Less OSR this year?

[preyingmantos]

Is it just me or has anyone noticed the lack of rape fields planted this year?

 

[Millet]

Is it just me or has anyone noticed the lack of rape fields planted this year?

It could be just you, the farmers have to rotate there crops, if they grew a lot of rape in one area last year, this year they will be none, next year however they will be loads, there's also the other side of the coin with certain farmers as to who they are selling the rape seed too, if they can get a better price for other crops they may go a couple of years without growing oil seed rape.

 

[For want of a better word]

It could be just you, the farmers have to rotate there crops, if they grew a lot of rape in one area last year, this year they will be none, next year however they will be loads, there's also the other side of the coin with certain farmers as to who they are selling the rape seed too, if they can get a better price for other crops they may go a couple of years without growing oil seed rape.

No... they are planting rice!

Nos da

 

[Millet]

No... they are planting rice!

Nos da

Haha.. i have driven through a few paddy fields this year..

 

[bpmurray]

No... they are planting rice!

Nos da

Or perhaps fish farming!

 

[dpearce4]

down south the farmers are not planting due to the OSR failing over the last few years. they are changing to other crops. It means I wont be getting my spring crop I get anymore.

I have seen no more than 5 fields of the stuff in my travels round west sussex this year.

 

[MikeT]

Is it just me or has anyone noticed the lack of rape fields planted this year?

It is likely the rape area is greater this year for several reasons.

The cereal prices are extremely poor with wheat only about £100/ tonne barley about £5 less.

British Sugar have reduced the price for the 2016 crop to £19/tonne which has meant many farmers no longer growing this crop.

The new EU area payment regulations now require farmers to grow at least 3 crops.

Oil seed rape yields have increase with new varieties and the prices have remained more stable than wheat and barley.

Hope this is helpful.

Mike

 

[For want of a better word]

It is likely the rape area is greater this year for several reasons.

The cereal prices are extremely poor with wheat only about £100/ tonne barley about £5 less.

British Sugar have reduced the price for the 2016 crop to £19/tonne which has meant many farmers no longer growing this crop.

The new EU area payment regulations now require farmers to grow at least 3 crops.

Oil seed rape yields have increase with new varieties and the prices have remained more stable than wheat and barley.

Hope this is helpful.

Mike

Here it seems to be field beans... and solar farms!!

Nos da

 

[iand]

It could be just you, the farmers have to rotate there crops, if they grew a lot of rape in one area last year, this year they will be none, next year however they will be loads, there's also the other side of the coin with certain farmers as to who they are selling the rape seed too, if they can get a better price for other crops they may go a couple of years without growing oil seed rape.

Some of the large farms around here with on floor storage, appear to rotate crops around the farms. Storage is easier & less transport required.

 

[Fatbee]

Think it must just be the OPs area. OSR is now well established in most arable rotations. Mild winter means around my neck of woods it's well advanced so a warm March and it will be flowering early - quite possibly early April. All depends on next month of weather

 

[Tomo]

Hi, there is definitely less OSR this year in my area. I have been talking to a few farmers who say that due to the increased cost of chemicals instead of treated seed (neonicitinoids (sp?)) then in effect where it was £5/acre to treat it is now £15! Therefore a lot of farmers around here have decided to sow something else, as the profit margin has been massively reduced for OSR. One farmer even went as far as blaming bees and the EU!

 

[Jed D]

We are as ever gonna find it hard to dodge OSR.....
Currently have hives of five sites , with the option of 2 more.
But all of these sites are within easy foraging range of OSR...

While this is great for potential honey yeilds , it is nice to produce , what I would term,,,
" true spring Blossom honey "

But we'll see what weather comes our way....

 

[Millet]

? ...

 

[oliver90owner]

... the farmers have to rotate there crops, if they grew a lot of rape in one area last year, this year they will be none, next year however they will be loads

Two year crop rotation now? Little wonder the crops are to more susceptible to disease! Three year rotations are better and four year (unsuitable for intensive ag?) would have been the norm in the distant past?

Which is really the 'norm' now? Two year or three year crop rotation? Roots, OSR and corn? Certainly not OSR, sugar beet, OSR, sugarbeet, unless spring sown OSR for a start - and I doubt the farmers would want sugar beet too often due to the forked root disease of rhizomania....

 

[preyingmantos]

Im aware of crop rotation but i found it strange how i traveled 10 miles through to my 1st apiary and didn't spot 1 field of OSR.

We get about a 1/3 of our crop of OSR usually in Northamptonshire. Lack of acreage is a huge blow.

I wonder if it has anything to do with the added cost/effort of treatment. If so i wonder how the anti-Neonicotinoids brigade feel now their early honey crop has just been slashed by disgruntled farmers.

 

[oliver90owner]

Who really cares if the bees and other non-pest insect species benefit? I don't. I reckon the environment is far more important than a few kg of honey crop, thank you very much!

This whole charade has amply demonstrated the problems of huge areas of monocrop. Agriculture is hiding behind the pesticides. Very few 'icides' can be seen to be beneficial to anyone - excepting the producers (and/or those that readily accept 'icide' laced foods because they are cheaper).

 

[preyingmantos]

Do pollinating insects benefit from larger areas of wheat desert though?

If all the lost OSR areas were planted with lush wild flowers then great, but they are not.

 

[Fatbee]

Who really cares if the bees and other non-pest insect species benefit? I don't. I reckon the environment is far more important than a few kg of honey crop, thank you very much!
).

Indeed - the year I had no OSR nearby the bees still brought a decent spring crop in - lot of sycamore around when OSR normally out. It's just when OSR is around they ignore other sources.

Sadly being involved in farming two crop rotations of OSR and wheat have become common practice but not something I agree with. Too many farmers blindly listen to the agronomist who makes money from selling chemicals. Fortunately in a way widespread blackgrass resistance is making some begin to think again the importance of a decent rotation.

 

[linoleum bonypart]

I'm sure there's less osr here in East Yorkshire this year

 

[daroco]

I should imagine there are a few issues at play. Obviously the rotation is a key one. I went on a farm tour here, and the farmer worked on something like a couple of years of wheat, one of OSR and one of beans (as greenage).

Then there was the counties that were allowed neonicitinoids (4 I think). I should imagine that will influence some of what was chosen for this year's rotation.

Also, I remember a talk explaining bees would preferentially forage on plants with a lower moisture content (Derek Mitchell I think but cant be sure). OSR could get pretty low, explaining the bees choosing this. However, as a previous post said, there are lots of plants available at the time - so it doesn't rule out some spring crop if there is no OSR nearby.