For the greater good - Technical Cereals Event report - crop production magazine
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“ Now is
the right time
for good teamwork
and knowledge
exchange.
”
For the greater
good…
Technical
Cereals Event report
After an online-event in growing medium to hold, we know that soils farmers to ‘increase their ambition’ within
2020, Cereals returned to its are alive, and farmers know that the extent to those standards, but also, to add additional
which they have humus and organic matters ones. “Initially we’ll be looking at nutrient
in-person form once again in the soil is key to plant health. analysis.
this year. CPM paid a visit to “That is why we want to ensure that as we “I’m also interested in whether we can do
move forward, we can support improved soil more to incentivise the use of green fertilisers,
the Lincolnshire site. health through new agriculture policies. That whether there can be more on min and no-till
is why we want our future policies to support systems and also whether more can be
By Charlotte Cunningham this movement and that is why today we are done on companion crops which can assist
announcing more details on our Sustainable in tackling diseases as we lose more and
Farming Incentive. more pesticides. And whether we can look
Crop plots, a jam-packed seminar at options to incentivise fallow crop options
programme and more tyres to kick than Soil custodians as well.”
one could dream of could all be used to “It’s going to start with soils –– a better Turning focus to payments, proposed
describe this year’s Cereals Event, which understanding of our soils and incentivising rates so far are only available for improved
took place at its Lincolnshire home in farmers to be custodians of their soils.” grassland soils and arable and horticulture
Boothby Graffoe at the end of last month. As such, the Secretary of State soils, with the standards set to be finalised in
But it was ‘what’s next for farming?’ that announced that there is going to be four November this year –– when a payment rate
was the question on everyone’s lips –– with different soil health standards going forward for moorland and rough grazing is expected
many seminar sessions focusing on what –– three specifically relevant to arable to be announced too.
▲
may lie ahead for the industry and how growers –– and each linked to different
growers can best prepare for change. payment rates.
And providing some clarity on what These are (and will be available from
the industry can expect in terms of 2022):
government direction, was Secretary ● Arable and horticultural soil
of State, George Eustice. ● Improved grassland soil
Speaking at the event, the minister ● Moorland and rough grazing
announced a first look at how the new “The fourth is the beginning of our animal
Sustainable Farming Incentive –– one of health and welfare pathway where we are
three new schemes which will reward going to pay farmers to have a vet to do an
environmental land management –– is annual review of their herd and come up
going to shape up. with a management plan to try to manage
“In recent years, we’ve seen a renewed down diseases and the overall health of their
interest in an ancient knowledge –– the herd, thus promoting profitability as well.”
Secretary of State, George Eustice, gave a first
knowledge around what makes healthy, The Secretary of State added that
glimpse of some of the key priorities of the
fertile soil. Farmers instinctively understand additional modules would be added in
Sustainable Farming Incentive.
this – we know that soil is more than a coming years, with the aim of enabling
8 crop production magazine july 2021
Cereals Event report
that the quid pro quo for moving away from methodology been applied. I know that that’s
an arbitrary area-based payment system is going to be a really powerful incentive for
that we should also depart from the income farmers to get involved in these schemes.”
forgone payment methodology the European The question is, will the RPA be able to
Union previously used for agri-environmental handle managing another payment scheme?
schemes. While the minister was confident that this
“We need to start to have payment rates would be the case, there was some concern
attached to the Sustainable Farming in the room. (Find out more about growers’
Incentive that better reflect the cost current challenges with the RPA on p20)
NIAB’s crop plots provoked many discussions associated with those options which are CPM will be examining the scheme and
about getting the best from crop protection. set at a rate which genuinely creates an how it will work practically in upcoming
incentive for farmers to take part. issues, so watch this space…
The table below highlights the new “So the payment rates that we are And though the government were keen to
▲
payments, compared with how they stack publishing for those three new soil standards push the new schemes, consultancy, Ceres
up against the rates being offered under the roughly equate to a 30% uplift in what would Rural were also on hand, offering advice for
current pilot scheme “I’ve always been clear have been the case had the old EU those still getting to grips with the fall out of
life after BPS.
Taking a closer look at current business
Sustainable Farming Current Sustainable
Incentive payments Farming Incentive performance and using the transition period
from 2022 pilot scheme to make changes –– especially where
Improved grassland soils farming is the major contributor to profitability
Introductory £26/ha £6/ha –– is the priority, according to the firm.
Intermediate £44/ha £6/ha As such, it issued a five-point plan at the
Advanced £70/ha £8/ha event, aimed at helping growers prepare for
Arable and horticultural soils what is to come.
Introductory £26/ha £30/ha 1. Focus on efficiency
Intermediate £41/ha £47/ha Start by benchmarking, urged partner,
Advanced £60/ha £59/ha Richard Means. “Knowing how the farm is
performing compared with others and
whether your business is amongst the top
FSOOTY winner announcement 25% gives a good basis for decision-making.
“There will be new opportunities or
Congratulations to Luke Haynes who was changes to consider and it’s much easier to
crowned winner of this year’s Farm Spray do this with your current performance in
Operator Of the Year. mind.”
Followers of the award will know that this Reducing costs will be a priority on
was Luke’s second consecutive appearance as most farms, but any changes should be
a FSOOTY finalist, however, during the past introduced in a gradual way so that
year he has changed both jobs and sprayers. margins are maintained, he added.
Today, Luke covers 1150ha at Stevens “Low input systems only work where soils
Farm, in Kent, and operates a Fendt Rogator are functioning well and management is top
645, fitted with a 5000-litre tank and 30m notch. Be cost appropriate rather than just
Pommier boom. His go-to nozzle choice has cutting costs.”
been the Syngenta 3D Nozzle which, with three Richard also added that putting the
different sizes fitted and his sprayer’s Kent-based Luke Haynes was crowned at this foundations in place for a consistent,
Optinozzle systems, can automatically select year’s FSOOTY winner. profitable farming system which avoids
the optimum spray pattern for any given water damage to the environment and delivers
volume and speed. Fungicides are typically part that the sprayer operator plays in public goods takes time.
applied at 100 l/ha and herbicides at 200 l/ha. ensuring the business meets its productivity “A good starting point is to improve the
resilience of your soils. That reduces risk,
▲
Syngenta application specialist and FSOOTY and efficiency goals.”
judge, Scott Cockburn, commented how all FSOOTY 2021 finalists:
six finalists had demonstrated a deep ● Luke Haynes: Stevens Farm, Cranbrook,
understanding of sprayer operation and Kent
exemplified good practice to consistently ● Steven Forbes: W H Gittins and Sons,
achieve optimum results, whilst achieving Shrewsbury, Shropshire
safe and accurate application. ● Tom Ingram: Sutton Cheney Farms
“Luke stood out for his appreciation of how Partnership, Nuneaton, Warwickshire
his role and the spraying activities integrated ● Jonathan Legg: Ashton Farms, Trowbridge,
into the farm’s overall agronomy, decision Wiltshire
making and strategy. ● Josh Whitear: Netherley Farm Partnership, DSV’s new ‘quad-layered’ oilseed rape variety,
“It really emphasised the vitally important Waterlooville, Hampshire Matrix, looked well in the crop plots.
10 crop production magazine july 2021
Cereals Event report
a professional management structure.” significant development for industry, was
4. Grow profits from diversification/ the launch of Syngenta’s new 3D ninety
environmental management to spread risk nozzle.
With a 12% reduction in BPS already For those who didn’t catch it at the
introduced for 2021, farmers should look at event, the latest launch is designed to
other funding streams to fill this gap such as improve all round coverage –– by better
the Sustainable Farming Incentive and balancing the demands of improving
Countryside Stewardship, as well as the application efficacy and minimising
Farm Equipment and Farm Transformation environmental losses.
Funds, suggested partner, George Badger. The design comprises the benefits of
Kaleb Cooper said the best advice he could give “In-field practices which increase soil Syngenta’s 3D nozzle, but with the ‘ninety’
to the next generation is to seize every organic matter could earn you around element representing the 90% drift
opportunity. £70/ha under the SFI, which is piloting now reduction technology, explained Harry
and will be available next year. Help with Fordham, Syngenta’s new farming
allows for lower input use and paves the larger infrastructure projects or equipment technologies lead.
▲
way for ELMS and potentially future carbon purchases is on offer with the new funds.” “The 3D ninety comes as a result of
sequestration payments.” Diversification projects may also be three years of research and development
2. Make environmental management as relevant, especially where farming is –– including extensive laboratory testing
good as your farm management contributing less to profitability and there’s as well as field trials and on-farm
Accept that nature recovery and a need to spread risk. evaluations.”
environmental sustainability will be key 5. People make the difference Field trials were carried out at
requirements for future success, said Involve the farm team in decisions about the Syngenta’s innovation centre, where the
associate partner George Hoyes. future and use their enthusiasm to try out 3D ninety gave a 2.5% improvement in
With the guaranteed income stream from new ideas and practices, said partner blackgrass control, compared with
Countryside Stewardship still available until Charlie Ireland –– aka, ‘Cheerful Charlie’ conventional low drift nozzles –– equating
2023, George says that there’s time to from Clarkson’s Farm. to over 150 plants/m2 in the trial plots,
introduce management options to the “People are so important in farm he added.
rotation, see whether they stack up and if businesses and a great deal of effort goes “The 3D ninety also performed 9%
the desired environmental outcomes are into recruiting, training and retaining the better than the existing industry-standard
delivered. right staff. Now is the right time for good grassweed application 3D nozzle at the
“Farmers will be allowed to leave teamwork and knowledge exchange.” recommend 200 l/ha.”
agreements early to join ELMs when it’s Farm trials are an effective way of And for those interested in robotics,
available, so it’s a good way to mitigate assessing the contribution of new AgXeed’s AgBot Ecosystem was seen in
some losses from BPS reductions and techniques, or trying out a demonstration action in a series of demonstrations.
assess the right options for your farm.” drill, before sweeping changes are made, As a company who market themselves
Two-year whole field environmental he added. with the strap line ‘we do automation’, the
fallows might be a good solution where “Take independent advice, learn from AgBot is claimed to deliver advanced
break crops are struggling, while the best practice and get everyone on board digital path planning, autonomous task
enhanced over-winter stubble option can with your plans. They are far more likely performing and automatic data collection.
work well if grass weeds are threatening to succeed if you have taken the team Optional crawler tracks with belt widths
profitability, he added. with you.” from 300 to 910mm, combined with a low
3. Collaborate to use the best skills Chipping Norton’s most famous resident, maximum weight of 6.0 t (without ballast)
Collaboration is a proven way of bringing (closely followed by David Beckham) was it’s also a soil-friendly option. The vehicle
costs down and making better use of also on the Ceres Rural stand for a Young also features an adjustable track width,
machinery and labour, highlighted partner Professional’s breakfast. load-sensing hydraulics and a linkage
Will Gemmill. With talk of lump sum exit payments and with a lift capacity of up to 8t.
“It also gives you access to other new opportunities for young farmers, star of An electric PTO, independent of the
expertise and skills, as well as assets. Clarkson’s Farm, Kaleb Cooper, said the engine speed, and external high-voltage
So while it is often introduced to bring best advice he could give to the next connections are also optionally available.
about economies of scale, it can also be generation is to seize every opportunity. The electric equipment includes all the
used to generate new income streams or “Have a go –– that’s what I did. I made a lot technology required for hazard and
increase sales.” of mistakes, but if you don’t make them, you obstacle detection, in addition to an RTK
Partnering with others ensures that any don’t learn from them. steering system.
skills that don’t already exist in the business “A mistake is not a failure –– it’s an In May this year, Claas announced a
can be secured, while also avoiding opportunity to learn.” co-operative venture with AgXeed with
expensive mistakes or over-stretching the the aim of working together on the
existing team’s capabilities, he noted. Innovation on display development and commercialisation of
“The key is to find a system of Outside of the seminar tents, there was an the bot, which could add some serious
collaboration that suits your needs. That array of innovation on display, giving many clout for UK markets.
may be a very simple sharing arrangement the first opportunity to see the latest Together with the associated software
between two neighbouring farmers or a launches from over the past 18 months. solutions and platforms, AgBot is expected
more complex joint venture agreement with Among those, and looking like quite a to be launched commercially in 2022. ■
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