Best wishes:

Firstly can I wish all my readers the very best for 2017 and beyond. May this be the year that lifts the depression of low prices and sees yields rise to another new level. Use these few weeks to update your farm records.

Chemical records:

Checking that your records of chemical purchases and stocks are in line with your stated use rates. Check that you did not apply a product on to a crop for which it is not cleared or that you did not exceed the maximum individual or the maximum combined dose.

Do a few simple sums. If you applied 0.6litres/ha of Proline twice on 56ha of spring barley at 0.6l/ha you should have applied 67.2l. If you purchased 70l you should have 2.8l left in stock. If you only purchased 65l then you must have had 2.2l in stock to begin with. If you had no stock and applied 65l, then your application rate was 0.58l/ha.

For all chemicals used, there should be a record of the crops and parcels on which they were applied, the amount used, the area sprayed and the PCS numbers.

Such records should account for all carry-in stock, purchases and carryover stock for each product. And ensure that your records show that you have adhered to the buffer requirements and the STRIPE scheme.

N and P use records:

These must be completed for 2016 and should also be done now for 2017 to calculate your maximum nitrogen and phosphate use allowances.

N and P allowances are based on the maximum amount allowed per hectare per crop in each parcel. This is influenced by rotation and crop type for nitrogen and by crop type and soil test results for phosphate. The allowances can reflect off-take levels so historic yields (in one of the three previous years) can influence the rates allowed. But you must have clear proof of a recent high yield year across your entire acreage of that crop.

The area and allowance that applies to each soil test is based on the parcel size, its soil test result, and the maximum amount allowed for that crop (based on N and P indices and historic off-take level). An 8t/ha spring barley crop is entitled to a P application rate of 40kg/ha on soil Index 2. This would be 30kg P/ha on an index 3 soil.

You must calculate your maximum N and P allowance for each parcel/soil test and add them all up to get your total farm allowance. Your N allowance is based on the crop being grown, recent yield level and the previous crop which sets the current N index status.

Your farm allowance gives the maximum amount of N and P that can be applied in the year. Subtract any amount of N or P applied as organic (if any) to the current crops to get the amount of artificial N and P you can use.

US Farm internship:

Could you benefit from a season of farming experiences in the US? If so, you should seriously consider applying for the ITLUS/UAS internship. Details and application forms are now available on www.itlus.ie or www.ulsterarablesociety.com.