Black-grass

Crops have been met with drought in the south and east of the country, widespread frosts and even April snow in some parts in recent weeks.

Much needed spring sunshine and some good drying days have allowed growers to get their spring drilling campaigns underway.

The post-emergence herbicide bentazone is facing deregulation if growers do not start acting to reduce leaching into ground and surface water, BASF has warned.

Happy New Year. I hope you all had some form of rest and normality over the festive period. Like many of you, I was happy to see the back of 2020 while filled with excitement for what the new year has in store for us. Well at this moment in time I am slightly concerned that 2021 is just 2020 reappearing in disguise.

EAMUs have been granted for herbicides in linseed and rye.

High dormancy levels in freshly shed black-grass seeds have led to particularly prolonged germination this year.

A Dutch scientist turned film maker has teamed up with a group of European farmers to produce a crowd-funded documentary film which will dispel the mistruths surrounding glyphosate.

Heavy rainfall has put a stop to autumn drilling across many parts of the UK, making many growers nervous of a repeat of last season.

Harvest is all but finished here in North Yorkshire, the last few stragglers of spring barley are to be mopped up while spring beans are just about ready to cut.  In all, yields are what we expected. Need I say any more?

The autumn and winter of 2019 is not one many will forget in a hurry, with farms throughout the UK struggling to get crops in the ground and conditions compromising establishment.