Andy Bailey and Mel Wardle, ADAMA fungicide Technical Specialist and Product Manager catch up ahead of the spring 2022 season. Andy shares his latest advice on fungicide strategy for the coming spring season. He will also provide his best use advice for ARIZONA following ADAMA latest trials results.

Location: Zoom

Show notes:

This online episode features our in-house technical specialists, Andy Bailey and Bill Lankford, as well as special guest Ian Holmes, in-house agronomist at Strawsons Ltd in Nottinghamshire. 

Also, Charles Anyan and John Birchall, two growers looking after farms in North Lincolnshire and Shrewsbury, give us an update on how they've come through the winter and are preparing for spring. Plus, coming up later in the show is an extended interview with Charles about the recent run1000 event that he took part in raising awareness around mental health and raising vital money too, for the Farming Community Network.

02.58 - Ian updates us on how his crop fields are looking at the moment

03.07 - Andy brings us up to speed with the importance of multi-sites 

06.57 - Ian shares why he believes resistant management is an important part of his strategy and his views on folpet (ADAMA multi-site). 

09.45 - New into the ADAMA business, Bill provides an update on what he is working on at the moment as Herbicide Technical Specialist 

11.04 - Charles Anyan and John Birchall give us an update on how they've come through the winter and are preparing for spring

21.42 - Ian shares his approach to T0 and whether this is tailored by variety 

28.43 - Charles reflects back on the run 1000 initiative 

36.58 - Back with Ian, he shares his pressures from black grass, ryegrass and broadleaved weeds.

43.03 - Mel Wardle, ADAMA Fungicide Product Manager gives an update on ADAMA new product SORTAEL 

Date: 16/11/20

Location: Zoom

Show notes:

This online episode is based around Multi-Site Inhibitors and in particular, Folpet. The show features two special guests from our R&D centre in Israel, Yoav Avidor and Gilad Silbert.

We aim to go behind the scenes and explain just how our fungicide expertise and experience goes in to making efficacious, quality formulations to help in your disease control and resistance management.

00.00 Introduction

02.52 Yoav tells us about the R&D center and exactly what work is happening there

6.35 Andy (ADAMA UK Fungicide Technical Specialist) explains the link his role in the UK to the Israel production

7.58 Gilad provides an overview of when and how Folpet was developed

9.54 Gilad goes on to explain the main challenges  to be overcome when developing a formulation

12.30 Taking a step back, Andy explains in more detail about what a multi-site is and why it’s important

15.56 We break away to Richard Cobbald, Farm Manager at Bartlow Estate in Cambridgeshire. He gives an update on his farm and explains why he plans to use a multi-site product as part of his resistance management strategy.

18.38 Next, we hear from James O’Riley, a tillage farmer based in County Kilkenny in Ireland

21.35 Gilad talks us through the work that goes into keeping the folpet quality the best it can be

23.57 Yoav explains how ADAMA are producing enough folpet to meet the growing demand

25.10 Gilad, Yoav and Andy provide a last tip for those listeners who are planning to use a multi-site product like Folpet as part of their resistance strategy

If you would like us to come and record a future episode on your farm, or if you’d like to contribute to the podcast in any way, then please do get in touch.

Date: 02/10/19

Location: Charnwood House, Amber Hill, Boston, Lincolnshire, PE20 3RQ

 Show notes:

David Roberts (ADAMA’s Herbicide Technical Specialists) and Will Nicholls (ADAMA’s Regional Agronomy Manger) are with Simon Gadd in Lincolnshire. Simon starts by welcoming ADAMA to his farm and sharing how his oilseed rape is looking. David and Will also share their thoughts on this year’s harvest.

3.10 In a pre-recorded interview Mike Hooper, Wiltshire, shares his harvest experience as well as providing a general update on disease pressure, OSR drilling and the cultural control methods he is using to tackle black-grass

6.10 Next is another pre-recorded interview from Russ McKenzie based near Huntingdon. He also shares his harvest experience, disease pressure and how he reached 85% establishment in OSR

11.07 David provides his comments on the pre-recorded interviews, and in particular advises on cabbage stem flea beetle in OSR and black-grass control measures. Will also shares his insights on the recent disease levels.

13.25: Back with Simon Gadd, conversations move to how his OSR and Winter Wheat harvest went. He shares how his wheat yield was above their usual average.  

14.56 He then goes on to discuss the pressure of controlling cranesbill in his OSR crop. David shares his advice on any recommendations for listeners in terms of control of black-grass, ryegrass and broad weed-leaves.

16.10 Conversations move to barley yellow dwarf (BYDV) virus and Will shares best practice as well as explaining how Mavrik can target these autumn aphids.

19.00 Ali Bosher (ADAMA Marketing Director) shares in a pre-recorded interview how ADAMA have updated and improved the packaging following the feedback from many farmers around the world

21.35 Back with the team who are now in an established OSR crop, Simon explains his approach to the use of pre-emergent herbicides and the control on black-grass. David shares the importance of delayed drilling in wheat crops. Further black-grass cultural control methods are also discussed.

26.47 Will discuss how this year’s moisture has affected slug pressure

31.25 To round up the guys share their final tips as we head into the autumn

Date: 07/01/19 Location: Whitewool Farm, Hampshire Show notes: In our first show of season 2, Andy Bailey and David Roberts are in Hampshire with Will Butler the Farm Director.  They are joined by Tom, a prototype robot developed by the Small Robot Company.

Will starts by telling us about Whitewool farm and how the crops there are looking to date. (1.29)

We jump to a pre-recorded interview with Simon Gadd who's farm is based in a small village called Amber Hill in Lincolnshire. He share his cropping insights, disease pressures and black-grass problems! (4.35)

Next we jump to hear from Steve May, Farm Manager at Fromant and Sanders just west of Northamptonshire. He also shares his current cropping situation. (11.15)

Back on farm, the rain has stopped! Will describes hows his winter cereals are looking in Hampshire, the current disease levels and his strategies for fungicide control programmes.(16.12)

Sam Watson and Robin Jackson from The Small Robot company join the conversation. They have brought along Robot Tom. Firstly Sam provides some background on The Small Robot company and their recent successful round of crowdfunding. (18.58)

Robin and Sam then go on to talk through the technology, what they are hoping to achieve and how far into the programme they currently are. They also share with us when they believe this technology will become standard practice on farm around the UK and worldwide! (20.56)

That's the future, back to the present! Will discusses with David the pressure of black-grass and other broad-leaved weeds on his farm. The weather was also discussed and how this impacted application of autumn herbicides.  (29.01)

Next they spoke of the spring follow-up applications that are being considered (31.28)

To conclude this episode, David and Andy wrap up with their final thoughts heading into spring (32.08)

Date: 09/11/18

Location: Sherwood Farm, Oxon

Show notes: In our final show for the year, our Technical Specialists, David Roberts (Herbicides) and Andy Bailey (Fungicides) are in Oxfordshire to visit Sherwood Farm. Farm Manager, Mark Oldroyd and Assistant Farm Manager, Jack Bedlow (along with dog Ruby) take the time chat with us.

Mark shares insights into Sherwood Farm, the award winning team, as well as discussing what crops are grown on the farm (0.58)

In the vetch and oats field Mark explains why he has decided to grow this cover crop (3.00) 

David provides an update on black-grass dormancy and the fight against this weed (4.10)

In a pre-recorded interview Andy Roberts from South Staffordshire gives his insight into how last season went on his farm in terms of yield; as well as sharing how the dry conditions affected drilling dates (5.54)

Back on Sherwood Farm, Mark also shares with us his yield results from last season. Andy is interested to find out further Mark’s thoughts on how he achieved such good wheat yields - it seems T0 could be the answer (09.19)

Mark explains how the dry conditions had a positive impact on drilling and the changes to his crop rotations over the last few years (12.21)

We get to hear Mark’s learnings from last season that will change the way he plans going forward (14.58)

Conversations turn to black-grass, the extent of the problem for Sherwood Farm and how they try to overcome this. David shares his expertise on the issue (16.16)

In our feature interview, Alex Montgomery from Microsoft discusses what issues the farming community have that Microsoft is helping to solve, connectivity challenges and how this is being overcome (21.01)

Back on farm, the guys have moved into a winter barley field. Mark and Jack share their thoughts on the impact of technology and how it benefits their business (29.47)

Back talking black-grass, pre-emergence herbicides are discussed and how the trend has moved to stacking them. Post emergence are also discussed. David shares why he thinks technology is so important to help gain control of black-grass (31.40)

Mark shares how he balances disease control and resistance management in cereal crops (35.41)

Conversations turn to slug control and how Sherwood Farm had low pressure this season. Mark advises on his change of approach recently due to stewardship guidelines (36.22)

We flick back to our pre recorded interview with Andy Roberts to get his thoughts on fungicide planning for the spring and hear what his approach is regarding programmes (40.04)

Andy talks about the challenges to single-site chemistry and how he advocates multi-site chemistry. Mark also shares his thoughts on this area (41.40) 

David and Andy wrap up by sharing what they think growers should consider as we head into the winter (44.50)

Date: 13/09/18

Location: Home Farm, Swaffham

Show notes: Our Technical Specialists, David Roberts (Herbicides) and Andy Bailey (Fungicides) have made their way to Home Farm in Swaffham, Norfolk to visit Richard Cobbald who is the Estate Manager there. After one of the hottest summers for years, in this episode we will be focussing on how the 2018 harvest has been and plans for the Autumn season ahead.

Richard shares some insights into Home Farm and how things are looking post-harvest. Conversations soon turn to the hot topic of flea beetles. (0.40)

Richard discusses his cover crop approach which you may have read recently in Farmers Weekly. If not, it can be found here. David Roberts, Adama’s herbicide expert shares his views on cover cropping and what benefits it brings. (4.40) 

David and Andy share their harvest 2018 thoughts, the positives and negatives! (8.12)

Tom Home in Shropshire and Andrew Ward in Lincolnshire provide a grower’s insight into the harvest in their regions and the integrated approach they are using on their farms. (10.00)

Back at Home Farm, Richard discusses how his Oilseed Rape and Winter Wheat harvest has been with regards to yields achieved. (17.48)

David urges listeners to think differently at this time of the year in terms of black-grass, ryegrass and broad weed-leaves control and explains how to use the different components within farmers reach to get the best cropping result. (21.10)

In a pre-recorded interview, Tom Martin, the man behind Face-time a Farmer fills us in on how he is educating kids about our industry – brilliant initiative! (23.11)

Richard and guys have moved onto a wheat field which is being drilled as their conversations develop. First pre-emergent herbicides are discussed. (34.09)

Andy gives his advice for the inevitable slug pressure to come when the rain returns. Richard shares his slug control approach and how he uses Metaldehyde and Ferric Phosphate. (38.58)

Andrew Ward gives us an update on Foraige Aid, how the initiative started and how it has developed over the years. (41.37)

David, Andy and Richard give their final tips as we head toward the autumn. Integrated control is a common theme! (48.02)

Date: 01/05/2018

Location: Mill Farm, Maidwell

Show Notes: What a difference a few months can make! The first episode was recorded in the snow, this week however, the sun made an appearance as we walked the fields of Mill Farm where Farm Manager, Tom Paybody showed our Technical Specialist, Andy Bailey and David Roberts around his crops. 

We start the show with a similar format to last time, where we catch up with our two new YEN growers in a pre-recorded interview, Richard Cobbald (South Pickenham) and James Turner (Ludlow) who discus how their crop are looking given the difficult spring, farm resistance and much more. (4.10)

Back at Mill Farm, we get a similar update from Tom Paybody, who grows almost a quarter of his land as spring cropping. He discusses how this has affected his crop rotation and the long time approach to black-grass control. (14.09)

Andy Bailey also takes the opportunity to talk T0 and septoria control with particular reference to  the recent weather conditions. Conversations soon turn to the whole fungicide program and how this has been adapted this spring and the affects on PGR. (21.10)

David Roberts gives his insights into weed mapping and the importance of this, especially to those resistance weeds like black-grass. (28.30)

Next we skipped to a very interesting interview with Sarah Allison who discussed a new project called The Rural Youth Project. This is an initiative focused on rural youth, to better understand and support their needs, desires and challenges. Sarah discusses her personal background and why this inspired her to get involved. (30.40)

           

Back on farm, we take the opportunity to congratulate Tom on his recent YEN  milling wheat quality award. (38.55)

Conversations move onto the best ways of accessing control of grass weeds from an autumn perspective through to early spring applications. David Roberts shares his best practices. (40.40)

Take a listen and remember the beauty of a podcast is you can listen in and out as you desire! If you have any comments on the show or want us to cover a particular topic in future podcasts, then we'd would love to hear from you; please leave a comment below, tweet us @AdamaUK_or simply email us on [email protected].

Date: 05/03/2018

Location: Strawson Ltd, Newark

Show Notes:  We are extremely excited to launch our very first podcast show, A Snowy Start

For our first show our two Technical Specialists, Andy Bailey (Fungicides) and David Roberts (Herbicides) visit Strawson Ltd in-house agronomist Ian Holmes 

 

We kick off by hearing a pre-recorded soundbite from two of our YEN growers Iain Robertson (South West) and Alan Clifton-Holt (South East), on how their cereal crops have come through the winter. Thanks for the update! (03:24)

Back at Strawson Ltd, the guys start their snowy farm visit in a wheat field; conversations focus around prepping for spring and Ian's approach to T0 protection against septoria and rust control. (12:05) 

Earlier in the week we took the time to catch up with a podcasting pro – Will Evans from Rock and Roll Farming. It was Will that inspired our podcast channel so we really wanted to learn from the best! We also had a chat about Oxford Farming Conference and Will’s experience as an emerging leader. (20:49)

Going back on farm the guys have now moved into an OSR field. Conversations are focused around black-grass, ryegrass and Broad-Leaved Weed control. Along with the strategy Ian is adopting towards his ALS-resistant poppies in OSR and cereals. (38:40)

We round the show off with Ian, Andy and David sharing their tips and recommendations for moving forward at this time of the year. (42:56)

If you have any comments on the show or want us to cover a particular topic in future podcasts, then we'd would love to hear from you; please leave a comment below, tweet us @AdamaUK_or simply email us on [email protected].