With soaring costs continuing to pile pressure on a beleaguered farming sector, the Agronomy Zone at this year’s Cereals Event is focussed on high yields, nutrient use efficiency and the return of alternative crops as it aims to equip farmers with the ideas they need to return a profit.
With 25,000 farmers set to visit Cereals at Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat farm in the Cotswolds on June 10 and 11, the Agronomy Zone will be a key focus as more than 50 exhibitors and 600 individual plots will be showcasing the latest crop science, inputs and technology to help boost productivity on farm.
Cost pressures, from fertiliser and fuel to crop quality and prices, are a key concern for farmers and exhibitors in the Agronomy Zone, which is sponsored by Bayer, are reflecting this challenge, showcasing solutions for farmers that can hopefully deliver a profit against a challenging backdrop.
Yield will be key
KWS are showcasing three new winter wheat and winter barley candidates alongside some newly recommended varieties that will launch this Autumn. Head of Product Management and Agroservice at KWS, Kate Cobbold, says the key for farmers will be seeking out high yielding varieties that will perform.
She says: “Ultimately, it’s very challenging times for farmers at the moment and profit and productivity are going to be key. Farmers need to make sure they are putting really productive varieties in the ground that are suited to their soil and that will perform.”
Syngenta agree yield will be key and are showcasing hybrid wheats and barleys alongside the new “Robodog” technology that can provide soil level insights to help improve efficiency, maximise yields and provide early detection of disease, pests and weeds.
Sarah Iveson, Managing Director of Syngenta UK, says: “We are promoting a fully integrated approach to help farmers overcome their pain points. There’s been a real impact on the bottom line for farmers, from fertiliser to everything else. Yield will always be king and we are focussed on helping farmers to extract the maximum yield from their farm.”
With soaring fertiliser prices, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) will also feature as a key theme at Cereals. Yara Product Manager and Agronomist, Natalie Wood, says: “Nitrogen pricing is the big one for farmers at the moment and the challenge is how you can make the most of the efficiency? The key will be getting NUE from 60% to 70 or 80% and we’ll be working with farmers to help them do that.
“Thankfully, crops are looking good at the moment because it would be a dire situation for farmers right now if prices weren’t good and the crops were bad. I am hoping the good crops will now carry through to yield.”
Agronomy Zone sponsors, Bayer Crop Science UK say supporting farmers is now more important than ever. Gareth Bubb, Technical Manager for the West says: “Given the ever-evolving environment that affects day-to-day operations on farm, supporting farmers at this time is crucial.” “Bayer’s agronomy zone sponsorship highlights our commitment to delivering innovative, science-driven solutions that help address the evolving challenges faced in the field. We focus on putting growers, agronomists, and distributors at the centre of everything we do, combining cutting-edge crop technologies with tailored, on-the-ground support. Through the expertise of our dedicated 12 Technical Managers, we go beyond products, bringing integrated solutions that drive productivity on farm.”
Alternative crops
In addition to maximising yield while driving improve nitrogen efficiency, some key crops are also showing promise, and exhibitors are arguing that both oilseed rape and linseed are both good options for farmers once again.
DSV is bringing their Dompteur winter oilseed rape variety to the event and it is top of the recommended list. Sarah Hawthorne, Marketing and Sales Manager for DSV, says: “Oilseed rape is an interesting crop this year. Prices are good and we are getting better at growing it in a post-neonicotinoid era with farmers seeing higher survival rates. We need to consider putting it in the rotation again.
“Farmers need to look for varieties with pod shatter resistance and Phoma blocker as these should bring a half a tonne a hectare increase in yield. Its also important to look for septoria resistance and consider the oil content of crops, not just the headline yield.”
Corteva has been exhibiting at Cereals for 20 years and Marketing Manager, Alex Nichols, also agrees that oilseed rape is a good option for farmers. He says: “There has been a decline in oilseed rape in recent years but we are now starting to see a decent recovery.
“The flea beetle pressure doesn’t seem to be there and I’m hopeful that we’ve managed to break that cycle and that the herbicides are working well.
“Oilseed rape is a key break and is great for the soil and its still one of the crops that can stack up at the moment.”
Premium Crops and Cefetra are sharing a stand this year and are promoting resilience on farm by exploring alternative crops.
Nigel Padbury, Seeds and Marketing Manager for Premium Crops, argues linseed is a good option for farmers in the current climate. He says: “All the stars are aligning for linseed at the moment and it could be a good alternative for farmers.
“The varieties have moved on, you get a good consistent yield and it has half the nitrogen requirement. There’s also big demand for linseed oil at the moment with a £500 per tonne minimum. All of the elements are coming together.”
Another option for farmers to find savings is to win free seed at Cereals. Elsoms are running two competitions at Cereals this year to either win three tonnes of their Sunspire wheat variety or one tonne of their Inferno barley variety. Full details will be on the stand alongside a special Elsoms beer on tap that is brewed with their winter malting barley Buccaneer.
Ceres Rural Crop Challenge
Students from six universities are also battling for glory in the Ceres Rural Crop Challenge. Under the challenge, the teams are each managing a plot of Skyfall wheat and have to make a series of agronomic recommendations.
Winners will not only be judged on the appearance of the crop at Cereals but also on their decision making, communication and team collaboration. Crucially, the students will also be judged on their economic performance, with the panel analysing how cost appropriate their decisions have been during the season.
Roger Davis from AICC and Director and co-founder of Indigro will be part of the judging team and the Chairman of AICC, Andrew Blazey, Partner in Prime Agriculture and AICC’S CEO, Sarah Cowlrick will be in attendance.
Sarah Cowlrick says: “The AICC (Association of Independent Crop Consultants) are delighted to be involved in the Crop Challenge again this year together with members of the Ceres Rural team. The opportunity for students to compete in a trial scale competition at Cereals will enhance their skill sets in making informed, science-based decisions for when they embark on their careers in agronomy.
“AICC members collectively represent approximately 50% of the UK arable advice market and offer support for trainees who have embarked on an agronomy career where advice is not linked to sales. The winners will be invited to the AICC flagship event, the national conference in January 2027 and will have the opportunity to meet independent agronomist from across the country.”
Cereals crop plots
The recent Crop Plot Day at Diddly Squat Farm, 16 April, was a good chance to see how the crops are performing in the Cotswold Brash. Ceres Rural partner Charlie Ireland has been working with Kaleb Cooper Contracting and the Cereals team to grow the crop plots and is confident they will be in great condition for the event.
He said: “This Cereals site has got a bit more body in it than the site last year in Lincolnshire. The crops are proof of this and they’re looking good.
“We're 650 feet up here and the altitude is a benefit too as everything's a bit slower than it might be in the East. I think crops can be burnt up a bit when Cereals opens in the East in June, but here I think most crops will be looking at their finest.”
In addition to the Agronomy Zone, visitors to Cereals at Diddly Squat will have full access to all of Cereals’ informational and technical features like the Seed to Shelf Stage sponsored by KWS, BASE-UK Regenerative Ag Stage sponsored by Tees Law, Young Farmers Programme sponsored by Michelmores, Farmers Weekly Stage, the Syngenta & CropLife Sprays & Sprayers Arena and other working demonstrations. This year will also see a new Livestock Zone sponsored by Nofence.
Just a few of the highlights in the Agronomy Zone this year include:
- Agrii: The Agrii team will be showcasing what the future will look like with their smart connected farm display. Visitors to the stand will be able to explore how next generation digital tools and technologies will work together across the farming landscape and leave with some practical ideas for the future.
- Bionature: Crop nutrition specialists Bionature will be showcasing their full product range and a key highlight is a series of treated and untreated plots of oats, wheat and oilseed rape to help showcase how early nitrogen applications in liquid form can lead to greater biomass in the crops.
- Ceres Rural: Ceres Rural is bringing a dynamic mix of technical expertise, plot demonstrations in the Diddly Squat Farm Trial Area sponsored by Grain Fumigation Services, and the student Crop Plot Challenge is returning once again.
- Corteva: Corteva is showcasing a wide range of solutions on its stand. Highlights include the 100th anniversary of Pioneer seed, new oilseed rape hybrids, a new maize hybrid and a growing range of new biologicals.
- Elsoms Seeds: Elsoms come to Cereals with a new look this year but still have a wide range of crops on display. Highlights include a competition to win one tonne of Inferno or three tonnes of Sunspire wheat varieties which are out next year, the launch of a new wheat variety called Sparkler.
- FMC: This is the first time FMC have exhibited at Cereals and they will have a bright pink display focussed on Fundatis, a new herbicide that features new ingredients and a brand-new mode of action for cereal crops. The all-rounder is aimed at controlling grass weeds in winter wheat and barley.
- Hutchinsons: Hutchinsons will be showcasing a whole farm approach on their stand with the full suite of services ranging from agronomy and soil health through to digital and environmental tools on display. The Omnia digital platform will also be celebrating its 10th anniversary at the event.
- KWS: KWS is celebrating its 170th anniversary this year and is bringing a wide range of their crops from wheat and barley through to feed beet and maize across 32 different plots. Key highlights include three new winter wheat and winter barley candidates alongside some newly recommended varieties that will launch this Autumn. Head of Product Management and Agroservice at KWS, Kate Cobbold, said: “This is a huge showcase event for us and a great opportunity to meet with farmers. There’s nowhere else like it for farmers to be able to see everything in one place and get the chance to pick your brain.”
- Life Scientific: The Life Scientific team reverse engineer premium crop protection products and will be showcasing the science behind their products as well as unveiling a new fungicide called LOSKA which is aimed at wheat, triticale, rye and spelt.
- Niab: With over 25 crop species across 130 plots planned on the Niab stand and its neighbouring Soil Hole exhibit, the organisation will highlight how its science is helping farmers improve crop performance, resilience and sustainability in rapidly changing conditions. Niab CEO Professor Mario Caccamo says: “From genetic innovation and crop protection strategies to regenerative agriculture and emerging crops, our demonstrations this year reflect the scale of change facing UK agriculture - and the opportunities created by research-led solutions.”
- NPZ: NPZ is returning to Cereals with a bigger stand and an expanded range of varieties on show. The comprehensive series of plots will feature winter oilseed rape, spring and winter beans, spring and winter combining peas, and spring wheat.
- Premium Crops & Cefetra: The theme for Premium Crops stand, which is shared with Cefetra, will be about building resilience into farming by showcasing some alternative crops. A key highlight will be a new variety of Spring linseed called Fortress and a new hairless Canary seed.
- RAGT: RAGT will be showcasing a wide variety of crops including oilseed rape and wheat alongside new Spring barley and Sugar Beet crops following recent acquisitions. Highlights include new “double resistant” wheat varieties Griffin and Gorgon which combat BYDV and OWBM alongside a sneak preview of some other varieties in development. RAGT Technical Manager, Andrew Creasey, said: “There’s nowhere else where we can bring everything together in one place like you can at Cereals. It’s a great new location and we’re really looking forward to the event.”
- Rothamstead Research: The key highlight of the Rothamstead plots is a new gene-edited barley which has become the first crop to receive a Precision Bred Organism (PBO) marketing notice confirmation through the UK’s new regulatory pathway for precision breeding. The barley is a high-energy forage crop for ruminant livestock such as cattle and sheep that has the potential to improve feed efficiency while reducing methane emissions.
- Secobra: Former Premium League goalkeeper Chris Kirkland will be the star of the Secobra stand with visitors getting the chance to score a “Belter” against him. The football challenge is a celebration of Secobra’s Belter spring barley variety and they will also be hosting a supply chain discussion on the Farmer’s Weekly stage.
- Syngenta: Syngenta say the Cotswold Brash is a perfect showcase for hybrid varieties and will have their HYVIDO hybrid barley as well as their X-Terra hybrid wheat, Europe’s first commercially-scalable hybrid wheat. Another key highlight is the new Robodog technology for capturing insights from the field. You can now register for tickets at www.thecerealsevent.co.uk or enquire about exhibiting at the event.
