Weather, variety choice and managing inputs

Bastiaan Brak, Field Trials Data Analyst, AHDB  

This meeting will be look at the AHDB’s Weather Hub and how the information from this has been used to develop the AHDB’s  interactive Recommended List Variety Choice Tool . Based  on data analysis, how responsive are different varieties likely to be at different locations? What impact can this have on the management strategy of a crop for inputs, crop protection and managing a margin with less risk. The meeting will work on case studies from the Taunton Monitor Farm which will form a platform for meetings throughout the year.

Programme 

1000 - Registration and coffee 

1025 - Philip Dolbear – AHDB Knowledge Exchange Manager

           AHDB news and developments, benchmarking plans 

1035 - Richard Payne, Monitor Farmer

           Harvest 19 and  farm tryout results, plans for 2020.

           General farm update 

1045 - Bastiaan Brak, Field Trials Data Analyst

           Weather data, variety selection and managing crop inputs to generate a gross margin with less risk.

1230 - Philip Dolbear

           Conclusions and 2019/20 Winter meeting topics

1235 - Close

About the farm

Richard Payne farms 280 ha at Manor Farm, Heathfield, near Taunton. The mostly arable farm has been in min-till for more than 15 years. Farming on silty clay loam, his rotation includes winter wheat, oilseed rape and beans. He grows primarily for the animal feed market, selling forward and into pools to spread risk. Richard’s main challenges are consistent profitability, succession and knowing which investments to make for the future. By the end of the Monitor Farm programme Richard wants to have a better understanding of all his costs of production, particularly on the fixed cost side, and to benchmark himself against others.