Crops articles from February 2006

Crops archives from February 2006

Does the old match the new? Can older products really compete with newer technology? Liz Robinson finds out.(AGCHEMS)
February 11, 2006... What's goes into your spray tank? Older products, newer products, or a mixture of the two? It's not always the easiest decis ion to make. So we've gone to the experts to help you make the right choice. BACKING THE OLD Around 350...

Getting down to core values: how do you decide how much nitrogen should go on this spring? Many growers turn to soil testing as a prediction tool. But there's more to it than meets the eye.(RB209)
February 11, 2006... Cross-compliance. RB209. Nitrate Vulnerable Zones. Words becoming increasingly important to concerned growers. With grain prices so low and a need to achieve the best yield and quality possible from expensive nitrogen applications, there's...

Can you grow 16t/ha wheats? Just how realistic is a yield target of 16t/ha for UK wheat and how could it be achieved? Those were key questions at a recent Association of Independent Crop Consultants conference. Andrew Blake seeks some answers.(AICC CONFERENCE)
February 11, 2006... There is little doubt that parts of some UK fields already occasionally achieve more than twice the 8t/ha (3.2t/acre) national average. Indeed in West Sussex such yields were not uncommon in trials last harvest, according to AICC member Peter...

Track 'n' drill solution pays in Lincs: slash establishment costs by combining direct drilling and controlled traffic farming, advises a Lincs farmer. Peter Hill reports.(MACHINERY)
February 11, 2006... By combining a controlled wheelings system with direct drilling one Lincs farmer believes he can slash establishment costs and significantly improve soil conditions. The strategy is making its latest advance this spring with the arrival of...

Drill makers show that small can be beautiful: big is not always best when it comes to disc drills, with manufacturers now offering smaller units to deliver min-till benefits. Peter Hill reports.(MACHINERY)
February 11, 2006... When Simba unveiled its Pronto DC drills and Rabe took the wraps off its MegaDrill seeder last year, it marked a further expansion in the hitherto limited choice of compact disc coulter drills available to growers wanting a versatile seeder...

Predicting future disease control: where will disease control be in 10 years' time? ADAS disease expert Neil Paveley presented his vision at the HGCA R&D conference last month.(DISEASE MANAGEMENT)
February 11, 2006... In 10 years' time wheat variety disease resistance will have improved so much, growers will only need to use one fungicide application during a season. It's a radical statement, but one ADAS pathologist expert Neil Paveley feels is both...

What weedkiller will you use? The spring herbicide choices seem endless. So let Crops help you see the wood for the trees with our industry-leading tables compiled by Liz Robinson.(HERBICIDES)
February 11, 2006... Product Lerap Use it for But don't forget Grassweed activity NEW None Wild oats and Must be used with AXIAL ryegrass in Adigor adjuvant. (Syngenta)...

Lodging stoppers: Liz Robinson runs through the chemical options to manipulate cereal growth.(GROWTH REGULATORS)
February 11, 2006... Product Crops Latest time of application Plant growth regulators CHLORMEQUAT Check individual Cut off...

Tories tint their farming policy green: has Conservative farm policy put popular votes ahead of farming reality, asks Stephen Carr.(CARR'S CORNER)
February 11, 2006... "It can have escaped nobody's attention that the Conservative Party has a new leader. In a few short months David Cameron has done what had seemed impossible to a string of recent Conservative Party leaders, making Tories seem "in touch" with...

Biodiesel policy questioned: on-farm energy beckons, says German producer Harald Isermeyer.(Podium)
February 11, 2006... "Will energy crops brighten the horizon? In Germany biodiesel has developed very quickly. But is it the right course to follow? I think not. Biogas and grain burning offer far better prospects. Biodiesel from rapeseed has dominated, because...

Cash-flow crisis set to ease at last.(BRIEFING)
February 11, 2006... Relief all round as DEFRA and the RPA finally announced that the vast majority of farmers will receive their long delayed SFP cheque by late March. Good news indeed--provided it happens. Meanwhile, concern still surrounds many other aspects...

Time to profit from farmland wildlife.(BRIEFING)
February 11, 2006... Just how do you profit from the wildlife opportunities on your farm? Read our report from the national Crops/FEC Conference "Wildlife IS the business of farming" to find out. The reality is that wildlife is already a cornerstone of modern...

Stifle innovation at your peril.(VIEWPOINT)
February 11, 2006... Sixteen tonne a hectare wheat--that's 6.5t/acre in old money. Is it pie in the sky, or a real prospect as researchers and agronomists better understand crop production, and new varieties and inputs deliver fresh benefits for farmers? It is...

Your glimpse into the future: Farmers Weekly and Yara join forces to bring you a conference with a difference--the vision of your daily lives in 2020 and beyond. It's your chance to view tomorrow's global economy--with its opportunities and threats for your business--today.(CONFERENCE)
February 11, 2006... 2 MARCH, 2006 at The Space Centre, Leicester COMMUNICATION Speaker: Karl Schneider How will modern technology shape the future of communications on-farm? Fasten your seatbelt for an entertaining insight on life in the e-lane from...

Dynamically passing the SFP buck.(JUSTIN MCDONALD'S DIARY)(Calendar)
February 11, 2006... MONDAY * Well I thought we were in a declining industry. But it seems I need to think again. According to our esteemed Lord Bach, DEFRA has been flooded by an additional 40,000 applications to the single payment scheme in England. By...

Biobeds versus bunds: our feature on Tim Kirk's biobed (Crops, 12 Nov) sparked a strong response from a Yorks farmer describing the whole concept as "flawed", writes Andrew Blake ...(PERSPECTIVE)
February 11, 2006... We think that's a shame. Leaving aside the detailed pros and cons of biobeds and the portable bunding alternative promoted by this particular critic, if the article did no more than encourage other pesticide users to think harder about what...

Join forces and reduce your costs: how do you reduce costs and increase opportunity? One group of East Anglian farms seems to have the answer, reports Suzie Horne.(YOUR BUSINESS)
February 11, 2006... Treating labour and machinery as a variable rather than a fixed cost is helping eight Norfolk and Suffolk growers become more flexible and more profitable. Buying in operations rather than running their own machinery also gives them time to...

Ready for recycling: with the government's new rules on agricultural waste drawn up to comply with the EU waste framework directive, expected to become law any time now, Andrew Blake looks at the implications.(WASTE REGULATIONS)
February 11, 2006... Still using a farm tip and burying or burning your waste materials? If the answer's "yes" then you could soon be operating illegally. Even before the regulations come into force, the Environment Agency is urging farmers to stop using tips...

What price risk? Talking about risk management may not be new, but getting action in the UK is proving something of a headache. Suzie Horne looks at the reasons why.(PRICE PROTECTION)
February 11, 2006... Prices are more volatile, farming is more risky, price protection should be used more widely. The message is not a new one, but wider use of futures, options and other products will only come when the financial community puts more effort...

Know the true value of costs: benchmarking--where businesses exchange information in an effort to save costs and improve performance--is being hailed as a vital new business tool for arable farmers. Louise Impey finds out what it has to offer.(BUSINESS PERFORMANCE)
February 11, 2006... According to the Food Chain Centre, benchmarking is the act of comparing yourself with others. Anything that can be measured, whether it's financial, physical or environmental, can be benchmarked. "The idea behind benchmarking is that the...

Tank mixing: remember to leave room for the water; Armed with the right information, tank mixing can save growers valuable time in a hectic spraying schedule. But get it wrong and the consequences can be unpleasant. Liz Robinson finds out how the tank mix scene has evolved and where growers can source the up-to-date information.(TECHNICAL)
February 25, 2006... Tank mixing is commonplace among advisers and spray operators who realise the benefits of a carefully planned mixture in saving passes through the crop, and in some cases improving efficacy of the products being sprayed. But they will also...

Training key to potato planting success: are you sure you comply with the legislation for using tuber treatments? A series of training workshops could help you get up to scratch. Paul Spackman went along to a grower day near Ely.(POTATOES)
February 25, 2006... Applying pesticides during potato planting is a complex task. No surprise then that growers need to be PA12 certified to maximise tuber protection in a way that is safe to operators, the environment and the bottom line. Complying with...

Drill early for beet success: early drilling is crucial if you want to achieve sugar beet yields of 70t/ha, says British Sugar.(BEET ESTABLISHMENT)
February 25, 2006... Over the past 20 years the average drilling date has come forward by 10 days to about 30 March and growers should continue to push the drilling envelope to the limit of the seed's capability, says BS's Robin Limb. "The tenth of March was...

Time is money: using less water in the tank is an effective way to widen your spraying window. Sarah Henly reports.(SPRAY APPLICATION)
February 25, 2006... Worried about cutting spray application volumes for fear of losing efficacy against diseases and weeds? There's no need to be. You can go as low as 50 litres/ha with many products without control and drift becoming a problem, suggests Paul...

Choose you weed control weapons: get clued up on the latest fungicide options.(FUNGICIDES)
February 25, 2006... Product Lerap Wheat Strobilurin-type fungicides ACANTO None Has wheat recommendations at T1 and (Syngenta) T2 but largely igonored by market Contains 250g/litre...

More options for potato growers.(AGRONOMY UPDATE)
February 25, 2006... Potato growers will have access to one new blight fungicide and an insecticide this season, following their launch by Bayer CropScience. Infinito (fluopicolide + propamocarb) offers a unique mode of action against blight, says the firm's...

Extra power makes all the difference: moving to a more powerful tractor helped a Suffolk farming partnership trim costs and improve flexibility. Peter Hill reports.(MACHINERY)(Cover story)
February 25, 2006... Co-operation between five farmers, who pool machinery and labour under the Demeter Farming banner, has cut tractor numbers and brought a move up the power scale to bolster efficiency, with a 220hp Fastrac 3220 Plus lying at the heart of the...

New choices for top end tractors: new tractor models aplenty feature in the 200-350hp class, offering enhanced performance and technology. Peter Hill reviews the contenders.(MACHINERY)
February 25, 2006... Growers wanting to operate large stubble cultivators, six- to eight-furrow ploughs, 6-8m seed drills and triple bed-tillers have a wide choice of highly competent tractor makes and models to choose from, now that most major manufacturers are...

Now for some advice from ... the RPA: concerned by his unvalidated single payment entitlement, Stephen Carr turns to the RPA.(CARR'S CORNER)
February 25, 2006... "Eighteen months ago I was so horrified by Margaret Beckett's decision to lumber English farmers with the "Dynamic Hybrid" SP that I went to the trouble to write to Lord Whitty to complain about it. Now, months later, the news that as many as...

What is a farmer nowadays? Is it all a bad dream, asks arable producer Richard Ward.(Podium)
February 25, 2006... "Hello, I'm Richard Ward and I'm a Farm Diversifier, sorry I mean a Farm Manager. Actually, I'm not sure which, probably both, but I think I know which I'd rather be. This all feels like a bad dream. But it begs two questions: Are we...

16 tonnes?(BRIEFING)
February 25, 2006... Sir, About 20 years ago I ran the BASF Agronomy Centre in East Anglia. Different levels of inputs were tested on about 1000 12mx2m plots of winter wheat and barley. Even in those days, small-plot winter wheat yields in excess of 12t/ha were...

Look out: longboats.(BRIEFING)
February 25, 2006... In contrast to some UK farmers, the Danes believe farming in the east of England has a bright future and, according to property agent Savills, have bought over 3000ha of prime soil in the past two years, with another major Lincs purchase in the...

We are the best in Europe.(VIEWPOINT)
February 25, 2006... Britain's farmers are the best in Europe at reducing the impacts of modern farming techniques. They do more to protect the environment, more to safeguard soil and water and more to benefit wildlife. But they can't stitch Britain's countryside...

Finally, notification of entitlements arrives.(JUSTIN MCDONALD'S DIARY)
February 25, 2006... MONDAY * At last, our single payment entitlement letter arrived from the RPA. Maggie opened it over breakfast as my hand was shaking too much to be able to read it. Apparently we have something called an "unvalidated claim" but there was a...

Is there a better way? The conflict between high yields and environmental regulations means nitrogen applications are under the spotlight. Our soil nitrogen investigation last issue highlighted a number of shortcomings. Your responses left us wondering ...(PERSPECTIVE)
February 25, 2006... How well do we understand our soils? On the evidence of mounting criticism of fertiliser bible RB209 and considerable variability in on-farm soil testing highlighted by the investigation we carried out last issue, not as well as everyone would...

Your glimpse into the future.(CONFERENCE)
February 25, 2006... Farmers Weekly and Yara join forces to bring you a conference with a difference--the vision of your daily lives in 2020 and beyond. It's your chance to view tomorrow's global economy--with its opportunities and threats for your business--today...

Watch out for barley upturn.(YOUR BUSINESS)
February 25, 2006... It could be 2011 before malting barley prices pick up, according to experts at a recent DEFRA-funded "Walk the Supply Chain" event at the I'Ansons feed mill in Masham, North Yorks. If the national acreage keeps shrinking, barley prices...

Time to cash in on conservation: growers should adapt their businesses ready for a wave of opportunities to profit from conservation, delegates heard at the Crops/FEC Wildlife IS the business of farming conference. Charles Abel, Julian Gairdner and Debbie Beaton report.(WILDLIFE CONFERENCE)
February 25, 2006... Mention worthwhile profits and wildlife in the same sentence and most farmers laugh. But well-managed wildlife could soon deliver real cash benefits. "Biodiversity offers farmers a new dawn. Consumers want it and they're prepared to pay...

Taking the direct route: the organic vegetable market grew by 20% in 2005 according to HDRA research. But how are growers reaching their customers? Louise Impey finds out.(ORGANIC MARKETING)
February 25, 2006... Box schemes dominate the market for organic vegetable direct sales, with 75% of UK output being sold through this channel. That's according to Natalie Geen, a member of the economics and marketing policy team at organic organisation HDRA. ...

New domestic markets boost demand for 2006 wheat: just because the grain market is quiet doesn't mean it's not worth a look. Suzie Horne catches up with the Grain Challenge competitors.(GRAIN MARKETING CHALLENGE)
February 25, 2006... UK wheat growers can guarantee themselves a better income from grain sales compared with the past two years just by doing something now, says grain broker Jeremy Cole. The May 2008 futures recently opened at [pounds sterling]80/t and...