In this issue:

• Fusarium mycotoxin levels in the 2008 wheat crop
• Help with CropMonitor User Survey

The weather conditions in 2008 have been favourable to fungal infection and hence fusarium mycotoxin development. Early season testing by nabim, AIC and ACFM members has shown that overall levels are broadly similar to 2007 but that a number of geographic areas appear to have levels of DON that are higher than indicated by a risk assessment.

When conducting their seller's risk assessment, and taking account of geographic region, farmers in all parts of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire and Yorkshire should treat these counties as fully within the high risk region of England and use a score of 4. The overall risk assessment should then be entered on the grain passport in the normal way.

Link to Fusarium Mycotoxin Risk Assessment Form: http://www.hgca.com/document.aspx?fn=load&media_id=3855&publicationId=2764

For several years HGCA has supported the live disease monitoring information brought to you through CropMonitor.  We are now looking to improve the level of service provided to levy-payers and agronomists and would appreciate your input through a short questionnaire.  The attached questionnaire (word document) should only take 2 minutes to answer and your views are valuable to us in helping mould the service to meet your needs.

Please return the document electronically to research@hgca.com with the e-mail heading 'CropMonitor' by 19 September.