[rowlandwells]

 i was talking to a farmer the other day and we both agreed that we where later sowing and planting this year compered to last year i was somewhat surprised to learn that more farmers  are using the services an agronomist for there experience in crop growing these days

and although there is a cost associated to having an agronomist I'm assured that the benefits from an agronomist is very cost effective in improving crops providing farmers with advise and recommendations for applying the correct chemicals and fertilisers

agronomists are  all new to me from my farming days so suppose we as gardeners are our own agronomists trying to produce some of the best veg crops as well as soil management that shows the importance of regular soil testing

[Pescador]

In my professional growing days I worked for an English company running a farm in Spain. They used an English agronomist who knew nothing about growing crops in a foreign climate, different pests and diseases that he'd never heard of.
Why were they wasting their money?
An agronomist is a bit like a management consultant, if they're any good, why aren't they actually growing/managing?
Why are they telling others how to do it? If they get it wrong where's the comeback!

[snowdrops]

I don’t agree that farmers are trying to grow the best crops possible, I agree that as gardeners that is what we try to do. I think these agronomists try to advise the farmers to grow crops as cheaply as possible by only applying fertilisers etc in specific amounts to enable the crops just to grow good enough to sell.

[rowlandwells]

not knowing to much about agronomists myself this was a conversation between a farmer and me over the hedge as you mite say  but I do know there are many farmers bringing in agronomists to manage crop growing was it not beneficial then what would be the need of an agronomist

on the other hand if crop yields where up by the management of an agronomist then wouldn't it make cense to carry on using one because crop growing is part of the farming industry and like any other industry its there to make money and of cause supply and demand come into play

we as gardeners grow to achieve the best results do we not and I'm no different than the rest because I grow for fresh veg and surplus veg for the freezer although we enjoy our allotment and growing we still need to get results without would be a complete waste of our time and effort

[JayG]

If agronomists are indeed widely used in modern arable farming, it must surely be because the pressure to extract the maximum crop from the soil at the lowest cost requires the advice of people more up to date with the latest technologies and methods than the average farmer presumably is.

This blurb from a UK agronomy company gives an idea of the sort of services they provide.

Not sure it's relevant to the average amateur grower - I'm sure most of us are very satisfied with being able to grow mostly decent crops from little more than a packet of seeds, a dollop or two of hoss-muck, and the odd slug pellet or ten. 

[snowdrops]

If agronomists are indeed widely used in modern arable farming, it must surely be because of the pressure to extract the maximum crop from the soil at the lowest cost requires the advice of people more up to date with the latest technologies and methods than the average farmer presumably is.

This blurb from a UK agronomy company gives a idea of the sort of services they provide.

Not sure it's relevant to the average amateur grower - I'm sure most of us are very satisfied with being able to grow mostly decent crops from little more than a packet of seeds, a dollop or two of hoss-muck, and the odd slug pellet or ten. 

You said what I was trying to say JayG but a lot more eloquently lol

[JayG]

You're too kind Snowdrops, although you won't have been aware that those 3 sentences were swapped around and edited at least 5 times before posting, and even then I had to go back to edit a couple of syntax errors! 

[rowlandwells]

I'm glad I'm not an agronomist just a communal gardener anyway I couldn't afford one 

[grinling]

I know a woman who is an agronomist. She travels up to 100 miles from home, working long hours walking the fields. Supermarkets require fertilizers and sprays to have been given, but she can advise where,.
Supermarkets do not pay much, 20p a cauliflower, so not overusing products saves the farmer money.