May 2018 Farming Monthly National

INSIDE: Cereals 2018: An abundance of new features & advice page 30

Farming

MONTHLY National

May 2018

Also in this issue...

News

| Rise in farming incomes page 06

No soil and minimal water Also inside this month..

New technology that will spark the next agricultural revolution page 10

The Polaris Ranger story p52

POET: Digesting plastics via AD p18

Security for the farming community p47

PLUS: Arable | Security | Shows | Grain | Buildings | Machinery | Energy | ATV | Motors

CONTENTS May 2018

FEATURES 12

30

08 Pig & Poultry Pig & Poultry Show preview

09 Fencing Stockdale demonstrates digital growth

39

30 Cereals

42

45 Security

Cereals 2018 preview

Preventing thefts from your farm, BLINK security camera tested

38 Grain Mycotoxin management in wheat, Insect pests affecting stored pulses & grains?

12 Arable New onion varieties show potential for improved productivity

20 Shows Beef Expo, Royal Highland

22 Grassland Maximise effiencies with the latest equipment, Best practice forage quality

REGULARS 06 News Rise in farming incomes

10 On Topic The next agricultural revolution?

29 Groundcare Make light work of big spaces with STIGA Tornado

04 | Farming Monthly | May 2018

14 Energy Latest energy news

41 Buildings Technical article: Column bases

49 ATV ATV news...covered.

54 Motors Latest motors news

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47

Agriculture. Covered.

EDITOR Andrew Poulton editor@farmingmonthly.com EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES editorial@farmingmonthly.com

No soil & minimal water: The new technology that will spark the next agricultural revolution

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May 2018 | Farming Monthly | 05

| News

Rise in farming incomes LETTER TO THE EDITOR Highest productivity ever is recorded for the sector.

Dear Editor....

otal farming income and productivity are on the rise, latest estimates for 2017 show.

Total income from farming is the profit from all UK farms in a calendar year, measuring the return to all businesses for their management, labour and capital invested.

First estimates published today show total income from farming rose by £1,683 million from 2016 to 2017, an increase of 41%. The £5,742 million estimated for 2017 highlights farming remains a profitable and rewarding business for established farmers and new entrants who are in a strong position ahead of the UK’s exit from the EU. The increased productivity recorded in 2017 also shows farmers are producing more with less, which suggests they are using smarter more efficient methods and embracing innovation. The volume of all outputs increased by 3.6% compared to 2016 whilst the volume of all inputs increased by

any farmers are currently facing fodder shortages and flooding, serious problems that impact on their ability to feed animals and plant crops.

In some regions, persistent and heavy rains have followed on swiftly from extreme snowfalls – and to make matters worse, the current weatherrelated problems come whilst many are in the midst of lambing and calving.

The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (R.A.B.I) has been around since 1860 and is farming’s oldest and largest welfare charity. In 2017, we gave out grants of close to £2 million to people of all ages in financial need.

We have welfare officers across England and Wales who understand the current difficulties. Our welfare officer for Northumberland and Durham, for example, recently reported that many people in his area had lost sheep in snow drifts and

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just 0.7%.

A strong harvest in 2017 helped to drive productivity higher for 2017, with a 7.3% increase in the volume of all crops estimated.

Livestock outputs for meat and other products also rose by 1.8% from 2016. More productive farming across all sectors is directly benefitting farmers’ bank balances as the total income from farming per person engaged in entrepreneurial labour in the sector rose by 41% in real terms to £29,794 a year.

Farming Minister George Eustice said: “Estimates show 2017 was a good year for the farming industry, in particular those in the arable and livestock sectors. Whilst the increase in farm gate prices has helped, it’s also encouraging to see signs that productivity is on the up.

“Farming is a volatile business and individual businesses will face many different challenges in a year, but these estimates show an industry that is ready to make the most of the opportunities leaving the EU will present.”

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were dreading the prospect of lambing. Numbers are likely to be down, which will have a knock-on effect later in the year when they come to sell their stock. It’s been a long, wet winter and the grass hasn’t started to grow yet. That means there could be extra feed costs, an expense farmers wouldn’t normally expect to have at this time of year.

We know from our welfare team on the ground that many in the industry – from different sectors and in various parts of the UK – are anxious about the effects of weather-related problems.

During a crisis, R.A.B.I can help those in financial hardship by providing grants for immediate domestic and household expenses. While we cannot help specifically with business costs, if the harsh winter has left you, or someone you know who works in farming, unable to pay household bills please call our confidential Freephone Helpline number 0808 281 9490.

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| News

Only £10 million pounds investment needed a year to ensure we still have harvests by the end of the century UK soil is being destroyed 10 times the rate it is being created, costing £1.2 billion annually in England and Wales and currently the Environment Agency resources only allow for visits to less than 1% of farms per year.

10 million pounds a year in England is needed to ensure the agricultural sector is still productive at the end of the century, and would reverse the declining health of our rivers according to a new report launched today by WWF, the Angling Trust and the Rivers Trust. The report also argues that huge benefits could be generated for nature and society if farm subsidies were redirected to incentivising farmers to change land use in small areas of farmland.

The agriculture sector, which is responsible for £8 billion of UK GDP and employs almost half a million people, is at risk due to poor farming and land management practices. This is causing soil to be destroyed at approximately 10 times the rate it is being created, costing £1.2 billion a year in England and Wales. WWF research has also shown that up to a third of farmers may be non-compliant with England’s current water protection legislation. This has been made worse by lack of enforcement; new data found that the Environment Agency’s current resources only allow for visits to less than 1% of farms each year.

This has led to: • Widespread soil degradation, reducing our future food security • Pollution of our rivers from sediment, nutrients, chemicals and slurry from agriculture • Increased flood risk to homes and businesses • Increased costs for local

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authorities, water bill payers and port authorities.

The estimated costs of rolling out effective enforcement in England, to prevent soil erosion and pollution of watercourses, would initially be £5.8m per year, but this would decrease after the first five years. A mere 0.5% reduction in soil degradation costs would cover this and would pay for a “two strikes” model which includes proactive – rather than reactive - checking of farms; issuing warnings and offering advice to correct problems; and following up with sanctions and prosecutions for failure to address issues.

Creating a properly funded, locally coordinated advice service is critical to help farmers implement rules and manage the environment. It is estimated that increased advisory presence in England would cost £3.2 million per year.

Tony Juniper, Executive Director of WWF commented: “Healthy soil is vital for our national security, yet we continue to cause immense damage to it, not only threatening our long term food supply but also harming our rivers and wildlife. None of this is inevitable though. We could have a farming system that restores soils and wildlife, while at the same time stopping agricultural run-off polluting our rivers. To do this we need not only the right legislation, however, but also robust enforcement and proper advice for farmers, otherwise new policies simply won’t work. The good news is that this will cost only about 10 million pounds a year.”

The UK Government has already signalled its intention to phase out direct payments to farmers and move to a new land management usage system where public money is put towards the provision of public goods. If small areas changed their use then it could deliver a number of benefits for nature and society. The report estimates that payments to fully reimburse farmers for changing land-use on small areas would cost less than £500m per year[3] in England. The current £2 billion CAP subsidy for England would easily provide for this, and leave significant room for investment in other environmental objectives and farm business productivity.

These recommendations are just some of the nine key steps needed to reverse the damage that poor land use and improper farming techniques are doing to UK soils.

Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of the Angling Trust and Fish Legal said: “We have had fine words acknowledging the very serious problem of soil loss and agricultural pollution in both the government’s 25 year Environment Plan and the current Food and Farming White Paper. But warm words are no substitute for action and this report shows how the government really could make good on its promise to use public payments for public good to safeguard future food production and reverse current declines in fish and other wildlife that depend on healthy, unpolluted waterways.”

The report highlights the significant cost savings associated

with investing in enforcement, advice, and incentives for land-use change and advice. At the moment the UK currently spends £3billion on agricultural subsidies[4].

“Healthy soil is vital for our national security, yet we continue to cause immense damage to it” Arlin Rickard, Chief Executive of the Rivers Trust commented: “This report speaks directly to the government’s current consultation, Health and Harmony: The Future for Food, Farming and the Environment in a Green Brexit, and sets out in stark terms the reality on many farms, together with environmental failings under the current system. In the future we must properly support our farmers with the guidance, incentives and funding necessary, not only to produce food to the highest standard, but also the vital ecosystem services that support community health and well-being and underpins sustainable socio economic development."

The UK Government is currently consulting on the future of farming after we leave the European Union. This presents a unique opportunity to shape the future of UK farming, land use and soil protection, ensuring that future generations have good quality soil and water which will benefit nature, health and the economy of the UK.

May 2018 | Farming Monthly | 07

| Pig & Poultry

Great new products at the British Pig & Poultry Fair It is said that necessity is the mother of invention. But innovators in the pig and poultry sectors are constantly pushing the boundaries to improve animal health, welfare and efficiencies. ttracting exhibitors from all over the world, the British Pig & Poultry Fair will be showcasing the latest and best products available to producers.

“Almost three-quarters of visitors to the Fair come to see new products, with 64% planning to make a purchase as a result,” explains event organiser Alice Bell.

“It can be hard to fit everything into one day at the event, so we will again be running the New Product Innovation Trail to make it easy to compare cutting-edge developments. With more than 40 poultry and 30 pig products entered, ranging from new designs to reduce feather pecking to poison-free vermin control, there is something to solve many on-farm challenges.”

Below we profile a selection of new products which will be featured.

Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health – HatchPak IB H120 NeO For active immunisation of dayold chicks to reduce infection with the Massachusetts serotype of Infectious Bronchitis virus. The effervescent NeO tablets reduce the risk of stock solution contamination and, when compared to glass vials, the small blister packs make vaccine management safer for operators, take up less room in the fridge and reduce packaging waste by 90%.

Vencomatic Poultry UK – The Pecking Pan A 2-year MSC study and 3-year trials have proven that Pecking Pans for chicks/pullets can provide a long-lasting environment enrichment which may reduce injurious pecking, reduce plumage damage and enhance bird welfare.

Farmex – dicam 2 Next generation environmental control and integrated real-time data capture for farmers.

Applicable to any building type, stage of production or ventilation system. Backward compatible with existing dicam controls; remotely accessible from your smartphone, tablet or laptop; complete flexibility; a future proof system for agriculture.

IMV Technologies – BACTIBAG Safety for pig semen performance. BactiBag, a new semen packaging flatpack, is

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coated on its inside with BactiGuard. When in contact with bacteria, BactiGuard intercalates itself into bacterial cell membranes. This prevents the bacteria population from growing and has specific action against Gram- bacteria, making them more sensitive to antibiotics. The end result is improved safety for the semen’s reproductive performance.

Teagle Machinery Ltd – Tomahawk 500B Turbo Mill Aimed at pig and poultry enterprises who require consistently short chopped straw, the 500B processes material outside the building, reducing entry of vehicles and people. Material distribution can be through a fixed manifold system and/or flexible pipe. The tractor-mounted machine is remotely controlled. The high output turbo fan delivers precision milled material at a rate determined by the operator.

Collinson – Cyclone Bio The Cyclone Bio provides farmers with a new bio-security management tool. Mounted on the feed silo leg and connected to the exhaust pipe via a hose, dust generated during pneumatic filling is collected in the cyclone eliminating dust around the silo base, which previously attracted wild birds and vermin with threat of disease. A robust slide enables straightforward emptying after filling.

BODO Ltd – poison free rodent control Multiple capture of live rodents which automatically resets itself.

Helps eliminate the use of poisons on the farm, which has led to some adverse publicity in the perceived secondary poisoning of wildlife. Eliminates workforce training in the use of poisons, no need for rodent contractors entering your farm as a biosecurity risk.

Agricultural LED Lighting Ltd – LINK-LIGHT The most up-to-date LED and control technologies packaged within an easy to install plug-andplay link cable system. UK designed and manufactured specifically for the poultry industry.

Energy saving, flicker free, maximum control, easy to fit, 100,000+ LED life expectancy.

08 | Farming Monthly | May 2018

Schippers UK Ltd – MS Hatchfog MS Hatchfog ultra is a unique combination of fogging and disinfection product for hatcheries.

The disinfection product has a 100% kill of fungi, viruses and bacteria. It has no effect on the materials in the surrounding area, and is much safer than formaldehyde. The fogging application takes care of a 100% contact between disinfection and egg and does not result in wet eggs.

EASYFIX – EASYFIX Enrichment Range Environmental Enrichment reduces aggressive behaviour. The Luna and Astro range of enrichment devices are made from high-quality natural rubber, are designed for piglets, weaners and sows to provide environmental enrichment, reducing aggressive behaviour in pigs.

JF McKenna Ltd – Fancom eYeGrow Automatic weight monitor for finishers. The 3D camera continually monitors and registers the animals and feeds information back to a computer to accurately calculate weight. Unlike manual weighing, this is completely stressfree for the animals. eYeGrow prevents growth dip and requires no additional labour input. It fits perfectly into existing houses.

• The British Pig & Poultry Fair is the leading event for the UK pig, poultry and egg sectors, and will be held on 15-16 May 2018 at Stoneleigh, Warwickshire.

Partnered by ABN the Fair is free to attend, to register and plan your visit go to pigandpoultry.org.uk.

For a full list of the products featuring in the New Products Innovation Trail, see www.pigandpoultry.org.uk/whats-new

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Fencing

Expansion into digital marketing stops local business from fencing themselves in Stockdale Fencing experienced most successful period in its eight-year history, thanks to support from Reaseheath’s SME Growth Programme. eading Cheshire fence provider Stockdale Fencing, has experienced rapid growth and an influx in sales after expanding its online presence and growing its digital skills set thanks to a business course at Reaseheath College.

The Knutsford-based business, which supplies agricultural, equestrian and domestic fencing, developed ambitious expansion plans for 2018 after purchasing ‘Cheshire Trailer Repairs’ which offers restoration services for all types of trailers, including those within the agricultural and equestrian sectors.

The firm also brought in a workshop manager and a new contracts manager as the two firms joined forces to provide a complete service for its customers.

But business owner Tom Stockdale knew that digital and online performance was key, so he enrolled on a digital marketing course at Reaseheath, which was run as part of the college’s European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) funded SME Business Growth Programme.

Tom, who launched the firm in 2009, said: “The digital marketing course which I took part

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in last year was a real turning point for our business. It was an area which we’d previously overlooked, but now plays an integral part in our development.

“Not only did it provide practical solutions when it came to managing leads and new business, it also provided guidance on increasing our exposure in new markets, showcasing our work and professionalism and creating a career development path which allows us to progress and reward our growing staff base.

“For us, the course helped us to fulfil our potential and cement our standing as a highly regarded and recognised business in the industry. We’ll continue moving forward using top quality equipment and growing our team to accomplish our growth strategy.”

Stockdale Fencing has already amassed a strong national client base, working with Balfour Beatty, The RSPB, National Grid and Stobart Group. They also regularly work with farmers, land owners and estates installing a wide range of commercial, residential and equestrian fencing.

Janet Nuzum, ERDF Business Advisor at Reaseheath, said: “Tom has always been an extremely motivated individual and since starting Stockdale Fencing has poured his

heart and soul into the company. It’s a family run business which has certainly gone from strength to strength and achieved incredible results in the past 12 months.

“Tom completely understands farming and the importance of fencing within an agricultural, equestrian or domestic business. It’s been a real pleasure to work with him and his team and support them on their growth strategy. As we move into spring, we’re sure they’ll continue to see sustained success and solidify their position as a quality supplier within the industry.”

Stockdale Fencing has a wealth of knowledge and experience in all areas of fencing and place a special emphasis on safety, precision and value. For more information on their services, visit: http://www.stockdalefencing.com/

May 2018 | Farming Monthly | 09

| On Topic

No soil and minimal water; the new technology that will spark the next agricultural revolution An award-winning British company is about to radically change the way food crops are grown, resulting in greater yields at lower cost, which will bring profound benefits to farmers, growers and consumers in the developed world and to those in the developing world struggling to grow their own food.

018 Rushlight Award winner, Airponix, has developed a ground-breaking new food production system which requires no arable land, or even soil, and typically 85 per cent less water than conventional agriculture.

Instead, crops can be grown in protective polythene film tunnels, which can easily and cheaply be scaled up from small, home-use chambers through to giant commercial enclosures. Inside, a nutrient-rich water ‘fog' is created, by purpose-modified inkjet printheads, which propagates down the long tunnels, feeding the growing plants without the need for soil. This process means crops can be grown in almost any environment since they are protected from the vagaries of the weather and climate change.

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According to Michael Ruggier, CEO & Co-founder of Airponix: "Trials of our breakthrough technology means that we can produce crops, such as potatoes, with lower production costs and higher quality, competing strongly against conventionally grown new baby potatoes. Additionally, based on results from our small-scale trials, the yields are typically far higher - about 50 times greater per acre per year than those being achieved by commercial growers in the UK and elsewhere".

"The potential cost of the system is very low and requires little energy to operate. Manual labour is also greatly reduced because harvesting is a simple clean process and root crops don't need washing. This means that everyone can benefit from our technology and has the potential to guarantee high-yield high quality food production

10 | Farming Monthly | May 2018

independent of external environmental conditions", added Michael.

Agriculture has not changed fundamentally since the ‘Green Revolution', in the pre- and postsecond World War periods which saw the introduction of large scale mechanisation, and the extensive use of agri-chemicals such as herbicides, fungicides and pesticides - none of which are needed to control growing conditions in the Airponix system.

Growers today are facing many new risk factors; mainly resulting from climate change and its related side effects, which mean they require far greater control over growing conditions than was possible in the past. This, combined with global population growth, means that by 2030 it is estimated we will need 35 per cent more food, 40 per cent more water and 50 per cent more energy. If

there is no new and better technology, or methods for growing crops, food prices and availability will soon become critical in both the developed and developing areas of the world.

Radical new thinking was needed and so, in 2016, Airponix was established by a group of seasoned engineers and horticulturists with the aim of improving and commercialising ‘aeroponics'; invented and patented over 40 years ago by the company's Technical Director and co-founder, John Prewer.

Conventional hydroponic and aeroponics systems rely on nutrient-containing mists or sprays to grow crops but, because their droplet sizes are so much larger than those in fogs they tend to coalesce, precipitate out of the air and form large droplets on the roots which inhibit well-oxygenated

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| On Topic

nutrition uptake, and encourage the growth of wastefully long roots.

The technical and economic limitations of aeroponic systems, based on mists and sprays, mean they are only suitable for growing leafy greens, such as lettuces, or herbs whereas the unique Airponix fog technology is suitable for

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growing staple food crops including rice, wheat and potatoes.

Key to the development of the Airponix system is the company's collaboration with a world-leading developer of piezoelectric drop-ondemand inkjet technology. By employing their printheads to deliver the nutrient-rich fogs to the

plants, droplet sizes can be substantially reduced and controlled. So, instead of a mist, an engineered ‘fog' is created to suit the different needs of roots and leaves which play a major role in optimising plant growth rates and yields. The printheads require less energy to operate than other fog making methods, are highly reliable and easy to install or replace under field conditions.

Airponix has recently received a ÂŁ485k convertible loan from Centrica Innovations*. This is allowing Airponix to equip a 1,000 m2 glasshouse in Norfolk with growing units for system development, testing and demonstration. This includes the addition of growth-enhancement

techniques, such as electro-culture and RNAi - unique to Airponix which promise to further increase growth rates and crop yields significantly. Selling this produce should also generate some early income/revenue with the harvest of unique baby potatoes expected from July 2018.

Interest is running high in the potential of the Airponix system and the company has recently won a number of high-profile awards including the overall Rushlight Award and the Rushlight Energy Reduction Award in January 2018 and the Biotechnology of the Year Award at the Business Green Technology Awards in December 2017.

May 2018 | Farming Monthly | 11

| Arable

New onion varieties show potential to improve productivity Growers could be achieving up to 30 tonnes per hectare more in yields of both set and drilled crops by selecting the best performing varieties, latest onion variety trials show. osses from waste in storage, as a result of rot, could also be reduced by up to 60 per cent in some varieties of brown and red onions in cold storage conditions, resulting in more efficient harvests.

The trials, jointly funded by AHDB and seed companies, also identified that the variety Santero offers good resistance to downymildew as well as good storage potential. Mildew-resistant varieties require less costly plant protection products and are a useful tool for sustainable crop protection as well as a valuable addition for organic growers.

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“While yield data is important for growers when selecting varieties, other factors also need to be considered to increase productivity.”

Dawn Teverson, Knowledge Exchange Manager at AHDB, said: “While yield data is important for

growers when selecting varieties, other factors also need to be considered to increase productivity.

“These trials offer valuable objective data on maturity, so growers can stagger the harvest season; storage potential which can reduce waste and help to balance supply and demand; as well as disease resistance to help growers with long-term and sustainable integrated crop management.”

Sam Rix, Technical Director of P.G. Rix Farms, said: “We use the mildew results to inform decision making on variety suitability to fields that may be more prone to downy mildew infection. The early plant vigour data is also a useful guide to aid variety selection on potentially weedy sites.”

Bruce Napier, project lead from NIAB, said: “One of the primary objectives is to assess the storage potential of new varieties. There’s nothing more soul destroying than seeing all your efforts go to waste so it is vital that the harvest yield is maintained in store. A 40 per cent difference in storage performance

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would equate to the equivalent of 24t/ha extra lost in the poorest performing varieties.”

Sam Rix added: “The storage data generated by the project is particularly important to assess dormancy levels and variety suitability for long term storage. As an industry this is the only source of independent data we have regarding storage.”

Onion bulb production was worth £126.4 million to the UK economy in 2016.

Results from several new cauliflower cultivars introduced in

2016-2017 trials also showed potential yield increases of 15 per cent compared to standard varieties. Every additional one per cent of Class 1 produce marketed can result in an increase in potential income of £95/ha.

The results from AHDB-funded variety trials can be read in full in the latest factsheet, ‘Independent assessment of field and storage potential of onion varieties,’ available from horticulture.ahdb.org.uk/publications

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| Arable

Stay alert for disease pressure in cereal crops Although cereal crops are behind the curve this season, it’s important to continue to monitor them over the next few weeks as disease pressure could build. aylight hours are increasing and when temperatures rise over the next few weeks, photosynthesis will increase and rapid growth will occur,” explains Certis’ Technical Specialist, Laurence Power.

“This could create a perfect breeding ground for diseases such as Powdery mildew, Septoria and Eyespot,” he adds.

Mr Power explains that this issue could be further exacerbated by the fact that T0 timing has been missed in many parts of the country.

“Normally T0 applications would have occured by now. In parts of the country, such as Lincolnshire and the east, this has been virtually impossible due to the wet weather conditions.

“Many agronomists have suggested that T0 and T1 fungicide timings will be combined this year, which could mean a bigger spend for growers.”

“I’d advise being critical about the products used. Applying the

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best products possible at good sensible rates will be vital to get robust coverage as crops grow rapidly.”

Careful monitoring will be essential to keep on top of growth stages and any disease pressure, says Mr Power.

“Pay closer attention to the crops that are at higher risk, for example early-drilled autumn cereals on lighter soils,” he warns.

“Walk the fields at least every seven days and dig up a sample of the crop. Look at the root structure and try to establish if they’re picking up enough moisture.

“Check the roots, stem and base of the plant for any disease, and if traces are present, follow up with a robust fungicide application.

“Ultimately, it’s hard to predict what the season will hold, but if we’re prepared to react to disease pressure when, or if it appears, crops will stand a better chance of thriving this season."

New code approved to minimise risk of elevated erucic acid levels in certified seed The Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) and the British Society of Plant Breeders (BSPB), representing the seed breeding and distribution of certified seed, have launched a new code of practice to demonstrate that elevated levels of erucic acid, seen in oilseed rape crops over the past three years do not originate from certified seed. s part of gaining official registration in the UK, all varieties are tested to ensure erucic acid levels are consistently close to zero. The new code, aimed to provided added certainty, will mean that all seed and seed lots of certified seed will be subject to Gas Chromatography testing prior to delivery to farm. The results of such testing will be available on request.

Whilst adoption of the new code is voluntary, both AIC and BSPB will encourage their members to participate to provide additional assurance to farmer customers and the wider oilseed chain. Both AIC and BSPB aim to give added confidence that certified seed is not the source of the issues that have occurred with high levels of erucic acid in commercial crops of oilseed rape.

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“BSPB supports this Code of Practice as a way for plant breeders and the certified seed trade to demonstrate that we take the problem seriously, and are taking action to provide an assurance that certified seed is not the source of the problem.

We would also encourage farmers to adopt the same practices if they are farm saving to ensure a common, industrywide approach across all oilseed rape production,” said Dr Penny Maplestone, BSPB’s Chief Executive.

“The certified seeds industry takes every step to ensure farmers receive high quality seed. We have worked together on this Code of Practice to demonstrate to farmers that seed from a certified source is not the cause of the elevated erucic acid levels being found at harvest,” said Chris Guest, Chair of the AIC Combinable Crops Seeds Committee.

May 2018 | Farming Monthly | 13

| Energy

Igniting biogas growth on UK farms Charlotte Morton, Chief Executive of the Anaerobic Digestion & Bioresources Association, gives a preview of what UK farmers can expect at UK AD & World Biogas Expo 2018. s I set out in the April edition of Farming Monthly National, onfarm anaerobic digestion (AD) will have a huge role to play in supporting UK farmers once support from the Common Agricultural Policy has been withdrawn postBrexit.

Anaerobic digesters recycle agricultural wastes such as manures, slurries, and vegetable off-cuts and convert purpose-grown energy crops into renewable heat and power, low-carbon transport fuel, and nutrient-rich digestate, which can be applied straight to land as a natural fertiliser. AD provides farms with an additional income stream (through the ability to sell excess energy to the grid) as well as cost savings from being able to use self-generated energy onsite, a treatment option for wastes and cover crops, and a home-grown alternative to buying expensive and environmentally damaging artificial fertilisers.

With the future of support for farmers increasingly unclear as the UK prepares to leave the European Union, AD offers a vital option for diversifying a farm’s income. In addition to creating 35,000 rural jobs, AD is helping to increase agricultural productivity through restoring soils and improving crop yields. Coordinated UK farming and energy policy on AD could help stabilise farmers’

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incomes, reduce costs, and cut greenhouse gas emissions, whilst improving the UK’s energy security.

The role of AD in supporting agriculture both in the UK and around the world will be one of the main themes of UK AD & World Biogas Expo 2018, the world’s largest dedicated biogas tradeshow, which will take place on the 11th-12th July at the NEC in Birmingham. The event will bring together AD professionals, farmers, policymakers, politicians, academics, and others to showcase the latest AD products and services and discuss the most pressing issues in biogas worldwide.

With a wealth of content on offer for farmers, the programme will explore opportunities to support farmers in a post-Brexit world and relevant sustainable agriculture themes such as using quality digestate to reduce fertiliser reliance and the on-farm use of biomethane.

The event will feature panel sessions on: using AD in the UK to diversify farm income and drive farm productivity; how to get the most from your AD plant; digestate value and management; finding help to build on-farm AD plants; Brexit and UK farming policy opportunities; and soil restoration. Speakers will include representatives from the National Farmers’ Union, the Country Land and Business Association, KWS UK, on-farm AD operators, and many more.

Charlotte Morton

Over 200 exhibitors will be showcasing all the products and services required to commission, build and operate on-farm AD plants, and AD operators will be able to discover the latest research and technological innovations emerging from the market, helping them to maximise the efficiency and performance of on-farm AD plants and maintain a competitive advantage. The event will allow farmers and landowners from across the UK to benefit from the huge opportunities offered by this exciting industry and network with others to share knowledge and best practice.

The evening of Wednesday 11th July will also see the seventh annual AD & Biogas Industry Awards, which will celebrate the best of the best in innovation and achievement across all sectors of the AD and biogas industry, including awards for Making the Most of Digestate, Best UK On-Farm AD Plant, Best International Agricultural Plant, and UK AD Plant Manager of the Year.

With all of the above to look forward to, this year's show promises to offer all the practical ideas and advice to help you make better decisions for your farming business and will be the biogas event to attend for the farming community this summer.

We look forward to seeing you there!

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Energy

OMEX: Making AD more efficient As the Government pushes for more take up of Anaerobic Digesters to help achieve its 2020 carbon reduction targets, AD and biogas plant operators can ensure their own systems perform to maximum capacity with the help of OMEX. icensed operators are increasingly treating waste such as slurries and vegetable off-cuts through AD to produce both biological fertilisers and constantly generated renewable energy in the form of biogas, which can either be used on-site to reduce reliance on costly fossil fuels or sold as electricity under Government incentive initiatives like the Feed-In Tariff scheme.

It is rare for an AD plant to have the complete range of nutritional elements present for optimal bacterial growth and shortages of specific micronutrients, which are critical components of enzyme systems in the bacteria, often occur. This can mean that the digester plant and connected system do not run at full efficiency with a consequential loss of performance and output.

In all systems, the energy that is produced through the biological process can be optimised by feeding the digestate the ‘correct’ diet (this being bio-available, essential trace elements), helping to improve the bacterial performance of the plant and increase the content of biogas in turn helping it to perform at maximum efficiency.

OMEX offer a complete nutritional package of essential supplements including bioavailable liquid trace element solutions, enzymes, micronutrient blends to boost the availability of

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essential trace elements and a range of iron powders all used in the anaerobic process to help improve the bacterial performance in the digestate and increase the methane content of biogas production. This helps commercial operators to run their plants at optimum levels, maximising their revenue streams and return on investment through increased profits.

The OMEX support service includes a nutrient profiling service in their fully-equipped laboratory with analysis of plant influent, effluent and biomass, through which a nutrient solution will be recommended. Dependent on the individual requirements of the plant and operations, a tailor-made micronutrient solution

can be produced. This support service also includes onsite visits, consistent and effective aftercare and complete crop nutrition packages for on-farm ADs. As well as specialising in trace element additives, OMEX Environmental Ltd also manufacture and supply a complete range of wastewater treatment solutions for anaerobic and aerobic systems as well as de-icers and concrete ad-mixtures.

Visit us at this year’s UK AD and World Biogas Expo 11-12th July on stand F505 to discuss your requirements. View our range of products now at www.omex.co.uk/industry/ or email us at environmental@omex.co.uk

May 2018 | Farming Monthly | 15

| Energy

AD funder joins industry advisory board Renewable energy funder, Privilege Finance, has shown its dedication to the future of the AD and biogas industry, with CEO Phil Gerrard, joining a new advisory board that is focussed on tackling the issues that matter the most. peaking on his new appointment, Phil explains that he hopes his new position will enable him to bring Privilege’s ‘can-do attitude’ to the wider industry. “With government hesitation over tariff support, there has been some negativity over the future of the sector.

“However, with the right support from industry bodies, investors and technology providers, there is a real opportunity to make AD commercially viable and I hope that by joining the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) Advisory Board, I can help to make this happen.

Phil acknowledges, that an integrated approach to tackling future hurdles is needed, and the new board facilitates this. “We need to use our creativity and passion to find new solutions and develop opportunities, whether in new technology or in the drive for better standards.

“It’s vital that as an industry we continue to attract investment, and the only way we can do this is by striving for the highest standards of technology and operation. As the funding representative on the board, I have a unique opportunity to bring the views of investors to the table.”

Speaking about the development of the advisory board, ADBA chief executive Charlotte Morton said, "The ADBA Advisory Board is a

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Phil Gerrard, CEO of Privilege Finance

crucial mechanism for ensuring that ADBA's work is informed by the very best expertise from across the AD industry.

“We're delighted to have Phil join the board

as a representative of the AD finance sector and look forward to working with him and the rest of the board to support the growth of the UK AD industry."

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Energy

Achieve your sustainable future, today at edie Live At edie Live (22-23 May, NEC Birmingham), we will show you how your organisation can achieve a sustainable future, today. This is about increasing engagement and scaling up low-carbon technologies and innovations. This is Mission Possible. ith a focus on energy, resources, the built environment, mobility and business leadership, edie Live will empower individuals and organisations to move from ambition to action across all areas of sustainable development.

“Mission Possible is about inspiring and helping businesses achieve a sustainable future, today and edie Live is the perfect setting to bring this mission to life,” said edie’s content director Luke Nicholls.

“Strategic thinking will be offered on the keynote stage; practical advice across the seminar theatres; workshops will encourage cocreation and collaboration to tackle life challenges; the innovation centre will showcase the best solutions; and the advice clinics will offer one-to-one consultations with the experts.

“Add to that the hundreds of leading suppliers and service providers across the show floor and you have a must-attend event for anyone and everyone who wants to achieve a low-carbon, resource efficient and profitable future.”

100+ suppliers Across the two-day event (22-23 May, NEC Birmingham), discover innovative tech solutions from more than 100 suppliers that will help you power energy and resource efficiencies throughout your business.

Keynote and seminars With session titles including ‘Taking the lead on energy’ with Head of sustainability, Caroline

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Hill from Landsec, the Keynote stage will give visitors the strategic thinking required to understand how they can drive profits and scaleup innovation.

Be inspired by thought leaders and best practice case studies in our free-to-attend and CPD-certified Energy Innovation, Energy Efficiency and Resource Efficiency Theatres, equipping you with the tools you need to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy and encourage and engage colleagues, clients and customers to be more socially responsible.

Hear from some of the leaders of the renewables revolution, such as Dare Ilori, Group head of sustainability from Merlin Entertainments who will be speaking on ‘Making the switch: Harnessing the business benefits of onsite renewables’. The session will explore how, with technology costs tumbling, green policy becoming more progressive, and stakeholders keen to keep an eye on sustainability credentials, how you can invest in onsite clean energy systems.

Mission Possible Innovation Centre Learn how to make disruptive technologies and solutions work to your advantage in the Mission Possible Innovation Centre. Collaborate with like-minded professionals and find out what new tech and tactics have worked for them.

Mission Possible Workshops Shape your future strategy, unlock the value of energy technologies and co-create the solutions

to key energy management challenges in the Mission Possible Workshops. Subjects include “Winning the war on waste in your supply chain”, “Achieving a flexible future”, “Moving from ambition to action on the SDGs” and “Developing stronger partnerships”. The workshops will be facilitated by the likes of Manchester City Football Club, William Jackson Food Group, Aston University and Severn Trent Water, with guest experts including E.ON. Join us at edie Live and get involved in discussions that go beyond simple energy efficiency measures to equip you with the insight, inspiration and innovations you need to accelerate the low-carbon transition and achieve your ‘mission possible’ for energy.

Discover your Mission Possible at edie Live 2018. We will give you the solutions to help you achieve your Mission Possible.

Register for your free edie Live 2018 pass, the latest show news, exhibitor list, keynote and seminar schedules at edielive.com/farm-preview You can also follow show news on twitter at @edielive #edielive2018 #missionpossible Your edie Live pass gives you access to: • The keynote stage and seminar theatres • 100+ suppliers and service providers • Mission Possible Workshops • Mission Possible Innovation Centre • Advice Clinics • Utility Week Live (co-located with edie Live)

May 2018 | Farming Monthly | 17

| Energy

Fast food industry flagged as target for waste eating system A system that turns waste plastic, food scraps, cardboard and paper into biogas and fertiliser is being developed to potentially help the fast food sector deal with its rubbish. outh Australian scientist David Thompson has developed a system that uses anaerobic digestion technology to turn a range of plastics, including polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, into methane. His POET System process also produces environmentally safe, organic by-products that can be used as garden fertiliser and mulch.

Although initially developed for plastics, Thompson has tweaked the technology to process combined waste. He said this would be ideal for the fast food sector as its waste was often not able to be recycled because it was not made of the right material or it was contaminated with food waste.

“We’re exploring the potential of using the technology for a fast food chain where we can look at

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processing the food waste together with the plastic, paper and cardboard packaging all at once,” Thompson, the POET System CEO said.

“What we’ve been able to show through our in-house testing is that if we took a bin from a fast food outlet containing food scraps, paper, cardboard and plastics we would be able to process that all at once and create energy in the form of methane through the POET System.

“The key with the POET System is that we are able to convert the hydrocarbons within the plastic back to something that’s basically a carbon based inert, organic fertiliser.”

POET Systems was a 2017 semi-finalist in the Australian Technologies Competition, which assesses, mentors and promotes companies providing a uniquely Australian take on the future and is open to technologies that have global potential in a range of industries.

18 | Farming Monthly | May 2018

Thompson will file an application for patent protection this month and is looking for an investor to help build a demonstration plant capable of processing, initially, 5000 tonnes of plastic a year.

Thompson said in the fast food waste system, the rubbish collected from outlets would go to a central POET System in a regional area or city. He said his system would be ideally located alongside existing anaerobic digestion infrastructure such as what was commonly used at wastewater treatment plants or green waste processing.

“Knowing that I can put it through a particular process that the POET System already has without requiring any separation and then it all goes straight into the anaerobic digestor – that was the goose bump moment,” he said.

“I thought ‘if I can get this up and running’ how many of these fast food outlets are there?

“It would be nice to get a fast food chain to sponsor a program.

You’ve also got the supermarkets with their out of date food that’s wrapped in plastic or on foam trays – all that can go through in one hit.”

The company, based in the South Australian capital Adelaide, is looking for an investment of about AU$2.5 million to help it build a 100-tonne a week plastics plant. Thompson said he was also interested in attracting investment from a fast food company to fast track a second system capable of digesting co-mingled waste.

“The nice thing about the POET system is that it’s a really soft system because although there are some mechanical processes at the beginning to make plastics attractive to the bacteria that digest it, it’s the bacteria that do all the work,” Thompson said.

“It’s a natural process and because we’re able to make plastics attractive to bacteria to colonise the waste and actually digest it that’s the beauty of the whole thing.”

The extension of China’s ‘Operation Green Fence’ policy came into effect in January, banning the importation of 24 categories of contaminated solid waste including paper, plastics, textiles and some metals. This caused prices for recyclable materials to crash and left waste management companies in the

United States, Europe, Japan and Australia with vast amounts of unsaleable waste.

Before the ban, China imported almost 30 million tonnes of waste paper and 7 million tonnes of “recyclable” plastic a year – including about 30 per cent of Australia’s waste paper and plastic. This is on top of the estimated 1 million tonnes of contaminated plastic that is deemed unfit for recycling and sent to landfill in Australia each year.

“It’s a natural process and because we’re able to make plastics attractive to bacteria to colonise the waste and actually digest it that’s the beauty of the whole thing” A Senate Inquiry into the waste and recycling industry in Australia is due to report back on June 13.

The issue is expected to be raised at a meeting of Australian state and federal environment ministers on April 27.

“What was recently deemed as being recyclable is no longer recyclable – there is no value in waste plastic because there is no viable waste processing capability in Australia and I’d like to think the POET system can meet a significant segment of that,” Thompson said.

“This opens up doors for us, we have an awful lot of plastic that is going to landfill in Australia and that’s being replicated all around the world.

“Once we get our demonstration plant built, order books from clients will open.”

Thompson said he has had the technology academically reviewed to prove that the science stacks up and the system is scalable.

“We’ve got conformity to international standards and nobody has ever done that,” he said.

“And I’ve been able to repeat that and take it to the next level to doing a single phase process that treats cardboard, plastic and food waste all through in one hit.

“We know what we need to do, we’re confident, we’ve done all the independent testing and all that can be put on the table with investors – real data, real results.”

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Arable

Pirtek Cambridge Tel: 01223 835222 Pirtek Derby Tel: 01332 205000 Pirtek Harlow Tel: 01279 427300 www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

Pirtek Luton Pirtek Penrith Pirtek Preston

Tel: 01582 597050 Tel: 01768 210055 Tel: 01772 620111

May 2018 | Farming Monthly | 19

| Shows

The UK’s biggest technical beef event returns The National Beef Association’s (NBA) renowned Beef Expo event is heading to the Welsh Borders for this year’s celebration of British Beef. Spanning two days, the event kicks off with its traditional day of farm tours. isitors are invited to join the NBA for a day of Beef Expo farm tours on Thursday the 24th of May, giving guests the opportunity to view three exceptional beef farms handpicked from across Shropshire and the Welsh Borders.

The first farm tour is at James Evans’ Partridge Farm. The farm spans just over 800 hectares and is home to his 300 Stabiliser performance recorded suckler cows and 1,000 Lleyn ewes. The sucklers are split into two units, a 180-cow spring-calving herd and a 120cow autumn-calving herd both producing quality maternal high health status breeding stock and bulls finished in a semi intensive system.

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The Midlands NBA committee will be running a Beef Farmer competition, open to all Trefnant Hall farm is the second farm tour. A 500-acre tenanted farm on the Powis Estate, run by Marc Jones in partnership with his parents David and Jane. The farm runs 800 Lleyn and Romney ewes which lamb outside and 300 Angus and Hereford calves which are reared on grass and outwintered on forage crops through to 20-24 months at approx. 250320kg DW. A further 450 calves a year are contract reared. The farm now aims to produce 1 tonne of live weight per hectare and profit which is three times the single farm payment.

Jonny Cornes is the final farmer to welcome visitors to his exemplary mixed farm just outside Shrewsbury. Here, he finishes approx.

1800 store cattle and 15,000 store lambs. Cattle

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are bought in from local markets, vaccinated on arrival, housed in straw yards and fed on home grown grain and forage. Muck is then utilised on the 1000 acres of arable ground.

This forum for knowledge exchange sells out every year and is not to be missed - early booking is highly recommended!

The farm tours will be followed by the prestigious Beef Expo Industry Dinner, held at the beautiful Netley Hall, the dinner is the ultimate networking event for all those with the beef and supporting industries. The dinner will include a welcome drinks reception, three course dinner, guest speaker and after dinner entertainment.

Show day will take place on Friday 25th May at Halls Auction Mart, Shrewsbury This key industry event which celebrates the British Beef industry and all who work within it, will once again be displaying the very best of British pedigree and commercial cattle under one roof. Over 20 breed society displays will showcase the pedigree sectors advances in genetics and the National Commercial Cattle Show (NCCS) will, as always, be kicking off the showing season with the ultimate podium for breeders from across the UK to showcase their stock and compete for their share of over £6,000 of prize money.

In line with the event theme ‘Beef Up Our Future’ the show will encompass the entirety of the beef industry and its ancillary industries with over 120 indoor and outdoor trade stands and demonstrations, covering nutrition, genetics, machinery and technologies, highlighting the strength and progression of the industry.

An array of technical seminars and debates will continue this theme investigating how we, as an industry can work together to make our

farms and supply chains more economically viable, integrated and transparent as we prepare to leave the EU. Covering Brexit, Genetics, Health and the future government policy.

The South Devons’ will once again be holding their Technical Performance Championships after the success of its debut at Stoneleigh last year. The competition judges cattle on both performance figures and inspection with entries from herds that are Breedplan Performance recorded.

The Midlands NBA committee will be running a Beef Farmer competition, open to all. It involves a one-hour challenge putting beef farmers knowledge to the test with the chance to win a variety of prizes, including a plate meter worth £400. The challenge will test farmers on carcass evaluation, health, genetics, conformation and much more.

Please visit www.beefexpo.co.uk to buy tickets.

Farm tour tickets are £30 for NBA members and £36 for non-members and are inclusive of all transport and a hot lunch on farm.

Dinner Ticket prices are £48 for NBA members and £54 for non-members.

Visitor tickets for show day will be £10 prior to the event or £15 on the day. NBA Members can apply for a free ticket by emailing katie@nationalbeefassociation.com

The NBA is a member led charitable organisation with a key focus on representing beef farmers in policy. There couldn’t be a more crucial time than NOW to join the National Beef Association, the true voice of British beef Farmers. For less than £1.50 a week know someone is fighting your corner in policy.

Visit www.nationalbeefassociation.com and click ‘JOIN NOW’ today!

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| Shows

The countdown is on for this years Royal Highland Show Preparations for the 178th Royal Highland Show, which will be held on 21-24 June 2018, are well underway, and promises to offer the best of Scotland’s farming, food and rural life. upported by The Royal Bank of Scotland, partner since 1981, and staged at the Royal Highland Centre, in Edinburgh, the four-day event is a once in a year opportunity to really experience rural life; with over 6,000 farm animals and horses; rural crafts; a dedicated forestry area, award winning farriers’ display, a busy countryside arena with a wide variety of exciting displays and any number of big tractors – not forgetting the biggest food festival in Scotland.

Entertainment plays a big part of the Show with a huge variety of live music across two stages and shopping in the 13th Avenue Arcade includes fashion, artwork and even furniture for home and garden.

Children aged 15 and under go free with an accompanying adult, and the RHET discovery centre is a must visit for curious youngsters looking to discover about the countryside and where their food comes from.

If you are interested in where your food actually comes from, then Scotland’s Larder Live is a must see part of the Show with the award winning food and drink on display as well as top chefs cooking delicious dishes.

With 94% of visitors questioned in 2017 commenting on the Show’s ‘great atmosphere’ it is an event with huge urban appeal with 88% of non- farming visitors agreeing that there is so much to see and do. Visitors are encouraged to take advantage of the ‘Early Bird’ ticket promotion to book early and save over 17% on a family day out.* “There is real customer loyalty to our Show, says David Jackson, Show Manager, with almost two thirds having attended the Show five times or more, which I think is testament to

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just how exciting, different and authentic a day at the Show is for everyone. However, what is equally exciting is the number of people attending for the first time illustrating how the Show is attracting a new audience due to the growing interest in farming, food and rural life.

“The Show continues to expand in size and popularity. In 2017 we welcomed a record breaking 190,000 visitors and generated £65m for the Scottish economy. The Show is a truly unique event offering a day packed full day of entertainment and enjoyment for under £50 for a family of four*.”

Finest Livestock The Highland Show’s biggest attraction is, without doubt, the exhibition of world class livestock – with more than 6,000 of the finest cattle, sheep, goats, horses and poultry, heading for the Ingliston showground. With generations of expert husbandry and months of detailed preparation, the animals represent the highest skills in stock management.

Discover farming in everyday life The RHET (Royal Highland Education Trust) Discovery Centre is a must-visit for families, with over 30,000 young people welcomed last year for FREE. Traditional skills brought to life With a focus on showcasing rural skills, the Forge and the sheep shearing arena bring to life the work undertaken in the countryside.

While the Forestry area and the hugely popular pole climbing is back again for the 2018 show.

The Scottish Women’s Institute Handcrafts Competition, staged in the Handcrafts Pavilion, has some of the best examples of rural crafts from across Scotland and attracts competition entries for other parts of the world.

The largest display of food & drink Scotland’s Larder Live, the country’s biggest

exhibition of food and drink, is a must visit destination for visitors and offers everyone a great opportunity to taste new and exciting foods from Scotland – it also gives farmers and producers a great opportunity to meet with consumers for feedback and consumers the chance to learn how food is produced and the process involved. Meanwhile award-winning cheese, bread and ice-cream is judged with the winners announced at the Show.

Award-winning chefs In the cookery theatre, Scotland’s chefs demonstrate how incredible meals can be created using quality ingredients from Scotland.

Shopping for him, her, kids, home … and pets!

The wide range of shopping outlets brings together an amazing range of retailers, from fashion to home wear, jewellery to furniture, pet accessories to arts and crafting, many of which will see their biggest sales event of the year.

The best of food-to-go Working alongside all our on-site caterers, the Show has devised a strict Food Charter that all food-to-go outlets must adhere to ensuring top quality food, be it chips and a burger or something a little more exotic. There is a wide selection to choose from and the Food Charter requires that only ingredients that have been Image credit: Tim Scrivener locally produced, wherever possible, and ethically sourced can be served at the Show.

This means that not only quality is high but also Scottish farmers and growers are supported. To ensure that highest quality is maintained all onsite caterers are independently assessed every year.

For further information please visit www.royalhighlandshow.org, @ScotlandRHShow and #RHS2018

May 2018 | Farming Monthly | 21

| Grassland

Maximise efficiencies with the latest machinery at Grassland UK Many livestock producers are reassessing their machinery fleet in a bid to improve efficiencies ahead of Brexit – and there will be plenty to consider at Grassland UK at the Bath & West Showground on 10 May. rom mowers to muck spreaders, tractors to forage harvesters, there will be a full range of the latest machinery and equipment on show, including working demonstrations across the 100-acre site.

Below we profile some of the key machinery and equipment exhibitors.

Fendt Fendt will be displaying its complete range of forage, grassland and hay equipment for the first time ever in the UK at this year’s event.

Visitors can expect to see the Fendt Katana forage harvester, which is able to take almost all local conditions in its stride when working on sloping terrain, with soft ground conditions or at high moisture levels.

The Fendt Tigo forage wagons and are the latest addition to Fendt’s harvesting equipment.

Lightweight, compact and with reassuring stability, these machines have an adjustable bulkhead, meaning the loading area above the pick-up can also be utilised.

Moving onto the Fendt Cutter machines, these feature four drums – front or rear mounted – low ground pressure and a mechanism that handles the sward with great care.

Those with systems more suited to disc mowers will want to look at the Fendt Slicer range. These models bring a high degree of precision to the task, which centres on the TurboLift system.

The Fendt Twister tedders and Fendt Former rakes will also be on display, as well as the Fendt 4180 V Xtra big round baler.

John Deere New to the John Deere arsenal is the complete range of V400 series variable chamber round balers. These high capacity balers have been designed to work more efficiently and productively in all crop conditions from wet grass to dry with brittle straw, offering increased versatility and ease of operation.

John Deere will also have the new HarvestLab 3000 system for the 8000 series

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self-propelled forage harvesters on show.

Introduced in 2007, HarvestLab was the first NIR (near infra-red) sensing system in the industry to measure silage dry matter and enable automatic adjustments to cut length.

The system was subsequently developed to analyse crude protein, starch, NDF, ADF, sugar and other silage constituents, and can now be used for maize, grass and manure sensing.

HarvestLab 3000 requires less maintenance than its predecessor, can operate in a wider range of temperatures and features a much bigger data storage capacity of 2GB. It also has a more operator friendly web interface when used for stationary measurements away from the forager.

SIP SIP will have a number of machines giving working demonstrations; the first time its machines have been displayed in action since forming a sales organisation last year, says the firm’s Martin Holden. The Air Swath 300F, which is designed to produce top quality silage, free of soil and stones, will make its UK working debut.

Mowing will be demonstrated with silver cut disc mower conditioners. All feature hydro pneumatic suspension and are wide spreading for rapid crop wilting. “Cutter-bars come with a shear pin safety system that is replaceable infield without breaking into the main gear trough,” explains Mr Holden.

A range of tedders will also be on display; whether a simple four rotor 4m model, 14 rotor 15m trailed version, or the 10-rotor 11m Spider 1100/10T. SIP rakes, from one to four rotor models, will also be on site. “The recently introduced Star 1000/30T 10m twin rotor rake with optional electronic control will be on duty at the event, while a slightly smaller 8.5m model will feature as part of the John Deere UK working demonstration.”

McHale McHale will be bringing three new products from its ProGlide Mower Range: The ProGlide F3100 front mower, the R3100 rear mower and the B9000 combination mower. All mowers are

fitted with 3m cutter bars with tine conditioners and benefit from novel features which result in better ground following ability and quicker reaction times to changing conditions.

“To maximise the feed value of forage it is important that grass crops are cut when the sugar content is highest, and that the mower leaves clean stubble and produces quality forage, free from impurities,” explains James Heanue, Irish sales manager at McHale.

The latest addition to the McHale bale wrapper range is the Orbital high-speed round bale wrapper. Using vertical wrapping ring technology, it delivers a high output to keep up with multiple balers.

Vredo On the slurry and fertiliser spreading side, Vredo Dodewaard will be displaying a selfpropelled VT4556 TEBBE spreader and a VT7028-2 liquid slurry machine. The VT4556 can spread slurry and solid fertilising materials, such as manure, compost, lime, sludge or sewage cake.

The VT7028-2 is a high capacity applicator for liquid slurry injection and dry manure spreading. With a flat loading platform, it can take all types of implements, from slurry tanks to water tanks, spreader boxes and wood chippers. It has the lowest weight per tyre in the market, offering low soil compaction.

OPICO OPICO will feature a number of OPICO cultivators, including the Sward Lifter subsoiler and Sward Slitter for improving aeration, as well as the HE-VA Grass Rejuvenator, designed to over-seed, reseed and establish new leys.

It will also be bringing the Strautmann selfpropelled SF 2002 diet feeder. Available with a unique contract hire package, it’s a viable proposition for dairy herds of 250 cows upwards. Also on display will be the Strautmann Verti Mix 2401 trailed diet feeder, and the Giga Vitesse 3002 forage wagon.

OPICO will also exhibit the Maschio Giraffona 260 rear flail mower and the Bufalo 280 front/ rear flail mower are also set to appear.

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| Grassland

JC Machinery set to take Vredo Agri and Agri Air Series to Grassland UK 2018 JC Machinery will be showcasing the world-renowned Vredo Agri and Agri Air overseeders at the prestigious Bath & West Grassland UK 2018 show on May 10th. he one-day show in Somerset covers every aspect of forage production and JC Machinery will be demonstrating how the precise results of both Vredo Series’ save up to 80% in time and fuel compared to renovation through ploughing, cultivating, levelling sowing and rolling whilst providing a germination rate of 96%.

The pair of 2.9m machines both use Vredo’s double-disc system, which uses V-shaped discs to make small cuts into the soil. Seed is placed between the discs and closed by a compaction

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roller, creating the optimal situation for germination by placing the seed and soil in direct contact whilst getting the correct amount of light and air.

This method of direct grassland drilling protects the seed against weather influences and other dangers such as birds and other wildlife and dramatically reduces seed waste per operation.

The Agri Air series takes Vredo’s precision further. Using a pneumatic hopper which channels the seed directly to the cam wheel.

Changing seed types and resetting the reliable calibration is done in the blink of an eye.

The overseeder is available with the new Crop Drill System, allowing it to sow arable crops directly on corn stubble without any tillage at a 15cm row distance, making it the only machine capable of overseeding on grass and arable land, and since the system works through slitting instead of cultivating, less machine power is needed, saving on fuel costs.

Both machines are perfect for renewing bare patches, strengthening walking routes and bridle paths, preventing erosion, repairing game damage, sowing more clover and restricting the growth of weeds.

May 2018 | Farming Monthly | 23

| Grassland

Best practice forage quality clinic at Grassland UK KUHN Farm Machinery will be hosting a forage quality clinic at this year’s Grassland UK event (Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, 10th May) to help farmers improve the quality of, and get the most from, their baled forage. he best practice workshop will focus on the importance of bale structure and consistency, film application, elasticity and cling characteristics, and will provide a detailed explanation of KUHN’s unique and patented film binding system.

“Unlike other film binding systems which use wide mantle film for binding, the KUHN system uses two standard 750mm stretch film rolls to fully encapsulate the bale,” explains KUHN product specialist, Katie Calcutt. “This not only eliminates the need for an initial layer of netting to be placed around the cylindrical side of the bale, but also improves silage preservation and makes the recycling of waste plastic easier. It also reduces plastic usage by up to 30% by pre-stretching the wrapping film by 70% prior to application. Film loading is also quicker and easier as each roll

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weighs just 27kg, compared to the wider rolls which can weigh between 40-90kg.”

The clinic will also discuss the importance of cutting crops at the correct growth stage, assessment of dry matter content prior to baling, the correct techniques for handling and storing film rolls, machinery maintenance and wrapper calibration for optimum film coverage.

MERGE MAXX 950: high output belt merger KUHN will also be using the Grassland UK event to promote its new belt merger grass rake: aimed at large-scale grassland farms and contractors, the MERGE MAXX 950 uses two adjustable, bidirectional merger belts to give a maximum grass pick-up width of 9.50 metres.

The bi-directional design of the MERGE MAXX 950’s twin belts provides multiple windrow delivery options: forage can be delivered into a single central windrow, a single lateral windrow (left or right

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side), two lateral windrows (one either side) or a central and left or right lateral windrow.

The MERGE MAXX uses autoregulating pick-up rollers which self-adjust according to crop thickness to produce a uniform,

airy and faster-drying windrow.

Compared to a conventional grass rake, the MERGE MAXX 950 offers a 30-100% increase in working rate, with the greatest time savings to be made when handling wet or heavier forage crops.

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| Grassland

Case IH to show upgraded balers and new recordbreaking Maxxum tractor at Grassland UK Case IH’s latest equipment for forage production will feature at Grassland UK, adjoining the Bath and West Showground, Somerset, on 10 May. s well as newly upgraded balers, Case IH will be showing the ‘Machine Of The Year 2018’, the Maxxum Multicontroller tractor with ActiveDrive 8 transmission, as well as the higher-powered Puma tractor and the compact Luxxum.

Three newly-upgraded balers will be shown on the stand. The four-wheeled RB 545 Silage Pack fixed chamber round baler now includes improved front hood access when changing net and film, stronger rotor cutter knives, a configurable blank knife option, an improved bale quarter turn option and longer wrapper table belts.

The RB 455 variable chamber round baler also benefits from a 2018 upgrade. This includes a dual density option, while a new rotor design on Rotor Cutter models improves durability, with tine thickness increased from 6mm to 8mm and inter-tine spacing up from 8mm to 10mm. A new net wrapper design features a new net knife to improve cut quality. Bale shape fill sensor sensitivity has been improved, as has the associated display.

The biggest change to the RB variable chamber models is a new integrated wrapper option previously this was only available on Case IH fixed chamber balers.

Machines leave the factory wrapper-ready and are then transferred to wrapper manufacturer Goweil for fitment.

This option is available for RB 455 and RB 465 models in Rotor Cutter specification.

Square bale users will be interested to see Case IH’s improved LB 334P model. It now has a 31% longer bale chamber

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for better bale stability during formation, improving bale density and shape, with less risk of the twine snapping. It has also gained a new active bale ejection system.

The Maxxum 145 Multicontroller with the new 8-speed 24-speed ActiveDrive 8 transmission is expected to get a lot of attention. It achieved the lowest specific fuel consumption ever recorded for a four-cylinder tractor in the respected PowerMix test, conducted by Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft (DLG), the German Agricultural Society. The machine achieved an average specific fuel consumption of 258 g/kWh in the Field Work section of the test, almost 9.5% lower than the 282 g/kWh recorded by its nearest competitor.

Named ‘Machine Of The Year 2018’ at the Agritechnica show, the Maxxum 145 Multicontroller is powered by a 4.5-litre, fourcylinder, turbocharged and intercooled FPT engine which meets Stage IV emissions regulations using the Hi-eSCR selective catalytic reduction system. This has a rated power output of 107kW (145hp) at 2,200rpm and produces up to 118kW (160hp) with Power Management, the maximum power of 114kW (155hp) being produced at 1,800rpm, and 129kW (175hp) with Power Management.

A key factor in its recordbreaking fuel economy was the tractor’s ActiveDrive 8 transmission, a new 24 x 24 semipowershift which provides eight powershift steps in each of three ranges. The transmission can now be specified on all Maxxum Multicontroller tractors from 116hp to 145hp as an alternative to ActiveDrive 4, a four-step 16 x 16

40 km/h semi-powershift system, and the continuously-variable 50 km/h CVXDrive transmission.

ActiveDrive 8 is suited to powerhungry tasks where maintaining momentum is critical, such as operating large mowers or cultivating, because the clutch

pedal is not required to change gear.

Other tractors on the Case IH stand will include the short wheelbase version of the popular Puma and the high-spec yet compact Luxxum tractor.

May 2018 | Farming Monthly | 25

| Grassland

High moisture bales – the enemy of profitability and quality We have often seen round bales left in the field to “sweat” the moisture out before stacking as no one wants to risk a barn fire.

Whilst that cooling period allows for piece of mind; has the loss of feed value as mould and yeasts consume the plant sugars or the cost of mycotoxins on livestock’s respiratory systems and reduced feed conversion been thought through? ew for harvest 2018, PFC is offering a new low-cost moisture meter option for round balers with precision levels only previously seen with PFC automatic applicator systems.

The system designated as “H2O” is available for all makes and models of round baler and enters the market with a competitive RRP of £995. Whilst slightly higher priced than bale probes, this system is superior in precision and range. H2O allows the operator to achieve more bales per day through longer baling days, and importantly, not needing to stop to measure the bales’ moisture.

This is achieved by sending an electrical charge through the outer 150mm of the forming bale 5 times/second and measuring the voltage drop. With an impressive working range of 8 to 60 % moisture and accuracy levels of +/1%.This is a level of flexibility that round baler operators have never had without utilising the Harvest Tec automatic applicator from PFC. Understanding the customers desire to keep

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the systems price competitive is shown by the flexibility of the information display. The data is transmitted from the moisture meter ECU via Bluetooth, after downloading the free app from either the Apple app store or Google play store, allowing a compatible iPhone or iPad, or an Android based phone to become the screen.

Acknowledging smaller screen sizes, the system utilises an icon-based architecture keeping the display simple and easy to read.

Two sets of moisture data are shown; the moisture of the bale being produced and the average moisture of the last bale while using the moisture system. The operator can still make and receive calls, emails and SMS messages.

PFC feels that the H2O moisture system integrates well into our current equipment lineup which consists of:• Moisture meters and automatic applicators for all balers, wet bale markers for all square balers and relative feed value analysis for large square balers.

• Fixed rate manual electronic applicators for

silage and haylage producers, and • Our flagship automatic applicators suited to both round and square balers. These automatic systems utilise the same moisture meter as the H2O but with added capability. Input the bale weight, size and time to make a bale and the computer does the rest. These units can be either baler or front linkage mounted. Used with our pH6.0 non-corrosive hay and straw preservative Balers Choice allows you to bale crops up to 30 % moisture by controlling the growth of moulds and yeasts in the bale.

Achieving additional baling time each day, maximising baler productivity and producing optimum quality forage PFC supply equipment with full baler integration through the AGCO and CNH dealer network, also available through other equipment dealer networks. These would operate through an iPad with a Bluetooth connection or through the tractor ISObus.

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| Grassland

New machines head up MF's full-line offering at Grassland UK Massey Ferguson is proud to announce that its presence at next month's Bath & West Grassland UK event, will be dominated by a new generation of farm machinery and equipment, designed to make the work of mixed farming enterprises a whole lot easier. he MF offering is set to include the latest mid to high horsepower S Series tractors, the MF 4700 & 5700 ranging from 75 to 110 hp, brand new round balers and the latest telehandlers. And, in what is Massey Ferguson's Diamond Anniversary year, examples of the company's newest mower, rake and tedder models will also be on display at the event at Shepton Mallet.

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“We are offering customer’s an exciting opportunity to see first hand the capabilities of our machinery” Ready for action at the Grassland UK site, the latest round balers, represented by the MF RB 2125 Fixed chamber baler and the MF RB 4160 Variable chamber baler. This round baler model range now offers a wide choice of fixed and variable chamber machines to meet the needs of smaller stock farms, larger mixed grass/arable units and high-use contractors. These balers are a fusion of straightforward operation and design excellence.

Taking centre-stage will be Massey Ferguson’s range of grass machinery, since its acquisition in 2016, the collection of rakes, mowers and tedders has gained major momentum and is becoming increasingly popular.

Brand-new and showcasing for the first time here in the UK will be the

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impressive MF DM 316 TL KC V Vertical lift mower and newly styled MF DM 306 FP KC mower.

With the extensive range of MF rakes – in which there are more than 20 models – options include single, twin or four rotors, with side or centre delivery and a wide range of working widths, so there's one to suit all situations and preferences.

Those coming to Grassland UK will be able to see the MF RK 662 TRC working the demo arena, a two-rotor, centre-delivery model, working to a width of up to 4.5m and with a 12-4 tine arm configuration.

And, just before the baler's arrival in the field, the tedder will have done its job. MF's plans include having several from its comprehensive range on display, including the MF TD 524 DN and MF TD 776 TRC. In total, the MF range includes 12 models spanning working widths from 4.5m to 12.7m, each with easily adjusted spreading angles – 15, 18 or 20.5 degrees – to cope easily with all forage and crop conditions.

The MF TD 524 DN operates via the three-point linkage covering a width of 5.2m and with six tine arms on each of the four rotors.

Venturing across to the clamp demonstration area, you will find the MF 7722 S with buckrake, making light work of silage. The MF 7700 S Series is perfect for this type of work with its excellent power-to-weight ratio and agile performance.

William Judge, Manager, National Sales, Massey Ferguson,

UK & Eire says “This is our most versatile and all-encompassing range yet, we are offering customer’s an exciting opportunity to see first-hand the capabilities of our machinery”.

This is just a sample of what Massey Ferguson will have on display at Grassland UK. To see this exciting new collection in action be sure to visit field 11 when you're there.

May 2018 | Farming Monthly | 27

| Pig & Poultry

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| Groundcare

Make light work of big spaces Versatile and strong, the STIGA Tornado robust side discharge tractors can handle a variety of terrain, from private playing fields, paddocks, vineyards, orchards to undulating lawns in any season.

our mowers feature within the current range and are all fitted with hydrostatic transmission as standard providing smooth speed control by simply pressing the foot pedal; no gear change, levers or knobs required.

Powered by Briggs & Stratton or Kawasaki high performance engines these mowers provide superior cutting with top mulching performance, discharging grass clippings into the lawn, returning valuable nutrients into the soil.

Top of the range is the Tornado Pro 9118 XWS, featuring 4 wheel drive and is powered by a twin cylinder Kawaskai FS691V engine; built to tackle heavy duty tasks and challenging terrain. The cast iron front axle and large heavy duty 121cm cutting deck with three untimed blades is driven using premium quality pulleys and a Kevlar reinforced belt that has been designed for intensive use.

The fully floating deck is constructed from steel that is 25% thicker than usual along with lateral structural reinforcements and 6 anti-scalp wheels.

Side discharge comes into its own in longer grass conditions and leaves a uniform finish where the grass has grown too long to mulch. The mulching plug can easily be fitted allowing efficient

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recycling of grass clippings back into the soil, saving time and without sacrificing the standard of finish.

Three of the mowers within the range are fitted with large 15 litre rear mounted fuel tanks giving the freedom to operate for long periods without the need to refuel.

With a selection of seasonal implements ranging from poly rollers, carts, sweepers and snow blades these tractors are extremely adaptable.

The STIGA Tornado lawn tractors really do make light work of those big spaces, models within the range are: • Tornado 3108 H – powered by a 540cc Briggs & Stratton 5210 AVS engine • Tornado 6108 HW – powered by a 603cc twin cylinder Kawasaki FS481V engine • Tornado 7118 HWS – powered by a 724cc twin cylinder Briggs & Stratton Intek 8240 engine • Tornado Pro 9118 XWS – powered by a 726cc twin cylinder Kawasaki FS691V engine Built today for tomorrow, all models come with a 5 year Domestic warranty or a 1 year Commercial Warranty (Terms & Conditions apply) For more information about the STIGA Tornado range please visit our website www.stigalawnmowers.co.uk or visit your local STIGA dealer.

Contact your local STIGA dealer LJ & CA Cannings Challow House Farm, Main St, East Challow, Wantage OX12 9SR 01235 763103 www.ljcannings.co.uk

S.T. Bishop & Co Ltd 6 Bishop Road, Wick, Bristol BS30 5SJ 01179 372 285 www.stbishop.co.uk

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Southam Agri Svcs Fields Farm Station Road Southam CV47 2DH 01926 813426 www.southamagri.co.uk

May 2018 | Farming Monthly | 29

| Cereals

Cereals 2018 is all about change. From the structure of the event itself to preparing businesses for changes ahead of Brexit, there is an abundance of new features and advice at this year’s event (13-14 June). e have made significant, positive alterations to both the content and layout of the event to ensure it meets the needs of our most important people: arable farmers and agronomists,” explains Jon Day, event director.

These changes have been based on feedback from farmer and exhibitor advisory boards, which were formed at the end of last year. Cambridgeshire farmer, Ralph Parker, has been attending the event for over 20 years and says getting growers involved is a very sensible option. “It’s essential that farmers have an input because the show is for them. The better the show is, the better it is for farmers.”

The experience will begin the moment visitors set foot on the site, thanks to the new Innovation Entrances, which provide a preview of some of the exciting technology and ideas across the event site. “We want a visit to Cereals to be inspiring from start to finish – not just while looking around exhibitor stands,” explains Mr Day. “Therefore, some of the latest arable innovations will be highlighted at both of the visitor entrances – giving farmers a flavour of what they can expect to see and hear during the day.”

Other new features at this year’s event will include Cereals Controversial and Cereals Conversations. These seminars are replacing the popular Arable Conference, splitting into two

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areas to give visitors a greater depth of knowledge. Cereals Controversial will include panel debates with politicians and leading industry officials – and will be a hub for discussion on the hottest topics in the sector. In the Cereals Conversations marquee, talks will take a more technical and practical approach, arming visitors with the latest scientific knowledge and research to put into action.

In response to feedback from farmers, topics include: Business resilience, the future of the supply chain with no subsidies, artificial intelligence and emerging weed control strategies.

Knowledge transfer opportunities continue with new, guided tours led by industry professionals. Expert guides will take groups of visitors on a curated tour of exhibitors and event features relating to specific themes – covering everything from Recommended List varieties to soil management and innovation in actions. Additional BASIS and NRoSO CPD will be available from a range of exhibitors across the site.

Of course, many existing favourites will also make a return to the event, including the Soil Pit. Sponsored by NIAB, the pit has become an integral part of Cereals, allowing farmers to get below ground to understand some of the most complex and interrelated problems they face.

Soil health and management has been highlighted in the news recently, with Michael Gove’s proposal to incentivise minimum

30 | Farming Monthly | May 2018

tillage practices. Whether through mechanical practices or cropping choice, there are many options available for improving soil

structure. Plenty of the latest cutting-edge kit will be on display, and experts from AHDB, NIAB and Yara will be on hand to arm

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| Cereals

growers with all they need to know about monitoring and managing soils.

Machinery choice is also an area of focus for many growers,

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with constant innovation meaning there are more options than ever before. Whether you’re looking for improved precision kit, want to compare the latest tractors or see

some of the newest sprayers in action, there’s plenty on offer at this year’s event.

Among the manufacturers returning to this year’s event is New Holland Agriculture which will be showcasing its new T6 DCT tractor. Other firms returning this year include Amber Valley Developments, Camgrain, Caulkett, Cheffins, Ecosure, Mark Weatherhead, P. Tuckwell, Prodata Weather Systems, Rand Brothers, Samco, Tees Law, Terrington Machinery, UK Power Networks, and WMEC. For those wanting a sneak peak at the future, the event will also host the only live demonstration of Harper Adams’ Hands Free Hectare outside of the university, which is likely to draw a lot of interest from visitors.

AHDB will be focusing on preparing businesses for the changes that lie ahead, rather than crop plots this year. But there will still be a huge number of arable plots on site, profiling everything from market-leading varieties to up-and-coming genetics. In addition, growers can compare untreated and treated trial plots, helping them to identify the most resistant options. As well as this, growers will be able to seek expert advice from some of the UK’s leading crop protection firms who will be demonstrating the latest chemistry on the plots.

NIAB’s crop plots will showcase 40 winter wheat and 27 winter oilseed rape varieties - either already established on the AHDB 2018/19 Recommended List or candidates – with more

demonstration plots this year than ever before. The untreated plots will give visitors a head start in their variety selection for next season, with independent specialists on hand to point growers in the right direction.

A number of specialist and alternative cropping options will be covered by leading firms including Premium Crops and Soya UK. In the day-to-day running of any farm, it’s easy to overlook the importance of having a clear business structure in place.

However, with uncertainty over trade deals in the near future, it’s essential that arable businesses have plans in place to ensure they remain profitable after Brexit. On hand at this year’s event will be some of the most knowledgeable firms in the industry, including Andersons Farm Business Consultants and AHDB, offering advice and practical tips on how to get your business ready for 2020.

Another significant change to this year’s event is a simplified online ticket purchasing system for advance tickets, and improvements to the on-site box office, based on visitor feedback – meaning it’s now easier than ever to attend. “Over 20,000 farmers, agronomists and industry experts visit Cereals each year,” adds Mr Day. “With this year’s changes, it really is the place to discover the latest arable innovations, hear from key opinion leaders and find the best arable products and services to help businesses thrive.”

May 2018 | Farming Monthly | 31

| Energy

32 | Farming Monthly | May 2018

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| Cereals

Gibbons range to be showcased at Cereals 2018 It’s almost time for Cereals, and Gibbons Agricultural Fans is preparing to showcase its high-performance grain store fans to visitors from across the arable industry. he Gibbons stand (1074) will include its best-selling crop conditioning fans and Airspear® fans for visitors to peruse, while members of the expert team will be available to answer questions and distribute brochures, giveaways and other marketing literature.

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“Cereals offers us a great chance to introduce farmers to our best-selling grain store fans along with our comprehensive range of agricultural products and services” Gibbons’ steel and aluminium fans are rated at 0.13-2.2kW and are available as single phase or three phase in most sizes. While designed for use with pedestal systems, Gibbons’ fans can also be converted for floor-level use with a support stand.

New for 2018 is the upgraded

terminal box cover on Gibbons’ fans. Now made of steel rather than plastic, the more robust covers offer greater protection from knocks during movement and storage on farms.

Via its trusted international shipping partner, Gibbons can deliver orders of all sizes across the UK and beyond and a large stockholding eliminates lead times.

Also on display at Cereals will be the Gibbons Plug&Dry™ range of crop store fan accessories, a series of fully-compatible add-ons designed to make life easier during the post-harvest period.

The range includes push-button starters, high-precision thermostats and heavy-duty extension cables.

Each of these optional plugand-play solutions can be quickly installed by the user, removing the cost of having an electrician attend site.

Visitors will be able to experience for themselves Gibbons’ own easy-to-use grain store fan calculator, an ingenious

tool that advises the optimum number of fans required for a given crop store. Users simply enter a few pieces of key information and the calculator does the rest – allowing farmers to confidently order only as many fans as they need.

Gibbons will also be showcasing its essential electrical farm services, which include motor rewinds, control panel building, wiring, lighting and door controls.

Gibbons Agricultural Fans Manager Josie Knight is looking forward to the company’s debut appearance at the annual show: “We’re excited to meet farmers

from Britain and abroad to chat about the ups and downs of last year’s harvest and to see how we can help them in 2018.

“Cereals offers us a great chance to introduce farmers to our best-selling grain store fans along with our comprehensive range of agricultural products and services that can save them money and make their lives easier.”

For more information, call Agricultural Fans Manager Josie Knight on 01621 868 138 or email fans@gibbonsgroup.co.uk

Kickstart the BASIS points year at Cereals BASIS members are being encouraged to kickstart their points collection at Cereals, after the new points year starts on 1 June 2018. Each year members must collect 20 – 50 points and those on offer at the event could contribute up to 60% of this quota. ichele Williams, BASIS Professional Registers and account manager, explains that a total of 12 BASIS CPD points (maximum of six points per day) will be on offer throughout the twoday event. These can be collected in the following ways: • Two points per day for attendance (registers and scans at stand 232) • One point for completing the Slug Trail • Four points for completing the ‘BASIS Knowledge Exchange’ each day • Two points for participating in the ‘Cereals Guided Tours’.

“Throughout the year there are many ways in which members can do this, but its recommended to start right away. So, Cereals gives the perfect opportunity to boost your points tally early in the year,” she says.

As well as being an excellent opportunity to collect points,

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visitors can also head to the BASIS stand (number 232). The team will be on hand to assist with points collection and provide guidance to prospective new members, with a wide range of information on available training courses.

“We’ll be showcasing our popular Certificates in Crop Protection and FACTS as well as a range of other qualifications, including the Certificate in Soil and Water Management,” says Michele.

“This is a particularly useful course to help both farmers and agronomists keep in line with the new Defra farming rules for water, as it encompasses everything from cultivation techniques and fertiliser planning, to soil water, drainage and irrigation.

“Another one of the courses we’re promoting is the AgriAwareness UAS qualification, which provides drone pilots with a level of understanding and knowledge on drone data collection for agricultural use. This will potentially help operators to

achieve the best results from using drones on-farm,” says Michele.

How to collect points at Cereals To collect their points, members should visit the BASIS stand, number 232 to have their membership card scanned.

A stamp card can then be picked up for participation in the ‘BASIS Knowledge Exchange’ and ’Cereals Guided Tours’, this is

stamped after participating in each exhibitor activity.

The stamped card should be handed back in at the BASIS stand, and points will be awarded accordingly.

For more information on BASIS membership and training, please visit www.basis-reg.co.uk or call 01335 343945.

May 2018 | Farming Monthly | 33

| Cereals

Five new additions to CLAAS range on display at Grassland UK CLAAS will have a total of five new additions from their extensive green harvest, tractor and material handling ranges on display and working at this year’s Grassland UK event.

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ew at this year’s Grassland will be: • The JAGUAR 970 (Type 498) with PICK UP 300 • TORION 1812

wheel loader • VOLTO 55 tedder • AXION 900 (Tier 4F) • ARION 600 (Tier 4F) New 775hp JAGUAR The JAGUAR forage harvester always attracts a large crowd when working at grassland demonstrations and visitors to this year’s event will be able to see the latest 775hp JAGUAR 970 (Type 498) with the new PICK UP 300 header being put through its paces.

New features on the JAGUAR 970 and the more powerful top-ofthe-range JAGUAR 980 include a continuously variable drive. This uses a combination of a mechanical and hydraulic drive to provide high power transmission at a constant speed, so providing a more powerful and consistent drive to attachments such as the DIRECT DISC or maize headers.

An additional option is a continuously variable front attachment drive that automatically adjusts the front attachment speed relative to the chop length, for a more even crop flow and improved chop quality.

Other new features include a hydraulic clamping system for the shearbar, resulting in reduced wear and improved chop quality, improvements to the sharpening system and automatic concave adjustment so that the distance between the concave and blades

remains constant as the blades wear.

Fuel consumption has also been reduced thanks to a new running gear that allows the JAGUAR to now travel at 40kph at just 1300rpm. A new ground drive system produced more hydraulic power and there is also automatic engine speed reduction at the headland.

Changes to the PICK UP 300 header include ACTIVE CONTOUR for more accurate ground contour following.

First working display of TORION On display for the first time in Ireland will be the new TORION 1812 wheel loader, which will be showing off its capabilities in the clamp. Powered by a 195hp Leibherr 4-cylinder engine, the TORION 1812 has a tipping load capacity of 11 tonnes and an operating weight of 18.7 tonnes.

A particular feature of the TORION is its massive torque of 1215Nm, which comes in at just 1100rpm, which is far higher than any competing machine and ensures it has no shortage of pushing power. Drive is through a split-power CVT CMATIC transmission, again another first for a machine of this type.

Another unique feature is the TORION’s extremely low running cost. In addition to its minimal fuel consumption and high productivity, the engine only needs servicing every 2,000 hours, and the transmission checked at 3,000 and serviced at 6,000 hours, far longer than with any other competing machine.

New VOLTO 55 tedder

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The new 4-rotor VOLTO 55 replaces the VOLTO 52 and includes innovations such as the PERMALINK drive and the MAX SPREAD crop flow concept, previously only available on larger models in the range. It has a working width of 5.2m making it ideal for use in combination with 2.1m or 3.0m wide DISCO mowers on small to medium sized farms.

Unlike conventional straight tines, with MAX SPREAD the tines are angled by 29 degrees. This has the benefit that more crop is collected as each arm has a longer sweep. Once collected, the crop flows between the rotors in a straight line, so reducing crop damage. This also creates a greater space for the crop to flow through, so helping increase throughput, but results in a wider and more even spread pattern, ensuring fewer lumps and more even drying.

Overall, the spreading arms work for 65% longer and the increase in pick-up rate and flow through the tedder results in higher throughput and increased forward speed. This also allows the VOLTO 55 to be run at a reduced engine speed, so saving fuel.

The drive system on the VOLTO 55 uses the well-proven and patented CLAAS PERMALINK finger clutch at the pivot points, which is maintenance free but allows the arms to be folded by up to 180 degrees, so ensuring a compact transport width.

Each of the four 1.50m diameter rotors on the VOLTO 55 is fitted with heavy duty 10.5mm tines and for different crop conditions the spreading angle can be adjusted by between 12 and 16 degrees without needing tools.

Latest ARION and AXION tractors The latest additions to the AXION and ARION ranges include

the new Touch Screen CEBIS terminal and the addition of a new CIS+ specification.

The new Touch Screen CEBIS terminal makes it extremely easy and simple to enter, set and change settings, using the clearly arranged user interface. With CIS+, electronic spool valves and the CMATIC CVT transmission are now available without needing the full CEBIS specification.

Other new features include a more powerful addition to the AXION range, the 445hp AXION 960. As with the rest of the AXION range, this is powered by the latest FPT Cursor 9 engine with a variable geometry turbo. A benefit of this is that 70% of maximum torque is now available even when idling and the engine develops 18% more torque at a lower engine speed. Engine speed when idling is also now cut to just 650rpm.

The ARION 600 and 500 range also benefits from two new models at either end of the range – the 125hp ARION 510 and the 185hp ARION 660 which has a power boost to 205hp for transport and PTO work.

Again the engine idling speed on ARION 600 models has been reduced to 650rpm and all ARIONs feature an updated HEXASHIFT transmission with cruise control.

Another new feature on all ARIONs is the CLAAS developed PROACTIV front axle suspension, which has only 4 grease points, compared to 19 previously. New options also include SMART STOP, whereby the transmission is automatically disengaged when the brake pedal is pressed, and DYNAMIC STEERING, which enables the number of times the steering needs to be turned to achieve the same lock, making it ideal for jobs such as loader work.

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| Muck & Slurry

Contact your nearest dealer: Central Cropsprayers Limited Unit J Sandford Industrial Park Whitchurch Shropshire SY13 2AN 01948 840187 www.centralcropsprayers.co.uk Sprayer Spares 1, Moorland Trading Estate, Metheringham, Lincoln LN4 3HX 01526 323521 www.sprayerspares-ltd.co.uk Agratech NW Ltd Unit 8 Dale Mill Burnley Road East Lancashire BB4 9HU 01706 211399 www.agratech.co.uk

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May 2018 | Farming Monthly | 35

| Cereals

New 10 Series MaxiDrill offers precision drilling The new Sky Maxidrill 10 Series will be launched in the UK on the OPICO stand [no. 840] at the Cereals event. irst seen at Agritechnica in 2017, the overhauled drill has new and improved features including the ability to seed three different products from separate hoppers (eg seed, fertilizer and slug pellets), with individual metering systems, feeding into two distribution circuits, which can place product at two different depths. This means fertilizer application can be targeted, reducing the total amount applied and minimising waste. This is particularly useful in cooler, northern areas or where crops have a shorter growing window and need to get off to the best possible start.

Commenting James Woolway, OPICO Managing Director said, ‘Originally launched in 2002 and with over 1,500 trailed drills at work across Europe, Sky’s MaxiDrill already has a proven track record. It is a high speed, versatile, machine with a large hopper capacity and can be used as a min-till drill into crop residues, as well as into ploughed and prepared seedbeds. It can also be used as a direct drill under certain conditions. The new features will improve its versatility across the UK market, offering precision seeding and application of fertiliser.’

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The new Series 10 Maxi Drill improvements include: • A new and improved “Fertisem” version, with separate distribution circuits meaning that seed and fertilizer are not mixed. The two different circuits allow seed and fertilizer to be placed at different depths, as well as reducing blockages caused by mixing them in damp conditions. Where three or more products are sown, the third product can be introduced to either distribution circuit and sown at the same depth as the first or second product. The three hoppers each have their own electronic metering units and are operated by a single control unit in the tractor´s cab.

• The coulter has been re-designed to enable it to drill through large volumes of crop residues. The streamlined coulter incorporates smoothed and rounded components to slice through clinging straws and residues. The pressure on each coulter is adjustable from 0 to 120 kg, whilst the depth is adjustable through the parallelogram frame.

• Designed with a long chassis, the MaxiDrill has the largest coulter stagger on the market.

This gives it maximum clearance ensuring unrivalled residue flow and allowing it to work in wet, sticky and trashy conditions, late into the

season, when most other min-till drills have been put away in the shed.

• Redesigned cultivation discs. The new sealed hubs are maintenance-free and each disc is equipped with a rubber shock absorber to provide stone and shock protection.

The new Series 10 MaxiDrill is available in 3m, 4m or 6m models with or without fertilizer, and with or without the third micro-hopper. The 4m and 6m models can be folded in two parts, allowing easy access to the discs and making emptying the hopper straight-forward.

The separate transport axle allows for comfortable and safe road transport, but can also be used effectively in wet ground, when the transport wheels can lift the pressure off the cultivation and seeding elements, preventing blockages and ensuring the drill keeps working. When the weather catches the operator out, in extreme conditions, they can also be used to lift the drill out of work.

Since the press wheels are not used for transport, and are dedicated to consolidating the seedbed, they run with low tyre pressure ensuring flex and an ability to shed excess soil and residue.

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Forestry

Robert D Webster Ltd Owstwick, Hull HU12 0LH T: 01964 670251

Goole, N. Humberside DN14 7DZ T: 01430 430624

Driffield, E. Yorkshire YO25 4RF T: 01262 420226 www.robertdwebster.co.uk

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May 2018 | Farming Monthly | 37

| Grain

Flowering, fusarium and forecasts: Mycotoxin management in wheat Concern across the global supply chain about the presence of mycotoxins in grain means many countries have developed tools to predict contamination risk. The UK is no exception, with simple paper-based tools to pioneering forecasts becoming available over the last few years. n the UK, AHDB’s paper-based and online mycotoxin risk assessment and guidelines contain best practice information. Supported by the supply chain, these tools provide a relatively simple way to manage mycotoxin risk.

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At this time of the year, the scores in the ‘pre-flowering’ section of the risk assessment are already known – because they are based on ‘risk factors’ before or during drilling – such as region, previous crop, cultivation method and variety.

At and after flowering, however, the more tricky elements of fusarium mycotoxin risk need to be

38 | Farming Monthly | May 2018

dealt with – those driven predominately by the weather.

Many growers consider a T3 ear wash fungicide application during the wheat flowering period to limit infection of wheat ears by Fusarium species, reduce head blight and lessen the risks of mycotoxin development.

The industry, though, is under increasing pressure to reduce fungicide use. This pressure is not just from the public but also from the chemistry itself. For example, it is known that an azole applied at T3 can make septoria tritici more resistant to this class of chemistry, even if it is not the intended target for the spray*. It is clear that accurate information on fusarium infection risks could help with both the targeting of sprays and the management of higher-risk grains (e.g. through the use of harvesting, sampling and storage strategies).

As part of the effort to provide a heads-up risk service, AHDB has funded work** over the last three years to investigate the provision of ‘real-time’ fusarium infection risk.

The ADAS led work used a simple ‘calculator’ and key risk information – average county-level daily rainfall and flowering progress information – to estimate infection risk on a weekly basis during the flowering period.

One of the key questions in the research was how the forecast risk married up with mycotoxin levels detected in the grain. To provide an answer, the research team used actual deoxynivalenol (DON) mycotoxin scores from several hundred grain samples and compared results against the forecast risk from the calculator and the paper-based risk assessment.

Out of all the samples, only six samples in 2016 and 2017 exceeded the 1250µg/kg threshold for food safety. The calculator

forecast picked up two of these samples as being at high risk, whereas the paper-based risk assessment picked up one.

There are two key observations from these findings. Firstly, the study years were relatively low risk (97% of samples <500 mg/kg DON). Secondly, both ways of forecasting were not perfect. In 2017, for example, although rainfall at the county level was low, showers caused more significant accumulations at the field level and disrupted T3 applications.

In 2016, two samples tested high. Although there was not obvious reason why, it was subsequently found that the fields in question had had large amounts of maize in the rotation (if not in the previous crop) and had maize game strips.

All other samples that were forecast by both tools to be at high risk, had DON levels well below threshold. This means that both approaches tend to overestimate the risk of DON being present in the harvested grain – which is preferable to risk being underestimated.

With so many factors influencing actual risk, prediction systems will vary in their performance. But, when it comes to the management of mycotoxin risk, the industry has come a long way in recent years and improvements continue to be made. The UK is heading in the right direction.

For the latest information on risk management, visit cereals.ahdb.org.uk/mycotoxins *Adding a multisite product reduces resistance risk. ** Validation of fusarium infection risk calculator with AHDB mycotoxin risk assessment and actual DON result (Final Project Report 593)

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| Grain

Insect pests affecting the quality of your stored grain and pulses? A low volume insect pest treatment solution Grain-Tect ULV offers effective control and protection against insect pests found in stored grain and pulses. he product forms part of a best practice integrated insect management strategy to minimise the risk of insect infestations, with monitoring traps, housekeeping and the use of control measures providing a complete package.

Grain-Tect ULV contains 6 g/l

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deltamethrin and 54 g/l piperonyl butoxide. It is applied with an industry-standard ultra-low volume applicator with an enclosed nozzle, applied at 42 ml/tonne of stored crop. This application protects the grain and pulses against flying insects for up to 3 months and crawling species for a year. The product is supplied in a convenient 20 litre container and the cost of treatment is less than

ÂŁ1 per tonne.

Graintect ULV is marketed in the UK by Barrettine Environmental Health the UK through their network of specialist distributors along with, if required, highaccuracy digital dosing pumps.

Barrettine Environmental Health supports this integrated insect management strategy with advice on the application of Graintect ULV, installation of application

equipment and free guidance on the wider grain store hygiene measures.

As part of the grainstore hygiene product support, the Barrettine Technical team based in Bristol offer free insect identification to assist farmers.

For more information about this product or for your local distributor contact beh@barrettine.co.uk

May 2018 | Farming Monthly | 39

| Grain

Arable farming in a global market Cecilia Pryce

A few good UK spring days, and farmers were flat out catching up on field work. The winter and spring frustrations faced by UK farmers, have also been felt by many others around the world.

he arrival of spring was delayed in the US, where they saw snow and excessive cold and wet conditions, following on from what was a very dry winter, swinging markets between drought, back to concerns around delays in planting of corn, spring wheat and soya due to rains. Meanwhile Australian and Brazilian farmers are all struggling with consistent lack of rain.

What this all this mean for commodity prices and the price paid at the checkout is yet to be fully understood. The last time the world had a major cereal crop disaster was in 2012/13, when the combined wheat, maize and barley crop was 280M/mt less than 2017/18. It was an amazing year, with the smaller crop largely caused by the lack of rain in the US, so, it’s important that traders, farmers and consumers keep a close eye on weather in various countries, while understanding issues closer to home.

Weather markets are never easy to trade, not only do you have to guess the impact of climatic issues, but you also must understand the different types of agriculture. Kansas is America’s largest winter wheat growing State and one to watch in the coming months. It has a farmed area of around 46 million acres, marginally bigger than the UK’s 43 million acres, meaning 1 US State is a similar size to

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the UK, but that is where the similarity really stops. The UK tends to harvest every acre planted yet Kansas farmers only harvests 96% to 88% of wheat planted, subject to weather, and their average yield varies between 3.232.82t/ha, against the UK averaging from a recent low of 6.6574t/ha in 2012 to 8.9746t/ha in 2015.

These difference goes some way in explaining the uncertainty of estimating global crops especially when you consider that wheat quality and varieties also vary around the world, adding further to the complexities. DEFRA would be wise to remember this as they

consider the future of UK agriculture. The current Health and Harmony consultation document asks many questions but also raises points that need to be remembered, namely that: - ‘famers feed the country as well as look after it.’

The UK risks environmental issues being prioritised over food supply, turning the UK into a nature reserve leaving us open to imports of cheaper food that the average consumer struggles to avoid buying. The future is unknown, but we are, in reality, only one bad weather event or trade issue away from a genuine food security issue.

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| Buildings

RIDBA tackles CE Marking non-compliance with new partnership RIDBA is pleased to have signed a new partnership with Dorset County Council Trading Standards Service (DCCTSS) in the form of a Primary Authority Agreement (PAA). he agreement is a legal partnership whereby DCCTSS commits to investigating reports from RIDBA members of noncompliance of the Construction Products Regulation (CPR).

DCCTSS is fully aware of the CPR and the importance of CE Marking, which has often not been the case with many Local Trading Standards offices. Acting as the main point of contact for RIDBA on all cases, DCCTSS will follow up directly with other Local Trading Standards offices, allowing a more efficient way for RIDBA members to report non-compliance.

All RIDBA Steel Frame Manufacturers have achieved CE certification as part of the RIDBA membership criteria and this agreement takes a significant step in helping to make the industry a fairer place. RIDBA members are critical to ensuring the success of this partnership by making RIDBA

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aware of any cases of noncompliance, which can be reported anonymously. This is a fantastic opportunity for RIDBA and its members to lead the way in ensuring that non-member businesses not complying with CE Marking are reported.

Principal Trading Standards Officer at Dorset County Council, Martin Thursby said: “We are delighted to form a Primary Authority Partnership with RIDBA and look forward to working closely together to drive up compliance with the Construction Products Regulation in non-member companies. As well as being a legal obligation, compliance with the regulations ensures safety and a level playing field in the industry."

RIDBA Chairman, James Anthony said: “This is a massive step forward for RIDBA and something we have been looking at for some time. The number one issue for our members is compliance with CE

James Anthony

marking and the frustration caused by companies operating illegally and not complying with the Construction Products Regulation.

Dorset has already demonstrated

how effective it can be in dealing with non-compliance so we look forward to a successful partnership.”

May 2018 | Farming Monthly | 41

| Buildings

Image courtesy of A C Bacon Engineering

Column bases – The importance of getting it right This article introduces the topic of column bases as used in portal frame sheds and other steel framed buildings. ften hidden from view and forgotten, column bases and their foundations are as important as any other building element. Not only do they provide a stable base on which to erect the steel frame, but they also provide an essential link in the load path. All loads applied to the building must eventually pass through the column bases into the ground.

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Column bases provide the important link between the building superstructure and the supporting ground A typical column base consists of a steel plate, known as the base plate, welded to the base of the column and connected to the concrete foundation by four holding down bolts. Although two holding down bolts are likely to be adequate to resist the design loads, four should always be used for the sake of safety during erection. For large columns (Universal Beam sections 356 mm depth and above), it is common practice to locate the bolts between the flanges (i.e. within the depth of the web), but for smaller

columns the bolts should be placed outside the flanges. The plate should be raised 50 mm above the concrete foundation to create a gap for the grout.

Loading on column bases Column bases need to be designed to carry upward and downward vertical loads in additional to horizontal base shear.

Most portal frame bases are classed as ‘pinned’ even though they have four bolts. While these bolts possess some stiffness (sufficient to provide stability during erection), they do not provide any significant resistance to bending moments. The in-plane stability of a portal frame is provided by the haunched connections at the eaves and not by the column bases. Moment resisting bases are sometimes used in specialist applications, but they are expensive due to the fabrication required (e.g. welding of stiffeners) and require a large moment resisting foundation.

Downward vertical loads are taken directly into the ground in compression, with the base plate spreading the load to limit the pressure on the concrete foundation. Vertical uplift loading is taken in tension through the columns into the holding down bolts and is ultimately resisted by friction between the foundation

42 | Farming Monthly | May 2018

and the surrounding soil.

Horizontal loads are taken into the foundations by the bolts acting in shear. It is worth noting that portal frame bases are subjected to significant horizontal forces, not only from the wind loading, but also due to gravity loading on the roof. For a symmetric portal frame, the horizontal thrust at the base is equal to the bending moment at the haunch divided by the column height. The base shear on asymmetric frames can be even greater.

Design The design of column base plates is covered by EN 1993 (Eurocode 3). Base plates should be sized according to the vertical loading in the column and the strength of the concrete in the foundation. The base plate should be sized for the largest factored column load, taking account of all realistic load combinations. Where frames are subjected to combined wind and snow loading, the resulting column loads will be asymmetric due to the overturning action on the frame. The base plate should be designed to accommodate the maximum downward force such that the strength of the concrete is not

exceeded. This is achieved by assuming an ‘effective area’ of plate around the column profile.

Once the area of the base plate is known, its thickness may be calculated from the ‘cantilever’ length extending around the column (i.e. the distance from the edge of the column to the edge of the assumed effective area) and the design strength of the steel.

Free calculation tools are available for designing the base plate (search online for ‘steel base plate calculator’).

The holding down bolts should be specified to resist the uplift on the column base (due to wind action) in tension and also to transfer the horizontal forces in shear. The size of bolt will depend on the magnitude of these forces, but M20 is typical for small and medium size sheds. The length of bolt will depend on the strength of the concrete in the foundation and the tensile force that needs to be transmitted into the concrete. This should be checked by a structural engineer.

Resisting horizontal forces As mentioned above, the column bases are subjected to a significant horizontal base shear, which needs to be resisted in

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| Buildings some way. A common way of achieving this is by tying the base of the column into the floor slab using steel reinforcement. If this approach is used, care must be taken when detailing the reinforcement to avoid cracking of the slab. Where fibre reinforced concrete is used for the slab, reinforcing bars or mesh should be placed at column locations to prevent cracking.

An alternative method of resisting horizontal forces is the use of passive earth pressure acting on the sides of the concrete foundations. This is the simplest approach, but its effectiveness depends on the surrounding ground being properly compacted and able to resist the pressure. A drainage or service trench dug alongside the foundations would be significantly detrimental in this respect.

The third option is to run steel ties between the columns at subbase level and then bury them under the slab. This is probably the most effective approach, but is also the most expensive and can be inconvenient for access prior to concreting the slab (when the ties are above ground level).

Foundations For a nominally pinned base, as used for most portal frame sheds, the foundations need only be designed for axial load. The size of the foundation will depend on the

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magnitude of this load and the bearing resistance of the underlying soil. In simple terms the ground bearing pressure, calculated by dividing the downward load by the plan area of the foundation, should not exceed the allowable ground bearing pressure of the soil. It is good practice to dig trial holes prior to designing the foundations in order to measure the bearing resistance of the soil specific to that location.

This will ensure that the foundation is large enough without being over-conservative. The foundations also need to resist wind uplift. This is achieved through friction between the soil and concrete.

Where ground conditions are known to be poor, a structural engineerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s advice should be sought, as alternative foundation types (e.g. piles) may need to be considered.

Installation It is common practice to erect the columns on a single central pack located in between the holding down bolts. This enables the erectors to plumb the columns easily and accurately. Once the columns have been erected and the holding down bolts secured in place, it is essential that the voids surrounding the bolts and under the base plate are filled with a specially formulated grout (i.e. a product designed for this specific purpose rather than general-

Image courtesy of A C Bacon Engineering: Shows a typical column base prior to grouting

purpose mortar or concrete). The grout should have sufficient strength not to crush or crack under the concentrated force from the column and must also be sufficiently workable to fill the voids around the holding down bolts. The grouting process should be undertaken carefully to ensure that the whole volume under the base plate is filled right up to the underside of the plate. It is good practice to drill a hole in the base plate to allow trapped air to escape and provide visual confirmation that the cavity has been filled.

Conclusions

Column bases provide the important link between the building superstructure and the supporting ground and their correct design and installation is essential. All elements of the base, including the plate, bolts and foundation, should be designed to resist downward loading, uplift and shear, but not normally bending moment. The base plates and bolts should be designed following the latest Eurocode recommendations and great care should be taken to ensure that they are installed correctly, especially during the grouting operation.

May 2018 | Farming Monthly | 43

| Machinery

44 | Farming Monthly | May 2018

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| Security

Countryside hit by crime wave as thefts hit four year peak Leading rural insurer NFU Mutual has warned that Britain’s countryside is in the grip of a rural crime wave, as latest figures reveal a sharp rise in the cost of rural thefts. nitial estimates from the insurer show theft cost the UK’s rural homes, businesses and farms a staggering £44.5m in 2017, the highest level in four years.

Analysis of NFU Mutual’s claim statistics, the insurer of almost three quarters of the UK’s farms and thousands of rural businesses and homes, reveals 2017 saw an increase of 13.4% -the highest year on year percentage rise since 2010.

Every year, NFU Mutual publishes a detailed report on rural crime trends in August which provides detailed analysis including county statistics and information on changing patterns of theft. This year, widespread concern in rural communities has led NFU Mutual to issue an early warning to farmers and country dwellers to increase security.

“NFU Mutual’s close links to farmers through our 300 local branch offices have revealed widespread concern that more criminals are targeting the countryside and they are going for richer pickings,” said Tim Price, NFU Mutual Rural Affairs Specialist.

“From the South East of England to the North of Scotland we’re seeing brazen criminals stealing cars, 4 x 4s, tractors, quad bikes and tools. We’re especially concerned that criminals are becoming more sophisticated and are overcoming electronic security to steal expensive vehicles of all types.

“With police facing huge challenges – including budget cuts and extra workload – forces are

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finding it hard to resource rural policing and this may be one of the reasons for the rise in thefts we are seeing.

“There is still a perception among criminals that there are easy targets in the countryside – and farmers and homeowners can do a lot to deter thieves by taking simple security measures. Fitting gates to prevent easy access to farm yards and drives is one of the most effective measures. Hightech security such as movement detectors, infra-red cameras and ‘geo-fencing’, which triggers an alarm if a farm vehicle moves off the premises, can also play their part.

“Social media is fast becoming the new eyes and ears of the countryside and keeping in close touch with neighbours and police through local farmwatch schemes can play a significant role in identifying suspicious activity and bringing thieves to justice.”

The steepest rises regionally in the cost of theft claims were in Wales, the Midlands and South East England. Only one region, the north East of England recorded a significant fall in the cost of theft claims in 2017.

As the main insurer of the countryside, NFU Mutual has responded to its members’ concerns about rural crime by supporting local and national rural security initiatives.

NFU Mutual is part of a rural policing strategic review organised by the Police Chiefs’ Council, and has invested over £1m in schemes set up to tackle agricultural vehicle theft and rural crime. For six years it has funded a specialist agricultural vehicle police officer through the National Vehicle Crime

Intelligence Service (NaVCIS) for the good of the farming industry coordinating farm machinery theft information between police forces, Border Force and Interpol. NFU Mutual are also one of the key stakeholders with the Plant & Agricultural National Intelligence Unit (PANIU).

In Scotland NFU Mutual provides financial support for the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime (SPARC). It also provides support and expert advice to many local farm and rural watch schemes.

May 2018 | Farming Monthly | 45

| Security

Fit VideoGuard™ to prevent theft from your farm The Challenge: In its 2017 Rural Crime Report, NFU Mutual, the UK’s leading rural insurer suggests that rural crime has become more organised, with determined criminal gangs staking out expensive items. ationwide, power tools, ATVs/Quad bikes, 4x4s/Defenders and machinery remain constant targets for thieves, with improved transport links helping them move items into mainland Europe in a matter of hours. It’s easy to see why farmers feel under siege.

The Answer However, there’s great advice available with Warwickshire and West Mercia’s police forces producing crime prevention advice called Preventing Theft from Farms and Outbuildings.

The ‘obvious’ security measures are listed, such as sold locks and window bars, but it also frequently recommends alarms or security beams to protect farm buildings storing

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valuable equipment. Further, and possibly long before thieves get close to farm buildings, their trespass onto your land can be detected by perimeter monitoring systems, and further progress towards your possessions halted.

The Equipment Previously, CCTV and alarm systems needed power and telephone lines, but a new breed of CCTV is available that is 100% self-sufficient, sits for up to 2 years ‘watching’ vulnerable gates, barns, entrances or machinery until it is triggered. Then it immediately alerts responders, with clear video footage. This system is called VideoGuard™ and can be installed anywhere, even on the most remote site. Here it is in summary: • No power or telephone line needed. 100% wireless system.

• Internal or external cameras monitor up to 24 areas simultaneously.

• Sirens or strobes create loud warning for farmers and deter an attack.

• Captured video footage immediately sent to remote monitoring station to escalate.

• Voice-challenge intruders to warn of police attendance.

• Short-term rental or purchase options.

• Nationwide coverage, often with next-day installation. Free CCTV security signage.

For a no-obligation site survey, simply call Secure Site (UK) Limited on 08456 121312 or visit our website: www.securesiteuk.co.uk and one of our engineers will arrange to visit to answer any questions and discuss options.

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| Security

Security for the farming community Every year rural crime costs millions of pounds and causes untold anxiety across the UK countryside. ccording to data from NFU Mutual, in 2016 rural crime cost the UK £39.2million*, with the future trend showing a rise in this form of crime, as thieves become more “brazen” as they target the countryside.

Farmers are having to increase security and adopt new ways of protecting their equipment and stock with many farms being turned into fortresses, where thieves are repeatedly targeting quads, tractors and power tools.

This is also causing high levels of anxiety amongst farmers who know their rural location makes them vulnerable to attacks.

Installing a security and video monitoring system that will keep a watchful eye on a property and its contents is becoming increasingly necessary. One such cost-effective solution is Blink, a batterypowered security HD video monitoring camera system that is quick and simple to install, has no monthly fees and is totally wireless, allowing the repositioning of cameras at any time.

When Blink detects motion, it immediately sends a push notification alert and HD quality video to the user’s smartphone so that they instantly see who is inside, or wandering around their property. The system is entirely accessible via the Blink App (it’s available on iOS and Android), giving users the flexibility to arm/disarm, live stream video, and check status remotely, anytime and from anywhere. Blink cameras also monitor and alert users to changes in temperature giving lifestock owners extra peace of mind. It’s available on iOS and Android.

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Recently launched is the Blink XT, a weather proof outdoor version for use in all seasons. The Blink XT outdoor camera works seamlessly with Blink’s indoor model and can also be used independently.

Blink has unprecedented image quality, battery life (two years on 2 x AA lithium batteries). Systems start at £129.99, far less expensive than competitive systems, and up to ten cameras can be added to a network, so enabling a watchful eye on all corners of a property.

Having received our test unit we wasted no time in getting it up and running. As it goes, it took no time at all to go from opeing the box to viewing a live stream of the office via the iPhone app.

The app is simple to navigate and easy to understand - the main screen providing a simple toggle switch to arm or disarm the movement trigger response and an image of the main feed which you can view live or just take still image. A handy folder stores any footage that’s taken after triggering and a menu icon allows access to the various settings such as recorded footage length, sensitivity etc.

What’s in the box?

The box contains the camera, a wireless sync module with power cord and plug (both UK and Continental two pin), USB cable, batteries and a handy bracket.

Worth noting here that the initial set-up requires serial numbers from both the sync module and inside the camera (get this whilst installing the batteries or you’ll have to open it up again).

A broadband connection with at least 2Mb/s upload is recommended as a minimum but we found that a 1Mb/s upload speed was able to provide a

satisfactory experience with one camera.

The sync module should be placed within range of both the wireless router and wireless camera - multiple cameras may require additional sync units. The sync unit also requires a power outlet - the camera is battery powered and will last around two years, according to the specs.

We tested the XT outdoor version and can say that the ridiculously inclement weather recently did not cause an issue.

Even night vision worked well.

As we only received a single test unit it’s hard to comment on how well a multiple camera installation would operate, however, if it works as well as the single system then there should be no problem at all.

Overall, we were impressed with how easy this camera system was to set up and install and in addition, footage quality (full colour 1080P with audio if required) was spot on.

Night time footage will always be difficult to quantify but just the very nature of the motion sensing feature and the receiving of a notification can be enough to alert you to an issue. And of course, you can take a look what’s going on live right from your phone (this worked well over 4G too).

The BLINK camera system is definitely something to consider for peace of mind - especially at the price.

Andrew Poulton, Editor

About Blink

Blink is an affordable, smart HD home monitoring and alert system that allows consumers to feel safe at home no matter where they are.

Launched by Immedia Semiconductor in 2015 and based in the USA, with a sales office in Ireland, Blink is revolutionising the home security industry by providing a completely wire-free system that delivers instant monitoring from any location through the Blink Home Monitor app. With customisable features, a sleek design and battery life of over two years, Blink offers an easy and affordable security solution for homeowners, people renting properties, small business owners, second home owners and many more. For more information, visit https://blinkforhome.co.uk/

May 2018 | Farming Monthly | 47

| ATV

Spaldings Limited Lincoln, Lincolnshire T: 01522 507500 www.spaldings.co.uk

World of Power Buxton, Derbyshire T: 01298 213101 www.worldofpower.co.uk

Lakedale Power Tools Croydon, Dartford & London T: 020 8683 0550 www.lakedalepowertools.co.uk

Ermin Plant (Hire & Services) Ltd Gloucester, Gloucestershire T: 01452 526616 www.erminplant.co.uk

Charles H Hill Ltd Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire T: 01526 388281 www.charleshhill.co.uk

Mawsley Machinery Brixworth, Northampton T: 01604 880621 https://mawsley.stihl-dealer.co.uk

DM Chainsaws Arundel, West Sussex T: 01243 554065 www.dmchainsaws.co.uk

Davenport Western Yeovil, Somerset T: 01935 425311 www.davenportsaws.co.uk

48 | Farming Monthly | May 2018

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| ATV

Honda ATV Pioneer’s versatility proves popular for farm shoots Combining the needs of the farm with additional enterprises such as a farm shoot has become much easier thanks to the introduction last year of Honda’s Pioneer. he Pioneer is capable of almost any application which can be carried out by an ATV but it can also transport up to 386kg on its tipping load bed. Wet spring ground conditions provide challenges for any farm vehicle and the Pioneer’s ability to carry materials or equipment on board can be an advantage, avoiding the need for a trailer. Where larger loads are needed and conditions allow, the Pioneer’s optional hitch allows trailed loads up to 680kg to be added.

Being able to travel over soft ground makes it easy to start spring weed and grass control early. Mounted or trailed sprayers make headland and farm woodland weed control easier and quicker than by knapsack sprayer and allow large areas to be treated efficiently. For the farm shoot, mowing around game rearing pens early allows their condition to be checked and repairs to be carried out easily before birds are introduced, and shorter vegetation allows easy monitoring of potential predator activity.

Most rearing pens are located well away from public roads, making access for people and materials difficult. The Pioneer, available with two or four seats,

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can save considerable time spent walking to prepare pens for the season. Transporting pen materials is efficient too, and low pressure flotation tyres avoid unnecessary rutting which could make access difficult for other vehicles later in the season.

As well as its superb goanywhere ability, a major benefit reported by Pioneer users last year was its low operating noise. In contrast with noisier diesel alternatives, the 675cc, liquidcooled petrol engine is more comfortable for the operator and passengers. The low-revving power unit drives through a mechanical torque converter

transmission, and the efficient engine and lack of inefficient drive belts to regulate speed means fuel use is low while performance and pulling ability are superb.

Feedback from gamekeepers who moved to the Pioneer from diesel models is that reduced operating noise is a big advantage allowing work without drawing attention to their activities and enabling them to get closer to predators and pests when lamping at night.

Remote pen locations also make feeding and water supply difficult so ATVs and trailers are often the favourite tool for the task.

With its increased capacity a

Pioneer can combine feed and water transport carrying sacks on its load bed and water in a trailed tanker, potentially saving a journey and increasing time available for other tasks during this busy spring period.

All Honda ATVs and utility vehicles (UTVs) come with free EASI operator training, two-year warranty and back-up from Honda’s network of carefully selected dealers. Whether your interest is in an ATV or UTV for your livestock or arable farm or a farm shoot it is well worth visiting your local Honda dealer or honda.co.uk/atv for further information.

May 2018 | Farming Monthly | 49

| ATV

Yamaha ATV

New Yamaha UMX light utility vehicle: Built for work

Style, superior comfort and increased productivity. amaha is one of the most trusted and respected brands in the Golf Car segment thanks to the advanced engineering and desire to reply to every market need. The company's line up includes a wide range of models aimed at different segments of the market.

From the hard working YTF2 and Super Hauler Utility models through to the stylish Drive2 Golf Cars and the Concierge Personal Transportation vehicles, Yamaha offers a diverse range of golf cars and utility vehicles.

As part of its constant push for innovation and evolution, the company is focusing on diversifying and expanding its lineup in the Utility vehicle segment.

While the successful range of ATV models satisfies the requirements of the more extreme off-road user, the growing selection of golf car utility vehicles is designed to handle an array of tasks in commercial, industrial, agricultural and leisure environments.

Yamaha Utility vehicles offer the versatility, user-friendliness and durability that professional operators require, and are designed to handle everything from site maintenance duties and light farming through to gardening and housekeeping chores.

These practical Utility models are also perfectly suitable for golf course use - and their high wheels, spacious cargo beds and robust construction give increased functionality and improved light off-road capability, making them an effective and productive addition to any workforce.

New Yamaha UMX: Helping you to get the job done Available in both 400cc petrol and 5.0kW electric versions, the new Yamaha UMX is the answer that many industry professionals have been waiting for. UMX is a strong, stylish and compact utility vehicle that is equipped to transport two people and their cargo quickly and effortlessly around farms, parks, factories and

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airports.

Its rugged design enables the UMX to be driven over a variety of road and non-extreme off-road terrain to give access to all areas, both indoor and outside - and the smart suspension and two separate seats ensure a comfortable and confident ride.

Equipped with a large rear cargo bed and convenient front storage compartment, the UMX is an asset to any business - and with its easy to use controls and ergonomic design, this new Yamaha utility vehicle ensures that every member of the workforce gets the job done more efficiently.

Expanded storage options The spacious aluminium cargo bed measures 104.6 cm long x 116.6 cm wide x 30.2 cm deep, making the UMX a valuable partner that has the potential to increase the productivity of your personnel - and for easy operation there's a one-touch tailgate, giving instant access to tools, equipment or supplies.

Featuring a one-touch opening mechanism, the front storage box gives 29 litres of useful carrying space - and the weather proof design makes it ideal for transporting electric tools or personal belongings.

Comfort and convenience For superior driving comfort the UMX features two individual bucket seats with armrests, as well as a convenient centre console and the doorless open-sided body makes getting in and out of this light utility vehicle quick and easy.

A versatile choice The UMX comes with a choice of a quiet and economical 400cc EFI single cylinder petrol engine, or a virtually silent running, zero emission 5.0kW electric motor that's suitable for indoor use. By getting on with its job without disturbing guests or customers, this Yamaha light utility vehicle is suitable for almost any workspace.

Trusted Yamaha quality The UMX's durable bodywork is designed to withstand the wear and tear associated with intensive

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use - and you can be sure that it will still look good at the end of the working week.

Designed for off-road use A durable skid plate gives the UMX user the ability to operate this new light utility vehicle on a variety of non-extreme off-road terrain, making it a truly versatile asset.

Easy to use and operate One of the key features of the UMX is that it's so simple to use.

With fully automatic transmission and intuitive controls, this is a very easy and enjoyable vehicle to drive.

Yamaha UMX Key Features • Light utility and maintenance vehicle • Tough, stylish and compact design • Aluminium cargo bed with onetouch tailgate • Two individual bucket seats with centre console • Choice of 400cc petrol or 5.0

kW electric power • 29-litre front storage box with one-touch opening • Skid plate for non-extreme off road protection • Convenient fuel filler location • Wide tyres for on and off road use • Reflector type LED lights for night time use Genuine Yamaha Accessories A range of Genuine Yamaha Accessories is being developed for the UMX, and will be launched following the vehicle's arrival in the marketplace from June 2018 onwards.

It will include a Class 2 trailer hitch with a 50mm tow ball, and a quickly detachable receiver that can be mounted or dismounted in seconds.

Price and availability The Yamaha UMX will be available at Yamaha dealers starting in June 2018.

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| ATV

Suzuki ATV Suzuki celebrates sales success Suzuki GB’s ATV division has just achieved its best year ever in terms of market share. In particular, this is thanks to a 21% increase in sales in the utility sector as the brand continues to go from strength to strength.

ith its tried and tested products, Suzuki has carved out an enviable reputation for being the ‘go to’ brand for the supply of ATVs into farming and agriculture, as well as achieving several notable fleet sales deals into the adventure and trekking market.

The Suzuki ATV range features powerful and comfortable utility ATVs suitable for a variety of applications, with the ability to carry and tow heavy loads and help you to rule the land. From the

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leading KingQuad 750 with a 722cc engine, power steering, independent suspension and a sealed rear brake, to the compact but powerful Ozark 250 with a large towing capacity for its size and a highly efficient, economic engine, the Suzuki range has a variety of models available to suit every element of farm life.

The range also features Suzuki’s unique T-shaped seat and selectable 2 and 4-wheel drive options on selected models, which make the already fuel-efficient ATVs even better.

All Suzuki ATVs come with free

EASI rider training and a free Suzuki workwear kit consisting of overalls and a bodywarmer, to keep you warm and dry out in the field. They also come with a free CESAR Security System powered

by Datatag, giving each ATV a unique ‘fingerprint’ with an identity that cannot be erased. This acts as a powerful theft deterrent and a tool for recovery should the worst happen.

In addition to Suzuki’s quality products, the brand is supported by a strong network of trusted and knowledgeable Dealers throughout the UK.

George Cheeseman, Head of ATV for Suzuki GB, said, “Our year-on-year growth would not be possible without the continued support of our fantastic Dealer network and loyal customer base. I would like to go on record to thank all of them for their hard work and dedication as they do a tremendous job in representing us and looking after our customers.

Being confident in our product and our sales team is a great feeling and bodes well for future success.”

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| ATV

Polaris

The story behind the Polaris RANGER®

It’s been two decades since the RANGER® 6×6 vehicle was introduced and revolutionised the side-by-side category in 1998. Mitchell Johnson, son of David Johnson – one of the founders of Polaris in the 1950s – was pivotal to the conception of the iconic machine and tells us more about how the RANGER® rode to market… hen discussing the beginning of the RANGER®, we first have to think about the vehicle in the context of what Polaris was doing at that time. In the 1990s, the Sportsman ATVs were Polaris’ only Off-Road Vehicle and was selling well.”

Polaris’ reputation for being one of the fastest developing companies in the powersport industry held true, RANGER® went from initial development to production line in just two years.

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“Good speed, great ride and handling with excellent off-road capability, plus a greater payload than any of the utility haulers on the market were all attributes we wanted the vehicle to have” “We had talked from time-to-time about making a side by side ATV for a driver and passenger. Every Friday we had a staff meeting in the morning and then in the afternoon, we’d go out and ride ORVs. We always took at least one 6×6 ATV to carry everything. We would try and ride around with one person sitting on each fender to see what it was like. One day, Edgar Hetteen [one of our founders] came to my office and said we should make a 6×6 in a side-by-side configuration, he loved the machine but wanted to ride beside his wife Hannah.”

Major decisions about the new model were all made as ‘gut calls’.

“Edgar mocked up side-by-side seating on a 6×6 in his workshop, we spent an hour or so sitting in it to

see what it was like – should it have handlebars or a steering wheel?

Should it be ride-on or ride-in?

These are all things that are gut calls and we made using our experience. With brand new products like the RANGER®, you never know if you’re going to hit the bullseye with customers – the customers themselves don’t envision how the product will or can be used. Take the microwave for example, it hasn’t replaced the oven like the developers thought it would, but has instead created a new market.”

The key in developing the RANGER® in Mitchell’s opinion was to keep the team and investment small.

“I’m not sitting here saying that we knew it was going to be a success but we knew we had to get something out there. If we had identified a need, then we needed to find out. I worked with Edgar, Chuck Baxter – who was the VP of engineering – and James Bergman at BEAMCO in Alvardo, MN, to see if he would do the initial concept work. The idea was to keep investment small, so that if we didn’t hit the bulls eye, we could adjust the sights easily to get on closer to the target centre.”

During early conversations, the main characteristics that the new machine had to have were fairly clear.

“Good speed, great ride and handling with excellent off-road capability, plus a greater payload than any of the utility haulers on the market were all attributes we wanted the vehicle to have. Most of all, it had to be a lot of fun to drive and ride like the already popular Sportsman line.”

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“The initial prototype was received well by management. And the first production made a small profit in the first year. We also achieved ‘off-road’ status for the vehicle – which was essential.”

The RANGER® is testament to the Polaris culture – innovation and development, moving with the times and trusting staff to make decisions.

Even the name of the new model was helped decided by employees.

“We’d been playing around with names. One of the early Polaris products was a RANGER® snowmobile, when this model was discontinued, so was the name – which I always thought was a shame and I wanted to bring it back. We went out to the employees to ask them to think of a name and said we’d give $100 if their name was chosen. Mike Trihey and Donny Whiteman submitted RANGER® name and were given $100 each.

“The RANGER® name represents the category – it’s fun to ride and that’s one of the most important elements for us. That’s the history of Polaris throughout the years, people realise how much fun they are to ride and the volume grows, plus the RANGER® does a lot of work.

“The RANGER® was a team effort. This stuff doesn’t happen

without the people on the team – contributing, listening and pushing, we don’t know for sure what is wrong or right – that’s what has made this successful. The culture at Polaris is one full of passion and an overwhelming desire for the products and people to succeed.”

Polaris celebrated rolling the onemillionth RANGER® machine off the production line in 2017 and 2018 marks two decades since the utility vehicle was introduced to the Polaris line-up. Forming a key part of the Polaris product line, the RANGER® is used all over the globe for a variety of tasks – with the RANGER® Diesel and RANGER® 570 variants being international best sellers.

The RANGER® legacy gets stronger every year, with the RANGER® XP 1000, the latest addition 2018, setting a new industry standard and boasting over one hundred user-inspired improvements. The model has class-leading power (82hp) and torque (61lb-ft), industry-leading towing (over 1100 Kg) and ground clearance (330mm) – making it the hardest working, smoothest riding SXS built.

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| ATV

Quadzilla ATV

QUADZILLA® is the UK's largest importer of road legal and off road Quadricycles, ATVs and Buggies

Quadzilla was born out of a passion for racing over 25 years ago. From small beginnings with just the R100 kid’s quad, we now offer a range of over 20 sports quad bikes, 4x4 ATVs and UTVs. uadzilla have grown organically with a strong network of dealers UK wide. We pride ourselves on our excellent customer service for not just our consumers but for our dealers too; providing a full back up on all Quadzilla products.

The Quadzilla Terrain range offer the agricultural market competitively priced workhorse farm ATVs, with a 2 year parts and labour warranty for added peace of mind. The Terrain 500 & 600 quads come with a tow hitch and winch as standard to assist with the day-to-day tasks on the farm and they are fully road legal as standard.

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We always had a passion for the products, having grown with them. The directors even raced our very own children's quad bikes starting with the original kid’s quad, the Quadzilla R100 to our Quadzilla Proshark Quadzilla's passion is still at the heart of the company. The team behind Quadzilla test quads both on and off road before deciding to import them, keeping user safety in mind as well as fun and enjoyment.

The Quadzilla passion and experience together with an unparalleled spares back up means that you can purchase a Quadzilla quad bike, buggy or UTV with total confidence.

CFMOTO are the manufacturer of our road legal utility, agricultural and

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terrain range of ATVs and Side by Side machines, including from our CFORCE 450 to the X8 facelift. They are a world-class quality ATV manufacturer with over 25 years’ experience plus an annual production capacity of over 800,000 engines and over 600,000 vehicles sold to over 72 countries worldwide.

Technology and quality are the heart and soul of their business and their range complements our mission of providing high quality, high performance quads, ATVs and SbS at an affordable price.

Our quads don’t have a list of great features just to make you pay extra for them; all of our premium features come as standard. For example our 4x4 quad range from the CFORCE 450 to the X8, all have independent A-arm suspension, high performance shocks, selectable 2/4WD, CVT automatic transmission plus high, low and reverse gears. Quadzilla and CFMOTO offers you the total package without the inflated price tag.

We always had a passion for the products, having grown with them.

The directors even raced our very own children's quad bikes starting with the original kid’s quad, the Quadzilla R100 to our Quadzilla Proshark. Our home-grown racing talent won the junior championship when he was just 12 years old; the Quadzilla team have a great love for all machines with an engine.

Our core values are still key to the business which is about engineering excellence, value and quality products.

Quadzilla, engineered to exhilarate.

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| Motors

More power to the pick-up: Volkswagen launches new top spec Amarok Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is putting words into action as the Amarok concept vehicle shown at the IAA in Frankfurt last year becomes available to order* as the new, top engine specification production model. particular highlight is the V6 TDI engine with 258 PS, plus a 14 PS overboost and up to 580 Newton metres of torque – available for the Amarok Highline and Aventura versions. As the new top Aventura model the Amarok also features new visual elements such as a black roof liner, new 20-inch wheels and, for the first time, Aventura paintwork in metallic Peacock Green.

The Amarok has moved up yet another power step: compared to the previous line-up in which the 224 PS was the top engine, the 2018 Amarok has a power output of 258 PS, or briefly even 272 PS (200 kW) when using the overboost.

More torque, 580 Nm instead of the 550 to date, and appreciably more power – are sure to delight both commercial users and private customers. The new Amarok engine's full torque is already available at between 1,400 and 3,000 rpm and the full power output from 3,250 to 4,000 rpm.

Permanent 4MOTION all-wheel drive and an 8-speed automatic gearbox come as standard on the Amarok with the new top engine – both on the Highline and the Aventura.

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The Amarok with the more powerful V6 engine under the bonnet also has a number of additional visual modifications: roof liner, pillar trim and other roof elements in the Amarok Aventura are, for example, in titanium black.

Together with the seats in titanium black Nappa leather, they produce a very harmonious, appealing look. The new top specification engine runs in the case of the Amarok Aventura on 20-inch "Talca" wheels in Dark Graphite with a high-gloss surface. In addition, metallic Peacock Green paintwork, provided for the first time for the Amarok, is available exclusively for the Hannover-built 258 PS Aventura. Together with the sports bar in vehicle body colour, it underlines the model's sporty overall impression. Still available alongside this are the optional matt paint finishes (Indium Grey, Ravenna Blue) and the previous Ravenna Blue metallic paintwork, which gives the Aventura a touch of exclusivity.

Functions such as bi-xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights continue to be part of the standard specification of the new 258 PS V6 Amarok Highline and Aventura. The Light & Sight pack (Leaving and Coming Home function and intermittent wiper function with rain sensor), front fog

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lights with cornering lights and electric fold-in exterior mirrors are also standard features on the Aventura and available as options on the Highline.

The optionally available RCS, short for Roll Cover System, a movable cover for the 2.52 square metre cargo box, a size that also sets a benchmark in this pick-up segment, is now in a shimmering silver aluminium look. The cover provides protection from, for instance, dust, moisture and prying eyes. The designer skid plate under the front end of the Amarok Aventura is also now coloured right through in silver.

The first Amarok models with the top new V6 engine specification of 258 PS will be available from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles dealers from the middle of June*. Starting prices** for the new, most powerful engine: 43,180.00 EUR net (51,384.20 EUR incl. 19 per

cent VAT) for the Amarok Highline, and 48,800.00 EUR net (58,072.00 EUR incl. 19 per cent VAT) for the Amarok Aventura. With the smallest 163 PS V6 engine it is possible to enter the Volkswagen Group's six-cylinder world from just 26,955.00 EUR net (32,076.45 EUR incl. 19 per cent VAT).

The Volkswagen Amarok with the V6 diesel engine is a winner in every respect. A fact also acknowledged by representatives of the international press. Having voted the Amarok the best "International Pick-up" in 2010, they have awarded it the title again for 2018 – a unique feat in its class! * Ordering now open in Germany. UK expected in June, with delivery in September. ** UK prices will be announced in due course

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| Motors

XC40 becomes Volvoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most successful new model launch in UK ever The Volvo XC40 premium compact SUV is proving a smash hit across the globe, and the UK is no exception. Selling at twice the Swedish firm's own sales forecast rate, more than 3,000 XC40s have been sold in the UK since it was launched in a nationwide retailer event in late February. ith sales currently at 2,000 cars a month, the XC40 has immediately become the most successful new model launch ever in the UK. These remarkable figures are especially significant because the XC40 is Volvo's first ever compact SUV, and it is already taking conquest sales from the likes of Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Range Rover.

Since it was launched, the XC40

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has also won the European Car of the Year and What Car? Car of the Year awards, being praised for its lively performance, quality, style, comfort and safety.

The first cars in the UK were the lavishly equipped First Edition XC40s, of which more than 1,000 examples were available. Almost all of these were sold even before the car had arrived in retailer showrooms.

The XC40 combines bold design with cutting-edge connectivity, ingenious interior

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storage and Volvo's industryleading safety technology. It is available with a range of petrol and diesel engines, with front- and allwheel drive, and with a manual or automatic gearbox, allowing customers to choose the perfect XC40 for them.

Commenting on the sales performance, David Baddeley, Volvo Car UK's Operations Director, said: "The XC40 is already proving to be a huge success, fuelled by the number of highprofile awards it has won recently.

This enthusiasm is reflected in the number of early customers who have ordered their XC40, and we see this demand only increasing now the first customer cars are appearing on UK roads."

Volvo Car UK recommends that anyone interested in buying an XC40 talks to their retailer as soon as possible to place their order.

For more information on the Volvo XC40, and to use the new online configurator, please go to www.volvocars.com/uk/cars/newmodels/xc40

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| Motors

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| Motors

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| Motors

Subaru UK announce specs & pricing for 2018 Outback Subaru UK announces specifications and pricing of the 2018 Outback, an update on the current generation model. ost to a series of updates, both to the exterior and interior, Outback is a rugged crossover estate, redesigned to raise cabin quality and refine the model’s plethora of safety offerings. The Outback update showcases Subaru’s ‘Better Where It Matters’ brand ethos offering excellent safety, capability and reliability credentials. Boasting a significant upgrade in technology and trim, the changes come at no extra costs for customers as pricing remains the same as the previous model.

Among the most significant changes to the exterior design for Outback is the redesigned front grille, bumper, door mirrors and headlights. The hexagonal grille redesign showcases a sharper, more defined shape and incorporates the distinctive Subaru wing design, which draws parallels to the iconic horizontally opposed Subaru Boxer engine.

An addition to both the exterior design and the safety suite is a new front view camera, which has been positioned below the marques six-star badge. Placed on

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the front grille, the front view camera can monitor a 180°-degree area in front of the car that would normally be in the driver’s blind spot. These images, as well as visible guidelines, are displayed on the touchscreen to aide drivers in gauging potential hazards in front of the car and improve overall manoeuvering.

Allowing for increased all-round visibility, the 2018 Outback SUV is fitted with an additional side view camera mounted at the base of the passenger door mirror. Displaying the area diagonally in front of the passenger side of the Outback, the resulting imaging allows drivers to navigate through narrow spaces with greater ease. A “view” switch has also been positioned next to the X-Mode button allowing the driver to move between display options on the centre touchscreen.

A welcome addition to the Outback is the inclusion of Lane Keep Assist, which completes the EyeSight driver assistance safety technology suite – included as standard on all 2018 Outback models. Lane Keep Assist offers gentle steering control if the vehicle is about to deviate from its lane at approximately 40mph or above. Subaru’s EyeSight driver

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assist technology suite includes: Adaptive Cruise Control, Lead Vehicle Start Alert, Lane Sway and Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist, Pre-collision Braking System and Pre-collision Throttle Management.

Steering Responsive Headlights are also new to Outback, with the introduction improving driver safety and increasing visibility at night. The headlight beams mirror the driver’s steering input to illuminate corners when turning.

Interior changes include a subtle redesign to improve the atmosphere for occupants of Outback. New decorative gloss black panels and silver surrounds create a consistent and sophisticated look, whilst the touchscreen size has been increased from 7” to a new 8” multifunction colour touchscreen for the SE Premium model, which is also compatible with both Apple CarPlay™ & Android Auto™ and DAB radio functionality. The SE trim level also receives a refresh with an updated 6.5” multifunction colour touchscreen and fabric seating trim with heated front seats.

Outback is powered by a naturally-aspirated 2.5-litre ‘FB25’

petrol unit. Due to the size and shape of Subaru’s Boxer engine, it is installed lower down and further back than a conventional engine for a lower centre of gravity and transitions beneath the passenger compartment in the event of a collision, providing an added level of safety for occupants within the vehicle. The Boxer engine – with its unique ‘punch-counterpunch’ rotational cycle – offers smoothness, low vibration and noise, plus excellent accelerator response. The 2.5L engine produces 175PS at 5,800rpm and 235Nm torque at 4,000rpm. The engine returns fuel economy of 38.7mpg on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions of 166g/km.

Prices for the 2018 Subaru Outback start from £29,995 for the SE Model and £33,010 for the SE Premium. Pricing for the new model remains unchanged from the outgoing Outback, with updated features and redesigns baring no additional costs for customers and drivers.

For more details of the new Outback model and details of your nearest dealer please visit www.subaru.co.uk/outback today.

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| Motors

Vauxhall adds Ultimate trim levels to Grandland X Vauxhall’s latest addition to the Vauxhall X family, the Grandland X SUV, already has a high level of technology making it a true contender in the booming SUV segment. The latest trim level goes above and beyond, offering drivers the highest levels of specification. auxhall has introduced the topof-the-line Ultimate trim to not only the Grandland X but also to the Astra Hatch. The Vauxhall Grandland X Ultimate has been teamed with the new 2.0 litre diesel engine that is supported by an eight-speed automatic gearbox*. The new diesel engine is refined and powerful, delivering 177PS at 3,750rpm and 400Nm of torque at 2,000rpm to give effortless acceleration. The eight-speed automatic gearbox has been engineered with a smooth linear shift pattern.

The 2.0 litre Turbo Diesel (177PS) Blue Injection engine offers official CO2 emissions of 128g/km and a combined fuel efficiency of 57.6mpg. The Grandland X Ultimate adds to the already impressive list of features available across the range, with adaptive cruise control, wireless mobile phone charging and Denon premium sound system adding a premium feel to the trim. The further additions of heated windscreen, heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, 360-degree Panoramic Camera and the Premium LED Adaptive Forward Lighting Pack with projector headlights – all available as standard for the Ultimate – make

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driving the Grandland X a more pleasurable driving experience.

Drivers can pick up the new Grandland X SUV Ultimate from an on-the-road price of £34,040.

The next generation of assistance systems and engines The Grandland X remains stable on any surface all year round thanks to Vauxhall’s optional electronic IntelliGrip traction control system. The driver can choose from five modes via a centre dial, with the IntelliGrip system immediately adapting engine and transmission control, torque distribution and ESP settings to ensure optimal contact to the driving surface.

Vauxhall’s latest addition to the ‘X’ family also offers a selection of ultra-modern assistance and comfort features. Adaptive Cruise Control with pedestrian detection and Automatic Emergency Braking, Driver Drowsiness Alert, and Advanced Park Assist are just some highlights available.

The optional Adaptive Cruise Control with stop function, maintains the speed and selected distance to the vehicle ahead and brakes to a full stop or accelerates the Grandland X when required.

The outstanding safety level of the Grandland X was confirmed by Euro NCAP who awarded it five stars, with the new Vauxhall SUV earning high marks in all four

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safety categories.

Continuing Vauxhall’s leading position in lighting technology, the Grandland X is equipped with the company’s Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL) LED headlamps (available as standard with the Ultimate trim). Functions such as cornering light, high beam assist and auto levelling guarantee optimal illumination of the road ahead in all situations.

In addition to the optional electronic IntelliGrip traction and collection of driver assistance systems, Vauxhall’s range of engines further enhance the driver experience in the Grandland X. The engines can be combined with a six-speed manual or frictionoptimised six-speed automatic transmission and come with Start/Stop as standard to maximise fuel economy. The two-litre top-ofthe-line diesel comes exclusively with the new smooth-shifting eightspeed automatic gearbox.

The engine line-up for the Grandland X range includes the 2.0 diesel engine that produces 177PS at 3,750rpm and develops maximum torque of 400Nm at 2,000rpm. This accelerates the Grandland X from 0-62mph in 9.1 seconds and with a top speed of 133mph (Fuel consumption 2.0 diesel in accordance with NEDC: urban 53.3mpg, extra-urban 61.4mpg, combined 57.6mpg, 128-

126g/km CO2). The 1.6-litre diesel with 120PS provides maximum torque of 300Nm from 1,750rpm (NEDC fuel consumption: urban 57.6mpg, extra-urban 72.4mpg, combined 65.7mpg, 118-104g/km CO2). The 1.2 all-aluminium Turbo petrol direct injection engine delivers 130PS and maximum torque of 230Nm also from 1,750rpm (NEDC fuel consumption: urban 47.1mpg, extra-urban 62.8mpg, combined 55.4mpg, 127-117 g/km CO2).

The Grandland X radiates the same quality on the inside: the instrument panel and centre console with touchscreen are clearly laid out and horizontally aligned to the driver. The centre stack has three horizontal rows of controls for fast and intuitive access to infotainment, climate control and chassis functions.

Drivers and passengers benefit from the elevated seating position typical of an SUV, which ensures good visibility in all situations. Its long wheelbase of 2,675 millimetres means the compact class SUV has plenty of space for up to five people, while the luggage compartment – with a load volume from 514 litres to a maximum of 1,652 litres – offers generous room for luggage and sport equipment.

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