Farming Monthly National May 2023

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Farming Secretary meets Norfolk farmers at Defra roundtable

Farming Secretary Thérèse Coffey has today (Friday 12 May) hosted a roundtable with the National Farmers Union to discuss progress with the roll-out of the new Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes.

She toured Lodge Farm in North Norfolk, which is a specialist potato producer and contract farms arable land, before meeting East Anglian farmers for talks on seasonal labour, tenancies and the Plan for Water among other topics.

From safeguarding the UK’s food security to discussing how farming and nature can and must go hand in hand, the roundtable covered a wide range of important issues, both for farmers who are already signed up to our schemes as well as those thinking about joining.

Detailed plans for the government’s Environmental Land Management schemes were announced earlier this year, supporting farmers to produce food profitably and sustainably, with something on offer for every type of farmer, through our selection of ongoing schemes and one-off productivity grants.

Farming Secretary Thérèse Coffey said:

“Today’s roundtable was an opportunity to hear more about the innovations arable farmers are making to extend their growing seasons, as well as listening to the challenges they face and where government can help.

“The National Farmers Union, like myself, are champions for the countryside, and I thank the Norfolk branch for gathering this diverse mix of East Anglian farmers together to hear more

about how they're producing food whilst protecting nature and enhancing the environment through our Environmental Land Management schemes."

Next week, the government will host the UK Farm to Fork Summit, bringing together government and representatives from across the food supply chain to step up cooperation and promote all elements of our world-renowned farming and food industries.

The event will look at how government can champion UK food and drink both at home and abroad by boosting confidence, helping more businesses invest in domestic production and supporting the long-term resilience and sustainability of the UK food sector.

Farming Minister encourages farmers of the future at Defra roundtable

arming Minister Mark Spencer has today (Wednesday 26 April) hosted a roundtable to outline the government’s continued commitment to supporting new entrants to the farming sector.

Joined by new farmers, land-based colleges and recent entrants to the farming sector, the Farming Minister discussed the opportunities for those coming into land-based businesses.

From making sure people have the right skills and qualifications to making it easier to secure earlystage finance, the roundtable covered a wide range of important issues for those establishing careers in farming and horticulture, whether they are seeking employment in the sector or establishing new businesses.

Farming Minister Mark Spencer said:

“It is vital we put the support in place to build a sustainable, productive and profitable future for farming so we strengthen the resilience of our

environment, businesses and communities whilst improving the prosperity of the sector for every generation to come.

“For those already in the sector, we’re committing more grant funding than ever before including through the Farming Investment Fund and the Farming Innovation Programme, as well as taking concrete action to attract new talent into land-based businesses.

“When we published the Agricultural Transition Plan towards the end of 2020, we pledged we would establish a support scheme for new entrants to develop successful landbased businesses in England in a bid to further boost our rural economies, and in the coming months we will see the results of the New Entrant pilots.

“Today’s roundtable was an invaluable discussion on how we can build on these opportunities and continue to promote the diverse and exciting range of careers that we all know are available across our rural areas.”

Defra is currently running a smallscale pilot looking at the types of entrepreneurial support that new entrants need to develop and scale successful businesses. The New Entrant Support Scheme pilot incubators, launched in November 2022, are currently underway with almost 200 people taking part. These incubators will provide tactical support to land-based businesses through the early stages of development, nurturing new entrantsto further develop business ideas, foster innovation and promote growth.

For more Information on the progress of the pilots, and to learn more about some of the storiesof the people taking part, please read our latest New Entrant Support Scheme update on theDefra Farming Blog.

Defra isalso supporting the establishment of The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture which will enable the industry, including those newly or recently entering it, to drive forward greater uptake of skills.

Dale Farm celebrates £50,000 fundraising milestone for Cancer Focus NI

Dairy cooperative Dale Farm has reached a significant £50,000 fundraising milestone for its corporate charity partner, Cancer Focus NI.

Over the past three years team members at Dale Farm have been supporting Cancer Focus NI by organising a vast range of activities and initiatives from ’12 Days of Christmas Giveaway’, to the Dunman Golf Day and finally to ‘Moooove in March’ to help raise funds to support the charity’s work within Northern Ireland.

Caroline Martin, Corporate Marketing & Communications Manager at Dale Farm said: “£50,000 is a huge milestone to reach and we are incredibly proud of our colleagues who have contributed to achieving this target. Our charity committee have shown great dedication and determination over the past three years, working hard to ensure that we had a range of activities on offer so everyone could do their bit for the charity

partnership. “Supporting Cancer Focus NI as part of our wider community partnership programme has brought us such pride.

Cancer affects so many people across Northern Ireland and Cancer Focus NI provides vital support to patients and their families. The charity also provides guidance and raise awareness within our communities to help people lower their risk of cancer. It’s been a great experience to raise funds for a cause which will help so many people in our local community.”

Rosie Forsythe, Corporate Fundraiser at Cancer Focus NI said: “Thank you so much to Dale Farm who have worked hard to host a range of event and initiatives over

the past three years. The funds raised are vital to our charity and help us to be continue supporting communities throughout Northern Ireland. We can’t thank the staff at Dale Farm enough for their efforts in reaching this incredible milestone and look forward to seeing what’s next from such a wonderful corporate partner.”

The team at Dale Farm isn’t stopping at the £50,000 milestone. The company has announced that the charity partnership with Cancer Focus NI will continue until 2025.

Give The world’s Biggest professional Gambles An Ace Up Your Sleave To Drive Profitability

Idescribe farmers as professional gamblers because everyday we gamble on the weather and prices for end product. with this in mind I am looking specifically at the PFC product line of precision baling tools to improve the profitability of your baling operation. I put myself in this category as I run the family farm in North Devon as a Hay, silage and arable unit with cattle in over the winter period.

The 2023 baling season will soon begin in earnest with 2022 season being a distant memory but as with every year that goes by we should learn the lessons of previous mistakes and successes. As with every season the 2022 weather is the primary discussion driving discissions from the catchy weather to the very extensive dry period. The PFC business is not only supplying top quality products but putting into practice the products to show in real world conditions that the product does exactly what is says on the tin with no additional sales bluff! The 3 key rules for baling with precision and profit: know your actual moisture, only bale in the correct moisture window, and use preservative to open the window and handle the moisture when required. This leads me to explaining briefly the PFC farm baling process.

Early June for North Devon at the PFC farm saw some limited rain which started the panic stations initially as hay harvest was just around the corner. Then the prolonged dry period came. PFC bale 120 acres of a 3 year mix of tetraploid Italian rye hay moving from 1st cut as clamp silage in early May and 2nd cut hay at the end of June to a first cutting in mid-June. 2022 I changed this process to 30 acres cut twice for clamp silage and 90 acres on a single cutting. This has eased the pressure on moisture retention in the grass where for the last 21 years we have not averaged below 20% moisture. 2022 season saw for the first time cutting at 4.4 tonnes per acre (10.8t/ha) with the crop moisture average of 18%. Baling commenced shortly after midday on a Friday and with moistures in the range of 20—25% steadily came down through the afternoon to as low as 12% at 1400hrs. at 1630hrs the moistures started to rise above 15% and at 1830hrs the moisture was already back at 25% where the decision was taken to stop with a preservative limit of 27%. With 270

tonnes in the barn overnight, Saturday saw the hay finished. Without preservative Italian grass hay making would be impossible with around 3 hours at best to grab sub of 15% moisture grass. Using Baler’s Choice preservstive it opened the baling window form 3 hours to 6.5 hours. The straw baling this year was completely opposite to where 10-20% of the straw would be treated for above 16% moisture we were like many baling at night to get moistures up from 6-8% to around 12% to allow for some density in the bales with the aim of managing transport costs in the winter with maximum weight loads.

The snippets of the job records show how the system adapts to the changing moisture and baling weights. Built around a precision moisture sensor which is the world leader in precision. And yes there are microwave options that IF CALIBRATED has the same accuracy, but the question arises; What do you calibrate it against? Understanding the moisture of the crops and how it behaves is the fist an most important step so the whole baling process can be built around quality. Once the moisture is understood then it is a question of what I need to do about it? If you have accurate moisture data and find there is no moisture issue, then carry on monitoring the moisture and bale with peace of mind with maybe only needing to add the wet bale marker to high light the odd bale that exceeds safe moisture baling of 15%. Simple red food grade colour is used to mark individual wet flakes in a square bale and for round bales the bale is marked on ejection if the average is above the desired safe moisture level.

With the hay and straw season approaching, maybe faster than we would like, again moisture is the key driver on when you can bale. Precision moisture sensors are essential to professional baling and producing excellent product. PFC have been selling the twin star wheel system since 2002 with some major manufacture taking this as a factory option or field installed kit for large square balers and round balers. The system works for all baler types and sizes and requires zero calibration. The precision is market leader around the world with a +/-1% accuracy. There is no other baler mounted product on the market to match it for accuracy and zero calibration requirement. Measuring through the entire bale profile allows for any dry and wet spots to be averaged evenly and so providing the precision you require. If you only measure a single contact point then the question arises, is this a drier or wetter part of the bale? The

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Responding to the announcement by the Prime Minister ahead of the Farm to Fork Summit, Country Land and Business Association President Mark Tufnell said:

British produce is the best in the world, with our farmers upholding the highest environmental and animal welfare standards. These announcements represent a meaningful

tel: 01724 850224

fax: 01724 289317

show of support from the UK Government, and show that the Prime Minister is willing to listen to the farming community who have long called for specific action on food security and economic growth.

"We call on the government to go a step further by developing a robust and ambitious plan for the rural economy as a whole. The rural economy is 19% less productive than the national average, but closing that gap would add £43bn to national GVA. This means bringing forward new planning reforms, investing in our infrastructure and skills and building a small number of homes in a large number of villages across the country. Ministers need to share the ambitions of our rural entrepreneurs, and have a laser like focus on unlocking the immense potential of our communities.

sales@neilvessey.com

Calls to build resilient food production system echoed across the food sector

n a sunny Spring evening in the heart of the Cotswolds, a chef, NGOs, civil servants, educators and farmers came together to share food and perspectives at a dinner to discuss the future of sustainable food and farming. The dialogue was intended as a proactive call for the food and agricultural value chains to build a more resilient food system.

Brought together by BASF over a shared passion for food, farming and the environment, the diverse group called for three areas of impact – the need for education to address the disconnect between food and farming, the encouragement of consumers to consider their role in sustainable food choices and the need to change the narrative around fresh vs processed foods.

Hosted at FarmED, a community and education site in Oxfordshire founded by Ian and Celene Wilkinson in 2021 which aims to explore ways to combine all farming approaches for a more sustainable and healthy food system, the venue provided the ideal backdrop to the first ‘Biggest Job on Earth’ dinner. Throughout the evening, guests heard from unique voices sharing their challenges and opportunities for the future of food production.

Invited to share her perspective on the pressures of land use, Farmer Sarah Bell discussed the challenges and contributions that farmers need to make;

“For me, the challenges are complex, ranging from the increase in urbanisation and warehouse construction and resulting water runoff. Planting trees as a licence to continue to pollute, non-production interventions for land use and renewables schemes making communities hot under the collar. As farmers we also need to be providing year-round, long-term employment, to deal with forced land use changes resulting from the climate and responding to what society wants from land.”

Sarah added that what society mustn’t lose sight of through the “farmers’ lens for survival is that they are intimately, and viscerally connected to land,” and that society and politics’ polarisation and post-truth is driving short-termism. “Farmers are about to enter a social contract for public good from public investment; what we must have, is scientific baselining for this, and to bear in mind that urban society still expects shelves to be stacked, and we can’t expect retail giants to be responsible for the levers in our food system, food policy must take the supply chain limitations into consideration.”

Identifying ways to bridge the gap between farming and the food we eat, Chef & Founder of Sorted Food Ben Ebbrell addressed the impact of influencers to drive positive change, sharing information about sustainable food production in the context of food choices matters, as does the consciousness of consumers’ purchase decisions:

“Our hope is that [SortedFood] inspires and shares information with our community and we hope that a nugget of information will encourage them to share what they have learnt and make a different choice. We are a group of friends who met at secondary school, and we listen, distil, curate, and connect with our community.

“However, when we look outside our world, I could become very negative, very quickly, because of the food choices that the world imposes, fast versus fresh food and the widening ‘say versus do’ gap.”

Ben added that, when it comes to sustainability, there is “deadlock” –despite all those with marketing budget talking about it, “we are not shifting the dial”. His advice to the farming sector is not to use experts who are untouchable and unreachable, but to find communities that want to engage and listen by creating engaging content that is editorial, not advertising. To close the evening, attendees heard from Emeritus Professor of Food Marketing at Imperial College London and International Speaker Prof David Hughes who highlighted that the challenges the farming sector currently faces are not new;

“Food price inflation is running at 19% and energy inflation is also still high, the same happened in 1973 when there was a harvest collapse in Russia and Ukraine. Food price spikes are the victim of the market, and the issue of heat versus eat will last another 18 months.

“The result is people have to make the decision to eat less, or eat less healthily, for example an Aldi loaf costs 49p, a frozen pepperoni pizza, 70p. There is a misconception that fresh food is more expensive, a six-pack of Tesco apples sells a single apple at 16p, and a single British apple at 18p.” “We’ve seen failures in the UK’s pig and poultry sectors, and arguably in fruit and veg; UK retailers have longterm contracts with suppliers which they haven’t altered as things have changed. My prediction is that one of the major retailers might fall.”

Leading the call for education to address the disconnect between food and farming was Claire Evans, Head Teacher Eaton Valley Primary in West Bromwich. Concerned that agriculture isn’t currently on the school curriculum, Claire reiterated the importance of schools engaging and involving pupils

in understanding how their food is produced and how to prepare and cook it.

Annabel Shackleton from Linking Environment And Farming added that the work being done via LEAF Open Farm Sunday, farming toolkits for schools and educational visits is invaluable for the future of farming. “Earlier this year LEAF Education relaunched the free ‘Why Farming Matters’ resources for schools, supported by BASF. Today’s school children are tomorrow’s farmers, consumers, parents, politicians, leaders, and thinkers. They are the ones who will need to meet current and future challenges, whether that be the climate crisis or feeding and evergrowing population. With young people and schools keener than ever to connect with food production, farming and nature we aim to inform, engage and inspire them. This resource pack will deepen their understanding of the role of farming in the UK, discover its powerful impacts, and be encouraged to ask questions and begin to find out and formulate their own understanding of Why Farming Matters.”

Echoing the need for education and public engagement, Sarah Bell summed up the totality of what needs to come next;

“The farming industry needs a scienceled approach, a network for water distribution, near market science and long term, pragmatism; and that the sector needs to be brave, imaginative, innovative and change the rule book, which happens when we have a ’burning platform’, in other words, when we are under pressure, which we are now.”

Ali Milgate from BASF, who facilitated the evening’s discussions, said: “Conversation is at the heart of understanding, and the event allowed diverse views and thoughts to be shared. Our intention for hosting was to hear people’s hopes, ideas and asks to make food, farming, and the environment work hand in hand. People have made new connections and will continue to strive for change outside of the forum. We feel proud to have stimulated and celebrated a shared passion for the biggest job on earth.

The event was hosted as part of BASF’s Farming the Biggest Job on Earth campaign which provides a platform to advocate for farmers and farming and promote the vital impact, they have of food production and stewardship of the natural environment. To find out more https:// www.agricentre.basf.co.uk/en/BiggestJob-on-Earth/Biggest-Job-on-Earth/ follow.

“Agriculture (Wales) Bill must support - FUW Younger Voice for Farming

stressed that it was disappointing that there is still no explicit mention of support for young/new entrants in the Agriculture (Wales) Bill.

“Whilst there is an opposition amendment tabled at Stage 3 which would correct this, and the FUW has lobbied for this to happen since the introduction of the Bill, support for tenants, new entrants and common land

Was the key message from the Farmers’ Union of Wales Younger Voice for Farming committee chair, Gemma Haines, at a meeting with local Members of the Senedd.

Welcoming Sarah Murphy, MS for Bridgend, and Huw Irranca-Davies, MS for Ogmore, to her farm, Gemma

support next generation of farmers”

Farming committee chair says

graziers are also missing from the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) proposals. We urgently need to correct this so that these new policies support the next generation of farmers,” said Gemma Haines.

Mrs Haines added that it was encouraging to see that as part of the ongoing co-design, working groups have been set up on each of these areas. “We hope the outcomes of the groups will be reflected in

the final consultation expected later this year,” she said.

Union officials further stressed that the Universal Actions and SFS contract length must be achievable (or flexible enough) and proportionate for all farming systems and regions (including tenants and commoners), with a high enough associated baseline payment to ensure a critical mass of farmers are able to access the scheme.

The UK's largest independent regenerative agricultural event, run by a farming family, has announced over 200 different speakers

Groundswell Festival provides a forum for farmers, growers and anyone interested in food production and the environment to learn about the theory and practical applications of regenerative farming systems. Now in its eighth year, the event will bring together over 200 speakers from across the world. As well as sessions curated by the Groundswell team, organisations and individuals were invited to put forward topics and session ideas, with applications nearly double the number of spaces available. Science writer,Anne Bikléwill deliver the first keynote of Groundswell 2023. Her latest book, "What Your Food Ate: How to Heal the Land and Reclaim our Health" delves into the connections between soil health and the health of crops, animals, and people. She will share some of her findings, reflecting on her background in biology and environmental planning to explore humanity's tangled relationship with nature.

Independent agroecologistNicole Mastersruns "Integrity Soils" which delivers coaching and educational programmes and has done for nearly two decades. Her book titled "For the Love of Soil; Strategies to Regenerate our Food Production Systems" showcases examples of the tools and principles producers are using to regenerate their soils.

Richard Perkinswill look at the human scale of regenerative practices, demonstrating how anyone can get involved regardless of scale. With more than 14 million views on his blog and over 160,000 subscribers on YouTube, he is no stranger to inspiring farmers across the globe with his pragmatic no-nonsense approach to profitable system design.

New this year,the event which takes place from 28thto 29thJune 2023 at Lannock Manor Farming Hertfordshire, will include "advanced sessions". These longer presentations and discussions will provide more depth on a topic, allowing those already on their regenerative agriculture journey the opportunity to further expand their knowledge.

This year will also have a strong focus on pasturefed livestock, with Groundswell integrating cattle into their rotation to improve soil health. During the event, visitors will have the opportunity to follow the full supply chain: hearing from Pasture for Life about 100% grass-fed cattle and sheep; seeing mob grazing in action; viewing a mobile abattoir while discussing the infrastructure needed to ensure sustainability for the future; as well as enjoying beef-cooked over a fire.

Organised by the Cherry family, the programme

has been designed to cover all aspects of farming from livestock and agroforestry to machinery, crops, and finance. Alex Cherry, Event Director feels this is what makes Groundswell so unique.

"Last year we welcomed over 5,500 delegates to Groundswell from farmers to policymakers, all with a similar objective – to understand more about regenerative agriculture. Regardless of your farming operation or scale, everyone has a role to play in ensuring we protect our soil, look after the land and produce food in a safe and nutritious way.

"We use the five principals of regenerative agriculture to help guide our farming decisions. This includes protecting the soil surface, increasing diversity, integrating livestock, maintaining living roots and minimising soil disturbance. Despite the barriers to defining regenerative agriculture, we want to ensure Groundswell remains an inclusive space for everyone to share their own thoughts, practical ideas and experiences to help make farming part of the solution, to many of the issues we face today."

Other speakers includeFrédéric Thomaswho specialises in minimum tillage and conservation agriculture and supported the creation of the French network BASE (Biodiversity, Agriculture, Soil and Environment) which now has over 1200 members.

Joel Williams,an independent plant and soil health consultant with a strong interest in microbial ecology and mineral nutrition.

Grammy-nominated musicianAndy Catowho cofounded Wildfarmed, an award-winning regenerative farming business.

Dr Emily Bullwho manages the Regen Dairy project, run by FAI Farms and looks to understand what regenerative dairy looks like from the bottom up and throughout the supply chains.

Biochemist and nutritionistJudith Batchelor

OBEwho has worked in food and drink for over 35 years, most recently as Director of Sainsbury's Brand. She is also Deputy Chair of The Environment Agency and Honorary President of the

British Nutrition Foundation Sessions include:

• Making regenerative agriculture pay

• Pastured poultry

• Alley cropping in practice (agroforestry)

• Integrated pest and disease management

• Regenerative viticulture in the UK

• Ag-tech, why and how to invest in regenerative agriculture and food

• Mob grazing

• Fashion in agriculture – field farm and fashion/ wool/leather

• How to feed your soils biologically

• What will we be eating in 2050.

• Opportunities for regenerative agriculture in field scale vegetables

• Carbon and net zero

• Intercropping practical lessons

• Climate-friendly sheep farming

• Linking soil health and potato production

• Landscape recovery

Groundswell Festival includes evening entertainment in the form of live music, comedy, the "Earthworm Arms" bar, hot and cold food, and onsite camping.

Tickets are now on sale atwww.groundswellag. comand are on a first-come basis with the event selling out for the last two years consecutively.

The Kenilworth Show will welcome more community organisations than ever

Coventry and Warwickshire’s largest agricultural show is preparing for a huge half-term turnout, with this year’s bumper crop of exciting displays and exhibitors set to impress all ages.

The Kenilworth Show will return to the site near Stoneleigh which welcomed a near-record attendance last year, and organisers have revealed a jam-packed line-up for this year’s edition on Saturday, June 3.

Bolddog FMX are set to wow the thousands of visitors that are expected at the show with a thrilling freestyle motocross display in the main ring, which will also host classic showcases including vintage and modern machinery, livestock parade and classic cars as well as family favourite events from the sheep show to birds of prey.

A Simulated Laser Clay Shooting Range will also be available for visitors to try their hand at winning two tickets to next year’s Kenilworth Show if they top the leader board.

The Discovery Barn, a designated area for education for all ages, will include a range of hands-on activities with cows and sheep, and chances to

learn about horticulture and wildlife. More than 125 trade stands will also feature at the show with a wide range arts and crafts, jewellery and homeware, as well as artisan breads and pies all available in the marquee. The WI will also be providing tea, coffee and cakes available to buy, with the Langdale Trust providing an accessible area to relax in.

The homecraft marquee will see hundreds of local creators compete for the top prize across 80 classes including floral art and home baking.

Len’s Village, a special section of the showgrounds dedicated to Len Eadon, will allow the public to find out more about mental health support in agriculture, catch up with others in the community, and take part in a range of competitions including a tug of war and a scrap heap challenge.

Charlie Weetman, Director of the Kenilworth Show, said: “We can’t wait to bring the Kenilworth Show back with an incredible line up of activities for people to enjoy – there is truly something for everyone.

“Last year’s event was a huge success

after three years away due to Covid, and we are looking forward to an even bigger and better show this year.”

Free tickets are available for under 16s, and families can also bring along wellbehaved dogs and even enter them into the dog show, which starts at midday.

There is also a ‘have a go’ handy dog challenge where owners can put their dogs through a series of challenges.

For more information and to book tickets visit www.kenilworthshow.co.uk

NFU marathon team raises a whopping £30,000 for Farm Africa

Team NFU has raised more than £30,000 for Farm Africa by running the gruelling 26.2 miles of the London Marathon on Sunday 23 April. The donations will go to support farmers in East Africa and reduce poverty by helping rural families grow their incomes.

farmer Frederic Exwood. They well exceeded their initial target of raising £10,000 for the charity.

NFU President Minette Batters said: “On behalf of Team NFU, I want to express my huge gratitude to everyone who has donated. We are overwhelmed with people’s generosity, and it gives important recognition to Farm Africa’s charitable work. The organisation is playing an instrumental part in helping to build a prosperous rural Africa through its excellent work, supporting farmers to build their agricultural practices and increase their incomes.

“Many thanks and well done to David, Adam, David and Fred, for joining the NFU team. We all recognise that despite being on different continents, British and East African farmers are facing similar challenges when it comes to rising costs, climate change and food security, and it is more fundamental than ever that we stand together to drive positive change.”

Farm Africa CEO Dan Collison said: “I would like to send my congratulations and sincere thanks to all the NFU runners for finishing the race in such great times. We are hugely grateful to all the runners for raising funds for Farm Africa. Every penny contributed will be put to use helping Farm Africa help more farming families across eastern Africa to grow more, sell more and earn more, while protecting the environment for generations to come.

The team of farming leaders that pounded the streets of London included NFU President Minette Batters, NFU Vice President David Exwood, former NFU North East regional director Adam Bedford, Defra Lead Spatial Analyst David Fouracre, and

“Eastern Africa is currently experiencing the longest and most severe drought on record, so this support has never been more needed.”

NFU responds to No.10 and Defra's Food Summit

Following the news that No.10 and Defra will host a Food Summit in May, NFU President Minette Batters said: "We welcome No.10 and Defra delivering on the Prime Minister's commitment he made to the NFU last year to host a Food Summit later this month. We are calling on Government to make this an annual summit which would mark a turning point in how previous Governments have prioritised the safe and affordable supply of sustainably produced homegrown food.

"The past 18 months have been a stark reminder of how vulnerable the nation's food security is. It has been a wake-up call for the importance of a secure domestic supply of food, and it is vital that the summit delivers actions, not just words. A start would be a serious commitment from Government to maintaining Britain's food production selfsufficiency level at 60%, with a statutory duty to report on domestic food production and utilise powers under the Agriculture Act to make supply chains fairer."

Farmer confidence lowest since pre-pandemic, NFU survey shows

Farmer confidence is at its lowest since the start of the pandemic1, says the latest confidence survey from the NFU. This is in part due to the spiralling costs of production being faced by farmers and growers, with 88%saying they are being negatively affected by input costssuch as energy, fuel and fertiliser. 82% of farmers have also said the phasing out of current farming support payments is negatively impacting their business confidence.

This lack of confidence is impacting the horticulture, livestock and poultry sectors the greatest and is evidencing the issues that have been seen on supermarket shelves with shortages of some produce including eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers.

Despite this, British farmers’ intention to invest in renewable energy generation and energy efficiency has increased rapidly. This demonstrates a real ambition to future proof farm business resilience and reach British farming’s net zero by 2040 target, as well as the importance of energy security to the nation’s food security. But investment to increase climate-friendly farming capabilities is being hindered by low levels of short and medium term business confidence.

NFU President Minette Batters said: “It is shocking but not surprising that our farmer confidence survey is reporting the lowest levels in three years. During this time, we have experienced a global pandemic, a war in Europe, tumultuous political change and

extreme weather. If this lack of confidence and uncertainty is allowed to continue during such challenging times, it has the potential to lead to further shortages on supermarket shelves.

“We know from experience that low confidence indicates that farmers don’t have the means to invest in their food producing businesses, which could result in little to no growth in our domestic food security at a time when we need it most. It is also at odds with the government’s own plans for growth, and the commitments made by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last year to support British farming by setting a target for the nation’s food security, with a statutory duty to report on domestic food levels.

“As well as food security, energy security is crucial to our nation, and currently 38% of British farmers are using or producing renewable energy. As an industry we have a huge ambition to increase this but confidence in the future is deterring farmers from making this important investment.

“Farmers need to know that government is supporting them through policies that build profitability and resilience into farm businesses to allow us to unlock a thriving food and farming industry. For this we need to see clarity on future farming support policies, including the Environmental Land Management schemes, which will help farmers plan ahead and build financial resilience into their businesses.”

In reaction to Rishi Sunak's "farm to fork summit" package, Phil Thompson, CEO of Balance Power says

he last year has presented an upward battle for farmers and landowners, who have had to grapple with sky-high fertiliser, fuel and energy prices with little to no support from the government, which failed to insulate the sector following the loss of postBrexit subsidies.

"Rishi Sunak's support package announced yesterday does very little to address the crux of the challenges that are crippling the sector. So much so that 2/3 of farmers are not confident about the future of UK food production, which

is notable given that support for energyintensive industries such as food production was not announced.

"Farmers need security. Clean energy can offer a vital financial lifeline, particularly with the option of behind the meter solutions. Connecting directly to a renewable energy source can free farmers from record-high, fixed-term energy contracts, helping shift the power back into the famers hands and providing reassurance for the future of food in the UK.

Largest UK organic on-farm event unites food and farming sectors

The UK’s largest organic on-farm event, Organic Farmers & Growers’ (OF&G) annual National Organic Conference (NOC) will bring food and farming communities together to explore mixed, whole organic farming systems and organic food supply chains.

Previously known as National Organic Combinable Crops, the newly named conference will be held at Green Acres Farm in Shropshire on Tuesday 4 July 2023, hosted by organic farmer Mark Lea.

In its 16th year, NOC will focus on organic arable and integrated livestock systems as part of a mixed, whole farm approach, while exploring natural capital and organic food supply chains, with evidenced data to highlight organic in action and the benefits it continues to deliver.

In an immersive environment, delegates will be shown around a pioneering and successful mixed 180ha farm business, certified organic for more than 20 years, and will hear from leading

experts in agriculture and food on a global scale.

Mr Lea’s arable enterprise includes organic oats grown for the long-standing farmer collective, Organic Arable, and more than a dozen diverse wheats, incorporating landrace, heritage and modern varieties and specially bred crosses, with some included in the Organic Research Centre (ORC) trials. Mr Lea also has a flock of 200 New Zealand Romney sheep and a living mulch trial, with areas of agroforestry, working with the Woodland Trust in establishing mixed woodland to enhance the farm landscape,

help store carbon and build healthier soils.

The international speaker line up currently includes independent plant and soil health educator, Joel Williams, and Dr Julia Cooper and Henny Lowth from the ORC’s senior research team. Online platform service providers, Open Food Network and Trinity AgTech, specialising in connecting farmers directly with consumers and capturing natural capital respectively, will also be on hand to speak to delegates.

OF&G business development manager, Steven Jacobs, says: “UK food and farming faces some significant challenges, with agri-environment schemes still to be fully formed, and increasing economic uncertainty and a worsening climate crisis.

“Despite consumer concerns with rising prices across grocery categories, the UK organic market remains buoyant with an

annual value of over £3bn. With many shoppers increasingly concerned about the potentially catastrophic loss in biodiversity and the effects of climate change

on future generations, now is the time for the organic sector to step up and communicate its true value in helping to mitigate these challenges.

“OF&G continues to emphasise the proven benefits organic delivers today, not just in market value, but also in producing nutritious food in a sustainable way.

“Organic provides real world, proven practical solutions and NOC is open to the wider food

and farming community to come and see this in action through the showcasing of innovative techniques in a working environment and to discuss how organic, alongside regenerative farming systems, can be integrated into our wider food economy.”

Registration for NOC 2023 is now open. The full conference line-up will follow soon. For more information and to book your place, visit National Organic Conference 4 July 2023 | OF&G (ofgorganic.org)

THUNDERPOLE T-800

The Thunderpole T-800 is a userfriendly CB radio you can depend upon everyday, whether you want this CB to communicate with friends or as a solid business tool, it has everything you need from a compact radio.

It has all the essential features, including AM/FM channels, Multi-band operation with UK and 8 European bands (the CB Radio comes Pre-Set to the UK Channels), auto-squelch, bright LED display, signal meter and multifunction microphone.

New version for 2023 with upgraded chassis, circuit board and added ‘PA Function’ allows you to talk outside the vehicle (with suitable PA horn).

Thunderpole T-800, combining value and reliability in a compact CB Radio

Main Features:

• Multi Channel Operation: 80 UK/EU Channels plus European bands

• 12 Volt Input

• 4 Watt RF Output

• LED Channel Display

• Signal Meter

• AM/FM Button

• UK/EU Button

• PA (Public Address)

• Channel 19

• RF Gain

• Auto / Manual Squelch

• Up/Down Microphone with Auto Squelch Key

• Internal Speaker

• Extension Speaker Socket

• 115 (W) x 38 (H) x 150 (D) mm

Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society launches search for county’s top progressive farmers for Baron de Rutzen Award

If you farm in Pembrokeshire, are under the age of 45, and can demonstrate your farm’s use of the latest technological methods to promote progressive, sustainable agriculture then the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society encourage you to enter the prestigious Baron de Rutzen Award.

Brian Jones, Pembrokeshire County Show President, said, “We are looking for a local Pembrokeshire farmer who can demonstrate their farm’s use of the latest technological methods to promote progressive, sustainable agriculture. They also need to show consideration for the environment and habitat sensitivity on their farm as well as present an aesthetically pleasing example of farming in the county.”

Last year’s winner of the Award was Michael Williams, a dairy farmer from Puncheston. He farms conventionally using regenerative farming practices. His emphasis is longevity of herd and sustainability of on-farm food production using low inputs and low disturbance methods. Producing food and enhancing the environment to make for happy cows. Michael is signed up to the Regenerative Farming Plan with a net zero commitment by 2040.

The de Rutzen family have had a considerable influence in Pembrokeshire through their agricultural estates and diverse businesses interests over many years. Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society gratefully acknowledges the generosity of J H Llewellin & family, of Kilbarth, Rudbaxton, Haverfordwest, for kindly presenting the Baron de Rutzen

Trophy to the Society.

Baron John Fredrick De Rutzen was President of Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society in 1936 and the Baron de Rutzen Trophy was produced in his memory. The third Baron served in the Welsh Guards and tragically died, aged 36, in 1944.

This year’s entrants must be fully practising farmers within the county of Pembrokeshire and were under the age of 45 years on 1 January 2023. Entries can either be by nomination or direct application online on the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society website. Click here to apply: Baron de Rutzen Award | Pembrokeshire County Show | Pembs Agricultural Society (pembsshow.org)

The closing date for nominations and applications is at noon on Wednesday, 31 May 2023.

UK Farm to Fork Summit might just secure a brighter future for farming in the UK

The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak joined by voices from across the food and farming industries for the UK's Farm to Fork Summit (also referred to as the 'Food Summit'). The event is intended to address some of the agriculture sector's most urgent challenges – from food security to supply chain resilience and inflation.

The Soil Association argues that such a critical discussion should involve a wider range of stakeholders, in order to represent the complex interconnections between the climate, nature and public health crises, and how these affect our food systems. It also states that theseissues are unlikely to be resolved without a cohesive, joined-up approach to food and farming policy, which the government seems reluctant to implement.

Soil Association Head of Farming Policy, Gareth Morgan said:

"The UK Farm to Fork Summit might just provide an opportunity to secure a brighter future for farming in the UK, though it's ironic that it comes just two weeks after Defrabacktracked on their pledge to produce a horticulture strategy. The government has belatedly been forced by events to the dining table but the guest list seems to be lacking a crucial range of stakeholders including citizens,

environmental and health NGOs to reflect the complexity of the challenge not just the mighty corporates of the food industry.

"The clock is ticking on the climate and nature crises, and many farmers and households are struggling in the face of rising costs. Urgent action is needed to join the dots between these challenges. We urge participants of the Food Summit to be bold in their thinking – reinstating the commitment to a horticulture strategy would be a good place to start.

"The empty shelves of the last few months could have been avoided if we had a more robust food and farming system, greater equity in supply chains, and a cohesive vision and strategy from government. The decision to abandon development of a strategic approach to increasing UK fruit and vegetable production shows worrying signs of complacency about our food security.

"There is a great deal at stake. We need to simultaneously accelerate progress towards Net Zero farming while acting to protect nature, and ensure producers receive a fair income. This will require government investment in more sustainable farming, and a commitment to scaling up organic and agroecology across most of the UK.

"There are huge benefits to be gained from such a transition –

we can reduce farmer's reliance on costly fossil fuel-based fertilizers, providing a more resilient farming sector, while nature's recovery.

"The government should commit to delivering joined-up policy that helps our farmers and growers, to increase investment in sustainable farming and regenerative forestry, and more trees on farms through agroforestry.

"We also need cross-party acceptance that government has a role to play in shifting diets onto a more sustainable footing as highlighted in the National Food Strategy commissioned by the Government from Henry Dimbleby. This means less industrial meat and dairy, less ultra-processed foods, and more healthy plants foods and organic or pasture-fed meat.

"Importantly, this summit should become a regular event open to a broad range of interests and experts and the government must recognise that now, more than ever, food security and resilience must start with genuine support for UK farmers and growers."

NFU Mutual, Skyline Partners, Gallagher, and Markel pioneer new parametric insurance to protect dairy farmers from heat stress losses

NFU Mutual is helping dairy farmers adapt to climate change bytrialling a new type of insurance which pays out if increased hot weather causes heat stress.

The UK's leading rural insurer has partnered with parametric insurance specialist Skyline Partners, broker Gallagher, and insurance provider Markel to develop and pilot the new cover – the first of its type in the UK dairy sector – in May.

Research from NFU Mutual with dairy farmers has found that just over four in ten (41%) say that heat stress is a priority risk for their business whilst 70% are yet to take further steps to reduce the risk*.

Known as parametric insurance, this index-driven cover offers customers pre-determined pay outs based on a trigger event. Independent satellite and weather station data is recorded automatically. If limits are exceeded, the policy pays out at the end of the summer risk period, with farmers being able to use payments towards the cost of losses in production and improve their farm infrastructure to combat the effects of heat stress without the need to submit any claims evidence.

When temperature and humidity limits are triggered during the summer risk period, they are recorded to provide a calculated payment sent following the end of the policy term.

Farmers will be able to tailor their insurance to suit their farm business's risk appetite and budget, by selecting the total number of milking cows they wish to insure, with four coverage levels to choose from. The first dairy parametric cover

trial will be run this summer with selected customers in key dairy regions across the UK.

NFU Mutual has developed the dairy product with their collaborative partners Skyline and Markel, with a long-term view to investigate a range of ondemand parametric covers which would automatically compensate farmers in the agriculture and horticulture sectors for climaterelated losses.

Chris Walsh, Farm Specialist at NFU Mutual,explained that the new insurance had been developed in response to farmers growing concerns about the cost of heat-stress losses as farmers work to demonstrate ever higher levels of animal welfare on UK farms. The product also comes at a time when the industry is facing tight operating margins and falling milk prices.

"Heat stress in cows is becoming a major concern for many dairy farmers as summers get hotter," he said.

"To help our dairy farmers cope with this growing problem, we've talked to agricultural experts, dairies, farmers, and insurers across the world to develop an innovative product which operates simply and effectively. "Parametric insurance is already used to protect farmers' incomes in some countries, but this is the first time it has been developed to support the UK's dairy sector like this.

"We believe this type of cover may become increasingly important to protect other agricultural and horticultural sectors as the effects of climate change intensify, and we are working with farmers and growers to understand the need for a range of bespoke policies." To further assess the impacts of

heat stress NFU Mutual consulted with Dr Tom Chamberlain, a leading expert on the impacts of heat stress on UK dairy farmers.

Dr. Chamberlain's recent 2022 study, in conjunction with Lallemand Animal Nutrition, found that across the nine farms within the study group, heat stress led to an average loss of production ranging from £24,000 to £90,000 depending on herd size.

Laurent Sabatié, Skyline Partners Co-Founder and Executive Director, said:"We're excited to be working with leading rural insurer NFU Mutual to bring parametric insurance to the UK agricultural sector. Parametric insurance products such as this which we created for NFU Mutual, promise a radical change to the way businesses are insured."

Skyline Co-Founder and Executive Director Gethin Jones said:"Claims under traditional insurance policies require physical loss or damage to trigger a claim. But not all losses involve a fire, the death of an animal, or another physical loss. A heatwave can drastically reduce milk yields for example, and even put a farm's sustainability at risk over a long period. Parametric insurance can help protect farms from these climate-related losses with cover tailored to individual farm's needs and a simple, transparent pay-out mechanism."

Rob Wells, Head of Livestock at Markel's International division, said:"At Markel, we're always looking for new, smarter ways to support our customers and to trial promising new ideas that respond to changing needs. We are delighted to work with our partners, NFU Mutual, Skyline and Gallagher, on this initiative

and to support farmers' risk management in a way that traditional insurance products have not."

Working with Dr Tom Chamberlain, NFU Mutual is also sharing the followingdairy heat stress advice:

Short-term actions

• Providing suitable access to water troughs and pipes are in good working order, have no leaks, and that the flow rate to the troughs is sufficient.

• Identifying paddocks that have greater shade availability and utilising these on hot days.

• When buffer feeding adding suitable feed additives to ensure cattle are receiving peak nutrition to support rumen health function.

Medium-term actions

• Implementing 'Siesta' Management where appropriate – this technique involves cows grazing directly after milking and then being 'housed' at around 10am, with buffer feed available to them. Cows are then sent back out to graze after afternoon milking to graze until dusk.

• Installing greater numbers of water troughs in key locations so that cows are never more than 100m away from a clean water source.

• Adjusting milking times to coincide with the cooler periods of the day.

• Installing shade and fans in holding yards and cow sheds.

Long-term actions

• Reviewing breeding plans to focus on genetic strains that have greater heat tolerance levels.

Chris Walsh added:"Hopefully, with some or all these measures in place, it will help reduce the negative impacts that heat stress can have on a herd's productivity and general welfare.

"We want to support dairy farmers meet the ever-evolving challenges they face. This is why we're developing innovative forward-thinking products, utilising new technology and responding to climate challenges."

NFU Mutual's Heat Stress (Dairy Supply Chain) Insurance is being trialled from May 2023. As part of the new service customers will receive a tailored climate summary report for their operating area.

NFU report brings food, farming and hospitality sector together to speak as one voice

Building relationships between the hospitality sector and British farmers and growers can deliver benefits to businesses, customers, and food producers, according to a new NFU report.

‘Food, farming and hospitality: why the British story matters’, outlines how British sourcing can add value to hospitality businesses and why developing collaborative relationships with local producers will enable British food to be an integral part of out of home brands and the farm to fork story.

The NFU brought together industry leaders and operators for a roundtable discussion to launch the report and to hear how sustainability and “supporting local” holds a firm place in the public’s buying

choices. The discussion acknowledged the multiple benefits of purchasing British food and drink and working more closely with Britain’s farmers and growers.

NFU President Minette Batters said: “Whether it’s grabbing a bite to eat on the go, discussing business over lunch or celebrating an important event, eating out is central to everyday life, with iconic products and brands playing a huge role in keeping the nation fed.

“Hospitality in the UK is recognised as one of the finest in the world, but the sector, like British farming, has faced huge challenges over the past 18 months against a backdrop of record levels of inflation, coupled with the cost of living crisis, and coming just months after struggling through the pandemic which impacted so many

hospitality businesses.

“British farming, food and hospitality are intrinsically linked, and this report sets out our vision on how British food can add value to hospitality brands and why they should build the farming story into their business.

“Developing relationships between the out of home sector and British farmers and growers will create even more opportunities to serve up local food that is safe and fully traceable, providing the provenance the public increasingly appreciates – as well as helping to strengthen our domestic food security.

“The NFU will continue these conversations by holding further roundtable discussions in order to engage with all aspects of the UK’s diverse hospitality sector.”

Clarity for farm saved seed declarations T

he British Society of Plant Breeders (BSPB) has published payment rates for farmed saved seed and the latest list of eligible varieties, including advice on blends, cover crops and what farmers should do in the event of a failed crop. CEO Sam Brooke says: “2023 spring declarations are underway. Since the launch of our online returns site in 2021 we have seen an encouraging increase in online farm saved seed declarations. However, there is still some confusion around what to declare, so we wanted to clarify the requirements, especially the need for all protected varieties to be declared regardless of whether they are part of a blend, cover crop or failed crop.”

It is a requirement for all farm saved seed to be produced and sown on the same holding. This prohibits the sharing or sale of seed between growers. The declaration of any protected variety should be made when the seed is sown and the BSPB is keen to remind growers that yield, and whether the variety makes up part of a blend or cover crop, does not affect the need to make a declaration.

“Farm saved seed declarations apply to cover crops, volunteer crops, companion crops, whole crops and bi-crops, regardless of yield. In the case of a failed crop, such as OSR, the seed declaration is still required because payment is due on sowing not harvest. It is illegal to sell, buy, barter or share farm saved seed,” she adds.

Where a blend or cover crop that includes a protected variety is sown, the grower must declare the ratio of seed in the blend. This percentage can be used in conjunction with the seeding rate to calculate the payment needed for using the blend.

Growers are also advised not to save seed from hybrid varieties as this will lead to variable offspring, reduced yields, loss of agronomic characters and also goes against current legislation.

“It is important that growers remember that all blends, cover and volunteer crops could potentially have a variety that requires them to make a declaration. Saving seed from hybrid varieties is not advised and must be avoided to protect future yields. If there is any uncertainty the BSPB team is on hand to help and offer guidance on how to calculate and declare all varieties of farm saved seed,” she concludes.

TheUK’sNo.1LimingProduct

Silicon key to sugar beet aphid management A

2022 sugar beet trial carried out by an independent research body has shown plants treated with supplementary silicon are able to resist aphids more effectively than untreated plants. The trial also demonstrated a reduction in virus transmission and a decrease in the number of virus affected plants when Sirius, a silicon biostimulant, was applied in addition to common aphicides.

“The trial tank-mixed Sirius with two standard insecticides, Insyst applied at 0.25kg/ha and Teppeki applied at 0.14kg/ha. Both treatments showed a reduction in virus transmission when silicon was added to the tank. Following one application, both treatments also showed no, or very low numbers, of wingless green aphids per plot,” explains Orion FT Technical Manager Kate Williams.

Orion FT specialises in biostimulants and manufactures a range of silicon-based products that help to improve the natural defences of plants. The sugar

beet trial findings are reinforced by data from a previous trial which showed silicon accumulation in pea plants also reduced aphid feeding and lowered population numbers.

“Sugar beet plants, and many other crops, are essentially stronger when more silicon is accumulated. The increased levels of silicon also make the plant less attractive to pests, such as aphids, which reduces feeding and the likelihood of viruses being transmitted. Combining Sirius with aphicides in this way has provided the most encouraging sugar beet protection results to date,” she adds.

Silicon is applied as a foliar spray to sugar beet at growth stage 6-8 true leaves, and once

accumulated, acts to reduce the feeding time of predating pests such as aphids. This reduction in feeding time has been identified as an important factor in the reduction in virus transmission and has also led to healthier plants with an improved yield.

“It is clear that helping sugar beet plants to accumulate more silicon by applying Sirius will help to reduce the threat of pests and disease. The data we have gathered from multiple sources, field application, replicated plot trials and lab studies has demonstrated not only why a silicon treated crop is more resilient, but also how increasing silicon levels in the plant can have a positive impact on quality and yield,” she concludes.

UK leads the way on agricultural innovation at Washington D.C. Climate Summit

• UK attends Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate) Summit in Washington to share expertise and best practice on climate-resilient agriculture solutions.

• £3 million invested in the Global Fertiliser Challenge to fund new research to develop alternative fertilisers to boost sustainability and productivity.

• Over £168 million available to farmers in England this year to drive innovation, support food production and protect the environment.

• The Agriculture Breakthrough, launched by the UK during its COP26 presidency, continues to grow in momentum; Canada, Kenya and UAE announce participation, bringing total participating countries to 16.

The UK has reaffirmed its role as a global leader in food productivity, sustainable farming and tackling climate change at the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate) Summit including making a £3 million investment to develop more sustainable fertilisers.

Attending the summit in Washington D.C. Minister for Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan and Farming Minister Mark Spencer helped bring more than twenty countries together to further global progress on the Agriculture Breakthrough, a collaborative effort launched under the UK's COP26 Presidency, to accelerate the development and deployment of clean technologies and sustainable solutions in the agriculture sector.

As part of this, the UK

announced it will join the US-led Global Fertiliser Challenge, investing £3 million to develop, test and scale up new and alternative fertilisers that can enhance soil health, agricultural productivity, and the sustainability of agriculture globally.

In partnership with the US, the UK's investment will fund a new Efficient Fertiliser Consortium, led by the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, that will carry out research to advance efficient, environmentally beneficial and cost-effective fertilisers and management practices. This builds on a shared commitment to address food insecurity in low and middle income countries, and will go alongside the UK's efforts to support domestic farmers with rising input costs through bringing forward direct payments and providing one-off grants to enable farmers to reduce their fertiliser use and increase productivity.

Launched during the UK's Presidency of COP26, AIM for Climate seeks to increase investment in climate smart agricultural innovation, with this week's summit marking a key moment to raise ambition, build collaborations and share knowledge on climate-smart agriculture and food systems innovation in the lead-up to COP28.The Agriculture Breakthrough is a UK-led collaboration between governments to accelerate development and deployment of clean technologies and sustainable solutions in the agriculture sector. Its goal is "to make climate-resilient, sustainable agriculture the most attractive and widely adopted option for farmers everywhere by 2030". It is part of the Breakthrough Agenda – a UK COP Presidency initiative launched at the World Leaders Summit at COP26.

Farming Minister, Mark Spencer said:

"Innovation is key to unlocking a more sustainable, profitable future for our farming and agriculture sectors. It is vital we join together at the international table to share expertise and best practice, and fund new research to catalyse pioneering solutions that will support farmers around the world to meet the challenges of food security while delivering for our environment.

"Alongside today's £3m investment into the development of alternative fertilisers, we are investing hundreds of millions of pounds in ongoing support and one-off grants every year for UK farmers get the support they need to capitalise on cuttingedge technology and research that can increase productivity and help tackle climate change.

"We must continue to foster this innovation not only at home but around the world, and I encourage countries to get onboard as we work to generate a real breakthrough for the agrifood sector."

FCDO Minister for Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan said:

"Our global food systems are under increasing pressure, from the devastating impacts of climate change as well as from the turmoil created by Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine. We need collaboration, innovation and ambition to tackle these challenges, and today's AIM4C Summit and Agriculture Breakthrough Ministerial Meeting have demonstrated the possibilities – we now need investment in research and development, and a laser-like focus on deployment and delivery.

"That's why the UK is committing £3m to the Global

Fertiliser Challenge, to develop new, more efficient fertilisers to transform productivity and safeguard nature. With the US and FFAR, we will accelerate the pace and scale of agriculture innovation and the adoption of climate-resilient agriculture solutions."

The UK continues to invest in overcoming the global challenge of feeding the world's population whilst responding to climate change and biodiversity loss, including pest and disease threats. Its long-standing partnership with CGIAR, the world's leading agricultural science and innovation organisation, has already helped millions of farmers to increase the resilience of their crops to drought and disease and contributed to the food security of millions of people.

Meanwhile, at home, the UK has made more than £168 million in grants available to farmers this year to drive innovation, support food production, improve animal health and welfare and protect the environment.

This includes grants of £51 million for the Farming Innovation Programme in 2023, bringing together farmers, growers, businesses and researchers in research and development projects that seek to transform productivity, boost environmental sustainability and help meet net zero targets. Projects already benefitting from the Programme include a hands-free solution to monitor a cow's welfare and performance, data-sharing solutions for farmers to support each other in measuring and monitoring soil health patterns, and a working herd of harvesting agri-robots.

Running alongside this, the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) offers farmers specific equipment toboost environmental sustainability, improve animal

health and welfare, and reduce input use to cut emissions and waste. This includes £34 million in slurry storage grants to helpfarmers reduce their dependence on artificial fertilisers through better storage of organic nutrients whilst also improving water and air quality.

The UAE announced its participation in the Agriculture Breakthrough during the event, confirming the COP28 Presidency's commitment to the Breakthrough Agenda. Canada and Kenya also announced their participation, bringing the total number of countries participating in the international collaboration to sixteen.

Her Excellency Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, United Arab Emirates Minister of Climate Change and Environment said:

"I am delighted to announce the UAE joining the UK's Agriculture Breakthrough Initiative. This participation emphasises the UAE's dedication to transforming food systems and developing innovative approaches that support agricultural R&D and innovation efforts.

"Our mission is to set ambitious goals for the 2024 Agriculture Breakthrough Priority Actions that will be announced at COP28 in the UAE later this year. We recognise the critical role agricultural innovation plays in addressing climate change and are dedicated to promoting it at local, regional, and global levels."

The full list of participating countries is: Australia, Belgium, Cambodia, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Germany, Kenya, Ireland, Japan, Latvia, Morocco, Nigeria, Sweden, UAE and the UK.

Challenges and decisions for cereal growers ahead of key flag leaf spray applications

Corteva Agriscience is advising cereal growers to use the latest fungicide chemistry to help them navigate the complications they face ahead of flag leaf spray applications.

Sprays targeted at keeping septoria and rusts off the flag leaf typically start from the middle of May. But drilling date, variety choice, and weather conditions have all contributed to a huge divergence in growth stages and disease prevalence.

Corteva’s Field Technical Manager, Craig Chisholm, said: “Comparing crops across the country, we are seeing wheat which is only just having its T1 spray while other farms are preparing their T2 mixes.

“This will have been influenced by drill dates and varieties, but regardless of their growth stage crops generally look very good and have strong potential. The challenge will be getting T2 sprays on at the right time when there is not a great degree of uniformity.”

Spring spray days have been at a premium with catchy weather leaving many unable to travel at the optimum time in order to carry out weed and disease control.

Some T0 applications were abandoned altogether, while T1 sprays took place where weather windows presented themselves. Craig said this is being reflected in disease pressure which is building in line with May’s climbing temperatures.

“There is plenty of septoria in the

base of the crops in the trials we have been looking at and the warm, wet weather will contribute to infection further up the plant,” he said.

“Yellow rust has not been visible in many varieties until now – but is perhaps more evident in the south and west of England at the moment.”

Frontier’s Crop Production

Technical Lead, Paul Fogg, said: “Septoria has not reached epidemic levels, but there is certainly more present than we’ve seen for a long time, probably driven by early drilling and temperatures over the winter.

“But autumn crops are looking good. Those who managed to execute their programmes this spring are definitely in the driving seat.”

To help tackle the season’s challenges, Craig advises growers to use fungicide chemistry with both protectant and curative qualities.

He said: “Getting the timing of T2 sprays perfect is going to be a real challenge this year – it’s going to be easy to be a bit early or a bit late, so you need a fungicide that will stop disease taking hold, or act on any diseases that are present in the plant.

“Univoq has proven its ability to deliver curative and preventative persistence against yield-robbing diseases, perhaps most notably in 2021 when a wet spring created similar circumstances to what we are facing today.”

Predominantly used at the T2 fungicide timing – growth stage

39 – to elicit the greatest possible yield response, Univoq helps contain latent disease and protect the crop for the following four-tosix weeks.

at the T2 timing is 1.25l/ha, but rates can be adjusted up to 1.5l/ha or down to 1.1l/ha depending on variety and disease prevalence.

Paul added: “The season seems to be playing into the hands of the Inatreq molecule because of its disease control and longevity –it’s a long way to harvest so growers want something that’s going to stay the course.

“There will be decisions to be made around rates; 1.25l/ha is going to be a good starting point for many, but there are highpressure situations already, and for those whose crops aren’t ready for a flag leaf spray yet, there is still time for pressure to build in this wet and warm weather.”

A standard application of Univoq

Corteva advises that the 1.5l/ha rate should be targeted where disease pressure is already high, the T1 to T2 gap may have become extended, and where greater persistence of control is required because of ongoing rainfall causing frequent infection events.

Trials in 2021 indicated that, under these circumstances, increasing the rate from 1.25l/ha to 1.5l/ha gave a 0.15t/ha yield benefit worth £33/ha at current wheat values.

Corteva has urged growers to follow its best practice application advice when applying products containing Inatreq active.

ImpactPlus Bio-stimulant Coated Fertiliser

Enhanced nutrient use efficiency is crucial when choosing the correct fertiliser to maximise return on investment. Indigrow has produced the high quality ImpactPlus range, which combines a range of slow release nitrogen sources in well balanced NPK formulations. It has also been coated in our Asset Gold bio-stimulant to further optimise nutrient uptake from the fertiliser applications.

ImpactPlus and Asset Gold

Our Asset Gold coated fine turf fertilisers have a highly active bio-stimulant coating. They have been developed to promote healthy, strong turf, with the bio-stimulant coating further enhancing these benefits.

When stressed, plants naturally produce osmolytes to help combat

the environmental stresses. Production is favoured under water-deficit or salt stress as they provide stress tolerance to cells without interfering with cellular function. Asset Gold is one of a group of these osmolyte compounds and is extracted from a plant species which has naturally occurring high levels. Asset Gold helps overcome plant stress and aids recovery by:

• Plant available amino acid to boost turf health

• Anti-oxidants to reduce stress

• Enables energy conservation

• Trace elements spoon fed to maintain optimum nutrition

• Addresses "Law of the minimum"

Our bio-stimulant, Asset Gold, has been proven in independent trials to increase ground cover of newly sown seed, increase levels of growth and recovery and improve root density.

SURVEY REVEALS VARIETY DECISIONS

DRIVEN BY REGIONAL TRIALS INFORMATION

Arable farmers favour local variety trials over national demonstrations when making crucial decisions about what varieties to grow next season, a survey by plant breeders Limagrain UK reveals.

The online questionnaire shows the overwhelming majority (86%) regard the information they gain from regional variety demonstrations as being more relatable than from national events.

“This is mainly because local events offer the chance to see how new and existing varieties perform in local soils, climate, and disease situations,” comments Limagrain UK cereals and pulses product manager, Tom Barker.

“Indeed,43% of farmers responding to the survey have attended a regional event with variety trials in the past 12 months, compared with just 28% that have attended a national event, such as Cereals or Arable Scotland.”

“Around one quarter have taken part in an online trials webinar, such as those organised by AHDB, or NIAB TAG.”

“Three-quarters of growers are prepared to travel up to an hour or more to attend a regional variety trial, and alongside location and practical considerations, such as date and time, the quality of technical information on offer is a major factor influencing the decision to attend,” he says.

This shows growers value the opportunity to gather technical information on individual varieties, and how to grow them, he points out, although of

particular interest is the ability to compare treated and untreated plots to see first hand how varietal characteristics stand up to seasonal pressures.

Recognising the importance of local information when making variety choices, Limagrain UK hosts a series of events around the country every year.

This summer’s programme during June and July features five locations, from our milling wheat demonstration on the Essex coast near Maldon, up to the Perth winter wheat trials in central Scotland (see panel for details of all events).

“Other areas of interest include; late versus early drilling comparisons, different methods of establishment, alternative fungicide programmes, and trace element/ micronutrient work.”

As might be expected, winter wheat varieties are generally of most interest, followed by winter barley, spring barley, oilseed rape, then a host of other minor crops.

“It is also clear from the survey that, while growers take information from a range of sources when making variety decisions, including independent bodies, breeders, agronomists, and seed merchants, the vast majority (93%) would confidently select a variety based on what they had seen or learned at a variety trial,” says Mr Barker.

“We organised the survey to find out what growers want from trials events, and how we can tailor them to their needs in the future.”

“It shows that growers base their varietal decision making on what they see or learn at demonstrations and trials, with regional events once again proving their worth as a place growers can go to gain knowledge and understanding of varieties.”

Every demonstration will showcase a range of new and existing varieties, alongside five new candidate wheat varieties currently going through Recommended List approval. These include two potential biscuit wheats, LG Arkle and LG Grendel, and two hard feed wheats, LG Beowulf - the highest yielding feed wheat candidateand LG Redrum.

Limagrain UK’s Rothwell site will also feature the new winter barley Candidate LG Capitol, plus the highest yielding two-row feed, LG Caravelle, which joined the RL this year.

Survey summary

• Regional variety trials are more relatable than national events

• Good opportunity to see varieties in local conditions (soils, climate, disease pressure)

• Untreated and treated comparisons are of particular interest

• Trials events must offer good technical detail

• Observations from variety trials inform decisions for the following season.

Syngenta and Unium Bioscience to bring novel biological seed treatment to northwest Europe

Syngenta gains exclusive rights to NUELLO iN to improve nutrient use efficiency, increase crop yield and promote plant health

Syngenta Biologicals and Unium

Bioscience today announce a collaboration to bring breakthrough biological seed treatment solutions based on NUELLO® iN to farmers across northwest Europe.

NUELLO® iN naturally improves a plant’s ability to convert and use nitrogen readily available in the atmosphere and has the potential to reduce nitrogen use by more than 10 percent. This lowers the environmental impact of farming, while increasing crop yield, promoting plant and soil health, and offering farmers greater flexibility in their nitrogen management strategies.

Through this collaboration, Syngenta gains exclusive access to the product NUELLO® iN and becomes the exclusive commercial distributor across northwest Europe for Unium’s TIROS® biological seed treatment. The already established product combinations in the UK will continue and be

offered under the brand name NUELLO® iN.

The collaboration is an exciting first step toward seed-applied biofertilizers and strengthens Syngenta’s position in northwest Europe, where it is already actively bringing foliarapplied biofertilizers such as VIXERAN® to more markets this year.

“Syngenta is unlocking the future of farming by encouraging sustainable practices and helping growers reduce their carbon footprint while increasing yields,” said Jonathan Halstead, Head of North West Europe at Syngenta Crop Protection and Managing Director of Syngenta UK Ltd. “We are thrilled to announce this long-term partnership with Unium, leveraging the power oftheir innovation and bringing a unique, sustainable biological solution to growers across northwest Europe.”

“At a time when nitrogen use and sustainability are front of mind for growers, we are proud to give growers

more choice and more flexibility in their nitrogen management,” said John Haywood, Director at Unium. “Building upon Syngenta’s strong track record of partnership and investment in biologicals, this collaboration will offer a more efficient and sustainable way to grow healthy and productive crops.”

NUELLO® iN works by combining bacterial strains produced by Intrinsyx Bio with Unium’s prebiotic stimulant, and functions within the plant to convert freely available nitrogen from the surroundings into a form the crop can use.

Syngenta will be offering NUELLO®m iN in the coming months across the UK, with commercial distribution across Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands to follow in 2024.

Robust T2 can ease pressure on T3 top-up in high Septoria season

With relatively high Septoria pressure so far this spring, growers must think carefully about how to best manage the risks around flag leaf and ear emergence.

In contrast to previous dry springs, rainfall throughout March and April has been above average across much of the UK, resulting in high Septoria pressure, particularly in earliersown wheats.

If conditions remain favourable for disease development, Hutchinsons head of integrated crop management, David Howard, says a robust flag leaf fungicide will be vital to take the pressure off T3 sprays - a timing primarily aimed at managing ear diseases, although can top-up foliar protection.

It is, however, very tricky to fully control both ear and foliar diseases with the T3, as the optimum timings are slightly different, he says.

For managing ear diseases, such as fusarium, microdochium and sooty moulds, there is a narrow window of opportunity to treat crops, around full ear emergence, with flowering just beginning in the middle of the ear, (growth stage 63-65).

“Applying fungicides even just a few days beyond that, means you will start to lose control rapidly, although there will still be benefits to foliar protection.”

Whereas, if the priority is on protecting the top two leaves from foliar diseases, such as Septoria or rust, the optimum timing is slightly earlier (typically GS 59),

but this is too early for any significant effect on ear diseases, he advises.

“Using prothioconazole or tebuconazole in programme at this earlier timing has been shown to slow ear diseases, but it’s not effective enough.

“Growers therefore need to have applied a robust T2 to protect crops through to full ear emergence, reducing the need to get in early with a foliar top-up.”

T2 options

Generally, the strongest curative options at T2 are either fluxapyroxad + Mefentrifluconazole, or fenpicoxamid + prothioconazole, so Mr Howard says these will be go-to choices in anything other than a low risk situation. Both offer similar Septoria control, so deciding between the two may come down to other factors - e.g. Mefentrifluconazole is slightly better on brown rust, while fenpicoxamid has an edge

against yellow rust.

Including the multisite folpet can be worthwhile for extending Septoria protection in high pressure situations, and for resistance management, he adds.

Of the older chemistry, AHDB fungicide performance work shows a notable drop in the efficacy of some SDHIs that were once the mainstay of T2 programmes, so growers need to be aware of the changes when choosing products, especially if curativity is needed.

“There is still a place for products based on actives such as bixafen, Fluopyram + prothioconazole, or other bixafen, Fluopyram mixtures, which have shown higher activity than other SDHIs in our trials. But if Septoria pressure becomes significant, higher rates will be required.”

If rust is the focus, rather than curative Septoria control, many products, such as

benzovindiflupyr + prothioconazole, offer good efficacy and may deliver some Septoria protection too, he notes.

Ideally the T2 should be applied at GS 39, once flag leaves on main tillers are fully emerged, he notes.

T3 timing complication

Variations in ear emergence can complicate the optimum T3 fungicide timing , Mr Howard says.

“It’s very rare for all ears to emerge at the same time, and with warmer than average temperatures through last

autumn, into spring, some crops are racing through growth stages, so ear timing could be quite variable depending on variety, drilling date, and other factors.”

He goes on to reinforce the case for using a T3 fungicide, especially as recent years have shown that disease pressureSeptoria, yellow rust, or brown rust - towards the backend of the season is often much greater than expected.

“We must protect the main yieldbuilding leaves as long as possible beyond the main T1 and T2 fungicide timings, while safeguarding grain quality. Crops can be quite exposed if the weather changes rapidly at the end of the season.”

Fungicide options

Before applying T3s, growers should complete the AHDB mycotoxin risk assessment (https://ahdb.org.uk/mycotoxins), as there are legal limits for fusarium mycotoxins, deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZON), in wheat intended for human consumption,

and guidance limits for feed grain.

To manage fusarium (favoured by warm and wet conditions during flowering) and associated mycotoxins, Mr Howard says metconazole, prothioconazole, or tebuconazole, are all good options. AHDB research indicates combinations of prothioconazole and tebuconazole are more effective than single actives alone. For controlling microdochium (cool, wet conditions), prothioconazole is preferred.

“Use a good fungicide dose of at least 50% recommended rate,” he adds.

Including strobilurins, such as azoxystrobin or fluoxastrobin, can be beneficial in either situation, by giving good persistency, helping manage rusts, Septoria nodorum and sooty moulds, and delivering greening benefits.

“Improving green leaf area retention and reducing crop stress can lead to wider yield benefits from the T3, aside from disease control,” he notes.

David Howard

Biologicals help farmers to cut back on nitrogen

With the cost of crop nutrition still running high, and environmental pressures mounting, now is the time many farmers are turning to alternatives, and biologicals offer plant health benefits at a reasonable cost.

Application timing is critical to seeing these benefits and Cambridgeshire-based arable farmer, Russ McKenzie, says he has seen a .3 - .35 t/ha yield improvement on his winter wheat using Unium Biosciences’ TWOXO signalling compound.

“It may seem like a modest yield improvement, but we have trials to prove it and TWOXO gives a good bang for its buck. We use it growth stage 32 to boost N uptake in the wheat at a key time. It’s a no brainer product to build the foundations of a good yield,”

he explains.

Russ operates no till systems across the 140ha farm, based near Huntingdon. He’s reduced N applications and believes biologicals have helped to support this. “TWOXO is good at supporting what you’re doing and gets the plant working for itself.

“We’ve reduced N from the standard 200kg/ha to 180kg/ha and biologicals have helped us to trim it back,” he says.

Russ explains that he uses TWOXO on winter wheat that has good rooting and is looking healthy. “If you have a crop that’s struggling you might use a different product, but if you have good rooting, it pushes NUE in the plant,” he says.

John Haywood at Unium Biosciences has been working with Russ to trial a lot of its products and says TWOXO can be used between growth stage 30 – 37, and optimum timing is at stage 31 and 32. “TWOXO essentially supports nitrogen assimilation within the plant.

“It’s a signalling compound designed to enhance nitrogen use efficiency and carbon sequestration,” he says.

“There are two enzymes that play an important role in nitrogen metabolization, glutamine synthetase (70% in cereal crops) and asparagine synthetase (30% in cereal crops).

“TWOXO works 100% on the glutamine pathway and what scientists proved with over 30 years of research was the link between carbon and nitrogen metabolism in this pathway.

“The product has two modes of action, the first is when the plant photosynthesises and fixes carbon, the TWOXO signals to the plant to upregulate the N uptake to bond to the carbon. It can also upregulate photosynthesis to bond carbon to N.

“The carbon helps to keep the balance in the assimilation. We know that excess use of N causes lush floppy growth, making cells extend rather than divide, and carbon is central to optimising N use in the plant. Also, if excess N is exuded off the leaf it encourages pathogens and bugs,” he says.

“It’s not simply about cutting back N, it’s about managing it effectively,” says John.

Independent winter wheat trials from Nottingham University have shown that by using TWOXO in conjunction with the endophyte, Tiros, and a polymer, nitrogen use efficiency is boosted by 25%

in the plant.

on all yield components, including 14.08% protein compared with 12.81 on the control

And in 2021, results of field trials in Essex showed it was the highest performing biostimulant at T1 stage, resulting in a yield of 8.61t/ha - a 19% yield increase on the control.

“The 2-Oxoglutaramate (TWOXO) assimilates N and builds it into amino acids, and then when it’s assimilated in the biomass, in the next flag leaf, you must convert it to yield and that’s when you apply T6P,” says John.

Lincolnshire field trials run by Niall Atkinson on KWS Cochise spring wheat, showed a 4% yield increase, and higher performance

“The key is knowing what you’re trying to achieve. You need to understand that it’s used as part of a programme, and T6P helps to get the nutrition balance right and regulate carbohydrates in the plant,” adds John.

Pre-harvest preparation

WIlkinson Dynamic Balancing Ltd (WDB Ltd) share how regular maintenance of your rotating machinery can help prepare you for a successful harvest season.

With the harvest season just around the corner, it’s imperative that your rotating machinery is in optimum working condition to avoid any unaccounted-for downtime and jeopardise the hard work and investment put into growing your crops.

Flail rotors are subject to extreme operating conditions and unexpected debris can damage the

flails, bending them out of shape, as well as snapping and loosening lugs. This in turn can result in problems such as excessive vibration, failure of bearings and seals, premature wear and ultimately unsafe operation.

Carrying out pre-harvest inspections of your rotating equipment is therefore essential to allow time for necessary repairs and balancing to be factored in. When carrying out these checks, be sure to look at bearings, drive belts, pulleys and seals for any unusual noise, vibration or oil leaks and any sign of excessive wear. In addition to this, you should rotate freestanding, idle machinery at least once

for a successful season

a week to avoid brinelling (flat spot or indentation on bearings).

It’s not just flail rotors that require inspection for existing problems –ventilation and drying fans left dormant out of the harvest season can cause bearings to develop flat spots, resulting in vibration and bearing failure. To avoid

this, inspect the impellers for any damage to the blades and operate the fan unit to test for any unusual noise or vibration. Most repairs and balancing work on these fans can be done in-situ without incurring removal or dismantling costs.

A damaged rotor does not mean it’s ready for retirement – a detailed

inspection will determine the type of repair required to bring your equipment back to its optimum condition prior to harvest. Although new flails are not always necessary, if you renew flails on a regular basis, the balance, performance and lifespan of the flail rotor can be increased.

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Cereals agronomy exhibitors preview plots

ereals exhibitors gathered at the new Thoresby site on 20 April to view their crop plots and discuss plans for the event on 13-14 June.

With 6ha of plots growing a wide range of crops, there was plenty to see, and Jonathan Backhouse, arable project manager at Cereals, said they are growing well so far. “We had a kind autumn and good conditions for drilling. It was a kind winter up until the period after Christmas when we had some late frosts,” he said. “Recent rainfall has been welcome on the sandy land here.”

popular last year. New Recommended List spring wheat varieties Alicium and Harsum, and new RL spring malting barley variety, Curtis, will also be on display at KWS’s stand, said the firm’s technical specialist Olivia Potter.

“We had brilliant success last year at Cereals – it was the first time we were back after a break. It was really good for getting farmer contact and we are looking forward to that aspect this year.”

As well as cereals, there will also be trials of sugar beet, including Conviso Smart, treated and untreated for weed control, said Martin Brown, AgroServices manager at KWS. “We also have a virus yellows tolerant variety and a very exciting upcoming variety that’s tolerant to cercospora.”

breeding plots with new and established varieties including wheat Group ones Skyfall and Illustrious and Group four Bairstow, and new two-row winter barley, Orcade. There are also plots containing barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) resistant and tolerant varieties.

“It is nice to see what’s out there and meet the competition. Cereals is a great networking event.”

Farmers looking to get the most out of their fertiliser use have access to a new nitrogen efficiency optimiser, widely available across the UK and Ireland for the first time this year, said Alex Nichols, marketing manager at Corteva.

“BlueN is a biostimulant containing a naturally available bacteria that enables crops, including cereals, oilseed rape and maize to fix nitrogen from the air and make it available throughout the plant’s lifecycle. Farmers will be able to view crop plots treated with BlueN and talk to Corteva’s experts on the stand over both days.”

Mark Carter, co-owner at BioNature, is exhibiting at Cereals for the second time.

“Last year we had a real success and so much interest. This year we’ve raised our game and have trial plots of oilseed rape (OSR) and wheat,” he said.

“We are looking at where we use Delta – nitrogen in a special form which encourages rooting, tillering and stem strength. It is applied at T0, T1 and T2, saving extra passes. We can tell differences in evenness of wheat and branching of OSR already.”

KWS will showcase its ‘wheels’ of winter wheat, winter barley, spring wheat and spring barley at Cereals, a feature which proved

NIAB is demonstrating options to support more resilient future arable systems. Visitors can look at a diverse range of the UK’s under-utilised and novel crops that may become more popular over the next few years, said Stuart Knight, director of agronomy at NIAB.

“With five herbal grazing ley mixtures alongside buckwheat, quinoa, grain maize, durum wheat, hybrid rye and triticale, growers have the option to view the crops above and below ground in the 20m long NIAB Soil Hole,” said Mr Knight.

Lee Bennett, managing director at RAGT Seeds - a recent returner to Cereals - is looking forward to the event. “We have a bit of everything. We have

DSV is celebrating its 100th anniversary at Cereals and will be showcasing barley variety, Sensation, which is resistant to BYDV and barley mosaic virus types one and two.

Cereals is always a place where visitors can learn best practice and Cereals host Gregor Pierrepont, partner at Thoresby Farming and Estate, is also looking forward to the social element, where visitors can catch up with familiar faces.

“I’m incredibly honoured and excited to play a part in Cereals, which has been a key part of the farming calendar for decades.”

• The two-day event is being held at a new site this yearThoresby Estate in Nottinghamshire – on 13-14 June. www.cerealsevent. co.uk

SEE ONE OF THE UK'S FIRST LAND LEVELLING MACHINE AT CEREALS 2023

Visitors to this year's Cereals will be able to see an agricultural land forming and land levelling machine.

Mastenbroek, which has been manufacturing drainage trenchers since 1977, has invited agricultural drainage contractors, AMS Contracting, to join it on stand 518 at the Thoresby Estate event on 13thand 14thJune.

AMS Contracting is one of the first UK drainage contractors to have fitted the Trimble® FieldLevel II system and a TMX2050TM Display System to its tractor and scraper. The software, sold by Mastenbroek, generates cut-and-fill maps allowing farmland to be formed or levelled, which improves drainage and yields.

Land forming, which is commonplace in the United States and Europe, uses a GPS survey to identify uneven areas of a field. The survey data is used to scrape the soil from higher areas of the field into lower areas to produce an optimum surface. When

combined with a drainage scheme, the land becomes more productive, generating better yields for farmers.

"AMS Contracting are one of a handful of businesses in the UK using our machinery and Trimble's technology to undertake land forming and land levelling," says Christopher Pett, commercial director at Mastenbroek. "Ashley and Myles, who run AMS, are carving out a real niche and have helped several farmers improve the quality of their agricultural land and yields. We are delighted they have agreed to join us in the National Association of Agricultural Contractors' drainage hub at Cereals. We think their scraper will attract a lot of interest from farmers and other contractors keen to see how they add a new service to their business."

Established by Ashley and Myles

Strange in 2011, AMS

Contracting began life as a specialist big bale contractor but moved into agricultural drainage and land forming in 2017. Based in Chichester, AMS predominately works in the South

East of England.

"We've been very lucky so far, and lots of farmers have put their trust in us, and word of mouth from delighted clients has undoubtedly helped.

"I don't think people are aware of the benefits of land forming," says Myles. "We've seen land forming grow to be a third of our business, and turnover has risen by 30% as a result. We've been very lucky so far, and lots of farmers have put their trust in us, and word of mouth from delighted clients has undoubtedly helped.

"As well as arable farmers, we've also helped fresh fruit growers, creating fields that look like billiard tables! Land levelling can turn some of the least productive areas of land into the most productive."

For more information about the Trimble® FieldLevel II system and Mastenbroek, visit the team at Cereals or www.mastenbroek. com, and to find out more about AMS Contracting, look at www. amscontracting.co.uk

ALGIFOL TO DEBUT AT CEREALS 2023

isitors to this year's Cereals will be able to learn about the benefits of seaweedderived biostimulants as the UK distributor of Algifol makes its debut at the event.

MJP Supplies, which has been importing and marketing Algifol in the UK since 2005, will be on stand 856 at the Thorsesby Estate in Nottinghamshire on 13thand 14thJune.

Produced by NeoMed-Pharma in Germany, Algifol is derived from brown algae, which is dried and refined. The result is an entirely natural liquid boasting a wealth of trace elements, vitamins, enzymes, amino acids, carbohydrates, polyuronides and growth-regulating plant hormones.

As well as marketing Algifol, Marcus Palmer, owner of MJP Supplies, also farms260acres near Spalding and has used the biostimulant on wheat, sugar beet, peas and potatoes.

"We have seen first-hand the benefits Algifol can have on cereals," says Marcus. "It increases yield,

"Over the last couple of years, we have seen a significant increase in sales, especially from cereal growers, and we can now afford to take a stand at Cereals. Hopefully, visitors will be interested in finding out how Algifol can help them produce a better quality crop, reduce their fertiliser use and lower their carbon footprint."

One cereals grower who has used Algifol on their winter wheat and barley for the last five years is Ryan Wrisdale of the Louth Potato Company, who says: "We first used Algifol on our potato crop in 2018. This led us to use it on winter wheat as it was a drought year, and Algifol kept the plant feeding all the way through and kept it green for longer, which helped boost yields.

"I now apply Algifol to all my wheat

elements, which give the plants a boost. As we face extreme weather conditions more often, I have really noticed the benefit of using Aligfol, even at half a litre per hectare, every time I spray. Applying a little Algifol often is very beneficial as it really helps to keep the plants alive in hot weather."

As well as distributing Algifol, Marcus also represents Enduramaxx tanks and sells a wide variety of sprayers, pressure washers and protective clothing.

For more information about Algifol, visit mjpsupplies.co.uk, call 07702 293 727 or emailmarcus@mjpsupplies.co.ukor speak to Marcus at Cereals 2023.

Select the Best in Grain Drying

Ryan Wrisdale

Marcus Palmer

A British Manufacturer Supporting British Farmers

Why buy from a British manufacturer?

ecause we are only a few hours away, have cheaper transport costs, and, no potential delays bringing goods into the country, to name just a few of the benefits.

B

Why buy from Perrys?

Plus, we answer the phone even out of hours, we design, manufacture and support our branded equipment from our factory in Devon so everything is right here in Britain including a warehouse of spare parts.

We’ve been in the agricultural materials handling, drying and storage industry for over 75 years now and we value that heritage. Whether you want a single conveyor to replace the one that just about limped through last year’s harvest, or you want to put a new grain store on a greenfield site we can do it all, and, will happily work with your chosen dealer.

After-sales support is just as important

We work incredibly hard to support our customers after the sale as much as we do beforehand too. We have a 7 person strong technical support team with ~130 years experience in the trade between them. The phone line is manned evenings and weekends during harvest when you need us most.

Our product ranges

We offer a very broad range of conveyors and elevators including chain & flight, curved combination, screw conveyors, belt & bucket elevators, all in agricultural and industrial capacities, plus 3 ranges of grain driers including a mobile batch drier as well as our continuous flow models.

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Most companies like Perrys outsource key parts of the manufacturing process which gives them significantly less control over timescales and costs. Perrys do everything in-house including all design work, CNC laser punching, CNC plasma cutting, CNC machining, fabrication, PLC programming, the list goes on. The only elements we sub-contract are hot-dip galvanising and plating as they are very specialised and bringing them in-house would massively increase the cost to our customers.

So what I hear you say, well, keeping it in-house means we can tweak designs, respond quickly to manufacture parts for urgent breakdowns, answer queries when you phone in because we know the products inside & out unlike other suppliers who need to put calls in to their manufacturers, accommodate the need for bespoke designs, easily develop new products as we see a need for them, change priorities if required, and so on. That’s why it matters.

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Low-cost solution to keep your crop in tip top condition during storage on show at Cereals 2023 – BDC Systems Stand 534

With an eye on the financial pressures farmers are facing, and to ensure grain is stored at the right temperature keeping it in tip-top condition to achieve the best possible price, BDC Systems Ltd has developed its Ventilation Pyramid, a lowcost solution for low volume

ventilation of floor stored grain. Depending on grain depth and spacing a Ventilation Pyramid, designed to blow air up through grain via a fan located outside of the building, delivers maximum cooling and optimum air distribution, providing ventilation for up to 400t per unit.

With an open lateral design

resulting in low air resistance leading to greater efficiency, the Ventilation Pyramid also has excellent stability due it its lowprofile outline.

The Ventilation Pyramid uses a standard drainage pipe under concrete to connect to the fan and has an optional galvanised sump chamber with various spigot sizes. Its manhole assembly gives a level finish when not in use.

“Blowing air up through grain is preferable to sucking air down as it improves air distribution, any potential problems rise to the surface, fan heating reduces the relative humidity of blown air, warm damp air is flushed from the building and cooling can start as soon as the Ventilation Pyramids are covered,” explained Andrew Head, BDC Systems’ sales director.

It is handy to keep the following target grain storage temperatures in mind:

• Within two weeks of harvest – below 15oC

• Within three to four months of harvest – below 12oC

• End of December – below 5oC

BDC Systems’ team will be available to talk through its extensive range of grain drying, cleaning, storage, handling, ventilation, milling and mixing equipment at Cereals on Stand 534.

“Each of our projects are designed and installed to meet customers’ exact grain processing requirements for today, and crucially those of the future,” concluded Head.

Cereals will showcase connected Fendt fleet

Fendt will focus on new technology and new models at Cereals on June 13th and 14th to demonstrate how its machines provide operators with a data driven advantage. It will also be the first time for an arable audience to see the new 700 Vario Gen 7 tractor which was launched earlier this year.

The 700 series Vario will be accompanied by models either side of the horsepower range, with the latest Gen 3 500 series and Gen 7 900 series also featuring on the stand. Fendt’s Richard Miller commented:

“This will be an excellent opportunity for customers old and new to see the latest tractors. The Fendt stand will also include the latest Rogator 600 MY23 self-propelled sprayer, the IDEAL combine, and the innovative Cargo T740 with its elevating cab.”

Connecting all the latest Fendt machinery is the FendtONE onboard/ offboard operating concept. The, now familiar, Fendt cab

uses the operating system to make data collected by machines easier to share, both between Fendt machines and with farm management systems.

“FendtONE facilitates data driven farming to offer operators and farm managers the ability to optimise machinery and operator hours, by programming tractors, sprayers and combines to share data,” he adds.

In the cab, FendtONE sees three terminals available in every Fendt tractor whilst software on a desktop or mobile device interprets data from tractors in the fleet in real time. This can help to reduce fuel usage and downtime whilst improving the productivity of the tractors and other machinery.

“Data is driving arable farming to be more automated, efficient, and productive. Fendt has met the challenges of arable farming head on by providing the most efficient machines with technology that can harness and take advantage of data,” concludes Mr Miller.

New Case IH flagship Optum revealed at Cereals Event 2023

he first European preview of the new flagship Optum 340 CVXDrive tractor will take place at Cereals Event 2023, as Case IH returns as an exhibitor.

Case IH has added a new flagship model to its Optum range, with the first European public display of the machine taking place on the Case IH stand at Cereals Event 2023. The Optum 340 CVXDrive extends this range of high power-to-weight ratio, versatile and highly productive tractors,

supplementing the existing 300hp and 270hp Optum CVXDrive models.

Designed to meet the requirements of large farming and agricultural contracting businesses, the new Optum 340 CVXDrive is our top model and most powerful in the Optum AFS ConnectTM range, delivering up to 340hp with an upgraded CVXDrive transmission and the unique AFS Connect™ Advanced telematics portal which enables remote monitoring and management of farm, fleet, and data. It also boasts a

spacious, quiet (66dBA) and excellent all-round visibility cab delivering the highest levels of comfort and performance.

The Optum 340 CVXDrive will be showcased on the new Case IH exhibition stand at Cereals Event alongside the new Puma 260 CVXDrive and new Quadtrac 620 AFS Connect™. The Case IH team will also be on hand at the Bednar demonstration area behind the stand, where Case IH tractors will be pulling a range of Bednar cultivation implements.

John Deere set to showcase breakthrough innovations at Cereals 2023

Visitors to the John Deere stand at Cereals 2023 can look forward to surveying all the company’s recent breakthrough technological innovations in arable machinery first-hand.

Centre stage will be its most recent major developments, including Deere’s HarvestLab 3000, which is now available on S-Series and T-Series combines.

It has expanded the use of near-infrared sensor to allow combinable crop farmers to measure important quality parameters in wheat, barley

and oilseed rape continuously, and in real time.

The technology also gives farmers a granular view of field performance, laying the foundations for decisions on inputs for the following season.

“This up-to-the-second analysis delivers numerous benefits, including being able to know for certain whether wheat has met milling quality specifications, the grain quality at an individual point of a field, and gaining an overall picture of which soils have converted nutrients into yield and protein,” says Chris Wiltshire, John Deere’s Tactical

Marketing Manager.

“This greater level of detail and analysis is all part of the progression to site-specific farming; targeting inputs where they are needed, reducing unnecessary expenditure, and paving the way for a more productive and profitable future.”

Visitors to Cereals will also be able to see the 8R 410 tractor with stepless eAutoPowr transmission – the first 400hp machine to gain the revolutionary gearbox – and the ability to offboard power to trailed implements.

Chris said: “eAutoPowr is the

world’s first electric infinitely variable transmission with electro-mechanical power split.

“We’ve completely replaced the hydraulic components with an electric power path. Two brushless electric motors are virtually wear-free and powertrain durability exceeds any other concepts previously offered in the industry. Moreover, this simplifies the design of the transmission and allows real time remote technical diagnosis.”

Over the two days, John Deere will also be taking part in the Sprays and Sprayers Arena demonstrating the R975i, the biggest trailed model the company has ever produced.

“With boom widths of 24-40m and a 7,500-litre capacity, we’ll be on hand to share how

our newest sprayer brings higher accuracy, reduced chemical use and more comfort when filling and operating,” Chris added.

Over the past 12 months, John Deere’s new 6R Series tractors have been arriving on farms in the UK and Ireland, and visitors will be able to see first-hand how one of the most popular models have evolved. The four most recent additions to the range include the fourcylinder 6R 150 – aimed particularly at mixed farms –and the six-cylinder 6R 185, a specialist transport tractor for farmers and contractors who spend more time on the road.

“We will also bring our flagship X9 combine, for those farmers looking to achieve the next level in harvesting performance,” Chris said.

“These machines help largescale farmers harvest more tonnes per hour and cover more hectares per day, even in tough conditions.”

John Deere’s 750A All-Till drill will be demonstrated in the Drilling Arena.

Available in 3, 4 and 6m widths, the 750A is a versatile tool designed with large clearances for no-till drilling into stubble, working after minimum or conventional cultivations, and single pass operation for grassland and rough pasture renovation.

Fitted with the Accord air seeding system, operators will need a minimum of 80 to 140hp and can expect to cover 6ha/hr, depending on conditions, at seeding depths from 13 to 90mm.

KUHN machines on show at Cereals 2023

KUHN Farm

Machinery has chosen Cereals to display two Aero machines, the 32.1 and GT 60.1 alongside the 12 metre Optimer L12000 disc cultivator and MultiLeader XT plough. The LEXIS 3000 trailed sprayer will also be on show in the demonstration arena.

seedbed preparation.

Two rows of 510mm diameter discs operate with high rotation speeds and are set at 16˚ horizontal and 6˚ vertical for optimum tilth creation. Discs are available with small notches (for shallow cultivation) or large notches (for deeper soil penetration) and are mounted individually on support arms with each having four integral

underframe clearance of 55cm –ensures clear flow of residues through the machine and prevents disruptions due to jamming.

Working depth on the Optimer L is hydraulically assisted, allowing simple and accurate adjustments to be made. This is maintained across the full width of the machine through hydraulically controlled pressure on the extension cylinders (KUHN’s Steady Control system).

The Optimer L is fitted with KUHN’s Double-U selfcleaning and anti-clogging roller, designed to provide optimum soil tamping. By turning on the roller at the headlands, the machine maintains stability and minimises any risk of soil compaction in these areas.

“This year we are hoping to show Cereals visitors the strength in depth KUHN has in the arable sector. In addition to the cultivation machinery, we will also have a range of drills, a Striger 600R strip till machine, and a selection of balers,” says KUHN’s Edd Fanshawe.

OPTIMER L12000

The Optimer L is designed for high quality shallow cultivation at operating speeds of 13 to 18km/hour. With a working depth range from 3 to 10cm, it is sufficiently versatile to fulfil a range of roles including enhanced crop residue management, stale seedbed creation and fine

polyurethane elastomeric blocks to provide protection and depth control. Each disc has a single maintenance-free bearing on the outer side, which – along with an

Folding through a safe and secure four step process, activated by a mode switch on the control panel, allows a compact transport position (3m width, 4m height). This control panel also includes an operating depth indicator and an extension position guide.

KUHN AERO GT BOOM SPREADER

The Aero GT 60.1 is a trailed pneumatic boom spreader available with working widths up to 36 metres.

The Aero GT optimises application rates with a bigger air intake and larger capacity pipes. For example, when spreading urea to 36 metres, application rates of up to 250kg/ha are possible for the Aero GT when travelling at 15kph.

The Aero GT metering system incorporates six individual units that can be shut off independently when using automatic section control (KUHN MULTIRATE 6). When used in combination with a variable rate map, each individual unit can also apply a different fertiliser rate. The possibility of applying a different application rate every six metres across the width of the machine is ideally suited to those farmers who are looking to maximise the control of their inputs.

The Aero GT can be controlled by the CCI 800 or CCI 1200, or

the tractor’s own ISOBUS terminal.

Other features include improved kinematics, with calibration being significantly simpler for the operator. In addition, the fan units are fitted with maintenance-free bearings and the material thickness has been increased on the wearing elements, to provide durability, and reducing running costs.

KUHN LEXIS 3000

The LEXIS 3000 is an entry level trailed sprayer that is a lower cost, simpler machine, but one which still offers the same efficiency and ease of use as KUHN’s high end models such as the METRIS.

The LEXIS features a 3,000 litre polyethylene tank and a 320 litre rinsing tank, and is available with MTS2, MEA2 and RHPA folding steel or aluminium booms ranging from 18 to 28 metres in width. TRAPEZIA or EQUILIBRA suspension systems maintain a stable spraying height on rough

terrain while an independent antiwhiplash system protects the boom from damage during sudden braking and acceleration.

The LEXIS features KUHN’s DILUSET+ valve system which uses a ‘steering wheel’ type valve to control the machine’s main spraying and flushing circuits and requires 30-50% fewer valve operations compared to many competitor machines. A centralised maintenance area provides easy access to key filling, suction and bowl filters as well as the spraying pump for easier and quicker machine maintenance.

The LEXIS 3000 has a hitch to axle length of 4.05m and an overall width of 2.23m. When fitted with standard 9.5 x 48 tyres (other tyre sizes are available) the sprayer has a transport height of 3.10m (21m boom) or 3.70m (28m boom). The 24m model has an unladen weight of 2,057kg.

Three-in-one cultivator goes under the radar

OPICO will launch a new version of its HE-VA Combi-Disc at the Cereals Event in June.

The ‘Stealth’ variant of the everpopular combination cultivator gains ultra-low disturbance legs and a choice of different points depending on the level of subsurface action required.

conditions require it, the discs can be lifted completely out of work, enabling the unit to be used as a straightforward subsoil loosener/pan-buster.

Likewise, with the legs lifted out of contention, the machine can be put to work as a straightforward shallow disc cultivator.

that requirement. The basic principle is medium-depth, low disturbance soil loosening combined with shallow surface cultivation. I believe that now makes the Combi-Disc one of the most adaptable tillage tools on the market.”

The 15mm wide Stealthlow disturbance legandlow disturbancepoint are the product of many years of development. Whilst large numbers of growers are now moving towards reduced tillage systems they appreciate that drainage is key to crop development, allowing timely field operations and preventing the relentless progress of grass weeds such as blackgrass. The Stealth leg and point that HE-VA has developed allows deep soil loosening whilst minimising surface disturbance and preventing mixing of the soil profile.

Now available in working widths from 2.45m to 5.25m in both mounted and trailed formats, the Combi-Disc employs two leading rows of soil-loosening legs followed by two rows of serrated Sabre discs to provide a surface chopping and mixing effect. This is all followed up with a V-profile roller to produce a corrugated, weather-proof finish.

It is this combination of soilengaging elements that makes the Combi-Disc such an adaptable tool. In normal circumstances the tines, discs and press are used in partnership to turn previously uncultivated ground into a seedbed in one pass. When

The addition of new ‘Stealth’ soilloosening legs add further to the Combi-Disc’s versatility, making it a true low disturbance subsoiler with the added ability of being able to provide some surface tilth creation at the same time.

“With the increased focus on regenerative practices, we’re seeing a need for cultivation kit that can reduce soil disturbance but still deal with compacted layers in the soil profile to ensure decent drainage and rooting to maximise crop potential,” explains OPICO’s HE-VA product manager Glenn Bootman.

“With this new leg option for the Combi-Disc we are answering

The narrower legs are made from ultra-strong Hardox steel and can be interchanged with standard 25mm wide subsoiler legs as necessary. However, it is the point that really makes the difference. The Stealth standard 120mm low disturbance point has a shallower wing angle and shorter nose that has been designed to open up the soil to create drainage fissuring without mixing the whole soil profile.

Those wanting increased soil loosening across a wider profile can opt for a wider 200mm point. Both widths are available with and without long-life tungsten facing.

Fantastic demos and cuttingedge machinery at Cereals Event

Hosted on a working farm, Cereals offers live demonstrations across a wide range of manufacturers and machinery types. Arable farmers will be able to see the latest innovation, new product ranges and precision technology solutions for their systems.

In the Syngenta Sprays & Sprayers Arena, visitors can discover how to improve efficiency, deliver accuracy and lower costs, with a full schedule of sprayer demonstrations.

The latest sprayers will be put through their paces including airassisted, skid unit, self-propelled, trailed and mounted sprayers.Market-leading companieswill presentthelatest innovation and application technology on offer.

Farm Sprayer Operator of the Year (FSOOTY) award nominees and winners will be announced at midday on the first day at the Stories Stage, when visitors can also learn about Syngenta’s 3D Ninety nozzle, and Easyconnect closed transfer system.

Celebrating its 40th anniversary, Amazone is exhibiting its machinery development over the past 40 years, along with an open-house seminar programme starting each day at 11am. Speakers will cover the latest thinking behind crop establishment and crop care demands.

The company is demonstrating its new UX7601 long-bodied trailed sprayer with 8,000-litre capacity and the latest 36m boom in the Sprays & Sprayers Arena, along with the Pantera self-propelled sprayer and UF02 mounted with a front tank.

“We are hoping for a good event. It’s on our doorstep – only about 10 miles from our Doncaster base,” says managing director Simon Brown.

The company is also active in the Drill Demo Arena, showing its Primera 3000 C direct tine drill. “Each chisel opener can follow contours over a huge variation in topography, with the impact angle of the chisel point pulling the coulter down to the set placement depth,”

he says.

Kuhn Farm Machinery is exhibiting two Aero machines, the 32.1 and GT 60.1, alongside the 12m Optimer L12000 disc cultivator and Multi-Leader XT plough. The LEXIS 3000 trailed sprayer will also be on show in the Sprays & Sprayers Arena, says Kuhn’s product marketing specialist, Edd Fanshawe.

“This year we are hoping to show Cereals visitors the strength and depth Kuhn has in the arable sector. In addition to the cultivation machinery, we will also have a range of drills, a Striger 600R strip till machine, and a selection of balers.” European market leader in direct strip seeding technology with its Opti-Till system, Claydon will demonstrate the latest Evolution mounted drill and straw harrow at Cereals. It will also exhibit a 4.8m Evolution drill, 4.8m TerraBlade inter-row hoe and 6m TerraStar light rotary cultivator.

The Evolution line-up, which includes a 5m unit and 4m rigid grain/fertiliser model, incorporates new features to improve operational functionality. Seeding depth adjustment is now controlled hydraulically. Improved access to the metering unit allows easier calibration, while front-mounted discs, operated hydraulically from the tractor seat, can be specified for seeding into high residue situations.

Meanwhile OPICO is launching a new version of its HE-VA CombiDisc. The ‘Stealth’ variant of the ever-popular combination cultivator gains ultra-low disturbance legs and a choice of different points, depending on how much subsurface action is needed.

Now available in working widths from 2.45m to 5.25m in both mounted and trailed formats, the Combi-Disc employs two leading rows of soil-loosening legs, followed by two rows of serrated Sabre discs, to provide a surface chopping and mixing effect. This is all followed up with a V-profile roller to produce a corrugated, weather-proof finish.

“With the increased focus on

regenerative practices, we’re seeing a need for cultivation kit that can reduce soil disturbance but still deal with compacted layers in the soil profile. This ensures decent drainage and rooting to maximise crop potential,” explains OPICO’s HE-VA product manager Glenn Bootman. “With this new leg option for the Combi-Disc we are answering that requirement.”

Robotics

Autonomous Agri Solutions is demonstrating its Robotti machine, manufactured by Agrointelli, says managing director Thomas Beach. “Visitors will be able to see it working with no driver. Exhibiting at Cereals gives us the opportunity to understand farmers’ challenges and requirements, which is helping us to build up our services.”

Agxeed AgBots will be demoing throughout both days of the event so visitors can see what the latest technology looks like in action. The AgBot 5.115T2 is ready for hours of high-capacity work on broadacre arable land. It has soil-preserving crawler tracks and adjustable track width from 1.9m to 3.2m.

As well as in-row and inter-row weeding demos throughout both days, Garford, which manufactures a range of robotic mechanical weed control products, will be displaying:

• 6m tine raiser inter-row hoe

• Side shift unit

• In-row demonstration machine

• Wheel units showing different shares offered and hooded sprayer hoods and nozzles

• New options: Dual Wheel, Precision Side Disc (200mm), Rotary Tine Weeder, Crumble Roller plus Dual eRotor for Robocrop InRow.

Tractors

The new T7.300 long-wheelbase with PLM Intelligence will be part of New Holland’s Cereals line-up. It delivers more power and best-inclass power-to-weight ratio while maintaining the dimensions and manoeuvrability of other T7 models.

With the drive to a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly future, New Holland is exhibiting the UKbuilt and first of its kind T6.180 Methane tractor, winner of the 2022 Sustainable Tractor of the Year Award. The tractor is powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) which allows users to make use of biomethane stations. Alternatively, refilling can be performed directly from the gas grid network with an installed compressor.

CNH Industrial strategic partner Bennamann will also be joining the New Holland team at Cereals. Bennamann has expertise in solutions to capture, repurpose and store fugitive methane emissions from slurry lagoons for energy use. New Holland and Bennamann’s Energy Independent Net Zero Farming Circular Solution recently won at the 2023 AD and Biogas

Industry Awards at the World Biogas Expo in Birmingham.

Fendt is showcasing its new 700 Vario Gen 7 tractor, which was launched earlier this year. The 700 series Vario will be accompanied by models either side of the horsepower range, with the latest Gen 3 500 series and Gen 7 900 series also featuring on the stand, says Richard Miller, product manager at Fendt. “This will be an excellent opportunity for customers old and new to see the latest tractors. The Fendt stand will also include the latest Rogator 600 MY23 self-propelled sprayer, the IDEAL combine, and the innovative Cargo T740 with its elevating cab.”

Connecting all the latest Fendt machinery is the FendtONE onboard/offboard operating concept. “FendtONE facilitates data-driven farming, to offer operators and farm managers the ability to optimise machinery and operator hours, by programming tractors, sprayers and combines to share data,” adds Mr Miller.

“Data is driving arable farming to be more automated, efficient, and productive. Fendt has met the

challenges head-on by providing efficient machines with technology that can harness and take advantage of data.”

Off-road

The Isuzu Offroad Driving Experienceoffers visitors the chance to get behind the wheel of a new machine on an offroad course. With a qualified instructor in the passenger seat, drivers will get to experience the vehicle at different speeds and in a variety of conditions, as well as testing various features including the hill descent control. There will also be a towing area, so visitors can put the Isuzu DMax to the test.

To take part in the Isuzu Driving Course, visitors simply need to present a valid driving licence on the day.

This year’s Cereals offers an unrivalled opportunity for visitors to see all the latest machinery and vehicles in action, says event organiser Alli McEntyre. “Don’t miss this chance to see how machinery performs in the field, get close to it and assess how it might fit into your business.”

Aberdeen Grain choose McArthur Agriculture to upgrade its malting barley cleaning capacity, improve operational efficiencies and meet increasingly demanding customer specifications

McArthur Agriculture has worked with Aberdeen Grain, located at Whiterashes, Aberdeenshire, to design and install an upgraded system of the farmer-owned grain co-operative’s malting barley cleaning capability. The upgrade project is well under way and will be commissioned in time for harvest 2023.

“We wanted to improve our operations by having the capability to not only dry and clean but to also fine grade the malting barley before it goes into store,” explained Kate Blues, General Manager at Aberdeen Grain.

“Currently, malting barley comes into the plant via a wet grain storage hopper and passes through our existing rotary cleaner to be precleaned, before being dried and transported to storage bays. Once harvest is over the barley is then transported, which means costly and resource heavy double handling, back to our cleaner to be fine cleaned,” continued Blues.

The upgraded system with two JK Machinery VibroMAX 10413 vibratory sieve cleaners with JAA 10 fully adjustable air leg separators on the outlets at its core, will allow malting barley to be dried, cleaned and fine graded before going into storage, without the need for double

handling. McArthur Agriculture recommended and will supply the VibroMAX cleaners.

“By installing the VibroMAX cleaners we will significantly increase the level of Aberdeen Grain’s dressing capacity,” explained Blues. “Additionally, by eliminating the need for double

The VibroMAX has the capability to improve the fine cleaning and grading by removing small impurities and undersized grains to meet the exacting and ever tighter specifications of Aberdeen Grain’s customers, before being transported to storage bays where it will stay until it is sold. The compact design of the VibroMAX has meant that both cleaners can easily be accommodated within the plant’s existing building.

To further maximise and future-proof the capability of the upgrade project, McArthur Agriculture advised Aberdeen Grain to install Skandia Elevator’s nextgeneration H-Line grain handling equipment. The H-Line conveyors and elevators have been designed for commercial grain storage operations as well as for larger farming enterprises.

handling after harvest, we will improve the throughput of grain across our site.”

The existing rotary grain cleaner will be retained to pre-clean the malting barley before it is dried. Instead of going into store directly from the drier the grain, once dried, will pass through the VibroMAX.

“We were very impressed with how McArthur Agriculture approached this project. Scott McArthur spent time with our lab manager to really understand what we required to continue to deliver the highest grade of barley for malting,” added Blues. “It was clear that time had been spent on researching the right cleaners and grain handling equipment to deliver the upgrade we need. Installation is on target to be fully operational in time for harvest 2023.”

Are farmers missing a potential new revenue opportunity around this year’s harvest?

If you are a UK farmer, who is already farming in an environmentally friendly way by moving away from heavy cultivation to regenerative farming practices like reduced-till or no-till, then you may very well be missing out on a new revenue stream.

But, it’s not too late.

“There is still time for farmers, who have taken the first steps in the transition to regenerative agriculture, to be financially rewarded for harvest 2023,” said Thomas Gent, Agreena’s UK Market Lead.

With the BPS being phased out, uncertainty around the ELM schemes, rising energy costs plus an unsettled economic climate, few farmers will want to miss out on an opportunity to drive up the bottom line.

“Farmers who are already deploying regenerative farming practices, turning soil into carbon sinks, are able to access a new revenue stream from carbon farming and the sale of carbon certificates, at the same time as improving the economic and sustainability of their farm businesses,” continued Gent.

Agreena has quickly become the UK’s ‘go-to’ carbon farming company, largely due to its farmer-first approach, its ability to make the farmer’s journey from signing-up to its soil carbon programme, AgreenaCarbon, to the issue of carbon certificates as easy and as intuitive as possible.

“In fact, farmers can simply send the form they have just

completed for their BPS application to Agreena and one of our team will be able to estimate the potential revenue achievable from the sale of carbon certificates following harvest 2023,” explained Gent.

Once farmers understand the revenue that could be available from joining the AgreenaCarbon programme, the deadline for harvest ’23 is 30 June, they need to enrol without delay.

Although enrolment does not take long, there are processes and steps which Agreena has to carry out to ensure that farmers will be able to reap the benefit of

carbon removed and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and the team issues the verified carbon certificates - one certificate is equivalent to one tonne of CO2 emissions.

On average one hectare can generate between one and two carbon certificates and the current value of a certificate is £25-50.

Once issued, farmers can choose to keep their carbon certificates, sell them, or alternatively ask Agreena to sell them to verified companies on their behalf based on current market demand and prices.

There has been a lot of noise around carbon farming and the carbon market, and it is important to understand that Agreena has a proven record in working closely with partner farmers across 16+ European markets.

carbon certificates from this year’s harvest.

“The enrolment process consists of choosing which fields are to be included in the AgreenaCarbon programme, and entering the relevant field data such as field location, size, fertiliser and cover crop usage, etc.

“After harvest farmers log into the AgreenaCarbon platform and report their actual field data around the date they have provided,” said Gent.

Agreena’s internationally accredited and third-party programme then quantifies the

AgeenaCarbon is the leading soil carbon platform and is supporting not only farmers, but companies and governments, on the road to net zero.

“Farmers who have already started the transition to regenerative farming should not miss out on being financially rewarded for their efforts,” said Gent. “Send Agreena your completed BPS application forms and see the potential revenue available from joining AgreenaCarbon.”

Farmers wanting to learn more about AgreenaCarbon should visit agreena.com or email thomas.gent@agreena.com for more information.

Make it British S

ince Prehistoric times man has clothed himself in wool from sheep and throughout the ages it’s been proven time and time again just how wondrous it truly is.

Sheep wool is the most common animal fibre used in the fashion and textile industry. With its ability to thermo-regulate whilst being natural, resilient, fire retardant and completely breathable, it’s no wonder why more brands are sourcing materials that have better environmental and social outcomes than their conventional alternatives. We believe that through regenerative land management systems, the climate impact of wool can be reduced, and these farming systems can improve biodiversity, water, and soil health while respecting the welfare of animals and people.

The textile industry has been targeted for ‘Greenwashing’ which essentially means it falls into the space between labelling something as good for the environment, and it ‘actually’ being good for the environment.

The way we consider our consumption habits is entirely changing due to the world facing an undoubtable climate crisis. The products we purchase and the services we rely on have almost all had their effect on the environment, so it only makes sense that climateaction-chic is the new generational trend.

After celebrating the Coronation of King Charles III, ‘Gather’ is such an exemplary business that encompasses all the aims and objectives set out

by The Campaign for Wool which was launched in 2010 to educate consumers about the benefits of wool and help to support and grow the wool industry. This campaign was convened by his Majesty King Charles III, when he was Prince of Wales, the Campaign works to engage consumers through exciting fashion, interiors, artisan, and design lead activities centering around Wool Week each year.

The Campaign for Wool is a global endeavour initiated by its Patron, to raise awareness amongst consumers about the unique, inherent natural, renewable, and biodegradable benefits offered by the fibre in fashion, furnishings, and everyday life. And importantly, that wool not only biodegrades in soil, adding nutrients back to the earth, but it also biodegrades in the ocean and water and therefore wool does not impact the planet with microfibre and plastic pollution. Choosing wool will help to safeguard the planet for future generations.

Rhian and Mark source fleeces from their ‘Gatherers’ that raise their sheep with the highest welfare standards and none are

from large commercial wool producing flocks. A beautiful touch to this wonderful business is that each luxury item has its own unique QR code that once scanned, takes you directly to the farm and the flock where the wool came from, giving you a true story of traceability.

Rhian states “I’m very passionate about reducing carbon footprints in our household, lifestyle and now in our business. We only have one world and if we can all help a little bit by reducing the amount of carbon, we impact on the planet then hopefully we can enjoy it for longer. And do you want to know something even cooler? Sheep are part of the natural carbon cycle consuming carbon stored in plants and converting it to wool and meat. 50% of raw wool weight is

organic carbon, which means there is less in the atmosphere. In addition to this we want to support British wool mills as we used to be a worldwide industry leader and there are still some wonderful traditional mills in Yorkshire, which I visited last year. Unfortunately, we only have a handful of smaller mills in the Southwest, but we have tried to incorporate them as much as possible. The reason why we wanted to use our own “gathered” wool was not only to provide an outlet for the smallholder’s small quantities but also to guarantee that the blankets are using 100% British Wool. We have learnt along our journey that many “British Wool” garments contain a large percentage of imported wool from Australia and New Zealand, which does not sit right with our ethos.“

Last week, I chatted on Black Cat Radio 102.5FM with Jenny Jefferies about the future of British Wool which I believe is a positive one reiterating Rhian’s’ statement. With more and more Brands looking to the UK therefore making wool more important today due to climate change and plastic over consumption hit the headlines.

Farmers for a long time would make a loss for their wool but now the future is brighter with initiatives such as ‘Gather’ that are consciously connecting

small holders with native breeds, providing them with a viable and sustainable outlet for their fleeces whilst achieving an additional income earning more than the market value.

The ethos behind this business is to truly highlight the amazing skills we have in Britain. From designs, patterns through to weaving, each process has been thoughtfully considered which results in stunning luxurious blankets that deservedly so sit well with the community collective of Saville Row Bespoke that celebrated the coronation with woollen bunting. You can read more by visiting https://gatherwool.co.uk/ sharing

their true story of passion, provenance and heritage or head to Instagram @gatherwool

And visit https://www. campaignforwool.org/thecampaign/ to learn more about this global endeavour or listen to my interview on Black Cat Radio 102.5FM https://www.mixcloud. com/JennyJefferies/040523black-cat-radio-interview-witholivia-shave-and-peter-walker/

Next month I’ll be chatting with Claire Mackenzie from Six Inches of Soil

Written by Olivia Shave Instagram: @ecoewe

Potato Sprout Control

Biox-M is the only 100% natural and sustainable sprout control for potatoes.

Attention to detail

Farming has always been about attention to detail to get the best from crops and livestock. In spite of generations of labour saving and information gathering devices, there is still nothing quite as good as the human eye at spotting the fine detail and making the correct decision on the day. This is particularly true of the world of potato storage following the demise of CIPC.

Biox-M, along with the other new suppressants introduced since 2021, are volatile - they want to escape from the store. Keeping the store closed following treatment is enormously important, if you wish to have good efficacy. That now seems to be pretty well understood, although we still come across the

occasional incident of stores being opened with a few hours of treatment to remove some freshly treated crop. Volatile products will escape if they are given the chance.

There is a small risk of Biox-M condensing or coalescing in store, if the crop temperature is not even throughout the store before treatment. Avoiding this risk should be an essential part of store management ahead of fogging. Refrigeration and ambient air exchange should be turned off on the day before treatment and the store should be managed to even up the crop temperature as a matter of routine. A temperature gradient across the store during fogging also risks an uneven distribution of the fog at the moment that an even distribution is essential.

Every store is different and should be managed accordingly. It is always good practice to keep records, as detailed as possible, of crop and store condition during the storage season, but most importantly in the lead up to each treatment. A good set of records of store and crop temperatures, and of the date(s) when the stores are re-opened, and refrigeration or ambient air exchange switched back on, allows the storekeeper to record the factors that deliver the best efficacy, and to work towards extended treatment intervals, as well as avoid unintended problems

Biox-M has been in market for more than a decade, and a great many growers have become familiar with the need for attention to detail.

• Is a naturally occurring product, in widespread use in the food industry,

• Is approved for use on organic potato crops,

• Has no harvest interval or MRL beyond the one-day mandatory withholding period after treatment,

• Does not leave persistent residues in the fabric of stores and boxes used for storage,

• And is therefore suitable for use in stores, which may subsequently be used for the storage of other crops or seed potatoes,

• Is effective at higher storage temperatures, reducing the risk of acrylamide development when crop is processed,

• Sequesters carbon during growth, removing 1t of CO2 for every 1,000t of potatoes treated,

• And should be a component of the sustainability plan for every farm and every customer; effectively carbon neutral.

Tong equipment set to drive efficiencies

Tong Engineering has reported a noticeable increase in demand for automated vegetable handling systems, including advanced optical sorting facilities, within its latest onfarm and packhouse equipment for 2023.

“Minimising the reliance on the workforce continues to be one of the main drivers for equipment upgrades with vegetable growers and producers looking to replace older handling systems which are less efficient in terms of both labour and running costs,” says Charlie Rich, Sales Director at Tong Engineering. “Sourcing reliable labour remains a challenge and with energy costs at an all-time high, the latest handling equipment is really offering significant savings in both of these ongoing operating costs.”

Amongst its range of advanced handling equipment, Tong highlights some of the most

Alongside the company’s renowned Caretaker machine, Tong’s FieldLoad PRO has been a best-selling post-harvest machine and has proved a game-changer in effectively cleaning and loading crop in the field, straight from the harvester. This results in a much more streamlined post-harvest handling process, requiring fewer operators and no unnecessary carting of soil as soil and debris

efficiencies throughout 2023

is left in the field. The FieldLoad PRO with Tong’s EasyClean separator is a particularly popular specification for unrivalled cleaning in all conditions.

Tong’s EasyFill box filler remains an firm onfarm favourite for automatic and gentle box filling with the latest MonstaFill box filler offering even higher capacity box filling, with reduced

forklift movements for a continuous box filling process. In the packhouse, the next generation washing and polishing equipment from Tong also focuses on maximum efficiency and minimal maintenance for reliable performance, and Tong is working with best in class manufacturers to supply to complete and fullyintegrated vegetable handling solution.

AGRI-TECH INNOVATOR TESTS IMAGING DETECTION TECHNOLOGY DURING EXTENDED POTATO SEASON

GROUNDSENSING technology

TuberScandeveloped by agri-tech business B-hive Innovations and partners - is entering its final phase of testing both overseas and now in the UK following the start of this year’s weather-delayed potato growing season.

In its current iteration, the TuberScan system comprises of a bespoke ground penetrating radar (GPR) system, GPS units and in-field and remote sensors, backed up by computer vision and AI, which provide detailed information on potato crop growth characteristics and performance.

The system also detects where each potato has been

planted, to go beyond traditional sampling methods conducted by growers.

The four-year research and development project for TuberScan has been funded by Innovate UK across two different research programmes. B-hive has collaborated with nationwide potato supplier Branston Ltd, The University of Manchester and Harper Adams University to create demonstration units.

Effie Warwick-John, project manager on TuberScan at Bhive Innovations, is confident that the project is on track for a successful final season, which has commenced with field trials in Mallorca and Lincolnshire.

Effie said: “We are looking to collect as many findings as

possible into crop performance by September, addressing the lack of clarity that growers currently contend with when trying to predict growth of their crops underground.

“The trials in Spain enable us to check that our equipment is working accurately, with enough hardware stocked ahead of the UK growing season to allow for damage to prototypes during testing. It allows us to determine which hardware choices are best suited to the start or end of the season as conditions change and foliage develops.”

Working with Mateu Exports in Mallorca, the project team has been able to take advantage of the earlier growing season in Mallorca, acquiring data across three fields on the

performance of the system, as well as doing trial digs, to compare machine learning accuracy against real world data.

Effie added: “The Mallorca trials give us a fantastic headstart to be best prepared for the UK growing season. Acquiring images of plants and stems has helped us to test our image processing pipeline, since we don’t have much time in the season to check this.

“We are experimenting with ground-penetrating radar systems (GPR) that can operate to a high accuracy despite having a relatively large air gap between the sensor and the soil, providing a great balance between ease of mounting and quality of data.”

In the UK, TuberScan has also been trialling in three fields owned by David Armstrong Farms in Lincolnshire to collect additional testing data.

David Armstrong said: “As a grower, I would like to learn the most about my produce as possible. Ensuring its quality, variety and yield size is crucial to help me make informed decisions around the growing process and understand the marketable yield.

“It’s exciting to see how modern methods of monitoring root crop performance could soon become the norm and it’s imperative that we keep waste to a minimum. From first-hand experience we believe that TuberScan can be a key component to achieving this.”

To conduct further assessment

of the technology, B-hive has also installed a polytunnel space to support with TuberScan and other projects, allowing testing to continue when outdoor conditions are too wet. It has also enabled the team to test TuberScan with different potato varieties as well as lighter and darker soils, from which the machine learning technology can be trained to detect the plants.

Effie added: “The system is continually evolving and beyond September we aim to be in a position to explore the commercial viability of a ground sensing product. We’ve had great interest to date and hope that TuberScan continues to make a major contribution to eliminating food waste and addressing supply chain issues for the future.”

Revolutionising Crop Storage: Martin Lishman's Innovative Technologies Save Energy and Reduce Waste

Crop storage technologies from Martin Lishman Ltd are helping farmers across the UK and beyond to optimize their crop storage, reduce energy consumption, and ensure a higher-quality yield. It's a well-known fact that the farming industry is facing a crisis due to the unpredictable climate, environmental degradation, and rising energy prices. To tackle these challenges, crop storage specialists Martin Lishman Ltd has developed innovative post-harvest technology solutions to improve efficiency and productivity of crop storage.

Bulk tipper haulage company T French & Son, located in Cumnock, Scotland, began

their venture into crop storage when they were approached by several grain merchants about storage of their products.

"The large part of our work is deliveries and collections within the agricultural sector. Our farming customers asked about crop storage, and as we had the space within our yard, we decided to build a large grain store to accommodate their storage requirements. Ensuring that our customers' products remain in optimum condition while stored at our facility was an important consideration for this project", explains Liz-Ann McMenemy,

Director of T French & Son Ltd.

The new storage facility measures 78 meters in length, 60 meters in width, and 9 meters in height, with a capacity of up to 20,000 tonnes. Given the size of the store, a highly efficient cooling system was required to rapidly reduce grain temperatures, and the facility's movable concrete bunker walls to cater for different commodities

necessitated a versatile modular approach to the installation.

"The FloorVent appealed to us as it can be quickly installed or removed depending on what type of products we had, and the Barn Owl Wireless system would handle both the remote and on-site monitoring and automatic control of cooling fans", adds Liz-Ann.

Martin Lishman's FloorVent system is a highly efficient grain cooling solution, the system utilizes the same high airflow perforated tube as the company's popular Pile-Dry Pedestals but uses underfloor ducts instead of vertical columns. Fans are placed on the outside of the building to vent hot air directly to the exterior to remove the possibility of warm air being drawn back into the grain, making the cooling process highly efficient.

Barn Owl Wireless provides store managers with the convenience of monitoring crop store temperatures from anywhere in the world. Using wireless crop temperature sensors, the temperature data

is transmitted to the user's Barn Owl Wireless web portal. This web portal allows the users to easily check the crop temperatures, humidity levels, and even CO2 readings for all their stores. Additionally, users can efficiently manage cooling programs for their stores with this system.

The T French & Son team opted for 48 FloorVents, 48 Martin Lishman Pile-Dry Fans and 28 Barn Owl Wireless crop sensors to cater for the changing store layout and to ensure the store is cooled efficiently and effectively.

Utilising Martin Lishman's wireless fan controllers, the fans are connected to the Barn Owl Wireless network and controlled automatically. In automatic mode, the system uses a choice of control programmes and zonal cooling to only turns fans on when it is most efficient to do so, which results in faster cooling and a vast reduction on energy bills.

"It's hard to find a cooling system that rivals FloorVent. It offers a balance of versatility, installation cost, and

performance that other systems struggle to match," explains Joel Capper, Managing Director for Martin Lishman Ltd. "We were thrilled when T French & Son approached us for a FloorVent system, and we were even more excited when they opted for a Barn Owl Wireless System to accompany it. Individually, the products work very well, but together they create a trouble-free storage solution that can quickly drive down grain temperatures while using less energy. Plus, with rising electricity prices, the energy cost savings will become even more apparent."

"The wireless crop sensors have been very reliable, and the online portal is easy to operate. Joel from Martin Lishman was very helpful during the installation, speaking to both us during the planning stage and the electricians during the installation stage, which made the process incredibly smooth," concluded Liz-Ann.

Martin Lishman's Barn Owl Wireless and FloorVent systems are versatile and scalable, making them suitable for any size storage facility. Originally designed for larger-scale operations, these systems are now being adopted by smaller farmers, thanks to their modular design. With these products, farmers can enjoy the benefits of fast, efficient cooling and reduced energy costs, regardless of their operation's size.

Farmers have come to recognize the value of optimizing the cooling and management of their stored crops, and hundreds of farms in the UK are using these systems.

Top tips for late blight control

Before the blight season starts, assess how well your herbicide spray has worked as this can indicate any errors in sprayer set-up, advises Andrew Goodinson, potato agronomist at crop production specialists Hutchinsons.

“Most importantly, section control must be set up accurately to cover the correct area and avoid missing any area of the crop,” he cautions.

the time and we also need to follow the Fungicide Resistance Action Group (FRAG) guidelines.”

Although outbreaks of fluazinam-insensitive blight strain 37_A2 (formerly known as Dark Green 37) were less prevalent in 2022 than in recent years, he warns growers to only use it mid-programme in a mix at full rate (400ml/ha).

“We used to use fluazinam for the first spray, but we now tend to opt for cyazofamid and for the second spray we often follow it with fluopicolide + propamocarb because it works well with the crop at this stage.”

Mr Goodinson finds mandipropamid remains a good-value fungicide and it works particularly well as a second spray, particularly when it is mixed with cymoxanil.

“Mandipropamid can be useful in unsettled weather because of the speed of its rainfastness,” he says, highlighting the need for caution because of the recent rise of new blight strain 43_A1, which is insensitive to mandipropamid.

“One of the concerns is that other actives within the same fungicide group (CAAs) may also be at risk, and therefore they should not be used alone.

“If you can see an area of weeds, it is very likely you missed them with the sprayer, and it is likely that you will miss them again when you go in with the blight spray,” says Mr Goodinson. “Just tweaking sprayer set-up can offer pay-back when blight pressure is high.”

Despite low blight pressure in 2022, and the likelihood of low inoculum carry-over, he warns growers take no chances this year. He likes to start blight control programmes when the crop is at the rosette stage, following a ‘mix and match’ strategy with actives according to conditions at the time the Hutton Criteria is triggered.

“We rotate out chemistry across the different fungicide groups to avoid putting a single active under pressure.”

“The choice of fungicides is not set in stone, but very much depends on the conditions in the field at

Although 43_A1 has not so far been found in Britain, it has proliferated in Denmark and has been found in Belgium and the Netherlands.

“The addition of an adjuvant with mandipropamid to reduce drift has shown better effectiveness but it will not affect the strain’s insensitivity,” he says.

At mid-season he finds oxathiapiprolin very useful because it is effective, persistent and it moves well round the plant.

“Although oxathiapiprolin is one of the more expensive options, when the pressure is really high, we tend to use it in sequence with cyazofamid,

fluopicolide + propamocarb or fluazinameither side,” he notes, adding that fluazinam still has a place in the strategy because of its effectiveness against sclerotinia and botrytis. However, he avoids using it on its own.

Mr Goodinson emphasises that effective blight control is about building up the product in and on the crop, so to minimise the chance of missing a blight spray when wet weather sets in, he recommends starting the seven or ten-day spray programmes on a Monday.

“This means that if you miss a day or two, you are not then up against a weekend.”

In addition to ensuring the right fungicide choice at the right time, spray operators need to choose the right spray nozzle for the particular task. “The IDTA04 Flat Fan and the 3D Ninety nozzles offer the best coverage because they can be set to cover

the different parts of the canopy including the underside of the leaves.”

He reminds growers that some of the newer blight strains are able to incubate during colder periods, and that spores can travel a long way in the wind.

“We often underestimate the spread of blight inoculum from unsprayed crops, including those in allotments and gardens.

“If weather conditions are dry when crops are at maximum canopy, you may be able to stretch your spray intervals a little or use cheaper alternative products, but the potential impact of late blight on the investment you have made in your crops remains huge.

“Ensuring you have a robust blight programme is more essential than ever.”

Quantis sets potatoes on route to higher yields

New research reveals applying Quantis at tuber set timing enables potato plants to produce and support more tubers. Furthermore, the weight of individual tubers was increased, to boost overall output through the crucial growth stage.

The beneficial increase in tuber numbers with the early tuber set Quantis timing was also seen even where no stress events occurred, according to Syngenta Technical Manager, Andy Cunningham.

The Syngenta Potato Science trials, in collaboration with Wageningen University & Research in Holland and using the commercial variety Innovator, revealed the optimum timing was when most of the setting tubers were at the small pea size.

Under stressful dry conditions treated plants successfully created over 11% more tubers from a single Quantis application, compared to untreated – equating to around 45,000 extra tubers per hectare at field plantings. Plants growing under normal stress-free conditions also produced and supported a 6.5% increase in tuber numbers with the Quantis tuber initiation treatment.

The size of each tuber on plants growing under dry stress conditions still averaged more than the untreated crop, along with an 8% increase in average tuber weight for the greater number of tubers from plants under normal conditions.

Researchers at Wageningen University also assessed the stolon numbers of plants, showing a 30% increase in the Quantis treated crop under both dry stress and normal growing conditions. Increasing stolon numbers is an

important element of an integrated rhizoctonia management strategy, suggested Andy.

Tuber set and the onset of tuber growth is a period when potato plants are highly susceptible to stress factors, such as heat. “There is a huge wealth of scientific research, replicated trials and field experience that inarguably show Quantis can reduce the effects on growing plants during periods of heat stress, and deliver a significant yield increase,” he reported.

“Now, the new research reveals that with an initial application at the tuber set stage to encourage plants to produce more and larger tubers, there is the potential to keep them growing more efficiently and make better use of resources right through the season.”

Andy advocates Quantis should be applied as a standard treatment with a blight spray at the start of

tuber set, at a rate of 2.0 l/ha. “The strategy can add tuber numbers and size to all crops. It could prove especially useful for seed production to increase number yield.”

YANA passes baton to RABI for mental health support in Worcestershire

Farming charities RABI and YANA have agreed to transition support services in Worcestershire, following YANA’s decision to scale back its work in the county.

As of 31 March, YANA will no longer operate in the region, and it will focus on providing support in East Anglia. RABI will be the support provider delivering professional counselling and mental health training in Worcestershire.

RABI head of partnerships, Suzy Deeley has worked closely with the YANA team to ensure farming people can seamlessly access free, confidential support when needed.

“Any further calls to YANA’s helpline made by farming people from Worcestershire will be redirected, if appropriate and with the caller’s permission, to RABI.”

Anyone who has expressed an interest in mental health training with YANA will be notified by RABI of forthcoming accredited courses in Worcestershire, along with details of how to book a place.

Funds previously raised for YANA in Worcestershire will continue to fund mental health services in the county as delivered by RABI.

RABI can be directly contacted via a 24/7 helpline on: 0800 188 4444. Alternatively, you can email help@rabi.org.uk

For anyone not yet ready to speak to someone in person, RABI’s Click & Chat online and text-based counselling service, Kooth, for young people aged 11 to 17, and Qwell, for those 18+, is available here.

For mental health training enquiries, email mentalhealthtraining@rabi.org.uk

RABI appoints new head of volunteering

RABI is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Crosby as its new head of volunteering. Mark brings an impressive background in the charitable sector, including 25 years of experience in volunteer management and community engagement to RABI.

“Volunteers play an instrumental role in our organisation,” says Mark. “They are a powerful force for good in helping to raise greater awareness and grow support at a grass roots level. I will be listening to our existing volunteers and looking how we can develop and build on the great work already happening across the charity.”

Chief executive, Alicia Chivers says the appointment emphasises RABI's recognition of the important role volunteers play.

“I am delighted that Mark has joined as our new head of volunteering”, says Alicia. “I am confident that under his leadership, volunteering at RABI will build from the strong foundations that already exist and help us to continue to make a meaningful impact on the lives of farming people."

Mark’s responsibilities include oversight of RABI’s network of 42 volunteer committees, consisting of around 500 volunteers, who support local and regional community fundraising activities.

Mark adds: "I am honoured to be a part of RABI and work alongside such a dedicated team. Volunteering can help to bind people together, and I am committed to working with and celebrating the successes of the people who passionately support RABI’s work.”

RSABI Welcomes Fundraising Partnership with Hamilton Ross Group

Multi-specialist machinery dealership

The Hamilton Ross Group is this week announcing a year-long fundraising partnership with agricultural charity RSABI as part of the company’s 90th anniversary celebrations.

The family-run business stocks machinery across six divisions, including agriculture, groundcare, and construction, spread over six depots in the central belt of Scotland, operating under two trading companies, Hamilton Brothers and R&R Machinery.

The business’ family ethos is shared across its farming supplier base, with AGCO machinery brands Massey Ferguson, Valtra and Fendt, along with JCB Agriculture, accounting for a major part of its agricultural sales. Farming is woven through the history of the Hamilton Ross Group and RSABI was a natural fit to be its chosen charity for this special year.

The firm will be supporting the charity’s work to deliver practical, emotional and financial support to those working in the Scottish agriculture industry, through fundraising and awareness-raising throughout the year.

participants of what to look out for and how to respond when someone may be struggling with their mental health, with all the staff who took part achieving an SCQF Level 5 Award in First Aid for Mental Health.

At the launch of the partnership, a Mental Health First Aid training course was delivered to an initial 12 members of staff from The Hamilton Ross Group, hosted at the R&R Machinery depot in Lanark. The training is part of a pioneering initiative being rolled out across the industry by RSABI and IED Training Solutions Ltd, an awardwinning consultancy founded by former Royal Marines.

IED and RSABI joined forces and began rolling out the training to those working in the agriculture industry earlier this year after various synergies were identified between the marines and farming, including isolation, strenuous work, and long hours.

Delivered by Hugh Jones (Major, retired), who previously served in the Royal Marines for 37 years, the training course aims to inform

Passionate about growing the conversation around mental health, the Group is also sponsoring The Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs (SAYFC) National Photography Competition, at the Royal Highland Show in June. This year the competition has RSABI’s #KeepTalking message as its theme, encouraging people in agricultural communities to reach out and reconnect with friends, neighbours, relatives and others who might be feeling isolated. The hope is this year’s photography competition will help to reduce stigma by encouraging people to think and talk more freely about mental health.

Jamie Gardiner, Operations Director at the Hamilton Ross Group: “We are delighted to be supporting RSABI, and we think that their purpose aligns well with our values. The Mental Health First Aid Training really opened our eyes as to how we can help our staff and the people in our community.

“As a family-run business, it’s important that we remain embedded in the local communities, and that our development is sustainable for the future generations to come, and thankfully, the different locations from which we operate allow for a variety of actions to be taken. With more donations planned across the rest of the year, we’re sure that this partnership will be a fruitful one.”

Carol McLaren, CEO of RSABI

said the charity was extremely grateful the Hamilton Ross Group, a long-standing member of the charity’s supporters’ scheme, has chosen to work in partnership with them for the group’s 90th anniversary year.

“We are delighted to be working in partnership with the Hamilton Ross Group team, not only with fundraising but also with their commitment to helping support the work we do, particularly relating to mental health and emotional support.

“There are some really encouraging green shoots of change as farmers become more open about talking about mental health and the steps needed to maintain and improve it but there is still a lot of work to be done, and this sort of support from the

agricultural community makes such a difference.”

RSABI offers free practical, financial and emotional support including counselling services, delivered quickly after receiving the initial enquiry. Our free confidential support service is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year, by calling 0808 1234 555 (calls won’t show up on phone bills) or through a confidential webchat service, available on RSABI’s website www.rsabi.org.uk

To join RSABI’s Supporters’ Scheme – vital to allow the charity to do the work it does - please visit https://www.rsabi.org.uk/supportus/

For more information on the Hamilton Ross Group, visit www. hamiltonrossgroup.co.uk.

Unequivocal evidence from RABI shows policymakers the reality of rural mental health

Farming charity RABI has welcomed the urgent recommendations put forward by the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee in the inquiry into poor mental health in rural communities.

The inquiry report, launched to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week, uses much of RABI’s ground-breaking insights, gained from over 15,000 farming people across England and Wales via the charity's recent Big Farming Survey.

“The findings in the EFRA report echo our concerns that there is a need for urgent preventative action now, if we are to avoid a mental health crisis for our community," says Alicia Chivers, RABI chief executive.

“We particularly welcome the recognition that there is a pressing need for Government to fund and support the roll-out of mental health training to those working in agriculture and with the

farming community," she continues.

"Many of the recommendations mirror the support services we've launched in response to the Big Farming Survey findings, including in-person mental health counselling and farming-focused mental health training initiatives.”

understand the realistic picture of the everyday mental health pressures being experienced.”

The outcomes of the inquiry closely align with RABI’s longterm outlook, which is focused on addressing the wrap-around needs of farming people.

Increasing demand from working families for RABI support services reiterates the impacts of the complex challenges currently facing many working in agriculture.

In 2022, over two and a half times as many members of the farming community received support from RABI in comparison to the previous year.

Ms Chivers adds: “The launch of the report and key recommendations opens the door to further conversation around the development of an effective mental health policy for farming communities.

We were delighted to be able to provide wide-ranging evidence to the inquiry, to help policymakers

Ms Chivers says: “To improve the wellbeing of the farming community, providing early, preventative support is crucial.

“Over the coming months, we welcome the opportunity to continue supporting policymakers on the development and delivery of greater proactive support and training that will benefit farming people," she concludes.

s a first-generation farmer I'm often asked my story, how does a carer from Preston become a farmer who spreads the message about great British agriculture? Get thrown in at the deep end that's how.

in 2009 i had no experience of farming or the realities that came with it. That soon changed when I met my other half Roy, Roy's family had a busy garage in Cumbria and on the side calved 40 cows, I got a job as a carer and in every spare moment threw myself into farming. I had only ever driven a Nissan Micra and had experience with horses, I learnt the hard way as nobody had the time to show me and soon after arriving I found myself mothering on

CharlotteAshley is general shenanigans of a cowgirl, shepherdess, content creator, all round fool & slowmo addict

calves to three quarter bred limmy cows. We spent every available moment on the farm between our day jobs. Fast forward to 2016 two children later we moved into our very own farm overlooking the northern Pennines, Laitha.

Jersey dream

we are in a transitional period at present and will finally be milking cows and making the final switch later this year, after years of planning and implementing infrastructure we will be milking 120 Jersey cows on two Lely robots. This will be a huge change and a steep learning curve, in April this year we have had a productivity grant approved which will help with the cost of the robotics and we are currently sourcing cows.

From foot and mouth until 2016 laitha was home to a herd of jerseys and we plan to restore that, not just for nostalgia but out of practicality, the land here is suited to a small diary farm the fields are lush and growy yet on the wet side the land is situated 360 around the farmyard and lends its self to a paddock grazing system, I feel this approach could be translated into the wider management of land, I would love to be an arable farmer but in reality that's not what suits our area. I believe everything has its place including more environmental practices and a more tailored approach to land use for instance planting trees where

it's appropriate, leaving land aside and creating habitat when appropriate and likewise on good quality land prioritising food production and in our case grazing cattle.

Missed opportunities

Throughout my short farming career it's become more apparent that agriculture isn't accessible for everyone, and partly due to a lack of education, I never considered anything land based it just wasn't an option shown to me as a youngster. And I feel this is a barrier when trying to attract new entrants into the industry, they simply don't see themselves as a farmer. It isn't

relatable, If I nearly missed out on something I now consider my passion, how many thousands of people who would have thrived in the outdoors and have taken a more mainstream path in life? This has led me down the route of inspiring youngsters through video on YouTube and social media.

I hope my passion for farming is evident in my often comedic videos that aim to bridge that rural town divide and reach a wider audience than our usual farming circles. Both me and Roy have worked outside agriculture and I hope this brings a slightly objective view. Farmers are not mainstream our practices, although common sense to us but we are guilty of socialising in our farming communities and overlooking the general publics naivety to agriculture if we don't show them who will? curated fluffy television programs that skip out

any areas that might offend people? Which brings me to social media, not only does social media connect us to farmers across the country it allows us to feel better connected without leaving the yard. Loneliness and wider mental health problems are something prevalent in farmers, you often don't get time for anything other than work and that can be isolating, I started My YouTube channel in October 2023 and it now has 19,000 subscribers. My videos cover a wide range of topics related to farming, from lambing and calving to machinery and hot topics in the farming world. I share my experiences and any knowledge I've gained over the last 14 years in a fun and engaging way that I hope appeals to a broad audience. I don't take myself too seriously and hope people find this relatable. I regularly post updates on social media and provides insights into the daily life of a farmer I strive to stay grounded which I believe farming helps with, we are tied to the seasons and changing needs of our animals and the land, world issues and life changing viruses did little to impact our farming routines and practices, I find this a comfort. Every year we largely continue doing the same thing regardless of what's on the news. There is a magic in this, farming is enduring and moulded by the men and women at the time but ultimately it controls us not the other way around.

Sheep

As a woman in farming I'm very often asked how I find it, the answer is pretty simple I'm part of a team, we aren't traditional at all in the gendered roles sense I'll be making a video while Roy cooks the tea and we are both outside on the farm together with Roy more of a machinery operator than me and that's just because we like our buildings intact, that being said I

can outdrive anyone on a bobcat, and have recently got myself a mini merlo to help get to those hard to reach places that a bobcat can't reach.

My other executive decision was to bring sheep back to the farm, Roy hadn't kept sheep since foot and mouth when they discovered how much grass they went with when sadly they were taken along with the six million other animals in 2001. From very early on I petitioned hard and was told from both Roy and his dad absolutely not if I had five I might as well have a hundred. After getting our own farm Roy caved in with nobody to back him up and in 2020 31 Lleyn sheep stepped off a trailer and into laitha fields. We chose a Lleyn after having some of them here to winter and doing some research we had the idea of blue Texel x Lleyn lambs, in our minds we saw a superb mother, milky, easy to lamb, fairly hardy with a descent pair of lambs at foot, for the first year we put a Lleyn tup on and retained the females to add to our flock, I now lamb about 150 mixed sheep Texel X and Lleyn with a couple of north of England mules thrown in because it is Cumbria after all, we added the blue Texel and expected great things, the lambs are superb however lambing percentages dropped without the

Lleyn tup and although pleasing to look at didn't finish as fast as the pure Lleyns, and weren't quite as hardy, when sending deadweight they did grade out a lot better, don't get me wrong when sent to the auction it was nice to see your name in the paper for prices but when you look feed costs over the prolonged period we kept them for in comparison they didn't stack up, farming for pride did not last long, the whole thing came back to efficiencies and we have learnt our lesson, back to basics and not worrying about being fancy or what anyone else is doing, There is a reason the big estates run lleyns, two lambs, plenty of milk and easy to lamb and come this year we need the sheep to be as efficient as possible when concentrating on the jerseys.

I am overjoyed to be a farmer. I feel so fortunate every day to wake up and do what I love and even better share it with the world and hope it inspires more young people from Preston to spread their wings and think outside the box the world doesn't need more childcare workers or hairdressers it needs more farmers.

Follow Charlotte on Instagram: @charlotteashleyfarm

Plans for 21-turbine Longcroft

RES is inviting the local community to view and comment

ES, a British company with a proud history in Scotland, is in the early stages of exploring the potential for a wind farm and energy storage facility located approximately 9km north of Lauder in the Scottish Borders.

RES is holding two public exhibitions in the local area next week to enable people to learn more about the project, discuss any questions with the project team, and provide feedback on

the initial design. There will be a range of information at the exhibitions, including visualisations to help give an impression of what the current site design and layout could look like from different viewpoints in the area.

Gavin Shirley, Development Project Manager at RES, said:"We look forward to speaking to people about our plans for Longcroft Wind Farm. We welcome constructive feedback on the layout and delivery of the project which has

the potential to change and influence the design.

"In addition to people's comments on the proposal itself, we would also like to hear ideas for how the wind farm could help to secure other long-term economic, social and environmental benefits during its operation. This would help us to deliver a tailored community benefits package aligned with the communities' priorities. This could include RES' Local Electricity Discount Scheme which offers an annual discount

Wind Farm go on display on its proposal in the Scottish Borders

to the electricity bills of those properties closest to the wind farm."

The wind farm proposal first became public in March 2023 when RES submitted a Scoping Report to the Scottish Government's Energy Consents Unit seeking feedback from key consultees on the proposed scope of environmental work. If consented, Longcroft Wind Farm would be capable of generating enough clean, low-cost electricity to meet the annual demand of around 110,000 homes and is

predicted to deliver approximately £5.8 million of inward investment into the area in the form of jobs, employment, and the use of local services.

Onshore wind alongside other renewable energy technologies can generate the cheapest form of new electricity generation. It also increases energy security by reducing our reliance on imports and builds our resilience to sudden fossil fuel price fluctuations or the uncertainty of global markets.

In Scotland, RES has developed/or constructed 21 wind farms with a total generation capacity of 597MW. The Scottish Government has set a legally binding target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2045 and onshore wind projects like Longcroft will play an important role in helping to achieve these targets.

PLANS FOR PIONEERING NET ZERO POTATO PRODUCTION PUSH AHEAD THIS GROWING SEASON N

ew trials to pioneer the net zero production of potato crops through sustainable fertilisers, reduced cultivations, varieties and improved soil health alongside improvements in storage and transport have been launched with major UK supplier Branston leading the way.The results will help build Branston’s strategy towards achieving net zero in the years ahead.

The company was awarded £2.1 million by Innovate UK in 2022 to carry out its net zero project over a three year period, alongside partners including agri-tech firm B-hive Innovations, the University of Lincoln, crop storage technology firm Crop Systems Ltd and growers in Lincolnshire and Scotland.

An extensive range of field trials will be undertaken on the growing potato crops throughout the season as part of the project. The net zero project aims to sustainably change the way that potatoes are grown, stored, and transported, while still producing a commercially viable crop - and in turn delivering a staple food that is better for the planet.

The three-year bid to capture data to help establish a process of achieving the lowest possible greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has started its second year of testing as the planting season begins.

“Potato growers all want to know how they can reduce their fertiliser, fuel and electricity consumption as part of their net zero strategies, so they are extremely engaged in what we are trying to do,” said Andy Blair, the technical field manager leading the project for Branston, which handles 350,000 tonnes of potatoes a year and supplies to national retailers and

wholesalers.

“Fertiliser use is a major challenge and plays a significant part in all our trials. During the coming year, we will focus efforts to understand different novel fertiliser types and application rates to investigate yield and quality during growing.”

Branston has helped to develop a revolutionary organically derived low-carbon fertiliser that uses by-products. The carbon footprint of this product is much lower than conventionally produced fertiliser. Plant growth and nutrient uptake will be monitored continuously throughout the trials.Assessing new technologies affectively putting the plant into a high-care hospital unit feeding the plant what it needs when it needs it.

Previous trials have been conducted to identify varieties with vigorous growth that might perform with fewer inputs, twelve of these varieties will be included within the net zero project.

Nicola Matthews, Branston net zero research manager, explained; “Knowing as much as possible about our soil biology, physical properties and nutrient content will allow us to tailor cultivations and applications to maximise yield while reducing the greenhouse gases that are released during the production of the potato crop.”

“The aeration of the land is activating microbes and causing carbon dioxide release from the soil, one of the main principles behind regenerative agriculture is to minimise soil disturbance,” she explained.

Reducing cultivation in potato production is difficult however we

will continue to look at minimum tillage techniques as well as more extreme growing methods such as growing under a straw mulch.

Alongside the University of Lincoln, Branston is also analysing new technologies in the growing process, with trials of an R-leaf technology spray - a nitrogen-fixing photosynthetic catalyst - converting nitrous oxide in the atmosphere into available nitrogen that can be taken up through the leaf.

The net zero project is also looking at innovative cold store designs to keep stored crops in optimum condition while minimising energy usage and environmental impact. Crop transport and its associated carbon footprint is also coming under the consortium’s spotlight.

Andy concluded: “The new trials have meant a real acceleration in the project, now this year is much bigger than last year, and it is great to tap into the scientific knowledge and all the new technologies that are being offered.

“We are very excited to see what the results bring and hope this ground-breaking research will lead to major changes and opportunities for the potato production industry from start to finish.”

For more information on Branston visit www.branston.com

Green hydrogen project will focus on remote rural locations

Aproject which aims to produce hydrogen efficiently for use in remote rural locations such as farms and forestry operations has been awarded nearly £130,000 from the Scottish Government.

The Remote Rural Hydrogen Production project, led by Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), will increase the efficiency of the solar energy used to power the hydrogen production process, as well as investigating the use of rainwater or wastewater in place of deionised water.

With the drive to decarbonise land management practices, hydrogen will become the fuel of choice for many operators of large machines such as tractors, harvesters and forwarders in the land-based sector.

The project will address the significant gap in the various technologies either already developed or being developed that, when combined, will provide a zero-carbon solution to food production in the agricultural sector and for forestry operations.

It will do this by developing an algorithm to ensure the maximum amount of hydrogen is produced from the energy provided by the solar panels.

Another innovative aspect of the project is investigating the use of all types of water to feed into the electrolyser, easing any pressures on a local water system.

Lead researcher Professor Nick Sparks, Dean of SRUC's South and West Faculty, said: "This proof-of-principle project aims to deliver an economic and

sustainable way of generating green hydrogen, at the point of use, for farming and forestry operations.

"Working with commercial, academic and NGO collaborators, SRUC researchers are working on a wide range of projects, all focussed on reducing the carbon footprint of land management operations and generating economic benefit for rural communities.This project will make a key contribution to this programme of work."

The project is being run in partnership with Locogen, a leading specialist in the renewable energy sector, and is one of 32 projects awarded funding under the Hydrogen Innovation Scheme.

For more information visit:https:// www.gov.scot/news/investing-ingreen-hydrogen/

A new project will increase the amount of hydrogen produced from the energy provided by solar panels

Powerline help further prolong lifetime of proven Landia pumps

Banbury-based Powerline Electric Motors has completed the refurbishment of its latest batch of Landia slurry pumps, including one unit that has been in operation for almost 25 years. With its ongoing investment in new equipment and growing number of apprentices, Powerline has seen a significant increase in demand for its repair services, which not only help prolong the lifetime of pumps, but also improve efficiencies.

Landia’s Paul Davies, commented:” Although we have our own nationwide service team, Powerline’s skill in overhauling pumps is first-class. We are pleased to see our equipment continue to provide excellent, long-term service.”

Richard Thompson of Powerline added: “We’re not in the habit of disappointing our customers.

Landia make very robust pumps and they always have a good stock of spares on hand for us, so that we can offer the best possible turnaround.”

Landia and Powerline also both work closely with Shipston-onStour-based Midland Slurry Systems, who specialise in the supply and maintenance of industrial and agricultural wastewater treatment installations and animal slurry management.

Giles Russell for Midland Slurry Systems, said: “We have total confidence in the Landia pumps

and mixers that we’ve used for many years. In slurry pits, equipment has to be tough, but it must be maintained properly too. After our pumps have been in for service with Powerline, they’re like new!”

In addition to the farming sector, Powerline also provides high-quality repairs, rewinding and refurbishment of electric motors, pumps, fans, and gearboxes to a wide variety of industries, such as manufacturers of foods, plastics, and automotive, as well as servicing customers working in chemicals, utilities, healthcare, construction, and Oxfordshire-based F1.

Rotary Lobe Pump retrofit works wonders at biogas plants

At one small and one much larger biogas plant, at which both, farmers were experiencing major problems with existing processes, Borger has recently secured new orders for its proven Rotary Lobe Pumps.

At the first AD plant, the operator needed a reliable pump for transferring highly abrasive biogas substrate from a fermenter to a secondary fermenter. The existing pump from a different manufacturer suffered from extreme wear on the rotors, which had greatly affected the efficiency and quality of the feedstock process, resulting in increased labour, maintenance and repairs.

Similarly, at a second, much larger biogas plant, a farmer and his team were very unsatisfied with the performance of the 40 pumps it had installed for its AD process. After just a few weeks, the pumps showed worrying signs of severe wear and tear on the rotors. There were also frequent occurrences of damage to the seals and gears.The operator of the biogas plant conducted a year-long test to find the optimum pump-type for his requirements, putting several different makes through their paces. Finally, he decided to retrofit the entire plant with Rotary Lobe Pumps made by Borger, which benefit from rotors that have been developed specially for the biogas applications.

Fibrous matter in renewable resources is captured in the profile grooves of the Borger profile rotor. This constantly exchanging film forms all over the seal between the rotors and the casing. The exceptionally high level ofpump efficiency enables the premium profile rotor operation to be virtually free of wear.

In contrast, the newly installed Borger Rotary Lobe pump, which has to be able to cope with pressure of 4 bar, is very easy to service. Its Maintenance-in-Place design requires only basic tools. The speed of the32-80 m³/h Borger pumpis controlled by a frequency converter depending on the line pressure.

Borger Rotary Lobe Pumps are self-priming, valveless, positive displacement pumps. The even rotation of the rotor pair creates a vacuum on the priming side of the pump, which can be defined by the direction of rotation of the drive. This vacuum draws the liquid into the pump chamber. With further rotation, the pumped medium is conveyed past the pump wall into the pressure area. Up to six chamber charges are displaced with each drive rotation, depending on the rotor type. When the rotor is at a standstill, the pump seals off almost completely.

Health of man and beast at the forefront of Roundhouse design

Generating profit from beef cattle relies on maximising growth rates and feed conversion, but neither will happen to the degree that is necessary, unless the environment for the animals is right from an early age, all the way through to the final finishing stages. Despite this, very few farm buildings provide the consistent level of ventilation that is necessary to ensure a sufficiently good airflow, to maximise health and contentment. Open sided buildings can provide good airflow, but young calves need to be kept free of draughts, which can be defined as an airflow rate greater than 3mph. They should also have an environment free of dust, with low humidity, and ideally enough germs to give the calves immunity, but not too many for them to get infected with a disease.

The importance of being able to breathe well can be demonstrated by stating that people and animals can go without food for several weeks, and water for a few days. But try missing out on air. Then try to imagine being shut in a room with lots of other people for a sustained period of time. The room may be fine to begin with, but imagine what it would be like after 24 hours with no fresh air. Then imagine what it would be like for a week, or a month.

Good ventilation relies on the stacking effect –whereby air flows in through the sides and out through the top of a building’s peak. The problem is

that few buildings are not affected by other factors which disrupt this airflow. These factors include other nearby buildings and doorways.

Geoff Simpson, who designed the Roundhouse back in 2001 in conjunction with partner John Allinson, did so with the environmental needs of cattle in mind, married to the best handling system to reduce stress and make managing the cattle as easy as possible.

The round shape and the carefully designed hole in the centre, ensures the stack ventilation effect always

works. It also keeps draughts to a minimum meaning cattle stay protected and warm. On a cold day, steam can be seen funneling out of the hole in the roof, proving that the air is flowing through the building and not forming pockets of stagnant air, where disease can form.

As well as improved airflow, the Roundhouse boasts, what Roundhouse MD Simon Pelly believes, is the best handling system available. “Working with cattle can be dangerous. An average of 49 people each year are killed in farming, with livestock related fatalities accounting for 8% of those. Safe cattle handling therefore needs to be at the forefront of any livestock farmers mind when deciding on their next building”.

For more information on the Roundhouse, visit their website at www. roundhousesolutions.co.uk

Early intervention can help prevent heat stress in cattle this summer

Livestock farmers are being encouraged to take proactive steps ahead of forecasted heat waves this summer to reduce the likelihood of heat stress impacting cow performance.

2022 saw temperatures in the UK reach 40oC for the first time in history. With global temperatures set to rise and heat waves becoming increasingly common, heat stress will undoubtedly be more problematic for dairy and beef farmers and for longer periods of the year than previously experienced.

Scott Gearon, design project engineer for Galebreaker, is urging farmers to keep a close eye on cattle well in advance of peak summer, where many farmers believe heat stress will have the greatest impact on livestock.

stress on a day where temperatures reach 30oC degrees Celsius and relative humidity levels remain low compared to days when temperatures are 18oC with showers. This is due to cows increased ability to dissipate heat in low humidiy conditions,” says Mr Gearon.

He explains that many buildings in the UK are not designed to have adequate ventilation and typically can’t be relied on to have the appropriate natural airflow required to reduce the levels of heat and humidity that can lead to heat stress.

There are multiple solutions to reduce the risk of heat stress in cattle, "Fans can be a good way to keep cattle cool but you typically need a large number of them to adequately cover the area, which means they can be very expensive to run, especially at this time of increased electricity prices. “Misters can be combined with fans to produce a cooling effect to cool the herd, however introducing more water can result in increasing humidity levels.

“A tube ventilation system, such as Galebreaker’s VentTube Cool, is a highly energy efficient solution. Tubes keep the airflow consistent and can be positioned to direct flow at the most beneficial angle for the herd.

“Tubes also draw in fresh air from outside reducing the humidity and ammonia levels within a barn or shed,” explains Mr Gearon.

“A common misconception is that heat stress only happens when temperatures are high. However, this isn’t the only factor to consider, humidity also plays an important role in whether heat stress could be a concern.

“Dairy cows naturally produce a lot of heat during milk production and when digesting feed. As a result, they are more likely to show symptoms of heat stress at much lower temperatures than you may think.

“For example, cows may be less likely to express signs of heat

“Opening the building up as much as possible by replacing fixed Timber cladding with variable mesh ventilation will also help reduce heat stress risk “When considering the short- and long- term financial impact of heat stress such as reduction in fertility, milk yield, and an increase in lameness –investing in heat stress prevention is a clear business decision.”

Harvest security alert as cost of GPS thefts doubles in 2023

Rural insurer NFU Mutual has issued a security alert to farmers after thefts of expensive global positioning systems (GPS) doubled in the first four months of 2023.

Used to provide precision positioning for cultivation and harvesting operations on farms across the world, GPS systems have become one of the most targeted pieces of farm equipment because of their high cost and portability.

April saw GPS thefts hit the second-highest monthly level ever reported to NFU Mutual. The leading rural insurer is now concerned that the criminal gangs responsible for the farmtech crime wave could be planning to take advantage of the busy harvest season to attack even more farms, causing widespread delays and disruption.

Latest figures from NFU Mutual reveal the cost of GPS theft exceeded £500,000 in the first four months of the year. The insurer is urging farmers to review security as harvest approaches to avoid becoming a victim.

Bob Henderson, who leads NFU Mutual's Agricultural Engineering Field Team, said: "The scale of GPS theft we're currently seeing makes it vital that farmers take all possible steps to protect their GPS equipment by removing it from tractors, combines and other machines and locking it up securely when not in use.

"The busy harvesting season is rapidly approaching. We are very concerned that the gangs committing these thefts will be

upping their game.

"Supply chain problems cause long waits for replacement GPS equipment, which leads to serious disruption to farmers and prevents them gathering their crops in prime condition.

"Disrupting worldwide criminal distribution lines for gangs to sellon stolen GPS equipment is the key to controlling this crime wave, so we're working closely with police, machinery manufacturers and farmers to make it more difficult for these gangs to operate."

DC Chris Piggott, from the National Construction and Agri Thefts Team (NCATT), which forms part of the National Rural Crime Unit, added:"Organised and determined criminal gangs are now targeting GPS equipment on farms across the length and breadth of the UK.

"We're seeing reports of thefts from every part of the UK —not just the arable areas in the east of England— with recent clusters of thefts in North West and North East England and Scotland. It looks as though at least two criminal gangs are currently active.

"They are putting a lot of effort into identifying farm equipment fitted with GPS, watching those farms and even using drones to spot opportunities to return at night. They go to great lengths to get hold of kit, breaking through locked gates and buildings security systems to take GPS from machinery.

"Removing GPS units from your machinery at night and locking it in a well-secured cabinet is the best way to stop these criminals. While it's inconvenient to spend several minutes removing

equipment after a hard day's work, that's preferable to losing it to the gangs, with long delays of weeks, or even months, to get hold of replacement units.

"When it's not practical to remove units from machines because of ongoing work away from the farmstead, try and park up machinery where it can't be seen easily.

"Either painting or scratching your farm name or post code onto your GPS makes them less attractive to thieves and harder to sell-on.

"Most of the stolen units are going abroad, but some are offered for sale online here. If something is offered cheap, there's a reason – don't fuel illegal activity by buying from these adverts."

NFU MutualGPS Security Guide

• Activate PIN security on GPS kit with your own unique number if available

• Mark your postcode on the unit's case to deter thieves and trace your property back to you

• Keep tractors and combines with GPS fitted stored out of sight when possible

• Remove GPS kit when possible, from tractors and other machinery and store it securely when not in use

• Record serial numbers and photograph your kit

• Check serial numbers of second-hand kit offered for sale

ENTER RAFFLE TO WIN THE SHEEP GAME’S CUSTOMISED CFORCE 625 ATV

In aid of Yellow Wellies

Farm Safety Foundation, we are giving away a one-ofa-kind CFMOTO CFORCE 625 ATV. The same one used by farming influencer Cammy from The Sheep Game on his own farm and featured in his YouTube vlogs for the past year.

The vehicle will be on display on the CFMOTO stand at The Royal Highland Show from the 22nd to the 25th June. The winner will be announced by Cammy on the Sunday 2nd July, live on Facebook!

Yellow Wellies are running the Farm Safety Week campaign in July, promoting amongst other topics, safely handling an ATV on the farm. While UK farmers are among the best in the world, farming remains one of our country’s most hazardous industries; accounting for 1% of workers but 18% of all worker fatalities (HSE).

livelihood of our valued customers. All proceeds will be donated to this fantastic charity.

You can enter the raffle by following this link: - https://raffall.com/338769/ enter-raffle-to-win-sheep-gamescforce-625-hosted-by-cfmoto-uk

As an added bonus we have custom wrapped it in a special edition CFMOTO + The Sheep Game collaboration. This vehicle brand new last year was worth over £8000. It wouldn't be The Sheep Game if Cammy hadn't put the odd small scratch on her, but the CFORCE 625 is a hardy machine that’s built to last, and is in fantastic working order and recently serviced by authorised main CFMOTO dealer, Thomas Murray

Agricultural Engineers.

The Farm Safety Foundation are an award-winning charity dedicated to support the physical and mental wellbeing of the UK’s farmers. We at CFMOTO UK strive to support such a worthy cause to directly help and improve the

You can also scan the QR code with your phone to be taken directly to the raffle entry. Tickets cost £5 each and you can purchase multiple tickets in one transaction.

Features of The Sheep Game CFORCE 625 include:

• 580cc 45hp engine

• Switchable 2WD and 4WD with push button on-demand front diff lock

• EPS (electronic power steering)

• Canadian built CVTech drive train

• Bosch EFI fuel system

• Tow bar and front winch as standard fitted

• Fully road legal

The agricultural sector holds a significant role in securing food availability, but as margins get tighter and demands rise, no farmer can afford extended periods of downtime.

Joakim Johansson, Business Manager, Dafo Vehicle Fire Protection, discusses the rising risks of fires in the agriculture industry, and how farmers can protect operations.

Increased risks

As we all know, farming isn’t for the faint-hearted and this extends to a farmer’s vehicles. Machines often work around the clock in fields with little downtime which

means engines can often overheat resulting in fires.

In the UK, approximately 1,600 farm buildings and thousands of acres of land and crops are destroyed by fire each year. As with many other industries, farmers are under increasing pressure as populations increase and profits reduce, meaning that it’s more important than ever for agricultural vehicles to be protected against the risk of fire. Due to the environment that heavy vehicles - such as tractors, combine harvesters and other farm vehicles - are working in, they often experience debris build up from the material on the ground. One of the leading causes of vehicle fires on farms

is improper maintenance. It’s important to keep the vehicle clean, as excess debris creates more fuel that could burn and, if there is a spark, will increase the size of a fire and the amount of damage caused to a farm or crop.

The effects

As weather starts to get more extreme, as a result of climate change, even a short time without an important machine at a critical point, can have dire financial consequences. Most farmers will only have one combine harvester. Even without the danger to individuals and the cost of a new vehicle, a combine’s downtime could result in losing a whole harvest or

severely compromising its value because, after months of growing, harvest has to be precisely timed.

Combine harvesters have to be insured, however, this reactive approach can still cost your farm a large portion of its annual income, and it’s important to think proactively to prevent fires from getting out of control and understand how to increase fire safety on your vehicles.

Understanding your farm

Before you can properly protect your farm, you need to carry out a fire risk assessment, not just of your vehicles, but of your farm as a whole, to understand exactly where a fire could break out.

When creating your risk assessment, consider:

1. Sources

Sources of ignition, sources of fuel and sources of oxygen. Consider where they are and how you can reduce them – for example, reducing hay and straw

from fields as soon as possible after harvesting and storing them at least 10 metres apart from any buildings housing livestock.

Many farmers fail to understand that high-moisture hay bales are more of a fire hazard than dry ones as the moisture insulates the bale, temperatures increase, increasing the likelihood of spontaneous combustion, so you can see how it’s important to consider all potential sources of ignition on your farm.

2. People and goods

What might exacerbate the fire risk? Where and how do people move around the farm and where are goods stored that could catch fire and lead to damage?

This includes considering an arson survey, to identify where this might strike. Large vehicles can be a key target for arson, as they’re known to be expensive, flammable and difficult to extinguish once a fire starts.

3. Evaluate

Evaluate the risk of a fire starting, the risk to people, remove/reduce hazards and consider fire precautions – including fire suppression systems to reduce the damage a fire can cause.

Fire suppression systems offer a fast and effective way to provide the protection you need. An automatic system is able to detect and extinguish a fire rapidly, and perform in harsh environments, including those long days on the farm.

At Dafo Vehicle, four key elements; detection, alarm, suppression and control, work together to suppress a fire as soon as it occurs. With a fixed linear heat detector cable, which is triggered at 180°C, Forrex liquid will be distributed, and an alarm system activated to warn the driver. Liquid agent will replace the oxygen, cooling down overheated engine parts and prevent reignition before a dangerous fire fully takes hold.

4. Record, plan, instruct and train

Record findings and action you take as a result of your risk assessment, prepare an emergency plan with the emergency services should a fire occur and provide training to the relevant people.

Suppression systems should include a clock and event log,

which will enable you to analyse and understand previous events to prevent a fire from taking place in future.

Looking to the future…

Currently, insurance companies demand on-board fire suppression systems for combine harvesters, so it’s important that

you have the best quality protection on your vehicle. Although other, smaller, equipment isn’t protected by these types of regulations, including straw presses, that doesn’t mean that they’re without risk.

When assessing the risk of your vehicles, consider them holistically i.e. how they work together on your farm, rather than as separate components. Prioritising the safety of our farms now is more important than ever, as we look to the future and electric or autonomous agriculture vehicles become more and more commonplace. We need to control the fire risks now, before they increase even further through new technological developments.

For more information on how you can protect your farm, visit Dafo Vehicle.

Latest claims data shows collisions involving agricultural vehicles 50% more likely during summer harvest - NFU Mutual and Police urge

As farmers begin the harvest season and agricultural traffic increases, leading rural insurer NFU Mutual is urging all rural road users to take extra care over the coming months.

The harvest season is already underway in many places, with livestock farmers making their vital first cut of silage to build stores to feed cattle through next winter. Silage cutting is followed by hay making, generally from June onwards, with arable crop harvesting taking place through July and August.

Coinciding with the hotter weather when people look to explore the countryside, harvest season brings a greater need for all road users to respect their fellow road users and the hazards common on country roads, says the leading rural insurer. The next few months will see higher volumes of agricultural traffic than in Autumn and Winter, including many tractors pulling heavy silage and grain trailers or wide agricultural machinery.

The latest claims data from NFU Mutual shows that collisions between agricultural vehicles and third parties were 52% more likely between the start of May and the end of September 2022 than in any other months. On average, there were 423 of these accidents per month during the silage cutting,hay making, and harvesting season, compared to 249 per month between October and April.

As well as an increase in agricultural traffic, the summer months also coincide with the school holidays and a greater amount of leisure traffic, with road users not necessarily used to rural roads, which can further increase the risk of accidents.

The increase in agricultural vehicles in the road coincides with the sunnier weather and school holidays to greatly increase the volume of traffic on rural roads during this time.

Jade Devlin, rural road safety specialist at NFU Mutual, is encouraging rural communities and visitors alike to remain aware oftractors, trailers, and other agricultural machinery on the road:

"With silaging underway in many parts of the UK, we're beginning to see more tractors, trailers and large agricultural machinery such as combine harvesters on our rural roads.

"Unfortunately, our claims data shows that accidents involving these agricultural vehicles and third parties are over 50% more likely in the harvesting season, so we're sharing some advice on how everyone can stay safe on rural roads

this spring and summer.

"Agricultural vehicles are generally large, wide and slow, which can tempt road users to overtake, but it's vital that you remain patient and only overtake when it's safe to do so – when you can see a clear road ahead, there are no field openings, and you have space to pass.

"Farmers and contractors cannot drive too quickly, but they will generally either be going a short distance to an adjacent field or will – and should – pull over to allow built-up traffic to pass. Motorists and cyclists should be patient, give agricultural vehicles room to turn and not drive too closely to them, which can be dangerous and can obstruct your view before overtaking.

"It's important to remember that rural roads are vital arteries for our agricultural industry, allowing farmers to bring in the harvest which helps feed the population, as well as valued spaces which allow us to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

"Mutual respect from those who use rural roads for work and for pleasure will ultimately help keep our motorists, cyclists, horse riders and walkers safe this harvest season."

Reiterating the importance of staying safe on rural roads this summer, Inspector Jem Mountford from Warwickshire Police Roads Policing Unit said:

"Road safety is everyone's responsibility. With more people using country roads during the summer months, it is important we are all patient and show respect to other road users.

"If everyone does this, then we can reduce the number of collisions and injuries on these roads."

NFU Mutual's guide to respecting rural roads during this year's harvest season

All road users

• Give plenty of space when overtaking. Vulnerable road users, such as walkers, runners, horse riders and cyclists, should be given as much room as motorists where possible.

• Always check for other road users, particularly at the entrance of fields and junctions.

• Be patient with fellow road users and only overtake when it is safe for all road users.

• Consider where you park to avoid blocking field entrances orobstructing the road for wide

drivers to take extra care

agricultural machinery, such as combine harvesters, as they will often need to drive across two lanes.

• Be aware of mud on the road. Rural roads are essential to our farming industry and therefore some mud will be dragged from fields to the road.

• Familiarise yourself with the Highway Code.

• Avoid unnecessary distractions like looking at your phone or listening to music through headphones, allowing you to be aware of your surroundings.

Farmers

• Ensure all equipment is road worthy and pay particular care to things like trailers which may not have been used for months. Check brakes and indicators and make sure you have reflectors and a beacon for your vehicle. Use the Tilly Checklist to inspect your trailer.

• Be aware of vulnerable road users or hidden junctions, making contractors aware of these junctions and commonly-used walking, cycling and riding routes.

• Familiarise yourself and your contractors with the speed limits for your vehicles.

• If your agricultural vehicles leave mud in the road, remember to clean it up.

• When turning, indicate in plenty of time and check more than once for road users on your inside.

• Be respectful to fellow road users, but only allow them to pass when it is safe to pull over.

Pedestrians, cyclists and motorists

• Speed limits are not targets. Always drive appropriately and remember rural roads are likely to have hazards such as tighter carriageways, blind corners, and animals in the road.

• Pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders should consider wearing appropriate clothing which enables them to be seen.

• Respect that rural roads are vital to our farming industry and expect to encounter tractors, farm machinery or animals in the road.

Signal correctly and in plenty of time, whether you are a motorist, cyclist or horse rider.

®

Selontra becomes the only professional rodenticide suitable for targeting field mice, Apodemus sylvaticus, on farms

The award-winning cholecalciferol rodenticide, Selontra®, is now approved for usage on field mice (also known as wood mice), BASF has announced.

This exciting label re-launch means that the popular product from the leading pest control solutions manufacturer is the only rodenticide on the market suitable for targeting these wood or field mice, also known asApodemus sylvaticus.

“At BASF, we listen to the market and work on providing muchneeded solutions to solve our customers’ problems,” said Laurence Barnard, Country Business Manager for Professional & Specialty Solutions at BASF.

“We know that mouse infestations in rural environments are a real issue, and farmers have been calling out for a suitable product to control these field mice for a few years, so we’re delighted to share the news that Selontra® is now approved for use against this species when needed.”

Suitable for usage in and around buildings, field mice have been added to Selontra®’s approved list of target species thanks to the proven efficacy against the pests and high palatability of the product.

Until packaging with new labels enter circulation, BASF will provide users with a copy of the new label(also available to download from www.pestcontrol. basf.co.uk),, meaning pest controllers can begin using the

rodenticide to control these field mice immediately, in and around buildings, as long as they have a copy of the new label.

The shelf life of the popular product has also been extended from three years to five years,

providing retailers and pest controllers with an even longer opportunity to safely and effectively use the rodenticide.

This non-anticoagulant bait, which launched in 2020 after ten years of development, offers pest

control professionals fast, effective results thanks to its unique formulation.

Featuring the active cholecalciferol, the soft block bait provides a stop-feed effect, on both the bait and any available food on the site, 24 hours after consuming a lethal dose, making complete control possible in as few as seven days.

As well as offering a different mode of action, Selontra® also balances performance and environmental impact, is neither persistent in the environment nor bioaccumulative, and can withstand extreme climates.

To find out more and become a certified Selontra® user athttps:// www.training.selontra.com/

Find out more about Selontra® athttps://www.pestcontrol.basf. co.uk/en/Products/Overview/ Rodenticides/Selontra.html

British Wool confirms payments for 2022 wool

British Wool has confirmed the prices being paid to members for last year’s wool clip. A total of £6.6 million will be paid to members this year with exact prices depending on grade and type of wool. Members will be receiving a personalised letter in mid-May confirming the total value of their 2022 wool with core grades achieving 30p/kg, the Blackface wool 20p/kg, Welsh Mountain wool 10p/kg and 8p/kg for Swaledale.

Fleeces from organic flocks attract a premium of 70p/kg for core types and 20p/kg for the Welsh Mountain type.

signs of recovery in the wool market after the devastating impact of the Covid pandemic, however the war in Ukraine and subsequent spike in energy prices reversed much of those improvements. High energy costs and consumer confidence had led to a very challenging environment for all raw material suppliers including wool.”

“The impact of high energy prices on the cost of processing wool has been enormous,” explained Mr Hogley. “Commercial scouring tariffs have increased by 30% over the past 12 months.” Increased haulage rates and diesel prices had also been a significant challenge to the business, he said.

Despite these difficulties, British Wool has still been able to sell the wool achieving prices comparable to those in New Zealand.

Mr Hogley concluded: “We are optimistic about the future and believe there is much to be positive about. Our focus on the environmental and sustainability credentials of British wool is gaining traction. Over the past year the number of brands with verified British wool product ranges has increased to more than 100.

Andrew Hogley, CEO, British Wool said: “We understand that prices will be disappointing to our members, particularly on the back of falling lamb prices and other difficulties in the wider industry. We are frustrated too. Global prices have been under pressure in recent months and this, alongside the cost inflation experienced by the wider industry, had created ‘significant difficulties’ in the marketplace, he added.

“As a farmers cooperative, the returns we offer our members are determined by the value we can achieve for the wool we sell on their behalf and the costs of bringing that wool to market,” he said. “There had been positive

“Increasingly we are seeing manufacturers willing to pay a premium for traceable British wool and we have invested in our systems that give full traceability back to the farm.” Exploring new uses and markets for wool was ongoing too he said.

“We encourage sheep farmers to continue supporting us as we continue to navigate these difficult times. We truly believe that with continued effort, determination, and innovation we can build a positive future for wool, but we all need to work together.”

Search on For Best Dairy Farming Business as 2023 Gold Cup Entries Open

The search is on for the best dairy farming business in the UK as applications open for the prestigious 2023 NMR/ RABDF Gold Cup competition.

The Gold Cup competition, sponsored by NMR, is the UK's top national dairy award that recognises dairy businesses for all-around excellence. It was first launched in 1920 and has been won by some of the country's most influential dairy farmers.

• Strong herd performance, including high herd health, welfare and fertility

• A profitable business

• Good staff management

• Environmental management

• Building a sustainable dairy business fit for the future

So, whether you are a crossbred grass-based herd, an indoor high input high output herd, a pedigree herd or a spring block calving herd, this competition is open to all.

How to enter

Entry forms can be downloaded atrabdf.co.uk/ gold-cupcompand, once completed, sent toromany. marshhall@rabdf. co.uk.

is the most prestigious award in the dairy industry. This award isn't about being big or having the best-bred pedigree herd; it's about the whole farm business.

"We want dairy farming businesses that are looking to the future, are doing everything they can to maximise the profitability of their farm, whilst also considering aspects such as the environment, good staff management, and their impact in the broader industry.

"If you think that's you, then we encourage you to get involved and share the delight of this wonderful industry award."

What winning means

Dairy farmer Robert Sloan from Ayrshire said he didn't expect to win."I'm just a family farm with three robots, I certainly never put myself in the same category as some of the previous winners, but we had a go.

Entries made easier

This year the competition organiser, the RABDF, has made it easier to enter by streamlining the application form and automating data collection for herds milk recording with NMR, CIS and QMMS.

That means all herd recording applicants need to do is tell us a bit about their business, and the rest is done automatically. The competition is also open to nonrecording herds, with data provided manually.

What are the judges looking for?

The competition is open to entrants who can demonstrate the following:

Industry representatives, such as vets, nutritionists, accountants, foot trimmers etc, can also nominate farms they think are worthy of the Gold Cup title by filling in a nomination form at rabdf.co.uk/ gold-cup-comp

The competition is open untilFriday 1 August, when the entries will be judged by RABDF's Chairman Di Wastenage, Vice Chair Robert Craig and the 2020 Gold Cup winner John Torrance from Essex. A shortlist of entries will be judged on farm later this year.

The winner will be announced at Dairy-Tech 2024 on 7 February at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire.

Commenting on the award, Mrs Wastenage said: "The Gold Cup

"It's been a great experience to win, and to be associated with the Gold Cup was our biggest driver for entering.

"The Open Day we hosted was the pinnacle of winning - being able to showcase what we are doing."

Mr Sloan said winning also helped when it came to recruiting staff. "Winning the award has generated something different to the offering. It makes us stand out as a business and looks good from the outside when recruiting," he added.

More details about the award and how to enter can be found athttps://www.rabdf.co.uk/goldcup-comp

Study highlights growing problem of heat stress on UK dairy farms

Heat stress is becoming a costly problem on UK dairy farms with some businesses losing up to £90,000 due to their cattle overheating, according to results from an ongoing study.

The study, which is entering its fourth year, aims to raise awareness of heat stress and assess how big a problem it is on UK dairy farms.

Dr Tom Chamberlain, founder of Chalcombe Ltd, who is conducting the research in partnership with Lallemand Animal Nutrition, revealed the findings from last year’s study at the Society of Feed Technologists ruminant conference in Coventry.

“The study took place across nine farms in England and we continuously measured the temperature and humidity inside and outside the sheds, with the results streamed in real-time,” said Dr Chamberlain.

“The results show there were four heatwaves inside the sheds starting from early May until the

middle of September, with the cows experiencing heat stress for 99 days, or 57% of the six-month trial period.”

He said the outside data showed grazing cows experienced heat stress for 37 days, or 22% of the trial period, with the heat stress season running from the middle of June until the middle of September.

“Predicted milk yield losses averaged 138 litres per cow for housed cattle, ranging from 100 to 187 litres, while grazing cattle experienced an average loss of 129 litres per cow, ranging from 79 to 169 litres,” added Dr Chamberlain.

“The average financial loss incurred was £128 per cow, ranging from £96 to £180 a cow, with herd losses ranging from £24,000 to £90,000.”

He said the study results show heat stress is a growing problem for both housed and grazed dairy cows, and it should be considered in herd management plans.

“Cows will start to suffer when

the temperature is about 19-20°C in the UK, and once you have cows suffering for too long, you’ll start to have problems with milk yield and fertility as well as a deterioration in rumen health,” added Dr Chamberlain.

Dairy farmers can mitigate the impact of heat stress by focusing on water, the cows’ environment, and nutrition.

He said: “Farmers should open up sheds as much as possible, install fans and misting systems to keep cows cool, and ensure a good supply of clean and cool drinking water that’s less than 20°C.

“They can also improve rumen health by feeding fresh rations more frequently, using high-quality forage, and including a rumen-specific live yeast, such as Levucell SC, in the ration.”

The heat stress trial will be expanded for 2023 to comprise 12 farms across the UK – from Edinburgh in the north to Southampton in the south – including one in Northern Ireland.

To support all dairy farmers, the results from the Lallemand sponsored farms will be reported in real time here: www.dchs. info

TWO FREE BAGS OF VOLAC CALF MILK

Farmers buying a pallet of Volac calf milk replacer during May can claim two free bags to help save money on high quality calf nutrition.

Volac, a British family owned and operated business, is keen to support under pressure UK beef and dairy farmers who commit to feeding calves a proven, high performance milk replacer product made from milk sourced from British farms.

According to Volac global technical manager for calf milks, Ian Watson, overall ingredient quality is now a key feature calf rearers are looking for from their milk replacer product.

“Alongside excellent performance credentials, provenance and sustainability are now prized key features even in a falling milk price environment,” he said.

Cut through the confusion

Mr Watson added that interpreting what can often seem conflicting nutritional advice can sometimes make calf rearing seem challenging.

“But attention to detail in some key husbandry areas and a sound understanding of the important feeding principles will help you get it right.”

Consequently, he encouraged farmers to stick with proven calf milk replacer brands, backed by solid scientific research – and to buy British.

“In addition, modern nutritionists clearly have a responsibility to help farmers produce milk and rear their replacement calves more sustainably. But sustainability in agriculture goes hand in hand with efficiency,” he said.

“When it comes to providing the right pre-weaning nutrition in the

current climate, we also need to consider the sustainability of our inputs. And the inputs of early life calf production are primarily concerned with the ingredients used in milk formulas.

“Sustainable sourcing of ingredients for milk powder formulations is becoming extremely important and, in this context, manufacturers must consider both the impact of growing the ingredient and the usefulness of that ingredient in meeting the nutrition requirements of the growing calf.

“What you can certainly be sure about is the focus Volac nutritionists constantly have on sourcing the best quality ingredients for its calf milk formulations – and particularly those ingredients that we know will deliver the best balance between animal performance, efficiency and sustainability,” said Mr Watson.

10,000GNS OVERHILL SIMMENTAL BULL IS THE ‘REAL’ MCCOY AT CARLISLE!

Richard McCulloch, Overhill House, Armadale, West Lothian led a terrific Simmental bull sale at Harrison & Hetherington’s Borderway Mart when he took the 10,000gns sale top price with Overhill House McCoy at the breed’s May Carlisle Sale on Saturday, May 13th.

A strong demand from a packed ring side saw a 100% clearance of the 12 bulls forward and a centre record average at this May fixture of £6519. In all, eight bulls made 6000gns and more with top price bulls selling to Orkney, Aberdeen, Northumberland, Hawick, Derbyshire, and Newton Stewart. A busy Simmental day saw pedigree females sell to 3900gns, whilst the newly introduced sale of Simmental X High Health heifers saw a top price of £3800 and 33 average £1790.

Earlier in the day, the December 2021 born Overhill House McCoy had been placed as the Supreme Champion in the pre-sale show of bulls by the judge Harry Wood of the noted Popes herd, Dutton, Lancashire. Come sale time some fast bidding for this bull saw him race to 10,000gns before being knocked down to prolific Simmental bull buyer Liam Muir, Stromness, Orkney. Mr Muir was purchasing the bull for clients in the shape of Ronnie & Gladys Brown, Newhall, Stromness, and for their 60-cow suckler herd. Commenting after

the sale Mr Muir said: “This is just a good Simmental bull. He has width, plenty of length, great style, and is the dark red colour I was also looking for.”

These thoughts were echoed by the judge Harry Wood who speaking immediately after the sale said: “The Champion is just what you’re looking for in a modern Simmental. He had a good top line, was good on his legs, had plenty of breed character, and is the colour that buyers are looking for.”

The Supreme Championship and sale top price made it a double for the Overhill House herd who achieved the same feat at the recent Stirling Simmental Sale with the 16,000gns all-breeds top priced Overhill House Neil. Overhill House McCoy is by the 24,000gns Islavale Heston, the same sire as the herd’s Stirling topper, and is out of Islavale Caitlin a heifer bought privately as a yearling from the Islavale herd.

In all, eight bulls made 6000gns or more. Simmental bulls with polled genetics have increasingly been in demand and the second top price at Carlisle was the 8000gns paid for the heterozygous polled Auchorachan Monarch ET 21 (P), from D&R Durno & Sons, Glenlivet, Ballindalloch. This August 2021 born bull, who placed first in the first class, is by

the heterozygous polled bull Lykke Iceman P, and is out of the Omorga Samson sired daughter Auchorachan Autumn EX94. A bull with length, power, and breeding, Auchorachan Monarch ET 21 (P), was purchased by the commercial producer, A&L Craig & Co, Downiehills Farm, Peterhead. A few lots later and the Durnos sold the entirely homebred Auchorachan Maserati for 6500gns to the Firm of McKinnel, Drumneil Farm, Newton Stewart. November 2021 born this bull, another with length and width, is by the prolific Auchorachan Hercules, and is out of Auchorachan Letta H2 VG88.

Two bulls made 7000gns. The first of these was the upstanding Newbiemains Mammoth from Jim & Patricia Goldie, Newbie Mains Farm, Annan, Dumfriesshire. Standing second in his class, this July 2021 bull with size and length, is by Newbiemains Jetset 18, and is out Newbiemains Joy VG 87, an Islavale Frontier daughter. Off to Northumberland, he was bought for the commercial herd of CJ

Sutherland, Ross Farm, Belford. Speaking after the sale, Mr Sutherland said: “I liked this bull immediately as he had size, length, wasn’t overdone and I think is a good honest bull. He’ll be put to use straight away in the commercial herd.” Mr Sutherland’s commercial herd comprises of 140 suckler cows. Also at 7000gns was T Hill & R Wright, Wadworth, Doncaster with the October 2021 born Scotland Hill McCoy. This bull followed the Champion through his class to take the Reserve Overall Championship in the presale show. Sired by Clonagh King Eyes, and out of Scotland Hill Avril 2nd, Scotland Hill McCoy sold to the Borders and to IHG Warden, Skelfhill Farm,

Hawick. Commenting afterwards, Mr Warden said: “This is the most we’ve paid for a bull at Carlisle, but we certainly think Scotland Hill McCoy will be worth

DC Houldey, Kirtleton House, Lockerbie made 6500gns when selling their December 2021 born Manor Park Mickey. Sired by Corskie Ebay 13, and out of Manor Park Bronte, this bull had strong figures being +11 for Maternal (Milk), in the top 5% of the breed, and +82 for 400 Day Weight, within the top 10% of the breed. Purchasing this bull was TW Hamilton & Son, Kirkton of Crawford, Biggar, Lanarkshire. Polled genetics was again to the fore when the heterozygous polled Rooklea Newyear 22 (P), the last bull in the ring, from Mrs A Trafford, Springfield Farm, Cockermouth made 6500gns when selling to Peter & Andrea Booth who run the Barleyclose pedigree herd at Gun Lane Farm, Belper, Derbyshire. A January 2022 born calf, Rooklea Newyear 22 (P) is by the imported sire Losning Iver (P), and is out of Rooklea Jasmine, a Kilbride Farm Glenhead 1 (P) daughter. The final bull at 6000gns and over was Braegarrie Maverick from DL&S Currie, Pinclanty, Pinmore, Girvan. October 2021 born this calf got by AI is by the well-known Woodhall Ferrari sire and is out of Braegarrie Vanessa who previously produced the 7900gns Braegarrie Bravo a Male Champion at Carlisle. From this milky dam line, and with a Maternal (Milk) figure of +9, Braegarrie Maverick was bought on the day by R McKinnel & Sons, Garrarrie Farm, Whithorn, Newton Stewart.

again met with a strong trade. Leading this sale, and rounding off a good day’s trading, was D&R Durno, Auchorachan, Glenlivet, Ballindalloch, with a September 2021 born Simmental heifer making £3800 and being one of two purchases by James Hodge, Dreghorn, Irvine. Other leading prices in this sale saw the Houldeys, Manor Park sell heifers to £2600, and £2500 x 2. As well as the top price of £3800, the Durnos sold further heifers to £2400, £2200, £2100, and £1900 x 2. Messrs Freeman, Troutbeck Farm, Winderemere sold 14month-old Simm x Luings to £1850 x 2, and £1800 x2. S&L Dodd, Tundergarth Mains, Lockerbie sold 12- to 14-monthold Simm x Luings to £1800 x 4; and Messrs Finlay McGowan, Incheoch Farm, Alyth sold 12 to 13-month-old Simm x Luings to £1750 x3. In all, 33 Simm X High Health bulling heifers averaged £1790.

it. He’ll be put to work at the end of June and will be run with 30 Luing heifers. The Simm Luing cross really works for us and we put them back to a Limousin bull. The bull had a certain finesse about him, and we think he’ll be perfect to produce nice hill females.” Strong supporters of the Simmental sales, the 65-cow Scotland Hill has previously sold bulls at Carlisle to 8800gns.

Regular vendors at Carlisle, Mr

In the small show of Simmental females, the top price was 3800gns for the March 2021 born in-calf heifer Midhope Matilda from regular consignors WJ Hollingsworth, Midhope Farm, Sheffield. This heifer by Delfur Chas 11, was another to go to the Barleyclose herd of Messrs Booth, Belper, Derbyshire. From the same home, Midhope Melanie made 3500gns when selling to Philiphaugh Estate, Selkirk. March 2021 born, Melanie is by Denizes Johnny

The newly introduced sale of SimmX HighHealth bulling heifers drew much attention and

The Simmental section also saw a major reduction sale for the Chesterman Herd of Nick & Nadia Gwynne, Castlewigg Farm, Newton Stewart. Being held due to a change in farming policy, the Chestermann herd is well recognised at Carlisle and with the herd topping last year’s bull sale at 6200gns, and 6000gns. The sale on the day saw a top price of 3300gns paid for the seven-year-old Chestermann Data Nonne 3, sold with her heifer calf at foot Chestermann Empire Nonne 4. Purchasing this outfit was Andy Wilson for his Cairnview pedigree herd at Kilwinning, Ayrshire. Four further lots made 3000gns as 12 in all averaged £2703.75.

Across the sections on the day the Simmental sale grossed £180,755.

AVERAGES

• 12 Bulls - £6518.75

• 33 Simm High Health heifers - £1790

• 4 Heifers - £2756.25

• 12 Chesterman Reduction Sale - £2703.75

Protect Stock from Flies Now as Warm,

Farmers are warned to be on their guard and protect their livestock against flies, as warm and wet weather accelerates maggot and fly development.

Studies in cattle have shown that fly worry can cause growth rate losses of up to 0.3kg a day and 0.5l a day milk loss1, mainly due to the 'hassle factor' leading to reduced feed intake.

"Not only do flies cause a significant financial loss, they are also a welfare concern," explained Zoetis National Veterinary ManagerPatricia van Veen.

"Cattle and sheep can become irritated by flies and spend less time resting or eating, impacting DLWG and production. In sheep, flies can also cause devastating issues, such as blowfly strike, which can occur rapidly, often taking sheep farmers by surprise. If an infestation is missed, it can cause suffering and even death," she said.

Farmers can easily protect their stock from flies, with the best results seen when fly control starts before populations really get going.

Control options

Synthetic pyrethroid spot-on products are among the most commonly used. These work by disrupting the fly's nervous system, ultimately killing them. Each product has different active ingredients, control periods and withdrawal times. It's important cattle and sheep producers discuss insect control options with their vet or qualified animal health adviser to

find the product most suited to their herd/flock.

Examples include Fly & Lice Spot On® and DYSECT®. These can give up to 8 weeks of protection in cattle, with a zero-day milk withdrawal. In sheep, DYSECT can protect against Blowfly for 8-10 weeks and head flies for six weeks, with a 49day meat withdrawal. Regular application is needed for season-long control.

Ms van Veen added: "A good fly control strategy is an important part of preventative healthcare for all

Warm, Wet Weather Sees Peak in Numbers

livestock. Not only does it have the potential for improving productivity in your herd or flock, but it also prevents diseases such as New Forest Eye, summer mastitis and blowfly strike, which can be costly and have devastating consequences."

References

1.Jonsson et al (1999). Med. Vet. Entomology 13, p372-376

DYSECT CATTLE POUR-ON SOLUTION 15 G/ LITRE contains alphacypermethrin. POM-VPS.

DYSECT SHEEP POUR-ON 12.5 G/L POUR-ON SOLUTION contains alphacypermethrin. POMVPS. FLY & LICE SPOT ON contains deltamethrin. POM-VPSFor further information please see the product's SPC or contact your medicine supplier or Zoetis UK Limited, First floor, Birchwood Building, Springfield Drive, Leatherhead KT22 7LP www. zoetis.co.uk. Customer Support: 0345 300 8034. Use medicines responsibly (www.noah.co.uk/ responsible).Date of preparation May 2023 MM26274

The sheep of things to come

First UK outing for portable chambers to measure methane

High-tech portable chambers for measuring methane emissions from sheep are being used in the UK for the first time.

Scientists at Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) have unveiled their New Zealand-designed Portable Accumulation Chambers (PACs) as the latest tool in mitigating agricultural greenhouse gases.

The trailer-mounted chambers can predict methane emissions in individual sheep from a variety of systems, including at pasture, as well as in multiple locations.

Scientists can collect air samples and then analyse methane concentration, showing which genetics, feed types and systems generate the highest emission levels.

In arecent blog post, Professor Wayne Powell, Principal and Chief Executive of SRUC, called for increased efforts to reduce the climate impact of ruminant livestock.

Dr Nicola Lambe from SRUC, who is leading the PACs project, said: "There is an urgent need to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from sheep. Recent figures show there are more than 1.2 billion sheep in the world, producing around 7 million tonnes of methane into the atmosphere.

"Despite the fact resource efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions are global priorities, there are few examples around the world of research to implement breeding strategies to directly tackle these issues in sheep.

"This is largely due to the difficulty in recording feed

consumption and greenhouse gas emissions on an individual animal basis, especially in grass-based systems. The Portable Accumulation Chambers will play an important role in starting to address this issue."

Working with Agri-EPI Centre, Rob Hodgkins, who has 2,500 sheep on his farm in Hertfordshire, has become the first farmer in the UK to use the PACs, following a grant from Innovate UK.

He said: "Not only does this make sense from an environmental point of view, but it also makes sense economically. It will only be a matter of time before consumers will be able to look at labels on packets of meat that shows what they're buying has come from, for example, a carbon-zero sheep."

Sheep farmers hoping to find out more about the PACs can contact nicola.lambe@sruc.ac.uk

The Balwens sheep

Hanna Cae Cogau is the 5th generation farmer on our smallholding in North Wales but the first to bring a different breed of sheep than the texels to the farm: Balwen Welsh Mountain Sheep.

We’ll get to know how I got into the breed in a short while but first, a little background on me. I’m the only grand-daughter of Brynle and Ann (mum’s mum and dad) and the only one with her heart in farming. On my 7th birthday I was given four beautiful black welsh mountain sheep (Tina, Tessa, Beca and Rebecca - yes, I was and still are one of those who name her sheep!). We crossed these four with our white texel ram and even today (18 years later) we still have the origins of Tina, Tessa, Becca and Rebecca coming through in my black texel crosses. I also had many white texel pets growing up, Sunflower, Crystal, Barbie, Swyn, Speckles, Cutie and Pwten just to name a few. So how did the Balwens appear? Being a farmer’s granddaughter our “days off” were going to local shows. It’s at these local shows that I first saw the Balwens and they intrigued me. I loved the look of them.

I was working away on my 21st birthday at a horse trekking centre at Abersoch on the Llyn Peninsula where signal was hopeless as you can imagine, we

were practically living on the edge of a cliff! I saw an advert for a starter flock of Balwens for sale on facebook one evening when we were on the beach after work (the only place with a strong enough signal). I sent the advert to mum, little did I know I was to receive a phone call shortly after to say that Taid Dinmael (dad’s dad) was buying the starter flock for me as a 21st birthday present and that they were meeting them half way to bring them home! If you’re already following my facebook page Balwens Marli and my instagram Hanna Cae Cogau, you’ll know that it was in this small flock of one ram and four ewes that the famous Billy Balwen came into my life.

It’s thanks to this small starter flock that I started the Balwens Marli Flock. And I am hooked on the breed! I didn’t know at the time that the Balwen Welsh Mountain breed is unfortunately on the rare breeds list. They originate from the Tywi Valley in South Wales and was nearly wiped out due to the disastrous winter of 1947 with only one ram and a handful of ewes surviving. The breeding numbers began to increase during the 1950’s and 60’s and by the 1970’s people outside of the valley began taking interest in the breed. The Balwen Welsh Mountain breed society was formed in 1985 and although a steady increase in numbers, the breed continues to be on the rare breeds survival trust’s watch list. They are a hardy welsh breed that can withstand horrendous weather conditions which we found out with the first set of twins to be born into Balwens Marli Flock. Taid got up early hours of the morning to check on the balwens and the texels in separate lambing sheds, it was absolutely chucking it down. He noticed that a balwen ewe had lambed but there was

no sign of any lamb. Taid walked the yard and by chance shone the flashlamp into the pony’s stable and there was one teeny tiny balwen lamb standing by Domino the pony. Taid believed he was too small to be a single so he kept looking, he went down the side of the texel lambing shed and there was the second lamb. They had both made their way out of the shed through a tiny gap between the gate and the shed wall. The previous night taid had seen a fox where he found the second lamb so we consider them both lucky!

Lambing the balwens to me is the same feeling as a child on Christmas morning, it’s the excitement. The markings of a balwen is quite specific, both ram and ewe lambs must be of a dark base colour ideally black, have an unbroken blaze from the poll of the head to above the nose, a black nose and lower two thirds of the tail white. Different to the ewe lambs, the ram lambs must

Lambing

have horns and four distinct white socks where there’s a little lee-way with the ewe lambs, passing registration on a point system. Ewe lambs will pass registration with two distinct white socks and some black is also acceptable in socks. You never know what markings you’re going to get, an elite ram and an elite ewe doesn’t mean you’ll get an elite offspring, that’s the excitement of lambing the balwens. I remember all the family anxiously waiting for the first balwen lamb to be born, the anticipation and the excitement all in one. Remember when i said i’ve always named my sheep…well the balwens are no exception, yes of course they all have names! So I started with the

eldest out of the starter flock and named her Alwen, the second eldest Beti and Billy, third eldest Ceri and you can see where this is going….I’m going down the alphabet. This year we have reached ‘I’ where I have 10 ewe lambs and 5 ram lambs so far…one more to lamb! My first gang of lambs were born into the ‘E’ category where I bought a few additions to my flock and started with nine breeding ewes. I try to expand my flock each year by keeping who I can, always considering whether they will be a part of my show flock as well as my breeding flock. I am now up to fifteen breeding ewes this year. For those of you possibly wondering, Efa and Elvis were the twins who escaped at minutes old in the middle of the night.

Up until this year Billy Balwen has always been my main ram both in the breeding flock and in the show flock, always coming home with countless rosettes, firsts, champions and reserve champion. Unfortunately, I lost Billy last November, I believe it was pneumonia due to the difference in weather temperature changes. He was my prize possession. It took a lot of time (so much time) to tame him back when he first came to us in September 2018. After hours of sitting in the field, being allowed to slowly sit closer and closer to him grazing, it wasn’t until I’d bought them in for lambing that I could really start to work on him. Having him in his own pen, bribing him with food and popping a halter on after many many head butts. He quickly gave in to all the bribing and fell in love with the attention, he loved the hugs and kisses. I believe that the taming process is built on trust. He trusted me but not anyone else. He’d revert

back to his wild self if anyone else appeared almost as if he had a split personality. He eventually learned to trust more than just me but he was always my baby. If I gave him to mum to hold for me to run and grab something he’d want to follow me. He’d definitely test mums’ strength! Halter training Billy taught me so much about halter training the rest of my show flock. It’s so much easier to halter train a ram or ewe that I’ve had from birth as we build a connection, they trust me, they know what attention is and they grow to love it. The show preparation consists of bathing and trimming as well as halter training. If I spent long enough brushing and trimming Billy he’d lie down, I think he found it all quite relaxing, almost how I find it relaxing when someone plays with my hair, do you know that feeling?

I didn’t even have to put a halter on to trim him, he’d happily stand (and then lie down!). Billy was the one that really got me into showing sheep. He’s the reason why I started showing sheep more than my dope on the rope ponies (but that’s another story!). Over the past four years of showing, Billy built himself quite a name, between the shows and my social media pages Billy was pretty well known and he loved the attention he got from members of the public, especially children. It’s crazy how attached you get to an animal, people say “it’s just a sheep” “they all look the same”. I strongly disagree

(this is where you’re thinking she’s a crazy sheep lady, yes I am). Billy was my prize possession and he will continue to be such an important part of my breeding flock, show flock and my whole showing journey as he taught me so much.

On a happier note, I’ve kept a son of Billy from last year: Hari. I see a lot of Billy’s traits in him, he trusts me, follows me round like a puppy just like Bill did, he craves my attention and halter trained with no fuss, quite the opposite to Billy to be honest but I bred Hari, Billy came to me as two year old.

season. Let’s hope for a similar outcome in 2023. Many of the breeders who came to registration day 2022 to register their lambs also liked the look of Hari, even more of reason to keep him!

Hari made his first appearance in the shows last year as a ram lamb, Billy’s trait of lying down when being pampered has been passed down to Hari. Hari also follows in his fathers footsteps by bringing home Champion Balwen Male, Champion Balwen, Reserve Champion and many many firsts from his first showing

During the showing season we have registration days where lambs from that lambing year that are believed to have the correct markings are taken to be registered. Come the end of the showing season we as a society have an annual show and sale in September. This year it will be held at Raglan Livestock Market September 16th - it’s a real buzz. The show comes first where lambs, ewes and rams of the same age compete for 1st, 2nd and 3rd just like an agricultural show. This result helps new members learn what is expected of the breed regarding confirmation and markings. It will also help to guide the price of the animal. My lambs are sold both privately and at the sales every year. Many of my privately sold lambs have gone as presents to children. They are a fantastic breed to encourage children to get involved. I always say, the more you put in, the more you get out for example, the more you do with the sheep, the better your special connection. Starting with the lambs as young as possible will encourage a positive and special bond. Children will also learn life lessons such as time management, a little bit of maths when counting sheep and counting scoops of feed and now I’m going off topic! I’m still in touch with most of the breeders who have bought lambs privately from me over the five years I’ve had Balwens. Some of these breeders have bought stock from me more than once which is an amazing feeling. I absolutely love receiving lamb-updates at lambing time and seeing them in shows. I feel so proud to see my breeding on the showing field. Gruff, a ram lamb who I sold after the registration in 2021 took home reserve champion from the

RWAS Smallholding Fair in 2022 as a shearling ram. I was over the moon with the results never mind how his current owners were feeling. Some of this years lambs will be looking for pastures new come July/August, a number of them will be sons/daughters to Billy although I will be reluctant to let them go. I’m sad to see any stock go but especially this year as Billy is no longer with me. I’m

keeping Hari as a ram within my flock, hoping to keep Billy’s legacy and bloodlines within my flock. My eldest ram now is Euros who I bought as a ram lamb and have used him on my ewes the past three years. Euros has also been successful in many of the shows, always bringing home rosettes. He will have to go to the annual sale this year unless I find a home for him earlier than September because the younger members of my breeding flock are either related to him or Billy. I will be looking for new bloodlines to introduce to my flock this year and I’m excited to see what ram I can get my hands on.

I could honestly write a book but if you’ve managed to stay with me until now and like the sound of the balwen breed, please feel free to send me a message or visit the annual sale in September.

Written by: Hanna Cae Cogau

RHIZA introduces breakthrough digital nutrient management planner for UK farmers

UK farmers are set to benefit from a revolutionary digital tool which can create a full nutrient management plan in minutes. Nutrient management planning matches inputs to crop demand. Records relating to the storage and application of inputs such as slurry and manure are key pieces of documentation required by the government and industry bodies to demonstrate compliance with regulation and environmental standards.

But the information required is often stored on multiple platforms or in paper form, making records hard to access and inaccurate.

An update to RHIZA’s market-leading digital platform, Contour, includes the introduction of a digital nutrient management planning tool suitable for grassland farming compliance.

In a single system, Contour’s Nutrient Management Planner (NMP) and compliance tool will enable users to create plans that meet NVZ regulations, as well as N-max and livestock, manure and storage calculations.

Set to be released next month, the system will prove invaluable for agronomists and FACTSqualified advisers striving to move away from paper records or aiming keep all relevant data on a single system.

Jamie Lyttle, Fertiliser Product Manager at Agrii, says the development will revolutionise and streamline nutrient management planning on a number of fronts.

“I personally

create about 100 plans a year and it can take several months to pull together due to the complexity and sheer volume of information required,” Jamie said.

“In terms of compliance, it’s a huge benefit to be able to produce the necessary reports for an Environment Agency visit or Red Tractor inspection at the click of a button.

“Farmers are time-poor and this new functionality is a huge step forward both in terms of efficiency and modernising what has become a cumbersome and complicated process.”

Contour’s nutrient management planner will have huge benefits for mixed farms using the platform already.

“With all compliance there really is a lot of data to gather and record, and this is amplified when livestock are involved. This is where Contour really comes into its own,” says Sam Fordham, Head of Technical for RHIZA.

“Basic information is stored on the platform and can be reused in future plans, saving the need to re-enter data each year.

“NMP and compliance are already complicated enough to understand, and so many of the tools on the market rely on

laborious data entry and calculations which have to be carried out.”

Users can enter all livestock numbers, record types and size of on-farm storage, manage imports and exports of manures to the farm and demonstrate that all the legislation requirements have been met.

In the past five years, environmental legislation around the application of nutrients to the soil has tightened. As a result, guidelines for farmers have become far more prescriptive to reduce losses into the atmosphere or water.

Rules differ according to the geographical location of farms, but all are focused on driving down ammonia or nitrous oxide gasses being released into the air, or nitrate leaching and phosphates running off into watercourses.

With both zonal and whole field planning available including more end-use options and improved nutrient recommendations for grass, Contour caters for all farming businesses.

Another key feature of the NMP tool is its ability to pull data from other parts of the Contour programme in order to avoid data being input twice.

“Double entry of data is a massive blocker for adopting new tools, especially with something like compliance, which you need to do and often requires detailed information,” Sam added.

RHIZA and its sister company Origin Digital worked alongside agronomists, compliance specialists and EA inspectors throughout its development to ensure the tool is both as compliant

and as easy to use as possible.

“With increasing scrutiny from the wider public, government and environmental bodies and the need for growers to provide justification and demonstrate their business is in accordance with the rules, this is a really important product and service for us”, says Jon Greenman, Commercial Manager for RHIZA.

“Being able to provide an industry leading nutrient planning and compliance tool brings us lots of opportunities for new revenue streams and adds breadth to our digital offering alongside our precision planning tools.

“The first release will be available to all UK regions, but to begin with, NVZ rules will only be for England and Wales.

On the Contour platform, RHIZA delivers an unparalleled level of insight, enhancing yields, reducing risks, saving time and optimising inputs.

Users of Contour already have access to Cranfield soil data, rainfall data per farm, cropping and soil analysis, if sampled by RHIZA. This latest update follows the same basic design and

workflows as the rest of Contour, ensuring a consistent and intuitive user experience.

Vervaet keeps it simple, yet powerful, with Volvo Penta D13

When the Dutch OEM decided to add a four-wheeled selfpropelled slurry spreader to its portfolio, it didn’t take long to find an engine partner capable of delivering high torque without adding complexity to the design.

Injecting liquid manure directly into the soil, Vervaet’s distinctive three-wheeled self-propelled slurry spreaders have become a head-turning sight on fields across Europe and beyond, with its five-wheel variants having much the same effect on observers on more undulating terrain. Ever since 1990, when the first Trike was built at Vervaet’s facility in Biervliet, southern Holland, this unusual

design to reduce ground compaction has been a big hit with farmers worldwide. But now a very different version has been developed in response to evolving customer needs.

“Historically, we’ve sold many three- and five-wheelers, but demand abroad is for four wheels, which is why we’ve built the Quad 550, our most powerful and technologically advanced slurry injector yet,” explains Robin Vervaet, co-owner and CEO of Frans Vervaet BV.

“Before producing a new machine, we always investigate the customer’s needs, look at what the competition is offering, and then see what we can do to improve on that. But our philosophy has always been to keep the machine as simple as

possible, as that helps to keep the cost of maintenance low.”

Torque talk

With those parameters in mind, a call to sound out Volvo Penta as an engine partner for the new design was an obvious early step. Producing 550 hp (405 kW), the company’s powerful yet compact inline six-cylinder, 12.78-liter TAD1385VE Stage V diesel engine clearly provided many of the key attributes required by a vehicle of this stature. By delivering up to 2650 Nm from engine speeds as low as 1200 rpm all the way up to rated power, for instance, the Quad 550 offers maximum torque in the crucial 5-15 km/h speed range in which these machines typically operate.

In addition to enabling first-class fuel efficiency, this allows the onboard pump to apply fertilizer at an incredible rate of up to 13,500 liters per minute (more than half of the huge slurry tank’s capacity), while offering 9000 kg of lifting capacity at the rear of the machine.

None of these impressive statistics conflicted with Vervaet’s demands for simplicity, however. All of that impressive power and torque had to be supplied from a system that would add as little bulk and weight as possible to allow for optimal installation on the new machine. And at just 1251 mm long, 923 mm wide and 1200 mm high, and with a dry weight of 1215 kg, the D13 certainly met these requirements.

However, due to Volvo Penta’s preferred approach of working in partnership with its customers, rather than just acting as an engine supplier, this potential problem was quickly resolved. With the D13’s highly efficient beltdriven cooling pump and compact, simple and reliable Exhaust Aftertreatment System (EATS) already creating the ideal conditions for reduced cooling

engine and transmission in perfect harmony, the Quad delivers unbeatable torque.”

Two heads…

Volvo Penta has found that by working closely with an OEM, with each company pooling its specialist knowledge, a solution can invariably be found to overcome any problem. Whether providing full installation support – covering everything from performance predictions and application integration to verification and test – or even creating modified engine designs to realize the desired performance, this approach is an extremely effective method of developing the best products possible.

Easy access to vital components was a key design element from the outset, and is reflected in the unhindered accessibility of the engine compartment, air-filter, and fuel and AdBlue tanks, with ground-level access to service points aiding safe, simple daily maintenance.

The OEM was also keen to position the radiator at the very front, where it is at reduced risk of blockages from dust and other residues – a location that could have potentially resulted in some of the D13’s vast horsepower being lost through parasitics due to its mid-mounted position on the left-hand side of the machine.

capacity requirements, enabling a smaller radiator to be fitted, the two manufacturers co-operated to develop a concept that ensures optimal operation in all conditions. In fact, even with its engine and driveline under full load, the Quad 550 suffers no loss of performance when working in ambient temperatures as high as 45°C.

“Working together with Volvo Penta we have developed a clever system in which all of the important components such as the engine, cooling and transmission are well coordinated,” adds Robin. “Thanks to the matching of the

Additionally, by supplying the engine in one complete package, along with its required accessories such as cables, filters, exhaust flanges, cooling package and aftertreatment system, Volvo Penta greatly simplifies the manufacturing process, explains Anna Maria Ullnert, Director Global Business Development, Industrial Sales at Volvo Penta: “Instead of our customers dealing with several suppliers and adjusting all parts separately, we offer a single point of contact and an engine ready to be lifted into the machine for simple installation.

“But our involvement doesn't end there,” she continues. “Knowing the importance of uptime, we provide support on-call 24/7 for the rest of the engine’s lifecycle

to ensure it runs effectively and reliably.”

Reliability and a strong global service network that could support Vervaet’s worldwide customers were also key considerations when choosing its engine partner, but these were easily satisfied with the D13’s worldwide engine homologation and ability to be serviced by any Volvo dealership, whether Volvo Penta, Volvo Trucks or Volvo CE. Should a technician be required

onsite, the advanced Engine Management System (EMS) 2.4 greatly simplifies diagnostics and fault tracing, while speeding up the identification of any spare parts that may be required.

“Fuel efficiency is obviously important, but even more crucial to ensuring a low cost of ownership is high uptime,” Robin states. “In season, our customers work all day and night, and if there is a breakdown there can be three or four other support vehicles that have to stop too. Our customers understand that any machine can break down every now and then – but how quickly you respond can be the critical difference.”

EVEN FOR TINY SPACES

“So far the engine has been very reliable, exceeding our expectations, but we know that if we did have any breakdown, J. Riley [Vervaet’s UK distributor] and Volvo Penta would sort things out very quickly,” verifies Jonny Fraser, of family-owned A&R Fraser, an agricultural contractor for whom the spreading of digestate is a main source of business. “Vervaet tailor-makes its machines to suit the market’s high expectations of reliability, productivity and ease of use in all types of conditions. We need an engine that provides plenty of power and high torque … and it’s got to have a nice sound!”

“The engine is one of the most important parts of any machine,” agrees Robin Vervaet. “It needs to be powerful, fuel efficient and reliable – and in the case of our Quad 550, it was Volvo Penta that ticked all the right boxes!”

UniSpread: the ultra-agile and super-efficient spreader by Vogelsang

Compact and versatile: choose our UniSpread and use it as a dribble bar or trailing shoe. Benefit from easy installation and retrofitting, small linkage with low overall weight, durable UV-resistant hose material, a high precision distributor and a chassis mounted system. Spread the news – UniSpread is the top choice for best results!

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VOGELSANG –LEADING IN TECHNOLOGY

Russells takes on Bauer slurry and irrigation equipment

One of Britain’s largest farm machinery dealer groups –Russells – has been appointed by Bauer to handle sales and back-up services for its slurry handling and crop irrigation equipment across a territory stretching from Yorkshire

southwards to Northamptonshire.

Russells will provide parts and service back-up for equipment already in use as well as supplying new Bauer machinery, and will have trained staff to look after the new product lines.

Paul Russell, managing

director, said: “We are delighted to be working with Bauer, a leading brand in irrigation and slurry equipment. It provides us with a great opportunity across the business to extend our product offering with a range of equipment renowned for quality and innovation.”

Adrian Tindall, Bauer UK & Ireland sales manager, said: “This change to our distribution follows the retirement of John Milner and Roy Wharrick of Rainmec, who did us proud, maintaining a sound reputation for product expertise and service.

“We’re delighted that Paul Russell and his team accepted our approach and look forward to working with them to support our users across the livestock, arable and commercial horticulture sectors.”

Russells will have access to Bauer’s entire product range, including the Austrian group’s highperformance slurry pumps, mixers, conventional and Green Bedding separators, and high-specification slurry and AD digestate transport

and spreading tankers.

Likewise, Bauer’s renowned irrigation equipment, which encompasses the comprehensive Rainstar reel irrigators, Centerstar pivot irrigators, SmartRain irrigation management program and app, diesel irrigation pumps, rigid pipe and flexible PE pipe, and original Bauer couplings. Overseeing the new venture at Russells is sales manager Jonny Newton: “A lot of our existing customers use Bauer equipment, so it was an easy decision to take on such a well-known and well-regarded range of slurry and irrigation equipment,” he says. “We’ve had very positive feedback on news of our appointment and we’ll be doing our best to provide the same level of service

that the previous dealer delivered.”

With a good mix of dairy and other livestock farms and vegetable and saladgrowing areas on Russells’ patch, Rob Jackson of Bauer UK & Ireland is confident the new partnership will be successful.

“The Russells team is very enthusiastic about this new venture and the product lines it adds to their multibranch operation, and we’ve already seen some irrigator and slurry pump sales,” he points out. “Building a stock of spares and having a selection of Rainstar irrigators in stock at Eggborough confirms their commitment to the Bauer range and customer service.”

KIOTI puts driver comfort at the forefront with the HX series tractor and K9 UTV

The new HX series of tractors from South Korean manufacturer KIOTI offers a new efficient, comfortable and cost effective option for farmers looking to buy a tractor in the 90 to 140hp sector.

Making its debut at the SIMA show in Paris, the KIOTI HX is powered by a KIOTI 3.8l 4-cylinder STAGE V turbo charged engine. The series consists of three models, the HX9010 rated to 90 hp, the HX1001 rated to 100hp and the HX1201 rated to 115hp, all with an automatic on demand PTO boost of 10hp.

Featuring a comfortable and luxurious cab, with fully adjustable air suspension seat, LCD dashboard and ergonomic controls, the HX cab provides the operator with a pleasant working environment.

A two-stage mechanical transmission with a 4 x 4 powershift arrangement provides 32 forward and reverse gears, offering a maximum speed of 40

km/hr. The ‘E-shift’ allows gear changes on the move without using the clutch pedal.

With versatility in mind, the HX features a CAT 2 rear hitch with a 4.4te lift capacity, two rear double acting services and a rear PTO with 540, 540 ECO and 1000 rpm options, which can be engaged manually or via the automatic mode linked to the rear linkage. Operators wishing to increase the versatility of their HX can do so by fitting an optional front linkage and PTO or a front loader, operated by an integrated four-way control lever.

Prices for the range topping HX 1201 start from £71,750.

The popular K9 Utility vehicle (UTV) from Kioti is now available with an optional factory fit cabin.

Specifically designed for the K9, the fully enclosed cabin provides complete protection from the elements, whilst the air conditioned cabin heating ensures the operator and passengers travel in comfort.

In addition, the new K9 is also equipped with a new CVT transmission with a homologated road speed of 50kph and speed sensitive power steering, both bringing a new level of operator comfort.

Capable of carrying two passengers, in addition to the driver in the cabin, and a payload of 500kg on the large rear platform, the K9 is well suited to numerous tasks around the farm.

Prices for a K9 UTV fitted with a factory cabin start from £29,750.

MANITOU EXPANDS AGRICULTURAL AREA WITH B&B TRACTORS

B&B Tractors are expanding their Agricultural area with Manitou, effective 1st June 2023.

The recent decision of Chandlers Farm Equipment to relinquish the Manitou franchise has provided Manitou with the opportunity to provide an expanded geographical area of responsibility to a longestablished Manitou dealer. As of 1st June 2023, B&B Tractors will take responsibility for the area currently covered by Chandlers Farm Equipment and will open a new dedicated Manitou depot trading as B&B Machinery. This depot will carry an extensive stock of Manitou parts and machines and will be operated by a team of staff dedicated to Manitou.

Established in 1991, B&B Tractors is a family owned and managed business that currently operates out of four depots, covering Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, Derbyshire,

Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Leicestershire. With over 30 years’ experience within the farming community, B&B Tractors pride themselves on delivering the highest level of customer care and experience to their customers, offering world-class products and services, reducing downtime and providing a onestop shop for all sales and aftersales needs.

Mark Ormond, Managing Director of Manitou UK Ltd, says "B&B Tractors is a very established dealer with a strong history and commitment to Manitou and our mutual customer base. I am delighted that the business will now establish a dedicated Manitou outlet in Lincolnshire to serve Manitou customers in that area".

B&B Tractors’ current allocated area of responsibility is shown in

red on the map opposite, the white dots representing their existing depots and the new company B&B Machinery being responsible for the blue shaded area. A new, centrally located, permanent depot is planned and will be based

in the Sleaford/Swineshead area. The address for B&B Machinery will be announced shortly, but support can already be obtained using the details below:

Tel: 01205 600 900

Web: www.bandbmachinery. co.uk

Email: sales@bandbmachinery.co.uk service@bandbmachinery.co.uk parts@bandbmachinery.co.uk

James Bowring, Managing Director of B&B Tractors, comments "We are thrilled to be working with Manitou and their team in the Lincolnshire area. We already have some relationships with customers within our new area and we understand that aftersales support is vital. That is why we have chosen to run a dedicated team from a new premises, under the new B&B Machinery name, to focus on providing the best level of service that Manitou customers deserve. We are working hard to get everything in place to provide our new team and customers with a depot that will fully support their needs, and we look forward to Elevating your Farming Experience soon".

LATEST USED STOCK www.chandlers.co.uk

Tallis Amos Partners with Mazzotti Self-propelled Sprayers

Tallis Amos Group, a leading agricultural machinery dealer in the UK, is pleased to announce a new cooperation with Mazzotti, a renowned manufacturer of high-quality self-propelled sprayers. This partnership will enable Tallis Amos Group to offer Mazzotti's range of selfpropelled sprayers to customers across South Wales & the West Midlands. Providing a range of self-propelled sprayers from 2,000 to 6,000 litre capacity, perfectly complementing the existing John Deere trailed and selfpropelled sprayer line up.

As part of this co-operation, Tallis Amos Group will be responsible for the sales and support of Mazzotti's self-propelled sprayers, offering

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TheARION600and500range-thenewmid-rangestandard Assistingyou,whereveritisneeded. Oneofourmostpopulartractorshasjustgotevenbetterthankstoahostofnew functionsdevelopedbyourengineersinconsultationwithARIONdrivers. Afterall,theyworkinthefieldeveryday,sotheyknowexactlywhattheywant.

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customers the opportunity to purchase the latest technology and advancements in precision spraying equipment. With Mazzotti's innovative and reliable self-propelled sprayers, customers can expect exceptional performance and improved efficiency in their crop management operations.

Tallis Amos Group has built its reputation on delivering high-quality, products and services to its customers. The company's experienced team provides expert advice, exceptional customer service, and after-sales support. The addition of Mazzotti's self-propelled sprayers to their product line-up will further strengthen Tallis Amos Group's position as a leading agricultural machinery dealer.

"We are delighted to partner with Mazzotti to offer our customers the latest in self-propelled sprayer technology," said Simon Amos, Sales Director of Tallis Amos Group. "Mazzotti have a long history of innovation and are known for their innovation and exceptional performance, and we are excited to be able to offer these products to our customers in our area."

This partnership is a testament to both Tallis Amos Group and Mazzotti's commitment to providing the highest-quality products and backup to their customers. Together, they are well-positioned to support the needs of farmers and contractors, delivering the latest technology and advancements in precision spraying equipment.

For more information on the new partnership and to explore the range of Mazzotti's self-propelled sprayers available through Tallis Amos Group, call 0345 222 0456 or visit your local TAG depot: tallisamos.co.uk

Tallis Amos Appoints Sales Director for Shropshire, West Midlands and South Wales

Tallis Amos Group (TAG) has confirmed the recruitment of Tom Shakeshaft as Agricultural Sales Director for TAG’s West area.Tom has previously spent 17 years associated with John Deere products and most recently has had 2 years as Managing Director of a Fendt dealer covering Shropshire, Cheshire and Mid Wales.

The announcement follows recent news from TAG regarding significant expansion into Shropshire and their40,000 sq ft depot based at Allscott, near Telford, opens this May 2023.

TAG was formed in 2012 when two long standing John Deere dealerships, Alexander & Duncan and Chris Tallis Farm Machinery, joined forces. The company

traces its roots back to 1912 and has been supporting farming businesses in the West Midlands for over 100 years, with 56 years as John Deere agents. Currently operating five depots in the West Midlands and Wales at Evesham, Kemble (TAG’s East Area), Leominster, Llanllwni and Narberth (TAG’s West Area). Employing a team of 160, including skilled after-sales teams and experienced sales representatives, TAG has a comprehensive range of other machinery partners including Kramer, Pottinger, Sumo, Pichon, Shelbourne Reynolds, Sulky, AW & Bailey Trailers and many more.

Simon Amos, TAG Sales & Used Equipment Director, said: “We have plans to double our turnover to £120m within four years. This appointment

illustrates the ambition of the company and our desire to recruit first class people to help drive this journey.

“Ben and I have known Tom for over 15 years.His strong relationships, extensive knowledge of the Agricultural industry and exceptional product knowledge make him the ideal person to help TAG deliver its next stage of continued growth.”

Tom Shakeshaft said, “I am delighted to join TAG, I have known Simon and Ben for many years, and I am looking forward to working with them and the rest of team. Tallis Amos has a great reputation throughout the area it covers, and my priority will be to help the team establish themselves todeliver outstanding sales and service in the new Shropshire area.”

Kverneland introduces f-drill to

Kverneland has introduced the f-drill front hopper for those looking to carry larger capacities of seed or fertiliser, to run with combination outfits.

Available as the f-drill Compact and f-drill Maxi, the two versions provide hopper capacities of 1,600 litres and 2,200 litres respectively. Both benefit from Kverneland’s innovative ELDOS electric metering unit complete with hydraulic fan drive, which is capable of delivering

application rates from 1-400kg/ha.

“The f-drill is great solution for those looking to boost productivity when placing fertiliser with an eight-row maize drill,” says Kverneland’s seeding specialist Graham Owen. “With its own seed metering unit and 100mm diameter distribution system, the f-drill front hopper is ready to be combined with many different outfits including the Kultistrip, Optima maize drill and Monopill sugar beet drill.”

to boost seeding combinations

“When combined with a power harrow drill combination such as the Kverneland e-drill, the f-drill front hopper could also be used as an additional seed hopper to suit companion cropping,” he adds. “Doing so contributes to better balance for the entire combination.”

The generous carrying capacity of the f-drill also enables it to be combined with Kverneland power harrows and a coulter bar, to deliver a compact drilling rig up to 6m wide.

With ISOBUS e-com software, the f-drill provides plug and play functionality through any ISOBUS compatible tractor, using either the tractor terminal, a Universal Terminal, or the IsoMatch Tellus Pro or Tellus GO+ terminals.

A Duo version of the f-drill is also available, and is equipped with two ELDOS metering units and split-hopper capability. Prices start from £21,237 for the 1,600-litre capacity f-drill Compact.

Fendt telehandler debuts at FTMTA

Fendt has chosen to debut its innovative Cargo T740 telehandler with its elevating cab design at this years’ FTMTA event. The telehandler will be part of a packed Fendt stand that will also include the new 728 Gen 7 tractor and Tigo forage wagon.

“FTMTA is an important event in the agricultural calendar and we wanted to bring a cross section of Fendt machinery that reflects the needs of farmers in Ireland. We therefore have a focus on tractors in the 100-200 horsepower sector that can be specified with loaders, whilst also showing the future with the new 728 Gen 7

tractor,” says Fendt’s Richard Miller.

The Fendt 211, 312 and 516 Vario tractors chosen for the stand have all been fitted with Fendt’s Cargo loader to illustrate the benefits of the tractors for grassland system work. The Tigo forage wagon further demonstrates the progress Fendt

has made in this sector.

“The Tigo is a popular product in Ireland because the range offers capacities of 22 to 45 cubic metres in a compact design that is up to 20% shorter than rivals,” he adds.

The Fendt Cargo loader, fitted to the tractors at the event, is also an increasingly attractive option for operators buying lower horsepower Fendt tractors. It makes even the smallest 200 Vario a capable loading machine which can reduce fuel costs and help access to small spaces.

“There will be three tractor and loader combinations on display to demonstrate the versatility of the

Fendt range for loading work. The panoramic view from the cab, intuitive joystick controls and weighing functionality all help to make a 200, 300 or 500 tractor a capable and comfortable loading machine,” says Mr Miller.

The current Fendt 724 Gen 6

tractor will feature on the stand with the incoming 728 Gen 7 as a way to illustrate the progress the brand has made in both engine technology and efficiency.

“The Gen 6 has been a tremendously successful tractor throughout Europe, and the new

728 with its AGCO power unit, higher output and greater efficiencies will uphold Fendt’s reputation in the mid horsepower sector. FTMTA will be a unique opportunity to see both and ask our team questions about all the products on show,” he concludes.

KUHN baler and grassland tour 2023

KUHN Farm Machinery has released details of its 2023 baler and grassland demonstration tour which will feature fixed and variable chamber balers, square balers and combination machines alongside a selection of grassland machinery throughout the 2023 season.

“Working with our dealer network

throughout the UK, will enable farmers and contractors to experience our comprehensive range of balers and other KUHN green harvest machinery in a familiar setting. We believe there is nothing better than an on-farm demonstration. This year we have a dedicated web page to help potential customers locate demo machines,” product specialist Rhodri Jenkins explains.

The demonstrations are part of KUHN’S Go Further with Your Forage initiative that seeks to show how machinery can help maximise green harvest yield and quality. KUHN has allocated a total of 20 machines to cover the UK including KUHN’s triple mowers, tedders and rakes along with the Merge Maxx 1090.

“It is an opportunity to see machinery

working in real life conditions and a chance to speak to our specialists about the specification and capabilities of our balers and green harvest equipment,” adds Mr Jenkins.

For more information on the KUHN baler and grassland tour visit www.kuhn.co.uk/gofurther-your-forage

Steam engines and rare vintage tractors on offer at The Richard Vernon Sale

On Saturday 3rdJune, East Anglian-based auctioneer, Cheffins, will sell a collection of steam engines and rare vintage tractors owned by the late Richard Vernon. A well-known collector, Richard Vernon amassed over 200 lots of tractors, steam engines and implements over thirty years, with many having been sourced from throughout the UK, Europe and the USA.

The four steam engines on offer could potentially gross over £300,000 in total. These include a pair of Fowler BB1 ploughing engines, ‘Princess Caroline and Princess Jayne’, dating from 1918, which have an estimate of £120,000 - £140,000, and which have lived their whole hundred plus year lives within a twenty mile radius in Leicestershire; a very early Victorian 1884 Fowler SC ploughing engine

"Aethelflaed"owned by Richard Vernon since 2004 which has an estimate of £70,000 - £80,000 and a 1915 Fowler SC Class Colonial traction engine, which could be set to sell for £60,000£70,000.

As well as the high value steam engines on offer, the collection includes a series of rare British and American vintage tractors, including The Grey 18-36, an unusual and valuable US-built tractor dating from the 1920’s, which has an estimate of £20,000 - £30,000. Other highlights include a 1925 Peterbro’; a 1920 British Wallis; a 1926 Rumely Oil Pull 15-25; an International Titan 10-20; a Parret 12-25; a Huber Light 4 and a 1920 Sawyer Massey 1122. These are offered alongside more common examples from the likes of Fordson, David Brown, Case and International. All of the tractors on offer date

from before the 1960’s and were sourced by Mr Vernon worldwide. Also available are a series of unusual and rare steam ploughing and cultivating tackle, implements and spares.

Bill King, Chairman, Cheffins comments: “Richard Vernon, who sadly passed away in December 2021, was a successful farmer and one of the early pioneers of tractor and steam preservation. A regular at Cheffins auctions, and one of the most recognisable characters on the vintage tractor scene, Richard Vernon amassed this incredible collection over a thirty-year period, creating what is easily one of the most important and eclectic selections of tractors from one single owner we have seen to date. He was a savvy collector over his 80 years, and sought out some of the rarest and earliest tractors in existence. He was part of the old brigade of early pioneers of collectors and preservationists and will be much missed on the vintage circuit.”

Richard Vernon, the late Richard Vernon’s son comments:

“My father learnt to drive a tractor at the age of 12 and his love of tractors and all things vintage continued throughout his life. He was known to have driven one of the tractors, a Fordson Major, all the way from Moreton Wood Farm in Shropshire to Cotesbach, which is around an 80-mile trip down the A5. His lifelong passion for tractors and steam engines went back to his boyhood years, and from a very young age he started collecting model steam engines and building them from kits, with his passion, we believe having started when he visited his grandmother in Stafford and used to watch the steam engines go along the train track at the

bottom of the garden. His first engines were the pair of Fowler BB1s, which he bought and collected in 1981 from Cambridgeshire which were then sold in the Cheffins dispersal sale in 1993. The funds from these enabled him to buy rarer examples and focus on more

ambitious projects. In the same year, his passion for steam engines and tractors started to take him around the world, with purchases from overseas including one directly from the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit. Similarly, the vintage tractors which dad collected demonstrated his passion for all things unique and unusual, with his collection including over 50 examples at its peak, each of which had a wonderful history. Dad’s enthusiasm and ability to collect, preserve, maintain, and get mechanical things working

was outstanding and a skill that not many possess. His efforts have undoubtedly preserved a unique corner of history and in the steam and tractor field he was very well known and respected all over the world.”

Bill King continues: “This sale sees some rare opportunities for both steam engine enthusiasts and tractor collectors, particularly with the steam engines, which in recent times have rarely been offered for sale by auction. We are honoured to be able to offer four fabulous examples to the

market, alongside such an impressive list of rare vintage tractors. The sale will take place on the Vernon family farm in Leicestershire and is set to be a momentous event in the vintage calendar.”

The sale will take place on 3rdJune both online viawww. cheffins.co.ukand on-site at Lutterworth, Leicestershire.

For more information, please visitwww.cheffins.co.uk, or call Cheffins auctioneers on 01353 777767

New 6 tonne Stage V MiniExcavators Launched by DEVELON

DEVELON (formerly known as Doosan Construction Equipment) has launched the new DX62R-7 and DX63-7 6 tonne Stage V miniexcavators, continuing the roll out of the next generation of machines from the company, with a new shared global styling design. The new mini-excavators are designed to offer maximum performance, optimum stability, increased versatility, enhanced operator comfort, controllability, durability, ease of maintenance and serviceability.

The DX62R-7 and DX63-7 are ideal for work in confined spaces on projects in construction, landscaping, utilities, rental, agriculture, recycling, waste and many other areas. Both models are powered by the new D24 Stage V compliant diesel engine providing 44.3 kW (59.4 HP) of power. Despite offering an 8% increased torque of 26.5 kgm/ rpm, the D24 engine still provides a 7% decrease in engine fuel consumption.

The DX62R-7 and DX63-7 utilise a Load Sensing System based

around a new Main Control Valve resulting in a longer spool stroke for improved controllability and superior working efficiency/ performance compared to the previous models they replace. This results from a significant reduction in energy wastage and an over 30% decrease in pressure losses, resulting in an increased system pressure of 275 bar, better fuel efficiency and lower operating costs. Both machines offer a high auxiliary flow of 90 l/min to

enhance work with attachments. The flow capacity can be monitored on the DEVELON Smart 8 inch touch screen in 10 steps and controlled using the thumbwheel on the joystick. This flexibility is combined with an excellent traction force, travel speeds, lifting capacities and digging forces, together providing superior working performance, particularly for trenching and lifting work.

High Comfort and Functional Cab

The new cab on the DX62R-7 and DX63-7 is very roomy for this size of machine and features a full glass entry door to maximize operator visibility on this side of the machine from inside the cab. A rear-view camera is optional and the high luminance LED work lamps (which are standard) on the cab further enhance visibility and safety. Key features of the new cab include:

• A heating and air conditioning (HVAC) system as standard

• DAB radio (Handsfree & Bluetooth)

• Sunglasses Case

• 8 inch Touch Screen

• Air Suspension Seat with Heating

• Thumbwheel Joystick

• A/C Control Panel Keypad

• USB Charger & 12V Socket

• Foldable pedals

• Dozer control

• LED lights (rear and front side of the cab)

The enhanced HVAC system is the best on the market, providing more nozzles to direct warming and cooling air, including both front and rear pillar nozzles that together help to improve the system performance. Larger nozzles are also used to ensure direct and sufficient airflow for

pressure rises due to going up a slope while driving in the high speed mode, the travel speed auto-shift valve automatically resets the travel speed to low, to enhance the operator’s driving convenience and to reduce machine stress.

The dozer control also provides a new blade floating functionpushing the dozer lever all the way forward puts the lever into the detent position and leaves the dozer blade in a ‘float’ position. Customers can also choose the optional Dozer lock function, which prevents dozer blade creep. If the machine has the optional blade lock valve installed, the floating function will not work when the lever is in the detent position.

Better Access for Service and Maintenance

Brief specifications –

DEVELON DX62R-7

excavator

• Buckets: 0.175 m3

• Operating weight: 6.16 tonne

• Digging depth: 4095 mm

• Digging reach: 6485 mm

• Digging height: 6025 mm

• Digging force over bucket (ISO): 43.8 kN

• Digging force over arm (ISO): 27.8 kN

• Rear swing radius: 1180 mm

• Travel speed: low range – 2.9 km/h high range – 4.6 km/h

• Hydraulic flow: 90 l/min

• Traction force: 51 kN

operators and manual adjustment of the opening/ closing of the nozzles is also possible.

The HVAC system and the DAB Audio can be controlled through the 8 inch touch screen and the feed from the optional rear view camera can be displayed on the latter. The monitor also shows the flow rate setting for the 10 step control system using the thumbwheel joystick.

New Dozer Lever Control

Using the dozer lever, the operator can select between low and high speed for the levelling blade hydraulics. Travel speed can also be selected by using the travel selector button on the dozer lever. When hydraulic oil

The DX62R-7 and DX63-7 feature a new two-part bonnet cover, with fully opening centre and side segments giving easy access for maintenance work compared to the previous generation machines. The cleverly designed mesh bonnet cover prevents dirt ingress.

There are two fuse boxes in the cab on the left hand side of the heater box. The positioning of the fuses under the cab seat and next to the heater box ensure it is easy to remove a bracket, further simplifying maintenance work.

Develon Fleet Management Telematics

The DX62R-7 and DX63-7 miniexcavators have the latest Develon Fleet Management TMS

3.0 Cellular system installed as standard, which provides a telematics management system for the excavators, by collecting data from sensors on the machines.

• Engine: D24 Stage V compliant 44.3 kW (59.4 HP)

Brief specifications –DEVELON DX63-7

excavator

• Buckets: 0.175 m3

• Operating weight: 6.18 tonne

• Digging depth: 4095 mm

• Digging reach: 6440 mm

• Digging height: 6025 mm

• Digging force over bucket (ISO): 43.8 kN

• Digging force over arm (ISO): 27.8 kN

• Rear swing radius: 1350 mm

• Travel speed: low range – 2.9 km/h high range – 4.6 km/h

• Hydraulic fl: 90 l/min

• Traction force: 51 kN

• Engine: D24 Stage V compliant 44.3 kW (59.4 HP)

For more on DEVELON, please visit the website: https://eu. develon-ce.com/en/

HiSun – make the smart move, and switch to electric T

he innovative range of HiSun lithiumion-powered electric utility vehicles is designed to work just as hard, if not harder, than traditional fuel-powered machines. There are four models, 5 kW, 7.5 kW, 15 kW and a 4-seater 15 kW.

The move to electric UTVs offers many benefits over petrolpowered machines. There is no compromise on power, with these latest lithium-ion UTVs providing all the power needed for use in tough, off-road conditions. They are free from harmful carbon emissions, which supports the shift to a virtually zero-carbon economy in the drive to tackle climate change and reduce global warming.

These multi-functional, hardworking machines are ideal for applications in farming and agriculture. Due to their compact size, they are versatile and convenient for many farm chores that larger vehicles are not suited for; transporting feed to livestock in remote areas, hauling equipment, towing, ploughing and harrowing.

The top-of-the-range Sector 15

kW has all the power and torque to tackle the most challenging terrains. With the ability to climb steep slopes, the Sector 15 easily handles 30-degree plus inclines in forward and reverse. When the going gets tough, you can switch to selectable fourwheel drive with rear/front diff locks to tackle difficult terrain.

The 4-seater version of the 15 kW UTV can transport up to four passengers, carry machinery and equipment and easily tow heavy loads. The lithium-ion technology batteries that power both models are designed for longer run times, and a single charge will keep the UTV working for a full day.

Like its bigger brother, the Sector 7.5 kW is a reliable, everyday machine capable of tackling many tasks, whatever the weather. The open cargo bed will carry up to 280 kg/ 67 lbs, ideal for transporting everything from logs, hay, tools and equipment.

The smallest of the lithium-ion powered models, the 5 kW UTV still has the power and torque to climb slopes over 30 degrees. The longer run times of the lithium-ion batteries will keep this reliable worker going for up to 44* miles on a single charge.

There is also a 49-volt dry cell battery model, the Vector E1. Producing 27 hp, the Vector E1 is

powerful enough to go over the toughest terrain without all the noise of petrol-powered engines. Selectable 4-wheel drive, nitrogen-assisted independent suspension and four-wheel hydraulic brakes add to the Vector’s all-terrain credentials.

All models have the option of the DFK fully enclosed cab kit that includes a glass windscreen with wash/wipe, rear screen, metal roof, and lockable doors so that the UTVs can be customised depending on customer requirements.

Choosing electric power offers huge savings in fuel costs, with an overnight charge costing around £1*. There is also the bonus of no road tax, as electric UTVs can be used both on and off-road. Electric UTVs are usually cheaper to service and maintain with no engine and fewer parts to service.

The quiet electric motor is a key attribute making these machines ideal for driving near animals or in areas where noise must be kept to a minimum. An electric UTV has no gearbox, so

acceleration is smoother, making for a more comfortable ride.

HiSun vehicles are supported and distributed in the UK by Barrus Ltd. For more information visit www.barrus.co.uk, call 01869 363665, or email vehicle@barrus.co.uk

*Figures quoted are intended as a guide only. Cost/mileage would be dependent on usage and conditions.

HiSun - Supported by Barrus

P. Barrus Ltd., Glen Way, Launton

Polaris Announces First Shipment of All Electric RANGER XP Kinetic

Polaris Inc. the global leader in powersports and off-road innovation, today announced the first shipments of its all-new electric RANGER XP Kinetic vehicles are headed to dealers this week for customer pickup. Polaris manufactures its fully electric RANGER XP Kinetic off-road vehicles at the Company’s more than 900,000-square-foot manufacturing facility located in Huntsville, Alabama. Polaris plans to take additional orders on the RANGER XP Kinetic this summer.

“Since announcing our electrification efforts and partnership with Zero Motorcycles, it has been major milestone moments like today’s announcement that have motivated and driven our team to engineer and deliver category-redefining

“We knew there would be interest for a performance-driven electric RANGER but selling out two hours after opening our initial order window for the XP Kinetic exceeded our expectations,” said Josh Hermes, vice president, Electric Vehicles for Off Road, Polaris. “Customers who ordered an XP Kinetic are going to experience firsthand the benefits that electric offers, and we will provide even more people with the opportunity to own the industry’s best-performing off-road utility vehicle when we take additional customer and dealer orders this summer.”

RANGER XP Kinetic delivers uncompromised capability, unrivaled durability, and the refined performance of an all-electric powertrain.

The all-new RANGER XP Kinetic helps customers get more done by offering the most horsepower and torque ever found in a utility side-by-side. A class-leading 110 horsepower and 140 lb-ft of instant torque deliver maximum power and capability, including the ability to effortlessly tow up to 2,500lbs and haul an industry-best 1,250lbs. Its electric powertrain delivers smooth, precise control when operating at low speeds, so customers have full control while towing or backing up to a trailer, while the instantaneous torque also delivers quicker acceleration.

powersports vehicles,” said Steve Menneto, president of Off Road, Polaris. “The RANGER XP Kinetic demonstrates the game-changing performance advantages that an electric powertrain can provide, and we look forward to getting these vehicles into the hands of our dealers and consumers across the country.”

Featuring an all-electric powertrain, engineered for off-road use through Polaris’ exclusive 10-year partnership with Zero Motorcycles®, the RANGER XP Kinetic sets a new benchmark for electric utility side-by-side vehicle performance and productivity, delivering uncompromised capability, unrivaled durability, and refined performance.

In addition to its unmatched performance, customers will appreciate the quiet electric powertrain for easy conversations with passengers, ability to work in the early morning or late evenings without waking neighbors, working around livestock, or stealthy trips to remote hunting spots. An electric powertrain also means fewer moving parts for lower maintenance costs. All 2023 RANGER XP Kinetic models are equipped withRIDE COMMAND+, which offers industry-first connected vehicle services, including remote vehicle location services, battery status monitoring, enhanced group ride tracking, and more.

More details on the RANGER XP Kinetic can be found by visitingPolaris.com

Polaris Unleashes Revolutionary New Generation Of The RZR XP – The Industry’s Best-Selling Sport Side-By-Side

Built from the Ground Up, the 2024 RZR XP Inspires Riders to Escape into the Outdoors and Create Memories with their Family and Friends Upgrade Highlights Include New, Stronger Chassis, Redesigned Ergonomics for Added Comfort, & All-New 114-Horsepower Engine

Polaris Off Road, the leader in off-road vehicle innovation, today unleashed the next generation of the industry’s best-selling sport side-by-side, the RZR XP. The all-new 2024 RZR XP has been completely redesigned from the ground up to raise the industry standard for sport side-by-sides to an entirely new level – delivering classleading durability, comfort and performance.

Stronger than ever before, the Polaris RZR XP chassis provides improved trail agility and rugged durability in rough conditions. It showcases a new, aggressive style, with integrated doors, LED

accent lights and an upgraded level of fit and finish delivering a premium experience. A newly designed, reinforced driveline withstands rough terrain with stronger half shafts, prop shaft, and bearings. The RZR XP’s optimally-tuned Walker Evans Racing® Needle Shocks, with 16-position adjustability, provide a plush ride, while a redesigned cockpit improves legroom and line of sight for drivers and passengers. Featuring responsive acceleration thanks to an all-new ProStar 1000 Gen 2, 114-horsepower engine, the RZR XP also provides extra traction through technical terrain via Polaris’ fast engaging ondemand All Wheel Drive system.

“The multi-terrain category is the largest segment in the performance side-by-side industry, and we’re proud to deliver an all-new vehicle that’s head and shoulders above anything else available today,” said Reid Wilson, Vice President, Polaris Off Road Recreation. “In 2014, the RZR XP 1000 started it all for multi-terrain sport side-bysides, and now, we’re building upon that legacy – taking what has long been the standard and making it even better in every possible way.”

Inspiring riders to break free from the mundane, the RZR XP delivers a rugged design, all-day comfort, and the legendary performance that unlocks new

experiences. With over 60 allnew accessories, the RZR XP offers engineered customization options for riders who like to navigate the trails or get off the beaten path. Plus, Pro Armor will be the only aftermarket brand with a full range of launch-ready accessories like cages, doors, storage, seats, bumpers and more.

Rugged Design

Featuring an all-new rugged design, the 2024 RZR XP is designed to keep riders out with their crew even longer. A stronger, redesigned chassis increases strength and stiffness, providing improved agility, while a redesigned driveline from front to back results in stronger half shafts, prop shaft and bearings that allows riders to stay out all day long.

In addition, an integrated front bumper and full-coverage skid plate provide durable protection to the front of the vehicle, the

maintenance work, while new mounting and ducting create a cooler running CVT that increases belt life.

Built with a purposeful design, the RZR XP comes with a new mounting location for the Pro HD 4,500 LB winch, allowing it to take center stage with an integrated fairlead that doubles as a styled cover. Also available to the RZR XP is a pivoting spare tire carrier, with a strategic mounting location in the rear that does not sacrifice cargo space. With accessory options available for seamless integration, riders can enjoy full coverage fender flares and a stamped aluminum roof that adds increased strength and a unique design element.

driveline, and engine components. The RZR XP also offers toolless access and a removable rear bin for easy

All-Day Comfort

To enhance the experience and keep the ride fun for all riders, the RZR XP delivers a smooth ride with optimally-tuned shocks and a redesigned cabin. Tuned for customers most used speeds and terrain, the Walker Evans Racing® Needle Shocks’ available 20.5 inches of usable travel provide a comfortable ride to keep you out with your crew longer.

Featuring all-new, in-cab ergonomics, Polaris fully maximized seating by adjusting the front seats one-inch lower and 1.5-inches back – resulting in a sportier driving position with increased leg room. By elevating

the rear seats by 2 inches, the sight line is improved for rear passengers.

Adding convenience, Polaris redesigned the RZR XP’s cargo space to keep items secure, but within reach for easy accessibility. The all-new RZR XP also features full doors, an available roof, new LED lights that illuminate the trails, and new illuminated in-cab switches for easy visibility at night.

To extend the ride across terrains and seasons, the RZR XP accommodates upgraded upper doors with a molded sealing surface between the front and rear doors to keep the heat in and the cold out. Riders can enjoy a more comfortable ride by adding a heater and windshield wiper kit to dial in temperature control and increase visibility while riding. Pack all the essentials with RZR’s first tonneau cover, which allows riders to turn the entire bed into a storage box. Additional storage upgrades for the RZR XP includes nesting cargo boxes and coolers, as well as in-cab storage bags to keep the essentials close.

Legendary Performance

Built to unlock outdoor experiences, the 2024 RZR XP delivers responsive power and control.

Packing an all-new 999cc, 114horsepower engine, RZR XP delivers power to the ground quickly for responsive acceleration from corner to corner.

With fast engaging all-wheel drive and a lower-geared transmission, riders receive extra traction and smooth, responsive power that improves handling through technical terrain. New body styling provides an improved line of sight over the hood, allowing drivers to easily pick their line during technical riding.

Designed with customization in mind, the RZR XP offers six plugand-play Polaris PULSE ports and is factory prewired throughout the vehicle. An available 900W charging system provides plenty of power to run all electronic accessories added to the machine.

To maximize the experience, riders can crank up the volume with a Stage 5 Audio Upgrade from Rockford Fosgate® –complete with four 100W speakers and a 12” 400W subwoofer. With a focus on better sealing and visibility for windshield offerings, the RZR XP cage includes a contoured Apillar for the first time ever and a dash pocket that helps reduce dust intrusion and wind noise. With a flat viewing area and tight

seal, the Lock & Ride poly rear panel offers maximum rearward visibility and reduces rear air swirl in the cab.

Shipping to dealers in April, RZR XP is available in two and four-seat configurations in three trims: Sport, Premium and Ultimate.

RZR XP 1000 Sport:

Starting at $20,999 US MSRP, riders can get into the RZR XP 1000 Sport, featuring in-mold color, 29” Trailmaster X/T, colormatched seats and springs, LED headlights, illuminated in-cab switches, and a new digital display.

RZR XP 1000 Premium:

The RZR XP 1000 Premium starts at $22,999 US MSRP, and includes a painted body with premium graphics, 30-inch Trailmaster X/T 2.0, colormatched dash, seats and springs, PMX head unit, a Rockford Fosgate® Stage 1 Audio, a poly roof and four-point harnesses.

RZR XP 1000 Ultimate:

Rounding out the lineup is the RZR XP 1000 Ultimate, starting at $25,999 US MSRP. Available with a premium painted body and two premium color and graphics options, RZR XP 1000 Ultimate offers Polaris’ industry-leading seven-inch touchscreen display powered by RIDE COMMAND, a Rockford Fosgate® Stage 2 Audio, 900W operating system, along with front and rear LED accent lighting.

Also created specifically for the RZR XP are four rider inspired accessory collections, built for a variety of riding terrains that include trail, mud, backcountry and all-season.

To learn more, please visitPolaris.com/RZR

Yamaha stands

Yamaha has pledged to help improve farm safety by offering free ATV rider competency training from the European All-Terrain Vehicle Safety Institute (EASI®) to anyone purchasing a new Yamaha ATV. “We have always advocated training for ATV operators, so to help improve driver competency we offer these courses free of charge with a new ATV,” says Yamaha’s Area Sales Manager, Carl Stuart.

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) 2022 report:

‘Agriculture has the worst rate of worker fatal injury (per 100,000) of the main industrial sectors: 21 times higher than the average five-year annual rate across all industries.’*

Machinery and vehicles accounted for almost half of fatalities (48%). To reduce risk, improve operator competence, and help safeguard workers, the HSE strongly advise that ATV operators complete a training course.

“ATVs, when used properly, can save time and money. Our training courses highlight general

by ATV safety

machine checks, upkeep, weight distribution and active riding, which is imperative when operating on uneven, rutted terrain which is so often found on farms,” says Amy Morris, EASI UK Regional Operations Manager.

Taking a basic course to learn riding skills and use the correct equipment can help prevent the risk of accidents. “With the ever-increasing popularity of ATV’s, many operators have little or no experience. ATVs handle very differently to cars and motorcycles, so it is vitally important that all users should learn how to safely operate an ATV by taking an operator course,” says Mrs Morris.

The training can be completed in one day and there are 38 centres throughout the UK to do so. EASI advises that all riders, including those with years of experience, make the most of this offer. “Even experienced riders can find themselves in potentially hazardous situations that can, without the correct training and knowledge, result in serious accidents. We welcome this move by Yamaha and hope that its customers will take advantage of this offer,” adds Mrs Morris.

Take on any terrain with Kawasaki’s proven Mule range

Whether it is working on the farm or transporting materials across construction sites, having the right equipment is essential. The Kawasaki Mule range of utility vehicles delivers the rugged, reliable and adaptable attributes that will help you take on any terrain.

Designed to work hard, the range is led by the robust Mule Pro MX. Powered by a torqueladen 700cc CVT single-cylinder engine, the Pro MX offers 32.8 kW {45 PS} / 6,000 rpm, guaranteeing a fun-to-drive vehicle that can easily hail cargo for work or weekend fun. The spacious cargo bed is able to carry up to 700 lbs, making chores or hauling gear a breeze. Measuring 110” long and 60” wide, with a wheelbase of 79”, the Mule Pro MX is the perfect

For more information

mid-sized vehicle, offering superb manoeuvrability and mobility that ensures it can negotiate the tightest of trails. To maximise comfort, the all-terrain vehicle features doublewishbone suspension at the front and rear, enabling the Kawasaki to easily traverse obstacles and elevations with minimum effect on the chassis.

Of course, these workhorses are designed to be used throughout the year in all conditions. That is why the Pro MX is equipped with 25” tyres on 12” rimes, guaranteeing fantastic off-road traction and ground clearance. Strong and reliable front and rear disc brakes provide effective braking, especially when combined with the Mule’s proven

engine braking.

While its performance is unmatched, Kawasaki has also focused on making the flagship Mule model as accessible and user-friendly as possible. Coming equipped with doors as standard, users will be protected from mud and puddles, while a 5.3 litre storage bin underneath the passenger seat ensures that there is plenty of space to securely store all of your belongings.

Bright digital instrumentation ensures you can always see essential information at a glance and the console also comes prepped for an accessory audio system. The multi-function display is built directly into the dash and features an array of insight, including:

• Driving mode (2WD/4WD) indicator

• Digital speedometer d

• Digital fuel gauge

• Clock odometer

• Dual trip meters

• Hour meter

• Differential indicator lamp

• Check engine lamp

• Electric Power Steering warning lamp

• Water temperature warning lamp

• Seatbelt warning lamp

• Parking indicator lamp

• Reverse indicator lamp

• Neutral indicator lamp

The contoured bench seat complements the body and provides ample space and comfort for two adults at a time. Kawasaki’s high-grade Electric

Power Steering (EPS) is speedsensitive, providing users with light steering at low speeds and tightened steering at higher speeds. It can also work to enhance rider comfort by acting as a damping system, reducing the bumps and kickbacks created as you go along bumpy terrain. Drivers are also able to set the position of the steering wheel to not only suit their preference but also to lift it out of the way when getting in and out of the vehicle. An electrically selectable 2WD/4WD and dual mode rear differential system ensures quick and simple changing to suit the changing terrain.

Since its launch, the Kawasaki Mule range has established itself as one of the leaders in utility vehicles, used by farm workers, gamekeepers, construction workers and event workers across the globe. More information on the range can be found at www.kawasaki.co.uk

ISUZU UK HONOURED WITH DOUBLE

Isuzu UK has received two awards from the popular industry magazine Trade Van Driver, with the Isuzu DMax winning the ‘Best Workhorse Pick-up’ award for the eleventh consecutive year, while the Arctic Trucks AT35 model has taken the title of ‘Best Lifestyle Pickup’.

Trade Van Driver is the only magazine which caters for the owner-driver and small fleet operator with its awards judged by both the magazine’s journalists and readers, who use pick-up trucks for their businesses. The Isuzu D-Max received much acclaim from judges for its high levels of specification despite lower price points, providing a suitable choice for fleets and commercial vehicle users in need of a reliable workhorse.

Winning the ‘Best Workhorse Pick-up’ award for the eleventh year in a row was not the only

huge achievement, as the Isuzu D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 also managed to pick up Trade Van Driver’s ‘Best Lifestyle Pick-up’ award for the first time. Judges attributed the adventure vehicle’s success to its large tyres, attentiongrabbing looks and exceptional levels of vehicle specification.

On the topic of the ‘Best Workhorse Pick-up’ award, the Trade Van Driver awards judges said: “Isuzu has won this sector every year since the awards began and the judges had no hesitation in carrying on this unbroken record. They all felt the working versions of the D-Max offer unrivalled levels of standard spec at a price that won’t break the bank and as such is a worthy winner yet again. A massive win.”

Commenting on the ‘Best Lifestyle Pick-up’ award, the judges said: “With Mitsubishi pulling out of the UK market, Isuzu has

AWARD FROM TRADE VAN DRIVER

jumped straight in to hoover up all those buyers who used to opt for the L200 by launching dashing new lifestyle models. And when it comes to the AT35, the WOW! factor goes right off the dial. It has huge tyres, stunning looks and more standard spec than any driver could wish for.

Congratulations to Isuzu for pulling off the double in the Pickup sector of our awards.”

Alan Able, Isuzu UK’s Managing Director, commented: “Securing these awards under Isuzu UK’s belt is a testament not only to the D-Max’s unwavering commercial capability, but it has also further solidified our position in the lifestyle pick-up

market which is exactly where we want to be.”

This award follows a plethora of other industry awards which Isuzu UK has been given, from publications including What Van?, Business Vans, Company Car & Van, and 4x4 Magazine.

Bowler competes at the Rallynuts the second round of the 2023 Tata T

he weekend of the 15/16th April saw the Tata Elxsi Defender Rally Series compete at the 49thannual Rallynuts stages rally - widely recognised as a key stage rally in the British calendar. Rallynuts brought up to 120 teams together from multiple classes for some closely fought competition.

Burgess and co-driver John Tomley who missed the initial private round of the season at Walters Arena. The event also brought a late entry pairing of driver Dave Hooper and co-driver Paul Chambers due to Paul White unfortunately pulling out. They were joined by Finnish team Jorma Jokela and Janne Jokela, Bowler works driver Vanessa Ruck & Chris Cuming and John Cockburn and Christina

Bowler participants enjoying breakfast in the paddock courtesy of catering partners Feast Streat. Spirits were high and the bright morning sunshine was welcome albeit the frost meant teams had to consider icy patches as well as standing as they discussed race plans.

Rallynuts was established as the first public event for team Bowler in 2023, which saw five competitor teams take on the allgravel 44 mile course for the first time. Based in Builth Wells, the event comprised of seven stages across Myherin, Sweet Lamb and Hafren forest with routes designed to test competitors to the limit. Joining the series for the first time after an intensive week of training was Andrew

Dobloug.

The highly slick Bowler works crew consisting of skilled technicians from both Bowler & JLR arrived in Builth Wells on Friday morning to get competitor cars prepared and lined up for scrutineering. By mid-afternoon, everything was in order with drivers and co-drivers fully prepared to race. Saturday started sunny but frosty with

Bowler drivers headed for the first stage at 10am with the added challenge of 95 very different vehicles having already raced the routes ahead of them; the Bowler Defender would tackle the course very differently to the R5 Category cars, 2wheel drive Subarus and Fords ahead of them – the Bowler is design for both gravel and hill rallies. The new drivers approached this new course cautiously, recognising the long season ahead, with all drivers successfully finishing the morning’s session. Dave Hooper and co-driver Paul Chamber’s finished the morning first with a total time of 32m23s. John and co-driver Christina also finished strongly with a substantial gap of 01m14s between them and the leaders.

Four stages and three hours into the competition, all the cars pitted for a one-hour service. Dedicated tech crews were briefed by drivers and went about thoroughly inspecting the cars with no issues found – a

Rallynuts Stages Rally in Mid Wales for Tata Elxsi Defender Rally Series

testament to the robustness of the Defender and Bowler engineering.

Back out to stage 5, confidence was clearly growing as all drivers began to improve on previous times whilst retaining their positions in class.

Stage 6 saw everything change with confidence growing even further, Jorma and Vanessa increased their speed and jumped up to 1st and 2nd place respectively; Dave Hooper slipped to 5th due to a slow puncture and John and Christina also slipped down to 4th owing to an interesting battle with a mk2 Escort.

Performances in the seventh and final stage couldn’t have been more different to the morning; Jorma’s steady persistence paid off as he took first place yet only 1 minute 8 seconds ahead of ‘The Girl on a Bike’ Vanessa. Regardless of being completely new to racing on four wheels, Vanessa is one to watch as her confidence grows combined with determination makes her a formidable challenger for established racers. Despite her motorcycle rally experience and mental programming, Vanessa admits that getting into a rally car for the first time just weeks ago was a completely new experience, but clearly the four wheels isn’t going to hold her

back! Bowler are very excited for the journey with Vanessa as the series continues to grow.

Back in the pits at the race finale, drivers were met with applause from team Bowler and it was all smiles for team Jokela as they realised 1st place; “It was an amazing day, we increased our speed in every stage, beautiful roads and the car worked amazingly, big thanks to the team!”

2nd place was won by Ruck and Cuming with Burgess and Tomley coming 3rd. The Bowler Spirit of event award which recognised outstanding contribution or camaraderie from anyone associated with Bowler was awarded to Dave Hooper and Paul Chambers for teamwork and effort.

Calum McKechnie, general manager of Bowler, remarked;

“It’s been a fantastic second round to the Bowler 2023 Championship here at Rallynuts, all the cars performed perfectly with absolutely no issues for the drivers, and we were lucky with the weather which helped us make the most of the absolutely beautiful setting here in Wales. Congratulations to all our competitors, it’s clear that confidence is growing, with times improving each stage but particular congratulations go to Jorma and Janne on their consistent progress and taking first place this weekend. I'd like to thank our sponsors Tata Elxsi for their support of this year's championships and we now look forward to round 3 in Scotland in June.”

The next round of the Defender Rally Series by Bowler is a Hill Rally, which takes place on 17th and 18th June in Scotland with some further exciting news.

HVAC SYSTEM OF KIA EV9 ENSURES MORE COMFORT FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

The Kia EV9 offers superior cabin comfort – even in the most extreme conditions. In the development process, Kia vehicles are tested in extreme heat and cold to ensure – among other things – their heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are up to the challenge. The company’s latest e-SUV was no exception.

The thermal system of the allnew Kia EV9 includes a heat pump, climate control system, and defrost and de-icing features. In addition, a new, userfriendly climate control panel and improved roof vents offer customers maximum comfort and convenience. Engineers tested these features in wide-ranging environments such as northern Sweden and southern Spain to ensure maximum performance and efficiency, even in extreme ambient temperatures.

“The all-new Kia EV9 proves customers don’t have to make sacrifices to be sustainable”, says Richard Peiler, Group Manager HVAC & PT Cooling at Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Center. “With these high-tech features, the EV9 sets new

standards in the e-SUV segment, delivering all the comfort and convenience of a modern SUV with none of the emissions at the tailpipe.”

A heat pump for maximum efficiency – and for maximum driving range

Unlike most EVs, which use a basic electric heater for cabin climate control, the Kia EV9 is equipped with a heat pump for added efficiency. The heat pump works like a reverse refrigerator: when the outside gets cool, the inside gets warm. And for even more efficiency, the waste heat of the e-motors and Power Electronics (PE) system is

collected and used to heat the cabin. This reduced energy consumption has a positive effect on driving range, as less electricity is needed to heat the cabin, meaning more battery power can be devoted to driving the car.

“Our goal is to tune the climate system to offer the best compromise between cabin comfort and energy consumption”, says Peiler. “We are confident that EV9 customers will experience both a comfortable cabin and a satisfying driving range.”

Multi-zone climate control and improved roof air vents: more comfort for everyone

With three rows of seats to accommodate up to seven passengers, the Kia EV9 is the perfect car for family or group outings. Two independent climate control systems create separate climate zones for the driver, the front passenger, and the rear passengers. It also comes standard with ventilated and heated seats in both the first and the second rows, meaning the all-new Kia EV9 delivers even more comfort to everyone onboard. The wiring of the

heated seats has also been improved to be more energy efficient.

“Having two independent HVAC systems doesn’t only increase comfort – it also reduces unnecessary power consumption”, says Gregor Krumboeck, Product Marketing Manager at Kia Europe. “The can save energy by turning off the air conditioning for empty seats, or for passengers who don’t want it.”

During testing, Kia engineers tuned the control algorithm of the climate control to maximise cabin comfort and to optimise power consumption under extremely hot and cold conditions. The cabin climate control can automatically control the temperature, intensity and direction of air flow, or the passengers can manually adjust them instead.

panel, improving the user interface as well. The new panel makes it easier to see and control all climate settings in one click, without needing to open the infotainment sub-menus. This results in a more intuitive user experience and fewer distractions for the driver, allowing them to keep their eyes on the road.

The all-new Kia EV9 also features four new and improved vents in the roof. The vent structure has been updated to optimise air resistance and diffusion angle to heat or cool all second- and thirdrow passengers evenly.

EV9 HVAC features for summer

odours. It works by detecting if the air conditioning has been used over a long period of time while driving and, if so, using the blower to dry the water which may have built up inside of it. The after-blow system only operates above a certain temperature, meaning it won’t lead to additional battery discharge in winter1

About the all-new Kia

EV9

The Kia EV9 is an SUV for the sustainable mobility era with an all-electric target driving range of over 541 km, under the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) cycle. An ultra-fast 800-volt charging also enables it to gain up to 239km of range after just 15 minutes of charging. The battery-electric, three-row seat SUV offers seven-seater and sixseater configurations and a

It’s not just the systems inside the vehicle that have been improved – the Kia EV9 is the first Kia vehicle in Europe to feature a new climate control

In addition to the heating and air circulation systems, the air conditioning of the all-new Kia EV9 features improvements as well. The new after-blow system for the air conditioning reduces condensation build up on the evaporator, preventing the development of bacteria and

variety of second-row seat options suitable for moving, charging, and resting.

The Kia EV9 expands the EV territory, bringing electric driving to the large SUV segment to suit varied lifestyles. Based on the game-changing Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), it expands Kia’s automotive territory and accelerates the company’s transformation to a sustainable mobility solutions provider. Kia plans to launch 15 new BEVs by 2027, and to grow its BEV sales to 1.6 million units by 2030.

1 Note: After-blow system not available in the UK

MG REVEALS THE NEW 2023 HS SUV

MG Motor UK has released pricing of the new, comprehensively updated HS –revealing a bold new design for the company’s best-selling flagship SUV.

The 2023 MG HS will continue to offer customers outstanding value for money, retaining the same pricing structure as the outgoing model, with the

generously equipped SE specification starting from just £23,495 on the road.

Following an extensive redesign, the new HS debuts a sharper, more aggressive appearance. At the front, new bi-function LED headlights, a bold grille design and a new front bumper create an enhanced look that reestablishes the HS as MG’s largest, most luxurious SUV.

At the rear, a new bumper design, revised dual exhaust outlets and LED taillights complete the contemporary new styling update, alongside a new 18’’ diamond cut wheel design.

The new MG HS will be offered in SE or Trophy specification, both offering comprehensive equipment levels. At launch, all models will be powered by a 1.5 litre, turbocharged petrol engine delivering up to 162PS.

A manual gearbox is available as standard, with an optional dual clutch DCT gearbox offered across SE and Trophy specifications.

The new MG HS retains the impressive amount of space and comfort of the previous generation, the interior featuring high-quality, soft touch materials. The 10.1’’ infotainment system has been upgraded with enhanced hardware, allowing faster and smoother functionality.

SE specification, priced from £23,495, includes bi-function

LED headlights with front and rear sequential indicators for the first time – alongside air conditioning, satellite navigation, rear parking camera with sensors, rain sensing wipers, keyless entry and a leather steering wheel as standard.

Trophy specification, priced from £25,995, also includes leather upholstery, heated front seats, dual zone climate control, ambient interior lighting, rear privacy glass and an upgraded 6speaker audio system.

MG Pilot, the company’s

comprehensive package of safety equipment, is available across the range as standard –equipping the HS with Active Emergency Braking with Pedestrian and Bicycle Detection, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning System, Intelligent Speed Limit Assist, Blind Spot Detection, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Intelligent High Beam Assist.

Customers will continue to enjoy MG’s trademark 7-year/80,000mile warranty on all models, remaining one of the longest fully transferable warranties in its class. Urban Grey is also now available for the first time within the HS range, as part of an extensive seven colour palette including solid, metallic and tricoat options.

The previous generation MG HS has been hugely popular since launch, announced as the UK’s best-selling vehicle in January 2023. The new car will build on the success of the outgoing model – channelling MG’s Get More trademark by offering updated design and specification without an increase in pricing.

“Since launch in 2019, the HS has been a tremendous success with over 36,000 finding homes in the UK,” says David Allison, Head of Product and Planning at MG Motor UK.

“It continues to deliver all the benefits of a high quality, comprehensively equipped, large SUV, while undercutting smaller, more modestly equipped options on the market. We believe the latest HS will be even more attractive to customers, especially as we are able to offer it with no increase in price across the range.”

The company will continue to offer the current plug-in hybrid MG HS PHEV model alongside the new 2023 HS Petrol, providing a range of options for customers looking for an affordable, high-quality new SUV.

All-New Ford Ranger Delivers High-Tech Features, Smart Connectivity and Enhanced Capability for Work, Family and Play

The all-new Ford Ranger – the nextgeneration of Europe’s bestselling pickup – is the smartest, most capable, and most versatile ever.

Ranger can help owners do more and work smarter following a ground-up development process benefitting from Ford’s indepth pickup know-how and insights from a global network of customers.

Offering the broadest choice of models ever, the all-new Ranger introduces key new features and technologies

including Ford’s powerful 3.0litre V6 turbodiesel engine, new full-time e-4WD system, upgraded chassis and suspension, and an enhanced cargo area designed to help customers get the most from their pickup whether for work, with family or at play.

In addition, bold new exterior design, an upscale, highlyspecified interior offering advanced connectivity, and sophisticated driver assistance technologies take Ranger’s car-like comfort and convenience to new heights.

“Ranger continues to go from strength to strength in Europe

with record-breaking sales,” said HansSchep, general manager, Ford Pro, Europe. “The smartest, most capable, most versatile Ranger yet delivers even more of the strength and style that we know customers value.”

Ranger recorded its highestever market share of 44.9 per cent across Europe in 2022 –a seven percentage point increase over 2021 that capped eight consecutive years of segment leadership in the region. 1 Ford Pro anticipates continued strong demand for high-series models; the previousgeneration Ranger Wildtrak

accounted for 60 per cent of Ranger sales last year, and Ford Pro recently announced the new, high-specification Platinum series that adds luxurious touches inside and out for the ultimate premium pickup experience.

Ranger models for European markets are produced in Silverton, South Africa, where the facility has recently benefitted from a new stamping plant, highly automated body shop and inhouse frame production line as part of Ford’s $1billion (US) investment in the region.

New look, new capabilities

Input from the broad spectrum of pickup customers was key to developing the versatile new Ranger. Ford engaged with owners around the globe, conducting more than 5,000 interviews and dozens of customer workshops to understand how customers used their pickups and what features would really improve

the ownership experience dayto-day.

Visually, the new Ranger is bold and confident, with a purposeful exterior that shares Ford’s global truck design DNA. The design features a defined new grille and signature C‑clamp headlight treatment at the front, while a subtle shoulder line down the sides incorporates bolder wheel arches filled by a choice of alloy wheels ranging up to 20-inch that give a sure-footed stance. For the first time, Ford Ranger offers matrix LED headlights. At the rear, the taillights are designed in harmony with the signature graphics on the front.

Inside, the car‑like cabin features premium elements and soft‑touch materials, including a leather-wrapped gear shifter and heated sportsstyle steering wheel. Highseries variants including Ranger Wildtrak 2 offer a premium specification with a prominent portrait‑style

12‑inch centre touchscreen controlling Ford’s latest SYNC 4A system 3 that offers voiceactivated control of cloudconnected navigation and hands-free access to entertainment and communications. Heated front seats, electronic dual-zone climate control and ambient lighting create a luxurious and comfortable cabin.

Customers requested the option of more power and torque for towing heavy loads and extreme off‑roading, 4 inspiring the development team to introduce Ford’s powerful 3.0‑litre V6 turbodiesel engine to Ranger’s powertrain options. The unit offers 600Nm of torque and 240PS of power 5 to effortlessly tow up to 3,500kg, 6 driving through Ford’s intelligent 10-speed automatic gearbox and advanced new full-time e-4WD system featuring an electronically controlled torque on-demand transfer case. In four-wheel drive auto mode, the system

continuously monitors and varies torque between the axles for optimum performance in all conditions.

Ranger is also available with a choice of proven Single-Turbo and Bi-Turbo 2.0-litre Ford EcoBlue diesel in-line, fourcylinder engines. The 170PS Single-Turbo option is available with a choice of sixspeed manual or automatic transmissions and balances the power, torque and fuel economy that are all important to small business owners or commercial vehicle fleets. The 205PS Bi-Turbo engine is a higher performance variant for customers who want more power but need to maintain fuel economy, and is available with a ten-speed automatic transmission.

Engineers improved Ranger’s off-road performance by moving the front wheels forward 50mm and increasing

the track for a better approach angle and off-road articulation. They also shifted the rear suspension dampers outboard of the frame for a better ride both on- and off‑road.

A hydro‑formed front‑end structure creates more space in the engine bay for the new V6 engine and offers the potential for other propulsion technologies. It also opens up the front to allow more airflow to the radiator to help keep running temperatures low when towing or carrying heavy loads.

In addition to its enhanced design and performance, the all-new Ranger was awarded a 5-star rating by independent vehicle safety authority Euro NCAP.

Customer-focused technologies

At the heart of Ranger’s

connectivity is Ford’s latest SYNC4A system, 3 which now contains many of the drive mode and powertrain controls that were previously on the dash and centre console. With a simple touch, drivers can access Ranger’s dedicated screen for all offroad and drive modes where they can monitor the driveline, steering angle, vehicle pitch and roll angles. The screen also is linked to a 360-degree camera 6 to make parking a breeze in tight spaces or to assist when negotiating tricky terrain while exploring.

Additionally, a FordPass Connect modem 7 enables enhanced connectivity via the FordPass™ smartphone app 8 to control features such as Remote Start, 9 remote lock and unlock functions, and to view Vehicle Status. The FordPass Connect modem also enables multiple modules to be wirelessly updated via

Ford Power-Up software updates that could enhance the ownership experience or deliver new software functions without needing a dealership visit.

Ranger supports drivers with a suite of available technologies including first-in-segment Blind Spot Information System with Cross-Traffic Alert and Trailer Coverage. 6 Customers also benefit from advanced driver assistance systems as standard, including PreCollision Assist, 6 LaneKeeping System, 6 and Reverse Brake Assist. 6

Improved access and more functional space

New features introduced following customer feedback include a tough new plasticmoulded bedliner that helps protect both the truck bed from scratches and owners from the discomfort of kneeling on a

steel truck bed. Customers can also make best use of Ranger’s payload 10 of over 1,000kg with extra cargo tiedown points mounted on strong steel tube rails that provide convenient points to secure loads. Durable, flexible load box caps around the sides of the bed and across the tailgate conceal structural attachment points for canopies and other aftermarket accessories.

In addition, Ranger offers a new cargo management system featuring dividers to hold various sized items –from timber to toolboxes. Owners also can create smaller compartments to store objects that would otherwise have to go in the cab, using a system of ultra-strong springloaded cleats that clip into rails bolted to each side of the cargo bed. The tailgate can also double as a mobile work bench with an integrated ruler

and clamp pockets to measure, grip and cut building materials.

Zone Lighting – controlled via the in-cabin SYNC 4A screen 3 or through the FordPass app – provides 360‑degree lighting around the truck to help give customers better visibility around the vehicle. Load box lighting is provided under the left- and right-hand rails and provides plenty of light for finishing up jobs in low light or finding items in the cargo box at night.

Customers in Europe will be able to personalise their Ranger from launch with a range of more than 150 fully factory‑backed work, urban and adventure accessories. These include those developed in collaboration with global off-road icon, ARB 4x4 Accessories.

FISKER OCEAN WINS 2023 RED DOT AWARD FOR PRODUCT DESIGN, BEST ELECTRIC VEHICLE

Fisker Inc. (NYSE: FSR), driven by a mission to create the world's most emotional and sustainable electric vehicles, today announced that the Fisker Ocean is the 2023 Red Dot Product Design Award winner for Best Electric Vehicle.

more sustainable mobility, and every design choice Fisker makes supports that mission. "

He added, “I’ve always believed that great design can change lives because it’s an emotional experience. We're honored our peers in the design community recognized the Fisker Ocean. With this vehicle, we strived to create a well-balanced, sculptural surface that exudes a powerful road presence. Our goal for the Fisker Ocean was for everything about it – exterior, interior, and technology features -- to be simple, intuitive, and delightful."

windows for a convertible, California feel.

The Red Dot Design Award, first awarded in 1955, is one of the most internationally sought-after seals of quality for good design. An international jury of over 50 design experts evaluated the allelectric Fisker Ocean against global competition on four key design qualities: product function, aesthetics, ease of use, and responsibility / sustainability. The jury awarded the Fisker Ocean Best Electric Vehicle 2023.

"We are particularly proud to win knowing Red Dot judged us on 'the quality of responsibility: is the product sustainable or durable?'" Chairman and CEO Henrik Fisker said. "We built our company to make the world's most emotional and sustainable vehicles. We have a once-in-ageneration opportunity to move the world toward cleaner and

The all-electric Fisker Ocean SUV marries a sleek, futuristic exterior design with a modern, tech-driven in-car experience. The exterior is defined by a sports car look, feel, and dynamic, with elegant arcs, clean surfaces, and smooth highlights. Larger 22" wheels ground the Ocean's balanced proportions. Slim,

Built at a carbon-neutral facility in Graz, Austria, the all-electric Fisker Ocean is made with materials carefully selected to reduce environmental impact, including more than 50 kg of recycled polymers, bio-based content, and other recycled materials. While keeping the design language and form factor of an SUV, the aerodynamic silhouette and low, wide stance add efficiency to the Ocean's range, estimated at 350 miles (US)1. The Ocean's confirmed WLTP range of 707 km/440 miles (UK) gives the Fisker Ocean the longest range of any battery electric SUV sold in Europe 2 . The SolarSky integrates solar panels onto a panoramic glass power roof, adding up to 1,500 miles of solar-powered range per year 3 .

Henrik Fisker and the Fisker design team will accept the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2023 for Electric Vehicle at the Red Dot Gala on June 19, 2023, in Essen, Germany. The Fisker Ocean design will be part of "Milestones in Contemporary Design," an exhibition of Red Dot Award winners at the Red Dot Design Museum from June 2023 to May 2024. Fisker looks forward to commencing deliveries in the beginning of May.

wrap-around lighting integrates into body panels concealing ADAS sensors and the world's first digital radar in a consumer vehicle. With one button, California Mode simultaneously opens the SolarSky roof and all

1 Range estimates for Fisker Ocean Extreme and One trims. Based on Fisker simulations utilizing EPA standards. Actual results vary with conditions such as external environment, wheel size and diameter, and vehicle use. Official EPA ratings forthcoming.

2 Range evaluations for Fisker Ocean Extreme and One trims. This WLTP range number applies to Fisker’s European markets. WLTP measurements conducted on Fisker Ocean Extreme with standard 20” wheels. Actual range will vary with conditions such as external environment, vehicle configuration, wheel size and diameter, and vehicle use. Fisker expects EPA range figures for the US market to follow shortly.

3 Based on Fisker simulations. Ideal conditions assume solar irradiation of 5.4 kWh/m2/day and steady highway driving. Actual results vary with conditions such as external environment and vehicle use.

DriveElectric launches new EV HUB to allow businesses to view the cost and carbon of EVs in real time

DriveElectric, the Business Partner for Fully Charged LIVE 2023, is today (28 April 2023) launching a new EV HUB to complement its electric vehicle leasing offer. The EV HUB will support businesses – and the UK – to get to Net Zero faster.

The unique, in-house developed EV HUB allows businesses to view the cost and carbon of electric vehicles and their charging in real time. The EV HUB includes CHARGE+ which automatically optimises the energy delivered to an EV, enabling businesses to charge electric vehicles with low carbon electricity.

The DriveElectric EV HUB is the first step in a series of solutions to help business EV users to achieve faster progress towards Net Zero. At its core, the EV HUB provides an easy to use, simple dashboard for a business fleet.Businesses can monitor and manage fleet carbon usage, fleet costs and monitor charging behaviours to give a full picture of how green and efficient a fleet really is.

The EV HUB also helps businesses access intelligent data to deliver real time insights into behaviour patterns for every driver, every vehicle and every charging location. The EV HUB provides businesses with a clear picture of how efficient and low carbon a fleet is operating and the ability to report progress towards Net Zero.

Businesses can also add the EV HUB Charge+ feature to access CrowdCharge technology and automatically optimise the energy delivered to an EV at home, work or en route to lower cost and carbon, and potentially reduce grid connection requirements. Suitable for a single site business

or distributed over multiple sites, Charge+ enables energy optimisation, charging and EV usage at scale.

DriveElectric is launching its new EV HUB to support its business offer at Fully Charged LIVE South at Farnborough International on 28th, 29th & 30th April. DriveElectric is also the Business Partner for Fully Charged LIVE North at the

complementing its wellestablished EV leasing offer with our new EV HUB where you can now measure carbon footprint and charging behaviour to make genuine improvements towards a more sustainable business.

“Energy capture, distribution and charging platforms need to work together to ensure we use the greenest, cheapest electricity and keep our EV use within close

Yorkshire Event Centre in Harrogate on 19th, 20th & 21st May.

Both events will deliver a wide range of visitor attractions including live sessions across two theatres hosted by Fully Charged presenters Robert Llewellyn, Jack Scarlett, Helen Czerski, Imogen Pierce and Dan Caesar.

The Fully Charged SHOW – the world’s number one electric vehicle and clean energy channel with over four million YouTube views per month – hit one million subscribers in April 2023.

Mike Potter, Managing Director of DriveElectric, says “There’s an urgent need for all of us to make rapid progress towards Net Zero. DriveElectric is helping businesses on this journey by

reach of Net Zero. We’re delighted to launch our new services at Fully Charged LIVE, an event where you can find businesses that are leading the green revolution.”

EV HUB beta will open immediately after Fully Charged LIVE for businesses looking to measure and drive down the environmental impact of fleet and business operations.

DriveElectric is an electric vehicle leasing company that has been helping organisations and individuals to adopt EVs to save money, lower emissions and transition to low carbon energy since 2008. DriveElectric aims to make the switch to electric cars and vans simple for business fleets.

www.drive-electric.co.uk

Uncompromising features define the Jimny as a serious off-roader Y

ou know those folk down the Pub or at a Country show with their Pedigree Dogs, those with coats or jumpers on and a diamanté lead? Now can you imagine what vehicle they drive? Something with an Oval badge perhaps, something with a large engine, something probably on finance? Then you look down at your dog…the plucky little terrier with grime on its collar, a dog that ate its “coat” and lost its lead…but what car would you be driving? Something eager, feisty, nimble, practical and small?

Of course, we are talking about the most excellent Suzuki Jimny, poised with wheels tight at the corners one would easily think that a Jimny was little more than a shopping trolley with a roof…I know I did and at a touch under 6ft and carrying a little extra padding I did wonder if I would actually fit within it!

Luckily not only could I get in (And out) I found there to be plenty of room to settle into a comfortable driving position without being cramped. All the vehicle controls were accessible and all of the switches operated with a confident click of assurance.

The sparky 1.5L petrol engine gave the Jimny Allgrip plenty of acceleration through the manual 5 speed box, moving you forward at a decent pace suitable for todays Rural roads, top speed isn’t really what the Jimny is about, but where it does come into its own is on narrow roads where your journey is often unhindered due to it being only 1.65m wide! (I have wider lawnmowers in my shed!)

Fuel consumption is mid-forties which is not too shabby and combined with a low insurance group and VED the Jimny won’t break your monthly running costs, nor too will its purchase price with a recent campaign offering them for just under £20K the Jimny really is a worthy addition to your fleet.

Add in the level of features such as Allgrip 4wd with low ratio transfer gear, Hill hold and Hill Decent, Tyre pressure monitoring, full size spare wheel, Air conditioning, Immobiliser, Cruise Control with Speed Limiter, CD Player (At last a use for

those cd’s you’ve had in a box in the garage), Bluetooth etc etc…you really start to find it very hard to resist liking the Jimny.

On the road it’s a happy driving experience, not too bumpy, very able and confident, yet easy to position and nimble enough to park almost anywhere, with a towing capacity of 1350kg the Jimny really does pack a usable punch, ideal for a few bales and a saddle to the stables, a mower and multitool to your Mums garden, a terrier and its catch back from the straw stack…its uses are endless and best of all…other owners actually wave at you, they wave like crazy, something not experienced since driving a VW Camper and it’s that sense of friendship that makes you love the Jimny.

In Summary then, just go test one, better still buy one…it will be your go too form of transport, the tool box carrier, the harvest tea deliverer, the nip to the pub for lunch vehicle that will always jump up at you and always want to go on an adventure no matter how messy that might be…. keep the terrier and get a Pedigree when you are ready to hang your boots up!

Written by Chris Johnson

Get pumped for Spring with Škoda’s free fuel offer* S

koda is putting a spring in the step of new car customers with a limited-time free fuel offer. Up to £750 of free fuel is available to all eligible customers who purchase a new car between Wednesday 19 April and Wednesday 10 May.

The multi-award-winning Kodiaq SUV is now an even more attractive proposition this Spring. Available in seven-seater form, Škoda’s range-topping SUV continues to set the sector standards for practicality, comfort and value for money. All models in the Kodiaq range are eligible for the free fuel offer, allowing customers to drive away with a £750 prepaid fuel card. The range starts with the five-seater SE Drive model that offers exceptional value and includes the luxurious L&K variant and the

family Karoq model and the Kamiq compact SUV, both of which are available with £500 of free fuel.

The free fuel offer runs from 19

Škoda is offering a £500 prepaid card on Fabia, Scala, Octavia, Kamiq and Karoq models while a £750 prepaid card is available on Kodiaq and Superb.

A full database of images, video and technical information is available at skodamedia.com.

Terms and conditions

sporting flagship of the Škoda range - the Kodiaq vRS.

Škoda’s ICE SUV line-up is completed with the versatile

April – 10 May 2023. Buyers looking to take advantage of this incredible offer are being urged to act quickly to avoid disappointment.

*Offer open to private UK retail customers, aged 18+. Offer automatically applied when purchasing selected new  KODA vehicles between 19th April and 10th May 2023. Customer must take delivery of the vehicle by 31st December 2023. Offer is for a £500 prepaid card on Fabia, Scala, Octavia, Kamiq and Karoq. £750 prepaid card on Kodiaq and Superb. Excludes  KODA ENYAQ and SE Technology vehicles. Card issued by GVS Prepaid Ltd, an Electronic Money Institution authorised in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority with Firm Reference 900230, pursuant to license by Mastercard International Incorporated. No cash alternative. New vehicle purchases only. Offer cannot be claimed retrospectively against previous orders. Not available to fleet customers. Participating retailers only. Card must be claimed within 90 days of handover and used within 12 months when claimed. Available in conjunction with existing finance offers. Terms and conditions apply - see skoda.co.uk/freefuel for full details

This card is issued by GVS Prepaid Ltd, pursuant to license by Mastercard International Incorporated

Y Ministerial Approval Granted to Form Research Body “HySE” for Development of Hydrogen Small Mobility Engines to Help Build Decarbonized Society

amaha Motor Co., Ltd. (hereinafter “Yamaha Motor”), Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (hereinafter “Honda”), Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. (hereinafter “Kawasaki Motors”) and Suzuki Motor Corporation (hereinafter “Suzuki”) jointly announced today that they have received approval from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to form a technological research association called HySE (Hydrogen Small mobility & Engine technology) for developing hydrogen-powered engines for small mobility.*

To realize a decarbonized society, a multi-pathway strategy to address various issues in the mobility sector is necessary, rather than focusing on a single energy source. Against this backdrop, research and development targeted at commercialization of mobility with engines powered by hydrogen deemed a next-generation energy source is gaining momentum.

However, the use of hydrogen poses technical challenges, including fast flame speed and a large region of ignition, which often result in unstable combustion, and the limited fuel tank capacity in case of use in small mobility vehicles. In addressing these issues, the members of HySE are committed to conducting fundamental research, capitalizing on their wealth of expertise and technologies in developing gasoline-powered engines, and aim to work together with the joint mission of establishing a design standard for small mobility’s hydrogen-powered engine, and of advancing the fundamental research endeavors in this area.

The members of HySE will continue to deepen their collaborative relations in order to provide a variety of small mobility options to users and meet their diverse needs, thereby contributing to the realization of a decarbonized society.

Kenji Komatsu, Chairman nominee of HySE and Executive Officer of Technical Research & Development Center, Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd., comments, “We are extremely pleased to announce the planned formation of the association. There are many challenges in the development of hydrogenpowered engines, but we hope to see the association’s activities advance the fundamental research in order to meet those challenges. We are committed to this endeavor with a sense of mission to preserve the use of internal combustion engines, which epitomize the long-time efforts that our predecessors have invested.”

Main research and development areas, and the role of each company:

• Research on hydrogenpowered engines

Research on the model-based development of hydrogenpowered engines (Honda) Element study on functionality, performance, and reliability of the hydrogen-powered engines (Suzuki)

Hands-on research using real hydrogen-powered engines on their functionality, performance, and reliability (Yamaha Motor, Kawasaki Motors)

• Study on hydrogen

refueling system

Studying the requirements for a hydrogen refueling system and hydrogen tanks for small mobility (Yamaha)

• Study on fuel supply system

Studying the auxiliary equipment required for a fuel supply system and tanks, and the equipment installed between the fuel tank and the injector (Kawasaki Motors)

In addition to the full members (the four aforementioned motorcycle manufacturers), Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (hereinafter “Kawasaki Heavy Industries”) and Toyota Motor Corporation (hereinafter “Toyota”) support the association as special members. Kawasaki Heavy Industries, being one of the main organizers of the “CO2-free Hydrogen Energy Supply-chain Technology Research Association” (hereinafter “HySTRA”), will drive forward HySE’s activities, based on the knowledge gained from its activities for HySTRA. Toyota, on the other hand, will assume the role of leveraging HySE’s research results to the maximum benefit for the development of hydrogen-powered engines, utilizing its know-how on experiments, analyses, and the designing of large hydrogenfueled power units for four-wheel vehicles.

*Small mobility: motorcycles, Japan-originated mini-vehicles, small marine vessels, construction equipment, drones, etc.

FIRST INEOS GRENADIER CUSTOMERS

OVERCOME EXTREME HANDOVER EXPEDITION

After emerging triumphant from a tough selection process involving thousands of INEOS Grenadier customers, three winners headed to a remote valley in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains for the most extreme new vehicle handover. Including one of the world’s most dangerous roads, the Tizi n’ Test Pass, the adventurers were battered by fierce storms that amplified the expedition’s challenge.

The ‘Hard Way Home' competition was open to customers that had followed the Grenadier from the earliest stages

of its development and been among the first to place reservations. Entrants were invited to participate in an off-road selection event in the UK with videos of the candidates posted on INEOS Automotive’s social media channels. Fans and followers then voted for the finalists they believed deserved to take the ‘Hard Way Home’ from their vehicle handover in Morocco.

“We wanted to celebrate the handover of the first Grenadiers with a once-in-a-lifetime expedition for three lucky customers,” explains Lynn Calder, CEO of INEOS Automotive. “It was an innovative campaign to

engage our customers and followers, upping the ante from your standard silk sheet reveal handover. It was always intended to be a challenging trip, enabling the Grenadier’s capabilities to shine, but the whole team got far more than they bargained for.”

A video capturing all the highlights from the expedition is available to view here: https://ineosgrenadier. com/en/gb/the-hard-way-home

To find out more about Grenadier prices, technical specifications and options, visit www. ineosgrenadier.com

Hennessey Transforms Ford Raptor R into

Fierce 700-hp V8-powered ‘VelociRaptoR 6x6’

Hennessey, the Texas-based hypercar manufacturer and high-performance vehicle creator, has transformed the range-topping Ford F-150 Raptor R into a sixwheel-drive supertruck with the announcement of its new ‘VelociRaptoR 6x6’.

The ‘VelociRaptoR 6x6’, which utilizes a third-generation Ford F150 Raptor R as its foundation, boasts an extended boxed frame and a second, fully functional, locking rear axle – tractive grip is improved by more than 50 percent. The suspension features

live valve Fox dampers, and Brembo performance brakes ensure strong stopping power. A three-inch lift raises the body in preparation for Hennessey's custom 20-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 37-inch off-road tires. Lastly, an expansive 8-foot (2.4 meters) long load bed replaces the stock 5.5-foot (1.67-meter) bed – cargo capacity is improved by more than 45 percent.

Complementing the mechanical upgrades are new front and rear bumpers, LED lights, and Hennessey VelociRaptoR badging. The resulting ‘VelociRaptoR 6x6’ is a beastly machine nearly 27 feet long,

roughly 7 feet tall, and 7 feet wide – with a curb weight of approximately 6,500 pounds.

The burly Ford Raptor R engine, a supercharged 5.2-liter V8, is untouched. It boasts a formidable 700 bhp @ 6,650 rpm and 640 lb-ft torque @ 4,250 rpm. That's enough power to ensure that the commanding ‘VelociRaptoR 6x6’ dominates both on- and off-road.

Taking these power-packed trucks to the extreme ‘6×6’ stage is second nature to Hennessey's engineers. The company is the world's largest producer of modified Ford F-150 Raptors. It has built thousands of high-

performance VelociRaptor trucks for customers around the globe, and it's colossal 6x6 remains one of its most astounding builds.

John Hennessey, company founder and CEO: “The supercharged V8 in the Raptor R perfectly complements our limited edition ‘VelociRaptoR 6×6’ package. The upgrade boosts traction and improves utility, which makes the 6x6 practical and functional. It's a real blast to drive – I consider it a goanywhere supertruck with head-turning stage presence!”

Hennessey has made a range of exclusive and competent 6×6 trucks, including the RAMbased MAMMOTH 6×6 TRX and Chevrolet-based Goliath 6×6 Silverado. Last year, Hennessey began offering its third-generation Ford F-150 Raptor upgrade, the twinturbocharged V6 ‘VelociRaptor 600 6×6’.

The new ‘VelociRaptoR 6x6’ is priced from $499,999, including the base Ford F-150 Raptor R. Hennessey prides itself on the

quality of its vehicles and workmanship. As such, the ‘VelociRaptoR 6x6’ benefits from a comprehensive 3-year / 36,000-mile warranty. Available for international shipping, the new Hennessey ‘VelociRaptoR 6x6’ can be ordered now through authorized Ford retailers or directly with Hennessey by calling +1 979.885.1300 or

visiting

Package prices & contents subject to change. Contact Hennessey Performance for details.

Specifications: Hennessey VelociRaptoR 6x6

Tata Elxsi has been confirmed as the title partner for 2023 UK and International Defender Rally Series by Bowler

Tata Elxsi, one of the world’s leading design and technology service providers, is today confirmed as Bowler's title partner for the 2023 Defender Rally Series. Tata Elxsi is a global specialist in design thinking and digital technology and views the rally series as a perfect demonstration of Extreme Engineering – where technology, engineering, and design come together to deliver class world-

Defender rally cars, and the events challenge entrants with a range of rally terrains. The UK rounds prepare clients for highendurance international events and more. From single-venue stage rallies to hill rallies, each team will work to master the disciplines and conditions to be in contention for the championship.

Bowler and Tata Elxsi Engineering team developed the Defender Rally car in just 2 years

Chief Strategy Officer and CMO

Tata Elxsi, Nitin Pai comments; “We are delighted to continue our association with Bowler Defender Rally for 2023. Bowler and Tata Elxsi share a common foundation of Extreme engineering, thriving in challenging environments, fostering high-performing teams, and utilizing next-gen technologies to revolutionize the automotive industry. Bowler is a world-class competition brand, and the rally series aligns perfectly with our brand's vision to provide cutting-edge technology and engineering solutions for the modern automotive industry.”

Bowler General Manager Calum Mckechnie follows “We are incredibly excited to have Tata Elxsi remain with us as the title partner for the 2023 Defender Rally Series by Bowler. Continuing the relationship with Tata Elxsi exemplifies their belief in the product and remains a strong positive endorsement from a global technology leader. Our teams hold very similar values and constantly strive to find superior technical solutions to engineering challenges. It’s going to be another exciting year for our partnership particularly as we move to compete in Europe and beyond.”

class pace and performance.

The 2023 Tata Elxsi Defender Rally Series by Bowler builds on a highly successful first year, taking competitors into 7 further UK rounds and 5 International Baja events at tracks in Spain, Iceland and France. Participants compete in identically prepared

with further enhancements developed on the back of the 2022 championship, providing even further robustness and endurance for international events. This mindset of rapid testing, learning, and implementation of world-class technical solutions is a prime example of Tata Elxsi's work.

The first rounds of the 2023 Tata Elxsi Defender Rally Series by Bowler commenced in March 2023 with the second UK round at Rally Nuts North Wales on 15th April and the second Baja round at Gatinais France on the 29th and 30th April - please visit bowlermotors.com for further details.

The UK needs hydrogen to achieve its net zero goals

The UK Hydrogen Strategy estimates that to meet Net Zero aims by 2050, hydrogen will make up 20-35% of the UK’s final energy demand (250460 TWh a year). Hydrogen therefore has a critical role to play in the decarbonisation of industry, power, heat and transport.

Yet in her recent report, the UK Hydrogen Champion found that there is a need for greater clarity on upcoming policy decisions for hydrogen users, the funding available and overall delivery of the hydrogen roadmap to 2030 and beyond. Is the UK really doing everything it can to maintain momentum and realise hydrogen opportunities?

Tevva’s area of expertisetransport - will have a critical role to play in our country’s decarbonisation goals. Worldwide around a fifth of CO2 emissions comes from trucks, and both McKinsey and the Hydrogen Council believe the most competitive use of hydrogen lies in decarbonising trucks. Trucks using batteries or hydrogen fuel cells instead of diesel engines will indeed need to make up the vast majority of new sales by 2040 under plans to reduce CO2 emissions from medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. Yet only around 700 trucks that run on batteries or fuel cells were sold in Europe last year - about 0.2% of the total.

The good news is that the economics of owning and operating electric and hydrogen trucks, their total cost of ownership or TCO, are improving rapidly. And with diesel truck prices set to increase with Euro 7, electrification of our sector could happen sooner than previously thought.

Yet there are still serious challenges around the lack of hydrogen refuelling stations and

the fact that most fleet operators have no experience of hydrogen, in addition many hydrogen suppliers have no experience of truck fleets.

As an early adopter and developer of hydrogen technology, Tevva is playing an important role in demonstrating the potential for hydrogen electric trucks. We showcased our concept prototype 7.5t and 19t hydrogen electric trucks at the IAA in Hanover last year and have been encouraged by the high level of interest in these dual energy vehicles.

In January we took the 7.5t prototype on a ‘border run’ to Berwick-on-Tweed, England’s northernmost town. On the way up we stopped at an Element 2 refuelling station in Teesside, and the return journey saw us cover almost 350 miles without needing to stop at all. This was made possible by the truck’s hydrogen fuel cell which tops up the rangeextended vehicle’s lithium battery when needed.

Still, there is an urgent need for a more comprehensive hydrogen refuelling network in the UK, and the speed and scalability of hydrogen refuelling systems will be crucial to adoption while keeping costs under control. Element 2 is doing great work in this space. They are in the process of putting a skeleton network in place with 100 miles between each refuelling station, giving confidence to any haulage company that is considering hydrogen electric trucks.

Today the UK has pockets of Megawatt (MW)-scale hydrogen activities that are evolving alongside ambitious proposals for Gigawatt (GW)-scale low carbon hydrogen clusters by 2030. Learning from initiatives in

Europe, Asia and North America, as well as the UK’s own experiences, coordination is vital to minimise costs and maximise the benefits of hydrogen infrastructure. The opportunity is now for UK central, regional and local Government bodies and industry to plan and invest jointly to grow hydrogen transport systems holistically.

The UK does have a supportive and growing hydrogen ecosystem with many public bodies, new and established companies, universities, and

others building their hydrogen capabilities and strategies. However, the experience of individual organisations and maturity of cross-industry collaboration in dealing with hydrogen systems is typically orders of magnitude lower than for traditional fossil fuel systems. Therefore, in the short term early adopters need more support to overcome the limited infrastructure and complexity of supply chains, higher unit costs, and long or uncertain lead times for hydrogen products and services.

As low-carbon hydrogen becomes cheaper and more widely available, hydrogen refuelling has the potential to become as simple as diesel refuelling is today. We are committed to making hydrogen convenient, affordable and sustainable for truck fleet operators. Achieving the UK’s net zero goals depends on it.