WEED MANAGEMENT THROWN INTO FOCUS

The NFU has recently reminded farmers about the importance of remaining vigilant against the spread of ragwort, but in fact there is a wider issue concerning weed management which goes beyond the immediate threat to animal health, writes Victoria Steel.

Ragwort, of course poses a huge risk to livestock, especially if it is cut and dried in hay or silage, when it can cause irreversible liver damage; but it is equally troublesome in its green state.  Other problematic weeds such as blackgrass and field horsetail (otherwise known as marestail) can also be a major headache for arable farmers.

All these weeds are very resilient and vigorous: a single ragwort specimen can produce up to 150,000 seeds; blackgrass seeds have a longevity of up to five years; and field horsetail grows underground via rhizomes which can run as deep as ten feet.

The Weeds Act 1959 and the Ragwort Control Act 2003 both mandate landowners to ensure that dangerous weeds are tackled promptly to avoid their spread, and on productive land compliance with this legislation is extremely beneficial.

But fallow land can be another issue, especially if it is being left fallow for long periods, perhaps to be preserved for woodland creation or environmental schemes.  Here it is not uncommon for weed management to be less strictly observed, and with the vigorous nature of plants like ragwort, it doesn’t take long for a relatively small problem to spread, with the potential to cause significant problems for neighbouring landowners.

This is also becoming an increasing issue with roadsides, where scarce local authority resourcing is resulting in a noticeable lack of management.  This has been particularly noticeable along the Northern Distributer Road (NDR), a road which carves straight through much agricultural land.

Regulatory authorities are not the only people who must take heed.  Weed control is vital for high yields of good quality arable crops, to help manage the spread of pests and disease, and for livestock safety.  And yet with limited effective herbicides, along with a need to protect water and manage herbicide resistance, ultimately the weed challenge must be managed across the rotation.

If you are looking to sell your land, it is vital that your weed management on both the parcel of land you are looking to sell, and adjacent parcels, is exemplary.  If prospective purchasers notice an invasive weed problem, they may factor in the expense of dealing with this into any offer proposed, and it may deter them from purchasing altogether.