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WEED MANAGEMENT

How cultivation can control resistant Italian ryegrass

After Italian ryegrass with resistance to high rates of glyphosate was discovered on a Kent farm earlier this year, it was zero-till systems researchers pinpointed as particularly at risk. They…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Getting itchy feet about returning to work

Arthur is four months old now. May has nearly gone and, I must admit, I am beginning to get itchy feet regarding returning to work. I have taken a form…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Tests confirm yellow rust has overcome major gene in wheat

A major resistance gene used to protect winter wheat from yellow rust disease has been overcome by evolving strains of the pathogen, according to the AHDB and its research partners.…

VARIETY SELECTION

Disease resistance is key for variety choice, reveals survey

Resistance to pests, diseases and virus is the most important factor when choosing which cereal varieties to grow, according to research carried out by Farmers Weekly in conjunction with Syngenta.…

OTHER CROPS

How estate uses niche crops to broaden risk and flexibility

Farming across 15 different soil types, along with three seasons of extreme weather, has made rotation planning an interesting exercise for Ragley Estate farm manager Andrew Keyte. This has not…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Winter wheats are rapidly going backwards

The winter wheats are starting to go backwards fast with the lack of rain. We have had 14% of our usual spring rain fall. That is 253mm less than usual,…

CROP WATCH

Crop Watch: Rapid spring growth and weeds in sugar beet

Some parts of the UK have seen some welcome rain in the past few days and conditions in the coming weeks will be critical to salvage as much yield potential…

CROP MANAGEMENT

Autonomous drone spraying poised to become a reality

Pioneering work by a group of drone experts could soon overcome the regulatory hurdles that have hampered drone use. The work involves allowing beyond-visual-line-of-sight flight, the aerial application of key…

POTATOES

New guide released to help tackle costly potato pests

Two potato organisations have jointly published a guide aimed at helping farmers manage a soil pest that results in yield losses estimated to cost the sector as much as £26m/year.…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Spring barley growers face greater ramularia risk this year

Spring barley growers are advised to stay alert for the yield-zapping disease ramularia, as the dry start to the season could make the disease more apparent. “We know ramularia starts…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Frustration as weeds rise heads over crops

We’ve started the T2 fungicides a full 10 days earlier than last year. If I’m honest, we could have started earlier, but with clean crops I wanted to wait until…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

Paul-Tech device monitors soil nitrogen in real time

An innovative soil nutrient monitoring device has introduced a groundbreaking update, enabling the accurate measurement of nitrogen availability in real time. Precision agriculture company Paul-Tech updated its innovative soil station…

CROP MANAGEMENT

Cutting-edge kit on display in Sprays and Sprayers arena

Arable businesses are under increasing pressure to boost spraying efficiency, cut input costs, and meet tightening environmental regulations. One way to do this is to adopt precision spray technology, and…

Arable news

CROP MANAGEMENT

Autonomous drone spraying poised to become a reality

Pioneering work by a group of drone experts could soon overcome the regulatory hurdles that have hampered drone use. The work involves allowing beyond-visual-line-of-sight flight, the aerial application of key…

POTATOES

New guide released to help tackle costly potato pests

Two potato organisations have jointly published a guide aimed at helping farmers manage a soil pest that results in yield losses estimated to cost the sector as much as £26m/year.…

ARABLE

AHDB opens 2025 planting survey to assess UK crop areas

The AHDB has launched its 2025 Planting Survey, aiming to estimate the area of cereals and oilseed rape intended for harvest in the UK. The survey, which is open until…

PEST MANAGEMENT

Cameras reveal unexpected predators of two major OSR pests

In-field cameras have uncovered unexpected predators of two major oilseed rape pests, which could help aiding control strategies. The camera study was conducted by Rothamsted Research over two years in…

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WEED MANAGEMENT

How cultivation can control resistant Italian ryegrass

After Italian ryegrass with resistance to high rates of glyphosate was discovered on a Kent farm earlier this year, it was zero-till systems researchers pinpointed as particularly at risk. They…

VARIETY SELECTION

Disease resistance is key for variety choice, reveals survey

Resistance to pests, diseases and virus is the most important factor when choosing which cereal varieties to grow, according to research carried out by Farmers Weekly in conjunction with Syngenta.…

OTHER CROPS

How estate uses niche crops to broaden risk and flexibility

Farming across 15 different soil types, along with three seasons of extreme weather, has made rotation planning an interesting exercise for Ragley Estate farm manager Andrew Keyte. This has not…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

3 key factors to help hit milling wheat protein specs

Optimising nitrogen use to meet milling wheat protein specifications without overstepping economic thresholds is a key factor to balance this season, particularly as grain prices remain feeble. Winter wheat crops…

CROP MANAGEMENT

Cutting-edge kit on display in Sprays and Sprayers arena

Arable businesses are under increasing pressure to boost spraying efficiency, cut input costs, and meet tightening environmental regulations. One way to do this is to adopt precision spray technology, and…

VARIETY SELECTION

Norfolk grower's verdict on new high-protein milling wheat

Norfolk grower Mark Means hopes the new milling winter wheat variety Vibe could become a firm fixture on his farm due to its high protein content and efficient nitrogen use.…

CROP WATCH

Crop Watch: Crops in need of rain as wheat flag leaf emerges

The continued dry spell is taking its toll on crops. Winter wheat flag leaves are emerging as crops develop rapidly through their growth stages. All crops need now is a…

MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

On-farm grain processing adds value and market

Taylors Farm in Lancashire has transformed itself from a traditional beef and arable farm into a regional hub for grain processing services. Over the past five years, the Webster family…

CEREALS

Cereals 2025 host Andrew Ward reflects on farming changes

Andrew Ward is a familiar face to many, having been involved in several farming initiatives over the years. One of the organisers of the post-Budget farming rally in Westminster, Andrew…

PEST MANAGEMENT

10 latest tips on managing flea beetle threat in OSR

An industry led campaign launched to reverse the decline in the UK’s oilseed rape area has put together a set of cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB) management tips to help…

MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

What are OSR prospects for the 2025-26 growing season?

Rapeseed production fell to a 41-year low in the UK in 2024 and another challenging growing season led to a further 17% fall in area for 2025, according to AHDB…

VARIETY SELECTION

New OSR varieties offer regional differences

Eight new winter oilseed rape varieties come into the mix this year, after five hybrids and one conventional variety joined the AHDB Recommended List 2025-26, along with two clubroot-resistant types.…

OILSEED RAPE

Oilseed rape grower sees helping hand from SFI

Hampshire oilseed rape grower Dick Hall is earning £369/ha from environmental payments, allowing the crop to rival winter wheat for profitability and making rapeseed the best break crop he can…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Wheat rusts an added threat at Crop Doctor site for T2 spray

Yellow and brown rust control is set to become more important for winter wheat growers at the key flag leaf fungicide spray timing later this month as septoria is largely…

ARABLE

Arable Insights farmers weigh up a future without subsidy

This month, our Arable Insights farmers are considering all the options as they ponder the future of farming. With government support for both food production and nature recovery paused in…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Why growers need flexible T2 plans as dry spell continues

As the T2 spray timing approaches, keeping enough flexibility in spray programmes as the dry spell continues is occupying the minds of growers and agronomists alike. With T1 sprays completed…

Farmer Focus

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FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Getting itchy feet about returning to work

Arthur is four months old now. May has nearly gone and, I must admit, I am beginning to get itchy feet regarding returning to work. I have taken a form…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Winter wheats are rapidly going backwards

The winter wheats are starting to go backwards fast with the lack of rain. We have had 14% of our usual spring rain fall. That is 253mm less than usual,…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Frustration as weeds rise heads over crops

We’ve started the T2 fungicides a full 10 days earlier than last year. If I’m honest, we could have started earlier, but with clean crops I wanted to wait until…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: A few hours of help avoids harvest disaster

That sense of relief when the combine was finally parked into the shed was strong this season. Summer and harvest have been relentless this year. We have had 580mm of…

Markets

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CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Dry weather across Europe adds support to UK oilseeds markets

Paris rapeseed futures approached €500/t (£419/t) for the November contract on 27 May, the highest level in nearly three months. In the UK, oilseed rape prices stood at £452/t for…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

UK biofuels sector in jeopardy as US trade deal stings

Domestic wheat growers could be set to lose a vital market if Associated British Foods decides to shut down Vivergo Fuels, its bioethanol plant near Hull, East Yorkshire. The company…

MARKETS AND TRENDS

Grain market outlook dampened by economic uncertainty

Wheat prices have been in freefall throughout spring and global markets continue to look bearish in the short term. UK feed wheat futures have fallen £20/t this spring, to just…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

UK bioethanol firms ‘under threat’ from US trade deal

The UK biofuels industry has warned that domestic bioethanol production could be at risk if tariffs are removed on imports as part of the US-UK trade deal. Vivergo and Ensus,…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Cefetra grain pool outperforms market at over £200/t in 2024

Glasgow-based grain merchant Cefetra says its marketing pool outperformed the wider UK market by £15/t during 2024. Cefetra says its grain-buying team was able to achieve “market beating” results by…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Milling wheat at £182/t as drought concerns heighten

UK wheat prices remain at the mercy of the global market, having struggled to get much traction at all so far in 2025, but they appear to be turning a…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

UK potato plantings progressing well as prices ease back

Dry weather this spring has allowed growers to push on with field work, plant earlier than usual and get potatoes in the ground. However, drought conditions in some areas are…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Wheat prices hit by weather and currency factors

Wheat prices have come under further pressure this week, with futures markets on both sides of the Atlantic hitting new contract lows. London May wheat futures were trading at just…

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

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CULTIVATORS

Horsch goes wider with Finer XL spring tine cultivator

Horsch has extended its Finer range of spring tine cultivators with two trailed versions that complement the existing 5-7m tractor-mounted models. Thanks to the selection of points and finishing tools…

CULTIVATORS

Amazone offers pared-back 6m Catros Special disc harrow

A slimmed version of Amazone’s 6m Catros+ trailed compact disc harrow that can weigh less than 3.5t provides a lighter cultivation tool at lower cost than more comprehensively-equipped versions. The…

COMBINES

Pro Harvest VF-spec combine tyres added to BKT range

Big tyres sporting advanced features for combines and other large harvesters are the latest addition to the BKT Agrimax farm tyre range. The Pro Harvest design will be available in…

401+HP

Case IH tweaks Magnum PowerDrive powershift transmission

Upgrades to the PowerDrive full powershift transmission and hydraulics system have been introduced for Case IH Magnum wheeled and Rowtrac semi-tracked tractors, along with a simplified choice of digital tech.…

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