Big Brute winner for Bayer’s LAMMA competition

Arable farmer Will Finn-Kelcey says he ‘couldn’t believe it’ when he got a phone call telling him he had won a Big Brute grain store vacuum and a season’s supply of K-Obiol EC25 in a competition organised by Bayer.

Farming 520 ha in Buckinghamshire, Will aims to grow quality milling wheats alongside winter oilseed rape and spring peas at Clifton Pastures Farm, Clifton Reynes, Olney. He’s over the moon to have won the contest, saying he had been thinking of replacing his existing cleaner, but felt the expense wasn’t fully justified.

“It couldn’t have come at a better time,” he says. “My grain stores have under-floor drying, so I need a machine capable of cleaning out all the ducting. The Big Brute has an awesome reputation, I’m really looking forward to starting to use it.”

Taking an interactive approach at the recent CropTec and LAMMA events in Peterborough, the Bayer stand proved to be a huge success with the company running a competition to win the grain store Big Brute® vacuum and a season’s supply of K-Obiol EC25 at both.

Entrants answered questions about pest control on the farm, and the competition generated interest from countless farmers drawn onto the stand by the appearance of the Big Brute.

“We received a lot of entries to the competition, and it proved to be a big draw for farmers interested in talking to me about pest control on their farms.” explains Ken Black, Bayer’s Rural Hygiene Manager.

“Many visitors to the stand were arable farmers, and it gave me a chance to talk to them about how poor grain store management can be avoided,” says Ken.

The Big Brute grain store vacuum was on the stand to raise awareness about the importance of best practice in grain store preparation.

The Big Brute is a valuable tool in grain store preparation. “For best practice, the first key step to take is to clear all remaining grain, clean all the debris off walls, stanchion, fan tunnel and other surfaces from roof level. Cracks and ledges should be inspected and cleaned to ensure there is no debris or loose grain that can harbour insect populations after last year’s crop until the next harvest comes in,” says Ken.

He goes on to say that if insect activity persists once all of the correct procedures are followed to ensure that the store is as clean as possible, it’s recommended that the store should be treated with a preventative, residual insecticide treatment.

“We recommend that growers start planning ahead and look to incorporate a spray application of a product like Bayer’s K-Obiol EC25 to the fabric of their grain storage buildings several weeks before intending to use the store,” says Mr Black. He adds that K-Obiol will control any active stored crop insects, including grain weevils, flour beetles, grain borers, saw-toothed grain beetles, bean weevils, bruchid beetles and flying insects such as rice moths, Indian meal moths and grain moths.

“It delivers a strong level of residual protection and provides continuing control to guard against any subsequent insect invasions well into the storage period.”