I guess if you have nothing much to lose then.... just put in difflock and turn on the heater....I was thinking exactly the same! Dad would always say “never plough a frost down” let alone go ploughing in snow. Couldn’t believe what I was reading! Where’s the logic?!
Jane was VERY enthusiasticReally quite good, I'm pleased you got along there and fetched us a report
The graphs I found particularly interesting as they are really quite relevant to NZ conditions as well, especially down here, the land of vertical paddocks and horizontal rain
Intensive farming and cultivation has certainly changed fishing in our rivers; when I was a schoolboy rain meant fishing would improve, fastforward 15 years and rain meant unfishable rivers
Nothing more dangerous than a farmer with too much grass and money, the logical way to bring about change in the UK is to tighten the screws to the point farmers cannot afford to cultivate the way they do?
It is mindblowing the general lack of knowledge and misinformation to be found on the subject of soil, especially on the forum here; "ploughing in the snow"
FFS....
Hard to justify total degradation of soil habitat in ideal conditions, let alone when it is too wet and too cold for recovery in the next months
Don't ask me what I really think
, I got the impression she could have spoken on the subject for days . Much of what she said fits right in with this thread and she was especially upset about folk growing Forage Maize on inappropriate ground.
Good stuffJane was VERY enthusiastic
In the Q&A session there was some discussion of the direction change in UK Ag policy and targeting of support payments. We all agreed that the ideal would be a payment for outcomes (improved soil health) but it hinges on how you measure it and how do you avoid penalising those who already look after their soils. In the interim period it is not feasible to pay on improving soil health outcome (that requires measuring a baseline and re-assessing it each year - Hugely time consuming for the regulating authority even before you factor in exactly what to measure, when to measure it and to what lab standard) so a payment for adopting the right process is probably most appropriate in the shorter term.
Just how would you measure soil health to, fairly, pay a support payment for it? What would you need to measure: Worm activity? Organic matter content (& allow for folk "cheating" by large applications of compost/digestate)? Soil structure? Soil Biota? etc, etc.
A great speaker and a good industry advocate.
She was very impressed when I mentioned your Massey University study conclusion that you were managing to farm/live carbon negatively.
Anyway, a little off-topic for Regenerative Ag but I now have the presentation from Roger Draycott at GWCT as well (attached below).
I also see that the Agersens trial on "Virtual cattle fencing" is going well
One to watch
https://agersens.com/virtual-herding-trial-success-belmont/
I can't wait - the idea of being able to have the sheep controlled via gate, and the cattle controlled via collar
what a game changer for leader/follower grazing systems
I see huge potential everywhere for grazing on grass leys on arable land but fences would just be an obstruction. Gove's new UK Ag Policy is looking to encourage grass breaks but you have to find a use for themI can't wait - the idea of being able to have the sheep controlled via gate, and the cattle controlled via collar
. I'd happily invest the money with no government help. That's why the new policy needs to provide positive encouragement to them.
they actually treat farmers like we can handle farm management without an office full of rulebooks it is far simpler to let your values make your decisions of course. 
