Peter Hogg
Peter Hogg
Peter Hogg farms in
partnership with his brother
at Causey Park Farm, near
Morpeth, Northumberland.
Half the 450ha (1100-acre)
heavyland farm is in crops,
mainly winter wheat, barley
and oilseed rape, plus a
few potatoes
SO there we have it; because I am on the NFU council I am a geriatric, superannuated, self-opinionated sort of person – or words to that effect.
That is according to Oliver Walston. Strange fellow. I wonder, could his pointless TV programmes have had any bearing on the governments decision not to draw down the £50m of arable aid?
When people are distressed they sometimes have a tendency to lash out. Unfortunately, that may hurt the very people who are trying to help the most. Those who think a new arable organisation will be of some use should arrange a visit to the crops department at NFU HQ where they will see the dedicated, never ending and thankless work put in by staff and unpaid committee members on behalf of all growers.
It is a shame the NFUs reaction to the Curry report was given such negative publicity because there is a huge amount in there that the NFU agrees with. However, the report opens by saying that British agriculture is a failure. I disagree, 20m tonnes of food worth £6.6 billion to the British economy at farm-gate values and far more by the time it reaches the shops, over half a million jobs, and an improving environment are all supported by subsidies that amount to 0.1% of GDP. That is not a failure. It is a resounding success. It is time we started telling that to the press and our politicians.
Following a very wet winter, again, our sprayer is still in the back of the shed. But we have managed to get 50kg/ha (40units/acre) of nitrogen on to the oilseed rape and the winter barley. The wheat has had nothing but is mostly looking okay.
Following a certain amount of success with minimum tillage we once again established a field of oilseed rape by this method. However, this year it looks waterlogged and sick, a bit like I do after a session on Newcastles Quayside. Maybe a bit of autumn N would have helped. *
Pay a visit to the crops department of the NFU before calling for an Arable Association, says Northumberland grower Peter Hogg.