Midland Farmer January 2020

January 2020

Midland

Farmer

Spring cropping: ‘Wettest ever autumn’ prompts big switch to barley

Serving the farming industry across the Midlands

News How to apply for £35m rural growth fund Arable Beating disease without active ingredients Muck & slurry Nutrient guide ‘unlocks soil potential’

Livestock Prince’s fund issues call for evidence on livestock marts Clodhopper Can Boris really deliver for UK farmers?

Philip Langton & Son Winning formula delivers top quality grass Hall 8, stand 8.728

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Midland Farmer

OPINION Johann Tasker

EDITORIAL Editor: Johann Tasker T: 07967 634971 E: johann@ruralcity.co.uk Director of Publishing: Joe Marritt T: 01502 725835 E: joe.marritt@micropress.co.uk

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ADVERTISING SALES Chloe Francis 01502 725844 chloe.francis@micropress.co.uk Bethany Andrews 01502 725813 bethany.andrews@micropress.co.uk Byron Mayhew 01502 725865 byron.mayhew@micropress.co.uk Midland Farmer is a controlled circulation magazine published monthly for farmers and growers in the Midlands (Derbyshire, Herefordshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands and Worcestershire) or companies supplying goods and services to the sector. To be included on the circulation list, a farmer must have a minimum of 70 acres of land, or 50 dairy/beef stock, or 50 breeding sows/250 growing stock, or 15,000 laying hens/broiler chickens. Intensive horticulture units are required to have a minimum of two hectares.

If you no longer wish to receive this magazine, please email your name, address and postcode as it appears on the wrapper to jade.soanes@micropress.co.uk © Countrywide Publications 2020 Published by Countrywide Publications, Fountain Way, Reydon Business Park, Reydon Suffolk IP18 6DH T: 01502 725800 Printed by Micropress Printers Ltd T: 01502 725800

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Full steam ahead for leaving the European Union

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ntil now, it has been hard to forecast anything when it comes to Brexit. But following last month’s general election, it is all but certain that the UK will leave the European Union at the end of this month.

Boris Johnson’s landslide majority means it is full steam ahead for Brexit on 31 January. His 80-seat majority has granted the Prime Minister the power he has been looking for – to leave the EU on a date of his choosing.

After we leave, comes the transition period.

Nothing much will change during this time, which lasts until the end of the year. But the prospect of a no-deal Brexit it still very much a possibility.

Why? Because the Prime Minister has ruled out an extension to the transition beyond 31 December. That means any free trade deal with the EU must be agreed by that date – or we face the very real prospect of leaving without a trade agreement.

Most experts agree that no-deal would be bad for the economy. Mr Johnson himself says he wants to leave with a deal. And, he argues, ruling out the possibility of an extension to the transition period will concentrate the minds of negotiators in achieving one.

Contents

Where does all this leave farming?

It is crucial that any deal recognises the importance of agriculture. Farming delivers safe, high quality and affordable food for the nation – and the bedrock for the rural economy. It must not be sold short as the government seeks lucrative deals for other industry sectors.

At the same time, the Agriculture Bill – which includes plans to replace direct payments with an environmental land management scheme – has been resurrected. Although payments will remain the same for now, they will be phased out over the coming years.

This means, farmers and landowners will have to do more for their money. It will be hard but important work – delivering public benefits such as a better environment, climate change mitigation and public access to important landscapes.

Boris Johnson has achieved a resounding victory. Some might say he can do what he wishes with such a large majority. But he would be foolish to forget those voters who handed him the mandate he craved – and that includes farmers.

Johann Tasker Editor

Vol 9 • No 1 • January 2020

News .................................................................... 4 Arable .................................................................. 8 In the field ........................................................12 Spring cropping............................................... 17 Profile: Philip Langton & Son ................... 31

Livestock.......................................................... 34 Muck & Slurry ................................................ 37 Business ........................................................... 44 Final say ............................................................ 47

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News February deadline for £35m rural growth fund • £35m to boost rural productivity • Grants of up to £750,000 available • Scheme has created 3,700 jobs

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armers are being invited to apply for a share of £35m in government funding to boost rural productivity.

The government’s Growth Programme – which could be extended to £50m – provides grants for rural start-ups and businesses to purchase state-of-the-art equipment and machinery to grow their business or open up opportunities for tourism.

The scheme has already granted £99m to 546 local businesses across England, creating 3,771 new jobs in rural areas. The maximum grant for food processing businesses is £750,000 – for all other rural businesses the maximum is £180,000.

Previous successful applicants include the dairy farmers behind the Our Cow Molly brand. They secured a grant of more than £160,00 to invest in a new processing unit, which allowed them to produce higher quality fresh milk and ice cream – creating six new jobs.

growth programme, the threshold for minimum grants has come down from £35,000 to £20,000, meaning that more small or micro-businesses can be eligible for a grant for their projects.

Rural Payments Agency chief executive Paul Caldwell said: “I would urge all interested applicants to submit their expressions of interest as soon as possible to ensure they have plenty of time to complete a full application if their project is assessed to be eligible.”

Interested parties need to send an expressions of interest form to the Rural Payments Agency, outlining how they meet the criteria for the scheme – from creating new jobs, increasing business turnover, and improving productivity.

Applicants will be invited to submit a full application if the agency considers the project to be eligible. The deadline for all expressions of interest is Sunday 16 February 2020.

Unlocking potential Defra minister George Eustice said: “Our dedicated fund for rural businesses has created more than 3,700 jobs and supported a diverse group of businesses, tourism operations and start-ups to unlock their full potential.

“This next round of funding will help more businesses to grow and local areas to prosper – and I would urge any rural enterprise to look into what this scheme could do for them.

“

This next round of funding will help more businesses to grow

“I would also encourage farmers to consider how they might use this funding to branch out and diversify their businesses, making the most of emerging trends and tastes and looking ahead to new opportunities.”

For this funding round of the

Defra minister George Eustice is urging farmers to apply for funding

To check if your business is eligible, call the Rural Payments Agency helpline on 03000 200 301 or email GPEnquiries@rpa. gov.uk. For more information on how to apply, visit www.bit. ly/2020Growth.

Agriculture Bill back on table for new government The Agriculture Bill – along with several other draft Bills – is set to return to Parliament following the landslide Conservative victory in the General Election.

After months of uncertainty, stagnation and frustrating weather, the nw government may at last start to provide much needed direction to farmers, says Mike Holland, secretary and adviser to the Agricultural Law Association.

“Since the EU referendum in 2016 policy efforts have been redirected towards sustainability, environmental practices and in-

4 MIDLAND FARMER • JANUARY 2020

creased productivity in farming,” he explains.

“We hope that under the re-elected Conservative government we will soon begin to receive details of proposed legislation to which we can contribute and liaise on with Defra,” said Mr Holland.

“The natural assets of land are likely to play an increasingly vital role – not just as the bedrock of agricultural enterprises, but in providing farmers with future financial opportunities to protect and enhance the environment,” says Mr Holland.

Farmers are likely to see increasing pros-

pects to weave carbon trading into their current business structures. “Early indications from government on the direction of policy and proposed legislation will be necessary to assist anyone with an interest in land and its management.”

The industry has submitted detailed proposals to shape the sector post-Brexit. “As the government works towards the UK’s exit from the EU, we look forward to a progressive legislative agenda in the new Parliament to secure the future direction of agriculture,” said Mr Holland.

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News

Why Big Farmland Bird Count needs your support

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armers and wildlife enthusiasts across the country are being urged to take part in the Big Farmland Bird Count (BFBC) – which returns next month for the seventh successive year.

Organised by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust – and sponsored by NFU for the second year running – the BFBC initiative calls on farmers, land managers and gamekeepers to spend 30 minutes spotting bird species on their patch of land at any time between 7 and 16 February.

The project is important because results help to determine which farmland birds are benefiting from conservation efforts undertaken by farmers and land-

owners – especially during the winter months – while identifying the ones most in need of help.

GWCT head of advisory services Roger Draycott said: “Farmers and gamekeepers are vital in helping to ensure the future survival of many of our most cherished farmland bird species like skylarks, yellowhammers, corn buntings and wild grey partridges.

“They are responsible for managing the largest songbird habitat in this country on their land but frequently their efforts to reverse bird declines are largely unrecorded. We believe our Big Farmland Bird Count will help remedy this.”

Dr Draycott added: “We understand the crucial role that land

How to take part in three simple steps Download your count sheet from the BFBC website www.bfbc.org.uk.

Yellow hammers were seen on almost one third of participating farms (Credit PThompson-GWCT)

managers play in the survival of farmland birds and we want to give them an opportunity of showing what their conservation efforts deliver on the ground”.

Last year saw a record-breaking 1,400 people join the bird count – a 40% increase on the previous year. They recorded 140 species over 400,000ha. Many landscape-scale farmland conservation projects are now taking part as well as individual farms.

Count your birds! Spend 30 minutes recording the species and number of birds seen on one particular area of the farm on a day between 7 and 16 February.

Once you’ve completed your count, simply submit your results online.

Encouragingly, a total of 30 red-listed species were recorded in 2019. Five of these endangered species were on the mostcommonly seen list.

Organisers say the count offers a simple way of recording the effects of any conservation work undertaken by farmers and gamekeepers on their land.

Results will be analysed at the end of the count Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust.

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Arable Survey provides 2020 vision into wheat disease strategy • Loss of chlorothalonil is major blow • Growers will use other control methods • Yellow rust control ‘also a challenge’

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he biggest challenge during 2020 will be controlling arable diseases without key active ingredients, according to a survey of growers and agronomists.

Combatting Septoria – the UK’s number one wheat disease – following the withdrawal of the multi-site fungicide chlorothalonil will be a major challenge. So too will yellow rust control – and having having fewer fungicide active ingredients in general.

Conducted independently for Syngenta, the survey of 100 farmers and advisors highlights the depth of concern across the sector about the revocation of chlorothalonil. The last date for using the active ingredient is 20 May 2020.

Chorothalonil has become a backbone of Septoria tritici management as resistance or reduced sensitivity has appeared in other fungicide groups – such as strobilurins and triazoles – and for protecting SDHI fungicides.

Its loss is expected to have a major impact in several areas, confirms the survey. These include

higher levels of Septoria and Septoria resistance; a need to use less effective alternatives or more expensive fungicide chemistry; lower yields and higher production costs “The loss of chlorothalonil will change how we have to tackle Septoria tritici,” says Syngenta fungicide campaign manager David Ranner.

Two-thirds of advisors and 40% of farmers spontaneously mentioned the loss of chlorothalonil and fungicides in general was among their biggest challenges or concerns for wheat disease control during 2020.

“Typically, Septoria tritici caus-

Septoria tritici typically causes yield losses of up to 20%.

es yield losses of up to 20%, but losses in the wetter west can be higher. We’ve already seen with blackgrass how growing wheat becomes more difficult when resistance gets out of hand.

“It is important to continue to delay the escalation of Septoria tritici resistance once chlorothalonil has gone.”

Alternative products While there was some confusion in the survey as to which fungicide might be used to replace chlorothalonil in wheat, Mr Ranner says there was an indication that the multi-site folpet was the favoured option.

“Even with new fungicides coming along, it is important they are protected in programmes and not left exposed to resistance,” he stresses. “Because a multi-site fungicide controls disease at multiple points in its metabolism, including one can help to delay resistance development.”

For a cost-effective strategy against Septoria tritici resistance, Mr Ranner suggests a multi-site fungicide as the foundation for the programme, before deciding which other fungicides to add to it based on available budget.

“Our guidance is to continue using chlorothalonil – if availa-

Growers should switch to folpet after chlorothalonil is withdrawn, says Dave Ranner

ble on farm – as the multi-site of choice until 20 May 2020, switching to folpet thereafter.”

Some survey respondents said they were likely to plant varieties more tolerant to Septoria once chlorothalonil has gone. Others said they would increase the doses of SDHI or triazole fungicide products.

“Variety resistance provides a foundation for reducing disease,” says Mr Ranner. “The recent introduction of varieties with improved Septoria tritici resistance – such as Graham and Gleam – has now proven extremely timely.”

Cereals event looks to better year ahead Cereals 2020 is rapidly taking shape, with organisers planning several new features as they prepare to bounce back from a challenging 2019.

Despite the difficult autumn, 100% of the exhibitor crop plots at the Cambridgeshire site were drilled and growing away by the end of October. Visitors will be able to see a full range of approved and candidate varieties in the new Choice Cereals plots.

“The site is on free draining land and the grass for the Cereals Event has established extremely well - the whole area looks a picture,” says host farmer Robert Law.

8 MIDLAND FARMER • JANUARY 2020

With a larger dedicated team, who have been working closely alongside the industry to increase the technical content and relevance of the Event, 2020 is set to be a game-changer, explains event director Alli McEntyre.

“Feedback from last year’s event was extremely positive – despite the appalling weather – with visitors awarding the overall event a score of 87%. But we want to evolve the show and make it the best it can be.”

New features for next year include a demonstration area for robotics and new technologies. There will also be a Grain Exchange

for fresh ideas from grain marketing companies, an improved event layout and more crop plots featuring leading and award-winning varieties.

“Farmers are facing challenging times, but that also brings opportunities,” says Ms McEntyre. “We have pulled together a forward-thinking programme that we hope will help visitors to navigate the current difficulties and emerge stronger and better-equipped to take their businesses forward.”

The Cereals Event takes place at Chrishall Grange, Duxford, on 10-11 June 2020. For details, visit www.cerealsevent.co.uk.

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Arable

Wheat could yield another 5t/ha say researchers • UK yields could increase by half again • Raising output could help food security • Genetic tools could create perfect plant

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heat yields could be increased by more than 5t/ha by exploiting the crop’s untapped genetic potential, suggests newly published research.

Yields in the UK could be increased by half as much again compared to typical harvests from today’s commonly used varieties, according the Rothamsted Research study. And some other European countries could see increases of up to 90%.

Such improvements would go a long way to feeding the growing world population – while reducing pressure to convert wild habitats to farmland, say researchers who used simulations to create “perfect” wheat plants tailored to each region.

In all cases, they found wheat varieties were underperforming for grain yield compared to the performance of locally adapted cultivars – with an obvious genetic yield gap between reality and possibility.

Scientists behind the study define a crop’s genetic yield poten-

tial as the highest yield achievable by an idealised variety – in other words, a plant with a genome that allows it to capture water, sunlight and nutrients more efficiently than any other.

Lead researcher Mikhail Semenov said: “Improving genetic yield potential and closing the genetic yield gap are important to achieve global food security.

“Europe is the largest wheat producer, delivering more than a third of wheat globally, but European wheat’s yield potential from genetic improvements has not yet been realised.”

The study looked at six locally adapted wheat cultivars at 13 sites across the continent, representing the major and contrasting wheat growing regions in Europe – from Spain in the south to Denmark in the north, and Hungary in the east to the UK in the west.

Computer simulation Using a computer model called Sirius, they ran millions of simulations. The results demonstrated

The study scrutinised six locally adapted wheat cultivars.

that many wheat traits contributing to the amount of grain produced were performing well below their optimums.

Simulations were based on extensive data on the natural genetic variation underpinning key plant traits. These included tolerance and response to drought and heat stresses, the size and orientation of the light-capturing upper leaves, and the timing of key life cycle events.

Published in the journal Global Food Security, the results show that fine-tuning wheat genomes to their environments could potentially produce up to 15t/ha, with the idealised average of 5.2t/ ha being greater than the current average.

“Despite intensive wheat breeding efforts, current local cultivars were found to be far from the achievable optimum, mean-

ing that a large genetic yield gap still exists for European wheat,” said Malcolm Hawkesford, who heads up Rothamsted’s Plant Sciences Department.

Improvements ahead Dr Semenov is optimistic that wheat yields can be improved. “A vast natural genetic variation exists for different traits in wheat.

In the last few decades substantial progress has been made in identifying the genes associated with key traits for wheat improvement and adaptation.”

At the same time, modern plant breeding technology has advanced – including gene mapping, molecular marker-assisted breeding, genomics-assisted breeding and gene editing. These advances could help develop well-adapted, climate smart cultivars for future climates.

Protein antibiotics offer new hope against diseases Scientists have tested a new way to protect crops from a widespread and devastating bacterial disease without using chemical sprays.

They say the new method could protect a wide variety of important crops – including fruit and vegetables – against the common crop bacteria Pseudomonas syringae (Ps), which is responsible for diseases like blight, spot and bacterial speck.

Using genetic modification, the team were able to make plants express a targeted protein antibiotic, or bacteriocin. These plants then successfully fought off the bacterial infection without any damage to the plants themselves or the surrounding environment.

10 MIDLAND FARMER • JANUARY 2020

Chemicals, conventional antibiotics and resistance genes introduced by plant breeding are currently used to protect plants against these bacteria. But they have limited success and often have adverse environmental impacts.

Joel Milner and Daniel Walker, from Glasgow University, created plants which were genetically modified to produce the bacteriocin throughout their life. Their research is the first time this modification has been trialled in plants.

With increased regulatory pressure on the use of chemical treatments and the risk of spreading resistance associated with conventional antibiotics, Dr Milner said there was

a pressing need to develop alternative strategies to combat bacterial disease in crops.

“Our results provide proof-of-principle that the expression of a bacteriocin in plants can provide effective resistance against bacterial disease. Unlike conventional antibiotics, bacteriocins are highly targeted; in this case they act only against the Ps strains that infect plants.

“By using bacteriocins we avoid the risks associated with conventional antibiotics; that resistance will spread indiscriminately to other bacteria. In fact, by replacing conventional antibiotics, we take away an important driver of resistance that could even spread to human bacterial pathogens.”

Miscanthus stabilises flooded soils, say researchers

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ow input energy crop miscanthus can help stabilise flooded soils, according to a researchers at Aberystwyth University.

Miscanthus can grow well in waterlogged and flood-prone areas – as well as providing much needed soil stability, suggests a recent study by the university’s Institute of Biological Environmental and Rural Sciences.

Crop quality Lead researcher Jason Kam said crop quality was not compromised by flooding. “There is no significant difference in yield and other physiological development. Observed height and tiller number have no differences between winter flooded and nonflooded ground.”

The Environment Agency estimate that the UK loses 2.2 mil-

lion tonnes of topsoil very year – with more than 17% of arable land showing signs of erosion.

“Miscanthus not only helps to stabilise land, it also feeds depleted soils, retaining vital nutrients,” said Dr Kam.

More resilient Miscanthus is a perennial crop, so does not need to be planted annually. “This therefore reduces soil disturbance to a minimum. The structure of miscanthus rhizome and root helps to stabilise soils, making it more resilient against flood-caused soil erosion.”

Interest in the crop has never been greater, according to miscanthus specialist Terravesta. It is a profitable option for marginal land where farmers find it hard to grow profitable arable crops, suggests Alex Robinson, the company’s general manager.

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The crop which is currently grown on around 7,000 hectares of low-grade marginal land in the UK. Contracts to grow miscanthus are seen as an increasingly attractive diversification option for farmers looking to benefit from long-term price security.

Grower return “Miscanthus takes care of itself,” says grower Ashley Eastland.

“There are no inputs with it and it’s great to see no outgoings such as chemical, fertiliser and diesel bills leaving the account.”

The company launched Terravesta Athena last summer, describing it as the world’s first commercially bred miscanthus hybrid variety. It is said to deliver faster establishment and higher yields sooner, improving grower return on investment.

Miscanthus can thrive even when waterlogged, suggests the study

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28/08/2019 12:27 JANUARY 2020 • MIDLAND FARMER 11

Arable

Resist temptation for ‘magic potions’ on crops

IN THE FIELD Growers should be patient and resist the urge to over manage backward crops says Richard Overthrow

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any growers will still be looking to complete their autumn cereal planting season – with a reasonable percentage of December sown winter wheat in the ground.

With guidance from the Recommended List safe sowing dates for wheat, further attempts can still be made. It is very well saying spring cereals will perform better if sown now, but seed price and availability understandably means many will stick with plans to sow winter crops.

One bright spot in all this is that these winter-sown winter cereals will have a much reduced input requirement – as long as we can resist the pressure to apply ‘magic potions’ to make the

crops recover, none of which are worthwhile.

It is also worth stressing that, late sown and backward cereal crops won’t respond to anything applied this month – although they will need fairly prompt first nitrogen applications later to deter any tiller loss.

It is unlikely that ground conditions will allow top dressing anyway. But any nitrogen applied so far ahead of the start of spring growth will be wasted.

Spring crops Those planning to grow spring crops, some for the first time, will be preparing soon but February is early enough for any of the crops concerned. Some crops such as spring wheat and barley can be sown this month but only for logistical reasons.

Such early sowing will require more management and won’t necessarily give higher yield.

Spring oats should be held back until March, or late February at the earliest and in any situation where a spring cereal is employed in a grass weed campaign, sowing should not be considered for some time: late March onwards is more typical in these cases.

Spring beans can be sown this month as can any leftover sowings of winter beans.

Sray applications.

Growers with well-established winter cereals may still have outstanding applications of grass

weed herbicides such as Broadway Star, or black-grass products such as Hamlet or Atlantis. These should be applied sooner rather than later so look out for suitable weather windows.

Better opportunities will come along later in spring but the target weeds will be bigger and more difficult to control. If targeting known spring germinators such as meadow brome, however, some delay may be necessary to allow the weed population to appear.

There may also be applications of propyzamide or carbetamide to go on oilseed rape, particularly where the fate of the crop has only

Many crops are still standing in waterlogged fields

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12 MIDLAND FARMER • JANUARY 2020

• • • • •

Don’t sow spring cereal crops too soon Consider sowing spring or winter beans Hold back from sowing spring oats Tackle target weeds in winter cereals Continue watching for light leaf spot

recently be determined. Remember the cut-off is the end of January for Kerb and Astrokerb, and the end of February for Crawler.

Fresh infections Oilseed rape crops may still show fresh infections of phoma. But any infections developing now are unlikely to affect yield because there won’t be sufficient time to form significant stem cankers.

But mild and wet periods from now on may encourage light leaf spot – so further treatment for this cannot be ruled out at or even before stem extension.

Some oilseed rape crops have established and grown well so can soon be examined to determine canopy size, with a view to future fertiliser management. Most crops will have no such concerns, however, with canopies that are plenty small enough.

The priority with these is to get some nitrogen and sulphur on next month, to aid their further recovery as spring beckons. › Richard Overthrow is a regional agronomist with NIAB TAG, the UK’s largest independent agronomy organisation with several research centres in East Anglia. For more details, call 01223 342495.

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Apply for £5,000 grants to protect environment If you are based in a Severn Trent priority catchment, you could receive up to £5,000 to make environmental improvements on your land.

Through the Severn Trent Environmental Protection Scheme (STEPS), the water company is offering farmers the opportunity to apply to match fund projects that enhance or protect the local environment.

Dr Jodie Rettino, Severn Trent catchment and biodiversity lead, explains that while water quality is a key focus of the STEPS grants, farmers are also being encouraged to enrich farm biodiversity.

“New options for this year’s funding include hedgerow and woodland planting, pond management plans, and wildflower meadow creation. Farmers can also bring their own ideas to life, through the biodiversity innovation option,” she says.

The STEPS scheme has been running for five years, and last year saw a record number of applications. These successful grants have included cover crops, fencing and pesticide washdown areas.

“Given the recent adverse weather, we know it has been difficult for everyone to complete their projects from last year. So, we have decided to allow farmers to apply again for 2020, even if previously funded work hasn’t been finished.

“For these reasons, we’ve also decided to extend the application deadline to 14 February 2020, to give farmers some valuable extra time to get applications in,” says Jodie.

Flexible funding opportunities improve operations

Worcestershire-based Andrew Symonds has used Severn Trent grants to improve the farm environment while making efficiencies that have led to impressive cost savings.

Lincomb Farms produce a variety of arable crops including winter wheat, barley and oats, with spring malting barley. In addition to the arable crops, the farm also grows potatoes and Chantenay carrots.

Andrew explains that farming near the River Severn presents the challenge of protecting water quality. But being in a Severn Trent priority catchment has also brought a wealth of opportunities.

“We were introduced to the schemes when our local agricultural adviser, Susey Bamber, stopped by in 2015. She explained about

the different options, and how we could work together to improve water quality and protect the environment, while benefiting operations,” he says.

“Susey helped us apply for our first STEPS grant. We wanted to invest in a GPS autosteer system for our recently purchased tractor but couldn’t justify the spend without additional help.

“We received the full £5,000 match funding available through the ‘farmer innovation’ option and we’ve since cut our pesticide and fertiliser bills by over £3,000 per year from increased accuracy,” he says.

The following year Andrew received another £5,000 (£550/ha) for maintaining six-metre grass buffer margins, to help prevent pesticide run-off and leaching into watercourses.

Most recently, because the grants are flexible, Andrew combined two years’ worth of STEPS applications to receive £10,000 towards a roofed sprayer washdown area and biofilter.

“This coming year we’ll develop the washdown area by applying for another grant to contribute towards a rainwater harvesting system, so we can fill the spray tank and wash off machinery with recycled water.

“We couldn’t have completed the work without the funding and advice from Severn Trent, and I’m delighted to improve productivity in an environmentally friendly way. I’d certainly recommend other farmers in the area apply,” he adds.

How to apply • Visit www.stwater.co.uk/catchment to find out if your land is in a priority catchment

• Read the STEPS options brochure to find out about the wide range of options you can apply for, or, contact your agricultural advisor to arrange a visit to discuss what is best for your farm • Once you have decided on the most suitable solutions, you can apply online www.stwater.co.uk/steps

Arable

Accurate soil test helps lift nitrogen fertiliser efficiency • Margins over fertiliser up by £300/ha • Tests boost production and environment • 15% reduction in nitrogen requirement

A

better understanding of nitrogen fertiliser efficiency and soil testing could boost arable margins considerably, says an expert.

Arable agronomist Allison Grundy, of CF Fertilisers, says many farm businesses would benefit from understanding more about Nitrogen Fertiliser Use Efficiency (NfUE) and the critical role of accurate soil testing in optimising nitrogen applications.

In 2019 farm trials, a combined approach to nitrogen applications delivered an increased margin over fertiliser costs (MOFC) of £280/ha in some crops, she says.

In other crops, growers recorded a 10% yield increase by using 15% less nitrogen.

Important area “Whether you look at it from a production efficiency or environmental point of view, getting the most out of bought-in fertilisers will be one of the most important management areas UK growers will face in the coming years.

“Keeping nitrogen applications to the economic optimum required to deliver yield and quality while achieving the maximum return on investment is a key objective for all growers and understanding NfUE and the importance of soil nitrogen supply is absolutely fundamental to this.”

In simple terms, NfUE is a measure of Nitrogen fertiliser recovered by the crop. It gives growers a valuable picture of how much Nitrogen fertiliser is actually used by the crop and an insight into the impact their fertiliser choices are having on their production efficiency.

Convincing results “It can also highlight where potential environmental concerns might lie which is an increasingly important factor in modern production,” says Ms Grundy.

Trials have shown ammoni14 MIDLAND FARMER • JANUARY 2020

um nitrate (AN) convincingly outperforms straight urea in wheat production in terms of NfUE with an average value for Nitram (34.5%N) of 74% compared to just 66% for urea, she says.

“This difference of 8% NfUE is the equivalent of an additional 16% total loss of nitrogen from urea. In crops with an application rate of 200kg/ha nitrogen, this would be equivalent to a loss

also accurately predicts additionally available nitrogen – which is the amount forecast to become available to the crop between the spring and harvest.

Adding these to an estimate of nitrogen already contained in the crop gives a true picture of soil nitrogen supply, says Ms Grundy.

“This can then be used with CF N-Calc to produce fertiliser recommendations based on yield and quality aspirations whilst minimising the potential environmental impact and ensuring the investment in nitrogen is made full use of.”

Combining the commitment

Getting the most out of bought-in fertilisers makes economic sense, says Allison Grundy.

of 32kg/ha nitrogen.

“In other words, simply using Nitram resulted in crops recovering an extra 16% or 32kg/ha of nitrogen than they would have done with the same application rate of urea.”

Correct choice As well as making the correct fertiliser choice to maximise NfUE, understanding the contribution soil N is making to crops is also critical, adds Ms Grundy.

“Unlike conventional soil nitrogen tests, CF N-Min measures

to improve NfUE with N-Min can have a significant effect on margins too, she says. “In 2019 trials alone, we’ve seen this approach increasing margin over fertiliser costs by £280/ha in oilseed rape and adding 1.0t/ha to wheat yields.

“In spring barley we’ve seen a 10% lift in yields combined with a corresponding 15% drop in N requirement. “It’s a relatively simple way for growers to increase their own production efficiency and help industry meet future environment objectives.”

Balancing nitrogen supplies explained The CF N-Min soil Nitrogen test enables farmers to optimise nitrogen applications with aim of balancing mitrogen supply to achieve the maximum economic output.

As well as measuring the amount of nitrogen in the soil at the time of testing, the CF N-Min also accurately predicts what will become available to the crop between the spring and harvest, explains Allison Grundy. This additionally available nitrogen is the amount of nitrogen which will be supplied from the soil at depths between 60cm to 90cm – with allowances made for leaching losses, deposition and uptake efficiency.

Combined together with nitrogen already contained in the crop, it helps determine the total soil nitrogen supply – and it is this final key figure which CF Fertilisers uses in its N-Calc programme, says Ms Grundy.

The N-Calc recommendations help ensure that yield and quality goals are met. It accounts for changes in economic circumstances – and helps to minimise the environmental impact of fertiliser applications by ensuring that applied nitrogen is fully utilised. “This improves the precision of nitrogen recommendations for cereals and oilseed rape and takes the guesswork out of fertiliser calculations,” says Ms Grundy.

First ‘lab in a field’ trial reveals sunnier side of climate change

S

cientists in Norfolk used heated field plots to investigate the link between warmer autumn weather and oilseed rape yields.

The field trial experiment was the first of its kind in the UK. Conducted by researchers at the John Innes Centre, Norwich, it found that warmer October temperatures lead to higher rape yields the following harvest.

The crop was planted in autumn and harvested early the following summer. It is known that warmer temperatures in October are correlated with higher oilseed rape yields – but the reason for this trend was unclear.

Rape is particularly sensitive to temperature at certain times of the year with annual yields varying by up to 30% as a result. Re-

sults of the study revealed that October temperatures are surprisingly important for the timing of flowering – and hence yield.

Study author Steve Penfield said: “Oilseed rape plants stop growing when they go through the floral transition at the end of October, and warmer temperatures at this time of year enable the plant to grow for longer, giving more potential for higher yields.”

“By establishing the link between autumn temperatures and yield, our study highlights an example of climate change being potentially useful to farmers. Cold Octobers have a negative effect on yield if you are growing oilseed rape, and these are now rarer.”

Temperature is critical for oilseed rape lifecycle because it determines at what point the plant

An aerial view of trial plots heated with cables to mimic the effect of warmer weather. [Photo credit: Phil Robinson]

goes through the transition from vegetative state to flowering – with delays in flowering being associated with higher yields, said Professor Penfield.

This vernalisation process is well understood in the lab as a requirement of a prolonged exposure to cold temperature. But an increasing body of research suggests vernalisation might work differently under more variable conditions experienced by a plant in the field.

In this study, the team used soil

surface warming cables to raise the temperature of field plots by 4-8ºC, simulating warmer October temperatures. Two varieties of oilseed rape with differing vernalisation requirements were trialled.

Lab tests on dissected plants showed that warming in October conditions delayed floral transition by three to four weeks for both varieties. Genetic tests showed genes associated with vernalisation in cold conditions were also highly expressed in the warm conditions.

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Spring cropping Nutrition vital in light of soil conditions

Many autumn crops were drilled in less than ideal conditions – or not at all.

Big switch to spring cropping follows ‘wettest ever’ autumn • Biggest spring barley area for 30 years • 170,000ha decline in winter wheat area • Tight seed supply limits spring options

A

big swing swing towards spring cropping is on the cards with growers unable to get winter cereals in the ground due to prolonged wet weather.

It follows a 170,000ha drop in the area of winter wheat. Only 1.65m ha of winter wheat are expected to be grown during 2019/20 compared to 1.82m ha the season before, according to provisional figures from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board.

The AHDB’s Early Bird Survey provides a snapshot of farmers’ intentions for winter and spring crops. It suggests the winter barley area may also drop to 398,000ha – some 12% lower than the 452,000ha planted for harvest 2019.

Initial survey results were published on 25 November. But persistent wet weather since then means the AHDB will rerun the survey in the coming weeks to ensure it reflects the latest intentions of growers as winter progresses and conditions change.

AHDB analyst Alice Bailey said: “The unprecedented weath-

er has led to a winter planting season unlike any before. There are significant swings in crop areas after the autumn deluge, as growers switch to spring crops in an attempt to sow in better conditions.”

“

Unprecedented weather has led to a winter planting season unlike any before

This survey shows a swing towards spring cropping, with growers intending to plant 28% more spring barley at 915,000ha – the biggest amount since 1988.

But that will depend on seed availability and cost, with some growers opting for wheat instead.

The area of spring and winter oats is expected to increase again for 2020 harvest to some 200,000ha. This represents a 10% increase on last harvest but again the final figure could change as winter progresses.

It remains to be seen how many fields with crops under water for prolonged periods are redrilled – boosting spring cropping

area further still. While that will be the favoured option for some growers, others may prefer to tough it out and salvage what they can from waterlogged soil.

The annual survey – carried out for the AHDB by the Andersons Centre, the Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC) and other agronomists – is seen as the first proper assessment of national cropping for the coming harvest.

Oilseed rape It includes crops in the ground, winter crops still to be sown through December and January and intentions for spring plantings. Availability of seed for sale is expected to be tight – especially for more popular varieties – although some growers have homesaved supplies.

The survey confirms a further decline in the oilseed rape area, which is down 23% year-on-year to 406,000ha. This is largely due to growers cutting back on the area grown in response to crop damage and yield risk caused by cabbage stem flea beetle.

Ms Bailey said: “If there is further damage to crops over the coming weeks due to bad weather or pests such as cabbage stem flea beetle in oilseed rape, we may see further changes to these areas as we head through the winter.”

Less than ideal soil conditions are prompting reminders for growers to prioritise cereal crop nutrition this spring following a challenging autumn and winter.

Nutrition may be the last thing on growers’ minds, says FMC plant health commercial technical manager Chris Bond.

But nutrient availability could be impacting the development and yields of winter crops in the ground and spring crops due to be drilled in the coming months.

“Important nutrients, such as nitrogen, sulphur and magnesium, will be leaching away,” he says. “Phosphorus, copper and zinc, which are vital for root development and cold tolerance, will be unavailable to the plant.”

This means it is more important than ever to ensure nutrition is correct coming out of the winter as warmer weather beckons, says Mr Bond. Growers who anticipate a deficiency in their crops should consider foliar applications if they are able to travel.

Nutrient uptake “The first step is to establish what’s limiting your crops,” he says. “You can either look at the losses from the soil by using soil analysis or – come early spring – test the nutrient uptake of the plant through tissue testing.”

As always, it is important to judge each field on its merits – and make sure any applications are carried out at the optimum time. Sodden and cold conditions mean any nutrients applied to the soil now will be ineffective.

“Your best bet is to apply specially formulated foliar nutrients which can be effectively absorbed by the plant. Foliar applications of some key nutrients can be applied in cereals from the threeleaf stage, when there is a big enough target to intercept the application.”

JANUARY 2020 • MIDLAND FARMER 17

Spring cropping

‘Stick with wheat’ to maximise profits and minimise disruption • Margins and damage limitation are priority • Late-drilled wheat delivers on both fronts • Fertiliser type and timing will be critical

D

rilling winter wheat into the start of 2020 could remain the best option for growers struggling to make up the shortfall caused by atrocious wet weather last autumn.

Prioritising margin protection in the short term and damage limitation to rotations in the long term should be the focus for most growers and later-drilled wheat delivers on both fronts, believes John Miles of breeders KWS UK. “With many modern high-performance varieties capable of delivering over 95% of their full yield potential when drilled as late as February and shortages of the UK crop widely predicted, wheat remains the best bet economically.

“But it’s the top option agronomically, too, as moving land planned for winter cropping into spring use could disrupt your rotations for several years which needs avoiding at all costs.”

Vigour and resilience Many growers will have undrilled winter seed available. But vigour, robustness and marketability should be the priorities for farmers looking to choose a variety specifically for later drilling, says Mr Miles.

“The latest 2020/21 AHDB Recommended List shows the highest yielding Group one wheat KWS Zyatt producing over 95% of its full potential yield when drilled

18 MIDLAND FARMER • JANUARY 2020

in January whilst the top performing Group 3 KWS Firefly can deliver 100% of its yield when drilled into February.

“As well as producing high yields, both of these are dynamic wheats so they offer the opportunity for creating added value through premium markets – and in a year where shortages of all types of wheat are predicted, that’s a real advantage.

“The Group 2 varieties KWS Siskin and KWS Extase will offer similar stability of yield and market opportunities if drilled in the first few weeks of 2020 whilst if outright production is your objective, the Group 4s KWS Kinet-

Switching land into spring cropping could disrupt rotations for years, says John Miles Below: Backward crops should be “kicked on” as early as conditions allow.

ic and KWS Kerrin perform well as late-drilled options.”

Growers looking at late-drilled wheat need to take on board a few management issues, adds Mr Miles. “Late drilled wheat can recover amazingly well but the seedbed quality still has to be fairly decent. Nothing lacks competition against blackgrass more than late, slow thin wheat.”

Germination will be slow in cold wet soils and crops will be well behind normal sowings with regards to tiller numbers and size.

Crops should be “kicked on” as early as conditions allow – with nutrition helping new tillers to form and existing tillers to be strengthened.

“This is the single biggest success factor in all crops, not just late drilled ones. Fertiliser type and timing are critical to make sure availability is there early in the spring.”

Septoria should be less of an issue as the disease has less time to develop but you’ll need to keep an eye out for any early rusts or mildew developing, he points out.

“Anything drilled after Christmas will be later to combine than an autumn sown crop, it will grow faster to try and keep its harvest date but as the season progresses it will slip. “The positive is that, you should have the potential to get back into wheat or another cereal for harvest 2021.”

An early maturing wheat such as KWS Extase or KWS Parkin would fit in well – or the option of a winter barley. But wheat is likely to be the best solution for growers who still have to move a

proportion of land from winter to spring crops.

“Spring barley seed will be subject to brisk trade plus you’ve got the added complication that ground left over from the winter is likely to be the heavier land you couldn’t get on and that is far from ideal for spring barley.”

Marketing prospects Getting the right quality to achieve higher spring barley premiums can be a lottery for growers new to the crop. And with more spring barley harvested, it will be very much a buyers’ market, suggests Mr Miles.

“In contrast, spring wheat will be ideally suited to the heavier land left over and you’ll still be able to take full advantage of the higher wheat prices resulting from the domestic grain shortage.

Growers opting for a dynamic spring wheat such as KWS Cochise and KWS Chilham will be able to take advantage of their high grain quality through Group 2 milling premiums – in addition to yields approaching 8.0t/ha, says Mr Miles.

Shorter growing time means lower disease risk and potentially reduced fungicide costs too with an ideal drilling window being from early February to mid-March for maximum yields, he advises.

“Again a good dose of nitrogen early is needed to maximise tillering and yield potential. Stem stiffness is not an issue and Septoria ratings are good plus both varieties have orange wheat blossom midge resistance so that won’t be a problem.”

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Spring cropping

Failed rape ‘will not affect spring nitrogen limits’

F

ailed oilseed rape that received autumn nitrogen will not impact on Nitrate Vulnerable Zone limits for any replacement crop sown in the spring, says agronomy firm Farmacy.

The issue of crop failure has been more common in some areas this season due to high levels of cabbage stem flea beetle damage, exacerbated by tricky weather during establishment, says Farmacy agronomist Charles Wright.

As part of his planning for replacing the worst affected crops next spring, Mr Wright says he sought Environment Agency clarification about the impact that autumn-applied fertiliser might have on NVZ limits.

Calculation “If, for example, an autumn-sown oilseed rape crop received 30kg N/ ha as a starter fertiliser, manure or autumn dressing, the agency confirms this does not have to be taken into account in the NVZ N-Max calculation for the new spring crop.”

The two crops should be treated completely separately, says Mr Wright, although growers should retain full field records of the failed crop to document what was done, before starting a new record for the next one, he adds.

It would therefore be permissible for growers to replace failed oilseed rape with another break

crop such as spring peas or beans as the N-Max limit of 0kg/ha for these crops will not have been broken, Mr Wright says.

“When you have a bad year and crops fail, the key thing is to make sure it doesn’t affect more than one season. In the case of oilseed rape, it is often grown as a break ahead of first wheat, so growers will be keen to maintain that break crop option with any replacement.

Thought needed “Every situation has to be judged on its own merits and given a great deal of thought. Start by looking forward to next year’s 2020/21 cropping plan and work back from that to see how it might

be affected by what you do this spring.

“From beans and peas, to spring oats and barley, there are many spring crops to consider, but the best option for each field must be taken independently.”

In some situations, such as a very wet, saturated field of failed oilseed rape with blackgrass, Mr Wright suggests it may be more appropriate to go for a managed fallow rather than a spring crop, to control blackgrass, improve soil health and ensure a timely entry for the following crop.

“Consider all the factors, from weed control to harvest date, before making any decision about what to do next,” he concludes.

Every situation has to be judged on its own merits, says Charles Wright

Hubbards unveils expansion plan Farmer-owned co-operative United Oilseeds has announced the appointment of Nick Birkinshaw as commercial manager at its specialist small seeds group company Hubbard Seeds.

Mr Birkinshaw took up his position in the autumn. He will be responsible for the strategic leadership of Hubbards Seeds within the United Oilseeds group and developing its overall growth strategy throughout the UK. With extensive experience in the agricultural sector, Mr Birkinshaw joined Hubbards Seeds from the Wynnstay Group. During his time at Wynnstay, his role included strategic, production and logistics planning, plus the creation and management of the arable sales team.

Mr Birkinshaw added: “I have joined an am-

bitious and successful company that has been building its brand and business and I’m particularly excited by the prospect of increasing Hubbards Seeds market share and presence within the market.”

United Oilseeds group managing director Chris Baldwin said: “We have ambitious expansion plans for Hubbard Seeds and Nick’s highly valuable commercial and agronomic knowledge will play a key role in driving the growth and development of the company and its team.”

Hubbards Seeds is the small seed division of the national independent United Oilseeds co-operative and supplies grass, game cover, forage and cover crops to farmers throughout the UK.

Spring bean LG Raptor joins recommended list Limagrain spring bean variety LG Raptor has joins the Recommended List with a P1 rating based on its promising yield potential.

Yield is the most important factor when breeding bean varieties, says the company’s William Pillinger. “Our breeding programme focuses on this, as well as building in more specific traits such as winter hardiness, maturity, plant tillering, water logging and drought tolerance.”

LG Raptor’s consistently high 20 MIDLAND FARMER • JANUARY 2020

yields have played out over the last two years of Recommended List trials, yielding 107% of controls in 2019 and 100% of controls for this year’s listing, he adds. “I would expect it to perform as well or better again next year.”

Characteristics such as one of the earliest maturing varieties on the RL, short straw and excellent standing power make LG Raptor among the packages for any spring bean on the market, says Mr Pillinger. It is suitable for hu-

LG Raptor is said to have excellent yield potential

man consumption, fish feed and animal protein markets.

Meanwhile, large blue pea LG Aviator joins the Recommended List with a yield of 99% over control, higher yielding than market stalwart, Prophet.

A multi-podded variety type, for each node there are three pods – so there are more pods at the top of the plant rather than spread through the plant, making for a more even maturity with less competition for light.

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Spring cropping

New spring barleys offer improved yields, says AHDB

T

wo new spring barley feed varieties, Fairway and Prospect – both from Senova – offer increased yield over current varieties, particularly in the eastern region, according to the new AHDB Recommended Lists for 2020/21.

Two new two-row winter feed barley varieties, KWS Hawking and Jordan from Elsoms Ackerman, offer small yield increases over varieties with similar agronomic packages.

Four new spring barley varieties are on test for malting and farmers are advised to merchants before they are grown. They include SY Splendor, on test for brewing, which offers a yield improvement over current varieties

at 107%, with good specific weight.

Iconic, from Agrii, is also on test for brewing. It has recommendation for the western region only. Although behind on yield at 102%, it has very good brewing characteristics that should suit markets in the west.

Firefoxx from Elsoms Ackerman is a new malt distilling variety with improved yield, especially in the West region. Finally, SY Tungsten has potential for both brewing and malt distilling. It offers improved yield, particularly in the west and north regions.

In the spring wheats, new Group 2 variety Giraffe (from KWS) shows good milling qualities with a solid disease package. Despite its name, Giraffe is

one of the shortest spring wheats on the RL. Husked spring oat variety WPB Isabel offers both increased yield and good quality, with a kernel content of 76.8 % and an exceptional specific weight (55.7 kg/hl).

The AHDB has launched a variety selection tool for spring barley and winter wheat. The tool, which will extend to other crops in 2020, provides a powerful way to navigate RL data, make comparisons and identify the most promising varieties.

Users can set filters on the tool enabling them to home in on varieties and agronomic merit scores to reveal those with the greatest genetic potential to resist lodging and diseases on their farm.

SY Splendor offers a yield of 107% over current varieties

Carrot shortage fears follow wet autumn

W

idespread flooding and waterlogged fields mean there is a risk of the UK running low on domestic carrot supplies this spring.

Floods last autumn and early winter hit more than half of the UK’s carrot-growing area. Sodden fields continue to prevent growers from being able to put straw down to protect the crop from potential frost damage.

Commercial carrot growers have been affected across northern England and the Midlands – including Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire, Shropshire and Lancashire. But farmers in East Anglia and Scotland escaped the worst of the weather.

Although carrot harvesting has continued, flooded land has prevented growers from using the machinery and equipment necessary to spread straw.

More wet weather or a frost could wipe out large amounts of the UK’s carrot harvest.

Coral Russell, from the British Carrot Growers Association, said: “The flooding has caught a lot of growers out. It has stopped them spreading straw as they usually do at this time of year. They are sitting on a wing and a prayer and hoping we get a dry weather spell.”

22 MIDLAND FARMER • JANUARY 2020

Floods have affected half the UK’s carrot growing area

She added: “More than 50% of the carrot growing area in the UK has been affected. If we have a frost now or more wet weather then all the carrots that are not covered with straw will get damaged and be unsuited for the market. They’ll be rotten.”

Nottinghamshire carrot grower Mark Strawson said 2019 had generally proved to be an excellent growing season for carrots with both quality and yields above average – until heavy rain from midSeptember onwards.

“Unprecedented levels of rain-

fall have made field operation extremely difficult with very few entirely dry days recorded over an 8-week period. The worst affected areas are the east and west Midlands and Yorkshire, where soils have been at field capacity for several weeks.”

Growers advised to increase spray diversity this spring

G

rowers and agronomists are being urged to increase the diversity of their spring spray programmes by including folpet as an alternative mode of action.

With mounting resistance making the effective control of wheat and barley diseases increasingly difficult to achieve, a multi-site fungicide must be included in crop protection programmes, says David Roberts, technical specialist for Adama UK. “In recent years, the efficacy of some of the principal wheat and barley single-site fungicides have been eroded by mounting disease resistance. Meanwhile, other active ingredients have been lost to continuing regulatory restrictions.”

Think carefully Growers must therefore think carefully about how they structure their spring fungicide programmes, says Mr Roberts. Doing so will help to prolong the effective lifetime of at-risk single-site products – as well as ensuring crops are adequately protected.

Whilst the azole group of fungicides remains relatively stable against rhynchosporium and net blotch, their efficacy against ramularia has diminished in recent

years – with field resistance to prothioconazole reported in the UK for the first time in 2017.

A similar pattern appears when assessing the performance of SDHIs. As a group they remain largely stable against rhynchosporium, but there are warning signs that they are less effective against diseases such as net blotch.

Good protection Folpet continues to provide good levels of protection thanks to its ability to affect multiple sites within a pathogen, says Mr Roberts. “The recommended course of action is therefore to keep ahead of diseases by implementing an integrated disease management strategy.”

This means selecting disease resistant varieties, and using cultural methods and rotational changes to prevent the spread of disease. It also means using a diversity of fungicide modes of action, including a multi-site, to provide robust protection.

Mr Roberts endorses the use of folpet in the tank mix at T0 to protect against septoria in wheat and again at T1 – or at the later T1.5 and T2 timings should the need arise – when it will aid green leaf retention and increase the potential for improved yields.

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Folpet can help protect crops against yellow rust (pictured), rhynchosporium and ramularia.

JANUARY 2020 • MIDLAND FARMER 23

Spring cropping

Spring crop trials boost blackgrass battle • Barley more competitive than wheat • Bigger reduction in blackgrass weeds • Care needed to achieve good seedbed

S

pring barley offers a much more competitive option than spring wheat for reducing blackgrass numbers when planted at like-for-like seed rates, according to field trials.

Carefully considering cultivation techniques prior to planting spring barley could slash blackgrass seed return by more than 4,000 seeds/m2, suggest key findings from Syngenta trails as growers consider spring cropping options after the difficult autumn.

Trials in Cambridgeshire and Oxfordshire showed that increasing the seed rate of both spring barley and spring wheat progressively reduced the number of blackgrass ears present, said Syngenta field technical manager Georgina Wood.

Blackgrass ear numbers were substantially lower in the spring barley than spring wheat – but both crops showed a reduction in blackgrass ears at every seed rate tested – of 87, 175, 350 and 525 seeds per square metre.

In the case of the popular

spring malting barley varieties, Laureate and Propino, drilled at a standard 350 seeds/m2, blackgrass ear numbers were a massive 94% lower than in the spring wheat drilled at the same seed rate. The same herbicide treatments were used across both crops.

Subsequent work on Laureate at our heavy land Innovation Centre at Barton, Cambridgeshire, also confirmed spring barley to be about a third better at reducing blackgrass than spring wheat, said Ms Wood. “This was in a direct drilling situation.”

Other work at the Barton site compared cultivation methods. It confirmed that ploughing – rather than direct drilling – before planting spring barley further reduced blackgrass. Ear numbers of the weed feed from 84 to just 1/m2 – a reduction of 98%.

Fewer weed seeds Ms Wood said this was potential for arouwnd 4,000 fewer blackgrass seeds being shed and returned to the seed bank per square metre based on each

Cultivation methods should be matched to conditions, says Georgina Wood.

Laureate spring barley competes well against blackgrass

blackgrass ear producing 50 seeds – although she suggested further research was needed.

“Clearly this was one site in one year. Cultivation methods need to be matched to individual situations and will depend on the conditions. If there’s a risk of bringing more buried blackgrass seed back to the surface then ploughing may not be the best option.”

Growers forced to plant more spring cereals this season due to impossible autumn conditions should choose the most compet-

Competitive effects of spring barley against black-grass Competitive effects of spring barley against blackgrass 20

Number of black-grass ears per m2

18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0

87.5

175

350

525

87.5

Propino

350

Spring Wheat Seed rate (seeds/m2)

Source: Syngenta trials, mean of two sites (Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire)

24 MIDLAND FARMER • JANUARY 2020

175

525

itive varieties – and the correct cultivation method to minimise the number of weeds germinating and to exert the most pressure on the emerged weeds.

With the majority of blackgrass germinating in autumn, the opportunity for stale seedbeds is a further advantage of spring cropping. Later drilling or a move to spring cropping may not have been by choice this season, but better blackgrass control will be a real benefit.

Good seedbed Another advantage is that blackgrass germinating within the crop has less time to tiller, said Ms Wood. Again, this means fewer ears and potentially less seed return. Although it can be challenging, taking time to achieve a good seedbed will have significant benefits too.

“Good soil conditions produce even crop emergence for more competitive and higher yielding crops, whilst also aiding weed control – because cloddy seedbeds can shelter emerging blackgrass from herbicide sprays.

“If you are growing spring malting barley, check what contracts are available. Propino may be most suited to export opportunities, while Laureate has full approval for both malt distilling and brewing uses for harvest 2020 on the MBC Approved List.”

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JANUARY 2020 • MIDLAND FARMER 25

Spring cropping

New hybrid spring oilseed rape ‘offers real opportunity’ • Strong prices add increased incentive • Early drilling avoids disease and pests • Extended harvest window has benefits

T

he latest varieties of spring oilseed rape could provide a real opportunity for growers unable to drill crops in challenging conditions last autumn.

Strong prices for oilseed rape, recent developments in breeding and a greater range of varieties mean most growers would be able to produce a profitable crop with some distinct advantages over winter sown options, says Mike Farr of DSV. “Spring oilseed rape generally only requires around 150 days to grow so Phoma isn’t a problem due to its short vegetative stage and specific temperature requirements,” he believes.

“The occurrence of fungal diseases is much less than in winter rape, so disease control is rarely necessary and drilling spring oilseed rape at the end of March or early April means less pressure is put on both man and machine.

Establishment “Good modern hybrid varieties are very tolerant of colder conditions allowing earlier drilling so crops can establish well before flea beetles become active.”

But growers should try to resist the temptation to drill too early because temperature and day length will act against the newly sown seedling. Mr Farr says: “Plants will emerge too slowly and will not be able to outcompete the weed pressure and struggle to outgrow pest attack.”

Modern hybrid varieties such as Lagonda and Lumen have done much to improve establishment and the economics of growing spring oilseed rape. Lagonda marks a particular step forward 26 MIDLAND FARMER • JANUARY 2020

in yield and vigour with a yield of 117% of control and an oil content of 44.5%.

“Trials have shown Lagonda to have excellent spring vigour so it quickly grows away from any possible pest attack.

Standing ability “At 135cm it sits in the middle of the pack when it comes to plant height and with a strong score for standing ability of 8, Lagonda is early to flower and has a medium maturity.”

“

Good modern hybrid varieties are very tolerant of colder conditions

Another strong contender is the variety Lumen which sits at 106% of control with an oil content of 45.0%, adds Mr Farr.

“It’s another high vigour variety, quickly establishing a strong rooting system with early leaf set helping to ensure maximum plant survival against potential flea beetle attack.”

Lumen is also relatively short at 138cm with excellent stem characteristics and very early maturity which is beneficial when aiming to get the crop harvested before a change in weather conditions.”

Target drilling date for spring oilseed rape is around 70 seeds per m2 with the aim of achieving a plant population of around 55 – 65 plants per m2, he says.

“Historically, when spring oilseed rape could only safely be drilled towards the start of sum-

The economics of growing spring oilseed rape are much improved, says Mike Farr.

mer, it was one of the few crops flowering when the flea beetle were at their destructive worst.

“This certainly does not have to be the case now, with modern genetics making the crop a more viable and durable crop than ever.”

At harvest, the temptation to desiccate or swath early must be avoided otherwise full oil content of the seed will not be achieved,

he adds. “The crop will be ready when 90% of the seed in the midthird of pods on the main stem are red to dark brown.

“Managed properly, however, the early maturity and excellent seed retention of modern hybrid spring oilseed rape varieties will allow for an extended harvesting window which can help simplify autumn management and workload considerably.”

Spring cropping

‘Don’t leave oilseed rape performance to chance’

A

well-structured crop canopy which results in a high number of seeds is the biggest single determinant of performance success with oilseed rape, suggests research.

The number of seeds produced accounted for two-thirds of the 4.8t/ha yield variation recorded between 150-plus crops involved in the first three years of the Oilseed Yield Enhancement Network competition, according to an ADAS analysis.

“To have a chance of getting 5t/ ha you need more than 100,000 seeds/m2,” said ADAS head of crop physiology Pete Berry, who spoke to growers at the Dekalb Oilseed Rape Hub, held at last autumn’s Croptec event.

“Since seed number is determined by the amount of light intercepted in the 2-3 weeks after

flowering, in our experience this means a well-structured canopy with a green area index (GAI) of between 3.0 and 4.0.

Room for improvement Most oilseed rape crops are capable of yielding around 9t/ha.

But most leading farms and research trials for oilseed rape seldom achieve this. The average commercial farm produces even less – around 3t/ha – with little increase in over 10 years.

The highest yielding 25% YEN crops also came from growers who used noticeably lower than average seed rates but more fungicide applications, Dr Berry told growers at the East of England Showground, Peterborough.

“We’ve seen a clear and consistent association between yield and the number of days from flow-

ering to desiccation too. On average, an extra 11 days of seed setting and pod filling has accompanied a yield difference of more than a tonne/ha.

Seasonal factors “On the nutritional side, both soil and post-harvest seed analysis has highlighted a relationship between the highest yields and higher than normal magnesium contents which we are investigating further to establish the extent to which this link could be causal.”

The vagaries of the season also have an important influence on OSR performance. Long-term ADAS studies show that a dry December, warm March, dry and sunny April and cool, wet May are all associated with the highest yields.

But Dr Berry stressed that weather factors only account for less than 40% of the variation recorded in annual crop yields. This

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Potato growers graduate from MacFry Academy

leaves more than 60% of the variation associated with farms and farming factors – many of which can be controlled.

Much of the variation in rape yields can be controlled, suggests Pete Berry

The latest crop of potato growers have graduated from the MacFry Potato Academy, the specialist agronomy and management industry training course.

The academy is aimed at the 209 farmers who supply the potatoes for the fries served in 1400 McDonalds restaurants across the UK. It aims to ensure that growers have the skills and knowledge to improve and maximise crop performance and quality.

This was the academy’s second group of growers, with seven delegates starting the course in February 2019. It was followed by five days of intensive classroom training throughout 2019 at NIAB – plus additional online training and coursework.

Current and past academy graduates have access to the NIAB CUF Potato Yield Model programme, a set of digital crop modelling and irrigation sched-

uling tools, to put the knowledge they have learnt into practice.

The academy is a joint initiative between NIAB and McDonald’s, in association with McCain Foods and Lamb Weston. McDonald’s UK and Ireland agriculture consultant Alice Willett said: “Supporting the UK potato farmers that supply our menu is incredibly important to us.”

NIAB’s Tim Parfitt said: “Each stage of the crop’s management, from seed production through to nutrition, water management, farm safety and storage, is covered taking into account the key requirements for McDonald’s, such as long tuber length.”

Academy delegate Michael Hardstaff said the academy had boosted his interest in learning new skills to support on-farm decision-making.

The 2020 MacFry Academy opens this month.

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Install a Drainage Field A drainage field constructed to British Standard BS6297 2007, allows wastewater to discharge into the ground instead of surface water. This may not always be possible due to the drainage qualities of the soil, or available space.

Connect to the Mains Sewer This may not be possible in remote locations, although pump chambers can be used to direct wastewater to the mains sewer.

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Call 01789 491 200 JANUARY 2020 • MIDLAND FARMER 29

Spring cropping

Challenging spring is ‘manageable with right tools’

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rable farmers are being advised to take action now to ensure crops make progress following a difficult autumn and winter.

“Growers are facing increasing pressure to deliver target yields and quality – so making use of the right tools and products is especially important when facing challenging conditions in spring,” says Natalie Wood, arable agronomist at Yara.

“There are actions and choices you can make right now to get off

Growers should be aware of any nutrient deficiencies, says Natalie Wood

to the best start possible next year, despite the difficult weather conditions.”

Deficiencies A recent grain nutrient benchmarking scheme suggests many crops have multiple nutrient deficiencies, even in a good year. Assessed over two years, 73% were deficient in nitrogen, phosphate or potash, with 83% deficient in one or more other nutrients.

If not properly managed, nutrient deficiencies can hinder growth, leading to results far behind where they should be, says Ms Wood. This can easily go unnoticed in many cases, as the yields might be adequate but not reaching their full potential.

Nitrogen use efficiency is also a common concern. Greater demands both in and outside the industry to improve sustainabili-

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ty have created a drive for reductions in emissions, alongside other measures such as promoting increased biodiversity in the soil.

Creating a holistic farm management programme is key to managing these improvements while growing the best possible crop, says Ms Wood. Rather than viewing numerous issues as individual challenges, growers should view them as interrelated and dependent on one another.

“If you’ve had to delay or skip drilling altogether this winter, taking control of factors you can influence in the spring is crucial for ensuring a great start to the year ahead,” says Ms Wood.

“By viewing crop nutrition as an interlinked solution – a complete foundation for efficient crop nutrition – you’re positioning your farm to succeed in the year to come.”

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PROFILE Philip Langton & Son

Winning formula delivers top quality grass Former junior showjumping champion Philip Langton knows the importance of getting grass off to a good start – and delivering for customers.

Simon Wragg reports

al sized bales have been handled by a small, elite team delivering to around 100 customers.

Centre stage is dominated by a manageable 30kg 3ft bale of top quality wrapped haylage sold out at £8 apiece which has revolutionised the market, he adds. “The bales are uniform, easy to move individually with a sack truck, pull apart in thin wads and produce very little waste.”

W

Personal service Delivered by pick-up, trailer or tractor trailer loads depending on the customer’s requirements, each forage season is founded on having grass in good condition at the start. “I couldn’t run this business without the 1000 ewes which are our grass keepers rather than grass eaters,” he says.

The flock – which includes pure-bred Texel and Beltex used to breed replacement shearling tups for sale to commercial flocks – is used to stagger harvesting dates for each area of grass.

Having eaten off over winter, fresh regrowth ensures the first cut of grass in late spring produces a high energy/high protein for-

ith two decades of experience and a discerning customer base, Philip Langton supplies high quality forage to equine customers across the Midlands.

Based at Holbrook, near Derby, the former show-jumping champion supplies small and big bale haylage, conventional bale hay and straw from a farmed area of about 400ha. And he knows how to kick-on in any season.

“We’ve equipment normally suited to a contractor as we need to take crops quickly to preserve quality,” says Mr Langton.

To put the business into perspective, over the past two seasons 150,000 convention-

age. This is made into big bale haylage (around 6000 bales annually) and is typically suited to the sporting horse market.

This is then followed by a second cut eight weeks later in early summer providing conventional hay typically suited to the racehorse sector. A third cut is taken in September as a good general feed as small bale haylage. “It’s the beauty of ryegrass - it dries quickly even late in the season.

“But not every customer requires a high energy/high protein forage; there’s still a place for what’s traditionally seen as meadow hay which is why we can supply a range of different baled forage,” he explains.

Grassland management A reseeding policy sees 60-120ha (150-300ac) put down to new seed each year. The focus is on ryegrass and white clover using seed mixes from supplier Cotswold.

Grass covers are brought on with regular applications of fertiliser - typically 20-10-10 to compensate for the phosphate and potash removed from the soil with each cut of forage.

The fleet of machinery used within the op- >>

JANUARY 2020 • MIDLAND FARMER 31

Simon Downing & Daughters are pleased to support Philip Langton & Son

Straw & haylage always for sale Contact Simon on: 07976 371642

Pleased to support Philip Langton & Son • Tenancy matters • Valuations for all purposes of rural property and land • Sales of rural property and land • Basic payment scheme applications and advise • Compensation claims and compulsory purchase • Planning advice and applications including justification reports for agricultural dwellings and other buildings • Capital grants applications and advice for Defra and other schemes • Countryside stewardship applications and advice

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eration is impressive. A Kuhn FC1360 centre pivot mower precedes a Kuhn GF13012 trailed tedder – the latter supplied from RVT and with a working width of around 13m. “It’s folds up narrower than a conventional tedder for the road and yet hugs the contours when folded out,” explains Mr Langton.

This sets up a crop for Simon Downing of Eaton Agri to come in with a Kuhn big baler for first cut which is joined by a fleet of Massey Ferguson 1840 in-line balers for later cuts processed into small bales.

“Simon also supplies wrappers for the big bales. It’s not uncommon to see two working in a field at any one time helping ensure we preserve the quality of the forage.”

For second and third cuts of conventional hay and straw a Canadian-manufactured Bale Baron 4245P follows to produce selfassembled wrapped blocks of 21 conventional-sized bales for ease

of handling. “Having its own hydraulic oil supply it can handle 1000 bales/hour. It’s quite capable of keeping up with the three in-line balers in straw,” explains Mr Langton.

Critical job Later third cut small bale haylage is wrapped using a new Ingra wrapper manufactured in Italy. “The beauty of this machine is it can handle bales from 3ft to 4ft and turn out 100 an hour.

“Local contractor James Slack and my nephew, Ben, do the bulk of the bale transport using three high capacity Stewart trailers with load sensors and air brakes,” Mr Langton adds.

“Ben also takes control of stacking bales at our base at Moor Pool Farm which is a critical job in this size of operation. It’s also why each of the New Holland T6.175 four cylinder Dynamic Demand and T6.180 six cylinder tractors we’ve had from local dealer Hallmark

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PROFILE Philip Langton & Son

have loaders fitted.

“This year we were very fortunate another talented tractor driver and operator came out of nowhere – Jake Adderson – putting in long hours and being very attentive.”

With the bulk of customers within a 20 mile radius, the business has forged links much fur-

ther afield. “Last year a consignment of almost 2000 conventional hay bales went to a horse breeder in Sweden as the country was suffering a shortage.

“And again the beauty of the Bale Baron packs meant the courier’s curtain-sider lorries more suited to handling pallets were loaded and gone within the hour.”

JANUARY 2020 • MIDLAND FARMER 33

Livestock

Prince’s fund issues call for evidence on livestock marts • Auction markets have ‘vital’ rural role • Study will help secure future for marts • Benefits should not be underestimated

A

charity founded by Prince Charles is highlighting the benefits of livestock auction marts to rural communities and the wider economy.

The Prince’s Countryside Fund has commissioned academics at Exeter University look at the social benefits UK livestock auctions and the prospects for their future – and how the vital social role of markets can be supported.

Jointly funded by the Prince’s fund and the John Oldacre Endowment, the aim is to ensure that livestock marts are in the best position to deliver the support that the industry requires as the UK prepares to leave the European Union.

‘Vibrant sector’ Carried out by the Centre for Rural Policy Research at Exeter University, the research will examine how a viable, socially responsible and vibrant livestock auction mart sector can be encouraged and supported to the benefit of the countryside.

University researchers said they wanted to hear from auctioneers, livestock owners and any other stakeholders who use auction marts as they research the contribution made by the markets to farmers and rural communities.

Michael Winter, of Exeter University, said: “We are anxious to hear from all those with a stake and interest in the future of livestock market in the UK, to help us identify examples of good practice as markets adapt to changing demands and circumstances.”

Grant funding Evidence submitted to researchers will be used to support livestock marts. The Prince’s fund provides more than £1m each year in grant and programme funding to projects across the UK thanks to support from its 34 MIDLAND FARMER • JANUARY 2020

partners, events and donations.

The charity leads projects to strengthen farm businesses through its Farm Resilience Programme – and regularly commissions research into the issues and challenges faced by farming families, rural communities and businesses across the countryside.

Fund director Claire Saunders said: “We are aware of the difficulties that many of these businesses are facing. We hope that this research will offer practical recommendations to help them prepare for the future and ensure their long term survival.”

Chris Dodds, of the Livestock Auctioneers’ Association, said the basic principle of a livestock market was to ensure fair trade for all livestock producers through the competitive and transparent bidding platform of

a live auction ring.

But marts also played a crucial role in helping to tackle mental health concerns within rural communities. For many, the weekly sale was the only date in the diary for farmers to network and socialise with colleagues and friends, said Mr Dodds.

“Markets are also a vitally important link in the chain to ensuring we continue to see sustainable agricultural and wider rural communities. The social and mental health benefits provided by a vibrant auction mart business are often overlooked but should not be underestimated.”

Submissions should be made by 28 February. To respond to the call for evidence, visit www.bit.ly/ AuctionMarts

The study aims to help livestock marts prepare for the future, say researchers

‘Peak profit’ for beef cattle Healthy lower weight cattle finished rapidly are more profitable and produce less methane emissions over their lifetime, a Field2Yield study has revealed.

The project aimed to develop metrics that would help a farmer identify the point of “peak profit” when an animal should be sold to get maximum returns – and how to improve the herd so offspring would consistently meet processor specifications.

Researchers analysed six years of real-world data to develop models that would allow farmers to benchmark their performance. The study was conduct-

ed by Rothamsted Research and Breedr, a company which has developed a precision livestock app.

Historical data along with additional rump width, length, hip, height and body length measurements were analysed. Growth curves were used to compare consumption over a lifetime for animals that were the same weight at slaughter. This showed that fast finishers are more profitable.

As animals grow larger, their efficiency decreases, said Breedr founder Ian Wheal. This meant giving farmers the tools to make the decision when to send an animal off would improve profita-

bility and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Livestock scientist Andrew Cooke said: “You may have two animals that are the same weight at slaughter, but if one of those gained more of its weight earlier in its life, it will have consumed more food and produced more methane during its lifetime.”

Breedr is looking for farmers and processors to help develop the technology. Farmers that see commercial sustainability as vital to reducing environmental impact of beef production are encouraged to visit the website www.breedr. co and apply for a trial.

Shropshire-bred Holstein wins prestigious award A Shropshire-bred Holstein cow has won a major award at one of Italy’s most prestigious events – being named Grand Champion at the 68th National Italian Show, Cremona.

Now owned by Errera Holsteins, Wyndford Atwood Grey 90 was originally bred

by Wilfred Maddocks Ltd of Chadwell Grange, Newport, before the pedigree Wyndford Holsteins herd was dispersed in 2017.

She was purchased by Errera after being chosen as a two-year-old by Holstein UK to represent the UK at the 2016 European Holstein Show in Colmar, France. She was named Grand Champion at Cremona in October 2019.

“This is obviously a major prize in Europe by a Shropshire-bred animal,” said David Maddocks. Although the Wyndford Herd was dispersed in 2017, many of the animals have gone on to win at major shows in the UK and Ireland, he added.

David’s son Richard is now in charge of the business. Today it focuses on potatoes and ara-

ble crops, with some land let out for salad production run by eldest son Philip. PDM grows and packs spinach and lettuce for some of the UK’s biggest retailers.

Since the dispersal sale, Philip has developed a pedigree Wagyu herd via embryos from around the world. The Wagyu are housed in the old dairy buildings.

Mitigate wet pasture challenge to overwintered pregnant stock High rainfall and saturated pastures conditions mean livestock producers should consider supplementary feeding out-wintered suckler cows and ewes.

Rainfall has been so substantial that some sheep and beef cattle are grazing little more than green water, says Alison Bond, nutritionist for Rumenco. “Grass may look plentiful at the moment, but in these conditions, it is typically extremely wet and of low quality.”

High moisture content will inhibit pregnant cattle and sheep from consuming enough dry matter to meet intake and nutrient demands during pregnancy. But supplementing pastures with poor quality forage or straw can help to resolve this.

“Assessing grazed and sup-

Feeding low quality forage or straw should be balanced with enough protein

plemented forage for quality and quantity will help determine how much additional dry matter is needed,” explains Dr Bond.

For livestock of adequate body condition at breeding, forage should be low in energy to ensure body condition is main-

tained ahead of lambing or calving. Adding unnecessary weight during mid to late gestation will predispose livestock to metabolic issues.

While feeding low quality forage or straw can provide rumen fill, it should be balanced with protein, vitamins and minerals.

An effective way to do this is to feed a high protein mineral block or low moisture bucket to help intake and utilisation of rough grazing.

This will provide adequate protein supplementation while also delivering essential vitamins and trace elements that tend to be diluted in high moisture forage. “This includes trace elements like selenium, cobalt and zinc that are essential during foetal development.”

Wyndford Atwood Grey 90 at the 68th National Italian Show, Cremona [photo credit: Claire Swale]

BVD survey offers chance to win bluetooth speaker Readers have the chance to win a bluetooth speaker – thanks to the fifth annual bovine viral diarrhoea survey.

The annual BVD survey gathers information from all parts of the UK and all types of farming system to gain a snapshot of what livestock producers are doing on their farm to control and eradicate the disease.

Answering the survey takes just a few minutes. The survey closes on 31 January and 10 lucky entrants will be selected to win an Ultimate Ears Boom 3 Bluetooth Waterproof Speaker. For full details, visit www. bvdsurvey.co.uk.

JANUARY 2020 • MIDLAND FARMER 35

Flexible storage tank

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36 MIDLAND FARMER • JANUARY 2020

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Muck & Slurry Nutrient guide can ‘unlock full potential’ of farmland • Bespoke nutrient plans for each field • Boosts productivity and saves money • Recommendations made by software

F

armers and growers can now unlock the full potential of their land by applying the exact nutrients required with the help of farm management software.

It comes after researchers converted recommendations from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board’s RB209 Nutrient Management Guide into data that can be analysed by computer for the first time.

This means a bespoke plan can be created for each field, potentially increasing yields from a large number of arable, potato and horticultural crops. The aim is to help farmers and growers decide whether to save or ap-

ply fertiliser, manures or slurry to maximise growth.

The development could save farmers a significant amount of money – as well as benefiting the environment by ensuring optimum amounts of nutrient are applied, explained AHDB resource management senior scientist James Holmes.

Productivity “As the population continues to grow, the need to increase the productivity of our land while protecting the environment becomes ever greater,” he said. “This tool will help support our farmers and growers to do that.”

“We’ve spent years develop-

Guidance is helping farmers get the most from their crops

“

This new technology has helped us fill a gap in the market

ing our nutrient management guide, but there was a gap in the market which this new technology has helped us to fill. Growers and agronomists can now access impartial digital guidance to improve their land field-by-field and get the most from their crops.”

The development has been possible following a partnership with farm management software company Farmplan. It is

now using the data in its Gatekeeper software to help farmers and growers manage cropping activities.

Peace of mind The RB209 guide helps farmers make the most of organic materials and balance the benefits of fertiliser use against the costs – both economic and environmental. It explains the value of nutrients – and why good nutrient management is about more than purchased fertilisers.

For more details about the RB209 guide, visit www.ahdb. org.uk/RB209.

Purpose built tanker on display at LAMMA 2020 Hi-Spec Engineering will exhibit a bespoke designed purpose-built 3500 TD-S tanker at this month’s LAMMA 2020 show at the Birmingham NEC. Designed and built for a contractor in Wales, the 3,500 gallon tanker was specified with heavy duty, commercial specification tandem axles with forced steering rear axle, air brakes, LED lighting and centralised greasing.

The high specification Hi-Spec 3500 TD-S tanker comes with a sprung drawbar and commercial 150x150 sprung parabolic tandem axles – complete with a forced steering rear axle, which

have been fitted with 710/50 R26.5 Nokian Country King tyres.

The customer specified 420x180 load sensing air brakes, a bolt-on ball type hitch and central greasing point for the rear axle. To keep turnaround time to a minimum, they also opted for a 6-inch autofill system, with a 10inch overhead emptying funnel complete with a 6-inch breather valve.

The tanker was fitted with a wide-angle Walterscheid PTO shaft, lockable toolbox, bolt-on galvanised mudguards, rear LED lights, work lights and strobe flashing beacon.

JANUARY 2020 • MIDLAND FARMER 37

Muck & Slurry

Lower-capacity model joins Bunning spreader range

N

orfolk-based muck spreader specialist GT Bunning and Sons has unveiled an addition to its Farmstar HBD spinning disc range.

The new machine is aimed at small and medium-sized farms requiring a wider spread pattern than is possible with a vertical beater machine – particularly with materials such as chicken manure, gypsum and composts, as well as farmyard manure.

Designed as a light yet robust spreader capable of sustained workloads in conjunction with smaller tractors, the 8m³ capacity model can be equipped with extension sides to increase heaped capacity to 10.2m³. Maximum payload is 8.5 tonnes.

The new machine uses the same body and floor construction as the established Bunning TVA

The 8m³ model joins the Bunning Farmstar HBD spinning disc spreader range for 2020

models. It blends this with a new design of HBD (Horizontal Beater and spinning Disc) spreading

mechanism. The same spinning discs are used as those fitted to larger HBD models. This helps the

new model to achieve the same spread patterns as the larger machines in the range.

Design features include heattreated boron beater flighting and reversible boron beater blades, plus heavy-duty beater roller drive chains. Individual dynamic balancing of the beaters takes place after their production at the factory.

Manufactured from Hardox steel, the 1.0m-diameter spinning discs feature adjustable blade angles. The new model is fitted as standard with a single axle rated to 13 tonnes, equipped with 406 x 120mm brakes with slack adjusters.

The launch follows almost two years of development. A pre-production machine was built in May 2018 and pre-production testing took place across the UK and Holland, spreading materials ranging from lime, straw bales and gypsum to compost, sewage sludge, chicken, pig and cow manure.

The dealer recommended retail price for the new model starts at £30,045.

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www.jrileyagri.co.uk Tel: 01603 262526

38 MIDLAND FARMER • JANUARY 2020 quarterdec19.indd 1

17/12/2019 10:18:01

Slurry and muck management takes centre stage at Lamma • Latest equipment on show to visitors • New models boast improved efficiency • Beefed up machines ensure longevity

A

range of muck and slurry machines will be exhibited at this month’s Lamma event, held on 8-9 January at the Birmingham NEC. Tramspread will exhibit the latest remote controlled, contractor trailer pump unit with compressor, 2000m of hose capacity and 900-litre fuel tank. The Bauer SX2000 slurry pump is powered by a 170hp diesel engine and controlled via a high specification SIL Vision IV remote control.

The 140 cu ft/min compressor and divert valve are also remote controlled, with information shown via large colour display.

Flow and pressure can be monitored with the addition of flowmeter and pressure gauge.

Improvements Joskin will exhibit the new Tornado 3, with the T5513/14V machine representing the range. This 13t/14m³ capacity machine has a 5.5m long body, 150 single axle with 420x180 brake shoes and two vertical beaters. The folding pro-

cess has been reviewed to bring the manure to these beaters.

Leaf suspension on the Tornado 3 is now replaced by a hydropneumatic drawbar with closed circuit to absorb shocks better and produce a more precise spread. The moving floor slats and the transmission shaft have been beefed up.

Joskin will also show machines built to its recently introduced Advantage concept – using shared assembly lines to produce identical series of machines, reducing costs and delivering a high-tech product at the price of a standard one.

Advantage machines include three tankers – the 11m³ single-axle Modulo2 and 7.5m Pendislide Basic trailing shoe; the 12m³ twin-axle Modulo2; and the 16.5m³ twin axle Volumetra, as well as a twin-axle 18t grain trailer and two grass harrows – 6m and 9.6m with seeder unit.

SlurryKat’s Duo Dribblebar

Register your attendance now

Joskin’s T5513/14V machine will represent the company’s Tornado 3 range

machines will make their UK debut at the show. The 10m and 12m vertical folding dribblebar can be tanker-mounted or used on an umbilical system. It features a lower frame height to maximise rear visibility when operating the system on an umbilical set up.

The heavy-duty frame can accommodate the redesigned Bak Pak Reeler system that can now carry up to 1200m of 5in umbilical hose. The new models feature the Vogelsang macerator with stone trap, with a twin macerator option available on the 12m to ensure even spread on slopes.

Continued on p40

LAMMA SHOW When 7-8 January 2020 | Where NEC, Birmingham, B40 1NT Free Entry | Free Parking | Details www.lammashow.com

11

halls

700

exhibitors

40,000 visitors

To help make the most of their time at LAMMA’20, visitors are being asked to register their attendance in advance using the event website.

Some 700 previous and new exhibitors have confirmed their attendance to showcase a host of UK and global machinery and technology. The event also provides a great opportunity to network and discuss the latest events affecting agriculture.

Entry badges will be emailed automatically within a few minutes of completing the form, ensuring visitors can walk straight through to the show when doors open on Tuesday and Wednesday 7-8 January.

As well as enjoying fast-track entry into the show, visitors will be able to use their badges to share details quickly and easily with exhibitors.

Advance registration is not compulsory – visitors can register at the entrance but may face a delay entering the event.

The four-step registration process can be completed online at www.lammashow. com.

A number of machines will make their debiut at the Birmingham event.

JANUARY 2020 • MIDLAND FARMER 39

Muck & Slurry Continued from p39 Vredo Dodewaard has made the VT4556 series self-propelled slurry vehicles suitable for attaching 24 meter wide dribble bar/trailing shoe implements.

Booms fold next to the tank, keeping transport width below 3.5m.

The 50/50 weight distribution of the self-propelled tanker and the reload docking arm mounted at the front means it is possible to mount 24m dribble bar / trailing shoe implements.

The tanker can still be driven in crab steer, meaning only one wheel in each track that helps achieve very low ground pressure.

Implements can be equipped with section control, manual or in combination with a GPS steering system.

Brothers Noel and Ger Hickey from Waterford in Ireland have created a drive system for vacuum-type slurry tankers The retro-fit drive system, SafeShaft, replaces the tanker’s original mechanical drive (PTO) with a hydraulic drive system and mounting assembly.

Industry gets behind Grassland & Muck event

S

pace is selling out fast for Grassland & Muck 2020 – which organisers say is set to be the biggest and best yet.

Taking place in Warwickshire at the Ragley Estate on 20-21 May, the two-day triennial show sold out over 70% of stands well before Christmas, says event organiser Alice Bell, of the Royal Agricultural Society of England.

All the leading machinery brands snapped up the opportunity to showcase their machines in a working environment. Muck machinery demonstrations are in particularly high demand with muck spreader and slurry injector bookings above those seen at the last event in 2017.

Muck demonstrations will

Mowers and muck spreaders will be on demonstration throughout the event

include the opportunity to compare spreaders and slurry tankers while they are at work. Visitors will see each machine at close quarters and listen to an expert commentary describing their attributes.

Expert advice Sponsors and partners include Yara, DLF Seeds, ADAS, AHDB, the British Grassland Society and Agrovista. Their experts will be on hand with technical advice to help farmers make the best of grazed grass, home grown forage and manures, while protecting and nurturing soils.

“Grassland & Muck really is a unique demonstration event,” says Ms Bell.

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40 MIDLAND FARMER • JANUARY 2020

Muck & Slurry Spreading; Umbilical System with Trailing Shoe; Vacuum Tankering

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Contact Philip Clarke Tel: 01394 382592 Mob: 07799882401 Email: clarkesofmelton@btconnect.com www.clarkesofmelton.co.uk

“We plant and manage the grass specifically to give us the best possible crop to host over 170 acres of machinery demonstrations. With a new and improved layout, it really is the best place to see and compare the latest ma-

chines in action and pick up ideas and expert advice.”

Grass at the Ragley Estate was all drilled in September.

It then rained every day for a month, says Ms Bell. Sown plots are also well established, enabling visitors to see and compare over 100 of the latest grass mixes and recommended grass varieties in the ground next May. New for 2020 is the opportunity for exhibitors to have a half acre working plot. Already selling fast, these demonstration plots offer visitors the chance to compare a range of machinery – including bale wrapping and handling, over-seeders, pasture improvers, aerators and zero grazers.

The Muck Trade Area will include a free ADAS soil advice clinic, hosted by Mel Holloway and Milly Bowden, two experienced advisors who be available to help visitors with their soil and nutrient challenges.

Visitors looking for help with nutrient or manure application planning are being asked to bring along any recent soil or manure analysis results. Visitors looking to address drainage or structure problems are asked to dig a soil pit and bring photos of the soil profile.

For full details, visit www.grasslandevent.co.uk.

Samson expands Smart Farming apps range Samson Agro was awarded with a silver medal at AgriTechnica for its NPK Sensor offering real time measurements of nutrients in slurry based on NMR technology.

The sensor is among a number of new developments showcased by the company. They include Isobus compatible section control (TCSC) integrated in the Samson PG II slurry tanker control syste, making it possible to control implements based on GPS position.

The function secures ensures

overlapping and overdosing of slurry is avoided – and make sure crops benefit from the optimum amount of nutrients. Samson says it can handle up to four sections on drip hose booms and up to two sections on other implements.

The Isobus compatible task controller Samson Variable Rate Application (VRA/TC-GEO) is available for both SlurryMaster 8000 and muck and the SpreadMaster 8500 universal spreader control system.

The SlurryKate machine made its debut Agritechnica

SlurryKat expands dual purpose dribblebar range

E

quipment manufacturer SlurryKat has launched a new dual purpose Duo Dribblebar range ahead of this year’s upcoming umbilical season.

With farmers facing the threat of an all-out ban on splash plates over the coming years, the company has been focusing on alternative spreading methods. It believes the dribblebar has been the most favoured and cost effective option to date.

To meet increasing demand and to satisfy more intensive users, SlurryKat has developed an all-new 10m and 12m vertical folding dribblebar which can be both tanker mounted or alternatively used on an existing umbilical system.

The 10m and 12m duo dribblebars feature a lower frame height to maximise visibility to the rear when operating the system on an umbilical set up. The heavy duty frame is capable of carrying a redesigned Bak Pak Reeler system which can carry up to 1200m of 5” umbilical hose.

The dribblebar arms fold vertical initially with the outside section hydraulically folding backwards and down in order to keep transport height to a min-

imum. When in operation, arms fold down and out to working position and are supported for use in high stress rough terrain.

The German manufactured Vogelsang macerator – complete with stone trap – is used on the dribblebars with a twin macerator option available on the 12m for use on slopes in order to keep an even and steady spread.

SlurryKat Duo Dribblebars can be tanker mounted. They can be fitted with a splash plate attachment for effortless cleaning of the umbilical hose, saving time when tractor mounted by eliminating the need to remove the dribblebar if the splash plate is required.

SlurryKat chief executive Garth Cairns said: “For the incoming 2020 slurry season, we have redeveloped and dramatically enhanced all our spreading technology range of dribble bars and trailing shoes.”

Mr Cairns added: “We have made a significant development investment in these units so we can provide users of the units performance that is previously unseen on hills and slopes which is head and shoulders above the competition.”

JANUARY 2020 • MIDLAND FARMER 41

Ian Childe Agricultural Services Ltd Call today for our spreading services

Umbilical system now available T: 01584 890072 M: 07971 693856 E: icasltd@gmail.com

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Contact us for best prices: 01409 281437 ● 07970 520123/4 ● info@wccp.co.uk 42 MIDLAND FARMER • JANUARY 2020

Muck & Slurry

How to improve soil health with anaerobic digestate • Excess nitrogen captured by cover crops • Risk of nitrate leaching largely reduced • More nutrients available for next crop

C

over crops can improve effectiveness of anaerobic digestate applications – and reduce nitrate leaching, suggests farmer-led research.

Growing more cover crops could help farmers capture more nitrogen from anaerobic digestate, according to the results of an Innovative Farmers field lab coordinated by Agri-TechE. A further study has been launched to further investigate their potential.

The farmer-led trial benefits from having the support of researchers at NIAB and Cranfield University. They have already spent three years investigating how to use digestate effectively within government regulations.

Analysis This included assessing whether cover crops could help improve soil health in combination with autumn applications of digestate – a by-product of anaerobic digestors.

Farmers from six farms took soil samples after separating their land into four different treatment areas – digestate with cover crops, digestate only, cover crops only, and a control area of neither treatment.

Soil samples were analysed at different depths across the four ar-

eas to see different treatments affect nitrogen levels. Where nitrogen sinks to lower soil levels, it potentially becomes unavailable to the next crop – and the risk of nitrate leaching into ground water increases.

Results found that often when cover crops were grown on soil after the digestate was applied, the available nitrogen was significantly reduced in all levels of the soil – and more than halved in the lower levels, indicating that the cover crops had absorbed the excess nitrogen.

Soil health Researchers said this suggests cover crops can potentially improve soil health by increasing the effectiveness of digestate applications, reducing the risk of leaching, as well as making more nitrogen available for the farmer’s next crop.

More trials are needed to test this theory say the researchers – prompting Innovative Farmers and Agri-TechE to launch a follow-on study with sponsorship from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board.

Launched last autumn, this second phase is continuing to investigate how best to stabilise nitrogen so it is not released as a

The next stage of the study will see farmers undertake worm counts

greenhouse gas or leaches into water. But there is also interest from the farmers to explore how digestate affects soil bacteria.

Researchers in the field lab are also providing training to help farmers carry out Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure (VESS).

This is to see whether any of the different treatments have an impact on soil compaction, which would suggest an improvement in soil health.

Worm counts and green area index measurements are also being done by triallists.

Exciting results Lydia Smith, head of NIAB Innovation Farm and the Eastern Agri-Tech Innovation Hub, said: “The early results were very exciting – often the cover crops were doing exactly what we wanted in taking up that excess nitrogen from the soil.

“Going forward we’re keen to look more closely at the nitrogen availability and at worm counts, and to get the VESS training up to scratch so farmers can help in working out how and when is best to carry out these assessments.”

Vervaet launches Hydro Trike 5x5 with improved traction

The new Trike incorporates fully electronic traction control

Dutch specialist equipment manufacturer Vervaet is currently testing a five-wheel-drive version of its popular Hydro Trike self-propelled spreader.

This new option utilises an updated powertrain along with other improvements. This new allwheel-drive configuration will be particularly advantageous when working on hilly terrain. It will be available for 2021 from UK importer J Riley Beet Harvesters.

From a distance, the new ma-

chine doesn’t appear much different to any other Vervaet Hydro Trike, with the same striking lines and innovative features, but operators of current machines will notice several changes.

The main new features are the option of driven mid-wheels and a completely renewed powertrain.

This incorporates fully electronic traction control and an electronically-controlled flow divider between the front wheel drive and rear axle.

JANUARY 2020 • MIDLAND FARMER 43

Business

Farm worker pay must rise to keep in line with National Living Wage

3.3% pay increase needed to keep in line with living wage • Recommendation aimed at English farms • Salary rise needed to match other increases • Employee pension contributions risen

F

arm workers in England need a 3.3% pay rise in 2019/20 to keep in line with above-inflation increases in the National Living Wage and agri-

Employers may want to take into consideration other nonpay benefits, says George Chichester 44 MIDLAND FARMER • JANUARY 2020

cultural wage rates in the rest of the UK. The recommendation by Strutt & Parker is aimed at employers in England, who are no longer covered by rates set down by the Agricultural Wages Board.

Minimum wage rates are still set by official pay review bodies for farmworkers in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Each year, Strutt & Parker seeks to come up with guidance for its clients based on analysis of key market indicators.

This includes what has been agreed in other parts of the UK, the rate of inflation and the outcome of public sector pay awards.

George Chichester, director in the farming department of Strutt & Parker, said: “This is the second year in a row where, after much deliberation, we have recommended a pay increase in excess of the rate of inflation.”

Higher than expected Mr Chichester acknowledged that the recommended increase may be higher than many em-

ployers expected. But he said it reflected the fact that the National Living Wage rose by 4.9% in April 2019 to £8.21/hr.

A standard agricultural worker (Grade 2 Equivalent) over 25-years-old must not be paid less than this hourly rate, said Mr Chichester.

“

Wage levels for workers are likely to increase again in the spring

Pay bodies in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland agreed pay increases for Craftsman Grade workers (Grade 4 Equivalent) of between 2.2% and 4.8%, with effect from 1 April 2019. The highest rate agreed was in Scotland where the minimum craftsman rate is £9.46/hr. “Taking both of these points into consideration, we are suggesting that employers in England consider a 3.3% increase to the craftsman rate to bring it into line with wage rates in Scotland,” said Mr Chichester.

“While employers may feel this is challenging, at a time when profitability is being squeezed, it feels unavoidable if the premium for Craftsman Grade workers is not to be eroded still further,” he explained.

“Employers should also be

aware that given the National Living Wage is expected to rise again in April 2020 to £8.67/hr, wage levels for standard and basic workers are likely to need to increase again in the spring.”

When reviewing wages, employers may want to take into consideration other non-pay benefits which are part of a package, said Mr Chichester.These include accommodation and opportunities for career progression.

“While it may be appropriate for lower grade workers to receive an above-inflationary award, this may not be appropriate for employees who are already on attractive packages,” he said.

Despite wage increases, many farm workers have seen little increase – or even a decline – in their take-home pay in recent years. This is due to increases in employees’ pension contributions through auto-enrolment, which rose to 5% in April 2019.

Previously recommended pay rises 2019-20 3.3% 2018-19 3.% 2017-18

1.4%

2016-17 1% 2015-16 1% [source: Strutt & Parker]

Let us solve rural housing crisis, say landowners Landowners have urged the government to let them help solve the housing crisis – arguing that the planning system must be reformed to stop holding the country back.

“For years politicians have complained about the housing crisis while ignoring the fact that the answer is right under their noses,” said Country Land and Business Association president Mark Bridgeman.

“If just ten homes were built in every village the housing crisis in rural communities would be eased considerably. Landowners are wanting to help but are being put off by endless bureaucracy, spiraling costs and a lack

of planning officers.”

Landowners wanted to build homes to keep their communities strong and provide quality housing for local people, said Mr Bridgeman.

Quality housing “They spend tens of thousands of pounds on planning applications, but extensive delays and constant knock backs from planning officers means they give up, much to the detriment of the local and national economy.”

The government’s target is to build 300,000 new homes every year. But the CLA says fewer than 200,000 homes were built between 2017 and 2018. The need

for more housing will only grow with an expected 2m rise in the UK population 2030, said Mr Bridgeman.

“Rather than representing a barrier to growth, the planning system should enable and enhance the delivery of developments in rural communities. The government must decide what it wants the planning system to deliver and then provide adequate resources to achieve those aims.

Mr Bridgeman added: “A simpler and better-resourced planning system would restore confidence in decisions and encourage more applications to come forward, unlocking the potential of the rural economy.”

Support for Rural Powerhouse campaign More than 100 would-be MPs backed a Rural Powerhouse campaign initiated by the Country Land and Business Association ahead of last month’s general election.

The CLA wrote to candidates across England and Wales asking them to help “unleash the potential of the rural economy” by backing a series of measures designed to improve productivity.

CLA president Mark Bridgeman said the campaign would now turn its attention to promoting better rural policies in parliament. Research showed that he rural economy could grow by as much as £43bn by focusing on improving productivity, he said.

“It is clear we will have a significant caucus of MPs backing the Rural Powerhouse in Parlia-

ment, whatever the overall result. It should give us some confidence not just that MPs want to support rural communities but that they have tremendous ambition for the rural economy.”

The Rural Powerhouse campaign calls for better rural broadband, A planning system designed for rural communities, profitable and sustainable farming, investment in skills and innovation, and a simpler tax regime.

Mr Bridgeman added: “One way or another, there will continue to be a degree of uncertainty through 2020. But we are determined to ensure we are promoting positive ideas that will allow us to unleash the potential of the rural economy for the betterment of communities across the country.”

Key note speaker: NFU vice president Stuart Roberts

Future is now for farm conference Tickets are now on sale for next month’s Lincolnshire Farming Conference – to be held on Tuesday, 11 February, at the Lincolnshire Showground.

Following a year that has seen a number of challenges, the theme of the conference will be ‘the future is now’. The event will see key experts running workshops and discussing how the industry can adapt to the modern world and its demands.

Conference committee chairman Simon Day said: “Lincolnshire is one of the biggest agricultural counties, so it is fantastic that we are able to bring together these industry experts on our home soil to discuss how we can look forward to the brightest future possible for the industry.”

The keynote speech – farming beyond Brexit – will be given by NFU vice president Stuart Roberts, A third generation arable and livestock farmer from Hertfordshire, he has also previously worked for Defra, as well as holding senior management roles within the meat supply chain.

The conference is open from 11am to 5pm, with refreshments being available alongside networking opportunities. Two workshop sessions will be held in the morning, with industry experts holding talks throughout the afternoon.

Tickets cost £15 for adults, £6 for students, with members of the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society free to attend once registered, including lunch.

To book a place, visit www.lincolnshireshowground.co.uk.

JANUARY 2020 • MIDLAND FARMER 45

Business

‘National tragedy’ of county farm sell-off C ouncil-owned county farms are in terminal decline, which means future generations of young farmers will find it harder to get a foot on the farming ladder, says a report.

Privatisation, austerity and short-term thinking means the area of county farms in England has more than halved from 172,000ha acres to less than 85,000ha since the late 1970s, according to the study commissioned by the Council to Protect Rural England.

Some 7% of council-owned farmland has been lost in the past decade alone – with 60% of this land sold off in the past two years, it says. The report warns that the trend could continue without new legislation to protect county farms

for future generations.

County farms were set-up at the end of the 19th century to provide a way into farming for new entrants.

They still have a huge potential to generate income, promote innovative farming methods and deliver environmentally sustainable agriculture, says the report.

‘National tragedy’ Written by the New Economics Foundation on behalf of the CPRE, the study says the decline is being driven by austerity, coupled with a sense that county farms are a thing of the past – and an unwillingness by some councils to develop new income streams or business models.

Report co-author Kate Swade said: “The sell-off of the county farms estate is a national trage-

dy, squandering a public resource that is crucial to getting fresh blood into farming. Enough is enough: it’s time the new government halted the sale of county farms and invested in them properly.”

But positive results have been achieved by innovative councils that have protected and even expand their county farm estates.

They include Cambridgeshire County Council which has taken a proactive approach towards its county farms portfolio.

Cambridgeshire is among seven out of nine councils which gave details of environmental and social benefits provided by their county farms – ranging from tree planting, to local education initiatives, to supporting new farmers.

Whitehall Farm is a 100ha

farm owned by Cambridgeshire County Council and managed by Stephen Briggs on a 15-year tenancy, along with over 300ha of other land. He is using agroforestry to build the farm’s profitability, resilience and sustainability (see case study).

Graeme Willis, of the CPRE, said:“Our research shows that the number of county farms in England alarmingly continues to plummet, at a time when these wonderful assets should be protected, and invested in, to ensure they’re available for future generations.”

The CPRE wants legislation introduced to stop the sale of county farms and to give them a new purpose. A package of measures and new funding is needed so councils can enhance, invest in their estates and better promote them, it argues.

County farms should be recognised locally and nationally for their potential to help mitigate climate change – and deliver wider public benefits which can meet the needs of local communities and the wider environment, said Mr Willis.

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CENTRAL & EAST David Ellis T: 01954 267 418 E: david.ellis@acorus.co.uk NORTH MIDLANDS SOUTH MIDLANDS

E: brian.barrow@acorus.co.uk Atkinson David Ellis Brian Barrow T: 01284 753271Anthony Olivia Hazell T: 01902 625024 E: olivia.hazell@acorus.co.uk T: 01902 625 024 T: 01954 267 418 E:024 anthony.atkinson@acorus.co.uk E:&david.ellis@acorus.co.uk E: anthony.atkinson@acorus.co.uk NORTH MIDS Anthony Atkinson T: 01902 625

SOUTH MIDLANDS 46 MIDLAND FARMER • JANUARY 2020

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David Ellis T: 01954 267 418 E: david.ellis@acorus.co.uk

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Anthony Atkinson T: 01524 793 900 E: anthony.atkins

FINAL SAY Clodhopper

Politicians need 2020 vision for agriculture Boris Johnson lacks public trust – and he has such a big majority he can do as he likes, says Clodhopper

C

an this really be it? After the landslide victory for Boris Johnson, in last month’s gene al election, it finally looks like we will leave the European Union at the end of this month.

Some people believe farming does better under a Labour government. Perhaps they think Labour tries harder to woo the rural vote whereas the Conservatives think farmers will vote Tory no matter what. But whatever your voting preference, can we trust anything that anymore says anymore?

With his majority of 80 seats, Boris not only won last month’s election, he more or less ensured that the Conservatives will win the next election too. That means he will be Prime Minister for some time to come – probably for the rest of the 2020s.

But trustworthy? I for one don’t trust anyone. The past few years have shown that today’s politicians – of all stripes – feel able to say what they like and then change their minds later, leaving promises unfulfilled.

Maybe it was always that way. Maybe these days it is just more noticeable.

Basic payments Take one of the biggest issues facing farmers: the future of the basic payment. The Tories want to phase it out. Yet they say have also guaranteed the current budget for agriculture to 2024 – without saying how it will be spent. Will farmers continue to receive it?

I think not.

Like the rest of the country, farmers need certainty. Perhaps more so. Farming is a longterm business and requires long term stability. Nothing much should change in the short term but there are still too many unknowns to invest in anything agricultural.

It is disappointing but perhaps not surprising that real answers to basic questions are seldom forthcoming. It is easy to pledge extra funds but where does the money come from?

No guarantees Despite purporting to value food, no major political party seems to value agriculture as a standalone industry. I guess it is not really surprising as fewer and fewer of us are employed in farming. We are not seen as important voters any longer.

Yet all we really want is a guarantee of fair

play and a market that rewards hard work.

Unfortunately, the work “guarantee” has little real meaning in today’s world.

Agricultural prices and commodity markets seem to be dictated by the big players with lots of muscle. Alongside the weather, currency movements and political sentiment, of course. But these days it is mainly the big players.

Living wage It makes it hard for farmers to afford the living wage for workers over 16 years. The living wage seems to ensure a fair amount for everyone except the farmer paying it – which doesn’t seem fair to me at all.

And all this at a time when Boris has more pressing things to deal with. In his mind, anyway: how to leave the European Union on 31 January, keep us out of the EU single market and negotiate a trade agreement with the EU before the end of the year.

By already ruling out an extension to the transition period, the government has really nailed its colours to the mast. Or painted itself into a corner – whichever metaphor you prefer. It promises to be another uncertain year – but at least we are a little clearer where we are heading.

I wish everyone all the best for 2020.

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