Farmers in the north-east will have the opportunity to discuss the latest developments in agriculture when Kenneth Wilson hosts its third annual Farming Future event at Kirmington Farms Ltd, Low Mowthorpe, Duggleby, near Malton, on Wednesday, June 24.

This year's event is all the more significant with it being the first time farmers in the region were able to view Kenneth Wilson (Dalgety) as a new company, following the recent successful management buy-out.

The event features the latest varieties of cereals and oilseed rape. Emphasis is very much on risk management for the local farming situation and will include speakers from Nickersons Seeds, the Assured Combinable Crops Scheme and Dalgety's own markets expert, Gary Hutchings.

Other attractions include displays on precision farming techniques and expert advice from chemical and fertiliser manufacturers on site.

According to Paul Butler, Kenneth Wilson's regional sales manager, the event marks a continued recognition of the regional nature of UK agriculture and acts as a forum to demonstrate the company's continued commitment to its customers.

"Many of the national events are too general to offer solutions to the particular problems facing farms in this area," he says. "But with the focus on managing risks, Farming Future gives farmers access to the key developments that are important for farming in this region."

Exhibitors at the Open Day include AgrEvo, ATS, BASF, Bayer, Cyanamid, Dalgety Grain, Dow AgroSciences, DuPont, Farm Masterloan, Hydro, Kemira, Mandops, Moorside Land Rover, Nickersons Seeds Ltd, Rhone Poulenc, Stefes, Terra Nitrogen (UK) Ltd, Whyte Agrochemicals and Zeneca.

Dairy farmer David Shaw, who milks 189 Jerseys, is so pleased with the wholecrop wheat he made at Grey Leys Farm, Elvington, York, that this season he is doubling the amount of wheat to be ensiled to 40 acres.

He said: "There are a number of benefits. A major one is that the herd average went up by four litres per cow per day from forage during the period we were feeding the wholecrop. It's highly palatable."

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