South East Farmer March 2020 by KELSEY Media

Est 1982

March 2020

PRESSING FORWARD

OUT & ABOUT CHARTHAM VINEYARD

Nigel Akehurst visits a Kentish vineyard

FEATURE SOIL BIOLOGY Improvements with no-till on Essex farm

FEATURE BEBA ENERGY

Keeping on top of solar

NEWS ICA BOSS CLEARED FEATURE CRAWFORDS

Dealership is now spanning Essex, Kent, Sussex and East Hampshire

Agriculture Bill – How will this affect you? Need BPS advice? batchellermonkhouse.com

Please contact Charlotte Pearson Wood 01892 509280 Alex Wilks 01798 877555 Chris Tipping 01444 412402

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Trade Stands, Seminars, and Networking Opportunities

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www.southeastfarmer.net SOUTH EAST FARMER Kelsey Media, The Granary, Downs Court Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 6AL EDITORIAL Liz Mazson Email: southeastfarmer.ed@kelsey.co.uk FEATURES: Victoria Rose Photography: Martin Apps, Countrywide Photographic ADVERTISEMENT SALES Jamie McGrorty 01303 233883 jamie.mcgrorty@kelsey.co.uk AD PRODUCTION Studio Manager: Jo Legg jo.legg@kelsey.co.uk Graphic Designer: James Pitchford MANAGEMENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Steve Wright CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER: Phil Weeden MANAGING DIRECTOR: Kevin McCormick FINANCE DIRECTOR: Joyce Parker-Sarioglu PUBLISHER: Jamie McGrorty HR & OPERATIONS MANAGER: Charlotte Whittaker RETAIL DIRECTOR: Steve Brown RENEWALS AND PROJECTS MANAGER: Andy Cotton SENIOR SUBSCRIPTION MARKETING MANAGER: Nick McIntosh SENIOR PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER: Nicola Pollard PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER: Georgina Harris PRINT PRODUCTION CONTROLLER: Kelly Orriss DISTRIBUTION Distribution in Great Britain: Marketforce (UK) 2nd Floor, 5 Churchill Place Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HU Tel: 020 3787 9001 Distribution in Northern Ireland and the Republic Of Ireland: Newspread Tel: +353 23 886 3850 PRINTING Warners Midlands Plc Kelsey Media 2020 © all rights reserved. Kelsey Media is a trading name of Kelsey Publishing Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden except with permission in writing from the publishers. Note to contributors: articles submitted for consideration by the editor must be the original work of the author and not previously published. Where photographs are included, which are not the property of the contributor, permission to reproduce them must have been obtained from the owner of the copyright. The editor cannot guarantee a personal response to all letters and emails received. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor or the Publisher. Kelsey Publishing Ltd accepts no liability for products and services offered by third parties.

MARCH 2020

CONTENTS 05 06 08 09 14

NEWS & REPORTS Ladies lead beef campaign. ICA boss cleared. Dog attacks stop sheep grazing South Downs. Immigration curbs raise labour shortage fears. Beaver release to bring wetland benefits.

Owl House Fruit Farm is home to one of the county’s first juice producers.

42 46 50

MONICA AKEHURST Son-in-laws arrived bearing gifts.

OUT AND ABOUT Nigel Akehurst visits Chartham Vineyard in Kent to learn more about their modern family focused approach to farm diversification.

40 49 54

SOIL PRESSURE CLEAN Another one fights the dust.

ANITA HEAD RICHARD WOOD

SARAH CALCUTT STEPHEN CARR NICK ADAMES

CRAWFORDS First class, premium products and unbeatable service delivered by a family-run super dealership.

There are an awful lot of Cummings and goings in Downing Street at the moment.

TASTE OF KENT AWARDS

Soil biology improved with no-till.

REGULARS 24 27

FEATURES

BEBA ENERGY Shedding light on the importance of routine solar cleaning and maintenance.

Things are moving on apace on Nick’s old dairy farm.

55 57 58

MARKET REPORTS ADVICE FROM THE VET ALAN WEST Doesn’t time fly when you are having fun?

LAND AND FARMS

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OPINION

What’s in your banger?

What is the dictionary definition of a sausage, steak or burger? That’s the question South East Farmer thought we’d ask following the avalanche of vegan sausages, burgers and “steak” bakes launched onto the food market. Take sausages, for years a traditional part of the Great British breakfast and bangers and mash - the online encyclopedia Wikipedia describes sausages as “a meat product”. The Cambridge English Dictionary says they are “a thin, tube like case containing meat”. Collins English Dictionary says a sausage “consists of minced meat”. The food industry however seems to disagree. Greggs vegan sausage roll, for example, has its own “bespoke Quorn filling” – Quorn being a mycoprotein made from fermenting fungus. It is not meat so how can it be a sausage roll? It is a mycoprotein fungus roll. Greggs has again recently teamed up with Quorn to launch its vegan steak bake “designed to mirror some of the steak bake’s classic features”, including its pastry. But instead of steak, widely defined as “a flat piece of beef”, the pastry “is wrapped around a savoury mycoprotein piece and onions in a rich gravy” – vegan

of course. There has been a deafening public silence from farming leaders in response to the launch – with the exception of National Beef Association chairman Andrew Laughton. The Association stood alone in calling for tighter rules on the labelling and branding of vegan food products made from fungus. Television presenter Piers Morgan, well known for his outspoken views, has to his credit questioned the validity of a vegan “steak” bake in a feature on ITV’s Good Morning Britain and on Twitter. The Evening Standard highlighted his “rant” about the product. Pointing at a picture of beef he told viewers: “That is a steak. This is not. This is actually meat and they should not be using meat terminology to sell non-meat products.” Mr Morgan is – in this instance – right. The food industry should not be allowed to label products made from mycoprotein, or anything else, as a sausage, burger or steak. We need to take a leaf out of the French government’s rule book and ban the use of meat related terminology to describe plant based vegan or vegetarian products that are meat free. Greggs say its vegan sausage was launched following “strong consumer demand”, including a petition by animal rights group PETA which was signed by 20, 000 people. How about a petition from the farming industry to ban misleading vegan/vegetarian food labelling rules in the UK? If the French can do it why can’t we? The beef industry cannot afford to sit back without fighting its corner. Surely farmers can gather more than 20,000 signatures to deliver to Downing Street – and Greggs –in support of accurate food labelling. A product made from fungus cannot be a sausage, steak or burger. Boris Johnson must act in the interest of British meat and make sure our Great British favourites are not undermined by the food industry’s new vegan pretenders.

EMAIL YOUR VIEWS, LETTERS OR OPINIONS TO: letters@southeastfarmer.net or write to the address on page 3 ®

CASE DISMISSED Animal rights activists have expressed disappointment after a case against Forge Farm Meats was dismissed at Sevenoaks Magistrates Court. Activists from Kent based Animal Aid filmed in secret over three days in Spring 2017 inside Forge Farm slaughterhouse. They claimed the footage revealed “serious cause for concern” over the way the animals were treated before slaughter, including stunning methods. The footage was handed to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), for further investigation. The case was referred to the Crown Prosecution Service and later heard in January at Sevenoaks Magistrates Court where the judge decided not to proceed with the case. In a Kent Live report Stephen Bailey, Forge Farm director expressed his relief that the case had been dropped after the judge refused to accept secretly recorded video as evidence. In a statement Animal Aid said it was “deeply disappointed” that the case had been dropped. The group claim to have filmed at two more slaughterhouses since Forge Farm.

FARMS SUPPORT

OLDER GENERATION

Two farms in Buckinghamshire are among the first to become part of Countrymen UK a nationwide initiative set up to support older men with a background in farming or horticulture. Road Farm, Great Missenden and Animal Antiks in North Marston are looking for members to join their Countrymen Clubs designed to allow men with poor health to access support in a familiar farm environment. Countrymen UK was set up to deal with the isolation faced by men with deteriorating physical or mental health who find it difficult to access outdoor work or leisure activities. The clubs are particularly keen to recruit men with long term conditions including dementia, and Parkinson’s. The clubs also give wives and carers an opportunity to socialise and gain support from one another. The Countrymen UK Clubs were developed as a result of an initiative by Future Roots – an organisation which runs programmes in Dorset for young people and adults. More than a dozen UK care farms and gardens have become Countrymen UK social franchises following National Lottery funding. Julie Plumley Future Roots and Countrymen UK founder said: “The unique combination of activities taking place outdoors reflects our belief, underpinned by recent research, that getting back to farm and countryside environments and green spaces, overcomes isolation and has a positive impact on physical health and mental wellbeing.”

NEWS

LADIES LEAD BEEF CAMPAIGN > Paula

Matthews with Ian the butcher. Belted Galloway beef is hanging behind

Surrey farmer Paula Matthews, is set to champion British beef and beef farmers as part of Great British Beef Week an initiative led by a dynamic group of lady beef farmers. The tenth annual Ladies in Beef campaign which runs from 23-30 April will see members driving Photo ©Forestry Commission awareness of the quality and versatility of British beef across the UK. The group was co-founded by Jilly Greed a fourth generation Dorset farmer and NFU leader Minette Batters. Ms Greed said: “Ten years on the importance of promotion has never been more critical. We are asking the whole supply chain to get behind Great British Beef Week this year to fly the flag and champion our home produced product.” Paula Matthews will highlight the contribution her native suckler herd of Belted Galloways make to maintaining the North Downs chalk landscape – part of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and a critical carbon sink for damaging greenhouse gases. Mrs Matthews, who has a background in practical conservation management, has 130 “Belties” at Manor Farm with 37 cows and heifers due to calve this year. She started keeping the hardy native breed in 2006 and supplies an award winning local butchers. Bevan’s, who have four butchers’ shops in

the county, were named Best Butcher’s Shop 2019 at the Meat Management Industry Awards, the meat industry’s highest accolade. Mrs Matthews told South East Farmer she will be working with Bevan’s to make a promotional video that will show her on the farm with the grass fed “Belties”. The film will be shown on television screens behind the counter at Bevan’s shops as part of Great British Beef Week. “Great British Beef Week is a great opportunity to market my beef,” said Mrs Matthews. “We aim to showcase local, grass fed beef produced to high welfare standards from a farm just 10 minutes drive from one of Bevan’s shops.” All the Belted Galloway beef from Manor Farm is grass fed and Mrs Matthews is applying for Pasture For Life certification – a national accreditation scheme for 100% grass fed beef. She hopes the move will increase understanding and management of grazed grass as a carbon sink to tackle climate change. “One third of our farm is unimproved grassland naturally fertilised by the grazing livestock,” she said. In winter the cattle are at Manor Farm. In summer they are out on the North Downs as part of a Natural England and National Trust conservation scheme to maintain the landscape, much of which is a Site

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of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) “they are doing an amazing job. They are part of the story of that landscape and they are preventing it from becoming scrub and woodland again because they are grazing the pasture,” said Mrs Matthews. “As they are a native breed Belted Galloways are also very good at converting rough grazing into a great beef product with good marbling. If our Friesian crosses were grazing the same land they would start losing condition and we would have to take them back down to the farm quite quickly,” she added. From the outset Mrs Matthews has sold beef direct from the farm, initially in a beef box and now in branded, reusable jute “Beltie bags”. She also supplies a community owned pub in Cambridgeshire with cattle to graze local SSSI fields, and to add to the menu, after the owners approved her ethos and high welfare standards.

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NEWS

ICA BOSS CLEARED

Former boss of ICA Ltd Andrew Wills has been cleared of a fraud charge relating to Rural Development Grant applications submitted in 2016. The jury of seven women and five men returned a “not guilty” verdict following a trial that hinged on whether or not Wills knew about fraudulent applications made for grants available under the Countryside Productivity Scheme. His co-defendant Robin Turney, who acted as agent for the farmers and growers and submitted the applications on their behalf, was found guilty on one of two counts and will be sentenced at a later date. Turney, of Little Alne, Henley-in-Arden faced one count of supplying articles for use in fraud between 23 March and 28 July 2016 and a second of knowingly or recklessly furnishing information that is false or misleading. Turney was cleared of the first count but convicted on the second. Wills of Barden Road, Speldhurst was cleared of one count of being in possession of articles for use in fraud. ICA employee Simon Francis Fitch, of Old Hadlow Road, Tonbridge, had earlier pleaded guilty to his part in the fraud and gave evidence on behalf of the prosecution in which he claimed Wills had been aware of what was going on.

Wills, though, maintained throughout the case that his workload at the head of numerous businesses meant he had no time to focus on the detail of grant applications put together by Fitch and forwarded by Turney, and he denied any knowledge of what Fitch, his brother-in-law, had been doing. James Thacker, prosecuting on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), said the case involved applications to the Rural Payments Agency for “substantial and significant grants”. He told the jury that to ensure value for money for the taxpayer, applicants had to submit three competitive quotations, with the grant – designed to improve productivity, create jobs and promote growth – based on the lowest price submitted. In this case, Mr Thacker said, Fitch had not only produced the ICA quotation but had also created and submitted quotations from two other contractors on each occasion. “As they were controlling all three quotes, they were always the cheapest and they always won,” he pointed out. Although the jury heard Wills had seen emails from Fitch relating to the fraudulent activity and had forwarded some to colleagues, he told the court that he did not have time to read emails copied to him but had

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

simply filed or deleted them. The prosecution said Turney, who acted for the farmer or grower in seven out of nine projects investigated, “had knowledge of and encouraged the false claims”. Turney told the court that as the agent for the farmers, he had to collate a large amount of information, including tax returns for the previous three years, three competitive quotes, planning documents, the project manager’s CV and details of any awards the grower had received that might support the application. He forwarded information provided by the client and followed the guidance set out by the Rural Payment Agency, he said. Turney admitted that some of the paperwork now looked fraudulent “with the perfect use of hindsight”, but said that at the time he had believed it to be genuine. “Looking at it today there are clearly things that don’t tie up,” he admitted. Questioned by his barrister, Adrian Maxwell, Turney said the RPA guidance set out “the rules by which applicants must submit their tenders,” adding: “I believe that my clients followed that accurately and to the letter.” When Mr Maxwell asked: “Did you follow it?” Turney replied: “Yes.” Christopher Daw QC, representing Wills (48), pointed out that his client was involved in a large number of other businesses not just ICA, and added that in 2016 ICA itself had 100 employees across various divisions. He said Fitch was on a salary of £60,000 and was “a trusted and senior member of staff” who spent his working day visiting farms to put together technical specifications for projects. Describing Fitch as a “self-confessed fraudster”, he said Wills had not given permission for him to produce fraudulent quotations, despite Fitch’s claims that he had been following his brother-in-law’s instructions. Mr Daw said Wills had “trusted Mr Fitch to do his job”. Questioned later by Mr Thacker, Fitch said he had created the quotations to help the growers who needed the stores and to improve the cashflow for his brotherin-law’s company. He said there had been no benefit or bonus in it for him. The jury heard that ICA’s offices in Paddock Wood were raided in October 2016 after an investigation was launched by the Rural Payments Agency and led by Defra’s Sue Toddington. Investigators seized a batch of blank letterheads for a grower, as well as emails and other documents, but the jury was told none of the forged documents were found in Wills’ office. The jury was told about one email from Fitch to Turney that was copied to Wills’ PA and headed “grant paperwork” and which had three tenders attached, one

NEWS

from ICA and two from other companies. On another occasion an email from Turney’s office asked Fitch to revise the documentation to add VAT numbers to all the quotations, including the two from other contractors. On another occasion, the court heard, one local grower asked Turney’s office if they had to have three quotations or could submit two. The emailed reply from the agent said he assumed the grower was “using ICA” for his quotations, adding: “For other clients they have provided two other quotes”. A later email to that grower, copied to Wills and headed “client paperwork”, included quotes purporting to be from two other contractors but described as “cover price one” and “cover price two”. The email asked the grower to forward the documents to Turney. Although Mr Thacker said Wills had later forwarded the email to a colleague, Wills said he had not read it. Questioned by his barrister, Wills outlined his day at the helm of a number of different companies and said his main focus was on an automotive business he was running at that time and on a company that packed rations for the British Army and was very time consuming. He said he received around 150 emails a day and filed or deleted any he was only copied in to. Asked by Mr Daw what impact reading every email he was copied in to would have had on his working day, he replied: “I would have been on about my tenth marriage by now”. Wills said his only interest in the tendering process was to make sure that the “bottom line” of any quotation submitted on behalf of ICA allowed for the right profit margin. He said he only checked the project heading and looked at “the cost price and the selling price” related to his own company. Asked about a claim by Fitch that he reviewed the whole pack of information before it was forwarded to Turney, Wills replied: “Absolute rubbish”. Mr Daw asked: “How much time would it have taken to engage in the level of scrutiny that Mr Fitch says you did?” Wills replied: “Hours and hours.” Fitch admitted that in all nine cases under investigation he had created the additional two

AGRICULTURAL SERVICES

quotations as well as the tender from ICA. He claimed he and Wills “would have discussed the project in full and run through the schedules and I would then produce the paperwork. He would have approved everything.” Asked later if he was aware that some of the documents were fraudulent, Wills replied: “No, because I didn’t read them.” Asked why he had created the false documentation, Fitch said building controlled atmosphere stores was a specialist job and that there was a limited number of contractors that could do the work. Some wouldn’t work with ICA or the growers for a variety of reasons, which made it difficult to get quotations, he said. Under cross-examination, he explained: “There was a problem with the industry and the number of contractors to do jobs. Lots of people in the area knew there was no point quoting because they would not get the job.” Referring to an incident in which he had sent an email from the offices of Panel Tech Electrical pretending to be from that company in response to queries raised by Defra investigator Sue Toddington, Fitch claimed Wills had instructed him to send the email claiming everything was in order “because he was too busy”. Wills told the jury that he knew nothing of the fraud until “the last hour of the Defra raid” and said he had felt “shock, surprise and a bit of sadness” when he first heard of Fitch’s claim that it had been done under his direction. South East Farmer has been asked to clarify one aspect of our earlier report on this trial. While Torran Construction was named during the proceedings as having been central to the initial investigation, the company has asked us to point out that it did not initiate the investigation but co-operated with the enquiry when contacted by DEFRA. We are happy to make that clear. Please note this story has been amended from an earlier version in which Wills was wrongly said to have been charged on three counts. We regret this error and are happy to set the record straight and confirm that he was charged only with the one, lesser, offence.

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Buyers from across the UK were treated to a showcase of Kent food and drink at a Good Food Growth meet the buyer event at The Hop Farm near Paddock Wood. Around 40 local artisan producers offered tastings to buyers with a wide range of products including fresh produce, meat, dairy, baked goods, soft drinks, wine, beer and spirits.

SMART CONFERENCE Innovation will be the focus of the Country Landowners Association’s Smart Farming conference in Bracknell due to take place at Jealott’s Hill International Research Centre, Bracknell on 19 March. The CLA says the conference offers a valuable opportunity to consider new farm management methods. Michael Valenzia CLA regional director said: “The day will focus on the role innovation has to play in shaping the farming industry, and how this can be applied to businesses on various scales.” The conference will finish with a tour of the research centre to learn more about its development work.

FIFTH GENERATION Amelia McLean has been appointed director of Kent based Hugh Lowe Farms. Amelia grew up on the farm and will take the family business led by mother Marion Regan forward into its fifth generation. “I’ve been steeped in soft fruit growing all my life and am excited by the possibilities for growth, innovation and collaboration in our sector,” she said.

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NEWS

Repeated dog attacks are stopping some South Downs farmers, including West Sussex NFU chair Caroline Harriott from grazing sheep on hundreds of acres of pasture. The news comes as new NFU Mutual figures reveal out of control dogs are continuing to cause carnage in the region with attacks on livestock costing £136,000 last year – an 87% rise on the previous year. “Over the last decade we have had over 100 sheep killed or injured in attacks,” said Mrs Harriott, West Sussex NFU chair, who runs a flock of 600 ewes and rears lambs near Arundel The most recent attack was 17 February when a professional dog walker took five dogs onto Caroline’s tenanted land near Sompting. One of the dogs, a Siberian Husky, slipped its lead and went on to savagely attack two sheep. One lamb was so badly maimed it was put down by the vet the same day and another had its ear torn off and a severely wounded leg. “It’s heart breaking to get a phone call and rush to the field and find the aftermath of an attack – sheep killed, others so badly injured they have to be put down, sheep in absolute terror after being chased round the fields and sheep so stressed they lose their unborn lambs. “Another attack was filmed by a member of the public and the image of our sheep being chased round and round the field and repeatedly pushed into fences by the attacking dog is locked in my mind. It was another case (there have been too many) of one of my sheep being so badly wounded it couldn’t be saved.” Despite education campaigns and signs asking dog walkers to keep their pets on leads around livestock fields, Caroline says the issue is getting worse. She had bought a flock of rare breed sheep

> Caroline

DOG ATTACKS STOP SHEEP

GRAZING SOUTH DOWNS

to graze conservation land on the Downs. “It’s hugely popular with dog walkers because of the beauty of the area – but we had so many worrying incidents that we have had to take the sheep off that land. “It’s not just sheep that are being put at risk, one of the key conservation projects in the South Downs National Park is protecting the habitat of groundnesting birds. “There are now so many dogs running loose on the Downs every day that the birds don’t stand a chance of successfully raising chicks.” Caroline, and other local farmers regularly meet with police and their MP to keep up pressure to provide rural policing services and push for new

Harriott

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

legislation. She fears the growing trend for dog owners to leave their pets in the care of professional dog walkers during the day is leading to more attacks. “Professional dog walkers who walk large numbers of dogs at any one time have become a major problem,” she said. “Under the present law one person can take up to six dogs out. To my mind, there’s no way one person can keep six dogs under control in the countryside – even picking up the dog mess is practically impossible. “We need new legislation to bring a workable balance between the dog-owning public and farming. The present, laws simply don’t address the problems we are dealing with day-in, day-out.”

IMMIGRATION CURBS

RAISE LABOUR

SHORTAGE FEARS Concern over future recruitment of seasonal workers to pick fruit, vegetables and ﬂowers has been raised by the NFU following the government’s proposed new immigration policy. The NFU’s concern follows Home Secretary Priti Patel’s plans for a new UK points-based immigration system, which goverment say will “open up the UK to the brightest and the best from around the world, while reasserting control of our borders”.

SERIOUS CONCERNS

But the NFU has raised “serious concerns” over what it calls “government’s failure to recognise British food and farming’s needs within its proposed new immigration policy”. NFU leader Minette Batters said: “It is ironic that the government on the one hand is encouraging more people to increase the amount of fruit and veg in diets, yet on the other hand making it harder for that fruit and veg to be produced in Britain.” She said: “We have said repeatedly that for farm businesses it is about having the full range of skills needed – from pickers and packers to meat processors and vets – if we are to continue to deliver high quality, affordable food for the public. Failure to provide an entry route for these jobs will severely impact the farming sector. “Automation will have a vital role to play and we fully support investment in this area, but it is not yet a viable option to replace the number of people we need and farmers will need a practical solution in the meantime. There are also some jobs that simply cannot be replaced by technology. “Although the expansion of the Seasonal Workers Scheme will ease some of the pressure for the coming season, growers remain very concerned about how they will recruit vitally important seasonal workers in future. We are urging the government to commit to delivering a full scheme for 2021, which will enable us to recruit the 70,000 seasonal workers needed on British fruit, veg and flower farms.”

PILOT EXPANDED

Ms Batters comments came after government announced it had expanded the Seasonal Workers Pilot for the 2020 harvest. It will quadruple the number of workers farms can recruit on a temporary basis from outside the EU this year to take up seasonal work. It will allow farmers to hire up to 10,000 workers in 2020 – an increase from the previous 2,500 workers. With soft fruit production in the UK continuing to skyrocket – growing by 185% between 1998 and 2018 – government claim the expansion will support farmers over this year’s busy summer harvest, while allowing government to test the pilot further. Environment Secretary George Eustice said: “The farmers and growers I’ve spoken to have made a powerful case for needing more workers during the coming busy months. “Expanding our Seasonal Workers Pilot will help our farms with the labour they need for this summer’s harvest, while allowing us to test our future approach further. We will always back our farmers and growers, who produce world-famous British food to some of the highest standards anywhere in the world.”

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NEWS

NFU LEADER PRAISES ESSEX FARM PARK

Every child in Britain should have the right to understand how their food is produced and more farm parks are needed to teach them, said NFU President Minette Batters during a visit to Barleylands Farm in Essex. Ms Batters joined 60 Year 3 pupils from South Benfleet Primary School as part of a Field to Fork day at the Barleylands farm park. The children made dough with Ms Batters and created a healthy pizza to take back to school using ingredients grown on the farm and in the local area. Ms Batters said: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like Barleylands. It’s really important to teach children how their food is produced and they are not only seeing it grown and reared here but with the brilliant kitchen facilities they are also learning about cooking with the ingredients and about a healthy balanced diet which is absolutely critical.” Barleylands also introduced children to jobs across the food and farming industry. “My only sadness is we need a Barleylands in every different region in the country. We need more of this,” said Ms Batters. “Every child in this country should have a right to understand how their food is produced, learn about the

Threatened bees and crop yields can both be boosted with new wildﬂower seed mixes, says a University of Sussex study backed by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT). PHD student Rachel Nichols teamed up with Emorsgate Seeds in the project to identify which wildflowers attracted certain bee species. The findings suggest DEFRA’s recommended mixes may not be as effective as they could be. Scientists found the existing nectar flower mix and the flower rich margin mixes, suggested by DEFRA each contained

> South

Benﬂeet Primay School with Minette Batters

environment they live in and learn about how to cook”. Barleylands Farm was opened by owner Peter Philpot in 1984 with a few pieces of old machinery. Its education team now welcomes almost 20,000

school children a year. The farm park is a regional finalist in the Countryside Alliance’s Clarissa Dickson Wright Award for a business committed to food and farming, campaigning and education.

DIVERSITY KEY FOR BEES

only one of the 18 species most attractive to bees. With DEFRA policy moving towards payment by results for environmental goals the scientists say it is important that options available to farmers are as effective as possible. The study focused on how best to attract species likely to transfer more pollen at each visit. A more diverse mix of pollinator species has also been shown

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

to improve crop yields. Professor John Holland, one of the study’s supervisors said: “This work is the first of its kind but it shows how important it is to monitor how effective current measures are. Those mixes used in current agri-environment schemes are having a positive impact but we must remain open to how we can improve.”

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Phil Jarvis, chair of the NFU Environment Forum, will attend Farm Expo on 4 March as the event’s keynote speaker. With a wealth of experience in sustainable farming and conservation, Phil will be discussing the NFU’s ‘Achieving Net Zero’ goal and what this means for British farming. His keynote speech will form part of Farm Expo’s headline seminar on “Future Farming – The Next Ten Years” which will discuss what farmers can expect to see in the next decade for the farming industry. Phil Jarvis will be joined by Rob Yorke and Mario Caccamo in the headline seminar. Rob is a rural commentator and chartered surveyor. His letters and opinion pieces have been published in a range of publications including The Times, Farmers Weekly, Shooting Gazette, and The Guardian. Rob’s pieces have covered diverse issues such as forestry, farming, conservation, shooting, and related environmental issues. Mario is managing director of NIAB EMR and plays a leading role in the cereal bioinformatics communities at both national and international levels. He has over 15 years’ experience in life science research and big data, including projects that apply the latest DNA sequencing technologies and bioinformatics methods to advance scientific understanding of crop genetics and the interaction of agricultural crops with their environment. Chairman of the Kent County Agricultural Society, James Forknall, said: “We’re delighted to be welcoming such distinguished speakers to our headline seminar at Farm Expo. All experts in their fields, Phil, Rob and Mario will provide some interesting insights and ideas into what to expect from farming in the next ten years.” Organised by charity, the Kent County Agricultural Society, Farm Expo offers the latest developments, technology and equipment for the agricultural industry and is a chance for visitors to see and discuss these first-hand. Farm Expo is on 4 March at the Kent Showground and is free to attend with free parking. The headline seminar is at 11.30am and the afternoon seminar will follow at 2.30pm and will cover diversification. The event also offers trade stands showcasing machinery, supplies, and services for the agricultural industry.

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WITH A FREE TRACTOR Kent farmer and JLS band member JB Gill is promoting a new “Up to Speed” scheme, offering three winning farmers the use of a free New Holland machine for a year. The Prince’s Countryside Fund and Basildon based New Holland are working together to help ensure forward thinking farmers can get their business “Up to Speed”. The scheme is open to any British farmer who can justify how the loan of a New Holland machine will help their business develop including: • A new entrant who could use the machine to kickstart their business. • An existing farmer who is looking to become more efficient on farm. • A farmer who is looking to develop and/or diversify their current enterprise. Applications close at midnight on Sunday 1 March. Three different New Holland machines are available for loan: Boomer Compact tractor, T6 or T7 tractor and a TH telehandler. Applicants must be aged 18 and over, with a British driving or tractor licence, UK citizen with a UK passport and a resident in the UK. To find out more/apply: www.princescountrysidefund.org.uk/uptospeed

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NEWS

WELFARE PROBE AT EGG FARM

TARGETED BY ACTIVISTS Investigations into welfare standards at a Sussex free range egg farm are continuing after animal rights activists released shocking video evidence of poor hygiene and welfare at the award winning farm. Video footage taken at Hoads Farm, near Rye was released by animal liberation group Direct Action everywhere Brighton (DxE) after a six month investigation which ended with more than 100 activists occupying the farm in a day of action. The footage showed dirty conditions and dead hens left uncollected. Supermarkets, including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda reacted by withdrawing the farm’s RSPCA Assured Freedom Food eggs from sale. Hoads Farm has strongly refuted all allegations. The British Egg Industry Council confirmed it had been made aware of the video footage. “The farm has been suspended from the Lion scheme pending further investigation,” an Egg Council statement said. An RSPCA spokesman said: “We are shocked and appalled by the video and understand why people are upset. Any allegations of poor welfare on RSPCA Assured certified farms are taken extremely

Photos © DXE Brighton

seriously. That’s why we immediately suspended the farm, pending investigation, as soon as we were made aware of the video. “We have since visited the farm and we saw a new flock of birds that were in good health, with good feather cover. However, our investigations are ongoing which means that any new eggs from the farm cannot carry the RSPCA Assured label.” Hoads Farm received a Good Egg Award in 2014 from welfare group Compassion In World Farming (CIWF) in recognition of its commitment to laying hen welfare. But a CIWF spokesman told South East Farmer the award has been suspended pending further investigation. A CIWF vet had visited the site and seen a new flock of laying hens. But CIWF had no comment to make on the findings of the visit. A vet would make a second visit after the birds had completed their egg laying cycle to ensure welfare standards were as they should be. A CIWF spokesperson said: “The farming system is free range where the birds have access to the outdoors the opportunity to perch and stretch their wings The way the system has been designed is very good. The problem is that even the best

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

designed systems can be badly managed.” DxE activists, who “negotiated the release” of 50 hens from the farm, have vowed to continue their campaign. “The result has overall been encouraging, but we are not finished and we are not satisfied,” a social media statement said. “We want to see people taking action across this so-called country, and across the world, against the capitalist, speciesist propaganda of “free-range”. Hoads Farm has strongly refuted all allegations. In a statement it said: “Hoads Farm operates above and beyond the already high standards laid down by the British egg industry. “Following this incident, we asked the RSPCA to carry out an inspection of our site, which they completed yesterday. As we expected, they reported the hens being in good health and with good feather cover. “Additionally, we also had a fully qualified poultry vet visit the site yesterday, and, apart from the consequences of the protestors’ actions, again he raised no concerns. “DEFRA also visited the site, accompanied with an independent vet, who reported the following: “No non compliance for animal welfare noted at time of inspection, all compliant for welfare of free range birds. Compliant production unit and egg collection area. No issues identified”. “The welfare of our birds is of paramount importance to us, and we strongly refute the allegations made by these so-called animal rights activists. We also question the integrity of the images used. “And, being the fourth farm in the area to be targeted by animal rights activists, we believe Monday’s incident is part of a targeted campaign against egg production facilities.” The spokesman added: “The actions of these 100 or more individuals which included criminal damage and theft, has not only distressed the very birds they claim to care about, but has compromised the bio security measures in place to keep the hens safe from infection.” A Sussex Police spokesman confirmed that officers had worked with the business owners and protesters after responding to a report of a demonstration by animal rights activists at the farm. “Officers remained at the site to prevent a breach of the peace while the farm owners and the protesters reached a mutual agreement and the protesters left the site with no arrests made at the request of the business.”

NEWS MP PLEDGES TO HELP HS2 FARMS

PLANNING RULE CHANGE OFFERS INCOME Changes to planning rules will give farmers an opportunity to earn income by providing environmental services to developers, says the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers. Jeremy Moody, CAAV secretary and advisor to aid environmental issues will be critical as part of government’s National Planning Policy Framework. Changes in planning rules mean future housing developments must provide a 10% net gain in biodiversity for every project. Farmers are likely to see their role in providing this service to developers expand. “There should come a stage where we can look at the environment as an enterprise and price environmental goods so that they offer a profit and are not priced on a compensation basis,” said Mr Moody. “We want this to provide an income in the same way producing crops or meat would. Additionally works like improving soils are positively synergistic with good farming. Such environmental

management could then give a business margin where farming is unprofitable. “Farmers are likely to play a key role in reversing biodiversity loss and off-setting carbon emissions, but this can be looked at with commercial practicality as a branch of the farm business, rather than as another tick box to complete.” Drought resilience and flood prevention management offer further opportunities. “Increased flooding is the UK’s biggest property and business risk from climate change and estimates suggest that around 3.6m people will suffer from annual flooding by 2050. “This will affect farmers too,” says Mr Moody. “But deploying strategic interventions now – and getting paid to do so – could mitigate the impacts to valuable farmland, while also providing a public good as part of the business. “Overall, there’s a real opportunity for farmers to look at their businesses and ask how these developing policies can be used advantageously.”

DOWNING STREET DELIVERY

FOR SOUTH EAST WINE

English sparkling wine from the South East was served alongside British beef and lamb at a Downing Street drinks party to mark the UK’s exit from the EU. Guests including cabinet ministers and Brexit advisers were served canapés with a traditional British flavour including mini Yorkshire puddings with roast beef and horseradish sauce, filet of lamb, roast chicken skewers and cheddar cheese and pickle, according to Press reports. South East Farmer contacted Downing Street who confirmed that English sparkling wine was served at the drinks party. But a spokesman declined to give further details. The Daily Express reported that a “colossal amount” of wine had been delivered to Number 10 the week before the party with pictures showing a delivery of Nyetimber wine. A spokesperson for the West Sussex vineyard told South East Farmer client confidentiality restricted businesses from sharing order details. “It was great however to see Nyetimber being delivered to the prime minister’s home and we very much hope all enjoyed Nyetimber.” It was still early days but the company remained optimistic about its future prospects following Brexit as it believed its wine is “the very best”. “Discerning drinkers in the UK have in any case increasingly recognised the quality, provenance and integrity of English sparkling wine and as a result Nyetimber in particular is enjoying strong domestic growth.”

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Buckingham MP Greg Smith has pledged to do everything possible to ensure landowners affected by HS2 are fully compensated. Farmers in the area who have been affected told South East Farmer it is not just about the money. They say it is easy to overlook the stress and turmoil that has been caused by the project which has left them unable to plan for the future. Following the announcement that HS2 has been given the go-ahead Mr Smith told MPs in the House of Commons he will work to ensure HS2 Ltd are held fully accountable. “It is deeply disappointing that the government have decided to proceed with HS2. This will bring further devastation and blight to Buckinghamsh0ire, not just to the landscape but people’s lives. “With the decision now taken, I am determined to do everything possible to ensure those affected are treated fairly by HS2 Ltd and their contractors, not least those who have already surrendered land but not been fully paid or compensated for it. “Nothing will come close to making up for the devastation HS2 will bring, but it is critical that everyone is treated fairly going forward.” NFU President Minette Batters said the uncertainty and financial pressures had been “extremely distressing” for farmers and their families. “For the past 10 years HS2 has had a considerable impact on our members along the proposed route with compulsory purchases taking hundreds of acres of land and in some cases closing down farm businesses.” She said: “We recognise the importance of investing in the nation’s transport infrastructure but it’s crucial that only land needed to build the line is taken to minimise the impact on our farm businesses. “We must think responsibly about taking land out of food production, particularly as we face a multitude of challenges and opportunities with life outside of the EU. And we must not forget the vital role farming and land use must play in the global challenge of climate change.” HS2 must also improve communication with landowners and critically pay out fair compensation as quickly as possible. “The present system is taking far too long, and farmers, their businesses and their families are suffering.”

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | MARCH 2020

Photos © David Plummer / Sussex Wildlife Trust

NEWS

Beavers are to be released in Sussex as part of a national project which environmentalists say will bring ﬂood management benefits. The Sussex Beaver Trial, a partnership led by Sussex Wildlife Trust and the rewilding project at the Knepp Estate near Horsham, will see two pairs of beaver reintroduced in either late spring or in the autumn. The beavers, which became extinct in England 400 years ago, will be released in Knepp’s southern block under Natural England licence in two locations for five years. They will roam 250 hectares of land including extensive swathes of willow available for “natural coppicing”. They are expected to build leaky dams and lodges, create channels and deep pools. This activity will

BEAVER RELEASE TO BRING WETLAND BENEFITS provide natural flood management benefits within the Adur catchment, as well as maintaining a base flow of water in drought conditions, say Sussex Wildlife Trust. Isabella Tree, co-owner of Knepp Estate said: “This is a dream come true for us. We know beavers are one of the biggest influences missing from our landscape. Not only are they masters of water management, they’re hugely beneficial to biodiversity. Insects, birds,

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

aquatic plants, fish will all gain from the intricate habitats they create.” Fran Southgate of the Sussex Wildlife Trust said: “Wetlands are some of the most biodiverse areas on the planet and are fantastic carbon sinks, helping to buffer us against climate change. Bringing beavers back to Sussex will start to show us what a healthy wetland should truly look like.”

NEWS

PROMPT PAYMENT NEEDED FOR ENVIRONMENT WORK Cotswolds MP and farmer Geoffrey Clifton-Brown wants government to commit to pay farmers on time for environmental work under its proposed new environment land management scheme (ELMS). Sir Geoffrey’s call comes as DEFRA’s “improved and simplified” countryside stewardship (CS) scheme opened for 2021 agreements. Farm minister George Eustice claimed the scheme is “a good stepping stone” to prepare for ELMS which will introduce payments to protect the environment as direct payments are phased out. DEFRA said applying for CS this year is the best way to prepare for the future ELMS scheme. But National Audit Office (NAO) figures highlighted by Sir Geoffrey show CS has failed to attract widespread support – just 20,000 farmers of the 85,000 receiving CAP payments have enrolled in CS. Sir Geoffrey told MPs that a recent NAO report suggested 82,500 farmers would take part in the new ELMS scheme by 2028. “That seems a very high and optimistic target and it will be achieved only if the scheme has properly defined objectives, is relatively simple to apply for, is simple to operate and above all has an absolute commitment from the government to pay on time for the work done in line with their commitment to other small businesses,” he told a House of Commons debate. Announcing the opening of the 2021 CS scheme

farm minister George Eustice said: “Paying farmers for protecting the environment and enhancing animal welfare is front and centre of our future farming policy and entering a countryside stewardship scheme is a good stepping stone to that future policy.” Paul Caldwell Rural Payments Agency (RPA) chief executive also encouraged farmers to apply for CS. He said the application window is “a great opportunity to get into a scheme which is improving all the time”. “We are continuously making Countryside Stewardship easier to apply for and simpler to administer, with full CS payments arriving in bank accounts much earlier this year than in previous years.” Final CS payments started to arrive four months earlier for the 2019 claim year than in previous years after the RPA allowed farmers to receive one full revenue payment rather than a 75% payment followed by a 25% payment. Deadlines for contacting the RPA for CS application packs are 31 May 2020 for CS mid tier and March 31 for higher tier. For wildlife offers for different farm types contact the RPA by 31 May 2020. The application deadline for a grant to restore hedgerows and boundaries is 31 March. The Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) partnership can support applications for mid tier capital grants to improve water and air quality in a high priority area. Contact your local CSF officer for advice by 31 May.

EWES INJURED IN UPSETTING DOG ATTACK

Sussex farmer Andrew Dunlop has joined police to appeal for information after a distressing dog attack on sheep at Fairlight, near Hastings left one ewe blind in one eye. Police were told two ewes had been found injured on land between Rosemary Lane and Peter James Lane in Fairlight. They are keen to hear from anyone who may have information about the attack. Mr Dunlop said: “One sheep had its leg bitten and wool from that leg was found lying in the field after having been ripped out. The second sheep had its ear badly bitten and it’s now blind in one eye. “It’s extremely upsetting to see the flock attacked and distressed in this way. Someone has either witnessed their dog chase and attack the sheep or is allowing their dog to escape their garden. “There are signs up at all entrances to this field. Thankfully, a kind and responsible dog walker saw the signs and contact details and alerted us to the injured sheep and we were able to act quickly.” Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Daryl Holter repeated advice to owners that dogs should always be kept on a lead or securely contained when livestock were nearby. Failure to exercise proper control could mean pets being shot dead by farmers as a last resort when protecting their flocks. Anyone with information concerning the attack is asked to report online or call 101 quoting serial 982 09/01.

TACKLE MENTAL HEALTH HEAD ON Farming leaders in the South East are backing efforts to tackle mental health – an issue identified by most young farmers as the biggest hidden danger facing their communities. A recent survey by the Farm Safety Foundation, highlighted as part of the Mind Your Head campaign, found 84% of farmers under the age of 40 believe mental health is the biggest hidden danger facing the industry. Cotswold estate owner and Country Landowners Association (CLA) deputy president Mark Tufnell said the issue needs tackling and any stigma attached to mental health must be removed. “Farmers are made of stern stuff. Whatever task we are faced with, we just get on with it. “But our own mental health needs attention. In that context, getting on with it does not mean ignoring the problem, it means tackling it head on.” Hertfordshire farmer and NFU Vice President Stuart Roberts has vowed to act to look after his own mental health. “This year I have pledged to spend one hour every week doing something new or different from my usual routine – something that gives me time to myself to recharge or to spend with family and

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friends. This may not work for everyone; the key is to take that first important step.” He said: “In general the industry is made up of lots of people, some of whom are like me, we are butch, macho blokes, we don’t have anxiety, we don’t have worries, we don’t have concerns, we don’t have fears – well, yes we do. “We forget that there’s a question mark at the end of ‘how are you?’ And we have all got to get better at that because it will come into very sharp focus as we start to see big changes.” The farming community has strong support networks such as the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institute (RABI), the Farming Community Network and the YANA project. “I would urge anyone struggling to cope with any issue to open up to someone they trust. We can all do more if we listen and make time for each other. There are also plenty of ways we can all try and maintain good health and wellbeing – but this must be something that works for us individually. The Farm Safety Foundation has created a pocked sized booklet offering practical support for those working in agriculture, outlining what mental health means and how to support people through challenging times.

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | MARCH 2020

NEWS British growers from Kent, Bedfordshire and Scotland showcased the best of British fresh produce in a united display at Fruit Logista in Berlin. Kent apple and pear growers AC Goatham and Son, berry and soft fruit growers Angus Soft Fruits from Scotland and salad and vegetable growers Bedfordshire Growers teamed up to deliver a strong message that British growers are open for business after leaving the EU. Carol Ford AC Goatham and Son commercial director said: “We felt it was really important this year with Britain leaving the EU to have a much stronger presence at Fruit Logistica and to show the world we are open for business. “We are delighted to have teamed up with some of the other largest and most innovative UK growers to put on a show of strength. British food has a

UNITED DISPLAY FROM

BRITISH GROWERS strong provenance both at home and abroad and we want to be leading the opportunities for more people to enjoy it. We are grateful to the Commercial Horticulture Association for coordinating our stand at Fruit Logistica this year.” Stephen Hedderly, Bedfordshire Growers managing director said: “Our business is keen to explore more export opportunities for our produce such as Sweet Red, a red onion which we have developed and bred ourselves as well as creating

new British business opportunities to displace the need to rely on imported produce. “We have the opportunity through events such as Fruit Logistica to get better at exporting and putting our business in front of the key decision makers globally.” Fruit Logistica is attended by 3200 exhibitors and 78,000 trade visitors from the fresh produce sector every year to promote business within the international market.

CHANGE KEY TO PROFIT Farm businesses need to change to remain profitable and focus on crops most in demand in the UK marketplace, delegates heard at the 2020 Strutt and Parker London Land and Property Briefing. George Chichester, a director in the farming department said basic payments were an important source of profit for most farm businesses “The loss of direct payments means that there is likely to be a reduction in farming profitability across the board, unless commodity prices rise significantly.” Climate change is one of the key drivers of policy changes with climate change experts calling for a big increase in tree planting, peatland restoration and a shift to low carbon farming practices. “UK farmers will still need to produce food – and lots of it – but do this by targeting the most productive land and parts of fields and focusing on crops which are most in demand in the UK marketplace, rather than those

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

underpinned by export value,” said Mr Chichester. “They will also need to – and many are already in the process of doing this – look at other opportunities to fill the financial gaps created by the shifts in government support and changing policy framework.” Dr Jason Beedell, Strutt and Parker head of rural research said the new environmental land management scheme (ELMS) is unlikely to make up for the loss in basic payments. There may also be a funding gap from 2021 to 2024 as basic payments start to taper off. “This makes it ever more important that farms and estates look at growing profits from their other assets, for example through diversification. “Other opportunities to consider include selling carbon credits and other ecosystem services to private businesses who need to offset their own emissions.”

NEWS

Photo: Greggs

ILLEGAL FOOD

STOP MISLEADING VEGAN FOOD LABELS The National Beef Association (NBA) wants better food labelling to stop vegan products made from fungus from being labelled as sausages, steaks or burgers. The call from Andrew Laughton NBA chairman follows the launch by retailers of many new no-meat product ranges, with “misleading labelling”. “We see the example across the Channel, led by French producers, whereby non-meat-based products must clearly be identified and labelled as such. “This faux meat branding ban means producers using terms such as steak, sausage or burger for food free of animal products will face hefty fines, yet we are seeing major high-street food retailers in the UK bringing out more ranges such as ‘vegansteak bakes’,” he said. “The Greggs vegan steak bake, for example, is made using Quorn pieces, which are actually made from a fungus, thus making the claim of a ‘steak bake’ spurious at best, and I would suggest that most consumers are unaware that it is effectively derived from a mould,” said Mr Laughton.

“To me, this smacks of a whole movement piggybacking on the ethical, traceable and trusted food source provided by the UK beef industry, and undermines the nutritional values of red meat.” The NBA believes that stronger measures should be enforced for labelling and branding of products, as UK beef farmers continue to provide safe, traceable and nutritious food, produced to the highest standards of animal welfare, environment protection and food safety in the world. “We could also point to carbon footprint labelling,” said Mr Laughton. “With Boris Johnson welcoming beef imports from Uganda in a postBrexit pledge to Ugandan farmers, it is crucial we focus on the environmental contribution and welfare standards of home-produced beef products. “We also see the environmental impact in the production of certain faux-meat food products, but where is this demonstrated on the shop shelves?” Clearer labelling of product content and source of origin will give consumers information to make an informed choice based on nutritional values and traceability.

STANDARDS FEAR Government’s new agriculture bill will allow farmers to deliver higher welfare schemes that the market is failing to provide. British producers may still be left open to US imports, including pork and bacon produced using a feed additive which is illegal in the UK, says the RSPCA which is based in Horsham. Giving evidence to MPs examining the agriculture bill David Bowles, RSPCA assistant director of public affairs said more than half (55%) of UK pork meat and bacon is imported mostly from the EU. “If you start importing from the US where they still have sow stalls and where they still give their pigs ractopamine, which is an illegal drug in UK pig farming, you are opening up to cheaper imports coming in, particularly if you do not have consumer information and labelling,” he said. “You need to have the same standards for food coming in. The RSPCA is not afraid of higher welfare food coming in. What we are afraid of is food coming in that is illegal to produce in the UK.” The Agriculture Bill will give farmers “a leg up” through one off capital grants and payments to ensure they can deliver higher welfare schemes. “We think there are very exciting times here for farmers, particularly in those areas where we have not traditionally gone into higher welfare schemes. “For instance at the moment, 0% of ducks in the UK have access to full body water. The expression taking a duck to water does not exist for UK duck farming. That is a tragedy, not just for ducks, but for UK farming.” Other examples where farmers could be given “a leg up” to farm at higher welfare standards include providing brushes for cattle, hoof trimming to reduce lameness and rubber matting for cows.

TASTE OF KENT AWARDS FINALISTS Finalists for the Taste of Kent Awards Kent Farm Diversification Award and the Kent Food Product Classes have been announced by Produced in Kent after the number and standard of entries far exceeded expectations. Finalists for the Kent Farm Diversification Award, sponsored by South East Farmer, are Hinxden Farm Dairy, Cranbrook, Lower Ladysden Farm, Goudhurst, Owletts Fruit Juice, Lamberhurst Jamie McGrorty, publisher at South East Farmer said: “Despite having only launched as a new category at the 2019 Taste of Kent Awards, the number and standard of entries received for the 2020 Farm Diversification of the Year Award has far surpassed our expectations. “All nominees demonstrated an untiring passion

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for local produce and are clearly all champion ambassadors for Kent’s agricultural community.” The judges found all three finalists had taken ambitious and creative approaches to adapt and diversify a traditional farming business. “All have recognised the importance and opportunities for farmers and growers to build and develop closer relationships with consumers and, above all, all three had shown pure determination to see their agricultural businesses survive through financially challenging times,” said Mr McGrorty. The Kent Food Product classes were sponsored by Shepherd Neame. Simon Howlett, Shepherd Neame’s head development chef said: “We were very impressed by the high standard of this year’s entries and it was extremely hard to pick out the winners in

each category, let alone the overall champion. “All entrants should be extremely proud of their submissions. It is a fantastic showcase of the amazing wealth of produce on offer in the garden of England.” Floortje Hötte from Produced in Kent said: “Once again during this year’s competition we have had a truly amazing level of participation and support from farmers and food and drink businesses here in Kent.” The winners of each class will be announced at the Taste of Kent Awards black-tie awards dinner on Thursday 5 March 2020 at the Kent Events Centre. This month we focus on Owletts Fruit Juice. See page 36.

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | MARCH 2020

Passionate, innovative and inspiring? Raise your hand if that’s you. Plumpton College is hiring agriculture pros with all of the above.

Find out more and apply: plumpton.ac.uk/our-college/vacancies There has never been a more appropriate time to consider an Agricultural teaching career at Plumpton College. With the significance of change in the industry and ambitious plans for continued development at the college, we’re excited about the future and are looking for likeminded individuals passionate about farming and agriculture to seize this opportunity to play a significant role in driving the future development of new entrants into the industry. The college farm provides one of the largest and most diverse educational estates in the country, and is home to a range of commercial mixed enterprises so is the ideal base upon which to deliver the very highest standards in education and training. It is a professional, welcoming and safe environment, great strides have been made in terms of our performance, productivity and environmental impact and our recent LEAF accreditation is an excellent example of that. If this wasn’t enough to tempt you, the college is about to embark on a £7m investment to further enhance facilities at the farm and beyond to ensure students are exposed to the latest cutting edge technologies, including robotics in the dairy and a brand new state of the art high welfare and RSPCA assured pig unit. Coupled with this, the college’s new farm shop and café open in Brighton this summer, providing the perfect opportunity to demonstrate and educate students in every aspect of the supply chain relating to British produce. So whether your area of expertise is livestock, arable, machinery or agri-business, we’d like to hear from you.

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PLUMPTON COLLEGE

COLLEGE SETS THE BAR HIGH With environmental pressures ever-growing, there has never been a more critical time for farms and land based industries to take a serious look at their environmental footprint and sustainability credentials. One institution doing just that is Plumpton College, a Sussexbased institution with a rich history of delivering agricultural and horticultural training across the South East for over ninety years. The college has recently been awarded a new accreditation, the LEAF Marque – a leading global assurance system recognising farm sustainability, held by farms who have met the rigorous expectations of sustainable farming standards. The College has been awarded the standard after a thorough accreditation process, which recognised the significant

improvements and developments made across the college’s own farming practice on an estate that spans nearly 800ha. Revised approaches to waste management, crop health and protection, and environmental policy have been adopted, alongside numerous initiatives to reduce energy consumption. Jeremy Kerswell, Plumpton College principal said: “Our college is run with innovation and sustainability at the forefront of everything we do. Not only is this setting the right example for our students, but to other institutions who we hope, will follow suit. We care deeply about the local and wider environment and are delighted our new LEAF accreditation recognises our hard work and demonstrates our commitment to farming in a sustainable way.” With high expectations, a strong focus on

recruiting staff with the right attitudes and values and a clear priority to raise standards in all aspects of college operations, there has certainly been a lot of change at the college. What is most promising is the impact of these on student performance and results. Not only do the student’s achievement rates place them in the highest quartile nationally, but the proportion of students achieving high grades (the equivalent of three As at A-level) continues to rise on a number of its flagship courses. There’s no room for complacency though, and alongside a £12m investment in its agricultural and horticultural facilities, the college is embarking on a staff recruitment drive to ensure its students and employees benefit from the very highest standards of education and training.

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NEWS

IN BRIEF

ISLE OF WIGHT RURAL AWARDS OPEN

Nominations are open for the Country Landowners Association (CLA) and Royal Isle of Wight Agricultural Society (RIWAS) awards, celebrating rural work and life on the island. The Isle of Wight Rural Awards recognise achievement across the rural economy with winners crowned at the Royal Isle of Wight County Show on 28 June. Forms are available on the RIWAS or CLA website and must be submitted before the April 30 deadline.

BOARD MEMBER

Bob Blanden, a Wiltshire livestock contractor, has been elected as British Wool’s southern regional board member for a three year term from 1 April. Mr Blanden, a former shearing instructor has represented Wiltshire as a regional committee member for the past six years. “I am delighted that British Wool producers have granted me the opportunity to act as their representative on the Board. I’m looking forward to working for them to the best of my ability, using my industry experiences in a complimentary role.”

CHARITIES BENEFIT The Weald of Kent Ploughing Match Association will donate £7,500 to local charities following its Ploughing Match at Poplars Farm in Horsmonden in September. Charities set to benefit include Ashford Valley Tickham Hunt, Bolebrook Beagles, Cardiac Risk in the Young (in memory of Ben Hammond), Dandelion Time, High Weald Academy Young Farmers Club, Homewood School Young Farmers, Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance Trust, Medical Detection Dogs, New Line Learning Young Farmers’ Club, Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, Riding for the Disabled Association, The Bridge Trust, The Farming Community Network and the Weald of Kent Young Farmers’ Club. The chairman’s charity of choice this year is CHILD. The association would like to thank hosts Mr A Watkins and Mr R Stevens for allowing the event to take place and BTF Partnership for its continued support.

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FIGHTING AGAINST PLAN

Dear Editor My family and I have been fighting against the unnecessary plan to open up England’s coastline. There is a lot of “fake news” around when it comes to footpaths and the England Coastal Path. There are reports in local papers and on television that there is no path on the Kent coast. The coastal path already exists, it is called the Saxon Shore Way. The SSW causes minimal disturbance to land owners, habitats, the environment and rare wildlife found in North Kent. What many people do not understand is that if the general public are allowed onto land where migratory birds / insects / hedgerow habitats and nature are living peacefully, they will not stay there when they are disturbed. This week, after 11 years of explaining the problems in the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, the proposed route in our area has now been published. The general public do not stick to designated footpaths, that is just fact. As landowners we have regular ongoing battles with poachers, trespassers and burglars. Creating a path through our farm is going to cause havoc with our well being. With police at full stretch, resource wise, rural crime has gone up and police do not take notice of the countryside residents, let alone landowners. Another huge flaw in this proposed route is the fact that for more than half of the proposed route you cannot see the coast, let alone the sea. The Saxon Shore Way was originally opened in 1980, which opened up routes stretching 160 miles from Gravesend to Hastings in East Sussex, yet 40 years down the line, this footpath which already goes onto our land, is now “not good enough”. Natural England want to spend the best part of £10,000

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

on a minimal stretch causing havoc and stress to land owners, when the original Saxon Shore Way is already in place. This is a shocking waste of public money and only benefits able bodied, time rich people. I cannot speak for other land owners, but some which our family have spoken to alongside our local MP are disgusted in the way Natural England are dealing with this matter. Please be aware that the Coastal Footpath does not allow any compensation for land owners, and is just another attempt at a land grab. It is of no benefit to disabled people, cyclists or horse riders, it is therefore elitist and selfish. Natural England should not be clapping themselves on the back. HARRY MOULAND, LOWER HALSTOW, NORTH KENT

twitter NEW ZEALAND RECCE

This time last year we were in Chile learning about their fruit production. This time next week the committee will be in New Zealand doing the recce for 2021. We have great visits lined up with industry leading businesses. Who else is excited for New Zealand 2021? NEXTGEN FRUIT GROUP @NEXTGENFRUIT

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VINEYARD MAGAZINE ™

CONFERENCE WineGB Business and Marketing

A new chapter for English sparklin As the English and Welsh wine industry in develops, all winemakers look for ways of what which they can push the boundaries stage. makes our island stand out on a world and Seeking to look beyond simple fruit yield and ripeness expectations, Black Chalk’s founder on winemaker Jacob Leadley is now embarking project in the next stage of his family’s ambitious Hampshire’s Test Valley. As the proud custodians of four wellFullerton the on established vineyards located Estate, near Stockbridge, Black Chalk, which working was initially developed while Jacob was the at Hattingley Valley, will be able to explore to individual potential of specific clones needed to new take English sparkling wine production creative heights. tell you “Speak to any viticulturist and they will Jacob. they grow their fruit with purpose,” said people “But this is a young industry, filled with

"The fruit coming from these vineyards has always been a notch above"

GROWN WITH INTENT r for

g wine.

sites who are still getting to grips with which coming work well. Many vineyards are only just online, beginning to show their true potential, simply and a lot of people seem to be focused a real on growing a quality crop. Too few have all the way plan in place for the fruit from pruning what exactly is that and winemaking to through we will be trying to do here.” With access to over 15 clones of Pinot noir, Pinot and gris Pinot Pinot meunier, Chardonnay, four noir précoce, planted across 30-acres on different sites, Jacob and the small, dedicated and team at Black Chalk will be experimenting way to “drilling down” on what really is the best make expressional English wine. track “The vineyards already have a very good look at record and we are now in a position to Jacob, different management techniques,” said previously who has worked with the estate’s fruit, first the since brand, Cottonworth the under harvest. “The fruit coming from these vineyards else has always been a notch above anything many and the wines made have gone on to win but we gold medals. There are so many options will just be looking to manage yields initially.

Hire is highly rated

of the This will play into how we work with some quality individual sites and will allow us to tweak wines.” levels and create some special project

Wonderfully pure vineyard, which

Looking out across the Hide wellis aptly named being hidden away in a of sheltered basin, Jacob points out the “raft” different clones and exciting blocks of vines. “We already have our eyes on certain parcels, is for instance the 777 Chardonnay on Fercal said fabulous,” absolutely wonderfully pure and only be Jacob. “Some of the clonal blocks may to hone 10 rows or so but we are already starting how we down on the characters and can look at sites in bring together clones from the different already the winery too. At the moment, we are from planning to produce a single vineyard wine out the Hide because it is the one which shouts aspect, the most. It is beautiful, it has an amazing really shallow chalk and the way it is protected If the accumulate. really to heat the allows for stand sun is out, even on a winter’s day, you can in the Hide and feel the difference in temperature. produced It was planted in 2011 and has always

Helping growers to make better informed decisions over which mach ine their site and specific requir is right for ements.

vid Sayell Da &

hard Wit

MATTHEW JUKES WINE REVIEW Food for thought

Growing with intent

really good fruit from the first harvest.” While Jacob predicts that there will inevitably be some “weaker clones”, which will be used for blending, the Black Chalk project aim to find what is working really well rather than aiming for big volumes. “Someone had the foresight to plant the vineyards in this way and that gives us the ability to treat each clone in a particular way, pick them in order, press them in lots and treat them differently in the winery,” said Jacob. “Working as a contract winemaker it was difficult to think about which clones might be working particularly well for the UK. Often we wouldn’t know which clones were planted or a producer might have four clones but would just bring it in all together because of the size of the vineyard.”

R ic

FEBRUARY 2020

LONDON TRADE TASTING Vineyards of Hampshire

MACH INER Y

Vict or

EDITOR' S VISIT

e Ros ia

VINEYARD for viticulturists in Great Britain

VITIFRUIT EQUIPMENT

As I sat down with David Sayell and Richard at how many machines have Witt, the owners of Vitifruit been going out in Equipment, the first weeks of January, machinery suppliers to the it is continuing be a UK’s viticulture growing trend. After David sector, both were upbeat Wood joined the team, and eager to report to oversee repairs, servicing that 2020 was already off and maintenance to a busy start for Finding an alternative, non-chemical as well as the hire fleet, as the Kent-based firm. approach a company we have to weed control is certainly been able to provide a more at the top of most “Sales orders for new equipment efficient hire system are already vineyard managers’ shopping and this has certainly helped lists and with such coming in thick and fast,” us to respond said David, who a diverse range of options better to customers’ needs.” now available to the established the specialist dealership UK’s viticulture sector, it is not surprising that For many small vineyard operations, with Richard in 2010. “Usually Vitifruit’s Boisselet system was one of the firm’s hiring is the only viable way we are in standby mode at most hired machines last year. this time of year, waiting of accessing key pieces of “Over the last “Looking back on the 2019 growing season, for people to wake equipment, particularly 12 months, we had four Boisselet under vine cultivators up as the weather seasonal machines such continuously out on hire, all sales have with different tools improves, so it is quite as deleafers which attached to them,” said David. “There are huge unexpected to be this busy been good and only need to be used a in concerns over what will happen mid-January.” if glyphosate few times a year. However, steady" is no longer an option, but as vineyard site both David and Richard have The continuous rain, which also conditions vary drastically across the country, noticed that a significant number seems to have been unrelenting of since many growers could be left medium and larger sized growers disappointed with September, may be causing are issues for the results if they have not increasing their use of hire invested in the right growers on clay soils, but as a way to try for those vineyards tools for the job. There are lots of European before they buy. up on the drier, chalky hills, it is business as manufacturers offering solutions “Every good dealership will usual. On the day of my visit, and we have offer simple Richard pointed out spent many years finding machinery demonstrations, the ones which will be that one of the firm’s heavy which can be quite duty Sauerburger of most benefit to UK growers. comprehensive in running As people have rotavators was currently on through the principles hire, being used to changed their approach the and benefits of the product, Boisselet system has level out the soil and obliterate but being able to hire any early season come into its own.” a machine for a few days weeds in the alleyways. really gives operators Having produced vineyard the chance to get to grips equipment for over “Over the last 12 months, with the equipment,” sales have been good 100 years, Boisselet has spared said David. “This allows growers and steady, but it is the hire no expense in to make better side of the business carefully developing a state-of-the-a informed decisions over whether which has really taken off,” rt the machine said Richard. “It was under vine cultivator that is right for their site and specific certainly the highlight of last requirements year and looking can get right before investing for the long term.”

Most hired machines

Impressive credentials

The Hide undoubtedly has the visual wow factor, but Jacob admits that it is not without its challenges and frost can be notoriously tricky to manage here. The other sites include the Rivers, which is the oldest vineyard planted around 2007, followed by the Levels, which was established in 2008, and the Circle, a small vineyard planted in a novel oval formation. Despite having already crafted several iconic vintages of the Black Chalk Classic and Wild Rose (tasting notes of which can be found in the Vineyards of Hampshire review on page 14) with fruit sourced from fellow producers in Hampshire, Jacob will no longer be buying in fruit. “In my opinion, anyone focused on quality has to control the whole process,” said Jacob. “There are not many contract growers who >>

> Jacob Leadley, Zoë Driver and Justin Bache

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As our sister publication Vineyard magazine makes its way to Great Britain’s vineyards, winemakers, trade experts and subscribers, South East Farmer brings readers the latest news.

On Thursday 30 January, the industry’s membership organisation Wines of Great Britain (WineGB) hosted its third technical conference at Denbies Wine Estate, Surrey. Over 150 members gathered for the business and marketing focused event which effectively covered topical issues surrounding the sales of English and Welsh wines. The morning session titled ‘the balance of supply and demand’ delivered a poignant and sobering review of the UK’s rapid vineyard expansion. Justin Howard-Sneyd MW drew on his extensive experience as both an English wine producer and previous wine buyer for several market heavyweights, including Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Laithwaite’s, to lay out stark figures on where the industry is likely to head if planting continues and sales fail to keep up. Significant increases in the area under vine over the last three years may have been cause for great excitement and buzz in and around the sector, but the reality is that producers now seriously need to consider the dynamics of supply and demand. Hoping to “stimulate debate”, Justin argued that a frank discussion about sales was “long overdue”, especially when taking the volume of the 2018 and 2019 vintages into consideration. “We need to paint a clear picture because there is the potential that we are going too far, too fast,” said Justin, who also runs Hive Wine Consulting. “The area under vine continues to increase, a lot of

vineyards are yet to produce a harvest and we don’t know exactly how many vines are due to be planted this year. There are limited figures on production and sales, but looking at estimated stocks, we are producing more than we are currently selling.”

PLANTING PLANS SHOULD BE REASSESSED

While the current situation is allowing producers to age wines, with no pressure to “rush out” young bottles, this will undoubtedly change, especially if people keep planting and average yields increase. Three different scenarios were then presented. The first considered that if planting suddenly slows, stopping at 4,000 hectares under vine; if the 10 year average yields remain at 25 hl/ha, or 4t/ha; sales jump to 10% per year for the next five years, and then drop back to 5% per annum, stocks would climb past 80 million bottles. “That is 13 years’ worth of stock, and I doubt many business plans are based on carrying this amount,” said Justin. “These are modest assumptions and already we need to figure out how we can get sales ramped up.” In the second scenario, assuming there are already significant vineyard establishment plans in place, Justin looked at where the industry might be if the area under vine reached 5,000ha. He put forward that sales could grow at 20% per year for five years, slowing to 10% for another five years, but this would

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The independent monthly publication dedicated to viticulture and wine making in Great Britain MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

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still leave 70 million bottles, equating to nearly seven years’ worth of stock. “This model relies on the fact that sales will accelerate, but that will only happen if the industry can look at prices under £20 per bottle,” he said. The final scenario looked at the reality of improved yields, and how better viticultural techniques and a warmer climate could push averages up to 30hl/ha which is “not unreasonable to aim for”. Justin then added this to the assumption that planting is likely to increase to 6,000ha and sales are likely to sit around 10% for five years, followed by 5% for five years. “This would see stocks soar past 120 million bottles, which is over 20 years’ stock,” said Justin. “I am being challenging here, but that is not a pretty picture. Grape prices would plummet and cash flow problems would cause business failures.” However, it is up to the industry what happens next. It is possible that sales are better than the reported figures, wine tourism and direct to consumer sales have great potential and if plantings are “slowed or halted for a few years” while sales are encouraged, the industry could aim for stock levels of around 80 million. Finishing his session, Justin warned that those in the industry should now “dampen down the rhetoric” about new plantings and focus instead on the wines. He encouraged anyone in the room who meets potential investors, to make sure they are fully aware of the market they are entering.

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NEWS

DEROGATION URGENTLY NEEDED With thousands of farmers across the country battling ﬂoods after Storm Dennis and unable to get onto their land to plant crops, farming organisations from across the UK have asked for an urgent relaxation of the three crop rule, which requires farmers to have three crops in the ground on their farm between 1 May and 30 June. The UK Farming Roundtable, which met yesterday, has called for the government to grant a derogation from the rule and to broaden the extent of the Farming Recovery Fund to help flood-hit farmers with any uninsurable losses as a result of flooding.

A joint statement from members of the UK Farming Roundtable said: “We are facing an unprecedented situation. Relentless rain has meant some farmers won’t have been able to get on their land since the autumn. “A significant area of farmland is currently underwater following two storms in two weeks, compounding the already wet ground conditions from this winter. Many farmers were unable to plant winter crops and are now facing great difficulty planting spring crops. “There will be many farmers out there really

struggling, not just with the immediate impacts of the current flood water but the knock-on effects of damage to farmland and buildings, as well as significant impacts to this season’s cropping. “They will be looking to the government to be practical and we are urging them to grant a derogation from the three crop rule, which is completely unworkable for farmers across the country this year. We are also urging the government to broaden the Farming Recovery Fund for flood-hit areas to help with any losses they have had from this difficult situation.”

STEWARDSHIP SCHEME OFFERS BENEFITS Farmers yet to sign up to Countryside Stewardship (CS) should consider its potential, says land agent Strutt and Parker. The scheme has attracted less applicants than the Entry Level Stewardship Scheme (ELS) it replaced despite having the potential to deliver higher revenues. But George Hoyes, farm consultant in the Chelmsford office of Strutt and Parker says now is an excellent time to review the potential contribution CS can make to a farming business. “A well-structured mid-tier CS agreement can work for many farmers on a practical and financial level, as well as delivering for the environment.” Mr Hoyes says publicity associated with payment delays put a number of farmers off the scheme. But the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is improving payment performance with one annual payment to farmers for environmental work rather than two. CS options are hard to stack up financially on the most productive areas of a

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farm. But there are some excellent options for more marginal land and in awkward field corners which are often the most environmentally productive areas. Popular environmental management options include AB1 (nectar flower mix), AB8 (flower-rich margins and plots) and AB9 (winter bird food). “Another option attracting attention amongst growers is a two year sown legume fallow (AB15), which can be a useful part of a rotation aimed at controlling blackgrass and a good option where there are challenges growing traditional break crops.” Including capital works in an application will significantly increase the value of the scheme, enabling farmers to invest in measures to reduce water pollution and soil erosion, and may also help to save costs. In high priority water quality areas - as shown on MAGIC maps - funds may also be available for concrete yard renewal and roofing over manure storage or sprayer wash-down areas.

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | MARCH 2020

ANITA HEAD ORGANISED CHAOS

LARGE ANIMAL VETS ARE VITAL

Wow… I can’t believe that March is upon us. Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis did their best around the country with some areas more affected than others. I do hope none of our readers suffered unduly. The road to school was littered with trees but having seen pictures of milking in ﬂooded parlours, crops underwater, cattle trailers ﬂoating away etc. I feel very lucky. Scanning has been and gone with 185% success rate. Preparations are well under way for lambing. The goats have started kidding with triplets to start us off. Monty thankfully has it all under control. We decided in our wisdom to visit the “Dairy Tech” show at Stoneleigh Park this year. Oh what an adventure! I booked our accommodation and Fergus was meeting us at the show straight from Uni. Childcare and animals were all being taken care of and away we went. Upon checking into our B&B it soon became apparent that we were at different ends of the “thought” spectrum. An eco-house built of hay (in my opinion “ A rats paradise”)! A house of Vegetarians and Vegan sausages offered for breakfast. While I will always embrace other people’s thoughts and beliefs I find it very hard to empathise with them. Should they visit our house they would be horrified if I were to offer them a full English breakfast. While being given a guided tour of the “house of hay” we embarked upon a recycling discussion… The lady of the house was very indignant towards the previous generation blaming them for most of today’s environmental damage. I tried to reason with her but unfortunately it fell on deaf ears. She believes that 20+ years ago they may not have had a “green thing” they didn’t care for the environment… I beg to differ. Milk bottles, beer bottles were returned, they were

sent back to the manufacturer, washed and sterilised and then refilled. All shopping was packed in brown paper bags that were reused for hundreds of things including book covers for school books. We used to walk up stairs instead of taking the lift or escalator, we walked to the village shop, in fact, we walked everywhere. We washed baby nappies and dried them on the washing line instead of throwing them in the bin. Tumble dryers were so expensive they were never used. The children had hand-me-down clothes instead of the new branded clothes. We didn’t have a television in every room. We used to go out running instead of using a treadmill or rowing machine. The police used to ride bikes or horses. Many of these things happened before my time and I’m ashamed to admit that all 4 of my children have used disposable nappies… Having gone back to work very quickly after each child I went for the easiest option. Excuses excuses… As you can imagine by the end of the discussion we declined breakfast and went for a full English at the showground instead. Yum Yum. The lady didn’t make an appearance in the morning. The show was fantastic. A lot of hard work and an enthusiastic team running it. It showcased the very best in dairy farming techniques but, unfortunately it comes with huge price tag. We viewed an electric scraper tractor with a price tag of £20,000 unfortunately the diesel equivalent was only £10,000 so it was a bit of a “no brainer”. While our vet was at the farm for his routine bi-weekly visit we embarked upon our usual banter of “how much a vets call out costs?” That’s why I save all our ‘just’ jobs for a little add on to his call. I was unaware of the fact that we now only have two

large animal vet practices in East Kent, one being a corporate practice and the other an independent practice. It will eventually lead to a shortage of large animal vets. It would seem to highlight the issue and the responsibility of ensuring that 24-hour cover is available. Vets will be stretched, as recruitment appears to be an issue. It is a huge problem for the industry and one that shouldn’t be ignored. As this is being written Boris is having a cabinet reshuffle. It would be fair to say that I for one will not mourn the departure of Theresa Villiers. George Eustice her replacement seems to me to be a much better fit. We have for the first time in a while someone who at least appears to understand agriculture far better than any of his recent predecessors. I wish him all the best in what will undoubtedly be a different period ahead of us. We also had the pleasure of attending the RABI Farmers breakfast at Elham Valley vineyards. A marvellous traditional English breakfast was served and over £500 raised in the process. Our little bit of dynamite turned three at the end of February… How do we manage to have a three year old in the house? His sense of humour is definitely infectious and his adoration for his siblings is something to behold. The electric gaiter has provided hours of fun and mummy thinks it’s marvellous that he can even bring bales of shavings round to the horses. A three year old that works is marvellous.

ANITA HEAD Farmer

NFU TO LEAD MASS LONDON RALLY The NFU is to lead a united London rally of countryside groups to ask government to commit to a future trade policy that bans food imports produced using standards that are illegal in the UK. The event, set to take place on 25 March at Westminster’s Queen Elizabeth II Centre, will unite farmers and consumers, animal welfare and environment groups in a call to government to back the future of British farming. It will underline farmers’ role in supplying the nation with good food and protecting the British countryside. Minette Batters NFU president said: “This is an opportunity for hundreds of people to come together and make their views clear that the government must not sacrifice British farming on the altar of free trade and we will be inviting MPs to attend to hear that message first hand. The rally follows a letter signed by 64 farming, health and environmental groups to prime minister Boris Johnson calling on the government to protect food and farming standards after Brexit and asking for a meeting. Ms Batters said: “This year is absolutely pivotal for the future of our country,

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

our farmers and the food on our plates. Nothing will determine this more than how the government shapes trade deals with the EU and other countries around the world. “This event is about bringing together people from across British business who acknowledge and value the importance of food and farming. They are crystal clear that the government must hold the line that they will uphold British farming’s high standards in trade deals, and crucially they must hold imports entering the country to that same standard. “Failure to do so risks undermining British food production and our own domestic farming industry. We share the government’s ambitions to deliver more for the environment, but in doing so, we must not offshore our food production to those parts of the world who do not share our values and standards.” British farming can be one of the leading lights of post-Brexit Britain if the government chooses to become a global leader in championing sustainable, climate friendly food and farmers across the country are ready to rise to that challenge, she said.

NEWS

SPRING LINSEED FITS WELL

Heathfield & District

Saturday 23rd May

2020

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how much of the autumn population is affected, but there can be no room for complacency this spring.” “Both Avadex products, granules and liquid, are recommended at their full black-grass dose rate. So you are likely to get a positive result.”

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L AN

in a position to offer the best agronomy advice to growers. “Spring linseed can be drilled late which means that glyphosate can be used in a stale seedbed to reduce weed burden. Then with both Avadex products, Avadex 15G Excel and Avadex Factor, having EAMU’s for spring linseed, they can be applied pre-emergence in linseed and provide a good level of grass-weed control. Avadex Factor can also be mixed pre-emergence with Callisto (mesotrione) which adds to broad-leaved weed and meadowgrass control. Spring linseed can therefore be used as a serious break crop, effectively reducing both black-grass and wild-oats across the farm.” “Avadex is the only non ACC-ase black-grass option in linseed, via its EAMUs and so offers a unique mode of action for a herbicide in spring linseed,” says Barrie Hunt, Technical Manager for Gowan. Barrie says in a typical year 15-20% black-grass germinates in the spring, but this spring we could be seeing much higher levels than this. The weed expert John Cussans confirms that wet soils create anaerobic soil conditions and this environment induces dormancy in black-grass. We do not know

Premium Crops Ltd, experts in breeding and marketing spring linseed, is saying that with the difficulties of planting winter cereals this year and the positive returns from linseed, growers should seriously consider growing one of their high omega-3 linseed varieties. Nigel Padbury of Premium Crops says that spring linseed fits well into the rotation, has variable drilling dates from February to early May and offers the opportunity to reduce black-grass and wildoats across the farm. Spring linseed also has low growing costs and a positive effect on wheat yields when grown after this crop. “We are thinking that this spring there will be more than 25,000 hectares of spring linseed and we have the necessary seed supplies.” Nigel also reminds growers if they go for the high ALA linseed varieties they will be offering the highest ever contract price of £365/tonne plus a £20 premium on top of that. “This is the highest price we have offered for the best part of six years,” says Nigel. “With yields of 2.4 to 2.5 t/ha, growers can be achieving an attractive gross margin of over £1000/ha.” With many years experience, Premium Crops is

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LEGAL DIARY

PLOTTING YOUR SALE The importance of a plan and clear instructions when selling plots of land.

All firms of solicitors will receive the call from their client to say that they want to sell part of their land or garden. Smaller plots are very often to be sold to a neighbour who purely wants additional garden land. Sometimes, it is a farmer or land owner wishing to sell portions of land and keep back the main areas for their own continued use. The sale of parts, or plots of land need not be a problem, so long as the seller understands what he needs to provide and consider, before instructing a solicitor to draw up the Transfer for the sale. Sellers will regularly arrive at their solicitors office, armed with plans and copies of title, waving their arms around with instructions as to where “this piece” and “that piece” of land is to be divided up. A finger down the page of a plan with verbal instructions as to where the dividing line is to be, is often all that is given as an indication for the division of land. If anyone is considering embarking on dividing up land or title that they own, to assist with easing the sale along, please check the plans provided to the solicitor at the outset. H M Land Registry are very precise as to what they like to see, or not to see, when looking at a plan detailing the sale of land or property. The Land Registry do not want to see words on the plan to say “approximate area” or “draft outline”. The definition for the land being sold must be clear and concise. The plan should ideally be drawn up by a professional person, who would be aware that it has

to show the scale and the north point, to comply with the Land Registry’s exacting specifications. The boundary that is to be maintained by the new owners should also be noted. This is often an initial outlay that will pay back in dividends when the sale goes through smoothly. The area being sold is usually outlined in red, with any rights of access, easements or points of reference noted in other colours. A serious consideration for any seller is, if they have a mortgage secured on the title, has the lender given consent to the sale of that specific area. As the lenders mortgage is over the whole of the registered title, it could diminish the value of the remaining land below the original mortgage value when a transfer for part only is requested. The lender will usually ask to see a copy of the plan showing the extent of the land being sold, for their own valuer to consider. Most lenders will consent to the transfer of the part of land, so long as their conditions are met. The conditions would usually be that at least some of the sale proceeds from the land are used to reduce the amount of outstanding mortgage. Upon the completion of the sale, the lender will provide a release of their charge specifically over the area of land being sold. A copy of the professionally drawn plan will be provided to the lender so that they can sign or seal it for the avoidance of doubt to confirm the area being released from their security. From a solicitors point of view, when preparing the Deed of Transfer for a part of land out of a larger

area, it is useful to know if there are any shared access roads, paths or driveways. The plan would detail these areas with a designated colour, for reference in the Transfer Deed to grant the rights to the new buyers, usually subject to contributing towards the cost for maintenance and upkeep in a fair proportion. If there are going to be shared service connections these would need to be referred to in the Transfer. There is nothing worse than falling out with neighbours due to the absence of an easement for service connections, rights of way, or access which have been forgotten when thinking about the transaction, which could have so easily been taken into account when instructing a solicitor to proceed. When considering selling part of a garden or land, the terms for the sale should be considered carefully, for example who is to erect the dividing fence. Sometimes the seller needs the fence to be a specific height and type, for example a stock proof fence is the usual specification when dividing farmland, but a chain link or lapped wooden fence would suffice for a garden division. All rights of way to and from the land, which may be sold for the purpose of building a house on it, should be clearly defined, with consideration of shared maintenance and upkeep having been taken into account. You will see that the sale of part of any land is not difficult, when the instructions from the seller and information provided at the outset of the transaction is available.

CAROLE COOPER

Associate Licensed Conveyancer Residential Property Specialist, Whitehead Monckton T: 01622 698034 E: carolecooper@whitehead-monckton.co.uk www.whitehead-monckton.co.uk

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

PUTTING DOWN THE GAVEL RICHARD WOOD

WE LIVE IN EXCITING TIMES There are an awful lot of Cummings and goings in Downing Street at the moment and I would suggest that the only personalities 100% safe there are the Prime Minister, Dylan his dog and Dominic himself. With great temerity I wrote to the PM one month ago to remind him that possibly his right hand man and enforcer may well have contributed to the Tories gaining an 80 seat majority, but on the strength of that Mr Cummings now believes he is God. Not everybody believes in God and it would be advantageous if Dominic was brought down to earth and the sooner the better. The man is arrogant, as displayed by his manner of dress and his demeanour. How he can have any vision when his head is so far up his bottom I fail to see. On a positive note however, I do believe the reigning in of the autonomous power of the Chancellor of the Exchequer and his cohorts, to encouraging debate and joined up thinking between the occupants of Number 10 and Number 11, is a refreshing and sound idea. We live in exciting times – the Marxist Party trying to find a new leader while being in total denial of the public’s distaste for Corbyn, the ability of students to engage in activism over any topic that offends their woke agenda, and the continuing saga of Bercow pleading unfairness in his inability to gain a seat in the House of Lords. The little man is a cross between Dominic Cummings and a doughnut – pretentious on the outside and full of rubbish in the middle. The first house Management and I purchased 50 years ago was low lying and had a natural pond in the garden. We decided after a few years to ditch the risk of being flooded and currently live 300ft above sea level. Having said that, I feel desperately sorry for those living in areas that just cannot consistently be protected from the elements. However, I think it ridiculous that these victims find

it necessary to berate Boris for not visiting them – as if he were King Canute! They should instead be questioning their local planning authorities, who out of greed rather than necessity, permitted development on potential flood plains. I imagine the desire to rake in rate returns and garner bribes from development companies must have been hard to resist. I had cause to speak to a young friend of mine from farming stock who has failed the theory test for his driving licence four times. At the age of 12 this lad could reverse my truck and trailer far better than I could, so there is no question about his practical ability. The theory test has a possible 721 scenarios and questions, of which the examinee is presented with 50 of them taken at random, and is required to pass this test with 86% success. How

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many of us who have been on the road for 40 years or more would sail through this torture? Not me, and I got 4’O’ levels. While on the topic of motoring, I find it ridiculous that the government is pandering to the Green Lobby by announcing that it will be illegal to buy a new petrol or diesel vehicle after 2035. Technology advances rather quicker than the mental powers of our bureaucrats, and I can quite see that carbon emissions will be satisfactorily harnessed within 15 years before we have the need to drive around in sewing machines with wing mirrors. Did “adblue” technology exist in 2010? Are all vehicles not markedly more fuel efficient and less polluting this century than the last? What is wrong with selfcharging hybrids? Will every house – including those without their own parking spaces - have overnight charging points? This whole problem needs more thought than has been given to it thus far. What a crazy autumn we have had. At the time of writing (19 February) there was no sign of winter. My batch of late born Kent wethers were luxuriating on a local farm, which despite having little or no grass in late October, has continued to provide a young fresh sward right up to now, and the sheep are skipping about like Liberal Democrats at a party convention – my sheep too are thin on the ground! Management, I fear, is about to ask me to fire up the lawn mower – she was already sniffing the air in Mid-February! One more thought on Extinction Rebellion and other activists who regularly create mayhem and cost to society. Are you the same ones who require pubs and clubs to be open until 6.00 am, necessitating our police force being on duty 24/7? Are you the same ones who keep A&E departments on duty to help you with your hang-overs? Think about it you load of selfish wastes of space. Hopefully one day you will grow up and do something useful in society rather than denigrating it.

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MONICA AKEHURST AT THE KITCHEN TABLE

some cheese in the maturation room

> Showing

Great news! Lamb prices are up, smiling shepherds in market today. The sun was shining and I rather wished I’d worn my peak hat, it was so bright. Gone are the reports of diminishing demand for sheep meat. Now... there’s a global shortage. Better returns makes the hard work worthwhile. Now my dilemma is, should I sell stores or continue to finish hoggets? It was beginning to dry out, but today we’re back to wet, windy, stodging about in mud weather. I spotted the river levels rising and a bunch of sheep obliviously grazing on the bank, so I grabbed Brie (the sheep dog) and headed to the marsh. We waded through rising waters and drove the sheep onto safer grazing. While doing this I was thrilled to catch sight of a kingfisher, a flash of colour to brighten up my day. I’ve noticed an abundance of magpies around lately which I fear will have a detrimental affect on the welfare of our small bird population. February marks the end of the shooting season, and our spaniels are in recovery mode sprawled around in the kitchen. Seemingly asleep, unless there’s a tasty morsel of food on offer. Initially when grandchildren

> Stirring

white welly meeting

> Hazel

and Martin in the ‘make room’

SON-IN-LAWS ARRIVED

BEARING GIFTS arrived, the spaniels were most unimpressed at having their peace disturbed. However after discovering the benefits of sitting close to the occupied high chair they’ve reevaluated their thinking. Thank goodness, because the Londonites have finally seen sense, and are moving out of London. They will be temporarily living at the farm, while they secure accommodation at a nearby seaside resort with a mainline station. Grandson George is already besotted by tractors, I’m now trying to encourage a good work ethic. He has lots of energy and a bucket and spade ready for his trips to the beach. So I suggested he and his father could put his spade to good use and help bag up some rolled corn ready to feed to the stock. George soon realised that the larger shovel was the way forward!

the curds

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

By coincidence this weekend both son-in-laws arrived bearing gifts of home made sourdough. Making bread appears to be increasingly popular. My mother made all her own bread. I love the smell of freshly baked bread coming out of the oven. I don’t get much time to make it myself. I recall my cousin’s brag about her mother’s bread making abilities. ‘Jesus could turn stones into bread, but my Mum can turn bread into stone!’ Maybe ‘water into wine’ could be the next, and it would go nicely with cheese. While attending a Princes Trust workshop, someone asked about cheese making and I realised how little I knew about the process. I resolved to join Hazel and Martin on a ‘make day’. Swapping my farm clothes for cleaner garments. On entering the lobby I put on a white cotton shirt, a protective hairnet and white wellies, stepping through a clean dip and thoroughly washing my hands. This reminded me of my time working in theatre as a scrub nurse. Pronounced clean I was allowed to observe the mysterious going’s on in the cheese rooms. Cheese was first discovered around 8000 BC. Rennet, the enzyme added to make cheese, occurs naturally in the stomachs of ruminants. Leak proof stomachs were often used to transport liquids. Without refrigeration, warm summer heat combined with residual rennet caused the stored milk to curdle naturally. The curds were strained and salt added for preservation, producing the earliest form of cheese. Nowadays it’s a little more high tech and the ‘make room’ contains some impressive looking kit. Firstly the organic cow’s milk is pasteurised in a large stainless steel Vat. Temperature control, monitoring of PH levels and timings are vital, these are plotted on a graph throughout the making process. Adding cultures and blue moulds starts the cheese making, acidifying the milk, helping the curds to form, plus impacting flavour. An hour later rennet goes in, causing the milk to gel through proteins linking up. Later the gel is cut into cubes described as curd. The size of the cubes varies depending on the different type of cheese being made. For the next couple of hours, the curd is gently agitated

> Spaniels

in post shooting recovery mode

or stirred at regular intervals and the whey separates out. When deemed ready, the curds are decanted into cheese moulds. The moulds are left to drain, and are turned. Once the cheese retains its shape it is placed into a brine for a short time and then removed and allowed to dry off. Next it’s moved into the maturation room which is a cooler drier atmosphere. Here it will sit on shelving and is given tender loving care. It will be pierced which allows the air into the cheese and the blue mould to develop. It will be turned and supervised until ready to eat. Trust me, the taste testing is definitely the most exciting part of the process. We enjoy being involved with our family’s different projects. It helps to dispel the sometimes overwhelming all consuming business of farming. The recent battering by the weather resulting in atrocious conditions has been challenging. It’s depressing, living

> Sourdough

loaves

> Decanting

and working in isolation can compound the problem. Negative media attention and unthoughtful social media comments can be hurtful. I like the quote ‘in a world where you can be anything - be kind’. Farmers are known for being a ‘Jack of all trades’ but they do need to realise that they are not superhuman, when they get tired and down they need to do something about it, not bury it. Be kind to yourself. Talk about it, seek help, take a break. Recently my daughters suggested I join them on a skiing holiday. I worried about leaving the farm, the expense, all those things on my to do list, and whether I’d be able to keep up with the young’uns. Exhilarating skiing, mountain air, hot chocolates, relaxing in the hot tub, plus the odd tipple, incredibly therapeutic! Oooh and the cheese fondue… I feel so much better. Bring on the red tractor inspection, calving and lambing!

> George

the curds

decided the larger shovel was best

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OUT AND ABOUT WITH NIGEL AKEHURST

A LONG-HELD DREAM Nigel Akehurst visits Chartham Vineyard in Kent to learn more about their modern family focused approach to farm diversification and bringing their unique collection of heritage buildings back into use.

Chartham Vineyard is a five acre vineyard, retail and exhibition space located at Burnt House Farm in Chartham, next to the train station and just off the A28, three miles outside of Canterbury. Owned by Dr Roz Waller and her husband Richard Goodenough, they decided to realise a long-held dream by setting up a wine and art exhibition business in 2012, involving their extended family. “Burnt House Farm, Chartham has been the family home of the Wallers since 1957” explains Rosalind, who inherited the 40-hectare holding in 2011 on the death of her parents.

Her father originally had a dairy herd, pigs, arable and an apple orchard on the farm. Over the years the dairy herd and pigs went, with more of the land being used to grow apples and pears alongside a suckler herd of Sussex cattle. Eventually the farm was tenanted out mainly for arable when her father retired in his 70s. Keen to continue the family farming tradition with a modern eco-friendly approach – Roz, herself a retired GP in Wye and husband, Richard, an academic and writer, took the decision to take back 3.2 hectares of the land from the tenant farmer to establish a vineyard and tourism business

> Selection

of still wines with Dovecote in background

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

that would encompass wine, art and utilise their beautiful collection of traditional farm buildings.

PERFECT LOCATION AND SOIL

The vineyard faces south across the valley of the River Stour which drains the Weald of Kent. This aspect makes the most of all available sunshine providing a relatively warm and dry microclimate, whilst allowing frost drainage into the valley below. The vines are rooted in a dark-brown flinty loam on a massive chalk bedrock, formed over 100 million years ago from shells of sea creatures in a tropical sea. The chalk provides free drainage and

CHARTHAM VINEYARD, KENT the flints have an additional benefit of retaining daytime heat and maintaining the warmth of the soil

VITICULTURE ADVICE, PREPARATION AND PLANTING

With no prior experience of growing grapes or winemaking, Roz and Richard sought advice from renowned viticulture consultant Stephen Skelton. An intense period of planning and preparation involving site selection and soil preparation began. Key decisions were made about the choice of grapes, rootstocks and vineyard design. It was decided to grow vines of the same variety as those approved for Champagne and to choose various clones and rootstock combinations to suit the prevailing soil and climate conditions. After sub-soiling and harrowing, vines were planted by machine with rows orientated up and down the slope (to achieve maximum sunlight exposure), 2 metres apart and 1.2 metres spacing between each vine. Stephen organised a specialist team from Germany to come over to machine plant 7000 vines

over four acres in a day, with a mix of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Bacchus giving them the opportunity to produce still and sparkling rosé and white wines. Then their metal trellis structures were set up ready for first growth. A further acre of Pinot Noir on a Burgundian clone was planted the following year - to produce colour for rosé, or a still red in exceptionally good years.

EDUCATION AND FAMILY INVOLVEMENT

To learn more about how to grow and look after the vines – both Roz, Richard and their son, Andy, have benefited from various part DEFRA funded viticulture courses at Plumpton College. Andy, who is also a photographer does the majority of day to day vineyard maintenance, including pruning and spraying, in the event of downy and powdery mildew.

FARM FACTS

• 40 hectares of arable, pasture, coppice and ancient woodland most of which is tenanted out to a local farmer • Home of ‘Chartham Vineyard’ – currently five acres of vines planted in 2013/14 – a mix of Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Bacchus and Pinot Noir grapes • Work with Litmus Wines Ltd, contract wine makers based at Denbies Estate to process and bottle their range of sparkling and still wines • Collection of traditional Farm Buildings no longer suitable for modern agriculture – the cowsheds have been renovated for use as wine retail and art exhibition space with a very large 18th century threshing barn used for larger events. • Plans to carry out more improvement work on their buildings, including a listed Dovecote which features in their vineyard logo and to continue to develop the wine tourism and art events.

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OUT AND ABOUT WITH NIGEL AKEHURST OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

> Andy,

Richard and Roz

> Harvest 2019 Pinot Gris

> Grapes

Over the years the team at Chartham have experienced a number of weather and pest challenges. One more recent threat has been spotted wing drosophila – which affects soft skin red fruits like cherries, raspberries and Pinot Noir. It results in bitter grapes – which is why the Americans call it vinegar fly. “They’ve had problems with raspberries and cherries in this area” says Richard with some growers turning to nets to prevent damage. In Chartham’s case they’ve had good success using biological controls. “It’s a mixture of cheap red wine, cider vinegar and sugar which goes into a Droso trap – there’s a hole that the fly goes into and it drowns,” explains Roz. They have around 100 of these which are distributed around the Pinot Noir vines. This is just one example of using a more eco-friendly approach to growing healthy vines. Roz also adds they have started using Cloud Agro pellets which contain a mix of Lucerne and chicken manure to help maintain and improve soil health.

FIRST HARVESTS AND INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY

Grape harvest usually takes place from mid-September through to October. The actual date is set after regular sampling and testing grapes in the field from mid-September, using a hand-held refractometer. Chartham’s first harvest took place in 2015, yielding half a tonne – around a barrel of wine. It increased to 8 tonnes the following year in 2016,

(Pinot Noir) in summer

> Blanc de Blanc Sparkling Wine made from Chardonnay. Gold medal winner in the Independent English Wine Awards

> The

Droso biological traps

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

it then increased to 11.5 tonnes in 2017 and 23.5 tonnes in 2018 – which was their first full crop and a bumper year due to exceptional growing conditions. The 2019 harvest yielded 18.5 tonnes with some more tricky conditions caused by wet weather. Harvesting is all done by hand with the help of friends, family and local volunteers. With the vineyard being split into five plots, it takes roughly a day per plot. On average they have around 30 volunteers per day and pick for a long morning fuelled by coffee and delicious cake – made by Roz. The grapes are then loaded onto a lorry and sent off to their contract wine maker. To celebrate the end of harvest and thank all the volunteers they hold a harvest supper at the end of the season with 80 plus pickers and partners invited for a hog roast in the threshing barn.

WINE MAKING AND SALES

With no facilities onsite Roz and Richard work with respected wine makers John Worontschak and Mattieu Elzinga from Litmus Wines Ltd, based at Denbies Estate in Dorking, Surrey. “It’s a real partnership,” says Roz and they don’t have any plans to create their own winery in the foreseeable future. “Right from the first vintage, the quality of our wines has been recognised through awards including a Gold Medal for our first sparkling Blanc de Blancs (from Chardonnay grapes harvested in 2016),” adds Richard. Their wines are available at many local hotels and restaurants including Canterbury Cathedral Lodge and Hotel Continental in Whitstable, as well as being

CHARTHAM VINEYARD, KENT served at Michelin starred restaurant Fordwich Arms near Canterbury and Angela’s in Margate. You can also find them stocked in well-known farm shops including Macknade’s in Faversham and Gibson’s in Wingham. Chartham also offer free wine tastings in their wine shop every Saturday from 10.30 to 5.30. You can also browse art in their vineyard gallery and pre-book vineyard tours and tutored tastings.

DIVERSIFYING TRADITIONAL BUILDINGS BACK INTO USE FOR WINE AND ART

With an exceptional collection of old farm buildings at Burnt House Farm, Roz and Richard have worked with local craftsmen to lovingly restore the old cowsheds into wine retail, tasting and exhibition spaces. The development of these buildings in tandem with the wine enterprise has been pivotal to the growth of the business. In addition, Roz and Richard have found there is a growing demand for large affordable exhibition space for the arts in East Kent. “The Canterbury Society of Art is just one of several organisations currently using our converted buildings for art exhibitions, with regular exhibitions being held in our converted cowshed,” adds Roz. They have begun restoration work on their large and

beautiful 18th century threshing barn which is used for their annual harvest supper and has the potential to be an incredible event space/wedding venue.

MARKET GROWTH, DIVERSITY AND SEASONALITY

Wine tourism and art-related activity is increasing the footfall to the cellar door at Chartham Vineyard. “This is reflected in the number of visitors, volume of sales, attendance at art exhibitions in the vineyard gallery and the number of people taking part in tours and tastings,” says Roz. Interestingly wine tourists spend on average 80% more than normal tourists although “at the moment, tours and tastings are more popular between April and September when the weather is better and there is more to see in the vineyard,” she adds. However, they plan to appeal to a wider all yearround audience with additional space being made available in the cowshed and barn to host bigger groups for festivals, art/music and other cultural attractions.

BUILDING A BRAND AND ONLINE MARKETING

Key to bringing all the elements together is the Chartham Vineyard logo explains Roz: “It features the ancient dovecote – illustrating the importance

of our heritage buildings, rampant horses – representing the white horse symbol of the county of Kent and the historic phrase ‘Garden of England’ – describing the fertile lands of Kent, famous for its fruit and hop growing for more than 600 years.” Their modern and user friendly website www.charthamvineyard.co.uk provides a wealth of information about the vineyard, what wines they have available in the shop and upcoming events including art exhibitions. You can also join their priority e-list via the website to stay up to date with wine tours, tastings and other events. They already have over 700 mailing list subscribers and have found email marketing to be an effective tool to help attract regular visitors to the vineyard. In addition, they have active social media Facebook and Twitter accounts to help promote the business having benefited from attending a NFU run course on social media in the past.

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

Roz and Richard plan to build on what they have achieved to date at Chartham Vineyard, continuing to restore and better utilise their collection of heritage buildings whilst growing their wine and arts event space business with the aim of supporting more members of the family in the future. An interesting and inspiring model of a modern-day family farm.

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ACCOUNTANCY

In July this year, the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) issued a second report considering inheritance tax. The first report looked mainly at the administration of inheritance tax (IHT), but this one highlighted three main areas where the OTS consider reforms could be implemented. The third of these relates to reliefs that apply to businesses and agricultural enterprises. Currently, if the appropriate conditions are met, the value of a business may be completely exempt from IHT. The two long established reliefs, Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR) were put in place to prevent the sale or break up of businesses or farms to finance IHT payments following the owner’s death. The main test for BPR is to demonstrate that the business is not one that consists primarily of investment assets. It is accepted that this test is met where at least 50% of the activity of the business derives from trading. This is at odds with the trading test for other capital tax reliefs such as Holdover Relief and Entrepreneurs’ Relief, which is a higher

APR AND BPR UNDER THE MICROSCOPE hurdle requiring at least 80% of the activities to be derived from trading. The OTS has taken the view that it could simplify decision making about when to hand assets on to the next generation if the tests were standardised. The OTS is therefore recommending that the government should consider aligning the definition of trading for both CGT and IHT whether it remains appropriate for the level of trading activity to be set at a lower level for BPR than for other capital taxes reliefs. For business owners there would be a mixed reaction to these proposals. There are likely to be businesses who meet the tests as they stand just now, with more than 50% of the activity deriving

from trade, but who might not necessarily meet the test if it were raised to 80%. Owners would therefore need to review the composition of their business activities and take corrective action to preserve BPR on at least some of their business assets. There would be winners and losers under these proposals, and it is recommended by OTS that the government would lay the legislation before Parliament long before it was due to be enacted in order to give business owners the chance to consider their position and take the appropriate steps. If you would like any further information on any of the issues raised in this article, please contact your local office who will be happy to help.

“CURRENTLY, IF THE APPROPRIATE CONDITIONS ARE MET, THE VALUE OF A BUSINESS MAY BE COMPLETELY EXEMPT FROM IHT”

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DIVERSIFICATION

PRESSING FORWARD Nestled in the Kentish countryside on the outskirts of Lamberhurst sits Owl House Fruit Farm, home to one of the county’s first juice producers and finalist for the 2020 Taste of Kent Awards’ Farm Diversification of the Year Award, sponsored by South East Farmer. Working at an office desk was never a career option for Colin Cornfield, who fell in love with farming and the great outdoors from a young age. After growing up on his parent’s hobby farm, Colin spent school holidays furthering his passion, working for local growers, and eventually found himself working in one of

Bulmers’ cider orchards. In 1985, Colin realised his dream and purchased Owl House Fruit Farm in Lamberhurst, Kent, complete with a well-established orchard and an extensive range of buildings. Previously home to a busy haulage business, the site offices were converted back into a traditional English farmhouse,

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

which Colin and wife Suzie moved into a year later. Sitting in the quaint country kitchen, watching a female Sparrowhawk flit to and fro and later walking through the 18 acre orchard with its panoramic views, it was not difficult to see why the Cornfields quickly felt wedded to their new home. Soon after taking on the farm, it became

OWL HOUSE FRUIT FARM apparent that the orchards needed a great deal of reinvestment. The 34 acre site was then planted with old fashioned varieties, such as Cox’s Orange Pippin, Worcester, Discovery, Russet, Tydeman’s Late Orange, Laxton’s Superb and Spartan, alongside an elderly Conference, Williams and Comice pear orchard. “It was a very well run fruit farm, but the trees were old and the varieties were based on supermarket demands,” said Colin Cornfield. “We spent a lot of money replanting and needed to find another stream of revenue while those trees were maturing.”

FRESHLY SQUEEZED

Despite there being very little spare capital to kick-start a diversification project, time spent working for Bulmers had ignited Colin’s interest in

cider production and even before moving to Owl House Farm, he had imported a tractor-driven apple press from Normandy. “Initially we took the press to county shows, events and ploughing matches and held working demonstrations,” said Suzie, whose livestock farming parents were one of the first to open an on-farm butchery, selling home-reared meat direct to the consumer. “People would rave about the juice and were often impressed at how different each variety tastes. They would often ask how long the freshly squeezed juice would keep once they got home, but of course it needed drinking within a couple of days before it started fermenting.” Seeing that there was clearly a big market for locally produced juice, the Cornfields were encouraged to start making pasteurised cloudy apple juice on a larger scale, naming the range

Owlet, the historic name for the farm. One of only three companies in the county to be producing cloudy apple juice, demand swelled. “We realised very quickly that the real growth potential was in the juice business,” said Colin. “We started with just 6,000 litres in the first year, which doubled to 12,000 litres in the second year and then increased to 18,000 litres the year after. There was a lot of demand but we didn’t have much spare money to really gear up production so we needed to take it slow.” While the juice business helped to fund the new plantings in the early days, Colin and Suzie both agree that the farm wouldn’t be here today without its on-going success. When the couple first arrived in Lamberhurst there were five fruit farms; today they are the only commercial grower still in operation.

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DIVERSIFICATION “The fruit was originally grown for the supermarkets and marketed through the Apple Growers’ Association in Horsmonden,” said Colin. “The acreage was small and had we not diversified into juice production, we would have either had to have rented or bought a lot more land, or more likely would have needed to find other jobs.” Apple juice may be a low value product, but it has added great value to the apples grown at Owl House Farm and by keeping control of production costs and finding markets for the juice, the Cornfields have been able to sustain their business for 35 years.

NEW ENGLISH VARIETY

The change in direction, moving away from working with supermarkets, also allowed Colin to reduce the inputs and orchard size, with 18 acres now providing enough fruit for Owlet’s range of single variety and blended apple juices. “When we stopped working with the supermarkets, we didn’t think we could grow fruit economically for juice,” said Colin. “We grubbed a lot of trees, did less pruning and drastically reduced our spraying regime because we are not trying to grow the perfect apple and small amounts of insect damage and blemishes are not an issue. We have found that we can grow a decent crop with a lot less inputs than we thought and are currently achieving yields of around 60 tonnes per hectare.” While much of this is down to Colin’s attention to detail, interest in pest management and soil nutrition, the farm is also able to pick absolutely everything regardless of size or colour. Focusing on juice has also paved the way for a new English variety called Cheerful Gold. With 3.5-acres planted eight years ago, they are currently one of the largest growers of the variety in the country. “We love Cheerful Gold because it crops very well, we have been doing up to 70t/ha and it makes fabulous juice,” said Colin. “It is a late variety, the apples are hard and don’t taste that good straight from the tree, but after the fruit has been stored and pressed the variety really comes into its own. It was bred by John Breach and I remember his brother Victor bringing the variety over to be pressed into juice for his farm shop. I took an apple from the bin and thought

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

that it was the nicest apple I had eaten for a long time.”

ACROSS THE SOUTH EAST

As well as a single variety Cheerful Gold apple juice, the Owlet range now boasts 15 different flavours including the much-loved Cox and Bramley, Jonagold, and Worcester, which is made from the farm’s oldest surviving trees planted in 1949. Modern blends such as pear and ginger, apple and blueberry, apple and raspberry, and spiced apple have also joined the line-up. “Our range has grown steadily because we are not big risk takers and we have seen other people who grew too fast, too quickly, trip up,” said Suzie, who developed the rhubarb, apple and strawberry blend after baking a crumble. “We have avoided putting all our eggs in one basket and instead of having one very big customer we work with lots of local independent retailers, such as farm shops, delis, butchers, restaurants and cafés.” Geographically Owlet’s customers can be found across Kent, Surrey, Sussex and London. With a select few wholesalers, such as Kent Frozen Food, HT White, Albion, and Page and Sons helping to further this reach, particularly into the on-trade. “We did supply Asda for a while but it wasn’t a very good fit for our business,” said Suzie. “They were very price driven, expecting us to discount all the time and we just couldn’t produce the big volumes at the prices they wanted. After five years, we decided that it was not worth cutting the margins for.” Controlling the product price is one aspect of diversification Colin is most grateful for. While the business still needs to remain competitive, increasing costs of production can easily be accounted for. “I have always been frightened by the fact that your biggest customer can decide how much and when they are going to pay you,” said Colin. “Having our own juice brand does also bring a more personal side to the growing business. When I am out delivering, I can develop personal relationships with all the independents, some of whom have been using us now for decades. We also do a lot of in-store tastings which is a very good way of promoting the brand and getting consumers to try the range.”

OWL HOUSE FRUIT FARM

> Colin

and Suzie Cornﬁeld

TRIPLE GOLD STAR

Alongside financing the replanting of the orchards, the development of the juice brand has allowed the Cornfields to invest in modern machinery. With the repeated success of the Owlet range, which has twice won the coveted triple gold star in the Great Taste Awards, the farm has also been able to develop a contract arm of the business. “Our pioneering and experimental attitude did lead to others looking to replicate our ideas but we have been beneficiaries of that in some way,” said Colin. “We now make juice for other growers, people in the local community, and businesses, like farm shops, who want own-label products. Through the contract side of the business we can share a part in their narratives.” From core to case, the entire juice producing process is done in-house and today Owl House Farm turns around over 350,000 litres of juice. With a busy

production line, the business has been able to provide continual employment for locals for over 30 years as well as offering seasonal jobs for numerous casual and harvest workers. “We have made it work over the years and have gradually evolved the business,” said Suzie. “The labels have all progressed and I feel that we have successfully moved with the times. We are very proud of the Owlet range, which has consistently won a lot of awards. That reinforces that we are doing something right. It is a good local product and when you think of Kent, you do think of fruit. We are proud to be part of Kent’s heritage as a rural and honest business.” Running a small business may have its challenges, and Colin does admit that diversification can take time away from farming, but as so much produce is made at cost these days, it can be a real clincher for farm survival.

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SARAH CALCUTT FOCUS ON FRUIT

> Nick

Dunn from FP Matthews – Scion fruits are taking great strides in the selection of the next generation of varieties that meet both taste, volume, agronomic and consumer requirements. I am told there is to be a big announcement made at the National Fruit Show this year

> George

Smith – the newly installed Fruiterers Upper Warden, great plans are in motion for his year as master in 2021

SARAH CALCUTT Chair, National Fruit Show

> Tim

Chambers with his ‘The Fruitery’ enterprise has enjoyed a very successful first year in business. Fruit Logistica saw the launch of their new berry medley line both in white label (retailer own label) and in their own Fruitery brand. The berry category has grown significantly (by 48.8% or +£145m) ahead of both total produce and fruit in the last five years with the UK being more engaged with berries than ever before. Prepared fruit grew at twice the rate of total fruit, being around an eighth of all fruit consumption occasions. The prepared fruit category, including berry selections, was up 5.6% in value to the end of May 2019 (Source Kantar May 2019)

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– recycled craft board pallets for export, the lighter weight and ease of handling would put them ahead of traditional, one journey white pallets

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> Apple

juicer unit – perhaps an opportunity for British apples to take the place of oranges in cafes?

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Well the weather, coronavirus and Brexit didn’t reduce the rate of visitors to Fruit Logistica this year. It was as bright and colourful as ever with exciting conversations on every corner. Clearly there were a few nations missing due to travel restrictions, but visitor numbers hadn’t seen any discernible reduction. Fruit Logistica is attended by growers, marketing organisations, buyers and the wider fresh produce industry from around the world with an average attendance annually of around 100,000. It is now the largest showcase of its type in the world, having begun 25 years ago with just three halls – something that the National Fruit show will have to think about in its growth plans! The machinery and agronomy/technology halls were packed with innovation – prominent were the robotic packers responding to the reduction in packaging drive, along with the natural branding systems. Improving quality with enhanced internal cameras was a consistent theme throughout all the grader technology companies, increased tolerances/accuracy was a hot topic of conversation along with increased throughput. The Greefa stand showcased both the robotic packing solution as well as enhanced NIR technology, their stand a hive of activity as always; we all took the opportunity to say goodbye to Gert, the oldest serving member of the sales team, there from the beginning, who is taking retirement at Easter. One thing that was lacking was a true hub for the British presence at the show. Never was there such a wasted opportunity for British growers to make a stand and shout that they are open for business, open to opportunity and to get their presence in front of the world of produce! Those companies who took stands – and hats off to the Goatham team for working with the CHA to join forces with Angus Soft fruits and Bedfordshire growers to provide a coordinated British area next to the bright and brilliant stand of Fresca. Worldwide Fruit were off with their NZ partners, Richard Hochfeld were close to Chambers, both also with great, welcoming stands. All companies reported having a great show experience with no shortage of visitors or interest – why wasn’t everyone else there? There are many British companies who export, many who provide a service to the continent, why were the trade bodies not representing their members with all the great messages that we have to share about our industry? What a shame a strong enough case wasn’t made to the AHDB about the value of representing British growers abroad, so much money has been spent in promoting sausage awards, lamb chops and the like, why do we not have a good shout for horticulture?

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SOIL

SOIL BIOLOGY IMPROVED WITH NO-TILL ON ESSEX FARM Using a soil management system focusing on the health of the soil, its structure and biological activity is both interesting and profitable, writes Richard Shepherd-Barron.

For over twenty years, Simon Cowell has worked his heavy clay loam on Motts Farm at St Lawrence, near Southminster on the Dengie Peninsula between the Blackwater and Crouch estuaries in Essex by using methods which are very different to the arable operations carried out by other arable farmers in the region. Simon says that his 400 acre farm has a heavy clay loam which is high in magnesium, making it sticky in moist conditions and baked hard when it is dry. The first thing he did was to stop ploughing, for “otherwise I was trying to deal with a sticky mess or unable to get into the ground.“ He also said: “With conventional methods there was no way I could contemplate spring crops, so I had a very short rotation of a rape and two wheats.” Motts Farm was purchased originally by Simon’s grandfather in the 1950’s and was a dairy operation for thirty-five years. They expanded by buying the next-door farm. Simon still has some grassland which is used for grazing and hay. Some of the heavy land is actually below sea level but has not been flooded for many years. When Simon originally stopped ploughing, he did continue disc cultivation and also a certain amount of sub-soiling but soon realised that incorporating straw into the top few inches of soil was counter-productive. He commented: “the newly sown seeds didn’t like it and the buried straw consumes the

valuable nitrogen.” He discovered that by leaving the straw on the surface this encouraged worm activity, it acted as a mulch and by not cultivating he found it easier to deal with the problem weeds. He finds that black grass “is not a major problem”. As the combine did not really spread the straw evenly enough across the land, Simon developed and manufactured himself an ingeniously modified straw rake with 72 tines on a width of 6 metres. This very light operation can be done very quickly to spread the straw and Simon makes two passes diagonally across the fields - the first immediately after the combine and then the second about a fortnight later on the opposite diagonal. These two operations have the added benefit of disturbing slug activity. There are times when the straw can be too thick and thus some of it needs to be baled but normally it is spread across the fields. As other farmers have discovered, to direct drill into heavy soil with straw on the top is not easy. There are difficulties such as, straw blocking the machine or actually leaving seed in direct contact with the weeds. Simon’s Unidrill disc drill did have some problems but during a visit to the LAMMA Show, he came across the 3 metre SimTech T-Sem with the Aitchison boot mounted on its spring tines. Simon has found this drill to be very successful, even performing well when conditions are really sticky and he is getting the same yields as in the past but at a far lower cost.

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

A low dose of glyphosate is applied just prior to drilling but he no longer uses any phosphate and potash fertiliser or seed dressings and has removed all growth regulators from his system. He does use a QLF liquid carbon-based fertiliser and is using less fungicides as the soil health on the farm has improved markedly over the years. A great help with this is the compost that Simon makes himself. To produce this, he uses manure from his own stables plus waste from two nearby riding schools and livery yards as well as wood chippings from tree surgeons and grass cuttings from a ground maintenance company. The vehicles bringing the waste tip it for him in a straight line along the ground and then he winnows this with a tractor driven 4 metre wide Richard Western windrow turner which he was very fortunate to find in the second hand machinery market. The rows need a bit of tidying up beforehand with a loader so that the turner can operate exactly at its 4 metre width. If the compost is a bit dry, Simon leaves it over the winter (certainly not a problem in the recent winter!) and starts the composting in the spring. He said that the manure from horses bedded down on straw makes the best compost as it always seems to hold enough urine for moisture and has the right C:N ratio. He adds some gypsum to the compost and it is thus applied biologically. Apparently, composting experts

> First

> Drilling

pass with windrow turner

recommend adding clay to the mixture to create more “body” but Simon finds that an addition of some topsoil from some nearby marshland is “just the job”. The windrow turner works the compost hard to get a really good mixture but this is not very helpful to fungi and the larger soil life, so to help the compost produce the maximum diversity, it needs to be left for a year before application. This of course does help the aerobic maturity so that life forms can multiply. It is crucial that the temperature of the material does not go over 70 degrees so the material needs regular monitoring and turning again when it reaches 65 degrees. All this can take several days and windrowing operations by which time the material has stabilised. As Simon cannot make enough compost to cover the whole farm in one go, he works on a four year rotation, applied at about 4 tonnes per acre. He has tried 2.5 tonnes per acre on one field and that is not an easy task with a large 10 tonne spreader but as the no-till land is as flat as a billiard table and with no ruts the machine can travel swiftly. The use of some cover crops is also helpful to the condition of the soil at Motts Farm and although Simon does not practice controlled traffic farming as such, he ensures that grain trailers and the JCB Fastrac do not go on the main parts of the field but operate only in the tramlines on the headlands. His Massey-Ferguson tractor and the Case combine are fitted with Terra tyres and the light weight of the SimTech drill helps as well. The weight of machinery and equipment is very important to Simon and he has always kept his eye on this aspect as well as buying good quality lightly used

machines. He bought his Case combine from another part of East Anglia and then discovered by chance that its serial number was only one digit from that owned by his neighbour! They can help each other with spare parts. Nowadays, the farm grows winter wheat, oats and beans, spring beans, peas and linseed. It was impossible to grow the last two crops prior to the “revolution” in Simon’s farming methods. Yields are very much “on the up” as is the control of weeds and pests without huge usage of chemicals. He has stopped growing OSR because of the chemical input required and the effect on soil life During a recent visit, and during the period of really heavy rain, it was a delightful and impressive surprise when examining samples the Essex clay soil to find that it was very friable and sweet smelling - not solid lumps of densely structured sour material that would be expected in the conditions and during the winter. There was always a high worm count in the samples examined and apparently the soil organic matter is usually 5-6%. Simon Cowell said that the most important piece of equipment on his farm is his spade as it enables him to keep a regular check on what is happening in this key part of his farming operation. Regular inspection and monitoring of the soil for soil mycorrhizae and plant tissue nutrient levels shows that his well-made compost encourages the soil biological activity. Simon urges other farmers to look at no-till and direct-drilling on their land and said: ”No-till is interesting and more profitable - not long hours in the tractor on all the old-style operations”.

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ELVED PHILLIPS ARABLE NOTES

GET ON AND SELL

Well, another month has gone by; and not much has changed in the UK in terms of the weather or the markets! The hoped for ‘planting window’ in January and first half of February remained shut. Recent storms mean it will be weeks before any ground will be dry enough to do anything with. Yes, in the chalky lighter land, drilling of winter wheat and spring barley has been going on; but in the heavier areas some have now resigned themselves to fallowing. The UK, coupled with strong currency, is not cheap enough to make new export sales but we have continued to execute old shipping business. By the end of January over 1 million tonnes of wheat and 1.3 million tonnes of barley will have been exported. France is the cheapest wheat in the world just now. Despite its long labour strike it has captured most of the recent big wheat tenders particularly to North Africa and more surprisingly a million tonnes to China! Even though we are too expensive to export: the UK old crop wheat market has remained firm, for now. As I said last month we have enjoyed a £30 increase since September – which is not bad – when you consider it was the second largest UK crop ever! Some of that is due to farmer retention; understandable to a point, when looking at the lack of wheat plantings in some areas. Certainly since last November we have had

growers declaring their intention to hold over old crop wheat – utilising the barn space – not required, because of lack of wheat plantings. That tactic is more difficult to sustain now. Firstly, because the old crop has risen and secondly the carry (today only £8 per tonne) is not sufficient to cover the real cost of finance, weight loss and so on, quite apart from the practical inconvenience. So I think very few will actually carry wheat into new crop. Neither do I think merchants will either. Don’t forget there remains a cap to the new crop wheat market. September wheat can be imported to the UK at £157, if you have a registered dock side store it could be sold on the November futures market – for say a £5 on cost – so that will limit the upside. Of course this could change if currency moves or there is a crop disaster somewhere but shipping freight rates have collapsed making it easier to move grain cheaply. So all this has implications for our old crop market with timing of wheat sales being critical. Apart from France being much cheaper than the UK even Russia – who had been content to keep its home market artificially high – is now making discounted offers for all the big world wheat tenders that come up. By the way the grain market ELVED in Russia has reverted to state PHILLIPS control again via a big bank. So Openfield they really can change policy and direction very quickly thus

IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF YOUR SOIL

affecting the world market. Just now the domestic grain market does not feel ‘heavy’ with supplies. Consumers have been content to buy whatever they need short term. That could change if growers decide to cash in their remaining wheat – rather than carry it forward. The UK balance sheet reckons there could still be 1.2 million tonnes of wheat to be disposed of before harvest and it’s too expensive to be sold for export. Barley has a much smaller surplus – maybe 370,000 mt – to liquidate or use by harvest. Barley supply feels ‘tighter’ than wheat; but that has not stopped the discount to wheat being £20/£25 per tonne or indeed the malting premium disappearing altogether for southern barley. So we are a month closer to something, but what? What has not changed is the record global stocks of wheat and maize. Also there is no material change to the weather in any major grain producing area in the world – it’s all very normal – even Russia has now had some winter weather at last! Sterling has strengthened, for no real reason, so that hinders exports, especially for oilseed rape. There are fresh updates due from the AHDB on plantings and also BPS figures due in February perhaps they will provide a clearer picture. In the meantime, if you are fortunate enough to have some old crop wheat to sell or have sufficient new crop established get on and sell some, while you can still achieve better prices than most of the rest of the world.

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AGRONOMY

HOLDING ONTO

YOUR TILLERS deteriorated. The current anaerobic soil conditions means any N will have been depleted, forcing plants to start taking N from older leaves for new growth, so crops will look poor. Therefore, Mr Shepard says there is a need to go on with fertiliser in the next two to three weeks, if conditions allow tractors to travel - this means crops will have what they need when they are actively rooting and tillering in the first couple of weeks in March. This early N will help increase the size of leaves, as well as feed root development and maximise tiller numbers. The aim is to boost the number of ears/sq m. As there isn’t a lot of N in the soil, we are looking at most soils needing about 80—100kg of N. Those that have got on already should top it up to that level, but if nothing has gone on yet, it will need a dose that size. David also suggests applying phosphite along with

zinc ammonium acetate with the first plant growth regulator to stimulate root growth. This PGR, which is usually a mix of trinexapac-ethyl and chlormequat and applied with the T0, will get rid of apical dominance and get the roots down into the soil. However if it turns cold at T0, then a prohexadionecalcium containing PGR, is more effective. He points out that realistically any leachable nutrients could have been lost in winter and in short supply, so its important to keep a close eye on crops for deficiency symptoms of manganese, boron, sulphur and magnesium. Mr Shepard stresses the importance of ensuring that the crop is healthy and not stressed before applying any herbicides – to avoid losing any further tillers. He notes that weeds may also be stressed and weakened by the winter conditions, so it could potentially be wasting a spray.

Photo: ©Amazone Ltd

One of the biggest challenges facing growers and agronomists is how to respond to each season appropriately. Time and again we are told that the biggest area of uncertainty in responding to the seasonal conditions is how to get the best from crop nutrition. This season it will be more important than ever. Kent based agronomist David Shepard considers what can be done with backward wheat crops as we head towards the first signs of spring. The very wet winter has left many wheat crops looking a little forlorn and hungry, so applying early nitrogen and phosphate fertiliser to wheat crops is the starting point for nursing them back to health, and to minimise the effect of waterlogging on crop yields. On top of this, root growth will have been impaired by waterlogging and root structure will have

DAVID SHEPARD

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PRESSURE WASHERS

ANOTHER ONE

With a range of large, mid-range and small heavy-duty industrial vacuums to choose from, long-standing Nilfisk dealer, Pressure Clean, can now help farmers across the South East tackle all manner of jobs, from cleaning out dust-ridden grain stores to sprucing up a muddy tractor cab, in the safest, most efficient way. Having invested in a new demonstration fleet of Nilfisk vacuums, and benefiting from rigorous training with the manufacturer’s specialists, the team at Pressure Clean can offer site specific advice, while giving operators the chance to compare models, test suction and ensure that they get the right tool for their needs. “One of the best aspects of the Nilfisk range of industrial vacuums is the ability to customise the units to suit the farm’s individual requirements,” said Gary Fielding, owner of Crawley-based Pressure Clean, which covers the Essex, Kent, Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire areas. “Farmers can choose from a range of models as well as nozzles, floor attachments, and different diameter hoses to build a suitable accessory kit based on what they will be using the vacuum for.”

FIGHTS THE DUST Famously known for supplying, servicing and repairing pressure washers across the South East, Pressure Clean is now able to supply the region’s farmers with a range of heavy-duty industrial vacuums.

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Those looking to make the laborious task of sweeping out the grain store more thorough and efficient can opt for Nilfisk’s ATEX certified series of industrial vacuums, which includes the popular VHS 110 model. “Grain, animal feed and swarf are all highly combustible dusts and need to be

46 Pressure Clean is looking forward to catching up with customers old and new at the upcoming Farm Expo, on 4 March 2020 at Kent Showground, Detling.

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

handled with care,” said Gary. “When using an industrial vacuum cleaner, dust clouds can quickly react with the oxygen in the air causing an explosion. The VHS 110 ATEX vacuum from Nilfisk has been designed and thoroughly tested to guarantee safety, protecting operators and preventing the risk of an explosion.” This compact cleaner is equipped with a brushless motor, to ensure operator safety without compromising on performance and airflow rates. Available in both 240v and 3-Phase, the VHS 110 ATEX benefits from a good capacity, with a 37-litre removable container, which can also be supplied in stainless steel. For those working with hazardous materials, such as Asbestos, the vacuum cleaner filter is also capable of trapping over 99.995% of dust, and the optional Longopac® endless collection system allows operators to empty the machine

FEATURED COMPANY: without coming into contacted with the collected material. Farmers and growers looking for a more general purpose vacuum can also choose from Nilfisk’s all-in-one range. The VHS 120 is a powerful wet and dry unit intended for use over long periods. The 50-litre capacity bin means reduced downtime for emptying, and the heavy-duty head attachments allow the machine to collect large quantities of debris as well as liquids. Alternatively, smaller models such as the VL500-55 or the VL500-75 are ideal, robust units for general yard maintenance, cleaning out barns and workshops, and keeping the tractor cab tidy. “The vacuums are very versatile and can really help make any agricultural cleaning job more efficient,” said Gary. “Packhouses, for instance, will find the VHS 120 particularly useful for cleaning leaves and other deposits from conveyor belts at the end of a shift. There is even a unit designed for wineries which can recover acidic liquids. The Nilfisk vacuums are simple plug in and go systems, which are proven and reliable. Not everyone will need an ATEX unit, or a large machine, and our demonstration fleet has been put together to show farmers the diverse array of options and potential applications.”

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Alongside the range of vacuums, Pressure Clean remains committed to providing farms with a range of pressure washing machines which are simple to operate but powerful in performance. “On the farm, it is not unusual to be faced with some of the most demanding cleaning tasks,” said Gary. “From oil and grease, to mud and animal waste, keeping the site, equipment and machinery in tip top condition can be a challenge and over the last 12 months we have noticed a huge number of farmers upgrading from cold to hot pressure washers to tackle dirt in a more efficient way.” Launched onto the market last year, the MH 3C-90/670 PAX from Nilfisk has proven to be the farmers’ favourite as this 240v, mid-range machine comes complete with 15-metres of high pressure hose fitted to a built-in storage reel as standard. “Customers often tell me how easy they find the machine to use,” said Gary. “The controls are very accessible, there is cable storage and the wheels are robust enough for frequently transporting it around the yard. The EcoPower boiler is 92% efficient too and the chemical facility also makes the process more economical.” For larger operations, the MH 5M offers a heavy-duty 240v or 3-Phase powered pump, with an option to upgrade to a 20-metre high pressure hose reel. Also fitted with the ultra-efficient EcoPower boiler, the MH 5M is ideal for anyone looking to sanitise or steam clean. “Unlike other hot pressure washers on the market, the Nilfisk boiler gets to 60°C within 30 seconds which reduces fuel consumption,” said Gary. “The MH 5M also benefits from twin chemical options and low oil sensors are fitted as standard.” As well as expanding its offering, Pressure Clean has also been increasing its busy team, training up another on-the-road engineer and recruiting a marketing, website and social media manager.

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21/06/2017 18:04

ARABLE

The efforts of Bisterne Estate in recovering their breeding lapwing (or pee-wit) was given national acclaim, with a “highly-commended” ranking at the annual Purdey Awards for Game and Conservation, hosted by His Grace the Duke of Wellington at Apsley House in London. The 4,000 acre Hampshire estate is a partner in the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust’s LIFE+ Waders for Real project, an EU-funded programme involving scientists, farmers and the local community working together to reverse the decline of breeding waders in the Avon Valley. Since 2015 they have seen annual productivity increase from 0.49 to 0.80 lapwing chicks fledged per pair (lapwing need to produce 0.7 chicks per pair to maintain a stable population). In plain words, that means the lapwing population is self-sustaining at Bisterne. The fact that the estate is bucking the national trend with a growing population of breeding lapwings is a real team effort, but starts with three people intent on making it a haven for waders. Hallam Mills, whose family have owned the land since 1792, has a passion for making Bisterne a conservation hotspot and has long subscribed to Higher Tier Stewardship. He encourages everyone involved in managing the estate to do so with conservation in mind. Martin Button the Arable and Environmental Manager has implemented conservation measures, resulting in good quality water meadow habitat, the right meadow grass length, nectar and pollen mixes and improved soil quality. The success of their wading birds has been driven by gamekeeper Rupert Brewer, who having

BISTERNE LAPWING

RECOVERY RECOGNISED seen the lapwing decline nationally by over 80% since 1960 was given the chance to do something about it, which he grabbed with both hands! This is where the bigger picture comes into play. Lapwing need what the GWCT call ‘the three-legged stool’ – a combination of food, habitat and protection from predators. Rupert is well-versed in the latter, but called upon experts at the GWCT to see what more could be done. The estate includes a vast array of landscapes, from water meadows to heathland, to pasture and woodland, so required some willing volunteers to make it a better home of lapwing. The GWCT used its connections with Sparsholt College to get students on board, and the partnership gave Rupert the help he needed in taking out any alders that made good lookouts for crows, but also gave the students a great practical education. Habitat restoration focusing on ditches and scrapes has increased important foraging habitat to save chicks from foraging too far. The GWCT has been involved throughout the project, monitoring birdlife on the estate as part of the Waders for Real project, offering guidance and bringing local farmers together to share their experience and enthusiasm. Lizzie Grayshon, project lead on the Waders for Real project is proud to note;

> Lapwing

and redshank taking advantage of the habitat features that have been added at Bisterne

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

“It is great to see Bisterne recognised in this way. The local lapwing population is doing better than we could have expected and that is down to the hard work and passion of those who know the land best. We can provide the research and the guidance, but it is only as good as those willing to make it work; Bisterne have shown what can be done”. Owner Hallam Mills is quite clear that the project is a team effort “Having the Head Keeper, the Arable/ Environmental Manager work together helped us understand the importance of both wet meadows and drier arable fields. Even the dairy contributed to the success by ensuring that the cattle were in the right place at the right time. Above all, we really appreciate the practical, science-based approach of the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust. Their observations and brainpower have helped us and the lapwings enormously.” As a local success story, all involved at Bisterne are keen to share the fruits of their labour. Rupert is keen to educate the community about the work that has been done and created a public area on the edge of the water meadows where people are invited to come see for themselves. Their annual Open Farm Sunday event brings in 4000 visitors, hopefully inspiring the next generation of conservationists in Hampshire.

STEPHEN CARR

After a very difficult wet autumn followed by a just-as-wet January and February I will need careful nurturing this spring if I am to recover my arable farming mojo. Who can blame me for feeling sicker than my water-logged wheat crop at the moment? Having had the past few months staring at a pile of morale-sapping unsown winter wheat seed, I say to hell with agronomy for my crops, it’s me that needs a boost of some sort to get the proverbial tillers sprouting. But just where is that shot of nitrogen equivalent going to come from? To suggest that N, P or even K might come from newly appointed DEFRA secretary George Eustice smacks of desperation. After all, this is the man who has already announced that my BPS payment is going to be wound down from 2021 until it is completely removed in a few years’ time. To add insult to injury, he has also indicated that farmers are unlikely to get clarification about the terms of the government’s proposed Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS) for many years. Trials are underway in several different parts of the country and he has assured us that it will be a practical scheme and easily tailored to suit individual farms. But there are still no indications of the likely levels of payments for carrying out ‘public

I WILL NEED CAREFUL NURTURING THIS SPRING goods’ like reduced greenhouse gas emissions or improved wildlife conservation. Poor grain prices throughout most of the autumn and winter haven’t exactly helped my morale either. Ironically, recent improvements in old crop values have actually made me grumpier still because I sold out too cheaply before Christmas. But at least prices for new crop have improved alongside old crop although even this has now been thrown into doubt by the arrival of the Covid 19 virus. (It is feared that if the virus becomes a global pandemic it could dampen demand for grain and this has unsettled international food commodity markets.) To add to my jittery state, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has unhelpfully predicted that Britain and the EU will ‘rip each other apart’ in the forthcoming Brexit withdrawal deal, which, in a fit of masochism, the UK government has insisted must be completed by the end of this year. So it is, that I head into the busy spring arable

rush in this weakened and enfeebled state. My leaves cry out for spring sunshine and all I’ve got is the impenetrable fog of George Eustice and his disappearing BPS and ill-defined ELMS. My roots seek the sustenance of stable commodity prices that offer me a profit and all I have is the leaching effect of price volatility and the threat of a trade war with our nearest trading neighbour. If I were a wheat crop I think I’d do the kindest thing and apply glyphosate.

STEPHEN CARR Arable farmer

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MACHINERY DEALER

SERVICE AND BEYOND First class, premium products and unbeatable service delivered by a family-run super dealership now spanning Essex, Kent, Sussex and East Hampshire.

Celebrating 40 years in business, agricultural machinery dealer RW Crawford has come a long way since Bob Crawford started buying and selling used farm machinery in October 1980. After being appointed the Massey Ferguson franchise for Essex in 2001, Challenger joined the line up in 2003 with the area expanding to Kent and East Sussex in 2010. As the company went from strength to strength, Crawfords took on Fendt, for Essex and Kent, in 2010, and by 2014 fellow AGCO franchise Valtra was also on board. To better serve its vastly growing customer base, in 2013 the Essex-based dealer opened a new branch in Charing, Kent, which was further extended just two years later to keep up with demand. In 2018, the head office team moved to purpose-built premises in Writtle, Essex and in 2019 another new depot in Billingshurst, West Sussex was opened.

> James

Today, alongside the AGCO range, the super dealership, which is now headed up by Bob’s son Wes Crawford, is also able to offer a host of premium brands including Amazone, Can-Am, HM Trailers, Isuzu, Krone, Manitou, Spearhead and Väderstad. Sitting in the Billingshurst branch’s impressive conference room, overlooking the Sussex countryside, branch sales manager James Robson explains that the secret to success lies in the service-driven company ethos. “Farming is not just a way of life for our customers; the entire team live and breathe British agriculture,” said James Robson, who previously looked after sales across East Sussex and Kent. “We understand that this is not a 9 to 5 sector and it is our flexible work ethic which allows us to always put customers first. Service was always something which Bob paid particular attention to when he started the company 40 years ago. There are now over 85 people working across the three branches and we all pride ourselves on the level of after-sales customer care.” Having taken on the Sussex area in January 2019, with the new fully functioning sales showroom, parts, service and workshop facilities officially opening in Billingshurst on 5 June, Crawfords is able to offer its range of premium brands and unbeatable service throughout the South East. “10 years ago sales reps would take the product to the customer, but today farmers already know what they want and their buying decisions are largely based on which dealer is going to be able to provide the best after sales and back up support,” said James. “We don’t have any budget ranges, it is all premium equipment and our customers know that they are not

Robson, Billingshurst branch sales

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

only getting the very best tractors or machinery, but we will do everything we can to keep them farming.” While the geographical area might be vast, extending from North Essex, down to Dover and across to the M3, Crawfords is able to share resources across all branches to ensure that parts, support vehicles and skilled technicians are always exactly where the customers need them to be. “By covering a larger area, we have the ability to be more responsive to customers’ needs,” said James. “Currently there are 26 technicians working across the group allowing us to provide service and attend emergency breakdown call outs throughout the territory. We are always looking for talented technicians and if the right person came along we would find a suitable role for them.” Understanding the pressures and challenges farmers face, in the event of a serious breakdown, the dealership has a fleet of product support tractors, which can be provided to customers with warranty and service packages. “We also have five product support specialists who are on-hand to answer any in-field questions,” said James. “Modern day tractors are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and as well as fixing any functional issues, the product support specialists will often go out and do pre-season refresher courses with operators.” Training is not only useful for those who may have had a new tractor or implement delivered out of season, it also helps drivers to optimise operations to ensure they are getting the most out of their equipment. As growth continues, the premium brand dealership

FEATURED COMPANY: To mark the dealership’s 40th anniversary, a limited-edition range of liveried tractors will be on display at the various shows and events Crawfords will be attending throughout 2020. Find the team at: • 4 March, Farm Expo, Kent • 9 March, Manitou materials handling demo, Kent • 17 May, Essex Young Farmers’ Show, Essex • 23 May, Heathfield Show, Sussex • 11, 12,13 June, South of England Show, Sussex • 5 September, Alresford Show, Hampshire is now looking for a suitable location in Hampshire to establish a sales, service and parts support centre. “You have to put the horse before the cart, and now we have settled into the new Billingshurst site we are looking for ways to better support customers located further west,” said James. “The sales, service and parts support centre, which will work in conjunction with Billingshurst, will be home to Hampshire sales representatives and technicians meaning we can continue to maintain the outstanding level of service that we currently provide in the East Hampshire area.”

ENHANCED PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

With a rapidly developing area and a strong reputation for looking after its customers, Crawfords has been appointed the coveted franchise for Manitou’s extensive range of materials handling equipment and access platforms across all three locations. “We are incredibly fortunate to be added to Manitou’s network of dealers,” said James. “They manufacture the best telehandlers on the market and the range certainly complements and reinforces

Crawfords’ existing line up of top sector brands. It has really enhanced our portfolio of products.” Having attended extensive sales and service training courses at Manitou during December 2019 and with spare parts and stock delivered, the team at Crawfords was ready to support customers from January 2020. “The range of options from Manitou is so diverse, we have something for every sector,” said James. “Materials handlers are often the most used machines on the farm and the new agricultural range features telehandlers with everything from 2 tonne lift

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capacity and 4 metre reach, to 4 tonne lift and 10 metre reach. We can also provide skid steer loaders, forklift trucks, pallet movers, stackers and reach trucks, scissor lifts and platforms; there really isn’t anything we can’t do.” Whether looking for a telehandler, tractor, trailer or tedder, for those who feel overwhelmed by the diverse range of premium makes, models and specifications to choose from, Crawfords’ sales team is able to advise customers on what they actually need for their agricultural enterprises. “It is about getting under the skin of the day-to-day farming operations as well as the longterm business plans to find a brand and model which will be ‘future-proofed’,” said James. “There is little point ordering a certain specification or horsepower tractor if the customer is planning to invest in an implement which needs additional features. We also take residual value into consideration to make sure that the customer is going to be able to get a good return when they come to trade it in. There is a science to understanding where the market is

MACHINERY DEALER

heading and looking to the long term.” Once the perfect machine has been selected, the dealership is also able to help farmers and growers fix the costs of ownership with comprehensive warranty and servicing packages. “The costs of production are forever edging closer and closer to market values across all sectors of agriculture,” said James. “Fixing overheads, such as the purchase, service and warrantee of the tractor is one of the best budgeting tools a farmer can use to make the cost of ownership both manageable and predictable. Most tractors are covered for five years or 6,000 hours but the Fendt range can be increased to eight years or 8,000 hours.” With extensive warranty, those looking to upgrade their tractors after four years can also benefit from potentially higher trade in values, while those looking for used machines can benefit from a year’s warranty. “We have a very up-to-date website and with our second-hand tractors, we often know the full history of the machines which gives customers extra peace of mind,” said James.

CASE STUDY: OJ FIELD A firm believer that Valtra offer the best machines on the market, when Oliver Field’s tractor was stolen in 2019 he knew there was only one person to call. “I needed a replacement quickly and as I knew Crawfords were opening a new depot in the area I got in touch with James,” said Oliver, whose business OJ Field farms over 4,000 acres of grassland across West Sussex and Surrey, producing hay, haylage and straw. “They arranged everything and pulled strings to get it delivered for May last year. There is a lot of competition in this area, but I cannot speak of Crawfords highly enough.” The Valtra N174 was the first tractor to be sold from the Billingshurst site and having previously relied on a dealer in Hampshire for his Valtra needs, Oliver, who is based at Hill Farm, Cranleigh said the opening of a new depot on his doorstep was a dream come true.

“It is really very handy and the after sales care has been exceptional too,” said Oliver. “When I bought the tractor a product specialist came out to run through the system and they kept in touch to make sure I was happy with how it was running. I have had the tractor serviced twice now. It was very quick, thorough and they even washed it too; sometimes it is the small things which make a big difference.” While this is Oliver’s sixth Valtra, he was also impressed with James’ ability to configure a model which suited his specific needs. “It was great to be able to deal with James, he was very efficient and clearly knows his products,” said Oliver. “I don’t need a large horsepower tractor, but I do need speed, and James was very helpful in pricing up a 60kmph model with the right specification. Being able to fix costs like servicing is essential too and I am also just about to extend the warranty.”

> Luke

Smallbone, parts manager

> Oliver

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

Field collects his Valtra N174

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | MARCH 2020

NICK ADAMES WEST SUSSEX DIARY

BUZZ OF EXCITEMENT

As an undecided voter ‘inclined towards Remaining’ before the 2016 Referendum, who then, as the behaviour of the unelected, unelectable and unsackable establishment in Brussels showed their true colours, turned into a very determined ‘Leaver’ as decision day arrived, I have to admit to huge satisfaction that the country was of the same mind in last December’s election and that we now have a PM who is supported by a solid majority enabling him to bring to an end the uncertainty and infighting the UK has endured over recent times. That surely is democracy starting to act democratically again? Additionally the strong support Boris received from the north of England gives more reason to funnel taxpayers money into making life better across the whole country, areas which in the past have been seen as only deserving money when the socialists formed the government. Now, apart from London, with its Oligarchs’, foreign money and Corbyista’s, whole areas of the country are predominantly government supporters, which must bring great hope for everyone’s prosperity. Perhaps we can now get on with our lives without the constant aggravation stirred by angry journalists across the full media spectrum, giving us a happier and less confrontational life. So with that little episode behind us we can concentrate on the year ahead. On our old dairy farm things are moving on apace. The grassland planned for the first vines has been dessicated, the vineyard have purchased the vine rootstocks and specialised fertiliser in readiness for planting in April and the whole farm will soon take on a very different aspect from that of its last fifty five years. There is a buzz of excitement which we fully share, and while my family business will only be the landowner we are content

to have been the facilitators, the ones who saw the opportunity, and with a proactive agent, brought it into being. Now it’s up to the tenant to grasp that opportunity and realise it. Five years from now is the projected date when the first grapes will be turned into the first Sparkling wine and we hope to share a toast with the new vintage. I am interested, following our welcome split from the EU, whether the restrictions on calling the produce ‘Champagne’ will soften? A number of the vines being planted in Southern England are being grown with French finance and skills (but not here) and one wonders if they too would rather call it what it is? If they could do so presumably similar growers would be able to follow suit? Not that anyone seems too concerned what it’s called because people now recognise English wines for what they are. Perhaps regular drinkers of wine, of which I am not one, would likely feel happier drinking ‘Champers’ to a ‘sparkling wine’? I read somewhere quite recently that the average Briton drinks some 102 bottles of wine a year, which I do find a rather frightening statistic but I don’t suppose it frightens the vineyard owners, wherever they are producing their wines? What does concern me a little is whether there are sufficient plans to maintain the old farm to the state the dairy herd did, by grazing, because if it isn’t carefully maintained it could soon become a bit of a wilderness around the perimeters of the vines themselves. The only way without animals will be to cut the grass with mowers and strimmers. This would be quite time consuming. Having said this, one imagines, as progressive growers they will soon be looking to open up their whole operation to the public; increasing both interest and revenue, so that alone should encourage excellent and regular maintenance

of the whole estate. I do hope so. Meanwhile I have quite a lot to busy myself with and will soon be heading north again. Taking something of a risk just before the General Election, but fairly confident the British voters would find little attractive about Mr Corbyn, I took a bit of a risk and purchased an old stock farm next door to our forest up in Argyll. A more accessible farm, almost all of it workable, except some boggy land where mountain streams converge with peaty areas, the plan will be to plant mainly Sitka Spruce but also the obligatory (Scottish government) ‘hardwoods mix’. Willow, silver birch, alder, etc which are really rather a waste of space and effort. Food for bugs and grubs! I hear you ask, “Why has he done this?” Well I sometimes ask myself that too… Perhaps, to satisfy the likes of that dear little Greta and her pals? Planting trees to save the World? Not really. I did it ten years ago to satisfy a desire I had for a forest in Scotland. That has been very rewarding as it develops so when this opportunity arose last Autumn, being adjacent to our main forest, it seemed too good to miss. Despite the small fact, that when the trees come fit to harvest I will be a mere boy of around 120 years old. Although looking from a financial aspect, with a few quid burning a hole in my pocket, it made quite a lot of sense. On an actuarial basis, with every year the trees grow the market value will usually accrue accordingly, coupled with no tax to pay on them until they are cut down… so unless I am a genetic freak that alone should make me safe from worry, even on that score. Nor do I anticipate we will get Australian type bush fires; those Scottish hillsides get barely a day in the year without a good soaking. So we will go up and have a look.

NICK ADAMES Former dairy farmer

> As

it was, now soon to be vines, things don’t stand still for long in the countryside

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

AT ASHFORD MARKET

PETER KINGWILL Reporting on the cattle market at Ashford T: 01233 502222

www.hobbsparker.co.uk

STORE CATTLE â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A TIME TO MAKE

Quite apart from the appalling weather and ground conditions of this winter it has been a difficult period for the beef producer with only marginal improvements in prices in the prime market at a time when the sensational press fell in love with a dangerous â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;fadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and the environmental lobby took a disproportionate swipe at UK farming. Beef fatteners are still reeling from the serious kicking they received throughout 2019 as retailers and processors decided to share the spoils of robbery by managing to maintain prices to the consumer whilst dragging back substantially the returns to producers. Unsurprisingly, in order to protect their own futures, autumn store cattle prices certainly trended less as the future remained unclear. Our exit from Europe now guaranteed there is still much to be finalised but it is good to see some food sector businesses taking a more positive step in promotion now that January is well past. However the major difficulties for beef producers, and their strained relationship with the processing sector, continue with exaggerated trade developments whereby maximum carcase weights have now been pegged back to a maximum of 400kgs by all of the major processors. This new ceiling weight is vitally important and cannot be ignored. Not only does it limit their ultimate gross return but it significantly affects the planning of growth and finish of all future cattle. For those fattening their own bred animals it is slightly easier to adjust the timings and quality of their final fattening ration but, of course, they remain fixed to the type of cattle bred in their herd. The fattener selecting stock from the wider store cattle market has a greater range from within which to choose but he still wants to find those best suited to his system at an age and growth position that suits the transition towards a fattening regime. This is where the impact will be most felt by store cattle vendors who up until now have generally been governed by how long they can carry on growing their stock on their land until they run out of space, grass, money, patience or time! The bigger the store animal, the bigger the price but that is where it is all changing. With a 400kg maximum and procurement ambitions from the multiples for stock that are 340-380kg in the main the fattener is being driven back to producing cattle no more than 620-670kg liveweight. This is where problems can arise when a wellbred beef animal out of a strong continental x cow ends its second summer at 18-20 months and having experienced its secondary growth spurt! Perfect for the past but possibly a problem for the future because the final finished article is going to be too

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big when a quality ration combines with the genetic potential of a good animal to potentially produce a carcase that could speed well past 400kg before really being ready. What is the answer? Keep calm and carry on? Maybe for some depending on cattle and systems but for many some cattle will need to be sold earlier for the final fattener to be able to start his process earlier to couple finishing with the explosion of secondary growth. Certainly more of the stronger beef bred yearlings wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be grazed in their second year but will go straight into fattening yards where the efficiency of utilising farming by products in rations gives the chance of preserving as much financial margin as possible at this time when processors have certainly taken some ÂŁ200/head off values at one swipe. The answer lies in watching your market! Go to livestock markets where the seeing, hearing and believing of what is going on is critical information to be utilised by all. Our beef production industry is so diverse and it is this diversity that ultimately protects us from the controlling interests of big business who have succeeded in securing the world of pigs and poultry into their model. Beef wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get there because our model is so very different. Beef farmers will not allow it to go down that path but why not look into the future and see what our industry might look like without markets, without competition, without opportunity, and without the chance to remain in charge of your own decisions. Somewhat scary! Go to market; watch and learn; talk and listen; come home wiser; plan for the future!

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01403 822669 | info@westbrookagricultural.co.uk WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | MARCH 2020

AT COLCHESTER MARKET

GLIMMER OF HOPE In this month’s report we are able to comment on the lamb trade with the hogget trade increasing due to the reduced number of hoggs carried over into 2020. Furthermore, this market has been assisted by the reduced level of lambs being imported from New Zealand due to demand from China. The beef market throughout 2019 had lacklustre demand with a monthly downward trend in the cattle trade. However we are starting to see a glimmer of hope as trade begins to gradually rise. This however may be due to the reduced availability of finished cattle as abattoirs compete to secure supplies. The cow trade has also begun to improve with the trade increasing in the last month. The store cattle trade also appears to be strong, which given the beef trade of last year is remarkable and shows the resilience of livestock producers. The store hogget demand has been excellent on the back of the rising finished hogget trade. The cull ewe trade is buoyant and available numbers appear to be tight. The pig trade remains similar as does the cull sow trade with little else to report. The concern this year is going to be the lack of straw and reduced grain yields given the poor Autumn weather and vast areas of arable land which were impossible to establish in the Autumn. We hope for a kind Spring in order to allow for good growth of crops and to assist the lambing and calving season.

GRAHAM ELLIS

Stanfords T: 01206 842156 E: info@stanfords-colchester.co.uk www.stanfords-colchester.co.uk

PRE-CALVING NUTRITIONAL ADVICE

The key to a successful calving period is cow condition. Cows should be fit – not fat – when they calve down, ideally a condition score in the range 2.5-3 at calving. Large fat deposits in the birth canal may impede the passage of the calf but probably of greater importance is that fat cows lose their appetite earlier than fit cows as calving approaches - and are slower to regain it post calving. The reduced feed intake pre-calving, means that magnesium intake also falls and this reduces her ability to mobilise calcium from bones. A modest reduction in calcium availability reduces the ability of the womb to contract, prolonging the first stage of labour (“Slow Calving Syndrome”) whilst a more serious calcium deficiency can lead to milk fever. Maintaining blood magnesium levels helps to maximise both calcium absorption from the gut and mobilisation from bones, dramatically reducing the risk of milk fever. Crystalyx Pre-Calver contains a unique combination of magnesium salts to optimise uptake and availability within the cow to help maintain blood magnesium levels as calving approaches, which will significantly reduce the risk of milk fever. The presence of sodium also helps to reduce the antagonism to magnesium availability caused by high forage potassium levels.

The high sugar content in Crystalyx Pre-Calver increases microbial activity, which can stimulate dry matter intakes in the run up to calving. This ensures the poorer quality forages, especially straw, fed during the early dry period to prevent excessive weight gain, are digested efficiently. Crystalyx Pre-Calver also contains generous levels of all trace elements to help replenish body reserves prior to calving and promote a strong

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

immune response within both the cow and calf – important for calf health and vigour and to reduce the risk of mastitis in early lactation. The high levels of vitamin E and selenium also help to reduce the risk of retained afterbirth post-calving. With typical intakes averaging 200g/cow/day, feeding Pre-Calver for an eight week dry period represents an investment of only approximately £11.00 per cow.

ADVICE FROM THE VET

Discussions around faecal worm egg counts (FWEC’s) tend to fall short on many sheep farms, as the topic can be perceived as stale or uninteresting. There is a common feeling that FWEC’s give information on worm burdens that a ‘good shepherding brain’ has already worked out. Although this can be true in many scenarios, there is a huge opportunity for FWEC’s to become a cost effective and invaluable tool in a ﬂock’s parasite control plan. Their implementation can ultimately result in better lamb growth rates, better carcass conformations, decreased time to finishing, prevent money being spent on expensive wormers when they may not be required and preventing resistance. With the ever-changing weather patterns resulting in the disappearance of a ‘typical year’ on sheep farms, this article highlights how FWEC’s can be used.

WHAT IS A FAECAL WORM EGG COUNT?

A FWEC is a quick laboratory test done on fresh faeces, that gives the number of worm eggs in the sample. This count can give an indication of the number of adult worms in the digestive tract of the animals being tested and therefore the severity of the burden. Laboratories, vets and commercial companies all offer FWEC’s or alternatively farmers can set up their own microscope. Interpretation of the results should include information on age of lambs, stocking density, time of year and performance levels.

JENNY WELSH BVSc MRCVS

EMILY FRANCIS

BVM&s MRCVS BSc

MAKING THE MOST OF

WORM EGG COUNTS HOW CAN FWEC’S BE IMPLEMENTED ON FARM?

1. Treatment decisions – Regular FWEC’s can be used to determine parasite burdens in lambs over summer to aid treatment decisions. This not only reduces the need for treatment if it is not necessary, but it also allows worm burdens that may be dramatically affecting growth rates to be picked up before they cause irreversible damage. FWEC’s should also be conducted on lambs from September onwards to prevent farmers being caught out in mild wet winters, which could result in dramatic effects on growth rates over the winter months and lead to pasture contamination the following year. 2. Determining pasture contamination – The risk of pasture egg contamination can be high, medium or low depending on the time of year, the weather, and grazing history. FWEC’s done over time can help identify high risk pastures and aid decisions on when to move stock to avoid a high challenge. 3. Early identification of Haemonchus Contortus – Haemonchus contortus is a blood sucking parasite that affects both ewes and lambs and can very quickly cause condition loss

and mortalities. It is seen increasingly across the UK, especially in the autumn. The adults in the GI tract are prolific egg layers and so detecting very high worm egg counts on FWEC’s is invaluable in detecting the parasites presence before deaths occur. 4. Treatment efficacy – Treatment resistance is when a worm can survive exposure to the recommended dose of an anthelmintic that would normally kill it. Resistance to these products is increasing in the UK and, in most cases, resistance may only be obvious when it exceeds 50% and only half the worms are killed. Drench tests are performed to determine if a treatment has worked by running a FWEC before and after treatment. This will be seven days with yellow drenches and fourteen days when white or clear drenches have been used. If the product is still effective the FWEC should have a 90% reduction. A drench test can help identify when a farm has resistance, to prevent growth rate reductions before treatment failures occur and aid in treatment planning in the future. Do contact your local Westpoint practice if you would like advice on parasite prevention and treatment.

If you would like to discuss anything covered in this article please contact your local Westpoint practice. Westpoint Farm Vets are part of VetPartners

ANDY RICHMOND KATHY HUME

Westpoint Horsham Westpoint Ashford T: 01306 628086 T: 01306 628208 E: info@westpointfarmvets.co.uk

RUI BRANCO

Westpoint Sevenoaks T: 01959 564383

www.westpointfarmvets.co.uk

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | MARCH 2020

ALAN WEST SHEEP TOPICS

I reckon that somewhere there is a department of government that is messing with the day length, I am sure that the days are nowhere near as long as they used to be, New Year seems like just a few weeks away but we are already almost one and a half months into 2020. What a start to the year as far as the sheep trade is concerned, trade for finished and store lambs and culls, has been really positive since the turn of the year. With good meaty types of lambs today (11th February) making £2.50+kg in Ashford and good stores making £85.00 to £90.00, trade is just where it should be; it certainly demonstrates a significant level of confidence within the trade. Confidence which, for a range of reasons including, tight supplies, a good export trade, high New Zealand lamb prices, etc. is fully justified. As usual some producers still seem to think that prices are too low, but in reality they are about where they need to be, most producers are happy and the meat trade is not making too much fuss, I suspect that we are at a reasonably good balance point. Any further increase in prices and the trade will almost certainly start to back away; everyone in the marketing chain does need to make their little bit of a margin for the system to work effectively, you may not agree with the distribution of those margins, but that’s life. Any significant increase in the retail price for lamb, at a time when some consumers are vacillating, could lead to a substantial erosion of consumer demand and those producers that are doing the job right should be able to make a decent margin at current market prices. What we need to remember is that there are no individual producers in a position to have any significant impact on market prices, if as an industry we were a bit better at working together, things might be different, but the agricultural sector as a whole has a long and inglorious history of failed marketing co-operatives, generally collapsing as a result of poor producer loyalty. In addition, there is currently a lot of pressure for consumers to reduce their meat consumption, red meat in particular arising largely as a result of somewhat biased and often grossly misinformed media attention. Personally I really cannot understand why so much media attention is directed in support of a very small minority, you can’t open the weekend supplement of many newspapers without it being full of vegetarian or vegan recipes. In reality vegans only account for around 1% of the population (a fairly static figure) only marginally more than the proportion of the population that declare their religion to be Jedi. Even in this there are some positives, for example the vegetarian population of the UK is somewhat transient with, in the region of 75%, reverting to more traditional eating habits within a year and so called “flexitarians” may like to align with vegetarians just to be “on trend” but, in reality, are still meat eaters, just maybe not quite so much meat. Conversely and rather more concerning, there has been substantial growth in the

> Tess

enjoying a bit of early morning sunshine; it’s pleasing, in February, to see grass growing so well and a good bit of grass to lamb onto

DOESN’T TIME FLY WHEN

YOU ARE HAVING FUN? (Or am I just getting older?)

number of climate change activists, many of them young and very committed, who potentially, could have a much greater negative impact. Once again misleading, biased and sometimes simply dishonest media coverage skew the views and opinions of many, buoyed by propaganda from the non meat eating community, urging the giving up of meat, “to save the planet”, honest science seems to have been well and truly relegated to the back seat. As an industry, we do need to grasp, very firmly, any opportunity that may arise to counter this imbalance, both in terms of promoting the value of red meat as part of a healthy and balanced diet and the potential for carbon sequestration arising from sustainable sheep production. The misinformation disseminated with regards to CO2 emissions from well-managed grass fed livestock and “Global Warming” is, I believe, potentially more damaging to the sheep sector than the threat from those that simply choose not to eat meat. The weather has not been good to us, in fact it has been fairly awful, sheep have barely had a dry back for months, soils are water logged and just when one begins to think that things are drying out a bit, another wet spell rolls in and we’re back to square one. One of the much under appreciated functions of livestock markets is the social function, the opportunity for producers to get together and share problems. We lost a couple of ewe lambs with acute fluke and we, ordinarily, simply do not have a fluke problem and then you talk to other producers and discover that quite a few have lost lambs over the winter, some quite significant numbers, from various weather related issues. I certainly don’t wish lamb losses on any producer, but simply appreciating that there are other producers in the same position does help make problems a little easier to tolerate. The constant

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

wet has had a debilitating effect on many sheep, young-stock in particular. I imagine that a substantial proportion of the stores currently being presented at market were, originally, intended for the finished lamb market but the wet winter has had a negative impact on growth and performance. At least there is a decent bit of grass growing now, even the clover has started to move, a good indicator that soil temperatures have not really decreased significantly all winter; it is quite noticeable after a few dryer, sunny days how the grass suddenly perks up. It is somewhat reassuring to have a nice bit of grass to lamb onto. All we need now is some decent weather for lambing, I’m sure the ewes will cope, they don’t seem to be too bothered, whatever the weather throws at them as long as they have some feed in front of them, a surprisingly tough sheep the Lleyn, but it is so much harder work and messier lambing outdoors in wet weather. A bit of sunshine makes everyone feel so much better, sheep and shepherd alike. I wish all sheep producers the very best of luck with lambing. Just as a footnote, a point to watch is the developing Coronavirus situation in China, which will no doubt have a significant and negative impact on the Chinese economy, this in turn will almost certainly send economic ripples around the globe, quite what the effect will be on the wider global economy is uncertain, but it will have an impact.

ALAN WEST Sheep farmer

VET DIARY

IT’S BEEN TOO

RESEARCH PROVEN

MILD THIS WINTER!

dairy herds have been struggling to keep mastitis under control this winter but as usual many factors are involved and just blaming the weather can become a cop out! Straw yards can certainly overheat in milder weather if not cleaned out often enough and then they become an excellent environment for bacterial overgrowth. However one herd that I recently visited was having more mastitis in his sand cubicles than his straw yard and the problem was not the weather, but the quality and wetness of the sand. Also if overcrowding in the dairy housing is an issue, for whatever reason, then environmental mastitis is almost inevitable and addressing the building issue and space allowances is the only answer. When margins are tight, increasing cow numbers does not always have a positive impact on your bottom line! An additional frustration is the current lack of availability, due to factory issues, of many of the leading intramammary antibiotic tubes and this, combined with the removal of tubes containing a critically important antibiotic, has led to a significant reduction in the antibiotic options available for treating mastitis. However this may not be such a problem, as increasingly we are realising that not all cases of clinical mastitis or all high cell count cows should even be treated with antibiotics, for example multiple repeat cases, chronic high cell count cows, in theory some E. coli clinical cases and some mild cases that will self-cure. Selective treatment protocols of cases of mastitis and high cell count cows in lactation, with or without antibiotics, are well worth discussing with your vet and will vary between farms. Selective dry cow treatment with antibiotics has certainly become established now. NMR have just published an analysis of their milk recording data from the last 10 years. Interestingly progress is continuing, year on year, for all mastitis indicators including dry period protection and dry period cure rates, despite the reduction in antibiotic use, no doubt helped by the widespread use of teat sealants now. However one 10 year trend that has not improved, is the annual dairy cow culling rate with a 4% increase recorded. This figure is difficult to interpret as it can be distorted by a TB breakdown or a Johnes eradication plan for example, but the earlier culling of chronic lame cows for welfare reasons and the earlier culling of chronic, unresponsive to antibiotic, mastitis cows will also have contributed to this increase in culling rate…as well as a reduction in antibiotic use!

BILL PEPPER

BVSc CertCHP MRCVS of Cliffe Veterinary Group T: 01273 473232 E: bill.pepper@cliffevets.co.uk

PRE-CALVER FOR DAIRY AND BEEF COWS. 

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Promotes calf health and vigour (more “get up and go”)

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Supports and maintains a strong healthy immune system to help withstand infectious challenges post-calving

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Enhances post calving conception rates

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Promotes rumen condition for improved lactation

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Low required intakes 200g/cow/day typically costing 20p per cow/day

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WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | MARCH 2020

SOLAR ENERGY

For over 75 years, the Neaves family have been growing top and stone fruit at Little Sharsted Farm, in Doddington, Kent. Today, siblings Sarah and Edward Neaves, together with farm manager Will Dixon, oversee the 120-hectare site, currently planted with apples, pears and cherries. With extensive ‘energy hungry’ facilities spread across the site, including a cherry packhouse, two 1,120-tonne cold stores, workshops and office space, in January 2017, Sarah and Edward decided to invest in two 50kw solar PV systems to power the farm. Like many solar businesses around at the time, the firm appointed to carry out the work at Little Sharsted Farm unscrupulously pitched solar as a ‘fit and forget’ technology. The Neaves, and many other farmers across the South East region, were left innocently unaware of the impact which lack of maintenance can have on a solar pv system’s operating capacity. “While most farmers now understand that solar systems need to be regularly cleaned and maintained, the company who sold the system to us kept quiet about this aspect,” said Sarah Neaves. “They also went out of business as soon as the Feed in Tariff dropped, which left us completely unsupported. Like most farmers, we are pragmatic and resourceful people, but we are growers, not solar specialists.” While other commercial solar firms have come and gone, BeBa Energy UK is proudly celebrating 10 years in business. Constantly expanding and heavily reinvesting in the business, managing director Stephen Palmer is dedicated to helping farmers, like the Neaves, make the most out of their investment.

KEEPING ON TOP OF YOUR SOLAR

Shedding light on the importance of routine solar cleaning and maintenance. KNOWLEDGE OF SOLAR

In February last year, following up on a recommendation, Sarah contacted BeBa and a member of the team came out to assess the site. “They had a great knowledge of solar and went through in detail the benefits of ongoing maintenance,” said Sarah. “They pointed out that our panels were dirty and needed cleaning and they also found that there was a problem with one of the inverters, which had not been properly registered by the original installer.” Despite the equipment being out of warranty, after inspecting the data logs, which showed a history of faults with the inverter, BeBa successfully appealed to the manufacturer for a replacement. Within a matter of days, the system was back up and running, this time at optimum performance levels. “One of the main issues was that we had no way of knowing how the system was performing,” said Sarah. “Our site electrician was unable to help, and so in September 2019, after a busy summer, we got back in touch with BeBa and signed up to

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

the Premier Scheme. The team have now fitted a monitoring system and with their on-going support we can feel confident that our solar is professionally maintained and running at its best.” Being part of the scheme, the team at BeBa will not only be alerted to any drops in performance but is also able to compare the yield with similar systems in the same area. This will allow the Neaves to build a picture of how their system is performing in a local context and the team at BeBa can ensure that it is on par with neighbouring systems.

SAFE, EFFICIENT, ROBOTICS

As well as downplaying the need to routinely monitor and maintain solar, the installers also failed to discuss how important regular cleaning is. In a similar situation to many of the farmers and growers BeBa now work with, the Neaves’ system has been designed with little foresight to how it would be safely accessed in the future. “Like so many other systems, Little Sharsted Farm would have been impossible to clean without breaking

FEATURED COMPANY: Don’t be left in the dark over the risks of unmaintained solar. Here are five key maintenance issues to consider: 1. Preventative annual maintenance should be carried out by a professional, experienced organisation. 2. Remote daily monitoring gives you or your provider the ability to see problems and loss of revenue developing before it gets serious. 3. Professional panel cleaning using the safest and most effective method on the market. 4. Routine maintenance can ensure you comply with your insurance requirements.

Health and Safety regulations,” said Stephen Palmer at BeBa Energy UK. “To tackle this issue and ensure that nobody misses out on effective cleaning, we have invested heavily in new robotic cleaning equipment. The state-of-the-art technology is the safest and most effective cleaning system on the market and yet there are only two other machines in the UK.” With BeBa’s new robotic cleaner in operation, the Neaves were able to have their previously inaccessible solar panels cleaned in an exceptionally safe and efficient manner. “It was long overdue, and the system now looks squeaky clean and ready for the summer,” said Sarah. “We realise now that we need to clean the panels regularly as the build up of dirt and Lichen not only affects the performance short term but will cause irreparable damage to the panels in the long term too.” Dirty panels not only cause significantly reduced performance, but can also invalidate warranties, as hotspots which form on the covered cells will degrade the panels faster. Farmers and growers should also be aware that even the smallest amount of dirt can cause a magnified reduction in output as, depending on the system’s design, one panel’s reduced electricity generation capability can have a knock-on effect and cause losses across many of the panels. “Anyone with a 50kw system older than threeyears-old should be seriously thinking about having it cleaned as soon as possible and implement a

regular cleaning schedule,” said Stephen. “Gradual reductions in efficiency caused by the build-up of dirt over time can be difficult to detect. Anyone who has been sold ‘self-cleaning panels’ should also note that there is no such thing. Nothing will prevent Lichen; remove bird droppings; or be able to cope with thicker volumes of dust and debris generated from farms, grain stores, or busy roads in high season.”

5. Do you have someone trustworthy to call if you suspect a problem?

HONEST PROFESSIONAL HELP

As one of the UK’s largest solar pv experts BeBa Energy UK currently maintains over £100,000,000 worth of solar assets for clients. Looking to the future, with the solar system expected to last 25 years, the Neaves have now signed up to BeBa’s three-year service contract. “We receive a nice amount of revenue from our solar system and three years is a short period of time in our world,” said Sarah. “The cost of the maintenance per year is far less than the loss of revenue when the system breaks. We also want to comply with our NFU insurance requirements, which stipulate that we should be able to demonstrate ongoing maintenance. BeBa have been excellent to date.” While the original installation firm had left Little Sharsted Farm unsupported and in the dark about the realities of solar, the Neaves can now rely on BeBa Energy for honest, professional help and advice.

Please call us on 01442 220100 for more information or to discuss your requirements

To prevent your solar pv system from becoming a liability rather than an asset, BeBa Energy UK is currently offering all readers of South East Farmer a free of charge health check for 30kw or above systems.

www.beba-energy.co.uk

Legal services for farmers & rural businesses Call us today or visit our website:

ENGLISH GENERAL

LICENCE EXTENSION

01227 763939 furleypage.co.uk

HIGH-PROFILE FARMING

‘RELIEF’ BUSINESS DISPUTE

BASC says DEFRA’s decision to extend the temporary general licences in England until the end of July gives a window of certainty to the rural community. BASC will continue to work with DEFRA and parliamentarians in response to legal challenges to the general licence system. But the UK’s largest shooting organisation says DEFRA’s extension of the licences, while it continues a review, allows the countryside to operate as normal at a crucial time of year. The announcement follows lobbying by BASC to ensure the licensing process was not allowed to lapse as demanded by campaign group Wild Justice and cause similar chaos as when they were revoked in April 2019. Caroline Bedell, BASC’s executive director of conservation, said: “There is still much work to be done and BASC will not let up on this issue after previously stating our intention to be an ‘interested party’ in any legal challenge. “This decision by DEFRA is welcome news for BASC members and the wider general licence user community. “It is a relief that as the clock neared midnight, DEFRA did not bow to the legal pressures and have allowed themselves additional time to make the right decision. It allows people to at least plan ahead for the next six months, at a crucial time of the year for our habitats and wildlife. “DEFRA appreciates the importance of a light-touch regulatory licence and it is vital that the resources are available to ensure a fit for purpose and future-proofed system can be launched on 1 August 2020.”

The importance of having a formal written agreement in place in relation to the future of a farming business has once again been emphasised by a high-profile dispute which has hit the headlines, according to legal experts from Irwin Mitchell. 88-year-old Marian Horsford, who retired from her family’s farming partnership in December 2016 has now launched a legal claim against her son Peter, 54, for around £2.5 million – the amount which she alleges is equal to her share of the family estate. Peter is defending the claim on the basis that he has worked on the 540-acre family farm in Cambridgeshire since childhood, often undertaking long hours in the process. Furthermore he believes he has essentially been running the business alone for around 18 years, while he has also claimed that his parents told him: “This will be yours one day.” However, Mrs Horsford has claimed no such promises were ever made and also has evidence that she considered leaving her share of the estate to one of her daughters. Furthermore, she believes Peter has not lost out financially as a result of working on the farm. While she accepts there was a previous understanding that Peter would likely inherit the parental share, she added that this would only happen when she and her husband, who has

dementia, have died. Examining the details of the case, legal experts at Irwin Mitchell have said it is yet another example of why proper formal agreements can be hugely beneficial in such matters. Heather Roberts, an associate in the Will, Trust and Estate Disputes team at Irwin Mitchell, said: “Previous decisions in cases similar to this show that where someone has relied on a promise and invested time into a business for little financial gain, the courts are often not prepared to allow that promise to be broken. “However, this case brings a fresh angle on the matter, with Mrs Horsford denying the existence of a promise and also arguing that her son has benefited from considerable financial gain. “Ultimately though, this issue simply boils down to the fact that the farming community historically does not have a great record in terms of putting formal arrangements in place in relation to such matters. “A proper business partnership agreement is absolutely vital when family members are involved in a farm, as it would clearly stipulate how such a business should be divided as and when circumstances change. Such clarity should leave all parties in no doubt where they stand and would also mean the likelihood of disputes is at least minimised.”

COURSE FULLY FUNDABLE

The government’s announcement today of recontinued grant funding for businesses preparing for Brexit means that all businesses in the South East can now get free training in key Customs processes on the new ‘Post Brexit Planning and Compliance’ course provided by the Institute of Export & International Trade. The government grant support means that all businesses can send their team members for free. The funding is limited, and it is expected that the funds will be used up before the deadline of January 2021. The South East exported £22.1bn in goods to the EU in the year up to September 2019, compared to £25.2bn to non-EU markets. It is essential that businesses in the region gain the skills needed to continue trade into Europe in 2021.

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

Failure to comply with new rules and regulations risks delays at the border, goods being impounded, reputational damage, hefty fines, and in the worst cases imprisonment. The government grants can be used for any Institute of Export & International Trade training course. The Institute’s new course is the latest addition to its suite of courses created to equip businesses with the knowledge they need to stay on top of an ever changing regulatory landscape. The opportunity to gain export skills for free, through the grant funding, is therefore one that businesses should look to exploit. For more information: www.export.org.uk/page/customsgrants institute@export.org.uk or 01733 404400

LEGAL

BREXIT AND EMPLOYMENT LAW What next?

The long-awaited has finally happened. Three-and-a-half-years after the referendum, the UK’s membership of the European Union (EU) ceased at 11pm on 31 January 2020. Following Britain’s departure, we have entered into a ‘transitional’ or ‘implementation’ period, while trade deals and immigration arrangements are worked on. During this time, we continue to be subject to EU law and free movement of workers. This period has an end date of 31 December 2020, and the future into 2021 carries uncertainty for business and workers within the agricultural sector and beyond. While Brexit is unlikely to have any major impact on employment issues during 2020, businesses need to look ahead and plan for 2021, as this is when we will see the real effects from an employment law perspective. We look ahead at potential labour implications in the rural sector, which has historically relied upon free movement to bolster its workforce.

CHANGES TO EXISTING LAWS

In light of the government’s commitment to safeguarding a high standard of workers’ rights, changes to existing laws are unlikely, and certainly not in the short-term.

RECRUITMENT

We don’t yet know what immigration post-Brexit will look like. What we do know, however, is that workers coming from the EU to the UK will face obstacles that do not currently exist, which will inevitably impact on recruitment. EU nationals and their families can apply now for ‘settled’ or ‘pre-settled’ status to remain in the UK after the end of the transition period but there are certain minimum residency requirements to meet, which many workers (including seasonal agricultural workers) may not satisfy. Permanent EU workers should be encouraged to apply to the scheme before the cut-off date of 30 June 2021. The government has committed to introducing a skills-based immigration system, which is likely to include minimum skills and salary thresholds. There is also a proposal for a temporary visa for unskilled and skilled workers, which may assist farms and producers in obtaining seasonal labour, but to date these are only proposals. The current pilot seasonal agricultural workers scheme is due to end in January 2021 and it’s hoped that this will be replaced with a fully operational scheme to assist with seasonal recruitment. Initiatives to attract more long-term

homegrown UK labour to the sector will also need to be explored, such as the use of apprenticeships and forging stronger links between business in the sector and local schools and colleges. With recruitment set to be an area of significant challenge to the sector, employers will be keen to look at ways to ensure retention of those workers they already have. Retention strategies can take on many forms – from financial benefits and rewards, to offering training opportunities and providing regular feedback.

RIGHT TO WORK CHECKS

With all the changes due to be introduced, it will be crucial for employers to be familiar with carrying out right to work checks so that they can benefit from the “statutory excuse” against civil and criminal penalties. Employers should keep alert to further guidance and updates throughout the year and should ensure that from 1 January 2021, checks are being conducted on all non-UK/Irish workers. As with many Brexit related discussions taking place, we are in unchartered territory in terms of details. Businesses are well advised to plan ahead for 2021, review their recruitment and retention strategies and familiarise themselves with right to work checks.

ABIGAIL BRIGHTWELL

Associate Solicitor, Brachers LLP T: 01622 655281 E: abigailbrightwell@brachers.co.uk www.brachers.co.uk

Helping our agricultural community to thrive and grow Legal services which deliver long-term solutions to support the future of farming Call us on 01622 690691 Visit us at brachers.co.uk

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | MARCH 2020

LAND AND FARMS

FARMERS – THE CARETAKERS

OF A £1 TRILLION ASSET

Farming has received some bad press recently, which I felt the wider effects of while chatting with a grazier who was rounding up escaped sheep. We suspected the poor animals had probably had enough of being pushed around the field by various dog walkers and attempted the ovine equivalent of The Great Escape. It turned out it was the second time that day that the grazier had to return the animals to their field. It also appeared the presence of the sheep wasn’t overly popular with some of the locals; one of who felt the need to complain about them being there. It left the grazier questioning why he bothered farming, if his work was not being valued. Some might say you can’t please everyone, although it sometimes feels like there is a growing lack of tolerance towards agriculture where it is seen to conflict with the right of others to enjoy the countryside. What people fail to recognise, however, is that farming forms the foundations of – and plays an essential part in maintaining – the complex and sometimes invisible aspects of the natural environment they wish to enjoy. What I am referring to is ‘natural capital’ and farmers and land managers play a big role in its management. They are one of its caretakers. Most people don’t even know it exists, yet it can have a global impact and its effects can be felt not only within our economy but also on our wellbeing. In essence, the term refers to the elements of the natural environment which provide essential goods and services to certain ecosystems which in turn, form the basis on which life as we know it exists.

Obvious services include the air we breathe and the water we drink; less obvious are the positive effects, for instance, on our quality of life from access to recreational space. Natural capital is arguably all the good things that we can derive from the natural environment and its huge value is slowly being recognised. While some argue this is a priceless resource, the Office for National Statistics estimated its value in the UK to be worth close to £1 trillion in 2019. Every day, farmers and land managers make invaluable contributions to maintaining natural capital and, if done correctly, these contributions can have a positive impact on a global scale. Narrow it down and you can even start to quantify the effect natural capital has on our own economy. For example, walking – considered to be one of the most popular outdoor recreational activities – within the UK was estimated to be worth in excess of £347 billion in 2017 (the total value of all the economic inputs that come from engaging in that activity). With 72% of the total land in the UK being agricultural, farmers and land managers are at the forefront of protecting and maintaining a substantial proportion of the natural environment that in turn provides part of the natural capital asset, outlined above, through the provision of footpaths, open space and the rural landscape. The benefits don’t stop there, other natural capital assets, which those stewarding the land are charged with caring for, include woodlands that capture pollutants, hedgerows that provide habitats and grass margins that reduce eutrophication. Farmers and land managers might not always get it right, but that’s not for lack of trying. Remove them

from the equation, and you start to wonder who else is going to pick up the mantle of maintaining these assets. Placing a financial value on natural capital could represent a fantastic opportunity for those involved in agriculture to highlight the numerous benefits they provide through their day-to-day activities. After all, beyond those who have studied the subject there seems to be little or any acknowledgement of this, not least among the general public who can’t understand the need for support payments. However, with more information slowly coming forwards about new subsidy schemes, it seems like the powers-that-be have started to recognise this. It might be a bit of a rough ride, but over the next couple of years farming is in for a PR overhaul. As more information is released in a format that can be easily digested about payments for public goods (effectively a reference to payments for natural capital), I am confident all the benefits that farming brings will start to be appreciated by the wider community. Let’s hope that whatever comes next, in terms of support, results in a better informed general public as well as thriving rural businesses. With any luck, as well as properly financially rewarding that grazier I was talking to for his efforts, it might even make him feel valued again.

JONATHAN MORRIS Associate surveyor, CLM T: 01892 771746 M: 07741 559360 www.c-l-m.co.uk

• Basic Payment Scheme • Farm and Estate Management • Farm Business Consultancy • Rent Reviews • Countryside Stewardship • Ecological Surveys

Call us on 01892 770339 or email info@c-l-m.co.uk www.c-l-m.co.uk

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

PLANNING

STATE OF TURMOIL

“Ah yes said the planning officer from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council that will be planning permission for five houses and in return you will give us £18,000 for Biodiversity Offsetting Contribution.” This payment is designed to compensate for biodiversity losses by developing receptor sites in the ownership of the council. This payment anticipates a policy in the emerging and somewhat controversial Tunbridge Wells Local Plan and is the shape of things to come. It is calculated by debiting the loss of habitat resulting from the development and giving it a monetary value. The Environment Bill, now resurrected as part of Brexit incorporates the radical Twenty Five Year Plan that seeks to ensure the earth is left in better shape than previous generations have managed. If the bill is passed as drafted it will require 10% biodiversity enhancement to be the price for planning permission in future. The idea of patchwork landscape schemes, that have been a frustrating part of so many developments, to replace habitat have not really worked and will now be augmented by landscape scale projects that potentially can achieve more. Farmers have been in a state of turmoil about the metamorphosis of Basic Payments to Environmental Land Management payments. Agriculture accounts for only 0.6% of GDP, and HM treasury will pay

in the order of £3 billion for Environmental Land Management payments (ELM). Despite the best efforts of the NFU, food is now being regarded as a private good. While you might find all of this an irritation, globally the Living Planet Report (2018) shows that wildlife populations have declined by over half in less than 50 years and that the variety of life on earth is disappearing fast. Nationally, the 2016 State of Nature Report found that the UK has lost significantly more habitats over the long term than the global average, with suggestions that we are among the most nature-depleted countries in the world – over half of our species are in decline. The economist Dieter Helm has been instrumental in guiding the government on the vexed issue of natural capital. Natural capital can be understood as the world’s stock of natural resources, earth, air water and all that is linked with it. Biodiversity forms part of natural capital. He sees 2020 and the revised payment system ELM, where public money is paid for public goods and the ‘polluter pays’ principle to be as significant as 1947 was for post Second World War agriculture. The need to maintain our landscapes provides opportunities to deliver public goods including clean air, sustainable water management, biodiversity, and the responsible care of waste, minerals, and soil. Mr Helm is not fussed about the country’s lack

of self sufficiency. In his view a global war now will wipe out infrastructure that will be far more disabling than lack of home grown food. While this is all a new language it is also the start of an opportunity for new markets to develop. It is hoped ELM will enable a reasonably gentle transition. Organisations including water companies have been pioneering how to pay land managers to alter management practices to avoid pollution. House developers in this period of volume house building will urgently need to find locations to offset the impact of development on biodiversity and on soils. The principles for offset land require a degree of certainty that there is mitigation potential, longevity of the offset, and enforceability of the mitigation measures. The resulting impacts may be tree planting of steep unproductive land adjacent to a watercourse to reduce run off, creation of wetlands, and rewilding streams, often good use of previously unproductive areas. Productive land can then continue to be just that. This new language will require landowners and managers to assess their natural capital stocks. The planning approach of money for biodiversity offsetting represents a clear opportunity for those with suitable land that is capable of mitigation, and conversely is something of a concern to the developer who will need landowners more than ever before.

JUDITH NORRIS

The Rural Planning Practice Cirencester: 01285 323200 Cranbrook: 01580 201888 E: office@therpp.co.uk W: www.therpp.co.uk

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | MARCH 2020

LAND AND FARMS

Looking ahead to the spring property market we have cause to feel optimistic this year, as following the General Election and Britain’s exit from the European Union we now (finally) have some certainty – whether we agree with the results or not. The London property market is reported to have picked up after a difficult 18 months although many would say long overdue price corrections, and the average price of a home in the UK rose in January by 1.9%. This confidence is also driven by factors such as low mortgage rates and solid wage growth and I suspect many people have also been taking a ‘wait and see’ approach since June 2016, especially if they didn’t have to move and have now decided to get on with their lives. I would however suggest a degree of caution and not to get too excited at this stage, as the average number of days it took a house to sell in the UK in 2019 was 256 days and of course pricing, demand and location is key. So let’s consider some of the facts to see how this translates for the rural land and property market here in the South East? In 2019 there were just 79 farms openly marketed in the South East (Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire) and 12,497 acres of land. Farmers, landowners and their advisors will no doubt be considering the Agriculture Bill and the Environmental Bill both published in January 2020 and deciding how this may impact on their business operations for the future and decisions to buy or sell. The Environment Bill aims to shape environmental policy for a generation and whilst broadly welcomed, organisations such as the NFU have stated this must not compromise our food supply. Food production and land management have worked hand in hand for generations, managed by those who understand, and we will all be keen to see how this new legislation works in practice, especially with the need to feed a growing UK population estimated to rise by 5% over this decade.

A DECADE FOR OPPORTUNITY The government is committed to tackling climate change and being the first major economy to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Only this week our politicians have brought forward by 5 years to 2035 the phasing out of diesel and petrol cars. What does this mean for agricultural machinery? In tandem with the bill, land in the South East in the future is likely to be needed for tree planting. The Woodland Trust has released a plan for increasing tree cover across the UK to help address the climate emergency. The Agriculture Bill will provide the framework to replace existing EEC agricultural support schemes and it will provide new powers and a new approach to farm payments and land management. Key changes include new schemes to pay farmers for producing ‘public goods’ such as environmental or animal welfare improvements. New in the 2020 bill is financial support for other items such as soil protection and improvement. We await the detail! Greater global trade insecurity may encourage new investors into agricultural land purchases, especially given its finite supply here in the South East and some of the government’s plans. During the 2019 General Election campaign the Conservatives made a pledge to build at least one million new homes over the next five years, which could help maintain land prices here in the South East as new sites are pushed forwards. The planning system here in the South East will inevitably struggle to process a large increase in volume quickly. Major infrastructure projects don’t come much

larger than the £6.8million, 14.5 mile, Lower Thames Crossing which is due to open in 2027. As of January 2020, the scheme entered a consultation phase and it is likely to be the largest new road scheme in the UK for a number of years, swallowing up an estimated 2,500 acres of productive land and another 1,450 acres for temporary use. Here at BTF we are working with a number of landowners affected by this scheme on both sides of the crossing and the broader development in this area especially around Ebbsfleet will over time impact on bare land supply and prices in the area. So, in summary, with these and many other pressures on land supply here in the South East, it is difficult to forecast any major changes in prices certainly in the short term but I anticipate: • Farmers with rollover funds are likely to continue to want to reinvest. • There will continue to be interest in land suitable for planting vines. • Investors will still want to capitalise on the stability, long term growth and the ability to protect money from Inheritance Tax which is still offered by farmland, although for how long, we do not know. • Hobby and lifestyle buyers will continue to want to own land around residential property interests and there will be interest in ‘trophy’ country homes within easy reach of London. We have a healthy and diverse pipeline of land and rural property coming onto the market this spring, so get in touch to discuss your requirements for the roaring 20’s and beyond.

RICHARD THOMAS

Director, BTF Partnership T: 01233 740077 E: richard.thomas@btfpartnership.co.uk www.btfpartnership.co.uk

MARCH 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

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LAND AND FARMS

LAND BANKING,

FACT OR FICTION?

“A land banking scandal is controlling the future of British housing” – Steve Howell, The Big Issue October 10, 2018. Such headlines on this subject are not uncommon. The prevailing thought amongst those not at the coal face of the house building industry is that house builders have hundreds of thousands of ‘plots’ under their control and therefore they must be storing all this land for future gain. As recently as February 2017, when its Housing White Paper was published, the government was muttering about confiscating land from developers that built too slowly. As a result, the term ‘land banking’ is associated with the assertion that house builders and developers deliberately hold back the development of land with planning permission for commercial reasons. The criticism is that house builders and developers try to secure additional profit by holding onto land in order to speculate on land price increases. The truth is of course somewhat more complicated than that. House builders must obviously carry a land pipeline to enable them to bring forward land to build on. Like any business they need to ensure they have a supply of raw material that will consistently

give them comfort to invest long term. As house builders construct dwellings on consented land predominantly bought from land promoters, rather than sell land, there is no further receipt to be received from land sales anyhow. Rather, as soon as a site is purchased, the pressure is on for the house builder to deliver a return on that capital outlay. Notwithstanding this, the Government decided to act and asked Sir Oliver Letwin MP to investigate. Sir Oliver’s review was tasked with assessing whether builders really were land banking, and what could be done about it. His conclusion was presented in the November 2018 Budget and exonerated large builders. “The review found no evidence that speculative land banking is part of the business model for major house builders,” says the Budget documents. So what about that other part of the equation, those pesky land promoters? Don’t they land bank too? Well actually, no. Land promoters work collaboratively with landowners to bring forward land to the market with residential planning consent, in order to deliver new homes. Land promoters identify sites that are suitable for residential development and at no cost

to the landowner, take on the risk and the upfront investment to maximise the value of the land. The land promoter does not get a return on their investment until the land is sold, meaning it is not in their interest to hold onto land as they also need to recover their capital investment as quickly as possible once planning permission has been granted. Put simply, land promoters can’t afford to land bank. The review by Sir Oliver appears to have put to bed, for now, the argument that land banking exists. The debate appears to have moved on to analysing the different types of housing mix and tenure provided on sites, particularly large ones and how such sites can diversify their offering to speed up rates of delivery. The emphasis also appears to have shifted to land value capture and the age old argument of whether the state is capturing enough value from development. While the debate may have changed course for now, some of us are old enough to remember the various points over the years that the argument has resurfaced. As Mark Twain once stated, “Buy land, they’re not making it any more.”

Could your land have development potential? Find out more about land promotion

DAVID MORRIS

Planning Director, Catesby Estates plc T: 01926 836910 E: davidm@catesbyestates.co.uk W: www.catesbyestates.co.uk

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WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | MARCH 2020

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CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION

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Friendly and impartial advice

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PRIZE ANAGRAM: Rare breed sheep (8)

Email your replies with your name, address and phone number to sef.ed@kelsey.co.uk or write to: FREEPOST EVEGATE Correct entries will be entered into a draw which will take place on 24 March. The winner will be announced in the April edition. TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

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Savoury jelly (5) Grass-like wetland plants (5) ---- James, singer (4) Animal farmed for milk (7) Rare breed duck with upright stance (5) Instrument for cutting (7) Spotted deer (4) One of two animals born at same birth (4) American football term (9) Not legally binding; not valid (4) Lodging house (3) Mesh used to separate coarse particles from finer particles (5) Decay (3) Lazy person (5) Short description of a book (5) Cricket term (5) Untidy (5)

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Crossword by Rebecca Farmer, Broadstairs, Kent

To enter, simply unscramble the anagram (8) using the green squares.

Pleasant (9) Vegetable substance used as flavour (5) Abundant (9) Coiled yarn (5) Price (4) Rare breed cattle (6) Thomas Hardy novel (3,11) Flat on your back (6) Hot and humid weather (6) Repeatedly take small bites (6) Stalk (4) Crustacean found under logs (9) Absence of oxygen (9) Take part in sport (4)

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LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS: 1

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VINEYARDS

To celebrate Mothering Sunday (22 March) we are offering readers the chance to win one bottle of Gribble Bridge White, one bottle of Gribble Bridge Rosé and a bottle of Gribble Bridge Sparkling White. For more information about visiting the vineyards, events and more please visit www.biddendenvineyards.com or call 01580 291726.

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J A P A N E S E K N O T W E E D

LAST MONTH’S WINNER: Steven Green from Southminister, Essex Correct answer: Japanese Knotweed