Author Posts: Farmers Guide

Demand for organic food has never been greater, and with growers able to achieve gross margins over 40% higher than in non-organic systems, is now the right time to look at organic arable production?

With membership reaching over 100 breeders, this year’s Blacknose Beauties show and sale at H&H Borderway Mart, Carlisle on 23-24 August, held by the Valais Sheep Society, promises to be the largest celebration of the UK’s fastest growing sheep breed.

According to the results of the annual AHDB Planting and Variety Survey, the oilseed rape area has been replaced by an increased cereal area, notably wheat and oats.

Farmers who grow oilseed rape in northern England can now access a profitable new market thanks to a new store for HOLL (High Oleic, Low Linolenic) oilseed at Ray Craggs Ltd, in Sedgefield.

Taking time to control thistles in established grassland now will prevent them spreading seed this summer and causing bigger infestations to deal with next spring, according to Dr Nicola Perry of Corteva Agrisciences.

“Markets are integral to farm businesses because they set the price for livestock, helping farmers to achieve fair prices,” says Clive Roads, auctioneer at McCartneys.

Farmers are warned to look out for the annual emergence of head lies (Hydrotaea irritans) from around mid-July, as these are a major source of annoyance for pastured cattle.

Six row BYDV tolerant winter barley, Rafaela was introduced to the market last year from breeders Limagrain UK. A year on and the variety has proven the value of its BYDV tolerance trait, alongside offering valuable agronomic characteristics such as excellent performance in black-grass situations.

The management of virus-spreading aphids in winter cereal crops is the subject of a new AHDB research call.

A multi million pound investment to construct a plant capable of de-hulling UK grown beans was officially opened by Frontier Agriculture in early July.

Specifically adapted to dispense feed over a feed barrier or into a trough, the new V conveyor has been simplified to reduce the number of moving parts to help extend belt longevity, therefore reducing ownership costs.