Growers looking for guidance on whether they should consider introducing new crops into their rotation to improve profitability can seek advice from Strutt & Parker’s team of agronomists at CropTec.

Arable crop production is set to get tougher in the UK, due to a likelihood of tighter margins as direct payments are phased out as part of the Agricultural Bill and a reduction in available chemistry and growing resistance problems.

A rotation that adds yield, saves costs and is profitable is a must, says the company. It must also be resistant to extremes of weather. Crops, so far as possible, need to complement each other to improve soil microflora, reduce soil borne pests and diseases, as well as offering opportunities to improve drainage and reduce the grass weed burden.

Strutt & Parker is also encouraging arable farmers to benchmark their performance to help identify where they can cut costs and improve performance as direct payments are phased out.

The firm is offering detailed arable crop production reviews, which can be used as the basis of a discussion about practical steps which can be taken to bring about positive change. Details will be available at CropTec.

A variety of specialist topics with a diverse range of experts will be on show at the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board’s stand.

Farm business health will be a key focus, including advice on benchmarking and the potential of the new Farmbench tool.

In addition, Jenna Watts, team leader for the AHDB Recommended List, will be speaking in the seminar programme to talk about the RL look ahead survey and what the future holds for the variety selection guide.

Growers will be able to ask questions and provide feedback to help improve the RLs and shape the future model.

Hectare Agritech, the parent company of online marketplaces, Graindex and SellMyLivestock, is urging farm businesses to embrace online marketplaces or risk being left behind.

Using the online marketplace results in more competition and engagement from buyers, giving farmers access to the best deal available, says the firm.

Platforms of this nature put everyone on a level playing field, giving smaller, specialist buyers the chance to compete on more farms and providing farmers with more transparency, it adds.

Visitors will be able to view some of the most innovative research on show at the Cranfield University stand. They can also arrange on-to-one meetings with Cranfield University academics during the show to discuss research/consultancy priorities associated with that research, which includes:

• Soils – Cranfield has the largest collection of soil and water scientists in the UK and have been designated by Defra as the national reference centre for soils. Expertise includes soil biology, chemistry and physics, soil conservation and erosion, sustainable soil management and soil-tillage engagement.
• Plant science – critical areas addressed include phenotyping, bioinformatics, mycology and crop water use.
• Reducing food losses and waste – Cranfield has one of the largest and best equipped centres in Europe dedicated to research in post-harvest biology and technology.
• Satellite to seed – the university is a world leader in digital agriculture, using advances in sensor technology, informatics and data sciences to drive innovation in agriculture.

For more information contact Dr Rob Simmons at r.w.simmons@cranfield.ac.uk