LAMMA: The perfect opportunity to discuss post-harvest crop handling solutions

As a farmer in his own right, Charles says he always tries to consider what is ‘best value’ on-farm.

The company’s expertise is particularly focused on crop storage, monitoring and measuring kit, including crop cooling pedestals, fans, and differential temperature control.

“Many newer grain stores have condensation problems, as they are not as well ventilated as they could be. So, we calculate and supply fans and louvre sizes needed to overcome the problem.”

Launched in 2023 was an excellent inexpensive new wireless fan controller that will switch on the wall fans at the same time as switching on the pedestal fans. “We’re trying to create joined up thinking,” explains Charles.

AS offers a full range of value moisture meters to help farmers check their crop moistures in-field and in-store. To assess what suits the farmer’s needs best, the company asks a number of questions, including: “What is it worth per tonne for accurate moisture readings, – especially at harvest?” as well as many other considerations, including: Farm size, which area of the UK the farm is located, whether the farmer has a grain drier, if their grain drier uses hi/lo volume ventilation cooling, and the intended end market.

Value is slightly different for every farmer, depending on their various individual circumstances.

Most recently, with increasingly high crop premiums for milling wheats and malting barley, AS has been considering how to help farmers maximise those premiums – especially protein – in an affordable and reliable way. Charles comments: “We intend to be showing a brand-new meter for measuring protein at LAMMA.”

Monitoring soil health is also very much “on the AS radar”, and the company is trying to help farmers do as much of their own soil monitoring as possible, particularly the easier tests such as compaction, pH and temperature. As Charles explains: “Over the past 40 years with rising yields we’ve got into the habit of treating soil more as an ‘incubator’, with continuous cropping, rather than treating it as a ‘living article’ to be nurtured and protected.

“When there was a problem, we could easily solve it with fertilisers, chemicals etc. But the outcome has been manyfold depending on soil types such as compaction, poor root establishment, low organic levels, water not escaping, increased slug activity, black-grass, ergot and so on. Many fields have several different soil types that have to be considered separately.”

As well as supplying many soil compaction testers, pH meters and temperature probes, AS has recently added Solvita CO2 respiration test, EC and moisture measuring as encouraged by RPA, through FETF grants.

Additionally, there are a number of very important measuring devices, including grass measuring platemeters, hay, straw, timber, woodchip, crop sampling tools, Red Tractor insect traps, hectolitre, to name but a few – all of which are held in stock. More details can be found at www.agrisupplyservices.co.uk

“Please do come and see us in Hall 7 to get best value for your farm –we are keen to chat!” concludes Charles.

Stand number: Hall 7, Stand 440

View LAMMA 2024 latest news, updates and top exhibitors to visit