Autumn drilling gamble, fertiliser warning, sugar beet drought, Brazilian beef imports, and firearms licensing

In this episode, how much rain is enough to start drilling after one of the driest summers in recent memory?

We look at autumn crop establishment as growers weigh up whether to put oilseed rape and other crops into exceptionally dry soils – or wait for more meaningful rainfall.

We assess the prospects for the coming sugar beet harvest after drought, heat and pest pressure take their toll on crops.

And farm leaders call for tougher controls on Brazilian beef and imported eggs as questions mount over whether food coming into Britain meets the same standards expected of UK producers.

Meanwhile, fertiliser suppliers urge growers to start talking about next season’s requirements as geopolitical disruption threatens to disrupt another buying season.

And finally, a police watchdog says firearms licensing in England and Wales is “not fit for purpose”.

What would a new national licensing authority mean for the thousands of farmers and other rural businesses that rely on shotguns and firearms for their work?

This episode is brought to you by KWS – seeding the future since 1856.

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction

00:53 – How much rain is enough to drill oilseed rape?

02:24 – How late is too late for oilseed rape?