Commenting on the announcement, LSPB product manager Michael Shuldham said: “As breeders of the market leading spring bean variety Lynx, and the newly listed top yielding Genius, we are proud to support the work going into the Bean YEN to enable improved and consistent performance of pulses for UK growers.

“For 2023 we have added the Pea YEN to our sponsorship to enhance our support of our portfolio of pea varieties led by yellow pea Orchestra and green pea Carrington.”

According to PGRO chief executive Roger Vickers, both the Bean and Pea YEN programmes have been gathering data since 2019 and are now close to or have exceeded 100 crops, which justifies the use of more in-depth analytical tools.

Mr Vickers revealed that a wide range of variables are monitored for each crop, including previous cropping, sowing date, seed rate, herbicide, fungicide and insecticide usage, yield and yield quality.

A summary of Bean and Pea YEN data from 2019 to 2022 has been published in the Spring 2023 issue of the PGRO Pulse Magazine, along with a detailed discussion of the current results.

YEN membership is open to anyone including farmers, agronomists and researchers, with sponsorship available on a first come, first serve basis. Members unlock access to a comprehensive and worthwhile range of benefits, such as:

• One entrance into the annual Pea or Bean YEN benchmarking network (members can enter multiple fields subject to additional charges)
• One free soil analysis (details and restrictions to be confirmed)
• A comprehensive report on your crop’s performance
• One ticket to the annual YEN Conference
• PGRO foot rot risk (peas)
• Lancrop leaf tissue and seed nutrition*
• Askew and Barrett Ltd grain sample market quality assessment (peas)*
• PGRO grain bruchid beetle damage assessment (beans)*

*Analysis may be subject to limitations on crop development stage, date, or availability

To sign up for either the Pea or the Bean YEN for the 2023 crop, register at www.yen.adas.co.uk/networks-projects.

The post LS Plant Breeding announces support for Bean and Pea YEN programmes appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Andrew Stovin’s JK Machinery JCM 10122 VibroMax cleaner with Skandia grain handling system.

Mr Stovin farms 500ha near Alford on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds with his father Alan and brother Mathew, growing wheat, barley, spring beans and around 160ha of grass seed alongside raising a herd of 60 suckler cattle.

“Before we had the JCM VibroMAX we had to pay our seed merchants to clean the seed for us,” he explained. “They would come and take a sample and anything below 98% pure seed had to be cleaned. It is not hard to see that paying for cleaning quickly eroded our profit margin.”

A couple of years ago, Mr Stovin saw one of his university friends using a JCM VibroMAX to clean grain and immediately saw its potential to clean grass seed. He now also uses the equipment, which he acquired from McArthur Agriculture, to clean home-saved seed.

“Following discussions with Scott McArthur, Director at McArthur Agriculture, my father, brother and I took a sample of our grass seed to McArthur’s Flixborough depot to conduct a trial with the JCM VibroMAX,” he said.

“Seed cleaning of any kind has a lot of variables that can affect the quality of the outcome and predicting the quality of the cleaned seed can be difficult. However, the results achieved with the JCM VibroMAX gave us the confidence that it would deliver the high standard required by our seed merchants.”

The JCM VibroMAX 10122 moves the grass seed across two vibrating sieves and the impurities are separated based on physical dimensions, before entering an aspirator where they are separated by weight and aerodynamic properties. The machine’s vibration technology is designed to deliver simple to control high-output processing with low energy requirements.

For harvest 2021, the Stovins used the JCM VibroMAX cleaner as a stand-alone machine to test its efficiency before making any additional investment in handling equipment.

“The JCM VibroMAX performed extremely well so we asked McArthur Agriculture to design a handling system to further streamline the processing of our grass seed in time for harvest 2022,” Mr Stovin added.

Grass seed is now tipped into a Skandia Elevator AB KTG above ground intake which feeds one of two Skandia SE140 belt and bucket elevators transporting the grain to the JCM VibroMAX.

Once cleaned, the seed is taken by the second belt and bucket elevator to feed a Skandia KTF horizontal chain and flight conveyor which carries the seed to one of three bunkers housed in the same shed as the cleaner. One outlet allows filling directly into a trailer, whilst another has been fitted with ducting designed for filling bulk bags.

Key to driving up bottom line

Using the JCM VibroMAX has allowed the Stovins to cut the costs of having grass seed cleaned by their seed merchants and hiring a mobile seed cleaning lorry to clean home-saved seed.

“We don’t have to wait for the mobile seed cleaning team to fit us in, we can clean the seed as and when we need to, which helps speed up our entire seed handling process,” Mr Stovin remarked.

What’s more, McArthur Agriculture has designed the current seed handling system so it’s easy for the Stovins to extend their cleaning or handling capability to accommodate seed from neighbouring farmers.

“We are hoping to generate another revenue stream by offering neighbouring farmers the opportunity to take advantage of the benefits which the JCM VibroMAX has delivered for us, by allowing them to reduce their costs by producing their own cleaned home saved seed, regardless of the crop,” Mr Stovin revealed.

“Looking at the big picture around how we have been able to successfully utilise the JCM VibroMAX, I anticipate that we will meet our expectation of achieving a return on our investment within three to four years,” he added.

“Anyone considering on farm cleaning would do well to talk to McArthur Agriculture about JK Machinery’s range of vibrating sieve cleaners.”

The post Cleaning seed on-farm helps Lincolnshire grower significantly drive up bottom line appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Bean crop in April 2023 showing signs of chocolate spot.

Harsh winter temperatures have taken their toll on many autumn sown bean crops, with early spring recovery also hampered by unusually cold weather and heavy rain last month, leading to increased disease risk.

Mr Jackson said the impact of chocolate spot has been exacerbated where rain splash has spread spores from the lower leaves onto new growth. “PGRO disease reports have highlighted high levels of chocolate spot in some crops, along with cercospora,” he added.

In terms of control, he said the sequence of Amistar and Elatus Era has proven to be highly effective at keeping both chocolate spot and rust at bay in bean crops. However, the decision as to which order to apply the fungicides in will require careful consideration.

“Where chocolate spot is already present in the crop and conditions continue encourage the disease, it would be advisable to start the programme with an Amistar application from first flowering (GS60),” he suggested. This strategy will be particularly beneficial as temperatures start to warm up and soil moisture levels are not limiting growth.

Field assessments indicate crops that are particularly struggling could benefit from supplementary trace elements such as manganese, magnesium, and zinc, Mr Jackson noted. Although no direct correlation was found, last year’s ADAS YEN results for bean crops showed that better performing crops had received foliar trace elements.

With warmer conditions stimulating rapid compensatory growth, crops are expected to quickly develop big canopies. On the other hand, rapid development tends to make crops more susceptible to chocolate spot as the season progresses, Mr Jackson cautioned.

“The key timing for Elatus Era application is likely to be around early to mid-May for optimum disease control,” he advised. This leaves the option for a final Amistar + tebuconazole treatment towards late May or early June, which further protects crops from rust infection for the rest of the growing season.

Slow growth in spring bean crops so far this season highlights the need for on providing adequate nutrition to increase plant stand and prolong growth for as long as possible, along with disease control for green leaf retention to boost yields, Mr Jackson remarked.

“Depending on disease pressure, most spring crops still benefit from a two-spray foliar disease programme. That is likely to be an Amistar treatment in early June, followed by Elatus Era in early July when the crops have built a full canopy,” he added.

Furthermore, PGRO has reported that weather conditions this season could also result in increased downy mildew infections. The disease typically affects emerging spring beans, but has also been widely identified on the new growth of winter beans in similar high-risk conditions.

An EAMU (20130917) is available for the fungicide SL567A, containing the highly systemic metalaxyl-M, to control downy mildew infection on emerging leaves in field bean crops.

The post Cold and wet weather increases chocolate spot risk in bean crops appeared first on Farmers Guide.

The three varieties – Genius, LG Stego, and Futura – went through the same PGRO trials as the other varieties on the Descriptive List. However, as their UK National List status was yet to be granted at the time, the varieties were absent from the list at its official launch in November.

With a yield of 110%, Genius, from LS Plant Breeding, is now the top-yielding variety on the Descriptive List. It has a good standing ability (8) and the same maturity as the variety Lynx (6).

Michael Shuldham, LSPB product manager, said: “Genius now jumps straight to the top of the list as the highest yielding spring bean (110) just a shade above its stablemate Lynx. While Futura also gets a high ranking as fourth in yield (106) and is the highest yielding LVC (low vicine/convicine) variety on the list.”

Futura’s high yield rating demonstrates that LVC varieties have now all but equalled traditional varieties in yield while adding their extra marketability. The new addition also means growers now have an extra LVC option on the list alongside Victus. Futura has the same maturity (7) as LG Stego and is a tall variety at 111cm with a good standing ability (8).

Mr Shuldham added: “When LVC varieties were first introduced, despite their market pluses, they were lower in the yield ratings. However, Futura and Victus – our other LVC variety on the DL – now compare with the best and our breeding programme promises more to come.”

Meanwhile, LG Stego, from Limagrain, has a yield of 106%, which is the third highest yield among Descriptive List varieties. LG Stego matures earlier (7) than Genius and Lynx (both 6) and has a good standing ability (8), similarly to Genius.

Dr Christopher Judge, PGRO senior technical officer, commented: “The Descriptive List is a fantastic tool, giving growers the opportunity to compare different varieties and evaluate which will suit their situation.

“We’re really pleased with the successes of the 2022 trials, and the data produced by this years’ Descriptive List is reassuringly consistent.”

The 2023 Descriptive List can be viewed at www.pgro.org. In addition, a video showcasing the varieties added to the list at the launch event in 2022 is available on YouTube.

The post Three high-yielding spring bean varieties added to 2023 Descriptive List appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Returning to York and Peterborough on 25 and 26 January, the roadshows will bring together experts from the research organisation and Syngenta representatives to talk about technical topics and how the landscape may change for the pea and bean industry.

The first meeting on 25 January will take place at The Parsonage Hotel in Escrick, with the show moving onto the KingsGate Conference Centre in Peterborough the next day.

Presentations from PGRO speakers will explore variety evaluation, forecasting crop maturity, trap cropping and pest monitoring. In addition, Aimee Fowkes, virology senior scientist at FERA Science, will present her paper on virus surveillance in peas.

Moreover, Syngenta will provide an update on how to maintain approvals for crop protection products in a changing world, and discuss new developments of the Closed Transfer System.

The shows are free to attend and registration on each day will open at 3:30pm and there will be refreshments available. Talks will commence at 4pm and will run until 6:15pm, concluding with a pie and pea supper.

Those unable to attend the event in person will have access to a recorded version, which will be sent to all invitees in early February. BASIS and NRoSO points will also be available to attendants.

PGRO chief executive Roger Vickers is delighted to see the Roadshow return as a physical event in 2023 following disruptions caused by Covid-19 in the previous two years.

“There are not a huge number of events such as these, which are tailored to pea and bean growers, offering them the opportunity to learn more about how to physically grow the crop while also hearing about the wider industry surrounding pulse production.”

“Resilience is very much in the spotlight but it means different things to different people. Through the expert speakers we have lined up we hope to be able to demonstrate how applied research and product innovation can contribute to a better future for pulse growers,” he said.

Those interested can book a place at the York event here, and the Peterborough event here.

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The Descriptive List, launched at the end of November at CropTec, offers six new combining peas and one new winter bean, with the possibility of up to four spring beans being included at a later date, pending National Listing. This is more than double the number of new varieties which debuted on the 2022 list.

Despite drought conditions and record temperatures throughout the growing season, trials were conducted successfully and the varieties grown across the country demonstrated impressive consistency in terms of yield and disease resistance.

PGRO senior technical officer Christopher Judge commented: “2022 has been a year with a lot of changes. But, not only have the trials run successfully, but the data produced by the Descriptive List is reassuringly consistent.

“High-yielding varieties have maintained their good performance, and other traits such as disease ratings also retain similar scores to before with the addition of new supporting data. For example, the list now includes a score for downy mildew and rust on winter beans.”

Two yellow combining peas – Glam (bred by Senova) and LG Ajax (Limagrain) – are new additions to the list, while the three new green peas are Butterfly (LS Plant Breeding), KWS Gotham (KWS), and Kiravi (Senova).

New variety of marrowfat variety Takayama (LS Plant Breeding) has made the list, joining as the highest yielder in that category, achieving a 96% yield.

Bonneville (Senova) is the only new winter bean addition to the 2023 list. Its yield is above average at 102%, and it has the second highest protein content on the list.

Spring bean trials suffered in the prolonged hot and dry period in the summer, leading to lower yields than 2021. Four new high-yielding spring bean varieties have performed well, which are Genius and Futura (both LS Plant Breeding), LG Stego (Limagrain) and Focus (Saaten Union), but at the time of writing have not yet received UK National List status, therefore cannot be added to the Descriptive List at this time.

Should National Listing be granted, PGRO will add these varieties to the list which is published at www.pgro.org.

Combining peas

Kameleon (114%) and Orchestra (111%) remain the top-yielding yellow peas. New addition Glam (Senova) has a yield of 108% and has the latest maturity of the yellow peas.

New addition LG Ajax (Limagrain) has a yield of 103% and has good resistance to powdery mildew.

Carrington remains the top yielding green pea at 115%, while Butterfly (LS Plant Breeding) also performed well with a yield of 109% and has an earlier maturity and larger seed size than Carrington.

KWS Gotham (KWS) and Kiravi (Senova) are both later maturing varieties with competitive yields, 107% and 105% respectively. Within the green category, LG Aviator and Greenwood have resistance to powdery mildew – an increasingly important trait.

Carrington, Bluetime and LG Aviator have the highest downy mildew rating (8).

New variety Takayama (LS Plant Breeding) has become the top-yielding marrowfat with a yield of 96%, 10% more than Sakura. It also has a better downy mildew rating (6) than all the other marrowfats on the DL.

Winter beans

Bonneville (Senova) is the only new winter bean addition to the 2023 list. Its yield is above average at 102%, and it has the second highest protein content on the list.

Ratings for downy mildew in winter beans have been added to the DL. Most varieties have scored a 5 for downy mildew, with Vincent (7) and Norton (6) having higher ratings.

Spring beans

Lynx remains the top yielding variety (107%). It has a good downy mildew rating (7) and has been one of the highest rated varieties since its addition to the list.

Despite having a low yield (92%), Yukon has the best downy mildew rating (9) and is the earliest maturing variety on the list.

Four new high yielding spring bean varieties have performed well. These are Genius and Futura (both LS Plant Breeding), LG Stego (Limagrain) and Focus (Saaten Union). These four new varieties have not yet received UK National List status.

Performance of current and new varieties

According to breeder LS Plant Breeding (LSPB), the latest PGRO DL confirms the performance of its current and newly added pulse varieties for UK growers.

The new DL for spring beans is once again headed by Lynx, which is joined by LSPB’s varieties Ghengis, Victus, Macho, Vertigo and Yukon.

It is worth noting that the LVC variety Victus (low vicine/convicine) is now closing the yield gap with conventional varieties, while Yukon continues to combine the earliest maturity with highest downy mildew on the DL.

Yukon is the earliest maturing variety on the 2023 PGRO Descriptive List for spring beans (DL) with a rating of 8, making it a major contender for growers in the north of England and Scotland in particular.

Yukon also has the highest possible downy mildew resistance rating of 9 on the DL, a clear advantage for all growers – whether in the north or south of the country.

To add to these key agronomic values, Yukon has a very high thousand seed weight (TSW) of 622 giving it excellent marketability by producing a good sample for Egyptian buyers who form the main human consumption export market for UK-grown beans.

This high level of TSW is also a plus for the equally important UK aquaculture market for dehulled beans.

Yukon’s other agronomic characters are its high standing ability at harvest of 8 and its resistance to rust of 5.

The variety’s yield ranking in trials is likely affected by its early maturity as – unlike most farm situations – all varieties in trials, whether early or late maturing, have to be combined together.

Michael Shuldham (pictured), pulses product manager for LSPB, commented: “We believe that Yukon will find a firm place with UK spring bean growers where its benefits will put it alongside its stablemates in our portfolio, such as the market leading variety Lynx, at the top of the PGRO DL.”

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Last time I wrote a piece for Farmers Guide, it was April/May and entitled: ‘We could do with a rain’. Now it’s September, and nothing has changed! Although I know we have been lucky compared to some in the area with a few light showers in May and June, we are still only at 180mm for the year (50% of normal) with the last rainfall which made it to double figures was back in the first week of June. Like others though, harvest was a surprise – much better than expected after such a period of drought. I for one had underestimated just how valuable sunshine is as well as water.

Tom Jewers

I mentioned fire – we had a nasty incident where a spark from the rake off a flint quickly took hold and the wind roared the fire across the stubble very quickly despite having water in the field followed by many neighbours with cultivators and 14 fire engines! The most frightening thing was how it jumped after getting to what we had hoped was a break with a hedge, ditch and concrete track. However, burning leaves from the trees took it 100 yards away, near to the farmhouse. I have to thank so many people who came and helped – thank goodness we still have a plough, as I think this was the most effective tool for stopping the spread. Needless to say, this rather put us off doing any more.

Stubble fire.

The first week of September, we cut the phacelia – which is a very different ballgame, as with no Reglone it is green, and takes a lot of work both getting it out of the combine, and then also out of a trailer and through the cleaner.

Phacelia off the combine.

The post Never underestimate the value of organic matter and sunshine appeared first on Farmers Guide.

With blackberry season at its peak in Britain, experts have reported that while shop-bought blackberries are thriving, their hedgerow counterparts appeared earlier and smaller than usual following an exceptionally dry summer.

The hot weather has caused hedgerow blackberries to ripen rapidly, stunting their growth and resulting in smaller and less juicy fruit.

British shop-bought blackberries are typically five times the size of their hedgerow counterparts and taste far sweeter, according to agronomists working with British Berry Growers. The reason for this quality difference lies in the fact that the two types of berries have vastly different backgrounds.

Blackberries found on retailer shelves have been bred by expert pomologists who work to combine the best qualities of different blackberry varieties. As a result, they are able to consistently grow bigger, sweeter, and juicier berries.

Whereas, hedgerow berries consist of around 300 different wild sub species that provide varying degrees of sweetness and bitterness. Hence, they are unable to offer the guaranteed quality of blackberries purposely grown for supermarket shelves.

According to the latest sales data of British Berry Growers, the organisation representing 95% of berries supplied to UK supermarkets, there were 79% more blackberries available in stores during the first week of August this year, compared to 2021. The increase followed a particularly warm July that was 1.3°C above the forecast long-term average.

Last year, British shoppers have bought a total of 2,576 tonnes of blackberries, which is equivalent in weight to 208 London double decker buses. Due to advances in growing techniques, the commercial British blackberry season now runs for 42 weeks a year.

Commenting on the health benefits of blackberries, Nick Marston, chairman of British Berry Growers, said: “A handful of blackberries can provide half of an adults recommended daily allowance of manganese, which is important for bone development and nutrient absorption. According to scientists, they’re also high in salicylic acid and contain astringent tannins which are great for your skin and oral hygiene respectively. Research has also found that blackberries possess anti-inflammatory properties – which could help with wound healing.”

The post Shop-bought blackberries are ‘larger and sweeter’ this season appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Independent agronomist, Craig Green.

According to independent agronomist Craig Green, of CMG Agronomy (pictured above), the agronomic benefits of rye are clear; with its over-riding performance over winter wheat on light land, aggressive early growth smothering blackgrass, and requirement for fewer agrochemical inputs due to its efficient utilisation of nitrogen and phosphorus.

“There’s no doubt that rye fits well into wheat rotations. It’s an excellent crop choice for growers and can be drilled and harvested early, helping to spread the workload on farm. Its agronomic benefits also equate directly into economic benefits for growers seeking to improve their profit margins by lowering input costs. It requires far less fertiliser than winter wheat and performs extremely well in drought conditions, where its aggressive root system is able to seek out water and key nutrients.

“Of the 50,000ha of rye grown in the UK, wholecrop for biogas production is by far the biggest market, accounting for around half the UK crop area and, having set up the first independent Norfolk based trials site several years ago, it’s given myself, my customers and other rye growers an unbiased view when assessing new hybrid rye varieties that stand out in a biogas situation.

“Of the five new winter hybrid rye varieties that went onto the AHDB 2022/23 Descriptive list (DL) last December, four were bred by Saaten Union – a remarkable feat that should not be overlooked. Having worked with both Saaten Union and their UK partner Elsoms Seeds for several years going right back to the variety SU Drive, their first rye variety which proved to be a step ahead on former market leaders, they’ve clearly established a very strong pipeline of varieties that are well suited to UK growing conditions.

“With most of my growers working on a pound per tonne basis it’s all about sourcing new varieties that can produce consistently high yields and, following the success of SU Performer which had set the benchmark in recent years, Saaten Union and Elsoms now seem to have another winner in SU Arvid, a variety that went onto the DL in 2021/22, offering a significant step forward in yield than Performer, lower inputs, and which can be grown on a wider range of soils.

“Trialling SU Arvid with three customers last year, they all averaged 48.5t/ha on wholecrop yields – 2.5t/ha higher than they’d previously achieved with any other hybrid rye. The variety holds its tillers over the winter months very well and offer growers better brown rust resistance than SU Performer. Recent grower reports confirm that its in-field performance is better than its overall RL ratings when compared to other varieties that we’ve trialled and, as a much thicker walled plant with a stiffer stem, it translates into a much heavier plant in the clamp,” concludes Mr Green.

Saaten Union UK’s Andrew Creasy.

Endorsing Mr Green’s assessment on SU Arvid, Saaten Union UK cereal product manager, Andrew Creasy (pictured above), sees a strong future for rye cropping in the UK with a prediction, shared by other breeders and industry experts, that the UK rye area could potentially double in size within the next few years.

“SU hybrid rye varieties have established an excellent track record over the last 10 years and are readily identifiable for strong attributes that suit UK farm rotations including early vigour and early drilling. In trials, it’s that consistent ability of SU varieties to achieve the critical 32% dry matter figure a little bit quicker than competitors which makes all the difference – particularly when temperatures begin to rise in June.

“Strong commercial relationships, such as our partnership with Ryvita who specifically seek out varieties such as SU Mephisto for milling and baking have helped to establish our credentials in the rye sector. However, with the bulk of the UK area aimed at wholecrop AD, it’s the step forward in gas yields achieved by new wholecrop varieties such as SU Arvid and SU Baresi that should attract the attention of many growers.

“With notable performances in breeding hybrid rye varieties for wholecrop, we have recently increased our efforts in screening varieties specifically for wholecrop quality. For 2022 we will be launching our first dedicated wholecrop trial to replicate the positive results we’re seeing from varieties such as SU Arvid and SU Baresi in real farm situations.

“Results from our 2021 trials have already shown that SU Baresi achieved a 6% higher total gas yield m3/t than the control variety. At 102%, it’s a high yielder and, with a strong disease profile and good lodging resistance, it has the potential to secure a good percentage of the market. With 4 of the 5 new rye varieties on the 2022/23 DL in SU Baresi, SU Bendix, SU Elrond and SU Pluralis our future pipeline looks very strong and that’s good news for UK rye growers,” says Mr Creasy.

The post Surge in growth of hybrid rye sees UK area increase again by 25% appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Stock photo.

Sterling Suffolk operated a vast greenhouse stretching between the Suffolk villages of Bramford and Blakenham. The initial £10 million site covered 5.4ha and work on a £6m 2.7ha expansion began last summer.

The expansion was due to be finalised for this year’s crop, but no plants have arrived and the company is not doing its usual recruitment for seasonal workers this month, as it has been forced to cease production, the East Anglian Daily Times reported.

Sterling Suffolk had plans to increase its size by 50% and boost the workforce from 70 to 100 – one day building more than 17ha of greenhouses.

Managing director Richard Lewis told EADT he could not comment on the future of the company.

Wholesale gas prices more than quadrupled last year and various factors have increased demand and reduced supply, leading to higher global prices. A long, cold winter last year meant countries in Europe and Asia depleted a lot of their gas reserves and demand was higher than usual as the world came out of a series of lockdowns.

Ofgem has announced that the energy price cap will rise by 54% in April.

This situation has been exacerbated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and sanctions subsequently imposed on the country. While the UK gets less than 5% of its gas from Russia, gas prices will be affected by fluctuations in the global markets.

“Unprecedented” situation

Chairman of the British Growers Association, Jason Burgess, noted that the situation is “clearly unprecedented” and he has heard many reports of growers reducing their acreages.

“A lot of people are cutting back and tightening up to try to avoid waste and be as efficient and economical as they can be – but overall, I think that this could have severe implications.

“People are very concerned about the economics of what they’re doing – it’s a challenging time. In the last three years we’ve had Brexit and the impact on labour and import/export tariffs. Covid and Brexit have had lasting implications in terms of labour and on-farm costs. Now we’re being hit with increasing prices affecting all inputs massively – including diesel, fertiliser, labour, fuel, packaging and distribution.

“Clearly those costs will need to be recovered.”

While farmers are already working to make processes as efficient as possible, Mr Burgess said it’s important to ensure good communication and raise any implications affecting your individual farming business with processors, so this can ultimately be fed back to retail customers.

One thing is certain, Mr Burgess added – food security is “going in the wrong direction”.

He concluded: “We should be promoting British farming and paying a fair price for it – this has multiple implications for the country, including employment. We produce healthy products with high animal welfare and eating British produce also reduces imports and therefore protects the environment.

“We should be trying to increase food security through consumer behaviour and government policy and support.”

Are you worried about price increases? Get in touch with us to let us know how this is affecting you and your farm: views@farmersguide.co.uk

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