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VARIETY SELECTION

Yellow rust risk narrows winter wheat choice for 2025-26

Plenty of winter wheat varieties were added to the AHDB Recommended List at the end of last year,  but their yellow rust resistance ratings may have suffered already, following an…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: We can learn much from French attitude to food

We recently returned from a week in France over half-term. The weather was fantastic, as was the food, beer and wine. At the same time, a farmer who many of…

MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

Three premium-earning crops for farmers next season

As the season draws to a close, farmers are looking at options for next season and three break crops offer some money-earning opportunities. Premium Crops is offering attractive premiums for…

WEED MANAGEMENT

Residual herbicide now approved for pre-em use in wheat

Changes to the label for residual herbicide Xerton (ethofumesate) to include pre-emergence use in winter wheat promises to unlock additional activity against blackgrass. Previously, the label restricted its use in…

VARIETY SELECTION

Round-up of the 14 newly recommended winter barleys

Winter barley variety choice has expanded considerably ahead of this autumn, with 14 newly recommended varieties vying for some share of a smaller market. The number of regional recommendations on…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: A whistlestop tour of rural America

In late May, I was fortunate to have a week in the US visiting suppliers of an irrigation business we are part owners of. Nothing beats fronting up, in person,…

ARABLE

Leicestershire farmer to host new AHDB Cereals Strategic Farm

Osbaston House farm is the AHDB’s first Strategic Farm to be based in Leicestershire, where farmers will be able to see for themselves research and innovation being put into practice…

WEED MANAGEMENT

Why propyzamide use in OSR and beans remains in the balance

Delivering best practice for successful weed control with propyzamide while preventing it from entering water courses and reservoirs remains a difficult balance. What’s good for weed control frequently increases the…

CROP WATCH

Crop Watch: Vining pea harvest and aphid pressure rises

The vining pea harvest has kicked off and yields are variable, reflecting the variable rainfall. Pests are also on agronomists’ minds with barley yellow dwarf virus appearing in cereals in…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Agricultural support is slipping away rapidly

I often start by talking about the weather, so here goes: it's very dry. That’s enough said on that. I’ll now move on to commodity prices. Well, prices are pretty…

SOILS

Why understanding soil biology is key to crop health

Soils are not just the ground we walk on or a medium to plant into – they are dynamic, living energy systems with a host of inputs and outputs. “If…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Hopes of good wheat yields in wetter Devon

With fairly consistent showers throughout May and early June, we’ve certainly had enough moisture to maintain yield potential in our area of Devon. And to top it off, the sun…

OILSEED RAPE

Timing crucial for desiccating OSR crops this harvest

With pod filling well under way in winter oilseed rape crops, one agronomy company  is reminding growers of the need for accurate desiccation timing to maximise yield and minimise the…

Arable news

CROP MANAGEMENT

Cereals 2025: NZ farming app expands into UK markets

A farming app developed by a group of New Zealand farmers is looking to expand into UK markets, offering software which simply records, stores and shares farm data. The Resolution…

WEED MANAGEMENT

Cereals 2025: Water hardness check key to glyphosate efficacy

Farmers could be losing up to 30% efficacy of glyphosate in hard water areas, thereby increasing the risk of grassweed resistance by delivering a sub-optimal kill. The discovery of glyphosate-resistant…

CROP MANAGEMENT

Cereals 2025: Digital agronomy service offers SFI update

A leading digital agronomy service has announced updated software tools to support users with Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) compliance. Precision agriculture service Rhiza is now offering SFI-compliant integrated pest management…

CROP MANAGEMENT

Cereals 2025: Precision farming service makes a difference

Growers are seeing the benefits of a new precision farming service this season, evening up fields in what has been a very variable season. Procam regional technical manager Nigel Scott…

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How to make SFI a success on your arable farm

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VARIETY SELECTION

Yellow rust risk narrows winter wheat choice for 2025-26

Plenty of winter wheat varieties were added to the AHDB Recommended List at the end of last year,  but their yellow rust resistance ratings may have suffered already, following an…

MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

Three premium-earning crops for farmers next season

As the season draws to a close, farmers are looking at options for next season and three break crops offer some money-earning opportunities. Premium Crops is offering attractive premiums for…

VARIETY SELECTION

Round-up of the 14 newly recommended winter barleys

Winter barley variety choice has expanded considerably ahead of this autumn, with 14 newly recommended varieties vying for some share of a smaller market. The number of regional recommendations on…

WEED MANAGEMENT

Why propyzamide use in OSR and beans remains in the balance

Delivering best practice for successful weed control with propyzamide while preventing it from entering water courses and reservoirs remains a difficult balance. What’s good for weed control frequently increases the…

SOILS

Why understanding soil biology is key to crop health

Soils are not just the ground we walk on or a medium to plant into – they are dynamic, living energy systems with a host of inputs and outputs. “If…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Cereals 2025: Growers given alert for yellow rust next season

Winter wheat growers are being urged to be vigilant about yellow rust next season and be prepared to use an early spring fungicide after a new race of the disease…

VARIETY SELECTION

Cereals 2025: Elsoms has high hopes for new wheat varieties

British-based plant breeder Elsoms has high expectations for two of its new feed winter wheat varieties coming up for recommendation later this year due to their high yields, good septoria…

COVER CROPS

How Arable Insights farmers are using cover crops in rotation

Whether it is to increase soil organic matter, provide grazing for sheep, prevent nutrients from leaching, or deliver extra income within the rotation, cover cropping has become a key part…

VARIETY SELECTION

Cereals 2025: Two new wheat varieties to make the top six

Two new winter wheat varieties Vibe and Scope are set to break into the top six best-selling varieties, helped by their high yields and grain quality. The two varieties have…

VARIETY SELECTION

Cereals 2025: Royalty collection fee for Group 4 winter wheat

New winter wheat Hexton is the first mainstream cereal variety set for an alternative royalty collection rate, which aims to “level the playing field” for farm-saved and certified seed fees.…

PEST MANAGEMENT

Cereals 2025: Top 10 strategies to tackle flea beetle

A list of the top 10 strategies to tackle the critical cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB) pest in oilseed rape crops has been released to help reverse the fortunes of…

BLACKGRASS

Trial leads to shift in blackgrass strategy on Oxon farm

Rotational ploughing and maximising autumn flushes are part of the new strategy at Tusmore estate near Bicester, as its farm manager looks to get blackgrass back under control. The grassweed…

BIODIVERSITY

What bioacoustics means for farm habitats and biodiversity

Using sensors and smart listening technology to understand more about on-farm habitats and the biodiversity they support is coming to a field near you. Known as bioacoustics, it combines biology…

PEST MANAGEMENT

Why leafhoppers are an emerging threat to potatoes

Covering a small patch of potatoes with insect mesh has highlighted the potential damage leafhopper species might be doing to the UK crop. Grown under the mesh, the processing variety…

CROP MANAGEMENT

Irish farmer ditches fungicides on marginal crop land

Irish arable farmer Samuel Deane is successfully growing fungicide-free crops on what is considered the very limit of viable arable land in the rain-drenched landscape of County Cork. Sam is…

ARABLE

Getting the most from on-farm ponds for wildlife

Often one of the most neglected on-farm habitats, ponds can really have an impact on wildlife considering the small area they occupy. Providing they remain unpolluted, ponds are refuges for…

Farmer Focus

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FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: We can learn much from French attitude to food

We recently returned from a week in France over half-term. The weather was fantastic, as was the food, beer and wine. At the same time, a farmer who many of…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Harvest prospects and next year's wheats

It is that time of year again – for attending crop variety trial meetings. Well, it is for Dad, anyway. Yellow rust has definitely been the talk of the town,…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: A whistlestop tour of rural America

In late May, I was fortunate to have a week in the US visiting suppliers of an irrigation business we are part owners of. Nothing beats fronting up, in person,…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Agricultural support is slipping away rapidly

I often start by talking about the weather, so here goes: it's very dry. That’s enough said on that. I’ll now move on to commodity prices. Well, prices are pretty…

Markets

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MARKETS AND TRENDS

Ag markets react sharply to conflict in Middle East

Fuel, fertiliser and oilseeds markets have experienced considerable volatility in recent days, driven by escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Initial reports of conflict caused markets to rally last…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Ex-farm spot wheat outperforms futures prices

A hefty premium has emerged in the last year between ex-farm spot prices and UK feed wheat futures contracts, according to analysis by grain trading platform Hectare. Ex-farm prices for…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

New crop wheat at £176/t sparks concern for growers

Sentiment among arable farmers has been downbeat for much of the past year, with farmgate prices in descent and persistent weather challenges weighing on the sector. A strong pound has…

BUSINESS

Farmers to get fairer deals for combinable crops

Arable farmers could soon benefit from new legislation that aims to tackle unfair practices in the combinable crops supply chain. Defra said the review – which launched on Thursday 5…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Malting barley premium erodes with prices under pressure

Margins for malting barley have dwindled in recent years and are now roughly £15/t above feed barley prices. This marks a sharp decline from previous seasons, where premiums exceeded £60/t…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Dry weather across Europe adds support to UK oilseeds markets

Paris rapeseed futures approached €500/t (£419/t) for the November contract on 27 May, the highest level in nearly three months. In the UK, oilseed rape prices stood at £452/t for…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

UK biofuels sector in jeopardy as US trade deal stings

Domestic wheat growers could be set to lose a vital market if Associated British Foods decides to shut down Vivergo Fuels, its bioethanol plant near Hull, East Yorkshire. The company…

MARKETS AND TRENDS

Grain market outlook dampened by economic uncertainty

Wheat prices have been in freefall throughout spring and global markets continue to look bearish in the short term. UK feed wheat futures have fallen £20/t this spring, to just…

Spot and forward prices (£/t ex-farm)
Each set of prices comes from a single merchant, co-op or broker, and are the latest prices being paid to farmers. Ranges of prices, within one category relate to the distance of the farm from the buyer. Oilseed rape prices are latest spot and forward prices, not contract prices. Ex farm prices vary with the distance from Hull, Liverpool and Erith, crushing factories.

Arable machinery

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COMBINES

Case IH launches high-spec 6.1-12.5m G500V VariCut headers

As the UK grain harvest gets under way, Case IH has revealed a refreshed cutting table with variable knife position and features said to improve combine performance and make the…

ROLLS

Bednar's 12.3m Galaxy roller gets front paddle tine option

Greater output from an arable roller that also has soil-working capability is promised for the Bednar Galaxy GE 12300. This five-section implement covering 12.3m joins the current three-section models with…

CULTIVATORS

Pottinger debuts Tinecare V 12050 flexible tine harrow

Pottinger is building its mechanical weed control product range with the company’s first flexible tine harrow. The Tinecare V 12050 Master kicks off the introduction with a number of novel…

CULTIVATORS

Ullmanna AI-enhanced in-row weeder learns as it works

A hoe that tackles weeds across a wide range of sizes both between and within rows uses rapid image analysis to detect and target the offending plants. It uses air-activated…

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