Government asked to support game-changing agroforestry systems
Some of the UK’s leading farming and forestry organisations have put their names to a letter to Secretary of State Michael Gove, highlighting the benefits of agroforestry, the practice of cultivating trees and crops or livestock on the same area of land. The current Rural Development Programme for England does not include options to support […]
Somerset Estate forms partnership to improve eating quality of potatoes
Dillington Estates, near Ilminster is working in partnership with research organisations and those in the supply chain to drive productivity and improve marketable yield. The Estate is one of four Strategic Potato (SPot) Farms in Great Britain and forms part of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board’s (AHDB) Farm Excellence Platform, which inspires industry to […]
Cereals industry must take action to thrive post Brexit
AHDB is today issuing a bold message to the cereals industry not to sleepwalk into Brexit. The scale of the potential challenge must be appreciated by businesses at every level of the supply chain and steps must be taken to improve competitiveness, according to Chief Strategy Officer Tom Hind. The statement will be made as […]
Potato stocks keep pace with 2015/16 season
GB grower-held potato stock levels at the end of March were at 1Mt, around the same volume as the end-March 2016 and 300Kt less than the end-March 2015 according to an AHDB estimate. Despite the similarity in stock levels, any repeat of the high prices seen in 2016 will depend on a number of factors […]
Farming and scientific leaders discuss challenges facing UK’s crop production
Key stakeholders across the UK’s farming sector have joined academic scientists for a collaborative workshop to discuss the challenge of increasing crop production whilst maintaining soil health. The workshop, ‘Increasing crop productivity through understanding and improving soil health’, was co-hosted by the N8 Research Partnership’s (N8) AgriFood programme and research and consultancy company ADAS. Farmers, […]
Lack of agreement on eGrain passport rollout
Key industry representatives in the grain supply chain failed to reach an agreement yesterday on the national roll out of an electronic grain passport – a six-year project being facilitated by AHDB. The Cereals Liaison Group met in London yesterday (Tue) to consider whether a nationwide roll out should go ahead based on a costed […]
Deficiency of selenium predicted to increase under future climate change
Climate change could increase the risk of the human diet being deficient in a vital mineral, selenium – a deficiency which could contribute to problems such as poor immune function, impaired thyroid function and heart muscle issues – research has found. Selenium is an essential micronutrient, or mineral, for human and livestock health that we […]
Farming for free
Farmers at the Leicester Monitor Farm meeting on 10 January were encouraged to make the most of free resources available. The meeting covered soil health, crop nutrition and cover crops. Harry Henderson, AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds Knowledge Exchange Manager, said: “Farmers’ own knowledge and that of their neighbours, as well as sunlight, water and soil […]
Oilseed rape concerns prompt industry meeting to resolve pressures
The oilseed rape harvest in 2017 could fall to its lowest level in 13 years, according to new figures, and a meeting of the NFU and industry bodies will discuss how access to the right inputs is vital for the future of this important crop. Organisations from across the industry are meeting at NFU headquarters […]
