Only by understanding can anything be changed
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This month, Openfield explores the importance of learning for farmers, consumers and politicians, plus an update on fertiliser prices and demand.
Now daylight is much reduced and the ‘to do’ list on the farm gets shorter, how many arable farmers are embracing learning, asks Cecilia Pryce, Openfield’s head of research, compliance and shipping.
Sitting doom scrolling may be easier but, in a world full of change, arable farmers need to be making sure they understand their markets, contracts and legislative requirements. I do feel
that there is a gap in this marketplace which, if supplied, could help many – after all how many farmers know about the Sale of Goods Act 1979 or really have a concept of legislative requirements?
In late October/early November, Openfield and the NFU started their 2025/26 Cereal Development Programme. The course has been running for many years now and annually, with the help of other members of the cereal industry, we give young farmers the opportunity to see their industry in detail. The aim is to show them what can really only be learnt at the coal face, in the anticipation that it will gear them up for the future.
This type of course should be made available for everyone from farmers through to politicians because only by understanding can anything ever be changed or understood, but where is the cash or the expertise that is readily available and willing? How do you as farmers know what contract to trade on or when to sell and what obligations you have? Learning has largely been from generation to generation but, in the current environment, farmers need to understand more about their contracts and obligations rather than assuming it can’t be wrong because it’s how they have always done things.
With the world looking for more in the way of sustainability parameters and more general requirements from farmers and the supply chain, maybe there’s an opportunity for us to educate the consumer. How many consumers understand their commodities? How many have forgotten that they are buying unprocessed field-to-store grain largely supplied through a fully assured
supply chain?
Maybe it’s time for a reset and for the whole industry (including government, NGOs and similar) to embrace learning about what everyone is doing and the issues they are facing, rather than the supermarkets and end consumers deciding what they may like to impose on us? Some would call it a joined-up supply chain, while others would call it common sense – but it would take the right people to put together an education course that is geared at the right level to help everyone.
A UK arable industry education course may turn out to be exactly what this country currently needs to get everyone on the same page, but the real question is, would you sign up for it or do you
believe it’s someone else’s problem?
Whatever your education level and age, every day is a school day, so please make sure you engage with anyone who invites you to presentations over the coming months. In a world full of uncertainty, the more you know and understand, the better. Similarly, a meeting is always a good place to catch up with others, have a change of scenery and hopefully something worth eating too!
Fertiliser matters
Fertiliser prices have been somewhat flat for the past few months, as quiet markets no longer seem to put any downward pressure on prices due to a continuation of high energy costs and tighter supplies, writes Openfield fertiliser manager Lucy Hassall.
Urea has been the exception, partly due to the return of China’s urea export programme. China, which would usually export around five million tonnes per year, was absent from the export market last year to protect domestic pricing and supply. An increase in exports this summer resulted in improved global supplies, and we saw urea prices start to soften. Unfortunately, this didn’t last for long with large Indian demand and Europe starting to make purchases again at the end of October, leading to firmer global pricing.
The EU not only has significant tariffs on Russian fertiliser imports from this year, it also has CBAM coming in from January 2026. This may affect trade flows and, with increased activity, it’s likely our prices will be firmer.
