Author Posts: Farmers Guide

A tailored plan is required to contain the spread of clubroot and sustain the production of important brassica crop species in the UK, according to a new AHDB report.

ShowBiz Software has developed its agricultural show management software to a fully web-based version that helps shows of all sizes better manage costs, improve operations and, most importantly, improve their digital marketing.

Farmacy chairman Mike Young’s advice is to take the time now to consider how best to optimise variable rate inputs for this autumn, with new technology such as TerraMap offering a genuine opportunity to enhance the benefits of precision agronomy.

An award-winning leaf wetness sensor is now available to English grape growers, promising real-time information about disease and frost risks to improve on-farm decision-making.

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.

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.