Crops and Soils
Agribusiness News November 2024: Input Costs – Homegrown Proteins
Over the past few years there has been an increase in the area of protein crops grown to meet the need of livestock. The increase can be put down to a number of factors: Pressure to reduce the use of imported soya and associated carbon footprint; Making the ration more sustainable and reducing the amount…
Agribusiness News November 2024 – Cereals
Scottish Harvest Estimate The first estimate of Scotland’s 2024 cereal and oilseed rape harvest has been issued by RESAS (Rural and Environmental Science and Analytical Services, within Scottish Government). Following industry consultation, total cereal production is expected to remain at around 3.1 Mt, just above the ten-year average. Wheat, winter barley and oilseed rape see…
Manganese – Avoiding Yield Loss In Spring Sown Cereals
Manganese plays a key role within the plant, particularly in the processes associated with photosynthesis. In addition, it helps improve crop establishment and makes the plant more robust, both in terms of resistance to disease and general hardiness. Deficiency is widespread across the country and if left untreated, yield losses of between 30-60% can occur….
The Options For Establishing The EFA-Green Cover Option In A Late Harvest
This article is produced as a part of the FAS Crops & Soils Bulletin. Subscribe now to receive the full report in your inbox monthly. With harvest much later than previous years, this has impacted on growers who intended sowing green cover following harvest as part of their EFA obligations with the 31st October deadline…
Distillery By-Products In Livestock Rations
Distillery by-products are a popular choice to provide additional protein and energy in livestock rations, but over the years the tonnage available in Scotland has fallen significantly as more and more distilleries move towards using their grain by-products to produce green energy. Strathclyde distillery is stopping production of wheat distillers dark grains this Christmas, with…
Forage Triticale: Value on Mixed Arable and Livestock Farms
Triticale, a hybrid of wheat and rye, makes up a small fraction of the agricultural area in Scotland at 0.1% of combinable crops in the 2024 Scottish Agricultural Census. It is a niche but valuable crop in marginal areas due to its ability to tolerate lower pH than wheat or barley. Forage triticale, bred for…
Ensuring Safe Storage for Wet Malting Barley
This article is produced as a part of the FAS Crops & Soils Bulletin. Subscribe now to receive the full report in your inbox monthly. The later and more challenging harvest combined with movement issues has seen more grain lying on farm this autumn awaiting collection. With grain being harvested at higher moistures than normal…
Agribusiness News October 2024 – Cereals & Oilseeds
Global grains trade eastward It is now apparent that the EU/Black Sea harvest is down year on year by 20.5Mt (UK-3MT, EU-9MT, Russia/Ukraine-10MT). By contrast, N. American and Canadian production is up year on year by 16.5MT and they have been competing to export eastward. After modest gains through the first part of September, the…
2024 Harvest & Grain Quality Update
This article is produced as a part of the FAS Crops & Soils Bulletin. Subscribe now to receive the full report in your inbox monthly. The wet weather experienced in the UK from autumn 2023 to spring 2024 has significantly impacted this year’s cereal crops. Although autumn started off well, heavy rainfall began in early…
Ergot – What it is and How to Prevent it
This article is produced as a part of the FAS Crops & Soils Bulletin. Subscribe now to receive the full report in your inbox monthly. This year brings more concern about ergot in grain crops- something that was also seen last year with some growers having loads rejected for ergot for the first time. Why…