Crops

Targeting oilseed rape crops on more fertile fields and more extensive use of manures could help crops better cope with the challenges of cabbage stem flea beetle, says Suffolk farm manager, Simon Eddell.

Spring barley crop progress is very variable across the country, however, no-one is disagreeing that total production will be up significantly and this will be combined with tricky marketing conditions.

The EU’s anti-innovation approach to policy making has stopped UK farmers benefitting from the latest scientific developments – but now there is an opportunity to change that, says Mark Buckingham, chair of the Agricultural Biotechnology Council.

The weather market is still in play and more dry weather is forecast for the EU in the coming weeks.

A particularly short flowering period is being seen in some crops of oilseed rape this season, presenting questions over what this could mean for yield come harvest.

Recent dry weather has led to sugar beet crops emerging unevenly, making herbicide applications tricky to time.

Cover crop strategies – designed to protect margins, capitalise on farm payments and maximise environmental benefits – are essential, according to AHDB-funded research.

The 2019/20 sugar beet campaign came to a close in mid-April, when British Sugar’s Newark factory closed its gates for beet intake after 208 days – the longest known uninterrupted European sugar beet campaign.

The Mack family farm in the heart of the Norfolk broads is home to an arable unit, thriving rapeseed oil business, farm shop, timeshare swimming pool and more recently a beef enterprise. Clemmie Gleeson reports.

Miscanthus specialist business Terravesta has appointed ProCam as its official agronomy service, to support farmers with crop care throughout the UK.