Farmers Club AUTUMN 2016 • ISSUE 264
www.thefarmersclub.com
INSIDE Brexit insight p6 Help at hand p8 Club Secretary p10 Soil science p14 CLA on Brexit p16 Chef in Tiptree p17 Richardson book p18 Walking tour p19 Under 30s p20
INSERTS Committee ballot form Staff Christmas fund Club Christmas card
Club on show
Wonderfully refreshed rooms now fully open (p12)
Brexit – what now? See p6, 7 & 16 and online at www.thefarmersclub.com
Contents
Farmers Club Over 170 years of service to farming
3 Whitehall Court, London SW1A 2EL Patron – Her Majesty The Queen
FRONT COVER Club fully open – after a period of works the Club is now fully open, with all its rooms revealed in their full glory. Photography: www.niallclutton.com Disclaimer: The articles published in The Farmers Club Journal do not necessarily reflect the views of The Farmers Club. No responsibility for the quality of goods or services advertised in the magazine can be accepted by the publisher. Advertisements are included in good faith. All rights reserved.
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3 Chairman’s Comments
Looking forward to a better autumn
4 Club News
Project CREST refurbishment fully completed
6 Brexit insight
As negotiations start on the future of British farm policy we offer perspective on the sector’s severe financial pressures
8 Help at hand
8
Practical help is on offer for hard-pressed farmers
10 New Club Secretar y
Andrei Spence is the new Club Secretary and Chief Executive – here is a profile of the man and his background
12 Refurbishment results revealed
A stunning update of all the Club’s public rooms now revealed in all their glory and fully available for member use
14 Soil science
10
Managing soil biology to boost productivity
16 CLA Brexit view
Landowner issues are to the fore in CLA’s Brexit campaign
17 Chef ’s highlights
Head Chef Paul Hogben took a visit to Tiptree Farms
18 Farming figures
Insight into migrant worker issues
18 Richardson book
A look at Club member David Richardson’s new book
14
20 Under 30s
Under 30s chairman looks forward
21 Under 30s topic
Vining pea prospects
22 Club Information and Contacts
02 • The Farmers Club Autumn Journal 2016
Chairman’s Comments • Richard Butler I am now looking forward to the forthcoming Club trip to Holland in September. Based in Amsterdam this visit offers a fascinating insight into Dutch agriculture and its glasshouse industry, as well as the chance to experience some local culture.
Chairman’s Comments “The newly refurbished reception rooms and the Club Restaurant have been greatly welcomed by members and I have had universal praise for the standard of work.”
Harvest Festival The Club Harvest Festival on 11 October will be held in St Martin in the Field with the harvest supper at the Club afterwards. This will offer a great opportunity for those who have not visited the Club for several months to experience the new facilities and see the difference this has made to the Club.
MY year as Chairman is going by really fast. July was a hectic month with a series of Club events which concluded with a walking tour of London. Highlights for my wife and I were the boat trip down the Thames to Greenwich, the visit to Chelsea Hospital and the opera at Covent Garden. There is a full report of this event later in this issue of the Journal (see p19). I hope programmes for future years will feature similar events, where members can enjoy visiting our capital’s heritage, combined with the chance to enjoy a stay at the Club.
Arable output down Harvest is always a hectic time on my home farm. This year started with much lower yields, particularly in winter barley and rapeseed. However, fortunately, wheat yields have saved the day. While not at last year’s record levels they have been above average with excellent quality. This has added importance this year as much of the French crop and also elsewhere in Europe storms have caused a lot of damage to crops. Most French wheat is now only good for animal feed with poor yields too. Just for once at home after several miserable years of wet Augusts harvest has gone really well and the weeks of dry weather has meant a lot of grain has not needed drying. Since Brexit with the fall in the pound prices have risen and as the market responds to the poor crops in elsewhere in Europe that is also helping our prices which have now recovered from the low levels of last year.
Project CREST complete August has seen the final stage of ‘Project Crest’ refurbishment at the Club completed and our bar and members lounge are back in use and looking magnificent. All our staff have coped really well with the disruption from the building work going on around them. The newly refurbished reception rooms and the Club Restaurant have been greatly welcomed by members and I have had universal praise for the standard of work. The new facilities will allow us to cater for larger events in the future.
As I write this at the end of August, before the last of this year’s harvest is finished, we are already planting oilseed rape for the 2017 harvest. The loss of neonicotinoid seed dressings for rapeseed to control flea beetle means this crop has become much more difficult to establish. I will be hoping for the best in the next few weeks as our rapeseed comes up. Let’s hope that by next year there will be an alternative seed dressing approved, as this crop is important for British farmers and currently growing it is a big risk.
Club Christmas Card This year’s Farmers Club Christmas Card features an original photograph “Highland Cattle in Snow, the Black Mountains, Wales” taken by Martin Wilcox, who has kindly donated the use of the image. The card, which measures 171mm x 121 mm (7”x 5”), is printed with the Club logo and the greeting “With Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year”.
Packs of 10 cost £8.00 including VAT and can be purchased from Reception or ordered from the General Office (insert enclosed with this Journal or visit www.thefarmersclub.com). Please place your order promptly to avoid any disappointment. Image courtesy of Martin Wilcox, www.alamy.com All profits to RABI/RSABI.
www.thefarmersclub.com • 03
Andrei Spence • Club News
Club News Club refurbishment complete
Thanks to members
Dear Members Could I take this opportunity to express my very great and sincere thanks to all of you who so generously donated to my farewell gift? The final sum was quite overwhelming and hugely, hugely appreciated. Thank you.
Thames Suite: Cumber Room Great news! Phase 3 of the Project CREST Refurbishment of the Club premises in Whitehall Court completed on time and on budget in late July, and I have to say it has brought extremely favourable comments from members and visitors alike. The splendid Farmers Suite is now fully available, Reception is back where it always used to be on the Upper Ground Floor, and the Lounge, Bar and Shaw Room are all fully functional in their traditional locations. Laptops and other electronic devices may be used in the new Business Suite, which can be found on the Ground Floor, opposite the General Office and adjacent to the new
Committee Room. The Luggage Room is where it always has been, with the key held at Reception or with the Porters downstairs after hours. In addition, the old Terrace furniture has been removed and replaced with new furniture which I am sure will provide greater comfort, require less maintenance and is far easier to lift, move and store when the occasion demands. Further details of the tremendous enhancements made to the Club during Project CREST are detailed on pages 12 and 13 of this Journal. An official opening is planned for November.
Summer work During the summer we took the opportunity to renovate five rooms in the Garden Suite. These are some of the last rooms to receive a serious makeover in our rolling programme of room improvements and I think members will be very happy with the outcome. These rooms should be ready for occupation by late September 2016. Further work, precipitated by Health & Safety and Fire Precaution regulations, involved cleaning the extraction fan trunking leading from the kitchens, which I am pleased to say is now all done. 04 • The Farmers Club Autumn Journal 2016
I do recognize that this letter might be seen as something of the easy way of thanking you but given so many contributed, to write to each and every one of you would take me an exceptionally long time – and a small fortune in postage too! So I hope you will excuse this ‘blanket’ response? On reflecting on my time at the Club I think it safe to say that many things were changed, but that I stuck to my commitment of ‘evolution and not revolution’ made at my job interview. I am proud of what was achieved but especially proud of the support I received from the Chairmen I served, the Committees who provided so much sound advice, and the incredible team that I was privileged to lead. I take away many lessons learned, many wonderful memories and many wonderful friendships forged. I hope all are enduring. So thank you once again and can I wish each and every one of you all the very best for the future. Stephen Skinner Secretary & Chief Executive 2008-2016
Club News • Andrei Spence
Golf Champions
Club Calendar Diary Dates Please check the dates carefully as they sometimes change and new dates are added for each issue. Details of Club events circulated in the previous issues are available from the Secretariat on 020 7930 3751. For more information on Club events, including further details on these events and new events as they are added to the Calendar, visit the Events area of the Club website www.thefarmersclub.com
SEPTEMBER Visit to Holland Monday 19th – Thursday 22nd September The cream of the Farmers Club golfers, well most of them, met at Blackwell Golf Club to contest the Gentlemen and Ladies Club Championships in July, writes Golf Secretary Martin Taylor. The men play for the Auchterlonie Putter, which was presented to the Club by Mac Hayward in 1996. The Club Chairman at the time was Peter Jackson and Captain of Golf was Malcolm Patterson. Mac Hayward had in fact started the golf competition in 1993. This year the putter was won by Bob Golds with 36 points from Alan Reade 34 points and John Pigott 32 points. The ladies play for the Eric Wilson trophy, a silver golf bag with three silver clubs inside. The trophy was made by past chairman Eric Wilson when he took up the hobby of becoming a silversmith! This year’s winner was Penny Taylor with 29 points who also won it the first time it was presented in the early 2000s. Jane Downes was second with 27 points and Jessie Pigott third with 25 points. The over 70’s decanter, empty I regret to say, was won by Val Powell with 33 points. Other results of note were as follows: Gentlemen’s nearest the pin John Gittins; Ladies nearest the pin Jessie Pigott; Gentlemen’s longest drive Bob Golds; Ladies longest drive Jane Downes.
Farming and cultural visits around Amsterdam. Visit to Holland
OCTOBER Har vest Festival Ser vice Tuesday 11th October Service at St Martin-in-the-Fields and supper at Club after. Booking form in Harvest Journal.
Harvest Festival Service
DECEMBER Statoil Masters Tennis – FULL Friday 2nd December Masters tennis at the Royal Albert Hall with supper in the Club beforehand.
Statoil Masters Tennis
New Year’s Eve Black Tie Dinner – FULL Saturday 31st December Black tie dinner in the Club with great view of fireworks.
JANUARY 2017 Giselle – FULL Friday 20th January New Year’s Eve Supper
Supper at the Club followed by Giselle ballet at ENO London Coliseum.
Portrait of the Artist Friday 27th January Private lecture by Anne Haworth and lunch at the Club, followed by exhibition at the Queen’s Gallery. Booking form in Harvest Journal. Giselle
African Farmers in England Committee member and Rutland farmer Andrew Brown recently hosted a group of budding farm experts from African countries including Kenya, Senegal, Ethiopia and Uganda. Each year a group funded by the Marshal Papworth Trust is brought to the UK to learn more about farming and exchange knowledge about techniques to combat climate change
and feed a growing world population. The trust also pays tuition fees for the courses they choose to study. Mr Brown commented: “It is always a pleasure to welcome a group of enthusiastic farmers from different cultures and climates. I always learn something from them and I hope they also learn something from me”.
www.thefarmersclub.com • 05
Paul Spackman • Brexit
Can Brexit cure this? As negotiations around UK farm policy outside the EU commence, Paul Spackman reflects on farming’s considerable vulnerabilities, as shown so starkly by Defra’s own 2015 figures
“It is possible Brexit could leave UK agriculture more exposed to the opportunities and threats of global market volatility” Jack Watts, AHDB/ Volatility Forum.
THE crash in UK farm incomes seen during 2015 was one of the worst falls for decades and serves as a stark reminder of how quickly farming fortunes can change.
as margins in all sectors remain squeezed and Brexit discussions impact on the wider economy and fuel uncertainty about future farm support.
In just one year over £1.5bn (29%) was slashed from Defra’s Total Income From Farming (TIFF) figure, which dropped to just £3.769bn, as farmers in every sector were hit by a double-whammy of falling commodity prices and lower support payments.
Delays to support payments earlier this year did little to ease the pain, prompting various organisations, including the Scottish Government and Lloyds Banking Group, to make money available to help those affected.
The impact was felt in the wider economy too, as agriculture’s contribution to the UK’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) fell by £1.39bn or 14%. The 2015 figures are a far cry from just two years ago when TIFF hit its secondhighest level since the mid-1990s at almost £5.5bn. Many farm businesses will feel the effects of this downturn for some time, especially
Hopes are high that a post-Brexit farm policy can end the decline of UK farming. 06 • The Farmers Club Autumn Journal 2016
Sector analysis Almost every sector experienced a downturn in 2015, as each battled its own challenges. An issue common to all farm businesses was the drop in the value of Basic Payment support, caused by a relative strengthening of Sterling against the Euro. The net value of 2015 Basic Payments converted from Euros using the September exchange rate of €1 = £0.73129 was an estimated 7.5% less than 2014. (A short-term Brexit benefit looks like being more EU farm support, given early September’s rate of nearer €1 = £0.84, 14% up on 2015.)
Brexit • Paul Spackman
Dairy The dairy sector has been one of the hardest hit, as farmgate prices have remained stubbornly below the cost of production for many producers. Despite a slight decline in costs in the year to March 2016, AHDB dairy puts the full economic cost of production at 25p/ litre for the top quartile of British producers and 33.5p/litre for the bottom 25%. That compares to an average GB farmgate milk price (including bonuses) in 2015 of 25.13p/ litre, and under 25p/litre for seven months of the year. Figures show almost one in 10 dairy farmers in England and Wales have quit over the past three years as numbers fell from 10,500 to 9,500, with 239 leaving in the year to July 2016 alone. Arable Generally good growing conditions in the 2014/15 season meant crops yielded well for harvest 2015, more than offsetting the 3.5% decline in cropped area. Average UK wheat yields were up 4.6% to 9t/ha, the highest for 25 years, while barley and oilseed rape also performed better than 2014. However, lower commodity prices caused by increased global production and high stocks resulted in an 8% drop in the value of crop output, according to Defra. Cereals and sugar beet saw particular drops in the value of output, more than wiping out slight increases for oilseeds and protein crops. Livestock The overall value of livestock output fell 9.3% in 2015, due to lower prices in most sectors. The value of sheep, pig and poultry output all fell, as strong supplies at home and abroad, combined with a weaker Euro pressurised markets. The beef sector fared slightly better, as prices were underpinned by tighter global supplies, on the back of declining production
in many areas. But for much of the past decade the UK breeding herd has been in steady decline reflecting ongoing concerns over profitability. Outlook Until June’s Brexit vote prospects for most sectors were similar or potentially slightly worse than 2015, according to Andersons consultant Richard King. However, the weakening of Sterling following the “leave” result has improved shortterm prospects for exports, domestic prices and support payments. “There may well be a short-term benefit from the exchange rate, so 2016 TIFF could come out slightly better than 2015. But beyond the exchange rate impact, I don’t think there’ll be any quick recovery in market fundamentals.” There is some optimism the dairy market could recover in the next few months as the balance between supply and demand improves. The EU is past its annual production peak and GB production at the end of June was down 10% on the same period last year. Uncertainty and market volatility remain key challenges for all sectors and farm businesses have to improve their ability to cope with unpredictable price and cost movements. “It is possible that Brexit could leave UK agriculture more exposed to the opportunities and threats of global market volatility,” says AHDB’s Jack Watts, who chairs the Volatility Forum. “We’ve seen this already in the form of a weak pound supporting farm output prices, but risking an increase in cost of key inputs, such as fertiliser, which are themselves globally-traded commodities.” Various initiatives are available to help farmers manage volatility, from long-term supply contracts to group purchasing. Barclays also recently launched a £100m loan fund to help farm businesses improve efficiency.
“Beyond the exchange rate impact, I don’t think there’ll be any quick recovery in market fundamentals” Richard King, Andersons.
Volatility Forum This AHDB initiative launched in January 2016 to bring together farmers, processors, retailers and trade associations to find practical ways of managing volatility across agricultural supply chains (e.g. through forward contracts, formula pricing, derivatives, cooperation and integration).
Have your say.... Visit www. thefarmersclub. com/debate to have your say on the renegotiation of farming’s future.
Weblinks: AHDB: www.ahdb.org.uk Andersons: www.andersons.co.uk Defra (TIFF figures): www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_ data/file/519745/agriaccounts-tiffstatsnotice-28apr16.pdf Defra (Agriculture in the UK stats): www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/ uploads/attachment_data/file/535996/AUK-2015-07jul16.pdf
www.thefarmersclub.com • 07
Olivia Cooper • Farming Help
When farmers suffer – charities are ready to step in.
A helping hand Farming charities have been inundated with cries for help over the past year, with farmers struggling with delayed Basic Payments, TB, and low commodity prices. Olivia Cooper reports on the human impact of the downturn
THE figures are stark: In 2015 total income from farming crashed 29% to £3.77bn – its lowest since 2010. No sector was spared, and the pain was exacerbated by the slow roll-out of Basic Payments, themselves hit by the strong pound in September 2015. Unsurprisingly, farmers turned to their banks for help, last year borrowing a record £17.1bn; 8.4% up on 2014. According to the Prince’s Countryside Fund, half of farms are no longer making a living from farming itself, and 20% generated a loss in 2015/16, even before accounting for family labour and capital.
Ian Bell, Addington Fund.
“In 15 years at Addington I have never been so worried about the general well-being of our farming community – Ian Bell, Addington Fund.”
08 • The Farmers Club Autumn Journal 2016
However, it’s rarely just one problem that prompts farmers to seek help, says Charles Smith, chief executive of the Farming Community Network. “The biggest single increase in the reason for people calling us has been the delayed Basic Payments. But there is never just one problem: Farmers waiting for payment go through a lot of turmoil,” he explains. “There’s been a sharp increase in cases of depression – it’s almost inevitable when there are financial problems. Nearly half of all calls come from concerned wives and partners.” So what support is available? In the first instance FCN offers a sympathetic ear, with just over 400 volunteers across the country. “About 60% of calls for support come via the helpline and some can be dealt with quite quickly over the phone. But most will result in a farm visit. We will sit down and find the cause of the problem, make a plan and walk them through it, every step of the way – whether that’s visiting the bank manager with them or helping with paperwork.”
Farming Help • Olivia Cooper
Case Study One farmer who has benefited from R.A.B.I assistance is Greg – a self-employed farm worker who had hereditary kidney disease and needed a transplant. “I got terribly tired and would fall asleep as soon as I got in from work,” he says. His wife Carol offered to be a donor but that meant they would both be off work and without an income at the same time. R.A.B.I helped them apply for state benefits they were entitled to and provided grants for
Between 1 December 2015 and 14 April 2016 FCN received 1,362 calls to its helpline – many about Basic Payment. That was five times more calls than during the same time 12 months before. Of the cases the Rural Payments Agency had registered as representing genuine hardship, 84% had been taken up by FCN, with partial or full payment secured on 505 cases, resulting in a total of more than £8m being paid out. Despite this success, Mr Smith doesn’t foresee a rapid upturn in farming circumstances. “Our concern now is how the inevitable changes which face the industry as a result of leaving the EU will affect the welfare of all farmers and farming families.” There is also a regional slant to the help farmers require. “The greatest number of calls we receive is in the South West, mainly because of TB. Many farmers have reached the point where they just don’t know which way to turn.”
household bills. “Without R.A.B.I we’d have gone into debt, from which we’d have struggled to recover,” says Carol. “R.A.B.I gave us a cushion to support us through the operations.”
Charles Smith – Farming Community Network.
Greg adds: “It’s hard to ask for help – pride gets in the way and farmers are a proud bunch. But I’d say to anyone in the same situation just ask. With R.A.B.I’s help we’re now back on our feet.”
industry have got to the point of no return,” he says. “The financial strain is starting to tell and it is affecting people working in the many industries that support farming, too. In 15 years at Addington I have never been so worried about the general well-being of our farming community.” • To contact any of the above farming charities call the confidential helpline on 03000 111999.
Weblinks www.addingtonfund.org.uk www.rabi.org.uk www.fcn.org.uk www.forageaid.org.uk www.rsabi.org.uk
“There’s been a sharp increase in cases of depression – it’s almost inevitable when there are financial problems – Charles Smith, Farming Community Network.”
The practical and pastoral support offered by FCN sits neatly alongside the other main farming charities: R.A.B.I and RSABI, which offer financial assistance for those in need, and the Addington Fund, which provides affordable housing for farmers and farm workers, as well as emergency grant aid. “Forage Aid also did splendid work during the floods – we all work very closely together,” says Mr Smith. In the first six months of 2016, R.A.B.I paid out over £1m in grants, considerably more than the £872,022 paid out in the first half of 2015 – partly due to the impact of flooding in December 2015, as well as animal disease. Grants typically go towards disability equipment and adaptations, housing repairs, and domestic bills, with around 90% of beneficiaries no longer working due to ill health, disability or retirement. Ian Bell OBE, chief executive of the Addington Fund, says the past year has seen an increasing number of farmers in need of help. “It’s across all sectors, but some people in the pig and dairy
Forage Aid offers practical support.
www.thefarmersclub.com • 09
Andrei Spence • Club Secretary
Who is the real new Club Secretary? Andrei Spence introduces himself “Operational Tours at sea ranged from the Falkland Islands to the Arabian Gulf and the Far East, interspersed with shore posts in Rosyth, Faslane, Plymouth, Portsmouth and the MoD in London.”
THE previous Journal gave a glimpse into my background, and I have been able to expand upon that with the many members I have met within the Club, at the Royal Bath & West and Royal Welsh Shows, and on the London walking tour in July. My family hails from Oldham in Lancashire, and I have to admit we have no reasonable connection with farming – aside from six summer vacations during A levels and my university years working for Mr Mitchell at Egerton Hall Farm in Cheshire, on the Cholmondely Estate, where fruit picking, roguing and hay baling were the order of the day. Retrospectively, and with my newly acquired knowledge of the farming industry, I think Mr Mitchell already had a handle on the need for diversification. After the 1976 drought decimated his fruit crops, he built a huge reservoir. He stocked it with trout and founded Egerton Springs fishery, which exists to this day – resilience and innovation, much as I have seen during my recent visits to farms/estates around the country. Our branch of the family had moved when I was five to the Wirral peninsula, following my father’s career in teaching/management, and I was schooled locally before going to Aston University to study Economics/Psychology. After graduating in 1983, and a brief spell as an ambulance driver, I joined the Royal Navy as a Logistics Officer in 1984, the year I also married my wife Alison.
10 • The Farmers Club Autumn Journal 2016
Operational tours Operational Tours at sea ranged from the Falkland Islands to the Arabian Gulf and the Far East, interspersed with shore posts in Rosyth, Faslane, Plymouth, Portsmouth and here in the MoD in London. Consequently I have moved my family at frequent intervals around the four corners of the UK. In 1990 I undertook specialist legal training and was called to the Bar in 1993. I have been the Logistics Officer on board ships, managing the catering, stores, cash, pay and records of all personnel. One of my greatest challenges was in 2003 when I was the Logistics Commander running Portsmouth Naval Base, with a team of over 500 and a budget of £60M. I have worked on the personal staff of the First Sea Lord and in policy roles in the MoD, and on the legal side I have been the senior Prosecutor in the Royal Navy, and latterly, the Head of Naval Legal Services, until retiring in June. Southsea, near Portsmouth, has been the place we have lived for the longest time in our 32 years of married life, coinciding with some much needed educational stability for our two sons, Myles (26) and Oliver (22). I am Vice Chairman of Governors at St John’s College, an independent boarding and
Club Secretary • Andrei Spence day school in Southsea, where I also chair the Finance and General Purposes Committee. As a younger man my interests revolved around sport; football, rugby, cricket and athletics. I played representational sport at local town level and at Command level in the Royal Navy. Aged 50 I finally gave up five-a-side football, as my body responded nowhere nearly as quickly as required by my brain! I now confine myself to walking and hill-climbing (Scafell Pike and Snowdon being the last significant climbs over the past two years). I am a great lover of music across all genres, enjoy opera and West End theatre and enjoy watching motorsport – on two and four wheels. Why the Farmers Club I was looking for a challenge that was completely un-related to the Royal Navy or the MoD – not because I had not enjoyed it, but out of a sense wanting to prove to myself that I could take my fairly wide experience and skill set into another sector, and succeed. I have extensive management experience and my logistics background suits me well for providing the services required of a private members club, from catering to financial management and infrastructure. I suppose it is a sense of wanting to serve by delivering the means, in this case, for the Club to be successful, financially secure, and continually striving to provide even better facilities and experiences for our members, all aligned to the ethos and ambience of the Club that makes it so unique and special.
The Future It is a little early to start mapping out the future of the Club as I complete my first month in post. The CREST Club refurbishment has rightly been the focal point for our collective efforts. The vision and energy of my predecessor and the delivery in very large part by Virginia Masser have been incredible. I already have some embryonic ideas that revolve around the updating of our computer network infrastructure, efforts to encourage more U35/U30 members to join your ranks, and the continual upgrading of our rooms. I am also alert to any possibility to make measured, sustainable and affordable expansion to our room numbers and of course, setting about making sustained surpluses in order to provide the platform for lease renewal when that time comes. Seventy years seems a long time, but if the Club is to celebrate its 250th anniversary in these premises, or indeed anywhere else, then the financial foundations need to be laid now.
“Delivering the means for the Club to be successful, financially secure, and continually striving to provide even better facilities and experiences for our members...”
I very much look forward to working with the excellent staff team at your Club and to meeting members from across the UK and beyond. Indeed, please do not hesitate to get in touch, by phone, email, or in person here at the Club – my door is always open! Andrei Spence Chief Executive & Secretary secretary@thefarmerclub.com 020 7930 3751
New Club Chief Executive and Secretary Andrei Spence – swapping ships for tractors after a distinguished career in the Royal Navy.
www.thefarmersclub.com • 11
Virginia Masser • Club Update
Marvellous new Club
The Club is fully open again, and looking magnificent, as Club Manager Virginia Masser reflects
THE largest investment ever made in the Club’s facilities, known as Project CREST (Club REdevelopment STrategy), was completed on time, and with just a few final invoices to come in at the time of writing, right on budget too. Former Club Secretary and Chief Executive Stephen Skinner and I first discussed the idea over two years ago. After unanimous agreement from the Committee building work began on 1st February 2016 and the newly refurbished areas fully reopened on Friday 5th August. Quite a feat! Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and the Club remains very much your home from home. This selection of images gives you a taste of how wonderful the final result is. But do come and visit us as soon as you can – we very much look forward to welcoming you!
Farmers Suite: your new function suite, with stunning Thames views, can be split into separate Hudson and Cumber Rooms.
Paint Colours I have received many requests for the names of the paint colours we have chosen. They are Farrow & Ball colours, but their powdery nature made them impractical to use in the Club environment, so Dulux have the licence to copy the colours for easier maintenance. Room F & B Colour Committee Room Card Room Green Hallway Strong White Farmers Suite Strong White Shaw Room Stiffkey Blue Bar Brinjal Lounge Cornforth White Restaurant Hardwick White
12 • The Farmers Club Autumn Journal 2016
Shaw Room: can now be accessed via the main hallway.
Club Update • Virginia Masser
Other Areas All the office team are now in the General Office, where the original Committee and Hudson Rooms used to be downstairs. The Upper Ground Hallway features our new black and grey carpet, which runs throughout, a design inspired by a classic flagstone floor. Ladies and Gentlemen’s Cloakrooms are also refurbished, the Ladies increasing in size, and both now having an elegant, classic Victorian feel. Short term hanging space for coats is available in each. The Luggage Room is in its original location.
Bar: Club memorabilia adorns the walls.
Reception: with a Drop Box for your early morning key.
Forty Room: new curtains and carpet.
The Terrace The Terrace has not been forgotten. It now has light, easy to move chairs and tables, that can be dried quickly after rain. New parasols and new planting add a finishing touch.
Booking Restaurant Tables and Function Rooms Business Suite: pods for privacy and the IT Manager is based there too.
Committee Room: a new function room in place of the old Accounts Office with views of Embankment Gardens.
Lounge: a calming space to contemplate.
Restaurant: more seats but please make a reservation.
To make a Restaurant Reservation call 020 7930 3557, option 3, or email Jelle or Elvis on either restaurantmanager@ thefarmersclub.com or asstrestmanager@ thefarmersclub.com To book a Function in The Farmers Suite, Committee Room or Forty Room please call Liza Keoshgerian on 020 7925 7100 or email her on meetings@ thefarmersclub.com
www.thefarmersclub.com • 13
Hugh Goldsworthy • Soils
Listen to your soil
As we learn more about the biological composition of our soils a whole new era of crop productivity beckons. Farmers Club member Hugh Goldsworthy explains
All aspects of soil need looking at – physical, environmental and biological – as they all influence each other hugely. Understanding their interactions better will help reduce input use.
“Monitoring and restoring biological balance will result in a huge reduction in inputs and diseases.”
AT the heart of farming is our ‘living soil’. But do we really know what this means? And if not, how do we know what part of that system to maximise? Viruses, bacteria, fungi, algae, protozoa, mites, nematodes, earthworms, nutrients and various chemical compositions all play their part. But with terabytes of data being gathered on each, and multitudes of crop trials, are we really any closer to achieving a perfect, cheap, sustainable crop growing media? Current scientific understanding of bacteria alone in the world’s soils is put at 5% at best. How can informed decisions on soil heath be made when we know so much, and yet so little? Bacteria and fungi can in the main manage themselves by communicating through quorum sensing, monitoring and broadcasting environmental conditions and ordering
14 • The Farmers Club Autumn Journal 2016
population expansion or contraction (with population variables within every soil horizon), or in extreme conditions, dormancy for decades. So, with population spikes happening in as little as 20 minutes, the only accurate way of assessing a soil’s biological activity is in-situ testing. This is highlighted by soil water infiltration rates, which differ markedly depending on whether soil biology is present or not. In extremes, such as bio-clogging, soils can very quickly become impervious to water, causing run-off and flooding. Traditional lab tests Traditional lab-based analysis is ill-equipped to spot this. By the time a sample has been taken, mixed and transported to the lab, its biological make up can bear little resemblance to the soil it is meant to represent. Many tests then dry and process soil to look at physical properties and miss the whole picture.
Soils • Hugh Goldsworthy
“The ‘McDonalds of soils’ – manufactured anywhere in the world, to the same high standards, cheaply, quickly, efficiently and sustainably. ”
With soil biology being so changeable tests need to quantify bacteria and fungal presence, and sequences, quickly and in-situ. This is now becoming possible, delivering a numeric assessment. Whilst there will never be a ‘perfect soil’, and no soil can be right for every situation, what if there was a blueprint for biological sequences, that creates a benchmark for optimum efficiency? Fungal and bacterial numbers affect, and are affected by, what we add to soils which can contribute to biology spikes, potentially to the detriment of nutrient availability and stored carbon levels. With such information to hand, eliciting change or positive ‘biomanipulation’ could influence soil and plant performance output profoundly. Creating and understanding balancing ratios is a key to unlocking the soil’s ability to provide all life in the soil with a healthy or ‘balanced’ environment, thus better supporting plants, and reducing the need for inputs that can break the equilibrium. We can now look at soil profiles in-situ, show how pH varies at depths, and assess bacteria and fungi population ratios, plus other markers, with data showing how those ratios can be manipulated to enhance plant growth. Some well-respected farmers recently visited a golf course where biomanipulation has allowed an old regime costing over £15,000/ year in fertilisers and chemicals to be reduced to hundreds of pounds. Pre-conceived concepts went out of the window as improvement in soil structure, root development and grass growth were observed. The approach has been evaluated over several years on many hectares of grassland. On-farm black-grass control trials are also under-way and further work is planned in cereal crops this autumn. The future? Monitoring and restoring biological balance will result in a huge reduction in inputs and diseases, and large trial sites to demonstrate this are already well under-way in the UK, using cheap safe stimulants and controls. Without adding extra bacteria to soil it is already possible to use bio-manipulation to raise the soil temperature of a field by up to 2C, to boost crop growth. Improved carbon storage is also feasible. Technical biochars could be used, which are
Potatoes grown in a zero nutrient media, with a few grams of bio-stimulant (right) and without. The effects on yield and the growing media stracture are noticeable.
stabilised to either slowly dose soils, lock carbon away from bacterial degradation, or have specific holes in their structure to provide environments for particular types of biology. Reductions in herbicides, fungicides and pesticides are possible, by looking closer at how plants try to defend themselves. Artificially triggering a ‘SAR’ defence response before using a control agent that works well could improve efficacy. Chitosans and acid enzymes are proving particularly interesting in this respect. Weed manipulation, including black-grass control, could benefit from manipulating the soil to reduce the weed’s ability to control its environment, weakening rather than killing it directly. Better water movement to increase drought tolerance and reduced water run-off and flooding could also be feasible, by manipulating the process of bio-clogging, to maximise and minimise it when and where desired. Indeed, the ultimate could be artificial soils that are biologically rich, sustainable, and effectively the ‘McDonalds of soils’ – manufactured anywhere in the world, to the same high standards, cheaply, quickly, efficiently and sustainably. I believe this technology will become as relevant to farming in the future, as the plough was in the past.
Soil Group Hugh Goldsworthy, of Charton Manor Farm, Kent, is part of the UK-based Soil Group, which has investigated soils across the UK and further afield. The selffunded work is science-based, with input from leading scientists around the world, and has no emphasis on products to sell.
www.thefarmersclub.com • 15
Brexit • CLA
Brexit progress “If our sector is an afterthought, it is not just farm businesses that will be put at risk, but also food prices, food security, environmental management and animal welfare.”
BY preparing a clear vision for farming, the environment and the rural economy outside the European Union well ahead of the Referendum, the CLA took on the contingency planning the Government refused to consider. Given this engagement and thought leadership, we have been able to give CLA members – 32,000 landowners, farmers and rural businesses across England and Wales – a strong and constructive voice over the past few crucial months. As new Ministers were put in place, and as departments and processes for Brexit negotiations were developed, the CLA has set out a strong message to politicians: real and realisable opportunities lie ahead for UK agriculture and the environment, which will bring benefits for the whole nation. During this time of extreme uncertainty, the most pressing need has been for commitments from Government that: • All farmers and land managers will continue to receive direct payments up to the end of 2020 • All existing agri-environment agreements will be honoured • All other investments committed to under EU structural funds will be honoured • A fully funded food, farming and environmental policy will be put in place. This summer we published a series of ‘New Opportunities’ briefings to guide politicians
16 • The Farmers Club Autumn Journal 2016
Ross Murray, CLA President
and their advisers. The first explored the opportunity to develop a new UK Food, Farming and Environmental policy. The ambition must be for a world-leading policy that uses direct payments to best effect, by supporting the resilience of farm business in the face of market volatility and extreme weather, while also enabling land managers to protect and enhance the environment. Our second looked at why Ministers must treat the rural economy, particularly agricultural and forestry products, as a priority during trade negotiations. If our sector is an after-thought, it is not just farm businesses that will be put at risk, but also food prices, food security, environmental management and animal welfare, to name but a few. Finally, we focused on how to establish a regulatory framework that cuts unnecessary red tape and provides effective support; and an exploration of future arrangements for employing farm workers from the EU and the rest of the world. As preparations for Brexit progress, we will be building on these foundations to ensure CLA members have the greatest opportunities that leaving the EU can bring, while minimising exposure to the risks that cannot be ignored. Ross Murray CLA President www.cla.org.uk/newopportunities
Chef’s notes • Paul Hogben
Tiptree tickles taste-buds Farmers Club head chef Paul Hogben visited Wilkin & Sons to discover a little more about some of the fine British fruit and preserves we serve in the Club
From the outside it just didn’t look big enough to produce those millions of jars per year that come out through the Victorian gates. But it was like Dr Who’s Tardis, small on the outside but big on the inside. Every single part of the factory was being used for some form of production, bottling and storage. Vats for cooking were everywhere, all hand filled and controlled by masters. As soon as the jams were made, they were in jars that were spiralling around being filled, sealed and labelled with the iconic Tiptree brand in a matter of minutes. The range and quality of the jams and marmalades is second to none in this country; the fresh fruits in season are superb; and the chutneys and table sauces are quite outstanding. This is all why we use so many of their products at the Club. The fruits in the various orchards were a berrylovers delight – with two different kinds of cherries to pick and try, two strawberries, and blackberries, raspberries and loganberries. All were being picked in the early morning, packed and sent out by midafternoon, or made into the jams and conserves that we all love. A new state of the art strawberry growing area is in its second year of experimentation. The idea is to produce two crops per year from the same plants. The poly-structure is air-tight, with great trays of plants sitting in recycled coir water baths, with bees brought in for pollination. The Morello cherry orchard was just three days from being ready to pick. Andrea the farm manager told me: “We wait for the pigeons to gather, then it’s all hands picking before they are pecked.” The business is owned by the Wilkin Family, with a share ownership scheme for the employees. Indeed, the firm has a slogan: “Our people are as important to us as our fruit”. Today, the farms cover 850 acres – enough land for around 300 cricket pitches. 2010 marked 125 years of jam making at Tiptree and proved to be the company’s best year ever, with the year of celebrations completed by a visit from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. • At the Club… where to find the ingredients at The Farmers Club: breakfast buffet, Restaurant desserts, digestives.
Quality is not an act; it is a habit. Aristotle 384BC-322BC
I WAS fascinated by a recent visit to Wilkin’s Tiptree farm and factory, to see what was being grown for our dining tables and the range of products that are produced on site.
Find out more at www.tiptree.com
The size of the farm I kind of understood, 800 acres-plus to produce fruits for jams, jellies and juices. But the scale of the operation in the factory was quite amazing.
www.thefarmersclub.com • 17
Charles Abel • Book Review
Farming Figures A look at... the role of migrant workers in UK farming... told through a few key statistics
34,500
Non-seasonal, EU-born farm employees in 2014, 65% of all non-UK-born farm workers
30,000-plus EU seasonal farm workers in UK each year
100,000 UK food processing sector workers from European Economic Area countries
6.6million Foreign-born working age people in UK, up from 2.9million in 1993
71% Farmers felt immigration too high past decade
£65
Cost of applying for UK residency card
29%
Farms struggling to recruit enough labour in 2015, with 66% expecting worse situation by 2018, and 43% fearing labour shortage
£1000-plus
Cost to apply for British citizenship, once lived in UK over 5 years, plus 12 months residency
93% Satisfaction with migrant workers in dairying, 32% of producers having used foreign labour
98%
Share of vets employed by Food Standards Agency who come from EU
2013
End of Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme for 21,000+ non-EU student workers Sources: NFU, Food & Drink Federation, Migration Observatory, Farmers Weekly, Farmers Guardian
18 • The Farmers Club Autumn Journal 2016
In at the Deep End COMBINING practical farming in Norfolk with incisive commentary in print, radio and TV has made David Richardson farming’s A.G Street of the past half century. In his autobiography, “In at the Deep End”, he reveals his motivations, tracing the transition from horse-drawn cultivations and rationing to genetic modification, biofuels and global farm policies. Never averse to hard work, David cycled three miles to milk cows at 4:30am every morning as a teenager. Seven guineas a week working for Dick Joice’s Farming Diary on Anglia TV must have been most welcome as he acquired Whiterails Farm in 1959. “All I did was accept the challenges as they came my way,” he reflects. “At times I was pushed in at the deep end but somehow managed to swim.” His common-sense farming commentary started with a YFC column for East Anglian Farming World, before moving to the BBC’s national Farming TV and On Your Farm radio programmes, and columns for Big Farm Weekly, Financial Times and Farmers Weekly. Anecdotes of family life include a first visit to Wymondham Young Farmers as an 18 year-old, where he met love of his life Lorna; bringing up children Robert, Andrew and Fiona; and now enjoying grandchildren. The Farmers Club has been his London home since 1965. “There isn’t a better place for a farmer or someone in an ancillary trade to stay in London,” he says, fondly recalling staff stalwarts Cyril and Rosemary. Many farm visits and
Fascinating insights from farming’s leading commentator of the past 50 years. foreign ventures started life with a chat in the Club bar, he reflects. He conveys a real sense of the need to balance lessons of history with the latest developments, to create policies able to deliver what really matters, a sustainable food supply. The influential Linking Environment and Farming initiative he helped create attests to that. David argues for measures to level out volatility and provide a degree of stability. US-style counter-cyclical support, cutting aid when production rises, and boosting it as production falls, could be the key. And what of Brexit? David’s book published before the Leave vote. Could the sequel be: In at the Deep End II – UK farming after Brexit... In at the Deep End from Poppyland Publishing – www.poppyland.co.uk
Club Tour • Lucy & Brian Lock
London by Foot, Boat & Coach THE congenial group on this Tour definitely felt both inspired and enlivened by our enjoyable, action-packed programme which encompassed history, architecture, culture, gastronomy, horticulture and much more. We began with a river trip down the Thames with wonderful views of the City, Canary Wharf and the vast amount of new development in Docklands. Even Tower Bridge opened in front of us! After a good lunch in Greenwich and a tour around the magnificent Painted Hall, we were shown the important buildings and labyrinth of lanes and passages in the City, our guide regaling us with amusing anecdotes. The first evening ended with bubbles and canapes on the balcony of the Club and a gastronomic dinner in the newly refurbished Restaurant.
Our eventful day ended with a real treat – a stirring performance of il Trovatore in Covent Garden’s elegant Royal Opera House. On the final morning we visited the 1185 Temple Church, built to house the treasures of the Knights Templar, and a tour of the Inns of Court. With their elegant buildings and attractive gardens the Inns offer an oasis of calm amid the city’s bustle, and it was here that we saw Izzy, the Harris hawk who is used to scare the seagulls. This was a thoroughly enjoyable and well organised tour and we would like to thank Lisbeth Rune for arranging it and our Chairman Richard Butler and his wife Sue for accompanying us.
“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” - Samuel Johnson, 1777.
• Lucy & Brian Lock
On day two we were taken to the Royal Hospital Chelsea to be guided by a most amusing 75 year old pensioner, one of the 283 who live there in their recently updated en-suite facilities. A vast improvement, he told us, on the original 6’ by 6’ cell-like rooms. He entertained us with tales of the exploits of the Pensioners, (including ‘Grab a Granny Night’, which has become less popular since 13 lady Pensioners have been admitted, and the fact that the Pensioners are the oldest Boy Band to have entered the UK Top 10!) He conducted us around the handsome Wren buildings with their most impressive chapel and dining hall. An excellent lunch in the Chelsea Physic Garden was followed by a tour around what was formerly the plot where the Apothecaries’ Company grew their medicinal herbs. It is astonishing that the ground rent for this beautifully peaceful four acre haven remains £5 per annum. www.thefarmersclub.com • 19
Mary Bell, Chairman; Charlotte Harris, Vice Chairman; Lisbeth Rune, Secretary • U30s
Chairman’s Jottings The Under 30s Grand Opening Dinner will take place on Friday 16th September in the brand new Farmers Suite with guest speaker, Chris Manley, the 2016 Chair of Council for the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs. We are delighted that our new Chief Executive, Andrei Spence and his wife are able to join us to experience an U30s event too. Our next Farm Walk will be taking place 14-16 October in Buckinghamshire and will include a tour around the Arla Dairy site based in Aston Clinton. Please book online for both of these events. As part of my U30s Chairmanship I have taken on the challenge of cycling from one end of the country to the other. At the time of writing I am in my three-week countdown to cycling from John O’Groats to Lands End, in aid of the Addington Fund and Devon Air Ambulance Trust (see story right). I would be delighted if you would consider sponsoring me. A reminder for members to add themselves to the U30s Facebook group to keep up to date with all the U30s news and events, and also to like the Farmers Club Facebook Page to receive further information from the Main Club. Also please try to register on the Farmers Club website to enable you to book events online. I look forward to seeing many of you at one of our upcoming events.
Contact Mary for more information Mary Bell U30 Chairman Job Title: PA to Lord Malloch-Brown Where: Piccadilly, London www.thefarmersclub.com /under-30s marycharlottebell@gmail.com
07538 082517
20 • The Farmers Club Autumn Journal 2016
John O’Groats to Land’s End As part of my U30s Chairmanship Jonathan Waterer from Higher Biddicott Farm Centre for Heavy Horses in North Devon and I will be cycling from John O’Groats to Land’s End this September in aid of the Addington Fund’s Housing Scheme and Devon Air Ambulance. Riding as Team Poldark we will cycle 928 miles in 10 days to raise money for these two very worthy causes. Jonathan, with his wife Fiona, runs the centre for Heavy Horses in Devon and is a keen cyclist. Having taken part in the end-toend route driving ponies along the A9 in Scotland he is now keen to complete the full route on two wheels. He also supplied cattle for the filming of Poldark, hence our team name! Ian Bell, Chief Executive of Addington Fund, is giving up 10 days to be chef d’equipe providing on the ground support.
We would be delighted if anyone wishes to sponsor us via the Virgin Money Giving website. Search ‘Mary Bell’ and select ‘Team Poldark End to End Cycle 2016’. • Addington Fund provides homes for farming families living in England and Wales who have to leave the industry, through no fault of their own, and by doing so will lose their home. In times of emergency and where hardship prevails they assist with grants towards certain business costs. • Devon Air Ambulance provides urgent medical assistance using its two helicopters to reach emergency scenes – often inaccessible by road – within minutes. Mary Bell Under 30s Chairman STOP PRESS - a knee injury to Jonathan means the ride has been postponed until Spring 2017
U30s • Mary Bell, Chairman; Charlotte Harris, Vice Chairman; Lisbeth Rune, Secretary
Peas please! By Eleanor Kay
I started at the Royal Agricultural University in 2011 with ideas for a livestock research career. The research idea stuck, but I became much more interested in plants and soil, which led to my role with Bird’s Eye. I was offered placement years with the big chemical companies, but Oxford Agricultural Trials, based near Bicester, offered me the chance to gather data for my dissertation and the responsibility of working independently. In my final year at Cirencester my parents suggested I needed a plan for ‘after college’. A terrifying thought! I applied for PhDs, but then saw a job with Bird’s Eye in Farmers Weekly. They wanted an experienced field trials researcher to run their pea trials. It wasn’t a graduate trainee role, but I’d done everything they specified, so I applied. Much to my surprise I got the job and moved to East Yorkshire as Agriculture Development Fieldsman. Starting in May for a company whose busiest season is June to September doesn’t give much time to learn the ropes; it was challenging to say the least. My job is to look at the industry, identify areas needing research, assess previous research, and plan our own. Each year we compare varieties to help us consistently meet our high quality standards, with drilling beginning in March and some trials needing more monitoring than others.
A typical harvest day goes a little like this; 4.30 Wake up, find coffee 5.00 Walk trial fields or visit factory to see development students 8:00 Taste Panel (peas get tasted a lot – they don’t just jump in the bag) 9:00 Liaise with five harvest teams 9:30 Visit trials being harvested/assess upcoming trials 11:30 Taste Panel at factory (more peas) 12:00 Log data from previous day 13:30 Walk more trial fields, see harvesting, do assessments, meet seed companies, show visitors around 19:00 Phone morning instructions to samplers. Head home, or look at more trials, sometimes late at night. I see all I can, especially my key trials. And I do like sitting in the viners as they harvest After harvest, I GO ON HOLIDAY! Then I analyse mountains of data for the annual report, meet with our trials board to discuss changes, and present my findings to our growers and the Birds Eye team. Life gets a bit simpler after harvest and, after a while, you do stop automatically waking up at 4.00 am!
Harvest lasts about 50 days between June and August, harvesting 9000 hectares across East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, provided by the Green Pea Company, our grower co-operative. Every day I have trials to deal with relating to crop, soil, machinery and factory processing. Two development students help, one sampling trial fields, the other testing and freezing samples for later tasting. During harvest the main sampling team starts at sunrise and gets samples to us by 7.30am, so we can identify which fields are ready to harvest and when.
Eleanor Kay Agriculture Development Fieldsman Birds Eye Limited Hull T. 07860 472874 Eleanor.Kay@birdseye.co.uk www.birdseye.co.uk
www.thefarmersclub.com • 21
The Farmers Club • Club Information
Club Information
020 7930 3557 • www.thefarmersclub.com Office Holders Patron – Her Majesty The Queen HONORARY VICE PRESIDENTS Peter Jackson CBE, Roddy Loder-Symonds, Sir David Naish DL, John Parker THE COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT OF THE CLUB 2016 VICE PRESIDENTS Barclay Forrest OBE, Mark Hudson, Norman Shaw CBE, Mrs Susan Kilpatrick OBE PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN Richard Butler TRUSTEES Jimmy McLean, Mrs Nicki Quayle, Julian Sayers (Chairman), Paul Heygate VICE-CHAIRMAN Tim Bennett HONORARY TREASURER George Jessel DL IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN Anne Chamberlain CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND SECRETARY Andrei Spence CLUB CHAPLAIN The Reverend Dr Sam Wells COMMITTEE Elected 2014: Allan Stevenson (Chairman – Communications Sub-Committee), Alison Ritchie, Robert Lasseter, Martin Taylor, Campbell Tweed OBE Elected 2015: Tim Bennett, Matt Dempsey, Richard Maunder, Gerald Osborne Elected 2016: Robert Alston, Andrew Brown, Lindsay Hargreaves (Chairman – Membership Sub-Committee), Nick Helme, Peter Jinman OBE (Chairman – House Sub-Committee) Co-opted: Mary Bell (Chairman Under 30s), Charlotte Harris (Vice Chairman Under 30s) THE FARMERS CLUB CHARITABLE TRUST TRUSTEES Stephen Fletcher (Chairman), John Kerr MBE DL, James Cross, Vic Croxson DL, The Chairman and Immediate Past Chairman of the Club (ex officio)
Club Christmas Gifts As members consider how many Club Christmas cards they may require for family and friends (see back cover and insert with this issue of the Journal), it is also worth noting that the Club offers a range of branded gifts, all of which make ideal gifts for friends and family members alike. A range of items made from wonderfully supple calf skin leather known as Cow Softie includes a men’s wallet, passport/notebook holder, luggage tags and a credit card/oyster card holder. Each item bears the updated Club logo and comes in a gift box. Newly designed Cuff Links, the updated Club Silk Tie, umbrellas, engraved whisky tumblers, Club port and English whisky are also available. All items are displayed on the Club website (www.thefarmersclub.com) where a merchandise order form can be downloaded. Members are encouraged to order now to ensure gifts are delivered in good time for Christmas. Reciprocal Clubs UK City Livery Club, London (No bedrooms) Royal Overseas League, Edinburgh Royal Scots Club, Edinburgh The New Club, Edinburgh Northern Counties Club, Newcastle Bury St Edmund’s Farmers Club
NEXT ISSUE The Winter issue of the Farmers Club Journal is due out in mid-November, with all the latest Club news, including a report on the Autumn Tour to Holland, how weeds showed resistance to herbicides long before the arrival of GM crops, precision farming systems in Idaho and some new thinking on soil management.
22 • The Farmers Club Autumn Journal 2016
Note: We have informal agreements with the East India and Caledonian Club for bedroom bookings if we are full. Reception also holds a list of hotels within a 15 minute walk that might be considered ‘good value for money’.
OVERSEAS The Western Australian Club, Perth, Australia (Bedrooms not reciprocated) Queensland Club, Brisbane, Australia
The Australian Club, Melbourne, Australia Royal Dublin Society, Dublin, Ireland (Bedrooms not reciprocated) Stephen’s Green Hibernian Club, Dublin, Ireland The Muthaiga Country Club, Nairobi, Kenya The Harare Club, Harare, Zimbabwe The Christchurch Club, Christchurch, New Zealand (operating from The George Hotel www. thegeorge.com and able to offer reciprocal visitors preferred accommodation rates) The Canterbury Club, Christchurch, New Zealand Members wishing to use any of the above Clubs should obtain an introductory card from the Secretariat.
Club Information • The Farmers Club Deaths It is with regret that we announce the death of the following members: Mr L Edynbry Cumberland Dr F Imms Surrey Mr R Liddell Cumberland Duke of Westminster KG, CB, CVO, OBE, TD, CD, DL Cheshire New Members The following were elected: UK Members Mr P Hughes Mr A Crocker Mr C Delf Mr R Dunlop Mrs D Hills Mrs S Bell Mr J Rigby Overseas Ms L Zell Under 30s Miss P Goodall Mr S Hewetson
• Ladies should be dressed conventionally. Trousers are permitted but not jeans or trainers during the week. • Smart casual dress may be worn by all from 6pm Friday to midnight Sunday; smart clean jeans and trainers are permitted.
Club Contacts THE FARMERS CLUB
Over 170 years of service to farming 3 Whitehall Court, London SW1A 2EL
• Children should conform, as best they can, with the above guidelines. • Members must advise their guests of the dress regulations.
Yorkshire Isle of Man Hampshire Cambridgeshire Lancashire Northamptonshire Oxfordshire USA London Oxfordshire
Mobile Phones, Briefcases and Business Meetings Mobile phones must not be used in the Public Rooms (except the Shaw Room). Briefcases should be left in the Cloakrooms and Business meetings must be conducted in the Shaw Room or designated and pre-booked meeting rooms. Members should speak with Liza Keoshgerian ext 109 or direct line 020 7925 7100 or meetings@thefarmersclub.com Parking The Club has no private parking at Whitehall Court. However, the Club is pleased to be able to offer all its members discounted parking with Q-Park, our preferred parking partner. Discounts of 20% are available on the day and on prebookings. The nearest Q-Park is situated in Spring Gardens off Cockspur Street, approximately 5 minutes walk from the Club. Details of this can be obtained by phoning the Club Reception on 020 7930 3557 or by visiting the website at: http://www.thefarmers club.com/news/parking -5-mins-from-club Business Suite The Business Suite provides PCs, printing and WiFi for members. WiFi WiFi is available throughout the Club at no charge. Shaw Room The Shaw Room may be used for meetings of two or three people for up to an hour without booking. iPads, laptops and mobile phones may be used but phones should be set to silent ring. Dress Code Members are requested to advise their guests of the following: • Gentlemen must wear formal jackets and ties on weekdays. Polo-neck jerseys, jeans and trainers are not acceptable. • There are Club jackets and a selection of ties at Reception which may be borrowed in an emergency.
Television There are no TVs in the Club bedrooms.Members can of course use iPads, tablets, laptops to view TV programmes utilising the Club WiFi in their bedrooms. Storage of Shotguns Members are reminded that the Club does not hold a licence for the secure storage of shotguns. There are however a number of “Registered Firearm Dealers” in London who offer this service. Details are available from Reception. Security in the Bedrooms and Cloakrooms Please do not leave wallets, money, cheque books or any valuables in the bedrooms or in briefcases in Club cloakrooms. The Club cannot accept responsibility for any loss and so do please be as security aware as possible. Reception has a small security safe to deposit valuables.
Website Registration Whilst the Club has around 5400 members, little over 1000 of these have so far registered with the website – www.thefarmersclub.com The site offers the opportunity to keep fully up to date with all that is happening at your Club, to book events, book bedrooms, see your account on-line, and pay it if required. To get the best from the site you do need to register – which is very easy – simply visit the site, click the ‘Members Area’ tab at the top of the left-hand menu, click ‘Register’ at the bottom of the LOGIN menu, and follow the on-screen instructions. Should you have any problems do contact IT Manager Mr Hamid Khaldi e-mail: itmanager@ thefarmersclub.com tel: 020 7925 7108
Chairman 2016: Richard Butler
Chief Executive and Secretary: Andrei Spence
Club Number 020 7930 3557 Reception ext: 200/201 reception@thefarmersclub.com Bedroom Reservations ext: 204 reservations@thefarmersclub.com Restaurant Reservations Option 3 restaurantmanager@thefarmersclub.com or asstrestmanager@thefarmersclub.com Conference & Banqueting Liza Keoshgerian ext: 109 or direct line: 020 7925 7100 meetings@thefarmersclub.com Events & U30s Lisbeth Rune ext: 103 events@thefarmersclub.com Club Manager Virginia Masser ext: 102 clubmanager@thefarmersclub.com Head Chef Paul Hogben ext: 111 or direct line: 020 7925 7103 chef@thefarmersclub.com Financial Controller Zarreena Neeson ext: 106 or direct line: 020 7925 7101 financialcontroller@thefarmersclub.com Membership Mark Fairbairn ext: 107 or direct line: 020 7925 7102 membership@thefarmersclub.com PA to Secretary Claire White ext: 104 or direct line: 020 7930 3751 generaloffice@thefarmersclub.com Bedrooms ext: 3+ [two digit room number] eg. ext 301 for Room1 Whitehall Court Porters 020 7930 3160 Fax 020 7839 7864 Website: www.thefarmersclub.com THE FARMERS CLUB JOURNAL Editor and Advertisement Manager: Charles Abel 07795 420692 E-mail: editor@thefarmersclub.com Designed and produced by: Ingenious, www.ingeniousdesign.co.uk No film or film processing chemicals were used.
www.thefarmersclub.com • 23
Christmas Bookings The Club’s newly refurbished Function Rooms are fully available for booking
Function Rooms The new Farmers Suite, with stunning views of the River Thames, offers a large space for functions, which can also be divided into the more intimate Cumber Room and Hudson Room. It has state of the art audio visual and sound and WIFI can be accessed in all rooms.
Together with the Committee Room and Forty Room they are ideally suited to your needs – be it a Christmas Function, or a business meeting, family or social event. Our team can assist throughout, guiding you through Chef’s menus offering simply cooked, seasonal, British food.
Club Christmas Card The Farmers Club Christmas Card “Highland Cattle in Snow, the Black Mountains, Wales” measures 171mm x 121 mm (7”x 5”), bears the Club logo and the greeting “With Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year” and costs £8.00 per pack of 10. Purchase from Reception, order from the General Office (see enclosed insert) or online at www.thefarmersclub.com. Image courtesy of Martin Wilcox / www.alamy.com Profits to RABI/RSABI.
To book your Christmas Function or an Event at any other time of the year call Liza Keoshgerian on 020 7925 7100 or email her on functions@ thefarmersclub.com