NEW YEAR JOURNAL 2013 • ISSUE 242
www.thefarmersclub.com
INSIDE Food security focus p6 Ash dieback p9 Public on the farm p11 Financial prospects p12 War Horse shines p17 English wine p19
Yorkshire chairman Stewart Houston and wife Janet lead Club in 2013 p4
M em b la er un sh ch ip p2 sur 0 ve y
INSERT Member’s Information Sheet
Farmers Club Over 160 years of service to farming 3 Whitehall Court, London SW1A 2EL Patron – Her Majesty The Queen
FRONT COVER Pig sector champion Stewart Houston is the 2013 chairman of the Farmers Club, pictured here with his wife Janet at their home in North Yorkshire
Contents
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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Chairman’s Comments Looking to the future
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Club chairman profile From ship-building on Tyneside to leading the UK’s pig farming industry, Stewart Houston has traced a fascinating career path
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Food security Water, water everywhere, but scarcely a drop to drink. Changeable weather is putting fresh pressures on farming
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Sustainable farming Making the most of modern technology
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Ash dieback Could the nation’s ash trees go the same way as its elms?
10 Education innovation Skills need developing across the farming workforce. Efforts are intensifying to ensure workers are well equipped
11 Promoting farming Open Farm Sunday expects its 1,000,000th visitor in 2013
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12 Financial pointers for 2013 Global depression, patchy growth or mixed fortunes? HSBC’s top economist provides his predictions for the year ahead
14 Lords and Ladies Kate Hoey MP and Lord John Gummer addressed the Farmers Club Ladies Lunch and House of Lords luncheons respectively
17 War Horse report Innovative stage show captures sensitivity of WWI horses
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18 Under 30s Under 30s chairman reflects on a successful year
19 English sparkle England’s vineyards are very capable of creating fine wines
20 Club News and Calendar Survey of the membership and details of upcoming events
22 Club Information and Contacts
02 • The Farmers Club New Year Journal 2013
Chairman’s Comments • Stewart Houston
Chairman’s Comments Member survey To find out how the needs of Club members can be better served a survey is being undertaken by e-mail (contact the Secretariat if you are not on e-mail), with follow-up by telephone (see p20). Do let us know your views. All responses will go into a draw for a case of Club Claret.
WELCOME to 2013 and let us hope it is a better year for farming than the past twelve months proved to be. No doubt the challenges will continue, but there are signs of improvement, not least the firming of prices as food supplies tighten around the world. As a first generation farmer I am delighted to be serving the Farmers Club as chairman for the coming 12 months. As I start my year I would particularly like to pay tribute to Paul Heygate, who with the wider committee and the executive steered our Club through the uncertainties of the once in a lifetime expansion opportunity represented by One Horse Guards Avenue. I am pleased to say that all the good work that was done to underpin our offer is now being put to very good use in the creation of a Plan B – a plan to make better use of the space we have available at 3 Whitehall Court. The intention is to create a number of new bedrooms and improve meeting rooms, all whilst retaining the wonderful atmosphere upon which the Club has built its reputation. I look forward to keeping members updated on this during the year. I came to farming from a hard working family in industrial Tyneside. It seems a long time ago now, starting out with half a dozen pigs on a farm outside Sunderland. But the fascination remains. I feel particularly privileged to be part of an industry that is becoming ever more
central to the life of the nation, not only feeding it and looking after its countryside, but increasingly involved in the issues of the day, be they climate change, biofuels or food security. Rarely has farming played a more pivotal role. My own involvement with the Farmers Club started as I spent more time representing the pig sector in the capital. In my year as chairman I am particularly keen to ensure it continues to serve its members ever more effectively. A key area is the food we provide. Our new chef Raffi Hazmi is already making a difference. I hope a Club Gourmet Evening with leading TV chef Phil Vickery, planned for Feb 15 (see page 20), will trigger a fresh approach to our catering. I would like to think the dining room could be seen as a restaurant more members could be proud of and would like to bring their guests to when in London. We need to get more produce from top British producers onto the menu. We recently served charcuterie from a Worcs business to some of my Continental colleagues, for example. When they learned it was entirely produced in the UK they were most impressed. We need to be doing more of that. But it is a challenge to get such produce onto the ordering list of our catering suppliers. Looking further into 2013 we have a wide range of events for members, some based around the Club in London, others away from the capital. There is an autumn visit to Parma in Italy planned too. The aim is to provide a good selection of social events, with Carmen opera at the Royal Albert Hall and visits to the Manet and Pre-Raphaelite art exhibitions in London just some of the highlights in the first few months. In May and June we will visit Leckford Estate in Hampshire and Dumfries House and farm in Scotland. With their links to key retailers Waitrose and Morrisons I hope these visits will show the opportunities farming has to become better connected with our buyers and our final customers. The whole chain, from farm to consumer, is something we must pay ever more attention to. It is a theme that will be reflected in our visit to Italy in October, where we will see the link between pig farmers and Parma ham producers, dairy farms and Parmigiano cheese makers, and maybe grape growers and wine producers too. Alongside these events the Club will have a range of lunches, dinners and receptions at the various agricultural shows. These gatherings outside the Club’s Whitehall premises are hugely important. I do hope members will take up the chance to get together at all of these various events. As your 2013 Chairman I look forward to meeting you. Stewart Houston
www.thefarmersclub.com • 03
Charles Abel • Chairman Profile
Stewart Houston is Farmers Club Chairman for 2013. Charles Abel travelled to his North Yorkshire home to find out more about the man who has led the pig sector for more than a decade
Pig sector champion is 2013 chairman New Club chairman for 2013 Stewart Houston first ventured into parttime pig farming with wife Janet on industrial Tyneside, before developing a large commercial operation in Yorkshire and leading the sector for over twelve years as chairman of the National Pig Association
MENTION Stewart Houston and most people think pigs. And rightly so. His role in driving the sector forward over more than a decade of turbulent years is widely respected. But what is his background, and where does he see the industry and the Farmers Club going? Chatting at his home, with the North Yorks Moors visible to the east and the Yorkshire Dales to the west, he explains in his own self-deprecating way how he started life in industrial Tyneside, the son of a shipyard worker. His childhood interest in breeding and showing rabbits took him onto farms near Hebburn, on Tyneside, instantly igniting his passion for all things farming. In no time he was helping with the milking, and harvesting. Such were the beginnings of a man who has led the pig industry for more than a decade. Renowned for his ability to build strong relationships within the industry and with Government, Stewart’s determination to create solutions rather than simply highlight problems is widely acknowledged. Back in Tyneside he joined Boldon Young Farmers Club, while doing two years of pre-college practical work on a dairy farm, with a view to attending Houghall Agricultural College at Durham. But
04 • The Farmers Club New Year Journal 2013
Durham seemed too distant: “I lacked the confidence to leave home and enter the course,” he recalls. It made little difference to the impact he would have on the industry he had grown to love. Speaking of which, Stewart met his wife Janet not at Boldon YFC, but at a Tyneside upholstery business, where they both had day jobs, whilst at the same time developing a sow herd part time. Soon after marrying they acquired Mill House Farm, developing it into a 150-sow business, but sold up after two severe slumps in the sector in the 1970s. Undaunted Stewart went on to develop the commercial herd at Lightwater Farms Livestock in North Yorks into a 1800-sow operation, alongside demonstration units for the public at Lightwater Valley leisure park. The latter provided a crucial insight into the public’s interests in food and farming. “During the 1999 pig crisis, when we couldn’t sell pigs for any price, we organised a meeting between the MLC, NFU and British Pig Association at Bishop Burton College,” he recalls. “We put out 100 chairs – 550 people turned up.” It was a pivotal meeting, drawing together disparate interests across the industry and kickstarting Stewart’s career in pig politics. The National Pig Association was formed to better represent the
Chairman Profile • Charles Abel
sector and BPEX was created to direct levy-funded work more effectively. “I really think there is nothing worse than mixed and duplicate messages going to Government,” Stewart reflects. He stepped down as NPA chairman last year, but remains a director. He is also chairman of BPEX, non-exec director of the Animal Health and Welfare Board of England and the SAC’s Commercial Board, and is a COPA/COGECA representative for the UK pig sector in Brussels. In 2007 Stewart was awarded a CBE for services to agriculture, a reflection of the many good people he has had around him over the years, he notes. Perhaps one of Stewart’s most distinctive principles emerged from a David Black Award breakfast at the House of Lords for top pig farming journalist and publicity manager Digby Scott, following 2001’s outbreaks of classical swine fever and foot and mouth. “Digby made some stinging remarks about how much Government should be helping us and I remember farming minister Larry Whitty throwing his prepared speech away and saying that if we wanted things doing we needed to get on and do it ourselves. It was a pivotal moment – never again have we moaned about a problem without the
(Above) Supply chains need to get better at sharing risks and rewards more equitably, Mr Houston believes. Club visits throughout the year will explore this theme
industry having a solution to put forward. “It’s an approach that has helped us build relationships, not just with Defra, but with processors and retailers too, and other organisations in Europe.” The sector’s can-do reputation is one other parts of the industry have drawn upon, and could continue to do so, suggests Stewart. His involvement in the Farmers Club grew as he attended more political meetings in London, the Club soon becoming home from home. At the same time he maintained a hands-on connection with pig farming through a 350-sow business established in Suffolk and now supplying a major retailer, as well as developing MPS Agri, a manufacturer of electronic sow feeding systems. Both businesses are now managed by his eldest son Andrew. Family matters to Stewart and his wife Janet, who enjoy their grandchildren greatly. Andrew and his wife Wendy have daughters aged two and four, while second son Steven and his wife Mirka, have a son aged 11 and daughter aged nine. Steven runs his own grounds and estate maintenance business based in Yorkshire. Aside from the grandchildren, and passionate support for Sunderland FC, fly fishing in the River Ure is Stewart’s favourite pastime. “I can be fishing within 20 minutes of leaving the office at home. A couple of hours of fishing before supper is a great way to switch off 100%.” Maybe those moments give Stewart the energy to represent a sector facing such on-going pressures. “Clearly we have not been able to rebuild the pig industry back to the 800,000 sows it once was, but at least we have prevented it from disappearing from the UK altogether.” This year’s feed price crisis has probably forced another 20,000 sows out of the 450,000 sow national herd, he estimates. “We need to have a better system for feed pricing than the trade banging heads with farmers,” he comments. Ensuring EU producers finally catch up with the UK’s 1999 ban on sow tethers and stalls is another key issue. “We need to keep the pressure on Brussels to ensure all countries comply with the 2013 sow stall ban. And if they don’t, the Commission needs to start infraction proceedings.” He is particularly proud of developing exports to the Far East, where China alone eats half the world’s pigmeat. The appeal of cuts unpopular in the UK is a particular help. Cooked, sliced, pre-packed pig’s ear sells in Shanghai markets for more per kilo than pork loin, he notes. “Those exports have probably put £10 a head on the value of UK pigs.” He sees the trend to more dedicated supply chains geared to better sharing of risk and reward intensifying. “Retailers are looking at 2013, with every indication that there will be a big drop in production across Europe, due to feed price pressure and the costs of complying with the sow stall ban.” Indeed, relationship building has been key throughout his time in pig politics and is a theme Stewart wants to develop in his year as Farmers Club chairman. “If we can gain some new insights into how we can create better partnerships within the supply chain I think that will be a job well done,” he concludes.
www.thefarmersclub.com • 05
Andrew Blake • Food Security
Food supply
“wake-up” message Fresh thinking on food supplies is urgently needed, as Andrew Blake heard at the special RASE Soil & Water Live event
“Without soils there is no agriculture. Have we considered managing them enough?”
(Far left) NFU deputy president Meurig Raymond says increasingly volatile weather patterns should encourage Europe to reconsider GM crops (Left) Water shortages are set to become a real game changer – UK Champion for Global Food Security, Tim Benton (Main picture) More flexible regulations are needed to ensure sufficient water is available to sustain farm productivity
THE days of providing food from farming in a relatively benign environment are over. That was the stark message from the special RASE ‘Soil & Water Live’ event at which the keynote address was described by NFU deputy president Meurig Raymond as a “wake up call for policy makers”. Highlighting the need for resilience in the face of climate change, Tim Benton, UK Champion for Global Food Security and Professor of Ecology at Leeds University, warned that bad weather was on the increase. “The world is changing fast, including the weather,” he said. “Rainfall patterns are changing, with blocks of torrential rain becoming more common.” Prof Benton also anticipated more droughts and extreme temperatures. “Dealing with the two together will be especially challenging. We need to plan for and manage the variability. We have to become more resilient, because the future is uncertain.” Other constraints on worldwide food production and fast rising demand, mainly in Asia, Africa and South America, reinforced that message, he explained. All land available for agriculture was already in use. “There is no more land,” he stressed. More deforestation was not an option. “Globally we need to limit that, because of its negative impacts. Cutting down the Amazon will reduce Brazilian rainfall creating further problems.
06 • The Farmers Club New Year Journal 2013
“We need to be particularly careful to look after our soils, he added. “Without soil there is no agriculture. Have we considered managing them enough?” The American dustbowl, the impact of which had lasted over 50 years, was not strictly an environmental disaster, but was caused by a combination of poor management and dry weather, he pointed out. The use of nitrogen to boost output would become more restricted both environmentally and because of costs. One 2010 report suggested that the environmental costs of all nitrogen losses in Europe outweighed the direct economic benefits of nitrogen’s use in agriculture, he noted. “Resource and regulatory squeezes” on fuel, phosphate and pesticides would inevitably add to the pressure on producers. And changing patterns of food consumption meant that by 2050 half the world’s population would not have enough water. “That will become a real game changer.” Given such predictions the whole food chain needed to become more flexible, urged Professor Benton.”There’s always been an assumption that if we get bad weather here we can get our food from elsewhere. But for all areas in the northern hemisphere this year has been unusual, and in future there’s no guarantee that we’ll be able to rely on
Food Security • Andrew Blake
ADOPTING RESILIENCE DURING discussions on how farmers should become more resilient Prof Benton suggested that it might require considerable change. “It might not be possible to grow some crops here in future.” Mr Wilson noted that in this season’s unusual conditions some older potato varieties seemed to have fared better, so there was probably still plenty to be learned in that area. “There’s no silver bullet, but I’m encouraged by the wealth of knowledge in our universities and elsewhere, and there’s a lot of scope to bring all the scientific technologies together.” Mr Raymond, who said he had had to resort to spraying against blight every four days last season,
believed that acceptance of GM resistant varieties had to be re-considered. “Europe needs that debate especially given the weather volatility.” Harper Adams University’s Professor Dick Godwin stressed that good drainage, allowing fields’ moisture capacity to be properly managed, was imperative. “The problem is that for 30 years field ‘drainage’ has become a dirty word. It’s been a case of ‘out of sight out of mind’.”
buying all the food we need.” With the UK population set to increase by 10% by 2026, the country’s current 60% self-sufficiency in food could fall below 50% without widespread collaboration throughout the supply chain, warned Mr Raymond. “Security of supply is a big challenge and there are no easy answers. “We need huge investment in research and development, and it’s up to the NFU to show leadership and ensure that farming has the resources to meet the challenges of growing more food.” In particular the industry needed to adapt to changing rainfall patterns, he explained. “We’ll continue to need and use water with minimum environmental impact. “We need a fairer share and improved security of water for farmers.” He believed on-farm storage, which was expensive, merited more government support. “We need a whole new set of risk management skills and to engage more in water ‘trading’.” There was a particular need to improve knowledge transfer – ie the dissemination of research findings to help farmers use water more efficiently, added Mr Raymond. The current rules on water abstraction and irrigation were too rigid, he believed. “We need more flexibility in the system to top up supplies, and we
need to create local resource groups.” With irrigation vital for many farmers, they should be able to store about 75% of their seasonal needs, Waitrose’s Alan Wilson suggested. However, more could be done to improve soils’ water holding capacity, he said. “We under-estimate how much water can be stored in soil.” Technology to optimise water use merited wider use, he added. “We’re generally using too much. In Spain they’ve learned how to cut their water use by 50% and still get good crops efficiently.” The successful turn-around of the UK’s soft fruit industry showed what could be done. “It was facing crisis five years ago.” Now, with new varieties and growing techniques supported by supermarkets, it was one of the most successful sectors offering home-grown strawberries from March to November, he noted. Partnership was the key to moving forward, according to David Wilkinson of PepsiCo which had 300ha of drip irrigation trials and was working with Cambridge and Aberdeen Universities and others on new varieties and optimised irrigation scheduling. “Nothing gets done without working with others to make things happen. It’s all about optimising yield with the least amount of water – more crop per drop.”
‘SOIL & WATER LIVE’ • • • •
Weather changing fast Growing constraints on production Worldwide impact on UK food supplies Soil management increasingly important
www.thefarmersclub.com • 07
Charles Abel • Farm Policy
Sustainable intensification
to 35m ha of agricultural land, noted Ignacio Dominguez of agchem maker Makhteshim Agan. “How long will the EU be able to pay for those imports? The competition from other economies is already out there.” Farmland should be treated as a scarce resource, urged Egil Hogna of Yara International. “The world’s population is growing, but the planet is not. We could suggest easy answers, all becoming vegetarian, strict birth control, or eliminating all losses in the food chain. But those are difficult, if not impossible, to implement.” Instead, governments should address their own food policies. EU net food imports had risen 40% since 1999, and were now equivalent to the output from the entire farmed area of Germany and France. “Is this sustainable,” he asked. CAP reform needed to support modern farming to improve resource use efficiency and good agricultural practices.
GM key
Food security demands better EU and Government policies and greater access to new technologies, including GM. US farmers like Keith Kemp (inset) seem to be in the driving seat
SUSTAINABLE intensification, the phrase coined by government chief scientist Sir John Beddington, is driving farming’s future, with input suppliers and produce buyers fully embracing the concept. But is policy keeping up? With the need to feed 9 billion by 2050, requiring 70% more food than today as eating habits change, the pressure is on. “At the moment UK politicians still do not get the challenge of what is needed,” NFU President Peter Kendall told the CropWorld Global conference in London earlier this winter. Instead of a policy framework geared to a competitive, innovative agriculture, the talk is of 7% ecological focus areas and a Commission determined to defend its budget, rather than help EU agriculture replace imports. “It is immoral for Europe to keep saying it won’t have new biotechnology, this new pesticide, or to take big chunks of land out of production, and then depend on the developing world to feed us.” Keith Norman, technical director of Velcourt, which farms 53,000ha in the UK, stressed the inadequacy of EU and government policies to address practical issues. Burgeoning blackgrass resistance to modern herbicides, a huge shift in Septoria resistance to triazole fungicides, and pyrethroid resistance in aphids, were just a few examples of the challenges farmers faced. Instead of helping policies seemed to compound such issues. More research was needed, with more practical relevance to growers, and better channels of communication to policymakers, so issues seen at ground level could be addressed more effectively, so boosting food security, he argued. Despite the CAP being one of the EU’s biggest policy areas annual EU food imports already equate
08 • The Farmers Club New Year Journal 2013
Keith Kemp, a soya bean and maize farmer from Ohio and director of the levy-funded United Soybean Board, representing 0.5m US farmers, had little doubt GM crops were key to sustainable intensification. On his 700ha (1700 acres) farm all his soya and maize is GM. “After the worst drought in living history there is little doubt that without biotech our yields would have been a lot less than expected.” Although the 2012 drought was tougher than the previous worst in 1988, average maize yields were cut to just 7.5t/ha, instead of the 5.2t/ha seen in 1988, noted Juan Ferreira, Monsanto vice-president for Europe, Middle East and Africa. Technology had clearly improved harvest resilience. “That is sustainable intensification in action.” Unless yields rise a further 72-85m ha of farmland will be needed globally by 2050. But only 27-48m ha is available. “More yield per hectare is essential. It is not a choice, it is fundamental.” Weather-induced variations need addressing too. “Practices to level that off would be very helpful.”
Top-soil benefits Biotech crops not only improve production efficiencies, they benefit the environment too, Mr Kemp noted. “Herbicide tolerance gives much greater weed control, allowing a switch to min- and no-till.” That saved him 28,000litres of diesel a year, caused less soil damage, encouraged earth worms and built organic matter. “In many ways we are building our top soils.” Biotech crops had added an average $39.00/ha to farm incomes and produced more food from existing land, avoiding the need for an extra area the size of Portugal to meet current demand, he said. He refuted claims that making biofuels from food crops was wrong. “All we do is take the sugar out of the maize, leaving distillers grains as a feed product. To say we are taking corn away from humans is wrong. The by-products are being used wherever you turn. Research is helping us supply the world with fuel and food.” Using those distillers grains more could help food companies provide the 20% reduced sugar products needed to combat the obesity epidemic, he noted.
Ash Dieback • Charles Abel
ASH DIEBACK, caused by Chalara fraxinea, has already wiped out over 90% of ash trees in Denmark and is widespread in Central Europe. By midDecember it had been confirmed on 309 sites in most counties of the UK, with infected wild trees confirmed in many counties. Although the fungus was first identified in Britain last February, ash imports were only banned in late October. Over 100,000 ash trees have already been destroyed in the UK to reduce spread. If the disease becomes established experts believe it could have a similar impact on the landscape to Dutch Elm Disease in the 1970s, which killed most mature elms. In November Environment Secretary Owen Paterson admitted it would be impossible to halt. “The scientific advice is that it won’t be possible to eradicate this disease now we have discovered it in mature trees.” But that need not mean the end of the British ash. While efforts are made to slow the pathogen’s spread the search is on for trees with genetic resistance. Defra chief scientific adviser Prof Ian Boyd is hopeful. “By next season we could potentially have resistant forms of ash growing in this country.” So, what should farmers and landowners do? Richard Skeates a partner at Bidwells in Oxford suggests: 1. Do not plant ash this year, nor probably in future years. The import ban does not prevent ash of local provenance being planted in the UK. However, ash is unlikely to be used as a commercial crop for the future. Soil type will dictate the replacement species as will Forestry Commission approval, so talk to the FC and your contractor. 2. Larger estates might look at bringing forward near mature clear felling before timber quality or value deteriorates, or before the FC restricts felled timber movements by road. Now is also the time to convince the FC of the need to clear fell and replant, rather than coupe fell with regeneration, which is the usual prescription. 3. Those who have planted large areas of ash within the past five years may have potential for compensation from the FC. The FC has failed, certainly over recent years, to alert landowners to the dangers of the disease, and failed to control imports of diseased planting stock. 4. All landowners, foresters or farmers, will be negligent if they do not pay particular attention to ash standard trees on boundaries, over footpaths and highways. The disease directly affects timber strength and causes limb loss, a clear hazard and potential for injury. 5. Start replacing ash trees in the landscape with alternatives, by planting a few whips in hedgerows, gardens and field corners. The real value of landscape trees is only evident once they are lost, so why not get a head start? 6. In woods that are heavily trafficked, or that are shot, consider disinfectant dips for walkers or beaters and guns at the beginning and end of the day. Certainly, anyone who travels regularly between landed estates should take particular care not to spread spores. Under national emergency measures C. fraxinea is being treated as a quarantine pest, so report suspected cases to the FC Plant Health Service
Ash dieback anxiety (01313146414 e: plant.health@forestry.gsi.gov.uk) or Fera Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate (01904 465 625 e:planthealth.info@fera.gsi.gov.uk). The disease was first confirmed in a Buckinghamshire nursery last February, in a consignment of infected trees from a nursery in the Netherlands. Significantly, Fera scientists went on to confirm cases in East Anglia in ash trees at sites in the wider natural environment, including established woodland, which did not appear to have any association with recently supplied nursery stock.
Tree checking Hundreds of staff from government agencies checked ash trees across the UK for signs of the disease in November, after a meeting of the Government’s emergency committee, COBR, which Environment Secretary Owen Paterson chaired on Friday 2 November – eight months after the first findings. At the time of writing (mid-December) 309 cases had been confirmed in the UK – 17 at nurseries, 132 at recently planted sites and 160 in the wider environment, including established woodland. Plant health experts were also checking about 1000 sites that received saplings from nurseries where Chalara dieback has been found. Plant Health Notices, requiring uncompensated destruction, or containment, can be served. One plant nursery forced to destroy 50,000 ash saplings said it would sue the Government for failing to block ash imports in 2009. Since that date, when the risk was realised, nearly 4 million ash saplings have been imported. Ash is a native British species, providing around 5% of all woodland cover and many landscape trees.
Ash dieback symptoms include leaf loss, crown dieback, and bark lesions and cankers visible throughout the year, which stain the wood beneath
ASH DIEBACK • spores unlikely to survive more than a few days • wind dispersal from Europe possible • high dose of spores needed for trees to become infected • spores produced on dead leaves June to September • dispersal unlikely on clothing, animals and birds • all ash species affected • disease shows in months not years • properly treated wood products will not spread the disease • infected trees can’t be cured • not all trees die – some likely to have genetic resistance • More at: www.forestry.gov.uk/chalara
www.thefarmersclub.com • 09
Charles Abel • Research
Research repair and refocus FARMING research is changing fast to meet the new needs of the industry. But more needs doing to ensure the challenges of global food security can be met. The sector currently benefits from £386M of R&D funding each year, which should be enough, provided it is spent with ever greater efficiency, Prof Chris Pollock of Aberystwyth University told the fourth annual forum of the AgriFood Charities Partnership at the Farmers Club in November. “Farmers and land managers are the only people who can deliver sustainable intensification,” he said. “So we need to repair and redirect the R&D pipeline to help them do that.” A prime example of a new more collaborative approach, reflecting the needs of the whole industry, is the new £12m five-year Advanced Training Partnership funding model from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. With up to 1000 participants expected to join each of the four initiatives by the end of the year it is setting a new standard for higher level agricultural training, explained Prof Jeremy Roberts of the University of Nottingham’s Sutton Bonnington School of Biosciences.
Skills for industry “The ATPs are aiming to build the high level technical, scientific and business skills the food and farming industries need to thrive.” Nottingham University’s ATP draws on additional expertise from Cranfield University, Harper Adams University College and Rothamsted Research, to provide accredited continual professional development modules leading to qualifications at masters and professional post-doctorate level. Its focus is the agri-food supply chain, with strong industry representation to ensure content is relevant. Other ATPs are at Aberystwyth University on sustainable food production, the University of Reading around health and nutrition, and the Royal Veterinary College looking at intensive livestock health. Each ATP community is being developed via social media and an annual congress, with transfer of credits possible between ATPs. BBSRC is providing initial funding through 100% training bursaries, with a goal of industry-funds taking over in due course, with charity funds playing a potentially important role. Since its launch earlier this year Nottingham’s ATP has attracted almost 200 participants, with
10 • The Farmers Club New Year Journal 2013
a goal of 500-1000, including e-learning and distance learning. Prof Graham Jellis of the Perry Foundation and an AFCP director highlighted the benefits of collaboration between research, farming and the numerous charities that have up to £2m of funds to invest in research and education each year. The Perry Foundation funds three post-graduate students and a range of specific small projects each year. “Partnerships help us achieve our aims, ensuring the charity funding we offer supports relevant research.” A study of drought and stress tolerance in wheat this year, with co-funding from BBSRC, and undertaken at Reading University, with the international CIMMYT centre involved too, was a good example. Work on disease resistance in oilseed rape was already part Perry funded, at Rothamsted Research, and involved plant breeders for commercial relevance. Perry backing had helped attract other funders, he said. Keel University work on bee health, with Bee Keepers Association backing, is also supported. The Crop Research Improvement Club, with BBSRC, Scottish Government and plant breeders collaborating, gets £1000/year funding to help students broaden their training further. “At Perry we feel we are not big enough, so we are looking to fund joint-studentships with other charities, in Eastern England, for example. We also need to build stronger relationships with research institutes, so we know what is going on and where we should, and should not, get involved. And we want a better relationship with our students, while they are doing their research.”
Chris Pollock – R&D pipeline needs repair and redirection
Jeremy Roberts – engaging industry with Nottingham ATP
Graham Jellis – £2m of charity funding can help
Good partners Partnership between charities is key to aid collaboration, as is knowing what is being done, to avoid duplication, he said. Prof Chris Gaskell, Principal of the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester, agreed. “Charities are not purveyors of largesse. It is their fiduciary duty to find good partners for appropriate research.” The AgriFood Charities Partnership helps people and organisations involved in UK farming and food to make best use of available charitable and other funding and support opportunities. Its website www.afcp.co.uk helps individuals seeking charitable funding, charities seeking other charity or funding partners, charities seeking providers of educational or research facilities, and individuals seeking charitable help.
Chris Gaskell – collaboration cuts duplication
Promoting Farming
FOR LONG-TIME Farmers Club member Caroline Wheatley-Hubbard, there’s no better way to explain to people the value of farming than to bring them onto the farm and show them. “I believe that for people to truly understand where their food comes from, they have to see it at first hand,” says Caroline. “There’s a perception that farmers have little regard for anything other than profit margins. But most food is produced sustainably by farmers who care. It’s only by getting people onto the farm that you can show them that you’re actually doing a good job.” There’s evidence that it really does work, too. Surveys carried out on Open Farm Sunday last year showed visitor knowledge about a farmer’s role in producing food markedly improved. Multiply that over 335 farms across the UK that opened their gates, welcoming around 150,000 visitors, and that’s a significant boost for the public perception of farming, says event organiser LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming). Farming’s annual open day, now in its eighth year, is expected to bring the millionth visitor on farm on 9th June 2013. The call is out for more farms to get involved, and for those that do, the first step is to register their interest at www.farmsunday.org Caroline is usually one of the earliest to register her event at Boyton Farm, near Warminster, Wilts. 2012 was the fifth year the 1000ha mixed farm hosted an Open Farm Sunday event, that brought around 400 local visitors onto the farm.
Millionth Farm Sunday visitor Open Farm Sunday is a great opportunity for farmers to show the public how food is produced and improve the image of the industry
Farm shop “People come mainly for the farm tours,” explains Caroline. “We have tractor-and-trailer rides that last for about an hour. We usually start by asking what everyone had for breakfast, because most of that comes from the farm.” While the arable side is contract-farmed by Velcourt, and there’s a 500-cow tenanted dairy unit, 200ha of downland and water meadow are farmed in hand. A Sussex beef herd, Tamworth pigs and old traditional sheep breeds are reared for meat sold through the farm shop at The Ginger Piggery. “With the shop, we’re well set up for Open Farm Sunday, and it helps generate business. We start promoting the event at around Easter.” Good use is made of the free publicity resources available. “We photocopy details about our event onto the posters and fliers available through the resource pack. Large banners put out two to three weeks before the event play a vital role Plenty of help on the day is vital, says Caroline. As well as the farm and shop staff, along with their families, Velcourt and the dairy staff also get involved. “The farm shop’s butcher does a sausage-making demonstration, and the Piscatorial Society conducts tours of the River Wylye that runs through the farm, where there are a number of conservation projects going on.” Visitors also get the chance to see and stroke lambs and piglets. “Bottle feeding lambs is particularly popular – it’s essential this is well supervised and you provide hand-washing facilities. Pigs from the farm were used in the film of The Legend of the Tamworth Two and the DVD is often
run as a quiet corner for children.” Most of all, though, it’s a chance to meet members of the public and help them understand what farming is all about, says Caroline. “In the first year we opened we attended one of the training workshops, which was brilliant, especially for guidance on tackling tricky questions and allaying our health and safety concerns. “It can be daunting, but it’s actually very enjoyable. It’s a great opportunity to talk to people and be enthusiastic about something you’re good at and passionate about.”
(Top) Most food is produced by farmers who care – so let’s get the public on-farm to show them what a good job is being done, says Caroline WheatleyHubbard (Above) LEAF support helps farmers make the most of their open day – hopefully attracting the one millionth visitor this June
• Farmers planning to host events can register at www.farmsunday.org. Free information events are staged in February and April. See website or call 02476 413911 for dates and venues.
www.thefarmersclub.com • 11
Mark Berrisford-Smith • Economic Prospects
Brightening economic skies In 2012 Mark Berrisford-Smith, HSBC Bank’s senior economist for UK commercial banking, addressed the Club Committee. Here he provides an insight into key financial issues to watch for in 2013
The Euro continues to defy gravity
A global economic muddle
0.94
12
1.6
12
0.86
1.4
0.82
0.78 2009
1.5
1.3
USD / EUR (R axis)
1.2 2010
2011
2012
Source: Thomson Datastream / *HSBC
$/D
£/D
stronger euro
10
Eurozone
Japan
Asia (ex-Japan)
10
8
8
6
6
4
4
2
2
0
0
-2
-2 2010
2013
2011
2012*
2013*
Source: IMF / *HSBC
FOR farmers the biggest hope for 2013 will surely be for a break from the rain which has poured down since last April. Last year was also a difficult year on the economic front, although it at least ended on a rather brighter note than it started. There are now grounds for believing that the worst of the Eurozone’s sovereign debt crisis is behind us. The global economy still faces several years of slow healing, and the twin sagas of how to ensure that taxpayers never again have to rescue major banks and building a robust architecture for the euro will be with us for much of the decade. But even these less than enticing prospects will be a marked improvement from the turmoil and volatility of the past five years. Those years have seen roller-coaster rides in both oil and food commodity prices and in the value of sterling. It’s tempting to hope that a more stable economic and financial environment will translate into a more certain outlook for food prices and exchange rates. But that would be wishful thinking. Past experience tells us all too clearly that sudden and sharp movements can occur for all manner of reasons. The best that can be hoped for is that the most violent shocks, such as sterling’s plunge at the end of 2008, and the collapse and subsequent rebound of oil prices can be avoided.
12 • The Farmers Club New Year Journal 2013
USA
annual GDP growth, %
GBP / EUR (L axis)
0.90
annual GDP growth, %
World
The global picture Beginning with the global economy, 2013 should bring a modest quickening in the pace of growth, assuming of course that the policymakers and politicians can circumvent the worst of the ‘fiscal cliff’ scenarios in the United States and keep a lid on the Eurozone’s debt crisis. The soft patch encountered last year by the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India, China) and other large emerging economies didn’t turn into hard landings, and most of them are now accelerating out of the cyclical trough. These economies will keep powering ahead at growth rates that are nothing but a distant memory for advanced economies, while at the same time delivering many millions of new middle class consumers each year; but even they will not return to the stellar growth rates seen in the years before 2007. This year should also see the Eurozone clawing its way out of recession. But don’t expect too much: the tumultuous events since the debt crisis re-ignited in the spring of 2011 have shattered the nerves of businesses and households, and they will take some convincing that it is now safe to invest and spend. Having spent the past two years dealing with the consequences of over-heating, the emerging world will be more cautious this time around when implementing policies to stimulate growth. A repeat of the commodity price spikes, of the sort seen in 2007 and again in 2011-12, therefore looks unlikely.
Economic Prospects • Mark Berrisford-Smith
Mark Berrisford-Smith, senior economist for UK commercial banking at HSBC Bank
UK economy: the squeeze on households abates
UK economy: inching towards a sustainable recovery
6 Earnings
4
4 4
2
0
0
Real household income*
2
2
0
0
-2 -4
forecast*
%
2
Long-term average
%
4
% annual grpwth
% annuial growth
6
6
6 Inflation
-2 -4
UK: annual GDP growth
*adjusted for inflation
-2 2002
-2 2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
Source: ONS
Moreover, with soft commodity prices having held up better than those for metals and fuels in recent months, due to poor harvests for a number of crops and tight supply/demand balances, there is eventually scope for significant retreats, but only if harvests are better in 2013 and if the growing conditions for the following year look propitious.
A sustainable recovery in the UK As for the British economy, 2013 could well be the year when a sustainable recovery, albeit a modest one, finally becomes established. Job creation continues to be surprisingly robust, consumer confidence has perked up in recent months, and the Funding for Lending Scheme seems to be doing rather better than the £375 billion of quantitative easing at channelling funds from the Bank of England into loans for households and businesses. Most important of all, the long and painful squeeze on the spending power of consumers has abated, now that the annual rate of inflation has fallen and is running only slightly ahead of the growth of earnings. All this means that the retrenchment by consumers, which was the biggest factor pushing the economy into a double-dip recession, has come to an end. There won’t, of course, be any return to the free-spending days before 2007: unemployment remains uncomfortably high; interest rates are eventually going only one way; and households
-6 2003
-6 2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
Source: ONS / *HSBC
will take several years yet running down their debt burdens. Exporters should also find the going a bit easier in 2013 as the Eurozone begins to revive, while there may even be the first signs of businesses venturing to invest again: not least to replace kit that has become old and uncompetitive. But with the economy only expected to grow by around 1%, it will be too soon for the Bank of England to risk hiking interest rates – that will probably have to wait until well into next year.
The outlook for sterling That just leaves exchange rates to consider, and here the above-mentioned assumption that the Eurozone’s debt crisis remains under control is particularly important. That being the case, the euro has scope to appreciate a little further against the dollar, which remains pressured by America’s fraught politics and the Federal Reserve’s penchant for open-ended quantitative easing. As ever, sterling will be buffeted in the cross-winds between these two giants. But given Britain’s own fiscal difficulties, and the pressure on its credit rating, the chances are that the euro will also gain on the pound. For farmers that means that the next Single Farm Payment is likely to be set at an exchange rate closer to that which applied in 2010 and 2011 than last year’s less favourable fix.
www.thefarmersclub.com • 13
Anne Chamberlain • Ladies Luncheon
Hoey inspires Kate Hoey provided a refreshing counterpoint to the popular perception of most MPs
WHICH Member of Parliament refreshes the parts which other MPs cannot reach? Answer: Kate Hoey, Member for Vauxhall in south London who addressed the Farmers Club Ladies lunch, hosted by 2012 Chairman’s wife, Sally Heygate, late last year. The pervading cynicism about politicians’ motives and effectiveness dispelled almost immediately as the ladies heard that Kate was a City MP who chairs the Countryside Alliance, a Labour MP who opposes the ban on fox hunting and an elected Member who considered representing the best interest of her constituents as her most important role. She also takes a special interest in Zimbabwe, making two
undercover visits there in 2003 and 2005. As well as lending her support to a City Farm in her constituency Kate, whose parents farmed in Northern Ireland, told the group that the Countryside Alliance had started a Foundation with the aim of giving more young city people experience of the countryside. She was very excited by the positive reaction of one group she accompanied to the Earl of Normanton’s Hampshire estate. Having experienced clay pigeon shooting and having seen pheasant rearing, one bright youngster requested that next time they should have the opportunity to “shoot the peasants”! Kate has a strong track record of resisting the party line, unless it matches her own, on a range of issues. Against the backdrop of her conviction that “European countries are our neighbours; Commonwealth countries are family”, Kate maintains that the European Union has changed hugely since the UK elected to join: “We need strong voices on the future shape of Europe”. Her own view is that this country could cope very well outside the union. She made a plea for more common sense in politics. Why is it, she asked, that if one party declares itself for a policy that the other major party has to automatically declare its opposition? Kate told the lunch group that, in reality, MPs private discussions are much more rational and constructive than is reflected in the media. Kate projected a refreshingly ethical and honest approach to her political role. As one commentator said: “When the full MPs expenses came out in redacted form in 2009, all she ever seemed to have charged for was paperclips”. The vote of thanks was proposed by Janet Reynolds. • Anne Chamberlain
Windsor FUTURE leaders of the UK farming industry are being given the chance to participate in one of the UK’s most prestigious leadership courses thanks to support from The Farmers Club. Through the generosity of Stella Muddiman the Club is working with the Windsor Leadership Trust and Farmers Guardian newspaper to offer four members of the agriculture industry the chance to join the week-long residential course at Windsor Castle, which draws delegates from the UK’s leading businesses, military, civil service, charities and other organisations. A cross-sector approach helps people understand different approaches to leadership, notes the Trust’s chief executive James McCalman. “At the end of the week, delegates will have a personal action plan for the next six months. They then come back after six months to look at progress, as well as ensuring the small syndicate groups continue to meet and support one another.” Previous course delegates from the agriculture industry believe the course has made a huge difference. Essex farmer Caroline Ratcliffe, who attended one of the courses last year, says: “It is inspiring, realising you are part of a wider group which is interested
14 • The Farmers Club New Year Journal 2013
Windosr-based leadership course is one of UK’s most prestigious
in leadership and getting ahead in their sector. It was good to realise we all share similar challenges.” If you are under 40 years of age, apply by sending 500 words on the agricultural sector’s leadership challenges over the next five years, plus your CV, to Windsor Leadership Trust (The Farmers Club/Farmers Guardian), Adair House, Madeira House, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 1EU, or e-mail office@windsorleadershiptrust.org.uk by January 21, 2013. Up to four places will be awarded on the course throughout 2013.
Lords Luncheon • David Richardson
Gummer’s farm view
EACH autumn Club members are privileged to enjoy lunch in the magnificent surroundings of The House of Lords. Pre-prandial drinks are taken in the panelled Cholmonedely Room before moving through to the permanent marquee on the Terrace overlooking the Thames. As tugs, lighters and occasional pleasure steamers chug past the picture windows on the mighty river, lunch is served. This year we were fortunate to be sponsored by His Grace The Duke of Montrose, a member and regular at the Club. The annual occasion provides an ideal opportunity to meet old friends and for the Chairman of the Club to perform one of his most pleasant duties – to award the Farmers Club Cup to the individual deemed by the Club Committee to have made the greatest contribution to agriculture. This year it was awarded to Sir Jim Paice, until recently the Minister of Agriculture, for outstanding service to our industry. The level of applause that greeted the announcement that he was the recipient was a clear indication of the appreciation felt by members of the work he had done for British agriculture during his all too brief period at Defra. We wished him well in whatever fields he now
“There is a huge and vitally important agenda ahead and The Farmers Club is the right body to tackle it”
(Main picture) Former Minister of Agriculture John Selwyn Gummer, now Lord Deben, had a robust message for the farming industry – you need to explain your industry to consumers more clearly (Inset) Sir Jim Paice received The Farmers Club Cup from Lord Plumb – to warm applause from Club members at the Annual House of Lords luncheon, hosted by His Grace The Duke of Montrose
choses to employ his knowledge of farming. The other highlight of the day was an address by Lord Deben, better known as John Gummer before his ennoblement in 2010, who served as Minister of Agriculture from 1989 to 1993 and was then moved to be Secretary of State for the Environment until 1997. These days he chairs the UK’s Independent Committee on Climate Change and also the sustainability consultancy, Sancroft International and a number of other environmental companies and bodies. Lord Deben delivered a short but characteristically robust speech with his usual panache and without notes. In summary he said: I’m in favour of farming, which is unusual, because in general, people who do it are nice. But how does agriculture talk to the town? Because we are about to experience the biggest change in our times. Food prices during the lifetimes of most of the people in this room have always fallen. But now we are looking at a future in which food prices will rise and supply will be less certain. The world population is heading towards nine billion and even the middle classes will have to come to terms with smaller choices. Even in the USA there will have to be smaller portions and an end to universal availability. Here in Europe we will have to double production and farming will be profitable. But we still have to communicate with consumers this new language of food. We have to explain what we do and what it costs. We need to get them on our side. To do that we must be transparent. Labelling is vital to tell people what’s in the product and what’s good for their health. Have you tried to read how much sugar there is in low fat yoghurt? If your spectacles are good enough you will probably find its 25%. And that’s got to stop. We’ve also got to stop waste. Forty per cent of what we produce is wasted. We must buy less, and start eating misshapen apples and carrots that taste just as good as the perfect ones. And stop the scandal of piling 25% into landfill. At the very least we should use uneaten food as a feedstock for anaerobic digestion. There is a huge and vitally important agenda ahead and The Farmers Club is the right body to tackle it. Teresa Wickham jumped up and asked how she could enjoy the same level of choice for the energy she buys as is available on supermarket shelves. Lord Deben didn’t really answer the question but did say we in this country had allowed our energy supplies to fall into the hands of people he didn’t like. Tony Pexton enquired when the government was going to renegotiate our relationship with Europe. A question that provoked the speaker to expose his EU affiliations. “If you think the UK government is going to take any notice of its farmers outside of the EU – think again. Any answer other than staying in Europe will do your industry down. What agriculture want’s is not what the Treasury want’s. And I’m due there in five minutes.” And with that he was gone, at the double. • David Richardson
www.thefarmersclub.com • 15
Events
Farming Views
A Bard’s world By Anne Chamberlain The Arundel First Folio – Engraving of William Shakespeare by Martin Droeshout. By permission of the Governors of Stonyhurst College A group from the Club outside the British Museum
Farming Figures
32% Rise in UK food prices since 2007, more than double EU average, and forecast to rise 4% per year to 2020
£76.38
Average household spending on food per week, up £5.66 compared with last year, says Which?
15% Rise in price of processed foods in 2011-12 alone, contributing to 35% rise in past five years
34% Surge in retail fruit price since 2007; veg up 22%
6.3 million People meeting Government goal of five fruit and veg items a day, down from 7.4m in 2008
26% Less fresh meat bought by poorest 10% in 2010 than in 2007; 25% less fruit, 15% less veg
4.4%
Year on year increase in saturated fat consumption
Source: “Nutritional recession”, The Guardian
16 • The Farmers Club New Year Journal 2013
NOT all members will realise that, although the Club bedrooms and facilities are well used from Monday to Thursdays, they were rather less used on some weekends. I say ‘were’ because it is now more than 18 months since the Committee decided to offer members a programme of Club-based visits to theatre, cultural and sporting events, mainly taking place at the weekends. They have been a great success enabling more members to enjoy the Club facilities and the attractions of London. My own first experience of these events was the Club visit to Shakespeare: Staging the World at the British Museum in November. By the time this article is published I shall have also enjoyed the Masters Tennis at the Royal Albert Hall featuring sporting heroes like McEnroe, Ivanisevic, Lendl and Henman.
Convenience Shakespeare visit organiser, MaryAnne Salisbury, guided about 25 of us onto a coach outside the Club after a sociable and enjoyable lunch in The Eastwood Room. I did appreciate that the coach was the most convenient way to ensure we all arrived at the right place and at the right time, but my companion was more forthright: “Well, I am nearly 80 and can manage the tube, but it was much easier and more pleasant to be whisked to the gates in this comfortable coach”. The focus of the exhibition was not Shakespeare’s work, but his medieval
world, and it was most illuminating. The displays set out in the round Reading Room took us on a journey from the England of 1600 and the Forest of Arden to Venice, Rome and Prospero’s fantasy Island. The journey was populated by digital image and vocal projections of Royal Shakespeare Company actors performing some of the most famous speeches and scenes, including Antony Sher with Shylock’s “Hath not a Jew Eyes” and Harriet Walter as Cleopatra. We also heard the distinctive voice of Neil McGregor, Director of the Museum and presenter and writer of A History of The World in 100 objects, for BBC Radio 4.
Culture Maps, paintings, globes, jewellery, domestic objects and weapons mentioned in the plays, or explaining the times The Bard lived in, illustrated the tour. We all sank effortlessly into the culture and attitudes of the early 17th century. Overall the exhibition provides a unique insight into the emergence of London and England, seen through the perspective of Shakespeare’s plays. As a tomboy child more interested in my cousin’s Hotspur comics than good literature, I did not appreciate my English mistress, Miss M. A Logan’s (inevitably “Ma Logan” to us girls) efforts to engage me in his plays. How I wish that we had had this exhibition then.
• www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/shakespeare_staging_the_world.aspx
Theatre Visit • Dr Marjorie Talbot
IN November, Chairman Paul Heygate and Mrs Heygate welcomed about 80 members to a wonderful evening of dinner at 3 Whitehall Court followed by a Club visit to the New London Theatre performance of “War Horse”, the stage show attracting so much acclaim! The dramatic entertainment, which has been seen by over 2.4 million people worldwide since its premiere at the National Theatre in 2007, involves puppeteers handling life size models of the horses Joey and Topthorn, supported by actors, musicians against a backdrop of First World War military scenery, complete with uniforms, tanks and guns. The actors portray the farming families, while the puppeteers introduce Joey, first as a foal, and trace his bonding with farming teenager Arthur. Arthur wins Joey’s confidence and later trains Joey as an adult horse to pull the plough in order to keep him from his jealous uncle. Arthur’s cousin is called up to serve in the army and Joey, sold into war by Arthur’s Dad (in need of cash), soon shows his equine skills of survival.
Convincing The play reveals Joey’s struggles through conflict in the trenches, horrific suffering and death for people and horses both. It is amazing to see how the outstandingly skilled puppeteers accurately represent horse behaviours in their sensitive relationship with people. This aspect of the performance is very convincing, really quite wonderful to see. With Remembrance Sunday following soon after the show, a retiring collection was made for the British Legion Poppy Appeal. This proved to be a very popular and successful Farmers Club event, drawing members from Scotland, Wales and England across the age range. Many people stayed at the Club overnight and enjoyed further discussing the performance over a delicious Saturday breakfast.
Supper MaryAnne Salisbury is to be congratulated for organising the event. Present throughout the evening, MaryAnne handed out tickets, maps and booked taxis on request, thus easing our transfer to the theatre, which was a 15 minute walk away in Drury Lane. The Farmers’ Club is ideally located for pre-theatre supper followed by comfortable bedrooms and breakfast, whether associated with business in London or a weekend leisure visit to the city. In my experience the staff look after members and their guests visiting at the weekend with courtesy and a very friendly services. Thank you! • War Horse, produced by the National Theatre, is on tour throughout 2013 and 2014, visiting Devon, Dublin, Birmingham, Salford, Edinburgh, Southampton, Sunderland, Bradford and Cardiff – see www.warhorseonstage.com for details
Wonderful War Horse By Dr Marjorie Talbot
War Horse puppet artists capture perfectly the sensitive relationship between horse and man. Photo: Brinkhoff and Mogenburg
Andersons Spring Seminars
What Are The Prospects For UK Agriculture? Thi Thiss event provides provides an overview overview of the entire entire farming iindustry ndustry and iits ts future di direction rection iin n one morni morning’s ng’s session – Policy Changes New Legislation Economic Outlook
Market Prospects )DUP 3UR¿WDELOLW\ )DUP 3UR¿WDELOLW\
Th Thee Seminars will be of use to anyone involved in agriculture from processors, to professionals, to large rural businesses. Now in their their 15th year, th ese events h ave establish ed an unrivalled reputation. In these have established 2012 96.8% 96.8% of attendees rated them them as good or excellent. For more details see -
www.theandersonscentre.co.uk/Seminars.asp
This year there are twelve venues nationwide with events running through February and March.
www.thefarmersclub.com • 17
Rhydian Scurlock-Jones, Chairman; Jeremy Dyas, Vice Chairman; MaryAnne Salisbury, Secretary • U30s
U30s
Capturing supply chain efficiencies through greater co-operation worked for Christine Tacon whilst at Cooperative Farms, and needs pursuing more vigorously by family farming businesses too, Under 30s members heard at the Club
Chairman’s Jottings My year as chairman has flown by and it has been a great privilege to represent such an increasingly influential and expanding membership group. Our vibrant events have given us an intriguing insight into the views and experience of industry leaders as well as experiencing at first hand the difficulties 2012 posed upon the farming industry. Joining up with the Addington Fund provided us with an opportunity to increase our profile to a wider audience. Welcoming new members has been a real highlight and I was delighted to recently host a drinks reception at Harper Adams University to raise awareness of the opportunity of membership to final year students. We have a busy and hopefully fruitful year planned, so do check out our new website (www.thefarmersclub-u30s.com). This year kick starts with the New Members dinner on Friday 8th February at the Club, the AGM on the Saturday, followed by a theatre visit and dinner at Bunga Bunga. I would like to encourage a big turnout to get the New Year off to a good start. These events are always great fun and very popular, so I really would like to encourage as many new faces as possible to come along. Whether you are a new member or have recently joined, your Under 30s team looks forward to welcoming you to all the other Under 30s events planned for the forthcoming 12 months. I wish all the best to the new team being elected at our AGM on 9th February. They are hugely enthusiastic and welcoming to new ideas, so do feel free to get in touch.
contact Rhydian for more information Rhydian Scurlock-Jones 07807 999177 rsjones@savills.com
18 • The Farmers Club New Year Journal 2013
Co-operation key to farm success A WELL ATTENDED Under Thirties reception and dinner was held at the Club on 16th November 2012, with guest speaker Christine Tacon CBE, chair of the BBC’s Rural Affairs Advisory Committee and former managing director of Co-operative Farms. Christine enlightened the audience on how a Cambridge University Engineering graduate became managing director of the UK’s largest farming operation via Cranfield University and the Mars confectionary company. Christine joined the Co-op as their farms MD, steering the business out of making a £6million loss when she took the helm in 2000 to making a £6million profit when she left in January 2012. Combines were sold and not bought and the farms which are spread the length and breadth of Britain were encouraged to share their machinery. Interestingly when Christine joined the Co-op the majority of the produce from the business was sold outside the Co-operative group to other supermarkets. After much persuasion she managed to introduce the “grown by us” range, allowing the group to benefit from its own added value. At the time of the sale of their dairy herd the Co-op was the UK’s largest milk producer. However, with high demands on capital and very little return Christine took the decision to sell the herd allowing the group to focus on other less risky and more profitable enterprises. Christine’s speech focused on the need for greater co-operation within the farming sector, especially when it comes to purchasing variable inputs
such as seeds, spray, and fertilisers. As a farming group the Co-op had found huge cost savings in central purchasing and she emphasised the opportunities for neighbouring farmers to collaborate and purchase together to benefit from similar cost savings. Christine finished by taking questions from the room, which led to in-depth discussion about matters the UK needs to address to remain competitive in the world of agriculture. It was felt there was space for large super farms. However, these need to manage the public perception very carefully. Whilst welfare can be far better in many cases than on smaller farmer this needs to be portrayed to the public much better than in the past. It was however considered that super farms do not spell the end for the small family farm. Continental farmers operate on a much smaller average farm size than the British, but have remained competitive by means of cooperation with neighbouring growers to improve efficiency and reduce overheads. Surprisingly, Christine has observed a huge skill shortage in the horticulture sector, where the earning potential is far greater than the agricultural industry, due to the shortage of skilled and knowledgeable staff. The evening was drawn to a close and members remained at the Club bar until it closed, after which the adventurous tackled the Utopia night club adjacent on the Embankment until the small hours. • Edward Tabner Under 30s Member
U30s • Rhydian Scurlock-Jones, Chairman; Jeremy Dyas, Vice Chairman; MaryAnne Salisbury, Secretary
English wine success Did you toast the New Year with a bottle of sparkling English wine? You should have done, says Under 30s member Roxana Nazemi
Photo: Ian Whiting
English wines produced from English grapes have established a fine reputation amongst those in the know, says Under 30s member Roxana Nazemi
2012’s miserable summer and autumn meant many English vineyards struggled to produce grapes worth processing
For every bottle of wine produced in the British Isles, almost 20,000 bottles are imported
THERE is much ongoing debate on the topic of English wine; indeed, it is rare that a week goes by without mention of English wine in the national press or industry publications such as Decanter. Whether this involves a new vineyard, an award-winning wine or a Royal endorsement, English wine has become a popular subject for discussion. At present (and happily for producers), demand for English wine exceeds supply; those who know it like it, but not enough is being produced to satisfy consumer wants. This enables producers to maintain their premium prices. With a recent increase in largescale plantings, however, (for instance those planted by Waitrose and Sainsbury’s), supply should increase rapidly once these new vineyards become productive. The issue of awareness becomes important in the light of such an increase in production; with many new plantings, will the producers be able to sell all their stock whilst maintaining a premium price
position? English producers simply cannot compete on price with the low-cost, mass-produced wines from abroad. Another problem for the industry is the misuse and misunderstanding of terminology: ‘British’ wine is cheap, mass produced wine from imported wine concentrate, often boxed; ‘English’ wine, by contrast, is produced in England from grapes grown in England. It is not surprising that many a consumer who has sampled the inferior ‘British’ wine is put off English wine entirely! Having an interest in wine, I decided, in early 2010, to study for a Masters in Wine Business at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, and wrote my thesis on improving domestic awareness of English sparkling wine. To further increase my knowledge of viticulture, I volunteered at Warden Abbey Vineyard in Bedfordshire. At less than five acres, it was never intended as a large-scale commercial venture when it was planted 26 years ago on the site of a mediaeval vineyard, though it has certainly enjoyed local support and has produced several award-winning wines. Since 2010, it has been run solely by volunteers as a community vineyard, with the aim of “achieving a financially and environmentally sustainable future for the vineyard whilst anchoring it in the community and promoting local food production”. Unfortunately, the yields for the 2012 harvest were down, due to poor weather conditions. Whilst some wine will still be produced, many English producers, most notably Nyetimber, have completely discarded their 2012 harvest – the grapes were not deemed good enough for their premium-quality wines. Wine production in the United Kingdom has come a long way in recent decades. However, there is scope for it to go so much further. For every bottle of wine produced in the British Isles, almost 20,000 bottles are imported; it is no surprise, therefore, that English wine is a relative unknown to the English consumer, let alone internationally. Despite this, many supermarkets and specialist retailers are now selling local wines; in an age of environmental concerns and carbon footprints, consumers are seeking out good wines that have not had to traverse the globe to arrive at their table. It is also something of a novelty in the UK to be able to serve locally produced wine. Indeed, to my delight, English sparkling wine was served at my recent graduation ceremony in Cirencester! Whilst it is true that England really does not have the climate for the rich red wines of Bordeaux, bottlefermented sparkling wines are becoming increasingly popular with English wineries, a number of which have even been compared with the sparkling wines of Champagne. In some blind tastings, English sparkling wines have even surpassed those produced in Champagne. The problem, therefore, does not lie in England’s ability to produce wines of note; rather, it lies in the wine industry’s ability to convince the wider public that English wine really can compete. Despite Baroness Philippine de Rothschild’s caution: “Winemaking is easy. Only the first 200 years are difficult”, the future of English wine looks very encouraging indeed.
www.thefarmersclub.com • 19
Stephen Skinner • Club News
Club News New year, new focus ON reflecting on the past year, it is true to say that once again there has been much change, which I know is unsettling for many, writes Club Secretary Stephen Skinner. However, in the Committee’s view, these changes have been needed as we look to adapt to changing circumstances and demands. One of the key areas of change has been in catering where it is fair to say that in the past we have not performed as we might. This is not for want of trying. But having now looked at other Clubs, and with the help of a very able consultant, we are gradually turning things around. This is being achieved under the leadership of our Operations Manager, Mr Haffa Benhacene and our new Head Chef, Mr Raffi Hazmi. I am genuinely excited about the future and believe we can deliver what you the members want while at the same time not sustain the financial losses we have traditionally endured. On the matter of what you want, we are about to undertake a survey, both by email and followed up by telephone (if convenient and wanted!) – see panel. This is, in all honesty, long overdue but it will help us, I hope, develop the Club in a way that gets broad acceptance. In the meantime I am endeavouring to increase the number of bedrooms
(all to be en-suite); improve the meeting rooms; improve the layout of the main public rooms; and as previously mentioned, improve the catering. All this is happening while trying to retain the vitally important ethos and culture of the Club. Early on in my tenure as Secretary I was asked by a new member what I actually meant by ethos and culture, which made me stop and really think. I accept it is an easy phrase to have trip off the tongue but not so easy to define. However, what I think I mean is the refreshingly honest approach you the members bring to the Club which in turn enables the friendly attitude that pervades throughout. While we all have our moments, the staff enjoy being able to talk to you and not, as you so often see in hotels and other establishments, walk around with a fixed, defensive grin in place. Moreover, ladies should be able to walk in to the bar in the evening without feeling uneasy. It seems almost silly to make this last point but actually, it is very important and we must all work hard to maintain this. The coming year yet again offers many challenges. But with your input, and a fair wind, I believe we can continue to develop the Club in a way that can both deliver what you want and is also commercially viable.
Club dining evening As part of the drive to further spread the good word about the catering on offer at the Farmers Club a special dining evening is planned for Friday 15th February, in the company of popular TV celebrity chef Phil Vickery. As one of Britain’s favourite chefs Phil has become a familiar face on TV’s This Morning show over the past 11 years. Since his career kicked off as a Commis Chef at the Burlington Hotel on Folkestone seafront, Phil has worked his way up the kitchen ranks, taking in the very smart Michael’s Nook hotel in Grasmere, Cumbria and the Michelin starred Gravetye Manor in East Grinstead. This special evening will start with pre-dinner drinks in the Club from 7pm followed by a specially created menu, prepared by the Club’s kitchen staff, led by new chef Raffi Hazmi, under Phil’s guidance. Tickets priced £60.00 include dinner, pre-dinner drinks and wine. To reserve your place visit the booking area of the Club website at www.thefarmersclub.com or contact Lynne Wilson (meetings@thefarmersclub.com) 020 7930 3557 (option 3).
Membership survey
The Worshipful Company of Farmers celebrated 60 years as a livery company of the City of London at the 2012 Lord Mayor’s Show, where current Master and past chairman of The Farmers Club John Reynolds (centre) led a display contrasting a 1952 Fordson with a 2012 Claas Xerion tractor. The statistics contrast starkly – weight 2t / 24t; power 51 / 525hp; fuel tank 67 / 1000 litres; ploughing 10 / 100 acres per day; cost £410 / over £300,000; world population 2.5 / 7 billion.
20 • The Farmers Club New Year Journal 2013
TO find out how the needs of Club members can be better served a comprehensive survey is being undertaken in early 2013. The initial questionnaire will be distributed by email, so if we don’t have your email details, or you do not use email, do contact the Secretariat. A round of telephone interviews will then examine issues in more depth with a broad cross-section of randomly selected members. Clearly, your participation is valuable and we look forward to hearing from you. As an added incentive all participants will be entered into a draw for a case of Club Claret.
Club News • Stephen Skinner
Club Calendar Diary Dates Please check the dates carefully as they are sometimes changed and new dates added for each issue. Details of Club events circulated in the previous issues are available online at www.thefarmersclub.com George Weston, chairman of the Weston family’s global ABF business, was welcomed to the Club in November by 2012 vice-chairman Stewart Houston. Mr Weston explained how important farming efficiencies were to his business, which includes British Sugar, Vivergo, Twinings Tea and Primark, and has a turnover of over £12bn from 100,000 staff around the world. Agricultural productivity, which needed to increase by 1.3% per year to meet global targets by 2050, was a matter close to his heart. Exceeding today’s 0.7% annual improvement could be achieved by applying current best practise to existing farmland without technological breakthroughs.
New Club Chaplain I AM delighted to announce that the Revd Dr Sam Wells of St Martin-in-the-Fields, has graciously accepted the Committee’s offer of becoming the Club’s Chaplain in succession to Bishop Nick Holtam who is now the Bishop of Salisbury. The Revd Dr Sam delivered a wonderful sermon at our Harvest Festival Service this year and then he and his wife, Jo, joined us at the Club afterwards.
FEBRUARY Club Dinner with Phil Vickery Friday 15th See panel on p20. More details at www.thefarmersclub.com
City Food Lecture at the Guildhall (Not a Club event)
Phil Vickery
Monday 25th
MARCH Carmen at the Royal Albert Hall – FULL Friday 1st Booking form in last issue
Manet Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts Carmen at the Albert Hall
Friday 8th Booking form in last issue
Theatre Evening – This House Friday 15th Booking coupon on p22
APRIL St. George’s Day Lunch at Butchers Hall St. George’s Day Lunch
Tuesday 23rd Book on-line at www.thefarmersclub.com
Plough Sunday FARMING is back in the City of London for a special Plough Sunday-themed celebration at St Paul’s Cathedral, where state-of-the-art tractors, combines and handlers, crops and livestock, will help City workers better understand how their food is produced. The Addington Fundorganised event runs from 8am-8pm on Wednesday 16 January, with a special Evensong service at 5pm to be attended by key industry figures, including NFU President Peter Kendall.
MAY Visit to the Leckford Estate, Hampshire Saturday 4th
Balmoral Show Dinner, Ulster Tuesday 14th
Bordeaux Wine Tour Leckford Estate
Suffolk Show Drinks reception Wednesday 29th See next issue for booking details
CLUB CLOSURE 5pm Thursday 28th March to 8am Tuesday 2nd April Members may book a bedroom to stay when the Club is closed on the understanding that it is on a room only basis as no other facilities are available.
Tuesday 21st to Friday 24th Contact Secretariat for information
Visit to Windsor Great Park Friday 31st See next issue for booking details Bordeaux Wine Tour
www.thefarmersclub.com • 21
The Farmers Club • Club Information
Club Information 020 7930 3751 • www.thefarmersclub.com Theatre visit Office Holders Patron – Her Majesty The Queen HONORARY VICE PRESIDENTS Peter Jackson CBE, Sir David Naish DL VICE PRESIDENTS Mark Hudson, Roddy Loder-Symonds, John Parker, Norman Shaw CBE
This House
THE COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT OF THE CLUB 2013 PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN Stewart Houston CBE TRUSTEES Barclay Forrest OBE (Chairman), Mrs Susan Kilpatrick OBE, Mrs Nicki Quayle, Julian Sayers VICE-CHAIRMAN Jimmy McLean HONORARY TREASURER Richard Butler IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN Paul Heygate CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND SECRETARY Air Commodore Stephen Skinner
Following a sell-out run in the Cottesloe, James Graham’s acclaimed play transfers to the Olivier Theatre from February 2013. The setting is 1974. The UK faces economic crisis and a hung parliament. In a culture hostile to cooperation, it’s a period when votes are won or lost by one, when there are fist fights in the bars and when sick MPs are carried through the lobby to register their vote. “Let those on the continent cooperate and hug and kiss each other on the ruddy cheek. Here in Britain, one party governs and we get things done.” It’s a time when a staggering number of politicians die, and the building creaks under idiosyncrasies and arcane traditions. “A minority government? No one with any sense or gumption gives you more than a matter of weeks. You’re gonna fall, and fast, and hard. So start finding things to land on. Now.”
CLUB CHAPLAIN The Reverend Sam Wells
Friday 15th March – Farmers Club group programme: 5.30pm Supper in the Club 6.45pm Depart The Farmers Club by private transfer for The Olivier at the National Theatre 7.30pm Performance of ‘This House’ 10.45pm Transfers back to The Farmers Club
COMMITTEE Elected 2008: The Reverend Dr Gordon Gatward OBE, David Richardson OBE (Chairman – Journal and Communications Sub-Committee), John Wilson Elected 2009: John Stones Elected 2011: Andrew Brown, Micheal Summers (Chairman – Membership Sub-Committee)
The cost is £84.00 per person and this will include a 2 x course dinner at the Club with wine, a ticket for This House at The Olivier at the National Theatre and return transfers.
Elected 2012: Mrs Ionwen Lewis, Charles Notcutt OBE (Chairman – House Sub-Committee)
Applications will be dealt with on a first come first served basis as tickets are limited. (Maximum 2 per member). CLOSING DATE: Friday 15 February 2013
Elected 2013: Lindsay Hargreaves, Tim Harvey, Nick Helme, George Jessel DL, Peter Jinman OBE, Mrs Jo Turnbull Co-opted: Rhydian Scurlock-Jones (Chairman Under 30s), Jeremy Dyas (Vice Chairman Under 30s) THE FARMERS CLUB CHARITABLE TRUST TRUSTEES John Kerr MBE JP DL (Chairman), James Cross, Vic Croxson DL, Stephen Fletcher, Mrs Stella Muddiman JP, The Chairman and Immediate Past Chairman of the Club (ex officio)
Please complete in CAPITALS WITH FIRST NAME and return to MaryAnne Salisbury, Events Manager, The Farmers Club, 3 Whitehall Court, LONDON, SW1A 2EL. Tel: 020-7930 3751 Fax: 020-7839 7864 Email: events@thefarmersclub.com or book online at www.thefarmersclub.com I would like to reserve ……….. ticket(s) for Pre-Theatre Supper and This House on Friday 15th March @ £84.00 per person (maximum of 2) Please make a cheque payable to The Farmers Club or alternatively you may wish to pay by Credit Card. By credit card (please state card name i.e VISA) Card Holder’s Name
NEXT ISSUE
Card No. Start Date
Expiry Date
Security No. (last 3 digits)
Signature
Watch out for your Spring issue of the Farmers Club Journal, due out in mid-March, packed full of content including our new chef’s thoughts on Phil Vickery’s gourmet evening at The Club, a fascinating insight into food exports, the Oxford Farming Conference and how you can steer clear of a cross-compliance crisis. 22 • The Farmers Club New Year Journal 2013
Members Name Guests Name Address
! Tel
Post Code Email
Club Information • The Farmers Club
Further information is available on The Farmers Club Website www.thefarmersclub.com Honours and Awards Members honoured in the Queen’s New Year Honours’ List will be shown in the next issue. Kindly inform the Membership Secretary if you received an Honour. Obituaries It is with regret that we announce the death of the following members: Mr J Noel-White Kent Miss E Humphrey Yorkshire Mr W Poole Down Mr J Crouch Dorset Mr D Rawkins Norfolk New Members The following were elected: UK Members Mr S Alderman Mr M Armytage Mr A Bateson Mr A Bell Mr J Besent OBE Mr T Bodley Scott Colonel A Brand Mr P Brotherton Mr W Furnival Miss N Garton Mr P Glendinnig Ms S Golds Mr J Graves Mrs P Holliday Mr J Holmes Mr B Humphrey Mr C Johnson Professor P Lees Mr A Little Mr J Marshall Mr B McQuain Mr A Moffatt Mr G Morris
Pembrokeshire Oxfordshire Northumberland Yorkshire Norfolk Hertfordshire Somerset Kent Devon Hertfordshire Herefordshire Essex Lancashire Yorkshire Yorkshire Northamptonshire Yorkshire Hertfordshire Armagh Warwickshire Eire Leicestershire London
Mr G Oakley
Sussex
Mrs S Oates
Hampshire
Mr C Peachey MBE
Gloucestershire
Mr S Pemberton
Essex
Mrs J Redmond
Merioneth
Mr S Rix
Devon
Mr T Roberts
Dorset
Mr M Rowland
Over 160 years of service to farming 3 Whitehall Court, London SW1A 2EL
Buckinghamshire
Mr R Schofield
Yorkshire
Mrs H Shropshire Miss C Stocks
Shropshire Derbyshire
Mrs S Story
Gloucestershire
Mrs J Thomas
Cumberland
Mr C Tozer
Essex
Mr S Turley
Lincolnshire
Mr J Wall
Chairman 2013: Stewart Houston
London
Mr S Wells
Herefordshire
Overseas Maitre M Levy
Overseas
Under 30s Miss E Allen Miss K Allen Miss L Allen Miss J Allen Mr H Chamberlain Mr E Ford Mr R Garner Miss C Grierson Miss C Lay Miss E McVeigh Mr C Neilson Mr G Owen Mr J Perry Miss H Pimblett Mr S Pimblett Mr J Shaw Mr T Smith Mr S Thomas
Oxfordshire Oxfordshire Oxfordshire Oxfordshire Oxfordshire Essex Cheshire Yorkshire Oxfordshire Suffolk Aberdeenshire Leicestershire Cornwall Hertfordshire Hertfordshire London Gloucestershire Aberdeenshire
Whitehall Court Ms A Pasian
London
The following members were elected to serve on the General Committee from 1 January 2013.
Tim Harvey (Northamptonshire) Farms 1050 acres, primarily arable and small livery; and mostly tenanted on the Althorp estate. Fellow of NIAB and member of the CLA, NFU and Camgrain. Interests include field sports.
THE FARMERS CLUB
Wiltshire
Dr C Ruscoe
Committee Election 2013 - 2015 Lindsay Hargreaves (Norfolk) An independent farming and food consultant specialising in farming at scale and water for agriculture in the UK and overseas. Nuffield Scholar and an associate of the Royal Agricultural Societies.
Club Contacts
Nick Helme (Herefordshire) A graduate of Aberystwyth University, Nuffield Scholar and in parallel with his arable farming operation in Herefordshire, works as a management and engineering consultant, specialising in renewable energy, waste recycling and bio-digestion.
Peter Jinman OBE (Herefordshire) Past President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the British Veterinary Association. Director of Assured Food Standards (Red Tractor), Veterinary Consultancy Services Ltd. and Trustee of the Addington Fund.
George Jessel DL (Kent) Farms over 1000 acres on the Kent Downs, comprising arable, environmental, permanent grass and a small shoot. Chairman of the Kent County Agricultural Society and member of the Canterbury Farmers Club, Kent Rural Board, NFU and the CLA.
Mrs Jo Turnbull (Durham) Runs small hill sheep farm in Durham with husband. Past Chair of Red Meat Slaughter Group, lay member of BVA Ethics and Welfare Committee, member of CAWC. Since 2006, Chairman of the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust.
Chief Executive and Secretary: Air Commodore Stephen Skinner Bedroom & Dining Room Reservations: 020-7930 3557 Private Function & Meeting Room Reservations: 020-7925 7100 Accounts: 020-7925 7101 Membership: 020-7925 7102 Secretariat: 020-7930 3751 Personal calls for members only: 020-7930 4730 Fax: 020-7839 7864 E-mails: secretariat@thefarmersclub.com accounts@thefarmersclub.com membership@thefarmersclub.com functions@thefarmersclub.com meetings@thefarmersclub.com events@thefarmersclub.com reservations@thefarmersclub.com reception@thefarmersclub.com u30s@thefarmersclub.com 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 The printing inks are made using vegetable based oils. No film or film processing chemicals were used. Printed on Lumi Silk which is ISO 14001 certified manufacturer. FSC Mixed Credit. Elemental chlorine free (ECF) fibre sourced from well managed forests.
www.thefarmersclub.com • 23
Farmers Club
Events
Bordeaux Wine Tour Tuesday 21st to Friday 24th May Guided tour to leading vineyards and food producers in Western France
Club Dining Evening with Chef Phil Vickery
Visit to Windsor Great Park
Friday 15th February Special dining evening in The Club with celebrity TV chef Phil Vickery
An opportunity to enjoy the 1000 acres of woodland, lakes and gardens, preceded by dinner at the Club the night before
Carmen at the Royal Albert Hall
Visit to Dumfries Farm in Ayrshire and SAC
Friday 1st March
Tuesday 18th & Wednesday 19th June
L L FU
A musical spectacular as the world’s most popular opera is staged “in the round” at the glorious Albert Hall, preceded by supper at the Club, with coach transfer included
Friday 31st May
A fascinating insight into the latest investment in farming by a major retailer
Manet Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts
Harvest Festival Service
Friday 8th March
Wonderful service with the choir at St Martin-in-the-Fields followed by Buffet Supper at the Club
Lunch at the Club followed by a visit to the first major exhibition in the UK to showcase Edouard Manet’s portraiture
Tuesday 8th October
St. George’s Day Lunch at Butchers Hall
Visit to Piedmont Region of Italy
Tuesday 23rd April
October
The Club’s annual event to mark the national day of England
Visit to Italy, led by Club Chairman, Stewart Houston
Visit to Leckford Estate in Hampshire Saturday 4th May A rare opportunity to visit this impressive farming estate, preceded by dinner at the Club the night before
Application forms included in this and future Journals