This Week in Farming: Sprayers, savers and RT reformers

Welcome back to another edition of This Week in Farming, your Saturday round-up of the best content from Farmers Weekly in the past seven days as chosen by the editor.

Before we start, a question… what’s the furthest you’ve gone to escape British weather? For Defra farm minister Mark Spencer, the answer this week is 4,150 miles.

He’s popped up in Iowa to speak at the 2023 Norman E Borlaug International Dialogue, a conference on food security.

Now, on with the show…

Red Tractor furore rumbles on

It’s been another week of intense debate about the future of assurance schemes, and Red Tractor (RT) in particular, amid farmer anger over RT’s bid to broaden its remit into certification of sustainability.

In an exclusive video interview with Farmers Weekly this week, NFU president Minette Batters apologised to members upset by how the union has handled its response to the development of the Greener Farm Commitment.

She has now come out in favour of two reviews into the whole situation, which will, as I note in my editorial this week, buy the NFU leadership team some time, but may not cool the anger of those who want root and branch reform.

Wider sustainability developments

RT has not been the only green agenda-linked story in town, with Arla revealing that it is allowing retailers to track the carbon reductions that farmers are making on farm – to allow them to show they are reducing the emissions in their supply chain – and paying farmers for their actions.

This week in our quarterly Transition update, we also take a close look at the farms in Northern Ireland that are close to – or achieving – net zero.

If you haven’t got a copy of this week’s Farmers Weekly magazine, keep an eye on our Transition home page for sight of the whole supplement.

Less herbicide, same efficacy?

It’s not just carbon that farmers are cutting but herbicide use, as John Deere brings its latest spot-spraying technology to market in the UK – a fresh rival to existing aftermarket systems.

In other sprayer news, there is yet more choice for farmers looking to change their setup, after Knight Farm Machinery said it is set to import four low-cost sprayer models from Belgian maker Beyne that will supplement its current line-up.

Not that many folks will be in a hurry to get out after all the rain, with our Crop Watch agronomists warning this week that the downfalls have made herbicide programmes difficult to plan and apply.

Fresh advice on saving money

Money is hard earned and its even harder to hold onto it, with the cost of inputs having seen sharp increases in the past year.

Deputy livestock editor Shirley Macmillan spoke to experts this week on advice on how to save money in the dairy sector beyond trying to take advantage of greater economies of scale.

Elsewhere, Louise Impey visited the Raby Estate, County Durham, to speak to Transition farmer Philip Vickers about how he’s found economic and environmental benefits by cutting artificial inputs.

Who’s up and who’s down?

On the up this week are the daughters of Farmer Focus writer Dafydd Parry Jones who took on the responsibility for selecting and buying rams this autumn.

He correctly notes the vital importance of letting the younger generation be a part of decision-making in the business – well done to him too.

Giving responsibility is also the gateway to a better work-life balance, something many farmers struggle with for a multitude of reasons. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a solution for some, as Debbie James investigates in this article that is also part of the latest Transition update.

Who’s down this week? Unfortunately, it’s pig producers. After a spell where many have been making money, it seems that prices are once again heading in the wrong direction.

Listen to the FW Podcast

Don’t forget the latest edition of the Farmers Weekly podcast with Johann Tasker and Hugh Broom, too.

Listen here or bring us with you in the cab by downloading it from your usual podcast platform.