Innovations by BGAJ

Innovations September 1-11 2014 International Congress Great Britain

Welcome S

cottish agriculture and Scottish farmers are greatly looking forward to hosting the 2014 IFAJ Congress. Not only looking forward to hosting this prestigious International event but especially looking forward to meeting and talking with distinguished agricultural journalists from across the globe. Scotland is a relatively small country in Europe, but its agricultural industry punches way above its weight not only in agricultural production but also in its contribution to the country’s social fabric and also to sustaining the rare and diverse environment with which Scotland is blessed. Whilst Scotland has a substantial acreage of good arable and cropping land it has to be remembered that over 85% of the land is deemed to be what is known as ‘Less Favoured Areas’ in which the main pillar of production is livestock mainly in the form of sheep and beef cattle although there is still a sizeable dairy, pig and poultry sector. The 2014 conference will take place in the North East of the country, centred on Aberdeen which is the country’s foremost ‘oil city’ being located on our East Coast, nearest the oil wells in the North Sea. The land area in this North East part of the country comprises a balance of land ranging from productive cropping land to both hill and upland pastoral units rearing and finishing both sheep and cattle. Whilst our visitors will stay and the Conference meetings will be in the city of Aberdeen – which is known as the ‘Granite City’ as many of the original buildings were constructed out of local granite stone – there will be farm tours out into the country to look at both crop production and also livestock production units raising both sheep and cattle. The north east of Scotland is also famed for our world renowned Scotch whisky production and we shall have the opportunity to visit one of our well-known distilleries and even to sample the product! 2014 will be a fascinating year for Scottish

Agriculture. Our Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has been renegotiated in Brussels this year but the final implications of the new CAP will not be known to farmers until 2014. Also in 2014 Scotland as a nation has to make a decision regarding our future status of independence or remaining part of the UK. So Scotland will be an interesting place in 2014 and will be all the more interesting with us having the pleasure and privilege of welcoming all our journalist colleagues to the 2014 IFAJ Congress. On behalf of all my committee I am looking forward to meeting you all and trust that you all have an enjoyable and interesting visit to our country.

John B Cameron Honorary President IFAJ 2014

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Introduction A

s I write this small piece for our first edition of Innovations, we are preparing to launch IFAJ 2014 in Argentina and details will be available in this and future editions as we look forward to September next year – only one year away now. To say that we are looking forward to welcoming and hosting so many of our IFAJ friends must be the understatement of the year and I personally look forward to greeting so many of my friends whose company I have enjoyed so much at previous Congresses. Without replicating what has already been said, our country is diverse, innovative, hence the theme, efficient in its production, steeped in history and beautiful into the mix. During your visit you will see and experience so many

different aspects of British agriculture which the organising team, some of whom you will know, have worked so hard to bring to fruition. Jane, Adrian and Joe will be pleased to tell you more in Argentina, probably whilst you are reading this. Great Britain, as you will have seen from the Olympics, remains great. Please ensure you book quickly to avoid disappointment and keep an eye on www.ifaj2014.com. We will see you next September, if not before.

significance of our country’s agricultural industry, its place in our history and its role in our future – recently so firmly reinforced by our Government with the launch of a dedicated AgriTech Strategy. The enthusiasm and support we’ve received from our 2014 partners and sponsors has been superb, and although much of the planning and preparation is already complete, the next 12 months will be a whirlwind of activity to ensure that when we welcome you to ‘A Small Island’ in September 2014, you will experience nothing less than a Congress to remember. Adrian Bell Co-Chair – IFAJ 2014

t is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the launch issue of Innovations, the British Guild’s Congress 2014 magazine. In reading this, and the issues that we hope you’ll sign up to receive over the next 12 months, we’re aiming to ensure that some of the Congress magic we’re preparing for your arrival in Scotland next year will rub off on you. Hardworking, imaginative and committed, the organising committee for IFAJ 2014 has prepared a stunning itinerary that reinforces and underlines our small nation’s ability to seek out and deliver innovation. Whether you choose the main Congress alone, or seek to experience all three countries of Great Britain by booking places on the equally exciting pre and postCongress tours as well, you’re promised an exhilarating, enjoyable and valuable insight into the importance and

Howard Venters Co-Chair – IFAJ 2014

8-11 Your four action-packed days 12

Farming Facts

The Post-Congress Tour

The Platinum Guild

This issue

A history of innovation from a small island

2-4

Introduction

The Land of Food and Drink

The Rough Guide to IFAJ 2014

Raising the game

Getting Your Bearings

Britain – facts and figures

The London pre-Congress tour

Organising Committee

Innovations from a Small Island 3

‘An invitation to tell the world’ W

ith the eyes of the world on Scotland in 2014, it is fitting that we also welcome over 200 international rural journalists for the 2014 International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Congress. Next year, Scotland throws open its doors to the world, hosting three truly global events. We welcome the world’s greatest athletes to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow before the top golfers from the USA and Europe descend on Gleneagles for the Ryder Cup. We also have Homecoming 2014 with Scots from around the world celebrating their homeland. And it’s also a hugely significant year in the country’s history as Scotland’s people decide on the country’s constitutional future in the independence referendum. 2014 will be an extremely exciting time for Scotland and is the perfect opportunity to market ourselves to the world. We can showcase our fantastic range of food and drink and tell the wonderful story of our products and the agricultural successes of Scotland. And what a story we have to tell! Our farmers work extremely hard in all weathers to produce the superb raw materials used to make our finest whiskies and they rear the top quality cattle which have made scotch beef so iconic. And we can’t forget the fishermen who catch the fabulous seafood from Scotland’s waters. They are all vital to the process which takes our food from farm to fork, from net to plate, and they are tending to our magnificent countryside and a marine environment which is envied and much admired across the world. They are the stewards of natural Scotland. The world looks upon Scotland as a Land of Food and Drink and we should take great pride in the fact that

our high class products grace the finest restaurants. There’s a growing global appetite for the large number of high quality, natural produce products Scotland has to offer. We only have to look at our 2012 exports, which reached £5.4 billion – the second highest on record. This highlights the true success of our food and drink sector, yet it has so much more potential. The heritage and provenance of our food and drink is world renowned and provides us with a multitude of opportunities to market our beautiful country. Scotland can also claim to be a land of innovation. Many of the advances in the treatment of animal health, welfare, genetics and husbandry were based on the work of our world renowned research institutions and universities. Similarly, our fishing fleet is renowned for the innovations it has pioneered in sustainable fishing practices. So, I’d like to invite you to Scotland and see for yourself the wonderful things going on in our agricultural and seafood industries. It is not simply a case of knowing what’s going on – to experience it will give you a real insight into the true devotion we have to agriculture and our food and drink. 2014 will be a year to remember for Scotland so let’s make it one to remember for you too! Richard Lochhead MSP Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture

The Congress Logo the story behind the lightbulb Designed and donated by Whisper.pr to portray the essence of the Innovations From A Small Island theme, the identity captures the buzz of innovation, the instantaneity of new thinking and – in a fun, playful and eyecatching manner – the essential agricultural element, while underlining the essential ‘Britishness’ of the whole event.

4 Innovations from a Small Island

The Rough Guide to IFAJ 2014 Jane Craigie, Chairman, British Guild of Agricultural Journalists explains

he main IFAJ 2014 Congress will be hosted in Scotland, a region of the British Isles renowned for its farming, its heritage and the quality of its food and drink. A warm welcome awaits you in our diverse, beautiful and historic land. The year is an important one for Scotland – it is the year of Homecoming Scotland which will celebrate 700 years of Scottish history; Glasgow will welcome 6,500 athletes for the 2014 Commonwealth Games; the 2014 Ryder Cup will be held at Gleneagles and in the days after the congress ends, Scottish people will be asked to vote on whether Scotland should become an independent nation.

Our Congress theme, Innovations from a Small Island, will be upheld in every aspect of the event – from the hosts you will visit, the pioneering science that we will share with you and the progressive farm practices used by our country’s farmers. We even plan to have the world’s first IFAJ Congress App which you can use to plan your trip, source useful information to report your stories and functionality to pinpoint where you are, as well as what you are eating, drinking and experiencing during your trip.

Getting Your Bearings Where and what you’ll experience

he main congress is being held in the north east of Scotland – in Aberdeenshire, Angus, Banffshire and Moray – it will very much be a demonstration of the diversity, innovation and quality in British food and farming. The visits planned capitalise on the region’s heritage, beauty and the luxury brands associated with Scotland with a strong focus on Scotch Beef, Scotch Whisky and the country’s other flagship produce.

You will be staying at a combination of hotels on the outskirts of Aberdeen, at a walkable distance from Aberdeen Airport. The airport is connected to the hubs: Amsterdam Schiphol, Frankfurt, London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle and other UK airports: Manchester, Birmingham, and London airports at Gatwick, Luton and City.

The Sponsors John Spedan Lewis was a successful retailer in his father’s firm, the department store John Lewis. A wealthy man with a passion for country life, he fell off a horse while riding and was temporarily housebound. During his convalescence Spedan realised that in the previous year, he and his father had each earned more money than their entire workforce. His conscience pricked, he thought of a different way of doing business. Spedan gave the firm to his workforce in trust, to run for the benefit of everyone who works within it and the communities where we trade. In 1937, he bought the grocery chain Waitrose and incorporated it into the Partnership. We have no external shareholders looking for profit. Instead we share those profits and participate in running the business, through staff councils elected by the workforce. Governed by a constitution, its overarching

tenet is: ‘The purpose of the Partnership in every way shall be the happiness of its members…’. That’s why we tell people we’re a business that looks to the long term. It’s also why we work closely with our suppliers, helping to develop and grow their businesses in the way that suits them. We’ve worked with many of our farmers for generations. We want to keep it that way healthy, sustainable businesses, whatever their size, gives us a reliable supply of great food for our customers. Everyone wins; the Waitrose Way is incorporated into four pillars: Treating People Fairly, Championing British Produce, Living Well and Treading Lightly. We’re a very different kind of business – passionate about farming and the land on which we all depend. That’s why we’re proud to sponsor the 2014 IFAJ Congress – we truly believe in innovations from a small island. Innovations from a Small Island 5

The London pre-Congress tour You’ll be missing out if you don’t include a visit to London with the pre-Congress tour, writes Adrian Bell

“Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” — Samuel Johnson

eptember 22, 1777. Samuel Johnson, the writer, moralist, critic and lexicographer, is discussing with his close friend, James Boswell, the merits of what was then the largest and most important city in the 70-year old United Kingdom. Boswell, living in Scotland, makes frequent trips to London but wonders whether his zest for the city will wear thin if he is to live there permanently. Now, 226 years later, it has become probably the most famous literary quote about London – a city seen by many as simply the greatest in the world. A reputation reinforced by last year’s magnificent Olympic Games, supported by instantly recognisable icons, traditional and contemporary. What do you think of when you think of London? The Royal Family? Mayor Boris Johnson? The Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, the London Eye, the London Underground (or ‘Tube’), red buses and black cabs? Pageantry, heritage and history, Beefeaters and the Changing of the Guard, where modern buildings (Lloyds of London, the Gherkin, the Walkie Talkie, the Shard) sit comfortably alongside those of earlier times – the Tower of London, the Bank of England and Buckingham Palace? Whatever springs to mind, one fact is indisputable. London is a city like no other. Joining the pre-Congress tour makes the perfect introduction to Great Britain and the perfect start to the 2014 Congress. We guarantee you won’t be disappointed. An itinerary packed with superlatives affirming Britain’s historic innovative capabilities, the theme

6 Innovations from a Small Island

focuses on ‘futureproofing’ food and farming, and we’ve lined up a few surprises too. Be left in no doubt that you’ll see, hear and taste things that even born-andbred Londoners won’t have experienced! Sit back, read on and decide whether you can afford NOT to be on pre-Congress...the only effort we’ll ask of you is to get yourself to London on August 31 2014; we’ll take care of the rest. Arrive by air (and most likely fly into London Heathrow, the world’s busiest international airport), or let the train take the strain, and glide into London St Pancras – the world’s largest enclosed train station – aboard the 186mph Eurostar. Then take ‘the Tube’ – London’s underground railway system, the first such network anywhere in the world when it was launched 150 years ago – and head for Westminster, joining the 3.2 million Londoners who use the Tube every day. Here, our base for three days will be The Farmers Club, founded in 1842 and perfectly situated in the heart of London, on the banks of the Thames and within striking distance of Big Ben – one of London’s most iconic sounds. After a Sunday night reception at the Club, with VIPs from London and the country’s agricultural industry, you’ll sleep in a building used as the HQ for MI6 during the First World War, and as embassies for the US and Soviet Union during the Second World War, to be well prepared for the jampacked days that follow... Monday 1st September ■ Coach journey to Sussex and Hampshire, two counties south of London. ■ Visit the Millennium Seed Bank – home to the world’s largest collection of seeds, 10% of the global total and currently numbering over one billion. It’s a ‘disaster recovery system’ for the world’s plantlife.

■ Lunch at the Leckford Estate, a 4000 acre estate owned by Waitrose – a British supermarket and one of our principal sponsors. You’ll enjoy a tour of its enterprises, including arable, dairy, fruit, poultry, rapeseed oil production and the country’s first supermarket-owned farm shop. You’ll have an immediate sense of the company’s commitment to forward thinking ■ Back to London for a dinner with the ancient Livery Companies – the original trading companies of the City of London. Liverymen must first become a Freeman of the City – a privilege granted to two members of the pre-Congress organising committee, so you’ll be in safe hands (a Freeman is entitled to ‘go about the City with a drawn sword’ and herd sheep across London Bridge!) Tuesday 2nd September ■ Tour of Smithfield Market, the site of livestock and meat trading for more than 1,000 years. Today it’s the only major market to remain in central London ■ Visit two ‘city farms’ – one of them the largest urban farm in Europe – to see how farming’s been brought into the heart of London for education, social care, leisure – and food ■ Sightseeing voyage up the River Thames, with lunch, to Richmond – the site of a former Royal palace – and onwards to the offices of Farmers Weekly to meet the editorial team of ‘the newspaper of the soil’, Britain’s most widely-read agricultural publication ■ Return to central London for an evening reception with the BBC Rural Affairs unit at Broadcasting House - home of the world’s largest live newsroom, at any one time broadcasting to over ten million people in the UK and every week, to over 150 million people around the world Wednesday 3rd September ■ To London St Pancras train station for a train to Harpenden. We’ll visit Rothamsted Research, founded in 1843 – the world’s oldest continuously operated agricultural research station and home to the world’s longest running agricultural experiment

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Responsible for significant contributions to agricultural science, including the development of 2,4-D, the most widely-used weedkiller in the world. Today, it’s the foremost centre of innovation for British agriculture Return to London for lunch and tour at the Houses of Parliament, and a Q&A session with the Agriculture Minister Food-themed sightseeing tour of London Evensong service at St Bride’s Church. Situated on Fleet Street, a name synonymous with the home of British newspapers and publishing, St Bride’s is the spiritual home of British journalists. It’s also the venue for the British Guild’s annual Harvest Service Coach to London Euston train station, where we’ll board the Caledonian Sleeper. One of only two sleeper trains on the British rail network, the service has individual or shared cabins and a fabulous lounge car where we’ll start to get our first tastes of what lies ahead in Scotland – whisky and haggis are firm favourites on the menu!

Thursday 4th September ■ Arrive at Aberdeen for breakfast and enjoy a visit to Finzean Estate, before joining those who missed out on the pre-Congress tour as delegates gather for the opening night of IFAJ 2014 - Innovations from a Small Island We don’t think you’ll be disappointed with such a fabulous, memorable and active pre-Congress tour, particularly as the fee will also include the cost of the sleeper train (travel and accommodation in one) from London to Aberdeen, as well as all food for the duration of the tour. Places will be limited to no more than 45, so competition for spaces is likely to be intense. Don’t say we didn’t warn you... Adrian Bell, 2014 Congress co-chair, is a former Chairman of the British Guild. He runs Whisper.pr, a British-based agricultural communications agency working for clients active in markets around the world. He is also a Freeman of the City of London... Innovations from a Small Island 7

Your four action-packed days Arrival Day – Thursday 4th September 2014

Friday 5th September 2014

10.30-15.30 Finzean Estate For those arriving early – and to tie in with the inbound pre-congress tour delegates – there is an optional visit to the historic Finzean estate high in the Grampian Hills. This working estate farms 4,000ha of arable, sheep and beef cattle; and typical of a Scottish estate, it offers a wide variety of country sports (shooting, stalking and fishing). It also has grouse moors, forestry, holiday accommodation, a farm shop and a tea room. Finzean (Gaelic for ‘a fair place’) has been the home of the Farquharson family for four hundred years. The twelfth ‘painting’ Laird, Joseph Farquharson R.A., lived during Queen Victoria’s reign, he loved this place, and made it known through his wonderful paintings in artistic circles around the world. Farquharson is best known for his dramatic paintings of livestock, particularly sheep, at sunset www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Farquharson www.finzean.com/

08.15

16.30 Professional development workshops These are to be finalised over the coming months, but will include a social media session run by Farmers Weekly journalist Johann Tasker, social media expert Simon Haley and Nuffield Scholar, Caroline Stocks. We will also host a session on the use of technology for agricultural knowledge transfer, one on dissemating and communicating scientific reports and another on using the wide array of free online ‘cloud’ tools for your daily lives

09.00

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12.30

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14.30

The evening Welcome to Scotland dinner Courtesy of Aberdeen City Council, you will attend a welcome to the city reception and dinner

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Our Congress theme, Innovations from a Small Island, will be upheld in every aspect of the event

8 Innovations from a Small Island

18.30

Leave hotel for Leave for ANM Group, Scotland’s largest farmer co-operative and the operator of Europe’s biggest livestock market through its Aberdeen and Northern Marts subsidiary at Inverurie’s Thainstone Centre Arrive Thainstone for IFAJ delegate assembly, those not involved can view the working mart – it will be a sale day, so you can see Scottish store cattle and sheep being auctioned in the sale ring, talk to local farmers and buyers ‘Painting a Strategic picture of Scotland’ Your panel: Richard Lochhead (Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Environment), James Withers (CEO Scotland Food and Drink), Riddell Graham (Visit Scotland) and Lena Wilson (Scottish Enterprise) followed by Q&A with Nigel Miller (National Farmers Union Scotland President) Assembly followed by short presentations on co-operatives in Scotland from our hosts ANM Group and Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society (SAOS) Lunch hosted by ANM. Delegates will be free again to walk round the sale rings and lairage pens Depart Thainstone for family-run Mackies of Scotland at nearby Rothienorman, for farm tour featuring low-carbon dairying (wind turbines), ice cream production, innovative breeding techniques (A2 milk for lactose intolerant consumers), branding and exporting success story, plus Mackies of Scotland Crisps in conjunction with family-run Taypack potatoes BBQ hosted by Mackies

www.anmgroup.co.uk www.mackies.co.uk www.taylorsfoodgroup.com/

Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th September 2014 Each itinerary tour will be run on both the 6th September and again on the 7th September allowing you to attend two of the five listed below. You will be asked to select your first, second and third tour choice. Each tour is subject to ‘first come first served’ as only 50 can be accommodated on each bus. Every effort has been made, though, to include a wide and varied range of ‘story’ topics within each tour and so all of the locations will offer a much wider remit that the ‘topic’ headline suggests. We will bring in external speakers to every tour to talk about the science, R&D, sustainability practices

relating to the farm’s production and supply chains, as well as markets experts. We also have plans for a ‘partners tour’ involving the Huntly Hairst – a local weekend-long celebration of local food, culture and heritage. The ‘Hairst’ is a local term for harvest. The local north-east native language is Doric which has its roots in Norse and German we’ll be getting you to learn some of the language during your stay! See the following to get yourselves primed: www.doricdictionary.com and (excuse some ripe language) www.youtube.com/watch?v=kL_fdlVhsBg

06.30-07.00 Leave hotel for tour activity Option 1

Arable and whisky (sponsored by Massey Ferguson)

This tour will take you to north Aberdeenshire and into Morayshire to Speyside, the home of many of Scotland’s finest lowland malt whiskies. You will visit some progressive arable and mixed farmers who grow grain for the distilling process, and one who has a major livestock enterprise. You will see the whisky chain from start to finish and dine on fine Simmental beef for your lunch. Sustainability is a key word in the chain and by-products from the distilling process are fed back to livestock on local farms and used to generate heat and power. www.masseyferguson.com/emea/gb/ www.scotch-whisky.org.uk/ www.britishsimmental.co.uk/

Option 2

Beef and red meat (including sheep & venison) (sponsored by Waitrose)

On this tour we will take you to the stunning Strathdon area in north west Aberdeenshire to visit a progressive venison farmer. Strathdon is also famous because it is the home of our well known comedian and Hollywood star Billy Connolly (The Last Samurai, Mrs Brown, Beautiful Joe, and as a voice in Brave). At lunchtime, in the shadow of the stunning Ballindalloch Castle you will dine on prime AberdeenAngus beef from the world’s oldest Aberdeen-Angus herd. The Ballindalloch herd was established by Sir George Macpherson-Grant, one of the joint founders of the Aberdeen-Angus breed which today is at the heart of quality beef production globally. He was considered one of the greatest exhibitors of the breed, and won prizes at all the major shows, including first prize at the Paris Exhibition of 1878. Your tour will then take you back through Speyside and Deveronside to a progressive commercial cattle and sheep farm. www.waitrose.com/home/inspiration/about_ waitrose/the_waitrose_way/the_origin_of_our_food.html www.ballindallochcastle.co.uk www.aberdeen-angus.co.uk/ www.visitcairngorms.com/strathdon.html

Innovations from a Small Island 9

Option 3

Fresh produce and fruit

Option 5

Diversification, forestry and renewable (sponsored by Perkins)

You will be heading south on this tour into Angus, home of some of the best soft fruit produce in the world. We will visit some young, progressive farmers – a large vegetable grower, an innovative fruit grower and an award-winning young farmer. You will see Mike McLaren who grows large areas of field vegetables for British supermarkets, you will be treated to a lunch of prime Scotch Beef at Strathisla Farms (Charolais and Simmental herds) and in the afternoon you will meet Ross Mitchell, a progressive soft fruit grower (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and the most northerly cherry trees in Britain). The Mitchells also have a very successful farm shop in Castleton.

The whole day will be spent at the stunning Glenlivet Estate (part of the Crown Estate). We will hear how the tenants and the landlord make a sustainable living in the tough climes of an upland estate. We will hear from Argent Energy, a business which turns fallen stock into energy including the biodiesel powering the coaches in which you will be travelling. Lunch provided by Moray Council, Highland & Island Enterprise and Cairngorm National Park with a focus on the Tomintoul Regeneration Project. We hope that you will sample some of the famous Glenlivet whisky during your lunch.

www.eastofscotlandgrowers.co.uk/ www.strathislafarms.co.uk www.berrygardens.co.uk/who/growers/Pages/ MurrayTMitchell.aspx www.castletonfarmshop.co.uk/

www.perkins.com/ www.glenlivetestate.co.uk/ www.argentenergy.com/ www.forestry.gov.uk/ www.scottishlandandestates.co.uk/

Option 4

Field crops and potatoes

This tour will focus on potatoes, oilseed rape and root crops – three very important produce categories in Britain. We start with an impressive cold pressed rapeseed oil manufacturer who has started exporting this highly praised alternative to olive oil. We will then visit Philip Benzie at Turriff who runs a huge 1,400 acre potato growing operation. He is one of the largest Rooster growers in the UK under contract to Albert Bartlett. Roosters are a tremendous marketing success story – the variety is now exported to a number of countries including the USA. Lunch courtesy of Philip Benzie with beef supplied by Charlie Bruce, Bogside, Turriff, Highland cattle breeder whose son, Charlie jnr, has researched the health benefits of eating Highland beef. In the afternoon we will visit Maxwell Farms, a family-owned and run business specialising in the production and packing of quality Scottish vegetables for wholesale, retail and further processing market. www.benzies.co.uk/ www.albertbartlett.co.uk/ Rapeseed oil: www.mackintoshofglendaveny.co.uk and www.olaoils.co.uk www.maxwellfarms.co.uk/

10 Innovations from a Small Island

For a short-cut to the Action Packed Page on the IFAJ 2014 website, with a complete list of these sites, scan this QR code or go to http://qrs.ly/5w3ic4l

It is a real honour for me to be Chairman of the British Guild for the 2014 IFAJ Congress – a once-in-a-career opportunity. I am immensely proud of our voluntary congress organisers who are putting so much into making this a congress to remember. Jane Craigie, Chairman BGAJ and Congress Director

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2014 is an important year for Scotland – the Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup and the year Scottish people will be asked to vote on independence

Evening of Saturday 6th September A ‘Taste of Grampian’ dinner and dancing at the ANM Group’s Thainstone Exchange with a traditional Scottish Ceilidh and music. Including after dinner speaker from Sir Brian Souter (Chairman of Stagecoach) who has very kindly donated free coach transport for the main Congress. The evening will also include a civic reception sponsorsed by Aberdeenshire Council. Produce will supplied by Taste of Grampian Producers’ Group and prepared by ANM Group’s chefs.

www.tasteofgrampian.co.uk www.briansouter.com/ See a Ceilidh on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0OkaMmGjUU www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILgGeYWZyCo www.youtube.com/watch?v=62sim5knB-s Scan the QR code and see what a ceilidh's all about!

Evening of Sunday 7th September The IFAJ Scottish Congress Gala dinner, at the grand Raemoir House Hotel near Banchory on Royal Deeside. We plan to have a Scottish feast and a fabulous whisky tasting session. www.raemoir.com/

The Factfile

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We even plan to have the world’s first IFAJ Congress App

Date: 4th-7th September 2014

Twitter: @IFAJ2014

Principal sponsors: Massey Ferguson, Perkins Engines and Waitrose

Facebook: www.facebook.com/IFAJ2014

Partners: Scottish Enterprise http://www.scottish-enterprise.com/ and SRUC http://www.sruc.ac.uk/

Contact: For more details contact Adrian Bell (adrianbell@whisper.pr), Jane Craigie (jane@janecraigie.com) or Howard Venters (howard.venters@gmail.com).

In-kind support: A number of people and organisations have agreed to support the Congress in-kind; these include Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council, Moray Council, Taste of Grampian producers, Adrian Ivory, ABP, Philip Benzie, Stagecoach, Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society, Highland Cattle Society and the British Simmental Cattle Society. Website: www.ifaj2014.com and www.bgaj.org.uk

Useful Links: Plan your trip: www.visitscotland.com Homecoming Scotland 2014: www.visitscotland.com/see-do/homecomingscotland-2014/ 2014 Commonwealth Games: www.glasgow2014.com 2014 Ryder Cup: www.rydercup2014.com/

Innovations from a Small Island 11

Farming facts British farming: feeding a large nation from a small island ■ UK size: 242,500 sq km. England: 130,000sq km, Wales: 20,600 sq km, Northern Ireland: 13,400 sq km ■ UK population: 63 million. England 53 million. Wales three million. Northern Ireland nearly two million ■ Average UK income: US$38,000/ €28,600/ £25,000 ■ Average UK annual rainfall: 1,220 mm a year

■ Number of dairy cows: 1.8 million, down 22% since 2000. Average UK herd size: 123. England 62% Wales 12% of total. Northern Ireland: 16% of total ■ 2012 milk production: 13.59 billion litres. Third largest EU producer after France and Germany ■ Number of beef breeding cattle: 1.65 million, down 10% since 2000. 45% in England, 17% in Northern Ireland and 11% in Wales

■ Member of European Union, but not Eurozone. National currency: the pound sterling

■ Number of UK sheep in 2012: 32 million. England 45%, Wales 28%, Northern Ireland 6%. Largest national flock in EU

■ 73% of the UK is in agricultural production. A quarter of land in arable production

■ UK pig herd in 2012: 4.1 million animals

■ Total UK agricultural area: 17.2 million hectares – fourth largest farming nation in EU following France, Spain and Germany ■ Number of UK farms: 280,000. 11th highest number in EU ■ Average farm size: 57.4ha (second highest in EU after Czech Republic). Average EU size < 11.5ha ■ Number of people employed in farming: 481,000. 12th largest total in EU. 1.2% of total UK employment ■ 2012 UK agricultural income: £4.7 billion on sales of £23.9 billion. England £3.7 billion income on £18.6 billion sales, Northern Ireland: £143 million income on £1.7 billion sales. Wales: £124 million income on £1.4 billion sales ■ Average UK land price: £13,600/ha

■ 2012 UK poultrymeat production: 1.6 million tonnes. Egg production: 9.8 billion eggs ■ UK 2012 arable crop production: 4,576 million ha: Wheat: 43% of total; Barley 22%, Oilseed Rape 16% and potatoes 3% ■ Total 2012 UK horticultural area: 172,000 ha. Field vegetables: 123,000ha; Orchard fruit: 24,000ha and soft fruit: 9,000ha ■ Value of UK food processing in 2012: £76 billion, generating 400,000 jobs (the UK’s largest manufacturing industry) ■ Value of UK grocery trade in 2012: £163.2 billion ■ Value of UK food and drinks exports in 2012: £18.7 billion. Whisky is the largest single product at £4.3 billion ■ Size of UK food and deficit: £22.5 billion

Compiled by Cedric Porter of Supply Intelligence. Sources: Defra, Eurostat, Food and Drink Federation and Institute of Grocery Distribution. Currency conversion: £1=€1.16 and £1=US$1.55 in early August 2013. 12 Innovations from a Small Island

Farming facts Scottish farming in figures Scottish farming in figures ■ Size: 78,500 square kilometres ■ Population: 5.250 million ■ 2012 agricultural income: £746

■ Finished pigs in 2012: 667,000 worth £76.1 million ■ Poultry in 2012: 80,000 tonnes worth £103.4 million. 1.08 billion eggs

million on sales of £2.8 billion

worth £75 million

■ Total 2012 arable area: 866,300ha

■ Total value of Scottish

Wheat: 100,000ha; Barley: 332,000 ha; Oil Seed Rape: 36,600ha; Oats: 23,700ha; Potatoes: 29,500ha. Scotland exports more than 75,000 tonnes of seed potatoes a year. Raspberries and Strawberries: 1,300ha Value of total cereals in 2012: £461.3 million; value of potatoes and OSR: £209.7 million. Value

food and drink: £12.4 billion ■ Value of Scottish food exports: £5.4 billion ■ Number of people employed in

of horticultural crops: £205.1

Scottish food

million

and drink

■ Number of dairy cows: 180,000. Average herd size: 153

industry: 330,000

■ Number of finished cattle in 2012: 415,000 ■ Value of finished cattle 2012: £583.7 million ■ Number of finished sheep: 2.313 million ■ Value of finished sheep: £202.3 million

Source of information: Scottish Government, Scotland Food & Drink Innovations from a Small Island 13

IFAJ 2014 Post-Congress Tour by Liz Snaith, post-Congress Chairman

ost Congress takes us to the heart of England and Wales. We continue the Innovations from a Small Island theme with visits to progressive livestock and arable units including HRH The Prince of Wales’ Duchy Home Farm, as well as sampling the best of British food and drink. You’ll experience our rich English history and heritage including Stratford upon Avon, birthplace of Shakespeare, and some of the landscape and culture of Wales. We will stay at hotels in Stratford upon Avon, Ludlow and finally at Birmingham Airport, which is connected to hubs throughout mainland Europe, the Far East and North America. Your flight will be booked from Aberdeen to Birmingham on Monday 8 September. Monday 8 September Leisure + culture ■ Arrive at Birmingham Airport, travel to hotel at Stratford upon Avon ■ Afternoon at leisure including optional tour of Stratford upon Avon town and Shakespeare heritage sites. www.visitstratforduponavon.co.uk ■ Tour of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre including dinner and for a performance by the Royal Shakespeare Company. www.rsc.org.uk Tuesday 9 September Conserved genetics + rural communications Travel through the Cotswold countryside with its honeycoloured limestone villages to Cotswold Farm Park and its Rare Breeds Conservation centre to find out how these genetics with unique performance values are being conserved for the future. Meet the owner, Adam Henson, who fronts the BBC’s rural flagship programme Countryfile and discuss his contribution to developing awareness of the farming sector with consumers. www.cotswoldfarmpark.co.uk HRH The Prince of Wales Duchy Home Farm Duchy Home Farm, Tetbury, is a 230ha mixed enterprise managed by HRH the Prince of Wales, whose family home is nearby. Since conversion in 1986, Duchy Home Farm has become a flagship farm for sustainable organic agriculture featuring dairy, beef, sheep and arable including fruit and vegetables. The farm reflects HRH’s passion for training and offers various education initiatives, together with a vegetable box scheme and 14 Innovations from a Small Island

mutton production for local restaurants. www.duchyofcornwall.org/aroundtheduchy_homefarm.htm Local sourcing in Ludlow Ludlow is internationally reputed for its locally sourced food and drink. We will have dinner at the Ludlow Food Centre, a diversification enterprise on the Earl of Plymouth’s 3,000ha estate. We will enjoy meat and vegetables, along with other local produce retailed through the centre’s farm shop. We’ll be joined for discussion with the farmer producers for a true field to fork experience. www.ludlow.org.uk www.ludlowfoodcentre.co.uk Wednesday 10 September The future of upland farming? To Wales to visit the Pumlumon Project, a new concept in upland support mechanisms in the Cambrian Mountains. Examine part of a 40,000ha farmland and upland habitat featuring a mix of enhanced biodiversity with traditional farming systems, food marketing and ecotourism and local community sustainability. www.wildlifetrusts.org/living-landscape/schemes/ pumlumon-project Grassland + sheep, maximising the potential David Jones farms Y Ddol, a progressive 600ha upland holding near Llandrindod Wells. He’s using cutting-edge genetics from Innovis breeding technologies to help improve performance of his 2,500 breeding ewes together with the latest developments in forage varieties from British Seed Houses to help towards self-sufficiency. www.innovis.org.uk www.britishseedhouses.com A Welsh fest Dinner in Welshpool – a Welsh feast featuring the finest traditional local fare accompanied by traditional Welsh music. Accommodation booked at Birmingham Airport. Thursday 11 September Meet industry leaders Breakfast at nearby Stoneleigh Park, home to the National Farmers Union (NFU) and Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board (AHDB). Discuss industry issues with NFU president and other leaders. Arrive back at Birmingham Airport We will help arrange any additional visits which individual delegates may wish to tailor into their own itinerary.

The Platinum Guild by Peter Hill, BGAJ Communications Manager

ith perfect timing, the British Guild of Agricultural Journalists is hosting its sixth IFAJ Congress in the same year as it celebrates the 70th year of the organisation – a Platinum Jubilee! The Guild – a brotherhood of the agricultural press, as one of its founding members succinctly described it – is enjoying one of the most energetic periods in its history, with a varied programme of events offering opportunities for education, new experiences and enjoyment. It began in 1944, not because a group of journalists thought of the idea but at the suggestion of the agriculture minister Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith, who wanted informal contact with the farming media through an agricultural reporters’ organisation. When that vision became reality, the first members of the management Council picked up on the theme but with a social element. Informal lunches in agreeable London locations became a central feature of Guild activities: largely for the benefit of full-time farming correspondents of national newspapers such as The Times, Daily Express, Daily Mail, and Daily Telegraph. For the leading politicians and other influential people invited to attend, it was an efficient way of giving informal briefings on policies and priorities. Early meetings of the Guild’s management Council were held in The Farmers’ Club, amidst Government buildings and overlooking the River Thames. Still the Council’s regular meeting place, it has now become the official London address of the Guild. The 1950s and 1960s were a flourishing period for agricultural journalism in Britain, since rationing had opened many eyes to the importance and news value

The annual Harvest Lunch celebrates the best of British produce and the work of Guild members.

Guild members get practical tips at a training workshop on shooting video for the web. of food production, with its political and technical issues. New national and regional titles, and specialist publications covering mechanisation, arable and dairy farming, and commercial horticulture, brought more people into journalism and into the Guild. In 1957, the Guild accepted its 100th member; 30 years later, membership exceeded 500. Not that the organisation was ‘pure’ any more. Associate membership was created to accommodate those who failed to qualify under the rule that Full members should earn their livelihood ‘wholly or mainly’ by agricultural journalism. The alternative category was mainly adopted by those in commercial communications and they progressively wielded more influence in the organisation, often being more inclined to handle organisational matters than their journalist counterparts. Eventually, the distinction was dropped and now only a single class exists. It continues to adapt: the number of Council members has been halved and online meetings alternate with physical ones, communication with members is now more frequent through a website, monthly e-newsletters, Facebook and Twitter. There is an expanding professional development programme and an increasing number of professional awards. The Guild offers more opportunities for members to meet and socialise at agricultural shows and technical events, and is actively involved in the new European agricultural journalists’ organisation ENAJ, as well as the IFAJ, to give members greater exposure to Europe’s farm political scene. Together with a more ambitious Harvest Lunch that showcases British produce in one of London’s magnificent and historic Livery halls, these initiatives have helped reverse a temporary slide in membership, which now stands at the 500 mark once again. There may no longer be informal lunches with agriculture ministers. But in its 70th year, the Guild continues to promote the interests of all involved in telling the many and varied stories of Britain’s great agricultural industry. Innovations from a Small Island 15

A history of innovation from a Small Island Agricultural innovation in Britain has always gone hand-in-hand with social and economic development of the country and the next exciting phase of development is only just getting going. Cedric Porter explores a rich history arming came to the UK around 6,500 years ago. As the population grew so did the need for organised agricultural systems and trading. From 1000AD onwards a feudal system predominated with villagers paying rent to landlords for small areas of land to grow food for their families leaving as surplus to sell. Greater trade and wealth in the 1500s and 1600s increased the demand for food and landlords started to ‘enclose’ larger plots of land that were either sold or farmed by tenants. Although this move to larger farms was resisted by some, it led to crop yield gains and improved livestock. The British population continued to grow, rising to 9 million by 1750, around three times larger than it had been 200 years before. The population of London was 750,000. Large urban populations needed feeding especially as the ‘Industrial Revolution’ took hold creating jobs in mills, mines, steel plants and early factories. By 1850 Britain was the first country to become more urban than rural, something that has only happened on a worldwide basis in the last five years. A sense of enlightenment meant that science was at the heart of the British economy with farming playing a prominent role in improving society. In 1710 academic Jethro Tull used his skills to develop a horse-drawn seed drill that planted a range of crops evenly. Later in the century Robert Bakewell introduced a systematic approach to livestock breeding improving cattle, sheep and horses.

16 Innovations from a Small Island

Agricultural research was supported by large landlords such as the 1st Earl of Leicester and even King George III. One landlord to take a direct hands-on approach to improving his land was Viscount Townshend. He was better known as ‘Turnip Townshend’ who conceived the four course rotation which consisted of turnip, clover, wheat and barley. The turnip and clover provided fodder for cattle as well as boosting nitrogen for the cereal crops. The development and spread of knowledge was behind the growth of agricultural societies across the country. They published scientific papers and held shows and competitions to highlight and reward the latest livestock and crop developments. Many regional and county societies remain with England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all having their own agricultural societies. The first agricultural schools and colleges appeared in Britain and Ireland in the 1830s with the Royal Agricultural College opening in 1845, the same year as Queen’s University’s agricultural school in Belfast. Other colleges opened throughout the country in the next 40 years, with county colleges opening in the aftermath of the Second World War. For the last 200 years journals have played an important role in informing and educating British farmers

with the first regular journal launched in 1807 and known as the Evan and Ruffy’s Farmers Journal. Scottish journalists in particular took the lead publishing a number of books in the 1700s and launching The Scottish Farmer and Horticulturalist in 1861 which was to become the nationally available Farmer and Stockbreeder that reached a circulation of over 100,000. It remained the main farming journal until its demise in the 1960s. Scottish Farmer is the oldest remaining agricultural journal and was founded in 1893. Britain is a trading nation that has not been afraid to look to other parts of the world to provide it with the goods and food it needed. In return it has exported its agricultural skills, genetics and technology to other parts of the world. Cotton was imported in vast quantities in the 19th Century for processing in the mills of Lancashire and Yorkshire. In the late 19th Century and early 20th Britain relied on Canada for much of its wheat while the development of freezing systems meant beef from South America and lamb from Australia and New Zealand found its way onto British shop shelves. Aberdeen Angus and Hereford cattle are still the mainstay of many American herds, with Border Leicester and a range of other British sheep breeds still found on many Australian and New Zealand farms. Plant breeding and crop husbandry have always been important to British agriculture. At 170 years old, Rothamsted is the oldest agricultural institute in the world and is still carrying out cutting edge research. The National Institute of Agricultural Botany, founded in 1919, recently announced it is developing a wheat variety that can improve yields by 30%. This builds on work by generations of British plant breeders who over the last 70 years have, along with the help of crop protection products and improved technology, improved the yield of wheat from just 2 t/ha to an average of 8t/ha and in some cases as much as 15t/ha. The size of British farms and the lack of labour has meant that the country has been at the forefront of agricultural engineering. The Ivel was the first petrol driven tractor in the world when it ploughed its first furrow in Bedfordshire in 1903. In 1936 Harry Ferguson revolutionised farming when he introduced the first three

point linkage on a tractor allowing implements to be lifted out of the ground speeding up tasks such as ploughing or drilling. In the last 25 years precision farming has also received a strong following in the UK. Throughout history there has been a social and environmental element to agricultural innovation. The first trades unions grew up in reaction to tough conditions and poor pay for farmworkers, while the Soil Association was founded in 1946 to promote organic farming. More recently, Linking Environment And Farming has promoted its integrated approach to farm management, while a system of traceability was developed in response to the food scares and diseases of the 1990s. The UK has taken a leading role in some of the most cutting edge technologies of recent times. In 1992 the first biotechnology or GM crop launched in the world was a tomato puree developed in the UK, while the world famous Dolly the Sheep, the first cloned animal, was bred in Scotland’s Roslin Institute. The UK government spends more than £350 million on agricultural research every year, with a new fund of £160 million recently launched to help establish new technology on British farms. Farmer levies go towards research in all the major agricultural sectors with development supported by a large range of British and international companies. Areas of research include improved yields; resistance to drought, weeds, pests and disease; improved grassland; controlled traffic farming; precision farming; more efficient feed conversion in livestock; biofuels and energy; water management and a greater understanding of soil health. The UK may be a small island in geographical terms but it continues to be a giant of agricultural innovation.

Cedric Porter is an agricultural journalist and consultant who works in the UK and across the world. Sources for this article include A Short History of Agricultural Education and Research by Carrie de Silva and a History of Scottish Farmer by Angus MacDonald. Innovations from a Small Island 17

The Land of Food and Drink Scotland is in the midst of a food and drink boom, writes James Withers ood and drink production has been the backbone of

Scotland for centuries. That is probably not surprising when you consider that three quarters of the nation’s land mass is devoted to agricultural production of one form or another. So too, we are blessed with nearly 10,000km of coastline, where pristine waters are home to one of the most diverse collections of seafood found anywhere in the world. However, it is perhaps only in the last few years that Scotland has truly started to celebrate itself as a “Land of Food and Drink”. The industry has found a real spring in it’s step and with Government in Scotland working closely with industry, it is experiencing growth we haven’t seen before. So, what is the secret of the success? Why is food and drink Scotland’s best performing domestic sector and its fastest growing export sector? The answer is not complicated; it is a phenomenal combination of a world class natural larder, combined with talented and passionate producers. The result is a £12 billion industry that has lofty ambitions to grow further both at home and internationally. It is our agriculture industry that provides one of our key building blocks. Our fertile land is home to cereals, oilseed, vegetables and – according to celebrated chef Albert Roux – the finest raspberries in the world. However, the majority of Scotland – over 80% – is less fertile. However, with a climate perfectly suited to growing grass, we have a strong and important dairy industry. This land is also the birthplace of Scotch beef and lamb and a growing venison industry. All of this is massively important to Scotland’s rural community and economy, supporting one in eight Scottish jobs. At the heart of agriculture, and the first step on Scotland’s successful food and drink supply chain, is the family farm. Whether growing malting barley for Scotch whisky or breeding sheep and cattle, there are generations of knowledge and experience forging

18 Innovations from a Small Island

through businesses. But our primary food industry is not just about agriculture. Our fishing fleet catches sustainably in the waters around Scotland and our burgeoning aquaculture industry has made Scotland the world’s third largest salmon producer. But the nation’s most famous export is Scotch whisky, which continues to lead the way. For 120 years, whisky has been exported from our shores, and it earns Scotland around £140 every second. At any one time, 18 million casks of Scotland’s national drink are maturing in warehouses the length and breadth of the country. With over 100 distilleries, playing host to over one million visitors every year, whisky is a Scottish icon and it is going from strength to strength. The value of Scotch whisky exports – which find a home in over 200 countries around the world – has soared 50% in the last five years. Worth £4.3 billion per year in export sales, it has driven Scotland’s reputation as a home of premium quality products; with a neat marriage of heritage and innovation. It is this reputation forged for Scotland which is now allowing our food producers to take advantage too. Exports of food products have risen 50% in the last five years and the variety of products being traded is broadening every day. Businesses in Scotland now export tea to China, sausages to Germany, cheese to France and our salmon is finding admirers amongst the sushi-loving population of Japan. Trade missions to South America, the Middle East and Far East are yielding new groups of customers for Scottish food and drink, supplementing the strength of our business in Europe and the US. A few years ago, only a handful of Scottish companies would attend HOFEX, the biggest food and drink trade show in Hong Kong. In 2013, 26 companies made the trip as a sign of growing confidence and enthusiasm to trade globally. A culture of collaboration is developing too. Scotland has a very large number of small businesses.

In fact, over 80% of our food and drink companies employ less than ten people. But by collaborating, businesses are achieving economies of scale to move into export markets, whilst still safeguarding and promoting their own individual brands. Perhaps most valuable of all is the support structure that has developed around the industry in Scotland; one which must rival any other region of Europe. Scotland Food & Drink was created in 2007, a new leadership organisation established to develop a single growth strategy. That strategy enshrined an ambition to grow turnover in the industry to £12.5 billion over decade. All the signs are that the target will be exceeded this year owing to the fantastic progress made by individual companies and all those involved in the Scotland Food & Drink partnership that have supported them. The partnership in Scotland is broad. Through Scotland Food & Drink, all the major trade associations that represent red meat, whisky, dairy, seafood, bakery, agriculture and fishing have gathered around the same table. Driven by a collective desire to see our industry grow, they have worked collaboratively. Crucially, the government in Scotland and its myriad of agencies have also been key links in the partnership, aligning their investment alongside the strategy’s main themes. For

Scotland, this model was new and untried in 2007, but it has been a roaring success. Whilst growth has been unprecedented and targets set and surpassed, far from resting on its laurels, the industry is hungry for further success and minds are set on the next phase. With that in mind, 2014 is looming large. There could not be a more exciting year for the IFAJ Congress to be coming to Scotland. The year will be a historic one for Scotland, as the nation plays host to two of the world’s largest sporting events – the Ryder Cup and Commonwealth Games. We are working hard to showcase our Land of Food & Drink next year, to give the world a taste of Scotland. It will hopefully build an even stronger platform for food and drink, one of the stars of the Scottish economy, our biggest employer and, perhaps, our greatest asset. James Withers is the Chief Executive of Scotland Food & Drink, a not-for-profit organisation that was created to guide food and drink companies of all sizes towards increased profitability. Twitter: @scotfoodjames

The Sponsors Massey Ferguson is delighted to be supporting the 2014 IFAJ Congress in the UK. Our relationship with the agricultural press has always been vital and over the years we have worked very closely with journalists from across the world as we have developed the farm machinery and farm technology needed to feed an increasing population sustainably and successfully. We are looking forward to strengthening these ties at the Congress in September of next year. Massey Ferguson has deep roots in Britain, the country where a large number of our key technologies took shape. The Congress programme provides an exciting opportunity for the UK to highlight its continuing innovation in agricultural techniques, science and farm machinery, something we will be fully involved with as we too demonstrate our latest technology. Communication is an invaluable element of innovation

and the role of the agricultural press is more important than ever as farmers and those in the food and farming industry become hungrier and hungrier for knowledge through a growing number of conventional and new media. Communicating knowledge between countries is vital and the IFAJ and its congress are ideal ways of doing that with journalists from around the world sharing their experience, views and contacts. We are looking forward to welcoming you to the UK and to playing a central role in making it an experience that will yield invaluable copy, and more importantly, lasting contacts and friendships. Paul Lay, Massey Ferguson Manager Marketing, creative Services and Public Relations, Massey Ferguson Europe, Africa, Middle East.

Innovations from a Small Island 19

Raising the game The need for clear, concise and valuable agricultural communications has never been stronger, writes Stephen Howe. He explains the legacy that will come out of the 2014 Congress.

LOBAL agriculture is entering an exciting new era. With that comes a growing need for well qualified agricultural journalists to communicate the facts behind increasingly complex technology, science, economics, politics and husbandry topics which are now inextricably linked as they form a new intricate web for the world’s oldest industry. After 30 years in the doldrums, when food and farming were being taken progressively for granted by consumers in the developed world, today’s outlook is much more optimistic for farming and farmers. That turnaround has come relatively quickly given the roller-coaster ride farming has had since the Second World War. During those six years in particular and for much of the post-war period, it was food shortages that were taken for granted by consumers across much of Europe. Indeed, food rationing in the UK was finally phased out finally only in 1954. The consequence of food scarcity from the outset was a rapid uptake of technology, much of it designed to replace labour and horses with machines and horsepower of a different kind. The advances in mechanisation, plant breeding and livestock husbandry in particular were phenomenal. And alongside those exciting developments, grew advisory services, formal agricultural education and a dedicated agricultural press which combined to accelerate the uptake and acceptance of new expertise. The result was remarkable. So much so,

20 Innovations from a Small Island

that by the late ‘70s the concern among consumers and politicians in particular, was not about food shortages, but food surpluses resulting from the new found technology and partly from farming policies on both sides of the Atlantic designed to encourage production. As memories about food shortages waned, slowly but surely farming and farmers fell out of favour as food and food production was taken for granted once more. In many respects the transition satisfied governments, politicians and consumers alike. After all, they were enjoying a plentiful supply of food, much of it becoming less expensive in real terms which also helped curb inflation – and governments acknowledged that too. But, like many modern business decisions, it was a short-term view and farming and food production is a long term business. So what changed? The advent of instant communication played a big role in highlighting the need to increase food production. Suffice to say, two years ago the world’s population passed the 7bn milestone making it on course to reach more than 9bn by 2050 and with it the need to double current production levels. To make that target more difficult to realise, any increase in the next 20 years must be achieved against the background of a 30% increase in demand for water and a 50% increase in the demand for energy; two commodities which are also becoming ever more expensive. The uncertainties surrounding the

impact and mitigation of climate change, together with the fact that developed societies are demanding future production increases be achieved in an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable way, will add a new dimension to the outlook for agriculture. Journalists have a key role to play if those objectives are to be met. But in order to do so they need first to understand fully the increasingly complex, interconnected and multi-faceted aspects of an industry which now covers a number of disciplines and crosses many national boundaries. Only then will they have the expertise to collect, collate and utilise reliable information – the provision of which is becoming increasingly important for all those involved in the business of a now truly global agriculture. Fortunately, Britain has a strong Guild of Agricultural Journalists. It was established in 1944 with the objective of providing reliable, independent information about the latest technology and husbandry designed to boost food production, That objective is just as relevant today. Over the past 70 years the British Guild of Agricultural Journalists has gone from strength to strength; its aims now including the education and training of journalists and

contributing to a better understanding of agriculture and the science behind it. To support those objectives, the BGAJ is to launch an Innovation Fund as a legacy to the 2014 IFAJ Congress providing bursaries for members to further their professional development. It could not be more appropriate, nor come at a more apposite time when communicators need to convey facts in a straightforward, accurate and unbiased way to help everyone benefit from the challenging new era for global agriculture that lies ahead.

Massey Ferguson, one of the principal sponsors of ‘Innovations from a Small Island’, is the first contributor to the Innovation Fund. Stephen Howe, a former editor of Farmers Weekly, served as BGAJ Chairman in 1989. He received the Guild’s Netherthorpe Trophy – awarded for outstanding services to agricultural journalism – in 2005 and is currently Chairman of the Guild’s Charitable Trust. He is a practising farmer and a trustee of the Royal Agricultural Society of England.

The Sponsors Perkins proud to be associated with IFAJ 2014 Perkins Engines Company Limited welcomes its involvement with the 2014 International Federation of Agricultural Journalists and is proud to be one of the principal sponsors. As one of the world’s leading suppliers of off-highway diesel and gas engines in the 4 – 2000 kW (5 – 2800 hp) market, we are able to tailor our engines precisely to meet our customers’ requirements, which is why our engine solutions are trusted by more than 1,000 leading manufacturers in the agricultural, materials handling, industrial, construction and electrical power generation sectors. To meet the needs of our ever-expanding global customer base, Perkins has manufacturing facilities in the United Kingdom, United States, Brazil and China and is building a plant in India. As a global business requiring strong communication

links with original equipment manufacturers, end-users and the wider agricultural communities, Perkins values its relationships with agricultural journalists across the five continents. By developing meaningful working relationships and providing you with newsworthy information that will be of value to your readers, we can, together, reach a global audience in a timely and effective manner. Perkins plays an active role in the communities in which it is based, so our support for the IFAJ 2014, when agricultural journalists from across the world will descend upon the UK to learn more about the ‘innovations from a small island’, was an event not to be missed. We look forward to seeing you in the UK next year and welcome the opportunity to develop and further strengthen our relationships with agricultural journalists from around the world. Adrian Talbot, Marketing Services Manager, Perkins Engines Company Limited Innovations from a Small Island 21

Britain: Facts and Figures ■ We are a world-leading nation of innovators; from

■ Our universities, such as Oxford and Cambridge,

DNA to MRI to IVF, the UK has won 77 Nobel

are some of the oldest centres of learning but lead

Prizes in natural and physical sciences and has

the world in producing new ideas

the largest life sciences sector in Europe ■ Innovation lies at the very heart of British culture.

■ English, our national language, is spoken by more than 600 million people worldwide, but we’re also

Our ideas and inventions, from the telephone to

home to over 160 nationalities speaking over 300

the World Wide Web, have shaped the modern

different languages

world, and we are now helping reinvent the 21st century. From nanotechnology to the engines of the A380 Airbus, Britain still leads the way ■ The UK has one of the world’s largest and most productive life sciences economies – almost a fifth of the top 100 medicines in use today originated from research here. Almost 10% of the world’s pharmaceutical R&D funding is invested here ■ In green technologies, the UK is responsible for

■ Our business-friendly culture attracts investment from around the world – from 58 countries in 2010-12. It takes as little as 13 days to set up a business in Britain ■ It’s not just historic houses and castles and palaces that are preserved and protected in Britain. The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) is making sure that Britain’s pubs retain their distinctive character, and Slow Food UK is helping to guard Britain’s culinary

breakthroughs from the world’s first hydrogen fuel

heritage and save native treats – such as Colchester

cell motorbike to SeaGen, the world’s first

Oysters and Red Leicester cheese – from extinction

commercialised tidal energy system ■ Britain is home to four of the world’s top ten universities, creating innovations that have the power to transform lives and change the world of business. We understand the power of innovation and how to nurture it ■ Britain is an international hub for low carbon expertise and innovation, and a global centre for research in clean and sustainable energy. We make use of our 12,400km coastline with around 35% of Europe’s tidal energy resource, and the home of the world’s largest wind farm at Thanet, in the North Sea ■ Britain was the first country in the world to set legally-binding ‘carbon budgets’, under the 2008 Climate Change Act. We aim to cut emissions 80% by 2050. By 2016, all new UK homes will be built to zero-carbon standards ■ England has 15% of its land area designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty ■ Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is the world’s longest serving Queen

22 Innovations from a Small Island

■ Amongst Britain’s 2,500 museums are three of the five most-visited in the world ■ Everyone knows that Britain is an island, but did you know that nowhere is more than two hours’ drive from the coast? And that we have over 6,000 islands and a stunning 12,400km long coastline? That’s more than those of Spain and France combined! ■ Britain’s wealth of countryside has lent itself to some magnificent golf courses – there are 550 in Scotland alone ■ Britain’s excellence in sport isn’t just mainstream activities like golf, rugby and cricket. If you’re keen to find out what makes Brits so eccentric, check out one of our many quirkier pastimes – bogsnorkelling, wife-carrying and stiletto-racing in Wales: pea-shooting and cheese-rolling in England, and, not to be outdone, the all-important annual World Stone Skimming Championships in Scotland. (Scan the QR code to judge for yourself… )

IFAJ 2014 Organising Committee

Lord Cameron of Dillington Hon President BGAJ

Tim Price Treasurer BGAJ IFAJ 2014

John Cameron Hon President IFAJ 2014

Clive Rainbird Sponsorship Liaison Officer

Adrian Bell Immediate Past Chairman BGAJ Co-Chair IFAJ 2014

Howard Venters Sponsorship, Events Secretary Deputy Chairman BGAJ Co-Chair IFAJ 2014

Jane Craigie Chairman BGAJ Congress Director

Caroline Millar Events Manager

Cedric Porter Sponsorship Liaison Officer

Nikki Robertson Secretary BGAJ IFAJ 2014

Peter Hill Communications Manager BGAJ IFAJ 2014

Individual Congress Committees Pre Congress (England) Joint Chairs Adrian Bell Howard Venters Committee: Mike Gooding Jamie Day Cedric Porter Congress (Scotland) Joint Chairs John Cameron Adrian Bell Director Jane Craigie Committee: Eddie Gillanders Ken Rundle Andrew Arbuckle Bob Dow Kenny Fletcher Post Congress (Wales/England) Chair Liz Snaith Vice Chair Nick Bond Committee: John Allan Helen Brothwell Mike Bunney Clive Marlow

Joe Watson IFAJ Executive/ Liaison Officer Tours Organiser Innovations from a Small Island 23

AGRICULTURE IS GREAT

Britain. A country of Knowledge and Innovation, Culture and Heritage, Countryside and Green, Technology and Creativity. A country whose 200,000 farms occupy three-quarters of our land area. The country that inspired and delivered the agricultural revolution.

BRITAIN

Britain today remains a nation with agricultural genius, creativity and diversity. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a nation of world-leading agricultural innovators, a nation steeped in tradition but rarely looking backwards when it comes to something as fundamental as feeding the world. Join the 58th IFAJ World Congress, Innovations from a Small Island, and see our agricultural industry for yourself. With the primary focus on Scotland, and its unique mix of agricultural enterprise and internationally renowned produce, the Congress also takes in the excitement of London and the wild beauty of Wales with its optional pre- and post-Congress tours. In this small island, agriculture knows no bounds. The British Guild of Agricultural Journalists invites you to take part in a Congress to remember. Innovations from a Small Island 1-11 September 2014 www.ifaj2014.com