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Latest harvest news

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ARABLE

Wet October and dry spring challenge farmers, says Velcourt

Two consecutive wet Octobers have provided challenges for arable farmers drilling autumn crops. If the trend continues, it may trigger material changes to farming systems, according to bosses at Velcourt.…

FEED AND NUTRITION

Maize Watch: Harvest progresses as weather worsens

The maize harvest progresses across the country as autumn sets in, and with it some heavy rain.  Toby Tibbenham sampling for Farmers Weekly in Norfolk harvested his maize last week…

NEWS

NFU frustrated at government seasonal worker claims

The NFU has rejected government claims that vacancies on the Seasonal Workers Pilot scheme mean Britain does not need overseas labour. The union acknowledged that there were a number of…

HARVEST

Last chance to take part in the NFU harvest survey

UK growers have only a handful of days left to complete the 2021 NFU harvest survey, which closes on Sunday 26 September. The annual survey aims to build a picture…

SUGAR BEET

Growers face delivering own beet due to HGV driver shortage

Sugar beet growers may have to rely on their own tractors and trailers to transport their crop to the factory this campaign because of a national shortage of HGV drivers.…

HARVEST

Harvest 2021: Pockets of cereals and beans still to cut

Combines are mostly cleaned down for the winter as drills come out in force, but a few cereals and beans remain to be gathered in. East Lothian In Scotland, James…

HARVEST

Harvest 2021: Ergot in the east and variable bean quality

As most farmers wrap up the tail-end of harvest, a few areas are still trying to catch up after a very protracted season, which has seen many crops needing a…

HARVEST

Harvest 2021: End in sight for frustrating, unusual season

Harvest is wrapping up for most of the country, with just a few final hectares to go. While reports on yields have been reasonable, quality, on the other hand, has…

Practical advice

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DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Tips on how to reduce losses from tuber blight this autumn

Potato growers are urged to remain vigilant against tuber blight as the season draws to a close, with adequate skin set and early store management key to avoiding significant losses.…

CRIME

Warning after spate of harvest GPS thefts in West Country

The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) has issued advice on protecting high-tech farm equipment after a spate of thefts in the West Country this harvest. Thieves are increasingly targeting…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

How to prepare for ergot limits in cereals for harvest 2021

Growers need to prepare for new regulations covering maximum limits on ergot in cereals, to avoid loads being rejected by millers and merchants from harvest 2021 onwards.  The current 0.05%…

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Get ready for harvest: How to carry out a safety induction

Farmers who take on staff to help them over the harvest period should make sure all workers are given a clear health and safety briefing before they start work. It…

POTATOES

5 tips on effective use of maleic hydrazide in potatoes

Good application is essential in getting the most from maleic hydrazide, which AHDB trials have shown to be a useful, cost-effective tool for controlling early dormancy break in potatoes. This…

POTATOES

Video: Top tips for successful potato flailing

Mechanically flailing potato haulms to remove the majority of the biomass not only slows down tuber bulking, it can also speed up the desiccation process by as much as 25%.…

Case studies

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SUGAR BEET

Video: Good early sugar beet yield as harvesting speeds up

Sugar beet harvesting is kicking off with promising yields for one Suffolk farmer amid more optimism among growers due to low disease levels and a price rise in the pipeline.…

HARVEST

Video: Fungicide-free wheat hits 10t/ha

Nick Dymond’s unique cropping approach of not using fungicides or insecticides and a focus on crop nutrition has seen yields of his Extase winter wheat peak at 10t/ha. With specific weights…

HARVEST

Grower kick-starts wheat harvest to earn £30/t premium

Merseyside grower Olly Harrison was not only one of the first growers to start winter barley harvest, but is now also leading the charge to cut winter wheat, which is…

HARVEST

Harvest 2021: Disease-tolerant OSR performance assessed

A sclerotinia-tolerant oilseed rape variety outyielded others on an Essex farm and was also grown at a lower cost, so its area will be expanded next season. Alex Jessop-Gaymer grew…

HARVEST

Better-than-expected winter barley harvest for Notts grower

Father-and-son team Philip and Chris Hardy’s north Nottinghamshire winter barley harvest is going better than originally expected, with the variety Hawking yielding an exceptional 9.4t/ha. Harvest started on 17 July…

BARLEY

How a Dorset spring barley grower hit highest-ever yield

Jim Farquharson grew his highest-ever yield of spring barley in one of the most difficult years for spring crops, aided by a focus on crop nutrition and canopy management. His…

Latest Harvest videos

Latest Harvest images

Harvest photos

Harvest is one of the most hectic and exciting times of year on the farm. Capture your harvest 2021 on camera and share photos and videos with us.

We want to see cool combine shots, mad weather photos and drone videos.

All uploaded photos will be considered for our Harvest 2021 photo competition – the winning image will be featured on the front cover of the magazine later in the season.

Find out more

Insights

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VARIETY SELECTION

Variety verdict: Top-performing wheats and barleys of 2021

The combination of plants already under stress and a disease explosion that hit crops in late spring and early summer is thought to be behind the discrepancies seen in wheat…

CROP MANAGEMENT

How data analytics can help identify marginal farmland

The power of data analytics in improving decision making about future land use is being highlighted by a project at AHDB’s Strategic Farm East to use data to identify marginal…

HARVEST

Harvest 2021: The 5 top-yielding spring barley varieties map

Throughout the harvest season, we are updating our handy map with the latest data from 2021’s AHDB wheat Recommended List harvest results. Use the map below to find the five…

VARIETY SELECTION

Harvest 2021: The 5 top-yielding winter wheat varieties map

Throughout the harvest season, we are updating our handy map with the latest data from 2021’s AHDB wheat Recommended List harvest results. Use the map below to find the five…

VARIETY SELECTION

Harvest 2021: The 5 top-yielding OSR varieties map

Throughout the harvest season, we are updating our handy map with the latest data from 2021’s AHDB oilseed rape Recommended List harvest results. Use the map below to find the…

VARIETY SELECTION

Harvest 2021: The 5 top-yielding winter barley varieties map

Throughout the harvest season, we are updating our handy map with the latest data from 2021’s AHDB winter barley Recommended List harvest results. Use the map below to find the…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

Can grain nutrient analysis improve fertiliser use?

Grain nutrient analysis offers growers an effective way to improve input efficiency by diagnosing potential nutrient deficiencies, so management plans can be tweaked accordingly. Acting a bit like a post-mortem, grain…

HARVEST

Analysis: Cost of extreme weather on 2020 crop performance

The weather extremes in the hugely difficult 2019-20 cropping season provided a unique test of crop performance, with some new winter wheat varieties showing promise. From some of the wettest…

VARIETY SELECTION

Harvest 2020: The 5 top-yielding spring barley varieties map

Throughout the harvest season, we are updating our handy map with the latest data from 2020’s AHDB wheat Recommended List harvest results. Use the map below to find the five…

HARVEST

Harvest 2020: The 5 top-yielding wheat varieties map

Throughout the harvest season, we are updating our handy map with the latest data from 2020’s AHDB wheat Recommended List harvest results. Use the map below to find the five…

HARVEST

Harvest 2020: The 5 top-yielding OSR varieties map

Throughout the harvest season, we are updating our handy map with the latest data from 2020’s AHDB oilseed rape Recommended List harvest results. Use the map below to find the…

HARVEST

Harvest 2020: The 5 top-yielding winter barley varieties map

Throughout the harvest season, we are updating our handy map with the latest data from 2020’s AHDB winter barley Recommended List harvest results. Use the map below to find the…