When it comes to growing cash crops, most farmers will spend plenty of time choosing the right varieties with traits that suit a farm’s physical and management characteristics. However, many growers are sold cover crops by species, with little or no additional information to demonstrate their suitability for different enterprises, soils or rotations. As one …
Anglo American exhibited their natural mineral polyhalite fertiliser ‘POLY4’ and Soil Scientist, Kathryn Bartlett gave a talk on how long-term soil management plans can improve soil fertility. You will have heard it many times already how fundamental soils are to the wellbeing of our planet. Intrinsically knowing the value of good soil-based understanding, is the …
GENERATIONAL POINTERS Agrii agronomist Todd Jex gets a steer from his grandfather on how he’s putting newtech into practice. I really enjoy talking to the older farming generation about farming systems and the challenges they faced during their careers. My 92-year-old grandfather is often particularly keen to point out that many of the ‘fashionable’ and …
New Machinery Tool provides in depth fixed cost analysis Improving financial performance on combinable crops relies on a true and accurate understanding of fixed costs, says Will Foyle farm business consultant with Hutchinsons. “Whilst a focus on yield is still important, understanding and being able to control overheads or fixed costs, is key to financial …
Agronomist in Focus – Drilling down into fixed costs Read More »
Written by Jez Wardman, Agronomist at Undo Environmental issues are often hitting the headlines but articles are generally focussed on the negative outcomes, creating worries that it’s already too late to turn things around. However, I know from experience that farmers, local communities, carbon removal companies and other climate-forward organisations are making a real difference …
How Enhanced Weathering Supports a Farmer’s Business and the Environment Read More »
If ever there was a year to highlight the need for flexibility and the adoption of as many cultural controls as possible to manage weeds and diseases in winter wheat crops, this is it! The relatively mild and dry early winter led to comparatively forward stands in February. This was followed by an excessively wet …
Testing season highlights the need for well managed cultural controls Read More »
Written by Dick Neale from Hutchinsons It’s all about the soil – this is now a well understand driver of sustainable farming systems. Being in a position to reduce inputs, change cultivation techniques or understand how cover or catch crops might benefit the soil, has to start with the soil, its condition and improvements required. …
Growing from a single 150 acre farm to 1400 owned hectares in 12 units across north Wiltshire and south Gloucestershire over the past seven years, Malmesbury-basedCP Farming is taking a fully-integrated, three-pronged approach to sustainability. Under the guidance of innovative young manager and NFU Student and Young Farmer Ambassador, Mike Wilkins, the current 900ha of …
Fully-integrated Wiltshire approach to sustainable farming Read More »
Written by Rosalind Platt, managing director of UK leaders in crop nutrition, BFS Fertiliser Services. BFS is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. Foliar nitrogen fertiliser treatments later in the season can dramatically reduce the total amount of nitrogen needed while maintaining or increasing crop yields. The recent turmoil in the fertiliser market has …
Healthy soil … what does that actually mean? Written by Dick Neale from Hutchinsons Hutchinsons launched its Healthy Soils Assessment service in 2016. Since then the overall understanding of what goes into making a soil healthy has increased massively. Shared knowledge, research, observation, plus a clear increase in grower interest have all combined to accelerate …
