BBC Farmwatch: ‘I used to be blasé about safety but then I lost my arm’: Inside England’s farming neighborhood

Ashleigh Ellwood
Head of arable, Farmers Guardian

Harvest is upon us, the cereal
crops have turned golden and there’s the regular hum of mix harvesters
working tirelessly in fields throughout the nation – all aiming to beat one factor –
the climate.

Crop success is essentially pushed by
climate patterns, which might create an actual dilemma for growers throughout harvest,
when selections can straight affect not solely revenue margins however our personal meals
safety.

Starting this rising season with
a moist autumn throughout planting, adopted by an prolonged drought interval, the
problem continues as some farmers are actually going through a ‘catchy’ harvest – however
what does this imply?

Farming a ‘catchy’ harvest
describes a season the place the rainfall turns into unpredictable, making harvest
tougher and start-stop.

After experiencing a drought
throughout the important thing grain-filling interval, when the crop makes use of its saved vitamins to
develop grains which can be then harvested, a wetter harvest can degrade crop
high quality and yields, and enhance the chance of illness and spoilage earlier than the crop
has the possibility to be processed.

Heavy downpours and storms can
delay harvest, as farmers usually cease combining and watch for a drier day. They
can solely proceed when the cereal crops’ moisture content material is between 14-20%, as
measured with a moisture meter.

However, this 12 months the harvest is the earliest
it has been since 2006, which supplies growers extra alternative to attend just a little
longer and mix in most well-liked circumstances.

The jury continues to be out to find out
the success of the 2025 harvest, as many farmers are nonetheless combining, however
regardless of the climate woes, farmers stay dedicated to their crops, contributing
considerably to the nation’s meals safety and rural stewardship.