Arable News

After one of the wettest winters since records began, there’s a significant amount of disease present in those cereals which were drilled early and survived the winter successfully. Without knowing how the spring will unfold, it’s impossible to predict with any level of certainty how much disease pressure spring drilled crops will face. But it’s safe to say that crops in both camps (winter or spring drilled) will need a carefully considered programme of fungicides to ensure they go on to achieve their true yield and quality potential.

At a technical webinar held by LS Plant Breeding Ltd (LSPB) at the end of December, managing director Chris Guest discussed the challenges for OSR in the UK in a changing climate.

It has been a challenging season for weed control so far, but there are still opportunities to tidy up winter wheat crops in early March before moving on to disease control at the end of the month.

A Lincolnshire grower has successfully grown a crop of Capulet beans, which have been processed as UK-grown baked beans. Farmers Guide investigates what it takes to produce the crop and whether they have a future on British farms.

A Shropshire family farm is making a gradual move to regenerative farming and improved soil health with the help of a Weaving IR (inter-row) drill. David Williams reports.

NFU is generally supportive of the introduction of digital grain passports, but believes the current proposal does not meet the needs of its members – while NFUS says its members are largely unsupportive of the move.

Levy rate increases proposed by the AHDB for the Beef and Lamb, Cereals and Oilseeds, Dairy and Pork sectors have received approval from ministers at Defra and the Devolved Administrations.

Openfield Group Limited has reported its results to 30th June 2023.

The grain market is now turning its attention to production prospects for 2024/25, while lower fertiliser prices create a buying opportunity for growers requiring product for spring applications.

Whether you’ve been watching your winter sown crops suffer in the recent wet weather or you’re hanging out for spring planting, there’s one thing for sure – the healthier your soil, the better your crops will be able to withstand what the climate throws at them.

Pete Olds and his father, Len, grow 300 acres of combinable crops and run an arable contracting business at Cornhill Farm in Cornwall. With their grain processing plant struggling to cope with handling up to 4,000t of wheat and barley each year, the Olds worked with McArthur BDC to install an upgraded plant in time for harvest 2023.

With arable growers in the UK rushing to make up for lost drilling time, it’s easy to forget that 31st January marks the last official day of the winter drilling window. As such, any crops drilled beyond this date will be defined by the CRD (the Health and Safety Executive’s Chemical Regulations Division) as spring-sown and must comply with the relevant crop protection regulations.