FARMERFOCUS
FARMERFOCUS
Ian Crawford
Ian Crawford farms 570ha
(1425 acres) of rented
ground from Ashley Hall,
Altrincham, Cheshire,
growing crisping and
pre-pack potatoes, milling
wheat, oilseed rape and
beans. He also owns and
manages 2000ha (5000
acres) of mainly arable
land in Australia
YOU cannot help but notice the massive exodus of dairy farmers giving up milk production and potato farmers ceasing growing.
One would think that there must be a point when lack of supply forces prices up to a profitable level once more. But it does not happen, does it? Our government doesnt seem to want us to make a profit. Without it our industry will wither and die.
Here, in Cheshire, our tractors have begun working again after a long break, incorporating straw and cultivating mossland for potatoes. We are clearing up the mess from 1000t of "Courage" crisping potatoes which broke down in store due to blackleg infection. Our experience with this variety for storage has not been a pleasant one. Growers who visited the BPC demonstration will remember the smell of blackleg in the demonstration crop. Unfortunately, we had some of the same seed stock and the consequences were disastrous.
There are signs that the potato trade may be climbing out of the doldrums. An increase in inquiries is always a good sign though, as yet, prices have still not risen significantly. We have moved back to solid fertiliser after a brief trial with liquids last year, buying a quality granulated compound for potatoes and Polish ammonium nitrate for cereals.
I could not help but laugh at the huge package that arrived from DEFRA last week on the movement of "camelids". If I read it correctly, you need a licence to move camels off the farm; but if you ride them off you dont. One more example for the Aussies to laugh at us.
Speaking of which, in Western Australia, hay has started to move off the farm at long last, which gives us room to take delivery of diammonium phosphate. We hope to try some lentils in the rotation this year and grow seed oats for use as the hay seed. And weve already had fifteen offers to go and drive the combine over there next November. What are we to do? *
John Jeffery
John Jeffrey runs two
tenanted farms in
partnership with his father
from Kersknowe, near Kelso
in the Scottish Borders.
Two-thirds of the 730ha
(1800 acres) is arable,
growing seed potatoes, oilseed rape, wheat and
winter and spring barley
POLITICS and legislation are the main criteria that seemingly govern profitability in our industry nowadays. This past month has seen Scotland debate three different forms of legislation and all seemingly to no avail.
As has been widely reported, the fox hunting Bill was passed. While I am not a hunter myself, it makes my blood boil that we have spent literally millions of £s drafting a piece of legislation that affects very few people.
Due to the large number of "New Labour" or "Townies" in our parliament, the Bill was fait accompli and really questions the effectiveness of our new government.
Our Hollyrood politicians claim it is a piece of ground-breaking history in modern politics. I think it brings us a step nearer to a nanny state and that we are fast becoming the laughing stock of Europe.
NVZs are the next topic on the political agenda. I am in the new NVZ classification and attended a local meeting last week.
The speakers supplied by the Scottish Executive were absolutely appalling. They treated the audience with total disdain and illustrated their total disregard for farmers. They actually said the government will pass it by May, so quite frankly this supposed consultation paper is merely a sop.
The last piece of draft legislation is the proposed Land Reform Bill. The tenants right to buy is the most contentious issue and is causing the most debate.
Even though I am a tenant, I do not see why I should have the divine right to buy my farm, as and when I wish, at a knock-down price.
At present, I have the right to buy as a sitting tenant if the landlord decides to sell. I am happy with that situation.
However, if the Bill was passed I would take the chance to buy now, although having looked at my last three years accounts I can see the bank manager already phoning for the yellow van to take me away. *
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
I FIND this time of year on the farm very exhilarating. All of a sudden the whole place comes alive and it is panic stations – top dressing, spraying, and preparing for spring drilling.
Overall, the farm looks well, but there are a couple of areas of concern. First wheat following oilseed rape all shows signs of slug grazing. Oilseed rape has not come out of the winter too proud and all has had 95kg/ha (76 units/acre) of nitrogen, half its main dose, plus sulphur this week.
Blackgrass control with Avadex (tri-allate) followed by ipu or Hawk/Lexus (clodinafop-propargyl + trifluralin/flupyrsulfuron-methyl) has been very effective. However, in one field of Malacca control with ipu/treflan has been very disappointing and the price of Topic (clodinafop-propargyl) alone is enough to make one re-evaluate autumn spray programmes. Resistant blackgrass is no longer something one just hears about, it is something that has to be dealt with, so the "cheap" option of ipu is less affordable in the long run.
At the NFU annual meeting last week, I heard Donald Curry, Franz Fischler and Margaret Beckett speak about the shortcomings of UK agriculture. Their thoughts on activating a dramatic U-turn in farmings fortunes were not exactly breaking news. Supply chains from producer to consumer must be shorter, we must become more sustainable, benchmark, collaborate and co-operate. And we must whole-farm audit to regain public confidence.
However, there was one common concession, except from the Rt Hon Margaret Beckett – our industry cannot embrace the environment, innovate, and evolve unless it is profitable.
Finally, when Dr Fischler was questioned on the WTO and the EUs stance at Doha, he stated: "What the Americans are doing at the moment (referring to agricultural aid/subsidy) is against the philosophy and idea of the WTO."
Perhaps here lies the difference. The US Congress views its relationship with farmers as being salient to policy, while President Blair seems to view his relationship with the Americans as more important to his policy than EU agriculture. *
Jim Bullock
Jim Bullock farms 283ha
(700 acres) in partnership
with his parents and brother
at Mill Farm, Guarlford,
Malvern, Worcs. Two-thirds
is rented or contract farmed,
the rest owned. Cropping is
winter wheat, winter oilseed
rape and winter beans
IT is that time of year when you are just itching to get on and do something, but it will be early March before anything needs top dressing. Even then oilseed rape will probably benefit more from the sulphur than nitrogen.
Having tried some cheap Russian nitrogen last year, we are reverting to branded product. Last years quality was dubious to say the least, including broken glass, chewing gum and various other additions.
February has been a month of trying to decipher the various pieces of legislation and reports that have come our way. As far as our business is concerned, the implementation of NVZs will have little impact. Initially they looked horrific, until I sorted out the difference between organic and non-organic nitrogen. However, I do not like being accused of being a polluter because I feel we are doing our bit for groundwater nitrate reduction by adopting conservation tillage, for which there is, as yet, little positive recognition.
The Environmental Impact Assessment (Uncultivated Land and Semi Natural Areas) Regulations 2001 – what a mouthful – will, if implemented to the word, be very restrictive, particularly in a mixed farming area such as ours. Now the framework is in place, the great danger is that it will only take a little tinkering at the edges and it will encompass other farming activities.
I spent some time last week seeing how we are going to be able to reclaim our modulation money. The helpful DEFRA adviser pointed me in the direction of their web-site, which highlights the fact that Michael Meacher has pledged £175,000 to help save the Great Apes. Not with my modulation cash, I hope.
As for the Curry report, as far as I understand its recommendations, it will do nothing positive for mainstream agriculture. What the industry needs is a massive PR job, not a few well-meaning farmers standing outside a supermarket. And the Little Red Tractor is not going to pull us out of this hole. We need a CAT Challenger! *