Farmers First | Issue 57 - Autumn 2020

Issue 57 | Autumn 2020

PAGE 6

SUFFOLK DAIRY FARMERS’ SARK ADVENTURE

PAGE 8

GRAIN MARKETING POOLS LAUNCHING SOON

PAGE 22

NEW RENEWABLES SERVICE

Now, for tomorrow

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Harvest round-up from members across the country – see pages 24-25

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BURY ST. EDMUNDS SAXMUNDHAM IPSWICH CAMBRIDGE HUNTINGDON

CEO’S WELCOME

GROWTH AND PROGRESS I am delighted to have joined Fram Farmers in July, and two months in, I am very much enjoying working with and leading a very dedicated and skilled team. 2020 has been challenging in many ways, with many of our members having had a difficult time establishing crops. After a very promising start, the weather has broken, making harvest a stop-start season for our more northern members.

Our job at Fram Farmers is to support members through this, and we have done our utmost to ensure our service has continued during the lockdown period without disruption to you. I am delighted to say that the team are all now back in our Framlingham office and I encourage all members to get in touch if we can help.

We are still eager to celebrate our 60th Anniversary this year and have spent some time looking back at the history of Fram Farmers, which you will see on pages 14 and 15. We have spoken to some of the founding members, giving us a fascinating insight to the progress and growth we have seen in our cooperative.

As we return to normal, it’s great to see new events for members now in the diary (see pages 4 and 5). We also have some new staff members and I would like to take this opportunity to welcome them to the team.

On pages 24 and 25 we have a harvest round up, speaking to members about their season - it is interesting to see how they have fared. What has been clear, is the uncertainty of this year, and on pages 8 and 9 we look at benefits of the grain marketing pools.

“…the team are all now back in our Framlingham office and I encourage all members to get in touch if we can help.”

This magazine also gives us an opportunity to visit some inspiring and innovative members. Look out for Katherine and Jason Salisbury, featured on pages 6 and 7, who are making a move to Sark to take on the tenancy of the island’s only dairy farm. It is also good to see members making the most of the services we offer, and you will see how one member has used Fram Farmers Finance to invest in irrigation for his business to improve productivity.

Andrew Knowles, Chief Executive, Fram Farmers

Over recent months, Dan Cox has also started to implement his plans for the business services team, expanding into new realms of renewables, energy management and grants. See pages 4, 22 and 23 for an update.

In this issue, we also feature a range of services and products on offer for our livestock members. Take a look at page 11 for information on bulk feed storage options, and on page 17 for advice from our specialist team on grazing and re-seeding options.

As you see, it’s still been a busy year for Fram Farmers as we invest in the team to provide more specialist advice and expertise in purchasing the key products and services that Fram Farmers members value in their businesses. As we look forward to the year ahead, I hope you will take some time to review the extensive range of services we offer and utilise them for the profitability of your business.

CONTENTS: News ..........................................................4-5 Suffolk Farmhouse Cheeses .....................6-7 Fram Farmers, Station Road, Framlingham, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP13 9EE Tel 01728 727700

Grain Marketing Pools...............................8-9

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 Fram Farmers on 01728 727700, or Juliette Tompkins at Kendalls PR and Marketing on 01502 475110.

If you would like to opt out of receiving Farmers First, please email mail@framfarmers.co.uk

Fram’s Founding Board Members.......14-15

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Collinson Silos .............................................11

Q&A with Andrew Knowles ..................12-13 Grazing and Re-Seeding.............................17 Finance ........................................................21

Renewables..........................................22-23 Harvest Round-Up ...............................24-25 3

NEWS

FARM BUSINESS INNOVATION SHOW We are delighted to share with members that Fram Farmers will have a stand (FM1009) at the Farm Business Innovation Show, which is to be held at the NEC in Birmingham on 11th and 12th November 2020.

Business Services Manager Dan Cox will be attending on behalf of the cooperative to promote our new business services division. More details of the event can be found here www.farmbusinessshow.co.uk

GRANT FUNDING UPDATE FOR MEMBERS The Agricultural industry is in a period of transition in terms of government subsidies following Brexit. Direct payments will start to reduce as the government works to develop alternative ways to invest in the industry and the environment. A large part of this development will be under Environmental Land Management Schemes or ELMs for short. In addition to this, the Rural Development Programme (RDPE) will also be replaced with new dedicated grant funding schemes to encourage rural businesses to invest in improving their productivity and economic growth prospects.

In the meantime, as we await replacements for the EU subsidies and grants; the newly formed Business Services team at Fram

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY… Virtual Regional Updates.

Details TBC. w/c 19th October 2020

Next Generation Farm Walk, Walpole, Suffolk.

Details TBC. 5th November 2020

Farm Business Innovation Show NEC Birmingham 11th – 12th November 2020

Farmers will be working closely with lobbying groups to help inform decisions, and will subsequently ensure that Fram members are kept up to date with any relevant developments.

When new grant schemes do become available, the new team will be able to assist members to develop projects and put forward very strong applications for funding to ensure that members benefit from these grants. In addition to this, as ELMs is developed further, members will be informed of progress, so they will be well placed to advise members on the best way forward.

For more information on grant funding, please contact the Fram Farmers office: 01728 727700.

VIRTUAL TRIALS DAY A virtual trials day was held on 9th July on BASF’s virtual platform. The event provided exclusive access to Fram Farmers members with opportunities to be awarded BASIS & NRoSO points.

VIRTUAL REGIONAL UPDATES A series of virtual regional updates will take place w/c 19th October. These will be run on Microsoft Teams and will include updates from each department of Fram Farmers. All members are welcome to join and details will be emailed to members in due course.

NEW NAME FOR ‘PIE AND PINTS’ This year, we have decided to rebrand the ‘pie and pints’ events to ‘Meet the new CEO’. Andrew Knowles will be travelling across the country, encouraging members to share and discuss their views and have their say in the future of the cooperative. We are now in the process of booking venues and dates for these, which will be announced soon.

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NEWS

NEW MACHINERY APPRENTICE FOR FARM INPUTS TEAM A passion for the farming industry and love of all things mechanical were the driving forces that have led to up-andcoming machinery specialist Harry Nesling joining the Farm Inputs team at Fram Farmers this summer.

18-year-old Harry, who studied at Thomas Mills High school and enjoyed a workexperience placement within the Farming Inputs office back in October 2019, is delighted to take up his new role, which he started on the 2nd July this year.

“I really loved my time here on my work experience placement, so when I was offered the apprenticeship, I couldn’t wait to start,” he says.

Harry is assisting machinery specialist Gemma Oliver in his new role, and is being mentored by Gordon Cummings, Fram Farmers’ strategic partnership manager.

Administration & Accounts Legal Fram Farmers Finance Insurance Private Health

ARABLE INPUTS Fertiliser Crop Protection

“Farming and machinery go hand in hand, and being involved with it at Fram Farmers is a great way to learn and expand my knowledge,” explains Harry. “It is great to develop my understanding as I speak to so many different experts in diverse product areas, all under the umbrella of machinery.”

Coming from a farming family, his father is a Fram Farmers member farming 1,000 acres at Bedfield and Winston in Suffolk, Harry has lived within a farming environment all of his life and is eager to further develop his knowledge and purchasing skills while delivering a firstclass service to members.

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Gordon comments, “We were delighted to offer this apprenticeship opportunity to Harry. During his work experience placement, he demonstrated his ability to become a great asset to the team, and this move also reflects Fram Farmers’ commitment to build and grow our own talent from within.

More and more members are now using Fram for machinery cost reduction, and with Harry’s energy and passion for customer service we can continue this growth. He has made a great start, so much so that we have given him his first big responsibility overseeing the Fram online parts store.”

GRAIN MARKETING & SALES Pools Conventional Ex Farm Trading Sample testing & analysis

FUEL, MACHINERY & BUILDING MATERIALS Fuel Cards Vehicles Online Parts Store

LIVESTOCK & ANIMAL HEALTH Feed

NEXTGEN FARM WALK We are excited to bring members the good news that we are planning to go ahead with some events planned for the tail end of this year. The Next Generation group will be hosting a farm walk in Walpole, Suffolk on the morning of 5th November, which will provide an insight into renewables and energy management on farm. Details to be confirmed.

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Supplements Veterinary Medicines Equipment

BUSINESS SERVICES Grant Advice Renewables & Energy Management Electricity Telecoms

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MEMBER PROFILE

SUFFOLK FARMHOUSE CHEESES

SUFFOLK FARMHOUSE CHEESES - FROM SUFFOLK TO SARK We catch up with Fram Farmers members, Jason and Katharine Salisbury, to hear how plans are progressing with their move to Sark after they were selected from a world search for the new dairy farmer.

Sark, an island off the North West coast of France, hit the headlines last year when it launched an international advert for a new dairy farmer to take over the island’s only dairy farm due to the retirement of the existing tenant.

This is no ordinary dairy farm. Sark, which is only 2.1 square miles, has no cars, no paved roads and no street lighting.

However, it does attract over 50,000 visitors each year, driving a demand for fresh milk and dairy products.

Competition for the tenancy was fierce (over 80 applicants from all over the world), however, the island authorities saw that Katharine and Jason had the qualities needed to step up for the challenge.

They had already proven themselves in the incredibly difficult process of starting in dairy farming as first generation farmers; their initial business at Shrubland Park in Coddenham in Suffolk, was started in 2004, with the aim to produce cheese from their own milk. Katharine is a vet by profession and Jason was a herdsman on the farm when they took the opportunity to take on the tenancy, starting with 16 Guernsey cows. In August 2007 they bought their own farm two miles away in Creeting St Mary and began the planning of the new dairy unit. After obtaining planning permission, they started construction of two new dairy buildings, installation of a milking parlour and purpose-built cheese dairy. Building works were completed at the end of May 2009, with an official opening on 7th June 2009.

A vending machine was added in 2015 and the herd size has now expanded to 50 in milk.

In addition to this, they have also built up a successful cheese business, producing 18-20 tonnes of cheese each year.

Katharine is the main cheesemaker, with help from part-time staff. The growth of the farm business, together with the cheese business, has allowed them to take on a farm manager, whose partner is Katharine’s assistant cheese maker. Cheese is mainly sold to the wholesale market going to pubs, restaurants and retail, so this year has required some creative thinking to find a

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marketplace for their products.

To adapt, they started a mobile farm shop, selling their cheese and milk and buying in other food to sell in the local village, which helped to stabilise the business and provide a source of income. “Any spare milk has been used in the usual local coffee shops, vending machines and ice cream makers that we would usually supply. We didn’t want to throw any milk away, so made some quick decisions in order to adapt and have more control over our business,” explains Katharine. “The mobile farm shop has been a great success, and due to the amazing local support, we hope to expand our farm shop on site and increase our opening hours, offering a range of our own products and other locally sourced produce.”

This entrepreneurship was clearly recognised by the Sark Government, and Jason and Katharine, are now looking forward to heading there in 2021 to start the new venture, leaving the Suffolk dairy and cheese business in the capable hands of newly appointed managers.

“We had planned to begin operating on Sark straight away, but the farm wasn’t viable, so a new unit is being constructed. 40 acres of land has been donated by the island's Seigneur, Christopher Beaumont, and the unit will be built from funding through the Community Farm Trust,” Katharine explains. Katherine and Jason have been very involved in the design, and the groundworks are now underway, with the hope that the farm will be operational by early 2021 when the 500 residents will be able to sample home produced milk and cream via a vending machine.

The trust will fund and own the dairy and lease it to Katharine and Jason who will operate it as tenants. There are laws on Sark that cattle on the island can only be bought from Guernsey, and must be pedigree Guernseys, so they will import 16 in-calf Guernsey cows and heifers from Guernsey to Sark in early 2021 to calve around April or May. They will be limited to a maximum of 20 cows, due to grazing limitations. Neighbouring farmers will also grow feed crops for the dairy herd.

“Its such an exciting challenge,” Katharine adds. “We know it will be a learning curve, but we are determined and will put all our efforts into this new business. We have done this type of project before on a similar scale so have learnt some valuable lessons which we can take with us. It will be great to work with the islands community to make a success of this much needed resource and attraction, for the important tourism economy.”

FRAM PURCHASES Through Fram Farmers, the Salisburys purchase the following: • machinery hire • diesel • electricity for the farm, house and cheese production facility • seed (barley, maize and lucerne) • building materials They plan to source inputs for the unit in Sark, bearing logistics and costs in mind.

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MEMBER SERVICES

GRAIN MARKETING POOLS

GRAIN MARKETING POOLS The 2021 harvest pools will launch on 1st October, so now is a good time to look at what this service offers to members and the benefits that can be achieved.

Pools have been offered to members since Fram Farmers established a grain marketing service, and very much works with the cooperative spirit of working together. Historically, some farmers have been reluctant to change the way they market their grain, however, a proven track record of achieving top quartile performance provide a powerful incentive to reconsider. Farmers invest a great deal of time, effort and money in growing crops so it makes sense to maximise returns by marketing them more effectively.

as well as the usual commitment by tonnage.

Managed by grain market professionals, the day-to-day marketing decisions are taken care of by our team, providing the opportunity to add value with premiums where applicable, a choice of payment dates, access to advance payments at

favourable rates, credit insurance on sales, a storage option and flexible haulage arrangements. What’s more, they are supervised by a committee of representatives from Fram Farmers and ADM, who collectively have tremendous knowledge of grain marketing, farming and agronomy. The committee sets the

WHAT IS A POOL? Fram Farmers pools provide a very simple, safe method of marketing grain and generate consistently above-average returns without the considerable risks of ‘spot selling’. New this year, members can now commit the produce of an area,

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GRAIN MARKETING POOLS sales strategy and monitors pool performance to ensure that members derive maximum benefit.

Our partnership with ADM gives us the inside track on global trends, world stocks, yields, tonnages traded and market requirements, which has proved extremely helpful in volatile markets over many years. We offer a wide range of marketing options, so it is advisable to call the office and discuss your individual circumstances.

We currently offer four pool periods for combinable crops - a ‘harvest’ pool covering crop movement in August and September, 1 October to 31 December, 1 January to 31 March and 1 April to 30 June.

Members can commit either a tonnage or hectarage, and need to specify the varieties at the time of commitment. All grain is tested after harvest and farmers are paid premiums where applicable.

Farmers confirm the quantity and storage location after harvest.

Grain is generally stored on farm, but we can arrange collection and storage if required. Offering advance payments for up to 75% of the value of the crop at competitive interest rates if required, final

payment is one month after the end of the movement period.

As little as four loads are required to join the pool, and members can call at any time to find out the current position (percentage sold/average price etc).

NEW COMMITTEE MEMBER, DOUGLAS INGLIS Pool selling strategies are devised and monitored by Fram Farmers staff and directors, together with senior members of the ADM Agriculture trading team.

Douglas Inglis was Douglas Inglis appointed a director of Fram Farmers in February and joined the grain marketing pool committee in mid-April. “This committee consists of 9 people; 3 Fram Farmers Directors, 3 members and 3 traders from ADM, including David Sheppard, a director of ADM Agriculture,” he explains.

“The committee has a fortnightly call to discuss this essential information, which enables us, as a collective, to make informed decisions in terms of trading.

MEMBER EXPERIENCE Graham Warburton, of Hatley Farm, Cheshire, used the pools for the first time last year to market his wheat, and was pleased with the outcome, so much so that he has entered both wheat and barley into the pool this year.

“The harvest pool paid out better than the spot price last year, so we decided that it was the best way forward again this year.”

“We work closely with a representative at ADM, who knows us well and visits regularly. We discussed our options, together with predicted tonnage and completed the paperwork,” explains Graham.

“I find that the pool system takes a lot of pressure off deciding when to sell, and leaves me more time to concentrate on managing general farm operations. The grain collection is well organised and flexible to fit around what else we have going on too.”

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MEMBER SERVICES

There is a deep level of analysis involved to provide this service to members, and the committee plays a large part in this process.

“It is very much a strategic approach and the degree of knowledge and experience is a huge asset to members, which I feel is important to emphasise. Having this resource is an exciting benefit for members and one that adds value to their businesses. This strategy is clearly working well, as the results of the Fram Farmers grain marketing pools have performed well against competitors.

“Particularly given the difficult winter and spring we had this year, this service has been very useful to members in providing yield information and managing expectations. Looking ahead, with the unknown changes in global markets and UK trading agreements, the benefit of this experienced team will be even more important.”

All Fram Farmers members will be sent forms to complete if they would like to sign up for the 2021 pool.

Contact the office for details on performance of the pools against competitors and further information: 01728 727720.

GRAIN MARKETING POOLS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW • NEW THIS YEAR – members can now commit by hectarage • Managed by grain marketing professionals • Pool committee sets strategy and monitors performance • Comprehensive choice of pool periods • Individual payments based on quality • Opportunity to add value, with premiums where applicable • Choice of payment dates • Advance payments • Fully audited • Storage option

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COLLINSON SILOS LIVESTOCK FEATURE

CONSIDERING FEED STORAGE Here, we look at bulk feed storage and talk to Fram Farmers member, Andrew Haag from Suffolk, to find out why he has made a recent investment in bulk feed bins for his pig enterprise.

With harvest 2020 almost complete, now is an ideal time to consider your winter feed storage facilities.

Animal feed is a huge investment for livestock farmers, and how it is handled and stored can make a significant difference to the profitability to the enterprise.

FROM BAGS TO BULK The minimum delivery for most feed companies is three or four tonnes and if you’re getting through this amount in good time then you should consider moving from bags to bulk. Savings made can quickly repay the investment and there are the obvious benefits that can be gained by going bulk; eliminate manual handling and protect against contamination, be it weather related or wildlife i.e. vermin, birds etc.

It doesn’t need to be a larger model silo to make a significant difference either. If it is mainly extra winter storage you need, investing in a smaller silo makes sense.

REVIEW STORAGE You may already purchase bulk feed and, if so, it is important to check your silos once a year for corrosion or accidental damage, as this can affect the structural integrity of the silo. If in doubt, check with your supplier.

Also, look at feed usage. As animal numbers have increased, feed storage has not necessarily been expanded in line with demand. Larger deliveries can often be more cost effective so investment in a new silo can soon pay for itself.

WHAT TO CONSIDER Silo sizes range from 4 to 40 tonnes and the silo to suit you is usually determined by the product you’re wanting to store, optimum delivery loads and, importantly, how you are wanting to discharge the feed, whether you are filling bags, a barrow, a snacker or mixer wagon. You may have an automated conveyor taking the feed to a parlour or feeding area.

Other factors to consider include smooth walls and a mass flow, which is the most important criteria to ensure first feed in is FARMERSFIRST I S S U E 57 - AU TU M N 2 0 2 0

first out. Level indicators help you to gauge how much feed is in the silo, and a galvanised structure is important for longevity.

A useful optional extra is a cyclone dust collector which collects any dust

generated during filling. This is excellent for zero feed wastage and improved biosecurity.

To find out more about pricing and the silos available, please contact the livestock team on 01728 727716.

RECENT PURCHASE Andrew Haag, from Swiss Cottage Farm in Otley, Suffolk, runs a mixed farming operation, consisting 200ha of arable land, growing wheat, barley, oilseed rape and winter beans, in addition to a pig finishing business, purchasing weaners at 30-35 kgs and taking them through to bacon weight.

Approximately 60% of the cereals grown on the farm are milled and mixed with soya meal, biscuit meal and soya bean oil to produce rations for the pigs.

“We have been members of Fram Farmers for over 40 years, and have benefited from the group’s buying power, and the very diverse skills of the people who make up the staff.”

A recent purchase of three Collinson’s feed bins, is a case in point. “Having discussed our requirements with Peter Crichton (consultant to the pig industry), we decided on the Collison product on the basis of pricing, construction and delivery, and the professionalism of the representatives.

“We then worked with the livestock team at Fram Farmers who acted as the intermediary between Collinsons and myself, and made the process very straightforward. We’re definitely pleased with the whole process and the bins are now fully operational on our unit.”

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Q&A

ANDREW KNOWLES, FRAM FARMERS CEO

Q&A WITH ANDREW KNOWLES, FRAM FARMERS CEO Andrew Knowles was appointed as the new chief Executive of Fram Farmers in July, following a lengthy career in the pig industry. We caught up with Andrew, to get to know more about him, his motivations for leading the cooperative, and his future plans for Fram Farmers.

So, how have your first few months as Chief Executive been?

They’ve been enjoyable, but busy, as I get up to speed with all parts of the business.

I started at a strange time, being one of only a handful of staff in the office at the start of July, but we’re pretty much back to normal now. Whatever normal is!

Besides getting to know colleagues and the business, I am also keen to understand the views and experiences of our members. We had our first board meeting a few weeks ago, which provided a good snapshot summary of what’s been achieved over the past 10 years. The cooperative has achieved a lot, but I believe there is a lot of exciting potential to

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provide our membership with an even better service and attract new members.

That’s what really motivates me - how we take Fram from good to great.

So, tell us a bit about yourself…

I am married, with two daughters, aged 11 and 14. My family lives in Northamptonshire, and I live in Fram during the week. I previously lived in the Netherlands during the week, so a few hours’ drive is refreshing compared to my previous commute. As a family we have always lived in the countryside and spend most of our time outside playing sport, riding horses and taking part in village community activities. My children think I

CASEIH_185x130_FramFarmers_Summer2020_OUT_02B.indd 1

am obsessed with tractors (interesting fact about me – I was crowned interuniversity ploughing champion in my youth), and I am fortunate that the farmer who lives opposite allows me to keep my eye in when I get a spare few hours in the evenings, although I’m sure my wife does question if this is my best use of family time!

So why did you see yourself as the next CEO of Fram Farmers?

Fram Farmers struck me as a solid and competent farming business, with huge opportunities to be even better. The business and staff have a down to earth, no-nonsense approach and are focused

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ANDREW KNOWLES, FRAM FARMERS CEO

Q&A

on supporting and adding value to farm businesses, which is something that really appeals to me. Having spent the past 20 years focused on the pig sector, it is also nice to broaden back out, and it’s nice to speak English again after 5 years working across Europe. Fram Farmers is a very good cooperative that can go places, and I feel very honoured to help make that happen and be part of the journey.

So firmly remaining in the farming industry then?

Absolutely - I’m passionate about working with farmers. I’ve worked for not-for-profit organisations, as well as companies listed on the stock exchange, all of which have been farmer-centric and always in the best interests of the farmer.

As Fram members are already aware, our staff are happy to roll their sleeves up and serve members. Our staff know farming, which allows us to remain relevant. We sit side-by side with our members, acting as the invisible extra person in their business that makes their life easier. We don’t sell anything, we’re here to give objective, expert advice. Once members have made their decision, our responsibility is to help them deliver that in a more efficient and economical way.

heritage of the core members; loyal, family farms. We also understand that farming structures are changing. The cooperative must fit into the farms’ annual business plans, be that the needs of arable, pig or dairy farmers.

On that note, have you had much interaction with the members?

Although it’s early days, do you have any exciting plans?

I have already spoken to and visited a number of members and will spend a large amount of my time doing the same over the next few months. It’s important for me to really understand what members value – better prices, the backoffice function, relationships with staff etc.

Farming is about relationships and we want to maintain those for a long time, not just in the short term. I have two ears and one mouth for a reason, so I’ll be listening hard as I start to shape my ideas.

Not all of our members are large farms of, say, over 800 hectares, and we need to ensure that we continue to provide value to members of all shapes and sizes. But we can’t do that with a one-size fits all approach - we need to understand and deliver what different members value from Fram.

Our members and sectors are changing the members we are speaking to on a daily basis are moving into the next generation, and are used to a more cutthroat world, so we have to evolve to remain relevant, while building on the

“Fram Farmers has a rich 60 year heritage and that’s why it is so successful. So, the pressure is on for me to build more success from these strong foundations.”

I am spending the first six months really learning about the cooperative, the members and how it works. In six months, we will have a clear strategy on where Fram Farmers will be in 5 years’ time. In my experience, developing the strategy is the easy part. Success only comes from being able to execute the plan, and that’s down to implementation by the whole team, led by me and guided by the board.

I’m eager to be able to measure performance and make sure we implement change in the right way, as a team and as a family. I’m confident that great ideas will come from every part of the business, and everyone within it.

There’s some exceptional talent here, and we continue to attract the best in the industry. I don’t claim to have all of the answers, but I’m working hard to turn strategy into action, by listening hard and learning from the wealth of knowledge we have within the cooperative.

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And what about the services that Fram Farmers will be offering?

This comes back to understanding the business first. Before we start offering too many new services, it is important that our current members are aware of everything we do, as that is something that I have found many struggle with. For example, some members aren’t coming to us for certain services that we already provide because they just weren’t aware of it. Our teams will be working closer together and we will be more ‘joined-up’ in how we do things.

And lastly, I’m sure you weren’t expecting an interview without mention of the B word…?

Ahhh Brexit? Of course not. There’s no doubt that farming as a whole will have to adapt to a new normal, with the changing support systems, subsidies and incentives from Government. There’s a lot of unknowns and our job will be to help each and every one of our members to navigate these. But I am an optimist, and when things are changing and more volatile, that is often when the best opportunities and innovations emerge.

“Fram Farmers has a rich 60 year heritage and that’s why it is so successful. So, the pressure is on me to build more success from these strong foundations.”

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FRAM FARMERS 60TH ANNIVERSARY

FRAM’S FOUNDING BOARD MEMBERS In our 60th Anniversary year, we took a trip down memory lane, and caught up with the founding members of the Fram Farmers board that are still with us today. Here, they share their fond memories of their time on the board and its lasting legacy.

MIKE LLOYDS Whist studying at Writtle College, Mike saw an advert for a purchasing administrator at Fram Farmers on the jobs board. After interviewing with Peter Lusted and his wife Kathleen, he started in July 1963 as Peter’s assistant.

“Peter was a chartered secretary, so numbers were his thing, and I brought the agricultural knowledge and experience.

The rest, as they say, is history. I worked with Peter in his garage at Kettleburgh, in the days before the office opened on market hill in Framlingham,” explains Mike.

“It was still double-entry book-keeping at

DAVID BLACK David was also a founding board member, joining the board alongside many local familiar faces in the industry.

Feeding 80,000 – 90,000 pigs per year at the time, David’s business was also one of the larger members of Fram Farmers, buying feedstuffs, fertilisers and sprays.

“Early on, we did more with Fram Farmers than anyone else, and being part of a cooperative had, and still provides, the opportunity for farmers to be more competitive.”

“The structure of the board worked well,

JOHN KERR John was an early board member, joining shortly after its formation in the 1960s, and remaining on the board until the mid-seventies.

Taking on a tenancy of his farm in Blaxhall in 1963, John grew a variety of crops and managed dairy cows and turkeys on the family holdings in Letheringham and Easton.

“I remember getting a call from Steven Horvat asking me to join the board. It was an honour to be in the company of so many well-regarded and senior local 14

the time, no computers and no calculators. We did the invoicing and ledgers, and Kathleen typed the minutes, newsletters etc. Peter was an absolute stickler; everything had to be spot on. We spent hours in the evenings doing the work, until the books balanced.”

Mike has fond memories of other board members, notably Steven Horvat. “Steven was a remarkable character. He was on 6 or 7 different boards in the area at the same time, but when he was there in that board room, he was there for Fram Farmers. He never ever put his own interests first, it was all for the benefit of the cooperative. He would come into the office and stir things up to make sure

with one overall chairman and then chairmen of different groups, such as purchasing, grain marketing etc. I attended buying group meetings, and general board meetings as one-time chairman of the buying group, and reported back to the board.

“There were always so many ideas floating about, but we had to make sure these ideas were right for the business.

Adding more services to the business didn’t always provide value to members, as there were overhead costs to consider.

The cash and carry service, for example, closed in 1992, which was a strategic

farmers. I was one of the youngest on the board at the time and they had so much knowledge that I was keen to learn from,” explains John.

“It was at a significant stage of my own career at the time, and I hope I contributed a younger man’s views to discussions and earned my place. The board was led by a dynamic chairman, Steven Horvat, an outstanding character, in both his personality and drive. He was the kind of man who, in a meeting, would always ask the questions that no one else had the guts to ask.”

“I will always admire the frugality of how

things were happening; he wanted solutions, not problems.”

“We were always looking for what the members wanted and we had a strong working relationship with many of the merchants. Some merchants undermined us, going direct to farmers, which was when we figured out a subscription structure, trying to work out a system that was equitable for members of all sizes.

“At the time, we had to make ends meet and cash flow was a huge focus of our work. In 1963/64, we got up to about 300 members, we hit turnover of £1m with overheads of about 0.92%, which we will probably never see again. It was a good time.”

move,” adds David.

“With the refurbishment of the offices on new road in the nineties, it was ‘all hands on deck’.

Fram Farmers really had a family feel to it, and I’m sure that remains the case today.”

David’s nephew James is managing director of the farming business at Bacton, David Black & Son, which is still a member of Fram Farmers today, buying fertilisers, grain, agrochemicals, electricity and fuel through the cooperative.

the cooperative was run in the early days to get it off the ground. Initially the board would gather in the meeting room at the Crown and Anchor pub in Framlingham – that was our board room for a while.”

John’s son Bruce now runs the family business, William Kerr Farms, while son Alastair also farms nearby, and runs a successful wedding venue, Easton Grange. Daughter Fiona runs Easton Farm Park, a day visitor attraction. All farm businesses continue to make use of their Fram Farmers membership, sourcing electricity, farm inputs and building materials through the cooperative.

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60TH ANNIVERSARY

FRAM FARMERS

ROBERT MAYHEW Robert’s father, John, played an instrumental part in the formation of Fram Farmers in 1960, of which Robert has fond memories. “I was 17 when the board formed and can remember my father’s involvement well.

Shortly after his death in 1971, I joined the board myself, remaining on the board until the late eighties.”

Robert's role mostly focused on grain marketing, representing Framlingham Farmers on the board of the newly formed Blycorn. Robert was elected Chairman from 1982 - 1986, when Peter Kemsley retired, and reported back to Fram Farmers on marketing activities.

“Farmers are entrepreneurs, and it is not always easy for farmers to work together in a cooperative as they want to go in different directions. I remember there would be decisions that not everyone agreed upon, but none-the-less decisions were made.”

“The cooperative has expanded

enormously but still continues to evolve, as agriculture has done over the past 60 years, and the fact that Fram Farmers is still running today says a lot about its philosophy.”

Robert ‘retired’ from farming 15 years ago, leaving his son Alan to run the farm at home, also recently taking on the nextdoor farm, totalling 780 acres.

JOHN HOLMES

minded people.”

John Holmes sat on the board for 30 years from its formation in the 1960s.

“I was first persuaded to join the board by other farmers that were in a self-formed grain marketing group, Bill Green being one of them. There was five of us marketing our own grain before the cooperative started,” explains John.

Currently farming 182 hectares on his farm in Frostenden on the Suffolk coast through a contract farming agreement, John began farming the land in 1950.

“Looking back at this photograph brings back a lot of old memories. I knew many of the other board members at the time, and was very close friends with Bill Green, Tim Denham-Smith and John Jacobs, so it made sense to join like-

KEITH BULLOCK Keith was a founding member of Fram Farmers, serving as chairman from 1977 – 1982.

“I have fond memories of my time on the board,” explains Keith. “I had the pleasure of working with and meeting some great characters. Bruce Hinton was a great bloke; he dropped into the chairman’s role on a number of occasions. He could analyse a problem and figure out the real issue at heart and had a very clear head.”

“I was in a lucky position in that I started farming on my own, on about 100 acres,

“Steven Horvatt made quite an impact on the whole company and drove the innovation; he did a lot to wake the board up. More recently, Roger Adshead; he did a lot for the coop. I had a good relationship with Roger.”

A proud Suffolk Farmer, John noted that the success of Fram Farmers is down to so I could join whichever groups I wanted, and I was very much for the cooperative movement. My own business did slightly suffer because of it, as I used to check in at the Fram office three times per week. It took a lot more of my time than I fully appreciated, and I only realised how much at the end of my five-year chairmanship. I think I speak for the whole board when I say that we took our roles very seriously,” explains Keith.

“In my opinion, the most radical thing that came from Fram Farmers was the direct debiting system. Some were for it, and others were against it, as farmers were

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“Alan is a hands-on farmer, running the farm on his own, with the long hours and machinery repairs that come with it,” adds Robert. “He remains a Fram Farmers member and a council member.

For him, Fram Farmers provides the backup to his business; the office function, the marketing pools, and the bulk purchasing,” he concludes.

the cooperative minded farmers in Suffolk, often smaller than their Norfolk counterparts.

“I would say that farming input purchases were the most advantageous to me and other farmers of my size, with the likes of seed and chemicals. My relationship still stands with Bunns (now Origin) in Great Yarmouth, who were one of the original Fram Farmers suppliers. I still buy my fertiliser through Fram Farmers.

“I strongly believe that if it hadn’t had been for Fram Farmers, we would be paying a lot more for our fertilisers and farm inputs to this day.”

quite guarded over their farm chequebook. A big part of the Fram Farmers ethos came to be the 14day payment, and we negotiated better deals for members because of it. It kept the business running effectively and made the group stronger.”

Keith’s sons Andrew and John run the farm business today, still purchasing all farm inputs through the cooperative. “In my opinion, the fact that the group is still going strong today has kept input prices at a reasonable level. I’m proud to be a part of that legacy,” concludes Keith.

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The plant uses 30 tonnes of maize silage per day, making up 45% of the total feedstock which also includes straw and manure from the adjoining pig unit. Herb waste and sugar beet pulp are used seasonally, plus a small amount of poultry manure.

“Having consistent, good quality maize silage all year makes running the 1.3 MW AD plant easier and more efficient,” says Matthew McDowell, AD Manager of Barley Brigg Biogas at Stradbroke, Suffolk.

Matthew studied Agricultural Technology at Queens University, Belfast and completed his dissertation on anaerobic digestion before moving to England to work in the sector.

Barley Brigg Biogas is owned by Rattlerow Farms, the Stradbroke based pig breeding/genetics company who farm 3000 acres of arable land adjacent to the AD plant.

They and six other local farms grow 650 acres of maize a year for the plant. The maize is grown within a four mile radius of Barley Brigg and contract harvested, with Matthew managing the harvest to achieve the target 33% dry matter (DM).

Yields have averaged 4045 tonnes/hectare, chop length is 3/4mm, and correct consolidation is given high priority.

Harvest hours are restricted from 7am to 9.30pm in respect of local residents.

Matthew has found that making better silage assists the smooth operation and productivity of the AD plant. Timely harvesting and rapid clamp covering all contribute to this as well as the use of Silostop Max 1-layer oxygen barrier film.

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Matthew first encountered this film in his first job with Agrigen biogas, a 3.5 MW plant at Rendlesham, Suffolk. “I was unimpressed with the results of the polyethylene film Agrigen were using and we trialled the new Silostop film I had seen advertised,”he said.

“The results were impressive and they have used it ever since. I find the Max film very strong and easy to use for the covering team, and it has resulted in eliminating top waste and reducing DM losses in the top layer.”

He also places high importance on using Silostop heavy duty Wall Film in conjunction with the Max, and is now using Silostop Supacova Nets for

protection on top of the film. A rotary defacer is used for taking silage out of the clamp, leaving a smooth tight face to reduce DM losses from secondary fermentation.

The larger 150m long Max rolls are now used at Barley Brigg, as Matthew finds that less joins are much more effective for covering large clamps. He also values the technical support and back-up from Silostop, with their wide experience helping farms make better silage all over the world.

Silostop Max is available in 35/50/150/300m lengths with widths from 8 to 27m. The larger 150 and 300m rolls have 1m increments marked on the film to allow accurate cutting of the film to fit the clamp, and to show how much film is left on the roll.

The full range of Silostop products is used to make high quality silage, all supplied by Fram Farmers.

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GRAZING AND RE-SEEDING

ARABLE INPUTS FEATURE

KNOW YOUR GRASS GRAZING AND RE-SEEDING We talk to Amanda Owen, seed specialist at Fram Farmers, to discuss the extensive range of grass seed varieties on offer from the cooperative.

The requirements for grass seed varieties from members are diverse to say the least. Fram Farmers procure for various livestock enterprises, as well as caravan parks, conservation areas and equine gallops to name just a few.

Amanda Owen, who began her employment with Fram Farmers in April 2015 and gained her BASIS seed sellers certificate in February 2019, works closely with members to source the seed that best suits their requirements. The vast range of products that she sources throughout the year include countryside stewardship mixes, catch and cover crops, companion crops, cereals, rye, linseed, oilseed rape, pulses, maize, trees, shrubs, hedges, bulbs and vegetable seeds.

“...it is very important to establish exactly what the grass is being used for, the soil type, how many cuts may be necessary...”

“The role is very different from season to season”, she explains. “When dealing with grass enquiries it is very important to establish exactly what the grass is being used for, the soil type, how many cuts may be necessary, the required longevity of a given ley and whether there are any

restrictions to the growth of the seed, such as shady patches. These questions are particularly important due to the vast range of species and varieties available.

We can source almost anything; members just need to give us a call and we will do the rest”.

SEASONAL The Spring tends to be the enquiry time for utility mixes around barns, margins for fields, lawns etc. and the Autumn enquiries tend to lean more towards over-seeding or sowing new expanses of grazing for livestock and paddocks.

There are short (1-2 yr), mid (3-4 yr) and long-term leys (5yr+) and this is determined by use.

“The pasture would vary on members’ requirements, how many cuts they plan to make within the season, and the primary use of the area. We have a range of suppliers throughout the UK, and therefore a vast scope of mixtures available to us. My job is to send the enquiry out to the merchants with as much information as possible, to get the most effective mix for the member’s business”.

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“Aber or high sugar varieties are favoured by the beef and dairy sectors as, among other factors, they have a higher D value (digestibility) which drives increased milk yield or live weight gain per hectare. Mixes containing white clover have also grown in popularity as they increase milk production and also help to fix nitrogen back into the soil,” Amanda adds.

“Orchard and caravan park mixes tend to be a mix of denser hardwearing grasses and horse paddocks call for a hardwearing but lower sugar grass varieties, to reduce the risk of laminitis.

So, as you can see, it is extremely important that we know the challenges of the grass area to best select the most suitable mixes”.

NITROGEN More farmers are now focussed on investing in their grassland. With ELMS (Environmental Land Management Scheme) being introduced soon, farmers are paying greater attention to the quality of their soils and aiming to improve nitrogen levels without applying straight nitrogen. “It will be interesting how this has a future impact on grassland management”, she concludes.

For advice on grazing and re-seeding, contact Amanda Owen: seed@framfarmers.co.uk 01728 727717.

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STAFF PROFILE

FRAM FARMERS PROVIDES THE RIGHT MIX FOR PLACEMENT STUDENT TOBY HAINSWORTH-BREAR Harper Adams University student Toby Hainsworth-Brear has joined Fram Farmers for his year in industry and will be working within a number of departments across the cooperative. variety of work that I would be doing over the course of the placement,” says Toby.

“I had to really think about what part of the industry I wanted to work within, and with Fram Farmers I can gain industry experience in a variety of fields.”

Having taken up his 12-month placement on 3rd August, Toby hopes that the variety of work he will undertake will help steer his future career and act as a stepping-stone for employment after university.

“I chose Fram Farmers mainly for the

Studying an FdSC Agri-business degree at Harper Adams University, Toby has taken something of a convoluted route into agriculture. With no direct family farming background, it was through a rugby playing team-mate that Toby found his passion for farming, aged just six.

“His father was an estate manager, and I used to be on the farms most weekends,” says Toby. “I asked one of the farmers when I was about twelve if I could help with

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milking at the weekends, and that’s where my story in agriculture began.”

Since then, Toby has gained experience on different farms, and when he is back at home in Yorkshire, he drives for a local silage contractor.

Initially working with Holly Hicks in the marketing team, Toby will be moving around various departments over the course of the year.

He says, “I hope to find where I fit into the industry and which area I enjoy the most.

This placement enables me to take advantage of the opportunity to better my knowledge in different areas of the industry, while developing my personal experience.”

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FINANCE

MEMBER PROFILE

NEW FINANCE INITIATIVE DELIVERS INCREASED EFFICIENCY Financing business operations over recent years had not been an issue for Fram Farmers member Guy Hayward, having been able to raise capital by releasing surplus machinery after entering into a Contract Farming Agreement in 2010.

However, the decision to upgrade a 50year-old, redundant irrigation pump, used for winter fill of a storage reservoir, and summer abstraction onto cereals and vegetables on Bridge and Ivy Farms, was the catalyst to looking into finance again.

“I happened to read an article about the new finance initiative Fram Farmers had just launched, and it was an obvious starting point,” says Mr Hayward.

has already seen the benefits. With very little rainfall throughout the spring, and with his winter wheats and barley now harvested, he has noticed the benefit of applying much needed water to the light land cereals at Wickham Market.

On a practical level, the team who run the irrigation system here have noted how it has saved time. It basically looks after itself, can be controlled via a mobile phone, and can automatically detect a drop in line pressure as an irrigation machine is turned on or off.

“After speaking to Nick Hindle at Fram Farmers, I was swiftly directed through to Simon Shepherd, from credit broker FlexiFinance, and he was able to give me all sorts of payment options, all over the phone. I made a decision best suited to the business. The paperwork soon arrived via email, which was signed, scanned and sent straight back. Easy,” he adds.

“In what is turning out to be an average harvest at best, the new pump has been a huge help to save some of the crops.”

Mr Hayward was initially cautious about committing to a finance scheme again, but with little interest to repay over the agreed period, along with helping cash flow, it was the obvious choice.

Despite making the decision to upgrade the pump during one of the wettest autumns ever experienced, Mr Hayward

Mr Hayward has since used Fram Farmers Finance to purchase a pick-up for his son Ethan, who works for his

Guy Hayward (left) and Andrew Greenwell (right)

contractor Andrew Greenwell, of Capel St Andrew Farms, also a Fram Farmers member.

Mr Greenwell adds, “The renewed pumping system has led to an increase in efficiency with vehicles having to make fewer trips to the pump shed, which has resulted in significant time savings by operators.

“Previously an irrigation hose reel would be moved and set up ready to go. We would then need to travel to the pump to start it. Then travel back to the field to make sure that there are no leaks and the irrigator is winding in correctly. Now it is all done from the field.”

He adds, “It has also allowed the farm to utilise its water more efficiently. Whilst water is prioritised for the farm’s vegetable crops, it is also used on the arable crops.

Significant yield gains have been noted in all crops with applications of water. This year we have seen yields of wheat 2.4 t/ha higher, where we have been able to apply irrigation water.”

Mr Hayward concludes, “Being a member of Fram Farmers obviously has huge benefits. It truly is a one-stop-shop, saving all the phoning around for the best deals.

“Now, with the added bonus of securing its own finance scheme, offering very good rates and excellent level of service, it is surely going to be very popular amongst members.”

FARMERSFIRST I S S U E 57 - AU TU M N 2 0 2 0

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BUSINESS SERVICES

RENEWABLES

FRAM FARMERS LAUNCHES RENEWABLES SERVICE Fram Farmers is pleased to launch its first new service under the expanding Business Services Division, with the introduction of Renewables & Energy Management.

Dan Cox, Fram Farmers’ new Business Services Manager explains, “With electricity prices likely to treble in the next 10 years, a greater emphasis on ‘Green Energy’, and the government’s ‘net zero’ target, the need for businesses to generate their own renewable energy has never been greater.

“In addition, the supply chain is under increasing pressure from retailers to become greener, so this is an area that is becoming more of a necessity when negotiating supplier contracts,” he adds.

“...coupled with the increasing price of electricity, means that the pay-back period can be as good as 5-7 years.”

Despite the Government removing the feed in tariff (FIT) last year, investment in renewable technology has become increasingly popular, thanks to the significant reduction in the cost of the solar panels. This, coupled with the increasing price of electricity, means that the payback period can be as good as 5-7 years.

Dan adds, “We have teamed up with a small number of hugely experienced renewables suppliers, recognised for successfully servicing the agricultural and rural industries for over 10 years.”

CASE STUDy 1 - Onion store roof mounted solar PV A Cambridgeshire-based Fram Farmers member wanted to investigate the viability of solar panels, with his onion store consuming a large amount of electricity. The supplier visited the site, took a detailed look at how power was used, then designed an 81kw East/West roof-mounted Solar PV array, to provide a constant supply of energy throughout the day.

The farm is now benefitting from utilising the energy that the PV system produces, whilst also getting paid for exporting excess energy during times of low site electricity demand. The farmer had seen the opportunity of using the roof of the onion store as an asset and modelled its performance and costsaving in the same way he views his crop.

• • • •

Output – 71,520 kWh per year 18.3 tonnes of CO2 saved per year Equivalent of 2304 trees planted Return on investment of 5-6 years

The next step is to investigate battery storage, so excess electricity can be stored for use when the sun isn’t shining!

Dan adds, “In 2011 the cost of a roof-mounted 50kW Solar PV system would be around £110k. Today the same system would cost roughly £36k. The quality of the systems has not been compromised and the cumulative benefits have improved.”

CASE STUDy 2 - Ground mounted Solar PV In early 2013, James Foskett Farms Ltd, based near Woodbridge, East Suffolk, installed this 244.8 kW ground mounted Solar PV array. Since its commissioning, the system has been producing an average 225,000 kWh of electricity per year, providing a huge saving on electricity bills.

The generation of the Solar PV array supplements the activities on site, such as the cold storage, crop grading and the offices. Electricity not used is sent to the National Grid, earning a payment through an export Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). Operation of the Solar PV system is relatively straightforward, but James has recently booked one of Fram’s FREE health checks for his system, to ensure each panel is performing to its potential.

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RENEWABLES

BUSINESS SERVICES

SOLAR MONITORING AND MAINTENANCE Fram Farmers has also teamed up with a specialist national company, to ensure solar systems are generating the amount of energy that should be expected. The award-winning technology provides data every hour, so any issues are flagged immediately.

Dan says, “In the last decade, issues such as poor workmanship, general disrepair and damage to inverters and wiring has resulted in Solar PV systems functioning at 80-90%, or even as low as 40% capacity.

“Our new specialist supplier is helping members make the most out of their investment, providing an initial comprehensive health check of the system free of charge. If any faults are found, recommendations are provided on how they can be rectified.”

The graph illustrates that one inverter (green line) had completely shut down on 18th August, and is no longer generating electricity. It also shows another inverter dramatically reduced generation a few days previously, and has been performing poorly in relation to the rest of the system.

This graph provides an example of the monitoring system, showing the generation of electricity through each inverter.

So far this has cost the owner £1,080 for the three weeks the inverters have been affected, due to the loss of energy production.

“How long would the owner have continued without investigating the system, given the varying levels of generation the system experiences?” asks Dan. Contact the Business Services team to arrange your free solar health check: 01729 727700 or energymanagement@framfarmers.co.uk

ORIGIN FERTILISERS

ADVERTORIAL

GRASSLAND - MEASURE TO MANAGE YOUR SOIL Soil sampling is essential for determining which key nutrients are present within your soil profile. From the results, a nutrient management plan and prescription fertiliser can be produced to correctly administer the nutrients required to optimise crop yield and quality.

In relation to grassland, this could mean increasing the percentage of crude protein or metabolisable energy within the forage, or improving palatability through application of certain sodium products.

In 2018, the government introduced new ‘Farming Rules for Water’, which states agricultural soils must be tested at least every 5 years. Standard soil tests determine the soil pH and the amount of phosphate, potassium and magnesium present in the sample provided.

Broad spectrum soil tests are also available and come highly recommended. Origin Fertiliser’s Nutrition Agronomist Callum Norman says, “They provide a more inFARMERSFIRST I S S U E 57 - AU TU M N 2 0 2 0

depth examination into the soil nutrients and additionally tests for crucial micronutrients which, if low, could be the limiting factor of poor grass quality and yield.

“In the last 12 months, 87% of soils sampled for sodium by Origin Fertilisers were found to be chronically deficient.

Sodium is required in grass for the synthesis of sugars and glucose and if levels are low it could have a detrimental effect on forage palatability.”

Due to sodium being a mobile nutrient, it is difficult to increase soil reserves, so Mr Norman advises applying sodium little and often alongside nitrogen applications to achieve optimal results.

Selenium is another essential micronutrient which has a direct influence on livestock health and fertility, yet 2019 data suggests 90% of UK grassland soils were deficient.

This micronutrient can be applied with your general fertiliser applications to help build soil levels and improve livestock performance.

Contact Callum at Origin Fertilisers for more information: 07525 642091 callum.norman@originfertilisers.co.uk 23

HARVEST ROUND-UP

This year’s weather has caused one of the most challenging growing years to date, so we caught up with members across the country to provide a real insight into what this has meant for their harvest results.

NAME: JAMES HOPKINSON LOCATION: ANGUS We farm 1100 ha, split between two businesses, including a 180 ha contract farm.

Growing winter barley, winter OSR, winter oats, spring oats, spring barley, winter wheat, spring beans, winter beans and winter linseed, there is quite a variety, and the contract farm also grows seed potatoes and vining beans. This is our first year growing beans and linseed as we’re trying to mix up the rotation to improve soil health and structure, with more bio-diversity in the soil. We’ve also drilled 60 ha of cover crops, with another 50 ha planned.

We had a miserable back end of last year, but got everything in as planned. Our cultivation equipment provides variety and choice, from ploughing to direct drilling, and we have one combine that has about 900ha to cut on its own.

So far, we have cut about 35% of combinable crops (winter barley, winter linseed and winter oats), and have started cutting the rest of the crops, including the milling oats, which are grown to supply the Quaker mill in Fife.

The wheat is all feed and distilling wheat and what we have cut so far has achieved between 9t/ha to 11 t/ha. We’re expecting the OSR to be down by about 50%, and we’ve just started the milling oats which are running at 7.5 t/ha. Malting barley is yielding well, but spec could be a problem due to high nitrogen levels. Linseed is yielding at approx. 3 t/ha.

NAME: TOM GRIBBLE LOCATION: COBBE PLACE FARM, EAST SUSSEX

NAME: STEPHEN REYNOLDS LOCATION: NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

Skyscraper Winter Wheat drilling for us started in December, chasing the plough. It went in surprisingly well and survived! We had a horribly dry spring where everything started to suffer, but the plus for us was that we could get slurry at 50m3/ha onto all the wheats using a 12m dribble bar. This gave us an extra tramline, but the benefit easily outweighed that and the transformation happened almost overnight. We kept the spend down and started harvesting wheat on the 3rd August, yielding approx. 8t/ha. Not amazing but not a disaster!

However, straw yields are down and for the first time ever we will have to buy some in for the livestock.

After the wettest of winters, spring drilling eventually went well, but with no rain in May the ironstone land dried out, resulting in spring barley only yielding 4.75t/ha. Spring wheat will not fill the cornstore and the beans look average.

Not many lessons learnt, as problems all weather related. On a positive note, plums and blackberries have excelled!

NAME: SIMON WARD LOCATION: CORNWALL

NAME: NATHAN WIFFEN LOCATION: SUFFOLK

Yoyo is the best way to describe grass growth this season, with first cut on 22 April being average, then, following the May drought, we had a very poor second cut, followed by two good cuts, the last at the beginning of August. The whole crop winter wheat yield was down, with it dehydrating on some land near the coast, and crimp wheat yields were down in grain and straw quantity.

For us, it’s been the most challenging year ever to grow crops, but we have had excellent advice and support from our agronomist, Scott Martin.

To the contrary, the spring barley whole crop has yielded very well. The best potential crop is maize grown on the home farm, which looks good, standing at nine foot, but not in the silo yet.

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Well what a year this has turned out to be!

Fleabeetle destroyed two thirds of the oilseed rape crop with the remainder producing 2.4t/ha.

We got the first wheat drilled early October, before it got really wet last autumn, so we’re grateful for that. We’ve been disappointed with our OSR crop this year, which was hit by flea beetle and wasn’t helped by the dry spring that we experienced here.

The first wheat yielded well at 10 t/ha, and the second wheat achieved 7.5 t/ha. Barley also yielded over 7 t/ha. Due to the expected straw shortage this year, we baled the straw across the whole of the farm. The straw is used for the pigs on the farm, and our neighbours will have some of the bales too.

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HARVEST ROUND-UP

NAME: GRAHAM WARBURTON LOCATION: HATLEY FARM, CHESHIRE

NAME: WAKELY COX LOCATION: DORSET

The winter barley was cut one sunny afternoon at the end of July and yield was very average, but moisture and straw were good. The 30 acres of OSR that made it to harvest (we drilled 120 acres) was cut soon after and yields were on the poor side of disappointing!

We have been generally pleased with the harvest, with overall yields being very much similar to normal.

There are fields which, on the drier land, have not fared so well after the dry spring, whereas, on the chalk, all the crops have yielded very well. The problem bits are the clay capped areas, which have let things down.

Harvest commenced on the milling wheat on 5th August in good conditions. Yields were much better than expected and moisture was good. The straw baled and carted dry a bonus! Sample results were good; protein 14.5%, moisture 14% and bushel weight 80. This has been moved into the Harvest Pool.

We have not grown any proteins or oil seeds this year, relying on grass and stubble turnips as our fertility builders and break crops.

Everything has gone against our cereal crops for 12 months; late harvest 2019, rain, poor and late drilling of OSR, then more rain! Only our sandiest fields were drilled with wheat, which then suffered in the spring drought.

Yields are taken from the combine weigher and are roughly 3.8 t/a on the winter barley, while winter wheat yielded 4.5 t/a. We are still cutting spring barley (at time of going to print) but are currently getting 2.8 t/a.

LOCATION: HERTS/ESSEX BORDER In total, we farm about 350 acres - 60 acres of barley, 90 acres of beans and 200 acres of wheat. Some of this is lighter land, some quite nice loam, and the rest is gravel, which lets us down.

The weather was wet here in the winter and autumn, but we pushed on, and got all of our winter barley and wheat in the ground by the end of October.

Wheat yielded at about 3 t/a, the barley was disappointing at just over 3 t/a, and the beans were as expected. Protein has been around the 11.7 and 12.2, so I’m hoping they’ll take it at 12 so we get the premiums. The weather was good for combining and the wheat has come in very hot, so we’ve been trying to cool it down.

Now that we have had some rain, everything is ploughed up, but we haven’t got anything in the ground yet.

NAME: BARRY CONNOLLY LOCATION: CUMBRIA We’ve got about 100 acres of arable land, mostly on sandy loams. We got the winter wheat in the ground at the end of October, which went in reasonably well. However, it then got battered by the rain and didn’t tiller very well. The stuff that came out of winter looking the best actually yielded the worst. In terms of yield, we’re down by about 25% on last year at roughly 3 t/ha – last year we got just over 4 t/ha.

We got 4000 litres of cow slurry on the spring wheat with the umbilical, which definitely perked it up, and we hope to get the combine in there this week (at time of print). The spring barley is looking well so we’re hoping for a good yield. We’ve just had some torrential rain and it is still standing, which is a good sign.

NAME: MIKE TEBBIT LOCATION: CAMBRIDGESHIRE We farm around 1200ha in total within the joint venture of Greentrack Farming, a third of which is in our occupation. Our land, a mixture of medium and heavier soils, spreads over approx. 5 miles, which saw a variation of rainfall. On some of the winter crops we saw a difference of about one t/ha.

The 180ha of OSR was not good, but better than expected, achieving 3 t/ha. The 105ha of winter winter barley yielded about 8t/ha, and the 375ha of milling wheat (second wheat) yielded lower than usual, but again better than expected, at about 9 t/ha. The 312ha of feed wheat (first wheat) yielded 8.5 t/ha – this is lower than expected but can be attributed to the late October drilling time, meaning it sat wet for a long time. The fields drilled later have done slightly better and the February drilled wheats have done better than the March drilled spring barley.

The 147ha of spring barley achieved over 7.25 t/ha. Again, slightly less than usual and the quality isn’t there, with high nitrogens due to drought at the wrong time.

We grew 50ha of spring oats this year, for the first time, yielding around 8t/ha, and I think we’ll grow them again next year. We’ve also grown 105ha of winter beans, though the crop isn’t looking particularly great (not yet cut at time of going to print).

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As thoughts turn to this autumn, many growers across the UK will be planning to drill their wheat crops earlier than usual.

If conditions are suitable, holding your nerve after the disaster of last year’s wet autumn will be harder than ever, and growers will want to know that they can get a good crop in the ground, says Ruth Stanley, Life Scientific’s UK country manager.

The cold, hard facts remain the same – according to AHDB data it only takes 13 plants/m2 for a 5% yield reduction, and when considered in line with the increased risk from early drilling, this autumn’s herbicide programmes will need to be very carefully planned and implemented.

Firestarter from Life Scientific contains a mix of 400g/l flufenacet and 100g/l diflufenican, in line with its reference product, Liberator. Firestarter is a pre and post-emergence herbicide for the control of grass and broadleaved weeds in winter wheat, barley and spring wheat.

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A fully loaded pre-and post-emergence herbicide programme will be needed - this will not be the time to cut corners or skimp on costs. A programme of different actives at full rate on a fine seedbed with considered application techniques will ensure the best outcome.

As Flufenacet is currently the strongest active against black-grass control it should be an essential ingredient in any grass weed control programme. With black-grass control there is very little room for error, so its important to know that the products being applied in the programme are proven and effective. This is very much the case with Firestarter, as its reference product Liberator has been proven over many years.

FIELD TRIALS DEMONSTRATE EFFICACy OF FIRESTARTER Replicated field trials have been carried out over the last three years by the team at Prime Crop Research Ltd in order to demonstrate the efficacy and crop safety of Firestarter when used alone and as part of a programme with other herbicides.

• Untreated populations range from 62 to 527 heads m².

• When applied alone, Firestarter

provided significant levels of blackgrass control with % seed head reduction ranging from 75% to 86%.

• When applied in a programme with Avadex at the Wyken site, over 95% seed head reduction was observed.

• Where black-grass is challenging, a programme of Avadex pre-emergence, followed by an early post- emergence application of Firestarter at 0.6l/ha plus pendimethalin on small, actively growing weeds is recommended.

• In less challenging conditions Firestarter plus or minus the pendimethalin depending on the circumstances, can be applied preemergence at the same rate. % Black-grass seed head reduction across 3 trials between 2017 - 2020 % seed head reduction

It’s important to remember, with early drilling comes the increased pressure on black-grass control - and we know from experience that best practice is to delay drilling until mid-October, so that any germinating weeds can be sprayed off with glyphosate before the wheat crop germinates.

100

95.6

80 60 40

86.3 75

75.1 72.7 53.5

49.9

20 0 Kings Lynn (17/18)

Pelham (17/18)

Wyken (17/18)

Location and year Firestarter

Avadex

Firestarter + Avadex

For more information on Firestarter see the Life Scientific website www.lifescientific.com/products/ FARMERSFIRST I S S U E 57 - AU TU M N 2 0 2 0

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Visit agricentre.basf.co.uk/crystal Crystal is a registered Trade Mark of BASF. Crystal contains 昀ufenacet and pendimethalin. Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use. If you have any queries or require further information, please contact your local BASF Agronomy Manager. Contact details can be found at agricentre.basf.co.uk. Or the BASF Technical Services Hotline: 0845 602 2553.

Ed Ford Childerditch Hall Farm Brentwood

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