Agrovista team up with farmcare and NIAB to stage premier arable event

Thursday July 1st is a date worth fixing in every arable farmer's diary. From 10am farmers will be able to view Agronomic Initiatives and Grassweed 2004, the UK's largest independent Arable Technology Demonstration where the emphasis is on turning cereals research into practical solutions. Organised by Agrovista, one of the country's leading specialist agronomy and crop management companies, and hosted by farmcare, the UK's largest farming business, the event is conveniently sited in the centre of the country at the Stoughton estate near Leicester. There will also be a coach link to Grassweed 2004, the UK's premier blackgrass development site, 19 miles away, at Maidwell.

The 72 acre arable trials site at Stoughton focuses on disease control, variety and crop establishment. Both first and second wheats are under scrutiny with interactions between fungicides, growth regulators, application technology and varieties all being explored. Experts from NIAB will also be on hand to demonstrate the variety trials and answer questions about the latest varieties to hit the market. Displays from the SMI (Soil Management Initiative) will be part of the demonstration day and visitors will be available to discuss the pros and cons of various establishment techniques with demonstrations from Vaderstad and Simba. LEAF will be present and there will be a demonstration of the PROBE environmental farming project.

Finally in the Technology Village there will be displays from all the major seed breeders and agrochemical manufacturers. .

Over at Grassweed 2004, programme options for the control of some of the country's most difficult blackgrass, ryegrass and mixed populations take centre stage, including new developments in weed control from around the world. Alongside these are trials looking at the effects of nozzle technology and water volume as well as work on anti-resistance strategies in single and mixed populations of grassweeds. The site covers a huge range of control options from pre and post emergence products and new and not-so-new chemistry.

Admission is free and refreshments will be available. The Agronomic Initiatives day has applied for CPD points for both BASIS and NRoSO. For more information or to pre-register for the event, please speak to your local Agrovista agronomist or telephone Moira Kirby on 01953 456588.

You can register on-line at www.agrovista.co.uk ,go to the events page, and click "book for this event" on the 1st July entry.