FARM ZONE

An advice, comment and opinion resource for the agricultural community
FOOD PRICE INFLATION SET TO CONTINUE

FOOD PRICE INFLATION SET TO CONTINUE

Food inflation hasn't been going up this quickly for over a decade - and the worst is yet to come. A flurry of recent studies furnish some statistics. Consumer group Which? found that supermarket groceries in February this year were on average 3.14% more expensive...

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THE CHALLENGE FOR GRASS

THE CHALLENGE FOR GRASS

Forage and grazing can determine the difference between profit and loss on livestock farms where margins are under constant pressure. With no inputs exempt from our inflationary times, Mike Sims – recently appointed to Bright Maize as grass specialist – tells us about...

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TONY HARRIS AND HARPER ADAMS

TONY HARRIS AND HARPER ADAMS

As part of our pioneer series, we look at one of the UK’s leading agricultural educationalists, Dr Tony Harris, who died earlier this year and believed agrobusiness alumni should rank alongside the best of any other industry  The high standing of Harper Adams...

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MAIZE VARIETIES: INFLUENCES AND TRENDS IN 2022

MAIZE VARIETIES: INFLUENCES AND TRENDS IN 2022

Bright Maize’s technical specialist Charlie Dolphin looks at what has most influenced the purchasing of maize seed in 2022 and what conclusions we might draw from the trends... Not that it has been for a long time; but the one thing 2022 has told us beyond doubt is...

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LORD HENRY PLUMB OF COLESHILL (1925 – 2022)

LORD HENRY PLUMB OF COLESHILL (1925 – 2022)

We were saddened to hear of the passing, on 15 April, of Henry Plumb. Lord Plumb was a friend of David and Sue Bright, who founded Bright Seeds in the 1980s, and the support he showed David’s pioneering work with maize over the years was always deeply valued. His loss...

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HARVESTING AND ENSILAGE

HARVESTING AND ENSILAGE

The third and final installment in our series Maize Growing: the Core Skills looks at the principles behind harvesting the crop for silage. Having cultivated the healthiest possible yield, you will now want to turn that into the best possible end product.  ...

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WEED CONTROL AND FERTILIZER APPLICATION

WEED CONTROL AND FERTILIZER APPLICATION

In the second instalment of our series Maize Growing: the Core Skills we turn to the twin themes of weed control and fertilizer application - as important as each other when it comes to the achievement of consistent, high yields. Weed control Weeds compete with crops...

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