Latest Press Releases

Application timing is critical says PGRO plant pathologist Lea Herold, as BASF survey reveals both new and experienced pulse growers are turning to Signum® for disease control this year. Nearly 70% of bean growers surveyed said they are considering the use of Signum®...

This season is looking promising with prices buoyant and recent rain giving crops potential for growers to invest in. However, ripples from the horrendously wet autumn of 2019 are still being felt, with cash flow on farms depleted leading to economic pressures. In...

Over 400 crofters responded to a Crofting Commission survey on croft under-use and availability. The aim of the survey, says Bill Barron, Chief Executive, was for the Commission to gain an important insight into the most perceived reasons for unused crofts and what...

In the midst of a difficult season, BASF launches comprehensive weather and spraying planning tool, REVYWEATHER. Frequent showers are creating ideal conditions for the rapid development of key diseases like septoria. Yet low temperatures, and short, intermittent...

On Sunday 27th June, the farming industry’s annual open day, LEAF Open Farm Sunday (LOFS) will return to celebrate its 15th event since the initiative was launched in 2006. At a time when food and farming has generated greater interest than ever before, LOFS...

A partnership between the Rural Youth Project and Smart Village Scotland has witnessed the successful launch of a pioneering, youth-centric Smart Village which will champion young people to collaboratively build vibrant, creative, and sustainable rural economies in...

Despite the continued rapid evolution of late blight populations and the potential loss of mancozeb, the future of late blight control in potato crops is promising. In a recent webinar on BASF’s Real Results Virtual Farm, Dr David Cooke, plant pathologist at The James...

Spring barley added to list of crop types available with enhanced features such as disease risk predictions, growth stage forecasting and alerts. Field notes – take note or a picture of a weed and app precisely records location by dropping a pin on a satellite map...

Three industry leading manufacturers have formed a new partnership to help safeguard the future of a post-emergence herbicide that is under threat of de-regulation when it is up for re-approval in 2025. BASF, Nufarm and Sharda Cropchem have formed the “Know the...

Kinto® Plus, a new generation seed treatment from BASF for use on all winter cereals will be available this autumn, providing comprehensive and long-lasting efficacy against a wide spectrum of seed and soil borne diseases, and conferring growth promoting effects to...

Christine Tacon, Chair of both Management Development Services (MDS) – which provides graduate training for fresh produce businesses – and, more recently, of Red Tractor, talked to Royal Agricultural University graduate and MDS Trainee, Max Pitman, about the lessons...

The source limited nature of our wheat varieties today means that disease has a bigger impact on yield than it did some years ago. Dr Julie Smith, Principal Research Scientist, ADAS said, “Wheat plants intercept sunshine (solar radiation) and convert that energy to...

Austen Morley is in his early 20s and has opened a pop-up espresso and cocktail bar – Morley’s Coffee - at his home in Forglen, Aberdeenshire. He has received mentoring and marketing support from the Rural Youth Project for the last 18 months. Austen is serving hot...

Drones help support countryside stewardship Farmers get second chance to win a DJI Mavic Air 2 Pro drone with full training New early-bird prizes, if you scan your cans before 30th April 2021 Scanning Revystar® XE cans with the BASF Companion App Identifying reasons...

Integral® Pro, BASF’s biological seed treatment, has been granted approval for an Extension of Authorisation of Minor Use (EAMU) registration for use on linseed. This will enable seed producers to more reliably meet seed certification standards by reducing levels of...

With two months until LEAF Open Farm Sunday on the 27th June, which will see hundreds of farmers open their farm gates to the public, organisers Linking Environment And Farming (LEAF) have today announced the appointment of eight ambassadors to support farmers,...

Global farmgate prices for pig meat have performed strongly over the first quarter of 2021. Although, despite the recent increase, UK and European prices continue to struggle to match last year’s levels according to the latest market commentary by Quality Meat...

Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) has launched today (29 March) the findings from their Scotch Beef PGI Traceability and Performance project, which examined the potential of DNA testing for traceability and improving the performance of the Scottish beef herd. Established to...

With the increased use of both sexed and beef semen in dairy herds, there is an opportunity to create a network of dairy farmers and beef finishers that can grow the value of Scotland’s calf crop, diversify their income and improve their margins. This is according to...

The recent publication of UK trade data for January confirms the predicted challenges the red meat sector would face as it transitioned to the terms and conditions of trade post Brexit resulting in a slowdown in trade as all parts of the supply change adjusted to the...

Farmers in Morayshire have come together to gain a better understanding, and ultimately decrease transmission, of the fatal viral lung tumour ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma (OPA) to increase the profitability and productivity of their sheep flocks. The project, which...

In response to the future easing of lockdown, an updated Industry Code of Practice for preventing or controlling ill health from animal contact at visitor attractions, has been released to ensure that the public, and particularly children, are safe when interacting...

At a BASF webinar titled ‘Helping spring decisions in OSR’, new research by ADAS uncovered the double trouble cabbage stem flea beetles cause. ADAS entomologist, Fran Pickering, shared her latest trial results in the BASF Virtual Farm’s webinar, giving insight into...

Health and wellness tourism in the outdoors is on the rise, and Scotland’s land-based businesses are ideally placed to capitalise on it. This is according to Calum Johnston of SAC Consulting, part of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), who advises rural businesses on...

After the highly successful first season, which garnered over 120 thousand views, Quality Meat Scotland’s (QMS) ‘Farm Kid Diaries’ is back for its second season with country kids, and their city counterparts, encouraged to get involved. With consumers reconnecting...

Enjoying health and wellbeing continues to be core to the next advertising campaign from the red meat levy board, Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), as it collaborates with outdoorsy influencers and celebrates easy, nutritious cooking at home. In its 2021 Spring campaign,...

Launched in March 2021, The YoungStock is aimed at any budding young farmer, or child interested in farming and the countryside. Packed full of stories and activities, the 32-page publication celebrates the environment, food production and seasonality. Founded by...

Three years ago BASF launched a new SDHI Rhizoctonia solani treatment for potatoes based on the fungicide fluxapyroxad. Last year, with Hummingbird Technologies, BASF measured precise differences in emergence of the treated potato crop compared with azoxystrobin. Paul...

A new partnership between Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) and Scottish Craft Butchers, announced during National Butchers' Week, will relieve financial barriers associated with further skills training, helping more young and ambitious butchers to attain the prestigious...

Following official announcements on the roadmap out of lockdown in England, the LEAF Open Farm Sunday team has decided to move the date of its flagship event to Sunday 27th June, two weeks after the original date planned. LOFS Manager, Annabel Shackleton, said: “By...

BLOG - Sarah Mukherjee, Co-Chair of the Oxford Farming Conference 2021-22 Farming will need every tool in the box to face the enormous challenges to come. "The other day, I looked up, on Google Maps, the council house in Harlow in Essex where I spent many of my...

The results of the Wales Rural Youth Research survey found that only 11% of respondents, aged 16-28 years old, feel their voice is heard in decision making. The survey, initiated by Ffion Storer Jones and conducted between September and November 2020, collated the...

In celebration of National Apprenticeship Week, Quality Meat Scotland is encouraging farmers to support pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programmes, which are important vehicles to steer young people onto agriculture’s career path. Initiatives such as LANTRA’s...

The Scottish Machinery Rings Association (SMRA) is continuing to play a pivotal role in youth development within the land-based and agricultural industry, with the challenges for 2021 focused on skills development and career opportunities for new entrants and career...

With a surge in graduates applying to be part of the fresh produce industry, Sapphira Waterson of Management Development Services (MDS), says knowing who Generation Z is and what they want from a job can increase productivity and profitability for businesses.  MDS,...

BASF’s spring oilseed rape variety InVigor Performer certainly lived up to its name last year, producing a yield of 2.72 t/ha, and with bonuses for excellent oil contents and quality, made a gross margin of £614.56/ha, at a price of £395/t. Tom Smith, agronomist with...

Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) is encouraging farmers to continue engaging and sharing the positive conversations around Scotland’s red meat industry, with recent data from Kantar, analysed by QMS, revealing that 912,000 more retail meat purchases were made in Scotland...

Scottish prime cattle prices at price reporting abattoirs have drifted lower over the past month but remain historically high for this time of year with an increase of around 10% compared to 2020, according to the latest market commentary by Quality Meat Scotland...

The Scottish Red Meat Resilience Group has responded in strong opposition to the recommendations in both the DEFRA and Scottish Government consultations on Welfare of Animals at Transport, which closes for submissions this week. The cross industry group, which aims to...

One of the few post-emergence herbicides for beans and the only post-em available for some especially challenging weeds in the pea crop, such as black nightshade, bentazone, is under threat after four decades of use. Commonly used on beans, peas, linseed, alliums and...

Due to a further surge in demand for trainees, Management Development Services (MDS) is calling for ambitious graduates, both recent and from previous years, to apply for its two-year graduate training programme in the food and fresh produce industry. The MDS graduate...

With an estimated two to three million tonnes of plastics used in agriculture each year, eight North East farmers formed a group to explore new, responsible ways, of disposing of, and reducing, the production of waste plastic. The scope of the ‘Thainstone Silage Wrap...

A diverse, female team has been announced to jointly chair the Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) – the first time in the event’s 76-year history. Agri-food industry experts Barbara Bray and Sarah Mukherjee were appointed to the voluntary position at the end of the...