South East Farmer August 2020

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Est 1982

August 2020

NEWS TRADE AND AGRICULTURE COMMISSION WELCOMED COLUMNIST

OUT & ABOUT WELFORD PARK

The soil health journey is at the heart of everything on this Berkshire estate

ANITA HEAD

Contemplating the new normal

FEATURE FRESHCOLD

Robotic milkers mean more time with the cows

FEATURE TOWN PLACE FARM The benefits of direct drilling

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CONTENTS NEWS & REPORTS

Dairy industry shakeup long overdue.

Chris Packham bids to end grouse shoots.

Breakthrough in search for pig vaccine.

DEFRA launches England Tree Strategy consultation.

REGULARS

MONICA AKEHURST

The resurgence in growing your own vegetables is one of the positive outcomes of the pandemic.

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ANITA HEAD STEPHEN CARR NICK ADAMES

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ADVICE FROM THE VET ALAN WEST

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MARKET REPORTS

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SARAH CALCUTT

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LAND AND FARMS

FEATURES 18

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WELFORD PARK

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FRESHCOLD

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FSCS

CHARLIE BURCHELL As farmers continue to seek more costeffective, productive and environmentally friendly methods of working the soil, so the choice of cultivation becomes increasingly important.

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The soil health journey is at the heart of everything The Welford Estate does. Nigel Akehurst interviewed farm manager Rob Waterston to find out more.

Although two new robotic milkers have taken away the hard graft of early morning starts, they haven’t reduced the time spent with the 120-strong herd.

A dated farmhouse, a cow shed and an old farm machinery store have been transformed into quality housing.

The only crop Nick has in the ground is forage maize – and it’s not looked back.

Oh dear, what a muddle. As time goes on, it becomes increasingly difficult to see a clear way out for sheep producers.

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www.kelsey.co.uk Cover picture: Welford Estate © Martin Apps

OP IN IO N

What’s to be done with wool?

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Nestled in quiet corners of the Weald of Kent, a pleasant drive away from our far more prosaic home, are some truly stunning properties. Substantial, timber-framed, roses around the door houses with at least half a dozen bedrooms, in/out driveways and views over open countryside.

When visitors remark on these beautiful houses, we are used to explaining that this part of the countryside was once an important centre for the wool trade, whence came the small – or large – fortunes needed to build such splendid homes. Such an explanation today, though, would surely prompt nothing less than incredulity in anyone with the least understanding of the current state of the global market for wool.

When it comes to wool these days, sheep farmers must feel like football club owners, about whom the old joke goes: “It’s easy to become a millionaire by owning a football club – as long as you start off as a multi-millionaire”.

Far from funding an impressive country pile, breeding sheep for wool now would be more likely to see the farmer evicted from whatever home he once owned. But what’s to be done?

While it’s difficult to see an easy solution to the global price crash, Alan West points out that many sheep producers are simply hoping for the best, ostrich-like heads in the proverbial sand.

While he is referring to the broader challenges facing the industry, I feel producers have been too understanding about a situation that has seen the price of fleeces not even covering the costs of shearing. Far from pushing British Wool to find a solution, many commentators seem to accept that there is little they could have done about the crisis.

Now that may be an entirely fair and level-headed response, but sympathising with the agency that should be leaving no stone unturned in its search for a solution seems to me to be a dangerous strategy. After all, our government was arguably not to blame for the novel coronavirus, but it hasn’t stopped the media and public giving Ministers a rough ride over aspects of

their handling of the outbreak.

It may not be British Wool’s fault that prices of cross-bred wools collapsed after the coronavirus (that word again) outbreak saw processing halted in China (that place again), but being politely understanding to those who sit on the board is hardly likely to make them look particularly hard for a way out of the mess.

Another correspondent, Monica Akehurst, wants to ask those board members (all men, she notes) what their strategy is, and what key initiatives they have for raising the profile and sales of wool. She wants “more joined up thinking … between farmers, processors and designers”. I’m tempted to add a suggestion that wool producers stop being quite so understanding and demand a complete rethink of the way MALCOLM TRIGGS - EDITOR their fleeces are marketed.

EMAIL YOUR VIEWS, LETTERS OR OPINIONS TO: sef.ed@kelsey.co.uk or write to the address on page 3 ®

COMMISSION

WELCOMED

The Government’s decision to set up a new Trade and Agriculture Commission has been warmly welcomed by leading players in the industry.

In a Tweet that referenced “positive discussions” with the National Farmers Union, Secretary of State for International Trade Liz Truss revealed that the commission would make recommendations on “UK agricultural trade policy, higher animal welfare standards across the world and export opportunities for British farming”.

In a letter to NFU President Minette Batters, she said: “I wholeheartedly agree that any trade deal the UK strikes must be fair and reciprocal to our farmers and must not compromise on our high standards of food safety and animal welfare. I have been very clear on both these points and will continue to fight for the interests of our farming industry in any and all trade agreements we negotiate.”

She added: “I am encouraged that the NFU supports the UK’s broad objectives in promoting free trade and shares our belief that free trade deals can open up significant new exporting opportunities for the UK farming industry.”

Ms Batters said: “I am very pleased that the Government is taking concrete action to address the challenges of safeguarding our high food and farming standards by agreeing to set up a Trade and Agriculture Commission, something we first called for over 18 months ago.

“We look forward to working with government and other stakeholders in the days ahead on the Commission’s terms of reference, to ensure that its work is genuinely valuable. In particular, it will be vital that Parliament is able to properly consider the commission’s recommendations and can ensure government implements them effectively.

“The NFU will continue to scrutinise the progress of trade negotiations with the USA and other countries over the coming months outside the work of the Commission so that our future trade deals work for British farmers and consumers. The NFU believes it is vital that Parliament is provided a strengthened role in this regard as well.”

Earlier, in a video message to NFU members, Ms Batters said she was “absolutely delighted” to have received the letter from the Secretary of State, calling it “a massive step in the right direction” and referring to the million-signature petition on the need to safeguard food standards highlighted in last month’s South East Farmer.

The National Sheep Association (NSA) also welcomed the announcement, which it said “signalled the Government’s consensus to creating a body to assess the risks of trade agreements to UK Agriculture”.

Chief Executive Phil Stocker added that there were “still a lot of questions to be answered and commitments to be stuck to,” continuing: “At this stage this could still just be government paying lip service to industry, so NSA will continue to call for real legislative commitment through the Trade Bill or Agriculture Bill.”

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) also welcomed the announcement and said the commission would “consider the policies that the UK Government should adopt in free trade agreements to make sure UK animal welfare and production standards are not undermined”.

BVA Senior Vice President Simon Doherty said vets had “always been clear that any new trade agreements must not undermine the UK’s high animal health and welfare standards” and said it was “essential that veterinary expertise is at the heart of [the commission’s] membership and remit”.

He added: “Although the Commission only has an advisory role it is important that its advice is genuinely listened to and acted on by the Government. There is huge public concern about a lowering of animal welfare standards and consumers need to have confidence in what they are buying.”

NEWS

A prominent South East dairyman believes a wholesale shakeup of the industry is long overdue, and is hoping a recently announced government-led consultation will prove to be the catalyst.

William Westacott, who milks 190 Holstein/ Friesians at Home Farm, Chevening, near Sevenoaks and is a Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) council member, wants “uniformity and a fair deal for all dairy farmers” to come out of a 12-week consultation announced by the Government.

In launching the consultation, which is due to end on 15 September 2020, the Government admitted that evidence gathered during the Groceries Code Adjudicator Call for Evidence in 2016 “highlighted how unfair practices have persisted in the dairy industry”.

Four years on, and following the considerable hardship inflicted on many dairy farmers by the coronavirus crisis, the statement went on: “This consultation will explore whether regulations could be introduced to ensure farmers are treated fairly.”

It said there was evidence that “unfairness in the supply chain has sometimes been caused by milk buyers having the power to set and modify the milk price in a contract, often with little notification,” leading to “uncertainty and pricing that can be unfair to dairy farming businesses”.

Proposals include an option to introduce a mandatory pricing mechanism within all contracts between dairy farmers and processors, ensuring the price paid for milk produced by the farmer is formally agreed within the contract and that negotiations take place “in a clear and transparent way”.

W and CJ Westacott supplies Freshways, and while the farm suffered badly from the knock-on effect of the overnight collapse of demand from the food service sector, William doesn’t blame the buyer.

“We were hit badly, but no more than other people,” he said. “Any company supplying 60% of

WHOLESALE SHAKEUP

LONG OVERDUE

its market to the hospitality trade would have faced the same problem. If milk can’t be sold, it’s not the middle man’s fault, and Freshways’ action at least saved the business for the longer term.”

What William does see as unfair is the “massive variations” in contract prices across the industry, with ‘aligned contract’ dairy farms that supply the supermarkets generally being paid considerably more for their milk.

“We need more uniformity. The whole sector is badly managed and the farmer is at the bottom of the pile. Contracts are too varied, with some linked to input costs and others at the mercy of supply and demand. We need to stop the massive variations in contract prices, look at the industry as a whole and get some balance on where margins are made.”

The NFU has also urged dairy farmers to speak up for a more effective dairy supply chain and fairer terms for farmers. Dairy board chairman Michael Oakes said: “The NFU has been working with all

the UK farming unions to improve dairy contracts.

We will be consulting widely with our members to get a range of views that will form the basis of our submission to government.”

Farming Minister Victoria Prentis said: “It is absolutely vital that our dairy farmers are paid fairly for their high quality produce and I am committed to cracking down on any unfair practices within the UK dairy industry.”

In a final plea for dairy farmers to get involved, William added: “We all discuss the issues and complain about the state of the industry and this is a chance to make your voice heard. Please don’t assume someone else will put forward your view.

Take part and let’s get something done.”

Anyone interested can contribute by visiting https://consult.defra.gov.uk/ and searching for ‘dairy’

VAT CUT HELPS TOURISM FIGHT BACK

The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) has welcomed news that Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak has agreed to cut VAT on tourism businesses from 20% to 5% to help the country recover from Covid-19.

The CLA’s call for a VAT reduction to help restart the economy in rural areas was featured on the letters page of this magazine last month.

President Mark Bridgeman said: “After intense lobbying from the Country

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Land and Business Association, we’re delighted that the Government has cut VAT to help our tourism sector fight back from a devastating start to the year.

“Until now VAT on tourism businesses has been much higher than in other comparable countries, putting domestic tourism businesses at a competitive disadvantage to holiday providers overseas. This welcome change means more people will be able to afford a holiday in the Great British countryside while also helping to revive rural economies across the country.”

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NEWS

BROADCASTER “WON’T STOP THERE” A West Sussex sportsman fears TV presenter Chris Packham “won’t stop there” after he pursued his campaign to ban driven grouse shooting in a video discussion with the Government’s Petitions Committee.

David Kendall from West Dean, who organises pheasant and partridge shoots, said Mr Packham, whom he accused of abusing his BBC platform, would turn his sights to other forms of shooting in due course.

His comments came after the Petitions Committee published a video and transcript of a discussion held between Kerry McCarthy MP and Mr Packham, who has supported four petitions calling for grouse shooting to be banned that have together amassed more than 400,000 signatures Mr Kendall said grouse shooting was an easy first target because of the impact on other wild birds on land managed for grouse shooting and the heather burning that accompanied the sport, but said Mr Packham “always has something in his sights” and would clearly carry on his campaign in other areas.

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Sophie, Countess of Wessex, learned about more sustainable farming on a visit to the Hampshire-based New Forest Fruit Company.

The royal visit came about as part of the Countess’ role as Honorary President of sustainable farming organisation LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming). She met the farm’s managing director Sandy Booth and his staff and toured the farm’s polytunnels as well as looking at wider conservation features.

Discussions focused on the use of technology in the protected growing sector, the importance of knowledge transfer and public engagement and

The Government said in September 2019 that: “Grouse shooting is a legitimate activity providing benefits for wildlife and habitat conservation and investment in remote areas. DEFRA is working on the sustainable management of English uplands”.

Mr Kendall said Mr Packham’s high profile meant his views went “relatively unopposed” but questioned the fact that he was given a platform on the BBC – which is committed to impartiality – to put forward his views.

“My worry is that he’s going to become as revered as Sir David Attenborough,” he added.

Recognising the strong views on both sides of the debate, Chair of the Petitions Committee Catherine McKinnell MP said it would “continue to press the Government to review the environmental and economic impacts of driven grouse shooting and ensure that the voices of petitioners across the country continue to he heard”.

COUNTESS OF WESSEX VISITS HAMPSHIRE FRUIT FARM broader issues around the impact of Covid-19 on the farming sector.

As a LEAF Marque-certified business, The New Forest Fruit Company carries out a range of environmentally friendly practices around water and soil management, energy conservation,

AUGUST 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

sustainable crop protection and biodiversity.

Based near Brockenhurst, it specialises in strawberries, asparagus and other small soft fruit.

The business grows, packs and distributes fruit to all the leading UK retailers and has been a member of LEAF for 20 years.

LOOK OUT,

LOOK UP

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) has teamed up with the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) to share practical advice on how farmers and contractors can avoid incidents and accidents related to power supplies during farming’s busiest time.

The annual campaign urges everyone across the agricultural industry to stay safe and ‘Look out, Look up’ when working near overhead power lines and poles following 12 months in which SSEN recorded an increase in the number of incidents on farms and fields across its networks in central southern England. The figure rose to 419 callouts compared to 386 the year before.

NFU national crops board chairman Matt Culley, a Hampshire arable farmer and contractor, said: “Risk assessing each job before starting work and knowing the maximum height of your machinery - new and old - is key, and fields with poles or pylons that may be tricky to work around should be cut first, during daylight hours.”

He added: It’s essential that staff also carry mobile phones with stored emergency numbers including 105 - the UK-wide single emergency number for power companies – and should download SSEN’s Power Track app, so they’re able to quickly report any problems to the network operator.”

ALARM BELLS

The Agriculture Bill has sounded alarm bells in the House of Lords, but not over the lack of a clause relating to food standards.

Peers have instead voiced concerns about the fact that the bill creates new criminal offences, with the House of Lords Constitution Committee warning that using delegated powers to create offences is “in general constitutionally unacceptable”.

The committee is concerned that the Bill, if it becomes law, would give the Secretary of State “power to make regulations relating to marketing standards in relation to agricultural products” and also states that those regulations could include provisions relating to enforcement, including setting up summary offences punishable by a fine.

Other clauses contain similar provisions relating to the certification of organic products and carcass classification.

The committee also believes that disputes between the UK and devolved governments are “increasingly likely”, especially in relation to future international trade agreements.

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NEWS

EBV WORK GOES IN-HOUSE Charolais breeders across the South East are being urged to supply performance information to the Charolais Society after it took all its recording work in house.

The society has brought in Julie Holmes to coordinate all the estimated breeding value (EBV) data for society members, with a view to offering the same service to other beef breed societies in the longer term.

There are around 100 Charolais herds in the South East, including the oldest herd in the country, which is kept by Ben Harman, whose grandfather Tony founded the Charolais Society in 1962 and was later made an MBE for services to agriculture.

Like his grandfather, Ben – currently chairman of the society his grandfather founded – is a huge advocate of performance data recording and the “evidence-based decision making” it allows.

“There is no way forward for cattle breeding without becoming more efficient, and the only way to get better at it is to record as much data as possible,” he said. “If we don’t know where we are now, we won’t know whether or not we have improved in future.”

Ben, who trades as AS Harman Ltd, keeps 126 head of Charolais at Grove Farm in Chesham, Buckinghamshire and also buys and sells breeding bulls, making all his decisions based on performance figures, as well as visual assessment and his knowledge of pedigrees.

His grandfather had a similar passion for improving the herd and successfully lobbied the authorities to allow beef farmers to bring in Continental genetics. “Shortly after that

the society was born in the kitchen of this farmhouse,” Ben added.

Ben believes that with performance recording working well in every area of agriculture, some beef farmers are missing out by not making the best use of the approach. And why Charolais?

“Nothing does weight for age like Charolais do,” he said.

Launching the appeal for breeders to keep their data up to date, the society said the aim was to help develop state-of-the-art records for all animals so that it could continually improve the breed. Julie carried out the same work for the Simmental Cattle Society for more than eight years.

“We’re always encouraging members to performance record all animals,” she said. “Once the data has been analysed by Agricultural Business Research Institute (ABRI) it allows selection by up-to-date traits such as calving ease.”

EBVs measure an animals’ genetic potential and are collated from information on performance data such as birth weights, calving ease, fertility, growth and carcass value.

Society chief executive Peter Phythian welcomed the move to take the recording in-house, explaining: “We are continually looking to make our work more efficient and speedy and we would urge all members to supply us with as much information on their stock as possible so our records can continue to be accurate.”

Julie can be contacted by emailing julie@charolais.co.uk

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> Red-tailed bumblebee on kidney vetch

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©Tim Squire, South Downs National Park ranger

Busy bee campaigners have smashed their target of raising £75,000 to help save the popular pollinators by creating a new network of wildflower corridors.

In just over a year of fundraising, individuals, community groups, businesses and organisations from across the South East have pulled together to raise the impressive sum.

The South Downs National Park Trust led the way on the Bee Lines initiative, which was launched in May 2019 with the aim of raising cash to help farmers and landowners create new wildflower corridors aimed at linking fragmented habitats and encouraging pollinators such as bees and butterflies.

NEW NETWORK OF

WILDFLOWER CORRIDORS Bee Lines is now moving to its delivery phase, with talks under way with various landowners about potential sites for wildflower planting. An online application process for farmers and landowners to express interest in funding will open shortly.

Nick Heasman, Countryside and Policy Manager

for the South Downs National Park, said the response to the appeal “underlines the great affection people have for the South Downs National Park, as well as recognition of the increasingly important role this haven will have in tackling climate change and biodiversity loss”.

PETITION SET TO CHALLENGE AHDB LEVY The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has strongly rejected claims that it has denied its members a ballot on the compulsory turnover-based levy that supports its operation.

In the face of criticism from a group of growers unhappy at the compulsory levy and the fact that failure to pay can lead to a criminal conviction, the board has also pointed out that it has made a number of changes to make life easier for growers this summer.

Three professional potato, vegetable and flower growers with a combined turnover of £20 million are balloting horticulturists nationwide to obtain views on the AHDB and, particularly, whether or not it should retain its legal powers to collect a compulsory levy based on the turnover of their businesses.

In a statement, Lincolnshire growers Simon Redden, Peter Thorold and

AUGUST 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

John Bratley said the levy was unfair “as, due to the very low profit margins in the sector (often around 1%), successful businesses are often much larger businesses than most farms. Because horticulture is such a competitive industry, the most successful businesses conduct their own research to gain competitive advantage. However, they also have to pay AHDB to disseminate such information as widely as possible”.

They pointed out that a government call for views in 2018 attracted response from less than 0.5% of levy-payers and said that despite the low response “the majority of horticulture and potato growers felt ADHB was out of touch and the DEFRA review did not provide a mandate for the statutory levy to remain”.

The organisers also criticised what it called the board’s “failure” to supply them with a complete list of around 4,000 levy payers, meaning that only

NEWS

BREAKTHROUGH VACCINE GOOD NEWS News of a breakthrough vaccine that protects pigs from developing a severe reaction to African swine fever (ASF) has been hailed as “very good news” by an Essex farmer.

Jack Bosworth, who keeps 600 sows at Spains Hall Farm, near Ongar, with his father Stuart, has been working closely with the National Pig Association (NPA) on ensuring farmers are ready to deal with ASF if and when it crosses the Channel.

“I was the first person to trial a template response to the disease,” explained Jack, who is Vice Chair of the Young NPA. “It’s a hefty document of the kind you hope you never have to use, so if this new vaccine can be produced in time, it will be a real weight off our shoulders.”

Jack’s evident relief followed news that The Pirbright Institute had created a vaccine that protected 100% of pigs from severe disease “after challenge with an otherwise fatal strain of ASF virus”, although they did develop clinical signs of disease. The study was published in Vaccines.

Pirbright said it was “a step closer to developing a vital vaccine for African swine fever (ASF), a pig disease that the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has warned could kill a quarter of the world’s pigs, partly due to the absence of a commercially available vaccine”.

The institute said it was the first time a vectored vaccine had been shown to protect

against ASF. While further development is needed, it said: “If successful, this vaccine would enable the differentiation of infected animals from those that have received a vaccine, which would allow vaccination programmes to be established without sacrificing the ability to trade.”

While the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)’s most recent risk assessment suggests the current risk is “medium for the entry of contaminated or infected products into UK”, Jack Bosworth believes the threat from ASF, which resulted in the death of more than 7m pigs worldwide in 2019, is far more imminent.

“I have become increasingly concerned that it is only a matter of time before the disease crosses the Channel,” he said. “I really think it’s imminent; if you look at how quickly it has spread across Europe, it would not surprise me if it reached the UK by the end of this year.”

On the Pirbright breakthrough, he said: “This is clearly good news, although the proof of the pudding will be in the eating. If it does what the research suggests then it could save our industry, but we need to hope it can be made available quickly. The threat is very real, so we need the vaccine sooner rather than later.”

Jack suggested that “one of the few blessings of the Covid-19 pandemic is that it has helped to slow down the movement of ASF”. He suggested imports were being more closely monitored and

1,600 growers will automatically receive ballot papers. Growers who don’t receive a ballot paper but want to contribute can contact ahdbpetition@gmail. com to request one.

The growers believe the AHDB structure is based on an outdated system which taxes growers but is unaccountable. They say they are particularly concerned that the compulsory levy is based on turnover, which can result in payments of tens of thousands of pounds by large growers, with those who cannot pay subject to legal action and a potential criminal conviction.

Peter Thorold said: “We believe that in the interests of democracy and openness AHDB should be releasing all levy-payer’s names directly to the company running the ballot in order for all voices to be heard through our ballot. Despite a Freedom of Information request, they have refused to do this.”

AHDB Corporate Affairs Director Guy Attenborough responded: “A ballot has never been denied to levy payers. A statutory mechanism exists for a ballot to be triggered if 5% of levy payers write in to request one. In the

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felt that with fewer people able to travel there was less risk of contaminated products being imported.

Jack, 25, is the fourth generation of the family to work in the business. F J Bosworth and Sons has been keeping pigs for more than 100 years and also grows 270 hectares of combinable crops, with their feed wheat and barley fed to the pigs using a home milled mix.

Dr Chris Netherton, Head of Pirbright’s ASF Vaccinology Group, said: “Demonstrating that our vaccine has the potential to fully protect pigs against ASF is a huge step in our vaccine development programme. We have already begun work to refine the genes included in the vaccine to improve its effectiveness and provide more protection.”

Christine Middlemiss, the UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer, said: “This is a very encouraging breakthrough and it means we are one step closer to safeguarding the health of our pigs and the wider industry’s role in global food supply from African swine fever.”

horticulture and potato sectors this is less than 70 and 125 levy paying businesses respectively. A total of 15 requests have been received in the past five years from horticulture growers and none from potato growers.”

He added: “We welcome debate and people need to feel we are accountable. It’s important to recognise that our priorities and work is all shaped and driven by growers who sit on our boards, committees and panels.

We get regular feedback that our work is valued by many growers.

“As a direct result of some of the comments received around the potato levy and its collection, we’re reviewing the basis of how it is calculated this summer. In recognition of the pressure on commercial margins that horticulture growers are under, AHDB has reduced the horticulture levy by 10% from this year, we are working with growers to propose a new levy formula to better reflect modern production practices and we have put in place a levy deferral mechanism for growers suffering difficulties as a result of Covid-19.”

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NEWS

> James and Emma Loder-Symonds

ONLINE LAUNCH FOR LATEST

CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE 10

The Covid-19 pandemic may have created a challenge for the launch of the latest sustainable farm to be recognised by LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming), but farmer Emma Loder-Symonds believes it has also delivered opportunities for the industry.

Nonington Farms in Kent, managed by arable farmers Emma and husband James, has become the 41st LEAF Demonstration Farm, joining a UK-wide network of farms that showcase sustainability and resilience and act as centres of excellence for learning and knowledge exchange.

The coronavirus lockdown meant the launch and the accompanying farm tour all had to be done virtually, via an online link, but in a video broadcast from the farm Emma pointed out the positive side of launching “in the middle of a global pandemic”.

While these were “extraordinary times,” she said, the crisis had reminded people of how important access to the countryside was and had made them care more about where their food came from and about the supply chains involved.

“Being awarded key worker status as a farmer was equally rewarding,” she added.

Emma said the current situation had shown the closeness of the link between farming and the environment, while the discussion around climate change and the recent focus on the Agriculture Bill

had also helped raise awareness of the importance of agriculture.

Nonington Farms Ltd first became a LEAF Marque certified business in 2012 and currently farms more than 3,000 acres, growing a range of combinable crops. The couple also provide consultancy services, James as an agronomist and Emma as a land agent. Between them they support clients with such things as BPS applications, country stewardship schemes, budgeting and management accounts.

The Loder-Symonds own 161 hectares and contract farm on five other sites for a number of other businesses, applying LEAF’s sustainable farming principles of Integrated Farm Management (IFM) to all the land they farm.

James told guests at the online launch: “There could not be a more important time to promote farming, self-sufficiency of food, health and wellbeing and the importance of protecting the environment in the wake of a global pandemic, climate change and food production self-sufficiency.

“We see becoming a LEAF Demonstration Farm as a wonderful opportunity for us to deliver our message through our education programmes and beyond to arable farmers, the wider agricultural community and general public of all ages, by providing examples of sustainable farming

AUGUST 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

practices, our use of IFM, and the creation of arable LEAF Marque products.”

LEAF Chief Executive Caroline Drummond added: “Our network of Demonstration Farms is absolutely critical in leading the way and showcasing best practices. With their passion and drive we will help build a world that is farming, eating and living sustainably. We are delighted to welcome Nonington Farms to the network.”

Special guest at the official, but virtual, launch of Nonington Farms was Phil Spencer from Channel 4’s Location, Location, Location, while LEAF Chairman Philip Wynn and Chief Executive Caroline Drummond were also on hand to offer an online handshake.

The launch highlighted a number of the couple’s approaches to farming, including the use of companion cropping, renewable energy, benchmarking, precision technology and crop husbandry, along with a commitment to outdoor education such as school visits, LEAF’s Open Farm Sunday and local farmer discussion groups.

In 2019, they won the Bayer-LEAF Education Primary School Partnership Award in recognition of their work with local schools, while their environmental focus includes supporting Natural England’s East Kent Grey Partridge Recovery Scheme.

WYN GRANT First here is the good news; the bad news follows. Progress is at last being made in the talks between the UK and the EU on post-Brexit trade arrangements, reducing the chances that agricultural exports to the EU could face tariffs if trade occurred on World Trade Organisation terms after January.

The EU has recognised that it cannot insist on the status quo on the controversial subject of fisheries, although the gap between the two sides is still wide.

Given the need of its own member states to boost industry after the pandemic, it is taking a more relaxed attitude on state aids.

Above all, it appears that progress may be possible on the difficult subject of a ‘level playing field’ after the end of the transition period. The EU seems prepared to accept a general alignment of the UK with its standards. The sting in the tail is that if the UK were judged not to have abided by this agreement (exactly how that would be decided is itself a matter of disagreement), the EU could then impose tariffs in retaliation.

More bad news relates to what happens with trade with the rest of the world, and in particular the import of food products produced to much lower standards than in the UK. This has been a particular concern in relation to trade talks with the US. Concern has been expressed about the use of hormones in cattle, antibiotics in chicken, ractopamine in pigs, etc.

The Government has suggested a two-tier approach which would mean that, for example, the notorious chlorine-washed chicken would face higher tariffs. It’s a nice idea, but there is no way that the tough trade negotiators found in Washington DC are going to accept such an arrangement.

In some ways, however, there has been too much focus on the United States. Australia is keen to secure a trade agreement by the end of the year. As a recent article in the Spectator noted, the Government is enthusiastic about all things Australian and keen to revive the ‘Anglosphere’ which includes the US and the former Dominions.

MORE HASTE, LESS SPEED

ON TRADE DEALS Guest contributor Wyn Grant provides an expert update on post-Brexit trade talks.

> A dry field in South Australia The Australians, for their part, want easier access for their cheese and sheepmeat.

I have made a number of study trips all over Australia and have had the chance to meet government decision-makers, academics, trade associations and farmers in very remote locations.

There is no doubt that agriculture is valued in Australia, even if production is challenging and becoming even more so.

There are more subsidies than is generally understood, as farmers receive drought payments – and the definition of a ‘drought’ is quite flexible.

Irrigation districts allow farmers to produce a variety of crops in dry locations that otherwise would not support production, although they have been increasingly criticised on environmental grounds.

The real difficulty is that in its rush to secure trade agreements, the Government is too willing to sell farming down the river. The attraction that cheap food offers to the electorate is another incentive.

This has been apparent in the current rushed negotiations on a UK-Japan trade deal which the Japanese want completed in six weeks because of the constraints of their legislative timetable. There were hopes that there might be tariff free quotas for selling beef and cheese to Japan, but these are now unlikely to be negotiated in the time available.

Admittedly, UK-Japan farm trade is not that significant, but it is the general stance that matters.

What can farmers do? Keep talking to their MPs and try and reach the public, for example through local radio.

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11

NEWS

12

EXPANDING, PROTECTING AND IMPROVING OUR WOODLANDS The launch of the England Tree Strategy consultation document has been welcomed by the Country Land & Business Association (CLA).

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has said the strategy “will set out policy priorities to deliver our ambitious tree planting programme”, adding: “It will focus on expanding, protecting and improving our woodlands, and [on] how trees and woodlands can connect people to nature, support the economy, combat climate change and recover biodiversity.”

CLA President Mark Bridgeman said the organisation welcomed the Government’s plans to plant 30,000 hectares of trees per year in the UK by 2025, but added: “Delivering this ambition will require a long-term plan for ramping up the whole woodland economy in England, including investment in the nursery stocks, skills and infrastructure needed to increase planting in the years ahead.

“This is a great opportunity which should be

seized as part of a sustainable economic recovery plan. As well as providing timber and wood products, forestry and woodlands deliver a range of public benefits, depending on location and type, including locking up carbon, biodiversity, water regulation and health and well-being.

“In recent decades, the grants and incentives for woodland creation have simply not been sufficient to overcome the barriers to new planting. As a result, UK woodland creation has averaged around 10,000 hectares annually for the past 15 years, but most of this has been in Scotland. Only 1,400ha was planted in England in 2019.”

His view was shared by CLA member Michael Campbell, of the Ellis Campbell Group, based near Alton in Hampshire. Having taken advantage of small grant opportunities to plant trees in the past, he said government had a vital role to play in supporting planting, particularly to replace diseased ash trees. “I hope the Government will consider some kind of help to landowners,” he commented.

AUGUST 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

Mr Bridgeman added: “For smaller-scale planting and woodland maintenance, DEFRA’s Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS) is an opportunity to get this right; properly designed it can provide incentives that actually deliver more trees and woodland on farms.

“Ultimately, the Government should work with farmers and land managers to ensure the right trees are planted in the right place, while ensuring the right support is provided to develop a woodland economy that will create new markets and rural jobs."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the government’s commitment to re-foresting Britain will create “a new patchwork of woodlands to enchant and re-energise the soul.”

To take part in the consultation, which ends on 11 September, visit https://consult.defra.gov.uk/ and search for ‘tree strategy’

NEWS

INCOME GENERATING

Independent surveyors BTF Partnership believes new government plans will see landowners and developers working closely together on Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) opportunities that will create income generating opportunities for landowners.

BNG refers to using the environmental and biodiversity benefits associated with land. Otherwise known as ecosystem services, these benefits are set to provide another source of income for landowners, explained Laura Nesfield, a director at BTF Partnership.

The draft Environment Bill sets out proposals that require developers to achieve a 10% improvement in biodiversity value and show this in a biodiversity plan submitted with their development plans. While a net gain on the same site is preferred, proposals can relate to a separate site.

BNG is already a requirement of the National Planning Policy Framework and National Planning Practice Guidance, and some planning authorities are already beginning to produce plans detailing local priorities for biodiversity projects.

While many of the developments required to provide BNG will be for housing and the associated roads, schools, shops and healthcare services, it is also expected to apply to some major infrastructure projects, such as the new Lower Thames Crossing in Kent and Essex.

OPPORTUNITIES CREATED

FAREWELL, NICK

A man whose 44-year career will have had an impact on many farms in the South East has retired from his post with the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT).

Professor Nick Sotherton, who retired from his post as Director of Research, Advisory and Education at the end of June, has been with the conservation charity, based in Fordingbridge in Hampshire, since joining what was then the Game Conservancy to study for his PhD in 1976.

While Nick was the trust’s first, the charity is this year expecting to see the 100th GWCT-sponsored PhD completed, highlighting the importance of its work. Nick has been Director of Research since 1998 and in 2015 he took on the additional role of Director of Advisory and Education.

He commented: “Almost from day one, I was told that the organisation was about “turning words into birds”, and 40 years on this motto is still the driving force behind what we are and what we do.

“On the back of quality research, we provide an evidence base for those making management decisions over large tracts of land, be they farmers or policy makers. I have been proud to lead a team of talented scientists and advisors, committed to wildlife conservation in our countryside.”

GWCT Chief Executive Teresa Dent CBE said the charity would miss Nick enormously. “Nick has been a driving force at the Trust and in the field of agricultural science, especially on farmland, throughout his career. Many of his innovations have been agri-environment prescriptions from the start of those schemes, such as beetle banks, and are now seen across the country. This is the end of an era for us.”

Nick’s work with the Game Conservancy’s Cereals and Gamebirds Project is widely acknowledged to have transformed cereal production and wildlife conservation.

Laura said: “Building work on any development will not be able to begin until the local planning authority is happy that off-site biodiversity gain or credits are actually allocated or pre-purchased. The opportunity for landowners is to provide land for biodiversity projects, generating income. Potential sites will need to meet criteria and be capable of meeting new targets for biodiversity enhancement.”

Farms and estates are being advised to consider their own natural capital and the opportunities, including: • Land which is economically productive but without Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) • Land which can be taken out of production for 30 or more years • Progress of local nature recovery schemes and alternative uses for the land • Management obligations for a project and the ongoing costs of doing this • Changes in tax rules relevant to the land • The overall financial plans for the farm and how this would fit into it.

Laura continued: “A number of local authorities are already embracing the principles of BNG. We have already facilitated the sale of a woodland in East Kent which will be used to offset losses on a development site in a Kentish coastal town.

“There are significant potential opportunities here for landowners and farmers and a first step towards progressing them would be to understand the natural capital of their land holdings and the potential opportunities it could create as a new revenue scheme that sits hand in hand with their other farm operations.”

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LETTERS DROUGHT RESEARCH Sir, I am currently working on research into drought management in England (with a focus on the South East) and its impact on the agricultural sector. This research aims to improve understanding of the management of drought risks in England, including the effectiveness of drought policies in protecting the agricultural sector.

The results of the work will have implications for future drought mitigation strategies that seek to address the vulnerability of the agricultural industry.

I am particularly interested in farmers’ and producers’ thoughts on drought risk management and whether they feel they are adequately informed about risks and ways to reduce their vulnerability. I was hoping some of your writers or readers would be interested in discussing this with me I work at Bournemouth University and can be reached at ljarrad@bournemouth.ac.uk or on 01202 961260 or 07500 808278. I would be happy to share any findings.

LAUREN JARRAD, DISASTER MANAGEMENT CENTRE, UNIVERSITY OF BOURNEMOUTH

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OLD SAYING

There is an old saying that to be sure of a good harvest, the crop needs to be “Knee high by the 4th of July”.

South East Farmer correspondent Nick Adames’ Martinez maize crop more than beat that yardstick, as this photograph shows. He has assured the editor that he is wearing the hat in the picture. It was taken on 24 June – and Nick is 6’4” tall…

“The growth here is spectacular and says something for the value of cattle,” he writes. “This was the only bit of land on the farm that has never been ploughed up from grass before.”

Correspondents who would like to illustrate other old farming sayings with relevant photographs are welcome to submit them to the editor in the usual way.

STOP PEDDLING MISINFORMATION Sir, Now that Nick Adames is an ex-dairy farmer, it would be a good idea if he got off his TB hobbyhorse and stopped peddling misinformation from his muddled understanding of the disease. It is a nasty affliction that costs farmers and the country dearly, not to mention the stress, but always blaming DEFRA is unhelpful. We farmers are part of the problem and it would be better if we all had a better understanding of the infection and its mitigation.

Nick is right that trading cattle from endemic areas through busy open marts is a risky strategy, likely to spread TB. Farmers, supported by the NFU, however, insist on the right to trade. Just imagine the hue and cry if DEFRA shut down all marts or movement of cattle between regions. Look at the way people are behaving as Covid-19 lockdown eases.

Nick then states that the skin test is useless and that the Gamma Interferon test is more accurate.

Neither is correct. The old skin test is highly specific, but is not very sensitive. This is a function of biological variation and means that a reactor has been exposed to TB and has reacted to it, whatever the crude abattoir examination reveals.

The problem is it can miss about 20% of infected cases from lack of sensitivity. It is therefore, a satisfactory herd test because it is unlikely to miss infection in a whole herd, but poor for testing just one or a few animals. This is basic statistics and it is four times better than no test.

The Gamma interferon blood test is more sensitive but is not highly specific for TB. This test produces approximately 20% of false positives but no false negatives; the opposite of the skin test.

So, relying on the GI test alone, about one in five animals slaughtered will NOT have been infected by TB and will be killed unnecessarily because they are reacting to something else.

This is a useful back up to the skin test and is best used for herds with frequent breakdowns to glean those few perhaps missed by the skin test.

It is also fundamentally misleading and wrong to imply that cattle slaughtered for a positive skin test while showing no lesions are free of TB. They are simply in the early stages of an indolent process.

They are not healthy, neither are they wasted, for they enter the food chain. There are never absolutes

AUGUST 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

in biological processes as the Covid-19 pandemic illustrates so clearly. In animal and human health we are always dealing with probabilities, not certainties.

Nick then goes on to have another pop at the Environment Agency for sewage back flow and silted rivers. Where did the silt come from but our fields? As for excrement in our rivers, a recent investigation published in a national ‘broadsheet’ reported that there were over 200,000 discharges of untreated sewage into English waterways in 2019, lasting over 1.5 million hours. Not a single water authority was prosecuted.

These privatised public utilities have paid out £57bn to shareholders in dividends through debts of £48bn incurring £1.3bn interest charges. They fail to invest, provide poor service and pollute our waterways, while their CEOs get paid up to £2.4m annually. This is the scandal. Not the Environment Agency.

No sewage should ever enter rivers and investment is urgently required to modernise sewage treatment. Scotland does not have this problem and pays lower water rates too! I wonder why?

Now, Nick, do something positive and uplifting for biodiversity and carbon capture with some native woodland, now the cattle have gone. When did you last hear the turtle dove on your farm? ELMS is just around the corner.

MIKE KETTLEWELL, DAWKINS FARMS, OVER NORTON, OXFORDSHIRE

YAWNING DIVIDE

Sir, It is perhaps unsurprising that after months of isolation, and having discovered the feasibility of working from home, more town and city dwellers are considering a move to the countryside. The countryside promises cleaner air, vast open expanses and an abundance of natural life.

Some polls suggest that as many as 40% of all prospective house-buyers are looking to relocate to rural areas.

But many of these planned moves rest on the assumption that working from home will be as easy in the countryside as it is in the city. All too often, this is not the case. If the Covid-19 crisis has made plain how much our economic life relies on technology and digital skills, it has also highlighted the yawning divide in connectivity between our urban and rural areas.

I know people living in rural “not spots”, who try to find key areas with 4G signal to take important calls or share large documents, be that at the end of the garden or driving to the top of a hill. This divide contributes to the lower productivity in rural areas, which sits at 16% below the national average.

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It’s estimated that nearly half a million rural homes have poor or slow broadband. We welcome the agreement struck between the Government and mobile operators, which entails sharing the cost of phone masts as part of a £1 billion plan to end poor mobile coverage in the countryside, but what matters now is delivery. The reality, as it stands, is that 4G adds £75 billion to the UK economy every year and yet only 66% of rural areas have good coverage.

In order to ensure that the UK has full connectivity by 2025, there needs to be a continual improvement and widening of mobile coverage.

Hard interim targets must be set within the Government’s and mobile operators’ Shared Rural Network agreement.

The UK countryside has been left behind, time and time again. This has to end now.

MARK BRIDGEMAN, PRESIDENT OF THE COUNTRY LAND AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATION (CLA)

HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE UP THE DEFICIT? Sir, Following the opening of the England Tree Strategy consultation from DEFRA, I write to you from my 450-acre arable farm, owned by the Countryside Restoration Trust (CRT). While it is in CRT’s nature to support funding for farmers to expand tree cover, thus reducing carbon emissions and restoring ecosystems, I feel it’s also paramount we consider our nation’s food security at a time of potential crisis.

Ahead of drilling last September, it was estimated that the UK would produce 17 million tonnes of wheat this year. After few crops were drilled due to flooding, this was downgraded to 10m tonnes, and a few weeks ago, that estimate dropped to 7 to 8m tonnes due to drought.

In reality, we need 13 to 14m tonnes of wheat to feed our growing population and we already

> Tim Scott, Countryside Restoration Trust trustee and tenant farmer

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15

© Telegraph Media Group Limited 2020 import half of what is required. Wheat is a staple part of our diet but if thousands of hectares are taken out of food production to plant trees, how are we going to make up the deficit?

Arable growing in the East of England is crucial; 50% of wheat tonnage produced in the UK is in a 50-mile radius of Cambridgeshire. A careful balance is required as to how much farmland we give up and where we plant trees to benefit the environment versus being able to feed ourselves and reduce imports that have little traceability.

At Lark Rise Farm, we provide a biodiverse habitat with a mixture of non-competitive broad-leaved weeds in the base of our crops.

This though, may not be the case on other farms growing cereals, and if many of these fields are replaced with trees, one type of monoculture could be swapped for another.

Under a conifer canopy it’s dark most of the day and only suits certain flora and fauna.

Instead of changing one monoculture for another, let’s take a holistic approach and plant an environment – not just trees. Plant trees at

low density with ample spacing and a diverse mix of native trees and plants to enable nature to flourish while employing wildlife-friendly farming practices, such as mosaic cropping, that sequester carbon, encourage biodiversity and improve health and wellbeing while keeping land productive and viable.

Biosecurity should also be taken into consideration. Trees planted in this country should be propagated in UK nurseries to avoid the spread of imported foreign diseases, such as ash dieback and Dutch elm disease, which have already had a profound effect on habitats.

And finally, with the UK economy due to fall into recession following Covid-19, it’ll be interesting to see if there’ll be an increase in forestry workers to manage numerous new woodland areas, or whether incentives will result in fewer farmworkers.

TIM SCOTT, COUNTRYSIDE RESTORATION TRUST TRUSTEE AND TENANT FARMER, CAMBRIDGESHIRE Editor’s note: See story on page 12

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | AUGUST 2020

MONICA AKEHURST AT THE KITCHEN TABLE > The dogs do like to get in on the action

> Veg patch under construction

16

> Fresh veg in the no dig garden

“Your sheep have eaten all my beans, and I’m a little bit annoyed about it,” said the exasperated voice on our answerphone early on Sunday morning. It’s true that 16 lambs and their mothers ambled into our farmyard late on Saturday evening. I didn’t ask any questions. I was tired and simply opened the field gate and shut it behind them. I was impressed that they came home. I might have known that they would leave a calling card on their way. To be fair I would be equally upset if they’d eaten my veg patch.

I gathered together a peace offering – some freshly laid pullet eggs – and then unwound a couple of my bean plants as replacements, loading them onto Shrek. Bracing myself for a tirade I set off to apologise for my sheep’s misdemeanours. It was true. They had decimated the lower leaves on the bean plants as far up the poles as they could reach, (which was surprisingly high). The peas had clearly passed the taste test; they were obliterated.

> A ladybird checking out weeds (not in my garden)

NEW WOOL STRATEGY

IS ESSENTIAL

I found the grower busy fencing. I decided it wasn’t a good time to remind him that he’d said his fences were sheep proof. It was agreed that the culprits stay home for a while (time being a wonderful healer) and we left on amicable terms.

The resurgence in growing your own vegetables sparked by Covid-19 is one of the positive outcomes of the pandemic. I’ve long intended to grow more of our own vegetables but never quite got around to digging a suitable patch. However, when our resident horticulturist explained that I could do a no dig garden, I couldn’t wait to get started.

> Set up and ready to start shearing

AUGUST 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

Under Hannah’s instruction, I mowed the area very short and saved up lots of cardboard. The latter wasn’t difficult because the youngsters in the family like nothing better than online shopping.

Parcel deliveries large and small abound, generally packed in oversized cardboard boxes. We placed several layers of cardboard down and wet it.

Next Nigel helped me to put sleepers around it and added a generous level of farmyard manure, followed by compost; Nigel went to our local green waste processing centre and fetched a trailer load.

I suggested adding some soil but was told this

> The cygnet family

> Sheep misdemeanours, eaten beans

> Wool lining for hanging baskets

would only encourage weeds. We watered the veg patch and hey presto, it was ready for planting.

I’m excited to be growing my own courgettes, leeks and lettuce (rabbit food as other half calls it). Alongside the new plot are potted tomato plants and beans growing next to the wall. I’m hopeful our homegrown tomatoes and lettuces will bring health benefits; they certainly taste good. Our strawberries haven’t done so well.

Incidentally, I asked my daughter to straw them up and she asked if that was why they were called strawberries. The raspberries are bountiful, the fruit trees are laden, but the grass in the fields is sadly lacking which is worrying. Why, I wonder, is there never a bad year for weeds? Whatever the weather, they always seem to flourish.

Hay and silage crops have been light; let’s hope the regrowth will give us an opportunity to get another cut. The winter fodder and bedding supplies are going to be tight. The cattle grazing on the Pevensey levels are looking good despite the abundance of flies and sparse grass. The little family of cygnets on the old haven are doing well, but give me a hard stare when I’m checking cattle.

I’ve seen fewer swallows around this year, but numbers of buzzards and red kite are increasing.

I never heard the cuckoo this year, which is disappointing.

Our lambs have had their second immunisation and been wormed. I’m keen to take Cliffe Farm Vet Nanja’s advice and wean early this year. The ewes will be glad to get their fleeces off. I have total respect for all shearers in the light of my efforts at shearing a handful of Hoggets. One a day is my limit. I asked yesterday’s client if she would like grade one, two or three. It turned out to be a mixture of all three. Still, they say variety is the spice of life. I’m glad no one was watching our technique, because there did seem to be a lot of close contact with the hogget and ground for both of us. We were equally relieved when the job was done.

I’d like to ask the 14 men who sit on the wool board what their strategy is, and where the key initiatives aimed at raising the profile and sales of wool are. Farmers receive a pittance for their fleeces. Wool is an amazingly versatile, strong, insulating, and fire retardant natural fibre. Why is it so undervalued? Could more joined up thinking

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

> Homegrown tomatoes

be needed between farmers, processors and designers?

Where is the forward thinking and diversity amongst those on the wool board? Is the infrastructure in place to give the modern consumer what they want, which is environmentally friendly, sustainable, transparently produced and locally sourced products? We need to galvanise more support for wool and get the message out there; it’s cool to use wool.

Wool has so many uses, including woollen coffins, but I’m not quite there yet. However I love my woollen winter and summer combination duvets; super cosy, and there’s no overheating as there is with synthetic duvets. Wool filled pillows are comfortable. As for socks, wool is definitely the way forward. Other half has tried several different types claiming to be hard wearing; they develop holes in less than three weeks and end up as rags, while his woollen ones are still going strong.

My hanging baskets are lined with wool, which

looks lovely and retains the moisture. It’s also reported to deter slugs. Compost incorporating wool claims to retain 50% more water. Our hedgerow plants with daggings around the roots have thrived; we’ve had higher losses in those that weren’t planted the same way. For the surfers amongst you, wool is used in surfboards and in lining wetsuits.

Positivity and revival is needed within the wool industry. There are a lot of initiatives out there. A new ‘women with wool’ Facebook group has interesting ideas. Gareth Wyn Jones has put out a good video entitled The True Cost of Wool.

Rampisham Hill farm in Dorset is hoping to get funding to set up a wool processing mill in 2021 which will be able to wash wool, card it into batts or spin it into yarn on behalf of customers.

Southeast England Fibreshed is another group working on creating a directory to make it easier for those working with wool to connect. There is hope; we just need to work together.

> I love the smell of freshly mown grass

> ‘It’s all go’, taking lambs out, keeping up a steady supply of ewes, shearing, wool winding and packing fleeces. Good team work

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | AUGUST 2020

17

DIRECT DRILLING CONTRACTOR

CHOICE OF CULTIVATION

HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT As farmers continue to seek more cost-effective, productive and environmentally friendly methods of working the soil, so the choice of cultivation becomes increasingly important.

Every pass of a field not only costs time and money but disturbs the soil, allows moisture to escape and increases the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere.

While minimal tillage reduces those impacts, direct drilling takes the process one step further, allowing the crop to be ‘stitched’ into the previous crop in one pass, either to improve an existing ley or sow something new.

It was the environmental and cost benefi ts of direct drilling that attracted Charlie Burchell to the process when he was looking for a niche service to offer farmers in the South East. A former dairy farmer, Charlie, who trades as Town Place Farm Direct Drilling Services, was looking for something that would not compete directly with larger contractors but

18

AUGUST 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

would offer a specific benefi t.

“The world of farming is changing and will continue to change. Anything that reduces soil disturbance, prevents the loss of CO2 and keeps moisture in the soil is likely to be increasingly important in future, and direct drilling presses all those buttons,” he explained.

“It is certainly not the answer to everyone’s needs, but as farming responds to environmental and cost challenges, I am certain it will increasingly prove its value as an efficient and effective way of establishing most crops.”

That establishment is boosted by the fact that Charlie, based at Town Place Farm, Uckfield, in East Sussex, uses a Simtech Aitchison direct drill which has a unique inverted T-boot system to place the seed in a pocket in the soil created either side of each coulter.

“The seed sits at just the right depth in an undisturbed micro-climate that retains its moisture because it is to either side of the drill,” said Charlie.

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Using our proven Simtech Aitchison direct drill we seed into all surfaces - grasses, clovers, brassicas, cereals, pulses, maize and all mixtures.

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This method saves time and money compared with more traditional re-seeding methods, but is also capable of stitching and rejuvenating existing crops.

Town Place Farm, Haywards Heath Tel: 01825 790341 Mob: 07970 621832 Email: Charlie@townplacefarm.co.uk Give your grass the best possible start in life, with the unique environment created by the Inverted T-Slot System “the greenhouse in the soil”

Simtech T-Sem

“This gives the seeds a better start than being wedged in the compacted V-groove that is created by a disc drill.”

The decision to invest in the Simtech drill followed a great deal of research and reflects Charlie’s former dairy farming experience. “The Aitchison drill originated in New Zealand, where they know more than most people about growing grass, so it had the pedigree I wanted,” he said.

He wasn’t disappointed. The drill is well built, versatile, simple to operate and adjust and, in Charlie’s words, “does exactly what it says on the tin”. As well as the 18 inverted T-boots that place the seed in moist, undisturbed soil, Charlie is impressed by the sponge-fed metering system that dispenses seed in a continuous flow.

This unique system allows clovers, grasses and brassicas to be sown at very low rates, if desired, while cereals, peas and beans can be sown at up to 400kgs/hectare.

Charlie can also drill complex combinations such as conservation and wild bird mixes, arable silage, game and cover crops, with fine seed rate adjustment controlled by a simple wheel on the variable speed gearbox.

Since taking delivery of the Aitchison GrassFarmer last May, Charlie has direct drilled 400 acres for a variety of famers. “In some cases I have improved a ley to give it another year of use, but I have also drilled sunflowers, cover crops for shoots and wild bird mixes for environmental management schemes,” he commented. >>

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DIRECT DRILLING CONTRACTOR

> Charlie shows an inverted T-boot

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<< “One of the beauties of direct drilling is that you can place the seeds into an area where there is moisture already. Even where moisture is lacking, the fact that you are moving less soil keeps further loss to a minimum when compared with conventional tillage.

“There will always be factors that are beyond your control, regardless of the methods used, such as extreme weather patterns, slugs, flea beetle and leather-jackets, but by providing a favourable environment for germination and establishment, you are maximising the chance that the crop will be able to grow away from such threats.”

From an environmental and cost benefit perspective, the Aitchison drill is very economical to run. Charlie relies on a Massey Ferguson 5610, a three cylinder, 103 HP machine supplied by Yeowarts that makes light work of towing the drill.

“On an average day and given good sowing conditions, I can drill more than 25 acres at a drilling speed of 4.6 mph on just under a tank of fuel,” he said. “The efficiency helps to cut costs that are already reduced by the fact that this is a single-pass system. Farmers increasingly have to look at environmental and financial costs, and direct drilling scores on both those issues.”

FEATURED COMPANY: CHARLIE BURCHELL Charlie is now planning to add a front linkage so that he can mount a roller to compact the ground ahead of the drill and flatten any surface vegetation in the optimum direction for sowing.

He explained: “Since George Simon and his wife Lindsey began importing the Aitchison drill, George and his colleague Simon Clarke have developed a range of models that are designed specifically for Europe and are more versatile and user-friendly.

“The new drills built by Simtech give a wide range of models to choose from and are well-designed pieces of kit. They are very robust, which enables them to tackle some pretty unforgiving terrain with low running costs. The other benefit of going for Simtech is that George has provided absolutely first class backup and support.”

Charlie is so impressed that he is already thinking of upgrading to take advantage of recent improvements that make the drill easier to adjust and set up while retaining the build quality for which it is renowned.

“Direct drilling is definitely a valuable tool that farmers need to consider,” Charlie concluded. “It has a number of significant cost, environmental and establishment benefits and I am convinced that it will become increasingly important in the future.”

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21

LEGAL DIARY

STAMP DUTY © Thinglass / Shutterstock.com

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LAND TAX BREAK What is Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)?

SDLT is a tax imposed in England and Northern Ireland by the Government on the purchase of properties. Scotland and Wales also have similar arrangements.

The main purpose of SDLT is to raise funds for the UK Treasury.

SDLT ON PURCHASES

In its simplest terms, residential SDLT rates in England and Northern Ireland are as follows: 1. 0% is paid for properties purchased for £125,000 or less.

2. 2% of the purchase price is paid on properties valued between £125,001 and £250,000.

3. 5% of the purchase price is paid on properties valued between £250,001 and £925,000.

4. 10% of the purchase price is paid on properties valued between £925,001 and £1,500,000.

5. 12% of the purchase price is paid on properties valued at more than £1,500,000.

This is a staggered threshold. By way of an example, if a property is purchased for £500,000, the SDLT payable is not 5% of £500,000. Rather the SDLT will be calculated as follows: 0% on the first £125,000 = £0 2% on the next £125,000 = £2,500 5% on the remaining £250,000 = £12,500 Therefore, a total of £15,000 SDLT is payable on a property purchased for £500,000.

AUGUST 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

SDLT is not as simple as it seems. For example, buyers with multiple properties will pay a different amount of SDLT compared to buyers with only one residential home. Buy to let properties are also subject to varying SDLT thresholds. First time buyers do not pay SDLT on properties up to a value of £300,000. Therefore, professional advice should be sought.

CONCESSIONS IN LIGHT OF COVID-19

On 8 July 2020, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that a break for SDLT would be implemented with immediate effect to revive the property market. As a result SDLT has been abolished for properties up to the value of £500,000. The break will last until 31 March 2021.

Detailed guidance will follow in due course. It is expected this will explain SDLT thresholds for properties over the value of £500,000.

For advice regarding SDLT, please contact a member of our property team.

URVASHI SUDDUL

Trainee Solicitor, Whitehead Monckton T: 01622 698010 E: urvashisuddul@whitehead-monckton.co.uk www.whitehead-monckton.co.uk

ORGANISED CHAOS ANITA HEAD

LIFE IS SETTLING INTO

THE ‘NEW NORMAL’ As the longest day of the year has passed, we switch our thoughts to harvest time and the inevitable winter that is slowly headed our way. Dark evenings and rain would appear to be our ‘normal’ winters now. Silaging is now behind us and the combine has been serviced and had a spring clean ready to leap into action as soon as the crops are ready.

Schools/universities are allegedly starting as normal in September. Pubs have reopened, initially giving rise to potential influxes of drunkenness, but it will no doubt settle down and hopefully work well. Long may it continue.

The food shortage that ensued post-lockdown seems to be under control and life is settling into the ‘new normal’. The children have even been able to see their grandparents (socially distanced of course). I am so over home-schooling now.

I have had immense pleasure from having the children home, but a teacher I am not. Tractors seem to have been the topic of conversation over the dinner table lately. Which brand is the most reliable? Which is the most cost effective? Which reps return your call? We seem to go round in circles. Ted would just like a slurry tanker.

Agriculture has seen many changes through the years, whether it was the domestication of animals and plants a few thousand years ago, the use of crop rotations and other farming improvements a few hundred years ago or the ‘modern revolution’ with systematic breeding and the use of man-made fertilizers and pesticides a number of decades ago. Is agriculture undergoing a fourth revolution with the increased use of technology in agriculture?

Robotic vehicles used in farming are becoming more numerous than in previous years. Drones or satellites that fly above the crops taking photos that can be used to calculate the biomass development for use in fertilisation of crops.

The advances in agricultural technology have far reaching advantages as well as consequences.

Virtual fences are beginning to play a role in livestock farming today; underground currents/ cables that keep livestock in a certain area. Our local common land is now using this technology.

Similar technology can now be incorporated into a cattle tag that can relay management information. At an affordable cost, it becomes

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an essential e.g. resting time, temperature of the cow, cudding time, eating time etc. You can access the information at any time via an app on your phone. It sends you alerts if a cow needs attention. The technology is quite impressive and can open many areas of opportunity for analysis.

Such changes in technology not only come with opportunities but also big challenges. The cost of such items could prove to be a prohibitive factor to many. At a minimum cost of £25,000+ for a medium herd, it is a hard cost to swallow, especially when the milk price is almost exactly the same as it was 30 years ago.

I don’t want to gripe about dairy margins. We are not alone in being squeezed; many areas of farming are feeling under pressure I am sure.

There was a time when the wool clip would pay the rent on many farms, but now we see images of wool being put on muck heaps or being burnt because its value won’t even cover the cost of the packing and the diesel to deliver it. I know times change, but even with my rudimentary grasp of history you don’t have to look far to identify towns and cities having been built on the back of wool.

We only run six ewes, an enterprise that does little more than provide education and entertainment for the children and fills the freezer. When we sheared our sheep this summer the wool went straight on the bonfire, more for convenience than anything else. Even then I may have run the risk of contravening some waste regulation. I can only imagine what it must be like if we had hundreds or even thousands of ewes; that’s before we even get to the work/ cost involved for no return. Strange times, eh?

Strange times indeed; we hear it a lot, don’t we? Unprecedented times they say. The word unprecedented has become a fixture in modern day language, but Covid-19 aside, is the situation our country finds itself in unprecedented?

In 1966 the then recently elected prime minister Harold Wilson was facing impending economic difficulty (ring any bells?). At that time we were also, as a nation, outside Europe – known then as the Common Market (sound familiar?), having been blocked from entering by the French President General de Gaulle. Wilson was keen on developing a strong relationship with the then US president Lyndon Johnson,

similar to the one that had been enjoyed by their predecessors, Prime Minister Macmillan and President Kennedy up to 1963, as these two leaders had established a political friendship of great cordiality and respect.

Wilson was also under pressure from the Commonwealth (not dissimilar to now), with many at that time unhappy with the way he was dealing with Ian Smith and the (Rhodesia) Zimbabwe question. Wilson was concerned that the UK could become isolated and lose its political influence.

As a consequence Wilson discussed the possibility of the UK becoming the 51st State of America. This was claimed by Sir Trevor Lloyd Hughes, a press secretary for Number 10, and backed up by lady Falkender, at that time Wilson’s political secretary. Ultimately the discussions failed, partly because the US was keen for Britain to join Europe to restrain, as they saw it, De Gaulle’s erratic behaviour, but also because Johnson, under increasing pressure due to the failings occurring in Vietnam, became irritated

by Wilson’s refusal of America’s request to send British troops there.

It may not happen, but if, as seems likely, we fail to secure what was once termed the easiest trade deal in history with the EU, and the Commonwealth plays a much harder game in future deals because they view us as weak, how do we react? Do we become a little Switzerland?

Where does our ex-American citizen Prime Minister turn, having done his trade deal with the US? A different set of world circumstances possibly, but unprecedented? You decide. The choice that Wilson had, one of two paths, was ultimately decided not by him but his successor Edward Heath in 1970. This time, however, one of those paths is blocked.

Let us hope we have an uneventful, fruitful harvest to see us forward to next year.

ANITA HEAD Farmer

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | AUGUST 2020

23

SEED

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T: 01264 321 595 www.openfield.co.uk

ELVED PHILLIPS ARABLE NOTES

GOOD PROGRAMME OF MALTING BARLEY EXPORTS

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As I write, on 8 July, the UK harvest has started, with winter barley combined in the far east and west and some oilseed rape in Kent. It’s too soon to comment on yield, but if it’s as good as the 50% plus of winter barley harvested so far in France we will be OK. There, yields are average to good but grain quality is excellent, with full barley achieving 90% retention on a 2.5 sieve, nitrogen in the 1.60 to 1.80 range.

The UK winter barley has had similar weather patterns, so this augurs well for us. Our southern spring barley crop has had a more difficult growing season. Early sown on the chalk, some barley looks as good as it ever could do, with big ears and increased grain sites hopefully compensating for fewer plants.

Later planted springs germinated more unevenly, so will produce later greener secondary tillers. These crops may not achieve malting because of uneven ripening. In some cases growers won’t be able to wait for the whole crop to reach maturity. Others will wait, as they may want the secondary tillers to augment the crop, but green or thin grain will spoil samples for malting. That shouldn’t matter as we will have a large surplus of usable malting barley.

As before, Openfield has a good programme of malting barley exports starting in September and going through until March 2021. Despite the easing of lockdown restrictions, it will probably be some time in 2021 before we see anything like a return to normality in beer sales.

UK demand for malting barley is estimated to be 400,000 tonnes down, but no-one really knows. In April, UK malt production fell by 25% and in May it was 27% down. With French winter and first

springs being reasonable quality there will be plenty of malting barley to compete with the UK for the German malting market. Also the French and Danes have no restriction over shipping by the Brexit deadline of 31 December, so it’s not surprising that malting premiums in the south for brewing, export barley, max 1.85 nitrogen, are only £5 to £10 per tonne.

Clearly, being able to ship from Sheerness, Portsmouth, Portbury, Sharpness – with normal blending opportunities – is more comfortable for growers than playing ‘Russian Roulette’ with individual lorries trucking 160 miles east and perhaps risking rejection for quality issues that could be dealt with simply when loading vessels.

In the bigger picture there are no known weather issues in any major producing areas in the northern or southern hemisphere, but I hope that’s not going to be a case of ‘famous last words!’ Russia and the Black Sea seem to have avoided the ‘summer drought’.

Australian wheat production has rebounded from last year’s low of 15.2 million tonnes to an expected 26.7 million tonnes. This alone is offsetting the lower EU production, which includes the UK. They have the, sometimes tricky, months of August and September to negotiate, but there is plenty of rain falling in the east and west just now.

This time last year American maize was the big concern, but not this time, with all the ‘prevent plant’ areas re-instated. Until the last USDA report, record crops were again forecast and the hedge funds had sold a ELVED PHILLIPS small matter of 30 million tonnes of futures short! However, a Openfield confirmation of reduced plantings (with increased old crop stocks)

IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF YOUR SOIL

surprised everyone by knocking 17 million tonnes off the expected surplus. To put that in perspective, that’s not so much when you are talking about over one billion tonnes of world production, but it caused the hedge funds to rush in and buy back one third of their shorts.

There is supposed to be some very hot, dry weather coming in the next month; just when the crop is pollinating. Add in rumours that China has already bought 70 cargos of maize from the USA and Ukraine five million tonnes and you have the makings of a maize story which will feature in this column next month.

International feed barley seems more straightforward. France is now enjoying the revival of selling big boats to China, without competition from Australia, and has a good forward shipping programme. The UK will be tendering for the Saudi business, but the last one million tonne order was supplied by the Black Sea at an equivalent of £110 per tonne ex farm, so it’s pretty competitive. Some North African countries are estimating up to a 60% reduction in total crop size, so that still looks like the most likely destination for UK big feed barley boats.

As far as wheat goes, the UK has to wait and see what the quality profile is of harvested wheat. That will dictate whether our millers need to launch into the pre-31 December market to import more quality wheat or make maximum use of our home grown wheat, which they would prefer to do. For now, because of our need to import anyway, forward values are still stable, with feed at about £160 and milling premiums at £25/£30. If you want to risk selling some, you probably have the highest ex farm wheat price in the world, for now.

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STEPHEN CARR

I’M TROUBLED BY SHALLOW

SOIL DEPTH AND LARGE FLINTS As a farmer of mostly marginal arable land I’ve taken a keen interest in the latest ‘market outlook’ for cereal growers published by the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board (AHDB). The report examines the likely consequences for grain growers on marginal land of the rapid withdrawal of BPS payments in England over the next few years.

You don’t have to be David Eudall, head of arable market specialists at AHDB, to know that the more marginal a farmer’s land the more dependent he or she is likely to be on subsidy payments to make ends meet. Mr Eudall speculates in his report that a combination of post-Brexit liberalised trade policy for cereals and oilseeds might cause a significant drop in UK arable commodity output as farmers give up the struggle as the BPS is withdrawn.

He also makes the point that this drop in production might be even more pronounced if the government’s proposed Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS) is generous in paying arable farmers either to give up their arable production or switch to less intensive and less

productive arable systems to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

On much of my downland soils, I’m troubled by shallow soil depth and large flints, while my heavier Wealden land is prone to flooding and is of a clayey texture which makes it difficult to create a suitable seedbed in a difficult season. All of these factors, of course, tend to have a negative impact on my average crop yields or increase my growing costs. The sharp edge of a flint the size of a football is no respecter of a brand new radial tractor rear tyre even if it does cost well over £1,000 excluding VAT. So I could not agree more with Mr Eudall that a significant proportion of English arable land might not continue in production once the BPS is gone. I have always been highly sensitive to agri-environment scheme incentives, but I often wonder how many of my arable farming colleagues fully factor in the ‘opportunity cost’ of rejecting agri-environmental payments on marginal arable land? It’s all very well making a ‘profit’ from grain production by including the BPS payment

Free wild oat resistance testing is being offered in a bid to provide an updated picture of the weed’s resistance to herbicide and its current impact across the UK. The free testing, which is available to UK growers and agronomists from now through to the start of harvest, is being co-ordinated by NIAB and supported by off-patent crop protection manufacturer Life Scientific.

NIAB’s weed biology specialist John Cussans said he hoped the information gained from the submitted samples would “provide an updated picture of wild oat herbicide resistance, and also a general picture of where we are with wildoats currently across the UK”.

The common wild oat (Avena fatua) is an important weed in all parts of the UK

AGRICULTURAL SERVICES

STEPHEN CARR Arable farmer

in the gross margin, but might not countryside stewardship payments have offered a more secure income?

So, much will depend on the nature of the ELMS, and it is little short of a scandal that farmers still haven’t got much idea what form the payments will take or how generous they will be. If the payments provide arable subsidies, like paying farmers generous sums to min-till (to reduce the CO2 emissions associated with ploughing), then arable production might well continue on marginal land. But if the payments are small, poorly devised or impractical then I think Mr Eudall is right: expect a huge crash in output from English arable farming as growers are faced with big trading losses unless they cease production on their poorer land.

FREE TESTING

and grows in most soil types, causing problems in winter and spring crops. The winter wild oat (Avena sterilis ssp. ludoviciana) has a more localised distribution and is an issue in winter crops. They are highly competitive and can act as hosts for pests and diseases such as barley yellow dwarf virus.

There is more information, including a video on how to collect wild oat seeds, at www.niab.com Follow the links from the virtual event hub

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AGRONOMY

POST HARVEST

SOIL CULTIVATIONS Take a ‘light touch’ to post-harvest cultivations for soil health As harvest approaches and thoughts turn to preparing ground for next season, many growers will be eager to get on with cultivations and drilling to avoid any potential repeat of last year’s rain-disrupted autumn programme.

Before rushing in behind the combine with the plough, subsoiler or other deep cultivations, James Short of Hutchinsons urges caution and patience, as in many cases intense tillage is unnecessary and

potentially damaging to soil health.

The first thing you’ve got to do is identify the issue. The vast majority of soil inspections we’ve done this year show 90% of soil water management issues are focussed on the top 100-125mm of soil, not the lower profile.

That means that in many cases where waterlogging was seen last autumn/winter, it was an infiltration issue, not compaction, which is not going to be addressed by deep subsoiling or mole

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JAMES SHORT

Hutchinsons T: 07721 567083 E: james.short@hlhltd.co.uk Canterbury: 01227 830064 www.hlhltd.co.uk

AUGUST 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

ploughing this autumn.

Fields should be individually assessed to determine soil status and cultivation requirements, ideally when there is adequate moisture, as very dry soil can appear hard and compacted when it is simply due to lack of water.

Overwinter cover crops, or catch crops grown between harvest and an autumn-sown crop, are an excellent way of providing extra root mass and improving soil structure during periods when the soil would otherwise be bare.

Hutchinsons offers a range of multi-species mixes to suit different situations, with most in the ground for eight to 16 weeks.

“They’re all small seed for accurate application through a drill or seeder unit, and are cereal-free because volunteers already exist from previous wheat, barley or oat stubbles,” said James.

Key things to look for include: • Crop growth – what does the crop tell you? Is it a uniform colour and even growth or are there stressed, thin or patchy areas?

• Surface layers – has the surface layer slumped or capped, preventing water infiltration?

• Natural structuring – has cracking of clay soils during dry weather naturally improved capped or compacted layers?

• Root growth – are roots growing freely through the profile, or are they restricted anywhere?

• Worm activity – are there signs of worm activity and is there a good mix of different species?

• Compacted layers – is any compaction evident?

How deep is it? How widespread is it?

• Moisture – where is the soil wet or dry? Is moisture sitting in certain layers, or evenly distributed?

• Test stability – use the slake test to see how well soil holds together (see below) • Look, smell, feel – are there any obvious issues?

To find out more about Hutchinsons’ soil assessment services and cover crop options for this autumn, visit www.hlhltd.co.uk, where you can also see the latest Fieldview Live video updates from agronomy trials around the country.

ACCOUNTANCY

THE FUTURE OF FARMING

DURING AND POST-CORONAVIRUS Many farmers may suďŹ&#x20AC;er from lower prices this harvest or from livestock sales as a result of Covid-19. I also suspect there will be an impact on land prices, but probably not downwards.

The impact of Covid-19 has stopped the marketing of most farms, but there are still a number of private deals concluding and the market has started to open up again. It will be interesting to see over the next few years if there is an impact from Covid-19 on who is buying and what they are buying.

Nationally, we act for hundreds of landowners, the majority being traditional family farms. We also have many clients who are non-farmers, such as non-resident owners, family trusts, institutional investors and lifestyle owners. The economic impact on other areas of the economy will increase the interest in agricultural land, forestry and renewable assets from non-farming buyers.

Pension funds and investors who own commercial, retail and office space will have seen the values of their properties plummet, with little hope of recovery over the short to medium term.

Landlords of retail property are seeing tenants go into liquidation or negotiate reduced rents.

High street retail property valuations have been dropping, but the crisis has caused values to

collapse in most areas.

Companies are also considering how much office space they will require in future. This is a result of the sea of change in the attitude to home or flexi-working, which I do not see altering. The pandemic has accelerated a move to flexi-working and it will undoubtedly become the norm for employees to work at home some or all of the time.

Employers will subsequently benefit from reduced costs due to less office floor space being required.

With an over-supply of office space, rents and returns will drop for landlords.

Agricultural land, forestry and existing renewable assets will increasingly be seen as a safe haven for investors and wealthy individuals looking for a home for their money. Farmland offers a secure investment, but with a relatively low return of capital. Renewable assets such as wind turbines make great assets for pensions funds looking for a good yield from a green investment. The demand for forestry will fuel the interest in some upland farms that might be difficult to sell as commercial farms. Forestry has offered an excellent capital growth which is tax free and again deemed to be a safe green investment.

For the individual purchaser, if nothing else, Covid-19 has been a reminder that (given the easy access to the countryside) many of us are lucky

where we live. With remote working there will be high net worth individuals looking to relocate and move from cities to rural locations.

Whether it is investors realigning their property portfolios or wealthy individuals relocating to the countryside, it seems to me the number of possible purchasers will have increased as a result of Covid-19. Is this all bad for the farmers? I do not think so. For decades land values have been influenced by many non-agricultural factors and tax. New investors into the industry spend money.

Non-farming owners often provide opportunities to lease land, offer contracting options, improve fences and drainage and build and generate economic activity in the local community. Every buyer needs a seller and there are many farms with no succession plans in place who will be looking to sell and retire. Lifestyle or investors might provide the only option for exit and retirement.

Ironically, the only area that is not pointing to an increase in land prices is the future profitability of farming, especially livestock farming. Threats of an increase in competition from world trade deals, pressure on household incomes, labour shortages and changing consumer habits all point to a difficult few years. It is going to be a tough time for agriculture, but I do not see land prices collapsing like many office and retail properties in the UK.

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If you would like any further information or assistance in the areas we have covered above, please contact us â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we are here to help.

Claire Parry

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NICK ADAMES WEST SUSSEX DIARY

28

So the season moves on. The wet late winter and early spring turned suddenly to ‘fine and dry’ then very quickly to drought. Some spring cereal crops now look almost beyond hope and the pattern of several previous years seems to be repeating itself.

The only crop we have in the ground at this time is forage maize which we planted on 21 April after two inches of rain; risking frost, but although there were a couple of light ones the crop sailed on, got its roots down, beat the wireworm, and has not looked back. Now in late June it is approaching seven feet, and the only damage it has suffered came from the sprayer wheels, but it largely recovered, so the anticipation is of a good crop when it is cut in September. Never having run a modern sprayer I’m not an expert, but I do seem to remember having the crop sprayed previously by one fitted with narrow ‘rowcrop’ wheels? They would have saved a lot of damage here, although perhaps it is not an option now the spray booms cover 36m? Perhaps it weighs too much?

The vines planted by the vineyard in May are showing strong growth. Most ‘heads’ were over the top of their protective tubes by 30 June so clearly have their ‘feet’ down in some moisture, which will be a relief. When we had the herd, the whole area now put to vines was quite easily reached by the underground pipes and hydrant system which we used to get rid of dirty water. While these are still there, the pipes are now considered unnecessary. In fact I imagine deep rooting plants like vines will very soon be finding adequate moisture even in the very driest seasons. We shall see.

We had been planning to drive north by now to see the progress of the forest in Argyll, but for all too obvious reasons, we have not left Sussex. There should be a lot to see as it is now almost 22 months since we were there and, I am told by my local ‘eyes’, the sitka plantations have grown phenomenally. I think growth will need to be more than ‘phenomenal’ for them to be fit for harvesting while we are still alive

FORAGE MAIZE NOT LOOKED BACK and kicking! It is around a 35-year cycle and they were planted in 2010/11.

Additionally, I have to have a close look at the bit of new land next door to the forest which the agents, Scottish Woodlands, were hoping to get planted up with further sitka spruce by the end of the year.

However, with the way everything seems to have been affected by the virus issue, I imagine, this might be a difficult deadline for them to meet.

At least the land should be easier to plant, since it is not so high and doesn’t run up into rocky outcrops, as the top ground on the main forest does. While many steeper features were untouched there, to meet environmental concerns, they ploughed down over some very steep land containing a good many acres.

The trees planted there are now taking a healthy hold but are not quite so forward as those on the better land.

This new land is on fairly gentle, south to south easterly-facing slopes. Up to 650ft it appears to have been farmed on a ‘dog and stick’ system for years, but from the point of planting it should be quite straightforward. Unfortunately not really suitable for vines yet… Who know what will be growing up there in another hundred years, though?

Having suffered, like most, with the press paranoia surrounding this year’s virus, it is quite likely my feelings are being shared to a greater or lesser degree by everyone in my, so called, vulnerable age group. Most people one speaks to feel the steps taken to protect the population were good, yet the reaction of the tabloid papers has been very largely dishonest and incoherent.

NICK ADAMES Former dairy farmer

> The first Chardonnay vine emerges in our Sussex sunshine a month after planting

AUGUST 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

They just seem determined to create fear of a virus which is not nearly as bad as Asian Flu in the late 1950s and certainly miniscule compared to the Spanish Flu 100 years ago. I lived through the Asian variety and I hardly remembered anything about it from press and radio; we all just got on with our daily lives. Those were the days when the media of the day generally reported facts and told the truth, rather than speculating, usually from their own politicised perspective. Today every headline or ‘lead’ story starts with the words “could” “might” or “maybe”; as opposed to “has” or “results show”. Too many of today’s journalist/newsreaders present the news from their own political angle. So the truth suffers.

The extent of general published lies and scares being put out is really appalling. It has stopped this household reading the papers or listening to news, beyond the first ‘half a minute’s’ headlines. It has also had the effect of persuading me to just get back to my normal life, and apart from not shaking hands or ‘hugging or kissing’ everyone, I am very happy to take my chances. Certainly there will be no face masks. I actually think that, along with many others, I had the virus in January. I certainly had a cough like never before.

We read many reports about the behaviour of ‘the public’ coming into the country for peace and privacy.

I can only say, having opened the home farm up in the spring, for neighbours to walk ‘off footpath’, we have had no reports of it being abused. Everyone seemed appreciative and as a PR exercise I would recommend it; so long as there are no livestock or crops involved.

WELFORD PARK

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SOIL HEALTH

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VALUABLE ASSET The soil health journey is at the heart of everything The Welford Estate does. Their goal is combining farm productivity and profitability while nurturing their most valuable asset â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the soil. Nigel Akehurst interviewed farm manager Rob Waterston to find out more.

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>> > Deborah

and James Puxley

AUGUST 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

FEATURED FARM: The Welford Estate has been owned by the ancestors of the Puxley family since the 17th Century. At one stage the family’s ownership covered more than 9,000 hectares in six counties.

The Welford Estate was the smallest of the family’s holdings and when the remaining land was sold after the First World War, this estate was retained, although reduced in size. Following compulsory acquisition of approximately 280 hectares, the estate now extends to 1,140 hectares straddling the M4 to the west of Newbury in Berkshire.

The estate has diversified over the years, converting a range of buildings into offices, numerous cottage lettings, a former landfill site and a syndicate shoot. James and Deborah Puxley live in

the main house. For the past six years the gardens and outbuildings have been the location of a wellknown TV show.

In addition, every February around 15,000 visitors come to see the estate’s display of snowdrops. This has been a tradition at Welford for many years, with some of the proceeds going to support local charities.

A TRADITIONAL FARMING ESTATE

The estate is in many ways a traditional farming operation. It takes its role within farming and the community very seriously. Heading up the farm operation is Rob Waterston, who took over the farm manager’s role when his predecessor moved to New Zealand in 2007. >>

WELFORD PARK

FARM FACTS • The Welford Estate extends to 1,140 hectares, straddling the M4 to the west of Newbury • Owned by the Puxley family. James and Deborah live in the main house.

• Diversified over the years, converting a range of buildings into offices, numerous cottage lettings, a former landfill site and a syndicate shoot.

• One of the larger offices has been converted into a school supporting children with special educational needs.

• The main house and gardens hold various functions throughout the year and are an integral part of the local community. February sees the gardens, renowned for their display of snowdrops in a beech wood, open to visitors, with 15,000 people enjoying the spectacle each year.

• The arable land extends to 670 hectares, with free-draining flinty loam soils with patches of heavier clay.

• Moved away from wheat (10.55 t/ha), winter barley (8.8 t/ha) and oilseed rape (3.66 t/ha) rotation to spring barley (7.12 t/ha) to control blackgrass. Winter beans (4.15 t/ha) have been introduced for the second year, with winter barley now dropped from the rotation. Spring Oats and Spring Triticale have also been grown for the first time this year.

• Minimal cultivation techniques have been employed across the farm for many years.

• Apply approximately 3,000 tonnes of sewage sludge on a rotational basis to supply three years’ phosphate to the crops.

• Variable rate applications of compound and liquid nitrogen fertiliser are applied using the SOYL (precision farming) system.

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

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SOIL HEALTH FARM FACTS • Variable rate seeding has been adopted, incorporating soil type and historic combine yield data.

• Woodland extends to 185 ha and there is 120 ha of permanent pasture (utilised by sub-grazier) • Contract farming agreement on 190 ha neighbouring unit • Environmental schemes; Mid-Tier Countryside Stewardship agreement started in January 2020. A Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier with woodland support application started in January 2017.

• Two full time tractor drivers and a farm manager – all salaried. Two students are employed during the harvest period.

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• Other staff include an estate groundsman and an estate maintenance man.

• Edaphos Agronomy Services are employed on the farm.

• In 2015 the estate invested in a new 3,200 tonne grain store.

> Robert

FEATURED FARM: << Before that Rob worked on a number of farms and farming businesses in Shropshire and Warwickshire. He graduated with a degree in Agriculture and Land Management at Harper Adams back in ’93/’94 and grew up on a farm. His grandfather was a farmer and his father a farm manager.

BEAUTIFUL SEEDBEDS, BLACKGRASS AND AN UNSUSTAINABLE ROTATION

When Rob arrived at Welford in 2007, around half of the estate was ploughed, with the rest cultivated using a Vaderstad TopDown. All of the drilling was carried out using an 8m Tive drill.

The rotation at this time was of winter wheat, winter barley and oilseed rape. The estate ran the TopDown for several years but found it expensive to maintain, with the flinty loam soil being particularly unforgiving on their kit.

The system required several passes with heavy machinery to create the seedbeds; ploughing, pressing, cultivating and then drilling. “The tine drill struggled with the trash,” admitted Rob. The estate started to look into different drills that could be pulled by their existing 210 hp tractor, settling on 8m Vaderstad Spirit disc drill in 2012.

They changed their TopDown to a Horsch Terrano, which was all tines. At this point they had a system that could cope with more trash and decided to get rid of the plough, which by then was completely ‘worn out’.

“Around this time blackgrass was becoming more of a problem and we were stacking more pre-emergence herbicides, with mixed results,” said Rob.

Waterston in the Spring Barley

AUGUST 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

WELFORD PARK

“Looking back it wasn’t a sustainable rotation and I was guilty of saying let’s give it one more year,” he continued.

Even with the blackgrass creeping in, they were still getting good yields, he explained.

CHANGING THEIR APPROACH AND INTRODUCING COVER CROPS

In 2016 they finally lost the battle with blackgrass in a block of wheat and were forced to spray out 10 ha.

“Looking back now, you can still see to the line where we sprayed and should in hindsight have done more,” said Rob. To make matters worse the field was in full view of the M4 motorway, sparking several pointed comments from local farmers who suggested they had got their sprays mixed up.

“We decided we had to change our approach,” he said.

That was the first year they grew spring barley. It marked the start of a new phase in their rotation with a move to more spring planting.

In 2017 they dropped winter barley altogether.

That year David Lines, their long standing Agronomist, retired and put Rob in touch with Mike and Ben Harrington at Edaphos. This prompted a big re-think, with a new focus on improving soil and plant health while harnessing the soil’s stored resources to their full potential to achieve a healthy, well balanced system.

“We spent time looking at our soils and Edaphos suggested we try planting cover crops,”said Rob. That autumn they planted three different mixes of cover crop. >>

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<< “It really caught my attention, though I remember thinking how are we going to cope with the volume of material,” remarked Rob. “The first year we sprayed it off in good time and found that the residues weren’t an issue.”

They have since gone cover crop ‘mad’, trialling different mixes and using them widely.

“We found a definite difference between each mix in terms of what they captured in terms of nutrients, and slug pressure was markedly higher after oil radish cover crops.

“We’ve now dropped oil radish and use a linseed, buckwheat, berseem clover, phacelia, vetch and oat mix,” said Rob. “This winter we had 1,500 sheep to process the cover crops. The sheep did > The

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a fantastic job in processing the cover crops, although they did unfortunately poach the ground a little during the prolonged wet winter.”

In an attempt to boost their soil organic matter, they are now chopping straw and applying farmyard manure, spreading approximately 3,000 tonnes of sewage sludge on a rotational basis.

A MORE DIVERSE ROTATION

Edaphos have also pushed the estate to adopt a more diverse rotation, which Rob believes is beginning to make a difference.

With oilseed rape yields under pressure, the estate has opted to grow winter beans using the Mzuri strip till establishment system. Beans provide a fantastic entry for winter wheat. Spring oats are also being grown for the first time this year.

“Two consecutive years of spring barley has definitely prevented the blackgrass getting worse, with a few fields showing an improvement in terms of blackgrass pressure,” said Rob. The one pinch point of the move to more spring planting is that all their harvesting is carried out in a relatively small window in August by their own Claas Lexion 770 combine harvester and 10.5m header. This can put a bit of pressure on the harvesting team, depending on the weather.

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STRIP TILL AND DIRECT DRILL

The estate now relies on two drills; a Mzuri Pro-Til6T strip till drill, which was purchased in October 2018 and partly funded with a LEADER grant.

“The Mzuri is used to address compaction issues and condition the soil on a rotational basis. All the cover crops are established immediately behind the combine with the Mzuri,” said Rob. They also recently purchased a 6m Weaving direct drill as part of their >>

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

W7

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | AUGUST 2020

SOIL HEALTH

> Weaving

W8

GD600LT Direct Drill

<< drive to improve the long-term sustainability of the farming operation.

“We use this drill only where we feel the soil conditions are suitable. The GD coulter provides remarkably low soil disturbance and the flexibility to approach zero-til alongside the strip til system,” he said.

“We did the majority of our spring barley with the direct drill this year,” he continued.

In the short term Rob expects to see a hit on yields. Drilling directly into cover crops is quite a culture change aesthetically but something he is starting to accept. Drilling at slower speeds has also reduced daily output.

> John

One concern of direct drilling is its reliance on glyphosate, which Rob feels may be banned in the future, although he added that there was encouraging work being done with crimping or rolling on the frost.

REDUCING INPUTS AND TAKING UNPRODUCTIVE LAND OUT OF PRODUCTION

Variable rate applications of compound and liquid nitrogen fertilisers are applied using the SOYL system. Liquid nitrogen is applied through the Fendt Rogator Sprayer, with eight storage tanks located around the estate.

AUGUST 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

Deere 9430

Rob believes that in time farmers may be forced to use less nitrogen. To combat this they will be experimenting with growing their own fertiliser by under-sowing white clover in their winter bean crop.

“It’s this sort of thing that makes it such an exciting time to be involved in agriculture,” he said.

He is also optimistic that improving their soil health will play a pivotal role in reducing inputs too.

They are doing more to utilise years of yield data to take less productive parts of their fields out of production and provide more habitat for wildlife through the countryside stewardship schemes.

“We are in a countryside stewardship higher-tier agreement on the woodland and parkland and we

FEATURED FARM:

> Fendt

are a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI),” he continued.

They have also just entered into a five-year mid-tier agreement on the arable land, adding lots of buffer strips and flower margins. Capital options included are new hedgerows, coppicing, hedgerow restoration and new fencing.

“The family are keen to plant more woodland too,” Rob added.

WELFORD PARK

Rogator 655 sprayer

BENCHMARKING AND CLUSTER GROUPS

The estate became one of seven new Monitor Farms to join AHDB’s Farm Excellence programme this summer to improve business performance and share best practice.

“Benchmarking has been one of the single best things I’ve done,” said Rob.

“The process typically involves a group of farmers sitting round the table and disclosing our figures,” he explained.

“Everyone has different costs of production but these meetings have been incredibly useful,” he added.

He urges other farmers who aren’t currently involved in some form of benchmarking or local cluster groups to give it a go. >>

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SOIL HEALTH

FEATURED FARM:

WELFORD PARK

FARM CARBON TOOLKIT

Rob is currently undertaking a carbon audit for the farm using the Farm Carbon Toolkit, with the longer term aim of becoming carbon neutral.

“We are hundreds of tonnes the wrong way at the moment,” he admitted.

Unsurprisingly, their diesel and nitrogen usage isn’t great; two of the biggest offenders. He hopes to reduce both of these as they move closer to his ambition of a no-till farming system.

He is also optimistic that they can start to sequester carbon by building up their soil organic matter “Even half a percentage point increase would make a huge difference,” he said.

COVID-19

With lots of footpaths and bridleways running over the estate, Covid-19 has presented some new challenges, with unprecedented numbers of the public out walking, Rob explained.

“We’ve had several situations where members of the public have strayed off the footpaths, opting to walk across recently sprayed fields with dogs not on leads,” he remarked.

On a brighter note Rob hopes that the pandemic will make people think a bit more about where their food comes from.

NFU FOOD STANDARDS PETITION AND BREXIT

Rob supports the recent NFU Food Standards Petition.

“It’s not fair to import food that is grown to a lower standard of production than our own,” he said.

I asked which way he voted on Brexit. “I sat on the fence for a while before ultimately deciding to vote remain. I think now on balance it was right to leave but who knows what will happen.”

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A FARMING BUSINESS FIT FOR THE FUTURE

> The

drier, inside of the grain store

AUGUST 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

The Welford Estate is a fascinating example of a traditional farming estate that is successfully navigating a path towards a carbon neutral future. By slowly building soil organic matter through agro-ecological methods, adopting a wider rotation to combat blackgrass and moving to no till, they are creating a more resilient farming business fit for the future.

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ADVICE FROM THE VET

BEEF HEALTH PLANNING 2020 has been a very strange year but it is important to begin looking ahead to next year. Health planning on beef farms plays an important role in setting targets, identifying any issues that reduced productivity and implementing health protocols that will help maximise the output on your unit. Health planning needs to be an active, continuous effort on the farm to gain the most benefit, writes Sarah O’Reilly from Westpoint Sevenoaks.

So, what are the most important components of a health plan? I will discuss infectious disease and biosecurity. Other very important aspects include pregnancy scanning – do not carry empty cows; parasite control – internal worms, fluke flies and lice; nutrition; and housing.

DATA RECORDING

For me, this is the cornerstone of health planning. As vets, we need this information to help us target the problems on farm. Are you having an abortion issue? Summer mastitis? Worm issues? As the year rolls on, it is easy to forget information like this. Record it all – in a diary, on a wall planner, on a white board.

By doing this, the health plan is focused and targeted to your farm. The adage ‘prevention is better than cure’ is key here. Ignoring the possible presence on your farm of health problems will be detrimental to productivity, profit and welfare.

DISEASE PREVENTION

The main diseases we see on our beef farms are: 1. BVD – Bovine Viral Diarrhoea. This can almost be classed as a silent disease.

It can be rumbling in your herd without you realising. BVD has been estimated to cost between £13 and £31 per cow in Great Britain. The national cost could be as high as £61M per year. It is a viral disease that can damage fertility, cause mastitis and lameness. But it is the immune suppression in the herd that can lead to increased deaths due to pneumonia and scours. This can all be caused by just one animal called a PI. A PI (Persistently Infected) animal will shed BVD virus continuously and suppress the rest of the herd. It may look normal or it may be the one calf/cow/bull that has always been a ‘poor doer’.

Detection is done with a blood test. We just need five to ten youngstock from each management group aged 9-18 months. Call your vet and ask about BVD Stamp It Out – it is a scheme with funding for these blood tests.

2. IBR – Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis. This is caused by Bovine Herpesvirus. It usually manifests as reproductive and respiratory disease.

Transmission is via inhalation. This virus often activates after periods of stress e.g. transport, calving. Signs include high fever, eye and nose discharge and depression. It can remain dormant in an animal – they shed the virus with no clinical signs. On a beef unit, an outbreak of IBR can be catastrophic with high mortality rates even after veterinary intervention.

Again, detection is via a blood test or nasal swabs. Prevention is with biosecurity and a vaccine – you can have a marker vaccine for IBR. This means we can detect if an animal has been vaccinated or has been truly infected with ‘wild type’ IBR. 3. Leptospirosis – This is a bacterial infection caused by Leptospira hardjo.

It causes infertility and abortion. It can be spread via aborted materials or urine – it is zoonotic so take care when handling any of these materials.

Sheep can also carry this bacterium so any mixed grazing can present a risk.

Sharing a bull is risky too. Again, diagnosis is with blood tests or testing the aborted calf. Prevention is with vaccination and biosecurity.

4. Johnes – This is a chronic wasting disease of cattle caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). Signs are cattle that have profuse, watery diarrhoea and weight loss despite eating.

It becomes evident after two years of age. Calves less than six months old have the highest risk of infection. It is spread in faeces, colostrum and milk.

Once in a herd, Johnes is extremely difficult to control and eradicate. Testing is done on bloods and dung but like IBR, cattle can be infected and show no signs. There is no vaccine. Any positive animals should be culled.

5. Neospora – This is caused by Neospora caninum. It is found in faeces of dogs, foxes, and other canines. It is ingested by grazing cows and causes abortions particularly around five to seven months into pregnancy. Quite often we will see a Neospora ‘storm’ where multiple cows abort. This is a huge financial hit to a beef farm as it reduces the year’s calf crop. There is no treatment. Keep dogs out of cow pastures and food stores, remove any aborted material asap.

Do not ignore abortions – testing the cow and the aborted calf will give answers and we can put plans in place.

6. TB – TB is not normally included in our lists of infectious diseases, but it needs to be. It is a bacterial infection; it is spread via cattle to cattle contact and wildlife. It has affected most farmers at some point, most likely more than any of the other diseases mentioned above. It needs strict biosecurity to prevent it coming on farm and testing is important.

BIOSECURITY

Reduced disease incidence by implementing biosecurity.

Prevent diseases coming onto your farm: • A simple disinfecting boot dip at the farm gate for all visitors • Keep a closed herd (yes this includes keeping the neighbour’s cattle out) • No nose to nose contact with neighbours’ cattle – 2m gap • Purchase from accredited, high health herds • Do not share a bull • Isolate any new animals for 28 days minimum prior to mixing with the herd.

Test for infectious diseases first.

• Disinfect any shared crushes, gates etc.

Five key points to remember with health planning: • Record data • Test regularly • Vaccinate • Implement biosecurity • Communicate with your vet!

If you would to discuss anything covered in this article contact your local Westpoint practice.

ANDY RICHMOND KATHY HUME

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

JOHN MCALOON

Westpoint Sevenoaks T: 01959 564383

41

ALAN WEST SHEEP TOPICS

OH DEAR, WHAT A MUDDLE

Possibly a significant understatement?

42

It seems to me, and of course this is only an opinion with which others are quite free to disagree, that as an industry we have got ourselves – or rather others (and circumstances) have got us – into a right muddle. A muddle that, as time goes on, it becomes increasingly difficult to see a clear way out of. The saddest thing about it is the number of sheep producers out there who still seem to think that everything is going to be all right and that things will just carry on as normal (whatever that normal is) ad infinitum; ostriches and sand spring immediately to mind.

So what has led me to formulate this opinion? A host of things, but certainly not all to do with lockdown, although some issues arising from the current coronavirus situation have contributed to this mindset.

The very threat of lockdown quickly highlighted the inherent fragility in both the food supply system and food security in the UK. Driven principally by the larger retailers, we have a food system with greatly extended and highly complex supply chains, where the national food warehouse is the motorway network of the UK and Europe; at any point in time, the majority of food stocks are in transit in the back of a lorry. It is a system that is incredibly vulnerable to disruption, this time due to Covid-19; it could easily have been, extreme weather conditions, industrial action, Brexit, etc - factors that are beyond our control but which have highlighted the symptoms of a failing system.

The current food system in the UK does a disservice to consumers and producers alike; it is a broken system, which needs to be addressed. As a country we cannot be self sufficient in foods, but we can move a long way towards greater self-sufficiency than the 55% to 60% position we are in now. With localised production, processing and distribution systems we can reduce the complexity and length of current supply chains, many of which are simply not sustainable in the long term, particularly if we as a country are going to achieve targets in reducing CO2 emissions.

Ruminant livestock has been an easy target for environmental campaigners, a band wagon that other interest groups have been keen to leap onto, but it has been the significant drop in road traffic that has generated the improvements in air quality during lockdown; sheep and cattle numbers have not significantly altered. It is a nonsense that a finished lamb sold through Ashford market in Kent could potentially be transported for slaughter and processing in, for example, Merthyr Tydfil, and then, potentially, be returned for sale in a supermarket within a mile of the market after a round trip in excess of 250 miles;

that’s not good for the environment and not good for the sheep. It is ridiculous that in the South East, a relatively large sheep producing area, we have no volume abattoir capacity; it makes a mockery of local food for local markets.

A significant reappraisal of the whole food supply, distribution and associated infrastructure system is long overdue, a reappraisal that needs to be fully independent, beyond the control of large corporations that have led us by the nose into the current unsatisfactory situation. Professor Tim Lang’s Feeding Britain: Our Food Problems and How to Fix Them is a very good critique of the current system, a book that makes interesting, if not essential, reading for all involved in the food production system, something that as sheep producers we are all part of, although not fully recognised by some. It is a book that highlights many of the deficiencies within the current system, a book that in parts makes uncomfortable reading but does raise issues that the sheep sector cannot afford to ignore and, if we feel that they are unjustified, challenge.

Professor Lang’s understanding of livestock production does not, however, match his obvious extensive knowledge and deep insight into food security and policy issues, a deficiency highlighted by the statement that “cows have double stomachs and chew the cud: sheep, poultry and pigs do not.” This is a glaring error, but an error that should not be seized upon by those who are uncomfortable with some of his points as an excuse to dismiss the rest of the book.

One of the key points that Lang does make, and the most difficult to accept, is that as a nation we eat too much meat, red meat in particular, an argument based upon health, CO2 emissions, land use, water consumption and a number of other

AUGUST 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

well-reasoned issues. This is, however, an argument that is gaining traction and will no doubt have an impact on the demand for the lamb and sheep meat that we produce, sadly at a time when there are other significant pressures on demand. Potentially the most damaging of which is the looming, final exit from the EU. We have now passed the time when we needed to apply for an extension to the withdrawal period in order to arrive at some sort of satisfactory trade deal before exit. The threat of a hard Brexit, although not 100% certain, is very much greater now than it has ever been, and with it comes a threat to the market for more than 30% of our lamb production. The impact of this may well hit us very much sooner than January 2021. Many of the large continental buyers will be looking to establish contracts for 2021 supplies of lamb this autumn; buyers who will not commit to contracts where the cost of lamb purchases may be adversely impacted by tariffs of uncertain levels after January 2021.

Negotiations for alternative markets post-Brexit don’t seem to be going too well either, with mixed messages coming from the current administration, on the one hand a commitment to maintaining welfare, environmental and food safety standards and on the other an apparent willingness to sacrifice it all in order to secure trade deals with the United States. At least now we have a promise of a Trade and Agriculture

ALAN WEST Sheep farmer

VET DIARY No sooner is calving finished than we are starting the process all over again. Cows and calves are turned out and it’s time for the bull to have his nine weeks in the limelight. There are few sights better than groups of cows and calves grazing on the top of the South Downs during the summer months.

A significant proportion of our clinical work around this time involves fertility testing bulls ahead of the start of the breeding season. A fully fertile bull is essential in maintaining a compact calving period and thereby profitability. A fully fertile bull should achieve at least a 90% pregnancy rate in 50 normally cycling cows with 65% calving in the first three weeks. This tight, front loaded block means calves are heavier at weaning, groups are more easily managed and staffing requirements can be better predicted. In short, the financial benefits are great.

Unfortunately not all bulls fall into this category, with a significant proportion of bulls being sub-fertile, up to 33% according to one study. The effect of > Penis

DON’T BE CAUGHT OUT

BY SUBFERTILE BULLS

subfertility often manifests as a high barren rate or prolonged calving period and <65% calved within the first three weeks. This negatively impacts profitability and can make management of groups difficult due to age variations.

A fertility exam can be performed on the bull by a vet. Here we assess the physical condition of the bull looking at his body condition, eyes, feet, heart and lungs and then a genital tract assessment focussing on the penis, testicles and accessory sex glands internally.

The final part is a sperm assessment where we take a sample of sperm and look at it under a microscope, assessing the density, forward movement of sperm and any sperm deformities.

One recently performed test identified a penile deformity known as a persistent frenulum. This is where the penis curves back on itself due to an attachment which shouldn’t be there. If this isn’t corrected the bull will not be able to serve cows and the farmer is in for a nasty shock come scanning time.

Luckily for this guy, surgery was performed under local anaesthetic to remove the unwanted attachment. He was retested three weeks later and passed. The trait is heritable so no breeding stock should be retained, although they should fatten nicely.

CHRIS BURNS

before surgery

BVSc MRCVS of Cliffe Veterinary Group T: 01273 473232 E: chris@cliffevets.co.uk www.cliffefarm.co.uk > Penis

Commission, thanks largely to a tremendous effort from the NFU and support from the industry in pressurising government with a million-signature petition. No guarantees, but at least it is progress.

On the subject of which, and this will not be popular, there really is a very strong whiff (stench even) of hypocrisy from a lot of people, a significant number of sheep producers included, who seem to be of the view that we should be able to retain unrestricted access to EU markets for our lamb (a highly desirable position and understandable point of view), but don’t feel that we should have to accept any EU-imposed conditions while at the same time vehemently opposing unrestricted access without pre-conditions to agricultural produce from the United States. You can’t have your cake and eat it, as they say; we are really not in a very strong position to dictate terms.

Lack of demand will always have a negative impact on market prices; that’s simple economics. Where can we as producers look to make a margin? Even wool, not a significant contributor to margins but generally on the positive side, has been a disaster this year.

British Wool has attracted a lot of criticism, largely completely unjustified. The dramatic fall (collapse) in wool prices is due entirely to a lack of demand; processing closures in China due to Covid-19 resulted, in February, in a complete shut down of the global market for cross bred wools. Even in Australia, average wool prices have fallen back by 36%, with some grades

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43

after surgery

seeing a 57% drop.

The lack of demand has resulted in less than 20% clearance at some of this year’s wool auctions and British Wool carrying forward half a million bales of wool into the new shearing season. Recent sales (30 June) have seen an improvement, but without sales the Wool Board has no income, a situation not helped by the refusal of government to grant a business interruption loan on the grounds that British Wool is a public sector business, something that will come as quite a shock to wool producers who have for years been under the illusion that it is a producer-owned, self-funding, private business. This left British Wool, with virtually no income and no support from the government, with no option other than to slash wool prices at a producer level or simply run out of funds.

All of these issues have been further compounded this year, particularly for many producers in the South East, by the weather; a horribly wet winter and start to 2020, closely followed by an unseasonably hot and dry spring, has been disastrous for grass growth, leaving many producers short of grass at a time when most, in a normal season, would be expecting to capitalise on an abundance of grass from the spring flush, which this year simply did not materialise. Some producers, (myself included, for the first time ever) have even had to resort to some supplementary feeding, simply to prevent ewes losing too much condition and to keep lambs growing; all adding significantly to production

costs in an already difficult year.

Between the middle of March and the end of June, I have recorded just short of 75mm of rain, compared with an average for the same time period of 117mm. The impacts will no doubt be felt for the rest of the year, with producers reporting a 30% to 50% reduction in yields of hay and silage. What we need now, something that arable producers do not want to hear, is a relatively wet summer to provide for a decent flush of grass going into the autumn to build ewe condition in preparation for tupping (doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun?).

Currently things are very much awry within the sheep sector. We are in a real muddle, but as I have said many times before, farmers, especially livestock farmers - and sheep producers in particular - are a remarkably resilient, adaptable and innovative lot, and most will find an appropriate way forward. But that resilience, adaptability and forward progress do necessitate being a little less ostrich like; recognising that there is a problem is the first step in addressing an issue. An old principal of mine, at one important meeting, replied in response to a question that “there are no problems only challenges” (very ostrich), to which my reply was: “If people perceive it as a problem then there is a problem; it is only when the problem is recognised that the challenge commences.” It’s time to start getting ourselves out of the muddle.

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | AUGUST 2020

AT COLCHESTER MARKET

BUOYANT PRICES

44

It has been a month of buoyant prices in the sheep and cattle pens at Colchester Market, giving a degree of confidence throughout with the continued strong demand for British Beef and Lamb and ensuring good prices were obtained for stock sold in the prime cattle ring and sheep pens. The auction system again proved beneficial to producers of livestock of all sorts, with competition throughout.

Good to see numbers of prime cattle increasing compared with 12 months ago, with a strong trade for all. Plenty of cattle selling at 220p/kg to 240p/kg liveweight in Colchester with, as always, local retail butchers and family run wholesale businesses in the eastern counties competing for stock for their outlets.

It is still likely that as July and August progress, numbers of cattle will be tight, with slow grass growth not being beneficial to finishing cattle outside and many farmers’ yards being reduced in numbers.

It is good to see the cull cow trade continue at strong levels, probably the dearest seen for many years, with the competition likely to increase as numbers of outlets selling meat increase with the re-opening of restaurants and public houses.

The sheep trade remained at exceptionally good levels throughout the period; levels above 12 months ago with numbers consistent in that period.

It was noticeable, however, that as this report

was being written in early July a few lambs were losing their back due to the shortage of grass and those that were fed hard food certainly benefiting.

The strongest trade was seen for lambs of 40 to 50kg liveweight which were generally short of requirements throughout the period. Hopefully this trade will continue at the current levels and we don’t see a sudden drop. It will depend on the quality and numbers of lambs forward.

The cull ewe trade continues at the same levels.

Over fat ewes are still being discounted but there are a few more buyers for feeding ewes forward.

Pig trade continues at similar levels for the commercial pigs with numbers just about holding to demand.

VIRTUAL CONFERENCE The 2020 Women in Dairy Conference organised by the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) is the latest event to move online this year in response to the social distancing measures brought in to control coronavirus.

The event, sponsored by HSBC, will use a virtual conference facility and will run from 10am to 3pm on 30 September. The conference’s fi ve sessions will include talks on the state of the dairy market, sustainability, animal health, and marketing.

The online event will be followed by a ‘virtual’ social event that same evening at which the winner of this year’s Dairy Industry Woman of the Year Award will be revealed.

Tickets are now available at a cost of £25 for the event and the evening social. Members of Women in Dairy can attend at a reduced rate of £18.75.

Organiser Rachel Bowcutt said: “We are delighted the conference is still going ahead this year. After a prolonged period of social distancing, we hope the virtual conference will not only provide as much learning and thinking as before but will offer some much-needed social interaction.

“Holding the event online will make it more accessible and for this reason, we hope to attract more women from right across the country,” she said.

AUGUST 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

GRAHAM ELLIS FRICS FAAV FLAA Stanfords T: 01206 842156 E: info@stanfords-colchester.co.uk

www.stanfords-colchester.co.uk Unfortunately, the cull sow trade is under pressure, with a complete lack of demand from the continent and large abattoirs cancelling sows, putting pressure on some rearing units of any quantity.

It would be fair to report that lamb and beef prices were very satisfactory. Farmers are returning to the live markets to sell; to take the benefit of the strong competition forward.

With harvest already started by the first week in July for oilseed rape, the seasons are moving forward very quickly. Potential yields are still low, with many spring barley crops in the area being written off due to the exceptional dry weather. A few rain showers are helping grass growth, but this is still very slow and where irrigation is not possible second cut hay and silage would look to have very low potential.

The Livestock Auctioneers’ Association Secretary Chris Dodds has done a tremendous job in ensuring that livestock markets have been able to keep open throughout the period of lockdown. Ensuring that producers have the outlet which benefits them and supporting livestock markets wherever they are is imperative to ensure they continue.

The thanks of all auctioneers are due to Chris for his sterling work in very difficult circumstances.

ONE-STOP-SHOP

The Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) has launched a one-stop-shop for students looking for training and education courses related to the dairy industry.

The association’s new Education and Training Directory lists over 100 courses from more than 25 institutions across the country, ranging from day courses through to undergraduate and post-graduate degrees.

The courses are specifically targeted at those interested in the sector, with the aim of encouraging more students to set out on a career in the industry.

RABDF’s Managing Director Matt Knight said: “The sheer number of courses and the range of courses highlights the diversity of skills that exist in the dairy industry.

“As a student, it can be hard to know where to start looking and to get a grasp of the type of courses on offer. We hope this directory will help point students in the right direction.”

The directory is free to access and can be found at www.rabdf.co.uk/educationandtraining To put forward a dairy-related course for inclusion, email rachelbowcutt@rabdf.co.uk

AT ASHFORD MARKET

MUCH QUIETER MONTH The month of June in Ashford market was again impacted by the current global epidemic, as has been the case since the end of March. The end of March now seems to be a distant memory and our current situation has begun to feel like the new ‘normal’. We have had a much quieter month in the market, not in terms of throughput or prices achieved though, just in terms of the number of people in attendance.

We hope that the old ‘normal’ can return as soon as possible, but for the time being we must respect the guidelines and work together to help achieve normality again. The team at Hobbs Parker Auctioneers LLP would like to express our appreciation and gratitude to all our customers, both buyers and sellers, for their cooperation, trust and loyalty throughout the past few months in difficult and strange times.

Regardless of the Covid-19 complications, in the past four to six weeks we have seen a good demand for new season lambs despite the traditional rise in numbers coming forward that we see at this time of year, with entry size often doubling as the weeks progressed. Numbers were slower to come forward at the beginning of the season this year as the early lambing flocks in Kent and the wider South East had a torrid time with the very wet January and February we experienced. We are now seeing numbers sit steadily at over 2,000 lambs per week, with 2,700 penned in the first week of July (the time of writing).

Normally at this time of year, as numbers rise the price tends to come under pressure as lamb is not eaten widely in the summer in the UK and beef is favoured as barbecues are put to use across the country. We have seen the opposite this year and the trade has actually improved as June progressed which I think can be attributed to a couple of factors.

Firstly, the home trade is certainly stronger, despite the hospitality industry being shut down for the lockdown. Look at the queues that are regularly forming outside retail outlets including butchers, farm shops and even supermarkets around the country. People are cooking their own meals again and lamb is becoming a favourite. The home trade generally requires a heavier carcase with a little more cover and in turn these heavier lambs have been selling at a price per kilo only slightly less than the export grade lambs, but of course giving higher prices per head. Many of these sheep have sold from £90 to £110, about £10 up on the corresponding period in 2019.

Secondly, the export demand is strong, which can be attributed to some smaller factors such as some German abattoirs closing due to coronavirus outbreaks but also the same reasons as the UK mentioned above. The hospitality industry resumed earlier in some of the EU member states and demand for British lamb was stronger than ever. These carcasses are a very different specification, with lighter weights and less or no fat being the desired product.

In turn these lambs are generally selling on a price per kilo in excess of their home trade equivalent and up to 280p/ kg at times.

A few end of season hoggets have shown up throughout the month of June but a lot with erupted teeth are now present and these sheep have traded from £70 to £85 for the best meated sorts.

Cull ewe numbers have been lower this June, with the trade staying consistent throughout the period with the prices we would expect for the time of year. The Qurbani festival in the Muslim faith takes place towards the end of July, and despite the tradition to sell in the week preceding the festival we would urge vendors to sell consistently to avoid weeks of very high numbers which in turn floods the market and depresses prices.

Looking ahead, our programme of autumn sheep sales commences with a principally store lamb sale on Friday 31 July. Sales of both lambs and a full range of breeding stock then take place fortnightly through August and weekly in September and most of October.

JOHN ROSSITER

Reporting on the market at Ashford T: 01233 502222 www.hobbsparker.co.uk Initially prospects for the trade look positive, with the finished lamb price holding, and equally significantly grass is growing well in most of the country.

An important part of our role as auctioneers is to maintain contact with major buyers of stock around the country and indications are that there will be good demand for lambs to graze at the early sales.

The most important message is “Ashford is open for business”, subject of course to adhering at all times to social distancing and other conditions that are only to be expected in these still strange times.

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Dairy farmer Suzanne Owen may not have to get up before dawn to milk her cows these days, but she nonetheless feels closer to them than ever before.

Although her two new robotic milkers have taken away the hard graft of early morning starts, they haven’t reduced the time she spends with the 120-strong herd. “If anything, I spend more time with the cows, but it’s a more constructive relationship,” she said.

“Before I was just standing in a cold, damp pit looking up at their feet and udders while milking twice a day. Now I spend time looking for the odd cow who hasn’t yet visited the milker or I check up on an animal if the app on my phone suggests there might be an issue. It’s a much better use of my time

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and it’s better for the cows, too.”

Tesco milk supplier Suzanne, from Berwick Manor Farm, a few miles outside Ashford in Kent, is hugely impressed with the two GEA R9500 robotic milkers supplied and installed by South East dairy parlour specialist Negus Chase.

“The new system is working really well, although it’s been a steep learning curve and I reckon we will still be learning about the finer points for at least another year,” she explained. “The technology does far more than I realised.

“I thought we were buying two robots that milked cows. I had no idea quite how sophisticated the system was and just how much it could do to improve things both for us and for the cows.

“The system is much better for the environment

and for the cattle because the computer monitors the milk from each individual cow. If there is any sign of a problem with the milk, it is automatically dumped and the computer alerts me to the issue via an app on my phone.

“The neck collars also monitor how much each cow is eating and their activity, and again, if it varies by more than a small amount, we receive an automatic alert and can investigate. It’s so much better for the cow’s health as it doesn’t rely on us spotting one issue amongst 120 cows, and it cuts down on unnecessary antibiotic use, which is better for everyone.” Foot health has also improved, since the cattle no longer have to stand around on the uneven concrete of a collecting >> yard.

47

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ROBOTIC MILKERS

48 > Suzanne Owen and Greg Wood

<< Philip Bridges, co-director of suppliers Negus Chase, said the sophisticated system allowed the cows to visit whenever they wanted to, although it would not milk an animal before a suitable, pre-set amount of time had elapsed. “Because the cattle don’t have to wait to be milked, the yard is much quieter, too,” he said.

The decision to switch to robotic milking was a family one, with significant input from Suzanne’s son Greg Wood, currently in the last year of a degree course in agricultural engineering from Harper Adams University, as well as from her other sons Timothy and Douglas.

As a next generation dairy farmer in the

making, Greg shared his knowledge of the latest technology and pointed out that as things stood currently in the dairy world, farmers either had to “invest or sell up”.

Greg said the family had been breeding cows for robots for the past seven or eight years to make sure that they had the right udder shape and teat spacing for the automated system. As a result, the farm had not had a single problem with the herd hooking up to the equipment, he said.

“We have saved a lot of time, got rid of the early morning starts, improved life for the cows and introduced a more sophisticated monitoring system,” concluded Suzanne. “All told it was a great

AUGUST 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

decision and I am sure we will continue to find useful new features as we get to understand it fully.”

The switch to the robotic system was a challenge for renowned refrigeration specialist John Haffenden, who was left with just seven or eight hours to connect up the re-sited bulk milk tank and refrigeration equipment between the morning and evening milkings.

“We had done lots of preparatory work, but it was still a bit of a race against time on the day,” said John, managing director of Freshcold Ltd. “I’ve worked for Suzanne for many years and I was glad to be part of the farm’s shift to a new and more efficient way of doing things.”

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Farmers who invest in refrigeration need to remember that to continue working efficiently, safely and legally, the system needs to be regularly serviced, the specialist behind the Berwick Manor Farm project has stressed.

John Haffenden, who has been working closely with the dairy industry since he left school and now owns Freshcold Ltd, explained that refrigeration equipment had to meet safe handling regulations for F-Gas and be serviced regularly by an F-Gas registered operator.

“Apart from being a legal requirement, it makes financial sense because the system will only run efficiently if it is working properly and is serviced regularly,” he said. “Depending on the size of the system it will need to be checked once, twice or four times a year – unless there is an approved leak detection system installed. Most bulk milk tanks will need twice yearly checks.”

The inspections are designed to make sure F-gas is not allowed to leak

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from the system, which increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as well as preventing the system working efficiently – and increasing costs.

“If you are going to invest in a new refrigeration system it’s important to make sure it works properly,” he said. “It’s also worth remembering that farm assurance accreditations such as Red Tractor insist on growers complying with the legally required inspection schedule.”

Negus Chase co-director Philip Bridges, who installed the GEA robotic milking parlour at Berwick Manor Farm, stressed that maintenance was equally critical for the parlour hardware.

“It’s vital that equipment is serviced every three months,” he said. “It’s highly specialised kit that is visited by scores of cows several times a day, and so it needs routine maintenance to keep it working efficiently and prevent breakdowns, which are never welcome on a busy dairy farm.”

> John Haffenden and Philip Bridges

49

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CONSTRUCTION

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> Tom Russell Surveyors to carry out the conversion work for the site owner and won the contract to renovate and extend the farmhouse and convert the cow shed into luxury homes. Given the opportunity a while later to convert the remaining building on the site, Tom and his team jumped at the chance.

One man who was happy when FSCS won the second contract was the prospective purchaser, who knew the site.

“I said at the time that I hoped Tom would win the job of converting that building because I wanted to buy it and I was impressed at how well he had done the work on the building I am currently renting,” he said. “It’s really nicely done.”

Tom’s wide experience in the building profession is supported by well-honed project management skills, a carefully chosen team of specialist sub-contractors and a loyal workforce. FSCS’ only full-time employees are himself and site manager Gordon Joy, while Jess Holliday looks after the all-important admin.

“By keeping the core team tight we can make sure our overheads are low, which allows us to submit very competitive tenders,” Tom explained. “But I always bring in the same people, from plumbers and electricians to carpenters and roofers, and that means I can guarantee a high quality finish.”

Tom is committed to paying attention to detail and to ensuring a quality finish ‘from the ground up’. “With both the conversions I decided to install a power floated concrete slab at the very start of the project,” he explained. “It’s a more expensive option, but in the long run it’s a better way of doing things and it pays for itself.”

He said the farmhouse had needed completely new electrical and plumbing systems as well as re-plastering throughout. FSCS also rebuilt a flint wall and added a full width extension to the front of the house.

Work to the cowshed was even more dramatic but has resulted in two stylish homes with luxury fixtures and fittings that face on to a spacious and wellplanted courtyard. The conversion also involved laying on new gas, water and electricity supplies from the road to the properties.

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<< across the countryside towards Biggin Hill.

After completing a degree in construction management at Oxford Brookes University, Tom lived In Saudi Arabia, where he started a medical waste processing company. He also worked in project management for a company that was restoring the country’s coastline, which had been damaged by oil spills in the two Gulf Wars.

“Restoring the coastline was a huge challenge and needed a great deal of project management expertise,” said Tom, who is a member of the Chartered Institute of Building and an Associate Member of the royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

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“When I came back to this country I wanted to use those skills in construction management and so I set up FSCS. We won our first major contract here at Downe just six months later and we are keen to talk to farmers or estate managers with redundant farm buildings that need a new lease of life.

“We pride ourselves on the quality of our work and our set up makes the business agile and competitively priced. The conversion work here at Downe is a great example of the attention to detail that we put into all our projects and highlights the skills we have within the wider team.

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barns a real ‘labour of love’ for him. It also means that he takes a personal interest in the company’s various projects and is always on hand to make sure the work is done to his own high standards.

FSCS places a great deal of importance on safety and sustainability, something that is particularly important when working with old buildings that are a vital part of the heritage of the countryside. “We aim to improve the rural environment with every project we undertake, and our choice of materials reflects that,” he said.

While the company also tackles new build projects including offices and warehouses, and is currently tendering to build a £1.4 million gymnasium in Maidenhead, it is rural projects such as barn conversions that set Tom’s pulse racing.

The company recently completed the conversion of a Grade II Listed oast house in Laddingford, a project that involved totally disassembling the framework of the building, replacing a number of the timbers and then rebuilding it as a luxury home.

“We reused as many of the original materials as possible to create a home that exceeded the expectations of the owners, who were over the moon with the result,” said Tom. “We also had to re-roof a substantial part of the property.

“The owners told us they were really impressed with the care we took to retain as much of the timber as possible, and anything we replaced used the highest quality materials in order to enhance the character of what is a lovely old building.

“Bringing an old building like the oast house at Laddingford or the barn and machinery shed here at Petley’s Farm gives me a great deal of pleasure and I believe is what makes FSCS stand out.”

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SARAH CALCUTT FOCUS ON FRUIT Eatwell Guide

Check the label on packaged foods

Use the Eatwell Guide to help you get a balance of healthier and more sustainable food.

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JOINED UP DEBATE LONG OVERDUE

How are we going to feed everyone, protect the countryside, run a business, and ensure SARAH CALCUTT that we are healthy as a nation?

Chair, Readers will be aware of the consultations on National Fruit Show food, farming and environment that are currently running to build a long-term food and farming strategy for the UK. It’s a complicated area that isn’t just rooted in what we do in production but is rooted in society, in what is ‘normal food’ for people, how food is valued – in monetary terms, social norms and also in its health values.

The Government’s Eatwell plate (above) suggests that more than a third of UK daily diets should comprise fruit and vegetables and yet currently less than a quarter of diets are taken from this source; more than 75% of the national diet isn’t fruit and vegetables! A UK debate on the status of the horticultural industry and its potential to meet a recommended increase in consumption is long overdue.

As an industry, farming in the UK has every reason to feel beleaguered. It finds itself beset by rapid policy change that impacts daily on how food can be produced, support structure changes, weather impacts on productivity, immigration policies that initially appear to be directly disadvantaging the whole food sector and the impacts of a global pandemic on costs, delivery, inputs and the market place (including the impacts of even more price deflation).

Margins are less than wafer thin, our ability to be able to invest to reduce costs is evaporating and the cost of labour through an average increase each year of

AUGUST 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

2.2% on the living wage means that we are going to struggle unless there are significant changes.

This year alone, the cost of production has been increased by 5% with the joint impact of Covid-19 and living wage increases.

The impact of Covid-19 on our wider population means that more families will be in poverty (one in five were living within the Government’s defined terms of poverty prior to March this year). Lord Krebs, speaking at the Food Foundation event this week, spoke about the work of the Select Committee formed to examine the inequality of public health and the lack of sustainability in our food system. After considering written and oral evidence, a set of 50 outcome-focussed recommendations were made, including statements that will be fed in to the food strategy elements that face primary production (future farming policy) and also national strategies to amend the benefits system.

One example was that the Eatwell plate needs to be costed; universal credit doesn’t take into consideration the cost of a diet beneficial to long-term health.

There are also statements and recommendations around the restriction of planning permissions to reduce the density of fast food outlets, to prevent high streets that offer a mile of high-calorie, low-quality fast food outlets but nowhere to buy produce. Food deserts are locations where there is no access to produce, no shops close to housing that will sell healthy food, only processed.

There are two key statements for food production within the Select Committee Report Hungry for Change: Fixing the Failures in Food. They are:

FRUIT

IT’S A MYTH THAT EUROPEANS

ARE BETTER WORKERS

Furloughed workers and students played their part in seeing one major UK fruit grower through this year’s thinning season – and did the job commendably well.

But while James Simpson, Managing Director of Adrian Scripps Ltd, said he thought growers would “scrape through 2020”, he warned that without government action “2021 is looking like a train smash”.

James said around a quarter of the people employed through June and early July in the thinning teams at Scripps, one of the top three top fruit growers in the country, had been local, and said that the company was already operating a waiting list for harvest time pickers.

“We were fortunate that about 80% of our usual eastern European workers were able to get here this year, and we topped that up with students and workers who had been furloughed because of the Covid-19 lockdown,” he said.

“They were inexperienced, but they worked well and there were no drop outs,” he went on. “I think it’s a myth that the Europeans are better workers; it’s merely that the existing teams are experienced. A novice UK worker is no worse than an inexperienced east European.”

Scripps, which has invested in state-of-the-art grading, storage and packing facilities at its headquarters at Moat Farm, Five Oak Green near Tonbridge, put a number of carefully thought-out procedures in place to make sure the incoming east European workforce was able to isolate for a fortnight, including pre-stocking fridges and freezers with food and keeping teams together.

While coping with the August to October harvest is likely to prove more tricky than the thinning season, not least because the work is tougher, James thinks UK growers will manage.

“It will be a challenge for some, partly because students will be going back to university and many of the furloughed workers will be returning to their normal roles, but we are currently turning people away as we have our full quota of around 250 seasonal workers signed up.

“The problem will be next year, when we will no longer have free movement, which will drastically cut the number of overseas workers available. Unless the Government extends the Seasonal Workers Permit Scheme from this year’s figure of 10,000 to closer to 80,000, the industry simply won’t be able to cope.”

He added: “They have to announce the change within the next month or two so that we can put the necessary recruitment plans in place.”

REALISTIC FIGURE An industry recruitment specialist has added his voice to calls for the Government to agree a realistic figure for next year’s post-Brexit Seasonal Workers Permit Scheme.

Doug Amesz from AG Recruitment, said the ‘vibes’ within the industry suggested that there would be a scheme for 2021, but that said it needed to be closer to 50,000 than the 20,000 that had been mentioned.

“We can’t rely on UK workers next year because the only way that worked this year is because of the Covid-19 crisis,” he said, pointing out that if the economy recovered as everyone hoped it would, there would not be enough unemployed domestic workers to bring in the harvest next year.

“So if we assume there is a permit scheme, the next step is to ensure it’s the right size,” Doug said, adding that he understood there was conflict within government over how many overseas workers would be allowed in.

He urged farmers and growers to write to their MP to lobby for a sensible number to be included in the 2021 scheme. “We need to point out that Pick for Britain was right in April but is not sustainable for next year,” he stressed.

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SEASONAL LABOUR PLACEMENT tm ui

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1. The Agriculture Bill should include public health as a public good. The Environmental Land Management Scheme needs clear and consistent measurement criteria linked to payments.

2. The National Food Strategy should include a plan to increase demand for, and consumption of, vegetables.

On trade: Food imports should match UK environmental and animal welfare standards.

Neil Parish spoke at the Rural Policy Group webinar last week about the need for greater food security, suggesting that production needs support to be more efficient, to have the ability to diverge from the European position where agritech is generally poor. He said the Government needed to be aware that people need competitively produced and priced food that is produced at home.

We must be able to justify this position and he is working to deliver an impartial food commission investigation into food and farming; he is actively seeking members and a chair who understands farming and how trade works.

The commission will need to know what they are talking about and to not just be ‘yes men’. Attendees at the webinar were overwhelming in their support of the commission, but with the caveat that providing support for welfare standards and ensuring no unfair competition from imports would need clear policy outcomes and proper safeguards.

Watch this space, as everyone is going to be asked for information for the commission and we must all respond and make an overwhelming case for the support of British food production.

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | AUGUST 2020

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

Law firm Clarke Willmott LLP has launched a free online tool to help farm owners and individuals prioritise and stay on top of their legal affairs.

The Agri-Business Healthcheck Tool covers topics such as contract farming arrangements, rights of way, occupiers on the property, health and safety, employment, succession planning and family business matters.

After answering a series of simple questions, users receive a free, personalised report that highlights the areas Clarke Willmott recommends they review and includes a risk rating.

Tim Hayden, head of the agriculture sector team at Clarke Willmott, said: “The agricultural industry changes quickly and staying abreast of the regulations and your legal obligations can be an ongoing challenge.

“Our legal healthcheck tool is designed to help

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01227 763939 furleypage.co.uk

FREE ONLINE HUB WILL SUPPORT AGRI-BUSINESSES agri-business owners focus on the legal issues they should be on top of. We can guide you in addressing areas that will support the growth and sustainability of your businesses and help you assess areas of potential risk as a result of your legal and regulatory duties.

“This self-assessment takes a couple of minutes to complete and you will receive a free healthcheck report. The report will let you know what you need to address to ensure that your business is in its best condition when it comes to legal matters.”

The Agri-Business Healthcheck is one of several

tools on Clarke Willmott’s Online Legal Hub, which aims to help users understand what their legal obligations are and the options available to them when it comes to protecting themselves and their families.

Tim continued: “We are all living in a world where more and more of us are using online sources for everything from shopping to education. Our legal hub is a new way for us to provide support and engage with people and businesses who need legal advice, but don’t necessarily want to pick up the phone and have a conversation yet.”

MANAGING RIGHTS OF WAY ON FARMLAND With lockdown restrictions continuing to ease and more and more people venturing into the great outdoors to enjoy some fresh air and their daily dose of exercise, farmers may face an influx of strangers walking across their land.

With 71% of the country classed as agricultural land, according to the World Bank, most of the UK’s seemingly empty fields belong to someone, which means walkers could find themselves guilty of trespassing without realising it.

Simon Waterfield, partner and solicitor in Nelsons’ dispute resolution team, has extensive expertise in rights of way claims and pointed out: “Owning property doesn’t necessarily mean an exclusive right to it. Other people may have legal rights over the land that need to be observed so it’s an area of law that frequently leads to tensions and disputes.

“A right of way is a legal right to pass over someone else’s property. Whether across footpaths or private land, both of these have the potential to cause legal and practical problems for property owners. The main area of contention tends to be around whether a right of way exists and to what extent, and what the obligations are in relation to it.”

He went on: “The key thing to be aware of is that there’s actually no right to roam in England and Wales. Scotland is slightly different, but generally speaking, civilians have no right to walk across someone’s private land without it being classed as trespassing. Therefore, in common law, an owner is entitled to remove somebody using reasonable force.

“However, landowners won’t want it to come to this and therefore are within

their rights to erect signage explaining where the existing right of way is. If no such way exists, there are a few options that they should be aware of which can help stop a new right of way being created on their land.”

Simon pointed out that landowners could prevent or lessen the chances of a successful claim for the existence of a public right of way by putting up notices, although these have to be clear and meet certain conditions, They can also acknowledge the presence of an existing right of way across their land in order to prevent new rights being established.

He also warned that despite the number of signs warning that dogs not on a lead would be shot, such action could trigger a criminal damage charge except in certain circumstances.

“It’s crucial to remember landowners are not entitled to shoot a dog if it’s already left the vicinity and is no longer a danger to livestock, even if there’s a fear it might come back in future,” he pointed out.

“The Animal health Act 1971 offers the defence that they were protecting livestock if the landowner can show they reasonably believed either: • The dog was worrying, or about to worry, the livestock and there were no other reasonable means of ending or preventing this.

• The dog had been worrying livestock, stayed in the vicinity and was not under the control of anyone and there were no practical means of finding the owner.

“If a shooting takes place it must be reported to the police within 48 hours. If it is not, none of these defences will be valid in civil proceedings.”

© mattxfoto / Shutterstock.com

AUGUST 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

LEGAL

FIGHTING RURAL CRIME Farmers, landowners and those living and working in the countryside are unfortunately all too familiar with the consequences of criminal activity.

Rural crime takes many forms. The theft of livestock and agricultural equipment is a pervasive problem that can have a financial and emotional impact. The illegal use and occupation of land also presents a significant challenge.

We have heard from clients that the coronavirus pandemic has led to an increase in cases of fly tipping, which has placed a significant burden on landowners, who often end up carrying the cost for the clean-up of illegal waste deposits. So, how do we meet the challenge of rural crime when the police and other enforcement agencies are facing increased demands on their stretched resources?

WHO CAN INVESTIGATE?

The police have the power to investigate all criminal offences, in addition to which local authorities and the Environment Agency each have a significant role to play, particularly when it comes to waste offences. They can, of course, only carry out an investigation when they are made aware that a crime has been committed.

Rural policing is a particular challenge due to the lack of natural surveillance in remote locations, which means an offence may go unnoticed for some time.

HOW TO REPORT A CRIME

Reporting criminal activity is an essential first step and may be a requirement of your insurance company if a claim is to be made. It is also important to ensure that the authorities are made aware of the true scale of rural crime so that resources are allocated appropriately.

Under-reporting can result in resources being deployed to other areas, leaving the door open for

Š Andrew Harker / Shutterstock.com

criminality and poorer detection rates. This can, in turn, discourage people from reporting, leading to a vicious cycle.

If a crime is in progress, then it should be reported using the 999 number. Non-emergency reports can be made on the 101 number. It is also possible to report anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111. The Environment Agency also has an incident hotline: 0800 807060.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

There are also practical measures that can be put in place to help deter offenders. For example, ensuring that all equipment is locked away or secured when not in use and marking valuable goods with the ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s details. Installing a burglar alarm on residential and storage buildings is also strongly recommended.

If land is being occupied illegally then the owner can take proceedings in the County Court to recover possession, but with many courts having shut down during lockdown there is a significant backlog of cases.

It is an unfortunate fact that once a site gets a reputation for being easily accessed, then it can become a magnet for illegal use as well as the dumping of waste. Much of the waste which finds

its way into our fields and hedgerows comes from demolition work, which can contain hazardous materials such as asbestos. Even domestic waste can be dangerous, so specialist contractors may be required to clear the waste, and that can be expensive.

It is rarely the case that this cost can be recovered, unless the offender is caught and ordered to compensate the landowner. Prevention is therefore better than cure, so installing lighting, CCTV, and barriers and digging ditches are all sensible precautions, as well as keeping gates and fences in good condition.

There is no easy answer to the prevention and detection of rural crime. It clearly requires a joint effort between landowners, the rural community and the agencies tasked with enforcing the law.

LEE MAY

Partner, Brachers LLP T: 01622 680431 E: leemay@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

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LAND AND FARMS

SHOOTING’S ROLE Sporting community needs to highlight pursuit’s vital place in rural ‘ecosystems’.

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All eyes in the shooting community have been focused on Wild Justice’s demands for a judicial review into game bird release, but a lesserpublicised planning decision could also have big implications.

The authorities recently rejected an appeal against an enforcement notice which restricted the number of shooting days on a much-respected South Downs estate.

It was deemed that shooting for more than 28 days a year (ie that permitted under the ‘General Development Order’) would constitute a change of land use from ‘agriculture’ to ‘mixed’, leading the inspector to reject the appeal.

With the wider public’s attitude towards the sport being, often at best, ambivalent, I worry this could indicate that planning authorities and the legal system will take a potentially tougher line on shooting elsewhere.

What those who seek to ban the pursuit often overlook, however, is how integral shooting is to estates and the contribution it makes to the countryside and the communities of which they form a part.

Take shooting out of the equation – or reduce the number of days allowed to the point where it becomes financially impossible to maintain and run a shoot – and you could lose everything from the benefit it brings for landscapes and biodiversity to the employment and tourism the sport fosters.

In this era of falling financial support for agriculture, shooting is – and will increasingly be – as integral to the commercial viability of many estates as growing wheat, rearing livestock or producing milk.

When we talk about rural ‘ecosystems’, it’s not just the interconnected range of flora or fauna, it’s

the delicate balance of commerce and conservation, business and recreation, amenity and employment, landscapes and culture.

The appeal ruling considered the shoot overall did conserve the relative tranquility of the area, but the Local Plan requires that relative tranquility should be both ‘conserved and enhanced’ by a proposal and, in the inspectorate’s opinion, the so-called mixed use of agriculture and game bird shooting would not do so.

I was encouraged to see the inspectorate recognise shooting did conserve and enhance ecology and biodiversity – and this is apparent to anyone who visits the estate. It’s buzzing with wildlife.

Between July and November 2019 (as was noted when it received a ‘Special Commendation’ in the prestigious Purdey Awards earlier this year), 68 species of birds were counted at Iford – 18 of which were red-listed (ie deemed to be of the highest conservation priority).

The inspectorate also noted that game shooting is a common activity within the countryside, including the South Downs National Park, and that the ‘mixed use’ did comply with the local plan policy to support farm diversification. It also acknowledged this mixed use would support the sustainability of the estate, providing rural employment and supporting the economic and social well-being of the local community.

Yet still the appeal was rejected in a decision that hinged largely on the ‘tranquility’ argument and the requirement of so-called ‘development’ to conserve and enhance the landscape and scenic beauty of the South Downs National Park.

Our countryside, we all agree, is a precious national asset, but it isn’t a picture-postcard fantasy.

It’s a place of work where livestock is reared and

crops are grown to feed the nation (when the shelves emptied in the early days of lockdown, we became suddenly very mindful of this).

It looks, feels and functions as it does because generations of farmers and landowners have managed it in the way they have – which includes running shoots.

One only has to look at Iford’s ‘Whole Estate Plan’ to see how farming and diversification dovetail to shape its vision as a “sustainable and resilient” place, driven by a desire to secure special landscapes for future generations, improve biodiversity and enhance the community’s quality of life.

With many estates treating shooting as an integral part of their agricultural and land management endeavours, the prospect that it could come increasingly under the spotlight of planners potentially rendering what they’ve done for years or generations subject to the same enforcement action as happened in this case – is worrying.

When dealing with planners, the shooting community will need to marshal an ever-stronger case, which will require expert opinion backed by data and evidence from professional advisers of the benefits the sport brings.

The industry’s work in future clearly won’t just need to be targeted at the likes of Wild Justice, it appears we could also have a growing fight on our hands with planning authorities.

ALEX MACDONALD CLM T: 07825 581613 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

AUGUST 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

LAND AND FARMS

Could your land have development potential?

Find out more about land promotion

ED BARRETT

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

PLANNING REFORM 2020 On 3 July 2020 the prime minister announced a long-awaited shake-up of England’s planning system. From a podium bearing the slogan “Build, Build, Build”, he promised the changes would provide “better homes where people want to live” as part of a post-coronavirus push to improve national infrastructure.

The housing industry has been crying out for an overhaul of the planning system for decades, but what has been announced so far?

PERMITTED DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS

Under rules due to come into force in September 2020, owners and developers will be able to convert a wider range of commercial premises, such as offices, cafés or shops, into homes without needing planning permission or local authority approval.

Previously such permissions, known as permitted development rights, had been restricted to the conversion of office buildings. The rules, however, will not apply to buildings that are considered “essential to the lifeblood of communities” with pubs, libraries and village shops listed as examples.

Owners and developers will not need to apply to demolish commercial buildings if they plan to rebuild them as residential properties. This right will allow free-standing vacant and redundant commercial and residential buildings to be demolished – and rebuilt as residential use within the footprint of the existing building. This new right is intended to boost the number of homes built, but will not apply in some locations, such as national parks and conservation areas or to listed buildings.

Changes to the planning system that speed it

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What changes have the Government announced to the UK’s planning system and what further reforms are expected?

up, make it more flexible and help deliver certainty are needed, and so this is welcome news for the development industry. However, as always, the devil will be in the detail of the forthcoming legislation required to enact the changes. The small print may well restrict and limit these plans from triggering really meaningful change.

Without sufficient safeguards, there is also a criticism that the greater use of permitted development rights could lead to a wave of poor quality, tiny flats being crammed into commercial buildings and lacking amenities and green space.

Covid-19 brought to the fore the importance of local green spaces alongside high quality, affordable homes. Even following the introduction of the new rights we anticipate that strong demand will continue to exist for the development of greenfield land in well-connected areas.

FURTHER WIDER PLANNING REFORM

Dubbed “project speed”, further wider planning reforms are due to be set out in more detail in a policy paper expected later in the summer. The Government says this will be the most radical shake-up the country will have seen since the Second World War. There have been indications that the policy paper might include proposals for some kind of zoning regime, as used in the United States and some parts of Europe. While the government

is keeping tight lipped on confirming the creation of a zonal planning system, it has said that it wants to see a more “upfront” process where it is “clearer what can be done in places”.

Getting the country building desperately-needed homes again will be a vital part of the national recovery from coronavirus. Introducing a zonal planning system, to allow more land to be allocated for housing – especially in high-demand areas – could be truly transformational.

A huge expansion in housing delivery, including using the green belt, will be needed to meet Boris Johnson’s “Build, Build, Build” commitments.

The forthcoming planning reforms are therefore highly likely to include revisions to the current methodology used to calculate each local authority’s future housing requirement. Increasing the number of new homes planned is necessary to help the Government achieve its ambition of building 300,000 new homes each year by the middle of the decade.

At present, though, we can only speculate on what the Government might propose with regards to the most radical change to the planning system since planning permission was invented. There is, however, not long to wait.

As a specialist land promoter, Catesby Estates keeps fully abreast of new policy announcements and can advise landowners on new opportunities for development which may arise.

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | AUGUST 2020

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LAND AND FARMS

P O T

K C PI

A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO RENT ROCHESTER | KENT

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TENDER DEADLINE: 12 AUGUST 2020

Land at St Mary Hoo is a rare opportunity to rent just over 2,250 acres of equipped arable and pasture land, near Rochester, Kent from 11 April 2021.

St Mary’s Hall Farm, Moat and Coombe Farm, the land at Hoppers and Newlands Farm, the land at Newlands Farm and Brickhouse Farm forms part of the Church Commissioners’ Rochester holding. The land is being offered to let as a whole or in lots. The bulk of this property has been farmed by the same successful farming family for circa 100 years and, as such, represents an exceptional opportunity for any incoming tenant.

The whole farm is split into nine lots, which comprises the following: Arable land: The arable land is suitable for various cropping, but under the current farming system supports a cropping rotation comprising wheat, oilseed rape, peas and linseed.

Pasture land: The pasture is a mixture of traditional permanent pasture and extensive drained marsh pasture. The pasture is suitable for both silage production and grazing, whereas the marsh pasture is more suited to spring and summer grazing. The current beef farming operation runs three separate herds across the farm, on an extensive farming system, although this area could be farmed on a more intensive basis with a suitable farming system.

Woodland, ditches and ponds: A number of areas of shelter belt woodland throughout the farm provide useful cover to both the arable and the pasture land.

These areas will be included within the tenancy agreement; however, the timber rights will be reserved out.

Lot 1 – Hoppers and Newlands Farm: About 50.32 hectares (124.33 acres).

Block of arable and woodland that comprises 114.36 acres of arable land; 9.67 acres of woodland; 0.30 acres of tracks, water, ditches, etc.

Lot 2 – Moat and Coombe Farm and farm buildings: About 222.46 hectares (549.66 acres). Block of arable, pasture and woodland that comprises 473.11 acres of arable land; 67.14 acres of pasture land; 2.95 acres of woodland; 6.46 acres of tracks, water, ditches, etc. The Moat Farm buildings consist of a modern

Countrywise family looking for around 2 acres of quiet woodland or pasture to buy.

Must be accessible by vehicle and no overhead powerlines. Prefer to buy privately.

Please call Graham on 07931 660592 AUGUST 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

2,250 ACRES

grain store, hangar building (Grade II listed) currently used as a general store and overflow grain storage (500t), a workshop and a range of livestock buildings.

Lot 3 – Brickhouse Farm and farm buildings: About 132.16 hectares (326.58 acres). Block of arable, pasture and woodland that comprises 297.37 acres of arable land; 15.74 acres of pasture land; 6.01 acres of woodland; 7.46 acres of tracks, water, ditches, etc.

The Brickhouse Farm buildings consist of a grain store, a general purpose storage building, an implement shed, a packhouse and chitting shed.

Lot 4 – Land at Ross Farm, St Mary’s Farm and Marshes: About 523.92 hectares (1,294.70 acres). Block of pasture, arable and woodland that comprises 47.42 acres of arable land; 1076.06 acres of pasture land; 95.31 acres of sea wall and saltings; 7.09 acres of woodland; 68.82 acres of tracks, water, ditches, etc.

Lot 5 – 6 & 7 St. Mary’s Hall Cottages: About 0.13 hectares (0.32 acres). St Mary’s Hall Cottages are a pair of semidetached cottages with an identical layout including a living room, kitchen, bathroom and three bedrooms. Externally both properties benefit from attractive gardens to the front and rear. These cottages will be available with vacant possession for potential farm workers.

Lot 6 – Ross Farm buildings: About 1.23 hectares (3.03 acres). The buildings consist of a grain store, two large livestock buildings, a workshop and three Dutch barns.

Lot 7 – St Mary’s Hall Farmhouse and farm buildings: About one hectare (2.47 acres). The farmhouse is a large, five bedroomed Grade II listed period property of timber, brick and Kent peg, slate construction. The St Mary’s Hall buildings consist of a large general purpose livestock building, three stables, Kent barn and a farm office.

Lot 8 – Moat Farmhouse: About 0.57 hectares (1.41 acres). Moat Farmhouse is an imposing five bedroomed farmhouse. In addition, there is a detached timber framed garage with lean-to.

Lot 9 – 1 & 2 Moat Farm Cottages: About 0.15 hectares (0.37 acres). The cottages are a pair of semidetached cottages. 1 Moat Farm Cottage is three bedroomed and will be available with vacant possession. 2 Moat Farm Cottage is three bedroomed and is occupied by a current farm worker under an Assured Agricultural Occupancy.

Soil type and grade: The land to the north of the farm (pasture) is classified

by DEFRA as Grade 3 and the land to the south of the farm (arable) is classified by DEFRA as Grade 1.

You can advertise land and farms in South East Farmer from as little as ÂŁ285. A great way to create interest from serious buyers.

FOR SALE

ÂŽ

Bespoke Planning Advice

for your planning journey

www.therpp.co.uk

01303 233883 jamie.mcgrorty@kelsey.co.uk

CRANBROOK 01580 201888

CIRENCESTER 01285 323200

office@therpp.co.uk

Chartered Town Planner

Kent | St. Mary Hoo To Let A rare opportunity to rent just over 2,250 acres of equipped arable and pasture land.

Arable land | Pasture | Woodland | A pair of 5-bed farmhouses | A set of four 3-bed cottages Range of traditional and modern farm buildings

About 2,250 acres (910 ha) To let as a whole or in 9 lots, for a term of up to 10 years Deadline for tenders 12th August 2020

Canterbury Office 01227 473719 | 07471 354000

henry.wethered@struttandparker.com /struttandparker

@struttandparker

struttandparker.com

60 Offices across England and Scotland, including prime Central London.

ZA794 SP South East Farmer St Mary Hoo.indd 1

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | AUGUST 2020 14/07/2020 13:32

61

CLASSIFIEDS

CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION

Industrial & Commercial | Structural Steelwork | Agricultural & Equestrian

G. J. ELGAR

CONSTRUCTION Ltd

Shufflebottom Agricultural Buildings Steel-frame buildings for your farm + Supply only or supply & erect + Construction all over the UK + Award winning company

• • • • • • •

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Steel frame buildings Sheeting and cladding Guttering and repairs Groundworks and drainage Demolition and asbestos removal Refurbishment and change of use Concrete frame and steel frame repairs • Insurance and general repairs • Concrete floor and block paving

Strength, Security, Style Contact us for a free quotation 01269 831831 enquiry@shufflebottom.co.uk www.shufflebottom.co.uk Shufflebottom Ltd Cross Hands Business Park, Cross Hands, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire SA14 6RE

www.gjelgarconstruction.co.uk For more information contact us: t: 01233 623739 m: 07860 414227 e: simon@gjelgarconstruction.co.uk

G.E.WHITE

 Office 01273 492404  info@formabuild.co.uk  www.formabuild.co.uk

formabuild.co.uk

& SONS Ltd

Based in Lewes, East Sussex

AGRICULTURAL, EQUESTRIAN & INDUSTRIAL STEEL FRAMED BUILDINGS We supply CONCRETE PANELS – Any size to suit your needs All our buildings are

Forma offer a competitive and reliable service. We have over 30 years experience in the construction sector and the family have been Sussex builders since at least 1605! We specialise in the supply and construction of steel framed buildings, together with the repair and refurbishment of existing farm buildings.

Based in the heart of Sussex, Forma cover the South East and offer a range of services including steel framed buildings, groundwork, steel / fibre cement / timber cladding, concrete panels, roller shutters and sectional insulated doors, asbestos removal, gutter and drainage work and general farm building maintenance.

100%

34

5

Site visits

British designed & built

Year’s experience

Working days for quote submission

Call to arrange a site survey

AUGUST 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

marked

“You tried the others, now try the brothers”

All our panels are marked

All aspects of steel work, cladding & groundwork.

Family run business with 45 years experience.

All refurbishments & repairs undertaken.

Call for a free quote today.

Gary White 07812 599679 Jason White 07941 274751

CONSTRUCTION

CS982 SE Farmer Advert 60mm x 93.qxd:Layout 1

12/12/12

rn & s he s nt ut er AK ou So rm S isc Fa AM r d R e b em M

A one-stop-shop for all Profiled Roofing Products: BIGG ES T RA NGE IN THE SOUTH EAS T PROMPT AND RELIABLE SERVICE HUGE STOCKS

Call: 01342 337159 www.southernsheeting.co.uk

Hill Place Farm, Turners Hill Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 4LX

CLASSIFIEDS

14:1

CONSTRUCTION STEEL HOUSING Email for prices

TEL: 07813 910975 01233 750123

Ideal for offices, holiday lets, and dwellings. Quick to erect.

IDEAS IN ACTION

E: camilesconstruction@hotmail.co.uk

Bespoke options include:

Side extensions • Steel housing Office blocks • Asbestos removal All groundworks undertaken All frames are

marked

ENWARD Grain stores • Cattle buildings • Dairy units Change of use and refurbishment of existing buildings

FARM BUILDING REPAIRS We will continue to work through coronavirus, and we will be available to attend site and estimate customers projects and/or insurance repair/works.

We have now insisted that our employees wear suitable personal protection equipment on any such works until further notice.

LET’S KEEP WORKING!

Kenward Construction based in Horsham, West Sussex offer a full design and build service for your next steel framed building including composite cladding, concrete panels, roller shutter doors and bespoke designs to meet individual planning conditions.

Kenward Construction also offer a wide range of services offering a truly one stop shop for your next farm building project. Demolition, plant hire, access roads, drainage, sewage treatment plants, rainwater harvesting, biobed wash downs, paving, concrete foundations / slabs, walling and site landscaping.

Arrange a site visit with one of our contracts managers to discuss your project in more detail by emailing enquiries@kenwardgroundworks.co.uk or call 01403 210218

www.kenwardgroundworks.co.uk

REFURBS, BIG 6 ROOF SHEETS, ROOF LIGHTS, RIDGES, VERGES, VALLEY GUTTERS, BOX GUTTERS, BOUNDARY GUTTERS, ASBESTOS, SHEETING Single Sheet To Whole Roof Roller Shutters Accidental or Storm Damage Works Demolition Refurbishments Waste Clearances

We are available to carry out ESSENTIAL REPAIR WORKS to AGRICULTURAL LIVESTOCK/STORAGE BUILDINGS etc

SOUTH EAST CLADDING LTD Professional Services to the Agricultural, Industrial & Equestrian Sectors

CALL TO DISCUSS YOUR PROJECT!

FREEPHONE: 01233 659129

from BT land-line

MOBILE: 07813 142 145 charlie.woodger@btinternet.com

CONSTRUCTION

Agriculture ~ Cold Storage ~ Equestrian ~ Industrial ~ Waste Recycling • Agricultural Buildings • Cold Store Buildings • Equestrian Buildings • Industrial Buildings • Waste Recycling Buildings TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

01323 890403 www.danddconstruction.co.uk info@danddconstruction.co.uk

• Structural Steel • Drawing Services • Design Services • Mezzanine Floors • Custom Steelwork

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | AUGUST 2020

63

CLASSIFIEDS

CONSTRUCTION

JPR “ROOFING” & GUTTERING INSTALLATIONS LTD

Supply and erecting of

Steel framed buildingS

Fully insured and licensed. 23 years family run business.

Covering all KENT & SUSSEX

AND

We will continue to work through coronavirus, and we will be available to attend site and estimate customers projects and/or insurance repair/works.

We have now insisted that our employees wear suitable personal protection equipment on any such works until further notice.

Contact Arthur on 07860 193716 Mark on 07771 516716 Tel/Fax: 01227 831658 ardfs@vfast.co.uk

www.ardaviesfarmservices-canterbury.co.uk

GRAINSTORE INSTALLATIONS

A.R. DAVIES FARM SERVICES Est 1986

Family run business with over 45+ years of experience, from concept to completion.

Family business Family runrun business

LET’S KEEP WORKING!

with over 45+45+ years of of with over years

Asbestos Sheet removal Roof & gutter repairs New roofs & cladding Refurbishments Roller shutter doors Demolition & clearance

CONSTRUCTION

Steel frame buildings, Steel frame buildings, cladding andand associated cladding associated

Specialists in: works. works.

• Agricultural, Specialists in: in: equestrian & light Specialists • Agricultural, industrial buildings • Agricultural, light equestrian & light •equestrian In house&fabrication industrial buildings industrial buildings •• In Planning services house fabrication • In house fabrication available • Planning services

ALL WORK ALL WORK

APPROVED APPROVED

lanesconstruction.co.uk

experience, concept experience, from concept Steel framefrom buildings, to completion. to completion. cladding and associated works.

• Planning services available

available01323 848684 lanesbuildings@btconnect.com

lanesconstruction.co.uk lanesconstruction.co.uk

lanesbuildings@btconnect.com lanesbuildings@btconnect.com

01323 848684 01323 848684

We are available to carry out ESSENTIAL REPAIR WORKS to AGRICULTURAL LIVESTOCK/STORAGE BUILDINGS etc

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Contact: Chris, for a no obligation quotation: Tel: 07813 142145 or 01233 659129 (7 days)

To advertise in South East Farmer telephone 01303 233883

www.jprmaintenance-construction.co.uk

Penfold Profiles

Contact Maurice today 07468 429409

Asbestos removal Sheeting Guttering

O’REILLY

concrete

RAMSA K M

E

M

B

E

R

Specialists in agricultural and industrial buildings ASBESTOS Survey Removal Disposal

O’Reilly Oakstown Ltd Atlantic Way, Barry Port, Barry, Wales, CF63 3RA, UK info@oreillyoakstown.com

L Walls & A Walls Grain Storage Walls Precast Storage Tanks Prestressed Wall Panels Agricultural Precast & Storage

GUTTERS Aluminium liners PVC liners Accessories

SHEETING Complete buildings New roof system for conversions Repairs – Rooflights

07864 823 476 07889 481618 penfoldprofiles@btinternet.com www.penfoldprofiles.co.uk

Penfold Profiles. Lees Paddock, High Halden, Ashford, Kent AUGUST 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

www.oreillyoakstown.co.uk

®

CLASSIFIEDS

CONSTRUCTION SHORTLAND STRUCTURES LTD

CONTRACTORS Grubbing, timber & groundwork services

• STEEL FRAMED BUILDINGS • CLADDING • ERECTING • • EXTENSIONS • ALTERATIONS • CONCRETE PANELS • ROLLER/SLIDING/PERSONNEL DOORS • Tel: 01732 460912 Mobile: 07976 287836 Email: sales@shortlandstructures.com

• orchard grubbing

• land clearance

• windbreak removal

• excavations

• timber extraction

• cultivations

• fallen tree removal

• pond dredging

• ground contouring

• reservoir construction

W.H.Skinner & Sons

www.shortlandstructures.com

01622 744640 - 07711 264775 www.whskinnerandsons.co.uk

CONTRACTORS

G & S BROWN

LAND DRAINAGE, EARTHWORKS, GROUNDWORKS & CONSTRUCTION

Drainage Contractors

FULL LAND DRAINAGE SERVICE sportsfields, amenity and irrigation systems using Mastenbroek trenchers

Working with farmers since 1947

PONDS, LAKES & RESERVOIRS construction and maintenance

● LAND DRAINAGE ● DITCHING ● POND WORK ● WATER SUPPLIES ● SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS ● GROUNDWORKS ● PLANT HIRE 360° EXCAVATORS

OD & PARTNERS

GROUNDWORKS & CONSTRUCTION primary excavations, aggregate sub-base, agricultural construction and concreting

S W ATTWOOD & PARTNERS NAGE LAND DRAINAGE

FOR ESTIMATES & ENQUIRIES

For all enquiries call 01233 860404 07770 867625 (Harvey) or 07768 115849 (Dave)

(01622) 890884

VEYING

E

ENVIRONMENTAL HABITATS water course maintenance and improvement works

   

info@brownsdrainage.co.uk FIELDEmail: MAPPING www.brownsdrainage.co.uk DRAINAGE SURVEYING DESIGN SWA DRAINAGE

R.POPOVIC & SON Agricultural Contractors Est 1966

SW ATTWOOD & PARTNERS

S W ATTWOOD & PARTNERS FROM £220 PER ACRE LAND DRAINAGE

ATTWOOD & PARTNERS

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• Round or Big Square baling and wrapping • Forage harvesting • Muck spreading • Cultivations, grass seeding etc • All grassland and forest ride maintenance • Complete or part operations • All other associated work undertaken

Call Nick Popovic on 01323 832002 or 07889 177434

ND DRAINAGE

To advertise in South East Farmer telephone 01303 233883

FIELD MAPPING DRAINAGE SURVEYING DESIGN DRAINAGE

®

FENCING

220 PER ACRE

Manufacturers of Chestnut Fencing Products

ON SIT OUR

Hardwood gates Cleft post and rail

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION • FIELD MAPPING • DRAINAGE SURVEYING PLEASE CONTACT US OR VISIT OUR • DESIGN • DRAINAGE d.com WEBSITE: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Stakes and posts Chestnut fencing

oodfarms.com PHONE: 01795 880441

CWP fenci f n ng

PLEASE CONTACT JAMES OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE TOM: 01795 880441 or 07884 664035

Tel: 07985298221 www.cwpfencing.co.uk

PHILIP JUNIPER

EMAIL: james@swattwood.com EMAIL: james@swattwood.com GRAIN STORAGE & TESTING

  LANDwww.swjfattwood.com DRAINAGE Fencing Services ER INFORMATION  PLANT HIRE OUR Specialists in Stock, Deer and Equestrian Fencing NTACT US OR VISIT To advertise in South East Farmer Covering the South East Tel: (01403) 700509 Mobile: 07836 219344  INERT TIPPING  GRAIN STORAGE & TESTING www.philipjuniper.co.uk telephone 01303 233883 795 880441 CLAY SALES

www.attwoodfarms.com

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 es@swattwood.com

®

233883

 

LAND DRAINAGE PLANT HIRE

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | AUGUST 2020

CLASSIFIEDS

IRRIGATION EVENTS

HIRE SPECIALISTS ACROSS THE SOUTH EAST

Why dig when we can trench it?

Trencher with operator for installing: • Irrigation and water pipes • Utility cables and ducting

• Toilets & Showers for hire

• Repairs to water pipes

• Large range of Temporary canteens, stores & welfare units

• Impact moling

• Effluent Tank Emptying

Enquiries FieldWaterInstallations@gmail.com

• Events also catered for with marquees & toilets

Est 1993

FOUR JAYS GROUP

PRESSURE WASHERS

Tel: 01622 843135 Fax: 01622 844410 enquiries@fourjays.co.uk www.fourjays.co.uk

To advertise in South East Farmer telephone 01303 233883

01580 891728 or 07768 626131 www.fwi-trenching.co.uk

®

HAULIERS 07860 728204 Hay & Straw Merchant | Machinery Haulage

SALES, SERVICE & HIRE OUT of Pressure Washers, Vacuums, Scrubber Dryers, Sweepers & Dry Steamers from the leading manufacturers!

Fully Stocked mobile engineers with full manufacturer training.

Over 45 YEARS in trading!

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TEL:01293 554750 TEL:01293 WWW.PRESSURECLEAN.CO.UK WWW.PRESSURECLEAN.CO.UK

STORAGE TANKS

HAY & STRAW IN STOCK | ROUND & BIG SQUARE BALES

Find us on Facebook

To advertise in South East Farmer telephone 01303 233883

KING

Horizontal Cylindrical Tanks

®

From 54,500 litres to 27,250 litres (12,000 - 6,000 gallon) Single and twin compartments, with cradles

Bunded Tanks

INDUSTRIAL DOORS DOORS LTD

SUPPLY INSTALLATION MAINTENANCE SERVICE

INDUSTRIAL DOOR SERVICES Sectional doors • Roller Shutter doors • High speed doors Loading bay equipment • Personnel and Fire doors

Culnells Farm, School Lane, Iwade, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 8QJ Fax: 01634 360955 Mobile: 07973 299664 Email: sales@yiannisdoors.co.uk

Tel: 01634 378523

www.yiannisdoors.co.uk

AUGUST 2020 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

STORAGE TANKS

From 27,000 litres to 10,000 litres (6,000 - 2,000 gallon) With cabinet, guage and alarm All suitable for fuel, water and effluent Call today for details

Tel 01638 712328

www.thekinggroup.co.uk/tanks

®

CLASSIFIEDS FROM £65 To advertise in South East Farmer telephone 01303 233883

CROSSWORD ®

VINEYARDS

COMPLETE OUR CROSSWORD TO WIN A mixed box of our 500ml sparkling ciders including four bottles of Biddies 5, Red Love cider and Biddies 8

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Crossword by Rebecca Farmer, Broadstairs, Kent

PRIZE ANAGRAM: Oilseed rape pest (7,4,4,6)

To enter, simply unscramble the anagram (7,4,4,6) using the green squares.

Email your replies with your name, address and phone number to sef.ed@kelsey.co.uk Correct entries will be entered into a draw which will take place on 10 August. The winner will be announced in the September edition.

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

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Cloth (8) Article (5) A disease that crosses species (8) When a bird opens and shuts its wings or tail (5) Number (4) Flood deluge (7) Oxfordshire country house (8,6) A compound of carbon and metal (7) Allow; A document of authorisation (6) A pus filled swelling (7) Jump a rope (4) Connected officially to a larger organisation (9) Rare breed sheep (9) Male monarch (4) Brassica (6) Sharp protection on plant (5) ---- vegetable, eg carrots, horseradish, turnips (4) Flowering plant (7) Break, chop, cut (5) A type of artist’s paint (7) Leak (4) Against (4) Attractive, pretty (9) Unit of land (4) --- Constrictor (3) A substance produced from mixing dry and liquid ingredients (5) Coloured fluid for writing (3) Underneath (5) Series of metal links (5) Smell (5) Season (6)

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LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS: 1

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We are offering readers the chance

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Correct answer: Charlock LAST MONTH’S WINNER: Gabrielle Ind from Weston Turville, Buckinghamshire

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | AUGUST 2020