Sustainable farming incentive details published today 2 December 2021

[Hindsight]

Pre emergence blackgrassicide

I thought Silverfox was makin an ironic statement with his comment about Crystal. Well it amused me. Taking a gentle swipe at holier than thou Regenerative folk and Direct Driller. But as I wasn't sat next to hi in the pub taproom I couldn't see his face and if there was a wry smile. As I recall on many a thread his farming system has a wide rotation of different crops and is plough based, so doesn't need Crystal for Blackgrass control. But I could well be wrong with the irony!?? He will be along to quite correctly admonish me if I am wrong. Cheers.

 

[Hindsight]

A 21 year old Dale drill pulled by a 33 year old tractor!
I may have fitted the odd upgrade over the years though

That is ace.

 

[Hindsight]

Maybe, but forage contractors about here also send a lot of straw to livestock farms in the South West.
You've got to look at the big picture, start meddling with one area of Ag and another suffers?

Yes, I appreciate much goes to livestock producers. My comment was a generalization. But I go to many farms that have the balers in for the power station. Just saddens me that all that straw could be returned to the soil. And the energy balance of baling, carting, hauling, and then replacing the nutrient with mineral P & K has never stacked up in my view, although I have been told on many an occasion there is a net energy balance. My gut says no.

 

[DRC]

I thought Silverfox was makin an ironic statement with his comment about Crystal. Well it amused me. Taking a gentle swipe at holier than thou Regenerative folk and Direct Driller. But as I wasn't sat next to hi in the pub taproom I couldn't see his face and if there was a wry smile. As I recall on many a thread his farming system has a wide rotation of different crops and is plough based, so doesn't need Crystal for Blackgrass control. But I could well be wrong with the irony!?? He will be along to quite correctly admonish me if I am wrong. Cheers.

Wasn’t really a swipe but a genuine question ( although I did suspect what it was for)
Ive never seen black grass and hope I never do, although I know a neighbour has a bit where some imported muck was tipped . He’s sprayed off the crop in this area for the last 3/4 years. Worryingly the area seems to get a bit bigger every year.

 

[two-cylinder]

Yes, I appreciate much goes to livestock producers. My comment was a generalization. But I go to many farms that have the balers in for the power station. Just saddens me that all that straw could be returned to the soil. And the energy balance of baling, carting, hauling, and then replacing the nutrient with mineral P & K has never stacked up in my view, although I have been told on many an occasion there is a net energy balance. My gut says no.

I suspect the sellers of the straw would say they cannot see any direct benefit where the straw is chopped? But can see where P & K was applied on field soil test results?

 

[Hindsight]

Wasn’t really a swipe but a genuine question ( although I did suspect what it was for)
Ive never seen black grass and hope I never do, although I know a neighbour has a bit where some imported muck was tipped . He’s sprayed off the crop in this area for the last 3/4 years. Worryingly the area seems to get a bit bigger every year.

Hi, yes, sorry my apologies, I shouldn't have said 'swipe' that was to strong a term. Now Blackgrass - you really lead a sheltered life and have not lived life to the full until experienced Slender Foxtail (Alopecurus Myosuroides) in her full glory. I always think Slender Foxtail sounds like a 1930's debutante, a far nicer name than Blackgrass. Best wishes.

 

[Hindsight]

I suspect the sellers of the straw would say they cannot see any direct benefit where the straw is chopped? But can see where P & K was applied on field soil test results?

Yes, I understand where you come from. Impact of both is long term.

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

I’d have thought it unlikely. The gas released will just diffuse into the atmosphere. You have to wonder at what point methane is produced by bacterial action on organic matter compressed down in wet compacted uncultivated soils as well. Maybe, maybe not.

Co2 is heavier than normal air though...

 

[farmerpaul]

Not at all, I've been here less the last couple of days just because I've had a lot of meetings and things to do - will come back and sweep up any outstanding questions on Monday

My arable land is on a 2 year FBT as what is proposed states a 3 year agreement length do i assume that i am therefore excluded from joining the scheme ,the FBT has already been renewed several times?

 

[BenAdamsAgri]

How are the DD "Dudes" going to incorporate 33% of their land with "Organic matter" ?

• Both levels will need organic matter applied each year to one-third of the area of land entered into the standard.

We straw for muck all cereal straw, covers before all spring crops, broiler manure on winter wheats in the spring

so pretty easily

 

[Janet Hughes Defra]

My arable land is on a 2 year FBT as what is proposed states a 3 year agreement length do i assume that i am therefore excluded from joining the scheme ,the FBT has already been renewed several times?

No, you're not excluded - we've made a specific rule for people in your situation - if you have 2 years left to run on your FBT, you can come into SFI and leave after 2 years instead of 3, with no penalty

 

[farmerpaul]

No, you're not excluded - we've made a specific rule for people in your situation - if you have 2 years left to run on your FBT, you can come into SFI and leave after 2 years instead of 3, with no penalty

As my tenancy will be renewed (hopefully) September 2022 would i be correct in that start dates for agreements are 1st of Jan as my tenancy being 24mths not 2 calender years would put me outside the time frame for an agreement.

 

[wanton dwarf]

We straw for muck all cereal straw, covers before all spring crops, broiler manure on winter wheats in the spring

so pretty easily

Good for you. What about all the Cereal farmers that don't have livestock ?

 

[ajd132]

Good for you. What about all the Cereal farmers that don't have livestock ?

You haven’t actually read it properly have you

 

[wanton dwarf]

You haven’t actually read it properly have you

I have. Straw for Muck. But not everyone is going to do that are they ? I wouldn't do it unless I had my own livestock which I don't.

 

[ajd132]

I have. Straw for Muck. But not everyone is going to do that are they ? I wouldn't do it unless I had my own livestock which I don't.

Doesn’t chopped straw and cover crops count as organic matter? (If not then lots of arable farmers won’t be able to do it)

 

[wanton dwarf]

Doesn’t chopped straw and cover crops count as organic matter? (If not then lots of arable farmers won’t be able to do it)

"Chopped straw" I would think makes the regulation pointless ?

Cover crops might work but wouldn't that hit bottom line far more than the HMG income ?

I do put on Compost and Bio Solids sometimes, but I was thinking more of the 1,000+ acre farms which would need a lot of tonnage. I would think circa 2,500+ tonnes and requires local large Urban populations.

 

[alomy75]

Doesn’t chopped straw and cover crops count as organic matter? (If not then lots of arable farmers won’t be able to do it)

There’s a little bit of discrepancy between the pilot and actual sfi. Janet has confirmed in the other sfi pilot thread that standards are different. Chopped straw ok for the pilot but I didn’t see it in my brief look at the refined standards…but didn’t look that closely.

 

[B'o'B]

There’s a little bit of discrepancy between the pilot and actual sfi. Janet has confirmed in the other sfi pilot thread that standards are different. Chopped straw ok for the pilot but I didn’t see it in my brief look at the refined standards…but didn’t look that closely.

from the latest guidance
https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...ng-incentive-how-the-scheme-will-work-in-2022

 

[Mixedupfarmer]

from the latest guidance
https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...ng-incentive-how-the-scheme-will-work-in-2022


View attachment 1003039

How does growing legume species such as peas and beans add organic matter over non leguminous crops?