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Farming

Blight trials a success

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Tackling resistance: Fungicide tests yield positive results

A SURGE in late blight pressure on the independent Eurofins trials site in Derbyshire has developed into one of the best tests of potato blight fungicides for many years.

One trial, designed to mirror the Euroblight categorisation under UK conditions and native blight strains, has underlined the importance of the rating, along with some interesting developments during 2017, reported Syngenta Potato Field Technical Manager, Douglas Dyas.

This year one trial protocol tested 13 different fungicides with single product use at weekly application right through the season; infector rows between plots were inoculated with strains of blight and managed to induce high blight pressure across the site.

“Although in practice all growers and agronomists would select and alternate different blight products in a programme through the season, the trial is a genuine test of any fungicide active’s true capability, and how it performs under UK conditions with evolving blight strains,” advocated Douglas.

He pointed out that this season has really pulled out some of the significant effects caused by different strains of the potato blight pathogen, and the challenges that created for agronomists and growers.

“There had been increasing concerns over the continued effectiveness of fluazinam under the pressure of the specific blight strain, Dark Green EU-37,” he recalled.

“Through the main part of the season the continued use of straight Shirlan had looked extremely good, then through the end of August it collapsed; possibly indicating that Dark Green EU-37 had come into the crop via natural infection.

“Fluazinam remains an extremely important tool for its zoospore activity to prevent tuber blight infection, so this trial has fully supported the advice intended to minimise the risk of the resistant strain building up. That has included to always alternate applications with another active; to mix a partner product such as mancozeb and/or cymoxanil; to maintain robust rates and to limit the overall use of fluazinam.”

The independently assessed trial had also shown some other fluazinam mixtures such as fluazinam + dimethomorph and fluazinam + cymoxanil, along with dimethomorph + amectoctradin, to be losing efficacy as the season progressed.

Douglas highlighted another set of replicated trial plots, where Fubol Gold (mancozeb + metalaxyl-M) had remained almost completely free of blight through to the end of the August assessments. Although the adjacent infector rows were inoculated with the Blue 13 A2 blight strain – which had historically shown resistance to phenylamide bight fungicides – the treatment had very effectively stopped foliar blight developing.

“The highly systemic nature of Fubol Gold does have some real value for use in the rapid canopy phase of crop growth. Agronomists visiting the trials indicated they see it may have a potential role at that timing, albeit for limited use and possibly in mixtures to counter risk of Blue 13 resistance issues,” he added.

The trials had also reinforced how mandipropamid products had remained at the top of the Euroblight table over many years, and continued to perform exceptionally well in the Eurofins UK equivalent.

“Revus was still the top performing straight active in the trials,” reported Douglas. “At the end of August, when severity of blight infection had reached over 90% in untreated plots, the independently assessed Revus plots showed just 0.01% blight severity.

“Furthermore, although the trial was not looking at Alternaria, we included Amphore Plus (mandipropamid + difenoconazole) in the protocol to assure its comparative late blight performance. In fact, it proved even better – with no visible blight recorded in the end of August assessment.”

He attributed that could be due to the formulation of the co-product mixture that had further enhanced the blight control, rather than the difenoconazole acting on the late blight strains.

Farming

Welsh Government could overturn Ceredigion cattle breeder’s house plans

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A CEREDIGION councillor-backed scheme by one of the top breeders of Limousin cattle in the UK to build a home near Lampeter could be overturned following a call for it to be decided by Welsh Government, planners heard.

At the October meeting of Ceredigion County Council’s development management committee, the application, by Mr and Mrs Dylan Davies for a four-bedroom rural enterprise workers’ dwelling at Blaenffynnon, Llanwnnen, Lampeter, where they run a calving and cattle rearing business, was backed despite an officer recommendation for refusal.

One of the issues in the report for members was the financial test of whether the scheme was affordable, based on an estimate the building would cost some £292,000 to construct; at a 25-year mortgage amounting to £20,400 a year.

The size of the proposed building – which the applicants say include a need to entertain and occasionally accommodate clients – was also given as a reason for failing the TAN6 policy test, being larger than affordable housing guidance, at 202 square metres rather than a maximum of 136.

Members have previously heard the applicant breeds high-value show cattle for embryo transplanting at the well-established business, with one bull alone selling for £32,000 last year.

It had previously been recommended for refusal at the September meeting, but was deferred for a ‘cooling-off’ period to seek further details along with potential changes to the size of the scheme.

At the October meeting, members backed approval despite officers saying the size proposed could actually include a two-person bungalow in addition to the normal maximal ‘affordable’ size.

At the start of the November meeting, members heard a request for the scheme to be ‘called-in’ for Welsh Government final decision had been made, meaning Ceredigion planners’ approval could potentially be overturned if the ‘call-in’ is agreed.

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Farming

Welsh Government pressed on impact of new farming tax

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THE Welsh Government have been urged to clarify how many farms in Wales will be affected by the Family Farm Tax.

The calls come after farming unions rebuked claims from the UK Labour Government and Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens that only a minority of farmers will be affected by the new inheritance tax rules.

The UK Labour Government has come under heavy criticism following the announcement by Chancellor Rachel Reeves that farmers would have to pay a 20% tax on farms worth more than £1m.

When questioned on Sunday Politics about the potential impact of the new tax laws on Welsh Farmers, Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens claimed that “Three quarters of farmers will be unaffected”.

The treasury has yet to publish an estimate around the impact that the new tax laws will have on Welsh farms.

Both the FUW and NFU Cymru have expressed their concerns at the changes made by the UK Government, stating that it will cause “lasting damage to Welsh farming.”

The Welsh Lib Dems have now called on the Welsh Government to clarify how many farms in Wales will be impacted by the new Family Farm Tax rules.

Party leader Jane Dodds MS has written to the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs Huw Irranca-Davies to express her concern over the “untold damage that farming communities throughout Wales will face as a consequence of the UK Government’s most recent budget”.

In the same letter, Jane Dodds MS pressed Mr Irranca-Davies to confirm how many Welsh farms will be affected by the new inheritance laws.

“We cannot afford to leave our farming communities in the dark when it comes to the impact of this potentially devasting new tax law” said Jane Dodds MS.

Both our farmers and the Welsh Public deserve to know the truth that lies behind Labour’s claims that only a small amount of farmers will be impacted by the Family Farm Tax. Claims that, I should add, have already been disputed by both NFU Cymru and the FUW.

The uncertainty surrounding these new inheritance laws will place more unnecessary pressure on farmers across Wales, many of whom are already struggling under a cloud of financial pressures.”

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Farming

Pembrokeshire farmer’s award for outstanding service to Welsh dairy industry

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DAIRY farmer, Stephen James, from Gelliolau farm in Clunderwen, Pemborkeshire has been presented the FUW Outstanding Service to the Welsh Dairy Industry award at the Welsh Dairy Show 2024 in Carmarthen.

Presenting Stephen with the award will be FUW President Ian Rickman during the Welsh Dairy Show held at the United Counties Showground in Nantyci, Carmarthen on Tuesday 22 October 2024.

Ian Rickman, FUW President said: “The judging panel were delighted with the nominations this year, but Stephen’s diligent and relentless work for over 20 years representing the industry in a public role on the issue of Bovine TB in particular placed him on top.

“A worthy winner, Stephen has used his own experience of dealing with TB on his own farm business, having been in and out of restrictions for over a quarter of a century, to highlight the main issues that affect Welsh farmers, publicly.”

Stephen is Chairman of the Wales Animal Health and Welfare Framework a position he has held since July 2018. As Chairman, working closely with Wales’ Chief Veterinary Officer, Stephen works to make improvements in standards of animal health and welfare across Wales.

He has also been a leading figure in representing the concerns of Welsh farming to the Government. As an industry representative on the Welsh Government TB programme board, he has undertaken countless bilingual media interviews to local, national and international broadcasters. He highlights the impact the disease has on farming families and the need for the Welsh Government to implement a Comprehensive TB Eradication Strategy.

On winning the award, Stephen James said: “Receiving this award is a huge privilege. It was quite a shock to hear the news. I am extremely grateful to receive the award, especially at an event that is so close to my heart and is so important to the milk sector in Wales. Thank you so much for the honour.”

Stephen James has held a wide range of positions within NFU Cymru from Local Branch Chairman to President (2014 – 2018). He has worked on a number of significant policy areas including the Common Agricultural Policy Reform and Brexit, dairy issues and an influential figure during the trying times of the 2012 milk crisis. Stephen, alongside other UK farming union leaders, addressed the July 2012 dairy farmers Westminster Hall Rally.

Passionate about supporting the next generation of farmers, Stephen shared the responsibility for his farm business at Gelliolau to his son, Daniel, at a young age. He has been heavily involved with the Wales Young Farmers, both locally and nationally holding a number of positions including Pembrokeshire County Chairman, Pembrokeshire County President and Wales YFC Council member.

A long standing member of First Milk and a Director and past Chairman of Clynderwen and Cardiganshire Farmers, he truly believes in the values and principles of co-operative organisations.

He is former President of the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society, a President and active Board Member of Clunderwen Show Society, a past Chair of Clunderwen Community Council and member and past Chairman of Narberth Grassland Society. Stephen James is also a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Societies.

Ian Rickman concluded: “Stephen James has truly made an outstanding contribution to the Welsh Dairy Industry. We are delighted to present him with this FUW award in recognition of the years of work he has carried out on behalf of Welsh farmers. On behalf of the FUW, I congratulate and thank Stephen for his work.”

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