Arable Farming articles from October 2003

Arable Farming archives from October 2003

Safety week doesn't stop there.
October 21, 2003... Were you aware that the week of October 13-19 was European Week for Health and Safety at Work? The campaign, run by the European Agency for Health and Safety at Work in association with the Health and Safety Commission and the British...

Whitty welcomes new forum.
October 21, 2003... A new body designed to ensure better co-ordination of, and support for, research and science in farming and food has been welcomed by government. The new industry-led Applied Research Forum, consisting of representatives from agriculture...

Campaign to show sprayer responsibility.
October 21, 2003... NFU president Sir Ben Gill recently launched the start of the NRoSO (National Register of Sprayer Operators) autumn campaign in Hertfordshire, with the news that farm management business Farmcare has joined all 72 of its sprayer operators to...

Gill will not stand for re-election.
October 21, 2003... Sir Ben Gill has announced that he will not stand for re-election as president of the NFU. Sir Ben will have completed 6 years in the post when a new leader is elected in February 2004. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Winter barley.
October 21, 2003... Winter barley goes in under clear autumn skies at David Craig's Westwood Farm, Much Wenlock, Shropshire, as part of a trial on a new insecticide seed treatment containing thiamethoxam (TMX) from Syngenta. Designed to measure control of...

Potato yield.
October 21, 2003... Over 85% of growers and advisers report that their potato yields will be less than last year, according to a recent ballot on the potato specialist web site, www.potatocrop.com. Only 14% of respondents were optimistic, with a resounding...

Changed outlook.
October 21, 2003... Dates and venues of HGCA's regional Grain Market Outlook conferences have changed. The dates and venues will now be: November 12, Kelso, Scottish Borders November 26, Newmarket, Suffolk * For further information contact events on...

Post-em pressure.
October 21, 2003... The flush of black-grass germination expected in areas where rain has fallen recently will present cereal growers who have already drilled their wheat with a major challenge when it comes to post-emergence control this autumn, warns TAG...

BYDV alert.
October 21, 2003... Delayed by dry weather, the late flush of cereal volunteers in many young oilseed rape crops has created the ideal `green bridge' for aphids. These will carry BYDV to move onto this autumn's cereal crops. This is the warning from BASF...

LEAF launches next generation of Audit.
October 21, 2003... The organisation Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF) has launched a new version of its LEAF Audit. Designed to provide farmers with a whole farm management tool for appraisal and improvement of farm practices, the new Audit is fully...

Clean set-aside start.
October 21, 2003... Take advantage of the open autumn to improve your 2004 set aside weed control and reduce take-all carry over, advises Manda Sansom who runs the Monsanto technical advice line. "IACS rules allow you to treat stubbles with Roundup in October...

Smith's Soapbox: Pond Life.
October 21, 2003... Pictured is the farm pond as it was seventy-five years ago. The little lads are my father's elder brothers, now long deceased. The pond and farmhouse are still with us in much the same form. Farm ponds are important things both in terms of...

Smith's Soapbox: Bless thy neighbour.
October 21, 2003... As a farmer who has the misfortune of farming land in the suburbia of Clacton-on-sea I was alarmed to read that there are proposals to prevent farmers from spraying within several yards of gardens. If I could get DEFRA to take a common sense...

Grain in a global market.
October 21, 2003... Volatile profit is a reality, emphasised HGCA senior economist Gerald Mason in his review of the market factors that have brought current UK price improvements. He sketched events country by country that have contributed to rising UK...

View from the US.
October 21, 2003... As far as the United States is concerned, the main issue looming on the horizon is not world trade policy, but the domestic financial picture in the US of increasing indebtedness. This was the view of Professor David Blandford of Penn State...

Ukrainian insight.
October 21, 2003... Last year's woeful harvest should be viewed as a temporary setback. That was the clear message from Ukrainian agribusiness consultant Andriy Yarmak. Grain production from the Ukraine - currently around 38m tonnes (with the exception of...

Reviewing harvest 2003.
October 21, 2003... Emphasising the importance of export trade to British cereal production, Allied Grain held its 2003 Harvest Review aboard Gladys, the company's Thames grain barge. Alison Lea was on board. With the final figure for the 2003 wheat harvest...

Wheat varieties: Late decision.
October 21, 2003... What cereal varieties should you drill in the winter months after root crops are lifted? Alison Lea takes advice. Late could mean later than usual this year for drilling after root crops, with the dry conditions delaying lifting. Drought...

Policy comment: A mire of conflict and confusion.
October 21, 2003... While we all wait for our political masters and various representative organisations to distil the outcome of the MTR, we, the industry front- line troops struggle through the mud in a mire of uncertainty. The uncertainty extends not only...

NVZ ADVICE: Be prepared.
October 21, 2003... Good planning is the key to NVZ compliance, says Dave Towse, Kemira GrowHow's technical manager for Yorkshire and the North East. "But that's also good for the farm business, so, if finding yourself in an NVZ encourages you to plan your...

The Single Payment: winners and losers.
October 21, 2003... Never before has a CAP reform provided so much discretion to national governments to tinker. DEFRA will have a field day in deciding how to pay the new Single Payment. Eurinco's Robert Gooch explains. We know that DEFRA has already decided...

Cheap is not always cheerful!
October 21, 2003... "One of the key requirements of NVZs is to avoid over-application of N, so we devised a fertiliser policy based on feeding to the crop's potential. This meant adjusting application rates to suit the differing requirements of each variety, as...

Backward crops: don't be tempted.
October 21, 2003... NVZ compliance need not be a headache, particularly on arable farms since it is not bagged nitrogen that NVZs generally challenge. Compliance means planning fertiliser use and sticking to the closed periods i.e. no bagged nitrogen applied...

CONTRACTOR: On show at Agritechnica.
October 21, 2003... Drill manufacturers continue to seek ways to improve seed placement accuracy. At a recent European launch (See AF 19 August, page 44) Lemken unveiled the prototype of an electronic seed counting device that allows the precise numbers of...

CONTRACTOR: Horsch Pronto - UPGRADED 4DC DOUBLE DISC DRILL.
October 21, 2003... The new grain tank styling is not the only feature on the new Horsch Pronto 4DC double disc drill. Although the same tried and trusted cultivation system is used, the revamped machine also features a new metering system, new distribution...

CONTRACTOR: Pottinger Terrasem.
October 21, 2003... Pottinger will unveil a brand new Terrasem mulch drill. Available initially as a 3m version, with a 4m model in the pipeline, a feature is the compact design and the way the transport wheels are incorporated as part of the tyre packer. In work,...

CONTRACTOR: Kongskilde prototype.
October 21, 2003... Kongskilde will reveal a prototype of a brand new pneumatic drill at the show, designed for big farm demand for a simple high output version. Called the Minimum Till Drill (MTD), it can be combined with a whole range of implements, which...

CONTRACTOR: Rabe 3m Megadrill.
October 21, 2003... Rabe will unveil a brand new 3m Megadrill mulch drill at Agritechnica. Designed for 80hp tractors, mounting it close to the rear of the tractor helps to reduce tractor power requirement. Even so, when the 510 or 700-litre tank is full, the...

CONTRACTOR: Simplified drill depth settings.
October 21, 2003... Other drill news from Amazone includes the optional AutoCheck and AutoPilot. AutoCheck provides the operator with the ability to programme drilling depth on the Amatron + control terminal, a process which is normally carried out manually....

CONTRACTOR: Lemken system built in-house.
October 21, 2003... Electronic computers might have been around before for Lemken's Solitair and Saphir drill ranges, but the latest system is the first to be built in house. Called Easytronic on the Saphir, and Solitronic on Solitair drills, Lemken says it has...

CONTRACTOR: Kongskilde Multi Roller.
October 21, 2003... The Multi Roller front packer system will be a feature on the Kongskilde stand, as it is suited to working in both ploughed and mulch conditions. Comprising two rows of staggered, self-cleaning wavy discs, although the `waves' do not go to the...

CONTRACTOR: Vaderstad developments.
October 21, 2003... Cultivator developments from Vaderstad include a 3m version of the Carrier, designed for 90 to 120hp tractors. Also, at the top end of the market, 10.2 and 12.2m-wide versions of the Carrier have been added to the previous widest 8.2m model,...

CONTRACTOR: Niemeyer AlphaTop.
October 21, 2003... Major news from Niemeyer includes the AlphaTop AT60 plough series which is designed for 80hp+ tractors. Available in 3 and 4-furrow versions, the firm says that this is the first time that spring stone protection is available on such a small...

CONTRACTOR: Glimmer on Lemken stand.
October 21, 2003... The Glimmer plough will be a highlight on the Lemken stand. Offering a working width of 4m, the plough is best described as a cross between a plough and a cultivator. Operating on stubbles at depths of just 13 to 15cm, the aim is to mix the...

CONTRACTOR: Quick-fit brings savings.
October 21, 2003... Kongskilde reckons the main advantage about being last to the market with a quick fit power harrow tine, is that you can take a good look at the competition. The company soon found that all current tines are a lot thicker at the top. In...

CONTRACTOR: Terramix folding versions.
October 21, 2003... New 4 and 6m hydraulically-folding versions have been added to Vogel & Noot's VN Terramix cultivator series. The patented lift mechanism ensures there is no gap between the rear packer units when lowered into work, and leads to even...

CONTRACTOR: VN Plus Heros.
October 21, 2003... Finished with the new Vogel & Noot logo, a feature of the new VN Plus Heros semi-mounted on-land plough range is a system to ensure that the plough remains in the correct working position, regardless of whether the tractor operator veers to the...

CONTRACTOR: Control box.
October 21, 2003... Rabe is looking to gauge interest in a cultivator control box. Fitted with a vibration sensor, it automatically records the number of hours that a machine works, which could be useful where machines are shared. A feature is that it only...

CONTRACTOR: Bi-directional tines.
October 21, 2003... Power harrow tines ideally need to be pulled out, then turned round and re-fitted where a more aggressive blade angle action is required on stubbles. However, according to Lemken, the time needed to do this means that in practice it does not...

CONTRACTOR: Disc harrow.
October 21, 2003... A feature of Kverneland's DSA disc harrow is the ability to change the disc gang angle independently. Available in working widths from 3 to 6m, it is designed for operating directly onto stubbles. Availability is from the show. Copyright:...

CONTRACTOR: Contractor 2003.
October 21, 2003... A national event for the professional land-based contractor is to be held on December 4 2003 at the National Agricultural Centre, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire. It is entitled `Assurance and Accreditation Schemes: Where are they Leading us?'...

CONTRACTOR: Assurance schemes take on VI.
October 21, 2003... In principle, the major arable farm assurance schemes have agreed to integrate the requirements of the VI into their paperwork, including a requirement for operators to join the National Register of Sprayer Operators (NRoSO), and to have their...

CONTRACTOR: Employment service starts.
October 21, 2003... The NAAC will be launching a new employment service for members this autumn. The NAAC will be working with Associa and has negotiated preferential rates for NAAC members. The Associa Employment Service has more than 600 clients and provides...

CONTRACTOR: Dangerous goods.
October 21, 2003... Following considerable investigation by the NAAC, it seems that the HSE is not intending to apply proposed new ADR carriage regulations to agricultural and forestry tractors and mobile machinery. This means that, providing you are driving a...

CONTRACTOR: Christmas card.
October 21, 2003... To help promote its business and membership, the NAAC has commissioned a special Christmas card exclusively for members to buy and send to their customers. Look out for the NAAC logo in coming months. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

CONTRACTOR: Ready for a potato harvester revolution?
October 21, 2003... All currently available potato harvesters are unnecessarily complicated and expensive. That is the view of Dutch company D.R. Helix, which has developed the prototype of a simpler system. The concept not only reduces the power requirement by...

CONTRACTOR: Keep it safe.
October 21, 2003... With the potato harvest in full swing, Dominic Kilburn provides a timely reminder to growers to pay careful attention to safety this season. Out of all the kit used on farms, potato harvesters are ranked among the worst when it comes to...

Talking Arable with our South Devon-based farmer David Pearson.
October 21, 2003... 6th OCTOBER 2003 We finished harvest on August 28, after an uninterrupted spell of combining. The only hiccup happened in the beans; the stalks seemed intent on shredding into fibres and succeeded in jamming the straw walker agitator with...

Sugar regime proposals leave bitter taste.
October 21, 2003... SWEET TALK with Simon Fisher In the first in a series of articles focusing on the British sugar beet industry, specialist Simon Fisher looks at options being discussed for the new sugar regime in 2006. I write this article whilst the...

OSR fungicides: Dose rate decisions.
October 21, 2003... Triazole resistance in light leaf spot poses a serious challenge for Scotland's oilseed rape growers. Teresa Rush reports on HGCA-funded work to determine the distribution of triazole resistance in the Pyrenopeziza brassicae population in...

Business: ARC+MRC=TAG.
October 21, 2003... Two of England's best-known independent agronomy and research organisations have completed merger proceedings. Gloucestershire-based Arable Research Centres and Norfolk-based Morley Research Centre announced their intention to merge in June...

Talking Arable with our Borders-based farmer Guy Lee.
October 21, 2003... 6th October 2003 I have tried either min-till or direct drilling for the past four years and, when it comes to harvest and the results are no better or often worse than my conventional plough, power harrow, drill, I promise that I will not...

Oiling the grain chain.
October 21, 2003... In what is a significant success for the cereals industry, the Cereals Industry Forum (CIF) has been awarded a major government grant of 1.4m over the next three years to improve efficiency and competitiveness in the grain chain. Professor...

Multi-purpose models with option packages.
October 21, 2003... Massey Ferguson expects there will be models from its new 5400 Series tractors to interest arable farmers as well as the livestock sector. The six tractors from 75 to 120hp are styled like the 6400 and 7400s and are in addition to the...

OSR agronomy: The root to better yields?
October 21, 2003... New HGCA-funded research aims to find out whether management to improve rooting in oilseed rape can bring increased yields. Teresa Rush reports. The research is based on the premise that root length density of oilseed rape may be...

COMBINES: Greater width and separation.
October 21, 2003... Case IH has moved into the major combine harvester league in terms of header width, engine size and harvesting rates. Michael Bird reports on its latest machine. Based on results from two pre-production machines working on British farms...

TRACTORS: Fine tuning from Fendt.
October 21, 2003... 2003 promises to be the best year yet for Agco's Fendt brand of tractors in the UK market. Dominic Kilburn reports on new developments to its Vario machines. `Better product, better distribution' is how Fendt's UK sales manager Richard...

TRACTORS: State-of-the-art facility.
October 21, 2003... `The most efficient, state-of-the-art, tractor manufacturing plant in the world, producing made-to-order tractors in a shorter time period than any other manufacturer' - the words of Agco's chairman, president and CEO Robert Ratliff on Valtra...

Gout and aphid threat.
October 21, 2003... Whilst letting the train take the strain to the HGCA `Grain Marketing Outlook Conference', it was clear to see that much of the cereal crop had been drilled in East Anglia by the end of September by those who had received the rain! Thoughts...

Beware hungry slugs!
October 21, 2003... The slug problem is more difficult to predict this autumn. The breeding conditions in the spring and late summer, being very dry, mean that the number of small juveniles will be lower than usual. However, since last autumn was very wet, the...

The menace of black-grass.
October 21, 2003... The other major threat and wheat yield robber is of course black-grass, not only causing a yield loss of roughly 1% for every 4 plants per square metre but, in addition, increasing ergot. The number of strains resistant to herbicides is...

Flea and phoma risk.
October 21, 2003... This year's backward and patchy oilseed rape will be particularly at risk from slugs (as will wheat after field beans and rape). Similarly cabbage stem flea beetle and phoma could be more damaging to smaller plants as they go through the...