmentally responsible.

“Doing so may not be particularly straightforward and will certainly demand sound knowledge of what next year’s changes to SGAR authorisations involve and why they are being made,” says Dr Buckle.

Uncomfortable truth

“An uncomfortable truth is that, seven years since inception, the regime’s environmental targets have not been met. Responsible farmers will be all too aware that many wildlife species are widely exposed to and contaminated by SGARs.

“The widespread nature of this exposure is a grave concern and what the stewardship regime is required to reduce. The panel’s specified sentinel species, of course, whose exposure to SGARs is indicative of several others with similar ecology, is the barn owl.”

The HSE has said that, unless the stewardship regime’s environmental targets

3 Reduce the risk of infestation by ensuring there are no access points for rodents to enter buildings. Small measures like using mesh smaller than 10mm to cover gaps in grain stores will help to prevent both mice and rats gaining access.

4 Rats have a fear of new objects (neophobia) so establish bait boxes at least four weeks ahead of baiting to improve bait take. Adding non-toxic bait can encourage rats to 'trust' the boxes.

5 When non-chemical methods have been exhausted, the use of rodenticides to control rats and mice should be carried out methodically and carefully. Using a highly palatable bait is particularly important in grain stores where food is plentiful.

[source: Lodi]

are met, there will be a review of who can use SGARs, how they are used and where they can be applied. Dr Buckle said: “Clearly, we have been warned.”

A summary of the changes can be found at bit.ly/ ratchange. Farmers are invited to submit questions about the changes to the CRRU by the end of October at thinkwildlife.org/survey.

Answers will be published next month.

Check for rats regularly, says David Reece

Project to reduce weed seeds post-harvest

Aproject to reduce grassweeds by exploring harvest weed seed control is being undertaken with help from a Suffolk farm.

Previous research and experience in Canada and Australia has shown that seed control units (SCU) mounted on combine harvesters render 98% of seed that passes through the harvester unviable.

This project aims to help farmers establish reasonable expectation of what proportion of grassweeds are left standing at harvest.Working with Will Smith from NIAB, four farmers have fitted SCUs to test whether the devices work in UK conditions.

BOFIN network

The Seed Circle project is being run by the British On-Farm Innovation Network (BOFIN) – a group of growers and scientists who carry out their own on-farm trials and share the results, seeking scientifically robust ways to

improvefarm practice.

Suffolk farmer Adam Driver noticed a build-up of blackgrass in the chaff lines behind his Claas Lexion 8800, running on a no-till 12/36m controlled-traffic farming system. His is also using the SCU to keep meadow brome in check.

Meanwhile in Warwickshire, Italian ryegrass is grassweed enemy number one for grower and Velcourt farm manager Ted Holmes. He has been trialling an SCU fitted to his New Holland CR9.90 combine.

NIAB has now developed a protocol for farmers to take their own pre-harvest representative sample so they don't have to wait for a weed scientist to come to the farm during the busy harvest period. Samples are sent to NIAB for assessment.

“There are two critical monitoring periods,” explains Mr Smith.

“First, we want to know the population of viable seed standing at har-

The Seed Circle projet is helping to reduce grass weeds postharvest

vest, which involves taking representative samples just before the combine goes through. Then we monitor what emerges into the following crop once autumn cultivations and drilling are complete.”

For Italian ryegrass the figures were 62% in Warwickshire in winter barley and 87% for spring barley. Testing found that a lot of the rygrass seed in the spring barley was unviable – possibly due to hot, dry conditions. For full details, visit bofin.org.uk

Crop drying, ventilation and storage systems specialists.

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Cheese-maker replaces imported soya meal with homegrown pulses

• Benefits business and emissions

• Full traceability of all herd rations

• Cost-effective and better rotation

ALincolnshire grain processing specialist is working with an award-winning cheese-maker to remove imported soya bean meal from the diet of its 300-cow organic dairy herd.

Scunthorpe-based McArthur Agriculture develops, builds and maintains food and feed processing systems for the food supply chain. It is working with Somerset cheese-maker Godminster Farms to replace imported soya feed with home-grown pulses.

Feeding trials suggest doing so will help Godminster Farms reduce its carbon footprint. The initiative is part of a Defra-funded project to help farmers cut emissions by the equivalent of 1.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.

“Our overall aim is to reduce the carbon footprint of our cows’ diet and deliver full traceability of all their rations by growing beans here on the farm,” says Peter Cheek, who manages the farm's 300-cow dairy herd.

Led by the Processors and Growers Research Organisation (PGRO), the project aims to increase pulse cropping in arable rotations – so livestock farmers can substitute up to 50% of imported soya meal with more climate-friendly home-grown pulses and legumes.

McArthur Agriculture managing director John McArthur said: “God-

minster Farm is already adding beans to its crop rotations for inclusion in its cows’ rations, working towards the replacement of imported soya bean meal in organic dairy.”

Mr Cheek met Mr McArthur for the first time at Groundswell in June 2022. The two men then visited Denmark together to see first-hand how Danish farms are already substituting imported soybean meal with roasted beans and cereals.

“Work there has shown the roasting process improved the quality of the protein in beans, allowing the formulation of diets without soya bean meal while maintaining milk yield and quality,” said Mr Cheek.

“I was staggered as to the results achieved by the Danish farmers. They were achieving double the milk yield we get at Godminster by including roasted beans in their cow’s diets and without using soya,” he added.

Circular rations

“One famer was conducting circular rations. He grew the beans, lupins, maize and cereal and fed them and sold the milk produced. He grew everything he wanted to feed his cows. Danish organic dairy farmers seem to have it sussed.”

On returning to the UK, Mr Cheek started processing beans post-harvest in late 2022. The trial was successful

Pete Cheek manages 300-cows for cheese-maker Godminster Farms

and he now plans to permanently include roasted beans in the ration and is considering adding roasted lupins for more protein.

“We roasted the beans with a Mecmar T05 roaster from McArthur Agriculture, they were then milled and incorporated into the cows’ diet as part of the parlour feed and in the total mixed ration,” he said.

“The next phase will be to roast the beans we are growing on-farm this year straight from the combine, rather than roasting beans we have bought-in, this will allow us to store them safely and increase the amount we are able to add to the rations.”

Roasting improves the protein quality

New agricultural testing facility opens in Suffolk

Agricultural testing experts

Eurofins Agro UK have opened a new facility in Suffolk as farming continues to embrace data-driven systems.

Opening of the Needham Market testing station follows a sharp rise in demand for soil, slurry, compost and forage analysis, said managing director Andrew Shead. All Eurofins agricultural testing was being consolidated in Suffolk to increase capacity and future-proof the service.

Forage testing was previously offered at the company’s laboratory in Wolverhampton, which carries out other services including water analysis. But growing demand ed to the investment in a new facility to bring all agricultural testing to Suffolk.

Faster tests

“We are recruiting, and the team is growing to meet demand,” said Mr Shead. “The increased capacity will

enable us to process more tests faster and also expand in the future as agriculture demands more data to farm more efficiently.”

The new testing facility will serve the whole of the UK and is located near another Eurofins laboratory which has historically carried out testing of compost, anaerobic digestate and fertiliser analysis.

“Having two sites close together in Suffolk provides a base of operations that will make managing demand for tests more efficient. All samples are now being sent to [one site] and the team has the space, facilities, and resources to react quickly.”

Eurofins says farmers and growers can use its soil tests to better understand nutrient levels at the start of the season. This is particularly important before drilling to ascertain what nutrients will be available to the crop,

Testing slurry is the only way to

apply it accurately in a way that benefits both soil health and crop yield., says the compnay. Tests can be carried out using mobile testing methods, but a laboratory test is the most accurate way to calibrate slurry for soil and crop type.

Agriculture is increasingly more data-driven, says Eurofins' Andrew Shead

Manufacturers of centrifugal, low volume and portable fans, air tunnels, drive over floors, grain stirrers and gas burners.

Essex farm contractor upgrades to new baler

• Fledgling business is expanding

• Service has good customer base

• User friendly with bigger capacity

An Essex farmer and contractor has just completed his first full season with an upgraded round baler to meet increased demand from customers.

Trading as J Byford Agricultural Contracting, Jack Byford started offering his contract baling service in 2020 from his based near Clacton. He has built up a good customer base and business is expanding.

Mr Byford previously worked on a large livestock farm in the area where much of the summer was spent baling – and was guaranteed plenty of work

in his new venture making bales for his old employer.

Starting out on his own, he purchased an ageing Welger RB435 and Massey Ferguson tractor. Both machines performed well, with the Welger making hay, haylage, silage and straw bales but a larger baler soon became necessary.

Fendt Rotana round balers continue to retain the original Welger design with some additional improvements – so Mr Byford approached Thurlow Nunn Standen to check on prices and availability.

Good dealership

“There are plenty of good dealers nearer to us than the TNS Melton depot which looks after most of our machinery,” says Mr Byford, who purchased

As well as the Rotana, Mr Byford owns a Welger conventional small baler which operates with a flat-10 bale accumulator making hay bales for equestrian use. The Rotana has a variable chamber and can produce bales from 0.7–1.8m diameter.

Hay, haylage, silage and straw bales are made. The hay and haylage bales are mostly for equestrian customers, the silage bales are for cattle consumption and straw bales are for livestock bedding and feed mixes.

About 4,000 round bales were made in 2023, of which 3,000 were grass. Most of Jack’s work is in small, irregular shaped fields but even so he has made up to 300 round bales in a day with the Fendt baler.

The XtraCut chopper hasn’t been used, but Mr Byford says he is pleased to have it.

“Because the Fendt baler was a dealer demonstrator, it was equipped with options including the XtraCut chopper. As a contractor, it’s an addition-

Jack Byford (above) uses a Fendt Rotana 180V variablechamber round baler to make almost 4,000 bales annually

al service to offer customers, and it will also add value to the baler when it’s time to update it.

Crop feeding

“The baler also has a soft core mode which achieves a softer bale centre while keeping the outer layers firm for weather protection and ease of stacking and handling. It’s proved very successful when baling hay.”

Although we are in a dry part of the UK in terms of annual rainfall, a lot of our grass baling is on ground with plenty of moisture – including the Naze, and the Brightlingsea, Walton and Holland marshes.

“We bale straw behind several different combines with headers up to 35ft, but the 2.4m pick-up with a crop roller to compress the swath ensures a smooth delivery.

“The drop-floor protection system wasn’t used once during the whole season, even though some straw swaths were so lumpy that they blocked under the tractor. We have only lowered the floor to clean the baler.”

User-friendly

A big improvement over the previous baler is the Fendt’s in-cab control terminal, says Mr Byford. This allows almost all the settings to be made from the seat and performance can be optimised on the move.

Net-wrap application can be monitored and programmed through the user-friendly display. The baler is also Isobus-compatible although Jack’s current tractor isn’t equipped to take advantage of this feature.

Loading net rolls is easy and three can be carried providing enough capacity for two days’ work.

Since it arrived, the baler has been almost completely reliable. Any minor teething issues were quickly sorted by the TNS team. The baler will again be fully serviced before next season.

Quickly sorted

“Service engineer Dean Day is always helpful, and a problem with the lubrication system was quickly sorted through a temporary fix suggested over the phone which kept me working, while a replacement part was ordered and then fitted a few days later.”

Mr Byford has also purchased a Massey Ferguson 6480 Dyna-6 tractor from TNS. “I have to offer a reliable service to customers, and I’m always confident that if problems occur then the service department will get the machine working again quickly.”

“We operate within about 25 miles of our base and there is always plenty of grass so swaths are large and haylage yields were particularly high this year – but the baler coped admirably well.

Looking after the baler has proved easy and daily servicing and checks are minimal. An automatic lubrication system keeps the chains oiled and a bank of grease nipples requires one pump of grease every 24 working hours.

“My decision to buy a Fendt baler was based on previous experience of the Welger design as well as confidence in my local Fendt dealer, and I’m 99% certain that when I update the baler again in another two years, it will be for a similar machine.”

It's proved very successful

The 2.4m pick-up with an effective crop roller copes well with large, lumpy swaths.

Grain Handling & Milling Systems

• Manufacturers of steel framed building, grain stores, livestock buildings general purpose building and commercial building

• All building designed in house to EN1090-2, and erected with our own employed staff

• Grain drying and handling systems supplied and installed

• All ground and civils works under taken to provide a turnkey project

All groundworks undertaken

All buildings constructed CE marked DIN1090

Tel: 01692 535444 / 07717 478196

E: andrew@mconstructionservices.co.uk

W: www.mconstructionservices.co.uk

LOWER OAKLEY, DISS, NORFOLK IP21 4AQ

Grain cooperative installs state-ofthe-art system

• Decades-old grain drier replaced

• Burners upgraded for modern needs

• Robust, reliable and more efficient

Afarmer-owned grain cooperative is reaping the benefits after replacing two ageing driers with a state-of-the-art system.

Weald Granary in Wiltshire installed two continuous flow Svegma driers in time for last year's harvest. They replaced a pair of driers installed at the cooperative's Marlborough site in 1987 and 1988, explained managing director John Smith.

“There is no question that our old Svegma driers had served us well,” said Mr Smith.

“Located outside of our grain store they had been exposed to the elements for over 30 years and had many hundreds of thousands of tons of grain and maize go through them.

“It was no surprise that they reached the end of their lives.”

Weald Granary is a grain storage, marketing and distribution co-operative, run by farmers for farmers. Grain is collected from members' farms at harvest and then stored and marketed via one of its pools.

The store capacity is 80,000 tonnes of grain for over 200 members from Kent, Sussex, Surrey and Essex. All loads are fully tested, stored and marketed to their maximum potential.

Mr Smith says he considered a number of alternatives after deciding to replace the old driers. Mindful of energy costs and the cooperative's environmental footprint, the potential for renewable and alternative fuels was carefully assessed.

“We have a very compact site so renewable energy was not an option because of the storage space and labour required. We wanted a drier that we could switch on, deliver instant heat and which we could just walk away and leave to get on with its job.”

Track record

Working closely with the team at BDC Systems, Mr Smith decided to replace Svegma with Svegma. He says he made the decision based on the drier's design and its proven track record of reliability and durability.

The driers were two different sizes. The largest 6m drier had a capacity of 61 tonnes of grain per hour, while the smaller 3m drier could handle 30 tonnes. They were replaced like for like. But the burners were upgraded as the originals were obsolete.

The existing dischargers on each of the old driers were still in good condition and did not need to be replaced –further evidence of the Svegma’s build quality and durability.

Not everything above the discharge sections needed to be replaced, some parts had life left in them, but due to the labour involved with removing and refitting the handling equipment, it made economic sense to replace everything in one go.

Access platforms

The drier-filling conveyors, gantries, supporting steelwork, access platforms and ladders to interconnecting silos were taken off and then put back in place. Both driers previously had turboclean fans and a fresh set of galvanised units were installed with the new drier bodies.

The proven design meant that the main body dimensions were identical and made changing components of the drier relatively straightforward. In addition, it was possible to reuse all of the handling equipment’s brackets.

“The new Svegma driers were installed just in time for harvest 2022 which turned out to be one of our driest and hottest so we only ended up drying 500t of wheat. But the driers had their baptism of fire in October when we needed to dry 1,500t of wet maize which came in at 30%.”

“As usual they did their job and did it well,” added Mr Smith. “The BDC team who worked on this project will most probably be, like me, well into our retirement by the time the new Svegma driers need replacing again.”

They did their job and did it well

Weald Granary is run by farmers for farmers

Renewable energy was not possible on the very compact site

A 10 - 30% DROP IN LAST YEAR’S SCANNING RESULTS PROVES SUPPLEMENTATION IS CRITICAL THIS TUPPING SEASON

A Rumenco survey of scanners representing nearly 500,000 sheep across England, Scotland and Wales found last year’s scanning results to be back an average of 10-30%.

Scanning percentage decline was a result of widespread drought hurting both grass quality and availability. The data found early lambers were impacted the most, with the decrease in scanning results being a result of more singles, not more barrens.

While this summer saw little rainfall and high temperatures impact early grass production, the damp and cool weather pattern stretched across mid to late summer has put livestock producers in a unique position – potentially one of false confidence.

Looking at industry data, grass growth is well above the four-year average from mid-July onwards. However, quality has largely been below the previous three-year average since the start of 2023. While there is plenty of grass available going into the tupping season, it is essentially rumen fill with low nutritional value.

Metabolisable energy and protein and sugar levels have been below average having never fully recovered from last year’s drought. In 2022, grass averaged 11.11 ME and 19.2% protein. In 2023, grass averaged 11.06 ME and 18.2% protein – hitting its lowest ME of 10.3 in early July and lowest protein of 14.1% in late June. This is a concern, as it could have limited ewe body condition gain post-weaning. To gain one unit of BCS from weaning to tupping, ewes require grass to be at least 11 ME.

Grass sugar levels have also been significantly below average since last year, being nearly 50% lower in April and May. This will be limiting protein supply to ruminants, as the rumen microbes require sufficient fermentable energy in the form of starch and sugar to fully utilise the protein available in grass.

Stretching forage stocks and protecting lambing percentages with strategic supplementation

Anecdotally, scanners whose customers supplemented sheep last year felt their scanning percentages benefited from the additional nutrition. The decline in forage quality paired with the upcoming seasonal decline in availability is going to make strategic supplementation essential this tupping season to both stretch forage stocks and meet ewe nutrient demands.

A high energy and protein feed block like Rumevite Sheep Super Energy Plus Fish Oil will fill nutrient gaps while also boosting lambing percentage by up to 22% when fed in the eight weeks around tupping. The supplement block formulation helps ewes reach optimal body condition ahead of tupping, supporting ovulation – which can lead to more ewes holding service in the first cycle.

Rumevite is a multi-purpose product, also delivering daily requirements of minerals, vitamins and trace elements to boost livestock performance while supporting immunity, health and fertility. The combination of little and often feeding and increased saliva production from licking the hard pressed feed blocks provides a flow of nutrients through the rumen to support a healthy rumen bug population. This supports forage digestibility, ensuring stock makes the most of the grass or forage that they do have.

While there is plenty of grass available this year, farmers are going to have to provide additional supplementation to offset the low quality, and to fulfil ewe nutrient requirements for optimal scanning percentages. Using a multi-purpose supplement like Rumevite Sheep Super Energy Plus Fish Oil will pay dividends by increasing forage utilisation, delivering essential nutrients to ewes and boosting fertility.

Grass may be available, but the quality is not. As forage quality plummets, here’s how supplementation can support this year’s tupping success.

4 FREE orange feeders with every tonne of 14" Rumevite ordered#

to 22% more live lambs born**

Livestock

Top maize variety selection for 2024 growing season

Wide range of choices for growers as new varieties added

Twelve new forage maize vari eties have been added to the British Society of Plant Breed er’s descriptive lists for 2024.

The lists describe the performance of different maize varieties across a range of locations. Sites are classi fied according to different factors –including length of growing season and spring soil temperatures.

Seven new entrants are on the Fa vourable First Choice list for sites with the longest growing season and warm er spring soils for early establishment. They are Skipper and Foxtrot (both Limagrain); Faith, Emeleen, Crosbey and ES Palladium (Grainseed); and SY Silverbull (Syngenta).

Five new entrants have been add ed to Favourable Second Choice list for the same site types. They are RGT Easixx and RGT Bluefoxx (both RAGT), KWS Resolvo (KWS), Glencoe and LG31207 (both Limagrain).

Less favourable sites

Three varieties – Skipper, Faith and SY Silverbull – also feature on the Less Favourable First Choice list for sites with shorter, cooler growing seasons. The Less Favourable Second Choice list includes Foxtrot, RGT Easixx, RGT Bluefoxx and KWS Resolvo.

Meanwhile, LG31207 has been added to the Very Favourable list for sites with a long growing season and very favourable conditions suitable for later maturing varieties with high yield potential to maximise output as a feedstock for anaerobic digesters.

Of the new earlier maturing varieties, BSPB variety trials co-ordinator Jeremy Widdowson says Faith is the highest yielding on the Favourable site list. It achieved a dry matter yield of 19t/ha, with a metabolisable energy (ME) of 222kMJ/ha and starch at 6.47t/ha.

Not far behind is Skipper with a DM yield of 18.8t/ha, ME of 221kMJ/ha and starch at 6.74t/ha.

Then came Foxtrot with a DM yield of 18.7t/ha, ME of 222 kMJ/ha and

Varieties are assessed across a variety of locations [Picture: Natascha Kaukorat / Shutterstock.com]

starch at 6.54t/ha.

Based on limited data, all three varieties show some susceptibility to eyespot, so may be less suitable in damper growing conditions. ES Palladium is the highest DM yielding of the later maturity varieties at 19.4t/ha and ME of 223 kMJ/ha.

On Less Favourable sites, Skipper, Foxtrot and RGT Easixx sit just behind Faith, yielding 18.5t/ha at 35.2% DM with good early vigour and starch at 6.62t/ha. Based on limited data, SY Silverbull has an eyespot rating of 6.1 – the highest of the new varieties for this List.

The single variety added to the Very Favourable site list – LG31207 – has good early vigour and good standing power with a dry matter yield of 18.7t/ ha. It also has a good ME yield, which is an important factor for achieving high biogas yields.

The forage maize descriptive lists for 2024 are available for download from the BSPB website at www.bspb.co.uk.

About the maize lists

Independent trials for forage maize varieties are organised by the British Society of Plant Breeder's forage maize crop group. This helps meet the legal requirement that all maize varieties sold in the UK must be tested in UK growing conditions and accepted on the UK national list – with a minimum of two years of robust trials data from six locations across England.

Only UK national list varieties can be entered into the descriptive list trials programme and can be published after an additional year of trials across nine sites. The forage maize descriptive list helps growers select the most appropriate variety for their location.

The list is reviewed annually by a panel of farmers, breeders, nutritionists and agronomists, ensuring rigorous, independent evaluation of the varieties to support the resilience of forage systems within the changeable UK climate.

Parameters include dry matter yield and ME yield as well as starch percentage and cell wall digestibility. Scores for early vigour, standing power and eyespot resistance are useful for sites with more challenging growing conditions and a high risk of lodging or eyespot.

Trials are carried out by NIAB and plant breeders under contract to BSPB. All trials are independently inspected to ensure compliance with protocol and high standards of trialling and the data are independently verified and analysed by NIAB.

Three Limagrain varieties added to

maize

list

• Two early maturing maize choices

•

Later option for renewable renergy

•

Performs well on paper and in field

Three new forage maize varie ties from Limagrain have been added to the BSPB/NIAB De scriptive List for 2023-24.

The list compares major maize vari eties across the key growing locations of the UK. Comparisons are made on crop dry matter, crop yield, agronom ic data such as lodging, and quality characteristics of starch and energy.

Two very early maturing Lim agrain varieties – Skipper and Foxtrot – sit atop the new list of first choice va rieties for favourable sites. The third variety – later maturing LG31207 –tops the list for very favourable sites.

Suitable sites

Skipper and Foxtrot are ranked numbers one and two respectively as first choice varieties for starch yield on favourable sites. Meanwhile, while LG31207 tops the chart for ME yield for varieties suited to very favourable sites.

Skipper is ideal for farmers who want to fill their clamps with a very early maturing crop of exceptionally energy-rich and starch-filled maize, says Limagrain maize manager Tim Richmond.

“Skipper also performs well on marginal sites, where its good early vigour

Mr Richmond.

The third new Limagrain variety to be added to this year’s descriptive list is LG31207. Classed as an intermediate to late-maturing variety, Mr Richmond says it is of the best varie-

ties for very favourable sites.

It scores well for ME yield (217,115 MJ/ha), dry matter yield (18.7 t/ha), standing power (8.0) , early vigour (8.2) and eyespot resistance 7.5, making it a safe choice for growers looking for an energy-rich, easy to grow variety for AD purposes, he adds.

“LG31207 is impressive on paper and in the field, and is the perfect choice for those growers looking to maximise their return on investment with a variety that poses minimal risk,” says Mr Richmond.

Reprieve for seed-treated maize confirmed

Treated maize seed will still be available for the upcoming season after the government confirmed that an impending ban on treatments will not be imposed..

The viability of UK-grown maize had been in question due to an impending ban on all seed treatments including Korit (ziram) bird deterrent, Redigo M (prothioconazole + metalaxyl) fungicide and Force 20 CS (tefluthrin) insecticide.

The ban would have made it illegal after 31 December to import, sell or sow any seed which has been treated with any of these

products – leaving crops at significant risk of failure.

“Without a suitable bird repellent, insecticide and fungicide, there’s a substantial risk that newly drilled crops could be completely wiped out by corvid grazing, or seriously hindered by insect damage and soil-borne pathogens,” says Limagrain maize manager Tim Richmond

An industry working group was set up to lobby the government to retain ssed treatments on maize. Alongside Limagrain UK, other working group members included

The varieties are suitable for a range of sites, says Tim Richmond

the NFU, Maize Growers Association and the Agricultural Industries Confederation.

A number of emergency authorisation (EA) applications were made to the regulators for the continued use of these treatments for sowing in spring 2024, as the government decided whether or not to go ahead with the seed treatment ban.

Mr Richmond said he was pleased that ongoing discussions with farm minister Mark Spencer resulted in a favourable outcome. A final decision and announcement was made by Defra last month.

Foxtrot is ideal for dairy and beef farmers

Fentech Agri Simple, Reliable, Affordable “

From direct drills to the low disturbance looseners, subsoilers and top tilth cultivators. Fentech Agri has a range of products in their catalogue to help establish seeds effectively and quickly.

The company offers the renowned line of the Simtech direct drills with their proven T-slot tines. The drills are relatively simple, well-built, reliable and cost-effective, with minimal moving/wearing parts. These versatile machines will penetrate even very hard ground, while the renowned T-slot system creates a unique environment for the perfect seedling germination, even in the most demanding conditions. The drill range extends from 2.4m grass drills up to 6m folding arable drills.

Some of the new releases planned for 2024 include:

• new front mounted hopper models to allow wider drilling using less horsepower and more balanced loading of the tractor;

• a four toolbar frame for users with high trash conditions or application into cover crops;

• A trailed kit as an intermediate step from a fully mounted machine to a trailed machine;

• a lightweight folding drill with no rear spring flex roller

The company also offers ultra-low disturbance subsoiling products using Tillso tine technology, shallow annual or bi-annual restructuring by lifting and dropping the soil over

a wing to create vertical fissures for better root establishment. The tine has been developed to create minimal surface disturbance, this reduces the need for following cultivations, prevents weed seeds from being dropped throughout the soil profile and keeps fine soil particles on the surface. The “Advantage” is offered from 3m up to 6m, in both mounted and trailed formats with various optional extras.

Another key tool in the armoury is the “Commander” - a shallow tine cultivator which promotes the production of stale seedbeds. The machine is offered in 6, 8, 10 and 12m widths, with optional vertical tillage discs.

The business model revolves around soil health and reduction of inputs. The aim is to achieve maximum yields without high input costs, while at the same time, improving the soils for the future.

The aim is to achieve maximum yields without high input costs

Winter livestock special Funding available to improve calf housing

• Grants for beef and dairy calves

• New and refurbished buildings

• Goal to boost health and welfare

Agovernment fund for new or refurbished calf housing has opened for applications from beef and dairy producers.

The Calf Housing for Health and Welfare fund offers grants from £15,000 to £500,000. It covers up to 40% of the cost of calf housing and buildings which improve health and welfare for beef and dairy calves.

For the purposes of the grant, the term ‘calf’ refers to domestic cattle up to six months old.

Grant funded calf housing must provide a good ambient environment and facilitate social contact through pair or group housing, says Defra.

The government says good ambient environment must ensure good air quality, temperature, and humidity within the building through choice of

suitable location, ventilation and other building features.

How to apply

Successful projects will improve calf health and welfare, enhance environmental sustainability and introduce innovation on the farm, says Defra. “If your project meets all these priorities, it’s more likely to be accepted,” it adds.

Eligible applicants must be existing cattle farmers, including calf rearers, with 11 or more cattle. Any buildings which are built or upgraded with money from the grant must be located in England.

“You must either own the land you’re building on or have a tenancy agreement for the land until five years after the project is complete,” says Defra. “You can apply if your current agreement will end sooner than five years after the project, if you expect it to continue.”

Grant must be used solely for the purposes of businesses in England.

Grant funding must not be used to cross-subsidise any related, linked, parent, subsidiary, partnership, joint venture businesses or operations based in Northern Ireland.

The grant is part of Defra's Animal Health and Welfare Pathway. The animal health and welfare priorities it seeks to deliver for the cattle sector have been agreed with industry representatives.

For youngstock, priorities include improving pain management during disbudding, dehorning and castration – as well as the greater adoption of prolonged analgesia to improve the calf welfare and performance.

Improvements pledge

Defra says many farm buildings are not optimally designed for cattle – especially calves. It has pledged to encourage improvements in ventilation, cow comfort, loafing areas and enrichments such as scratching brushes.

In terms of adult cattle, priorities include improving the welfare of cattle at pasture through upgrading shelter, drainage, gateways and tracks that support the normal behaviours associated with grazing and being outdoors.

Potential applications can check their eligibility online at www.bit. ly/calfhousing. The fund will stayopen until the end of November.

Above: Grant funded housing must provide a good environment

“ Projects must improve health and welfare

How to raise hygiene levels to reduce winter calf losses

Livestock producers are being advised to increase hygiene levels in cattle enclosures and calving equipment to prevent unnecessary calf losses this winter.

Winter calving can present farmers with a host of environmental challenges, with colder temperatures threatening the survival of weaker animals, the increased risk of disease, and reduced daylight hours.

“A focus on hygiene is one of the simplest and most economical ways to reduce the spread of disease and promote healthy conditions throughout cattle housing, says BASF business manager Laurence Barnard.

More frequent and thorough use of disinfectants is one of the easiest ways to reduce calf losses throughout the winter season,” says Mr Barnard. To effectively use disinfectant in your cleaning routine, he suggests the following approach:

1Thoroughly disinfect all cattle housing and cubicles regularly. First, remove dung, straw and shaving. Soak all surfaces of the housing with a solution of detergent and leave it for fifteen to twenty minutes. Wash surfaces with clean, cold water using a pressure washer, then spray a solu-

tion of disinfectant. Surfaces should be treated to the point of run off of the solution, and should remain wet for at least one hour.

Once dry, restock with fresh straw and housing may be restocked immediately.

2 Before calving begins, ensure any sick cows or heifers are penned separately from the main herd. Similarly, once calving begins any animals that show signs of disease or illness should also be separated and treated accordingly, to help contain the spread of disease and reduce the risk of contaminating other cattle.

3 Bacteria, viruses and other micro-organisms are often present on clothing and boots. People working with animals

of any kind should wear clean overalls and dip boots in disinfectant to reduce the risk of introducing harmful diseases. Before entering the shed, it is also good practice to wash hands with an anti-bacterial soap, especially when examining cows or calves and assisting with calving, and always wear a fresh pair of OB

Any equipment that is being used in conjunction with calving should be disinfected before being used.

Farmers should use a clean bucket and a solution of 1:200 of disinfectant to soak everything from suction bulbs and syringes to a calf puller and bottles. Solutions should be changed frequently to prevent the build-up of bacteria.

Disinfectants like Sorgene Xtra – a Defra-approved, broad spectrum environmental disinfectant – can be used for general hygiene, spraying or specific disease control depending on the concentration used and application techniques.

It can be used at 1:250 for general hygiene, and at 1:100 for specific disease control, for foot dips and vehicle spraying. It breaks down after use and leaves no residue, so no rinsing is necessary, and all housing can be re-stocked immediately after application.

These simple steps and effective tools will help reduce the spread of disease that may result in unnecessary calf losses and prevent farmers suffering substantial financial losses, as well as protect their cows, says Mr Barnard.

Care should be taken to protect vulnerable calves (above), with disinfectant a cost-effective way to reduce mortality, says Laurence Barnard (left).

Unlock breeding secrets of milk recording data

Dairy farmers and herd managers are invited to attend a workshop aimed at making the most of milk recording data.

The workshop will discuss ways data can be used to realise the untapped potential in dairy herds. Hosted by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, the event takes place on 25 October at Richmond Park Golf Club, Watton, Norfolk.

Workshop participants will walk away with a tailored report that will take their breeding decisions to the next level. This will include create clear breeding goals tailored to their farm's requirements

The event will also help milk producers identify their herd's baseline and identify areas for improvement –including ways to evaluate data and choose the most appropriate bulls for their individual dairy herd.

The workshop is designed for anyone with a milk recorded herd who wants to be more actively involved in their breeding strategy – whether they make their own breeding decisions, work with your team or with a breeding advisor.

For more information, please visit www.ahdb.org.uk or contact your local AHDB Knowledge Exchange Manager.

Optimising feed resources and want maximum value from silages? It’s vital to know nutritional quality of forage, using that to formulate feed rations to optimise production, e cient feed use and minimise adverse e ects on the environment.

Feed Adviser Register (FAR) members provide professional support and quality feeding advice. With strict entry criteria to join FAR, based upon training and experience, Advisers must complete core training and competency tests to become full members of the Register and membership is renewed annually requiring continuous professional development.

Over 1,200 feed advisers from all over the UK are registered, providing advice for ruminants, pigs, poultry and game.

FAR Advisers rely on consistent information from nutritional analysis of feed materials including silage throughout the feeding season. e Forage Analysis Assurance (FAA) Group exists to ensure that analysis is accurate and consistent. Members complete regular pro ciency tests to ensure reliable quality results for customers.

Visit our website, www.faagroup.co.uk to nd out more about our members, check their analysis performance and learn best practice farm sampling techniques for silage bales and clamps.

A forage analysis report with the FAA quality assured mark, means you and your feed adviser can have con dence in those results and plan your winter feeding rations.

Plan ahead to formulate consistent winter rations

Dairy farmers are being urged to start planning now for winter feeding to ensure cows receive consistent rations and achieve optimum milk yields. With varying silage quality experienced this year, nutrition experts say it is important for dairy farmers to undertake analysis of their forages to gain an accurate picture of the quality of their silages.

"Measuring silage clamps and assessing the quantity of forages available to them is equally important," says Csaba Adamik, livestock nutrition manager for Lallemand Animal Nutrition.

Once farmers are aware of their silage quality and quality, they can plan ahead to ensure their rations are balanced to meet their cows' needs throughout the winter months, explains Mr Adamik.

“It should help them to achieve optimum milk production in a financially and environmentally sustainable manner. Where silage quality changes throughout winter, rations should be reformulated to maintain optimum nutrient levels."

Clamp management

Farmers should pay close attention to clamp management and aim to feed a consistent ration every day. To minimise waste, producers should feed out in a vertical column from the clamp to ensure silage quality is con-

the whole clamp face in less than three or four days,” says Mr Adamik.

“In case of very wide clamp faces, taking shallower grabs, rather than full grabs will help to avoid silage being exposed to oxygen for too long, as that can affect aerobic stability of the silage negatively."

Mr Adamik says how the ration is delivered, should be another area of focus. "Feeding out wagon mix rations between milkings, and not at milking time, increases feeding bouts and can improve feed efficiency by as much as 7%.

"In addition, pushing feed up regularly and feeding twice a day or more increases dry matter intakes, reduces sorting, and leads to

Balanced ration

Feeding a rumen-specific live yeast, like Levucell SC, can help balance rations while delivering environmental benefits. The yeast optimises rumen function, increasing ration digestibility and feed efficiency so cows get more from available feed.

"Studies have shown that inclusion of the live yeast in rations improves feed efficiency by 3-6% in lactation and subsequently reduces the carbon footprint of milk production by up to 6%,” says Mr Adamik.

"When fed prior to calving, the yeast reduces body weight loss and promotes early lactation feed intake,” he explains. “This, combined with the improved feed efficiency during lactation has the potential to improve milk yields by up to 8%, making a significant contribution to sustainable milk production.”

Body condition score ewes to optimise scanning rates

Farmers are being advised to get ewes in the correct condition before tupping to avoid a second year of poor scanning rates. Grass growth rates stunted by lack of rain during May and June have largely returned to normal following the warm, wet summer. But a close eye still needs to be kept on ewe body condition score, says Wynnstay national sheep and beef adviser Bryn Hughes.

Scanning rates were down 15-20% on some farms in 2022/23 – highlighting the importance of ewes being in the right condition before tupping, explains Mr Hughes. Producers who have not yet done so should body score now to identify any thin ewes sooner rather than later, he adds.

"When identifying thin ewes, it's important to ask yourself why they are thin – is it down to late lambing, poor health or grass availability? Once this has been agreed, take corrective action.”

One body condition score equates to 1012% of body weight,| explains Mr Hughes. For a 75kg ewe, this is about 7.5kg. Ewes typically gain 300g/day, so this means will take at least 25 days for a ewe to regain condition.

"This requires very good grazing, so farmers will need to consider if they can achieve

this or if ewes need supplementary feed. Depending on their score, good grazing with flusher buckets is often enough to put ewes in good condition for tupping.”

Why is scoring important?

Lamb growth rates were significantly impacted by ewe body condition, according to a large study of 2,516 ewes carried out over three consecutive years in four New Zealand flocks.

Ewes with high scores that lost condition during rearing were using energy reserves to feed lambs which led the researchers to conclude that "adequate feeding is required to achieve high BCS at lambing."

Healthy ewes before tupping mean healthier lambs, say researchers

Triplets were at the highest risk of low lamb growth compared to singles and doubles, which indicated that increased energy demands during gestation and rearing were insufficient.

Silage analysis is vital to get the most from forage, says Csaba Adami

Csaba Adamik: think ahead to balance rations

Anglia Farmer

Professional services

Conference to debate way forward for modern farms

Future of farming under scrutiny

The future of farm management will be debated at a major agricultural conference in London next month.

Organised by the Institute of Agricultural Management (IAgrM), the National Farm Management Conference will see a host of top speakers take to the stage on Tuesday, 7 November at the QEII Centre, Westminster.

The conference title this year is ‘What is the farm for? Technology v Tradition: The Future of Agricultural & Environmental Management’. It will explore how the twin strategies of regenerative agriculture and the use of modern agri-tech can work together.

Food production

IAgrM national director Victoria Bywater said: “Are we going to have farms that produce lots of food, or farms that respond to the public goods for public services? What is a farm for? Is it there to produce food or public services?”

It is hoped the conference will help answer these key questions and look at how food production and environmental protection can work to solve two of the most critical issues facing humanity: climate change and biodiversity loss.

The packed one-day event comprises a line-up of speakers from across the industry. They include:

• Opening the conference, Professor Sir Charles Godfray, from Oxford University, will talk about how agriculture is both a problem and solution for climate change

• Sam Hall, director of the Conservative Environment Network, will then discuss how farmers can stop and reverse biodiversity loss caused by intensive agriculture

• Will Jennings, the CEO of Rabobank in the UK will give a macroeconomic overview of the situation in farming and supply chain industries

• Representatives from the food supply chain have also been invited to discuss how regenerative food production might affect procurement policies, with Joseph Keating, Co-op agricul-

ture manager, leading this session. Also on the agenda regenerative farmers Paul Carrott, Will Oliver and Paul Cherry. Agronomists Ed Brown, head of agroecology at Hutchinsons,

technology and data plays in agriculture – and the opportunities and challenges it presents – as well as the barriers preventing farmers the adoption of new technology.

IAgrM chairman Carl Atkin-House says: “We have a fantastic line-up of speakers throughout the day. For farmers and ancillary industries involved in agriculture and food, this conference is not to be missed.

“It will address one of the burning questions on everyone’s lips and look at how agriculture can maintain food pro-

Positive new guidance on footpath diversions

New guidance could prove helpful for landowners and farmers hoping to divert or extinguish a footpath because of privacy, safety and security concerns.

The Defra guidance sets out how local authorities should give weight to the adverse impact of a public right of way on a landowner if the route passes through the garden or curtilage of a private house, a farmyard or commercial premises.

Lengthy process

Diverting a footpath is a notoriously long and complicated process and one which can come with significant costs if there is opposition,” says Charles Loyd, senior director in Strutt & Parker's Ipswich office.

“This new guidance is very helpful because it makes clear to local authorities that the impact of the route of a footpath – in terms of a landowner’s privacy, security and safety – is an important consideration, which must be given weight when coming to a decision.

“The circumstances under which landowners will be able to benefit from this new guidance are fairly limited – but it does mean local authorities will be obliged to take a more practical approach in instances where rights of way go through the middle of a farmyard.”

Before agreeing to any changes, the local authority will need to consider all the options available and wherever possible will be looking to divert or replace the right of way, rather than close it.

RASE award honour for farm conservationist

The Royal Agricultural Society of England has named farm conservationist Alastair Leake as the recipient of its 2023 National Agricultural Award.

The award recognises Dr Leake's outstanding contribution to British agriculture through his work leading the Allerton Project – the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust demonstration farm which showcases how commercial farming and biodiversity can co-exist.

The award is given annually to an individual who has made a significant impact on the advancement of UK agriculture. Dr Leake has led the Allerton Project for 22 years, researching the effects of different farming methods on biodiversity.

Tireless efforts

Located on the Loddington Estate in Leicestershire, the Allerton Project has attracted thousands of visitors – including farmers, government ministers, Defra policy makers, researchers and students – who have learned from its innovative practices.

Award judges praised Dr Leake for his tireless efforts to discover and communicate how agricultural production systems can allow for high levels of food production and biodiversity to occur simultaneously.

RASE chief executive David Grint said “Alasiair has made an extraordinary contribution to British agriculture through his work leading the Allerton Project, which has done so much to pioneer and popularise ways of farming with nature.”

Dr Leake said he was “humbled, honoured and thrilled” to receive the award. He added:

Refinancing deal for Bridge Farm Group

Lincolnshire horticultural grower Bridge Farm Group has entered a new phase of growth after securing a multi-million-pound refinancing package.

Bridge Farm, based in Spalding in Lincolnshire, produces ornamental plants and cut flowers. It grows more than 70m plants and flowers annually in 24ha of low-carbon biomass-heated glasshouses – supplying supermarkets and DIY retailers.

Established in 1988, the business has a £30m annual turnover and 160 employees. A competitive debt raising process by FRP Corporate Finance to identify a partner to support the next phase of Bridge Farm's growth plans.

Expansion

“I have been fortunate to have worked alongside some outstanding colleagues through my 30 years of involvement with agricultural and environmental trials.”

The gift of the Loddington Estate by the late Lord and Lady Allerton and their vision for the Allerton Project was inspiring. “Never before has it been so important for us to find ways to grow our food and protect nature and the environment simultaneously.”

The multi-million-pound refinancing package will support Bridge Farm’s ongoing expansion and enable it to continue producing its extensive range of high-quality plants and cut flowers while also penetrating the market for plant-derived extracts and molecules.

The deal was completed with support from advisers Shoosmiths, EY and Savills.

Bridge Farm managing director Louise Motala said: “This deal represents another key milestone for Bridge Farm as we continue to expand and build value in the business.”

BASIS celebrates membership milestone

Professional training standards body BASIS has signed up the 1000th member to join the National Register of Sprayer Operators (NRoSO) scheme this year.

The scheme provides sprayer operators with Continuing Professional Development (CPD) qualifications. It is a milestone moment for BASIS, which took over management of the central register in January.

NRoSO manager Andy Lister said: "Sprayer operators are a vital cog in the agricultural industry, with a huge responsibility in helping protect and grow our food supply chain through the correct and accurate use of pesticides and fertilisers.”

"By providing a platform for them to access training, qualifications and stay up to date with the latest application techniques, technology, plant protection products and environmental protection, NRoSO plays an important part in growing the skills required.”

In total, there are now 21,000 people on the NRoSO register. Adding 1000 people this year showed that the industry is aware of the challenges sprayer operators face, such as changes in legislation and increased output costs, said Mr Lister.

The 1000th member to join NRoSO this year was Adrian Hackett, whose spraying career began on his family farm. He now works for ValeFresco Salad growers in Evesham, Worcestershire.

Alastair Leake (right) receives the award from Andrew Wraith, head of food and farming at Savills, at a ceremony held at the Royal Windsor Estate.

New Eco Lodge

Five things we’ve learnt about the East of England farmland market so far in 2023

As we enter the final quarter of 2023, let’s take a look at some of the key trends that have affected the East of England farmland market so far this year:

1. Supply of farmland is down. By the end of August this year, 14,611 acres of farmland had been publicly marketed in the East of England – a drop of 14 per cent compared to the same period in 2022. This is an anomaly against Great Britain as a whole, which has seen supply increase by 25 per cent year on year. Several big estates were sold in the East of England last year, which accounts for the larger levels of supply in 2022. When compared to the three years previously, 2023’s supply is 84.6 per cent higher than 2021, 76.7 per cent higher than 2020 and 68.9 per cent higher than 2019. This is evidence of an active market – one in which Savills has a 32 per cent market share.

2. Volume of smaller farms on the rise. Nationally, the number of 50-to-100-acre parcels of bare lowland offered for sale has increased by 44 per cent. Although specific figures are not available for the East of England, we have seen a marked increase in the number of landowners with smaller holdings coming to us for advice.

3. Average values for prime arable land increasing. The value of prime arable land across the East of England has now reached an average of £10,758 an acre – a rise of 13.3 per cent year on year and the highest price since the end of 2014. Nationally, prime arable land is trading at an average of £10,242 an acre – a rise of 8.7 per cent year on year. Whether this will continue at the same level remains to be seen. Higher base rates could reduce demand and lead to a more restrained rate of value growth over the next year or two.

4. Capital gains rollover funds support demand. Wellequipped commercial farms and significant acreages of bare arable land are often being bought in competition by buyers with capital gains rollover funds who have a time sensitive window for investment. This demand has helped support values.

5. Renewed interest in the agricultural investment sector. Guide prices for agricultural investment type properties let on longer term leases are in most instances being exceeded. Private investors are generally the most active and competitive buyers – consciously giving up the chance of higher interest rate returns in the bank for the longer-term prospect of land value growth and a capital gain when the secure tenancy ends.

Oliver Carr Rural Agency Cambridge +44 (0) 7808 643 274

Midlands Machinery Show

Green themes centre stage at Midlands Machinery Show

• Machines can save time and money

• Growing interest in agri-technology

• Precision and efficiency are popular

Growing interest in agricultural sustainability is reflected in the range of exhibitors booked for this year’s Midlands Machinery Show, held on November 8-9 at the Newark Showground.

Attendees will have plenty of time to browse machinery with a ‘green’ theme. This includes electric vehicles, minimum tillage and precision application equipment, nutrient and water management, energy generation, waste reduction, and monetising carbon and biodiversity net gain.

Camera-guided mechanical weeders will be on display on the Keith Rennie Machinery stand this year. Managing director Mike Britton says he is seeing growing interest in the technology for maize – and even cereals – now row spacings are increasing to 16, 20 or even 25cm.

Latest innovations

“Uptake over the past two to three years has been helped by government grant funding Farmers are looking at regimes where they can integrate

sprays with mechanical methods to re duce inputs and impact, and provide other benefits like aerating the soil and breaking up any capping.”

Nitrasol liquid fertilisers, exhib iting for the first time this year, will be reporting trials that show use of its products can reduce nitrogen leaching by a quarter, halve ammonia volatil isation, and safeguard soil organisms.

The market for liquid nutrition con tinues to grow, due to their suitability for precision application, zero use of plastic, and opportunities to apply in wider weather windows, explains Ni trasol sales director Rob Buck.

“All of these are not just good prac tice – they save money at farm lev el and help to future-proof farmers against new regulation.”

Carbon farming

Also making its debut at the show is CSX Carbon, which will be demonstrating how farmers can access natural capital markets while receiving a fair financial return for environmental land management practices.

Chief executive Andy Howard says: “Audit trails can be used to verify climate actions on farm. They can also open up new trading opportunities for farmers – such as the new biodiversity net gain rules for developers coming into effect shortly.”

Renewable energy is another way farm businesses can cut energy use and costs. Darren Wells from Lincs Solar

Top line-up for conference

Organised by the Newark and Nottinghamshire Agricultural Society, the Midlands Machinery Show showcases the latest range of tractors, machinery, services and technology to farmers, operators, contractors and landowners.

For the fourth successive year, the event will also be hosting the NFU’s East Midlands Environment Conference on the first day. NFU Midlands land use and environment adviser Emily Wood says the NFU will be shining a spotlight on different land uses.

“With such significant change in the industry and a focus on the environment playing a key part alongside food production, we have an excellent

Solutions reports a dramatic increase in enquiries for solar PV over the past 12 months due to energy price rises. But he says this also means customers are experiencing a shorter return on investment as a result.

“We’ll be on hand at the show to discuss how panels on agricultural and domestic roofs can significantly reduce energy bills – and also outline the finances and logistics around large ground-mounted installations.” NRoSO and BASIS points are available for attendees. For details and to register your attendance, visit www.midlandsmachineryshow.com.

Visitors examine the latest farm machinery

Grant funding has helped uptake

Latest machinery grants expected to be launched this winter

• Funding for farmers to upgrade kit

• Announcement expected for winter

• Similar to old small grants scheme

Exhibitors at the Midlands Machinery Show say the event is well-timed for farmers looking to make the most of government grants.

A number of machinery, technology and productivity grants are expected to re-open this winter – including grants for farm equipment, says Tom Cheer, agricultural business consultant at Brown & Co.

The main grant relevant to the show is the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) for productivity and slurry – which is very similar to the old Countryside Productivity Small Grants scheme, says Mr Cheer.

“It aims to improve productivity and efficiency on farm. Applications are online, selecting items from an eligible list and getting paid a fixed amount of grant no matter how much is spent on the item.”

Expected opening

So far, there have been two rounds of the FETF. A third round is expected to open to applications this winter. Previous rounds have seen grants available for items such as direct drills and weeders – with further items expected to be added in future.

Camera guided equipment, liquid fertiliser applicators and small seed drills will all be exhibited at the show. Displays will include machines from KRM, Grange Machinery, Sands Agri cultural Machinery, Househam spray ers and Knight sprayers.

“For a 6m direct drill in round two, the amount of grant awarded was £18,720; if it was capable of apply ing fertiliser simultaneously, it was £25,000,” says Mr Cheer.

“For N-Sensors it was £6,675 and for camera-guided inter-row vegeta ble weeders, a 6m machine attracted £22,745.”

The list of eligible items varies from round to round but is usually expanded over time, with some items occasion

ally removed, says Mr Cheer.

“The maximum grant is £25,000 but farmers can choose as many items as they like to meet this amount. It is worth bearing in mind that for each item, a minimum specification must be met, which the Rural Payments Agency is incredibly strict about.”

Regenerative farming

The grant helps farmers to access more technical machinery at a lower cost, says KRM managing director Mike Britton.

“KRM machinery’s tine drill SMP model will be on show at the Midlands Machinery Show and has so far been eligible for the FETF grant. It promotes regenerative farming, moving the soil less, leading to less release of carbon.

“The grant has also covered KRM Calibrators – control systems for fertiliser spreading and variable rate application and KRM Patchwork GPS section control.

“Both are driving efficiency, meaning farmers use less fertiliser on the field, and less fertiliser is wasted

Farmers can choose from a list of items

through run-off, with environmental benefits.”

Livestock grants

There is also the Animal Health and Welfare aspect of FETF and larger productivity grants under the Farming Transformation Fund. They cover water management, reservoirs and irrigation equipment; slurry infrastructure; adding value and improving productivity.

Mr Cheer, says: “Improving Farm Productivity is about bringing robotics on farm like robotic harvesters, sprayers and weeders, aimed at the vegetable industry.

But it's also autonomous tractors and robotic milking and feeding systems – anything with a camera to sense its surroundings and decision-making capabilities.”

Adding value

The show is a good time to catch up with friends

There are also opportunities for grants to add value to farm produce – aimed at packhouse equipment like optical graders. The Farming Transformation Fund grants is a two-stage process with an ‘expression of interest’ or ‘online checker’, followed up by a full application.

Currently closed to new applications, the Farming Transformation Fund is expected to re-open this winter. Previously grants have accounts for 40% of the equipment cost from £35,000 to £500,000 with 60% match funding from the farmer.

“We are looking forward to meeting farmers at our stand at the Midlands Machinery Show to discuss the grant opportunities available,” says Mr Cheer.

Thousands of exhibits will be on display

Midlands Machinery Show

Show supports next generation of engineers

The Midlands Machinery Show con tinuing to back the next generation of agricultural engineers – with the return of its annual apprenticeship awards.

The Midlands Agricultural Engineer ing Apprenticeship Awards will return for the eighth consecutive year at the two-day event, which takes place on 8-9 November at the Newark Showground, Nottinghamshire.

The awards were initially introduced the Newark and Nottinghamshire Agricultural Society, which organises the event, to provide support and guidance to young apprentices from across the Midlands region.

Vital for farming

Supporting the best of the next generation of agricultural engineers is key for promoting careers within the industry, says event manager Elizabeth Halsall. Apprentices are vital for farming and deserve opportunities to enhance their skills and knowledge, she adds.

“Through hands-on learning and experience, apprentices help cultivate a thriving and sustainable future for our farming com-

“Now, more than ever, they deserve new and exciting opportunities to inspire them and help support the experience, skills and confidence they need as they head into their future careers.”

In 2022, Robert Ward, a dedicated apprentice at Farol, was thrilled to receive the first instalment of his well-deserved award. With this recognition, he says he is motivated to continue his journey with Farol for many years to come.

also grants him the opportunity to invest in much-needed equipment,” says Ms Halsall.

“Applications are currently open, and we strongly encourage aspiring Midlands agricultural engineering apprentices to apply to have the opportunity to be selected.”

Successful applicants will each receive £250 – the first of a two-year instalment totalling £500. Entries are open until 13 October 2023 to agricultural apprentices aged 1725 living and working in the Midlands.

The apprenticeship awards return to the show for the eighth year

New exhibitors at Midlands Machinery Show

Consolidation across UK machinery dealerships will see a raft of new exhibitors in innovation and technology at the Midlands Machinery Show.

New suppliers offering precision farming kit and environmental solutions will join the usual full complement of big tractor and machinery brands on display on 8-9 November at the Newark Showground.

Elizabeth Halsall. who organises the event for the Newark and Nottinghamshire Agricultural Society, says the result is a really diverse range of stands this year, with all indoor space sold out and outdoor plots disappearing fast.

Industry showcase

“New independent companies seem to be using the Midlands Machinery Show to break into the industry and showcase their products – possibly because the show is known for attracting high quality visitors.”

Last year, 40% of visitors came to the show to research or place an order, says Ms Halsall. “They’re coming to do business, and travelling around 100 miles to do so –from all over England, but also from as far as Dundee in Scotland and Cork in Ireland.”

Almost 30 new exhibitors this year include Slanetrac, an engineering company based in Ireland. It makes a range of mini-digger attachments in-house. Others include Sencrop, offering precision weather data; and the Forestry Commission.

Despite this influx of fresh blood, there are also some stalwarts who have exhibited at the show since it started eight years ago. They include Hannah Setchfield of RC Setchfield, a family-run agricultural engineering business from Grantham, Lin-

colnshire.

Ms Setchfield says the equipment they have brought to the show over the years has changed with the challenges in farming. “Particularly now, farmers need to do more with less, so investing in the right equipment is essential,” she explains.

“Equipment on the stand has got bigger to reflect the additional capacity required, and more multi-functional as farmers need machinery that can operate 24/7, 365 days a year – and perform multiple activities.”

No advice better than bad advice

It's become typical for a British summer – constant showers all harvest with some grain combined wet despite my best efforts not to cut anything over 15% moisture between the rain.

Then, as soon as the cereal harvest has finished and the kids are back at school, a high pressure weather system set in and everyday brings cloudless skies and a record-breaking heatwave with temperatures over 30º celsius.

Somewhat through gritted teeth, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board has been comparing the cost of drying grain against the cost of leaving the crop in the field to dry naturally.

Levy hike

With rumours swirling that a levy hike is in the offing, it's galling to suggest to us farmers that we cannot add up and decide whether to combine wet or leave the crop in the field for a little longer.

If i could organise a high pressure system at the drop of a hat, I probably would not have entered farming and put my God-given climate control talents to better use. Or make it rain on a neighbour when I see him combining because he missed the last shower

Looking a bit closer at the AHDB website, I notice the cereals and oilseeds sector board

includes a member who farms not a million acres away from me. He's a lot younger than I am – which is my current bone of contention.

In today's farming world, what is the difference between 30-year-olds and us old forgotten farmers over 60? The answer is technology and common sense. Youngers have more of the former – whereas we older ones have more of the latter.

Proper knowledge

I would like to think that the advice I could give to hard-pressed farmers would be practical and with some knowledge of proper farming.

I have not had the business grounding of multi-national companies or a degrees in economics. But neither do I state the bloody obvious. I farm from the ground up – not from a laptop with colour-coded photos of each field in the order they must be cut.

Things like time of drilling and whether a crop is standing or lodged don't seem to apply any more. In fact, in today's carbon farming world demanding little or no cultivation, is there even room for us older farmers?

Today's growers out in the field need an accountable levy board that offers good advice and somehow good value for money. But these modern laptop drive-by farmers have

too much time on their hands and very little practical farming experience.

Words into practice

When you consider the remuneration to AHDB board members, it is perhaps little wonder that cash-strapped farmers bemoan at the amounts paid to people for doing a 36-day-a-year job.

Of course the recommended lists are always valued and worth a read. But you have to wonder whether this justifies the levy imposed on growers.

It is very easy to talk good practice but can some of these experts put words into practice on their own farms?

From what I have seen, the answer is a questionable 'no' at best.

Past generations were able to make a successful living from farming. But their knowledge seems not to have been passed down to the next generation.

Farming today seems to be run by people driving the sector into an advice-driven deep hole. Farmers who thrive without an outside are becoming less common. But it is still possible – albeit for how much longer?

Indeed, most of us practical farmers are over 60, with fewer years to carry on and change our farming practice.

High-quality impartial advice is rare indeed when it comes to modern farming, says Fen Tiger.

The difference is technology and common sense

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