July 2021 Farming Monthly National

INSIDE: Using farm trials to build more sustainable farming systems page 10

Farming MONTHLY National

July 2021

| On Topic

| Farming Monthly talks to Archers View about his amazing Photography page 14

I Cover Crops in the rotation will yield hidden benefits

Also inside this month..

page 22

Women in farming

RIDBA awards 2021

Tong Caretaker in demand

PLUS: Arable| Grain | Potatoes | Building | Mental Health |Groundcare|TEducation| Livestock| ATV | Motors

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Farming Monthly | July 2021

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July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 3

CONTENTS J u l y 2021

FEATURES 14

16 24 30 38 44 46 52

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Arable Initial findings from cover crop trials during 2021 Virtual Open Day

Potatoes & Root Crops Vigilance urged as weather threatens to increase potato blight disease risk

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Forestry New report explains why UK farmers still aren’t planting trees on their land

Pig and Poultry Pig producers urged to check ventilation systems as temperatures rise

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Livestock NVZ regulations leave no choice but to reduce herd for a family farm

Muck and Slurry Ktwo sais: spread the load better with twin floor chains

Grain

FM REGULARS

Cereal harvest begins in Gloucestershire on last day of June

Women in farming

National

Izzi Rainey who is a young creative farmer, artist and business woman.

Menal Health RABI is here for the small things as well as the big and treat every application…

Energy Pioneering farmer shows pig industry the benefits of renewables

Groundcare Tractor brand debuts at show with industry’s first electric tractor.

Farming Monthly | July 2021

06 14 40

News Using farm trials to build more sustainable farming systems

On Topic Farm photo and videography by Archers View.

Buildings RIDBA Building Awards on 30 September 2021

72 82 92

Machinery The whole of the Case IH Puma range has been given a makeover this year.

ATV All-new accessories for the 2021 Polaris Sportsman 570 line-up

Motors SSANGYONG MUSSO "BEST PICK-UP 2021”

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Farming MONTHLY National

Agriculture. Covered.

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The whole of the Puma range has been given a makeover this year July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 5

| News

Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme: Discovery Grants open to fund the development of restoration projects atural England has launched the first round of Discovery Grants, as part of the Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme, to help support the development of new projects which seek to restore peatland systems to a natural and healthy state across the country.

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Grant opens to fund new projects to scope and develop sites where peat can be restored Discovery Grants open for applications to a range of groups and organisations Government investment contributes to the healthy function of England’s peatlands for the needs of wildlife, people and planet

Through the Scheme, the Government intends to invest over £50 million in peat restoration and has pledged to restore approximately 35,000ha of peatland in England by the end of this Parliament.

Accompanying the main Restoration Grants, the Discovery Grants are available for organisations to scope and develop sites for peatland restoration.

FARMERS IN THE US MOST SEVERELY AFFECTED 6|

Heidi Hall Global technical service manager and swine expert at Anpario

Farming Monthly | July 2021

Applications for the Discovery Grant funding may include: •

developing new peat partnerships and projects and engaging new partners or landowners

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building capacity and capability in emerging peat partnerships

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exploring opportunities for private investment funding

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developing site understanding, including baseline monitoring, hydrological and ecological surveys or historic environment assessments

Environment Minister, Rebecca Pow, said:

As England’s largest carbon store on land, peatlands play a vital role in trapping carbon, and also provide a wealth of wider benefits such as improved ecosystems and biodiversity, better water quality and natural flood management. However, only 13% of England’s peatlands are in a near natural state. These Discovery Grants provide applicants with the opportunity to receive financial support to develop ambitious restoration proposals, making a difference to England’s peatland habitats.

NEW PRRS VARIANTS CAUSING CONCERN SAYS ANPARIO SWINE SPECIALIST

There will be two rounds of bidding, with applications for the first round of Discovery Grants opening today and closing on Wednesday 1st September.

“Our peatlands are remarkable habitats which provide homes for many precious species and peat holds enormous amounts of carbon. When peatlands are damaged or degraded it is estimated they release around 11 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, so preserving these vital habitats is hugely important in addressing the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.

“The launch of the Peatland Discovery Grant will empower organisations to create their own peat restoration projects. We have recently committed to triple our historic average annual peat restoration figures and this grant which we are launching today will be critical in

wine producers, especially those in the US, are becoming increasingly concerned about new variants of the Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome virus (PRRS), which have been challenging production units, says Anpario’s swine expert Heidi Hall.

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This particular virus is most commonly a problem for producers in the US from October through to April, however these new variants are persisting into the summer months and appear to be becoming even more lethal.

The impacts of the new variants includes a fast-rising increase in aborted litters and mortality rates, alongside reduce sow feed intakes. The new variant is also known to affect pigs in nursery and grower-finisher phases, with animals suffering from reduced feed and water intake, as well as showing signs of respiratory distress.

“The concern seems to be most acute among producers in the Upper Midwest of

enabling projects to reach a stage where they can apply for our restoration grants in future.”

Natural England Chair, Tony Juniper, said: “Our peatlands exemplify the multiple benefits society can reap from healthy natural systems. They store a vast quantity of carbon, captured from the atmosphere by plants living long ago, they purify and store water, enabling rivers to run steady and clear while at the same time reducing flood risk. They are also wonderful wildlife habitats, supporting some of our most iconic species, and peat covers some of our most beautiful landscapes, including in the National Parks that we hope during the years ahead even more people will enjoy. By restoring peatlands, we can protect and increase all of these valuable benefits.

“Our new grant is a vital foot-up, encouraging and enabling partnerships to develop much more ambitious and extensive proposals to restore the integrity and quality of peat systems across large landscape areas, contributing to a wider Nature Recovery Network. I am really looking forward to seeing how they progress and we urge any interested groups to apply for a Discovery Grant.”

The Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme is a great step towards reversing the current decline in England’s peatlands. The recently announced England Peat Action Plan also sets out a host of further actions we will take to ensure our peatlands are functioning healthily for the needs of the planet.

the US,” said Heidi Hall, global technical service manager and swine expert at Anpario. “We have seen a significant uplift in the number of swine producers using pHorce, an effective acid based eubiotic with proven antibacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties.”

Last year, independent trials were conducted by Dr Scott Dee at Pipestone Applied Research Facility. These trials tested the anti-viral efficacy of widely available feed additives against viruses, including PRRS, PEDv (Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea virus) and SVA (Seneca Valley A). pHorce was shown to be an effective anti-viral in-feed mitigant, at a relatively low inclusion rate, against each of the viruses tested.

“Supplementing sow diets with pHorce is helping units to remain open, healthy and profitable”, explained Anpario’s Heidi Hall.

“With serious concerns over the new PRRS variants, this in-feed mitigant provides insurance to the unit against bacterial, fungal and viral threats, protecting the sow and their investment.” www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| News

NEMSA unveils new breed secretary

Photo credit Claire Benson Photography EMSA – the North of England Mule Sheep Association – has announced the appointment of a new breed secretary, Linda Allan, who will be working closely with current long-serving secretary Marion Hope to ensure a smooth transition ahead of the official handover in August.

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under the Lakethwaite prefix. The Allans also have 20-plus pure Texels and 130 Herdwick ewes that are crossed with the Texel. The couple also run 300 head of cattle, calving some 70 sucklers, both Limousin and British Blue crosses, plus a small pedigree Galloway herd.

Linda started painting at school, then studied design at university and now uses video and photography as part of everyday life, promoting her multiple skills and interests via her www.bonnysheep.com website.

As well as producing original paintings, art prints and Christmas cards, she also runs a photography business, specialising in sheep-related DVDs, having worked with a number of breed societies to capture their breeds as they develop year on year.

Marion Hope has served as NEMSA’s secretary for 14 years.

She and her husband David are themselves dyed-in-the-wool North of England Mule aficionados.

Linda farms in and around the Lune Valley in South Cumbria at Beck House Farm, Killington, north of Kirkby Lonsdale, with her husband Neil and four children, Ruby, Grace, Stanley and Daisy.

They farm 1,300 sheep, predominantly crossing Swaledale ewes, plus a small flock of earlier lambing North of England Mule ewes, further complemented by a pedigree Bluefaced Leicester flock, run www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

During her tenure, Marion has done a great deal to help NEMSA both develop and prosper. It remains one of the UK’s biggest sheep breed associations, with nine branches and some 1,000 members, while the North of England Mule ewe maintains her standing as Britain’s most prolific sheep breed in terms of numbers and the country’s most popular commercial sheep for crossing purposes.

Marion expressed warm thanks to the many people who have helped and

supported her over the years – past and current presidents and chairmen, other officials at both national and branch level, lifeblood members and sponsors.

She said: “I have been all over the country to shows and have thoroughly enjoyed representing NEMSA on our show stand. I’ve met some truly wonderful and interesting people from so many diverse farming communities, among them our legions of breeders and users the length and breadth of the country. I know I leave both breed and association in fine heart, confident that NEMSA remains in extremely capable hands.”

NEMSA’s national chairman, Chris Harrison, who farms at Coatlith Hill, near Alston in Cumbria, said: “When Marion first took over NEMSA was just about washing its face. It has since been brought into profit and both body and breed are now thriving. Much of this can be credited to Marion’s efforts and enthusiasm.

“Not only has she proved a loyal servant as secretary, but she has also been a great ambassador. Her successor Linda Allan also has many key attributes and we look forward to welcoming her on board in August.”

Linda Allan commented: “I have been among North of England Mules all my life and totally believe in the product. The NEMSA Mule continues to be the top of her job at every level, from lambing as a hogg to rearing those early Spring lambs as an older ewe. I look forward to meeting old and new friends and colleagues as I take the reins.”

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 7

| News

NEW Harvest Tec 7 Series Application Equipement For 2021 Season

FC Agri Solutions are excited to announce the launch of the new Harvest Tec 7 Series bale management systems for all types of baler. The 7 Series builds on the precision and functionality of the previous 600 Series while reducing the overall capital cost of a system.

The 7 Series is modular based plug and go system to make building your bale management system work for you with the ability to upgrade when required.

Module 1 is the H2O precision moisture sensor and is the building block for additional 7 Series modules. Accurate measurement of moisture is key to understanding further improvements in the management of your baling operation. The H2O moisture sensor with its 24 years of infield experience now comes as a heavy-duty assembly suitable for the latest generation of high density large square balers.

In addition, when operated with the application system the external baler speed proximity sensors have been replaced by an internal encoder. This removes the risk of stone, twine or other debris causing damage. The added benefit is the cost reduction of the encoder over the previous proximity sensors. The technology used to read moisture is market leading +/- 1% accuracy with zero calibration requirements in different crop types or density. The twin star wheels measure by pulsing an electrical signal through the entire bale flake profile. This enables it to be the market leader in accuracy. At PFC we are often asked ‘why would we pay more for your moisture sensor’, the simple answer is accuracy and reliability with ease of use whether it is integrated to he baler or as a smart device standalone system. Why should a baler operator accept data that is less accurate from a rub pad or moisture probe? With the twin star wheel system, the operator

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Farming Monthly | July 2021

can have full confidence in the data produced.

The wet bale marker that provides a simple low-cost option to highlight bales that exceed the operators defined moisture limit. The bales can be sprayed with a concentrated red or blue food grade colour. Marking the high moisture bales allows the bales to be separated at the stacking point so that the number of waste or poor-quality bales are reduced.

If you stack untreated high moisture bales with dry bales moisture migrates and causes the dry bales to suffer damage and reduce their value. Utilising Baler’s Choice, pH6.0 baler safe buffered acid preservative will further open the safe baling window up to 27% for large square bales.

Module 3 is the automatic variable rate applicator which is suitable for all large square balers. The new 7 Series is approximately a 20% saving in capital cost. The H2O moisture sensor is included with the 7 Series applicator so as an operator you can bale with confidence that the moisture data is correct and that the system will apply the recommended baler’s Choice at the required rate as moisture or baling speed changes. The 7 Series requires 4 pieces of data to apply correctly. Moisture, bale weight, bale length, application rate required. The moisture data is provided by the H2O sensor and the operator sets the required application rate in the operation menu. The bale weight and length come form 2 possible sources. For the non-integrated baler we use the operator sets the weight and length in the menu and then the system monitors the bale speed from the encoder readings in the star wheel to calculate how many tonnes per hour are passing through the machine, this date is calculated and updated every second on a 3 second rolling average. The 4 baler manufactures that are currently

electronically and mechanically integrated are Fendt and Massey Ferguson, Case IH and New Holland. For the integrated baler option, the 7 Series uses many of the balers onboard sensors and displays the real time information via the ISOBUS terminal. If the baler is installed with the weigh scale and electronic bale length systems the 7 Series will take this data and monitor the baling performance to adjust the output of the pumping system to apply the correct recommended baler and livestock safe buffered acid. The 7 Series also utilises the knotter sensor to record individual bale data and the fly wheel sensor to pause the pump if the tractors PTO is stopped for any type of break.

The crop eyes on the pickup for the 7 Series will automate the stop and start of the pumping system when turning on headlands.

Baler’s Choice pH6.0 buffered acid. This is an integral part to assist in the baling of high moisture hay and straw when the weather is fighting you all the way to the barn. Operators regularly comment that they can start baling earlier and bale later into the evening. This added benefit of more baling time opens the weather window getting the baler closer to the combine in straw and also assists in greener safe hay with a potential reduction in tedder passes.

NEW 7 Series is the most cost-effective tool to assist in your baling operation.

Improving your understanding of moisture in crops and being able to manage high moisture bales with the wet bale marker or utilising the ultimate bale management applicator system. Baler safe preservative is available from your Case IH network as ThirtyPlus, CropSaver is available from New Holland and Baler’s Choice from AGCO and other brands with the 7 Series applicator.

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July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 9

| News

Using farm trials to build more sustainable farming systems

arm trials provide an excellent test-bed for the latest tools and technology in real-world situations, but often results can be considered in isolation, potentially overlooking the complex interactions across farming systems.

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Hutchinsons’ Helix Farm Initiative is different though. Across a network of demonstration farms, it is evaluating the latest technology and agronomic techniques, alongside the wider impact on factors such as soil health, rotation planning and carbon footprinting, to help farmers improve economic and environmental sustainability.

Wood Hall Farm near Rattlesden in Suffolk became the Eastern demonstration site last year and Tom Jewers believes the Helix project will provide valuable information to help shape future practices across the 385 ha farmed area.

“We’re always trying to do the right thing and find better, more efficient ways of working, but with the Basic Payment going in a few years’ time, we feel it’s important to try new things now, while we’ve still got a bit of a fall-back with the BPS.” Hutchinsons is conducting a range of work at Wood Hall Farm this season, covering many different areas, but sharing common aims of improving efficiency, building resilience and developing more sustainable farming systems.

The Omnia precision farming system provides a central “hub” to record, analyse and evaluate much of the information, from crop observations, satellite imagery and input plans, to Terramap soil analysis and yield data.

Fertiliser efficiency The trials exploring ways of improving nitrogen and phosphate fertiliser use efficiency are a good example of the joined-up approach to farm research.

“Fertiliser accounts for around 30% of farm input costs, so if we can use it more efficiently whilst maintaining productivity then we can save cost and improve our carbon footprint,” says Hutchinsons trials and technical manager Bob Bulmer.

The Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) trial is examining different rates, from 0 to 240 kg/ha, granular and liquid fertilisers, and the impact of nitrogen inhibitors on NUE. Alongside thorough crop and yield assessments throughout the season, work is also examining whether inhibitors affect soil microbiology, such as by inhibiting the activity of bacteria involved in the nitrogen cycle.

A baseline assessment of chemical, physical and biological soil properties was taken at the start of the season and further tests are being done to identify any impact on soil health.

Another trial is looking at different nitrogen timings, as Tom Jewers has concerns that in very dry springs, crops are not taking up granular fertiliser efficiently. The traditional granular approach is being trialled against foliarapplied N later in the season and through dry spring weather.

Improving phosphate use efficiency is another key area, especially as national Hutchinsons testing of 167 grain samples last season revealed 46% were low in phosphate. “Phosphate is easily locked up by calcium, magnesium and aluminium in the soil, which means crops cannot access it,” notes Hutchinsons Rob Jewers. Additionally, triple super phosphate (TSP) has just 10% use efficiency, compared with nitrogen’s 60%.

Interactions between soil biology and phosphate availability are being examined

10 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

in a field of Planet spring barley, drilled on 2 April using the farm’s Weaving GD. Four treatments are being tested, including different starter fertilisers (Crystal Green, Biolite, and Primary-P), and a root-colonising bacteria (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens) that claims to help plants extract phosphate.

A separate tramline trial is also testing whether a novel endophyte seed treatment could help crops fix nitrogen, sequester phosphate, potassium and zinc, and improve drought tolerance.

Building disease resilience Another focus area is a field-scale trial investigating whether sowing a blend of different wheat varieties including RGT Saki, KWS Extase, KWS Siskin and Graham can improve crop resilience to pests and diseases.

“Increasing genetic diversity helps us reduce the risk of a disease like rust sweeping across a whole field. The blend should be more resilient, and there may be scope to reduce our input spend,” says Tom Jewers.

The wheat blend has been sown next to a two tramline trial of Hyking hybrid wheat, sown at half the seed rate (200 seeds/m2) of the blend to see how it compares, and particularly if there is any benefit from the hybrid vigour in more challenging growing conditions.

Find out more about the Helix Farm initiative, including information about the National, Eastern and Northern sites at helixfarm.co.uk Wood Hall Farm, Suffolk •

Family partnership, G.D. Jewers & Son

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385 ha (owned and contract farmed)

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Cropping includes winter wheat, winter and spring barley, oilseed rape, linseed, winter beans

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Multi-species cover crops grown ahead of spring cropping

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The farm is in the Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier scheme.

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| News

Water management must be transformed across England and Wales to increase our resilience to climate change, CLA says andowners hold the key to protecting rural communities, reducing the risk of flooding, increasing resilience to drought and improving water quality, according to a new report released by the Country Land and Business Association (CLA).

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With the first few months of 2021 seeing one of the driest Aprils on record, followed by one of the wettest Mays, it is clear that we are seeing the impacts of climate change and that they are here to stay. Some farms were submerged in water for over three months this past winter, which led to the inability to plant crops for an entire year. And with winters getting milder and wetter due to climate change, the Met Office predicts that the risk of floods has increased by at least 20% and up to 90%.

The CLA Water Strategy: a vision for the water environment to 2030 policy paper, released by the CLA which represents 28,000 landowners and farmers across England and Wales, found that under the right policy framework, landowners could play a key role in improving the wider water environment by harnessing naturebased solutions, at comparatively low cost.

Currently, the Environment Agency (EA), Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFAs), alongside landowners and farmers, share responsibility for flood defences.

However, the EA and NRW are often too slow to respond to essential maintenance of existing flood defences, leaving many communities vulnerable to serious flooding.

Many landowners are already steppingup and protect their local communities, but are often crippled by uncertainty on whether they can undertake the maintenance work themselves.

Community supported organisations like internal drainage boards, or locally-led partnerships like the Somerset Rivers Authority are often far better placed than the EA or NRW to maintain main rivers, so the CLA argues these organisations should be allowed to take over responsibility for main rivers across England and Wales.

Landowners using their land to mitigate flood risks through Natural Flood Risk Management (NFM) projects has been proven to be extremely successful.* These projects can involve creating wetlands and saltmarshes, or planting trees to stabilise riverbanks, with the aim of slowing the flow of water, helping it to www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

be absorbed, while also improving biodiversity, water quality, water availability and carbon storage.

To empower landowners and support them in their desire to protect local communities and mitigate flood risk, the government needs to provide adequate support through policy. To make this happen, the CLA is calling for: • Rights and responsibilities of landowners – the EA and NRW to make the rights and responsibilities of landowners clear to allow for effective and flexible flood defence work, helping to avoid unnecessary flooding of rural properties.

• Maintaining flood defence assets – £75m of funding per year for maintenance of existing flood defence assets, on top of the funding already earmarked for new flood defence assets, that would provide cost effective flood defences while improving the environment.

• Catchmentfocused flood management – government to allow for regional approaches and flexibility, including the effective use of Natural Flood Risk Management projects and support for ‘demaining’ programmes looking to transfer flood risk responsibilities to the bestplaced body to do so.

their responsibilities for essential maintenance, and where they are unable to adequately maintain flood defences, to transfer responsibility to the best placed organisation to do so. In some circumstances this will be to local internal drainage boards, specially established flood risk partnerships like the Somerset Rivers Authority, or, where appropriate, local land managers. Many of these land managers already play a crucial role in using their land to prevent local communities and businesses bearing the brunt of flood damage.

“Of course, this needs to come with the right government support and funding.

But the solution to flood defences is sitting right on our doorstep at the fraction of the price of new infrastructure: natural flood risk management.”

Mark Bridgeman, President of the CLA, said: “We want to see the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales uphold July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 11

| News

GENETICALLY MODIFIED PLANTS ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION TO THE CLIMATE CHANGE THREAT TO FOOD PRODUCTION SAY SCIENTISTS SENSATIONALIST MYTH-MAKING NEWS STORIES ABOUT GMOS ARE SCARING PEOPLE AND ENDANGERING THE FOOD CHAIN SAY SCIENTISTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE IN SOUTH AFRICA. ensationalist myth-mak‐ ing news stories about GMOs are scaring people and endangering the food chain say scientists at the University of the Free State in South Africa.

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To feed the world during this time of climate change GMOs are part of the answer they say. When you con‐ sume GMOs, (genetically modified organisms) your DNA cannot be altered as there are no mediated pro‐ cesses involved they say.

Popular myth states that GMOs are harmful to humans and can alter your DNA when consumed. What is not well understood is that when for‐ eign genes, from bacteria or organ‐ isms other than plants, are incorpor‐ ated into a crop for any type of im‐ provement, a process is necessary to mediate the transfer of the gene of interest from the organism into the crop.

This mediation is not natural and can therefore not take place spontan‐ eously. Therefore, when you con‐ sume GMOs, your DNA cannot be altered as there are no mediated pro‐ cess involved.

Because South Africa is predomin‐ antly semi-arid, and water availability is a major limiting factor to crop pro‐ duction, the country has become a leader in GMO produced food, to en‐ sure its ability to feed its growing population. The answer lies in genet‐ ically modified crops and breeding – wheat, maize and soybean produc‐ tion is already seeing remarkable crop improvements.

In maize there has been remarkable progress in stress tolerance breeding in the last 10 years. Field-based breeding approaches have resulted in average breeding gains of around 100 kg per year per hectare under drought conditions. Plants that are drought tolerant are often also heat tolerant, as the tolerance mechan‐ isms are similar.

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Advances with maize Professor Maryke Labuschagne, who holds the SARChI Chair in Disease Resistance and Quality in Field Crops at the University of the Free State, explains what drought, heat and nitrogen resilient maize is: “Newly developed maize hybrids are genetically manipulated, through crossing and selection to tolerate drought, heat and low nitrogen. The plants are evaluated under stress conditions and the best ones are se‐ lected, and with consistent selection pressure there is a significant im‐ provement in the stress tolerance.

The stress tolerance is often related to physiological and morphological characteristics, which can be identi‐ fied and selected.

For example, drought tolerant hy‐ brids can intercept more sunlight through increased leaf longevity and more erect leaves, a better uptake of nutrients and water through a more active root system, a decreased tas‐ sel size, and fewer barren plants.

Genomics and genetic transforma‐ tion are also tools that are increas‐ ingly being used to improve stress tolerance.”

Prof Maryke Labuschagne, who holds the SARChI Chair in Disease Resistance and Quality in Field Crops at the UFS, explains what drought, heat and nitrogen resilient maize is: This means that the newly developed maize hybrids are genet‐ ically manipulated, through crossing and selection to tolerate drought, heat and low nitrogen. The plants are evaluated under stress conditions and the best ones are selected, and with consistent selection pressure there is a significant improvement in the stress tolerance. The stress toler‐ ance is often related to physiological and morphological characteristics, which can be identified and selected.

For example, drought tolerant hy‐ brids can intercept more sunlight through increased leaf longevity and more erect leaves, a better uptake of nutrients and water through a more active root system, a decreased tas‐

sel size, and fewer barren plants.

Genomics and genetic transforma‐ tion are also tools that are increas‐ ingly being used to improve stress tolerance.

Biofortification is the process of ge‐ netically improving the nutritional value of crops. The most successful examples of biofortification are yel‐ low or orange maize, cassava, sweet potato and bananas. These bioforti‐ fied crops have increased caroten‐ oids, or provitamin A, which is con‐ verted to vitamin A by the body. Vit‐ amin A deficiency is widely prevalent in Africa, causing blindness in severe cases. It is done through conven‐ tional breeding or transgenics. Other examples of biofortification are in‐ creased zinc and iron in crops, and improved fatty acid profiles. Bioforti‐ fication is the only sustainable way to improve the nutritional status of es‐ pecially poor communities, as the nu‐ tritional value is “built” into the crops, and is not lost, and no human inter‐ vention is necessary.

“Most maize and soybean in South Africa contain GM (unless it is la‐ belled as non-GM), so we are all consuming it in some form. In my opinion GM is here to stay, and it will significantly contribute to food secur‐ ity in Africa in the future,” says Labuschagne. The South African government has a stringent process before any GM crop is released. The advisory committee consists of a panel of scientists which evaluates all applications. There are various levels of release, such as trial re‐ lease, where only trials are conduc‐ ted under strictly controlled condi‐ tions; commodity release, where GMOs are used as food or feed, to commercial release for production.

Potential GM varieties are tested for every possible kind of risk, and if a variety is released the public can be sure that there is no risk to humans or the environment from this variety, says Professor Labuschagne.

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“Reclaimed materials given a second life” Comfycosycottage is a family run business with a passion for protecting the earth whilst creating beautiful furniture.

All of our products are made from reclaimed materials, therefore making them sustainable and environmentally friendly. This means each piece not only looks amazing but is also unique. Due to the distinct character of reclaimed wood, each piece is truly individual. We have taken some‐ thing that was possibly destined for the end and given it a new beginning, all that is needed is for you to write the next part of its story. Each item is handmade to your spe‐ cification and finished to the highest standards by our mas‐ ter craftsman, whose woodworking skills and experience spans over 40 years.

For more information check out the website: comfycosycottage.co.uk Also on Instagram: @comfycosycottage Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/comfycosycottage

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July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 13

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part from the obvious fact that Ryan is an extremely talented Photographer, his story is pretty inspiring and one that will give people not only hope but the strength to put their own ideas and ambitions into action.

Ryan, who has been in the agricultural industry for many years, was faced with cancer 5 years ago and had to have an operation on his back. Whilst recouping in hospital, he had plenty of time to reflect on things and decided that he needed to do something else, this was all in the same week of Brexit, so with many things going on around him, he came up with the idea of buying a drone.

Not only was he passionate about his photography but has always had a love for things with remote controls, so this was the perfect combination of two things he really enjoyed.

After recovering from the operation, he bought the drone and started his new adventures, first of all near the local school fields and then whilst he was out one day, he saw a combine working on farm land and decided to record it. This is where it all started really and although it was mainly to give him a different focus, to get him out and to help him with his mental state, after going through a very challenging time, it slowly started to evolve into a great business.

Ryan started to get approached from all sorts of people and with him getting the chance to showcase his work on Instagram, it has naturally

14 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

progressed due to his photography speaking for itself.

As well as the photography, Ryan has organised two Tractor Runs, for charity, which have proved not only successful but has brought much fun and community spirit.

Last year, on December 20th Ryan had 200 festively decorated Tractors & raised 30k for MS Therapy Centre Leicester. This year on December 19th he will also be running the same event & hope to have even more Tractors attending!

Talking with Ryan was really interesting and what we gained from it, is that even when you’re faced with something that’s not only life changing and at times scary, you can find the strength to turn things around. With positivity, passion and determination you can create your own path to a much more fulfilling life!

For more information about Archers View and what Ryan can do to help your business please contact him on: YouTube - https://youtube.com/c/ArchersView Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/archersview/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ArcherView Phone Number: 07775578366 Email: ryanarcher4480@gmail.com

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 15

| Arable

Low cost in-field sensors from Metos UK drive efficiency new range of in-field sensors from Metos UK offers growers a lower-cost means to get insight on field conditions and improve efficiencies in fungicide use and irrigation, potentially reducing costs.

A

The LoRAIN range includes three models offering a range of measurements. The models can be used in any combination either individually, or as a network across multiple fields to give greater information over a wide area.

David Whattoff from Metos UK, says, "With no annual subscription, low-cost LoRain sensors can be installed in every field for the season, moved each year, and provide information on key conditions to help farmers optimise their input spend."

The entry-level 'Rain' model measures rainfall only, while the mid-range LoRAIN adds temperature and humidity sensors.

This additional data allows mid-range LoRAIN users to add a disease model which gives insight into disease risk based on previous climatic conditions.

16 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

"Where disease risk is low, growers can use this information to justify reduced fungicide applications or alter their choice of actives," explains David. "Disease models are an add-on product, available for a wide variety of crops, including cereals, root crops, vegetables and fruit, and highlight high, medium and low risk periods for relevant diseases."

The LoRAIN 'Soil' model adds a soil moisture probe to rainfall, temperature and humidity sensors, further increasing the data available on field conditions, and particularly useful in irrigated crops. The soil probe data provides insight on soil moisture deficit over time, so you can see the impact of rain or irrigation events, and adjust schedules or water volume as required.

"With erratic summer rainfall, and the increasing cost of water abstraction, saving money and time on irrigation will be vital for some growers," says David, who adds, "For potato crops, blight forecasts are not always accurate at field level, so adding a potato disease model to the LoRAIN Soil provides greater assurance when reviewing spray programmes and choice of actives."

The LoRAIN range of sensors are simple to install, with a 'plug and play' design. The sensors can easily be removed from fields when not in use, or moved to new locations each season. All models are wireless, and come fitted with a solar panel and long-life battery.

The data is measured and logged every 15 minutes, and transmitted to the app every hour, giving reliable and up to date information to help inform decision making. Users can allow access to their agronomist or other staff.

Metos UK is running a competition at Groundswell on 22-23 June and Cereals on 30 June and 1 July to win a LoRAIN (rainfall, temperature and humidity sensors) and one year's disease model for one crop, and a special show offer of one year's disease model subscription for one crop with any LoRAIN or LoRAIN 'Soil' sensor ordered at the event.

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Arable

Contact your nearest dealer: Agratech NW Ltd Unit 8 Dale Mill Burnley Road East Lancashire BB4 9HU 01706 211399 www.agratech.co.uk

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 17

| Arable

Claydon share initial findings from cover crop trials during 2021 Virtual Open Day

Jeff

spring Claydon in

r crop ing a cove

oats follow

he results of our work with cover crops over the last five years indicate that they can have a valuable role in certain situations. However, careful selection, establishment, and management is required for best results,” Jeff Claydon, CEO of Claydon Yield-o-Meter Limited stated during the company’s 2021 Virtual Open Day in June.

T

“Claydon has long history of innovating, designing, and producing machinery which enables farmers to operate more efficiently, reduce costs and improve soil health. Because 2021 marks the 40th anniversary of Claydon Yield-o-Meter Limited we would have liked nothing more than to welcome visitors to our factory and arable farm in Suffolk,” Jeff added.

“Unfortunately, the ongoing uncertainties and government restrictions surrounding COVID-19 meant that, for a second year, we had to film a Virtual Open Day instead of hosting an event for farmers.

It’s not the same as meeting face-to-face but Dick Neale, Technical Manager of Hutchinsons, had plenty to say and we recorded some very interesting short videos which can be viewed on the Claydon website www.claydondrill.com/ news/open-days-2021.”

“Our focus this year was cover crops, which have become a hot topic. We have experimented with them since 2016 because as farmers we wanted to assess how they might benefit our own soils and as a machinery manufacturer we needed first-hand experience and results to discuss with customers.

“Like many other arable farms, our rotation has changed recently from being primarily winter wheat and oilseed rape to include more spring-sown and break crops. Our aim is to use land destined for spring drilling to reduce the weed burden and seed bank using Claydon Opti-Till® stubble management techniques and fullrate glyphosate before drilling. Ideally, 18 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

sprin k Neale in crop r on and Dic Jeff Clayd h followed the cove whic

g oats

we want the cover crop in the ground long enough to gain maximum advantage from the rooting structures, but not so long so that it generated excessive sticklike biomass. Our work shows that the ideal mix includes plants which degrade easily and are easily incorporated.

“Last autumn, we drilled cover crops on part of the 55ha destined for spring oats in 2021, the aim being to see if, and by how much, they improve yield and overall margin from following crops. If spending around £100/ha on seeds and establishment, then having to spray it off, we need clear agronomic and financial benefits, so the yield from each area will be measured.

“When used in combination with an effective stubble management programme, cover crops can provide significant agronomic, economic, and ecological benefits. They can improve soil structure and drainage and help to reduce erosion. They can increase soil biota and organic matter content. They can provide food and shelter for insects and wildlife and increase biodiversity.

Cover crops can also be of benefit by harnessing nutrients and suppressing weeds. However, they are not a miracle cure that will correct deficiencies in poorly managed land.

“After 20 years of using Claydon OptiTill® to establish crops our soils are in exceptional condition, so cover crops are potentially of less benefit here than they might be on other farms where this is not the case. We will have to wait until harvest to see whether they generate sufficient improvements in crop yield or quality to justify their cost, which ironically is exactly why I invented the Yield-o-Meter, the first on-combine yield measurement system, 40 years ago.”

Despite the challenges of the past eighteen months, Claydon has gone from strength to strength. Employing over 50 staff, the progressive Suffolk-based and still family-owned manufacturer of crop establishment machinery is set to

area cover crop art of the 2020 p in on Jeff Clayd mid-November in

achieve record sales in 2021, with 50% of production exported to 35 countries, from Europe to New Zealand and Chile.

As a manufacturer of agricultural machinery and spare parts, Claydon is an essential business which is helping to ensure that the agricultural industry can keep supplying food to consumers and processors. The company has therefore been able to keep its design, manufacturing and service centre operating throughout the current pandemic whilst following government guidelines on safe working. With support from its global dealer network the company is at full capacity manufacturing its range of tractor-mounted and trailed Hybrid seed drills, Straw Harrows, TerraStar® light rotary cultivators and TerraBlade inter-row hoes which are marketed and sold by the company’s Commercial Team.

Farmers throughout the world are achieving excellent results using Claydon Opti-Till® products on all types of soil, in different climatic conditions and for all crops that can be air sown. Even on heavy clay soils the amount of fuel used is about 10% of that required for a plough-based system. Opti-Till® is used not just by arable producers but increasingly those in the dairy sector to establish crops like grass, maize, and stubble turnips in the most efficient way.

Claydon has always emphasised the importance of soil health and raised awareness of how to improve it, so with talk of reducing CO2 to much lower levels and increasing carbon capture the company is well placed to respond to these requirements.

More information about the Claydon OptiTill® System is available from Claydon dealers, the Claydon office on 01440 820327 or the Claydon website (www.claydondrill.com). The latest posts, photographs, and videos from Claydon and customers are on the Claydon Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ Claydondrill). www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 19

| Arable

Rebooting rotations with diverse species swards D

iverse species swards that fulfil Stewardship requirements can be used to rejuvenate soils whilst also generating good returns from forage

production.

This was the message from Field Options at Groundswell 2021, with the company highlighting results from its own dedicated trials programme for forage crop mixtures such as its legume and herb rich GS4 Eco-Pasture and SW7 Eco-Meadow for arable reversion.

According to Field Options director Francis Dunne, integrating two- or three-year leys of this kind into arable rotations delivers greater benefits than is possible with shorter term cover crops. Through selection of the most appropriate forage crop mixtures for a given rotation, the impact should be positive for soil health, wildlife, and all following crops. As such, he says diverse species swards could become an important part of future arable farming practice as new environmental land management schemes (ELMS) come into being.

“There is an opportunity to ‘turbocharge’ your soils through the use of diverse species swards,” says Francis. “Putting land into Stewardship need not result in sacrificing productivity. It can be a ‘win-win’ option, whereby selecting the best performing varieties within the permitted species can radically improve field performance whilst still allowing Stewardship payments to be claimed.

“A mixture like GS4 Eco-Pasture has a broad range of grasses, legumes and herbs, but with all varieties selected for performance and compatibility, so it will provide high quality forage for grazing or cutting over two or three years, or longer. The performance capabilities of these swards also make them suitable for use outside of any Stewardship scheme where sward diversity is required.”

At Groundswell 2021, Field Options showed the results of a number of trials on diverse species swards. In addition to demonstrating the value of species diversity, the trials highlight the value of inoculating clover with the ideal rhizobium and show how soil biological activity can be accelerated by introducing a range of mycorrhiza and rhizobacteria with the diverse species sward.

20 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

Francis Dunne of Field Options says integrating diverse species swards into arable rotations provides an opportunity to ‘turbocharge’ soils with biology and boost field performance. www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Arable

Bigger Seed Bring Better Results new independent trial carried out by the National Associ‐ ation of Agricultural Contractors (NAAC) has proven that larger seed sizes of typical UK varieties of winter wheat and spring barley resulted in higher emergence rates, in‐ creased initial vigour, longer initial root and shoot lengths, higher root and shoot mass, greater initial tillering and greater initial leaf number.

Carried out by SGS in greenhouse conditions in early 2021, the results highlighted that seed size is a vital factor in potential yield, whether us‐ ing farm saved or certified seed.

Commenting, Rob White, NAAC Seed Chairman said, ‘Farmers are in‐ creasingly questioning the need to have farm saved seed treated and cleaned. However, these results clearly highlight the importance of only filling the drill with viable seed. Larger seed sizes were proven to have higher germination, higher vigour and improved emergence compared to small seed sizes of the same lot.’

Based on the results in this trial, it’s expected that a crop drilled with smaller seed, or an uncleaned seed batch would result in a lower yield and perhaps lower quality of harvested grain than a crop drilled from a larger or cleaned seed batch. Small seeds in the drill are then effect‐

A

ively taking up space that could be occupied by a larger, more product‐ ive product.

Rob continued, ‘It is vital that farmers look hard at their farm-saving economics. Whilst costs can be cut by barn dipping, this may be a very short-sighted gain. Our results clearly show that seed that is cleaned and of larger size selection will put the crop at a competitive advantage by having initial growth gains. These bigger leafed and high tillering plants will also compete more vigorously with nuisance weeds like black grass. In field conditions, this is also likely to make smaller seeds, with a lower emergence rate and growing more slowly, more susceptible to pressure from pests and diseases which could further reduce crop vigour.’

Farmers should consider using a professional mobile seed contractor if intending to farm save, not only to select out larger more productive seeds, but also to remove weed seeds, stones and rubbish to maximise yield potential. Agronomic progress is moving on at a pace and growers must start with the basics of selecting the best possible seed sample to drill.

To locate an NAAC mobile seed processor see: https://www.naac .co.uk/findacontractor/

Farmers collaborate to find hop varieties for a growing sustainably produced beer market varieties are found that can grow effectively in a UK climate then more growers will be encouraged to grow them both in organic and conventional systems with the latter being able to confidently reduce their reli‐ ance on agro-chemicals, says Helen.

Mr Rogers says the company is receiving a growing number of enquiries about organic hops, particularly from craft brewers, but currently most organic hops are imported, particularly from Belgium, Germany, and New Zealand.

Brewers and hop merchants say demand for environmentally friendly beer and loc‐ ally-sourced ingredients has accelerated since the pandemic, but there is a lack of UK-grown organic hops with currently only three such growers.

Grower challenges and opportunities

“We see an opportunity for organic hops in the UK but also for export,” adds Mr Ro‐ gers. “There are some markets – France in particular – where organic provenance is booming.”

Hops are notoriously vulnerable to disease and pests in the UK’s temperate climate, leaving conventional growers heavily reliant on a dwindling number of agro-chemicals, and organic growers facing two-in-five crop failures.

“Organic hops are a real challenge,” says Mr Walker. “They aren’t very reliable and al‐ though we get a decent premium, you get a lower yield. Pests and disease are a real problem, the main ones being damson hop aphids, downy and powdery mildew, Verti‐ cillium Wilt and two-spotted spider mite.

F

armers, brewers and breeders are teaming up with research‐ ers to begin a three-year trial to identify disease resistant hop varieties to feed UK de‐ mand for low-impact beer.

Fourth generation hop grower and mixed farmer, John Walker, in Worcestershire, is one of the farmers involved in the project, and is trailing three hedgerow varieties.

Tapping into the market

To tackle this issue, the field lab, run through the Innovative Farmers pro‐ gramme, is bringing hop growers together with the Organic Research Centre to codesign practical on-farm research.

“UK-grown organic hops are very difficult to get hold of, and the challenge of growing them is the largest barrier to increasing pro‐ duction of UK organic beer,” says Greg Pil‐ ley, field lab coordinator and founder of Stroud Brewery, one of only five dedicated organic breweries in the country.

“By collaborating as a supply chain, we’re aiming to identify varieties that farmers can grow more confidently, and as a brewer I’d like to have regular UK supplies of organic hops – there is also a huge variety of fla‐ vours to tap into, which could help British brewers create more distinctive products.”

It’s hoped the research, which involves two growers, the breeder Charles Faram, Stroud Brewery, and River Cottage, could benefit conventional growers too, adds Helen Aldis, programme manager at Innov‐ ative Farmers.

“The varieties I’m trialling are all resistant to aphids and we hope Verticillium Wilt, but I’m hoping to have an ongoing programme of trials as we need to find more than one variety. Brewing trials will be done as we go along to make sure that they have a desir‐ able flavour in the beers.”

A lack of genetic diversity is one of the main drivers of disease and pest vulnerabil‐ ity in hops, started by a consolidation of breweries and varieties post-WW2 to feed a more commercial beer industry.

“In its heyday in 1865, there were 77,000 acres of UK hops being grown, but now it’s less than 2,000, and we’re down to about 50 growers and 25 varieties,” says Will Ro‐ gers, group technical director at Charles Faram, a grower-owned hops breeder, which sells about 70% of the UK’s hop crop.

“It’s a very specialist crop to produce and currently for organic farmers we expect at least a 40% crop loss over five years. The lack of diversity is also limiting flavours for brewers”

To tap into the growing UK market, Stroud Brewery plans to use the hop varieties identified by the field trial in three new or‐ ganic beers made in collaboration with the rural cookery school and organic food brand, River Cottage.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, cook, broad‐ caster and founder of River Cottage, will launch the beers with Stroud Brewery this summer.

“Brewing and drinking beer is one of the stitches in our cultural fabric,” says Hugh “and we are much enjoying our collabora‐ tion with the brilliant team at Stroud Brew‐ ery.

“We hope and expect to see growing in‐ terest in sustainably produced beers that support UK farming and livelihoods, biod‐ iversity, wildlife, and good agricultural prac‐ tice – these new beers will give drinkers the chance to choose organic, and British, and to be part of this mission.”

What is Innovative Farmers?

Innovative Farmers is a not for profit net‐ work giving farmers research support and funding on their own terms. Through the network, groups of farmers work directly with a researcher to design practical onfarm trials, called field labs. The programme is managed by the Soil Association.

“We hope that if new disease resistant hop

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 21

| Arable

Cover crops in the rotation will yield hidden benefits xperts are urging growers not to overlook the value of cover crops as they plan their crop rotations for the new season ahead.

Dr Will Hartley, an environmental science lecturer at Harper Adams University, points to a whole host of productivity, soil health and water quality benefits. “Add to that the environmental focus of ELMs and the merits offered by cover crops can really stack up,” he says.

“Without the unique capabilities of a cover crop, weakened soil structure can lead to soil loss, and as a result, a loss of nitrates and other important nutrients too. This can then increase the requirement for additional applications of inputs such as fertiliser or muck, which comes at a cost.

“However, incorporating radish, chicory or other deep-rooted varieties into your cover crop mix can really help increase soil organisms and organic matter and

funding to Midland farmers within ground water catchments to encourage the planting of cover crops to improve soil structure and protect water quality.

Jodie Rettino, catchment management and biodiversity business lead at Severn Trent, says the water company has already supported over 5,000 farmers through its Farming for Water programme.

“We’re looking to work closely with more growers wanting to improve soil health to help overcome the challenge of nitrate run-off and leaching.

“Applications are currently open for extra funding specifically for those considering cover or catch crops in our target area, as well as those planning to under sow maize,” says Dr Rettino. This is available until the 30 June 2021, so farmers are being encouraged to get their applications in quickly.

E

Dr Jodie Rettino, catchment and biodiversity lead at Severn Trent break down compaction to build a strong soil structure, protecting it for the future” he says.

Dr Hartley explains that one challenge is producers are often unsure how to fit cover crops into their rotation, but there 22 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

are several different ways of doing this.

“To see the full benefits, the ideal solution would be to plant your entire field with cover crops for several months, however this isn’t practical for many growers. But it can work well with maize crops,” he adds.

“Still, where planting the entire field isn’t an option, growers can plant cover crops in the buffer zones to increase organic matter. This can then act as a barrier to run-off and the leaching of nutrients, protecting watercourses.”

Leaving maize stubble over winter is not best practice. Severn Trent has worked closely with its farmers to help ensure this does not happen. Many maize growers are now using a Severn Trent Environmental Scheme (STEPS) grant to under-sow maize, as this can help prevent run-off, leaching and protect the soil structure.

Another option is to plant a later establishing mix such as Westerwold or turnips, after maize harvest, across the entire field. This can help prevent soil damage during the wetter months, which is key to maximising water quality, as well as crop productivity going forward.

Ultimately, cover crops can improve soil health, productivity and water quality as well as provide financial benefits for growers as it involves more efficient use of soil inputs.

Severn Trent is offering increased

Will Hartley, environmental science lecturer at Harper Adams University For more information and full eligibility criteria visit www.stwater.co.uk/steps or contact your local Severn Trent agricultural adviser for support with the application. www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Arable

Micromix-Olmix drives regenerative agriculture with new appointment M icromix-Olmix is driving the adoption of regenerative agriculture with the appointment of a new UK and Ireland sales manager who’s keen to encourage progressive ways of farming.

Grant James – who is well known in the agricultural sector – will be starting his tenure at Groundswell on 23 and 24 June. “Grant has a proven track record in the industry and I am delighted to have him as part of the team,” says Doug Chaplin, managing director at Micromix-Olmix.

far greater take-up and adoption.”

Mr James’ first event will be Groundswell, where regenerative agriculture takes the front seat. There, he will be focussing on soil health and fertility. “Where soils are neglected there can be a decrease in biodiversity, a loss of humus, compaction and

A recent study conducted over three years by the Agricultural Research Institute in Europe revealed soils treated with Neosol yielded 17.4% more than untreated soils. The bulk density of the soil reduced by 11.7% and the porosity increased by 14.6%.

Having harboured a keen interest in the countryside from his childhood, Mr James spent a number of years working on farms, while simultaneously gaining a City and Guilds in agriculture and farm business management. After this he moved into agronomy, working for Westward and Yorkshire Fertiliser for 10 years. “I have spent half my career as an agronomist, working on farms and talking to farmers,” says Mr James.

He then spent nine years working for Monsanto (now Bayer) as its UK business development manager, before operating as a private consultant until 2010, when he joined Nufarm as its UK business development manager. So what attracted him to Micromix-Olmix?

“The biostimulant and micronutrient industry has always appealed but there has never been the opportunity before,” he says. “I’m interested in moving away from chemicals towards things that are less harmful to the environment. Plus, we are losing the chemical arsenal, with about 20% of registrations facing revocation a year – so we need to find a better and cleaner way.”

The issue Mr James most wants to overcome is the misconception surrounding biostimulants and micronutrients. “I really want to be more transparent and to get away from the muck and mystery of them. If we can get over this barrier, there will be www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

erosion – all leading to crop health and nutrition issues,” he says. But once soils are in a bad condition what can be done?

Adding a fertility activator is one way to provide micro-organisms with the essential ingredients – like sugars and amino acids – needed for their proper function. Neosol is Micromix’s probiotic for the soil, which, when applied after harvest, allows the microbial biomass to function better to break down organic matter and produce humus.

“Regenerative agriculture is all about working with the soil and taking an holistic view of the crop environment,” says Mr James. “Five years down the line I think farmers are going to be using a lot of micronutrients and biostimulants as environmentally friendly alternatives to crop health and production. They are the future and there is everything to play for.”

For more information visit micromix.com.

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 23

| Potatoes

Tong Caretaker in demand for harvest 2021

urther to the company’s ongoing product develop‐ ment strategy, which has most recently included a suite of new and advanced on-farm handling ma‐ chines including the FieldLoad PRO, MonstaFill Box Filler and the latest optical sorting systems for dirty crop, Tong Engineering has reported contin‐ ued record demand for its renowned Caretaker mobile grader in the UK and overseas.

With vegetable growers and processors finalising specifications for the popular Caretaker in time for harvest 2021, Nick Wood‐ cock, Sales Manager at Tong Engineering says, “We are de‐ lighted that this year continues to see the latest advancements in our Caretaker grader coming to the fore as growers ensure they are prepared for this year’s harvest, whatever the weather!”

“Our Auto-Touch HMI Pro-Series control features make set-up and control of the Caretaker exceptionally easy,” explains Nick. “Customers are looking to process crop faster, and often need to use the machine to carefully handle a variety of roots crops. The Caretaker maxim‐ ises throughput whilst the advanced control system al‐ lows customers to quickly and easily switch between dif‐ ferent crops and cleaning conditions at the touch of a button.”

“The Caretaker also offers very significant labour sav‐ ings too,” explains Nick. “The unrivalled cleaning capab‐ 24 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

F

ilities of our market leading EasyClean separator ensures very effective removal or soil and haulm at high capacities, and we now have unwashed crop optical sorting solutions that are be‐ coming an increasingly popular option to replace traditional manual inspection within our Caretaker-style machines.”

“We are dedicated to manufacturing the most advanced, cus‐ tom-built grading equipment with intelligent controls, minimal maintenance and maximum productivity in mind. The Caretaker is designed to perform in the most demanding handling situ‐ ations, and can be built to suit all throughput requirements.”

For more information on Tong’s latest range of handling equip‐ ment visit www.tongengineering.com.

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Potatoes

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 25

| Potatoes

Vigilance urged as weather threatens to increase potato blight disease risk N ow is the time to protect potato crops against late blight after Hutton Criteria disease warnings were declared in key potatogrowing areas.

Planting was delayed in many regions following a cold first quarter, so a significant proportion of crops are in the rapid growth phase as the threat of disease climbs higher.

The AHDB's BlightSpy tool indicates a move into the highest threat level for many counties over the next 48 hours.

"Now is the time to ensure those benefits conferred by Zorvec are deployed in your blight programme so your crop gets off to the cleanest possible start," said Craig Chisholm, the crop protection and seed company's field technical manager.

"This will make managing blight easier across the remainder of the season.

"Regionally some crops have emerged slowly and steadily and will now be expected to dash on in the warmer weather. Two applications of Zorvec at the rapid growth phase should be a structural part of most programmes given the current conditions."

Growers across the East, South East and South West of England are on BlightSpy red alert, as are farmers across the whole of Wales and South West Scotland.

Corteva's oxathiapiprolin-based chemistry has been instrumental in meeting growers' needs to get a start clean.

Corteva Agriscience recommends using two applications of Zorvec Endavia in the rapid growth phase, providing a base on which to build a robust programme.

It delivers robust protection for 10 days versus the industry-standard seven days, meaning if weather prevents sprayers from travelling, or capacity restricts visits to more distant crops, they will still be

26 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

protected. In addition, its curative properties also deliver kickback on any latent disease in the crop.

Craig said: "Even as late blight becomes increasingly aggressive and resistance or reduced sensitivity to some actives becomes more common, Zorvec applied at the rapid growth phase will deliver lasting protection through exceptional curative and protectant activity on stem and foliar blight."

Once an infection is present the cost of trying to keep it under control is considerable. Therefore, opting for a product and programme which is more effective early in the season will save money in the longer term.

"With up to four applications of Zorvec permitted on the potato crop, growers still retain the flexibility for one to two applications during the stable canopy when disease pressure and spray interval pressure may increase further," he said.

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Potatoes

NEW OPERATIONS MANAGER JOINS HAITH GROUP AS IT PREPARES FOR FURTHER GROWTH

H

aving weathered the coronavirus lockdown and enjoying an increase in orders as life gradually returns to normal, Haith Group has announced the appointment of John Nicholls as its new Operations Manager.

Mr Nicholls has taken on a broad role, being responsible for the smooth running of planning and analysis, overseeing Haith's produc‐ tion, parts, electrical, service and design supervisors, scheduling, and li‐ aising with the company's sales team.

John joins Haith after two and half years at McCain Foods Limited, where he was Area Operations Engineer responsible for planning and estimat‐ ing capital works projects, quality standards of engineering tasks and managing on-site contractors, amongst other areas of the business.

Before McCain Foods Limited, John spent nine years at Sara Lee UK (Food Manufacturing) and 18 years in the engineering department at York NHS Teaching Hospitals, where he became Assistant Head of En‐ gineering and Facilities.

John reports to directors Nigel Haith, David Haith and Duane Hill.

"We've enjoyed a rollercoaster ride over the last eighteen months and are pleased to say that we have managed to grow the business during the pandemic," says Duane, Sales Director at Haith. "We have a very healthy order book and want to make sure that we continue to offer exceptional customer service and have the capacity to grow the business in the fu‐ ture. This is why we have asked John to join us. His unique skill set and 40 years of engineering experience will be very beneficial to us."

Mr Nicholls was aware of Haith's capabilities and reputation, having seen the company's work for several of McCain Foods Ltd's UK sites. "Haith has an excellent reputation and is known for its excellent engineering, at‐ tention to detail, innovation and high standards. I am really looking for‐ ward to playing my part in the next phase of the company's growth," says John.

Away from work, John is a grassroots football referee, keen cyclist and golfer.

For more information about Haith and its market-leading range of veget‐ able handling solutions, visit www.haith.co.uk.

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 27

| Potatoes

Alternaria monitoring indicates application timing esults of last season’s Syngenta alternaria monitoring in potato crops has further reinforced the pattern of earliest infection from A. alternata, with A. solani typically coming into crops later in the season.

The monitoring is undertaken by independent and industry potato agronomists sampling suspected cases

R

28 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

throughout the season, with laboratory analysis by NIAB specialists to determine the species of alternaria (early blight) present.

Up until a sampling date of July 23, 85% of the positive alternaria infections identified were only A. alternata, with 15% A. solani and only at low levels.

From July 24, however, 81% of samples contained A. solani and just 9% solely A. alternata. Around 20% of samples tested

had mixed A. alternata and A. solani identified as present. No A. alternata was identified in the sampling after August 9.

Whilst AHDB advice points to A. solani being the dominant early alternaria species, annual in-field monitoring has again shown it has been the A. alternata coming in first.

Syngenta Technical Manager, Michael Tait, highlights the information is particularly valuable to highlight the

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Potatoes

Dr Jane Thomas of NIAB undertaking Alternaria ID and monitoring

timing of onset for alternaria infections and in assessing agronomy options.

“Alternaria leaf spots can result in rapid loss of green leaf area. The control options have to be applied preventatively, which typically starts in early July,” he advised.

Mr Tait recommends that two sprays of Amphore Plus (difenoconazole + mandipropamid) can help manage the risk of early blight (Alternaria), whilst still maintaining a strong late blight programme. The product can readily be worked into the farms late blight spray plan.

Research has shown that difenoconazole is active on alternaria spores at an early stage. Using Amphore Plus can provide a higher rate of 150 g/ha of the active ingredient, compared to the maximum 125 g/ha permitted for straight difenoconazole that could be included in a mix.

“This season’s weather conditions have also seen a very high risk of late blight developing,” added Mr Tait. “It’s essential for growers and agronomists to maintain a high level of protection against infection. Amphore Plus also contains mandipropamid (as in Revus) that delivers more effective foliar blight control, compared to mancozeb that may have previously been considered to prevent alternaria.”

The Syngenta alternaria monitoring identified positive infection on 11 different varieties, indicating more widespread risk than was previously considered. The later sampling dates particularly showed the greatest diversity of varieties infected.

In 70% of instances alternaria had been identified before the crop had reached 100 days after planting, where the planting date was known. “That could prove especially important, since early infections and leaf loss would tend to have the greatest implications for crop yield and tuber size,” warned Mr Tait.

Michael Tait www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 29

30 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Grain

What do you look for in your chosen grain handling, drying and storage manufacturer?

• Is it a company that has 70+ years of specialist experience in grain handling and fully understands your needs?

• Is it a company that understands the importance of specifying machines that are built to last multiple harvests, and not just ones that meet your budget that need replacing very quickly?

• Is it a company that’s fully based in the UK with a decent level of spares and stock so can respond quickly when needed?

Then Perry of Oakley Ltd. tick all of those boxes.

• We have numerous stories of Perry manufactured machines from the 1960s that are still in active use and we still provide spares for.

• We often do rapid turnaround on breakdowns even on Sundays if that’s what is needed to keep our customers going.

• We even offer a 10 year guarantee on our up to 60tph agricultural range of machines against trough perforation because we know we build them to last.

A

t Perry of Oakley Ltd. we specialise in manufacturing a full range of handling, drying and storage to meet all requirements from smaller farms through to large grain stores.

To meet that range of needs we offer two drier models: the entry level “Mistral” and the top specification “Savannah” series. Both driers have our own advanced touch screen PLC panel, which can be linked to any smart phone for full control of the drier from any location.

At Perrys we also provide fire detection systems that can be retro-fitted to any make of drier, giving you vital early warning of fire helping you reduce the damage to the drier and surrounding plant. The system can be stand alone or integrated into your control panel.

In the handling range, we design, manufacture and supply a full range of handling equipment including chain & flight conveyors, aspirator pre-cleaners, belt & bucket elevators, belt conveyors, U-trough and tubular screw conveyors, which come in three different performance levels: industrial (1501000tph), light industrial (60-150tph) & agricultural (8-60tph).

32 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

Our extensive silo range includes flat bottom & hopper bottom silos from 3m to 32m; storage capacities from 27m³ to 26,000m³. The silos are manufactured on state of the art equipment and can be specified to meet either ANSI or Eurocode standards.

We regularly handle jobs as small as a single conveyor up to full greenfield plants by working with an extensive range of dealers throughout the UK. We believe we have one of the best sales and technical support teams with over 450 years of industry knowledge.

That combined with our 70 years experience as a company in the manufacturing of handling, drying & storage equipment, make Perry of Oakley Ltd. the supplier of choice. We have won several awards for being one of the top companies in the country including from SHAPA, demonstrating our performance in the sector. In this new period where parts and machinery entering the UK from Europe are less certain and more costly this is the best time to choose the UK’s most experienced manufacturer for your handling, drying & storage equipment.

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 33

| Grain

Cereal harvest begins in Gloucestershire on last day of June

he combine was in full swing on the last day of June in South Gloucestershire where beef and arable farmer, Steve Ball, has taken one of the first cereal harvests of the year.

which he’s exceptionally pleased with, especially since they come from the farm’s poorest land. With 86 acres (35ha) down to the same Kingsbarn variety of hybrid barley, he plans to crimp his whole crop, expected to total over 400 tonnes.

everything ourselves through our Korte 700 roller, and using the preservative CrimpSafe 300.

Harvesting six-row winter barley, he has crimped the crop to feed his 600 head of beef, bringing the grain in at a moisture content of 34-38 per cent.

Having crimped cereals in the past with mixed results, this year he has taken advice from feed preservation specialists, Kelvin Cave Ltd.

Straw is also spread, then rowed and baled soon after the combine and its quality is said to be ‘definitely better than drier straw’.

Farming 850 acres (344ha) at New House Farm on the Tortworth Estate near Charfield, he says yields so far are 5.2 tonnes per acre (12 tonnes/ha)

“The company helped me salvage a crop last year, and this year, they’ve been very hands-on so we’ve done the job right,” he says. “We are processing

“The grain is rolled, compacted, sheeted and stored undercover in our large shed where we have three bunkers for silage and crimp,” he says.

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34 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

“This gives us complete control of the timing and the crimper can almost keep up with the combine.”

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Grain and chopped straw,” he says. “In a 10-tonne mix, 8 tonnes are crimped barley and 800kg is maize distillers, the rest being limestone flour, urea and a mineral with yeast.”

The clamp will be opened after three weeks to feed the farm’s beef, some of which is sold through the family’s Tortworth Farm Shop and The Farmers Table.

“We make our own blend to feed with grass and maize silage, fodder beet

The blend is fed to all ages of stock from threemonth-old calves through to fat cattle, finishing at 18-20 months. Calves are fed 2kg/day of the blend, and it’s fed ad lib to the finishers, which will eat 10-12kg/day.

“They’re fantastic on it,” he says. “It’s so gentle on the stomach, performance is great and they are very content. You wouldn’t like to eat porridge without milk, and the cattle also prefer to eat moist grain.”

same process of crimping to produce the bulk of his winter feed.

For further information on crimping please visit the Kelvin Cave website on www.kelvincave.com or ring the office on 01458 252281.

Agronomic benefits are also considered a big advantage of crimp as its early harvest offers plenty of time for autumn cultivations, earlier drilling and perhaps a catch crop.

However, Mr Ball says he will be using a Mzuri single pass drill to put the same land into the same variety of winter barley this autumn and using the

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 35

| Grain

Opportunity from growing biscuit wheats rowing biscuit wheats which can earn a premium over feed when sold into local markets is important to Bedfordshire farmer, David Tomkins.

wheats to doing a lot more spring cropping.

New biscuit wheat LG Astronomer is his variety of choice for next year, and he aims to sell his wheats into millers, Heygates and Whitworths; both of which are in the area.

“We saw the start of the black-grass issue grow over the previous 20 years; for that reason, we had introduced

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“Our rotation depends on ground conditions and the environment, so there is no set strategy.

He likes that LG Astronomer can be grown in a first or second wheat scenario.

Growing on heavy clay soils, Mr Tomkins makes an early start with his drilling, and finds that if he is not finished by November, it is too late.

Typical yields average around 7.5 t/ha.

David and his father are tenant farmers and have been on South Pillinge Farm for over 50 years, and whilst their main business is arable farming, he also has permanent pasture for 30 hobby sheep.

His decision to try LG Astronomer was based on quality characteristics such as specific weight of 77.8 kg/hl and a strong Hagberg of 238, which sit alongside one of the best set of agronomics on the AHDB 2021/22 Recommend List.

“We really like LG Astronomer’s excellent untreated yield at 86% on the AHDB RL, and its disease ratings – such as 9 for the rusts and a Septoria rating of 7.4 give flexibility in your spray windows,” says Mr Tomkins.

“For example, in a ‘catchy’ season when you have to decide which field to spray first, the disease resistance offered by LG Astronomer means that you can keep it on hold for a few days, which helps spread your risk and workload.

“With many varieties, delaying spraying for a couple of days is not an option, as they are too delicate regarding disease susceptibility.”

LG Astronomer may be a little taller than some of the other varieties, he notes, although he adds that with an RL resistance rating of 7 without a PGR, this will not be a problem, as he tends to use a robust PGR, and the straw is useful for the livestock.

Over the years, there have been some changes on the farm; Mr Tomkins used to grow Consort and Claire with oilseed rape as a break crop, but he no longer grows any rape, and moved from growing predominantly soft 36 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

spring wheat into the rotation ten years ago.”

“In the past two years, we have planted no winter cereals because of the wet autumns - on the upside, this has helped reduce some of our blackgrass burden.”

“The hybrid barley we grew had seen some success in subduing the blackgrass, but unfortunately it does not stack up economically.”

“We need to be able to make a living from our land, so we are moving back to more winter cropping, but we cannot jump back wholesale into winter cereals and undo the good work of recent years in our fight against blackgrass.”

Heading towards the end of the season, the LG Astronomer is looking to be a promising crop. “We shall see what comes out of the combine – that will be the true test!” he says.

Farm Facts: South Pillinge Farm, Central Bedfordshire Size: 161 ha Soils: Heavy clay Crops grown: Winter and spring wheat, winter and spring barley, winter beans Rotation: Flexible strategy, depending on weather and ground conditions www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Grain

Oilseed rape revival?

eil Groom, Technical Director of Grainseed, thinks that we will see a revival in the oilseed rape area in the next few years. “We have seen the demise of the winter oilseed rape area, mainly due to the Cabbage Stem Flea beetle pressure and the ban of neonicotinoid insecticide seed dressings. In 2012 the area of rape was over 750,000 hectares and now it is half that. A couple of years ago 14% of rape was ripped up due to this pest. Last year it is just 4% was redrilled. Early seasons costs do not have to be high, with a cost-effective seed such as Keeper, so growers do not have large upfront costs before the pre-em herbicide is applied.”

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Neil is forecasting 450,000 hectares of rape for the 2022 harvest and 550,000 hectares for 2023, providing we get another successful establishment.

back into growing rape. You also grow rape using normal equipment you have on the farm, no need for special investment in machinery. There is a bullish global Neil Groom, market for oil this year so there is good Technical Director of Grainseed demand for the crop.”

Finally, oilseed rape is an excellent break crop in any arable rotation. It can be used to break the cycle of weed resistance in blackgrass, ryegrass and wild-oats as you can use different chemistry with different mode of action in rape than you do in wheat or barley, reducing the resistance pressure. It also provides the best entry for wheat, giving a boost in yield. It has a large tap root which helps improves soil structure.

Neil concludes that with the current high price, profitability and an excellent break crop plus the opportunity of choosing a vigorous variety with good disease resistance and standing power, many growers could be tempted back to growing rape.

“This year’s crop is looking good, much better than last year.”

“Cabbage Stem Flea beetle (CSFB) has built up in the Southeast and the Midlands where rape has been grown in a tight rotation. Yields have been hit hard by this pest. To reduce this pest pressure, growers can extend their rotations.

This will also help reduce diseases such as Phoma and clubroot. This year CSFB pressure appears to be less than it has been in the previous few years and crops are looking good, particularly in the North and in Scotland.

Unfortunately, we do not have an easy single solution for the control of this pest, but if you drill the crop into a good seedbed with moisture and choose a variety with innate vigour, you stand a reasonable chance of out-growing pest damage. Two of our conventional varieties, Elevation and Keeper, bred specifically for the UK market by Mike Pickford, show excellent early vigour at planting. Keeper has very large seeds giving it extra seedling vigour which aids establishment. Last year a 4 million seed pack (4 Ha) of Keeper weighed 26 kgs.”

He adds that growers should not over-simplify vigour as this is a characteristic of the individual variety, not the variety type. “In other words, not all hybrids are vigorous whilst some conventionals are very vigorous. Vigour is something that varies tremendously from variety to variety and some conventional rape varieties are even more vigorous than hybrid varieties. It is a message that we have been sending out to the marketplace for a few years now. We advise looking at the individual variety itself, not just whether it is a conventional or a hybrid.”

“Drilling early into moisture is important, as is seedbed nutrition, leaving long cereal stubbles to encourage beneficial insects and sowing companion crop species a week before the rape, so the companion crop hides the rape seedlings. Any companion crop must be rapid growing, frost susceptible and high-quality seed to maximise benefits. All these management tools enable growers to tip the balance in their favour.”

Neil also points out that the price for oilseed rape is looking very attractive and is close to £500/t including bonuses. “This makes rape a more profitable crop, out-performing most other break crops. This will encourage more growers

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 37

We have always been passionate about women in farming, and we are delighted to introduce Izzi Rainey who is a young creative farmer, artist and business woman. n 2014, after being at the Glasgow School of Art studying textiles, I decided to come home to Norfolk to the farm to set up my small design business with my best friend, Lara. I was 22 and at the same time,

my Dad decided that he wanted to slow down a little bit and take a step back. He had established the High‐ land fold in 1989 (before I was born!)

Growing up, I always took a huge in‐ terest in the cattle and have always been espe‐ cially in‐ volved in showing the cattle. My Dad wanted to sell most of the cows, but let me choose three cows to keep plus the follow‐ ers and at the same time gave me a life‐ time mem‐ bership to the High‐ land Cattle Society, meaning I could al‐ ways keep pedigree Highlands if I chose to!

In 2014 I didn’t really have a plan when it came to the cattle, I just knew I wanted them to remain a part of my life in some way, possibly a bit of nostalgia. I continued to show them and was lucky enough to do quite well, which helped my confid‐ ence to grow. Before I knew it the numbers had grown and I had 16 cows! In 2017 I also introduced a second beef herd onto the farm an‐ other native breed, Lincoln Reds. At this point I was also working for an‐ other beef farm, looking after 200 head of cattle, it was then that I realised how much I enjoyed working with cattle and it got to the point I needed to start thinking about how I could turn my cattle into more of a busi‐ ness rather than an ex‐ tremely large hobby that was taking over my life!

knew I wouldn’t make much money but I did it as a marketing opportun‐ ity. I knew it would get my name on the menu, people tasting the beef, a chef cooking my beef well and some great pic‐ tures! I did this for 18 months, I will be honest I didn’t make any money because of the cut the pub took, but it gave me SO much confidence in the product! I now knew people could taste the dif‐ ference; people were raving about the flavour.

The quality of flavour is all down to the fact the cattle living out, a major‐ ity grassbased diet and rearing them until 30 months.

The most important thing about my product I realised was the story, this is backed up by my Instagram @batesmoorfarm which I have over 10k followers. For over five years now I have shared day to day life from our farm. It made me realise how important people’s interest in

the farm and the cattle is and how much customers want to know where their food comes from.

In 2018 I asked a local pub if they would put my beef on their menu… they said yes! I 38 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

with a smaller carcass at the end of the day, but they make up for this with the quality of flavour and marbling. The only way to market the beef and share the appreciation for the Highland breed was to sell and market it myself, this way I knew I could share my story and therefore custom‐ ers would be prepared to pay that little bit more for it.

Even when I was sharing pictures of the beef in the pub people were asking me if they could buy it directly from me… it got me think‐ ing!

Highland cattle are hardy, low input breed but they are slow growing and keeping an animal for 30 months,

two winters are expensive with feed costs and most importantly time. Especially when you are left

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

In October 2019 set up Bates Moor Farm Beef selling beef boxes direct from our farm, at farmers markets and at our local shop. I have been over‐ whelmed by the response; I was so nervous I wouldn’t even sell half an animal let alone one a month (I don’t have enough cattle to do any‐ more!) In 2021 I was lucky enough to be featured on BBC’s Farmers Country Showdown and the response was AMAZING and it really spurred me on to set up a website for the farm. I am now shipping my beef all over the country using couriers as well as local deliveries and the farm‐ ers market at Creake Abbey.

Over the 7 years, there has been SO many ups and downs, quite literally blood, sweat and tears!

Sometimes the cattle can seem overwhelming and if I am hon‐ est on so many occasions I have felt out of my depth. I am pretty tough on

myself and sometimes I struggle with the feeling of not know‐ ing exactly what I am doing, even though I probably do after 29 years of growing up around cattle. I have to remind myself that I am still young (I hope 29 is young!) and so much knowledge comes with time! I have never really had a problem being a woman in this industry, the most common comment I get is ‘you don’t look like someone who would work with cattle…’ and I often think

‘What does that even mean?’ but I feel that these stereotypes are disap‐ pearing. You don’t have to wear a ‘uniform’ to be a farmer, it has noth‐

ing to do with your abilities if you don’t want to wear a check shirt and a fleece gil‐ let. I feel unbelievably lucky to be surrounded by friends, family and a supportive local farming community who are always on hand to help out with tasks on the farm or offer advice.

Over the years I have doubted my abilities and where I am going on this journey with the cattle whilst running a design business alongside it all.

However, I have come to the conclu‐ sion that having two such varied in‐ terests/jobs is so beneficial and means I can’t get bogged down in either if something goes wrong with one, I go off and distract myself with the other. I have also found my design and marketing skills really be‐ neficial to my farm business, they are really starting to tie in well together now and I am really looking forward to growing both businesses along‐ side each other.

Find Izzi on: Instagram: @batesmoorfarm and on https://www.izzirainey.com/ July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 39

| Buildings

Join Us at the Rural & Industrial Buildings Industry Event of the Year!

T he Rural and Industrial Design and Building Association (RIDBA) is holding the RIDBA Building Awards on 30 September 2021. After a year of event cancellations and postponements due to COVID-19, RIDBA is excited to bring the industry back together again at the highly anticipated industry event.

The event will be held in Manchester at the Macdonald Hotel, where the winners of the RIDBA Building Awards will be announced.

RIDBA received a record number of entries this year, and were thrilled to announce the high standard of shortlisted entries in May. The entries were judged by Dr Martin Heywood (RIDBA), Jamie Robertson (RIDBA), Stuart Roberts (NFU), Joe Black (ACR), Andrew Brown (Visit Our Farm) and Niresh Somlie (BM Trada).

RIDBA is delighted to share with you the fantastic shortlisted projects for the RIDBA Building Awards 2021: Education & Leisure •

AFC Harrogate – Indigo Fitness (with United Products)

•

Estate Bridge – S&A Fabrications

•

Innovation Centre at University of Essex – A.C. Bacon Engineering

•

Sybil Andrews Academy – A.C.

40 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Buildings Bacon Engineering •

•

The Nest – Norwich City FC, Community Sports Foundation – A.C. Bacon Engineering

• •

•

•

•

•

The City of Cambridge Rowing Club – M D Anthony

Industrial & Production •

Public Services

Aerotron Composites – M D Anthony

Project Horizon, Mustard and Mint Factory – A.C. Bacon Engineering Tobi Produce – Timmins Engineering & Construction

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

Dick White Referrals – Veterinary Centre Extension – A.C. Bacon Engineering

•

Gateway Auctions – Wareing Buildings

•

Interserve Cardigan Integrated Health Care – Shufflebottom

Bryan Salads – Wareing Buildings Martin Commercials – Timmins Engineering & Construction

Darlington Farmers Market – S&A Fabrications

•

•

Multipurpose Building – Johnstruct •

Machinery Shed – Ampton Hall Estate – A.C. Bacon Engineering

•

Roberts D. S & Son – Timmins Engineering & Construction

•

Robert Nelstrop Farms – Timmins Engineering & Construction

Livestock •

The Grand Lodge at Oaklands – Colley Farm Buildings

Elms Farm Poultry – Powell & Co Construction

•

Wicstun Veterinary Hospital – Colley Farm Buildings

Gt Horwood Cattle Building – L F Pearce & Son

•

Lower Trederwen Farm Broiler Units – Powell & Co Construction

•

New Farm Steading in North Yorkshire – Glendale Engineering (Milfield)

Storage – Farm •

Beaumontcote Farm – Timmins Engineering & Construction

•

Beaumont Otes Farm

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 41

| Buildings

•

University of Nottingham, Centre of Dairy Science Innovation – Haston Reynolds

•

Wharton Cattle Shed – S&A Fabrications

Residential & Offices •

Barn Conversion – Industrial Building Solutions

•

Ben Jurin Islay Road – Wareing Buildings

•

College Court – Industrial Building Solutions

•

Holton Studios – Timmins Engineering & Construction

•

Lingwood House – New Office Facility & Warehouse – M D Anthony

42 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

Retail & Distribution •

Fox Electrical Supplies – Timmins Engineering & Construction

•

Group First – Wareing Buildings

•

Henco International – Wareing Buildings

•

Jones Brothers Home Bargains – Shufflebottom

•

Mainsgill Farm Shop Extension – S&A Fabrications

Training •

A.C. Bacon Engineering

•

Glendale Engineering

•

Shufflebottom

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Buildings

Places for the RIDBA Building Awards are selling fast, so to secure a place at the flagship event, visit the RIDBA website and complete the booking form.

RIDBA would like to thanks its sponsors for supporting the event: Headline sponsor: AJN Steelstock Premium sponsors: Joseph Ash Galvanizing, Hadley Group, Kingspan and Steadmans Event sponsors: Eternit and STRUMIS

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

Drinks sponsor: Joseph Ash Galvanizing

RIDBA is also working with media partner, Farming Monthly, to bring you the Winners’ Brochure for the RIDBA Building Awards 2021. Make sure you don’t miss out on the industry event of the year, and book your places today.

https://www.ridba.org.uk/

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 43

| Mental Health

RABI is here for the s treat every applicatio ABI has stood alongside the farming community for generations. Provid‐ ing guidance and sup‐ port to farming people across England and Wales, the charity has a network of locally based teams who understand the challenges and pressures that can arise in the sector. Those working in agriculture continue to face a complex and diverse range of chal‐ lenges and pressures which have then heightened further with the im‐ pacts of the pandemic.

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Against this demanding backdrop, RABI is developing and adapting its services to deliver enhanced, pro‐ active support as everyone contin‐ ues to adapt to changing routines, challenges and expectations. With an ambitious five-year strategy in place, this exciting period of trans‐ ition is focussed on ensuring the 44 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

charity is able to empower farming people to overcome challenges now into the future.

the pressures farming people are fa‐ cing and how these are impacting them from a personal and business perspective.

Understanding the need to gain real insights into the health and well‐ being of a farming generation, RABI launched The Big Farming Survey in January 2021. Working in part‐ nership with the Centre for Rural Policy Research at the University of Exeter, the survey closed in March having secured over 15.5k re‐ sponses. As the largest research project of its kind ever undertaken, the data will allow RABI and part‐ ners across agriculture to consider how to develop a targeted and thor‐ ough approach to the provision of future services.

Alongside this work, RABI know there remains a pressing need to ‘normalise’ the conversations around farmer wellbeing and reduce the stigmas around seeking support.

Many farming people are raised to be ‘robust’ and ‘resilient’, yet these expectations of being strong, healthy and virtually invincible simply aren’t realistic. After all, everyone is human, and we can all be vulnerable and require additional support from time to time.

The Big Farming Survey results are due to be published in the autumn and will provide a true reflection of

Understanding that early interven‐ tion and one-to-one support is abso‐ lutely essential to tackling the root causes of poor mental wellbeing, RABI partnered with a specialist www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Mental Health

small things as well as the big and on for support on its own merits mental health provider to launch the new farmer focused online well‐ being platform in October 2020. The service provides free and confiden‐ tial access to a multitude of practical resources, as well as direct access to qualified counselling support without the need for a referral. The platform can be anonymously reached via www.rabi.org.uk/kooth and is available at any time - day or night.

This coming October, RABI will be extending the charity’s freephone helpline (0808 281 9490) to provide the farming community with a 24hour service. As farming people often work long and unpredictable hours, the charity is aiming for this ‘round the clock’ service to better meet the needs of the sector.

Talking to someone and proactively seeking support is such a positive step, and now there will be www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

someone available at any time of the night or day. The 24/7 helpline will remain free for all to access and is an important addition to RABI’s services.

At a grass roots level, the charity is piloting the community pillars scheme, which seeks to bring together small forums of local farming people to discuss what they feel are the key challenges for their communities and how to overcome these. Building over time to empower and support these communities with the skills and access to resources, these safe, supported groups will be a key aspect of RABI’s services over the years to come.

Many of RABI’s dedicated county committee volunteers will be involved in the community

pillars scheme. As restrictions are eased, RABI’s volunteers and committees are really looking forward to being able to meet up face-to-face with the farming community and provide the greatly missed face-to-face interactions.

However, for those who may want to wait a little longer before heading to local events, support from RABI is always available via the freephone number or the RABI website.

To find out more visit www.rabi.org.uk

Alicia Chivers CEO July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 45

| Energy

Solar farm

boom in Eas t of En gland

enewable energy is booming in the East of England after an ‘ex‐ traordinary’ five months when connection ap‐ provals for new solar farms more than doubled in energy capacity compared to same period last year.

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Latest figures, published this month, show 34 new solar generation sites firmed up connection contracts with UK Power Networks across Essex, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire between January and May 2021; compared to just 17 in the same period last year and four in 2019.

Once fully operational the solar farms will generate almost 840MW of energy – two and a half times the amount of new solar generation ca‐ pacity accepted by UK Power Net‐ works during the same period of 2020.This 840MW is equivalent to more than 2 million rooftop solar panels; enough to power more than 400,000 homes with clean energy.

The majority of the new solar sites are made possible by UK Power Networks’ new ‘flexible connections’ solution which the company began rolling out in early 2020.

The product enables owners of dis‐ tributed generation to connect cheaper and faster by removing the upfront costs for upgrading the elec‐ tricity network. Generators agree to temporarily reduce the amount of energy they export at certain times to keep the network within its opera‐ tional limits.

46 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

Most of the new sites will be midsize solar farms on former agricul‐ tural land as landowners swap crops for clean energy. They are mainly located within a 30-mile ra‐ dius north of the M25 across Essex, Hertfordshire, and Cambridgeshire.

The East of England is popular with renewable investors because of its flat, available land, weather condi‐ tions and its proximity to existing network infrastructure – making it easier and cheaper to connect.

Sotiris Georgiopoulos, head of smart grid development at UK Power Networks, said: “This ex‐ traordinary new wave of solar is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication from teams across our business. We’ve invested, en‐ gaged and implemented world-lead‐ ing innovation to facilitate sustain‐ able renewable energy. Now, we need to go even further and faster to make Net Zero emissions by 2050 a reality.”

An ‘accepted connection’ means sites have planning permission and contracts between generation own‐ ers and UK Power Networks have been signed. With their connection to the electricity network approved, generators will make a down pay‐ ment on connections costs. Renew‐ able sites are then built and can be‐ gin generating electricity from as early as a few months.

New large-scale batteries accept‐ ances also soared this year, includ‐ ing a 90+ MW site in East Essex.

Nine new battery connections were accepted between January-May

2021 with a total capacity of 385MW, up from just three JanuaryMay 2020. The increase is in part driven by new commercial energy markets which allow investors to store energy and sell it during peak times.

The increase in new large scale bat‐ tery and solar acceptances marks continued progress in the UK Power Networks’ drive to facilitate renew‐ able energy through solutions like flexible connections. Despite the Covid pandemic, 2020 itself saw the highest number of new clean gener‐ ators acceptances in the East of England in the last nine years. 65 were accepted to connect with a total capacity of 1,866MW – one and a half times larger than the Hinkley Point B nuclear power sta‐ tion and enough to power a city the size of Birmingham.

Dr Nina Skorupska CBE, Chief Ex‐ ecutive of the Association for Re‐ newable Energy and Clean Techno‐ logy (REA), said: “The rapid expan‐ sion of solar capacity in the East of England underlines the region’s im‐ portance to the UK’s energy trans‐ ition. Not only will these schemes power more than 400,000 homes with clean, sustainable energy, it will also help stimulate much needed new investment in the region.

“It is now crucial that this mo‐ mentum is maintained so we can continue to decarbonise our energy supply chain and meet our net zero ambitions.”

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Energy

Biogas Specialist WELTEC BIOPOWER celebrates Company Anniversary - 20 Years of Innovation, Growth and Continuity for Renewable Energies o this day, the group has been in the hands of a small group of powerful shareholders and has refrained from involving investors to this day. Not least on the basis of this stable ownership structure, the WELTEC Group has become one of the world‘s leading providers for the construction and operation of biogas and biomethane/ RNG plants. The results and projects of the last two decades around the globe speak for themselves: To date, the company, which currently employs around 120 people, has planned and installed more than 350 stainless steel energy systems on 5 continents in 25 countries. In addition, the group has invested a three-digit million Euro amount in its own plant.

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We have always remained faithful to our mission„organic energy worldwide“ and to our corporate values over the years.

Besides we offer technologies of very high quality from a single source.

Another important success factor is that we design the main components of our plants ourselves and have them manufactured in our region. With this we can guarantee a very high quality. We take the needs and framework conditions of our customers very seriously. Each plant is consistently designed for the requirements of our customers. Furthermore, our low staff turnover should also be mentioned.

Many colleagues have been employed at WELTEC for over ten years. We stand out of the industry for twenty years due to the sum of this mixture of expertise, individuality, quality, resources and strategy.

fondly. This plant has been providing a thermal output of six megawatts since 2018. The South Americans only use residual materials such as cattle manure and feed leftovers from 14,000 dairy cows and generate 30,000 standard cubic meters of biogas every day. This covers a third of the high heat demand of their own dairy. Just like the plant in Könnern, we have a high industrial scale there. This standard was also the reason for EDL to choose WELTEC. We’ve built the plant in Uruguay as a turnkey contractor, including all auxiliary works. After one year of construction, we could hand over the EPC project to the customer.

That shows continuity. To what extent did you have to adapt or change in order to remain successful?

We have developed our products with a high quality right from the start. But we have steadily expanded our portfolio over time and adapted it to the market.

Therefore we have been able to develop extremely successfully over the past twenty years – from a pure plant planner and builder to a biogas specialist along the entire value chain. Due to the expansion of our range of services with Germany is the global trailblazer in the field of maintenance, permanent or interim renewable energies and the WELTEC group is plant operation, heat contracting and the production of biomethane one of the pioneers in this industry. as a fuel, our customer structure Since the founding date on July 1, 2001, has also changed significantly. As a WELTEC BIOPOWER has focused and plant manufacturer and service continued to develop from an AD plant provider, we work for companies in manufacturer to an all-round specialist along the food, waste, sewage and agricultural sectors. But we also the entire biogas value chain. supply horticultural companies and the real estate sector with Thanks to an international diversification sustainable heat. Recently added strategy and the high product and plant customers and partners are from the quality, WELTEC has also mastered fuel industry. Heavy-duty vehicles and challenging phases, such as the trucks are already driving with our successful turnaround in the difficult biomethane as fuel. years 2014 and 2015. In 2012 and 2014, the amendment of the German Which projects of the last twenty years Renewable Energy Law (EEG) resulted do you particularly remember? in hard reductions of the feed-in tariffs, which lead to a massive decline in In 2008 we built in Könnern, Saxonybiogas plant construction. Not all market Anhalt, what was then the world‘s players survived this time. But even largest biomethane plant and have been under these tougher framework operating it ever since. The project was conditions, WELTEC BIOPOWER was and is an important milestone for our able to maintain and even expand its company group. We are all very market position. satisfied with the successful construction and operation of this AD Jens Albartus, you have been the plant. But international pioneering Managing Director of WELTEC projects such as the Waste-to-Energy BIOPOWER since July 2006. So you plant for a large Australian water have been in charge of the group for supplier near Melbourne and the biogas most of the company‘s 20-year history. plant for the milk powder producer EDL What is the success story of WELTEC? in Uruguay are projects that I remember www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

Managing Director Jens Albartus: „We have developed our products with a high quality right from the start.

But we have steadily ex-panded our portfolio over time and adapted it to the market.

Therefore we have been able to de-velop extremely successfully over the past twenty years - from a pure plant planner and builder to a biogas specialist along the entire value chain.“ How do you build the bridge between this successful past and the future?

More than 350 WELTEC plants, around 70 percent of which are running successfully abroad, now testify to our remarkable story. In many countries we had the opportunity to do pioneering work in the field of biogas. For the future it is important to remain to our mission and to continue the success story with our strengths – as is currently happening. There is a huge potential of organic residues everywhere that can be converted efficiently and decentrally into green energy with the help of our process technology. So right now we have construction sites in Japan, Northern Ireland and Spain. And the saving of carbon emissions is an important topic worldwide. This also includes the use of biogas in the mobility sector. Therefore I am looking forward to the next 20 years very optimistically and with great anticipation.

Now things really get going!

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 47

| Energy

Pioneering farmer shows pig industry the benefits of renewables A

pioneering pig farm in North Carolina that has led the way in its in‐ dustry for embracing re‐ newable technologies, has reported a 10 per cent-plus in‐ crease in its biogas yields by invest‐ ing in two new chopper pumps made by Landia.

Soon after Butler Farms opened just over a quarter of a century ago, the owner quickly wanted to reduce its impact on the environment, culmin‐ ating in the development of its own pig-manure-powered biogas opera‐ tion in 2011.

As a contract grower that takes 20,000 pigs per year from their ar‐ rival weight of around 40 lbs to their departure size of about 290 lbs, But‐ ler Farms of Lillington (just south of Raleigh) has enough manure to warrant a one-million-gallon storage lagoon turned anaerobic digester (60 ft x 180 ft x 18 ft deep) for the (up to) 10,000 gallons of manure that are produced every day.

‘Do whatever we could to lessen our impact’ “We may have started out in 1994 as a simple generic contract grower”, said owner, Tom Butler, 48 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

“but starting with improvements through the EPA’s Clean Water Act, we wanted to do whatever we could to lessen our impact on the environ‐ ment and our community”.

Consistently adopting best manage‐ ment practices for environmental improvements, Butler Farms chose to cover its pig waste lagoon in 2008 so that as well as significantly reducing odors, methane could be safely flared off – then three years later using that methane to run a biogas engine.

“It’s a never-ending learning pro‐ cess”, adds Tom. “We’re pig farm‐ ers, not engineers or renewables experts, which is why perhaps we didn’t have the best mixing system for a biogas plant”.

Now referring to the old small mix‐ ers as ‘eggbeaters’, Tom said that the pressure ratios on the previous set up, plus varying diameters of pipework also put a strain on the biogas engine, but that Landia helped to optimize the system.

‘We are finally getting everything mixed properly’ “Power isn’t always everything”, he continued, “but our first mixers were so undersized. We’ve gone up from around just 10 HP to 60 HP, which

means we can now move a million gal‐ lons whenever we want to; using two Landia Chopper Pumps at the start of the pro‐ cess and Tom Butler. 80 years young then just one is suf‐ but still pushing ahead ficient to with renewable energy. keep everything moving. This is quite an achievement because our lagoon is rectangular, not round, but with two nozzles per pump, we are finally getting everything mixed properly, so its perhaps no surprise that we’re seeing such as increase in methane levels for our biogas plant, which will continue to improve as we finetune the operation”.

Butler Farms now generates more electricity than the farm needs through its 180-kW biogas-fueled gen-set, so it has a power purchase agreement to sell the excess renew‐ able energy to its power provider, South River Electric Membership Corp. The farm has also installed 20-kW worth of solar panels; the power from which it too sells back to www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Energy isting pump won’t be able to handle the solids. A Landia pump will make sure that the consistency of the feedstock particle size will benefit our digester”.

Tom explained that a local cannery for sweet potatoes could soon be‐ come a regular, albeit seasonal sup‐ plier of additional feedstock for the biogas plant, but there was no shortage of enquires from those wanting to find a home for food waste. It is mainly just a question of carefully selecting the types of waste that would be of the right quality for the biogas process.

South River EMC. It also has a 250kW/735-kWh battery storage sys‐ tem. In addition, a new hydrogen sulfide (H2S) removal cleaning

module, which cools and dries methane prior to being used as a fuel for the biogas generator, has been installed.

“Now that we have the right mixing system”, added Tom, “our next step is to look at a more consistent supply of feedstock, be‐ cause at the mo‐ ment we have gaps, which we need to level out.

Pigs of almost 300 lbs obviously pro‐ duce much more manure than when they are less than 50 lbs, and we have turnaround times of course for cleaning before new stock arrives.

So, we’re starting to look at introdu‐ cing food waste, which again is why the Landia Chop‐ per Pumps are such a good invest‐ ment. We know that the equipment is more than cap‐ able of handling it.

When we go ahead, we’re look‐ ing to add another Landia unit for our 20,000-gallon in‐ ground concrete in‐ take tank, because again, the small ex‐

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

“As much as new chopper pumps have been a revelation” he said, “for me, customer service is extremely important. For far too many busi‐ nesses today, that customer care just isn’t there anymore, but at Landia it is alive and well. We value it very much. They’ve been around since 1933 but clearly haven’t taken their eye off the ball when it comes to being there for their customers.

They take a keen interest in our business and want us to succeed”.

Tom may have grown up on a farm, but his father steered him towards college, from where he became of‐ fice-based, but part of the agricul‐ tural industry. However, the farm kept calling him back – and whilst he never aimed to go into renew‐ able power, his belief in fighting the good fight to prove that pig farming can be more about solution than pollution, has seen him scale a whole new learning curve. And speaking of learning, Butler Farms has caught the attention of the edu‐ cation sector, with the pig grower’s move into renewable energy fea‐ tured in the popular children’s book series, Ripley’s Fun Facts.

“Eventually, I want us to introduce the same reverse osmosis used by municipal wastewater treatment plants”, he said. “In recent years and especially of late, we’ve seen some very positive steps taken to‐ wards protecting the environment.

We must continue to try”.

Tom admits to having not that long ago reduced his working week at Butler Farms to around 20 hours, he tends to do a lot of ‘pointing’. But as somebody who has just celebrated his 80th birthday, perhaps he can be forgiven…… www.landiainc.com July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 49

| Education & Training

Essex Food & Farming Day returns by popular demand rimary schools have this week been involved in one of 2021’s most pop‐ ular events! The Essex Schools Food & Farming Day is an activity-packed campaign that teaches children how food travels from farm-to-fork.

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Pupils enjoyed fun, interactive activ‐ ities. Through the event they have gained a better understanding of the food chain and the role played by farmers in Essex, as well as an awareness of the countryside, envir‐ onmental issues and healthy eating.

The annual event is organised by the Essex Agricultural Society with support from Essex County Council.

Until 2019, organisers welcomed 50 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

around 3,000 children to a day of in‐ teractive learning, hosted in the spa‐ cious grounds of Writtle University College near Chelmsford.

The annual event was placed on hold in 2020, and in 2021 moved to an exciting virtual venue. Participat‐ ing schools have received goody packs to let them safely create hands-on learning opportunities within the classroom.

Annabelle Rout, Chairman of the Steering Group for ESFFD, said: “It is fantastic that we are able to hold an online Essex Schools Food and Farming Day this year despite the COVID pandemic and restrictions.

We hope the schools and the chil‐ dren will be able to make the most

of the opportunities provided to them in these difficult circum‐ stances. We look forward to seeing photographs of what they have grown and made. We very much hope to be back to normal next year!”

Thirteen exhibitors volunteered to take part, swapping their in-person stalls for fun, educational activities and special products. Children will be growing their own food in plant‐ ers from VegTrug, creating delicious recipes with flour from Marriage’s and much more!

Laura Strathern, co-founder of Fair‐ fields Farm, said: “It’s so important for our children to know where their food comes from, and for us to www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Education & Training spark in the next generation a love of farming. There’s nothing more satisfying than being able to eat what you’ve grown yourself, so we hope that by providing seed potatoes from Fairfields Farm, they will have a fun and re‐ warding experience and – who knows – maybe consider a career in agriculture in a few years’ time!”

The event’s must-visit zones have moved online. The five areas – Crops, Food, Machinery, Live‐ stock and Countryside & Environ‐ ment – are now part of an inter‐ active virtual. Participating com‐ panies have been generous with time and resources. Schools can access expert videos on everything from lambing, making sausages and creating a wildlife pond.

Competitions will also return for 2021. Once again, schools will be scavenging recycled materials and accessories to make a scare‐ crow. Pictures will be judged by organisers and the winning cre‐ ation will scoop tokens for their school garden. The Wilderness Foundation are also running an amazing competition to create something fun for the environ‐ ment, such as a wildlife pond, a wormery or even a bug hotel! The winning schools will get to take a class to their fantastic setting in Chatham Green.

The Essex Schools Food & Farm‐ ing Day 2021 takes place in part‐ nership with Writtle University College and with support of Essex County Council. Cllr Butland, Cabinet Member for Devolution, the Arts, Heritage and Culture said: “We are delighted to see that the annual Essex Schools Food and Farming Day has gone ahead and adapted to the limita‐ tions of the current pandemic by taking the event directly out to schools. It is very important that young people in Essex learn about how our food is produced and how best we can care for our environment. This is a fantastic initiative and I would urge as many Essex schools as possible to get involved.”

For more information visit www.essexag.co.uk/virtual-event2021/

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 51

| Groundcare

L to R: Dylan, Mansel and Marc Rees with examples from their expanded Kubota product range.

Kubota Corporation has been a leading manufacturer of agricultural, turf and construction equip‐ ment and Industrial Engines since 1890. With world Headquarters in Osaka Japan, and offices in more than 110 countries throughout North America, Europe and Asia, Kubota achieved revenues in 2019 of $17.6Bn. Although, agricultural equipment is Kubota’s primary line of products, Kubota also produces a diverse portfolio of other products including city wide water filtra‐ tion systems, irrigation, piping, roofing, housing and large underground valves.

JE Rees takes on Kubota ground care equipment ubota (UK) Ltd continues to strengthen its dealer network by announcing that its machinery dealer JE Rees & Sons is to add the Kubota ground care equipment range to its existing Kubota tractor business, with immediate effect.

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pots – one at Velindre, west Wales, and the other depot in Llandovery, mid-Wales.

Carmarthenshire-based dealer JE Rees & Sons gets an extended product portfolio that includes a full range of compact tractors from 1860hp, plus commercial and domestic ride-on mowers to sit alongside its ex‐ isting tractor and RTV business.

“We’re extremely pleased to be able to support JE Rees & Sons with the opportunity for further growth in these important sectors,” explains Tim Yates, agricultural and ground care sales manager, Kubota (UK). “This expansion will help Kubota to further strengthen its position in these key markets with the ability to provide sales, service and aftercare support across the amenity sector, schools and holiday park operators.”

It is a move that puts the family-run business on a path for further expan‐ sion into new markets from its two de‐

JE Rees & Sons has been estab‐ lished for over 50 years, and is run by brothers Marc, Dylan, Geraint and

52 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

Mansel. Having been a Kubota tractor dealer for over four years, the intro‐ duction of an expanded machinery range will enable the family-run busi‐ ness to better meet the needs of its customers through highly trained sales staff, workshop technicians and mobile engineers.

“We’re delighted to add the Kubota ground care range to our business – it’s an exciting opportunity for us and our customers,” says dealer principal Marc Rees. “There are some fantastic machines in Kubota’s range, that will also appeal to a whole new customer base in addition to many existing cus‐ tomers.”

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Groundcare

FARMTRAC IS GAME FOR THE GAME FAIR Tractor brand debuts at show with industry’s first electric tractor armtrac has confirmed its presence at The Game Fair and is debut‐ ing on stand F390 with the industry’s first allelectric compact tractor.

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What Farmtrac as a brand and attendees at The Game Fair have in common is an appreci‐ ation and en‐ thusiasm for the Great British coun‐ tryside and that’s why the star of the Farmtrac stand is the revolutionary FT25G elec‐ tric tractor.

Hailed as the ‘future of the industry’ with its lithium-ion battery, it’s sure to be a big draw says Farmtrac sales man‐ ager Steven Haynes.

compromising on productivity.”

Standing alongside the FT25G is the New FT6050, designed to meet the latest emissions standards with Stage V engine and power output of 47hp. This agile machine with an 8x8 speed transmission is powered by a three-cylinder engine and of‐ fers an excellent turning radius, making quick work of tight situations.

Also expected on stand to showcase the compact, ver‐ satile range are the 22hp FT22, 26hp FT26H, also with cabin, 47hp FT6050 and 90hp FT690, with useful at‐ tachments such as the Agri‐ Metal TV4000 Tuff-Vac and selected SICMA products, all from

and produced by Carraro and hy‐ draulic systems from MITA, to de‐ liver a superior performance whether cultivating soil, mowing or towing trailers. Plus up to five years warranty for significant peace of mind.

Steven concludes: “This will be the first year that we will attend the Game Fair with the Farmtrac product line, which we originally launched in the UK in January 2020.

We had planned to attend last year, but this of course could not happen due to the restrictions in place at the time. However, for us the Game Fair is a key event in our calendar and we’re glad that this can take place this year. We are looking forward to showing our products, which we feel fit well with the audience who appreciate products that offer great value for money.”

To find out more contact Reesink on 01480 226800, visit

“For those who love the coun‐

tryside and want it to be a quieter, cleaner place then electric powered ma‐ chinery is a major factor towards that,” says Steven. “It has low noise levels and zero emissions and brings seven hours of hard work from a single charge. It is the first big step for anyone looking to re‐ duce their carbon footprint without www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

UK distrib‐ utor Reesink Agri‐ culture.

What all the mod‐ els in the range have in common are world class components including transmissions designed

reesinkagriculture.co.uk to view the tractors or email info@reesinkagriculture.co.uk.

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 53

| Forestry

Farmer Stephen Briggs stands beside his apple-arable agroforestry system in Cambridgeshire

New report explains why UK farmers still aren’t planting trees on their land A

Defra-funded systematic review by a team of pro‐ gressive UK farming and woodland advocacy organ‐ isations points the way to increased adoption of agro‐ forestry by farmers post-Brexit.

Today sees the release of an influential new report written by researchers at the Organic Research Centre on why up‐ take of agroforestry in the UK remains stubbornly low. Agroforestry is simply the planting of trees on agricultural land but farmers usually plant trees with be‐ nefits in mind. This can include using trees as a windbreak to prevent soil erosion or using the green parts of trees as fodder for livestock.

3.3% of UK land is currently used for agroforestry: a middling figure com‐ pared to other European countries and well behind countries like Portugal with an impressive 13% of its land under agroforestry.

Given the known potential of trees to tackle the biodiversity and climate crisis, a team from the Organic Research Cen‐ ter, the Soil Association, the Woodland Trust, and Abacus Agriculture, were fun‐ ded by Defra to look into why UK farm‐ ers are not currently incentivised to plant trees on their land.

The collaboration is part of a project known as the Agroforestry ELM Test; one of numerous tests and trials cur‐ rently funded by Defra to design the fu‐ ture environmental land management schemes with farmers and land man‐ agers in England. Some of the key Eng‐ lish agroforestry farmers helping to mon‐ itor and coordinate the six regional clusters of farmers inputting into the Agroforestry ELM Test project are listed at the end of this article. Each of these monitor farmers specialises in a different type of agroforestry, such as silvoarable (incorporating trees into arable) or silvo‐ pastoral (livestock with trees). Later in 2021 each monitor farmer and their as‐ sociated farm clusters will take part in a series of workshops to get to the bottom 54 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

of what advice and payment incentives are needed to encourage farmers to take up agroforestry within the UK gov‐ ernment’s Environmental Land Manage‐ ment (ELM) system.

“This is an important study that clears the waters on agroforestry in the UK. Previous surveys and reviews have looked at parts of the picture, but this is the first study to look at everything that has been published on UK farmer opinion of agroforestry and extract general conclusions. It clarifies directions government needs to take postBrexit to ensure that sufficient numbers of trees are planted to sequester carbon and boost biodiversity.”

Lead author, Dr Colin Tosh of the Or‐ ganic Research Centre The authors of the report, Dr Colin Tosh and Sally Westaway, undertook a sys‐ tematic review. Dr Tosh explains: “There have been a number of smaller studies over the last ten years looking at farmer attitudes to agroforestry in the UK. This review considered all these studies to extract general conclusions.”

Synthesising ten of the best recent sur‐ veys and reviews on agroforestry adop‐ tion in the UK, the researchers found that nine of the top ten disincentives to UK farmers adopting agroforestry in‐ volve either a lack of farmer knowledge or financial concerns.

Dr Tosh summarises: “Farmers just don’t know they feel enough about agro‐ forestry to go ahead and plant an agro‐ forestry system. The also feel it is a sub‐ stantial long term financial investment and don’t feel the current incentives and payment systems are sufficient.”

Ben Raskin, Head of Horticulture and Agroforestry at the Soil Association and part of the research consortium behind the report, elaborated on some policy implications of the research: “It’s pretty clear that there will need to be a consid‐ erable investment in advice and guid‐

ance mechanisms for farmers postBrexit. Farmers are hungry for more technical information on how to imple‐ ment and manage agroforestry systems, as well as wanting a better understand‐ ing on the financials of including more trees on their farms.”

Helen Chesshire, Lead Farming Advoc‐ ate at the Woodland Trust and part of the research consortium, goes further. “I believe there is a strong argument for including an explicit agroforestry com‐ ponent in the main farmer payment sys‐ tem to have emerged post-Brexit: the Sustainable Farming Incentive. As it stands currently, I see a distinct possibil‐ ity of agroforestry falling through the cracks of post-Brexit agriculture policy.”

Chesshire’s comments are echoed by one of the leading agroforestry farmers in the UK, Stephen Briggs, who also ad‐ vised the research: “The benefits of agroforestry for both the productivity and diversity of my farm have been im‐ mense. Farmers are aware of the term “agroforestry” now and I think there is a very strong argument for a more distinct inclusion of agroforestry into UK agricul‐ tural policy post-Brexit.”

“I believe there is a strong argument for including an explicit agroforestry component in the main farmer payment system to have emerged post-Brexit: the Sustainable Farming Incentive. As it stands currently, I see a distinct possibility of agroforestry falling through the cracks of post-Brexit agriculture policy.”

Helen Chesshire, Lead Farming Advoc‐ ate at the Woodland Trust and part of the research consortium The report “Incentives and disincentives to the adoption of agroforestry by UK farmers: a semi-quantitative evidence review” is free to download from the Or‐ ganic Research Center: [https://www.or‐ ganicresearchcentre.com/wp-content/ uploads/2021/06/AF-ELM-Test-Evid‐ ence-Review.pdf].

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Forestry

Woodland Grant Available for land 1ha and Above Opens in England on First-Come, First-Served Basis

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eading property and land consultancy Berrys are encouraging landowners, farmers and tenants in England to take advantage of a new woodland creation grant that offers enhanced payment rates for planting the right tree in the right place.

and planting the trees, and then maintaining them for 10 years.

Additional financial contributions are available for welldesigned woodland that provide public and wider environmental benefits.

There are four types of payments available under EWCO:

The England Wood Creation Offer (EWCO), which opened for applications on 9 June, replaces the Woodland Carbon Fund and is one of a suite of Forestry Commission initiatives to support woodland creation and tree planting across England.

EWCO is a criteria-based, competitive scheme, with funding offered on a first-come, first-served basis. There is £15.9m available in the first year, with the scheme providing enhanced payments rates to landowners.

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Support for the capital items and activities to established new woodland through standard costs.

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10 years of annual Maintenance Payments to help establish the young trees once the capital works are complete.

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Contribution towards the actual cost of installing infrastructure to either enable the current and future management of the woodland, or to provide recreational access.

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Optional Additional Contributions where the location of the woodland and its design will deliver. You can apply for multiple Additional Contributions on the same land.

The grant is administered by the Forestry Commission and is funded through the Nature for Climate Fund. It will support woodland creation in areas as small as 1 hectare (ha).

Commenting on the EWCO, Berrys Chartered Surveyor Vicky Price said: "This is one of the first grants that support woodland creation in an area as small as 1ha, so there is likely to be a lot of interest. Therefore, it is important farmers, landowners and land managers speak to their local Forestry Commission Woodland Officer as early as possible as the grant is on a firstcome, first-served basis.

"For those with five hectares or more, it is also worth applying to the Woodland Creation Planning Grant (WCPG) before EWCO as the WCPG contributes towards the costs of designing new woodland and will offer you access to expert advice from the Forestry Commission early on in the process," she said.

However, those applying to the EWCO on land currently in an Environmental (ES) or Countryside Stewardship (CS) agreement will need to be prepared to repay all or part of the payments made under their ES or CS agreement, warned Ms Price.

The EWCO can cover 100% of eligible standard capital costs of woodland creation, meaning costs are covered for buying

Farmers obtaining the EWCO will still be allowed to make the most of green finance opportunities. This means they will be allowed to register their planting under the Woodland Carbon Code wherever eligible, to allow the future sale of high-quality woodland carbon credits to private buyers.

For more information on maximising income from your land, speak to Berrys Chartered Surveyor Vicky Price on 07789 986904 or emailing vicky.price@berrys.uk.com.

More information on the EWCO can be found at https:// www.gov.uk/government/publications/england-woodlandcreation-offer-application-form More information Berrys is a UK-wide consultancy business that covers all property-related services under one roof. Whatever your property needs, we are here to help. Visit Berrys.uk.com for more information.

FIRST CORDLESS SPRAYER FROM STIHL S TIHL has launched the new SGA 85, the manufacturer's first batterypowered backpack sprayer, ideal for spraying in farms, gardens, orchards and

vineyards.

The new cordless sprayer features a powerful diaphragm pump, providing high operating pressure without the need for manual pumping. An easy-toaccess rotary knob located below the storage tank varies pressure during operation between 1 and 6 bar, visible on the handle mounted pressure gauge.

A wideband volume flow covers multiple spraying applications using the various nozzles and accessories available.

Designed with maximum comfort in www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

mind, the SGA 85 boasts a comfortcarrying system that utilises a height and width adjustable chest strap and a padded belt, distributing the weight of the tool evenly to maintain comfort during operation, even over long periods.

A carrying handle also offers convenient transportation when not in use and refilling the tank.

The 17 litre tank is simple to fill thanks to the

large opening and a strainer helps prefilters liquids, preventing larger particles from entering the tank. A separate tank filter provides uninterrupted and reliable flow operation and prevents any dirt from entering the pump.

Other features include a lance holder on both the belt and tank for safe storage and a battery protection flap stopping dust or water splashes. The SGA 85 is ready for STIHL's Smart Connector, ensuring users can easily reap the STIHL Connected system benefits.

For more information on the STIHL SGA 85 and its range of sprayers and mistblowers, please visit www.stihl.co.uk.

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 55

| Pig & Poultry

UK pig industry posts further reductions in antibiotic use

ew figures show the amount of antibiotic pre‐ scribed to treat pigs on UK farms in 2020 fell by 5 per cent, bringing the total re‐ duction since 2015 to 62 per cent.

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This was despite disease outbreaks and challenges from disruption to pig flow during the pandemic that meant pigs spent more time on farm than usual.

According to data collected using the electronic medicine book (eMB), antibi‐ otic use in 2020 reduced to 105 mg/ PCU, compared with 110 mg/PCU in 2019 and 278 mg/PCU in 2015.

The data represents more than 95 per cent of pigs slaughtered in the UK and continues the downward trend since re‐ cording started, although challenges with swine dysentery in 2019 and early 2020 temporarily halted progress.

The overall result is close to the target of 99 mg/PCU set by the UK pig in‐ dustry, AHDB Sector Strategy Director for Pork Angela Christison said that in the context of a difficult year, achieving further reductions was a good result.

She said: "The industry understands how important responsible antibiotic use is and that is why there are tough tar‐ gets and we work together towards them. The sector has delivered sus‐ tained reductions since recording began via eMB in 2015.

"This continued improvement, despite disruption to pig flow during the pan‐ demic, is a credit to collaboration between producers, vets and the in‐ dustry as a whole."

Use of highest priority critically important antibiotics (HP-CIAs) remains at a very low level, although a slight increase from 0.04 mg/PCU to 0.05 mg/PCU has been recorded in 2020.

No colistin use has been reported in 2020.

HP-CIAs, as categorised by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), are the most important for human medical

56 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

health and reductions in their use has been a focus for all UK farm animal sec‐ tors since stewardship efforts have stepped up.

Dr Mandy Nevel, AHDB's Head of An‐ imal Health & Welfare, said: "The EMA advice, which Pig Veterinary Society guidance supports, is that veterinary surgeons should prescribe a lower prior‐ ity alternative to HP-CIAs unless there is no other option. This could explain why, despite the reducing trend overall, we are seeing an increase in use in some lower priority antibiotics such as neomy‐ cin.

"Alternatively, these could be short term adjustments as the industry accommod‐ ates the phasing out of therapeutic zinc oxide, which treats post-weaning diarrhoea in piglets.

"Either way, while the proportion of these antibiotics being used remains low, as does resistance reported through Government surveillance*, we must continue to monitor these trends and work to understand the reasons for changes in their use."

Dr Nevel added that collaboration within the industry has been one of the suc‐ cess factors behind the reductions achieved.

Data is submitted to AHDB's eMB, sup‐ ported by a Red Tractor requirement for quarterly submission, before being ana‐ lysed by AHDB and shared wider with the Pig Veterinary Society, National Pig Association, Pig Health and Welfare Council, RUMA, Veterinary Medicines Directorate and other stakeholders to generate a holistic view of antibiotic use in its sector.

The data allow industry to look at the more nuanced variations in individual antibiotic use to identify potential reduc‐ tions.

Dr Nevel added: "The challenges in the industry during the past year highlight

not just the importance of this cross-industry approach in our sustained drive for good stewardship, but also the need for antibiotics to safe‐ guard pig welfare."

Paul Thompson, Senior Vice President of the Pig Veterinary Society, said: "The eMB run by AHDB continues to provide the industry with data that is invaluable in disease control and at the same time ensures we continue to develop new and improved ways to use antibiotics re‐ sponsibly.

"Future years will continue to pose chal‐ lenges – for example, the scheduled withdrawal of zinc which is used to con‐ trol diarrhoea in pigs. The eMB is a powerful tool which will allow us to mon‐ itor the impact of a range of interven‐ tions on antibiotic use and enable us to develop more sophisticated plans to control disease.

"We are at a stage where we have suffi‐ cient data to make informed assess‐ ments of the impacts which will allow us to help mitigate any detrimental changes."

Professor Peter Borriello CB, chief exec‐ utive of the Veterinary Medicines Direct‐ orate (VMD) of the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra), said: "The 5 per cent reduction in antibiotic use in pig farms between 2019 and 2020, alongside no colistin being used in 2020, is encouraging, and testament to the hard work of the veter‐ inary and farming bodies in improving antibiotic stewardship.

"There is still work to be done, which the sector has already recognised in the tar‐ get for a further 30 per cent reduction between 2020 and 2024, but with the collaborative approach demonstrated to date I am confident that the sector will continue to rise to the challenge."

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Pig & Poultry

Pig producers urged to check ventilation systems as temperatures rise

W

ith temperature and humid‐ ity levels creeping up it is crucial for pig producers to make sure ventilation is in good working order to pre‐ vent heat stress.

“We’re now starting to see sustained higher temperatures, which means pigs will become sus‐ ceptible to heat stress,” explains Mark McFarland, feed additive product manager at Lallemand An‐ imal Nutrition.

Heat stress can signific‐ antly impact productivity levels, with suffering pigs exhibiting ir‐ regular feeding behaviour and a loss of appetite, resulting in lower feed intakes and subsequently, inconsistent and re‐ duced performance.

“If there’s an issue with the ventilation system it needs to be identified as soon as possible. Carrying out simple main‐ tenance like removing dust and applying grease to moving parts where needed, can make a huge difference to the amount of clean and cool air reaching the pigs,” says Mr McFarland As well as ensuring proper ventilation, it is important producers look out for the www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

signs of heat stress, including panting, loss in weight and lethargy, and adjust management practices accordingly.

“Due to heat stress inducing a change in feeding behaviour, feeding smaller por‐ tions regularly can help to prevent gor‐ ging which can lead to bloat and sudden death. Meals should be available during the cooler parts of the day as pigs will be more likely to empty troughs redu‐ cing waste and poor trough hygiene, es‐ pecially if liquid fed.”

For those who are experiencing reduced or varied feed intakes, particularly in their sows, Mr McFarland advises adding a proven probiotic supplement to the diet which can help maintain feed in‐ takes by enabling pigs to adapt their eating behaviour to the heat stress con‐ ditions.

monitor the likelihood of heat stress oc‐ curring, Lallemand are providing free hand-held temperature and humidity monitors while stocks last.

To order your monitor follow the link or scan the below QR code: https://lalle‐ mandanimalnutrition.com/en/unitedkingdom-ireland/free-thi-monitor-pig/

“Ultimately, a com‐ bined approach of adapting feeding patterns and mak‐ ing sure environ‐ mental factors like ventilation and drinking water sys‐ tems are function‐ ing properly will help provide pigs with the best pro‐ tection against heat stress.”

To help producers July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 57

| Livestock

Pembrokeshire dairy farming family say NVZ regulations leave no choice but to reduce herd embrokeshire husband and wife team Jeff and Sarah Wheeler, who farm at Clyngwyn, Efailwen, Clyn‐ derwen, feel the current Control of Agricultural Pol‐ lution Regulations are going to make their business unviable and are asking the Welsh Government to take a hard look at what they're asking the industry to do.

P

The third generation to farm here, the couple milk150 cows on a spring calving system, looking after 195 acres which is down to grass land (of which 35 acres is rented), plus 50 acres of woodland.

Under current NVZ regulations in other UK and EU Nations and previous regu‐ lations in Wales, farmers with more than 80% of their holding designated as grassland had the ability to apply for a derogation to increase the annual live‐ stock manure Nitrate whole farm limit from 170kg N per ha to 250kg N per ha.

Despite the same option being included in Welsh Government's draft Water Re‐ sources regulations published in 2020, it was omitted from the regulations before being laid in front of the Senedd in 2021 without any form of warning or explana‐ tion.

Jeff says: "We've got enough storage for slurry but the stocking rates will hit us badly. They've brought in the nitrate limit, which wasn't in the initial 'draft reg‐ ulation, it came out of the blue. Any other country with such regulations has a derogation on the nitrate limit. If you're 80% down to grassland, which we are, you can keep more stock in other coun‐ tries. Why is that not the case here now?"

The decision by Welsh Govern‐ ment to remove the option of applying for a derogation will re‐ strict the ability of Welsh farmers to maintain milk and beef pro‐ duction levels from 1 January 2023, while further eroding the ability of Wales' farmers to compete on a level playing

58 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

field with the rest of the UK - where it is understood that derogation provisions are continuing.

"Welsh Government has not included such a derogation, so we will be forced to reduce the stock down to unsustain‐ able levels. For us that means we'll only be able to keep about 120 cows and lose a fair bit of our milk income. The 170kg N per ha whole farm limit with in‐ creased slurry storage requirements and consequent reduction in stocking rates will make a large proportion of dairy farm businesses financially unvi‐ able and will prevent them from optim‐ ising the use of slurry as a natural fertil‐ iser," he added.

The family are also worried about the wider impact on the rural economy.

Sarah says: "We have good grass grow‐ ing land for dairy here. Pembrokeshire is a dairy county. With everyone looking for more land to keep their dairy herds, there will be problems, big ones. People will have to cut back, because they can't afford the land or can't get hold of it, so the milk is going to be lost to other countries as well.

"Think of the economic impact and the ripple effect that will have. Loss of rev‐ enue, loss of money going to contract‐ ors, the wider rural economy is going to feel the impact of this just as much as farmers are."

Farmers like the Wheeler family are looking to buy or rent additional land in preparation for when the nitrogen limit is imposed on 1 January 2023 to be able to maintain livestock levels by having enough land area available to spread the amount of slurry pro‐ duced.

"We had a sustainable production grant 4 years ago to build extra slurry storage with the cubicles on top. We submitted a business plan for that to the Welsh Govern‐ ment and that was based on 150 cows.

Now they turn around and tell us we can't

keep 150 cows unless we take on more land.

"If we took on more land, either rented or bought, to meet the nitrates limit we would be ok but try getting hold of more land, it's impossible. We're surrounded by dairy farms who all have the same problem. There are some big dairy farms around here and competition for land is fierce. Even if you find the land, it's not going to be cheap," explains Sarah Wheeler.

The question for the family business is whether or not to reduce the number of cows or find the land. But the price of the land, they fear, would not leave them with a profitable business.

'If you keep the extra cows, all the money would be going on paying for the extra land, which makes no sense. We would be allowed to spread nearly the same amount of artificial fertiliser as we did before to produce the same amount of grass but our stocking rate has to go down. If we reduce cow numbers we lose income which jeopardises the eco‐ nomic viability of the business," said Jeff Wheeler.

Despite the decision of the Senedd to review the current Control of Agricultural Pollution Regulations, Jeff and Sarah are concerned about their livelihood and the future.

"We know that there is going to be a re‐ view but we are not hopeful at the mo‐ ment. Such draconian regulations will in the end achieve the exact opposite of what they set out to achieve. Farmers are being used as a scapegoat for all the problems and I can't see how any‐ thing will positively change for us. I am worried about the future. It's very stress‐ ful.

"We knew there was a change coming, and we've prepared for it as best as we can but they said they weren't going to bring these rules in while the covid pandemic is on-going and they have gone back on their word. What else will they go back on?

It's very difficult for the industry to trust them. I worry what they will

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Livestock throw at us from one day to the next," says Sarah Wheeler.

Jeff adds: "In a way we're lucky as we are an established business but where does that leave younger businesses and the next generation? Those who have started in the last 10 years for example and have borrowed huge amounts of money to set up their business and then they are forced to pay for this - it could well be the end for some of those young businesses. It's going to hit every dairy farm.

"We borrowed the money to build the slurry store and yard coverings 4 years ago with the assistance of the sustain‐ able production grant, which also paid for calving pens, feed areas etc. The business plan which was agreed by the Welsh Government was based on 150 cows. Where do we go from here? We were trying to prepare for the potential of NVZs and we borrowed a lot of money to make this happen but with the reduction in cow numbers how are we going to pay that back? The business plan, drawn up by a business consult‐ ant, was based on a 10 to 15 year re‐ payment period but we won't have the same income from our milk now due to us being forced to reduce the size of the dairy herd."

Frustrations with the Welsh Govern‐ ment's approach is clear here, with the family questioning the rationale behind the regulations. Jeff said: " We have a devolved government so what are they doing copying regulations that are out of

date, have been proven to be ineffective and are not specific to Wales. They will not achieve with this regulation what they have set out to, unless they are set to destroy our farming industry and the environment at the same time."

In preparation for the next phase of the regulations and the required reduction in livestock numbers, the family have star‐ ted to sell off their dairy herd. Sarah said: " We have already sold a few cows, the price for them at the moment is fairly good, and we are keeping less heifers from this year and are putting less cows in calf. We will gradually have to let the numbers fall. It's not what we want to do but there isn't much other choice."

"The trouble is we don't really know what's going to happen. You can't just say let's get rid of these 20-30 cows in‐ stantly, because maybe next year things will change. The uncertainty is not work‐ able. At the moment the price for cows is good, but when everyone realises that they have to get rid of their livestock at the same time, the price is not going to be so good. So what do you do?

Nobody is going to want the cows in 2 years time.

"I'm the third generation to farm here and have been doing this for over 20 years. The way things are at the mo‐ ment, I'd sell the farm tomorrow but Sarah wants to keep going. It has gone too far. These regulations are going to be the end of the industry, there is no doubt in my mind," added Jeff.

Sarah, who grew up on a dairy farm in Canada, says their whole lives are be‐ ing turned upside down and put in jeop‐ ardy. "Farming is my life. I come from a dairy farming background in Canada, I grew up on a farm, my father and grand‐ father milked and we sold the cows there when I was about 10 years old be‐ cause the quota system came in in Canada. Then we kept suckler cows and I was a vet for over 15 years. I love farming more than Jeff does I think. It's just in you. We want to be outside, work with the animals.

"We are trying our best to look after the countryside, look after our animals and produce healthy and safe food for people to eat. Why are they making it so hard? Rules and regulations from all corners, our milk buyer wants us to do one thing, Welsh Government wants us to do another thing, keep fewer cows and everything else.

"All we want to do is do our job. At the end of the day people need to eat and we're being made to look as if we're the villains in all of this. Our intentions are good and it's our way of life. I'd like to know what the farming industry has ever done to the Minister. Why does she feel so much hate for us? Because that's what it looks like. TB policy isn't working and it's horrendous, now the extra regu‐ lations on top. It's one thing after an‐ other with this government. There is just no light at the end of the tunnel."

Data project paves way for improved cow management and breeding A new project combining the know-how of agri-tech experts at Agri-EPI Centre and genetics scientists at The Roslin Institute hopes to pave the way for more precise dairy cow management and breed‐ ing.

The DairyMine Project is seeking to integrate on-farm cow per‐ formance data with genomic data, by assembling a pilot data‐ set from project farms. The project partners will 'mine' the data‐ set (the process of finding patterns, correlations and anomalies within large data sets to predict outcomes) to develop a datadriven cow management and breeding platform for use by farmers. They will also project the impact of scaling the DairyMine to more farms.

ment, £1.3 million from the Scottish Government, and £31.3 million from the University of Edinburgh, as partners of the Ed‐ inburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.

Agri-EPI Centre's Head of Dairy, Duncan Forbes, said: "Inform‐ ation about the health, fertility and performance of the herd at our South West Dairy Development Centre is recorded in a variety of ways, including through multi-sensor embedded milk‐ ing robots and animal wearables. Combining this wealth of data with each animal's genomic information, which will be ob‐ tained by the team at The Roslin Institute, will allow us to con‐ sider the whole picture when it comes to making both short and longer-term management and breeding decisions."

This accessible means of viewing the whole range of informa‐ tion about each of their animals in one place could help farm‐ ers with day-to-day cow management, such as picking up ill‐ ness at the earliest possible stage, as well offering medium to long-term impact on animal performance by supporting more accurate breeding predictions.

Gregor Gorjanc, Chancellor's Fellow in Data-Driven Innovation for Agri-tech at The Roslin Institute explained: "While cow per‐ formance and genomic data is already available to farmers, its volume, and the lack of a single means of analysing, integrat‐ ing and viewing it presents a barrier to farmers. We hope to prove that this can be achieved, bringing benefits to the dairy sector and to future researchers here in Edinburgh."

The project outcomes will also support training of a new gener‐ ation of farm data scientists at the Easter Bush Campus in Ed‐ inburgh. In March 2021, it was announced that the Easter Bush Agritech Hub would receive £27 million from the UK Govern‐

This project is supported by the Scottish Funding Council's Covid-19 Recovery Scheme via The University of Edinburgh's Data-Driven Innovation initiative.

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 59

| Livestock

Understanding contributions to a year of F rom shipping container shortages to droughts, global analysts explain some of the main contrib‐ utors to the rising feed prices dairy producers around the world have seen over the last year.

Call it a perfect storm or a series of un‐ fortunate events, dairy producers around the world have seen an uptick in bought-in feed costs as the global mar‐ ket pulls through a pandemic, ex‐ traordinary weather events, logistic dis‐ ruptions and growing competing mar‐ kets for raw feed ingredients.

Looking at historic data, this has been a time of unchartered waters for the global feed ingredient market – but in the works for a while, says Arlan Suder‐ man, Agricultural & Soft Commodities Market Analyst for StoneX trading group.

“The purpose of the market is to bring supply and demand into balance. Low prices discourage production while stimulating demand. The opposite is true as well. Global feed demand has been increasing for a number of years, but several years of low prices discour‐ aged sufficient expansion of produc‐ tion,” explains Suderman. “Several con‐ tributing factors acted to speed up draining supplies while money supply rose $4.6 USD trillion during the pan‐ demic. A portion of that money made its way into the markets, making it easier for buyers to bid up prices in a short market which amplified and sped up market response. The role of high prices currently is to encourage expan‐ ded production in the world to bring it back into balance with this expanding demand base.”

Weather impacts soybean supplies While dairy ration composition will vary region to region based on local crop production, soybeans and their byproducts are common denominators in global dairy diets due to their high en‐ ergy and protein density. By-products like soya hulls are effective at stretching forage and supporting rumen function as a high-quality source of digestible fibre. Requiring a combination of heat, sunlight units, humidity and moisture, soybean production is limited to a hand‐ ful of countries, with Argentina, Brazil and the US accounting for more than 80% of the global soybean crop from 2020-21. Following China, the European Union is the second highest importer of soybeans in the world.

Historically, the US has been the world leader in soybean production, produ‐ cing 120.52 million metric tonnes from 2019-2018. Recently, Brazil has over‐ taken the US, with forecasts projecting 60 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

the South American country to have a record 137 million metric tonnes at the close of this year’s harvest, which peaks in March and tends to finish in May.

Despite having a record 2021 harvest, Brazil farmers were also challenged by environmental conditions related to La Nina weather patterns with severe drought delaying 2020 planting and subsequent harvest.

This has come at a time when US soy‐ bean production is still at a point of re‐ covery following the impact of extreme weather conditions during the 2019 spring planting season, which went on to impact the 2019 autumn harvest, leading to tighter stock supplies. The Midwest region of the country where the majority of the crop is produced experi‐ enced double the season rainfall through the typical planting window of April through June, delaying planting and reducing yields. For context, 74% of the soybean crop was planted by late May in 2018, whereas only 29% was planted by late May in 2019. These delays also resulted in nearly 31 million hectares of land intended for soybean production to be planted into other crops. With a more favourable 2020 planting season, 2020 saw US soybean production at more typical production levels, up 16% from the previous year.

Midway through the 2021 growing sea‐ son, corn production is currently being challenged by low rainfall totals and ex‐ treme heat in the region.

Corn (maize) reaches record highs Due to corn (maize) and soybeans do‐ ing well in the same climatic regions and in feed rations, price movement in one tends to influence the other and ad‐ verse weather tends to impact both, says Bill George, Senior Agriculture Economist for the United States Depart‐ ment of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service.

“Corn requires a lot of nitrogen for top yields while soybeans fix nitrogen in the soil which enhances a planting sched‐ ule that rotates corn and soybeans.

Soybeans also works well on the farm as its planting and harvest schedule fits well with corn and allows for better use of manpower and equipment,” explains George.

This relationship is strong in the US and can be seen in other top corn-growing areas, however, economics and other factors play a role.

“Much of the corn in more northern areas is double cropped following soy‐ beans in Brazil, taking advantage of the nitrogen fixed in the soil by the previous soybean crop,” says George.

In 2020, the US produced nearly 32% of the global corn crop, followed by China with 23% of production share and Brazil with nearly 10%. Even with its high levels of domestic production, China is the world’s largest importer of corn, followed by Mexico and the European Union.

Given the synergistic climate relation‐ ship between corn and soybeans, delayed soybean plantings and har‐ vests seen in Brazil this year were also experienced in its corn crop.

“In Brazil, the delay pushed planting the second corn crop, which is the largest share of Brazil’s production, later bey‐ ond the optimum planting window. That meant that the critical reproductive phases of the corn crop were pushed back beyond the end of the rainy sea‐ son, significantly reducing production prospects for the current year, further tightening global corn supplies at a time when global demand is surging to re‐ cord high levels,” explains Suderman.

According to recent reports by the USDA, Brazil’s 2020-21 marketing year corn crop yield is estimated to be down 10% from last year’s crop, which is 5% lower than the 5-year average. Produ‐ cers in the states of Paraná, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, and São Paulo account for 36% of Brazil’s second-season production and have experienced drought from March throughout May. Competing with soybean acreage, US corn producers have been challenged with the same environmental chal‐ lenges during the 2019 season with delayed planting and fewer production acres resulting in a 4.8% decrease in production compared to the previous year. Improved growing conditions saw the 2020 harvest back to typical produc‐ tion levels.

Growing markets contribute to the grain and oilseed rally With many moving pieces working to‐ gether to influence supply and demand for grain and oilseed markets, China is a prime factor impacting prices, says George.

“China represents close to 60% of global trade in soybeans and is a major importer of many agricultural products. Growing Chinese demand across the board for many products un‐ derlies the global demand growth that helps support prices,” he says. “For soybeans, this growing demand has been pressuring the soybean market for more than 15 years and has helped strengthen prices required to support acreage expansion to meet this de‐ mand.” www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Livestock

f rising feed prices for dairy producers In 2018, China’s national pig herd, the world’s largest, was cut in half within a year as African Swine Fever (ASF) ripped through the country. As a result, competition for feed commodities de‐ creased. In the 4 years prior to 2018, average annual growth in China soy‐ bean imports was just over 8 million tonnes. Annual growth in 2017-18 was only 500,000 tons and in 2018/19, down nearly 12 million tonnes. Nearly two years on, China is rapidly expanding its pig herd, resuming its place of buying competition for feed commodities.

“Any shortfall in China demand, such as what we experienced with the recent ASF, or weather related crop shortfalls that reduce supplies, has a positive im‐ pact on soybean and corn prices,” ex‐ plains George. “In the current situation, the return of China to the feed market has been the primary driver. In re‐ sponse to ASF, China also banned food scraps from feed mixes, increasing the concentration that pork production has contributed to import demand growth.”

For the US, large soybean stocks that developed during the height of ASF in China quickly evaporated with the re‐ turn of Chinese demand. This strong demand also chewed through supplies in Brazil, exacerbating the issue with this year’s delayed harvest.

“With ASF waning, China demand rose 16 million tonnes in 2019-20. This re‐ versal of demand was the driver of the current price spike. The 2019 US soy‐ bean harvest was down 24 million tonnes with the corn harvest similarly impacted. In some ways, this was fortu‐ nate as it absorbed all of the decline in China demand plus pulled stocks down 10 million tonnes from record levels.

However, stock volume was still near record highs – third highest – setting up the current situation. The low prices and large stocks kept US plantings in check at 6% below 2017 and 2018. This cut 2020 production 8 million tonnes from 2018 with similar yields,” explains George. “In Brazil, soybean supplies were already tighter with a short harvest in early 2019. So, by 2020, with China poised to ramp up purchases, the sup‐ plies were not there and all that was available was vacuumed up, running stocks down to minimums and prices shot higher.”

Another factor driving the corn and soy‐ bean market is that both commodities are globally used for the production of biofuels, notes Suderman.

“There is a rising new generation of re‐ newable fuels made from edible oils, such as soy oil, canola oil, palm oil, etc.

This new generation of renewable fuels has high value for uses stretching from truckers to passenger airlines,” he says.

“They are willing to pay virtually any www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

price for the fuel to meet emerging global green fuel requirements, dramat‐ ically increasing demand for soy oil and corn oil. Much more processing plant capacity is being built in America cur‐ rently than there is feedstock to supply these plants.”

In early July 2020, US soybean prices hovered around $328.85 USD per met‐ ric tonne ($8.95/bu), reaching $610.31 ($16.61/bu) by May 12, 2021. The mar‐ ket quickly dropped by nearly 9.5% by May 26. Recovering to $582.02 ($15.84/bu) by June 4, the market closed at a low of $532.41 ($14.49/bu) on June 16. This recent decline is attrib‐ uted to weakened global vegetable oil prices and demand uncertainty.

Coming off its record production year, Brazil has also seen high soybean prices. In June 2020, soybeans were selling for $383.57 USD per metric tonne (1 BRL = 0.20 USD), landing at $678.98 by May 2021.

China has also been aggressively in‐ creasing corn purchases, with coarse grain imports from the US forecasted at 46.3 million metric tonnes, of which corn imports make up 25 million metric tonnes.

“Chinese purchases of US corn have added to demand, helped pull down do‐ mestic supplies and led to price in‐ creases. As stocks get tighter, the mar‐ ket becomes more volatile and factors impacting supply or demand have a lar‐ ger impact on prices,” explains George.

In July 2020, US corn prices saw a high of $137 USD per metric tonne ($3.48/bu) early in the month, which quickly increased month on month to a peak of $304.31 ($7.73/bu) in early May 2021. Prices broke from their month and a half climb of 35% from the start of May to May 12, dropping to $257.07 per metric tonne by May 17, recovering to $275.18 ($6.99/bu) by June 10.

market expert connected to Volac Wil‐ mar Feed Ingredients, a leader in global feed fat production. According to him, a combination of pandemic, government policy and competition influenced price rises this last year.

“Indonesia is the biggest producer of palm but harvesting volume has been down due to COVID-19 outbreaks among plantation employees. The In‐ donesian Palm Oil Association has re‐ cently gotten involved, urging planta‐ tions to improve biosecurity protocols,” says Ong. Palm oil supplies are already tight in the region, with Indonesia mandating a 30% biodiesel programme in late 2019, which has not only cut into the country’s export supply but contributed to in‐ creases in export levies.

According to both Suderman and George, palm oil prices have also re‐ flected the overall tightness in the ve‐ getable oilseeds balance sheet. Data from the Malaysian Palm Oil Council shows palm oil increased by 5% in midMay to close near a record high on the soybean rally.

“There is a correlation between soy‐ bean oil and palm oil prices so the over‐ all bullish sentiment in soybean oil has contributed to palm oil’s strong perform‐ ance in recent months. Furthermore, tightness in the canola and sunflower crops in the EU and Black Sea also place greater strain on the vegetable oil global balance sheet,” says Suderman.

Challenging logistics While commodity markets and freight prices are a regular influence on feed prices, a novel factor has been longlasting disruptions to the global shipping industry. This was initially triggered by national lockdowns due to COVID-19, says Lionel Margaka, Group Supply Chain Manager for Volac Wilmar Feed Ingredients.

Palm Rumen-protected fat supplementation is an effective tool to meet the high en‐ ergy requirements of dairy cows, while also delivering fatty acids to support dif‐ ferent areas of cow performance.

Palmitic acid (C16:0) effectively in‐ creases milk fat production, with palm being the only prime source for C16:0.

Palm also contains significant levels of oleic acid (C18:1) which plays an im‐ portant role in improving cow fertility and body condition, making palm an in‐ tegral ingredient in rumen-protected fat supplements.

The majority of the world’s palm pro‐ duction comes out of Indonesia and Malaysia, says Alvin Ong, commodity

Imports and exports of agricultural com‐ modities are directly tied to consumer good logistics. With majority of con‐ sumer goods being manufactured in Asia, shipping liners will transport these products to destinations like Europe and the United States where containers will be brought in-land to be unloaded.

A portion of these containers will then be re-loaded with export goods to be sent back to Asia for trade, along with empty containers so the cycle can con‐ tinue.

“In January and February of 2020, we saw hold-ups starting in China as liner companies started to reduce the num‐ ber of cargo ships being sent out due to lockdowns slowing consumer trade.

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 61

| Livestock Strict lockdowns also prevented the re‐ turn of empty containers, leading to a build up of containers in certain parts of the world and a severe shortage in oth‐ ers. This combined with a shortage of ships led to a huge imbalance, with some ports having no containers and no shipping space to others having no space and an abundance of containers, or plenty of space and no containers,” explains Margaka.

Container availability was also impacted by local lockdowns slowing container returns. In typical conditions, it takes around 5-10 days for a cargo ship to be docked, containers taken to their destin‐ ation and then returned to the port. At the height of the national lockdowns, this process could take upwards of five weeks. In the UK, port congestion was also increased due to post-Brexit trade disruptions in March 2021, leading to compounded container availability is‐ sues in Europe.

This imbalance created several chal‐ lenges in the supply chain, says Mar‐ gaka, with the shortage of containers leading to companies like Volac Wilmar Feed Ingredients shifting from container shipping to bulk where possible to keep feed ingredients coming into manufac‐ turing facilities.

In the US, the container shortage has threatened agricultural exports. Accord‐ ing to the Agriculture Transport Coali‐ tion, carriers are increasingly refusing to release containers once unloaded with consumer goods to be sent inland for less valuable agricultural products. In‐ stead, they are opting to send back greater amounts of empty containers to Asia to capitalize on the booming con‐ sumer trade, avoiding time delays asso‐ ciated with getting containers refilled in the US for export. This has spurred nearly 300 US agriculture and forest companies and national organisations to urge the United States Department of Transportation to intervene in late April 2021.

From a cost perspective, Margaka says they began seeing freight prices notice‐ ably increase from July 2020, with ship‐ ping prices from Indonesia and Malay‐ sia to Europe reaching a 300% increase

by October and 600% increase by April 2021.

“Freight is a direct component to the total cost value of a product, with a company’s margins dictating how much of it can be swallowed and how much has to be passed on to the customer,” says Margaka.

Until global supply and demand come into balance again, the market can ex‐ pect the current cycle of elevated prices to last, says both George and Suder‐ man.

“When that is going to happen is hard to predict. There are always production is‐ sues in play, either record yields or less than ideal weather which cuts yields. In this case, we have ASF impacting global markets, sending prices below equilibrium levels, discouraging produc‐ tion growth, and raising stocks. Then conditions rebound with equal strength in the other direction, causing tighter supply levels and sending prices higher,” notes George. “Over the long term, prices will track near this equilib‐ rium level when supply and demand are roughly in balance and stocks are ad‐ equate to offset any minor demand or supply changes without impacting the flow of product from producers to endusers. Significant events that impact supply or demand always result in higher price volatility and a bumpy ride until equilibrium is restored. That is the situation currently in play as the market adjusts and eventually moves back to equilibrium.”

Reaching an equilibrium

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ominations are being requested for women working in the dairy industry demonstrating the qualities connect, share and inspire, to be considered for this year’s Dairy Industry Wo‐ man of the Year Award.

The award celebrates the achievements of women in the British dairy industry and is run by Women in Dairy, an RABDF initiative. The group is designed to bring women working in the dairy sector together through regional dis‐ cussion group meetings.

must be involved in the industry. This means as well as farmers we can receive nominations for vets, consult‐ ants, technicians and people working right across the dairy supply chain.”

Last year’s winner Karen Halton said it had been an honor and a pleasure to hold the title.

“I am proud to be an ambassador and promote a won‐ derful industry and this award will forever be at the top of my lifetime achievements list.

Successful candidates must practice the three Women in Dairy values through their work – connecting with others both in the industry and wider public, sharing their know‐ ledge and experience and inspiring their peers.

“It is important we continue to promote and reward the great women working in dairy and show the next genera‐ tion there are great things to be achieved in our in‐ dustry.”

Previous award winners include livestock consultant Jude Capper, Mary Quicke of Quicke’s Cheese, dairy farmer and AHDB and NFU board representative Janette Prince and most recently Karen Halton of Halton Farms.

Nominations close on 16 July after which all entries will be reviewed by a panel of judges and the finalists selec‐ ted. Finalists will then be contacted for a short interview with judges and a member of the steering committee.

Women in Dairy patron Di Wastenage said: “There are a lot of inspiring women involved in our industry who are fundamental to driving the sector forward. Awards like this are important to recognise and reward their suc‐ cess!

The winner of the award, sponsored by HSBC, will be announced at the Women in Dairy Conference, taking place virtually, on Wednesday 22 September 2021.

For more information please visit www.womenindairy .co.uk or email emilyegan@rabdf.co.uk

“Nominees do not need to work on a dairy farm, but they 62 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Livestock

Cumbrian farmer embraces future of cattle trading

Cumbrian beef farmer has embraced the future of cattle trading, having swapped traditional marketing for technology and data-backed trading.

“In most other trading situations, all you have is your judgement, but there is still very much a place for the traditional market.”

Dan Hutton, who keeps 150 cattle at Church View Farm in Brampton, has seen a drastic reduction in the time it takes to trade livestock, and is enjoying the confidence given by knowing the exact weights of the cattle bought.

Mr Hutton is delighted with the cattle he bought, which he plans to rear until 24 months on a house and graze rotation and then put back up for sale through the app. “I’m looking forward to getting rid of them all in a batch and not having to organise the sales and transport for only five or six at a time.”

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Mr Hutton downloaded the free Breedr app in Feb‐ ruary, after seeing it on Facebook, giving him the ability to store all his animals’ information on his phone and access a marketplace comprising over 3,000 prospective buyers and sellers.

He recently bought a batch of 18 Charolais and Simmental cattle through the app from Scotland, something which would typically take weeks. “It would normally take a month to get that many, but the trade was all done and dusted in half an hour,” he says. “The time it saves is unbeliev‐ able.”

Because the app stores all of the information about the stock – from their movement records to details on their age, medicine and weight - it gives buyers like Mr Hutton a new-found confidence. “Without doubt, knowing the weight of the livestock gives you much more confidence in buying. Those facts mean you know exactly where you’re at with them and all the information you could want is right there in front of you,” he explains. www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

His time is more precious than ever after diversify‐ ing into glamping last year. He currently has four pods to maintain and says using Breedr has already freed him up to cut the grass, keep the site tidy and clean the hot tubs.

It isn’t just Mr Hutton who is impressed the app; his 15-year-old son, Joseph, now spends his evenings scrolling through it and coming up with potential buys. “It’s great because it is familiarising him with market prices and teaching him about margins. I can definitely see it changing the way farmers work, especially when there are fewer people on farms.”

It’s also helping to keep track of the way his cattle are performing, with the ability to predict growth rates based on existing data. “As a first-time user, I found it really easy to use and I even had a face-toface visit with Ian from Breedr. If I can use it, any‐ one can! It has great potential.”

For more information visit www.breedr.co July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 63

| Livestock

Be Vigilant for Coccidiosis in Calves Around Weaning s the warmer summer weather dries out ground soaked by the heavy UK rainfall during May, cattle producers are being urged to be vigilant for any cocci‐ diosis outbreaks in calves around wean‐ ing.

see clinical disease. The outcome of any infection in calves is a balance between the infection pressure from coccidial oocysts in the environment, calf immunity and stress factors such as overstocking, poor hygiene or adverse weather events.”

The summer months are a peak risk period for coccidiosis outbreaks in spring born calves, typically affecting animals between three weeks and six months of age.

She adds that good management of coccidia means helping calves to avoid disease and any growth setbacks while ensuring youngstock get enough expos‐ ure to the parasite to develop good im‐ munity.

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“Coccidiosis breakdowns in young calves are common during the summer, par‐ ticularly around weaning. Calves’ immunity to the Eimeria parasite is quite variable at this time of year and the climatic conditions have been perfect for coccidial oocysts to remain viable in the farm environ‐ ment,” warns Dr Kat Baxter-Smith, veterinary adviser with MSD Animal Health.

Dr Baxter-Smith explains that any pass‐ ive immunity to coccidial oocysts gained from dam colostrum starts to wear off once the calves reach three weeks of age. The majority of spring born calves are well beyond that age now so are particularly vulnerable over the next few months.

“However, while most ruminant animals excrete some coccidial oocysts in their faeces most of the time, not all farms

“In ideal conditions, sound hygiene and management practices can control the level of oocyst challenge in the en‐ vironment (see side panel). But on most farms, strategic use of anticoccidial treatments will be required to manage the challenge and allow immunity to de‐ velop without loss of performance or dis‐ ease.

“With most immune adults excreting only a very few oocysts into the environ‐ ment, it is infections in calves that result in very high levels of oocyst output. This causes heavy potential infectivity in the environment, leading to higher chal‐ lenges and clinical disease in sub‐ sequent groups of youngstock.

vious disease outbreaks are valuable, so always try to keep calves in age-re‐ lated groups and treat all calves in those groups at the right time.”

She adds that treatment options for youngstock include triazinone derivat‐ ives such as diclazuril (oral drench).

Calves with clinical signs of disease may also need other supportive treat‐ ments until the gut damage has had time to heal.

“Oral drenches such as Vecoxan® – which recently joined the MSD Animal Health portfolio of enteric products – are generally the most convenient way of ensuring that each calf receives the cor‐ rect dose at the right time.

“Easy-to-administer as a single oral dose, Vecoxan® is a flexible coccidiosis management solution that can be used in calves of any weight, in any manage‐ ment system and without any environ‐ mental restrictions or meat withdrawal period. In addition, its strategic use with all young animals in a group allows nat‐ ural immunity to develop in your young‐ stock and there’s no need to dilute ma‐ nure from treated animals before spreading1.”

Managing calf coccidiosis at grass:

“Anticoccidial treatments should therefore be targeted at youngstock; to allow exposure, but also to remove the parasite before there is any impact on productivity – and before further envir‐ onmental contamination occurs,” says Dr Baxter-Smith.

• • • •

“Timing of coccidiosis treatment is therefore crucial,” she stresses. “You have to treat only once the calf is infec‐ ted but before its gut is damaged. This means detailed historical records of pre‐

•

Avoid overstocking and stress Keep youngstock in tight age groups (ideally no more than 2 weeks difference across the group) Keep feed and water troughs clean and clear of faecal contamination Only turn youngstock out onto fresh pasture, not previously used that season by other calves or lambs Draw on your farm history and use the available anticoccidial treat‐ ments strategically

he RABDF is concerned about a lack of detail in the free trade deal between the UK and Australia as a broad agreement is reached today (15 June).

Prime Minister Boris Johnson agreed to a UKAustralia free trade deal in meeting with Aus‐ tralian PM Scott Morrison in London this morning. However, despite pleas from the UK agriculture sector, few details are yet to emerge about the impact on the dairy sector and wider agricultural industry.

RABDF chairman Peter Alvis said: "Despite repeated calls by the industry and collaboration of 18 industry bodies working to‐ gether, we have yet to receive any detail on this agreement.

"Specifically, there is no recognition of animal welfare and en‐ vironmental standards, net-zero and biodiversity, which is con‐ cerning.

"These are all points the government puts increasing pressure on our farmers to meet by imposing high standards, yet there are no details laid out on what standards milk and meat products entering from Australia will have been produced to.

There is a huge worry, we could end up with products of lesser quality flooding our supermarket shelves and undermining the hard work of our farmers.

"There is also no information on the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status, and this is something that needs ad‐ dressing going forward," he said.

The RABDF along with many other industry bodies are now calling on the Government to share more detail about the agreement to ensure the final stages of the negotiations meet the needs of UK farmers.

RABDF Raises T Concerns Over Lack of Detail in UK-Australia Free-Trade Deal 64 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Livestock

Dorset Farmer Calls for ‘Gladis Law’ after Highland Cow Attacked by Dogs

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Dorset farmer, Cameron Farquharson, is campaigning for a change in the law to protect livestock from dog attacks follow‐ ing the tragic deaths of Gladis, his preg‐ nant Highland cow, and her unborn calf on May 27th this year.

Gladis had been grazing at Eggardon Hill near Brid‐ port when she was chased off one of the hill fort’s 30 foot ramparts in a suspected dog attack on the even‐ ing of the 26th May Mr Farquharson said; “this attack should never have happened. An act of complete negligence by someone has left this beautiful and much loved an‐ imal and her unborn calf dead and both my family and I utterly devastated” The incident wasn’t reported at the time and Glady wasn’t found until the next day. The discovery was in‐ credibly distressing for Mr Farquharson and his fam‐ ily. Mr Farquharson continued: “Had I been informed at the time, Gladis might not have languished all night in serious injury, pain and distress, and we might have been able to save her and her unborn calf.

“Sadly, this is not an isolated case. Farmers are not feeling supported by the government or the police on these matters and until they are, they’ll keep on hap‐ pening. If we report these incidents to the police, they can investigate, and the figures will get added to the stats, but there’s not often a resolution, especially when the owners haven’t come forward.”

A proposed change to the law is being supported by West Dorset MP Chris Loder, who pushed through parliament the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act, and is also campaigning to end live animal exports. To support the “Gladis Law”, Mr Farquharson is calling all farmers to come forward with their own stories, and to pledge their support for the bill by emailing hel‐ lo@redlandscoppice.co.uk.

Mr Farquharson added: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the tremendous support from the public on social media and it means a lot to me and my family. What we need now is the farming community to speak up and help us protect our livestock from dog attacks.”

To support the “Gladis Law” email hello@redland‐ scoppice.co.uk.

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 65

| Muck & Slurry

Spread the load better with twin floor chains two, a well-known British manufacturer of innovative and lasting farm machinery, design their muck spreaders with twin floor chains to ensure an increased longevity, exceptional reliability, and a better spread of product along with many additional benefits over a single chain design.

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The floor chains in muck spreaders convey the material towards the rotors and require a constant and even feed to ensure all the load is spread accurately. All leading manufactures now use heavy duty, mining conveyor chain systems which are far superior to the early light weight, flat link agricultural chain systems of the past.

Traditionally the market saw larger “trailer type” 2m wide muck spreaders designed using single floor chain systems, but when a large amount of material was tipped into them it did not support the floor well and it would bow and eventually stove in, impinging the conveyor system .The twin floor chain system naturally gives a more robust floor slat, but permits support to the centre of the spreader floor.

Ktwo muck spreaders have a flared

66 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

body throughout which gives an increased volume capacity but also allows a stronger floor design. By starting to taper from the floor, the innovative design acts as a funnel to help move materials down to the chains increasing volume and allowing for easier emptying with less bridging. Even with the central gap between the two chain systems, the nature of the manure itself ensures complete emptying of the spreader. ‘’A single chain is a simple system that allows for easier slat bending and

requires a bigger and more clumsy chain to achieve the required pulling capacity.’’

Explains Ashley Knibb, Ktwo Senior Design Engineer. “And suffers from inherently more chain wear on the gearbox drive side”, As observed over the years by Stewart Freeman Ktwo Service and Parts Manager. ‘’Spreading the load” across a twin system with four chains and two runs of slats, means it is not imposing such a big load onto the slats, a smaller more compact chain can be used and the floor is supported better.

With the exception of the Ktwo Bio which has more slats to give a very accurate rotor feed, Ktwo models have staggered chains to further help feed the rotors and ensure an even output and accurate coverage of the looser, lighter product, which is especially noticeable when spreading high value materials such as lime with the use of the slurry door to meter the load.

Ktwo muck spreaders include a sprocketed front roller with integral cleaning scrapers. This gives positive engagement with the chain ensuring the chains remain timed and aligned, with a consistent flow of material and preventing the chain derailing should

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| Muck & Slurry

a foreign object get into the drive roller, thus every slat bending if one should fail.

Another consideration is the difference between the use of a bearing or composite bush. Ktwo have always fitted high quality ball flange bearings which are self-aligning allowing accurate individual chain tension and highpressure bearings which are much more resilient to wearing out. The composite bush produces resistance with its thin wall and its friction contact when under heavy load, unlike the ball flange bearing which eliminates this.

Robbie Polson, Ktwo Managing Director, says ‘’We have had great feedback from

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customers moving from a single slat spreader to our twin floor chain spreaders. Not only does it help spread the load better it allows for easy maintenance.’’ ‘’A single slat system has a no tool change design. These are a loose fit and then wear and become covered in product and corrode. This system also eventually corrodes solid. We often have customers comment on our four chain design, on its ease to maintain because they can get their tools in and around it and it is simple to remove bolts and slats no matter how worn and embedded they get.’’

Ktwo continue to stay ahead of the curve with their innovative and high-quality machines that are designed to perform and built to last. The extensive Ktwo muck spreader range includes vertical and horizontal beaters all designed to give maximum output with consistent and accurate spreading.

Contact the Ktwo team today on +44 (0)1844 299290 or email sales@ktwo.co.uk For more information visit: www.ktwo.co.uk

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 67

| Muck & Slurry

68 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

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| Muck & Slurry

Consolidated and in a good position for the next financial year ogelsang GmbH & Co. KG grew its revenue in 2020 by approximately 7 percent to 134 million euros. The mechanical engineering firm managed to increase its revenue in Germany and abroad in spite of the tougher market environment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Above all, the agricultural technology and biogas segments drove this revenue growth. By launching new products like the XRipper XRG macerator for sewers and the UniSpread universal linkage and adding greater working widths for the BlackBird trailing shoe system in the agricultural sector, Vogelsang also responded to high market demand for innovative and targeted solutions. Based on these successes, the economic research institute Prognos AG named the family company ‘Germany’s Innovation Leader’ again for the second consecutive year in 2020.

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Internationalization of sales Vogelsang is now also more diversified internationally and has bolstered its sales structures.

Besides opening a sales office in Hungary, Vogelsang founded a subsidiary in Greece and hired new sales employees in several branch offices in 2020.

Recertification to ISO standards To guarantee quality standards across multiple sites and countries, Vogelsang secured certification to the ISO Environmental (45001), Occupational Health and Safety (14001) and Quality (9001) standards. Recently, the company successfully concluded the second monitoring audit, putting it in a good position for recertification in 2022. Thus, Vogelsang once again is emphasizing its customer and employee focus.

Investment in product development

“We are pleased that we were able to expand our product range even in this year of crisis. We ow this success in particular to the discipline and flexibility of our employees. They followed the hygiene requirements we introduced early in the pandemic at our own initiative with great dedication and responsibility.

That enabled us to avoid partial shutdowns due to COVID-19, and even hire 26 new trainees,” says Harald Vogelsang, Managing Director of Vogelsang GmbH & Co. KG. www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

In cooperation with Danish firm BioCover, Vogelsang added the SyreN system to its range, which compensates up to 70 percent of ammonia losses in liquid manure spreading by adding sulphuric acid. Vogelsang has invested in product development and optimization in the industrial segment, too: With the new RedUnit, equipped with the XRipper XRL260-1600, the company developed a prototype of an even more powerful shredding technology with a unique

service concept. With a throughput of up to 100m3/h, the RedUnit is already available for field tests, for example in rendering plants and applications in various areas of the recycling industry.

Well equipped for a digital year In the past few years, Vogelsang has already taken its digitalization to the next level, for example in production orders, document management and knowledge and information sharing. In 2020, Vogelsang also increased the number of online events held, hosting successful webinars on shredding solutions in the wastewater sector. The mid-sized mechanical engineering company is now building on this and adding a virtual 360degree showroom to its digital services.

Customers and interested visitors can use it to find out about the company’s new products conveniently from their own desks. The virtual showroom has already been implemented for agricultural technology: https:// www.vogelsang.info/int/agriculturalshowroom. The wastewater, industry and biogas sectors will follow during the year.

Harald Vogelsang says, “We are looking forward to this year with optimism and will do our best to help our customers prepare to face changing requirements.”

For more information, visit: vogelsang.info July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 69

| Muck & Slurry

Give more thought to slurry management ost effective fertiliser or logistical nightmare? Slurry is a big concern for any farm. Whether looking to increase herd size or simply maintain productivity, slurry storage is a significant investment and slurry management can be a tricky task.

New environmental targets aim to reduce harmful emissions, especially those from agriculture. Whilst covering slurry is a seemingly rudimentary task, there are several factors to consider before making an investment. John Tydeman, slurry storage specialist at Tramspread, offers some advice.

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“Slurry management is a more holistic task than simply storage and application.

The type of storage, how often and thoroughly the slurry is agitated, and whether any separation devices are used, will make a significant difference to the quality and quantity of the slurry,” says Mr Tydeman. Covering slurry can be costly because of the size, shape and location of the tank or lagoon. Creating new storage may require planning permission and greater capital outlay. “If herd size is a constant then maintenance is a good way to make the most of existing storage. Agitating slurry regularly to prevent solid build up, and covering slurry to keep out rainwater, will enable accurate calculations to be made to ensure sufficient storage for the number of cows,” he explains.

The volume of a tank should be calculated based on benchmarked values per animal, the herd size, and the land available to distribute the slurry to.

In nitrate vulnerable zones (NVZs) it is also important to account for additional rules that may prevent spreading at

70 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

certain times. “Allowing for growth is one consideration, but if a floating tile cover is being used the volume of the tank will increase with rainwater too. PVC or other rigid covers that block rainwater will prevent the slurry from being diluted and also reserve the full volume of the store for slurry.

However, the store must have the structural integrity to bear the weight of the cover and it is important to mix the slurry to prevent a build-up of solids,” he says.

For a growing herd there may be the need to look at new storage options to expand the slurry provision available.

“Covering large lagoons can be costly and keeping slurry agitated to prevent solids building up is tricky with large square shaped lagoons because even the largest mixers have problems reaching the middle of the lagoon,” he says. An ideal lagoon width is between 30 and 35 metres and the length can be as long as is needed to store enough slurry for the herd size. “Keeping the width below 35 metres allows for efficient mixing, because the middle of the lagoon can accessed by a mixer,” he adds.

rainwater out. Made of recycled polypropylene, the hexagonal tiles float on top of any liquid and fit together to fill any size space. The tiles block light out and gas in, whilst also helping to prevent a crust forming. “Crucially for busy farms, it requires no maintenance and can be installed in two to three hours. For farms with an existing steel tank, PVC covers can cost up to £30,000 for a 20-metre diameter tank, whereas a floating solution for the same area would cost approximately £8000. It is also popular to cover lagoons because mixers can be inserted easily,” he explains.

Covering existing steel and concrete tanks can also be costly. However, there are floating covers available at a lower cost.

“Hexacover is a versatile product. It floats on the surface of the slurry to prevent 95 percent of emissions escaping and is approximately a quarter of the cost of a tensioned cover. However, it does not keep

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Muck & Slurry Bag tanks range in size from 200 cubic metres to 7000 cubic metres and can be located on any soil type as only a shallow foundation is needed. Integral hydraulic or electric stirrers enable easy and consistent agitation of slurry. The tanks are self-venting so relatively little management or farmer involvement is needed. The tanks are manufactured in a UV resistant, grey coloured material and,

when installed, are low to the ground and have minimal impact on the surrounding landscape. “Those looking to install a bag tank are advised to seek guidance from their local authority as the location of an installation may require approval,” advises Mr Tydeman.

All slurry should be regularly agitated to prevent the build-up of solids which

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make it more difficult to pump and reduces the overall capacity of the store. A variety of PTO and electric agitators are available, but the type of storage will be a big determining factor when choosing.

“Electric agitators often have timers so can be set to come on automatically.

This is fine for storage close to or beneath buildings, but less easy for lagoons. A good method is to mix the slurry in the reception pit or channels before it is sent to the store. There is a good range of channel mixers that mix slurry before either separating or pumping directly to a store,” he says.

Tractor mounted mixers are popular to reach into lagoons and over high tanks.

“For those with large lagoons, the Reck Typhoon mixer can be mounted on a frame to offer a 11-metre-long mixer. The Mammoth Titan can reach over a 5.9 metre tank. However, these options represent higher investments that may not be needed if a farmer were to use a separator,” he says.

Separators reduce the overall slurry volume by up to 15 percent. The nutrients that are so beneficial to the land are largely retained in the liquid, so removing solids simply reduces the overall amount of slurry.

“Separated slurry is easier to pump long distance. It also requires less agitation which saves time and investment in larger mixing machines. A further benefit is that separated solid material with 32 percent or higher DM can be used for bedding. Stallkamp separators start at £18,000 and there are often grants and incentives available to help purchase them,” he says.

Keeping slurry covered offers environmental benefits. It also has

significant agricultural benefits, offering the opportunity for farmers to make the most of slurry as a natural resource. Well maintained, responsibly stored slurry is a cost-effective way to fertilise grassland and crops. Slurry that is covered will retain more nitrogen, making it a more valuable fertiliser. “If farmers give this natural resource a little more time and thought it can be very valuable.

Responsible slurry management is a discipline that is likely to be targeted by the government in the years to come.

Therefore, farmers who demonstrate best practice and a willingness to improve their processes will reap the benefits,” he concludes.

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 71

| Machinery

KUHN CONTINUES TO INVEST IN TECHNICAL PERSONNEL nvestment in technical per‐ sonnel continues at KUHN Farm Machinery, with the latest recruits to the com‐ pany’s regionally deployed product support team in‐ cluding Sam Murphy and Tom Hume.

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for KUHN across Scotland. After serving an apprenticeship with a leading AGCO tractor dealership, he has gained six years’ experience as an agricultural en‐ gineer with the company. This period was punctuated by a two-year sabbat‐ ical during which he worked as a service engineer in Antarctica.

Sam Murphy will cover the South and South West of England from his base in Somerset. He is an Agricultural Engin‐ eering graduate of Harper Adams Uni‐ versity and has previous experience working in product support for CNH In‐ dustrial and as a machinery operator with Grosvenor Farms Ltd.

These appointments maintain KUHN’s expanded product support function that has now been in existence for over a decade and complements the ongoing investment that the company is making in technical personnel.

Tom Hume will provide product support

“We’re continually building on our com‐ mitment to deliver the very best engin‐

72 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

eering back-up to our customers,” ex‐ plains Siân Pritchard, Managing Director of KUHN UK. “Our investment in people mirrors our success in increasing sales and growing market share in priority product areas.

“Having skilled and dedicated people on the ground is an important part of build‐ ing strong relationships with our dealer network and is becoming an important differentiator for the business. It’s a cru‐ cial factor in ensuring that we provide a more complete, efficient and thorough service to our UK customers and, as a result, are able to push UK sales figures to new heights.”

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| Machinery

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July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 73

| Machinery

New Case

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he first of the eagerly-anticipated new-style Case IH long wheelbase (LWB) Pumas have arrived in the UK this summer. They come with a whole host of new technology-driven features that promise to enhance operator experience both in the field and on the road.

The whole of the Puma range has been given a makeover this year; the new-look short wheelbase (SWB) Puma (140- 175hp) 74 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

launched in the UK in early 2021 sporting the latest Case IH hood and a quieter, 6-cylinder Stage V engine.

But it’s the larger LWB Puma that boasts the most design upgrades for 2021. Available from 185-240hp, the new larger Puma is built with agricultural contractors and arable farms in mind, boasting a range of features that target both uptime and efficiency.

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| Machinery

e IH Puma

For uptime, a 3-year telematics subscription for AFS Connect now comes as standard to enable connected support. Here, Case IH uptime engineers can monitor fleets 24/7 to ensure any potential problems do not escalate, giving the user peace of mind. Increased efficiency comes from a combination of the AccuTurn ProTM package, providing fully-automated headland manoeuvring and the Accuguide guidance, that allows for orderly, hassle-free operation on those long days in the field, reducing user fatigue. Management of in-field operations can www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

be more easily accessed through a new mounting bracket containing USB sockets for tablets and phones.

Case IH has worked closely with customers to understand what they want from their machines: “As with all our tractors, we worked with the customers from the ground up when developing the new Puma LWB,” says product specialist Ross Macdonald. “In addition to major changes such as the new-look bonnet and the improved active front suspension, a lot of the July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 75

| Machinery

positive feedback so far has focussed on the little improvements such as the integrated cool box for refreshments, the repositioned mirror for increased visibility and safety and the 8-litre hand-wash tank. Operators also like the new aluminium steps with ingress lighting and the compressed air outlets around the tractor”.

Naturally, operator safety continues to be a priority for Case IH and here the Puma LWB features its patented Advanced-Brake system, engaging the trailer brake before the tractor’s own brakes to eliminate instances of jack-knifing. In addition, the exhaust brake uses engine compression to slow the tractor down, with an optional anti-lock braking system for the Puma LWB increasing safety at high transport speeds as well as delivering the in-field benefit of executing tighter headland turns. A multitude of features to improve visibility has also been added, such as a new front-mounted camera with a wide degree of vision, a new low-mount 270-degree wiper with 60% greater coverage than previous Puma models, and new LED lights that boast up to 10x greater lumen than previous Puma models, with a 360-degree lighting package also available.

Under the bonnet, Case IH continues to use its in-house FPT technology with all Pumas built around the 6.7litre turbodiesel engine, delivering up to 45hp additional boost with Power

Management. “Those who choose the Puma LWB CVXDrive model can expect better acceleration/deceleration behaviour, improved shuttle behaviour, better drive pedal sensitivity, cruise control pedal override, better multicontroller sensitivity and multicontroller positions detection,” comments Ross Macdonald.

“All of

these features are enhanced by the user’s ability to adapt the engines characteristics to suit their personal style of driving through the AFS Pro 700TM touchscreen in the cab.”

To give operators more time in the field and peace of mind purchasing, the full Puma range benefits from long service intervals (750 hours) and currently is available with a free 3year manufacture-backed Safeguard Warranty, with no minimum claim value and zero excess fees.

The SWB Puma offers three transmission choices across its 140-175hp models: continually variable ‘CVXDrive’, semi-powershift and full powershift, with the top of the horsepower range 175 model only available with the CVXDrive option.

The LWB Puma is available in 185, 200 and 220hp (in both powershift ‘PowerDrive’ and ‘CVXDrive’ options) plus 240hp CVXDrive.

Find out more at caseih.com

76 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

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AMAZONE 1801 mounted 24m sprayer + 1001 front tank, 2014, call for full spec.

Case CX80 Excavator, Quick hitch & buckets, 2016, 4966 hours, rear camera, air conditioned cab.

CaseIH CVX195 50kph. Front linkage ' 57 ' reg. 6525 hours, 650/65 x 38 tyres.

New s55 c/w 1.2m head, T Flails, Linklage mount. £16,950 + vat.

New s60 c/w 1.2m head, T Flails, Linklage mount. £17,250 + vat.

CaseIH Farmall 115A 4wd.

PowerShuttle, 2015, 2047 hours, 18.4 x 38 tyres, one owner.

CaseIH Farmall 115U PRO - 2014, 943 genuine hours, 540/65 x 34 tyres.

A superb example of a high quality tractor. One owner

CaseIH Optum 300 CVX 50kph.

Front Linkage + weight, GPS. 2017, 2230 hours, 710/75 x 42 tyres.

Unused T65 c/w 1.2m head, proportional controls, linkage mounted. One only @ £17,500 + vat.

T65 c/w 1.5m head, proportional controls, linkage mounted.

One only @ £19,500 + vat.

T65 Mid 1.5m head, MultiPilot controls, linkage mounted.

One only @ £21,250 + vat.

CaseIH Puma 220 MultiController Powershift 50kph. 2018, 2572 hours, CaseIH Warranty to July 2022 or 4000 hours.

Farmall 95A c/w MX loader, 12x12 PowerShuttle, 2021, 120 hours, 16.9 x 34 tyres. CaseIH Warranty.

KRONE Easy Cut 320 Mower Conditioner, good spec. Excellent condition.

T65 Mid AutoPilot c/w 1.5m head, proportional controls, linkage mount.

One only @ £23,750 + vat.

T70 Mid E ProPilot controls, 1.5m head, hyd. roller, oil cooler, Linkage mounted. £23,750 + vat.

UsedTwiga 500, 1.2m head, linkage mounted, cable control.

Used Excel 606, 1.2m head, Joystick control, oil cooler

Magnum 340 Powershift, front linkage, GPS ready, 2013, 4760 hours, Bennet hitch, excellent.

Magnum 7130 , 1994, 5503 hours, lovely original condition, choice of classic & modern Magnums.

Magnum 7240 Creep & 40kph.

Front Linkage & weights, 1994, 4940 hours.

Used T70 Mid, linkage mount, 2020, 181 hours, hyd. roller, excellent.

Spearhead axle brackets to fit John Deere.

Grass Mowers NEW BEDNAR 6 metre straw rake c/w drill, discs & tines.

Isobus ready.

NEW BEDNAR Pro 6000 Straw rake, linkage mounted, discs & tines.

Quadtrac 620, 2016, 5318 hours, rear linkage, Full Accuguide, good tracks & running gear.

New Sniper 225 Flail mower, Hydraulic side shift. £3,750 + vat.

Puma 165 Full Powershift 50kph ' 69 ' reg. 4000 hours, exhaust brake, trailer air brakes, electric valves.

PUMA 200 Powershift 50kph.

Front Linkage & pto. GPS ready ' 62 ' reg. 6800 hours.

Puma 220 CVX 50kph. Front Linkage & PTO. 2019, 3800 hours, Accuguide, trailer air brakes.

New Sniper 270 Flail mower, Hydraulic side shift. £4,250 + vat.

Finance offered subject to Terms and Conditions.

STARTIN TRACTORS LTD www.farmingmonthly.co.uk TWYCROSS CV9

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 77 3PW Tel: 01827 880088 Email: sales@startintractors.co.uk

| Machinery

Real Tractors by R.J Cook

avid Holdom is the fourth generation of farmers work‐ ing Above Mead Farm in the parish of Swanbourne, north Buckinghamshire. When I visited him recently he was looking forward to getting on with his mowing. He said: ‘The last couple of years have been getting drier. When we get rain it’s at the wrong time. We should have had April showers like we used to.’

D

Back at the end of a last March on a very cold day, I was walking along the old bri‐ dleway that crosses Dave’s land. In the distance I could hear an unusual sound: the steady thump thump thump of one very big piston. Country born and bred, I knew exactly what it was – but couldn’t believe my ears.

Leyland in 1970. I was amazed when I first saw one being started up with the use of a blank shotgun cartridge.

I asked Dave, who is now 78, why he wanted one. ‘I had two. A school friend had one and I liked it. I always regretted selling the other one. Farming is in my blood. First tractor I drove was a Ford Standard when I was 8 years old. The Field Marshall can be useful and is fun to drive, but modern tractors are a lot more com‐ fortable.’

Modern farming calls for much more power than the Marshall’s 28hp. Dave fa‐ vours the John Deere, call‐

Hastening my steps, with only my phone camera to hand, I snapped the 1947 single cylinder Field Marshall tractor pulling two rollers in tandem. It was like stepping back in time, with no modern artefacts in sight to suggest it was 2021.

Dave bought the tiny but very heavy ma‐ chine in 1965. It was restored by R.H. Crawford & Sons near Boston, Lin‐ colnshire.

They are a Field Mar‐ shall spe‐ cialist, be‐ coming agents for the marque Dave has kept his Classic John Deere in 1931, 435. Deere , from the beginning,

Sunset over Dave's neighbour's farm, a reminder that however well organised a farmer is, if the climate changes the weather goes with it and is all powerful.

Above Mead farm consists of 260 acres, with a Grade II listed farm‐ house. Busi‐ ness consists of arable (wheat and

Dave Holdom with his 1947 Field Marshall.

'My old schoolfriend had one, so I bought two.

Always regretted selling the other one.'

barley), sheep and suckling cows. As well as the tractors, Dave’s ma‐ chinery includes a New Holland combine.

In his yard , Dave calls this 4244S John Deere a 'real tractor.' He has had it for 20 years and says it's worth more than what he paid for it.

When I asked him about retir‐ ing, he said: ‘Not until they put me in my box.’ He added: ‘Young people can’t get into the industry these days. It’s all about big business now, and mass production.

Dave's mighty John Deere 4755 has 190 HP and bigger hydraulics.

ing his 4240S and 4755 ‘proper tractors’. They have 132 and 190hp respectively. He also has a now classic 435.

Dave said of his 4240S, which he has had for 20 years, ‘It’s worth more than I paid for it. It’s held its value and aspired to give the farmer what he wants. doesn’t have a lot of complicated com‐ with the puter software to go wrong.’ largest collec‐ John Deere have a reputa‐ tion of tion for giving farmers what spare they need, and value for parts: money. Having invented the they steel plough in 1837, the bought company was the first to offer the lot a tractor, for under $700 in from 1918.

British

‘There must be 70 million in the popula‐ tion now. Climate change is a big prob‐ lem. My son won’t be carrying on here. It upsets me when I think about it. I’m glad we’re out of Europe, but it’s all up in the air at the moment. But we might get some good deals.’

R.J Cook

Dave Holdom's son driving the 1947 Field Marshall, towing rollers in tandem, March 31st 2021 78 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Machinery

New TM (Twin Metering) Control Box and GPS Speed Sensor for Fan Jet Duo

tocks Ag has greatly extended the capabilities of its Fan Jet Duo spinning disc granular applicator, with the addition of its new TM (Twin Meter) Control Box with GPS Speed Sensor.

S

The new unit allows precise control over the Fan Jet Duo, a pair of contra-rotating Fan Jet Plus applicators. The two applicators, running in tandem, are typically used to broadcast slug pellets, up to a maximum of 36m.

The sophisticated TM controller is supplied with a 4.3” colour touchscreen and has a simple and TM Controller 4.3” intuitive layout; displaying the colour touch screen application rate and forward speed as well as cutting edge features such as section control and headland control. It is also capable of applying variable rates in conjunction with an uploaded precision farming map, clearly shown in real time on the control screen.

The TM controller features four main run screens to enable the user to switch

between the home screen, parameters screen, details screen and mapping screen.

Disc speed control enables the operator to reduce the disc speed and therefore the spread width by pressing the icon on the home screen. This can be done for both applicators either individually or together. A consistent application rate is ensured as the TM Controller automatically reduces the rate to match the disc speed with the use of its own GPS sensor.

Headland control enables the operator to define the field boundary with the first pass around the field using the integrated mapping facility. If the spread width crosses an area/section that has already had product applied then the application rate will automatically switch off.

The TM software allows the operator to create and store product application information, including the calibration settings for each new product. The job creation and export feature make it possible to record the application history of each field task.

An optional 24 volt power inverter is

Fan Jet Duo on Bateman sprayer available for the larger self-propelled sprayers running on 24 volt electrics.

The Fan Jet Duo is commonly mounted to self-propelled sprayers or tractor front linkages. It can also be rear mounted although it is not recommended on sprayer booms due to its weight. UTV vehicles can also be used as long as the high current requirement is met. Both electrical power and height above crop of spinning disc are limiting factors in spread width. The Duo can be fitted with either twin 65 or 130 litre hoppers, the contra rotating spinning discs are capable of spread widths up to 36 meters (product dependent).

The TM controller will be on display for the first time on the Stocks stand no. 742 at Cereals Event 2021.

Prices start from £8,345.40 for a Fan Jet Duo 65 with TM controller and GPS Speed Sensor.

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Office: 01271 268013 Mobile: 07919 181218 www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

ed@tractortuninguk.co.uk www.tractortuninguk.co.uk July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 79

| Machinery

INTELLIGENCE-LED PLANNING A

S INNOVATION in the agritech sector continues to move on at breakneck speed, the challenge for growers and farmers is often not that the technology to help them isn’t available, but that they can’t settle on an approach to take.

Technology is developing at such a rapid rate that it is a challenge to stay ahead of the curve, with new technologies bringing in new approaches to planning, growing, and harvesting.

Vee says: “As we look to minimise waste and ensure that processes are as environmentally sound as possible, it is important Agri-Tech innovations are supporting growers and farmers to reduce crop imbalance.

“Particularly for larger growers, this will help them meet company-wide commitments to achieve environmental goals,

Vidyanath (Vee) Gururajan, managing director at B-Hive Innovations, believes that while the speed of agritech development is encouraging, the meaning behind deluge of data it is creating is often getting lost.

Vee says: “The technologies that stand out as really being ‘cutting edge’ are those that improve and streamline the decision-making process. At the moment, everybody is data driven, and there is plenty of big data to work with.

“However, there is now so much to look at it is easy to lose the sight of why they are doing it in the first place.

We need to be using the technology to create meaningful insights – if you aren’t doing that, there is no point gathering “big data” it in the first place.

“A deluge of technology is being pushed at these growers, but without them pulling intelligence and insight from it, it has limited value.

“When it comes to managing not only supply and demand, but also understanding variability of the crop whilst its growing will bring additional capability and intelligence into crop and make the biggest impact on the marketable yield.

“The conventional approach to this is using sample data and drawing inferences from that, but this doesn’t take into account the crop variation. If you can use technology to go beyond the sample, you can get full-field intelligence and realise more marketable value by knowing exactly what you’ve harvested at the time of harvest.

“Taking potatoes as an example; if you’ve got technology that can give you field-level crop insight and give you intelligence on size, count and variation, that puts you in a really strong position when it comes to marketing the crop and realising the right value for the size portions grown based on the demand.

By making informed decisions early in the process, farmers, packers and retailers are also able to ensure that wastage is minimised, something that is increasingly important for those growing at scale.

80 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

such as reducing carbon emissions and food waste.

Technologies like HarvestEye can play a big role in this by bringing as much intelligence into the early stages of the planning process as possible.”

As the development of new technologies continues apace, Vee www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Machinery

G KEY TO MAXIMISING YIELD and the team at B-Hive Innovations are keen to ensure they maintain their focus on improving processes throughout planning, growing and harvesting.

Vee says: “We see our role as bringing new ideas to market and seeing how they can help farmers and growers. We’re developing technologies that will bring real change to the way

crops are planned and grown, but we’re also adapting and refining existing technologies from other sectors to improve the process.

“TuberScan is one such innovation, taking technology originally developed for the military applications and working out how it www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

can be used in the farming world.

“This project is funded by UKRI, and we are working with the University of Manchester and Harper Adams University to create demonstration units.

“The technology is the first application of its kind, providing interventions during crop growth based on whole population data, rather than just samples. If successful, it has the potential to act as a catalyst for further innovations for precision-based equipment such as intelligent sprayers.”

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 81

| ATV

Land management contractor chooses Suzuki ATVs A

council contracting company that operates nationwide has selected the Suzuki KingQuad 500X as its ATV of choice for a number of land management duties that it undertakes.

Anthony Deacon, MD of MKM Agriculture said, “Our client chose the Suzuki KingQuad because it delivered

Sold through MKM Agriculture in Bedfordshire, the company has purchased a fleet of eight Suzuki ATVs that have all been kitted out with Logic amenity spray kits to enable them to treat highways and footpaths across the UK. The Suzuki KingQuad 500 models benefit from selectable QuadMatic 2/4-wheel drive, fully independent suspension and a sealed, oil-immersed rear braking system for lower maintenance. In addition, with the raised handlebar configuration and Suzuki’s renowned T-shaped seat, they are extremely comfortable to ride over long distances. Manoeuvrability is effortless as the front suspension, chassis and steering system all work in harmony to allow for precise and sure-footed handling.

82 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| ATV an identity that cannot be erased, however hard a criminal may try. This acts as a strong theft deterrent and a tool for recovery should the worst happen, as well as reducing insurance premiums.

Harvey Day from Suzuki GB said, “It was a pleasure to work with MKM on this contract, which acts as another example of just how widely our utility ATVs are used.

From farming and land management to equestrian use and more, our market-leading KingQuad 500 and 750 KingQuads are the perfect machines for a wide variety of applications.”

For more information on Suzuki’s King Quads, visit: https://atv.suzuki.co.uk

the quality level of specification they needed in a value for money package. The machines are easy to ride and reliable and we were able to adapt them to our clients requirements by adding the Logic spraying attachments.”

In addition to the attachments, the Suzuki ATVS are all fitted with a theft deterrent system as standard.

Understanding its customers and the environment in which they work is part of Suzuki’s ethos. To this end, Suzuki understands that ATVs are an important and valuable asset, which is why it fits the CESAR Security System powered by Datatag.

This is the official security initiative of both the Construction Equipment Association (CEA) and the Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA) and comes FREE on all new Suzuki utility ATVs. This Suzuki Datatag kit will give each ATV a unique ‘fingerprint’ with

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 83

| ATV

All-new accessories for the 2021 Polaris Sportsman 570 line-up he new generation of Sportsman 570 is here, and with it comes a host of new, specially-designed accessories to enhance every ride, be it working around the farm or taking to the trails.

With the same high-quality finish and perfect fitment that Polaris Engineered Accessories are renowned for, riders can now customise their ATV to suit their needs.

T

Check out Polaris’ best-selling ac‐ cessories for utility and trail use...

UTILITY Polaris Rear Cargo Box The 80.4-litre rear cargo box provides dry and dust proof storage for any tools and equipment that can be secured eas‐ ily with the two padlock locations for ad‐ ded security. The cargo box mounts easily to the rear rack with Polaris' Lock and Ride functionality, and is compatible with Polaris rack extenders, utility racks and gun mounts, perfect for all utility tasks.

Polaris Sportsman Windshields Available in three sizes to suit all trail 84 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

needs, the flexible, impact-resistant Sportsman Windshield provides pro‐ tection against whatever may be thrown at you. With Polaris' Lock and Ride functionality it allows for easy in‐ stallation and removal in seconds without any tools. Additionally, the Lock and Ride mounts enable riders to adjust the height and angle of the windshield that offers them the most protection on the trail. The Sports‐ man Windshield is available in tall, me‐ dium and short.

Polaris Pro HD 3,500 LB Winch The military tested-and-approved Po‐ laris' Pro HD Winch adds 3,500 LB (1,588 kilograms) of pulling capacity with auto stop technology for plowing applications. Installation is easy thanks to the prewired chassis, so there is no need to cut any panels and riders can trust everything is routed safely and se‐ curely. Built to withstand -29°C temper‐ atures and operate fully submerged un‐ derwater, the new 15-metre rapid rope recovery design has a standard pulling mode as well as industry-first highspeed recovery that retrieves open cable five-times faster than standard speeds. Featuring a lightweight, easy to handle premium synthetic rope with auto-stop technology to prevent drive‐ line stress and plow over lifting, and can

be controlled with a wireless interfer‐ ence-free remote control. The Polaris Pro HD winch comes as standard on both the Sportsman 570 EPS Black Edi‐ tion and Sportsman 570 EPS Hunter Edition.

Polaris Rear Rack Extender All models of the 2021 Sportsman 570 platform include a Polaris front rack ex‐ tender as standard, so why not com‐ plete the package with Polaris' Rear Rack Extender. In addition to making the rear cargo rack more secure and versatile, the 7.6-centimetre perimeter of the rack extender prevents items from sliding off. Maximising the Sportsman 570 cargo capabilities, the durable steel construction provides a sturdy tie down anchor for loose gear. The rear ex‐ tenders are compatible with Polaris Cargo Boxes and Polaris' Rear Utility Rack. www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

Polaris Front and Rear Utility Rack The tubular steel front utility rack attaches on top of the Sportsman 570's plastic rack to provide added protection and multiple tie down points, perfect for adding extra front storage for tools and other needs. Polaris' rear utility rack replaces the rear plastic rack with a strong, flat steel rack. The flat steel rack has integrated tie down points for all riders' needs and works with Polaris's revolutionary Lock and Ride accessories such as rack extenders and gun mounts.

TRAIL Polaris Brush Guard, Body Armour and Skid Plate Polaris offers greater protection for the new generation of Sports‐ man 570 - perfect for rugged terrain and tight, technical trails. Add a front brushguard; developed to provide enhanced protection from brush and debris to the front of the ATV whilst also complementing the vehicle's styling. It also has designated lightbar holes and is compatible with Polaris' winch and body armour. Polaris' body ar‐ mour is perfect for adding extra protection to the ATV's full body and fenders, whilst the Sportsman 570 skid plate has been con‐ structed with tough 10-millimetre high-density polyethylene that will combat any potential damage from rocks, dirt and other elements, giving riders the satisfaction of knowing their ATV is protected.

Polaris Rear Cooler Box Riders can now increase their storage capacity with an extra 43.5litres of weather resistant cooler storage. The cooler box mounts to the rear rack with Polaris’ Lock and Ride system for easy removal and installation in seconds. It comes with an integrated bottle opener, two padlock locations and is compatible with Polaris rack extenders.

Polaris Hand Warmers and Hand Guards For a comfortable ride in cooler weather, Polaris offers hand warm‐ ers that provide heat to both the grips and throttle - covering riders fingers, palms and thumbs - with easy installation by simply plug‐ ging into the pod. For ultimate protection and comfort, pair it with the genuine Polaris handguards. Available in three colours of red, white and black, the durable handguards protect riders' hands and controls from any objects they may encounter whilst on the trail.

Handguard Mount (2879380) is required when installing Polaris Handguards.

Light Bar: Rigid D-Series Pro Driving LED Engineered to be compact to fit almost anywhere, the extra-widebeam Rigid D-Series Pro Driving LED light offers added style and personalisation in any terrain. With high output and low energy us‐ age of 4,752-lumens it is a great choice for riding the trails in lowlight conditions. It can be mounted almost anywhere and has an extra wide beam to help rider's visibility.

For more information visit: www.polarisbritain.com

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 85

| ATV

What’s on your UTV ‘wants’ list? alancing loads on front and rear racks, sitting astride a saddle, having no room for a passenger and being fully exposed to the elements – while the ordinary ATV also has its benefits, there are plenty of downsides to the ‘quad bike’ design. So the side-by-side utility vehicle (UTV) alternative, with its full load bed, conventional seating for more than just the driver, and either cab frame or full cab, offers many advantages. But with a number of machines on the market from which to choose, selecting the right UTV for farm use can be a difficult task.

Separating out the models with design features clearly built to withstand the rigours of agriculture is a worthwhile exercise.

B

A diesel engine that offers both power and economy is a given on most lists of ‘wants’, saving trips to the fuel station for petrol and providing the torque needed to climb hills and clamber over tough going. With Kioti’s K9, the successor to the popular Mechron, a three-cylinder powerplant, built by the same manufacturer as the machine itself, provides efficiency and energy in equal measure, along with the reliability for which South Korean engineering has become synonymous. Minimal fuel stops are another prerequisite for any agricultural vehicle, and with 37 litres of diesel capacity, the K9 is capable of long days without refuelling.

Surefooted traction and a decent turn of speed with a comfortable ride are also on the agricultural ‘wants’ list, and the K9 meets the bill here with a twin-range CVT transmission that provides smooth take-off and slow-down. There is also quickly-selectable 2/4wd and a locking rear diff, plus a helical spring/stabiliser arm suspension arrangement that cushions the driver/passengers and the load in rough going. And for smoother terrain, the K9’s top speed is a rapid 40km/hr (25mph).

A UTV engine also needs to provide the guts to shift a full payload with ease,

and the K9 doesn’t disappoint here. The 1.0-litre powerplant produces 24hp, more than enough to shift the machine’s 0.5-tonne load capacity with ease, meaning it is competent and capable of handling typical agricultural loads of fencing stakes, spare parts, slug pellet bags and more. A urethane coating ensures long-term bed protection, while options include hydraulic tipping – mechanical tipping is standard. For additional items there’s an optional storage box under the hood.

Of course, one of the most important features of a UTV is its ability to carry more than one person legally, safely and in comfort. The Kioti K9 features two full seats with an optional smaller mid-seat, all with safety belts. A full rollover frame with roof is standard, while options include a windscreen, half-doors and, for maximum weather protection, a full cab package with heating. Full road lighting and mirrors are standard, as is front bull-bar protection to guard against the knocks and scrapes that are unavoidable in agriculture.

A vehicle aimed at satisfying the demands of agricultural buyers needs to be universal in what it can carry, and to this end the K9 is available with a wide range of rear fitments, such as a

Think carefully about what’s on your ‘wants’ list before choosing a UTV, suggests Kioti.

86 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| ATV

galvanised livestock canopy ideal for transporting lambs. There are also hitch hooks at both the rear and the front of the machine, making it possible to not only pull a variety of trailed implements, but also manoeuvre equipment around the yard. Meanwhile, on the options list is an external hydraulic outlet, for even greater versatility – powering a tipping trailer, for example. The K9 has a maximum towing load of 590kg, helping to more than double its carrying capacity.

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

Stability and manoeuvrability are also essential factors for an agriculturallytargeted UTV. With a width of 1,590mm, the K9 can squeeze through tight door-, passage- and gateways, while ground clearance of 304mm ensures it rides over rough terrain with ease.

For all their uses off-road, UTVs are often also called upon to travel on the road between tasks in different fields, and for this, of course, road homologation is a must. With the Kioti K9, that’s not an issue, as the machine

is fully homologated for road use. And like every machine on the farm, reliability is critical to ensure uninterrupted work. Kioti UK, which recently moved to brand new premises in a central and accessible location close to Huntingdon, and has a dealer network of more than 80 outlets, now provides a full two years’ warranty for the K9, with unlimited hours. Along with a specification that more than matches agricultural needs, that’s another factor in favour of the K9 on many farmers’ UTV ‘wants’ lists.

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 87

| ATV

Enjoy fast, smooth gear changes with Dual Clutch Transmission NEW

4WD

FOURTRAX

420 DCT

THE ADVANCED MID-SIZE ATV For simple usabilityand a rewardingride, the Fourtrax DCT 4wdmodels reallyset the standard withgreater fuelefficiency and automatic shifting.

With new levels of rider centred technology, and a powerful yet frugal fuel injected, liquid cooled 420cc OHV engine – the Fourtrax 420 DCT offers outstanding levels of performance, handling and durability. Yet it also ensures exceptional economy, responsive power and easy starts that you can count on in any weather. Our fuel efficient, advanced Dual Clutch Transmission(DCT) has been tried and tested on Honda’s market leading motorcycles for many years, allowing riders to quickly shift between gears with smooth ESP control, or opt for an auto-shiftingmode.

Either way, the Fourtrax 420 DCT delivers fast, efficient transmission to cover even the most challenging land with ease. An axle mounted heavy duty trailer hitch provides an impressive 385kg towing capacity*.

88 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

NEW Features • Forward/Reverse Skip Switch (DCT & ES) Bypass neutral when reversing • Redesigned front and rear racks Providing a better surface area • 1.9L water resistant utility box Providing useful storage • New shift map Monitors RPM in real time shifting • Manual override Override for added control • New protecting guards For the lower suspension & driveshaft

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| ATV

Fourtrax 420DCT PS 4wd.

Traxlok® allows you to quickly switch between the ʻgo-anywhereʼ traction of 4wd and the increased manoeuvrability and lighter steering of 2wd.

Choose between push button ESP or our unique five-speed Dual Clutch auto-transmission for seamless acceleration over any terrain.

AP Suretrac™ torque-sensitive limited-slip differential for extra grip in slippery conditions.

Power Steering (PS) to greatly reduce steering effort and kickback through the handlebar.

Fourtrax420DCT IRS PS 4wd.As Fourtrax420DCT PS+ IndependentRear Suspension (IRS) for improved comfort and traction.

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 89

| ATV

Kawasaki announce complete he 2022 utility range will feature the popular Kawasaki MULE Pro DX, Mule Pro DXT, Mule SX 4×4, and Pro-MX vehicles.

Also included in the range is the BRUTE FORCE 4x4i EPS ATV, which will be available in two colours.

T

The MULE Pro DX and MULE Pro DXT remain the flagship vehicles in the range, with both machines retaining their current specification for 2022. At the core of each machine lays a 3cylinder, OHV water-cooled, 993cm3 Bosch fuel injected diesel engine; a feature of particular interest to multivehicle users pursuing a “single fuel” policy. Driving through a dual range CVT, both vehicles offer selectable 2WD and 4WD delivering 17.8 kW @

For more information

90 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

3600rpm and 52.1 Nm of maximum torque at 2,400rpm.

For the MULE Pro DX, a spacious tipping load bed and impressive towing ability mean that almost no task is too big to ask of it. The MULE Pro DXT helps to push the range into new customer bases, thanks to the additional ability to move work crews into difficult or environmentally sensitive locations with minimal impact.

Featuring such user-friendly features as tilt adjustable steering wheels and speed sensitive electronic power steering plus front and rear independent suspension, both these sturdy vehicles certainly make light of heavy work and leave their operators fresh at the end of

•

each demanding day.

The entry-level MULE range will again be comprised of the MULE SX 4×4 and Pro-MX. Both models offer outstanding value for money and boast selectable 2WD and 4WD with Hi-Lo dual-range transfer case and a rear differential lock.

The MULE SX 4×4 relies on a sturdy and ultra-reliable OHV 410cm3 petrol engine delivering 9.9kW (13.5 PS) of motive power. Its 500kg towing capacity and 181kg load bed maximum are more than enough for many users while such “creature comforts” as a tilting steering wheel and Independent MacPherson strut front suspension, the SX faithfully delivers all day, every day.

Southam Agri. Services Southam, Warwickshire CV47 2DH 01926 813426 http://southamagri.co.uk

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| ATV

e 2022 MULE and ATV line up

Its range partner, the MULE Pro MX cuts a real dash, not simply due to its sprightly turn of speed but, equally, an automotive styling approach redolent of a sturdy pickup truck. The singlecylinder CVT transmission equipped 695cm3 engine delivers 32.8kW (45 PS) for year-round working in even the harshest conditions with the added benefit of electronic power steering as standard fitment.

default option when value, reliability and rugged build quality are required.

The 2022 range will be available from August and will cost:

Completing the 2022 range is the 749cm3 Brute Force ATV models.

Featuring the powerful 37.3 kW {51 PS} @ 6,750 rpm water-cooled fuel-injected V-Twin engines, a 4×4 drive train and Electronic Power Steering (EPS), the ATVs will be available in Super Black or Camouflage Real Tree Xtra Green.

•

MULE Pro-DX – £11,999

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MULE Pro-DXT – £13,199

•

MULE SX 4×4 – £7,299

•

MULE Pro-MX – £9,199

With disc brakes both front and rear plus the luxury of double wishbone suspension at both ends, the MULE Pro MX is both work and price friendly.

Offered in traditional Kawasaki Timberline Green, the MULE SX 4×4 and MULE Pro MX are, for many, the

The variable speed EPS, carefully considered ergonomics and vast spread of smooth all-conquering power make the Brute Force a logical number one choice when rugged power combined with a small vehicle footprint are required.

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Brute Force 750 4x4i EPS – £7,799

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Brute Force 750 4x4i EPS Camo – £8,099

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July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 91

| Motors

FORD RANGER - Super cab review

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espite having been driven through the most horrendous thunderstorm the striking and aptly named blue lightening colour of the Ford Ranger gleamed like a new pin. Its presence on the lane to our house was commanding as it arrived for a week of vigorous tests.

roller shutter/cargo management system (£1380.00) and roll bar (which had a nifty pair of lights that you could turn on from inside the cab) this Super Cab really was a head turner.

The model supplied was in Limited Specification which gave it a high trim level and lots of key features expected by today’s modern buyer. The engine, a 2.0TDCI was very quiet and the 6 speed manual gearbox (As an auto driver I found the gear changes to be swift and effortless!) made responsive use of the 170PS on hand.

The chunky steering wheel provides confidence and an air of superiority on the highway and this remains when the pickup is taken off road. The 4x4 is simple to engage and transverses fluidly which compared to old systems is an absolute doddle to use.

Complete with a Tow bar (£480.00), 92 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

Internally there are plenty of sensible storage areas, deep cubbyholes that can really hold your bits and bobs.

The screen and dash are easy to work and even better to use with key

information available at the flick of a button. Navigation of the touch screen is fast, even if you’ve got hands the size of a shovel! Coupled with Ford’s Sync3 voice activation system you’d be forgiven for thinking you were sat in one of the brands SUV’s.

Dual heating and heated seats are an added bonus and there are oodles of charging points, dual USB charges (the old fashioned bulbous charges of old seem to be getting phased out by modern tech companies.) and Ford have cleverly retained the power point within the rear load bed area giving this vehicle the edge on other manufacturers.

The ride quality is good, the seats supportive and at a push a medium www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Motors

Let Nothing Stand In Your Way sized adult can sit on the rear seat pads with sufficient leg and head room, although if longer journeys are regular then sacrificing the load area and opting for the double cab would make more sense.

The payload as tested is an impressive 1142kg (can rise to 1197kg depending on specification). Towing of 3500kg with the option of a Tachograph port really brings the Ford into the true commercial class that it deserves.

Buyers can purchase through one of Fords many Specialist Transit Centres that seem to be in every Town which is more than handy at service times with the added benefit of the Mechanics being used to always working on commercial vehicles unlike some that are part of a biased domestic car market.

Obviously it would be unusual for any new Pickup to be without a high level of

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driver and passenger safety systems and the Ranger has definitely got these in abundance.

Pros: •

Ride Quality and Comfort

Stability Control, Trailer Sway Assist, Pedestrian Detection, Hill Decent, Adaptive Cruise, Lane Keeping System etc etc…Basically if you think you might want it then its probably already on the vehicle.

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Trim Level (On Limited model)

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Large Commercial Dealer Network

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Power point in rear load area

All of this comes at a price, but it’s a fairly respectable price in line with other brands and providing you are VAT registered the cost should allow most budgets to find the right model and specification for the job in hand.

Cons:

The cost as tested including the Metallic Paint, Tow Pack, Roller Shutter, Limited Premium Pack totals £32,065 plus VAT but the range starts at a more modest £22,776.37 plus VAT to an eye watering £42,276.37 plus VAT (which allegedly you cant claim back?) for the all conquering Raptor…

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Delivery time (No different to other manufacturers)

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Doors on Super Cab can rattle

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Others offer longer warranties.

Review written by: Chris Johnson

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 93

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| Motors

Hyundai TUCSON named ‘Car of the Ye

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yundai Motor UK is delighted to announce that the all-new Hyundai TUCSON SUV was today named ‘Car of the Year 2021’ by leading automotive title DieselCar & EcoCar Magazine. In addition, the Hyundai KONA SUV also performed strongly in the magazine’s annual awards.

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Hyundai TUCSON SUV named DieselCar & EcoCar Magazine’s Car of the Year 2021

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TUCSON also receives ‘Number 1’ and ‘Best Medium SUV’ accolades

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Judges praise TUCSON’s “trendsetting design language, excellent infotainment system, plentiful performance and near50mpg economy”

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TUCSON “goes above and beyond the segment expectations, making it a very worthy winner”

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Strong showing for Hyundai KONA, which wins praise for design and advanced safety technology

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Commenting on the TUCSON’s impressive trio of accolades – ‘Number 1,’ ‘Car of the Year 2021,’ and ‘Best Medium SUV’ – DieselCar & EcoCar Magazine editor Ian Robertson said: “The Hyundai TUCSON ushers in a new design language, taking it from ‘handsome’ to ‘trend-setting.’ Its interior is a big step up, with great materials, a mature design and an excellent infotainment system with an attractive instrument display. The hybrid model serves up plentiful performance and near-50mpg economy. We found the TUCSON refined and capable, with excellent handling and plenty of traction.

All in all, we not only think the TUCSON perfectly fits the bill for buyers, but it also goes above and beyond the segment expectations, making it a very worthy winner.”

In addition to the TUCSON’s dominance of the 2021 DieselCar & EcoCar Magazine Car of the Year awards, the Hyundai KONA was placed in 42nd position. “The KONA has been a likeable small SUV since its launch and underwent a major update this year. It now looks even better. Safety kit is also bolstered, and semiautonomous cruise control can help with acceleration and braking when travelling in

heavy traffic. The chassis has been reworked as well, both to improve steering feel and enhance the ride comfort,” commented Robertson.

Speaking on the presentation of the Car of the Year award, Ashley Andrew, Managing Director of Hyundai Motor UK, said: “We are delighted that the Hyundai TUCSON has received such a prestigious accolade as the 2021 DieselCar & EcoCar Magazine Car of the Year title. The all-new TUCSON has already proven very popular with our customers. Of course, experts such as the professional road testers at DieselCar & EcoCar Magazine can be even more demanding, so for the TUCSON to receive the top award is extremely pleasing and provides further validation of Hyundai’s design and engineering values – as does the strong placing of the KONA.”

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| Motors

ear’ by DieselCar & EcoCar Magazine Priced from £28,710, the groundbreaking Hyundai TUCSON SUV is offered to customers with a choice of three powertrains, Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid and Petrol with Mild Hybrid. The TUCSON’S styling is sophisticated yet rugged, performance is consummately blended with efficiency, and the engaging driving experience is backed up by best-in-class safety. Every TUCSON is equipped with advanced safety features such as Forward Collision Avoidance Assist (FCA) Car, Pedestrian and Cycle and Multi Collision Braking (MCA) as standard.

Priced from £21,265, the award-winning Hyundai KONA SUV features the most sustainable mobility-focussed line-up in the sector with Electric, Hybrid and

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Petrol with Mild Hybrid powertrains on offer. The KONA also provides cuttingedge, connected technology, with advanced features such as a Head-up display (HUD), Touch screen display, Wireless charging pad and a Full 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster all available.

July 2021 | Farming Monthly | 97

| Motors

KIA SORENTO NAMED ‘BEST LARGE SUV’ IN DIESEL CAR & ECO CAR TOP 50

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iesel Car & Eco Car magazine has named the all-new Kia Sorento as ‘Best Large SUV’ in its annual Top 50 list. The model placed 19th overall in the 2021 rankings, and was the standout large SUV, taking home the best-in-class accolade.

Not only did the Sorento impress judges, but the Sportage, Ceed and Niro also landed spots on the list, placing 27th, 32nd and 39th respectively.

The all-new Sorento was launched in late 2020 and is available with a choice of powertrains to suit all customer needs, including Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid and Diesel. Consistently praised for its immense practicality and space for seven occupants as standard, the Sorento ticks all the boxes a large SUV should.

air-conditioning for all seven occupants.

To cap it off, the Sorento can tow 2,500kg and comes with a seven-year warranty.”

The Kia Sportage was praised for being a “simply fantastic all-rounder and family car”, thanks to its spacious interior, boot capacity and commanding driving position. Not only that, judges noted the car’s high standard specification even in ‘2’ grade trim with the Sportage benefiting from 48-volt mild-hybrid technology as standard for its 1.6-litre CRDi diesel, boosting fuel-efficiency.

In addition, the Diesel Car & Eco Car judges pointed out that the Ceed scored higher in the list than its respective class rivals. Robertson commented that the Ceed is, “Stylish inside and out, and now comes with desirable mild hybrid diesel engines. The chassis is planted, and various driving modes help tailor the driving experience for comfort or a

more sporting feel.”

The Niro continued its recognition within the Top 50 list having previously been voted as ‘Best Hybrid’ in 2018. The Niro was praised for its fashionable SUV silhouette and choice of electrified powertrains, as well as recent updates that see the car keenly priced including the fully electric e-Niro.

Paul Philpott, President & CEO of Kia UK Limited commented: “I’m extremely proud to see four Kia models in the Top 50, and the Sorento’s award-win is testament to how well our range topping SUV has been received. With the recent addition of plug-in power to the Sorento’s engine line-up it exceeds the needs of even more customers. This win, alongside the four different cars featured on the list, further emphasises Kia’s ability to cater for our customers’ ever-changing needs.”

Commenting on the Sorento’s impressive category win, Ian Robertson, Editor of Diesel Car & Eco Car magazine said: “The all-new Kia Sorento isn’t just a rival for models like the Škoda Kodiaq, it’s also got its sights set on stealing Land Rover Discovery Sport and Volvo XC90 customers, too.

Yes, it’s gone upmarket, with bold looks and a luxurious interior that makes Kia’s flagship model seriously impressive. Its three rows of seating add flexibility, and even in seven-seat mode there’s boot space large enough for shopping or holdalls.

“The Sorento is loaded with features, from its slick 10.25-inch touchscreen to 98 | Farming Monthly | July 2021

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| Motors

IT’S A HATRICK! DIESELCAR MAGAZINE NAMES SSANGYONG MUSSO "BEST PICK-UP 2021”

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sangYong’s Musso has been voted “Best Pick-up” in the DieselCar Magazine’s Car of the Year 2021 Top 50 Awards for the third consecutive year.

The go-anywhere SsangYong Musso has already been voted as the “Best Payload” by WhatCar? Magazine and “Best Value” and “Best Individual Model” by 4x4 magazine, this year alone. All commentators have been repeatedly impressed by the Musso’s winning combination of build quality, space, refinement, comfort, excellent warranty and value for money.

DieselCar's journalist judging panel, remarked: “The Musso is a highly capable pick-up, with a towing capacity of up to 3,500kg and an impressive load www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

bed. Not only that, but it costs from just under £27,000 in entry-level EX trim and gets the backing of a seven-year/ 150,000-mile warranty. An accomplished chassis and 2.2-litre 178bhp turbodiesel engine make it easy to drive, and it can return over 30mpg on a longer run. Clever features like rear cross traffic alerts also take some of the stress out of driving a pick-up in town, while three rear seats and a power socket in the load bed are handy too.”

In securing this latest award, Kevin Griffin, managing director of SsangYong Motors UK, said; “We’re delighted to win the “Best Pick-Up” in DieselCar Magazine’s Car of the Year 2021 Top 50 Awards for three years running.

Musso is the pick-up market’s best kept secret but things are about the change – it has so much to offer in both its short

and long bed variants. It disrupts the pick-up market and rightly so – it’s a tough, strong, value-for-money 4x4.

Watch this space for the new, an even better, Musso launching this summer.”

Built on the same architecture as the new, flagship Rexton, which has also won multiple awards, Musso shares its body-on-frame construction to give an extremely strong vehicle that delivers excellent off-road driving performance and safety from its quad-frame and fourwheel-drive system. It’s an extremely competent multi-purpose truck with SsangYong values to the core comprehensively equipped, an industry leading 7-year/ 150,000-mile warranty with a value for money package, plus a surprising level of interior refinement and great infotainment.

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NEW VAUXHALL GRANDLAND ARRIVES WITH BOLD DESIGN, DIGITAL COCKPIT AND HIGH LEVELS OF TECHNOLOGY

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auxhall has today revealed the New Grandland – a significantly revised version of its popular, elegantly sporty SUV that offers a bold and pure design, innovative infotainment and assistance technologies, an electrified powertrain as well as intuitive controls and increased on-board comfort.

With the fully digital Pure Panel, the New Grandland offers drivers a completely different cockpit experience with two widescreen displays. Vauxhall’s SUV flagship also features additional technologies and assistance systems that until now have only reserved for premium segments of the market, such as the adaptive IntelliLux LED® Pixel

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Light with a total of 168 LED elements, which has made its way to the SUV from Vauxhall’s flagship saloon, the New Insignia.

New Grandland is also available as a Plug-in Hybrid version, in keeping with Vauxhall’s strategy to offer a fully electrified model line-up by 2024.

The same goes for Night Vision, which is celebrating its premiere for Vauxhall and is now available on New Grandland.

The system detects pedestrians and animals in darkness at a distance of up to 100m and alerts the driver. Another new technology is the semi-adaptive Highway Integration Assist which keeps the New Grandland in the middle of its lane and maintains the distance to the vehicle in front, it also allows for “stop & go” progress in traffic. The New Grandland also features the Vauxhall Vizor, the brand’s new front end design.

Paul Willcox, Managing Director, Vauxhall, said: “Vauxhall is committed to offering a fully-electrified line-up by 2024 and New Grandland, with the choice of a Plug-in Hybrid version, is yet another step towards that goal. We’re confident that New Grandland will appeal to new and existing customers alike with its bold design, benchmark technologies and high-tech interior and we look forward to it arriving in the UK later in the year.”

Exciting new technologies: Vauxhall Vizor with IntelliLux® LED Pixel Light

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| Motors Clear, intuitive, futuristic: New Vauxhall Pure Panel cockpit

Sporty dynamics have characterised Vauxhall’s flagship SUV since it premiered in 2017. Now Vauxhall’s British Design Vice-President, Mark Adams, and his team have transformed New Grandland’s exterior appearance to feature the unmistakable Vauxhall ‘Vizor’ front end. Bold and clear, the Vizor design sharpens the front end and seamlessly integrates the grille, the new Vauxhall Griffin emblem and technologies such as the class-leading IntelliLux LED® Pixel light into a single visual element.

Vauxhall’s flagship SUV is now available with adaptive IntelliLux LED® Pixel Light. The 168 LED elements – 84 per headlamp, as seen on the Insignia – result in a seamless adaptation of the light beam according to the driving conditions and surroundings, without glaring oncoming traffic. The LED elements of each slim headlamp line up in a three-row matrix system where the functions flow seamlessly into the next level: •

For short range, a long row of pixels continuously adapts the light focus to every curve.

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At the bright-dark border, a row of finely defined, dynamically adapting pixels ensures optimum range.

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The actual matrix function in the middle and upper rows precisely cuts out the beam from affecting oncoming traffic in milliseconds.

The other areas remain fully illuminated with the main beam.

The LED daylight running lights integrated into each headlamp feature the characteristic Vauxhall signature.

This innovative lighting system adds extra safety and driver comfort and places New Grandland at the top of its field in this area.

Night Vision is another technology in the New Grandland that further increases the safety of all road users, especially when driving at night on dark country roads. The system’s infrared camera detects people and animals up to 100m ahead of the New Grandland in the direction of travel, based on their temperature difference from the surroundings. Night Vision warns the driver and shows the position of pedestrians or animals in the 12-inch digital instrument display. www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

The user-concept is futuristic and detoxed to the essentials. Two wide screens in a single unit form the Vauxhall Pure Panel. This fully digital, driveroriented cockpit is intuitive to operate.

Pure Panel is made up of the latest digital technologies and delivers the most important information straight to the driver. The two displays welcome the occupants and create a pleasant ambience. The up-to-10-inch central touchscreen faces the driver, who can therefore concentrate on driving without needing to take his or her eyes off the road. And the 12-inch central screen displays the infotainment.

Highway Integration Assist: Adaptive cruise control with “Stop & Go” function Vauxhall’s new Highway Integration Assist technology is available on New Grandland models with automatic transmission. Using a camera and radar sensors, the system combines various technologies for making driving even more relaxed. The adaptive cruise control maintains the distance to the vehicle in front according to the set speed and, in combination with the active lane positioning, keeps the Grandland in the middle of the lane. The Grandland’s speed increases or decreases to follow the vehicle ahead – without exceeding the set speed – and can brake to a standstill if necessary.

Thanks to “Stop & Go” functionality, the New Grandland with Highway Integration Assist automatically resumes driving from a standstill.

The New Vauxhall Grandland features numerous other assistance systems.

The 360-degree panoramic camera makes manoeuvring easier for the driver via a front and a rear camera. The area in front and behind the SUV as well as a bird's eye view is displayed on the infotainment screen.

The automatic parking assistant identifies longitudinal and transverse parking spaces and steers the Grandland in and out automatically, while the blind spot warning system prevents potential collisions when turning or changing lanes. In case of danger, a vehicle symbol lights up in the respective exterior mirror. Every New Grandland comes as standard with the following technologies: •

Front Collision Warning with Automatic Emergency Braking (with Pedestrian Detection)

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Lane Departure Warning

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Traffic Sign Recognition

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Drowsiness Detection

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Cruise Control

Top levels of comfort: Ergonomic seats and high-end infotainment The New Vauxhall Grandland sets the highest standards not only when it comes to driver assistance systems but also when it comes to comfort.

The ergonomic active seats for drivers and front passengers have been certified by the AGR* and help support good posture. The award-winning seats are unique in the segment and offer a wide range of adjustments, from electric seat tilt to electro-pneumatic lumbar support. Leather seats come with the option for heated and ventilated seats.

Comfort is further increased by “Keyless Open & Start” and the sensor-controlled tailgate that can be opened and closed by a movement of the foot under the rear bumper.

The New Grandland’s infotainment system is fully compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. In combination with the services from VauxhallConnect, the top-of-the-line Multimedia Navi Pro system makes travelling especially relaxing with realtime traffic alerts, online map updates and predictive navigation. The New Grandland also supports wireless phone charging via the centre console.

Self-confident appearance: With Plug-in Hybrids and clear design Class-leading technologies and high comfort are complemented by the New Grandland’s strong performance and pure, bold design. Continuing Vauxhall’s electrification strategy, the Plug-in Hybrid versions deliver not only strong acceleration but also offer emissionsfree driving, thanks to their electric motors or motor (depending on model) and regenerative braking. Thanks to the flexibility of the multi-energy platform, New Grandland customers can choose their preferred propulsion system – from efficient diesel and petrol engines to an electrified plug-in hybrid.

The design displays typically clear lines.

The Vauxhall Vizor stretches across the front, while the compass philosophy is also reflected at the rear. The Grandland name and the Griffin brand logo sit proudly at the middle of the tailgate. Further accents are set by the bumpers, wheel arches and side panels, now painted in body colour, as well as the underbody skid-plates in high-gloss black and silver. The New Grandland is also available with the characteristic two-tone paint for the roof, depending on version.

The New Grandland will arrive in UK showrooms later this year, with first customer deliveries starting in the Autumn. Full UK pricing and specification details will be released nearer the on-sale date.

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