WHAT SHOULD THE AGRONOMY SERVICE OF THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE?
Written by Richard Harding, Procam In a year where recent events have triggered a rethink in many areas of our lives, one major question is where to get advice that aims to future-proof the farm business for the long term. Having been involved with farms and that is causing an explosion of variable costs, sometimes we can practicing conservation agriculture Flea Beetle. So, I’m going to change obsess about variable costs because (CA) or regenerative agriculture (RA) my rotation”. Of course this is easier they are very visible. We can tend to for over 10 years, it has increasingly said than done, but it drives home ignore fixed costs because they are felt like there is a disconnect between the point that we are the problem as more hidden. The term “fixed” gives what the farmer requires from an much as the solution. the perception they are more difficult agronomist and what the existing to change than is the reality. It just agronomy model offers. As Mark Before continuing I should requires more thought and planning. Dewes, a recent Nuffield Scholar, confess to being an eternal, yet For example, a New Zealand dairy wrote in his article for the last issue grazing system can outperform a UK of Direct Driller, “out-sourcing of realistic optimist in relation to conventional all year round calving pesticide management to agronomists the future. I firmly believe we housed system when viewed from a has contributed to a disengagement ROI perspective. However, as always, need to take more inspiration of farmers from their own agronomic things are more complicated than decision making”. It also assumes a from nature and acknowledge that. The dairy system example relies chemical is likely to be the primary on the assumption that land isn’t the that nature holds within it many solution. I would go further and say limiting factor. UK agriculture and wider society is sophisticated solutions to the Before considering the agronomy obsessed with buying the solution agronomic and environmental service of the future we must to a problem rather than seeing challenges we face. consider how research is traditionally themselves as being the solution. disseminated. Currently it is largely top One topical subject, for example, is Rather than dwell too much on the down with research predominately Cabbage Stem Flea Beetle. How many problems we all face - loss of chemical coming from research organisations farmers have you heard say “Flea actives, loss of direct financial support and government bodies. CA and RA Beetle is a real problem on my farm for agriculture, climate change, etc. require a different approach. Peerand there are no longer any reliable - let’s consider how an agronomy to-peer and a bottom up approach is chemical solutions”? An alternative service of the future can be part of more suitable due to the longer-term perspective would be, “We’ve grown the solution. nature of the research required and oilseed rape too often as an industry In our solution we need to go the fact that there is less commercial beyond organic, stop demonising a interest in the solutions which benefit particular production system or label, the farmer and consumer most. and keep an open mind as to where One organisation working hard to we might find the answers to the deliver research relevant to a more challenges we face. Being the solution resilient farming system is Agricology. is about having a future-proofed and Agricology is a network whose purpose resilient farming system, or, more is to share practical information on appropriately, a future-proofed rural sustainable approaches with farmers business. This acknowledges the and growers. It is a free platform, diversity of a typical modern farming open to everyone. This is a great business. CA or RA are longterm example of a less top down approach systems and the emphasis needs to knowledge transfer. to shift from yield and margin over input costs to maximising the annual Organisations such as Groundswell net farm income (NFI), rotational have done much within the industry gross margins or even straight return to facilitate CA and RA knowledge Flea Beetle. The current and obvious reaction to through their annual on investment (ROI). While we are transfer seeing an image of Flea Beetle for most farmers is understandably anger and frustration. conference in Hertfordshire, packed comfortable with the terms fixed and 30 DIRECT DRILLER MAGAZINE
ISSUE 10 | JULY 2020
