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Know How / Barley / Harvest and crop storage

Best barley harvest practice involves reacting to the weather, inspecting grain frequently and handling it carefully, so that assurance scheme and customer standards are met. See how to prepare for harvest, so that you can maintain crop quality as the combines start to roll and stores begin to fill. Discover ways of maintaining crop quality during storage and processing, how to monitor your grain and what developments can help you with this task.

Case studies

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HARVEST

Harvest 24: End in sight as farmers make progress in dry spell

As much of the cereal harvest draws to a close thanks to a spell of dry weather, farmers reflect on a difficult season, with many looking ahead to next year…

HARVEST

Harvest highs and lows from Arable Insights farmer panel

After a difficult season, what has the combine delivered for our eight Arable Insights growers? Farmers Weekly caught up with them to see how the harvest has progressed. See also:…

HARVEST AND CROP STORAGE

Selling direct to local feed mill saves storage and drying

A 30-year partnership with a local grain store and feed mill has proved to be a long-term sustainable grain marketing strategy for one farming estate on the east coast of…

HARVEST

How did harvest go for our Arable Insights farmers?

It’s been a difficult stop-start harvest across the country, but how have our regular featured Arable Insights farmer panel fared? See also: Harvest 2023: The 5 top-yielding spring barley varieties…

HARVEST

Harvest 2023: Wheat nearly done but spring barley to cut

Many growers will be finishing their winter wheat harvest this week, and spring barley is not far behind, except in Scotland where mixed weather has held back crop maturity. Somerset…

HARVEST

Harvest 2023: New winter barley impresses in Yorkshire

Yorkshire Wolds grower Mark Ullyott is impressed with the new winter barley variety Caravelle, saying it is the best seed crop of barley he has grown for more than 10…

Practical advice

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HARVEST AND CROP STORAGE

Tips to achieve successful long-term grain storage

There are many factors to take into consideration when storing grain crops for the long term. Getting it wrong means quality will deteriorate, which can lead to significant financial losses.…

HARVEST AND CROP STORAGE

How to dry grain more efficiently in a wet harvest

With showery summers predicted to become more common, now is a good time to appraise grain-drying facilities and reinvest where necessary to help deal with any extreme seasons to come.…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

How to prepare for ergot limits in cereals for harvest 2021

Growers need to prepare for new regulations covering maximum limits on ergot in cereals, to avoid loads being rejected by millers and merchants from harvest 2021 onwards.  The current 0.05%…

HARVEST AND CROP STORAGE

How to sample your grain on farm to get the top price

Grain sampling can be a problematic area causing friction between arable growers and grain traders when it comes to price deductions. Testing for moisture contents and specific weights can often…

SOILS

6 top tips to minimise compaction at harvest

Climate predictions indicate that for the next 20 years there is a 35-40% chance of a wetter-than-average summer, giving rise to the potential for disrupted and challenging harvests. Aside from…

BUSINESS

Grain storage decisions – own store or co-op?

Put up your own building, join a central co-operative store or take advantage of flexible grain store hire? Louise Impey looks at the options. There are long and short-term considerations…

Insights

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HARVEST

Harvest 2024: The 5 top-yielding spring barley varieties map

Throughout harvest 2024, we are updating our handy map with the latest data from 2024’s AHDB spring barley Recommended List harvest results. Use the map below to find the five…

HARVEST

Harvest 2024: The 5 top-yielding winter barley varieties map

Throughout harvest 2024, we are updating our handy interactive map with the latest data from the AHDB's winter barley Recommended List harvest results. Use the map below to find the…

HARVEST

Harvest 2023: The 5 top-yielding spring barley varieties map

Throughout harvest 2023, we are updating our handy map with the latest data from 2023’s AHDB spring barley Recommended List harvest results. Use the map below to find the five…

HARVEST

Harvest 2023: The 5 top-yielding winter barley varieties map

Throughout harvest 2023, we are updating our handy map with the latest data from 2023’s AHDB winter barley Recommended List harvest results. Use the map below to find the five…

VARIETY SELECTION

Harvest 2022: Light levels lifted yields despite drought

Despite record-breaking summer temperatures and a lack of rain, winter wheat yields recorded from harvest 2022 were higher than many had anticipated. Crops made the most of the good growing…

HARVEST

Harvest 2022: The 5 top-yielding spring barley varieties map

Throughout harvest 2022, we are updating our handy map with the latest data from 2022’s AHDB spring barley Recommended List harvest results. Use the map below to find the five…

HARVEST

Harvest 2022: The 5 top-yielding winter barley varieties map

Throughout harvest 2022, we are updating our handy map with the latest data from 2022’s AHDB winter barley Recommended List harvest results. Use the map below to find the five…

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…

WEED MANAGEMENT

How farmer trial will test Canadian combine weed seed mill

A group of UK farmers is taking part in a ground-breaking research project to test the effectiveness of harvest weed seed control units developed by a Canadian company. This non-chemical…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

Why grain analysis now could save on fertiliser next season

Farmers are being advised to get their grain analysed this harvest to help refine next season’s fertiliser decisions, with data showing the average uncertainty equates to £2,000 for an average…

VARIETY SELECTION

Variety verdict: Top-performing wheats and barleys of 2021

The combination of plants already under stress and a disease explosion that hit crops in late spring and early summer is thought to be behind the discrepancies seen in wheat…

CROP MANAGEMENT

How data analytics can help identify marginal farmland

The power of data analytics in improving decision making about future land use is being highlighted by a project at AHDB’s Strategic Farm East to use data to identify marginal…

External resources

AHDB Grain storage guide

Good storage practice for cereals and oilseed rape
View guide

HSE Grain dust

Safety guidance to protects you from exposure to grain dust
View guide

AHDB Grain sampling guide

How to accurately assess grain quality and condition
View guide

AIC grain passport

Combinable Crops Passport for download/use. Includes explanatory notes on new passport requirements
Download