- Location
- Fife
Is It Time To Ban Maize
- Thread starter Lazy Sod
- Start date
- Location
- somerset
quite agree, but, it's not our views that count.
Exfarmer
Member
- Location
- Bury St Edmunds
I am sure there is not, but look at so many of the outdoor livestock units, hardly a picture of happy soils
- Location
- Fife
I always take the time to explain to any passing members of the public what I'm doing and why. With livestock relatively uncommon in my area they mostly seem interested. And I've had a very good local social media response after a couple of dog attacks.
And my landlord is very happy. Last week he visited some aftermaths dug soil pits.
Cover crop stocked at 5,600kg/ha for a 2 day graze period.
No sign of compaction or damage to soil structure, despite the recent storms.
- Location
- Fife
"It's not the cow, it's the how."
There are plenty of resources available free for people to read and digest. The industry must self regulate, or I fear regulation will be forced upon us.
Exfarmer
Member
- Location
- Bury St Edmunds
But this will kill the bulk of the outdoor pig industry , which has been forced into this situation by ill informed regulation. There are many units which make the maize growers look like saints in comparison
- Location
- Fife
Yes I've seen some real sights. Unfortunately I'm not au fait with outdoor pig production. @Suffolk Serf would be better placed to comment on how outdoor pig wintering can be improved.
Suffolk Serf
Member
- Location
- Bury/Thetford
Yes. A lot of outdoor units are now nose ringing and going onto an established grass swards, in one supply chain there is a good enough financial incentive that enables the breeder to rent the land a year prior to establish grass before putting sows on. These sites look pretty damn good at the moment, with the grass cover helping water infiltration.
Unfortunately, I am on mud, deep mud in places, had to extract the telehandler using its boom a few minutes ago.
I keep trying to engineer situations where we could go on to grass with my landlord until I’m blue in the face. I’ve now decided to keep my trap shut until he comes up with the idea!
However, I’m not the biggest villain in this neck of the woods, with beet harvesters having been buried, and root veg growers and their destoning and nematocides causing long lasting soil damage. In the crop rotation that I’m in with the pigs were seen as the fertility building and soil repair phase!
Unfortunately, I am on mud, deep mud in places, had to extract the telehandler using its boom a few minutes ago.
I keep trying to engineer situations where we could go on to grass with my landlord until I’m blue in the face. I’ve now decided to keep my trap shut until he comes up with the idea!
However, I’m not the biggest villain in this neck of the woods, with beet harvesters having been buried, and root veg growers and their destoning and nematocides causing long lasting soil damage. In the crop rotation that I’m in with the pigs were seen as the fertility building and soil repair phase!
Mr Mackay
Member
- Location
- HMP Slade , Shropshire
Yes , there are 2 lots on maize still standing near here , 20 acres that was attempted 6 times or so ,and had to be left as the damage to the ground and machines far outweighed the benefit
And 30 acres where they never went in at all (its a crow and bird haven ATM )
Sad to see but no need to talk about banning it . (Even if my mate ,who worked for a corn firm, was used to farmers telling him about the probs with stripey things and starlings because of the stuff !!!)
Early varieties and cut it a tad greener ??
Seemed pretty clear cut to me.
Is it time to ban maize ?
BAC
Member
can show plenty of examples where there is things wrong with outwintering....
those who do it wrong ruin the theory for the rest
No, not at all. There are plenty of excellent responsible growers who aren't screwing up the environment by tracking their best soil onto the roads or having it wash into rivers over winter. Like many things in life, it's the minority growing it on steep slopes in wet areas who then do nothing to stop the damage afterwards that mean everyone gets tarred with the same brush.
Just feels like a bit more persecution to me, at a time when farmers generally are suffering as never before with the weather as it is .
We made a mess with some of it this year, but had two road brushes going. Same with the potato harvest . Maybe ban them as well.
It’s not been easy for anyone and there’s folks not far from here with half or more of their farms underwater . @APJ and @Wilberforce .
I can't see the thread taking this direction if it were started in a sunny June. Apologies to anyone who feels like they are being kicked when they are down on the floor, but some of the best lessons I've learned were the hardest ones that cost me money.
Lazy Sod
Member
- Location
- Warminster Wiltshire
No @silverfox, I just asked the question to provoke a discussion. We know that soil health is going to play a big part in the future farming support scheme.
I grew maize for 2 years, about 5 or 6 years ago to sell to my neighbour as a standing crop. My farm was on free draining greensand soil and the field was fairly level. The first year we had a dry harvesting period and it went well. The second year, conditions were very wet. I've never seen my land like it. I had to have it subsoiled, but I don't think that the compaction would have been adequately dealt with.
All I am saying is that some people are going to have to think about what they are doing, and change their practices where necessary.
I grew maize for 2 years, about 5 or 6 years ago to sell to my neighbour as a standing crop. My farm was on free draining greensand soil and the field was fairly level. The first year we had a dry harvesting period and it went well. The second year, conditions were very wet. I've never seen my land like it. I had to have it subsoiled, but I don't think that the compaction would have been adequately dealt with.
All I am saying is that some people are going to have to think about what they are doing, and change their practices where necessary.
Hindsight
Member
- Location
- Lincolnshire
Possibly yes. Then import from somewhere else. That way a virtuous politician can be sure to tick the right boxes and the electorate can go to heaven.
- Location
- Ceredigion
ollie989898
Member
I can see a time when some supermarkets put paid to their producers doing X or Y. Don't have to try too hard to envisage maize on their hit list.
Mr Mackay
Member
- Location
- HMP Slade , Shropshire
You are probably right !! I just hope I am not in it when that happens
Mind you ,the youth of today will just take it in their stride wont they ??