Midland Farmer - February 2022 by Countrywide Publications

February 2022

Midland

Farmer Serving the farming industry across the Midlands

Demand for oats: Why new spring varieties are fuelling the market

News Countryside Stewardship: winners and losers Arable Tweak nitrogen to optimise yields Crop storage Anti-rodent tips for your grain store Livestock Why maize growers must manage P&K carefully Animal Health Farmers urged to highlight reduction in antibiotics Clodhopper Do we want farmland or forestry?

Animal health: How monitoring progress improves performance

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Midland Farmer

OPINION Johann Tasker

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

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Midland Farmer is a controlled circulation magazine published monthly for farmers and growers in the Midlands (Derbyshire, Herefordshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands and Worcestershire) or companies supplying goods and services to the sector. To be included on the circulation list, a farmer must have a minimum of 70 acres of land, or 50 dairy/beef stock, or 50 breeding sows/250 growing stock, or 15,000 laying hens/broiler chickens. Intensive horticulture units are required to have a minimum of two hectares. If you no longer wish to receive this magazine, please email your name, address and postcode as it appears on the wrapper to annie.fish@micropress.co.uk © Countrywide Publications 2022 Published by Countrywide Publications, Fountain Way, Reydon Business Park, Reydon Suffolk IP18 6DH T: 01502 725800 Printed by Micropress Printers Ltd T: 01502 725800

It all comes down to money

s government announcements go, it certainly wasn’t the biggest. But confirmation that farmers will be paid to ‘make space for nature’ on their land once again reinforces the message that big changes are ahead for agriculture. Defra secretary George Eustice made the announcement at last month’s Oxford Farming Conference. He wants 60% of England’s farmland under sustainable management by 2030 – and up to 300,000ha of wildlife habitat created by 2042. This will be achieved by farmers who sign up to the mid-level and higher-level tiers of the government’s forthcoming Environmental Land Management scheme, Mr Eustice told the online event. The new tiers will support nature recovery and climate action by rewarding farmers while encouraging sustainable and profitable food production, said Mr Eustice. But there was no detail of how much individual farmers can expect to earn. This is the crucial missing piece of information. Everyone wants to do their bit for the environment. But doing so must make

Contents

Vol 11 • No 2 • February 2022

News .................................................................... 4 Arable .................................................................. 9 Crop storage......................................................21 Carbon farming ..............................................30

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Animal health ................................................ 34 Lambing and calving .................................. 39 Property ........................................................... 43 Clodhopper ......................................................46

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good business sense as well as being good for the environment. After all, farms are businesses, not charities. Without offering proper payments, the government will be expecting farmers do the right thing out of the goodness of their hearts – rather than adequately rewarding growers and livestock producers for the true value of their work. Mr Eustice and his predecessor Michael Gove have mad much of their “public money for public goods” mantra – using public money to reward farmers for delivering public benefits such as cleaner air, cleaner water and for encouraging wildlife. Many farmers are willing to do this. But it needs to be a properly balanced equation. We know lots about the public goods farmers are expected to deliver. But nobody is going to get on board until they know the payment they will receive in return. With that in mind, Mr Eustice needs to put his money where his mouth is. Then farmers can decide whether his policies stack up financially.. Johann Tasker Editor

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FEBRUARY 2022 • MIDLAND FARMER 3

News Winners and losers from Defra stewardship payment review • 30% increase in average payment • But some options will see decrease • Still less risky return than cropping

government review of Countryside Stewardship payment rates will see some farmers receive more money – but some options will receive less. New payment rates which apply from 1 January 2022 were unveiled by Defra secretary George Eustice during last month’s Oxford Farming Conference. On average, rates are increasing by 30%, he told listeners. “This sends a powerful signal to farmers that we want them to get involved in Countryside Stewardship,” said Mr Eustice. “For those who are early adopters and have already been engaged in Countryside Stewardship, they will automatically see an increase in the payments they receive for the work that they are already doing.

Second look “But for those who have not yet engaged with Countryside Stewardship - the 40,000 or so who have chosen not to so far, I would urge them all to look again at Countryside Stewardship. We’ve made it simpler.” Defra says the new rates are based on current costs. For existing agreements beginning on or before 1 January 2022, the higher rate will be paid where there has been an increase. For agreements beginning next

year, the new rates will apply. But rather than the 30% described by Defra, a typical farm can expect to see an 8% uplift according to an analysis by farm consultants Ceres Rural. This is because rates for some options have been decreased. Option AB1 (nectar flower mix) has increased from £511/ha to £579/ ha. Similarly, AB16 (autumn sown bumblebird mix) has increased from £550/ha to £608/ha. GS2 (permanent grassland with very low inputs) has increased from £95/ha to £132/ha.

Input costs But option GS1 (taking field corners and small areas out of management) has dropped from £365/ha to £333/ha. GS15 and GS17 (haymaking and lenient grazing supplements) has droped from £85/ha to £37ha and £44/ha to £23/ha respectively. Option AB2 (overwinter stubble) has decreased to £54/ha whereas option SW6 (winter cover crops) has increased to £124/ha. This is likely to encourage farmers to establish cover crops rather than leaving bare stubble prior to spring drilling. “These changes come at a time when, although commodity prices are high, input costs – particularly fertiliser and seed – are set to rise significantly,” says Ceres Rural consultant

Robert Gazely. Although an option such as AB15 (two year sown legume fallow) had only risen from £522/ha to £569/ha – an increase of 9% – it still offered a de-risked return compared to high risk break crops such as oilseed rape and peas.

The government wants more farmers to apply for Countryside Stewardship

Cautious welcome for higher payments

he NFU has welcomed the increase in payment rates for new Countryside Stewardship agreements. But it wants more detail about two new schemes also announced at the Oxford Farming Conference. Those schemes are the Local Nature Recovery scheme and the higher level Landscape Recovery scheme (see page 39). NFU vice president Tom Bradshaw said: “British farmers are proud to produce climatefriendly food to some of the highest standards 4 MIDLAND FARMER • FEBRUARY 2022

in the world, alongside maintaining and protecting the great British countryside, its air, water, soils and its wildlife. “We welcome further clarity on the rollout of the Local Nature Recovery and Landscape Recovery as part of the agricultural transition, including scheme eligibility and option-based approach available to farmers. Mr Bradshaw continued: “The NFU has always maintained that the ‘public money for public goods’ approach must focus on sus-

tainable food production and environmental delivery going hand-in-hand. “While it is encouraging that sustainable food production is recognised, there is still a lack of detail on how it fits in with the schemes’ ambitions to improve farm biodiversity, restore peatlands and manage woodlands. “This lack of detail is preventing farmers from making crucial long-term decisions that are essential to them running viable and profitable businesses.”

News

Conference falls victim to Covid

Hare coursing has been banned in the UK since 2004

Legislation to crack down on hare-coursing

ougher sentencing and improved police powers will help to combat harecoursing in the countryside, says the government. Plans to strengthen the penalties and powers available to tackle the illegal activity were unveiled last month by Defra secretary George Eustice. Farm leaders and animal welfare campaigners have welcomed the proposals. Hare-coursing is a serious problem across much of East Anglia and the Midlands. As well as animal cruelty, it is associated with a range of other criminal activities – including theft, criminal damage, violence and intimidation.

Stiffer penalties Mr Eustice said measures would include stiffer penalties, new criminal offences and new powers for the courts to ban offenders from owning or keeping dogs – including an order to reimburse police costs when seized dogs have to be kept in kennels. “There are persistent groups who illegally perpetuate hare-coursing creating challenges for the police. These new measures will give the police the additional powers to bring prosecutions and confiscate dogs from owners involved in hare-coursing.” The proposals were tabled as amendments to the government’s Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in the House of Lords last month. NFU deputy president 6 MIDLAND FARMER • FEBRUARY 2022

he Lincolnshire Farming Conference has been cancelled for a second year running due to concerns over the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The Lincolnshire Showground has confirmed that anyone who booked a place to attend the Lincolnshire Farming Conference on Thursday 10 February 2022 will be issued with a full refund via Eventbrite. Conference chairwoman Kelly HewsonFisher (below) said: “We are sad to announce the cancellation of the 2022 event. However, the safety of our community is extremely important to us, and we have to prioritise that by taking the right action. “The conference is a key fixture for Lincolnshire’s agricultural community, with this decision to cancel being intended to keep them safe and allow us to deliver a first-rate event with greater certainty in the future.” The next Lincolnshire Farming Conference will now take place on 9 February 2023. It will focus on the theme of Healthy Soils, Healthy Minds – which was due to be the theme of the 2022 event.

Stuart Roberts said the government had recognised the need for urgent action. The amendments would strengthen the law and finally give rural police forces and the courts the necessary powers to tackle harecoursing and the wider problem of organised crime, said Mr Roberts.

Huge damage “Our members have had to deal with the impact of illegal-hare coursing for far too long and will be relieved that after much campaigning by the NFU and others over many years there is now light at the end of the tunnel. “I hope this will signal the start of a real crackdown on these organised gangs of criminals who break into fields to let dogs loose to chase hares, causing huge damage to crops and farm property and intimidating people living in rural communities.” RSPCA chief executive Chris Sherwood said hare-coursing frequently resulted in dogs being injured as well as hares being killed. “It’s time hare-coursing was consigned to the history books – where it belongs. “Hare coursing gangs inflict fear and suffering on their targets – the hare – but [we] have also seen many dogs, used for coursing, coming into our care having been injured during the sport or abandoned when their owners no longer have use for them.” For more on hare-coursing see page 43.

Harper extends vet facilities

resh investment of almost £500,000 will be made into the Harper Adams University campus in Shropshire thanks to a successful grant application. The £491,206 grant will support the second phase of work to support teaching and learning in veterinary medicine, veterinary nursing, veterinary physiotherapy and allied para-professions at the university. It will fund the purchase of equipment for animal handling and housing; large animal anatomy models and the refurbishment of a veterinary nursing building to accommodate increased student numbers.

Hitting the breaks on Planning Reforms We all know the criticisms of the planning system – no public confidence, too slow, too bureaucratic, too expensive, Council’s overstretched and under-resourced, too complicated – we have heard it all before. But in 2020, Boris announced a new White Paper “Planning for the future” where he told us: “Radical reform unlike anything we have seen since the Second World War…. Not more fiddling around the edges, not simply painting over the damp patches, but levelling the foundations and building, from the ground up, a whole new planning system for England.” After only 15 short months, it now appears the plans have been consigned firmly in the past. The new Secretary of State, Michael Gove has ordered a “complete rethink” of the Planning Bill. So what did those reforms say, why were they controversial and what could new reforms look like? What did the reforms say? The proposed reforms were wide reaching and were essentially tearing down the current planning system and starting again. Primarily they proposed: Zonal Planning - The White Paper looked at a zonal planning system of three land classifications; growth, renewal or protection. The implication was that land in growth areas would benefit from automatic permission, while land in urban renewal areas would be granted permission in principle and anywhere else would be protected from development. Digital Planning - The document-based

planning system currently in effect would move to a digital one. This is designed to improve the speed and efficiency of application decisions and allow residents to be more engaged in the development of their local area. At the moment, only 3% of local people engage with consultations on planning applications, according to the government. Mandatory housebuilding targets for councils in an effort to hit the government’s target of building 300,000 new homes per year – the so-called mutant algorithms in the press Why were they controversial? The Government were repeatedly met with Tory backbenchers unhappy that communities could face new housing imposed upon them with no right to object. The former prime minister Theresa May even claimed that the reforms would create a “developers charter” but the byelection defeat in Chesham and Amersham with Lib Dems taking control, resulted in insurmountable pressure to scrap some of the controversial reforms. Equally, there were many in the profession who had concerns about the enormity of the proposals and felt smaller, less radical changes could be made to the current system. The Land Promoters and Developers Federation (LPDF) and the House Builders Federation (HBF) were among the 44,000 responses communicating such concerns. What could new reforms look like? And so overnight, the September’s government reshuffle saw Mr Jenrick leave and Mr Gove became the new housing secretary, and a new title for the department - Department for Levelling Up,

Housing and Communities. And with the loss of Jenrick, we saw the planning reforms downgraded to a “tidying up exercise” which is “limited to making the current system we have work better.” At the Conservative conference, again we saw big statements from Mr Johnson adding: “Not on green fields, not just jammed in the South East, but beautiful homes on brownfield sites in places where homes make sense.” And yet, we also saw a continued commitment to 300,000 homes a year which is echoed by Labour whilst the Lib Dems are seeking a whopping 380,000 new homes, with at least 150,000 suitable for social rent. Just don’t mention it to the voters of Chesham and Amersham! So what might we see in new reforms, well for one thing, it isn’t getting simpler – we are likely to see a focus on beauty (whatever that means), levelling up (ditto), a commitment to brownfield first (despite that almost all parties agree there is insufficient brownfield to meet housing needs) and emphasis on communities having a say in development. For those in the profession, we have seen big political promises to shake up the planning system for the last 20 years with repeated White Papers, Green Papers, a rolling door of housing ministers and at the same time, a worsening affordability and housing crisis with a whole generation likely to be denied home ownership if matters continue. Therefore, despite the political sound bites, one thing is for certain – dealing with the need for homes amidst the complexities of the planning system is going nowhere fast.

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Arable How to manage nitrogen to optimise cereal yields • High fertiliser prices continue to cause worry • Yield potential is key to efficient applications • Crops should be assessed throughout season

igh nitrogen prices make it more important than ever to evaluate the true yield potential of crops this spring. Spring fertiliser applications should be managed carefully to ensure a viable return on investment with nitrogen prices at an all-time high, says Chris Hoskins, digital farming manager for Hutchinsons. “We have seen such massive variations in purchase price for fertiliser over the last three months – with a tonne of nitrogen ranging anywhere between £280- £700 per tonnre – a difference of £242/ha between early and late purchasing.

Fertiliser costs “Some fertiliser is now costing as much as £2/kg N, so to apply 200kgN could cost anywhere between £162-£404/ha. At these levels, it is more important than ever to look at how to reduce or manage applications in the spring as efficiently as possible.” The starting point in this process

is to be realistic about the yield potential of crops in the field. This will help to determine where fertiliser will have the most impact and return on investment, says Mr Hoskins. Yield maps provide a historical picture of the best and worst performing parts of a field – even one year’s worth of data can help to visualise this. If possible, farmers should use field records to create a yield performance map, explains Mr Hoskins. Software packages such as Onmia make this possible using layers of yield data. This provides a picture of the areas of a field which perform consistently – so application rates can be based on this sub-field information. “It may be that a higher yielding area of the field has shown up to be potentially inconsistent so it may not be worth pushing this area – but it may be worth investing in another area delivering a an average yield that is potentially consistent.

Break-even rates “At the end of the day, the crop needs to be making money or there is no point in growing it. This season more than ever, it is important to take into account the cost of nitrogen, the selling price of the crop, as well as yield potential.” Based on the cost of nitrogen and the average wheat price, a new breakeven tool within Omnia suggests the optimum fertiliser rate. This can then be adjusted, suiting both flat and variable rate applications. A break-even ratio using the variable rate approach will provide a reference point that can be referred back to throughout the spring to see whether certain parts of the field are economically viable to grow. Adjusting rates Constantly evaluating crop biomass through the season – either through tractor mounted sensors or NDVI sat-

ellite imagery – can help growers decide whether to apply more or less fertiliser to poor areas with a low yield potential. Trials show that tiller numbers and yield potential do not change after GS30 in cereals. This means that applying more fertiliser to poorer performing areas is only worthwhile early in the season – something that might be easier to justify this season. When it comes to the final application, the same question should be asked when looking at in-season crop data. Even at this stage, growers should consider whether there is potential for a 10t/ha crop or whether it is more realistic to aim for 8t/ha. Historically it has been the practice to apply more nitrogen to poor areas in an aim to even up crops. But Mr Hoskins says this year – in light of the high fertiliser prices – a more accurate “feed to potential” may become more common practice.

Inputs and outputs need to generate profit, says Chris Hoskins. Left: Application timings and rates need careful thought.

FEBRUARY 2022 • MIDLAND FARMER 9

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Arable

Superior N-Min soil test confirmed by farm trials

series of national farms trials has shown that the CF NMin test is the most accurate method of measuring soil nitrogen reserves – by a significant margin compared to simple soil mineral nitrogen (SMN) testing or using RB209. The trials show that the N-Min field test accurately predicts soil nitrogen reserves in nearly 80% of cases. The research was conducted by CF Fertilisers, Agrii and Frontier across more than 20,000ha of UK arable production on almost 50 farms. The 80% accuracy rate compares to 45% with SMN and 33% with the RB209 field assessment method. “These are critically important results,” says CF head of agronomy Sajjad Awan (right. “At a time when all producers are being asked to be as responsible as possible with their fertiliser use, accurate assessment of what nitrogen is in the soil to start with is essential. “Without this, inadvertent over-application is a real possibility and, in addition to the obvious environmental concerns associated with this, efficient nitrogen use is more important than ever when fertiliser prices are high. “Looking at nitrogen take-off in the crop and the amount left in the soil after harvest, N-Min was 100% accurate nearly four out of five times and significantly more precise than either SMN or RB209 estimates in all cases. “Bearing in mind N-Min is a fieldbased test with many variables in play including increasingly volatile weather conditions throughout the growing season, this is an astonishing level of accuracy and one growers can have real

ing the remaining nitrogen needed to hit yield and quality requirements. “Furthermore, N-Min’s final calculations are based on more than 25 years of data which allow it to make the correct adjustments for key factors such as soil type and other specific farm characteristics.” Although the N-Min test costs more than a simple SMN test, the return on investment from the improved accuracy can be substantial, Dr Awan adds. “It’s not just about reducing nitrogen inputs, you’ve got to factor in the possible lost farm income from not allowing high performance crops to perform to their full potential or the financial penalties resulting from missing premium market specifications. “Five years of trials suggest the improvements in margin over purchased fertiliser (MOPF) from using N-Min as a base for planning fertiliser applications average around £210/ha but can be as high as £300/ha. “But the benefits extend far beyond on-farm financial gains and include several significant environmental advantages as result of optimised nitrogen applications. These include reduced losses to the air and water plus a lower carbon footprint.”

confidence in. “Across the farm, such accuracy represents a significant opportunity for margin improvement, not just from a potential reduction in fertiliser use but also from ensuring high performance crops receive the nitrogen they need.”

Unique dataset The consistency and accuracy of N-Min lies largely in its ability to predict additionally available nitrogen (AAN) underpinned by a unique dataset, explains Dr Awan. “An SMN test gives you a snapshot of the nitrogen in the soil at the moment of the test, whereas N-Min test also calculates what has already been taken up by the crop and what nitrogen is likely to mineralise in the soil during the season. “Putting all this together gives you the total soil nitrogen supply (SNS) which is the only way you can reach the correct starting point for calculat-

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Arable

New varieties fuel interest in market for spring oats • Newly listed variety is sought after for quality • Good performer slots seamlessly into rotation • Leading UK miller invests to increase capacity

ore farmers are growing spring oats – encouraged by new varieties and the crop’s ability to help spread labour and workloads, control blackgrass, and provide a break in arable rotations. Stronger varieties are coming to the market and are being accepted by major oat mills, says Brin Hughes, agronomy manager at Bedfordshire-based Richardson Milling, which is said to be the second biggest oat miller in Europe. The oat market has developed dramatically over the last few years and Richardson Milling has increasingly taken in spring oats. But Mr Hughes says historically, older varieties haven’t milled as well. “Over the last two years with new varieties and improved growing techniques, we have seen much better results with spring oats. Key to this is growers planting earlier – around February – so plants establish well.

Standout variety Part of the crop’s success is down to the weather, with oats preferring moisture when growing. That said, the quality of available varieties is also improving. They include spring oat Merlin, which is new to the Recommended List. “We’ve had our eye on Merlin, and last year it did well in trials,” says Mr Hughes. “We got 6t/ha from the harvest, milling quality was over the spec, bushel weight was over 50 kilos which is the level we draw, and screening losses were good, at under 2%. “A standout characteristic for Merlin is its standing ability – we did see some lodging in the trial with other varieties, but not the Merlin. We need under 30% hulling losses, and Merlin came in at 26%.” Richardson Milling recently announced plans to increase its milling capacity by upwards of 35%. The company will be taking commercial loads of Merlin this year, as long as it reaches specification, says Mr Hughes. 12 MIDLAND FARMER • FEBRUARY 2022

Early maturity Arable farmer Luke Palmer had good results in the first year he grew Merlin for seed at Stretham, near Ely. “We drilled late for blackgrass control, and because we followed a later-lifted vegetable crop on the Fen,” he says. Mr Palmer planted 16 ha of Merlin in two fields in a trial – one field with an organo-mineral soil and the other ideep peat. Both were drilled on 9 April. The crop averaged 6.2t/ha when it was harvested on 1-2 September. Blackgrass control is good, the crop has good standing, and it harvested well and relatively early, says Mr Palmer. This enabled him to drill a first wheat afterwards – and the crop can equally be grown behind late sugar beet or a vegetable crop. “We’re really pleased with Merlin – and are looking to grow it again this year, ” says Mr Palmer.

Luke Palmer says he is growing spring oats again this year after a successful season last year

Merlin set to cast a spell on growers New to the Recommended List (RL) ith an enviable combination of yield, quality and disease resistance, Merlin is best described as an allrounder spring oat variety. Bred with both millers and farmers in mind, Merlin produces a high yielding, highquality oat when grown conventionally or organically. Early to mature, it has the lowest screening losses of any spring oat variety and scores 8 for mildew. Gemma Clarke (pictured) of agents Cope Seeds and Grain describes Mer-

lin as a standout variety suited to all regions in the UK. It delivers consistency and quality to millers, due to its high specific weight and high kernel content, she says. “It has the lowest screening losses of any recommended oat varieties. It is one of the highest yielding oat varieties on the recommended list and performs exceptionally well when grown organically or conventionally with good standing ability.”

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FEBRUARY 2022 • MIDLAND FARMER 13

Arable

Healthy soil is the first step on the way to healthy yields

How to improve soil health Soil health and conservation agriculture Conservation agriculture has become a hot topic among growers in recent years. More farmers are conscious about what they’re doing to their soils and their impact on the environment and yields. Regenerative agriculture is increasingly popular. It encompasses practices such as: • Reduced soil movement • Diversified cropping • Keeping soil covered • Increasing biodiversity.

James Warne from Soil First Farming offers some practical advice for growers wanting to improve soil health and crop production

rable farmers at the top of their game are constantly striving to improve crop production. They do so by tweaking inputs and management practices. Soil status has a significant impact on yield and quality. Growers are at risk of not reaching a crop’s full potential if soils are poor – but various strategies can be used to improve soil health. 14 MIDLAND FARMER • FEBRUARY 2022

How can soil health affect crop production? Soil health impacts crop production in many ways. Good soil health ultimately leads to a healthy crop because soil is pivotal for the nutritional status of crops and water uptake. Healthy soils are usually rich in carbon, which is vital for the carbon cycle to take place. This cycle is crucial for plant fertility and responsible for good crop production. If soils are poor or are lacking in carbon, crop production can be significantly impacted. In extreme cases, no matter what a farmer does, crop yields will be reduced. It can be difficult to identify unproductive soils unless there are obvious signs of substandard health. These include compaction or limited water infiltration, or poor crop yield. This means farmers need to look at historical crop data and how the crop is growing to identify if there is a problem. It is then possible to decide the best steps to improve soil health.

How to improve soil health? Conservation or regenerative agriculture is key to improving soil health. This can include examining cropping options, the nutritional status of soils and cultivation methods. Cropping and rotations Some farmers work within tight rotations which are profitable but detrimental to soil health. This is because tight rotations reduce soil biodiversity. Tight rotations can also mean a routine reliance on a narrow range of plant protection products. To prevent such issues, widening the rotation to different cropping options is important. Wider rotations strengthen soil biodiversity and structure while delivering organic matter into the soil profile. Cover crops can add diversity to arrable rotations. They are also easy to grow. A catch crop, such as mustard or linseed, can be drilled quickly and will establish rapidly. The crop can be destroyed after six to eight weeks. As it breaks down, it adds organic matter into the soil, leaving behind roots and channels. This enhances the soil’s natural structure and porosity, improving water infiltration, drainage and air movement. Again this is beneficial to the following crop. Cultivation When it comes to cultivation, the best way to improve soil health is to recuduce the amount of tillage. Farmers often feel compelled to work the soil into a fine tilth using lots of different maContinued overleaf

Arable Continued from previous page chines. But this has negative implications for soil carbon content. Intensely cultivated soils are much more susceptible to compaction, erosion and carbon loss. This makes it harder to preserve soil carbon. Trial results shows that where tillage is reduced, the concentration of soil carbon is much higher than where soils are intensely cultivated. If farmers are looking to improve the health of their soils, doing the bare minimum when it comes to cultivation can be beneficial and will prevent a significant amount of carbon from being lost from soils. Firms such as Sumo and others have developed a range of minimum-tillage machinery for conservation agriculture. These machines focus on working at reduced depths to protect soil from erosion and degradation. This improves soil biodiversity and protects natural resources such as water and air. It encourages better crop establishment, lower input costs and higher yields over time – ultimately leading to higher margins too. Balancing nutrition Another crucial aspect of improving soil health is balancing the nutritional status in

16 MIDLAND FARMER • FEBRUARY 2022

soils. Calcium and magnesium are two important macronutrients that need careful consideration. Calcium lets water percolate by holding the soil open – important for a healthy crop. Conversely, magnesium tends to disperse clay colloids when wet causing the soil to slump and become sticky. When dry these soils can harden with wide deep cracks.

This means balancing magnesium and calcium in soils is crucial to achieving good soil structure. James Warne, from Soil First Farming, has worked with farmers for many years to improve arable soils. For full details and further information, visit www.soilfirstfarming.co.uk

TOP TIPS FOR SOIL HEALTH Soil expert James Warne has some quick top tips for farmers looking to improve their soil health: Tip 1: Treat your soils like a bank account – you want to put more carbon in than you take out to deliver the best rewards Tip 2: Be patient – improving soil health is often a long process and can take many years before results are noticeable Tip 3: Leave chopped straw – rather than bailing it up, leave it on the fields as this will breakdown into the soil profile and boost organic carbon content

Arable

Big Six: List debut for latest KWS wheat varieties

lant breeder KWS has seen added six new high yielding wheats to the AHDB Recommended List for 2022/23 – taking to 14 its total number of recommended wheats. “We’re bringing an enhanced range of functional traits and marketing opportunities to UK growers,” says the company’s Kirsty Richards. “While yield has always been a priority in recent years, our ‘Sowing for Peak Performance’ (SPP) thinking puts more emphasis on features such as disease resistance, grain quality and later-drilling capability to help growers meet future challenges.”

er it’s in a first or second wheat slot. It’s a real work horse with short, stiff straw adding to its reliability.” KWS Fixum is another Group 4 addition in the shape of a springsown variety. It yields 3% more than the current highest yielding commercialspring wheat, says Dr Richards. “KWS Fixum is 14% higher yielding than Mulika when spring-sown with good performance in the late autumn slot, too. “Agronomically, it’s difficult to see any weaknesses with an 8 for mildew, a 7 for yellow rust and an 8 for brown rust resistance.”

Wide Group 4 appeal KWS Dawsum is a new Group 4 hard feed wheat with a yield potential 104% of controls and a specific weight of 79.4kg/hl. Dr Richards says this will be of real interest to many growers following poor specific weights in 2021. “KWS Dawsum’s treated yield is pretty spectacular but it also has an untreated yield of 92% of control so it will appeal to a range of growers with different production systems.” This is underpinned by resistance scores of 9 for yellow rust, an 8 for mildew and a 7 for brown rust. “Robust genetics ensure KWS Dawsum delivers to its full potential across the rotation regardless of heavy or light soil, early of later drilling and wheth-

Marketing opportunities In Group 3, KWS Guium and KWS Brium have strong yields, good physical grain quality and potential for distilling with specific agronomic properties suiting them to different production scenarios, says Dr Richards. “KWS Guium has excellent yield potential at 102% of control, is particularly strong in the Eastern biscuit growing regions and performs well in the popular second wheat slot, delivering excellent performance when later sown. KWS Brium is a slightly earlier maturing, slightly taller Group 3 than KWS Guium. Its stiff straw ensures it can be harvested safely after other varieties – helping to spread workloads significantly. “Importantly KWS Brium brings non-Cougar septoria resistance combined with high yield to Group 3. Only KWS Barrel and Elicit have non-Cougar resistance at the moment and both these have out-dated yields.” High untreated yields New Group 2 variety KWS Palladium has a three-year septoria resistance of 7.4 combined with a 9 for yellow rust and an 8 for mildew to give an untreated yield 90% of the treated control – just 3% behind the class leader KWS Extase, Dr Richards explains. “Its untreated yield is significantly better than all other comparative varieties with particularly strong performance in the West and when in the second wheat position, where 60% of milling wheats are sown.

KWS Dawsum’s treated yieldis “pretty spectacular” says Kirsty Richards, left

“

It performs consistently on all soil types

“Quality-wise it’s got a specific weight of 76.9kg/hl, an HFN of 315 and a milling protein level of 13.1%, so it’s perfect for a range of baking uses with good gluten strength and loaf volume. “It’s another short, stiff-strawed variety with an early harvest giving real security for producers whether they are growing this high quality wheat with the benefit of a full agronomic programme or going down a lower input route.”

New milling variety One of the best examples of SPP thinking in action is the introduction of the spring-sown KWS Ladum as a fullspecification Group 1 milling wheat, she says. “Against the backdrop of a shortage of Group 1 varieties coming forward in recent years, KWS Ladum combines excellent physical grain quality, including a specific weight of 78.0kg/hl, with a yield 8% higher than Mulika when sown in the spring slot. Ladum performs well when late autumn sown, protected by a septoria resistance score of 7 and a mildew resistance of 8. This is allied to early maturity and short, stiff straw. Good gluten and loaf volume mean a milling specification with 13.2% protein, specific weight of 78.0kg/hl and a Hagberg falling number of 324.” FEBRUARY 2022 • MIDLAND FARMER 17

18 MIDLAND FARMER • FEBRUARY 2022

Arable

Multi-site fungicide helps improve cereal yields

ncluding multi-site fungicide folpet in spring spray programmes helps improve yields by up to 0.6 t/ha in winter wheat and barley, according to field trials by Adama. “Beyond the use of resistant varieties and delaying drilling to reduce disease pressure, the over-arching key to effective disease control in cereals is to stay ahead of infections,” says Adama technical specialist Andy Bailey. “This is best achieved by applying a diverse range of fungicide modes of action, with a multi-site such as Arizona (500 g/l folpet) included at the appropriate timing to add an extra layer of disease control.” The inclusion of Arizona alongside single site fungicides helps wheat and barley crops stay ahead of key diseases including septoria and rhynchosporium, according to field trials carried out by Adama between 2018 and 2021 It also helps leaves stay greener for longer, says Mr Bailey. “Sustainable disease control is about achieving the right balance in terms of fungicide efficacy, resistance management and return on investment,” he adds.

A single application of Arizona at T1 more than paid for itself by giving an average wheat yield uplift of 0.26 t/ha. When applied at two spray timings, this increased to as much as 0.6t/ha when used alongside older single site fungicides. Yields increased by a more modest 0.20.25 t/ha when used at two spray timings with newer single site actives such as Revysol and Inatreq. A two-spray strategy also gave best results in barley, boosting yields by 0.3-0.6 t/ha.

High-risk “Folpet can also be applied at T0 and/or T2 as the season dictates in high-risk wheat situations – such as where a susceptible variety was drilled early and is growing in wet conditions in an area with a high disease loading. T1 is the key timing for the inclusion of folpet in wheat programmes. In winter and spring sown crops of barley, T2 (GS39/49) is the key timing, with a two-spray approach at T1 and T2 giving the best results.”

Septoria in a crop of winter wheat

FEBRUARY 2022 • MIDLAND FARMER 19

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Crop storage

The new grain handing and processing plant

On-farm grain handling ready for next generation

farming family says it is reaping the rewards after installing a grain handling facility as part of a plan to transfer the business to the next generation. Yorkshire-based Frickley Holdings built the facility to bring its grain drying and processing plant into the 21st century. Infrastructure was supplied and installed by BDC Systems and McArthur Agriculture. Managing director Michael Scholey says it was important that the right equipment was put in place so the next generation could farm successfully. “The modern, efficient grain drying plant we now have will play a huge part in achieving this.” Frickley Holdings farms 320ha near Doncaster and more than 800ha

acres near York. The drying floor with laterals in a1200t grain store was doing its job. But it was clear the business needed an updated facility. Mr Scholey says he wanted to ensure the business continued to meet merchant demands for high quality grain and farm assurance requirements – while taking on more contract farming agreements requiring additional storage capacity .

Weather window Climate change was also a factor, he explains. “The harvest weather window has already reduced dramatically. We have to combine at a higher moisture percentage and using electric fans to dry more grain is not cost effective.” The decision was taken to locate the

new plant at the Doncaster farm. This is where Frickley Holdings grow high quality wheat harvested before feed wheat grown closer to York. Initially, the Scholeys were open to Continued overleaf

Michael Scholey and son Will at the new facility

FEBRUARY 2022 • MIDLAND FARMER 21

Crop storage Continued from previous page several grain handling options. These included a second drying floor, batch dryers or a continuous flow drier, explains Scott McCarthur, of grain processing and storage equipment specialists McArthur Agriculture. “A drying floor did not offer the required flexibility. Batch dryers were of interest but unable to deliver the necessary hourly throughput. So we proposed BDC’s Svegma continuous flow drier supported by handling equipment from Skandia Elevator.”

High quality A future-proof solution was a key requirement, says Mr Scholey. The BDC Systems’ Svegma drier and Skandia equipment were of the highest build quality – robust, reliable and with proven longevity. McArthur Agriculture installed the grain drier and handling equipment following the construction of a new 3,000t grain store and wet grain reception bay alongside the existing 1,200t store. A Skandia trench conveyor allows delivery of grain by tractor as well as by HGV. A series of chain and flight conveyors then transport the grain to a high-capacity dust and chaff aspirator cleaner. Once cleaned, the grain is trans-

ported to the Svegma continuous flow drier and then on to either the new or existing grain store. The existing store is split into two allowing for storage of both pulses and grain. “With everything up and running for harvest 2021, the Svegma drier quickly delivered a return on investment. We could extend combinable hours as grain moisture content was less of an issue,” says Will Scholey. Having completed its first season, the new plant has already allowed Frickley Holdings to grow its business. The additional capacity has enabled contract drying and grain storage for local farmers. “The wet bay combined with the Svegma drier enables contract storage capabilities throughout the year. We will also be able to accept grain for drying which is then immediately taken away or stored.” With an eye on all the uncertainty surrounding farming, the Scholeys say their new grain store has been designed with potential change of use in mind. It could be used for general storage and being close to the M62 and A1 – should the need arise. “It is too early to calculate the exact return on investment. It’s not just about money – the new plant helped get harvest done more quickly and efficiently, reducing labour and machinery costs across the entire acreage.”

The Svegma drier has already paid for itself

Frickley Holdings grain handling facility Svegma Continuous Flow Drier SVC6/4 30t/h Skandia KTIG Trench Conveyor with 10m Inlet 2 x Skandia SEI 35/14 Belt and Bucket Elevators Skandia KTIF 20/33 Chain and Flight Conveyors Skandia Dust and Chaff Aspirator Cleaner

Demand grows for powerful grain store vacuums

leaning specialists Hugh Crane says more farmers and grain store managers are demanding big, high powered industrial vacuum cleaners able to work with fine dusts for prolonged periods of time. The company has been working with farmers for almost 40 years. It reports growing demand for grain store vacuums as farmers reap the benefits of increased yields by keeping crops clean and free from disease. William Crane heads up the vacuum division – offering specialist advice and on-site demonstrations on a large range of machines from a number of different manufacturers. “Safe, effective grain storage is key to assuring crop quality and helping prevent loss of premiums through claims and rejections,”says Mr Crane. “Good storage practice minimises risk throughout the supply chain and safeguards food safety. “Hygiene is important for eliminating sources of contamination from storage fungi, insects and mites. Stores should be thoroughly cleaned prior to 22 MIDLAND FARMER • FEBRUARY 2022

the new intake and the use of the right type of vacuum cleaner is essential to remove debris.” One of the most popular Hugh Crane models is the Nilfisk S3 single phase industrial vacuum. Aimed at the agricultural sector, the machine benefits from a huge filtration area, powerful suction and long hose. The Nilfisk S3 is a single phase industrial cleaner with three by-pass motors. Drop-down waste bins make for easy waste disposal. “It allows you to clean all areas of your grain store with

Vacuum cleaners like the Nilfisk S3 are increasingly popular

ease,” says Mr Crane. The machine is fitted with an electronic board for easy control and monitoring and is available with a 50L bin, 100L bin or a Gravity Unload System (GU) with either a plastic or Longopac disposal Bag. All models have an easy-to-use electronic control panel, a manual filter shaker and sit-down container system. Hugh Crane also offers specialist vacuums including machines for environments such as flour mills where fine dust can cause explosive risks.

FEBRUARY 2022 • MIDLAND FARMER 23

Crop storage

Top tips to keep rodents out of your grain store • Simple but cost-effective measures • Rules tightened for rodent bait-stations • Plea to keep farmyards clean and tidy

armers and grain store managers are being reminded to prioritise pest prevention with a few handy tips on rodent control. The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) is advising farmers to implement a simple measures to deter rats and mice to seek shelter indoors during colder weather. Winter often sees rats and mice forced out of their nests – seeking somewhere warm near a source of food and water. Grain stores and other farm buildings provide an ideal environment for rodents. Taking steps early can avoid a small pest presence spiralling into a major infestation. And BPCA experts reinforce the message that prevention is better than cure. “Good yard maintenance is a major factor in deterring rats and mice from moving in. The aim is to remove all the things they need, such as shelter, warmth, food and water,” says BPCA technical manager Natalie Bungay. “The first step is taking just 10 min-

utes to stand in your yard and look around with a critical eye. Look for any obvious steps you may have overlookedd that could make your property less hospitable to rodents” Contamination can be costly. Rats and mice can carry a number of diseases including listeria and salmonella, adds Ms Bugnay. They can also contaminate animal feed, cause distress to livestock and chickens and land farmers with a hefty repair bill. Rapid breeding cycles, which means a nesting pair moving onto your property can quickly become a major infestation. “Both rats and mice will gnaw to keep their teeth in good condition, and have been known to gnaw wood, metal, cinderblock, pipes and cables. Structural damage, floods and fires have all been attributed to rodent activity.” Farmers should call in a pest professional to deal with infestations while protecting non-target species. Specialists have access to a range of products unavailable to the public.

10 TOP TIPS AGAINST RODENTS Take 10 – Put aside 10 minutes each day to check yards and outbuildings Put a lid on it – Store animal feed of any kind in a securely fastened container. Bag it and bin it – Bag and bin waste – don’t leave it piled upnext to the bin Clean sweep – Clear your yard of any debris, spilled food, hay or straw. Cats and dogs – Ensure cat and dog food isn’t left lying around. Hedge your bets – Keep hedgerows, brambles and untended vegetation at bay. Cap it oﬀ – Rats can travel through drains, so cover drains and cap oﬀ unused pipes Put in place – Keep bins away from open drains or below windows Proof it – Fill any small gaps with a mix of wire wool and quick-drying cement. Spot the signs – Look for clusters of faecal pellets near bins or food stores

New legal requirements for bait-stations

hanges required by the Health and Safety Executive to rodenticide product labels have significant implications for farmers. Tamper-resistant bait stations must now be strong enough to prevent entry or destruction by dogs and children under six years of age. They must also be lockable or sealable – preventing children and dogs from gaining access to bait compartments. Bait stations for use outdoors around buildings must be resistant to destruction or weakening from exposure to typical non-catastrophic weather – including direct sunlight, extremes of temperature and humidity. The Campaign for Responsible RoContinued on p26 24 MIDLAND FARMER • FEBRUARY 2022

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Crop storage

Roythornes completes double deal for Frontier Agriculture

aw firm Roythornes Solicitors has supported long standing client Frontier Agriculture during two complex deals. Roythornes set up the legal documentation for the multi-million-pound Navara oat milling project – a joint venture between Frontier Agriculture, Camgrain and Anglia Maltings Holdings – to deliver Europe’s largest oat milling factory in Northamptonshire. The second deal was delivering the acquisition of YAGRO, a provider of data analytics for the UK agricultural industry. Roythornes advised Frontier on the acquisition, leading the complex due diligence and contract documentation Roythornes partner Julia Seary led the team working on the Navara oat milling deal. She said: “We were responsible for co-ordinating and project managing the joint venture legal work... and the banking, corporate shareholder, and construction contracts. “This was a significant, multi-faceted deal that we took the lead on while acting on behalf of Frontier. We worked closely with the other two firms’ legal representation to ensure all parties were aligned and the joint venture was completed without a hitch.” In total, seven team members across three different departments worked on the project at any one time for six months. Ms Seary said: “We’re delighted to see the deal completed and works beginning on site in Northamptonshire for this cutting-edge facility.” Roythornes partner Mike Matthews, who heads up the firm’s mergers and acquisitions team, led the YAGRO acquisition. He said: “It was an exciting project to be involved in with Frontier, and a great outcome for both

buyer and the sellers.” YAGRO will be a standalone independent subsidiary of the Frontier Group. It has built a reputation for the nimble design and deployment of practical software solutions for farmers, advisers and the food supply chain. Mr Matthews said: “Agricultural technology is an interesting space to be working in – and one in which we are seeing lots of activity, so this is a really exciting deal and I look forward to seeing what YAGRO do next with Frontier now behind them.”

‘Great service’ Frontier Agriculture financial director Diana MacDuff said she was impressed with the calibre of the Roythornes team – which meant that the company received prompt service and expert advice when it was needed. “The team understand our approach to transactions very well and are very responsive to our needs, par-

New legal requirements for bait-stations Continued from p24 denticide Use (CRRU) promotes best practice and responsible rodent control – with the aim of keeping people, wildlife and food supplies safe from rodenticide exposure.

Thorough survey Before treatment begins, the CCRU says a thorough survey of the infested site is key to 26 MIDLAND FARMER • FEBRUARY 2022

Julia Seary: led commercial and corporate work while Mike Matthews: led the YAGRO aquisition

success when using any rodenticide. Spilled grain should be removed as far as possible and any food sources covered, it adds. The CCRU says farmers are responsible for ensuring bait stations are robust. But there is no published guidance that would enable manufacturers to demonstrate bait stations are tamper-proof, says CCRU chairman Alan Buckle. “Moreover, there is currently no regulatory requirement to do so,” adds Dr Buckle. This means the rules are open to interpretation. It should also be noted that the HSE

ticularly at the end of the transaction when there are a lot of documents to be reviewed and turned around.”

Strong relationship The two deals was supported by a number of other team members. Ms Seary led the corporate and commercial work, Martin Jinks led the construction contracts, Edd Johnson ledi the property work, and Mr Matthews led the acquisition. Roythornes strives to build longstanding relationships with its clients. It has worked with Frontier as a crop production and grain marketing business since 2017. It adopts a ‘one team’ ethos across all five of it offices, with advice given by a team of recognised experts nationally. Other clients include major bluechip companies, family businesses, and private individuals – both in the UK and overseas.

conditions apply equally to reusable bait stations sold separately from rodenticides and those supplied pre-filled as ready-to-use integrated products. For bait stations sold empty, neither the CRRU nor manufacturers of rodenticide products can exert any influence on bait stations chosen by users. Neither can they vouch for the robustness of these stations. Dr Buckle says the CRRU is advising farmers to consult either their supplier or the manufacturer for assurances that a bait station meets the product label’s requirements.

Crop storage

Ukraine tension fuels global grain price rise

olitical tension between Russia and Ukraine are continuing to cause volatility in global grain markets, says the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board. Global wheat prices rose again in mid-January fuelled by increasing tension between the two countries as Russian president Vladimir Putin moved more than 100,000 troops towards the Ukraine border. “Political and economic events often have more impact on grain prices in our winter,” said AHDB senior analyst Helen Plant. “This is because there’s less news about grain supply. But the tensions matter as both Russia and Ukraine are major wheat exporters.” Political tensions in the Black Sea are a big part of why wheat prices have bounced during recent weeks. The lat-

28 MIDLAND FARMER • FEBRUARY 2022

est news relates to comments by the US Secretary of State about the number of Russian troops near Ukraine’s border. Old crop (May-22) UK feed wheat futures gained £5.50/t to £219.00/t, while new crop (Nov-22) prices rose £4.10/t to £198.00/t. Ms Plant said further escalation of the tensions could disrupt grain exports from the region. “It could also push up natural gas and/or crude oil prices. In turn, higher natural gas prices could push up nitrogen fertiliser prices, which are already very high. “Meanwhile, higher crude oil prices can make it more attractive to use

more biofuels, such as those made from wheat or maize. More demand for biofuels increases demand for the grains and vegetable oils they’re made from.” Political tension has caused price spikes before. In early 2014, wheat and crude oil prices rose sharply as Russia annexed the Crimea. Nearby UK feed wheat futures rose over £13/t (+9%) between 19 February and late March. This season, global wheat supplies are so tight that any export disruption from the region could have a serious impact. The USDA forecasts that wheat stocks held by major exporting countries is the lowest since 2007/08.

Loading grain into a cargo ship at Odessa, Ukraine. (Picture: Elena Larina / Shutterstock.com)

Expansion for wireless crop monitoring system

ore farmers are taking advantage of grants to install automated crop monitoring and control systems. Manufacturer Martin Lishman says its Barn Owl Wireless system is enabling more customers to improve crop storage practices – helping to maintain crop quality, reduce waste and become less reliant on traditional crop monitoring methods. “Our Barn Owl Wireless is going from strength to strength, with many new systems planned for customers following recent grant applications,” says Gavin Lishman, the company’s managing director. The Barn Owl Wireless has become an integral part of many crop stores across the UK. Each system is bespoke to customer requirements and is often used in tandem with the firm’s other grain store products. These include Martin Lishman’s popular FloorVent underfloor venti-

lation system and Pile-Pile Dry Pedestals and fans to create a complete versatile cooling system. The company also offers a CO2 sensor to integrate into the system.

Early detection “Our new CO2 sensor for inclusion in systems for 2022 will address the needs of potato storage customers. It also helps provide early detection of grain spoilage caused by insects and moulds, making it an invaluable addition to a crop store monitoring system.” Barn Owl Wireless only cools when the ambient air is colder than the crop – helping to reduce on-farm energy bills, says Mr Lishman. Combined with zonal cooling, this enables the control part of the system to cool only areas of the crop that require it, making the system highly efficient. In most cases at least 40% less energy is used. Crop temperature data is automati-

cally stored online and displayed either graphically or in downloadable tables, which can act as supporting evidence of grain storage history when dealing with grain merchants and quality assurance assessors.

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Carbon farming Green farm schemes ‘will help offset car pollution’ • Goal to ‘restore’ 300,000ha of land • Food producers paid to store carbon • Range of options will be available

lans to pay farmers to “make space for nature” on their land will help offset pollution caused by petrol and diesel cars, says the government. Defra secretary George Eustice unveiled proposals to bring 60% of England’s agricultural soil under sustainable management by 2030 – and restore up to 300,000ha of farmland wildlife habitats by 2042. Two new schemes will support nature recovery and climate action by rewarding farmers while encouraging sustainable and profitable food production, Mr Eustice told last month’s Oxford Farming Conference. Mr Eustice said: “We want to see profitable farming businesses producing nutritious food – underpinning a growing rural economy, where nature is recovering and people have better access to it.” The proposals are the next stage

of the government’s policy to reward farmers for actions that benefit the environment – an idea it says will support sustainable food production alongside nature recovery as the basic payment scheme is phased out.

Local action Two new Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMs) will play a vital role in halting the decline in species by 2030, said Mr Eustice. It follows the announcement of the entrylevel Sustainable Farming Incentive which will launch this year. The mid-level Local Nature Recovery scheme will pay farmers for locally-targeted actions which make space for nature in the farmed countryside. This will include creating wildlife habitat, planting trees and restoring peat and wetland areas. The higher-level Landscape Recovery scheme will support more radical changes to land-use change and habitat restoration. This will include establishing new nature reserves, restoring floodplains, or creating woodland and wetlands. The reforms are the biggest changes to farming and land management in 50 years with more than 3,000 farmers already testing the

new schemes. Farmers will be able to choose from a range of voluntary options, said Mr Eustice.

George Eustice says the new schemes will have a vital role (Picture: Ilyas Tayfun Salci/ Shutterstock)

First wave Applications will shortly open for the first wave of Landscape Recovery projects. Up to 15 projects will be selected in this first wave, focusing on two themes – recovering England’s threatened native species and restoring England’s rivers and streams. The pilot projects alone are expected to deliver big environmental benefits. Defra says the creation of 10,000ha of restored wildlife habitat will save up to 50,000 tonnes of cabon annually – equivalent to taking up to 25,000 cars off the road. Mr Eustice said: “We are going to work with farmers and land managers to halt the decline in species, reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, increase woodland, improve water and air quality and create more space for nature. “We are already working with over 3,000 farmers across the sector to test and trial our future approach. Farmers will be able to choose which scheme or combination of schemes works best for their business.”

How to measure soil carbon on your farm

armers are being encouraged to measure their soil carbon content – as interest grows in farmland schemes that help offset greenhouse gas emissions. The NFU wants UK agriculture to achieve net zero carbon status by 2040 – reducing emissions as much as possible, while balancing out any emissions that remain by removing an equivalent amount. Agriculture is both a source of greenhouse gas emissions and a carbon sink. NFU president Minette Batters said: “Farmers are keen to better understand where they are now, and measure progress to help us meet our ambition and support the planet.’

30 MIDLAND FARMER • FEBRUARY 2022

Ms Batters had 13 fields at her farm carbon-tested last year. Soil samples were sent to agricultural analysis laboratory NRM, which operates a CarbonCheck service so farmers can benchmark soil health. CarbonCheck measures organic and active carbon as well as overall organic matter, total nitrogen, total carbon, inorganic carbon, carbonate classification and bulk density. Farmers can then adjust their crop nutrient plans accordingly. The average adjusted organic carbon stock on Ms Batters’ farm was 129t/ha – higher than the average farm’s 98t/ha. Soil organic carbon content was 1.7% – again

higher than the dataset average. “To increase soil carbon levels, I recommend tailoring crop nutrition plans for different fields, as they have varying potentials for carbon storage,” said Rory Geldard, business development manager at NRM. “Options for soils with good potential include maximising growing crop frequency to increase organic matter returns and talking to agronomists to discuss introducing appropriate fertilisers.” NFU members can get 10% off NRM’s CarbonCheck packages. For details, please visit nfuonline.com/carboncheck.

Carbon farming

New guide outlines principles of regenerative agriculture

armers can halve their energy consumption by adopting regenerative agricultural techniques – retaining crop residues and convert plant biomass carbon to soil organic matter, says new guide. Published by agronomy company Agrovista, the Regenerative Agriculture Guide is aimed at all farmers – including those who are mildly curious about regenerative agriculture as well as those who have already embarked on the journey. Regenerative agriculture has the capability to sequester enough carbon to reverse climate change within decades, it says – while saving farmers money and significantly reducing the decline in natural biodiversity. Agrovista head of soil health and guide author Chris Martin says: “The ongoing degradation of biodiversity and soil fertility that global agriculture has experienced has led to in-

creasing calls internationally to switch from degenerative to regenerative approaches. “Regenerative agriculture has shot to prominence over the past couple of years but many people are unsure

what it entails. I define it as a system of farming principles and practices that aims to reverse errors created by previous unsustainable methods. “It works alongside nature to increase biodiversity, improve soils and protect the environment, while delivering benefits to humans through an improved natural environment and healthier ecosystems.” Mr Martin acknowledges that regenerative agriculture can appear daunting. But he says it is not prescriptive. “How far people want to go is a personal choice. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. It can be undertaken at a pace that suits the individual. “By adopting some of the principles in the guide that best fit a farm’s individual circumstances, growers can start to build long-term soil health and functionality whilst maintaining farm yields and improving overall farm profitability.”

Reduced tillage can improve soil health Left: Yields can be maintained while improving profit, says Chris Martin

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EXPERT VIEW Be aware of the risks before branching out into woodland creation, says Anderson Fossett

armers looking to generate valuable income by planting woodland could reap big benefits – but need to be prudent in their planning. Woodland creation projects are at the core of carbon farming, a practice which reduces the amount of carbon being released into the air – through a process called soil carbon sequestration – and instead converts it into organic matter and plant material. The government attaches so much importance to this solution, that it has incentivised woodland planting via its Woodland Carbon Guarantee (WCaG). This £50m scheme aims to drive up woodland planting rates and develop the market for woodland carbon. Farmers and landowners who create woodland projects have the option of selling captured carbon in the form of verified carbon credits, called Woodland Carbon Units (WCUs,) on the open market or back to the government itself. As prices for credits on the open market are currently low,

FIVE KEY PRINCIPLES 1 Limiting the amount of physical and chemical disturbance of the soil This section examines how best to achieve the advantages of reduced tillage. Areas to consider include suitability, soil type and drainage, soil biology and chemistry, harvest residue management, resistant grass weeds and plant nutrition. 2 Keeping the soil covered as much as possible This run-through looks at the principles of cover and catch cropping to maintain plant cove and residues to protect the soil from adverse conditions. 3 Keeping living roots as long as possible Ensuring living roots are always present in the soil underpins soil health and regenerative agriculture – improving soil structure, nutrient capture and fertility while reducing erosion. 4 Plant diversity Diversity is the key to regenerative agriculture. Iintercropping cash crops, crop rotations and multi-species cover crops helps build a healthy soil microbial population and biodiversity. 5 Integrating livestock Integrating animal grazing with crop production benefits soil health, animal health and the environment, making it a key practice for regenerative agriculture.

The 38-page downloadable guide examines in some detail the five key principles on which regenerative agriculture is based (see panel). Mr Martin says: “It is vital that we understand the relationship between the physical structure, biology and chemical processes within the soil, and the farming practices that af-

fect them. “These are the keys to creating and maintaining healthy soils that are essential for crop and livestock production. There is no blueprint for success, and a degree of flexibility will be key, but Agrovista is here to help you succeed along the journey.” Other Agrovista guides are also

“

How far people go is up to them

available to help growers delve deeper into regenerative agriculture. They include the Cover Crops Guide 2021, Soil Health Guide 2020 and Guide to Cultivations and Drills for Combinable Cropping. The Regenerative Agriculture Guide is available at www.agrovista.co.uk/ agrovista-downloads.

creating woodland to store carbon astute landowners are increasingly receptive to the WCaG’s benefits. A big appeal is the guaranteed index linked price the government offers for credits which reduces the long-term financial risks. This makes carbon farming a much more viable option. But before launching, managing and harvesting the financial fruits of a woodland project, farmers need to be prudent in their planning and robust in their risk management.

Significant undertaking Farmers who commit to woodland planting will be aware that it is a significant undertaking. This means they may hire subcontractors to assist with the establishment and maintenance of a forestry project. A word of warning: It is essential that any subcontractor has the appropriate protection in place to avoid being left exposed to costly fines and protracted legal proceedings through inadequate insurance cover.

An understanding of the differences between subcontractor types is therefore essential. Labour-only subcontractors work under the direction of the main contractor. They will not have their own insurance, as they are regarded as employees. Bona-fide subcontractors, who work under their own auspices and supply their own materials, are not deemed employees. This means they must possess their own insurance – and this should be checked. Farmers must ensure that labour-only subcontractors are included on their employers’ liability insurance and public liability insurance policies. The former protects businesses in the case of an employee claim, and the latter covers against third party claims. Although employers’ liability insurance is a legal obligation, and carries a fine for non-compliance, public liability is optional – but equally as vital. But in neither circumstance is a farmer necessarily exonerated from

liability should an incident occur. Before hiring a bona-fide contractor, farmers should ensure the contractor has their own public liability cover – and employers’ liability insurance if they employ staff. Without evidence of doing so, the farmer may be held liable should a claim be made.

Most dangerous Agriculture and forestry holds the unenviable title of being the UK’s most dangerous industry, with 41 workers killed during 2020/21. Machinery is a common factor in many fatalities and accounts for almost one third of deaths. These figures underline the vital importance of ensuring all of the necessary checks are routinely completed for all forestry machinery. This includes the comprehensive examination and testing of machinery by qualified professionals. Obtaining certification that engineering inspections have been conducted to ensure machinery meets legal require-

ments will demonstrate that farmers have maintained a machine in good, safe working order, suitable for further use. In addition, farmers should familiarise themselves with new forestry equipment and ensure they and their employees know how to use it safely. Ensuring that all machinery – old and new – has the appropriate level of insurance is also essential. Carbon farming is undoubtedly an exciting new venture, and one that could offer a financial lifeline to many farmers. But as with many innovations within the industry, there are aspects to it that can be confusing for the novice. Seeking specialist advice from a broker is a sure way of increasing your chances of success and of making a prudent decision for the future of your business. Anderson Fossett is a rural finance specialist with insurance broker Lycetts. For details, call 01328 857920 or email anderson.fossett@lycetts.co.uk.

FEBRUARY 2022 • MIDLAND FARMER 33

Animal health Farmers urged to highlight reduction in antibiotics • Medicine Hub to record progress • Register to highlight farm success • Farmers ‘committed to raising the bar’

ivestock producers and vets are spearheading efforts to highlight ways they have reduced on-farm antibiotics. Dairy, beef and sheep farmers are being encouraged to sign up to a new Medicine Hub and populate it with farm antibiotic data so they can demonstrate that they are using the medicines responsibly. UK farms already have among the lowest use of antibiotics in Europe. But while many pig and poultry producers have provided evidence of their usage, there has been less progress among dairy, beef and sheep farmers. The industry-led Medicine Hub plans to address this. It offers a safe, secure and independent place to collate, report and compare antibiotic data from a variety of sources – including on-farm usage and datasets from vets and processors. Developed by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, the Medicine Hub will import data from Wales and Northern Ireland. Quality Meat Scotland already includes a requirement to collate antibiotic data.

The British Cattle Veterinary Association and the Sheep Veterinary Society have promoted the Medicine Hub in recent months. Registering farmers is seen as an important first step to demonstrating the success of antibiotic stewardship activities in both sectors. BCVA board member and cattle vet Rachel Hayton, who chairs the Medicine Hub’s industry liaison group, says it will take time for the Medicine Hub to fully evolve – but the information it eventually provides will be invaluable for many reasons.

Raising the bar “We need to consider UK producers’ reputation and accountability, and meet new national antibiotic use targets agreed by vets and producers through the RUMA Targets Task Force

UK farmers have among the lowest use of antibiotics in Europe

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We want farmers to be able to prove this

in November 2020,” she explains. “We know both vets and farmers have been committed to raising the bar on responsible use of antibiotics – we want them to be able to prove this.” Some vet and producer groups, especially in the dairy sector, are already collating and comparing data. “Subject to data permissions, we are aiming for these private datasets to be incorporated into the Medicine Hub without duplication on the part of the farmer. “The Medicine Hub will eventually offer everyone with antibiotic data, whether a single farmer, software company, or consultancy with thousands of records, the chance to benchmark their records against the national dataset.” For full details, visit www.medicinehub.org.uk.

Retailers and processors support hub

ood retailers and processors say the new Medicine Hub is a vital initiative – and will further improve opportunities for UK dairy, beef and lamb. The Food Industry Initiative on Antimicrobials (FIIA) brings together retailers, manufacturers, processors and food service companies to promote and support responsible antibiotic use in agriculture. Tesco group quality director Sarah Bradbury, who sits on the FIIA steering group,

34 MIDLAND FARMER • FEBRUARY 2022

said UK farms had an excellent track record on antibiotic stewardship. “The arrival of the Medicine Hub is a real breakthrough,” said Ms Bradbury. “It’s a safe and secure way to collate, report and compare antibiotic information while giving farmers confidence to share data in a confidential way. “The initiative will help demonstrate the limited use of antibiotics across dairy, beef and sheep enterprises.”

ABP Group technical director Dean Holroyd said it was important that the Medicine Hub is adopted and used to its full potential. Doing so would help the UK retain its position as a global leader in the stewardship of antibiotics in farming. “FIIA’s members will be urging their supply chains to get involved with this initiative, and we are delighted to see cattle vets leading the charge in asking their clients to register on the Medicine Hub,” he says.

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Animal health

Test helps to tackle Mycoplasma bovis

ycoplasma bovis is of growing concern – causing widespread disease in the UK – but now farmers and vets can access a free diagnostic support package to tackle the problem “Because it has no cell wall, it’s difficult to treat with antibiotics,” says Graeme Fowlie of Meadows Vets. “But control options are improving – so it’s important to identify whether M. bovis is causing a problem on farm.” The free package – Mycoplasma Assisted Diagnosis – has been launched by Meadows Vets and pharmaceutical company Kernfarm. Three tests are available: Bulk milk PCR, serology testing of home-bred calves, and

enhanced biosecurity, optimised treatment protocols and herd vaccination. M. bovis has been found in approximately half of all respiratory PCR multiplex tests, making it is far more prevalent than many farmers think. Used together, diagnostics and vaccination will help farmers to take back control,

says Mr Fowlie. Samples will be processed at the Biobest laboratory, Edinburgh. PCR tests are more likely to identify M. bovis without complex culture requirements which may miss the disease, explains Biobest lab director Paul Burr.

The test includes diagnosing home-bred calves for M. bovis.

‘Grumbling’ problems The bacteria can often be the cause of ‘grumbling’ problems such as pneumonia, mastitis and joint ill, says Mr Fowlie. “I can assist vets to select which test will be most suitable for a particular situation. This will allow them to identify clients with problem herds.” To help build a better picture of the disease, vets will also be asked to fill out a brief survey of the farm, he adds. “M. bovis is endemic in the UK’s dairy and beef herds, and is responsible for many more problems than would appear at first glance. “Because treatment options are limited, it’s vital that we identify affected herds and introduce farm-specific management changes such as

Monitoring software now available on subscription

The system helps farmers keep on top of herd health 36 MIDLAND FARMER • FEBRUARY 2022

llflex Livestock Intelligence has launched a subscriptionbased version of its popular SenseHub beef and dairy cow monitoring service. The GO subscription lets farmers utilise Allflex Livestock Intelligence’s SenseHub monitoring system with no upfront costs. It can be used to monitor the development of different groups of cows, heifers and youngstock. The monitoring service promises to help improve herd fertility, enhance productivity and result in fewer health issues – without any of the upfront costs or other expenses associated with more traditional purchasing models. A single monthly fee gives users access to all the necessary SenseHub equipment – including intelligent eartags and neck collars, applications and software upgrades as and when they become available.

Customers also benefit from a full suite of onsite and online training modules – including regular webinars and on-farm support to ensure they are able to get the most from their system. All equipment is covered by warranty to ensure it functions. UK sales manager Paul Mitcham described the system as a fully supported, service-based solution to enterprise improvement. It offered beef and dairy farmers an “affordable, simple and flexible route” into the use of herd monitoring technologies. “GO future-proofs the farm’s investment into herd monitoring and offers farmers complete peace of mind by giving them access to the very best technology with none of the financial risks or capital depreciation losses. “There are no unexpected costs. Instead, all the equipment, installation and applications are included within the monthly fee.”

Animal health

Prevention better than cure to curb calf scour

lmost one in four infectious calf scour cases are caused by a mix of widespread disease organisms within the UK farmed environment, suggests a study. Scour pathogen incidence on a number of UK calf rearing units was monitored by MSD Animal Health last winter based on faecal samples during the six months to March 2021, said the company’s livestock veterinary adviser Kat Baxter-Smith. “During this six-month period, we gathered data from 112 farms and 61% of faecal samples taken from these calf rearing units returned a positive result – with 23% of these positive tests having mixed infections.” Treatment for infectious calf scours can be challenging and time consum-

ing, said Dr Baxter-Smith. This meant the key to better disease control lay in prevention of what was a troublesome young animal health issue. ScourCheck kits help farmers and vets identify the mix of infectious organisms – and then discuss the most appropriate scour disease management. Other pathogens, such as salmonella and coccidia should be identified by full lab analysis. Calves are most at risk from infectious scours during the first 1-4 weeks

of life and need a source of protection – through the passive transfer of antibodies in the colostrum – to help keep them healthy. But colostrum alone on many farms may not be enough. “A good first step in terms of making your calf rearing enterprise more resilient to infectious scour problems is to give your dry cows a vaccine to boost dam colostrum quality pre-calving – and then feeding enough of this fortified feed to your newborn calves.”

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Lambing and calving

End in sight for dairy bull calf euthanasia? • Project to create market for male calves • Breeding seen as key to success for sector • Early days but results are looking positive

pilot on-farm initiative is tackling the key challenges of breeding, rearing and marketing dairy calves. More than 1.4m calves are born to dairy cows each year. But improving the outcome for around 60,000 dairy bull calves with no market to take them has proved difficult. Now the goal is to open up new opportunities for the dairy sector. Gwyn Jones, vice chairman of the Ruminant Health and Welfare group, says the solution is to ensure all calves have a value, which is the focus of more than 40 organisations involved in the GB Dairy Calf Strategy 2020-2023. “For RH&W’s contribution, our pilot project in South Wales involving farmers, breeding companies, processors and rearing specialists aims to link solutions together into a viable, sustainable and profitable system.” Breeding is the starting point of the strategy, with some block calving herds containing cross cows too small to produce calves for the beef industry. But Red Tractor standards due in 2023 will strengthen the dairy sector’s commitment to rear every calf with care. “We believe we need to look towards cows which are a minimum 470kg yet still profitable for milk solids production, and early results on this look pos-

itive,” explains Mr Jones. “We also need to ensure calf genetics are suited to the rearing system and end market, and sexed semen is used strategically so calves can be reared efficiently and profitably.” Another aspect is a viable supply chain for rearing calves. This might involve making use of extra resources like labour and buildings from other sectors such as sheep, or positioning calf rearing as a way of new entrants getting into farming without land.

Stockmanship “As part of this we need high-quality rearing and stockmanship, and there’s scope to reduce mortality and morbidity across the industry in the first 12 weeks so these calves don’t just survive but thrive.” Bovine tuberculosis is also a barrier. Mr Jones believes more could be done to facilitate movement of calves off farms under TB restrictions, especially in south-west England and Wales. “TB-restricted calves must be able to move quickly through the system,” he explains. “This brings us back to farms in high-risk areas using sexed semen for replacements, and avoiding use of native breeds which are unsuitable for the intensive indoor produc-

tion systems used in Approved Finishing Units.” The last piece of the jigsaw is understanding whether calves can be marketed as high-welfare, high-quality, low carbon beef. Mr Jones says this will go hand-in-hand with improving genetics and will provide a long-term solution to the lack of UK-bred beef products on the market.

Public opinion “The hope is that once we have the results later this year, the model could provide a template or at least a starting point for other parts of the country,” he says. “The UK dairy industry prides itself on being a pioneer in dairy cattle welfare. “It is a top priority for the sector, and it’s important to the public as well, so we know this project on sustainable dairy bull calves will offer wide-reaching opportunities to improve reputation as well as profitability.” The NFU and AHDB are leading a number of activities on sustainable calf rearing in the run up to the 2023 deadline, and have recently hosted a Farmer Forum, available on the AHDB YouTube channel, to help support understanding of the GB Calf Strategy. Strategy members will also be facilitating the inaugural Great British Calf Week, which takes place from 2-9 February 2022. The week will include a series of online events, each focusing on a different aspect of calf management. For further details about the pilot calf project, visit www. ruminanthw.org.uk.

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Calves can be reared eﬃciently and proﬁtably

All calves should have a value, says Gwyn Jones

Lambing and calving

How family farm makes most of orphan lambs • Strategy enables sheep to do well at grass • Policy helps to increase overall farm profit • But a good price is needed to cover costs

sheep farming family has developed a successful sheep enterprise by making the most of orphan and cade lambs. “Artificially reared lambs can be a significant proportion of our total lambs born,” says sheep producer Scott Horton. “They can contribute to profit provided prices hold up because we need a strong price to cover the higher costs.” Mr Horton and wife Lindsay run a flock of 650 mainly mule ewes with Ollie East at Chess Valley Livestock, Amersham. Rearing heathy lambs artificially before selling them on helps improve the performance of lambs left on the ewe, says Mr Horton. Ewes are housed at the end of February depending on grass. They scan at around 200% and lamb indoors from 1 April. Once lambed, ewes are kept in individual pens for 24 hours and then moved to a community pen for a further 24 hours before going out to grass.

Maximum quality Rearing cade lambs artificially is an integral part of the farm’s strategy to allow ewes and lambs to perform well at grass, says Mr Horton. Removing excess lambs helps maximise flock performance – but means doing the best job possible with the cades too. “Most cade lambs are from triplets, although we will remove a double if a ewe has insufficient milk or is blind on one side. We will also occasionally take lambs off ewes at grass if it turns out she does not have enough milk. “We often choose the best triplet to go onto milk replacer as this leaves the ewe with a balanced pair of lambs which can help reduce competition for milk.” Triplets will stay on the ewe for 24 hours to ensure they have access to sufficient colostrum in the first six hours, but they will be topped up with colostrum if required. 40 MIDLAND FARMER • FEBRUARY 2022

Once removed from the ewes, lambs move onto Milkivit Energized Lamb Milk replacer (ELM) fed through a Forster Technik feeder. They are initially put into a training pen before being numbered and moved into the main pen.

Performance Milk replacer is formulated to fully support lamb performance and ensure animals can be rearerd profitably. With high digestibility of energy and protein sources it helps minimise the risk of digestive upsets. New-born lambs have limited energy reserves, so the replacer provides sufficient energy in a highly digestible form to support survivability and body temperature maintenance – as well as a robust immune system, while promoting high liveweight gains. Protein digestibility is also important. The replacer contains 100%

“Most cade lambs are from triplets, says Mr Horton

Lindsay Horton, Ollie East (centre) and Scott Horton

of protein from dairy sources. To reduce digestive upsets, it is formulated for low osmolality, making it closer to ewe’s milk. Higher osmolality – a measure of sugar and mineral content – can be caused by mixing the formulation incorrectly. It can damage gut integrity increasing the risk of scours and compromising future growth rates. Fresh water, straw and creep feed are available from day one and lambs are abruptly weaned at 35 days. Lambs will stay on creep and straw until ready to slaughter at 40kg, explains Mr Horton.

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Lambs on milk replacer grow strongly

“We found the lambs on milk replacer grow very strongly and have averaged 0.34kg/day. The average for lambs on our previous milk replacer was closer to 0.23kg/day. This means that if lambs are on it for a month, we will see an extra 3kg of growth.” Cade lambs from the farm are usually sold first in early July – along with early born singles. This year we had 60 lambs on milk replacer which is a little over 5% of the lamb crop so it is important they do well,” says Mr Horton. “Rapid growth means we achieve better prices and we only lost two lambs this year, both for unavoidable reasons.”

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FEBRUARY 2022 • MIDLAND FARMER 41

Lambing and calving

Address forage shortfall ahead of calving and lambing • Nutrients affect livestock performance • Challenge to optimise feeding regime • Test forage for nutrients in good time

utritional shortfalls in forage should addressed for breeding stock ahead of lambing and calving this spring – as concentrate prices hold strong and livestock are pushed harder on homegrown feeds. “Throughout the winter feeding period, the key ration ingredient will almost always be some kind of forage, whether it be grazing, silage or hay,” says Alison Bond, nutritionist for feed supplement specialists Rumenco. The most cost effective feed source – forage – typical has nutritional gaps that need to be filled for gestating livestock with variations in energy, protein and essential trace element content.

Final weeks This is especially important for the final weeks leading up to lambing and calving when the majority of foetal development is taking place and nutrients are starting to partition towards colostrum production, says Dr Bond. “The nutrients available will have a direct impact on the short and longterm performance of livestock giving birth and their offspring. It is essential these animals receive the right nutrition during this time.” During this period of high nutritional demand, supplements are ideal for delivering minerals, vitamins and trace elements, including good levels

of selenium and vitamin E, They can also support animal health pre and postpartum. For sheep, 75% of foetal growth takes place in the final two months of pregnancy with under feeding resulting in reduced udder weight, impaired mammary and colostrum development, dystocia and consequences to mothering ability.

Meeting requirements In the transition from mid to late pregnancy, scanning the flock and sorting based on litter size will allow farmers to better meet individual nutritional requirements and again six weeks before lambing. For suckler herds, the main challenge is to prevent cows from becoming too fat due to overfeeding during the dry period. Maintenance needs are determined by cow weight and the level of energy in forage. With underfeeding and overfeeding cattle and sheep being balanced around forage quality, Dr Bond advices farmers to have forage samples analysed to get a baseline understanding of its nutritional value. “The 2021 grazing season has been very stop-start with a rotation of cold, damp periods followed by warm spells. This has led to an average grass season with quality rapidly declining into the autumn as expected,” she says.

Forage should be analysed to determine its nutritional value.

High lamb prices build confidence in sheep sector

trong lamb prices are encouraging optimism with more than 55% of sheep producers saying they put more ewes to the ram last autumn. Over 70% of flockmasters say they are confident in the future of sector with 94% striving to rear the maximum of lambs possible during 2022. The findings come from the latest Volac Lamlac lamb rearing intentions of 260 farmers survey during November 2021. “A majority of sheep farmers now understand the value to be found in rearing sur-

42 MIDLAND FARMER • FEBRUARY 2022

plus lambs,” said Samantha Sampson from Volac. Some 42% of this year’s survey respondents say they will be focusing extra resources on rearing surplus lambs.” Some 24% of sheep farmers say they have already changed their approach to rearing extra lambs over the last three years. “This is reflected in the increased interest we have received in automatic feeding equipment for lambs reared off the ewe in recent times.” Perhaps unsurprisingly, orphans and lambs from triplets are those being reared off the ewe. On the whole, 82% of farmers

say that if a ewe has had triplets, one lamb would be removed. “What is particularly interesting though is the lamb selection choice criteria employed. The majority (29% of the sample) remove the odd one out in a group of three – which is what we would recommend.” Ms Sampson said farmers should always try leave a balanced pair of lambs on the mother. Usually the weakest lamb is removed (23% of cases) but some farmers remove the strongest lamb (15%) or the smallest (13%).

Property Hare coursing surge affects farmers’ mental health • Rise in number of serious incidents • Offences include physical assault • Farmers finding it ‘difficult to cope’

armers in Lincolnshire are being offered help and support as they deal with a surge in harecoursing which is causing damage to property and people. It follows a rising number of harecoursing incidents across the region in recent weeks. The illegal activity has been accompanied by threats, abuse and assaults on farmers, with one victim even being knocked over by a vehicle. Farmers have reported being “plagued” by coursers on a daily basis, with huge damage to crops and fields caused by vehicles driven at breakneck speed and gate locks broken “as soon as we replace them”.

Help and advice One farmer, who asked not to be named, victim said: “In just the last year I’ve been threatened multiple times, verbally abused and even knocked over in my own yard as they drove through like lunatics while trying to escape from neighbouring land. Rather than suffering in silence, the Lincolnshire Rural Support Network (LRSN) and the NFU are advising families affected by threats and acts of violence, vandalism and theft to seek help. LRSN charity leader Amy Thomas said: “Violence and criminal behaviour on victims can be very difficult to cope with and they affect different people in different ways. “Facing a violent, abusive or threatening criminal on your own premises could have profound effects on the wellbeing of you, your family and staff, so having someone to talk to and help your recovery from these traumatic experiences is where LRSN can help. Devastating impact “We’re here to support Lincolnshire’s rural and farming community through

Damage to crops is just one impact of hare-coursing

all sorts of challenges; hare-coursing incidents and their associated effects can be devastating, and we are here to listen and help.” NFU county adviser for south Lincolnshire Johanna Musson said: “This surge in hare coursing shows there is a determined, hardcore of offenders driving this activity forward – and they’re hell bent on carrying on.”

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We’re here to support the farming community

“Lincolnshire Police is recruiting the final members of its new rural crime action team and there are tougher laws surrounding hare-coursing being discussed, but this situation is happening in Lincolnshire’s fields right now. “Our farmers and growers need the public to help report suspected hare coursers to police, without putting themselves at risk, to help stamp out this barbaric crime.” For more on hare-coursing see page 6.

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR Groups of vehicles parked in a rural area eg by a gateway to farmland, on a grass verge, on a farm track or bridle path Racing dogs and sighthounds like lurchers, whippets and greyhounds Vehicles travelling in convoy, with vans at the front and rear containing minders People using binoculars to spot hares People walking the edge of a field to frighten a hare into the open

WHAT TO DO NEXT Ring 999 if hare coursing is taking place Take photos or videos, but only if you can do so safely

Call for extension to VAT reduction

he Country Land and Business Association has called on the government to extend the VAT cut on tourism and hospitality businesses beyond next month. VAT currently stands at 12.5% for many rural tourism and hospitality businesses, but this rate is expected to return to the pre-pandemic rate of 20% this spring as the government seeks to claw back revenue. CLA president Mark Tufnell said: “Many of our members run tourism and hospitality businesses. The new COVID variant is causing continued uncertainty and low consumer confidence, and is having a devastating impact on forward bookings.” Extending the reduction – or indeed making

it permanent – will help UK tourism businesses compete with other European economies. The VAT rates for similar businesses in Spain and France, for example, stand at 10%. The CLA believes the pandemic provides an opportunity to remind people of the joys of a holiday within the UK, and is encouraging the government to be ambitious in making sure holidaymaker’s money is spent in the UK rather than rival economies. The CLA has also welcomed the Chancellor’s £1bn support package for businesses announced shortly before Christmas. The package is designed to support hospitality, leisure and tourism businesses in the wake of Covid. FEBRUARY 2022 • MIDLAND FARMER 43

PROPERTY

key trends driving farmland market during 2022 Land and property specialist Strutt & Parker highlights ways farmers and landowners can respond to drivers of change over the coming year – and beyond.

Are you able to talk tractors, trailers and telehandlers? Do you know your spreaders from your seed drills? Can you push potatoes, pigs and poultry? We’re looking for individuals with some farming knowledge to join our team at Midland Farmer and Anglia Farmer as

PUBLISHING ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVES Benefits include: • Uncapped commission - the more you sell, the more you earn! • Achievable bonuses and monthly incentives! • Pension scheme with company contributions • Monday to Friday, 9am to 5 pm • All bank holidays off, and a week off over Christmas! • Work in an office just outside Southwold by the Suffolk Coast!

Please apply via Indeed or call HR on 01502 725810

Experience isn’t necessary as full training is provided by our experienced team members, as well as ongoing support and development. If you’re looking for a new challenge, this could be a very exciting and rewarding role for you. 44 MIDLAND FARMER • FEBRUARY 2022

hile there are many challenges to be addressed, we believe there will also be huge potential for rural businesses, says Strutt & Parker head of rural Rhodri Thomas. But the options and competing opportunities will “require careful navigation” and it may require a “step change” in what businesses do and how they do it. Key themes to consider are:

1. Deeper BPS reductions High commodity prices are helping to mask the impact of the first reductions in Basic Payments (BPS) this winter. But deeper cuts and the eventual phase-out of the scheme from 2022-2027 will create a financial shortfall that must be addressed. Over the past five years, BPS has accounted for about 60% of profits on average across all farm types, so the loss of payments will leave a significant financial gap, particularly given the inflationary pressures currently facing farmers. Marginal improvements in productivity will only be part of the answer, so now is the time to get your farm business in order, examine future opportunities and make a plan as to how you can capture them. 2. Complicated new schemes Under its new domestic agricultural policy, Defra has been developing a tranche of new schemes and initiatives. As they are phased in, some of these schemes are overlapping with existing schemes. The vast array of new and existing schemes – each with different rules and eligibility criteria – means everything is complicated. Careful scrutiny is required to ensure which scheme – if any – is best for you. For example, Defra has recently published details of the payment rates for the four standards that will be available to farmers in England through the new Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) from Spring 2022. Its ambition is for 70% of farms and farmland in England to be part of the SFI by 2028. The big question is whether the payments are high enough to act as the necessary ‘incentive’ for farmers to sign up. Farmers should certainly not view the SFI as a replacement for BPS. BPS is virtually all ‘profit’ but most SFI options have associated costs. A possible alternative is the Countryside Stewardship Scheme which is open to new applicants until 2023. 3. Lump sum exit scheme and delinking Defra’s forthcoming lump sum exit scheme, designed to free

up land for new entrants and existing farmers wishing to expand. It will offer a one-off lump sum payment to those looking to leave farming in place of any further Basic Payments. While the sums of money are probably not large enough on their own to encourage people to leave if they are not already considering it, they may bring forward some decisions and start some new conversations between landowners and tenants. Defra has also proposed that any remaining BPS payments are ‘delinked’ from the land from 2024 which will have implications for business structures and land occupation arrangements.

4. New focus on environmental protection The Environment Act, which the government has introduced to enhance the natural world for future generations, has now passed into UK law. Lots of work is still to be done but it will require Defra to set legally binding targets on air quality, biodiversity, water, resource efficiency, and waste reduction, which may present a regulatory and cost challenge for some rural businesses. Farmers are already facing the tighter implementation of the Farming Rules for Water in a bid to prevent water pollution. This means they are facing significant changes to the way they store and spread manure, slurry, AD digestate or sewage sludge. If new equipment is needed, it could be part-funded under the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund, which is open now. 5. Carbon management and trading Carbon trading has become a hot topic in recent months, now it is possible to trade carbon credits generated from woodland, peatland and soil. This is an exciting development in that it offers the potential to generate new income streams – one which is already having a significant impact in the forestry sector. But it is crucial that landowners understand how the markets work. A vital first step is to work out how much carbon they are emitting as a business and whether there is any surplus that can be sold to third parties without detrimentally affecting their position from a financial, environmental and reputational point of view. 6. Keeping property lettable There has been a steady flow of new regulations affecting anyone with a let residential

portfolio over the past few years, as part of the government’s commitment to raise standards for tenants. One of the most challenging areas from a rural perspective is the need to raise energy standards within properties, given so many homes in rural areas are of an older build, listed or in a conservation area. Tougher standards seem almost inevitable given the government has already consulted on raising the minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating to a C for new residential tenancies from 2025. It is also consulting on whether to end the installation of new fossil fuel heating systems in off-grid homes from 2026. The costs of ensuring that houses and cottages remain lettable looks set to continue to rise and getting the right advice will be essential.

7. Electrification of the economy A bit increase in electricity production without using fossil fuels is required if the UK is to decarbonise its energy system and reach its net zero target by 2050. Growth in the renewable energy sector is therefore likely to accelerate in 2022 and beyond, presenting opportunities for landowners, with solar developers keen to secure farmland sites and a need for more battery storage sites. High energy costs look set to continue to be a challenge, so any measures which improve efficiency are likely to be worthwhile. They may also be worth exploring if there are better options in terms of energy supply contracts. 8. ESG investing An increasing emphasis on Environmental, Social Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become noticeably more pronounced as companies seek to offset carbon emissions and boost their green credentials. Interest in tree planting, rewilding and the delivery of other ecosystem services presents an opportunity to generate new income streams for those landowners with the sort of land likely to attract investment to enhance the natural capital. For landowners wanting to explore the varied opportunities in this area, a good starting point is to produce a natural capital account which helps a business to understand what natural capital assets they have and to assess their quality. Strutt & Parker is collaborating with market-leading environmental economists eftec to produce natural capital accounts for farms and estates.

Farm businesses might need a step change to take advantage of new opportunities, says Rhodri Thomas.

FINAL SAY Clodhopper

Farmland or forest? Paying farmers to plant trees sounds like a good idea, says Clodhopper. But will it really save the planet?

hen is it right time to stop producing food and follow the money trail? In this unsettled age, it seems people have forgotten what it is to be hungry – in this country at least. Food production seems almost secondary to everything else. My email inbox is bombarded with information about solar panels, wind turbines and planting trees – suggesting that I should do almost anything other than what I am best at: producing food. Tree planting is the Next Big Thing – or so it appears. Trees can store carbon, clean our air, help prevent flooding and provide a haven for wildlife. They look nice too – so much so that the government wants us to plant more of them. It’s not the first time we’ve been encouraged to do this. I can remember almost 30 years ago when trees supplied by the local council were used on the farm to plant new coppices and fill gaps in hedges. Looking now, the very same trees have disappeared. This time, government grants promise to make tree planting easier. We’re even being encouraged to plant them in lines across fields. Agro-forestry is good for the environment – and our crops and livestock too, we are told.

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Worth a look Wearing my off-farm income hat, I think it is worth a look. The official line is that I can help save the planet and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere – and can earn more money by doing so than I can by growing crops or rearing livestock. Big companies are getting in on the act too – paying farmers to plant trees to soak up the CO2 produced by multi-national corporations. It’s almost as if it is ok to be a polluter if you get someone else to clear up your mess. At this point, I scratch my head. It’s no wonder people can’t see the wood for the trees when it comes to carbon credits. Are they responsible? Do they provide real benefits? Or are such schemes merely green-washing dirty practices to make them look clean? The woodland carbon scheme seems to have all angles covered – with the option to

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No wonder we can’t see the wood for trees.

sell your captured carbon in the form of verified carbon credits. It’s a good read, talking about responsibly and sustainably managed sites to national standards.

Expert advice There is extra reassurance too that the scheme generates genuine carbon savings. Farmers entering the scheme must have a long-term management plan and demonstrate that any tree-planting project can deliver, it sasys. I’ve had a look and now I have a meeting with the experts to discuss the way forward. My early thoughts are that the scheme looks generous financially for planting trees – but not so good for maintaining them over any length of time. I’m yet to fully understand carbon credits or how they are marketed. Hopefully my weary mind can be opened and my questions answered. I certainly hope so because carbon credits seem here to stay. So watch this space as i start my journey into the forest. Should land be used to produce food? Or should it be used for something else? Should I feed the world or should I save the planet? Farming is changing. Let’s hope it is for the better.