The weather upset many cropping plans in 2023/24, with growers understandably keen to get back on track this autumn. However, as farm support shifts further towards crop-specific measures within the SFI, now is an ideal time to review rotation planning
The demise of Basic Payments and rollout of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) marks a big milestone for agriculture that could catalyse significant changes to some crop rotations.
“People often argue BPS is linked to crop production, but that’s not the case,” explains Hutchinsons farm business consultant, Will Foyle. “Providing land is in good agricultural condition, farmers receive BPS regardless of crops grown or agronomic decisions made. That never incentivised rotational change or made anybody question whether rotations were correct within the bigger picture.
“In contrast, the SFI is the first scheme this century to incentivise good husbandry and crop production, and drive growers to think more about crops they select. Ignoring this and continuing doing what you’ve always done without question is wrong.”
Technical manager Dick Neale agrees, adding that rotational choices are too often dictated by factors beyond growers’ control, notably the weather, or in the case of oilseed rape, crop failures caused by pests such as flea beetle.
“People are sometimes ‘led by the tail’, getting forced down an alternative route because they’re not in control of rotational choices. There’s been a need to revisit rotations for several years, not just this season.”
Weighing-up options
Of course, not every farm has to change its rotation just because new schemes are available, and doing so to “chase payments” is wrong.
“Every farm is different, and what works for one might not work for another,” says Mr Foyle. “The important thing is to look at the numbers carefully to see what’s working, what’s not, and build a sustainable rotation.”
Some farms that can grow a good range of commercial crops, including productive, reliable break crops, may not need to change, but equally, there are others where the “farm standard” may no longer be working, he says.
In particular, farms growing predominantly cereals, where winter wheat is the mainstay, but there are no reliable break crops.
“Growing cereals without breaks is not sustainable, so the question is, how do we get breaks into the rotation given the unreliability of oilseed rape, and uncertain profitability of legumes like peas and beans?”
Many minority crops are available, such as borage, sunflowers, lupins, crambe, linseed, spring rape, soya, or grain maize, for instance, which may work in some situations. But, in UK conditions, risk and yields are often no more reliable than oilseed rape or pulses, especially for crops harvested later in the season, adds Mr Neale. There can also be issues given limited chemistry available for minority crops.
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