Kiwi trade, tree disease help, Lead shot review

Our weekly dose of news, views and insight from the world of farming, food and landownership

I’ve mentioned the impact of unintended consequences created by policymakers who don’t always comprehend the bigger picture before in this update. A chance meeting at the weekend (discussed below) highlighted that decisions to protect the environment such as the ban on neonicotinoids don’t always have the desired effect. Recent moves by the Environment Agency to restrict the autumn spreading of farmyard manure could also hamper farmers looking to improve their soils’ structure and help in the quest for net zero.

Andrew Shirley, Head of Rural Research

In this week’s update:

• Commodity markets – Canada wheat losses mount up
• Woodland management – Tree disease scheme launched
• Trade – Kiwi deal vexes farmers
• Pest control – Welsh shooting rules up for review
• The Rural Report – Sign up to watch our ground-breaking video
• Shooting – Lead shot consultation opens
• Oilseed rape – A beekeeper and farmer agree
• Overseas news – Chinese pork prices plummet

Commodity markets – Canada wheat losses mount up

Latest estimates for the Canadian wheat harvest have dropped to just under to 23 million tonnes, the country’s smallest crop for 14 years.

Persistent excessive heat and dryness for much of the growing season have slashed yield potential in the world's third-largest wheat exporter.

This season's crop losses will have a major impact on world wheat trade flows and have been one of the main price drivers this year.

Woodland management – Tree disease scheme launched

The government is inviting land owners and managers, including farmers, to take part in a new Tree Health pilot designed to support action against pests and diseases affecting their trees. The pilot will first focus on ash, sweet chestnut, larch and spruce.

The three-year scheme will be delivered by the Forestry Commission and will cover parts of the North West, West Midlands, London and the

South East of England. The pilot aims to establish 100 agreements to help deal with trees affected by a pest or disease outbreak.

The Forestry Commission will support the felling and restocking of trees as well as providing maintenance payments for restock sites.

Learnings from the pilot will inform the future Tree Health scheme, being rolled out in 2024. The pilot will work alongside the existing Countryside Stewardship Woodland Tree Health grants, which will continue to be on offer until 2024 when the new Tree Health scheme will be adopted.

Please contact Edward Holloway if you need advice on woodland management issues

Trade – Kiwi deal vexes farmers

Farming unions have express concerns that the trade deal with New Zealand expected to be agreed this week will put UK food producers under pressure from cheaper imports. The government argues that it will be a stepping stone to joining the wider Comprehensive and

Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, which covers a £9 trillion free-trade area with 500 million consumers.

Pest control – Welsh shooting rules up for review

Landowners and farmers have until 11 November to contribute to a consultation on the review of the General Licence that allows the control of bird pest species. One of the proposals from Natural Resources Wales is to reduce the number of species that can be controlled. Magpies, for example, may fall of the list.

The Rural Report – Sign up to watch our ground-breaking video

This year’s edition of The Rural Report, our unique publication for rural landowners and their advisors, launched last month with a video highlighting some of its key content around the topic of ESG. If you missed it, you can sign up to watch on demand at your leisure. It was a lot of fun making it and includes a thought provoking interview on diversity, with Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones AKA The Black Farmer. I think you’ll find it both entertaining and informative.

Sign up to watch The Rural Report launch video

Shooting – Lead shot consultation opens

As part of its ongoing review of the use of lead in ammunition the HSE is seeking the views of the shooting sector on the alternative options.

The consultation closes on October 22nd.

Oilseed rape – A beekeeper and farmer agree

Given concerns about the impact of neonicotinoids on insects you’d expect farmers and beekeepers to be on different sides of the fence regarding the ban of the seed treatments used to control flea beetle in oilseed rape. Last weekend, however, two friends - one a farmer, one a beekeeper – I coincidentally bumped into at the same time, were both on the same page. Even with the current high prices, the farmer said it made no sense to grow rape anymore due to the damage wrought by the beetle, while the beekeeper lamented the loss of the fields of rape that provided much of the food for her swarms. Another case of unintended consequences.

Overseas news – Chinese pork prices plummet

According to a report in the Financial Times about US$75 billion has been wiped off the value of Chinese pig producers this year as pork prices have plummeted. Production has risen after the 2018 outbreak of African swine fever wiped out about half of the country’s herd, but demand apparently has not kept pace. The situation will likely accelerate the sector’s shift away from small-scale farmers.

Photo by Alex Larusso on Unsplash