Learning ways to reduce reliance on herbicide

A large-scale research project being led by FAR aims to establish a diverse and sustainable toolkit of weed managementstrategies in the face of rising rates of herbicide resistance. In this episode of Cut the Crop, FAR researcher Matilda Gunnarsson says growers need to shift to a more integrated ap…

Post-harvest management of tall fescue seed crops

Reports from growers that tall fescue seed yields fall away after the first season has led FAR to research post-harvest management of the multi-year crop. In this episode of Cut the Crop, FAR researcher Owen Gibson says research to date shows three cuts rather than two have a yield advantage.

UK growers diversify income

Scottish arable farmer and agronomist Gordon Rennie likes to swap his winter for a New Zealand summer. In this episode of Cut the Crop, he tells Scott Champion that low crop returns and fewer chemical options are leading UK growers to look at other income streams.

Late-season aphid rise poses questions

An unprecedented sharp rise in aphid numbers in cereals in late October has FAR staff pondering whether this led to yield losses due to YDV infection this harvest. In this episode of Cut the Crop, FAR senior field officer Ben Harvey looks back at an unusual season.

Bridging the gap between growers, millers and bakers

A new Growers to Bakers programme has been initiated by FAR to better match grain quality with the requirements of millers and bakers. In this episode of Cut the Crop, FAR research lead Jo Drummond and NZ Flour Millers’ Association director Phil Jackson of Mauri Mills say that protein numbers aren’…

Measuring harvest loss

FAR’s Technology Manager Chris Smith surveyed growers on their 2025 harvest losses in conjunction with the combine set-up workshops. In this episode of Cut the Crop, he says this showed that growers who measure with drop trays, whether commercial or improvised, record half the crop losses of those …

Samples sought for Grain Nutrient Analysis

The number of growers and crop samples involved in the Grain Nutrient Analysis project, organised by FAR regional facilitator Donna Lill, is increasing each year. In this episode of Cut the Crop, South Otago arable grower Craig Whiteside talks about the changes he has made to crop nutrient applicat…

Lessons from Cyclone Gabrielle recovery

Three years on from Cyclone Gabrielle, FAR’s North Island manager Dirk Wallace has been part of a team developing a guide to assist growers to recover from extreme weather events. In this episode of Cut the Crop, he emphasises the importance of patience, rather than knee-jerk reactions.

What’s new in precision ag?

FAR’s technology manager Chris Smith checked out the latest in precision ag during a visit to the UK and the Agritechnica trade fair in Germany. In this episode of Cut the Crop, he says that along with AI applications, there were lots of tine and camera weeding options.

Arable Industry Code of Conduct launched

Handshake deals may be a thing of the past following the launch of an Arable Industry Code of Conduct. In this episode of Cut the Crop, Federated Farmers' arable chair David Birkett says that by providing a standardised set of expectations, the code offers greater certainty and aims to prevent cost…