Managing Wheat at Clarkson’s Farm

Students from the Department of Life Sciences at Aberystwyth University have secured third place in this year's Ceres Rural Crop Challenge, with the awards presented at Cereals, which was this year hosted at Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat farm.

The team of Leah Crabbe, Tanner Breeze, Harry Wrighthouse and Suan Bawmkhai returned to the competition after taking on board feedback from last year's challenge, demonstrating how practical experience, teamwork and technical knowledge can deliver real improvements.

Organised by Ceres Rural in association with the Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC), the competition challenges university teams to manage a commercial winter wheat crop from both an agronomic and business perspective. Competitors are judged not only on their ability to grow a high-performing, clean crop but also on how effectively they market their grain throughout the season—two skills that are fundamental to profitable arable farming.

This year's challenge centred on a crop of Skyfall winter wheat grown at Diddly Squat Farm. The Aberystwyth team developed a comprehensive fertiliser, nutrient and herbicide management plan, carefully adapting their decisions to the season's conditions. Their familiarity with managing crops in wetter environments proved advantageous, helping them deliver timely and effective herbicide applications throughout the growing season.

Alongside crop management, the students were responsible for marketing four portions of their wheat based on international grain markets. While their decision to sell came just before a significant rise in wheat prices, the crop still achieved a strong gross margin of £970/ha.

The team's performance earned them an excellent third-place finish, together with valuable feedback from leading industry professionals at the Cereals event.

Leah reflected on the achievement:

"I am so pleased with the outcome of our crop this year. We took last year's feedback on board and it helped us to go away, gain a deeper understanding and come back more prepared, which has shown in our third-place finish."

Dr Irene Griffiths, Lecturer and Oat Breeder at DLS added:

"The Ceres Rural Crop Challenge is a fantastic opportunity for the students to put their knowledge into practice. With the award ceremony being held at the Cereals event, they receive valuable feedback from experts in the field. This is a brilliant result for our students and an enjoyable experience."

Congratulations to Leah, Tanner, Harry and Suan on an excellent achievement and for representing Aberystwyth University so well. 

Find out more about our Agriculture courses HERE