9 Farmers NEW YEAR 2019 • ISSUE 278
Club
www.thefarmersclub.com
INSIDE Oxford Conference p8 Land options p10 Gearing up for Brexit p11 House of Lords Lunch p12 Club Cup Winner p13 Golf report p14 Ladies Luncheon p15 Club Events p16 Food photos p18 Chef’s poultry p19 Under 30s NI walk p20 Under 30s at RASC p21
INSERTS Balmoral & Highland Shows California study tour Chelsea Flower Show Members Info Sheet St George’s Day Romeo & Juliet Jerez visit
Entrepreneurial Chairman Nick Helme chairs the Club in 2019 p6
www.thefarmersclub.com for the latest Club news
Farmers Club Serving the farming industry for 175 years 3 Whitehall Court, London SW1A 2EL Patron – Her Majesty The Queen
Contents
FRONT COVER 2019 Club Chairman Nick Helme, pictured here at the Club with wife Donna, is a successful rural entrepreneur with plans aplenty for a fascinating Club year (p6). Photo: Minna Rossi Photography www.minnarossi.com info@minnarossi.com Disclaimer: The articles published in The Farmers Club Journal do not necessarily reflect the views of The Farmers Club. No responsibility for the quality of goods or services advertised in the magazine can be accepted by the publisher. Advertisements are included in good faith. All rights reserved.
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3 Chairman’s Comments New Chairman lays out his stall
4 Club News Reflections on the winter period and Club plans for 2019
6 Herefordshire Chairman Nick Helme is Club Chairman for 2019. Here he talks about his farm, his plans for 2019 and his thriving consultancy business
8 Oxford Farming Conference
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Michael Gove struggled to convince delegates that food and farming were at the heart of Defra’s post-Brexit plans
10 Property development Land promotion or land option – the pros and cons
11 Preparing for Brexit Agriculture Bill gives enough detail for farms to start making changes to secure a profitable future, Club member explains
12 Lord Trees on farming The annual House of Lords Lunch heard how farming needs to look to its public image, and embrace science more effectively
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13 Farmers Club Cup Winner Professor John Webster was the popular recipient of the Farmers Club Cup, in recognition of his animal welfare work
14 Club golf Half year report on golfing activities plus 2019 Calendar
15 Ladies Luncheon Antiques expert Kate Bliss captivated the audience
16 Club Events
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Visits to California and Jerez are profiled
18 Food photos Club Restaurant photos win plaudits
19 Chef ’s poultr y Worcestershire supplier makes an impact
20 Under 30s in NI and Canada Northern Ireland farm walk & RASC Conference
23 Club Information and Contacts 02 • The Farmers Club New Year 2019
Chairman’s Comments • Nick Helme has helped limit charges to members we now have to act. Hence the decision by your Committee to raise room rates to better reflect current costs. We are confident the Club still represents extremely good value. Ongoing events Although the club is very much apolitical I do need to refer to ongoing political events. The whole saga has topped the agenda for the past two years, and everyone assumed it would be resolved by now. Yet, as I write, it is not only still top of the agenda, but as 29th March looms closer we are actually even less certain as to what happens the following day.
Chairman’s Comments “Please let’s all continue to make a special effort to keep that very important relationship and show our appreciation of all our amazing club staff.”
AS I sit down to write this, my first article for the Journal, the incredible honour and responsibility of the position begins to sink in. My first task is definitely to thank 2018 Chairman Peter Jinman for all his hard work during his year in office. I have already had huge support from Andrei, Virginia, Claire and all the team in putting together this year’s programme, we are looking forward to a great year. For me, one of the key dates of the year takes place in December, the staff lunch and drinks where the Committee and all the staff get to spend time together talking and relaxing. Last year we followed a slightly different format of a “rolling buffet”, giving everyone a real chance to engage and mix. Splendid staff I think we all know how fortunate we are to have such dedicated and professional staff at the Club. But it’s only when you spend time with everyone that it becomes evident just how much this is also their club, how involved they feel, how important it is to them and the behind the scenes lengths they go to, to make it all work. So please let’s all continue to make a special effort to keep that very important relationship and show our appreciation of all our amazing club staff. The Club always has to strike a balance between providing value for members and generating a small operating surplus for future needs and improvements. But costs have risen rapidly over recent years and whilst strong management control
However, for me, I actually do know some of what happens on the 30th. It’s a significant birthday for me, and where better to spend it than the Farmers Club? With such great food and hospitality on offer it seemed the obvious venue to book for a family celebration. Looking to our busy Club Calendar (p16+p24) we are very much looking forward to independent economist Sean Rickard kicking off the Monday Evening Lectures, and I am also very excited at the prospect of our St George’s Day event. For those followers of the oval ball, of a certain age, the prospect of Dean Richards being our guest speaker will surely be of interest. One of the more pleasurable duties of the Chairman is to meet with as many of the members as possible, so please do make yourself known if we see you at the Club. We have extended the number of agricultural shows at which the Club will be present, and Donna and I are very much looking forward to attending all of these. Farm operations So, what’s happening on the farm? All planted up in record time and looking very healthy, with cereals looking like they could be worth a lot more than we ever expected. The cold stores are full of potatoes that for the first time in a long time look like having a good trade. Our power station is running flat out powering everything on site and exporting to the grid. We are all very excited at having a significant number of livestock on the farm, as our tenants have brought 1300 store lambs onto 120 acres of stubble turnips. It’s probably well over 100 years since these fields had livestock on them, so quite a change. About 25 years ago we planted two small woods, to celebrate the birth of our two sons, and every spring and autumn I spend a few hours on maintenance and spreading wild flower bulbs. It’s a simple pleasure watching the woods (and the boys) grow and mature and it’s always a key moment for me on the shortest day of the year to get down on my hands and knees in the woods, scrape away the leaf litter and look for the first shoots of snowdrops; the season begins again.
www.thefarmersclub.com • 03
Andrei Spence • Club News
Club News New Year welcome to your fine Club
December also saw the final three Club events of the year, starting with 50 members enjoying dinner before the Champions tennis tournament at the Royal Albert Hall. This is almost an annual pilgrimage for the Club, and was as popular as ever this year. December 20 was our final external event of the year, with a party of 25 enjoying a late lunch in the Club before heading to Kensington, to enjoy the shopping village at the London International Horse Show at Olympia, followed by some riveting showjumping – a superb day all round! We are now eagerly looking forward to welcoming the new Chairman for his Club tour, as well as the new Committee members, ahead of this year’s first Monday Evening Lecture, with guest speaker Sean Rickard, former NFU head economist.
The period between the end of November and the middle of January is a relatively benign time in the Club, writes Club Secretary & Chief Executive Andrei Spence. Having said that, November and December had very high occupancy
rates during the week and increasing occupancy at the weekends. Use of the Restaurant and Bars remained very healthy, and banqueting and conference rooms saw especially high usage, particularly before Christmas.
We also have a trip to Cirque du Soleil at the Royal Albert Hall in late January, the Under 30s New Members event and AGM in February, and a night with the Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall. Later in the year we look forward to taking members to California and Jerez (see p16+17), plus a welcome return to Henley Royal Regatta finals day, amongst many other highlights (Calendar dates for 2019 appear on the back cover of this Journal).
New Year’s Eve Party 2018 was rounded-off in traditional style as the Club held its prestigious Annual Black Tie Dinner on New Year’s Eve, attended by 100 members (balloted from a phenomenal 580 applications), who enjoyed a Champagne reception followed by a sumptuous four-course meal, before witnessing the global spectacle of the New Year’s Eve firework display around the London Eye, situated just 200 yards in front of the Club Terrace for the maximum viewing convenience of Farmers Club members! This wonderful evening began with a Lanson Champagne Reception laced with fantastic Chefs Treats, followed by a four-course meal in the Farmers Suite overlooking the River Thames, with a specially-chosen wine accompanying each course. By 11:30pm the Embankment had come alive, with ticket-holders thronging the edge of The Thames and music playing. So it was that members collected a glass of Lanson and made their way onto The
04 • The Farmers Club New Year 2019
Terrace. The countdown began on the building opposite, Big Ben chimed and London’s world class fireworks started – a simply stunning display, with the best seats in the house for members on the Club Terrace. When the fireworks had finished, and the Champagne to bring in the New Year had been quaffed, members prepared themselves for bacon and sausage baps to deal with any lingering pangs of hunger. As ever, it was a superb night, delivered peerlessly by the Club team, and enjoyed hugely by those lucky enough to be there. New Year’s Eve at the Club also marks a significant moment, as the Club gives its thanks and says farewell to its outgoing Chairman, on this occasion Peter Jinman, and at the stroke of midnight, welcomes his successor, Nick Helme, our Chairman for 2019. I am sure I speak for all in thanking Peter for his leadership and energy during a hugely busy and diverse year and to wish Nick all the very best for the year to come.
• Details for NYE 2019 will be published in early August 2019. Those successful in 2018 will have to wait two years before re-applying, leaving greater opportunity for others to succeed in the ballot for what is simply the best night in the Club.
Club News • Andrei Spence
Under 30s activities
Club Calendar Diary Dates A Calendar of Club activities planned for 2019 appears on the back cover of this Journal.
Oxford Farming Conference In late November the Under 30s Dining Evening attracted 50 Under 30s members, who enjoyed a superb meal and home-grown entertainment in the form of a quiz!!
No sooner had the dust settled on welcoming in 2019 than the new Chairman and I were off to the 73rd Oxford Farming Conference. As expected in the light of events at the end of 2018, keen interest was taken in the speech of the Secretary of State. It was a really interesting two days set against the backdrop of significant uncertainty and political machinations. See p8+9 for a more extensive report on the Conference.
A huge amount of work has been undertaken by the Under 30s Chairman and Vice Chairman, Emily McVeigh and Scott Hayles, streamlining the way the Under 30s organise themselves and contribute to the Club and its Committees. I am very hopeful that the two Under 30s scholars who attended the Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth’s Conference in Canada will brief members immediately prior to the Monday Evening Lecture in April (details to follow). A report of the Under 30s farm walk to Northern Ireland (pictured) appears on p20.
Club History Book I am very pleased to report that the project undertaken to compile a consolidated history of the Farmers Club was completed in November 2018. The book that emerged has gone on sale to members to very good reviews. It was fitting that this was achieved in the Club’s 175th year and I am sure that I pass on the grateful thanks of all members to the two anonymous Club members who donated the money that enabled the project to become reality.
Club refurbishments The rolling refurbishment programme of the Club’s bedrooms remains on track with our aim of completing all rooms within a five-year window. This year we will also install a new Club IT system to replace the ageing and increasingly poorly supported current system. It has been in the Club for 10 years and is not providing what we require to run the Club in the most efficient way, nor for the members to be interacting with the Club. We investigated the systems on offer extensively, several companies have presented to us, and we have also seen the systems working in other clubs/ hotels. We have now created a detailed Statement of Requirement document and held advanced talks with the companies we are interested in employing. We are now in the latter stages of ensuring all necessary work-flows and integrations can achieve what we want. This project not only seeks to upgrade the facilities to manage the Club more efficiently, but also to allow members more seamless interaction where required. I am confident this will put the Club in a strong position for many years to come, with the support of large sector-leading providers. I am aiming for installation during the Easter period this year.
www.thefarmersclub.com • 05
Charles Abel • Chairman Profile
Herefordshire roots for new Club Chairman Our chairman for 2019 typifies the crucial role farming plays in the fabric of rural industry. Charles Abel introduces Nick Helme
2019 Chairman Nick Helme – describes himself as an enthusiastic amateur ploughman who revels in “playing” with vintage tractors and machinery.
“I know that the Club has played a very important role in my life: a number of key colleagues came into my life through the Club and a number of my key meetings have been held here.”
RARELY do consecutive chairmen of The Farmers Club hail from the same part of the UK, far less from the same county. But for 2019 the Club Committee drew from Herefordshire again, with Nick Helme from Leominster in the north of the county taking over as Chairman from 2018 chairman, Peter Jinman of Ewyas Harold in the far south west of the same county. Herefordshire remains a classically mixed farming county, encapsulating the very best of British fruit production alongside livestock, arable and intensive poultry production. And it is a hot-bed of rural entrepreneurialism – fully personified by this year’s new Chairman.
06 • The Farmers Club New Year 2019
Nick oversees the farming of 300 acres of cereals and potatoes, with his wife Donna, and has developed a successful career as an independent energy and waste recycling consultant across the UK and into Europe. Nick and Donna have two sons, William who has just graduated from Bristol University with a masters in Design Engineering and Tommy who is studying at Edinburgh for a degree in Civil Engineering. Donna runs a small flock of pedigree Gotland (Swedish) sheep. In many ways Nick represents the new face of farming in the 21st century – putting his talents and the resources of the farm to use in enterprises beyond classical farming, but always returning to agriculture as the base.
Chairman Profile • Charles Abel
Collaboration is key With a BSc Agriculture degree from Aberystwyth University and a Nuffield Scholarship behind him, Nick soon contracted out the arable operations on his farm to develop a parallel career off-farm.
Current consultancy projects and clients include a battery storage system, a large municipal waste to energy project and an emerging technology for conversion of waste plastic into diesel fuel.
He first found an outlet creating the hugely successful 7Y machinery ring. As its founding managing director he saw a key role for collaboration between farmers, with 7Y acting as a co-operatively owned broker delivering labour, machinery, back office services, training and group buying to its member businesses in the area around the Rivers Severn and Wye.
“The increasing awareness of climate change and of plastics in the world’s oceans mean that my work is becoming ever more relevant and topical”
By 2002 his thinking moved beyond sharing machinery and labour with fellow farmers, to considering the extension of agricultural skills, equipment and know-how into adjacent industries, like renewable energy and waste recycling. From 2002 to 2009 he was managing director of Bioganix Plc, an organic waste processing business operating IVC (in-vessel composting) and AD (anaerobic digestion) plants, before moving into a role as a waste recovery consultant for the design and build of a 3000 tonnes per day waste water treatment plant, with an associated AD unit, for Universal Beverages (Heineken UK). Hands-on designer Nick now specialises in project and business management, combining strong financial, legal and corporate skills with an accomplished “hands-on” role as a designer, builder and operator of a range of waste treatment and renewable energy technologies.
“I am pretty sure that if you looked at a large number of events, changes and advances in agriculture they could most likely all trace their genesis back to some chance meeting or discussion at the Club.”
Club plans Nick is an accomplished Chairman of the Club’s House Committee, who has overseen the running of the Whitehall Court facilities as the Club builds on the firm foundations of the project CREST refurbishment. He is well known within the Club for his pragmatism, humour and strong sense of fraternity. “Being made Vice-Chairman of the Club was a surprise and a great honour, and it remains so now, as Chairman. I will endeavour to take the Club forward to the places where we, as members, want it to be, and to ensure the long term viability of our Club” he says. One of the highlights of Nick’s year as Chairman will be a study tour to California (see p16). It should be a real treat, with plenty of sightseeing, plus insights into the dynamic Californian farming scene. “I am fortunate to have a cousin in California who builds underground wine caves for many of the major wineries, so with his help we have assembled a fascinating, literally, inside tour of the Napa Valley,” Nick comments. It looks like it’s going to be a fascinating year!
“Although I have no formal engineering training a background in farming often seems to provide a perfect grounding for practical engineering solutions. I guess that old need to keep the equipment running in the field when faced with weather challenges, using the limited tools and parts available, will always stand in good stead. Although these days I do try to avoid using too much baler twine and fencing wire in my fixes!” The farm remains close to his heart, operating as Wharton Farms Limited, and embracing a range of enterprises, including arable farming, commercial property, commercial storage and a waste engineering consultancy.
Nick and wife Donna – looking forward to meeting members in the Club and at the many events organised for the year
www.thefarmersclub.com • 07
Charles Abel • Farming Policy
Fourth farming revolution The 73rd Oxford Farming Conference aimed to set the farming agenda for the year. Charles Abel reports
eloquent lip-service to the need for long-term vision. “Farming requires the patience and foresight to see beyond the immediate and scan the far horizon. It is a quintessentially long-term business, one that benefits from as much certainty as possible about the future. I will continue to demonstrate the case for, and put in place the policies that underpin, longterm investment in British agriculture and the rural economy,” he insisted. But when challenged on a multi-annual budgetary framework for the Agriculture Bill he could only guarantee funding for the duration of the current Parliament – 2022 at best, or less if the government changes. His inability to put food and farming, rather than the environment, at the heart of the new Agriculture Bill was challenged robustly. Free market access Mr Gove acknowledged Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit plan was not “perfect”. But it would ensure the access farmers had to the EU was unaffected during the transition period following Brexit, allowing continuous tariff-free and quota-free access to EU markets, he said. “It allows us largely to diverge from EU regulation after the transition, to leave the Common Agricultural Policy and end all mandatory payments to the EU”. It would allow the UK to embrace modern technologies, using science to reduce environmental footprints and improve food offerings. No change was not an option, he said, quoting Bismarck: “it is better to undertake a revolution, than to undergo one.” He welcomed the “brazenly positive” tone of the conference, suggesting artificial intelligence, robots, precision farming, gene editing and lab-grown proteins all had a role to play, unfettered by EU regulation. Indeed, science would be key to identifying what needed to change, as well as helping the industry respond.
More on-line: World of Opportunity was the theme of the 2019 Oxford Farming Conference. See papers at www.ofc.org.uk Gove’s speech: www.gov.uk/ government/ speeches/ oxford-farmingconference-2019address-by-theenvironmentsecretary
SPEAKING just two weeks before Theresa May’s Brexit deal suffered a heavy defeat in Parliament, Defra Secretary Michael Gove told delegates such a deal would give farmers certainty, ensuring a smooth transition for agriculture after the UK leaves the EU on March 29th, and a “world of opportunity” thereafter – something a no-deal Brexit could not deliver. Despite continuing uncertainty about any final deal, or the prospect of a no-deal Brexit, he pledged long-term support for farming, with investment in robotics, artificial intelligence and other innovations, to boost farm output, and fair payments for the delivery of public goods, especially for the environment. Long-term vision He felt UK farming could be in the vanguard of a fourth agricultural revolution, and paid
08 • The Farmers Club New Year 2019
Government support would aim to spread prosperity across the country, he added. It would encourage farms to innovate and collaborate, to ensure a wide range of farm business types and sizes survived, to make rural communities more resilient. Food chain transparency needed to improve too, so farmers had a fairer share of end prices, he added. He was deeply critical of a no-deal Brexit. The ensuing turbulence would effectively add an 11% tax to farm output, with over 40% tariffs for beef and lamb a “grim but inescapable fact” that would more than off-set any currency movements. Dr Clive Black, head of research at investment bank Shore Capital in N Ireland went further, branding political machinations in Westminster a “quintessentially British cock-up”. The House of Commons was “a gold-fish bowl on a fish tank full of lunatics.” Billions of pounds had fled the UK as investors lost faith in the nation’s stability. “The UK is an international embarrassment.”
Farming Policy • Charles Abel Closer to home he said the Agriculture Bill needed to better reflect changing consumer habits, with 40% of food now eaten outside the home, fewer ‘big-trolley’ shopping trips, more ad-hoc purchases, food ‘well-being’ a key issue and non-supermarket shopping growing three-times faster than supermarket purchases. NFU view Calling for leadership and action, NFU President Minette Batters said the industry faced ‘risk, opportunity and change’, and needed Defra to build on last year’s warm words. “I want to see it in writing. If you believe it, legislate for it,” she urged Mr Gove. Opposition spokesperson David Drew MP went further. The Agriculture Bill was long on aspiration, but short on how it could be achieved. Annual support of £3.2bn needed to continue long beyond 2022, given the fundamental changes occurring in farming, he argued. Independent regulator? Separately, the Nature Friendly Farming Network called for an independent regulator to ensure minimum standards to protect water, soil, wildlife and animal welfare after Brexit. Without “ambitious” guidelines set out in the Agriculture Bill long-term food security would be at risk, it said.
OFC 2019 SOUNDBITES • Adaptability to change essential • OFC delegates– 39% apprehensive, 38% mostly confident, 19% buoyant, 4% help! • Global v local food sourcing debate • What should Government do to create greater opportunity for UK agriculture – 40% balanced approach, 31% maintain SFP, 26% free markets, 3% other. • Landlords and tenants should work together more, as a combined business, rather than ‘managing by tenancy’ • Data and information key to farm success • 90% of farm data is from the past two years • Can farming align itself to be ‘seen’ and ‘respected’ as part of the solution as doctors call for obesity to be classified as a disease
STOP PRESS As this Journal went to press on 17 January Parliament had rejected Theresa May’s Brexit deal and a no confidence vote had not been upheld.
“ T he House of Commons is a gold-fish bowl on a fish tank full of lunatics. Billions of pounds has fled the UK as investors have lost faith in the nation’s stability” – banker Clive Black
From left: NFU’s Minette Batters, Opposition Defra spokesman David Drew and banker Dr Clive Black
“We must not barter our food standards away for short-term trade benefits,” he added. “We need to be very clear about the real cost of food production. Beef and soya imported from areas of deforestation, for example, may appear cheap but are in fact costing the earth.” But opposition spokesperson David Drew MP insisted food needed to be “up front” in the new Agriculture Bill, not hidden behind the scenes.
Where’s the Food? Offering a new Food Strategy to be headed by food entrepreneur Henry Dimbleby, Mr Gove sought to counter claims of Defra’s environmental bias. It would look at food in the round, including food security, human health, environmental impacts, animal health and welfare, and business resilience, including the small farms and food producers that helped sustain distinctive rural communities, he said.
NFU President Minette Batters wanted zero tolerance for food fraud and adulteration, slamming the practice of lower standard imports having value added under the union flag. “We have one of the most prized food markets on the planet. It is crucial that government engages with our industry to deliver a sustainable, competitive and profitable British farming sector for generations to come.” She called for a closer relationship between producers and consumers, especially around diet and health. “There are no bad foods, but many bad diets. We need to market the hell out of what we do.”
www.thefarmersclub.com • 09
Chris Haworth • Land assets
OPTION
?
or promotion How best can you achieve planning consent and maximise value? Club member Chris Haworth considers option and promotion agreements
LOCAL authorities are under significant pressure to deliver new housing and many are still unable to show a five year supply of land for housing, as required by the National Planning Policy Framework, giving landowners the opportunity to consider whether some of their land might be suitable for development. However, the promotion of land for development is dependent upon getting the timing right, requires specialist expertise and involves very considerable expenditure, normally completely at risk should planning consent not be forthcoming. For many landowners, the cost/risk ratio is unacceptable. They therefore look to work with experts, who will take the risk and cover the cost of a planning application, in return for a share of the proceeds of the sale of the land should planning consent be granted.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Chris Haworth BSc FRICS ARPS Huntstowe Land www.huntstowe. co.uk chris.haworth@ huntstowe.co.uk 07860 419874
Historically, this has often been done by entering into an option agreement with a housebuilder. But, more recently, a new breed of land promoter has appeared, working with landowners using a promotion agreement rather than an option agreement. The fundamental difference between the two is that, under an option agreement, the housebuilder promotes the land for development, at its cost, and then has the right to BUY the land should planning consent be granted. A promoter will promote the land for development, at its cost exactly as a housebuilder will do, but then has the right to
10 • The Farmers Club New Year 2019
SELL the land, with the landowner, once planning consent is granted. Significantly, until planning consent is achieved, the interests of all parties are aligned. However, under an option agreement, as soon as planning consent is granted, the housebuilder wishes to buy the land as cheaply as possible. By contrast, under a promotion agreement, both the landowner and the promoter wish to sell the land for as much as possible and therefore their interests are completely aligned throughout the process. In practical terms this means a housebuilder will seek to maximise the ‘abnormal’ costs of development (foundations, ground conditions etc.) to minimise land value. Assessment of the purchase price, carried out by looking at the value of other sites that have been sold, is a retrospective and notional process. The true value of the land is not tested, often leading to a lower ‘agreed value’ than would be achieved if the land were to be sold on the open market. However, housebuilders may look for a lower share of the proceeds and there are instances where having the end deliverer of the housing can have some benefits in planning terms. Whilst the prospects for bringing land forward for development have rarely been so favourable, landowners need to consider very carefully with whom they work, and on what basis, not only to give themselves the best chance of a successful planning application, but particularly to ensure that they receive best value for their land should planning consent be granted.
Industry view • Mark Weaver
Agriculture Bill – time for action
Farmers and estate owners are beginning to take action ahead of the Agriculture Bill. Farmers Club member and consultant Mark Weaver considers what they should be doing and why I haven’t seen a time like this in agriculture for many years. Now that farmers can apply real numbers to what the phasing out of direct production subsidies will mean – and see quite how big the hole potentially left in their income will be – they’re starting to make big changes. There’s a real sense of: If we need to make decisions, let’s do it now. I was lucky enough to be one of the audience of 300 at The Farmers Club when Defra Secretary Michael Gove briefed members in November. As was reported in the excellent write-up (FCJ 277, Winter 2018), he acknowledged the importance of food production and profitable farming businesses, which was encouraging. Much uncertainty remains, but what we do know is that, within 10 years, the existing support will be completely gone. And 10 years is no time at all in farming. Hence why it makes sense to act now. Enterprises are already coming under increasing scrutiny and those that are not showing sufficient return are set to be altered quickly or ceased. Assets such as land and buildings are going to have to work harder. The emotional desire to keep a particular enterprise or the wish to farm a certain number of hectares is no longer sufficient reason to maintain the enterprise. Similarly, loss-making or marginal tenancies, or contract and share-farming agreements, are being terminated or renegotiated hard.
Grasping the nettle is critical with successionrelated decisions. These can be scary questions to ask, but if we are going through seismic changes, the opinion of the next generation matters massively. Indeed, the design of businesses for 2028 needs to be directed by them. They, after all, are the ones who are going to have to live it. I’ve been to many illuminating events at the Club, but Michael Gove’s talk in The Gladstone Library will be one I’ll never forget. In various speeches, he’s used the term “unfrozen moment” to describe the opportunity that Brexit presents for this country to determine its own agricultural policy. Well in some ways this is an unfrozen moment for the farmers and professionals in our sector. Our challenge is to be innovative, decisive and navigate the changes ahead in a way that keeps British agriculture a world leader.
“ W hat we do know is that, within 10 years, the existing support will be completely gone. And 10 years is no time at all in farming.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mark Weaver, a Farmers Club member for 20-plus years, is managing director of CLM land agents and farm business consultants working across southern England, which he co-founded in 2004. Hartfield, East Sussex TN7 4AW www.c-l-m.co.uk info@c-l-m.co.uk 01892 770339
www.thefarmersclub.com • 11
Charles Abel • Club Event
Farming’s crucial role
Farming’s key role in the nation’s well-being was to the fore as members heard Lord Trees address the House of Lords Luncheon late last year. Charles Abel reports
Feedback Is Lord Trees right about farming’s role? Is Prof Webster right about caring for livestock, land and the planet? Email your thoughts to editor@ thefarmersclub. com or post to 3 Whitehall Court, London SW1A 2EL
OVER 100 members of The Farmers Club attended a very enjoyable House of Lords Luncheon, hosted by the Duke of Montrose, and chaired by 2018 Club Chairman Peter Jinman, with Lord Trees of the Ross as guest of honour and speaker. Addressing some of the industry’s key influencers crossbencher and qualified veterinarian Lord Trees felt it was high time for farming’s contribution to the national economy to be more clearly recognised, especially when it came to food costs. “We need to get some messages out there, like the fact that UK food is consistently of excellent quality and has never been more affordable, costing just 11% of disposable income, compared with 40, 50 and even 60% in developing countries. Even for the UK’s poorest, in the lowest quartile, food costs account for just 16% of disposable income.”
12 • The Farmers Club New Year 2019
Reflecting on the humour of the House of Lords he recalled the ribbing received by the first veterinarian to become a Lord – Lord Soulsby. Like Lord Trees, he was a parasitologist, and was challenged upon his arrival in the House: “Is it right you had to study parasites in order to come to the House of Lords.” Farming revolution Agriculture was undergoing a revolution, which was being catalysed by Brexit, even if not caused by it, Lord Trees noted. Productivity was an issue in farming, as it was across UK industry. It was not for a lack of hard work, but output was nonetheless not what it should be. Whilst it was improving, it lagged behind comparable nations. Technology would help, but only if industry made room for it to be embraced on-farm, a message Defra Secretary of State Michael Gove
Club Event • Charles Abel
Farmers Club Cup goes to Prof Webster Professor John Webster, chair of Bristol University’s animal husbandry unit, was presented with the prestigious Farmers Club Cup at the Luncheon, in recognition of his animal welfare and behaviour work, including the Five Freedoms, now globally recognised as defining good welfare. Each year The Farmers Club uses the occasion of the House of Lords luncheon to award the cup to a person who has contributed significantly to agriculture, farming, the environment or rural enterprise. This year, in line with Club Chairman Peter Jinman’s theme of animal science and science more broadly for the whole year, the Club selected Prof Webster, who is Professor Emeritus and Chair of Animal Husbandry at the University, where he oversees a 60-strong unit studying animal welfare and behaviour.
He had sought to bring an LED approach to the welfare debate – involving more light and less heat – and was eager to see the same in the debate around public goods. Having focused on the care of animals, and then the land, his attention was now on the welfare of the planet. “Land is too valuable to be seen as a resource for food production alone,” he contended. “It is hugely valuable for water management, carbon sequestration and so much more. Farmers really are the most important people for sustaining life in this green and pleasant land.”
A founder member of the UK Farm Animal Welfare Council, and a former president of the British Society of Animal Science his publications include: A Cool Eye towards Eden and Limping towards Eden. His most recent book Animal Husbandry Regained: the place of farm animals in sustainable agriculture extends the principle of unsentimental compassion beyond farm animals to embrace all concerns for life on the land.
had stressed as he briefed the Club a week previously. “The good news is that there are lots of researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs bringing technology into the industry, if we can make room for them. There is cause for much optimism, and don’t we need optimism,” Lord Trees noted. Science-based policy He hoped Brexit would increase the role of science and evidence in policy decision-making. The EU’s decision to subject gene editing to regulations governing genetic modification was a terrible, retrograde and luddite step, he felt. “The whole world is moving on and adopting technologies, that ironically we are discovering, and which also, ironically, would reduce the use of pesticides in crops and livestock.”
“Let us not under-estimate the role of consumers, animal rights activists and NGOs – they will have a huge role to play, which is why the industry needs to get its own messages out there,” he concluded.
“ W hat do you call a vet who specialises in just one species – a doctor.”
He also noted the temptation to import food products from animals raised under conditions inferior to the UK’s. World trade rules permitted conditions to be set on phytosanitary, health and biosecurity grounds, but whether welfare and stocking numbers could be used as an import condition was far more questionable. The fear that poor animal welfare would effectively be exported was very real. He also felt exporting live animals from the UK was a potential PR disaster. He urged the industry to work with the relevant authorities instead, as New Zealand had with the halal authorities, to achieve relevant certification, and thus open the huge export market in the Middle East and Asia Pacific.
Lord Trees – keen to see farming promote itself more effectively
www.thefarmersclub.com • 13
Martin Shaw • Club golf
Golf report AFTER the harvest break, 26 members of the golf society and guests met at Stratford upon Avon golf club to compete for the John Alliston Tankard. The Tankard was won by Denis Chamberlain with 41 points ahead of Vic Truman with 38 points, on count back from David Reading. The team event was won with 87 points by David Reading, Michael Turnbull and Edward Golland ahead on count back from John Gittins, David Rose, Jessie Pigott and Martin Shaw. Third place with 83 points were Hazel Byford, Kay Pole, John Pigott and Martin Taylor. The prizes were presented by Petey Alliston. Over £1,000 was raised for the Worshipful Company of Farmers charity fund. Golf section Captain David Reading hosted the 2018 Autumn Meeting at Greetham Valley and at his home Club Luffenham Heath. Members and guests played in wild and windy conditions at Greetham Valley where Michael Turnbull won the individual stableford competition, Denis Chamberlain, Beverley Osborne and David Rose achieved the highest team score. After golf we enjoyed a 3 course meal in the Clubhouse.
Wet conditions greeted us a Luffenham Heath the following day when 36 golfers braved the conditions which, thankfully, improved as the morning progressed. The competition was won by Denis Chamberlain who was also part of the winning team accompanied by Ann Watkin and John Pigott. Mark Jones, Tim Carson, Denis Chamberlain and Andrew Dare represented the Club in the annual Bath Club Cup held at the lovely Woking golf club. The team score of 105 points wasn’t enough to feature on the leaderboard but was an improvement on our 2017 performance. Our final match, a two day fixture against the HCEG from Muirfield was a resounding victory for our good friends from the north. The high point for the Club being Mike Clementson’s hole in one on the 14th at Alwoodley. Many thanks to Norman and Sue Bagley for hosting pre dinner drinks and canapés on the Thursday evening. My thanks go to David Reading in his role as our golf society Captain and to all members who have played in meetings during the year. We look forward to seeing you all again in 2019 and hope you are able to participate in our fixtures around the country as detailed below.
Farmers Club Golf Fixtures 2019 April May June
Martin Shaw Golf Secretary martin.edwardswale@ gmail.com
July August September October
14 • The Farmers Club New Year 2019
Fri 26 v EPICS @ New Zealand Golf Club Wed 8 v NFU @ Newbury & Crookham Golf Club Wed 15 v BVAGS @ Luffenham Heath Golf Club Thu 23 v New Club Edinburgh @ Luffness New Golf Club Fri 24 v HCEG @ Muirfield Sun 9/Mon 10 v XL Club @ Royal St. Georges Golf Club (meal in Clubhouse with XL Club on Sunday evening) Wed 26 v WRNFU @ Selby Golf Club Thu 4 Club Championships @ Blackwell Golf Club Thu 29 John Alliston Tankard @ Stratford upon Avon Golf Club Wed 25 Autumn Meeting @ Coxmoor Golf Club Thu 26 Autumn Meeting @ Lindrick Golf Club Tue 8 Bath Club Cup @ Woking Golf Club Thu 24 v HCEG @ Alwoodley Golf Club Fri 25 v HCEG @ Seaton Carew Golf Club (this fixture may be moved to 31 Oct & 1 Nov)
Ladies Lunch • Gill Jinman
Herefordshire flavour for Ladies Lunch THE Ladies Lunch, hosted by Gill Jinman, wife of 2018 Club Chairman Peter Jinman, was held on November 12, with Kate Bliss – antique valuer and TV personality – as the guest of honour and speaker. Kate is well known for her appearances on the BBC’s ‘Bargain Hunt’, ‘Flog It’, ‘Antiques Road Trip’, ‘Put Your money Where your Mouth Is’ and ITV’s ‘Secret Dealers’. She studied English Literature at Oxford before returning to her home county of Herefordshire, to take up a position as an auctioneer at Brightwells. She spoke at the Lunch about her career, and how she was chosen to appear on TV after being spotted by the ‘Bargain Hunt’ crew when they visited the auction house while filming an episode of the programme. It was, she says, “being in the right place at the right time”. Kate also recalled finding ‘treasures’ in the most unexpected places – including Faberge eggs wrapped in an old tea towel – and about the fluctuations in value of one small piece of jewellery over time and in different circumstances. After lunch she appraised a few curiosities bought in by guests, including a piece of jewellery and some illustrated letters written by John Everett Millais. Her passion and enthusiasm for her work was infectious. The Lunch also provided the 34 guests with an opportunity to savour some of the flavours
of Herefordshire; ingredients produced by the county’s farmers, incorporated into beautifully presented and delectable dishes by the Chef and his kitchen team, and very ably served by the front of house staff. The culinary delights included Windmill Hill Farm Berries grown by Anthony and Christine Snell, which were served with a chocolate mousse and mint cream. Windmill Hill Farm was visited by Club members during the visit to Herefordshire in October, and Christine was also a guest at the lunch.
A Great Gift! Ideal as a gift anytime – this wonderful history tracing the Club’s 175 years is now available. The Farmers Club 1842-2017 uses original research and previous histories to provide a delightful insight into this unique organisation, which has done so much to create friendships, memories and business progress. Available at Reception (£25) or use order form on website. Follow us on-line: www.thefarmersclub.com
@thefarmersclub
The Farmers Club Page
www.thefarmersclub.com • 15
Anita Kaur • Club Events
Farmers Club Tour to California The Farmers Club has a fine reputation for organising first-class events. Here we provide details of two outstanding tours for 2019 and review two London-based events from 2018 FARMERS Club Chairman Nick Helme and his wife Donna are looking to take members and guests on a specially tailored 16-day tour to California from 12-27 September 2019, organised in conjunction with specialist operator America & Canada As You Like It.
Tour details Cost £5375 per person (sharing a double/twin room), single supplement +£2045 per person Programme is subject to change without notification Travel insurance is not included Visitors to USA require a Visa or an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation), which should be applied for at least 72 hours before travel (https:// esta.cbp.dhs.gov/) To secure a place complete form enclosed with this Journal or contact Club Administrator Anita Kaur administrator@ thefarmersclub.com (020 7930 3751).
THE ITINERARY THU 12 BA flight direct to San Francisco, transfer to Sir Francis Drake Hotel. FRI 13 Full day sightseeing, inc Alcatraz and Golden Gate Bridge, with Dim Sum lunch. SAT 14 Day at leisure in San Francisco. SUN 15 & MON 16 Napa/ Sonoma wine tasting and farm tours. California produces one third of the vegetables for the USA and two thirds of its fruit and nuts. Stay at River Terrace Inn. TUE 17 Through the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains to Yosemite National Park. Openair cable-car to view Yosemite Falls, Half Dome and El Capitan. Stay at Tenaya Lodge.
16 • The Farmers Club New Year 2019
WED 18 Full day in Yosemite National Park. THU 19 Travel to Monterey’s famed 17 Mile Drive breathtaking coastline, past Del Monte Forest’s Lone Cypress Tree (maybe the most photographed in the world), and Pebble Beach Golf Course. Visit Old Monterey’s historic buildings. FRI 20 Travel the Big Sur Coast, flanked by the Santa Lucia Mountains and the sea sprayed, rocky Pacific coast, to Hearst Castle mountaintop retreat. Stay in Paso Robles known for its wineries and olive groves. SAT 21 & SUN 22 Farm visits near Tulare, known for its dairy cattle and almonds.
MON 23 Coastal journey to glittering Los Angeles for guided coach tour, including Grand Central Market, the Original Farmers Market, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica. Stay at Palomar Beverley Hills on Wilshire Boulevard. TUE 24 & WED 25 LA visits to Huntington Botanical Gardens, Getty Museum and a studio tour. THU 26 Day at leisure before BA flight Dep: 21.35, Arr Heathrow 16:00 (Fri 27th)
Club Events • Anita Kaur
Sherry tour to Jerez THE Club is pleased to offer a customized wine tour to Jerez on 10-13 June 2019, organised in conjunction with Destination Spain and Uncorked Wine Tours. The tour is based on a group of 24 and offers a fantastic insight into the region’s Sherry wine production, heritage, culture and art. MON 10 afternoon arrival and coach transfer to Hotel Palacio Garvey in Jerez de la Frontera. Welcome dinner at Casa Juanito restaurant, renowned for its artichokes.
Tour details Mon 10 London Gatwick EasyJet Dep: 12.25
WED 12 Full day tour around Jerez, visiting a livestock farm to learn about Spain’s famed bulls, with local produce lunch, followed by private visit to Sanlucar de Barrameda’s La Gitana-Bodegas Hidalgo Sherry winery, including a tasting and dinner at the estate. THUR 13 Private guided walking tour across Old Seville, visiting the Royal Alcazar, the huge cathedral and historic Santa Cruz District.
TUE 11 Visit Lustau winery to learn about aging, storage and bottling, with tasting guided by the cellar’s expert, before moving to a private family vineyard to learn about the cultivation system and enjoy five types of Sherry wines with lunch in the countryside. Afternoon guided tour of Jerez de la Frontera’s historic center revealling the splendor of its aristocratic palaces, typical Andalusian houses, its Arab past evident in its walls and the Alcázar. Dinner at El Altillo restaurant.
OLYMPIA HORSE SHOW ON Thursday 20th December a group of equine enthusiasts gathered to enjoy a three-course meal with wine in the Club before making their way to the spectacular Olympia London International Horse Show – The Farmers Club’s first ever visit to the event. An early arrival at Olympia allowed members the chance to enjoy some free time in Olympia’s impressive shopping village before watching the show - the only UK show to host all three World Cup Qualifiers for the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) in dressage, show jumping and driving. The group was treated to a variety of displays by participants from around the world, including Equestrian Team GBR Medal Parade, Santi Serra, Shetland Pony Grand National, The Devil’s Horseman, La Garde Républicaine – Reprise des Douze, The Ivy Stakes, and a special Christmas Finale. An excellent evening’s entertainment!
Thu 13 Seville EasyJet Dep: 16.30 London Gatwick Airport Arr: 18.10 Cost £1105.40 per person (sharing double/twin room) or £1154.99 per person (single occupancy). Programme subject to change without notification. Secure your place using the insert enclosed with this Journal or contact Administrator Anita Kaur at administrator@ thefarmersclub. com (020 7930 3751). Applications should be received by Monday 4th March.
Thrilling tennis ON Friday 7th December The Farmers Club took 50 members to the Champions Tennis at the Royal Albert Hall, preceded by supper with wine at the Club beforehand. Members got to watch the greatest players on the grandest stage! Grand Slam Champions, former World Number 1s and national icons played in the amazing surroundings of the Royal Albert Hall, providing a truly dazzling display of high quality tennis and entertainment during the festive season. Anthony and Carol Allen’s feedback was typical: “Just a quick note to thank you very much for organising such a great night at the Royal Albert Hall on Friday. We very much enjoyed the lovely supper at The Farmers Club and the tennis was very entertaining – we felt privileged to watch John McEnroe’s final match on the Masters Circuit – he certainly lived up to all expectations!”
www.thefarmersclub.com • 17
Virginia Masser • Food Photography
Farming Figures A look at… African farming’s role in global food chains… told through some key statistics
Food photo success
1 in 4
Under-nourished in Africa (232 million), the world’s most food-insecure continent
$35 billion
Annual cost of food imports, set to rise to $110bn by 2025, unless productivity rises
2025
Target for Africa to be a net food exporter. Farming development will have a big impact on world food supplies, says Akinwumi Adesina, World Food Prize Laureate 2017 and President of African Development Bank
Quadruple
Rise in public and private investment in African food production by 2025
2%
Africa’s share of chocolate trade, showing scope to add value to commodity exports
$3bn
Funding for Africa’s women entrepreneurs: closing gender gap could lift yields 20-30%
/
13 Agriculture’s share of African GDP, produced by 60% of workforce
640 million Africans with no electricity
10,000MW
Output from Sahel Desert to Power solar project to boost business activity
190m hectares
Land with scope to restore productivity, equals 60% of world’s unused arable area Sources: African Development Bank, FAO.
18 • The Farmers Club New Year 2019
JONATHAN Pollock has been our Club Photographer since 2014 and quite recently became a member of the Club. He has created an amazing image library of the food journey that Chef has taken us on, including the photograph of the now famous Fish Pie, the most talked about photograph on the Club website. It quite simply makes you hungry.
developed a regular team of food stylists, model makers, printers and talented chefs, many becoming life-long friends and associates.
Last year Jonathan submitted two pictures of dishes created by our Head Chef & Director of Food, Paul Hogben, in the 11th International Colour Awards 2018.
The introduction of digital photography opened the opportunity to develop new skills and lighting techniques, to support media such as the web, and were used in the recent award winning shots. His client base includes: Bearfields of London, British Onions, Brothers Cider, Divertimenti, Dualit, The Farmers Club, Fortnum & Mason, Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, John Lewis, M&S, Seasonal Berries, Simply Sausages and William Grant & Sons.
We are delighted to announce that his two entries attributed to The Farmers Club, were awarded a Certificate of Achievement in the Food Category. What a great plaudit: for our chef, our food and our photographer!! Specialising in food and drink photography for over 30 years, Jonathan initially learnt the core skills of photography through apprenticeship. Setting up his own studio in London he
During his career Jonathan has been inspired by photographers such as Ansel Adams, Cecil Beaton, Edward Weston, Irving Penn and more recently Japanese photographer, Hiroshi Sugimoto.
Congratulations on winning the award… great news!
Head Chef & Director of Food • Paul Hogben Robert Caldecott - winner of the FW Poultry Farmer of the Year 2016. Photo: © Richard Stanton stantonphotographic.com
Worcestershire poultry producer Chef visits Caldecott’s - ethical, passionate and committed farmers producing high welfare, free range turkey and chicken I was looking forward to my visit to Holly Farm in Worcestershire where l had kindly been invited by Robert Caldecott and Simon Smith from wholesale butchers Aubrey Allen to an open day at Robert’s farm. After a long drive from Kent I arrived at Holly Farm and was met by Robert, Simon and his assistants and offered coffee, tea and pastries whilst we waited for other chefs from notable establishments. After a brief history lesson from Robert as to why he had moved into specialised poultry farming we were on our way around the farm to view the various stages of production of Robert’s slow growing Cotswold White free-range chickens and Bronze Holly Farm turkeys. Every two weeks 6500 one day old chicks arrive from their hatchery. The flock needs round the clock attention for the first four weeks before being moved to free-range sheds. UK law stipulates that a free-range chicken has to reach 56 days maturity before processing, however Caldecott’s believe this is too early and allows them another 15 days to fully mature. This enhances the flavour and texture, taking you back to a time when chicken tasted like chicken, with wonderful crispy skin and succulence.
The welfare of the birds is very important to Robert, from the moment the chicks arrive, to the sheds where they roam in natural wood chipping flooring, the fields they get to scratch and pick at and the supplemented feeds that are used when the grass growth slows. They don’t even travel far to be processed, as Caldecott’s has its own processing plant four miles away, so the bird’s last journey is as stress free as possible. l honestly don’t believe l have ever seen chickens and turkeys looking as healthy as those on Holly Farm.
“ Back to a time when chicken tasted like chicken, with wonderful crispy skin and succulence.”
The birds were more than happy to have us chefs roaming around with them and partaking in a photo shoot! Little did they know that they would end up on The Farmers Club menu. After our time at the farm we ventured to the local shooting club, where we were served Holly Farm Chicken for lunch, whilst spending time with fellow chefs, and the day ended with some clay pigeon shooting. The farm was fantastic and supplies all our free-range chicken throughout the year and turkey during December. Enjoy! Chef
Find out more about Caldecott Farms at: www.fwi.co.uk/ events/awards/ farmers-weeklyawards-2016poultry-farmeryear
www.thefarmersclub.com • 19
Emily McVeigh, Chairman; Scott Hayles, Vice Chairman; Anita Kaur, Secretary • Under 30s
Chairman’s Jottings
NI Farm walk report
Happy New Year! For me New Year is a time of quiet reflection. I like to look back on the past year, taking stock of all that has been achieved, and plan for the year ahead. We certainly had a busy 2018 and our Under 30s calendar looks just as vibrant for 2019. We look forward to welcoming many of you at our New Members Weekend, 8th-10th February, featuring a black tie dinner with our Jill Willow’s scholars, our AGM and an evening at crazy golf venue Swingers. I am pleased to announce that we have two places available on the Under 30s Committee this year and would encourage anyone interested in becoming more active in the Club to apply. It is a great opportunity to get to know people, make friends and become more involved in Club events, both Under 30s and the main club. It also allows you to be involved in decision-making, event planning and to shape the future for the next generation of The Farmers Club. These are my last jottings, as our AGM and chairman handover takes place in February. What a year we have had, it has flown by and I have enjoyed every minute. We have had wonderful dining events at the Club and two fantastic farm walks. My highlight of the year was our Suffolk farm walk; it was brilliant to welcome members to my home county and spend a night under the stars in our Glamping site. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my Committee, which has been wonderful this year. We have made significant progress and I wish you all the best for the year to come.
Contact Emily for more information: Emily McVeigh U30 Chairman 2018/19 Kenton Hall Estate Kenton, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 6JU 01728 862062 www.kentonhallestate.co.uk
20 • The Farmers Club New Year 2019
OUR Autumn Farm Walk took place in Northern Ireland – including visits to Titanic Belfast, Rockmount Golf Club and Mash Direct. One of the farm diversifications we visited was Rockmount Golf Club in Carryduff. In the early 1990s, Robert and Diane Patterson turned part of their farmland into an 18-hole championship standard golf course. It now boasts a modern clubhouse with a top quality restaurant and bar facilities. The course officially opened in 1995 when European Ryder Cup player Darren Clarke performed the opening ceremony. Robert kindly gave us a tour of the home farm and golf course. Today the full membership of the club is 700, which includes a thriving Juvenile section. We had an excellent lunch in the restaurant and it was fascinating to learn how the farmland was landscaped and converted into the stunning golf course. We were all inspired by our visit to the Hamilton’s family business – Mash Direct. This is a County Down-based farming and food production business that has grown significantly since its foundation in 2004. Jack, Lance and their father Martin welcomed us; the family has been farming the land
around Strangford Lough since the 1800s and knows their way around a potato or two! They now produce and supply vegetable and potato products to supermarkets and independent retailers across the UK, Ireland and export to the USA and Middle East; selling a vegetable side dish every second! Mash Direct employs 185 people locally and boasts turnover in excess of £17million. Sixteen Under 30 members enjoyed a wonderful weekend with surprisingly good weather! We made the most of the Irish culture with a great pubcrawl in Belfast city. The highlight was the Duke of York with a rich history and plenty of unique Northern Irish character.
Under 30s • Emily McVeigh, Chairman; Scott Hayles, Vice Chairman; Anita Kaur, Secretary
Alberta calling Farmers Club Under 30s members Geoff Bastard and William Yarmouth attended the 28th Commonwealth Agriculture Conference in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, courtesy of the Jill Willows Under 30s Travel Scholarship
STARTED in 1957 by HRH the Duke of Edinburgh the Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth’s Next Generation programme at the 28th Commonwealth Agriculture Conference in Edmonton included almost 75 younger delegates from Commonwealth nations including Australia, Singapore, South Africa and India. “The theme was ‘Bringing the world together through food’ and it was interesting to hear how we are dealing with similar challenges all around the world – consumer perception, lack of acceptance of new technologies like pesticides and GMOs, and the changing climate,” reflects Geoff. Professional agrologist Robert Saik felt next 30 years would be the most important in agricultural history, with output needing to rise by 60-70% by 2050. New technologies would need to develop, but there was also a need to educate the public to accept its use, Prof Saik said. The ‘non-science’ thread was the most damaging around, he felt. Other fascinating talks included a brilliant presentation from Prof David Hughes about the growth and role of urban populations, notes William. Young entrepreneurs gave clear messages around “never giving up” and “if you’re afraid, then do it afraid”. The need to educate the masses about what farming really
is, was recurring. As one person summarised; farming is the new sexy! “On a personal level there has been a huge leap in knowledge and understanding and connecting to new friends from all over the world,” William adds. The presence of The Farmers Club impressed many delegates. “We had a special call out from the honorary secretary, thanking the Club for its commitment. During the week many people came up and spoke of their own involvement with the Club. They were delighted to see us there, to represent a Club they hold dear, and we were happy to tell others about the benefits of joining.” The next RASC conference is in 2020 where it all began in Norfolk, with pre-tours including the Royal Norfolk Show. “I greatly look forward to the 29th conference to learn more, catch up with my fellow delegates and meet new people; my wish is to see as many of you there with me and to enjoy it as much as I did,” William comments.
Find out more about the RASC at: www.rasc.org Hear more from Ed and Geoff at the Under 30s New Members Weekend, 8th10th February Details on Under 30s Facebook page
“It was an exchange of ideas and experiences I will not forget,” Geoff adds. “As we head towards uncertain times regarding the future of our industry post-Brexit, it is important we find a way to put forward positive messages of our industry and its importance.”
www.thefarmersclub.com • 21
The Farmers Club • Club Information
Club Information 020 7930 3557 • www.thefarmersclub.com @thefarmersclub The Farmers Club Page
Office Holders
Patron – Her Majesty The Queen HONORARY VICE PRESIDENTS Peter Jackson CBE, Roddy Loder-Symonds, Sir David Naish DL, John Parker THE COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT OF THE CLUB 2019 VICE PRESIDENTS Barclay Forrest OBE, Sir Mark Hudson, Mrs Susan Kilpatrick OBE, Paul Heygate PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN Nick Helme TRUSTEES Jimmy McLean, Mrs Nicki Quayle, Julian Sayers (Chairman), Tim Bennett VICE-CHAIRMAN Allan Stevenson HONORARY TREASURER Richard Maunder IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN Peter Jinman OBE CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND SECRETARY Andrei Spence CLUB CHAPLAIN The Reverend Dr Sam Wells COMMITTEE Elected 2016: Nick Helme, Peter Jinman OBE Elected 2017: Kevin Beaty, John Lee OBE (House SubCommittee Chairman), Karen Mercer (Communications Sub-Committee Chairman), Keith Redpath (Membership Sub-Committee Chairman), Christopher Riddle, Allan Stevenson, Campbell Tweed OBE Elected 2018: Ian Bell, Matt Dempsey and Gerald Osborne Elected 2019: Ms Fiona Fell, Meurig Raymond CBE, John Hardman, Andrew Brown (re-elected) Co-opted: Emily McVeigh (Chairman Under 30s), Scott Hayles (Vice Chairman Under 30s) Jeremy Hawkins (Under 30s Committee Member) THE FARMERS CLUB CHARITABLE TRUST TRUSTEES Stephen Fletcher (Chairman), James Cross, Vic Croxson DL, Meryl Ward MBE, Des Lambert OBE, The Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Club (ex officio). Patron Mrs Stella Muddiman
St George’s Day Lunch Tuesday 23rd April Our Speaker at this year’s St George’s Day Lunch will be Dean Richards, former England and British & Irish Lions rugby player and current director of Newcastle Falcons Rugby Club. He had a long playing career with Leicester Tigers, and played 48 times for England and six times for the British & Irish Lions. The event will be held at 12.00 for a 12.30pm start in the Farmers Club. Tickets cost £70 and include pre-lunch drinks, three-course lunch and wine with the meal. Dress for gentlemen is lounge suit. To register interest apply online at www.thefarmersclub.com or complete the booking form enclosed with this Journal. Applications should be received by Monday 25th February. Places will be decided by ballot if oversubscribed.
Show Dinners – Balmoral & Highland Shows Tuesday 14th May & Wednesday 19th June As part of its mission to take the Club to the membership The Farmers Club is hosting receptions at a number of key agricultural shows this year. The first two receptions available for booking are at the Balmoral Show and the Royal Highland Show. The Balmoral Show Dinner will be at the Europa Hotel, Belfast at 7.00pm for 7.30pm. The guest speaker will be Ms Hilary McGrady, Director General of the National Trust. Tickets are priced £55.00 each. The Royal Highland Show Dinner will be at The New Club, Edinburgh at 7.00pm for 7.30pm. The guest speaker will be Professor Heather McGregor CBE, Executive Dean of the Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University. Tickets are priced at £65.00 each. Applications to attend can be made online at www.thefarmersclub.com or complete and return the booking form enclosed with this Journal. All applications should be received by Friday 15th March.
Chelsea Flower Show Tuesday 21st May
NEXT ISSUE The Spring issue of the Farmers Club Journal, due with members in March, will include a report on the Club’s first Monday Evening Lecture of 2019, to be given by independent economist Sean Rickard, an insight into dairy sector performance, and a timely reminder of the need for better public education about food and farming.
22 • The Farmers Club New Year 2019
Join The Farmers Club visit to the world’s most prestigious flower show, which inspires millions by showcasing the best in garden design. Stroll through award–winning gardens, discover rare flowers, plants and creative floral artworks, and shop for gardening gadgets, sculptures and plants. This year the Club is extremely privileged to welcome Mr Peter Seabrook, Gardening Editor for The Sun and Formers Gardeners’ World and Chelsea Flower Show TV Presenter to speak to our group during lunch in the Club beforehand. Our programme starts at 12.30pm with a three-course lunch with wine in the Club, after which a coach will whisk you to the show for a 3.30pm entry. After the show closes at 8.00pm the coach will return to the Club, where the Restaurant and Bar will be open for food and drinks. This event, limited to 80 places, costs £99.00 per person, including lunch, show ticket and coach transfers. Book online at www.thefarmersclub.com or complete the booking form enclosed with this Journal.
Club Information • The Farmers Club Deaths It is with regret that we announce the death of the following members: Mr M Davies Worcestershire Mr J Dorrington Lincolnshire Mr J Emmett Berkshire Mr D Graham Gloucestershire Mr G Harding Lincolnshire Mr R Hobson Sussex Mr R Jonas Oxfordshire Mr I Sharples Denbighshire Mr R Simpson Suffolk Mr J Tapp Kent Baroness Trumpington DCVO PC London Honours and Awards The Chairman and Members of the Club congratulate the following members whose names appeared in the Queen’s New Year Honour’s List: CBE Meurig Raymond
Pembrokeshire
OBE Mark Allen John Henning MBE Lyndon Edwards
Hampshire Armagh Monmouthshire
Business Suite The Business Suite provides PCs, printing and WiFi for members. Meetings are prohibited.
RECIPROCAL CLUBS UK City Livery Club, London (No bedrooms) Royal Scots Club, Edinburgh The New Club, Edinburgh Northern Counties Club, Newcastle Bury St Edmund’s Farmers Club OTHER AGREEMENTS Whilst not formal reciprocal agreements, we have informal agreements with the East India, Caledonia and Civil Service Clubs, for bedroom bookings if we have no accommodation available. The Reservations Manager will advise in this instance. If we are full, Reception also holds a list of hotels within a 15 minute walk that might be considered ‘good value for money’.
ELECTRONIC DEVICES No electronic devices can be used in the hallways, Bar, Lounge or Restaurant, unless for the purpose of quiet reading. No calls can be received or made in these areas. Calls can be taken on the Terrace. THE SHAW ROOM can be used for meetings of up to three people. Electronic devices may be used but must be set to silent and vibrate. No calls can be received or made in this area.
WiFi WiFi is available throughout the Club at no charge. Luggage room This is a short term storage facility only. In the event that luggage has been left for a period of over 3 months and we are unable to identify the owner, it will be disposed of. Function rooms If you are looking to book a function here at the Club, please contact functions@ thefarmersclub.com or call our Conference & Banqueting Sales Manager on 020 7925 7100, who will be delighted to assist. Phone calls Members are advised that using mobile calling platforms such as Skype, WhatsApp, Google Hangouts etc can facilitate mobile phone calls (over the Club’s wi-fi) in areas of the Club where mobile phone calls are permitted, including in the Business Suite. Parking The Club has no private parking at Whitehall Court. However, the Club is pleased to be able to offer all its members discounted parking with Q-Park, our preferred parking partner. Discounts of 20% are available on the day and on prebookings. The nearest Q-Park is situated in Spring Gardens off Cockspur Street, approximately 5 minutes walk from the Club. Details of this can be obtained by phoning the Club Reception on 020 7930 3557 or visit: http://www.thefarmers club.com/news/parking-5-mins-from-club
OVERSEAS Queensland Club, Brisbane, Australia The Australian Club, Melbourne, Australia The Geelong Club, Victoria Royal Dublin Society, Dublin, Ireland (Bedrooms not reciprocated) Stephen’s Green Hibernian Club, Dublin, Ireland The Muthaiga Country Club, Nairobi, Kenya The Harare Club, Harare, Zimbabwe The Christchurch Club, Christchurch, New Zealand The Canterbury Club, Christchurch, New Zealand Members wishing to use any of the above Clubs should obtain an introductory card from the General Office.
STORAGE OF SHOTGUNS
Members are reminded that the Club does not hold a license for the storage of shotguns.
SECURITY OF PERSONAL ITEMS
Please do not leave valuables in the bedrooms, cloakrooms or luggage room at the Club. The Club will not accept responsibility for any loss.
Club Contacts THE FARMERS CLUB
Serving the farming industry for 175 years 3 Whitehall Court, London SW1A 2EL
Chairman 2019: Nick Helme
Chief Executive and Secretary: Andrei Spence
Club Number 020 7930 3557 Reception reception@thefarmersclub.com Bedroom Reservations reservations@thefarmersclub.com Restaurant Reservations Option 3 restaurant@thefarmersclub.com Conference & Banqueting Sales Manager Liza Keoshgerian direct line: 020 7925 7100 functions@thefarmersclub.com Administrator & Under 30s Secretary Anita Kaur direct line 020 7930 3751 administrator@thefarmersclub.com General Manager Virginia Masser direct line 020 7930 3751 generalmanager@thefarmersclub.com Head Chef Paul Hogben direct line: 020 7925 7103 chef@thefarmersclub.com Financial Controller Zarreena Neeson direct line: 020 7925 7101 financialcontroller@thefarmersclub.com Membership Mark Fairbairn direct line: 020 7925 7102 membership@thefarmersclub.com PA to Secretary Claire White direct line: 020 7930 3751 generaloffice@thefarmersclub.com Bedrooms ext: 3+ [two digit room number] eg. ext 301 for Room1 Whitehall Court Porters 020 7930 3160 Fax 020 7839 7864 Website: www.thefarmersclub.com @thefarmersclub The Farmers Club Page THE FARMERS CLUB JOURNAL Editor and Advertisement Manager: Charles Abel 07795 420692 E-mail: editor@thefarmersclub.com Designed and produced by: Ingenious, www.ingeniousdesign.co.uk No film or film processing chemicals were used. Printed on Lumi Silk which is ISO 14001 certified manufacturer. FSC® Mix Credit. Elemental chlorine free (ECF) fibre sourced from well managed forests
DOGS (except guide dogs) are not permitted in the Club
www.thefarmersclub.com • 23
Club Calendar DIARY DATES 2019
2019
Here are just some of the Club events planned for the coming months. More event details can be found at www.thefarmersclub.com/events, in Club e-newsletters, or from Club Administrator Anita Kaur (020 7930 3751 extn 216) e-mail: administrator@thefarmersclub.com FEBRUARY
Royal Highland Show Dinner Wednesday 19th June
Under 30s New Members Weekend & AGM Friday 8th - Sunday 10th February Under 30s New Members Weekend & AGM
Application form included with this Journal
Eltham Palace private tour Details in the next Journal
MARCH
Christian Dior Exhibition Thursday 7th March – FULL Russia Royalty & the Romanovs Wednesday 27th March – FULL
JULY
Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival Thursday 4th July Please contact Anita for more details
APRIL Christian Dior Exhibition
Monday Evening Lecture Monday 8th April Speaker TBA
Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival
Details in the next Journal
Dinner in the Club
Royal Yorkshire Show Reception Tuesday 9th July
St George’s Day Lunch Tuesday 23rd April Russia, Royalty & the Romanovs
Details to follow Henley Royal Regatta
Monday Evening Lecture
MAY
The Marriage of Figaro, Royal Opera House Details to follow Royal Welsh Show Reception
Balmoral Show Dinner Tuesday 14th May
Dinner at the Club
Details to follow Club Tour to California
Visit to Hampshire
Chelsea Flower Show
Royal Cornwall Show Reception Thursday 6th June Details to follow Club visit to Jerez Monday 10th - Thursday 13th June
Harvest Festival Service & Supper
Club visit to Jerez
Harvest Festival Service & Supper at Club Tuesday 8th October Under 30s Autumn Farm Walk Weekend Friday 11th - Sunday 13th October Visit to Herefordshire Wednesday 16th - Friday 18th October Details to follow
NOVEMBER
Please see page 16 and application form included with this Journal
Royal Three Counties Show Reception Friday 14th June Details to follow Royal Cheshire Show Breakfast Tuesday 18th June Details to follow
12th - 27th September
OCTOBER
Under 30s Spring Farm Walk Weekend Friday 31st May - Sunday 2nd June
JUNE
Club Tour to California Please see page 16. Application form included with this Journal
Lunch in the Club, talk from gardening expert Peter Seabrook and visit to Chelsea Flower Show. Application from included with this Journal Balmoral Show Dinner
Details to follow
Under 30s Autumn Dining Evening Friday 6th September
London Historic visit & Thames tea cruise Chelsea Flower Show Tuesday 21st May
Royal Welsh Show Reception Monday 22nd July
SEPTEMBER
Application from included with this Journal
St George’s Day Lunch
Under 30s Pimms & Supper Friday 19th July Summer event in the Club
Romeo & Juliet, Royal Opera House Friday 26th April Supper in the Club before making our way to the Royal Opera House Application form included with this Journal
Details to follow
Henley Royal Regatta Sunday 7th July
Under 30s Spring Dining Evening Friday 12th April
Lunch in the Club with guest speaker Dean Richards, England & British Rugby Player Application form included with this Journal
Kent County Show Reception Friday 5th July
Monday Evening Lecture Monday 4th November
DECEMBER New Year’s Eve Dinner Party
New Year’s Eve Dinner Party Tuesday 31st December