•
NEWS
•
THE
VEGETABLE
FARMER •
MARCH 2017
Herbert Engineering has
announced that Peterborough
based company, VPM, part of
the Vogal Group, will be
responsible for sales & support
in the UK.
UK based Vogal Group have
extensive knowledge of Herbert
Equipment both from a
manufacturing and operational
point of view. They are known
for their mechanical and
electrical installations which
include turnkey project
management,
A company spokesman said;
“Herbert Engineering and VPM
have beenworking hard to
improve the service to its clients
and to revitalize its markets
where possible. Satisfied
customers, new challenges and
technical innovations are the
most important drivers of the
company. Therefore we are
proud towelcome VPM as our
exclusive distributor in UK and
Ireland.”
As industry calls for more
alternative nematode control
options in carrot and parsnip
crops, results of a recent grower
survey suggest that good
nematode control can be achieved
through the use of biorational
products.
The survey conducted on behalf
of Certis UK indicated that the
lack of options available to
protect against nematodes is the
biggest concern of UK growers for
the coming year. However, the
survey also revealed that good
results were achieved by many
growers last seasonwho followed
best practice guidance when
using NEMguard DE on their
crops.
Selchuk Kurtev, IPMmanager at
Certis, says; “With the recent
AHDB Horticulture review stating
that more longer-term research is
required into alternatemethods of
control of free living nematodes,
such as biologicals. Biorationals
are becoming a key component of
any grower’s armoury.”
Around 40% of carrot and
parsnip growers who took part in
the survey stated that they would
recommend the product for
nematode control, with 60%
citing that best results were
achieved after applying at the
recommended rate of 20
kilograms per hectare followed by
minimum of 20mm irrigation as
soon as the crops are drilled.
“Understanding how these
products canwork together with
conventional chemistry in crop
production is important for the
fresh produce sector. In a lot of
instances growers just need to
build confidence with biorational
products by trying them out in
their fields. With planting
imminent, now is a good
opportunity to do this,”Mr Kurtev
concludes.
6
Biorationals deliver nematode control
VPM announced as distributor for
Herbert Engineering
Fresh Growers install newwaste water system
JonBirchall joins LevityCropScience team
Waste water recycling and
management for root crop
growers and packers is an
important speciality at the Haith
Group, which designs and
installs custom built systems to
ensure themaximum purity of
recycledwater.
A newHaithWater Recycling
Systemwas recently installed at
Fresh Growers Ltd near Newark,
Nottinghamshire. Alan Hunt,
the Factory Manager at Fresh
Growers, said; “Our objectives
were, to save water, to put
cleaner water into the system
and eliminate soil damage to
bearings andmachinery from
soil recirculation. We are now
removing 99% of soil and
debris, and the complete
installation process took just
four weeks from
start to finish.”
“I am pleased
to say we’ve
greatly reduced
our downtime
hours, and
production has
increased by 10-
15% as there’s
no longer any
need to keep
stopping to clean out. We’re
noticing that as the new system
settles, its effectiveness is
increasing, and our water
quality continues to improve.”
Waste water from the factory
is collected by a reception
sump, where constant mixing
keeps the waste solids in
suspension. The sump’s
contents are then transferred to
a Rotary Brush Screen at around
50 cubic metres an hour, for
fine screening.
Water then feeds from the
screen, into a balance tank and
onto a Flocculator. Flow is
regulated, and can be adjusted
on the Lamella HMI control
screen. Coagulant and
flocculent are added and
efficiently mixed; rates are
controlled by an Auto-Sampler
which takes samples from the
Lamella settler and separator.
A Filter Plate Press produces a
‘cake’ which is around 70% dry,
at about 5.5 tonnes per drop.
Equippedwith a high-pressure
clothwash facility, this is
selectedmanually once or twice
a week. Cleanwater from
pressed cake is returned to the
cleanwater tank for reuse
within the factory.
From the HMI screen on the
main panel, the system is
constantly monitoredwith a
high degree of automation and
security checks. Water returning
to the factory is dosedwith
chlorine dioxide, but only if the
CL02meter sees a flow on the
CL02 panel, and the Probe
readings are in the correct
range.
Levity CropScience, based at
Preston in Lancashire, have
announced that well known
agronomist, Jon Birchall, is
joining their rapidly expanding
team, to assist with customer
support and farm trials.
Alongside his work at Levity
Jonwill continue to service his
existing client base, managing
some 3,000 acres of a broad
spectrum of arable crops on
contract farming agreements.
Levity Commercial Director
Mike Peters MBE said; “We are
delighted towelcome Jon to
the Levity team. Jon knows
farming inside out, and is a
former BBC Farmer of the Year.
His 30 years of farming and
advising on arable crops will be
a real asset to Levity and the
farmers that use our products.
“Levity have some very
exciting products to launch in
the UK over the next couple of
years. Jonwill help us organize
famer trials and communicate
to British farmers what Levity
can do for their crops”.
Jon Birchall said; “What
excites memost about working
with Levity is the R&D that they
have. There are somany
products coming through that
canmake a huge difference to
UK agriculture and I am really
looking forwards toworking
with them. With new products
launching on potato, and root
veg this year and an ambitious
trial programme on potato,
brassica, OSR and field I am
going to be very busy!”
Fresh Growers’ newwater recycling system.
Jon Birchall.
