FARM ZONE
An advice, comment and opinion resource for the agricultural community
OILSEED RAPE PRICES TO RISE NEXT YEAR
It has recently been reported that oilseed rape prices are set to rise in 2020. In this article, Farm Zone explores the reasons for the predicted price rises, and the likelihood that they will come to pass. A declining domestic crop In the UK, the rapeseed crop is in...
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RAW MILK MARKET OPPORTUNITIES
Dairy farms are currently witnessing a major increase in demand for raw milk (unpasteurised, unhomogenised milk). This is driven by many factors. Raw milk has been the subject of a wave of recent research which argues that it carries strong health and nutritional...
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MAIZE HARVEST 2019 OVERVIEW
With the unusually warm weather, followed by the current extremely wet patch, Farm Zone has produced an overview of the current state of the 2019 maize harvest: The maize harvest started on time… but for many was delayed The maize harvest was widely predicted to...
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DAIRY FARMING – THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY
The good Dairy farming is a motor for the rural economy In the UK, 13,000 dairy farmers manage nearly 2 million dairy cows to produce over 14 billion litres of milk each year with a wholesale value of £8.8 billion. And that’s before it has been processed into saleable...
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OILSEED RAPE IN THE UK – WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?
Oilseed rape has had a bad time of it recently and it looks as though planting this year is going to be 10% down – which will mean it has hit a 16-year low. This is down to two factors: last year’s very dry autumn, coupled with excessive flea beetle damage. Farm Focus...
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A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF FARM DOGS
In the modern era, when we think of farm dogs, we tend to think of medium to large dogs that specialise in herding livestock, particularly sheep. But in the past, dogs of all breeds and shapes and sizes were to be found on farms. In fact, almost all dog breeds were...
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THE BLUE PLANET EFFECT: WHAT’S THE FUTURE FOR THE MEAT AND DAIRY INDUSTRIES?
Animal products have an image problem. For a long time, there has been increasing consumer concern about farm animal welfare. More recently, this has been bolstered with a growing focus on environmental concerns. A spate of alarmist news stories were published last...
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THREE KEY TRENDS THAT WILL SHAPE THE DAIRY INDUSTRY
It is sometimes said that there have been 3 agricultural revolutions or trends. The first was the adoption of modern agriculture in the 18th Century which involved the application of scientific principles, such as crop rotation, to dramatically increase yields. The...
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THE SURPRISING HISTORY OF MAIZE
Maize originated in Mexico about 9,000 years ago Introduction Maize is one of the world’s most important crops – responsible for roughly six percent of human calorie intake. Beyond human consumption it has a variety of uses, including for use as livestock feed, for...
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AGRICULTURE IN NEW ZEALAND – WHAT MAKES IT TICK?
Farm Zone spoke to Ben Dolbear – a technical specialist with Bright Seeds – to hear his views on agriculture in New Zealand following a recent month-long visit to the country. Farm Zone: Why did you visit New Zealand? Ben Dolbear: As an agriculturalist, I’ve always...
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