All from last 7 days FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: One more go with oilseed rapeIt’s been a strange harvest so far, and one that has required a lot of patience keeping the combine parked up when it is over 30C, either because crops aren’t… LAYERSA poultrykeeper's guide to ground-source heat pumpsWith farm carbon emissions under the spotlight and an increasing emphasis on sustainable agriculture, many producers are moving away from fossil fuels. Ground-source heat pumps offer a good solution for… GRAIN STORAGE EQUIPMENTAutomated mobile dryer simplifies harvest for 160ha growerWhen faced with the quandary of upgrading to a newer combine harvester or a more efficient grain dryer, it takes a bit of discipline to plump for the latter. But… NEWSOpinion: Greening was a blunt instrumentThe other week, I was talking to an applicant to the Countryside Stewardship (CS) scheme about not being able to use CS options for ecological focus areas (EFAs), and advising… WILDLIFEGrazing cattle help bring back rare blue butterflyA rare butterfly has been successfully reintroduced into the English countryside after Natural England and partners created the ideal habitat using cows grazing meadows. The globally endangered large blue butterfly… FINANCEJuly tractor sales take big dipUK tractor registrations in July were 44% lower than in the same month last year, says the Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA). July 2019 saw 868 units larger than 50hp registered.… NEWSHorticulture ballot 'provides mandate to change AHDB'Growers say they have secured a mandate to reform the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) – arguing that it fails to provide value for money. Most growers view the… HARVESTHarvest 2020: Rapid combining progress while yields are mixedHarvest is progressing quickly this week, aided by the heatwave, with many finishing oilseed rape, barley and oats with a mixture of yields appearing. See also: Harvest 2020: Lincs grower cuts… FARM POLICYFarmers to be paid for delivery of better animal welfareMuch has been said about the move to a new “public money for public goods” basis for supporting English farmers as post-Brexit Britain transitions away from the old EU system… NEWSFW Podcast Episode 20: Machinery costs and is OSR worth it?The cost of new machinery continues to scale new heights with John Deere slapping a hefty price tag on its latest X9 1100 combine. Many growers will struggle to find… FLINDT ON FRIDAYFlindt on Friday: Bloodshed at OSR's last standRight. That’s it. Oilseed rape is definitely off next year’s cropping plan. Yet only a couple of days ago, there was still a respectable area of yellow on the carefully… AWARDSFarmers Weekly Awards: Mixed Farmer finalists 2020This year's three Mixed Farmer of the Year finalists have created, developed and successfully diversified their enterprises, with a strong passion for agriculture and their local community. The 2020 Mixed… FEED AND NUTRITIONCogent launches new feed efficiency indexCogent has introduced a new feed efficiency index called EcoFeed to help cattle producers breed more efficient animals. The EcoFeed index is an integrated approach to genetic selection based on… NEWSFW Opinion: Have your say to benefit from planning reformThe government’s consultation on planning law reform proposes the biggest change to the system in 70 years, containing both threats and potential opportunities for farmers. There is no doubt that… FINANCEProfits and lending up at AMCAMC lent 9% more money to farmers and landowners in the year ended December 2019 than in the previous year. The organisation, which is owned by Lloyds Banking Group, lent… 4X4SElectric conversion gives Land Rover Defenders a 200-mile rangeA Land Rover tuning firm has introduced an electric conversion kit for the original Defender that ups power to 214bhp and offers more than 200 miles of range to a… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Weights up despite challenging dry conditionsWe are halfway through harvest at the time of writing. Oats did 6.1t/ha (2.4t/acre) (half was drilled in January, but had the better gross margin) and the wheat has done… DAIRY MARKETS AND PRICESGB milk production returns to expected pre-Covid-19 levelsGB milk production looks to be roughly back on track, just above the level at which AHDB Dairy estimates it would have been had producers not had to make coronavirus… LAND MARKETSScarcity of land drives demand in Northern Ireland and WalesThe uncertainty of the global pandemic and the Brexit transition period has resulted in significant low supply in Wales and Northern Ireland’s land markets. Similarly to the rest of the… WHEATSkyfall wheat comes out top in variety sustainability indexOld favourite Skyfall comes out as the top winter wheat variety on a sustainability rating scale looking across a range of desirable characteristics for growers. Agronomy group Agrii has created… HARVESTHarvest 2020: Half cut with yields down, wheat quality goodHalf the cereals and oilseed rape harvest is complete, with yields generally down on 2019, while winter wheat grain quality is being described as good. Some 47% of wheat, 98%… BUSINESSWeetabix supporting local farmers during Covid-19Here at Weetabix, we’re proud of our heritage as a responsible business that has nourished the nation since 1932. A big part of this is our commitment to our Growers… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESAHDB marketing campaign helps drive pork sales spikeA nationwide marketing campaign which urges consumers to eat more home-produced pork has triggered a spike in sales of this versatile meat, new figures reveal. The AHDB’s Love Pork Mix… FARM POLICYBeet growers face double whammy on imports and neonicsBritish sugar beet growers face seeing their competitiveness undermined by a rising tide of imports and a ban on production methods allowed in other countries. It follows a government decision… FARMLIFEFarmers don’t have to suffer in silence, says charityA new campaign aims to help rural men who are struggling to cope with the effect of coronavirus restrictions on their mental wellbeing. Launched by the Samaritans, the Real People,… More articles
