'I see added value in non-inversion tillage'

organized for the sixth year in a row Boerenbusiness the crop tour. This year, too, we are following ten arable farmers throughout the Netherlands in the cultivation of chips potatoes of the Innovator variety. In this series of business reports, we introduce the entrepreneurs. This time: Brian Salomé from IJzendijke (Z).

Salomé is engaged in precision farming on his arable farm. He also applies non-inversion tillage (NKG) on his arable farm. "I think that the step to NKG provides added value for my company. As a result, I shift the labor peak from autumn to more spread over the entire season. It is a challenge to incorporate the crop residues in the spring."

That's why 21 business and personal questions to Brian Salomé, participant in the Boerenbusiness Crop Tour Potatoes.

Which potato varieties are grown on the arable farm?
"We are only growing the Innovator variety this year. We are growing Innovator for the tenth year. We have good experiences with the variety and the yields are good, even though Innovator is not easy to grow. In general it is necessary to irrigate Innovator , but we also manage to achieve a good yield without irrigation. We first grew the Bintje variety, but it was no longer included in the yield."

What do you think is the most beautiful crop to grow?
"I think that every crop has its own challenges. In the potatoes and sugar beets, we apply all fertilizers in liquid form and furthermore we steer with foliar nutrition. With drip irrigation in the onions, we try to keep up with the kilos. It's been a while since we harvest 40 tons of onions per hectare. I hope that we can once again achieve a positive yield in the onions. I also try to get the most out of grains. I like the variety between all crops the best."

Are there additional activities on the farm besides arable farming?
"I do a little contract work spraying and threshing. I also work as an on-call worker at ArgiServiceZeeland in Oostburg, when this fits in addition to the work at my arable farm."

Chopping or baling straw?
"In general, I bale all the straw. My straw goes to a veal calf farm and I get the straw back as solid manure. I think this is an ideal collaboration. This way I also know what kind of manure I am spreading."

What kind of tillage/fertilization is done for potato cultivation?
"After the wheat harvest, I spread 30 tons of solid manure. After this I sow a green manure, which I leave in the winter. I apply phosphate during planting and calcium just before cultivating the ridges. The basic fertilization is done through row fertilization during the milling the ridges. Then I put my basic fertilizer on both sides five centimeters next to the tuber."

French fries or boiled potatoes?
"I have no preference, we eat boiled potatoes just as well. French fries once a week anyway."

What is your crop protection strategy?
"I follow the crop protection plan and the advice program. I compare the weather stations in the area with mine. There are huge differences in advice from five days interval or to seven to eight days. I'm curious what AgroExact's weather stations (which all participants in the Crop Tour are allowed to use, ed) comes for advice."

What are your hobbies?
"I'm always busy on the farm. We also have horses and ponies, so you can often find me there."

What are you proud of when you look at the company or cultivation?
"I am proud of my development in optimizing precision agriculture on my farm. I want to further optimize cultivation. It costs money now, but in the end you hope to have something extra in the long run."

What do you want to change/work towards in the coming years?
"I think there will be some changes in precision agriculture, but the way of farming will also change. The availability of plant protection products is becoming less and less. We try to compensate for the loss of these products with precision agriculture, for example in weed control. If I can sow on GPS with implement control, I can get the hoeing machine on the same line. These are developments that I have been working on in recent years. See if I can work more accurately with implement control than camera-controlled."

What has been the best choice/change in recent years at the company?
"I find that difficult to say. I think that the step to NKG provides added value. It makes a difference in labor peaks in the autumn and I no longer have to plow in the autumn. In the spring it is a challenge to cover all crop residues work, but it has been successful every year so far. As far as I can see and measure, it does not cost any yield or even yields in some crops."

What is number 1 on your bucket list?
"I don't think there's much on my bucket list. If I find something fun or interesting, I'll do that. Visiting the United States, Canada or New Zealand once would be fun. Not it has to be done right away."

What activities are you most looking forward to during the year?
"Ultimately, I'm most looking forward to the harvest, because then I see what I've finally achieved. Sowing is also good work. If all goes well, you can of course only harvest something. In the end, you do it for the kilos that come in at the end of the season."

Potatoes from your own company or potatoes from the supermarket?
"Of course we eat our own potatoes."

Are the potatoes sold off the field or from storage?
"Half of the potatoes go off land or go into short-term storage and the other half goes for long-term storage. The potatoes in short-term storage are not frost-free, so they have to go eventually. Part of it is also nice to leave early , then I will have room to store my machines again. How long I keep the potatoes depends on the price, but usually until February or March. If it gets warmer at some point, I can't keep the potatoes at the right temperature in the custody."

What occupation would you have had if you had not been a farmer?
"I sometimes ask myself that too. I don't know. The advantage of being an arable farmer is that you have a very liberal profession. I don't like being behind the computer all the time. I think I'll be back in the agricultural sector after all come from, as a mechanic or contractor."

What is the sales strategy of the products?
"I've been selling the part that I have early or deliver from the country in the pool in recent years. This year I grow the early segment on contract. The part I grow for longer storage is free sales. I also don't want everything on contract It will be a difficult year to predict. The risks are increasing in the cultivation of potatoes. Because more fries contracts are being concluded this year than in recent years, the free market supply is shrinking. I can see the market forces of the free potatoes setbacks due to more contract cultivation. I sold part of my potatoes on contract to cover my cultivation costs in principle."

What do you see as the opportunities and threats for the company?
"The entire law and regulations remain an uncertain factor. The new CAP does make it difficult to choose which way to go now. We will only hear the final rules in three weeks or a few months or things will be changed again. But you have to apply them from today and that makes it difficult. As I said, I see precision agriculture as an opportunity. Now I can see where the limit is without resources. If things go wrong, I can still intervene curatively. As a result, I know where the limit is I also see an opportunity in row fertilization to use fertilizers more efficiently."

Can there be watering? If so, what strategy do you use?
"I can have deep drains drilled for irrigation, but they give me no guarantee that fresh water will come out. I also think water efficiency is important, so see more in drip irrigation. I think we may get restrictions from the water board in the future. maximum water consumption. So that we can continue to irrigate longer in the season with drip irrigation than with an irrigation reel. I think that above ground there will be a limitation in terms of irrigation more quickly."

Sun holiday or winter sports?
"We went on holiday for the first time last winter. It was not winter sports, but a bit in between."

What is the reason you are participating in the Potato Crop Tour?
"It seems instructive to me how other growers do it. Also just to see what it brings me. What do I do differently and what can other growers learn from me?"

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