Tree Fruit

Research reveals biopesticide mixing potential

Wed, 25 May 2022 15:23:34 GMT

Research reveals biopesticide mixing potential

Database of insecticides and their effect on natural enemies

Wed, 28 Apr 2021 08:41:57 GMT

Database of insecticides and their effect on natural enemies

Can flowering seed mixes fit with an integrated approach?

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 12:38:07 GMT

Can flowering seed mixes fit with an integrated approach?

Flowering seed mixes and margin management

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 12:26:37 GMT

Flowering seed mixes and margin management

Choosing the right flowering seed mix

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 12:16:15 GMT

Choosing the right flowering seed mix

Why sow flowering seed mixes?

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 12:11:13 GMT

Why sow flowering seed mixes?

Green manures – implications of economic and environmental benefits on rotational management

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 08:52:54 GMT

Green manures – implications of economic and environmental benefits on rotational management

Using flowering seed mixes to improve farmland biodiversity

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 08:52:17 GMT

Using flowering seed mixes to improve farmland biodiversity

Effectively working with Labour Providers: Webinar

Tue, 16 Apr 2019 11:48:10 GMT

Join us for two SmartHort webinars run by the Association of Labour Providers that focus on top tips for effective recruitment of seasonal labour and advice for maximising the benefits when working with labour providers.

These webinars will provide information on:

Best practice when recruiting new workers
How to ensure effective communication with labour providers
Maximise your relationship with Labour providers

With the current challenges that horticulture is facing in relation to labour, the AHDB SmartHort campaign aims to support businesses to ensure they are getting the best out of the workforce that they have available.

Using a labour provider can be a time saving, cost effective and flexible solution for businesses to meet their labour needs. This webinar focuses on what is good practice in using labour providers ensuring they are compliant, operate legally and ethically as well as being able to supply the quantity and quality of workers required.

Don't forget

Our first webinar about 'top tips for effective recruitment' will be hosted on Friday 3rd May, 13:00 - 13:30pm. Book now

Top Tips for Effective Recruitment: Webinar

Tue, 16 Apr 2019 11:27:57 GMT

These webinars will provide information on:

Best practice when recruiting new workers
How to ensure effective communication with labour providers
Maximise your relationship with Labour providers

In an economy with the lowest unemployment rates since 1975 and widespread labour shortages, understanding the best ways to recruit the right people is key to every business. This webinar highlights the top tips to focus on to meet these challenges.

Don't forget

Our second webinar about 'effectively working with Labour Providers' will be hosted on Friday 17th May, 13:00 - 13:30pm. Book now

Monitor Farm walk: Sittingbourne

Fri, 12 Apr 2019 09:13:19 GMT

Programme: The past three years: - and now into the future!

Registration: 10.00 - 10:30

Start: 10.30

Event outline: With the ever increasing pressures and regulations being placed upon the armoury within our chemical tool boxes together with, the continued threat of migration of cabbage stem flea Beetle across the South East region;- at this final Sittingbourne MF event you will get the chance to discuss “what is the future for break crops like oilseed rape” (is there a viable alternative?) as well as, hearing about the research that is currently happening and, from this, the possible/alternative pest control strategies that could be beneficially utilise in order to increase the future protection of your crops.

Main Speaker: Dr Sacha White (senior research entomologist ADAS and specialises in developing integrated pest management strategies)

Dr Sacha White specialises in developing integrated pest management programmes (IPM) for arable pests. A focus of his work at ADAS in recent years has been on cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB), having led projects investigating control methods, larval population surveys for AHDB and monitoring the impact of the 2015 neonicotinoid derogation in winter oilseed rape. He is currently working an AHDB-funded three-year IPM project looking at improving control of CSFB, which includes investigations into crop tolerance, varietal resistance, agronomic risk factors, pest predictions methods and non-chemical control options for the pest. He has presented at numerous grower and agronomist events and scientific conferences, and contributed to several publications, including AHDB’s ‘Encyclopaedia of pests and natural enemies in field crops’.

Welcome and introduction to the day (reminder of the 2016 SWOT analysis): Paul Hill – AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds Knowledge Exchange Manager South East

Blackbird Farming Farm tour and discussions: 10.50

11.05 - 11.30: Apples & Cherries – Integrating “top fruit” with a cereal operation – Can we learn anything from their IPM methodologies that would benefit our arable crops?
Speakers: MBG & Dr Sacha White
11.45 - 12.30: Oilseed rape IPM Strategies – Understanding the pests & options to help deal with them.
Lead speaker: Dr Sacha White
12.40 - 13.15: Soya / Camelina (on trial) – Finding viable alternative break crops?
Speakers: MBG, TG/RB & Dr Sacha White

Final Summary – Thoughts for the future (Farmers share ideas and thoughts for continued prosperity at Blackbird Farming): 13.15 - 13.35

Lunch & Finish: 13.45

About the Monitor Farm

Mark Bowsher-Gibbs is farm manager for Blackbird Farming, a long established family business farming near Sittingbourne in Kent. A mixed farm of 1,760ha, including 1,200ha arable cropping. The majority of land is under a five year arable rotation, predominantly wheat, oilseed rape, beans and peas. A flock of 1,500 ewes is kept on 468ha of pasture, much of which is in HLS and there are 192ha of orchards producing pears, cherries and apples. Specific areas of interest within the 1,100ha arable enterprise centre on strip tillage and crop residue management, soil microbiology, cover cropping and CTF. Soils vary considerably from clayey coastal flats to freely draining loams with some of the higher ground having a greater stone content overlying chalk.

Chlorate and perchlorate regulation proposals

Mon, 15 Oct 2018 15:01:40 GMT

Chlorate and perchlorate regulation proposals

The Weed Resistance Action Group (WRAG)

Wed, 19 Sep 2018 13:22:34 GMT

The Weed Resistance Action Group (WRAG)

RB209 Section 7 Fruit, vines and hops

Wed, 23 May 2018 09:41:08 GMT

RB209 Section 7 Fruit, vines and hops