Value of growing maize questioned on some farms
“In our area many dairy farmers grossly overestimate the tonnage of dry matter in their maize silage clamp,” says Adrian Caine from P&L AgriConsulting based in Shropshire. “And this year it’s particularly noticeable; some units we work with have thought they had harvested around six or seven tonnes of dry matter, when it’s actually more […]
Profitability and sustainability remain distant goals for potato sector
Launching the consultation on Potato Council’s 2013-16 business plan amidst the most challenging potato season in history, Chairman Allan Stevenson told delegates at the industry’s biennial seed event in Crieff that Potato Council’s role was to keep an eye on the horizon and deliver a plan that develops a more sustainable and profitable sector than […]
Final AHDB/HGCA Cereals Quality results confirm poorest specific GB wheat weights on record
Results also confirm this as the biggest domestic issue by far for the 2012/13 season. AHDB/HGCA Senior Analyst Charlotte Garbutt, said: “Poor wheat quality creates challenges across all supply chains from growers to traders and on to domestic and overseas flour millers and feed compounders. “In a typical year around 85% of the wheat that […]
Worcestershire thumbs up for Broadway Sunrise
Agronomist Rufus Ulyet, of Wynnstay Group plc, saw excellent control from a March application of the Dow AgroSciences’ herbicide Broadway Sunrise. He says: “I tried Broadway Sunrise on two farms and it did a fantastic job on everything. I used it because there was a mixed population of problem weeds like blackgrass, wild oats and […]
Agricultural accountants concern over wheat yields
According to the recent figures, this year saw one of the worst wheat harvests, with yields down by 15%, while on-farm stocks are at their lowest level for 12 years. This year’s UK crop currently 0.3 million tonnes short of total domestic use, which has resulted in imports making up the difference. Autumn sowings are […]
BYDV prevention still key part of autumn workload
Dr. David Stormonth, Technical Manager for Interfarm UK Ltd., says that for the very limited cost of a BYDV insecticide spray, cereal crops which have been hard work to establish this year will benefit from protection against aphids, particularly in crops that haven’t received a seed treatment. “BYDV may appear to be down the list […]
New HGCA information on yellow rust resistance
A new diversification matrix available on a new HGCA Topic Sheet divides winter wheat varieties into groups according to their susceptibility to different races of yellow rust. The UK Crop Pathogen Virulence Survey (UKCVPS) – funded by HGCA and Fera – carried out the research to group varieties by susceptibility. The yellow rust resistance ratings […]
Free information for farmers facing blackgrass
Its Grassweed Emergence Monitor (GEM) includes five winter wheat sites in Cambridgeshire, Herefordshire, North Yorkshire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire and three sown major grassweeds: blackgrass, sterile brome and Italian ryegrass, together with a ‘natural’ unsown blackgrass population. Four sites have been drilled so far: Oxfordshire, Herefordshire, Wiltshire and North Yorkshire. Cambridgeshire’s site is due to be […]
UK fertiliser industry sets world class standards – AIC
Speaking at the AIC Annual Fertiliser Dinner, Mr Brogden outlined how important these factors are for the whole of UK farming. The matter of fertiliser security and the threat of terrorism remains high on the agenda. “That the Queen’s Jubilee and Olympic games all passed off without incident is not just luck,” said Mr Brogden. […]
