CropCast

In this episode George Chalmers is joined by Professor Fiona Burnett to look back at some of the key developments in agronomy which have taken place over her 33-year career, along with discussion about those which will shape the future. 

Welcome to CropCast, your go to podcast for all the latest information on arable crops. Each month, SAC adviser, George Chalmers will be joined by a range of industry experts, bringing you timely updates to help you make decisions in the field. 

Producer George Gauley, Editor Cameron Waugh, Executive Producer Kirstyn Blackwood, in association with the Scottish Government. 

Timestamps

02:00 Fiona Background 

05:00 Developments in crop rotation 

07:00 Yield (change in mindset)  

10:29 Using multi-site chemistry 

16:28 New technology & Chemistry 

18:00 Biostimulants  

20:40 IPM Planning 

24:14 Changes in regulations 

29:30 BASIS training 

31:50 Quality Assurance 

33:45 The future of agronomy 

35:40 Managing inputs for the season ahead

38:05 Seed dressings 

39:50 Reducing application rates 

41:30 The challenge of resistance 

43:40 Three top tips 

Related FAS Resources

FAS Crops & Soils https://www.fas.scot/crops-soils/ 

In this episode George Chalmers is joined by Edward Jones, who is a Sustainable Farming Advisor at Frontier Agriculture to discuss cover crops.  

Welcome to CropCast, your go to podcast for all the latest information on arable crops. Each month, SAC advisor, George Chalmers will be joined by a range of industry experts, bringing you timely updates to help you make decisions in the field. 

Producer George Gauley, Editor Cameron Waugh, Executive Producer Kirstyn Blackwood, in association with the Scottish Government. 

Time codes 

04:13 Definitions of green manure, cover crops & catch crops 

09:14 Potential benefits 

12:24 New species available 

14:15 Different species for different areas 

20:03 Considerations when choosing a crop 

24:14 Greening 2026 

28:40 Establishment 

33:46 Potential uses with livestock 

36:00 Seeds suitable for broadcasting 

39:19 Three top tips 

Linked FAS Resources  

FAS Crops & Soils https://www.fas.scot/crops-soils/  

EFA Greening 2026 https://www.fas.scot/preparing-for-the-future/

Other Linked Resources

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed-jones-931725133?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app  

Clinkstone – Companion Crops & autumn cover crops in a min-till system https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw5xnHdsaEw  

Cover Crop Guide: https://covercropsguide.co.uk/ 

Welcome to Cropcast Conversations hosted by Mark Bowsher-Gibbs. On today’s episode Mark is joined by Julian South, Executive Director of The Maltsters’ Association of Great Britain (MAGB). MAGB are the trade association of the UK malting industry and represent over 98% of UK malt production, buying around 2 million tonnes of UK malting barley, to make about 1.6 million tonnes of malt. Mark and Julian discuss harvest 2025, barley varieties, tariffs and trade deals and opportunities for the industry. 

Episode Timestamps  

01.38 Background and structure of MAGB 

04.43 What is malt? 

06.59 Distilling malts and brewing malts 

07.50 Harvest 2025 round up  

16.12 Evaluating and approving new barley varieties for malting  

23.31 International Barley Hub 

26.00 Biggest challenges for the malting barley industry  

29.47 International trade 

33.25 Tariffs and trade deals 

35.04 Peat as a flavouring for malt  

37.10 Finding out more: www.ukmalt.com 

38.25 The malt industry in 10 years time  

Resources    

The Maltsters’ Association of Great Britain 

Malting Barley Committee - The Maltsters’ Association of Great Britain 

Contact: Julian South: 07967452838, [email protected] 

SRUC - Soils & plants - Recommended lists  

SAC Recommended Lists for Cereals 2025-26 

International Barley Hub - The James Hutton Institute  

Mycotoxins - The Maltsters’ Association of Great Britain 

For more information, visit  www.FAS.scot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected] 

In this episode George Chalmers is joined by SAC Senior Consultant and Chartered Accountant Andrew Coalter to discuss Arable Farm Finances, particularly cash flow challenges, investment and capital allowances for arable farms.  

Welcome to Cropcast, your go to podcast for all the latest information on arable crops. Each month, SAC advisor, George Chalmers will be joined by a range of industry experts, bringing you timely updates to help you make decisions in the field. 

Producer George Gauley, Editor Cameron Waugh, Executive Producer Kirstyn Blackwood, in association with the Scottish Government. 

Related FAS Resources  

Cash Flow Forecasting: https://www.fas.scot/article/building-good-financial-habits-with-cash-flow-forecasting/  

Budgeting & Financial Planning https://www.fas.scot/rural-business/business-tools/budgeting-and-financial-planning/ 

Finance & Funding https://www.fas.scot/whats-stopping-you-finance-funding/ 

In this episode Tiffany Stephenson is joined by Robert Meadley to discuss some of the considerations which should be made when deciding to replace or invest in a piece of machinery. 

Welcome to Cropcast, your go to podcast for all the latest information on arable crops. Each month, SAC advisor, Tiffany Stephenson will be joined by a range of industry experts, bringing you timely updates to help you make decisions in the field. 

Producer George Gauley, Editor Cameron Waugh, Executive Producer Kirstyn Blackwood, in association with the Scottish Government. 

Related FAS Resources

Getting Started In Arable Agriculture - Machinery Appraisal | Information helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service

Other Related Resources

Robert Meadley LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-meadley-85652223/?originalSubdomain=uk 

Machinery costing calculator | AHDB

Welcome to CropCast Conversations hosted by Mark Bowsher-Gibbs. On today’s episode Mark is joined by two guests. Grant James (Business Development Manager at Sea2Soil) discusses an organic soil improver product from Sea2Soil. Grant provides an explanation of the biological mechanisms at play in the product, how it works on-farm and what to expect from applications. Steve Townsend brings a wealth of knowledge and experience of Regenerative Agriculture. Steve advises farmers all over the UK and Europe on how No-Till can improve their business. Steve is passionate about helping farmers reduce their fixed costs, increase their crop yields and weed control whilst repairing their soils. 

Episode Timestamps  

00.55 Harvest 2025 feedback 

03.03 Steve & Soil First Farming 

04.04 Grant & Sea2Soil 

06.01 What is fish hydrolysate? 

06.46 Feeding the soil biology 

11.04 Practices to build up soil biology 

20.20 Measuring soil biology 

27.47 How different crop sectors are responding to regenerative agriculture 

32.04 Nitrogen use efficiency  

34.56 Albrecht theory 

38.40 Getting the magnesium ratio right 

41.15 Grant’s take home message 

42.00 Steve’s take home message 

FAS Resources 

Regenerative Agriculture | Helping farmers in Scotland 

Other Resources    

Organic Soil Improver - Make soil healthier & more productive | Sea2Soil  

Grant James: [email protected], 07976 879646 

Soil First Farming 

Steve Townsend: [email protected], 07989 402112  

For more information, visit  www.FAS.scot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected] 

In this episode Tiffany Stephenson is joined by Kristina Grenz, Senior Cereal Product Quality Scientist at AHDB, to discuss ergot, which proved to be a significant problem for many growers during harvest 2024. In this episode we discuss the ergot life cycle, symptoms as well as top management tips. 

Welcome to Cropcast, your go to podcast for all the latest information on arable crops. Each month, SAC advisor, Tiffany Stephenson will be joined by a range of industry experts, bringing you timely updates to help you make decisions in the field. 

Producer George Gauley, Editor Cameron Waugh, Executive Producer Kirstyn Blackwood, in association with the Scottish Government. 

Related Resources

AHDB – Ergot management guidance for cereals - https://ahdb.org.uk/news/ergot-management-guidance-for-cereals-strengthened-by-review 

AHDB – An introduction to Ergot & its management in cereals https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/an-introduction-to-ergot-and-its-management-in-cereals 

FAS – Ergot – What is it and how to prevent it? https://www.fas.scot/article/ergot-what-it-is-and-how-to-prevent-it/ 

AHDB- Ergot in harvest 2024 https://ahdb.org.uk/news/ergot-in-harvest-2024-cereals-a-pathologist-s-paradise-a-supply-chain-challenge 

AIC – Ergot in cereal crops https://www.agindustries.org.uk/resource/ergot-in-cereal-crops-contracts-legislation-and-effective-management-frequently-asked-questions-faqs.html 

In this episode Tiffany Stephenson is joined by Donald Dunbar and Alan Bruce to discuss changes to EFA options under the Scottish Government’s enhanced greening measures for 2026, and how farmers might go about integrating some of these options into their own farming systems.   

Welcome to Cropcast, your go to podcast for all the latest information on arable crops. Each month, SAC advisor, Tiffany Stephenson will be joined by a range of industry experts, bringing you timely updates to help you make decisions in the field. 

Producer George Gauley, Editor Cameron Waugh, Executive Producer Kirstyn Blackwood, in association with the Scottish Government. 

Related FAS Resources  

Greening guidance (2026)

Preparing For The Future | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service

Welcome to Cropcast Conversations hosted by Principal Consultant Mark Bowsher-Gibbs. On today’s episode Mark is joined by James Bolesworth (CRM AgriCommodities) to discuss how grain markets are looking for 2025 and in part 2 Mark is joined by George Chalmers (SAC Consulting) and Neil Havis (SRUC Professor, Crop Pathology) to update us on how crops are looking in Scotland.  

Episode Timestamps  

00.00 PART 1 – James Bolesworth (CRM AgriCommodities) 

03.30 Wheat price movements over winter and early spring 

06.14 Why has there been a steeper decline in grain price over the last few months? 

09:20 Carryover stocks: current position and going into next season 

12.58 Trump and tariffs: impact on food commodities and the grain market 

16.33 Crop conditions and predicted reduction in production and output 

19.55 Selling new crop: looking at opportunities to smooth the curve of volatility  

23.00 PART 2 – George Chalmers (SAC Consulting) and Neil Havis (SRUC, Professor of Crop Pathology) 

24.17 How crops are looking in Scotland 

32.51 Yellow Rust and YR15 

37.19 Choosing wheat varieties to grow this autumn  

38.20 Spring barley update 

42.30 Ramularia: the late season disease  

FAS Resources 

Yellow rust - FAS 

New yellow rust strain confirmed - FAS 

June Crop Update - FAS 

FAS Newsletters - Crops & Soils Edition     

Crop Trials Evening - Lothians 

Crop Trials Evening - Aberdeenshire 

Crop Trials Evening - Lanark 

Other Resources    

CRM AgriCommodities   

[email protected]  

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected] 

In this episode Tiffany Stephenson is joined by George Chalmers to discuss grain storage and the importance of making sure stores are ready for harvest.  

Welcome to Cropcast, your go to podcast for all the latest information on arable crops. Each month, SAC advisor, Tiffany Stephenson will be joined by a range of industry experts, bringing you timely updates to help you make decisions in the field. 

Producer George Gauley, Editor Cameron Waugh, Executive Producer Kirstyn Blackwood, in association with the Scottish Government. 

FAS Resources

Crops and Soils Bulletin June 2023 - Grain Store Hygiene Ahead of Harvest | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service

Ensuring Safe Storage for Wet Malting Barley | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service

Other Resources

AHDB (2023) Grain Storage Guide