Good progress is being made in the quest to grow potatoes sustainably – benefiting farm businesses and the environment, say researchers. The Transformative Reduced Input Potatoes (TRIP) project brings together researchers from Dyson Farming and Bangor University with a host of other partners – including commercial companies. Funded by... Read more
• Confusion over sugar beet supplies • Growers can purchase seed direct • British Sugar will release more soon Sugar beet breeders say they have plenty of seed available for the coming season – despite British Sugar describing some varieties as “currently sold out”. Confusion over seed availability follows... Read more
Growers looking to order sugar beet for drilling in 2025 have six new varieties to consider on the British Beet Research Organisation recommended list. New varieties are Chyma, Josephina and Smart Uma – all from KWS UK; Magpie from SesVanderHave; and ST Tweed and ST Trent from Strube UK.... Read more
Growers drilling second wheats into the end of 2024 should consider the variety carefully and manage it well to get the best from the crop. Good early crop management is vital alongside varietal selection to avoid potential disease problems and yield losses at harvest, explains Jim Knight of Frontier... Read more
• High weed burden from last year • Good control vital for good yields • Integrated approach gets results Farmers should pay close attention to grassweed control this autumn – to combat high levels of weed seeds remaining after last season. Extremely wet conditions severely challenged cereal weed control... Read more
• Late-sown wheat for early harvest • Strong tillering and spring vigour • High yield and good grain quality Growers looking for a strong-performing late-sown winter wheat that can be harvested early have a new available option. Hard Group 4 variety LG Rebellion builds on many of the agronomic... Read more
• 21% drop in wheat production • Yields tumble for other cereals • Call for climate change action This year’s cereal harvest was England’s second worst since records began – with some growers suffering devastating yields, government figures have confirmed. The English wheat harvest is estimated to be 10m... Read more
A thriving family farm business is carving a niche for itself in Warwickshire. Sara Gregson reports. Specialist herbal leys are helping to produce a consistent, tasty cuts of hogget and lamb to sell in the farm shopwhile also boosting soil and animal health on one Midlands farm. Martin Greenfield’s... Read more
Keep monitoring for slugs – experts
Arable 02/11/2024
• Protect cereal seedlings from attack • Crops are more vulnerable for longer • Consider baiting locations carefully Wet autumn weather means growers should keep monitoring crops for slugs and reapply pellets where necessary, say experts. The durability of molluscicide pellets is increasingly important to protect cereal seedlings from... Read more
When times are challenging, it’s important to accept that some things are largely beyond our control. In farming, there’s much we can’t influence directly. Unpredictable weather, volatile market prices and uncertain agricultural policies to name just a few. But by taking the emotion out of decision-making and controlling what... Read more