Arable

With tenant farmers facing major changes in Basic Payment Scheme payments and rules on succession over the coming years, property consultancy Berrys takes a look at how farmers should be planning ahead

Alice Dyer hears from growers around the country, on their ‘five’ tips for keeping harvest staff safe this season.

Maintaining drains is key to keep them functioning but growers will need to replacement drainage eventually, according to Rob Burtonshaw of Farm Services, who spoke at the Drainage Hub.

As the industry prepares for the new Environmental Land Management scheme (ELMs), existing farm management software (FMS) data could help farmers to get ahead in preparing for the transition. 

After a dry April, many growers underestimated the septoria threat this season, said Bill Clark, technical director, NIAB.

With the Government’s decision on post-Brexit gene editing (GE) regulation due to be announced any day now, Prof Wendy Harwood of the John Innes Centre (JIC) outlined some of the opportunities the technology could bring.

Arable farmers are faced with testing decisions about the future direction of their businesses as they prepare for life without the safety net of direct payments.

This year’s Cereals Event saw more robots on display than ever before, but Harper Adams University researchers say that the commercialisation of crop robots in Europe is being stymied by regulation.

British Sugar and NFU Sugar could be heading to arbitration for the first time in history after a bitter tussle over the contract price for the 2022 crop.

With NFU Sugar and beet growers unimpressed by British Sugar’s indicative price offer of £25/t for 2022/23, growers are once again questioning the crop’s presence in their rotations.