Farming Western Daily Press 09 October 2013

Gibson: dairy farmers make a big show of confidence Page 12

Trial badger cull set to be re-started

BY GRAEME DEMIANYK wdnews@b-nm.co.uk The Somerset badger cull is poised to re-start as the Government today announces it is to scale back the number of animals to be killed in the South West.

Ministers are to admit marksmen have killed just 850 animals during a six-week cull, less than half an initial target of 2,000 required, or around 70 per cent of the local badger population.

But Parliament will today learn a fresh estimate shows

FARMING ONLINE westerndailypress.co.uk

The Government has commissioned research into gassing TB-infected badgers in their setts – www.westerndailypress.co.uk fewer animals are actually inhabiting the area than thought – meaning not as many need to be shot dead.

Under the new benchmark, 59 per cent of badgers have been killed, leading to officials to argue the cull has been “successful”.

And to hit the 70 per cent goal – or shoot a further 165 badgers – the Natural England quango is considering an application from the culling company to extend the cull on the edge of Exmoor for possibly three weeks. The initial cull finished on Sunday.

Badgers are blamed for spreading tuberculosis (TB) in cattle, and culling them is part of plans to halt the disease destroying farming in the South West.

Significantly, the Government has now reduced by half the total number of badgers that have to be dispatched in Somerset and a second “pilot” in Gloucestershire, which is ongoing and ends this week.

Some 5,000 badgers were to be killed in the two areas. The re-calibrated target is for only 2,670 to be shot dead.

A Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) source said last night the Somerset cull was making “very good progress... but an extension could make more progress towards that target”.

He dismissed suggestions the cull had been a failure, arguing shooting free-running badgers – which is a key aspect of what the “pilots” are testing – “works pretty well”.

The source said: “The Somerset ‘pilot’ finished on Sunday and appears to be successful. No concerns of safety, which was always paramount, not on humaneness.

“On effectiveness, we set a high target of 70 per cent of the estimated badger population.

The cull has succeeded in reducing to just shy of 60 per cent of the estimated population.

“The chief vet has advised this outcome should deliver clear disease benefits as part

TURN TO PAGE 3

Milk processor pays price of miserable 2012 First Milk, which operates the giant Westbury Dairies in Wiltshire, yesterday revealed pre-tax losses of £7.8 million in the year to March 31.

The company, with its headquarters in Glasgow, presented a contrasting picture to the markets.

The results to March 31 delivered a total pre-tax loss of £7.8 million, with turnover down £40 million to £530 million. In comparison, the results for the six months to September 30 show pre-tax profits up to £1.1 million, and turnover up £41 million to £280 million. The dairy at Westbury is one of the biggest in the region, processing two million litres per day, in as-

£7.8m First Milk’s pre-tax losses in the year to March 31

One of the most long-lived road vehicles, and a favourite with the Queen, pictured above, is to cease production. The last Land Rover Defender, a familiar sight on farms the world over, will be produced by Jaguar Land Rover in the West Midlands in December 2015 it announced yesterday. The Defender name can be traced to the early 1990s, but it effectively a continuation of the first of the line which was built in 1948

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The Property People

sociation with Milk Link and Arla. It turns surplus milk into skimmed milk, cream and butter.

First Milk chairman Bill Mustoe said: “We are well aware of the impact that 2012 has had on farm accounts over the last 18 months, and from analysing other dairy processor results over the last few weeks, it looks like last year was a challenging one for most in the dairy industry.

“However, our performance in the six months to 30 September demonstrates clear progress on our strategy, and makes us confident about our ability to increase returns to members in the remainder of the current financial year.”

He added the £7.8 million loss was largely down to exceptional costs.

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Rundle: Tesco in the dock over New Zealand lamb sales Page 5

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Farming

2 FARMING WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 9 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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Farming falls in Whitehall power games

BY RICHARD BACHE wdnews@b-nm.co.uk There were fears last night that farming has fallen further down the political pecking order as a result of this week’s Government reshuffle.

In Whitehall status counts for everything and it emerged last night that the replacement for axed farming minister David Heath is unlikely to wield as much clout within the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The sacking of the Somerton and Frome MP, after he had implemented the controversial trial badger cull, was one of the biggest surprises of the reshuffle.

But in what might be considered a blow for the farming industry it seems that his replacement will not have the same ministerial rank that Mr Heath carried.

He was a minister of state within Defra and the also axed fisheries minister Richard Benyon was a more junior par-

2002

When farming last had a minister at full cabinet rank liamentary under-secretary of state.

However the two new ministers within Defra reporting to Environment Secretary Owen Paterson will both by parliamentary under-secretary of states, meaning the farming portfolio has been effectively demoted.

Mr Heath and Mr Benyon have been replaced by two Cornish MPs – Tory George Eustice and Lib Dem Dan Rogerson, The exact nature of their roles and responsibilities has not yet been finalised, but the government website describes Mr Eustice as parliamentary under-secretary of state for the Natural Environment, Water and Rural Affairs.

No responsibilities are listed for Mr Rogerson, although he is also listed as a parliamentary under-secretary at Defra.

It is little more than a decade since the farming minister was a full cabinet position.

When the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) was abolished by Tony Blair in 2002, farming was effectively made junior to the wider environment brief.

Mr Heath’s sacking was unexpected, but his office warned not to read too much into an exchange of letters with Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg that appeared to hint that his appetite for remaining an MP was diminished.

CLEGG AND HEATH LETTERS Dear David, I want to thank you for the key roles you have played in government over the last three years, first as Deputy Leader of the House, and subsequently as Minister of State in Defra.

You have managed the challenges of both positions with your customary thoughtfulness and commitment. I am very aware of the pressures on you within Defra over the last year, and I am particularly grateful to you for the clarity and objectivity you have brought to issues of animal and plant disease, your defence of environmental issues, your commitment to agriculture and rural areas, and the development of new and exciting policies to protect and enhance our forests.

It is always difficult to move colleagues out of government but as you know, I have always been keen that we provide the opportunity for as many in our ranks as possible to contribute their skills to ministerial office during this parliament so that, just as government has benefited from your key contribution over the past three years, it can also gain from those of other colleagues.

I am immensely grateful for your dedication and commitment over the past few years. I am sure there will be an opportunity for your experience to be deployed in government in the future.

Nick Dear Nick First of all, I would like to thank you for the opportunity and the privilege of serving in government. It is testament to the resilience and determination of yourself and colleagues that, despite the undoubted challenges of coalition government, we have made it work.

I could not imagine two positions in government to which I was better suited than those in which I have served.

One, at the heart of government in parliament, strengthening our democratic institutions and effecting genuine reform. The second, working for the people of rural Britain, arguing their case so often unheard, and working for a sustainable agriculture, and enhanced environment and a thriving rural economy.

As you know, I will by the time of the next election have represented my community in Somerset for thirty years, eighteen of those as Member of Parliament. I hope I am able to make a further contribution to public life in some capacity.

I wish you personally, and the government more widely, every success in the future.

David

Human dynamo who puts in 18-hour days lands farmworker gong

Farmworker of the Year, Dominic Hutter, enjoys the tractor and machinery work on Park Farm in Curry Mallet. Judges praised his ability to turn his hand to any task on the farm and unbridled enthusiasm as reasons for him winning the honour

He is a “human dynamo” who can turn his hand to almost any job , so it is no wonder that Dominic Hutter is Farmers’ Weekly’s Farmworker of the Year, writes Tina Rowe.

Dominic, aged 25, and his two colleagues at Park Farm, Curry Mallet, near Taunton, have a busy workload on the 350-hectare unit. Crops are ryegrass, maize, wheat and barley, while the farm carries 250 dairy cows producing two million litres of milk a year, 300 beef cattle and 250 ewes.

Dominic relishes the opportunity to stretch his knowledge that a mixed farm gives. He loves his job, which can start at 4.30am sharing milking duties with the other staff, and not finish until 9pm. His baptism into such a world started young. His parents, Derrick and Sally, ran a smallholding and Dominic recalls: “I always

had 30-40 calves to feed before I went to school.”

It was a job which had to be done, come rain or shine, and was good training that helped him develop his “can-do” attitude. At Park Farm he does the day-to-day feeding and preparations of TMR for the dairy and beef cattle, rotates the breeding stock bulls, selects cows for AI and deals with vaccines and other medicines.

Arable and grassland duties include mowing, combine driving, grain storage tasks, ploughing and hedge trimming. He also does all the machinery servicing in-house, and is a good welder.

On top of this Dominic even manages to keep his own flock of 120 sheep back home at Axminster. That can mean being up at 2.30am to lamb his own animals, and then getting to work at Park Farm for 4am,

averaging an 18-hour day at lambing time. Oh, and then there is his hay business, selling 10,000 bales to the equestrian trade.

He says: “Your body clock gets used to it. I love my job, you wouldn’t do this if you didn’t enjoy it. You are not just thinking about the next job, you are thinking about the jobs for the week ahead. I’m not deterred by hard work, I’m not really happy unless I’m working – I’m not that comfortable with leisure.”

His boss, James Down, says he never ceases to be amazed at Dominic’s appetite for hard work. “If there’s a blocked drain, he’s the first one to roll his sleeves up.”

Farmers Weekly judges said: “Dominic’s a farmworker that any farmer would be delighted to employ. He’s simply a human dynamo.”

NFU deputy president Meurig Raymond said: “Dominic highlights the enthusiasm and hard work and tremendous work ethic of farmworkers in the UK. It was an honour to be judging these high-calibre candidates who give such a lot of support to the farm business.”

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WESTERN DAILY PRESS WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 9 2013 FARMING 3

West event for sheep project

Farm markets bang on trend

Tesco boosts milk prices

The National Sheep Association (NSA) has launched an ambassador programme as part of its NSA Next Generation project.

“We unveiled this project at our Sheep Event in July last year and have been working on it ever since, particularly to bring together the different elements of NSA’s existing activity for young people, such as our Young Shepherd of the Year competitions, the scholarships our regional committees offer, and helping people find work experience placements and employment within our network of farmer members,” said NSA chief executive Phil Stocker, speaking at an on-farm event in Wiltshire yesterday.

The event attracted around 60 young people interested in getting onto the sheep farming ladder. It was hosted by Tim White, a first-generation farmer who opened the gates at Manor Farm, Sutton Mandeville, Wiltshire, and spoke about his experience of having no family farm business behind him but building up a thriving enterprise, now running a flock of Exlana sheep on rented ground over a 100-mile radius.

He was joined by four speakers aged under 35 and running successful businesses. Mr Stocker added: “Today was the perfect opportunity to unveil the next phase.”

If actual consumer behaviour matches consumer research West Country farmers could be in for brighter times.

A poll to mark culinary magazine Olive’s tenth anniversary saw voters rank locally produced seasonal food as their favourite “trend” (29 per cent), followed by “diverse cuisine” (26 per cent) and far mers’ markets (18 per cent).

Chain restaurants make those polled unhappiest about modern food (40 per cent).

The survey also revealed that 55 per cent of Britons are cooking from scratch more than they were ten years ago, while just 35 per cent are eating out more. The food or drink that most Britons had never heard of ten years ago but could now not live without is the Spanish chorizo, favoured by 42 per cent of those polled, followed by sweet chilli sauce (35 per cent) and prosecco (23 per cent).

The 1,300 people surveyed voted Nigel Slater as their favourite celebrity cook.

Olive editor Christine Hayes said: “We are far more diverse in our tastes and seek out great value whether cooking at home or eating out. Nigel Slater’s relaxed cooking style and the seasonal ingredients he uses chimes with the increased trend of using ingredients when they are at their best.”

Tesco announced this week it will be increasing the price it pays British dairy farmers for their milk, following an independent review.

Tesco Sustainable Dairy Group members submitting data via Promar will receive the new price of 33.79ppl for their milk from November 1.

The result of the independent tracker has shown an increase of 0.54ppl in the cost of production, mainly as a result of increased feed costs.

John Scouler, Tesco commercial director, said: “This increase will benefit the 700 farmers who make up the Tesco Sustainable Dairy Group.

“It reflects our commitment to recognise the true cost of the production of milk, and pay a price above that cost. The TSDG has now been running for six years and we are proud to continue to lead the way in offering dairy farmers a fair price and support British agriculture.”

Will Hosford, dairy farmer and farmer committee chairman said: “Despite the good weather we’ve experienced this summer, the dairy industry continues to feel the effects of the extreme weather at the start of the year and the market remains volatile. The security and confidence that Tesco provides farmers through the TSDG is more important than ever.”

Cull set to be extended as figures revised FROM PAGE 1

Main picture; Farmworker of the Year, Dominic Hutter, hard at work on Park Farm in Curry Mallet. Above, feeding the yearling calves PICTURES: FRAN STOTHARD

Last week, Mr Paterson told the Conservative Party conference in Manchester that the Government would push on with the culls in the face of growing rumours that the pilots in Somerset and Gloucestershire were failing.

“Bovine TB has now spread extensively through the West of England and Wales,” he said.

“The number of new cases is doubling every nine years. In the last decade we have slaughtered 305,000 cattle across Great Britain. In 2012 in England alone, TB led to the slaughter of 28,000 cattle at a cost to the taxpayer of nearly £100 million. It is estimated that this will rise to £1 billion over the next decade if the disease is left unchecked.

“The task of managing bovine TB and bringing it under control is difficult and complex. The Government is committed to using all of the tools at its disposal and continuing to develop new ones as a package of measures to tackle the disease.

“Culling is just one element of our broader strategy to eradicate TB over 25 years. We will continue to strengthen cattle movement controls, increase our surveillance testing regime and invest in research into badger and cattle vaccines.”

Failure of the “pilots”, thereby halting the roll-out, would be deeply embarrassing for the coalition after the

‘What this has shown is that free-shooting does work’ Defra source Labour government refused to sanction the policy.

The estimates of the badger population were based on tests carried out last year, and were the numbers used when both “pilots” began. But a more recent estimate, time sensitive given the badger breeding season, revealed significantly different figures.

In the Somerset area, the badger population is now 1,450,

compared to 2,400 in 2012. The badger population in the Gloucestershire area is 2,350 this year, a fall from 3,400 a year earlier.

And in a move likely to raise eyebrows, Defra has altered how it benchmarks a 70 per cent cull-rate. At first, it used an “upper” estimate of the badger population. The Whitehall department is now following a lower “central” estimate – hence fewer animals need shooting dead.

Allied to the falling population, the change means just 1,020 badgers are required to be killed in Somerset compared to the earlier 2,000 target. The Gloucestershire goal drops to around 1,650 from 3,000.

Anything significantly less than 70 per cent would risk spreading bovine TB further.

But the source said an extension would “not be a significant change” in terms of making the problem worse.

Factors influencing the drop in population could include flooding in the South West, and food availability. “Estimating badger populations is very difficult,” the source said. “As soon as we got new data we updated that.”

The Defra source concluded: “What this has shown is that free-shooting does work. It is one part of a suite of methodologies we have specified within the strategy document about how we might be able to control badger populations. As far as we know at the moment it is safe and humane. The judgement on that will be made by the independent expert panel. But basically, it works pretty well.”

4 FARMING WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 9 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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Researchers hail genetic TB solution

BY PETER HALL wdnews@b-nm.co.uk Cattle farmers could be able to genetically select for bovine tuberculosis resistance within two years, according to scientists.

A new joint research project backed by the levy-funded organisation DairyCo and implemented by Scotland’s Rural College and Edinburgh University’s Roslin Institute promises new horizons in the fight against bovine TB. Over the next 18 months a new trait will be developed using the work from Defrafunded research, which will rank bulls for their resistance to TB. DairyCo’s head of genetics,

2015

When researchers believe TB resistant bulls will enter herds FARMING ONLINE westerndailypress.co.uk

View lots more farming stories throughout the week on the WDP website at www.westerndailypress.co.uk/ farming

Marco Winters, said this was a welcome development for the industry . . . but it would be just one useful weapon in the armoury and by no means a complete solution to the problem.

“The good news is we shall be able to identify those animals carrying a degree of resistance,” he said. “But it’s important to recognise that, as yet, we have no way of knowing how many there will be come the end of the project – or whether these will be animals the farmer wants to breed from

because of other criteria he or she is aiming for.

“We must also remember this is a long-term initiative.

We shan’t be able to select bulls with resistant genes until April 2015, then their daughters will be entering the milking herd in 2018 at the earliest. While the trait for TB resistance is predicted to be moderately inheritable, once it is introduced it will take quite a few years before any effect on disease incidence is seen. But despite these notes of caution, this is a very positive step in the right direction.”

Scotland’s Rural College already provides genetic evaluations for UK dairy cattle on behalf of DairyCo through its E-Genes service.

Professor Georgios Banos, who is leading the new project at Scotland’s Rural College, said pedigree and performance data combined with national TB test results would feed into the model to rank cattle for their genetic resistance to TB. “This will help us create the most appropriate model to assess the genetic merit of individual animals for TB resistance,” he explained. “Based on this, the best animals will be available for selection to breed improved resistance to TB into the next generation.

Although it’s early days, it’s particularly good news for farmers in regions where TB is most common. In the future they will be able to include this trait when they are making selection and mating decisions.

“Dairy farmers are already breeding animals selectively for traits such as better fertility, improved fitness and longer life spans, as well as milk yield and quality. Adding this new trait into the mix will further help their overall progress in achieving a profitable and sustainable outcome from their breeding programme.”

Gregg enjoys the bountiful Forest harvest MasterChef ’s Gregg Wallace delivered an expert taste test to pick out the finest food on offer at the annual Forest Showcase at the Speech House Hotel.

More than 70 producers turned out to show their offerings from the fields and farms of Gloucestershire, alongside cookery demos, live music and traditional craft workshops.

It didn’t take long for Gregg to stumble across one of his favourite Forest of Dean producers in the food tent for Hillbrooks Ice Cream of Newent.

The family business, run by siblings Jenny and Andrew Jones and his wife, Hayley, was only too happy to serve up Gregg’s favourite walnut flavoured ice cream.

“Gregg tried us out last year and loved it, so immediately asked to be loaded up with his favourite flavour,” said Andy.

“We started out in 2007 when it was hard times for farmers,

‘It is amazing how much wonderful food is made in this area’ Fiona Shields

Something clearly tickled MasterChef and Harvest presenter Gregg Wallace when he opened the Forest Showcase event at the weekend. Dozens of Forest of Dean farmers and producers sold goods there

we were practically giving our milk away so we had to diversify. Our vanilla and honeycomb ice cream has won several awards, including first prize at the Three Counties Show.”

Visitors were spoilt for choice, with tables groaning under the weight of fresh meat, artisan breads, vegetables, ciders and cheese.

Live music was performed by the Chepstow Community Big Band.

Fiona Shields, from Ruardean Hill, was visiting with her son Cameron. “It is amazing to see how much wonderful food is actually made in this area,” she said.

Tom Cousins, from Coleford, was hosting a turnip tossing tournament. “I’m surprised how busy it’s been,” he said.

“My son Jasper has been showing off his wood turning on a pole lathe too and we’ve both had lots of interest.There is so much for people to see and do here and the smells are fantastic.

Higher pig prices dent profitability of major bacon and sausage supplier A major supplier of bacon and sausages to leading UK supermarkets has warned that profits will be flat this year due to record pig prices.

Hull-based Cranswick is relying on its ongoing efficiency efforts to offset the higher pig price, which has been caused by increased retailer demand for British pigs, strong export markets and rising grain feed costs.

The pork producer said operating profits for the six months to September 30 will be broadly flat, despite underlying turnover increasing some 13 per cent due to par-

ticularly strong growth in the fresh pork and bacon categories.

The company is likely to have prospered in the wake of the horse meat scandal, which raised questions about the provenance of some foreignsourced products.

It also believes that the “versatility and low relative price of pork” compared to other proteins has worked in its favour.

Cranswick was formed by farmers in the 1970s to produce pig feed, before expanding in the 1980s.

It supplies Tesco and Sains-

Bacon and sausage giant Cranswick has said its profits will be flat due to an increase in the price paid for pigs

bury’s and recently won new orders from Marks & Spencer and Asda.

Its efforts to offset rising pig prices have also seen it buy two breeding operations which will mean its enlarged herd will be able to produce around 7,000 outdoor-reared pigs each week for use in its premium range products.

Panmure Gordon stockbrokers said this was equivalent to 20 per cent of the company’s weekly requirements. But with UK pig prices set to remain high until the end of the year, Cranswick said it expects profits to be flat

across the financial year.

The company said: “The financial year out turn will be, to a large extent, dependent on the group’s ability to mitigate these costs through further operating efficiencies and the outcome of ongoing discussions with customers.”

Panmure Gordon cut its forecast for full-year operating profits by 6 per cent to £50 million following the update but said it maintained its forecast for the following year.

Cranswick shares were 4 per cent lower yesterday.

The company’s interim results are due on November 25.

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Chris Rundle Tesco and the lie of the lamb There are three words which are enough to send the blood pressure of any British sheep farmer off the scale. They are: New Zealand lamb.

A commodity which has done more than anything else to take the profitability out of sheep farming in this country, and whose producers have benefited from a far higher degree of promotion and advertising than British farmers have ever seen.

Try a word association test.

Try throwing in the word lamb. Nine times out of ten you’ll get “New Zealand” as your response.

It wasn’t so bad when the market was ruled by a gentlemen’s agreement, when the Kiwis would only send us their lamb in the months when the British product was short.

But that went out of the window long ago thanks in part to the New Zealand government ditching subsidies and leaving its farmers to fight tooth and nail for every last cent, partly to the ruthless antics of British supermarkets who have been happy to shaft British farmers by importing every last kilo of NZ product they can lay their hands on.

You might care to ask how come New Zealand lamb can be shipped half way round the world and still be cheap. Farmers who have been there say it’s all down to a rather more robust attitude to animal welfare than exists here: the preference for a bullet rather than a vet’s bill, and worse. All strenuously denied by the European representatives of the New Zealand meat sector.

As you might expect, of course.

Farmers here accept as inevitable that supermarkets will undercut them with the use of cheap imports: it’s just one of several activities which falls into the general category of “supporting British farmers” which is what supermarkets tell their gullible customers they do.

But they would be justified in becoming a little concerned over the revelation that Tesco has actually been economical with the truth in order to pushing more NZ product with its larger profit margins.

Linda Allan, a member of the North of England Mule Sheep Association, contacted Tesco to enquire why New Zealand lamb was available as well as British lamb at this point in the year, when sales of British lamb are traditionally strong, mainly, as connoisseurs will tell you, because autumn lamb actually has a lot more flavour than the spring lamb about which people get so excited.

However, the replying email from Tesco’s customer service team told her: “As lamb is not in season at the moment in the UK, we have to source our supply from elsewhere. We do this to avoid disappointment to

Chris Rundle mounts a robust defence of British lamb our customers, as the demand is so great.”

That’s really a bit rich coming from a supermarket which has done its best to eradicate any notion of seasonality (tasteless strawberries and jetlagged South American asparagus at Christmas; Easter Eggs on sale by New Year’s Day, etc.) from its food displays.

Tesco has (naturally) apologised since the email was made public and says British lamb is and will continue to be available in its stores. But how many other mistakes are being trotted out daily by the knownothings who staff its customer service team?

And that still does not answer the question of why a company which in this part of the world accounts for 80 per cent of all slaughtered meat is still importing cheap and inferior NZ lamb when it should know that British producers are struggling to manage on the prices they are getting.

But there, of course, lies the answer. The longer the imports roll in, the longer the market is well-supplied, the longer prices will remain depressed and the greater profit Tesco can pocket. That is, after all, how it works when you can exert such a vice-like grip on the trade.

Mansel Raymond, NFU Dairy Board chairman, and David Handley, Farmers for Action chairman, at odds at the Dairy Show

Dairy Show: a concise guide Ten things I learned as a result of attending the Dairy Show at Shepton Mallet last week: ■ 1 – NFU dairy board chairman Mansel Raymond can espy a jam mountain just over the horizon, represented by a huge increase in global milk demand. Farmers therefore should be racking up output in order to take advantage of it.

Prices are easing up, all looking rosy, etc.

■ 2 – Farmers For Action chairman David Handley says prices haven’t gone up enough and need to rise by more than the odd penny here or there before farmers will feel confident about the future.

■ 3 – Milk quota broker Ian Potter says that’s all very well but we shouldn’t imagine that the current upward trend in prices will last. Other countries are also upping output so if the global market lurches into oversupply next year prices will be back down with a bump.

■ 4 – Mansel Raymond says it’s a positive sign that processors have been investing millions in new plant and equipment.

■ 5 – David Handley says that investment has been funded from money that should have gone to farmers.

■ 6 – Mansel Raymond says farmers should take the lead from the market signs and invest to expand and modernise. They should also form stronger ties with the processors to form a united front to put pressure on supermarkets to raise prices.

■ 7 – David Handley says

PICTURE: CLARE GREEN

farmers haven’t got the money to invest – proved by a show of hands as he speaks – because they aren’t being paid enough (see above) and will need at least a year of sustained high prices in order to be persuaded or able to do so – and at the moment there is no sign of that happening.

Anyway, why should farmers support people who draw six-figure salaries and drive around in £80,000 company cars all funded on the back of dairy farmers’ hard work?

■ 8 – Mansel Raymond says he is pleased with the way negotiations have gone with the processors.

■ 9 – David Handley says if they had gone that well then farmers wouldn’t need to be standing around at the Dairy Show debating the milk price.

■ 10 – And by the way, he says, the deal with the NFU is dead and buried. The dairy coalition is no longer working. And guess whose fault that is.

Remember the fallen badgers With the local badger cull now wound down, one wonders what further displays of mawkish, mindless sentimentality will be staged to mark its end.

Perhaps a service of remembrance for the fallen badgers?

A service of thanksgiving for the ones who have escaped the marksmen’s bullets and have lived to infect more cattle with TB? Or an award ceremony to honour the selfless devotion to nightly duty by the dedicated members of the “wounded badger patrols” who, by all accounts, have repeatedly had to

steel themselves against the screams of bullet-ridden and dying animals?

I wonder what rewards lie in store for the occupants of one car which was stopped by a local farmer (whose land was being cleared by marksmen) as it was being driven at lunatic speed along the lane past his home. It was dark. And the vehicle had previously driven up and down at least twice, once with a police car in pursuit.

Finding the farmer blocking his way, the driver advised him in the most robust terms imaginable to step aside or suffer a beating. When questioned as to how his lunatic driving was going to help save the badgers his response was in the nature of: “---- the badgers. We’re just winding up the police.”

Meanwhile, I have taken issue with the editor of my local weekly paper, a publication which runs a spot-thebadger competition in order to ensure the assiduous perusal of its advertising columns by readers. An image of a badger is tucked away somewhere in the classified section and the first reader to correctly identify the location wins a tenner (I know, I know. But times are hard).

I have made it my duty to acquaint the editor with my belief that in the current climate this is exploitation of the badger species of the most distasteful type and one which is likely to have the rent-a-yob crowd stoning his windows.

On the other hand, given the topicality of badgers perhaps the competition’s scope should be extended, the weekly prize money increased, and readers challenged to spot images of a wounded badger, a dead

badger or a TB-infected badger as well.

If, however, he deems that appeasement is the better course I have suggested the badger be replaced by another species, such as a stoat or a wildebeest. I accept entirely that the latter is not indigenous to Exmoor but its use would be no more illogical or perverse than organising an operation to halt the eradication of a disease now causing our worst animal health epidemic in decades.

To his credit, he has now published the letter so I am sitting back and awaiting the usual response that results from speaking out against the Friends of Brock. As my staunchly pro-cull MP Ian Liddell-Grainger has discovered, this consists of having a dead badger dumped on one’s doorstep.

My house, however, lies some 50 yards from the road and is accessed via an unmadeup lane which can be tricky to negotiate at night – many an ankle has been turned thereon. Moreover the property, when one reaches it, is fitted with security lights which snap on automatically with an intensity that can be momentarily blinding – this to allow the resident, sabre-toothed canine guardian to get well within trouser-ripping range without being sussed.

And I can tell you he doesn’t take kindly to having his slumbers interrupted. Particularly by bleeding-heart badgerites.

Particularly when there’s actually a sniff of badger around, which he takes as a signal to turn on the afterburner, flick on the autopilot and lock the laser guidance system onto its target until destruction has been achieved.

I wouldn’t wish that on anyone, even the pitiful, simple-minded, handwringing bunch who still stand up for a species which is costing this country hundreds of millions a year. So I have left a box with my name on it by the kerb: dead badgers can be safely deposited therein.

Cull protesters on night patrol FARMING DEBATE westerndailypress.co.uk

The cost of living with TB is appalling and we absolutely have to clear it out of the cattle herds before it gets every animal in the country, says Ian Liddell-Grainger – www.westerndailypress.co.uk Write Farming, The Editor, Western Daily Press, Temple Way, Bristol BS99 7HD Email wdnews@b-nm.co.uk

6 FARMING WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 9 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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Awards salute cream of the dairy industry

BY JEFF WELLS wdnews@b-nm.co.uk The Somerset Dairy Careers Awards – staged at the Dairy Show last Wednesday – threw a welcome spotlight on the positive news coming out of the dairy industry and highlighted what a good job young people and employers are doing.

The event, at the Bath and West Showground near Shepton Mallet, was hosted by Mole Valley Farmers and organised by the Somerset Dairy Careers Project. Cash prizes and trophies were presented by the sponsor of each category to young people who have shown outstanding enthusiasm, hard work and dedication to the industry.

There were six category winners: Bakers of Haselbury Plucknett Agricultural Dairy Trainee Award – Rachel Churches; Lye Cross Farm Processing Trainee Award – Alice Hannon; Bigwoods Agri & Deutz Fahr Engineering Trainee Award – Jack Smiles;

‘The award opened up a vast number of opportunities for me’ Rachel Churches Mitchells Chartered Accountants Agri-business Trainee Award – Thomas Woolacott; Greenslade Taylor Hunt Work Experience Award – Henry Rossiter; and Bridgwater College Further and Higher Education Award – Matthew Woollaston.

There was one overall winner for the It’s All About Dairy Award and this was presented to Rachel Churches.

The judges felt that her attitude, knowledge, willingness to adapt and learn made her a fantastic ambassador for young people and the industry and a very worthy winner.

Rachel said: “I am thrilled about winning the Agricultural Dairy Trainee Award and the overall It’s All About Dairy Award. It has opened up a vast number of opportunities, including gaining two work experience placements while talking to companies about the awards at the Dairy Show. I am looking forward to this and without the Somerset Dairy Careers Awards I’m sure this wouldn’t have been possible.”

The Dairy Employer Award, sponsored by Mole Valley Farmers, was given to Joe and Rachel Horler from Maundrils Farm, Highbridge, North Somerset. For a small farming business they do a huge amount to help and support young people to start a career in the dairy industry.

Joe and Rachel said after

winning the award: “It has been great to be involved and we were delighted to win the employer’s award. We hope to continue promoting dairy in different ways. If you enjoy what you do – and for us that is dairy farming – then it is easy and rewarding to share that enthusiasm with others.”

The awards were orchestrated by Somerset’s Dairy Careers Project, a 21-month initiative which was launched in July 2012 and is funded by the Big Lottery’s Local Food scheme. It works in partnership with and supported by businesses in Somerset’s dairy industry as well as the following benefactors: the Community Council for Somerset, Bakers of Haselbury Plucknett, Bridgwater College, Farming and Countryside Education, Somerset County Council, the Somerset Rural Youth Project, Somerset Skills and Learning, South West Food and Drink, Somerset Young Farmers, the NFU and Volis Farm.

Somerset relies heavily on the dairy industry, being home to a wide variety of West Country farmhouse cheddar, other artisan cheeses, yoghurt and ice cream, as well as largescale dairy producers and creameries.

The Dairy Careers Project provides a dairy sector resource packs for young people aged 14-plus, focusing on career opportunities in the dairy sector and healthy eating.

All young people in education in Somerset, from the age of 14 to 18, will have the chance to see one of these packs, that is a potential audience of 30,000-plus young people. Resource packs will also be available for employers. This will include fact sheets to help with recruiting work experience students, apprentices, running farm visits and recruiting young people into the industry.

A spokesman said: “Our aim is to support 200 students to have visited dairy farms or dairy companies in Somerset and 30 young people to have experienced dairy taster sessions or a short course in the dairy industry. This should increase skills and knowledge of the industry among young people, as well as increasing awareness of career prospects.

“Within 21 months, 30 young people will have benefited from specialist courseswithin the dairy industry in Somerset, with a further 15 being employed or in training within the dairy sector.”

The Big Lottery Fund is the largest of the National Lottery good cause distributors, supporting health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK.

Pictured at the Somerset Dairy Careers Awards 2013, staged at the Dairy Show, are, clockwise from top left: Henry Rossiter and Derek Biss; Rachel Churches and Katherine; Jack Smiles and Keith Bigwood; Alice Hannon and Nick Green

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WESTERN DAILY PRESS WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 9 2013 FARMING 7

Blitz on red tape may lead to difficulties The overwhelming desire to do away with red tape could make life difficult for landowners where rights of way are concer ned.

The requirement for a statutory declaration and appropriately marked-up map to be submitted to the local authority under Section 31 (6) of the Highways Act 1980 every ten years has been extended to 20 years.

Declarations served as a means to stop future claims of rights of way by the public where none existed, but landowners still need to be vigilant about taking action to stop public access where no current right of way exists.

The system also helped create an informal cross referencing between the contents of the official record of rights of way and what landowners believed to be the case.

While the period for these declarations has been extended under The Growth and Infrastructure Act 2013 (Commencement No. 3 and Savings) Order 2013, a new declaration under The Commons (Registration of Town or Village Greens) and dedicated Highways (Landowner Statements and Declarations (England) Regulations 2013 has been introduced from October 1, this time to help stop the public claiming village greens on private land.

Arthur Chambers, rural expert at the Bath office of Carter Jonas said: “The process requires notices to be posted for 60 days and this may serve to highlight the potential for others to make an application for village green status.

Landowners may need to weigh up whether it’s better to sit back and do nothing rather than risk a dispute.

“It would be wise to draw up formal agreements over the use of private land for village or community events to prevent the landowner unwittingly providing evidence of a village green’s existence by allowing easy and frequent public access. Village green status could also affect common land and unused fields to which landowners allow public access.”

Prime-stock diary date

The Dairy Employer Award went to Joe and Rachel Horler, uppermost above. Bottom: Thomas Woolacott and Sam Vigus

As there is no Beef South West event this year, the National Beef Association has been asked to organise a prime-stock show to take its place.

As a result a show will be held from 5pm on Thursday, November 21, at Hatherleigh Market, North Devon, with Dawn Meats holding a carcass competition at the same time at the adjoining abattoir.

The live classes will be split between calf classes and the traditional prime-stock show classes.

Anyone wanting to enter the show should contact Rosemary Risdon on 01049 271510 for a schedule, while anyone wanting to enter the carcass competition should contact Peter Bowyer at Dawn Meats on 01837 810491.

Concentration first and foremost at the 50th Annual Crewkerne Young Farmers Club Ploughing Match

Old rivalries are rekindled in field trials

BY JEFF WELLS wdnews@b-nm.co.uk The 50th Annual Crewkerne Young Farmers Club Ploughing Match saw two old friends competing for honours in the special veterans class.

Friends John Wyatt and Peter Hardwill entered the first YFC ploughing match in 1963 and were keen to prove they had lost none of their skills with the plough. Along with Paul Studley, who entered his first ploughing match at the age of 13 in 1966, the pair competed to see who would win their battle of honour.

Another member from the first match who was competing on Saturday, Ken Gibbs, proved he had lost none of his skills by gaining the most points in his reversible plough class. The chairman of the first ploughing match, Tim Frost, presented the young (and not so young) farmers prizes and complimented the current YFC members for organising such a successful event.

Some 91 people competed on the day and the sunshine ensured a large number of spectators enjoyed their day out on the Hinton Park Estate – by kind permission of Mr and Mrs E Ruell. The eight ploughing judges – Michael Alvis, Robert Dimond, Les House, Malcolm Jennings, John Kerslake, David Wareham, Tom Wills and Austin Yeatman – had the task of picking the winner from some excellent ploughing, while feed judge David Hinkins also had a large field of entries from which to pick the winners.

RESULTS Ploughing classes sponsored by Yarcombe Woodlands: Class 1 Novice Conventional – sponsored

by Mole Vally Farmers 1st Ken Gee, 2nd Mike Lock, 3rd Paul Gilbert.

Class 2 Novice Reversible. –

sponsored by Kelvin Cave Ltd 1st Elsie Swaffield, 2nd E. R. Underdown, 3rd Flyn Procter.

Class 3 Open Reversible – sponsored by Colin Smart Agricultural Services 1st (and representative at the National Championships) Tristan Sawtell, 2nd John Chapman, 3rd Tim Frampton.

Class 4 Open Semi Digger – sponsored by Mike Broom 1st (and representative at the National Championships) Ricky Atrill, 2nd Bill Tonkin, 3rdDonald Tonkin Class 5 Open Commercial – sponsored by Bredy Ltd 1st

Crewkerne Young Farmers Graham Henson, 2nd Barry Dennett, 3rd Chris Baker.

Class 6 Trailed Vintage – sponsored by Duffields (South West) Ltd 1st Martyn Smale, 2nd Brian Johnston, 3rd Mike Pugh.

Class 7 Mounted Vintage – sponsored by R. H. & G. H. Milne 1st Joe Hill, 2nd Paul Greet, 3rd Michael Symonds.

Class 7a Vintage Ferguson Tractor & Plough – sponsored by Pearce Seeds 1st Timothy Hurley, 2nd Bob Wood, 3rd M. Taviner.

Class 7b Veteran Members – sponsored by Wydale Plastics 1st Pal Studley, 2nd John Wyatt, 3rd Peter Hardwill.

Class 8 Classic Tractor and Plough – sponsored by Highwood Ltd. 1st Andrew Gell, 2nd Alan Eustace, 3rd Derek Parsons.

The following special prizes were also awarded: Best Bye – Graham Henson; Best Finish – Joe Hill; The Bredy Cup for Best Ploughing and representative at the National Championships Ricky Atrill; The Roger Dennett memorial

trophy for the best work with three or more furrows, Graham Henson; The Nick Eagar Memorial Cup for the best work with a Reversible Plough, Tristan Sawtell; The G. Thorne Cup for the best work using a Massey Ferguson tractor and/ or plough, Donald Tonkin; The Francis Bugler Cup for the best work using a Ford or New Holland Tractor, Ricky Atrill; J & B Gibbs Shield for the best work with a David Brown/Case Graham Henson; The David Brown Tractor Club shield for best ploughing with a classic David Brown tractor and plough, Bill Valentine; The David Brown Vintage Tractor & Plough Shields – 1st Paul Greet 2nd Arnold Watts. The recipients of the vintage shields qualify to plough in the David Brown final at the National Championships; The E C Lawrence Perpetual Challenge Cup for the best work by any YFC member, Michael Bailey; The Crewkerne YFC Challenge Cup for best work by a Crewkerne YFC member in any class, Michael Bailey; The Rosewell Challenge trophy for best Crewkerne YFC member in a novice class, Elsie Swaffield; The best ploughing by a female YFC member in any class, Elsie Swaffield.

Feed classes, sponsored by Countrywide Farmers Ltd Class 1, 2.5kg of grass silage – Tommy Jeanes; Class 2, 2.5kg of maize silage – John Lucas; Class 3, 1kg of hay – Clive Wareham; Class 4, 2.5kg of haylage – Jack Hawker, Class 5, 1kg of wholecrop – Tommy Jeanes, Class 3, three stems of maize John Tommy Jeanes. Overall Feed Champion and Countrywide Shield, Tommy Jeanes.

■ The Countrywide Trophy for the best individual item of forage was awarded to Tommy Jeanes. Club members and the club’s advisory committee provided refreshments and lunches for the judges. The club members are also grateful to their advisory committee members for assisting them with the stewarding on the day and helping them mark out the ploughing plots. Thanks also go to the Lions Club of Crewkerne for the hot refreshments, and to the businesses who provided financial support, including Bigwood & Partners, Dorset Vehicle Rentals, P H Hardwill Ltd, HRH Potatoes, Mitchams Chartered Accountants, NFU Mutual, Stokes Partners LLP, J H Swaffield and Sons and Synergy Farm Health.

8 FARMING WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 9 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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Farmers’ bulletin board Market reports FROME Wednesday, October 2 BEEF CATTLE (69) A totally insufficient entry forward to satisfy today’s demand with a number of buyers going home short of stock.

Quality was again mixed but overall trade and prices were generally firmer.

Many more smart well finished cattle wanted.

UTM Steers (40) A run from Messrs RE & AM Hicks averaged 203.26p/kg topping at 209p/kg. A cracking Limousin from WW & J Rawlings & Son grossed £1,538. Other quality finished Continental x steers selling from 191p/ kg. Herefords met a good trade to 205p/ kg and £1,,353 from MJ & J Berry.

Angus to 205.5p/kg from P & S Watts & Partners and £1,,425 from IW Tyler.

Devons to 203.5p/kg and £1,,206 from SG Flower. Friesian steers to 158.5p/kg from JR Griffin.

UTM Heifers (4) Only a handful of heifers on offer met a fast trade with a Limousin from P & S Watts & Partners topping the day at 211.5p/kg. A Blue from RE & AM Hicks grossed £1,m221 (209.5p/kg). More would have sold well.

Overage Beef (24) Another mixed quality entry with the few well finished cattle selling at a premium. Others variable and many lacking real finish.

Simmental steers to 198p/kg and Simmental heifers to 205p/kg from BG & TW Randall. Friesian steers to 157.5p/ kg also from BG & TW Randall and £1,,422 from IW Tyler. Hereford steers to 165.5p/kg from BG & W Randall and £1,,401 from E Sheppard. Devon steers to 193p/kg and £1,,196 from SG Flower.

Limousin heifers to 197p/kg from BG & TW Randall with Friesian heifers to 148.5p/kg from RA Saxton.

BARREN COWS & BULLS (128) A smaller entry due to the Dairy Event met a firmer trade to average 111.13p/ kg and £715.32.

Dairy Cows (74) The quality Friesian meat cows in strong demand to 141.5p/ kg from AK & AD Parker Ltd and £1,,055 from Limekiln LLP. A further 25 cows sold in advance of 120p/kg. Manufacturing cows with cover and shape met strong competition and also dearer. The plainer types were no faster. The many very plain and poor cows sold well for their type but at lower levels from 54.5p/kg.

Beef Cows (50) A fast trade especially for the quality meat cows topping at 159p/kg and £1,,198 for a Hereford from Freeman Bros. Other Herefords to 153.5p/kg, 137.5p/kg, 136.5p/kg, 135.5p/ kg and 130p/kg. Simmentals to 154.5p/ kg from RM & JE Brown, Isle of Wight.

Limousins to 143.5p/kg from JR Bailey.

Montbeliardes to 143p/kg from AJ Carlos. Blues to 140.5p/kg from RJ & SR Bunn. Angus to 133.5p/kg from J & P Griffin. Devons to 132.5p/kg from Clyffe Farms Ltd. Bulls (4) A firm trade with Limousins to 139.5p/kg from JG Goldsack Ltd and Blues to 133.5p/kg from N Paul. More cows could have been sold.

SHEEP (676) Prime Lambs (480) SQQ 165.59p/kg Max 187p/kg £86/head A fantastic trade from start to finish for all grades.

The best well fleshed Continental x lambs were keenly contested and selling to a premium. Best lambs selling to 187p/kg from RF Stratton & Co whose 42 averaged 177p/kg. Quality Charollais x lambs to 184p/kg from Lisette Smith. A pen of 11 from TP Holdway & Son averaged 171p/kg and 13 from RT Brading averaged 169p/kg.

Heavy lambs met spirited bidding with lambs from NR & JM Coles averaging £82.63. Lambs from AL & DM Sage averaged £81.94. 22 from PJ Pobjoy averaged £80.77 and 18 from E & D Agriculture averaged £78.50. Vendors are reminded to select lambs on finish as well as weight.

Cull Ewes & Rams (161) Max £70/ head Av. £42.50 An increased entry sold to a competitive trade. Better fleshed types to £70 from Marshall and Willis, Isle of Wight and £68 from J Alvis. The majority of medium plain types and half meat ewes generally £40 to £55.The plain sorts from £30 to £40.

Store Lambs (35) All types sold to a fast trade and many more would have sold to advantage. Stronger Dorset x lambs to £63 from CF Buckler. Smaller Continental x lambs at £50.50 from C Raymond. Very small coloured native lambs sold around the £40 mark.

DAIRY (14) As expected with the

Dairy Show, entries were lighter. The buoyant trade continues and well presented cattle again wanted. Best types from AF Leighton saw freshly calved Holstein Friesians heifers to £1,,950 and £1,,770. Strong Friesian types from regular vendor Brian Fielding to a firm £1,,680. Smaller heifers ranged from £1,,000 to £1,,280. Calved cows scarce but all wanted with buyers looking particularly for quality.

NON-EXPORT CALVES (292) A fantastic entry for Dairy Event day with some good runs of calves forward. A sparkling trade from start to finish with firm demand from plenty of buyers.

Continental Bulls Quality calves still commanding a premium with strong sorts in excess of £300 and high overall averages. Medium bulls from £240 to £300. A large entry of Blues with the best of the day was a super type from JJA Sprake & Partners Ltd which sold to £458. Charolais to £405 from M Carver. Simmentals to £400 from DR & BA Boyte. Limousins to £372 from M Carver. Blondes to £300 from MS Shears. Fleckveih bulls to £360 from RTJ Voizey & Partners.

Continental Heifers A good entry of heifers saw a fast trade for all and particularly the best. First quality sorts regularly in excess of £270. Another large entry of Blues which topped twice at £300 from ACW & SJ Knott and RTJ Voizey & Partners. Simmentals to £280 from MJ Trowbridge & Son. Limousins to £250 from WJ Weeks & Son. British A flying trade today for all sorts with plenty of buyers keen for native sired calves. An abundance of Angus with bulls to £370 from RJ Phillips & Sons and heifers to £228 from Reads Farm Partnership, Isle of Wight.

Hereford bulls to £355 from SH Harris & Son with heifers to £200 from Wilverley Farms. Friesians Many forward and a strong trade for the better well fleshed sorts. British Friesians to £1,86 from RF Stratton and a strong average at almost £77. Holsteins to £1,00 from PB Weeks & Son. Plenty at £60 to £90.

Trade easier for the poorer quality.

Friday, October 5 STORE CATTLE (1064) Organic store cattle (53) Fewer coming forward but trade certainly at premium levels and seeing prices £50 to £75 a head over conventional, with more organic buyers supporting the sale today. A super Simmental x heifer (14mo) from MG Miller seeing excellent bidding at £820. Older Simmental Heifers to £1,,078 from Messrs Foster, Bath. Simmental Steers (14-17mo) again from the Foster Family Steers peaked at £1,,082. Forward 20mo Angus Steers from Charlie & Therasa Allward produced strong bidding to £1,,072.

SUCKLER COWS CALVES & INCALF COWS (88) Included in today’s catalogue was a suckler herd dispersal for Gordon Straker, Devizes. A full ring side of potential buyers were all keen to acquire some of these super genuine cattle. 20 Blonde x and Blue x Cows with calves (2-3mo) at foot regularly saw prices over £1,,100 to top at £1,,200.

In-calf Blonde x and Blue x Cows created excited bidding with the best Blondes from £1,,000 to £1,,120. Blue x Cows wanted and regularly ranged from £850 to £950. A grand Limousin Cow with a heifer calf (3mo) at foot from SJS Loveless sold well to £1,260.

Breeding Bulls Quality Angus bulls (16-21mo) from Master Edmunds saw good competition and topped at £1,,600.

Young Continentals Trade definitely seeing a big lift today with many more local and away buyers supporting Frome. Quality is always the key and buyers were well prepared to pay today for good types. A 5mo Charolais Heifer from AG Maidment & Son easily to £485, 11mo Limousin Heifer from the Isle of Wight to £682. A super Simmental x 9mo Steer from Francis & Son of Westbury produced tremendous bidding to £785. Hard Suckled Charolais Steers 11mo selling very well from John Gray to £750. Lesser quality were certainly dearer but buyers were quite selective for the plainer types.

Forward Continental A tremendous entry met another fast trade with strong bidding holding prices above expectations. Blue Steers sold well from £1,,310 from AJ Grabham & Son to £1,,322 from Virgin & Sons. Other forward Steers equally sought with Limousins from £1,,210 from GA & NIS Coffin, £1,,310 from Chris Sheppard to £1,,362 from WAT Stacy. Charolais fro £1,,198 from Brian Trott, £1,,200 from Romford Mill to £1,,325 from Derek &

Graham Stevens. Simmentals from £1,,200 from BC & PM Wallbridge to £1,,362 from WAT Stacy & Son. Heifers met an amazing trade with Charolais from £1,,040 to £1,,290 from DH Wilkinson & Sons. Quality Simmentals met keen interest from £1,,020 from David Puzey, £1,,040 from DH Wilkinson & Sons to £1,,060 from AJ Grabham & Son. Younger Dairy x Limousins wanted and sold from £962 from Robert and Jane Mayo to £980 from Jacob Hares.

Hereford (121) A good selection forward met another fantastic trade with a premium for Farm Assured and Named Sired stock. Yearlings were in tremendous demand with Steers 12mo to £682 from RE Boyce. Younger Heifers sold well with 3mo old types to £410 from Trott & Son. Medium framed feeding Steers regularly from £810 to £900 from D& P Yeatman. Stronger framed from £930 to £975 from Roger and Martin Few. Forward Steers from £1,000 to £1,,120 from DH Wilkinson & Sons and topped at £1,,195 from Chris Sheppard. Young bulling Heifers from £570 from NH Ludlow to £595 from D & P Yeatman. Framed types from £625 from BC & PM Wallbridge to £645 from GW Farms. Forward Heifers from £795 from Roger and Martin Few, £800 from Mike Miller trading as Longclose Farm to £820 from DC Newberry.

Angus (209) More small younger cattle today and all saw lively bidding.

Generally more clients forward today looking for these types and prices were much stronger. 30 super Steers and Heifers 10-12mo presented by J & P Griffin were really in demand topping at £648 with Heifers to a strong £562.

5mo Steers & Heifers without named sires from M/S Wallbridge to £500 & £485 and going to local finishers. Good wintering and strong cattle dear again this week. Plenty of 16-20mo Steers £850 - £1,000 with a wonderful run from Nigel Doman seeing Steers to £915 and Heifers to £765. Forward Steers & Heifers producing amazing prices and with a number of excellent sorts on offer many cattle topped £1,,100. Grand Steers from Virgin & Sons sold from £1,,250 to £1,,395. Many top grade Heifers forward with the best from Derek & Grham Stevens to £1,,305.

Friesians (174) As winter approaches, demand for the younger Friesian Steers starts to ease. Only the best shape produced lively bidding with more Holstein types finding purchasers scarce. Generally 12mo British Friesians ranged £350-£400 with very Holstein Steers a little over £300.

Deeper bodied better fleshed Steers were much easier to sell. As with the younger Steers the strong Holsteins saw a firm trade but buyers more selective. The more fleshed types were very keenly sought and commanded strong prices. A number of Steers 20mo plus from £750-£900 with top grades from Paul Hurd to £1,,085.

SEDGEMOOR Saturday, October 5 DAIRY CATTLE (145) Another exceptional entry at Sedgemoor, when 88 in milk cows and heifers sold in front of a large company of purchasers who mostly wanted the best. Vendors with best quality would have returned home happier than those with second quality on offer.

Nine heifers over £2,000 to £2,110 for a non pedigree from Angus Wiggins of Tiverton. Others to £2,090 from Mr FE Luff; £2,060 from Mr R Webb; £2,060 from Mr D Tottle; £2,040 and £2,000 from Andy Neill Farm Services; £2,020 from Mr KJ Waldon & Partners, Umberleigh and £2,020 for first time vendors Messrs GM & RD James of Monmouth and £2,000 from Mr RJ Goss, Devizes. Cows to £1,,900 from North Dairy Farm Ltd. Jersey cows to £1,,160 from Messrs C Raymond & Son. A run of 34 non-recorded bulling heifers from Mr R Hawker, Frome sold to £880 x 4 and £870 x 5 to average £828.

Calves to £250 x 2 from Mr C Veysey.

STORE CATTLE, STIRKS, SUCKLER & GRAZING COWS (1186) Store cattle & grazing cows (753) A slightly reduced entry met a polarised trade. The best forward cattle were in great demand and a touch dearer. Yet a very long tail only found homes at lower prices. As one buyer said, “what you want is dear”. Top was £1,,410 for well grown 19/23m Charolais steers (FA) from Mr NG Biffen, Wellington, who sold others similar (20m) at £1,,385

Durrington, Wiltshire, Monday: a field of spring rape, now being cultivated ready to plant winter wheat (21/22m) at £1,310 (22/26m) at £1,,300 and (25/28m) at £1,,250. A super run of strong FA continental steers from Mr KJ & Mrs LC Popham, Bridgwater peaked at £1,,395 for 22/23m Simmental steers, when others from the same farm achieved £1,,335 twice for 22/23m Simmental steers and 22/23m Blonde steers and £1,,310 for a 24m Limousin and a 25m Blonde. Fleshed overage Blue steers (30/32m) from Messrs EJ Collins & Son, Chard rose to £1,,390.

Exceptional Blue steers (U+1) from Mr R Langley, Spreyton set the ring alight at £1,,370 (25m) and £1,,240 (20m). Quality Limousin steers (FA) from Messrs Hutton & Sons, Bristol returned at £1,,375 for 26m Reds and £1,,345 for 25m Blacks. Good type FA steers from Mr DJ & Mrs AM Morris, Colyton sold well at £1,,345 for a 23m Simmental, when 23/24m Charolais achieved £1,,335, 23m Simmentals £1,,215 and 23/24m Limousins £1,,200 from the same farm. A super run again from Mr PJ Betty, Othery peaked at £1,,278 for 14/19m FA Charolais steers. Other steers £1,,188, 17m Limousin, £1,,178, 17m Limousin, £1,,140 for 16/19m Blue and Charolais, £1,,120 16/18m Charolais, £1,,115 15/ 17m Blues, £1,,095 17/18m Charolais.

Other stronger continental steers at £1,,195 for a 23m Limousin from Mr GJ Painter, Ilminster; £1,,130, 15/19m and FA Charolais from Messrs CG, GR & MS Spiller, Upottery; £1,,120, 23/25m and FA lean Charolais from Messrs MJ & DA Johnson, Membury; £1,,110, 16/ 17m and FA Limousins from Mr JE Reason; £1,105, 19/21m and FA Char-

olais from Messrs AC & DM Dyer, Yarcombe; £1,,100, 35m Simmentals, Mr SH Ham, Bleadney and £1,,095, 26/29m Simmentals and FA from Messrs RF Lee & Son, Mark.

Less native steers forward sold to £1,240 for a smart 22m suckler bred type from Mrs K Parkinson, Holnest.

Forward Hereford steers at £1,,180 (24m) Mr S Potter, Northleigh; £1,,170 (23/27m & FA) and £1,,160 (21/25m & FA) Mr KJ & Mrs LC Popham again.

Other Angus steers at £1,,110 (16/17m) Messrs G Brown, Ashill (Devon) and £1,,025 (16m) Messrs EJ Rockett & Son, Wambrook.

DAIRY bred steers topped at £1,145 for two Fleckvieh (24/25m & FA) displaying good beef qualities from Messrs NW & SE Legg & Sons, South Perrott.

Overage HF at £845 from Mr KH Male, Fivehead. 26m HF at £830, Mr CG Carbin, Somerton and 24/25m Montbeliardes at £805, Messrs Cradock & Son, Bath. It takes a strong Friesian to be £700.

HEIFERS topped at £1,,270 for a top drawer U+1 Blue (27m) from Mr R Langley, Spreyton, who sold another similar at £1,,095. £1,,175 was bid twice for a 24m Simmental heifer from Mr A Burland, Spaxton and a 27m and FA Limousin from Mr WJS Camp, Kentisbury. Another good red Limousin heifer (34m) from Mr JP Tolley, Northhay achieved £1,,170. £1,,165 was bid for an overage Blue from Messrs SR & L Hutchings, Donyatt. Mr G Brown also scored with heifers at £1,115 for a 24m

red Limousin and £1,045 for an 18m Limousin. Mr & Mrs AM Morris also featured with 23m and FA Simmentals at £1,090. Mr Shaun Betty, also Othery achieved £1,085 with 17m and FA Blonde heifers. Other forward continental heifers at £1,080 (29m) Limousin, Mr ED & Mrs RL Pike, Stockland; £1,055 (24m) Limousin, Mr GJ Painter again and £1,050 (17/20m & FA) Charolais Mr PJ Betty again. Well fleshed HF heifers (overage) from Messrs AC Edmunds & Son, Ashcott met a call of £1,035.

NATIVE heifers sold to £1,090 for overage Herefords from Messrs SR & L Hutchings again. Others £930, also for Herefords (28m & FA) from Messrs New Farm Bowdens, Langport. Better heifers generally £900 plus. Young stores to £1,010 for a 13m Limousin steer from Mr TH & Mrs PM Bolt, Huntsham, who sold others 12/13m at £995, £990 and £955. A shapely 16m Blue steer from Messrs AG & JB Dunn of Worle rose to £990. 15/16m Limousin steers from Mr RW & Mrs JE Tucker, Westbury Sub Mendip hit £960.

SUCKLER COWS, CALVES & STOCK BULLS (16) Small entry when a Charolais cow (05/ 10) and her Shorthorn heifer calf (03.07.13) sold to £900 from Miss JN Body.

STIRKS & BUSK CALVES (417) Top price of £910 (9m) for a Limousin steer from Messrs S & P Boyer, who also sold others at £905 x 2 (9/10m). An excellent entry. Other Limousins to

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OCTOBER

Messrs JR & RH Williams; £95 from Mr B Hendy and Mr JRD Coleberd; £94 from Messrs PW Chappell & Son and Mr S Loader; £93.50 from Mr J Bath and £91.50 from Mr DM Ruell. Mediums ranged £50-£80 and plain £35-£50.

Boners nearly all £1,6 plus. Overall average £51.98.

Breeding Ewes (178) A much smaller entry of 178 Breeding Ewes sold to increased interest. Top price was £1,33 for Scotch half bred cross Suffolk from Messrs NF Clothier & Sons, who also sold Suffolk Mules at £1,08 and £1,07.

Other Suffolk Mules to £1,00 from Mr SJ Dallyn. Overall average £82.49.

Stock Rams (53) Another good entry of 53 Stock Rams sold to a decent trade when only a handful of rams were not sold. Top honours went to Messrs G & J Chorley & Son at £290 (x2) for Charollais. Leading the Suffolks at £280 was Mrs A Sutton. Texels to £270 from Mr MC Yeo and £260 from Messrs MEJ Branfield & Sons. Older rams to £205 from Mr C Chilcott.

PIGS (235) Store Pigs (97) A larger entry of 97 Store Pigs when a number of quality white types forward sold to a fast trade.

Younger types £22-£30. Well shaped 8 w/o to £38 and 12 w/o to £67 from Mr WG Edwards. Others from Rolle & Reed, Messrs DW & PA Retter, Mr R White and Mr J Bird sold well.

Fat Pigs (102) Another good quality entry met a strong trade again. Lights £90-£1,16. Mediums £1,20-£1,40 and Heavies to £1,55. Best pigs from Mr H Atwell, Mr W Edwards, Mr J Baker, Messrs LE Miller & Sons, Mr J Stone, Mr C Chilcott and Messrs P & TA Reakes.

Breeders (8) Coloured types to £1,83 and boars to £1,40.

Cull Sows (23) Larger entry with well fleshed types to £245 for Mr J Hutchings. Number from £1,90-£210. Others from Messrs AC & BM Wills, Mr RE Nash and Messrs P & TA Reakes.

Boars (5) To £177 from Mr WG Edwards.

Monday, October 7

PICTURE: DAVID HARGRAVE

£800 (8m) from Mr JE Reason £735 (11m) from Messrs R & K Hayball and £610 (15m) from Mr P Brock. British Blues to £775 (5m) from Mr JA Naish, who also sold others at £710 (5m). Other Blues at £620 from Mr P Brock. Devons to £755 from Mr P Brock. Charolais to £740 (5/6m) from Mr WG Evans, when others sold at £730 (8m) from Mr WAM Lee. Blondes to £715 (6m) from Messrs D & P Pengelly, who also sold others at £705 (6m) £640 (8m) and £605 (6m).

Herefords to £670 from Mr P Brock.

Bulls to £590 from Messrs WJ Acreman & Sons (10m) who also sold others at £520 (6/7m). Heifers to £785 (9/10m) for Limousins from Messrs S & P Boyer.

Other Limousins to £660 (11m) from Messrs R & K Hayball, who also sold others at £635 (11m) £605 (11m) and £590 (11m). British Blues to £700 (8m) from Mr JA Naish, when others sold at £640 (11m) from Mr H Griffin and £545 (11m) from Cole Farming Ltd. Blondes to £640 (8m) from Messrs D & P Pengelly who also sold another at £500 (8m). Others at £540 (8m) from Mrs N Hoskin. Charolais to £570 (11m) from Mr B Hoyles, when others sold at £565 (6m) from Mr WG Evans and £500 (8m) from Messrs D & P Pengelly. Angus to £525 (13m) from Grayer & Murray.

NON-EXPORT CALVES (562) Beef Breeds (391) Another excellent entry sold to a packed ring of buyers.

Quality up and prices rose once again when buyers sought opportunities. An exceptional Blue bull out of a Blonde cow realised £516 at just 32 days old.

Well done Mr Payne of Wells. Other Blues £440, £435, £430, £428 from Mr N George, who also had Simmentals to £420. Plenty of strong continental bulls £320-£380 when Blues moved forward in particular but all breeds well contested. Medium bulls from £240, not much under £200. Lively heifer trade saw Blues to £390 from Messrs AJ & GD Bond & Son. Others £358 from Mr WE Biss; £345 from Mr K Payne and £237 from Mr H Weekes. Charolais to £325 from Mr AC Edwards and many more good heifers over £250 as averages rose.

Medium heifers £1,70 and little under £1,00. The Angus breed saw the action today with bulls up by around £50 per head in special circumstances and 11 over £300 to £365 Mr R Angell. Others £356 from Mr DR Clapp. Heifers also stronger to £240 Messrs DJ & SL Kittow; £231 from Messrs RJ & MA Curtis. Herefords also strong to £320 for bulls from Mr H Tinknell and heifers to £248 from Messrs AH Hook & Sons, Gloucester.

Non-export Friesians (171) Please ensure, if you bring in slaughter calves, that you have completed a Food Chain Information Form, as incorporated into the entry forms. Thank you.

A strong entry met a firmer trade.

Quality mixed as always with the black and whites but prices were generally improved. At the top end British Friesians sold to £1,82 from Mr M Churches. Others £1,58 Messrs FG, C & E Tucker; £1,56 from Messrs TA Hole & Sons; £1,54 from Messrs JD & SA Fear.

Others £1,52 and £1,38. Holstein Friesians to £1,70 from Mrs RA Saxton.

Others £1,52 from Messrs PT Bale & Sons; £1,45 from Colgrove Partnership, St Austell and £1,40 from Messrs DJ & SL Kittow. More good types £1,00-£1,30 when mediums sold £60-£90. Plainer rearers £40-£60. Not so many calves under £40 when more buyers were competing. Swedish Reds to £90 from Seaborough Manor Ltd. SHEEP (4319) Store Lambs (2626) An even larger entry sold to another slightly stronger trade for all types to a top of £85.50 from Mr R Chaddock.

Others to £81.50 from Mr C Peach; £80 from Mr C Takle; £79 and £73 from Messrs NF Clothier & Sons; £77.50 from Mr S Loader; £77 from Mr RJ Winzer; £76 from Mr ME Sheppard; £75.50 from Mr R Chaddock; £74 from Messrs JK & MJ Diment & Son; £72.50 from Mr I Perry; £72 from Messrs M & S Waldock; £71.50 from Messrs L & D Day and £70 from Mr BR Woodland.

Mediums ranged £52-£70 and small nearly all £28 plus. Overall average £56.37.

Grazing Ewes & Rams (1462) A huge entry of 1462 Grazing Ewes and Rams sold to a similar firm trade, when the £1,00 barrier was broken by Messrs G & J Nicol who topped at £1,07.

Others to £98 from Messrs PW Chappell & Son; £97 from Mr C Chilcott and Messrs RW & RL Ash, who also sold others to £95; £96.50 from Mr T Parris; £96 from Mr F Thomas; £95.50 from

PRIME CATTLE UTM (243) & OTM (41) A very large entry of 284 Prime Cattle met a good trade. Some better quality types forward to encourage bidding.

Some lacking conformation, finish or time only being placed at lower monies.

Top was 237.5ppk for a very shapely black Limousin heifer from Mr AL Burrough. Best heifers generally 220 to 230ppk. Best Limousin heifers 230.5ppk Messrs DH & SM Churchill; 228ppk Mr EB & Mrs JA Webber; 225.5, 225.0, 223.0, 221.0 and 220ppk, Messrs JEF & KF Stephens; 225ppk Messrs JS & M Frost and 222ppk, Messrs RJ & AM Pedrick.

Better heifers up to 215ppk. Good heifers 195 to 210ppk. More commercial types 178 to 200ppk.

HEIFERS sold to £1,458.60 for a Limousin from Mr EB & Mrs JA Webber.

Another over £1,400 at £1,428.90 was a Blue from Mr AL Burrough. Several heifers £1300 plus. STEERS topped at 235ppk for a very smart red Limousin from Messrs JE & M Mather & Son, who sold others at 232, 229 and 225ppk.

Again all the top prices were achieved

by Limousin sired cattle: 228.5, Messrs DH & SM Churchill; 227, 225.5ppk Messrs AJ Hepper & Son; 226, 223.5ppk Messrs JEF & KF Stephens and 223.5ppk again, Mr EB & Mrs JA Webber. Better steers 213 to 220ppk.

Good types 197 to 209. More commercial steers 186 to 200ppk STEERS sold to £1,744.93 for a tremendous 845kg Limousin from Messrs AV & SC Stanbury, who sold another at £1,609.50. A strong 794kg Blue from Mr RG Speed returned at £1,635.64. Several £1500 plus. Many £1,400 plus. OVERAGE STEERS sold to £1,508.87 for an outstanding 946kg Charolais from Mr G Vining. Heifers rose to £1,313.63 for a Limousin from Messrs AW & SC Stanbury again. The cattle trade is becoming more polarised. Best, better and good cattle are selling well. Commercial and lesser types are attracting interest at lower levels. Breeding or purchasing plans have to start to revolve around quality. The differencial between the best and the rest is widening. BULLS need to be carefully selected. COWS need to be of a standard, not just kept because they wouldn’t sell well as a heifer. STORES and STIRKS need to be chosen to achieve average conformation or better. Lesser cattle can be kept but need to be purchased judiciously to ensure a margin. It costs more to feed a “bad doer” and the same for a good one as a bad one. The West Country is known for its dairy-bred beef but those producers who are fo-

cusing on quality are reaping the rewards.

LAMBS (538) A small entry but overall good quality sold to a very strong trade for all presented. The best were 185ppk plus and sold to 192ppk from Messrs VJ & MJ Headon. Others 190ppk from Messrs MB & KN Crabb and Messrs EWJ, AJ & MJ Land; 189ppk from Messrs JPT & BM Scott and Messrs RJ, HA & MR Popham and 188ppk from Messrs DM & DM Ginger, Messrs GJ Warren Farming and Mrs J Churchill. Heavier lambs sold to £92.50 from Messrs RJ, HA & MR Popham.

Others £91 from Mr G Dennis; £89.50, £87.50 and £86 from Messrs MB & KN Crabb; £89 from Messrs S & J Willis; £86.50 from Mrs J Churchill and £85 from Messrs DM & DM Ginger and Mr J Thorne. Overall average £76.62.

BLACKMOOR GATE An improved entry of 2,209 sheep forward for sale started with the breeding ewes with an average of £53.80 and a top price of £90 for Phones Estates for a pen of 2T mule ewes. Ewes from R I Crocombe, Dean, sold to £71 for 2T Suffolks. The 148 grazing ewes forward sold to an overall average of £41 with the best reaching £59.50 for a pen from E W Gubb, Barnacott. Store lambs forward totalled 1,637 and sold to a muchimproved trade with an overall average of £59.25, with the best from R Nicol, Comers, selling for £70. A good selection of 88 rams sold to a brisk trade with the best to £460 for a ram from E W Quick, Loosebeare Manor. The overall average stood at £270 with a top of £440 for R T Kingdon, Waytown.

NEWTON ABBOT An excellent entry of near 300 cattle at the first October Store Sale was topped at £1,270 by Messrs Cleave, Holne for a bunch of three South Devon steers.

Limousins sold to £1,225 for a single steer from T Cleave , Broadhempston.

Aberdeen Angus to £1,065 for a pair of steers from R J Ashford. Heifers topped at £1,040 for a Limousin from Messrs Willcocks with South Devons to £1,010 from Messrs Masters, Denbury. A dispersal of cows and calves for K E Bate met a good trade with a top of £1,000 for a Simmental cow, followed at £990 for a Stabiliser cow and calf, with an average of £928. A good entry of 44 prime cattle and calves met a useful trade with a top of 217ppk for a 615kg Limousin heifer from A W Underhay, grossing £1,334.55. Best value was £1,351 for a 700kg Limousin steer, also from Mr Underhay. Cull cattle met a more selective trade but with a good overall average of 121.11ppk and a top of 138ppk from Mr Underhay who also had the best per head at £1,152.40. Well-finished lambs sold to £70.20 from RD Coysh.

SOUTH MOLTON Stags report a larger entry of lambs met an easier trade with best at 174ppk for J Ridd, Torrington for medium Texels, with medium Charollais for Messrs Warne, Umberleigh at 173ppk and 1 170ppk for heavy Texes from Messrs Jones, Heasley Mill. Top money at £80.80 for heavy Suffolk-cross-North Country Mules from Parsonage Farms, Chulmleigh with £88.50 for heavy Charollais from Greendown Farming, Chittlehampton. The best ewes were a pen of Texels from G Dart & Sons, Molland at £85.50 with Suffolks for J Dyer, Braunton at £77.

HOLSWORTHY Kivells report another massive entry of stock with 448 cattle, 151 calves and 1,741 sheep sold. Overall top call was £1,,411 for the pick of an outstanding entry of 448 cattle, with premium set in the prime cattle pens at 205ppk for P J Harris, Highlands. George Metherell, Lewdown saw his best-shaped heifers hit 200ppk. Younger cattle saw trade remain really strong, with Colwill & Bellairs topping at £1,,340. The 151 calves saw trade remain strong for the best with Francis & Son leading the way at £415 with David Medland at £410. Best heifers reached £342 for Messrs Mitchell. The 42 cull cows saw the best at £1,,078 with premium set at 152ppk for Messrs Jordan. A tremendous entry of 1,700 sheep saw a top call of £1,32 for the pick of 579 breeding ewes while 533 cull sheep topped at £89.50 for Nick Cooke, Torrington. Prime lambs sold to £84.20 for both Messrs Heard and Messrs Wooldridge with best store lambs at £70 for Messrs Northmore.

Today: BPEx Butcher Regional Roadshow, Sandy Park, Exeter, 2pm6pm. 02476 478807 11: Harvest Service at Holsworthy Livestock Market, 8pm. Details: 07801 755732 14-15: First Aid Rural Medicine course, Duchy College, Stoke Climsland.

Details: 0845 458 7485 15: George Vet Group Annual Pig Fair, Wincanton Racecourse, 2pm-5.30pm.

Details: 01666 823355 17: “Healthy Bulls for Natural Service” open day, Gear Farm, Zennor, 11am.

Details: 01363 776623 19: Cornwall County Farmers’ Ball in aid of the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, The Pavilion Centre, Royal Cornwall Showground, Wadebridge, 7pm. Details: 01872 520788

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

Entitlements 2014 season price: Non-SDA £205 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

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Rule 12: No purchase of any kind is necessary for free prize draws. Follow the directions and any terms and conditions for the relevant promotion as published in the relevant Local World title or website.

Rule 13: Prizes, gifts and other promotional items are as described in the relevant Local World title or website. Winners/claimants of holidays are responsible for ensuring that they and any partners hold valid passports and any necessary visas or other necessary travel documentation for the trip in question. Unless otherwise stated, insurance and travel to and from airports is excluded. Winners/claimants of vehicle prizes must hold valid driving licences prior to driving.

This photograph was taken at Gloucester Farm, Lullington, during the the Frome Young Farmers ploughing match.

Regular Western Daily Press contributor David Hargrave wrires: ‘It was very thick fog overnight, which 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. If you would like to share your photographs of the West Country with other Daily Press readers, email them to wdreaderspictures@bepp.co.uk. Include your name and address and tell us where and when the picture was taken. Enjoy more readers’ pictures by viewing our online galleries www.westerndailypress.co.uk

12 FARMING WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 9 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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Dairy show highlighted positive trend Anthony Gibson The only thing remotely gloomy about the dairy show was the weather, and even that was a bit of a blessing in disguise, putting a distinct dampener on the rival attractions of maize harvesting.

But so far as the mood of the event was concerned, it was sunshine all the way; magnificent cattle, buzzing trade stands, industry leaders falling over themselves to be positive about the future and, above all, several thousand dairy farmers looking forward confidently to producing more milk, more profitably.

The fact that one of the big three processors, Arla, had announced a price increase of 1.5ppl that very day undoubtedly helped to lift spirits.

But it struck me there was a lot more to the prevailing buoyancy than a short-term (as it may turn out to be) rise in prices.

The last 18 months or so has been an exceptionally difficult time for the dairy industry, marked by soaring costs, dreadful weather, supply chain strife and volatile markets.

Yet what has emerged from all that turmoil is an industry which is far better structured to make the most of the opportunities that undoubtedly lie ahead.

Much of that is down to developments in the processing sector: the Muller/Wiseman merger, Milk Link and now the Arla Foods Milk Partnership coming under the umbrella of the giant Arla parent co-operative, and £250 million of investment in new processing capacity including, at Aylesbury, the biggest liquid milk processing plant in the world.

But there is also a better balance to the industry than before, thanks to the new milk contracts and the recognition which they represent that producer and processor share a

common interest in winning market share and facing down the over-mighty supermarkets.

Put it all together and you have an industry which, as the NFU’s Mansell Raymond put it: “is in a much better place than it was 12 months ago”.

This isn’t to suggest for a moment that it is going to be roses all the way.

Those figures produced by the accountants Old Mill, showing that the average milk producer made a loss of 1.12ppl in the year to April 2013, served as a salutary reminder of just how much ground was lost last year. Even with higher prices, better forage and lower feed and fertiliser costs this winter, that is going to take a lot of making up.

Nor is there any guarantee that milk prices will remain as strong as they are at present.

All seems set fair for the winter, with demand from China underpinning the world market. But production will inevitably respond to that, not just in Britain but in major exporters like New Zealand and the US. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if dairy industry guru Ian Potter’s, warning of a possible price correction in the second or third quarter of 2014 turns out to be correct.

Beyond that, I suppose the big questions are all about expansion.

Will dairy farmers in Britain respond to the removal of quotas in 2015 by going all out for growth, and will it mean bigger profits if they do?

An unusually subdued David Handley, chairman of Farmers for Action warned that: “if you all go rushing ahead producing more milk, you will see farm-gate prices fall”, and he may well be right.

But the feeling that I picked up at the dairy show was that, once the dead hand of quotas has been removed, this is an industry which wants to expand, is prepared to compete and is as well placed as any of its competitors to grow and thrive.

Tax ruling may be disastrous for holiday lets Farmers who have transformed barns and other buildings into holiday cottages will have had their hopes of favourable tax treatment dashed by a legal decision. Fiona Feggetter, a solicitor in the estate planning and tax team at Withy King in Bath, discusses the implications In recent times, there has been much debate over whether properties run as furnished holiday lets will qualify for BusinessProperty Relief (BPR) and avoid inheritance tax.

However, last week the court upheld an earlier ruling in the case of Pawson v HMRC which means that most furnished holiday lets will now be regarded as investments rather than trading businesses and therefore won’t be entitled to BPR. More worrying is the fact that Pawson’s right to appeal has been denied and there is a real danger that the issues will not be properly debated.

The tax treatment of furnished holiday lets was thrust under the spotlight in January 2012 when a First Tier Tribunal ruled additional services offered by Pawson, the owner of a holiday cottage in Suffolk, were sufficient to qualify for BPR. These services included changing the

Fiona Feggetter, a solicitor for Withy King in its Bath office

Supreme Champion Sandyford Fable, an Ayshire cow owned by Blaise Tomlinson of Loughborough at the Bath and West Dairy Show PICTURE: FRAN STOTHARD

Minister launches fresh bid to increase global food exports A drive to boost British food and drinks exports has been launched under aims to deliver an extra £500 million to the UK economy.

The Food and Drink Action Plan has been designed to expand one of the UK’s most thriving sectors into lucrative overseas markets, particularly growing ones such as China and India.

Food and drink is already the UK’s largest manufacturing sector with a turnover of over £90 billion a year and up to

400,000 workers – 15 per cent of the overall manufacturing workforce.

But 90 per cent of small firms are not exporting and of those that do, only primarily to Europe.

Owen Paterson, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs unveiled the scheme at the world’s biggest food and drink fair, Anuga, in Ger many.

Top chef Tom Aikens also launched the Government’s Food is Great marketing cam-

Owen Paterson

paign at the fair in an effort to raise the profile of British food and drink producers around the world.

The campaign, being led by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), will showcase the UK food and drink industry to markets including Vietnam, Mexico, Brazil, Russia, South Korea, Hong Kong and Macao, China, the United States and Europe.

Mr Paterson said that if the aim of the combined initiatives was met it will “give quality British produce an even higher

profile, boost our economy and create jobs”.

“There are huge opportunities for British food companies to export all over the world and I’m determined to help our firms exploit them,” he added.

The food and drink action plan will particularly focus on the dairy industry, beer, cider, wine and spirits exports, as well as meat and seafood sectors.

It comes as part of the Gover nment’s plan to raise exports to £1 trillion and get 100,000 more companies exporting.

bed linen, arranging for a cleaner to come between lettings, carrying out repairs and replenishing supplies. Importantly, it was decided providing these services was a draw for potential holidaymakers when booking.

However, in January 2013 the Upper Tribunal overturned the earlier ruling and judged that the business’s main purpose was to hold the property as an investment.

While HMRC continues to take a very tough line on furnished holiday lets, the professionals have not given up hope. It is still felt that if the owner of a furnished holiday let provides a large number of services in addition to the simple use of the land, a claim for BPR may yet succeed. Noone at this stage is willing to categorically state what these services should be but it should be noted running a hotel is a trading business.

Therefore it follows that the more a hotel-style service can be provided, the more likely a claim for BPR will succeed.

If you are concerned about how this ruling may affect you or for advice on any estate planning or tax matter, please contact Fiona Feggetter on 01225 730100 or email fiona.fe ggetter@withyking.co.uk