Midland Farmer - February 2025

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EDITORIAL

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Johann Tasker | T: 07967 634971

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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.

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Day of Unity shows farming at its best

ull praise to the hundreds of farmers who descended on supermarket car parks last month – telling shoppers about the impact inheritance tax will have on their families.

Farming’s Day of Unity showed our sector at its best – caring, compassionate and coming together to make a heartfelt plea for its future.

Survival

More than 75% of all farms will be affected by the government’s decision to impose 20% inheritance tax on farming assets worth more than £1 million from April 2026.

Family farms will find it tough to survive this change. Return on capital is so low in agriculture that many farms face having to sell off assets to pay the tax. Why? Because farming simply doesn’t generate enough revenue to do otherwise.

Most people outside the industry don’t realise this. Many think farmers are wealthy landowners who drive huge shiny tractors. But it’s not their fault they don’t understand. They have their own concerns to worry about.

Few people understand inheritance tax either. After all, most folk don’t pay it. And until the Budget, farmers weren’t due to pay it either.

Yet the more people learn about farming,

the more they realise the disproportionate impact that inheritance tax will have on farming families. And by changing people’s minds, the hope is that we can change government policy.

Trickle effect

That is why the Day of Unity was so important. True, it didn’t generate many headlines – but it was another small but important step in changing the narrative around the public perception of farming.

The more hot-headed elements of the farming community need to realise this. Yes, tractor blockades and go-slow road protests do grab the media spotlight. But they also risk angering and frustrating the general public. And if we lose public support, we will lose the argument and inheritance tax will go ahead.

Recent Just Stop Oil protests are a good example of how not to do things. The cause is just – reducing emissions to combat climate change. But gluing yourself to a motorway gantry achieves little more than making commuters late for work and just annoys people.

Johann Tasker Editor

Thousands of farms could face inheritance tax raid

• Single farm owners at most risk

• Retailers in government warning

• Plan now for secure farm future

More than 42,000 farms larger than 50ha (125 acres) will be affected by changes to inheritance tax rules, suggest the latest estimates.

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board has calculated that 42,204 out of 54,938 farms (76.8%) will be impacted by new tax rules due to come into effect next year across England and Scotland.

The rules will see farm assets worth more than £1m subject to 20% inheritance tax. It follows the government’s autumn Budget decision to abolish full-rate agricultural and business property relief from April 2026.

‘Most at risk’

AHDB analyst Tom Spencer said: “Our calculations show that cereals and gen eral cropping farms are the most like ly to be affected due to their scale and asset size. For livestock farms, it is those businesses with single person ownership most at risk.”

The figures were released in the wake of last month’s Farming Day of Unity which saw hundreds of growers and livestock producers explaining to shoppers in town centres and super market car parks the impact that the tax will have.

NFU

president Tom Bradshaw

Morrisons was the first big retailer to back farmers

[Picture: Steve Travelguide / Shutterstock.com]

Below: Tom Bradshaw: curtailed investment

said: “Farm businesses are often the bellwether of the rural economy and many have curtailed investment on their farms because any penny they had or could have borrowed will now have to go on saving the future of the

tax, rendering them unviable.

More than half the affected farms are involved in cereals or general cropping production as their main enterprise, with the rest predominantly livestock producers or mixed farming operations.

Britain’s big supermarket chains are backing farmers against the government over inheritance tax, warning that food security could be under threat. Some High Street banks have also issued warnings.

The AHDB study is based on farm balance sheet data mainly from Defra, the Farm Business Survey and the Scottish Government. Agricultural incomes are so low many farms would have to sell-off assets to pay the

‘Family farm tax’ petition delivered to Downing St

A petition signed by more than 270,000 people has been handed to Downing Street urging the government to ditch the ‘family farm tax’.

Warning that many family farms face being driven out of business, NFU president Tom Bradshaw and NFU Cymru president Aled Jones delivered the petition to No 10 on behalf of the UK’s four main farm unions last month.

After decades of tightening margins, record inflation, increased production costs and extreme weather, many farmers and growers are at breaking

point and simply will not be able to afford the increased tax bill they will now face.

The NFU says it consulted with former Treasury and Office for Budget Responsibility economists to inform its analysis of the impact of inheritance tax reforms on commercial family farms.

Their research echoes the latest AHDB findings, which suggest that up to 75% of working farms could be affected – with some facing swingeing tax bills running into hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Seek advice

The AHDB has already reported that due to the low rate of return on net current assets in farming, the most costeffective way a cereals producer could pay their expected tax burden would be to sell parcels of land.

AHDB economics and analysis director David Eudall said: “The debate, on whether the change to Inheritance Tax is the right decision, is not for AHDB to comment on. Our priority is to help explain how this will impact many levy payers.”

With so many farms affected, it means 140 farm businesses every day between now and April 2026 must ensure their businesses are set up so they can manage the implications when the tax changes take effect.

“It is critical for any affected farming enterprise to seek out expert tax and business planning advice. Succession planning was already important in agricultural farming businesses, now it is essential.”

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Arable

Pulse Pioneers have big goal for peas and beans

• Potential to cut carbon footprint

• Good source of domestic protein

• Need to consider wider benefits

More peas and beans in arable rotations could help farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slash the carbon footprint of UK agriculture.

About 90 growers and other industry experts gathered at Peterborough last month for a Soya to Sustainability conference to discuss ways to increase the amount of pulse crops grown in the UK.

The Nitrogen Climate Smart (NCS) initiative aims increase pulse and leg ume cropping in arable rotations from 5% to 20% – and displace up to half the soya currently imported into the country for animal feed.

The PGRO-led initiative involves a consortium of industry partners – and about 20 or so growers. It seeks to rap idly evolve knowledge and understand ing of growing peas and beans – while testing and trialling new feed rations.

Maximum potential

Funded by Defra’s Farming Innova tion Programme and delivered by In

novate UK, the consortium aims to reduce emissions by 1.5Mt CO2e per annum – equivalent to 54% of the max imum potential for UK agriculture.

PGRO chief executive Roger Vick ers said: “This is ultimately about grow ing more peas and beans – displacing some of the soya imports coming into

potential,

Policy change needed to achieve target

Animal feed is the biggest and easiest market for UK-grown pulses. Imported soya meal has a huge carbon footprint – especially when it comes from crops grown on farmland created from deforesta tion.

The feed industry could consume as many beans as UK farmers can produce, the Soya to Sustainability conference was told. But the challenge is the lack of availability and consistency of supply –and inertia in a market used to the status quo.

PGRO chief executive Roger Vickers believes a significant increase in the pulse area will depend on government policy. The UK currently allows imported soya into the country even if it is produced unsustainably using methods that are illegal here.

try to understand the benefits of pulse crops. How ever, we need to know the failures too.

“Being organic, I need to fully understand the benefits of including them in a rotation and where they should sit. “The spring wheat that followed spring beans last year was excellent – we need to know exactly why that is.”

Mr Barnes thinks understanding more about pulse production and how the UK can become more self-sufficient in its protein supplies should be a priority. “We know pulses will fix nitrogen in the soil but where else can we lead this crop?”

at different ways to incorporate the crops into their rotations while improving yields, which are variable at best on many farms.

The Pulse Pioneers – have been brought together by the British OnFarm Innovation Network (BOFIN). They are co-designing trials with scientists and agronomists – and seeing what works best on their own farms.

They include Lincolnshire grower Paul Barnes, estate manager of the organic South Ormsby Estate. Spring beans suit his rotation, he says, but he is also growing vining peas with a local contractor for a local company.

Mr Barnes has tried different practices with spring beans to understand what the crops needs. “We first grew beans on a conventional system during the organic transition period – we direct drilled them and worked with an inter-row demonstrator.”

Organic beans were conventionally established through ploughing, pressing and drilling to give them root mass. The organics outperformed the conventional system. But I think that was down to the establishment process and that’s the key.

Everyone is trying to go for a regenerative approach (minimum till or no till) but when a crop turns around and tells you it needs open space and air for a rooting system, you need to give it to them.”

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Glyphosate resistance triggers weed control warning

• First case of resistant ryegrass in England

• Experts call to protect future for herbicide

• Growers and agronomists remain vigilant

The discovery of glyphosate resistant Italian ryegrass has strengthened calls for better weed control practices to protect the herbicide’s long-term efficacy.

ADAS weed science principal consultant John Cussans – who made the discovery – said it was vital to find a middle ground between catastrophising the discovery and dismissing it as a one-off incident.

Wake-up call

But resistance was still a wake-up call, said Mr Cussans. The loss of glypho sate efficacy on a field scale was a real possible in the UK – and the industry must reduce its reliance on the active for weed control.

“If we look at European cases, there was one case in 2006, two by 2008 and three by 2012 – there are still only three cases today, he told last month’s Association of Independent Crop Con sultants (AICC) annual technical con ference at Towcester.

“If you look at those as an indica tion of how this will go in the UK, we don’t expect a massive increase. Nev ertheless, that’s not a reason for com placency and we still need to have a high level of management and focus.”

Impact assessment

To assess the potential impact of glyphosate loss from a regulatory ban or the evolution of resistance, Helen Metcalfe at Rothamsted Research con ducted a modelling study in 2024.

The study simulated a simple cereal and oilseed rotation over ten growing seasons, incorporating various weed management practices, including preand post-emergence herbicides and different tillage techniques.

ability across all scenarios excluding glyphosate, emphasising the herbicide's role in farming systems.

Vulnerable position

While the reduction wasn't as dramatic as initially feared, it highlighted the vulnerability of farmers relying solely on glyphosate, he said.

The study also analysed alternative strategies, including increased frequency of grass leys, delayed drill-

ing of winter crops, ploughing instead of glyphosate, and increasing the frequency of spring cropping.

Ploughing emerged as the most effective alternative for weed control in the absence of glyphosate, physically destroying weeds and burying seeds. But ploughing also disrupts soil structure and biodiversity – and emits greenhouse gas.

Delayed drilling and increased grass leys showed varying degrees of success, found the study.

But none matched the effectiveness of glyphosate while also presenting their own sets of drawbacks concerning reduced yields and environmental impacts.

There’s no reason for complacency “

Resistance is a wake-up call, says John Cussans

‘Sharpen up’ to avoid further cases

The model considered varying weather conditions and weed communities. It sought to establish a "business-as-usual" baseline with glyphosate, then compared it to scenarios without glyphosate and scenarios with alternative weed control.

Rothamsted Research ecologist David Comont said results revealed a significant decrease in yields and profit-

Sub-optimal application of glyphosate is a contributory factor in resistance development and users must sharpen up practices to avoid more cases, says AICC agronomist Sean Sparling..

“The simplest possible message I could give farmers now is to treat glyphosate like you would a flag leaf fungicide spray in winter wheat. It might not be costing you as much, but it probably gives you a greater benefit,” he adds.

In Northamptonshire, AICC’s Luke Wheeler has expertise in implementing regenerative systems.

The resistance case is concerning, he says. But even in plough-based systems with tough grassweed populations, growers rely heavily on glyphosate pre-drilling.

“Yes, it’s certainly more of a worry for regen systems, but it’s a concern for everyone and is something we need to face up to together.

“We can manage the issue by following WRAG guidelines and a key message is to use good glyphosate products responsibly at the right rate, the right time and in the right conditions.”

Urgent call for soil testing to tackle beet cyst nematode

• Pest more widespread than thought

• Better field hygiene must be priority

• Action needed to avoid yield losses

Sugar beet growers are advised to ramp up soil testing to combat the increasing threat from beet cyst nematode.

The pest is present in all four factory areas serving the UK sugar beet area – making it more widespread than thought, says British Beet Research Organisation (BBRO) crop protection scientist Alistair Wright.

Historical assumptions are that only 6-10% of land was infested. But Dr Wright thinks it is now more like 25-30% – a concern because the nematode can cause up to 60% yield losses.

Field hygiene

“There’s more out there than growers take for granted and the reason is because field hygiene is generally not good enough,” Dr Wright told the Association of Independent Crop Consultants conference.

Cysts containing juvenile beet cyst nematodes hatch out and invade roots of host plants to continue the pest’s lifecycle, can persist in the soil for a decade making it hard to eradicate.

It is also spread via wind, water, wildlife and livestock movement, but machines such as harvesters are the number one enemy for moving through large areas with no cleaning.

RiskField hygiene

Another factor increasing beet cyst nematodes risk is warmer spring soisl, caused by climate change, allowing the pest to complete an extra generation or two a season.

Cover crops and SFI options are contributing too by helping the pest proliferate with common constituents like oil radish, tillage radish, white mustard, vetch and buckwheat being nematode hosts.

ly when it comes to the correct sowing date and destruction afterwards. That's because these species facilitate significant multiplication in the soil and increase yield loss risks in crops.

Soil sampling

At about £100/sample BCN testing is costly, due to the specialist equipment and rare expertise required by labs to speciate the pest, but Dr Wright believes it is money well spent.

“Get out there with a soil corer and bucket: it could really help you avoid those massive yield losses,” he says.

Testing results will inform effective targeting of tolerant varieties, which help avoid significant multiplication, and are by far the most straightforward management tool.

Furthermore, knowing where populations are located will help growers avoid planting susceptible cover crops that could host the pest and increase numbers ahead of beet crops.

Although biofumigation is used against other cyst nematodes, such as potato cyst nematode, Dr Wright says the brassica species used for PCN biofumigation are hosts to nematodes, so it might not have a role in sugar beet.

Instead, he sees trap crops of resistant radish and mustard varieties as more useful achieving 40-50% reductions when managed well, but results can vary significantly between years.

BCN management – key points

Beet cyst nematode is widespread and has been underestimated across the sugar beet area

Warmer climate and certain cover crops are exacerbating the problem

Regular soil testing is essential for detecting beet cyst nematodes and informing strategies

Tolerant varieties and trap crops are useful in reducing multiplication

Good field hygiene and record keeping habits key to long-term control

“Use class 1 varieties if you can, which are the most resistant. Class 2 varieties are OK if you have a low level of fields, or where you don’t think there’s any nematodes but it’s a high-risk soil type,” says Dr Wright.

Good management is required, especial-

There’s a lot more of it out there

and contractor machinery as it leaves fields, particularly where testing has identified a population and there is a risk of transferring cysts to clean land.

Beet spoil around cleaner/loaders is another area of concern and where possible, it should be returned to the field of origin to isolate any nematode issues.

Norfolk AICC agronomist

Penny Oakes explains that soil testing is already a very important management tool – and stresses the importance of tightening up field hygiene too.

This involves cleaning farmer

Above: Crop monitoring is a good habit

“Monitoring crops for symptoms is a good habit to get into, with summer the best time to pull up roots and look for the white cysts on roots.

“It’s important to make detailed records of where problems are as well, as alongside soil sampling and testing, it will help accurately guide future management.”

Left: Andrew Wright: Field hygiene should be improved

Choose Strube as your sugar beet and fodder-energy beet seed partner.

In 1877 Friedrich Strube started classic breeding and seed production that is now synonymous with quality and yield performance. Strube’s expertise and breeding progress continuously developed during the last 150 years.

Plant breeding priorities: Whilst growers consider their seed choice options annually, our breeders must look to the future changing needs of growers, as it can take ten years or more to develop a new variety.

Therefore, in 2015 Strube commenced ‘Project Jaunisse’, a dedicated breeding and trialing programme for virus yellows

Overall, whilst Morgan delivered highest uninoculated yield, ST Tweed retained c.95% of its uninoculated yield when exposed to 100% beet mild yellows virus infection, with reduced yield loss for all three viruses.

This resilience shows what Strube’s plant breeding can achieve and deliver to growers!

tolerance; in response to the anticipated loss of neonicotinoid seed treatments across Europe.

This focus and investment shows what is possible; as since 2023 Strube has offered genetics with some protection against aphid borne virus to growers in France and Germany.

Breeding for maintained performance under virus yellows pressure is just one focus area, with emphasis on the ability to ‘stack’ traits; so for example to have Beet Cyst Nematode combined with Cercospora and Virus Yellows tolerance in the near future.

Sugar beet portfolio for 2025: Strube offers Morgan, Stewart and Button, proven to deliver stable and consistently high output. For growers who experience or suspect Beet Cyst Nematode (BCN), Button offers tolerance to protect against yield loss, combined with excellent establishment.

New for 2025, ST Trent and ST Tweed offer competitive performance with low bolting.

Strube focus on UK grower priorities: Richard Cogman of Strube UK says “our breeding programme is focused on multigene Cercospora and Virus Yellows tolerance for British growers, as well as looking at future candidates for Beet Cyst Nematode (BCN) and Strong Rhizomania (AYPR) tolerance”.

Therefore, we are pleased to share results from the 2024 BBRO ‘Goliath’ Trial that show the potential for maintained performance even when subject to 100% inoculation of the yellowing viruses. This was clearly demonstrated by our new variety, ST Tweed, that will be first grown commercially in 2025.

for uninoculated and then inoculated with Beet Chlorosis Virus, Beet Mild Yellows Virus and Beet Yellows virus; and the relative yield summary table:

(LSD 11.8 t/ha & 95% probability)

Graph 1; 2024 BBRO Goliath Trial - Results show the comparative adjusted yield performance of ST Tweed against controls, including Morgan, page 2 of 4 for uninoculated and then inoculated with Beet Chlorosis Virus, Beet Mild Yellows Virus and Beet Yellows virus; and the relative yield summary table:

Overall, whilst Morgan delivered highest uninoculated yield, ST Tweed retained c.95% of its uninoculated yield when exposed to 100% beet mild yellows virus infection, with reduced yield loss for all three viruses. This resilience shows what Strube’s plant breeding can achieve and deliver to growers!

Sugar beet portfolio for 2025:

In addition to the retained yield from the yellowing poleroviruses, ST Tweed offers comparable yield to Morgan with lower disease expression for rust, powdery mildew and cercospora, and so UK growers expect this variety to be highly reliable and stable in its performance.

Future candidate varieties will be entered into the next two years of VL trials for UK national listing for 2027 commercial availability.

Strube offers Morgan, Stewart and Button, proven to deliver stable and consistently high output For growers who experience or suspect Beet Cyst Nematode (BCN), Button offers tolerance to protect against yield loss, combined with excellent establishment.

Fodder and energy beet:

Strube is renowned for delivering consistently high performing varieties from traditional breeding techniques, combined with excellence in seed quality.

New for 2025, ST Trent and ST Tweed offer competitive performance with low bolting In addition to the retained yield from the yellowing poleroviruses, ST Tweed offers comparable yield to Morgan with lower disease expression for rust, powdery mildew and cercospora, and so UK

Strube offers Degas and Gahan as leaders in high fresh and dry matter yield; in direct response to excellent field establishment and canopy health characteristics. Both proven to be consistently reliable, offering excellent feed value for fodder and energy beet growers.

Strube: Breeding Progress Together.

For more information contact Richard Cogman, Strube UK Ltd. Tel 07983 314424 or email r.cogman@strube.net

2024 Goliath trial Strube entries and BBRO controls

New platform gives growers more control over data

• Helps to make better farm decisions

• Easier to generate additional income

• More secure farm data management

Giving growers more control over their farm data will make it easier for farmers to generate additional revenue, says an expert.

The advice follows the development of a new data management platform for farmers. The Fix platform is being put together by Team Ag UK in collaboration with the Association of Independent Crop Consultants.

Farmers in the UK face what are known as asymmetrical markets, says Team Ag UK co-founder and chief executive Kiryon Skippen. This means many smaller growers and family farm businesses are often unable to obtain the same access to data and information as larger corporations.

The situation can leave farmers at a disadvantage – especially when it comes to agronomic decision making, input purchasing and crop marketing. It also makes it harder to generate revenue from environmental schemes or selling carbon.

Digital tools

In addition, existing digital tools used by farmers – including farm management software – often require sensitive data to be shared with the application owner, says Mr Skippen.

Tean Ag launched a legal review of terms and conditions of current platforms that generate and hold farm data, he adds.

This revealed that many clauses are unfavourable to farmers.

“It’s a two-way relationship and farmers should be issuing their own terms and conditions on how and where their information or data is used,” Mr Skippen told last month’s AICC technical conference.

Team Ag’s Fix platform aims to ad dress these problems by developing a farmer-owned, independent and fu ture-proof platform for managing farm data, conference delegates were told at Whittlebury Hall, Towcester.

In addition to its overarching data management capability, the firm will offer a range of digital tools to support best practice on farm. This will cre ate an independent alternative to com plement the limited existing range of tools available to UK growers.

Three core principles will be ap plied by Team Ag UK to its data man agement and FMIS software, said Mr

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Farmers will benefit from more data ‘ownership’, says Kiryon Skippen

Skippen. First, farmers will decide who has access to their data and receive a fair share of the value created by sharing it, he said.

Secondly, Fix will promote unbiased, scientifically verified best practice, from an industry neutral perspective. This will encourage trust in the data from farmers, processors and the

Finally, the platform will facilitate collaboration between the science, agronomy and farming communities and create opportunities for farmers to accelerate innovation in their own interests by working together.

Design of the platform has been in-

tion with users on the initial features. Farmers and agronomists will have a key role in this.

AICC chief executive Sarah Cowlrick said the opportunity to support and co-design the platform has been welcome, particularly as the principles of Fix align with the AICC ethos.

“The focus is on being an independent resource that’s not linked to product sales and the safety of farmers’ data is paramount. We’re delighted to have launched this new platform to members at this year’s AICC conference,” she added.

Essex-based agronomist and AICC chairman Andrew Blazey has 30 years’ experience as an agronomist. Like other AICC members,he has plenty of experience of using farm management information systems with clients.

“I believe our sector of the industry is in need of a robust and future proof independent system and I’m confident Fix can deliver that – and I look forward to working closely with them on further development this year.”

How to get more from cover and companion crops

• Crops including legumes more popular

• Proper nutrition will maximise potential

• Polysulphate ideal source of nutrients

Good nutrition is helping growers maximise the benefits of legumes in arable rotations and forage-based systems.

Many people focus on ways crops like clover can generate their own nitrogen – both for yield and for the subsequent cropping. But legumes also need other nutrients to maximise their potential, says ICL Growing Solutions agronomist Scott Garnett.

"It is too easy to think that because cover and companion crops contain a high proportion of nitrogen-fixing legumes, that they are self-sufficient from a nutrition perspective.That is simply not the case.”

Legumes need nurturing like any other crop, says Mr Garnett. To maximise their potential – and their ability to fix nitrogen – they require proper nutrition. This includes adequate supplies of nutrients like phosphate, potash, magnesium and sulphur.

"Without adequate sulphur, the plant is simply unable to fix sufficient Nitrogen to maximise yield, produce proteins where necessary and its ability to contribute to subsequent crops will be significantly reduced."

New thinking

The area of cover and companion crops is growing rapidly – encouraged by the Sustainable Farming Incentive and efforts to reduce nitrogen use. But their management is a relatively new area for industry advisors.

SFI option NUM2 pays £102/ha for improving grassland by growing legumes from spring until early autumn. Meanwhile, growers can receive £151/ ha under SFI options LIG1 and LIG2 to include flowering grasses and wildflowers in grass leys during the summer months.

"There are further benefits to be had from using companion crops in arable rotations," says Mr Garnett.

One of the biggest questions is the amount of nitrogen they can they deliver the extent to which they can reduce our dependency on bagged fertiliser, he adds.

In a livestock situation, adding nutrition to increase clover is easier to justify where better management translates directly into greater milk or meat production. The same can be said when growing commercial crops of peas and beans where good yields are important.

“There are further benefits to be had

Pea and bean trials with the Pea Growers Research Organisation (PGRO) suggest Polysulphate (48% SO3, 14% K2O, 17% CaO and 6% MgO) provides a nutritional boost that results in a 10-15% yield boost.

"We already know adding a product like Polysulphate to legumes directly translates into yield and quality benefits," says Mr Garnett.

Sulphur supply

Key nutrients required by crops in both livestock systems and companion crops in arable rotations are zinc, manganese, cobalt and molybdenum – as well as phosphate, potassium and sulphate.

"Sulphur is particularly important, not just to drive the highest levels of nitrogen utilisation, but also to improve protein content which is important in both forage and cereal crops."

Good nutrition will get the best from cover crops

Below left: Polysulphate mineral

Below right: Agronomist Scott Garnett

Polysulphate, either in fertiliser blends or by itself, has proven particularly beneficial in both organic and conventional farming systems. It delivers high levels of usable sulphate, with its prolonged release reducing many of the potential environmental issues associated with other sulphur sources.

Mr Garnett says multi-nutrient fertilisers based on Polysulphate are perfect for providing macro nutrition and are also able to be a carrier for micro nutrients.

Given the central importance of legumes to future UK strategy, ICL believes it is now time to look at how growers can maximise the benefit of these products.

Growers could also benefit by re-investing some of SFI income into improving the nutrition and management of cover and companion crops, says Mr Garnett.

"With many sources suggesting a well-managed cover crop can fix 80 - 100kg N/ha and companies exploring the possibilities of increasing their genetic potential further, it is certainly an interesting topic that merits further debate," he adds.

Monarch of the Fen!

RHIZOMANIA

ANTLER

ANTLER performed exceptionally in APHA variety list testing in the past 3 tough years. In 2024, extensive farm trials recorded consistent and exceptional yields!

With excellent seed quality and establishment, low bolting and a good disease package, this is the top variety for sugar beet growers.

With our proprietary priming and pelleting plus a wide range of seed treatments ANTLER really is the new Monarch of the Fen!

All seed is now sold directly from SESVANDERHAVE, or our partner AF Group

steps for optimal grassweed control in spring barley 3

Simple steps can maximise the weed control benefits of spring Will Smith .

or crimping the cover crop to destroy it, the critical factor is ensuring it is fully killed off before drilling. Typically, this is four to six weeks before the intended drilling date. Destroying the cover crop early also opens up the canopy, allowing a flush of weeds and for farmers to see what weeds are already present and act accordingly.

Most farmers know which fields have grass weed issues, especially blackgrass and wild oats. “As soon as weeds are in the crop, they take light nutrients and water – and, in this situation, they should be tackled head-on.

What you want to do is stop them from establishing. You are better off trying to control them pre-emergence. Then there’s still the option of post-emergence herbicides to take out any grass weeds that survive.

Relying on post-emergence chemistry alone only gives one opportunity to control grass weeds. This high-stakes option can leave big yield robbers like wild oats in the field or return a large amount of seed for following crops if blackgrass is not controlled.

An important part of spring cropping involves taking out all weeds carried over from the autumn before drilling – typically by us-

Establishing spring barley well helps the crop compete against grass weeds – as well as giving the best possible chance of aboveaverage yields.

With the drilling window for spring bar ley stretching from January to May, there may be flexibility with the drilling date, de pending on the weather.

Even though earlier drillings are likely to face more black grass, picking the best conditions for establishment is preferable for grass weed control regardless of the calendar date.

If you can drill in good conditions in Feb-

A positive for products like Avadex Excel and Avadex Factor (tri-allate) is that the label allows the full rate to be used on spring barley, meaning farmers can expect the high levels of control they are used to from Avadex. Both products also have approval for use on malting barley, which will be a priority for growers in Scotland and East Anglia. Choosing between Avadex Factor and Avadex Excel largely depends on what equipment

Avadex is highly active against wild oats in particular. In this case, we see very little difference in performance between Avadex Factor and Avadex Excel despite Avadex Factor delivering less tri-allate per hectare. Applying Avadex pre-emergence to spring barley gives farmers confidence that they have improved the control of all the key spring emerging grass weeds, with bonus activity on problem broad-leaved weeds like speedwell and cleavers.

Will Smith, is UK and Ireland technical lead for crop protection company Gowan. For details, visit www.gowanco.com

1 - Make the most of stale seedbeds 2 - Prioritise establishment

Drilling spring barley has become more popular over recent years

Rolling and spreading Avadex in the spring

Keep end market in mind when deciding spring cropping

EXPERT VIEW

There’s lots to consider when deciding which varieties to grow this spring, says David Bouch

Key spring cropping varieties are likely to sell out this year – but the market will not be short of options.

Spring barley is still the best option for the rotational control of grassweeds – including blackgrass, ryegrass and brome – with spring wheat just not as competitive in the field.

When it comes spring barley choices, Laureate remains the undoubted number one in the marketplace, outselling its competitors while offering dual purpose end markets, as does LG Diablo but not as widely grown.

We expect to see RGT Planet slip further as the newer options gain a greater share of the market. But it will still have support from growers who have seen very consistent performance over the years.

Skyway offers brewing ability and is fully approved, as is now SY Tennyson which is more akin to Laureate with its dual-purpose credentials. Several varieties are under test for malting quality. These include LG Aquarius, Nos Gambit, Belter, Nos Munron and Olsen.

Feed varieties Westminster and Kelim, still sell well for this market, but the malting varieties arguably offer better yield.

Spring wheat

In the spring wheat sector, Mulika, KWS Harsum and KWS Ladum are the Group 1 offer, with the former, now under significant yield disadvantage. Ladum has no major disease weaknesses, with high resistance to mildew, brown rust and septoria.

There is a lot to consider with KWS varieties. Harsum has OWBM resistance. Cochise and to a lesser extent Chilham provide alternatives in the Group 2 sector, which is little changed.

Meanwhile, Alicium has the best yield. WPB Escape has the largest market share with KWS Fixum since its arrival in the sector. It is relatively late-maturing, which will be a limitation to some. Again, it appears KWS Fixum has no major disease weaknesses, with resistance to yellow rust, mildew and brown rust.

Spring oats

Spring oat WPB Isabel is the market leader with Melrin making significant headway. Canyon still has support within the marketplace. Essentially the key to growing spring oats is rainfall in June and timeliness of harvest. Conway is an early maturing option. Asterion – newly added to the Recommended List last autumn – has high untreated yields with good resistance to mildew. The end market will dictate the preferred variety in almost all the spring quality cereals.

Beans

Spring beans will again be dominated by Lynx.  Genius remains the highest yielding option on the descriptive list. Yukon has the best mildew resistance and is the earliest maturing variety. New options include Navara and LG Hawk, but neither compete with Genius for pure yield. Synergy is a new low-vicine and low-convicine variety (LVC) and is higher yielding than the other two LVC varieties, Futura and Victus.

Peas

As far as peas are concerned, it will be Concerto (115%) and Batist (113%), which are the new top-yielding yellow peas. Carrington remains the top yielding blue pea.

Above: Laureate remains the ‘undoubted number one spring barley’

Right: LSPB Yukon is the earliest maturing variety spring bean variety

Bluetime will again be popular, and Butterfly is new and again showing the strength in depth of the LSPB portfolio. Kameleon  from Senova and LSPB’s Orchestra  are the standout white peas, however availability is key.

A new pink pea category has been created for the Descriptive List to accommodate the new variety Flamingo from Cope Seeds & Grain. In trials, it was the lowest-yielding pea listed (78%), with specific end markets from uses for human consumption, to bird and pet feed.

Vision is the new addition to the list for Marrowfats with the best downy mildew rating of 7 and with the highest yield in the sector, whilst Sakura has shown its consistency and support from the end user.

The yield gap is circa 10%, but again as with anything that involves a quality premium, will be decided by the end user. The important thing, though, is to do your research and take advice where necessary when choosing which variety to grow.

David Bouch is national seeds manager for Hutchinsons. For details, please email seed.orders@hlhltd.co.uk

Biostimulants provide boost against blight

Applications of silicon biostimulants can increase potato yields by almost 20% – and help the plant's defence against blight, claims a manufacturer.

Orion Future Technologies says the yield of a Melody potato crop increased by 18% by adding two biostimulants – Sirius and Pluton – at a concentration of 500ml/ha to the standard tank mix across eight applications.

A separate trial sought to understand the impact of using biostimulants to strengthen potato plants to better withstand late blight. This trial used Sirius, a silicon-based biostimulant; with Trident, a micronutrient product.

Common stresses

Trident is a copper and zinc formulation said to stimulate plant health and protect against common stresses. In the trial, a concentration of 3 litres/ha of Trident was combined with a 500ml/ha concentration of Sirius every week for 12 weeks.

The outcome of the additional micronu-

trient and silicon boost meant only 18% of the crop was affected by blight compared to 20% with the standard tank mix, says Orion agronomist Kate Williams.

The control sample crop succumbed entirely, with 100% of the crop affected by blight, showing the devastating threat blight poses to potato crops.

“Silicon helps to strengthen a plant’s natural defences and also helps it to take up more nutrients," says Ms Williams.

"This is why using a silicon biostimulant in addition to copper and zinc has helped the treated sample to stand up to blight.”

Rising costs

The two trials demonstrate how a plant-first approach can be beneficial to improving both yield and resilience, adds Ms Williams.

Rising input costs, environmental instability and pressure to deliver high quality potatoes mean biological and sustainable products are increasingly seen as an opportunity to help growers remain profitable.

“Bringing new products that focus on strengthening plants natural defences to complement existing strategies has provided encouraging results.”

To increase yield is always a goal, but to do so with the added benefit of helping crops manage environmental and disease stresses is an important breakthrough.”

Blight poses a significant ongoing threat to potatoes.

We had a call from a client who we have worked for many times over the years. He ask if we could help with some roadside ditches as they had not been maintained by the local authority for many a decade! This one nearly overflowed onto the road in January, and you can see why.

There were field drains outfalling into this ditch and the lack of flow in the ditch was having an adverse effect on their performance. Basically damming the water in the land drains which meant pooling in the field and leaving crops in flood water.

We can never stress enough the importance of ditch and outfall maintenance. As we have said before your drainage is only as good as its outfall. We would advise that outfalls and ditches have basic maintenance at least once a year and periodic checks in between. It ’s a lot harder to excavate and clear in flood conditions than it is in dry summer ones!

Crop Storage & Management

Watch out for disease signs in high-value potato seed

• Symptoms develop in some stores

• Wet harvest increases disease risk

• Store managers need to be vigilant

Seed suppliers are being urged to protect their high-quality product from storage diseases at first grading following the wet 2024 harvest and reports of symptoms developing in some stores.

Tuber pathogens that develop in seed from harvest to delivery include dry rot, gangrene, silver scurf and skin spot. Once established they are difficult to eradicate, significantly affect seed quality and cause problems in following crops.

Application of tuber fungicide treatment Gavel (imazalil) is advised to prevent disease development on seed in the first place.

There are three phases where a Gavel treatment can be applied; phase one is at harvest or as tubers are loaded into store; phase two is during storage – usually at first grading – and then finally, phase three is when they leave store for delivery.

Disease risk

Frontier’s seed treatment specialist

Darren Wonnacott says last year’s wet harvest in some seed producing areas will have increased the risk of these

diseases, particularly skin spot and silver scurf.

He’s also seen mummified seed tubers in some stocks, where they were infected with disease and dried out in cold storage: these are now a source of inoculum.

“There is the potential for any inoculum to spread is you get any fresh damage during first grading, so my advice would be to apply Gavel where is hasn’t already been applied in that phase two window.

“Seed supplies are tight this year and values are very high, so it makes any investment in a treatment relatively cheap, particularly as a small problem now can turn into a big prob-

New head of operations for vegetable handler

Trevor King has joined vegetable handling experts Haith as its head of operations.

The new position will see Mr King overseeing the design, fabrication and production of Haith’s equipment. He will be involved in mentoring and developing the knowledge and skills of the company’s production team.

Before joining Haith, Mr King was head of operations at HK Timbers. While there, he transformed the traditional manufacturing business into a lean, agile operation and also spent time as the company's interim managing director.

In his last role, Mr King introduced systems and processes that increased production by 40%. He has expertise in production improvements, as well as coaching and mentoring people.

Haith managing director Duane Hill said: "He is time-served in technology, engineering and agricultural manufacturing businesses and has a track record of implementing world-class manufacturing processes.”

Mr King said he was looking forward to his new role with Haith: "I am excited to combine my manufacturing, commercial and people development experience to help this ambitious and forward-thinking company realise its commercial goals."

Coinciding with the new appointment, John Nicholls has assumed the role of after-sales service and installation manager.

See also: Engineer Mick Haith retires after 47 years with family farm, page 25.

lem before delivery. It’s a no brainer for me,” says Mr Wonnacott.

Skin spot is of particular concern this winter in high-risk susceptible varieties like King Edward and Roost-

Potato skinspot can be difficult to eradicate once established [Photo credit: Blackthorn Arable]

Crop Storage & Management

Continuous flow dryers still ‘system of choice’

• More than 1000 dryers installed

• Effective and dependable drying

• Return on investment stacks up

More growers are choosing continuous flow dryers as the cornerstone of new or upgraded grain handling systems.

Well over 1000 Svegma continuous flow dryers have been installed across the UK over the past 40 years, with many farmers choosing the brand as the cornerstone of new or upgraded grain drying and storage facilities.

Above left: A Svegma 68tph continuous flow dryer

Above right: A Svegma dryer and with associated Skandia handling equipment

to build a new grain store which sits alongside two existing stores.

The upgraded plant includes an Aagaard pre-cleaner, the 40tph Svegma drier integrated with a moisture monitoring system, and Skandia handling equipment.

“My choice of a Svegma drier was based on its proven track record,” he says. “The build quality and durability were important because the drier is – like the majority of Svegmas – located outside the new store”.

pand his contract grain drying and storage business.

“The proven reliability and capacity of the Svegma drier was a key factor in my decision to install one as part of our upgrade. It is imperative that there are no unnecessary hold ups for us, or our customers, during harvest.

The plant consists of a 30tph Svegma drier and Skandia Elevator AB 60tph I-Line handling equipment. Everything is controlled by a PLC based control panel with remote monitoring, says Mr Bramley.

“The Svegma enables us to dry grain as quickly as it comes off the combines and we keep the corn trailers moving. It is a huge plus to be able to work with one supplier that can handle the design, install and then ongoing servicing and maintenance.

Reliable and efficient

Andrew Reed, who farms further north in Berwick upon Tweed, chose a 38tph Svegma to sit between his new grain store and an existing store. It replaced an ageing dryer which was reaching the end of its life.

“We were beginning to experience reliability issues – which is the last thing you want to be worrying about when harvest gets going,” said Mr Reed. “It was clear I needed to increase my drying and storage capabilities.

“When it came to the choice of drier, I went for a Svegma. I was aware that due to its reliability and efficiency Svegma was held in high esteem, and it has a real following in Northumberland and the Scottish borders.”

Mr Reed also chose a Moisture Monitoring System to automatically and accurately monitor grain moisture content as the crop goes into store. The system also informs dryer setting decisions including the Svegma discharge rate.

Three farmers who had Svegma dryers installed by grain storage specialists McArthur BDC ahead of harvest 2024 said the system delivered effective and dependable drying –more than justifying the investment.

“Crucially, continuous flow grain driers can keep up with modern combine capacity delivering guaranteed drying and cooling independent of weather conditions with a quick turnaround,” says McArthur BDC managing director John McArthur.

Handling equipment

Lincolnshire grower Harry Strawson, who farms near Scunthorpe, needed to increase his drying capacity after deciding

Mr Strawson says one reason for working with McArthur BDC was the firm’s ability to design, supply and install new and upgraded grain plants. “Working with just one team simplifies any project,” he explains.

‘Big-ticket item’

“Liaising closely with the team meant I was involved at every stage of the project. The team’s collaborative approach is important as we had to work with the building contractors to ensure everything ran on time and was ready for harvest.”

Mr McArthur acknowledges that continuous flow grain drying systems are a big-ticket item for any farm business. But he says the return on investment more than justifies the considerable outlay.

Intake capacity

Martin Bramley, of J Bramley & Son, farms near Leeds. He upgraded to a Svegma system to increase his grain intake capacity, enabling him to ex-

“The output of these driers continues to grow as does farm size and we are seeing an increase in the number of farm businesses that plan to offer drying and storage as a service, alongside serving their own needs.

BDC McArthur managing director John McArthur

“Careful consideration around individual drying and storage requirements must be given during the project development process, to ensure that the final system delivers the benefits and return on investment the farm business needs.”

Crop Storage & Management

Telehandler from Agri-Plus showcased at LAMMA

Arange of crop handling equipment was showcased at last month’s LAMMA event – including the latest Agri-Plus machine from Dieci Telehandlers.

With a 7.2m lifting height, the Agri Plus 42.7 has a maximum capacity of 4200 kg, Dieci says this model ensures precise and responsive movements with maximum stability in all working conditions.

A high-level cabin features 360° suspension, soft-touch interiors, spacious design, and a 7" display for unparalleled comfort. The Vario system transmission boasts four driving modes and integrated electronic management system for power and control.

The Agri Farmer 34.7 is described as ideal for barn work., It offers smooth and precise manoeuvrability. Its compact dimensions, combined with three steering modes (front, concentric, and transverse), allow for agile operation even with heavy loads.

A two-speed hydrostatic transmission ensures precise movement even at full capacity.

The innovative cab designed by Giugiaro Design provides the operator with maximum driving comfort, while the on-board computer ensures intuitive navigation.

Dieci also exhibited its Mini Agri 26.6 compact mini telehandler. Designed to meet the needs of small works, attachments include hooks, grippers, digging and material handling buckets, winches and baskets.

Tight spaces

This makes it a multifunctional solution for all lifting and handling needs, says Dieci –ideal for manoeuvres in tight spaces, with great power, excellent handling and precision movement control.

The new Agri Pivot T80 articulated telehandler made its UK debut LAMMA. This machine combines the versatility of a wheeled loader with the height of a telehandler. It has a double-pivot central articulation for stability, strength, and manoeuvrability.

Key features include a rear-mounted lon-

grated into the seat armrest. The central position is raised with improved climate control and optimised soundproofing for maximum operator comfort.

Engineer retires after 47 years with family firm

Mick Haith has retired from vegetable handling equipment manufacturer Haith Group after 47 years.

Mr Haith’s interest in agricultural engineering began when he was seven – assembling machines with his father and company founder George Haith. As a teenager, he then worked alongside his brother Chris on factory refurbishments for companies such as Knights of Norfolk and HC Tinsley.

After officially joining the family business aged 16 in 1976, painting eight-tonne bulkers at the company's Castle Green site in Tickhill before installing bulker belts and servicing combine harvesters and pea viners alongside his father.

‘Massive contribution’ He later took on the challenge of running another Haith business Ramsey Rent before returning to the Tickhill Engineering Company. He contin-

ued in the stores department for the remainder of his career, culminating in his promotion to procurement di rector.

"Mick has been an integral part of Haith for nearly five decades," said Haith managing director Duane Hill.

"His passion for engineering and knowledge of Haith equipment are well known. It's incredible to think that Mick has worked for his family's busi ness for nearly 50 years. He has made a massive contribution to the compa ny in those five decades.

Mr Haith said: "I have thorough ly enjoyed my time with the compa ny. It has been fantastic to be a part of such a successful business, and I'm incredibly proud of many things we have achieved, particularly building our current factory in Armthorpe.

"While I will be enjoying my newfound leisure time and I'm looking forward to having time to rebuild my classic motorbikes, I will be keeping an

Steel Framed Buildings

“Since my father started the company, the Haith name has become recognised around the world for exceptional quality, reliability and innovation, and I am certain this will continue under the current leadership team."

Crop Storage & Management

Young engineer scoops top LAMMA award

Ayoung engineer won a top award for creating an automated moisture control system for continuous flow grain dryers.

Alexander Sluijmers won the 2025 LAMMA Young Engineer Award for creating the Grain Sentry – a device which automates grain sampling and control, including remote control operation via an app.

Mr Sluijmers is a development engineer working for grain handling experts Perry of Oakley. The award recognises the best young engineering talent in UK agriculture – and is a respected accolade.

Cost-savings

The Grain Sentry helps reduce the workload and human error associated with traditional grain drying. The automated system improves efficiency, accuracy, and cost savings for farmers managing large-scale grain handling.

The system is versatile, compatible with multiple crops and can be retrofitted for existing dryers. It reduces labour needs and improves profitability, with savings ranging from £21,500 to £53,500 per season, depending on dryer capacity.

Launched in 2024, Grain Sentry is commercially viable and uses pneumatic conveying to collect samples and employs selfteaching algorithms to regulate dryer speed, optimising moisture levels.

"It’s amazing to have won the Young

Reminder about latest rodenticide legislation

Farmers and store managers are reminded that it is now illegal to use second generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) containing bromadiolone and difenacoum in open areas and hedgerows.

The new law came into effect on 31 December 2025. It aims to reduce the number of wild and non-target species affected by SGARs residues – with studies showing 80% of barn owls have been found with the residues in their systems.

‘Right direction’

Engineer Award,” said Mr Sluijmers. “When I was first nominated, I wondered if grain handling technology would really stand out against all the big machinery here at LAMMA. But to come first is incredible.

Presentation

The award was presented at last month’s LAMMA event at the NEC Birmingham. Mr Sluijmers said: “There was a lot of interest and questions from visitors who saw Grain Sentry on stand, which has given me

new ideas of where to go next.”

The Young Engineer Award celebrates youngsters aged 16-35 who have developed a piece of agricultural machinery, equipment or technology that has significantly enhanced efficiency, profitability or sustainability in farming operations.

Agriconnect head of machinery and judge Toby Whatley said: “Grain Sentry is a truly innovative solution that offers a fresh approach to enhancing productivity and grain quality.”

cal director Ross Goodman.

“However, it’s an essential step in the right direction if we want to safeguard the long-term use of rodenticides in agriculture. And the good news is there are alternative rodenticides available, that are approved for use in open areas.”

“Some farmers and growers will have to reassess how they manage rodents in areas not connected to farm build-

Farmers and growers now looking to bait open areas should use rodenticides based on the active substance

needed to baiting open areas

cholecalciferol. After eating around 14g of bait, rodents start to feel ill and stop feeding, retreating to die in a secluded spot.

‘Stop feed’ effect

“This works differently to SGARS such as bromadiolone and difenacoum,” says Mr Goodman. “It’s a nonanticoagulant rodenticide that operates through calcification, which is a natural bodily process.”

“This ‘stop-feed’ effect significantly reduces the time for damage and disease to spread. And because calcification is a natural process, there’s a much lower risk of secondary poisoning for wildlife.”

There are various rodenticides on the market that are based on cholecalciferol – but Mr Mr Goodman says Lodi’s Gems Harmonix Rodent Paste is the only one available which currently has open areas and burrows use on its label.

“This reinforces the importance of always checking product labels to ensure you are using products correctly,” says Mr Goodman.

Livestock

‘Stay vigilant’ call to keep out foot-and-mouth

• Concern over outbreak in Germany

• Reminder to maintain biosecurity

• Talk to friends and family

Sheep producers are being urged to remain vigilant and maintain on-farm biosecurity following confirmation of foot-and-mouth disease in Germany.

UK imports of sheep, cattle and pigs were swiftly banned following the discovery of Germany’s first foot-andmouth outbreak in nearly 40 years on 10 January in a herd of water buffalo on the outskirts of Berlin.

Although confirmed cases were isolated to one farm – news of the disease being present in Europe was an unsurprising cause of concern for UK livestock keepers, said the National Sheep Association.

NSA chief executive Phil Stocker said: “It’s the last thing we want to see here in Britain – we are already suffering from Bluetongue and Schmallenberg virus adding demand on veterinary resources.”

“

It is the last thing we want here

“Any disease outbreak results in significant private and public costs, as well as serious animal and human wel fare implications, so NSA is pleased to see border controls heightened, with an immediate suspension of meat and livestock imports.

Significant risk

Mr Stocker added: “It is hoped that traceability in Germany will quickly identify where the disease has been introduced from and if any further livestock holdings both in Germany or further afield are known to be at significant risk.”

Many foot-and-mouth symptoms are similar to bluetongue symptoms.

FOCUS ON ANIMAL HEALTH & WELFARE

The NSA is urging farmers to be vigilant for signs of both disease within their flocks and to ensure biosecurity measures are followed to the highest possible level.

The sector is still dealing with restrictions following last year’s bluetongue outbreak. The recent emergence of further Schmallenberg cases in early lambing UK flocks are also adding to farmers’ worries.

Listening ear

Any farmers affected by the ongoing situation – are being encouraged to speak with friends and neighbours –or to seek advice from farming and rural charities who are offering a listening ear.

Mr Stocker said the NSA would continue to update sheep farmers at what was a challenging time for the sector. Further information was on the NSA website and social media channels – and the Animal and Plant Health Agency website.

Applying slurry can save up to £120/ha in artificial fertiliser costs

How to maximise nutritional benefits of slurry

Dairy farmers are using slurry additives to help reduce the environmental impact of artificial fertiliser while tackling rising input costs.

The UK produces 48 million tonnes of slurry each year – 30 times more than the amount of fertiliser sold. And more farmers say using it makes financial sense to maintain profitability while meeting environmental targets and improve soil health

David Newton, technical product manager at Timac Agro, say switching to a slurry containing more than £5 per tonne in total nutrients can significantly reduce the amount of artificial fertiliser needed to grower a strong crop.

“It soon adds up to a sizeable saving,” says Mr Newton. Up to £4 worth of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium is readily available to the treated crop. This means farmers spreading 20-30t/ha could save up to £120/ha in artificial fertiliser costs.

Mr Newton adds: “The financial benefits are escalated in the soil, with the addition of organic matter and its ability to slowly release nitrogen as it breaks down, along with all the micronutrients slurry brings.”

Improving infrastructure, such as covering slurry stores, is the most effective way of improving the value of readily available nutrients and organic matter, careful nutrient management does not have to require large capital investments.

“A well-rounded nutrient management plan should improve the performance of slurry, but also make its management easier, which is why we recommend a slurry additive to take full advantage of what’s available.”

Timac Agro’s powder conditioner ActiPost 360 can improve slurry’s nitrogen and phosphorous retention by 27% and 33% respectively. It also makes slurry easier to pump – freeing up storage capacity.

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Rape?

Millet - the perfect solution for failed crops of rape.

OSR Growers know the frustration and difficulty of realising late in the spring, that a crop of OSR isn’t going to be viable. This creates the dilemma of what to do - especially if the ground has been sprayed with autumn herbicides.

Mammoth Millet is not sown until early May, and can be direct drilled or sown after failed rape with minimal cultivations. Furthermore, the Millet now arguably offers as good or better a gross margin than OSR anyway - thus putting things back on track.

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bring the personal touch back into farm finance. For the personal touch, ring George Bridgman on 07522 731193 george.bridgman@abfltd.co.uk

Short cuts on herbal leys ‘could be false economy’

Think beyond sustainable farming payments

Livestock producers growing herbal leys simply for Sustainable Farming Incen tive payments could be missing out on wider benefits.

Not all SAM3 herbal ley mixtures are the same – and choosing the cheapest option for the SFI payment could be a false economy, suggests Agrii grass, roots and environmental seeds man ager Adam Simper.

Make the right choice will adding highly val uable diversity to forage security throughout the year – and encourage improvements in soil health, organic matter content and soil structure as well as long-term productivity gains.

Management

"Herbal leys are definitely growing in populari ty largely as a result of government funding un der the SFI and a growing awareness of their en vironmental benefits,” says Mr Simper.

Many growers considering herbal leys are faced with a completely new area of forage man agement – and one which is further confused by an ever-growing range of mixes on offer togeth er with a variety of claims and characteristics.

"It's far from a one-size-fits-all situation,” says Mr Simper.

“While there are significant opportunities for improving live stock health and performance alongside soil health, carbon capture and biodiversity bene fits, this does depend on their suc cessful integration into existing grassland management systems."

Different options

The starting point is to make sure you understand the different op tions open to you and the merits of the various approaches available.

"Herbal leys can be made up of a wide mixture of grasses, legumes and herbs, with their strength ly ing in this diversity.

"The right mixture of spe cies can create a varied and nu trient-rich diet for livestock due to deep rooted species mining minerals from the soil’s depth and making them available via the forage.

"Furthermore, this can either be as grazing or as a silage that can be fed to livestock year-round.

"When it comes to soil improvement, a care fully prepared mixture of species can ensure roots penetrate to different levels, dramatical ly improving soil structure, and helping prevent leaching, while increasing moisture and nutri ent retention.

Scientists develop new dairy heat stress analysis tools

• Reduce impact of climate change

• Major welfare benefits promised

• Herd health set for improvements

Anew generation of livestock buildings and digital tools could reduce the impact of heat stress on housed dairy herds.

Two companies – Galebreaker and Smartbell – have been awarded a second grant by the Digital Dairy Chain to deliver further research into the impact on indoor dairy cows of heat stress caused by climate change.

Insights from the research will inform the development of innovative, digital tools that will allow farmers to analyse the risk and impact of heat stress on-farm, with the aim of improving animal welfare and productivity.

Ground-breaking

Managed and awarded by the UK’s national innovation agency Innovate UK, the research and development grants were part of a competitive funding round that has allocated £1m to ground-breaking projects across the country.

Working in partnership with researchers from Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), Galebreaker and Smartbell will deliver the A-SHED project (Analysis of Scottish Housed Environments for Dairy).

SRUC’s research findings will be used to develop an app and a digital design tool that allows farmers to quickly analyse on-farm data and take action to minimise heat stress.

Galebreaker technical director, Andrew Gardner believes the project’s on-farm data will lead to better building designs that are more resilient to climate change.

“

Climate change is an increasing risk

“It’s an issue that poses an increasing risk to farm profitability and sustainability," says Mr Chitty.

“Ultimately our long-term aim for A-SHED is to enable farmers to mitigate the challenging effects of heat stress, which include reduced fertility, lameness, mastitis, lower milk yield and reduced animal longevity.”.

Sustainability goals

“With the average livestock building lasting over 30 years, this project helps demonstrate how existing structures can be modified to deliver better conditions that help housed animals thrive, and how new builds can be designed.”

At the forefront of animal behaviour and environmental sensor monitoring, Smartbell co-founder Jose Chitty believes the project’s application of data analytics will help to pave the way for better understanding of heat stress.

The research will be overseen by Marie Haskell, professor in animal welfare science at SRUC, who emphasises the importance of innovative solutions that align with the dairy industry's sustainability goals.

F“It is great to bring two UK manufacturers together, alongside our researchers, to collaborate in addressing a prominent issue for the industry,” she says. “These tools will also be just as applicable to the national and global agriculture sector.”

Young vets seek on-farm work placements

armers are being encouraged to offer placements to student vets – to help shape the future of the veterinary profession in a way that benefits livestock producers.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the UK’s regulatory body for veterinary professionals, is calling upon farmers to register as student placement providers on the new RCVS Extra-Mural Studies National Booking Database.

All veterinary students in the UK must complete work experience in the form of extra-mural studies throughout their veteri-

nary degree. This helps them decide which areas of veterinary practice they work in after graduation.

This includes 10 weeks of large animal husbandry in the first two years of their programme, where valuable experience is gained in the handling and husbandry of a range of species – and helps students choose a career in the sector.

Hosting students has multiple benefits for farmers. It provides them with access to up-to-date veterinary knowledge, additional support in animal care, and fosters a new generation of skilled vets familiar with

real-world farm practices.

RCVS education director Linda PrescottClements said: “We have been working hard to create this new database, which is designed to simplify and streamline the process for everyone involved.

“On the platform, current and prospective providers will be able to feature their placements and showcase key details such as placement type, location, expected caseload, and transport links.”

For details about placements, email ems@rcvs.org.uk or visit rcvs.org.uk

Andrew Gardner: thriving dairy cows

Better designed building could be more resilient to climate change.

With

Based

New defence against deadly pathogens

Aground-breaking acid technology could help poultry producers eliminate the threat of deadly pathogens.

Trials undertaken by Aga2Tech, with support from Innovate UK, indicate an in-water peracetic acid treatment could prevent on-farm poultry infections – offering an effective alternative to antibiotics.

Commercial trials involving 250,000 broilers were carried out on farms in the north of England to as-

dilution in-water via drinker lines,” says Aga2Tech chief executive Adrian Fellows.

Antimicrobial properties

The trials confirmed the compound’s strong antimicrobial properties and ability to help to tackle common pathogens found in poultry environments without the need for antibiotics, says Mr Fellows.

“When salmonella was naturally introduced to the 60,000 bird flock on one farm, it was completely eradicated in the experimental shed after just one week of Peranan treatment, while the infection persisted in the

Another trial – on a farm that had regularly tested positive for salmonella – found that Peranen was was again successful in eradicating the pathogen. “It hasn’t been detected in the shed since they started using the treat-

The new peracetic acid technology, which is the result of 20 years of human health research into antibiotic alternatives, has also been shown to eradicate the avian influenza virus in

“When tested at an independent, United Kingdom Accreditation Ser-

Problems were eliminated in a flock of 60,000 birds

Below left: Aga2Tech chief executive Adrian Fellows

Salmonella was completely eradicated “

vice (UKAS) certified lab, we found in-water Peranan was proven to kill the bird flu virus, while being completely safe for poultry consumption.

“Unlike other options for tackling the virus, such as bleach, the treatment is harmless to the user and the environment. Even when used for a 42-day cycle – it breaks down into a benign substance.”

Mr Fellows says the compound works through a highly oxidative system, which disrupts the virus particle by generating a rapid transfer of energy. This means it could be a an effective mitigation measure to enhance on-farm biosecurity.

“Our next steps will involve more lab testing to assess the range of pathogens that Peranan proves effective against, and further commercial farm trials will be carried out to see if we can shorten the shorten the length of treatment required.”

Boxing farmer’s one million press-ups for charity

thousand on the last day, taking his total to 32,000 press-ups. Completing that challenge raised £22,000 charity.

be used to help fund coaching sessions and boxing classes for people – and help slow the progress of the condition.

He will end the challenge with a gruelling 24-marathon in which he will attempt to complete 10,000 pressups by himself – and encourage others to join him in a final push to amass 1,000,000 push-ups combined.

Mammoth challenge

It builds on a mammoth challenge completed last January, when Mr Longthorp did 1,000 press-ups each day during the month, as well as an extra

Diagnosed with Parkinson’s eight years ago, Mr Longthorp took up boxing at St Paul’s Boxing Academy in 2022, to help manage the condition by slowing the onset of symptoms and improve strength and coordination.

“Last January, at the wrong side of 70, I set myself the challenge of doing 1000 press-ups a day for the whole of the month. Due to people’s incredible generosity the project raised £22,000 and certainly increased awareness.”

For those who struggle with conventional press-ups, other options such as wall press-ups can be part of the challenge too, and those taking part are encouraged to raise their own funds to contribute to the charity pot. To make a donation, visit bit.ly/pigfarmer-pressups

Richard Longthorpe: Doing press-ups for Parkinsons

Biox-M helps in a challenging storage season

More growers are turning to Biox-M to clean up stores where spuds are sprouting, other potatoes have eyes blinking and some crops are just pleased to be indoors.

Biox-M manages a range of situations well, setting up crops and stores for the remainder of the storage season. But ongoing store management still requires care and attention to detail, of course, where crops face differing sprouting pressures.

Biox-M is a naturally occurring and truly sustainable product, in widespread use in the food Industry. It is approved for use on organic potatoes as well as on conventional in store crops.

With no harvest interval or maximum residue level (MRL) beyond the one-day mandatory withholding period after treatment, Biox-M is also ideal for using on crops for which the date of movement is uncertain, It is flexible in terms of application timing, results in minimal weight

New feedstuff helps finish cattle faster

Beef farmers could finish their cattle quicker and more efficiently thanks to a new feedstuff.

Available in blends or as a farm pack, ProFinisher boosts daily liveweight gain by up to 6% – so cattle are finished earlier on less feed. Cattle are said to achieve an overall 19kg increase in total liveweight.

ProFinisher is manufactured for Carr’s Billington by Techna. It contains a blend of 100% natural plantbased essential oils, which work to improve the energy efficiency of the digestive tract in ruminants while helping to keep animals healthy.

Financial benefits

Carr’s Billington feed specialist Jessica Bertram says: “This not only delivers a financial benefit for farmers due to less feed being required but also delivers environmental gains because the cattle are being finished on fewer inputs.”

ProFinisher works by increasing the amount of propionate – a volatile fatty acid – in the rumen. This improves energy utilisation and increases the crypt depth of the villi in the hind gut ensuring better absorption of nutrients.”

Sales manager Jamie-Leigh Doug-

Feeding ewes in late pregnancy

Cattle are finished on fewer inputs –increasing farm productivity

las says another benefit of the feed is the inclusion of specific coatings on the natural oils for targeted release within the rumen and hindgut – ensuring it is effective where it needs to be.

Ms Bertram believes these two modes of action, alongside the coatings on the oils, are key to ProFinish-

er’s success, and the wider success of a beef enterprise.

She adds: “By ensuring cattle make better use of the energy and nutrients in their diet, they will gain weight more quickly – something which is key to the success of a profitable and efficient finishing enterprise.”

Variable weather last summer has meant varied forage samples for feeding this winter, writes Nerys Wright. Yet many of us continue to feed the same amount of forage and the same supplements – year in, year out – regardless of quality.

The advantage of analysing our forage means we can utilise its quality in good years – potentially saving supplementation costs. Then, when forage quality is poorer, we can supplement sooner or choosing a higher quality feed product.

Long-term approach

This approach may cost more in the short term, but it cer-

tainly does pay more in the longer term. The trick is to do it correctly. It is important, for instance, to inspect supplies and avoid feeding damaged or mouldy forage.

While optimising forage intake, be sure to consider the amount a ewe can eat in a single day – the dry matter intake (DMI). This varies by forage type and pregnancy stage.

Calculated as a percentage of a ewe’s bodyweight, it typi-

cally ranging from 1 to 3%.

Forage analysis reports can look complicated and daunting. But I recommend looking at five of the key details (or four if its hay or haylage). The table here provides a summary of key elements and targets.

In next month’s article, we will look at the best way to select your compound feed. For a list of companies offering forage analysis, visit the AHDB website or speak to your local merchant who may offer this service.

Nerys Wright is an independent sheep consultant. For more details, call 07891 187643 or visit sheepconsultancy.co.uk.

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Professional services

'Avoid making rash decisions amid Budget fallout'

Seek advice before taking action

Hasty decisions around succession planning and diversification should be avoided following last autumn’s budget, say legal experts.

Widely criticised for imposing inheritance tax on farming assets worth more than £1 million, the budget saw farm businesses hit by a raft of other measures too – including the faster phase-out of the basic payment scheme (BPS).

Denise Wilkinson, head of agriculture and partner at solicitors HCR Law, says the changes understandably sent a wave of panic across the farming community – potentially forcing farmers into making rash decisions.

“As it stands, we still don’t have the guidance that we need to make all the decisions with regards to succession planning – and when it comes to succession and rethinking business structure, you shouldn’t make changes overnight.”

Ms Wilkinson advises farmers to sit down and discuss the situation with their solicitors and accountants.

“There may be some things which can be done now and initiating these discussions is key,” she explains.

Families may already have a plan in

place that could be revisited and potentially implemented. If not, they should assess which assets currently qualify for inheritance tax relief.

“It’s also worth considering discussions about involving younger family members in the business or addressing asset planning with older relatives. If health permits, exploring life assurance to offset tax liabilities could also be a valuable step.”

The BPS phase-out – and uncertainty around the Sustainable Farming Incentive – particularly regarding budgets, tax implications, required capital investment and infrastructure — has increased the financial pressure on farm businesses.

For farmers looking to diversify to generate additional income, the changes to Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR) could undermine the viability of such ventures.

Assets and funding

The suggestion that assets may be devalued due to reduced reliefs raises questions about funding, says Ms Wilkinson – and the banks’ stance on these changes remains unclear, she adds.

But farmers should refrain from

Don’t make changes overnight “

assuming this means a one-size-fitsall approach. Instead, they seek legal advice to understand how the changes might affect their own individual business model.

“Every farm is different, whether that’s the size, the family dynamic or the structure, so what works for one farm might not work for another. Talking to your solicitor and professional team is essential for making informed decisions.”

Technical guidance is still awaited on the Budget changes. This will include how it will affect existing trusts and other structures already in place to protect farm assets. A review of stamp duty land tax could also be in the pipeline.

The coming year will undoubtedly bring challenges, says Ms Wilkinson. But she adds: “Hopefully, 2025 will provide greater clarity enabling farmers to plan effectively for their future, their family’s future, and the future of their farm.”

Footpath decision is ‘attack on countryside’

Agovernment decision to scrap the 2031 cut-off date for registering unrecorded rights of way is an attack on the countryside, say farm leaders.

The last Conservative government agreed to the 2031 deadline for adding unrecorded rights of way to the Definitive Map in England in 2023. But the Labour government confirmed it was revoking the decision shortly after Christmas.

Country Land and Business Association deputy president Gavin Lane described the

move as a blow to farmers and land managers. "This is a backward step and is the latest attack on the countryside and farmers.”

Public access

Mr Lane, who is also a Norfolk farmer, said the country already had an enormous amount of public access – with 140,000 miles of public rights of way and 1.4m hectares of public access land in England and Wales alone.

“The vast majority of landowners are keen to promote responsible access, and

work in collaboration with Defra and campaigning groups to ensure people can continue to experience the benefits of the countryside in decades to come.

The Definitive Map is England’s legal record of public rights of way. It was established by the Atlee government when it passed the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 75 years ago.

Once a right of way has been established, the local authority and the landowner are then legally responsible for maintaining them.

The full impact of the autumn Budget measures remains unknown

[Photo credit: John Gomez / Shutterstock.com]

Defra grants ‘vital lifeline’ in 2025

• Business resilience and preparation

• Seize opportunities where possible

• Stay abreast of policy moves

Getting to grips with govern ment grants could prove to be a lifeline for farm businesses this year, say consultants.

The months ahead are set to herald opportunities as well as uncertainties – highlighting the need to focus on financial resilience and preparation, says Simon Britain, head of agri-con sultancy and partner at Knight Frank.

"Making the most of the Sustain able Farming Incentive (SFI) and un derstanding the new higher tier stewardship opportunities will be a vital lifeline for rural businesses,” he explains.

al approaches.

Farmers should review their operations, understand their financial position and create coherent, achievable plans as the full impact of last autumn’s Budget becomes clear says Mr Britton.

Strategic partnerships with trusted consultants will also be key in understanding the implications of the government’s proposed changes to agricultural and business property relief – and planning for succession, he adds.

"Assess your financial resilience and align opportunities with your long-term goals. Be clear on your costs of production and stay on top of funding opportunities and policy changes to position your farming business for success."

Think differently

Potential sources of farm revenue will increasingly include natural capital, says Claire Whitfield, a partner in Knight Frank’s rural team specialising in strategic consultancy and rural estate management.

"There is growing recognition that these initiatives can serve multiple purposes – enhancing biodiversity, addressing climate resilience, and offering new income streams for landowners," she explains.

"For rural businesses, this represents an opportunity to align land use with both environmental priorities and income generation – encouraging farmers to challenge tradition-

"The old paradigms of land use are shifting,” says Ms Whitfield. “Embrace the opportunities that diversification and natural capital projects present – there’s real value in thinking differently.”

Landowners should closely track government policy and legislation –and be prepared to recalibrate their plans based on any regulatory changes, suggests James Shepherd, a partner in Knight Frank’s rural consultancy team.

"The next six months are critical. Significant legislation or policy announcements relating to land use, development and natural capital markets, could either catalyse or constrain progress.”

Recent amendments to the National Planning Policy Framework could

“There’s real value in thinking differently

introduce significant opportunities for landowners, particularly those with land in high-demand areas or lower-quality greenbelt potentially opened for development.

That said, a cap on land values, the threat of compulsory purchase, stricter affordable housing requirements, climate-focused planning conditions, and increased scrutiny will require careful planning to fully capitalise on these changes.

"It’s a year where businesses must plan for change and can move beyond reacting to challenges and start shaping their own futures. Those who plan strategically and think boldly will find themselves ahead of the

Diversification

The faster phase-out of the Basic Payment Scheme and the reduced ceiling on the amount paid to recipients mean many farmers will be keen to secure alternative sources of income this year.

Despite farm input costs easing, margins in many sectors remain slim – prompting more growers and livestock producers to consider non-farm enterprises as a way of earning additional revenue.

Alice Keith, an associate in Knight Frank’s farms and estates team suggests diversification will remain a key theme throughout 2025. "Marginal land, which might not be suited to commercial agriculture, is brimming with potential," she says.

"Biodiversity projects, tree planting and carbon offsetting, together with renewable energy schemes are all areas for consideration. These opportunities demand careful planning, but the returns can be significant."

Tenant farmers have high hopes for commissioner

The government’s appointment of a Tenant Farming Commissioner can’t come soon enough, say industry leaders.

Due to be appointed in the coming weeks, the commissioner will be responsible for dealing with complaints concerning breaches of a code of conduct governing the relationship between landowners and farm tenants.

Tenant Farmers Association chief executive George Dunn said he hoped the commissioner would “hit the ground running” and be as successful as the equivalent commissioner in Scot-

land, who has been in place for some years.

A TFA survey showing that 30% of tenants felt bullied or harassed by their landlords – and 37% by their landlords’ agents – highlighted there was some very important work to do in England, added Mr Dunn.

The commissioner’s reach will include tenant farmers, landlords, land agents, solicitors and regulators to root out poor practice and unreasonable behaviour – and look to identify solutions in a collaborative, impartial and timely way.

Knight Frank partner Simon Britton (right) with associate Henry Clemons

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Professional services | Carbon farming

£1m fund rewards farmers for reducing emissions

• Cash to combat climate change

• No need to sell carbon credits

• Major ‘step forward’ for farmers

An innovative programme enabling food supply chains to reward farmers for reducing greenhouse gas emissions is now open for applications.

Farmers participating in the scheme can earn £60 for each tonne of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) reduced annually, with half of payments provided upfront to help fund their transitions.

Developed by Soil Association Exchange, the Exchange Market operates as an insetting fund. This means it makes payments to recipient farmers who reduce emissions without them having to sell valuable carbon credits.

The fund been developed with a farmer steering group and farmers will receive funding for cutting emissions by adopting action plans that work for them – supported by a range of companies who are backing the fund.

Support to develop the scheme has been given by Lloyds who have helped to convene key retailers and landowners including the Co-op, Lidl, Tesco and the Church Commissioners for England to contribute to the fund.

Payments

Co-developed with technical experts Finance Earth, farmers can receive payments for actions that include reducing fertiliser usage by introducing nitrogen-fixing companion crops, better fuel efficiency and investing in solar.

Farmers can earn £60 for each

Soil Association exchange chief executive Joseph Gridley said: “Exchange Market is about creating real, measurable change within farming systems while empowering farmers to make decisions that work for them.

“This carbon in-setting programme demonstrates that delivering true environmental outcomes can go hand in hand with financial resilience when farmers and businesses collaborate to build a sustainable future for food and farming.”

Mr Gridley added: “It represents a major step forward in aligning farming activities with climate goals and

demonstrates the power of what can happen when businesses and farmers

“Collaboration like this enables greater scalability, affordability, and ultimately more impact in reducing agricultural emissions and advancing positive environmental outcomes.”

Importantly, farmers who are already lowering emissions will be rewarded – as well as those who are making new steps to reduce carbon. They will be eligible for maintenance payments, supporting them to continue their progress to date.

Suffolk farmer James Hay, of Barton Place Farms, near Bury St Edmunds, is a member of the farmer

steering group. Created in collaboration with farmers, the scheme provided financial support to try new ways to reduce our emissions, he said.

“The fund offers the flexibility we need to do the right thing for our farm. As subsidy funding changes in the UK, schemes like Exchange Market give our business further resilience by offering new income streams from private markets.”

Farmers can join Exchange Market by completing a baseline assessment and submitting a emissions reduction plan – with support from Soil Association Exchange advisors. Annual payments are based on verified results.

For more details visit: www.soilassociationexchange.com/ exchangemarket

Why food retailers are backing the scheme

The £1m funding pot was secured from food retailers and other businesses who are required to reduce their Scope Three emissions – indirect greenhouse gas emissions generated through their supply chains, or their rental or lending footprints.

Payments

“Our ambition focuses on a holistic view of farming’s environmental impact, rewarding farmers in ways that work for them to become more resilient, while securing long-term profit.”

Elizabeth Beall, Managing Director from Finance Earth, which helped devise the scheme, said farmers were on the front line of climate change and should be incentivised and rewarded for reducing emissions.

Lloyds Banking Group head of agriculture Lee Reeves (pictured right) said: “As the UK’s largest finance provider to agricultural businesses, we play a critical role in supporting the sector in its transition to a more sustainable future.”

“We’ve designed a mechanism which enables both to happen – private finance is mobilised, farmers get paid, while businesses can share costs in reducing emissions in their supply chains.”

Professional services | Carbon farming

New partnership unleashes carbon economy benefits

• Generates revenue from farm carbon

• Uses a simple-to-understand system

• Flexible approach has many options

Farmers can maximise opportunities from the carbon economy thanks to a new bespoke focus launched by Agrii and carbon farming innovators Agreena.

The partnership helps producers understand carbon farming better while building a revenue stream from the implementation of low carbon practices, says Agrii sustainability and environmental services manager Amy Watkins.

"We have been looking at how we can really make the carbon economy work for our customers for some time now and have carried out in-depth analysis of what people want to achieve from this exciting new area and the options open to them.

"Fundamentally, we did not just want to provide a service already offered by others but instead form a strategic partnership with a like-minded business that would allow us to develop a unique solution based on customer needs.

"After talking to various organisations, we decided Agreena best matched our requirements, not just because of their specialist knowledge in the area but also because they best align with our vision for agriculture and carbon."

Generating income

Essentially, the new Agrii/Agreena carbon offer is designed to help farmers understand the potential value of their carbon, earn carbon credits from implementing low carbon systems and ultimately generate an income from these credits, says Ms Watkins.

"The idea is to offer a simple-tounderstand system underpinned by a strong scientific background which offers competitive financial benefits to farmers in an exceptionally flexible package with several options as to how

they can get started.

"The major benefit with the Agreena programme is there is no commitment required to get a simple estimation of your farm’s carbon value. Farmers can then decide their level of commitment after receiving an estimation.

"Looking at ‘what if’ scenarios using Agrena’s tools can also help with planning a farms crop rotation.

"So, for example, the scheme will reward practices such as minimising soil disturbance, putting cover crops in, improving the efficient use of fertilisers and optimising the management of soil residues.

"If you decide to go further than a simple estimation, carbon credits are issued to growers who adopt one or more of these regenerative practices.

"You decide what to do with the credits you earn - keep them to offset your farm’s own emissions, sell them to your own buyers, trade them alongside your crop, or have Agreena help you find the best price."

For maximum flexibility the programme is stackable with the sustainable farming incentive (SFI), and also offers both insetting and offsetting options, she explains.

as the number of buyers and demand increases."

Achieving results

“The scheme rewards various practices

Headquartered in Copenhagen with an office in London, Agreena works with farmers across Europe to transition 4.5 million hectares of cropland across 20 European markets. It claims to be Europe’s largest soil carbon programme.

Agreena UK market lead Thomas Gent says the company shares Agrii's farmer-centric focus. He sees the partnership delivering benefits above and beyond simple carbon trading.

“We work with third-party validation and verification bodies to ensure we align to the strictest market standards, and leverage advanced measurement and reporting capabilities to measure real impact from the ground up.

"We believe our farmers are the influencers, pioneers and enablers of a modern agriculture and our aim is to help farmers transition from conventional ways to more sustainable methods of production in whatever way is right for them in the long-run.

"In-setting is where companies invest in projects that are related to their products such as a miller rewarding for carbon friendly practices to grow their ingredients.

"Offsetting is when such investments are not related to the product as is the case if an airline were to buy them.

"The benefit of offering both options means that producers have an increased opportunity to sell the credits,

"This modern agriculture is a growing movement and there is significant need for the industry to work alongside farmers and support these market enablers.

"We are delighted to be working in partnership with Agrii and see their knowledge-based and research-driven approach to improving the science of agricultural production complementing our equally forwardthinking aspirations."

Amy Watkins: Helping farmers understand the pitential value of their carbon

FINAL SAY Clodhopper

Clear vision needed for farming

The government’s stop-start approach to farm support is stifling investment, says Clodhopper

The government’s decision to pause new capital grant applications has once again left thousands of farmers facing unnecessary uncertainty.

Capital grants play a big part in encouraging farm businesses invest for the future – helping growers and livestock producers maintain high environmental standards while ensuring their businesses remain profitable.

Only a short while before postponing caiptal grants, the government trumpted its allocation of £5 billion for farming and the environment for the next two years – describing it as the largest budget yet to be announced by for agriculture.

Mixed messages

That description is not quite true. The £5bn includes support for farmers impacted by ex-

treme weather and a tranche of cash to help safeguard against disease threats. But it remains a substantial pot of money.

Yet soon after trumpeting its determination to invest in food security, sustainable farming and nature, the government then said budgetary constraints meant capital grants were being postponed.

These mixed messages do nobody any good. It makes it hard to plan and invest in our business. One minute the Treasury imposes inheritance tax on farmers, the next it says it is backing farmers. No wonder we feel confused.

Faster phase-out

The government then said it would issue an update on the situation early this year. I decided not to hold my breath waiting. Like many politicians, ministers increasingly seem to say one thing and then do the other.

In fact, few of us would be surprised if the government backtracked on the original capital grant agreements. Similarly, eligibility criteria and application processes will probably be scrutinised and changed.

Mixed messages do nobody any good

It is all a farce. Farmers have been asked to adopt environmental practices to improve their environmental surroundings – but they have also been left without key grants or the threat of being unable to access them.

The whole farming industry has lurched from one crisis to another. The faster phaseout of the basic payment scheme – or delinked payments – shows again how difficult it is to plan a way forward with any certainty.

The few farmers who managed to submit capital grant applications before the announcement have been lucky.

But many have been told not to purchase or materials until confirmation has been received and confirmed.

Giving notice

The entire way this has been handled goes against official guidance, which says Rural Payments Agency will give six weeks’ notice if any grant is likely to be over-subscribed. Applications should then be assessed on a firstcome-first -served basis.

It now seems that farmers will also have to wait for the higher tier of the Countryside Stewardship scheme, which is not expected to open for applications until the summer of 2025 at the earliest.

Once again, this prevents farmers from accessing a much-needed revenue stream at a time when many in the industry are struggling to keep their heads above water. Defra minister Steve Reed should take note.

With fears growing that more financial pain may be on its way for the farming sector, one thing is for certain: Anything that this current government says must be taken with a pinch of salt.

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