Menu

Arable top stories

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

Should farms sell or chop straw with fertiliser prices high?

The value of straw, whether for power stations or traditional forage and bedding markets remains, buoyant, and many growers will be looking to take advantage of that. However, with high…

CROP MANAGEMENT

Switch to hybrid barley can save on fertiliser, trial shows

Opting for a hybrid barley variety instead of a conventional type could help farmers reduce their use of expensive nitrogen fertiliser in 2022-23, which is set to be a high-cost…

HARVEST

Harvest 2022: Low N rate yields highest OSR margin

Lincolnshire grower Colin Chappell kickstarted oilseed rape harvest last week with his first field of hybrid variety Duplo yielding a very impressive 3.63t/ha from just 42.63kg N/ha. It was Mr…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Power lines often lower than they should be

My good friend, Jim Pearce, who supplies us with top hay for our horse liveries, took the view that fertiliser was far too expensive this year and did not apply…

HARVEST

Harvest 2022: Good crop yields, but some moisture deductions

Combines are rolling in the South as harvest 2022 gets off to an early start with dry weather keeping drying costs at bay. However, the low moisture contents are causing…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Farm trial prompts winter barley fungicide rejig

After taking part in a winter barley fungicide trial last season, Cornish grower Mike Hambly has rejigged his spray programme to include Revystar at the T2 timing. Working alongside agrochemical…

POTATOES

Lincs grower moves towards more sustainable spud production

Farm manager Simon Day is taking big strides in growing potatoes more sustainably and cutting their carbon footprint by widening his rotation, reducing costly cultivations and introducing cover crops to…

Arable news

SOILS

NFU food report sets out foundations for improving farm soil

A major new report setting out the importance of soil in food production has outlined eight actions farmers can take to improve this vital asset and ensure the UK’s food…

HARVEST

Avoid harvesting OSR at high temp, United Oilseeds warns

A growers’ co-operative is advising farmers to consider harvesting their oilseed rape crops in late evenings, at night and in mornings to avoid risks of penalties upon delivery. OSR crops…

ARABLE

Huge fire rips through farmer's field in North Yorkshire

A North Yorkshire farmer has been left counting the cost after a massive fire ripped through an arable field near Ripon. Dramatic footage has emerged on social media of a…

ARABLE

Fire crews tackle field blazes amid July heatwave

Fire crews were called into action to tackle several serious field blazes over the weekend, and their quick thinking prevented the flames from destroying large areas of standing crops. Two…

More articles
 
 
 

Explore arable Know How

  • Business advice
  • Essential guides
  • Practical tips
  • Case studies
Wheat
Barley
Oilseed rape
Potatoes
Sugar beet
Maize
Pulses
Other crops
Explore all topics

Latest from arable Know How

See all

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

Should farms sell or chop straw with fertiliser prices high?

The value of straw, whether for power stations or traditional forage and bedding markets remains, buoyant, and many growers will be looking to take advantage of that. However, with high…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Farm trial prompts winter barley fungicide rejig

After taking part in a winter barley fungicide trial last season, Cornish grower Mike Hambly has rejigged his spray programme to include Revystar at the T2 timing. Working alongside agrochemical…

POTATOES

Lincs grower moves towards more sustainable spud production

Farm manager Simon Day is taking big strides in growing potatoes more sustainably and cutting their carbon footprint by widening his rotation, reducing costly cultivations and introducing cover crops to…

ARABLE

Farmers Weekly Awards 2022: Mixed Farmer finalists

This year’s finalists all show a passion for sustainable farming and are running mob-grazing systems to improve grassland management and optimise output. They have a real drive to cut input…

MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

Why OSR growers are enthusiastic in a high-cost season

Optimism surrounding oilseed rape for harvest 2023 continues, despite the high-cost climate, with many growers intending to either return to the break crop or increase their area, a study by…

SOILS

How costs are falling for one regen farmer

The two big expenses on an arable farm – fuel and fertiliser – have been reduced significantly since Cambridgeshire grower David White decided to stop cultivating and move to a…

ELM

Famous Yorks estate prepares for new environmental schemes

One large North Yorkshire estate has mapped out its biodiversity and carbon footprint to give it a head start in applying for complex "public money for public goods" environmental schemes.…

REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE

4 regen farmers on how they overcome technical challenges

Starting out on a regenerative farming journey can seem daunting because of the potential pitfalls. But who better to ask for some tips than farmers who have already learned how…

VARIETY SELECTION

Analysis: Which wheat varieties to consider for harvest 2023

Winter wheat varieties that do not expose farming businesses to any more risk are in demand ahead of this autumn, as growers deal with the combination of market volatility and…

VARIETY SELECTION

Why last year's winter barleys will appeal this autumn

The latest winter barley varieties to join the Recommended List are hard pushed to offer improvements over last year’s additions or provide compelling reasons to change, agrees the seed trade.…

VARIETY SELECTION

Why consistency is a wheat blend’s biggest selling point

How much do you value consistency of performance in your crops? If you do, then growing variety blends should perhaps be on your radar. Long-term evidence from Denmark (see panel),…

VARIETY SELECTION

A guide to the new Recommended List lodging scores

Tweaks to the AHDB Recommended List are helping growers get a better handle on the lodging risk from the different cereal variety options for drilling this autumn. There had been…

VARIETY SELECTION

Why rye variety choice is key for biogas

Rye is becoming increasingly popular as a crop for anaerobic digestion and picking the right variety can help maximise gas yields from this cereal. Agronomist Craig Green at CMG Agronomy,…

SHEEP

£40 a lamb profit forecast from arable farm's spin-off

Bringing sheep onto a Hertfordshire farm to graze multispecies leys and cover crops has helped improve soils and control blackgrass on the arable land, while becoming a profitable livestock enterprise…

VARIETY SELECTION

Insecticide-free wheat varieties set for drilling autumn 2023

Insecticide-free winter wheat varieties are set to be available for growers to drill in autumn 2023, as one plant breeder has developed the first wheat varieties with resistance to the…

VARIETY SELECTION

Kent growers assess two new Group 2 winter wheats

Two new Group 2 milling winter wheat varieties are being grown on one Kent farm, with both Mayflower and Palladium looking good ahead of harvest, and Mayflower so far a…

Regenerative farming

Farmer Focus

See all

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Power lines often lower than they should be

My good friend, Jim Pearce, who supplies us with top hay for our horse liveries, took the view that fertiliser was far too expensive this year and did not apply…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Who will follow Boris Johnson?

We seem to have suffered from an overdose of politics in the past 10 years, and it is all kicking off again, with Boris Johnson’s leadership coming to an undignified…

Crop Watch

See all

ARABLE

Crop Watch: Pre-harvest desiccation and beet disease

With harvest approaching, thoughts turn to pre-harvest glyphosate applications and whether they are needed in winter barley, although most oilseed rape crops will be sprayed. Glyphosate is also a good…

CROP WATCH

Crop Watch: Recent rain helps ease pressure on dry crops

Thoughts are now turning to harvest, with most winter cereals looking in a good condition as T3 wheat fungicides and liquid nitrogen fertiliser being applied on milling wheats. On the…

Markets

See all

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Retailer price squeeze risks loss of potato and veg production

Retail pricing strategies for potatoes and vegetables are putting the acreage in danger, warn growers and co-ops. Many growers look like breaking even at best on the 2022 crop at…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Grain price pressure continues on recession fears

Ex-farm spot feed wheat and barley prices have lost £5-£6/t over the week, while UK futures are recovering slightly after a massive global sell-off of agricultural commodities by speculators. The…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Analysis: What is going on in UK and global grain markets?

Uncertainty about the supply of wheat and oilseeds due to the Russia-Ukraine war has caused huge volatility in UK grain prices, which always follow the global market. Speaking at an…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Wheat market pressured by better global harvest prospects

Wheat prices have come under pressure as a result of improved weather, leading to better global harvest outlooks. However, there is the potential for them to bounce back in a…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

UK feed wheat futures prices drop as global market slides

Wheat markets have fallen back in the last week as harvest begins in some northern hemisphere countries. UK markets continue to be influenced by wider global trends and both Chicago…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

UK to lose 250kt of capacity with closure of Cargill OSR plant

The closure of Cargill’s Hull rapeseed crushing plant in December this year will take 200,000-250,000t of capacity out of the UK market. The company announced the closure late last week,…

BUSINESS

Cargill to close Hull oilseed crushing plant

Market conditions have forced the decision to close Cargill’s Hull rapeseed crushing plant. The site, which has a daily capacity for 750t of seed, produces about 420t of rape meal…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Global grain markets volatile amid ongoing conflict

Grain prices continue to spike and fall in a volatile market heavily affected by the ongoing war in Ukraine and the subsequent supply disruption. Prices gathered by Farmers Weekly on…

Commodities

Futures markets and commodity risk management online course

Learn all you need to know about the futures markets and how you can benefit from them:

  • Risk management strategies for a more predictable financial performance
  • Educated conversations when collaborating with your advisors
  • Negotiate better prices with your grain merchants

Find out more

 
 
Spot and forward prices (£/t ex-farm)
Each set of prices comes from a single merchant, co-op or broker, and are the latest prices being paid to farmers. Ranges of prices, within one category relate to the distance of the farm from the buyer. Oilseed rape prices are latest spot and forward prices, not contract prices. Ex farm prices vary with the distance from Hull, Liverpool and Erith, crushing factories.

Arable machinery

See all

COMBINES

FieldView offers yield and moisture stats on old combines

FieldView, Bayer's digital farming platform, is the latest to offer a retrofit kit that provides live yield and moisture information on older combines. The system costs £4,400, is suitable for…

HEADERS

Honey Bee swather expands cropping options for Hants grower

Once a popular tool for pre-harvest management, the self-propelled swather has been slowly sidelined in favour of running through with a sprayer to deliver a shot of glyphosate. The attraction…

TELEHANDLERS

Manitou unveils clutch of MLA mini pivot-steer loaders

Manitou has launched six new compact articulated loaders that are designed to work in tight spaces. Smaller MLA series 2 and 3 machines sit at just 1.1m wide and offer…

MACHINERY

Kverneland Stepwise plough gets travel safety update

Building on the success of its Variomat, Kverneland has launched a clutch of new Stepwise plough models. These are available in two variants – the 2300S and 3300S – and…

Most popular this week