NEWS Taking advantage of the new opportunities and meeting the new challenges in agriculture means growing the right crops, and that means buying the right seeds. Nick Green, who set up Newtone Agriscapes at the end of February, combines his practical farming experience and technical expertise to offer informed and useable advice to growers. Based in Wye, Kent, the new business, which is already on the books of buying group Southern Farmers, supplies grass seed for
SEEDING NEW GROWTH agricultural and domestic use, wild flower mixes and seeds suitable for cover crops, game cover and environmental stewardship use. “Agriculture is changing and I felt that with my knowledge and experience I could provide a useful service for farmers looking to take advantage of the new opportunities out there,” Nick said.
“I can help with the technical side of the new requirements in order to help farmers achieve subsidies via the likes of the new Environmental Land Management scheme, as well as making sure they integrate into existing farming systems. I plan to offer advice and technical support as well as supplying carefully selected seeds.”
£30 MILLION REDEVELOPMENT
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A £30m redevelopment aimed at improving productivity, boosting crop profitability and generating new skilled jobs is underway at NIAB EMR at East Malling in Kent. Construction has started on the regionally significant food-related Growing Kent & Medway initiative that includes new glasshouses, offices and labs at the site. The investment aims to transform plant-based scientific research facilities across the South East and strengthen the competitiveness of Britain’s horticulture, food and drink industries. £18 million from the Government’s Strength in Places Fund has been boosted by additional funding from the East Malling Trust and commercial partners to back an initiative that will build upon more than a century of strategic and applied horticultural research at the site. Due to be completed by the end of 2021, the redevelopment will deliver modern research facilities and new science projects that NIAB EMR believes will maintain its “global leadership in horticulture innovation”. Managing Director Professor Mario Caccamo
said the facility would be “better placed than at any time in the last decade to help producers rise to the challenge of climate change, reducing import dependency and improving the country’s food security”. He added: “The state-of-the-art plant growth facilities will enable our scientists to accurately manage the cropping environment and test the response of fruit crops and novel technologies to help improve productivity and crop profitability and generate new skilled jobs across the sector.” The development will be part of the site’s Advanced Horticultural Technology Zone, which is already underway thanks to earlier support from the South East Local Enterprise Partnership’s Local Growth Fund, and features new science buildings, state-of-the-art glasshouses, a green energy resource and other related infrastructure. East Malling Trust Board Chairman Dr Oliver Doubleday said: “The delivery of this ambitious project follows our vision to see East Malling continue to develop as a global innovation centre. “The modernisation of the site was long overdue and will support the team at NIAB EMR to remain at
MAY 2021 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET
> Professor Mario Caccamo oversees demolition at NIAB EMR the cutting edge of technology. We are very excited to be able to support this development and look forward to continuing our partnership with NIAB EMR to deliver world-class science at the service of the UK’s growers.” The new glasshouses will be used by the scientists to improve industry profitability by developing new varieties and improving plant health and resistance to disease by undertaking controlled trials in crop production, breeding pathology, entomology and plant health.
