0 Farmers WINTER 2019 • ISSUE 283
Club
www.thefarmersclub.com
INSIDE Food policy p6 Herefordshire p8 Harvest Service p10 California tour p12 Food book p14 Club Cup p15 Charity work p16 Farming news p17 Charity stats p18 Christmas cards p18 Chef’s fish p19 Under 30s Dinner p20 Under 30s Walk p20
INSERTS Monday Evening Lecture Tutankhamun Exhibition at Saatchi Gallery Madam Butterfly Chelsea Flower Show Chatsworth House, Gardens & Flower Show Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival Food book
California dreamin’ Club tours vibrant farming and amazing scenery in USA (p12) 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 The Farmers Club tour to California discovered a vibrant viticulture industry, productive broad-acre farming, stunning scenery and fine food – as well as having fun with underground explosives….! 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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Chairman’s Comments From Herefordshire to California – farming is to the fore
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Club News Wide range of Club events keeps membership happy
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Dimbleby’s food vision Our Monday Evening Lecture in November focused on the UK’s future food policy – whatever Brexit may bring
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Herefordshire tour One of the UK’s most diverse farming counties hosted the Chairman’s tour – including fruit, poultry, dairy, vodka and AD
10 Har vest Festival A splendid City Service and Supper in the Club afterwards celebrated harvest in real style
12 California dreamin’ Farming stateside, viticulture, food, drink and fine scenery combined to create a truly memorable visit to the USA
14 Club Food Book launch Food suppliers gathered in the Club to launch the new book
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15 Club Cup champ This year’s prestigious Farmers Club Cup goes to consultant, industry mentor and writer Iain Howie
16 Charitable works Macmillan, Send a Cow and RSABI have all benefited from the fundraising activities of Club members
17 Farming snippets
Round-up of some key farming developments
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18 Charities in numbers How key farming charities are supporting the sector
18 Club Christmas Cards Two designs per pack for this year’s Club cards
19 Chef ’s page Where have all the fish gone? Sustainable sourcing is a priority
20 Under 30s Events Autumn Farm Walk & Meurig inspires
22 Club Information and Contacts 02 • The Farmers Club Winter 2019
Chairman’s Comments • Nick Helme
‘all is safely gathered in’, and here we be still a gathering it!” Potato snatch Thankfully, a short dry spell has since allowed the team to dash in and snatch the potatoes, as well as make a very small start on planting. This brief spell of activity coincided very nicely with the Club tour of North Herefordshire, although it can be very unnerving having 30 or more ‘over the hedgerow’ farmers commenting! So there also needs to be a resounding vote of thanks to all our farming hosts during the trip, who gamely put up with even closer scrutiny!
Chairman’s Comments “The year 2086 seems awfully far away, but I am conscious that we are probably now admitting new Under 30s members to the Club who might well be around then.”
AS I sit down to write my last Journal entry as Chairman I can’t help but think, where on earth did the year go? The big topic all year has of course been that B word. In my first Journal article I wrote: “Whilst the Club is very much apolitical, I do of course have to make some reference to ongoing political events. I looked back at previous Chairman’s articles and can see that the whole saga has been top of the agenda for the past two years, but everyone assumed the situation would have been resolved and certain by now. As I write this in mid-December I think we can all agree that not only is it still top of the agenda, but it’s actually less clear than it has ever been!” Amazingly, as I write now in midOctober, not much has really changed! California touring On a brighter note what a great group of members joined us on the California tour. Highlights were the amazing agriculture of the Central Valley, the Huntington Botanical Gardens, Alcatraz, and of course the Napa Valley and a lot of wine tasting. Perhaps the most unusual and exciting part was me getting to fire the explosive charges to blast out a new section of wine cave. The Farmers Club certainly made a big bang in California! As I started writing this article the relentless rain meant not a single acre of wheat had been planted on the farm and the potatoes were just muddy wet rows. Having recently attended the Club Harvest Festival I was reminded of the words of an old wagoner on the farm one very wet autumn: “Hark they band of fools down there in the chapel singing
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Herefordshire farming excellence Club members John and Debra Davies gave us a full-on display of the home-base of their worldwide fruit business, Richard and Penny Corbett, also Club members, took the trouble to host us for lunch and show us their very diverse business; cereals, breeder chickens, cider apples, blackcurrants, an AD power station and even an airfield! We were also treated to a detailed insight into a large dairy unit by Richard Norman, a display of the entire process of artisanal cider making by Paul Stevens at his family business of Newton’s Cider, as well as a tour and sampling at Chase Gin. All in all a merry, but very informative trip! As the end of my year of tenure draws closer one of the unseen things your Committee has worked on, behind the scenes, relates to the eventual need to renew the lease on our premises. This ends in 2086. It seems awfully far away, but I was conscious during the year that we are probably now admitting new Under 30s members who might well be around then. I am pleased to say we have taken some important steps towards our goal of sustaining the reserve fund for this purpose. No-one can guarantee what will happen, and how much funding will be needed, but I am happy we have now set in place a suitable programme that will provide very useful assistance to the Club in 67 years’ time. I can’t sign off this last article without a resounding set of thanks to the entire Club team for all their help and support during the year. It’s been an amazing year for Donna and me, we have thoroughly enjoyed it, even though at times we have wondered if we were ever going to be in control of our own lives again! Without Andrei, Virginia, Claire, Anita, Zarreena and all the Club team backing us up we couldn’t have done so many things and certainly wouldn’t have had so much fun! It just remains for me to wish next year’s Chairman, Allan Stevenson, and his Vice Chairman Keith Redpath, as well as the entire Club, members and staff all the very best.
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The Farmers Club Page
www.thefarmersclub.com • 03
Andrei Spence • Club News
Club News Busy autumn brings variety of Club events
Food policy November got off to a cracking start with a packed Farmers Suite gathering for the final Monday Evening Lecture of the year, delivered by Mr Henry Dimbleby, Founder of Leon Restaurants and Lead Non Executive board member at DEFRA who spoke on the work he is doing with government since also being appointed to review Britain’s food system to determine a national strategy to last for decades beyond Brexit. After the lecture and questions, members joined Mr Dimbleby in the Lounge and public rooms for drinks (p6). The General Committee had their final meeting of the year, which ratified the decisions of the F&GP in the previous month and heard reports from the subcommittee chairmen. On the occasion of his final meeting as Chairman, the Committee thanked Club Chairman, Nick Helme for his leadership of the Club, the diversity of the programme during 2019 and his work in assessing future financial needs of the Club, with reference to lease renewal. The Committee were also grateful to his wife Donna for the support she had given to enable Nick to carry out his duties during the year.
The onset of Autumn/Winter marked a real transition in the weather with everything from a deluge to persistent drizzle being the order of the day, although temperatures remained unseasonably high, writes Club Secretary & Chief Executive Andrei Spence. At the Club, September saw the Farmers Club Charitable Trust’s AGM, where another new Trustee, Mr James Squier, was welcomed and grateful thanks given to retiring Trustee, Mr James Cross, who had been a Trustee for many years and was instrumental in reinvigorating the Trust’s Leadership Awards. Following this, our Chairman hosted our Honorary Members lunch which attracted 22 members, representing almost 1,200 years of membership collectively, plus four past Chairmen. Two days later, on 10th September, our Chairman, Nick, and wife Donna led a party of 20 on a wide-ranging agricultural, viticultural, historical, cultural and expeditionary 17-day tour of California. It was very well received by those who attended (p12). Our annual Macmillan Coffee morning, which I mentioned in my e-newsletter, raised £452 for this excellent cause.
04 • The Farmers Club Winter 2019
Harvest Festival Early October marks a busy period for the Club, starting with the annual Harvest Festival service and supper. A glorious service at St Martin-in-the-fields was complimented by high quality singing from the choir (and enthusiastic tones of the congregation) and a superb sermon from Lord Curry. Although numbers were down a little on previous years owing to perceived issues with transport disruption in the capital due to Extinction Rebellion’s protests, we welcomed almost 80 members and their guests, and several Livery Masters, back to the Club to enjoy superb fare illustrating the breadth and diversity of the whole UK harvest (p10). The final event in October was the traditional Club tour to the Chairman’s home county. Nick welcomed just under 30 members to North Herefordshire, basing ourselves in Ledbury to embark on a superb selection of visits show-casing the diversity of agricultural business, culture and history of this beautiful part of the country (p8). Although the weather was challenging in parts, it could not dampen the enjoyment and diversity that we all experienced.
Just as this Journal was going to press the annual Farmers Club House of Lords Lunch took place, with guest of honour and speaker, Baroness Boycott of Whitefield presenting the Farmers Club Cup to consultant and agricultural journalist Ian Howie. The Ladies Lunch took place the day before with 35 attending to hear guest speaker Dr Anna Keay of Landmark Trust.
Under 30s fine Rutland farm walk In mid-October, the Under 30s section conducted a farm walk weekend based around Uppingham in Rutland. Despite less than ideal climatic conditions, it was nonetheless hugely rewarding and enjoyable for all involved (p20).
Club News • Andrei Spence
Finances in focus The Club Trustees have conducted a financial review, facilitated by an overview and analysis of the Club’s lease renewal fund investment portfolio from our Rathbones Investment Manager, Jane Sydenham. This fund will support Club attempts to secure lease renewal from our freeholder, prior to our leases expiring in 2086. Subsequently, the full F&GP Committee discussed the budget my team and I had proposed, ably presented by Club Honorary Treasurer, Richard Maunder. This budget was accepted as a template for continued Club infrastructure improvements, whilst giving headroom for enough surplus to top up the lease renewal fund and general improvements in the Club offering. The Chairman had written a wide-ranging and detailed paper on the need for set minimum amounts that would be required to produce the size of fund likely to make any plans for future leases viable, which the Committee received beforehand and was able to debate. After many contributions, it was decided £50,000 per annum, index linked at 5% per year, be paid directly to the lease renewal fund in January each year, topped up with any surplus after fulfilling budgeted plans.
Club Calendar Diary Dates
See back cover/website for Calendar of Club events
Da Vinci In the absence of Anita (in California with the tour) I took a large party of members to the Leonardo Da Vinci drawings exhibition at the Queen’s Gallery. Following our very popular format for these types of exhibition, this was preceded by a talk from Anne Haworth, as excellent as usual, and lunch at the Club before travelling to the gallery. This was a very impressive exhibition and judging by the reaction I have received, very much enjoyed.
Committee Matters Following the Committee elections in September, for a potential six vacancies, and following the General Committee meeting in November, the following were elected as Committee Members: Mr Kevin Beaty Mr John A T Lee OBE Mrs Karen Mercer Mr Christopher P Riddle (The above were re-elected to serve a further three-year term of office). Mrs Sue Bullock Mrs Sarah Cowlrick (Both were newly elected to the Committee). The Committee gave huge and deserved thanks to Mr Campbell Tweed OBE on his retirement from the committee having served his latest stint of six years.
Room refurbishment Room refurbishment has been a real issue over the summer and running into autumn. The block four work on the Upper Ground floor is now complete, although it was drastically delayed due to the discovery of asbestos. The removal of over 1.5 tons of contaminated material, and all the (contaminated) floorboards in the section, resulted in a five week delay and a bill of over £60,000, including the re-instatement of the floor, neither of which we were expecting. However, the rooms now look superb and the serious flood in room 105 (faulty old plumbing) has been rectified and the room restored to its usual pristine state. Most of these rooms are now back in action and available to members.
IT project By the time you read this the new IT system should have ‘gone live’, allowing the Club to make full use of its more efficient facilities. This has been a major investment in the Club’s infrastructure and should keep us at the cutting edge of technology for some considerable time. There will inevitably be some teething issues and website facilities will be suspended for a few weeks, meaning it will only be there for reference purposes. I thank all members in advance for their understanding.
www.thefarmersclub.com • 05
Charles Abel • Club Event
National Food Strategy
The nation needs a food strategy. Henry Dimbleby explained how he is working to create one at the Club’s latest Monday Evening Lecture. Charles Abel reports
HENRY DIMBLEBY Son of broadcaster David Dimbleby; co-founder of Leon restaurant chain and Sustainable Restaurant Association; co-authored The School Food Plan (2013); lead nonexec board member at Defra; former strategy consultant at Bain & Company.
NO part of our economy matters more than food. It is vital for life, and for pleasure. It shapes our sense of family, community and nation: cooking and eating together is perhaps the defining communal act. The food system provides jobs for one in seven, contributes over £122bn to the economy, and exports over £22.6bn of high-quality, high-welfare products. Much of this is made possible by a free market that performs a million daily miracles, producing, exporting, importing, processing and serving a dazzling variety of reasonably-priced foods in an abundance unimaginable to previous generations. But this bounty has come at a cost. Intensive farming practises have caused serious damage to the environment and food related disease costs the NHS billions and drastically harms the lives of millions. Food security, too, is a growing concern: population growth, climate change, the global increase in meat eating are intensifying resource competition between nations.
06 • The Farmers Club Winter 2019
White Paper due Such is the background to the year-long independent review being led by sharp thinking Henry Dimbleby. The aim is to create a multidisciplinary National Food Strategy, the first of its kind for 75 years, due as a White Paper in 2020 – Government timetables permitting. Mr Dimbleby’s team is speaking to people across the food chain, from farmers to chefs, global experts, and those whose voices are seldom heard: low-paid workers in agriculture and food production, people with diet-related diseases, farmers living on the margins. Understanding why famers take the least margin from the food system is a priority. Are supermarkets, subsidies, farming systems or international markets most to blame? Complex supply chains have a place, but costs need accounting for all along the way, he noted. Big data will help make this clearer.
Club Event • Charles Abel Crucially, the review will go beyond simple production metrics. What do we want our countryside to look like? How should we prioritise livestock welfare? How much should Government protect consumers from their own “bad” dietary choices? A Citizens’ Assembly, balanced demographically, will hear experts, debate the issues and relay its findings. Adopting the right tone will be crucial. Too much debate had become “unpleasant – the dialogue of the deaf”, Mr Dimbleby noted. Discussing issues more humanely is a priority. “We are talking about the futures of our children.” Government can’t shirk The way food is produced, distributed, marketed and consumed raises policy questions Government cannot shirk. From the way food is grown to livestock welfare, the national curriculum to hospital meals, and migrant labour to obesity and protecting the environment, the Government deeply impacts the nation’s relationship with food. Globally, this is the first generation more likely to die as a result of lifestyle choices than infectious disease, with diabetes, cardiac disease and other obesity-related conditions costing the NHS billions and drastically harming the lives of millions. In early 2020 a rigorous, evidence-based analysis of the current food system will be published, including examinations of the various existing outcomes – good and bad – and the power structures and economics behind them. Balancing trade issues would be “unbelievably difficult”. Few can argue imports should not comply with domestic standards, but economic and technocratic issues make it more complicated. What food costs to produce should be separated from what the population earned. “It costs what it costs.” Water availability, the role of gene editing technologies and contingency for plant and animal disease, and their near inevitability, also need considering. Cross-Government Later in 2020 the review will report on what needs doing to transform today’s food system into something better. The commitment to a new strategy needs to be cross-party, Mr Dimbleby noted. He expected it to be in all election manifestos. It will build on the work underway in the Agriculture Bill, the Environment Bill, the Fisheries Bill, the Industrial Strategy and the Childhood Obesity Plan, and is intended to be an overarching Government strategy, so needs to cut across Departments for Business, Trade and Health, as well as Defra. How food and drink fits into the Government’s broader Industrial Strategy will be important.
How it will all be implemented is a moot point. It could be structural, as with the Committee on Climate Change, or judicial through a Right to Food, for example, or maybe Government will need to report against key metrics. “It will be critical to any lasting effect.” Mr Dimbleby felt the current system was a legacy of two key dislocations – the UK’s rapid industrialisation, which separated food production from the urban population, and World War Two’s fear of starvation, which led to the green revolution and soaring productivity. The strategy needs to address health impacts of current diets, environmental degradation, food security/climate change and the rise of technology. “Technology alone, without anything else happening, could transform the economics of the food system,” he felt. The strategy needed to reflect calls for reforesting an area the size of East Anglia to meet climate change targets over the next 20 years. Should support for inefficient producers continue? That would depend on what might be lost. Equally, how much self-sufficiency is ideal, and how much do imports simply export environmental and welfare issues overseas? Better food education is clearly needed. Moving 10% of the NHS budget to nutrition education could cut NHS costs massively. But who explains withholding drugs today, to fund that future benefit? Similarly, better food labelling, is needed. The current red, amber, green is too crude. But other countries seem to do no better. Moves to nutritional density measurements could herald a fresh focus. With so much on his plate was he daunted? Not in the least. “We’ve changed the food system once in our lifetimes, and we can do it again,” he concluded.
CLUB EVENTS Details of further Club Events, including the Lord Gardiner of Kimble’s Monday Evening Lecture on 20th January 2020, can be found on the inserts enclosed with this Journal, at www. thefarmersclub. com/events or contact Club Administrator Anita Kaur on 020 7930 3751 e-mail: administrator@ thefarmersclub. com
LEON Started 2004 in Carnaby Street 54 UK restaurants, 9 in Europe/US 15-20 new restaurants in 2020 2018 sales up 24.5% to £95m Vegetarian share up from 46% to 64% year to Jan 2019 Vegan split up from 34% to 55% same period Source: www. thecaterer.com
www.thefarmersclub.com • 07
Herefordshire Tour • Marjorie Talbot
Glorious Herefordshire A splendid range of farms was visited on the Chairman’s Tour to north Herefordshire. Marjorie Talbot distils the highlights
“Thank you very much for organising the logistics for an excellent few days of the Herefordshire tour. Thank you to Nick and Donna too for organising such good visits.” Malcolm Hughes
“Wendy and I loved our trip through Herefordshire. Great farm visits and super company. Thank you.” Andy Turney
CHAIRMAN Nick Helme and Donna Helme led a group of 28 on a programme of visits to family owned businesses, diverse in nature across agriculture, horticulture and drinks, all underpinned by quality farm produce. Based in the picturesque black and white market town of Ledbury, The Feathers Hotel, a restored heritage coaching inn, provided a cosy and friendly home-from-home, complemented by delicious meals in the elegant comfort of Verzon House and the excellent The Inn at Welland, Malvern. We travelled by coach through undulating, fertile and picturesque countryside, between fields of reddish soils growing cider apples, blackcurrants, potatoes, maize and hops – probably the UK’s most diverse agricultural county – from “market gardening to mountain sheep”. Fresh produce focus At Marden we visited S&A Fresh Produce’s horticultural fruits farm, processing and packaging factory, owned by John and Debra Davies. Brierley Court Farm is landscaped to keep polytunnels out of the public gaze, and includes an £8m Research and Development Unit seeking new disease resistant varieties. Strawberries and blueberries are grown under contract to Marks and Spencer, Sainsburys, Aldi and Lidl, with imports from S&A’s own farms and other growers in Morocco, Spain, Chile and Grand Canaries. John Davies wowed us with technical details: the strawberries are grown in tunnels on coir, low salt coconut fibre imported from India, a £2.5 million 10 megawatt bio-mass heat generator provides hot water and carbon dioxide to feed tunnels from midApril to December, and laser-guided ergonomics helped design the raised strawberry beds.
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Potato vodka Chase Distillery at Rosemaund Farm, once an ADAS Experimental Husbandry Farm, now produces gin and vodka from potatoes in the old hop kilns. Fourth generation potato farmer Will founded and then sold Tyrrell’s Crisps before creating the distillery. It produces 70,000 bottles and won 2019 Double Gold for best vodka in the world. Six potatoes are needed to produce each shot! Dairy and poultry At Leen Farm, Pembridge, Richard Norman, in partnership with brother Chris and their parents, has the oldest blood line in Hereford cattle, 1500 dairy cattle on 400 acres, and a poultry business. An aerobic digester provides underfloor heating in the chicken sheds, with 20% of electricity used onfarm and 80% supplied to the grid. In 2017 the milk price averaged 18 pence per litre, improving to 37ppl by 2019, at 5% fat and 3.8% protein, for 25ppl cost. The poultry unit
Marjorie Talbot • Herefordshire Tour
comprises four sheds of 48,600 chickens each. 1.5kg of feed produces 1kg chicken meat, finished at 2.5kg in 39 days. To satisfy UK demand for 30 million chicken per week, 36% more housing is required, or more imported chicken. Richard and Penny Corbett’s Corbett Farms operates at Shobdon Court and Shobdon Airfield, near Leominster. Richard’s grandfather began raising poultry, initially in a wing of the rundown mansion, before building the 1960s and 1998 hatcheries. We were treated to a generous buffet lunch in the very room that originally housed poultry, now reverted back to an elegant panelled dining room. Corbett Farms include broiler breeder hens, blackcurrants, arable crops, sheep, cider apple orchards, hangar tenants, the 40,000t Craven Grain Store co-operative and an anaerobic digester supplying Kingspan insulation factory. The Corbetts supply 25-30% of the eggs needed by Avara hatcheries.
Cider time! Newton Court Farm is a small family farm run by Paul Stevens and his father, Tom, comprising 155 acres, 100 sheep, 80 cattle and cider production. Each ton of apples produces 600 litres of cider, totalling 80,000 litres a year, sold at the farm gate, in Hereford, London and at Japan’s 2019 Rugby World Cup. Paul generously entertained us to tasting each stage in the process, including traditional scrumpy, aged in oak barrels. Our final visit was to Hampton Court Castle, the original and first Hampton Court, which has stood beside the River Lugg for over 600 years. Rescued in the 1990s by American millionaire Robert Van Kampen, the original Victorian garden wall remains intact, enclosing stunning flower gardens divided by canals, island pavilions, pleached avenues and a 150 year old wisteria arch. A superb lunch in the orangery topped off a great day and a wonderful trip to Herefordshire. www.thefarmersclub.com • 09
Charles Abel • Club Event
Harvest Festival Service & Supper A wonderful Farmers Club Harvest Festival service at Saint Martin-in-theFields, Trafalgar Square, London was followed by a fabulous bowl food supper at the Club. Charles Abel reports
THE simple yet magnificent splendour of Saint Martin-in-the-Fields church was the backdrop to a truly memorable Harvest Festival Service, followed by a delightful Harvest Supper back at the Club. A strong turn-out of Club members braved the autumn downpours and Extinction Rebellion protestors in Trafalgar Square. Masters from a number of the City’s Livery Companies were also present, including newly installed Master of the Worshipful Company of Farmers, David Bolton, a Norfolk-based agribusiness consultant and long-time member of the Club. Also present were Tom Dumenil, Master of the Worshipful Company of Butchers and Lt Col Marcus Appleton, Master of the Worshipful Company of Cooks, the City’s smallest livery company. After a rousing church service, including powerful prayers for the rural community and an address focused on our divided nation, wonderful food ingredients from UK farms were showcased through a selection of bowl food dishes created by Head Chef & Director of Food Paul Hogben and his team for the supper back at the Club. The Club’s Honorary Chaplain Reverend Dr Sam Wells led the service with St Martin’s Voices choir providing soaring musical interludes. To celebrate harvest home baskets of farm produce were carried to the front of the church by members of the Club Committee. Only the Chairman could refer to them as ‘basket-cases’, quipped Dr Wells!
PHOTO GALLERY For a wonderful selection of photos from the Harvest Festival Service and Supper, visit our picture gallery (www. thefarmersclub. com/library/photolibrary). Photos of this and many other Club events can be easily downloaded
The farmer’s barns In a thought-provoking address Club member Lord Donald Curry of Kirkharle CBE focused on a nation more divided than at any time in living memory. Not just by Brexit, the most divisive issue of our lifetimes, but by the rich getting richer and the poor poorer, the north failing to match the south’s growth, and a widening gap between secular and faith-based influences on the running of the country.
He reflected on the irony of speaking at a Harvest service in the very first year he had no harvest of his own to worry about. “But once a farmer, always a farmer”. And his experiences showed division was rife in farming too. He contrasted a day judging farm businesses at the top of their game, able to compete with producers anywhere in the world, and the following day when the Prince’s Countryside Fund had sought an update on rural issues from RABI, RSABI and FCN. The shocking reply was that calls for help were up 50% on last year, due to everything from mental health to financial pressures, and animal welfare to missed deadlines. “What a contrast.” The divisions witnessed nationally were also present in us individually, he suggested. In Luke 12, read by Farmers Club Vice Chairman (Designate) Keith Redpath, Jesus tells the parable of a rich farmer building new barns to house a bumper crop. “So far, so good,” Lord Curry noted. But Jesus draws our attention to the most serious division of all. The farmer’s error was that while his secular life was full, and over-flowing, his spiritual life was empty. His sole purpose was to store up things for himself and not to be rich towards God. The uncomfortable reality was that Jesus paid the price, through his death on the cross, so we could look forward to a heavenly harvest. “We need to reflect, or reboot, our commitment to God, and to recognise that the divide we see in the world around us exists in our lives as well.”
BOWL FOOD SUPPER For those not familiar with the concept of a bowl food supper, the idea is a very clever way of showcasing a wide range of dishes, each served in an individual small bowl. Diners were able to choose as many options as they liked from four starters, seven main courses and two deserts. Options included a succulent Quail and Pigeon Terrine; superb Goosnargh Duck with Cured Egg Yolk and Broccoli; a sumptuous Burnt Cream Raspberry Trifle; and Apple Walnut Cake with Dorset Apple Cream and Dorset Blue Vinny. Mmm!
10 • The Farmers Club Winter 2019
Club Event • Charles Abel
Nick Helme, Club Chairman, and Mrs Helme
Lord Curry, church service speaker
David Bolton, Master of the Worshipful Company of Farmers, and Mrs Bolton
Peaceful protest – Extinction Rebellion in Trafalgar Square
THE HARVEST COLLECT (Church of England, Common Worship) Eternal God, you crown the year with your goodness and you give us the fruits of the earth in their season: grant that we may use them to your glory, for the relief of those in need, and for our own well-being; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. www.thefarmersclub.com • 11
Anita Kaur • California Tour
California dreamin’ The Chairman’s overseas visit was a spectacular two-week tour of California. Administrator Anita Kaur reports
“We had a marvellous time. I can’t believe how much we fitted in. We will be talking about our trip for many years to come!” David & Virginia Edwards-Heathcote
CALIFORNIA’S cornucopia of all things agricultural was complemented by stunning scenery, fine wines, excellent food, and fascinating heritage as 18 members joined Nick and Donna Helme for a phenomenal visit in September. Our tour started with iconic sightseeing in San Francisco, including Alcatraz Island, the Golden Gate Bridge and Twin Peaks, with magnificent views over the Bay Area. Beautiful sunny weather then graced our drive to Napa Valley, via stunning Sonoma Valley. Stops included a fascinating dairy goat and hop farm, Chateau St Jean for wine tasting and breathtakingly lush gardens, and the Hess Collection to taste wines rarely available to the public. Club makes a bang! Baldacci Winery provided something very different. Graham Wozencroft, the Chairman’s cousin, has spent 40 years using UK Coal Board expertise to drive the proliferation of Napa’s underground wine facilities. His cave blasting experience was a real tour highlight! We visited the rock face underground, drilled for explosives and wired for detonation. Back outside Nick shouted the magic words, “Fire in the Hole!”, and pressed the plunger. Rumbles and bangs were followed by a plume of smoke and dust from the vent holes – a new section of wine tunnel had been created. Maybe The Farmers Club cavern?
12 • The Farmers Club Winter 2019
At Darioush Winery Orietta Gianjorio led a lively sensory experience, evaluating olive oil quality and flavour, and pairing with food and wine. We also tasted several single-vineyard and small-lot signature wines, paired with small bites. Very enjoyable! At Turkovich Winery we enjoyed a farm tour and lunch surrounded by rich agricultural land soaked in warm California sun, just in time to see tomatoes harvested for canning and juicing. Grown in open fields, like potatoes, their harvester was very like a self-propelled potato harvester. Sierra Nevada In the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains we witnessed some of Mother Nature’s greatest masterpieces – Yosemite National Park’s phenomenal El Capitan and Half Dome rock formations and Mariposa Grove’s giant sequoias. It’s hard to explain the feeling of awe and almost reverence standing quietly amidst such colossal trees. En-route to Monterey we enjoyed 17 Mile Drive’s breath-taking coastline views, including Del Monte Forest, the Lone Cypress Tree, one of the most photographed trees in North America, Seal Rock, and Pebble Beach Golf Course. Our hotel, overlooking Monterey Bay, was on Cannery Row – made famous by the John Steinbeck novel.
California Tour • Anita Kaur
At Hearst Castle, members toured opulent rooms and saw the world famous outdoor swimming pool. Just imagine being William Randolph Hearst’s guest! Driving through the estate the chairman feared hallucinations. Zebra among distant herds of cattle! We humoured him…..until the guide mentioned Hearst had released many of the castle zoo’s animals. There really were feral zebra in California’s hills! Stunning farming In Tulare County Dick Steltzner showed us his orange orchard farm. Tulare County alone produces over $7bn of agricultural produce, including $1.7bn of milk. Oranges, lemons and citrus are a big part of the economy. With Central Valley being a desert water is key. No water, no crop. No water rights, no land value. With water rights land trades for over $25,000/acre. It takes eight years for citrus trees to fruit, but Dick is mixing biochar (a by-product of wood fired power stations) into the soil to cut this by two years. Exciting research!
Pistachio nuts yield 3-4,000lbs per acre at $1.80/lb and California provides 98% of the world’s almonds. Almond shell disposal is a nuisance – we even saw farm roadways made of them! A fascinating insight into Californian farming came from a family-owned business of five dairy farms and several almond orchards. With Melvin Simoes we visited Legacy Dairy Farm’s 3500 Jersey cow dairy, Vander Eyk Farms tree farm (mostly almonds), and FM Jersey Diary Farm, milking 3600 cows three times a day on an 80 cow rotary. Standards of animal care were high, despite the numbers, with environmental limits on cow numbers and the area for muck spreading. City of angels In Los Angeles we enjoyed Santa Monica’s pier in the sun, before checking into Palomar Beverly Hills Hotel and dining at Spago. We hopped from star to star along the Hollywood ‘Walk of Fame’, enjoyed Huntington Library’s 120 acre Botanical Gardens, and visited the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Getty Museum, buildings that were stars in their own right. What a phenomenal tour – captivating scenery, culture, food, viticulture and really inspiring agriculture – the flight home was packed with vivid California dreaming….
“Rumbles and bangs were followed by a plume of smoke and dust from the vent holes – a new section of wine tunnel had been created. Maybe The Farmers Club cavern?”
www.thefarmersclub.com • 13
Virginia Masser • Food Book
Tasty book launch
Paul Hogben, Head Chef & Director of Food
A celebration luncheon for Food at The Farmers Club showcased the simply-cooked, seasonal, quality British food this impressive new book promotes. Virginia Masser reports
“Great to be a part of the book creation” “Wow, what a club, this is wonderful – what a place” “Lunch was delicious with excellent flavour combinations” To order your copy of Food at the Farmers Club, priced £29.00, use the enclosed order form or buy one at Reception next time you are in the Club.
IN recent years the Club’s food offering has entered a new league. To celebrate this, and give members a chance to recreate its simply cooked, seasonal, quality, British food at home, Food at The Farmers Club has been created. At its launch the supplier sponsors, photographer and designer of the book all enjoyed a special menu created by Paul Hogben, Head Chef & Director of Food, using food from the sponsors only. Paul thanked all those gathered around the table for supporting the Farmers Club’s first ever food book, and for working with the Club to create it. The sponsors were delighted, both with the meal (see comments) and their part in creating the book. Ideal as a Christmas present Food at The Farmers Club provides detailed recipes for many dishes from the Club menu, interspersed with stories of the provenance and seasonality of the ingredients used – all from British producers. There is guidance on plating the dishes and some wonderful cookery tips from our professional kitchen. Stunning photographs throughout bring the dishes to mouth-watering life. Buy yours now – and let’s get cooking!
14 • The Farmers Club Winter 2019
tes Cocktail Bi tte, ue oq Pork Cr onnaise ay Tarragon M s of London n, William Aubrey Alle arshmallow Scallop M odspeed , sh BG Fi Fo Duck, Goosnargh Watermelon , lk Yo g Cured Eg Broccoli & ndon iams of Lo Udale, Will Wines anc 2018, s Chenin Blates rd ya ne Vi ted St Bogle ni U a, ni Califor , 15, Douro Estates 20 Churchill’s Portugal
Menu Clonakilty York Press, Pudding & Red Duke of Onion Pure e & Shallot s Crisps Aubrey Allen , Ca Potatoes, Pa rroll’s Heritage rrish Farms Smoked Ee l & Se Beetroot Ho a Trout Parcel, rseradish Weald Smok ery, Inve Smokehouse , BG Fish, Forawe odspeed, Williams of London Cotswold W hite Chicken , Baby Roots, King Oyste r Mushroom s, Liver & Co nfit Leg Mou sse, Black Shetl and Crisps Caldecotts, Williams Livesey Brosof London, ,
Carroll’s He ritage Po Foodspeed tatoes, Burnt Butte r & Ginger Treacle Tart, Camomile & Honey Ice Cr eam Newby Teas , Foodspeed Newby Teas Selection & Chef ’s Trea Full details ts of allergens are available
on request.
Food book • Virginia Masser
Simon & Sally Harris (Newby Teas Ltd)
Andrew Wickham (Weald Smokery)
Jonathan Pollock (Book Photographer) and Adrian King (Book Producer)
Robert Caldecott (Caldecotts)
Simon Smith (Aubrey Allen)
Lucy Carroll and her sister Harriot (Carroll’s Heritage Potatoes)
Andrew & Andy So le (Williams of Lond on)
Gary (guest of Robert Caldecott)
James Parrish (Parri sh Farms)
Farmers Club Cup winner 2019 JUST as this Journal was going to press the annual Farmers Club House of Lords Lunch took place. This year, a full complement of 120 members attended and enjoyed lunch in an iconic setting. Our guest of honour and speaker, Baroness Boycott of Whitefield was an enthralling speaker who spoke powerfully about the role of food and farming. The occasion also marks the award of the Farmers Club Cup to a person nominated by the Chairman and endorsed by the Committee to have made a significant and lasting contribution to the industry in general. In line with the Chairman’s 2019 theme of background support and mentorship this year’s recipient was Ian Howie, a Consultant and Agricultural Journalist whose experience spans over 60 years as a farm manager, an Independent Member of the Government’s Priority Board for R&D in Agriculture and Food, Chair of the Board’s Ruminant Sectoral Advisory Group (including grassland and forage), industry consultant and freelance journalist. Ian is also a Nuffield Scholar and has played a vital role in supporting the Nuffield movement. It is perhaps his mentorship that he is most noted for, the number of key players in
our industry who have been supported and encouraged in their careers by him is truly extraordinary. A worthy winner who was genuinely surprised with the recognition the Club afforded him. The day before was the Ladies Lunch, this year hosted by Donna Helme, and attended by almost 40 ladies (significantly more than recent years). Donna welcomed as the guest of honour and speaker, Dr Anna Keay OBE, Director of the Landmark Trust, a body that rescues important buildings that would otherwise be lost, carefully and sensitively restoring them and making them available for self-catering holidays, so they can be enjoyed by everyone and protected forever. They have 200 buildings across Britain. From the hum of noise, it appears that the ladies had a good lunch and a very informative speaker.
www.thefarmersclub.com • 15
Charles Abel • Charity Events
Farming briefs
Farmers Club members are always busy supporting charities. Here is a snapshot of three recent endeavours
antibiotics
Sales of for use in food-producing animals have dropped 53% in just four years between 2014 – 2018, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate has confirmed. UK Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said it was “a testament to the improvements industry and the veterinary profession have made in antibiotic stewardship, training and disease control.” Sales of Highest Priority Critically Important Antibiotics, of vital importance to human health, fell two-thirds and now account for just 0.7% of sales.
Imported food should meet British production standards say 84% of consumers, according to a ComRes study for the British Guild of Agricultural Journalists. Just 16% said they would buy food they knew was produced to lower animal welfare standards if it was cheaper than food produced to a high standard. “The results of this study are a stark reminder to government that the public values the high standards of British farming,” said Baroness Rosie Boycott, BGAJ President. “Gungho supporters of yoking the UK to the USA post Brexit should note this,” added Tim Lang, Professor of Food Policy at the University of London. Eight out of 10 adults admit to
food safety
taking for granted. In YouGov polling of more than 2,000 UK adults, commissioned by the Red Tractor Food Assurance Scheme, 76% admitted to taking high food production standards and food safety for granted. 71% were confident about high standards in supermarket food; only half felt the same about food from a restaurant or café. 72% were fairly or very concerned about BSE. 41% thought about food safety every time they shopped for food. Red Tractor does 60,000 supply chain checks each year. It has 46,000 British farmer members and Red Tractor products contribute over £14 billion/year to the UK economy.
16 • The Farmers Club Winter 2019
Sunny Macmillan Coffee Morning WE are delighted to announce that the Club raised £452 for Macmillan Cancer Support at its September Macmillan Coffee morning, writes Claire White, PA to the Secretary . Once again the Team came up trumps and donated a superb array of homemade cakes for all to enjoy. Thanks to Sophie in the bar who seamlessly served coffee, to Michael and Tamas for their enthusiasm in making wonderful bakes as well as cutting and displaying the goodies so professionally and to all those in the General Office who made cakes! We were blessed with a lovely sunny day so supporters were able to sit on the Terrace and enjoy. A big “thank you” to all those who donated their time and money towards making this day such a success.
Great Glen Challenge WHEN Landmark commits to something, it is a case of ‘go hard or go home’. Never was this statement truer than when five colleagues from the supplier of rural business software brought team silver home from the Great Glen Challenge – a multi-disciplinary fundraiser for the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RSABI). Allistair Gray, George Paterson, Kate Adams, John Macrae and Annabel James battled torrential rain and wind between Fort Augustus and Fort William in the Scottish Highlands to complete the 87km
course with 26 other teams. Landmark’s founding director Nigel Parsons and General Manager George Paterson are both Farmers Club members Not only did the team do well, but Allistair Gray came 2nd in the 46km cycle and John Macrae was 2nd in the kayak. With help from headline sponsor Mackie’s of Scotland the team raised nearly £3,500 for RSABI, which provides invaluable support when hard times hit for those who are, or have been, involved in Scottish agriculture.
Farming charity in Royal documentary
Charity Events • Charles Abel
Farming briefs The UK auction record for a
vintage or classic tractor
HRH Duke of Cambridge meets Send a Cow’s Richie Alford. RURAL farming charity Send a Cow took a starring role in the second of two episodes of Inside the Duchy of Cornwall on ITV this October. Richie Alford, Director of Research and Impact, met HRH Duke of Cambridge during filming. The son of one of the charity’s founding farmers, Richie said: ‘‘It was a real honour to meet His Royal Highness as part of his visit to the charity. He was very passionate and informed about the complex issues facing African smallholder farmers today, such as gender issues and climate change. He was very interested and engaged in hearing of our Africandesigned solutions to these problems.”
The organisation has been a tenant of the Duchy for over 30 years, and HRH The Prince of Wales has been President of Send a Cow since 2009. Many of Send a Cow’s founders are Farmers Club members, including current Chief Executive Paul Stuart. Prince Charles: Inside the Duchy of Cornwall celebrates The Prince of Wales’ 50th working year overseeing the Duchy estate. Through training in farming techniques, as well as gender equality and business skills, Send a Cow has helped over two million people in rural Africa to eradicate hunger and poverty by growing enough food and generating sustainable incomes. www.sendacow.org
was smashed at Cheffins October Sale when an iconic 1903 Ivel Agricultural Motor sold for £328,600 to an anonymous UK buyer. Built in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, just eight complete examples are known of worldwide. Research by previous owner, the late John Moffitt, a muchrespected cattle breeder, agricultural entrepreneur and vintage tractor collector, found this model – No. 131 – was used and exhibited at the Royal Agricultural Show in London in 1903.
New Research and Development Tax Credits data
shows 385 claims from agriculture, forestry and fishing for £20m in credits on £145m of investment in the most recent year. Claims across all industries rose by an average of 35% to top £4bn/year. Businesses typically receive 13% tax relief on innovation and development spending. Head of RIFT Research and Development, Sarah Collins says: “Up from just £70m in the first year of the scheme to over £4bn now, that’s pretty stratospheric. The data tells us this relief is particularly dominant in SMEs. The numbers also show a huge difference in the money being claimed by different sectors. There’s millions of pounds sitting there right now just waiting to be claimed”. Rural businesses across the country are to benefit from £35 million in government funding to create new jobs, boost tourism, and unlock growth in rural areas. With sufficient high-quality applications the figure could rise
Growth Programme, which to £50 million. The
opened for expressions of interest in early November, provides grants of up to £750,000 for rural start-ups and businesses to purchase state-ofthe-art equipment and machinery. The scheme has already granted £99 million to 546 local businesses across England, creating 3,771 new jobs in rural areas.
www.thefarmersclub.com • 17
Claire White • Christmas Cards
Farming Figures
HOW
GLED
IN LAKE
TER
WIN
A look at… how farming charities help during difficult times… told through some key statistics
ONE IN FOUR
Number of UK farming families living below the poverty line
6,000 people
Total people helped last year by FCN
1 suicide/week
OW
E SN
ON
ST P
ORE EW F
N TH IES I
N
More than one farmer a week in the UK dies by suicide
£2.7m Total paid out by RABI + RSABI last year
One fifth
Rise in the number of new calls for help to RABI, up from 654 to 780 last year
42% Proportion of FCN cases related to financial issues. Mental health was 29%, BPS 26%
£784,000
State benefits and third party money secured for farming people (RABI & RSABI)
Half as many more
Rise in calls to RABI from working farmers, families and dependents last year (+47%)
£0.5 million plus
Spent by RABI on quarterly living allowance for over 750 retired farmers
13,000 hours Support from volunteers for RABI
£332,000
Christmas Cards 2019 THIS year’s Farmers Club Christmas card pack features a combination of two original photographs entitled “Gledhow Lake in Winter” by Eugene Ivanoff and “New Forest Ponies in the Snow” by Simon Carr, (via Getty Images). The cards measure 171 mm x 121 mm (6.75” x 4.75”), are printed with the Club logo and the greeting “With Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year”. Surplus on the sale of the cards will be donated to RABI of England, Wales & NI and the RSABI of Scotland, both of which are dedicated to helping members of the farming community facing hardship. Each pack will contain 5 of each card and may be bought at Reception or ordered from the General Office using the order form with the last Journal. The price per pack of 10 cards is £8.00 incl VAT (plus £3.00 postage for orders of 5-12 packs]
Spent by RABI on clearing domestic bills Sources: Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution, Farm Crisis Network, Farmers Weekly, Commission for Rural Opportunities.
18 • The Farmers Club Winter 2019
PLEASE
PLACE
Y ROMPTL
RDER P YOUR O
ID TO AVO
T
INTMEN
APPO ANY DIS
Head Chef & Director of Food • Paul Hogben
Where Have All The Fish Gone?
ONE of my many pastimes is fishing, both at sea and inland. I can’t think of many things better than being 30 miles out into the English Channel drifting over sand banks fishing for turbot and brill, wreck fishing for cod and haddock, or sitting on the banks of one of my local fisheries enjoying the countryside. For a country surrounded by water, the big question is why is our in-shore and off-shore fishing industry struggling? Is it over-fishing, climate change, bad management or something else? There are many opinions, but is anything being done? North Sea cod is on the brink of collapse again, from a population peak in the 1970s of 270,000 tonnes to just 44,000 tonnes in 2006. After a decade of recovery efforts, numbers gradually recovered and in 2017 it received a ‘blue tick’ from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) classifying North Sea cod as sustainable for us all to enjoy and not just on Fridays with a hearty portion of chips! Now we are informed that stock levels have fallen to a critically low level and in danger of disappearing altogether if drastic action is not taken. These findings were reported by the
International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES) in a recent scientific assessment. In order to protect and restore the population, ICES is advising that the quota for cod fishing be reduced by 70%. That is huge, but probably the only way that we can return to using sustainable cod from our waters. In the meantime, the North Atlantic is our supply source. There are many other sustainable fish available for us to eat, but the majority is now farmed including salmon, trout, bass, bream, halibut and sea trout to name just a few. A Scottish company has been set up to farm British cold-water prawns, just like the Indonesian varieties you can pick up at the supermarket but British. Watch this space!
“l have suppliers now sourcing and bringing us farmed fish to supplement the sustainable wild stocks that swim in our waters.”
At the Club we are always striving to give you the members and your guests the best quality British produce we can find, which is why l have suppliers now sourcing and bringing us farmed fish to supplement the sustainable wild stocks that swim in our waters. Enjoy! Chef
www.thefarmersclub.com • 19
Scott Hayles, Chairman; Eleanor Kay, Vice Chairman; Anita Kaur, Secretary • Under 30s
Chairman’s Jottings
Autumn Farm Walk The Autumn Farm Walk took place across an impressive three English counties – Rutland, Northamptonshire and Leicestershire – with tours of the Warner’s Gin Distillery and Belvoir Castle Estate.
It’s been a challenging few weeks for many farmers here in the East, from dry conditions to relentless rain hampering drilling. As I write, tough decisions are being made on OSR crops, early ones looking well while late ones are being ripped out! Here’s hoping for some favourable conditions to get cereal crops drilled! In October our Autumn Farm Walk visited Warners Distillery for a personal tour of the agricultural and sustainability sides of Tom Warner’s business. We also had the red carpet rolled out at Belvoir Castle, where The Duchess of Rutland and estate manager Phil Burt gave us a unique opportunity to see behind the scenes of one of the country’s finest working estates. Thank you once again to The Duchess of Rutland, Phil Burt, Max Johnson and Tom Warner (see stories right). As one of my final acts as Under 30s Chairman I would like to compile a full list of Under 30s Chairmen. If you, or any of your family chaired the Under 30s, please send me your/their name and year of chairmanship. Thank you in advance! On 1st November the Farmers Club hosted the first Interclub event of its kind – an evening showcasing Under 30s producers: Cleo Sadler of Snugburys ice-cream, Emily McVeigh of Kenton Hall and Alec Williamson of Calvors brewery. The evening was a great success with all three of our producers speaking with passion and enthusiasm. On November 29th our Autumn Dining event has Baroness Byford as guest speaker. With the current political environment I’m sure it will be fascinating. As always see the Farmers Club U30s Facebook page for dates, photos and event updates.
Contact Scott for more information: Scott Hayles Under 30s Chairman 2019/20 07887 834159 scott.hayles@corteva.com
20 • The Farmers Club Winter 2019
Meurig DINNER WITH
Autumn Dinner speaker – Meurig Raymond
Following a long and latterly damp harvest the Under 30s Autumn Dining Evening was a very welcome distraction. The event was well attended with a mix of old friends and newcomers meeting in the Farmers Suite.
“The boom in corporate farming is an area young farmers should watch.”
Under 30s • Scott Hayles, Chairman; Eleanor Kay, Vice Chairman; Anita Kaur, Secretary
Following the Summer Cocktail Evening where guest speaker Tom Walker, CEO and founder of Warner’s Gin, told us his inspiring journey ‘to save the world from mediocre gin’, it was only fitting to visit the distillery itself. Tom kindly gave us an extensive tour of the farm and distilling areas, including the botanical gardens, apiary and all-important Tack Room Bar to try the ‘farm born gins’ (my favourite was the rhubarb!). He took us through their production methods and how they use the family farm to ensure as many ingredients as possible are grown on the farm or sourced locally. It was very clear there is investment in the future of the brand, be it growing new botanicals for the next flavour of gin or experimenting in the wider spirits market. On Sunday we travelled to the beautiful Belvoir Castle Estate in the Vale of Belvoir, where we
We were incredibly fortunate that Meurig Raymond CBE MBE, with his wife Hilary, agreed to join us as our guest speaker. Meurig is a Pembrokeshire farmer, Past President of the National Farmers Union and Trustee of The Prince’s Countryside Fund. Meurig joined The Farmers Club in 1989, the year he was elected as one of the youngest NFU County Chairmen. He quickly realised the benefits Club membership would bring his burgeoning career. Meurig inherited the home farm, with brother Mansel, aged just 13. Full responsibilities were handed over five years later, and Meurig and Mansel quickly started buying and renting land. 48 years later they have over 4000 acres of Pembrokeshire farmland, including 2200 acres of cereals, 500 acres of potatoes (packing 6000t annually), 600 cows, and fattening lambs. Managing 13 landlords and 18 full time staff keeps them incredibly busy and wouldn’t be possible without Head of HR, Mrs Hilary Raymond! Collaboration key Meurig spoke of collaboration and its importance for farmers. He has been a long time supporter of working with people in various supply chains, and is a founding member of Puffin Produce, a producer for Muller and an expert malting barley grower for the Welsh distilleries and breweries. Joining the NFU in the 1980s Meurig came face to face politically with the difficulties of the milk quota
received a wonderful welcome from Emma, Duchess of Rutland – a dairy farmer’s daughter and Club member. We were given a tour of the estate by Phil Burtt, Estate Director and Max Johnson, Assistant Land and Property Manager, where we heard about the estates’ commitment to conservation and passion for educating the general public about field sports. We were also shown some of the arable areas of the estate and the landscaping the estate team has done to ensure the estate is fit for future generations. This was all followed by a wonderful Sunday Roast in the estates’ Engine Yard Restaurant, before an intriguing tour of the Castle. In between visits we dined in Uppingham, and had a taste of the four pubs in the market town, and even managed to squeeze in some go-karting! A great weekend had by all! Connie Wainwright Under 30s member
system and a Thatcherite government. Serving as Pembrokeshire’s NFU Council Delegate for 12 years, he was then elected as NFU Vice President in 2004, Deputy President in 2006 and President in 2014. Meurig spoke of the importance of support from his family throughout his career, especially from his wife Hilary. With Meurig speaking openly, ‘Chatham House’ rules had to be imposed! That said, a story which kept the Under 30s captivated was of a late-night meeting with a Secretary of State at a party in London, one of the more interesting turning points for Meurig’s career…
“Working hard and making a difference – the big extras don’t go unnoticed.”
Prince’s Countryside Trust With his Princes Countryside Trust hat on Meurig spoke enthusiastically about opportunities for young people. It was great to hear the Trust offers funding for young agricultural entrepreneurs, a farm resilience program and emergency response to farmers in need. He felt the boom in corporate farming was an area young farmers should watch. His take-home message was clear: “working hard and making a difference, the big extras don’t go unnoticed.” The Q&A session went long into the evening, eventually moving to the Bar! Jeremy Hawkins Grain Merchant & Under 30s Member Mob: 07732 856294 Jeremy.Hawkins@robin-appel.com
www.thefarmersclub.com • 21
The Farmers Club • Club Information
Club Information 020 7930 3557 • www.thefarmersclub.com @thefarmersclub The Farmers Club Page
Office Holders
TUTANKHAMUN EXHIBITION AT SAATCHI GALLERY WEDNESDAY 26 FEBRUARY 2020 The legend of Tutankhamun captured imaginations globally when his tomb was unearthed by British explorer Howard Carter and financier Lord Carnarvon in 1922. Tutankhamun: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh will unveil more than 150 original objects from the tomb, 60 of which are travelling out of Egypt for their first and only time. Recently closed in Paris, the exhibition became France’s most visited of all time with attendance of over 1.4 million. Our programme includes lunch at the Club, private talk by Anne Howarth and Exhibition visit. This event, limited to 60 places, costs £65.00 per person, including lunch, show ticket and coach transfers. Complete the booking form enclosed with this Journal.
Patron – Her Majesty The Queen HONORARY VICE PRESIDENTS Sir Mark Hudson, Peter Jackson CBE, Roddy Loder-Symonds, John Parker, Norman Shaw CBE THE COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT OF THE CLUB 2019 VICE PRESIDENTS Barclay Forrest OBE, 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
CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW
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 OBE, Matt Dempsey and Gerald Osborne Elected 2019: Ms Fiona Fell, Meurig Raymond CBE, John Hardman, Andrew Brown (re-elected) Co-opted: Scott Hayles (Chairman Under 30s), Eleanor Kay (Vice Chairman Under 30s) THE FARMERS CLUB CHARITABLE TRUST TRUSTEES Stephen Fletcher (Chairman), Vic Croxson DL, Meryl Ward MBE, Des Lambert OBE, Nick Green, James Squier, The Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Club (ex officio). Patron Mrs Stella Muddiman
NEXT ISSUE The New Year issue of the Farmers Club Journal, due with members in late January, will include a profile of 2020 Club Chairman Allan Stevenson, plus November’s House of Lords Luncheon speaker, Baroness Boycott of Whitefield.
22 • The Farmers Club Winter 2019
TUESDAY 19TH MAY 2020 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 £130.00 per person, including lunch, show ticket and coach transfers. Complete the booking form enclosed with this Journal.
HAMPTON COURT GARDEN FESTIVAL
THURSDAY 9TH JULY RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival is a dazzling summer celebration of all that’s great about gardening - packed with gorgeous gardens, stunning floral displays, celebrity talks and live entertainment.
Our programme includes: 11.00am Light brunch with tea & coffee at the Club 12.15pm Depart by coach to Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival 1.30pm Arrive at Hampton Court Palace station and hop onto the shuttle boat service to the Thames gate entrance of the show (10mins) 3.30pm Afternoon Tea with a glass of Prosecco at Hampton Court 7.00pm Coach Returns to the Club 8.30pm Two-course dinner at the Club with wine This event is limited to 40 places. The cost per person is £126.00. If oversubscribed places will be decided by ballot. Complete the enclosed booking form.
Club Information • The Farmers Club Honorary Members It is a privilege to congratulate the following members on becoming an Honorary Member of The Farmers Club in recognition of 50 years’ membership: Mr R Appel Hampshire Mr W Banister Sussex Mr D Corbett Hampshire Mr J Coulthurst Lancashire Mr N Fiske Suffolk The Hon R Godber MBE DL Bedfordshire Mr G Hoare Northamptonshire Mr E Jones Suffolk Mr J Martin CBECambridgeshire Mr J Maunder Devon Mr H Orpwood Northumberland Mr C Passmore Sussex Mr M Roberts Kent Mr H Rudebeck Berkshire Mr J Scott Bedfordshire Mr B Shand Buckinghamshire Dr P Sharpe Bedfordshire Mr J Thorley OBE Worcestershire Mr T Trigg Hampshire Mr J Worsley Worcestershire Deaths It is with regret that we announce the death of the following members: Mr William De Salis Sussex Mr Thomas Gould Kent Mr Stephen Hurd Wiltshire New Members The following were elected: UK Members Mr Philip Acock Mr Arthur Addison Mr Kenneth Barton Mr Declan Billington Mrs Dena Brumpton Mr Peter Cargill Mr Jonathan Clive Mrs Heather Copley Mr David Cundall Miss Beverly Dixon Mr Adrian Dolby Mr David Frankish Mr Stephen Gordon Mr James Grant-Suttie Rt. Rev Richard Jackson Mr Thomas Kennard Mr Martin Lines Mr Alan Marsland Mr Paul Matthews Mr Richard Maunder Mr Michael Mottram Mr Allan Murray Mr Timothy Newman Mr Ian Patrick Mrs Sarah-Anne Peters Mr Matthew Pickering Mr Christopher Price Mr James Robinson Miss Susan Skinner Mr Shaun Smith
Kent Cumberland Staffordshire Tyrone Gloucestershire Herefordshire Montgomeryshire Yorkshire Lincolnshire Suffolk Roxburghshire Derbyshire Derbyshire Berwick Sussex Devon Cambridgeshire Yorkshire Oxfordshire Cornwall Cambridgeshire Roxburghshire Wiltshire Yorkshire Somerset Shropshire Worcestershire Lincolnshire Kent Leicestershire
Mr Andrew Swallow Mrs Sophie Throup Mr Robert Timmis Mr James Turnbull Lady Victoria Vyvyan Mr Tristan Ward Mrs Sarah Waters Mr Vaughan Wheeler Mr Nicholas Whelan Mrs Carole Whitfield Mr James Wingfield Digby Miss Stefanie Young Overseas Mr Jay Debertin Dr Hansueli Etter Mr Alisdair Gray Count Christian Moltke Mr Ashley Whitaker Under 30s Miss Olivia Andersen Miss Stephany Armstrong Mr James Balicki Mr Charles Barker Miss Molly Biddell Mr Edward Brown Mr Luke Clay Mrs Natalie Edmondson Mrs Hannah Evans Miss Amelia Glanville Mr Thomas Helme Miss Jessica Horn Mr Samuel Nobbs Mr Thomas Philpot Mr Robert Porter The Hon Delphyne Ramsbotham Mr George Siddorn Mr Joshua Smith Miss Annabel Swiers Mr Edward Williams Miss Becky Wilson Associate - Whitehall Court Mr William Schwitter Mr Martin Wragge
Suffolk Yorkshire Shropshire Surrey Cornwall Kent Kent Cheshire Antrim Cumberland Dorset Wiltshire USA Switzerland Belgium Denmark New Zealand
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 Hampshire London London Kent Surrey Sussex Shrewsbury Cumberland Cheshire Lincolnshire Herefordshire Essex Herefordshire Essex London Wiltshire Cheshire Lincolnshire Hertfordshire Herefordshire Lincolnshire London London
Dress code • Smart casual dress is permitted every morning, Monday to Sunday inclusive until 10am. (This includes smart denim jeans and trainers). Thereafter, gentlemen should wear formal jackets and ties in all public areas of the Club. Ladies should be dressed in accordance with this. • Smart casual dress is allowed from 6pm on Friday and throughout the weekend until 10am on Monday morning. • Children should conform to the above guidelines as best they can. • Members are responsible for ensuring their guests abide by the dress code. • Reception has an emergency stock of jackets and ties if required.
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 & Director of Food 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
www.thefarmersclub.com • 23
2020
Club Calendar DIARY DATES 2020
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 DECEMBER 2019
MAY
New Year’s Eve Black Tie Dinner – FULL Tuesday 31st December
Eve of Balmoral Show Dinner Tuesday 13th May
New Year’s Eve Dinner
SS Nomadic, Belfast Titanic Centre Speaker tba Eve of Balmoral Show Dinner
JANUARY 2020
Application form included with this Journal
Monday Evening Lecture Monday 20th January 5.30-7.45 pm Monday Evening Lecture
JUNE Chatsworth House & Gardens and Chatsworth Flower Show Wednesday 10th & Thursday 11th June
The speaker for our January 2020 Monday Evening will be Lord Gardiner of Kimble Application form enclosed with this Journal
Cirque Du Soleil at the Royal Albert Hall – FULL Friday 24th January
Chelsea Flower Show Tuesday 19th May
Chatsworth House
Private guided tour of the house followed by an overnight stay at a hotel nearby and the flower show the following day Application form included with this Journal
JULY
Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival Thursday 9th July
Cirque Du Soleil at the Royal Albert Hall
Application form included with this Journal
FEBRUARY Under 30s New Members Dinner, Winter Event & AGM Friday 7th – Sunday 9th February Details tbc Under 30s New Members Dinner, Winter Event & AGM
Tutankhamun Exhibition at Saatchi Galler y Wednesday 26th February
Tutankhamun Exhibition at Saatchi Gallery
IDEA
CHRISTML AS
PRESEN
T
Ideal as a Christmas present or to try to recreate the Club’s simply cooked, seasonal, quality, British food at home. To order your copy use the order form in this Journal or buy one at Reception next time you are in the Club.
Lunch at the Club, private talk by Anne Howarth and Exhibition visit Application form enclosed with this Journal
CHRISTMAS BOOKINGS
MARCH
We have a host of excellent function rooms, a great pre-Christmas ambience and a very well-deserved reputation for superb simply cooked, seasonal, quality British food.
Madam Butterfly Thursday 5th March
To book your Christmas Function in the Club call Liza on 020 7925 7100 or email functions@thefarmersclub.com
Supper at the Club before 7.30pm performance at the London Coliseum Madam Butterfly
APRIL Monday Evening Lecture Monday 6th April 5.30-7.30pm. Details tbc St George’s Day Lunch
FOOD at The Farmers Club book
St George’s Day Lunch Thursday 23rd April Details tbc
Where better to celebrate a Christmas lunch, dinner or cocktail party than your very own Farmers Club.
CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR OPENING SCHEDULE • Bedrooms are available throughout the Christmas and New Year period. • The Restaurant & Bar will be closed after breakfast on Tuesday 24th December. • New Year’s Eve – the Black Tie Dinner takes place for those lucky enough to be drawn in the ballot. • The Club fully re-opens on Thursday 2nd January at 3pm.