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Lincolnshire grower Andrew Ward is looking to further drive down establishment costs with reduced tillage, after carrying out a successful cultivation trial investigating shallower workings on his heavy clay soils.…
Data is the new weapon for farmers seeking to enter a competitive global market, while protecting the environment and coping with the greater extremes in weather. But not enough is…
A spring barley and pea mix, along with grass leys, is helping David Marsh improve soil health and cut the carbon footprint on his mixed Cotswold farm. The barley-pea combination…
The desire to grow and improve the family arable business while preparing it for an uncertain future prompted Yorkshire farmer Gary Shipley to take on the Monitor Farm role in…
This year’s unsettled autumn weather has been making fieldwork more difficult than many would have liked, but fears of a repeat of last year’s atrocious conditions have eased. Last November,…
Balancing good soil management and health with the short-term interests of a large-scale commercial farming business is difficult to manage. However, one Lincolnshire estate has been implementing a long-term plan…
Growers with land left undrilled this year should consider the use of active fallow to improve soil condition and prepare the ground for next autumn’s drillings. In an active fallow,…
The best way of draining waterlogged soils and restructuring compacted areas is to plant a crop as soon as it is feasible, and allow them to transpire the water out.…
Arable growers need to follow a seven-point plan to improve their soil structure especially if, as expected, new farm support payments will depend on healthy soils. With many arable areas…
Needed in such finite quantities, micronutrients can be easily overlooked as another expense, with deficiencies putting cereal yields at risk as well as leading to crops that are more susceptible…
Yields on field headlands are typically 10% lower than the rest of the field, which is why farmers will benefit from measures that minimise the impact of increased traffic on…
Unless you are one of a growing number of no-tillers or you plough every year, it is difficult to be prescriptive when it comes to post-harvest cultivation strategy. There is…
Fermenting organic matter in a similar way to ensiling grass, rather than composting waste, can lead to greater improvements in soil health while at the same time helping farmers to…
After one of the wettest winters on record, it could be assumed that UK arable soils will be in desperate need of first aid before the next cropping season begins.…
One of the key things to bear in mind if you are thinking about attempting to obtain planning permission for housing on a piece of land is how important it…
Replacing drill coulters with a high-pressure jet to open up the soil will not only improve germination, its inventors believe it can aid rooting by cracking compaction and aerating soils.…
A major trial has been set up to find the most profitable and sustainable way to grow arable crops by comparing three different establishment systems over five years. Establishment systems…
Farming is coming under greater pressure to halt the decline in wildlife. A major government project hopes to provide some of the answers in coming years, by balancing greater diversity with…
With soil fertility and sustainability in the spotlight, two high-tech projects at the University of Plymouth could revolutionise the way farmers think about this precious resource. Scientists look to create…
Zero-tillage may not be right for every farm, but for some growers the establishment system has resulted in significant financial and agronomic benefits. The effectiveness of blackgrass control in no-till…
Modern wheat varieties have been shown to be able to support colonies of nutrient-unlocking soil fungi in trials held by agronomy company ProCam. Samples of root taken from the Essex…
Home-made compost combined with an extremely diverse rotation and minimal soil disturbance has the cut the inputs and agronomic management needed on Simon Cowell’s farm at Lawrence, near Southminster, Essex.…
Soil health has risen to the top of the agenda for the agricultural industry over recent years. At the recent Farmers Weekly Soils in Practice event on a Lincolnshire farm,…
Adopting the fundamental principles of “conservation agriculture” has huge potential for nursing depleted arable soils back to health and correct implementation is key to its success. Conservation agriculture is defined…
