Sugar Beet - Farmers Guide

Emergency neonic seed treatment approved to protect sugar beet crop

Sarah Kidby — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 16:33:17 +0000

The decision has been welcomed by British Sugar, which applied for the emergency authorisation, should it be required, subject to the outcome of the Rothamstead Virus Yellows model on 1st March 2023.

Emerging sugar beet seedlings are vulnerable to predation from aphids with the potential to spread beet yellows virus, severely impacting yield and quality.

In 2020, 25% of the national sugar beet crop was lost, equating to economic losses of £67 million.

Application of a neonicotinoid seed treatment will only be permitted if independent modelling predicts a virus incidence of 63% or above. If the virus threshold is not met, then the neonicotinoid treated seed will not be used.

If the threshold is met, further strict conditions will apply to minimise risks to the environment. This includes a maximum number of seeds planted per hectare and restrictions on farmers planting flowering crops in subsequent years in any field where treated seed has been used, which allows time for the chemical to break down.

Farming minister Mark Spencer said the decision “has not been taken lightly and is based on extensive and rigorous scientific assessment”.

Emergency authorisations for pesticides are granted for a short time period only, in situations where there is a danger that cannot be controlled by other reasonable means. Their use is limited and controlled.

The overall ban on the use of neonicotinoids remains in place.

Mr Spencer said: “We recognise the potential danger of an outbreak of the beet yellows virus on the nation’s sugar beet crop and the impact it could have on the production of UK sugar. Therefore, after careful consideration, we regard issuing an emergency authorisation as a necessary measure to protect the industry.”

British Sugar said in a statement: ‘We welcome Defra’s decision to approve our joint application for the emergency usage of a neonicotinoid seed treatment in 2023, should it be required, subject to the outcome of the Rothamstead Virus Yellows model, which will be known on 1st March 2023.

‘We are currently reviewing all associated documentation and waiting for the stewardship conditions associated with this authorisation. Once digested, we will comment further in the coming days.’

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Beet gets relief from Quantis as heat rises

Sarah Kidby — Wed, 03 Aug 2022 13:15:04 +0000

Quantis protected beet leaves.

Earlier this month sugar beet growers in the eastern counties were already reporting that crops were really struggling, particularly on hot days. Crops on light land were lying flat, with warnings of the impact on yield potential and, as has been experienced in such conditions in the past, complete loss of leaf.

Drought stressed beet leaves.

Now, results of replicated trials in a beet crop in South Yorkshire have shown visible physical benefits of reduced wilting and improved leaf vigour from a Quantis application, along with definitive physiological effects on plant responses to heat.

Syngenta technical manager Andy Cunningham, reported the split-field crop was treated with Quantis on 15^th July, three days ahead of a key heat stress event when temperatures were forecast to exceed 25⁰C.

“The Quantis Heat Stress Event website tool gave advance warning of the potential threat, which saw temperatures hit over 25⁰C for five consecutive days,” he said. “Assessed four days after treatment, the untreated crop was suffering and visibly wilting quite significantly.

“However, the crop was noticeably less wilted where Quantis had been applied at 2.0 litres/ha.”

Assessed for leaf vigour during the peak of the heatwave, four days after Quantis application, the treated leaves were over 30% better, at 88.8% compared to 67.5% in the untreated. Even when the heat subsided and the crop reassessed on 22 July, the treated leaf vigour was still over 8% greater.

“Under hot conditions, transpiration results in excessive water loss, where cell dehydration leads to leaf wilting,” pointed out Mr Cunningham. “The potassium content in Quantis acts as an osmo-protectant, where the K+ ions enable the cells to be more hypertonic and retain water more effectively.”

FluorPen use in sugar beet trial.

Research at the University of Nottingham has also shown the calcium content can upregulate a plant’s natural anti-oxidant levels, which enables it to better deal with increased production of reactive oxidative species (ROS) that can damage cells and photosynthetic capability, he added.

“Furthermore, when we measured photosynthetic activity in the Yorkshire sugar beet trial, using a Fluorpen, it was clear that the plants were continuing to perform more effectively and better able to utilise the available light, compared to the untreated.”

A measure of non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) – indicating plants are releasing energy as heat, rather than converting into sugar and yield – showed the treated beet was operating 12% better than untreated during the peak of the heatwave, which continued after the highest temperatures had eased.

“When assessed for quantum yield (QY), as a measure of conversion of sunlight through to photosynthesis, the treated plants measured an average 0.66, compared to 0.39 in the untreated – an improvement of 70%.

“Where we have studied these Quantis effects in other crops, the measured physiological effects have resulted in consistent increases in yield and root size,” he reported.

The Yorkshire field trial will continue to be protected through further heat stress events with Quantis, then taken through to final yield and sugar analysis at the end of the season.

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Agronomic indicator developed for Cercospora

Sarah Kidby — Fri, 22 Jul 2022 10:16:20 +0000

Following a year of high levels of Cercospora infection in 2020, British Sugar funded an extensive network of weather stations in sugar beet growing areas. These included 40 Sencrop Raincrop connected rain gauges and 40 Sencrop Leafcrop leaf wetness in-crop sensors to monitor the risk of Cercospora in sugar beet crops in the 2021 harvest season.

Using data from these technologies, infection value is calculated from the daily average temperature and the number of hours the relative humidity is above 87%. These factors have been shown to correlate well with first symptom development in crops and as an early warning for when the first Cercospora-specific fungicide should be applied. It works less well where the disease is more established.

BBRO provided additional information on Cercospora control to growers and agronomists in twice-weekly updates during the 2021 season, using additional SMS (text) messaging when required. Information was also available via the BBROplus area of BBRO’s website.

Disease development is relatively gradual up to about 20-22^oC, and much more rapid at higher temperatures, explains BBRO head of knowledge exchange, Dr Simon Bowen. “Cercospora development is relatively suppressed at low humidity, even when temperatures are quite warm. However, when we start getting humidity levels of more than 90% for 10-15 hours per day, the disease becomes more active, even at lower temperatures.

“In 2021, the first trialling of the system in the UK, the feedback from farmers was very positive. Those who got the fungicide on early, in response to the warning, and kept a tight spraying interval got better control of Cercospora than those who didn’t.

“And 2020 showed how quick and aggressive the disease can be and that you cannot give it the opportunity to get established.”

This season, BBRO and British Sugar staff are monitoring the 40 Sencrop weather stations every day via the Sencrop mobile app which displays the Cercospora agronomic indicator. The indicator will be used to give farmers an early warning of when their crop is at risk according to their postcode, along with advice on how, whether and when to spray via SMS text message, the BBRO website or BBRO Bulletin, explains Dr Bowen.

Head of product at Sencrop, Kevin Guibert says: “We have worked hand-in-hand with BBRO, always tuned into sugar beet growers’ needs, to develop an accurate and easy-to-use tool. The indicator was tested for more than a season before its launch this month.

“We welcome feedback from sugar beet growers on how the tool can be further improved so we can keep progressing it.”

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Price agreed for sugar beet contract

Sarah Kidby — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 13:25:42 +0000

The offer also includes a number of new options for growers to consider as part of the contract:

Growers have the choice to purchase a yield guarantee product that protects income against yield losses
A ‘futures-linked’ variable price contract for the 2023/24 crop which enables growers to make more dynamic pricing decisions for up to 20% of their contracts
A local premium¹, revised multi-year prices²and the option of a cash advance.

NFU Sugar board chair Michael Sly said: “I’m incredibly pleased that we are able to announce this contract offer to growers in a timely manner, which represents a significant price increase on the previous contract.

“With growers facing significant cost increases, and the prices of alternative crops having risen to unprecedented levels, I am glad we agreed on a contract offer that should keep sugar beet as a valued part of growers’ rotations. I am hopeful this deal gives the opportunity for re-investment into the sugar beet sector and provides confidence for the future.

“NFU Sugar has invested considerable time working constructively with British Sugar to reach this deal and this has allowed us to develop innovative features that will add value to growers.

“After a couple of challenging seasons, which highlighted the increased risks growers are facing, I am pleased we have found a pioneering way of allowing growers to mitigate their yield risk.

“There is no doubt that we have been concerned about the decline in growing area over the past two years and the subsequent impact this had on the supplier base. It was important this deal addressed that and I hope now we will see that decline reverse and the industry rebound.”

British Sugar managing director, Paul Kenward, said: “We are delighted to announce our contract offer for the 2023/24 growing season today. £40/tonne offers growers a healthy margin even at today’s high costs, compares very favourably with alternative crops, and offers yield guarantees for a small payment.

“We are confident that this straightforward, attractive offer provides choice, security and profitability during an extremely challenging time for all growers. On top of a compelling price, we have listened to calls for flexibility and growers now have an option to opt-in to the new risk mitigation option we are offering for yield protection, as well as a cash advance option for the 2023 crop.

“I am very positive about the future for everyone within this fantastic homegrown industry. With UK customers keen to buy from British Sugar, we are really well-placed to partner with growers for the long-term, and I am certain this contract will encourage further investment going forward. We have four well-invested factories, a great product and an exciting story to share. Our growers are a key part of our business and I hope that this offer provides an incentive for them to continue growing next season and beyond.”

Growers within 20 miles of any British Sugar factory will receive a local premium of up to £2, based on distance to the factory.
All growers with an existing 2023 commitment will automatically receive an upgrade to £32/t, from £25/t. Growers can upgrade this further to £40/t if they commit to grow sugar beet in 2024.

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Looking ahead to spring cropping options

Liam Bull — Sat, 04 Dec 2021 12:00:42 +0000

As well as helping to spread workloads during the peak of the season, allowing growers to prioritise the higher earning crops, spring cropping is becoming more popular in areas of high black- grass burden – especially when weather makes it difficult to hold off drilling winter wheat until the later drilling window. So what are the key options?

Spring barley

For many with black-grass problems, spring barley is the grain of choice, being more competitive than most spring wheats and higher yielding than winter barley. Increasing seed rates and ensuring a good dose of nitrogen early on will help in black-grass suppression, by creating a denser barley crop. However, if growing barley for a malting contract, beware of increasing seed rates too much as this can cause it to fail the required specification. Aiming for 350–400 established plants/m2 is the ideal number where black-grass control is a priority.

As such, growers should always check the specification details early on in the season, in order to ensure the correct input programme is in place.

Oilseed rape

Spring oilseed rape could well have a resurgence as a break crop this year, following significantly higher prices this year which, combined with its usual high gross margin in comparison to many of the alternative specialist crops and the significantly lower pest threat in spring cropping, could well make it a more popular option this spring. Of course, this increase in demand could have an impact on seed availability, especially given the high commodity price right now.

Improvements in spring OSR varieties mean there are more choices when it comes to varieties offering high vigour – key in the shorter growing window – and modern hybrids usually offer higher oil content and seed yield versus the older conventional varieties.

With spring drilling, successful establishment is vital. BASF’s top tips to ensure spring OSR is a success are:

Choose a vigorous hybrid that can get away quickly to out-compete spring weeds. Likewise, selecting a variety with high oil content can help maximise income from oil.

Get your seedbed conditions right. A stale seedbed at the start is key, then you want a good, even seedbed and some moisture to help the seed get up and away. Drill at the right time, resisting the temptation to drill too early. Late March or early April are best, when soil temperatures are warm enough to give the crop a quick start. The soil should be warm, around 9–10°C, with a minimum soil pH of 6–6.5.

Use a higher seed rate than for WOSR. Drill at around 80 to 90 seeds/m2, aiming to achieve a plant population of around 70 plants/m2.

Use a residual herbicide to remove early weed competition. Apply split doses of N between 100kg/ha and 150kg/ha at sowing time and at emergence.

Watch out for pests. Monitor and be prepared to treat if necessary for slugs, pigeons and cabbage flea beetle as the crop emerges, and pollen beetle at the green bud stage.

Pulses – nature’s fertiliser

One topic that cannot be overlooked when considering spring cropping options is the spike in nitrogen fertiliser prices and availability.

When asked for comment, PGRO CEO Roger Vickers responded: “The cost of fertiliser sky-rocketing has, understandably, drawn attention n to beans because of their ability to fix nitrogen in the soil. This displacement of artificial fertiliser is obviously good news for the environment, but the reality is that beans have a fantastic profile even without these major swings in input prices.

“Pulses are flowering plants and therefore attractive to pollinators, and you’re also encouraging insects and bird life. When you look at what the government says it wants to achieve with UK farmland and the environment, pulse production fits hand-in-glove, and we have been working hard to make that point in the hope that it is reflected in policy.

“We have a significant deficit in vegetable protein, and we use in excess of one million tonnes of soybean meal which is imported from South America for animal feed, impacting greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation. So there is a huge opportunity to increase the volume of peas and beans grown in the UK – farmers could easily double supply if the government encouraged environmentally sound cropping through ELM schemes.

” My view is that the outlook for UK pulse production is extremely strong. Agronomically, it has an enviable profile, it delivers multiple benefits to the environment, demand is strong both domestically and globally, and consumers are being encouraged to change their diets to incorporate more plant-based proteins.”

Spring oats

While widely considered to be a low input crop, spring oats respond favourably to a well-targeted input strategy, which can lead to a sizeable increase in both yield and quality. According to Agrii innovation crops manager Sky Van Heyzen: “Most people come to growing oats recognising their ability to take-off rapidly, scavenge nutrients well and compete with weeds better than any other spring cereal. But failure to understand their particular nutritional needs and growth and development pattern, amongst other things, can easily catch relatively new oat growers out.

“As a ‘white straw’ break crop, well-managed milling oats or naked oats should be delivering gross margins of £600/ha or more, making them very competitive with alternative break crop options. They are also better at dealing with difficult conditions than other spring cereals and have a lower input requirement. But to deliver the goods, they simply must be managed for what they are.”

Mr Van Heyzen further points out that oats tolerate cold better than most spring crops early on too, in his experience. This and the fact they need time to get their feet down before motoring away above ground means they are best sown from late February, optimally by mid-March and, wherever possible, before April.

Consider sugar beet

With the government announcing in late September that rules around gene-edited crops will be improved and more research commissioned into gene editing, sugar beet could become a more popular spring break crop in the years to come. Currently there are around 3,000 sugar beet growers across East Anglia and the East Midlands, producing around 8m tonnes of sugar annually on contracts with British Sugar, but the sugar beet area has reduced of late by around 10–15% due to the impact of virus yellows since the neonicotinoid ban, combined with diffifficult weather conditions in the UK.

Farmers Guide spoke to British Sugar’s strategic engagement manager Harry Mitchell, who said: “Sugar beet has been the mainstay in the rotation for decades and, despite challenges in 2020 with weather and virus, the 2021 crop year is proving itself with sound plant populations, average sugars edging towards 17%, and lower dirt tares at around 4.5%.

“For 2022, the beet price has increased 33% on the previous year to a fixed proce of £27/t zero crown for the one-year contract (£27.92/t, on average, on the former crown tare and sugar scale) and there’s a clear plan for addressing virus in the crop.

“The UK sugar industry has applied once again for an emergency authorisation for neonicotinoid seed treatments; a limited, short-term solution as it develops a longer-term pathway for aphid and virus control. Progress is being made with seed breeding, with one partially-resistant variety (Maruscha KWS) commercially available in 2022. British Sugar has also invested in weather stations and canopy monitoring to assist in the early detection of cercospora.

“We have also fully engaged in the government’s consultation on gene editing – the ability to use gene editing techniques could help our industry to protect the crop from diseases such as virus yellows, through making it more resistant to the disease, while reducing the use of plant protection products. The British Beet Research Organisation (BBRO) continues to
work on trials including looking at the impact of beneficial insects.

Benefits of sugar beet in the rotation:

Spread workload with a spring-established break crop that assists with weed control

Flexible beet delivery window helps with planning of following crop

Competitive net margin when compared to 1st feed wheat, 2nd milling wheat, winter oilseed rape, spring feed barley, winter beans and spring beans

BBRO advice and guidance from seed selection and establishment, to yield, harvesting and storage

£12m Virus Yellows Fund compensates growers for a proportion of yield losses if a grower has virus yellows present in their crop

Industry-wide advocacy for plant protection products and future breeding techniques

You don’t need your own equipment – the Beet Delivery Service will clean, load and deliver beet. Harvesting services are also available.

Tips for farmers considering beet in their rotation:

Request a crop economics meeting with a British Sugar Contract Manager based on the 2022 one-year guaranteed fixed price of £27/t (zero crown)

Take advantage of the most suitable seed technology for your farm, selecting varieties for BCN, AYPR, early sowing varieties, and Conviso technology

Don’t sweat about not having all the gear as a network of contractors play a key role, from seed bed preparation, drilling, spraying, lifting and haulage

Don’t sweat about not having all the gear as a network of contractors play a key role, from seed bed preparation, drilling, spraying, lifting and haulage

Use BBRO’s benchmarking and yield enhancement tools to achieve your crop’s true potential

Feel confident knowing there is a clear focus on industry-wide advocacy for plant protection products and future breeding techniques

Speak to a British Sugar Contract Manager and discover the growing opportunities on offer, including the potential to rent land through British Sugar Self-Grow.

Soya developments

Soya is a very good nitrogen fixer. Plus, because soya is rotationally compatible with peas and beans, growers can continue their normal pea or bean acreage whilst adding soya as an additional legume. This is very good news for growers, since increasing the area of legumes on farm will be a key part of ELMS management.

According to Soya UK managing director, David McNaughton: “After difficult harvesting in 2019 and 2020, we are pleased to say that the soya harvest of 2021 has been easier (although not straightforward).

“Yields have been poor-to-average with many growers getting around 1.85t/ha, compared to a good year where we would be aiming for 2.5t/ha). The good news is the price – and with ex-farm values of soya around £475/t, the gross margins have had a significant boost.

“Soya’s easy market-acceptability has also been useful in this tricky year, with virtually all samples of all grades meeting acceptance at full value. Movement is also proving fairly quick and easy, with homes crying out for available soya in light of European non-GM supplies running very tight.

“In addition, with many growers looking to use less nitrogen fertilisers and grow more legumes in their rotation, soya’s compatibility with other legumes takes on even greater importance. Typically, growers cannot grow beans any more than one year in five and peas are generally restricted to one year in six. Thankfully, growers can grow the soya in those years in between without any concerns about invalidating the break. This offers growers another avenue to get more nitrogen fixation into the rotation and further de-carbonise their rotation at the same time.

“Prospects for 2022 are upbeat, with the price expected to remain strong going forward.”

Light ahead for Lupins

Mr McNaughton went on to say that, while 2021 has been a tricky harvest for mainstream crops, for lupins it has actually been more straightforward than in the previous two years.

“With a lot of lupins being used for wholecrop, they have proven their worth this year on many livestock farms, with wholecropping a much easier prospect than combining in a wet year.

Lupins are also seeing a resurgence in interest due to soya-based feed costs going up, and this is driving a renewed interest in home-grown proteins. With COP26 leading to more focus on environmental issues, there has also been renewed focus on the whole issue around soya from Brazil and on the environmental impact of livestock farming. When we add in the surge in fertiliser costs, it is easy to see why there are a number of advantages to growing lupins on livestock units as a home-grown feed.

“In addition, like the soya, lupins can be grown in the same rotation as peas and beans without invalidating the pea or bean break. Lupins are prodigious nitrogen-fixers, so again, growers can gain a lot of valuable nitrogen, and de-carbonise their rotation at the same time.

“The perennial issue for lupins however, has always been a lack of a formal market, and, frustratingly, this remains as elusive as ever. Until a large feed manufacturer is prepared to the switch from imported soya, to using lupins in at least some of their diet formulations, the lupins will remain hobbled by lack of market. This, in turn will mean that arable growers will struggle to find a market if they grow lupins – which is incredibly frustrating for a crop, where the margins, the agronomy, and the true ability to replace imported soya, is there for all to see. All the ingredients are there for the UK to have a large and successful lupin industry supplying the feed sector soya grade protein, and that day is coming closer with more supermarket/ environmental pressure to move away from soya, and with the increasing cost of imported soya, perhaps lupins will soon get their day. Meanwhile, UK livestock growers will continue to grow lupins for direct feeding and this will continue to expand.

Birdseed sector

The UK area of millet continues to grow, Mr McNaughton says, with Soya UK beginning to grow red millet as well as white millet for the bird- seed trade in 2021. “Yields have been fairly average this year, with growers ranging from 2.5–3.7t/ha, but we have not seen any yields over 4t/ha due to the lack of photosynthesis this year (poor, dull summers do not favour yield-formation in millet),” he comments.

“The good news is again, in the price. Last year, the millet price was low due to a glut of production in Ukraine, but for 2021, the Ukrainian government has reversed its policy on the taxation of soyabean exports. This has led to a big increase in the soya acreage and a 43% reduction in their millet acreage, which in-turn has resolved the glut issue and we have seen millet values climb from £220 ex-farm last year, to over £250 ex-farm this year. We think this price will continue to rise as shipping costs begin to bite, and the shipping of Ukrainian millet into the UK birdseed sector becomes more expensive again.

“With UK crop taking more market share each year, Soya UK certainly intends on increasing its millet acreage for 2022, and with it being an easy, low-input crop, we can see a lot of attraction for growers looking for a simple low-input crop that requires little fertiliser,” Mr McNaughton concludes.

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Additional sugar beet tonnes available in 2022 at fixed £27/t

Liam Bull — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 09:00:36 +0000

The 2022/23 one-year sugar beet contract will pay a guaranteed fixed price of £27/t on a zero crown basis. For growers acclimatising to decades of crown tare deductions and a previous sugar scale, £27/t is the equivalent of £27.92/t on average where the previous crown tare deduction and sugar scale terms applied.

The contract price rise acknowledges increases in input costs and inflation in alternative crop prices, as well as providing growers with a share of the recent improvements in sugar pricing.

Growers with tonnage on the existing 2020/21 and 2021/22 multi-year contracts have the option to upgrade from their existing £21.18/t price to a guaranteed fixed £25/t, subject to committing to an additional contract year. The £25/t zero crown is the equivalent of £25.85/t on average where the previous crown tare deduction and sugar scale terms applied.

All contract options for 2022 are guaranteed fixed prices with no market-linked bonus.

Growers can apply for additional tonnes on the 2022/23 one-year contract, on the higher-priced multi-year upgrades, and on the Futures-linked variable price contract.

A Local Premium for local growers

A Local Premium introduced by British Sugar for the 2022/23 crop pays an additional £2/t on top of the base price for growers up to nine miles of their contracted factory, decreasing on a linear scale by 10p/t per mile.

For example, a grower at 15 miles will receive an additional £1.40/t. That’s a potential income of £28.40/t with tonnage on the 2022 one-year contract, and over £29/t with the average Late Delivery Allowance.

Futures-linked variable price contract

British Sugar has agreed to a Futures-linked variable priced contract, providing growers with the ability to make dynamic pricing decisions for a proportion of their contract. The beet price under this contract fluctuates with market movements. All growers – existing and new – are eligible for this contract and have the option to allocated up to 10% of their total CTE including any additional tonnes requested.

Virus Yellows Fund

British Sugar’s £12m Virus Yellows Fund continues in 2022 with growers compensated for yield losses due to Virus Yellows. Industry-wide efforts continue with advocacy for plant protection products and future breeding techniques.

Late Delivery Allowance

British Sugar pays a Late Delivery Allowance to growers who choose to deliver beet after Christmas, through to the end of campaign. The Late Delivery Allowance is seen by many growers as a means of boosting their income, as this allowance tops-up the beet price.

The Late Delivery Allowance provides an additional £0.65/t, on average, starting from £0.04/t on 26^th December and increasing until campaign finishes e.g. £4.20/t on 31^st March.

2022 Contracting is now open

Growers are invited to submit their Contract Offer by 25^th November. This date is especially important for growers wishing to allocate tonnage to the Futures-linked variable price contract, as that contract option will not be available after that date.

New growers and former growers welcome

Farmers who have never grown sugar beet before, as well as farmers who used to grow sugar beet, are welcome to apply for their own contract, or discover other growing options on offer. Call British Sugar Grower Services on freephone 0800 090 2376.

2022/23 contract summary

One-year contract: £27/t
Upgrade existing multi-year contracts: £25/t
Local premium up to 28 miles
Futures-linked variable price contract
£12m Virus Yellows Fund
Late Delivery Allowance

Your spring-sown break crop solution

Flexible beet delivery window helps with planning of following crop
Insurance for loss of crop due to frost
Farm Beet Delivery Service contract to clean, load, and deliver beet in lieu of Transport Allowance
Harvesting services also available
Industry-wide advocacy for plant protection products and future breeding techniques.

VISIT THE WEBSITE HERE

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Sugar beet contract agreed for 2022

Liam Bull — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 10:53:48 +0000

The one-year contract for 2022 will pay a fixed price of £27 per adjusted tonne. Current multi-year contracted growers will have the option to upgrade to a fixed £25 per adjusted tonne by contracting for an additional contract year. There will be no separate market-linked bonus. These prices are on a zero-crown tare basis, meaning growers are paid for the entire roots of beet they deliver.

In addition, NFU Sugar and British Sugar have agreed to continue the innovative futures-linked variable priced contract, giving growers the ability to make their own pricing decisions for a portion of their contract. This will now be open to all growers, who will have the option to allocate up to 10% of their tonnage onto this contract.

Also, new for this year, is a local premium for all growers up to 28 miles contract distance from their nearest factory. With a start offering of £2/t for growers up to nine miles, this will then reduce on a linear scale down to 10p/mile up to 28 miles.

NFU Sugar board chairman Michael Sly said: “Following another difficult negotiation, we have finally managed to agree terms with British Sugar. The substantial increase in the one-year contract price reflects the increased costs and risk sugar beet growers now face and recognises the fact that sugar beet must offer returns comparable with alternatives.

“After a successful pilot this year, the futures-linked variable priced contract will now be available to all UK sugar beet growers. This contract offers both growers and the processor the potential to lock in attractive prices, meaning all parties can benefit from it. Other countries around the EU are starting to follow our lead on this and I am sure that this type of contract will become increasingly common as EU countries modernise their thinking and practices.”

British Sugar agriculture director Peter Watson said: “We are pleased to be able to share the agreed contract prices with growers after a long negotiation. Our aim was always to agree a fair and sustainable price for all and we believe this is what we have achieved.

“Together with our Virus Yellows assurance scheme, the new local premium and the futures-linked contract we believe the contracts offer a competitive package for growers.”

Farmers will be able to contract by mid-October, with beet growers who use British Sugar online able to return their contract offer on the My British Sugar portal. Growers who do not use the online portal will receive their contract offer in the post.

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Sugar beet workers reminded of stewardship safety guidelines

Liam Bull — Thu, 08 Jul 2021 08:00:33 +0000

The safety of those coming into crops and the good stewardship of products that growers rely on to protect crops are important – both to Bayer and the wider industry – explains Lizzie Carr-Archer, the firm’s campaign manager for root crops.

“We are continually reviewing and revising the protocols that guide product use and safeguard users to promote best practice. Within this context, we are re-stating the stewardship guidelines that protect users and the environment from exposure to crop protection products within the context of ever-changing industry practice.”

The guidelines from Bayer specify timescales and clothing requirements for workers hand-pulling bolters and weed beet from sugar beet crops. Where this has not been completed before spraying, workers are reminded that they should not re-enter the field within 48-hours of spraying.

Thereafter, and up to 10 days after spraying, pulling can be continued by workers wearing appropriate workwear – boots, gloves and long trousers – and waterproof trousers if the crop is wet. From 10 days after spraying, there are no requirements and these guidelines do not apply to those visiting sugar beet crops for short periods such as agronomists when crop walking.

Bayer is contacting the growers and gang-masters involved in this activity to remind them of the new guidelines and Mrs Carr-Archer asks all those with responsibility for workers in sugar beet fields this summer to follow the stewardship guidelines.

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Sugar beet farmers on alert as cold weather slows both growth and aphid migration

Liam Bull — Fri, 28 May 2021 10:15:55 +0000

Agronomist Matt Hardy of Farmacy PLC.

Independent agronomist Matt Hardy of Farmacy PLC. who annually advises on 400ha of sugar beet across Norfolk and north Suffolk, confirms that the unseasonably cold spell has been both a blessing and a curse for many sugar beet farmers.

“Colder weather has definitely delayed aphid migration into crops but it has also simultaneously slowed up growth rates with many crops not yet at 12 true leaves. Although the recent emergency authorisation of acetamiprid is positive news, programmes must start with flonicamid, available as Teppeki in the UK, followed up with acetamiprid if and when required.

“Teppeki suppresses aphid feeding within 1 hour of application and, if the timing of aphid activity ties in with a weed control spray, can be tank-mixed alongside a herbicide application to reduce crop passes. However, given the importance of application timing once the aphid threshold has been reached, I would certainly advise not compromising effective control for the sake of an additional sprayer pass.

“Teppeki has local systemic and translaminar activity and a good safety profile with respect to beneficial insects. Up to 21 days persistence in the leaves present at application is also a useful trait if there is a prolonged period of aphid activity. For best results it must be applied at the full rate of 140g/ha in minimum water volumes of 200l/ha to ensure the right level of coverage” he adds.

On crop monitoring Matt advises a 7 day check with the flexibility to come down to 3 or 4 day intervals if temperatures begin to rise.

“The BBRO’s yellow water pan trap network is an excellent barometer for aphid activity on a national scale but I’d also advise growers in localised areas to set up a WhatsApp group in order to update each other regularly. Aphids tend to move at the same time within the same area so, if a neighbouring grower reports that they have reached the key threshold of 1 green wingless aphid per 4 plants, it’s often likely that aphids have moved into other localised crops as well. Extra vigilance and the ability to react quickly when threshold is reached are the keys” he concludes.

The post Sugar beet farmers on alert as cold weather slows both growth and aphid migration appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Getting the most from your sugar beet crop

Liam Bull — Wed, 26 May 2021 10:09:53 +0000

Natalie Wood, Country Arable Agronomist at Yara, leaders in environmentally responsible fertilisers and crops, offered her advice on getting the most from your sugar beet crop this year;

Natalie Wood, Country Arable Agronomist at Yara,

Creating a full leaf canopy

“A full leaf canopy is what produces the highest yields,” says Natalie. “By intercepting at least 90% of incoming sunlight quickly and maintaining its greenness throughout the growing season, sugar beet will accumulate sugar from very early in its growth cycle.”

Growing this canopy early is critical. For this reason, nitrogen is the single most important nutrient, as it promotes growth at all stages of the plant’s development. However, care must be taken to ensure other nutrients are in order.

“A balanced crop nutrition program is key,” says Natalie. “Make sure you have all the essential macro and micro nutrients to get the most from your crop.”

Essential nutrients

Phosphorus, a crucial nutrient for optimal early growth, is often limited in many soils. Fresh applications help ensure availability and avoid deficiency. Potassium and sodium both also have a beneficial effect on growth, regulating water in and out of the plant and nutrient movement within the crop.

Sulphur, too, can often be overlooked. “Sulphur is essential for high yields,” says Natalie. “It is linked with nitrogen. The ratio of nitrogen to sulphur in a healthy plant would be about 15:1. A higher ratio than that could lead to deficiency.”

Natalie also highlights the role of magnesium, an important component of chlorophyll which drives yield development through photosynthetic activity. During root expansion and growth, rapid cell division also occurs which needs large amounts of boron. Boron deficiency halts growth and leads to deterioration of the root and leaf expansion, compromising yield and quality.

Maximising results

Boron deficient sugar beet

While factors such as temperature and water supply will have an impact on yield and sugar content, one area where farmers do have control – and the chance to positively impact their crop – is in managing their nutrients.

“Making sure the right nutrients are applied at sufficient levels can make a real difference for sugar beet,” summarises Natalie. “There are also micronutrients that play a key role: manganese, boron, copper and molybdenum. The best approach is to apply a product that contains several of these key nutrients, such as YaraVita Brassitrel Pro, that way we know we’re supplying the crop with what it needs for healthy growth.”

“Now is the time to act. Make sure you have an effective nutrient management programme in place to give your sugar beet crop its best chance for high yields.”

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