The Rural Business School Issue 52 - SUMMER 2016
Farm Health Online Degree success Apprenticeships Farm Succession Hedgerow trees
Advice Days:
Duchy - 25-26th June Bicton - 5th July
New livestock health and welfare website launched
Editorial
“The Rural Business School sees its role ...to provide the tools to fill gaps in the evidence required, as exemplified by the launch of ‘Farm Health Online’ in April”.
As we approach the half-way point of 2016, virtually all farming sectors continue to be facing difficulties and many businesses are under real pressure from challenges such as price ‘volatility’ (code for downward pressure on prices in practice, it seems to me), extreme weather events (page 33), gradual loss of more pesticides e.g. neonicotinoids and herbicides such as glyphosate (page 30), the uncertainty around Brexit, animal health threats and pressure to reduce antibiotic use (page 29), not to mention the difficulties of making a BPS application, as reflected by our commentators(page 3). At the same time, we are seeing significant advances in biology, which could have potentially huge benefits to agricultural production; although from a farming point of view, politics rather than an evidence seem to override some of the decision making, which is preventing the roll-out of some of the possible benefits of tools such as gene editing, as they are becoming cheaper and more easily targeted (pages 31 & 33). Many commentators believe that the industry would benefit from politicians taking a more timely rational evidencebased approach in their decision making on such matters.
Director: Richard Soffe FRAgS page 2 | The Rural Business School | Summer 2016
At the farm level, rational decision-making on the best evidence is also vital at this time; decisions to adapt or re-target businesses will need to concentrate on those factors that are under our own control, rather than on external factors, much as we would like to control them! The Rural Business School sees its role as two-fold – firstly, to provide the tools to fill gaps in the evidence required, as exemplified by the launch of ‘Farm Health Online’ in April (page 4), designed to provide the background on animal health decision–making along with the farm vet. Other tools we are currently promoting in the health area are easier ways of faecal egg counting (page 31) and it is good to see examples of past initiatives like Healthy Livestock are having long-term effects on sheep production (page 7). Data on farm business performance are also essential and our SW Farm Business Digest 2016, based on the RBS’ Farm Business Survey research work, provides
the information in this area (page 6). The second part of its role is training in the ability to take decisions on a rational basis, a key learning outcome on our courses, whether we are preparing the next generation of farmers and industry specialists through our degree programmes (page 14) or future farming leaders through our Challenge of Rural Leadership course (page 8). So it is very fitting that a team of our final year degree students beat eight other colleges and universities in a national competition to produce a development strategy for the Royal Three Counties Show, which they will help to put into practice over the forthcoming year (page 19). Further targeted help for dairy farmers in rational and timely decision making is available through AHDB Dairy (page 32) and Dairy Futures (page 18) and for arable farmers in variety selection here at Duchy College (page 28). Paul Ward
Contents Industry Comments 3 RBS News 4 Guest Articles 20 Environmental Advice 24 SWARM Hub 28 News 29-33 Market Monitor 32 Diary Dates 34-36
0845 458 7485
www.ruralbusinessschool.org.uk
ARABLE: At long last the crops have started to grow after what has been a slow and frustrating spring. With forward prices still in the doldrums, this was a year when we needed everything to go right. But as they say, “It never rains, but it pours”. OSR has suffered very slow development after being ravaged by pigeons and is only now in full flower, almost a month late. My main income from this crop is likely to be the side bet on yield by a very optimistic agronomist who attends field days that we host for NIABTAG. If his estimate of yield is correct, I will be delighted to pay the bet! Like many other local growers, our Winter Barley is riddled with BYDV. The mild winter meant that the one spray we managed to apply was not enough. We knew that, but the constant rain from early November to the end of January did not allow any opportunity to travel; yield and quality will be compromised. Spraying is currently up to date and foliar disease appears well controlled to date. On a more positive note, the OSR price has seen some useful increase lately and we have been able to enjoy an unexpected uplift in price. With the UK planted crop down 14% this year, we anticipate better
fortunes for next year; all of a sudden WOSR is back competing with cereals on a margin per hectare basis. Mike Hambly, Westcott Farm Partnership, Callington & BCE Chairman, AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds BEEF & LAMB: Since the turn of the year, prices have tumbled and the misery has been made worse by many abattoirs applying new grids and further penalties for heavy cattle. The price slide has just turned the corner but grading discounts are hitting returns hardest for lean cattle and over 400 kg cattle. Unfortunately this trend is not reversible, but we must match cattle to best outlet - not necessarily the one with the best headline base price, to achieve the best returns per animal. One further worry is the announcement that young bulls won’t be required by some abattoirs next year. So do we castrate or risk a poor price next year? Hopefully by this autumn we will know which outlets will accept young bulls and what discount will be applied. With 20% of beef being bulls and steers taking longer to finish, will there be a shortage for a few weeks next year and a gap to be filled? New season lambs have
dropped in price but stabilised around £4.50 a kilo (10/05/16) as the first pick of lambs has been slaughtered. Spring is late this year, so hopefully demand will match supply. Specialist breed and organic premiums have been good this spring with many organic cattle achieving a 70p/ kg premium. Sheep premiums have increased in recent weeks as demand exceeds supply. Angus premiums are still good, providing you can find a slot at the abattoir with booking several weeks in advance. With a review imminent, I can see no reason to expect more than a modest premium for breed specific cattle this autumn. In summing up a poor spring for making money, the only consolation is that Summer has now arrived and production costs for the next five months will be lower. And with supply and demand fairly well balanced there is always hope of a reversal of luck, but putting the right animal in the right outlets will be crucial to maximise your returns.
Industry Comments
The state of farming in the south west - your views. Here we list some of your comments on the current state of agriculture in the westcountry.
“Specialist breed and organic premiums have been good this spring with many organic cattle achieving a 70p/ kg premium.”
James Moon. Chairman CQLP DAIRY/BEEF: At long last spring has arrived, first cut Continued on page 10... Summer 2016 | The Rural Business School | page 3
RBS News
Transatlantic collaboration promoting sustainable livestock farming A new website designed to promote sustainable, high-welfare farming in both the USA and the UK has officially gone live. Farm Health Online is the result of a collaboration between Duchy College Rural Business School in the UK, and Animal Welfare Approved (AWA) and its parent organisation, A Greener World, both based in the United States.
“I found the site really useful, easy to navigate and full of good information.”
Farm Health Online currently covers four main species: cattle, sheep, poultry and pigs. Each species has sections on ‘Disease Management’ and ‘Health and Welfare.’ The Disease Management section includes over 100 livestock diseases, all alphabetically indexed, with new disease pages being continually added. The pages contain descriptions of the conditions, along with explanations of the important risk factors. Each disease page has
details of evidence-based methods for control and prevention, treatment and a summary section on good practice, based on current knowledge. The pages of text are supported by a range of visual aids and diagrams. Health and Welfare sections promote positive animal welfare by providing detailed advice on housing, nutrition, environment and enrichment, as well as breeding, management and welfare assessment.
Where good knowledge resources already exist, Farm Health Online includes links to PDF downloads, embedded instructional videos and signposts to other sites where appropriate. An important section entitled ‘Veterinary Questions’ covers key and emerging issues, such as antibiotic resistance, health planning and Over 100 livestock diseases are currently included on the site.
The website draws on knowledge from well over 2,000 scientific, peer-reviewed papers, to ensure that the content is up-to-date, evidencebased and at the forefront of current thinking. All this information has been distilled into an accessible and easy to use format, with a focus on key principles and practices such as the need for animals to have outdoor access and to be able to express their natural behaviour, forage-based feeding for ruminants, preventive health planning, the responsible use of veterinary medicines and the use of suitably adapted breeds. The website is available in both British English and US English, and the content is fully referenced and reviewed by sectorspecialist veterinarians. Dr Stephen Roderick of the Rural Business School said, “We wanted to create a website that was easy to navigate and simple to use, but it needed to contain all the right information for members of the farming community. We hope this will empower farmers to look at their current practices and to develop their skills and knowledge base, ultimately becoming more sustainable.” The website is not
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“I would encourage livestock farmers to take a look and make use of the substantial information contained.”
vaccination.
designed to be a diagnostic tool, and online advice can never replace support from a qualified vet. However, Farm Health Online provides the necessary tools and resources to help bridge the current knowledge gap, and encourages the adoption of high-welfare, sustainable management practices, whist helping farmers to have informed conversations with their vet about preventive management and alternative treatment approaches. There is increasing interest from farmers and consumers in high welfare systems that are pasture-based. There is also the very serious threat of anti-microbial resistance that demands that we start producing animals that rely less on routine and prophylactic us of veterinary medicines. Early feedback from farmers in both countries has been extremely positive, with Pasture-Fed Livestock Association accredited
As well as over 100 diseases, the website also includes a range of welfare topics for cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry
producer Christine Page of Smiling Tree Farm in Shropshire saying, “I am always searching for information on the web about best practice in animal health and welfare, so this site was right up my street. I found the site really useful, easy to navigate and full of good information.” Praise from the industry has also been forthcoming; Ray Keatinge, Head of Animal Science with AHDB described the website as, “A great repository of authenticated information for all livestock keepers looking for continuous improvement in the health and well-being of animals under their care, irrespective of system of production.” Meanwhile Phil Stocker, Chief Executive of the National Sheep Association said,
Director of Communications and Outreach for Animal Welfare Approved, Emily Lancaster Moose, added, “Every time we mention this project to farmers we get extremely positive feedback. There just isn’t another resource like this out there. While there is significant momentum on the production side to move towards systems that don’t rely on subtherapeutic antibiotics, there aren’t a lot of practical resources to help farmers make the changes on the ground. We’re thrilled to be able to address this need through Farm Health Online, and even more thrilled to be able to offer it for free to everyone.”
For more information You can access Farm Health Online by visiting: www. farmhealthonline. com and you can email any questions or feedback to the team at farmhealth@ duchy.ac.uk. For more information on A Greener World visit www. agreenerworld.org.
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South West Farm Business Management Digest now published
Healthy Livestock Sheep Focus: An Update from Dupath Farm
The Rural Business School has published its Farm Business Management Digest 2016 which is based upon data collected for the Farm Business Survey in South West England for the 2014/15 year. The Digest has two parts with a summary of the latest published performance of farming in the region, in total and by farm type plus whole farm business standards data for use in comparable business analysis. This benchmarking data is available by farm type and size, where numbers of farms allow.
Bryony updates us one of the former 18 Healthy Livestock sheep focus farms. The aim was to demonstrate the effects of health planning on physical and financial performance of a commercial unit to other producers.
By Mark Fogerty, Senior Research Officer, FBS
The digest is the current publication in a series which began in 2011. The Farm Business Management Digest 2016 is available for purchase (£90 inc. VAT). If you would like a copy, please contact the Finance Office at Duchy College on (01579) 372209 or by e-mail at finance.office@ duchy.ac.uk . Previous Below: Average Farm Business Income by Type of Farm in England (£ per farm). Source: Defra, published 28 January 2016
years’ reports are available on the Rural Business School website: https:// www.ruralbusinessschool. org.uk/farm-businessmanagement-digests The Farm Business Survey team is busy collecting data for the 2015 crop year and these results will not be published until early 2017, but clearly the current predictions for incomes are largely reductions in income, particularly the Dairy farms.
2015/16 Forecast
Current year The following is an extract from the current Digest: The trading conditions for agriculture in 2015/16 have been particularly difficult with plentiful global supplies and a strong pound. The value of nearly all production is much reduced despite good yields of most commodities. The reductions in the value of some inputs, namely feed and fuels are not sufficient to compensate for the lower output
2014/15
Grazing Livestock (Lowland) Grazing Livestock (LFA) Dairy
Above: The Farm Business Management Digest 2016 has now been published
value. Defra’s latest estimates for the 2015 crop year show the Farm Business Income for Cereal farms falling by nearly a quarter as compared to the 2014 crop year and the Dairy income close to half that achieved in the previous year.
Mixed
For more information
General cropping Cereals 0
20000
40000
60000
£ per farm
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80000
100000
Please call 0845 458 7485 or rbs@duchy. ac.uk
Bryony Williams, Calweton Veterinary Group
It has been over five years since Calweton Veterinary Group started working with the Coombes at Dupath as part of the Healthy Livestock initiative. Before this time, the sheep enterprise was typical of a mixed farm which rarely saw the vet apart from at TB testing. The sheep were low down on the priority list, below the beef, spuds and barley parts of the business and as a result, were underperforming in terms of number of lambs sold and length of time taken to finish. The Sheep Focus Farm programme involved flock planning input from the vets at Calweton, sheep specialist vet, Clare Phythian, from the University of Bristol and farm consultant Tim Dart, over a three year period. In return, the farm hosted several farmer meetings each year for a “warts and all” look at how the flock was progressing. At each meeting there would also be guest speakers from different elements of the sheep industry. These included ADAS nutrition
policy for thin ewes and management pretupping.
The flock has become healthier and more productive since becoming a Focus Farm advice, Grassmaster Charlie Morgan, Steve Hamilton from MLC, bolus reps, Richie reps and closer looks at health issues such as lameness and abortion. Initial investigations on the farm identified infectious abortion and triple wormer resistance to be present. This resulted in a new vaccination programme for replacements and monitoring of worm egg counts using a FECPAK, in addition to careful use of the new classes of wormer. Pregnancy
scanning of ewes was carried out for the first time, with initial results at 170%, but gradually increasing year on year, with the 2016 crop scanning at 193%. There has been a definite change in the way that the flock has been viewed and managed, with investment in new handling facilities and EID reading equipment. This has allowed the sheep work to be carried out much more quickly and efficiently and record keeping has improved dramatically. The changes which have made the biggest impact have been the drive to cut lameness from over 10% to below 3% and the stricter culling
The willingness of the Coombe family to take on new ideas has helped massively with this project and it is safe to say that they are now reaping the rewards. The flock has become healthier and more productive, producing more lambs and gaining higher returns on their product. Although the Healthy Livestock scheme finished a couple of years ago, the Coombes are still in close contact with their vets and are striving to improve the flock further.
For more information Please call 0845 458 7485 or rbs@duchy. ac.uk
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Creating Future Leaders at the 20th Challenge of Rural Leadership
week of CRL and at the end of the week the participants’ findings are presented back to the business.
By Chris Godolphin
A Sunday afternoon in January heralded the start of the Worshipful Company of Farmers’ 20 Challenge of Rural Leadership (CRL), at Dartington Hall, Devon with 18 delegates from across the globe arriving for two-weeks of intensive and life-changing learning. th
CRL provides participants with the necessary skills to face the industry challenges of the future by following an exciting programme of case studies, lectures and regional visits. It also endeavours to make participants better motivators and communicators and increase the influence the individual can have on the rural community, nationally and internationally. CRL also provides a greater insight into the political, financial and environmental challenges affecting the future of rural industries. For the first time, a Nuffield Scholar from New Zealand attended CRL. Ben Allomes, a dairy farmer from the North Island farms 950 ha and is a Director of DairyNZ. Ben had studied the ideology of leadership and selfawareness in farming, and so attending CRL was going to be of great benefit to him. CRL also attracts participants from the many peripheral
supporting industries. Tom Beeley, CLA Renewable Energy Advisor from Warwickshire, said, “I had a fantastic two weeks very inspirational and wholly rejuvenating; I have made good friends and learnt a huge amount.” Shortly after the CRL, Milly Fyfe, from Northampton was appointed as Chief Executive of the Beef and Dairy Shorthorn Society, and the course inspired her to look at the future and she has also taken over the family farm with her husband. Milly found that CRL improved her confidence and said, ”I have had the time of my
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life! I feel prepared and motivated to continue making a difference in the farming industry and further my career ambitions. THANK YOU!” Dr Liz Genever, Senior Beef and Sheep Scientist at AHDB, enjoyed the range of styles available at the course and found the ‘Tools and Techniques for Planning’ to be the most valuable aspect that she can implement in her work. Pawel Kaczmarek, agronomist for Top Farms, part of Spearhead Ltd, was highly satisfied with his experiences at CRL and enjoyed
Course Director Richard Soffe, with CRL 2016 particpants, and Professor Allan Buckewell, centre
the fast pace of the course. Pawel found the creative thinking and communications skills of particular interest. On the first night, participants were introduced to the ‘Case Study’. This year we were pleased to work with W.H. Bond and scrutinise all aspects of the company, looking at how they have grown into successful industry leaders in the west country. The Case Study forms the foundation of the first
This highly intensive first week is interspersed with sessions on Creative Thinking, Leadership, Change Management, Managing Difficult Conversations and guest speakers including Prof. Allan Buckwell, wellknown for his report on the effects of ‘Brexit’ commissioned by the Worshipful Company of Farmers. He spoke about the future of CAP payments for farmers if the UK decides to leave the EU and about sustainable intensification in agriculture. Adam Bedford, a past CRL participant, works for the NFU in Brussels; having been on the other side of CRL, he described the Baroness Byford, with Course Director Richard Soffe, Peter Redstone, and our 2016 CRL particpants.
NFU’s work in Europe and the UK. NFU President, Meurig Raymond. Meurig also spoke. Dr. Andrew Appleboam spoke about the running of a busy Accident and Emergency department in a large hospital. Some of the more profound aspects of leadership and critical thinking can be life and death decisions and Dr. Appleboam highlighted how some medical staff have to make those same decisions, every day and must evaluate the consequences thereof, often at great speed. Dr. Appleboam’s talk illustrated how excellent leadership under extreme circumstances is vital. The culmination of the first week is the Case Study Presentation where the findings of the participants are presented back to the business; W.H. Bond’s directors were hosted by Course Director, Richard
Soffe and Assistant Course Director, Geoff Kerr. The group exhibited nervousness about delivering their findings to an already successful business. The weekend marks a turning point in the CRL. After a few hours of free time after the Case Study Presentation, the by now closely-knit group moves to the practical side of teamwork and leadership. ‘Dynamic Adventures’ which operates on the wider estates at Dartington, provides the physical and occasionally fun aspects of teamwork – including bridge building, abseiling and a derby involving mountain bikes! This element of the CRL is vital; not only does it provide muchneeded physicality after an intensive week of work and study, it also relieves stress and helps prepare for more challenges. The second week of the CRL has a more individual
focus, but is no less intensive. Again, the studies are interspersed with guest speakers including Debbie Beaton from Farmer’s Weekly who after nearly (ahem!) thirty years in her role has seen the influence of the media on industry, and the rapid changes that have occurred. With the power of the media in mind, the CRL offers various forms of media training and experience. There are so many media vehicles available to the public, that being well versed in them for industry purposes is worthwhile. Thus advanced knowledge of the use of social media is included in CRL. More traditional methods of media training are offered too, and our delegates were challenged by a highly experienced interviewer. This combined with a television camera and microphones can all add to the pressure of being able to deliver a message succinctly. The Challenge of Rural Leadership was honoured to welcome back a past Master of the Worshipful Company of Farmers, Baroness Hazel Byford, who spoke about her life’s work in the agricultural industry, in which she is still deeply involved. The Challenge of Rural Leadership’s highlight,
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following all the hard work and intensity is the Course Dinner. The Master of the Worshipful Company of Farmers, Thomas WheatleyHubbard and his wife were the honoured guests, and after the Master’s speech, he presented the attendees with their course certificates, ties and silk scarves. The Challenge of Rural Leadership is unique, without question. Bringing together a group of diverse individuals and giving them the
skills that enable them to work together as an effective team in an incredibly short time is not something readily achievable on generic leadership courses. Participants do not expect to arrive at CRL and have their lives changed, but all of them feedback to us about certain aspects of the course that will change their lives for the better in the future. They also do not expect to make lasting friendships – but they do! Each year reunions take place.
Duchy College’s herd managed by the best in the country! Michael Retallick, Herd Manager at Duchy College Farm won the LKL ‘Herdsman of the Year 2016’ at this year’s National Herdsman’s Conference. Michael, contracted via LKL, has worked at Duchy College for over 13 years and was nominated by LKL regional manager, Henry Hare. He was shortlisted and then underwent an on-site visit by independent judge, Jonathan Huxtable of Zinpro, where all the dairy livestock stock and facilities were inspected. The standard was extremely high, so congratulations are due to Michael on this tremendous achievement.
For more information The RBS together with the WCF strive to make each CRL invigorating, inspiring, unique and topical. If you would like more information or to apply for the Challenge of Rural Leadership, please see www.ruralbusinessschool.org.uk, email leadership@duchy.ac.uk or telephone 0845 458 7485.
Industry Comments (Continued from page 3) silage is completed and we are now emptying the lagoon on to land in preparation for maize drilling, which is late this year, but soil temperatures have only just risen above 10oC. Our new heifer calf/ yearling accommodation is finally finished and incumbents happily enjoying more space as they had outgrown their previous housing which is currently being cleaned for the new season influx.
We sold some 17-22 month old dairy steers and Aberdeen Angus stores at Sedgemoor in the ‘Orange Market’; prices were apparently in-line with the ‘open market’ but significantly weaker along with the finished beef price. Also taking into account St Merryn pulling out of the bull beef market, what to do with dairy bull calves this season? It is the time of year
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when Defra likes to test farmers’ patience and see how difficult they can make the BPS application (especially the ‘greening’ part). They have already succeeded at pushing many away from renewing Countryside Stewardship agreements; will the Government give us any support if we leave the EU or could we do better in a purely market-driven supply and demand situation? Many decisions to be made and
some will be made for us; let’s hope we are in a strong enough position to ride out the storm! Alison Ward, ST & AL Ward, Wadebridge.
For more information If you would like to share your views in a future issue, please contact Gemma Eales on 0845 458 7485 or email gc@duchy.ac.uk.
Apprenticeships at Bicton and Duchy Colleges By Polly Gilbert, Senior Business Advisor
Bicton and Duchy Colleges together form one of the largest land-based colleges in the country, with over 1,200 acres available for industry-based research and training; many hundreds of students and businesses are already benefiting Our apprenticeship programmes offer so much to employers and students; find out how they could benefit you… INFORMATION FOR POTENTIAL APPRENTICES Is an apprenticeship the right choice for you? Duchy and Bicton Colleges have a wide range of apprenticeship vacancies that could be perfect for you, your son or daughter, friend or family member! Specialising in a range of rural subjects, we can provide your first step on the ladder in your specialist career in: agriculture, horticulture, environmental conservation, floristry, animal care, equestrian, arboriculture, agricultural engineering or food & drink. An apprenticeship offers the opportunity for those aged 16 or over to start working, earn a wage and gain key skills and qualifications that future employers want, or to embark on a long term career. Most of the training is ‘on the job’ at the employer’s premises and the rest is provided by us, either on a block week or a one-day-aweek basis, according to the programme.
How do I find out about apprenticeship vacancies or apply for an apprenticeship? Our vacancies are advertised on the Duchy and Bicton Colleges’ and the National Apprenticeship Service’s websites. You can speak with our recruitment team who will answer any questions, advise on writing a stand-out application, or what to expect at an interview and will encourage you to think realistically about the job for which you are applying. You will need to consider travel, as public transport is limited in rural locations. Entry requirements The entry requirement for all apprenticeships at Level 2 is an A – D GCSE grade in English & maths. We will review each application holistically and will always offer support if the minimum entry requirements have not been met, either through offering an alternative programme or an interview with the Curriculum Team Lead.
INFORMATION FOR EMPLOYERS Want to grow your workforce and train people to perform the role that you require? Taking on an Apprentice is a great way of growing your workforce to meet the needs of your business. As an employer, you will take the lead in supervising and training your apprentice and offer support and guidance throughout the programme. You will need to pay your apprentice a minimum of £3.30*/ hour for at least 30 hours/ week and for those aged 19+, the appropriate National Minimum Wage after 12 months. There is no upper age limit and 16 to 18 year olds are Government-funded and those aged 19+ will cost £800 - £1,500 depending on the programme. (*Rising to £3.40 from 1st October 2016. ) Age Grant The Government offers an employer incentive, the AGE grant for employers with >50 employees
that take an apprentice aged 16 – 24 years old and employers can receive up to five £1,500 grants(eligibility rules apply). Apprenticeship recruitment service Both Colleges have dedicated recruitment teams that can support you with finding your ideal apprentice candidate. Our teams will initially talk through your requirements and answer any questions you may have. Prior to advertising your vacancy, a sectorspecific Customer Adviser will arrange to meet with you on-site to undertake a health and safety check. Following this, the recruitment team will then then work with you and write a suitable job description and begin the recruitment process. The recruitment team takes the stress and hassle out of finding the perfect candidate. They review all applications and speak with applicants before putting individuals
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forwards for your consideration. If we think we have a good match, we offer employers the opportunity to invite applicants into an interview, leading to a work trial lasting between one and three days. The work trial is unpaid and offers the employer an opportunity to access the vocational aptitude and employability skills of the prospective apprentice. If you decide to employ the applicant, your sector Customer Advisor will be in contact to arrange a visit to your premises to complete all the necessary paperwork. Here’s what our employers and students say… The Bedruthan Hotel, Mawgan Porth used the Colleges’ recruitment service to advertise a Horticulture vacancy. Property Manager, Peter Roseveare, said, “We found recruitment an easy process and received a lot of help going through the applications and deciding who would
be best for us. We ended up offering Finlay the apprenticeship and have been thrilled with his progress. We would recommend this service to any business”.
Duchy College Lynher Dairies, Ponsanooth is one of the largest UK speciality cheese producers, known for their Cornish Yarg Cheese. The business sought to develop its skills base through formal training programmes and contacted Duchy College. The dairy felt an apprenticeship to be a good first step for a young person to consider a career in cheesemaking. Philip Farndon was appointed as an apprentice cheese maker and undertook a Level 2 FDQ Dairy Industry Skills qualification. Dane Hopkins, Dairy Manager, was delighted, “The changes in Philip are immeasurable; he came into the dairy as a quiet 19 year old, reluctant to push himself forward and developed into a confident 20-year old who holds his own in an older,
more experienced team and communicates well with the management.” Since completing the apprenticeship, Philip has moved on to a Foundation Degree in Food Studies and continues to make cheese. Jordan Withey, Level 3 Agricultural Engineer Apprentice at Ackland Plant, Blackwater (below left) and at Duchy College Rosewarne said, “I’ve enjoyed getting hands-on experience on agricultural and plant machinery; it has been great to use new skills at home on the family farm”. Jordan enjoys the friendly atmosphere at College, “Working with Brian (Kessell, Course Manager) and Danny (Sellors, Work Based Assessor) has been fun and I particularly enjoyed helping at Open Day”. Rachel Driscoll - won Best All Round Student, studied Level 2 & 3 Work-Based Horse Care Diploma, (above ) “I
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was so surprised when I won the prize! I would highly recommend Duchy College and an apprenticeship as a qualification; the College staff have been really helpful and supportive. Earning whilst learning enabled me to loan my own horse at the yard where I work and take my ABRSITA (instructor’s exam). I’m enjoying more responsibility as Shift Manager at the yard”.
For more information www.duchy.ac.uk or www.bicton. ac.uk or www. findapprenticeship. service.gov.uk/ apprenticeshipsearch Call 0845 6099 599 or email apprenticeships@ duchy.ac.uk or apprenticeships@ bicton.ac.uk We will be at Mole Valley Farmers Devon-based stores in June to advise on our apprenticeships and vacancies.
Agriculture Glebe Farm – Holsworthy G S Folland, Lower Collacott – Torrington G Bond, East Browns Farm - Torrington W Hunkin, West Ash Farm - Torrington C Highmoor – Bodmin S R Gilbert & Son, Newcourt – Beaworthy A J Trethewey, Bodwen – Bodmin D G Hale, Lodgeworthy Farm – Beaworthy D Warren, Tredinney Farm – Penzance F H Benney & Sons – Helston R E Gilbert & Son, Erisery Barton – Helston D J Pinhey, Upcott Farm – Chulmleigh M L Heard, Yelland Farm - Okehampton S W Murch, Little Weir Farm – Umberleigh M Brend, Branch Farm – Barnstaple C G Palk, Marley Farm - South Brent W F Western, Cold Harbour Farm - Chulmleigh Horticulture Staddon Heights Golf Club - Plymouth Kernock Park Plants – Saltash YGS Landscapes – Plymouth Kenegie Manor – Penzance Martin Ashley – Launceston Trevella Caravan Co Ltd – Newquay Trewidden Garden – Penzance Hotel Endsleigh – Tavistock The Cornwall Estate & Spa – St Austell Treworgey Cottages – Liskeard Bosbigal Garden Services – Truro Mikel Fletcher – Portscatho, Truro Food & Drink Kingfisher Fish and Chips – Plymouth Harbourside Fish & Chips – Plymouth J & S Downing – Tavistock Sally Lugg, Primrose Herd – Redruth Kernow Sausage Co Ltd – St Columb Flying Fish Seafoods – St Columb Business Administration YGS Landscapes – Plymouth South West Equine Protection - Crapstone
Animal Care Milky Paws – Barnstaple Equine Collacott Equestrian Centre – Umberleigh C Kirk, Awliscombe Lodge – Honiton Easter Hall Park – Okehampton West Country Sports Horses – St Columb
Bicton College Agriculture R J Burrow, Rill Farm – Ottery St Mary F R Hawkins, North Beer – Crediton B J Wollacott, Oareford Farm – Lynton A Quick, Bury Barton Farm – Crediton A Reed, France Farm – Cullompton West Town Farm – Ide, Exeter Animal Care Polycinders (D Pollington) – Tiverton Perfect Paws Grooming & Spa – Exeter Arboriculture Combe Estate - Gittisham Business Administration Marmui Ltd – Budleigh Salterton Computer Components Ltd - Honiton Equine C Chester, Quantock Equestrian Centre – Taunton Finlake Riding Centre – Newton Abbot Mare & Foal Sanctuary – Newton Abbot S Williams, Hobby Horse Riding Centre - Taunton Food & Drink Pipers Farm – Cullompton M C Kelly – Crediton Bakers Butcher – Newton Abbot Horticulture Devonshire Lavender & Herbs – Ottery St Mary ICT Graphic Plc - Crediton
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Agriculture students inspired at exciting conference
Students visit the anaerobic digestion facility at Penare Farm, Fraddon
A group of Duchy College’s second year agriculture degree students were really inspired when they attended the NFU Tenant Farmers’ Conference recently.
Earlier this year, the Level 2 Agriculture Apprentices from Duchy Rosewarne were invited to attend the workplace of Luke Curry. This included a tour of the anaerobic digestion facility at Penare Farm, Fraddon, followed by a visit to Treravel Farm, St Ervan. The event was hosted by Matthew and John Biddick of Biddick Contractors.
by Paul Ward, Project Manager
They were given the ‘bigger picture’ by Defra Farming Minister and local MP, George Eustice, NFU Deputy President, Minette Batters and NFU President, Meurig Raymond who they were able to meet during the lunch break, along with Sharon Dudden, Chair of the Duchy College Council of Governors, who accompanied the students. The extremely well organised bi-annual conference, held at Newbury Racecourse on this occasion, also had a whole session on ‘Tendering for land in a business environment’, with sessions from Ken Jones of the Crown Estate and various NFU professional staff. “Students suddenly grabbed their notepads and furiously started taking notes when Andrew Troughton of Carver Knowles started to detail his ‘15 minute Plan for Farm Tenders’ as the key assignment in their ‘Strategic Management’ module is to prepare a tender for a real farm being let by the Duchy of
Cornwall,” said Paul Ward of the Rural Business School. The afternoon session chaired by Chris Cardell, NFU Tenant Farmers’ National Spokesperson and also Cornwall NFU Chairman, consisted of inspirational presentations from successful tenant farmers, who had all started in farming through successfully applying for tenancies. Sam Walker, Agriculture Degree Course Manager, commented, “This was a brilliant opportunity for students, many of whom will seek to enter the tenanted sector to secure their future in farming. Indeed, many past students on this course have successfully applied for tenancies and are now able to farm in their own
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right”. Paul Ward added, “We are grateful to the NFU for organising such an informative conference and particularly Chris Cardell for obtaining places for the students and arranging support from the Cornwall NFU Agriculture House Trust fund to assist with travel expenses. The support of NFU Mutual for the Conference was also important; without this, students would not have had such an opportunity. This is an illustration of how the industry connections developed by the Rural Business School can benefit provide real industry experience for students at Duchy College”.
Caption: Patrick Aubrey Fletcher, Cornwall NFU Adviser presents cheque to students Oliver Lee and Columb Hague with Martin Howlett, outgoing NFU SW chair (left).
For more information on courses, please contact us on 08456 050 455, uni@duchy. ac.uk or www.duchy. ac.uk
By Andrew Pascoe, Instructor in Agriculture
has been delivered to the facility, maximising transport efficiency.
Construction of the anaerobic digestion (AD) facility was completed in November 2014 which kicked off the start of a long term partnership between the Biddick family who are local farmers and contractors and the AD facility. The process begins with food waste being partnered with agricultural feedstock, which includes pig slurry. The slurry is pumped directly from the adjacent pig farm, along with hybrid rye, grass and maize silage, grown by Biddick Contractors and stored in their clamps at Treravel Farm, which was toured later in the day. The resulting biogas is cleaned, or ‘upgraded’, to pure methane by the removal of other gases. This biomethane gas is then injected into the mains gas pipe which runs directly under the site to be used in local homes. This represents one of the first AD facilities in the country to utilise biogas in this way, as opposed to the
biogas being combusted to generate heat or electricity. Once the process is complete, a nutrient rich bio-fertiliser by-product remains, which is fully pasteurised as part of the AD process. This is utilised as a readily available nutrient-rich fertiliser for land spreading on growing crops. Soon after construction of the facility, the bio-fertiliser met the stringent quality standards to demonstrate that the product has met all necessary safeguards. It has also achieved PAS110 accreditation, an industry specification which demonstrates the product is a fully
approved fertiliser. This arrangement has allowed a transition from spreading entirely inorganic bagged fertiliser to utilisation of a locally produced fertiliser source. At the AD facility we viewed the ‘duoliner’, a bespoke articulated vehicle which has been specifically designed to enable the transport of solid or liquid material. This vehicle is the first of its kind to be utilised in the country, having been developed in Germany and arriving in 2015. This enables the back loading of liquid biofertiliser to Treravel Farm for land spreading after feedstock
At Treravel Farm, the bio-fertiliser is contained within two purpose built stores which hold a combined volume of 9,000m3. This level of storage is essential to ensure that the product can be spread in optimum conditions to ensure maximum nutrient benefit to the growing crop on local land farmed by Biddick Contractors. The product is spread via a dribble bar attachment to minimise nitrogen losses to the atmosphere, whilst also ensuring that product is spread in a timely manner by achieving high rates of throughput.
For more information on courses, please contact us on 0845 6099 599, apprenticeships@ duchy.ac.uk or www. duchy.ac.uk
Summer 2016 | The Rural Business School | page 15
Advertising Feature
Farm succession: starting the most difficult conversation
MR & MRS DRONE THE TALKERS
Every family has its long-standing feuds, black sheep, and unmentionable topics. And when a farm is at the centre of the family, it’s no wonder that it’s so difficult to disturb the dust on disputes so old no-one can remember what started them to talk about succession and the long-term future of the farm.
Follow the conversation on Twitter @nfum nfumutual.co.uk/farming
Indeed, for every farmer I’ve worked with in over 40 years, their farm is more than a business. It’s a way of life, often spanning generations and involving the whole family. Indeed, for a good number of the farmers I know, their strongest desire is to hand on the farm to the next generation in a better state than when they took it over. Added to the normal trials and tribulations of family life, the fierce passions surrounding the future ownership and direction of the farm business can divide families and lead to the tragic break-up of a farm that has been in the same family for generations. Just how difficult these conversations can be was brought home by research we conducted last year which found that while the majority of farmers saw the absence of a succession plan as a page 16 | The Rural Business School | Summer 2016
THE TALKERS
Mr & Mrs Drone and her husband want to hand the farm down to their eldest son when they retire – after all he deserves it as he’s the one who’s been grafting hard for the last 30 years. They’ve told their son and their other children too, but don’t feel the need to write it down or involve any professionals in the process. It’s family business after all. They know what they want to happen so why waste good money which could be spent on running the farm?
by Tim Price, Rural Affairs Specialist NFU Mutual
“...the fierce passions surrounding the future ownership and direction of the farm business can divide families”
MR & MRS DRONE
MR OLD-SCHOOL THE TRADITIONALIST
MR OLD-SCHOOL THE TRADITIONALIST
Mr Old-School says he’s never going to retire. It’s his farm and he’s not letting anyone tell him what to do with it. He took over the farm as eldest son when his father died. There was no plan, everything was run down and he had to mortgage to the hilt to buy out his brother and sister. But that’s no reason to spend good money on lawyers and accountants to come up with a fancy plan for his children. If they don’t know what’s in store when he’s gone it will keep them keen anyway! threat to the long-term future of the farm, less than 40% have plan in place. This suggests that more than half of the UK’s family farms could face an uncertain future unless urgent attention is given to the issue of succession
Follow the conversation on Twitter @nfum nfumutual.co.uk/farming
Most farmers wish to pass the farm on in a better state than when they took it over.
and plans made, costed and agreed. With over 100 years experience working
closely with farmers, NFU Mutual has been acutely aware of the difficulties farming families face talking
about succession and the growing need to plan carefully for the longterm if farm businesses are to thrive in an era of low farm gate prices and
intense international competition. Joint initiative To help farmers through
Do you recognise yourself? this potential minefield, NFU Mutual joined forces
Summer 2016 | The Rural Business School | page 17
with Duchy College’s Rural Business School and the University of Exeter’s Centre for Rural Policy Research last year to use the combined expertise of the three organisations to help farmers make effective succession plans.
New service launch
The resulting joint initiative involves research projects and a series of seminars around the UK during 2016 to provide farmers with information on the options available to them to hand on their farms while treating all family members fairly. They also suggest ways farmers can broach the delicate topic without causing family disputes.
Delivered by speciallytrained members of the insurer and financial service provider’s financial adviser network, it begins with a frank discussion involving family members’ views and ambitions and then moves towards resolution of differing aims and practical and financial planning over a number of months.
At the beginning of 2016, NFU Mutual launched its Succession Planning Service, which helps farmers through the journey to putting in place an effective succession plan.
In addition to the planning service, we’ve got a range of material to help farmers start talking in ways designed to minimise family tensions on the NFU Mutual website. There is practical information on the ways to make the most of Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief.
There are blogs on the NFU Mutual website covering approaches to starting family conversations about moving towards an effective long-term plan. On a light-hearted note, there’s also a blog featuring series of cartoons of farming family characters with distinct standpoints on succession. Well worth a look to see if there are any that strike a chord!
For more information
Visit www.nfumutual.co.uk for more information on its full range of financial planning services and products. Your enquiry may result in a call from an NFU Mutual Financial Adviser. NFU Mutual Financial Advisers advise on NFU Mutual products and selected products from specialist providers. We’ll explain the advice services we offer and our charges.
Free business appraisals for dairy tenants Tenant dairy farmers who have been farming for less than six years are being offered a free business appraisal by the charity Dairy Futures. “It is a very difficult time for tenant farmers in the dairy sector and even more so for new entrants, who are still in the early stages of setting up their businesses,” says Dairy Futures chairman and tenant farmer David Homer. Dairy Futures charitable objectives are to help new entrants through the first 10 years of running their own business,
through offering business support, mostly in the form of mentoring and reviewing business plans. The objective of these one-off farm appraisal visits is to help the tenant understand the financial status of their
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business, to equip them with tools to monitor progress, to identify areas for improvement and to signpost appropriate sources of further help. Tenant dairy farmers in Scotland, England and
Wales can apply. Priority for the appraisals will be given to those deemed most in need of support, via telephone interview if necessary, although it is hoped that help can be offered to all eligible applicants.
To apply For an application form please see www. dairyfutures.org.uk or phone 01926 711941.
Duchy degree students achieve Royal success A team of Duchy undergraduates has won the ‘Three Counties Agricultural Society’s Strategy Competition’ – a national initiative where students were in competition with eight other universities and colleges to produce a report on the future of the event. In fact, two teams were shortlisted for the final – both teams were from Duchy; the icing on the cake was that Duchy’s third team achieved third place as well! Students on our BSc (Hons) Rural Business Management (RBM) and BSc (Hons) Agriculture and Food (Agrifood) courses were offered the chance of putting their stamp on one of England’s finest agricultural shows, including England’s largest livestock and equine show, as part of a competition to raise the show’s profile in the industry, increase visitor numbers and attract more sponsors. They carried this out as a key part of their ‘Marketing’ module. “We were looking to be presented with original ideas, a passion for making a difference and limitless creativity and aspiration,” said Ken Nottage, CEO of the Three Counties Agricultural Society. It is not often that undergraduates can interrogate the chief executive of a multimillion pound business, but that was just the exciting opportunity the students were given. They travelled to Malvern to meet the CEO and senior
“Combining a real-life consultancy report with an academic assignment was not easy, but the students rose to the challenge, knowing that their strategy would be seriously considered on a professional basis and potentially actioned”, said Paul Ward of the RBS and Marketing Module Leader. managers of the Royal Three Counties Show (RTCS), where they were briefed about the show and the competition, shown around the site and given a chance to question the senior management team in depth about all aspects of their operations. Ken congratulated the students on their professional approach to the task. All of the submissions were assessed by the Royal Three Counties Show’s (RTCS’s) senior management. Both staff and students were excited when they were informed that there were two outstanding reports - both from Duchy. What was even
more interesting is that both reports had different strengths and so the two teams were invited back to Malvern for a presentation of their findings. The team of Daniel Halford, Douglas Little, Ryan Renfree, Ross Symons and Michal Szczesniak eventually came out as winners on the day. Their prize is an all-expenses paid trip to the Paris International Agricultural Show 2017 and an invitation to join the RTCS Committee. The Runner-up team of Rose Disney, Gemma Hearn, Lynne Maud and Emma Pethick will receive cash prizes.
Dr Jurie Intachat, Course Manager (RBM), said, “This was an excellent opportunity for the students to apply the marketing theories from their studies to a real-life situation.” Laura Black, Course Manager (Agrifood) and HE Team Lead Food Science and Innovation, said, “This was an excellent opportunity to study a real business in-depth and develop innovative solutions to the challenges it faces.”
For more information on the Rural Business Management (top-up) BSc (Hons), please contact us on 08456 050 455, uni@duchy. ac.uk or www.duchy. ac.uk
Summer 2016 | The Rural Business School | page 19
Guest Articles
Bicton Overseas Agricultural Trust celebrates its 25th Anniversary
By David Wendover, BOAT Chairman
Bicton Overseas Agricultural Trust (BOAT) improves agriculture and livelihoods in the developing world by teaching trainers to train more effectively and training institutes and rural development organisations to deliver better quality training and sustainable development services through improved management.
“[BOAT] builds their confidence in their abilities and provides new tools.”
BOAT is a registered UK charity which provides high-quality and appropriate training to enhance the management and business skills of key personnel in developing countries involved in managing agricultural training institutes or rural development projects. In particular, it concentrates on the provision of training in skills which are transferable and which can benefit a wider group
of people than those participating directly in the training. The Trust was formed in 1991 after a group of Devon farmers collaborated with the then Principal to fund a Thai student who was working on a Devon farm to attend a course at Bicton College. After successfully completing his training, he returned to his institute to lecture in dairy husbandry.
These farmers decided to establish BOAT to fund more such training for overseas students. As we celebrate our 25th Birthday this year, the Devon agricultural industry together with Bicton College (now merged with The Cornwall College Group) are still our major partners in delivering A BOAT workshop in Tanzania
training. BOAT’s main activity has been the organisation and funding of an annual six-week residential course at Bicton College and more than 90 participants have benefitted from this since 1991. In the early years, participants from widely diverse countries received training which was varied and tailored to individual interests. However, in 1997, a new approach was adopted and, since then with one exception, all trainees have come from Africa - mainly East Africa. BOAT Trustees with substantial overseas development experience know that management and business skills are lacking as much, if not more, than technical skills in many locally based organisations charged with delivering training and development services to their smallholder farmers and rural communities, particularly in Africa. And it is these locally based and locally staffed organisations which are the prime movers in rural development in these countries. In 2006, the Bicton course was standardised to concentrate solely on Institutional Management and Business Planning and in 2012 was offered as a Plymouth University-
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accredited short course with three Level 5 Modules each attracting 10 Credits. The course is very intensive and fully timetabled. 56 senior managers (20 female) of training institutes and rural development projects have completed this course to date.
The multiplier effect of BOAT’s training is considerable. For example BOAT signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tanzania Government Livestock Training Agency (LITA) and their CEO, Margaret Pallangyo, attended the 2015 course. LITA manages six Livestock Training Campuses and last year graduated 1,500 Certificate and Diploma holders. Nearly 30 LITA Tanzania staff have benefitted from BOAT training at Bicton. Why bring these people to the UK you may ask? It is important that this course is delivered in a well-managed, land-based college
environment, as this type of institution is the underlying setting for the content of the course. Being in residence during the working term-time enables our students to experience UK college life and management at first hand. Our students also visit other training and educational establishments as well as agribusinesses and farmers. When follow up training is delivered in their home institutions, our Bicton graduates are able to relate more easily to the teaching. As a result of individuals attending the Bicton training, strong links have developed with a number of institutions and organisations in East Africa. BOAT has delivered workshops in Malawi and Tanzania and plans to expand its delivery of in-country training as well as providing general ongoing support to these institutions. BOAT training is rigorously evaluated, both at the end of the course as well as six months after they return home, and course reports are on our website. The feedback from BOAT’s work is very positive with numerous examples of improved management and training delivery which benefit many of the poorest in their countries. Recently the Concern Universal Malawi Country Manager wrote, “The
BOAT course has been very useful for our attendees in a number of ways: •
It builds their confidence in their abilities and provides new tools. Everyone we sent was already a strong manager, but their attendance at BOAT really helped solidify communication and management techniques that allowed them to manage their projects more efficiently. Without fail, everyone who has attended from CU Malawi took on additional programmes and responsibilities after they attended and did so extremely well and with confidence.
•
It is a great way to exchange ideas with other practitioners – all of our attendees came back with exciting new ideas and a new energy that had a huge positive impact on our programmes, Country Team and beneficiaries.”
For more information Further information can be found on our website www. boatagtrust.co.uk
Summer 2016 | The Rural Business School | page 21
Advertising Feature
Dangerous Lanes By NFU Mutual
Figures from Road Safety Analysis reveal that rural young drivers are nearly twice (44%) as likely to be involved in a collision compared to young urban drivers. As a market leading supplier of services to the road safety sector, Road Safety Analysis’s research found that many of the attributes of young driver collisions are far more over-represented amongst rural young drivers than urban young drivers. Rural young drivers are more likely than urban young drivers to be involved in collisions involving:
“Rural young drivers are nearly twice (44%) as likely to be involved in a collision compared to young urban drivers”.
•
young drivers
•
•
Rural roads – rural young drivers are 58% more likely to be involved in a collision on rural roads than urban young drivers 60mph roads – rural young drivers are 68% more likely to be involved in a collision on 60mph roads than urban young drivers No other vehicles – rural young drivers are 28% more likely to be involved in a single vehicle collision than urban young drivers (and 45% more than rural adults) Bends – rural young drivers are 52% more likely to be involved in a collision on a bend than urban
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portal which exhibits videos, engaging safety information, tutorials and useful hints and tips designed specifically for young drivers.
Year one - half day onthe-road session focused on hazards associated with rural roads and tailored to the driver’s needs.
In addition to improving safety, NFU Mutual will accelerate the no claims discount for participants, adding an extra year at the start and end of the scheme, more than outweighing the upfront cost associated with the joining scheme in the majority of cases. This means a young driver can earn five years no claims discount in just three claim free years. This bonus is non-transferable to other insurers.
Year two - a series of seasonal online modules to challenge their skills and knowledge.
• •
programme aims to increase awareness and drive changes in young drivers’ approach to dealing with hazards, and includes:
•
•
Darkness – rural young drivers are 63% more likely to be involved in a collision in the dark than urban young drivers (and 45% more than rural adults) Loss of control being the top contributory factor – rural young drivers are 28% more likely to have ‘Loss of Control’ as a contributory factor than urban young drivers Wet road surfaces – rural young drivers are 16% more likely to be involved in a collision on a wet road surface than urban young drivers
As the leading rural insurer with its heart in
Above: L to R: Diane Calvert NFYFC, Lisa Marie Nelson NFU Mutual, Milly Wastie NFYFC, Stu Abbot Drive Doctors, Mark Johnston Drive Doctors
the countryside, NFU Mutual saw first hand the impact of accidents on rural roads. The company felt duty bound to play their part and developed their Young Drivers Scheme, exclusively for 17-21 year old fully qualified young drivers who are children of farming customers and take up NFU Mutual car insurance. Arranged by NFU Mutual Risk Management Services Ltd for a fee and delivered by training provider, Drive Doctors, the three-year
Year three - a further half day session on the road where the now more experienced driver can tackle or discuss any outstanding concerns they may have. Customers will also get access to a member’s
Drive Doctors are not your average advanced driving instructors either. Founded by two racing
drivers, they were chosen specifically for their passion and enthusiasm for promoting safer driving for new young drivers and their ability to engage effectively with young people. With training sessions designed specifically for NFU Mutual farming young driver customers, the team draw on their unique motorsports background and skills to educate and improve car control in real rural road scenarios. So what’s the feedback been like so far? Mark and Stu, the Directors of Drive Doctors said, “Feedback has been fantastic from both customers and instructors alike and all parties are delighted to see this great course
Classified Ads
Something to sell? Looking to buy? Advertise in the The Rural Business School and reach over 11,000 readers! Land, stock, machinery, goods, services etc. Charges: 50p per word plus £5.00 for a photo. Call 0845 458 7485 to place your advertisement or e-mail gc@duchy.ac.uk Cheques payable to ‘Duchy College’. We reserve the right to refuse submissions. Advertisers are liable in law not to mis-represent any offerings for sale, under the Business Advertisement Disclosure Order. We accept no responsibility for the contents of these advertisements.
You can now claim Dairy Pro CPD points through The Rural Business School. Please contact BASIS to claim your Dairy Pro CPD points.
continue long into the future. There has been so many fantastic and motivated people working with us from NFU Mutual, it makes it clear it’s a people’s company and we are proud to be a part of the family. Thanks to all the team for making this cool program work.” Over 800 young drivers have already taken up the scheme, which is available exclusively through NFU Mutual’s network of over 300 branches.
For more information Visit www.nfumutual. co.uk/farming
Advice Days Bicton - 14th June 2016 5pm-7.30pm
5th July 2016 5pm-7.30pm Duchy College Stoke Climsland OPEN DAY and Food Festival - 25-26th June 2016, 10am-4pm Duchy College Rosewarne OPEN DAY - 26th June 2016, 11am-3pm Please call 0845 6050 455 for more information
The views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily represent the views of the Rural Business School, Duchy College or The Cornwall College Group.
Summer 2016 | The Rural Business School | page 23
Environmental Advice
Hedgerow trees – why they are important and the need for a new generation By Devon Hedge Group
Most people in the south west’s rural parishes will be familiar with their local hedgerow trees, many encountering them on a daily basis. And most people value these trees, and wish to see them remain a part of their local environment. However, this landscape is at risk. This article is about the importance of hedgerow trees and why action is needed to ensure hedgerow trees remain into the future.
“It’s been estimated that there are more than half a million trees growing in hedge and bank boundaries in Devon alone”
Hedges and hedgerow trees are among the most distinctive and well loved features of the countryside, and occur as a consequence of farm management. Parish, farm and individual field boundaries in most parts of the country away from the high uplands are traditionally marked by hedges and ditches, with hedgerow trees being prominent and familiar landmarks on farmland, along roads and lanes,
with many standing as impressive sentinels at junctions. It’s been estimated that there are more than half a million trees growing in hedge and bank boundaries in Devon alone, a county renowned for its hedges, and it is these hedgerow trees that make the countryside appear more wooded than it actually is in many areas. Hedgerow
trees are traditionally isolated trees growing at intervals in hedgerows, but they also exist as lines of trees where a lack of management has led the hedge shrubs to grow on into trees. It is however the individual trees growing as `standards’ in hedges that have the greatest wildlife Ash tree in stone-faced hedge, Dartmoor, Devon. Photo by Robert Wolton
and landscape value, particularly the mature ones. Since the loss of elm in the 1970s, native oak and ash are now the most common species – though different species predominate in different parts of the south west (eg, beech on Exmoor and the Blackdown Hills) and smaller species including hawthorn and crab apple are also found as hedgerow trees. All add interest and value to the local environment, especially those with colourful flowers and fruit. Hedges and hedgerow trees are long-lived features. Many individual trees of species such as oak will be more than 100 years old with some being true veterans bearing the signs and scars of increasing age, but still being important for biodiversity and the landscape, up to and including their death and decay. As well as being such attractive parts of the landscape, hedgerow trees continue to have many practical benefits for landowners, including providing important shelter and shade for farm livestock. Hedgerow trees are vital for wildlife, either alone or in association with the hedgerow and other habitats. For example, they are magnets for
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many insects including beetles, flies, moths and butterflies, and in turn their predators like bats and birds. Research has shown that the presence of hedgerow trees can increase overall numbers of moths in an area by as much as 60% and also increase the number of different species of moth. Hedgerow trees, particularly old and veteran ones, provide vital shelter, food and nest sites. Many plants live on hedgerow trees including ferns, lichens, fungi and the sadly oft maligned ivy. Some bats roost and breed in the holes and crevices in older trees and birds including kestrel and barn owl will nest in them. Many of the different species associated with hedgerow trees are in decline, so ensuring that the south west landscape continues to be rich in hedgerow trees will be good for much wildlife. One of the reasons they are so rich in wildlife is that hedgerow trees are not regularly cut, so consequently freely flower and set fruit; this has obvious benefits for wildlife as well as making the landscape more attractive. This difference is startling even where the hedgerow itself is trimmed only every few years instead of annually (annual cutting prevents most hedge shrubs from flowering
and setting fruit). For example, a hawthorn tree will be covered in creamy blossom in May and studded all over with dull red haws over winter (and be a great attraction to resident blackbirds and thrushes as well winter visiting redwings and fieldfares) whereas the flower and berry yields from hawthorn shrubs that are part of a frequently cut hedge are much lower and do not support as much wildlife. It is not simply the landscape or wildlife that is enhanced by hedgerow trees; they have strong cultural, historical and even personal links. These may include their place in memories of childhood, as reminders of the time of year as seasons are
Beech tree in hedge, Devon. Photo by Robert Wolton reflected in breaking buds in spring, leaves darkening over summer and dropping in autumn to leave bare branches over winter, and as a reassurance of stability and continuity. They are the biggest and oldest living things that most of us will ever see and touch. Their longevity means that, for some people with long-established family links to a place, several generations will have known the same individual trees. Trees have great significance for people and hedgerow trees are likely to be most noticed and more closely encountered than most. But there is a worrying
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yet silent crisis in the countryside looming for hedgerow trees. Many are mature and moving to the natural end of their lives and there is a lack of young hedgerow trees to take their place. Diseases such Dutch elm have already removed millions of trees from the landscape and ash dieback could have as great an impact on hedgerow trees – for example, in Devon, ash is the second commonest hedgerow tree. We need to take action now to ensure there is a next generation of oaks and other native species in our hedges so that magnificent hedgerow trees remain part of every farm and parish. To maintain numbers of hedgerow trees over the long term, nearly half (45%) of all trees need to be young (so for large species such as oak, to have diameters of 20cm or less). In Devon and elsewhere only about a quarter (26%) of trees fall into that category – so we have to double the numbers of young trees to ensure a new generation for the future. In south west England there are more than 25,000 commercial ‘agricultural holdings’ of all kinds, ranging from small family farms to multiple thousand acre estates and agrienterprises. In Devon
alone, there are 6,000 farms so, on a more local scale, if each farmer or landowner planted or encouraged just one additional tree in or alongside their hedges every year, it would really help. To achieve an overall average of one mature tree for every 50 metres of hedge so we retain our rich density of hedgerow trees, the Devon Hedge Group advises that 2,000-3,000 new hedgerow trees should be planted or allowed to grow each year. Perhaps there is scope in your parish to encourage a new generation of hedgerow trees? New hedgerow trees can be encouraged by `promoting’ suitable saplings within the hedge or planting new ones (from UK grown stock) when a hedge is laid. Such trees should be `tagged’ (and tags renewed annually) and surrounding vegetation cut away so the tree remains clearly visible. Junctions of hedges
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Hedgerow trees, Devon. Photo by Robert Wolton may be suitable sites for new trees. Aftercare for at least five years is important, to make sure the tree thrives and doesn’t accidentally get cut back before it has a chance to grow and stand proud above the hedge. Ideally native species that are already among those growing in the parish should be
used (as these will be most suited to the local landscape and of greater value to wildlife), but ash should be avoided due to the threat from ash dieback. Suitable species could include crab apple, field maple, hawthorn, hornbeam, English oak, mountain ash, sycamore, wild cherry, wild service tree, beech and hawthorn. Holly also makes a great hedgerow tree and, because it is an evergreen, was often planted to mark important drainage points on a farm. The rate of growth, eventual height and spread and natural lifespan will vary according to species chosen (for example oak will eventually become massive and up to 40m tall while crab apple is a small tree up to 10m tall and not so long-lived).
For more information More advice and practical guidance on hedges and hedgerow trees is available from the Devon Hedge Group http://devonhedges.org/ management-advice/hedgerow-trees/ and there is a handy guide to British native trees at http:// www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/treeswoods-and-wildlife/british-trees/native-trees/ The Devon Hedge Group works to protect and promote hedges, and encourages landowners and farmers, rural communities, parish councils and tree wardens to take action to ensure that hedgerow trees and hedges have a safe future throughout Devon. Its Devon Hedge Tree Competition is open to all farmers and landowners in the county. The competition aims to celebrate hedge trees and reward farmers for looking after them and ensuring a next generation on their farms. For details and entry forms, see overleaf or go to: http://devonhedges. org/devon-hedge-tree-competition/
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SWARM hub
Speak to AHDB variety specialists this summer
City and Guilds Level 4 Work Based Diploma in
Agricultural Business Management Recruiting now for September 2016
The Cornwall AHDB Variety Open Day will be held on 23 June 2016 at Duchy College, Stoke Climsland.
The event is free, though booking at cereals. ahdb.org.uk/events is encouraged. “The Variety Open Days let growers see current
Farms Director, James Coumbe, explains, “It’s great to be able to host these Recommended List trials at Duchy College, having run the Cropping Systems Project for three years. We have a range of both Winter and Spring cereals again this year, which will provide local results for growers to make future cropping
decisions. It’s been a slow spring so far, but I’m sure that the crops will catch up soon.”
EST 2006 EBLEX WINNERS 2013 & 2014 CHeCS ACCREDITED FARM ASSURED
AHDB will hold four Variety Open Days in June and July 2016 as part of AHDB’s continuing commitment to evidencebased crop trials.
For more information Find out more at www. cereals.ahdb.org.uk
GOLD STANDARD PERFORMANCE RECORDING
Resistance to our last-resort antibiotics called polymyxins has been found in Denmark and China. This means some infections will be incurable without new antibiotics becoming available. It is thought that resistance might have originated in China where large amounts of a polymyxin, colistin, are fed to livestock. A UK government review issued in 2015 has called for global targets to reduce antibiotic use in food production.
FOR SALE BOSAHAN FUEL FOR LIFE POLLED BULL BORN 29.11.14
Cloud control: microbes could be hijacking the weather | New Scientist, 16 April 2016
Contact John Olds mobile: 07890384094
www.bosahan.org.uk
E-mail: oldsbosahan@aol.com
Bosahan Simmentals
Come along and speak to specialists on 23rd June
25 & 26 June 10am – 4pm Stoke Climsland, Nr Callington, PL17 8PB
Archery and climbing tower Tractor and trailer rides Meet the animals Equine displays Food and drink demos and exhibitors Digger driving challenge Rifle shooting range Children’s creative zone Multi-sport games and PGA golf tuition Fun family dog show (Sunday) £5 per car entrance fee
www.duchy.ac.uk page 28 | The Rural Business School | Summer 2016
Antibiotic resistance – the final drug has fallen | New Scientist, 12 December 2015
BEST LARGE AND OVERALL HERD 2014 & 2015 CORNWALL
F L T UN HE FO FA R MI LY
The event runs from 10:00, with tours at regular intervals until the final tour at 14:00. Visitors can enjoy a free hot lunch after their tour of the crop sites.
popular varieties and new varieties in their locality. These open days are an ideal opportunity to come and speak to us about any specific requirements you have for future variety selections on your farm”, says Dr Simon Oxley, Crop Production Systems Senior Scientist at AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds.
AL
Visitors will have a chance to speak to Cereals & Oilseeds variety specialists, and take a tour of on-farm trials of current and new crop varieties grown to AHDB Recommended Lists protocols.
For further details contact Stephen Parsons on 01579 372220 or stapp@gotadsl.co.uk
News
In 1978, a US plant pathologist, David Sands, found that whatever he did to treat his seed or soil, wheat crops in Montana were riddled with blight. He thought it must be coming from the clouds and went up in a small aeroplane with a Petri dish and found that his hunch was right. He also believed that this also explained why rain occurs. Although refuted at the time by atmospheric scientists, recent research supports Sands’ idea. The skies teem with microbial life and specialist bacteria are involved; indeed some droughts may have been caused by humans disrupting the balance between bacteria and plants. It has never been clear why some clouds release rain and others do not. Water droplets need to freeze to fall as rain or snow and they need help to do this – normally salts from the sea or mineral dust - but these do not work at temperatures higher than -15 oC, the temperature inside 50% of clouds. Sands found that a leaf-dwelling bacterium, Pseudomonas syringe, was present in clouds and could have been the catalyst for ice formation, at relatively warm conditions. Sands’ theory has been confirmed by recent work in France, the USA and at Leeds University; 300 different species of bacteria identified in the air may be involved.
Do co-operatives protect dairy farmers against price volatility? | Farming Futures, May 2016 The significant milk price drop over the past two years has led some to question whether price volatility at farm level is impacted by the proportion of milk sold through co-operatives. The Milk Market Observatory has released data on the proportion of milk deliveries Summer 2016 | The Rural Business School | page 29
Winner of the Soil Farmer of the Year announced
By Becky Willson, Farm Carbon Cutting Toolkit Project Officer Clive Bailye, an arable farmer from Staffordshire has won the UK Soil Farmer of the Year, organised by Farm Carbon Cutting Toolkit (FCCT) and Innovation for Agriculture (IfA). The inaugural competition aimed to find farmers and growers who were engaged with, and passionate about managing their soils in a way which supported productive agriculture, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and built soil organic matter and carbon. Clive fought off stiff competition from a talented field of farmers and growers to take the top prize. The panel of judges which included scientists, industry experts, farmers and the project team were incredibly impressed not only by the standard of entries and the diversity of practices being trialled, but the resounding commitment of all entrants to soil management and continuous learning. Clive Bailye runs a large scale arable combinable crops operation in Staffordshire, and has spent the last six years transforming the
way that he farms to focus entirely on soil improvement. He has changed his cultivation strategy and his rotation which has resulted in the development of productive soils that are far less dependent on artificial inputs. This has also achieved financial savings for the business, making it more resilient against future risk and volatility. David Gardener, IfA CEO explains, “Clive is a very worthy winner in a competition that included some of the country’s leading farmers. His comprehensive approach to managing soils susceptible to drought was most impressive and included a mix of cover crops, direct drilling, spring cropping and the re-introduction of livestock.” Second prize was
page 30 | The Rural Business School | Summer 2016
awarded to Iain Tolhurst, a horticulture business from Berkshire. Iain impressed the judges with his impressive knowledge and understanding of how to maximise soil biodiversity and his innovative use of composts and green manures within his rotation as well as his agro-forestry system. Whilst the business has been established over 40 years, it continues to innovate, push boundaries and educate others. The accolade of third prize was taken by Jeremy and Heather Dale, dairy farmers from Shropshire. This herd which is run on a spring calving system, and is certified as 100% pasture fed is achieving fantastic grassland management through attention to detail and making the use of data. All data on grass growth
and cow performance is logged and costs of production are scrutinised regularly. This is all possible, by ensuring that the soil conditions are right to grow quality grass that supports this production system. Jonathan Smith, FCCT Director said, “As this was the first time we’ve run the competition, we didn’t expect so many good entries. We appreciate the effort all entrants put in to this and hope to run the competition again later this year. These farmers and growers are demonstrating the benefits of building soil organic matter – healthier, more productive soils, increased carbon sequestration and better yields. It’s a win-win approach, and a message we would like to spread far and wide.” The top three farmers will all receive prizes of fertility building or green manure seed from the sponsor Cotswold Seeds.
The top three farmers will also all be hosting farm walks, where their prizes will be presented and there will be a chance to see, understand and dig a bit deeper into what they are doing. The walk at Clive Bailye’s farm will be taking place on the 13th June, from 6 – 8.30pm, and at Iain Tolhurst’s on the 8th July. Further details are available on the FCCT website. Another four farmers were shortlisted, Nigel
Griffiths, David Miller, David Walston and David White who were felt to have shown exemplary soil management and were running innovative production systems.
For more information Contact: Becky Willson, Farm Carbon Cutting Toolkit Project Officer, becky. willson@duchy.ac.uk, 01579 372376.
Worm egg counting workshops Farmers, vets and veterinary laboratory technicians attended a workshop last month on worm egg counting at Bicton College. They reported that ‘the expertise passed over is invaluable’ and the ‘benefits easily cover the cost’ as they are now able to carry out their own egg counts ‘saving in vet sampling and time’. The workshop covered how worm egg counts can be used to ensure worming treatments are given at the right time and to slow the development of wormer resistance, reducing inputs and maximising productivity and health. The session was centred around practical training on the mini-FLOTAC system for worm egg counting, provided by veterinary parasitologist Dr Hannah Rose. The mini-FLOTAC system is a new, sensitive method
of worm egg counting that is much simpler and easier to use than the McMaster method, both in the laboratory and on-farm (see issue 50 for more details). The system is comprised of a fill-FLOTAC to prepare samples and a miniFLOTAC slide to count eggs, which attendees were able to take home at the end of the workshop. Please see page 35 for more workshop dates, or call 0845 458 7485.
News continued from page 29 covered by co-ops in each EU state. The degree of price volatility in each state was measured by looking at the range of farm-gate prices between January 2007 and February 2016. Countries where co-ops account for a large proportion of milk deliveries still showed significant variation in price volatility, suggesting that a higher degree of co-operative ownership does not necessarily shelter farmers from the impact of global prices. It is more likely price volatility is influenced by the mix of products made with the milk and the proportion exported outside of the EU.
Europe stalls glyphosate renewal, again | American Association for the Advancement of Science, May 2016 European regulators have again delayed a decision on the renewal of the approval of glyphosate. Glyphosate’s current licence expires on 30th June and its renewal has divided the EU’s member states after contradictory scientific assessments. The Plants, Animals, Food and Feed Committee were to decide on a revised, 9-year renewal proposal in May, but the European Commission cancelled the vote because it was likely to be indecisive. Recent, authoritative scientific assessments have reached conflicting conclusions, with the United Nations’ International Agency for Research on Cancer classifying glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans, saying there is ‘limited evidence’ that it causes cancer in humans but ‘sufficient evidence’ from animal studies, whereas the European Food Safety Authority’s report said, ‘Glyphosate is unlikely to cause cancer in humans’. What will happen next is unclear.
Focus on gene editing – CRISPR-Cas9, the cheap and easy genome editor | The Biologist, March 2016 A new, easy method to edit genomes, the CRISPRCas9 system has been developed using the natural efficiency of the Streptococcus pyogenes immune system to cut genomes in precise locations. It is now the favourite technique for mutating and editing DNA and is far easier and cheaper than older techniques. It is a system used by bacterial cells to recognise and destroy viral DNA. Despite only being developed three years ago, it is already in use to engineer crops and livestock. Summer 2016 | The Rural Business School | page 31
Market Monitor
Making the right business decisions
By Rachael Chamberlayne, AHDB Dairy Technical Manager DairyCo provides a brief overview of the latest economic developments in the dairy industry and also highlights recent research and projects undertaken by DairyCo that may interest dairy farmers and students in the south west.
“The “What If workshops” are designed for levy payers to work through real financial and physical management and nutritional scenarios for their businesses.”
The difficult time in the dairy industry shows no signs of abating. Given the scale of the challenges many dairy farmers face, along with some opportunities, farmers more than ever need to be flexible and adapt. AHDB has a role to play in assisting farmers tackle the issues and, one of several steps being taken includes the new volatility forum to tackle volatility in agricultural commodities markets. The levy organisation is using its unique position to bring together and provide the industry with a sustained focus on finding practical solutions to volatile markets through the good times as well as the bad. At the launch of the forum earlier this year farmers, processors, retailers and trade associations came together to seek practical solutions for businesses affected by market uncertainty across agricultural supply chains. The forum was chaired by AHDB Dairy’s Gwyn Jones and Graham Redman from the Andersons Centre set the scene with a paper on market volatility and impacts on farm profitability
page 32 | The Rural Business School | Summer 2016
over recent years. HSBC’s Allan Wilkinson followed, with a paper looking at opportunities to deal more effectively with volatility across agriculture. AHDB Lead Analyst Jack Watts outlined mechanisms for the forum to explore indepth: forward contracts, formula pricing, derivatives, cooperation and integration and strategic business. He said, “There is unlikely to be a one-size-fits-all solution to managing volatility and it certainly won’t happen overnight. Commodities markets are both highly complex and delicately balanced, as we have seen to some extremes across agricultural sectors in recent times”. Decisions4Dairy - An industry wide initiative Another strand of the work in-hand to support dairy farmers is the Decsisions4Dairy
initiative. It brings together organisations that work with, influence or advise dairy farmers, including AHDB Dairy, banks, farm consultants, the unions, feed advisers, vets, trade associations, farming charities and accountants. Using this collaborative approach, we encourage farmers to ask fundamental business questions of themselves and collectively, we guide them so they are able to access practical support and materials to make informed decisions. Questions such as: is my business model likely to allow me to survive? Does it focus on the areas which matter most? Does it entail high labour costs, high power and machinery costs? How does my business model rise to the challenge of getting cows in calf, rearing those calves with good growth rates and minimal losses, hitting target weights at service and calving?
Decisions4dairy – What If workshop To help farmers take stock of their businesses and think how it can best face the challenges and potential opportunities that arise from a more volatile market a practical workshop session has been developed and is available on a demand basis across GB. It is a response to the challenging market farmers operating in and taking time to try different options can help clear a path to follow. The “What If workshops” are designed for levy payers to work through real financial and physical management and nutritional scenarios for their businesses. The one-day workshop is an opportunity to take time away from the day-to-day farm tasks and to really focus on the robustness of the business. It enables the testing of ideas and look at ways to make the most of the business, it’s profit target, cost management as well as personal and business goals. Specialist consultants’ work with those attending to explore the business, using the farm’s actual costs as a base point (collated prior to the workshop). We encourage two attendees per business, as this gives
the benefit of sharing thought processes, as well as an understanding of the required actions post workshop. Attendees also benefit from the chance to share experiences and ideas with other farmers, along with technical sessions on nutrition, utilisation of feeds and core costs per cow. Importantly delegates are able to test different scenarios to make the business as robust as possible including: •
Greater cost understanding and management
•
Better returns from inputs
•
The impacts of reducing inputs, litres or cows
•
Improved feed utilisation
•
Producing the right milk for your contract.
Milk Price Calculator Making the most of what you’ve got when margins are tight is crucial and asking basic questions could help to keep the business on track. A good start would be looking again at production to check if the milk cheque is all it could be. To assist farmers achieve ‘top dollar’ for their milk, AHDB Dairy has developed and launched a new online tool, the Milk Price Calculator
News continued from page 31 Future floods | New Scientist, 6 February 2016 European flooding is about to get worse. The European Environment Agency has predicted a five-fold increase in flood damage by 2050 compared to the situation in 2010. Studies have linked the recent flooding in the UK to climate change, which leads to more extreme rainfall. Much of the damage arises because rivers are cut off from their floodplains and floodplains keep being redeveloped. Areas need to be freed up for a more natural way of flood protection, giving room for the rivers and reconnecting them to their floodplains, the EEA concluded.
Gene-edited food | The New Scientist, 19th December 2015 CRISPR has been used to create extra-muscular sheep and work at Edinburgh University is progressing on making pigs immune to common viral diseases. Next up could be cattle resistant to TB or chickens that do not get avian influenza; whether this happens will depend on the regulators. Gene editing can add new pieces of DNA, which is genetic engineering and bound by strict genetic modification regulations, but gene editing can also make changes to existing genes, which are tweaks indistinguishable from natural variants and this could be exempt from regulation.
Got organic milk? | New Scientist, 20 February 2016 A review of 200 papers found that half a litre of organic milk contains 16% of the intake of heart-protecting omega-3 fatty acids, versus 11% in ordinary milk; however the latter had more iodine.
Hunting for honey’s microbial proteins | The Biologist, March 2016 Researchers at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh have identified honeys with potent antibacterial activity. They are now trying to identify the hitherto unknown agent and determine whether it could inhibit antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Summer 2016 | The Rural Business School | page 33
(MPC). Here farmers can input the specific details of the milk produced on farm, in terms of delivery profile and quality, and check if there is potential to increase the income available from your contract. Its value lies in providing a quick and easy assessment of how a change to any aspect of the milk profile will impact on the milk price paid.
The MPC allows you to ask the ‘what if’ questions such as ‘how would my milk price change if I reduce somatic cell counts or increased butterfat?’ By entering the before and after farm data into the calculator, you get two sets of outputs, allowing you to compare the differences and clearly see how it impacts the milk price. A ‘how to use’ video is available which gives a step-by-step
Diary Dates
guide to the calculator. Alongside the MPC you can also use the Milk Forecasting Calculator to get a full picture of both cost and revenue implications of adjusting milk production. This calculator uses data about herd size, average yield and calving patterns, alongside herd lactation curves to give information on the monthly milk outputs.
For more information on AHDB Dairy’s Decisions4Dairy – What If workshops, please contact your local knowledge exchange officer or me on 024 7647 8788 or rachael. chamberlayne@ahdb. org.uk
Diary Dates Course title
Date/Time
Venue
County
Cost
Contact
NPTC Level 2 Award – 13-15/06/16 Telehandler 9am-4.30pm
BIC
Devon
£305
HETAS Biomass installer
BIC
Devon
£1,350
13-17/06/16 9am-4.30pm
Course title
Date/Time
Venue
County
Cost
Contact
NPTC Level 2 Award – 20-24/06/16 9am-4.30pm Felling & processing trees up to 380mm
BIC
Devon
£545
Sarah Hutchings 01395 562 403
Faecal egg counting with FLOTAC
21/06/16 11am3pm
DCS
Cornwall £70 (inc. Fill- RBS FLOTAC kit)
PA1 & PA2 Principles of safe pesticide application
21-22/06/16 9am-5pm
DCS
Cornwall £375
Faecal egg counting with FLOTAC
22/06/16 11am3pm
TBC
Gloucs.
£70 (inc. Fill- RBS FLOTAC kit)
Faecal egg counting with FLOTAC
23/06/16 Time TBC
TBC
Devon
£70 (inc. Fill- RBS FLOTAC kit)
DCS
Cornwall FREE
RBS
Cornwall AHDB variety 23/06/16 10amOpen Day 3pm
RBS
27-29/06/16 9am-4.30pm
BIC
Devon
£420
Sarah Hutchings 01395 562 403
PA1 & PA6 Principles of safe pesticide application
Sarah Hutchings 01395 562 403
PA1 & PA2 Principles of safe pesticide application
27-30/06/16 9am-4.30pm
BIC
Devon
£445
Sarah Hutchings 01395 562 403
Sarah Hutchings 01395 562 403
NPTC Level 2 Award – Chainsaw maintenance and cross-cutting
27-29/06/16 9am-4.30pm
BIC
Devon
£395
Sarah Hutchings 01395 562 403
Safe use of pesticides – Grandfather rights – PA2
28/06/16 9am5pm
DCS
Cornwall £200
RBS
Next steps in beekeeping
02/07/16 9.30am-4pm
DCS
Cornwall £125
RBS
How to use a chainsaw
04/07/16 9am4.30pm
BIC
Devon
£120
Sarah Hutchings 01395 562 403
BIC
Devon
£305
Sarah Hutchings 01395 562 403
NPTC Level 2 Award – Agricultural tractor driving and related operations
13-16/06/16 9am-4.30pm
BIC
Devon
£370
Sarah Hutchings 01395 562 403
NPTC Level 2 Award – Chainsaw maintenance and cross-cutting
13-15/06/16 9am-4.30pm
BIC
Devon
£395
Sarah Hutchings 01395 562 403
Safe use of pesticides – Grandfather rights – PA6
15/06/16 9am4pm
DCS
Introduction to floristry
18/06/16 10am4pm
DCR
Cornwall £85
RBS
Next steps in beekeeping
19/06/16 9.30am-4pm
DCS
Cornwall £125
RBS
05-07/07/16 NPTC Level 2 Award 9am-4.30pm – Safe use of brushcutters and strimmers
BIC
Devon
£395
Sarah Hutchings 01395 562 403
NPTC Level 2 Award – Chainsaw maintenance and cross-cutting
20-22/06/16 9am-4.30pm
BIC
Sarah Hutchings 01395 562 403
NPTC Level 3 Award – 05-07/07/16 Aerial cutting of trees 9am-4.30pm with a chainsaw, using free-fall techniques 11-13/07/16 9am-4.30pm
BIC
Devon
£420
Sarah Hutchings 01395 562 403
page 34 | The Rural Business School | Summer 2016
Cornwall £200
Devon
£395
RBS
PA1 & PA6 Principles of safe pesticide application
Summer 2016 | The Rural Business School | page 35
Course title
Date/Time
Venue
County
Cost
Contact
NPTC Level 2 Award – Agricultural tractor driving and related operations
11-14/07/16 9am-4.30pm
BIC
Devon
£370
Sarah Hutchings 01395 562 403
PA1 & PA2 Principles of safe pesticide application
11-14/07/16 9am-4.30pm
BIC
Devon
£445
Sarah Hutchings 01395 562 403
NPTC Level 2 Award – Tree climbing and rescue
11-18/07/16 9am-4.30pm
BIC
Devon
£595
Sarah Hutchings 01395 562 403
NPTC Level 2 Award – Chainsaw maintenance and cross-cutting
11-13/07/16 9am-4.30pm
BIC
Devon
£395
Sarah Hutchings 01395 562 403
HETAS Biomass installer
18-22/06/16 9am-4.30pm
BIC
Devon
£1,350
Sarah Hutchings 01395 562 403
NPTC Level 2 Award – Chainsaw maintenance and cross-cutting
18-20/07/16 9am-4.30pm
BIC
Devon
£395
Sarah Hutchings 01395 562 403
NPTC Level 2 Award – 18-22/07/16 9am-4.30pm Felling & processing trees up to 380mm
BIC
Devon
£545
Sarah Hutchings 01395 562 403
25-27/07/16 9am-4.30pm
BIC
Devon
£395
Sarah Hutchings 01395 562 403
NPTC Level 3 Award – 26-28/07/16 Aerial cutting of trees 9am-4.30pm with a chainsaw, using free-fall techniques
BIC
Devon
£395
Sarah Hutchings 01395 562 403
Junior tractor driving
DCS
Cornwall £185
NPTC Level 2 Award – Chainsaw maintenance & crosscutting
03-04/08/16 9.30am-4pm
RBS
For more information Agriculture general
Dairy
Beef
Sheep
Poultry
Arable/Crop Production
Resource Management
Machinery
Pets
CPD
Countryside
Rural Crafts
Equine
Leadership & Management
Food & Drink
Forestry
Horticulture
page 36 | The Rural Business School | Summer 2016
General/ Other
Please call 0845 458 7485 or email rbs@duchy.ac.uk for more information. Our full list of events is available at: www.ruralbusinessschool.org.uk
Key to abbreviations DCR - Duchy College Rosewarne DCS - Duchy College Stoke Climsland BIC - Bicton College ESF - European Social Funded (eligibility rules apply)