Is there any skill in growing an economically viable crop of OSR?

[Feldspar]

Yes? And I cost my time and the price of rope bangers out.

*my father's time!

 

[Neddy flanders]

seem to be plenty of 5t'ha crops on Twitter.

 

[farenheit]

Yes? And I cost my time and the price of rope bangers out.

But you pay your shooting, mad cousins? People up here seem desperate to shoot on the land!

 

[Devil's advocate]

It sounds as though the Dyson outfit has has enough of growing rape. Farming Today or rather anti Farming Today as I like to call had this piece this morning. They didn't have the gumption to ask what would replace it in the rotation

Farming Today - 05/08/20 - Dyson ditches oilseed rape, Missing cows in Northern Ireland, Turning pig waste into energy - BBC Sounds

Dyson are ditching oil seed rape, blaming falling yields. Sybil Ruscoe presents.

www.bbc.co.uk

I missed it.

But I thought the presenters of farming today, were doing well now. After getting rid of the evil terrible Miriam O Reilly a few yrears ago.

I'm thankful to Beeswax farming for drawing attention to the situation though.

 

[ajd132]

But you pay your shooting, mad cousins? People up here seem desperate to shoot on the land!

No I will pay him to go around before college and put some ropes out, it to shoot!

 

[DrWazzock]

To cut to the chase I think it’s time people woke up to the fact that OSR (and probably beet) is doomed not because farmers are sh!t at their job, but because DEFRA won’t allow neonic seed dressings.
The blame lies fairly and squarely on Micheal Gove and DEFRA in my opinion. We as farmers can’t do any more but rely on luck that we don’t get a beetle attack. That’s not good enough any more.
DEFRA needs to act. They are standing in the way of progress.

 

[richard hammond]

Disagree. It can be (if it doesn’t get eaten by beetles) if you get over the myth that it needs expensive hybrid seed, pre ems, 3 insecticides in the autumn and 2 in the spring, 4 fungicides and 240kgs n! 3t/ha will give us a good margin here

please read the rest of my comments!! do not just comment on one part of the subject!! I have already said what you are commenting on!!

 

[richard hammond]

To cut to the chase I think it’s time people woke up to the fact that OSR (and probably beet) is doomed not because farmers are sh!t at their job, but because DEFRA won’t allow neonic seed dressings.
The blame lies fairly and squarely on Micheal Gove and DEFRA in my opinion. We as farmers can’t do any more but rely on luck that we don’t get a beetle attack. That’s not good enough any more.
DEFRA needs to act. They are standing in the way of progress.

I really cannot agree re neonics overall, neonics re OSR make no different, look at Canada!! re Beet what a disaster how many Beet crops have you seen in bright flower?? see no Bee digestive track disturbance!!

 

[ajd132]

please read the rest of my comments!! do not just comment on one part of the subject!! I have already said what you are commenting on!!

You haven’t

 

[DrWazzock]

I really cannot agree re neonics overall, neonics re OSR make no different, look at Canada!! re Beet what a disaster how many Beet crops have you seen in bright flower?? see no Bee digestive track disturbance!!

Really? We had one years grace with both OSR and beet where we managed without the neonics due to suppressed population of beetles / aphids in the crop then by the second year the beetle population mushroomed and the beet virus carrying aphids became widespread with the extensive damage we now see as a result.
lots of talk of encouraging beneficials on farm now but two sprays of aphicide runs counter to this. Hoping that beneficials and trap crops will keep aphids under control to the extent where they will save a commercial crop from significant damage is very wishful thinking and a diversion from efforts that should be going in to more effective control measures. Plant genetics might get there eventually unless somebody says they too are damaging to bees or some other species. Wonder how much of the uk industry will be left by then?

 

[Wigeon]

Last year my rape did 3.6t at 48% oil, pretty much hedge to hedge. Ah ha, I've cracked it I thought smugly.

This year, it made 3t. Not too bad.

Problem is, it made 3t on the bit we combined, but precisely zero t on the c70% of the drilled area that didn't make it.

The silverest of silver linings was that at least the combined bit was cheap ish- 170kgs n, no pre em, no flowering spray, no insecticide.

Still lost a heap of money on it though, with most write offs being in the spring, after astro kerb. Hybrid seed too.

I will be joining others in deploying my skills in not growing it for next harvest.

 

[Chalky]

We averaged 4.7t/ha which I would take any year. Luck:- flea beetle pressure far lower than other places. How lucky do I feel this year.....

 

[Bax]

To cut to the chase I think it’s time people woke up to the fact that OSR (and probably beet) is doomed not because farmers are sh!t at their job, but because DEFRA won’t allow neonic seed dressings.
The blame lies fairly and squarely on Micheal Gove and DEFRA in my opinion. We as farmers can’t do any more but rely on luck that we don’t get a beetle attack. That’s not good enough any more.
DEFRA needs to act. They are standing in the way of progress.

You are right about right about Gove in the short term, and what he has done is causing severe problems for us. When we have chemical manufactures also being plant breeders though, it's no wonder we are in the mess we are. As good as Neonics were, they were only ever a short term answer, as was Atlantis for Blackgrass control.

 

[Hindsight]

Strange one. I thought the whole purpose of Beeswax was to reduce the proprietor’s bank balance? Maybe they will go into potatoes? In answer to the OP’s question luck is the most important ingredient for a successful OSR crop in these parts. That’s according to a Yorkshire man who also tells me the promised land lies north of the Humber.

Beeswax do grow potatoes!

 

[Hindsight]

Michael Gove as a politician has caused more negative issues for the UK than a thermo nuclear explosion. Every ministry he has been placed in he has purposefully created disruption. His political will is to create change. Hence why he employed and is mates with Dom Cummings. He supported the flawed scientific anti neonic bee data - and as all politicians moved.

 

[Jo28]

I really cannot agree re neonics overall, neonics re OSR make no different, look at Canada!! re Beet what a disaster how many Beet crops have you seen in bright flower?? see no Bee digestive track disturbance!!

Really? We used farm saved osr apart from new varieties for years with no seed dressings, never had a problem until it was banned and everybody stopped using neonics.

 

[Wilksy]

I think with a bit of thinking I could probably rent day tickets for pigeon shooting for more than the crop output.

It certainly is a big concern for pigeon shooters the lack of rape being grown!

 

[Zippy768]

Certainly not going to miss the added pressure of rushing to get osr back in the ground!

 

[Wolds Beef]

@richard hammond I know your only down the road! But have you thought about companion crops or have you done any research? Drop in if you have time and we can have a chat!!
Some people say a strong smelling companion crop helps or is it a trade story?
WB

 

[Clive]

Rape margin has been top or 2nd top for the last 4 years for us. Combined some beans today (admittedly volunteer ones we kept) at 1.25 t/ha. The alternatives are far worse IMO.

it was for me ......... until this year

i did nothing different so it’s just luck imo