Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Danish agriculture and the role of field trials IAMFE Skejby, Denmark 1th July 2008 Carl Aage Pedersen Danish Agricultural Advisory Service, National Centre, Aarhus

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Agenda Danish Agriculture Danish Agricultural Advisory System The role of field trials

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre

Number of farms in Denmark Landbrugsraadet, sept. 05 Farms, no. Full time Part time

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre The size of farms in Denmark has grown

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Increasing the demand for usable technology

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre

N-application in Denmark ,000 tonnes of N per year Fertilizer Manure

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Spreading time for animal manure Spreading time – Liquid manure From harvest until 1 st of February spreading of liquid manure is banned except: -on winter oilseed rape from harvest until 1 st of October -on grassland (over wintering) until 1 st of October -On grass for seed until 15 th of October Spreading time – Solid manure Before 20 th of October only on fields with crops in the following winter

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Quota for mineral fertilizer: Example: Winter wheat on clay soil with cereal as previous crop : Economic optimum189 kg N/ha Compulsory reduction, 15%÷ 28 - Correction for effect of ”super green cover” ÷ 4 - Maximum supply157 kg N/ha Pig slurry, 140 kg N, 75% utilization ÷ 105 kg N/ha Left for mineral fertilizer = 52 kg N/ha

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Limits of manure application per hectare In general: 140 kg N i animal manure per hectare Exceptions: N kg on farms with cattle, sheep or goats 2.Derogation: 230 kg N on farms with cattle, if more than 70% of the land with grass, beet or under sown grass, and accept restrictions on manure application, time of ploughing etc.

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Increasing yield trend has stopped in Denmark (and other countries?) No regulations Quotas on N- application 15 below optimum

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Agenda Danish Agriculture Danish Agricultural Advisory System The role of field trials

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre The Danish Model Theory Practice Research and other sources of knowledge 1,200 persons Danish Agricultural Advisory Service, National Centre 1 unit, 550 people 16 Agricultral colleges 38 Local advisory centres 2,900 people 50,000 farmers Average farm size 57 ha Number of employees within the agricultural sector: 186,900

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Danish Agricultural Advisory Service 38 local agricultural advisory centres and 1 national centre Turnover: DKK 1.8 billion 3½ thousand employees Denmark’s largest consultancy

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Danish Agricultural Advisory Service

Development Poultry Danish Pig Production Danish Cattle Federation Crop Production Organic Farming Planning & Environment Law & Accounting Web & IT Fur Animals Danish Young Farmers & Danish 4H International Horses Day-to-Day Management and organisation Green Plantprotection NAV NORFOR KFC RYK Team R A/S Staff functions Head departments and departments with direct advisory service Business Fields DLBR Advice Horticulture AgroTech A/S Koldkærgaard Conference centre DLBR Certification Danish Agricultutural Advisory Service, National Centre General Management and Centre Management Communications Finance Centre IT Human Resources Company Secretariat & Science

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Farmers’ demand for advisory services Farmers of today are: Farm managers Raw material producers Nature managers Livestock keepers Employers

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Relations between DAAS and farmers Farmers are: Owners Users Customers Key words: Best and cheapest advisory services Impartialness Non-profit

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Tasks of the National Centre Dissemination of Knowledge 105,000 documents 27,000 page references per day 55,000 visitors per week LandbrugsInfo 50 interactive programs plant protection calculation of animal units and area requirement weather forecast and weather radar via sms 2.3 mill. people visit LandbrugsInfo and Landmand.dk every year

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Development work Mutually binding advisory services INTEGRATED FARM MANAGEMENT SYSTEM PDA Pig (PDA program) EasyCow (PDA program) Quality management and documentation Breeding development, cattle

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Tasks of the National Centre Trials and studies National Field Trials FarmTest Project farms

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre National Centre, Crop Production Specialised advisory services on: Growing methods Crop and variety choice Plant protection Fertilisation Special crops Field machinery Economic optimization Advising methods

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre National Centre, Crop Production Dissemination of knowledge through the local advising Co-ordination of applied resources – The National Field Trials Initiative to research and development projects Collection of data on which the compulsory fertilisation standards are based Warnings and decision support concerning plant protection Computer programs and decision support systems for optimization of production in an environmental acceptable way

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Agenda Danish Agriculture Danish Agricultural Advisory System The role of field trials

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Why on-farm field trials? Pesticides, varieties, and strategies are tested in ”real life” They generate results that are directly distributed to the farmers and immediately implemented by the farmers They provide ”the missing link” between research and the farmers

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Research and field trials

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre

Support from farmers The driving force is the farmers’ need for results and new knowledge The farmers and/or the top management must be willing to invest in on-farm trials

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Effective data management Data management is the key to: Minimize errors in data Fast data processing and reporting Safe storage of data Saving costs on registrations and entering data Effective logistics

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Results and reporting Single trial results are published currently in LandbrugsInfo (updated within minutes after data reception). Results from variety trials are presented in SortInfo SortInfo Series results are published when all single trial results have been validated The annual report is published in December

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre

Why field trials? Impartial field trials are the only way to obtain knowledge on varieties, pesticides and dosages Opera (fungizide) Winter wheat: 1 l/ha Chemical company:11 field trials:

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Who is having the benefit of spraying? Producer (Chemical company) Net for the farmer Tax Retailer Treatment Index DKK per ha A theoretical example

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Producer Net for the farmer Tax Retailer Company advise? A theoretical example Who is having the benefit of spraying? DKK per ha Political goal 1,55 Treatment Index

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Spring barley towards new goals Costs Net yield TroonPowerPower. Optimized input Yield, hkg per ha

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Planteværn Online

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre

Conclusions Results from local field trials are essential for the farmers to optimize the production Output (yield) Input (seed, fertilizer, pesticides, machinery) Crop rotation and cultivation Design, carrying out and reporting should be impartial.

Danish Agricultural Advisory Service National Centre Thank you very much for your attention! Have an interesting and enjoyable conference!