National Arable and Grassland Awards Finalists: Young Agronomist of the Year – Farm Contactor & Large Scale Farmer

An advantage of having someone from the outside looking in is that they often have a different perspective. That is very much the case with Josh. Despite being a recent arrival to the Hutchinsons team, he has questioned growers on where their focus should be. He admits yield is important, but says it’s not the “be-all and end-all”.

The same attitude has been applied to more tactical decisions such as weed control. Burgeoning blackgrass and ryegrass pressures for some growers persuaded Josh to call for a rethink. A host of cultural measures, including a training course on machinery cleaning, has cut weed burdens and lowered weed control costs.

Josh is also making the most of the tools around him to take growers down the journey of a more prescriptive approach. Products like Omnia and TerraMap are allowing him to target inputs precisely to even out fields and cut costs. One variable-rate trial Josh instigated revealed £66/ha in liming costs in one pasture field.

His view is that businesses need to be flexible to deal with the ever-changing political aspects of agriculture and more extreme weather conditions. With margins being tighter, he has highlighted how savings can be made through precision agriculture.

He has also focused on what else can be done to improve farm performance and sustainability. He has been proactive in identifying underperforming field areas where Sustainable Farming Incentive options can offset potential losses without making short-term decisions or taking land out of production.