Archive for November 2015

PRESS RELEASE Southampton, 24 November 2015

14% increase was in comparison to adjacent control fields in the same growing season.

Selex ES created crop management apps drawing on experience in using data analysis to support battlefield decisions.

Initial trial focused on improving the application of fertilizer but decision support
will be available in a number of areas of farming.

In recently completed trials, international technology company Finmeccanica – Selex ES was able to use innovative decision making tools to increase wheat yields by 14% in a field strip trial. The increase was in comparison to adjacent trial strips that were farmed normally as a control sample over the same growing season. Selex ES, better known for providing sensors and security systems for government customers, conducted the trials after seeing a niche for its decision-support analysis expertise in improving crop yields. The objective of the trials, conducted on a real test farm this season, was to prove the effectiveness of high-grade data analytics in crop management decision making.

The initial trial focused on improving the application of fertiliser, with data collected by hyperspectral sensors used to provide more effective prescription maps that could be sprayed using existing equipment. Overall, yields using the new decision tools compared to the control strips were 14% higher using this method. In one case, the yield versus its adjacent control strip showed an increase of 40%. While this trial focused on fertiliser, Selex ES plans to bring this technology to a number of areas of farming. In effect, the future farmer will be able to take advantage of a total crop management decision support system which would include multiple variables including irrigation reports, compaction reports, yield prediction, fungicide, herbicide and pesticide prescription mapping. Selex ES worked with a number of leading agriculture companies to conduct the trial and plans to develop these relationships further to supply farmers with decision making tools. The eventual aim would be to make the decision support services available to all farmers, regardless of the current platform they use or the equipment they use to manage their crops. Notes to editors For precision farming, Finmeccanica can offer a wide range of capabilities and integrated solutions that include systems and sensors for remote sensing (optical, radar, multispectral and hyperspectral) as well as the platforms that carry them (satellites, planes and drones), in addition to data processing and geolocation systems for product traceability.

Twitter: @russbmckenzie

Biog: Russ farms 750ha, spread over 17 miles and four units, between Cambs and Beds. He grows predominantly first wheats (mostly for seed) with winter barley, oilseed rape, spring beans and spring barley. He describes himself as not form a farming family, but as having loved everything about farming since a very young age, starting with a harvest job on a local farm when he was 13. He graduated from Writtle College with a BSc in Agriculture and then took on a trainee manager’s position with Albanwise Farming in Norfolk. Russ is BASIS and FACTS qualified and is a partner in his wife’s family farming business which he jointly manages along with John Sheard Farms. He has recently undertaken a Nuffield Farming scholarship, sponsored by AHDB, researching how the best no-till practitioners across the world manage to make the system work in both the wettest and driest of conditions which took him to Australia, New Zealand, the Czech Republic, USA, Brazil and Argentina. “I love being involved in such a fantastic industry and outside of work I am along suffering England Cricket fan, husband and father to two lovely (sometimes) children!” Oh and he’s an avid Tweeter!

Title: Future-proofing cropping hinges on blackgrass, R&D and realistic FBT prices

My mantra has always been to farm everything to the best of my ability; to achieve the best results possible. However, despite wanting to expand the area we farm, I find some of the prices being paid for FBTs on combinable crop land unfeasible to justify and impossible from which to make a sensible return. So, I see no sense in taking on extra land with the potential of making a loss as well as increasing our machinery wear!

I can certainly see rotations developing and changing over the next decade. Oilseed rape’s future has some big question marks over it because of the diminishing returns; also, how much more pulse acreage can the UK market really sustain? I fear that a countryside full of fallow fields could be a reality and will be an indication of the pressure upon farming returns; and very certainly, this will have a very negative impact upon soil structure.

Innovation and R&D is vital for farming to progress. We need to keep looking to improve and cope with the swings in disease ratings and levels of disease control. We have already adopted important technologies like variable rate P&K. More recently we adopted variable rate seeding which is showing some good results on the fields where we have had the most variation, leading to a more even yield across the whole field.

It is crucial that UK continues to be pioneering and innovative in its research and development of future crop production methods. Looking ahead, I would like to see instant yield map overlaying with soil sampling maps to fine-tune areas even more precisely than we are. I’d also like the ability to map blackgrass areas more accurately and be able to spot rate certain chemical applications specific to the weed – for example plant-count or the type of resistance – this could be a real benefit.

The biggest challenge for us is keeping blackgrass under control, a weed that seems to be able to continually adapt itself to any situation and is possibly one of the biggest threats to sustainable wheat production in the UK. Coupled with our unpredictable climate, we need to have a robust crop establishment system that can prosper in both wet and dry conditions.

I see the big issues on the horizon as legislation and pesticide regulation – these factors threaten to provide big hurdles for crop production efficiency and the ability to be able to control weeds, pest and diseases in the future. We need to be able to maintain and use what we currently have, which means that as farmers, it is vital for us to demonstrate judicial and wise use of plant protection products as the pool of resources become more rapidly depleted.

The one thing we are blessed with in this country is a favourable climate, even if August appears to be a regularly dreary month for combining. I believe that the ability to produce decent quality crops with a focus on export will be important to remain competitive; and although we haven’t seen the impact yet, the basic fact of a growing world population that needs feeding cannot be ignored, we will almost certainly need to produce more food for a wider audience.

Here is the link to download Russell McKenzie’s Nuffield Scholarship Report, Success with No-Till – Under any Conditions.

CropTec 2015:

Want to find out more about new legislations, pesticide regulations R&D or if you have issues with black-grass. Make sure to visit CropTec 2015.

In addition to the free advice on offer in CropTec’s topical and technical seminars, there will be numerous exhibitors you can talk to find ideas, inspiration and answers on everything from crop protection and nutrition to plant breeding and soil management in one place, at one time.

To encourage knowledge exchange among the British farming community further, this year’s event is FREE for farmers to attend. You MUST pre-register online to ensure you receive your free place.

General pre-registered admission: £12, all visitors will charged £15 on the gate on the day of the event.

Twitter: @croptecshow

Facebook: /croptecshow

John Deere’s first-ever four-track tractor will be making its UK show debut at CropTec. The new top of the range 9620RX model on display features a 620hp Stage IV 15-litre Cummins QSX engine, an e18 transmission with Efficiency Manager, articulated steering, cab suspension and optional Active Command Steering (ACS), for improved manoeuvrability in the field, as well as fully integrated AutoTrac guidance and JDLink Connect information management systems.

The 9RX range is designed to provide superior power, durability and improved ride quality, especially when handling large implements. The large, robust undercarriage features a positive-drive track system that effectively delivers more power to the ground. This is ideal for heavy draft applications such as cultivating, ploughing, discing and ripping, subsoiling and large-scale drilling applications.

The new 9470RX and 9520RX tractors are powered by 13.5-litre John Deere PowerTech PSS engines, whereas the 9570RX and 9620RX use 15-litre Cummins QSX engines. Featuring cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), enhanced turbocharger technology, diesel particulate filter (DPF) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology, both engine makes are compliant with Stage IV/Final Tier 4 emission regulations and are designed to provide the torque and power to handle the toughest field conditions.

The engines power a large diameter drive sprocket and drive lugs that, along with optimally placed idlers and mid-rollers, work to deliver exceptional horsepower to the ground with less track slippage. The new 9RX tractors are equipped with rugged, puncture-resistant Camso Durabuilt 3500 and 6500 Series belts with Duradrive Technology for peak load-bearing performance in the field. The 76cm (30in) wide track belts are designed for increased durability and remain within the overall machine width limit of 3m. Extra-wide 91cm (36in) tracks are optionally available.

Like its 9R and 9RT siblings, the new four-track 9RX tractors are available with the responsive, smooth-shifting e18 transmission with Efficiency Manager for automated control of the engine and transmission. This industry-leading transmission responds quickly and automatically in the field for improved performance and increased fuel savings. The new tractors also feature an articulated steering system and optional Active Command Steering (ACS), which improves manoeuvrability in the field and line-holding ability, even at transport speeds of up to 40kph.

The 9RX CommandView III cab features a new cab suspension system, which significantly improves the tractors’ ride quality by allowing up to 10cm (4in) of vertical travel. This helps to control movement and isolates the cab and operator from sudden impacts and vibration.

Other ergonomic cab features include the fully integrated AutoTrac guidance and JDLink Connect information management systems, and the intuitive, easy-to-use Generation 4 CommandCenter display with custom-designed pages to provide fingertip control of tractor and implement functions. For optimum visibility even at dusk or night-time, as many as 24 LED lights spread daytime quality light around both the tractor and implement.

In addition, to meet the speed and high hydraulic power demands of large implements, the hydraulic system has been redesigned and now includes up to eight SCVs delivering a standard flow of 220 litres/min, or an optional 435 litres/min.

For further details and/or photographs, please contact:

Steve Mitchell or Chris Wiltshire

ASM Public Relations John Deere Limited

Tel: 01926 818762 Tel: 01949 860491

E-mail: steve@asmpr.co.uk Website: www.JohnDeere.co.uk

CropTec 2015:

John Deere are one of many exhibitors at this year’s event, view our full exhibitor list here.

To encourage knowledge exchange among the British farming community further, this year’s event is FREE for farmers to attend. You MUST pre-register online to ensure you receive your free place.

General pre-registered admission: £12, all visitors will charged £15 on the gate on the day of the event.

Twitter: @croptecshow

Facebook: /croptecshow

Dr Toby Bruce

Twitter: @Toby_Bruce @Rothamsted

Biog: A senior researcher at Rothamsted. Toby joined Rothamsted in 2000 and has a background in Biology and a PhD in Chemical Ecology. He is convenor of the Association of Applied Biologists Biocontrol and IPM group, a Visiting Professor at the University of Greenwich Natural Resources Institute and Visiting Lecturer at Nottingham University. Current projects are: an Agri-Tech Catalyst project developing a lure-and-kill system for the pea and bean weevil; a project in Kenya on maize varieties that respond to insect egg laying by releasing odours that attract natural enemies, and CROPROTECT which is providing an online knowledge sharing resource for UK farmers and agronomists.

Title: Researcher looks back and ahead at ground-breaking ag innovations

In my opinion, innovation in agriculture is vital for many of the major global challenges we face. Food and water security is a prerequisite for political stability and essential to society. The connections between human health and the environment - via agriculture - need to be recognised. Agriculture uses huge areas of land and resources globally and improving resource use efficiency can have major positive environmental impact. Human health can be improved by providing suitable nutrition as inadequate nutrition is the main cause of child mortality worldwide. Therefore, I would like to see the whole area of developing innovations for the future taken more seriously. Complacency that crept in from the success of the green revolution in the 20^th century and overproduction in Europe in the 1980s has no place in the 21^st century. Waste needs to be reduced throughout the whole food supply chain and innovation is needed at many different levels to achieve this.

Agricultural R&D is hugely important because it underpins national and global security, as well as environmental stability. Although often taken for-granted, the outputs of farming systems really are a matter of life and death because none of us can survive without food. Thus, effective farming systems are essential for human health and political stability. This has very recently been summarised in the Thomson Reuters #9billionbowls report.

Furthermore, the inputs into agricultural systems are vitally important (See Picture 1 below). Food production takes up almost half of the planet's land surface, it is the biggest user of water (approx. 70% of extracted freshwater globally) and also uses huge amounts of energy and nutrients. How to minimise the resource footprint of agriculture while meeting rising demand from population and consumption growth - during climate change - is one of the biggest challenges humanity faces this century. Agricultural R&D can make farming systems more efficient.

Pic 1: Use of natural resources: Food, water, energy and material resources are vital to human society. The way they are secured affects human health and well-being directly, as well as indirectly through impacts on the environment

source: http://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/agriculture/greening-agricultural-policy

Research Councils UK timeline

Ground breaking research contributions are nicely summarised in a timeline infographic published by the UK research councils: http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/RCUK-prod/assets/documents/documents/RCUKAgriScienceTimeline.pdf

Growing more with less

A remarkable achievement, although it has not received much of a fanfare, is the increasing resource use efficiency of UK farmers. Much has been heard about the wheat yield plateau but wheat yields have been maintained over a period during which fertiliser use has declined. This means that the amount of fertiliser needed to produce the same amount of wheat has gone down. This has come about through incremental improvements in farming systems rather than any one technological breakthrough.

Technologies

The ability to collect and share farm data in a multitude of technological ways has already made a considerable impact on farm performance, but – in my view - will have an even greater impact in the years ahead. Whether delivered by an App, a drone or a tractor-mounted guidance system, customising treatments to local conditions for individual fields and for spot treatments will make a big difference.

Already, soil measurements allow the correct balance of micronutrients to be applied and insect and disease monitoring systems deliver valuable early warning of crop threats. Online information sharing has also meant that farmers can share experiences with each other much more easily resulting in farming becoming a less isolated occupation. Mobile phone Apps such as the farm crap App are cheap or free and are already proving both practical to use and useful.

Biologicals

Using more biological solutions is an innovative trend which is likely to continue as the availability and cost of chemical solutions limits their use. Disease resistant crop cultivars are increasingly utilised to reduce fungicide costs. Some farmers have been using no-till and cover crops to improve soil structure and organic matter content and hence fertility.

As conventional pesticides are increasingly restricted, I would like to see alternative approaches made available such as biological control, resistant crop plants and design of agricultural systems that are less vulnerable to attack. Increasing resource efficiency of agriculture is a win: win scenario because it benefits both the environment - by reducing the footprint of agriculture in land, water and energy use and it reduces input costs.

New crops, new opportunities

We also need to consider crop choice and crop quality as well as the quantity of agricultural produce. For example, at Rothamsted, Camelina plants have been engineered to produce omega 3 fish oils up to successful field evaluation. This land-produced fish oil has the potential to revolutionise the aquaculture industry, while conserving marine sources of fish oils. It would also provide farmers with a high value crop.

At Rothamsted, we have a new building called the LawesOpen Innovation Hub (See picture 2 below). It provides a space where companies can set up a base in close proximity to our research centre – it even has a physical bridge to us. It opened in July 2015 and I hope that suitable companies will locate here so that synergies can be developed between the more fundamental and more near market research to improve the field delivery and commercial availability of new technologies and innovations in agriculture.

Pic 2 below: The Lawes Open Innovation Hub at Rothamsted: open for innovation to help you grow, come and join us! VIDEO here: https://youtu.be/VSS7OHhxbEA

Biog: Philip Partridge farms 330ha of arable and 40ha of permanent pasture in partnership with his mother Sylvia and sister, Joy, near Ipswich, Suffolk. His late father, Mark, moved to the farm in 1953. The current rotation is wheat, barley, beans and oilseed rape. He has a small flock of sheep and 200 head of fattening cattle which are bought in as stores and fed on a mixed ration of home-grown cereals and pulses. The soil types are Hanslope, Beccles, Burlingham, Newport and Melford – Philip is very keen to learn more about his soils and to improve soil fertility. He is married to Anita and has two children, Karl and Fabian.

Title: R&D and stance on EU membership are vital to prevent us blundering into a dark future

The biggest issues facing us as farmers concern competing in the volatile world market, availability of crop protection products and building sustainability into our businesses. Producing grain and other products at a price to compete globally is tough, and in order to do so we need access to technology, we need to improve profitability and we need to build organic matter into our soils. For those of us with blackgrass, we need to manage grassweeds much better than we are.

We are also facing a lot of uncertainty over our membership of the EU and CAP; what is our domestic agricultural policy if we leave the EU? We must know to plan for the future. And, on a macro scale, we are potentially farming in a world with more extreme weather events in store.

An added need – and responsibility – is to keep the general public on side so that we can talk – and ensure higher food prices. It is a must for our industry going forward. Linked to this, it’s our responsibility to demonstrate that we can produce food with care – farming and wildlife can, and do, go hand-in-hand.

Looking ahead, my ambition is to farm more acres, but not at unsustainable rents. If I could rent or buy land locally within my reach, I would.

Precision tools are a part of the future for me – we have fairly standard systems like guidance on the two tractors, yield mapping on the combine and have also made the very recent move to auto section control on the sprayer. In terms of renewables, we have solar PV panels on the shed rooves.

Soils are a key area of focus for me going forward – we have soil audits carried out by Soil Fertility Services. The results show what nutrients are available or locked up in a great amount of detail compared to the standard availability tests on the market. This information has been invaluable in helping me plan fertiliser, manure and organic matter applications.

Industry R&D is absolutely vital as farmers gear for the future and keep pace with other parts of the world – we are already way behind in my humble opinion. With an even smaller number of crop protection products available to us, and with the wheat yield plateauing – we are blundering into a dark future. Also, it would be great to research better understanding of crops with more vigour and scavenging ability – maybe we need to do more to exploring wild relatives in our heritage seedbanks.

As farmers we need to have very close ties to people doing the R&D, it’s a two-way dialogue that must take place for each party to understand the problems encountered by the developer and the user. The bright light will be when R&D results are implemented – Agri-Tech strategy is a really good example of this.

I’d like to see more work on targeted spray applications – to minimise the impact on non-target areas. Also, I’d love to see the development of anything that makes it easier to remotely monitor disease pressure in crops. The list of what I want is endless, and I haven’t mentioned blackgrass yet!

I really believe that the future us bright for British farmers, but this will not be without some radical ‘out of the box’ thinking – and there will be casualties along the way; but food and energy will always be needed.

CropTec 2015:

Want to find out more about solutions for successful spraying, R&D and the latest innovation and technology? make sure to visit CropTec 2015.

In addition to the free advice on offer in our topical and technical seminars, there will be numerous exhibitors you can talk. We have introduced a new Spraying Technology Hub area of CropTec which is designed to help you boost yields further and reduce those all important unit costs of production

To encourage knowledge exchange among the British farming community further, this year’s event is FREE for farmers to attend. You MUST pre-register online to ensure you receive your free place.

General pre-registered admission: £12, all visitors will charged £15 on the gate on the day of the event.

Biog: Matt mostly works as a contractor. He was Farm Sprayer Operator of the Year in 2014. He owns a small amount of tenanted land on which he grows continuous cereals due to limiting size – winter and spring cereals in rotation along with introduction of cover crops ahead of spring crops in 2015 in mid- Bedfordshire. When possible he carries out all spraying and application record keeping for family farm, 210ha – wheat, OSR and Beans – also in mid-Bedfordshire. He has sent close to 24,000 tweets and has over 4,000 followers.

Title: Protect actives, broaden rotations and focus on soil health

Like everyone, I hope that my farmed area increases, and that we can extend our rotation to include more spring crops, or a more varied range of crops, so that we can move away from the standard wheat, wheat, rape sequence that has been so prevalent over the last decade.

I’m certain that wider rotation and range of crops will help to improve soil health, as well as spread the workload. I’m also really keen to explore more use of direct drilling/zero tillage to reduce establishment time and costs.

We currently use a wide mix of cultivations – the standard approach for the last seven years has been non-inversion tillage, with some use of the plough when we needed a boost to blackgrass control. The land ahead of winter beans is always ploughed and power harrowed early, to help us create a stale seedbed ahead of drilling. Oilseed rape is predominantly sub-casted, although I have used a John Deere 750a zero-tillage drill for half of the area this year.

This autumn I’m also trialling some zero-till direct drilled wheat to limit soil disturbance, as well as some single pass, non-inversion ahead of the zero-till drill.

Our variety choice for wheat is Skyfall as a second wheat – new this year in an attempt to move away from Group 3s and to grow a milling wheat in the second wheat slot to add some extra premium. We’re looking at KWS Lili as a replacement for Target which we’ve grown for the last few years.

Oilseed rape choice will be Elgar, because it’s second on the RL list, but 3 year average including 2015 will bring it to highest yielding conventional on RL list. We also grow winter beans – Tundra – grown on a seed contract, a change from growing Wizard for the last few years after advice from agronomist. Plus we will drill the spring wheat – Mulika – a new addition to rotation for 2016, to allow late autumn or spring planting depending on conditions. My plan is to direct drill it into a standing cover crop.

Looking ahead, I’ve got a few areas of real concern; the threats of losing the crop protection products we use mean that we as farmers need to constantly find better ways to utilise the products we have and reduce the risk of resistance to them building up. We also need to be mindful of increased regulation and the need for compliance – for example NVZs and water pollution – if we fail to address these issues, then we are even more likely to lose more products.

Added to this, the constant pressure to reduce cost of production means it is vital that we find ways to produce more from less, so industry R&D into improving yields is a very important focus over the coming years. Linked to R&D, farm trials are vital for developing practical ideas for use on farm.

In the contracting sector one of my biggest headaches is finding good seasonal staff – they seem to be impossible to find because they need to have certification like PA accreditation.

CropTec 2015:

Matt is also speaking at this year’s CropTec event in the Careers forum, held on day 2 of the show read more.

Want to find out more about No-till, Black-grass and your cropping choices for 2016? make sure to visit CropTec2015.

To encourage knowledge exchange among the British farming community further, this year’s event is FREE for farmers to attend. You MUST pre-register online to ensure you receive your free place.

General pre-registered admission: £12, all visitors will charged £15 on the gate on the day of the event.

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