We're not just accountants, many of us are also farmers.
That’s why we understand the realities of running a modern rural business. As sector specialists, we work alongside you to plan ahead with confidence, helping you map out your financial, operational, and compliance strategies for the year to come, especially as DEFRA and Scottish Government changes continue to evolve.
01382 312100
THE 400th EDITION
It is 33 years ago that the first issue of Agrimart was printed. That consisted of 20 pages of advertisements all in black and white mailed free to farming businesses in the Borders and the Lothians. Northumberland was soon added to the mailing list followed by addresses North of the Forth up to Aberdeen. Today the magazine is mailed to addresses from Aberdeen to York and across to Carlisle. Over 2,000,000 copies have been printed. It all started when I wanted to buy a second tractor for our recently purchased farm and could find no listings of machinery for sale. The idea for a publication was well received by the community and hence Agrimart was born. In 2012 we enhanced the publication with farmers writing about their agricultural lives covering all aspects of farming and location. With gratitude to all who worked on the magazine over the years making it what it is today. Nesta, Kate, Gill, Hilary, Jess, Nadine and Shaun.
Quality timber supplies from Northumberland’s forests All timber PRESSURE TREATED to British Standards
ADVANCED DRYING of timbers to produce the very best treatment results
Other Products Available: Tanalised End Grain Preservative Fencing Wire Gates & Fittings • Post Crete Various Types of Firewood
Ford & Etal Sawmill, Letham Hill Farm, Cornhill-on-Tweed, Northumberland TD12 4TP forestry@ford-and-etal.co.uk Call us 01890 820304
Agriparts Borders Ltd
Power, Heat & Lighting
AIRREX Workshop Diesel Heaters
AH300i & AH800i Infrared Heaters - 15kw & 22kw
Extremely quiet, low fuel consumption, burns so efficiently there are no fumes, thermostaticall controlled
Extension Leads in 13amp &16amp, 1.5mm & 2.5mm Wire in both 110v & 230v - 25m & 40m.
CORE Lighting WL-T006 12000Lumen when both heads turned on. Runs off mains or batteries by MILWAUKEE, Makita & Dewalt. Heads turn to any angle.
Here at Glendale Engineering, we are proud to be able to say that we have over 35 years’ experience designing and manufactur ing Agricultural Buildings & Equipment.
• Special offers available on Cattle & Sheep Hurdles, Gates & Water Troughs •
Suppliers of:
Suppliers of:
-Cattle Handling & Feeding Equipment
• Cattle Handling & Feeding Equipment
-Sheep Handling & Feeding Equipment
-Sheep Portarace
• Sheep Handling & Feeding Equipment
- ATV Trailers
• Sheep Portarace
- Agricultural Buildings
• ATV Trailers
-Electronic Cattle & Sheep Weigh Systems
• Agricultural Buildings
- Large quantity of box section and pipe, Phone for special offers
We are a local company with over 20 years of experience. Call us for a free estimate on work in planning, grant work & any other projects before taking the package deal as our prices are very competitive.
Agricultural & industrial concrete floors. Professionally laid by laser. All types of finish. All types of groundworks & building work can be undertaken.
of old concrete
H.E.Builders Ltd
Kincraig, 9 Broompark, Kelso TD5 7SN
LAND DRAINAGE
LAND DRAINAGE
LAND DRAINAGE
RIVERBANK PROTECTION/REPAIRS
RIVERBANK PROTECTION/REPAIRS
RIVERBANK PROTECTION/REPAIRS
TRACK RESTORATION WORKS
TRACK RESTORATION WORKS
TRACK RESTORATION WORKS
RIDING ARENAS
RIDING ARENAS
RIDING ARENAS
DRAIN JETTING/CCTV
DRAIN JETTING/CCTV
DRAIN JETTING/CCTV
FABRICATION/ENGINEERING WORKS
FABRICATION/ENGINEERING WORKS
FABRICATION/ENGINEERING WORKS
SNOW CLEARING SERVICES
SNOW CLEARING SERVICES
SNOW CLEARING SERVICES
PLANT HIRE
PLANT HIRE
PLANT HIRE
360° / 180° TRACKED/ WHEELED EXCAVATORS
360° / 180° TRACKED/ WHEELED EXCAVATORS
360° / 180° TRACKED/ WHEELED EXCAVATORS
D61PXI (GPS) DOZER
D61PXI (GPS) DOZER
D61PXI (GPS) DOZER
REAR TIPPING DUMP TRUCKS
REAR TIPPING DUMP TRUCKS
REAR TIPPING DUMP TRUCKS
TRACTORS & DUMP TRAILERS
TRACTORS & DUMP TRAILERS
TRACTORS & DUMP TRAILERS
CRUSHER, GRADER & COMPACTION EQUIPMENT FOR ROAD RESTORATION WORK
CRUSHER, GRADER & COMPACTION EQUIPMENT FOR ROAD RESTORATION WORK
CRUSHER, GRADER & COMPACTION EQUIPMENT FOR ROAD RESTORATION WORK
CONTRACT WORKS
• Public & private water mains spring supplies
• Septic tanks / pumping stations
• Treatment works
• Deep excavations
• Earthworks / groundworks
• Thrust boring / utility works
• Land drainage / inter-drain trenchless plough
• Riverbank protection/repairs
• Track restoration works
• Riding arenas
• Drain jetting / cctv
• Mole ploughing
• Fabrication / engineering works
• Snow clearing services
• Crusher, grader & compaction equipment
• Cement stabilisation for road restoration works
• Forestry Formation Works
PLANT HIRE
• 360° / 180° tracked / wheeled excavators
• D61PXI (gps) dozer
• Rear tipping dump trucks
• Tractors & dump trailers
STORES
We have a wide range of stock including:
• Safety Boots & Clothing
• Tools and Accessories
• Chrome North West Cleaning Products
• Drainage Coils, Twinwall, MDPE & Soil Pipe
• Exol Oil, Grease, Brake Fluid Ect
• Viking Johnston Fittings
• Philmac Water Fittings
• Consumables (Sprays, Paints, Nuts & Bolts Ect)
Scottish Borders Council Approved Contractor
Scottish Water Approved Contractor
SGN Approved Contractor
HYDRAULIC HOSE SERVICE
We also offer a hydraulic hose repair service. We hold a wide range of hose & fittings in stock from 1/4” to 1 1/4” to 2” 4 Wire.
CHRISTMAS PRECISION SALE
Only 2 left @ £3,995 + VAT (fitting and tractor specific platform kit not included)
SAS Mobile Seed Cleaning
We offer a high output service producing 10 - 14 tonnes per hour of gravity separated seed We use gravity tables, the only real method, not gravity selectors
We supply 2 men per machine - farm input only 1 man*
We have long serving members of staff who are time served and highly skilled
Our full time staff are employed from the local community
We will be processing spring barley, spring wheat, oats, spring osr plus peas & beans this Spring with:
Redigo pro - treatment for barley covering loose smut, leaf stripe & fusarium
Prepper - treatment for fusarium in spring wheat & oats
Signal - for wireworm & slug deterrent in all cereals
Manganese - for enhanced root establishment in all crops
Phosphite
Wintercrop reformulated
A MAJOR MILESTONE BUT NO CELEBRATION
As I reach the end of another year I look back with that creeping feeling of old age catching up with me. My 70th birthday came and went and all the talk of a promised party came to nothing. Not even a card or a drop of ‘Ultimate Diesel’ that is supposed to make us feel better and go further. My repair costs have been £25 this year, for straightening one of my pulleys. I will have returned a small but important contribution to HMRC to be spent on those poor asylum refugees seeking sanctuary in a safe place!
Total pulls this year have been six off farm and five at home plus a bogged lorry and a contract job with a mini digger. All have gone without a hitch (pun intended!) and happy customers all round. As I look forward to 2026 I hope that there will be at least as much work and possibly even 2 more pulls. The fact the young boss is constructing a 32,000 bird free range house with concrete floors and muck belts, next year, is of no interest to me. ‘Long live moveable Organic Free Range’ I say.
He is in Kenya, as usual I am left at home. From a cold and draughty shed near the A68 I wish you all a Happy Christmas and a healthy New Year.
Christmas Word Search
Tillage Word Search
There are 10 parts of the Agrimart logo hidden throughout this issue!
2 of each part, not including on this page or the front cover.
For the chance to win a £20 book token email your completed word search and the page numbers containing the logo parts with name and address to: sales@agrimart.co.uk or by post to: Agrimart, Sandystones, Ancrum, Jedburgh TD8 6UP (entries by 9th January 2026)
With my military friends
DRONE CROP SPRAYING & SPREADING
TARGETED ACCURACY. ZERO SOIL COMPACTION. REDUCED WASTE.
SPRAYING & SPREADING
• Fertilisers & bio stimulants – liquid, granular, seaweed & urea, other (non-MAPP)
• Solar panel inspection and cleaning - thermal fault detection + bio-cleaning
• Glasshouse & polytunnel shading and cleaning – safer, faster, water-efficient “INNOVATION IN THE AIR – SUSTAINABILITY ON THE GROUND, ONE FIELD AT A TIME”
SERVING FARMS, ESTATES, HORTICULTURISTS
AND SOLAR OPERATORS ACROSS SCOTLAND AND NORTHERN ENGLAND
NEW M-TEC 12X6 LIVESTOCK TRAILER SLURRY TANK, SHEEP DECKS £7950+VAT
2X NEW CF MOTO U10 PRO HIGHLAND THE UTV OF THE FUTURE, 90HP 3 CYLINDER ENGINE, ELEC FRONT & SIDE WINDOWS, HEATED CAB, HEATED SEATS, ELEC TILT BED, FRONT WINCH, METALLIC GREEN £22500+VAT
2X NEW CF MOTO U10 PRO HIGHLAND THE UTV OF THE FUTURE, 90HP 3 CYLINDER ENGINE, ELEC FRONT & SIDE WINDOWS, HEATED CAB, HEATED SEATS, ELEC TILT BED, FRONT WINCH, METALLIC RED £22500+VAT
NEW CFMOTO CFORCE 520 ATV POWER STEERING, CVT TRANSMISSION, FRONT WINCH ROAD LEGAL £6250+VAT
NEW CFMOTO CFORCE 450 POWER STEERING, CVT TRANSMISSION, FRONT WINCH, ROAD LEGAL £5950+VAT
NEW QUICKE 240SM+ BUCKET BOLT ON BRACKETS AVAILABLE IN ANY SIZE £750+VAT
NEW QUICKE SILOGRAB 210M+ ON EURO BRACKETS £2450+VAT
NEW LWC 3 POINT LINKAGE HYDRAULIC BALE CARRIER £1950+VAT
NEW LWC 1.5M MUCK GRAB ON EURO BRACKETS £1950+VAT
NEW AB WIGHT HEAVY DUTY 8FT 10 TINE MUCK FORK ANY TELEHANDER BRACKETS £2300+VAT
NEW AB WIGHT 60 DEGREE VEE DITCHING BUCKET 8 TONNE ANY BRACKETS £1150+VAT
NEW AB WIGHT EURO TO QFIT FIT ADAPTER FRAME £750+VAT
NEW FLEMING TOP4 4FT TOPPER £1250+VAT
NEW OXDALE 3 POINT LINKAGE HYDRAULIC LOG SPLITTER £850+VAT
NEW AB WIGHT HEAVY DUTY GALV 5X3 ATV TRAILER £850+VAT
NEW AB WIGHT HEAVY DUTY IBC TRAILER GALVANISED CHASSIS C/W DRINKING BOWL £895+VAT
NEW McHALE R5 BALE GRAB ON EURO BRACKETS £1450+VAT
TEAGLE 8100 TRAILED STRAWBEDDER c/w swivel chute, 2012 model
TEAGLE TOMAHAWK 8100 2018 Build Good condition
TEAGLE 1010SC Bluetooth control box
NEW / EX STOCK
FENDT 620 POWER PLUS EX DEMO
FENDT 312 POWER PLUS WITH LOADER EX DEMO
FENDT 160 V COMBI EX STOCK
NEW NC FORK MOUNTED YARD BRUSHES 2.5m & 3m EX STOCK
NEW TEAGLE 8500 STRAW/SILAGE BEDDER FEEDERS EX STOCK
MERLO TF42.7CS Cab & Boom suspension, LED work Lights, Full Spec EX DEMO
MERLO 33.7 Boom Suspension, LED Work Lights
MURRAY 4CUBIC GRAIN BUCKET c/w Q Fit Brackets and Bolt on Wear Plate
SKY X40+ ECONOV FERTILISER SPREADER weight cells
SUMO 3M TRIO EX DEMO
SUMO 3M TRAILER TRIO EX DEMO
TEAGLE DUAL 280 & 300 FLAIL TOPPERS
NEW SUMO FRONT WEIGHTS 1000kg, 1500kg, 2000kg EX STOCK
The Old Smiddy, Graden, Kelso, TD5 8BS
Telephone : 01573430338
Email : info@walkergroundworks.com
The Old Smiddy, Graden, Kelso, TD5 8BS
Telephone : 01573 430338
Email : info@walkergroundworks.com
Walker Groundworks are a long-serving company, established in 1996, covering a working area including but not restricted to the Scottish Borders, Northumberland and the Lothians.
Our highly skilled and dedicated team are here to help with any of the following works:
• Earthworks/Site Preparation/Roads
• Crushing
Walker Groundworks are a long-serving company, established in 1996, covering a working area including but not restricted to the Scottish Borders, Northumberland and the Lothians.
• Groundworks/Plotworks
• Deep Drainage
• Field Drainage & Ditching
• River Works
• Concrete Flooring for Agricultural/Industrial Shed (Laid with highly accurate Laser Screed, with finish to meet clients' requirements)
• All Timber work undertaken – including Harvesting, Hand Cutting, Thinnings & Clear Fell
• Haulage including Heavy Plant Movement, Timber Haulage & Hiab Hire
Our highly skilled and dedicated team are here to help with any of the following works:
• In house Welding Engineer/Steel Fabricator
• Earthworks/Site preparation/Roads
• Crushing
• In house setting out engineer/surveyor
• Groundworks/Plotworks
• Deep Drainage
• Field Drainage and Ditching
• River Works
• Concrete Flooring for Agricultural/Industrial Shed (Laid with highly accurate Laser Screed, with finish to meet clients’ requirements)
• All Timber work undertaken – including Harvesting, Hand Cutting, Thinnings and Clear Fell
• Haulage including Heavy Plant Movement, Timber Haulage and Hiab Hire
• In house Welding Engineer/Steel Fabricator
New Services Available:
• AdBlue and ERG Solutions
• HGV Tractor and Vehicle Tuning
• Brake Roller Testing
• Preventative Maintenance Inspection
• Full Servicing Facilities
John Deere 5105M, 2025
John Deere 6110M, 2018
John Deere 6110RC, 2015
John Deere 6120M, 2021
John Deere 6120SE, 2003
John Deere 6130R, 2019
John Deere 6130R, 2020
John Deere 6130R, 2022
John Deere 6140M, 2022
John Deere 6145M, Choice
John Deere 6155R, 2018
John Deere 6155R, 2018
John Deere 6155R, 2020
USED TRACTORS
John Deere 6155R, Choice
John Deere 6175R PG 3P, 2022
John Deere 6175R, 2019
John Deere 6R 185, 2023
John Deere 6195R, PG 3P 2022
John Deere 6330, 2012
John Deere 6630, 2010
John Deere 6195R, 2015
John Deere 6215R, choice
John Deere 6250R,2021
John Deere 6250R, PG+5P, 2020
John Deere 8400R, 2018
Deutz-Fahr 6180, 2014
USED TELEHANDLERS/WHEELED LOADERS
Kramer KT3610 Telehandler ex-demo
Kramer KT559 Telehandler ex-demo
Kramer KT144, 2022 J Manitou 627 Telehandler
As we approach the end of another difficult year for farming and allied industries, it’s natural to reflect on the many challenges bestowed upon us.
2025 may not have been kind to all of us, but as the festive period approaches we should take some time to come together with family and friends, and enjoy some festive cheer.
The directors and staff appreciate your business over the past twelve months and we look forward to supporting you again in 2026.
From all of us at Sherriff’s we wish you a Happy, Trouble Free, Christmas and a Healthy, Prosperous New Year.
John Deere 5105M, 2025
John Deere 6110M, 2018
John Deere 6110RC, 2015
John Deere 6120M, 2021
John Deere 6120SE, 2003
John Deere 6130R, 2019
John Deere 6130R, 2020
John Deere 6130R, 2022
John Deere 6140M, 2022
John Deere 6145M, Choice
John Deere 6155R, 2018
John Deere 6155R, 2018
John Deere 6155R, 2020
USED TRACTORS
John Deere 6155R, Choice
John Deere 6175R PG 3P, 2022
John Deere 6175R, 2019
John Deere 6R 185, 2023
John Deere 6195R, PG 3P 2022
John Deere 6330, 2012
John Deere 6630, 2010
John Deere 6195R, 2015
John Deere 6215R, choice
John Deere 6250R,2021
John Deere 6250R, PG+5P, 2020
John Deere 8400R, 2018
Deutz-Fahr 6180, 2014
USED TELEHANDLERS/WHEELED LOADERS
Kramer KT3610 Telehandler ex-demo
Kramer KT559 Telehandler ex-demo
Kramer KT144, 2022 J Manitou 627 Telehandler
As we approach the end of another difficult year for farming and allied industries, it’s natural to reflect on the many challenges bestowed upon us.
2025 may not have been kind to all of us, but as the festive period approaches we should take some time to come together with family and friends, and enjoy some festive cheer.
The directors and staff appreciate your business over the past twelve months and we look forward to supporting you again in 2026.
From all of us at Sherriff’s we wish you a Happy, Trouble Free, Christmas and a Healthy, Prosperous New Year.
www.billrae.co.uk
All
Two
Direct drilling / Pasture
Rejuvenation
Ploughing / Sowing
Fertiliser Spreading
Agri Haulage
Groundworks / Dump trailers
Topping & Mulching
Tubeline Bale Wrapping
CONTRACTORS SERVICES
• TIMBER HARVESTING
• THINNINGS AND CLEAR FELLS
• STORM DAMAGE
• STANDING TIMBER PURCHASED
• FELLING LICENCE APPLICATIONS
• TIMBER SALES
Talking
......Organic
December 10th 2025
Simon Bainbridge farms in partnership with his wife Claire and his mother Elisabeth in Northumberland. They run suckler beef, sheep and laying hen enterprises across 650 ha of mainly SDA and moorlandorganically.
Unbelievably the year is nearly done. Christmas lights are up (admittedly not here – we’re definitely not that well organised), but a few end of year moments are creeping in… school carol services and a raft of 2026 wall planners arriving in the post. The time of year has also brought the annual onslaught of bird flu to the country. It’s hard to see how many premises are being affected this year. All we can do is follow our stringent biosecurity and keep up with the advice.
Marcus Campbell-Savours, the Labour MP who represents the rural Cumbrian seat of Penrith and Solway was suspended last week for voting against the governments plan to tax inherited farmland. Well done him for having the bravery and conviction to stand up for his constituents. We need more Labour MPs to do the right thing at the next vote on the 16th December. What is worrying is that if you go against the government, you get kicked out – its not really a democracy at present!
On the farm PD’ing the cows was particularly satisfying after worries of the dry summer having a negative effect. Cows have been vaccinated for BVD, Leptospirosis, tested for Johnes and received their fluke dose after being housed for two weeks. Calves are spaned and onto their winter ration of silage and 1kg of organic barley. Silage analysis has also been pleasing but with a much lower quantity due to the extreme weather. The Galloways are still on the hill with their calves but will come home shortly to spane and dry off before returning to the hill for winter.
Paperwork seems to be a never ending order of the day for Claire with a Lion Code inspection this week, an RSPCA spot check last month and a Defra check in between, all relating to the hens. In the new year she will be tackling the organic audit and the red tractor. I am particularly lucky, fortunate and blessed that I have an “off paperwork” note from our doctor (actually, an amazing wife)!
Much deliberation is now being spent on how to grow the business next; To invest or not ? To consolidate? (consolidation would be the bank managers and the accountants preferred choice) or to save, all whilst having an eye on the government’s shenanigans! There will be many pleased to see the end of 2025, a glorious summer for some, but for farming a drought followed by endless rain. A tough one politically, with many left unsure of which farming path to take, if they have a choice. I sincerely hope that next year is more settled on many levels. With next year in mind, Claire and I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a positive 2026.
IF YOUR FARM TRACK OR FOREST ROAD NEEDS SOME ATTENTION, WE HAVE THE SKILLS, MACHINERY AND EXPERIENCE TO DELIVER A LASTING SOLUTION.
• REDUCES OR ELIMINATES THE NEED TO IMPORT MATERIALS.
• IMPROVES DRAINAGE TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE.
• QUICK AND EFFECTIVE SOLUTION THAT MINIMISES DISRUPTION TO TRAFFIC MOVEMENTS.
Contact:
Connon Construction Ltd.
Christopher07843 208 544
Patrick07701 040 681
Slurry spreading available with umbilical, dribble bars and ferry tankers. Tractors on floatation tyres
Dung spreader hire or complete service
Complete silage service
All types of digger work undertaken
Connon Farms / Connon Construction
Connon Farms / Connon Construction
Film binding instead of net wrap results in more plastic where the bale needs it most on the barrel, only one recycling stream as well.
25 knife bank giving 45mm chop length with bale getting wrapped immediately out the bale chamber. Onboard bale weighing giving average bale weight and total weight of crop baled. Application of inoculants or additives.
J & J Grant
Scotland’s Spreading Specialists
5 spreaders available to meet your precision spreading requirements
High output LGP machines to minimise soil and crop damage Weighing systems and auto steer fitted
We supply our own loader and fuel to minimise disturbance to the customer Blanket or variable rate lime spreading compatible with all mapping systems The following can be supplied and accurately applied Lime, Compost, Slag, Henpen, Fibrophos, FYM, Gypsum, other organic materials
Soil Mapping service
• correct variations across fields
• independent analysis
• 4 samples/ha for accurate pH maps
• all nutrients can be tested
• recommendations to suit your enterprise Contact us to discuss how we can help reduce your costs with the use of organic products Tel 01875 320363
CONTRACTORS SERVICES
On Our Farm
December 10th 2025
Hugo Lee farms in partnership with his father, Guy, at Sandystones, near St Boswells. Arable crops of wheat, oilseed rape, malting barley and oats are grown, 500 Angus cattle are finished annually, 8000 organic hens produce eggs for Waitrose and 8,000 organic point of lay pullets are reared each year.
I can’t believe it’s almost Christmas, 2025 seems to have flown by. The past month has been relatively quiet on the farm with all cattle now housed and no hen/rearing sheds to move and wash.
Last week I attended the British Free Range Egg Producers Association conference in Telford. It was a fascinating day and I had plenty to think about as I sat stationary on the M6 for two hours on my way home. As we all know the egg market is currently very strong with a 5% increase in year on year sales. This growth is forecast to continue; in the UK we eat 30% less eggs per year than our European counterparts. Experts predict that UK egg consumption will slowly catch up with Europe as eggs are very popular among millennials.
Despite this optimistic outlook the industry is facing two major issues which were highlighted at the conference, Bird flu and Ukrainian egg imports. Like 2022/23 bird flu remained in our domestic population over the summer which was concerning. It over summered in sea birds but has been rapidly spread by ducks, swans and geese. This resulted in a very rapid increase in cases at the start of the 2025/26 season. All we can do is ensure our biosecurity is at the highest level possible as the hope of a vaccine looks a long way off. Since the Ukraine war broke out the UK set up very favourable trade agreements with Ukraine. One of the consequences of this has seen our domestic wholesale egg market flooded with cheap Ukrainian eggs which in some cases have salmonella. These eggs are being sold in corner shops and street markets. The industry can’t face another 1988! Jess, the children and I are all off to Kenya on Saturday for a flying visit to see my sister Annabel and her family before Christmas. We have not been over for five years so we are all getting very excited. As an added bonus my parents will be with us as well. We have not been on holiday with them since returning home in 2017 as one of us always needed to be here. Thankfully we now have enough labour in place to allow us to both go away at the same time. I just need to get 53 cattle clipped and not get the flu which has taken the rest of the family down over the past few weeks.
It will be a busy Christmas as Bogdan and Diana head back to Romania for three weeks. I will need to try and fit in cattle feeding in between all the activities Jess and my sister Emma have planned. It will certainly not be a quiet one but that is just the way I like it.
As this is our 400th edition of Agrimart I just want to say a huge thank you to all the advertisers and readers who have supported us over the past 33 years.
Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year.
BYREWALLS FENCING
All types of Agricultural Fencing, Garden Fencing and Decking
A & E Brown, Byrewalls, Gordon, Berwickshire TD3 6JU Contact: Andrew 07725 583737
All types of Brash, Gorse, Willow and Rhododendron mulched to 3 inches below ground level
High-Capacity Mulcher powered by 500 HP Fendt
Quickly clears large areas with ease
EXCAVATOR & MULCHING HEAD
Various sizes of machines
For Hard to access areas
BIOMASS CHIPPING
Biomass G30 and G50 Chipping
High-Capacity Chipping up to
300 cube per hour
Brash Chipping
Site Clearances
ROBOTIC FORESTRY
MULCHER & FLAIL
Minimise ground disturbance
Slopes up to 55 degrees
High Performance Fixed Tooth mulching head
● 1.3m Cutting head with a variety of flails for grass cutting & Vegetation
TREE HARVESTING
● Clear Felling & Wind-blown trees
● Thinning’s
● Timber Forwarding
● Felling Licences
● Brash Recovery
SILAGE PITS, FARM ROADS, DRIVEWAYS, ESTATES
SILAGE PITS, FARM ROADS, DRIVEWAYS, ESTATES
BLOCK PAVING OF PATHWAYS, DRIVEWAYS & CAR PARKS
BLOCK PAVING OF PATHWAYS, DRIVEWAYS & CAR PARKS
SURFACE DRESSING WITH NATURAL STONE FINISHES
SILAGE PITS, FARM ROADS, DRIVEWAYS, ESTATES
BLOCK PAVING OF PATHWAYS, DRIVEWAYS & CAR PARKS
SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS, PATHWAYS, CAR PARKS
TARMACADAM, ASPHALT, PATCHING & POTHOLE REPAIRS
CALL FOR A FREE NO OBLIGATION QUOTATION & SURVEY
LOCAL COMPANY WITH OVER 45 YEARS EXPERIENCE
OBLIGATION QUOTATION & SURVEY
SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS, PATHWAYS, CAR PARKS
TARMACADAM, ASPHALT, PATCHING & POTHOLE REPAIRS
DRAINAGE, KERBING, GROUNDWORKS
PRIVATE & COMMERCIAL WORK UNDERTAKEN
SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS, PATHWAYS, CAR PARKS
TARMACADAM, ASPHALT, PATCHING & POTHOLE REPAIRS
DRAINAGE, KERBING,
DRAINAGE, KERBING, GROUNDWORKS
PRIVATE & COMMERCIAL
PRIVATE & COMMERCIAL WORK UNDERTAKEN
APPROVED CONTRACTOR
SURFACE DRESSING WITH NATURAL STONE FINISHES
SILAGE PITS, FARM ROADS, DRIVEWAYS, ESTATES
BLOCK PAVING OF PATHWAYS, DRIVEWAYS & CAR PARKS
WITH NATURAL STONE FINISHES
BLOCK PAVING OF PATHWAYS,
Warreners House,
Langtonlees
Broad eld Farm, Symington
Warreners House, Morpeth
Sandystones, Jedburgh
The Stiel, Yarrowford
Broad eld Farm, Symington
APPROVED CONTRACTOR
Sandystones, Jedburgh
The Stiel, Yarrowford
Broad eld Farm, Symington
Langtonlees Farm, Duns
Sandystones, Jedburgh
The Stiel, Yarrowford
Langtonlees Farm, Duns
The Stiel, Yarrowford Broad eld Farm, Symington
Langtonlees Farm, Duns
Warreners House, Morpeth
Sandystones, Jedburgh
The Stiel, Yarrowford Broad eld Farm, Symington
Langtonlees Farm, Duns
South Road – Belford (01668) 213 433 Suppliers of Quality Assured READY MIXED CONCRETE
Steven Birdsall (01668) 213 733 Mobile: 07970 112761
GILBERT BIRDSALL BUILDING & CIVIL ENGINEERING
Suppliers of Quarry Materials, JCB Hire, Drives, Agricultural Buildings, etc. Tel: Belford (01668) 213433
Talking......from Lincolnshire
December 8th 2025
Will Howe is an arable farmer from Sleaford, Lincolnshire. The soils are predominantly heavy. There is 1000ha of cropping including winter wheat, spring beans, spring oats and oilseed rape. He also manages a contracting business Thorpe Farming Ltd.
I feel obliged to wish you all a Happy New Year, but I genuinely don’t know what to make of it all. I sit here in my cold porta-kabin manically typing away in an effort to keep warm; feeling like a 7yr old who wasn’t picked till last in a game of football. Can the government really not want farmers? More worryingly do they not want people who live and look like me nor share my values? This may sound like it comes from the Nationalist Far Right playbook, but it genuinely doesn’t. It appears if you keep warm with a woodburning stove, own a check shirt or believe in hard work you are now public enemy number only made worse if you or your forebearers invested in assets and you are prudent enough to save for your future. One option on my to-do list is to continue investigating shiny combines, the other is to get my vasectomoy reversed and have one more child and then claim £71k/yr on benefits. It beats long days, dust inhalation and stress, and thinking about it further if I could encourage my wife’s tennis lessons a little more vigorously, I wouldn’t even need the uncomfortable surgery! Like many, the last 12 months have led us to look at reviewing business structures to determine how best to protect what we have for now and future generations. All sorts of convoluted schemes have been mentioned, all of which seem to attract significant expense either with the taxman or with the team of professionals hired to try to add some clarity. Also, you are always a little wary when you have younger children that one of them will develop a nasty crack habit and spend it all anyway!
Yet a business standing still is a one way road to the end, so we have to keep moving on and investing. And this is the interesting part. With my business model more acres is the game to increase profit shares and show all my neighbours how successful I am yet is it a race to the bottom? The short answer is yes. People are paying unsustainable rents in the hope of a rent review in 3yrs time and possibly making some profit in yrs 4 & 5. I am not sure Dragon’s Den would be investing in that proposition and nor will I. A fag packet calculation for this article shows my labour bill is roughly equal to my profit share from the CFA’s which made me swallow hard. I can see the early New Year being filled with brain-storming, blue sky thinking, my endless longing to get back into the cattle game and countless spreadsheets which no doubt will tell me, eventually, that tennis lessons are a very sensible investment! I love a moody
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Talking......New Zealand
December 8th 2025
Ian Mackenzie is an arable and dairy farmer from the Canterbury Plain in the South Island of New Zealand. He runs a number of fully irrigated intensive cropping farms, producing grain, vegetable and grass seeds with some stock finishing.
It’s been an exciting last few weeks. 6 weeks after the local government elections (I was re-elected to our regional council) the government announced we regional councillors are to be made redundant and replaced by the mayors of our district councils as a first step in a major local government reform.
The reform is a stepped process to reduce government from 3 tiers to 2.
This is very good news, although only one other regional councillor around our table shares my enthusiasm.
One of our council’s functions is resource management, balancing economic activity and development with environmental safeguards. Pretty much all farms in our region have been required to have land use resource consents and farm environmental plans. This double up of rules and regulations was designed by left wing politicians and moronic bureaucrats to stifle prosperity and shut down the dairy industry. To make it worse the consents were initially only issued for 5 years and the FEPs are audited every 2 years. The left wing loonies around our council have been demanding incremental constrictions on consent conditions as they’ve so far failed in their aims to shut down farming.
This has resulted in farmers facing long winded and complicated processes to renew their consents to farm with huge costs. Council staff have interpreted the politics as free rein to find excuses to frustrate and obstruct consent applicants. One high country station is facing reconsenting costs in excess of $300k, several farms with bills for $150k, and simpler processes still costing applicants $50k. My own district is facing a consent cost of over $1m for a catchment wide environmental restoration programme.
The council has tried to argue these costs are necessary to ensure environmental protection, but almost invariably the final consent conditions are the same as those offered by the applicants at the start of the consenting process. So no environmental gain but a significant financial burden.
This has caused outrage, resentment and huge anger, not only with farmers but with our government who have been trying to kickstart a stagnant economy.
The exciting part is the revolution has started and accountability and retribution is coming roaring down the track.
I’ve offered my services as having a steady hand and a good eye in operating the drafting gates when the culling begins.
An interlude away from politics. Over an hour behind the winner but a suspicious podium finish anyway.
A brief moment of sanity meeting with motivated business leaders
Negotiating redundancy and retribution with my favourite Minister
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Talking......Business with Bell Rural Solutions
December 2025
Michael Bell is Managing Director of Bell Rural Solutions, based in their office in Earlston. Michael provides professional advice to clients on a variety of issues throughout Scotland and Northern England, is a Member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, an RICS Registered Valuer and Agent for the AMC & Oxbury Bank. UK Budget Leaves Rural Scotland Seeking Stronger Support for Growth
The UK Budget has raised concerns across Scotland’s rural sector, where many believe the measures announced fail to deliver the targeted support needed to unlock economic potential and safeguard long-standing rural businesses. While the Budget outlined additional funding for Scotland and a series of tax and investment changes, it is widely viewed as falling short of addressing the core pressures facing rural communities.
Ahead of the announcement, rural organisations had called for reforms to National Insurance contributions and broader VAT incentives for energy-efficient renovation—priorities largely absent from the final package. This has contributed to scepticism about whether the Budget fully recognises the challenges of operating in remote and land-based industries.
A key point of contention is the introduction of a mileage-based charge for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles from April 2028. Set at around half the fuel-duty rate, the charge is expected to hit rural households and small businesses hardest, due to longer travel distances, limited public transport alternatives, and patchy EV charging infrastructure. Concerns have been raised that this may deter the shift towards low-carbon transport.
Although the freeze on fuel duty until September 2026 provides short-term relief, this is counterbalanced by the reduction in corporation tax writing-down allowances from 18% to 14% in 2026. The OBR has cautioned that this could slow investment, particularly in sectors reliant on expensive machinery, increasing the cost of maintaining and upgrading essential equipment.
Changes to dividend tax rates add further pressure. From 2027, the basic rate will rise to 10.75% and the higher rate to 35.75%, increasing tax liabilities for those drawing income from limited companies—a common structure in many rural areas. This may reduce the attractiveness of entrepreneurial activity where margins are already tight. There is also unease around forthcoming changes to inheritance tax for agricultural and business property. While unused portions of the £1 million relief cap will now be transferable between spouses, wider tightening of reliefs still presents risks for family farms and rural enterprises dependent on generational succession. Other measures present a mixed landscape. Rising minimum wages will raise labour costs, though agricultural wages remain under the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board. Personal tax threshold freezes and NIC changes will increase effective tax burdens, with Scotland’s income-tax system adding further complexity. Temporary part-funding of the renewables obligation offers short-term support to community energy projects but introduces uncertainty for long-term planning. The Budget also delivers £820 million in additional funding for Scotland and a share of the £725 million Skills Levy, offering potential opportunities depending on January’s allocations. Overall, the Budget provides limited momentum for rural Scotland, leaving many looking to the forthcoming Scottish Budget for stronger recognition of rural economic potential.
For more information, please get in touch with Michael Bell on 01896 802252, 07584 644246 or mbell@bellruralsolutions.com
Border Chainsaw, Earlston
Thorburn Group, Duns
Lower Mansfield Road, Hawick, TD9 8AW
Willowford Farm, Jedburgh
Thorburn Group, Duns
Talking......from the boundary
I was hoping to write my contribution from Uganda but having seen the planned schedule for my visit I don’t think there will be time allowed for me to pen an article so I am typing this from Nairobi where everyday seems like a warm summer’s day in the UK. Our involvement with Nserester School began 24 years ago when our then 19 year old daughter, Emma, went out to Uganda with a group of first year students from Edinburgh University on an Aids Awareness Project. They visited a number of schools promoting safe sex, the last of which was Nserester a vocational school that was seeking sponsors for orphaned children. From 2001 we sponsored Lillian Nakibuuka for 5 years. In 2007 we registered Nserester as a charity. The story of how the school started is fascinating.
Isaac Nsereko was born to a polygamous family, his father having four wives. His father died before he was born, his mother died when he was five. He was left in the care of his stepmothers who had enough problems looking after their own children. He was subject to maltreatment and abuse and eventually ran away from home. For seven years he lived as a street child in a town on the border with Tanzania. Stealing food and clothes this group of ‘urchins’ survived. In 1978 the Ugandan Army who were at war with Tanzania, came across these children and to supposedly put them out of their misery herded them into a compound and threw grenades. All were killed, except Isaac who was wounded. He was rescued by a Muslim cattle trader who paid for him to be treated in hospital. Once recovered he then sent this “gangly” 17 year old back to primary school to restart his education. From there he went onto secondary school, university and finally to theological college. Isaac had been born an Anglican and although rescued by a Muslim, this man had never tried to indoctrinate him with his own faith but allowed him to remain a Christian. As the time came for Isaac to be ordained his ‘Good Samaritan’ was old and dying. Isaac went to say goodbye to him and asked how he could ever repay his saviour, the old man said, “I have helped you, you must now go and help others”.
Isaac was given a rural parish, where the pastor is very much head of the community and faith in God and the church is profound and a centre point of the village. Being bright and able he worked his way up though the church hierarchy and was soon on the staff at a Cathedral. He was invited to tell his life story to a group in the capital, Kampala. One of the audience was John Taylor, who had recently retired as Bishop of Winchester. Hearing Isaac inspired John to ask what him what he had done about the instruction the old man had given him. Isaac said he was worried he was not ‘helping others’ as instructed. John Taylor said ‘The only place to start is to begin, I will go back to Hampshire and raise money, you must find some needy children’. So in the town of Masaka Isaac taught under the shade of a tree, money was raised, land purchased and a school was built. Thirty years later it is a well established centre of vocational education for orphans and the needy. Masaka is now a city and the buildings need to be rebuilt as they are not deemed fit for a city. This is undoubtedly the biggest challenge the school has faced, there is a determination not to let this defeat them.
Guy Lee
The planned new building
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Talking......North of the Forth
December 8th 2025
Tom Pate farms 240ha of arable on a tenanted farm in Angus. Cropping includes wheat, spring barley, rye and oilseed rape along with land let for potatoes and vining peas. Additionally, around 6500 pigs are reared annually under contract and 600 Christmas turkeys sold directly to the public under the KellyBronze franchise. On his wife’s 380ha family farm in the Angus Glens they also run 200 red deer hinds plus followers for venison production, along with developing a forestry enterprise. Marketing the grain, we produce on farm hasn’t changed much since I returned home 20-odd years ago. Dealing with a small handful of merchants that all get their share of the pie over the years. I use a mixture of pooled marketing arrangements, forward contracts and a healthy dose of gut feeling to sell my crops with an average that usually ends up being neither the top of the market nor the bottom. An average, average is good for an average farmer like me.
The merchants are a mixture of major UK private companies, co-operatives and Scottish grain traders. An individual from each organisation is allocated to be my point of contact and hopefully a good working relationship can be developed over a long term. In general I have been lucky with my merchants and business can be done with a quick, friendly chat. I hope this doesn’t change and the personal touch is still required in business. It’s all too sad when business is done with a faceless call centre, a website (which constantly asks if I am human), or most offensively an AI chat bot!
However, I did find myself using the trading platform app, Hectare (formerly Graindex), for the first time last month. Scunnered by the spring barley trade and having had to work very hard to get it shifted at harvest, I found myself seduced by the ease of listing an amount of barley to sell on the app. The remaining balance of 116t of feed barley was posted on the site, detailing the required quality information and the month I wanted movement. I then sat and waited for bids. At a prearranged time, the bids from a variety of buyers pinged through and I promptly accepted the best offer. Easy. The lorries arrived and were loaded and payment awaited as normal. The interesting thing was the buyers and end users that I was exposed to in this process. Names and companies I hadn’t heard of before and certainly hadn’t sold grain to. There were also plenty of familiar buyers, including some of the companies I already deal with.
When grain marketing becomes more difficult, as we are experiencing this season, the likes of Hectare will be a useful tool. They have been around for a few years, but I expect they will see rapid uptake this season as growers look to market their grain and squeeze the best price they can out of the market. Younger farmers will also, likely, be more at ease selling through an app than taking the time to call your friendly merchant.
Perhaps the grain market needs a shake-up. The traditional grain trade will certainly have to work harder than ever to keep growers on side.
Wishing all readers of Agrimart a restful and restorative festive period.
A new concrete ramp has been laid to allow easier access for pig lorries reversing up to the shed from the main road
A noticeable difference, with the strip-till drilled wheat, is the surface conditions following heavy or prolonged rain. Easy walking with little soil clinging to your boots
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