A Word from the Editor

But I am also conscious that for many of our readers there is a harvest still to complete and what a challenging one it has proved to be; as I was reading the copy coming in from our farmer and agronomy contributors for this month’s issue their frustration with the weather delays was palpable.
News of generally good yields – very good
in some cases – and equally good quality
brings some consolation, although lodging, sprouting and shedding have taken their toll for some. Sadly there has been less good news from the grain markets, with wheat prices falling away on the back of harvest pressure and Brexit uncertainty.
The arrival of September also signals the end of the parliamentary recess, although as Arable Farming went to press, it seemed likely that politicians would be back at work for only a few days following Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s decision to suspend Parliament. Not surprisingly the decision has caused a furore among politicians and the wider public.
What will happen in the coming days and weeks is anyone’s guess, but here at Arable Farming we do at least have the benefit of the experience of our political reporter Abi Kay, who will be keeping a close eye on developments – she shares her thoughts in her Politics Watch column in this issue (p10) and is also
well worth keeping up with on Twitter
@FGAbiKay or online at arablefarming.com.
Data-based agronomy tools are increasingly helping to inform crop protection decisions and this issue we take a look at a new tool designed to help time oilseed rape herbicide applications for optimum weed control as well as watercourse protection (p30).
And before I run out of space, I must draw your attention to the first of our CropTec Show previews (p28), in which we take a look at the hub topics featuring at this year’s show. We’re all set for a busy autumn.