Arable

A House of Lords committee has written to the Trade Secretary to ask what kind of compensation the Government will offer to UK farmers if they are undercut as a result of a US trade deal.

Yields of both winter barley and winter oilseed rape are highly variable, both within and between farms.

The union is the cornerstone of the UK’s prosperity and influence, and keeping it together will be vital for the future prosperity of our farmers, says Robert Largan, MP for High Peak.

The UK faces a dizzying cocktail of two crises and a challenge hitting simultaneously. Just one of these would be a real test for any Government or nation, but the dark brew of all three will be bitter, says Labour Shadow Defra Secretary Luke Pollard.

All four nations need to work together as partners to ensure the UK internal market continues to function, and devolution is respected, says Ben Lake, MP for Ceredigion and Plaid Cymru’s agriculture spokesman in Westminster.

Dominic Cummings is the only man who believes a no-deal Brexit in the middle of a pandemic is a good idea, says Hywel Davies, who is a partner at Cyfreithwyr Llys Cennen Solicitors and helps his parents run the Aman flock of pedigree Texel sheep, the 2018 Champion Flock of Wales.

A new recruitment initiative will aim to connect growers with ex-offenders in an innovative bid to address labour shortfalls within the country’s horticultural sector.

The Maize Crop Watch series guides farmers to the best return on investment when growing maize. It will focus on maximising yields of quality feed through correct variety choice, optimal harvesting, careful storage in the clamp and management at feed out.

Recommendations from a new report on integrated pest management for cabbage stem flea beetle control offers growers direction for crop establishment, often with little or no additional costs, says Syngenta technical manager Dr Max Newbert, co-author of the AHDB research.

Symptoms of what is believed to be stem rust disease were found in untreated plots of winter wheat at four sites at Oak Park Crop Research Centre in Carlow, Ireland last week.