Just under half of UK farmers (48%) don’t have a succession plan in place, according to a new survey by NFU Mutual.

This figure has remained static for the past three year.

More than a third of farmers said they don’t have a plan because they think it’s relevant to them; while 16% admit it is relevant, but they haven’t got round to it.

Gregor Belcher, farming specialist at NFU Mutual, believes uncertainty in the industry over the past few years has meant deciding who to hand the farm down to, and how to do it, has dropped down the priority list for many farmers.

Simple ways to protect your business

Even if your farm does not have a natural successor, you can still protect yourself.

Partnership protection and key person insurance are two simple ways to do this, says NFU Mutual.

Chartered financial planner Sean McCann said: “Even if now isn’t the right time to make a succession plan for your farm, there are still some simple measures you can put in place to protect its future.

“Thinking of the ‘what ifs’ is a useful starting point, especially if you’re in a partnership.”

One of the biggest risks of a business partnership, is one of the partners may die, with his or her share passing to someone else – who may have little interest in the business, or worse still, could be hostile to your objectives.

Meanwhile a partner who suffers a serious illness might want to retain the option of continuing in the business or be compensated for their exit from the business.

“The ideal solution is to have a partnership agreement in place that sets out what happens if one of the partners dies, becomes seriously ill or wishes to exit the business,” Sean explains.

“This, together with each of the partners having up to date wills in place, will help ensure the business ends up in the right hands at the right time.”

Later life security

Another key consideration is how farmers are going to fund their income in later life. The good news is an increasing number of farmers have some financial security in the form of pensions, investments or savings.

Over the past four years, the percentage of farmers with pensions has increased from 66% to 77%, and pensions have been identified by farmers as one of the most important financial management priorities.

Sean explained: “An increasing number of farmers are investing in pensions.

“Pensions can provide an independent source of income for the older generation, giving them the freedom to take less from the farm.

“This can be particularly important when two, and sometimes three, generations are relying on the farm for their livelihood.

“Seeking specialist advice from financial advisers with rural expertise can help farmers navigate those transitions.”

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“Every farmer wants to get the best returns for their efforts every year,” says Ben Hatton, Gatekeeper key account manager, Farmplan. “Naturally, there are some things that are out of your control, something which was certainly demonstrated this year.

“However, there are key agronomic and management decisions that, using the right information, can make a huge difference to a farm’s profitability and indeed its sustainability.”

Growers are increasingly turning to farm management software, which helps turn yield data into truly effective actions that bring valuable returns for farm businesses. This is crucial in a sector which needs to remain profitable amid relentless change, volatility, and an increasing demand for sustainability and traceability at every level.

Getting more value from yield data

Yield data is plentiful; the technology has become almost commonplace in the arable sector, and yield mapping is gaining a similar level of acceptance too. However, in many cases, there remains a large gap between how much data is collected by the combines which are fitted with yield monitors and the value growers are extracting from that data once it is brought back into the farm office.

So how can farmers get more value from their yield data? Investing time and resources in analysing yield maps is a great place to start. This will provide invaluable insights into what is happening on their farm which they can use to really drive their business forward.

Organised and accurate yield maps provide a benchmark for farm performance and a reference for financial values and measurements. This gives growers a greater sense of where they are financially and allows them to drill down into which parts of their farm business are doing well and which parts are underperforming. Gross margin reporting provides visibility across the field and farm based entirely on the user’s own records.

Being able to leverage data from yield mapping comparisons doesn’t just help you understand where you are now, it shows you where you are heading.

It provides a reference for further crop inputs, allowing growers to map records across growing seasons from 2023 and beyond, so they can fine-tune their approach and make more informed decisions. What you can better measure, you can better manage.

Seeing the big picture of farm performance

Yield maps can offer insight into what is happening and at the end of the growing season, they are the ‘benchmark’ of performance. Growers are increasingly realising the benefits of collecting this valuable information over time, using tools like Proagrica’s Farmplan Gatekeeper as part of a bigger picture view of their farm business that also includes historical, agronomic, and local knowledge to aid decision making.

Adam Joslin, Gatekeeper software specialist, says the more yield data history you have the more reliable it is. “Gatekeeper software has always been at the forefront of compatibility and it can import yield data across a whole range of manufacturers. Plus, it provides correction and analysis of the raw data to help you make more of this information.

“I was with a client recently, who was in the middle of submitting a new stewardship agreement. He asked how he could decide which areas of his farm are better out of production. Yield information can support important decisions like this and much more.” 

Getting the best from smart analysis tools

The key to closing the gap between data collection and data value is making full use of smart analysis tools, which allow farmers to adopt a variable input system based on yield maps and other data. This can bring considerable cost savings in terms of reduced inputs, less machine use and maintenance, and less operator time, but also important environmental benefits for the soil, wildlife, and the wider environment.

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Image © RSABI

RSABI has made £100,000 available to help those worst affected by the severe flooding in Scotland this month.

The charity is offering payments of up to £1,000 per farming family business for those who experienced the greatest loss as a result of the extreme rainfall and flooding – which began on 6^th October.

Those who have sustained serious losses or damage are being encouraged to complete an online application form which is available via RSABI’s website and social media platforms.

The funding will be provided, at RSABI’s discretion, to those who meet the eligibility criteria and are able to provide details and evidence of damage and losses.

RSABI is also working with the team at Forage Aid to assess what demand there is for replacement bedding, feed and forage and the charity is asking farmers who have lost these supplies due to the flooding to email forageaid@rsabi.org.uk

RSABI chief executive Carol McLaren said the charity has received reports of people who have sustained damage to property, vehicles and fencing.

“The past week has been a very trying one for many farming families in the worst-hit parts of Scotland as they have been trying to recover from one of the greatest sustained periods of heavy rain for decades. We are launching this fund to show our support to those who have been significantly affected by the flooding.”

Ms McLaren said RSABI had been very touched by the offers of donations and supplies of silage and straw from farmers in other parts of the country keen to support those who had sustained losses.

“We have been moved by the support being offered by people in the agricultural community who are keen to help fellow farmers at this very difficult time for those affected. This tide of emotional support is very valuable in itself and we hope it will help to lift the spirits of those who have suffered loss in the past week.

“We would encourage anyone who has lost vital supplies needed to feed and bed livestock through the coming winter to please get in touch by emailing forageaid@rsabi.org.uk to allow us to assess the level of demand for a Forage Aid response.”

You can find further information and a link to the online form to apply for funding via https://www.rsabi.org.uk/rsabi-launches-100000-flooding-fund-for-farmers/

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Having turned his hand to farming three years ago, marmite figure Clarkson has been praised for showing the realities of farming life – whilst finding humour in the challenges and mishaps he faces day to day.

Now, he’s set to release his third book on his farming journey, Pigs Might Fly.

Clarkson read out a snippet of the book, which is due to be released later this month, on Instagram, but he gave little away.

“This is my brand new book. And I thought it might be fun to read you a short excerpt from it, give you a flavour:

‘Part of the problem is that to make the price seem worthwhile, you have to tell people why your new acquisition was so expensive. It was Richard Madeley’s cricket bat, you know.’

“Exciting stuff. And there’s more where that came from in Diddly Squat: Pigs Might Fly.”

According to the book summary, readers can expect to be regaled with more outlandish schemes from Diddly Squat Farm – the sheep are gone, to be replaced with pigs and ‘psychopathic’ goats ­– while the cows have been joined by a bull named Break-Heart Maestro.

Since the last book, Clarkson’s enthusiastic schemes for diversification have been met with stubborn opposition from the ‘red trouser bridgade’, and Kaleb and Lisa have had doubts about Jeremy’s plan to build a business empire based on rewilding and nettle soup.

Nonetheless, Clarkson remains ‘irrepressibly optimistic’ about life at Diddly Squat.

The book follows his previous offerings, A Year on the Farm and ‘Til the Cows Come Home’.

Pigs Might Fly is due for release in hardback on 26^th October 2023 (published by Michael Joseph).

 

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Image © Plank PR.

1. What inspired the theme of your new book?

There are these British traditions that have been around for years and years, and loads of people are enjoying them every day. So I thought, why don’t I investigate and write a book about all these traditions, such as the cheese rolling, gravy wrestling and nettle eating competitions and agricultural shows?

The atmosphere at these shows – everyone’s in this bubble of excitement, all the farmers are chatting away, and it’s just amazing.

So I started – in the tractor cab, because that’s where I do my best thinking (I got a little recorder) – I started googling, asking my friends and family: “Have you ever been cheese rolling?”

I might be interested in taking part in gravy wrestling, who knows? I’m not sure about the nettle eating competition.

© Quercus

2. What can readers expect from Britain According to Kaleb?

There’s lots of pictures in there, it’s very similar to the first book [The World According to Kaleb]. It’s basically going through regions and looking at the Scottish traditions coming down to Wales and the Midlands. It’s very much all over Britain.

I’m known for not travelling, not going very far from home, because I get a nosebleed and a little bit scared, but more importantly, I like where I live. I sat looking at all these different places and thought, I’m missing out on some of the most amazing places in Britain. And the farmland and different people, everything, so I thought, why don’t I go on tour?

3. You don’t come from a farming background – what attracted you to the industry?

I got into farming by selling eggs. So, age 13, my mum bought me three chickens for my birthday. I didn’t get an Xbox, I didn’t get a PlayStation, I didn’t get an iPad, I got three chickens. I thought, I can make a business out of this, and I sold the chicken eggs and paid back my food costs, and paid myself a wage, and that’s how I started.

4. What does the countryside and farming life mean to you?

I wouldn’t say [farming] is a job, for me. I think I speak for every farmer out there saying that. I don’t wake up in the morning and go “Ahh, I’ve got to go and jump on a power harrow today” or “I’ve got to go and feed the cows”. I never wake up and think that. The day I did wake up and think that is the day that I’m in the wrong job.

I’ve always said that the thing that I do, as a “job” is a way of life. As a farmer, you very much stay in the countryside all your life and witness the most amazing view I think.

5. Have you been surprised by the fame you’ve experienced since Clarkson’s Farm?

I never expected it, but I think the best things happen in life when you don’t expect them.

6. What are your thoughts on the challenges the industry is facing?

The weather’s very much a big part of every farmer’s life, but I think as the climate changes, it’s going to be a big challenge for farmers to adapt. But equally, farmers are the best people at adapting.

I think every farmer out there is thinking right, the weather’s gonna be bad this year, next year might be worse. I mean, we’re in October, and [seeing temperatures of] 25 degrees, it’s mad isn’t it?

So I’m just trying to think ahead now, thinking right, what am I gonna do to try and survive this winter? Who knows what’s gonna happen?

Whilst he’s known for not travelling, Kaleb is set to tour the UK to see firsthand some of the places in his new book, and “have a chinwag” with audiences about farming. Image © SO Visual

7. What would your advice be to someone who wants to get into farming but is not from a farming background?

I’m not from a farming background – my mum is a dog groomer and my dad’s a carpenter. They own their own businesses, do very well and work very hard.

Getting into farming… it was really hard and I was very lucky to have that one farmer go yeah, do you want a job? I think the best bit of advice I’d give to any young person is, have a bit of courage and go and speak to that local farmer and ask him how his day is going. While he’s there, he’ll probably be working because he’s so busy, so just give him a hand lifting them gates while you’re talking to him and see if you can get a job, or just chat generally about what you’re interested in and be interested in what he/she is doing.

I think what got me [my first] job was the willingness to graft, but, more importantly, learn what the industry is all about.

I’ve always remembered, at the back of your head you can set a goal or a dream, and just remember, dreams don’t work unless you do. That’s the advice I’d give to any young farmer.

8. Can you tell us about your bursary to help young farmers?

The application is open now, and it’s giving them £3,000 over three years, to help them with travel expenses and pay for courses. Luckily this year, I was thinking I’m only going be able to get one candidate, but we’ve actually got two people we can put through.

The good thing is, it doesn’t matter what grades you get – if you get straight As, brilliant; if you get Us, if you get Cs, it doesn’t matter. That’s what I like about farming, it’s open for everybody.

An apprenticeship for me worked really well. And I started doing much better in school when I started farming and working out hectares and acres and how much money I’m gonna make each week selling eggs.

Kaleb hopes audiences on his tour will leave with a better understanding of farming, and the importance of buying British. Image © SO Visual

9. Finally, how are you feeling about your upcoming tour?

As a whole, I haven’t really thought a great deal about it, I’ve just come out of harvest. But I’m actually really excited. Of course, I’m gonna be nervous flying around but I think nerves are a good thing, because it makes you want to improve who you are as a person.

The show itself is a really fun way to put farming centre stage in the theatre; that is how I’m describing the show. Hopefully I can have a good chinwag about farmers, and if there’s any sheep farmers, I’m gonna bow to them because how do you sheep farm? Sheep are just awful creatures. Cows are just amazing, they’ve got personalities; the hairstyles are normally better than mine which is very annoying.

But, more importantly, if the general public come along to this, I hope they come out of there going, I know how milk is made, I know how wheat is done. And I hope they come out saying, “I’m gonna buy local bread actually because of all the food miles”.

Britain According to Kaleb: The Wonderful World of Country Life (published by Quercus) is available now in hardback, ebook & audio. (Hardback £20).

Information on his 2024 tour can be found here: https://www.nlp-ltd.com/kaleb/

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More than £158m will be shared by over 15,600 farms across Wales as Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) 2023 advance payments are made today, Welsh rural affairs minister Lesley Griffiths has announced.

As a result over 96% of claimants will see a BPS advance payment worth approximately 70% of their estimated claim value.

This year, for the first time, Rural Payments Wales (RPW) will be making BPS advance payments during a payment window.

The new payment window will run until 15th December. Farm businesses not receiving an advance payment tomorrow, but whose claim is subsequently validated before 15th December, will receive the advance payment.

Full and remaining balance BPS 2023 payments will be made from 15th December 2023, subject to full validation of the BPS claim.

It is expected all but the most complex BPS claims will be fully validated, and payments made before the end of the payment window on 30th June 2024.

“Major boost for farm cash flows”

NFU Cymru president Aled Jones commented: “This support will be a major boost for the cash flow of more than 15,600 Welsh farmers, along with the allied industries who rely on farmers for so much of their income.”

With the level of ‘agri-inflation’ running around 40% higher in 2023 than 2020, and output prices not keeping pace with input prices, the news is particularly welcome.

“Through the successive crises of the global pandemic and the Ukraine war, Welsh farming has remained committed to food production and providing consumers with safe, high quality, affordable food. Welsh Government’s role in providing stability and certainty to farmers through the BPS has been crucial to this,” Aled Jones added.

“The continuation of this stability payment is as important now as it has ever been and why it is crucial that stability measures remain as a key part of the long-term agricultural policy framework in Wales. The Sustainable Farming Scheme must maintain at least the same level of stability, for all farm sectors and types, as that currently provided by the BPS.”

He welcomed the maintenance of the BPS budget for 2023 and stressed the importance of continuing this into 2024.

“It is important to recognise that the budgets for agriculture remain at levels established a decade ago and, in that time, have not been adjusted for inflation. Taking account of inflation and using the Bank of England inflation calculator, the BPS should increase by £79 million from £238m to £317m just to stand still.”

Mr Jones concluded by noting that some businesses will not receive the advance payment today, but welcomed changes by the RPW that mean some of these businesses will not have to wait until 15^th December.

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Ministers in Scotland are seeking urgent clarity from the UK Government that it will not undermine high standards of food safety and animal welfare in order to secure a trade deal with the US.

They also asked for reassurance that the Scottish Government will be fully included in the UK Government’s activities relating to trading arrangements with the US – after media reports appeared to leave ministers blindsided.

Rural affairs minister Mairi Gougeon said: “The interests of Scottish agriculture, and other sectors, must not be traded away in order to secure a quick deal with the US, or any country.”

Mairi Gougeon and Scottish trade minister Richard Lochhead wrote an open letter to the UK Government, after media reports suggested the possibility of a ‘foundational trade partnership’ with the US, which covers topics such as digital trade, labour protections and agriculture.

“Acute concern to farmers”

‘It is particularly concerning that we are only hearing of this now from the media, and while the implications of this arrangement are not yet clear, the media reports will most certainly be of acute concern to our farming communities and so we have decided to write to you jointly about this issue,’ the Scottish ministers said.

They acknowledged the benefits of building relationships with the US and highlighted examples of the Scottish Government’s cooperation and engagement on UK free trade agreements.

With this in mind, they added: ‘We would be extremely disappointed if it transpired that the UK Government had been working on plans to deepen the trading relationship with the United States without any indication, advance notification, nor involvement of Scottish Ministers, leaving us to learn of this purported development through the media.’

Warning over compromise on standards

But it is the practical effects of such an agreement on Scottish farming and food interests which has the ministers most concerned.

Whilst the US is an important destination for our food and drink produce, it would be ‘entirely counterproductive’ to undermine Scotland’s high standards and lose market access elsewhere, in order to secure a trade deal with the US, they wrote.

‘More specifically, we have concerns around any potential impact this may have on vital UK-EU trade, and potential increased cost for business directly and through increased scrutiny from our EU partners.’

Calls for reassurance to farmers and ministers

Based on media reports, which have created considerable concern in the farming sector, the deal appears to fall short of a free trade agreement, it could be viewed as a bridging step to one, they argued.

Ministers warned of ‘significant changes to consumer protections, production standards and the profitability of our vital agricultural sector if any trade deal enables US agri-food imports produced to lower standards to be imported into the UK’.

Specifically, any relaxing of the UK’s opposition to hormone-treated beef, GM crops and chlorine-washed chicken would be ‘completely unacceptable’.

The ministers concluded by urging the UK Government to alleviate concerns in the farming sector by reiterating its opposition to any derogation of food safety and standards and animal welfare standards. They also asked for a commitment to involve Scottish ministers and officials in its plans for trading with the US.

Responding to the letter in a statement, a UK Government spokesperson said: “The UK and US are rapidly expanding the work we do together across the full spectrum of our economic, technological, commercial and trade relations through the Atlantic Declaration. Discussions with the US on next steps under this first-of-its-kind agreement are ongoing.”

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Stock photo for illustration only.

New updates to AHDB’s Slurry Wizard tool aim to improve user experience, as round two of Defra’s Slurry Infrastructure grant application is opened.

By entering basic farm information such as animal numbers, yard and roof areas that capture rainfall, and housing periods, the wizard calculates the volume of slurry that the farm will produce on a monthly basis.

This data, together with the farm’s current slurry storage capacity, is used to calculate how long it takes to fill the available storage and whether more capacity is needed.

Recent updates include making rainfall data and predictions more accurate, assessing every 1km² of locality, and making the tool more usable and effective for pig producers by allowing slurry and wash water produced on farms to be accounted for.

There is also a new ‘scenarios’ option to assess the impact of mitigation actions like diverting rainwater runoff or using a cover or separator, and a wider range of available bank slopes for earth-banked slurrystores and the ability to incorporate slurry bags have also been added.

Slurry Wizard is also part of Defra’s Slurry Infrastructure grant application, which helps replace, build additional or expand existing slurry stores to provide six months’ storage, helping farmers to improve the use of organic nutrients on farms and reduce pollution.

When applying for the recently opened round two of the grant, a copy of the farm’s Slurry Wizard storage capacity calculation and rainfall data is required.

David Ball, AHDB lead environmental scientist, said: “AHDB recognises the value of slurry, with its unique value in nutrients, and ability to reduce the need for artificial fertiliser, reduce input costs and reduce a farm’s environmental impact.

“Using Slurry Wizard allows farmers to make the most of their slurry by calculating their current production and capacity and allowing them to explore different scenarios by providing them with a cost benefit analysis for potential system changes, keeping them well informed in their decision making.

“Having sufficient, well-designed slurry storage is essential to make best use of organic manures and minimise harm to the environment. I would encourage all farmers to make use of the Slurry Wizard tools and if they’re considering investing in their slurry systems to apply for a Defra grant.”

For more information on AHDB’s Slurry Wizard visit: https://ahdb.org.uk/slurry-wizard

To learn more about Defra’s Slurry Infrastructure grant visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/slurry-infrastructure-grant/how-to-apply-for-a-slurry-infrastructure-grant

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Red Tractor has announced that its voluntary environment module will be available from April 2024, but while the news has been welcomed by retailers, farmers have fiercely criticised the move.

According to Red Tractor, the module offers farmers, processors and packers one set of common criteria, and is set to operate very differently from the typical core standards.

It is being introduced to tackle the potential increase in audit demands on farmers as retailers, out of home operators and brands face pressure to source produce more sustainable.

However, a backlash on social media and forums has seen farmers raise serious concerns that the module could become compulsory, forcing farm businesses to spend more on higher environmental standards, without being paid for it.

What is the Greener Farms Commitment?

Red Tractor says the module will allow farmers to make commitments and track their own progress across five key areas for environmentally focused farming:

• Carbon foot printing
• Soil management
• Nutrient management
• Waste management
• Biodiversity.

It will recognise other schemes or programmes such as the SFI and other devolved government schemes, reducing the cost and complexity, and making it as easy as possible for farmers to complete, Red Tractor says.

The GFC will also have its own logo, for farmers to demonstrate their environmental credentials to consumers, whilst also differentiating the high quality of British products compared to international competition.

From 1st April 2024, the scheme will be open to the supply chain across all sectors where members are already certified against Red Tractor’s core standards. The GFC will be administered by Red Tractor directly, rather than by appointed Certification Bodies.

Unlike core standards, the GFC does not require the same thing at every farm, but instead requires farmers to register a plan for progress that is unique to their circumstances, and then measure their success and learning against that.

There will also be a dedicated Development Advisory Panel (DAP) to oversee the detail, operation, and evolution of the GFC. Its first task will be to give feedback on the technical content of the module before it is finalised and published to help ensure its practical application by sector.

The news has been welcomed by major retailers and the British Retail Consortium.

Farming reaction

Speaking on BBC 4’s Farming Today programme, Leicestershire farmer Joe Stanley said that whilst the industry is keen to move in a more sustainable direction, natural capital services such as carbon footprinting, soil management and biodiversity creation etc, which the GFC refers to, are all expected to create new income streams in future, to replace BPS payments.

“So I think the concern here from many farmers is that we are looking at being set up to give those things away for free to the rest of the food supply chain, to the retailers, to help them fulfil their environmental commitment.”

He added: “Of course it’s being trailed as a voluntary measure but as is usually the case with such things, it will inevitably soon become the industry standard and everyone will be required to adhere to it.”

Norfolk farmer Henry Catling commented on X: ‘Once again British farmers are being asked to go above and beyond for no premium. Voluntary will soon be compulsory, and once again UK Ag will suffer to the supermarkets benefit.’

North west farmer Liz Hoggarth, meanwhile, said on X that adhering to the module would cost her business £9,000 a year and expressed concerns that the NFU was not part of the consultation process.

She wrote: ‘I love the #redtractor model, it engages and is recognised by the general public, but we need to do more ourselves to engage as primary producers, we need to sell our product before the @Conservatives sell us down the river like the bales in Inveraray!

‘@RedTractorFood have to ensure farm assured farms receive a premium for their produce if the retailers want us to just through hoops, the cost has to STOP being passed down to the primary producer.’

NFU president Minette Batters replied: ‘It’s my understanding that the consultation starts now. Whether we like it or not sustainability is becoming the licence to trade but there MUST be a premium and that premium must come back to the farm gate.’

“Completely unacceptable”

Having come under fire from farmers on X, NFU vice president Tom Bradshaw said in a statement that the union has been “robustly challenging” the governance behind the environment module for the past 18 months.

“I was alarmed that it had been previously decided by the Red Tractor board that in developing this module all of the technical committees and sector boards where NFU members sit would be bypassed. I have found this position completely unacceptable and said so repeatedly.”

He added: “We have never said that as one of the 18 members of the Red Tractor board we didn’t have knowledge of the module, but at no point have expert NFU members and advisors been involved with the development of the crucial details within it.”

Mr Bradshaw said “significant concessions” had been gained to allow the module to be scrutinised by the technical advisory committees and sector boards. The NFU also fought for and gained agreement to set up the Development Advisory Panel. The union also highlighted concerns about how this could work in the devolved nations with their differing agricultural policies, which have not been involved at all, he added.

Aim is to “protect farmers”, CEO says

Defending the scheme, Red Tractor CEO Jim Moseley said it aims to protect farmers from from future audit demands, costs and complexity.

Speaking on the Farming Today programme he said: “We know that almost all retailers are looking to demonstrate their environmental commitment. Our concern is that could potentially lead to a multitude of demands on farmers and that those farms are going to be inundated with requests for different carbon footprints, different approaches on biodiversity etc etc.

“So where we started from is trying to develop a common industry approach that would reduce the number of programmes, audits or things farmers would have to do by having one simple module that meets the needs of all of those retailers and brands and OOH operators.”

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Stock photo for illustration only.

The active substance isoflucypram and fungicide Vimoy – the first product to contain the new active – have been approved by the Chemicals Regulation Division (CRD) of the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).

Isoflucypram is the first fungicide active substance to be approved by the CRD post-Brexit, making Britain’s growers the first in Europe – and only the second worldwide after New Zealand – to be given access to it.

“Isoflucypram – which will be marketed as ‘Iblon’ – is a ground-breaking new fungicide that delivers unrivalled broad-spectrum activity against the main foliar diseases of wheat, including yellow rust, Septoria tritici and brown rust while providing useful activity against stem-based diseases such as eyespot,” says Rosalind O’Hare, Bayer campaign manager for combinable fungicides.

Vimoy will be available in a co-pack with Proline (prothioconazole) called ‘ion iblon’.  The inclusion of Proline supports its broad-spectrum activity while adding a second mode of action to ensure sound resistance management.

Trial results

Mrs O’Hare says a significant factor in the product’s performance is the N-cyclopropyl ring at the centre of molecule’s structure, which enhances the intrinsic activity and supports its broad-spectrum effectiveness.

Septoria trials spanning multiple sites in 2021 and 2022 found Iblon was “far better than either the existing standard, Ascra Xpro, or products containing Solatenol, such as Elatus Era, and on a par with both Revystar XE and Univoq”.

She continues: “It has performed equally impressively against yellow rust. In a 2021 trial by the University of Nottingham it demonstrated greater curative and protectant activity than Soletanol making it the best-in-class fungicide against this unpredictable disease.

“Importantly, it has demonstrated strong persistent protection and curative activity against both Septoria and yellow rust and is active at all stages of the pathogen lifecycle.

“In addition to Septoria and yellow rust, Iblon also delivers excellent protection against brown rust and useful activity against both the W and R types of eyespot. In combination with Proline its activity against eyespot is further improved and its spectrum of activity extended to include Fusarium and mildew.”

Bayer has also optimised Iblon to work with the outstanding Leafshield formulation used in the Xpro range of fungicides.

Extended green leaf area retention

Research conducted by the University of Reading found that for every day past crop flowering that the green leaf area is maintained at 37% or above, wheat yield accumulates by up to 0.15t/ha.

“Prolonging green leaf retention for longer has been shown to significantly benefit yield. An ADAS trial from 2019 found Iblon applied at T2 prolonged green leaf area retention above the 37% threshold for eight days over the untreated and three days over Ascra Xpro.

“This resulted in a yield gain of 1.31t/ha over the untreated and 0.46t/ha over Ascra Xpro,” Mrs O’Hare says.

A welcome addition

The approval of Iblon has been welcomed by crop protection professionals.

ADAS researcher Jonathan Blake said the flexibility to use Iblon against either rust or Septoria depending on the season, will be appreciated by growers.

“Iblon is excellent on both yellow and brown rust and very good on Septoria,” Mr Blake says.  “It is a more active SDHI on Septoria than existing standards, and the flexibility it will add to programmes will make it a valuable addition at either the T1 or T2 timing,” he adds.

Frontier Agriculture crop production technical lead Dr Paul Fogg was equally pleased with the news having seen Iblon perform strongly in trials.

“It is great to have innovation, which helps to keep the job moving forwards. What really stood out this year was that it was a season of two halves, Septoria early on and then yellow rust. The broad-spectrum activity of Iblon came to the fore as part of a programme. It is not an ‘either/or’ product. It has always performed at a good level but this year on varieties that need a high level of input, Iblon looked to be a real stand out solution for growers ahead of the 2024 season,” Dr Fogg says.

Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC) committee member Patrick Stephenson, who observed Iblon’s performance in treatment trials, said it would bring both efficacy and stewardship benefits to growers.

“Iblon brings another frontline piece of chemistry to the fungicide armoury that we can utilise in disease control strategies. Its authorisation will help us maintain efficacy and provide additional protection to all our chemistry options,” Mr Stephenson says.

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