In time is the time

There is cause for concern that farmers’ physical and mental strengths have been stretched to the limits and beyond. We need to have regard for ourselves, our families, and neighbours.
We also need to ensure that the prolonged winter housing period, extended at both the beginning – last September for some farms – and the end, does not leave our farms and livestock vulnerable in the longer term. Fodder reserves, in many cases, have been eliminated and the need for replenishment is now a priority. Already, we are on the back foot, with fertiliser spreading delayed. On many farms, grazing has been delayed and a build-up of grass now needs to be managed. There will be a case, when conditions allow, to harvest some of this grass early to bring rotations and quality back into equilibrium. In addition, it will allow a start to be made on restoring fodder reserves on farms, whether to be used for any unforeseen adverse weather events in the coming months or to have available for next winter.
Normal practices may not be enough to restore fodder parity. Reducing fertiliser this season will not be an advisable option for most farmers and, even then, we will be relying on good growing conditions across the entire season to safeguard from becoming semi-permanently in fodder deficit.
There is no point in wasting a crisis and this one may present an opportunity for both tillage and livestock farmers. Tillage farmers have suffered severely from poor soil conditions. Much of the planting planned for last autumn never happened so the spring planting workload has doubled on many tillage farms. The normal spring work has piled up including crop protection, fertilising and the planting of spring crops. Delayed sowing means the choice of spring crops has narrowed significantly, even as the derogation on the three-crop rule provides some small breathing space and flexibility. There may be an opportunity for some tillage farmers to substitute lower return spring barley crops for more profitable forage crops to supply to their neighbouring livestock farms. The window for maize, for instance, is still well ahead. A firm agreement between the parties involved could be reached which would provide some measure of financial salvation for hard-pressed tillage farmers as well as an opportunity for livestock farms to replenish their fodder reserves. Other crop options could be advantageous in setting up fields for higher return grain or protein crops next season. Short-term grass swards and red clover come to mind. Above all, we need to plan ahead. Hope is a poor substitute for a well-planned strategy that should be beneficial for all concerned. We cannot allow short-term cost-cutting, including reduced fertiliser use, to be an excuse to avoid necessary, if costly, decision making to safeguard farm sustainability for the longer term.
Meanwhile, we have seen impressive and much-needed prices being paid for cattle and sheep in the marts and slaughtering plants, along with an improvement in milk prices. They deliver some badly needed confidence to the drystock and dairy sectors. Whether these prices are symptomatic of long-term trends in returns remains to be seen. Right now, there are a few imponderables, including the impacts of UK-Australian and New Zealand trade agreements. We are still dependent on the UK for a major proportion of our food exports. Add in Mercosur – it still hasn’t gone away and will resurrect quickly after the June European elections–and a new Commission at the end of 2024. Nevertheless, we cannot look gift horses in the mouth. Higher prices for our produce are always welcome no matter what clouds – rain or economic – may be on the horizon.