South East Farmer December 2024

5 MARCH 2025

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December 2024

"THE END IS KEIR" FARMERS FLOCK TO WESTMINSTER TO DRILL HOME STRONG MESSAGE OVER TAX HIKE PLANS

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DEC EMB ER 2024

CONTENTS 26

NEWS & REPORTS

04 Threatening the future of family farms.

06 The Government has seriously miscalculated the impact.

08 Impressive, community supported database of intelligence.

REGULARS

16 MONICA AKEHURST

Promises made before elections rarely align with what is delivered afterwards.

It’s no wonder people are becoming disillusioned.

20 MIKE KETTLEWELL 22 NIGEL AKEHURST VISITS...

Lamb Farm to meet Simon Wright and learn more about his mixed farming enterprise, Wright Farm Partnership, which encompasses beef, sheep, and arable operations.

29 STEPHEN CARR 30 ANITA HICKSON 55 ADVICE FROM THE VET

Making the most of winter housing and the animal health and welfare pathway.

56 ALAN WEST 58 LEGAL

32

FEATURES

12 SOUTH OF ENGLAND FARMING CONFERENCE

A lively question and answer session.

18 SHORTLAND STRUCTURES

With 40 years’ experience in the steelframed buildings business, it comes as no surprise to learn that Brett Shortland’s order book is full well into 2025.

26 SOUTH EAST FORESTRY

Forestry may be a business for Jon Davies and Dave Holmes, but it is also their passion.

32 NATIONAL FRUIT SHOW REVIEW

While reduced from two days to one to refocus the event and cut costs, the atmosphere was positive, visitors were plentiful and there was plenty to see and do.

45 CLIFFE FARM VETS

Moving into smart new premises is just the latest step in an exciting journey that has seen Cliffe Farm Vets serving an increasingly wide customer base across East Sussex and beyond.

61 END OF YEAR PROPERTY REVIEW

Post budget pain for the land market?

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

NEWS

THREATENING THE

FUTURE OF FAMILY FARMS

4

More than 10,000 farmers took to the streets of Westminster to protest at budget tax changes that many believe threaten the future of family farms across the country.

Changes to agricultural property relief and business property relief will potentially see farmers who inherit the family business faced with an inheritance tax bill that could result in them having to sell land to pay for it, something which could in turn destroy the viability of the farm.

With the Metropolitan Police estimating the number of people taking part at more than 10,000, the impressive turnout reflected the strength of feeling across the

country at what many see as a betrayal by a party that had earlier said it had no plans to alter inheritance tax.

While farmers, some of whom arrived on tractors, made their presence felt, a further 1,800 members of the NFU attended meetings with their MPs at Church House, in Westminster, and in Parliament. The day represented a mass lobbying event organised by the NFU to highlight to MPs why, in its words, “the changes to APR and BPR must be reversed for the sake of the rural economy, for national food security and to enable farmers to continue to support the environment and protect the countryside”.

NFU president Tom Bradshaw, who also addressed the rally, which was organised independently of the NFU and attended by

both members and non-members, told the Church House meeting that he didn’t think he had ever seen the industry “this angry, this disillusioned and this upset”, adding: “And given what we’ve had to be angry about in recent years, that’s saying something.”

He began by telling the audience: “You don’t need me to tell you that farmers and growers put up with a lot, but it takes something extraordinary to get us to react like this - and this betrayal on APR/BPR is extraordinary, and it affects farmers from every corner of Britain.”

Describing the tax changes as a “shocking policy”, he said it was “built on bad data and launched with no consultation”, adding: “The Treasury didn’t even tell DEFRA.” Tom went on: “To launch a policy this destructive without speaking to anyone

DEFRA may be making proud announcements that the agriculture budget has been protected but look at the detail and you’ll see more bad news for British farmers – a reduction in the BPS rural assistance payments (a historic subsidy) and a new fertiliser tax from 2027.

Ali Capper, executive chair, British Apples & Pears

Photo: Nigel Akehurst

DECEMBER 2024 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

We welcome the Government's commitment to maintaining funding for Environmental Land Management schemes. While there is still much room for improvement…, this budget marks a promising step forward for the future of farming and nature. Now it's crucial that DEFRA focuses on easing the application process and ensuring quick payments.

Will White, sustainable farming coordinator, Sustain

involved in farming beggars belief. And let us remember that they promised not to do this when they were wooing the rural vote.

“It’s not only been bungled in delivery, it’s also nothing short of a stab in the back.”

Describing the APR and BPS plans as “the straw which broke the camel’s back for farming”, he commented: “After years of changing policy and 18 months of some of the worst weather on record, the budget has been a kick in the teeth. It is full of let-downs for our vital sector: accelerated BPS reductions, double cab pick-up taxes, new taxes on fertilisers. The list goes on.

“We know what this means for our families, for our children, for our future. We know the horrendous pressure it is putting on older farmers worried sick. It’s wrong on every level and, just as bad, it won’t achieve what ministers want it to anyway.

“Far from catching wealthy homeowners with a bit of land, the Treasury’s mangling of the data means those people will generally not be affected. It’s the farms producing this country’s food, which are more valuable assets, that are caught in the eye of the storm.”

He told those present: “Your key job today is to look your own MPs in the eye and make them understand that there is a political price to be paid, by them, not just ministers, for supporting this rotten policy. In Westminster, in Cardiff, in Edinburgh and in Belfast.

“Our request is simple – this is a policy that will rip the heart of out of Britain’s family farms, launched on bad data with no consultation and it must be halted and

NEWS Left to right: NFU members Neil Fuller, Nick Bullen, Nellie Budd, Paula Matthews and Simon Maiklem with NFU Surrey County Adviser Harriet Henrick

Photo: Brian Finnerty/ NFU

considered properly, taking in the views of the experts, not just Treasury civil servants."

And he concluded: “Today isn’t the culmination of our efforts. It’s the start."

During the day various Government spokesmen repeated the official line that married farming couples who met all the necessary criteria could claim £3m in inheritance tax relief and continued to suggest

that only a limited number of wealthier farmers would be affected.

The industry has also rejected the suggestion that farmers could gift their farm to their children and avoid inheritance tax as long as they lived for seven years, because drawing a pension from the farm or living in one of its properties without paying rent would count as a “reserved benefit” under the rules.

This is a budget which has sent shockwaves through the rural sector and has implications for both owner-occupiers and tenant farmers… The frustration and anger being expressed by those in the land-based sector reflects the fact that even relatively small farms may be caught by the new rules.

Jason Beedell, Rural Research Director, Strutt & Parker

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5

NEWS Alan Clifton-Holt with NFU Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire Chair Freya Morgan listening to Tom Bradshaw at Church House

6

Photo: Miranda Parry Photography

THE GOVERNMENT HAS SERIOUSLY

MISCALCULATED THE IMPACT NFU Regional Board Chair for the East of England Alan Clifton-Holt, who farms near Romney Marsh in Kent, said: "Thousands of people came to London to passionately and respectfully fight for the future of British farming. People's behaviour at both the NFU's mass lobbying event and the rally through the streets of London was impeccable and a credit to everyone involved.

"The turnout of both farmers and members of the public shows the strength of feeling about the poorly thought out and hugely damaging decisions made by the new Government in the budget.

"The Government has seriously miscalculated the impact changes to APR and BPR will have on family farms, and the vast contradictions between the Treasury's assessment that 27% of farms in England will

be impacted and DEFRA's own assertion that more than 65% will be hit, shows what a mess they have made of this.”

NFU Surrey vice chair Paula Matthews commented: “We’re tenant farmers. The next generation will have to find the extra tax. Maybe they can pay it over 10 years, but it’s going to be their profit spent on that, not reinvesting on the farm, not looking after the countryside, not sinking carbon into the soil because they will just be trying to make ends meet.”

With her was Nellie Budd, who added: “It might not affect our farm directly, but it will affect the industry and we need to work together. Every farm is different and we all have our different opinions, but on this we stand united.

“It’s been said that it’s just 500 farms a year affected. Just! There’s no ‘just’ about it. Every farm is important.”

DECEMBER 2024 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

NFU East Sussex chair Martin Hole summed up: “The day was a spectacular show of just how much farmers care. In the face of this impossible-to-pay tax there was a show of resolute determination from the industry. It was utterly incredible how many downed tools and turned up.”

While AIC welcomes this Government's overarching ambition to drive economic growth throughout the UK, it is concerning to see the tax burden mounting at a time when agricultural supply businesses need the confidence to invest in infrastructure, technologies and systems to boost productivity and enhance sustainability for the future.

Robert Sheasby, chief executive, Agricultural Industries Confederation

Labour promised to be the party for the countryside, for growth, and vowed not to cut inheritance tax reliefs. Now they have broken these promises. How can rural Britain trust them again?

This government thinks inheritance tax reliefs for farmers are ‘loopholes’. In reality, they are targeted reliefs designed to protect Britain’s rural economy, jobs and food security. The fear and anger felt by farmers and rural businesses cannot be overstated.

Tim Bamford, regional director, CLA

We are pleased that the Government has listened to us and that the Chancellor has recognised how crucial maintaining investment in nature-friendly farming is and how food production and nature’s recovery go hand in hand.

Martin Lines, Nature Friendly Farming Network CEO

I’ve heard about distressed elderly parents who are having to apologise to their children in tears for something that isn’t their fault, telling them they’re sorry because they feel they’re now a burden on the family. I’ve heard from families who can’t see any way they can plan for a future which doesn’t result in losing their business. Men and women who’ve spent years building up farm businesses now wondering what’s the point in carrying on when it’s going to be ripped apart.

NFU President Tom Bradshaw

NFU President Tom Bradshaw speaking at Church House

Given the hard work and the different challenges many family farms face in making a sensible living from the job they have done for many generations, and being generally cash poor but asset ‘rich’, the worry of how they continue producing high quality food at incredible value for money into the next generation is very real.

Having to sell land to pay inheritance tax is not a prospect farmers want to contemplate.

Brian Richardson, Virgin Money head of agriculture UK

OP IN IO N Views miss the point

I’m starting to look forward to New Year’s Eve, not so much for the riotous party I’m unlikely to be invited to as for the chance to resolve yet again to stop using, in fact to never again even look at, social media.

What’s scary is the fact that as soon as you know more than the average punter about something, you realise how wide of the mark most commentators are. Virtually every time someone has written something about me (a rare reversal of my day job), they manage to get something wrong.

So given that there are presumably also inaccuracies in the stories that I don’t know much about but absorb as if they were the truth, the chances of learning much about anything seem slim. And don’t get me started on Wikipedia.

My latest foray into social media saw me (stupidly, yes) trying to defend farmers against those who were affronted by the protests against potentially crippling tax rises that threaten the very future of family farms.

To be fair, most of the debates were sparked by supporters posting pro-farming messages backing the London event only to find themselves the target of those who understood the intricacies of farm finance, global commodity prices, subsidies and the intricacies of the taxation system far better than any rural accountant.

“Just give it away and don’t die for seven years” was a familiar cry, along with the inevitable suggestion that if you had a million quid to pass on then you deserved to pay tax “like the rest of us”.

When everyone is facing tough times, it is perhaps no surprise that Joe Busdriver resents what he sees as tax breaks for those with hundreds of acres of land, a nice old farmhouse and a tractor that cost well into six figures, but such a view clearly misses the point that most land is held in trust for the next generation and that profit margins are nowhere near sufficient to settle the likely tax bills.

The depressing part – and the reason behind my new year’s resolution – is that the keyboard warriors won’t be persuaded to think again, even by expert and informed commentary.

We surround ourselves with people who share our views and then the social media algorithms compound our prejudices by feeding us the views of like-minded people.

Until, that is, a positive post about farmers attracts the ire of those who don’t see why the people who put food on their table and probably earn less than the basic minimum wage doing so should “get away with it”. That’s when the fun starts – and I just can’t resist joining in.

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

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7

SPECIAL FEATURE – FIGHTING CRIME

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What began as a routine traffic stop by Rural Task Force offers led to two men being charged with a serious offence and all four of them being interviewed on suspicion of poaching.

The black hatchback was pulled over on a tiny rural lane in countryside near Canterbury when the specialist team from Kent Police suspected the four men of being involved in criminal activity.

They found a badly injured pheasant in the boot and high-powered catapults, ball bearings and expensive head torches in the car, strong evidence that the group had been shooting game birds belonging to a nearby shoot.

What the officers didn’t expect was that two of the men would turn out to be linked with an incident the previous day in which a gamekeeper and pheasant rearer had been threatened with being shot after stopping the same car on his land.

The bonus arrest highlighted the impressive, community supported database of intelligence that the Rural Task Force has at its disposal when tackling the scourge of hare coursing, thefts, poaching and intimidation that blights the lives of so many farmers, country dwellers and rural businesses.

When the officers who saw the black car and suspected the men of being involved in poaching contacted colleagues, the second team checked out the vehicle registration on their database and discovered the link with the previous day’s terrifying incident.

It meant two of the four found themselves handcuffed and taken off

DECEMBER 2024 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

to spend a night in the cells charged with threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a public place, while all four would later be interviewed regarding the alleged poaching offence.

The car was one of a number stopped during a special week-long operation mounted by the Rural Task Force to target the crimes that can make life stressful for gamekeepers, farmers and those living in quiet countryside areas. On the previous evening, officers patrolling near Maidstone had arrested a 63 year-old man on suspicion of drugs charges following a car chase after he failed to stop when asked to do so.

South East Farmer editor Malcolm Triggs joined Police Sergeants Darren Walshaw and Ross Haybourne on one of the patrols during the rural crime crackdown which saw police out in force in different areas across the county on successive nights.

On each occasion the force worked closely with local gamekeepers, farmers and landowners to make good use of the local ‘eyes on the ground’ and focus on likely poaching and hare coursing hotspots. On the night of the Canterbury arrests, the briefing took place not in a police ‘ops room’ but in a local farm office, and involved gamekeepers whose background knowledge was vital to the operation.

While ‘community policing’ is an easy enough sound bite to come up with, in the case of the Rural Task Force it has been turned into a reality by a dedicated team that knows that it is the farmers and landowners themselves who know what’s happening under cover of darkness in their own neighbourhoods.

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“Rural crime is a significant issue for outlying areas, and it’s something that Kent Police has been treating as a priority. The Rural Task Force, supported by local intelligence that helps us maintain a database of vital information, is determined to crack down on offences that can have a huge impact on farmers, gamekeepers and those who live in the countryside,” said Darren.

“It would be easy to dismiss poaching as a low-value crime, but it’s not just losing a few birds which is the issue. Apart from the fact that this is someone’s livelihood, the perpetrators are at the same time scouting out the area, looking for poorly secured gates, valuable farm machinery left away from the yard or other easy pickings that they can come back for later.

“Hare coursing is another crime with far-reaching consequences, with four-by-fours ripping through standing crops as these people pursue their idea of sport with absolutely no concern for the landowner or his property,” Darren added.

The early part of the evening was relatively quiet but no less revealing. Darren and Ross stopped a number of vehicles to check that they weren’t involved in illegal activity, and while they were all going about their lawful business, they were without exception glad to see the force on patrol and happy to know that checks were being carried out.

“Nearly everyone we stop has a story to tell about a crime that has affected their business or their neighbourhood and we use these occasions to stress how important it is to get in touch and help us build up a picture of illegal activity in the area,” said Ross. “It’s rare for drivers who are obeying the law to get cross – they know we are trying to keep their community safe from crime.”

The week as a whole saw 10 arrests made, 14 vehicles seized and eight community protection warnings given out for poaching, with weapons, drugs and poaching equipment seized.

On the broader crime prevention and engagement front, offices marked 26 items of rural property to make it easy for them to be returned should they be stolen, and gave out 54 crime prevention kits.

“We also held seven community events to raise awareness of rural crime across the county and knocked on more than 140 doors to provide reassurance, advice and information to those living in isolated areas,” said Ross.

Property marking is a priority for the Rural Task Force, as it means victims can be reunited with their possessions. “It’s great to lock up thieves and recover stolen goods, but that’s only half the story,” said Darren. “We want to give things back to their owners, but that’s often impossible.”

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9

SPECIAL FEATURE – FIGHTING CRIME

One of a number of vehicles stopped for a routine check during the operation

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His frustration is brought into sharp focus by the statistics. Since the start of this year, the force has recovered property valued at £2.5 million, including 11 caravans and motorhomes, nine other vehicles, five quad bikes, six diggers, four motorbikes, two tractors, seven trailers and two horse boxes.

“We have also seized several different types of plant, including a forklift truck and fuel bowser, and around 4,000 stolen power tools,” said Darren. “The good news is that we’ve reunited almost all the caravans, vehicles and tractors with their owners, but we really

struggle with the tools as most of them, despite often being expensive, are unmarked.

“It really is vital that owners mark their property. There’s nothing we like better than giving stolen goods back, but we can’t do that if we don’t know who they belong to.

For property marking advice just get in touch with rural.task.force@kent.police.uk” Spending time with Darren and Ross was a useful insight into the lengths to which the force is going to protect residents, farmers, landowners and business owners in vulnerable rural areas and the way in which

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“You may think it’s trivial or that because it happened a few days ago it’s no longer relevant,” summed up Ross, “but every piece of information, however small, helps us to paint a complete picture of criminal activity in the area and then tackle it. So please get in touch with any information you have.” *The two men charged with threatening the gamekeeper were due to appear at court on 7 November.

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DRONE TECHNOLOGIES Farmers learned about the advanced drone technologies used by Sussex Police to tackle rural crime at an NFU-organised event that was also part of the national Rural Crime Week event.

After demonstrating the art of drone flying, PC Steve Prince helped NFU farmer members and their teams have a try at operating the machines for themselves.

The event took place on NFU member David Spanton’s farm near Heathfield, East Sussex, and followed a meeting a few days earlier at which NFU members discussed key rural crime issues with Sussex Police Chief Constable Jo Shiner and Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne.

NFU West Sussex Chair Andrew Strong said: “This was a great event and we were very impressed by what we saw. This drone technology being used by Sussex Police should make a real impact. The technology is getting so advanced it’s got to help, and the enthusiasm of the officers using it is clear to see.”

Drones allow the police to search large rural areas more quickly, use resources more effectively and keep the emergency services and the public safe when used in dangerous areas. They also provide good quality evidence.

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Andrew said: “We are having some big issues with rural crime in Sussex, particularly with quad bike theft and hare coursing, but the rural crime team is doing its best and working with us as much as they can.

“We spoke today about the police using farms as a base for drone pilots and that regular police presence will in itself deter criminals. This is another great example of the positive relationship between the police and Sussex farmers.

“They have got our backs and anything we

can do like this to help the police and help ourselves has to be a good thing.”

Farmers also took the opportunity to speak to Sussex Police Rural Crime Team Sergeants Ed Bowles and Tom Carter about the issues they are facing.

Sgt Bowles said: “We started using drones in 2014 and their use has increased each year. Drones are an invaluable resource. The technology is improving all the time, and they are an extra tool we use in fighting rural crime.”

Read more on the NFU’s call for action during Rural Crime Week at www.nfuonline.com/updates-and-information/national-rural-crime-action-week

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

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WHISPERING WHILE JEREMY SHOUTS

Dear Sir, The NFU presumes to speak for farmers, but they whisper while Jeremy Clarkson shouts.

I lost faith with our muted ‘play by the rules’ union many years ago and took my business to another specialist insurer whose Kent-based guy is there 24/7 for me.

Previous socialist governments have tried to steal the land that generations of farmers have looked after working seven days a week (cows can’t adjust to a four-day working week), sometimes for less than their working companions on the farm.

We enjoy the life. At nearly 80 I still manage my farm and diversification with the use of contractors, so like most farmers I am angry at the ignorant idiots who cannot understand (or can they?) what the ‘great farm robbery’ will mean to food security.

At least one major supermarket is concerned about its food chain, with good reason, since the margins are now so low, and if we had leadership that realised we are facing extinction we could all stop food supply to the nation for a week, perhaps in mid-December.

Labour has made repeated assurances over the past 12 months that it would not tamper with inheritance tax reliefs, and its decision to now rip the rug from under farmers is nothing short of a betrayal. This puts dynamite beneath the livelihoods of British farming and flies in the face of growth and investment.

CLA President, Victoria Vyvyan

This could be devastating for families which have looked after their business for hundreds of years.

Andrew Wilkinson, head of inheritance disputes, Lime Solicitors

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Can you see the NFU advocating that?

This Government preaches growth, growth, growth, but the actual plan is steal, steal, steal or borrow, borrow, borrow. The last Government allowed the supermarkets to pay us barely a living wage; this one will finish the job, unless Nigel (‘Marmite’) Farage ‘Trumps’ them both.

David Steed, Manston,Kent

STRENGTHENING CONSUMER TRUST

Dear Sir, The Advertising Standards Authority’s new guidelines aimed at preventing unsubstantiated claims regarding regenerative farming are a significant step towards enhancing clarity and trust in the agricultural sector.

Outlining essential ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’, the guidelines help promote transparency and prevent future greenwashing through misleading claims about a product’s environmental impact. In an era where sustainability claims increasingly influence consumer choices, the precision and honesty

of these claims are paramount.

Organic farming, with its rigorously assessed, quantifiable outcomes, has a long history of delivering high levels of integrity across the entire supply chain. Organic produce meets all five key criteria outlined in the new ASA guidelines, thanks to its robust, legally enforceable standards that ensure every organic label is a mark of its veracity and environmental stewardship.

We believe this move by the ASA reinforces the need for robust substantiation around environmental and social claims that are made of food products, which then equip consumers with the information necessary to make informed choices. Shoppers deserve to have an honest perspective on the impact their buying decisions are having on the planet’s health and their own.

We are committed to continuing our collaboration with retailers, other certifiers and policymakers to provide consumers with reliable information, enabling them to support agricultural practices that are truly beneficial for both people and the environment.

Roger Kerr, Chief executive, Organic Farmers & Growers

BUDGET BITES The biggest tax raising budget in generations has confirmed our worst fears. Boxed in by her election pledges – to not increase income tax, VAT or national insurance contributions for working people – the chancellor … has announced changes that threaten the very fabric of the countryside and the communities that, for generations, have been the custodians of the land that we all rely on for our day-to-day existence.”

James Farrell, partner and head of rural consultancy at Knight Frank

We recognise that the Government needs to balance its books. However, slashing DEFRA’s budget puts previously protected support for farmers at risk, while changing agricultural property relief could put farm businesses at risk. This is counter intuitive when the country faces both climate and nature crises. Farmers could be the heroes of a countryside that delivers climate and nature solutions for the nation – but they need to be paid to do so.

CPRE chief executive Roger Mortlock

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

13

SOUTH OF ENGLAND FARMING CONFERENCE

A LIVELY QUESTION

AND ANSWER SESSION

14

Farmers have plenty to talk about at the moment, and they took the opportunity to do just that at the South of England Agricultural Society’s 2024 Farming Conference.

A lively question and answer session, chaired expertly once again by BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today presenter Charlotte Smith, not surprisingly strayed into issues such as inheritance tax and food prices as well as focusing on the theme of the well-structured evening.

For this year’s well-attended event, the society posed the deceptively simple question: “What is our land for?”, and brought together four passionate, articulate and well-prepared speakers to debate it.

The panellists, Sentry managing director Paul Christian, journalist and author Tom Heap, interim chief executive of the South Downs National Park Authority Tim Slaney and Iford Estate managing director Ben Taylor, each had a ten-minute slot in which to answer questions before being quizzed by the audience.

What gave the evening an extra spark was the fact that on some issues speakers took decidedly different stances, making the event, held at the South of England Showground in Ardingly, West Sussex, thought-provoking as well as interesting and entertaining.

Most notable was the difference in the approaches taken by Paul Christian, who was unequivocal in his view that land was essentially only for growing food, and Ben Taylor, who has turned much of the Iford Estate over to “nature and space” as a reaction to the “increasingly risky” job of trying to make a living from food.

With author Tom Heap taking a more nuanced perspective, and Tim Slaney focusing on the different approach needed in protected landscapes such as the South Downs, it made for an at times lively debate, enjoyed not only by the audience at Ardingly but by the many others who logged on to, and submitted questions via, a live broadcast.

Tom, a regular presenter on BBC1’s Countryfile who has also made many BBC

Panorama documentaries on food, energy and the environment, said land needed to be used for many things alongside food production, including absorbing carbon, generating energy, storing floodwater and growing biofuel.

Pointing out that the UK needed to improve yields, producing more food on the same area of land and with less chemical inputs, he stressed that it should not ‘offshore’ its need for more food by encouraging other countries to put more untouched land into food production, further damaging the environment.

He welcomed regenerative farming methods and took issue with those who criticised the movement for being “vague”. He claimed that in fact it was “not vague but open sided”, challenging farmers to leave land in a better state at the end of each harvest but allowing them to decide on the best way of achieving that goal and to choose whether or not they still used some chemical inputs.

On energy production, Tom said he was a

Call: 01444 892700 Email: info@seas.org.uk Social media: @southengshows Web: www.seas.org.uk DECEMBER 2024 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

“big fan” of solar PV but less keen on biofuel, which he said needed much more land to produce an equivalent amount of energy. He claimed the climate credentials of biofuel were “dubious” and pointed out that a small solar array on a domestic roof produced enough energy to run two electric vehicles doing average mileages.

Paul Christian, whose role at Sentry sees him looking after 23,000 hectares of land and producing 200,000 tonnes of produce annually, as well as advising clients on a further 40,000 hectares of land, was unequivocal in his view.

“I’m making a stand for food production,” he announced.

He was quick to add that, following the recent budget, he felt farmers were “on their own” and would not be getting any help from the Labour Government, and he claimed that with the demise of the Common Agricultural Policy there was now no coherent plan for agriculture. The Government, he said, should “stop talking about farmers and start talking to them”.

Land, he said, was for growing crops,

whether that was for food, feed or energy. A passionate advocate for local food production, he said crops should be used for “making food in the UK or feeding animals in the UK".

Pointing out that by 2050 the world’s population was likely to need 25% more food, he finished his presentation with a one word comment. “Climate,” he warned.

Tim Slaney said he would “not apologise” for the nature recovery focus in places like the South Downs National Park but said they could also be used for producing food. Like Tom Heap before him, he stressed the possibility of ‘stacking’ uses on areas of land, including in protected landscapes.

Referring to the Government’s focus on environmental issues and the sustainable farming incentive payments that have replaced basic payments, he stressed “food is also a public good”. He said education was needed to take the public “beyond the love of Bambi” so that venison became more acceptable as a foodstuff, particularly given the amount of damage done by deer.

Ben Taylor, who manages a 1,200 hectare

mixed farming business on the Iford estate, including 700 acres of arable and 160 suckler cows, alongside areas of stewardship, is leading the way on selling biodiversity net gain credits to developers and other companies looking to offset their environmental impact.

He said that with prices too low and costs too high, along with too much regulation and the difficulties posed by the changing climate, the odds were stacked against producing food as a way of earning a living. He said that he could count the number of times he had made a decent return from growing food over the past 25 years on the fingers of one hand.

As a result, while still producing food on his best land, he had diversified much of the estate into leisure, open space and environmental uses and into setting up the Iford Biodiversity Project, which he said was “more enjoyable than the harvests of 2022, 23 and 24”.

In a challenging remark that summed up a fascinating debate, he said he felt “no moral obligation” to produce food and was instead focusing on giving customers what they wanted in the shape of open space and nature.

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WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

MONICA AKEHURST AT THE KITCHEN TABLE

NO WONDER PEOPLE ARE BECOMING DISILLUSIONED

16

I recently read a description of Russian peasant life in 1910 which portrayed the land as being both a blessing and a burden.

It spoke of the pride in teaching skills and values passed through the generations, fostering resilience and devotion to the soil. Despite the hardships there was hope for the future in a rapidly changing world.

The sentiments resonate even 114 years later, though sadly the Labour Party has put a spanner in the works regarding the passing down of land.

Have you noticed how politicians change their tune? Promises made before elections rarely align with what is delivered afterwards.

It’s no wonder people are becoming disillusioned. All parties claim that they want to grow the economy and state that they care about food security, but to my thinking “they don’t half go about it in a strange way”.

While I understand the focus on raising revenue, I’m doubtful that they fully grasp the long-term implications of their decisions on agriculture. The love of the land, once a source of pride, risks becoming more burden than blessing.

If everything is looked at in hard monetary

terms, it threatens the essence of farming, a way of life that isn’t all about profit. During busy seasons, when establishing crops or harvesting, lambing or calving, much effort is made to get successful results, often involving working long hours. But how many farmers charge the business for this time?

The price we receive for our produce rarely covers this time, but we do it anyway, because it’s satisfying and you want to do the best for your animals and land.

Just last week, I found one of my better lambs lying down with its head curled around. It staggered to its feet and began to walk in circles. I had noticed a couple of lambs licking the ground near a Himalayan salt block earlier. Much to the sheepdogs’ disapproval, I popped the lamb into the back of Jimny because, suspecting Listeriosis, I knew it would need a lot of input to recover, so brought it back to the farmyard.

It’s still alive, showing signs of improvement. If it survives, it will make me so happy, I won’t care that it’ll be the most uneconomic lamb we’ve produced. If it dies, I’ll be upset and it’ll cost me £60 for disposal.

Personally, I’m not in farming to avoid

Molly keeping lambs moving DECEMBER 2024 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

paying tax. We’re attempting to make a living out of something that we enjoy doing. We take pride in our work producing food for the growing population that needs to eat.

When supermarkets report record profits, it’s galling for food producers like us. Why can’t governments help to facilitate a fairer functioning food supply chain?

Granddaughter Anna has named my poorly lamb Saffron. Passing on farming skills and knowledge to younger generations is both fun and rewarding. Whether they will be able to follow on farming remains uncertain, but I try not to dwell on what’s out of my control, instead focusing my energy on things that I can manage, like keeping my lambs contained within the field they’re supposed to be grazing.

Much to my annoyance, the little devils are becoming escape artists. I need to draw out the ewe lambs that I’ve marked as keepers and start getting the fattening ones into market, take out my cull ewes, raddle up the tups and put them n with the keepers; time flies faster than me.

On the good news front, transporting the cattle back from the marshes went smoothly.

Despite better weather, they went straight

Tip is keen to work

Saffron is slowly getting better

Loading wool

Brie keeping the cattle on the move

17

Rounding up sheep into the yard ready for Monday’s TB testing.

On the Saturday we walked the store cattle a mile down the lane, without any garden detours on the way.

For the first time, we achieved all cattle being tested on one site and thankfully the results were clear. All our spring/summer calving cows tested positive for pregnancy, so our young bull has proved himself to be a pro, despite his initial amateur antics. Our calving pattern will be spread out due to the unexpected change of bull; at least 2025 calving won’t overlap with lambing.

Our wool sacks have gone to the wool board, and we’ve received a payment. While wool is a versatile natural product, its current market value remains disappointing. I was intrigued to read about a new tree guard innovation using wool; such a sensible idea.

I also heard on the radio about research into

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coating wool fibres with graphite to create durable insulation. Hopefully the success of new wool-based products will boost demand and prices for wool.

The recent spell of warmer, drier weather was welcome. Briefly, we considered turning the cattle back onto pasture, but with colder, wetter weather forecast, and some cows due to calve in December, they’ll stay in.

Colder weather will hopefully reduce the time spent counting lamb faecal eggs, which have been multiplying at alarming rates this autumn, under the microscope. This should also curtail midge activity, therefore reducing the risk of bluetongue spreading.

On a lighter note, our spaniels are thrilled that the shooting season is here. I enjoy the camaraderie of the beating team, walking through the woods and cover crops, flushing birds and watching the dogs’ pride as they

retrieve. The elevenses, complete with cool beer and good company, are a highlight.

When you often work alone, it’s good to occasionally get off farm and enjoy some socialising.

I’ve also managed to attend a few of the South East winter series of sheepdog trials. I’m in awe of the skills displayed by these shepherds and their dogs; it’s such a wonderful sight to witness them at work. One day, I’m hoping to pluck up the courage to give it a go. I just need more time practising.

We’re hosting Christmas this year. The turkey is ordered and the dining-room has received a long overdue makeover. Hopefully our festivities won’t be interrupted by attention-seeking livestock. Then again, tending to the stock always works up an appetite, and sometimes you just need a breath of fresh air.

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

CONSTRUCTION

WORKMANSHIP AND

CUSTOMER FOCUS

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With 40 years’ experience in the steelframed buildings business, it comes as no surprise to learn that Brett Shortland’s order book is full well into 2025.

It’s also a tribute to his building skills, workmanship and customer focus that many of those who are turning to Shortland Structures for their buildings have been doing so for a large chunk of those 40 years. Nick Scrase, who farms near Pulborough in West Sussex with brother Jonathan, was named in a South East Farmer feature 15 years ago as a “long-term customer”. He is still a regular client today.

“Because I work hard to deliver a personal service and because my team is focused on getting the details right, I have become friends with most of my customers,” Brett commented.

“They know that they will get exactly what it says on the tin.”

Brett has been in the business since the day after he left school at the age of 16, and the 57 year-old has been adding to his client base and reputation ever since.

His core team, too, is long-standing. Gary Brewer has been with Shortland Structures for 20 years and Simon Peters for more than 10. The six-strong, full-time workforce is supplemented when necessary by a reliable band of sub-contractors and specialists, all of whom share Brett’s commitment to quality.

In the early days Brett himself was often brought in as a trusted sub-contractor by some of the biggest names in the business, but these days he usually operates as the

DECEMBER 2024 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

main contractor, building a broad range of agricultural buildings of all shapes and sizes, from hay barns to equestrian premises.

He has built up a good relationship with major Welsh steel buildings supplier Shufflebottom over the years and chooses their buildings, which he said reflected his own approach to quality workmanship.

The Shortland Structures team is currently building a waste transfer station at Northwood Farm, Yapton, West Sussex, for farmer Graham Abbott. The building, an impressive 43 by 35 metres and 10 metres to the eaves, will be let to TJ Waste as a recycling centre catering for the waste created by a growing population.

With four metre concrete panels at the base and cladding above, the building also features

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acoustic insulation designed to reduce noise nuisance to nearby residents.

Brett’s team is also building a 42 by 15 metre grain store at Northwood Farm for Graham, another long-term customer, and has recently completed a cattle building at Tickletag Farm, Storrington, again in West Sussex.

A recent more unusual request was to erect a triple span building at Holmbush Farm, Horsham for farmer Piers Calvert on the footprint of a former cattle building. With sustainability and the need to reduce the UK’s carbon footprint in mind, the structure was specifically designed to support solar PV panels capable of generating 225 Kwh of electricity.

“The building is 60m long by 18m wide and has a roof pitch that is designed to optimise solar collection on each of the three southfacing roofs,” Brett explained. “The panels are 7mm thick, double-toughened glass laminate and can be walked on. The mounting system is aluminium and designed to last 100 years and the plan is to offer rapid electric vehicle charging to the farm’s tea room visitors.”

Shortland Structures also builds equestrian facilities, and recently completed an Olympicsized riding school. Another long-term customer is Neil Morris, who recently asked the company to add an extension to a hay barn at Five Oaks Farm, Five Oaks.

Brett is fully certificated and can advise farmers and landowners on the health and safety and other technical issues that can make life complicated for those who are busy with the 'day job'.

“I make sure I am up to date with all the latest legislation; I can set up a crane, drive a forklift, give first aid or provide a complete method statement or risk assessment – an important aspect of any building project in these health and safety-conscious days,” he explained.

Above all Brett makes sure that his buildings are delivered on time and for the price he quoted. “Customer service and reliability are key when working with farmers,” he said. “You have to be there when you said you would, get the job done and make sure it’s done properly.

That’s when customers keep coming back.”

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WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

19

MIKE KETTLEWELL IN PERSPECTIVE

Making paths past a notice

New barrier and notice!

GREATER PUBLIC ACCESS

INCREASES PRESSURE 20

We are a prickly lot when we find folk wandering off piste on our farms, quick to point out possible trespass or ask: “How would you like me wandering around your garden?”

Ownership does something to one’s ideas of self which isn’t attractive. Should we be quite so possessive and self-righteous, or perhaps be more prepared to share where we live and work? I have long shared the NFU view that farmers are the best custodians of the land, but am I right? Are they right?

I have just read a couple of inflammatory books that question my stance. The Trespassers Companion by Nick Hayes and The Lie of the Land by Guy Shrubsole both advocate greater freedom to roam the countryside. Both books are well researched and engagingly written, though not comfortable reading. Have they a case?

Farms are definitely dangerous places, with heavy machinery trundling at speed around fields, cultivating and harvesting. Anything that can’t get out of the way quickly under its own steam is toast. It is therefore hardly surprising that silage fields, cut every six weeks, are ecological disasters.

Arable fields are too often sprayed to oblivion and one can never be certain that the local young bloods haven’t found the ripening corn or tall hay fields too tempting. Indeed I have once, wandering across a hay field,

come across a couple in flagrante delicto. They were lucky on that occasion; I could sidle past unnoticed.

Even the most placid of cows with calves can be unpredictable for walkers with dogs, who are woefully ignorant of animal behaviour or how to anticipate and adapt. No year passes without avoidable fatalities (although the people at most risk of serious injury are those of us who work the farms).

The flip side of all this is that open spaces are essential for people’s mental health and sense of wellbeing. They are also educational, but increasing access to the countryside can conflict with active farming.

Greater public access also increases pressure on wildlife that is already in trouble, even on farms that are nature friendly. Our small suburban farm, originally laid out as the park to a long-gone estate, is under considerable pressure from walkers, dogs and occasionally cats on our footpaths. Most people seem oblivious to our environmental efforts but stick to the permitted and public paths.

Some enjoy the many birds and wild plants and offer appreciative comments. A small proportion of recidivists, however, take the view that the whole farm is open, use dog poo bags to decorate bushes and drop drink cans, vapes and sweet packets or the remains of alfresco lunches.

This small cohort seem immune to polite

DECEMBER 2024 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

persuasion and pleas to give our wildlife the space it needs, so then it becomes a game of erecting barriers to prevent paths forming on fragile, botanically rich margins, as demanded by our stewardship agreement.

University researchers often need suitable farms for projects and we regularly have folk studying the flora or fauna of margins, hedges, fields and woods. We welcome serious study and all have been careful, courteous and appreciative. It all adds to the body of knowledge about farms and the farmed environment, with the hope that we can reverse significantly the dire state of our environment. The more objective research we can facilitate, the better we are equipped to restore ecosystems.

Notwithstanding all this, is the current system of land ownership right for modern times, and are the present owners actually the best custodians of the land? Probably not on both counts, and self-regulation has a bad record wherever it really matters.

We must remember that our current system of ownership is pretty recent, dating from the enclosures, which were little more than land grabs by the rich and powerful, replacing the ‘commons’ with more profitable sheep. This was further formalised by the land registry recording land tenure, but, even today not all lands are registered.

An online search provides valuable

IN CONJUNCTION WITH

FROM THE FRONT LINE

THE WINDS OF CHANGE

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

We had all been waiting to find out how the new Labour government would treat agriculture in the budget, and now we know; abysmally. This piece is being written between budget day and 19 November. Only time will tell if the outrage, lobbying and marching of farmers in London changes the Chancellor’s views.

Are we beginning to see the start of a massive change in farming and land management in the UK? Throughout history, farmers have been at the mercy of the weather. One bad harvest we can cope with; a run of bad harvests can break us. If we go back to before the days of global trade and rapid shipping of food, a poor harvest led to higher prices; good old supply and demand at work.

Unfortunately, the laws of supply and demand now only seem to work on a global scale. Unless there is a global shortage, the farm gate price in the UK does not reflect the cost of production. I believe this phenomenon has crept up on us over the past 40 years, almost unnoticed. All the time farmers had relatively stable and guaranteed support it carried us through

the bad times. With the demise of basic payments this is no longer the case.

There is no doubt climate change is making the weather more unpredictable and, by default, making farming more difficult and riskier. This at a time when the guaranteed support for producing food is being reduced to a pittance.

The guaranteed income from land is shifting away from food production to protecting the environment, capturing carbon, solar power and biodiversity net gain agreements, to name but a few. Diversification has been the road to more stable income streams on farms for quite a few years; the majority of farm diversification has not involved food production. It is now the case that income from diversification is supporting the core farming business, leading to the logical conclusion that diversified income is subsidising food production.

Why do we continue to farm? There are many reasons, but for most of us it is in our blood, it is what we have always done and in a perverse way we enjoy it. Most farmers are well the other side of 50 and heading towards the end of their farming careers (I can’t say retirement because many do not

information on land ownership. Huge acreages are owned by charities like the National Trust and RSPB, limbs of governance such as councils, the Forestry Commission and the MOD, investment vehicles like privatised utilities, hedge and pension funds, the Crown, a clutch of dukes and lastly a cluster of billionaires.

It is obvious that coherent coordinated management of land is unlikely, considering the range of priorities each will have from maximizing returns, from solid blocks of alien conifers to the trivial pastimes of shooting grouse a few days each year or hunting some stags.

Most of these acres are in the uplands, unsuitable for food production but essential for mitigating global heating, water management and biodiversity loss. They are also the best place to allow greater, but regulated, public access.

Since the consequences of climate change, floods and ecological loss are national issues, there is a strong case for unifying the nation’s approach, either through better regulation or, better still, the state acquiring most of this land as a national asset to deliver these urgent national priorities. Money currently used to encourage upland stewardship would be diverted to deliver national aims rather than enhancing private pockets. Such a policy change would yield huge environmental gains economically with no loss in food production.

Lowland farms perhaps should remain in private, but not corporate, hands; the main bread basket of food production alongside environmental gains through supported, nature-friendly measures and some controlled public access. The current evidence is that smaller, mixed farms deliver most environmental gain.

I have changed my views and consider

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want to, or can’t afford to, retire). The next generation is likely to be more hardheaded and compare the returns from farming and food production to that from diversification and give up risking money on areas of the business that just don’t pay.

For years the world’s population has been increasing, for years we have been told this will lead to a tightening of food supplies and better prices. It hasn’t happened yet, and I am beginning to wonder if it ever will. There is now serious research and investment into lab-grown meat and vertical farming. So far nobody seems to be taking food security seriously; there are warm words but little else. Even the shocks to supply chains bought on by Covid-19 and the Ukraine war have not materially changed government thinking.

Are we heading towards an era where butterflies float between the solar PV panels on their way to areas of biodiversity net gain? The population gets its protein from flavourless, textureless, lab-grown meet and farming is something your grandfather did?

Let’s hope 2025 has more ‘average’ weather to allow us all to get on and do what we enjoy – farming.

Walking paths on margins patchy private ownership of the uplands is incompatible with combating climate change and ecological degradation. Increased public access would help monitor progress and hold government to account. This needs political skill, determination and muscle, but is it there?

Or are we going to hell in a handcart?

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

21

NIGEL AKEHURST VISITS: LAMB FARM Leaving the historic town of Rye, I followed the A259 as it stretched across the flat, treeless expanse of Romney Marsh. In the distance a line of wind turbines spun quietly, their tall silhouettes marking the landscape. Soon I saw the sign for Lamb Farm, tucked just off the main road, and turned into the gravel-lined yard. Ahead of me was a charming farmhouse and 18th-century wool shed, now converted into two cosy cottages, a glimpse into the farm’s rich past.

INHERITANCE TAX CHANGES AND IMPACT ON FARMERS

22

Spotting Simon through the kitchen window, I waved and he beckoned me inside.

Over a cup of coffee, we began discussing the hot topic of the moment: the proposed inheritance tax reforms to agricultural property relief (APR) and business property relief (BPR), now commonly referred to as the “tractor tax”.

I asked Simon for his initial reaction to the budget announcement.

“We half-expected it,” he said. “There had been a lot of rumours leading up to the announcement suggesting they might go back on their word and target family farms.”

As a relatively small landowner himself, with just 130 acres, Simon didn’t believe he would be directly impacted but expressed concern for many of his landlords who could be forced to sell land to meet their tax liabilities. This, he feared, could undermine the viability of his business, which relies heavily on rented land.

SMART BUSINESS

DECISION This month Nigel Akehurst visits Lamb Farm, on the edge of Romney Marsh in the village of East Guldeford, near Rye, East Sussex, to meet Simon Wright and learn more about his mixed farming enterprise, Wright Farm Partnership, which encompasses beef, sheep, and arable operations.

Simon pointed to a recent analysis by the NFU, which highlighted the fact that new tax measures could affect 66% of estates, including many small to medium-sized farmers. He argued that this showed Labour had misjudged the situation, with their figures and reasoning “completely wrong”.

“The new tax doesn’t just hit farmers,” Simon added. “It targets family businesses across the board, as well as the many auxiliary businesses that rely on agriculture.”

He was heartened by the Conservatives’ and Reform‘s pledges to reverse the changes if they win the next election and noted the growing public support for an upcoming farmers' protest in London.

At the time of our conversation, DEFRA had suggested softening the changes for farmers, possibly by exempting older farmers, but the Treasury had dismissed these efforts, insisting that the reforms were “fair and balanced”.

DECEMBER 2024 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

MOVING TO ROMNEY MARSH

The conversation shifted to Simon’s farming career and the story of Wright Farm Partnership. Originally from the rolling hills of Exmoor, Simon spent a year at Bicton Agricultural College before working for ICI on their dairy farm in Somerset for five years, until the company sold the farm.

At 25, Simon and his late wife Anne made the bold move to Romney Marsh in 1992, with their entire life packed into an old Ford Fiesta.

“It was quite a shock,” he remarked, recalling the stark contrast of the flat, dry, treeless landscape. However, what initially seemed like a challenge soon proved to be a smart business decision. Simon began by managing Lamb Farm for five years before being offered the chance to rent 351 acres on a five-year farm business tenancy (FBT).

He noted that in those days, banks were more willing to lend, but the real challenge came when they had to secure enough quota

Simon Wright

for the sheep and cattle. “We finally achieved that, only for the Government to abolish the quota system, rendering our substantial investment worthless,” he explained.

Over the years, Simon and Anne weathered many storms, including the foot and mouth disease outbreaks of 2001 and 2007 and the first case of bluetongue in 2010, all of which caused significant losses for farmers in the area. Despite these setbacks, Simon’s resilience helped them push through.

BUILDING WRIGHT FARM PARTNERSHIP

Today, Simon’s farming enterprise includes a beef suckler herd of 80 Pedigree Sussex cows along with followers, a flock of 1,000 pure Romney ewes and a modest acreage of arable land.

Reflecting on his business growth over the years, Simon credits a combination of hard work and good fortune, particularly in

being able to take on neighbouring land as local farmers retired without successors. He also expressed gratitude to his landlords, describing them as genuine farmers who have been fair and reasonable with rent levels.

By 2018, Simon was farming 650 acres, and that year he expanded further, adding 500 acres through a share farming agreement.

This allowed him to increase his flock to 1,500 ewes and his herd to 400 cattle. Around this time, his son George returned from Dorset to join the family business, a decision that became especially meaningful as it was just before Simon’s wife, Anne, sadly lost her battle with cancer.

Simon relinquished his share farming agreement to allow George to establish himself independently by taking over that farm and its livestock under his own FBT. With a wry smile, Simon noted that much of his machinery seems to spend more time on George’s farm than his own. >>

FARM FACTS

• 650 acres of permanent pasture and arable crops made up of rented ground on various tenancy and grazing agreements which includes 130 acres of owned land (with much of the land in higher level stewardship and other agri-environment schemes) • 80 Pedigree Sussex suckler cows (spring calving indoor in March) • 1,000 pure Romney ewes (outdoor lambing in April) • Makes hay on 250 acres and haylage on 50 acres • Member of three local farm cluster groups • Muck for straw deal with neighbour Philip Merricks • Stopped selling beef boxes and supplying restaurants after close of Tottingworth

Today, Simon’s farming enterprise includes a beef suckler herd of 80 Pedigree Sussex cows along with followers, a flock of 1,000 pure Romney ewes and a modest acreage of arable land TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

23

NIGEL AKEHURST VISITS: LAMB FARM Farming isn’t just a job; it’s a vocation. You’ve got to love what you do

24

<< FARMING AND CONSERVATION Simon explained that a portion of the main farm was designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), an area crucial for overwintering wader feeding grounds and supporting rich ditch ecosystems.

As a result, most of his permanent pasture is enrolled in higherlevel stewardship agri-environment schemes, which provides strong financial support, helping to cover rent and encouraging sustainable land management.

An active member of three local farm cluster groups, Simon has a strong commitment to preserving and enhancing wildlife on Romney Marsh. He has implemented several conservation initiatives, such as planting bee-friendly wildflower mixes, establishing sunflower plots for pollinators and creating habitats to support native species. These efforts reflect his dedication to farming in harmony with nature and helping to maintain the area’s unique biodiversity.

CHALLENGES OF MODERN FARMING

As we walked through the farm, Simon proudly showed me one of his two Sussex bulls, an impressive beast, along with a group of cows and calves recently brought in for weaning. The animals looked immaculate, a testament to Simon’s dedication as a skilled stockman.

FARMING AND ENVIRONMENT FOCUSED JOURNALISM AND DIGITAL CONTENT CREATION Storytelling through interviews, features, case studies, photography and videos.

For enquiries contact Nigel Akehurst via email on nigel@indiefarmer.com Instagram @indiefarmer www.indiefarmer.com

DECEMBER 2024 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

“Farming isn’t just a job; it’s a vocation. You’ve got to love what you do,” he remarked.

The farmyard itself was modern and tidy, equipped with a nearly new telehandler, evidence of the years Simon has invested into building up his operation.

When I asked if he preferred the sheep or cattle side of the business, he admitted that while the cows required more initial outlay, he gets more enjoyment from working with them now that he has all the necessary equipment. Still, both sheep and cattle play vital roles in keeping the farm profitable.

Simon keeps labour costs low by using a simple system, with low-input native breeds. Apart from shearing and hiring a local contractor for baling, combining and spraying, he doesn’t employ any outside labour.

His livestock is 100% grass-fed, which not only saves on expensive concentrates but also reduces his overall time investment. Thanks to the farm’s dry, free-draining pastures, Simon can keep his cattle outdoors until January, bringing them in only for three or four months.

In March, his 80 Sussex cows calve, and most of them manage without assistance. By the end of March or early April, they’re ready to go back out just as lambing season starts. Through selective culling, Simon has reached a point where he now only needs to assist less than 2% of his 1,000 ewes during outdoor lambing, achieving an average lambing scan percentage of 1.5.

Simon handles most of the fieldwork himself, using his own kit, and produces around 250 acres of hay and 50 acres of haylage, as well as doing any necessary cultivation for his small arable acreage.

Despite these efforts to control costs, he notes that machinery prices have soared. A recent tractor quotation came in at £110,000, a staggering increase compared to the £25,000 he paid for a similar spec machine 25 years ago.

Even with recent improvements in cattle and sheep prices, he admits it’s challenging for most livestock farmers to justify such expenses. "And with proposed changes to APR and BPR on the horizon, it’s no surprise that farmers are holding off on new purchases and preparing for tough times ahead," he added.

MARKETING AND RED TRACTOR

Simon sells most of his Sussex heifers privately for breeding, primarily to farms in the South East, many of whom are incentivised by the native breeds at risk Sustainable Farming Incentive supplement at £167/Ha. While he sends a few store cattle through Ashford Market, he prefers to fatten as many of his steers on grass as possible, reaching a finished weight at around 26 to 30 months. His steers average a deadweight of 350kg, and he supplies a number of local butchers, including Andy Clarke at Park Farm Butchers in Hawkhurst, who buys from him regularly.

Simon was disappointed when Tottingworth closed, as he had established a solid business selling beef boxes directly to customers and supplying whole sheep carcasses to several restaurants in Rye. However, like many local farmers, he found the journey to West Sussex impractical and decided to stop that line of business.

Simon sells most of his female lambs for breeding, often in large lots to farms looking to build up their flocks. Nearly all the wether lambs are sold as store lambs through Ashford.

On the arable side, Simon grows a small acreage of crops on Romney Marsh, and with grade one and two land, his fields yield well.

“If you don’t do four tonnes an acre, you’re probably doing something wrong,” he remarked.

Simon sells his crops to the highest bidder, though he is notably not Red Tractor assured. He strongly dislikes the assurance scheme, even to the point of refusing to buy any Red Tractor products at the shops.

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PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

Looking ahead, Simon hopes that once the budget uncertainties settle, he will be able to continue expanding his farm.

“I’ve always been proactive; taking on more grazing land is the easy part," he explained.

"But we can’t compete with the arable farmers around here. They can pay twice the rent we could ever afford. There’s no point working yourself into the ground for nothing; you have to make something out of it.”

As for retirement, he has no plans to step back any time soon.

“My elderly parents are still farming on Exmoor," he added with a smile. "It’s what keeps you getting up in the morning.”

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WOODLAND MANAGEMENT

Chequer under the canopy

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Thinned woodland after harvesting

Chequer carefully saved

PASSION FOR FORESTRY Forestry may be a business for Jon Davies and Dave Holmes, but it is also their passion.

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Managing woodland to benefit the environment, allow new plants and insects to thrive and encourage healthy trees to achieve their full potential is the ambition behind South East Forestry, the business they have run for the past 15 years.

What makes it all worthwhile is when the landowner has the same environmental values and is “totally on the same page”, John explained.

One such recent client was Mike Bax, longstanding director and now consultant with Challock, Kent-based BTF Partnership.

Alongside his professional work with the wellrespected surveyors, valuers and land agents, Mike and wife Jan own 100 acres of species-rich grassland and 160 acres of woodland, all in higher-tier countryside stewardship schemes, at Moat Farm, Shadoxhurst.

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As a self-confessed ‘tree geek’, nature enthusiast and bird lover, Mike turned to South East Forestry, recommended by fellow BTF founder Richard Thomas, when he decided it was time to tackle an area of his own woodland that needed more than just a coppicing operation.

“We had five acres that desperately needed thinning as the high forest was shading the

S UTH EAST

FORESTRY WOODLAND MANAGEMENT

WANTED LARGE QUANTITIES OF ENGLISH OAK, ASH & SWEET CHESTNUT Before thinning woodland floor completely,” he recalled. ‘There was no under storey or ground cover and my wife Jan and I knew that that wasn’t good for the trees or for the plant, insect or bird life.”

They soon discovered that Jon was right on their wavelength. “Some people think that by shutting the gates on an area of woodland and leaving it to do its thing, they are somehow helping the environment, but they really aren’t,” Jon commented. “Woodland has been managed throughout the centuries, and a tangle of dead and dying trees shutting out the daylight and preventing anything else from growing isn’t the eco-friendly move they think it is.”

Mike was particularly keen to improve the woodland to support rare bird life including nightingales and nightjars, both of which breed in the area but which need a healthy under storey with good ground cover. “They need a coppice rotation, which gives them the ideal breeding conditions from year three or four through to about year ten,” he pointed out.

Mike was also keen to protect and enhance the setting of 31 wild service – or chequer – trees that he found languishing in the overstood and tangled woodland. The trees are relatively rare countrywide and are an important relic of the old Wealden forest landscape.

South East Forestry’s approach to forestry is to work with the landowner to create a healthy, revitalised woodland, deliver the best value to the client and divert as much timber as possible to high-end, long-term uses.

“Using as much timber as we can for construction and furniture making not only increases the value to the landowner but keeps the carbon locked up,” he explained. “Suitable lower grade timber can be used for fencing, with firewood very much the last option.”

At Moat Farm, “every last ounce” of the

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harvested wood was put to good use, with the low grade thinnings stacked to provide a future source of biofuel for four houses and other buildings on the estate. Mature oak was taken back to South East Forestry’s own sawmill at Hawkhurst with a view to finding a long-term use for the timber, and the coppiced timber will have a new life as fencing.

Jon’s first step when asked to work, coppice or improve woodland is to walk the area with the landowner and create a management plan. “Jon came to see me in the spring and had a thorough look around,” Mike recalled.

“He talked sensibly about what should be done and how he could sensitively improve these semi-natural ancient woodlands.

“We discussed the need to create better habitats for the nightingales, let daylight onto the forest floor to allow more plants and insects to thrive, clear space for the wild service trees and generally create a more open, living, woodland environment.”

The wild service trees were marked up and avoided by the highly skilled harvesting and forwarding machine operators, while Jon also handled all the paperwork, liaising with the Forestry Commission and obtaining the necessary licences.

“One of the wild service trees featured in The Queen’s Green Canopy, a book which depicted 70 ancient woodlands that was commissioned by Prince Charles to mark Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee, so you can understand how important it was to choose the right person to do this work,” commented Mike.

“In the event Jon and his team did everything they said they would and the work exceeded my expectations by a considerable way. They did a great job and the wood looks ten times better today than it did before.”

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ARABLE NOTES

IN CONJUNCTION WITH

FAR BETTER THAN WE THOUGHT This month’s contribution comes from Simon Roberts.

At the end of October it was looking like the opportunity was slipping away to get any wheat drilled on some of the heavier land. Would the soil ever dry out after the amount of rain we had had? Even if it did stop raining the days were shortening and we would need bright, windy days before we could get anywhere near drilling.

The rain finally stopped and gave way to overcast still days, but it has been amazing what has been achieved in a short space of time.

Implements that had been banished to the nettles were given a new lease of life and helped save the day. We find ourselves in a far better position regarding seed in the ground than we thought possible back in October.

Earlier this year we talked about the benefit of delayed drilling for grass weed control. We have seen multiple flushes of grass weeds prior to drilling which will hopefully have reduced the overall weed burden that herbicides have to deal with in the crop.. Unfortunately, the seedbeds haven’t always been good enough to employ true

pre-emergence herbicides because of variable seed depth. They have had to be delayed until crops were just emerging.

Results so far have been promising, probably down to the ample soil moisture, but persistency may well be reduced due to warmer soil temperatures. If conditions are still favourable, it is worth topping up the residual herbicide on the worst grass weed fields. Be mindful of what actives have already been applied and look to use an alternative class of chemistry where possible as over reliance on any one active is not good for resistance management.

Oilseed rape crops are developing well and managing to outgrow the slugs at this point, although in some situations, these are taking significant amounts of leaf.

Monitoring of slug activity will be ongoing through the winter to ensure numbers don’t get out of hand. Phoma levels are increasing and will require a fungicide treatment if they haven’t already received one. Soil temperatures are dropping well below 10 degrees now and will soon be at a level where it is suitable for propyzamide application.

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Silver washed fritillary

Blacknest Fields project

VOTE FOR HAMPSHIRE CHOICE AWARD Four countryside projects are in the frame for the ‘Hampshire Choice Award’ voted for by members of the public.

The four projects have already won their respective categories in the Countryside Awards run by The Countryside Charity, CPRE Hampshire, to make it through to the final. The shortlisted projects tackle climate change, highlight nature’s support for health and wellbeing, celebrate protected landscapes and promote community

projects at the grassroots level. They are: • The Hampshire Grassroots Action Award – Alton in Bloom Community Grow Club • The Hampshire Projects in Protected Landscapes Award – Blacknest Fields Nature Recovery Project

• The Hampshire Climate Action Award – Future Energy Landscape Workshops, Energise South Downs • The Hampshire Countryside Health & Wellbeing award – Walk ‘n’ Talk Therapies

by Winchester Youth Counselling.

Members of the public are invited to vote by visiting: www.cprehampshire.org.uk/hampshire-choice-award-cast-your-vote Voting closes on 6 December 2024.

DECEMBER 2024 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

prod and

STEPHEN CARR

Offe in so serv your

BUDGET REALLY HURT Ouch! That budget really hurt, right down to the potential fourfold increase in various taxes on my double-cab Land Rover pickup.

Particularly painful, for this farm, though, was the sudden near complete truncation of basic payments. While some of the other budget measures had been flagged up, this was a cut I simply hadn’t anticipated. Had I known it was coming, I would have approached some recent rent negotiations with my landlords very differently.

Then there was the steep increase in employers’ national insurance contributions, similarly large increases in the minimum wage and the announcement of carbon taxes on imports of aluminium, steel and fertiliser, all of which are likely to prove very costly to my farm (the carbon tax on fertiliser is forecast to add £50/tonne to farmers’ costs).

But what really seems to have hit a nerve with farming colleagues is the abolition of agricultural property relief (APR), which will now make farmland subject to inheritance tax (IHT) at 20% upon the death of the owner. As someone who owns enough farmland to take me above the £1 million threshold, I have to admit to being a little baffled by the strength of objection to this tax change.

Perhaps it’s because, when my father gave me my share of a farm as a lifetime gift in the 1980s, I had to pay a significant amount of IHT (it was called capital transfer tax in those days). Paying off that tax bill was a severe financial burden for me for many years, and I’m sure I grumbled a lot about it at the time, but I was young enough and active enough to cope.

And before the next generation of farmers complains too much about the loss of APR, they should remember that, provided mum and dad can be persuaded to give some or even all of the farm away at least seven years before they die, there will be no IHT payable anyway.

In terms of the ‘next generation’ of farmers, it is a moot point as to whether APR was really their friend anyway. APR was seen as something of a tax ‘loophole’ by many wealthy people who simply invested their money into farmland to avoid having to pay IHT after their deaths. As Jeremy Clarkson, of Clarkson’s Farm fame, for example, wrote in The Times in 2013: “Land is a better investment than any bank can offer. The Government doesn’t get any of my money when I die.”

So, personally, rather than make too much fuss about farmland being subject to IHT at 20% (and only then if the owner doesn’t give it away at least seven years before they die), I’d rather the ongoing farmer lobbying of government for changes to the budget concentrated on things like protecting the £2.4 billion farm budget for England, keeping carbon taxes within affordable bounds and ensuring that future food trade policy doesn’t allow imported food to be produced to lower standards than those required of British farmers.

Getting these measures in place is what will protect the next generation of farmers, not creating a lot of pointless noise about changes to inheritance tax.

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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.

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ANITA HICKSON ORGANISED CHAOS

FARMING WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE TARGETED

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Well… Where do I start? What a disaster of a budget. Can things get any worse for farmers? Sickening, appalling, farcical are just a few words to describe the current situation.

We always knew that farming was going to be targeted with a Labour Government in power, but I didn’t anticipate it being decimated. Do they not realise that they are in danger of biting the hand that feeds them?

Are they really just a bunch of career-minded politicians who believe imported food is the way to go? Can they be so shortsighted?

I have always tried to steer clear of politics in my articles, but after what can only be described as a ‘disaster’ of a budget for all farmers I couldn’t see any other way of venting my sheer frustration at what can only be described as a complete shambles of a government that we seem to have in charge of our country.

I think Teddy at seven years old could make a better job than we have seen thus far.

Steve Reed certainly needs to reassess his employment status after telling us: “Farmers need to learn to do more for less.” Can we work any harder? Are they going to give us a few more hours in each day?

John McTernan also needs to have a few home truths told to him after saying in an interview with GB News that “farming is an industry that we could do without” and

that “farming should be treated the way that Margaret Thatcher treated the miners”, although I fear that his comments could be a setup to give Kier Starmer the opportunity to “affirm his support” for farmers.

All of this is utter nonsense and leaves farmers being stabbed in the back while being robbed of a future. The future according to Kier Starmer is being net zero by 2035. Is this target achievable? It will be when many farms come on to the market and are purchased for carbon capture, non-production. Is this the plan that the Government has in mind?

I have never known a budget to leave such a negative outlook for the farming community.

If more and more of our business is controlled by the Government, we as a country are in a complete downward spiral as the state takes forever to achieve anything – if they achieve anything at all.

Farmers have always been asset rich but cash poor. You work/strive all your life, 365 days a year, to achieve a viable business to hand to the next generation. Farming is a way of life of which the powers that be in Westminster have little or no concept. The next generation will now have to find the funds to pay for the inheritance tax. The High Courts have now deemed double cab pick-up trucks not to be commercial vehicles and vehicle tax has increased disproportionately. Where will it end?

There is a poem by an unknown author that

The NFU has explained the thinking behind its decision to close the NFU’s national forums, highlighted by South East Farmer correspondent John Marland, formerly chair of the NFU Tenants’ Forum, in the November issue.

A spokesman said the NFU Council said the decision to close the five national forums had been taken last year, with their work “now picked up as an integral part of national commodity board meetings”. He added that each board “actively recruits members with the skills and knowledge needed – such as on tenants’ issues or organics”, claiming that this meant the boards could operate “more effectively and efficiently”.

The statement went on: “As a result, the NFU is far better placed to respond to questions when they arise, rather than deferring to

DECEMBER 2024 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

ends with the lines: “Put these words upon his tomb, ‘Taxes drove me to my doom…’

When he is gone, do not relax, It’s time to apply inheritance tax.”

While attempting to look on a positive note and encourage the next generation of farmers, we have a keen young lad who is approaching school leaving age and would like to complete an apprenticeship with us. When he explained his plans, his careers advisor responded: “Why would you want to do that?” If careers advisors are deeming farming to be an insignificant career, the whole education system needs a complete overhaul.

On the plus side, at least while the Government is giving farming a hard time, it appears to be giving hunting, shooting and fishing a break.

Back on the farm, to the great relief of everyone drilling was completed on 10 November for another year (I believe this is the latest for many many years) and so the cycle begins again.

Christmas will be upon us soon and days will start to get longer! Or so I like to believe.

Until next time, stay safe.

ANITA HICKSON Farmer

BETTER PLACED another group. Occasionally questions will arise which require more specialist input and, in such cases, the NFU will form ad hoc groups drawn from across the organisation which will include members with specific expertise.

“Regional farmers and growers also have the opportunity to raise and discuss issues at branch and county level, at regional commodity board meetings and with their advisers and officeholders, as well as feeding into the national agenda and its meetings.”

AGRONOMY

1. VARIETY CHOICE AND TARGET MARKET

This depends on individual situations, soil types, proximity to local markets, etc, and while experienced growers with the right site may be able to reliably grow spring barley for low-nitrogen malting contracts, be realistic about your ambitions.

This is especially true when growing spring barley on heavy land, perhaps for blackgrass control, or where wet weather prevented autumn drilling. Achieving low-nitrogen malting specification is hard on heavy, fertile soils, so focus on yield instead. Modern spring barley varieties genetically have high yield potential, so can be pushed accordingly.

2.TERMINATING COVER CROPS

Timing of cover crop termination before sowing spring cereals is important for residue management, surface moisture availability and minimising potential allelopathic effects or nitrogen lock-up in the following crop.

SFI overwinter cover crop rules such as CSAM2 allow cover to be terminated before the end of winter, but no more than six weeks before the following spring crop is sown. Anyone planning early March drilling cannot therefore terminate SFI cover until mid-January.

Where soils remained very wet last winter, there was poor active growth within many cover crops and grassweeds going into the new year, so consequently some struggled to achieve good results from a single dose of glyphosate.

Sequences worked much better, though.

Recognise this risk if planning to terminate cover crops or other winter growth in early/ mid-January, and be prepared to apply a follow-up glyphosate treatment pre-drilling if required. Higher rates are typically used at the first timing, reducing for the second where appropriate.

3. DRILLING DATE

Spring cereals do not require vernalisation, so once germinated, they inherently want to grow rapidly in the shorter season, only spending limited time tillering.

Avoid drilling too early, especially if soils are cold and wet with little sign of improving. Seed will germinate from 5°C onwards but ideally should go into soil that is continually warming to avoid the risk of seed germinating and then not growing until temperatures rise.

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TOP TIPS FOR ESTABLISHING

SPRING CEREALS Lizzie Batt, Hutchinsons agronomist, working from the Canterbury depot, picks seven key areas to focus on to get spring cereals off to a strong start.

4.SEEDBED PREPARATION

Good seedbed preparation is vital for rapid crop establishment. Drill seed into moisture and ensure good seed-to-soil contact, consolidating well to conserve moisture.

5. SEED RATES

For optimum yield in spring barley, aim to establish 750 to 1,000 heads/m2, tailoring seed rate to drilling date and seedbed conditions.

Spring barley tillers strongly, so when drilling in late February/early March on heavy land, rates are likely to be around 400 seeds/m2.

Generally, less seed is required when drilling later, as crops should tiller better in warmer conditions, but by late April/early May, seed rates will need to increase again given much less time for tillering.

Spring wheat lacks the tillering capacity of spring barley and typically has smaller ears containing fewer grains, and so higher seed rates are needed to drive yield. Target a head count of 500-600/m2, which for March drilling is likely to mean sowing around 600 seeds/m2.

Maintaining a higher plant population also improves crop competitiveness over grass and broadleaved weeds.

particularly important where seed may be going into colder soils and in dry springs, where moisture availability can be a big limiting factor.

Apply most (around 80%), if not all nitrogen into the seedbed at drilling, varying rates according to soil conditions and yield potential. The remaining 20% should be applied by the four-leaf stage. Consider a foliar methylated urea top-up if conditions are dry, as uptake may be better than with soil-applied granular fertiliser.

7. MOISTURE AVAILABILITY

For late spring drilling dates (April onwards), watch long-term weather forecasts closely and make decisions on a daily basis as water availability post-drilling is crucial to crop success. If a long, dry spell after drilling is forecast, you may need another plan.

6. FERTILISER

Placement fertiliser is highly recommended in spring crops, especially for phosphorus, which is crucial to root development and tillering.

Placing nutrients in the rooting zone greatly improves uptake efficiency compared with surface applications, facilitating stronger establishment and root development and allowing crops to quickly build scavenging ability for water and nutrients. This is

LIZZIE BATT

Hutchinsons development manager T: 07812 771622 E: Lizzie.batt@hlhltd.co.uk Canterbury: 01227 830064 www.hlhltd.co.uk

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

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NATIONAL FRUIT SHOW REVIEW

LIVELY AFFAIR WITH A GOOD ATTENDANCE If a week is “a long time in politics”, then it certainly proved so for the fruit industry this autumn.

At the official launch of this year’s National Fruit Show at the Kent Event Centre, Detling, NFU President Tom Bradshaw pointed out that if the event had been held just a week earlier, the outlook for growers would have been looking more positive after three challenging years.

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Photos: ©Martin Apps, Countrywide Photographic

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Show chairman Nigel Bardsley had earlier told those who had gathered for the pre-opening breakfast that a good crop, increasing demand and firmer prices had made it a better season for the South East’s top fruit farmers.

But as Tom Bradshaw pointed out later that morning, the chancellor’s multi-faceted raid on the income of family farmers meant that the

ESTABLISHED 1933

National Fruit Show

launch of the event, the 91st organised by the Marden Fruit Show Society, was overshadowed by the announcements that had been made a week earlier.

The show itself was a lively affair with a good attendance, a wide range of businesses, suppliers and professionals displaying their wares and plenty of opportunities to network and seek out the shiniest equipment and the newest innovations.

While reduced from two days to one as part of a range of measures brought in by Nigel and his team to refocus the event and cut costs, the atmosphere was positive – budget impact notwithstanding – visitors were plentiful and there was plenty to see and do.

While the central display was reduced from previous years, a reflection of the tough times growers have faced over the past few years and the fall in the number of individual growers, the fruit looked as stunning as ever and was a tribute to the skills of the exhibitors.

Both exhibitors and visitors seemed to welcome the one-day event, while other innovations included selling the fruit for £20 a tray, with the proceeds going to support the society’s respected education programme.

The pre-opening breakfast also saw the society’s Jonathan Jones Award presented to John Breach, who set up the British Independent Fruit Growers Association (BIFGA) 35 years ago after his first ten years working in the industry persuaded him that smaller growers needed a voice.

He said he was “greatly honoured” to receive the award, named in honour of the former director of Richard Hochfeld, who died in 2017 aged just 62.

Tom Bradshaw congratulated Nigel Bardsley and the fruit show committee for introducing the new format show and thanked growers for their support in a difficult year, as well as highlighting the work of the education team in teaching primary and secondary school children about home-grown fruit.

Moving on to what was still a talking point a week after the budget announcement, he pointed out the challenges posed to growers by increases in the national living wage and employers’ national insurance contributions as well as the proposed changes to agricultural property relief (APR) and business property relief (BPR) which he said went against assurances given in advance of the announcement.

With wage costs set to rise by around 10%, he said growers could not absorb such an increase and that they would have to be passed up the supply chain.

While welcoming news that a total of 45,000 visas would be available to temporary workers under the seasonal worker scheme for 2025, he said the NFU was still pressing for a permanent scheme and a ninemonth timescale.

On the budget proposals, he said the Government must rethink the planned changes and he urged growers to lobby MPs and make sure there was a “groundswell” of opposition to the tax changes. “The Government has to realise they have got this wrong,” he said.

The president went on: “I genuinely think that Treasury officials have given them a paper and it has not been interrogated well enough to understand what the consequences are for you, the family farms, the businesses right across the United Kingdom.”

The NFU has pointed out that while the Treasury claims 73% of APR claims are below £1 million and so would be unaffected, DEFRA’s own figures show that only 34% of farms are under £1 million net worth. The NFU argues that few viable farms are worth under £1 million. >>

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Hutchinsons - General Horticulture Ad - 93 x 270mm OL.indd 1

08/09/2023 16:46

NATIONAL FRUIT SHOW REVIEW CHANDLER & DUNN • • • • • • • •

Fuller Water Systems Trophy for Jazz Worldwide Fruit prize money for Jazz NFU £400 Prize for the best exhibit of apples or pears in the show Roderick Sarson Memorial Trophy for the best all round exhibit of apples Stokes Bomford Rose Bowl for the best exhibit of dessert apples Fruiterers Company Medal for the best exhibit of dessert apples R Mitchell Challenge Cup for the best exhibit of dessert apple introduced to the UK since 2000 John Thwaites Bowl for highest number of points in all classes to Kent exhibitor, north of the M20

D J & V L KNIGHT

• George Harlow Cup for AOV dessert apple before 2013 • New Spitalfields Market prize money for AOV dessert apple

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MALLIONS FARM KATIE LANGRIDGE

• Arthur Goatham Memorial Trophy for Bramley exhibitor under 40 • The David Burd Memorial Trophy for the entrant gaining most total points in classes 18/19/20 and 21 • W Bruce Challenge Cup for the best exhibit of dessert apples excluding Cox and sports in Class 20

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Squire Salver for Bramley in class 2 Avalon Fresh Ltd prize money for Bramley Dufaylite Developments Cup for culinary apples A C Goatham & Son prize money for any other variety (AOV) culinary apples Pask Cornish & Smart Cup for Gala or any sport NIAB prize money for Gala or any sport Henshall Rose Bowl for Russets The Fruit Grower prize money for Russets Podger Norton Trophy for the best exhibit of culinary apples Fruiterers Company Medal for the best exhibit of culinary apples Fyffes Salver for the best exhibit of Bramley Dan Wuille Cup for best colour and skin quality in the culinary apple classes John Acock Memorial Rosebowl for exhibitor with most points in culinary classes

DECEMBER 2024 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

ESTABLISHED 1933

National Fruit Show

Tom went on: “Over the past few days, << we have done everything we can to try and get this overturned. The burden it’s putting on family farms across the United Kingdom is not acceptable and we will not give up.

“The Government needs to know, from all of you, that they do have a fight on their hands. The public is incredibly supportive of what we’re doing in this country and they want access to more British food - and you want to supply more British food.”

After stirring words from the NFU, the atmosphere mellowed when the Rev Nicky Harvey, of St Michael and All Angels in Marden, completed the opening of the show with a blessing.

First time exhibitors at the show included BrilloPAK, whose technical director Peter Newman said the company’s automated ‘pick and place’ technology was already being used by major players including Adrian Scripps, F W Mansfield & Son and Edward Vinson.

Formed in 2001, the company, which

NATIONAL FRUIT SHOW REVIEW designs and manufactures its products in Paddock Wood, Kent, also offers palletising and autonomous vehicles in its comprehensive line up of packaging options.

It was the first time, also, for the Smart CI Group, which has added agricultural construction to its electrical, fabrication and heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) arms following the arrival of Malcolm Cook.

“Malcolm had experienced the National Fruit Show in a former life and suggested we should be here," explained operations director Luke Davey. “It’s a great show,” he commented.

“It’s given us a chance to meet and chat to customers and potential customers.”

Visitors were equally impressed. “It’s a lot busier than last year,” was the verdict from Charles Whitfield, from NIAB in East Malling, a regular visitor to past events. “The one-day idea seems to be working.”

The switch was described as “a bold decision but a necessary one” by Chris Rose, commercial controller with Asplins PO Ltd.

Congratulating the team on the success of the event, he said the turnout was good, although he felt the smaller fruit display was disappointing. “I think that is indicative of the pressure growers are under and the labour problems they are facing,” he commented.

Regular show attendee Andi Taranczuk, group sales and marketing manager at Haynes Agricultural, commented: “If you want to sell to the industry, you have got to put yourself in front of the growers, talk to them about their plans and explain what’s new.”

What was new on the Haynes stand was Aurea Imaging’s impressive TreeScout, a tractor-mounted, GPS-compatible 3D vision system designed to support precision thinning, growth regulation and blossom counting, mounted in this case on a New Holland T4.120f.

Andi also shared the upbeat assessment of the new format one-day show. “Being busy over a single day is great for everyone, and the show has certainly been busy,” he commented.

35

BRICE WALNUTS

• Bennett Opie Ltd prize money for walnuts

DERRICK MAY (FARMS) LTD • The J R Breach Prize for best entry of Nuvar Cheerfull Gold, Stardance or Cabaret

A C GOATHAM & SON

• A R Piller Challenge Cup for Magic Star • Avalon Fresh prize money for Magic Star • Horticultural Containers wine goblets NFU Mutual (Canterbury and Sittingbourne) prize money for Braeburn or any sport 70-75 or 75-80mm

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

NATIONAL FRUIT SHOW REVIEW

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DECEMBER 2024 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

ESTABLISHED 1933

National Fruit Show

37

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

NATIONAL FRUIT SHOW REVIEW all Over t s e B d Stan

®

Hutchinsons

CLAYGATE FARMS • • • • • • • •

BONANZA PRIZE WINNER

Alfred Shread Cup for Bramley in class 1 The Twyman prize money for Bramley, presented by Agrii The Systhane Cup for Cox's Orange Pippin or any sport of Cox Landseer Ltd prize money for Cox's Orange Pippin or any sport of Cox WASP Bin Trophy for Braeburn or any sport 65-70mm Worldwide Fruit prize money for Braeburn or any sport UKF Fertilisers Cup for the best Cox's Orange Pippin or any sport in classes 4,5 and18 Winch Memorial Challenge Cup for the highest number of points for Weald of Kent exhibits in all classes • Fiennes Cornwallis Trophy for the exhibitor gaining the highest number of points in all classes

38

Haynes Agricultural Ltd

ESTHER HARVEY

• Western International Market Shield for dessert apple • The Sue Daly Novice Trophy Haynes Agricultural Ltd prize money for dessert apples, exhibitor aged under 40

Best Machinery Stand ®

DECEMBER 2024 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

ESTABLISHED 1933

National Fruit Show

39

HEAVIEST APPLE

Clock House Farm Ltd • NIAB prize money for five heaviest apples

HEAVIEST PEAR

L Stevens & Son • NIAB prize money for five heaviest pears

J L BAXTER & SONS

• Segro Salver for AOV pear • NFU Mutual (Marden) prize money for AOV pear

B PIPER PARTNERS

• Ernest White Cup for Comice pears • Lambert & Foster prize money for Comice pears • AMG Trophy for Conference pears • RH Group prize money for Conference pears • East Kent Packers Cup for Concorde pears • RH Group prize money for Conference pears • Bayer Rose Bowl for the best exhibit of pears • Fruiterers Company Medal for the best exhibit of pears

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

ADRIAN SCRIPPS LTD

• Invicta Petroleum Shield for AOV dessert apple after 2013 • Chavereys Chartered Accountant prize money for AOV dessert apple after 2013

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

RURAL EDUCATION EXPERIENCE

YEAR IN REVIEW

From big cats to award winning gardens.

As 2024 draws to a close and we prepare to bid our students a very happy festive period, it has been another very busy year for Hadlow College. Here are just five highlights from the past 12 months…

JANUARY

40

Big Cat Week roars into action The year got off to a roaring start when our animal management students took part in a three-day workshop with the Big Cat Sanctuary as part of Big Cat Week.

Students learned about some of the world’s most endangered animals, choosing a species of wild cat that is under threat before presenting their own proposals to fellow students and staff explaining how they would protect the animal.

The event gave students the opportunity to develop many abiities that are needed when entering the workforce, including research, presentation and communication skills.

APRIL

More than 10,000 visitors flock to Hadlow College for lambing weekend The college was a thriving hub of activity in April when more than 10,000 people descended on the site to enjoy our annual lambing weekend.

The two-day event has become a staple in the calendar for many in the South East and this year’s edition didn’t disappoint, with people of all ages taking the opportunity to see an abundance of lambs gambolling around the college’s beautiful fields, as well as visiting the lambing sheds to see some newborns enter the world.

MAY

Hadlow College wins bronze at RHS Chelsea Flower Show In May, Hadlow College took its place amongst world-renowned garden designers, plant specialists, florists and nurseries at the

KEEP UP TO DATE

To keep up to date with what is happening at the college visit www.hadlow.ac.uk, or attend our next open morning on 25 January from 10am to 1pm. See www.hadlow.ac.uk/events prestigious RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Our innovative Grow Your Mind exhibit highlighted the importance of modern horticultural practices in food production, biodiversity conservation and landscape design while celebrating the many and varied careers available in horticulture and floristry and how horticulture affects and influences the modern world.

The exhibit proved highly popular with judges, winning a bronze medal in the Discovery Zone at the show.

JUNE

UK's first Centre of Excellence in greenhouse growing officially opens at Hadlow College June saw the UK’s first centre of excellence in glasshouse growing open at Hadlow College.

The Thanet Earth Centre of Excellence @ Hadlow College is a partnership between the college, Thanet Earth and Growing Kent & Medway.

Based at our state-of-the-art glasshouse, horticultural students will benefit from working directly with Thanet Earth, the UK’s largest glasshouse salad supplier, to develop their skills and grow tomatoes in a commercial crop environment.

Visit www.hadlow.ac.uk/events to register or find out more DECEMBER 2024 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

SEPTEMBER

Residential is excellent At the end of the summer, Ofsted inspectors paid a surprise visit to the college to assess our residential provision (there are just under 200 residential units on site), and it passed with flying colours.

The final report, released in September, saw it judged as outstanding by Ofsted across all categories.

Inspectors delivered a series of glowing tributes, saying “residential students thrive because of the warm, caring and nurturing relationships that they have with the residential staff” while adding: “Residential students are overwhelmingly positive about their time at the college and say it is like a family.”

Earlier in the year North Kent College, of which Hadlow College is part, was rated as 'good' overall by Ofsted, with an assessment of 'outstanding' in the behaviours and attitudes category.

There is, though, no time to rest on our laurels, with 2025 looking set to be just as busy.

Hadlow College will be producing its own apple juice, and we have some major expansions to our animal management unit taking place, including the addition of a new white fox and serval enclosure. Our everpopular lambing weekend will, of course, return in April

ESTABLISHED 1933

National Fruit Show

NATIONAL FRUIT SHOW REVIEW

SUSTAINABLE FUTURE Long-term support for the fruit industry and a sustainable future for growers is at the heart of leading UK agronomist Hutchinsons’ corporate vision.

The far-sighted company, still a family firm despite having 240 agronomists working with farmers and growers across more than a million hectares of land from Scotland to Cornwall, is playing a leading role in no fewer than four government-backed Innovate UK projects aimed at boosting efficiencies and thus profits in the industry.

“The thing about Innovate UK is that once you get a reputation for leadership in the industry and you learn to navigate the system, you find yourself getting involved in more and more projects,” explained innovation agronomist Rob Saunders.

“Hutchinsons has been playing a leading role in a number of research areas not because we can see them leading to a profit for the business within the next couple of years but because we think they will make the industry more efficient and the sector more vibrant.”

The first scheme, which has now been signed off and has delivered vital information to growers around the end-of-life treatment of old fruit trees, was entitled Taking apple production to net zero and investigated the benefits of producing biochar.

“The usual way of dealing with trees at the end of their life is simply to grub them up and burn them, releasing all the stored carbon dioxide into the atmosphere,” Rob explained.

The alternative, using pyrolysis to heat the wood in the absence of oxygen, creates biochar, an effective soil conditioner that also locks up carbon dioxide for the long term.

“Our research proved that turning old trees into biochar cut the costs associated with grubbing up old orchards, could earn the grower carbon credits for storing carbon, produced two useful by products and created a highly efficient soil conditioner that can be used to boost future soil health,” said Rob. “The by-products, heat and carbon dioxide, can be put to good use in neighbouring facilities. Greenhouse complexes such as Thanet Earth have already shown an interest in having commercial biochar production situated on a nearby site.”

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

With that project now completed and the research published, Hutchinsons is taking a leading role in two more, the first of which is looking at the electrophysiology of plants.

“We have known for a long while that electrical impulses course through plants the whole time, but it is only recently, thanks to artificial intelligence and machine learning, that we have been able to interpret them.

“The project we are working on will allow us to use sensors to monitor stress, moisture and nutrient imbalances and pest and disease threats through what the plants are telling us themselves, rather than by our trying to interpret the signals ourselves.

“It’s interesting to note that there are dozens of ways in which we can measure the level of moisture in the soil. The reason for that is that none of them is perfect. In future we will be able to ask the plant instead of making an educated guess and using imperfect technology.”

Hutchinsons is working with Swiss company Vivent to work out the optimum use of the sensors. “We are looking at details such as how many we need and where they should be placed,” said Rob. In the longer term, the information relayed by the sensors will be made available to growers through the company’s Omnia mapping system.

The other Innovate UK project now underway is a major piece of work that is scheduled to take four years to complete and will allow growers to create more uniform

orchards with even pollination and correctly sized fruit and will also allow them to estimate harvest size more accurately.

“At the moment growers have to predict the size of their crop. Most underestimate to avoid being caught out, which means the supermarkets then order from abroad in order to make up the balance. When the grower then finds they have more apples than they predicted, they struggle to find a market for them,” Rob explained.

The technology focused future for growers envisaged by the current research will use a combination of sensor towers permanently attached to tractors and relaying a range of GPS, LiDAR and NDV data back to a universal robot control unit (URCU), drones and autonomous vehicles monitoring orchards at night to detect diseases and pests.

This wealth of data will be used to programme a variable rate sprayer to help the grower reduce input costs while maximising the quality, quantity and predictability of the crop. The Hutchinsons-led research has been given the acronym POME, which stands for Precision Orchard Management for the Environment.

“The only way the industry can be sustained is by developing these technologies,” said Rob. “When I think some of it sounds far-fetched, I remind myself that there are at least half a dozen teams in other parts of the world working on the same approach – so it has to be the way forward.”

Rob Saunders

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

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EDUCATION

DEVELOPING CONFIDENCE

I am always delighted to see so many of our students developing confidence and progressing confidently through the high quality of our teaching and learning.

This continues to be one of our greatest strengths, as demonstrated by this month's diary inputs from our students. All of the level 3, third-year students are well on their way with their UCAS applications or planning future employment, supported by their personal tutor.

CHLOE

42

One of my favourite things in our course is the practical lessons; we have one and a half days a week of practical lessons. These lessons are where I learn the most, due to being a practical person and learning best on the job.

So far, in our practical lessons, I have undertaken many different tasks, including bluetongue vaccinating sheep and treating lame sheep. I have also helped the farm dairy with milking and cleaning down equipment to ensure it is all sterile.

Another couple of tasks we have done with tractors are ploughing and power harrowing, while also learning the basics like pre-start checks and picking up and attaching trailers. In estate skills, I have learnt how to do post and rail fencing and electric fencing. We have also learnt how to fix a leak in a water tank.

I will need to use all the practices we have

Alan Johnson, Curriculum Manager, reports on agricultural students excited to be back after half term. done one day in the farming industry, and thanks to the course that I'm studying, I will now be able to take on these tasks confidently and safely.

In the past couple of weeks, I have also had sheep and beef routines; this is where I went out with the farm shepherd for a couple of days and could be hands-on with the day-to-day jobs in farming. On my first day of these routines, I tested for TB with the farm's vet which was very educational, and I learnt a huge amount while being able to chat with the vet and find out what being in another job and working with farmers is like.

On the second day of my routines, we checked all the livestock grazing on the South Downs and checked them for pregnancy.

Overall, practical lessons are very educational, and you learn many new skills to make you more employable in the farming industry.

MILLIE

During my time at Plumpton so far, I have enjoyed a range of practical and theory lessons. Our lecturers have been welcoming and supportive to everyone in our course.

I've found our machinery and crop production lessons exciting as these are some subjects I haven't studied before. In my

Chloe and Millie recent practical sessions, we've been condition scoring, servicing tractors and giving the rams a once-over. It's surprisingly warm for the time of year, and it comes as a relief as the tractors don't need de-icing and I'm not trying to unchain gates wearing thick gloves.

Overall, I feel happy with college and I appreciate the support from my tutor. I always feel able to have a chat and discuss how I'm feeling, which is something that means a lot to me.

It's a long way off, but I can't wait until the silage season next year; ground conditions are limiting the amount of fieldwork we can do at the moment. I shall be working quite a lot over the next four weeks to maximise the opportunities college offers and do my best in all assessments.

If you are an employer and would like to know more about the benefits of taking on an apprentice, the college would be delighted to help; get in touch with our apprenticeships team at business@plumpton.ac.uk DECEMBER 2024 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

IN CONJUNCTION WITH This is a chance for the vineyard to catch a moment of rest for the soil, vines and the team behind it. For many growers, particularly in the South East, this year was a battle against the forces of nature, as weather patterns made for one of the most difficult growing seasons in recent memory. Fluctuating humidity, consistent rainfall and mild temperatures created the ideal conditions for disease, highlighting the need for vineyard expertise and localised knowledge.

Downy mildew and botrytis, common diseases in wet and warm climates, were aggressive in vineyards across the region.

Frequent rainfall led to canopies and alleyways remaining damp for long periods of time, creating the perfect environment for sporulation and increasing infection rates for these pathogens.

Even with diligent canopy management, the disease pressure was relentless. Leaves and clusters that should have been sunlit and ventilated instead found themselves continuously exposed to high moisture levels.

Growers who typically follow sustainable or organic practices faced especially high pressures, as reduced options for chemical intervention meant that timing and precision were everything.

Spray programmes designed with meticulous timing to keep diseases at bay were put to the test under these conditions. Intermittent rainfall created a need for adaptivity with rescheduling spray applications, ensuring good coverage and timing of preventative chemicals, as well as additional leaf removal by targeting basal leaves and ensuring maximum airflow. Many growers increased their rounds of canopy thinning and leaf removal, working to keep disease at a manageable level.

Beyond disease, this year’s weather patterns made for a nerve-wracking ripening period as well.

The grapes developed more slowly than usual, with some varieties lagging in sugar levels while others reached ripeness only to risk the damaging effects of early autumn rains. Achieving balanced ripeness became a difficult equation that required growers to weigh the risk of prolonged hang time against the possibility of dilution, botrytis or pest damage.

Many vineyards adjusted their harvest dates

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HORTICULTURAL SPOTLIGHT

BATTLE AGAINST THE

FORCES OF NATURE

As the year draws to a close, we look back at a challenging season and harvest in the vineyard.

43

MEGAN FITZPATRICK MRES Horticultural Agronomist at Hutchinsons, SFI Specialist and BASIS qualified at the last minute, some opting for an earlier pick in the hope of preserving quality while others held on, hoping the rain would hold off and sunlight would prevail. The harvest itself was marked by unpredictability. When dry spells came, pickers had to act quickly, gathering every available hand to bring in the fruit at optimal ripeness before another round of showers. In some cases, selective harvesting became necessary, with clusters less affected by mildew picked first to prevent the spread of disease to the winery.

The silver lining of this challenging season is a crop that, while smaller, carries unique potential. Though this year’s grapes faced obstacles, the adversity has lent itself to some unexpected qualities. Many winemakers are noticing concentrated flavours and nuanced profiles, thanks to the selective harvest and

careful sorting.

Reduced yields can often intensify flavours in the wine, and there’s hope that the stress endured by the vines will translate into wines that express a powerful character and a story of resilience.

For now, the vines and vineyard teams can rest. While the disease pressure tested everyone, it also revealed the strength of the team and the knowledge that a difficult year can still produce wines with character and depth.

As the soil begins its winter slumber, growers are already thinking ahead, considering how they’ll adapt and prepare for future seasons with renewed dedication. The quiet of the vineyard in these final days of the year reminds us that each season, no matter how difficult, is part of the ongoing journey in the pursuit of great wine.

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

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References: 1. Yarnall and Thrusfield (2017) Vet Record doi: 10.1136/vr.104370 2. Kynetec (2019) BVD sales data by value. Full year 2018 3. For active immunisation of cattle against BVDV-1 and BVDV-2, to prevent the birth of persistently infected calves caused by transplacental infection.

Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modified live BVDV-1, non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9: 104.0– 106.0 TCID50, modified live BVDV-2, non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93: 104.0–106.0 TCID50. UK: POM-V. Further information available in the SPC or from Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health UK Ltd, RG12 8YS, UK. Tel: 01344 746957. Email: vetenquiries@boehringer-ingelheim.com. Bovela is a registered trademark of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica GmbH, used under licence. ©2019 Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health UK Ltd. All rights reserved. Date of preparation: Jul 2019. AHD12633. Use Medicines Responsibly.

MakE BVD history

VETERINARY CARE

FEATURED COMPANY:

100% FARM VETS Moving into smart new premises is just the latest step in an exciting journey that has seen Cliffe Farm Vets serving an increasingly wide customer base across East Sussex and beyond.

The dynamic practice has moved from Lewes town centre, where it had been sharing space with the small animal side of the multidisciplinary practice, to Harbens Farm, Mill Lane, Laughton.

With considerably more space, a retail area, laboratory facilities, ample parking and much easier access for the majority of clients, the new base has proved an immediate hit with the growing practice and the farmers it serves.

It marks another milestone for the practice which clinical director Nick Pile joined as a vet in 2009, working out of the Lewes town centre premises.

In 2017, he bought into the practice, working alongside long-standing and much-respected farm vet Bill Pepper, then the senior partner.

A year later, Bill, then 60, relinquished his partnership status but continued – and continues – to work for the practice. “Bill has been working as a vet for some 35 years and has a huge amount of experience,” said Nick.

“He remains a vital part of Cliffe Farm Vets and provides valuable guidance to the whole team.”

At that point many vets were still mixed, and in Lewes the agricultural vets shared a relatively small space with the small animal specialists and occasionally found themselves in reception trying to reassure the owner of an injured cat or sick bunny.

Nick’s vision for the practice he now headed up was to grow the business to a scale where it could employ 100% farm vets but also operate a manageable out-of-hours rota.

That meant developing a bigger client base, and while the practice was enjoying good organic growth, the big opportunity came when two vets in the Hailsham and Battle area both decided to give up their farm work. Cliffe

Farm Vets bought both client lists and Nick was able to turn his dream into a reality.

“Farmers have high expectations of their vet, and they have a right to expect the person treating their animals to have a high level of expertise in that area. That’s clearly easier to achieve if the vet is focused on farm animals 100% of the time,” said Nick. “It’s also easier for us to upskill younger vets if they are only treating livestock.”

The business has continued to grow since reaching what Nick described as “a critical mass”, with Cliffe Farm Vets playing an increasingly vital part in helping farms build sustainable and profitable businesses around healthy stock and focusing on preventative rather than reactive medicine.

Nick has also developed a thriving sheep genetics service as part of the practice, with embryo transfer and artificial insemination (AI) in demand from breeders across a wide area. >>

Nick Pile TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

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VETERINARY CARE Tracy Lawrence has moved to Laughton with the Farm team and is running the dispensary

Kate French (right) heads up the office team and keeps the vets in check << With three TB testers in the team, Nick has also played a leading role in the five-year Vaccinating East Sussex Badgers (VESBA) project which is using DEFRA funding to assess the viability of farmer-delivered badger vaccination in the fight to stamp out the disease.

With farmer training, a new youngstock health programme and a flock health club also on offer, Cliffe Farm Vets has established itself as a valued partner with farmers across an area that now stretches from Littlehampton to Fairlight, up to Sevenoaks and across to Gatwick.

It’s a partnership that is firmly based on helping farmers keep their stock healthy and productive. “The message we try to get across the whole time is that a little bit of spending in the right areas is not a cost but an investment,” Nick explained.

He also pointed out that statistics showed that on more productive farms, between 80% and 90% of the spend on suckler herds was devoted to preventative measures. “Farms that invest in areas such as health planning, fertility testing and nutrition planning end up with a better bottom line. It’s as simple as that,” he commented.

Health planning is an area the vets urge more farmers to take advantage of, with government funding on offer for the animal health and welfare pathway. “There is money available to help livestock farmers make their stock healthier and their business more productive and they really ought to take advantage of it,” he stressed.

“We can advise on the process, help with the application and carry out the process, making it stress-free for the farmer.”

Cliffe Farm Vets also benefits from impressive economies of scale when it comes to supplying medicines and other items, thanks to another important step in its evolution.

In 2021 it became part of IVC Evidensia, a Bristol-based national group that boasts 380 farm vets in 52 farm practices across the country.

Nick admits to having been wary of the move at first, since he valued Cliffe Farm Vets’ independence, close relationship with local famers and its ability to respond quickly to changing demand or opportunities.

“I needn’t have worried, though,” he commented. “In the event we have lost none of our independence or ability to react to local needs but have benefited enormously from the group’s buying power and bigger knowledge base.”

Nick is one of a dozen vets who sit on IVC Evidensia’s farm animal clinical board, which allows him to help shape and influence the way the business as a whole operates, and in the meantime he has all the freedom he needs to drive Cliffe Farm Vets forward, supported by long-serving colleagues such as Nanja Verkuijl, who has been with the

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With farmer training, a new youngstock health programme and a flock health club also on offer, Cliffe Farm Vets has established itself as a valued partner with farmers practice since 2008, a year before he joined, and Claire Thorpe, who has been with the team since 2011.

“We have stayed true to our roots and we are still seen very much as the local vet,” said Nick, adding: “We are continuing to grow and on average pick up two new farmer clients every month, so clearly we are delivering what people are looking for. As our strapline points out, we blend a progressive approach with traditional values.”

The whole team at Harbens Farm consists of eight farm vets, a fourstrong office team and the three TB testers, all of whom have active farming backgrounds. Two of the admin team are also farmers and Nick himself keeps a flock of Texels on the farm. “I’m very much a fulltime vet and part-time sheep farmer,” he admitted.

Vet Isabel Field and vet tech Sam Nicholls get into the festive spirit during their youngstock visit >>

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

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References: 1. Diaz-Reval M.I. et al. 2004. Evidence for a central mechanism of action of S-(+)-ketoprofen. European J. Pharmacology. 483: 241-248. • 2. Netter P et al. 1985. Diffusion of intramuscular ketoprofen into the cerebrospinal fluid.

European J. Clinical Pharmacology. 26: 319-321. • 3. Whay H.R., Webster A.J.F., Waterman-Patterson A.E. 2005. Role of ketoprofen in the modulation of hyperalgesia associated with lameness in dairy cattle. Vet. Record. 157: 729-733. • 4. Jacquet C. et al. Comparative life cycle analysis, final report with critical review, CLAS packaging system and traditional glass packaging system. 2016, APESA 0393 Impact 2002 fig.18 p33, fig.21 p36 • 5. Cavaroc P. Comparative breakage study of injectable anti-infectives vials under vertical drop test by free fall under standardized conditions. IPVS Congress, 2012, 10 • 6. Kasiora K, Anagnostopoulos A, Bedford C,Menka T, Barden M, Griffiths BE, et al. Evaluation of the use of ketoprofen for the treatment of digital dermatitis in dairy cattle: A randomised, positive controlled, clinical trial. Vet Rec. 2021;e977. https://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.977 Ketofen® 10% solution for injection for horses, cattle and pigs contains 100 mg ketoprofen per ml. Legal Category: UK POM-V Further information is available from the product SPC, data sheet or pack insert.

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Progressive approach, traditional values 100% farm vets serving dairy, beef and sheep farmers across Sussex Please contact Nick on 01273 473232 farmenquiries@cliffevets.co.uk | www.cliffefarm.co.uk DECEMBER 2024 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

VETERINARY CARE

FEATURED COMPANY: << Moving to the farm site, which is also home to Cliffe’s equine veterinary practice, made complete sense as the latest stage in the growth of the business. “While the farm vet side was operating independently, it was still based in Lewes alongside the small animal practice,” Nick pointed out.

“The equine practice had plenty of space out here and with a bit of moving around and conversion work we were able to join forces on the same site.”

The new premises include an on-site clinical space where minor procedures such as ram vasectomies and post mortem examinations can be carried out, along with a laboratory that is used to check the viability of embryos flushed as part of the enhanced fertility service now offered by Cliffe Farm Vets.

The building also includes a pharmacy and retail area stocking products from well-known brands including Boehringer Ingelheim, manufacturer of Bovela vaccine, MSD, which supplies calf scour vaccines, and Ceva, known for sheep abortion vaccines.

Cliffe Farm Vets also supplies Vetoquinol’s VetIMPRESS cloud-based, on-farm management system that uses data from the British Cattle Movement Service and supports medicine monitoring and auditing.

Vetoquinol says VetIMPRESS “connects fragmented animal data to deliver insights at animal, farm and practice level via cloudbased apps”, explaining: “These insights can be used to improve herd health [and] increase performance and profitability of farms.”

Nick is confident that, as part of IVC Evidensia, the practice can “compete with anyone on price for most of the products we stock”, while the new building offers farmers the chance to browse products in a way they couldn’t in the smaller town centre shared premises. “We have a broad range of vaccines, antibiotics, wormers, fly control products and the like, alongside plenty of parking space at our new 40-acre home,” he pointed out.

The whole team at Harbens Farm consists of eight farm vets, a four-strong office team and the three TB testers, all of whom have active farming backgrounds Cliffe Farm Vets’ advanced sheep breeding service began in 2017 and has become well respected by farmers looking to maximise the potential of their pedigree flocks.

Embryo transfer (ET) is a specialist skill rarely found outside Wales and the West Country and Nick thinks his is the only practice offering it in the South East.

“After AI, we can flush as many as 20 embryos from the ewe, check them in the laboratory and

then implant the healthy ones into surrogate ewes to carry to term,” Nick explained.

The specialist, mobile service is one that Nick offers across a wider geographic area than the normal veterinary work, often travelling to the Midlands and East Anglia to support sheep breeders with high value pedigree breeds such as Dutch Spotted, Swiss Valais Blacknose and Charollais as well as Suffolk, Beltex, Southdowns and Texels. >>

Lilly Griffiths , who assists with the Sheep AI and ET work

49

Nick is confident that, as part of IVC Evidensia, the practice can “compete with anyone on price for most of the products we stock TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

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Cliffe Farm Vets’ advanced sheep breeding service began in 2017 and has become well respected by farmers looking to maximise the potential of their pedigree flocks

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“Bearing in mind you could end up with as many as 20 pairs of lambs from one AI session and the follow up implantations, it can be an excellent investment,” he commented. “It’s a growing area of the business and one we are happy to travel for.”

Nick keeps his skills in this area sharply focused by working with one of the country’s leading embryo transfer companies for four weeks a year, and to ensure that Cliffe Farm Vets can continue to meet the demand for AI services, he has trained one of his team, Lily Griffiths, to carry out the procedure.

The practice also offers AI to beef farmers to help synchronise calving and allow the farmer to introduce superior genetics, as well as carrying out more routine “bread and butter” preventative work with cattle and sheep.

While focusing on the farm vet practice, Nick is also a director of the whole business, which runs the equine operation at Harbens Farm and small animal practices in Lewes, Ringmer and Woodingdean.

Nanja and Claire run a well-supported flock health club which brings sheep farmers together for meetings, talks and other events, while a busy WhatsApp group allows farmers to keep in touch and seek informal advice from each other.

*Minimum charge applies

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Nick Pile counting and grading embryos from a successful flush

FEATURED COMPANY:

VETERINARY CARE

51 The practice has also set up a youngstock health programme for dairy farmers, a free service headed up by another member of the team, Isabel Field, who monitors autumn calving herds between August and October and gives advice on colostrum protocols, as well as carrying out calf health audits. Isabel is also Cliffe Farm Vets’ mastitis adviser, offering the ‘gold standard’ DairyCo mastitis plan.

As a leading player in the VESBA project, Cliffe Farm Vets has seen some 720 badgers across 280 square miles of the high-risk bovine TB area in East Sussex vaccinated this season through the DEFRAfunded project.

“DEFRA will now be studying the data closely to see what impact the vaccination programme has had on the levels of TB in cattle in this area, using some sophisticated mapping systems that can highlight whether it has been transmitted by wildlife or cattle,” said Nick. “We should know by January if it’s made a difference.”

VESBA has been licensed by Natural England to train farmers in badger vaccination, and with the project set to last for five years Nick feels Cliffe Farm Vets could become a vaccination training hub nationally. He offered a note of caution, though, stressing: “We also need to deal with endemic TB in herds.”

Training, like prevention, is part of the practice’s DNA as Cliffe Farm Vets seeks to become the trusted partner of farmers across the South East, and Nick and his team offer training in areas including foot trimming, AI, managing medicines and faecal worm egg counts.

“We see our role very much as team members, working with our farmers to help them get the most from their investment in their livestock,” he concluded.

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AT COLCHESTER MARKET

STRENGTHENING

This report is being written in early November after another month of strengthening livestock prices in sheep and cattle pens, with prices at record levels for the time of year and the possibility that more stock could be sold to advantage.

With the weather easing from the month before, most arable land in Essex and south Suffolk has been drilled and sugar beet crops removed, with reasonable sugars being obtained.

With the warm weather also enabling early growth on drilled crops, the promise is there for a better harvest in 2025. There is obviously a long time to go before harvest but at least we have a base to work from.

In the prime cattle ring numbers are totally inadequate for buyers, with many more required to satisfy demand. In Colchester we are averaging just over 50 cattle a week in the prime ring, and on the week of 12 November cattle were recorded to 355.5p/kg, with several over 330p/kg. Averages for steers and heifers were all around 300p/kg and above, including stock of all shapes and sizes.

As stated previously, many more could be sold to advantage, with wholesale and retail buyers looking for beef stock for the Christmas period as this report was being written. This trade is some 30 to 40p/kg above 12 months ago, equating to £200 to £300 an animal.

Store cattle, as would be expected with the increase in finished cattle trade, are extremely dear. Numbers are totally insufficient for farmers looking to replace stock from yards. With a dramatic decline in dairy cattle numbers in the area, there is a great shortage of

LIVESTOCK PRICES

52

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Ashford|Chelmsford|Horsham|Sevenoaks|Winchester|York

DECEMBER 2024 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

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 calves and thereby yearling stock.

The processing beef trade continued to be strong, ensuring that cull cows and over-age steers and heifers are still keenly sought, again much dearer than 12 months ago.

Let us hope that for the sake of the people now paying the price of the stores, the beef trade continues to increase. Numbers are definitely short and it takes a long time to change that around.

The sheep trade is also at record levels for the time of year. Lambs have been seen up to £195 per head, with many pens £150 to £180 per head every week. Quality is obviously important. Lean lambs are more difficult to sell to premium and many are taken for further feeding.

Yearling stores are over £1,000 per head, with the general run £800 to £950 per head. With the current returns from finished sheep, this looks a good buy if turnips are growing and we have a sensible winter. There is certainly demand at the present time, and let us hope that continues.

The cull ewe trade also continued to be strong, if slightly less than the previous period, but there is a likelihood it will increase towards Christmas. Good quality ewes were still trading from £130 to £160 per head, with feeding ewes anything from £30 to £80 per head.

Pig trade is at stand on again. Numbers are matching demand, but trade is expected to increase in time for the Christmas period.

By the time this report is being read our Christmas Prime Stock Show will have been held and there will be a full report in the January edition.

All farmers and other businesses are having an interesting time with regard to future planning. Let us hope common sense prevails and successful family businesses can continue.

AT ASHFORD MARKET JOHN ROSSITER

Reporting on the market at Ashford T: 01233 502222 www.hobbsparker.co.uk Following a turbulent autumn selling season for all of us in the South East of the country, I am happy to say that the end is in sight and that we have not only got away with it, but have actually returned some good results despite some pretty severe restrictions imposed on us as livestock sellers.

In my 18 years of selling livestock, I have never sat on the rostrum and been restricted in selling to a limited selection of buyers based on a line drawn on a map, the line having been created by some midges that happened to have come over to the UK on an outing from continental Europe.

We have had some negative effects in certain niche sales of particular breeding sheep females and some longer-term cattle from TB1 holdings, but all in all the trade has held well and has shown a number of vendors that the live auction system is always the fairest and most transparent method of marketing their produce.

In recent times, I have likened the running of Ashford Livestock Market through this difficult period to a swan; on the surface all was graceful and successful, but below the surface there was some frantic paddling and work going on to keep us moving forward. We are now through the bulk of the numbers and regular sighs of relief can be heard echoing around our offices.

Many larger UK processors have taken advantage of the misfortune imposed on producers in the South East and placed price penalties on finished animals, based on the fact that they had to abide by some limited restrictions on their slaughter. This has revived many memories of times past when disease outbreaks once led to what can only be referred to as “daylight robbery” of finished animals across the UK. Producers must not accept these terms and must seek other methods of selling that can be trusted and are on their own terms where they are in control of prices and don’t have to accept what the processors decide that morning is best for their own interests.

A number of new vendors from across the South East have turned to us in recent weeks to market their animals or for marketing advice, which we will gladly offer to anyone reading this article.

The next couple of months in the lead up to Christmas will generally be more finished stock-based, with the numbers in the store rings declining as we get into December.

The highlight of the coming months will be the Ashford Primestock Show on Monday 2 December. As I write the entries are closed and it looks like it is going to be a great show on the Monday, with the sale of exhibits taking place on the Tuesday. We then have a formal dinner on the Wednesday at Ashford International Hotel, with tables now on sale.

Please contact our office for further information.

Our final Friday sheep sale will take place on 13 December, an ominous date for a Friday but following this autumn’s challenges, I’m sure we will manage to get past the superstitions

AUTUMN CHALLENGES

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This sale will have an unusual element, a special sale of alpacas which is a first for Ashford Market. We will be holding a herd reduction sale for “Alpaca Annie”, a well-known business on Romney Marsh, with approximately 40 of these interesting creatures going under the hammer. For further information please contact our auctions team on 01233 502222.

Reduction Sale 13th December 2024

A genuine reduction sale of 40 alpacas to include both males & females in assorted colours and ages Further information and catalogue to follow

Ashford Livestock Market - Kent - TN24 0HB 01233 502222 - www.hobbsparker.co.uk WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

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LIVESTOCK ADVERTISERS' ANNOUNCEMENT

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3 X LO N

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RESOLUTE APPROACH

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For a number of years, the Rees family from Pembrokeshire has bolused dry cows with Tracesure to combat fertility and health challenges.

“We were having the usual problems with calving in sheds. The vet came in and advised us to bolus alongside fluke drenching and vaccinating.

“We’ve since seen much better results. You know with Tracesure Cattle XL boluses that every cow has had one; you are not dependant on them getting their trace elements through the diet. Cows get back in calf and calves are much healthier,” said Owain Rees.

“About three years ago, my dad cut bolusing at drying-off to save on cost. While we can’t pinpoint it for definite, it was the only thing we changed, and we got a couple of milk fevers, a couple of retained cleansings and calves were not thriving.

“The following year we went back to bolusing and performance went back to how it was before. If a cow gives a little bit more milk and gets back in calf, and if calves are stronger and thriving a bit more, costs are covered. It’s worth doing it as an insurance,” Owain concluded.

CLICK HERE TO

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DECEMBER 2024 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

ADVICE FROM THE VET

HOUSING IS CRITICAL

It is safe to say that weather conditions have been challenging this year, and autumn has been no different. Kent suffered a notably wet September, with up to 300% of average rainfall recorded.

This, in combination with a mild October, has resulted in a lot of ground water, leading to significant poaching and early housing of cattle, and has most definitely made it a struggle for many to finish drilling their winter cereal crops.

It is always important that wherever we are challenged, we seek the opportunity to improve the health and performance of our suckler herd.

Housing is a critical time in the calendar to assess the body condition score of adult cattle. This aids nutritional planning and will influence decisions on the timing of weaning. Thin cows will benefit from earlier weaning, reducing the nutritional demands on them and allowing them to gain condition.

Conversely, over-conditioned cows may be weaned later to prevent further weight gain, which is associated with an increased risk of difficult calving and peri-parturient disease.

To assess the efficiency of our systems, housing is also an ideal time to weigh this year’s calves. This allows the farmer to analyse their growth rates from grazing and assess areas to improve for next year.

Daily liveweight gain should be calculated throughout the growing period and areas of suboptimal performance investigated further.

This will allow issues to be identified and avoid checks in growth rate next year.

Historically we have used targets of 1kg/ day, but we now assess our targets based on different time periods. For the first 15 weeks, we aim for 0.8kg/day. A lot will depend on the breed and systems, but we are all pushing to optimise growth rates to finish fattening earlier. This improves profitability but also reduces emissions, a particularly hot topic of the moment. It is important to discuss these matters with your vet and consultants on a regular basis, and one key opportunity to do this further is to engage with the animal health and welfare pathway (AHWP).

The AHWP is an initiative to encourage farmers and their vets to discuss herd

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

Jack Balkham at Ashford looks at making the most of winter housing and the animal health and welfare pathway.

performance, investigate issues and improve farm efficiency and profitability as a team.

There are some requirements regarding bovine viral diarrhoea testing to gain access to the funding, which hopefully we are conducting anyway in our herds.

This means that your annual youngstock testing may be subsidised through the AHWP scheme. It should also be noted that the application and claiming processes are reportedly very straightforward. This funding is available on a yearly basis and can be used for a range of investigations on farm. The funds may be used to investigate issues such as trace element deficiency or liver fluke, in accordance with your own farm needs. If you have not already done so, please discuss AHWP opportunities with your own vet.

The opportunities are great in the housing period, as cattle handling becomes much easier. We may perform tasks such as applying ectoparasiticides, performing pregnancy diagnosis on our spring calvers, foot trimming and implementing our vaccination protocols to prevent the development of bovine respiratory disease.

Each farm will have its own bug profile, and so your individual pneumonia vaccination protocols should be bespoke to your unit.

It may be most appropriate to instigate an intranasal vaccination programme if speed

of onset of immunity is the priority, or it may be advisable to use a vaccine to cover some other pathogens, such as Mycoplasma or Pasteurella.

Where cases of pneumonia arise it is important to record them accurately and discuss with your vet so that we can investigate in a timely manner and implement control measures. This will help reduce further losses in terms of mortality and the cost of treatment and reduced growth rates seen in animals which have suffered disease.

So, make the most of the winter months, focusing on the opportunities presented to improve further the performance of your herd next year. With funding opportunities available via the AHWP, let’s work together to improve performance in the coming 12 months.

If you would like to discuss anything covered in this article contact your local Westpoint practice Westpoint Horsham T: 01306 628086 Westpoint Ashford T: 01306 628208 Westpoint Sevenoaks T: 01959 564383 Westpoint Winchester T: 01962 779593 Westpoint Chelmsford T: 01306 628489 E: info@westpointfarmvets.co.uk www.westpointfarmvets.co.uk

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

55

ALAN WEST SHEEP TOPICS

56

As always, as the end of the year approaches there is a tendency for reflection. This has been a mixed year; the lamb trade has been good, but beyond that it had little to commend it, so it is best to put it behind us and look forward to 2025 with a hope of better things. Personally, I am looking forward to the coming year with quiet positivity (said with fingers crossed).

Our Lleyn ewes went to the tup in just the right condition and tupping went better than anticipated; I would ordinarily graze a few ram lambs next to the ewes for a couple of weeks before the tups go in (as effective as a teaser ram), but this year they were grazing away and didn’t come home until just before the tups joined them, something which I thought might slow tupping a bit. Fortunately, this wasn’t the case. Although things slipped by a couple of days, it had no major impact; the first few days were a bit slow but by the first crayon change after seven days, 60% had been covered and the remainder marked within the first cycle.

Not quite as tight as last year (11 days), but 15 days will do and no returns to service, so we are hoping for another nice tight lambing.

Years of selection for fertility and early breeders really has paid dividends; lambing can become a bit wearisome if it drags on for too long, particularly lambing outdoors, so a nice, tight lambing has major benefits, both during lambing and for subsequent management. Now, with a decent bite of grass in front of them, it is simply a matter of leaving them alone for two or three weeks with minimal upset and stress until pregnancies are secured after implantation.

The Herdwick were, however, quite the contrary. Normally a bit slow to get going, they were teased for the first time this year in the rather futile expectation that it might speed things up a little, hopefully bringing them in line with the Lleyn to lamb in mid-March. That was the theory, at least, but the ewes didn’t seem to get the message. The rams went in on the same day, the Herdwick was keen enough to get going, but the ewes were not quite so cooperative and, in spite of teasing this year, the first couple didn’t take the tup until almost two weeks in, which means they are due to commence lambing on about the same date, within a day or two, as they did last year and every year since we have had them.

I did hold out a rather vain hope of having

Discretion is the better part of valour

AND THEY SAY THAT SHEEP ARE STUPID

lambing completed before the start of April, but the Herdys have sadly thwarted that ambition; I should have expected it, they are very much creatures of habit and, in spite of my best efforts, will do what they do as and when they want to do it. Even the order of taking the tup is very much in line with previous years; certainly, the last to go has been the last to lamb since she was a teg, even lambing on exactly the same date for the past two years; although she does produce some good twins each time.

As they say, the only predictable thing about sheep is their unpredictability, something that the Herdwick have in buckets full; I wasn’t concerned when the boss decided that she wanted her own sheep, but I was less convinced when she purchased herself a small flock of Herdwick, although I have found them fascinating. They really are a good object lesson in sheep behaviour, although the Lleyn are also capable of providing a few lessons.

With a much reduced, but self-replacing flock, we need to change tups every two years, so this year we have been joined by a new Welsh-bred boy; as with any ram purchase you never know quite what you are getting.

He is smart and correct, but also stood out as a very quiet ram at the sale, something that fortunately has continued to be the case. He is probably the most inquisitive ram we have had; he likes to see what is going on, as a consequence of which it has been relatively

ALAN WEST Sheep farmer

DECEMBER 2024 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

easy to train him to come for a few sheep rolls, something that proved particularly useful for ease of handling during tupping. He was quite happy standing in the paddock, eating a few rolls, while I changed his crayon without needing to remove his harness; a compliant ram makes life so much easier and less stressful for all concerned. He has also proved to be a very keen worker, at times rather too keen when he has gone looking for work.

We had a few cull ewes in a paddock, one remove from the tupping group, but not far enough for the boy, as we discovered one morning. Not only had he been in and marked one, but he had taken himself back to his paddock with the rest of his girls. The culls were moved a further paddock away, problem solved, we thought; the next morning, however, he stood in the corner of his paddock, head up, full Flehmen lip, scenting the air; having caught the scent of a Herdy ewe two paddocks away. No problem, I thought, too far away for him.

Five minutes later he was strolling across the paddock next to the Herdys. I wasn’t the only one to have spotted him; the Herdwick ram was ready, waiting for him by the fence. Rather than intervene immediately, I simply watched as they cautiously, but quietly, assessed each other from opposing sides of the fence; after a few minutes, with no physical contact even attempted, the Lleyn ram simply turned around, strolled back across the paddock and hopped back in with his girls. He hasn’t been wandering since; a scenario that shows a significant degree of reasoning and a definite sense of discretion being the wisest option and they say that sheep are stupid.

VET DIARY

STRESSED CATTLE ARE LESS PRODUCTIVE We all know that a happy cow is a healthy cow and that stress is bad! Minimising stress in the lives of all farmed animals is something that we all strive to achieve and a goal that all farm vets have signed up to. Happiness and stress are difficult to measure, but we can ‘listen’ to the cow’s body language and get some clues.

I have worked with cattle most of my life, but there is always more to learn about the reasons for their behaviour. Most people tend to move closer when they see something interesting, but it is often better to take a few steps back to observe the context.

As vets we tend to focus on clinical signs, but it is just as important to notice and recognise other signals including cow cleanliness, dung consistency, chewing the cud behaviour, rumen fill, lying times, cows queueing/ waiting and many more. Subtle changes to the environment or diet, or social grouping, or the daily routine, can often lead to less stress and improved production.

It is said that “not knowing something is

forgivable, but not seeing something is stupid.”

I have observed that the best stockmen don’t miss much and tend to give the most detailed and useful case history when discussing a patient on farm.

Good stockperson skills contribute to stressfree handling of cattle and result in safer, calmer and more efficient handling.

Everyone involved with handling cattle needs to understand and recognise a cow’s flight zone (which varies in size depending on many factors including the attitude of the handler), and that the edge of that zone is the pressure point we use to make a cow move, using the cow’s shoulder as the major balance point. Stand in front of the shoulder and she will stop, stand behind it and she will move forward (not always!)

Also remember that cows walk more slowly than humans, so slow down when moving cattle.

Interestingly, a new product developed in the USA which claims to treat stress in cattle has just been launched in the UK. Stress has a damaging effect on the immune system, making the animal more vulnerable to disease.

This project could, for example, be used as an extra treatment for an individual animal undergoing a surgical procedure, or for a transport-stressed young calf recently removed from its mother, or severe respiratory distress with calf pneumonia, or a calf at weaning.

It is a synthetic analogue of the maternal bovine appeasing substance (MBAS) that is easily administered intranasally. This is a naturally occurring pheromone substance that is secreted by the skin of the mammary gland of lactating animals that calms the suckling calf and is now available for other animals. I wonder if some of the cross-sucking that we see in dairy cows is an addiction to stress-relieving MBAS or simply a cow signal for a stressed animal?

BILL PEPPER MRCVS BVSC CERTCHP

Cliffe Veterinary Group T: 01273 473232 E: bill.pepper@cliffevets.co.uk www.cliffefarm.co.uk

“ Since using Tracesure® Read The Full Story Here

fertility has improved, and both cows and calves are really healthy…

Owain Rees, Pembrokeshire, dairy farmer

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

57

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

01227 763939 furleypage.co.uk

THE LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS

OF FARM DIVERSIFICATION

By Sarah Jordan, landed estate lawyer and partner at top-100 law firm Moore Barlow.

58

When seeking to diversify your farm, there is a range of legal considerations you must take into account when drawing up and implementing your plans. Listed below are the most pressing concerns for any rural diversification scheme.

One of the first big hurdles that landowners seeking to diversify come up against is planning law. Planning is a major consideration, and it is important to check whether you need planning approval to pursue your objectives, or whether you can diversify without any consents from your local authority.

You must also always check your property’s title deeds and consult your lawyer to ensure that they don't restrict you in any way from implementing your plans.

It is not uncommon for property titles to contain covenants and obligations to prevent changes in use. Examples include restricting the conversion of private residential buildings to commercial business premises or preventing certain areas from being used to store trailers and caravans, making it impossible to use the land as a storage site or caravan park.

The question of funding is also a vital consideration. Although the Government has reduced the basic payment scheme (BPS) and is phasing de-linked payments out over the next three years, alternative sources of funding are available. A whole host of grants and schemes for environmentally focused rural businesses has been set up in recent years, and farms seeking to diversify are well advised to consult an agent to learn more about their potential options.

Another major factor in successfully diversifying is to have a clear understanding of who will be managing the diversification scheme and of any structural changes that might be needed.

Is the rural business set up in a partnership?

If so, have the partners established what their respective roles and responsibilities will be? Do they require new business entities to implement diversification? Is it necessary to set up a new business structure? It is crucial to have clarity at this ‘nuts and bolts’ level when embarking on any new rural business venture.

To answer these key questions and run a

Photo: Tony Skerl / Shutterstock.com

DECEMBER 2024 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

successfully diversified rural business, it can pay dividends to have a team of professional advisers in place to help you with establishing and then operating your commercial venture in the long term. Ideally, this team should include an accountant, buying agent, managing agent, banker, financial adviser and lawyer, all with relevant experience of the unique challenges and opportunities that come with a rural business venture.

As part of such a team, your legal adviser will draft and review legal contracts, advise on title deeds and planning law and provide guidance on business structure, to name but a few key aspects.

Although landowners will often consult a lawyer at a later stage in the diversification planning process, it can be a good idea to seek holistic legal advice from the outset, as lawyers with the relevant expertise are well placed to assess your current situation and your proposed diversification plans in the round. They can then help you to assemble your adviser team accordingly, giving you a greater chance of success in your new business venture.

LEGAL UPDATE

NAVIGATING THE AUTUMN BUDGET The 2024 autumn budget brought several changes that could impact South East farmers. Brachers law firm shares some latest insights to help farm businesses navigate these changes effectively.

EMPLOYMENT MATTERS AND WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT

The budget brings changes that will affect employment costs and regulations. Notably, the minimum wage will rise by 6.7% to £12.21 an hour for workers aged 21 and over and by 16.3% to £10 an hour for those aged 18 to 20.

This increase is significant for farmers who employ seasonal or full-time workers, as it will impact payroll expenses. Additionally, employer national insurance contributions will increase by 1.2 percentage points to 15% from April 2025, and the threshold at which an employer becomes liable to pay NICs on earnings will reduce from £9,100 to £5,000.

To manage these changes, we advise reviewing your current employment contracts and payroll systems to ensure you will be compliant when the new rates come into force.

Many agricultural businesses are considering implementing more efficient workforce management practices to optimise productivity and reduce costs as well as accelerating their automation plans. An employment lawyer can assist you in navigating these changes, ensuring compliance while maintaining a motivated and productive workforce.

relief (BPR) and agricultural property relief (APR) at 100% will, from April 2026, be limited to the first £1 million of qualifying assets. BPR and APR often eliminated any charge to IHT, but from April 2026 the reliefs will only halve, rather than eliminate any IHT. The effective rate of IHT on the value over £1m will therefore be 20%.

These changes will affect business owners and farmers in the main, but individuals who have taken advantage of BPR through investments in the AIM investment market may also wish to reconsider their position, given that the relief available on these investments has been significantly reduced.

It is important to note that even with the changes, BPR and APR still remain important and useful reliefs. Business owners, farmers and individuals should take advice on what their likely IHT exposure would be in the light of the changes, consider what action they may wish to take and when to take it.

PENSIONS

At the current time, accumulated pension funds usually pass free of inheritance tax.

However, the chancellor also announced that measures will be introduced to tax ‘unused’ pension funds on death, as well as death benefits payable from pension schemes. Those who have significant pension pots and are using them as a tax and estate planning tool should be assessing the new exposure to tax on death

and reviewing and changing any estate and tax-planning strategies where necessary.

SECOND HOME OWNERS

The budget has introduced a significant change for landlords with second homes.

The stamp duty surcharge on second homes will increase from 3% to 5%. This means that purchasing additional properties will become more expensive, potentially impacting your investment decisions. For example, on an average property priced at £371,958, this increase translates to an additional £7,439 in stamp duty.

Additionally, the forthcoming Renters’ Rights Bill aims to transform the private rental sector.

Key measures include abolishing Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, introducing periodic tenancies and limiting rent increases to one per year.

These changes are designed to provide greater security for tenants but will require landlords to adapt their management practices.

We recommend reviewing your property portfolio and considering the financial implications of these changes. Our team can help you navigate the new regulations and ensure that your rental properties remain compliant and profitable.

In summary, the 2024 budget presents both challenges and opportunities for farmers. By staying informed and taking timely legal advice, you can better navigate the new landscape.

SARAH GAINES

BUSINESSES AND FARMS

Head of Agriculture, Brachers LLP T: 01622 776446 E: sarahgaines@brachers.co.uk www.brachers.co.uk

The budget also brought significant changes to the inheritance tax (IHT) regime. The Government announced that business property

“Brachers has the personal touch, listening carefully to clients’ needs in a friendly, sensitive and helpful manner.”

Proud to be recognised for our agricultural expertise in leading directories, Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500 Maidstone | Canterbury www.brachers.co.uk

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

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L A M B E R TA N D F O S T E R . C O . U K

How does the Budget effect you?

On 30th October 2024, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in the Budget a number of key fiscal changes to both Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and Inheritance Tax (IHT).

NIL RATE BAND FROZEN UNTIL APRIL 2030

£500k

Effective immediately, the CGT rate on these assets paid by basic rate taxpayers of CGT will rise from 10% to 18% and from 20% to 24% for higher rate taxpayers.

SHARES + OTHER MIXED USE OR COMMERCIAL ASSETS

INHERITANCE TAX (IHT)

18% 24% BASIC RATE

£1.0M PER COUPLE

HIGHER RATE

The current tax-free thresholds will remain frozen until April 2030, maintaining the nil rate band at £325,000 and the residence nil rate band at £175,000, providing a £500,000 IHT allowance per person (or £1.0m per couple), subject to the residential element being passed onto a direct family member.

Additionally, from April 2027, inherited pensions will be included in the IHT calculation.

HOW CAN WE HELP? The time until these changes take effect provides an essential opportunity for strategic planning.

These changes highlight the necessity for accurate asset valuations, particularly for businesses and agricultural holdings which may exceed £1 million as the starting point for all tax planning discussions and strategy.

If you feel that this might be relevant to you, please contact the Lambert & Foster valuation team to discuss the various valuation options we can provide.

WEST KENT 01892 832 325 EAST KENT 01303 814 444

EAST SUSSEX 01435 873 999

RURAL PROFESSIONALS FOR OVER 120 YEARS

AGRICULTURAL PROPERTY RELIEF (APR) / BUSINESS PROPERTY RELIEF (BPR) Another crucial change pertains to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief, which will undergo a significant restructure starting from April 2026. These rates will be subject to consultation and therefore potential change in due course.

Only the first £1 million of the qualifying business and £1m agricultural assets combined will continue to attract full IHT relief at 100%.

For any value exceeding this threshold, there will be IHT relief at 50% for qualifying agricultural/ business assets, meaning an effective rate of IHT of 20%.

It should be noted that the £1 million exemption for business and agricultural assets will also be applicable to trusts that possess qualifying assets eligible for relief.

Telecom Mast Leases – worth a review?

If you have a mast on your property and are still under an existing fixed term agreement, it is highly likely that there will be an inflation linked rent review provision at 3 or 5 yearly intervals. If the rent hasn’t been reviewed or if rent reviews have been missed, there may be significant back rents that could be claimed.

We have had a great deal of success for retained clients on such negotiations, with back rents ranging from £10,000 to £45,000 agreed. It is critically important that the back rent position is considered before any new lease is signed, otherwise the opportunity will be lost.

If you would like a member of our rural professional team to review your lease, contact Jon Booth or Esther Goodhew on 01892 832 325.

50% IHT RELIEF

There will be no increase in CGT on residential properties (18% and 24%), however, the rates for shares and other mixed use or commercial assets will see an increase.

100% IHT RELIEF

CAPITAL GAINS TAX (CGT)

Wishing you a prosperous season ahead and a well-deserved Merry Christmas!

Please visit batchellermonkhouse.com

LAND AND FARMS SPONSORED BY BATCHELLER MONKHOUSE HASTINGS | EAST SUSSEX

APPROX 953.97 ACRES

GUIDE PRICE: S A WHOLE £10,340,000 OR IN FIVE LOTS

EXPANSIVE ARABLE AND GRASS FARM

A well-equipped expansive arable and grass farm with a farmhouse and annexe accommodation, as well as a range of farm buildings and fishing lakes, located within the High Weald Natural Landscape with far reaching views to the coast has come to the market with Batcheller Monkhouse.

Birchen Knoll Farm and adjoining land is a commercial mixed farm that has been farmed as a whole and extends to approximately 953.97 acres. The farm consists of suitable farmhouse accommodation with an adjoining annexe and two mobile homes located in the main farmyard. The land is mainly arable with 792.48 acres of grade 2 and 3 land. In addition, there are small areas of permanent pasture (73.21 acres) and 78.78 acres of woodland.

This provides a good-sized holding that will give any purchaser a sustainable sized farming unit with the potential to modernise the farming and diversify into alternative uses.

LOT 1: BIRCHEN KNOLL FARM

Birchen Knoll Farm is an equipped former mixed farm extending to 184.55 acres.

The property consists of a three bedroom farmhouse with a two bedroom annexe, two mobile homes and approximately 35,569 sq ft of farm buildings.

Birchen Knoll farmhouse and annexe was formerly a traditional brick, farm worker’s cottage. It has been extended to form 2,587 sq ft of accommodation over two floors. The annexe adjoins the main farmhouse and provides useful secondary accommodation.

The house has recently undergone some modernisation and provides a practical living space suitable for a working farm.

The land at Birchen Knoll Farm includes 102.73 acres of temporary grass leys, 59.70 acres permanent of pasture and 17.52 acres of woodland.

Much of the topography of the temporary grassland is gently rolling and was formerly

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

used for arable production. This land has now been included in a Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier agreement, meaning the land is now managed as legume and herb-rich swards. It has been used for the grazing of livestock and the making of forage.

LOT 2: LAND AT CHURCH FARM, GUESTLING

The land at Church Farm is a large block of predominately arable land. There is approximately 289.78 acres of arable land, 56.61 acres of woodland, consisting predominately of the ancient woodland known as Kitchen Wood, and 13.51 acres of permanent grassland.

The land has predominantly been used for conventional arable farming and benefits from large, easily-worked field parcels. More lately the land has been entered into a Mid-Tier agreement benefitting from the two-year legume fallow option.

LOT 3: LAND AT CADBOROUGH, RYE

The land at Cadborough extends to approximately 315.26 acres and is a large block of arable land located on the coastal flats to the west of Rye Harbour. The land has been used for conventional arable farming and maize production.

The land is intersected by the Hastings to

Rye railway line, and there is a gated farm crossing providing access to the north of the railway with clear visibility down the line.

LOT 4: LAND AT DOWNOAK FARM, WESTFIELD

The land at Downoak Farm consists of a ringfenced, single block of arable land with small woodland shaws. In total the land consists of 89.35 acres of which there is 84.7 acres of arable land and 4.65 acres woodland, ponds and track.

All of the land has been used for conventional arable farming, growing predominantly combinable crops.

LOT 5: BUILDINGS AT DOWNOAK FARM, WESTFIELD

The buildings at Downoak Farm consist of two farm buildings, most of which have now been redeveloped for residential or commercial uses. The site measures 0.57 acre and the buildings provide 4,800 sq ft of floor space.

The guide price as a whole is £10,340,000 or is available in lots: • Lot 1 - £2,900,000 • Lot 2 - £3,150,000 • Lot 3 - £3,300,000 • Lot 4 - £790,000 • Lot 5 - £200,000.

Contact: Charlotte Pearson-Wood MRICS FAAV or Emer Edwards MRICS 01892 509280

P O T

K C I P

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

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SO LD

Rolvenden Weald grass farm, house, buildings & pasture.

About 165 acres.

Guide £2,250,000

Pluckley Grade 2 top fruit and pasture.

About 153.20 acres.

Guide £1,350,000

SO

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Doddington Grass farm, farmhouse and farm buildings.

About 48.6 acres.

Guide £1,450,000

East Guldeford, Rye Detached farmhouse and land.

About 15.80 acres.

Wingham Nursery and market garden with farmhouse.

About 8.27 acres.

Guide £650,000

SO

Challock Group of farm buildings.

About 1.30 acres.

Small Hythe,Tenterden Arable and marsh pasture.

About 37.80 acres.

Bethersden Grass farm with farm buildings.

About 60.4 acres.

Guide £1,000,000

FO

Woodchurch Grass farm with Grade II listed farmhouse.

About 81.75 acres.

Guide £1,950,000

Sandhurst Grass and Livestock farm with bungalow.

About 59.65 acres.

Guide £1,475,000

R

R

SA

FO

Great Chart Well-stocked commercial fishing lake and land.

About 25.30 acres.

Guide £300,000

SA

A SA G L RE E ED

LE

Guide £300,000

LE

SO

LD Guide £275,000

LD

Guide £670,000

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LD

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Teynham Arable and grass farm, 2 dwellings.

309.50 acres.

Guide £3,350,000

LD

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Sale highlights of 2024

Contact a member of our agency team on a confidential basis: Sam Snart Director

Jon Rimmer Chairman

James Hickman Director

Matthew Sawdon Director

Vicky Hutton-Squire Director

01233 506260 Social icon

Rounded square Only use blue and/or white.

For more details check out our Brand Guidelines.

Farms and Land

Romney House | Monument Way | Orbital Park | Ashford | Kent TN24 0HB www.hobbsparker.co.uk

END OF YEAR PROPERTY REVIEW

POST BUDGET PAIN FOR THE LAND MARKET?

1,100,000

Hamstreet Arable land.

68 acres.

Guide £685,000

Alkham Pasture land.

19.5 acres.

Guide £180,000

A SA G L RE E ED

A SA G L RE E ED

A SA G L RE E ED

A SA G L RE E ED

• Court Lodge Farm, Doddington – a small driving the disposal of land by farming Farming is now at the centre of politics, grass farm on the North Downs with a businesses to pay IHT, which in turn would with the budget’s reductions in farmhouse, Kent barn, farm buildings bring more land to the market. agricultural property relief (APR) and and about 50 acres of pastureland. The For investors, IHT is a tax on individuals and business property relief (BPR) sending property sold as a whole with a guide price not on charities or investment funds. It is possible shockwaves through the industry. of £1,450,000. that, for a long-term investor, the impact of the There have been reports of purchasers • Surrenden Farmland, Pluckley – a block reforms is ignored to a certain degree. withdrawing from transactions and, of productive grade 2 arable land and top A significant shift in current supply and coupled with the increase in national fruit, sold as a whole for well in excess of possibly demand would impact land values, insurance and minimum wage and drastic the £1,350,000 guide price. and time will tell if that happens. Throughout cuts to delinked payments, there is now Where a more discreet marketing service the past decade we have been through Brexit, considerable uncertainty. is preferred, we have agreed a number of a reduction in farm support payments, higher On aNorthfleet positive note, our farms and land Hoath farmland in 3 lots.

AOC and land. a 100 acre thishouse year, including interest rates and higher energy costs, with agencyArable team has experienced one of its busiest off-market sales 3,175,000 acres.

10.55 Guide £1,000,000 equipped farm closeacres. to Ashford. none of these events, to date, having had a years, 160 a trend seen across the country. Guide £1,275,000 significant impact on land values.

Despite the uptick in supply, values so far Land still remains a good investment have remained resilient against higher lending LOOKING AHEAD… opportunity, with demand now coming from a rates, volatile commodity prices and the loss of Existing inheritance tax (IHT) reliefs have wide range of uses (renewables, development, basic payments income. helped to prevent the sale or break up of a farm nature recovery, biodiversity net gain, nutrient As budget day approached, all hands were business to finance tax liabilities, and farming neutrality and carbon offsetting to name but on deck to push through transactions swiftly businesses have relied upon these reliefs to a few) in addition to the traditional farming to avoid potential changes to capital gains survive. APR has been seen as one of the many activities. tax, which on reflection were not as drastic advantages of owning farmland, so a change In an uncertain and volatile market, careful as feared. Sale highlights this year included: in the reliefs will inevitably have some impact. planning and taking specialist advice will be • Little Frognall Farm, Teynham – a 300 acre Having said that, rollover remains (for now). crucial to achieving a successful outcome. For mixed farm close to the Swale Estuary Ahead of the Finance Bill and any Treasury Challock Dymchurch further confidential advice on how the budget comprising farmhouse, separate bungalow, response to lobbying, it is too early to establish Useful farm building with potential.

Arable land. may impact on your future business and 1,000,000 buildings, mostly grade 1 arable land andGuide what £325,000 22 proposals acres.

Guide £225,000 impact the will have on the property, please speak to us. permanent pasture. The guide price was land market. There are reports that the £3,350,000.

Government may support older generation n a confidential basis: • Land at Wilmington, Dartford – productive farmers with transition reliefs where options grade 2 and 3 arable land within the for tax mitigation are limited due to their age. es Hickman T: 01233 506 201 M25 sold as a whole with a guide price of The delayed implementation until 2026 will ctor www.hobbsparker.co.uk £3,175,000 to £3,3250,000. enable businesses to review their structure to • Little Forsham Farm and Little Thornden mitigate impacts. Our valuation team is actively Farms and Land Snart Farm at Rolvenden – a 165 acre grass farm involved with clients and their accountants and ctor | Ashford situated in the High Weald with a five House |solicitors in providing valuationPark advice.

Please | Kent TN24 0HB Romney Monument Way | Orbital JAMES HICKMAN bedroom farmhouse, buildings, stabling do get in touch if we can be of assistance.

Director and 165 acres of pastureland. The farm Sales activity is likely to be affected, at E: james.hickman@hobbsparker.co.uk was sold in two lots well in excess of the least in the short term, until there is a wider £2,250,000 guide price. understanding of the impacts and a balance RIMMER 16/11/2023 JON 09:27:29 • Hazells, Durndale and Wingfield Bank established between the supply and demand Group Chairman Farms, Northfleet – a block of grade 2 for farms and land. We could see less land for E: jon.rimmer@hobbsparker.co.uk arable farmland adjacent to the A2 sold well sale on the open market in the short term. in excess of the £1,275,000 guide price.

The proposals are widely seen as potentially SAM SNART

01233 506201

Director

E: sam.snart@hobbsparker.co.uk

MATTHEW SAWDON Director

E: matthew.sawdon@hobbsparker.co.uk

VICKY HUTTON-SQUIRE Sold: Mixed arable and grassland farm – 310 acres TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

Director

E: vicky.phillips@hobbsparker.co.uk

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

63

END OF YEAR PROPERTY REVIEW

BUDGET BLUES DO NOT DETRACT

FROM PRODUCTIVE YEAR With the recent press dominated by the first Labour budget for 14 years and the unfriendly farmer content, it is easy to forget what a busy year it has been for our agency team, with deals on and ‘off market’ and the vast variety of professional work that is ever changing, particularly in the South East.

From a land sales perspective we have been busy and, notably, have had almost £13,000,000 of sales completed ‘off market’ over the past 12 months. These ranged throughout the sectors to include an East Kent fruit farm and an all-encompassing Wealden arable unit as well as bare arable and pasture land sales across Kent and East Sussex. They were acquired by a wide variety of purchasers in the frantically evolving market of the South East.

It is noticeable that more clients are enquiring about a discreet ‘off market’ approach when making big decisions about the future of their property.

In terms of ‘open market’ sales, the largest land parcels that we have sold include 1,300 acres of Lincolnshire arable land and buildings which was offered in four lots and sold in excess of the guide price of £13,000,000 to a non-farming purchaser. In addition, we had success on the Isle of Sheppey with the sale of a 365-acre unit with yard and buildings that again sold in excess of the guide price of £3,995,000, to farming purchasers.

Away from the larger arable units, there continues to be a demand for woodland. We have successfully sold an 83-acre parcel in West Kent for in excess of £6,900 per acre and a smaller parcel of 37 acres in the Weald of Kent for just north of £6,500 per acre.

With interest rates peaking at 5.25% over the past 12 to 18 months, although notably coming down more recently, this has caused the country house market with any significant residential element to noticeably slow up. We are, however, lucky to deal with properties that have many strings to their bows and have had success across the county, including a small farm near Meopham that extended to 25 acres with buildings and an agriculturally

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

tied bungalow which sold for in excess of the £1,250,000 guide price.

Further equestrian type properties sold included one in Hodsoll Street with a significant livery unit set up and 50 acres, which completed for £1,850,000, and a kennel and livery business in South Darenth with cottage, buildings, yards and land extending to 45 acres which completed for £1,725,000.

On the smaller scale, we have seen a downturn in self-build development projects coming to the market. This is understandable due to increased build costs and interest rates.

However, at the right price and maintaining realistic and reasonable values, we have found there can still be good interest, especially in the right location.

A building plot in Leigh that we sold in October this year is a perfect example. This sold to a cash buyer in excess of the guide price of £720,000 within two weeks of launching and with significant interest from further parties in cash positions.

Our agency team of Richard Thomas, Alex Cornwallis and Millie Palmer-Pilc remain positive for the coming months, with a range of properties coming to the market before Christmas and into the new year. Regular updates are available on our website www.btfpartnership.co.uk and social media platforms.

On the professional front, the wide range of work we undertake continues to stream in, with a variety of needs throughout the South East. Our renewables team, headed

by Laura Nesfield and Jack Sadler, has seen a significant increase in demand for new projects throughout the South East, which will help towards the Government’s renewable energy targets for 2030.

The position is not always as it seems, however. Battery storage targets are currently set at 27.4 GW by 2030 (Clean Power 2030 Plan produced by NESO (National Energy System Operator)). However, there is currently circa 140 GW in the grid connection queue. This means that we are four-and-ahalf times oversubscribed, so those clients

that were hoping for a battery windfall may well be disappointed.

Solar, on the other hand, is undersubscribed, with an existing capacity of 15 GW and 47.4 GW needed by 2030. There is a significant gap to bridge over the coming years, with opportunities for farmers and landowners throughout the South East.

As well as the above, BTF Partnership specialises in professional work that encompasses valuation, compulsory purchase and compensation, development, employment and HR advice, grants and subsidies, landlord and tenant work, natural capital, planning, estate management, telecoms, viticulture and property acquisitions.

Please contact our experienced team of surveyors and agricultural valuers if you have any questions or a project that you feel may require our assistance. We have offices in Challock, Heathfield and Canterbury.

RICHARD THOMAS

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

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

65

Farmland market update What impact the inheritance tax changes might have on the farmland market is something that is generating lots of debate. Land values are currently at historically high levels, with the average value of arable land in England at £11,000/acre and the average value of pasture land at £9,300/acre. More than two-thirds of arable land sold so far this year has achieved a price above £10,000/acre.

FOR FOR A A FREE FREE MARKET MARKET AVAILABLE

The announcement about changes to the IHT regime has caused a level of uncertainty, but to date we are not seeing signs of deals agreed before the Budget stalling and continue to receive offers for land that is currently on the market.

One of the reasons stated by the Government for the IHT changes is to deter non-farmers buying farmland to benefit from its tax status. Our data points to nonfarmers – who are a mix of private and institutional investors and lifestyle buyers – accounting for 56% of sales in 2023 and high levels again in 2024. In the South-East, they have certainly been driving significant activity, making the region one of the most competitive in the country.

However, in our experience the motivations for nonfarmers buying land are very varied. IHT reliefs are not the reason people buy farmland – there can be lots of reasons. In the South-East, strong transport links and economic opportunities attract a diverse pool of buyers, including those looking to invest in land for investment, environmental, or lifestyle purposes. Meanwhile, smaller parcels of bare land, especially those bordering existing holdings, are still highly sought-after by neighbouring farmers.

It is too early to predict the possible impact on supply. The volume of land available has risen this year, with 86,200 acres publicly marketed nationally by the end of September 2024 - the second-highest figure in a decade. If farming businesses need to sell land to pay for IHT liabilities, then this could bring more land to the market, although the amount coming forward in any one year is still likely to be relatively limited. This may particularly be the case as people start to understand the ways to mitigate the impact of this new tax liability.

Overall, our feeling is that there are some incredibly popular areas of the country where the land market has been very strong and is likely to continue to do so. There are other parts of the country dominated by farmer buyers, who tend to be more cautious because they are dependent on the income that can be derived from the land. In these parts of the world, there may be some downward pressure, but we are not anticipating significant changes.

Whether you are buying or selling, our expert team is here to help you make informed decisions in this evolving market. Please do get in touch.

Kent, Molash Guide Price £4,650,000 A superb rural investment opportunity on the North Kent Downs, Grade II listed farmhouse, two sets of farm buildings, about 608 acres of Grade 2 and 3 arable land let on an Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 tenancy.

About 614 acres

UNDER OFFER

Kent, Linton Guide Price £850,000 An accessible parcel of arable land with a block of mixed woodland at its heart.

About 96 acres

Selling land & farms successfully across the South East

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APPRAISAL, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL SPECIALIST. AVAILABLE

UNDER OFFER

East Sussex, Etchingham Guide Price £4,925,000

Kent, Selling Guide Price £950,000

A traditional residential livestock farm with a Grade II listed farmhouse, a recently converted barn, two semi-detached cottages, range of farm buildings, farmland, parcels of woodland, and an established vineyard.

An attractive parcel of grade 2 arable land and pasture with viticulture potential.

About 89 acres

About 213 acres

AVAILABLE

SOLD

East Sussex, Herstmonceux Guide Price £850,000

West Sussex, The Haven Guide Price £1,750,000

An accessible and well located block of grazing marsh of environmental interest on the edge of the Pevensey Levels.

A commercial vineyard coming into prime production protected by hedging with a newly built winery and surrounding pasture.

About 170 acres

About 38 acres

Will Whittaker

Liza Howden

National Estates & Farm Agency 020 7318 5166 will.whittaker@ struttandparker.com

South East Estates & Farm Agency 020 7591 2214 liza.howden@ struttandparker.com

END OF YEAR PROPERTY REVIEW

INCREASING ACTIVITY IN THE FARMLAND MARKET The farmland market has been at its most active since 2018 so far this year, with 23% more farms coming to the market in the South East of England, according to the latest research from Savills.

By the end of September 2024, 18,700 acres had come to the market in the region, compared to 15,200 during the same period in 2023.

The increase across the South East tallies with the national picture.

Across Great Britain, 169,000 acres of farmland on 864 holdings had been marketed by the end of September. This is 30,200 acres, or 21% more, than in the equivalent period of 2023, and 15% above the average for 2012 to 2016 (our pre-Brexit comparator).

In all the regions of England, the supply during the first three quarters of the year exceeds the Q1-3 average for 2012 to 2016. It is significantly elevated in regions with an arable and livestock focus, so there is a more active market for all farm types.

FARMLAND VALUES

68

Nationally, the growth rate in average farmland values has cooled; on average, farmland values in Great Britain increased by 0.6% in the 12 months to the end of September 2024.

However, values have grown more over the past year in the South East (1.6%) and the South West (4.8%), where demand for commercial-scale units is exceeding supply and interest from non-farmers and amenity buyers is also stronger. Farms with easier-to-manage soils over chalk are proving popular and have drawn some rollover buyers from further north.

During the first nine months of this year, the average value of prime arable land in the South East rose by 1% to £10,800 per acre. This compares to the average for Great Britain of £10,100 per acre for the same period.

Chris Spofforth, of Savills rural agency team in the South East, said: “In the South East, deals are being done for properties of all sizes as market activity recovers from its post-Brexit and pandemic era lows.

Looking forward, the increasing likelihood of base rate cuts a little further down the line and improving commodity prices will influence buyers' and sellers' decisions.

“In terms of the impact of the budget on the land market, the assumption is that the benefit of investing in land due to the tax reliefs has been diminished and therefore this will have some impact on land values, but we should reserve judgement until more detail has been released and the options explored, when we will better understand the tax relief options to ensure land remains a tax efficient investment.

Additionally, with the range of demands from land, we will continue to see a range of purchaser types in the market who will have their own reasons for investing in land, notwithstanding the tax benefit “Land as an asset class remains a good investment opportunity as a hedge against inflation. It is in demand and vital to the Government in achieving many targets e.g. environmental, development, energy and food production, and the tax treatment remains more favourable compared to some other asset classes.”

Wrotham, Kent – 102 acres

CHRIS SPOFFORTH

Savills South East Farm Agency T: 07812 965379 E: cspofforth@savills.com www.savills.co.uk DECEMBER 2024 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

LEGAL

THE IMPORTANCE OF FORMALLY

DOCUMENTING A TENANT’S OCCUPATION OF PROPERTY The handshake has historically been used to establish mutual trust and commitment to seal long-term deals and agreements between parties. The justification for doing so is often because a formal, written contract is seen as a costly, unnecessary step.

Many landowners, however, are not aware of the full extent of the risks involved when relying on a handshake, and the negative impact this could have on their property or business. This article will explain the importance of a written, legally binding contract by focusing on the hypothetical scenario of leasing a barn for farming practices.

By failing to document agreements properly and relying on a verbal promise alone, there is no certainty of the terms upon which a tenant occupies a property. This means that there could be a genuine misunderstanding or difference of opinion in terms of what was agreed between the parties from the outset in relation to the occupation. For example, in the case of the occupation of the barn, the following terms may be left unclear: • How much rent is due to the landlord • What the insurance rent will be • Whether or not any service charge will be payable • When these payments need to be made

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

• The tenant’s repair obligations • Whether or not the rent will be subject to review and, if so, how the reviewed rent will be calculated • Whether the tenant will benefit from security of tenure or the lease will be excluded from the protection of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 • When the landlord will be allowed to re-enter the barn and forfeit the lease.

The lack of a written, signed and dated lease to refer to when issues arise will potentially cause disagreement and may lead to professional dispute resolution being required.

The litigation process is often lengthy and costly; far more than the cost of appointing a lawyer to draft, negotiate and complete a lease.

Given the complexity of leasing and occupying land, it is of paramount importance that the terms are specific and clear for all parties. Ideally, when instructing a lawyer to prepare a lease or approve a lease, detailed Heads of Terms should have been agreed between the parties to ensure that these can be incorporated into the lease.

In summary, a formal, written lease is highly recommended. If necessary, a Deed of Variation can be completed between the parties during the lifetime of the lease should a

revision of terms be agreed.

If you require assistance with preparing and completing an appropriate lease as the landlord of a property, or need advice as a tenant hoping to enter into a lease with a landlord, a member of the Whitehead Monckton team would be happy to help.

KAYLEIGH IRELAND

Senior Associate Legal Executive Commercial Property Specialist T: 01622 698064 E: kayleighireland@wmlaw.uk www.whitehead-monckton.co.uk

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

69

CLASSIFIEDS

CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION

Industrial & Commercial | Structural Steelwork | Agricultural & Equestrian

G. J. ELGAR

CONSTRUCTION Ltd

Shufflebottom Agricultural Buildings Steel-frame buildings for your farm

70

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

G.E.WHITE Based in Lewes, & SONS Ltd

East Sussex

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CLASSIFIEDS

CONSTRUCTION d te Ra

southernsheeting.co.uk

nt lle ce Ex

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CONSTRUCTION

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J D RICHMOND & SON LTD

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Industrial Commercial Agricultural We are a Hampshire-based family run company specialising in the refurbishment, renovation, alteration and upgrade to the external envelope of buildings within the industrial, commercial and agricultural sectors.

Our services

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CONSTRUCTION

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CONTRACTORS

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73

CLASSIFIEDS

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Redhill Farm Services: Fencing Division

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LEAF

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PROPERTY

C H U R C H I L L 74

For >1500m fencing to artic accessible locations with unloading capability. Due to temporarily available haulage capacity.

LEAF

CWP fenci f n ng

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telephone 01303 233883

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S Sm miitthhss ooff tthhee FFoorreesstt ooff D Deeaann The The Tank Tank and and Drum Drum Experts Experts

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Visit Visit www.smdd.co.uk www.smdd.co.uk or or call call 01594 01594 833308 833308

CROSSWORD ®

VINEYARDS

COMPLETE OUR CROSSWORD TO WIN One bottle of Pinot Reserve and one bottle of Ortega

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ACROSS

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Wisdom (9) Set amount of medication (4) Piece of machinery (8) Bed with base and mattress only (5) Oddity (7) Autumn visitors (bird) (5,5,4) Scotch ------, hot chilli (6) Cooked in very hot water (6) Apprentice (7) Matured (4) Agreed (9) A person who designs and builds machines, structures etc (8) 25 Sharpened side of a blade (4)

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Crossword by Rebecca Farmer, Broadstairs, Kent

PRIZE ANAGRAM: Agricultural agreement (4,8,7)

Franz -----, novelist (5) Village in Faversham, famous for its old gunpowder works (4) Text speak meaning something is humorous (3) Excuse in court (7) Occurring seven days a week (5) Coastal bird (7) The long hair on a horse (4) Right, correct (4) Cattle breed (9) Continuous drops of water falling from a tap (4) Used in tennis (3) Animals within a species having a distinctive appearance (5) Ovum (3) Guidance or recommendations (6) Rule as King or Queen (5) Measured in degrees (5)

To enter, simply unscramble the

anagram (9) 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 16 December The winner will be announced in the January edition.

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

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LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS: 1

P

VINEYARDS

Just in time for Christmas, we are offering readers the chance to win one bottle of Pinot Reserve and one bottle of Ortega. For more information about the vineyards, please visit www.biddendenvineyards.com or call 01580 291726. *Subject to availability

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Correct answer: Pendragon LAST MONTH’S WINNER: Claire Fargeot from Frith End, Hampshire

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | DECEMBER 2024

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