Farming - Recent threads

FARMSCOPER agricultural pollutant assessment tool

Martin Corney — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 12:29:45 GMT

I've just read that "FARMSCOPER is a decision support tool that can be used for assessing diffuse agricultural-pollutant loads on a farm and quantifying the impacts of farm mitigation methods on these pollutants". Has anyone tried this free ADAS tool and what is it like in practice?

Neonicotinoids

Andy R — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 12:21:55 GMT

I was just wondering what your opinion is of neonicotinoid pesticide use on your farm. I feel compelled to defend them as I realise how useful the seed treatments especially are in protecting vulnerable seedlings, but equally I don't want to defend something that turns out to be harming bees and other wildlife. We grow oilseed rape and cereals and this is where we are likely to use them. With osr there isn't much choice as all seed I order either comes with Cruiser (thiamethoxam) or Modesto (clothianidin). With wheat and barley there is however a choice and we tend only to use Deter (clothianidin) for the very early autumn drilled cereals. I was wondering if you use them on your farm, and if the current debate about them will influence your decision to use them in the future?

Slug Pellet Pollution

Martin Corney — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 18:20:19 GMT

I read in BW that metaldyhyde pollution in watercourses is a growing problem for water companies, and that this comes from slug pellets used by farmers to protect oilseed rape. Since oilseed rape is a Hope Farm crop, how is this issue handled?

Hope Farm Expansion

Martin Corney — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 15:52:10 GMT

Having contributed when Hope Farm was set up, I've paid attention to progress over the years. I'm very pleased that Hope Farm has been profitable while supporting wildlife, (in some years it looks like it would even have been profitable without subsidies!). Given that it is so successful, are there any plans to expand the Hope Farm project? Other types of farm in different parts of the country would be valuable as examples for different farming environments. Also in the long term, the more land that is managed for wildlife the better. Over a period of decades and centuries, it could even be as important for wildlife as RSPB reserves, and if profitable, an important source of income for the RSPB.

Another long term consideration is that subsidies from the CAP may fade away over time. If politicians do not prioritise wildlife on our farms because of austerity, at least farmland managed by the RSPB would be safer.

Tupping Time

ian ryding — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 15:37:23 GMT

As with all hill farms, November is a month for preparation at Geltsdale reserve. The rams or tups as they are known here in the North Pennines have been put to the ewes and the timing now will determine the week lambing will begin in April. With luck, grass on the lower in-bye land will have begun to grow again by then and give the ewes a boost when they need it most. Twelve amorous tups will serve 500 Scottish Blackface ewes over the coming weeks and a watchful eye is required to see they don’t succumb to over excursion.

Meanwhile preparation for the forthcoming wading bird breeding season is well under way. Some areas of rush have already been cut to open up the grassland in strategic areas, and this will continue when the weather allows. Waterlogged fields have been a feature for much of autumn and this has made working conditions extremely difficult. A prolonged dry period or a series of hard frosts is required now to allow machinery to get to the areas we wish to get cut. Three new SITA funded scrapes will be excavated next week as part of a project to improve conditions for lapwing following the disastrous breeding season this year.

RSPB campaigns

JazzyD — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 19:24:12 GMT

Hi all.

I keep getting my regular RSPB email updates and even though I've moved back to New Zealand now I still really want to be able to sign the campaign letters online. However it seems that it's only for UK residents..Is there no option to apply international pressure to the British government? For example, the latest one is regarding encouraging and assisting farmers to create wildlife friendly farms, which I would love to add my voice to!

Does anyone know how I can still be involved in this?

Thanks :-)

Are these case studies useful to your work?

Heather G — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:34:31 GMT

Two years ago, with the help of Smith Gore, we undertook some economic case studies of farmers creating habitats through agri-environment schemes to demonstrate the profitability of wildlife-friendly farming. You can see these case studies here. We would like to know whether these have been useful to you, or could be made more useful to you in the future.

[Please visit the site to access the poll]

Hope Farm profit

Sooty — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 17:37:40 GMT

Keep seeing RSPB staff telling us how great Hope Farm combines very profitable farming and large increases in bird populations.Well I am sure you have the figures so let us have the proof please of RSPBs share of Hope Farm profit after the partner has his share,thanks in anticipation.

The Scottish show season is in full swing.

chris bailey — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:14:50 GMT

A question: What do NFU Scotland, the Scottish Crofting Federation, the Scottish Agricultural College, The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, Scottish Land & Estates and RSPB Scotland all have in common?.

The answer Waders – or to be more precise the Wader Friendly Farming Initiative.
Recent trends have shown some dramatic declines of some of our most popular waders in Scotland. These include lapwing down by 23%, curlew by 53% and oystercatcher 21%. Snipe are one species that are bucking the trend increasing by 60%.(Figures from the 2009 Breeding bird survey)
Over the last few weeks the advisory team in Scotland have had a busy promoting this initiative firstly at the Royal Highland Show and secondly at the Scottish Game Fair. Through the WFFI we are hoping to raise the profile of declining wading birds on farmland and encourage farmers to adopt low-cost farming practices that could help breeding waders. So if you are a farmer in Scotland why not sign up to the Initiative http://www.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/conservation/scotland/waderfriendly.aspx. By signing up RSPB will send you relevant advisory materials plus offer a free visit.
Our advisors and conservation officers in Scotland work closely with a variety of interested organisations, farmers and landowners to provide high quality wader habitats help waders. An examples of this collaborative work is the Strathspey Wetlands and Waders Initiative. http://www.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/projects/details.aspx?id=tcm:9-220840

volunteer and farm alliance

Neil Kendall — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 14:08:37 GMT

In 2010 we had a survey carried out on our farm. I assumed that once we had had one done, we would be contacted regarding doing another this year, but have heard nothing. Do we have to reapply yearly, or is the survey just a one year deal?