Online workshops share the latest research from AHDB's Strategic Cereal Farms

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), is running a series of webinars and interactive workshops every Friday in June to report on how research is being put into practice across its network of Strategic Cereal Farms.

A highlight of the month is a series of ‘How to’ workshops on the topics of plant health analysis, in-field flowering strips and maximising marginal land. Each workshop is designed to provide practical insights as to how farmers can use the research and findings from the host farms and apply them on their own farm.

The ‘How to’ workshops are split into two sessions. The Foundation level is aimed at those starting out with some knowledge on the topic and who would like to find out more. The Advanced level is for farmers who are already carrying out the activities but would like to share and discuss how they can take this further for their business.

The series of online events and on-farm video reports are aimed at arable farmers, and farm managers, and highlight the latest findings on the research, results and on-farm trials taking place on AHDB’s Strategic Cereal Farms across the UK.

Richard Meredith, Head of Knowledge Exchange at AHDB, explains: “Our aim is to share what we are learning from the on-farm research we carry out at our Strategic Cereal Farms with other farmers and the wider industry. Our farm hosts, Brian Barker, David Aglen, and Rob Fox, along with the AHDB and trials teams, are running a series of webinars and online interactive workshops to explore this year’s work at our Strategic Cereal Farms in the East, West and Scotland. The research has focused on getting inputs, land, crops and biodiversity to work harder on the host farms.

“Join us for our first online event on 4 June as we introduce our new Strategic Farm for the South and meet our new host farmer David Miller, Farm Manager from the Wheatsheaf Farming Company in Hampshire.”

Farm Manager, David Miller, will host the Strategic Cereal Farm South programme over the next six years. Wheatsheaf farm is based near Basingstoke in Hampshire and covers 700 hectares with 670 hectares of combinable crops. For the last 10 years he has embraced regenerative farming practices. This will be a key part of the Strategic Cereal Farm South programme as it explores reducing inputs with less reliance on mechanical and chemical interventions.

BASIS and NRoSO points will be available for attending these webinars and workshops. Registration of your details will be in each session or via the recording if watching at a later date.