Midland Farmer - June 2022 by Countrywide Publications

June 2022

Midland

Farmer Serving the farming industry across the Midlands

News Early basic payments to ‘ease farm cashflow’ set

Fram Farmers: How buying group helps secure farm inputs in uncertain times

Arable Gene-editing ‘will boost crop prospects’

Harvest Preview Why market volatility is here to stay – for now

Groundswell Flagship event all set for biggest show yet

Clodhopper Farm rents must fall as basic payment ends

Beef and dairy: Why home-grown protein is a winner

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Midland Farmer

OPINION Johann Tasker

EDITORIAL Editor: Johann Tasker | T: 07967 634971 E: johann@ruralcity.co.uk

Design: Mark Shreeve | T: 01502 725839 E: mark.shreeve@micropress.co.uk

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Midland Farmer is a controlled circulation magazine published monthly for farmers and growers in the Midlands (Derbyshire, Herefordshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands and Worcestershire) or companies supplying goods and services to the sector. To be included on the circulation list, a farmer must have a minimum of 70 acres of land, or 50 dairy/beef stock, or 50 breeding sows/250 growing stock, or 15,000 laying hens/broiler chickens. Intensive horticulture units are required to have a minimum of two hectares. If you no longer wish to receive this magazine, please email your name, address and postcode as it appears on the wrapper to adam.gunton@micropress.co.uk

We must ALL learn to live with volatility

e live in uncertain times. Dangerously uncertain, in fact, especially when it comes to farming, food prices, and financial inflation. Experts say we could be looking at a 14.5 million tonne UK wheat harvest this year. Better than last year but still not reaching its full potential. And very much dependent on the weather. It comes amid a gloomy global outlook. Initial forecasts by the US government suggest global wheat production will amount to 775 million tonnes for the 2022-23 cropping season – the first fall for four years. Published by the US Department of Agriculture last month, the figures were worse than expected and prompted an immediate spike in world commodity prices. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – the breadbaskst of Europe – has made an already precarious position worse. Ukraine wheat production is expected to fall by one third this year. On top of that, weather woes in the

Contents

Published by Countrywide Publications, Fountain Way, Reydon Business Park, Reydon Suffolk IP18 6DH T: 01502 725800 Printed by Micropress Printers Ltd T: 01502 725800

News .................................................................... 4 Arable .................................................................. 8 Harvest preview .............................................21 Profile: Farm Farmers ..................................31

Vol 11 • No 6 • June 2022

SHORT OF STORAGE SPACE? 02476 459000

Sugar beet review ......................................... 39 Livestock• Beef and dairy focus .............. 45 Final Say .......................................................... 50

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USA, Canada and India have made an already bleak situation worse. World cereal stocks are expected to remain stubbornly tight. Wheat stocks at the end of the 2022-23 marketing year are forecast to drop to 267 million tonnes – a six-year low that is smaller than previous estimates of 272 million tonnes. At the same time, it is costing more to produce wheat. Eye-watering levels of aginflation have seen diesel prices more than double and fertiliser prices almost quadruple in the past 12 months. Fortunately, the increase in grain prices has offset these increases. For now. The one saving grace in all of this is that politicians are finally taking food and farming seriously. Without farmers, nobody gets fed. And that is why food production should be at the heart of UK agricultural policy, rather than an afterthought. Johann Tasker Editor

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Rural & Industrial Design & Building Association

JUNE 2022 • MIDLAND FARMER 3

News Early support payments ‘to ease farm cashflow crisis’ • BPS payments in two instalments • Half from July, half from December • Measure will remain next year too

are paid in future. “In the days of the EU, this would never have been possible due to the way audits worked and the need to enforce the three crop rule during the summer.”

armers will receive early support payments as Defra seeks to ease cashflow pressures caused by high input costs. Direct payments from this year onwards will be made in two instalments. It means farmers with a Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) claim for 2022 will receive half the money from the end of July with the remainder paid from December. Defra said the move would support farmers facing cost pressures caused by rising input costs and global instability. Direct payments would be paid in two instalments each year until the payments are phased out completely by 2028, it added. With agricultural commodities closely linked to global gas prices, farm input costs have risen by an average of 46% over the past 18 months – and much higher for some individual products such as synthetic fertiliser and fuel.

Reawakened economy Gas prices have quadrupled in just 12 months – a price spike caused by heightened worldwide demand as the global economy reawakens following the Covid pandemic and global instability following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Defra says it is clear that farmers should continue to buy their inputs as usual – at least according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). It says early direct payments will enable farmers to do so. Announcing the early part-payments, Defra secretary George Eustice said: “While increasing farm gate prices may mean that farm profitabil4 MIDLAND FARMER • JUNE 2022

ity remains stable, we recognise the short term pressures on cash flow. “We have decided to bring forward half of this year’s BPS payment as an advance injection of cash to farm businesses from the end of this July. It will give farmers some additional cashflow earlier in order to provide some confidence.” Mr Eustice said it would be a permanent change to the way BPS claims

Half this year’s annual support payment will be made from the end of July

‘Welcome boost’ Rural Payments Agency chief executive Paul Caldwell said bringing forward half of this year’s BPS payment would boost cash flow on many farm businesses during uncertain times. “This is not just an opportunity to support farmers here and now through a cash injection. It’s a permanent change to bring direct payments in line with what will be a more regular payment system under the new environment land management schemes.” Mr Caldwell said the decision buillt on a package of measures to support farmers announced in March. These included a delay of at least a year to changes which would have restricted the use of urea fertiliser. The government has also clarified guidance around Farming Rules for Water; unveiled slurry investment grants; and published details of its Sustainable Farming Incentive to encourage farmers to use organic-based fertiliser products.

Early payments will do nothing to help pig and poultry sectors

ig and poultry producers are among those who won’t benefit from early support payments – because they don’t receive payments in the first place. The two sectors are among those hardest hit by rising input costs. But neither are eligible for the Basic Payment Scheme. This means they will have to find other ways to ride out the ag-inflation storm. NFU vice president David Exwood said: “With farmers facing extreme inflationary pressure and businesses being squeezed more than ever, any advance payment of claims for this year is positive and will help cash flow. Mr Exwood said he was pleased that the gov-

ernment had recognised the seriousness of the situation and put in place a practical solution. But the move will do nothing for hard-hit pig and poultry enterprises. Mr Exwood said iIt was crucial that early part-payments did not adversely affect the promptness of payments overall. He added: “We’d ask the Rural Payments Agency to continue working with the NFU on the rollout and delivery of the scheme.” Going forward, the NFU would be looking for reassurances that the RPA would continue its delivery performance and ensure farmers receive payments as early as possible on both occasions, said Mr Exwood.

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News

Pioneering event gears up for ‘most exciting show yet’ • UK’s top regenerative agriculture show • More than 175 exhibitors in attendance • Speakers arrive from around the world

undreds of exhibitors and speakers will attend this month’s Groundswell event – the UK’s biggest regenerative agriculture show. More than 120 speakers will take to the stages at the two-day event, with 15 manufacturers demonstrating direct drills, a mob grazing showcase, dung beetle safari and 175 exhibitors. Hosted by the Cherry family, the show takes place on 22-23 June at Lannock Manor Farm, Weston, near Hitchin, Hertfordshire “With travel restrictions eased after the Covid pandemic, Groundswell 2022 is shaping up to the most exciting event yet,” says John Cherry. “We’ve been inundated with ideas for sessions from across science, farming, environment and food sectors. We only have two days to fit them all into but we’re building an additional session venue this year and we’ll be recording sessions to go online.”

Global visitors Fewer travel restrictions this year mean Groundswell organisers have secured some of the world’s most experienced and knowledgeable experts in no-till farming, soil health and livestock management from across the globe. Special speakers this year include Dwayne Beck from Dakota Lakes Research Farm in South Dakota; princi-

pal scientist and Rhizoterra Inc owner Jill Clapperton; and Missouri livestock farmer Greg Judy. “You might think that there is not much we can learn from people and places so different to the UK, but if you thought that, you’d be wrong,” says Mr Cherry.

Growing popularity Groundswell attracted over 3,500 visitors in 2021 and more tickets are expected to be sold this year. Rooted in the underlying principles of regenerative agriculture, organisers describe Groundswell offers a powerful combination of thought-provoking and practical content. The seminar programme contains a breadth and depth of topics ranging from big-picture conversations, such as livestock’s impact on global warming, to deeply scientific sessions on subjects such as soil ecology. “At its core though, Groundswell is an event ‘by farmers, for farmers’ and most of the programme continues to explore ways of working with nature to grow food profitably.” Conservation farming As well as talks, visitors will have the opportunity to see conservation agriculture in action. Machines from 15 manufacturers, for example, will give working demonstrations.

Groundswell host farmers Paul and John Cherry

6 MIDLAND FARMER • JUNE 2022

All about Groundswell Groundswell takes place on 22-23 June at Lannock Manor Farm, Hitchin. The main sessions and demonstrations start at 10am on Wednesday 22 June and finish at 6pm the following day. Tickets are £80 for a single day or £120 for both days (+VAT). Students are eligible for a 20% discount and a 10% discount applies on group tickets for more than 10 people. The Earthworm Arms Bar and accompanying array of food and drink traders will be operating the evenings of 2123 June. All Groundswell attendees are invited to stay and enjoy the evenings. The SSAW Collective of chefs, florists and growers – who are committed to an ethical way of working with seasonal produce – will host a three-course long table banquet at 7pm on 21 and 22 June. The popular Groundswell campsite will open at 4pm on Tuesday 21 June. It will close at noon on Friday 24 June. Luxury bell tents are available to book via the Woodville Project through the Groundswell website. Camping passes to use hot showers and facilities are £20 (+VAT) per person. For full details, visit groundswellag.com

“

We’ve been inundated with ideas for the event

Other demonstrations will include an inter-row hoe in a nearby wheat crop and an on-site composting zone which will demonstrate various composting techniques. There will also be a specialmob grazing showcase. But Mr Cherry says most important are the farmers themselves. “Perhaps the most exciting aspect of Groundswell are the informal conversations that take place. Bringing together some of the most innovative farmers for two days, inevitably leads to some fascinating first-hand stories, ideas generation and learning opportunities.”

Arable Green light for gene-editing ‘will boost crop prospects’ Higher yields and better resilience promised

K plant breeders say farmers will benefit from government plans allowing gene editing techniques to develop new crop varieties. Last month’s Queen Speech included plans to bring forward new primary legislation enabling breeders to use genetic techniques where the resulting plants could have occurred naturally or through conventional breeding methods.

Rapid results NIAB chief executive Mario Caccamo said the announcement was an important step towards more science-based regulation of gene editing technologies. It had the potential to boost prospects for UK plant breeders and agriculture, he added. Professor Caccamo said: “The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill announced today will provide a more straightforward route to market for seeds and crops developed using advanced breeding technologies such as gene editing.” Precision breeding techniques such as CRISPR/Cas-9 enable scientists to cut and paste DNA with extreme precision and accuracy – so they can edit, insert and delete genes to obtain desirable traits faster than

Mario Caccamo: scientific approach 8 MIDLAND FARMER • JUNE 2022

Plant breeders have welcomed plans to allow gene-editing [photo credit: NIAB]

conventional breeding. “Innovation in plant breeding will be the single most important factor in helping global food supplies keep pace with a growing world population, in the face of climate change and pressure on finite natural resources of land, water, energy and biodiversity,” said Prof Caccamo. “The conflict in Ukraine has brought into sharp relief the precarious balance which exists between global food supply and demand, and the need to explore every option to increase food production sustainably.” The go-ahead for gene-editing would help accelerate the development of higher-yielding crops more resilient to pests and diseases, environmental conditions and climate change. It would also reduce the need for pesticides and synthetic fertilisers. Prof Caccamo said NIAB was keen to explore the potential for gene editing to transform the performance of leguminous crops such as faba beans and soybeans under UK growing conditions. “These are neglected crops in terms of breeding, yet the opportunities they offer – as nitrogen-fixing sources of home-grown, plantbased protein for human and livestock consumption – are hugely significant.”

Prof Caccamo said gene-editing could also help improve fungal disease resistance in wheat, flowering time variation in strawberry plants, root architecture traits in durum wheat, and enhanced nutrient and water use efficiency traits in cereals.

‘Significant step’ A spokesperson for the Agricultural Biotechnology Council – which represents BASF, Bayer, Corteva and Syngenta – said the move was a significant step towards using science to solve local and global food problems “It is positive to see the UK take the opportunity to re-join the mainstream of global agricultural innovation and adopt the science-based regulatory approaches taken by countries like Canada and Australia. Innovations like gene editing have the potential to help tackle climate change, food insecurity and enable Britain’s farming sector to thrive – all while maintaining high levels of environmental and consumer safety. “In light of a rising cost of living and concerns around our future food security, agricultural technologies have an important part to play in ensuring farmers can continue to produce nutritious, sustainable food to feed an ever-growing population.”

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Arable

Nelson offers high protein efficiency from lower nitrogen inputs

uy-back contracts are being offered to UK farmers who grow a German E-wheat which is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Nelson German ‘elite’ or E-wheat is consistently hitting high protein levels with lower nitrogen inputs, says UK distributor Cope Seeds. Millers are sourcing more of the Britishgrown grain because of its excellent bread making quality, it adds. This means Nelson can earn a premium over normal group one wheats. Growers also benefit from the variety’s wide drilling window, early harvest, tall and stiff weed-suppressing straw, bold grain and its high untreated yield. George Mason, from flour millers Heygates, says he is sourcing more Nelson wheat from British growers. “Based on a 14% protein level, Nelson brings us the quality and functionality that is displacing imported wheat,”

he says. Mr Mason adds: “We are looking to contract increased volumes going forward. In these difficult times of high fertiliser prices, we can also accept Nelson on a 13% protein basis – albeit at a Group 1 value.” “We have a policy to support British grain over imported and support UK farming wherever possible. Nelson has been consistently popular with farmers. It is a highly efficient variety. The fact our farmers continue to grow it is testament to its agronomic and bread making benefits.” Cope managing director Gemma Clarke says: “With the rising input costs really starting to pinch, it’s an even more attractive variety, because it can hit the protein levels required by millers like Heygates with less nitrogen.” Nelson is ideal for milling wheat

growers looking for a solid variety with a full Group 1 premium buy-back contract within the catchment of the Heygate mills – with other markets available if you farm outside this catchment. The variety is suited to a wide range of soil types including drought-prone land or soils with limited yield potential. Cope Seeds and Grain will be celebrating Nelsons 10-year anniversary at Groundswell 2022.

Nelson accumulates more protein with less nitrogen fertiliser

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Arable

Rapid disease testing helps cut fungicide bills

disease testing service is helping growers and agronomists reduce expenditure on fungi-

cides. Called SwiftDetect, the rapid test is said to detect disease down to just a few pathogen cells – even in latent periods. Findings are reported in a traffic light system, showing growers whether the disease is low, medium or high risk, so they can plan treatments accordingly. Indigro agronomist Damian McAuley, who started using SwiftDetect last year, says he tested for Septoria at preT1 (leaf 3) stage. One end of the farm was reported to be high risk and the other end low risk – so inputs were tailored accordingly. “We pulled back fungicide rates by roughly 10% on 400ha of wheat, making a £1,600 cost-saving,” says Mr McAuley. “We work a week ahead and we need

Damian McAuley was able to reduce fungicide rates by about 10%

a quick turnaround. Without accurate testing, you can see disease in crops but it’s more difficult to plan for risk, because you don’t always know the extent of the disease threat, especially if

it’s in the early stages where in some cases it isn’t visible.” Early in the season at pre-T0 stage, Mr McAuley sampled some rust susceptible Zyatt to see the risk threat. The results came back as low risk, so he didn’t treat pre-T0 with tebuconazole, which would have cost around £5/ha, saving some £1,500 over 300ha. Each test costs £70. Results are returned in one working day. This rapid turnaround means growers and agronomists can target the disease more effectively and efficiently by using the most appropriate product and dose rate. “Ware seeing more Septoria this year than last,” says Chris Steele, from SwiftDetect. “After a mild winter, we saw disease pressures increase followed by heavy rain earlier in the year, which reduced yellow rust but increased septoria risk, and the moisture is still there in the crop. “The yellow rust risk is still around waiting in the wings to pounce and can be found especially on varieties such as Zyatt, Skyfall and even Extase. Mildew seems to have disappeared but can still be found in the most susceptible varieties and areas.”

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Arable

Study probes best timings for grass weed herbicides • Germination timings are important • Safe strategy needs to be flexible • Adapt spray rates to size of weeds

Wild oats are among the weeds being studied

ore effective decisions on spring grassweed herbicide applications are expected following NIAB research looking at timings and treatments. The trials will assess the competitiveness and risk of seed return from a range of key grass weeds at different ds.qxp_Layout 1 16/05/2019 09:06 16 germination timings, saysPage Syngenta grass weeds specialist Georgina Young, who is a partner in the project. Growers typically face the dilemma

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of choosing between an early Axial Pro herbicide application to tackle overwintered weeds before they become too large – or delaying treatment to allow more weeds to germinate and emerge in the spring. “Now we have pioneering research that will help to quantify just what impact the more aggressive overwintered weeds are having on the crop and how many seeds they are likely to produce,” explains Ms Young.

Competitiveness “That will enable more informed decisions on appropriate spring Axial Pro herbicide timing for different grass weeds, along with helping to calculate the most cost-effective options for herbicide rates required on different sized weed populations.” The work is looking to assess the competitiveness and seed return viability of blackgrass, wild oats, Italian ryegrass and brome species from different germination timings during the arable season. Weeds have been propagated and raised under controlled conditions in NIAB glasshouses, with known populations of seedlings planted out into a

field crop at precise timings and stages through the winter and spring. NIAB weed biology and management specialist John Cussans says: “Different weed species have different germination timings, and the consequence when we come to apply a herbicide is we have a whole range of weeds at different growth stages and sizes.

“

Survivors have different rates of return

Large and small “In practice a large plant is clearly more difficult to control than a small one. That means weeds are frequently differentially controlled and the survivors have different levels of seed return.” Mr Cussans pointed out that some

Cost-effective options are key, says Georgina Young

crops have very limited options and opportunities for herbicide treatments in the spring, possibly only one permitted application. “Really understanding how these different species, how the individuals within the population, are contributing to seed return driven by their germination is how we are going to optimise that application timing for different weed species.” NIAB researchers will assess the biomass of the weeds in the crop from two autumn and three spring germination timings, as a gauge of the potential competitiveness, along with monitoring seed return from the different weed sizes at harvest. For this season’s herbicide treatments, Mr Cussans highlights the need to adapt herbicide rates to the variable sizes of weeds in the crop. “You want to be picking the dose for the largest weeds in the mixed population,” he recommends. “It’s really important to understand the nature of the grassweed population you’re looking to control; the species, the mix of individuals – to get the rates right and the application timing is absolutely critical.”

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Arable

Growers at heart of Bean YEN initiative Sponsor continues for fourth year

lant breeder LSPB is continuing its sponsorship of the Ben Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) initiative for a fourth year. The Bean YEN was set up in 2019 by ADAS in partnership with the Processors and Growers Research Organisation (PGRO) to encourage improvements in UK pulse production among farmers. LSPB managing director Chris Guest said the company wanted to show ongoing support for knowledge transfer and benchmarking among growers. “The vision of farmers learning from farmers is at the heart of why we are continuing our sponsorship.” YEN membership is open to farmers, agronomists and researchers. It allows growers to learn more about their yield potential – based on local conditions – and encourages the benchmarking of bean yields against other growers.

ter understand how variations in these are linked to their on-farm bean yields. “We hope that the increased knowledge from the Bean YEN initiative will help increase bean yields on farms across the UK so that enhanced management techniques can add to the yield benefits from current varieties and forthcoming varieties now in trials.” Many different variables are monitored to give a detailed picture of each crop. These include such factors as previous cropping, sowing date, seed rate, herbicide, fungicide and insecticide usage, yield achieved, and quality analysis.

Better understanding The YEN initiative had many benefits, said Mr Guest. Lessons from last year showed that deficiencies in a number of micro-nutrients were found in many cases – and this would be a focus for work during 2022. LSPB breeds a number of spring bean varieties – including Lynx. Growers are able to evaluate their crops using a variety of agronomic and other parameters. The objective was to bet-

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Citizen science PGRO chief executive Roger Vickers described YENs as a form of “citizen science”. It enabled growers to benefit from large sets of data that would be too costly or impossible for researchers to obtain under normal circumstances, he explained. “The citizens in this case are the participating growers, with the organisers and coordinators being the professional scientists trying to ensure that the data is gathered effectively and systematically, and that interpretation is without bias. “The growing number of locations, crops, seasons and YEN growers over three harvests brings ever more meaningful data that can be analysed for trends in crop performance and compared to the modelled potential for each location in which the bean crops are grown. Individual reports At the end of each season, every participating grower receives a comprehensive benchmarked report. This compares their own crop output against the modelled potential for their field. “They also receive an analysis of their crop inputs, outputs and over 25 monitored variables, all reported in relation to all other participating growers. Importantly, this is not seen as a competition but as collaborative exchange of information for the benefit of all. “In this way, each grower is better equipped to develop their own approach to cropping and understanding how their actions – or lack of them – may affect their future crop performance. “This all has the ultimate aim of achieving more of their cropping potential and improving efficiency and profitability.”

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Arable

Elsoms reaps benefits of breeding programme

lant breeder Elsoms Seeds has sped up its oilseed rape development programme – thanks to increased investment in technology and new staff. Four new conventional winter oilseed rape varieties with good agronomics have been fast-tracked into national list year one trials, says Mark Nightingale, senior oilseed rape breeder at the Spalding based company. “Investments in both personnel and technology have enabled us to take a more targeted approach, adopting more focused breeding programmes on different end products for both individual grower customers and merchants, as well as the market as a whole.”

Novel genetics The company’s winter oilseed rape programme is in a good position with novel genetics and the introduction of key traits, says Mr Nightingale, who predicts a big future for primed hybrid rape variety Tennyson. “Beyond a strong future pipeline, our current focus for this season is very

much on Tennyson – a unique variety that offers excellent phoma resistance to stem canker on oilseed rape based on its polygenic resistance.” Mr Nightingale says this is a special trait given that most top performing hybrids still rely on the Rlm7 gene for resistance, which is breaking down. Polygenic resistance is likely to be far more durable, he adds.

Reassurances “This key disease resistance trait, alongside the known benefits of primed seed, should offer additional reassurances to growers planting primed Tennyson this season and we are expecting significant commercial interest in the variety this summer. Primed seed trials currently in the ground are said to be impressive – not only in the speed of germination, uniformity and plant stand but also because primed seed has allowed the crop to get away quicker again in the spring. “With primed seed you still see a beneficial affect mid-way through flow-

ering, and it is very likely that the additional root development in primed seed will also allow primed crops to better scavenge nutrition and water several months after establishment.”

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Harvest preview 14.5m tonne wheat harvest ‘won’t stop market volatility’ • Higher prices mean high margins • Input costs have restricted yields • Management key to profitability

ereal margins are expected rise this year as the UK heads for a 14.5m tonne wheat harvest – but market volatility will continue, say industry experts. Harvest in some areas is expected to start a fortnight early – although lack of rain means some crops are unlikely to fulfil their yield potential. That said, conditions have been better than last year in many parts of the country – but high prices have restricted fertiliser applications. “The reality is we are still talking about a 14-14.5m tonne wheat crop out there,” said Cecilia Pryce, head of compliance, shipping and research at grain traders Openfield. “That is about just enough to get us home and dry – it won’t stop market volatility.” Productivity and good cashflow management will be key to farm profitability as input costs continue to rise and the basic payment is phased out, growers were told at a meeting of the British Crop Production Council in London.

Net margins Many farms would achieve a net margin in excess of £500/ha (£200/acre) this year, said Ed Hutley, farm business consultant and partner at Ceres Rural. But the future was more uncertain due to volatility and changes in farm support. A Ceres Rural survey of 171 farms across all crops types suggests growers “got themselves out of jail last year,” said Mr Hutley. Crops were drilled in a difficult autumn, followed by a dry spring and a lacklustre summer in 2021. Many achieved a net margin of £500/ha last year but the general setup remained fragile, with wide variations in machinery and labour costs. Since then, ag-inflation had seen an 8-10% increase in spray costs and a 21 ANGLIA FARMER • JUNE 2022

“

Prospects uncertain beyond 2022

300% increase in fertiliser prices. Crop prospects for harvest 2022 looked better than last year although lack of rain was starting to impact on yield potential. “Most people are comfortable with their position for 2022 – but beyond that it is more uncertain,” said Mr Hutley. With another reduction in basic payments due this year, productivity would be key to maintaining farm incomes. “Perhaps we are facing a choice between high input/output and low input/output agriculture – or maybe a change in farming system altogether.”

Long-term risk Arable margins might be attractive at the moment due to high commodity prices – but Mr Hutley said farmers should consider the risk over the longer term. Some less productive areas of land might be better off in countryside stewardship, for example. “Oilseed rape this year might be as profitable as winter wheat – but how many bad years have we had? A low yielding bean crop could be less risky. And countryside stewardship is less risky still because the income is guaranteed.” The government’s forthcoming Sus-

Cecilia Pryce expects a 14-14.5m tonne wheat harvest

tainable Farming Incentive would never replace income lost as the basic payment scheme is phased out. But it could provide a useful source of revenue for farmers – especially for growers already meeting its requirements. Other potential sources of income included carbon sequestration – although it was a fledgling sector with more questions than answers and should be approached with caution. Biodiversity Net Gain could be more attractive in the near future, especially for farms near the urban fringe.

Net margins are expected to be better this year than last JUNE 2022 • MIDLAND FARMER 21

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Harvest preview

Monitoring system saves downtime at harvest

tyre monitoring system to help prevent downtime at harvest can now be specified on Continental tyres. ContiPressureCheck monitors the pressure and temperature of CombineMaster and CombineMaster VF tyres. Sensors in the tyre communicate the pressure and the heat build-up to help the operator decide on the optimum operating pressure. Two warning levels are offered by the sensor. The first suggests that a fault has occurred, but the machine can continue to work. The second calls for an immediate stop due to a more severe tyre problem. “This is a good way to improve the life of combine tyres and reduce unnecessary downtime,” explains Continental agricultural tyre specialist Rebecca Shedden. “Operators can choose to have a handheld device, or a terminal mounted in the cab. Both will feed back in-

formation on the tyre and help the operator to make adjustments that will reduce the likelihood of tyre failure.”

Tyre data The most sensitive part of a tyre is the valve. ContiPressureCheck provides tyre data without the need to touch the valve. It therefore offers a safer and more secure way to monitor tyres and reduces the likelihood of dirt affecting the valve. Ms Shedden says many tyres are replaced before the tread has worn fully. This is due largely to unknown tyre damage which leads to failure during use. The monitors can be retrofitted or purchased with the new generation of Continental agricultural tyres. ContiPressureCheck constantly monitors tyre performance. “This helps to prevent downtime because the tyre will not be under undue stress and any fault in the tyre will be reported in time for the operator to make repairs or ad-

justments,” says Ms Shedden. Tyres designed to work with ContiPressureCheck are covered by a 10year warranty. The system can be specified when purchasing tyres or added retrospectively to extend tyre life and improve operational efficiency.”

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Harvest preview

High yielding Group 4 wheats have vital role As harvest 2022 nears, breeders say high performance Group 4 varieties are increasingly important

igh yielding Group 4 wheats with strong all round resilience and versatility will remain the most consistently profitable crops over the next five years, says James Webster of farm business consultants Andersons. Such varieties will be the backbone of future rotations as the implications of higher energy and input costs start to bite and the drive to cut back on agrochemical use continues, he believes. “It’s difficult to see how the main input costs can come down significantly anytime soon – the drivers behind these are pretty well established and mostly linked to ener-

KWS Dawsum: a ‘real workhorse’

gy and gas prices. “The majority are not traded as openly as grain, so they are not subject to the usual volatility associated with commodities. “But the high prices we are currently seeing for wheat could track downwards as the world’s supply situation, hopefully, settles down after the current Ukraine and Russia situation.” The result is a narrowing of margins. While current higher prices for grain will help insulate growers to a degree in this year, 2023 and 2024 will be the years it really starts to bite, especially as there will be a 50% reduction in direcy payments in 2024.

KWS’s Kirsty Richards

Three key features The three stand-out features of a variety suited to such scenarios are high outright yield, optimum Nitrogen efficiency and good untreated yields underpinned by robust disease resistances, says Mr Webster. “High yield potential is still a key requirement as this sets the benchmark for production and it’s not just about tonnes either. High specific weight is increasingly important as is protein content. “But high yield potential by itself without the additional traits needed to protect it in the increasingly challenging growing conditions we’re all facing, is unlikely to be sufficient.” Nitrogen efficiency is also going to be increasingly important, especially with the recent price hikes showing little signs of abating, Mr Webster adds. “Vigour, root system, straw strength and disease resistance all contribute to N-efficiency, so again a variety with a full feature set in these areas is likely to be the most Nitrogen efficient option in the future.” Strong disease resistance and high untreated yields finish off the three key features, says Mr Webster. “High untreated yields are a good indicator of a variety’s overall resilience but they are also key when trying to use agrochemicals more effectively, as we will have to in the future as environmental legislation increases and available chemistry becomes less. “Strong disease resistance is not just about cutting back on agronomic inputs though, it also gives you a safety net if you can’t spray at exactly the right time – which could increasingly be the case with the effects climate change.” Solid agronomics Kirsty Richards of KWS agrees. Such thinking lies very much behind the company’s SowContinued on p27 JUNE 2022 • MIDLAND FARMER 25

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Harvest preview

HarvestEye monitors potato performance in the field

machine-learning system which monitors the yield performance of root crops as they are harvested from the field has been showcased in Ireland. The HarvestEye system monitors crop quality and yield – providing growers with valuable information on the crop size and count across the whole field in real time. It was exhibited at the World Potato Congress in Dublin. Developed by agri-tech company Bhive Innovations, HarvestEye comprises a patented technology which uses vision sensing technology to map crop performance – helping growers maximise yields by effectively monitoring crop variability. The 11th World Potato Congress, which runs from 29 May to 2 June, features more than 1,000 global participants. HarvestEye managing director Vidyanath Gururajan said the event was an export opportunity for the UKbased company. “We are constantly in dialogue with farmers to see how we can better meet their needs for a crop harvesting insights tool,” he said. “Our product is constantly evolving to improve the accuracy of the harvest performance data across a range of different varieties and soil conditions.” Fitting to both existing harvesting or grading equipment, HarvestEye is a cost-efficient method to achieve targeted agronomic performance. The system collects data in the field and deliv-

ers it to an online information portal. As well as potatoes, the system has also been used successfully for onion crops by Suffolk-based growers Stourgarden, which purchased two HarvestEye systems installed and commissioned by HarvestEye’s UK distributor Grimme. Working through the season from middle of July to end of September the two systems sized and counted the en-

The system monitors root crops as they are harvested

Continued from p25 ing for Peak Performance (SPP) initiative, she says. “You only have to look at the new Group 4 hard feed wheat KWS Dawsum to see such thinking in action. “It’s got a yield potential 104% of control in the current RL and an outstanding specific weight of 79.4kg/hl which will be of real interest to many growers following the poor specific weights of 2021.” But while the variety’s treated yield is pretty spectacular, it also has an untreated yield of 92% of control so it’s going to appeal to a wide range of growers with different production systems. “This is underpinned by resistance scores of 9 for yellow rust, an 8 for mildew and a 7 for brown rust. “Furthermore, KWS Dawsum delivers to its full potential across the rotation regardless of heavy or light soil, early of later drill-

tire onion crop. They provided data on 12 varieties onion varieties across 28 fields, monitoring more than 24 million onions. HarvestEye is expanding in central Europe, the US and the Asia-Pacific region, said Mr Gururajan. “We are enhancing confidence across supply chains and maximising returns for all parties through reduced wastage and increased efficiency.”

ing and whether it’s in a first or second wheat slot. It’s a real work horse with short, stiff straw further adding to its reliability.” KWS Cranium is another strong RL-listed player in the Group 4 hard wheat sector and a great example of an SPP variety, says Dr Richards. “Recommended for the whole of the UK, it ticks all the boxes for features of high or very high importance in modern wheat production. “It’s got an impressive combination of performance and agronomics with a yield of 102% of control, an 8 for Yellow Rust resistance, 8s for lodging performance, both with and without PGRs, plus a 5.9 for Septoria resistance. “Additional features such as Orange Wheat Blossom Midge (OWBM) resistance and high yields in the second wheat and late drilling slots underline its class-leading resilience in the face of current wheat production challenges.” JUNE 2022 • MIDLAND FARMER 27

Harvest preview

Upgrade for fixed chamber round baler

ase has upgraded its RB 344 fixed chamber round baler to increase its versatility and performance. The baler produces 120cm x 125cm bales. The upgraded machine adds a host of design and performance features to the best elements of the previous model. Case IH says it handles all baling tasks with ease. Product marketing manager Michal Jankowski said: “The new version of this very popular, highly effective baler has a modern, visually striking design in keeping with our other products.” Two models are available from dealers: the RB 344 F Rotor Feeder and RB 344 R Rotor Cutter. Both work com-

fortably behind tractors of less than 80hp, said Mr Jankowski. The most obvious design feature is a side shield which incorporates a robust metal frame, top hinges and gas strut supports. Opening wide for easy access for service and maintenance, it also protects spare rolls of net wrap stored on the machine.”

Better appearance Rubber bumpers on both sides of the tailgate’s frame ensure it closes smoothly and quietly, while the wiring harness now runs inside the bull bar and front lights have been repositioned for a better appearance. Behind its new panelling, the RB

Round baler upgraded with new design and performance features

344 introduces a host of mechanical improvements. Bearings which support the main drive, stripper roll, and drive side rotor have been upgraded with highly efficient seals that prevent dust contamination. The stripper roll, bale chamber, floor roll and pick-up, for example, are now driven by high-quality drive chains with chromized pins and hardened plates that have a longer life cycle and reduce maintenance costs. Equipped with closely spaced steel tines and guards, the 2m pick-up collects the crop and delivers it in a continuous flow to the feeder and bale chamber. Bale specifications can be adjusted or monitored from the tractor seat.

Disease control option for carrots and celeriac

rowers have a new option to control sclerotinia and alternaria leaf blight in carrots and celeriac. It comes after Modif – which contains cyprodinil and fludioxonil – was granted approval of an Extension of Authorisation for Minor Use (EAMU) registration. Manufactured by off-patent manufacturer Life Scientific, the agrochemical is a reverse-engineered version of Switch. The EAMU covers three applications in carrots at a rate of 0.8kg/ha, and should be applied seven days before harvest. In celeriac, only two treatments of 1.8kg/ha are recommended, and should be applied 14 days

28 MIDLAND FARMER • JUNE 2022

before harvest. Modif’s activity includes controlling disease on peas and beans. Encouraged by the weather at the moment, these crops are experiencing high levels of powdery mildew, said Life Scientific UK country manager Ruth Stanley. “While there is no label claim for powdery mildew, as the result of a customer request we included Modif in a replicated field trial conducted by RAA labs in Lincolnshire, to determine the level of control of powdery mildew at two dose rates in vining peas.” One application was made at early flower-

ing using dose rates of 0.25kg/ha and 0.5kg/ ha. Assessments were made seven and 14 days after application to show the percentage control over untreated. “Results demonstrated that at T1 + 7 days at 0.25kg/ha there was only 9.5% severity of powdery mildew versus 62.5% on the untreated. At T1 +14 days this was only just higher at 31.3%, whereas untreated showed a powdery mildew severity of 94.5%. “At the higher rate of 0.5kg/ha at T1+7 days levels of severity of powdery mildew were much reduced at 5.5% and at T1 +14 days at 21.3%, compared to 94.5% in the untreated.”

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PROFILE FRAM FARMERS

Strength

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Farmers who purchase inputs though a buying group obtain competitive prices, secure supplies and independent advice too.

uffolk-based Fram Farmers is helping growers and livestock producers source vital inputs at competitive prices – working to ensure that farm businesses remain viable despite soaring ag-inflation. Formed by a group of farmers in and around the small market town of Framlingham in the 1960s, today Farm Farmers has members right across the country. But it remains true to its roots with a simple, transparent and effective business model. Run as a true not for profit farmer-owned cooperative, rather than a large for profit corporate business, Fram Farmers purchases over £230m of products and services annually on behalf more than 1400 members – and achieves extremely competitive prices in the process. Classically, farmer-owned groups like Farm Farmers deliver value to members by using their combined buying power to obtain good prices on farm inputs. That still holds true – but chief executive Andrew Knowles says it is about much more than that. “Value these days is about much more than price – it’s about securing and ensuring supply of the products you need when you need them. This is especially important at a time when

supplies of vital inputs such as fuel and fertiliser are disrupted.” Family farms and businesses, previously happy to trade in isolation are increasing looking at the likes of Fram Farmers because the relationship it has with suppliers means the cooperative can source hard-to-get inputs when individual farmers often cannot.

First in queue “Because of our size, demand forecasting and long term supplier relationships, we make sure that we’re first in line on behalf of our members when it comes to securing products,” says Mr Knowles. “It is about price and supply – and the ease of doing business, which is increasingly important.” Because it is farmer-owned, Fram Farmers works on behalf of its members. Experts within each buying department provide members with direct access to objective advice about the most suitable products without unfairly favouring one brand or supplier over another. “We’re quite unique in that we are not trying to sell or convince our members to purchase any specific product or brand, We focus on securing and delivering the products our members actually want. So it’s more than just price. It’s price, the advice we are able to give

– and convenience.” For a farmer, being a member of a buying group is like having an additional invisible member of staff working on their behalf, adds Mr Knowles. And it often means any necessary purchases can be sorted out in a single phone call. Unlike many other buying groups, Fram members pay a fixed fee. This means the more members purchase through the group the more they gain and save. “It also means the Fram team build closer links and better understanding of individual member businesses and needs, because we’re talking to each other more often. >>

JUNE 2022 • MIDLAND FARMER 31

PROFILE FRAM FARMERS

'Think ahead – avoid ordering just-in-time' Global challenges mean farmers should think ahead rather than ordering farm inputs at the last minute, says Fram Farmers chief executive Andrew Knowles. “Like it or not, we all have to accept that the 'just-in-time' approach which has served us so well in the past is no longer available. We all now need to plan ahead – and the more businesses do that, the more successful they will be. “Planning ahead and ordering early means more certainty in securing specific products and often achieving the better prices and better value.” When it comes to combinable crops, many growers are now looking at offsetting input purchases with a proportion of crop forward selling as a strategy to protect future gross margins. The more traditional approach of trying to buy at the bottom and sell at the top of the market is not for the faint hearted in these volatile times where daily market movements can be as great as annual movements in more benign years. “We are all only too aware of the eye wa>> “If you liken buying groups to mobile phones Fram is like the fixed monthly contract as opposed to the pay as you go. The result is that individual members’ turnover thought the group is much higher than other type of groups who work on a pay as you go type model.

Loyal to members “We’re a cooperative that has been in existence for over 60 years – and we’re absolutely loyal to that concept. But that doesn’t mean that we are not as commercially astute and agile as the na-

tering inflation in fertiliser. But, assuming like for like yield, the gross margin is virtually identified from purchasing 2023 crop fertiliser in mid May 2022 and selling a proportion of 2023 crop forward as it was 12 months ago with the fertiliser and grain prices in May 2021 So there is still a good margin there despite the price hikes. “But for livestock producers the sums are a lot more challenging. Producers should examine their goals and consider whether they are making the right choices. I am confident there is still a strong and prosperous future for livestock and dairy enterprises – so long as retailers play ball and back up their public rhetoric of wanting to back British farmers with action. “The other challenge is around labour availability – and difficulties in recruiting staff, particularly postBrexit. “As an industry, we need to be aware that, it is a lot easier and more productive to retain great staff rather than having to replace them. We

“

Value these days is about much more than price

need to value our employees. “We know faming often involves antisocial hours – so make sure your farm is a good place to work – that it is friendly and enjoyable. Make sure you look after your staff. “It's not only about wages and salaries. It’s also about providing an enjoyable inclusive working environment. Activities such as annual staff days where friends and family can all get together, feel part of a team and let their hair down are also important in building a strong team. “Overall I continue to be very positive and optimistic for the future of farming and of Fram Farmers. Times are challenging but through planning ahead, building strong long term relationships and partnerships, and acting with integrity, doing the right thing as opposed to the easy thing, we have a bright future ahead of us. It’s all about looking forward and not leaving things to the last minute.”

tional and international suppliers we work with. We also recognise that our members value being able to do business by speaking with somebody they know and trust as well as clicking a button to order things via our online portal. “As a not for profit cooperative, transparency and integrity is key to what we do. People pay a membership fee and that is it. There are no backhanders or retainers with suppliers. Any rebates or commission secured on behalf of members go straight back to our members bank accounts.” UK agriculture is changing and

Fram Farmers is changing with it, says Mr Knowles, who has been with the buying group for almost two years. Success is based on strong relationships with farmers, as well as suppliers, he adds. “We’re much more than a merchant. As well as buying, we also offer advice and services in a wide range of areas such as farm grants, renewable energy and utilities. We are also one of only a few buying groups that has its own grain marketing service. A successful buying group will only continue to exist if remains relevant to >>

First robot overcomes farm labour shortage When Home Farm Nacton faced a labour shortage, Fram Farmers were able to offer an innovative solution: a robotic tractor capable of weeding organic crops. Soon afterwards, the Ipswich-based business took deliver of a Robotti 150D – the UK’s first commercially available robotic tractor produced by Danish manufacturer Agrointelli. The machine has been working successfully on the farm since last year. “I heard about the Robotti from Fram machinery manager Gordon Cummings, who had been looking into the use of robotics in the fresh produce sector,” explains Home Farm director Andrew Williams. “A large amount of our produce is

32 MIDLAND FARMER • JUNE 2022

organic, so we are increasingly limited in how we can control weeds. Mechanical weeding is repetitive work, as is manual weeding, and sourcing seasonal, overseas labour is becoming increasingly difficult. The Robotti is autonomously controlled by GPS via an onboard computer, Rather than a human driver, it following a pre-programmed planned route in the field. “We wanted to future-proof the farm and Robotti is perfectly suited to our set-up.” “The interest in autonomous tractors has been around a long time, and we’re delighted to have been involved in bringing this to the UK for Andrew and the team at Home Farm Nacton,” says Mr Cummings.

Gordon Cummings and Harry Nesling of Fram Farmers, with Robotti.

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PROFILE FRAM FARMERS >> its members’ needs. That means constantly delivering value for money – and working in behalf of members and adapting to change. “Our members have very broad needs – as their needs evolve, we have to evolve too. But I am also a strong believer that you should stick to what you’re good at rather than becoming a busy fool. And be very clear on what you do.”

Access to experts On the rare occasions Fram Farmers doesn’t have expertise in-house, the group is able to employ the services of external experts. This can be the case when a small proportion of members need a peripheral service. “We will align with an external partner. It means we are able to offer a planning service, for example, even when we don’t have planning expertise within Fram, because we’re aligned with a planning consulting business and can call on their services.” Partnerships are important when >>

Group takes work out of purchases Suffolk farmers Jonny and Dulcie Crickmore use Fram Farmers to source livestock feeds and other inputs at Fen Farm Dairy, near Bungay. The couple milk a herd of 320 grassbased Montbeliarde cows, producing some 145 tonnes of Baron Bigod cheese annually. The third generation farm business also makes Bungay butter and yogurt. “It takes the work out of sourcing things and making sure the price is in the right place too,” says Mr Crickmore. “Fram get good prices because they buy in bulk and they take care of the invoices too, which reduces work on the accounting side.” The business also uses Fram Farmers to source fuel and building materials. “It's good to have someone working on your behalf. They keep their eyes and ears open – which works well for us. It's like they are an extension of our business.”

Machinery advice aids buying decisions

Finance scheme makes for easier purchases

Independent advice is important to Gordon Cummings, who looks after three areas at Fram Farmers – farm machinery, fuel and building materials. “We have a large number of partnerships with suppliers – from machinery dealers to hire companies and manufacturers such as Case IH, Amazone and Weaving drills, as well as a number of small and medium-sized companies. Unbiased advice means Fram can give members all the information they need to make the best decision for their farm, says Mr Cummings. “The farmer always makes the final decision but we ensure that decision is fully informed.” This involves close ties with machinery manufacturers and key dealers – including Ernest Doe, Thurlow Nunn Standen, Ben Burgess, Crawfords and Tuckwells. More than 100 tractors and as many as 30 trailers are also hired out annually. Good relationships with suppliers mean members can make big savings on lubrication oil, says Mr Cummings. But it is about securing available supplies, as well as achieving a good price. Farmers should look ahead where possible and place orders accordingly – especially ahead of the busy harvest period. In the last fuel crisis, all our members received fuel when they needed it – but that is because of the long-term relationships we have built up over many years. The name of the game going forward is security of supply – especially when it comes to fuel. Ideally, you should keep a minimum of two weeks supply on the farm. At the moment, we can get fuel in three days. But a crisis could turn that into a fortnight.”

Fram Farmers Finance was launched in 2020 – a scheme which enables members to finance the purchasing of inputs and assets made via their Fram Farmers account. This includes all inputs, such as fuel, seed, fertiliser and repairs, as well as machinery. The service was developed in conjunction with Flexi-Funding, a Leeds-based and FCA authorised credit broker and Novuna Business Finance, formerly Hitachi Capital Business Finance – one of the UK’s leading asset finance lenders. “Securing access to finance is a major issue for many businesses – and is likely to become even more critical for those in the farming sector,” explains Fram Farmers financial controller Nick Hindle. “We are a not-for-profit memberowned cooperative – so our members have the reassurance that these new facilities offered by the cooperative are created specifically for them and can be trusted.” Instead of going to their bank or elsewhere to negotiate a loan or overdraft, a member can come to Fram and do it through us, says Mr Hindle. Then for Inputs finance, the member’s statement goes straight to Novuna Business Finance to form a loan agreement.

“Fram Farmers Finance is one way that the cooperative can help members maintain a prompt payment record, continue to source everything they need through their cooperative and benefit from significant savings on their input purchases. “It makes everything easier to plan and budget. This is really important to us in supportig our memers.” Purchasing is further simplified with the help of a new app called CCDM – or commercial card data management provided by Lloyds Bank. Instead of saving paper receipts for fuel purchases and other transactions, members simply photograph it using their mobile phone, linking the image direct to their purchase. The card can also be used for subscriptions or anywhere a Mastercard in accepted. Payments are then made in the usual way as part of the Fram Farmers statement.

JUNE 2022 • MIDLAND FARMER 35

PROFILE FRAM FARMERS >> doing business, says Mr Knowles, especially when negotiating a price. “You can you can take one of two approaches: some people will go for the classic short term win-lose approach, but we prefer to go for win-win.”

Commercially robust “It’s not about squeezing the last penny out of a single deal. Some organisations take that view and it might work the first time. But it seldom works a second time– in that scenario ultimately you end up with fewer suppliers who are less reliable. “We much prefer to have commercially robust but mutually respectful relationships with our suppliers. We respect the fact that they need to stay in business – otherwise they won’t be around to supply us any more.” With some suppliers, that means a very transactional relationship – when the time is right. But with others, it means a structured and strategic partnership where both parties are in it for the long-term – and share mutual goals that benefit our members.

Livestock team secures the best deals Led by Jodie Allen, a dedicated livestock team buys a large array of products and feed – including straights and blends, compounds, fats, and in-feed minerals The team tracks the commodity markets closely to obtain better prices, and forward buys when possible or deemed best to do so. “We focus on following the commodity markets to make the best use of raw materials”, says Jodie. “You’re not always going to catch them at the bottom, but we do our best to buy when they are close to it, ideally, we want to make sure our forward price is less than spot on the day.” Fram Farmers combines members tonnage to form compound and blend groups in regional areas and negotiate fixed prices. The Livestock Team works closely with farm advisors, such as nutritionists and vets. This means that the team can ensure the correct products are sourced and ordered on behalf of the member, still at competitive prices. There are two qualified R-SQPs (Registered Animal Medicines Advisors) within the team. They can advise on and prescribe POM-VPS

products, including fly control, wormers, flukicides and some vaccines. This means they can supply products following a discussion about the livestock requirements and healthcare plans. “We also run a vet meds group for pigs” and can purchase POM-V medicines on behalf of members for their cattle or sheep, requesting prescriptions from their vet – most often for seasonal products. “We work with an extensive list of trusted suppliers to cover all livestock requirements including animal health, feed, bedding, dairy chemicals and disinfectants, silage inoculants – anything you might need on farm.”

Order early to secure important supplies Communication with the supply chain, and a deep understanding of the market is vital to obtaining the right deals for members, says Fram Farmers crop protection product manager Matt Cobbald, who also oversees the buying group's crop input strategy. "Focusing on all crop inputs, and tailoring specific market requirements means we can position our various offers according to what is relevant to our members and the industry. We very much believe that value is based on price, product supply, as well as service. "It's a three-pronged challenge, that has been stressed through Brexit, the Covid pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine. All these challenges, have contributed to disrupted supply chain logistics – especially when it comes to lead times for crop inputs. Key to ongoing navigation of these markets is communication – especially between the triangle of Fram Farmer members,

36 MIDLAND FARMER • JUNE 2022

agronomists and the group itself. In establishing and developing this cohesive triangle, it gives the ability to plan, and order early rather than just in time. “This is particularly important if a product is vital or has no substitutes”, says Mr Cobbald. "Many products have successfully been ordered ahead of time this spring through forward planning, and utilisingproducts from leading manufacturers with wide labels of use,has given confidence to

making decisions on crop interventions early.” Understanding underlying crop performance risk factors through variety genetics, and typical phenotypic interactions with the environment, as opposed to reacting to problems as they happen is important to help plan overall risk management plans in crops of significantly greater values. With inflation pressure set to continue, the, the crop inputs team is working even more closely with the crop marketing team at Fram to mitigate the worst effects, by tying in crop sales to forward commitments on input purchases. The crop input team will continue working hard to secure supply at market leading prices through further benchmarking, developing further accuracy in planning, and ordering products early. All these activities will drive improved price negotiations too.

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Sugar beet review Three-year vision for beet crop

ugar beet growers are to receive better advice about growing the crop, following a threeyear strategy published by the British Beet Research Organisation. The three-year vision document sets out the BBRO’s aspiration to undertake and implement research and knowledge exchange which increases the competitiveness of the UK sugar beet industry – financially and environmentally. “We will have an efficient team of enthusiastic and world-respected experts in their individual fields, and we will support and steer key decisionmaking across the sector, from strategic industry planning to on-farm agronomy,” it says. The document says the BBRO will expand its knowledge exchange (KE) activities to deliver greater commercial value to growers using personalised and tailored information via a range of communication channels, especially digital messaging and applications. Relevant and timely information will be shared with growers according to their requirements. This will range from a Brilliant Basics package at operator level to Agronomy Plus for agronomists and other key decision makers. Growers can expect to see more use

made of local agronomy hubs, pest and disease forecasting and local demonstration farm events. This will include using on-farm trials data to improve knowledge about growing the crop.

Growers can expect to be offered more on-farm events

Key goal Building on the success of previous years, yield improvement remains a key goal. “We will roll out the Beet Yield Tracker tool to help grower decision making and ensure all growers understand the true potential of their

sugar beet crop,” says the document. Recommended List trials will continue with additional descriptive information on the impact of pests and diseases. The goal is to continue to drive yield progress but while exploiting new beneficial agronomic traits. Controlling aphids and virus yellows will remain a key priority. The BBRO says it will assess varietal, chemical, non-chemical and innovative technical options – including the potential of different breeding techniques.

Growers advised to continue aphid checks

rowers are advised to continue checking sugar beet crops for aphids – and treat accordingly while abiding by application guidelines. The first peach–potato aphid (pictured) catches of 2022 were reported in mid-April, with green wingless aphids increasingly found afterwards in sugar beet crops which hadn’t been treated with Cruiser. Last month, the British Beet research Organisation said growers should check nonCruiser treated crops as a priority and consider spraying if above the threshold of one green wingless aphid per four plants up until the 12-leaf stage. Current foliar spray options are Certis’ insecticide InSyst (acetamiprid) or flonicamid – with one application of each permitted per crop. Growers should use InSyst first, says Certis technical specialist Henry Welham. “Its rapid knockdown prevents early virus build up which has the greatest impact

on yieldm” he says. “InSyst has also shown good persistence in trials keeping aphid numbers very well controlled for two weeks following treatment.” The application window for InSyst is BBCH 12 (first pair of leaves unfolded) to 39 (crop cover complete). But there is an additional rule if it is applied between BBCH 12 and 19 (nine or more leaves unfolded) – as has been likely this year.

This label restriction means acetamiprid must not be applied to the same field until the second spring after it has been applied to a sugar beet between BBCH 12 and 19, says Mr Welham. There had been no reports of wingless aphids on Cruiser treated crops by early May. Growers who need to spray, if above threshold, they must start with flonicamid, the active ingredient in the insecticides Teppeki or Afinto. The BBRO aphid-monitoring network is now active and available on BBROplus. Growers who haven’t yet done so should enter their email address and their British Sugar contract number to validate registration on the BBRO website. Once registered, growers have immediate access to BBROplus. Their contract number is only used once to validate access, with no permanent record kept. The website address is www.bbro.co.uk. JUNE 2022 • MIDLAND FARMER 39

Sugar beet review

Advertiser’s Announcement

Experience is key when growing sugar beet

ising input costs and challenging world markets make experience a vital tool for sugar beet growers planning for the coming 2023 season, writes Ian Munnery. Sugar beet has been a staple part of farm rotations in this region for decades. For many, it is an ideal break crop, allowing growers to address the menace of blackgrass. It also enables farmers to spread the annual workload. Sugar beet is also a crop for which you know you will be paid. But the current economic squeeze is not a time for experimenting. Rather, it is a time to apply your experience – and that of your supplier. As a global plant breeder, SesVanderHave has a wealth of experience gained in developing new sugar beet varieties across the world. In the UK, that expertise is refined and focused on meeting the needs of UK growers. By the time a SesVanderHave variety enters the UK market, it will have undergone extensive testing across all the main sugar beet areas – each with their different soil types and

40 MIDLAND FARMER • JUNE 2022

climate variations over ten years. This strategy enables us to be confident that our varieties will perform robustly and reliably regardless of the season when it comes to key characteristics such as root yield, sugar content and bolting. Wren is a long-established variety with a proven track record over several seasons of commercial use. Similarly, Lacewing is an established variety choice where there may be an issue with beet cyst nematode. Adder and Tawny are the latest SesVanderHave varieties to come to the market. These too have been grown and tested in the UK for years – not just in small-plot trials using specially prepared seed, but using commercially produced and pelleted seed. These varieties emerged well in 2020 and 2021 – despite low temperatures and drought conditions. You are welcome to see our latest trials too – whether as an individual grower, or a group of farmers. It ensures our research remains tuned to your needs.

Ian Munnery is UK director for global sugar beet breeder SesVanderHave. To arrange a visit, call 01522 442000 or email contactuk@sesvanderhave.com.

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Sugar beet review More sugar beet crops are expected to be irrigated this year

Irrigation is still ‘missing link’ for water resource planning Water for agriculture is a key for food security, says Melvyn Kay

nother dry spring has again seen growers irrigating sugar beet and cereal crops – highlighting the need to secure adequate supplies of water for agriculture. Early this year, I did wonder if we were heading for a record breaking year of drought following the fifth driest January on record for East Anglia. Although March rainfall was normal, April and early May saw more than eight weeks with little or no rain. April was particularly dry with an average of only 12mm rainfall – just 26% of the long term average and affecting most catchments. Soil moisture deficits were high and increasing, river flows below normal, but groundwater was holding up. The Environment Agency has now downgraded irrigation prospects in some areas from Good to Moderate. This is proving to be a unusual year for irrigators mainly because of concerns over food security and the massive increase in energy and fertiliser costs resulting from the war in Ukraine. Drought is just an additional problem. Some farmers have already reduced their irrigated area of potatoes and have turned to cereals to take advantage of high prices. But cereals do not escape drought and would ben-

efit from irrigation. Irrigation costs do not yet justify installing irrigation for cereals even if you can get a licence to abstract. But who knows how current problems and of course our changing climate may begin to shift this kind of thinking. Nor does sugar beet alone justify irrigation investment. Irrigation was reviewed by the British Beet Research Organisation in 2016, which suggested the largest yield increases from irrigation occur in dry summers and on the lightest soils. However, in all but very dry summers, the increase in sugar yield would not be sufficient to cover the cost of irrigating. Increasing energy costs have only made it more difficult to justify irrigation.

Financial return This is also the time of year when other crops on the farm are demanding irrigation water and decisions about which crops to prioritise

will depend on which shows the greater financial return. Irrigation’s greatest value is surely in crop establishment, stopping the soil surface layers from drying out while the crop establishes itself and reaches moisture deeper in the soil profile. Should we begin to think more widely about the role of irrigation in UK’s food security? NFU deputy president Tom Bradshaw has described water for agriculture as the missing link in water resources planning – something the UK Irrigation Association was been highlighting for many years with limited progress. While other domestic and environmental use has essential user status, water for food does not, and irrigating crops remains a commercial decision. Hence the crop switching that is going on this year. Melvyn Kay is executive secretary of the UK Irrigation Association.

Conference debates water security Ways to secure more sustainable water supplies will be highlighted at the UK Irrigation Association annual conference on 6 July in Peterborough. The conference has the theme Building resilience and sustainability in irrigation agriculture. Speakers include farmers, the Environment Agency, and international experts who will reveal how other countries are tackling similar problems. Special guest will be Olcay Unver – a world leader in water for agriculture. Mr Unver was recently deputy chairman of

UN-Water and led the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation water programmes and activities. Not known for hyperbole, the FAO report last month warned that the world is running out of good agricultural land – with water resources and systems at breaking point as demand for supplies continue to increase. The conference will discuss ways to build resilient and sustainable food production systems that meet UK food security needs. For the full programme and to register, visit www.ukia.org.

JUNE 2022 • MIDLAND FARMER 43

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Livestock

BEEF & DAIRY FOCUS

How to improve ruminant diets as feed costs soar • Careful diet formulation important • Use feed additives for digestibility • Cost eﬀective solution is possible

airy and beef producers striving to remain profitable as feed costs soar are being encouraged to adopt a similar strategy to pig and poultry producers. Feed additives can make diets more cost effective and flexible, replicating the approach taken in monogastric diet formulation, says Mark McFarland (below), feed additive product manager at Lallemand Animal Nutrition. “Fine tuning ruminant diets with proven feed additives such as live yeasts could help increase milk or meat production per kilogram (kg) of feed or support lower cost rations while maintaining productivity,” says Mr McFarland. Several feed additives have been accepted for decades for improving the productive value of commercial feeds in the pig and poultry sector, he adds. But the use of additives in the ruminant sector

is much less consistent. “The use of enzymes for example, are a routine part of monogastric ration formulation that offer flexibility in formulating least cost diets. Similar benefits are to be had from using feed additives such as live yeasts in ruminant rations, but this is not currently standard practice.”

Innovative formulation Mr McFarland says the dairy and beef sector could benefit greatly from more innovative ration formulation that supports least and iso-cost diets. That’s because up to 75% of feed is digested in the rumen, where the right microbial balance can make a significant difference. Feed additives that favourably modify the rumen environment can therefore be an incredibly useful tool to optimise ruminant diet formulation he says, although advises selecting those that have robust scientific backing. “The effects and modes of action of the live yeast strain SacchaFeed additive product manager Mark McFarland

romyces cerevisiae CNCM I-1077 on rumen microbiota have been extensively studied. The main benefits shown include stabilising ruminal pH, increasing fibre degradation and digestibility, and speeding up rumen maturity. Research suggests that Saccharomyces cerevisiae can increase the neutral detergent fibre digestibility of forage by 3-8 units, depending on the type of forage and its own degradability, says Mr McFarland. One barrier to better utilising feed additives in ruminant ration formulation has been a difficulty in predicting the nutritional value they carry. But Mr McFarland says progress has been made in model refinements by including biological and dynamic pathways for ruminant digestion. “These non-linear refined models provide a path for innovative diet formulation, offering opportunities to fine-tune the prediction of the nutritional values of diets, including potential sub-models for a rumen modifier,” he explains. “The improved accuracy in formulation this offers, makes feed additives such as live yeasts an increasingly valuable tool for ruminant nutritionists, especially as feed prices continue to escalate,” Mr McFarland concludes.

Better feed formulation can help to improve margins

JUNE 2022 • MIDLAND FARMER 45

Livestock • Beef & Dairy

Why home-grown high protein forage is a winner • Helps to reduce bought-in feed • Saves money and eases cashflow • Good for farm and environment

ore farmers are growing high protein fodder crops to ease cashflow pressures, improve milk quality and reduce their environmental impact. Maximising the value of homegrown forage is key, says Duncan Hendry, grass and small seeds specialist at Cope Seeds and Grain. The case for high protein home-grown forage is getting stronger as costs continue to rise, he explains. “Farmers are all striving to achieve the best quality forage to support their milk from forage ratios. This means that they have to constantly improve their grass leys, either by reseeding or by overseeding existing leys. “Alternatives are maize or wholecrop cereals for energy supply. However, with rapidly rising costs of protein we must look to increasing home grown proteins rather than relying on bought in protein whether as compound feeds or as straights.”

Positive results Mr Hendry says he is seeing positive results from alternatives like arable silage. Excellent yields can be obtained within 13-16 weeks and the silage used as part of a mixed forage diet with pea plants used to increase the protein content. “They can be under sown with a new grass ley to further maximise land use. The resultant crop can be baled or clamped and should produce around 12-15 tonnes fresh weight per acre with a typical analysis.” Grass leys are being employed for increasing protein levels in forage and red clover is generally used for cutting leys and white in grazing leys. Lucerne is also being more readily used, says Mr Hendry. “It has the potential to yield 1015t/ha of dry matter, it has a five-year persistence, is highly digestible, rich in trace elements and is an excellent source of fibre/ It will also fix nitro46 MIDLAND FARMER • JUNE 2022

gen too. Lupins are also a high protein option, and can be combined and crimped.” Derbyshire farmer David Dilks has 270 dairy cows plus followers – and keeps all the beef animals for fattening. He is growing alternative, mixed forage crops, generally sticking to spring crops with lots of underseeding.

Milk from forage “Approximately half our milk comes from forage. We grow arable silage mixtures, which are usually oats and peas or barley and peas, undersown with a red clover rich grass for silage or a grazing lay. “This is then cut just as the peas flower and pod up and, weather permitting, left to wilt for 24 hours, then clamped leaving a grass lay for grazing or cutting mid-August.” Mr Dilks says he grows three crops in one – a mixture of barley, peas and oats. This provides the farm with the option of a slightly more mature

Above: Coombe Farm April 2021 Below: David Dilks foraging arable sile

clamped whole crop. Alternatively, he combines and crimps it with the green straw baled and wrapped, depending on the year. “This is undersown with low-rate grass seed for green cover overwinter and green manure. I have also dabbled in lucerne. Ultimately it benefits the bottom line too because we buy in less imported protein just through mixed forages. Continued on p48

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JUNE 2022 • MIDLAND FARMER 47

Livestock • Beef & Dairy

Breakthrough in mastitis battle

airy farmers are making big strides in managing mastitis in their herds – while using fewer antibiotics, suggests a study. Most milk producers are now practising selective dry cow therapy (SDCT) rather than routinely using antibiotics at drying off, according to the Zoetis survey of more than 200 dairy farmers. It found that more than 90% of producers were practising SDCT. Some 70% are using antibiotics in less than half of their herd. Almost 80% said they were also using an internal teat sealant at drying off. The findings support the latest results from the Responsible Use of Medicines Alliance (RUMA) Target Taskforce Report. It found that the targets set for a reduction in the use of dry cow antibiotics are already being achieved. But only one quarter of

respondents said they were regularly using lab cultures to identify the cause of mastitis, with 31% not monitoring cases at all, said Zoetis veterinary expert Andy Tyrer. “Results show a significant move by farmers away from routinely using antibiotics at drying off to using SDCT. It’s encouraging to see almost three-quarters of farmers aware of the importance of administering pain relief to cases of clinical mastitis during lactation. “The survey suggests farmers are working more closely with their vets to manage cow health, with vet recommendation ranking highest when farmers decide how to treat infected cows. “There was also a desire for further education from producers, particularly on the control of mastitis in lactation (almost 50%) and the dry pe-

Continued from p46 Somerset farm manager Ryan Sloman-Brown, of Coombe Farm, Crewkerne, is among those farmers growing high protein fodder crops. “It means we’re buying in fewer inputs and saving money,” he says. Mr Sloman-Brown manages 800 dairy cows over three units averaging 8,200 litres per cow per year, and is committed to becoming self-sustaining. “Growing our own forage means we aren’t reliant on the straights market and it gives us more flexibility.

Straight to clamp “We grow red clover, winter wheat, and winter oats/triticale, as well as peas and barley together, then we overwinter with stubble turnip and forage rape, and we grow mustard as well and mulch it in the spring as a green manure.” The peas and barley are undersown with red clover. The peas are high in protein and the barley makes a good companion crop. Combinable peas are used because they’re shorter, which helps with harvesting. “We cut them together in August with a forage harvester and this mixture goes straight into the clamp. “Generally, we have to compromise between the barley being too green and the peas being so ripe they drop.” Red clover undersown in the peas and barley is cut again again in Sep48 MIDLAND FARMER • JUNE 2022

Farmers are making headway when tackling mastitis

riod, with nearly half wanting to receive that from farm walks/ farmers meetings and one-to-one training with their vet.” The survey, however, has highlighted that while farmers may think they know the greatest cause of mastitis on their farm, some aren’t doing any monitoring at all. Most farmers considered lactation origin environmental infection the primary source of transmission.

Multi-species swards improve performance

Ryan Sloman-brown in a standing crop of arable silage

tember. Wheat is crimped so and there are no additional inputs. Usually, Mr Sloman-Brown sows red clover in the spring so it’s cleaner. “It’s a really good protein source but you can’t sow it for too many consecutive years, after eight years we break it with lucerne. “We’ve played around with lucerne and we think it’s better on its own than in a mix, and we have found that layering it in the clamp is best.”

arly results from farm-based trials show diverse swards containing climate-smart species such as clovers bring production and performance benefits – with financial advantages too. Plant breeder Germinal is investigating multi-species swards on the company’s research farm in Wiltshire. The team has applied scientific methodology to different plant mixtures so farmers can consider using multi-species with more certainty. Germinal’s plant scientists studied sward performance by testing six mixtures ranging from classic perennial ryegrass to a mix of 16 species, comprising grasses, herbs and legumes. Yield, dry matter, metabolic energy, protein and overall seasonal performance were reviewed over two years. Perennial ryegrass yielded well at 14.8tDM/ha with the more diverse swards producing more than 19tDM/ ha. The primary legumes, red and white clover, proliferated over time and were more persistent than the herbs, contributing to sward quality, along with the perennial ryegrass. To measure the impact of increasing sward diversity on animal performance, Germinal is also supporting researchers undertaking multi-species grazing trials at University College Dublin. Researchers in Ireland monitored the performance of sheep and dairy beef steers grazing swards differing in species diversity, assessing liveweight gain, finishing time and frequency of wormer applications. Overall animal performance increased by 20% and accelerated time to slaughter by at least a month.

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Farm rents must fall as basic payment is phased out The farmland market must take into account declining basic payments, says Clodhopper

othing stays the same in farming. Supported by the basic payment, combinable crops have provided a steady trickle of income for decades. Profits have been life-supporting. But they have seldom generated excessive amounts of money. As the old saying goes, land-owning farmers are asset rich but cash poor. The fluctuation in fortunes of the potato market have largely escaped cereal growers. But it is a fact of life some of us have experienced to our cost – while others have not. In my neck of the woods, I have been watching from a distance the first farmland for many year that has come onto the rental market. Fellow farmes have called it a day. They are selling now with land values high. And who can blame them? With the industry facing mounting problems and the basic payment scheme being phased out, it has been a good test for the rental market. Many land agents expected rents to fall quickly as the basic payment reduced. Bu it appears rents have stablised or even risen. Our neighbouring farm generated lively interest when it was put up for rent. Established generational farms tendered and so did newer less established ones alongside – as well as individuals requiring extra grazing.

50 MIDLAND FARMER • JUNE 2022

But the process is seldom simple and only one applicant used the same price per acre across the board. Others mixed and matched – depending on the soil types and their water requirements..

No secret Most would-be tenants put in cropping plans but others made no secret of the fact that they planned to sublet. All in all, it was a complex mix of rents that despite the concerns of the landlord potentially maintained his income for the next five years. But there was one major stumbling block. The basic payment scheme in England will be replaced in 2024 with delinked payments. This means it will effectively end after the 2023 scheme year, with delinked payments then made each year until 2027. After that, payments will be gone forever. It is all a bit complicated. But delinked

“

There was one major stumbling block

payments – which will be based on the reference period 2020 to 2022 – mean farmers will not need any land or entitlements to receive their money. Defra says this will simplify things as the scheme nears its end.

Uncertain outcome I’m not so sure. The way I understand it, delinked payments will not be affected if your farm size changes or indeed if you stop farming all together. If I’m right, this means the successful bidder for any land up for rent this autumn will only be able to claim the basic payment for the 2023 scheme year. After that, they won’t be able to claim at all. What impact this has on the rental market remains to be seen. Selling farmland with a one-year entitlement could be reflected in the final price. But how many farmers understand that payments are declining and on what basis? And how do landlords and tenants take this into account? Declining payments appear not to have been a factor in the latest tender process although the agent responsible didn’t seem to know much detail. Indeed, I wonder if the Defra officials who devised the delinked payments understand their own decisions?. I also wonder whether the land agent has been as open as they should with all applicants. We live in a changing world and perhaps the issue may resurface later. Maybe the farmers who tendered a high rent know something that I don’t. Time will tell.

Maximising Value Through Strategic Land Promotion Your land is an important asset, whether you have undeveloped farmland, a country estate, large garden, grazing land and paddocks or defunct rural business land. Land is the key ingredient in the building of new homes, and one of the most common questions is ‘How much is my land worth?’ The question, however, should be ‘How much could my land be worth with planning permission?’ As housing demand increases, so do the opportunities for landowners to offer up land (including Green Belt sites) for potential residential development. This means your land could be more valuable than you expect! The uplift in land value between agricultural land and land with planning permission can be significant, however obtaining planning permission for a site can be extremely expensive and time consuming, with no guarantee of success. It is never too early to start thinking about whether your land has development potential, and putting together a land promotion strategy for your land.

A Challenging Process There are no guarantees when bringing a site forward through the planning system for new homes, which is where a land promoter such as Catesby Estates are able to assist as your strategic land promotion partner. A land promoter uses its in-house expertise and financial resources to fund the land promotion so as a landowner you don’t have to. Following receipt of a satisfactory planning permission, your appointed land promoter will prepare a detailed marketing strategy for the disposal of the land and this will be agreed with the landowner as part of the partnership approach prior to the land being openly marketed to interested parties. Both parties have a common interest to work as a partnership and achieve the best price that can be achieved in the open market. The land promoter’s financial return is wholly dependent on a successful sale of the site with planning permission. The land promoter is therefore incentivised to maximise value through the process and use their experience and knowledge of the current market conditions to partner with the purchasing party who is best placed to deliver on their promises.

Promotion Agreement versus Option Agreement Promotion agreements are a partnership between a landowner and a land promoter, with the land promoter taking on the risk and costs of obtaining planning permission. Following a successful planning consent being obtained, the property is then marketed to housebuilders securing the highest possible financial return. Throughout the partnership, the landowner retains legal ownership of the promotion site and can continue to farm and manage the land or property as is required as long as the activity does not impact on future development costs. Option agreements are historically the housebuilders preferred way to secure control of strategic land for the future. Under an option structure, there can be a conflict of interest between the landowner and housebuilder when determining the value of the land. However, a landowner and land promoter’s interests are aligned, with both parties wanting to maximise land value and the promoter is not being distracted by the development of houses.

Could your land have residential development potential? Contact us for a no obligation appraisal of your land site, or to find out more about land promotion visit: www.catesbyestates.co.uk David Harper Area Land Director

01788 726810 davidh@catesbyestates.co.uk www.catesbyestates.co.uk

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