Decision Time!

Article taken from Tillage Magazine - Spring 2016

2015’s harvest helped remind every farmer of a conundrum that their industry has faced since the first farmer planted the first seed: No matter how well you plan and how hard you work, the weather during the growing season is the biggest single influence on your crops performance.
As an example, many people have questioned the logic of continuing to grow oilseed rape when it perennially struggles to produce reliable profits – but in 2015 Yorkshire farmer Steve Tuer produced a 7.2 tonne/ha crop and plenty of others celebrated yields of 6t/ha plus.
Steve’s agronomist, Chris Martin from Agrovista, says this year’s oilseed rape performance underlines an important point “Nobody would advocate continually sowing crops that have no chance of making any money, but years differ and this year it would have been a big mistake not to grow oilseeds. 
“This year they were the biggest gross margin earner for many farmers because the yields were so good” While some growers might wonder how far they could reduce inputs during the season, he says any reduction that risked losing yield would be a mistake:
“If farmers are going to justify growing crops they have to commit to using the right inputs because yield is the main driver of income and profitability.  Once the crop is established there is no point in skimping on inputs because your fixed costs have already been paid and you would effectively be writing off everything you have already invested.”
His colleague Phil Edenborough says there are opportunities to make savings, but as well as ensuring they protect yields, farmers must remain conscious of their obligations under existing law – especially if they are tenants.  So while they may be tempted to cut costs by reducing or omitting phosphate and potash applications, they should remember their obligations, both under RB209 rules and in many cases – under terms included in their tenancy agreement:
“many Farm Business Tenancy contracts include a clause specifying that things like the potash and phosphate indices must be maintained.  Specific clauses enshrining that are becoming increasingly popular with land agents. 
“Under good agriculture practice they should already be topping up potash and phosphate levels to compensate for crop removals and support future crops.
“If they are in the last year of an FBT and have no chance of seeing it renewed, then they might be able to grow a crop which is recognised to have a low potash and phosphate requirement, or take an application holiday – but only if they have maintained levels effectively in previous years.
“The land’s p and k reserves are a bit like a bank account; you need to ensure they are topped up to replace crop removals.  If you are handing land back at the end of a tenancy agreement you should ensure levels are sufficient to satisfy whatever is contained in that document.”
He suggests several other ideas that farmers can consider to reduce costs with minimal risk to yield:
“Some farmers are examining ways of reducing seed and agrochemical bills by home saving seed, having it tested for germinination and then being very selective in choosing only the seed dressings they need, or whether they need to apply any at all.
“Buying also helps, as does examining alternative nutrient sources such as sewage sludge.  Anything you can do to reduce the amount of fertiliser you buy in bags can help”
But several factors combine to secure oilseeds position in most people’s arable rotations – among them familiarity: Farmers know how to grow it; it is a proven effective break crop and that they can rely on it to provide a good entry for the following first wheat.  Chris Martin says farmers should think hard before starting to grow any of the many options available as an alternative to oilseeds:
“Winter beans have done very well this year, but in my experience you rarely get two successive good bean years in a row. 
“There is quite a large acreage of linseed being grown and it works very well in the right soils and the right conditions, but you need to be sure of getting good yields if you are going to make an acceptable margin.

The crop is also very weather dependant – this year it yielded well partly due to the comparatively mild winter, but in previous years we have seen crops almost totally wiped out by frost.”
One thing everyone agrees on – leaving land fallow, while often touted as an alternative, is very rarely practiced and for good reasons:
“Any farmland needs to have something happening on it: some root activity to help maintain healthy organic matter levels”, says Chris.
Paul Gosling from AHDB agrees, saying “We hear plenty of talk about it and little bits of research going on, but we don’t know of anybody doing it.”
He says continuing to grow oilseeds despite poor profitability makes sense for most: “They have to consider what they are trying to get from the crop.  Is it black-grass control, entry for the first wheat or profit?
“We would suggest they stick with it, manage it as best they can because it is an important part of the rotation for several reasons and if they substitute something that gives a similar return – or may improve earnings – that might have consequences for the following wheat.”