#STUDENTFARMER - JANUARY 2021 by STUDENT FARMER

THE FRESH START EDITION

JANUARY 2021

A FRESH START We’ve made it to 2021, we’ve got a deal, but where do we go from here?

INSIDE THIS EDITION:

· Farming through Covid · An industry for everyone · The best of British food

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Astudiwch ar ein Fferm 970 Erw Flaenllaw yng Ngholeg Cambria Llysfasi • Amaethyddiaeth • Peirianneg Amaethyddol • Coedwigaeth a Chefn Gwlad • Gofal a Rheolaeth Anifeiliaid

• Cyrsiau Llawn Amser a Chyrsiau Rhan Amser • Cyrsiau byr gan gynnwys Cyswllt Ffermio • Prentisiaethau

DIGWYDDIADAU AGORED Rydym yn dilyn canllawiau Llywodraeth Cymru; felly byddwn yn cynnal y digwyddiadau hyn yn rhithwir os na allwn eu cynnal wyneb yn wyneb. Ewch i’n gwefan i weld y wybodaeth ddiweddaraf.

#CreuEichGyrfaYnCambria

Study on our 970 acre Industry Leading Mixed Enterprise Farm at Coleg Cambria Llysfasi • Agriculture • Agricultural Engineering • Forestry and Countryside •Animal Care and Management

• Full Time and Part Time Courses • Short Courses including Farming Connect • Apprenticeships

OPEN EVENTS

We follow guidelines from the Welsh Government; these events will be held virtually if we are not able to hold them face-to-face. Visit our website for the latest information.

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#CONTENTS

PUBLISHED BY: NFU, Agriculture House, Stoneleigh Park, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, CV8 2TZ FILLED WITH WORDS BY: Huw Hopkins, Orla McIlduff, Gail Soutar, Victoria Sanderson, Harriet Bartlett, Joe Bramall, Karl Franklin, Nia Borsey, Katie Smith, Zoe Legg, Hayley Campbell-Gibbons, Roger Ranson, George Biss, Molly Chenery DESIGNED BY: John Cottle PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS: John Cottle, Toby Lea, Hartpury University, RABI, Orla McIlduff, Navaratnam Partheeban, Peter Rhys Williams, Chris Booth, Stephen Pond, Howard Barlow, Emily Whitfield-Wicks, Alamy, iStock, Shutterstock, Katie Smith TO ADVERTISE, CONTACT: alan.brown@nfu.org.uk CONTACT: studentfarmer@nfu.org.uk /StudentFarmer @studentfarmer @studentfarmer

05 09 12 14 16 17 19 22 26 27 29 32 34 36 38

WHERE DO WE GO NOW? FARMING STOPS FOR NO VIRUS THE MASKED FARMER USE YOUR VOICE THE LEARNED RABI DEFENDING THE NEWBIES STEP UP WITH ZOETIS PAID LESS, FOR THE SAME? OUR SURVEY SAYS BRAND ON POINT APPENINGS AT THE NFU NEW SCIENTIST DIGITAL FINDING HOMES FOR FOOD ON CAMPUS RISING TO THE CLIMATE CHALLENGE

A FRESH START Where I’m from (sunny County Down), we start most conversations by asking “what’s the craic?” This can mean many things, including, but not limited to, “how are you?”, “is there any gossip?” or just plain “what’s happening?” And let me tell you, there’s a lot happening at the moment. Since our last edition of #StudentFarmer in September, we’ve left the EU with a trade deal (just about), there have been two national lockdowns and we’ve moved into a new year. Many of us will also sadly be separated from or have lost loved ones due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. And all the while, you, the members of our wonderful food and farming industry, are keeping us fed and watered. Your hard work isn’t going unnoticed, thank you. So, while it may not feel like a massively fresh start, all the goings on in Westminster and Brussels mean we’re definitely on the cusp of a new beginning for the industry. But where are we actually with the agricultural transition and what will it mean for farming now we’ve left the EU? The answers to this are complex and ever-changing, but we’ve done our best to break it down on pages 5, 6 and 7. Covid-19 and Brexit have presented some opportunities, and if you’re one of the many innovative people who’ve started a new business during lockdown, get tips and trick on how to market your work on page 27. If there’s one thing I’ve taken on as a personal New Year’s resolution, it's to challenge myself to be kinder to other people and also to myself. With this in mind, we’ve got some really interesting reads about diversity, inclusivity and looking after our mental health from page 15. If you’re struggling or feeling unsupported, remember you’re not alone, so reach out to a friend, colleague or take a look at the services offered by our farming charity partner, RABI, on page 16. The days are short, the weather is cold and we can’t see our loved ones, so even if it’s just a nice reply on social media or picking up the phone to someone you haven’t heard from in a while, please try and share some joy. My New Year’s challenge to you is to ask one person each day “what’s the craic?” and check they're doing ok. Orla McIlduff Editor, #StudentFarmer January 2021

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06/01/2021 12:43:46

THE DEAL IS FINALLY DONE

How was history made and what does it means for UK farmers? Orla McIlduff finds out more...

ast your mind back to 2016. One Dance by Drake and Closer by The Chainsmokers were the most-streamed songs, and Game of Thrones was still the biggest show on TV. Oh, and small thing called the EU referendum happened, when just over half of the UK voted to leave the EU. It was the catalyst for what we now call ‘Brexit’. Some of you might not even have been eligible to vote at that point. And although it seems a very long time ago (I was still at university, just about!), we’re only just ironing out the kinks in the detail now.

“THE SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF A DEAL BETWEEN THE UK AND EU IS VERY POSITIVE NEWS FOR BRITISH AGRICULTURE” Minette Batters, NFU President

It took four and a half years for the UK to secure a deal that allows trade with the EU to continue without tariffs and quotas.

WHY DOES A DEAL MATTER?

There is more than £14 billion worth of export sales from the UK to the EU each year. Many farmers, such as those in the sheep sector, rely heavily on EU markets. NFU President Minette Batters said: “The successful conclusion of a deal between the UK and EU is very positive news for British agriculture. “The EU is our largest trading partner and we have been clear throughout negotiations that maintaining tariff-free access to the EU market was absolutely crucial for our food and farming industry – not only for farmers’ businesses and livelihoods, but for our ability to continue to provide a secure supply of quality, home-grown food for the nation.”

She added that the NFU had worked hard to ensure vital recognitions were in place ahead of January 1 to safeguard trade in key areas, deal or no deal. ‘Third country listing’ status was granted in late December, in effect recognising UK biosecurity and animal health practices, and the EU had also agreed to recognise UK organics certification bodies.

WHAT NOW?

Deal or no deal, EU exit was always likely to bring disruption, with new checks and paperwork as the UK became an independent trading nation leading to delays around the border ports. The deal will improve matters, but with only two categories of agri-food products – single loads of seafood and day-old chicks – given special, queue-jumping status,

Mrs Batters urged government to redouble efforts to manage disruption. She added: “We anticipate there will still be disruption at the border. “It is vital that the government does all it can now to prioritise exports of our high quality, perishable agricultural products to make sure that these products are not left languishing in queues. “I would urge both the UK and EU to now use the basis of this deal to continue talks to manage any disruption we may experience.”

JARGON BUSTER EUROPEAN UNION (EU)

The EU is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. As of 1 January 2021, the UK is no longer in the EU.

TARIFF

A tax or duty to be paid on a particular class of imports or exports.

QUOTA

A limited quantity of a particular product that can be produced, exported or imported under official controls .

THIRD-COUNTRY

The term ‘third country’ means a country that is not a member of the EU and falls outside its economic structures (the single market and the customs union). Businesses in a third country have to fill in customs declarations when they import from and export to the EU – whether there is a trade agreement or not.

FREE TRADE AGREEMENT (FTA)

A treaty between two or more countries to establish a free trade area, where commerce in goods and services can be conducted across their common borders, without tariffs or hindrances but (in contrast to a common market) capital or labour may not move freely. EU member countries usually impose a uniform tariff on trade with non-member countries.

January 2021

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#BREXIT

10 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE DEAL

Chief EU Exit and International Trade Adviser Gail Soutar takes a look at the EU Free Trade Agreement and identifies 10 points to help farmers navigate the deal

DESPITE THE 'DEAL', THINGS ARE CHANGING

Despite the new Free Trade Agreement between the EU and UK, the UK left the EU Single Market and Customs Union on 1 January 2021 and there will be changes to the way in which we trade with the EU and the EU trades with us. There will also be changes to the way we trade with Northern Ireland.

ZERO TARIFFS, QUOTAS OR CHARGES

The UK and the EU have agreed to maintain free market access for trade in goods, ensuring there are no tariffs, fees, charges or quantitative restrictions on trade in manufactured and agricultural goods between the UK and the EU.

RULES OF ORIGIN

SANITARY PHYTOSANITARY (SPS) RULES

The UK will maintain its own autonomous SPS regime to protect human, animal and plant life and health and the environment, reflecting its existing high standards. Access to the EU market will be conditional on UK product meeting EU SPS standards (and vice versa).

LEVEL PLAYING FIELD

Free access to each other’s market is conditional on both sides respecting strong ‘fairness’ commitments, known as the Level Playing Field. To deliver this in the farming context, the UK and EU have agreed that environmental standards will not regress from the baseline of current standards.

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ORGANICS

Certification bodies that approve UK and EU organic for sale on each other’s markets will continue to be recognised as having “equivalent” standards for three years, with a review clause after 12 months. This means UK organic product can continue to be sold in the EU market and vice versa.

There are rules in the agreement that determine whether a product is entitled to benefit from the tariff-free access both sides have agreed. In effect, goods produced with inputs wholly from the UK will benefit. Goods produced from UK and EU ingredients will also be able to benefit from tariff-free access, provided the EU materials are further processed to a sufficient degree. However, some processed and manufactured goods that use ingredients from third countries will not qualify.

GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATORS (GI)

The UK’s new domestic GI scheme was launched on 1 January 2021. Products from the UK currently certified with GI status in the EU will automatically be legally protected under the new scheme and will continue to receive protection in the EU under the current EU scheme.

EU LISTINGS AND APPROVALS IN PLACE

The necessary EU authorisations are in place across a number of UK sectors to comply with the complex web of EU marketing standards rules and plant health and plant marketing requirements. The notable exception is seed potatoes.

ROLLING OVER 90% OF THE TRADE DEALS

The EU has 45 trade agreements in place covering 77 partner countries. The UK Government has been working with partner countries to ‘roll over’ these agreements so they apply in a UK-only context.

A NEW IMMIGRATION POLICY

From 1 January 2021, the UK will have full control of its immigration policy. Free movement of people will be replaced with a future immigration system, a key component of which will be the new ‘points-based’ visa system. The UK Government recently announced it would extend the Seasonal Workers Pilot for a further year, and expand the number of visas available to 30,000. It’s all really quite complicated, but if you want more information, visit NFUonline.com/Brexit

January 2021

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#BREXIT

BREXIT BEHIND THE SCENES BY NUMBERS

The deal is done, but how did the NFU make sure British farming was never forgotten during negotiations? Here's how the behind-the-scenes numbers stack up from 2016 to 2020

+1,000,000

Trade and Agriculture Commission created by government following intense lobbying by the NFU to help safeguard our high food and farming standards

people who signed the NFUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s petition to protect and maintain food standards in any post-Brexit trade deals

face-to-face meetings with two Prime Ministers

official government consultation responses submitted

Parliamentary Bills influenced

78,000

people wrote to their MPs urging them to support the introduction of a Trade and Agriculture Commission

meetings with different European Commissioners, including the European Unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chief Brexit Negotiator Michel Barnier

evidence submissions to Parliamentary Committee inquiries

P TAKEOVER

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MAY 2020

L EDITION

SEPTEMBER 2020

editions of #StudentFarmer magazine, making sure NFU Student & Young Farmer members have been kept up to date

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Joe Bramall

Eveey Hunter

Harriett Bartlett

THE NEW NORMAL We might be virtually

but we're still actually

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21/04/2020

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Matthew Rollason

Nia Borsey

Zoe Legg

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evidence submissions to Parliamentary Committee inquiries

NFU Student & Young Farmer ambassadors appointed to have a say on the future of farming January 2021

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Mae campws Glynllifon ar ystâd ysblennydd Glynllifon ger Caernarfon yn arbenigo mewn cyrsiau diwydiannau’r tir, yn cynnwys:

Our Glynllifon Campus is based on the stunning Glynllifon Estate near Caernarfon and specialises in a range of land-based courses, including:

• Amaethyddiaeth • Astudiaethau Anifeiliaid • Coedwigaeth a Rheoli Cefn Gwlad • Technoleg Diwydiannau’r Tir • Nyrsio Milfeddygol

• Agriculture • Animal Studies • Forestry & Countryside Management • Land-based Technology • Veterinary Nursing

Rydym yn cynhyrchu da byw ar ein fferm fasnachol 300 erw a saif yng nghanol coetir, parcdir a chynefinoedd bywyd gwyllt, ac ymhlith y cyfleusterau a gynigiwn ar ein campws mae:

Our 300 hectares of commercial livestock farm is surrounded by woodland, park and wildlife habitats, and our campus contains a number of facilities, including:

• Y Ganolfan Astudiaethau Anifeiliaid • Y Ganolfan Beirianneg • Bloc addysgu a gostiodd £7.4M i’w godi • Efelychydd ‘Tenstar’ newydd gwerth £70,000

• Animal Studies Centre • Engineering Centre • £7.4 million teaching block • New £70,000 ‘Tenstar’ training simulator

Bob blwyddyn bydd ein myfyrwyr yn cael canlyniadau rhagorol, ac blwyddyn diwethaf y gyfradd llwyddiant ar ein cyrsiau amaethyddol oedd 100%.

Every year our students achieve excellent results, including last year a 100% pass rate in all agriculture courses.

Coleg Glynllifon: 01286 830 261 Caernarfon LL54 5DU www.gllm.ac.uk/glynllifon ymholiadau.glynllifon@gllm.ac.uk enquiries.glynllifon@gllm.ac.uk

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06/01/2021 16:10:01

#COVID-19

FARMING STOPS FOR NO VIRUS The 2020/2021 cohort of NFU Student & Young

Farmer ambassadors certainly haven’t allowed a tiny thing like a global pandemic get in the way of them and backing British farming! Here’s how they’ve been getting on:

HARRIET BARTLETT EAST ANGLIA It is hard to believe it was only a few months ago that we were announced as the new Student & Young Farmer ambassadors. To say it has been busy is an understatement. To say it has been exciting is an even greater understatement! Before my time on the ambassador programme started, my exposure to the agricultural industry was largely limited to my preclinical vet farm placements and the pig farm assessments I am carrying out for my PhD. The ambassador program has taught me a huge amount about the challenges the industry faces, from the net zero 2040 goal to rural crime, the agricultural bill and trade deals. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to meet with, learn from, and be inspired by the NFU’s senior representatives. I feel very privileged to have appeared on BBC Farming Today and Radio Cambridgeshire, written articles for British Farmer & Grower, East Anglian Farming World and Farmers Guardian, all talking about challenges and opportunities in agriculture. And all while collecting data for my PhD, which aims to identify optimal pig systems in terms of their carbon footprint, land footprint, antibiotic use and animal welfare. I am nearing the end of the data collection for my main PhD project and I hope to be able to share some results soon!. Unfortunately, Covid-19 has meant some major changes to the programme, I have thoroughly enjoyed it so far and am really looking forward to the months ahead.

JOE BRAMALL NORTH WEST The voice of British farming certainly hasn’t been stopped by the pandemic. Our first port of call as ambassadors was a two-day induction meeting each other and showing us virtually ‘around’ the NFU. We were introduced to the external affairs, policy making and campaigns teams. Meeting the Student & Young Farmer Ambassador line-up over video call didn’t stop us from building good relationships, we had a good laugh over the couple of days and I can’t wait to meet them all in real life! The media and writing training was great and I have been able to put it into practice, writing a Young Farmer Focus article for the Farmers Guardian and various articles for #SF magazine. I have also been able to put the media training

“THE AGRICULTURE BILL WAS A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE OF BRITISH AGRICULTURE AND IT'S BRILLIANT TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF AN ORGANISATION LOBBYING FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMING FOR OUR GENERATION” into practice joining BBC Radio Shropshire to discuss the Agriculture Bill and specifically the Trade and Agriculture Commission. Since then, I’ve been really pleased to see the commission gain more powers. This means MPs are advised on the impact of every trade deal to British agriculture before they vote for or against a trade deal. The Agriculture Bill was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help shape the future of British agriculture and it feels brilliant to have had the opportunity to be a part of an organisation that is lobbying for sustainable farming for our generation in the future. At the end of the induction we were joined by last year’s line-up of ambassadors and the NFU President Minette Batters for a Q&A session. It was great to have the opportunity to meet and quiz her on matters that we as the next agricultural generation care about. January 2021

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#COVID-19

NIA BORSEY WALES Becoming a Student & Young Farmer ambassador is simply amazing! I still cannot quite believe I am one of the lucky 11, and I have to say all my fellow ambassadors are lovely people (sadly, we have not met in person yet), for now it’s meeting in the virtual world. It’s great we have our social media platforms to engage with our followers, the public, in raising awareness of key issues and a general sense of providing information and educating on matters within our industry. Similarly, in person, I have found the programme so easy to blend into my daily job as a planner working for Fisher

“I AM LOOKING FORWARD HELPING CHANGE PERCEPTIONS WITHIN THE INDUSTRY. I’M ESPECIALLY KEEN TO REACH OUT TO THOSE, LIKE ME, FROM A NON-FARMING BACKGROUND AND FEMALES ENTERING THE INDUSTRY” German. Visiting my clients farms, engaging and discussing not only the main reason I’m there (being planning potential for them), but they have become aware on my role within the NFU and discuss other issues, which they may have read in the press and a great informative conversation can be created. I feel extremely lucky to hold my position. Of course, this year is slightly different, however, our social media platforms are as active as ever getting our messages across. I am looking forward helping change perceptions within the industry. I’m especially keen to reach out to those, like me, from a non-farming background and females entering the industry. Let’s change the stereotypes! I really would like to (post-Covid-19) be able to talk to my local schools about agriculture, something I found my school education lacked. I am excited to see what 2021 holds for the programme in this ‘new normal’ and fingers crossed we all get to meet in person very soon!

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KARL FRANKLIN SOUTH EAST The first four months of being an NFU Student & Young Farmer ambassador have been amazing. The other 10 ambassadors and I may have only met virtually, through many video calls, but I feel like I know them all so well already. A day doesn’t go by when we aren’t Snapchatting or sharing each other’s posts and successes online. We are quite the team and Covid-19 may be stopping us from attending events, but it won’t stop us having a strong and influential presence online and in the media. Some might say that I get a little excited when it comes to anything on Instagram, so when we were able to get involved on Back British Farming Day to showcase our industry, I loved every minute of it. I was proud to wear my wool and wheat pin badge alongside many others, spread awareness and show my support. If that wasn’t cool enough, I took over the NFU Countryside Instagram account at the end of November to show what I get up to on a daily basis! As part of the programme, we have had a lot of media training, which has given me lots of useful tips and helped my confidence when talking to the media. Just recently this was put into practice when I had the opportunity to speak on BBC Radio 2, after I texted in to Zoe Ball’s breakfast show, about my ram, Rambo and tupping week. I got the chance to speak to Zoe at the start and the end of tupping week as part of her Monday Manifestos. They also requested to speak to me again in the Spring when it comes to lambing season. This is only the beginning of what is to come of our year as ambassadors, and I look forward to all of the new and exciting experiences to come!

January 2021

12/01/2021 14:17:18

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06/01/2021 12:44:03

#COVID-19

FACING FACTS ABOUT MASKS How farmers have been playing their part at livestock marts to ensure the industry stays safe during Covid-19

e can recover from a runny nose or a seasonal cold in a few days, but when Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced further lockdown measures to start 2021, it drove home that the UK was not just trying to shake off a case of the sniffles. Farmers are used to working in isolation, so maintaining a two-metre distance is easier than in other industries. That means communal workplaces like livestock marts fulfil a social, as well as a business component. But these weekly

LAA GUIDANCE SAYS

•

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Vendors must be instructed to deliver their animals to the loading docks (remaining in their vehicles) whilst the market staff unload the vehicle and take the animals to their pens. Vendors must not take the paperwork to the market office themselves, or enter the market pennage area for any reason. The number of buyers must be restricted to allow Social Distancing. At the conclusion of the sale, buyers must enter the sales office in a way that does not result in too many entering at any one time. Buyers should be asked to sanitise on entry to the market and again on exit.

meet-ups haven’t really been used to catch up with old friends for the past few months, and if you attended a livestock mart recently, farmers are being urged to take safety seriously. “It’s a matter of thinking what’s best for yourself and your business; if wearing a mask is bad as it gets, it’s not that bad.” Will Case is a tenant farmer in Ulverston, Cumbria, and he appreciates that doing simple things like washing your hands and wearing a mask is important – not just to protect yourself and those around you, but to protect the industry. So, he was pleased with what he saw during a visit to Lawrie & Symington Auction Market in Lanark. He said: “All the rules were pretty well observed, and the vast majority were doing as much as possible. “I think we all realise that if we don’t, there is every chance that marts will be closed down. We want a fully operational market, and if it’s just a matter of wearing a mask it’s a small price to pay.” When the nation first started being impacted by coronavirus restrictions, the NFU threw its support behind guidance that Defra developed with the Livestock Auctioneers Association (LAA). Selling of breeding stock through the live ring ceased in March, but as livestock marts started to re-open and become busy as sheep were prepared for sale, NFU Livestock Board Chairman Richard

Findlay told fellow farmers to continue to follow guidelines. In September, he said: “I’m urging all farmers attending livestock marts and sales to follow the guidelines on social distancing, hand hygiene and wearing a face covering, and to follow any other requests made by the market operator.” Accepting the new ways of working was a difficult transition for the whole country, and some members noticed a hesitancy at first, but during the autumn sheep sales there was a much greater welcoming of the measures put in place. In Wales, Livestock Board member Wyn Evans said: “I went to one mart a few months ago and there was social distancing but there weren’t many masks. I went to the same one more recently and everyone was wearing them. Everyone was adhering to rules and social distancing, and there were circles around the auction rings, so there was plenty of space for people who want to buy.” Mr Evans had a message for people intending to visit marts. “Only go if you’re a buyer or a seller,” he said. “I don’t think you go if you’re there to socialise or see what the trade is like. We want to make sure that door stays open for buyers and sellers.” He urged farmers to control what they can control, during a period of industry turbulence caused by all sorts of things, not all related to Covid-19. For him, and hopefully for all farmers that means keeping yourselves and others safe, and wearing a mask.

January 2021

12/01/2021 14:17:35

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06/01/2021 12:44:07

#DIVERSITY

tudying isn’t for everyone, and most people kick off their careers in their late teens or early 20s after college or a three-year undergraduate course at uni. But can you envisage wanting something so badly that you complete school, college and then do two different degrees at university? Most of us will agree it sounds pretty rough. But then imagine if, after all that dedication and hard work, you were still ignored by people in the industry you’d studied so hard to be in. I’m not sure what that would do to me. “When I started my career, I had to apply for three or four times more jobs than anyone else in my year applied for. I got judged by my name, I got judged by my appearance, I got judged by my accent.” Navaratnam Partheeban, or Theeb as he’s better known, is a British Asian farm veterinary surgeon. He’s in his 30s and at the stage in his career where he knows his stuff. But he’s often felt on the back foot when judged against his academic peers, purely based on the colour of his skin.

“WHEN I STARTED MY CAREER, I HAD TO APPLY FOR THREE OR FOUR TIMES MORE JOBS THAN ANYONE ELSE IN MY YEAR APPLIED FOR. I GOT JUDGED BY MY NAME, I GOT JUDGED BY MY APPEARANCE, I GOT JUDGED BY MY ACCENT” “When I was younger, I got told by employers that they’d prefer ‘someone born on a farm’. I was also told that farmers ‘wanted a certain appearance in their vets’; that’s pure discrimination but at the time you just want to get a job. You don’t think of it as racism or discrimination, you just think ‘I need to get onto the ladder’.” Theeb eventually got onto the career ladder when he got a job in Wales. He was thrilled, but said he was constantly having to prove himself, and sometimes still does to this day: “Recently, I was on a farm, standing next to a colleague who qualified in the same year as me. The farmer directly spoke to him and ignored me, even though I had been invited to give advice too. At the end I had to ask if I could give some pointers, and afterwards the farmer was delighted with the advice I’d given, because it’s my job and it’s sound information. “When you’re a young vet though, you’re constantly striving to be accepted and it’s not as easy to challenge things. Through school, university and afterwards, I faced

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‘YOUR VOICE IS BIGGER THAN MINE’ Orla McIlduff meets farm vet Navaratnam Partheeban and gets his take on why representation matters in UK agriculture

January 2021

12/01/2021 14:17:50

#DIVERSITY many issues but I kept my head down. It wasn’t until I felt completely confident in my ability in the job that I felt able to call out other issues and experiences. And there are still some things I’m not comfortable speaking about yet.” If someone as qualified and mature as Theeb sometimes still struggles to feel accepted and represented, it feels inevitable that younger people of colour in the industry, without that experience or confidence, must be having a tough time. Theeb said: “It’s about making small changes and helping the industry change slowly.”

“IF YOU WANT TO APPLY FOR AGRICULTURE BUT DON’T COME FROM AN AGRICULTURAL BACKGROUND, YOU CAN DO A TEN-WEEK COURSE, AND WHEN YOU PASS THAT YOU CAN THEN GO ON AND DO THE FULL COURSE. IT’S A GOOD START” For his part in these changes, Theeb, alongside some peers, established the British Veterinary Ethnicity & Diversity Society. They are a group of vets and students working to increase diversity and inclusivity in the veterinary profession. Some might ask – why does agriculture need diversity? Theeb explained that the answer to this is three-fold: “From a morality point of view, we want to include everyone, it’s that simple. Secondly, food and farming is a sector that’s competing against other sectors; we want the best skills and knowledge helping it, so we need

people to feel represented so they can imagine themselves entering the sector. And thirdly, we sell to the public, including many different ethnicities. If we want to appeal to our customers, we need to know our customer and reflect them.” Theeb, like the NFU, is also an ally of the farm charity Agrespect. The charity was founded by farmer Matthew Naylor, who got in touch with Theeb and asked him to join forces, because although the charity is mainly focused on supporting the LGBTQ+ community, it embraces diversity in all its forms. It’s these small steps in supporting each other and the under-represented communities within agriculture that will make the biggest difference in making it more diverse and inclusive. So how do we change as an industry and what other small steps can we take? Theeb has seen many unis and colleges demonstrating improving their outreach in recent years. As an example, during his time as a senior lecturer at the Royal Agricultural University, he urged the RAU to host local schools, especially those from marginalised communities. And he recommended that the university students should teach the visiting pupils. “And Harper Adams has done a great thing,” he continued. “If you want to apply for agriculture but don’t come from an agricultural background, you can do a 10-week course, and when you pass that you can then go on and do the full course. It’s a good start.”

None of us wants to think there’s a problem within our own industry. We want to believe that we are always inclusive of everyone. But without actively seeking out the flaws and things that can be improved, there will always be someone who is marginalised. Those of us in the privileged position where we don’t experience racism need to be allies of the communities who do. In simple terms, Theeb said: “Being a white person, your voice is bigger than mine.” Without someone championing him, Theeb may not even have tried to enter the industry he loves so much. “In my final year I came out of my equine medicine exam and there were a couple of minutes to spare. The examiner asked me ‘What do you want to do?’ and I told him I wanted to be a farm vet, but I didn’t think I’d get into it because I wasn’t from a farm and I certainly didn’t look like a farm vet. “He told me that he didn’t ride a horse until he was 18, and now he was one of the top equine surgeons in the country. So I thought ‘Sod it! I’m going to do it!’ – I did it, and he was my inspiration.” The farming industry is our industry, it belongs to us, our families, our friends and anyone who’s ever eaten a bite of food. So let’s have the hard conversations, find where there are problems and be allies to those less represented. Then one day, perhaps, we won’t have to. Follow Theeb on Twitter @navaratnampart1 January 2021

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12/01/2021 14:17:58

#MENTALHEALTH

GET A HEAD START ON YOUR HEAD HEALTH IN 2021

Feeling the stress and need to talk? RABI has launched an online wellbeing community and counselling service for farming people across England and Wales.

ural charity The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) has extended its support for students with a new online wellbeing initiative and counselling service for farming people across England and Wales. The initiative features two distinct sites; Qwell for adults, and Kooth for those aged 11-17. These safe and confidential

online platforms are being delivered in partnership with a specialist online mental health provider. The websites include dedicated farmer friendly content that addresses farming sector specific challenges such as loneliness, Brexit anxiety, animal health and crop disease and farm debt. Users can anonymously access farmer specific and more generic content, as well as a wealth of discussion boards,

RABI’S BIG FARMING SURVEY Got a few moments to spare? Then grab a cuppa, fill in this survey and feel like you’ve played your part towards the better collective mental health of British farmers and growers. RABI has launched the largest ever research project in England and Wales relating to the wellbeing of farming people. The broad survey will consider the relationship between physical health, mental wellbeing and health of farm businesses for the first time. With mounting external pressures, this vital research will provide the most comprehensive overview of the farming community. It will identify the specific challenges that a generation of farming people face, as well as highlighting how these impact daily life. Conducted by the University of Exeter, The Big Farming Survey is an exciting element of RABI’s ambitious five-year strategy that will enable the charity to reach a far wider audience. It’s a step towards achieving its vision: that no farmer should ever face adversity alone.

case studies and messaging functions. There are many tools, such as a journal to record and track progress against personal goals, as well as tips and articles. Wales YFC Chairman All users can Katie Davies also access one-to-one counselling support from BACP recognised, qualified professionals through a chat function. The practitioners are trained in different forms of counselling, allowing them to meet individual needs and preferences. Wales YFC Chairman Katie Davies is an advocate of the service, saying: “It’s reassuring to know there’s a safe space for farmers to visit. Anyone struggling with wellbeing issues will find a supportive community – so you need never feel alone” To access the online counselling platform and other Qwell and Kooth services, visit www.rabi.org.uk/kooth

Please set aside 15 minutes to take part by completing the online form at ex.ac.uk/BigFarmingSurvey or completing the paper version in this magazine.

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January 2021

12/01/2021 14:18:20

#MEDIA

TALKIN’ ‘BOUT OUR GENERALISATION Former NFU Student & Young Farmer Ambassador George Biss defended the honour of harvest students all over the world, who, like so many of us, are just trying to get their welly through the farm gate

t can be really hard to stand up for yourself, but sometimes you have to be brave. So when George Biss saw an article in one of the UK’s biggest farming publications perpetuating all the worst stereotypes of harvest students, he knew he had to act. The article in question, ‘13 ways to spot a farming student at harvest’, was designed to be light-hearted and funny, but instead of having a chuckle, George really related and empathised with the type of person described in the magazine. George is a farm manager based in Hampshire, although he originally comes from the Isle of Wight. He explained: “Probably before becoming an NFU Student & Young Farmer Ambassador I wouldn’t have spoken up. But meeting everyone on the programme – so many of #StudentFarmer asked freelance agricultural journalist and one of the writers of the article in question, Tim Relf, for his response to George’s letter. Tim said: “I don’t for one moment underestimate the challenges that young farmers face. I therefore have nothing but admiration for the next generation who commit to careers in agriculture – the industry certainly needs them. “But an essential life skill, regardless of what industry you’re working in, is the ability to occasionally laugh at yourself, and the article was very much intended in this spirit. “I should add that, as a former harvest student myself, the piece was in no small part highlighting some of my own foibles!”

whom aren’t from farming backgrounds – I knew that this was the type of thing that I could do something about. “Young farmers and new entrants are so important to the future of the industry. Feeling judged before they’ve even had a chance to set foot on a farm could be really detrimental to the future of the industry and we could lose out on people who could really help British farming to shine.” No publication is ever perfect, and George knew that the intention of the piece was more to give everyone a laugh. But as we’re all striving to be better, he asked the NFU media team to help him pen a letter to the editor. Even if the outcome was just to make the writers think twice about the type of generalisations they put into print. George was delighted when he got a

“YOUNG FARMERS AND NEW ENTRANTS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO THE FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRY. FEELING JUDGED BEFORE THEY’VE EVEN HAD A CHANCE TO SET FOOT ON A FARM COULD BE REALLY DETRIMENTAL TO THE FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRY” response almost immediately from the editor, thanking him for highlighting the issue and promising to publish the reply, which he did. “In the big scheme of things, it’s a small achievement to get recognition of the problem. But hopefully it’ll help someone in the future who just wants to do their best and get onto farm without feeling self-conscious that they don’t fit in.”

Dear Sir, Being a young farmer and a new entrant into the industry was one of the hardest things I have faced. Trying to match myself to all the ‘older’ farmers who have farmed all their life, trying to show willingness, worthiness and the desire to work in agriculture to earn their trust. It’s for this reason I was so discouraged to see your article ‘13 ways to spot a farming student at harvest’. While it may have been light-hearted, I feel the ultimate result was to undermine the young people who sometimes put in 20-hour days, not giving them the recognition they deserve. Yes, we have social media accounts on our phones but have you ever asked what we might be doing? Updating our Instagram stories to explain why we combine at a certain moisture; showcasing our world-leading food standards and telling our non-farming friends why we are so proud to promote British agriculture. Times have changed and we should be encouraging our young farmers and new entrants into our industry, especially those who take their summer off from school, college or university to help with harvest and ground work. We all started at the bottom. We were all young once. As an industry, we need our young farmers. We should be embracing social media to keep in contact with each other, to promote our industry and to stay safe. Yours sincerely,

January 2021

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12/01/2021 14:18:14

#ZOETIS

ZOETIS-NFU POULTRY TRAINEE AWARD 2020 The Zoetis-NFU Poultry Trainee Award attracted entries from across the industry and Roger Ranson met the finalists in the running for a £2,000 traning grant. Stay tuned to NFUonline.com/poultry and zoetis.co.uk to see the winner. HARRIET SMITH

Crediton Milling Co, Devon Brought up on a dairy farm, Harriet Smith opted to go into the poultry industry after graduating from RAU and began her career with Alltech before moving to Crediton Milling Company to further her knowledge of poultry nutrition. She is now in the final year of distance learning studies for an MSc in applied poultry science at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC). Her tutor, Dr Victoria Sandilands, said her project on how pandemics affect consumer buying power was “quite topical and we look forward to reading her thesis in the spring”. To support egg producers, Harriet would love to invest in a ‘Crackless Egg’ – electronic eggs that can be put into the nest boxes and run throughout the system to detect vibrations to determine where cracks are caused. She said: “This technology has the potential to save producers hundreds of pounds.”

KANE BURCHELL

Hook2Sisters, Lincolnshire After debating whether to go to university when student fees trebled, Kane Burchell worked initially on a family farm supplying free-range eggs to Noble Foods and then moved to Hook2Sisters in 2017. Starting as a farm worker, he became assistant manager a year later and then, in 2019, moved to a farm near Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, working in a team of three managing 330,000 birds each crop. During the past two years he has completed a Level 3 Diploma in work-based agriculture with Poultec Training, impressing his tutor Colin Emberley with “a great ability to take in knowledge and to put it into practice”. General Manager of Hook2Sisters Gunness, Werner Strydom, said Kane is very good at motivating the people he works with through his ‘can do’ and ‘hands on’ approach, adding that nothing is ever too much for Kane or too difficult to do.

LAURA HARRISON

Hook2Sisters, Scotland

Beginning her career in pedigree production with Aviagen, Laura Harrison moved to Hook2Sisters in 2013 and became a farm manager on a 200,000-bird site two years later. Now, she is a trainee area manager responsible for two sites. She helps with managing the farm assist team and is training to become an assessor. Laura worked part-time with Hook2Sisters while studying for a BA in human resources at Abertay University. She chose to continue her studies alongside her full-time career, enrolling for an Applied Poultry Science post-graduate diploma from Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) and is now in her final year. Laura sees future recruitment as a big challenge. She said: “The poultry industry isn’t recognised as a career option for a lot of young people. We need to promote British chicken, British farming and promote good working conditions to attract young workers.”

EMILY GROVE

Avara Foods, Herefordshire Initially, Emily Grove saw her career as a veterinary nurse, then decided to work with poultry rather than companion animals. She started with Avara Foods part-time in April 2018, quickly developed her practical skills and became an assistant breeder farm manager earlier this year. She obtained a Level 3 poultry technician qualification with Poultec Training in May, and is seeking to complete the Level 4 Poultry Passport, with an ambition to become an area manager. Her entry shows a wide awareness of many key issues today including practical steps to enhance biosecurity and drinking water quality. She highlights the need to encourage more young people to seek careers in the industry and to convey a more positive impression to the public. Emily said: “I believe all company farms and hatcheries should have viewing rooms allowing the public to see the birds without entering the biosecure area.”

January 2021

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12/01/2021 14:56:37

#POULTRY

LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS FOR EGG INDUSTRY’S FUTURE Morrisons has joined up with industry partners, including the NFU, to develop the British Egg Academy to train the next generation of layer producers

ales of eggs have gone through the roof since the start of lockdown, yet despite this being an industry worth more than £1 billion to the UK economy, there is a shortage of trained colleagues at every level of the supply chain. Enter Morrisons, which has joined forces with its integrated food producer, Chippindale Foods, Bishop Burton Academy, and 28 industry partners including the NFU and BFREPA to help more young people join the UK’s fastestgrowing protein sector. Morrisons wants to provide entrants with the type of training and technical skills the industry knows its professionals will need, and with all the work experience they require to put those skills into practice. NFU Chief Poultry Adviser Aimee Mahony said: “It is great to see a specific course being offered to attract new talent to the egg sector. It is an innovative industry that has a lot to offer people with multiple skills. “It is also good to see the course offers practical elements, providing the students hands-on experience, which I deem important in order to offer the full experience of working within this exciting The industry partners are: ABN, Alltech, Avivets, British Egg Industry Council (BEIC), British Free Range Egg Producers Association (BFREPA), Country Fresh Pullets (Lloyds Animal Feeds), DSM, Eggbase, Elliott Eggs Ltd, EggSell, Ellerington Engineering, ForFarmers, Joice and Hill, Humphrey Feeds and Pullets, Huvepharma, HyLine, Lintz Hall Farm, Lohmann GB Limited, Massey Feeds, National Farmers Union, Noble Foods, NSF International, Newquip, Poultry Health Services (PHS), Potters Poultry, RSPCA, Thompsons Feeds, Wot-A-Pullet, Wot-An-Egg.

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and diverse sector. I’m pleased the NFU is supporting the British Egg Academy and would like to congratulate all involved so far for their efforts in creating the course and recruiting the first intake of students ready for January 2021.” The British Egg Academy starts recruiting its first student to begin in January 2021, and any over-16s who want to find out more

“IT IS GREAT TO SEE A SPECIFIC COURSE BEING OFFERED TO ATTRACT NEW TALENT TO THE EGG SECTOR. IT IS AN INNOVATIVE INDUSTRY THAT HAS A LOT TO OFFER PEOPLE WITH MULTIPLE SKILLS” Aimee Mahony NFU Chief Poultry Adviser

can go join one of Bishop Burton’s virtual open events, hosted on Zoom. Head of Agriculture at Chippindale Foods Richard Pearson said: “Young people can join an industry with huge expansion and benefit from rapid career progression and opportunities, as well as feeding the nation with a product that is ‘in vogue’.” The British Egg Academy will cover a wide range of topics including environmental and land-based business, an introduction to farm animal production, animal and plant biology and much more. A range of educational visits to farms, hatcheries, feed mills, packing centres,

retail operations and veterinarians will be available to the students throughout the year. The Level 2 Diploma in Agriculture will involve practical and written assessments, blended learning as well as work experience. Students will undertake: • Level 2 Award in Safe Working in Agriculture • LANTRA – Employee Rights and Responsibilities • Level 2 Diploma in Agriculture • 5 Units of teaching at Bishop Burton College • Specialist teaching • Level 2 work experience • Investigative Project At the end of the academy there will be a day hosted by Morrisons where students and representatives from all companies will meet to help students network and discuss future opportunities. For more information, visit bfrepa.co.uk/academy

January 2021

12/01/2021 14:49:18

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06/01/2021 12:44:25

#REPRESENTATION

MIND THE GAP AHDB board member

Hayley Campbell-Gibbons looks at the gender pay gap

t’s something we talk about a lot in #StudentFarmer: how to break stereotypes. But what happens when the stereotype isn’t just prevalent across other industries, it’s especially prevalent in yours? As I sit to write this article, I’ve just finished a Zoom call where my face sat in the centre of a grid of nine. The other eight faces were male. This happens a lot less nowadays compared to the start of my career, but it’s still possible to be the only female in a room. And it gets worse as you progress up the career ladder. According to management consultants McKinsey, senior-level women are nearly twice as likely as women overall to be “onlys” – the only or one of the only women in the room at work. Onlys are more likely to feel pressure to work harder, experience aggression, and be required to ‘prove their worth’. Appealing, no? It matters, because the underrepresentation of women in senior roles is a key contributing factor to the existence of a gender pay gap.

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WHAT IS THE GENDER PAY GAP?

The gender pay gap is the average difference between hourly wages for men and women. It isn’t the same as equal pay. In fact, 2020 marks 50 years since the Equal Pay Act was introduced in the UK, making it illegal to pay men more than women for doing the same job. Yet, pay discrimination persists. The average UK gender pay gap stands at 18.4%. Closing it is going to be a long slog. The World Economic Forum thinks it will take 202 years. I don’t know about you, but I’m not prepared to wait that long.

HOW IS THE GENDER PAY GAP REPORTED?

Since 2017, government legislation requires companies and organisations with 250 or more employees to publish and report specific figures about their gender pay gap on an annual basis. Controversially, the government has ruled that no reporting will be required in 2020/21 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

STICKY-FLOORS AND SPRINGBOARDS: HOW DO GENDER PAY GAPS EMERGE?

Evidence suggests very little difference between the wages of men and women when they enter the workplace. But, from their late 20s and early 30s, a large gap

“SINCE 2017, GOVERNMENT LEGISLATION REQUIRES COMPANIES AND ORGANISATIONS WITH 250 OR MORE EMPLOYEES TO PUBLISH AND REPORT SPECIFIC FIGURES ABOUT THEIR GENDER PAY GAP ON AN ANNUAL BASIS” appears as women’s wage progression plateaus, and men’s continues to rise. Several barriers exist to women’s progression in the workplace, including bias around pay and promotion, difficult workplace cultures (for example, sexual harassment), tensions between balancing work with care and a shortage of quality part-time work with a good wage potential.

January 2021

12/01/2021 14:19:27

#REPRESENTATION

THINGS WE CAN ALL* DO TO HELP COMBAT THE GENDER PAY GAP IN AGRICULTURE *That includes you, men - we need you to use these tips to help amplify women’s voices

1 Hayley Campbell-Gibbons is used to being the only woman in the room

Mothers – myself included – are also more likely to withdraw from full-time employment compared to fathers after having children. Those who return to work often find that their career progression takes a knock, and they have a worse chance of being promoted. Another key difference, according to the Global Institute for Women in Leadership is that women who enter

“THIS ISN’T AN ISSUE JUST FOR WOMEN, MEN NEED TO BE ALLIES TOO” the labour market in low-paid jobs experience ‘sticky floors’ (a metaphor for rarely progressing upwards, rather than the state of Walkabout after NFU Conference), whereas the same jobs act as ‘springboards’ for men into higher positions with better salaries. The saying ‘it’s not what you know, but who you know’ can ring true. In some workplaces an ‘old boys’ network’ still exists, especially at the top. With networking events often taking place in unsociable hours, or on the golf course, decisions on progression can be based on judgement and alliances,

with fewer opportunities for women to influence them.

GENDER IS ON THE AGENDA

Employers might tick the box on reporting, but the figures speak for themselves. Gender pay gaps remain too high for the majority of employers, and are closing at a snail’s pace, if at all.

WHAT ABOUT THE GENDER PAY GAP IN FOOD AND FARMING?

Imagine a ‘typical’ UK farmer – you pictured a white, middle-aged man in a flatcap, right? But UK agriculture is so much more than that. Most of us reading this mag will work or study in the industry, and we’ll all have our own experiences of times when there was an imbalance because of gender. I’d safely bet that most (not all, hopefully) people reading this have seen or experienced bias in the workplace, college or on the farm. We said at the start of this article that #StudentFarmer’s aim is to break stereotypes, so let’s consciously make an effort to live that value. And this isn’t an issue just for women, men need to be allies too. After all, it’s no good winning if you’re not competing alongside the best.

Choose your employer carefully – if they have a gender pay gap, ask them if they have a plan to change that. Businesses that employ a diversity and/or inclusivity manager can also be a green flag.

Think about the industry webinars you attend – are they diverse and inclusive? If not, consider writing to the host and explaining your concerns about the lack of representation.

Don’t be afraid to negotiate. Instead of blindly accepting whatever salary you’re offered, ensure you research the market average for men and women and communicate your expectations clearly. There may be some compromise involved, but a forward-thinking company will be used to having these discussions.

Inspire the people around you – are they making generalisations about the person best suited for a task? Practice calmly and precisely challenging their views. It doesn’t have to be a confrontation, just a discussion.

We’re all on a journey – educate yourself! It’s important to keep reading and learning, and if you become an employer yourself in the future, maybe you can make sure we close the gender pay gap in fewer than 202 years. Listening to podcasts is another great way of getting yourself up to speed.

Challenge yourself to think differently – if you subconsciously imagine a certain type of person when you see a job title, reprimand yourself and make a note not to make assumptions the next time.

January 2021

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#SURVEY

NUMBERS DON’T LIE A new NFU survey shows that farming must do more to get young people involved

business experience, but would look into arming could thrive if it was someone with xperience as they see it as a training if it was available.” easier to get started in the simpler option with less work for them.” Some referenced how gaining industry, as 42% of respondents There is an onus on people to research experience is tough because farmers and to an NFU survey were identified and identify training and opportunities if farm managers look to people as being from a nonthey are looking to enter a new field, but from farming backgrounds farming background. These farming can be notoriously difficult for to fill entry level jobs. One young people said that newcomers to find an ‘in’, which was cited new entrant said: “I’ve they are keen to work in by many people who completed the survey. struggled with people farming or growing. With a new agricultural policy and OF RESPONDENTS who don’t believe that The survey results opportunities arising from the UK leaving DID NOT HAVE A I can do the job. Not show that there is a the EU, the industry could do more to BACKGROUND IN being from a farming group of prospective create pathways for young people with and OR ANY FAMILY TIES background there’s been a young farmers that need without farming backgrounds. The NFU is TO FARMING suggestion that I wouldn’t to be encouraged, and encouraging young people with an interest know how to talk to farmers that their path in needs to in farming to get involved by becoming a or be able to get them to listen be made easier – for those who member – see page 39 for more info – and to me. Lack of experience can also have a farming background as well as to benefit from advice and discounts to be an issue; people would rather employ those who don’t. It is especially important different training programmes. now as there are still questions about the availability of labour in agriculture now that the UK has left the EU. WE NEED WOMEN Of those from a non-farming background, 82% said they were looking to An important point highlighted by the survey was that women seemed pursue a career in farming, and only one concerned with moving up in the industry. Even those who already have a job person was no longer looking. within farming, or who come from a farming background, expressed worries The survey highlighted several obstacles about the industry being too male dominated. When asked why they are unsure to those looking to enter the industry. of taking on the family farm business, one respondent said: “I’m female and am Most new entrants are keen to either concerned by how misogynistic UK agriculture can be.” rent or to buy land, but one respondent Another said that they have no intentions of taking on the family farm business said: “Even if I can raise a deposit for a because of “attitudes towards women”. mortgage for some land I don’t know if a At a time when equality and inclusivity is under such a microscope across bank would feel I have enough experience. every aspect of society, farming must make sure it is welcoming place for I’ve heard that tenancies can be very tough all genders and races. As NFU President Minette Batters has said: “We are to get as they are highly competitive. committed to encouraging diversity in the NFU and supporting it in the farming Tenancies are also uncertain so I would community. The NFU and British farming is open to anyone who wants to pursue prefer to buy land so that I can ensure a career in our fantastic industry.” the future of the business. I have a lack of

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42%

January 2021

12/01/2021 14:19:58

BRAND YOUR BUSINESS The phrase “when one door closes, another one opens” can seem like a hollow cliché, uttered by wellmeaning people who are desperate to make us feel better following one of life’s disappointments. And hey, 2020 has handed many of us disappointments, am I right? But looking at those doors opening on the other side, it’s been incredible to see all of the new agri-businesses that have launched in 2020, despite (and sometimes because of) the challenges we’ve faced. To help, we asked NFU Senior Marketing Adviser Molly Chenery to share her top branding tips if you’re thinking about launching a business Got a great new agri-business to share? Tweet us @StudentFarmer and we’ll give your business a follow!

#BRANDING

1. RESEARCH •

•

Check out what your competitors are doing with regards to names/colours/ photography/fonts. Try not to copy/repeat. Make sure that what you create is different. Pinterest boards are a great starting place.

2. LIST/SKETCH/SCRIBBLE • •

Make sure that you scribble down all of your ideas on paper – what sounds good in your head may not always seem the same written down. Spend time on finding your perfect font, colours, logo shape. The more time you spend at the start the less you will later on when it’s harder to change.

3. ASK OPINIONS • • •

Make sure to talk to and show your family/friends your branding ideas. Listen carefully to their feedback and don’t get offended – they’re there to help with their constructive criticism. Make sure to talk to your target market – your mum may love your branding but if you’re targeting teenagers you may need a re-think!

4. REMEMBER YOUR UNIQUE SELLING POINT (USP) • •

Your business is different to others – you just need to work out the how, what and why of what makes it so. Once you have this USP, remember to shout about it – and to mention it all on of your brand assets.

5. KEEP IT SIMPLE •

•

Simple, clean branding is very appealing to customers. Look at Apple for example – their logo is a simple apple silhouette, but it’s incredibly versatile and interchangeable. You’ll be putting your branding on all sorts of things, from packaging to clothing, and so it needs to work on everything.

MOLLY’S HOBBY: PICKLE & POACH Molly’s lockdown project was incubating quail! It was as easy as purchasing a dozen fertile eggs and an incubator on eBay, waiting 18 days and... success! After several hatches, and removing a few male birds, Molly now has a lovely flock of 30 quail each laying an egg a day. The eggs are sold locally under the name of Pickle & Poach with the majority of sales coming from Facebook and Instagram. Molly’s next aim is to expand the flock and get the eggs into local farm shops. Her top tip for anyone starting out is to do plenty of research, Google is great, but NFU advisers are even better! Follow @pickle_and_poach on Instagram

January 2021

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12/01/2021 14:20:13

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06/01/2021 12:44:44

#NFUAPP

APPSOLUTELY SPLENDID

Are you using your free NFU’s digital services to their full potential? Victoria Sanderson from the NFU’s web team explains why you don’t want to miss out.

TO LOG IN TO NFUONLINE: 6 REASONS • • • • • •

re you aware of how much information about food and farming you could have at your fingertips? NFUonline and the NFU App are key parts of your NFU member benefits. As well as the latest news coverage, you’ll find dedicated channels on all aspects of your farming business. What’s more, logging in to NFUonline gives you access to a whole range of additional resources that will help you to get the most of out of your membership. Think about how much it could help you with all that college and uni coursework! The NFU App is a convenient way to get access to news and advice relevant to your sector and business while you are out and about. Plus, you can save articles to read later, even if you’re not connected to the internet. And, as a Student & Young Farmer

member, the app is completely free. Six dedicated sections are each customisable for your sector: crops, dairy, horticulture and potatoes, livestock, sugar and poultry. It’s easy to sign up for alerts. Make sure you allow notifications when prompted, and in your phone and device settings, so

Access your discounts and services Exclusive briefings and insight from our expert advisers 150 business guides to help you in running your farming business Reserve your place on for NFU Live 2021 Edit your communication preferences and subscribe to our newsletters News in the palm of your hand

you keep up to date with the latest from the NFU – don’t miss out! It’s the quickest and most convenient way to stay up to date on the wealth of work the NFU is doing on behalf of members. See the latest developments in the palm of your hand, on your tablet and on the move.

HOW TO DOWNLOAD THE NFU APP • • • • • •

Go to the Google Play or iOS App Store, search ‘NFU’. Look for the NFU logo on a white background. Select ‘install’. The app will appear on your home screen. You’ll be asked for your membership number and password (the same as you use to log into NFUonline) and there’s a ‘remember me’ option. If you can’t remember your login details, contact NFU CallFirst on 0370 845 8458.

January 2021

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12/01/2021 14:20:55

#DON'TGETSCURVY

A WINTER WARMER It’s January, it’s cold, we’re all locked down – what do we all deserve? A hearty, tasty, British dinner. NFU Student & Young Farmer Ambassador Katie Smith shares her favourite warming winter recipe. 30

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January 2021

12/01/2021 14:21:20

#DON'TGETSCURVY

first put together this recipe for a YFC cookery competition entitled ‘Best of British’, so I thought it would be the perfect recipe to share with everyone – something quick, simple and filling, but so delicious too! Coming from the West Midlands, there is so much local, high quality produce available to us so when I first put this dish together I was seeking all local ingredients including some locally-sourced rare breed sausages, locally grown potatoes and tricoloured carrots to complete the meal.

“IT’S SO IMPORTANT TO ME TO BE GETTING HIGH QUALITY, BRITISH MEAT THAT I KNOW GUARANTEES HIGH WELFARE STANDARDS – AND THE MORE LOCAL THE BETTER” This combination of crispy, crushed new potatoes and a creamy, spinach sauce with some top-quality British sausages is one of my favourite meals to share with people. I love that you can substitute in your favourite sausages: I like to make this with the Gloucester Old Spot ones you can get from Waitrose if I can’t get some local ones from a farm shop or butchers,

as it’s so important to me to be getting high quality, British meat that I know guarantees high welfare standards – and the more local the better. If in doubt, look for the Red Tractor symbol we all know and love, to ensure you’re getting the high standards in animal welfare, environmental protection, food

safety and traceability you expect when you buy British. You can also make this dish fit for produce available all year round by picking out your favourite seasonal greens to add to the sauce, and a seasonal vegetable to have on the side. Alongside some pantry staples, it’s something you can make any time of year.

BRITISH SAUSAGES IN A CREAMY SPINACH SAUCE, SERVED WITH CRUSHED NEW POTATOES SERVES: 2 TIME TO COOK:

Approx. 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

For the crushed new potatoes: • 1 tbsp vegetable oil • 3 garlic cloves • 2 tbsp capers – rinsed • 50g butter • ~300g new potatoes For the sausages in a creamy spinach sauce: • 4 British pork sausages • 1 white onion • 200ml chicken stock • 85ml double cream • 250g baby leaf spinach (can be substituted for another seasonal green such as kale)

RECIPE:

For the potatoes: 1. Gently heat the oil in a pan. Add the garlic and capers and cook until they begin to colour. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a small brown and mix in the softened butter. 2. Bring the new potatoes to a boil for 10-15 minutes until tender. Place a large frying pan over medium heat and add a large knob of butter. Add the potatoes, slightly crushing each one with a fork before adding to the pan. Toss the new potatoes in the warm garlic and caper butter and season with salt to taste. For the sausages: 1. Brown the sausages all over in a frying pan and set to the side. 2. Finely slice the onion and add it to a deep frying pan with a little oil, cook for about 8 minutes until lightly browned and softened. Add the 200ml of stock to the pan and let bubble for 5-10 minutes or until reduced by half. 3. Stir the double cream into the stock and onions, add the sausages and let simmer for about 10 minutes, until cooked through. 4. Add in the spinach and stir it has just wilted. Serve the sausages and potatoes with a generous helping of sauce, alongside your favourite seasonal vegetable.

January 2021

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12/01/2021 14:21:37

#NEWSCIENTIST

LET’S GET DIGITAL

As New Scientist Live went online for 2020, the Student & Young Farmer Ambassadors reached a new audience with messages to Back British Farming

hen members of last year’s Student & Young Farmer Ambassador Programme attended New Scientist Live in November 2019, the focus was on educating and inspiring the public, in person, to learn about all the good the farming does. The 2020 event had the same overriding goal, but as with everything since March, it went digital. It meant that this year’s ambassadors had a different job: prepare an interactive video session. On a busy day of content, the S&YFAP shone across several sessions and in the pages of Farmers Weekly afterwards thanks to entertaining sessions. Ninth generation farmer Lauren David hosted a Q&A alongside first-time farmer Karl Franklin about the differences in their views and journeys. Lauren spoke about being the first woman born on the farm in those nine generations, and her experience working alongside her grandfather, father and brother. She said: “We have disagreements a lot. My great grandad doesn’t agree with some of the new technologies coming in, or the latest tractor, and doesn’t always want to change to new systems. But having family support, and learning from multiple generations while adding your own knowledge is amazing. You can’t beat learning from your own parents.” Karl spoke about his journey into farming by wanting to contribute to good food, after leaving his job as a high-flying chef. He said: “It’s not a cheap industry to get into. I found getting hold of grass alright, I’ve harassed lots of people to use patches of grass that are no bigger than some people’s lawns. But you don’t realise how often you need a barn – that’s probably my biggest challenge; I don’t have anywhere to put anything. “Another major thing was knowledge. I left with no job to go to and have had to learn on the job.” After this, Harriet Bartlett spoke about being a proud fussy eater, and how intensive farming doesn’t necessarily mean bad for the environment or lower food standards. And Harper Adams students Zoe Legg and Katie Smith discussed their courses and how the

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university is helping them to navigate a path into their agriculture careers. To close out the day, Josie Troop joined Farmers Weekly editor Karl Schneider and others to break down the myths that farming is an old, boring industry by highlighting the technological breakthroughs in farm robotics, genetics, big data and artificial intelligence. She did her part to encourage newcomers to the industry, and convince generational farmers to explore new areas, and said: “There is so much skill and talent needed in the industry. It’s out there and people are coming up with great ideas but we need those people to enter the industry. There are some fantastic people out there who haven’t thought about a career in agriculture but it’s about putting it out there in education and other public platforms to help fill roles that are in high demand.”

WHAT IS NEW SCIENTIST LIVE? New Scientist is a weekly magazine that asks the big picture questions about life, the universe and what it means to be human all through the prism of science and technology. The NFU Student & Young Farmer Ambassadors supported the Farmers Weekly stage at New Scientist’s event in 2019, and had plans to for 2020 before the event moved online. The virtual one-day event looked at what we eat and how it is being produced to feed a growing population while tackling hunger. You can find out more and watch the ambassador sessions back on NewScientist.com/scienceevents/future-food-agriculture/

January 2021

12/01/2021 14:21:48

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06/01/2021 12:44:48

#SUSTAINABILITY

ONE PERSON’S WASTE IS ANOTHER’S SAVING GRACE As the world looks for ways to reduce food waste and improve sustainability, NFU Deputy President Stuart Roberts tells Huw Hopkins about one of the most powerful days of his life

he success of food industry, of which we are a foundational piece, relies on us addressing society’s issues.” NFU Deputy President Stuart Roberts will freely admit that his view of life has fundamentally altered in the past year. Coronavirus is part of it. Becoming Deputy President in February probably played a role. But the moment that catalysed this change was meeting Company Shop Commercial Director Sally Wake at the Conservative Party Conference in 2019. She explained what it is: “It was set up initially as a staff shop for food factories that had cast offs – pieces of chocolate, broken biscuits, too many raisins...” It serves more than just food factory workers these days, and ultimately acts a way to claw back the losses associated with produce that doesn’t meet standards,

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just as a carrot might not meet the spec of a supermarket. But it does so much more than that. She said: “There’s two sides. You have Company Shop, which you must be a member of by working in food manufacturing, but we’ve opened it up to emergency services and key workers. It is also open to those on benefits. “On the other side, we also have Community Shop. That’s a community interest company that runs local shop premises, a bit like a One Stop or Tesco Express, but it also acts as a community hub to help people get them on the right track in life in areas of deep deprivation.” There is also a kitchen in all six Community Shop stores, where you can buy food, then learn how to prepare a meal that you can eat or take home. For some people that shop there, the act of buying a meal then preparing something tasty

and nutritious is an achievement, and the customers can feel that pride. It can sometimes be difficult to know the levels of poverty we have in certain areas of the UK. In some towns and cities where mining, milling and traditional industries like manufacturing were the main sources of employment, nothing replaced those jobs that had been the lifeblood of those communities for hundreds of years. When they shut down, there was nothing else. Many people lost out on their income and had no money to travel to bigger cities, and they weren’t skilled to be employed elsewhere if they did. They had been taken out of school as children to work in these mines, and mills and factories, so many of them had little education that would help them learn new skills. So, they did nothing. Their children, seeing their parents do nothing, sat at home. And today, their grandchildren don’t have aspiration

January 2021

12/01/2021 14:22:02

#SUSTAINABILITY because they don’t know how to have it. The communities they live in have nothing for them, so they feel like they don’t have anything to offer society. It’s a system that needs addressing by an organisation much bigger than the NFU, but after visiting Company Shop, Mr Roberts realised that farmers should try to do something. He said: “We need to remember these places exist. I was in a group of people in society who didn’t realise they existed, or, worse, pretended they didn’t. I went there wondering if it was going to be a wasted day, and it was probably one of the most powerful days I have had in my life.”

“WHAT MUST IT FEEL LIKE TO EAT TOILET ROLL SO YOUR KIDS CAN HAVE A HOT MEAL?” At the Community Shop, Mr Roberts met customers doing a weekly shop. These people were probably just as suited to queuing at a food bank, because they could barely afford to feed their family, but Community Shop sells items for pennies. A lot of the time, it’s the same food that you would find in Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsbury’s or another supermarket, but there was something wrong with the packaging, or the retailer couldn’t accept a shipment of potatoes because they were slightly too small. “In my situation growing shallots, if I’ve got waste, there is a cost to getting rid of it,” said Stephen Hedderly, who runs Bedfordshire Growers and supplies Company Shop. “But if I’ve got an option to break even by supplying the waste produce to Company Shop, that’s a positive. We over-yielded last

year, with perhaps 30-40 tonnes more than we had programmed for, and the retailers didn’t want anything extra, so Company Shop took that off us. This year, we’ve got another situation because of the weather, where a lot of the shallots are too small for the contract, so they are taking them again.” Bedfordshire Growers has a contract that sees the vast majority of their waste sold to Company Shop, but the company donates 5% to Community Shop. Other growers have similar contracts, some brands donate everything, others donate nothing. But for Mr Hedderly, donating something is important. “It’s important for them to have a margin, because if they can invest any profits into keeping their shops to a good quality, and add value to their customers and suppliers – like selling to weight rather than units – that’ll benefit a lot of growers who don’t have a set up like me where I can package my own products.” Being able to buy fresh produce really makes a difference, as most food banks can only handle tinned or packaged food. There are other schemes, such as FareShare, which is able to redistribute fresh food to charities and is the biggest charitable operation of its kind. Company Shop prides itself on being a commercial operation. Mrs Wake said: “We make a profit and we’re not ashamed about that, because you can look at Company Shop and the lives it’s changed. Stronger individuals can build more confident communities. If we can help more than half of the community to think positively and work together, we can deal with social isolation.” The act of paying a small amount for food means that the customer hasn’t hit rock bottom. They can feel proud to feed themselves or their family. And this is the message that really hit home with the NFU’s Deputy President.

HOW IS THE NFU TACKLING FOOD WASTE? NFU Deputy President Stuart Roberts said: “The NFU has joined major British retailers and food companies in signing the government’s ‘Step Up to the Plate’ initiative which pledges to halve food waste by 2030. We need to see everyone in the supply chain pull together to ensure this happens and develop strategies to help keep waste to a minimum, whilst supporting the agriculture sector as it strives to achieve net zero emissions by 2040.”

He said: “Just to sum up how out of touch I am, I was talking to the guy who ran the Community Shop, and he told me about one recent customer. “She bought two cans of baked beans, a loaf of bread and two jacket potatoes and toilet roll for £1 or something similar. She had a big smile on her face and said ‘it’s changed my life’. She told him how her kids can have two hot meals: beans on toast that night and then tomorrow there was jacket potato and beans. He joked with her and said ‘and we know why you’ll be need toilet roll then’. But she said, ‘I need that to fill my stomach’. “What must it feel like to eat toilet roll so your kids can have a hot meal? “We sometimes think we have it tough, but we don’t realise how other parts of society are affected. I’ve never seen anything more powerful.” The NFU has committed to the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap, organised by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), which sets out how to improve the sustainability of food by reducing waste and improving packaging. It works with retailers to target, measure and act on waste reduction throughout the UK food and drink sector. Redistributing food waste is one of WRAP’s recommendations. There are several charities, such as FareShare, and commercial businesses, like Company Shop, that can turn waste, something farmers might consider a loss, into a vital part of the supply chain. The food you produce could do more than just feed a nation. For some parts of society, it could help tackle societal issues and rebuild communities that are on their knees. January 2021

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12/01/2021 14:22:19

#ONCAMPUS

Exciting developments at Coleg Glyllifon North Wales college looks to an exciting future as a new £1.3m animal care centre nears completion

t’s an exciting time at Coleg Glynllifon, which is in the final stages of building a new animal care centre worth £1.3million. Programme manager Gerwyn Williams said: “This investment enables learners to gain hands-on practical experience alongside taught sessions in a fantastic and modern environment.” The Glynllifon farm has continued to grow its livestock enterprise, enabling learners to gain hands-on experience in a realistic setting. Farm manager Rhodri Owen said: “This year, we have reached milestone in rearing 1,113 pigs, more than 700 prime lambs, and 100 replacement dairy and beef cattle, generating more than 1.2million litres of high-quality Welsh milk. This provides a fantastic opportunity for our students.” Director of agri-food Martin Jardine continued: “The team is working on a

number of exciting projects. These include the new hydroponics unit, trialling sensors across the farm as part of the LoRawan initiative and the techno grazing project. These initiatives are important to demonstrate the technological applications and opportunities available to the agricultural sector.” The team at Coleg Glynllifon is already looking ahead to next year, and Martin said: “We are pleased that we have already had a lot of interest from learners who are keen to train for rewarding careers in agriculture, countryside management, forestry, engineering and animal care. We are sharing information on our courses through a series of online virtual open events, Twitter and Facebook.” For more information please visit www.gllm.ac.uk/glynllifon/

“THIS YEAR WE HAVE REACHED MILESTONE IN REARING 1,113 PIGS, MORE THAN 700 PRIME LAMBS, AND 100 REPLACEMENT DAIRY AND BEEF CATTLE, GENERATING MORE THAN 1.2MILLION LITRES OF HIGH-QUALITY WELSH MILK. THIS PROVIDES A FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STUDENTS.” Rhodri Owen Farm manager

DELIVERING CERTAINTY The Low Carbon Agriculture show goes digital for its first-ever event in 2021 The Low Carbon Agriculture show, the new event showcasing opportunities in low carbon energy, technological advances and Environmental Land Management (ELM) advice, for a profitable and sustainable future in farming, has announced it will certainly go ahead online in March 2021. Held in association with the NFU, the show will move to a fully interactive digital format on 9 and 10 March 2021, to support farmers during not only the challenging Covid-19 pandemic, but through a rapidly evolving industry. Maintaining its renowned multi-streamed conference, exhibition, networking benefits, and four key areas of focus – Energy Now Expo, Environmental Business Expo, Low Emission Vehicles Expo and Farm Technology Expo, Low Carbon Agriculture show has extensively analysed different formats, gaining feedback from farmers who have attended online

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conferences, to create a digital event that delivers. The Low Carbon Agriculture show has had a fantastic response from its Digital Insights webinars, which take place each month on the run up to the event, covering pressing topics in agriculture such as ‘Reaching net zero in agriculture’ and ‘Opportunities in renewable energy on farms’. The next Digital Insights webinar is on 27 January 2021 and will cover Environmental Land Management. Visit the new Low Carbon Agriculture show website to register for more info: www.lowcarbonagricultureshow.co.uk

January 2021

12/01/2021 14:22:31

#ONCAMPUS

A POWERFUL PARLOUR FOR HARTPURY A new state-of-the-art dairy parlour has been installed at Hartpury’s commercial farm, providing students with hands-on experience of the latest technology

tudents studying agriculture diplomas and undergraduate degrees at Hartpury College will have access to a new, advanced facility – the 30/30 GEA BeTeBe Rapid Exit Parlour designed to Hartpury’s own specifications – to provide them with valuable industry experience outside of their academic learning. The new dairy parlour, which is part of the development of the Hartpury AgriTech Centre, will reduce milking times and improve hygiene and welfare for Hartpury’s award-winning 250-strong herd of dairy cows. Andrew Eastabrook, farm manager at Hartpury, said: “We’re delighted to have upgraded our on-site dairy facilities as part of our strong commitment to maintaining high standards of animal welfare and to keeping our students in touch with the very latest developments within the farming industry. “It’s important for their future career prospects that our students gain genuine hands-on experience of the latest equipment to provide them with the upto-date skills they’ll need when they’re working within the industry. “Access to the 30/30 GEA BeTeBe Rapid Exit Parlour will provide our students with more opportunities for data collection in terms of milk production, as well as herd and individual cow performance. “The new installation is in line with the current industry drive towards

precision farming techniques to improve productivity – we are looking to reduce milking time by up to 30% – and, most importantly, will continue to provide our 250 dairy cows with the best possible standards of care. “This parlour is unusual in that has been specially designed by the manufacturer to meet our special request for it to feature both in-parlour feeding and rapid exit functions, which may make it the only one its kind in the UK. “We are also installing an ADF milking system, which automatically applies a teat dip to the cow’s udder after milking to reduce exposure to harmful contagions in the environment, and moisturise the skin. It also flushes and sanitises the milking

Dairy Adviser Phoebe Russell was an NFU graduate trainee in 2019 before securing her role in the dairy team. She is passionate about getting other young people into the sector and said: “Dairying is a vibrant and progressive sector, at the forefront of exciting technology, data and monitoring tools. It is incredibly encouraging to see Hartpury College investing in these advanced facilities that will serve a genuine and important role in showcasing the opportunities available to our future workforce in the dairy sector. It is now as essential

equipment automatically, in between each cow.” The hi-tech facility expands the already extensive range of modern equipment within Hartpury’s on-site commercial farm that supplies produce to M&S, Muller, Glencore and Frontier. Last year, Hartpury won the Promar International Milkminder Manager of the Year 2019 – Regional Award for the South of England, in recognition of the success of its dairy herd and facilities. Hartpury degrees and diplomas provide routes into a diverse range of career opportunities in the UK and international agriculture industry, including management, agronomy, policymaking, research, science and consultancy.

as ever that we, as an industry, reflect upon how we promote our sector to young people and our future dairy leaders to ensure that we make dairying an accessible, attractive career choice, for aspiring youngsters from all walks of life. “A key industry focus must be in promoting and re-framing the outdated image of dairy as a career to those outside of the farming community. Instead, we need to share the message far and wide that there is a secure career choice to be made in dairy for anyone looking for a challenge. “The sector can offer true job satisfaction in fulfilling the important role of feeding the nation whilst using cutting-edge technology to ensure the highest animal welfare and productivity standards.”

January 2021

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12/01/2021 14:22:38

#NETZERO

ARE YOU IN?

Hundreds of NFU members have already pledged to work towards achieving net zero by 2040 by signing up to a new interactive map - are you one of them?

any NFU members are already taking positive steps to make their farms net zero by 2040 – and that deserves recognition. That’s why we have set up the Net Zero Pledge Map, so we can celebrate the action taken across this year leading up to COP26 – the UN Climate Change Conference to be held in Glasgow in November 2021. The more members who come together to make a pledge for net zero, the bigger change we can make. Each and every step towards net zero helps. Stuart Roberts, NFU Deputy President, said: “It’s great to see how many members have already made a pledge for net zero since we launched the map. “The NFU has set the ambitious goal of reaching net zero greenhouse gas

emissions across the whole of agriculture in England and Wales by 2040 and we know many of our members are taking positive steps to achieve this goal and that deserves recognition. “With COP26, the UN climate change conference, due to be held in Glasgow in November 2021, we want to celebrate the action that members are taking by getting as many of them as possible to share their net zero journey and make a pledge. “The more members who come together to make a pledge, the bigger change we can make. Each and every action counts and by pledging for net zero on our map, you’re joining with other farmers and landowners who believe that together we can make a massive contribution to combat climate warming.

HOW THE PLEDGE MAP WORKS • • •

• •

View the map by visiting NFUonline.com/news/latest-news/were-in-for-net-zero/ Zoom in and click on the stars to see what has been pledged in your local area When you pledge for net zero on our map, you’re joining with other farmers and landowners who also believe that together we can make a massive contribution to combating climate warming Your pledge will show on our public-facing Net Zero Pledge Map alongside all the others who are joining the land force for good Your pledge will be anonymous and the map will only zoom to 10km on the Google maps scale bar. Scroll down to add your details.

Dominic Gardner is a firstgeneration farmer in Sussex, contract farming or holding FBTs on 1,050ha arable and 82ha fallow land with 1,000 breeding ewes. He is increasing soil organic matter and reducing soil erosion, which has built up carbon stores, and nitrate leaching has reduced indirect N20 emissions. Dominic said: “Complicated cover crop mixes can increase the cost of seed and leave you trying to get rid of it at the other end. So I’ve tried to find something that fits my system - that gives near continual soil cover, leaves the lowest possible N in the soil at the end of the season and then give a relatively predictable window when that N will be available again. “Building resilience in our soils has been supported by stewardship schemes to date so it would be great to see cover crops in ELM. But changes to soil can take time, so I want to be able to farm somewhere long enough to make a difference.”

HOW DOES HE DO IT?

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Stubble turnips provide quick winter cover which is grazed by sheep, and absorb excess N. Two-year grass leys used on difficult soils and topped Trying to limit straw sales but has one muck-for-straw agreement, and manure from neighbouring horse enterprises bought onto farm Aiming not to move too much soil but use the range from ploughing to no-till as required Hedges and trees planted annually across the estates

January 2021

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#FREESTUFF

IT’S FREE YOU SAY?

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

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Join the largest and most influential farming association and receive: • #StudentFarmer magazine and British Farmer & Grower (or Farming Wales) magazine delivered to your door • The latest news and briefings from our policy experts in NFU Bulletin, sectorspecific and regional e-newsletters • Access to member-only content on NFUonline with a unique login • Special and heavily-discounted member rates to attend NFU Conference and other events • 10% saving on B+E Trailer Training • Welfare of Animals in Transport test for £35 (+VAT) • 15% off airport parking and hotels with APH • Savings on Dickies Workwear online • Huge savings on Merlin Entertainment (Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and more)

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NOT QUITE OVER THE HILL? WE'VE GOT A NEW NFU MEMBERSHIP FOR YOU While we'd LOVE to keep you as a Student & Young Farmer member beyond the age of 26, unfortunately it's not possible. However, the NFU is delighted to launch its NFU Associate membership for just £49+VAT each year. Join NFU Associate membership and receive: • Access a wealth of industry leading information including our weekly email NFU Bulletin, regular sector e-newsletters and our monthly print magazine British Farmer & Grower or Farming Wales • Be part of a unique community of like-minded people within the agricultural industry, with the opportunity to network at member meetings and events • Stay connected with a personal login to the NFU website and NFU app giving access to member-only content at any time • Receive free personal legal advice from our in house team • Be more informed and better understand how our work supports farmers and growers, and propagates a successful industry • Save on selected new vehicles from a number of leading manufacturers (exclusions apply) To learn more, visit NFUonline.com/Associate or contact NFU CallFirst on 0370 845 8458.

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