#STUDENTFARMER - JANUARY 2019

THE FUTURE OF FOOD EDITION

JANUARY 2019

The newest innovations and latest thinking in british farming

Getting political What even is the Agriculture Bill?

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Animal activity

Survive lambing and travel with livestock

foot in the gate

Apprenticeship advice and tenancy tips 03/01/2019 12:03:41

Astudiwch ar ein fferm flaenllaw

1000 erw yn Llysfasi Amaethyddiaeth Peirianneg Amaethyddol Coedwigaeth Gofal Anifeiliaid

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Pam astudio yn Llysfasi?

Defnyddiwch ein cyfleuster llaethdy sy’n werth miliynau Arhoswch yn ein llety ar y safle Mae gennym ystod eang o gyrsiau ar gyfer pob lefel Gweithiwch gyda’n fflyd helaeth o gerbydau, tractorau, peiriannau ac offer y tir modern

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21/12/2018 13:53:47

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05 BUG’S LIFE 06 A BIT LIKE NORMAL VEG, BUT LITTLE 07 COOL TOMATO TECH 09 KEEPING CALM ABOUT THE FUTURE 10 BREAKING GROUND FOR 2019 13 REMEMBER THE GRADUATES 15 INCREASING FARMING’S TALENT POOL 17 TALKING AGRICULTURE BILL 18 IN LONDON TOWN 20 STARTER FOR 10: NFU CONFERENCE 22 HOW TO USE ANTIBIOTICS 25 FIT FOR LAMBING 26 ALI’S APPRENTICE 28 REWARDING THE BEST OF 2018 30 MAKE YOUR OWN MEALS 32 INDUSTRY PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS 34 NOT GETTING A JOB? TRY THIS 39 GETTING THAT FIRST TENANCY 40 2019’S BRITISH FARMLAND BIRD COUNT Robot chicken

40 Published by: NFU, Agriculture House, Stoneleigh Park, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, CV8 2TZ Filled with words by: Huw Hopkins, Orla McIlduff, Tom Sales, Jo Travis, Isabella Clarke-Price, Tim Relf Designed by: John Cottle To advertise, contact: Alan Brown on alan.brown@nfu.org.uk Contact: studentfarmer@nfu.org.uk /StudentFarmer @studentfarmer @studentfarmer

When people talking about the future of farming, all I hear is how technology is going to do everything. But I remember watching Back To The Future and thinking we’ll all be in flying cars and riding on hoverboards by 2015. We do have a type of flying car (hovercrafts exist!) and there are some pretty cool videos of hoverboard-type things kicking around at the moment, but we’re still a long way from attaching a flux capacitor to a Delorean and travelling back in time when we hit 88.8 miles per hour.

For that reason, I don’t think we’re necessarily going to be replaced by robots in the next few years – even in this lifetime – especially on farm. Technology can help, but there will always be decisions to make when it comes to land management that will be incomprehensible to any piece of kit that is developed. And little jobs crop up that have never happened before, so how are we supposed to build a robot to sort out those odd jobs?

We need to be prepared for all eventualities, and we need to know how to work with technological advances on farm. It is something we wanted to highlight in 2019 – the year the UK will be leaving the EU and start to make its own rules regarding robots and agrictulure (separately and together). And that is why we have put together this Our Food, Our Future edition: to show you what farming will look like in a few years, but also to remind you that farmers – as in people, as in you and me and us, real people – will still have a job.

Huw Hopkins Editor, #StudentFarmer #STUDENTFARMER / JANUARY 2019

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03/01/2019 14:05:18

Advertising feature

If you would like to help put the college and indeed yourself on the map, you can call 08000 224556 visit www.eastonotley.ac.uk

Taking care of business Easton and Otley College has campuses in Suffolk and Norfolk and supports thousands of students across East Anglia and beyond.

To support current students as well as individuals and local companies, the Otley college site based near Ipswich opened a centre called Rural Enterprise East. This facility will support start-up businesses and offer them a chance to come to a central hub where they will get all the help they need to succeed.

Established businesses can also gain support as the centre will be a place where individuals and companies can share their ideas and experiences, create connections and be inspired by each other.

‘It’s a place where some of the business leaders of tomorrow can create their empires of today’ said principal of the college, Jane Townsend.

The manager of the centre is Digby Chacksfield. The entrepreneurial expert will be in charge of day to day activities. He said, “I’m thrilled to be working on this exciting project. We want people to work with us and use our facilities to exceed their business aspirations. We will have hot desk facilities for start-ups, larger areas for more established companies and we will be hosting everything from mentoring to meetings via masterclasses.”

The centre was opened by the Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk, Clare Countess of Euston.

Former student of the college, James Gadd who has subsequently gone on to open his own business called Gadd Brothers trees and landscape, said, “The new facility is fantastic and without doubt it will enable you to develop your business.”

If you would like any support from the centre – or you need general business advice – no matter where you are based in the country, you can call 01473 785543 or visit www. eastonotley.ac.uk

College gets ministerial backing during schools career fair Easton and Otley was joined by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Liz Truss) and their local MP (Dan Poulter) during and a careers fair for schools that aimed to put land-based careers in the spotlight.

During a tour of the campus, Liz Truss said it was ‘Brilliant to be here today (at Easton and Otley College).’

She also said that the event was all about ‘winning over the hearts and minds of young people who often don’t realise the massive opportunities there are in farming’ and commended the college for ‘the work that Otley and Easton are doing on the overall programme for Norfolk and Suffolk and making sure that we have got a strong land based offering’.

Principal, Jane Townsend, added that’ it was great to help spread the positive messages surrounding land-based careers.’

Are you the best farming apprentice in East Anglia?

Easton and Otley College launched a competition to find the top agricultural apprentice in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. As well as the esteem of winning this prestigious award that is supported by both business and agricultural associations, winners gain training opportunities, a cash prize and tickets to a county show.

If you are studying on an agriculturally related apprenticeship programme at the moment in either of these counties, then please contact Nicola Currie – nicola.currrie@ eastonotley.ac.uk for details on how to enter.

Principal of Easton & Otley College, Jane Townsend with Liz Truss MP at a recent school careers event.

May the course be with you!

Agricultural courses at the college range from level one options all the way through to degrees.

The team of agricultural students who took part in AGROLYMPICS in Porto.

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In the past 12 months, students have been to an agricultural show in Paris, represented their country at an international farming competition called AGROLYMPICS in Porto, took part in a ploughing competition in Germany and won numerous awards on behalf of the college at various county shows.

The college as a whole celebrated a 25 year partnership with a college in the Czech Republic and continues to seek and offer hands on industry based opportunities for learners to enable them to get the most out of their college experience.

21/12/2018 13:55:06

Mini farming

# BUGS

Insects, bugs and creepy crawlies – welcome to the future of farming

W

e’ve covered bug farms before in #StudentFarmer and how they might be the future of food for humans and animals.

But more recently, Tesco and McDonalds have backed the idea. They offered assurance that it is highly likely that consumers would also support the idea of feeding farmed bugs to chickens, as they are something that chooks eat anyway when ranging outdoors.

Why insects (and when)?

NFU Poultry board member and feed expert Martin Humphrey said: “Insect protein is an exciting opportunity, but the combination of regulatory hurdles, scaling up production and the relatively high price means we are some years away.

“There is no doubt we need alternative protein sources, particularly as there is pressure on the reliance on soya.

“Chickens are omnivores in the wild, deriving nutrients from vegetable and animal origins for a balanced diet.

“At the moment the protein portion is met significantly by imported soya and sunflower, with small amounts of peas.

Since the removal of meat and bone from feeds in the wake of the BSE crisis, we have been overly reliant on soya, which is a good source of protein, but has suffered

some negative connotations around deforestation and GM. “Consumer and retailer acceptance is not a given, and we need to remember that, but the potential for the poultry sector is considerable.”

Insects for breakfast

But this isn’t just something that is being considered for animal feed, as humans are slowly being turned on to the fact that they could be consumed for meals as well. Recently, basketball star for the Toronto Raptors made a protein shake out of crickets for NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo on his YouTube cooking show called How Hungry Are You? He isn’t alone in this. Even in the UK, BiJimini has been developing Power Flour out of crickets that can be used to make protein-packed pancakes. Luke Craven has an insect farm in Wiltshire and told #StudentFarmer a few issues ago: “The EU insect protein sector has a few hundred jobs today, with the potential to increase up to a few thousand by 2025.”

Benefits of insect feed for animals Health and welfare improvement Feeding live insects to layers has been shown to mitigate injurious pecking, improve their social behaviour and increase the movement and activity of less dominant birds.

Gut health and microbiome balance The insect chitin (i.e. shell) is a natural pre-biotic fibre that has been shown to increase the gut microbiome diversity.

Stronger eggs and bones Black soldier flies are rich in calcium that helps with bone structure in both layers and broilers, as well as encouraging stronger eggs in the later lifecycle of laying hens.

Antimicrobial function Live insects contain natural antimicrobial peptides that can work to reduce reliance on veterinary medicines and antibiotics, as well as reducing pathogens such as salmonella and E. coli.

@netw3rk Serge lbaka started making protein shakes with ground crickets and all of a sudden he’s having a career resurgence

JANUARY 2019 / #STUDENTFARMER

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03/01/2019 12:04:53

# M I CR OV EG

SIZE DOESN’T MATTER

Bill Sherer finds out that the future of food is small, in a big way

I

n 2010, Allan Miller was killing it as head chef in a Norwich restaurant.

He had always enjoyed the challenge of experimenting with new approaches in cooking, like using edible flowers and micro-veg in their dishes.

They had been experimenting by growing a few flowers and micro-cress at their home, and using them at the restaurant where he was employed.

“I quickly realised that there was the potential for real growth when local wholesalers soon became keen to purchase the surplus produce from our small garden,” he explained. Allan would be the first to acknowledge that the subsequent expansion of the business has owed much to his culinary background and expertise.

Eight years later, the growth of Nurtured in Norfolk is ridiculous: £5 million annual turnover, 67 full time employees, 300 different flower and micro veg products.

Year-round availability

Allan has established relationships with international farms as well. He said: “Continuity and consistency of supply is vital to us in serving the best interests of

our customers, 24/7, 365 days a year.

“And it would be impossible to run this business successfully and profitably without the use of biologicals.”

In charge of this sector is his son Alex, who studied all aspects of horticulture at Euston College in Norfolk. He works closely with Koppert UK and PG Horticulture.

Alex said: “We have been particularly pleased with the new Koppert Ulti-Mite Swirski sachets in controlling thrips problems as they have occurred.” Previously made of paper that absorbed water, it is now a 100% industrial compostable foil developed for the predatory mite Amblyseius swirski. The sachets are resistant to humidity, effectively controlling thrips larvae while also eating the eggs and larvae of whitefly.

Alex said: “Our thrips control results to date have considerably improved using the new product.”

Nurtured in Norfolk offers loads of choice. Butterfly sorrel’s flower and leaf leaves a pleasant lemonade taste in the

mouth. The flower of the Buzz Button has an unusual and strong tingling taste and is a natural analgesic. Cucamelon is shaped like a tiny melon with a sharp, cucumber taste. Okahijiki is a land seaweed and gourmet Japanese speciality with a zesty grapefruit and vibrant peppermint flavour for an excellent sugar substitute.

Allan said: “Our ongoing offer of edible flowers and micro cress is constantly growing. More chefs are travelling globally on a regular basis and they return with new edible flower and micro cress discoveries that we aim to grow as soon as possible and supply back to them. It’s all about flavour and the visual profile of edible flowers and micro cress has never ever been more important.”

But as well as the unique flavours, the micro-veg also pack a great nutritional punch. The concentration of antioxidents in broccoli micro-cress is said to be 10 times higher than that found in the adult plant.

£5

million annual turnover

Getting jobs

Alex is in charge of the nursery that grows edible flower and micro herbs

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The company’s workforce includes Romanians, Lithuanians, Poles, Hungarians, Latvians, Portuguese and English employees, living locally in the Dereham area. Mr Miller said: “We are indebted to our dedicated colleagues who have played a significant part in our development.”

Nurtured in Norfolk continues to grow into a new building at the Toftwood site that will increase palletisation from 45 pallets per day to 300.

Allan said: “Our distinctive, green branded Nurtured in Norfolk boxes are well recognised by many chefs. Much has been achieved to date and we are very optimistic about the future.”

#STUDENTFARMER / JANUARY 2019

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03/01/2019 14:09:00

#TO MATO ES

TOMATOES THAT gROW themselves

R&L Holt has been using the latest developments in energy supply to grow tomatoes all year round

I

t’s a family affair at R&L Holt. Husband and wife Rick and Laura bought their first site in 1979, and now their children Roly and Felicity work with their parents across the three sites of the Holt’s tomato enterprise on the outskirts of the Vale of Evesham.

Around 18% of tomatoes sold in the UK are British grown, so there is no need for the business export any of its produce, as supermarkets always want to stock as many British tomatoes as possible.

As well as escalating their operations over the years, they have always been keen to trial new technology and improve energy efficiency across the sites. The family uses different methods of electricity generation including thermal screens, solar panels, and an anaerobic digester.

Then, in 2014, they installed a CHP (combined heat and power) unit to their Sandylands site.

Installing the CHP unit was part of a wider redevelopment of the site. Rick said: “There are certain varieties of tomatoes that supermarkets can’t buy abroad in the winter as the quality’s not good enough, so we decided to have a go ourselves. In order to grow them, we needed the correct light set-up. ” Laura continued: “The main difference between our old glasshouses and the newer one is the lights. We have LED middle and top lights

Roly in front of R&L Holt’s CHP unit

now in the newest glasshouse.”

Inside the glasshouse, it’s a cross between a summer’s day and Christmas, with the LED lights coloured blue and red for optimum tomato yield. But this could cause a problem with energy, as Rick explained. “It’s best to generate it yourself rather than buy it off the National Grid.”

The Holts have been supported by the NFU Energy Service, which helped arrange all the contracts. And now, any excess energy produced is sold back to the grid, which is a great addition to the Holts’ enterprise.

JACUZZI IN A BAG Tomatoes offer great versatility to experiment with new farming techniques, and Adam Dixon (a Cardiff University engineering graduate) has teamed up with Aberystwyth University to grow two tonnes of tomatoes using his Phytoponics system.

Phytoponics is a bag that rolls out and inflates to provide a safe space for commercial plants and it delivers nutrient-rich water to roots while keeping moisture in and pests out. It has been described by Adam as a “Jacuzzi in a bag”.

He said: “In Wales and the UK we need to produce much more if we are to become self-sufficient in growing our own fruits and vegetables. Wales has many agricultural challenges due to its difficult geography, but there is a great opportunity to implement new advanced technologies including Phytoponics to tackle food security sustainability and be less reliant on imports.”

JANUARY 2019 / #STUDENTFARMER

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03/01/2019 12:09:52

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“I’m a student studying agronomy in Brazil but am currently completing an apprenticeship on a farm in North Dakota. I am from a family of farmers, so I was looking forward to learning more agricultural techniques in the United States that I could apply back on my farm in Brazil.

A typical day on the farm for me consists of fueling the tractors and other equipment, load the trucks up with seed, field work, tractor maintenance, driving tractors and other large machinery. Farming in the United States is so different compared to back home. The farms are so big and so is the machinery!

During my CAEP program, I have learned a great deal about tillage, seeding, agronomy, driving semi-trucks, marketing grain, precision agriculture. and how to operate large machinery. We are currently harvesting, and it has been a great time!

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My hosts are excellent people. They have become more than hosts to me, now they are dear friends! I feel so comfortable to work with them as they are always trying to teach us and trust us to work with all of the large equipment. During my exchange program, I am living on the farm with two other trainees from Brazil who also train at the farm.

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If you are interested in gaining handson experience in the United States, email agriculture@caep.org for more information or visit caep.org to apply!

21/12/2018 13:55:31

# SC IE NC E

Farming is a science Petri-dish farming

What if you could grow your Sunday roast on your kitchen windowsill, or take a biopsy from your pet pig each time you wanted a fry-up? Culture-grown lab meat is becoming big business and is being mooted as an alternative to traditional livestock, but just because we could, does that mean we should?

Dan Crossley, executive director at the Food Ethics Council; Wellcome Trust researcher Alexandra Sexton; Dr Marianne Ellis of the University of Bath and farmer Illtud Llyr Dunsford talked to Hay Festival Sustainability Director Andy Fryers about the ethics of this new and developing technology.

The demand for animal protein is on the rise, as a growing middle class in China and India call for a more Westernised diet. Cultured meat, which is referred to as ‘clean meat’ in the media, is meat grown from animal muscle cells (which include stem cells). Dr Ellis said that the technology used to grow this meat would be about the size of a microbrewery.

Welsh livestock farmer, charcutier and Nuffield scholar, Illtud Llyr Dunsford, said that he first looked at the technology as a way of farming more sustainably. Labgrown meat uses less water than livestock, releases less methane and is one answer to the problem of carcass imbalances. But, the technology still has its issues – it is not a vegetarian technology as it is grown on serum from calf foetuses.

When asked about the taste of cultured meat, Mr Dunsford said that it was “the best piece of duck I have ever tasted”.

Taste making

Aviagen is investigating the science behind the tastiest chicken, thanks to a high-tech tie-up with Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) and its state-of-the-art mobile meat laboratory.

The breeding company is crunching data from SRUC’s newly converted HGV, which caters for 12 volunteer tasters at a time, running them through a dozen tests on controlled chicken meat samples.

The £1 million unit made a call at Aviagen’s Edinburgh research HQ as part

of a three-year programme that will also see it put beef and lamb to the test at supermarkets, regional shows and public places across the UK. Funded by the Centre of Innovation Excellence in Livestock and Innovate UK, its data allows researchers to look at the complex links between the chemical and sensory attributes of meat and its flavour.

That should eventually help breeders target traits for taste.

SRUC geneticist Neil Clelland said meat eaters were becoming more discerning. He added: “The mobile meat laboratory presents a great opportunity to better understand their preferences.”

Aviagen’s Global Director of Genetics Santiago Avendano said data from the SRUC unit was “invaluable”.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Is growing food in a lab a good thing for the food of the future? Or will we always need farmers working the land?

Let us know on Twitter @studentfarmer JANUARY 2019 / #STUDENTFARMER

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03/01/2019 12:10:35

# NE XTGEN E RAT I O N

it was a very good year

M

y year began in May, taking over as chairman of the Next Generation Forum from Richard Bower with the coming together of a new group of enthusiastic members. With so much uncertainty ahead, we have been forging plans to help further professionalise the industry and create more security for people to invest in the future. A group formed with the AHDB looking into Skills Strategy has been supported by colleges, leading producers, food manufacturers and retailers.

This year we celebrated the 60th Birthday of CEJA (European Council of Young Farmers), held in March at NFU HQ in Stoneleigh. We have just renewed our membership with CEJA, as we believe having strong ties with our closest trading block is very important.

We aim to keep a strong dialogue going to jointly face the problems that may arise for the next generation.

An important part of the Next Generation Forum’s plans is to be involved with all sectors of agriculture, from teaching to supermarkets, and we will

10

Chairman of the NFU’s Next Generation Forum Simon Gadd looks back on his first year in the role

aim to present a strategy to government of how we would like to see agriculture incentivised and aided in order to create a productivity boom.

We are looking at enabling a workforce to have recognisable skill set. This will help employers to more easily find the right people to fit in within a business and create a mobility of labour. And we will push for grants to focus on increasing farm productivity and skills training. Without investment in skills our productivity cannot be increased.

With Brexit around the corner, we have been concentrating on how to make the Next Generation’s future in farming guaranteed to be a success, and set out our plans for: •

Continuous professional development – looking at active farmers taking on more responsibility on farm, recognising skills attained and to develop other skill sets.

•

Loans and Grants – investigating effective means to support investment.

•

Generational renewal scheme – looking at what scheme could replace the Young Farmers scheme going forward to promote generational renewal.

Get in touch

Follow Simon’s progress with the Next Generation Forum by following him on Twitter. His handle is @sjgadd and you can keep track of the latest developments from the group on NFUonline.com/ sectors/next-generation/

@sjgadd @NFUtweets @studentfarmer

#STUDENTFARMER / JANUARY 2019

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03/01/2019 12:11:13

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Experts in Our Field

21/12/2018 13:55:51

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21/12/2018 13:57:38

#N F U G R ADUATES

Honour students

The newest set of NFU Graduate Scheme recruits share some highlights from their first few months

Name: Isabella Clarke-Price Age: 22 For the first six months of the marketing and communications graduate scheme I am in the editorial team. My role involves writing articles for all of the NFU publications as well as working with the web team to publish online content. One project I am particularly excited about is the #StudentFarmer event I’m organising that will see me take a small group of young farmers out for the day to learn about one aspect of the farming industry – see more on this in the next edition. I am also working with internal communications to showcase the successes different teams across the NFU are having.

When I’m not working I like to travel. This past summer I visited Cuba, Mexico and did a road trip around America.

“I LIVED IN CANADA FOR EIGHT YEARS”

Name: Tom Hills Age: 23 I am on the marketing and communications graduate scheme and for the first six months I am working on campaigns. One project I’ve been working on is to promote our recipe book on the @nfucountryside Instagram account. To do this I decided to turn the Instagram feed into one gigantic feast made of 27 pictures of food. This was an amazing project and involved a lot of planning and cooking! I can’t complain through because I ended up eating almost everything.

In my spare time I like to play football and most weeks I play five-a-side with other members of the NFU.

“I HAVE BEEN MANAGING A MOTOWN AND GOSPEL BAND IN CORNWALL FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS” Name: Imogen English Age: 23 For the first six months of the agricultural policy graduate scheme I am spending my time within the food and farming department. So far I have been involved with a wide range of projects for different teams, from research into feed wheat varieties to the coordination of roundtable events that aim to create a credible vision for UK food and farming.

In my free time I like to go horse riding, cycling and running. I’m planning on attempting either a half marathon or triathlon in the near future – depending on how the swimming goes!

“I ONCE FOUND TWO ABANDONED WEEK-OLD HOGLETS THAT I MANAGED TO KEEP ALIVE UNTIL THEY WERE BIG ENOUGH TO BE RE-RELEASED INTO THE WILD”

Name: Hannah Binns Age: 22 My first placement on the Agricultural Policy graduate scheme is with Policy Services, where I am working closely with the Environment, Economics and Rural Crime teams on various projects. I have been entrusted to run my own rural crime project as well as help execute two high profile events in December: Business Symposium and Farmed Environment Conference. Having only organised my 21st birthday party before, I am slightly apprehensive about organising such key events, but it is very much a team effort and I am lucky to work alongside such knowledgeable and supportive colleagues.

I recently graduated from the University of Leeds where I studied Ancient History and English. In my spare time I like to be at home on the uplands sheep farm in Lancashire where I grew up.

“I AM A KEEN WRITER AND REGULARLY BLOG ABOUT MY ADVENTURES ON THE FARM AND BEYOND IN MY SPARE TIME” JANUARY 2019 / #STUDENTFARMER

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# F UTUR E

FARM THE FUTURE Apparently youngsters are searching for fame and fortune

these days, but former JLS member JB Gill has done the opposite

“T

here’s a lot of misconceptions among young people about what a career in agriculture really means,” according to JB Gill, formerly of JLS. While UCAS are reporting a rise in the number of people looking at agriculture courses, Barclays’ research suggests that the number of young people entering farming has dipped. JB was trying to figure out why: “It’s hard, physical work so it keeps you fit, you get to work with animals, you’re your own boss, and you can keep up with the trends by posting everything on social media for everyone else to see.”

He now farms in Kent producing awardwinning KellyBronze turkeys and freerange Tamworth pork, which are quite traditional forms of farming, but there are some pretty innovative things happening in the industry [as you can see in the first few pages of this magazine – Ed].

Asked why the industry needs younger people, NFU Deputy President Guy Smith said: “Agriculture is an incredibly innovative and rewarding sector… the next generation of farmers will be vital to the industry’s success in the future.”

The number of farmers who are aged 65 or older has increased by 70%

in the last 10 years, and people under the age of 25 has plummeted by 63% according to Barclays. The bank did some research and found that succession planning is not good, so it launched the #FarmtheFuture campaign to get more people interested in the industry.

Head of agriculture at the bank Mark Suthern said: “Many farms have been in the same family for several generations.

To ensure the transition from one generation to the next is done smoothly, careful planning is essential rather than it being left to chance. Every industry needs new talent to innovate and look to new markets, and the next generation will be vital in boosting productivity and driving industry growth.”

The lack of understanding regarding farming was clear.

More families are finding

3%

of 18-30 year olds said they would consider a future in agriculture that their children are exploring options away from the farming business, so they are exploring alternative options, including sharing agreements. This will be useful to dispel the myth that young people believe they couldn’t afford to become a farmer, and that 43% felt they needed to inherit land.

JB said: “You don’t need to have your own land to work in agriculture, there are many options from farm management through to the service industries. I would encourage anyone to give it some serious consideration – it’s a life like no other.”

JANUARY 2019 / #STUDENTFARMER

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03/01/2019 12:12:43

Q. Where does

education meet innovation?

A.

Degree courses in: Agriculture Animal Science Environment Business and Enterprise Equine Management and Science Real Estate Rural Land Management

rau.ac.uk

Cirencester, GL7 6JS 01285 889912 admissions@rau.ac.uk

ADVERTPAGES.indd 7

The Royal Agricultural University (RAU) has been at the forefront of agricultural education and the land-based sector for more than 170 years. The University prides itself on combining the knowledge and industry connections which stem from its rich heritage with an innovative, forwardthinking and enterprising approach.

The current global challenges of food security, climate change and Brexit provide unprecedented opportunities for the land-based sector and, importantly, for our graduates.

The need to produce more food in a sustainable way, protecting the environment, boosting the rural economy and enhancing its communities make this an ideal time to choose to study at the RAU. Our graduates enjoy a broad range of careers; some have gone on to become animal scientists, business consultants, chartered surveyors, conservation officers, communication managers, event managers, farm managers, food production managers, land agents, racecourse managers and much more. We also have many entrepreneurs and the University can support you in setting up your own business too. Our award-winning Enterprise Programme will give you inspiration and expert help to share, develop and launch your ideas.

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Visit www.rau.ac.uk to find out more about how you can join us. Details of upcoming open days can be found at www.rau.ac.uk/study/open-days

21/12/2018 13:58:02

#AG R I C ULTUR E BIL L

What’s App with the Agriculture Bill?

We had a What’s App chat with Tom Sales so he could explain what on earth is happening with farming after Brexit So does this Agriculture Bill thing matter or not?

So that’s what will eventually replace BPS?

Uh, yeah. It totally matters.

It’s going through Parliament right now and it’s the first step towards something we haven’t had in 45 years. It’s basically going to be a book of rules for farming in the UK, you know, for when that Brexit stuff happens.

A rulebook for farming, and it’s only 62 pages long!? The type must be tiny.

Basically, this part isn’t the detail. It’s sort of like a list of powers the government wants so it can build future agriculture policy, rather than every nut and bolt. That will come later.

Yup. What about producing food?

Good point. That’s one of the big reasons the NFU is pushing to get the Agriculture Bill changed, to put food at its heart.

Do you think Agriculture Bill sounds like a kids cartoon about a farmer?

How do you change a Bill then?

Rrright...

OK There was a bonus policy statement that came out to show how serious that Defra Secretary Michael Gove is about a ‘green Brexit’ so farmers are going to get government money for environmental ‘public goods’.

It thinks producing food and food security are public goods and should be eligible for government support. It thinks the Agriculture Bill needs to join up with other policies.

And because farming takes ages, it says budgets from the government need to run over several years. The NFU wants to promote competitiveness and help farmers during peaks and troughs, and to make sure they get a fair deal in the supply chain.

But because the Bill is so broad, some of the powers might have unexpected consequences down the line.

Argue with the waiter That was terrible.

Remember all that Health & Harmony stuff last year? That's the policy, but the Agriculture Bill is the first step.

What else does the NFU want?

Whatever. So, the NFU is asking MPs to put in amendments in the Bill, which will be in a special committee. The House of Commons and the Lords will debate it, and finally it goes to the Queen for Royal Assent. It should get there by March 2019.

Ok then. It does matter. So I should get up to speed as quickly as possible Yup. You should – and maybe visit the NFU website to find out more about the Brexit Toolbox as well

Has the NFU had any success getting MPs to change stuff?

Quite a bit, it drafted close to 60 amendments, and a bunch made it to committee stage

Found it! Everything is available at NFUonlline.com/

JANUARY 2019 / #STUDENTFARMER

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03/01/2019 12:13:20

# LOR DM AYORSSHOW

TAKING TO THE STREETS

Katie Anderson: “The message that we want to the British public to take away today is that it’s really great to support local farmers. We work so hard to provide food so for everyone so we want the whole country to get behind British farmers.”

Eight young farmers joined Tom Hills on the streets of London to bring the Back British Farming message to the capital

D

ating all the way back to 1215, the Lord Mayor’s Show is an annual procession through the heart of London to welcome the newly appointed Lord Mayor to their position. At the end of November 2018, an estimated 450,000 people lined the streets to watch the parade unfold, with an additional four million viewers watching live on TV – all of whom received a call to Back British Farming thanks to eight young NFU members and the Worshipful Company of Farmers.

Backed by an Ideal 9T Massey Ferguson Combine Harvester and Red Tractor, the group, representing the seven regions in England and one for Wales, waved and cheered to the crowd, telling them: “We’re proud to produce your food.”

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Ben Theaker: “I’ve had a wicked time – walking through the streets of London with a combine is a once in a lifetime opportunity. To be able to mix with other people who share the same passion for the industry as me and to share that experience with the public has been fantastic.”

#STUDENTFARMER / JANUARY 2019

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#LOR D M AYO R SSHOW Katie Smith: “The Lord Mayor’s Show is a really good platform for the public to see us and to put a face to a farmer. It means that we can tell them about the amazing food we produce and let them know how they can support us by looking out for the Red Tractor.”

Francesca Beswick: “Today has been so successful. You don’t really realise how much support that the public have for their British farmers. The appreciation from the crowd is just unbelievable and I think that’s what I’ve really gained from the day.”

Luke Cox: “My grandfather nominated me to take part after I organised the Back British Farming Day at the University of Reading.

I’ve really enjoyed being here, this is a fantastic opportunity to speak to loads of people and show off the great things that British farmers do for the public and the countryside.”

Matt Donald: “We hope to bring to London the message that British farming is vital, especially in these uncertain economic times with Brexit around the corner. We want to prove that we can produce food safely and with high welfare standards to ensure that the future of food production within the UK but for that to happen, we need support from the British public.”

Anna Hunt: “We’ve met lots of different people and we’ve learnt a lot from each other today so it’s been a really good experience. Being a part of the Lord Mayor’s show is so important as we can get across the back British farming message to a huge audience. We get to show the public where their food comes from and the farmers who produce it.”

Matt Launder: “We’re out here today on the streets of London with people who don’t necessarily have any knowledge of agriculture and we’re talking to them and showcasing how proud we are to produce food for everyone in the country. I know now that if I’m having a bad day I can think, actually everyone out there is really chuffed that we’re doing our job and are really thankful that we’re producing food for them.”

JANUARY 2019 / #STUDENTFARMER

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03/01/2019 12:14:38

# NFUCON F E RE NC E 2 0 1 9

NFU CONFERENCE 2019

OUR FOOD, OUR FUTURE

Tuesday 19-Wednesday 20 February | The ICC, Broad Street, Birmingham WEEKS BEFORE THE UK IS DUE TO LEAVE THE EU, THE NFU’S ANNUAL MEMBER CONFERENCE WILL BE A KEY DATE IN ALL AGRICULTURAL AND POLITICAL DIARIES. THIS YEAR'S EVENT IS ENTITLED: OUR FOOD, OUR FUTURE, AND HERE ARE DETAILS OF THE WORKSHOPS AND COMMODITY SESSIONS. FOR MORE INFORMATION KEEP AN EYE ON NFUONLINE OR CONTACT YOUR REGIONAL OFFICE.

DAY 1

Tuesday 19 February 10.15-10.35 Opening address 10.45-11.45 Political session 11.45-12.45 Plenary session 2 12.45-14.00 Lunch 14.00-15.30 Workshops 15.30-16.00 Coffee break 16.00-17.30 Plenary session 3 18.30-19.15 Doors open for dinner† 19.15 Regional awards† 19.45 Dinner†

DAY 2

Wednesday 20 February 8.00-8.45 Meet your officeholders 9.00-10.30 Commodity sessions 10.30-11.00 Coffee break 11.00-12.45 Plenary session 4 12.45-13.00 Closing address 13.00-14.00 Lunch 14.00-15.00 AGM *timings subject to change † pre–booked tickets only

MEET OFFICEHOLDERS

Get day two off to a flying start with a chance to discuss any aspect of the NFU’s work with the officeholders team in a Q&A format.

COMMODITY SESSIONS

Wednesday AM – choose from: Dairy Hort & Potatoes Livestock Sugar Combinable Crops Poultry

20

WORKSHOPS Afternoon, 19 February – choose from: A taste for the future The future diet of our society will ultimately define the end market for the food produced by UK farm businesses. Not only that, but how the structure of the retail sector evolves will change the way our members will interact with their customers directly and indirectly. This session will take delegates through the eyes of tomorrow’s consumer, with insight into future trends and market demand, all of which can help you stay ahead of the curve.

Game changing innovation The technological landscape is constantly evolving. In order to be more competitive and meet the needs of customers, farm businesses need to be early adopters of new tools and practices. In this session we look to gain a better understanding of the technological possibilities that will be available to the industry.

Futureproof your farming business through people The continuing consolidation of farm businesses, a wave of new and exciting technologies, a generational changeover of the ageing farming population, and the removal of direct support in the format we know it today. These will gradually create a transformation of farm businesses over the next few years.

This session will look at futureproofing the farm business and chart the flow from engaging new entrants, changing farm structures for succession and key considerations for exiting the industry.

Energy: the alternative income stream In the years ahead many farm businesses will look to renewable energy generation and storage to provide a vital diversified income and reduction of on-farm energy costs. As a result, the role of the farm business as a provider of energy services will become even more significant. In this session we explore what the landscape for new renewable energy markets might look like.

Welsh Farming: Food at the heart of our future NFU Cymru is an organisation that is ambitious for the future of Welsh farming. Food production is at the heart of our ambition and our panel of leading industry experts will outline their thoughts on how Wales can position itself as a major food producing nation and build on our existing brand values in order to develop a thriving post-Brexit industry.

#STUDENTFARMER / JANUARY 2019

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03/01/2019 10:04:16

#A NTIBIOTICS

Learning about antibiotics early If you plan to work with animals on farm, Rebecca Veale believes

you need to understand the importance of responsible antibiotic use

A

ntibiotics are hugely valuable in terms of animal and human health because they are a key tool to treat bacterial infections. But if they aren’t used responsibly bacteria can become resistant to them. Some bacteria have already got wise to some of the antibiotics that are used a lot in human medicine.

While the transfer of these resistant bacteria from animals to humans is very small, it can happen, so we need to be careful when we treat farm animals.

So, what does “being responsible” actually mean?

In simple terms it means using as little as possible but as much as necessary. If an animal is sick with a bacterial infection, we treat them with the right antibiotic at the right dose in the right way as per veterinary instruction – not doing this would compromise the animal’s welfare.

There is a lot happening to encourage responsible use across the different sectors and much of that is thanks to RUMA. The NFU is a proud member of RUMA, which is a unique, independent non-profit industry group. RUMA aims to produce a co-ordinated and integrated approach to best practice in animal medicine use.

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Kayleigh Stowell Kayleigh is a third-generation dairy farmer from Somerset and farms with her father, brother and boyfriend. Hard work and determination has made a huge difference in terms of the health of her cows in recent years, and it means they’re using far fewer antibiotics.

Kayleigh had noticed that the calves were becoming sick at only a week old and despite her best efforts the treatments weren’t working.

After talking with her vet she went back to the beginning and started with colostrum. She said: “We now pasturise and test our colostrum and only use the highest quality to feed calves, we make sure they have 3-4L within a few hours and 2L in the second feed. And our back up if we don’t have any colostrum, or if it’s not good enough quality, is a good powdered colostrum. I manage them on a calf by calf basis.”

Next she looked at other preventative options such as vaccination, and used post-mortems to find out the specific strains of pneumonia that were causing the problem. Kayleigh now vaccinates for the pneumonia, which was causing such a problem and she has seen a huge improvement in the health of the calves.

She said: “We rear calves to go into our dairy herd and finish all our beef calves as well, we’re seeing the heifers coming into the herd healthier, which will help with our target to calve at 24 months. We also expect the beef animals to finish earlier.”

Kayleigh has also looked at improving the health in her dairy herd, and has worked with her family to reduce mastitis by changing the bedding and targeting teat cleanliness.

“We’ve reduced the number of sick cows and there is a more consistent milking.

We’re using fewer drugs, and when we do use them we no longer use high priority critically important antibiotics, but now use pen-strep. It has a milk withhold but we’ve found the response to the treatment better.”

Kayleigh is a proactive and engaged farmer open to new ideas, she has shown that working with her vet and putting in some work has resulted in lower and lower vets bills but also more importantly much healthier cows and calves.

#STUDENTFARMER / JANUARY 2019

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03/01/2019 12:17:17

HORTICULTURE COURSES AT PLUMPTON COLLEGE FURTHER EDUCATION

PART TIME COURSES

Horticulture Level 2 Technical Diploma

Practical Horticulture Skills City & Guilds Level 2

Horticulture Level 3 Technical Diploma

Practical Horticulture

Practical Horticulture: Hard Landscaping Level 2 Diploma

Principles of Horticulture

INTERMEDIATE & ADVANCED APPRENTICESHIPS Horticulture Operative New Standard Landscaping Operative New Standard Sports Turf Operative New Standard Greenkeeping Operative New Standard

Visit our website for more information and apply facebook.com/PlumptonCollege

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twitter.com/plumptoncollege

www.plumpton.ac.uk

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03/01/2019 10:09:12

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21/12/2018 13:58:20

# L AM BING

LAMBING SURVIVAL GUIDE

Christmas? Done. New Year? Smashed it m8. The next big event of the year is here. Lambing enthusiast Orla McIlduff gives her top tips about getting prepared for the season KEEP HYDRATED

Tea, coffee and ample water will keep you going through those long days and nights. I’m not normally an advocate of sugary drinks, but a can of something fizzy and sweet as a pick-me-up in the early hours of the morning can work miracles and give you the boost you need until you can get your head down on a pillow later.

KEEP THE VET’S NUMBER CLOSE Even the most experienced farmers can come across a difficult lambing every so often. While most things can be resolved without medical intervention, it’s important to have a plan for every eventuality.

CHANGE THE RECORD!

Good record keeping can also help with mortality rates. Jot down the ewe’s ear tag after each lambing, how many were born, how many survived and if you adopted any to another ewe.

Not only can it be used to check how adopted lambs are getting on, but it can be extra details such as how difficult the birth was and if the colostrum came through will be helpful to look back on in future years.

FOOD

BE A HYGIENE QUEEN (OR KING)

Seriously, newborn lambs will pick up and pass around any infection going (we all know the smell of lamb scour – minging). So while you may think you’re being ultracareful, remembering to wash your hands before handling newborns, disinfecting pens between lambings and putting fresh water in buckets twice daily could bring the mortality rate in your flock down by a substantial amount.

GET THE GEAR

Lambing is not glamorous, so start as you mean to go and invest in decent waterproofs, wellies (comfy ones!) and lots of layers… even in minus temperatures you might find all the physical work means you need to shed a layer or two to cool down. And if you’ve got long hair, get a hat that you can stick it all into – it will save you having to wash who knows what out of it every morning!

GET SOME ZZZZZZ

Sleep is important. You cannot be awake for 24 hours a day and your body will crash if you try to be. It might not be possible, but try and get 6-8 consecutive hours sleep at some point during each 24 hours. You’ll be more use on the farm for it.

You will use a lot of calories during lambing, especially if you’re not used to being on your feet all the time.

Having hearty meals filled with fruit, veg and complex carbohydrates like potatoes and pasta will keep you going, plus porridge or eggs in the morning will set you up right for the day. And don’t forget to have a chocolate biscuit at the ready when you have that energy dip.

HAVE FUN

Whether you’re lambing for the first time or 15th, there’s nothing quite like meeting the first lamb of the season. Enjoy it while it lasts, and share some of your experiences with us on Twitter at @StudentFarmer and #SFLambing.

JANUARY 2019 / #STUDENTFARMER

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03/01/2019 12:23:53

#A PPR EN TIC E

The apprentice

Getting work experience on farm is a great way to get into the industry. Orla McIlduff speaks to Will Binnersley about his time working at Stocks Farm in Worcestershire

N

FU Horticulture Board Chairman Ali Capper is unlike Alan Sugar in more ways than one, especially as Will Binnersley has only ever heard her say “You’re hired” rather than “You’re fired”. Will, who’s 18, completed his A-Levels last year and went to work on Ali’s farm almost immediately.

Although he didn’t grow up on a farm, Will has always had a strong connection with the industry. “My grandfather used to have a farm in Ross-on-Wye, and after speaking to my mum about what to do on my gap year, working at Ali’s farm seemed like something I’d be interested in. Initially, it was just a few weeks of preparing for the apple harvest but then a place became available to work the hop harvest to so I stayed on.”

On top of learning about the ins and outs of what it takes to keep a farm

running, Will learnt about production processes, and said: “I’ve actually learnt a lot about how the farm machinery works, especially the hops machine, which is quite cool. I’ve drank beer before, but I’d never seen a hop or how they’re harvested prior to working here,” said Will. Growing hops can be seen as a bit niche for UK agriculture,

“WORKING HERE HAS ALLOWED ME TO SEE A BIT MORE ABOUT HOW A BUSINESS IS RUN ON A DAYTO-DAY BASIS” but it was one of the earliest crops to have a mechanised harvest, and the machine at Ali’s farm works just as well today as it did in the 1960s when it was first installed. However, it takes a lot of maintenance, and this is where Will and more experienced farm colleagues come to the fore.

The main output of Ali’s farm is horticulture, so, seasonal workers from abroad make up an important part of her workforce. Communicating with colleagues from different countries has been a steep learning curve for Will.

He said: “I’ve had to learn to work in a team where my colleagues don’t always understand what I’m saying and I know now how to interact well with colleagues and clients in general.”

Prior to being employed on the farm, Will’s work experience had been mostly working within his dad’s business with classic cars, which is a very different industry altogether. He said: “It’s been interesting to see the contrast of both businesses, which have different agendas and achieve them in different ways.”

Will hopes to go to university in Bristol in 2019, but working on the farm has given him food for thought about where his career may take him. “I think I want to study Business and Management.

Working here has allowed me to see a bit more about how a business is run on a day-to-day basis. I’ve worked quite closely with the farm manager George since I’ve been here and it’s been so interesting. He looks after the people on the farm, and watching him figure

THE RIGHT ATTITUDE

Ali’s top tips for aspiring farm apprentices RELIABILITY

Be committed to your job ATTITUDE

Come in smiling each day FLEXIBILITY

At least try each job you’re tasked with PUNCTUALITY

Don’t be late for work 26

#STUDENTFARMER / JANUARY 2019

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#APPR E NTIC E

out how to motivate them with a language barrier has been fascinating. There are a few people recruited back each year, but mostly it’s a new intake, which means showing everyone the ropes from basics – not an easy job.”

So what advice would Will give to other teenagers who’ve recently left school but aren’t quite sure what they want to do? “I’d definitely tell them to go and get some experience on a farm. I’ve been trying to encourage my mates to do the same as me but they’re just all too lazy!”

WHAT ALI SAYS ABOUT WILL:

“Will approached us before his A-levels were over, knowing that he was going to take a year out and wanted to earn some money. Initially we said there’s definitely work for the summer months and the harvest, and since then he’s decided he’d like to study business at university so we’re keen to get him involved in some of the office side of the job as much as possible, plus expose him to some NFU and other industry work I do.

“It’s all about attitude and reliability when it comes to taking on employees. He’s been so versatile and happy to switch between different job roles on the farm, from summer pruning to apple thinning, securing tree guards on trees, picking apples and helping with the hop harvest. He’s absolutely demonstrated the right attitude and he always comes in with a smile on his face. Very importantly, he’s always here on time and because of the extreme heat last summer, we had to ask him to work strange hours such as starting work at 5am. That’s a super attitude for a teenager to possess.”

JANUARY 2019 / #STUDENTFARMER

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03/01/2019 12:26:34

# M E DIAAWA RD S

media awards Here at #StudentFarmer, we’re always looking out for ways to bring farming to a wider audience, so we want to celebrate the best of farming in the media in 2018 Best video content

Best use of social media

BEST PODCAST

BEST EVENT OF THE YEAR

Best video content: Succession planning, NFYFC In mid-2018, NFYFC got us all talking about succession with their video looking at a typical farming family. We know it can be a bit awkward sometimes to talk about money with your parents and grandparents, but with something as close to home as a family farm it’s important to know where everyone stands as early as possible. Kudos to the NFYFC for addressing this tough issue!

Visit twitter.com/NFYFC to see the video yourself!

Best use of social media: Combine Karaoke, Ally Hunter-Blair Farmer Ally Hunter-Blair brought his fun take on James Corden’s carpool karaoke by starting his very own combine karaoke.

It took off so much that the BBC sat up and took notice, spreading the farming message far and wide.

Visit bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-45149157/ singing-farmer-is-a-hit to read more.

Best podcast: Bitesized Brexit, NFU So we might be a little biased here, but the NFU’s Bitesized Brexit podcast is a quick and easy way to get to grips with the curveballs Brexit has been throwing at us recently. Detangling the difficult legal jargon and with opinions from the NFU President Minette Batters, it can help you get to grips with how Brexit will affect your farm in less than 10 minutes.

Visit NFUonline.com/podcast to listen for yourself

Best event of the year: Lord Mayor’s Show, Worshipful Company of Farmers We’re always trying to bring the Back British Farming message to an urban audience, and the Worshipful Company of Farmers teamed up with Massey Ferguson and the NFU to do just that in November 2018. #StudentFarmer contributor Katie Anderson was interviewed live on BBC1.

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Runner up: Ahead of the field, NFU Mutual With topics ranging from diversification to agri-contracting and everything in between, this podcast features farmers across the UK who share their experiences.

It aims to entertain while giving an insight into the farming industry.

BEST TWEET

Best tweet: #StudentFarmer, #StarWarsDay On May 4 2018, the #StudentFarmer Twitter account won critical acclaim* with its excellent meme about Princess Poultry Layer. I’m not quite sure why it didn’t break the internet or why #AddAFarmRuinStarWars never quite took off… *self-proclaimed critics, that is. @studentfarmer It's time for #AddAFarmRuinStarWars - how about Princess Poultry Layer? #MayThe4thBeWithYou #StarWarsDay What you got?

Runner up: The Herdwick Shepherd, cute collie puppies No explanation needed really, definitely visit twitter.com/herdyshepherd1 to appreciate the cuteness of the whole video! @herdyshepherd1 When sheepdog pups wake up...

Who? What?

Where?

When?

How?

#STUDENTFARMER / JANUARY 2019

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03/01/2019 12:28:07

OUR DEGREES PUT

YOU RIGHT OUT THERE! WCG offer Honours and Foundation degrees that will put you at the forefront of technology, science and contemporary practice at Moreton Morrell College or Pershore College: • Agri-Tech FdSc • Animal Science / Management / Therapy & Rehabilitation degrees • Arboriculture FdSc • Equine - 8 degree pathways • Veterinary Nursing / Physiotherapy degrees

Book your OPEN DAY now - wcg.ac.uk/openevents

Help school children realise there’s more to farming than livestock and tractors We’re calling on young people with a passion for farming to help inspire year 9 learners to want a career in agriculture. Use the new Future Farming resource, produced by The National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC) and LEAF Education, to spread positive messages about food and farming.

www.nfyfc.org.uk/futurefarming

Future Farming resour ces can be downloade d from the Countryside Cla ssroom or YFC memb ers can request them from Jos ie.murray@nfyfc.org.u k

Fun, Learning and Achievement

Agri Advert 129mm x 88mm.indd 1 ADVERTPAGES.indd 11

Supported by

10/12/2018 14:55 21/12/2018 13:58:37

# d on tgetsc urv y

A MEAL OF

FIRE & RICE

It’s cold, which means food should be hot. Curry enthusiast and chilli grower Tom Sales looks at keeping the cockles up to temperature as the thermometer heads below zero.

Very green chicken curry Pre-2014 food was reassuringly solid. Then everyone got into juicing and the world became confusingly gloopy. But fear not!

The rise of the Nutribullet (others are, of course, available) opens up a world of dead simple curry cooking. Here’s an absolute belter that I cook at least once a month and have done for ages. By the way, you’re probably well aware we grow chillies here, but did you know British coriander is in season between March and October?

Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • • 30

T humb-sized bit of ginger, peeled T hree cloves garlic, peeled J uice from one lemon S alt T hree Red Tractor chicken breast, cut into largish chunks 8 0-100g fresh coriander F our green Thai-type chillies A tomato O ne tablespoon of tomato puree T wo tablespoons of oil 2 50ml natural yoghurt

Method

1. W hizz up the ginger, garlic and the juice from the lemon in your blender/juicer. Add them and half a teaspoon of salt to a bowl, chuck in the chicken and coat it in the mixture. Cover and pop into the fridge for half an hour.

2. D on’t bother rinsing out your blender/juicer and whizz up almost all of the coriander, three chillies, the tomato, tomato puree and half a teaspoon of salt. It will be very green.

3. When you are ready to cook, get the oil good and medium hot in a frying pan and pop in the chicken and its marinade. Cook, stirring, for ten minutes of so until everything reduces down a bit and the chicken has some colour.

4. Add the coriander paste from the blender and cook for five minutes, stirring. Then add the yoghurt and give everything a further stir for a couple of minutes.

5. Turn it all down to medium low and give it 15 minutes, stirring every so often.

6. Roughly chop up the remaining chilli and coriander and add it to the pot. Serve with rice.

#STUDENTFARMER / JANUARY 2019

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#d on tg e tsc urv y

Posh Cajun chicken burger

One recipe that looks harder on paper than it is in practice. These spicy burgers are a proven cure for hangovers. Fact. Make them easier by not bothering with the egg or breadcrumbs (miss out step 4). But make sure you top it all off with the best local ingredients wherever possible.

Ingredients

For the guacamole: •A n avocado, finely chopped • T wo tomatoes, finely chopped •H alf a red onion finely chopped •A tablespoon of white wine vinegar •C hopped fresh mint and coriander •A large red chilli, deseeded and chopped •A clove of garlic, finely chopped For the filling:

•A Red Tractor chicken breast •O ne tablespoon each of cumin, coriander and smoky paprika

•A n egg, beaten •B readcrumbs (you can use your fingers

Method

1. M ake the guacamole by mixing all the ingredients together. Pop it into the fridge.

2. Slightly flatten the chicken breast.

3. Mix up the spices in a small bowl and coat the chicken in it.

4. Dip the chicken into the egg, then into the breadcrumbs.

5. Fry the chicken burger in a little oil for 15-20 minutes. Test with a knife to make sure no pink juices come out and finish it in the oven for ten minutes if you are in any doubt!

6. Assemble your burger. We reckon go guacamole, lettuce, burger and then your optional toppings, but we don’t want to get into a Devon/Cornwall jam and cream debate – it’s up to you!

to make them if you toast the bread very slightly first) •A large bun • T opping options: Lettuce, cheese in thin slices, slices of chorizo, sour cream

JANUARY 2019 / #STUDENTFARMER

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03/01/2019 12:29:35

# p o ultry

data allowance NFU Poultry Industry Programme Participant Tom Glen highlights the benefits of big data

D

ata. You can’t go anywhere nowadays without hearing about how we should be collecting it, using it, protecting it – the list goes on. It feels like every conference speaker refers to data, or actually talks exclusively about how we should be incorporating analysis and technology into our businesses.

We’re hearing about how precision technology, big data, and AI – Artificial Intelligence not bird flu – are going to revolutionise the way that we farm.

While this is certainly exciting, there is a risk of focusing too much on the technological horizon. By looking ahead at what could be, there’s a danger that we could be missing opportunities to make better use of the data and technology we already have on farm.

Poultry producers are already required to measure and record data on a daily and weekly basis for compliance purposes, which, when used in the right way, can provide valuable insights into bird health, performance and welfare.

For example, plotting daily water intake per thousand birds on a paper or Excel chart gives a visual aid to help easily identify small changes in consumption that might otherwise go unnoticed. The tell-tale signs of a potential health issue can often be seen in the water intake a day or two before a significant stall or spike, but the subtle changes are easy to miss when trying to scan a column of numbers on a crop sheet.

There are benefits to be had from delving a little deeper into the figures dutifully recorded each day on the crop chart. The issue for most farm managers is having enough time and the right

32

resources available to turn data into useful information.

To help broiler producers overcome this challenge, AB Agri has developed a clever tool that provides technical insights and visualises performance data in real time.

Total Farm Performance replaces the conventional paper crop chart with a smartphone or tablet app that automatically analyses day-to-day environmental and performance data.

Instead of writing daily records on

“POULTRY PRODUCERS ARE ALREADY REQUIRED TO MEASURE AND RECORD DATA ON A DAILY AND WEEKLY BASIS FOR COMPLIANCE PURPOSES, WHICH, WHEN USED IN THE RIGHT WAY, CAN PROVIDE VALUABLE INSIGHTS INTO BIRD HEALTH, PERFORMANCE AND WELFARE.”

paper, they can be typed into the app and uploaded to a secure cloud storage area for the farm or business. This means that it can work with existing equipment on any farm, and does not require any additional sensors.

The system analyses the data as it is uploaded and provides instant alerts, insights and advice back through the app to the stocksperson’s pocket. An online portal allows stockspeople, managers and business owners to log in and track their farm performance, benchmark their results and keep track of any alerts that have been triggered.

By highlighting areas that may need attention automatically, it focuses the stocksperson or farm manager’s time in the places it’s most needed, and provides the information needed to react quickly to any potential issues.

Keeping on top of farm data is a powerful tool in driving performance and bird welfare, and can help identify opportunities for improvements on farm that increase efficiency and ultimately deliver financial gain.

From bovine to birds, data on farm is increasing and can be useful in the right hands

#STUDENTFARMER / JANUARY 2019

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Have animals, will travel

34

Being an NFU Student & Young Farmer member beings you more benefits than just this awesome magazine – completing a transport of animals Certificate of Competence for a big discount is a good opportunity to make yourself more employable

#STUDENTFARMER / JANUARY 2019

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#A N I M A LTR ANSPO RT

GET ON A COURSE NEAR YOU To register your interest, please contact your regional office below:

NORTH WEST

t: 01695 554900 e: north.west@nfu.org.uk

NORTH EAST

t: 01904 451550 e: north.east@nfu.org.uk

S

o you’re gonna be a farmer, but there’s a few things on the average ‘gonna be a farmer’ ticklist that need to be sorted by the time you get on the ladder of owning, renting or managing your own land. And regardless of whether you’d prefer to go down the route of working with livestock, arable, dairy or hort, the chances are you are going to need to move some animals at some point during your career. This could be pigs or cattle, or even horses or your trusty dog – whatever, you need to be clued up on how to do this in the best manner that ensures safe animal welfare in transit.

This is why the government introduced a Certificate of Competence a bunch of years ago for anyone transporting animals more than 65km.

Since then, organisations and companies have offered training but it’s comes at an expense. They range from costing £165 to £80 per person per module. But to Student & Young Farmer members (and readers of #StudentFarmer magazine), the NFU has organised an incredible discount that brings the cost down to just £35 + VAT. This is crazy good value, and not just that, the course is all over and done with after a few hours. You could muck out the pigs in the morning, go to the course and be back on farm for an afternoon feed, and you’ll have everything sorted to travel with animals.

We caught up with Caroline Rhodes (pictured above), who achieved her Certificate of Competence last summer.

Caroline mainly works for her family and they mainly farm arable produce,

WEST MIDLANDS

“WHILE I HAVEN’T HAD MUCH TO DO WITH THE TRANSPORT SIDE OF THINGS, I COULD DO NOW, OR I COULD IF I WAS TO GET A DIFFERENT JOB” but they have a few sheep, a couple of chickens and pigs. She said: “But it’ll be useful in the future to have. If we got some more animals on the home farm I could transport them around.”

Instead, the certificate could probably be more of use in a second job she has at a separate dairy farm. “At home I spend the summers combining and grain carting, and while I haven’t had much to do with the transport side of things, I could do now, or I could if I was to get a different job.”

And that’s the key – it would look a lot better on a CV if and when Caroline is looking to get another job where she will be working with livestock more often.

She has certainly had some experience working with animals when she studied at Harper Adams on a general BSc in Agriculture.

For those who aren’t great learners or didn’t go to college or university because they don’t feel confident in those environments, this course is not intimidating. And the test portion of the course is multiple choice, which makes things a little simpler.

Caroline said: “We sat in room and had a presentation. We then covered general road safety stuff in terms of vehicle transporting. But then we went through

t: 01952 400500 e: west.midlands@nfu.org.uk

EAST MIDLANDS

t: 01572 824250 e: east.midlands@nfu.org.uk

SOUTH WEST

t: 01392 440700 e: south.west@nfu.org.uk

SOUTH EAST

t: 01730 711950 e: south.east@nfu.org.uk

EAST ANGLIA

t: 01638 672100 e: east.anglia@nfu.org.uk

NFU CYMRU

t: 01982 554200 e: nfu.cymru@nfu.org.uk

some specific information relating to each animal, what degree angle you will need to be the slope of the ramp at, what lighting particular animals need and how often you need to stop.

“I did separate animal tests for cattle, sheep pigs and horses, and I’ve since loaded cattle on to trailers at the dairy farm, loaded them onto lorries and moved sheep around farm.

“A lot of the course was making sure you were doing everything correctly on the animal welfare side of it, recognising when animals can’t got on if they’re injured or sick, and keeping them safe in transit. It’s definitely worth it. It’s a good plus point if they’re trying to get a job and if you’re working.”

JANUARY 2019 / #STUDENTFARMER

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03/01/2019 12:30:36

COULD THIS BE YOUR FUTURE? Farming and food production are going to be centre stage, whatever happens after Brexit.

Food security, sustainability, nutrition, food waste, environmental protection… they’re all up there among

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which is of good quality and affordable.

It’s worth remembering that jobs in the food industry tend to be well paid!

Thought of these careers?

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We offer a range of degrees, diplomas and apprenticeships in a wide range of subjects – so there’s definitely a course for you!

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looking for a career in farming and agriculture?

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21/12/2018 14:00:37

10

#TE NANCY

tips for tendering for a tenancy

Getting your foot on the farming ladder is tough. Alex Macdonald of Sussex-based land agents and farm consultants CLM helps you make the most of opportunities to rent land when they arise

1. NETWORKING NOUS

Forge relationships with rural professionals. You’ll become a known quantity to them and will be less likely to be overlooked. You might be surprised how many opportunities for a new tenancy never make it to the open market. A bit of inside knowledge goes a long way and can save you time and money. Get out there shaking hands and keep an eye on the rural press and the TFA’s website.

2. TAKE IN THE VIEW

If there is a viewing, make sure you go and introduce yourself to those overseeing the tender. Treat the viewing day as part of the application process. Be enthusiastic to everyone you meet and dress relatively smartly. Speak to the letting agent and try to impress them with your passion and professionalism.

3. WHAT DO THEY WANT?

Understand the aims of the landlord. If shooting is a key aspect of the estate, will your proposals work alongside it? A county council might be looking for a longer-term relationship with a tenant rather than simply focusing on the economic aspect of your tender. Some will be more focused on the environmental dimension. Show you will be a good steward of the land and will keep the land in good heart.

4. LOOK IN THE MIRROR

While it is clearly a good idea to construct a proposal showing you are likely to do well, it’s also useful to consider any potential shortcomings. Be honest with – it will help you prepare for any questions should you be shortlisted.

5. SHOW DON’T TELL

If you haven’t got evidence from a previous tenancy to share, wow them with evidence of training, qualifications and experience? Show you’re hardworking, keen and reliable. And have good references – maybe former employers or your bank manager?

6. STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD

Don’t try to match your tender rent to those of other applicants. Work out what you think is affordable for your enterprises and stick to that. Attempting to win at all costs will only lead to problems down the line.

Follow this list and you might find yourself on the top of one to get your first farm

7. DO YOUR SUMS

If you make it through to the interview, you might have to justify your figures – make sure they add up. Produce costings for all the enterprises and make sure you know how any potential price changes of inputs and outputs will affect the profitability of your proposals. Benchmarking is a good tool to show how fluctuations will impact your proposal.

8. PRESENTATION POWER

However good your pitch may be, a poorly presented tender will be marked down, even if subconsciously. Enclose a covering letter and ensure the bid and associated documents are not riddled with grammar and spelling mistakes. A handwritten bid on one side of A4 is unlikely to impress!

9. TAKE TIME

Putting together a winning tender is not a quick task. This isn’t like cramming for a college or uni assignment – don’t try to rush it the night before. Leave yourself plenty of time and discuss it with people whose opinion you value and trust.

10. CHIN UP

If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. The recent Agriculture Bill brings the prospect of (warning: Defra jargon alert) ‘delinking’, which may free up more land for new tenancies – tenants approaching the end of their careers could see it as a golden opportunity to retire. There are opportunities out there – good luck!

JANUARY 2019 / #STUDENTFARMER

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03/01/2019 12:31:05

# FAR M LAN D B I RD CO UNT

Everybody knows that one bird…

The Big Farmland Bird Count is coming – to help you spot them, here are the looks and characteristics of some birds that might remind you of someone you recognise from school, college, uni or work The NFU wants farmers and aggy types to help out with the Big Farmland Bird Count this year on 8-17 February to discover what birds, and how many of them, visit UK farms. Maybe take a break on farm, or tell your teacher that you need to do it and it’ll help you get out of lecturers for an hour. You can find a full spotters guide at www.bfbc.org.uk and can submit your results there as well.

FELICIA THAT FRIEND WHO’S ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT SENSITIVE Generally a pretty good looking bird, but whatever you do, avoid mentioning how big her nose is – even though it’s actually pretty useful having a beak that big, as it helps her scoop up food in forest areas. She is also a bit sensitive about her little legs, but makes up for it with beautiful blues and oranges in her plumage.

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#STUDENTFARMER / JANUARY 2019

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#FA R M L A N DBIR DCO UNT JEN AND JON THAT COUPLE WHO DO NOTHING BUT ARGUE These mistle thrush guys are so sweet and everybody loves them, especially the way they always wear matching outfits. While they love each very much, for some reason this couple does nothing but bicker. They have grey-brown feathers on top with black spots on a pale yellow belly.

THE SHANKS THE COOL KIDS THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT INTIMIDATING WOODY THAT FRIEND THAT DOES EVERYTHING JUST A LITTLE BID WEIRD Between jabbing his beak into trees for food or to build a nest, and getting his head stuck between the railings of this bird feeder, the great spotted woodpecker is one of the oddest birds you might find on farm. Woody usually has black and white feathers with tufts around his belly and bum.

CHAD THE FRIEND THAT SHOWS OFF HIS BEST FEATURES

These guys all dress the same and can usually be seen wading about in mud and soil with their long snouts and long orange legs. This way, the redshanks keep dirt away from their pale speckled brown, podgy bellies, because, of course, they have to make sure they look cool at all times.

TARQUIN THAT GUY WHO ALWAYS LOOKS FABULOUS It’s amazing, but also a little frustrating, that this lapwing’s hair is perfect every single day – how does he get that flick at the right angle all the time? The rest of the plumage is pretty straight forward black and white, but you will occasionally see him peacocking with orange, brown and green colours depending on his mood.

SASKIA THAT FRIEND WHO MAY BE SMALL BUT SHE IS FIERCE

You know those guys who clearly work out their chest and arms, and always wear tanktops to show it off? That’s Chad the chaffinch all over. His wings, quite frankly, could be from a pigeon – black and white with grey layers – but he will use any excuse to puff out his proud, red chest.

BOB THAT FRIEND THAT THINKS HE’S SOMETHING HE’S NOT

This siskin loves wearing bold colours and watching everyone from afar – not saying anything, just silently judging, usually from the tops of trees. Her look is strong with bold blacks, oranges and yellows in tight formations.

This hawfinch is not a duck. He is probably just taking a drink in this picture – most hawfinches tend not to float on top of a pond for long periods of time – but, whatever floats your boat, Bob. He’s got a head that looks a little bit like a dodo but with sleek, colourful feathers.

JANUARY 2019 / #STUDENTFARMER

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03/01/2019 12:32:05

# ON TOUR

The #SF team hit the road in the first term to meet students around the country – here are Isabella Clarke-Price’s thoughts from the tour bus

Hartpury

First up on our tour was a visit to Hartpury University and College in Gloucester to visit their freshers' fair. Luckily for us, our table was near the Nandos stand giving out free wings, so we managed to grab hungry students for a chat. We met some really enthusiastic and passionate students who were interested in talking to us. One in particular spoke of the anxieties his brothers were facing in taking over the family farm from their father who had recently died. They were pleased to hear about the advice and support they now have access to as a Student & Young Farmer member of the NFU.

RAU

Our second stop was another fresher’s fair, this time at the Royal Agricultural University. No wind issues at this one but there was some fierce competition from the handbag stand. Fresher’s week was coming to an end at this point so the bright eyed students we had seen a week before were now sporting some hoarse voices and looking a little worse for wear. This didn’t stop us from talking their ears off about the benefits of a #StudentFarmer membership though, with the 10% saving on trailer training proving a big hit.

We explained why British farming, and the various careers it can offer, is a good option, and highlighted the ways the NFU can help.

Reading

Next we headed to Reading University armed with a food basket full of British produce and free ice scrapers to fend off the suddenly colder weather. This time we brought along graduate trainee Imogen English and placement student Ruby Powell. As the university offers courses with a year in industry option, many students were interested in talking to Ruby about her experience.

She said: “I wanted to emphasise to students that the placement is a great opportunity to work with knowledgeable and passionate people in the farming industry.” The students were keen to learn about her time in the Brussels office working with other European farming unions, and the fund the NFU offers to complete a dissertation about the food chain.

Birmingham

Last but not least was Birmingham University with Ali Parker, who is in her second year of the marketing and communications graduate scheme.

She was able to offer an insight into what it’s like to work at NFU HQ and also a in an NFU regional office.

Suky Dhaliwal, from the HR team, emphasised the importance of our attendance at these events. She said: “The NFU is committed to growing its own talent and our graduate schemes allow graduates to join the NFU, grow their knowledge and skills and go on to successful and rewarding careers in the organisation. ”

want us to visit your fair?

Email the editor of #StudentFarmer, Huw Hopkins, at huw.hopkins@nfu.org.uk and we could be heading to see you in 2019.

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#STUDENTFARMER / JANUARY 2019

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# F REESTUFF

Don’t take it from us…

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…Student & Young Farmer members love being part of the NFU, and you will too

T

he NFU Student & Young Farmer membership is free to students and YFC members. It allows you to have a say and contribute towards the future of agriculture and horticulture, and you will benefit from access to experts in policy, food and farming, as well as bonus perks exclusive to you.

Join the largest and OR F most influential farming IN JO association and receive: • Access to your local group secretary, NFU meetings and industry debates • The latest news and briefings from our policy experts and NFU Bulletin #StudentFarmer and British Farmer • & Grower magazines delivered to your door • 10% saving on trailer training • Welfare of Animals in Transport test for £35+ VAT • Huge savings with Merlin Attractions (Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and many more) • Special and heavily discounted member rates to attend the NFU Annual Conference and other discounts

!

E E

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“I would strongly recommend becoming a NFU Student Farmer member as there is so much to learn and different meetings to go to.

You are treated the same as a full NFU member and the benefits are incredible.”

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“Being a Student Farmer member keeps you informed with useful information and events, and it’s free!”

Dan Hawes

Quentin Watson

To find out more and sign up, visit www.nfuonline.com/student/ or call NFU CallFirst on 0370 845 8458 to find out more about the benefits offered by NFU student and young farmer membership

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Liam Watson

“Being a student member of the NFU alerts you too many opportunities in the agricultural sector that you may not otherwise hear about. It’s a great way to make more contacts in the industry which can help to develop your career.”

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04/09/20

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#STUDENTFARMER / JANUARY 2019

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• • • • • • •

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21/12/2018 13:53:17