Sustainability the priority for farmers

> James Loder-Symonds > James Mayes

South East farmers swept the board at the Yield Enhancement Network (YEN), Wheat Quality Awards 2021.

The Gold Award for harvest 2020 went to Simon Budden of Netherley Farm Partnership in Hampshire, while James Mayes, of Bentfi eld Bury Farms, Essex, was runner up and James Loder-Symonds, of Nonington Farms, Kent, fi nished in third place.

The awards, sponsored by UK Flour Millers, recognise “excellence and innovation in achieving high yield and quality in Group 1 milling wheats” and attracted entries from across the country.

Simon’s entry yielded 11.98t/ha and was said to demonstrate excellent grain analytical quality. “Dough quality was good and the baked loaf was excellent, with white breadcrumb colour and good texture,” judges agreed.

Simon said the most important part of entering the competition was the YEN report provided at the end of it, adding: “This year we entered wanting to showcase our normal farm practice. The report provides a lot of detail for us to take forward

GOLD AWARD FOR HARVEST

and look ahead to next season to hopefully improve on our yields.”

Dr Sarah Clarke, ADAS Research Scientist, said that with last season being a challenging one for growers, it was “great to see some really high-quality entries”. She added: “Whatever the season brings, growers can benchmark and learn more about their quality from entering the YEN Wheat Quality Awards. They can also think about carrying out tramline trials for nutrition programmes to see what could be achieved on their farm.”

Joe Brennan, Senior Technical Adviser for UK Flour Millers, said: “This was the fourth year of the competition and it is reassuring that despite the diff erences season to season, there are growers who achieve excellent wheat yields alongside fantastic breadmaking quality. Recognising and understanding how growers accomplish this is key to ensuring a steady supply of domestic wheat for the milling market.”

The top three farmers produced a video commentary on their harvest 2020 entries. It can be seen at YEN Wheat Quality Award: Winner Biographies - Harvest 2020.

SUSTAINABILITY THE

PRIORITY FOR FARMERS

A record-breaking number of farmers are planning to invest in energy effi ciency and adopt other net zero measures on farms, according to tbe NFU’s latest confi dence survey.

While the survey shows that short and mid-term confi dence among British farmers has remained negative for the third year running, their intentions to invest in energy effi ciency are at the highest level recorded, while plans to invest in diversifi cation and skills and training are also highlighted.

The NFU says the survey results signal “just how important sustainability and effi cient food production is for farm businesses, and, in the year the UK hosts COP26, how British farmers are best placed to deliver climate-friendly food”.

Deputy President Stuart Roberts said: “It’s fantastic to see so many farmers making plans to implement net zero measures on their farms, whether it’s investing in energy effi ciency or carbon storage, especially at a time when business confi dence among farmers is so low.

“As a nation we stand tall when it comes to climate and environmentally friendly food production, and we can’t take this for granted. Nor can we ignore the fact that overall farm business confi dence has remained negative for three years running and the signifi cant impact this is having on businesses and their ability to invest in things that would support increased sustainable food production.”

He warned that farmers’ “huge potential” to contribute to the Government’s green growth ambition “[would] never be maximised if a lack of confi dence, certainty and opportunity holds British farming back”.

And he added: “The industry is facing serious changes and farmers need to know that the Government is not only supporting them but investing in levelling up urban and rural areas to provide the same opportunities for rural businesses as those in towns and cities enjoy.

“Confi dence can be boosted by something as simple as ensuring farm businesses have access to effi cient broadband, which is so crucial.

“If more than half of farmers are already preparing to invest in planting trees and improving soil health, just think how much we could achieve if farmers are given more confi dence, and crucially, more opportunities, to invest in their enterprises.”

The survey shows that: • 69% of farmers plan to improve soil health or carbon content • 51% plan to plant trees • 38% plan to enlarge or extend hedgerows • 35% plan to invest in more renewable energy generation (37% of farmers are already producing or using renewable energy) • 35% plan to invest in low carbon agri-technology such as precision farming or livestock monitoring.

TROUBLED AHDB

APPOINTS NEW CEO

Tim Rycroft has been named as the new chief executive of the troubled Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).

Currently chief operating offi cer of the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), Mr Rycroft will take up his position at the Stoneleigh-based levy board on 31 August 2021, replacing Jane King, and will seek to stabilise an organisation that has seen its operation come under fi re in the past few months.

Recent ballots look to have sealed the fate of the compulsory levy on both the horticulture and potato sectors, with Environment Secretary George Eustice set to make a fi nal decision shortly.

While Mr Rycroft plans the way forward for the AHDB from September, Interim Chief Executive Kent Boyns, currently the board’s chief fi nance and operations offi cer, will hold the reins.

While at the FDF, Mr Rycroft has been responsible for strategy and corporate aff airs as well as overseeing the federation’s policy on diet and health and on competitiveness. He is also a former government special adviser.

Welcoming the new chief executive, AHDB Chair Nicholas Saphir, said: “His experience, both in his previous commercial and FDF roles as well as his knowledge of the industry, makes him ideally equipped to lead the signifi cant change that we have started to introduce to the organisation.”

SERIES OF LIVESTREAMS

Living Land, Kent County Agricultural Society’s (KCAS) free event for schoolchildren, is set to return as an online event this year, launching on 6 May with a series of livestreams aimed at teaching viewers about food and farming.

The Virtual Living Land livestreams will be supported by a large collection of pre-recorded videos that will remain available throughout the year for teachers and students to watch at any time.

Aimed at helping children in years 3 and 4 learn about food and farming, Living Land usually invites schools to the Kent Event Centre to see a variety of educational displays, but the ongoing pandemic has prompted the switch to online for this year.

Students will be able to watch a collection of videos covering all aspects of farming and agriculture, including rearing livestock, tractors and machinery, and growing vegetables. There will also be a series of livestreams on which children can ask questions of farmers and food producers.

KCAS chairman James Forknall said: “We were really disappointed that we could not run the Living Land as normal in 2020 so we were determined to bring it back in some form. We decided to take the event online so we could continue to provide this valuable learning resource to as many school children as possible.

“We already have some fantastic content lined up. Videos covering everything from lambing and egg hatching to harvest and tractors will be included. We are also organising activity packs for schools to request to provide a hands-on element to the Virtual Living Land.”

After 6 May the resource will remain accessible for teachers, parents, and students to revisit throughout the year by signing up at www.kentshowground.co.uk/living-land

FOLLOW MY FOOD

Children’s author Deborah Chancellor has written a series of books for young children about where food comes from in a bid to improve their understanding of the food they consume.

Milly Cow Gives Milk, which is endorsed by the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) and illustrated by Julia Groves, is the fi rst book in the four-part ‘Follow my Food’ series. It is aimed at pre-school and key stage one-aged children and follows a day in the life of Milly the cow.