FARMERFOCUS
FARMERFOCUS
Ron Duncan
Ron Duncan farms 222ha
(550 acres) in partnership
with his wife and eldest son
at Begrow Farms, Duffus,
Elgin, Moray. Crops include
winter wheat, spring barley,
swedes and beetroot,
alongside a pedigree
Limousin suckler herd
NO more progress sowing wheat despite a drier than average November.
The rain we have had has come in very heavy bursts, which is not helpful for land work, and follows four wet months.
July, August and September all delivered about 10cm (4in) while October produced 15cm (6in). That may not seem excessive, but it comes on the back of four wet seasons. The top 15cm (6in) of mud sits on top of hard, impenetrable subsoil. I assume this is a result of roots not needing to penetrate into sub-soil because moisture was available near the surface.
Attempts in the past to solve the problem with the subsoiler have proven even more harmful. We actually have water lying on top of drains, gravelled only last autumn. Let us hope for a dry enough spell to plough deep, followed by good, hard frost.
Sorry to bleat on about the weather, but when all is said and done, weather still has more influence over our profitability than politicians. These wet conditions are the perfect environment for annual meadow grass, which greatly reduces yield and is a combine drivers nightmare, at least for us stock farmers who cut every available inch of straw. Our chemical programme simply does not cope with this late-germinating blanket.
Unfortunately, 14ha (35 acres) of beetroot will remain unlifted within our little group, but thankfully not on our farm. Some fields have yielded over 50 boxes/ha, split 60% mediums and 40% smalls. The processor would have preferred 50-50, but it certainly has been a good root-growing season. Swedes look really well too, with no disease problems despite no chemical aids being available.
I walked over all our little pockets of game crop this week and was delighted to see a variety of small birds feeding on mustard seed, quinoa, cereals and kale, especially next to hedgerows and ditches. At least we are doing something right. *
Ian Pigott
Ian Pigott farms 690ha
(1700 acres) of owned,
rented, share-farmed and
contract-farmed land in
partnership with his father
from Thrales End,
Harpenden, Herts. Wheat,
oilseed rape, spring barley,
beans and peas are the main
crops on the flinty,
medium clay soils
AFTER a couple of weeks away I hoped to return both happily married and surprised by the governments new warm attitude to agriculture.
While the former is the truth, the latter could not be further from it.
In a dream, or should I say nightmare, I could see Labours long-term plan for food production in the UK laid out before me. Whitehalls breathtakingly bad handling of both BSE and foot-and-mouth cost our industry and the taxpayer way in excess of what they would have if handled competently. Along with UK agricultures economic demise farmings reputation disappeared too, the once hard-working, trustworthy farmer now portrayed as the subsidy-grabbing oaf.
Desperate to prevent further food scares from deepening the national debt, Labour hatches a simple but deadly plan: Replace any farming inclined Whitehall staff with environmental enthusiasts. These then impose crippling restrictions across the whole spectrum of UK farming. The restrictions are tightly wrapped in red tape and form filling, and ignore any EU funds made available for the ailing industry.
The result is twofold. UK farmers become completely uncompetitive against the less restricted farming world, while consumer loyalty to "Buy British" is strangled by government spin.
Within a relatively short space of time the UK supermarkets have outsourced their whole supply chain and the governments long-term plan has succeeded. Traceability and farmings environmental impact is no longer its concern and all financial responsibility for future food scares has been avoided. Factory farmed poultry from Brazil, pork from the Midwest, genetically unmonitored feedstuffs from wherever flood in while the green and pleasant farmland of the UK becomes but a distant memory.
Just days after this spine-chilling dream I encountered a sense of déjà vu at our local NFU AGM. My near neighbours on the NFU council lobbying on our behalf in London spoke of the seemingly unrelenting frustrations and hurdles our industry continues to face.
Let us hope for a brighter horizon in the New Year, but I think I said that last year too. *
Mark Ireland
Mark Ireland farms with
his father and brother at
Grange Farm, North
Rauceby, Lincs. Sugar beet
and barley are the core
crops on the 1004ha (2481
acres) heathland unit
BELIEVE it or not November is our driest month of the year to date.
For the first time in 18 months the feeling of "chasing our tails" has gone and we are on top of every job.
Wheat drilling following sugar beet was brought to a close at the end of November. We would normally continue with spring barley instead, but have decided to hold off this year. It has been a good policy to retain yields on the lighter land with only a small increase in variable costs, but the local crow population descend upon us in their thousands. Hence we are waiting a while so germination is quicker at drilling and the crows get a taste of our neighbours crops.
Sugar beet deliveries to Newark have been diabolically slow but not to the extent that Wissington growers are suffering. Last years factory closures were always going to put pressure on the system and it must be ensured that this cannot happen again. The delays will affect farm profitability, yet are a consequence of decisions taken beyond our control. Future cropping, set-aside, and whether to lift and store or leave beet in the field is all the more difficult to decide.
I was appalled to receive a letter from DEFRA outlining its views on the rhizomania containment policy. It is blatantly obvious that, in line with governments approach to agriculture at present, it will not continue to support the present arrangement. Continuing the status quo was not even given as an option.
To exclude Norfolk and Suffolk from the protected zone would be practically unworkable. There is no doubt that eventually the UK will succumb to the disease, but the present arrangements have been most successful at containing the spread. If they had not been in place we would have seen an explosion such as that in Europe. I do not believe tolerant varieties are the answer and we must lobby for a continuation of the protected status of our country. *
Paul Warburton
Paul Warburton farms
208ha (514 acres) of mostly
chalky loam at North Farm,
Shillingford Hill, near Oxford.
He is an owner-occupier,
running the business in
partnership with his wife
Hilary. Cropping includes
feed wheat, feed barley
and oilseed rape
TIME for thought, time to meet, time for friends and time to sleep.
It is that time of the year again, my favourite, and supported by particularly impressive autumn colours this year.
My "time to meet" comment reflects my attendance at numerous meetings during the past month: Council for the Protection of Rural England Oxfordshire Branch, briefing the committee on current agricultural matters; local branch NFU AGM and dinner; meeting Peter Ainsworth MP, the shadow minister for agriculture; attending a NFU Berks, Bucks and Oxon committee meeting to hear from opposition spokesman for agriculture in the House of Lords, Baroness Byford how frustrating it is to get the government to tackle the many difficulties facing the industry.
We have had another mild month, 15C (59F) today and more embarrassing growth in the early-drilled September wheat. Working out the cost of growth regulators next spring with our agronomist, Graham Inions, he tells me it could be as high as £24/ha (£10/acre), three times the norm. That negates much of the cost saving of the much reduced seed rate. With hindsight 130 seeds/sq m in early September on lighter land is too high.
Our semi-dwarf oilseed rape Lutin is a bit shorter and more open than the Escort but both varieties are suffering from hordes of the blue/ grey flying peril. However, a combination of the gas banger and 12-bore keep them moving.
I have booked our two MF3000 series tractors in with Messrs Lister Wilder, local MF Agent, for a winter check-over, taking advantage of a special offer labour rate of £18.50/hour and parts discounted at 17%, payment Apr 1.
I cant finish this month without mentioning the TV programme The Farmer Wants a Wife. One good-looking representative of the profession, Richard R, has received 292 letters from hopeful women. Surely this will seriously overload his office routine. And please ladies – no letters to me: "Have wife, wont travel!" *