Farmers First Issue 49 - Autumn 2018

DIVERSIFICATION SPECIAL

Issue 49 | Autumn 2018

VARIETY DAY WAS THE BEST YET Over 200 farmers, a range of exhibitors and great weather ensured success at the Fram Farmers/ Apex Agronomy/Prime Agriculture/Walnes Seeds Variety Day on 27 June.

When it comes to assessing varieties there’s nothing quite like seeing them growing side by side, and where better on a beautiful summer’s day than BASF’s Real Results Farms site at R. H. Forrest’s Mowness Hall in Suffolk, which included 32 varieties on the AHDB Recommended List, as well as candidates.

The event featured exhibits by a range of suppliers, including crop mapping company Hummingbird Technologies which flew its drones over the site to record video and still images.

The event’s success was due in no small part

CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE FOCUS ON ROOT HEALTH

to Fram Farmers’ collaboration with Apex Agronomy and Prime Agriculture, two of East Anglia’s leading independent agronomy groups, together with BASF and Walnes Seeds. Thanks also to host James Forrest for providing the immaculate site and excellent facilities.

Amanda Owen, who runs Fram Farmers’ Seed Desk and coordinated the event, stated: “This was an excellent opportunity for existing members and farmers who are thinking of  Continued on page 4

IMPROVED ROOT HEALTH BROAD SPECTRUM DISEASE CONTROL OF ESTABLISHMENT DISEASES REALISE THE POTENTIAL OF YOUR SEED Syngenta UK Ltd. Registered in England No. 849037.

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Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use.

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YOUR

Serving the Eastern Region for 90 Years

What, a Relief?

Growing houses continues to be more attractive to many farmers and landowners than growing crops, this despite a reported decline in the value of development land, particularly for larger developments. Writes Andrew Winearls Although onerous Section 102 levies may apply, the Capital Gains Tax regime remains gentle. However, it should not be assumed that tax reliefs will automatically be available. Legislation imposes qualifying conditions and to ignore these is to invite a greater tax liability than need be incurred.

Entrepreneur’s Relief can only be claimed on the sale of land in conjunction with the disposal of an interest in a business. It is not available for any disposal of a business asset. Getting tax planning in place can pay dividends. A disposal can be in favour of a wife or other family member and can be of as little as a 5% holding in a trading company or a 5% interest in a partnership. Such a disposal opens the possibility for a claim for Entrepreneurs’ Relief in respect of an associated disposal of a business asset. This would be an asset owned by the shareholder or partner and used by the company or partnership business.

Payment of rent can prejudice a claim and time limits have to be observed but the reward for getting things right is a 10% rate of tax. A detailed review, well in advance of a possible disposal, could be well worthwhile. The qualifying conditions are complex but it is possible that adjustments could be made which may secure the relief and therefore considerably lower the tax charge.

For a Sole Trader, the disposal of an interest in the business may be by transferring the trade to a Limited Company. The letting of land would not qualify as a business for this purpose so taking land back in hand and farming it directly or using a contractor may be an option to open up the possibility of a lower tax charge.

The conditions for Rollover Relief tend to be more straightforward and centre on timing, qualifying assets and amounts reinvested. Once again, leased land would not qualify.

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Capital gains tax at 20% on development land profits for higher rate taxpayers is, in historical terms, generous. To be able to halve that rate by planning the sale so that Entrepreneurs’ Relief can be obtained or deferring the tax, possibly indefinitely, by claiming Rollover Relief is just the icing on the cake.

Information on which this article is based is correct at the time of publishing.

Any updates are available on our website whitingandpartners.co.uk

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CEO COMMENT

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FOCUS ON DIVERSIFICATION Richard Anscombe, Chief Executive At an uncertain time for farming it’s vital to evaluate diversification options and seek inspiration from those who have been down that route, some of whom feature in this issue.

When Guy Taylor took over his family’s farm in West Suffolk he realised that the land alone could not provide sufficient income to support his family, parents, brother and sister, while the old buildings were unsuited to modern farming and costly to maintain. He converted some into offices, attractive brick and flint barns became a high-quality events venue and he started a weddings business. Through excellent service, happy customers and professional marketing it has gone from strength to strength and now generates more income than the farm.

Transforming green waste into compost for their farm in Kent and sale to others has been

a valuable diversification for the Taylor family.

A stand-alone business, it now contributes as much to the family’s income as farming.

ROYAL CUSTOMER

The Crickmore family’s Fen Farm Dairy at Bungay in Suffolk produced cheese eaten at the recent Royal wedding. Jonny and Dulcie also produce and sell raw milk from their pure bred Montbeliarde cows. The couple’s Bungay Raw Butter is the UK’s only raw farmhouse butter, and their ‘Baron Bigod’ is the country’s only traditional raw milk Brie-de-Meaux style cheese. As a side venture, the Crickmores have become the UK representative for DF Italia milk vending machines and installed one at the farm gate to greatly increase the value of their milk.

When Andrew Freemantle returned to the 70-acre Kenniford Farm at Clyst St Mary near Exeter in 1994, he converted former dairy buildings to house pigs. After enjoying a good run for three years, a rise in the value of Sterling caused pig prices to halve, forcing many producers out of business. In 2000 Andrew opened Kenniford Farm shop and café to sell home-reared pork. Today, alongside home-produced meat products, it stocks a

wide selection of local produce, sells to local restaurants, pubs, B&Bs and retail outlets.

Andrew also runs a very popular hog roasting business and a fleet of catering trailers. Catering revenues now exceed those from pig production.

IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES

Clearly, there is huge potential for farms to diversify, but you must identify potential opportunities, do your research, understand how the supply chain works, work out how you can add value, draw on the character and history of your area and appreciate the value of building a brand.

The importance of this was underlined recently when my wife and I were in Austria and stopped for lunch at a restaurant which specialises in locally-sourced produce. Every part of our cold meat platter was from local farms and so good that we decided to try to replicate it at home using foods produced entirely in Suffolk. Through local artisan butcher Palfrey & Hall in Debenham we did just that, which highlights the demand for high-quality local produce and services.

NORTH WEST MEMBER GETS INTO CENTRAL STORAGE

In June, Fram Farmers organised a farm walk at the Kay family’s Union Bank Farm in Cheshire. Jonathan Kay had handled the drying and storing of the farm’s grain for 30 years when he investigated the viability of building a central store to develop the family business, which needed new grain cleaning, drying and storage facilities but could not justify the investment for 600 acres of cereals. The alliance between ADM Direct and Fram Farmers provided the catalyst for UBF Grain Store Limited, which started in 2011 and is now a successful diversification.

Fram Farmers, Station Road, Framlingham, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP13 9EE Tel 01728 727700 Every precaution has been taken to ensure that the material published in Farmers First is accurate at the time of printing. For further details about anything featured in this edition please call Sophie Clarke at Fram Farmers on 01728 727700, or Julian Cooksley and Charles Macdowell at Land Communication on 01473 353613.

Extensive Range Metric & Imperial High Tensile & Stainless

4 ARABLE - VARIETY DAY, MOWNESS HALL, SUFFOLK

“Currently our biggest Group 1 varieties have been Skyfall and Crusoe. All current Group 1 varieties have good Septoria resistance which is helpful, but Crusoe’s weakness to brown rust has made us look at moving to KWS Zyatt. We will continue with the Skyfall which is a good second wheat and has the benefit of being the only midge-resistant milling wheat currently on the recommended list.

“Leeds has been a big variety in the soft wheat market and suited to our London clays, being vigorous and high-tillering. It does have weaknesses in mildew and Septoria, so we will look for a new G3 variety and Elicit looks to be the preferred choice.

“KWS Santiago has been our G4 hard feed wheat of choice and still performs well. We have always liked its consistency but will look for a replacement with better Septoria resistance. I think that will be Gleam.”

A view of the site from a Hummingbird drone.  Continued from page 1 joining to meet us in an informal setting. Many did not realise the full extent of what we can offer and were very impressed.”

IDEAL OPPORTUNITY Robert Hurren, Apex Agronomy “We had over 100 clients here today,” said Robert Hurren of Apex Agronomy. “It was an ideal opportunity to view wheat varieties grown under local conditions, evaluate the latest fungicides, talk over issues and meet suppliers.

“Despite the very wet winter and cold, wet spring, crops came through very well and everything looked set for a bumper harvest until early June, which marked the start of weeks of hot weather with no rain.

Graham Brooks, Prime Agriculture CROP CONSIDERATIONS Graham Brooks of Prime Agriculture, stated: “My clients in Essex are largely Group 1 milling and G3 or G4 soft wheat growers, with some producing Group 4 hard feed wheats. These are grown mostly on either chalky boulder clays or London clay.

“With the loss of some triazole fungicides, and potentially chlorothalonil, I have recommended clients to choose varieties with good Septoria resistance for the coming year. Essex has had a high level of Orange Wheat Blossom Midge activity, but we have always chosen resistant varieties where possible and will continue to do so.

Matthew Keane, BASF

SEPTORIA DISCUSSED “It was a busy, buzzing event which worked out well and was exactly what we wanted,” stated Matthew Kean of BASF. “Fram Farmers did an excellent job of mobilising their members, while it was great to see so many clients from Apex Agronomy and Prime Agriculture, Walnes Seeds provided growers with an impartial view of each variety, which was very well received, and the level of exhibitor support was good to see.

“After the exceptionally wet spring Septoria was a big issue at T1 and T2. Growers were naturally very interested in talking about it and how to get the best out of fungicides, including the Cura Crop system which helps to detect unseen Septoria on upper leaves at T2 timing.

“BASF now have the strongest line-up of fungicides, herbicides and insecticides that

“The varieties I like the look of included Gleam, Elicit as a G3 option and Shabras. Orange Wheat Blossom Midge was a real issue in Suffolk, so growers should consider resistant varieties. Lemon Wheat Blossom Midge is an increasing issue but there are no resistant varieties. At a time when the industry is losing products, it is reassuring to see that BASF’s Revysol fungicide looks promising.”

Gleam, a very high yielding, hard Group 4 feed winter wheat, performs well in all regions and on heavy land, so it looks like being a very good fit for many growers. Elsoms’ Elicit, a Group 3 candidate with biscuit and export potential, is generating significant interest with those looking for premium potential.

ARABLE - VARIETY DAY, MOWNESS HALL, SUFFOLK

Andrew Cooper, Walnes Seeds

Exhibitors Gleadell Yara Ilex Envirosciences Premier Seeds

COLLECTIVE VIEWPOINT

Hundreds of bacon rolls, hamburgers and drinks were served throughout the day.

“All of those involved in this event have a lot of shared clients, so it makes sense to talk to them from a collective viewpoint,” said Andrew Cooper, Managing Director of Walnes Seeds, an independent agricultural seed specialist and merchant which relocated to a brand-new production facility at Earl Soham, Suffolk in 2013.

His message of the day was “Let’s grow more Group 1, Group 3 and midge-resistant varieties.”

Command Pest Control FlyiBot Hummingbird Case IH K & M Tyres Hawk Hire RTK JJT Comms Toyota Agrihire

I have known in my time with the company and an exciting pipeline of products for years ahead. One big ‘watch out’ is the potential loss of fungicide active ingredients which will be a real challenge, but there comes a point where you have to move on.”

BASF’s new cereal fungicide ‘Revysol’ attracted great interest from visitors, as did the company’s Blackgrass Battle Bus, with Campaign Manager Ruth Stanley reminding growers that blackgrass can cost up to £600/ha in lost yield, so it is important to think about how it negates the benefits of new varieties if not correctly controlled.

Walnes Seeds

Futher Deatils:

Crop nutrition specialists Ilex EnviroSciences are loyal supporters of the Variety Day.

BASF Crop Protection UK: T: 0845 602 2553 E: technicalhotline@basf.com W:www.agricentre.basf.co.uk Apex Agronomy: T:07766 104047 E: info@apexagronomy.co.uk W: www.apexagronomy.co.uk Prime Agriculture: T: 01603 881852 E: enquiries@primeag.co.uk W: www.primeag.co.uk Walnes Seeds: T: 01728 684180 E: andrew@walnesseeds.co.uk W: www.walnesseeds.com

Secure your crop with Latitude® n Protects yield, quality and profits DON’T LET TAKE-ALL STEAL YOUR YIELD

n Reduces take-all in wheat and barley n Enables flexibility of drilling date n Improves nutrient and water uptake

LATITUDE® The only take-all seed treatment

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5

CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE FOCUS ON ROOT HEALTH

IMPROVED ROOT HEALTH BROAD SPECTRUM DISEASE CONTROL OF ESTABLISHMENT DISEASES REALISE THE POTENTIAL OF YOUR SEED

Syngenta UK Ltd. Registered in England No. 849037. CPC4 Capital Park, Fulbourn, Cambridge CB21 5XE. Tel: 01223 883400 Fax: 01223 882195 Technical Enquiries Tel: 0800 169 6058 Email: customer.services@syngenta.com Website: www.syngenta.co.uk.

VIBRANCE DUO® is a Registered Trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. VIBRANCE DUO® (MAPP 17838) contains fludioxonil and sedaxane. Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use. For further product information including warning phrases and symbols refer to www.syngenta.co.uk February 2017. GQ07004.

BOOST

YOUR

ARABLE: MEMBER PROFILE - SHIMPLING PARK FARMS, SUFFOLK

IS ORGANIC FARMING THE WAY FORWARD? Fram Farmers members visited Shimpling Park Farms in Suffolk during April to hear about modern organic farming systems from owner John Pawsey and tour his fully-organic farm.

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FARM FACTS 1360 Hectares of organic cropping on a six-year rotation

Year 1 grass/clover/herbal ley or diverse clover mixture Year 2 grass/clover/herbal ley or diverse clover mixture Year 3 winter spelt/wheat or spring quinoa Year 4 spring oats/barley Year 5 winter beans or spring peas, inter-cropped?

Year 6 spring barley - under-sown Budgeted Yield

The Swedish-made Chameleon drill/inter-row weeder has become a key part of the system since it arrived in 2015.

“Organic farming puts farmers back in control and offers a way forward at a time when conventional agriculture faces significant pressure and uncertainty,” states John, who with his wife Alice began the conversion process in 1999. He states: “Seventy per cent of organic combinable crops are imported, so UK buyers are looking

to source more UK-produced organic products and will pay a genuine premium. Given Brexit we’re very pleased not to be farming conventionally.

We decided to change partly because, even with an independent agronomist, we were spraying all the time without really knowing the long-term effects, which was a big concern as

HARVEST 2000 TO HARVEST 2005 COMPARISON Output

Non-organic £/HA

Organic £/HA

Sales

545.28

432.67

Area Aid

235.47

302.41

Other Income

1.79

87.68

TOTAL OUTPUT

782.54

822.76

Seed

37.19

52.85

Fertiliser

81.60

36.84

Sprays

85.19

0.00

Rogueing

0.00

22.47

TOTAL VARIABLE COSTS

203.98

112.16

GROSS MARGIN

578.56

710.60

Cultivations

175.72

146.07

MARGIN LESS CULTIVATIONS

402.84

564.53

Variable Costs

Winter wheat (Heritage varieties) Winter barley Winter oats Spring wheat 6t/ha Spring barley 4t/ha Spring oats 4t/ha Spelt 4.5t/ha Quinoa Buckwheat Two-year leys Diverse clover leys Winter beans 3.2t/ha Spring beans Vetches and red clover 1,000 breeding ewes 2 full-time + 1 full-time shepherd + part-time help 0.6hp per hectare

I did the spraying. I was also worried that our soils were being over-worked, and by the diminishing biodiversity.

The farming landscape was very challenging, with wheat at £79/t and oilseed rape at £117/t.

Public awareness of environmental and animal welfare issues was increasing, and post-BSE there were lingering concerns over food safety. Farm diversification was coming onto the agenda and support for organics was growing with government and retail buyers.

The turning point was visiting Ben Powell at Place Farm, Hawstead. His father had ‘gone organic’ in the 1970s and the farm looked fantastic. In 1999 I converted 54ha and another 65ha in 2000, based

New Zealand Romney sheep are ideal for this fully-organic system.

8 ARABLE: MEMBER PROFILE - SHIMPLING PARK FARMS, SUFFOLK

on a six-year rotation comprising two years of grass/clover, winter wheat, triticale, beans and under-sown spring wheat. When we compared the margins the case for changing was clear.

“We use no fertilisers, and despite being BASIS trained I’ve not sprayed since 2007” Having seen our results, three farms that we managed decided to go organic and we’ve since taken on others whose owners are interested in this approach. It takes more time and effort to manage land organically, but the sector is developing rapidly. There’s a huge amount of technology available and more is on the way.

A DIFFERENT APPROACH

Quinoa is grown for a specialist market in the UK.

When I started the biggest difficulty was not farming conventionally. In my mind I was still growing for the ‘conventional’ market so I tried and failed to short-cut the organic system, struggled to establish under-sown crops and still looked at varieties’ disease resistance scores rather than crop architecture.

Achieving yield stability is fundamental, which rules out many modern varieties and splitting cropping between winter and spring-sown, which spreads the workload and reduces labour and machinery requirements.

Farming well organically involves doing a range of things to control weeds, pests and diseases naturally, in combination with proper rotations, and building fertility naturally using legumes or green manures.

Diversity is the name of the game, not just rotations but cultivations, drilling dates, crop competition, crop spacing, companion cropping, keeping livestock and weed control. Diverse cropping, and diversity within cropping, helps to

disrupt the lifecycle of pests and build populations of beneficial insects. We use a combination of sowing dates, crop spacing, bi-cropping, varietal blending and plant populations to help minimise disease, while allelopathy (using plants that harm or kill other nearby plants), drainage, livestock and mechanical methods help to control weeds.

Sheep were reintroduced to recycle nutrients.

New Zealand Romneys live outside yearround, require little management, lamb outside

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Hurricane® contains 500g/l (42% w/w) diflufenican. Gusto® contains 3% w/w metaldehyde. Crawler® contains 600 g/kg carbetamide. Falcon® contains 100 g/l (9.7% w/w) propaquizafop.

Blanco™ contains 360g/L (30.5% w/w) clomazone. Sultan® contains 500 g/l (44.3% w/w) metazachlor. Always read the label and product information before use.

For further product information, including warning phrases and symbols, refer to www.adama.com/uk or call The Technical Helpline on 01635 876 622.

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09/08/2018 13:16

ARABLE: MEMBER PROFILE - SHIMPLING PARK FARMS, SUFFOLK

successfully on their own, have good feet, are resistant to worms and do well on poorer pastures. Their meat is sold direct to the public, local high-end restaurants and butchers.

Farming organically, I feel much more connected to the whole process and my knowledge of farming, wildlife and the countryside has increased greatly, because every aspect is interrelated and requires you to be fully engaged with what’s going on.

I’m excited that more farmers are thinking this way and by the knowledge exchange taking place between the conventional and organic sectors.

The future for organic farming looks very positive and new technology is coming along which will help us to further increase profitability.”

Understand Your Customers John Pawsey says that yields are approximately one-third less than if he were to farm conventionally, but prices are usually double, allowing spare storage to be rented out.

All crops are produced on contract and marketed before they are drilled.

Barley and beans are supplied to British Quality Pigs on a pre-determined pricing mechanism, oats go to Whites in Ireland on a Min/Max contract, spelt and quinoa are on fixed-price contracts and quinoa is bagged for a specialist outlet in the UK. John has invested much time and effort into developing markets for products in the UK and has strong relationships with customers. This short supply chain is more stable and puts him at a significant advantage to most conventional farms.

Harvesting barley under-sown with red clover at Shimpling Park Farm

The 2017 Agricultural Budgeting & Costing Book puts the average gross margin for a three-year non-organic rotation covering winter oilseed rape, feed winter wheat and spring malting barley at £674/ha. For a six-year organic rotation with sheep it is significantly higher at £862/ha.

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9

THIS IS GROUND CONTROL

ASTROKerb

ASTROKerb is the most powerful dual-action weed control in oil seed rape.

Like Kerb Flo 500, it is exceptional against blackgrass with an added effective action against hard to control broad-leaved weeds, such as poppy and mayweed.

The innovative chemistry behind ASTROKerb combines residual with contact activity to control problematic weeds in winter oilseed rape. It is dual-action weed control that’s out of this world.

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ARABLE: SUPPLIER UPDATE – CROP PROTECTION

11

CRYSTAL. THE BEST START TO BLACK-GRASS CONTROL This season has seen an abundance of blackgrass in crops in different areas of the country, even though many thought control in the autumn was good. It’s a reminder that early planning is needed for effective black-grass control and the strategy should include a range of cultural and chemical techniques in order to be successful.

To get the best out of Crystal and the best start to your black-grass control programme: •

Utilise as many cultural techniques as possible e.g. stale seedbeds, delayed drilling, competitive seed rates and crops, etc.

•

Build a strong herbicide programme based on low resistance risk, soil acting residual chemistry. Pre-emergence applications of Crystal provide the best start for grassweed control delivering a robust flufenacet base and the strongest residual partner pendimethalin.

• Spray within 48 hours of drilling ideally on to moist, clod-free and consolidated seedbeds. Do not disturb the soil after application.

With black-grass infestations spreading and control from post-emergence herbicides reducing as a result of increased resistance, the pre-emergence spray is now an essential part of the herbicide programme.

Untreated

Crystal + Hurricane 240+1200+100 g/ha

An understanding of where black-grass seed sits within the soil profile is essential to get the cultivations correct and to choose the right drilling technique and timing for the field situation.

Competitive varieties at the right seed rate should play a part, so delayed drilling can be used and stale seedbeds can be taken advantage of.

“A mix of flufenacet and pendimethalin gives the best start to black-grass control” In any autumn sown cereal crop, use the best chemistry at the right rates and different modes of action to gain the greatest percentage control of black-grass.

Trials at the NIAB TAG site in Hardwick, Cambs this season showed clearly that a mix of flufenacet and pendimethalin give the best start to black-grass control and this can be found in the product Crystal.

At the Hardwick site, treatments of Crystal or Crystal plus diflufenican outperformed Liberator or Liberator plus Defy treatments. The extra residual grassweed component in pendimethalin clearly showing its value.

Flufenacet + PDM +DFF 240+1200+100 g/ha

Although it’s possible to make your own Crystal using generic active ingredients, the pictures above show the difference in control which Crystal can bring over generics.

It’s vital to get the best possible start to control black-grass to ensure crops are profitable by achieving their maximum potential yield.

A black-grass population of 300 heads per square metre will lose £615.60* per hectare at today’s prices, so it’s not something that growers should cut corners with. In severe black-grass populations use Avadex pre emergence followed by Crystal + DFF (4lt/ha + 0.2lt/ha) to gain maximum control of the weed.

“A black-grass population of 300 heads per square metre will lose £615.60* per hectare” Crystal is also the most reliable product for weed control. Over a number of seasons, in 51 separate BASF and independent trials, Crystal gives the most consistent levels of control when compared with Liberator.

*2016, S.Cook, J. Roberts, Optimising the competitive effects of hybrid barley for the control of Alopecurus myosuroides. 7th International Weed Science Congress, June 19-26 2016, Prague, Czech Republic

Crystal. Why risk using anything else for your crops.

12

MACHINERY: SUPPLIER UPDATE - OILS AND LUBRICANTS

MAKING CLEANER, GREENER FUEL CHOICES FOR YOUR FARM Growing concerns over the impact air pollution levels in the UK are having on our health and the environment, combined with a focus on the impact farming is having on natural ecosystems, means reducing emissions from diesel machinery is becoming an important consideration for farmers.

Exclusively available from Certas Energy in the UK, Shell GTL Fuel contributes to a sustainable future – helping farmers to make a smart choice for machinery and the farming workforce.

Part of the paraffinic family of fuels, Shell GTL Fuel is a cleaner burning alternative to diesel that has been proven to reduce emission levels of harmful pollutants such as nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) to immediately improve local air quality, along with many other benefits.

Here is what Northfield Farms had to say about using Shell GTL Fuel during this year’s harvest: "After using Shell GTL Fuel supplied by Certas Energy this harvest in a variety of Fendt, New Holland and JCB tractors, we noticed the difference immediately.

We previously had problems with water contamination in the tractor fuel tanks but the improved storage and stability of Shell GTL have rectified these issues.

We also reduced our AdBlue usage. The fact the we didn’t have to make any changes to our engines or tanks was a huge advantage and it’s great to know that we’re reducing our impact on the environment without affecting productivity.”

George Palmer, Assistant Farm Manager at Northfield Farms

• Easy and cost-effective: As a drop-in replacement for diesel, no modifications are required to existing machinery, vehicles or storage set-ups. This means there are no interruptions to productivity and you don’t need to invest in any expensive upgrades.

• Safer and healthier working environment: The fuel produces less odour, no smoke and quieter engine noise than conventional diesel, creating a healthier and more pleasant working environment for workers spending long days operating machinery.

•

Winter grade properties: At low temperatures, the free flow of diesel fuel may be impeded by the blocking of fuel lines and filters by particles of paraffin wax. With a high cetane number, Shell GTL Fuel has excellent low temperature performance, with improved cold start - handy in those colder months.

• Store safely for longer: With its reduced risk of bio-contamination resulting in longer life, Shell GTL Fuel has improved storage and stability, which is helpful in the winter months when you’re using less fuel.

•

Free of toxins and eco-friendly: Free of unwanted components such as sulphur, metals, and aromatics Shell GTL Fuel is non-toxic, biodegradable and less harmful to the environment. Tests have shown that the fuel was undetectable in soil 51 days after being introduced.

• Approved by John Deere and many other OEMs - your farm can benefit from switching to a low emission fuel without any hassle today.

Certas Energy is committed to helping the farming community and Fram Farmer members make innovative fuel choices - to find out how your farm could benefit from reliable fuel supply, storage and management solutions, please contact the Fram Farmers Fuel Team on 01728 727714.

MACHINERY: MEMBER PROFILE - HOME FARM, METFIELD, SUFFOLK

MACHINERY SCHEME REBATE MADE AMAZONE DEAL EVEN BETTER

13

hydraulic or electric Limiter V or V+ border spreading systems, plus many other optional extras, make the ZA-V one of the most modern fertiliser spreaders in its class.

The hopper tip, which tapers down to the shutter slide, prevents residues being left and makes it easy to clean, while the aperture is positioned very close to the centre of the spreading disc. This means that fertiliser is taken up extremely gently by the spreading discs at the lowest circumferential speed and then accelerated very gently to minimise damage and ensure even, accurate spreading.

The spread pattern is maintained at all application rates and forward speeds, being completely independent of the spread rate. The entire spreading system is made from stainless steel and high-quality glass-fibre reinforced plastic, ensuring a long service life and high resale value.

The Fram Farmers Machinery Scheme rebate on a new Amazone ZA-V 2000 fertiliser spreader further sweetened an already good deal for member Ralph Creasy.

“My father was one of the first to join Fram Farmers when it was formed in 1960 and we have been members ever since,” explains Ralph, who started his career by keeping chickens at Home Farm, Metfield in Suffolk.

Pakenham. Replacing an eight-year-old KRM machine, it is used by Ralph’s nephew, Paul, to apply all the fertiliser, except for P & K which are spread by a contractor on half the farm each year.

Having built up to 12,000 laying hens, Ralph got out in 1988 after comments about salmonella by the then junior health minister Edwina Curry triggered a crisis in the egg market. Since then, he has focused on the 320 arable acres of heavy land at Home Farm, which he runs with his brother, John, who also manages the 60sow pig unit.

The ZA-V mounted spreader is available in hopper capacities from 1,400 to 4,200 litres and can operate at forward speeds of up to 30 km/h, apply up to 390 kg/min and spread up to 36m, although 24m is used at Home Farm.

ISOBUS communication, a weighing system,

Most inputs, including fertiliser, crop protection products and fuel, are purchased through Fram Farmers because Ralph values the cooperative’s independent advice, convenience and competitive pricing. He also trades oilseed rape, feed barley and feed wheat through the Marketing Department, and this year sold some forward to take advantage of higher prices prevailing at the time, with collection arranged for just after harvest to take the pressure off storage.

NEW EQUIPMENT When it comes to machinery, Ralph’s most recent acquisition has been the Amazone ZA-V 2000 mounted spreader, purchased ‘at a good price’ from the Suffolk Agri Centre in

“Having used urea in the past, I moved away from it because the loss of Nitrogen through volatilisation was significant and uneven spreading caused striping in the crops. After that I decided not to risk it and use only the best-quality Ammonium Nitrate-based fertilisers, which I order through Fram Farmers for delivery in November. CF Double Top (27N (30SO3) is used for the first application in February, followed by two applications of CF Nitram (34.5%N).

“The Amazone is a highquality machine which spreads accurately” “When used with quality fertilisers it helps us to produce very even crops. The spreader incorporates the latest technology, and I like the castor wheels mounted to the base of the machine which allow it to be easily moved around when not attached to the tractor.”

For independent advice and further details on new machinery and spare parts contact Tom Mountain, Fram Farmers Machinery Buyer, on 01728 727700.

14

MACHINERY: SUPPLIER UPDATE - TYRES

WEATHER EXTREMES HIGHLIGHT NEED TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT TYRES Recent extremes of weather highlight the importance of selecting the correct tyres to cope with all conditions say Mitas Tyres, one of the top European producers of tyres for agricultural and construction equipment.

This summer’s exceptional hot weather may currently be uppermost on everyone’s mind, but don’t forget that last winter and well into spring many fields were at maximum water-holding capacity. Such extremes highlight the need to select tyres that deliver optimum machine performance under all conditions, wet or dry, in the field or on the road.

According to Professor Dick Godwin, a soil expert at Harper Adams University, the UK cultivation landscape faces major change with massively conflicting demands placed on it. One of the biggest problems is that using traditional tillage 85–95% of land undergoes at least one wheeling during a typical season. Min-till reduces that to 65%, direct drilling to 45%. Larger equipment means less passes but adds weight and that’s where tyre design and ground pressure come into the equation.

Kirk Walker, Mitas UK

MINIMISING COMPACTION Minimising compaction is critical because the difference in yield potential between a well-managed soil and one with excessive wheelings or where ground pressure is not managed properly is around 20%. With wetter, more variable growing conditions in prospect the issue is one growers and manufacturers ignore at their peril.

Kirk Walker, UK Technical and Field Support Manager UK and Ireland, says maintaining traction performance whilst running tyres at the lower pressures to protect soil structure is not easy. But operators can do a lot to help, much of it related to balancing inflation pressures with slippage rates to get the best draft performance while minimising soil damage.

The relationship between ground pressure and tyre inflation pressure is approximately one-to-one, so select a tyre which will operate at the lowest pressure for a given load and speed. Setting pressures correctly will minimise wheel slip, reduce fuel consumption by up to 20%, increase work rates, reduce wear-and-tear on machinery, improve operator comfort and significantly cut maintenance costs.

Correct tyre pressures will also maximise the area in contact with the ground and help to keep the machine on top of the soil, avoiding ruts which cause operational issues and must be removed later. Minimising compaction is critical because the difference in yield potential between a well-managed soil and one with excessive wheelings, or where ground pressure is not managed properly, is around 20%.

NEW GENERATION TYRES New-generation High Flexion VF tyres offer an ideal solution, providing lower ground pressure, better traction and the ability to run high road speeds at lower pressures. Their sidewalls are designed to deform much more than conventional tyres without structural damage to the carcase.

VF tyres look very different to conventional ones because their considerably lower operating pressures can increase the footprint by 25%. As well as treading more gently, improving traction and reducing fuel consumption a well set up VF system is considerably more practical.

You can plough in the morning, then haul a trailer on the road in the afternoon without having to adjust anything, making them the perfect choice for most farmers and contractors.

Mitas is continually innovating and collaborates closely with machinery manufacturers. Working with Claas, for example, Mitas developed the CHO (Cyclic Harvest Operation) SVT tyre which has a sidewall structure that allows a 31% reduction in inflation pressure for the same load when compared to a standard tyre and provides a 24% increase in footprint to spread the load and protect soils without needing to go to wider widths.

The lower pressure possible with the Mitas CHO (Cyclic Harvest Operation) SVT tyre allows a 24% increase in footprint

Further details from Tom Mountain, Machinery Buyer, Fram Farmers or visit www.mitas-tyres.com

DIVERSIFICATION/ INSURANCE: MEMBER PROFILE - SIMON TAYLOR FARMS, CAMBRIDGESHIRE

15

Precisely Tailored Insuring these diverse business interests was entrusted to Fram Farmers Insurance and insurance broker Andrew Thompson & Associates (AT&A) two years ago after Guy was let down by his previous insurer.

DIVERSE INSURANCE FOR DIVERSIFIED BUSINESS Fram Farmers Insurance has reduced the cost of cover for Cambridgeshire farmer-businessman Guy Taylor, dramatically cut the amount of paperwork and provides enhanced cover.

When Guy Taylor took over the running of Simon Taylor Farms’ 1,000-acres in 2008 he realised that the land alone could not generate sufficient income for his own family, parents, brother and sister. The two farms also included numerous old buildings, which were totally unsuited to modern agriculture and costly to maintain.

AWARD WINNING The Granary Estates, which includes two of the area’s most unique and beautiful wedding venues, has welcomed over 30,000 guests, won major awards and goes from strength to strength. Maintained in pristine condition it hosts numerous functions, including weddings, meetings, conferences, wakes and parties for up to 300, while cottages on the farm have been restored to provide luxury accommodation. With 18 part-time and seven

“Fram Farmers and AT&A have detailed knowledge of what goes on here, so policies are tailored precisely to our requirements.”

“I particularly like that they use specialist underwriters for different sections of our business.”

“We now have a specialist insurer for the farming business, while the wedding venue is with Hiscox, who specialise in the hospitality sector. The fact that our premiums are significantly lower than before is a bonus.

“Another benefit was that Fram Farmers and AT&A appointed an independent inspector to carry out a Health & Safety and risk assessment. Instead of the 250-page manual from our previous insurer we have a 50-page document which staff will actually read.”

Having spent two years on his uncle’s farm in Tasmania after graduating from the Royal Agricultural College, Guy understood the need to innovate, adapt and develop new income streams. Determined that redundant buildings should pay their way, he converted ‘workmanlike’ structures at Hill Farm, Dullingham into offices, turned The Polo Club at Dullingham into an events venue and then focussed on the attractive brick-and-flint barns at Parsonage Farm, Woodditton.

Having ‘dressed’ one for his sister’s wedding, Guy realised their potential. After comprehensive research he started a wedding events business in 2011 and, with many materials sourced through Fram Farmers, converted the 18th Century barns to appeal to discerning clients.

“I have been very pleased with the service,” Guy states. “Having two points of contact means that I can always speak directly to someone who knows me rather than an anonymous call centre. It gives me great confidence that they took the time to visit our sites with the underwriters, which identified areas where we were not properly covered. Our cottages, for example, are owned by Simon Taylor Farms and rented

by The Granary Estates, so it’s important the insurance recognises that and provides seamless cover.

Previously-redundant 18th Century barns are now a luxurious events venue. full-time staff, including Operations Director Amy Hughes, the venue takes up half of Guy’s time, the remainder being spent running the farm and developing new ideas.

Having established a diversified business which now generates greater revenues than the farm, Guy continues to channel more time and investment into this sector. He currently has his sights on a new venture and provides consultancy services to guide other farmers through the diversification process.

In Guy’s right hand is the previous 250page Health & Safety manual, in his left the 50-page version from Fram Farmers Insurance and AT&A.

FOR OVER 50 YEARS GREAT BRITISH FARMERS HAVE TRUSTED A GREAT BRITISH MADE FERTILISER Consistent applications for optimum yield

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Out performs urea in 77% of trials* Nitram makes you money here

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For more information on CF high quality fertilisers, please visit www.cffertilisers.co.uk

DIVERSIFICATION/ LIVESTOCK: MEMBER PROFILE - NEWTON HALL FARM, SUFFOLK

17

SUPPLYING PREMIUM BEEF DIRECT IMPROVES RETURNS Small, mixed family farms may be in decline, but those which remain are innovating and diversifying.

At A & M Last’s Newton Hall Farm, Gosbeck in Suffolk, Jamie Last and his wife Katy, a full-time teacher, have focused on shortening the supply chain to generate higher returns for top-quality meat from their 300 beef cattle.

Three-week-old calves are sourced from TB-tested herds in Sussex and leave after 14 months at 350-400kg. During this time they are never pushed to achieve high growth rates and enjoy a diet of home-grown cereals and maize, grains from the Adnams Brewery in Southwold and apple pulp from fruit juice producer James White Drinks in Ashbocking.

“Our latest diversification started when a friend of a friend tasted our beef and put us in touch with Greshams Sports & Social Club in Ipswich,” Jamie explains. “We supplied samples of our meat and after they said ‘yes’ it was up to us to supply exactly what they want, when they want it.

“Chefs are used to ordering from a wholesaler’s catalogue, so we had to explain the differences between run-of-the-mill ‘catering’ meats and our high-quality products.

“They could see the benefits of locally-sourced food in attracting customers. Greshams’ Maple Lounge Restaurant menu now features Newton Farm beef and 28-day-aged fillet, rib-eye, rump and sirloin steaks.

“I speak to the head chef every week to find out what is selling and what they will need, which has been an education for me in terms of seeing the business from their side. Before this process started I had not realised that chefs like silverside beef for a carvery because it works well under the infra-red lights used to keep meat hot. They have also changed the way they do things, such as using different cuts to produce steak and ale pie to run alongside the Sunday carvery.”

Jamie and Katy Last (on right) are pictured with his mother, Jenny, and father, Martin, who is still very much ‘hands-on’. In addition to 100 ha of arable crops and 300 beef cattle, the business also farms 40ha for a local organic farmer and provides contract baling services.

QUALITY MEAT AT LOWER PRICES “Our footprint is so small in terms of the inputs we use and food miles that Greshams can sell our meat as ‘locally produced’. The supply chain is so direct that we can supply them with much higher quality meat at lower prices yet achieve a better return. In the first six months of this year we supplied Greshams with beef and steak from 10 animals and hope to do 20 carcases in 2018.”

Jamie personally selects store cattle which go to an abattoir at Diss, 20 miles away. Carcases are sent a further 13 miles to artisan butchers Palfrey & Hall in Debenham and they provide exactly the cuts required by Greshams, who have since asked Jamie and Katy about extending their venture to pig and turkey meats.

With so much on their plate they are enthusiastic about Fram Farmers, stating: “We have been

Calves come in at three weeks old and leave as stores at 350-400kg.

Jamie prefers Aberdeen Angus, but says that Limousin and Hereford are also good for the restaurant trade.

members for several years and originally joined to save money, but it also saves us so much time and hassle.”

FARM FACTS 100 Hectares Wheat Winter wheat 39ha Winter barley 26ha Maize 20ha Winter beans 10ha 300 beef cattle

Contract baling using this Hesston 4900 is one way that the farm brings in outside income.

18

DIVERSIFICATION/ BUILDING MATERIALS: BOYTON HALL, FINCHINGFIELD, ESSEX

SOURCING THROUGH FRAM FARMERS SAVES TIME AND MONEY Nick Loftus in Essex sourced many of the materials to convert a former livestock building into commercial property through Fram Farmers, with significant advantages.

When the Loftus family decided to end milk production at Boyton Hall, Finchingfield in 2016 their 300 cows were sold and livestock buildings became redundant almost overnight.

“Replacing our parlour would have required significant investment, with additional expenditure to expand the herd,” Nick explains.

“Returns from the milk sector were insufficient to justify that and my two daughters didn’t want the long-term, seven-day-a-week commitment,”

LEAVING DAIRYING “Leaving dairying allowed us to convert 300 acres used for forage production to arable cropping, so now we have 1,000 acres. We had several buildings which were no longer needed for livestock and considered converting them for commercial use.

“I’d spoken to local farmers who’d been through a similar exercise and they were

confident it would be viable, but I also did some market research to assess potential demand. This highlighted a need for basic, secure accommodation for a range of service-related businesses, rather than office accommodation.

“Nick Millar and the team at Fram Farmers provided expert advice.”

Units Provide a Blank Canvas Each of the four units created by Nick Loftus provides a basic shell, equipped with water, kitchen and toilet facilities, plus three-phase power. This gives tenants a range of options in terms of how they want to fit their unit out internally and the equipment they can operate. All the units are now let to a range of businesses, from mobile catering to vehicle storage, on full commercial leases for a minimum of 12-months, generating good returns.

“We started by converting the 105′ x 40′ young stock building. Plans were drawn up to create three 1,200 sq. ft plus one 600 sq. ft units and permission was eventually obtained from the planning authority. We did not know exactly what the demand would be, so it was very much a case of dipping a toe in the water and we deliberately kept the conversion to a basic level to minimise the cost and financial risk.”

Nick Loftus’ father moved from Lancashire to Boyton Hall in 1942. Nick now farms 1000 acres with his wife Margaret as Nicholas Loftus & Co. The couple’s two daughters both work in the business.

Your Nationwide Training Specialist

DIVERSIFICATION/ BUILDING MATERIALS: BOYTON HALL, FINCHINGFIELD, ESSEX 19

MANAGED INTENSIVE ROTATIONAL GRAZING

There’s no doubt about who supplied the steel!

CONVERSION PROCESS “The first step was to remove all the fixtures and fittings from inside the building, including the calf rearing and bull pens, then rebuild parts of the sidewalls where necessary. Next, we installed dirty water drainage and electricity, used concrete panels to create divisions between the units, ran studwork up to the roof, fitted roller shutters at the front and steel security entrance doors. We also laid a concrete apron at the front of the building, with an access road to the side and rear.

“I have been a cooperative member since the 1980s and personally ordered all the timber, concrete panels, guttering, water fittings, drainage pipes, steels, sand, ballast and concrete for this project through Fram Farmers to benefit from the best available prices. I left the plumber and electrician to order what they needed on my Fram Farmers account.

“The project took three months to complete last winter and throughout the process Nick Millar and the team at Fram Farmers provided expert advice, which was a tremendous help in ensuring that everything went smoothly and was achieved within budget.”

Managed intensive rotational grazing also known as managed grazing, cell grazing, or mob grazing is a means of systematically moving ruminants or non-ruminants to fresh areas of pasture, whilst providing rest and recuperation for previously grazed areas. The aim is to divide up your paddocks to have vegative cover over all your grazed areas at all times, thus preventing overgrazing.

Such products which can help you plan and execute rotational grazing systems include the Tumblewheel system from Gallagher and the all steel Clipex Pasture Post, both of which can be simply and easily adjusted to suit your needs.

McVeigh Parker stock a comprehensive range of electric fencing products, including the latest solar powered energisers from Gallagher which are supplied with a 7-year guarantee.

With eight depots across the country, McVeigh Parker are one of the largest agricultural stockists in the UK. Call us today on 03330 050115 or visit www.mcveighparker.com

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06/08/2018 15:58

Why 6% better black-grass control is worth having this autumn.

Black-grass is an annual challenge and a long-term one too.

Small increases in control can have big rewards. 95.5% control can keep populations stable, but an integrated weed management programme that reaches 97% control can reduce populations by over 30% in a year*1.

Bayer’s Liberator is proven to deliver 6%*2 more black-grass control at pre-em. than non-Bayer formulated flufenacet and diflufenican products, which makes it the smart choice to begin reaching the very best control levels you can this season.

Small steps today, big rewards tomorrow.

Autumn

Spring

See the impacts of black-grass control for yourself by visiting cropscience.bayer.co.uk/BGcontrol *1 Based on 1,000 seeds in the seedbank and 20 seeds / plant / year (A&AF Black-grass special, June 2018). *2 14 independent replicated trials (2016 - 2018), average population in untreated = 201 heads/m 2.

Liberator contains flufenacet and diflufenican. Atlantis OD contains mesosulfuron and iodosulfuron. Monolith contains mesosulfuron and propoxycarbazone. Liberator, Atlantis and Monolith are registered Trade Marks of Bayer. Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use. Pay attention to the risk indications and follow the safety precautions on the label. For further information, including contact details, visit www.cropscience.bayer.co.uk or call 0808 1969522. Š Bayer CropScience Limited 2018