HEAR FAQ

Q Where is HEAR grown?
A HEAR crops are widely grown in France, Germany, UK, Canada and USA.
   Crops of HEAR have been grown in the UK since 1986.
 - The estimated size of the UK HEAR market is 25,000 hectares.

Q Will Growing '00' Rape mean I can’t grow HEAR?
A   No - as long as there are two (or more) other crops between    
HEAR and '00' crops the level of cross contamination will not affect the marketability of either type.

• Minimise volunteer plants in subsequent Rape crops by leaving any seed shed at harvest on the soil surface for as long as possible before doing any cultivation.
• A lot of studies show some seed surviving in the soil over several years, but the number of seeds surviving in the soil and the numbers that germinate are not the same.  It is estimated that only 1 – 5% of the seeds in the soil seedbank germinate in subsequent years.

Q Will growing HEAR contaminate my land?
A  No - to our knowledge this has never happened, with growers in the past switching with no concerns.
- You need an 8% contamination of either HEAR or '00' to affect the marketability of the oils.
-  Even in a 1 in 3 OSR rotation this level would be exceedingly rare if good agronomic practices are followed.

Q Is here an isolation distance required?
A No. But a 5m gap or a physical barrier is recommended

Q How do I manage my crop of HEAR?
A HEAR crops are managed in an identical fashion to any other Rapeseed crop being grown.

Q Are HEAR varieties as high yielding as other Rape?
A Yes - new varieties give yields close or equivalent to '00' and exceed '000', and any difference in yield is offset by the quality bonuses gained from the 2% higher oil content from HEAR.

Q What seed treatments will be applied to the planting seed?
A Our Winter HEAR planting seed will have the most modern products available applied to them, as per other commercial Rape seed.

Q What is the grower’s position with crop failures, or loss of crop?
A Our contracts are for the 'produce of area' and are non-defaultable, so growers will never face charges if facing shortfalls in production.