Monitor Farms

Summer farm walk: North Essex Monitor Farm

Tue, 26 May 2026 13:41:43 GMT

Join us at Shore Hall Estate for a farm walk and discussion focused on the role of break crops within the rotation.

What we will cover

Take a look around the farm to assess current crop performance
Discuss the practical and financial benefits of different break crop options and explore how they can support weed, pest and disease management, soil health, and overall farm resilience
Share experiences, discuss current challenges, and hear different perspectives on making break crops work within modern arable systems

This meeting is free to attend, but please register so we can organise catering.

BASIS and NRoSO points will be available for attending.

Please bring suitable footwear and clothing for a field walk.

Amy Catling
Interim Head of Engagement – Cereals & Oilseeds

Summer farm walk: Norwich Monitor Farm

Tue, 26 May 2026 13:01:59 GMT

Join us for a final event at Norwich Monitor Farm to reflect on the past three years of their Monitor Farm journey.

What we will cover

Discuss key learnings and challenges
Take a walk through the crops to see how the season is progressing
Hear about plans for the future.

This meeting is free to attend, but please register so we can organise catering.

BASIS and NRoSO points will be available for attending.

Please bring suitable footwear and clothing for a field walk.

Amy Catling
Interim Head of Engagement – Cereals & Oilseeds

Huntingdonshire Monitor Farm: Launch and summer farm walk

Wed, 20 May 2026 08:21:44 GMT

There’s a new Monitor Farm in Huntingdonshire! Join us at Common Barn Farm with the team at G.T. Ramply & Son to hear about their plans as the next AHDB Monitor Farm for the area.

Farming across 3,500 acres, over varying soil types, Ramply Farms grow winter and spring cereals, oilseed rape, cover crops, and contract some lighter land out for onions.

This launch event will introduce the key challenges and objectives for the farming business, with presentations, technical discussion and a summer farm walk.

What we'll cover

AHDB cover crop trial – insights from the Bedfordshire trial comparing 2-way and 10-way cover crop mixes, and their impact on soil health, livestock and cash crop performance
Launching the Huntingdonshire Monitor Farm – meet Andrew Ramply and Joe Hicken as they introduce the farm business objectives and priorities
Crop establishment and machinery – including the interrow hoe, Horsch Avatar and changes to row spacing for improved crop establishment
Integrating livestock into the rotation – finishing store lambs on winter cover crops and exploring impacts on margins and spring crop productivity
Soil type and management demonstration – David Felce will lead an in-field demonstration exploring how varying soil types influence management decisions across the farm
In-field crop walk – including OSR after three years out of the rotation, spring cropping, varieties Vibe and Dawsum, and spring oats following grazed cover crops
East Midlands cover crop trials – plans for the new Autumn 2026 Huntingdonshire trial comparing 3-way and 6-way cover crop mixes

BASIS and NRoSO points are available for this event.

As always, food and beverages will be provided. Please sign up to attend for catering purposes.

We look forward to welcoming you to attend the next chapter of AHDB Monitor Farms in the East Midlands!

Pre-harvest Monitor Farm open evening: North West

Tue, 19 May 2026 11:59:41 GMT

Come along for a friendly Monitor Farm open evening at Gore House Farm where we’ll tour the crops, share experiences from the season, and chat openly about what’s working and what isn’t.

It’s a great chance to meet other growers, compare approaches, and pick up ideas before the combines roll. We will also discuss plans for trialling variable rate drilling for the 2027 crop.

What to expect

Tour of the farm, including a look at Cameron’s custom Typha harvester
Monitor Farm update
Harvest 2026 outlook
Application of variable rate drilling in 2027
Evening BBQ

Everyone’s welcome. Bring a neighbour and join us for an evening of practical, down-to-earth discussion.

This meeting is free to attend, but please register so we can organise catering.

BASIS and NRoSO points will be available for attending.

Please bring suitable footwear and clothing for a field walk.

Craig Patrick
Senior Knowledge Exchange Manager – Engagement (Cereals & Oilseeds)

South Notts Monitor Farm: Launch and summer farm walk

Tue, 12 May 2026 15:10:22 GMT

There’s a new Monitor Farm for South Notts! Join us at Smite Hill Farm to hear from Grant and Sarah Page about their plans.

As the Bingham Monitor Farm comes to the end of it’s three-year term with AHDB, Joe Fisher will share his closing remarks, learnings and plans he has for the future of Manor Farm, Saxondale.

What we'll cover

AHDB cover crop trial: Molly Bampton will share insights from the Bedfordshire cover crop trial. This trial has been looking at the benefits of a 2-way vs 10-way mix cover crop, and it’s impacts on soil health, livestock and cash crop performance
Launching South Notts: Grant and Sarah Page will introduce their farm business, including diversifications, and the challenges they hope to explore and overcome as the next AHDB Monitor Farm for the region
East Midlands cover crop trials: The South Notts Monitor Farm cover crop trial will begin in Autumn 2026, aiming to produce accurate margins for both field and financial performance when growing and grazing cover crops ahead of spring crops

Event details

Food and drinks provided
Basis and NRoSO points available
Please sign up so we can plan catering

We look forward to welcoming you to the next chapter of AHDB Monitor Farms in the East Midlands.

Molly Bampton
Knowledge Exchange Manager – Cereals & Oilseeds

Farming beef for the next generation: The Underley farm tour

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 09:59:38 GMT

Join Ian Farrant at Underley on the Herefordshire–Worcestershire border for the closing Monitor Farm event, showcasing lessons learned from a progressive, forage‑led beef system focused on sustainability, profitability and resilience.

Underley is a 600‑acre beef finishing farm, finishing 600 cattle a year. During the event, we'll explore system change, practical trials and honest reflections from Ian’s Monitor Farm journey.

Agenda

10:00am–10:30am Arrival, welcome, registration, tea and coffee
10:30am–11:00am Introductions and farm overview
- Ian Farrant will introduce Underley, outlining the system, challenges and motivations for joining the Monitor Farm programme
- Reflections on business resilience and system changes
11:00am Farm walk
Station 1: Defra NUE-Leg trial – clovers and legumes
- Germinal and Ian will give an overview of the NUE-Leg project and Underley’s involvement
- Open discussion on the challenges of these trials and the opportunity to reduce fertiliser use and improve nitrogen efficiency
Station 2: Establishing and growing lucerne
- Why Ian chose to trial home‑grown lucerne in a beef system
- Honest discussion on establishment challenges – including why Ian nearly gave up on the crop and the benefits seen for cattle performance and feed self‑sufficiency
12:45pm–1:30pm Lunch and networking
1:30pm–2:30pm Station 3: Calf rearing and home-grown feeding systems
- Ian will explain why he made the switch from British Blues to Aberdeen Angus‑sired dairy‑beef calves and how this fits better within his forage‑based finishing system where he has transitioned to a home‑grown TMR leading to positive financial and practical impacts
2:30pm–3:00pm Discussion and Q&A
3:00pm Close

BASIS and NRoSO CPD points will be available.

Why are high doses bad news for fungicide resistance?

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 10:05:44 GMT

Why are high doses bad news for fungicide resistance?

East Suffolk Monitor Farm: Back to basics

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 14:16:20 GMT

Join Dennington Hall Farms for a practical meeting focused on the core principles that drive consistent crop performance.

With ongoing pressure on margins, this session will revisit the fundamentals that underpin resilient arable systems.

Speakers and topics include:

All things soil and soil health, David Purdy
Focus on seed, genetics and plant breeding, Heather Oldfield and Phil Tailby from Limagrain
The right nutrition at the right time, Omex
A view from an independent agronomist and business consultant, Doug Inglis

The meeting will include a farm walk to look at current cropping and discuss in-field management, seasonal challenges and lessons learned.

Amy Catling
Senior Knowledge Exchange Manager – Cereals & Oilseeds

North Essex Monitor Farm – Ditch and drainage management

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 17:02:08 GMT

Join us at Shore Hall Estate for a practical, on-farm session focused on ditch and drainage management.

We will begin with breakfast before heading out into the field to look at the recent ditch and drainage work carried out across the estate. This will be an opportunity to see the work first-hand and discuss the approach taken with the contractors involved, including practical considerations, challenges and lessons learned.

While on farm, we will also take the opportunity to look at the crops and hear from the farm's agronomist about key considerations for the upcoming season.

This will be a practical, discussion-led morning with plenty of opportunity for questions and shared experiences.

Please bring suitable footwear and clothing for this on farm meeting.

Amy Catling
Senior Knowledge Exchange Manager – Cereals & Oilseeds

Norwich Monitor Farm: Ditch and drain management – Practical solutions for a changing climate

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 14:37:40 GMT

Join us for our next Norwich Monitor Farm meeting, where we’ll take a practical, on-farm look at ditch and drain management and explore how growers can build greater resilience into their land.

We’ll begin the session out in the field, visiting an area of the host farm that has historically presented drainage challenges.

Together, we’ll discuss:

How the site has developed over time
What has contributed to the issues
Practical steps being considered to future-proof the area in the face of increasingly unpredictable weather patterns

Back in the meeting room, we’ll continue the conversation with a focus on:

Effective ditch and drain maintenance
Management strategies
The role of good records and long-term planning in protecting soil health, crop performance and farm infrastructure

There will also be an important update on the Advanced Water Industry National Environment Programme (A-WINEP) grant scheme, which will open for applications at the end of January.

The scheme supports projects that:

Improve water quality
Reduce pollution risks
Deliver wider environmental benefits across catchments

Please arrive at 9:30am to start at 10:00am. We will finish with lunch at 1:00pm.

Please bring suitable footwear and clothing for a farm walk.

Amy Catling
Senior Knowledge Exchange Manager – Cereals & Oilseeds

Building resilient arable systems: Long-term no-till, biologicals and foliar nutrition in practice

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 14:33:07 GMT

Join us at this on-farm meeting led by Geoff Homer, George Hosier and Ben Arthur.

We will be discussing:

Long-term direct drilling – review, outcomes and lessons learned.
Integrating grazing into arable systems
Foliar nitrogen – melting urea
Soil biology, brewing biologicals and on-farm microbiology

The presentations will be insightful and backed by data, providing the opportunity to question the outcomes of their collective learnings.

The presentations will be practical and followed by a farm walk (weather permitting).

Lunch will be provided and BASIS and NRoSO points will be awarded.

David Hunter
Knowledge Exchange Manager - Cereals & Oilseeds

Hereford Monitor Farm - SFI lesson learnt

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 15:33:52 GMT

Join us on farm with Chris Greenaway to look at the current SFI choices and discuss what SFI will look like in 2026 on his farm.

This event will cover:

SFI decisions made in 2025
Establishment and timing
What would be done differently
Current cover crop trials
Getting ready for SFI 2026

Presentations and lunch will follow at Herefordshire Golf Club.

Aaron Cantrill
Knowledge Exchange Manager – Cereals & Oilseeds

Growing income: Maximising land use opportunities in Bedfordshire

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 15:15:06 GMT

'Farmers and landowners are part of the solution.’ Yes, but what does this actually mean for your farm business? What does natural capital really mean for farming in Bedfordshire?

It doesn’t mean stop farming.

Bedfordshire and the surrounding counties are seeing significant growth and development. Alongside this comes new private and public strategies to protect, maintain, and enhance the natural environment, but can these strategies create real opportunities for farmers and landowners?

This event brings together the right people in the room to explain what natural capital means in practice, what schemes and markets are available now, and what’s coming next.

You’ll hear how natural capital can become another tool in your farming toolbox, supporting your business while keeping land in agricultural use.

Whether you’re curious, cautious, or already exploring options, this session will help you understand:

What natural capital means for Bedfordshire farms
Current and future opportunities for farmers and landowners
The latest policy and regulatory updates
How to utilise environmental strategies to fit alongside a working farm business

Join us to explore how natural capital could work for your farm, on your terms.

This event will cover

Re-cap: What is natural capital and why does it matter to you?
Jargon buster: natural Capital, ecosystem services and nature markets. Everyone from your supply chain to your bank are starting to care about natural capital, so why should you?
Making sense of all that policy: How is current policy influencing land use and farming and what’s coming down the road that you should know about?
What’s happening in Bedfordshire? Hear about the Local Nature Recovery Strategy for the county, as well as existing Local Nature Partnerships, BNG agreements, grant funding and case studies on stacking options

If you want to get ahead of the environmental plans, come along and find out where your existing farm business fits into the picture.

A hot lunch will be provided. Please register to attend for catering purposes.

Basis & Nroso points available.

Speakers and topics

What is Natural Capital & can it work WITH farming?
Dr Laura James, AHDB Knowledge Transfer Manager and 2025 Nuffield Farming Scholar
Making sense of all that policy
Saskia van Dongen, AHDB Lead Environment Specialist – Policy
What does the Local Nature Recovery Strategy mean for Bedfordshire farmers?
Councillor Nicola Gribble, Bedford Borough Council
What’s already happening in the county?
Bedfordshire Local Nature Partnership
Your farm and nature: Explore diversification options with BNG
Mitchell Rae (Senior Land Manager) and Rachel Russell (Principal Ecologist), Environment Bank
Improving soil and water, and grant funding
Kim Hemmings, Anglian Water Catchment Advisor
Baselining to build soil resilience and carbon stocks
Regenerate Outcomes
Farm case study: Developing unproductive land for private nature markets
David Felce, Huntingdonshire
Panel Q&A session to answer all your questions

Molly Bampton
Knowledge Exchange Manager – Cereals & Oilseeds

Leverton Monitor Farm: Managing risks in your farm business

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 12:33:46 GMT

Is your farm business resilient enough for the risks ahead?

Gary Markham (Land Family Business), with Monitor Farmer Joe Vickers, will be discussing how to identify and manage financial and practical risks in a real farming business, using Joe’s farm as a live case study with open discussions for the group.

This meeting will cover:

Managing tax and financial risk – upcoming changes to CGT, IHT, structures, and timing
Improving business resilience and profitability – benchmarking performance, machinery, and growth decisions
Planning for the future – succession, family governance, and practical risk-management tools

Registration and lunch will be available from 1pm, with presentations commencing at 1:30pm

This event is free to attend with BASIS and NRoSO points available. Lunch will be provided but registration is required for catering purposes.

Molly Bampton
Knowledge Exchange Manager - Cereals & Oilseeds

Land drainage and its role in farming’s future

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:22:29 GMT

Join us for a Kent Monitor Farm meeting in association with the East Stour Farmer Group

Guest speaker, Nuffield Scholar Rob Burtonshaw

Drawing on worldwide research and practical on-farm experience, Rob will explore how effective drainage can unlock soil performance, improve yields and support targeted areas for biodiversity and integrated pest management —maximising the holistic value of the farmed environment.

The event will include a farm walk and lunch, with opportunities for discussion and questions throughout.

BASIS & NRoSO points will be available.

David Hunter
Knowledge Exchange Manager - Cereals & Oilseeds

Bingham Monitor Farm - Sharpen your grain marketing

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 12:55:24 GMT

Want to make smarter grain-selling decisions by truly understanding how the markets move — and how they shape what happens on your farm?

Monitor Farmer Joe Fisher, AHDB Economics & Analysis Team and AHDB Farmbench Team will be sharing their practical insights to better your knowledge on selling your produce.

This meeting will cover:

Global and national grain-market cycles, volatility and seasonal trends — and what they mean for farm-gate prices and cashflow.
Contract types, selling systems, ex-farm pricing, and the impact of sell date, delivery date and storage costs.
Using Farmbench crop-sales data to understand performance in both good and bad years.

Come ready to ask questions, compare experiences, and take away practical ideas to boost your grain-marketing confidence.

Registration and refreshments will be available from 9:30am, with presentations commencing at 10am.

Sign up to attend now!

This event is free to attend with BASIS and NRoSO points available. Lunch will be provided but registration is required for catering purposes.

Molly Bampton
Knowledge Exchange Manager - Cereals & Oilseeds

Camborne Monitor Farm: Making 'Sense' of NUE - act on your weights and measures

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 15:08:02 GMT

Join us for a winter catchup and NUE related spring plans meeting at Cornhill farm.

Hear from host Pete Olds, agronomist Andy Finnamore, Taylored Agri - showcasing the recently fitted Yara N-Sensor and Hutchinsons Foliar Nutrition and Biostimulant specialist Trevor Smith.

Regarding both novel foliar nutrition strategies and the timing and rate of more 'conventional' approaches there remains a large sentiment of many practitioners being somewhat 'wise after the event'. With margins being squeezed from seemingly every angle it has never been more important to try to increase our understanding of what to apply, how and when. How can technology and new approaches assist us in the endeavor of truly (financially and environmentally) optimised nutrition?

Specifically, what is providing the best guidance re timing and rate, how can we test this? All will be discussed with a view to finalising what we look to measure (and how) over the coming growing season - potentially using the full suite of options from the cab mounted NIRS, satellite scans, drone over flights and tissue testing methodologies.

A light buffet lunch will conclude the meeting.

Please bring suitable footwear and clothing for a potential field walk and outside discussion.

BASIS and NRoSO points will be available.

Pembrokeshire, Wales Monitor Farm Network - Soil health with David Purdy

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 14:36:49 GMT

Join us at Trewarren Farm in Pembrokeshire for our second monitor farm network in Wales with Farming Connect.

We will be looking at soil health, compaction with David Purdy. As well as the Micronutrient project on farm with Farming Connect.

Main content.

Speaker David Purdy
Soil Health
Soil Compaction
Micronutrient project from Farming Connect.

The event will include a farm walk, giving attendees the opportunity see the machinery.

Please do register for us to cater accordingly.

Aaron Cantrill
Knowledge Exchange Manager – Cereals & Oilseeds

Cereals & Oilseeds Monitor Farm Network

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 14:59:00 GMT

Cereals & Oilseeds Monitor Farm Network

Hereford Monitor Farm Arable Outlook: Setting the course for 2026

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 16:13:23 GMT

Join us for the Herefordshire Monitor Farm meeting at Hereford golf club.

Looking at setting your business for 2026. Looking at grain markets, internal and internationally, fertiliser outlook and more.

With several speakers from AHDB and External.

Key topics to include:
Historical market trends
Future market update
Fungicide performance
Fertiliser outlook 2026
Machinery costings

Getting you ready for your business in 2026!

Aaron Cantrill
Knowledge Exchange Manager – Cereals & Oilseeds