Farming 13 November 2013

Chris Rundle: The lull after the cull, British beef on trial Page 7

New livestock market earns wide approval

BY JANET HUGHES janet.hughes@b-nm.co.uk TV’s Countryfile presenter Adam Henson is expected to open Monmouthshire’s new state-of-the-art £5 million cattle market later this month.

After a decade of negotiations and court battles, the new market will be officially launched on November 29 and will be open for business soon afterwards. The council promised farmers a new county livestock market when the one in Monmouth town centre

TV’s Adam Henson is due to open a major new livestock market closed in 2003. But their plans to close Abergavenny and create a single market for the whole county at a new rural site near Raglan proved controversial and led to a series of court battles.

Villagers were initially concerned about the impact on Raglan castle and KALM (Keep Abergavenny Livestock Market) did not want to see the facility moved and a Morrisons supermarket built on the site.

KALM only decided to drop the long drawn out series of legal challenges after the High Court refused to allow a judicial review of the decision to

give planning permission in November 2012.

Construction company Morgan Sindall was appointed

by Monmouthshire County Council to build the market at Bryngwyn, near Raglan. The steel-framed, timber-clad building on the 27-acre site contains 300 sheep pens and 150 cattle pens and there is also a lorry and car park, offices and a café.

As well as statutory facilities such as a water treatment plant and a lorry and wheel wash, it includes sustainable features such as solar panels and rainwater harvesting facilities. Abergavenny and Newport Market Auctioneers Ltd are believed to be leasing the site from Monmouthshire County Council for a 20-year period.

Councillor Bob Greenland, Monmouthshire County Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member with responsibility for regeneration, said: “We’re delighted that the work on the project to build the promised replacement livestock market for Monmouthshire is running to schedule.

“The market will be formally opened on November 29, with the first sales held there soon after. At that point, we’ll close the existing market in Abergavenny town centre in order to allow the construction of a new Morrisons supermarket, which will kickstart a wider regeneration of the town.”

The new site is close to the

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Organic sector trumpets being back in growth The Soil Association says its annual Organic September campaign delivered a strong boost to the organic market, confirming it is back into good growth with positive figures since the start of 2013. The Small Changes, Big Difference campaign ran in partnership with independent, online and national retailers.

Results show organic food sales in September increased by nearly nine per cent, bringing an absolute increase of £7.9 million to the sector.

Monthly sales in September 2013 showed an increase of two per cent, with many categories, such as tea, cereals, yoghurts and poultry, showing exceptional growth and far

Rob Sexton of the Soil Association hailed the success of the organic campaign

From the archive: Monmouth Sheep Market auctioneer John Jenkins on the last day of the historic market in 2003. The county could have a new market for the first time in a decade by the end of the month

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out-performing the non-organic products in these categories Rob Sexton, chief executive of Soil Association Certification, said: “The campaign has been a great success this year, the sales figures speak for themselves. But that is only part of the picture, the Small Changes, Big Difference marketing theme has been adopted by some major brands this year, which is something we want to build on in the future.”

He continued: “This year’s campaign has been a great success and we are already excited about next year.”

This year’s initiative centred around individuals being encouraged to make a personal small change, such as switching to organic milk

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Anthony Gibson: Things looking up for dairy farmers Page 3

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Farming

2 FARMING WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 13 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

Tiny but vital clue to latest wildlife threat Declining numbers of dormice should be seen as a warning that an entire eco-system is at risk – with the West Country in the front line. Philip Bowern reports on the dangers ahead Woodlands are among our greatest natural assets, not only for the trees themselves, but for the wildlife – plant and animal – that they support.

But the Woodland Trust is warning that the loss of our woodlands is putting one of the most threatened mammals in Britain in grave danger, with numbers falling rapidly.

The conservation charity says that the UK’s already endangered dormouse is now facing further threats and may disappear from the countryside altogether due to the loss and fragmentation of its preferred ancient woodland habitat to disease and development.

The hazel or common dormouse is an important ‘bio indicator’, preferring to live in rich, well managed native woodland with a mix of species for seasonal food. Its presence is a marker of woodland rich for many species of wildlife.

Yet its range has decreased by half over the last century; once widespread in England and Wales, it is now found mainly in southern England, parts of Wales and a handful of isolated northern populations.

Dormouse decline is a microcosm of how poor management, ancient woodland and hedgerow loss and damage, and tree diseases are threatening our wildlife’s habitat and food sources, says the Woodland Trust.

The organisation says it is aware of the loss or damage of at least two ancient woods in Devon in the last 10 years, destroying and damaging potential dormice homes. Another two woods, also believed to support dormice, are under threat.

In Dorset, the Trust says, two woods have been lost, with one under threat, while in Somerset, 10 have been lost and another two are under threat. In Cornwall, two woods have also been lost and five are at risk.

The Trust blames what it calls ‘a dangerous loophole’ in planning policy that puts ancient woodland under threat. It is updating its database of ancient woods that are threatened by development to try to curb the losses. Diseases such as ash dieback is now adding to the pressure dormice face in their search for rich, well managed native woodland.

John Tucker, director of woodland creation at the Trust, said: “If the loss of the trees themselves due to disease

wasn’t devastating enough, it’s a very sad fact to know that it is now adding to the pressure dormice face in their search for rich, well managed native woodland. The only way to ensure the survival of this much loved species is to create stronger, more resilient landscapes by planting more native trees and diverse woods, bringing back hedgerows to create wildlife corridors connecting woods in the landscape, and better woodland and hedgerow management.

“The Woodland Trust is here to help anybody who would like to help by planting more trees, and for landowners who have dormice in their areas, we can offer extra funding.”

Muscardinus avellanarius, usually known as the hazel or common dormouse, is one of Britain’s most loveable woodland mammals, easily recognisable by its golden coat and large black eyes. It is a protected species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

The already endangered dormouse is now facing further threats FARMING ONLINE westerndailypress.co.uk

Simon Butler, author of new book The Farmer’s Wife, looks at the role of women in farming and recalls his own connection to West farming – www.westerndailypress.co.uk There are thought to be around 45,000 dormice now in the UK, their range having decreased by half in the last 100 years.

One of the reasons woodland is so important to dormice is that, as potential prey for a number of predators, they do not like to expose themselves to danger, preferring to clamber through higher connecting branches rather than risk crossing open ground.

They rarely travel more than 70 metres from their nest. One male dormouse and up to three females require a hectare to live in, so when a wood with breeding dormice reaches capacity, they need to move on and spread to other woods to populate.

This has become increasingly difficult because of the fragmentation of woods in our landscape. Since the 19th century, half of our native woodland has been lost or damaged by development, by replanting with non-native conifers and

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by intensive felling. Wider changes in land management have meant that 50 per cent of our hedgerows have been lost in some areas, with a net decrease in hedgerow length of 18,000km per year in the 1990s.

This has contributed to a desert-island effect for dormice, stranding them in isolated pockets and preventing them travelling through the landscape.

A further threat comes in the form of diseases which threaten to wipe out our native trees, causing more fragmentation and devastating not only the trees themselves, but also the wildlife that rely on them for habitat and food. With a well-connected and protected wooded landscape, the dormouse could naturally recolonise England and Wales.

Victorian records, compiled by the zoologist GT Rope and published in 1885, show that dormice were once widespread throughout England and Wales, being considered common in the southern counties and with established populations in the north and the midlands. But there have been no confirmed sightings of dormice north of the Humber since 1960, apart from a small population that still exists near Hexham in Northumberland. A survey in the 1970s showed that dormice had appeared to have become extinct in Cheshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Yorkshire.

The dormouse has a long life compared to most rodents, living for up to four years in the wild. Around now, as the weather starts to turn colder, dormice build tightly woven nests on the ground in the roots of trees to hibernate in all winter. They go into a stiff state of sleep called ‘torpor’, lowering their body temperatures to help avoid being found by predators. They also produce very little scent, making them even more difficult to find.

In spring, usually in April, they wake from hibernation and replace their lost fat stores by feeding on hawthorn and blackthorn flowers.

In summer they eat ash keys, honeysuckle flowers and insects such as aphids. The breeding season for dormice is in June or July, with females producing a litter of between one to four babies. Before winter, they fatten up on blackberries and hazelnuts.

The Woodland Trust, which has carried out this exhaustive research, is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity with 300,000 members and supporters.

The Trust has three key aims; to enable the creation of more native woods and places rich in trees, to protect native woods, trees and their wildlife for the future, and to inspire everyone to enjoy and value woods and trees. Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care, covering approximately 50,000 acres, and access to all its sites is free.

To find out how you can help by planting trees, contact the Woodland Trust on 0845 293 5689 or email woodlandcreation@ woodlandtrust.org.uk

Rain on the way? Cattle resting on pasture land at Kelston Park, near Bath

Growth returns to organic sales FROM PAGE 1

Organic produce is enjoying a return to market popularity, says the Soil Association

or buying an organic beauty product – and highlighted the benefits or the big difference to the environment or the farming economy as a result.

Mr Sexton added: “For me this year’s campaign has shown how successful we can be when we start where people are at, with a small change and not perpetuate the myth that it is all or nothing.”

Many licensees, small and large, took part in the monthlong marketing campaign. The Soil Association distributed over 1,000 poster packs to independent retailers and organised theme events such as the

highly successful Organic Beauty Weekend. Artwork was created in three themes, food and farming, fashion and textiles and health and beauty.

Mr Sexton said: “This year, the Soil Association focused on communicating the campaign through the independent retailer sector, which has remained strong throughout the last few years. A recent Soil Association survey, to evaluate the campaign, confirmed that 95 per cent of the independent traders who sell organic products were aware of the campaign and that more than half were made aware through receiving the poster packs. The majority of respondents agreed that September achieved a similar uplift to last year, with many reporting increases of between five and 15 per cent.”

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WESTERN DAILY PRESS WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 13 2013 FARMING 3

Dairy farmers see revival of their fortunes Anthony Gibson

PICTURE: DAVID HARGRAVE

New market FROM PAGE 1 main A40 dual carriageway which links England and Wales. A council spokesman said: “The market delivers on a long standing promise to the county’s farmers to deliver a fit for purpose, easily accessible livestock market and to the people of Abergavenny to kickstart the regeneration of the town centre.”

The opening comes two years after the controversial opening of Hereford’s new £7 million livestock market, which was moved out of the city centre after 150 years to a 16-acre site at Stretton Sugwas.

The move paved the way for the £90 million Edgar Street redevelopment project.

Construction company Morgan Sindall was appointed by Monmouthshire County Council to build the market at Bryngwyn, near Raglan. The steel-framed, timber-clad building on the 27-acre site contains 300 sheep pens and 150 cattle pens and there is also a lorry and car park, offices and a café

The West Country’s dairy farmers may have seen their incomes slump by 40 per cent last year, courtesy of the appalling weather, but 2013 is turning out to be a much better year.

The average producer price for milk reached a new record high in September, of 32.95p per litre, according to Defra.

That is 5.33ppl up on the same time last year, a rise of almost 20 per cent.

With feed costs falling, thanks to lower cereal prices and vastly better forage quality, profitability has been transformed. And, for once, the South West is leading the way towards higher prices, rather than bringing up the rear.

Arla Milk Link, a majority of whose 1,600 members farm in the region, has just announced a third successive monthly price increase, to take its standard litre price to 33.83ppl, the highest of any large-scale milk buyer.

For the co-operative faithful, it represents handsome payback for the years when their prices were bumping along the bottom, as well as being a resounding vindication of the Milk Link business model and the merger with Arla.

These latest price increases could hardly have been better timed, given that members of the Arla Foods Milk Partnership – which is a supply group rather than a co-operative – and the Arla Tesco direct suppliers are currently making up their minds on whether to throw in their lot with the parent Arla co-operative.

The AFMP membership appears to be almost unanimous in wanting to join up, but with the Tesco suppliers, the decision is more finely balanced.

Which offers the better longterm prospect? Joining forces with Europe’s biggest dairy cooperative, or supplying the UK’s largest supermarket on a cost-linked contract?

It is a nice dilemma to be faced with, although the volume bonuses available from Arla – up to 1.9ppl, compared with a Tesco maximum of 0.6ppl – will probably tip the balance for the larger producers.

Another hugely encouraging sign is the amount of competition which there is for milk supply.

Arla has set itself the target of recruiting another 800 million litres of milk from the UK, as it gears up for expansion when quotas are scrapped in 2015.

In Devon, Crediton Dairy, run by two former Milk Link

executives, Neil Kennedy and Tim Smiddy, is seeking to sign up suppliers for its range of long-life milk, cream and flavoured milk drinks, at a standard litre price of 33.36ppl, shortly to be increased by a penny.

Given all of this positive activity, the Somerset Dairy Careers Project, launched in 2012 to promote careers in the dairy industry to school leavers, looks like the right idea at the right time. Project co-ordinator, Laura Milverton, says that they have been “delighted” with the level of interest from schools and the industry so far. They held their first awards ceremony a few weeks ago at the Dairy Show and, later today, some 25 secondary students from South Somerset will be visiting Neil Baker’s Rushywood Farm near Crewkerne, in South Somerset, to find out at first-hand about the many different

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Gassing of badger setts and snaring cannot be used by the Government according to their own policy, say opponents to the cull, The Badger Trust. This statement comes after the Secretary of State Owen Paterson confirmed that the Gloucestershire badger cull has been extended and authorities were considering whether to try gassing badgers as they had failed to reach their target by shooting badgers. Read more online: westerndailypress.co.uk/farming career opportunities which exist, off as well as on the far m.

But there is a snag. The project’s lottery funding runs out at the end of March, and Somerset Community Council needs to find around £90,000 to cover the cost of extending it for a further two years. In a recent survey, some 76 per cent of respondents said that it was “very important” for the project to continue, with particularly strong support from Somerset YFC, Bridgwater College and FACE. For the sake of the future, let’s hope the money can be found.

Anthony Gibson is a freelance writer and may be contacted at anthony.gbsn@googlemail.com

4 FARMING WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 13 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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Bird count set to be the biggest ever

BY JEFF WELLS wdnews@b-nm.co.uk The biggest ever census of birds on Britain’s farms is about to be undertaken.

In this week’s special edition of Country Life, which is being guest edited by The Prince of Wales, the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust is announcing the launch of its Big Farmland Bird Count in February 2014.

It urges all farmers and gamekeepers to take part to help determine how bird species are faring on UK farmland.

Jim Egan, from GWCT’s Allerton project, said: “Far mers and gamekeepers are vital in helping to ensure the future survival of many of our most cherished farmland bird species such as skylark, yellowhammer, corn buntings and wild grey partridges.

“They are responsible for managing the largest songbird habitat in this country on their land but frequently their efforts to reverse bird declines

BIRD’S EYE VIEW westerndailypress.co.uk

View pictures from a camera strapped to a gannet flying over the West Country at www.westerndailypress.co.uk are largely unrecorded.

“We believe our Big Farmland Bird Count will help remedy this, particularly as our earlier pilot count showed such encouraging results. ” The GWCT’s annual Big Farmland Bird Count will take place between February 1 and 7 and the trust is inviting people to spend about half an hour recording the species and number of birds seen on one area of the farm.

This important initiative offers a simple means of recording the effect of any conservation schemes currently

being initiated on their land such as supplementary feeding or growing wild bird seed crops and game cover crops. It is also a useful way of gaining personal insight on how well their birds are faring.

In the pilot scheme carried out earlier this year, farmers demonstrated their enthusiasm for taking part in a Big Farmland Bird Count.

Mr Egan explained: “We asked 60 farmers to take part in a trial and 50 per cent of them rose to the challenge.

Managing more than 10,000 hectares of land between them, the participating farmers recorded 69 different species ranging from tree sparrows, yellow hammer and linnet through to barn owls, kestrels and buzzards.”

For those keen to join this national Big Farmland Bird Count, the GWCT will provide a simple tick sheet that can be downloaded and taken into the field to record sightings. Participants will then be able to send the results via a dedicated web page on the trust’s website.

Mr Egan added: “We understand the crucial role that farmers and gamekeepers play in the survival of farmland birds and we want to give them an opportunity of showing what their conservation efforts deliver on the ground.

It is also a satisfying way for people to discover the different range of birds that are on the farm and the results can be surprising.

“We hope it will spur people on to do even more work for their farmland birds in the future and will act as a catalyst for them to start building their own long standing wildlife records. ” The GWCT’s Big Farmland Bird Count is being sponsored

by BASF. To download the Big Farmland Bird Count form visit the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust’s website gwct.org.uk.

People feeding boars exacerbating problem Wild boar rescuer Alastair Fraser is urging people to stop feeding the creatures in the Forest of Dean. Alastair has opened a wild boar rescue sanctuary due to a rise in their numbers. He said: “The crux of the increase in numbers is down to people feeding them. They all think it is wonderful – but the more boar there are around, the more likely they will be shot.” The boar culling season runs from September to January in a bid to keep their numbers manageable. Alastair opened the sanctuary because “there is nowhere else for them to go”.

Tenants are super claims NFU president A thriving tenanted land sector is absolutely central to a successful, flexible and profitable farm-business sector. That was the theme from NFU president Peter Kendall, speaking to the largest-ever NFU Tenants’ Conference in Harrogate. Mr Kendall called for all parties involved in tenant farming to think long-term, based on sustainable business models.

“We’ve seen the rental market spiralling upwards,” he said. “While I firmly believe in market forces, I am also calling on landlords and tenants to think hard about the long-term sustainability of these agreements.”

West suppliers show their wares to Tesco

A reed bunting on Greylake Nature Reserve near Othery in Somerset

PICTURE: FRAN STOTHARD

Duchy on the move within Cornwall

Race for NFU presidency beginning to gather pace The runners and riders for the NFU’s top office are starting to jostle for position.

It has been reported that Essex farmer Guy Smith has announced he will challenge Meurig Raymond in elections for the presidency of the NFU that will take place in Birmingham in February.

Incumbent Peter Kendall will stand down in February after eight years at the helm.

Mr Smith was nominated by his county branch for the positions of both NFU president and deputy president at a meeting on Monday night, Farmers Guardian reported.

He said his main concern was to ensure there was a proper leadership contest for the top position at the NFU. Welsh dairy farmer Mr Raymond – long-standing deputy to Mr Kendall – has already confirmed that he will stand and it is thought likely that Worcestershire-based Adam Quinney will mount his own challenge.

Mr Smith, who stood in the 2010 NFU leadership elections, told Farmers Guardian he was “very proud to have been nominated” by his county for the two positions.

He said: “In running for the

NFU deputy president Meurig Raymond will face a challenge for the presidency next year, it has emerged. Essex farmer Guy Smith has thrown his hat into the ring

A delegation of South Westbased producers showcased their wares to Tesco in an event in London. The local supplier exhibition was hosted by Tesco at Westminster’s Central Hall and attendees included current and former farming ministers George Eustice and David Heath. West Country producers that displayed their wares at Tesco’s local suppliers expo included clotted cream dairy Roddas, bakers W C Rowe, Westaway Sausages, Salcombe Dairy, Sharps Brewery, Tauntonbased Sheppy’s Cider and Portlebay Popcorn, Plympton.

presidency my first concern is to ensure there is more than one candidate for the post.

Meurig Raymond is an old friend but I suspect he would agree that ‘one candidate’ elections do not make for good democracy. Office-holder elections should be times of keen policy discussion.”

The nomination process runs until January, but candidates for deputy and vice president roles have emerged, including one from the West.

Wiltshire farmer Minette Batters has announced she will stand for the deputy and vice president posts.

Lostwithiel has become the centre of operations for the Duchy of Cornwall in the far South West after staff moved to new offices on the outskirts of the town. The Duchy has relocated its western administrative centre from Liskeard to new premises on the Restormel Manor estate, where the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall often stay in luxury accommodation when visiting the county.

Lostwithiel mayor Gill Parsons said she was delighted the Duchy had moved back after a break of more than 150 years.

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WESTERN DAILY PRESS WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 13 2013 FARMING 5

Moor trial could change upland farms

BY MARTIN HESP wdnews@b-nm.co.uk An innovative pilot project on Dartmoor that has taken a new approach to managing moorland areas could provide a model for similar initiatives across the country, according to a new report.

The Dartmoor Farming Futures project was set up to look at developing new ways to manage the national park’s moorlands with an eye to enhancing the best in public and environmental benefits, while at the same time giving farmers and landowners “more ownership” for the design and delivery of agri-environment agreements on their land.

Now the three-year-old pro-

2030

The year to which Farming Futures and Dartmoor Vision are working FARMING ONLINE westerndailypress.co.uk

Get the latest on the issues that affect farming all week on our website at www.westerndailypress.co.uk ject has been applauded in an independent report commissioned by Natural England and Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA) which found it had made “real progress” in achieving its key objectives – thanks to the “enthusiasm and interest” of moorland farmers.

A spokesman for the DNPA said: “The aim of the initiative is to put farmers at the heart of the decision-making process.

Instead of feeling that they were being told what to do by outsiders, it was the farmers themselves who identified a

range of outcomes that could be delivered from the land.

“These covered the full range of public goods, or ecosystem services, that are derived from the moors and included everything from food production to water management. The farmers then used their expertise, experience and in-depth understanding of the land to identify the management required to deliver these outcomes.

“They put their proposals in to practice in their day-to-day management of the moor,” said the spokesman. “The farmers then monitored their land management work both directly through visual, photographic and habitat surveys and indirectly by commissioning expert studies.”

The initiative, which was developed by DNPA and Dartmoor Commoners’ Council with support from the Duchy of Cornwall, Natural England, the RSPB, South West Water and the Ministry of Defence, now has two pilot areas in operation.

DNPA chief executive Kevin Bishop said: “This report tells us that both commoners and the project partners are very positive regarding progress so far and we can be justly proud of what we’ve achieved. The commoners have been enabled to take more responsibility for the design and delivery of their agri-environment scheme agreements and the process has facilitated a closer working relationship between commoners and partners.”

Colin Abel, chairman of Forest of Dartmoor Commoners Association and one of the farmers involved, added: “In tandem with other initiatives such as the Hill Farm Project, Farming Futures is helping to empower commoners and develop our capacity to manage the common.

“It is also encouraging us to work together and look at the land in a different way.”

Research and development spend urgent We seriously need greater investment in research and development in the agricultural sector, writes Peter Hall.

I know that’s a well-worn cry these days, heard annually at the Oxford Farming Conference, and elsewhere... but it’s a fact that since the costcutting campaigns of the 1990s, this country has been overtaken and now lags behind others in this vital work. It was brought home to me again last week at the CropTec Event in Peterborough, when BASF’s Dr Geoff Mackey was principal speaker.

R&D was top of his list of fundamentals for our agritech strategy to be deemed a success. He said: “There has to be sustained and significant investment in research and development,” adding that the need for more R&D investment into agriculture was starkly brought into focus by the statistics from the crop-

Agricultural writer Peter Hall bemoans the lack of research and development

This plant – named Nigel by staff at the Dorset nursery where it was cultivated – was certainly hot stuff, producing more than 2,500 chillies. The Dorset Naga chilli plant produced an amazing 2,407 red chillies and 116 green chillies at Sea Spring Seeds’ site at West Bexington. Staff from Sea Spring nursery were pictured with members of the Clifton Chilli Club who counted the chillies

protection sector. In 1995 there were 34 companies involved in R&D for new active ingredients,” said Dr Mackey. “In 2012 there were 17 – that’s a 50 per cent fall. In 1995 it cost 113 million euros to bring a new active ingredient to market. In 2012 it cost 190 million euros – that’s a 70 per cent rise.”

The consequences of the shortfall were that in 2000 there were 70 new active ingredients in the development pipeline; by 2012 there were only 28.

“This 60 per cent fall in new products coming to market cannot be considered progress,” he said. He was pleased that the Government was not blind to the issues and that the message of intent to support farming was clear, but he warned that for the strategy to succeed, the funding must persist and grow.

Dr Mackey said the partnership between public and private investment encouraged within the strategy was vital.

Young farmers’ national organisation dominated by West Country talent There has been a South West takeover of the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC) – with both the chairmanship and vice chairmanship going to members from the region.

Claire Worden, from the Cornish Federation, has been elected chairman, and Chris Manley, from the Devon Federation, vice chairman.

More than 100 members gathered in Coventry last weekend to pass motions that affect the running of the organisation, and elect the new National Council, which is made up of 63 members, as-

sociate members and co-options.

Through steering groups, the National Council also decides and shapes the programmes of work at NFYFC, planning events, competitions, campaigns, and training for members.

Claire, who is 31, has been a member of Lostwithiel YFC for 13 years. She works for CocaCola as a soft-drinks consultant covering Plymouth, and has represented her YFC county and the South West area for the last five years. She plays and coaches hockey at both club and county level.

After being a vice chairman

Vice chairman of the NFYFC, Chris Manley, pictured with the new chairman Claire Worden and the other vice-chairman Hannah Talbot

of the federation for the last two years, she will now be the lead voice for 25,000 members from clubs and counties across England and Wales. Claire takes on the role at a critical time for the federation as it develops a new strategy to reach out to more young people living in rural areas.

During her year as chairman, she plans to lead a campaign about rural isolation to help raise awareness about the unique challenges rural young people face and to show the support YFCs can offer.

She said: “I am thrilled to be elected. I am honoured to rep-

resent such an amazing organisation that has given me so much over the last 13 years of my membership. YFC has given me skills, confidence and friends for life. We’re not just an organisation for young people involved in farming – we offer support and a social life to all young people in the countryside.”

Chris, who is 29, grew up on a dairy, beef and sheep farm in Hemyock, East Devon, and is currently part of the Tesco Stores Ltd farming team as a trainee agriculturalist. He has been in Culm Valley Young Far mers’ Club for 13 years.

6 FARMING WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 13 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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Wool demand soars due to homes market

BY PETER HALL wdnews@b-nm.co.uk An increasing level of confidence in the economic outlook across both Europe and the rest of the world is having a positive impact on wool prices, according to British Wool Marketing Board chairman Malcolm Corbett.

Speaking at this week’s BWMB annual conference, held this year in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, Mr Corbett said the latter half of the 2012 selling season and the opening sales of the current selling season showed the clear improvement in prices was being sustained.

“Demand was so strong in the closing half of last season

Malcolm Corbett of the British Wool Marketing Board

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Per cent rise in British wool prices in 2013 compared to 2012 FARMING ONLINE westerndailypress.co.uk

Simon Butler, author of new book The Farmer’s Wife, looks at the role of women in farming and recalls his own connection to West farming – www.westerndailypress.co.uk that we sold virtually every kilo of wool, which was hugely important as we headed into a new selling season,” explained Mr Corbett. “And the new season sales have kicked off in a similar strong vein, with high clearance rates and prices more than a third up on

the same time last year. Important, too, is the volume of wool sold to date as this is significantly higher than at this same time last year.

Demand for British wool has traditionally been largely driven by the carpet market and an upturn in the housing market is helping increase demand, but the strong demand from the market in China is also having an impact on the interest and the demand shown in our product.”

Mr Corbett said that thanks to BWMB’s competitive auction system all producers marketing their wool through BWMB would benefit from these price increases. He added that it was clear that the auction system had been a key factor in driving prices higher.

“The competitive nature of the auction system is key in delivering higher prices for British wool. It means buyers have to actively compete for the wool they want and when supplies are tight buyers have to bid strongly to secure the volumes they require.”

Critically, recent auction prices had also been well ahead of the initial guide prices issued by BWMB prior to the sales season, said Mr Corbett. “Many breed types have exceeded the guide initial prices significantly and all breed types have at least met the guide price previously issued by BWMB.” The average clip value for 2013 would be £1.08 per kilo compared to last year’s 77p.

With the UK’s 2013 clip estimated to be 10 per cent back on 2012 levels, this shortfall is also contributing to the price rise.

Mr Corbett added: “Lower average fleece weights and a falling national flock are the main contributors to this smaller clip. And this is a situation reflected around the world, with global wool clips also on a downward trend.”

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NFU fights for increase in trailer weight A Government consultation examining trailer weights and speeds is to be carried out following years of NFU lobbying.

The consultations will seek opinion on increasing the weight and speed limits for agricultural vehicles which will enable farmers to transport produce more efficiently.

Views will be sought on whether to increase the speed limit to 25mph. And also whether the weight limit for tractors and trailers should be increased to 31 tonnes, 33 tonnes or 37 tonnes (for a triaxle trailer with road-friendly suspension).

In order to qualify for the increased weights, a voluntary industry-led test is proposed.

The consultations also seek views on other policy options which could be considered.

NFU vice president Adam Quinney said: “We welcome

Adam Quinney of the NFU wants heavier trailers

The dairy herd at Ablington Farm, Wiltshire, has a new addition: photographed yesterday by David Hargrave is a Pedigree Dairy Shorthorn calf. All the Dairy Shorthorns have pedigree names, hence they start with the name Ablington. This calf will be known as Ablington Foggy and hopefully will grow up to become one of the dairy herd at the farm in years to come

Former Bath and West organiser lands top show position One of West Country farming’s best known personalities, Ollie Allen, organiser of the Devon County Show, takes over this weekend as chairman of a national organisation, the Association of Shows and Agricultural Organisations.

Ollie has been the secretary of the Devon County Agricultural Association since 1996 and before that earned her spurs in 16 years at the Royal Bath and West.

She said: “To have been elected to do this job by one’s peers is a great honour, but also a great challenge. Our industry

has had to face up to the recession, a few years of bad summer weather, culminating in the wash-out of 2012, changes in the way farmers do business and the ever more pressing demands of health and safety and livestock legislation.

“The ASAO is in regular discussions on a national level with numerous bodies such as Defra, Trading Standards and the Health & Safety Executive and is seen as the voice of the show and event industry. We play a crucial role in helping UK agricultural shows and events to find ways to survive

Ollie Allen has been rewarded for sterling show work

and prosper. As the population in Devon continues to grow, shows such as ours act as a bridge between town and country and speak powerfully of the attractions of rural living.”

Perhaps surprisingly, for someone who has become such a familiar face in South West farming circles, Ollie does not come from a farming background.

“I’m not a farmer’s daughter but a newsagent’s daughter who happens to have a passion for animals, the rural way of life and seeing people have fun. When I see the grand

parade of livestock in the main arena, I get a huge lump in my throat because I have the ultimate respect for the knowledge exhibitors have and the commitment they give to preparing their animals to be the best in the show ring.”

Ollie believes the key qualities needed to be a top show and event organiser are “meticulous attention to detail, honesty, limitless patience, a great sense of humour and, above all, a passion for the job.

That passion comes through in what we produce, which is the show. It’s not so much a job as a vocation.”

this consultation as part of the Gover nment’s commitment to cut red tape and bureaucracy.

“But it also recognises the hard work that our farmers carry out every day of the year to put food on the table.

“The NFU has been campaigning for the weight and speed limits for agricultural tractor and trailers to be examined for many years.

“While other farm equipment has got larger over time the restrictions on 21st century tractors and trailers has prevented the efficient transport of crops from the field.

This inefficiency not only leaves us at a competitive disadvantage compared to other member states with higher limits, but also, we believe, has a corresponding negative impact on the environment and road safety.”

The NFU warned test costs should not be prohibitive.

MEP warning for inspectors Inspectors should take a “very light touch” when enforcing electronic tagging rules for sheep, says MEP Stuart Agnew. Speaking during a debate in the European Parliament’s agriculture committee meeting in Brussels, Mr Agnew, the UK Independence Party’s agriculture spokesman, spoke up for British farmers who are struggling to cope with the regulations on electronic tagging of sheep.

Mr Agnew said there were significant difficulties in operating the system. “When inspectors come to the farm what they want to do is check the paperwork – and it quickly becomes apparent that the tags don’t tie up properly.”

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WESTERN DAILY PRESS WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 13 2013 FARMING 7

Chris Rundle

Remember the slaughtered Things are going to seem terribly quiet round here now the badger culling has finished.

No more volleys of shots to disturb the slumber. No more parades of hand-wringing protesters. No more night-time movements of sinister-looking Plodmobiles.

But quite a few people will be glad it’s all over, particularly in one village in the centre of the culling zone where the venomous (there is no other word for it) activities of the anti-cullists have set neighbour against neighbour and family against family and have left scars on a once-tranquil community that are unlikely to heal for years.

Meanwhile, on the urban fringes close to the zone the misguided (mainly, of course, incomers) continue to welcome badgers into their gardens for a nightly feast of peanuts, so nurturing the next generation which will eventually spread out into the countryside and pass TB to more cattle.

Not only is there no chance of eradicating TB from the national cattle herd while a reservoir of infection remains in wildlife, the odds will remain equally heavily stacked against success while there continues to be a reservoir of stupidity in the human population.

But we cannot consign the West Somerset Badger Slaughter (for that’s what it was, ultimately, rather than the stated free shooting ‘trial’) to history just like flicking off a switch. I am sure there are many, like me, who would wish to mark it in some way. Perhaps we could get the Sealed

Knot in to run a re-enactment once a year, with half dressed in badger costumes and the others in camouflage jackets, parading behind giant effigies of Owen Paterson and Brian May. And since I am convinced there must be at least one day in the year when there isn’t a charity collection taking place at the local Tesco, I shall claim the vacancy in the name of the Fallen Badger Campaign so we can solicit contributions and erect a suitably tasteful Tomb of the Unknown Badger on Withycombe Common.

Just like old times What is it with the British meat industry? Hardly have the memories of Horsegate started to fade than we are plunged back into another fine mess with the ugly spectre of BSE now plainly hovering over a cutting plant where the rules governing the removal of specified risk materials appear to have been torn up and thrown out of the window.

Most of the population, of course, is under the impression that BSE has been and gone, that it is but a minor historical footnote. Far from it.

The rules designed to protect consumers from contracting the human form of the disease are still in place and for a very good reason: because a theoretical risk still exists. An almost immeasurably small one, but a risk nonetheless.

And it will be of no comfort to anyone concerned with the future prosperity of the livestock sector to learn that for the last two years improperlyprepared meat from the plant has been sold not merely to British butchers but to Spain.

The badger culls are over – for the time being – and peace has returned to the countryside.

Meanwhile, organised picking of wild mushrooms – on an industrial scale – has been carried out partly by amateur cooks spurred on by the likes of Antonio Carluccio, pictured, and other celebrity chefs, but mainly by Eastern Europeans, who have stripped prime areas such as the New Forest of every last specimen, writes Chris Rundle.

RUNDLE ONLINE westerndailypress.co.uk

Read more of Chris Rundle’s farming and countryside articles from past editions of the Western Daily Press at www.westerndailypress.co.uk

For, believe you me, our continental friends are just waiting for the opportunity to dance around and point out that we still haven’t seen the error of our ways, that our slaughterhouses are still adopting a cavalier attitude to perfectly reasonable regulations and that, ergo, British beef is still unsafe to eat because of the lingering risk from vache tremblante.

Although they were in effect shooting at an open goal when the BSE storm was in full flow here, the French did a very effective job of wrecking the reputation of what until then had been one of our more cherished export commodities. The damage ran deep and has been long-lasting. Even now British beef is stigmatised to the extent that only one or two enlightened Parisian restaurants which exist solely for the high-end connoisseurs dare advertise that they are selling the stuff.

Elsewhere, diners look to the menu to reassure them that the beef which chef is preparing comes from France, Germany, Argentina, even Botswana.

Anywhere, in fact, as long as it’s not from across the Channel.

This does disguise a mighty helping of hypocrisy since our export trade in processing beef remains buoyant – it’s just that consumers of meat products are never told exactly what they are eating.

But when even a generation on from BSE the name of British beef remains so indelibly blackened it is utterly mindless of British processors to hand the continentals more ammunition to shoot us with.

Whether greed or laziness was the motivator matters not.

The more cases like this break the surface the longer we shall be portrayed as trying to foist

disease-ridden meat on the rest of the world and the longer it will be before the rest of the world accords our prime beef exports the status they once enjoyed.

Still time to have your say Hurry, hurry, hurry! Only a couple of weeks left to tell the Government how you want the countryside run.

What has driven ministers to ask the People for their views on such a massive, complex and convoluted subject, I have no idea. However, I suspect that when the inevitable chorus of complaints arises from farmers or conservationists (or probably both) about the final set of policies, the Government will be able to point out that everyone was consulted and everyone had a chance to put their point of view. So there.

“Consultation” when employed in a governmental environment indicates an exercise where you ask people for their views before doing what you had already decided to do.

In this instance it’s a particularly pointless exercise.

You could paper the walls of Buckingham Palace with the dozens of surveys which have revealed the most appalling levels of public ignorance about the countryside, farming and food production.

So the public at large are no more qualified to give a reasoned view on future rural policies than they are to suggest ways in which the operation of the Large Hadron Collider could be improved.

If the Government wants my advice (not that it would ever come to that) then it should consider doing something

about wild mushrooms. Or rather the lack of them resulting from over-picking.

One of my brothers-in-law is about to celebrate his threescore years and 10 with a spinky dinner for which beef with ceps was one of the main course options. Until the restaurant informed him that it had been withdrawn since it is a particularly poor year for ceps (or porcini, or, to give them their proper but almost forgotten English name, penny bun mushrooms).

That was what Churchill would have described as a terminological inexactitude: it has been an excellent year for ceps, as I can personally testify.

We have eaten plenteously of them and I have a modest winter’s supply dried, packed and frozen and just waiting to be dug out to add wondrous depth to soups and stews.

The problem has been organised picking on an industrial scale, partly by amateur cooks spurred on by the likes of Antonio Carluccio and other celebrity chefs, but mainly by Eastern Europeans, who have stripped prime areas such as the New Forest of every last specimen, not merely hogging all this year’s crop but – since mushrooms are the fruiting bodies which spread their spores around – imperilling successive years’ as well.

No-one seems to realise that while such intensive harvesting is fine in the huge forests of Poland, in a relatively tiny country such as ours it is massively damaging. For the moment my two most heavilycropping locations remain undiscovered by anyone else but it can, alas, only be a question of time before others stumble across them and try to muscle in. At which point there will, I assure you, be blood on the woodland floor.

8 FARMING WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 13 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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Farmers’ bulletin board Market reports SEDGEMOOR Saturday, November 9 74 DAIRY CATTLE A good entry of 74 Dairy Cattle, when a strong presence of purchasers were in attendance who were showing signs of waiting for either their single farm payment or the next milk cheque, as prices were well down on last week for all grades of heifers. Cows however prove to be in most demand as people chase milk. Top price was £2010 for non pedigree heifer from Mr G Morgan of Tewkesbury. Other heifers to £1860 Ham Farm Partners; Stourvale bred heifer £1740 for Witcombe Farm Partners and £1720 for Messrs B & K Follett, Shaftesbury. Cows to £1910 Snook Ltd. Others £1900 Mr MC Powell; £1760 Snook Ltd and £1610 Messrs A & W Vigus. Bulling heifers to £840 x 2 Mr FAW Baker. Calves to £230 Mr CE Veysey. Aberdeen Angus bull (2011) to £1310 Messrs TE Pocock & Co. 1300 STORE CATTLE, STIRKS, SUCKLER & GRAZING COWS 675 STORE CATTLE & GRAZING COWS A massive entry of 1300 strong Store Cattle, Stirks and Sucklers as the wet weather continues and temperatures drop for the first time this Autumn. 675 strong Store Cattle met a stronger trade for the second week in succession. Many overage and old non FABBL cattle on offer but all categories dearer. Top was £1430 for two well fleshed Simmental steers (25m & “FA”!) from Mr GI Douglas, Tickenham. A forward overage Simmental steer (34m & “FA”!) from Mr AR Fewings, Somerton rose to £1270. Big fleshed steers were in short supply but those that were FARM ASSURED were well rewarded! Feeding steers peaked at £1245 for quality suckler bred Limousins (24m) from Mr JP Tolley, Northay. Another similar (25m) from Mr MW Edwards, Congresbury rose to £1220, who sold other red Limousin steers (19m) at £1125. Other better feeding steers at £1135, Charolais (41m & FA) Messrs GJ & HR Browse, Butterleigh; £1120, Blonde (23m & FA) Messrs TJ Samways & Son, North Perrott; £1115, Charolais (18m & FA) Mr GH Buckingham, Brompton Regis and £1115 again, Blondes (20m & FA) Messrs HE & AM Bale & Sons, Umberleigh. Any non FABBL feeding stores were well sold 26 months or under.

NATIVE STEERS exceptionally dear to £1265 for superb suckler Angus (18m & FA) from Mr C & Mrs A Williams, Bampton, who sold other similar Angus steers (19/20m) at £1135. Other Angus steers £1215 (24m & FA) Messrs W & EA Tratt, Luppitt; £1145 (28m & FA) Mr WS Hancock, Edithmead and £1135 (20/21m) Mrs KB Ham, Stone Allerton. Hereford steers to a massive £1170 (25/26m & FA) with sire details from Messrs RM & CG Drew & Son, Buckland St Mary. Devon steers to £1125 (31m) from Messrs NJ & WE Symons, Wellington. More interest in dairy bred steers to £960 (30m) from Mr TJ & M Stevens, Locking. Others £935 (22/24m x8) from Mr VJ Pearce, Bristol and £895 (30/33m & FA) Mr AR Fewings, Somerton.

HEIFERS in demand to £1170 for a 27m (FA) Angus (sire details) from Messrs RM & CG Drew & Son again. Mr C & Mrs A Williams scored again with suckler Angus (19/20m & FA) at £1135 and Limousins (20m & FA) at £1140 and (20/21m & FA) at £1070. MRI heifer (31m & FA) at £1080 from Mr JV & MJ Pidgeon, Yarcombe and £980, Montbeliarde heifer (27m) Messrs DF & SA Maynard, Honiton. Young stores in short supply to £1082 for a 14m Angus steer from Mr JA Crossman, Langport.

17/19m Charolais steers (FA) at £1070 from Mr JF Biffen, Whiteball. A 17m Hereford steer from Mr G Wall, East Huntspill also rose to £1070. With the onset of the Christmas trade for finished cattle (see Monday 4th?s report) and the realisation that the big store cattle numbers are not going to materialise, all buyers were keen to secure stock and many more could have been sold to advantage.

191 SUCKLER COWS, CALVES & STOCK BULLS The day was dominated by 2 dispersal sales from Pembrokeshire, West Wales for Roger Huish and Blandford, Dorset for Messrs C & LE Norton. Roger Huish’s pedigree Limousins packed the ringside. His best in calf cow Cwm Daffodil born in 2008 and 7 month in calf sold to £1760. Cwm Del another 2008 born cow with a 1 month heifer calf at foot sold to £1600. Non pedigree pure bred cows and calves sold to £1500.

His in calf heifers sold to £1300 as did

his maiden heifer Cwmtaw Gladiola bred out of a Nealford bull. Charolais cows and heifer calves from Messrs C & LE Norton sold to £1350, whilst Hereford cows (2008) with Blonde spring born calves sold to £1360. Simmentals from the same vendor with calves at foot topped at £1260. Blonde cows with Charolais bull calf from P Sweet to £1600. British Blue cow with September 2013 heifer calf at foot to £1500 from Messrs NJ & WE Symons. A run of 2008 born pedigree Simmental cows 2½ months in calf from Colne Valley, Essex sold to £980 x 2, £920 and £900, whilst an entry of 6 pd?d 3-6m in calf Hereford heifers from Mr HR Gould met a blistering trade to £1200 x 2 and £1260 x 4.

434 STIRKS & BUSK CALVES A large entry of generally better quality stirks sold to another good trade.

Top price of £970 (12m) for a quality Charolais steer from Miss CL Moorhouse. Other Charolais to £890 (10/ 11m) £840 (6m) and £820 (6m) from Mr PA Cleave; £750 (11/12m) from Mr EG Holland; £745 (7/8m) from Mr B Hoyles; £745 (9m) from Mrs JD Lock and £740 (7m) from Messrs TJ Samways & Son. Limousins to £830 (5/8m) from Messrs S & N Farming when others sold at £830 (8m) from Messrs M Harrison Partners who also sold another at £745 (8m) £770 (8m) from Messrs B & V Fowler; £750 (8m) from Mr SC French and £715 from Messrs EA & DA Ellis. British Blues to £810 (10/13m); £750 (7m) and £740 from Mr RW Biss. Simmentals to £740 (6m) from Mr WC Fewings. An excellent show of heifers which topped at £795 (9m) for a British Blue from Mr MB Downing. Charolais to £785 (11m) from Mr PA Cleave who also sold others at £745 (11m) and £705 (7m). Other Charolais to £702 (11m) from Mr PH Taylor and £615 (7m) from Messrs TJ Samways & Son. A wonderful entry of Limousins from Guy & Sidney French achieved prices of £765 x 2 (8m) £700 (7m) £675 (8m) £625 (9m) and £592 (6/ 8m). Other Limousins at £755 (8m) from Mr DH Sayer; £665 (8m) from Messrs EFB Hill & Son and £630 (8m) from Messrs B & V Fowler. Blondes to £595 (9/10m) from Messrs PA & CE Edwards.

473 NON-EXPORT CALVES (315) Beef Breeds – not able to be exported from market Charolais Bulls to £480. Blue heifers to £398 A livelier trade this week for a good Autumn entry. Many more buyers round the ring looking for quality rearing calves. Top young bulls to £458 for a Charolais from Messrs DJ & SE Veysey.

Others £395 Messrs CR House & Son. Blues £375 Cole Farming Ltd; £370 Messrs CR House & Sons and £362 Messrs JM & TI Rich and Limousins £360 Mr K Dunster. Many more bulls over £300 and medium bulls £220-£280.

Averages moving forward. Smaller bulls also sharper. Older 12 week continental bulls £480 Mr CE Veysey.

Others £400 and £380. Heifers were led by an outstanding entry of reared Blues from Messrs TE Pocock & Co to £398 and £388. Others £378 Glebe Farm and £348 Mr JV Pidgeon and £340 Messrs A House & Son. Good heifers generally £250 and mediums £160-£200.

Smaller heifers from £100. Strong call for Angus again when bulls sold to £340 Messrs J & SM Rowland & Sons Ltd. Others £325 Mr NH Bacon; £315 Mr RT Ford; £310 Messrs M & B Humphry and Angus heifers to £172 Messrs M & K Churchill. Reared Angus bulls (12 weeks) to £390. Best Hereford bulls to £270 Messrs PB & LM Doble. Others £258 Mr B Elworthy and heifers £278 Mr B Elworthy, also to £170 and £164.

(158) Friesians – not able to be exported from market A large entry met a firmer trade, especially at the better end led by a cracking Friesian bull from Messrs MD & KRJ Boley at £215.

Others £172 Messrs CD & VJ Winn; £162 Messrs RPF & LJ Larder, also £140.

Holstein Friesians to £205 Mr AS Morgan, £175 and £140. A lot of decent calves £70-£100. Medium rearers £40£70. Plain calves from £20. Keen interest in reared black and whites to £205, £200 (x2) Messrs CJ & JC Pine, also £200 Huish Farm. Danish Reds to £142 Messrs SDG & AJ Craddock.

4441 SHEEP Store Lambs (3154) The largest entry of the season thus far at 3154 Store Lambs sold to another very strong trade to a joint top price of £82 from Mr R Lovell and Mr LJ Webber. Others to £80 from Mr F Kidner; £78 from Mr S Loader and Mr AB North; £77 from Mr RA Gregory; £75 from Mr C Wheel and Mr G Atkins; £74.50 from Mr NG Cox and Mr GG Gribble; £74 from Mr S Loader and £73.50 from Lord Lytton.

Mediums ranged £55-£70. Small nearly

all £30 plus. Overall average £61.70.

Grazing Ewes & Rams (834) Another good entry of 834 Grazing Ewes and Rams sold to a slightly easier trade to a top price or £98 from Mr GR Withers, who sold others to £95. Others to £95 from Mr C Wheel; £94.50 from Scimitar Services; £90.50 from Mr FD Pearse; £89.50 from Mr RW Hickman; £85.50 from Messrs AJ & BD Marsh; £84 from Messrs G Dart & Son and Mr C Wheel; £82 from Mrs THJ Denbee; £81 from Messrs A & R Jones and £79.50 from Messrs BM Heal & Son. Mediums ranged £50-£70, plain £25-£50 and boners nearly all £19 plus.

Overall average £53.42.

Breeding Ewes (402) A larger entry of 397 Breeding Ewes sold to a stronger trade when 6T pedigree Beltex ewes from Mrs AM Evans sold to £290. Pedigree Suffolks born 2011 and 2012, running with a Suffolk ram, from Mrs A Mogford sold at £250 and £235. Pure bred Zwartbles ewe lambs to £118 from Mr B Mills. A run of Texel cross Lleyn 2T?s from Messrs HG Geen & Sons sold at £111 and £100. Pedigree Suffolk ewe lambs from Mrs A Mogford to £108 and commercial Suffolk cross ewe lambs from Mr RE Webber to £94, £93, £91, £89 and £87. Overall average £88.56.

Stock Rams (51) Another good entry of 51 Stock Rams for the last monthly catalogued sale, sold to a selective trade. Charollais to £250 from Miss S Jonas, who sold others at £220 and £200.

Other good Charollais to £190 and £185 from Messrs MK & LM Gillbard. Texels to £220 from Messrs G Dart & Son. Suffolks to £162 (x2) from Messrs G & J Nichol.

Monday, November 11 168 PRIME CATTLE (127) UTM & (41) OTM Prime Cattle A slightly increased entry at 168 Prime Cattle, which was made up of a tremendous variation of types. P+ grade Holsteins to U+ grade top drawer red Limousins. Lean, cold stores (1’s) to very heavily covered over fat (5L) types. Full, big bellied, wasteful types to tight, clean fatstockers. 385kg to 815kg and every combination of inbetween. It just goes to show with Sedgemoor “there is something for everyone and someone for everything”.

STEERS topped at 229.5ppk for an exceptional red Limousin from Messrs JE & M Mather & Son, who sold other similar steers at 227.5, 223 and 217ppk.

Another red Limousin steer, this time from Mr TL Greenshields met a call of 218.5ppk. A very smart and well fed Blonde from Mr AL Burrough achieved 217.5ppk. STEERS sold to £1,499.19 for a strong Charolais from Mr G Vining.

Other 700kg and heavier steers at £1,487.45, black Limousin, Messrs DJ & AM Morris; £1,487.38, Charolais, Messrs Ellicott Bros and £1470, Blue, Messrs Vigar & Son. A 634kg red Limousin from Messrs JE & M Mather & Son sold well at £1,455.03. Top of the day was 230.5ppk for a superb, adlib, Blue cross Limousin heifer from Mr DH Sayer. A quality Blue from Mr AL Burrough again rose to 227.5ppk. A top drawer red Limousin from Mr TL Greenshields hit 225ppk. Other best Limousin heifers over 220ppk at 223.5ppk from Mr TJ Thomas and 222.5ppk from Mr J Baker. HEIFERS also over £1400 at £1,496.95 for a Blue from Mr AL Burrough. £1458 was also bid for the Limousin from Mr TL Greenshields & Son. Over 30m steers sold to £1,429.20 for a Blue from Messrs F & M House & Son. Heifers to £1,321.60 for another Blue from Mr AL Burrough.

817 FINISHED LAMBS & HOGGS A similar number entry of 817 Prime Lambs sold to an overall slightly easier trade, although the best quality were keenly contested and certainly no less than last week. The best handyweights sold to 200 and 195ppk from Mrs A Gillett. Others 189, 188 and 180ppk from Messrs EB & JA Webber; 186ppk from Mr D Brice; 184ppk from Messrs AF & AH Powell; 182ppk from Mr AJ Willcox; 181ppk from Mr RB Hebditch and 180ppk from Messrs FG, NK & AJ Gammon and Messrs JPT & BM Scott.

Heavier lambs sold to £94.50 and £89 from Messrs DG & RH Matravers.

Others £86.50 from Mr DEJ Rainey; £86 from Mr AJ Willcox and £85 from Mr AJ Hann, Messrs GL & LJ Heywood and Milborne Wick Farm Ltd. Overall average £74.50.

Tuesday, November 12 147 BARREN COWS, BULLS, OTM & UFM PRIME A slightly increased entry at 147 Cull

Runners make their way around the Glastonbury Festival site at Worthy Farm, Somerset, in the Pilton Fun Run that took place earlier this month to raise funds for Children’s Hospice South West PICTURE: CLARE GREEN Cattle and again a tremendous variation on offer. Good, meat cows scarce and wanted to 136.5ppk for a smart red Limousin from Mr MJC Ellicott.

Native sucklers sold to 132ppk for a Devon from Dr J Prideaux. SUCKLERS sold to £1,172.79 for a grand South Devon from Messrs JA & YJ Hopkins. £1092 for the Limousin from Mr MJC Ellicott. DAIRY breeds rose to 117.5ppk for a HF from Mr J & Mrs EM & Mr NJ Phillips & Sons. No best black and whites. Better steakers to 112.5ppk, HF, Messrs J Morris & Partners. DAIRY breeds sold to £907.10 from Mr J, Mrs EM & Mr NJ Phillips & Sons. Others £885.60, HF, Mr ERE & Mrs J Down. All cows averaged £590.93 reflecting the lack of flesh on offer. Meat will sell well Vendors are encouraged to “feed for finish”. All cows averaged 92ppk, which when again compared to the leading Northern market at 85ppk compares very favourably.

298 PRIME LAMBS & HOGGS A few less forward sold to a similar trade on the week. The best handyweights sold to 184ppk from Mr M Burke. Others 179 and 174ppk from Messrs KH & PA Govier and 174ppk from Mr D Knight. Heavier lambs sold to £89.50 and £85 from Mr DW Hewlett; £88 and £86 from Messrs PT & L Price; £84.50 from Mrs J Peaster and Messrs EJ & ACM Lockyer and £84 from Messrs KH & PA Govier and Messrs Adams Bros. Overall average £73.60.

261 CULL EWES & RAMS A much larger entry of 261 Cull Ewes and Rams and much improved overall quality sold to a firmer trade for all presented. The best sold to £102, £89.50 and £87.50 from HG Tincknell Ltd. Others £99.50 from Hopcraft Ltd; £97.50 and £89.50 from Messrs AC & DM Dyer; £89.50 from Messrs R Burrough & Son and £84.50 from Mr RJ Smith. Overall average £54.91.

FROME Monday, November 4 TB Restricted Cattle (182) Auctioneers: Mark Northcott & Trevor Rowland. Cull Cows and Beef Cattle (31) A smaller entry met a good company of buyers and a satisfactory trade for both cows and beef. Price levels well in line with Wednesday’s trade and more could have been sold. Cull Cows Friesian barren cows sold to 112p/kg and £943 from Masters & Son with other meat sorts from 90p/kg. Plain

cows from 70p/kg and the very plain from 44p/kg. Herefords to 105p/kg from Mr Plummer. Montbeliardes to 106p/kg from L Farms Ltd. Beef OTM Hereford steers to 192.5p/kg from Tucker & Son and Montbeliarde heifers to 169.5p/kg from L Farms Ltd. UTM beef in short supply and a firm trade. Charolais steers to 203.5p/kg from Maidment & Sons. Herefords steers to 198.5p/kg and £1461 from Tucker & Son. British Blue heifers to 193.5p/kg from Mr Hares. Store Cattle (151) British Blue Heifer to £1860. Another large entry of TB restricted cattle coming forward. All the stronger well presented types sold well however some of the younger leaner cattle saw trade ease. A record price for both commercial stores and TB restricted markets was achieved today with an outstanding British Blue heifer (31mo) from Ms Bodman. Bidding was furious finally settling at £1860. Continental x stores were wanted however buyers were selective looking for confirmation and older forward types. Other British Blues to £1105. Angus cattle continuing to see premium prices with well grown steers selling to an impressive £1210 from Mr Creed and £1030 from Ms Gibbs. Forward Continental x heifers in shorter supply ranging from £700 to £800.

Wednesday, November 6 Beef Cattle (91) Auctioneer: Mark Northcott. 60 UTM fat cattle ~ 31 OTM fat cattle. A good entry met a competitive trade throughout with the few best grades at a premium and in strong demand. Other grades variable with buyers selective depending on finish and farm assurance. Cattle lacking finish or over-fat were easier on the week. UTM Steers (34) The best steers met a cracking trade and dear. An excellent Limousin topped the day at 237p/kg and £1884 from RE Carnell who had others selling to 233p/kg and 226.5p/kg. Blues sold to 225.5p/kg from Karina Heritage. Many more top quality sorts wanted and could have been easily sold. Quality Continental x steers in demand to 207.5p/kg from Smith Farms with other from 190p/kg.

Herefords to 184p/kg and £1411 from Smith Farms. Longhorns to 176.5p/kg from Longlands Farm. UTM Heifers (26) As with the steers the best heifers were keenly wanted and at a premium.

A marvellous young Limousin x from A Waite & Sons topped at 232p/kg.

Good Continental x heifers sold to 209.5p/kg from HG Collins & Co with

others from 180p/kg. Angus to 180.5p/ kg from Hartley Farm. Devons to 191p/ kg from A Waite & Sons. Over-fat and non assured heifers met a trickier trade. OTM Beef (31) A good entry but of mixed quality with no best cattle on offer. Trade well maintained but the better types in firm demand with other grades easier. Steers to 178.5p/kg from JWF Edwards. Heifers to 181.5p/kg from JW Tabor Ltd. Barren Cows & Bulls (144) Auctioneer: Mark Northcott. The cow trade and prices continue to slip across the board. This is primarily due to a lethargic manufacturing beef market, weak export market and the fact that many cows coming forward are lacking both flesh and condition. Dairy Cows (105) The best quality Friesian meat cows met the strongest demand of all grades and sold generally from 110p/kg to 127p/kg to a top of 141.5p/kg from St Giles Farms Ltd. Other good meats sorts easier from 98p/kg with the manufacturing cows variable from 78p/kg.

The plainer types were no firmer with the very plain discounted. Beef Cows (33) The few best topping at 166.5p/kg for a cracking Limousin and another to 159.5p/kg both from JT Heritage. A Saler cow closely followed at 146.5p/kg from JB Carter. Angus to 126.5p/kg from JWF Edwards. Herefords to 128p/ kg from PR & SE Lawson. Simmentals to 135.5p/kg from R Hares. Other grades a firm trade with only the very plain difficult to sell. Bulls (6) Angus to £1331 (113.5p/kg) from AW Neish and 137.5p/kg from JW Tabor.

Sheep (651) Auctioneer: Andrew Doble. Prime Lambs (252) SQQ 168.83p/ kg Max. 181p/kg £81 A strong trade and many more would easily have sold to advantage. The best lambs were keenly contested with the better lambs to 181p/kg and £78 from J Johnson.

Shapely Texels from RS Williams & Son averaged 177p/kg and £80. Smart Charollais x lambs averaged 173p/kg from SC Eavis. Heavier lambs in short supply met strong competition with a pen of 26 from Corp Bros averaging 47kg and £79.96. A large proportion of today’s entry comprised native breed which were well sold. More lambs needed weekly. Cull Ewes & Rams (137) Av. £43.36 Max. £130 A good sized entry which sold to a slightly firmer trade than recent weeks even though there were far more plainer types forward.

The best Continental cull rams to £130 from RS Williams with Texel ewes from the same home to £69. Stronger Suffolks to £64 from G & DM Adams.

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WESTERN DAILY PRESS WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 13 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

Medium types wanted and generally from £50 to £60. The plainer sorts either side of £30. Store Lambs (262) Av. £57.23 Max. £71 Another flying trade for all types today with the majority of the entry comprising smaller lambs which were still well sold. Stronger sorts in short supply with good Suffolk x lambs to £71. Smart Texel x lambs to £68 from Whitbourne Farm. A nice run of 65 Continental x Mule lambs averaged £64.65 from Kenneth Spencer Ltd. Plenty of medium lambs trading from £55 to £62 with the very small rams lambs either side of £30.

Dairy (17) Auctioneer: Trevor Rowland Calved Heifers TO £1800 ~ Calved Cows TO £1740. The lively trade of last week continuing today and although a few less numbers on offer more heifers and cows sold over £1600. Well presented freshly calved Holstein Friesian heifers from AF Leighton sold four times over £1600 and three times over £1700 with the best topping at a strong £1800. 2nd and 3rd lactation Holstein Friesians were wanted and regularly from £1700 to £1740 and more could have sold to advantage. An in-calf Holstein Friesian heifer from regular vendor Austin Smith topped at £1400. A Swedish Red x Holstein heifer calf sold to £165. Dairy cattle entries: Please would vendors book in their entries by 1pm on the Monday prior to the Wednesday sale. Late entries are welcome but it will not be possible to advertise in the catalogue or online those entries that are taken after 1pm on the Monday.

Farm assurance notice: Vendors who are not Farm Assured are throwing away money with some differences being up to £100 per head. To maximise returns forward cattle need to be Farm Assured.

Calves (240) Non-Export Auctioneer: Tim Hector. Good numbers continue to come through the market with the top calves still in firm demand. Trade more selective for medium and smaller calves. Continental Bulls The best bulls in short supply and regularly in excess of £320. Medium calves a touch easier at £230+. The best Blue bulls to £438 from RJ Jackson & Sons. Simmentals to £328 from R Hares. Fleckveihs to £378 from RTJ Voizey & Partners. Charolais to £290 from RG Curtis.

Limousins to £265 from Brunt Partners. Continental Heifers A good trade for all forward with the best shaped sorts over £230. Best Blues to £295 from RTJ Voizey & Partners. Charolais to £290 from RG Curtis. Limousins to £242 from R & J Tibbs. British A good entry

of mainly small to medium sorts all in demand. 1st quality sorts attracting premium prices to a top of £365 for an Angus bull from DF & BA Wheeler.

Angus heifers to £248 from RL & CJ Curtis. Hereford bulls to £342 from RM Fyfe and heifers to £240 from Cross Keys Farms Ltd. Friesians Plenty forward to meet a selective trade with only the best over £90. Holstein Friesian bulls to a top of £130 from SH Harris & Son with British Friesians to £122 from PF & J Osborne. Medium sorts from £50 to £90 with the smaller types to £40.

Friday, November 8 Store Cattle (813) Auctioneer: Trevor Rowland & Lester Williams. Steers to £1290 & Heifers to £1175. Suckler Cows & Calves Demand was firm for the Suckler Cows & Calves with nice Angus sets between £900-£1000. In Calf Angus Cows were bought well from £600- £660. Feeding Bulls A limited number forward but all met an excellent trade. 6mo British Blues and Limousins to £570. A 16mo Limousin sold easily to £810. Young Continentals Although fewer suckled Cattle forward the demand was outstanding and all on offer today sold at premium levels.

Many 7-8mo Steers were over £800 and super Blonde x from C & RL Gapper topped at £880. British Blues 9mo from Nigel and Sheila Greenman to £908 with heifers selling to a storming trade peeking at £700. Quality types from Clare Baber created keen interest to £730 (6mo). Wonderful Charolais presented by SL & MV Mitchell produced an exceptional trade with everyone wanting these best sorts, their 7mo Steers often reached over £800 and 6 times over £890! Heifers from the same home saw many more men coming forward with 6mo 13 times over £700 and 10 times over £752! As expected for this time of year more Continental x Dairy Cattle coming forward and all seeing a marked improvement with a strong compliment of buyers all keen to bid. Overall Heifer prices were better today with more buyers supporting the sale. Forward Continental Several quality entries met another fast trade with all breeds selling to advantage from the large company of buyers forward. British Blues set the trade to £1105 from John Gardner, £1125 from LP Shackell & Son and £1200 from Christopher Hill Partnership. Quality Charolais wanted to £1100 from Claude & Janette Eavis, £1120 from Glebe Farm, with the highlight of the day £1290 from Nicola Ferrett, closely fol-

lowed at £1270 from Christopher Hill Partnership. The excellent consignment of Limousins from DJ Kinderman sold well at £1235 with others to £1200 from Christopher Hill Partnership,£1180 from Paul Hurd and £1135 from Sarah and Helen Webb. Simmentals also wanted from the same vendor to £1100 with others £1140 to £1220 from Christopher Hill Partnership and £1200 from Claude and Janette Eavis.

All British Blues met a premium with younger types wanted to £805 from HPJ Flux. Heifers met a marvellous trade with keen bidding throughout.

British Blues sold well to £1060 from Holland Farms (Blandford ) Ltd to £1070 from Robert and Allan Welch and top honours goes to Sarah and Helen Webb at £1170 for Dairy x Simmental Heifers and Pedigrees to £1175 from Marshall & Willis Isle of Wight.

Several good consignments of Bullers met keen interest with forward types from £885 to £970 and younger Heifers with potential from £712 to £860. Hereford (85) Buyers are still very keen for these traditional breeds and more quality sorts could have been well sold.

Plenty of Steers 12-14mo ranged £550£700 but buyers were looking for good conformation. Heifers not so easy to find but all wanted and smart wintering sorts 12-14mo £400-£500. All the stronger forward Herefords seeing fast and furious bidding and were all easily sold. Holland Farms (Blandford) Ltd again achieving the highest of prices with Steers to £1170 closely followed by Christopher Hill at £1142. Heifer prices to £1060 from both Ian Sargent and Holland Farms (Blandford) Ltd. Plenty of strong boned cattle over £1000 again this week. More of these grand types were needed. Angus (198) All the younger Angus were wanted and overall prices were £20-£30 a head up on some weeks. 8-12mo Suckled Steers often over £700 and well grown Steers from the Wellstead Family topped at £798. Deep bodied Heifers coming from Jacob Hares produced great competition and sold to £665. Dairy x Angus Steers were in short supply but Heifers were more plentiful and saw a lively trade £450-£550. Medium Steers with potential wanted from £850 to £950 with forward feeders to £1000 from Brian Rigler and £1095 from Sarah and Helen Webb. Deeper bodied Steers £1100 from Christopher Hill Partnership, £1130 from Glebe Farm and fleshed types from £1140 to £1182 from ME Richards and Partners and £1170 from PBT Jennings. Heifers with Bulling potential were in demand from £665 to £780 and forward Bullers from £800 to £888 from Catridge Farm.

Fleshed Heifers wanted and sold well to £900 from Haydon Downs Farm to £980 from PBT Jennings. Friesians (98) Few young Holstein Friesians were on offer this week with most vendors electing to run their Cattle through the winter. Demand is still very steady with buyers looking for the British types rather than Holstein. 12-16mo Steers look a good buy and feeder buyers would do well to procur these on the current trade. 15-16mo Steers generally £550-£600 with better conformation Holsteins £350-£450. Steers generally reached £550 to £570 with better conformation Holsteins from £360 to £440. Framed feeding Holsteins £725 from Brian Rigler and £790 from Ian Sargent. Fleshed framed Friesians were in strong demand to £800 from PR & SE Lawson to £840 from A Bown.

Farm Assured deeper bodied types the highlight with Holsteins to £950 (17mo) from Michael and Giles Coleman to £990 from Paul Hurd and British Friesians £995 from LP Shackell & Son and £1020 from Hollands Farm (Blandford) Ltd with top honours to Christopher Hill Partnership at £1095.

NEWTON ABBOT On Wednesday an excellent entry of 346 cattle were forward with the store market topped at £1,305 by a superb bunch of seven Continental steers sold

by A W Underhay. He also topped the heifer section at £1,200 for a bunch of three. Trade was noticeably sharper with buyers from Yorkshire and the Eastern counties competing strongly for cattle. Younger cattle were also very much wanted for filling up sheds for the winter. A disposal sale of the Manaton Herd of South Devons for Messrs Kidner attracted a good level of interest with a top of £1,600 for a cow and two calves, followed at £1,570 for a cow and her steer calf. In-calf heifers sold to £1,140. An entry of Shorthorn cows from P Torr sold to £820 with his South Devons selling to £980. A better

NOVEMBER

entry of prime cattle met an improved trade with a top of 200ppk for Mrs B Brown for an Aberdeen Angus steer and Mr Underhay for a South Devon.

Prime cattle to £1,238.40 for a Limousin heifer from Mr Underhay. Cows sold to 126ppk from Messrs Pook. Overall average 96.09ppg. Best per head £1,014.30.

Lambs topped at 173ppk for mediums from D C Turner with M Evans making best value of £75.50 for mediums. Store lambs sold to £60 from Dent & Joy. Ewes to £60.50 from Mr Evans.

BLACKMOOR GATE Trade lifted again with an average across the board for store lambs of £60.75 with the best of the day hitting £72 for a pen from R J Kilburn, Arlington. The 942 breeding ewe lambs sold to a similarly brisk trade with an average of £68.20 and the best Exmoor Mules at £84.50 for Messrs Collins, Worth. Grazing ewes sold to a top of £59 for C Ridd, Down. Killing rams sold to a top for Woolhanger Partnership at £66 (£64). Two breeding rams from R E Latham, Popham, sold to £310 for a 4T Texel ram.

HATHERLEIGH Vicks report a stronger trade for prime lambs to average 161.98ppk. Standards sold to £57.60 and 160.6ppk for N Freeman, Meeth; mediums to £76.50 and 170ppk for Higher Punchadon Farms, Winkleigh; and heavies to £80.50 and 159.4ppk for D Vallance, Inwardleigh. A good entry of draft ewes met an easier trade to average £43.11. Half-meat ewes to £75.50 for C J Drake, Cheriton Bishop and plains to £22. In the store and breeding sheep sales there was a good trade with shearling Charollais-crossBeltex breeding rams to £150 for C P Prouse, Week St Mary, small store lambs to £57.50 for Miss P Wyatt, Lynton, and small mixed Dartmoor breeds to £20.

SOUTH MOLTON Stags report a larger entry of ewes met a trade a couple pounds better than last week with the best being a Leicester ram from C M Crudge, Morebath at £98.50, with Charollais rams from Messrs Northam, Stoodleigh at £77.50.

The best ewes were Texels from G Dart & Sons, Molland at £87 with other Texels from Temuka Ltd, Meshaw at £84. Lambs met a slightly easier trade to £86 for heavy Suffolks from Messrs Norman, Stoodleigh and heavy Charollais from M E Snell & Son, Knowstone. Premium was 179ppk for 43kg Texels from D J Govier & Partners, Chulmleigh. The Autumn Special Sale of Store Cattle saw prices top at £950 for a 29-monthy Devon heifer from C E Bulled, Harracott. Then £890 was paid for a bunch of six 15/17-month Charolais steers and £780 for three 17-month Charolais heifers from Parker & Son.

HALLWORTHY A smaller entry of draft ewes met a strong trade. Top was £83.50 for E Sleeman, Treneglos. A smaller entry of prime lambs were again in keen demand. Premium was 179ppk for a pen of mediums from B Cowell, Helston.

Best value was £83.80 for a pen of heavies from W H Hancock, Boscastle. Store lambs met a flying trade for all, with many pens over £68 to a top of £71 realised by three vendors. Ewe lambs sold up to £81 for a pen of Lleyn-crossMules from C H S Enterprises, Winkleigh. Breeding ewes were a firm trade across the board with hill ewes selling to £72 for two pens of Herdwick 2T from the late C J Rush, Blisland.

Charollais FM ewes from L S Higgins & Son, St Neot realised £82. A steady trade in stock rams to top at £160 for two Roussin 2Ts from C P Prouse & Son, Week St Mary. The store cattle sale began with the organic section with a nice run of Aberdeen Angus cows and calves from W J Berryman, Fowey. Top price of £1,250 for a three-year cow with her Angus steers calf at foot, followed by another outfit which made £1,230. In the store-cattle pens any forward or quality cattle were hotly contested. The top price flew away to £1,270 for a bunch of three Limousin steers from Messrs Breyley, Jacobstow, closely followed by a good run of Saler steers at £1,230 for Messrs Baker, St Columb, with their younger South Devon steers making £1,055. Simmental steers sold to £1,175

for P Bradshaw, Upton Cross and £1,155 for a bunch of three British Blue steers for the same vendor. The heifer section saw a top call of £840 for a grand bunch of seven Limousin and British Blues, selling to £780 for P Blake, Torpoint.

EXETER On Friday several good runs of store cattle met a continuing strong trade.

Blonde cattle from Jean Clark, Moretonhampstead saw 20-month steers topping the day at £1,215, with heifers to £1,035. David Goss,Totnes had a fine run of young Limousin steers to £1,175 while David and Mary Stark, Denbury reached £1,135 with their 28-month Blonde steers. In the stirk ring top price was achieved by Michael and Janet Folland, Winkleigh with two young Limousin suckler-bred steers making £685. The 103 calves sold to £372 for a Limousin bull from John Sexton, Morchard Bishop. Young Simmental bulls to £320 for John Simmons, Poltimore. Heifer calves topped at £325 for Limousins from Peter Cleverdon, Copplestone. Young Simmental heifers sold to £275 for Messrs Furneaux, Modbury. British Blue heifers to £265 for Mark Davey, Lewdown. Friesians were a stronger trade to £155 for Peter Cleverdon. A large entry of 122 for the Monthly Dairy Sale saw a very decent trade and top of £1,950 for an Organic third-calver by Comestar Export from Henry Gent, Broadclyst. Heifers sold to £1,700 for Gordon Davis, Tiverton. Dry cows to £1,320 for BHG Farm Partnership of Surrey. British Friesian incalf heifers to £1,300 for BHG Farm Partnership. A consignment of organic in-milk cows sold to £1,320 for Ansdell Farms, Barnstaple who also sold a pedigree British Friesian bull at £1,800.

The 1,609 store lambs met a decent trade and top of £79 for J R Wegner, Whimple. The 46 grazing ewes saw Geoffrey Coon, St Austell at £69.50, and the 36 breeding ewes – Suffolk shearlings not been to ram – from Hockridge Bros, Crediton reached £106. A dozen stock rams on offer ensured a strong trade with Mike Waycott, Ashburton selling Suffolk shearlings at £270. An entry of 133 pigs had cull sows to £206 for D J Whorton, Kingsteignton. A superb entry of 81 prime pigs was topped by Richard and Vicky Gibbins, Poltimore at £133. The primestock sale on Monday saw a 29month Charolais heifer from Messrs Sargent, Tipton St John topping at 228ppk and £1,547. A J Smith & Son, Budleigh Salterton had 25-month steers to 227ppk and £1,359 for a British Blue. Barren cow sales had well-fleshed sorts from Michael Scott, Drewsteignton to 137ppk for a Blonde.

A slightly reduced number of 966 prime lambs topped at £89 for a pen of overweight Suffolks from Phil Stephens, Bickington. The 576 cull sheep saw trade slightly stronger to £104 for Suffolks from Mike Waycott, Ashburton, Bleu-de-Maine ewes to £99.50 for W J Baxter, Exwick, while a good run of crossbred ewes from Robin and Rex Milton, West Anstey made £99. Top of the rams was £90 for Ray Toms. Overall average of £57.04, up £3.31.

HOLSWORTHY Kivells report another very positive market with the top call of £2,350 for the pick of the dairy cattle. Topping the sale was a wonderful dairy animal from W T Finnamore & Son, Tregadillett. Six vendors exceeded the £2,000 barrier. The 139 calves saw trade on fire with the best baby calves at £392 from Mrs Francis & Son. Best heifer calves reached £322 from the same vendor.

The 36 cull cows saw the trade remain easier with premium set at 130ppk for Messrs Harris. The 45 prime cattle saw premium set at 224ppk for John Sluggett, Milton with top value to Elmfield Farm at £1,598 whose four steers averaged just shy of £1,500. Best prime heifers from Messrs Trenaman at 216ppk. The 131 store cattle saw more buyers than cattle. Top of the day was £1,215 given for smart steers from Duchy College with best heifers at £1,075 from Messrs Warren. Just over 1,000 sheep went under the hammer with the top call of £93.50 for Texels from Messrs Cooke, Priestacott while in the lamb pens the best of the 620 prime lambs reached a premium of 182ppk for Roy and John Courtney, Newton Tracey with best value at £83.50. The 207 store lambs topped at £71 for Crocker & Son, Lewdown and averaged £62.38.

Today NWF Agriculture and Shepton Veterinary Group Dairy Meeting, Meadwell Farm, Kelly, near Lifton, 11am. Details: 01749 341761 14 Healthy Livestock Conference, Padbrook Park, Cullompton. Details: 0845 458 7485 14 Protecting the Farm seminar, Foot Anstey Office, Highwater House, Malpas Road, Truro, 6pm.

16-17 English Winter Fair, Staffordshire County Showground 19 Stephens Scown/AMC/Old Mill CAP Event, Lifton Farm Shop, Lifton, 7pm.

Details: 01392 210700 21 National Beef Association Primestock Show, Hatherleigh Market, 5pm. Details: 01049 271510 21 Maize-Growers’ Association farm walk and discussion, Landscove Village Hall, Landscove, near Ashburton, 10am. Details: 01363 775040

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

Entitlements 2014 season price: Non-SDA £300-£310 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 townsendcharteredsurveyors.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 NOVEMBER 13 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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12 FARMING WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 13 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

WDP-E01-S3

News digest UNUSUAL SUSPECTS

JET FUEL PLAN, IS IT A LEMON?

Many suspects at an identity parade are somewhat sheepish – but those being lined up at an unusual event were not trying to pull the wool over the eyes of police.

For when officers in Cumbria carried out a crackdown on sheep rustlers they used the tactic to return looted property to farmers.

Officers lined up around 100 sheep they had recovered in a bid to reunite them with their shepherds.

The flock were stolen from an auction mart in the market town of Kirkby Stephen, Westmoreland, last Friday and their owners needed to reclaim them. The animals were among 150 ewes recovered fol-

Some pundits might think Australia needs a miracle to regain the Ashes this winter.

But that ambition is practically a walk-in-the-park compared to a pipe-dream thought up by Australian scientists.

A University of Queensland researcher hopes to use a chemical found in lemons and other citrus fruits to make clean, renewable jet fuel, Australian farming bible Farm Weekly reports. Dr Claudia Vickers is modifying baker’s yeast to produce a synthetic form of the natural chemical limonene. “Limonene is a volatile chemical that is best known for contributing to the smell of citrus fruits,” Dr Vickers told the magazine. “It was first identified in turpentine oil in the late 1800s and is now used as a flavour and fragrance in foods, household cleaning products, and perfumes.”

Dr Vickers said the environmental benefits of using limonene as a fuel were particularly exciting. “It might sound unlikely, but limonene one day could be a renewable, clean source of aviation fuel.”

Limonene extracted from citrus peel had been used successfully as a jet fuel component in demonstration flights in the past. “However, large-scale limonene production from citrus peel is impractical,” Dr Vickers said. “Producing it in yeast should provide a route to much greater yields of limonene which are easier to extract.”

No, we are not taking the pith

They’re not the acc-ewe-sed

‘Sheep rustling is a problem year after year ’ PC Roly Earl lowing thefts from hill farms across the north Pennines.

Six suspected sheep rustlers have been arrested in connection with the thefts in recent months following the joint operation by Cumbria and Durham constabularies, it has been reported.

The ewes were worth £100 to £150 each and stolen mainly from Cumbria and Teesdale.

PC Roly Earl, from Appleby Neighbourhood Police Team, told the Daily Mail: “Sheep rustling is a problem year after year and the financial blow for farmers is huge.”

Farmers have been blamed for some of the thefts.

Harry Hutchinson, one of the farmers at the event, said: “It’s a disgrace to the farmers concerned but, to me, it’s also a disgrace on the farming community.”

HORSETRADING

US deal on horse slaughter Horsemeat could be back on the menu in the United States after a court ruled there is nothing preventing a northwest Missouri horse slaughter plant from opening. The Associated Press reported that a lawyer for the facility’s operator said on Monday that despite a host of legal challenges and a question about the facility’s wastewater disposal permits, it was ready to open.

A federal judge in New Mexico last week cleared the way for equine slaughterhouses to resume operating in the US, dismissing a lawsuit by the Humane Society of the United States and other animal protection groups against the federal Department of Agriculture over planned plants in New Mexico and Iowa. The groups quickly filed an appeal on Friday.

John and Harry Farrington decided to shift away from cattle farming at a time when they were faced with the increasing threat of BSE, FMD and bTB GRASS ACT

No regrets after diversifying away from cattle A family farm in West Somerset is now reaping the benefits of switching to growing miscanthus, with low-input costs and long-term, guaranteed returns.

Faced with the increasing threat of BSE, foot and mouth disease and bTB, the Farrington family made the decision to shift from beef-cattle farming in search of more stable income streams. Having reduced its workforce as a result, the farm, at Wiveliscombe, had fewer resources to hand, so the option of a low-input crop was particularly desirable.

Grower John Farrington said: “At the time, wheat prices were low, so we needed to find a solution that would make real

business sense for our farm.

With miscanthus, not only were there very few input costs, its low-maintenance nature meant it needed less attention than our other arable crops.

“In fact, miscanthus is so hands-off that we deliberately planted some of our crop on hard-to-access outlying fields, as we only need to send in a harvester once a year.”

Of its 220 hectares, the Farrington family has planted 50 hectares of miscanthus cane across both arable and grassland, and is enjoying high annual yields for its harvested crop. Despite the temperamental weather, the Farringtons’ miscanthus has flour-

ished in both wet and dry conditions – and will continue to deliver solid returns for 20plus years.

Mr Farrington added: “One thing we have learnt along the way is that it pays to keep baled

220

Number of acres the Farringtons farm at Wiveliscombe crop dry. Unfortunately last year a number of our bales were ruined by particularly bad weather, even under sheet-

ing. This year, we’ve built a new multi-purpose shed to house all of our bales until collection, with the added benefit that we can put the shed to other uses for the rest of the year.

“We see the building as a worthwhile investment, as ensuring a consistent supply of high-quality dry crop means we’ll continue to benefit from best prices and best profits.”

The Farringtons have a longstanding index-linked contract with Terravesta, which ensures a continued, secure market for all crops produced.

Terravesta is now offering £73 per tonne for 2014 crop and secure 10-year, RPIX-linked growing contracts.

COUNCILLORS SEE THE LIGHT

six votes against. The land, in between the nearly 9ft high solar panels, will continue to be grazed by sheep.

The CPRE said the solar park on the greenfield site would be “particularly damaging” and a “large, artificial intrusion into beautiful, sensitive countryside”.

Richard Palmer, of Good Energy, said the site was well screened and away from homes.

A statement issued by the Charborough Estate before the planning meeting said: “The opinion of the local community was sought prior to submitting the application and will continue to be incorporated.

“The site is well screened. At the end of the project the land will return to the existing agricultural use.”

The scheme is expected to begin generating electricity as early as April next year.

Mr Drax was not immediately available for comment on the issue.

Long drive for beef showcase Beef farmers wishing to attend their sector’s annual show next year face a long journey north. For the National Beef Association is returning to Northumberland for NBA Beef Expo 2014, which is also putting grassroots showing back on the agenda. The key beef industry event will be staged at Hexham Auction Mart on May 22. One of the highlights of the event will be the National Spring Spectacular Show.

MP gets solar approval Councillors yesterday approved plans by a wealthy Dorset MP to create a gigantic solar farm on his family estate.

Plans to create the 175-acre solar farm on South Dorset MP Richard Drax’s estate were approved by Dorset County Council.

In excess of 120,000 panels will be installed by Good Energy at the Charborough Estate, near Mapperton.

The scheme was bitterly contested, with opponents, including the Campaign to Protect Rural England, arguing the undeveloped, agricultural land was the wrong location for a solar farm.

However green energy firm Good Energy said the scheme would generate enough power for 6,000 homes.

Councillors, just, gave permission for the solar farm to be installed for 30 years.

It came down to the chairman’s casting vote after the rest of the planning committee were locked at six votes for and

NO BEEF ENCOUNTER

SHOPPING FOR BULLS

China snaps up Kiwi dairy farm

South Dorset MP Richard Drax yesterday received planning permission to install a giant solar farm on his family estate

China’s growing appetite for dairy product has seen it continue its aggressive pursuit of New Zealand dairy assets.

Shanghai Pengxin is poised to spend 87.5 million New Zealand dollars increasing by 50 per cent its Kiwi holdings. It bought 8,000 hectares of dairy land in the North Island late last year and now it is proposing with two Kiwi dairy operators to buy another 4,000 hectares in Canterbury. The land is some of the most productive in New Zealand.