Ahdb Cereals & Oilseeds

In this episode, AHDB’s Knowledge Exchange Manager Nicola Renison speaks to Tom Vickers, a hill and upland sheep and suckler beef farmer from County Durham about finding a balance between production and the environment. Tom is 26 years old and has been farming in partnership with his mother for five years since studying Agriculture with Environmental Management at Harper Adams University. The farm itself has been involved in agri-environment schemes since 1989 and Tom is keen to continue the emphasis on environment and land management to qualify for the new ELMS scheme.   In their sheep system Tom runs Pedigree Swaledales and produces north of England mules. In the suckler herd he is looking at developing the breed to introduce hardier traits. Traditionally he has used a set stock grazing system but has recently introduced rotational grazing to try to improve grass growth and quality. Tom has also been working on improving his soil health on the farm through testing soil samples and comparing it to samples

This week’s guest was Dan Burdett, follow him on Twitter: @farmerdanb    Managers and leaders need to be fit for the future to lead themselves, their teams, and their businesses. In this episode, we hear from organic dairy farmer Dan Burdett about how being part of a leadership and management group has helped him in his role. He talks about his experiences and the benefits of investing in himself and others.   AgriLeader Our AgriLeader programme challenges individuals from leading farms and businesses to develop the skills they need to drive their businesses forward. To support this, we ran #AgriLeadershipWeek in May 2021. #AgriLeadershipWeek was a cross-organisation campaign which aimed to raise awareness of the importance of, and opportunities for, leadership training across the agricultural sector.    Find out how you can get involved and take your business to the next level:  Business and leadership courses for farmers and growers AgriLeader #AgriLeadership Week   Get in touch If you want to find out m

This podcast outlines the issue of vine weevil in container-grown hardy nursery stock and the available control methods. The outputs from AHDB funded project HNS 195 ‘Improving vine weevil control in HNS’ (a 5 year trial) are currently being applied on a commercial nursery and will culminate in a demonstration event in September 2021, the podcast also covers this project and the topics examined – pest monitoring and crop risk assessments, control measures (cultural, biological and chemical) and application techniques, to achieve an holistic approach to vine weevil control. Speakers: Selchuk Kurtev, consultant, Zest-ICM  James Moffat, Production Manager, James Coles Nurseries Wayne Brough, Knowledge Exchange Manager, AHDB Feedback survey: We'd love to know what you think of our podcasts. If you’d like to give your feedback, please complete our short questionnaire, which will help us to improve the podcast on an ongoing basis.   Podcast produced and edited by Amna Yusaf - Marketing and Communications E

In this episode Senior Knowledge Exchange Manager Doreen Anderson is joined by Wallace and James Hendrie, dairy farmers at Millands Farm in Ayrshire, and Colin MacPhail and Ian Cairns, independent consultants from 5 Agri.    Millands Farm is a strategic dairy farm and recently had a carbon audit and agribusiness appraisal carried out. In this episode James and Wallace will discuss the results and explore what this means to them from a practical approach on farm, and what plans they will put in place on the back of this. You can find out more about carbon emissions from agriculture here.   Feedback survey: We'd love to know what you think of our podcasts. If you’d like to give your feedback, please complete our short questionnaire, which will help us to improve the podcast on an ongoing basis.   This episode was produced and edited by Kate Smith, Marcomms Executive (Dairy).

In this month's podcast, Michelle Nuttall, AHDB Arable Knowledge Exchange Manager for the North West and Northern Ireland, hosts a discussion with Ed Shuldham and Jon Swain of NFU Energy. This episode discusses a recently completed review looking at grain drying and storage from an energy perspective, covering what we know, what we don’t know and how the information and guidance available could be improved to increase efficiency. Speakers: Jon Swain – Technical Director (NFU Energy) Ed Shuldham – Project Engineer (NFU Energy)   Learn more about growssave porject: GrowSave | AHDB   Feedback survey: We'd love to know what you think of our podcasts. If you’d like to give your feedback, please complete our short questionnaire, which will help us to improve the podcast on an ongoing basis.   Podcast produced and edited by Maria Covlea - Marketing and Communications Executive 

Maleic hydrazide is a growth regulator that has been on the market for many years. The true value of it is now becoming apparent, with the demise of chlorpropham (CIPC). Previously it was used mainly for volunteer control. Nowadays it is especially important in storage. Here it can provide sprout control as a standalone product, or as a cost-saving foundation for other, post-harvest treatments. Maleic hydrazide is a foliar treatment that needs to be translocated to the tubers. Successful treatments are therefore dependent on plant, weather and application conditions.  This podcast talks about some of those conditions and introduces a webinar on maleic hydrazide, that will take place on June 15th.  Speakers: Adrian Briddon - Crop Storage Senior Scientist at Sutton Bridge Andrew Webster - Potato grower Learn more about storage: https://ahdb.org.uk/storage-hub  Sign-up for the storage webinar: https://ahdb.org.uk/events/maleic-hydrazide-a-foundation-for-potato-storage Feedback survey: We'd love to know

*Please note this podcast was recorded in the vets practice, so there may some background noise In this podcast Tabitha Allen, talks to our North East Strategic Farmer, Steven Lawson, on how he manages worms and other parasites in his livestock. They are also joined by Steven’s vet, Lee-Anne Oliver, from The Fold Farm Vets who gives advice on what to look out for at this time of year and the importance of developing a parasite plan.    Resources  ·       Worm control in sheep for better returns ·       Grazing Strategies for worm control ·       Controlling worms and liver fluke in cattle for better returns ·       SCOPS ·       Cattle parasites   Feedback survey: We'd love to know what you think of our podcasts. If you’d like to give your feedback, please complete our short questionnaire, which will help us to improve the podcast on an ongoing basis.   This episode was produced and edited by Gemma Pamment, Marcomms Executive (Beef & Lamb).

Since it first arrived in the UK in 2012, AHDB has spent more than £1.6 million to improve our knowledge, management and control of spotted wing drosophila (SWD). Join Scott Raffle in this podcast to learn more about the pest, its impact on the UK fruit industry and the work that AHDB continues to fund to develop improved management strategies. Our panel: Harriet Duncalfe: Soft fruit grower and chair of the industry SWD Working Group Marion Regan: Kent fruit grower and owner of Hugh Lowe Farms Bethan Shaw: Entomologist and horticultural researcher at NIAB EMR Adam Doxford: Crop protection scientist at AHDB Feedback survey: We'd love to know what you think of our podcasts. If you’d like to give your feedback, please complete our short questionnaire, which will help us to improve the podcast on an ongoing basis.   Podcast produced and edited by Amna Yusaf

Grazing dairy cows is nothing new so you might wonder why there is so much focus on it in the dairy sector. The influence of the New Zealand style system over recent years can’t be denied – however, grass can also form a vital part of our system if you are calving AYR or managing a herd of high yielding cows.    In this episode Knowledge Exchange Manager Becky Miles is joined by Robert Mallett, a dairy farmer from Wiltshire, to talk about his experience of grazing a high yielding herd and how grass has become a fundamental foundation to his system.   Learn more about grazing in our new Forage First guide or by signing up to our weekly Forage for Knowledge emails.   Feedback survey: We'd love to know what you think of our podcasts. If you’d like to give your feedback, please complete our short questionnaire, which will help us to improve the podcast on an ongoing basis.   This episode was produced and edited by Kate Smith, Marcomms Executive (Dairy).

This week’s guests: Andrew Palmer, Knowledge Exchange Manager, AHDB Ed Bramham-Jones, Head of Farming and Water, Norfolk Rivers Trust Rob McGregor, Outdoor pig farmer Chris Gooderham, Head of Market Specialists (Dairy & Livestock), AHDB Over the last few years, AHDB has held several meetings to bring together pig producers, landlords, arable producers and other key stakeholders to look at ways they can work more closely together to benefit each other and the environment, with a specific focus on including livestock and grass in arable rotations. In this episode, AHDB’s Andrew Palmer speaks to Ed Bramham-Jones, Head of Farming and Water at Norfolk Rivers Trust and Rob McGregor, an outdoor pig farmer in the East of England. They discuss a grass trial which is underway on Rob’s unit using different sward mixes with varying establishment periods. Hear how forward planning and good relationships with landlords have resulted in positive impacts for the pigs, the staff and the environment. The episode

In this latest Cereals & Oilseeds podcast, AHDB Knowledge Exchange Manager Chris Leslie is joined by David Aglen (Strategic Farm Scotland host), David Cunningham (Dods of Haddington) and James Hopkinson (Arable Ventures) to discuss what it is that plants really need from a nutrition perspective to thrive. The AHDB Nutrient Management Guide (RB209) provides useful information to assist with nutrition decisions on farm. For more information, please visit: ahdb.org.uk/nutrient-management-guide-rb209

In this episode Antonia Walker, AHDB Senior Knowledge Transfer Manager, speaks to Nigel Simpson of Catchment Sensitive Farming about how following a best practice when it comes to irrigation can reduce soil erosion and mitigate pollution risks. Host: Antonia Walker - AHDB Senior Knowledge Transfer Manager Guest:  Nigel Simpson - Catchment Sensitive Farming Coordinator Producer & Feedback If you would like to share your feedback about this episode, or if you have any suggestions, please contact podcast producer Maria Covlea at maria.covlea@ahdb.org.uk Grants The Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) partnership can support applications for Mid Tier capital grants to improve water and air quality in a high priority area. Some capital items require written support from a CSF Officer as part of the evidence requirement. Check the capital grant requirements to find our when this applies. If your holding is in a High Water Quality Priority Area, contact your local CSF Officer for advice by 31 May. Each appl

Tim Rycroft has been appointed to lead the AHDB team and takes up the role of Chief Executive on Tuesday 31 August 2021. Tim joins us having recently stepped down from the Food and Drink Federation and in this ‘getting to know you’ interview, John Bates asks about his career and why he was attracted to lead the AHDB. Read the full news story here.  Feedback survey: We'd love to know what you think of our podcasts. If you’d like to give your feedback, please complete our short questionnaire, which will help us to improve the podcast on an ongoing basis. Podcast produced and edited by Aisha Shabnam.

In a rapidly changing world, what do you think makes your business stand out? And most importantly how do you measure success? Key performance indicators can be mistaken to be complex but in fact, once adapted to your business model – the results are prolific!  In this podcast, John Bates interviews Ben William AHDB’s Senior Knowledge Transfer Manager will introduce the four pillars of efficient pork production, why they’re important and how you can begin adapting the four KPIs to achieve the maximum outcome of your pork production.  Tools and resources:  Visit the SmartPork page  Take a look at the Pork KPIs  Explore our Lean management webpage  Contact Ben Williams for further information Feedback survey: We'd love to know what you think of our podcasts. If you’d like to give your feedback, please complete our short questionnaire, which will help us to improve the podcast on an ongoing basis. Podcast produced and edited by Aisha Shabnam.

This special podcast will focus on Great British Beef Week, which will place on Friday 23 until Friday 30 April. Now in its 11th year, the campaign aims to highlight and celebrate the sustainable practices of British beef farmers. GBBW is a Ladies in Beef initiative, working with industry partners.  John Bates talks to co-founder of Ladies in Beef, Jilly Greed, as well as two beef farmers, Anna Blumfield and Paula Matthews who share their sustainable beef farming stories For more information on the campaign visit the Ladies in Beef website Hosted by John Bates and produced by Gemma Pamment.

The AHDB Pest Bulletin, hosted by Syngenta, provides forecasts and up-to-date reports for most key field crop pests.   This podcast looks at the Pest bulletin tool and new tools in development and how they fit within the wider IPM programme. Dawn Teverson and Rosemary Collier discuss the Pest Bulletin and latest trends in pests, while Bastiaan Brak looks at the latest tools that utilise data and how that might develop in the future, and Carolyn Coxe talks about grower concerns and what they’re saying about their pest monitoring needs.    Our panel:   Dawn Teverson, AHDB Horticulture Knowledge Exchange Manager for Field Vegetables is joined by Rosemary Collier, Entomologist and Professor at Warwick University. Also joining is Carolyn Coxe, Agronomist at Green Grow Consultancy Ltd, and Bastiaan Brak, Crop Protection Systems Scientist at AHDB.   If you are interested in finding out more, our panel can be contacted at:   Bastiaan Brak – e-mail at Bastiaan.brak@ahdb.org.uk  Rosemary Collier – e-mail at Rosemary.C

Cattle handling can be stressful for cows and farmers and the speakers on our recent series of webinars on this topic have given us a better understanding of how our cows see and think and what we can do to make handling them safer and less stressful for all concerned.   In this episode Knowledge Exchange Manager Becky Miles talks to Joep Driessen from Cow Signals in the Netherlands to find out how he became a ‘cowmunicator’ and some tips on handling cattle.    Watch our cattle handling webinar with Temple Grandin.   Feedback survey: We'd love to know what you think of our podcasts. If you’d like to give your feedback, please complete our short questionnaire, which will help us to improve the podcast on an ongoing basis.   Podcast produced and edited by Kate Smith.

In this episode, Philip Dolbear, AHDB's South West Knowledge Exchange Manager, talks about the Fungicide Challenge with Chloe Morgan and Jonathan Blake of ADAS, and AHDB Monitor Farm host Ashley Jones from Saltash, Cornwall. They explain the Fungicide Challenge in which groups of farmers across the country compete to achieve the best margin over fungicide programme costs in a local wheat crop. Last year was a question of 'less is more' but will that be the case for harvest 2021? Image copyright: www.paulslaterimages.com Paul Slater Images

In this episode we hear from Beef & Lamb Strategic Farmer Ian Norbury as he reflects on the changes he has implemented and the lessons he has learnt during the past three years being a part of the project. Running a beef farm in Mobberley Cheshire, Ian now works full-time on the farm alongside his father to look after the 250 acres of land, located close to Runway 2 at Manchester Airport. Since beginning his journey as a Strategic Farmer with AHDB in 2017, Ian explains that one of the biggest and most effective changes he has implemented is rotational grazing, as well as colostrum testing, taking egg fluke counts instead of routine worming, using EID tags, increasing numbers and reducing the calving period to 12 weeks. Take a listen to find out more about his journey. Useful links: https://ahdb.org.uk/dairy-farm-beef-lamb-strategic-farm https://ahdb.org.uk/farm-excellence

AHDB has released the latest in a series of Horizon reports which scan the landscape ahead, and in this podcast we are going to look at the report, which takes a look at the key opportunities for the sheep sector over the next 10 years.  There are around 33.5 million sheep in the UK, spread over 78,000 farm holdings.  The average number of sheep and lambs on each holding is 430.  About 10,400 holdings have fewer than 20 head of sheep, and 9,400 have more than 1000 head.  In this podcast John Bates chats to Rebecca Miah, AHDB Beef & lamb sector strategy director and David Swales, Head of Strategic Insight about the report and what it means for sheep farmers. Links MI Sheep Horizon Report MI Sheep Horizon press release KPI Beef & Lamb calculator AHDB Market Information This episode was hosted by John Bates and producer by Gemma Pamment.