South East Farmer September 2023

SOUTH EAST FARMER

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Cover picture: Aberdeen Angus at Angus Stovold ©MacG

36

FEATURES

08 GROUNDSWELL

Nigel Akehurst attended the 7th Groundswell to find out if regenerative farming has gone mainstream.

13 FARMING CONFERENCE

Can we really save the planet (from a farming perspective)?

20 CHAVEREYS

Natural capital, fake capital. Why your accountant will be extinct in a few years.

28 INVICTA INSURANCE SERVICES

Invicta has strengthened its agricultural arm with the arrival of two well-known faces.

30 KITSON RECYCLING

Collecting waste plastics of all kinds.

36 PLOUGHING MATCHES

A round up of the region's fixtures.

44 JRJ CONSTRUCTION

After building himself a reputation as a ‘go-to’ name for agricultural and industrial building construction, Jez Reddecliffe decided that it was time to strike out on his own.

Working in harmony OPINION

Is it possible to make progress by going backwards? The current trend towards regenerative farming, while for many people a new and perhaps challenging concept, is in many ways a return to older agricultural practices.

It’s certainly a concept that is picking up considerable momentum, as the feature in this issue on the increasingly popular Groundswell event testifies. This year’s two day event – the seventh – saw more than 6,500 attend ‘the Glasto of farming’, a figure that has nearly doubled over the past two years.

While founded in a desire to protect our soils, use fewer chemicals and generally farm in a more environmentally aware fashion, it’s interesting that many farmers are also finding the regenerative approach stacks up financially.

‘Regen’ doesn’t mean abandoning technology, though. The farming wing of the Luddite movement is not about to start smashing autopilot tractors or tampering with the GPS signal. In fact the opposite is true, according to a recent survey, which saw 89% of respondents agree that a return to regenerative practices can work in harmony with the use of agri-technology.

The survey by The Institute of Agricultural Management ahead of this November’s National Farm Management Conference showed that most respondents were already using regenerative practices, with 61% using minimal or no-till, and that most were also making good use of technology.

So perhaps returning to old ways, assisted by novel technologies, can indeed represent progress, a view reflected by author Kurt Vonnegut, who suggests in his first novel Player Piano that “a step backward, after making a wrong turn, is a step in the right direction”.

While farming, for some, may be returning to its roots (no pun intended), science continues to push back the boundaries with frightening rapidity, and nowhere is this more evident than in the area of cultured meat.

As occasional columnist Mike Kettlewell points out in a somewhat unnerving piece this month, ‘home grown’ could soon take on an entirely new meaning, with lab-grown meat no longer just a scientific possibility but a reality. It’s a development that has wide ramifications, not just for livestock farmers but because of the questions it poses around land use and other aspects of country life.

As with all such dilemmas, the question facing us all is not what we think about such a development – we have no chance of stopping the technology, after all – but about how we respond to the challenges (and opportunities?) it presents.

MALCOLM TRIGGS - EDITOR

PHOTO ID NEEDED WHEN ORDERING FERTILISERS

Farmers, growers and buying co-operatives have been warned that they will need to provide photo ID when purchasing ammonium nitrate (AN) fertilisers from October, following a change in the law.

The Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) has warned that the new regulations could cause big problems for tens of thousands of farming customers, particularly those who usually place their order over the telephone.

AIC, the UK’s agri-supply trade association, represents UK fertiliser and agronomy companies and is urging farmers and growers to get ready for the change, which follows the Home Office’s decision to amend the Control of Poisons and Explosives Precursors Regulations 2023.

The amendment has added new substances to the lists of regulated explosives precursors and poisons, including AN with a nitrogen content of 16% or more. This applies to compounds, blends and mixtures such as NPK fertiliser which contain AN above the nitrogen content threshold.

Businesses supplying these products to professional users and other businesses will need to take additional steps to check the legitimacy of the buyer. The photo ID provided can be for anyone working for the farm business who is authorised to make the purchase.

Jo Gilbertson, AIC’s head of fertiliser, said: “While we will always support efforts to further minimise the public safety risks of fertiliser falling into the wrong hands, the Government has failed to understand how ammonium nitrate products are bought and sold within agriculture.

“Fertiliser orders are often made by farmers and growers over the phone, not over a shop counter, making it impractical to meet the new requirement to show a passport, driving licence or other photo ID.

“AIC is concerned that unless farming customers can show distributors their photo ID, they legally will not be able to place an order and we may see a situation where there is a de facto ban on AN fertiliser sales from October.

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

“AIC will be working with farming unions to ensure that the practicalities of this new legislation is better understood by farmers across the UK, making sure that they are well prepared for the changes.”

There are full details on the Gov.uk website: https://tinyurl.com/GOVphotoID

UNRIVALLED LEADERSHIP

Former Sussex dairy farmer Tim Lock said he was “honoured and flattered” to have been awarded the M&S lifetime achievement award at this year's Select Farm Awards.

Tim, who became chair of the M&S Milk Pool in 2016, stepped down this year after seven years representing fellow milk producers in an important retailer/producer/ customer partnership.

Judges were impressed by his leadership during the period of nationwide uncertainty

caused by the pandemic, with Steve McLean, M&S head of agriculture and fisheries pointing out: “Over what has been an unprecedented time of volatility and market instability, Tim’s unrivalled leadership and knowledge have been a constant for both producers and M&S.”

Tim followed in the footsteps of his late father Michael in managing 1,800 acres of arable land, beef and dairy in West Sussex, taken on by his father in the 1950s. Tim stopped dairying when the farm was sold by

the landlord but continues to represent the interests of dairy producers in his new role as dairy sector chair of the Red Tractor Board.

“I was honoured and flattered to be rewarded for something I really enjoyed hugely,” he told South East Farmer.

He said it had been a pleasure working with fellow farmers and with colleagues in M&S. “the milk pool is a great example of how supply chain partners can work collaboratively in an honest, open and fair way,” he commented.

Dairy industry stalwart from West Sussex wins M&S lifetime achievement award.

RADICAL CHANGE

Farmers and uncertainly are regular bedfellows, but just now the runes are difficult to read, heightening uncertainty and, with it, anxiety.

Do we concentrate on producing food, something advocated by older farmers who dominate the sector and are moulded by the post war zeitgeist, or not? Do we have to be self-sufficient these days? Is it practical for such a small and populous country to attempt selfsufficiency?

If we are to rely on others to feed us, what are the global issues that might affect supplies and what are the competitive effects of the rising world population, predicted to plateau at 10 billion by the end of this century?

Whither technology? All this against a backdrop of serious global heating and ecological degradation that our unscientific politicians, lobbied effectively and expensively by ‘Big Oil’, seem unable to address effectively.

Meanwhile an increasingly knowledgeable and vocal public is driving change at the same time as scientists, engineers and physicians are making huge strides in understanding the fundamentals of cell biology. Scientists have now perfected the laboratory culture of tissue without slaughter.

Small amounts of tissue are removed painlessly, under local anaesthesia. The muscle cells are isolated from fat cells and grown in closed vats under tightly controlled conditions, in a soup of nutrients, growth regulators and oxygen, while waste metabolites are removed. This replicates the conditions that exist in a body but without the extra energy required to live, feed and breed.

Products like mince are the easiest to make, but steaks and cuts indistinguishable from the ‘real thing’ are also being created. The technology has reached the stage of being scaled up for mass production, with venture capitalists eying rich pickings.

Cultured meat, like all novel products, needs regulation and approval for public consumption. Singapore has already granted such approval and this year the USA followed suit. The UK Government, sadly, is likely to be late to the table on its current lack of enthusiasm for innovative industries, so start-up companies such as Ivy Farm Technologies (IFT), a University of Oxford spin off, plans to move production to the Far East, losing skilled domestic jobs.

At present the cost of production is significantly higher than meat from slaughtered animals, but it is certain to become competitive within a few years, with less energy, waste and carbon costs claimed, and it will free up land for alternative uses. Cultured meats will sit at the top of the mix of other proteins for human consumption sourced from plants, insects and cultured bacteria.

What we don’t know yet is whether or not there is any breed-specific

taste. IFT clearly thinks there may be, as it is teaming up with a Northern Irish company to produce cultured Wagyu meat. Different cuts of meat offer different eating experiences, as does diet. Can this be produced in the lab? Almost certainly.

So what about the farmed animals that are so necessary for ecological diversity and richness? My guess is that the numbers of farm animals will reduce, with the loss mainly in the intensive sector. There will be fewer sheep roaming the hills and many fewer pigs. Large-scale abattoirs may disappear. There will certainly be fewer farm animals to graze meadows and rough pasture.

The cattle that remain will likely be traditional stock bred to do well on rough pasturage. Some sheep will be needed to manage uplands and as part of arable rotations for soil health. Herbivore numbers, including deer, need controlling, so small local abattoirs could service those choosing the ‘real thing’. Supply chains should shorten, while the mass market will remain as it is today, factory based.

Large areas of arable land currently used to grow animal feed will be freed up to grow novel crops for human consumption, restore lost biodiversity and enhance recreation and study. The change will surely be radical and the sooner we start thinking about it, the more likely we are to achieve a positive outcome. The discussion must start now and not be kicked down the road by the Government as global warming has been.

Mike Kettlewell, a member of a farming partnership which encompasses 400 acres of arable land, South Devon cattle and stewardship in the Cotswolds, looks at the rapid advances in cultured meat technology.

After an impressive 150 shows, the Ashford Cattle Show is set to be taken forward by Hobbs Parker Auctioneers.

Ashford Cattle Show chairman Mike Bromley confirmed that the committee, which he praised for doing “an amazing job” in recent years, had agreed to hand over the reins to the auctioneers.

Hobbs Parker has played a major part in recent shows, with the recently retired Mark Cleverdon heavily involved in the event, and the shift in leadership is not expected to result in

any significant changes.

“The committee was getting older and people have less time these days to commit to such a major event,” said Mike. “Hobbs Parker has been very involved in the past and they have staff, time and expertise, so it seemed like a natural progression for them to take the lead in future.

“It was amazing to reach such a significant milestone as 150 shows in November last year, but the committee felt that the time was right to ask Hobbs Parker to take it forward.”

Rising stars and industry stalwarts are set to be honoured at this year’s Kent County Agricultural Society (KCAS) Awards, which will be presented as part of the Kent Business Awards in November.

The business awards gala dinner at the Kent Event Centre at Detling will feature three awards specifically aimed at the agricultural sector.

The first is the Young Farmer/Agricultural Student of the Year, which KCAS says will be awarded to someone who is “passionate about the agricultural industry” and shows “real ambition to own or run [their] own business in the future”. The winner will be aged 18 to 35 and “driven, enthusiastic and dedicated to their role within agriculture”.

The Innovation in Agriculture award will be presented to someone with “a progressive approach which results in a significant performance or welfare improvement, be that addressing sustainability issues or business resilience, to create a viable future”. The society is looking for “someone who is innovative, responsible and driven to protect their farming business, perhaps through new practices, the application of technology or something novel”.

Ashford Cattle Show was first held in 1857, passing its 150th year in 2007, but with a number of shows cancelled for world wars and a variety of reasons, the pandemic being the most recent, 2022 marked the 150th event, with NFU President Minette Batters the guest speaker.

“The show will take the same format but will benefit from the expertise of the Hobbs Parker team that has been closely involved in the past anyway,” Mike added. Schedules for this year’s show are currently being prepared and circulated.

HANDING OVER THE REINS RISING STARS

The Lifetime Achievement Award will be given to a person who KCAS believes has “made a unique and special contribution, over a prolonged period, to farming”.

The society adds: “To dedicate one's life to a particular area of expertise, field of choice, promoting a positive perception of our local agricultural industry to the public, is a lifetime achievement. We would like to hear about individuals who have demonstrated decades of service to agriculture and deserve extra special recognition for their outstanding achievements.”

The awards will be presented on 29 November. Closing date for applications is 13 October.

www.businessawardskent.co.uk/agriculturalawards

LAMBING STARTS IN SEPTEMBER NOT SPRING

Having ewes at the correct body condition score (BCS) throughout the year reduces variation in the flock and makes feeding simpler. Ewes with the correct BCS have better fertility and deliver superior lamb performance.

Having ewes in the right condition at tupping is key, but it takes six to eight weeks to move up one BCS point and it is hard to change BCS during pregnancy without affecting lamb development. Putting on body condition between weaning and tupping will allow for maintenance during mid pregnancy.

Ewes in better BCS at tupping and through mid-pregnancy will milk better, rear heavier lambs and be in better condition at the next weaning.

According to a UK report, 28% of lambs less than one week old submitted for post mortem examinations were associated with insufficient colostrum.

Crystalyx Extra High Energy is suitable for all grazing situations. Its controlled intake levels as a result of the cooking process provide increased digestibility of forage, and ewes with a higher BCS at lambing rear heavier lambs.

Independent university studies have shown that ewes fed Crystalyx Extra High Energy at grass throughout the flushing and tupping period:

• gain condition and liveweight faster than on good grass alone

• ovulate more eggs to increase lamb numbers at scanning

• conceive faster to the ram, significantly shortening the lambing period.

Continued access to Crystalyx has also been shown to help maintain better ewe body condition in mid-pregnancy by improving nutrient intake when forage availability and quality declines.

IS REGENERATIVE FARMING NOW MAINSTREAM?

Nigel Akehurst attended the 7th Groundswell, held at Lannock Manor Farm in Hertfordshire, to find out if regenerative farming has gone mainstream.

Now in its eighth year, having lost one event to Covid-19, this once small farming show and conference, founded and run by the Cherry family on their mixed arable no-till farm, has become the calendar event for everything “regen ag”. It is, in effect, the “Glasto of farming”.

Whatever your take on the term (and its many meanings), it’s a movement that is attracting a growing audience of farmers, consumers, climate activists, horticulturalists, entrepreneurs, journalists, policy makers and politicians.

This year more than 6,500 people attended Groundswell over two days – nearly double the number from 2021 – with many in their twenties and thirties, making the event feel like a proper festival (especially when you consider that the average age of a farmer is 59).

Another positive sign is the growing number of conventional farmers attending and giving regen ag a go. As event director Alex Cherry pointed out, Groundswell provides an inclusive space for everyone to share their own thoughts and practise ideas and experiences to help make farming part of the solution to many of the issues we face.

To some it comes down to simple economics rather than ideology, though many are motivated to do more to ensure we protect our soil, look after the land and produce food in a safe and nutritious way.

There was an impressive array of large talk tents (nine including a huge big top) and over 200 exhibitors. All the main farming organisations were there – DEFRA, the NFU, the CLA and Nature Friendly Farming Network to name a few.

There were machinery dealers (no-till drills galore), robots, composting businesses, breed societies, software, carbon trading and biodiversity businesses and a few clothing and footwear brands alongside an impressive lineup of sustainable food traders (not a cheap burger van in sight).

PICKING WHAT TO SEE

With over 200 speakers and 100 sessions spread over the two days, it was no easy feat picking what to see. The big themes for this year were soil: where it all begins, fibre: fashion is agriculture, biodiversity: from naked eye to AI and last but not least food: discuss and digest. This year Groundswell also 'popped the cork’ on regenerative viticulture, with two panel sessions exploring what that looks like around the world and in the UK.

I circled four sessions for the first day and three sessions for the second, allowing plenty of time to set up my rickety tent before the rain, chat to some of the exhibitors, attend a couple of nature safaris and see some of the demonstrations (the mobile abattoir).

For newcomers to regenerative agriculture

there were some fascinating first principles sessions in the big top and rainfall simulator demos each day (demonstrating what two inches of rainfall does to soils under different management regimes).

FAVOURITE SESSIONS

One of the first sessions I attended was on cluster groups and landscape recovery, a topic I’ve found fascinating since my involvement in our local farm cluster group The Pevensey Farmers and an area that will become increasingly important as farmers are encouraged to work more collaboratively.

Next up, I attended both the hedgerow and pond safaris, two sessions that provided practical ideas to implement on our own family farm. Looking at the colour and structure of the soil underneath the hedgerow (darker and more alive) compared to the middle of the arable field (lighter and lifeless) was illuminating. Speakers also explained the revitalising process of laying or coppicing a “leggy” hedge. Farmers interested in such projects can take advantage of a number of countryside stewardship grants.

With the Government encouraging farmers to explore emerging green finance options, I attended the session on natural capital markets in practice. The audience included a few representatives from “high street” banks (a chap from Lloyds sat next to me said they

were keeping a close eye on the market).

Two years ago this topic felt like the Wild West, and for many it’s still a no-go zone. However, listening to the panel of speakers I felt more assured, with growing consensus on everything from baseline metrics (though some questions remain on how to measure them) to tax implications.

The figures sound more enticing too. Units of biodiversity net gain (BNG) are changing hands for tens of thousands of pounds. There are now more providers and crucially more farmers are signing up. I was interested to learn that as yet there is no private mechanism to reward farmers for maintaining existing carbon rich, biodiverse habitats (where there is little potential uplift). As a solution, one of the expert panel speakers, Ivan De Klee, head of natural capital at Nattergal (a sister company to Knepp Castle Estate), suggested that this type of habitat should continue to be protected by public money.

After the session I spoke to a few different natural capital provider exhibitors. Chatting to a representative at Agreena, I learnt that most carbon payments on offer are currently limited to arable farmers going on the regenerative journey (no-till, reducing fertiliser use, planting cover crops etc), though he felt this could change as the market evolves.

Another option, and one that can apply to grassland farmers as well as arable ones, is BNG. A representative on the Environment Bank stand told me they offer landowners on suitable parcels of land £900 a hectare to enter into a 30-year lease. They typically work with blocks of 20 or more hectares to “co-create a biologically diverse habitat bank (BNG units to sell to developers) to safeguard nature and address biodiversity loss across the UK”.

Once the landowner enters into an

agreement, they receive a welcome fee and their first year’s rent up front, he explained. Often the farmer can continue to farm the land, as long as it fits the agreed habitat management plan. To get a better understanding of how this works in practice I spoke to Bella Lowes, a new entrant farmer who farms with her husband Toby Diggens in Devon.

Bella told me they were one of the first to enter into an agreement with the Environment Bank back in 2021 on a 25-acre block of industrially farmed land (previously used to produce swedes) and are now in the process of restoring it back to species-rich grassland.

She admitted the 30-year agreement and legal paperwork was initially quite daunting but said ultimately their goal of restoring the land is aligned and said they enjoy a good working relationship with them.

After baselines (using Natural England’s metrics to measure soil health as well as

invertebrate and breeding bird surveys) were taken, they agreed a habitat management plan with the ecologist before starting the restoration work (which is all paid for upfront). Initially they grew a crop of barley as a nutrient strip before using green haying to restore the land.

The results have been positive already, she said, with lots of native grasses, though less flowers than they had hoped for so far. They are also still farming the land, using their herd of Ruby Red native cows to mob graze the grassland and spread seed.

“We’re still creating food. A lot of people’s fear is that land gets taken out of traditional good, sensible farming and food production,” she said. Asked about downsides, Bella said there were biodiversity targets written into the agreement that needed to be hit but said that the Environment Bank was incentivised to help farmers succeed. >>

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She added that they might be missing out on making more money (as ultimately the units will probably be sold to a developer for a lot more money than they receive in annual payments) but was also aware that the annual payments are far more than they could earn from producing food.

SELLING DIRECT

Having sold beef and lamb direct from our own family farm since 2016, I’ve always found it useful to learn from others in the sector and encourage others to give it a go.

I attended a session entitled Direct to Household: building a market for local food from the farmgate. Two of the farmer panelists selling meat direct recommended offering individual cuts to customers rather than just boxes. They said it had helped them retain more customers, though I can imagine managing carcass balance might be more complicated.

Other suggestions included freezing the meat the day it is collected from the butcher (though there is still work to be done to change the narrative around frozen meat). Abby Allen of Pipers Farm recommended building

relationships with journalists to help get the word out. She also suggested using images of cooked meat as well as fresh meat, along with recipe ideas.

All the panelists said social media was key, along with a good website, something you don’t need to spend thousands on with cost effective platforms like the Open Food Network and Oooby worth checking out.

MOBILE ABATTOIR

With many farmers in the South East still reeling from the closure of Totttingworth earlier in the year, I was eager to see the mobile abattoir on show at Groundswell.

Attending a demo led by operator Andy Gray, I joined a group interested in finding out whether a modified shipping container on a lorry body could be the answer to our problems.

The abattoir is the first of its kind in the UK and was built in Italy at a cost of £250,000 (though the Government may start offering 40% grants towards the cost, according to Andy). It costs around £60 an hour to staff and run, with a current daily throughput of five cattle or 45 lambs.

As Andy admitted, things get a bit tight with a Belgian blue and a large slaughter man. Walking through the unit later I could see why. These units may well be a good solution for a small island community or remote part of the UK, but I can’t see them being widely adopted in the South East; it's another reason why we need more support for our existing abattoirs.

THE FUTURE

I returned home feeling inspired and eager to do more on our own farm. I’ve started digging more holes to look at our soils and am paying more attention to our existing hedges and ponds, working out what we can do to help them attract more wildlife. I’m also determined finally to give adaptive multipaddock (AMP) grazing a go.

This is the time of the year when I spend the most time in a tractor cab, moving bales or mucking out our cattle yards, and can recommend listening to audio books to help pass the time. I’ve just finished listening to Ravenous by Henry Dimbleby, a book everyone was talking about at Groundswell. Hope to see some of you there next year.

Can We Really Save The Planet? (From a Farming Perspective)

This year’s Farming Conference will once again be held at the South of England Showground, Selsfield Road, Ardingly, West Sussex RH17 6TL or can be attended online. Find out more and register for your free place, in person or online, at seas.org.uk/ farming-conference

Wednesday 1st November 6-10pm (Online 7-9pm)

›

We

CHAIR Charlotte Smith Presenter on BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today

Sue Pritchard

CEO of Food, Farming and Countryside Commission, an independent charity set up to explore practical and radical solutions to the climate, nature, health and economic crises of our time and organic farmer with a focus on farming for conservation

Phil Jarvis

Chair of Albanwise Farming and Environment which manages land and estates in Norfolk and Yorkshire including sugar beet, cereals, oil seed rape, maize and potato arable rotation and wetland, woodland, hedgerow, peatland and agri-environment habitats

CAN WE REALLY SAVE THE PLANET (FROM A FARMING PERSPECTIVE)?

Sponsors of the event are:

The South of England Agricultural Society’s 2023 Farming Conference will take place on Wednesday 1 November at the South of England Showground in Ardingly, West Sussex.

Led by BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today presenter Charlotte Smith, this year’s event will take a new approach by featuring an interview with two exceptional guests rather than presentations. It promises to “delve deeply into whether we can save the planet (from a farming perspective) or if it’s too late”. The traditional close to the conference will remain, offering time for audience questions, input and debate.

Duncan Rawson, a Nuffield Scholar sponsored by the society who chairs the conference organising committee, said: “I don’t think anyone can argue that climate change isn’t making its consequences felt across the farming sector. From changing weather patterns to increasing society demands to farm more sustainably, the impact is palpable.”

He added: “Agriculture is firmly in the sights of many as the cause of many of the problems we face when it comes to climate change and environmental loss, and to be fair, to a large extent, they’re right.

“We’re now reaping the impacts of decades of government policies incentivising production at the expense of the environment. However, it is often said that while the industry is a major contributor to climate destruction, it potentially provides many of the answers, too; that by changing farming practices and doing things differently we can save the planet and feed an ever-demanding population to boot.

“But is that true, or is it too late? Everyone is talking about carbon zero, but is it achievable?

We talk about biodiversity loss, but isn’t the damage irreversible now? Can we shed our reliance on artificial fertilisers when we have an obligation to provide affordable food to a growing population?

“The Society firmly believes the future is bright, but we also need to be realistic, which is why this conference and debate, at this time, is so important.”

This year’s guest speakers are Sue Pritchard, chief executive of independent charity the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission (FFCC), and Phil Jarvis, chair of Albanwise Farming and Environment.

Sue's diverse career spans leadership, strategy, culture and change. She has been a consultant, coach, researcher and writer and held positions as a non-executive director and chair of a local health board in Wales.

With affiliations at esteemed institutions including Salford University, Leeds University, Ashridge Business School and University College London, she drives significant systems change through collaboration with public and private organisations, leading complex projects.

She is an independent governor at the Royal Agricultural University, a CoFarm Foundation trustee and sits on several academic advisory boards. Sue manages a Soil

Association-accredited organic livestock farm in Monmouthshire, prioritising conservationfocused farming.

Phil is a Professional Fellow of the Institute of Agricultural Management and chairs Albanwise Farming and Environment, overseeing Norfolk and Yorkshire estates. Their arable rotation includes sugar beet, cereals, oilseed rape, maize and potatoes, while Albanwise Environment manages diverse habitats such as wetlands, woodland, hedgerows and peatland.

Phil leads The Voluntary Initiative, championing the best plant protection product use delivered through integrated pest management. He was formerly head of farming, training and partnerships at the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust's Allerton Project. His agricultural engagement includes National Farmers Union roles and completing an MSc in sustainable agricultural management. He also served on the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)’s Agriculture and Food Security Strategy Advisory Panel.

The society’s 2023 conference will run from 7pm to 9pm on Wednesday 1 November 2023. Those attending in person will be able to enjoy pre-event and post-event refreshments and networking opportunities and a wider timescale of 6pm to 10pm.

The conference is free to attend, in person or online, but visitors must register at

Charlotte Smith, Chair, plus guest speakers Phil Jarvis and Sue Pritchard

THE UK’S SHOWCASE EVENT FOR THE FRUIT INDUSTRY

1-2

Venue: Kent County Showground, Detling ME14 3HS

Time: 9am Free

Full programme over two days with keynote speech by Minette Batters, President of the National Farmers Union, black tie dinner, trade stands and industry networking.

COST OF RURAL CRIME RISES TO £9.3M IN SOUTH EAST

Rural crime cost business and individuals in the South East £9.3m last year, a rise of 24.1% from 2021, according to insurer NFU Mutual’s 2023 Rural Crime Report.

The figure is in line with the trend across the country, with 2022 rural crime costs across the UK climbing 22% to an estimated £49.5m, up from £40.5m the previous year.

The rise comes against a background of soaring values and low supply of farm machinery worldwide, a shortage that has led to criminal gangs establishing illicit global markets for farm machinery and technology. The cost of agricultural vehicle theft in the UK reported to NFU Mutual soared by 29% to £11.7m in 2022.

The UK cost of GPS theft increased by 15% to £1.8m in 2022 and rose even more sharply in the first four months of 2023, doubling to over £500,000 compared to the same period last year. Thefts of GPS kit are particularly challenging for farmers who face delays and disruption to harvesting and cultivating work while waiting for it to be replaced.

Quad bikes and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) were also top targets for rural thieves in 2022, with UK quad and ATV theft reported to NFU Mutual valued at £3m, a 34% rise on the previous year.

The UK cost of livestock theft rose 8.7% in 2022, totalling an estimated £2.7m. Claims reported to NFU Mutual regularly involve more than 50 sheep being taken in a single raid, something that has a devastating impact on breeding lines as well as causing distress for farmers worried about the welfare of the stolen animals.

Amid the cost-of-living crisis, diesel and heating oil thefts plagued farms and rural homes, leaving some families without heat at the coldest time of year. Fuel theft doubled last year as both organised and opportunist thieves targeted fuel tanks across the countryside.

Colin Campbell, NFU Mutual Regional Manager for the South East, said: “Rural theft is changing. It is not only opportunist thieves travelling a few miles; we are now seeing internationally organised criminal activity. Many items are stolen ‘to order’.”

Sponsored by

NFU Mutual provided over £400,000 in support for rural crime fighting initiatives last year. A dedicated agricultural vehicle theft unit, funded and set up by NFU Mutual in 2010, is part of the new National Rural Crime Unit. This will strengthen work so that specialist police resources can be targeted where they are needed most.

www.nfumutual.co.uk/farming/rural-crime/

RECOGNITION DESERVED FOR COLLEGE

Dear Sir,

I was disappointed to find there was no mention of Brinsbury College in your article about the South of England Show (South East Farmer, July).

The cows from Brinsbury played a large part in the line-up of dairy cattle at the show. Surely the college team, students and staff who spent a lot of time and effort to bring their beautiful cows to the show deserve some recognition and encouragement to participate in the future.

Diana Thompson, Farnham

The editor replies: The South of England Show is a large event and it’s impossible to give everyone a mention. Diana has promised to contribute some words on Brinsbury’s no-doubt sterling efforts next year.

DRIVE TO IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY

Dear Sir,

More than 3,000 English livestock farmers will soon receive their share of £19 million through the Animal Health and Welfare Equipment and Technology Grant in a drive to improve productivity and raise welfare standards while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

While this funding is welcomed, there are omissions of items currently eligible for grant support. These omissions include smaXtec’s innovative health system which operates via ruminal boluses providing accurate insight into a cow’s inner temperature, drinking behaviour, rumination and activity levels by taking continuous measurements directly from the reticulum.

Accurate to 0.01°C, the system provides the earliest possible detection of temperature changes which are the first indicator for upcoming health problems, enabling dairy farmers to take prompt action and reduce reliance on antibiotics. Our customers typically report a 55 to 70% reduction in antibiotic usage for mastitis cases.

Farmers are, however, unable to take advantage of grant funding. Despite the hardware, climate sensors and boluses fulfilling the rule that grant-supported technology must be on-farm for five years, cows may leave the farm sooner, causing an obstacle for eligibility and preventing farmers from accessing financial support towards

installing an award-winning health system.

We believe DEFRA’s list of eligible items should support technology that fulfils the health and productivity improvements set out in the Government’s Animal Health and Welfare Pathway.

The boluses are being rapidly adopted in global dairy markets, including in New Zealand, a market against which English dairy farmers must compete. We believe we must do all we can to ensure our farmers are on a level playing field with their competitors; providing grant support for this technology would be one way of doing this.

Chris Howarth, Global Sales Director, smaXtec

© Telegraph Media Group Limited 2023

IT’S NOT TOO LATE

Places still available at Hadlow College.

GCSE results day has passed, and invariably it comes with a mixture of trepidation, excitement, joy and sometimes a tinge of disappointment, depending on the results received.

But no matter what the day brings, don’t panic; the likelihood is that there is a course for you at Hadlow College.

At our beautiful campus we offer a range of courses covering a wide variety of potential career paths.

But first, let’s answer some questions you might have after opening your GCSE results:

Does it matter if I didn’t achieve a grade 4 in English or Maths?

You could be able to continue to learn English and/or maths alongside your chosen course and then re-sit the subjects to ensure you have the qualifications before you leave Hadlow College.

If your grade is a 2 or below you will need to undertake functional skills learning, which teaches the understanding of English and Maths in a vocational context (subject to discussions with specific curriculum teams and dependent upon the course applied for).

I’ve decided I don’t want to stay at school and I want to come to Hadlow College, is that possible?

Definitely!

I missed the GCSE Information Days; does that mean I can’t come to Hadlow College?

No it doesn’t.

Just visit our Hadlow campus on Monday 4 September or Tuesday 5 September between 10am and 4pm and we can discuss your options for starting this September.

I did not get the grades I was hoping for. Can I still come to Hadlow College?

As mentioned earlier, we have a huge range of courses on offer for students of all levels.

Even if you didn’t get the grades you were hoping for, the likelihood is there will be an option that suits you.

We hope to welcome you to Hadlow College in September. Good luck!

In late July I had the pleasure of a farm visit by Secretary of State Therese Coffey, arranged at quite short notice and facilitated by the NFU London office. My first thought was why? It seems Ms Coffey is aiming to combine on-farm visits with other engagements when out and about around the country so that she can hear the views of farmers and growers face-toface on how agricultural policy is working (or not) for those of us at the sharp end.

Her first question was: “Had I engaged with SFI?”. The answer, no, for two reasons. I currently have a stewardship scheme running with another year to run and secondly, I do not think the payment rates are adequate for many of the options.

Payments for options that take land out of production are still based on income forgone, which under stewardship with BPS just about stacked up. Moving to an era without BPS payments, they are not enough. Take AB9 winter bird food at £732 ha. By the time farm fixed costs, rent, seed, fertiliser, and a herbicide are taken into account many farmers would be out of pocket. Also, the goal posts keep moving, with SFI 2022 already replaced by the 2023 version; the amount of record keeping and general administration is too onerous. Message: Review payment rates and keep SFI simple.

The farming equipment and technology fund is useful and is helping many to benefit from upgraded modern kit, but why does it have to be purchased outright? New machinery is eye-wateringly expensive and often purchased with manufacturers’ subsidised finance; why is this precluded?

Smaller businesses cannot justify new kit. If a supplier is prepared to warranty a machine, why can’t second hand machinery be funded?

Then we moved on to plant protection products and issues that are arising as we slowly decouple from Europe following Brexit. I raised the issue of parallel imports, the ability to bring in products from Europe when shortages arise in the UK. The Secretary of State gave a very straight answer: “I have told them to sort it.” Let’s hope so.

Next was the loss of seed dressings on maize for spring 2024; I emphasised that the loss of these products could make economic maize growing impossible due to bird damage and wire worm. Then I raised the decision by the Chemicals Regulation Division

ARE POLITICIANS LISTENING?

(CRD) to reclassify what they consider to be minor crops, with the result that there Is no longer any effective grass weed herbicide available for use on oats.

Liberator used to have an EMU (Extension of Authorisation for Minor Use) to allow it to be used on oats as a minor crop, but now the CRD no longer considers oats to be a minor crop, consent to use it has been withdrawn. Why were these abrupt changes in legislation not discussed earlier with growers and the wider industry?

Turning to the Slurry Infrastructure Grant (SIG), as an arable farmer I would benefit from using more manure; there are livestock producers who for environmental reasons need to use less and export the surplus, but I am not prepared to have slurry stockpiled in the open as the pollution risk is too great.

Making SIG available to receivers of manure as well as producers would mean

we could move manure away from water catchments that are currently overloaded to areas that would benefit – surely a win-win? This is a flavour of the topics covered; there were many more during the hour-long visit. Another area was the Rock review and tenancy reform, which could fill another page.

I can envisage some of you asking: “Is it worth it, talking to ministers at the top of government? Do they listen and take anything on board?” What I can say is that I had feedback asking for more detail regarding the changes to EMUs and losing Liberator for use on oats. Having the chance to put across your views must have value, and thanks to the NFU for making it possible.

I have been writing this on another wet day in early August; I sincerely hope harvest is wrapped up by the time this edition of South East Farmer is in print.

Writes Peter Knight, managing director of Burgate Farms Ltd, Hambledon, Surrey.

Farmers recently had an opportunity to meet Stacey Robins, Wealden Council’s head of planning, to discuss the general lack of support for farmers and diminishing agricultural infrastructure. The meeting was held at Montague farm, Hankham, with the host Martin Hole setting the tone as “not for airing personal grievances but to look at possible solutions for the future”. It was well attended and many people voiced their opinions, with several valid points raised.

We heard about the challenges faced by Wealden Council, farmers, those who run abattoirs, the present livestock market and the proposed new location. Ms Robins hinted that the new market site was ‘doable’, but that there were issues, mainly regarding possible queuing off the roundabout, flooding and noise sensitivity, that needed sorting. It’s going to be a long process. Apparently the planning department currently has six vacancies which it is struggling to fill, so if anyone wants a career change, you could bear this in mind.

Alternatively, if running an abattoir as an add-on to your business is appealing, John Marland, chair of the Farming In Protected Landscapes for High Weald grant panel, said there would be substantial funding available for any farmers in this area who wanted to set up a new abattoir. I feel that most farmers have their hands full.

There’s a strong demand for local meat but the lack of abattoir capacity needs solving. We should be thankful for the abattoirs we’ve got and give them our full support. Guy

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS FOR THE FUTURE

MacNaughton from LARK (Local Abattoirs R Key) has campaigned tirelessly to get the regulatory burden on these businesses reduced. Unless this is changed, more small abattoirs will close – the latest under threat being Black Brow in Cumbria – and new ones will not open, leading to further contraction of the industry and more farmers without services.

We left the meeting with a glimmer of hope that Wealden Council recognises the importance of agricultural infrastructure for farmers’ survival. Ms Robins proposed holding a future meeting “to keep talking”. It’s a start, but I’d have preferred positive action.

The meeting highlighted political influence on local councils’ policy. Farmers need to get their message over to councillors and MPs. Right now the Government is pushing councils to allow more housing to be built. Sadly, feeding the people who live in those houses is not yet a priority, but I’m optimistic that future governments might understand the need for home-produced food.

On our farm we’re providing three potential new homes, but these are designed for the use of barn owls. I would be so happy if we manage to attract any of these beautiful birds to take up residence on our land. The

Sussex Barn Owl Study Group has advised us regarding habitat and location and will monitor the boxes, which are now all installed on oak trees. Shepherd hut guests have reported sighting one flying nearby, so fingers crossed.

During the summer we’ve been working on getting our new livestock building fit for purpose. Two concrete strips have been laid, one on the outside and one on the inside, where the cattle will feed. The grandchildren have enjoyed using these as bike tracks; they’ll be disappointed when the feed barriers are installed.

There’s been discussion over tipping water troughs (more expensive) or not, inside or outside (sacrificing feed space). Questions on internal gates and layout have added to the decisions to be made. The lead time on all the necessary fitting is apparently eight to 10 weeks. Manufacturers are flat-out struggling to keep pace fulfilling items within the time limits imposed by government grant funding.

We managed to get a couple of pens of lambs into market pre-weaning, the heaviest being 46kg and the lightest 41kg. They were drawn from the flock that has had one worming and no supplementary feeding, grazing in fields and woods along with a herd

Brightleigh Farm, mob grazed cattle

of cattle. They looked well and fetched good money. I’ve now weaned.

My triplet/spare/problem flock has been trough fed and is coming on nicely. This system has eliminated what I would class as ‘non-doers’. I’m hoping to be able to draw some on a regular basis from now on; grass growth is good.

Sorting through ewes is on my list; never a dull moment. Sheep dog training is ongoing, with good days and bad days. I’m learning to walk backwards at speed. The sheep that clue up learn it’s best to stand close to me, virtually knocking me over. The youngsters are indisputably delightful company, although we continue to have different opinions over perfume choices.

We’ve been gradually finishing cattle, some sold and others supplying Nigel’s meat trade in beef boxes and individual requirements. Our monthly pop up is gaining in popularity, with the next sale planned for September 16, 10am1pm, selling beef, Pevensey Blue cheese and delicious flat bread pizza.

The weather conditions have been challenging for arable growers and I’m glad we no longer do harvesting contract work; it must be a nightmare deciding where to go first. We’ve bought a trailer load of oats straight from the field to have in our grain store for feeding whole to the sheep as required.

Pasture for Life recently held a Women in Livestock Farming farm tour and barbecue. I ignored my ever increasing ‘to do’ list and the beseeching “can we come?” looks from the dogs and sneaked away to visit Brightleigh Farm, Redhill. Penny Franklin kindly showed us around; we saw free range chicken, layers and meat birds. Interestingly these are not shut up at night but have guard dogs in with them providing protection from predators. I liked the chicken dust baths; I’m going to make one for my hens.

Next we met the outdoor pigs who had access to woodland and pasture. A cabbage had rolled under the electric fence, so I threw it back into the pigs, which proved entertaining as they all wanted to run off with it.

We then met the cattle herd, which is mob grazed and of mixed ages and includes three bulls, which amazed me. Apparently they don’t fight because they’ve always been kept together. It was an inspiring event. There’s always something to learn when interacting with other farmers.

Brightleigh farm, free range hens

Brightleigh farm pigs

Delicious Pevensey Blue pizza

Granddaughter Anna enjoying new facilities

Grandson Angus enjoying the bike track

Tip away round sheep

Putting up the barn owl boxes

Potential new homes for barn owls

Come bye Mollie

Sand bath; I’m going to make one

Training in progress, sheep keen to stay close

WHAT IS NATURAL CAPITAL?

Achieving food security for 10 billion people, reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions, reversing declines in biodiversity, achieving clean air and water – natural capital sits at the heart of many of the major challenges of the 21st century.

Natural capital refers to the underlying stock of natural assets that are fundamental to all economic activity. It has been estimated that 53% of global GDP is reliant on nature. Agriculture and its stakeholders are at the very core of natural capital. This includes our soils, crops, hedgerows, trees, water, and biodiversity. On a traditional balance sheet these natural assets provide income through food, fuel, and fibre.

But natural capital also delivers many benefits that we don’t traditionally account for:

• It stores carbon and keeps it out of the atmosphere to tackle climate change

• It slows rainwater runoff and reduces flood risk downstream

• It provides biodiversity that pollinates crops

• It provides outdoor space for people to enjoy.

Reflecting this, the landmark Dasgupta Report called for a change to our measures of economic success; for nature to be treated as an asset and for natural capital to be introduced into national accounting systems.

NATURAL CAPITAL, FAKE CAPITAL

Why your accountant will be extinct in a few years...

Environmental issues are changing the way governments legislate, companies operate and people make decisions. This means that becoming literate on energy, carbon and natural capital is now a necessary skill for businesses that will both save money and make money.

At Chavereys, we believe traditional measures of company value must be extended to include natural capital and environmental impacts. It should be business common sense to measure and optimise your natural capital assets and this will present opportunities unique to each business.

WHY NATURAL CAPITAL MATTERS?

1.

Compliance & value-chains

Many businesses already report their energy, carbon, and water footprints. The development of standardised accounting rules and a second generation of calculation tools

CHAVEREYS

is increasing confidence in accounting and reporting.

All UK supermarkets now have a net-zero target, and most have aligned to a scheme called the Science-based Targets Initiative. Because over 90% of a supermarket’s emissions come from the supply chain, they are requiring suppliers to report their own carbon emissions and set net-zero targets themselves. This creates a trickle-down effect along the supply chain whereby all farming and food businesses will soon be expected to report their carbon footprint to their customers. In finance, UK sustainability disclosure requirements will further require corporations, asset managers and owners, and investment products to disclose sustainability data.

2.

Efficiencies and income generation

Understanding energy use across the business identifies opportunities to improve resource management and save money, not

in years but in months. The largest sources of emissions – fuel consumption, fertiliser use, feed, and electricity – will also be some of the largest operating costs.

Income streams from solar PV, research and development tax relief and climate change agreements have been material to date, and it is a no-brainer to believe that similar schemes will continue to scale. Businesses that installed solar arrays have seen the win-win of reduced exposure to rising electricity prices while reporting year-on-year reductions in their carbon footprint.

3. Marketing

Once a company understands its natural capital and carbon footprint, it can effect positive change. This opens opportunities for marketing, to create a point of distinction in products or services by communicating environmental credentials. The added value can be through market share, product price premiums or by winning stakeholder support for new initiatives such as local development.

4. Natural Capital Markets

Enhancing natural capital is creating opportunities for diversification of incomes. Biodiversity net gain (BNG) and nutrient neutrality are now a pre-requisite for new developments.

Voluntary carbon markets exist for woodland creation, peatland restoration,

agricultural soil carbon and nature restoration. As these markets mature, a common feature is that the best prices per unit of traded carbon are achieved by those schemes that demonstrate co-benefits for biodiversity and water quality.

New markets around water management are likely to emerge for improving water quality and reducing flood risks.

TRINITY AGTECH

The opportunities presented by natural capital are significant but there are risks, too. Accusations of greenwashing and dodgy carbon credits can undermine businesses and unsettle entire markets. The first generation of carbon calculators gave widely differing outputs, often using average data that wasn’t UK or site-specific. It was the equivalent of doing a set of farm financial accounts using the John Nix pocketbook for costings.

To ensure that we deliver bespoke, sciencebased data to clients, we have partnered with the sector’s leading calculation tool - Trinity AgTech. Trinity’s natural capital calculator “Sandy” is the standout digital platform in this space, the only platform that can capture each farming business’s unique operations, impact, and natural capital. It is backed by the sector’s largest independent scientific board and certified to the ISO 14067 carbon

footprint standard.

Our partnership with Trinity is about more than a calculation platform because it is essential that professional services provide a broad ecosystem of data management, advisory support and market development to landed business and the industry. Trinity has developed an aligned natural capital markets platform that links Sandy to markets for carbon and biodiversity enhancements.

MEASURE, IMPACT, AND MONETISE

A business should start with a unique baseline assessment, to quantify natural capital assets, carbon- and water-footprints and understand its objectives.

From here, “what if” scenarios can estimate the impact of interventions and investments. This can identify where value can be extracted through markets, grants and schemes.

Delivering on natural capital will enhance food security and help the sector thrive by diversifying incomes, improving efficiencies and enhancing the natural asset base.

Too often there are examples of the sector losing out in the supply chain and we want to ensure this does not happen with natural capital. Like an OPEC for natural capital, we need to ensure quality of supply and value in returns. The opportunities are there and will go to those who pursue them.

$44T

of global GDP (53%) is reliant on nature

Source: WEF 2020 New Nature Economy Report

Global GDP highly or moderately dependent on nature – % of the total

Arriving at Lydling Farm down a small country lane in the Surrey Hills, I drive up into the farm yard and meet Angus Stovold outside his farm office.

We head inside for a coffee and I can’t help but notice the overwhelming number of prize certificates and ribbons adorning every inch of wall and door space.

The Stovold family has been breeding Aberdeen-Angus cattle on the farm for 88 years. Angus’s grandfather Percy started the Rosemead herd in 1936, buying his first cows in Perth after realising the potential of the breed on Surrey’s light land. Initially he kept the cows hidden from his father Ernest, who questioned the viability of the breed. His father was amazed when the new herd was taken on a tour of English shows in 1938, including the Royal, winning many of them.

Percy retired in 1968 and Angus’s father Robert (Bob) carried on the family tradition before Angus took over the running of the farm in 1990.

Over the past 20 years the AberdeenAngus breed has gone from strength to strength in the UK, said Angus. He believes it’s a trend that is set to grow, with more cattle farmers switching away from continentals to lower-input native breeds.

Given all the other native breeds, I asked why the Aberdeen-Angus had been so successful.

UK’S MOST POPULAR CATTLE VARIETY

“It’s the ability to produce off grass into muscular fat without having to put grain into them,” Angus replied.

“Most of the schemes are crossing into the dairy industry. They tend to eat less than a continental and they are easy calving and at the end of it you have a very marketable product,” he added.

Looking up the stats on the internet revealed that in 2022 Aberdeen-Angus cross became the UK’s most popular cattle variety measured by calf registrations on the British

Cattle Movement Service, having jumped Limousin cross to first place.

It’s not just in the UK, it’s the world over, said Angus: “There’s a revolution happening in France right now – they are all going over to Aberdeen-Angus. This year I’ve judged in Germany, the Czech Republic, Kazakhstan and Scotland. Last year was Portugal, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Everybody wants Aberdeen-Angus because they recognise what it is.”

A big part of the breed’s success can also

This month Nigel Akehurst visits Lydling Farm in the Surrey Hills to meet Farmer and Aberdeen-Angus pedigree breeder Angus Stovold.

be attributed to the Aberdeen-Angus brand. It’s become a household name and is known for its eating quality. Research carried out by Tesco showed that consumers value the Aberdeen-Angus breed more than organic certification.

UPCOMING ABERDEEN-ANGUS YOUTH DEVELOPMENT FINALS AND AUCTION DAY

Angus is excited to be hosting the finals of the Aberdeen-Angus Youth Development Programme (YDP) on his farm on Saturday 30 September (all with their own cattle). A former president of the Aberdeen-Angus cattle society, he explained that the YDP is all about encouraging young people aged between eight and 24 to get involved with cattle and meet like-minded people.

“It provides a great platform to learn about how to prepare cattle for sale or showing from a team of experts,” he said.

You don’t have to be an Aberdeen-Angus breeder, you just have to be ready for the challenge, he said. Anyone interested can visit the website to find out more and apply –www.aberdeen-angus.co.uk/ydp. Some of the best YDP candidates come from non-farming backgrounds, Angus added.

The finals will see the best YDP candidates from England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland (divided into three classes – junior, intermediate and seniors) compete in front of a panel of experts for section prizes and an overall winner prize which, for the senior class, includes a large bursary.

The day-long event will be followed by a celebratory dinner hosted by the McClemens herd, a neighbouring farm to Angus.

The following day, Sunday 1 October, will see the entire heifer crop from 2022 used for the finals sold through a public auction by United Auctions in person and online from the farm, starting at 11am.

FARM AND FARMER FACTS

• Senior partner in family farming business established in 1880

• 2004 to 2006 chairman of Surrey National Farmers Union

• 1998 to 2009 chairman of Surrey and Hampshire Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group

• Former president of the Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society

• Former chairman of Royal Smithfield Club

• 150 suckler cows split into two herds, all extensively grazed

• 600-acre home family farm split into 300 acres of arable crops and 300 acres of grassland

• 200-acre grassland farm rented nearby in Comptom

• Farm on greensand soil, which is free draining and allows cattle to be out wintered.

• Calve outside from January

• Full time stock man Tom Beadle supported by Oscar Harvey on a summer placement and Angus’s son Finn

• Planted 3.5km of hedgerows and fenced off all the footpaths on the farm

• Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier (wild flower margin, bumblebird mix, nectar mix, winter bird food mix and beetle banks)

• Member of Facilitation Fund Greensands Farm Cluster

• Uses local contractors to carry out all tractor work (including arable, hay and silage making)

• Plan to go Pasture for Life in the future

Angus Stovold

<< he added, and up until Brexit the farm was the number one exporter for genetics and breeding animals into Europe.

The heifers, from 23 different Rosemead lines, represent the best of those born in 2022 and would normally be retained. Included in the sale with be some of the sought-after Karlotta line (which have won two national champions and the Royal) and the Miss Beadle, another award-winning line that has not previously been sold.

All the heifers will be halter trained, quiet, and free of disease as Rosemead has an elite health status free of IBR/Johnes/BVD/LEPTO/ NEOSPORA and TB.

A percentage of the sale proceeds will go to support the youth development programme.

Coffee and refreshments will be available on the Sunday and people will be allowed to come on the Saturday to have a look around and watch the young people, with viewing areas for anyone interested in the sale.

Helping prepare the heifers for the finals will be two girls from the Czech Republic, Lucie Svobodova and Sandy Liskova, who are staying on the farm. They are representing Angus Czech YDP and are accomplished stock handlers.

PROVEN BUSINESS MODEL

Selling breeding stock off the farm has been the mainstay of the business for more than 20 years, explained Angus, though the business also grows about 300 acres of cereals.

“We sell an awful lot of bulls and an awful lot of females,” he said.

Most of his business is return customers for both bulls and females,

Angus focuses on low birth weights for easy calving, good temperament and inter muscular fat, all key characteristics of the Aberdeen-Angus breed.

Any animal that doesn’t make the grade is killed and goes for meat, he said. They kill anything with bad feet and try to keep just the cream, he explained.

“They have two chances going through the crush. If they muck around and how they exit the crush – we won’t keep them. Even the females,” he added.

“We record everything. Anything with a slightly high birth weight isn’t kept because that’s the whole character of Aberdeen-Angus – easy calving. We always sell easy-calving bulls.”

Going back ten years they had some larger 1,000kg Aberdeen-Angus cows but have culled these in favour of more productive small to medium-sized cows with an average weight of 700 to 750kg, he said.

Keen to understand ballpark figures, I asked what sort of money his breeding animals fetched.

His very best bulls can sell for upwards of £5,000, with his standard ones starting from around £2,500 for a 14 month-old animal straight off grass, he replied.

His best heifers can make similar money (£5,000), with average ones starting at £1,800 (not in calf), £2,500 (guaranteed in calf) and cow and

Easton-Greys-Jack-T852-0892

Rosemead-EMerald-Mine-U957-0648

Rosemead-Kentucky-U001-0928

Cardona-Edwin-U061-2953

calf around £3,000.

Anything that isn’t sold for breeding is sold direct to butcher C H Wakelings. Cows stay out all year round and everything calves outside from January.

“That’s one of the beauties of easy calving. We can get them into a yard if it’s not very nice once they’ve calved. They are out on hills, but they are nice because whatever the angle the wind is coming from they can get in behind bushes and it’s really natural for them,” he said.

"They can leave the herd, go and find a place to calve and then bring the calf back a couple of days later. We just keep an eye on them and make sure they have calved and the calf has been up and sucked,” he added.

The free-draining ground is ideal for out wintering but not good for droughts, he said. It’s lovely soil to work and in the old days it was all market garden.

BACKGROUND AND MOVE TO LOW-INPUT FARMING

Angus grew up with market gardening and the cattle went around the outside just clearing up. In the past they used to cross the AberdeenAngus with a Charolais to get a bigger carcass, he said.

“You would get £200 more for a Charolais cross Angus than for a pure Angus. Naturally that’s what everyone did. We kept a small nucleus of Aberdeen-Angus and we had a very good pig farm supplying a lot of

local butchers. We had a good reputation for quality pork and when I took over in 1990 I felt that the natural thing to do was to go to a pure Angus,” he said.

He started building up the Angus and got rid of the Charolais, even though they were getting more for the Charolais. Then in 1996, when BSE hit, they had a pure pedigree Aberdeen-Angus herd which never had BSE offering a great solution for the growing organic market.

“So we sold so many heifers back to the organic people and of course that’s how it all built up,” he said.

By 2000 he was up to about 250 cows and then Foot and Mouth Disease hit, which “screwed us like it screwed everybody”. They didn’t get it, but they couldn’t sell anything for about six months – which really hurt. They got over that, reduced the herd down to about 170 and started doing well and then in 2007 the disease struck again. At the time they were running about seven different farms and it cost them a huge amount, though they didn’t lose any cattle, he said. >>

Raddery-Endeavour-S191-0856

From then onwards they’ve been “a bit more careful” and across the two herds they run about 150 cows and plan to reduce this down to a nucleus of 120.

Part of this reduction in numbers is due to an increasing focus on the environment and getting a better balance. He added that they were slowly moving towards a 100% Pasture for Life system.

CONSERVATION, REGENERATIVE FARMING AND FARMING CLUSTER GROUP

Angus doesn’t apply any artificial fertilisers or use any sprays. He is a lifelong wildlife and bird enthusiast and previous chairman of Surrey and Hampshire Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group (1998-2009).

Over the past five years he has planted more than 3.5km of new hedges across the farm and has six metre Countryside Stewardship margins around all his arable fields to create corridors in which wildlife can move around.

All the arable ground is on a rotation to help attract corn buntings. They were on the farm last winter, the first time they have been seen in Surrey in 43 years.

All the hedgerows are cut on a three-yearly basis to help food sources during the winter. They also leave areas of thistles for winter food and they have put up lots of bird and bat boxes.

“Everything we’re trying to do is to make space for nature and still farm a really good product,” Angus explained.

He likes the idea of adaptive multi-paddock (AMP) grazing but isn’t keen on setting up electric fences, so is planning to wait for collar technology to come down in cost.

The actions they have taken, plus others, have helped to steadily increase bird numbers and varieties of breeds.

The farm is also part of a Farming In a Protected Landscape facilitation fund farm cluster called the Greensands Farmer Cluster

which links them and a number of neighbouring farms to some important heathland.

He hopes that by the time he retires in five or six years’ time he will be able to hand on something that is really integrated with regenerative farming.

There is more about the farm and the Rosemead Aberdeen Angus herd at www.aberdeenangus.co.uk

CLIMATE CHANGE AND CONSOLIDATION IN THE MEAT PROCESSING INDUSTRY

Angus has found the dry summers challenging. Last summer’s drought caused their grass to burn off.

“It just couldn’t grow because we’re on sand here and there was no water,” he said.

It meant they were forced to feed hay and silage through the summer and just managed to get through winter, but the barns were empty. Angus is now planning to reduce the herd size to give them a bit more resilience.

Angus also worries about further consolidation in the meat processing industry, as seen by the recent acquisition of two Scotbeef meat plants by ABP. Will less competition mean lower prices for primary producers, many of whom are already struggling to make a profit, he wonders?

FUTURE

Despite the challenges, he is positive about the outlook for livestock farmers in the UK and his own family farm. His son Finn has just returned from eight months working on a farm in Kenya and is keen to get involved. Angus wants Finn to gain more experience working on other farms in the UK with a focus on conservation and alternative ideas and would love South East Farmer readers to get in touch if they have any ideas.

Rosemead

Sale by Auction, Sunday 1st October 2023

The Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society

International Youth Development Program Finals are being held at Rosemead Aberdeen Angus on the 30th September 2023.

The entire heifer crop from the finals will be available to buy through a public auction, in person and online, the day after the finals, on Sunday 01/10/23 at 11:00hrs.

The heifers from 23 different Rosemead families represent the best of the heifers born in 2022 and would normally be retained.

They will all be halter trained, quiet, and free of disease as Rosemead has an elite health status free of IBR/Johnes/BVD/LEPTO/NEOSPORA and TB, and represent 88 years of breeding.

Ideal for herd replacements, establishment of new herds, herd improvements or export. A percentage of the sale will go to support the Youth Development Program.

This is a sale not to be missed!

Auctioneers Raymond Kennedy, United Actions

Under the auspices of the Aberdeen Angus

Contact: UA group: 01786 473 055 Angus Stovold: 07768 721 204 • Tom Beadle: 07843 020 809

The Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society 01738 622 477

On Farm Auction, 11:00hrs, Sunday 1st October 2023

Lydling Farm • Shackleford • Godalming • Surrey • GU8 6AP

More information available here:

Cattle Society

NEIGHBOURHOOD BROKER WITH AN OPEN DOOR POLICY

When making a mistake on an insurance application form can have huge consequences in the event of a claim, the trend towards online self-completion is a risky one, in the eyes of Tigi Singhateh, incoming managing director of Invicta Insurance Services Ltd.

“The larger aggregators and online insurers are relying on you, the client, with no specialist training, to fill in all the details and get them right,” he pointed out. “The danger with that approach is that if you don’t get everything right the insurer may limit how much they pay out in the event of a claim because the proposal on which the policy was agreed was inaccurate.”

That’s why Sevenoaks-based Invicta Insurance Services, which has just strengthened its agricultural arm with the arrival of two well-known faces in the

business, offers personal visits to all clients to give them the reassurance they need in such an important area.

And that’s every client, not just the larger ones. “The size of the client or the size of the premium makes no difference to the level of service we offer,” stressed operations director Adrian Best. “Our aim is to be a neighbourhood broker with an open door policy. If you want to call in and talk to us, or you would like us to visit you, we are happy to do that.”

There is, of course, a business reason behind what is likely to be seen as a refreshing approach in an industry that has become increasingly on-line and telephone based over the years.

Invicta Insurance Services offers a full range of products, from commercial and business insurance through personal lines

(houses and cars) to equine and agricultural. “Our aim is to ‘ring fence’ clients by being their first choice broker for all their needs, from their farm buildings to their private cars and any commercial buildings they might have as a result of diversification,” said Tigi.

“It’s also clear that farmers talk to each other, and we want to deliver such a great service that word gets around. A personal visit to a relatively small client with one building on a smallholding may seem over the top, but if he or she then tells a contractor with a fleet of vehicles how well we looked after him or her, we’re happy.”

Farming customers are in good hands after Invicta Insurance Services, founded in 2010, took over respected Sittingbournebased brokers Copperwheat Barlow on 1 April this year following the retirement of founder Neil Barlow.

Left to right: Adrian Best, Angus Campbell, Harry Myers and Tigi Singhateh

“Neil was anxious to make sure that the farming customer base he had worked hard to build up over the past 25 years continued to be well looked after, and clearly the best way to do that was to bring his team, Angus Campbell and Harry Myers, on board as part of Invicta,” said Adrian.

While Angus and Harry have added significant agricultural insurance expertise to Invicta Insurance Services, Tigi has also injected considerable experience of both insurance in general and farming in particular.

He has spent the past 26 years in the industry working for national names as well as leading the NFU Mutual’s flagship branch in Reading. While at Reading he persuaded local farmers of all kinds to let him spend a day with each of them, giving him an insight into the risks and issues facing both livestock and arable businesses.

He found the experience eye-opening, particularly when he saw at first hand the devastating impact on a farming family of a positive TB test on a herd of cattle. “I learned so much; it was mind-blowing,” he

said. “But to my mind it was absolutely vital. If you don’t understand what your clients do, how can you insure them against the risks involved?”

Tigi, who is also a retained fireman, a parish councillor for Dunsfold in Surrey, where he lives and reached the quarter finals of series 18 of TV’s Masterchef competition, joined Invicta Insurance Services last October as the previous managing director,

Steve Gamage, prepared to retire. Adrian had joined as operations manager about four months earlier before joining the Invicta board in March of this year.

“Both Steve and Neil worked hard to create quality, customer-focused insurance businesses,” said Adrian. “By bringing them together in this way we believe we have a strong platform to deliver an excellent service to farmers across the South East.”

KEEPING FARMS SAFE, TIDY AND COMPLIANT

He may have been one of the first to offer a farm plastics collection service, but Ian Kitson has never taken his client base for granted, continuing instead to focus on delivering the most customer-focused and cost-effective service in the South East.

Kitson Recycling collects waste plastics of all kinds from farms across the region, offering a bespoke, competitive service to the customer while helping the industry turn the waste materials back into new products.

The service helps farmers comply with

legislation and meet increasingly important Farm Assurance criteria without the timeconsuming need to deliver their waste plastics to a collection point.

And since Kitson Recycling also collects old tyres as well as other hazardous waste – a rare service these days – Ian and his team can be seen as a one-stop-shop for keeping farms safe, tidy and compliant.

Ian, whose background is in farm contracting and recycling, spotted the business opportunity in 2006 while managing the agricultural operations for a company that was spreading sewage sludge.

“I saw legislation that was coming into force the following year that would require farmers to dispose of their plastics in a responsible way and keep an audit trail of what happened to them. With a background in recycling and farming I decided to set up a company that would help farmers comply with the new legislation and meet Farm Assurance standards. The rest is history,” he explained.

“The market has matured and there are now two or three national organisations doing something similar, but they don’t all collect from the farm, some of them levy an annual charge and none of them collects tyres and the range of other waste material that we are happy to pick up at the same time.”

Kitson Recycling works with Solway Recycling to keep waste material out of landfill and see it reused in new products. Farmers buy a Solway bin and liners, fill individual liners with sorted plastic waste – silage wrap, polythene feed bags, baler twine and the like – and ring Ian when they need it collected.

There is no annual fee and after buying the Solway bin clients simply pay a fee for each liner collected, in many cases once a year. A recent addition to the materials that can be recycled is old polytunnel plastic and polystyrene, again something that sets Kitson Recycling apart.

Other materials that the team will also collect at the same time include workshop and hazardous waste, oils and oil filters, redundant agrochemicals, shotgun cartridges and old veterinary medicines and syringes.

“We offer the complete service because that’s what farmers are looking for,” Ian explained. “They are busy people and if we can help them tackle several jobs at the same time, it makes life easier for them and also protects the environment by ensuring these waste products

are dealt with responsibly. Getting that waste transfer note is increasingly important when buyers are looking closely at the environmental credentials of farmers and growers.”

Apart from the fact that sending waste plastics to landfill would cost farmers more, using the recycling service means they know that they are contributing to a better world. The collected plastics are baled, reprocessed back into raw material and used by Solway Recycling and other UK-based plastics manufacturers to create new, useful products.

Kitson Recycling operates two collection lorries and can usually reach customers within a week. The company also has a four-by-four vehicle and trailer for accessing more difficult locations. “The service works for farms of all sizes,” Ian stressed.

Ian was also one of the driving forces behind the Green Tractor Scheme, a national organisation set up in 2020 that brought together UK farm plastic collectors with the aim of keeping standards high and providing assurance to farmers.

ADVANCED SOIL ANALYSIS

This summer’s Hutchinsons Helix events opened a door into the world of soil functionality, highlighting how our advanced Gold soil analysis and TerraMap Gold can be used to capture and then interpret the intricate dynamics at play in our soils.

There are four key areas to address:

1. PH, OR WATER PH

This is the measurement you will be used to seeing on a standard soil analysis. It tells us soil acidity or alkalinity at the time of sampling. The Gold analysis goes beyond this, providing an additional measurement, buffer pH.

This tells us what pH the soil would sit at if not for our intervention. Ideally, we want pH and buffer pH to be within 0.2 of each other. This indicates that the soil is less likely to undergo drastic fluctuations, maintaining optimal conditions for plant growth as the soil readily accepts or donates nutrients. However, disparity between the two can lead to nutrient imbalances, as the soil’s ability to regulate nutrient availability becomes compromised. It can also indicate preferred microbial dominance between bacteria and fungi. Through healthy soils analysis we can work towards correcting any pH disparity and improving nutrient availability.

2. CATION EXCHANGE CAPACITY (CEC)

CEC is important as it determines the ability of the soil to hold on to cations, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium and ammonium. Influenced by soil type, organic matter (OM) content and pH, CEC essentially tells us the size of the soil, or its ability to hold

on to nutrition. The larger the CEC, often found in clay or high OM soils, the more nutrients that can be exchanged and used by plants; the lower the CEC, often found in sandy soils, the fewer nutrients will be held in the soil.

From this, it is possible to look at how to best manage any nutrition applied to the soil either as chemical fertilisers or organic manures.

3. BULK DENSITY AND TEXTURE

The soil’s bulk density and texture provides an insight to structure and associated features including water infiltration, available water capacity, soil porosity and rooting ability. An ideal bulk density is around 1.1 to 1.2, meaning there is space between soil particles for air and water flow and root growth.

We can advise on best steps to improve the bulk density of the soil to ensure that your crops have the best possible chance of success.

4 EXTRACTABLE AND TOTAL NUTRIENTS IN KG/HA

Not only does the Gold analysis provide available nutrient quantities, but it also provides total nutrients, allowing us to identify real nutrient deficiencies and uncover nutrient imbalances. We will advise on best practice to ensure we make the most of these two pools, with the aim of improving soil’s functionality, optimising fertiliser efficiency and increasing profitability.

These four areas of the Gold analysis are all important soil properties and by measuring them we can forget guesswork and embrace data-driven decision making that will optimise resource use, maximise yields and foster sustainable farming practices.

Cultivated vs uncultivated soil

The most important thing is to get these parameters measured and then get the results interpreted, allowing understanding of the interactions and the best management practices to boost your soil’s functionality and your farm’s profitability. The healthy soils team covers the whole of the UK delivering this service.

To invest in the future of your farm by advancing your soils please contact soils@hutchinsons.co.uk

The most important investment you can make on your farm. Are you looking to unlock the potential of soils on your farm? Jade Prince, Hutchinsons services specialist, shares her views on the importance of gaining a deeper insight into soils.

Jade Prince Services Specialist

Back to school blues will start to kick in soon, and as I sit down to write we are “up North” at the Pony Club Championships with two horses, the weather is beautiful and we can hear the combines rolling in the distance.

The boys have been working all hours to get the grain stores filled. This year’s harvest seemed very ‘stop/start’. We started combining and then the machine sat still for more than two weeks when the rain kept on falling. Just when we thought it couldn’t rain any more… it did. The yields appear to be good, although I’ve heard several reports that the quality has been affected by the delay in harvest. Mr Grumpy appeared to be quite chipper after harvest so all must be good.

The bales of straw are now all home, third cut silage is baled and stored and we are getting ready to move into the next phase in the farming cycle. The drill is being prepped and is nearly ready to go. The cultivator has been busy at work already. Time is of the essence before Fergus departs for the Australian harvest again. This time he will disappear for eight weeks and return just before Christmas.

The weather has been playing havoc with the calves this year. One day it’s rather hot and the next we all have jumpers and coats on. Pneumonia is always an issue in young calves but this year it seems to have been off the scale. Fortunately, we have managed to catch most of the calves early on, but observation is key to getting it under control.

Calves can recover from pneumonia, a respiratory disease that causes inflammation of the lungs, but it leaves a lasting impact on their lives if left untreated. An infection in pre-weaned calves can reduce milk production by as much as 10% to 15% in adult cattle. Observation, observation, observation… The wholesale milk price has fallen again, with prices also down for butter, skimmed milk powder and whole milk. Whole milk, which

WEATHER PLAYING HAVOC WITH CALVES

typically accounts for approximately half the volume sold, saw the largest decrease, with a fall of 10.9%, although cheese sales have increased in value.

This has been a continuing trend for several months now, but the price never seems to decrease in the supermarket. It would appear that the producers are the ones that take the financial penalty. I shall be very interested to read the figures for the supermarket’s six monthly profits, which should be published any day. Should we expect another decrease in milk price? Time will tell.

We spent a fantastic weekend at the Edenbridge and Oxted show this year with Monty’s sheep. A short weekend away on the proviso that harvest was all finished. It’s a lovely farming show with lots for the children to participate in. Such long hours of very hard work go into putting on an agricultural show and they should all be congratulated on such a fine show with true agricultural roots.

This summer has been difficult in many ways, but as always I count myself privileged to have spent such a lovely long summer with the children. I’ve always taught them to work hard and play hard and they have done that this summer without exception. I shall miss them all terribly when they go back to school, and as ever the dreaded winter will be upon us soon. The evenings are already drawing in and the temperature in the evenings has fallen substantially.

The Met Office says summers in 2060 will reach 40 degrees. The weather tomorrow, however, remains a mystery to them!

Until next time, stay safe.

ANITA HEAD Farmer

ELVED PHILLIPS ARABLE NOTES

The rain delayed harvest and the resultant quality issues dominated the market during August. Whether it was the lower protein and Hagberg falling numbers of milling wheat or the weathered appearance and pre-germination with malting barley, there were challenges. The good news was that all of this meant the quality premiums for both improved considerably. The downside is that inevitably we have more feed grain to contend with, especially wheat.

My comments in July that the Russian closing of the corridor had frightened the market, creating an opportunity to sell into a rising market for a change, proved to be prescient; it enabled feed wheat sales to be made well over £200 ex. It has since fallen some £30 on the futures market, which ought to be enough for now. The optimistic pre-harvest guesses about the total UK crop are unchanged, but the effect of weather inflicting sprouting and low bushel weight could still mean a reduction in the overall crop size.

Spring malting barley is a mixed bag. The earlier sown in the south has produced some good sized barley, with nitrogen usable, but some has very low nitrogen. Export malting barley has to be a minimum of 1.52 nitrogen, so some careful blending will be required when shipping.

This year is the complete obverse of last year, where everything was sound and combined in good weather. This time barley can seem to be ok as far as nitrogen, germination,

HARVEST DELAYED BY RAIN

retention and screenings go, but the inevitable weathered barley is where the latent problems are. While sprouted, split or skinned barley is easy to identify, pre-germination is not, and requires a proper laboratory check.

It may be that the domestic maltsters will relax their specification when they realise how much pre-germination barley is out there. For export buyers, fusarium is the problem. They don’t like to see pink, orange or black fusarium because it causes problems in the malting and brewing process which results in “gushing”. That’s when you take the top off a bottle of beer and it fizzes and shoots everywhere.

Because of the secondary growth, barley with green, immature grain needs to be dried carefully, maybe twice if it’s very wet, and then conditioned on a drying floor, where the grain should shrivel up. These can then be cleaned out, along with any split grain or other discoloured small grains. So, wait until the barley has settled down and dried before having it sampled for sale.

Our big competitor in European export malting barley, Scandinavia, has had a worse time than the UK. It planted later, then had a drought. Its barley so far has nitrogen and pre-germination problems, so the jury is out on what they will have available for export. Malting premiums are historically very high, but that’s because of the uncertainty over quality. It’s not because of consumer demand. Brewers are reporting lower beer sales for this year so far, but that’s not surprising, with some of the poor weather we have had. So, they won’t buy malt or malting barley for the forward months, yet.

Some things never change! Russia and

Ukraine are still shelling each other’s port facilities and even grain ships. All this means is that there is an ever growing volume of wheat and barley trapped behind this Black Sea port “dam”, waiting to engulf the spot feed export market at some stage! Some of it will find a way out via the Danube or Baltic sea ports, or even across country; it’s just a question of when and how much.

Germany, France and Central Europe will also be short of milling wheat, but their feed is now being offered into our traditional homes in Ireland and Spain. Meanwhile there are still question marks about the wheat supply from big players like Australia, India and Canada. It may be a case of cashing in some of your milling and malting, when you know you have the quality, while playing the long game with your feed grain.

Lastly, the notorious hedge funds have maintained their short position on the world wheat futures market, so they are still betting that the Black Sea wheat will resume flowing again in volume soon.

Harvest is home, courtesy of a break in the unseasonally wet weather throughout July and early August. While it’s a relief to see it all in the shed, it was not before some of the wheat had chitted in the ear, so putting my milling premiums in jeopardy.

Yes, another weird weather event impacted my crops during the strange growing season just ended. The harvest I’ve just gathered with my trusty John Deere combine (38 years old and still going strong, despite the odd red warning light) was actually quite respectable in terms of yield, but a successful harvest these days feels more like a triumph against the elements than a planned event.

Looking back to the beginning of the growing season last September, things started very dry, which encouraged me to hold off sowing my heavier land to cereals to try to reduce blackgrass germination. But no sooner did I sow it into perfect conditions in late October than the heavens opened. A neighbour recorded 17 inches or rain in not much more than 17 days.

The rain was so intense that it put the top of the soil profile into suspension, which settled out to create a ‘capped’ effect. This was an unfriendly environment for seedlings trying to emerge through the floods. Remarkably, bar a few of the wettest places in the field, most survived and grew away surprisingly well throughout yet another weirdly mild winter.

Not only was it mild but it then turned dry in the late winter and early spring, only for flooding to return in March. Things then dried out to an extreme extent once more in May and June (one of the hottest on record), stunting the growth of my spring crops before wet weather returned for July (another record in some counties) and early August.

Given these increasingly difficult weather patterns, my instinct is to sow everything in the autumn so crops at least have time to recover from weather extremes. But as the chemistry we are allowed to use to control insect and grass weed pests in our crops has become ever more restricted, so spring sowing some crops has become more and more essential.

With climate change (a better description than ‘global warming’ given the cool August we’ve just experienced) becoming ever more extreme, just what will be the most successful way to achieve reliable crop yields?

The UN says our planet is now headed for ‘global boiling’, and the southern half of Portugal is forecast to become hotter than the Sahara desert is now, with daytime highs of 55 degrees Celsius becoming the norm in summer months as soon as 2050.

I have every confidence that I will still be driving my trusty John Deere combine in 2050 and, no doubt, still moaning loud and long about the weather. But, by then, I imagine I’ll be cutting crops of millet and sorghum rather than wheat and barley.

STEPHEN CARR

Stephen farms near Eastbourne in East Sussex in partnership with his wife and four of his daughters. The farm has a pub, the Sussex Ox at Milton Street, which serves the farm's pedigree Sussex beef, Southdown-cross lamb and fruit and vegetables from the farmhouse kitchen-garden.

Weald Granary

PLOUGHING MATCHES

ENTERTAINMENT THROUGHOUT THE DAY

This year’s Weald of Kent Ploughing Match takes place on Saturday 16 September at Reed Court Farm, Hunton Road, Chainhurst, TN12 9SX by kind permission of Fridays Ltd.

LOW

Working with:

Weald Granary Ltd

Seven Mile Lane, Mereworth, Nr. Maidstone, Kent ME18 5PZ Tel: 01622 814458 Email: john@wealdgranary.co.uk Web: www.wealdgranary.com

When the only certainty

is change

Uncertainty is part of life, but the world has changed so rapidly that finding creative ways to keep pace is a huge challenge.

We provide agricultural businesses and farming families with pragmatic legal advice to help them adapt and grow.

While ploughing is the main focus of the day, with a range of classes and demonstrations, there will be a number of activities to keep visitors entertained, including trade stands, a farmers’ market, local food and drink and main arena entertainment featuring a trade machinery parade, beagles, gun dog demonstrations and terrier racing.

The main arena will also host the popular Tossing the Sheaf competition and under 14s gymkhana.

Guy Eckley, chairman of the organisers of the Weald of Kent Ploughing Match Association, commented: “After a busy harvest season, the Weald of Kent Ploughing Match is an important date in the farming and rural calendar as well as providing a great family day out, the proceeds of which raise money for local charities.

“We look forward to welcoming everyone to our fantastic location in Chainhurst this autumn.”

Tickets can be bought online at www.wkpma.co.uk and cost £8.50 (£10 on the gate). Children under 12 go free of charge. Gates open at 8am on the day.

Date: 16 September 2023

Venue: Reed Court Farm, Hunton Road, Chainhurst, TN12 9SX

Gates open: 8:00am

A WORD FROM THE SPONSORS

Kent law firm Brachers is once again supporting both the Weald of Kent Ploughing Match and the East Kent Ploughing Match for 2023.

“These vibrant events are key milestones in the county's agricultural calendar,” the partnership announced. “We will be joining more than 80 other exhibitors to form the heart of the modern show, with the Weald of Kent Ploughing Match also hosting a farmers’ market with local farmers and vendors selling produce.”

www.ts-p.co.uk 01892 510000 @pragmaticlawyer

Brachers will be chatting to visitors in a hospitality marquee where it will be exhibiting alongside the Kent County Agricultural Society and serving a range of drinks and refreshments throughout the day. The firm’s agriculture and rural law team will be on hand to speak to farmers and landowners looking to discuss current issues.

There’s a better future in store

More and more farmers are seeing the real benefits of co-operative centralised storage and marketing. Grain conditioning and

Ploughing match season is here!

Steam ploughing will be back for the first time in 75 years when the Romney Marsh Ploughing Match and Fun Dog Show takes place on Sunday 3 September.

The event, which will be signed off the Old Ashford Road at Brenzett Green, TN29 0BE, starts at 10am, with the dog show beginning at noon.

“Steam ploughing, which is back after 75 years, will add another dimension to this popular event,” commented Diana Wimble, Secretary of the Romney Marsh Ploughing & Cultivations Society.

More details are available from Diana on 07821 009693 or Alan Higgs on 07785 783662.

Date: 3 September 2023

Venue: Old Ashford Road at Brenzett Green, TN29 0BE Match starts: 10:00am

FOR OVERALL SUSSEX TITLE

This year’s Sussex Ploughing Championships, at which the top ploughmen and women from affiliated matches across the county will compete for the overall title, will be held on Saturday 21 October at the Lock Estate Grain Store, Grinders Lane, Dial Post, RH13 8NY. The event is being held by kind permission of Tom and David Exwood of Christ’s Hospital School, Horsham.

This will be the 70th ploughing match organised by the Sussex Ploughing Championship Association, which is led by chairman Trevor Kensett and president Colin Broucke. The winner is eligible to go forward to plough at the British national championships in 2024.

“The ploughing itself will consist of horse ploughing, vintage ploughing, classic ploughing and of course modern ploughing equipment,” commented the association’s secretary Jim Braiden.

“This year we are holding the area vintage qualifiers, which is where a certain category of tractors and ploughs competes for a place at the British Nationals 2024 and is held by the association every other year.

“Ploughing starts at 10am and entry costs £5 per head for adults with under 16s free.” Please note access to the site is via the A24 only.

For more information email jgbraiden@hotmail.co.uk or 07540 598877.

Date: 21 October 2023

Venue: Lock Estate Grain Store, Grinders Lane, Dial Post, RH13 8NY Match starts: 10:00am

2023 PLOUGHING MATCH FIXTURES

2nd September 2023

Guildford & District Ploughing Association

MAP-MARKER Loseley Park, Guildford, Surrey GU3 1HS. �� Janet Hill 01403 257969

3rd September 2023

Romney Marsh Ploughing Match

Ploughing starts at 10am.

MAP-MARKER Old Ashford Road, Brenzett Green, Romney Marsh TN29 0BE

�� Enquiries: Diana Wimble, Secretary 07821 009693

✉ Romneyploughing21@gmail.com

9th September 2023

Swale Area Ploughing Match

By kind permission of Michael Attwood

MAP-MARKER Greenway court farm, Greenway Court Lane, Hollingbourne ME17 1QD

�� Chris Hildyard at George Webb Finn

East Grinstead & Three Counties

Agricultural & Ploughing Match Association

By kind permission of Mr A Roberts

MAP-MARKER Newhouse Farm, Tandridge, East Grinstead RH8 9NW

✉ eastgrinsteadploughing@gmail.com

10th September 2023

National Vintage Tractor & Engine Club

- Thames Valley Group

By kind permission of Eric Denton. Includes a National Vintage Area Final.

MAP-MARKER Rinneralm, Mattingley, Hook, Hampshire RG27 8LJ

�� Roger Hannington 01189 832230 or 07720 760892

16th September 2023

Weald of Kent Ploughing Match

By kind permission of Fridays Ltd

MAP-MARKER Reed Court Farm, Hunton Road, Chainhurst, Tonbridge, Kent TN12 9SX

Salisbury & District Agricultural Club

MAP-MARKER Jack’s Bush, Lopcombe Corner, Salisbury SP5 1BZ

West Grinstead and District Ploughing and Agricultural Society

MAP-MARKER Priory Farm, Partridge Green RH13 8EQ

✉ secretary@westgrinsteadploughing.co.uk

17th September 2023

Cranleigh & South Eastern Agricultural Society Ploughing Match

By kind permission of Mr Adrian & Will Elliott

MAP-MARKER Whipley Manor Farm, Palmers Cross, Bramley, Guildford GU5 0LL

20th September 2023

Laughton & District Agricultural Society

MAP-MARKER South Farm, Rodmell, Lewes BN7 3FE

23rd September 2023

Ongar Ploughing Match incorporating Essex County

By kind permission of Ben Howard & Family

MAP-MARKER Dukes Farm Roxwell, Chelmsford Essex CM1 4LB

�� Helen McTurk 01279 876151 or 07831 138403

✉ opmsecretary@btinternet.com

Gravesend & Rochester

MAP-MARKER Lillechurch Farm, Lillechurch Road, Rochester ME3 7HW

Isle of Wight Ploughing Match

MAP-MARKER Beside Ashbridge Lane, Emmet Hill, Chale

Petworth & District Agricultural Association

By kind permission of Mr. Clive Stickland

MAP-MARKER Burchetts Farm, Wisborough Green, Billingshurst, West Sussex RH14 0AR

�� Sarah Kenny, Joint Secretary 07973 797160

✉ goringlee@aol.com

24th September 2023

The Royal East Berkshire Agricultural Association Ploughing Match

MAP-MARKER Land accessed From Henley Road, Stubbings, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 6QW

Hurstpierpoint and District Agricultural Association

MAP-MARKER Wykehurst Farm, Poynings BN45 7AB

27th September 2023

The 78th Crowborough & District Ploughing Match

MAP-MARKER Great Cansiron Farm, Butcherfield Lane, Hartfield TN7 4LD

LOCATION-ARROW www.crowboroughploughingmatch.co.uk

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27th September 2023

East Kent Ploughing Match Association

MAP-MARKER Hardres Court, Upper Hardres CT4 6EN

30th September 2023

Fairford, Faringdon, Filkins and Burford

Ploughing Society

By kind permission of G J Hook & Son

MAP-MARKER Black Bourton Road, Bampton, Oxfordshire OX18 2PE

North Kent Ploughing Match Association

By kind permission of A J Clements & Sons

MAP-MARKER Gosenhill Farm, Eynsford Road, Crockenhill, Swanley BR8 8LB

✉ Liz Webb: liz.webb@btfpartnership.co.uk

East Sussex Ploughing Match

MAP-MARKER Warbleton Farm, Hammer Lane, Heathfield, TN21 9HE

Greenstead Green Agricultural Club

MAP-MARKER Tattersalls Farm, Morris Green, Sible Hedingham, Halstead, Essex, CO9 3LS

1st October 2023

Henley and District Agricultural Association

MAP-MARKER Shiplake Farm, Henley on Thames, Berkshire ✉ info@thehenleyshow.co.uk

4th October 2023

South Bucks Agricultural Society

MAP-MARKER Clayhill Farm, Albert Road, Windsor, SL4 2HJ

Send us

sef.ed@kelsey.co.uk

7th October 2023

The Basingstoke and District

Agricultural Societies Ploughing Match

MAP-MARKER Corn, Hay & Root Show, Upper Farm, Bradley, Alresford SO24 9SA

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✉ bdassecretary@gmail.com

14th & 15th October 2023

British National Ploughing Championships

MAP-MARKER Bishops Lydeard, Somerset TA4 3HU

21st October 2023

Sussex Ploughing Championship

MAP-MARKER Lock Estate Lock Grain Store, Grinders Lane, Honeybridge Lane RH13 8NY

Newbury and District

MAP-MARKER Rookery Farm, Curridge, Berkshire RG18 9EA

�� Judith Marcham 07760 375512

22nd October

Southern Counties Heavy Horse Association

The great all England Ploughing Match

Land & Property Experts

Land&PropertyExperts

PropertySales,Lettings &Acquisitions

MAP-MARKER Charford Manor Farm, North Charford, Breamore, Hampshire SP6 2DW (on the A338 between Fordingbridge and Downton)

Management

�� Secretary: Anne Dawson 07773 155817

29th October 2023

Chichester Ploughing Match

By Kind permission of Richard and Alistair Strange

MAP-MARKER Cobnor Farm, Chidham, Chichester PO18 8TE

01435864455 Canterbury 01227763663 Challock 01233740077

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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.

We warmly invite you to join Furley Page agriculture and rural business team at the

East Kent Ploughing Match 2023

Wednesday 27 September 2023 from 9am

HARDRES COURT FARM, UPPER HARDRES, CANTERBURY CT4 6EN

We look forward to meeting old friends and contacts at our stand

This year’s East Kent Ploughing Match will again combine top notch competition with a range of other attractions, trade stands and demonstrations.

Held at Hardres Court Farm, Upper Hardres CT4 6EN by kind permission of Mrs Vanessa McDonald, this year’s match will take place on Wednesday 27 September, beginning at 9am.

It will feature horse-drawn, steam, vintage and commercial ploughing classes together with sheep dog trials, terrier racing and birds of prey flying demonstrations in the main arena.

Other attractions will include a wide range of agricultural and trade stands and grain and fields competitions, including open vegetable

classes for amateur growers. The art, cookery and craft tents will once again add to the highlights of a great day out.

TOP NOTCH COMPETITION EXTRA CLASS

Tickets can be bought in advance at www.ekpma.co.uk

Date: 27 September 2023

Venue: Hardres Court Farm, Upper Hardres CT4 6EN Match starts: 9:00am

ENCOURAGING MORE ENTRIES

Changes introduced by the Basingstoke and District Agricultural Society are aimed at encouraging more entries at this year’s ploughing match, corn, hay and root show.

The event is scheduled for Saturday 7 October at Upper Farm, Bradley, Alresford, SO24 9SA and will include parallel ploughing for both conventional and reversible classes, a move that organisers say they have adopted “to help encourage more entries from those who might feel intimidated by the national ploughing rules”.

The organisers have also introduced a six

class, autumn produce competition, again aimed at encouraging more people to take part and “giving all society members the chance to show off skills too long hidden under a bushel, whether that is baking, brewing or designing”.

Ploughing will start at 8.30am, with lunch at 12.30pm. For entries and more information, email bdassecretary@gmail.com

Date: 7 October 2023

Venue: Upper Farm, Bradley, Alresford, SO24 9SA Match starts: 8:30am

The usual wide range of classes will again be a feature of this year’s East Sussex Ploughing Match, being held at Warbleton Farm near Heathfield, TN21 9HE on Saturday 30 September.

Beginning with horse ploughing, classes run through the ages and include steam ploughing, vintage tractor and classic tractor classes and on to more modern ploughing with the latest run round and reversible ploughs.

East Sussex Ploughing Match Society chairman Jim Braiden explained that this year’s event would feature an extra class to recognise “the support and help of Hailsham Young Farmers, who have been instrumental in trying to modernise some of us older members”.

He explained: “As a sign of our gratitude we are having a class for any young farmer member. This will run alongside the rest of the ploughing classes and be judged in the same manner. Mr Peter Ellin has kindly put forward a cup for the winner of this class.”

The event is being held at Warbleton Farm by kind permission of Mr Steve Hutton and family. “We are always grateful to farmers for allowing the society to use their land for the society’s match,” said Jim, “and as a way of thanking the host we invite them to choose a charity, with a proportion of the proceeds going to that charity.”

As a result, this year’s charity will be the Wolo Foundation, a Sussex charity that helps families dealing with cancer in the Sussex area in practical ways. “As with all charities they are facing difficult times and we are pleased to be able to support them through this event,” Jim added.

There is a strong domestic section run by the ladies’ committee, with entries accepted on the day, along with competitions for the best cereal sample and the best hay sample.

Date: 30 September 2023

Venue: Warbleton Farm near Heathfield, TN21 9HE Match starts: 8:30am

Britain’s top ploughmen and women will battle it out at the British National Ploughing Championships 2023 on 14 and 15 October at Bishops Lydeard, near Taunton in Somerset.

More than 250 competitors will converge on the 100 hectare site, kindly loaned by K S Coles and family, to compete for the British titles in 15 different ploughing classes over the two days.

Prizes are on offer for reversible, conventional, vintage trailed, vintage hydraulic, classic, classic reversible, horticultural, high cut, crawlers, club and heavy horse classes.

Even though a huge chunk of the site is taken up by the competitions, October’s event is not just about the ploughing but is an opportunity to enjoy observing the changes in farming heritage through the years.

There will be 18 pairs of horses ploughing on each day, showing the steady pace from a bygone age when it took a day to plough an

BRITISH PLOUGHING IS A FAMILY AFFAIR

acre. Next came steam ploughing engines, which can also be seen working and date back to the late 19th/early 20th century.

Tractors came along in the 20th century. The now-vintage tractors will be turning heads at this year’s show alongside today’s most up-todate machinery, on display on trade stands and in working demonstrations.

Out of the 250 or so competitors, there are several families taking part this year, some ploughing in different classes but others doing their utmost to beat a relative or two in the same category. In the vintage trailed class, competitors include father and son Bill and David Wood from the Scottish Borders, grandfather and grandson Steve Webster and Jack Gilbert (aged 17) from Derbyshire and grandfather and grandson John and Ben Milnes from South Yorkshire.

The crawler ploughing class sees father and son John and Liam Quick from Berkshire taking part, the conventional class will feature Nigel and Stuart Vickers from Shropshire and Nigel’s wife Janet will also be competing in the David Brown Championship.

The horse ploughing class is another

hotbed of family rivalry. Stuart Green from North Yorkshire will be competing against his daughter Charlie, and the Kerswell brothers will also be competing against each other. Martin lives in Hampshire and David and Daniel are both in Devon. At last year’s British Championships in Derbyshire the three of them not only drew plots side-by-side on the second day but were placed first, second and third respectively, with Martin also taking the overall British Horse Ploughing Champion title.

One pair to watch are the current British and European Vintage Champion, Lincolnshire’s John Crowder, who ploughs in the vintage trailed class, and his new wife Laura, who will be ploughing in the Ford & Fordson class for the first time.

Admission to the event is £15 per person on the day and £2 for children, with online discounted tickets available. The site is approximately six miles north of Taunton, just off the A358. For more information ring 01302 852469.

Date: 14-15 October 2023

Venue: Bishops Lydeard, near Taunton, Somerset Match starts: 10:00am

BE ALERT TO CROW ACT AMENDMENTS

Landowners are being advised to be aware of proposed amendments to the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.

The Bill is currently in its second reading in the House of Commons and aims “to extend the right of public access to the countryside”.

Amendments being debated would follow the model adopted by Scotland and would extend the legal access to English land from 8% to around 30%, while also permitting activities such as swimming and camping.

With this in mind, Thomson Snell & Passmore’s Robert Trench has pointed out the importance of ensuring that the interests of landowners and the security of crops and livestock are not compromised.

“Should the Bill be passed, landowners will be concerned about how extended rights of public access may affect their land and their livelihoods,” he commented.

“It remains to be seen whether the Bill

will be passed and, if so, what the effect will be for landowners. As it progresses, it will be important for landowners to understand how the rights potentially granted by the Bill may impact them."

Thomson Snell & Passmore can assist landowners in relation to such rights and the effect they may have on land and on businesses.

ROBERT TRENCH

Solicitor, Thomson Snell & Passmore

T: 01892 701179 | E: info@ts-p.co.uk | www.ts-p.co.uk

Current European Vintage Ploughing Champion, John Crowder from Lincolnshire, will be defending his British title

QUALITY WORKMANSHIP

After building himself a reputation as a ‘go-to’ name for agricultural and industrial building construction, Jez Reddecliffe decided that it was time to make the most of nearly 20 years’ experience and strike out on his own.

With customers of the company he was working at the time for increasingly asking for him by name, he took the plunge and set up JRJ Construction. “My wife Jade, who runs the office side of the business, and I agreed that if I didn’t try working for myself I would regret it later,” he recalled.

The decision to set up on his own is certainly not one he has had cause to regret, with his reputation for attention to detail, problem solving and quality workmanship securing him a full order book, with some clients already lining up jobs for up to a year ahead.

“The good thing is that much of the work is for repeat business from customers who trust JRJ Construction to deliver a great job for them,” he

said. “It’s about trust and confidence. They know that I will do exactly what they want and to the high standards that I set myself.”

As well as supplying and erecting steel-framed buildings, JRJ Construction has built up a reputation for refurbishment, repairs and repurposing farm buildings, turning disused sheds into industrial units or offices, for example.

With two decades of experience and an eye for detail, Jez can advise farmers on what might be possible with their under-used buildings and outline the ways in which he can help them achieve their goal. JRJ Construction also offers on-site welding and fabrication, allowing the team to tackle most challenges.

One repeat customer is AA Clifton Ltd, a fourth-generation family farming business with agricultural and industrial interests at Haguelands Farm and at Sycamore Farm on Romney Marsh.

JRJ Construction has carried out a range of repair and refurbishment work on numerous buildings on both sites, with renewing grain walling in a barn at Haguelands one of the more recent projects.

“We looked at replacing the steel walling with concrete panels, but after carefully investigating the structure of the building we decided against that option and renewed the steel walls instead,” Jez explained. “We always work with the farmer and advise them on what will work best for the building concerned.”

Jez Reddecliffe

Each End Farm before Each End Farm after

Sycamore Farm after Sycamore Farm before

Jez and his right-hand man Daniel Vasile, who has been with him since JRJ Construction was founded in 2021, are kept busy six or sometimes seven days a week, but Jez is cautious about growing the business too fast. “At the moment I work on every project,” he explained. “I want to make sure the job is done exactly as the customer wants it and so I am hands-on with everything we do.”

That can cause scheduling headaches, particularly at harvest time. “It makes me chuckle when a farmer who has had a leak in his grain store all year calls two weeks before harvest and asks me to fix it,” he said. “But we never let anyone down and most people are happy to wait a bit to have the job done properly by their first choice company.” Another recent emergency call was to a farm where a driver had upended a grain trailer inside the store and punched a hole in the roof. “We get quite a

few of those,” Jez revealed.

JRJ Construction is in demand across the South East, both for new-build projects and for repair, refurbishment and conversion work. The company handles demolition and groundworks and is experienced in installing roller doors and shutters in both new and existing buildings. Whatever the scale of the project, though, 38 year-old Jez is clear on one aspect of it. “It’s got to be done properly.”

Specialists in the Agricultural, Industrial and Equestrian sectors

Steel frame buildings.

Sheeting, cladding and oversheeting.

Gutter replacement, repairs and lining.

Steel frame, concrete frame alterations and repairs.

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Demolition, groundworks and site clearance. 24 hour call out in the event of fire or break in.

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Solar panel installation

ALL WORKS GUARANTEED

jez@JRJconstruction.co.uk

Higham Hall Farm before

Higham Hall Farm after

ARE YOU READY FOR THE SUSTAINABLE SKILLS REVOLUTION?

Farmers and growers across the UK will need to make urgent changes as the UK switches to a net zero-focused economy. A new green skills centre launched in Kent aims to provide the knowledge and support to thrive.

The UK’s only rural and land-based college has launched a green horticultural skills accelerator offering bespoke courses and training to deliver future success as the country shifts to a net zero economy.

Hadlow College (part of North Kent College group) is seeking to provide farmers and growers with both the pipeline of talent and the expertise they will need as de-carbonisation gathers pace.

State-of-the-art technologies installed at Hadlow College will showcase the future of farming. An experimental vineyard and orchard, previously featured in South East Farmer, will introduce students to the latest sustainable methods of food production.

A third of UK businesses do not believe their workforces are equipped with the skills necessary to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. The new green horticultural skills centre at Hadlow will help farmers and growers

across the South East make the most of opportunities that a net zero economy will bring.

As well as offering training and refresher courses, the green skills centre provides a space for businesses to see the future with the opportunity to work in partnership, accessing support and expertise to tackle the challenges they face in adapting to a more sustainable world.

The centres, funded through the Government’s Strategic Development Fund scheme, are part of a broader strategy to skill up the country, as well as employers, with the skills needed as old carbon hungry technologies are phased out and a new chapter begins.

David Gleed, Chief Executive and Executive Principal, North Kent College, said: “We are thrilled to be a part of this sustainability project. As we progress, we will be looking to

engage with as many businesses as we can and invite them to join us and our further education sector partners in devising new skills solutions that will support career opportunities now and in the future. The opening of our new centre at Hadlow College is just the start.”

GREEN HORTICULTURAL CENTRE, HADLOW COLLEGE (PART OF NORTH KENT COLLEGE)

Training courses at the new centre will showcase sustainable methods of food production in a newly installed commercial greenhouse and robotic concept vineyard and orchard, Delta-T devices that measure soil moisture, automated spraying and robotic harvesting will all form part of the training now available, supporting students in developing their skills using the latest technology and equipment.

To view the latest course information, visit: www.hadlow.ac.uk/courses or call 01732 850551

COMPLICATED FOOD SECURITY RELATIONSHIPS

At this year’s National Fruit Show AGM, Emily Norton (then head of research at Savills) gave the James Nichols Lecture, talking about her background in farming and law and how she studied global agricultural policy design to help consider what might be best for the UK in the future. She analysed Australia, New Zealand and the US, all of which are very different to the UK, which she described as a “small, crowded island with complicated food security relationships with [its] nearest neighbours”.

Emily explained that she had visited nations with similar challenges to the UK – Taiwan, Hong Kong, Cuba, and the Middle East – to understand what it means to have a trading relationship that influences how you think about your identity as a country.

Her first epiphany during this tour came in Hong Kong, where import rule liberalisation in the 1980s saw almost all food imported from China and very little domestic food production. Academics realised, during the transition from British to Chinese rule, that without domestic food production there was no sense of national identity, “There is nothing that says ‘this is what we stand for, and this is what we can defend’,” she said. Hong Kong also had weak environmental protection and every piece of productive farmland had been destroyed or turned into storage for shipping containers.

These attitudes to trade and environment protection had to be changed and a target was set for producing 10% of all the food consumed in the territory.

Her conclusion was that if you do not set a target for domestic production and you are encouraging free trade with low environmental protections, you can see what will rapidly happen to food production in the UK.

Her second epiphany was in Oman, during a visit to see horticultural businesses focussed on exporting peppers to Japan, working through a cooperative packhouse. Every farmer she met was happy, which she said was very unusual. The system worked, everyone received a sustainable return and they shared the equipment.

She realised that the Islamic organisation of trade was different. Here, in the system she grew up with on a dairy farm, you have an exclusive relationship with a producer at the farm gate which is your everything; your contract means you are stuck, and you cannot just change it. This type of capitalist system is how the market says it should work. There are economies of scale, but there is every likelihood the purchaser will exploit the relationship to gain competitive advantage.

In other countries and cultures things are organised differently. You have to have market actors to make it fair. Both sides have symmetry in the contract, so they know what profit the other side is making, which is needed for it to be fair and enforceable in law. While we think we might have the best systems in place, a system in which one party is exploited

SARAH CALCUTT Chair, National Fruit Show

for the commercial advantage of another is not fair. So, when we say farming is not fair, we are fighting against these cultural settings which impact on how farm businesses work.

The conclusion to be drawn from her travels is that you need to set your trade policy first and decide the trading relationships you want to have with the rest of the world. Then you need to set your environmental standards and what expectations you have on environmental protections and set a target for food, deciding how much you want to be producing to create a national identity that the country is looking after its own.

With those things together you can set a budget to ensure food producers can continue to operate and to work. The Swiss are a good example, with high trade tariffs and standards of environmental protection which means their farmers are well protected but receive by comparison very little fiscal financial support.

Australia is similar. It is all about export and very difficult to import food, so farmers exist in a relatively subsidy free environment but have little competition as producers.

The UK has not really thought about these sorts of issues yet and we can already see the legacy of where some of these problems are heading.

Emily Norton

STRONG SHEEP MARKET

With the return of traditional English summer weather, a complete change from 12 months ago, we were seeing a really stop/go harvest on local farms, and with farmers taking any opportunity to harvest the grain there was a reduction in livestock marketing.

Yields were reported to be average but with the quality of the wheat falling as the month of August went on, due mainly to the wet and cool weather we had been having. It looks like there will be a substantial quantity of feed wheat to sell, hopefully to the benefit of livestock producers. Root crops benefited from the extra moisture, with good looking crops of sugar beet and potato crops, along with good yields.

The cattle trade has seen a substantial downturn since the early months of the year, caused by large quantities of boxed meat being available, while the lack of warm weather has meant less demand for barbecue meat and massive quantities of beef available. This is extremely frustrating when store cattle are so dear, but it has to be remembered that the price is still above 12 months ago and we saw an extraordinary value in the early spring period.

Numbers of finished cattle available were also short but. in all honesty, meeting demand most weeks, but let us hope for a swift upturn in the trade if the weather improves in late August and when the schools return. It must again be remembered that many more foreign holidays are being taken, meaning fewer people in the country and an adverse effect on demand.

GRAHAM ELLIS FRICS FAAV FLAA

For and on behalf of Stanfords

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

www.stanfords-colchester.co.uk

British beef, being a quality product, needs to be at realistic levels for producers to continue.

Best cattle are trading from 260p/kg to 280p/kg liveweight, with the biggest reduction seen in the heavyweight cattle meat which competes directly with cheaper boxed meat from around the world.

The cull cow trade and over 30 month trade was also at much lower levels, with deadweight quotations pulling back cattle by up to 20% and the price fall also seen in the live rings. Again, numbers are not great as is typical at this time of year. Again, let us hope the increase in demand expected at the end of summer and early autumn is seen as processing meat comes back into fashion.

The store cattle trade is remaining very strong for the few on offer, with purchasers still confident of the future and looking forward to an increase in demand as mentioned above. Certainly there has been no direct comparison between the finished trade and the store trade throughout August, which is not untypical for the time of year, with store cattle short but demand strong.

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The sheep market was strong throughout the period, particularly for lambs weighing from 42kg to 55kg liveweight. These are values above 12 months ago. Best heavy lambs were trading up to £165 per head, with many over £140. Top price p/kg was over £3 liveweight, which was good to see.

With better growing weather this year, more buyers were keen to buy store sheep as well, resulting in a firming in price on the lesser-finished sheep, with buyers confident that the trade will increase later in 2023 or early 2024. It’s also good to see that stubble turnips were growing well where drilled, which is again a complete opposite to 12 months ago. Generally, the numbers of store sheep were less than demand, again boosting the trade.

Cull ewes saw a fair trade throughout, with best ewes trading around the £150 per head mark with a few exceptional pens above. As always, meat pays but not fat in the ewe trade. Several buyers were around to buy leaner ewes to feed on, again anticipating a rise in trade later in the year.

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Our practices can offer: fertility and advanced breeding services, laboratory diagnostics, second opinion care, access to health schemes, export services and more

The pig trade continues at good levels, with most abattoirs stating supplies were adequate, as opposed to six months ago, when supplies were completely inadequate. Let us hope the trade continues where it is; there are still many months of profit needed to replace the enormous losses that pig producers suffered over between 2020 and 2023.

The cull sow trade was also stronger, but numbers were generally short despite there being fewer major buyers. There is a good demand for sows, as we have mentioned in previous reports.

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BUSIER THAN EVER

When I first joined the team in Ashford Livestock Market, July and August were seen as being quieter months, when many staff took holidays and numbers dropped away considerably from the peaks of the spring. This year feels like the opposite, with it being busier than ever with sheep sales, store cattle, farm dispersal sales and all the other jobs that need to be done each week.

The main area of interest this month is the commencement of the store sheep sales in Ashford. We have so far held two, with just under 10,000 lambs sold in total. We will be holding a total of 14 weekly sales throughout the autumn, with entries generally of around 5,000 sheep.

The first sale, which always falls on the last Friday in July, is usually a nervy affair, with everyone trying to ‘second guess’ the trade and see what it will be like before committing to entering any large numbers of lambs in the coming sales. When I took up position on the rostrum at 10.59am, I don’t think I have ever seen so many people around the ring, all anxious to see what would happen over the next 100 lots.

On the subject of viewers, we added to the anticipation with a live camera stream of the sale, via the Marteye online app. This was very well received and allowed vendors further away to see their lots sold while also letting prospective purchasers view what was happening in Ashford in real time.

During the sale we had 400 online viewers in addition to those around the ring, with an even larger number tuning in for the second sale in August. We will be providing this service for all sheep sales this season, so tune in at 11am on a Friday for a look.

Back to the trade, and all those anxious faces around the ring were not quite prepared for what happened next. A strong case of grass fever coming over the farmers, agents and other buyers around the ring created a frenzy of bidding which made prices rocket to levels well in excess of even the most optimistic of views before we started. In some cases, lambs were selling for £15-20 more than their owners’ expectations.

From the rostrum, days like this are great. There is no better feeling than the trade running away and bids coming from all over the place, but in the back of my mind, I could tell that this was probably an unsustainable level for the season ahead.

The second sale the following Friday re-affirmed these thoughts with something of a more realistic feel to the trade due to an additional 1,000 sheep on offer and fewer faces around the ring on the day. We saw a drop in price, but it must be said a drop in the size of the lambs on offer also, with the majority now trading for £80-90/head but still the biggest in excess of £100/head to a top of £114. Certainly not prices to be disappointed with, but those who were brave enough to sell in the first sale were well rewarded.

Another date for the autumn calendar is a farm dispersal sale at

Wickham Court Farm in West Wickham, Bromley. I believe this will be the first farm dispersal sale ever to be held within the ULEZ zone in London. There is a very interesting line up of tractors and machinery on offer, with eight tractors, two John Deere combines and four handlers of various ages.

Of particular interest will be the three Muir Hill 121 tractors which are in daily use on the farm, an extremely rare Muir Hill self-propelled sprayer and two Muir Hill loading shovels.

This sale will be live in the field with online bidding facility also provided by Marteye. Catalogues will be available on our website and if you would like any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

I MAKE NO APOLOGIES

How the months fly past! So much happening, both on the farms and in the world; in the case of the latter, very little to give anyone much encouragement or cheer?

On the home farm our crop, maize, has had a chequered season. The majority of it went in almost a month late on 19/20 May due to the persistently wet conditions. Fertiliser prices and current ‘fashion’ meant our contractor was applying digestate with his huge spreading machinery on wet fields, leaving consolidation still showing as the crops approach harvest. Reduced, yellowish looking plants, about 4ft shorter than where the spreader didn’t track, and clearly going to be reflected in the end yield.

Then, when the lower land was finally ‘workable’, the last 20 acres went in by slot seeder on 19 June, almost two months too late. All we needed to ‘cap’ the season was for the land to be flooded again. Still waiting.

In early July a gang of seven youths visited the farm buildings, on CCTV, in broad daylight, smashing the glass window of a tractor cab, presumably just for amusement. We reported it to the local school and the police. Eventually, after finding better CCTV footage, the school managed to identify several of the offenders, but because the police did absolutely nothing to help, not even providing a crime number or contacting the head teacher for over two weeks, little could be done before the summer holidays. We just have to hope the school’s excellent IT communications were able to spread the word.

So far it seems to have done, but with no help at all from the local constabulary. Today’s police are really a pathetic reflection of a service many of my generation remember with huge respect. By widely held local perception, officers today appear to spend more time rushing along the local bypass with their sirens blaring to speed their journey to lunch or tea breaks than they do keeping their eyes on, and

around, their local communities.

This summer’s furore over Mr Farage and his bank accounts has stirred very understandable concern from people across the country. Personally, although I share some of his less abrasive views, one feels he lets himself down by his aggressive, interrupting manner of speaking.

I make no apologies for thanking him for ‘getting Brexit done’, although he obviously now has a big ‘cross on his back’, an ongoing target for sad Remainers? Perhaps he feels that his manner gets him coverage, although it’s likely responsible for many of his subsequent troubles.

Yet that any Bank, like Coutts/NatWest, could attempt to control an individual’s views in such a draconian manner is truly frightening. Where is it all going to end if the law doesn’t stamp on such selective abuse? Are we all to be monitored and suppressed like Russians or Chinese? If you have no interest in this I’m sorry, but if, like many farmers, you support free speech and independent thinking I’m certain you can see the dangers to society.

It is increasingly apparent that banks seem to be becoming obsessed with turning all their clients ‘woke’. We were sent a typical example recently. I spoke to my ‘manager’ next day and he immediately apologised for it but basically implied it was company policy. To cover their backsides in any eventuality? Certainly, more for their own benefit than their customers. Perhaps after the Summer’s exposures, they may realise they are bankers, not guardians of

their client’s lives and morals.

Recently I purchased a new flail mower, specifically to keep on top of the land we are preparing for next year’s woodland planting. The initial plan is to sow grass seed immediately prior to planting, then flailing between the rows of trees every six to eight weeks during summer to maintain a strong grassy carpet, allowing tree establishment at the same time as providing a green home for moths, insects, voles, mice and the like, sustaining a good feed source for our bats and various local hawks and owls.

I have long had an image in my head of myself as a very old man (in some ten years’ time!) quietly watching across the, by then, strong young trees as a couple of barn owls silently quarter these two fields on a quiet summer’s evening, with the sky full of clattering pipistrelle bats and late feeding swallows, house martins and even swifts. It would be like the meadows were when the dairy herd grazed, or were settling down for the night. A memory which, very sadly, is gone for good because cattle, meadows and bird life has been lost to our area due to the seemingly uncontrolled encroachment of new-build houses. Homes, but no longer for country folk.

Images perhaps based more on the past, but surely worth trying for. When the proposed woodland scheme is established then an important element for these hopes is there; yet it is for future generations to sustain and nurture the idea.

NICK ADAMES

Former dairy farmer

Contractor Dean Barrett slit drilling maize direct into pasture previously burned off with Glyphosate

RAM FERTILITY TESTING

Ram Breeding Soundness Exam for maximising lambing performance

Ram fertility testing is an excellent way for breeders to prove their rams prior to sale, but can also be a vital part of ensuring an efficient lambing season and maximising lambing percentage.

In single-ram mating systems it is highly important to guarantee the fertility of your ram as it is likely to still be jumping the ewes without producing results, leaving you with your trousers down when it comes to scanning time.

In multi-ram systems sub-fertile rams will be competing with fertile rams to cover ewes, leading to a lengthened lambing period if sub-fertile rams are going unchecked in your flock, especially if the sub-fertile ram is dominant. True infertility in rams is rare, but subfertility is more common. If you are operating with a high ratio of ewes to rams this sub-fertility can have a marked effect.

Ideally we would test the rams at least 10 weeks before tupping; sperm take six weeks to mature, so if any treatable issues are discovered during the test we have time to treat and for new, unaffected sperm to be produced before the rams start working. If the ram is found to be sub-fertile with no treatable cause, this allows time for a replacement ram to be sourced.

Rams should be rested from the ewes for at least three days before the test to increase their chance of producing a representative sample.

The ram fertility test has three main parts:

1. A Ram MOT; a general health check and physical exam including careful checking of teeth and feet to ensure he can tup successfully and keep his condition well over the season. Ideally his body condition score would be around 3.5 at the beginning of the season.

2. A specific exam of prepuce, penis and

testicles; we examine the prepuce and penis to check that everything moves freely, that his urethral process is intact and that there are no lesions of concern. We check that the testicles are firm (approximately as firm as a tensed bicep), an even size and have an even consistency with no lumps present. We then measure around the testicles: a general guide for scrotal circumference is around 35cm or higher for an adult ram, although this varies between breeds.

3. Collection and examination of semen sample. This is achieved by either an artificial vagina or an electroejaculator probe inserted into the rectum. Once the sample has been collected we examine it under a microscope.

The sample is analysed in four ways:

1. Gross appearance: looking for any blood or pus present in the sample and the general consistency, which can range from watery to thick/creamy.

2. Gross motility: under the microscope, seeing how much the sperm are moving as a whole.

3. Progressive motility: whether individual

you would like to discuss anything covered in this article contact your local Westpoint practice E: info@westpointfarmvets.co.uk www.westpointfarmvets.co.uk

sperm are moving forwards in straight line (sperm with incorrectly formed tails may swim in circles).

4. Morphology: looking at individual sperm cells to check they have straight tails and properly formed heads.

It should be noted that fertile rams will not always produce a satisfactory sample, and in the case of a failure based on the semen sample rams should be re-tested at least one week later. On the day of the test your vet will probably need access to mains power and ideally a table for a microscope and water-bath to keep the sample at body temperature. Sperm are sensitive to temperature, so if the weather is poor on the day of testing it would be ideal to be working in a well-sheltered area. Additionally, if possible the ram or rams should be in sight of other sheep and handled quietly to minimise stress.

Ram breeding soundness examinations are an excellent way to increase the reliability of fertility in your flock and can give you peace of mind looking forward to scanning and the spring.

Sophie grew up on a fourth generation dairy farm near Lewes and graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in July 2022, when she started at Westpoint Horsham. Alongside her love of all things dairy, Sophie has a keen interest in ram and bull fertility.

WHERE HAS THE YEAR GONE?

As I write it’s approaching mid August and I really don’t know where time has gone. With weaning done, we are already thinking about next year’s lamb crop. Preparations are underway to get both ewes and rams fit for tupping; much of what is done now will determine the potential lamb drop next spring.

Culls have been drafted and sold for various reasons, largely age related; all still had full mouths, a couple had been lame just once too often and a few were a bit saggy in the udder, making life a bit difficult for lambs, but only one was sold for poor condition. They sold well at Ashford, a good indicator of their condition at weaning in spite of the difficulties of the previous 12 months, testament to how well the Lleyn, as a breed, is able to respond to challenging conditions. The ewes have been body condition scored (BCS) and most are on track to meet their 3.5 BCS target by the time they join the rams, although the tegs are doing just a little too well. In spite of being almost entirely grass fed since weaning, some need a careful watch to ensure they don’t overshoot.

The rams are also looking good; often overlooked until a couple weeks before they are required for work, they require just as much, if not more (about 10 weeks) preparation than ewes. Certainly what happens over the next month or so will impact on sperm production. It’s rather too easy to forget that the process of spermatogenesis takes about seven weeks and any major hiccups in the run up to mating can have a significant impact on ram fertility. I note that AHDB Beef and Lamb now refers to ram preparation as the five “Ts”, rather than four, i.e. teeth, toes (feet), testicles, tone (condition) and treatment (routine vaccinations, worming etc.), all of which need to be dealt with well in advance of them going to work.

To tease or not to tease also needs to be considered soon. Although it helps to tighten up lambing I find it difficult, with a small flock, to justify the cost of running a teaser all year just for a couple of weeks work pre-tupping. I

do, however, find that running a bunch of ram lambs next to the ewes for a couple of weeks prior to the rams going in functions just as well, although fences do have to be secure. It certainly works with our ewes; it has been quite a few years since the Lleyn lambing has extended beyond 21 days and in the past few years it has ranged from 15 to 19, all making lambing a rather less challenging experience, particularly with outdoor lambing; something that has been achieved in part by selecting for precocious ewes and in part by teasing.

The recent change in the weather may be presenting all sorts of problems for arable producers but it has at least produced a decent flush of grass. As things are going at the moment we are building up a decent wedge of grass for late summer and early autumn grazing, just what we need for tupping, although, that said, things could once again change fairly quickly. Interestingly our un-topped paddocks, although untidy, responded so much more rapidly than those that had been tidied up.

SIZE ISN’T EVERYTHING, AS THEY SAY

At present things are looking quite promising for next year’s lamb crop, I wish the same were true of lamb prices, which have taken a significant hit recently, particularly for grass-finished lambs. I had some lambs that were about ready when I took the culls in, but with prices as they were I decided to hang on in the hope of prices picking up, they are not being pushed so will not spoil, but they will make a bit more weight.

Once again there seems to be some considerable debate about size and efficiency of grazing livestock. I read an interesting article from the US recently - which sadly I can’t find again – which spoke about how a number of beef producers are pulling back on the size of their breeding cows in order to improve efficiency and output in terms of kg of beef sold per ha (acres in the US). Quite surprising in some ways for a country where size often appears to be the be-all and end-all, but not surprising in terms of chasing efficiency.

With sheep, output in terms of kg of lamb per ha will almost always favour the smaller ewe. Going back a few years, in the days of the MLC (some in the industry will still remember), they used to produce statistics on output per ha by breed or cross; every year it was either the Lleyn or Welsh Halfbred that topped the league, medium-sized, efficient, prolific and productive ewes.

It’s simply a matter of doing the sums. For too long we have focused on output per ewe, where we should be concentrating on output per ha. By virtue of their potential for higher stocking rates (in terms of kg ewe per ha), and lower dry matter intake, a medium sized ewe of say 65kg will at the same lambing percentage outperform a 75kg ewe by anywhere between £60 and £65 per ha even after allowing for differences in finishing weights and sale value in terms of p/p/kg; not a lot, but it all helps. OK, it is just a simple example, but regardless of system, the results, although they may not always be of the same magnitude, will almost invariably be of the same order.

ALAN WEST

Sheep farmer

As we have heard many times, colostrum is gold. It contains all the antibodies the calf needs to protect itself from disease in the first weeks of life. Failure of transfer from the dam to the calf will result in the calf becoming sick, for example navel ill or joint ill. A group of calves with poor immunity may be observed as scour or pneumonia outbreaks in the first few weeks of life.

The Three Qs are the foundation of good colostrum management: Quantity, Quality and Quickly. A calf should receive 10% of its body weight in the first six hours of life, repeated at 12 hours old.

After 12 to 24 hours the gut has ‘closed’ and so antibodies cannot be absorbed systemically but will still act locally in the gut, protecting the calf. It is beneficial, therefore, to give multiple colostrum feeds. It is more convenient to give the minimum required colostrum quickly by stomach tube as this ensures the calf’s requirement is met, but giving it by bottle helps the gut to act normally and bypass the rumen, reducing the risk of bloat.

How do you know that the quality of the colostrum you are giving is good enough to be effective?

MEASURING COLOSTRUM QUALITY

Colostrum quality can be affected by age, parity and nutrition of the cow as well as by how quickly the colostrum is collected. The quality is measurable by BRIX refractometer. These can be purchased online and are accurate and easy to use.

Good quality colostrum will have a Brix reading of over 22%. Colostrum with a reading of less than this should be avoided or supplemented. Alternatively, a colostrometer can be used, but they are less practical as they should only be used at room temperature for accurate results. They are also very easy to break!

Any spare high-quality colostrum should be frozen for future use. Bacterial contamination of the colostrum will quickly reduce the quality, so correct storage is essential. Colostrum can be kept in the fridge for 24 hours or frozen for up to a year. Remember not to microwave the bag

Cliffe

T: 01273 473232

when thawing colostrum as it will destroy the all-important antibodies.

Do not feed calves colostrum or milk from cows that have ever tested positive for Johne’s Disease; they are at their most vulnerable to infection at this age. Avoid pooling colostrum from multiple cows for the same reason.

Successful colostrum management can be measured directly by blood sampling calves. A screen of six calves between one and seven days old can easily be done by your vet and results provided the same day. This allows earlier identification of issues in colostrum management if performed at critical stages of the calving block. Success can also be measured indirectly by recording neonatal calf disease and mortality.

Good colostrum management means happy calves and happy farmers!

www.cliffefarm.co.uk

E: leonille.griffiths@cliffevets.co.uk

 Obtain the ideal body condition score

 16ME MJ/kg DM – Extra High in Energy

Stronger oestrus response

Achieve a more compact lambing period

Stimulates forage intake by up to 15% and increases forage digestibility by up to 10%

Low required intakes 40–60g, lasting up to three times longer than some other blocks

three times longer

Typically costing 4–7p ewe/day

LEONILLE (LILLY) GRIFFITHS BVSC MRCVS

Veterinary Group

Legal services for farmers & rural businesses

Call us today or visit our website: 01227 763939 furleypage.co.uk

EASE BACK, BUT GET THE DETAILS RIGHT

The University of Exeter 2020 report on succession found that only one in five farmers planned to retire in full, with the rest planning to work at various levels of intensity to their dying day.

That research also found that over a quarter of farmers had not spoken about succession planning at all and, of those with children, only half had identified a potential successor. There remains a marked reluctance within the industry to talk about succession.

“The lack of a clear legal framework and structuring can cause problems down the line for successors and the farm business alike,” explained Will Leonard.

“Entering a partnership is one way that an active farmer can ease back in stages, but the right documentation needs to be in place. Although partnerships don’t actually require one, it is best practice for the arrangement to be formally documented with a partnership agreement.

“The farmer’s Will should be drafted in conjunction with, or at least with reference to, the partnership agreement.”

Will explained that there were several reasons for preparing both documents and ensuring they complemented each other. He pointed out:

• In the absence of a partnership agreement, which would deal with how events following a partner’s death are managed, the partnership will dissolve automatically on the death of any one partner, no matter how many partners remain.

• With no partnership agreement, the

farmer’s personal representatives (either their executors if they have named such in a Will, or if not then their administrators) can insist that the partnership assets are sold and the funds distributed. They are also under no obligation to offer the surviving partners first refusal.

• In the absence of proper documentation, it may not be clear what precisely is comprised in the farm, nor what are partnership assets and what is owned personally by the farmer.

• If there is any conflict, the partnership agreement will take priority over the Will, which may not be what the farmer wanted.

• The inclusion of certain clauses in the partnership agreement or the Will could inadvertently impose a binding contract for sale on the death of the farmer, which means valuable reliefs from inheritance tax (IHT), in the way of Agricultural Property

Relief and Business Property Relief, will be lost. As a result, the estate will pay IHT at up to 40%. Although it may be possible to pay this by instalments, there may be no option but to sell the farm to pay the tax due and, in any event, this will be a substantial portion of the value of all but the smallest farms (where the nil rate bands will have a greater impact).

• Poor drafting of the Will or partnership agreement can also cause the loss of the Capital Gains Tax free uplift to market value of the farmer’s interest in the farm partnership on death.

Will Leonard concluded: “While partnership is one option for that route map to retirement it can still be fraught with issues and consequences. Much as it might go against the grain, planning and engaging with your professional adviser is always a sensible approach.”

While partnerships enable active farmers to ease towards retirement, it’s important to have the relevant legal documentation and safeguards in place, explains Will Leonard, Saffery Champness director and a member of the firm’s land and rural practice group.

BREAKING NEW GROUND

As an end-of-harvest event, ploughing matches are a time for celebration, fun and competition among the rural and agricultural community. At Brachers, these matches are a highlight of our annual rural events calendar.

They give us a chance to catch up with clients, colleagues and friends and enjoy the arena events and attractions while raising a glass.

As a skill that has evolved through the centuries, it’s great to see the ploughing competitions feature mixed entries of modern, vintage, steam and horse ploughs. It’s a reminder of the continual innovation within rural communities and of the vital relationship between technology and the land.

Since the first ploughing match in 1946, held in the aftermath of World War II to raise funds for the British Red Cross, these events have continued to have a charitable focus; each year the associations raise money for an array of worthy local and national causes.

Every year, local agricultural and associated trades support these events. The Weald and East Kent ploughing matches will play host to over 80 trade stands alongside the ploughing competitions, clay pigeon shooting, gymkhanas and more.

SUPPORTING THE SECTOR SINCE 1895

With a specialism in the agricultural sector, Brachers is proud of the longstanding support it has provided to farmers and landowners since 1895. Alongside the many agricultural events we sponsor each year, the ploughing matches provide a chance for us to catch up

with clients and their families, some of whom we have advised for generations.

Our involvement in so many agricultural and rural events over the year gives us the chance to share in the opportunities and challenges faced by those in the sector, whether its wrestling with the weather and the loss of EU support or exploring new funding streams or diversification ventures.

Some priorities, of course, never change, and safeguarding the future of family and business will always be a chief concern. We take pride in working alongside our rural clients in all aspects of their lives, from considering business reorganisation through retirements or growth plans, securing additional land and raising finance or matrimonial or estate tax planning through to protecting and passing on of wealth to the next generation. We work with our clients and their other professional advisers to help them make informed decisions.

Alongside our legal support, Brachers is committed to supporting rural community and charitable initiatives. Our charity of the year is the incredible Team Tutsham. Situated on a large farm in West Farleigh, Kent, the charity gives disadvantaged children and young people the opportunity to learn how to ride and care for ponies.

We also co-founded, in 1967, the Kent Farmers’ Benevolent Fund, which provides

Brachers’ Agriculture and

Law

financial assistance to farmers and their families when in need. The fund has assisted many families from helping to install a heating system for an elderly retired farmer to financial assistance for a farmer injured on the farm who needed to employ temporary help. Brachers continues to support this charity free of charge. As part of our commitment to the sector, we are delighted to be continuing our sponsorship of the ploughing matches. Our team will be at both the Weald of Kent and East Kent competitions, sharing our marquee with Kent County Agricultural Society, a charity equally steadfast in its support for the sector. Please do come and visit us. We’d be delighted to have an informal chat about the matters that are most important to you.

Rural

team will be attending the Weald of Kent Ploughing Match on Saturday 16 September and the East Kent Ploughing Match on Wednesday 27 September. We look forward to seeing South East Farmer readers there.

Maidstone | Canterbury www.brachers.co.uk

Proud to be recognised for our agricultural expertise in leading directories, Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500

A “knowledgeable and responsive” team of “excellent solicitors who know their specialisms inside out”

The South East Farmland Market Experts

HISTORIC MANOR HOUSE

NEWPORT | ISLE OF WIGHT

Billingham Manor, on sale with BCM, boasts a rich history dating from the Domesday Book through to 17th Century smugglers, and achieved literary fame while in the ownership of JB Priestley, who penned his famous work Rain Upon Godshill from his studio in the house.

One of the Isle of Wight’s architectural gems, the house was remodelled around 1730 by the son of Sir Edward Worsley. Among its many unusual features is an early 18th century rotating bookcase and sliding

panel leading to a tunnel under the manor, believed to have been used by smugglers working the infamous ‘Back of the Wight’ coastline not far away.

The Billingham Manor estate, now for sale through BCM, specialists in rural property operating throughout southern England, comes with a separate cottage, a range of barns and around 130 acres of garden, grounds and farmland.

The six bedroomed manor is Grade II* listed and sits in a secluded, southerly facing

position with sweeping views across the south of the island.

James Attrill, partner at BCM, commented: “Billingham Manor is a rare find. The history is fascinating and the estate offers real privacy, looking out over the prettiest of Island views. The land and barns offer great scope for those wanting to enhance the estate further. It really is the complete package.”

Offered in three lots, Billingham Manor is guided at £3,000,000 for the whole.

RARE OPPORTUNITY

This is a rare opportunity to purchase approximately 89 acres of permanent pasture and woodland situated in the High Weald AONB. The land is available as a whole or in seven lots with Batcheller Monkhouse.

Attwood Farm is located in an attractive position surrounded by beautiful open countryside. The property is close to the popular village of Bodle Street Green and the larger market town of Hailsham is approximately 6.8 miles to the south.

For those with equestrian aspirations there is a network of country lanes, nearby bridleways and TROT access in close proximity to the property.

The land comprises approximately 89 acres of Grade 3 permanent pasture and woodland.

LOT 1 – GUIDE PRICE £175,000

Extending to 12.12 acres in total, Lot 1 comprises 11.03 acres of permanent pasture and approximately 0.91 acres of mature broadleaf woodland. The parcel is largely level but slopes downward towards the woodland shaw to the north of the parcel. There is an electricity pylon located on the track which forms part of this lot. Access is required from time to time by the electricity board for maintenance etc. The wayleave in relation to this pylon will be transferred to the purchaser.

LOT 2 – GUIDE PRICE £170,000

Extending to 10.67 acres in total, Lot 2 comprises two parcels of permanent pasture. The smaller paddock has been more recently used for equestrian grazing. The larger parcel

is currently in use for grass forage production. There is a small pond in the north west corner. Access is directly via the public highway.

LOT 3 – GUIDE PRICE £170,000

Extending to 17.25 acres in total, Lot 3 comprises 13.26 acres of permanent pasture and 2.99 acres of mature broadleaf woodland. If bought in conjunction with Lot 2, access can be created to connect the two lots. If bought separately, access can be arranged, however the details of such are yet to be confirmed.

LOT 4 – GUIDE PRICE £245,000

Extending to 17.33 acres in total, Lot 4 comprises 14.74 acres of permanent pasture and 2.59 acres of mature broad leaf woodland. There is a TROT bridleway which runs along the access track and then branches along the northern edge of Coneyburrow Shaw and leaves the property in the south west corner of Lot 4. There is a licence in place for the TROT bridleway. The license can be transferred to the purchaser if desired or we understand that this agreement can be brought to an end with three months’ notice (TBC). There is an electricity pylon located in this lot. Access is required from time to time by the electricity board for maintenance etc. The wayleave in relation to this pylon will be transferred to the purchaser.

LOT 5 – GUIDE PRICE £180,000

Lot 5 extends to 11.9 acres of level permanent pasture. If purchased separately from these lots, the purchaser will be granted

a right of way over a route to be agreed. The boundaries are a combination of mature hedgerow and post and rail stock fencing. Please note: the boundary between lots 5 and 6 is not currently stock proof.

LOT 6 – GUIDE PRICE £150,000

Lot 6 extends to 10.59 acres in total and comprises 9.57 acres of permanent pasture and approximately 1.02 acres of mature broadleaf woodland.

There is an electricity pylon located in this lot. Access is required from time to time by the electricity board for maintenance etc. The wayleave in relation to this pylon will be transferred to the purchaser.

LOT 7 – GUIDE PRICE £138,000

Lot 7 extends to 8.99 acres in total and comprises 7.16 acres of permanent pasture and 1.83 acres of woodland.

The Vendor is to retain an overage over the entire property set at 25% for a period of 40 years to cover any change of use including both residential and commercial development. The overage is intended to last in perpetuity for the entire period. There are to be no deductions from the overage payment. It is intended the overage payment will be triggered by the grant of planning permission or the commencement of works, whichever is sooner.

For the benefit of the vendors retained property, the land will be sold subject to a Restrictive Covenant.

89 ACRES HAILSHAM | EAST SUSSEX

Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI)

• 3 year scheme

• Rolling application window

• Flexible scheme with the ability to add ‘standards’

• Quarterly payments with additional administrative payments included

• New ‘standards’ available this year

APPLICATIONS OPEN IN SEPTEMBER

Contact us for further information

batchellermonkhouse.com

Land at Northfleet

Gravesend, Kent DA13 9PN

Three blocks of arable and pastureland in a strategic location in North Kent. Lot 3 is subject to a secure Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 tenancy. For sale by private treaty as a whole or in three Lots.

In all about 160.91 acres (3 Lots)

James Hickman Director

01233 506260

james.hickman@hobbsparker.co.uk

Matt Sawdon Director 01233 506201

matt.sawdon@hobbsparker.co.uk

C.Pearson.Wood@batchellermonkhouse.com

Tydebrook Farm

Bethersden, Ashford, Kent TN26 3EN

A small grass farm, as a whole or in two separate Lots comprising a lawful mobile home, two separate yards containing agricultural buildings and adjoining pasture & woodland.

In all about 60.42 acres (2 Lots)

01233 506201

Hobbs Parker Romney House, Monument Way, Orbital Park, Ashford, Kent TN24 0HB

Charlotte Pearson-Wood MRICS FAAV Tunbridge Wells: 01892 509280

Harry Broadbent-Combe MRICS FAAV Pulborough: 01798 877555 H.Broadbent-Combe@batchellermonkhouse.com

Helen Clouting MRICS FAAV Haywards Heath: 01444 412402 H.Clouting@batchellermonkhouse.com

'SECTION 106' IS KEY MOMENT FOR BIODIVERSITY NET GAIN PROVISION

The Iford Estate has signed an innovative agreement with the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA).

The completion of a Section 106 legal agreement this summer covering 31ha of land at the Iford Estate near Lewes marks a groundbreaking step in terms of the ecosystem services market.

It means the land, equating to 210 biodiversity units, is the first to appear on the SDNPA’s register of land formally ‘dedicated’ for biodiversity net gain (BNG) provision.

The 1,200ha estate has an ambitious 30-year landscape-scale vision with nature recovery at its heart, using BNG as the main vehicle for securing the necessary investment.

The Iford Biodiversity Project will ultimately see about 800ha of land permanently dedicated to nature recovery, involving the generation of about 3,000 biodiversity units.

The plan involves the creation of floodplain grazing marsh providing habitat for breeding and wintering waders, species-rich grassland for rare plants, insects and mammals and tree-planting on parts of the farm to link up with existing woodland in this more sparsely wooded section of the South Downs National Park.

The BNG Section 106 is the result of a huge effort by a range of experts, including the team at Iford, the SDNPA, environment and farming consultants CLM, Lux Nova Partners (a law firm specialising in the clean energy and environmental sectors) and Town Legal (a specialist planning law firm).

CLM Director Anthony Weston, who has 20-plus years’ experience of habitat work and led a series of studies and modelling exercises at Iford, described this as “one of the biggest and best nature creation, enhancement and restoration projects in the country”.

He also dubbed the Section 106 signing

“momentous” in the evolution of the ecosystem services market. “Section 106s are, of course, often used in the planning process, but we believe this is the first time one has been secured specifically for mandatory BNG market readiness.

“With BNG due to become mandatory in November for all planning applications, this partnership between Iford and the National Park, which is also the Local Planning Authority, will help developers work with the estate to fulfil their statutory BNG requirements.

“It won’t, of course, lead to more development in the National Park, but it will mean that development happening elsewhere will benefit nature and people here by drawing private investment into this very special place.

“Part of the attractiveness of Iford as a venue for providing BNG is how it fits within the wider landscape. It’s in a national park, in the Ouse Valley and adjacent to SSSI and National Nature Reserve land, as well as containing large areas of ‘priority’ habitats.

“It’s well placed to link those, allowing aggregated gain. It’s part of a patchwork of natural and semi-natural habitats, rather than an island. In tandem with agricultural activities, we can create 'bigger, better and more joined-up' habitats, in line with the principles set out in The Lawton Report.”

Iford Estate Manager Ben Taylor said: “Our scheme draws on the extensive habitat and

species surveys conducted over the past few years, as well as historical mapping to determine land use patterns, soil sampling and hydrological assessments.

“This is already a diverse and inspirational landscape, with recent surveys showing over 1,300 species present on the estate, many with conservation status, including 155 species of birds, of which 87 are of conservation concern.

“We will increase the diversity of species over the whole estate while still retaining food production as the principal land use on the most fertile land.”

Nick Heasman, countryside and policy manager at the national park, said: “This is a major step forward for the park’s ReNature initiative, which is looking to create 13,000 hectares of new habitat to help wildlife flourish. Biodiversity loss and climate change are two of the biggest long-term issues facing our country and this innovative scheme at Iford will kickstart a regional recovery that will benefit both nature and local communities.”

Earlier this year the national park launched its ReNature Credits scheme, a brokerage service that will help connect landowners and developers to create areas of land for biodiversity net gain and nature recovery.

Mr Heasman added: “As a national park covering 1,600km2 and with over 1,000 different landowners, we can identify the very best areas for biodiversity restoration and ensure habitat connectivity.”

ANTHONY WESTON Director, CLM

Eythorne, Kent Guide Price £1,900,000

Will Banham

South East Estates & Farm Agency | 07818 237 049 will.banham@struttandparker.com

Thakeham, West Sussex Interest Invited

Guildford.lmd@struttandparker.com 01483 400 770

/struttandparker @struttandparker struttandparker.com

A block of arable land interspersed with wooded shaws and Grade II listed parkland extending to approximately 196 acres (79 ha)

A former mushroom farm available for agricultural use. Alternative land uses may be permitted (subject to the necessary consents). In all about 74.47 acres (30.14 ha)

NORTH DOWNS ARABLE LAND

BTF Partnership has been instructed to bring a ring-fenced parcel of arable land totalling 100.86 acres to the market. The land is Grade III, with long road frontage and access from Wrotham Hill Road to the north side.

The majority of the land is currently used for

arable cropping, but there is some grassland and woodland shaws.

The land is considered to have biodiversity net gain opportunities. .

iFull details can be found at www.btfpartnership.co.uk or by contacting Richard Thomas in the Challock office 01233 740077

BLOCK OF PASTURE AND CONSERVATION LAND

BCM has launched an attractive 84 acre block of pasture and conservation land at Brighstone Down on the Isle of Wight.

With natural capital topping the ‘must have’ lists of many buyers, this land will certainly attract interest from those looking to develop the biodiversity potential of this unique landscape.

Currently used for cattle grazing, the land

was previously part of a wider Countryside Stewardship Scheme and has been recognised as having significant ecological potential. Easily accessed from the public highway, this south-facing block with enviable views across the sea to The Needles provides an ideal investment route into the strengthening land market.

James Attrill, from leading rural property

specialist BCM, said: “Land prices are on the rise; shortage of supply and a proven inflation hedge are making it attractive to investors. This well-positioned block will appeal to those with a farming, nature conservation or natural capital focus. We don’t see many opportunities like this and expect lots of interest.”

The land at Brighstone Down has a guide price of £450,000.

iFor further information, please contact the Isle of Wight office. Call: 01983 828 805. Email: iow@bcm.co.uk

BRIGHSTONE DOWN | ISLE OF WIGHT

WROTHAM | KENT

STRONG DEMAND ANTICIPATED FOR EAST SUSSEX FARM

Strutt and Parker are launching Church Farm at Herstmonceux to the open market and are anticipating strong interest from a diverse range of prospective buyers. The farm, which comprises a combination of farm buildings, arable land and grazing on the northern edge of the Pevensey Levels, extends to some 230 acres (93 ha) in total and has been in the vendor’s family ownership since the 1950s.

The farm buildings are currently used in part for farming purposes, but two lettings also produce commercial rental income, with potential for further development, being both outside the High Weald AONB and the South Downs National Park. The arable land is on a gently south facing slope and relatively light land, while the grazing land is well accessed via a central trackway from the farmyard.

Will Banham, head of south east estate and farm agency at Strutt and Parker, said:

“Church Farm is a rare combination of land and buildings which is likely to appeal to farming buyers and to investors seeking a diverse agricultural investment.

“Land on The Pevensey Levels is bound to generate strong interest from the growing

range of buyers driven by environmental motivations. Given that our research shows that the acreage of land marketed nationally is 18% below the five yearly average, demand remains strong for commercial farms and we anticipate brisk competition for Church Farm.”

iContact Will Banham at Strutt and Parker on 07818 237049

GUIDE PRICE FOR THE WHOLE: £1,890,000

230 ACRES HERSTMONCEUX | EAST SUSSEX

Hobbs Parker has been instructed to market for sale two different opportunities in Kent.

The first is an area of productive Grade II and Grade III arable and pasture land in a strategic location in North Kent extending in all to about 160.91 acres. For sale as a whole or in three lots, it has a guide price as a whole of £1,275,000 to £1,375,000 and covers an area of approximately 160.91 acres in total.

The farms lie between the large towns of Gravesend to the north and Istead Rise to the south and are within close proximity of major transport infrastructure including the A2/ M2 Interchange and Ebbsfleet International railway station.

The soils are productive and defined as mainly “freely draining lime-rich loamy soils”, with some described as “freely draining slightly acid loamy soils”. The arable land is capable of growing a wide range of crops and is currently planted with winter wheat, winter beans, oats and temporary grass.

Lot 1 and Lot 2 are offered for sale subject to existing Farm Business Tenancy (FBT) agreements, with fixed terms expiring on 28 September 2023. Lot 3 is subject to a secure Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 tenancy dated

TWO DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES

19 March 1993 and varied by a memorandum of agreement dated 10 November 2009. The rent per annum is £4,200.

The farms are offered for sale by private treaty. Viewings are strictly by prior appointment through the selling agents.

The second opportunity is a grass farm at Wissenden, near Benenden, covering about 60.42 acres and available as a whole or two lots. The guide price for Lot 1 (about 5.65 acres) is £450,000 and for Lot 2 (about 54.75 acres) is £550,000

This is a small grass farm situated on a quiet rural lane near the sought-after Hamlet of Wissenden, between Ashford and Tenterden, and benefiting from well-screened boundaries with mature trees and hedgerows.

Lot 1 comprises a lawful mobile home, a yard with former farm buildings and a single level pasture field. Lot 2 comprises a yard with farm buildings, several pasture fields and approximately 9.33 acres of woodland designated as ancient and semi-natural woodland.

The land is predominately classified as Grade III with a small strip of Grade IV along the southern boundary. Soils are defined mainly as “slowly permeable, seasonally wet, slightly acid but base-rich loamy and clayey” with some defined as “loamy soils with naturally high groundwater”.

Tydebrook Farm is offered for sale by private treaty. Viewings are strictly by prior appointment through the selling agents.

GRAVESEND | KENT BENENDEN | KENT

Hazells

Hazells

Tydebank Farm

Now located across the South East and newly arrived in Kent, our expanding rural team has many years’ experience and are now on hand to support your estate and farm needs.

Committed to working responsibly, in partnership, to enhance people’s lives and environments we work tirelessly to make a difference and shape a fulfilling future of shared growth, happiness and prosperity.

• Estate and Farm management

• Viticulture

• Agricultural consultancy

• Grant funding and RPA schemes

• Strategic business and asset reviews

• Succession planning

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• Regenerative agriculture

• Natural capital baseline accounts

• Biodiversity Net Gain and nutrient offsetting

• Landscape design and restoration

• Woodland creation

• Agri finance

• Solar and battery storage

Powered by purpose and supported by the latest tech, data, digital solutions, research and analysis, we are an agile business built for a new era in the countryside.

Fell

123 322 2381

Northchapel, West Sussex

Guide Price £610,000 for the whole

A well located block of arable land, with some potential for viticulture use, on the northern edge of the village of Northchapel extending to approximately 64 acres (26 ha) in total

For sale as a whole or in two lots

Herstmonceux, East Sussex

Guide Price for the whole £1,890,000

An accessible farm comprising a range of farm buildings, arable land and grazing marsh of environmental interest on the edge of The Pevensey Levels extending to approximately 230 acres (93 ha) in total

For sale as a whole or in two lots

Will Banham

South East Estates & Farm Agency 07818 237 049

will.banham@struttandparker.com

/struttandparker @struttandparker struttandparker.com

OWN A PIECE OF SUSSEX HISTORY

BTF Partnership has been instructed to market Buckholt Farm, near Catsfield, East Sussex, a 368-acre working livestock farm full of rich history with character and charm.

The farmhouse is a Grade II, fourbedroomed listed building which dates back to the late 16th century and was remodelled in 1670 over three storeys. There were 16th century ironworks on the farm alongside the watermill stream, and some of the workings are still in evidence along the northern boundary.

The property continued as a working farm until the turn of the 20th century, when part of the house was used as a boarding school for girls. By the second world war it had become a

private house and farm once again. For many years the land adjoining the farm driveway was used as the local hunt point-to-point course.

To this day Buckholt farmhouse retains the character and features of its time, with exposed oak timbers in many of the rooms, the original inglenook fireplace in the scullery and its original stone mullion windows. It comprises four bedrooms, two attic rooms, a kitchen/breakfast room, dining room, three bathrooms and a cellar.

The traditional hop oast house remains on the farm, having been converted into a pair of four-bedroom attached dwellings which are let out. These have been tastefully modernised while retaining character throughout.

Both dwellings have a light and spacious

ground floor with generous sitting room/ dining room areas and kitchen, with downstairs cloakrooms and access to the garden. The first floors have four bedrooms as well as two en-suites and a family bathroom.

Buckholt Farm extends to 367.77 acres, with the farmhouse positioned in the centre of the holding and the farmland wrapping around. The land comprises 235 acres of pastureland, 128 acres of woodland and 22,650 square feet of modern and traditional farm buildings. There is an all-weather outdoor arena for the equestrian livery yard, as well as stables in the period barn and a total of eight loose boxes.

The farm is available as a whole, with offers invited in excess of £5,000,000.

In a planning pickle...

just looking at development options?

The professional, creative thinkers at The RPP

COMPLETE OUR CROSSWORD TO WIN

Four bottles of our favourite wine, Ortega

ACROSS

1 --------- broccoli (9)

5 Stall for holding cattle (5)

8 Stream in Hampshire (9)

9 Take up or follow an idea (5)

11 Oil used to kill insects (4)

12 Shakespeare play (7)

13 A place where agricultural products are sold (7,6)

15 The measurement of a person from head to foot (6)

17 ------ bean, legume (6)

20 Badly behaved (7)

23 Mulberry ----, feature of a nursery rhyme (4)

24 Demand something in an agreement (9)

25 Acting, covering up, concealing (10)

26 Insect with 2,500 species in the UK (4) DOWN

1 A TV programme that has been aired before (5)

2 Film (5)

3 Roman emperor (4)

4 Protection for animals in a field (7)

6 A device for listening to broadcast such as the shipping forecast (5)

7 Prop up (7)

10 Biting insect (4)

13 Large goods ship (9)

14 Angry outburst (4)

16 Spirit (3)

17 To form knot in shoelaces again (5)

18 Flightless bird (3)

19 A bird reintroduced to Kent recently (6)

21 Entertain (5)

22 Thousand [slang] (5)

23 Large shrub with yellow flowers that have vanilla fragrance (5)

PRIZE ANAGRAM: Fungal pest of maize (3,4)

To enter, simply unscramble the anagram (3,4) 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 26 September. The winner will be announced in the October edition.

While many farmers come to an end of their harvest, ours will soon be in full swing. For more information about the vineyards, please visit www.biddendenvineyards.com or call 01580 291726.

*Subject to availability

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS:

Correct answer: Telehandler

LAST MONTH’S WINNER: Robert Sawyer from Oxford, Oxfordshire

VI NE YA R DS

VI NE YA R DS

Crossword by Rebecca Farmer, Broadstairs, Kent

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