UK growers equipped to protect their profit
During March and April 2014, 88 UK growers attended HGCA’s Protecting your Profit business development workshops. The four workshops, held in Taunton, Cambridge, Lincoln and Tewkesbury, covered a range of topics from grain markets and benchmarking to growing for local markets. Throughout the sessions growers gained expertise in assessing and managing their risks and looking […]
How plants become zombies
Scientists of John Innes Centre and Wageningen UR have shown how a specific bacterial parasite, causing developmental problems in crops, e.g. oilseed rape, is able to manipulate plants in such a way that they produce leaves instead of flowers. This manipulation improves the chances of the bacteria being spread to other plants, by leafhoppers feeding […]
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria could save arable farmers £1000s
Arable farmers could slash fertiliser costs, boost yields, and protect the environment following the launch of a new nitrogen-fixing bacteria mix. Developed by Jim Brown at Soil Systems, Enfixa is a combination of nitrogen-fixing and nutrient-solubilising bacteria, which fix atmospheric nitrogen and turn it into a usable source for the crop. It can be used […]
Prospects look good for 2014 cereals harvest
After the disappointing harvest of 2013 and widespread regional flooding, there is finally some positive news for British farmers. The prospects for this year’s harvest are good, according to national agricultural and environmental consultancy, ADAS, which has today released its data analysis report on crop establishment conditions for 2012/13 and 2013/14. ADAS’ figures show the […]
Yara UK builds liquid fertilizer team
Yara UK, the leading fertilizer and crop nutrition specialist, is investing in its liquids operation with a key appointment in the central and south west regions. Robert Hiscock joins as Area Manager responsible for Hereford and Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Wiltshire. Working alongside Roger Brogden, Yara’s Liquids Business Manager, Mr Hiscock will also supply and […]
Potatoes: An important crop for GB
Potato Council acts as a knowledge house for Government raising the importance of the potato. Two years since this work programme started there has been a real increase in knowledge about potatoes amongst parliamentarians with 83% now regarding potatoes as an important crop. In that time, there has been a 19 percentage point increase […]
Bee project highlights nectar supply gap
Initial findings from its five-year Bee Project (see panel below) suggest that while many farms are doing a lot to encourage bees and other pollinator insects through stewardship schemes, much of the emphasis is on mid-season pollen and nectar production, resulting in comparatively low food supply for such insects in early spring and autumn. March […]
Researchers identify new way to control stone fruit disease
Researchers at the University of Kent and East Malling Research have identified a new way of controlling a fungal disease that can have a devastating impact on the UK’s valuable cherry and plum crops. Brown rot disease – caused by the agent Monilinia laxa – attacks stone fruit as well as causing blossom wilt and […]
Three crop rule is “utter madness”, says NFU President
The concerns of thousands of farmers in England over the three crop rule which will be a requirement of the next CAP have again been raised with the European Commission by NFU President Peter Kendall. Describing the rule as “utter madness”, Mr Kendall has called on the Commission to scrap the rule at the earliest […]
