HGCA will again be one of the major exhibitors at Cereals 2014, with a large stand containing both established favourites and exciting new features for 2014.
With around 150 varieties of wheat, barley, oilseed rape and oats on display, including spring crops and candidates, the HGCA stand provides a one-stop shop for information on variety choice. Find out how varieties have fared this season by visiting the Recommended Lists plots and joining a guided tour of the wheat and barley plots.
New Recommended List pocketbooks for Wheat, Winter Oilseed Rape and Barley & Oats will be available to pick up around the stand, providing at-a-glance performance information on individual varieties with space to note your own observations.
HGCA’s free expertise covers the breadth of on-farm decision-making, with experts on hand to discuss variety, agronomic and marketing choices throughout the cropping calendar.
In the demonstration plots, HGCA Research Managers, alongside some of the industry’s leading research scientists, will talk visitors through the latest innovations from HGCA’s project portfolio, while specialists from the HGCA Recommended Lists team will be available to discuss the latest news on variety performance. Visitors will also be able to help fine-tune HGCA’s Research Strategy for 2015-2019, the consultation for which recently attracted 1,000 responses.
New for 2014
For the first time since their appointment last year, HGCA Regional Managers will be on hand to welcome visitors to the stand, and will be able to discuss with visitors issues relevant to each region. The Regional Managers will also be answering growers’ questions about HGCA’s latest wave of Monitor Farms and the associated network of Arable Business Groups.
A vintage combine harvester is certain to be the centre of attention, and will be used to illustrate how the cost-efficiency of combining has increased over the past 70 years.
Also new for 2014 is a feed grain zone – illustrating the importance of cereals grown for feed to the UK arable sector. HGCA aims to encourage more growers to think about producing for the specific needs of the feed market, and so reduce any unnecessary inputs.
Talk to the arable industry experts
Cereals and oilseeds specialists from the Market Intelligence team will be available to talk through the latest events moving global grain and oilseeds markets, as well as the range of pricing strategies available for growers looking to sell their produce. A short pre-harvest outlook will also take place at the beginning of the variety plot tours.
Also featuring on the HGCA stand will be nabim, representing the UK flour milling industry, and MAGB, the trade association for maltsters. Red Tractor Farm Assurance will also be on hand to talk through the benefits of being farm assured, and how it is working with farmers to improve its assurance scheme.
Sample Moroccan biscuits
In HGCA’s double marquee, visitors will be able to find out how HGCA supports cereals and oilseeds growers through its consumer campaigns.
HGCA’s Farmhouse Breakfast Week this year saw more than 1,000 events take place around the country to drive demand for cereals products by urging consumers to ‘Shake Up Their Wake Up’ and make time for breakfast. Learn about the benefits of getting involved in the campaign and what free resources and support are available.
Also in the marquee, HGCA will also be celebrating 10 years of success for its British Cereals Exports (BCE) team and handing out Moroccan biscuits – baked with uks category flour.
