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Warm November 2014

08/12/14

Warm November 2014 November 2014 has been about 3 degrees warmer than November 2013. Our Vantge Pro 2 weather station is positioned in Seaton village a few miles from the East coast. 2014 – 8.9 degrees 2013 – 6.2 degrees 2012 – 6.9 degrees The warm conditions have caused faster crop growth, particularly noticeable on oil seed rape with many crops at the 9 leaf stage end of November. Observations such as increased slug activity, aphid activity and faster black grass germination can be put down to the warmer weather. Photos of our observations can be seen under ‘observations’ in the JK Senior Web site. The warm conditions have made a difference in spray effectiveness, for example the November sprayed ACCASE herbicides such as Aramo have worked faster. The warm temperatures will have a knock on effect throughout this season pushing crops through the winter and into spring with a higher green area index, and a more developed root structure. You can check further details of weather history on our website under the rainfall monitor section. Introduction to Greening for 2015 season The last major details of the Greening scheme were published October 2014. It does pose practical implications on the farm, and moves the emphasis of selecting crops away from traditional market forces. You can check our Greening app on our web site to help guide you through the practical challenges and understand the financials. Greening is part of the Common Agricultural Policy a plan to boost the environmental health, through regulation and rules. One rule is the 3 crop rule implemented to move rotations away from monoculture. We have found that smaller enterprises have greater difficulty to find solutions owing to the practicalities of field sizes. The environmental focus Areas (EFA) are weighted areas, calculated on environmentally positive features which include: hedges, buffer strips, N-fixing crops and fallow. Conditions should be met to receive full BSP payments. Our greening app will help to show your options. To reach the correct cropping decisions choose a rotation that will maximize your returns, whilst maintaining a healthy soil and weed profile.

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All News

• Warm November 2014 (08 December 2014)
• Black Grass (01 October 2013)
• Record November Rainfall (20 December 2011)
• NVZ Compliance Problems - Food for Thought (20 December 2011)
• Rake & Roll Joins the Fight Against Black-Grass. (01 November 2011)
• Blackgrass Resistance (22 November 2010)