Farming Western Daily Press 02 October 2013

Farmland could prove the next target for City investors Page 4

AWB abolition is ‘vindictive’ The trade union for farm workers has labelled the abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board (AWB) this month as “vindictive”.

Farm workers throughout the West Country may be affected by the ending of the AWB, which was originally founded to fix minimum wages in the wake of the Second World War. But Unite, the country’s largest union, pledged it would continue to offer support and advice to its members: “facing fraught pay negotiations with

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Producers must churn to China

Yesterday marked the first day of the pheasant shooting season. But with the weather still mild and most trees in full leaf it will be a few weeks yet before most of the smaller syndicate shoots in our region organise their first shoot and pheasant returns to the menu in homes across the South West PICTURE: FRAN STOTHARD

Losing on every litre Dairy farmers lose 1p per litre with perfect storm of disastrous weather and static prices

BY SIMON COPP simon.copp@b-nm.co.uk Dairy farmers lost more than a penny on every litre of milk produced last year, as costs outpaced milk price increases by more than six times.

A report published on the eve of one of the industry’s showpiece events by accountancy firm Old Mill shows that average costs of production increased by 3.69p/litre in the year to March 2013, to 38.02p/

Even the most profitable farms have lost out in the past year

litre. But the corresponding milk price only rose by 0.6p/ litre, leading to an average 1.12p/litre loss.

“Last year was an annus horribilis for milk producers, with the perfect storm of high feed costs, awful weather and the usual lag in milk buyers responding with better prices,” said Old Mill director Pat Tomlinson.

The exceptional weather meant milk yields on identical farms fell by nearly 500 litres

per cow, to average 7,145 litres.

Despite herd sizes increasing by two cows, to 197, overall milk production fell by more than 72,000 litres. With generally poorer quality forage and cows having to be fed more during the prolonged housing period, feed costs jumped by 2.12p/litre, totalling 11.27p of the overall production costs.

“While these figures are not altogether surprising, given the challenging weather, it is interesting to note that the

actual milk prices received barely increased on the year, despite all the announcements on higher standard litre prices,” said Mr Tomlinson.

“It can only be assumed that this was because of poor milk quality due to lower quality forage; higher spring volumes being sold at pre-increase prices; and perhaps some volume and seasonality bonuses being missed.

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China has moved up to join the top ten markets for UK food and drink exports, as Owen Paterson reiterated the need for farmers to embrace markets worldwide to capitalise on some of the world’s best produce.

Speaking at the Conservative Party conference in Blackpool, days before he travels to COlogne for the world’s biggest food and drink fair, he highlighted the success so far.

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Brian May back in the cull zone Queen guitarist and anti-cull activist Brian May visited West Somerset as the badger cull in the area entered its final days.

It was the second visit of the rock legend and high-profile opponent to one of the two pilot cull areas.

May, who is a member of the Team Badger campaign, spent yesterday speaking to protesters, who have been keeping a vigil since the culls began. Last night, he planned to join activists on the regular “wounded badger patrol”.

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Chris Rundle and Richard Haddock on the state of dairying Pages 3&5

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Farming

2 FARMING WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 2 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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China at top table of UK food exports

BY SIMON COPP simon.copp@b-nm.co.uk The Government is banging the drum for UK produce on the world stage, with Russia and China touted as key markets by Environment Secretary Owen Paterson.

With five days to go before the Anuga food and drink fair – the world’s largest – in Cologne, he reiterated the importance of overseas markets in growing the sector, which represents Britain’s largest manufacturing sector.

He told the Conservative

Owen Paterson will be championing British food at the Anuga world fair

126%

Increase in food exports from the UK to China in six months Party conference: “As we seek to turn around the rural economy, one of the most important sectors is food and drink.

The wider sector supports 3.7 million jobs and contributes nearly £100 billion a year to the UK economy.

“Last year, UK food and drink exports were worth £18.2 billion. We’ve been working hard to ensure that food and drink businesses are able to capitalise on the growing global demand for high quality and easily traceable British food. That’s why we’ve been abroad banging the drum for British products, opening up overseas markets, helping our

hardworking producers compete in the global race.”

Mr Paterson cited missions by himself and Farming Minister David Heath, MP for Somerton and Frome, in bringing British produce to the attention of global markets, in particular claiming credit for the export of pig offal to China.

He said the market for British pork in China had risen by 591 per cent in the first six months of this year. Food exports from the UK to China have now passed £100 million, rising by 126 per cent in those six months, putting it in the UK’s top ten food markets for the first time.

Mr Paterson also announced a three-year, £100 million deal with Russia, which has lifted its 18-year ban on British beef and lamb.

As well as China making its way to tenth position in UK export markets, figures from the Food and Drink Federation last week showed increases to countries outside the EU. However, with the exception of China and the US, European countries remain the biggest markets, with Ireland leading.

In good news for South West exporters, some of whom will be present at Anuga, meat and dairy exports grew by 5.2 and 7.2 per cent respectively.

Arable farmers fared less well, with the disastrous weather leading to a fall in exports of 53.3 per cent for cereals and 36.6 per cent for grain.

The figures also showed a growing trade deficit, from £11.1 billion in 2012 to £12.4 billion in 2013, a trend that Mr Paterson vowed to tackle.

“It’s not just about promoting exports. We need to make a significant dent in the 22 per cent of food that’s imported but could be produced here,” he said. “We start from the position of trusting farmers and are determined to move towards a system of ‘earned recognition’ for those who do the right thing.”

A British tea producer has welcomed a Chinese trade delegation that wants to export it back home. The Chinese Embassy's trade minister visited Cornwall to view the business opportunities on offer. Zhou Xiaoming, Chinese economic and commercial minister and councillor, led a delegation of five from the embassy on a two-day tour. They visited Tregothnan, home to the UK's only tea plantations, to taste the famous tea with the view of shipping it over to China, the birthplace of the much-loved hot drink

Minister promises not to ‘walk away’ from tough decisions over bovine TB Labour have “allowed” tuberculosis in cattle to ravage the South West, Owen Paterson has said, as he promised not to walk away from the problem.

In his speech to the Conservative Party conference, Mr Paterson said that on Labour’s watch the disease in cattle saw the number of herd breakdowns in Britain triple and the number of cattle slaughtered increase six-fold.

The Conservatives in opposition called for Labour to sanction a cull of badgers, which are said to spread the disease.

Labour refused, but the policy has been introduced by the coalition and two pilot culls are

David Cameron has insisted the Government will stick with culling

taking place in Somerset and Gloucestershire.

Mr Paterson said while there was a “great deal of agreement between the political parties in the 1960s and 1970s” to effectively beat the disease, he said as bovine TB “has become politicised our grip on this disease has weakened”.

He told delegates: “However difficult the choices ahead, we must not repeat Labour’s failed policy of doing nothing – a policy they continue to promulgate today. This Government will not walk away from the tough decisions that are required to eradicate this devastating disease.”

His comments chime with David Cameron’s after he said last week the Government would stick with culling despite fears that it risks failing. It has been suggested not enough badgers are being shot to be successful.

While not offering comments on the success of the pilots, Mr Paterson said culls in Gloucestershire and Somerset had taken place “in difficult terrain and weather, and often in the face of intimidation by a small minority who are determined to stop this disease control policy”.

And he reaffirmed his belief that culling has helped else-

where. “The Republic of Ireland, where badgers are now culled, has seen TB infection levels fall by more than 45 per cent since 2000,” the minister said. “They are slaughtering close to half the cattle they needed to ten years ago.”

Meanwhile, Mr Paterson has claimed there would be advantages to climate change – including fewer people dying of cold in winter and the growth of certain crops further north.

The Environment Secretary told a fringe meeting that increases in temperature predicted by a United Nations report should not be seen as entirely negative.

At an RSPB event, the Guardian reported Mr Paterson saying: “Remember that for humans, the biggest cause of death is cold in winter, far bigger than heat in summer. It would also lead to longer growing seasons and you could extend growing a little further north into some colder areas.

“I actually see this report as something we need to take seriously, but I am rather relieved that it is not as catastrophic in its forecast as we had been led to believe early on, and what it is saying is something we can adapt to over time and we are very good as a race at adapting.”

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Lib Dems’ tax plans would deliver another KO punch The perceived improvement in the British economy is being mirrored on farms, but that could unravel if the Lib Debs ever get their way and start taxing land and buildings, says Devon farmer and Churston Farm Shop owner Richard Haddock, chairman of the Conservative Rural Affairs Group Anyone who has been struggling to cope with the aftershocks of the banking collapse and the economic crisis it sparked would have been heartened by the Chancellor’s message to the Conservative conference.

George Osborne’s “steady as she goes” speech put me in mind of Churchill’s observation after the Battle of Britain: that it was not the beginning of the end but quite possibly the end of the beginning.

There is some room for optimism – he didn’t mention the phrase “green shoots”, which has come to stand for “false dawn” after John Major overemployed it. And while some of his more ambitious targets may seem very distant indeed at the moment, there is plenty of evidence from the economy that the country is getting back on its feet after having suffered a knockout punch.

The same, I am happy to say, goes for farming. I detect a definitely cheerier mood than I did a year ago. But the industry is still in a fragile state.

Beef prices have risen and are remaining firm, but only in many cases because of shortness of supply. Lamb is holding up well, with signs that consumers’ slightly improved spending power is enabling them to find a little extra to pay for a product they now realise is vastly superior to anything arriving from New Zealand.

Cereal growers will have made up much, if not all, of the ground they lost to the weather last year and while they may not be contemplating record yields, they can certainly relax a little. And the same goes for fruit and vegetable growers, right down to the cider sector.

We still have to sort out the problem of TB, but the Government has proved it is determined to start putting right the effects of 13 years of neglect

by Labour and is attacking the issue head-on.

But perhaps it’s this picture of the sun starting to shine

‘It’s an old “tax the wealthy” measure straight out of the socialist handbook’ more brightly on British agriculture that has prompted the Lib Dems to call for agricultural land and buildings and forestry land to be taxed.

It’s an old “tax the wealthy” measure straight out of the socialist handbook. But it’s a policy that could only be advanced by a party whose knowledge of the countryside and

rural issues is almost as limited as Labour’s.

The Lib Dems, from their position of near-ignorance, seem to think that farms run themselves. Thanks to Gregg Wallace’s excellent Harvest television series, millions more Britons now recognise the reality: that being a farmer is no sinecure. It is all about skill, knowledge, dedication and sheer hard graft – and occasionally heartbreak.

Fortunately, the other half of the coalition realises that and acknowledges that farms are the backbone of the rural economy. We are the driver that keeps the cogs turning, feeds money into thousands of small businesses, provides employment, keeps the place looking smart for tourists so they come and spend their money.

Perhaps it’s the single payment that the Lib Dems object to. Perhaps they view it as money for old rope. What they cannot grasp is that without it many, many farmers’ balance sheets would be written in an even deeper shade of red than they are now because of the super markets’ desire to persuade shoppers that food can still be produced cheaply.

I remember some misguided NFU official who had never picked up a shovel in his life suggesting when the single farm payment arrived that farmers should not include it in their balance sheets but set it aside in some kind of rainy day fund. Supermarkets, he said, would soon realise that with the abolition of direct food subsidies farmers would need to get more for their produce and prices would automatically rise. I and the rest of the industry are still waiting for this wonderful philosophy to become reality.

Farming is already carrying enough of a financial burden.

The costs of running a farm are enormous.

Tax the cash cow of the rural economy and the whole of the countryside would be thrown out of kilter. Jobs would go, enterprises would be downsized, farmers who have never made much of a profit would simply walk away from the industry at the thought of being forced into the red.

The industry would be knocked to the canvas again.

And this time there would be no guarantee it would ever manage to get up.

Call for rent cut to aid phone growth Landowners have been urged to slash rents and allow a massive expansion of mobile phone masts in rural areas to end the blight of poor coverage in the countryside.

Media Minister Ed Vaizey told an event at the Conservative Party conference that mobile signals will “improve significantly” as the next generation 4G network is rolled out. But he challenged farmers to charge a “reasonable” rent to help them expand coverage.

“I can’t deliver you instant good news now in 2013, but I hope if we meet again in 2014, or dare I say in 2015, you will find the coverage is significantly improved,” he said.

Somerset, Wiltshire and Devon have among the most mobile “not-spots”, according to official figures.

Mr Vaizey declined to pledge more money from the Government at present, but left the door open for extra funds after the sell-off of the 4G network – the next generation connection hailed as the single

‘I expect 4G to solve an enormous amount of rural problems’ Ed Vaizey biggest infrastructure improvement since the railways.

He said: “Let’s see how the roll-out (of 4G) goes and then we are in a position where we have technology that is going to be in place for ten years we can identify where

intervention is necessary.”

The MP also blamed lack of investment on the huge costs paid by mobile phone companies when the 3G network went up for auction in 2003.

Mr Vaizey said: “The mobile operators paid a hell of a lot of money for 3G at the auction in 2003, so they haven’t had the power to invest as much as they would like to.

“The 4G auction was much more realistically priced. I expect 4G to solve an enormous amount of the problems you are experiencing in rural areas, albeit over a period of two years.”

Kip Meek, director of mobile phone giant Everything Everywhere, asked for regulation to stop landlords from being “unreasonable” in extracting rent from phone firms.

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AWB abolition an assault, says workers’ union

Auction system proves its worth as prices soar

FROM PAGE 1

A 34 per cent rise in wool prices and a six-fold uplift in the volume sold, compared with the same point in 2012, are a signal of the benefits sheep farmers gain from selling their wool through the British Wool Marketing Board, it has been claimed.

Speaking after the latest sale, which saw the indicator price settle at 153p per kilo – up from 114p at the same sale last year – BWMB communications manager Gareth Jones said the increases in price and volume sold were a direct result of competitive bidding.

He said: “There is no doubt that without the auction system prices wouldn’t have risen to the levels they are at now and clearance rates would also be lower. The competitive element of the auction system is a tried and tested way of delivering the best-possible prices for farmers.”

The sales season may just be six sales old, but Mr Jones was confident that better prices and higher demand were here to stay for the remainder of the sales season.

“We started to see an uplift in demand at the last few sales of the 2012 selling season and this has continued into the new season,” he said. “And a falling global wool supply coupled with a resurgence in demand has helped boost trade.”

Prices seen in the first six sales of the selling season were ahead of the guide prices BWMB issued ahead of the sales. Many breed types easily exceeded the guide price.

Mr Jones said the UK’s 2013 clip was estimated to be about 10 per cent lower than the 2012 clip, which would also help stimulate demand and prices.

their employers for the first time”. The union has set up a Wages Watch to monitor pay and employment conditions.

Many farmers and landowners, though, have welcomed the move, saying the AWB was an unnecessary relic and minimum wages were protected already.

The AWB set minimum pay and conditions for about 140,000 farm workers nationally and provided a benchmark for thousands more, including estate workers and equestrian staff.

Unite is advising workers to

‘Our members in are facing a vindictive assault on their pay’ Julia Long, Unite know their rights. Julia Long, Unite’s national officer for agricultural workers, said: “Our members in low-paid rural industries are facing a vindictive assault on their pay and conditions from a multi-million pound industry backed by a coalition government of millionaires.”

But Mel Squires, South West regional director of the NFU, said: “This finally sees agriculture on par with other sectors. Employers will be free to engage new workers on terms that comply with wider employment legislation.”

Leanne Love sitting on a giant teddy bear built for a scarecrow festival that was set on fire in an arson attack in Staffordshire. It is believed the imposing sculpture, made from two tonnes of hay, was deliberately set alight on Sunday evening. It had been one of the star attractions at the weekend’s Scarecrow Festival in the pretty village of Pattingham. It took a fire crew over an hour to extinguish the blaze – amid fears it would spread across the rest of the field where the bear stood. On Monday morning, only a blackened patch of grass remained

Buyers to get more choosy over farmland

BY KEITH HURSTHOUSE wdnews@b-nm.co.uk The farmland market is expected to become “increasingly polarised”, with buyers more selective over what they are prepared to purchase, according to a new report.

There is expected to be sustained demand and higher values for larger parcels of good-quality, well-located land – especially those offering modern commercial facilities.

But lower quality land is expected to experience falls in value before finding buyers.

These are the conclusions reached in the new Chesterton Humberts Agricultural and Rural Land and Estates Survey.

The survey predicted an annual growth rate of 5 per cent for estates and although there remains the possibility that land prices might be af-

fected by struggling farm operators selling up, most farmers are expected to hold on to their land in the hope of improved market conditions.

The market is still seeing a shortage of available land for sale and the after-effects of severe weather over the past few years. In 2012, the average rainfall was 21.5 per cent higher than the average annual figure between 1950 and 2012, while in 2010 average rainfall was 13.2 per cent below the long-term average.

This has led to farmers rethinking their operational strategy in order to reduce debt and in some cases has seen them selling up or seriously contemplating doing so while land values remain strong.

The report adds: “Going forward, much depends on the attitude of the banks, which has so far been generally supportive. However, there are

signs that some lenders are taking a closer look at the quality of their loan books.

“While there is seldom an issue with the underlying value of the assets, there appears to be a tougher line being taken with regard to debt servicing.”

Government figures underline the financial pressures on farmers. Total income from farming fell by 14 per cent in real terms in 2012 and the poor weather took its toll on total factor productivity.

TFP accounts for effects in total output not caused by the

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The Somerset Levels suffered badly from the floods of 2012 – and the impact is still being felt

traditional inputs of labour and capital and is often seen as the real driver of growth. Last year it fell by 3.2 per cent to its lowest level since 2004.

The report says the weather this autumn will play a crucial part in determining the health of many farmers’ balance sheets as well as their sentiment with regard to their future within the sector.

While buyer demand for farmland remains firm, it is very much focused on size, quality and location, with the strongest demand for largescale commercial units, offer-

ing high-quality buildings and facilities, and bare land in locations with good access.

Farmers remain the main buyers, although private investors account for the majority of high-value deals. Institutional investors remain reluctant to invest in UK farmland, preferring to target developing economies where land values and operating costs are lower and availability is higher.

The survey says this attitude towards the UK sector may yet change, although the large funds will require large lot sizes/portfolios in order to make their investments viable – something currently lacking in the UK. Land values experienced growth over the second quarter, although this was largely driven by sustained demand for larger units, in particular commercial farms.

The Chesterton Humberts Agricultural Estates Index recorded 2.1 per cent growth in average per acre values, to stand at £10,523 per acre at the end of June.

There was regional variation, with Salisbury, in Wiltshire, seeing one of the strongest aggregate rises in estate values – up 3.4 per cent – and saw an increase in the amount of land marketed.

The survey suggests that growth in values is strongly linked to availability at the higher quality end of the market.

Grape harvest at Oatley Vineyard, in Saturday’s West Country Life

Normandy visit is an education Bridgwater College students were given a fresh perspective of European agriculture on a study trip to France.

The visit by HNC and foundation degree agricultural management students centred on the agricultural college of Saint-Lô Thère, in Normandy with which Bridgwater College has worked for 25 years.

The students toured all aspects of agriculture, including a farm, the SPACE Rennes Agricultural Show and a milk factory.

Programme manager, Martin Heal, said, “It was a truly marvellous experience for our students, who have definitely changed their views about European agriculture.”

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Chris Rundle So is that alright then?

Farmers being, by and large, a reasonably intelligent lot I fear few are going to fall for the propaganda put out last week under the name (if not from the actual pen) of Rob Harrison, chairman of the NFU’s regional dairy board.

The essence of what this jarringly upbeat statement has to say is that since 85 per cent of the dairy industry has signed on the dotted line of the voluntary code things are looking up. Definitely. Certainly. So yah boo to anyone who said the voluntary code would never work.

Unfortunately within hours of this ludicrous assessment of the situation being released there came a deluge of evidence demonstrating quite conclusively that things are not looking up. They are, on the contrary, still looking down.

The reality, however unpalatable it may be to Mr Harrison, is that the price rises announced by the processors and so warmly welcomed by the NFU will not even cover the extra costs dairy farmers are struggling to cope with in terms of fuel, fertiliser and energy.

The farmers are, in fact, no better off than they were this time last year, which is to say there is still a huge, yawning gap between the miserly sums they are being paid and what it costs them to produce the milk that is still being knocked out more cheaply than water.

Among those subscribing to this view of the industry’s current state is the Lib Dem president Tim Farron, who trots out all the usual platitudes about farmers needing a decent price in order to release cash for re-investment but who realistically stands about as much chance of doing anything about it as he does of changing the orbit of the moon.

Only Farmers For Action leader David Handley – dropped by the NFU like a hot potato from the pathetic “dairy coalition” the minute he started to talk of blockades – is prepared to spell out what an appallingly bad deal thousands of dairy farmers are still getting, which is why he will carry on organising protests, the latest derisory, penny-a litre rise falling a very long way short of what is required for him to call the dogs off.

And if you speak to any farm accountants – apart from those who are employed by the supermarkets to present production figures in the most favourable light possible – they will tell you that farmers need to be pocketing 39 or 40 pence a litre the way their costs currently stand.

Mr Farron has also signed up to the Back British Farming charter, yet another costly and pointless exercise cooked up by the NFU and one which promises to be every bit as

What the NFU consistently deludes itself over is the notion that it or any of its members or indeed their political allies have the remotest chance of getting a better deal for dairy farmers unless and until the processors and retailers so wish it.

And at the moment these people hold all the aces with a few more tucked up their sleeves or stuck under the table with chewing gum.

The only sensible way of tackling this issue would be through a national milk boycott. If large volumes of milk remained on the shelves unsold for a week or so it would certainly concentrate minds in the right places.

But of course that won’t happen. For all that the NFU appeals for public support, indeed claims to have the public on its side, at the end of the day most punters care more about cheap milk than they do about the people who produce it.

It’s all money down the drain

Lib Dem president Tim Farron, above left, and Edwin White, above right, pictured with Michael Eavis and local farmer Anthony Gothard at the launch of the appeal to ‘embarrass’ the Government into match funding any money donated by members of the public towards dredging the Somerset Levels to reduce the risk of flooding

worthless as the voluntary code. This initiative calls on the public, politicians and the food industry to show more support for British farmers.

But if they buy more milk they’ll simply be helping farmers lose more money and even if they restrict themselves to buying food under the Red Tractor logo there is no certainty – to judge by the recent shenanigans involving Tesco – that they’ll be getting guaranteed British produce.

Yet another half-witted scheme, in other words, which the NFU has produced in order to be seen to be doing something yet which like all its previous ones – such as its two attempts to harness the power of the mighty WI movement to shift the milk price up – is destined to achieve precisely nothing.

Up in Yorkshire farmers are taking a decidedly robust attitude to the Environment Agency’s gross dereliction of duty in ceasing to carry out necessary anti-flood work on rivers.

They are, not to put too fine a point on it, raging.

Even the redoubtable George Dunn, chief executive of the Tenant Farmers’ Association is adding his own vitriolic attacks to the opprobrium which is being heaped on the head of an agency which, it seems, has plenty of money for plush offices and highly-paid staff but not enough for routine maintenance such as dredging.

In Somerset they are doing things differently with one of the stupidest ideas I have ever encountered.

Edwin White, chairman of the Royal Bath and West of England Society's agricultural policy group, has launched an appeal for public funds, with the intention of “embarrassing” the Government into match-funding whatever is raised.

Let us set aside the notion that – as has been suggested – this is just a cheap shot at the Coalition, with which Mr White hopes to sidle into the Birthday Honours list as the saviour of the Somerset Levels.

The fact is the Environment Agency has a duty to carry out that work and that the work has already been paid for through the hundreds of thousands of pounds in levies paid to it by local drainage boards, though oddly enough when farmers have recently inquired as to how those funds have been allocated and used their inquiries have been somewhat brusquely rebuffed.

If the Environment Agency

wants to hand back river maintenance to farmers, all well and good. The work will be done – as it always was – more cheaply (without the attendant costs of a bloated bureaucracy to factor in), more effectively, and simply better.

But having assumed responsibility for a river network that had hitherto been kept in good shape it cannot simply hand back a system which is showing all the signs of 20 years of neglect and chronic under-investment without making some kind of reparation.

As to the idea of a public subscription to pay for the work I am sure the idea could catch on.

Perhaps next year Edwin White could raise a couple of million to give to Somerset County Council to spend on the roads, or to Avon and Somerset Police to combat rural crime.

After all we are already paying – in theory at least – for both those activities, as well.

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A merry Christmas?

Finally, a word to the sanctimonious (or merely simpleminded) who have declared their intention of getting their own back on the wicked, heartless farmers who have been killing all the badgers by having a “meat and dairy-free menu” at Christmas.

Among the treats they are lining up for themselves are substitute “dairy” products based on soya, including, apparently, “feta-style” cheese.

Almost since the first badger protests were cranked up, the anti-cull lobby has been momentarily removing its head from the sand now and then to declare that it does not need dairy farmers at all because there are plenty of available alternatives, including yummy soya milk.

This would be the same soya milk, then, that a young relative was persuaded to switch to on the grounds that it was “healthier” only, after a few months, to be ordered to go back to drinking cow’s milk because she was clearly losing body mass.

And the same soya milk that the French national food agency says should never be given to infants under three.

Mmmmm. Enjoy!

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Call for investment to meet climate targets More investment is needed if agriculture is to meet its targets for greenhouse gas emissions, the NFU has warned. With British farmers on track to achieve the 2020 objective set by the Government, union president Peter Kendall reiterated his support to tackle climate change, saying last year’s floods and this year’s small wheat harvest showed that British farmers bore the brunt of climatic changes. But he added: “To meet this challenge there is a need for investment in inputs, infrastructure, improved skills and innovations derived from research to drive rural growth and diversification.”

Experts give advice on succession planning Many farms fail to hand on successfully from one generation to the next because of confusion over what is family and what is business, according to the CLA. Tomorrow, experts will explain the pitfalls of handing on at a seminar organised by the CLA at Muddifords Court, Willand, near Cullompton, Devon, from 10am to 2pm. The event, costing £20 for CLA members and £35 for nonmembers, will look at issues farmers face when succession planning and will identify practical strategies for dealing with them. Further information is available on 01249 700200.

Robot milkers to bring 10% rise in turnover A fourth-generation dairy and beef farm in Modbury, Devon, has entered the latest phase of the business by investing in three robotic milkers. The Rogers family, from Weeke Farm, supply milk to Arla and beef to Tesco and also grow cereals and maize. A Natwest loan enabled them to demolish the milking parlour and build a larger modern facility. Additional funding from Lombard helped fund the milkers. These can each automatically milk 60 cows a day and they allow the cows to wander in to be milked without any human involvement. They should help increase turnover by 10 per cent over the next year.

Awards spotlight falls on top pork products Butchers and local pork producers in the South West are being urged to showcase their outstanding products and gain some of the highest recognition in the industry, as the Regional Pork Product Awards roadshow rolls into town. It takes place at the Sandy Park Conference Centre in Exeter next Wednesday, with some of the industry’s most respected judges in tow. The product evaluation event will look for top sausages, pies and other pork and pork meat products.

Exhibitors show off the best of their herds at the Dairy Show in 2011. The annual event, at Shepton Mallet, Somerset, returns today

Buyers ‘must step up’ as farmers lose again FROM PAGE 1 “But the fact of the matter is that milk processors only paid our clients 0.6p/litre more for their milk in 2013 than they did in 2012,” he added. “The sector still needs more transparency and urgency in milk pricing, because while prices have now increased more significantly on farm, it was the immediate cash position that presented the greatest challenge.”

The lack of movement on milk prices comes despite 85 per cent of the industry signing up to the Dairy Code, which marks its first anniversary at today’s Dairy Show at the Royal Bath & West

Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset.

That figure was quoted last week by Rob Harrison, chairman of the NFU’s South West regional dairy board, who also calls for more transparency in the milk market, saying: “When it comes to milk pricing, what we need to see is more transparency and more communication about why prices are or aren’t moving.

“This will help build trust among our dairy members and increase their faith that milk prices will be fair and determinable. It will also encourage producers and processors to take advantage of market opportunities.”

Mr Harrison, who farms at Moreton-in-Marsh in Gloucestershire, added: “UK supermarkets continue to demand more for less, and with market prices now at an all-time high they should realise that if they want a secure supply, both now and in the future, they must pay a fair price to their farmers.

“If retail customers don’t play ball, processors need to take advantage of the strong market conditions that exist elsewhere.”

The figures may give succour to farmers who have criticised the code, the first anniversary of which is marked by the NFU at today’s show.

Gloucestershire farmer Rob Harrison, chairman of the NFU South West dairy board

Among them is Derek Mead, who farms in North Somerset and owns a number of businesses in the region.

Writing in the Western Daily Press last week, he said: “It is, in essence, some kind of gentleman’s agreement, but I know, and many other farmers know, that there are very few gentlemen in the dairy industry.

“Mr Harrison will probably point to the price rises recently announced by Dairy Crest, First Milk, Arla, Glanbia, Sainsbury’s and the rest as proof that pressure on the processors and retailers is paying dividends at last.

“But the amounts involved are no more than sops. They do not in any way reflect the huge increases in feed, fuel and labour costs that farmers have had to struggle with over the last 12 months.

“They are not going to allow anyone to get on top of production costs, let alone move into a comfortable profit zone where cash can be set aside for moder nisation.”

Modernisation and expan-

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WESTERN DAILY PRESS WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 2 2013 FARMING 7

Horror as goats mauled at city farm

BY RACHEL GARDNER wdnews@b-nm.co.uk Smallholders on a community farm in Knowle that formed a central part of Hugh fearnleyWhittingstall’s grow-your-own campaign have been left devastated after two of their animals were attacked.

Large holes were cut into two wire fences at Bramble Farm and it is believed a dog was set on two pygmy goats.

The goats were bought three months ago by 21-year-old Chantelle Swainger after she got funding that would have allowed her to start a project with local schools.

The idea was that she would purchase other animals and allow schoolchildren who don’t usually have much interaction with animals to visit them.

After one of the goats was killed, and the other badly injured, on Sunday night, she is unsure of whether she will be able to continue.

“I am absolutely devastated,” she told the Western Daily Press.

“I was shocked to find that two large holes had been cut in the farm’s main fence and then in the goat’s enclosure.

“The cuts are too big and deliberate to be a fox or something like that.

“The vet said that the goat’s injuries are consistent with dog bites.

“We’ve had vandalism on the farm before with kids setting

PICTURE: CLARE GREEN

sion was not long ago highlighted as the future of farming, with “superfar ms” able to increase efficiency through economies of scale.

However, Mr Tomlinson added, the top 25 per cent sample was very different than the previous year. “They averaged 184 cows, yielding 7168 litres, compared to 221 cows at 8145 litres the previous year.

This would indicate that the less intensive farms were more resilient to the challenges of 2013 than the higher output systems.”

Comparing figures from identical groups in Old Mill’s accounts – which include nothing other than the actual costs incurred – show a fall in output of 72,293 litres from 2012 to 2013, a drop of 5 per cent, with the total cost of production rising by 4.1p/litre.

Perhaps most worrying of all was the increase in losses for the bottom 25 per cent of producers. In 2013, the top 25 per cent made a profit of 4.28p/ litre, compared to 6.55p/litre in 2012-13. The bottom 25 per cent lost 7.65p/litre in 2012-13, com-

pared to 2.59p/litre in the previous 12 months.

Rent and finance costs were constant across the top and bottom 25 per cent, with variation in non-milk income also negligible.

Mr Tomlinson continued: “The usual look at the top and bottom 25 per cent samples is, as ever, fascinating, with the best producing milk for an incredible 12.65p/litre less than the worst,” said Mr Tomlinson.

“That is a greater gap than the

12.65p Gap in the cost of production from the best 25 per cent to the worst

-12%

Change in yield per cow from the top 25 per cent from 2012 to 2013

previous year’s 9.8p/litre difference – and rather revealingly, the top 25 per cent received a marginally lower milk price than the bottom 25 per cent, suggesting a focus on costs, not milk price, is a better management tool.”

The NFU “Compete to Grow” strategy set out to get the dairy industry in shape to compete for growing global dairy demand – and identified a real need for investment in UK dairy farmers, he insisted, but added: “The industry’s success relies upon farmers working together and not squabbling among themselves.”

The code emerged from the SOS Dairy campaign launched by the Dairy Coalition, made up of farming unions in England, Wales and Scotland, the Tenant Farmers’ Association, Women’s Food & Farming Union, Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers, and (at that stage) Farmers For Action.

Today’s show is open from 8.30am to 5pm.

CHRIS RUNDLE PAGE 5

fires and things like that, but this deliberate act of cruelty on two defenceless animals is just disgusting.”

Catherine Jameson, 40, a research assistant at Bristol University, is another farm member who has been left horrified by what happened.

“It’s hideous to think someone could do something like this,” she said.

“No other animals were hurt so it seems like the goats were deliberately targeted .

Chantelle Swainger, left, with other smallholders from Knowle “They are only sevenmonths-old and are so small, it’s horrible to think about.”

Bramble Farm, a former overgrown bramble patch, is leased from the council by the six families, who are all from different walks of life.

It was created in 2008 after the group removed bikes, car parts, trolleys, and many brambles - giving the farm its name.

They grow a variety of crops from asparagus to pumpkins, and keep a variety of animals including pigs, chickens and ducks.

Badger activist May joins the cull protestors Queen guitarist and anti-cull activist Brian May visited West Somerset as the badger cull in the area entered its final days.

It was the second visit of the rock legend and high-profile opponent to one of the two pilot cull areas, following his trip to Gloucestershire last month.

May, who is a member of the Team Badger campaign, spent the yesterday speaking to protesters, who have been keeping a vigil since the culls began at the end of August. Last night, he planned to join activists on the regular “wounded badger patrol”.

Protesters at Camp Badger – fields provided by a sympathetic landowner in Ash Priors, near Bishops Lydeard – are confident their direct action has helped to disrupt a pilot scheme which they claim was doomed to fail. Jay Tiernan, spokesman for the group hoping to sabotage the cull in Somerset, said he believed the cull had been “a massive failure”.

Mr Tiernan said a lack of worms meant the animals were not gathered at the setts but foraging alone. “I think they will have killed at best 20 per cent of the badgers and it may be as low as 12 per cent, he added.

“It was obvious from the start they would not be able to meet the numbers, it was only a matter of by what percentage they would fail.”

Some 5,000 badgers are intended to be shot during the pilots in a bid to prove their effectiveness in tackling the spread of TB in cattle.

Last week, David Cameron promised to press on with the cull, despite fears the Somerset pilot risked failing because not enough badgers had been shot.

An online petition that May started against the pilot cull became the most signed on the official Government website, with more than 300,000 signatures.

Defence from alien invaders

Millions for young farmers

Defending our native species from foreign invaders costs each one of us £26 a years.

Gardeners the nation over will recognise the blight caused by Japanese knotweed, which itself costs us £165 million a year, but few will perhaps knwo that foreign invasive species are the biggest cause of native bio-diversity loss in the world after humans.

Research for BBC Countryfile highlights how grey squirrels, American crayfish, zebra mussels, mink and Japanese knotweed are just some of the examples killing off native creatures and plants.

The programme explored how Russian zebra mussels have so infested Rutland Water, in Leicestershire, that Anglian Water has had to install special filters to sift them out as they spread so quickly through their water pipes.

Zoologist Dr David Aldridge, from the University of Cambridge, explained how the mussels arrived in the UK about 10 years ago on the hulls of ships from Eastern Europe.

Young farmers in Wales are being urged to apply for a share of £1.75 million on offer under the Welsh Government’s Young Entrants Support Scheme.

Now in its fifth year of operation, YESS has been designed to attract new blood into the farming industry and to ensure a modern, innovative and forward-thinking agricultural sector in Wales.

To apply for support applicants must be based in Wales, under the age of 40 and either be setting up as head of the holding for the first time, or have set-up as head of holding within the previous 12 months.

“We need a farming industry that has the skills, ability and knowledge to innovate and modernise while keeping our traditional skills and culture alive,” says Natural Resources and Food Minister, Alun Davies.

Applications, to be made by November 22 should be made through the the Welsh Government website at www.wales.gov.uk/farming.

Take a tour of the best country homes the West Country has to offer – every Saturday in the bumper Western Daily Press

8 FARMING WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 2 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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Farmers’ bulletin board Market reports FROME Wednesday, September 25 BEEF CATTLE (118) Another good number forward but only a handful of prime quality cattle.

These were again in very strong demand and at a premium. Grass-fed and other grades met a good trade but Herefords were at lower levels.

UTM Steers (43) Cracking Limousins from RE Carnell topped the day at 230p/kg and 226p/kg.

Other smart well finished Continental x steers a good trade from 193p/kg with leaner types also selling well. Herefords not as dear to 195.5p/kg from RH Amor and £1,315 from Norridge Farms.

Angus a good trade to 209p/kg from RE Carnell but a mixed quality entry.

Devons to 197.5p/kg from RH Amor. Ayrshires to J Powell & Son. Friesians in strong demand to 184p/kg from LW & RJ Wyatt.

UTM Heifers (34) Best-quality finished heifers scarce and wanted with Limousins to 234p/kg from RE Carnell and others from 202p/kg. Grass finished heifers from 180p/kg. Herefords to 209.5p/kg from HJ Noad with Angus heifers variable to 186.5p/kg from R Adams. Friesians to 171.5p/kg from TD Sharp & Sons. Overall a good trade.

Overage Beef (40) A good number and keenly wanted with the quality well fleshed cattle selling strongly. The plainer types and those lacking conformation were harder to sell. British Blue steers to 195p/kg from FL Taylor and Herefords to £1,331 from E Sheppard. Charolais heifers to 184.5p/kg from FI Baker. Herefords to £1,244 from Freeman Bros.

£60.50 from TR & HM Buckley. Texel x lambs to £56 from Candy & Sons. Jacob x lambs also sold to £56 from LS & SE Kellaway. Running lambs generally from £51 to £53.50 from BJ Burbidge and L Williams.

DAIRY (91) One of the best dairy entries seen in recent months with two small herd dispersals in addition to the normal weekly consignment. Demand was very strong throughout the day with many freshly calved heifers over £1,700. Grand Holstein Friesian calved heifers from Harvey Steel, Sussex, over £1,700 to £1,800 and a top of £1,900.

Regular vendor AF Leighton seeing prices equally as brisk and twice to £1,700. Shorthorn x calved heifers continuing to see a marvellous trade with super types again from AF Leighton at £1,840 and £1,910. The two dispersals created excellent interest. Over 40 mainly home bred Friesian Holstein types from Mike Babey, Hampshire, saw good competitive bidding with many clients wanting these super genuine cattle. 1st calved heifers regularly over £1,500 with the best often from £1,700 to £1,800. Second-lactation cows wanted and a grand “Matson” sired August calved cow stole the show at £2,120. Plenty of other older cows from £1,200 to £1,500 as buyers look for milk now. Late August calved fourth-lactation cows sold well to £1,710. Excellent in-calf heifers showing size and stature due late October were five times over £1,500 to top at £1,580. Mrs Ruby Saxton (retiring) saw her small loose housed herd produce good prices to £1,760. Youngstock from the same home to £642. Quality bulling heifers from House & Hanham to £780.

BARREN COWS & BULLS (193) Another large entry met a firmer trade.

Meat cows in strongest demand and generally dearer on the week. The many plain types straight out of the dairy again lowered today’s averages but were also a pence or two dearer and certainly well ahead of deadweight levels.

Dairy Cows (134) The best heavy Friesian meat cows a good trade to 137.5p/kg from Ashley Chase Estates and £1,131 from Applewick Dairy Ltd. A further 15 Friesians sold in advance of 130p/kg and six sold in excess of £1,000. Quality steakers also firmer from 110p/kg. Plainer types plentiful and a shade dearer. The very poor again at reduced levels but selling well for their quality.

Beef Cows (55) A mixed quality entry with the few best meat cows a very good trade to 164.5p/kg from Frome Valley Fruit and £1,314 for their Angus cow.

Blues to 154.5p/kg from DJ Cheacker.

Limousins to 158.5p/kg from NB Russell. Herefords to 143p/kg from GB Doel. Simmentals from the same home to 149.5p/kg. Highlands to 128.5p/kg from JL Pemberton. Other grades selling well on the trade.

Bulls (4) Simmentals to 139p/kg from Huntingford Farming. Limousins to 136.5p/kg (£1,430) from PM & JE Batstone & Son. Charolais to 130p/kg from BA Russell & Son.

NON-EXPORT CALVES (234) Numbers back from last week and trade continues at very buoyant levels.

Demand firm for all on offer from the good buyer attendance.

Continental Bulls A good entry of medium plus bulls selling to a brisk trade all day with most bulls in excess of £240. The best over £300 to a top of £400 for a Simmental from L Sealey & Son Ltd. Blues to £390 from Daniell and Hole. Limousins to £370 from Brunt Partners.

Continental Heifers Super trade for heifers with all grades sought. Fewer best shaped calved forward but plenty well in excess of £200. Best of the day was a Limousin at £295 from AR Attrill.

Simmentals and Blues both topping at £288 from L Sealey & Son Ltd and EA & JA Hiscock respectively. British As always a well supported section with trade as firm as ever. Best-shaped calves in strong demand with Angus bulls to £400 from AR Attrill and heifers to £268 from GPD Raymond.

Hereford bulls to £242 from WR Phippen. Friesians Typically large entry for the time of year with a steady trade all day. Rearers continue to attract buyers with British Friesians selling to £1,48 from AH & SM Mitchell. Holsteins sold to a peak of £170 from DIVA Ltd. Plenty at £70+. Medium sorts from £40 to £70 with the smaller calves to £40.

SHEEP (511) Prime Lambs (256) Fast bidding held the trade above expectations. All grades selling to advantage with a premium for heavy fleshed lambs. Top honours go to Pat Apsey with his heavy weights to £85. Well fleshed lambs (50kg) from Corp Bros sold well with their pens to £82. A good show of Continental lambs met a fast trade with a quality bred consignment from Edward Tabor selling from 174p/kg to 178p/kg (41-44kg). Other well bred lambs sold to 173p/kg from Brian Godwin, 171p/kg from IA & PV Foster and 170p/kg from RT Blake, J Davis and Ann Cooper. Several consignments of stronger lambs consistently sold well from £72.50 to £77.50 from Robert Fear, LJ & SE Kellaway, AJ Hannam, R Blake, J Davis, TR & HM, Buckley and House & Hanham.

Cull Ewes & Rams (152) An excellent show of cull ewes met a flying trade. A fleshed consignment of 59 from Marshall & Willis, Isle of Wight, selling at £70.50, £70 and £68.50. A run of 29 from RF Stratton sold to £68 and £65.50.

Medium ewes generally from £50 to £59.

Grazers from £41 to £45. Plain types still wanted from £26 to £36.

Store Lambs A good selection of mainly younger feeding lambs with a premium for framed types. Heavy lean grades wanted to £70 from R Blake and medium sorts to £64 from E Tabor and

Friday, September 27 STORE CATTLE (825) Suckler Cows & Calves New vendors coming forward today presenting some quality units.Cobern, Whiteparish sold Simmental cows and calves to £1,030 with Blonde cows and Simmental calves to £1,060. Strong Charolais cattle from M/S Trott & Son Dorchester regularly £1,100-£1,200 and topped at £1,260. Deep-bodied Hereford cows with twin Angus calves saw keen bidding to £1,360.

Feeding Bulls Quite a selection of feeding bulls today and fleshed types were wanted. 18mo Simmental, Limousin and Herefords ranged £800-£1,080 well conformed Angus bulls £800-£900.

Younger store bulls £565 .

Young Continentals Trade remaining very firm at recent levels but buyers were selective and wanting cattle with good conformation. Most quality Single Suckled Steers R/U grade 9-11mo saw prices range £760- £800 with some very special types over £840.

Grand Limousins presented by MF Deacon peaked at £845 and Charolais from William Earp, Dorchester, commanded exceptional bidding to £1,065.

Heifers again from the Earp Family to £755. Continental x Dairy cattle found a ready trade providing the shape was evident to achieve the better grades when finished. G Bown and Son Wells saw their good 10mo Blue Steers easily

to £700. Simmentals always seeing keen competition and were well sold from Mike Babey and BK & A Garrett.

Forward Continental Excellent trade with demand outstripping supply. The few best Steers on offer sold to magnificent levels with Limousin Steers (25mo) to £1,390 from Peter Ross andhis Blues (24mo) from £1,300 to £1,365. Other quality Blues sold well to £1,250 from Mrs Pauline Lock. Best Charolais wanted to £1,248 from Sarah Jackson.

Several other quality consignments met fast bidding from £1,040 to £1,115 from numerous vendors. Younger rearing Steers also keenly sought from £885 to £995. A sensational trade for Heifers with Blues to £1,240 from Barry Cooper Holland Farms Blandford Ltd with others to £1,160 from Brian Ogborne and £1,040 from Robert Bowditch. Best Charolais Heifers met a fast trade to £1,140 from AS & AE Perrett,. Similar Limousin Heifers to £1,125 from Edmond Kane, £1,072 from Paul Hurd and £1,055 from Pat Apsey. The wonderful consignment from GA & NIS Coffin met strong demand and regularly selling from £875 to £920. Several consignments met keen interest with fast bidding from £818 to £865. Many more forward steers and heifers wanted to satisfy the increasing demand.

Hereford (116) Young Steers met a sensational trade to £675 (8mo) from NP Hayward. Several consignments of young feeding Steers wanted and sold from £730 to £785. Medium framed feeders in demand from £840 to £865.

Fleshed types from £910 to £990. Forward Steers over £1,000 from Pauline Lock, £1,080 from Robert Bowditch and

£1,090 from RW Courage & Son. Best forward types from £1,140 to £1,150 (29mo) from Holland Farms Blandford Ltd and equally topped at £1,150 from RW Courage & Son. Quality young Hereford Heifers sold well to £525 (9mo) from BK & A Garrett & Son. Medium Heifers a good trade to £710 (15mo) from Robert Bowditch . Forward Heifers from £850 from RW Courage & Son to £950 (21mo) from Poplar Farm Partners to top at £1,038 (29mo) from PG Lambert & Son. Angus (145) Not quite the entries of younger Angus as in some sales, but some super types were forward. 24 (10-12mo) steers and heifers from Tom Rossiter created tremendous bidding and buyers were well prepared to pay for top sorts. His steers were 14 times over £790 topping at £845 for the best.

Two-year-old Steers regularly selling over £1,000 with the consignment from HighHouse Farm Ltd receiving good attention from £1,000 (23mo) to £1,045.

Stronger fleshed Steers sold from £1,108 (23mo) from NJ Garrett, £1,150 (17mo) from Edmund Kane to an excellent £1,265 (22mo) from Paul Jennings. Heifers saw more fluctuation in demand but these best cattle 12mo sold to a strong £775. Second-quality cattle were more difficult with a few plainer types on offer. Several quality consignments of well grown Heifers sold from £920 (22mo) from RT Harding, £960 (22mo) from Paul Jennings and £980 (22mo) from Robert Bowditch.

Best potential heifers from £1,040 (21mo) from Edmund Kane to £1,095 (27mo) from Steve Carnie.

Friesians (199) Forward Friesians

held a tremendous trade from £1,040 from Holland Farms Blandford Ltd to a massive £1,200 from Paul Hurd.Other quality Steers sold well from £900 from Ruby Saxton to £928 from PG Lambert and Son. Well grown framed Steers met a strong trade with fast bidding from £750 to £762 from Highhouse Farm Ltd, £755 to £795 from Ian Sargent, £755 from Dave & Paul Yeatman and £760 from REW & RJ Turner. Younger fleshed steers sold well from £700 from Ruby Saxton, £712 from John & Sue Loder and £732 from Reg Hares. Several feed consignments sold to a firm trade from £500 to £695. Demand for yearlings continues with the best to £425 (13mo) from RJ Vincent & Sons and Heifers to £480 (7mo) from NP Hayward Isle of Wight.

SEDGEMOOR September 26 RARE BREEDS SURVIVAL TRUST SHOW & SALE A very high standard of quality poultry on offer, which sold on the whole to a solid trade for the time of year.

PIGS Twenty pedigree and purebred pigs attracted plenty of interest with a good show.

Overall Show Supreme and First Prize Boar was awarded to Mr and Mrs Nicholas of Gwent for their Oxford Sandy Black boar.

Reserve and First Prize in the Gilt Class awarded to Messrs A & S Nicholas of Pembrokeshire with a Tamworth.

Pedigree in pig Gloucester Old Spot

gilts to 150 Guineas. Others to 140 Guineas for Mr RJ Everitt of Haverfordwest. Young clean Gloucester Old Spot gilts to 75 and 60 Guineas for the same vendor.

SHEEP A much larger entry of 352 sheep, with 24 breeds represented.

Prices of note as follows.

Oxford Down Shearling ram 430 Guineas from Ms A Stokes. Shearling ewe 150 Guineas from Mr GR Furse.

Ewe lamb 130 Guineas from Mr GR Furse Jacob Shearling Ewe 400 Guineas from Mrs BM Wilson; Shearling Ewe 180 Guineas from Mrs BM Wilson; Older Ram 220 Guineas from Messrs I & E Coates; Older Ram 160 Guineas from Mrs VL Hammond; Ram Lamb 150 Guineas from Mrs BM Wilson; Older Ewe 130 Guineas from Mrs BM Wilson; Older Ewe 120 Guineas from Mrs VL Hammond; Ewe Lamb 110 Guineas from Mrs BM Wilson.

Ryeland Ram Lamb 310 Guineas from Mr RP Wear; Ram Lamb 250 Guineas from Mr RP Wear; Ewe Lamb 250 Guineas from Mr RP Wear; Older Ram 150 Guineas from Mr HJ Mills.

Kerry Hill Older Ram 200 Guineas from Cotswold Farm Park; Ram Lamb 150 Guineas from Mr C Sherman.

Shetland Ram Lamb 190 Guineas from Mrs L Beazer; Ewe Lamb 170 Guineas from Messrs G & M Wakeling; Ewe Lamb 130 Guineas from Mrs A Parkman; Older Ram 150 Guineas from Miss L Bushnell; Shearling Ram 120 Guineas from Mr RD Huxter; Shearling

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WESTERN DAILY PRESS WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 2 2013 FARMING 9

Diary dates

Rural life is well covered in the Western Daily Press, with forthright farming opinions from Ian Liddell-Grainger and Derek Mead, and a round-up of news from the dressage arenas and cross-country courses across the South West – every Saturday

The Frome Young Farmers Ploughing Match at Gloucester Farm, Lullington. Very thick overnight fog across the Somerset fields, had not completely cleared as the match started, making some areas of the rape stubble field, a little slippery and heavy. During the late morning it was starting to dry out and some very good ploughing was being achieved PICTURE: DAVID HARGRAVE Ram 100 Guineas from Mrs R Norton.

Norfolk Horn Older Ram 180 Guineas from Cotswold Farm Park.

Gotland Shearling Ram 130 Guineas from Mr P Skinner.

Dorset Down Ewe Lamb 100 Guineas from Mr J Pitman.

Grey Faced Dartmoor Older Ewe 100 Guineas from Mr DJ Rickson.

Hebridean Shearling Ram 100 Guineas from Mrs CM Bulmer.

Llanwenog Shearling Ewe 100 Guineas from Mr A Hodges & Sons.

Portland Older Ewe 90 Guineas from Cotswold Farm Park.

Castlemilk Moorit Older Ewe 70 Guineas from Cotswold Farm Park.

PYGMY GOATS Nanny Kid 105 Guineas from Mr D Rashley; Nanny Kid 100 Guineas from Mr D Rashley; Nanny 100 Guineas from Mr D Rashley.

CROSSBRED GOATS Nannies 75 Guineas Messrs J & J Feltham; Nannies 80 Guineas Mr A Curran.

LLAMAS Males to 160 Guineas from Mr C Baker; Couples to 175 Guineas/outfit from Mr Baker.

Saturday, September 28

DAIRY CATTLE (92) Another excellent entry to include 78 milkers saw a trade that reflected the number of cattle on the market generally. It was very selective and at lower levels, however everything sold and there were enough buyers in attendance. Top price of the day was a non-pedigree heifer, third in the ring from Messrs HM Heywood & Sons at £2,030. Pedigree heifers to £2,000 fromr Mr NC Taylor; £2,000 and £1,960 for two well-bred pedigree heifers from Messrs ET Summerfield & Son of Oxford; £1,980 from Messrs RL & ME Trott; £1,970 from Mr FE Luff; £1,940 from Mr RA Willcox; £1,920 from Messrs CB Powell & Sons, Cheltenham, Glos and £1,910 from Messrs Witcombe Farm Partners who had red and white heifers to £1,820. Jersey cross heifer from Mr JR Daw, Swindon to £1,620.

Pedigree Jersey heifer to £1,180 from Mr R Webb. Larger entry of calves to £350 and £300 from Messrs DH & C Bennett. Hereford bull £1,820 from Mr J Huxtable. Only a few cows forward to £1,550 from Messrs A & W Vigus and £1,530 from Mr A Wiggins.

STORE CATTLE, STIRKS, SUCKLER & GRAZING COWS (1200) Store Cattle & Grazing Cows (845) A busy Sedgemoor day when 845 Store

Cattle were penned, part of 1,200 with Stirks and Sucklers, which reflecting the quality on offer met a very varied trade. The best sold well. Some of which might not be described as even third-quality difficult to place. Top was £1,490 for a strong overage (36m & 24d) (FA) Limousin steer from Mr J Stott, Westbury Sub Mendip. A super run of FA feeding Charolais steers from Mr AC & DM Dyer, Yarcombe set the ring alight at £1,395 (18m) when others from the same farm sold especially well at £1285 (18/22m) £1,275 (19m) £1190 (18/19m) and £1,160 (17/21m). Very lean Charolais steers (27/29 & FA) from Mr JR Payne shot to £1,330. Another good bunch of younger Charolais from Messrs CG, GR & MS Spiller, Upottery hit £1,305 (15/18m).

Other Charolais steers £1,290 (23m & FA) Messrs AR Copp & Partners, Seaborough; £1,240 (21m & FA) and £1,200 (20/23m) Messrs R Ford & Son, Barnstaple; £1,200 (24/25m & FA) Messrs HC Derryman & Son, Stockland and £1,155 (25m & FA) Messrs C Kallaway & Son, Clayhidon. Very smart younger pure bred Simmental steers (18/19m & FA) from Mr GM Reed, Bickleigh sold excellently at £1,295, when others from the same farm (17/19m) achieved £1,092. Strong Simmental steers (25/26m & FA) from Messrs AR Copp &

OCTOBER

Partners again rose to £1,290. Others £1,235 (24m & FA) Mr GI Douglas, Tickenham and £1,145 (28m & FA) Messrs W & EA Tratt, Luppitt. Blue steers peaked at £1,295 (25m & FA) from Messrs TL Spiller & Son, Cotleigh. A shapely 28m Blue steer from Mr JLD Burrough & Son shot to £1,250, when another from the same farm (29m & 26d) realised £1,150. Others £1,175 (26m) Mr G Barnes, Whitchurch Canonicorum.

Other Limousin steers at high monies: £1,290 (20m) Mr G Barnes again; £1,280 (24m) Mr AJR Bull, Bridport; £1,245 (23m) Messrs RL Jones & Son, Wiveliscobe; £1,240 (18/20m & FA) Messrs R Ford & Son again; £1,190 (23m & FA) Messrs F & EJ Strawbridge, Axminster, who sold another 24m at £1140.

Native steers on our native sale day found plenty of buyers and bids to £1360 for strong 25m and FA Herefords from Messrs Hutton & Sons, Bristol. Half meat Hereford steers at £1,265 (26/27m) from Messrs WR & NA Rich, Colton, who also sold half meat Angus steers (24/27m) at £1,145. Angus steers topped at £1,180 (19m) from Mr WJ Pearce, Martock. Other good Angus steers (22/26m & FA) at £1,170, The Mowlem Partners; £1,100 (26m & FA) Messrs TL Spiller & Son again and £1,095 (27m) Mr G Barnes again. Also £1,130 for an overage Hereford steer from Messrs RL Jones & Son again.

Dairy bred steers topped at £1045 for a 25m & FA “proper” Friesian from Mr J Stott again. Another real Friesian (23m & FA) from Messrs F & EJ Strawbridge again achieved £970. Others £850 (HF) (24m & FA) Messrs AR Copp & Partners again and £795 (20/27m & FA) The Mowlem Partners again. Several well framed Holsteins around £700.

Heifers peaked £1,275 for a forward 25m and FA Limousin from Messrs TL Spiller & Son, who sold a fit Simmental (25m & FA) at £1,220 and a 25m Blue at £1,175. A grand overage Limousin heifer from Mr AJR Bull again met a call of £1,225. Good forward heifers from Messrs AR Copp & Partners again achieved £1,195 for a Simmental (25m & FA) £1,185 for Charolais (22/26m) and £1,150 for Blondes (27m) and £1,100 for a Limousin (20m). Messrs CG, ER & MS Spiller also scored with 16 to 22m Charolais heifers at £1,145. Other better fleshed continental heifers: £1,140, Blue (24m) Mr G Barnes again; £1,125, Limousins (24m) and £1,100, Simmental (21m) Messrs M & R Hodges, Bishopwood; £1115, Blue (U-2, 23/25m) Mr E Reasons; £1,100, Charolais (26/28m & FA) Messrs MJ & DA Johnson, Membury and £1,100 again, Limousin (23/24m & FA) Messrs EJ Browse & Son, Halberton.

Native Heifers topped at £1095 for a 27m Angus from Mr G Barnes again.

Others to £1,080 (26m & FA) from Messrs TL Spiller & Son again. Hereford heifers to £1,085 (overage & FA) from Messrs SR & L Hutchings, Donyatt. Young stores to £990 for a 14m Charolais bull from Miss J Body, Biddisham. Blue steers (15/16m) at £955 from Mr R Sherry, Martock. 14m Hereford steer at £920, Mr M & Mrs R Vellacott, Wellington. Quality cattle as ever will sell but buyers are selective and those showing the signs of a shortage of shape, growth or flesh are heavily discounted.

SUCKLER COWS, CALVES & STOCK BULLS (30) Small entry when a Charolais cow (08.09) and her Devon cross heifer calf (05.08.13) sold to £1280 from Mr J Weaver.

STIRKS & BUSK CALVES (325) A good early Autumn entry of stirks was met with a packed ring, when quality was rewarded with an excellent trade whilst plainer types continue to meet some resistance. Overall a strong trade for the good quality entry. Top price was £970 for a 14m Limousin steer from Messrs MJ & LE Grinter who also sold another at £725 (9m). Other Limousins at £810 (8/12m) from Messrs LE Sweetland & Son; £700 (12/13m) from Mr CL Popham; £652 (13/14m) and £635 (12/13m) from Mr PR Stevens; £650 from Messrs CJ & JC Pine; £645 (7m) from Messrs EA & D Ellis; £640 (11/12m) from Messrs GT Kittow & Son and also £640 (7/9m) from Mr J Weaver.

British Blue steers to £790 (9m) from Messrs LE Sweetland & Son, when others sold at £635 (8m) from Mr RN Neale. Charolais to £735 (7m) from Messrs ML & DJ Crabb, when others sold to £650 (5m) from Mr ASE Bradford and £635 (9m) from Messrs FG Summerhayes & Sons. Simmentals to £690 (8m) and £655 (8m) from Messrs LE Sweetland & Son. Fewer bulls forward

but two excellent British Blues from Ms Diane Bartlett rose to £800 (8m) and £775 (8m). Heifers rose to £750 for a 7m Limousin from Messrs LE Sweetland & Son who also sold others at £672 (10m) £632 (8/10m) and £605 (8m). Other Limousins at £630 from Messrs CJ & JC Pine; £605 (9m) from Messrs EA & D Ellis; £600 and £530 (7m) from Mr B Jeffery and £520 from Mr PR Stevens (13/14m). Charolais to £745 (6m) from Messrs ML & DJ Crabb who also sold another at £595 (8m). Simmentals to £605 (7m) from Messrs LE Sweetland & Son. Others sold at £565 (9m) from Mr PR Stevens; £550 x 2 (7/9m) and £540 (7/11m) from Mr GTJ Boundy. South Devons to £550 (13m) from Messrs LE Sweetland & Son. British Blues to £520 (8/9m) from Mr RH Neale.

NON-EXPORT CALVES (520) Beef Breeds non-export (367) A slightly reduced entry found trade much improved. Many more buyers back round the ring when all classes of calf were in demand. Top continental bulls at £465 for a suckler bred Charolais from Messrs Ellis. Others from Messrs DJ & SE Bristol, dairy bred, at £448 and good Blues from David Bennett, Castle Cary at £440, £415. Young Charolais bulls from the Spillers of Upottery to £415 and the best Limousins to £370, Mr LO Clothier. Many more bulls at £320-£360 when mediums were also up and the Blue average up by £30 per head. Heifers also sharper led by Blues from Mr Bennett at £360, also achieved by Messrs FG, C & E Tucker. Other Blues £342. Charolais to £340, part of an excellent consignment from Messrs C Kallaway & Son. Most good heifers £220-£280. Mediums from £170, smaller heifers £100 plus, well advanced. Native breeds remain keen.

Angus bulls to £335 from Messrs PH Creed & Son, also £292 and £275 when Hereford bulls sold at £318 from Messrs C Kallaway & Son, Angus heifers £180 from Messrs J Phillips & Sons and Hereford heifers to a stronger £200 from Messrs Kingston of Shepton.

Friesians non-export (153) A good entry met a much livelier trade when British Friesians rose to £212 from Messrs Tratt. Others £212 from Messrs FG, C & E Tucker. Holstein Friesians to £146 from Messrs GA Quick & Sons; £138 (x2) from Pennard Farms and £134 from Messrs RJ Tucker & Sons. Many more black and whites over £100 and prices up at all levels with mediums £60-£100. Plainer types generally £20-£50 on size. More buyers looking for Friesians.

SHEEP (4756) Store Lambs (2403) An even larger entry sold to a slightly dearer trade for all presented. The best were £70 plus and sold to £78 from Messrs NF Clothier & Sons. Others £77.50 from Mr J White; £76.50 from Mr CA Churchill; £76 from Messrs NF Clothier & Sons; £75.50 from Mr RD Churchill; £74.50 from Thornhill Farm (Dorset) Ltd; £73.50 from Messrs JN & W Rodgman and £73 from Mr BW Hearn. Mediums ranged £52-£70. Very small nearly all £27 plus. Overall average £55.54.

Grazing ewes & rams (1283) A very large entry sold to a similar, competitive trade. The best were £90 plus and sold to £99.50 from Mr T Wall. Others £97.50 and £95 from Messrs Heywood & Sons; £95 from Messrs J Sprake & Partners; £94 from Mr AJ Willcox; £91.50 from Mr M Lock and £91 from Scimitar Services. Mediums ranged £50-£80. Plain £35-£50. Boners nearly all £14 plus. Overall average £50.66.

Breeding ewes (1001) A much larger entry for the mule and mule cross catalogued sale, which sold to a steady trade in line with recent sales. Top call was £112 for Mule 2T’s from Mr M Tozer. Other Mules to £108 and £107 from Messrs Foxhollow Farm Ltd and £107 from Messrs Phones Estates.

Zwartble 2T’s to £106 from Mr D Rayson. Suffolk Mules to £105 (x2) from Messrs NF Clothier & Sons and Messrs KB & EM Reid.

Stock Rams (65) A larger entry of 65 Stock Rams sold to an equally strong trade. An extremely well shaped FM Texel sold to £335 from Messrs AV & SC Stanbury. Suffolk ram lambs to £255 from Mr A England who also sold 6T Blue Faced Leicesters to £250. Charollais cross to £245 from Mr A Willcox and £240 from Mr EJ Mills. Younger Texels to £220 (x2) from Messrs MEJ Branfield & Sons.

Goats (4) Nannys sold to £50 from Mrs E House.

Today: South West Growers’ Show, Matford Centre, Exeter.

Today: The Dairy Show, Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet 3: CLA seminar “Successful Business Succession”, Muddifords Court, Willand, 10am. Details: 01249 700200 5: Truro & District Ploughing Match, Penstraze, Chacewater, 10am. Details: 01872 277086 5: Crewkerne Young Farmers Club 50th Annual Ploughing Match. Hinton Park Estate, Hinton St. George.

6: NFU/YFC Harvest Festival Service, Exeter Cathedral, 7pm 8: NSA/RASE Open Day and Farm Walk, for next-generation sheep farmers, Manor Farm, Sutton Mandeville, Wiltshire, 10am. Details: 07779 572598 8: Jersey Heifer-Rearing Open Day, Awsland Farm, Petersmarland, near Torrington, 11am. Details: 01926 484035

Quota Milk Average wholesale price (4.00% butterfat, for 2013/2014 quota): clean 0.20ppl, used 0.20ppl.

Entitlements 2014 season price: Non-SDA £190-£200 per hectare. 2013 season average price: Non-SDA £213 per hectare; SDA £190 per hectare, moorland £39.60 per hectare Naked Acres 2013 hosting and letting season-average price: Non-SDA £49 per acre; SDA £35 per acre; Moorland £7 per acre Townsend Chartered Surveyors, Exeter, (01392 823935) and www.townsendchartered surveyors.co.uk

Useful numbers Defra general inquiries 08459 335577 Met Office 01392 885680 NFU South West 01392 440700 south.west@nfu.org.uk EBLEX South West 0870 608 6610 0871 504 3581 Rural Payments Agency 0845 6037777 Farm Crisis Network 0845 3679990 7am–11pm RABI helpline, financial help 01865 727888 ARC Addington Fund 01926 620135 office hours The Samaritans 08457 909090 24 hours a day Sole Occupancy Authorisation for multiple movements between groups of premises under the same occupation and management issued by local Divisional Veterinary Manager Devon 01392352825; Cornwall 01872 265500; Somerset 01823 337922

Contact us Western Daily Press Telephone 0117 934 3223 E-mail wdnews@bepp.co.uk Fax 01752 765535 Online www.westerndailypress.co.uk/ farming

10 FARMING WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 2 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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12 FARMING WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 2 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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Technical digest MACHINERY

SHEEP

Michelin has launched an online tyre pressure calculator that allows farmers and contractors to optimise their tyre pressures for machines such as tractors, harvesters, sprayers and trailers.

Available for free on the fir m’s website, the calculator is designed to maximise the performance of Michelin tyres. Users select their machine or equipment type, entering specifics such as axle weights (where known) or hopper sizes. They then choose the name of their Michelin tyre range and the speed they work.

Hundreds of thousands of breeding and store sheep will move around the country every month this autumn, taking with them a number of serious threats to the health and future profitability of the flocks they join.

Yet most sheep farmers will do little, if anything, to minimise the risks – and many could pay a heavy price.

Peter Baber, Devon sheep breeder and chairman of Sustainable Control Of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS), said: “It doesn’t matter that they look well, that they were a toppriced pen, or even from a known source, they still carry the potential to wreak havoc.

“There is a long list of potential threats, including sheep scab, lice, resistant roundworms and liver fluke, not to mention CODD, foot-rot and orf. Most of these you cannot see, so my policy is never to take any chances. I always isolate all incoming sheep and implement the full quarantine recommendations.”

Charles Sercombe, NFU representative on SCOPS and also

Calculator gets best from tyres

Keep your flock free of disease

MACHINERY

Combines need quality service Harvest may have ended, but combines should still be at the front of your mind in order to get them serviced.

Winter servicing of combine harvesters by an approved dealer will pay for itself through increased performance, reliability and lower operating costs, writes Paul Freeman, of Case IH. Harvest represents the culmination of the farm’s entire year’s work and in many cases combinable crops account for their total revenue, so maintaining the combine to the highest possible standard makes commercial sense.

While the use of state-of-theart electronic systems has dramatically increased the performance, output, reliability and comfort of modern combine harvesters, it has also made correct servicing more important than ever to ensure they continue to operate to their full potential.

Case IH Axial-Flow combines have the simplest mechanical configuration of any modern combine, aiding efficiency, performance and reliability and leading to lower servicing requirements and maintenance costs.

But they should always be serviced by an approved dealer, who will address any potential issues before they become a problem, install routine upgrades and update the operating software.

While some owners may think that they can carry out the annual service themselves, or get the job done by a local mobile fitter, maintaining a modern combine correctly involves much more than just cleaning the machine, changing the oil and replacing the filters.

A key part of the post-harvest servicing schedule that dealers carry out is to ensure that the power plant, drive system and other mechanical components operate at optimum efficiency, but servicing and updating the combine’s electronic systems is now equally important, requiring specialist knowledge and equipment.

The nutrient value of slurry can be increased, reducing the need to buy in fertiliser DAIRY

Slurry tactic brings savings Cutting the cost of inputs has never been more important to dairy farmers’ margins and making more of the farm’s resources undoubtedly has a major role to play in that.

Frome milk producer Dave Norris has certainly grasped an opportunity to reduce the cost of his bought-in fertiliser and reckons he is now using five tonnes less since he started treating his slurry with an inoculant.

He milks just over 100 Holstein-Friesian cows at Summerfield Farm, with a herd average of almost 8,000 litres at 4.3 per cent butterfat and 3.5 per cent protein. The herd calves mainly in the autumn and is managed on a conventional system of summer grazing and a silage and concentrate diet in the winter.

“We rely heavily on grass – both grazed and as silage – and

have a straightforward winter system based on silage topped up with concentrates in the parlour,” he said. “The aim is to produce our milk as efficiently and as economically as possible. Keeping on top of costs is very important.”

Although now using sexed semen, Mr Norris has always prided himself on the longevity of his cows. “I want cows to last for eight lactations or even more. If I was only getting four lactations from my cows I wouldn’t be happy,” he said.

The farm has been treating its slurry with SlurryBugs for the past four years – initially to combat the smell while spreading on land close to the nearby village. But since using SlurryBugs there has been a significant reduction in fertiliser use, because of the treatment’s ability to increase the nutrient value of the slurry.

Mr Norris added: “We started cutting back on the nitrogen we used and relied on the slurry to provide it. Over the past two years I’ve cut back on fertiliser by a hundredweight

an acre and have lost nothing in terms of grass yield – and yet I’ve saved five tonnes of fertiliser in total.”

This summer, following a third cut of silage and an application of 2,000 gallons of slurry an acre, fields had shown remarkable re-growth.

And in totting up the saved costs, less fuel has been used.

“We used to have to stir the slurry for two days before we started treating it with the inoculant. Now it takes about three-quarters of a day, so there’s one-and-a-quarter days of diesel to be saved.”

Mr Norris reckons he can make even more savings on his fertiliser costs. “I think next year will see me rely on just the slurry for the grazing ground in the spring and put 1.5 hundredweight of straight nitrogen on the silage ground.”

Kim Lockyer, South West regional sales manager for Envirosystems – manufacturers of SlurryBugs – said Mr Norris was one of a growing number of dairy farmers who were using slurry to save costs.

POULTRY

Bex’s eggs good for your brain

Bex Tonks’s brainwave has led to healthy hens… and a healthy son!

It’s British Egg Week and a West Country producer is launching its range of eggs designed to boost brain function.

Selenium is a natural element essential for both humans and animals, and comes with a range of health benefits.

Boost the Roost eggs are the brainwave of the Tonks family, who run St Ewe Free Range Eggs near Mevagissey, Cornwall. Bex Tonks, who manages the farm with her parents, hit upon the idea of adding the chemical to eggs by feeding the hens organic selenium.

She discovered the importance of selenium when dealing with her son’s pancreatitis. His health – and the hens’ health – have both improved since she put her egg idea into practice.

FINANCE

CROPS

Long haul to grain show will be well worthwhile It’s a long old haul to Peterborough, but the events run at the East of England Agricultural Society’s magnificent Exec Arena are invariably well worthwhile, writes Peter Hall.

UK Grain, now in its seventh year, takes place on November 6 – an event giving visitors the opportunity to consider their storage handling, drying and marketing requirements.

I know quite a contingent from the South West make the annual trek, not least because as well as offering free independent advice there will be topical clinics and seminars and an exhibition of the latest equipment for grain storage and handling.

Andy Newbold, the event or-

a sheep farmer, acknowledged that implementing an effective quarantine policy takes time and costs money.

“But this is nothing compared to the cost of importing one or more of these problems,” he said. “Sheep scab can take up to six months to show its hand, by which time the majority of the breeding ewes in a flock will be affected, along with young lambs – not a pleasant prospect, very difficult and expensive to deal with, and devastating for performance.”

SCOPS says there are three elements involved in effective quarantine: 1. Isolate (quarantine) incoming stock. Yard for the first 24 to 48 hours and then keep them isolated from the resident flock for as long as possible, three weeks being the absolute minimum, so that there is time to watch for CODD to develop before mixing.

2. Treat the sheep against the unseen threats from parasites while they are yarded.

Liver fluke may also need to be considered.

3. Maintain isolation but make sure they are turned out to an area that has carried sheep this season after treatments (without snail habits if in between fluke treatments) for the remainder of their quarantine.

UK Grain will offer free advice as well as clinics, seminars and an exhibition of the latest equipment

ganiser, told me: “UK Grain has become an important event for everyone in the business. It looks at all the issues post-harvest and allows farmers to access the best advice and view the latest equipment on offer to help them deliver grain at the quality and specification that will ensure they get the best prices.”

The exhibition will showcase every aspect of grain storage, from monitoring and drying to marketing. The seminar programme includes Martin Savage, of NABIM, looking at the quality of supply chains and a grain market update from AHDB markets analyst, Lloyd Dixon.

Also on the programme will

be Dr Ellie Marshall, from HGCA, who will be reviewing the quality of the 2013 harvest, and David Cross, from Rentokil, who will be talking about ways to reduce the risk of pests in your grain stores.

Participants at the seminars will be able to gain CPD points for NRoSO and BASIS. In addition, there will be a GrainStorm area where visitors can talk one-to-one on specific issues with industry experts, from grain quality sampling to identifying different pests.

The show is open from 9am to 4pm. Tickets are £10 by prebooking at www.farmsmart.co.uk/ukgrain or by telephone on 0845 4900 142. Tickets on the day are £15.

Prince backing support project A scheme in the South West that helps farmers under financial and other pressures has been given a grant of £25,000 by The Prince’s Countryside Fund.

The Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group South West (FWAG SW) Rest Assured project aims to support 100 farmers in dealing with three main issues: financial hardship, fear of the Rural Payments Agency and the related complex regulations, and anxiety as to what will happen to their farm after they are gone.

The farms supported during the project will be offered help with regulations and forms, heritage reports will be written detailing farming traditions, and links with farm help charities will be formalised.