Martin Shaw • Golf Club
Farming Figures X
A look at… the fast changing face of UK farming… told through some key statistics
£4.1bn
Defra estimate of 2020 total income from farming (profit), 21% down on 2019, due to poor weather and covid supply chain issues
€1.17bn
Annual turnover of French firm Kuhn, Europe’s largest farm machinery maker
£740m profit
English farm diversification in 2018-19
300x
Rise in efficiency/sqm of producing animal feed protein from insects rather than soya, says £10m-Gov’t supported Entocycle
70%
Yield loss due to beet virus yellows in absence of neonicotinoid seed treatment
-£542/ha
Nix 2021 ave lowland beef/sheep farm loss pre-support/diversification/rent & finance
£6460/acre
Ave sales price of stocked forestry land (39% up in 12 months to Oct 2020)
£850,328
Record list price of John Deere X9 1100 combine plus 12.1m HDX header
9%
Rise in farm lending by AMC in 2019
30m
Grid for detailed soil map of 880 million hectares of potential farmland in Africa Sources: FW, FG, Defra, Rothamsted Research
18 • The Farmers Club New Year 2021
Golf Report We all know what a difficult year 2020 has been and the Club golf calendar fell victim to the Covid-19 crisis too, apart from three events, reports Golf Secretary Martin Shaw. With the original lockdown lifted, and despite the understandable reluctance of members wishing to meet, 17 of us assembled at Blackwell on 9 July. It had been decided not to compete for the Club Championship. Those who attended really appreciated the excellent welcome provided by Blackwell Club and despite poor weather Charles Wylie won the competition. Badgemore Park Golf Club, Henley gave us the opportunity to compete for the John Aliston Tankard which was won by Richard Macdonald
with 39 points, second was Geoff Matthews three points behind. To comply with Covid regulations our meal afterwards was served outside. How good it was to socialise with Club members, despite an extremely violent thunderstorm nearly flooding the dining patio. My thanks to Martin Taylor for his help in organising the meeting. In early October Woking Golf Club hosted the annual Bath Club Cup, which was much enjoyed by our team of David Reading, Edward Golland, Richard Macdonald and Geoff Matthews, although they did not win the Cup this time. With better news and vaccines on the horizon, Captain Neil Stoddard and I hope we are able to fulfil the 2021 fixtures detailed below.
FARMERS CLUB GOLF FIXTURES 2021 APRIL Friday 30
v EPICS @ New Zealand Golf Club
MAY Friday 7 v NFU @ Newbury and Crookham Golf Club Wednesday 12 v BVAGS @ Llanymynech Golf Club Tuesday 18 v New Club @ Luffness New Golf Club Wednesday 19 v HCEG @ Muirfield Golf Club JUNE Sunday 6 Monday 7 Tuesday 22
(Meal with XL Club on Sunday to be arranged) v XL Club @ Rye Golf Club v WRNFU @ Thrybergh (Rotherham) Golf Club
JULY Wednesday 14 Club Championship @ Blackwell Golf Club AUGUST Thursday 26
John Alliston Tankard @ Stratford upon Avon Golf Club
SEPTEMBER Sunday 12 Monday 13
Autumn Meeting @ Pannal Golf Club Autumn Meeting @ Harrogate Golf Club
