Crops and Soils
Alternative Protein Crops – Overcoming Market Barriers
In the current era of geopolitical instability, we need to think about how to build resilience and security into our agriculture and food supply chains. Arable growers in Scotland may be considering a variety of options, as the markets for malting barley are being affected by rippling effects of the whisky industry getting caught up in trade spats overseas. Securing the…
Business and Policy March 2026 – Arable
Market overview Global grain market pricing remains influenced by heavy underlying fundamentals as over the last 12 months global production has increased by 120Mt, comfortably exceeding an increased consumption demand of 73Mt and leaving a 12Mt increase in holding stocks since June last year. These comfortable global supplies, particularly from large recent harvests, continue to weigh on old crop prices. However, tensions involving…
Spring Malting Barley Outlook 2026
Key Points Weak and uncertain export demand for whisky is feeding back down the supply chain Spring malting barley contract tonnage expected to be lower in 2026 Feed markets likely to remain important for spring barley again in 2026 Higher autumn sowings have cut the UK barley area to a 15 year low that may support feed…
Alternative Protein Crops Overview
There has been a significant amount of research conducted in recent years to explore the potential of home-grown protein crops which may be viable in the UK. This article gives an overview to the soya issue, where the UK feed system is most exposed, and highlights emerging evidence on a range of alternative protein crops that could be grown in a UK climate. Soyabean…
Business and Policy February 2026 – Arable
Heavy volumes weigh on markets Markets had incorrectly presumed that the latest USDA report would report on tighter maize and soya bean stocks and broadly stable wheat inventories. Instead, the report, which was issued on the 12th of January delivered a clear bearish shock. The USDA significantly raised U.S. yields and harvested area, and published very large production figures for Argentina, Brazil, Russia, and China, while leaving consumption largely unchanged. As a result, global ending…
CropCast – Agronomy Past, Present & Future
In this episode George Chalmers is joined by Professor Fiona Burnett to look back at some of the key developments in agronomy which have taken place over her 33-year career, along with discussion about those which will shape the future. Welcome to CropCast, your go to podcast for all the latest information on arable crops. Each month, SAC adviser, George Chalmers will be joined…
CropCast Conversations – United Oilseeds
Welcome to CropCast Conversations hosted by Mark Bowsher-Gibbs. On today’s episode Mark is joined by Andrew Milne and Nick Hobson of United Oilseeds. We hear how the co-operative is structured, review 2025 OSR harvest and look ahead to prospects for 2026. They also discuss physical movements of the crop and market pricing mechanisms, so for…
Trading Straw for Farmyard Manure – Calculating Relative Values for a Fair Exchange
Farmers may have sold straw in the swath this season or intend to trade baled straw for farmyard manure (FYM) over the coming months. For many arable and livestock farmers operating in close proximity to each other, it makes sense to come to an arrangement whereby straw is traded for FYM. Understanding the nutrient value…
A Practical Guide to Arable Contract Farming Agreements
In a sector still facing challenging commodity prices, collaborating with another business to maintain or improve margins will be attractive to those looking to restructure how they operate. This article highlights the principles of a contract farming agreement as one possible solution. A contract farming agreement is a straightforward joint venture agreement whereby a landowner…
How To Select Plant Species For Diverse Forage
Sowing a range of plant species within one field is not a new practice within agriculture. But it can be highly successful when plant species are selected which complement each other. Species should be selected based on features such as growth habit, maturity and traits which offer something which the other species does not. For…