Strange times. Different, yes, but perhaps this is a time when grains may be looked at in a different light, when food security begins to mean something again, when the great benefits of free global trade must be questioned. This is one of the very first times when the population at large is forced to realise the consequences of disease epidemics that are not readily controllable.

The biggest question now is, what will change when we come out at the other end of the global COVID-19 health crisis? Will we begin to realise that the so-called free movement of goods and people around the world has consequences for human and agricultural health? Will we see similar efforts to reduce a future threat as we see with the controls around crop inputs?

The crop-producing community in Europe could do with a bit of sympathetic understanding, given the continuous and ongoing pressures being imposed by our masters. The loss of our cheaper tools, the prevention of access to more environmentally friendly alternatives and the apparent indifference to imported versus EU food and feed materials point to an indifference to food security.

Whether or not we see change in these macro areas, it is increasingly obvious that we need to look differently at what we do and how we do it.

Growers too have an obligation to change if they are to have a future in the business.

With margins continuing to tighten, we need to continue to search for ways to displace costs that can be removed, while optimising the use of essential inputs.

Much of what is contained in this magazine addresses these issues. While we very much welcome the introduction of the Revysol products this year, and Questar next year, we still cannot allow costs to get out of hand. Grain markets are highly volatile now as the market wants to believe that supply will be high, and price lower again come harvest. So watch for the occasional attractive forward price and let the value of your crop influence the spend on its protection.

Inputs

As farmers, we have little choice but to be conscious of resistance across the full range of inputs. It is our job to try to reduce the pressure from any problem while the input manufacturers strive to fine new solutions. But we will be further disadvantaged in the international marketplace if our competitors have access to the cheap products, plus new plant-breeding technologies, which are now prohibited here.

It would be good to see a sense of fair play emerge from this crisis as our industry is hugely disadvantaged by this technological depravation, as outlined recently by Tillage Industry Ireland.