UK facing worst wheat harvest since 1980s, says farmers' union

[GeorgeC1]

UK facing worst wheat harvest since 1980s, says farmers' union

NFU predicts yields could be down by a third as extreme weather hits crops

www.theguardian.com

 

[Cowabunga]

Depends very much where you are in the UK and what you grow. Here in West Wales the winter was not particularly wetter than usual and I did manage to get the slurry out to ground in good condition, albeit a bit late. Grass grew well and first cut silage was average to good. We had a long spell of gorgeous weather around then which meant a shortage of grass here on the coast, necessitating grazing of the silage ground for three weeks, delaying a second cut which was heavier than last year. Since then growing conditions have been excellent but third cut is now being delayed due to wet weather.
Combinable crops have looked good in this area and are now mostly harvested. Not a big arable area this though.

I've never seen grass grow so well as this year apart from that dry month from late May to late June. Yes we had a couple of thundery days but certainly not "extreme weather" in any way.

 

[Farma Parma]

Its nowt like 2012 or 2013 here anyways even tho weve just had an inch of rain this morning in in under 4hrs.
Just coz all the southerners wont or cant be bothered to plough the land properly & grow some spring cropping in the mix
as its either all Mintill or DD or nowt these days... maybes this whole BG problem might not been half as bad if they had just maybes not cut so
many tillage/rotation corners.... it does make you wonder...
6 crops here & will continue to be that way.
Oh & No BG neither

 

[neilo]

Its nowt like 2012 or 2013 here anyways even tho weve just had an inch of rain this morning in in under 4hrs.
Just coz all the southerners wont or cant be bothered to plough the land properly & grow some spring cropping in the mix
as its either all Mintill or DD or nowt these days... maybes this whole BG problem might not been half as bad if they had just maybes not cut so
many tillage/rotation corners.... it does make you wonder...
6 crops here & will continue to be that way.
Oh & No BG neither

No blackgrass here, and no plough either. The only farm locally that’s covered with it, is a plough/power Harrow devotee. You’re barking up the wrong tree.

I do have lots of Spring cropping and diversity though, and a mixed farm.

None of that helps the yields when the weather is at’s been this year, apart from spreading risk.

 

[Farma Parma]

No blackgrass here, and no plough either. The only farm locally that’s covered with it, is a plough/power Harrow devotee. You’re barking up the wrong tree.

I do have lots of Spring cropping and diversity though, and a mixed farm.

Maybes but dont all cry when roundup gets banned coz everyone will be ploughing then !!
Iam a PH/Plough fan coz of weather & land more than anything but do use some mintill methods but agchem bills far higher.

 

[Bald Rick]

Arable boys - who can be arsed to bale - will make up the shortfall by having our pants down with straw price this winter.
With milk price depressed, don't even have any lube

 

[DRC]

Arable boys - who can be arsed to bale - will make up the shortfall by having our pants down with straw price this winter.
With milk price depressed, don't even have any lube

Straw yields are way down though

 

[lloyd]

Arable boys - who can be arsed to bale - will make up the shortfall by having our pants down with straw price this winter.
With milk price depressed, don't even have any lube

You should have bought twice as much last year when the straw price was on the floor!

 

[delilah]

Well done NFU.
The other 99% of the UK population has just gone through the shitiest few months imaginable, whilst farmers have been allowed to pretty much carry on regardless, and you have still managed to produce a complete whinge-fest of an article.
Quite an achievement.

 

[7610 super q]

I agree with the title. Some of the posts on this thread are bizarre. Nothing harvested here. Horrific yields thanks to no rain in April/ May. And yes, I might not be arsed to spend 3 weeks Haybobing straw only to receive the shite prices I've had for the last decade.

 

[lloyd]

Well done NFU.
The other 99% of the UK population has just gone through the shitiest few months imaginable, whilst farmers have been allowed to pretty much carry on regardless, and you have still managed to produce a complete whinge-fest of an article.
Quite an achievement.

99% of the population around here have been milking it and I dont mean cows.

 

[lloyd]

I agree with the title. Some of the posts on this thread are bizarre. Nothing harvested here. Horrific yields thanks to no rain in April/ May. And yes, I might not be arsed to spend 3 weeks Haybobing straw only to receive the shite prices I've had for the last decade.

How far from cowabunga are you?

 

[farenheit]

Depends very much where you are in the UK and what you grow. Here in West Wales the winter was not particularly wetter than usual and I did manage to get the slurry out to ground in good condition, albeit a bit late. Grass grew well and first cut silage was average to good. We had a long spell of gorgeous weather around then which meant a shortage of grass here on the coast, necessitating grazing of the silage ground for three weeks, delaying a second cut which was heavier than last year. Since then growing conditions have been excellent but third cut is now being delayed due to wet weather.
Combinable crops have looked good in this area and are now mostly harvested. Not a big arable area this though.

I've never seen grass grow so well as this year apart from that dry month from late May to late June. Yes we had a couple of thundery days but certainly not "extreme weather" in any way.

Do you grow a lot of wheat in West Wales?

 

[7610 super q]

How far from cowabunga are you?

Not far. Which is why eyebrows were raised at his post....

 

[delilah]

99% of the population around here have been milking it and I dont mean cows.

Herefordshire, probably not the worst place to be locked up all day, try doing it in the urban environment that most folks have been.
If farmers want to whinge about the weather on here then fine, crack on. The article is in The Guardian. What, precisely, does UK agriculture achieve by whingeing in The Guardian ?

 

[fieldfarmer]

Well done NFU.
The other 99% of the UK population has just gone through the shitiest few months imaginable, whilst farmers have been allowed to pretty much carry on regardless, and you have still managed to produce a complete whinge-fest of an article.
Quite an achievement.

I think you might find some of the 99% you speak of have done very well furloughed on very good money and 6 mouth off. Some individuals have had a boom, But will agre some are struggling still.

 

[Cowabunga]

Well done NFU.
The other 99% of the UK population has just gone through the shitiest few months imaginable, whilst farmers have been allowed to pretty much carry on regardless, and you have still managed to produce a complete whinge-fest of an article.
Quite an achievement.

I must agree with you for the most part. However an average of 13.5ppl for my milk over two months is no walk in the park, but averaged out over the year and partly compensated for, it is a hell of a lot better than many sectors have endured. Now if only the base price would rise over my cost of production [15ppl], which is what I'm getting currently, then I would be less grumpy. Fact is I would be better off not producing anything currently and letting the land out to another mug.

 

[lloyd]

Herefordshire, probably not the worst place to be locked up all day, try doing it in the urban environment that most folks have been.
If farmers want to whinge about the weather on here then fine, crack on. The article is in The Guardian. What, precisely, does UK agriculture achieve by whingeing in The Guardian ?

The headline is a fact not a whinge ,makes a change from BS yield reporting in the yellow comic .
Herefordshire might look scenic to tourists and the migration of semi retired from
the south east but has little to offer in quality employment or social activity for the generation that grow up here.
Most young people want to get out of here as soon as they can drive.

 

[Cowabunga]

I think you might find some of the 99% you speak of have done very well furloughed on very good money and 6 mouth off. Some individuals have had a boom, But will agre some are struggling still.

I also agree with this. It's not a matter of black and white. It depends very much indeed as to what business you have got.
My daughter is much better off because she remains fully employed but working from home, not spending money on travelling to work every day [38 miles round trip] and not being able to go out socialising and so on. Money in the bank!
Many of those on furlough have been getting 80% of their wages and been able to earn extra money doing odd jobs and more, while also not being able to socialise and spend money.
The hospitality and motor industry have been hit very hard of course. It's the hospitality industry here in West Wales that has been hit hardest by far.

 

[Hfd Cattle]

No doubt the NFU will recognise the problems and lower their subs....... ok silly thing to say !!!!
Wouldn't affect me though I've cancelled my membership