British Sugars Penultimate Sugar Campaign. 2021/22

I was being abit sarky, but all I hear from the nfu and farmers is about rain forests!

That sort of argument is weak at best. In reality a lot of grains are grown in regions of the world where in fact it was native grasslands before as opposed to endless acres of rainforest. Though I do accept that in Brazil and Indonesia big areas of rainforest were cleared. Whilst this is clearly not ideal we should remember that much of Europe cleared land or ploughed up native grassland or drained natural wetlands to achieve the exact same aim.

We need to evaluate different kinds of food production holistically, not resort to: 'well mine must be better because it never travelled on a ship' because ultimately mankind relies heavily on the movement of bulk cargos by sea- not all regions can grow the required quantities of grains reliably. We know that food production and sustainability are complex issues with no simple answers- unless you are Monbiot at any rate.
 

Hindsight

Member
Location
Lincolnshire
Thanks. Read it. What point were you making?

Hi, not making any specific point Flat 10. Just wasn't sure if growers look at the CRD website and thought would just post up the minutes for information, o you can understand first hand what was said. Last week Friends of the Earth issued a press release that I also posted up. The future of the UK crop is reliant on several issues but the availability of a effective control strategy for Virus Yellows is quite key. I am assuming the industry will be faced with an emergency application this Autumn for a 2022 derogation to use. The expert committee will be asked again. All relevant bits of procedure that I suggest individual growers should be aware and understand.

Regards. H.
 
BS have a monopoly position and control the marketplace because they have the supply tied up.

This just means all their eggs are in one basket, as long as they want to keep refining UK grown sugar. They have no option to use an alternative raw material and are entirely at the mercy of UK Gov policy and the global commodity markets.

I would say that's quite a precarious position to find yourself in.

It wouldn't be difficult for T&L to undercut BS when dealing with processors & retailers, as long as they can then get enough cane syrup imported to cover the demand. BS would soon be toast.
 

robbie

Member
BASIS
And so it all begins again🤦
I moan about BS and the whole beet job but then I get on the drill and I feel all excited to grow another beet crop, sadly that is exactly why the beet job if fooked. I/we/the growers are our own worse enemy's!!!🤦🤦🤦

It would be so much easier if it didn't fit our farm or it ruined my soil or I didn't enjoy growing them.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20210401_173035.jpg
    IMG_20210401_173035.jpg
    444.9 KB · Views: 0
  • IMG_20210402_125858.jpg
    IMG_20210402_125858.jpg
    1,000.6 KB · Views: 0

Flat 10

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Fen Edge
And so it all begins again🤦
I moan about BS and the whole beet job but then I get on the drill and I feel all excited to grow another beet crop, sadly that is exactly why the beet job if fooked. I/we/the growers are our own worse enemy's!!!🤦🤦🤦

It would be so much easier if it didn't fit our farm or it ruined my soil or I didn't enjoy growing them.
You know someone can plough when they drill straight on....
Have 3/4 mine in now. Of what’s done half in exceptional seed beds the other half ok. The stuff left hasn’t been primary cultivated!!! 😳☹️🤪
 

robbie

Member
BASIS
You know someone can plough when they drill straight on....
Have 3/4 mine in now. Of what’s done half in exceptional seed beds the other half ok. The stuff left hasn’t been primary cultivated!!! 😳🤪
Blimey, that sounds like a complement.... I'm not used to them😂😂😂
My aim is to only do a pass with the harrow where headland meets field and next to the hedge were I'm left with 3 furrows unpressed.

Harrowing makes the seed bed worse and alot less resilient to weather.
 
And so it all begins again🤦
I moan about BS and the whole beet job but then I get on the drill and I feel all excited to grow another beet crop, sadly that is exactly why the beet job if fooked. I/we/the growers are our own worse enemy's!!!🤦🤦🤦

It would be so much easier if it didn't fit our farm or it ruined my soil or I didn't enjoy growing them.
wheres the bucket and spade?
thats more of a beach than broad haven!!
 

TheTallGuy

Member
Location
Cambridgeshire
And so it all begins again🤦
I moan about BS and the whole beet job but then I get on the drill and I feel all excited to grow another beet crop, sadly that is exactly why the beet job if fooked. I/we/the growers are our own worse enemy's!!!🤦🤦🤦

It would be so much easier if it didn't fit our farm or it ruined my soil or I didn't enjoy growing them.
Funnily enough, although I was never greatly involved in the beet I do kind of miss certain aspects & quite often gaze longingly at the neighbors' crop... up until I see the mess left behind after the beet lifters have been in!
 

DrWazzock

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
And so it all begins again🤦
I moan about BS and the whole beet job but then I get on the drill and I feel all excited to grow another beet crop, sadly that is exactly why the beet job if fooked. I/we/the growers are our own worse enemy's!!!🤦🤦🤦

It would be so much easier if it didn't fit our farm or it ruined my soil or I didn't enjoy growing them.
That’s impressive. Nice job. Plough and press and straight on with drill. We did that for a few years to try to stop blowing sand. But the drilling tractor (an mf135) struggled to stay on top, tending to sink in quite badly. Maybe we had the wrong plough and press. Dp7 and 30 degree ring press. I think too sharp for sand but good for crumbling dry ploughed heavier land.
 

robbie

Member
BASIS
That’s impressive. Nice job. Plough and press and straight on with drill. We did that for a few years to try to stop blowing sand. But the drilling tractor (an mf135) struggled to stay on top, tending to sink in quite badly. Maybe we had the wrong plough and press. Dp7 and 30 degree ring press. I think too sharp for sand but good for crumbling dry ploughed heavier land.
We used to run twins 13.6's on the tractor when we were at 60 inch centres but when we moved to 80 inch last year we didn't bother and its ok, twins would be better but it's a pig to move about with twins and it gives the half shafts a lot of stick when set out wide.
Historically I've used a double flexi coil for Bet but it isn't wide enough now so I've got a flexi coil Oli made on the back of the lemken press but it doesn't put it down as tight as the double flexi coil so I'll look out for another wider one for next season......if we're still growing beet.
 
We used to run twins 13.6's on the tractor when we were at 60 inch centres but when we moved to 80 inch last year we didn't bother and its ok, twins would be better but it's a pig to move about with twins and it gives the half shafts a lot of stick when set out wide.
Historically I've used a double flexi coil for Bet but it isn't wide enough now so I've got a flexi coil Oli made on the back of the lemken press but it doesn't put it down as tight as the double flexi coil so I'll look out for another wider one for next season......if we're still growing beet.
Old hill and osborne robbie and a 24 inch coil in tandem does a good job
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 79 42.0%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 66 35.1%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.0%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,292
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
Top