| CropTec
Farmers & beekeepers can BeeConnected this season
New website launches to improve two-way relationship between farmers and beekeepers .
T he relationship between farmers and beekeepers is a vital one . In the UK around 70 of the crops grown are dependent on , or benefit from visits from bees , a value which is estimated at over £ 200 million per year .
While the importance of bees to UK agriculture is profound , it has not always been straightforward for farmers and beekeepers to communicate directly with each other . However , a new service – BeeConnected – launched nationwide on the 12th September aims to address this issue by digitalising the process of farmers informing beekeepers of their intention to spray an insecticide .
The project is being led by The Voluntary Initiative ( VI ) and Chairman Richard Butler says BeeConnected has been designed to work quickly and efficiently for farmers and beekeepers alike . He says :
“ BeeConnected operates on a very simple , yet efficient , two-way process whereby farmers identify their fields and , in just a few clicks , are able to inform local beekeepers when they intend to spray an insecticide in particular fields . Beekeepers plot the location of their hives , and will then receive a notification ahead of when a farmer within their locality is planning to undertake a spray event .” A two-way process The launch of BeeConnected follows a successful pilot which took place in Hertfordshire during the spring spraying season . Andrew Watts , a farmer with 2250 hectares of combinable crops and grassland in North East Hertfordshire , was one of the participants in the trial . He emphasises that BeeConnected is a useful tool when it comes to improving how both farmers and beekeepers interact .
“ The countryside is a shared place , and beekeepers need farmers as much as farmers need beekeepers . It ’ s a two-way process , and anything that improves the communication there – as BeeConnected does – is a good thing .”
Mr Watts has always had a good relationship with both his Spray Liaison Officer ( SLO ) and the local beekeepers , but emphasises that these relationships have been built on strong communication and mutual understanding :
“ It doesn ’ t happen overnight ; you have to work at it . And we do what we can to help . For example , bees are early risers , but they ’ re early to bed too . So when we spray our beans for bruchid beetle , we tend to spray late in the evening .” Open communication Improving communication is also a key benefit of BeeConnected for Mat Smith , a beekeeper based in Bishop ’ s Stortford . During the pilot he noted that the website was a big improvement on the SLO system of communication .
“ The current SLO system isn ’ t always effective ,” he says , “ The BeeConnected website is an excellent tool that can improve both bee health and relations between beekeepers and farmers .
“ Honey bees are hugely beneficial to both their keepers , farmers and the larger population as a whole , and open communication between farmers and beekeepers can only be a good thing .”
And for Mr Smith , who tends to three hives in his garden , the website proved to be a success in this regard .
“ It was very easy to set up , and the alerts came through in time for me to take action to protect my bees ,” he concludes , “ I can ’ t think of any reason for beekeepers not to use this service !”
During the development of the project the VI worked closely with the National Farmers Union ( NFU ), the British Beekeepers Association ( BBKA ) who were responsible for the initial BeeConnected proposal , and the Crop Protection Association ( CPA ), who funded the development of the site .
Mr Butler adds : “ This is a great opportunity for all farmers and beekeepers nationwide to improve their communications , for a mutual benefit . We encourage all farmers and beekeepers to make full use of the site and register by visiting www . beeconnected . org . uk .”
Optimizing grain drying
Allmet is helping its customers to reduce drying costs and increase drying capacity thanks to the launch of the Intelligent Dryer Control ( IDC ) System .
T his latest technical advance brought to the UK market is the result of Allmet ' s alliance with Tornum AB , a strategic business partnership that has seen the two companies share expertise and resources to focus on product research and development .
The IDC , is long-awaited in the grain market and will benefit customers by minimizing over drying , maximizing obtainable product quality , weight and prices and providing total process control .
Allmet Director , Charles White explained : " Drying grain precisely is a complex process that you want to get right to maximise the best possible price . When you use manual methods you run the risk of not reaching the desired moisture content levels , or over drying . The IDC takes the guess work out of this by maintaining the average outgoing moisture content of the grain , despite large variations in incoming moisture content ."
To illustrate the benefits of the IDC - overstepping the mark by drying to 13 percent instead of 14 can typically add up to 20 percent to your energy bill , give you an additional 1 % loss in weight and reduce your dryer ' s capacity by up to 16 percent .
Fellow Allmet Director , James White added : " The IDC optimizes the drying process by using intelligent software that adapts to conditions . There ' s no need for manual adjustments you have total control over the drying process and can change the grain type and drying recipe where ever you are , at the touch a button either from a PC or a tablet ."
Available in four different standard kits , the system consists of moisture sensors and a control unit with a user friendly interface . The first sensor is positioned in one of the upper drying sections and measures incoming moisture . The second is placed in the cooling zone , close to the dryer outlet . Using information about incoming and outgoing moisture content , the control unit sets the speed of the dryer discharge to obtain the desired moisture content out of the dryer - regardless of outside climatic conditions .
www . farmingmonthly . co . uk October 2016 | Farming Monthly | 15