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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
UK growers diversify income
14/03/2026 | 14 mins.
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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Late-season aphid rise poses questions
07/03/2026 | 15 mins.
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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Bridging the gap between growers, millers and bakers
21/02/2026 | 13 mins.
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’t everything when it comes to flour quality. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Measuring harvest loss
14/02/2026 | 12 mins.
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 that don’t. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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