A key buyer in a leading farmer Buying Group says that he has the responsibility of providing top quality products at the right price to his members and that provenance has become a key buying criteria.

Nigel Last, Arable Inputs General Manager for Anglia Farmers, has the responsibility of providing all arable inputs for his farmers covering 600,000 hectares right across the UK.  "Our task is to get the right products of the right quality at the right price and delivered at the right time. We must be assured that every product we take is of the highest quality and will 'do exactly what it says on the tin', without any hiccups. This is why we take provenance so seriously. We need to know that the formulation will be excellent and that the product itself will perform.”

Nigel takes the herbicide Kerb Flo as an example. "Kerb Flo has become an essential herbicide in the fight against black-grass in oilseed rape and across the whole arable rotation. But we know it isn’t the easiest of products to get right and there have been unfortunate instances of the active ingredient, propyzamide, appearing in water. By buying Kerb Flo from Dow AgroSciences our farmers can be sure that the necessary research and development has been done to help them get the best performance. We know that practical and on-going technical support will be given to optimise its use on farm."

"We also know that work has been done and communicated on how to avoid any problems of the active appearing in water. If propyzamide is found to be contaminating water, there is a risk that the molecule could be lost and that would be a very serious situation for all oilseed rape and cereal growers with black-grass. As the primary producer Dow AgroSciences have invested and are continuing to invest in effective Stewardship to protect the long term future of this important molecule, not the case for other manufacturers."


Nigel Last says that he would support the use of an R and D brand such as Kerb Flo, providing it is available at a sensible price premium. "Yes, we do supply other propyzamides, but with Kerb Flo we know it will be of the highest quality and that it will mix well and be straight forward to apply. Farmers don’t want any problems when it comes to application or efficacy."

Chris Pye of Dow AgroSciences reinforces the view that by supporting Kerb Flo, farmers will be supporting the future of the herbicide. "It is vital that we look after the active ingredient, propyzamide, and make sure that it is used responsibly in order to safeguard its future. Without propyzamide, growing rape, or cereals for that matter, in high black-grass areas would be almost impossible. Manufacturers, agronomists and growers need to work together to protect the longevity of propyazamide. We all need to promote its appropriate use."

He expresses his disappointment that this view is not being adopted or promoted by all manufacturers. "Our trials show that mixing together the two residuals propyzamide and carbetamide in oilseed rape doesn’t usually improve weed control but does increase the risk of drinking water contamination. In fact evidence suggests that the best results are achieved by mixing Kerb Flo with a contact-acting herbicide, applied when the conditions are right. By doing so, you will get the best weed control, without increasing the risk of contamination to drinking water."

Chris advises that the optimal conditions for Kerb Flo are when soil temperatures at 30 cms are below 10°C and falling, weeds are growing slowly and soils moisture deficit is less than 50 mm and falling. "Then you can expect black-grass control in the high 90%'s.  Although you can apply Kerb from the 1st October, the correct soil conditions are rarely met in the main rape growing areas before November," he says.