Serving the Farming Industry across the Midlands for 35 Years
New platform gives growers more control over data
• Helps to make better farm decisions • Easier to generate additional income • More secure farm data management Giving growers more control over their farm data will make it easier for farmers to generate additional revenue, says an expert. The advice follows the development of a new data... Read more
Urgent call for soil testing to tackle beet cyst nematode
• Pest more widespread than thought • Better field hygiene must be priority • Action needed to avoid yield losses Sugar beet growers are advised to ramp up soil testing to combat the increasing threat from beet cyst nematode. The pest is present in all four factory areas serving... Read more
Glyphosate resistance triggers weed control warning
• First case of resistant ryegrass in England • Experts call to protect future for herbicide • Growers and agronomists remain vigilant The discovery of glyphosate resistant Italian ryegrass has strengthened calls for better weed control practices to protect the herbicide’s long-term efficacy. ADAS weed science principal consultant John... Read more
Pulse Pioneers have big goal for peas and beans
• Potential to cut carbon footprint • Good source of domestic protein • Need to consider wider benefits More peas and beans in arable rotations could help farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slash the carbon footprint of UK agriculture. About 90 growers and other industry experts gathered at... Read more
Why attention to detail gets most from cereals
• Input-output ratio is key • Invest on merit, not habit • Know your crops and soils Growers looking to optimise margins from cereals this season should invest in crops where the money will have most impact, say experts. Lessons learned from a challenging harvest 2024 suggest that farms... Read more
Digital technology increasingly important to UK farmers
Growers keen to embrace smart tech More arable farmers are turning to digital technology to help run their businesses – and generate better returns. Almost two-thirds of larger growers believe data-driven decision-making is important to their farms, according to study findings unveiled at the Hutchinsons Connected Farming Technology Conference... Read more
Record-breaking spring oat delivers bumper yield
A Lincolnshire farm saw Merlin spring oats yield an incredible 11t/ha last summer – over twice the national average. The unprecedented achievement was achieved by the Happy Days Farming Company, which farms more than 2000ha (5000 acres) of arable crops across Lincolnshire and neighbouring Nottinghamshire. Farm manager Mark Popplewell... Read more
Consistency ‘crucial’ when choosing spring barley
Laureate still popular with growers Farmers looking to grow spring malting barley successfully in 2025 should manage risk by considering varieties that have performed consistently over multiple years. This should include difficult growing seasons – such as 2024, says Syngenta seeds technical expert Robert Jackson. Growers should also be... Read more
6 steps to better spring barley yields
A wet autumn meant spring barley was a get-out-of-jail card for some growers last season. But many crops still delivered above average yields. Their performance owes much to the age-old issue of tiller retention, says Limagrain arable technical manager Ron Granger. Pictured below, Mr Granger outlines six ways to... Read more
Approval puts more wind in sails for Buccaneer
• Full malting status for winter barley • Strong yields and disease resistance • ‘Serious interest’ for barley growers High-yielding winter barley Buccaneer has achieved full malting status for brewing. The two-row variety from Elsoms Seeds was approved at the Malting Barley Committee’s autumn meeting on 4 November.  With... Read more