Farmer Focus: Oilseed rape crops look exceptional in the West

As I write this, we are experiencing our first significant rain for some considerable time. It is welcome in some respects, but we still have a lot of work to complete.

The dry conditions have allowed us to make good progress with the autumn drilling campaign. Both seed-beds and emergence to date have been good.

Unlike my counterparts further east we have had tremendous oilseed rape establishment. The entire area is looking exceptionally good – we have seen no sign of cabbage stem flea beetle activity in our area. The only real challenge has come from turnip sawfly larvae, which required treatment. 

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Overall, the crop looks in danger of becoming winter proud, although colder weather at some point will hopefully sort that out.

I would like to think that with a reduced area nationally the returns will increase, as it is an expensive crop to grow without the margin I would like to see. However, it is an excellent break crop and for that reason it is likely to remain.

Potato and onion harvests continue apace. Yields remain quite variable and generally disappointing compared with our usual average. While the market price is up, the true value won’t emerge until harvest is complete nationally. 

I have watched with interest the progress of the new Agriculture Bill as it turns into legislation.

My initial thoughts, like many others in the industry, were that the first proposal was a wasted opportunity with far too much emphasis on environmental issues and insufficient proposals on land tenure and food production.

I am keen to see how it will be shaped as it makes its way through parliament.

Judging by the number of MPs in the chamber for the second reading, it is not generating masses of interest among the great and good. Maybe that is a good thing.

I for one am not afraid of change – just give us the tools to operate in a business-like manner. This is, after all, the opportunity to shape the industry for the next 50 years in the same way that the 1947 Act did.