Agrii WestSummer 2016

Contents Raising the quality wheat bar in DorsetPage 1 Your local team - news and iFarm dates Page 2 Soil management under the spotlight at AgriiFocus Page 3 Facing the fertiliser volatility challengePage 4 As harvest approaches, have you considered farm saved seed? Page 4 Disease resistance: the most important characteristic of a variety? Page 5 Is it size or quality that matters when it comes to wildlife habitats on farmland? Page 5 Agrii at Cereals 2016 Page 6 Enquiry Contact Numbers Page 6

www.agrii.co.uk

@agriiUK01

Together, the Moderski family’s KAM Farming and Yuill Farms almost

equalled Rod Smith’s world wheat record with a 16.39 t/ha wheat crop at Friar Waddon just outside Weymouth last year. Not only this, but the entire 12.2 ha field of late October-sown Skyfall made full milling specification. Even more impressively, at an input cost of less than £35/t, it earned a gross margin comfortably over £1500/ha.

Having taken a fresh, thoroughly integrated grip on the agronomy by moving to an Agrii team led by agronomist Todd Jex and seed manager Dorian Jones in 2014, a switch was made from mainly feed to 100% milling varieties. At the same time, a wheat average of 10 t/ha was targeted. Unsurprisingly then, the 11.1 t/ha averaged across 120 ha of Skyfall and Crusoe last harvest – by far the best in 28 years of contract-farming the 570 ha holding – has led Kris, wife Ann, son Mark and their Yuill Farms’ principals to seriously raise their arable performance sights.

As important to the Moderskis as last year’s record harvest was the fact that, at 12.35 t/ha, Yuill Farms’ milling wheats on heavy clay were the best performing in this category across Agrii’s entire Maximising Arable Performance (MAP) benchmarking group of 70+ southern county growers. “This really shows we’re getting things right,” stressed Mark. “With the sort of yielding ability and Septoria resistance the best Group 1 varieties have these days, switching entirely to milling wheats has proved an

excellent decision along with employing the micro-nutrient programme that has given such good results in local Agrii trials.

“The extra information we’re getting from the company’s research as well as their benchmarking is invaluable too,” he continued. “Having had the whole farm SoilQuest mapped in the past year we’re also making great progress in improving the precision of P&K applications and liming. Variable rate nitrogen using satellite imagery was extremely useful last season, reducing

fertiliser usage, evening-up crops and allowing us to make the most of the FYM and slurry from the dairy herd.

“What’s really made the difference, though, is putting all these elements together with the best possible coordination in a way that suits the ground and equipment.

“The past two years have been a real eye-opener in so many ways, “Kris Moderski concluded. “I see no reason why we can’t target a good 11t/ha on a regular basis from the milling wheats these days.”

Raising the quality wheat bar in Dorset

Top-Performing Yuill Farms Milling Wheat – Vital Statistics• 12.2 ha of Skyfall on good wheat ground• Sown at 350 seeds/m2

• Pre- and post-em herbicide programme• Four fungicide sprays and PGR• 260 kg/ha of solid N plus 30kg/ha liquid Protol• Specialist trace element regime• Total input costs – including seed, insecticides and adjuvants

– £543/ha• Over-the-weighbridge yield – 16.39 t/ha of full specification

milling wheat• Unit input costs – £33.12/tonne• Gross margin with milling wheat at £138/t – £1,719/ha.

L-R Mark Moderski, Todd Jex & Kris Moderski.

JournalAgrii WestSummer 2016

West Regional Update

02

Here’s a list of our upcoming iFarm and Technology Centre events over the summer season. Please look out for your invitations through the post and contact your agronomist, email events@agrii.co.uk or call Maz on 01480 418172 if you’d like to attend or receive more information.

7th JuneNewton Purcell iFarm event: integrated control of blackgrass9th JuneDorset summer iFarm event20th JuneBartonfi elds iFarm summer event21st JuneSouth Wales iFarm Summer Event22nd JuneLudlow iFarm Summer Event23rd JuneBrackley iFarm Summer Event28th JuneWinderton iFarm Summer Event

29th JuneBromsgrove iFarm Summer Event30th JuneSouth West iFarm Summer Event6th JulyAgriiFocus Technology Centre Summer Event7th JulyCallow (Bayer Site) Summer Event

Glencore will be running a moisture meter clinic at each of the summer iFarm events listed above, so please bring your moisture meters along on the day.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Summer shows and eventsWe’ll be at a range of shows and

events across the region this summer, a selection of which are below. Please come and see us for a chat and some refreshments.

• 27th July: NSA Sheep Event, Three Counties Showground

• 3rd August: North Devon Show

• 4th August: Honiton Show

• 10th September: Usk Show

• 17th September: Welsh Ploughing Championships

Agrii on Facebook

You can now keep up to date with what’s going on at the Ludlow,

Brackley and Newton Purcell (Finmere), South West and Bartonfi elds iFarms on their respective Facebook pages. Please email events@agrii.co.uk if you’d like to be sent a direct link to the pages, or search for them on Facebook.

A big thank you to everyone who entered our Bartonfi elds photo competition. We are pleased to

announce that the winners were:• Abbie Roobottom• Sara-Lee Burton • Tim Preece• Kathryn Richards• Rob Shuffl ebotham• Rob AtkinTheir photos are now on display in the new meeting room at our Bartonfi elds offi ce.

Spring events round up

Tell us what you think!

We recently sent questionnaires out in the post to fi nd out what topics you’d

like to see us cover at our events over the next year. The survey can also be fi lled in online www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ifarmevents or please send us feedback or suggestions at any time to events@agrii.co.uk.

A big thank you to everyone who attended one of our iFarm events this spring. We had ex-technical

director at Simba and soils expert Philip Wright along to our soil health day at Bartonfi elds in March. Philip looked at the effects that the different cover crop plots were having on soil structure, and the impacts of compaction. We also had excellent weather for both of our OSR open days at AgriiFocus and the Brackley iFarm, and although both were good spray days, it was great to still see a good number of you on the day.

Right: Philip Wright talking soil structure at the Bartonfi elds iFarm.

Bartonfi elds photo competition results

Your local team: News and iFarm dates

AgriiFocus Technology Centre update

03

We managed to drill all of our trials in autumn 2015 and all have established very well. The

mild winter soon after drilling resulted in the rapid growth and development of the winter oilseed rape and winter barley crops. However, both crops along with winter wheat experienced a spell of significantly cold and wet weather which restricted their growth and development. These sudden changes in temperature, as well as rainfall intensity, can have significant effects on the crop, agronomic practices and decisions for producing the various crops, especially oilseed rape.

Autumn application of nitrogen and phosphorous can have positive effects on crop establishment and root growth of oilseed rape which can help the crop to overcome the negative effect of sudden changes in the weather pattern. Also, an established oilseed rape plant can withstand prolonged periods of waterlogging depending on the variety. The use of autumn N and foliar nutrition can improve early crop establishment and root growth.

Our previous trials on foliar nutrition such as Nutri-phite PGA and Quark demonstrated their positive effect on crop establishment and crop canopy in the difficult autumn of 2012 when compared with the untreated plots. Foliar nutrition along with an appropriate seed-rate should be used as a measure of insurance to improve crop establishment and survival in the uncertain weather

conditions which we have experienced over the last four years.

Currently we are investigating the effect of range of foliar nutrition options for maximising yield and farm profitability on a range of varieties of wheat, barley and oilseed rape. Foliar application of potash (Feeder K) had a positive effect on the grain yield of wheat and oilseed rape (Fig 1 and Fig 2). Our research has also shown that there are significant differences amongst varieties in terms of their susceptibility to different diseases and their responses to foliar nutrition and fungicides. By selecting varieties that have a good level of resistance against the key disease, we can reduce cost of production, enhance nutrient use efficiency and maximise farm profitability.

One of the objectives at the AgriiFocus Technology Centre is to maximise farm profitability by targeting the right inputs, especially macro nutrition, by understanding SoilQuest (Agrii precision services) maps and soil analysis reports. This will help us to improve our soil health in terms of organic matter, soil biology and soil fertility. Currently we are investigating the role of different cover crops and organic manure treatments on the physical and chemical properties of soil and yield. Our SoilQuest team and our technical experts will discuss a range of trial results and varieties on 6th of July 2016 at the summer AgriiFocus event – we hope to see you there.

AgriiFocus Summer Event 2016

Soil management under the spotlight at AgriiFocusDr Syed Shah, West Region R&D Manager. syed.shah@agrii.co.uk Don’t miss the AgriiFocus Summer

event on Wednesday 6th July, which is being held at Agrii’s

18 hectare western R&D Technology Centre near Swindon, Wiltshire from 8.30am to 6pm.

Small group, interactive plot tours of the wheat trials will take place throughout the day and include discussion on wheat varieties, disease control, nutrition, soil health and cover crops.

After lunch, an additional tour will include winter and spring barley varieties, spring barley agronomy plus WOSR varieties.

Growers are welcome to arrive at a time to suit them and join the next tour out. Morning tours will leave site between 8.30 and 10.30am, afternoon tours from 1.15 – 2.45pm, with each tour lasting around 2 hours.

An extensive exhibition, including a large machinery display adds to the attraction of this long standing, vibrant event. The usual FREE moisture meter testing is also offered.

For more details or to book your place please call your local Agrii contact or email AFevents@agrii.co.uk. We hope to see you there!

Fig 1

Trial 15353-Effect of Feeder K on grain yield of winter wheat (JB Diego) at AgriiFocus 2014-2015.

Drilled on 2nd Oct 2014-Harvested on 21st Aug 2015

Gra

in Y

ield

(t h

a-1)

Untreated

15.20

15.00

14.80

14.60

14.40

14.20

14.00Feeder K

(2.5 L/ha) at T2Feeder K

(5.0 L/ha) at T2Untreated Feeder K (5.0)

Early MarchFeeder K (5.0)

Mid AprilFeeder K (5.0) Early March fb Feeder K (5.0)

Mid April

Fig 2

Trial 15314-Effect of Feeder K on grain yield of winter oilseed rape (Harper) at AgriiFocus 2014-2015.

Drilled on 29th Aug 2014-Harvested on 8th Aug 2015

Gra

in Y

ield

(t h

a-1)

500

4.50

4.00

3.50

3.00

2.50

This time last summer, my article in this journal had the same title and started with the words: “No

year is ever the same in the fertiliser world”. This year’s experience shows just how true these words are. I also discussed currency and its effect during an election year. This year’s main focus has been around global alignment in the backdrop of weakening currency and weak commodity levels.

Although the UK fertiliser market represents a small piece of the global network of fertiliser production, there have been some radical changes within the main structure of CF Fertilisers (what was formerly GrowHow UK Ltd). Historically, UK ammonium nitrate was produced through a 50/50 Joint Venture between Yara and CF Fertilisers. However in July 2015 a $580 million deal took place, which saw CF Fertilisers take 100% ownership of the two remaining Ammonium Nitrate plants in the UK. CF Fertilisers see strong growth in the UK market and their key focus is upon production for UK farmers. 60% of the UK’s nitrogen is imported and their focus is to gain market share and strengthen

their position in the UK fertiliser market. Agrii remains a major retailer of CF fertilisers to UK farmers.

The continued challenge facing the UK market will be currency and supply from imported fertilisers. Euro and dollar exchange rates will continue to affect imported fertiliser costs, and we could see significant challenges around prices as we approach the referendum. Global supplies of fertiliser seem stable but to achieve the lowest import prices on products such as urea, purchase volumes need to be bigger. So rather than purchasing a 5-10kt shipment you may have to look at 30kt vessels, which shows huge commitment in a flat market. The other challenge is sourcing good quality urea fertilisers, as there is huge variation in urea depending on the manufacturer and country of origin.

So, it’s important to have a purchasing strategy. Agrii has a network of fertiliser product managers across the country, to help provide you with the best advice on when to buy, and with the cost effective option of finance via Agrii Finance. We understand the market and can help you design a purchasing strategy suited to

your own business needs.Another challenge facing the UK

fertiliser industry for the future is the price of phosphate fertilisers. Draft regulations have been submitted for specific cadmium levels in phosphate fertilisers which could influence phosphate supply into the UK market in years to come. The draft proposal is set to look at increasing the amount of phosphorus to farms via waste streams but also to harmonise the levels of cadmium in phosphate fertilisers supplied to member states. This in turn could have specific consequences on where the UK sources phosphate fertiliser from, thus in turn possibly increasing phosphate costs.

Agrii supplies a wide range of fertiliser products including liquids, suspensions, standard blends and straights. In addition to this Agrii provides tailor made blends which can include trace elements. Agrii also manufactures a range of micro and granular starter fertilisers.

For more information on Agrii fertilisers please contact your local agronomist or product manager or call our fertiliser department on 01277 898201.

Fertiliser update/Farm Saved Seed

04

Low grain prices and the uncertainty of a firmer market is concentrating farmers minds on reducing their

variable costs and finding ways of easing cash flow at a critical time of the year. Significant savings that could be made by using their own grain could be the answer for many growers. Farm saved seed is already an integral part of many farm businesses, in fact it’s estimated that 45% of seed planted is farm saved. This autumn it is likely that more farmers and advisors will consider Farm-saving as a cost saving option. Many popular, well tried and tested varieties of wheat and barley are in the ground – the better crops will already be ear marked for on farm processing.

Agrii’s Farm Saved Seed business continues to grow in response to market demands, and Agrii has an ongoing investment programme in staff and machinery, ensuring that the service on farm is continually maintained and improved. Our operators are fully qualified

and experienced in seed processing/cleaning and the accurate application of seed treatments, and we take health and safety issues very seriously, with rigorous protocols to minimise the risk to both farm staff and Agrii personnel.

Agrii’s most recent new build mobile will be commissioned for harvest 2016 and its features include a de-awner, Westrup cleaner, gravity table and the latest Bayer seed treatment application technology. It incorporates our ‘rolling road’ system for improved safety and continuous production.

Reso, based in Stafford, has also recently joined the Agrii business. Their site is a perfect geographic fit and further bolsters our extensive team. Reso were pioneers in offering a ‘mobile colour sorting’ facility to customers, primarily for ergot removal, and also a large scale high capacity ‘bulk grain cleaning’ mobile to enhance grain quality – both of which are strategic additions to the Agrii mobile fleet.

As harvest approaches why not contact your local seed contact to see how Agrii’s farm saved seed service can benefit your own farm business?

As harvest approaches, have you considered Farm Saved Seed?Hugh Boswell, Agrii Farm Saved Seed Team. hugh.boswell.@agrii.co.uk

Facing the Fertiliser volatility challengeTom Land, Fertiliser Manager. tom.land@agrii.co.uk

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JournalAgrii WestSummer 2016

Seed and environment

A topic that has cropped up in conversation quite frequently recently has been the resistance to

different diseases that varying varieties have, and whether that is more important than a 1 or 2% greater yield on the AHDB list. Those diseases that are focused on tend to be Septoria tritici and yellow rust in wheat and light leaf spot in oilseed rape.

There is no doubt that historically growers have tended to focus on that little bit extra yield a new variety might have, more than having a slightly greater resistance to a particular disease. After all, most lists are ranked in yield order. And somehow the fact that it states in small print that yield differences of less than 4% (for example) are not signifi cant, this seems to be ignored when it comes to choosing varieties.

Yet it might be of far greater importance to a lot of growers to look at Septoria resistance ranking as a priority in wheat, or light leaf spot in OSR. With the swing to varieties like Crusoe and Skyfall for this harvest, maybe we are already seeing a bit of a change? But looking at the AHDB data on disease scores may not be quite the best guide. Those scores are necessarily an average and if a variety has a declining resistance what is important is what it is not what it was.

Agrii data on disease is based on our most recent assessment, not an average. Those scores for Septoria tritici tell us that the best resistance is in varieties like Crusoe, Skyfall, KWS Lili, KWS Siskin, Solace and Graham. In terms of yellow rust, there are a number of varieties that still hold on to a top rating: Crusoe, RGT Illustrious, KWS Siskin, Graham, Dickens and Costello. But rust ratings tend to change quite quickly so speak to your Agrii agronomist for the very latest data. On light leaf spot in oilseed rape you need to look to varieties such as Alizze, DK Exalte, Elgar and Nikita.

Good disease resistance helps protect the yield potential of a variety when it is diffi cult to get the sprays on at the right time, and limits the damage infections can cause. So maybe the most important fi gure you’ll see isn’t the one at the top of a list – the yield. It might well be the latest disease scores…

Disease resistance – the most important characteristic of a variety?Barry Barker, Agrii Seed Manager. barry.barker@agrii.co.uk

That’s how the saying goes but is it true? When it comes to farmland habitats I don’t think it is. In

2003 subsidies were decoupled from production and re coupled to things environmental.

Since then a number of environmental schemes have offered payments for environmental delivery with varying degrees of success. The payments have focused on area with, in my opinion, insuffi cient focus on the standard of delivery.

The latest CAP reform uses greening as an environmental tool with wildlife delivery hopes pinned on EFAs. Again EFAs focus on area, taking 5% land out of production. The plan, or more accurately, threat, is that if farmland wildlife continues to decline then the percentage of land taken out of production may rise.

So what does this mean? Firstly I think the government’s focus on size is wrong. Size or area are easily measured so easily audited but the key is what you do with the land, not the amount taken out of production.

Research has repeatedly shown that quality habitats deliver quality results.

Treat habitats as crops that require active management. The better the quality, the less the land you take out of production. This is good news for both farmers and wildlife but how do we achieve this “Holy Grail” and why have we failed to get there so far?

In a word: training. Farmers need to learn to farm habitats and be rewarded for delivery not area.

To lead by example Agrii has linked up with Natural England and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology to create agronomist and farmer environmental training days. Like any other crop there is a need for training: no one is born with habitat knowledge.

Long term farmland experiments have shown that wildlife responds rapidly to quality habitats, which means many government biodiversity targets can be met. A recent large scale fi ve-year experiment showed that certain arable crops gave a yield increase when the surrounding wildlife was increased. If 3% of the land was sown to quality habitats it would deliver more wildlife than the current EFA 5% with its weak habitat options.

Does all this matter? Yes I think it does. As an industry we need to environmentally put up or accept that the non farming sector will drive future policy in OUR industry. Secondly quality environmental habitats hold some of the richest genetic material that we may need in the future. In summary we need better understanding, more training and a belief that all of this matters. It is encouraging to see the trained farmers understanding the need for, and delivering more diverse habitats to a much higher standard and proud of the contribution these make to the farm.

Please speak to your Agrii agronomist if you would be interested in attending future training days. A practical book on habitat creation and management can be obtained free from;

www.ceh.ac.uk/book-habitat-creation-and-management-pollinators

They say size matters!Marek Nowakowki, Independent Environmental Agronomist

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JournalAgrii WestSummer 2016

Enquiry ContactNumbersAgrii Consultancy ServicesPaul Pickfordpaul.pickford@agrii.co.uk07909 925 413 Agronomy ServicesRobert Bakerrobert.baker@agrii.co.uk07831 430 172Dominic Swainsondominic.swainson@agrii.co.uk07885 252 391John Stevensonjohn.stevenson@agrii.co.uk07545 502651Paul Doylepaul.doyle@agrii.co.uk07973 340 349Nigel Francisnigel.francis@agrii.co.uk07515 577 093Chris Rylattchris.rylatt@agrii.co.uk07885 252 469 Agrii Farm Saved SeedProcessingMark Taylormark.s.taylor@agrii.co.uk07836 527 251Hugh Boswellhugh.boswell@agrii.co.uk01227 753 723 Crop MarketingPaul Taylorpaul.taylor@agrii.co.uk07525 234309 Fertiliser Sales & MarketInformationAlistair Kingalistair.king@agrii.co.uk07880 787 473Paul Gillpaul.gill@agrii.co.uk07831 324 979 Regional Technical AdvisersTim Hortontim.horton@agrii.co.uk07770 648 945John Vickeryjohn.vickery@agrii.co.uk07899 994324Robin Nurserobin.nurse@agrii.co.uk07966 650706 Seed Advice & Variety SalesInformationDavid Smith Becci Shrimpton07768 865 078 07836 541 661Dorian Jones Ian Davy07774 739 582 07890 550559Diane Griffi ths 07774 120 911 SoilQuest Precision AgronomyChris Hoskinschris.hoskins@agrii.co.uk07545 927 488

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Contact Details/Cereals 2016

Agrii iFarm locations in the West

Join-up with Agrii’s integrated agronomy at Cereals 201615th & 16th JuneChrishall Grange, Nr Duxford, Cambridgeshire

For more information please email sarah.wilkinson@agrii.co.uk

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JournalAgrii WestAutumn 2015

Contact details/LAMMA 2016

Agrii iFarm locations in the WestEnquiry ContactNumbersAgrii Consultancy ServicesPaul Pickfordpaul.pickford@agrii.co.uk07909 925 413 Agronomy ServicesRobert Bakerrobert.baker@agrii.co.uk07831 430 172Dominic Swainsondominic.swainson@agrii.co.uk07885 252 391John Stevensonjohn.stevenson@agrii.co.uk07545 502651Simon Applebysimon.appleby@agrii.co.uk07831 874157Paul Doylepaul.doyle@agrii.co.uk07973 340 349Nigel Francisnigel.francis@agrii.co.uk07515 577 093Chris Rylattchris.rylatt@agrii.co.uk07885 252 469 Agrii Farm Saved SeedProcessingMark Taylormark.s.taylor@agrii.co.uk07836 527 251Hugh Boswellhugh.boswell@agrii.co.uk01227 753 723 Crop MarketingDavid Nealedavid.neale@agrii.co.uk07799 695 549 Fertiliser Sales & MarketInformationAlistair Kingalistair.king@agrii.co.uk07880 787 473Paul Gillpaul.gill@agrii.co.uk07831 324 979 Regional Technical AdvisersTim Hortontim.horton@agrii.co.uk07770 648 945John Vickeryjohn.vickery@agrii.co.uk07899 994324 Robin Nurserobin.nurse@agrii.co.uk 07966 650706 Seed Advice & Variety SalesInformationDavid Smith Diane Griffiths07768 865 078 07774 120 911Dorian Jones Becci Shrimpton07774 739 582 07836 541 661Rebecca Falkner07551 150732 SoilQuest Precision AgronomyJohn Lordjohn.lord@agrii.co.uk07918 054 765Chris Hoskinschris.hoskins@agrii.co.uk07545 927 488

Your local Agrii iFarms1. Bartonfields

2. Salisbury

3. Brackley/Newton Purcell

4. Taunton

5. South Wales

6. Cotswold

7. Winderton

8. Ludlow

9. Bromsgrove

10. Dorset

11. South West Forage iFarm

Your local AgriiTechnology Centre12. AgriiFocus

Keyn Agrii iFarms

n Agrii Technology Centre

LAMMA is the UK’s largest farm machinery, equipment and agricultural services show, and is free to attend. We’ll be in Hall 7 again this year, and once again we’ll be on the NRoSO knowledge trail, so come and talk to us to get your CPD points.www.lammashow.co.uk

Come and visit us on the Agrii stand at LAMMA 201620th and 21st January 2016East of England ShowgroundPeterborough

For more information email sarah.wilkinson@agrii.co.uk.

Agrii_Journal_West_A/W_2015.indd 2 14/10/2015 11:41

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Elements of Agrii’s integrated agronomy offer will be on show at various locations across the Cereals 2016 site:Precision Agronomy (Stand 330) Learn how Agrii’s SoilQuest and weather station network are helping farmers and growers achieve more from their soils and make more accurate decisions about input use. Buy-Back Contracts (Stand 545) Agrii and Glencore are working together to bring farmers a range of unique buy-back contracts, linking quality Master Seeds, innovative agronomy and added value end markets.

Farm-Saved Seed (Adjacent to Stand 545) Meet our on-farm processing team and fi nd out how we can build extra potential into your farm-saved seed.

Naked Oat Production (Stand 1120) Visit GB Seeds on the Just Oats stand to view the latest varieties of Naked Oats and discover the opportunity for this valuable niche crop.

Lime Services (Stand 422) R&T Liming has recently joined the Agrii family as part of our comprehensive soil management and nutrition portfolio.

1. Bartonfi elds2. Callow (Bayer site)3. Brackley/Newton Purcell4. South West (Taunton)5. South Wales6. Winderton7. Ludlow8. Bromsgrove9. Dorset

10. AgriiFocus Technology Centre