A recent poll of arable farmers conducted by the National Farm Research Unit (NFRU) has found that the majority of arable farmers are using the Internet (57%). Of those that are using the Internet, 87% now have broadband, compared with just 55% four years ago and 70% three years ago.

Close to half of all arable farmers say that they have gone on-line to get information about farm inputs (47%), with 40% of them reporting that they have bought some farm inputs on-line. The trend is for more farmers to seek information on-line with 42% doing so four years ago and 44% three years ago. Similarly the use of the Internet for purchasing farm inputs is increasing, with just 17% buying farm inputs on-line four years ago and 26% three years ago.

..and widespread uptake on new varieties

Many arable farmers have planted a new variety for the first time in the current season, particularly winter wheat and winter oilseed rape. Across the UK around one quarter of winter wheat growers grew a new variety for the first time, with varieties such as Viscount, Oakley, Duxford and Humber being the most popular new varieties. Three years ago just 10% of farmers said they had grown a new variety of wheat, with Alchemy being the top new wheat variety.

Just over one in five oilseed rape growers have grown new varieties, with the hybrids Flash and Excalibur and the conventionals DK Cabernet, Vision, Castille and Catana being singled out.

Barley growers were less likely to try out a new variety, although 15% of barley growers said that they were doing so this season, with newly planted varieties being Saffron, Retriever and Cassata winter barley and NFC-Tipple, Quench and Waggon spring barley. Three years ago just 5% of growers were trying a new barley variety.

High uptake of professional advice on Crop Protection

A survey by the National Farm Research Unit reveals that overall 95% of arable farmers across the UK said that they took professional advice on crop protection, compared with 89% in 2004.

Distributors/suppliers of crop protection products were key in providing advice on their use, with 72% of farmers taking advice from this group. Three years ago this was at a similar level (71%). A further 20% of arable farmers took independent advice from private individuals (11% of farms) or from consultancies (9% of farms). Three years ago the use of a private individual was much lower (4%) and the use of consultancies higher. Very few farms utilised their own members of staff for this specialist agronomic activity.