July 2012 Farming Monthly National

Farming

MONTHLY National

July 2012

Inside this issue...

Cereals Event A look back at the show

Livestock 2012 We look ahead to the September event

Wind Energy A blow to your finances or still a viable option?

No Through Road Great Wall and Dacia aim to shatter the motoring price barrier

Fueling success Sage advice on storage issues

175 Years of John Deere A major milestone in agricultural history Also Inside: Royal Welsh Show 2012 | Machinery | Buildings | Shooting | ATVs | Motors

Contents

22

37

July 2012

68 14

Features

Regulars

29 30 32 33 38 58 61 63

06 14 18 22 64 67

Potatoes News round-up.

Fuels Storage advice and best practices.

Royal Welsh Show What will you be able to see?

Livestock 2012 Show preview.

Cereals 2012 A look back on the event.

Buildings News from the industry.

Animal Health Scaly Leg and Schmallenberg vaccine news.

News All the latest need to know commentary.

On Topic John Deere celebrate 175 years

Energy What’s new in on farm energy?

Energy - Wind Focus We put the spotlight on wind

ATV The essential workhorse round-up.

Motors What’s new in motoring news?

NEXT MONTH Livestock show preview...

Feature - International Land Grab Worldwatch Institute report.

We welcome feedback and encourage readers to air their views. Have an opinion on a story or agriculture in general? Write to us at the address below or email letters@farmingmonthly.com

Andrew Poulton EDITOR

Whilst every attempt is made to ensure accuracy, the opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor. The Editor also reserves the right to alter or edit material as necessary and no responsibility is accepted for inaccuracies. Full copyright applies. All rights reserved 2012.

Connect with us:

Published in the UK by Farming Monthly Ltd, 15-17 Dugdale Street, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV11 5QJ Tel: +44 (0) 2476 353537 Fax: +44 (0) 2476 353571 Editor Andrew Poulton Editorial Assistant editorial@farmingmonthly.com Advertising Director Shona Beedham s.beedham@farmingmonthly.com Senior Advertising Sales Jenny Tranter j.tranter@farmingmonthly.com Advertising Sales Edward Hickinbottom e.hickinbottom@farmingmonthly.com Accounts Manager Cheryl Arnold c.arnold@farmingmonthly.com Production Team Andrew Poulton studio@farmingmonthly.com For editorial and general enquiries or to advertise please call Tel: 02476 353537 or email sales@farmingmonthly.com

04 | Farming Monthly | July 2012

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Competition Subscribe Celebrate 175 years of John Deere by winnning...The Bigger Book of John Deere he Bigger Book of John Deere Tractors is a model-by-model encyclopedia of John Deere tractors from their first appearance in 1892 to the latest 2009 models. This is an updated edition of MBI's best-selling tractor book which sold more than 140,000 copies sold around the globe to include the latest major model line revolution of 2009.

Photographs showcase beautifully restored tractors as well as unique paintings and artwork from the Deere archives, rare and valuable original brochures, and studio photos of John Deere toys and models. For tractor enthusiasts, John Deere aficionados, and devotees of American farm machinery at its finest, this big book is an unparalleled collection of pictures and facts, the best look ever at the incomparable John Deere.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Don Macmillan is one of the world's most respected authorities on Deere. He lives in Devizes, Wiltshire. The Bigger Book of John Deere is available from all good bookshops or direct from Grantham Book Services Telephone: 01476 541080

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Farming Monthly says, “a colourful compendium of everything John Deere – from the pioneering years through to the modern day.

Packed full of images and artwork from the obscure to the everyday, this is the perfect book for the JD connoisseur.”

For your chance to win a copy simply complete the entry form below and send it to us by 27th July. You can also enter online at www.farmingmonthly.co.uk. Good luck!

Send your completed answer form to: Competitions, Farming Monthly National, 15-17 Dugdale Street, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV11 5QJ Good Luck!

Q: How many copies of the previous edition sold around the globe?

A: More than 140,000 B: More than 200,000 C: More than 240,000 D: More than 100,000

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July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 05

| News

EU organic logo fully up and running from 1st July The two-year transition period for the organic food sector to comply with new EU labelling rules is reaching its end. s from 1 July 2012, the EU organic logo will be obligatory on all prepackaged organic food products produced in EU Member States which meet the necessary standards. The logo will stay optional for non-packed and imported organic products. Other private, regional or national logos will continue to be allowed to appear alongside the EU label.

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EU consumption of organic products has seen a steady rise in recent years.

The "Euro-leaf" EU organic logo was introduced on 1 July 2010, but in order to help operators adapt to the new rules, and to avoid waste of existing packaging, a 2-year transition period was allowed before it was compulsory on all products. The visual field of the logo should also show the code number of the control body and the place of farming of the agricultural raw materials. A recent EuroBarometer report on

"European Attitude towards Food Security, Food Quality and the Countryside', to be published shortly, includes information on the EU organic logo and provides the encouraging indication that, since its introduction in July 2010, the logo has already gained recognition among a quarter (24%) of EU citizens.

“Our hope is that the EU logo can further develop into a widely recognised symbol of organic food production across the EU, providing consumers with confidence that the goods are produced in-line with the strict EU organic farming standards”, according to EU Commissioner for Agriculture & Rural Development Dacian Cioloş.

Background The idea of fostering the organic farming sector by introducing a compulsory EU organic logo was backed by Member States in 2007. In order to find an original design for this logo, the Commission organised a competition in 2009 in which more than 3 400 art and design students took part, and a public vote on the

best 3 designs in early 2010.

EU consumption of organic products has seen a steady rise in recent years and now accounts for roughly 2% of the EU market.

Production has also increased considerably in the past decade – with roughly 5% of EU agricultural area and more than 2% of farms (more than 200 000 farms) now certified as organic.

In policy terms, this year has seen agreement on rules on organic wine, which enter into

force on August 1. In February, the EU also signed an organic equivalence agreement with the USA, which will reduce bureaucracy for organic producers in the EU and the USA. In May, the Commission presented a report on the existing organic farming regulation, aimed at opening an Inter-institutional debate with all stakeholders and thus creating the opportunity to explore new ways in which to further improve the EU organic policy framework.

Always

2,000 in stock NEW

Out of season terms available

One Tonne Po-

NOW!!

Abergavenny

ONLY FSC TIMBER USED

Saw Mills

Telephone 01873 859188

06 | Farming Monthly | July 2012

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| News

Milk Link and Arla Foods Amba farmers vote yes to merger proposal The proposal to merge Milk Link and Arla Foods amba has received an overwhelmingly positive endorsement from their respective farmer owners. he Milk Link Member vote saw a high turnout of over 83%, with 5,560 (99.53%) of the votes cast being in favour of the merger proposal and 26 (0.47%) against.

Simultaneously, Arla Foods amba’s Board of Representatives also voted on the proposed merger and gave their very strong endorsement for the merger.

This means that the full merger between Milk Link, the UK’s leading dairy farmer co-operative and Arla, one of the largest and most successful European dairy co-operatives will now take place subject to the necessary regulatory authority approvals.

The merger will mean that Milk Link’s 1,600 British dairy farmer Members will become part owners of one of Europe’s leading dairy co-operatives alongside Arla’s existing Danish, Swedish and German farmers.

The merger fulfils both cooperatives’ strategic priorities and will bring together two successful

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www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

and growth orientated farmerowned dairy processing businesses with complementary positions in key markets, brands and customer bases. It will create the largest player in the UK dairy market, which will process over three billion litres of milk per annum and have a combined turnover in excess of £2 billion.

Commenting on the result of the vote, Neil Kennedy, Milk Link’s Chief Executive, said: “The resounding vote in favour of the proposal by Milk Link’s Members gives a very strong mandate for the merger and provides real momentum for the growth and development of the merged business going forward.”

Peter Lauritzen, CEO of Arla Foods UK plc, commented: “We are delighted that farmers from both co-operatives have voted in such numbers to approve this merger, which, subject to regulatory approval, will mean that Milk Link Members will become part of one of Europe’s leading

dairy co-operatives and will be able to achieve, after a transitional period, the same level of return as enjoyed by existing Arla Foods amba members in other parts of Europe.”

Commenting further Mr Kennedy said: “Over the past month we have undertaken a comprehensive programme of communication and engagement with our Members to ensure they fully understand the rationale for and benefits of the merger. This included the holding of 34 Member roadshows across the country and the overwhelming vote in favour very much reflects the positive reception we have had at each of these.

“As a corporate member of Arla Foods amba, our 1,600 British dairy farmer Members will now have a stake in one of Europe?s largest and most successful dairy businesses and play a positive role in its future development. Overall, we firmly believe the merger will create a strong platform for a

sustainable future for Milk Link Members and the long term growth of a vibrant British dairy industry.”

“The merger will mean that Milk Link’s 1,600 British dairy farmer Members will become part owners of one of Europe’s leading dairy co-operatives alongside Arla’s existing Danish, Swedish and German farmers.”

Mr Lauritzen added: “The farmer votes takes us one step closer to becoming the UK’s number one dairy company, extending our offering of a full range of high quality dairy products to our British retail and foodservice customers and focused on delivering a sustainable future for our farmer owners.”

Julyl 2012 | Farming Monthly | 07

| News

Just scratchin’ the surface

Rural philanthropy jeopardised, says CLA

£50 million Chinese pig deal “huge boost” for farmers.

Listing community assets could make owners think twice about permitting use.

pecialist agricultural accountants Moore Thompson says an historic £50 million deal to sell British pork to China is a massive fillip for the local farming community.

The UK government recently signed the deal following a trade mission to open the country up to British food exports.

Defra said most of the pork will be offal, trotters and ears, which are more popular with Chinese consumers than British.

Pig genetics are already exported to China, but the UK has so far not been able to trade pigmeat.

Andrew Heskin, a partner in Moore Thompson’s Farming Sector team, said: “East Anglia has a long and successful history of pig producing, so this historic deal is a huge boost to local farmers.

“Opening up trade links with such a vast and populous country

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such as China will give our pig producers great confidence for their future prosperity if they can harness this trade deal.

“I am hopeful that the UK government can now successfully promote other British foods to China and really open up the country to our producers.”

Farming minister Jim Paice, who flew to China to broker the deal, said that Chinese consumption of meat is increasing, but domestic supply cannot meet demand.

He said: “China is the most lucrative grocery market in the world and from fashion to food its rapidly expanding middle class has an appetite for western goods.

"In particular they are eating more meat, and our top quality producers have got huge opportunities to meet that demand and help our economic recovery."

Moore Thompson has offices in Wisbech, Spalding and Market Deeping.

08 | Farming Monthly | July 2012

he CLA has warned that allowing communities to register privately owned playing fields or village halls as a “community asset” would jeopardise the long-established philanthropy of rural landowners.

The Association said although the Government had tried to minimise the impact of proposals for Assets of Community Value under the Localism Act 2011 for owners of privately owned land and buildings, regulations surrounding the Community Right to Bid would make the owner think twice about continuing to permit philanthropic community use.

CLA President Harry Cotterell said: “We have opposed the proposals relating to Assets of Community Value since the Localism Bill was first published because the Government did not consult on the merits of the proposal. CLA members and other landowners provide a multitude of privately owned assets for rural communities, very often at

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peppercorn or no rents, and until now without any interference.

“I am pleased the Government took the time to listen to our concerns and the expert advice we provided on how private property rights would be affected but the proposals still jeopardise the philanthropy of rural landowners.

Statutory legislation is being introduced to deliver what already happens in rural areas and has done for hundreds of years.”

Mr Cotterell explained that private owners of a community asset object to listing because it means they lose the right to sell at a time or to a person of their choosing which may cause difficulties with business planning or if the need occurs to sell an asset quickly to raise funds.

He said: “We will be checking carefully to ensure the Government’s regulations preserve the goodwill of landowners who provide privately owned assets to their communities.”

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| News

USED CASEIH TRACTORS 495XL 4wd. 52hp. 5000 hours.

885L 4wd c/w Quicke loader, one owner.

3220XL 2wd. 3 cyl.52hp. one owner.

JXU75 2wd. P/Shuttle, 2360 hrs.

JXU75 4wd. 2009, 1155 hrs. P/Shuttle.

JXU105 4wd. 45 hours, just like new.

NEW JXU105 4wd. P/shuttle, P/Shift.

NEW JXU115 4wd. P/shuttle, P/Shift.

JXU 1100 c/w Quicke loader, 2015 hrs.

4230LP 4wd Pro c/w Quicke loader.

MX110, air cond. 40kph + Creep.

MX135 Suspension, 40kph + Creep.

Maxxum 100 c/w loader, 2700 hours.

Maxxum 125 c/w Loader, 2921 hours.

Maxxum 140 MC 50kph. 5868 hrs.

New Maxxum 140 tier 3.

MXM 190 Suspension 50kph. 5200 hours.

Front weights, 650/65 x 42 tyres.

New Puma 140, 40kph + Creep.

Puma 140 PowerShift 40kph. 553 hours.

Puma 140 PowerShift 40kph. 700 hours.

Puma 140 PowerShift 40kph. 569 hours.

Puma 155 MC 50kph. 1163 hours.

Puma 155 Suspension 40kph. 2611 hours.

Puma 165 Suspension 50kph. 418 hours.

Puma 165 Suspension 50kph. 715 hours.

Puma 165 50kph. 2009, 2385 hours.

New Puma 170 50kph. Trailer air brakes.

Puma 195 MC Suspension 50kph. 976 hours.

Puma 210MC, 2010, 585 hours, 50kph.

Puma 210MC, 2009, 3900 hours, 50kph.

Puma 215 Unused F/Linkage, 50kph.

Puma CVX 210 F/Linkage, 3000 hours, 2010.

Puma CVX 225 F/Linkage, 2010, 785 hours,Trailer air brakes, 50kph.

Puma CVX225 F/Linkage, 2300 hrs. 50kph.

CVX 1155 Suspension 50kph. 2004, 3300 hrs.

CVX140 Suspension 50kph. 2008, 3447 hrs.Trailer air brakes.

CVX150 Suspension 40kph. 2007, 3066 hrs. Front Linkage.

New CVX150 Suspension 50kph. Weights, 4 speed pto.

CVX150 Suspension 50kph. 2009, 2900 hrs. Front Linkage, 650/65 x 38 tyres.

CVX150 Suspension 50kph. 2007, 3942 hrs. 20.8 x 42 tyres.

NEW CVX150 Suspension 50kph.

CVX160 F/Linkage, 2009, 5210 hrs. 50kph.

650/65 x 38 tyres.

CVX1170 Suspension 50kph. 2004, 6024 hrs. Weights, 650/65 x 38 tyres.

CVX1170 Suspension 50kph. 2004, 5276 hrs. Front Linkage, one owner.

CVX175 Suspension 50kph. 2009, 2578 hrs. Weights, 580/70 x 42 tyres.

CVX195 Suspension 50kph. 2009, 3351 hrs. 710/70 x 38 tyres, air brakes.

CVX195 Suspension 50kph. 2009, 3233 hrs. 650/65 x 42 tyres, air brakes.

CVX195 Suspension 50kph. 2009, 4297 hrs. 650/65 x 42 tyres, air brakes.

Magnum 7240, 1996, 6500 hours, 650 x 42.

TRACTORS & EQUIPMENT Magnum 225 Suspension, 2007, 2300 hours. 50kph. 710/70 x 42 tyres.

Magnum 280 Suspension, 2008, 3230 hours. 50kph. 710/70 x 42 tyres.

Magnum 280 Suspension, 2010, 932 hours. 40kph. 650/85 x 38 tyres.

Magnum 310 Suspension 40kph. Creep, 2010, 1255 hrs. 540 & 1000 pto. weights.

Magnum 310 Suspension 40kph. Creep, 2010, 1488 hrs. 540 & 1000 pto. weights.

Magnum 310 Suspension, 2010, 1748 hours. Full AutoSteer, 50kph. Trailer air brakes.

Magnum 310 Suspension 40kph. Creep, 2007, 2607 hrs. weights.

Magnum 310 Suspension 40kph. Creep, 2010, 1255 hrs. 540/1000 pto.

Magnum 310 Suspension 40kph. Creep, 2010, 1448 hrs. 540/1000 pto.

Magnum 310 Suspension 40kph. 2007, 3400 hrs.

Magnum 310 Suspension 50kph. 2009, 1748 hrs.

Magnum 340 Tier4, 2011, 436 hours, Full Accuguide, 50kph. Trailer air brakes.

CaseIH Warranty. Case finance subject to terms & conditions.

STX Quadtrac 480, rear Linkage & pto.Drawbar, 2006, 5030 hrs.

STX Quadtrac 500, rear Linkage & pto.

Drawbar, 2005, 36” tracks, 5312 hrs.

TRACTORS Fendt 820 F/lik & pto, 2009, low hrs.

Deutz Agrotron M620, 1150 hrs. 2010.

Claas Ares 826RZ Suspension 40kph.

F/Linkage, 170hp. 2347 hours, 2006.

Steyr 9094, 1999, 3563 hours, 40kph.

Valtra T151 Suspension, 2010, 1073 hours.

Valtra T152 Suspension, 2009, 870 hours.

New Holland T8040, weights, 3800 hrs.

New Holland 8670 SuperSteer, 8300 hrs.

New Holland T7040 F/Linkage & PTO. New Holland TM140, 2006, 2644 hrs.

New Holland TSA 115, 2881 hours, Air cond.cab, 3 spd. Pto. front weights.

New Holland 3930 c/w Trima loader.

New Holland TL80 2wd. 2002, weights.

New Holland TL90 P/shuttle 4wd. 5290 hrs., air cond. cab.

New Holland TD90 c/w Chillton loader, Just 228 hours.

New Holland TD5050 4wd. 1135 hours.

New Holland T5060, 2011, 360 hours.

New Holland T6010 Delta, 1845 hrs.

New Holland TD75 4wd. 4238 hrs.

MF8480 Dyna VT, F/linkage, 2154 hrs.

MF6499 Dyna 6, F/Linkage, 3300 hrs.

MF6490 Dyna 6, 2008, 2700 hrs.

MF6455 Dyna 6, only 823 hours.

MF4455 4wd. 12x12 Shuttle, 2894 hrs.

MF4455 4wd. Turf tyres, 3534 hrs.

MF 365 2wd c/w MF loader/fork, 3600 hours, 8 spd.gearbox.

MF 372 4wd. 3950 hours, weights. Turf tyres.

MF275 c/w loader, roll bar, 8 spd.

MF50 - 4wd Loader tractor, low hours.

MF240, 1992, 2395 hours, puh.

MF410 2wd compact, roll bar, 622 hrs.

Zetor 7211 2wd. 4149 hrs. very clean.

Fendt 614 LS Turbomatic, 7500 hrs.

Marshall 802 showing low hours, original.

John Deere 7530 TLS 50kph. 2007, 1924 hrs. Trailer air brakes, 710/70 x 38 tyres.

John Deere 6920s TLS, 2004, 1800 hours.

John Deere 6630 Premium, TLS. P/Quad, 50kph. 1311 hrs. 2009.

John Deere 5620 F/linkage & pto. 2007.

John Deere 5090M, 2010, 197 hours.

John Deere 6320 F/linkage, 2004, 4320 hrs.

John Deere 6420s TLS Suspension, Loader Bkts. 2005, 3097 hrs.

Kubota 9000 4wd. 2005, only 195 hours.

Air conditioned cab, Creep gears.

COMBINES Axial Flow 5088 c/w 20’ Vario header.

2011, just 30 hours, Case warranty For 2012 season + Case finance.

John Deere 1177, 816 header & trolly, 2354 hours, chopper, spreaders.

John Deere 9780 CTS Hillmaster, 2002, 22’ header & trolly, chopper, spreaders, 1555 rotor hours.

Claas Dominator 76, 13’ header, trolly.

NEW McCONNEL HEDGECUTTERS & Flails In stock.

PA55 XTC controls, 1.2m head. Flap kit.

PA5455 XTC controls, 1.2m head.

PA65T EDS V4 controls, Hydraulic roller, 1.5m head.

PA6570, EDS, hyd.roller, 1.5 head, Revolution Controls.

PT 270 Grass topper, ready to go.

Elite 2.7 Flail mower, hyd.offset.

USED HEDGECUTTERS McConnel PA65T EDS. V4 controls, 1.5m head, 2010, 270 hours.

McConnel PA95, 1.2 head, electric controls.

McConnel PA55 Hy-Reach, 1.2m head.

McConnel PA60e Hy-Reach, 2005, Linkage.

McConnel PA6570T, V4 controls, 1.5m head, Front flap kit.

McConnel PA6000, 1.5m head, 2001.

Bomford Kestral, cable control, 1.5 head. As new condition.

TRAILERS Weeks 3 ton Dropside.

Weeks Plus 40 Dropside.

Richard Western 10 ton Grain.

Henton 10 ton Grain.

Henton 10 ton Sileage & Grain.

NEW AS Marston Ace 14 Hyd.door, G/Chute.

TELESCOPIC HANDLERS/forklift JCB 535-95, 2011, 275 hrs.

JCB 535-125, 2008, 790 hours.

JCB 528-70, 2158 hours.

JCB 520-40, 2007, 1043 hours.

JCB 310s, 2010, 145hp. Q fit.

Cat TH330B, 2006, 5430 hrs.

Manitou Buggiscopic, 4200 hrs.

Manitou M26-4 forklift, 3000 hrs.

Manitou 634-120 LSU,2008.

Merlo 25-9, pallet forks & bucket.

CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT JCB 2cx Streetmaster, 1997.

JCB 3cx Sitemaster, manual gearbox.

JCB 3cx NON Turbo, manual box, 2004.

JCB 3cx Sitemaster, 2004, non turbo.

JCB 4cx Sitemaster, 1998.

Case 580SR ‘ 57 ‘ reg. 998 hrs.

Case 580SLE, 2001, 4544 hrs.

Case 580k Turbo, 4467 hours.

Lewis Badger digger / loader.

Takeuchi TB125, 2007, 2146 hrs.

JCB 8045 ZTS Excavator, 2007.

JCB Micro c/w buckets, 1275 hrs.

Volvo EC15 Canopy, 2800 hrs.

Hitachi ZX210 Excavator, 2011.

Ausa D600 swivel dumper, 2008, 428 hrs.

Neuson TD18s tracked swivel dumper.

MACHINERY Lemken 5 Furrow reversible plough.

12 furrow Gregoire Besson McConnel 7 leg Shakerator.

McConnel 5 leg Shakerator.

Vicon Greenland 6.6m air drill.

Vaderstad 6m Rigid Tine.

Vaderstad Carrier CR300 cultivator.

Simba Horsch 6 metre drill.

McConnel Discaerator 7 leg, 3 metre.

Amazone 3m Combination.

Knight 4m CultiPress.

7 furrow Gregoire Besson, 2006.

Kongskilde 3m Terra Disc.

Sweepex Mega brush, little use.

LOADERS EX Stock.

New Quicke Q31.

New Quicke Q41.

New Quicke Q49.

New Quicke Q75.

New Chillton U8.

New Chillton U10.

NEW

NEW McConnel 270 linkage mounted Topper. Ex yard £ 1950.00 + vat.

NEW McConnel Magnum Elite 270 flail mower. Ex yard £ 3500.00 + vat.

Website with photographs : www.startintractors.co.uk

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

July l 2012 | Farming Monthly | 09

| News

Government could miss Game, set & match 2015 broadband deadlines W

Wimbledon strawberry prices would almost double without bees.

CLA claim that slow funding and over reliance on fibre optic technology are key stumbling blocks. he CLA has warned that the Government could miss deadlines to provide superfast broadband of at least 24 megabits per second (mbps) for 90 percent of rural areas and its commitment to deliver 2 mbps to all rural areas by 2015.

After a Department for Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee evidence session on Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) last week, the CLA said it was concerned the slow funding process and a reliance on fibre optic networks were prolonging the rural-urban digital divide.

CLA President Harry Cotterell said: “We recognise that delivering this type of infrastructure is not easy but it is unlikely the Government will meet these objectives.

“The BDUK process is too bureaucratic and the allocation of the £530million funding too slow. It

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would be much simpler if the funding was allocated centrally rather than giving it directly to local authorities because they do not have the resource to plan for a superfast broadband network.”

He added: “An over-reliance on fibre optic is also a factor in the Government’s poor chance of meeting these deadlines. The CLA advocates a patchwork quilt model that uses the most appropriate technologies for a certain area, rather than using a single technology, so everyone can benefit from broadband.”

Mr Cotterell said the CLA and NFU were engaged in discussions to produce a national broadband wayleave agreement which would create a more stable platform for those infrastructure providers willing to develop superfast broadband networks in rural areas.

imbledon fans have been warned that they would face price rises on their strawberries of 84% if bees disappeared, according to new research.

This price increase would mean forking out £4.14 for a 10strawberry punnet at the famous tennis tournament.

A report produced by the University of Reading for environment charity Friends of the Earth also revealed that insecticide use on strawberries has risen by 295% between 2005 and 2010, increasing the risk to bees.

The new data comes from research by the University of Reading on behalf of the charity’s campaign The Bee Cause. In recent years many bee species have been declining, placing our food supply and economy under threat. Research revealed that without bees, it would cost the UK at least £1.8billion every year to hand-pollinate crops.

Strawberries are highly reliant on bees for pollination. Good quality commercially-grown strawberries require the

combination of solitary bees and managed bees to pollinate the fruit. Research also suggests that pollination by bees improves the quality, taste and nutrient levels in our fruit and vegetables. One-fifth of the vitamin C in our diet comes from insect-pollinated crops such as strawberries.

Simon Potts, Professor of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services at the University of Reading, said: “Strawberries are just one example of the hundreds of different fruits, vegetables and plants that depend on bees for their survival. Unless we do more to protect these pollinating heroes, it's not just the tennis fans at Wimbledon that will be the poorer – the health of our countryside and the security of our food supply will be at risk.”

Paul De Zylva, Nature Campaigner at Friends of the Earth said: “This research is a warning we must listen to. Without bees, we could pay a fortune for our fruit and the quality would suffer too.

Next Auctions on 16th July 2012 & 13th August 2012 commencing at 10.30am

10 | Farming Monthly | July 2012

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| News

Rooting for parsnips British Carrot Growers Association lends it’s aid to this somewhat undervalued vegetable. he British Carrot Growers’ Association (BCGA) is extending its PR campaign to include parsnips as the decline in the popularity of the Sunday roast reinforces the need to highlight the versatility of one of the UK’s most historic crops.

Rodger Hobson, Chairman of BCGA, said: “Most of our members also farm parsnips, which are in fact related to carrots, so it made sense to extend our campaign.

Despite the fact that many consumers want to buy British as well as cook from scratch, parsnips are still a very undervalued vegetable, often only making it onto the family dinner table for Sunday roast. We want to demonstrate that parsnips are just as versatile as potatoes. From creamy soups and crunchy salads to spicy stir fries and gratins, we want to convey to consumers that you can be creative with parsnips.”

A media relations campaign showcasing new, specially developed parsnip recipes is already underway to change the media's and consumers' perception

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of how the root vegetable can be used. Recipes will be placed with key food and health writers on the national, regional and digital press, with consumers being urged to 'go back to their roots' and support the great British parsnip.

Health is also a key message of the activity as parsnips pack a nutritional punch providing plenty of essential vitamins and minerals.

In addition, a new, contemporary 'parsnip' section has been added to the already popular British Carrot website www.britishcarrots.co.uk).

The pages contain new recipes, a fascinating history of parsnips as well as information on how they are farmed.

The campaign is sponsored by Tozer seeds, the largest independent vegetable breeding company in the UK. Roger Vickers, from Tozer, said: “We are delighted to be sponsoring this campaign and are confident that the messages of versatility, taste and health will encourage consumers to think about parsnips for everyday meals, and not just the Sunday roast.”

LIMEX Contact our sales team:

Tel 0870 2402314 • Fax 0870 2402729

E-mail: limex@britishsugar.com www.limex.co.uk

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July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 11

| News

Hydroponic feed now a winner – courtesy of Fodder Traditional problems associated with this method have been overcome. he idea of feeding livestock hydroponic feed is not new. There are many convincing arguments about the genuine benefits that hydroponic feed brings to animals, such as weight gain, higher yields and lower incidences of disease. Yet, until now, growing systems for the feed have been flawed, with problems ranging from a build-up of mould and mildew inside the growing system, to all sorts of problems relating to the nutrient levels in the water used to grow the seeds. The Fodder Solutions growing system has overcome these traditional problems. The unit is highly engineered and many years of research have gone into its creation.

Carol Clarke, owner of the Big Sheep Little Cow open farm in Aiskew, Bedale, North Yorkshire has long been an advocate of hydroponically grown feed. Originally a sheep and dairy farmer, Carol has extensive livestock experience. When the farming business was in full swing around 30 years ago, Carol spent time investigating the possibility of feeding hydroponically grown feed to her livestock but was unable to find a satisfactory system in which to grow the feed.

Carol said “I was so keen on the idea of hydroponically grown feed as it provides a consistent quality of feed throughout the year,

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12 | Farming Monthly | July 2012

resulting in higher quality and more consistent milk production. I believe it is really important for the livestock to have green fodder in the Winter. Hydroponic feed is such a sensible option for animals as the feed is eaten after it has sprouted, when it is at the optimum moment for condition”.

The business in Aiskew has changed over the years, from farming into an open farm, providing educational guided tours and the chance for children to meet the animals, which includes everything from cattle to goats, pigs and turkeys.

Around three years ago Carol saw an article about Fodder Solutions growing units and decided to take a closer look. Shortly after a trial unit was installed and Carol now feeds the Fodder Solutions feed to all her animals. She went on to say ““we are currently feeding Fodder Solutions to our young cattle, they have done really well on it and look great in their coats. The feed has had amazing effects on all our animals, including goats, sheep and pigs”.

Fodder Solutions sales manager, Liam McGreevy said “It has taken time to engineer and perfect the Fodder Solutions system for optimal growing and the results have been fantastic. Our customers are also reassured by the fact there is an expert just a phone call

away should they have any queries about their system.”

The Fodder Solutions system gives lower costs per day, is cheaper than concentrate and cheaper than land. In addition, it helps to improve health of animals, so should lead to lower veterinary bills and improved performance of animals.

A range of Fodder Solutions systems are available to suit the feeding needs of everyone from smallholders to large producers, providing a cost efficient and time saving feed solutions.

For more information, visit www.foddersolutions.co.uk, or call 024 7660 8088

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| News

Stop playing Russion Roulette with dairy industry WIsemans milk price drop will have a devastating effect on producers. he Farmers’ Union of Wales has described Robert Wiseman Dairies’ decision to once again slash its farm-gate milk price as an utter disgrace and a devastating blow to the industry.

“This decision will have a devastating effect on dairy producers and family run dairy farms in particular will be feeling the hit,” said FUW milk and dairy produce committee chairman Dei Davies, of Holywell, Flintshire.

“The announcement of a 1.7ppl drop by Wisemans following the reported 2ppl drop by Wisemans, Dairy Crest and other suppliers in April this year blatantly shows that current dairy contracts are far from working and that processors are

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not being held accountable,” added Mr Davies.

“From August this year, Wiseman Dairies will only be paying a standard litre price of 24.73ppl, which is around 5ppl below the cost of production.”

Wiseman have blamed the price cut on a collapse in the value of cream. However, failings in the dairy supply chain mean that such lower market returns are mainly being felt by the producer.

The delay in passing higher market returns back to the producer only serves to further disadvantage milk producers and has led to an unsustainable situation, Mr Davies stressed.

“Large retailers continue to use milk as a ‘loss leader’ and this has

led to farm-gate prices which are less than the cost of production.

Farmers are in an intolerable position. There isn’t enough profit for livelihood, let alone for investment.

“We are going back to a downward spiral of farm-gate milk prices and the industry needs to look at the issue of milk contracts more seriously.

“Why should our dairy farmers have to carry the burden of falling milk prices again and again?

These companies are playing Russian roulette with our dairy industry and if this carries on there won’t be a dairy industry for much longer.

“Dairy producers are being put into an impossible situation. It is

about time that the Government intervenes as a matter of urgency to ensure that we have a dairy industry in the future,” added Mr Davies.

ACMC tip of the month asectomised boars are an extremely useful addition to a pig farm.

However, there is a tendency for producers to keep these animals

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for excessive periods, says Paul Thompson, veterinary consultant to pig-breeding company, ACMC. Such boars can become extremely heavy and then pose a

risk of injuring gilts. While it takes time for boars to mature and become good pheromone producers a watch should therefore be kept on their age and

condition and a regular replacement plan be put in place.

July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 13

| On Topic

On Topic 175 Years of John Deere equipment

John Deere marks the A major milestone is achieved in the history of agriculture.

n 2012, Deere & Company marks the 175th anniversary of its existence, which began when company founder John Deere successfully manufactured and marketed the self-scouring plough in 1837.

“John Deere revolutionised agriculture and he made farming in the tough soil of the US Midwest a productive and profitable venture,” said

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Samuel R Allen, chairman and chief executive officer of Deere & Company. “Our recognition of this special anniversary reminds us of the many thousands of John Deere employees who came before us to make this company a world leader.”

John Deere had moved from his home in Vermont to start a small blacksmith shop in Grand Detour, Illinois. He later moved the business to Moline, Illinois, where the world headquarters is still located. The company was incorporated as Deere & Company in 1868.

From the one-

man shop at its inception, John Deere currently has more than 60,000 employees worldwide.

John Deere is the world’s leading manufacturer of agricultural and forestry equipment as well as a leader in construction and turf care equipment.

Additionally, Deere manufactures engines and powertrains for its own equipment and that of other OEMs, provides credit and other financial services to those who purchase equipment, and is a world leader in precision irrigation.

“John Deere instilled four core values in his company,” Allen said.

“Today John Deere employees still deliver on the important values of integrity, quality, commitment and innovation and we believe these values have been the key to the longevity of our enterprise.”

Main Image: Deere & Company’s worldwide headquarters at Moline, Illinois is known as “The Rusty Palace” because of its innovative steel frame design, by Finnish American architect Eero Saarinen.

A replica of John Deere’s original blacksmith shop in Grand Detour, Illinois.

14 | Farming Monthly | July 2012

John Deere (centre, in white shirt) demonstrates his revolutionary self-scouring steel plough in 1837.

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| On Topic

company’s 175th anniversary Growth in Europe, CIS, North Africa and the Near & Middle East In 1956, the company expanded its presence around the world, building a small tractor assembly plant in Mexico and buying a majority interest in the German tractor and harvester manufacturer Heinrich Lanz, including production facilities in Germany and Spain.

Further expansion of sales and distribution channels into key markets of the European Community (EC) and investments into new manufacturing locations occurred in the 1960s with the formation of sales branches in Spain (1964), the United Kingdom and Ireland (1966), France,

Germany, Italy (all in 1967) and Sweden (1968).

Established in 1967, John Deere International (formerly known as John Deere Export) addressed the needs of customers in the remaining markets of the EC, Africa and the Middle East.

Today, many of these national dealers/distributors continue to maintain their own dealer network and provide full sales, product support and financial services.

Following a decade of massive industry consolidation in Europe in the 1980s, John Deere expanded its agricultural and turf equipment product range by the acquisition of SABO (1991), Kemper (1997) and a sprayer manufacturer (1997) in the Netherlands.

From the mid-1990s, the appointment of national dealers in Central and Eastern European countries and the formation of a sales branch in Poland marked John Deere’s expansion further east. In the past decade, the company’s commitment to Central European markets and the CIS took shape with the establishment of the John Deere Russia branch, the Orenburg seeding equipment factory and John Deere Domodedovo.

Here, the company assembles high horsepower tractors, combines and construction & forestry equipment and operates its Eurasian Parts Distribution Centre. A marketing office in the Ukraine and the establishment of a strong dealer network complement John Deere’s growth plans in the CIS.

In addition to these growth initiatives, John Deere continues to invest in its existing manufacturing sites, sales branches and product support infrastructure, as well as new product solutions.

John Deere’s pioneering 8000 E-C comes off the production ut hybrid fairway mower line at Fuquay-Varina.

New tractors waiting to be shipped from the Waterloo Works factory in Iowa.

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New combines on the production line at the Harvester Works factory in East Moline.

July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 15

| On Topic

John Deere Timeline 1837 - Company founder John Deere fashioned a polished-steel plough in his Grand Detour, Illinois blacksmith shop.

His implement was the first successful self-scouring plough. Success of the plough transformed Deere from a blacksmith to a manufacturer. He built 10 ploughs in 1839, 75 in 1841 and 100 in 1842.

1848 - The growing plough business moved to Moline, Illinois to take advantage of better water power and transportation. A year later, in 1849, a workforce of some 16 employees built 2136 ploughs.

1852 - John Deere bought out his business partners. For the next 16 years, the company was known variously as John Deere, John Deere & Company, Deere & Company, and Moline Plow Manufactory.

1858 - Day-to-day management of the company passed to 21-year-old Charles Deere, John Deere’s son. John Deere remained president. Charles joined the company as a 16-year-old after graduation from a Chicago commercial college. He ran the company for the next 49 years.

1868 - After 31 years as a partnership or single proprietorship, the enterprise was incorporated as Deere & Company.

1876 - The ‘leaping deer’ trademark was first registered.

1890 – Company founder John Deere died in Moline at 82.

1907 – Charles Deere died and William Butterworth, his son-in-law, became CEO. In addition, the company established a non-contributory pension plan for employees with 20 or more years of service and who reached 65 years old or older.

1918 - Deere bought the maker of Waterloo Boy tractors to enter the tractor business after the Board debated whether to focus only on horse-drawn ploughs or invest in the manufacturing of gasoline-powered tractors. The tractor soon became the company's basic product.

1928 - William Butterworth was elected president of the US Chamber of Commerce and Charles Deere Wiman took over leadership of the company.

1933 - Business was almost at a standstill. Sales plunged to $8.7 million.

Though it was losing money, the company decided to carry the debt of farmers as long as necessary, an initiative that greatly strengthened farmer loyalty to John Deere.

1938 - Industrial designer Henry Dreyfuss worked with Deere engineers to streamline the model A and B tractors, initiating the innovative concept that attractive design could join traditional utilitarian values as hallmarks of John Deere products.

1949 - Deere's first diesel-powered unit, the Model R tractor, entered production this year.

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1955 - William A Hewitt was elected president and later became CEO following the death of Charles Deere Wiman, his father-in-law. He directed the company for the next 27 years and was the last representative of the Deere family to do so.

1956 - The company expanded its presence around the world, building a small tractor assembly plant in Mexico and buying a majority interest in a German tractor and harvester manufacturer (Lanz).

1958 - The John Deere Credit Company began operations to finance the purchase of John Deere equipment.

1963 - John Deere surpassed International Harvester to become the world's largest producer of farm and industrial tractors and equipment. In addition, Deere ventured into the consumer market.

1964 – Opening of the Deere & Company Administrative Center in Moline.

1971 – The well-known advertising slogan ‘Nothing Runs Like a Deere’ is used for the new snowmobile line, which was built at John Deere Horicon Works. The slogan lasted far longer than the snowmobile line, which was sold in 1984.

1979 - Employment reached an all-time high of 65,392. Sales topped $5 billion and earnings were $310 million, both were records.

1982 - Robert A Hanson succeeded retiring Chairman William A Hewitt and became the first company leader who did not have any family ties to company founder John Deere.

1986 – A severe downturn in the farm economy throughout the decade had significant impact on the company.

Employment at year's end totaled 37,481, down 43 per cent from the 1979 high of 65,392.

1988 - The farm economy rebounded after six years of recession during which many agricultural companies failed. Deere & Company sales grew 30 per cent from 1987.

1990 - Hans W Becherer, who had been president since 1987 and CEO since 1989, was elected chairman upon the retirement of Robert Hanson.

1991 – Lawn and groundscare equipment operations in the US and Canada became a separate division.

The company also acquired SABO, a European maker of lawnmowers.

1993 - New tractor models increased John Deere’s market share of agri equipment sales in North America and Europe. Deere became the leading seller of tractors in Germany.

1997 - The company obtained an equity position in a Chinese combine company. The John Deere Pavilion, with equipment exhibits and interactive displays, opened in downtown Moline.

1998 – Deere acquired Cameco Industries, a producer of sugarcane harvesting equipment.

2000 – CEO and Chairman Hans Becherer retired and Robert W Lane was named CEO and elected as chairman. Deere acquired Timberjack, the world’s leading producer of forestry equipment. A new tractor plant was opened near Pune, India. Deere was granted a banking licence in Luxembourg, allowing John Deere Credit the ability to finance equipment throughout Europe.

2002 - Business Ethics magazine named John Deere among its 100 Best Corporate Citizens.

2005 - Deere & Company opened a seeding equipment assembly operation in Orenburg, Russia, and established a dealer network in Russia.

2006 - Growing global market presence helped drive earnings to a record $1.69 billion. Chairman and CEO Robert W Lane was named ‘CEO of the Year’ by Industry Week magazine. John Deere Tianjin Works, a new transmission factory in Tianjin, China, opened.

2007 - A tractor manufacturing facility was acquired in Ningbo, China. John Deere was chosen again among the world's 100 Most Ethical Companies.

2008 - Deere & Company entered into joint ventures with construction equipment manufacturers in China and India. Deere announced plans to build a distribution, replacement parts and training centre in Russia, a European Technology and Innovation Centre in Germany, and a marketing office in Kiev, Ukraine. John Deere Water business expanded with the company's acquisition of irrigation product manufacturers TSystems International and Plastro Irrigation Systems.

2009 – Robert W Lane announced his intention to retire. Samuel R Allen was named John Deere's ninth chief executive officer and became Chairman of the Board in 2010.

2010 – The company opened an assembly factory in Domodedovo, Russia and a technology and innovation centre in Germany, and expanded a research and development centre in China.

2011 - The company announced its ninth dividend increase in the past seven years. Deere was listed among the 50 most-admired companies globally by Fortune magazine and ranked as one of the 100 best global brands by a leading brand-consulting firm. The company began work on factories to produce engines, loaders, and agricultural equipment in China, and tractors and combines in India.

2012 – Deere reported record net income of $2.8 billion for its 2011 fiscal year. In addition, Deere began its recognition of the company’s 175th anniversary.

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| News

James Hutton Institute invests in farming futures In addition to ensuring quality of research, the extra land will provide more flexibility. he James Hutton Institute has announced a major boost to its experimental farming centre at Balruddery near the village of Fowlis in Angus.

Balruddery Farm, including the Institute’s Centre for Sustainable Cropping, will be enlarged by nearly 50% with the purchase of a section of adjacent farmland.

Scotland’s expertise in tackling food and environmental security issues will be enhanced by the acquisition of the 51 hectare Berryhill Farm for an undisclosed sum. The James Hutton Institute’s scientists are part of a global effort to find ways of boosting food production from crops while at the same time using fewer fertilisers and biocides and taking steps to protect biodiversity.

This is against a background of increasing pressure on available land from urban development, forestry and amenity use and climate change.

The Chief Executive of the James Hutton Institute, Professor Iain Gordon, said: “This is a major step for us and one that will offer new research opportunities across all our research themes in Dundee and Aberdeen.

“The research that we do is invaluable given the really tough challenges the world faces in the effort to feed nine billion people by the middle of this century at the same time as ensuring that we do not downgrade the environment that supports our livelihoods.

“Since we purchased Balruddery Farm with help from the Scottish Government four years ago we have been able to establish more than 200 separate field experiments, including our

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Centre for Sustainable Cropping.

“Our difficulty at Balruddery was the lack of space to fit in all the things we want to do as well as manage our land sustainably. Best practice in land management is to have a four to six year crop rotation to ensure the soil is not depleted of organic matter and nutrients and its physical and biological structure is sustained and enhanced.

“In addition when conducting field experiments it is essential to have at least two years of uniform cropping between each field experiment in order to remove the imprint left by previous experimental treatments on the same piece of land.

“Currently, the recovery period at Balruddery is at the minimum of two years and we had concerns this was not enough. The pressure on our current land resources for existing and new experiments means we were unable to apply good land management practice and we were determined not to risk depleting the condition of the soil. We are equally determined to ensure our work reflects best practice.

“I am hugely grateful to the Board of Directors of our Institute who have encouraged us to obtain the additional land at Berryhill. It means that there is more land to use for our experimental programme and allows for an increased recovery time between experimental treatments to reinstate a well-balanced six year rotation to ensure the long term sustainability of the soil resource.”

The Chairman of the James Hutton Institute, Ray Perman, said: “The effect of this acquisition will be to ensure the robustness of the science

both now and in the longer term. In addition to ensuring the quality of our research, the extra land will give us more flexibility.

“As experimental work can be undertaken in rotation with commercial cropping on the new land, this will be synchronised with activities on Balruddery Farm ensuring the relevance of our work.”

The continuing investment in the Centre for Sustainable Cropping has been welcomed by the farming community. NFU Scotland Vice President, Allan Bowie said: "For Scottish farming to play its part in meeting future food security and environmental challenges, farmers need to buy in to the benefits that sustainable intensification of production can bring.

“Producing more food, while using fewer inputs and generating a lower environmental footprint can all bring efficiency benefits back to the farm gate but we need the help of scientists to help verify and deliver that message. Having the James Hutton Institute generate farm and field-scale work on sustainable production here in Scotland will keep Scottish farmers in the vanguard when it comes to shaping viable farming production systems for the future."

The move was also hailed by the James Hutton Institute’s commercial affiliate, Mylnefield Research Services (MRS) Ltd., which supplies products and services generated from the research undertaken at the Institute. Managing Director, Dr Nigel Kerby, said: “I see this as an excellent opportunity to market the James Hutton Institute’s expertise and its commitment to better land use and sustainable crop production.

Seminar success host of tips and hints, as well as best practice, was shared at a seminar aimed specifically at the farming community.

The event ‘Securing the Future of Farming’ was organised by Rawlinsons chartered accountants as a result of the firm’s long-standing involvement with agriculture professionals in the region.

The importance of the event was demonstrated by the presence of the NFU’s Gail Soutar, a high profile national expert, and negotiator, on CAP. She shared some valuable and fresh insights into future changes to the CAP policy and the industry’s response.

Almost 50 delegates attended the event at The Haycock Hotel, held in association with Barclays Bank.

“The unsociable hours and nature of the job can mean it is difficult for agriculture professionals and farmers to get together and to attend this type of event,” said Rawlinsons partner Colin Crowley, “We were delighted to be able to offer them the kind of platform they don’t often have available to them and to enable the sharing of some very relevant information.”

The event was so successful, Rawlinsons are now planning a follow up later in the year.

To be kept informed please email Carolyn.lake@rawlinsons.co.uk or telephone 01733 568321.

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July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 17

| Energy

Renewable energy experts power Great Yorkshire Show One of the largest solar installations in the UK is switched on.

rganisers of the Great Yorkshire Show will be hoping the weather starts to take a turn for the better this week, as they celebrate the completion of their huge photovoltaic panel rooftop installation at their headquarters in Harrogate, one of the largest systems of its type in the UK. The 245kW project, comprising 980 Suntech panels and covering over 1,600m2 of roof space at The Great Yorkshire Showground, has been performed by Yorkshirebased Duncan Renewables and took less than 4 weeks to complete.

With an expected electricity generation of more than 200,000 kWh per annum (enough power for 50 houses for one year) the Yorkshire Agricultural Society is looking forward to benefiting from free electricity and a saving of approximately £15,000 per annum.

Additionally they will be more than doing their bit for the reduction of CO2, with estimated savings in the region of 175,000 kg being anticipated.

Nigel Pulling, Chief Executive of The Yorkshire Agricultural Society said: “Operating in a sustainable way is very important to us. Being a year round exhibition centre we have a significant electricity requirement and installing solar panels was an obvious step we could take to reduce both our costs and our carbon footprint.

The scale of the project was somewhat daunting but Duncan Renewables has done a first class job in managing the installation from the initial planning permission application right

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through to registering the system with OFGEM. Due to the number of events we hold here, there was a narrow window within which to complete the project but the team from Duncan Renewables worked efficiently to ensure that the system is up and running in time for The Great Yorkshire Show. We are delighted with the end result and look forward to enjoying the benefits over the next 25 years”.

Despite all the media hype about the reduction in tariff fees, there are still great returns to be had from solar PV. The announcements in May as to how FiTs will be monitored over future years have provided much needed clarity to the solar industry.

Duncan Renewables Manager, Richard Peat said: ”This was a unique opportunity for us to work with one of the most revered organisations in the North of England. There is no better way to showcase the benefits of solar PV, especially at a commercial level, than to have an installation at a site that attracts more than 500,000 people per annum. We’re currently working with many local businesses to help them see how they can generate revenue from renewable technologies. The introduction of the renewable heat incentive means that in addition to solar projects, we are seeing significant demand for our biomass expertise”.

Duncan Renewables has grown significantly over the past two years, building on the team’s plumbing and heating background to specialise in the green technologies of the future such as solar PV, solar thermal and biomass heating. The expansion has created in the region of 20 new jobs with their customer base extending across Yorkshire & Humberside regions and beyond.

For both solar and biomass projects Duncan Renewables offer a full turn-key service covering system design, obtaining all necessary consents and providing ongoing maintenance.

You can meet members of the Duncan Renewables team at this year’s The Great Yorkshire Show (Avenue M North) which starts on Tuesday, 10th July and runs through until Thursday 12th July.

Alternatively visit www.duncanrenewables.co.uk for more details.

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Solar Thermal for the Agricul Jim Lott is a solar thermal expert working with Caplor Energy to increase the take up of renewable energy technologies in the West Midlands and Wales.

olar thermal technology is a proven way of harnessing the sun’s energy to provide heat for both domestic and commercial uses.

It can provide financial savings, a 20 year income and reduce carbon emissions for a range of businesses.

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Solar Thermal – How it works The technology has been around for a long time with solar hot water systems installed in the 1960’s still working today. The idea is very simple. A collector, effectively a black radiator in a glass box, is faced towards the sun and used to heat a fluid, which is then pumped to a heat battery, usually in the form of a water tank, where the heat is removed from the fluid and stored.

Useful heat is then extracted from the heat store when it is required and passed through pipes and coils to where the heat is needed. An example of this should be familiar to most people as a coil in a domestic hot water cylinder.

The ability to store the captured heat makes solar thermal systems very efficient as the heat collected is available at any time, not just in the day or at the moment the sun is shining. All the heat collected can then be used so none is wasted.

Modern solar collectors are built with high tech glass and absorbtion coatings so that they are highly efficient, with some collected converting 85% of all the sunlight on them to useable heat. They are built and tested to all the weather conditions we find in the UK. The cylinders used are

very well insulated and so would offer savings in their own right regardless of the solar input.

What’s in it for my business By displacing some of the water heating load from usual forms of energy such as oil and gas, a solar thermal installation will save money on fuel bills. It will also reduce the carbon emissions associated with burning fossil fuels.

The type of fuel you are on will affect the savings. Cheaper fuel sources such as mains gas will receive a lower return through than those businesses on oil or electrical heating.

Renewable Heat Incentive In some cases the payback from fuel savings after installing a solar thermal system will provide a reason to go solar on their own, but in order to encourage take up of renewable technologies the government have introduced an incentive scheme for businesses to generate and use heat from renewable sources.

The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) pays an amount for each unit of thermal energy generated.

The payment varies depending on the heating technology used.

The current tariff for solar thermal is 8.9p/kWh. This means that alongside the fuel savings from using the sun to generate heat you get paid. This payment along with the fuel savings makes the payback time of most commercial Solar Thermal system between 5 and 10years after which the RHI becomes a source of income.

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| Energy

ltural Sector

The RHI is marked to increase with RPI year on year.

Solar thermal systems are particularly suited to business that use a lot of hot water, either through facilities for customers or employees, or for processes such as washing or large volume water heating such as swimming pools.

Benefits Agriculture can benefit hugely from solar energy systems.

Whether is it providing hot water for showers for seasonal staff or reducing the heating requirement for disinfection wash downs in dairies and milking parlours.

The water heater in Milking parlours that is used to provide 85 degree water to wash down the milking equipment is usually powered by a cheap rate night time tariff. Preheating the water going into the tank with solar energy will instantly reduce the required electricity to heat the water.

A simple installation of a solar thermal system with a new cylinder in line with the existing tank for a small to medium sized milking parlour would cost around £8-9000. The savings from electricity combined with the RHI income would ensure the

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system payback time was less than 10 years. The savings of £800+ a year would then continue to increase with inflation and fuel prices.

Finding an installation company Due to the introduction of the RHI solar thermal is becoming a ‘hot topic’. Many HVAC (heating, ventilation and cooling) engineers are up skilling to be able to deal with renewable technologies.

Companies that install solar PV are also looking to enter the marketplace.

Domestic Solar thermal received a bad press in recent years with high pressure sales being used and badly designed systems being installed. The introduction of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) has helped to remove the worst offenders from the marketplace.

Based in Herefordshire, Caplor Energy is an experienced renewable energy installer providing solar thermal and solar photovoltaic systems for households, communities and businesses.

Visit: www.caplor.co.uk/energy

July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 19

| AD & Biogas

Are you making full use of your farm’s potential?

MT-Energie has extensive experience in the construction of biogas plants. lot of farms generate vast amounts of liquid manure each day. Even though the solid components of liquid manure are ideal for use as substrates in AD plants, they are currently only used on a few UK farms to produce energy.

All of that changed in the UK on the 1st August 2011 when the Feed-in-Tariffs for new plants producing less or equal to 500kW were increased. To ensure that even smaller plants with outputs of less or equal to 250kW would also be profitable to operators, a new tariff group was created that specifically supports plants of that size.

The increase in the base tariffs for the small scale plants by nearly 2p/kWh means that the average total achievable income increases to over 20p/kWh. This effectively compensates plant operators for the generally lower electrical efficiency of smaller combined heat and power plants (CHP).

Within the biogas sector, the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) also includes a tariff for the CHP waste heat. Using this residual energy of a CHP is yet another

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means of increasing the total efficiency of small scale AD plants.

According to the Renewable Heat Incentive, biogas plants with a thermal output limited at 200 kW are eligible for 6.5p/kWh of heat.

The reason behind these tariffs is to provide an incentive and ensure that sustainable energy production will continue to expand in the future.

MT-Energie has developed a biogas plant for decentralised use on livestock farms that is specifically designed for using agricultural waste products.

Conventional 500kW biogas plants normally consist of two stages – the digester, the secondary digester, and a residue storage tank. However, it is far more cost-effective to make less or equal to 250kW plants single stage – ie, to make do without a secondary digester – and hence save investment costs.

MT-Energie has extensive experience in the construction of biogas plants with our high level of competence demonstrated by nearly 500 completed builds of AD plants. Our experts have also developed a concept for single-

20 | Farming Monthly | July 2012

stage biogas plants that guarantees high gas yields while keeping investment costs to an absolute minimum. In an ideal case in this concept, the manure is pumped directly from the stables into the digester. Depending on the other substrates that are being used, the system can then be fitted with the appropriate feeding system.

For those farms with a higher feedstock potential and the ability to use produced heat or sell upgraded gas to the grid, there is also the option to consider gas-togrid upgrading. MT Biomethan is part of the MT Group that has realised more than 500 AD plants over the last decade. It has been working in the field of Gas to Grid since 2007 and can offer the experience and technology to implement a biomethane project profitably, efficiently and securely.

Depending on the specific situation of the project site we can choose between two technologies: Amine washing or membrane system. Both systems offer high purities of biomethane and low methane slippage. Wherever heat is available for low prices (i.e.

repowering of a existing plant with an existing engine) Amine washing offers great potential. For smaller plants beginning the planning from scratch the membrane system is favourable.

Representatives from the MT Group will be attending the ADBA trade show (4-5 July, NEC) and the CLA Game Fair (20-22 July, Belvoir Castle) and would be happy to discuss your plans with you.

Please contact Angela Hardy on 01189 357091 to pre-arrange an appointment if desired.

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| Energy

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July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 21

| Wind Power

Wind Power What happened to the wind power revolution?

Whilst the UK battles with the all too apparent symptoms of climate change, are we guilty of bickering about the aesthetics of the ‘turbines on the hill’ rather than addressing the issues of the ‘new water feature right at our door’?

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By looking at the facts above it is clear that wind and other forms of renewable energy are the only real way forward; to rid the UK of our dependency on oil rich countries across the world and give our children a legacy of renewal rather than purely survival.

It is possible for the UK to generate enough energy from our own natural resources, to become selfsufficient and halt the perilous march of climate change.

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The economics of farming can be fickle at the best of times. It will come as no surprise that, according to estimates from Defra’s latest Farm Business Survey (2011-12), although sectors such as cereals continue to show increased incomes, overall there is considerable variation in farm business income both between and within farm types.

Defra’s statistics from 2009-10 showed that 50% of farms had some form of diversification. But typical routes such as letting of buildings or farm shops are not always enough to bridge the gap between costs and income. This is where medium scale (e.g. 500kW) on-shore wind turbines become an interesting proposition.

There are some basic checks to assess sites first such as wind strength, proximity to National Parks/AONB’s, dwellings and airports, and grid connectivity. Farmers can either carry out this feasibility work themselves, or work with established developers such as Livos Energy Limited.

In terms of project funding, there is a variety of options – ranging from complete self-funding by the landowner to community-based cooperatives. Here at Livos Energy, we work with farmers to evaluate the site, take care of planning and then implement the project, at no cost to them. In return we pay a share of the turbine’s revenue as rental income with a guaranteed minimum.

A single wind turbine gives the opportunity to provide substantial additional income to hard-pressed farmers and helps them balance the unpredictable economics of farming.

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he debate about wind energy, particularly onshore wind, like the wind itself shows no sign of abating. Here in the UK we have been reluctant to embrace this natural source of energy; unlike many of our European neighbours.

Germany sets the lead, having seen the real potential of onshore wind energy, and produced a massive 45,900 GWh in 2011, 7.3% of its total electricity generated. Meanwhile the UK trails - only producing 8,890 GWh in the same period, which equates to just 3%. So why are we so hesitant to embrace wind energy here in the UK? Most of the negative views seem both short-termist and perhaps sadly, even “Nimby–ist”? We sometimes seem more concerned about preserving the past than ensuring the future.

There are many wind turbines around the country which are enhancing local communities both physically and financially. Though, for every turbine installed there has usually been some significant opposition from a small vocal minority of the population – according to a recent poll by Ipsos MORI only 8% of respondents were opposed to wind power in the UK. If we don’t begin to embrace and harness renewable energy we run big risks for energy security.

The fossil fuels that we rely on to generate over 71% of our electricity are a finite resource, and controlled by a few countries whose interests may not always coincide with our own.

The Department of Energy & Climate Change, reported that the UK consumed 5.14m tonnes of coal, as well as 285.9m tonnes of natural gas in 2009.

These amounts are well within the potential output of wind turbines, as Renewable UK have stated; ‘The UK is the windiest country in Europe, so much so that we could power our country several times over using this free fuel. A modern 2.5MW turbine will generate enough electricity to meet the annual needs of over 1,400 households.’

Our Earth’s natural resources are finite; they will eventually run out, renewable energy could be our only source of power. Sir David Attenborough quoted in the BBC Country File Magazine ‘I have a concern for the future, for the next generation, and what this represents.’ Sir David expresses his concerns and remarks ‘if climate change proceeds at the rate it threatens, the change will be very considerable. It’s a much more serious and radical change than putting up a wind generator.’

Former Chancellor Alistair Darling promised a 34% reduction on the emissions figures of 2009 by the year 2020. In 2011 the percentage decrease stood at just 5%.

For further information, contact us on 08000 78 79 62 or via www.livosenergy.com.

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| Wind Power

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July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 23

| Wind Power

Farmers not covered for Farming’s for life, not wind power just for business Number of wind farms increases but many farmers are unaware of insurance risks. ith rapid growth in the renewable energy industry prompting a surge in the number of farmers and growers setting up wind farms, a national broker is warning of the need to get the right insurance cover or risk expensive losses The number of wind farms across Europe rose by 11 percent last year*, with an estimated 5000 applications for wind farms currently being processed in the UK alone according to Bluefin Insurance.

With the capital cost of wind turbines falling and the government’s ‘feed-in’ tariff, which offers financial incentives for generating renewable energy, coming up for review in September, the industry has experienced a spike in applications, particularly from the agricultural sector who are branching out into the renewable energy industry as a means of supplementing their traditional income.

However Bluefin, which has set up a specialist team to deal with insurance for renewable energy and has seen the number of enquiries increase tenfold, says there are still a worrying number of farmers who are failing to take out the right insurance cover.

David Wilson, who leads Bluefin’s team of renewable energy insurance specialists, said: “A lot of farmers are not fully aware of the insurance risks involved in setting up a wind farm. Usually the manufacturer and contractor will provide a basic level of cover, however this often only provides cover against damage to the wind turbine itself and does not provide any cover in respect of delayed start up or advanced loss of profits, or the dozens of other potential risks associated with setting up a wind farm which can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds in lost revenue or profit.

“The risks start from the moment the wind turbine or ancillary equipment is in transit from the manufacturers to the site.

If something gets damaged, it could easily take six months to replace the damaged item as the equipment is so specialised, potentially leading to significant loss of earnings,” Wilson added.

Although the initial start-up costs are high, at approximately £1.2million for a 500mw turbine, in the right conditions there is

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potential to generate between £350,000 and £400,000 income a year for the life of the turbine, making wind farms an attractive business prospect particularly to farmers or growers who already have the land available.

Setting up a wind farm requires several types of insurance at different stages of the process including ‘Marine Transit’ insurance which covers damage to or loss of the equipment while in transit and the subsequent delayed start up and ‘Erection All Risks’ which applies to the construction phase and covers buildings, access roads, sub stations, cabling and the advanced loss of profits. Finally when the wind turbine is in place, the operator will require ‘Operational All Risks’ insurance to cover breakdown, damage to the machinery, loss of earnings and environmental pollution. The delayed start up and advanced loss of profits cover provides the funders with some comfort that if an incident does occur, there is some financial protection in place.

The other insurance cover to have is Public Liability which can be taken out to cover the entire project, and provide cover in respect of everyone involved in the project from the operator, to the funders and the sub-contractors.

Once the site is operational, a separate operational public liability is required.

Wilson said: “Farmers and growers, who are increasingly expanding into the renewable energy market, are particularly vulnerable as they have less specialist technical knowledge than the large energy companies so are often not fully aware of the insurance cover required.”

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Fine Energy recognise the distinction. usiness is good.

Farming’s impact on UK plc’s bottom line in 2011 was the most positive since the mid 1990s. The total value of UK farm output increased by 25% year on year, in gross value added terms, to £8.8bn.

Confidence within the agricultural industry and investors’ funds boosting the food supply chain have resulted in new jobs and economic growth for the UK. A problem-solving approach and an ability to work creatively and sympathetically with the land are two of the weapons in the typical farmer’s arsenal. This helps to explain why, in spite of economic doom and a cornucopia of complexities and obstacles, farmers have been pioneers in tackling climate change and in renewable energy.

And whilst all business people keep a close eye on the balance sheet, farmers also act as stewards of the cherished British countryside, maintaining footpaths and bridleways and ensuring that conditions are improving for our

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flora and fauna. Indeed farmers are often passionate about their land – environmental stewardship and classic schemes together cover approximately 68% of the eligible farmland in England.

The National Farmers Union have stated their aspiration for every farmer or ‘countryside manager’ to become a net exporter of low-carbon energy services. Fine Energy, and others like us, offer farmers the option to diversify into wind energy by means of a land rental agreement.

The increasing numbers of farmers who are choosing to take this route tell us that they like the idea of protecting their bank accounts from rising energy costs and the fact that they can ‘outsource’ the whole project whilst they concentrate on their core business. You sort out your livestock while we sort out your wind project.

And if we’re minimising the tide of climate change and its effects on our green and pleasant land along the way, more power to our collective elbow.

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| Wind Power

Wind, rain or shine Family run business have the knowledge and expertise for all your renewable requirements. ethon Green Energy are fully qualified, approved MCS installers for Wind Turbines and Solar PV. We offer a quality service of design and siting, installation and maintenance. Based in Malpas, Cheshire we are a family run business with over 15 years’ experience in electrical installation.

Aethon Green Energy are approved re-sellers of a range of MCS approved Wind Turbines suitable for a variety of needs.

The Skystream 3.7 Wind Turbine is suitable for those have a small holding or land adjacent to a dwelling. The 2.4kW capacity will generate energy from wind consistently from a cut in wind speed of just 3.5m/s. At a wind speed of 5.4m/s the Skystream 3.7 will generate an estimated 4,800kWh per year.

The Evance R9000 Wind Turbine is one of the most efficient small wind turbines available. The 5kW Wind Turbine will give an annual energy yield of 8,780kWh at a wind speed of 5m/s. It is suitable for many situations including farms.

The Evoco Wind Turbine is a

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larger 10kW turbine it is suitable for farms and rural homes and will generate an impressive 21,706kWh per year at a 5m/s wind speed.

All the turbines we install are suitable for single or three-phase installation and by producing renewable energy from wind you will be able to earn additional income generated via the Feed-in Tariff payments.

We can offer advice on the suitability of a wind turbine for your farm or organisation and give information on siting, planning requirements and installation. We aim to offer high quality installation combined with a high standard of customer service and after sales assistance.

If your farm or organisation is not able to benefit from renewable energy produced by wind power, you may consider Solar Photovoltaic Panels which use the power of the sun to generate electricity.

Contact Aethon Green Energy on 01948 861031 today for expert, helpful and friendly advice or for further infomation visit www.aethongreenenergy.co.uk

Evance help us!

Small wind turbines are supporting farmers across the UK. apturing energy with a small wind turbine is proving to be an increasingly sound investment for many farmers, as they can enjoy substantial savings on their electricity bill.

The Evance R9000 small wind turbine - designed, developed & manufactured in the UK is enabling farmers throughout the UK to power lighting, cereal dryers and milking parlours.

One Evance turbine owner, Clive Breeze, who runs a dairy farm, commented, “We now have two turbines generating power for our farm buildings, including the diary which uses a lot of electricity.

In the first three weeks alone, the R9000 turbines exceeded the predicted energy generation targets by 10 percent and the first quarterly electricity bill showed a reduction of over £300 per month.”

“During the last few years farmers have had to look seriously

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at the overheads of running a farm, and like many, reducing energy costs was top of the list for me, “ commented Steven Fox, dairy farmer and owner of two Evance R9000 turbines. “Overall we are really pleased with the results and from a business perspective we are excited about the prospect of the turbines reducing our energy costs by nearly 50%.”

Also an Evance small wind turbine will enable a cattle and sheep farm in West Wales to become virtually energy selfsufficient and reduce the farm’s carbon footprint by 7 tonnes of CO2 per year.

The Evance R9000 turbine accounted for a third of all small wind turbines (1.5 - 15kW) sold in the UK in 2011 - making the R9000 the UK’s small wind turbine of choice. www.evancewind.com

July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 25

| Wind Power

Powering farming’s future Nationwide specialist in wind turbine installation and development, Mosscliff Environmental Ltd, opens its South West office in Exeter this August. he company is a UK market leader in the supply and installation of renewable energy systems including large scale solar PV systems and is longestablished in supporting commercial and agricultural businesses in making informed choices about a greener future.

“With wind turbines from 11kW to 750kW we are able to support the farming community all round including major energy users,” explains James Dixon, leader of Mosscliff Environmental’s new South West team. “Long term energy security is understandably an ongoing concern for many agricultural businesses. Wind turbines couple the provision of free renewable energy with excellent financial returns.”

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“ Mosscliff Environmental is able to react now and put a branded, quality and farm-environment tested system in place.”

Mosscliff Environmental Ltd prides itself on real engineering expertise and quality system design, and also offers an in-house planning service to support businesses through the whole process from concept to completion.

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First class relationships with the widest range of wind turbine suppliers are a result of years of experience: “Where there may be bottlenecks in the supply chain, we are able to propose tried and tested comparable alternatives, “comments James . “Our top quality Norwin 225kW wind turbines have proven to be a very popular alternative to other similar-sized turbines.

Where some farmers have found themselves with planning permission granted, yet on frustrating waiting lists for turbines which may impact on their eligibility for generation tariffs and thus on potential revenue, Mosscliff Environmental is able to react now and put a branded, quality and farm-environment tested system in place.”

The South West team plan to host open days over the coming months to give let those potentially interested in large scale renewable energy projects such as wind turbines or ground and roof mounted commercial scale

solar PV installations see the technologies working in the field.

If you would like to find out more, or to arrange a free site visit and discuss your renewable energy requirements, please contact james@mosscliff.co.uk or call 0795 088 6555

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| Wind Power

Turbine weather woes? “Wind Projects are all about confidence” Vital inspection and repair service offered following record wind speeds.

Spectrum Energy Systems are a company you can have confidence in. pectrum Energy Systems specialise in developing wind turbine projects from 10kW up to 500kW. Our internal project team are able to handle all of your requirements relating to the potential development of energy generation on the farm.

You may wish to buy a turbine and invest yourself, you may wish to lease some land or simply want the free energy generated by the wind turbine. All of these options are available from Spectrum Energy Systems.

So what makes us different?

It‘s quite simple we understand the intricacies of what is required to get your projects over the line.

Often it’s planning problems, or whether you can get a grid connection. On other occasions your site has particular problems with proximity to airports or height restrictions as a result of MOD restraints. All of these are potential deal breakers but what is important is that all along the project route you have the relevant information to enable you to make

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laney Gears, based in Limavady Co Londonderry, is set for a number of busy months ahead, as wind farms prepare to schedule in essential maintenance work over the calmer summer months.

Blaney Gears offers a market leading wind turbine gearbox inspection, repair and maintenance service.

The past winter months saw record wind speeds. These same winds that drive greater energy production and revenue also put great stress on the gearbox.

Wind turbine gearboxes face extreme challenges on a constant basis due to the varying loads that pass through them. Without proper maintenance and repair, gearbox failure rate is high.

Failure of a critical component such as the gearbox can cause damage to other components and can be extremely costly in terms of removal, repair and installation, as well as downtime. Reducing these costs will help your turbines remain more profitable and efficient.

Blaney Gears can carry out inspection of your turbine, including visual inspection, videoscopic inspection, vibration testing, non-destructive crack testing and oil analysis and they can examine cooling system performance. Blaney Gears can tailor inspection and reporting to suit you, your turbine and your budget.

Blaney Gears offer an independent and comprehensive end-of-warranty inspection where their independent inspection report will reveal any necessary repairs, while still under warranty giving you the details you need to understand the condition of your asset and its likely maintenance programme for the future.

With 20 years experience of gearbox maintenance repair, a fully equipped workshop and

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advanced gear production facilities, Blaney Gears is one of the UK’s leading Wind Turbine gearbox, repair and upgrade specialists. All work is carried out by trained service engineers in accordance with their ISO quality system. Blaney Gears has experience in refurbishing an extensive range of makes and models of gearboxes including Winergy, Bosch Rexroth, Eickhoff, Flender, Hansen, Metso and Moventas. They can inspect repair and refurbish the following turbine parts: Gearbox, Gears, Bearings, Seals, Yaw drives, Main shaft, High speed shaft, Brake discs and Oil Filtration Systems.

Where original parts cannot be provided or are very expensive, Blaney Gears endeavours to engineer and produce replacement parts thanks to their in-house engineering know-how and versatile production plant.

Gears can be grinded with advanced CNC machinery. Line boring of damaged housings, shaft repair or re-manufacture are routine jobs. Blaney Gears can reverse engineer parts from broken components to manufacture replacement parts to OEM spec, essential for turbines whose manufacturer is no longer in business.

The low wind speed maintenance window for wind turbines is relatively short and so now is the best time to plan the service of your turbine or turbine fleet to minimise downtime and maximise your investment.

Contact Blaney Gears to discuss your requirements on tel: 028 2587 2805 or visit their website www.blaneygears.com

the right decisions and above all the right decisions for you.

Spectrum develop sites not only for others but also for ourselves and that’s what makes us different.

When you view an investment as if it were your own it makes the process much more personal. We always underestimate and over deliver. We consider every site individually and as we are independent of any manufacturer we will only recommend the best product for the site.

Here at Spectrum Energy Systems we install, service and maintain wind turbines (and solar systems). We take the long view, apply sound principles to the decisions about your site and as we are able to supply, install and maintain your wind turbine we always have the future in mind.

So confidence is the answer.

To find out how we can help you make the right decision give us a call.

July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 27

| CLA Game Fair

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| Potatoes

A helping hand from nature is tackling potato rot Innovative approach could revolutionise the entire fresh produce industry. orking in partnership with the biotech business APS, Branston Ltd is pioneering an innovative approach to reducing the instances of soft rot in potatoes. They’ve helped APS to develop a novel product, based on a natural process, which has the potential to revolutionise not just potatoes, but the whole of the fresh produce industry.

The new processing aid, called BiolyseTM, is misted onto potatoes before packing. It is designed to prevent soft rots by eradicating the bacteria that cause them and is based on naturallyoccurring enemies of bacteria called bacteriophage or ‘phage’.

Branston has undertaken extensive work at its Scotland site to fine-tune the application of BiolyseTM, and is now so impressed with the results that it is ready to roll-out the product fully across its three sites.

Mark Willcox, development director at Branston said: “Soft rot is one of the most common customer complaints, so as soon as we saw the potential of this product we were keen to work with APS to bring it to market. We’ve spent over a year refining and perfecting BiolyseTM for use with potatoes and we’ve fully trialled it and rolled it out in Scotland. The results there have been fantastic so we’re now gearing up to introduce it at our other sites. The timing is great; we'll soon be handling the new season looseskinned crop, which is always more susceptible to the bacteria that cause rot, so we’re expecting BiolyseTM to really help.”

Dr Alison Blackwell, director of APS, set up the company in 2004 and has been working closely with

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Branston to develop the BiolyseTM processing aid. She said: “For every bad bacteria there is a specific bacteriophage; it's a tiny piece of DNA which is able to incorporate itself into and rapidly destroy its target.

“Phage are highly specific; each species and even strain of bacteria is attacked only by a certain phage. They are 100% organic and work on a similar principle to a natural antibiotic. Phage can be found everywhere in the environment and are completely harmless to animals and humans.

We've been analysing the phage that naturally occur on potatoes and isolating the bacteria that we know cause potato rot, and from there we’ve been able to identify the right phage for the job.

“The key technologies are the isolation, purification and scale-up of the right phage types, followed by the misting of the liquid treatment onto the potatoes in the right concentration following the washing part of the packing process.”

Dr. Blackwell added, “There's longevity to phage, unlike the chemical products often used by the produce industry which do all their work in one hit. Phage are living organisms which multiply naturally and so a constant supply is available on demand. So for an operation like Branston, a relatively small amount of liquid phage can go a long way."

Tesco, Branston's largest customer, is also enthusiastic about the potential of BiolyseTM. Tim Pratt, Tesco technical manager says; "I hope this will help significantly reduce soft rots in prepacked potatoes. We've been really encouraged by the

results of the product so far and this could be a major step forward in our mission to constantly improve quality for our customers.

"Once the roll-out has been completed at Branston, I see potential for developing similar products in other Tesco

categories. Growers and vegetable processors in areas from salad leaves, to brassicas as well as other root crops could also benefit from this technology."

Search is on for potato industry award winner Prestigious title awaits the deserving individual. otato Council is seeking nominations for this year's British Potato Industry Award, This prestigious honour is presented to an individual recognised for their outstanding contribution to the GB potato industry. Potato Council continues to back progressive moves by leaders in the fields of marketing, innovation, and research and development who satisfy this demand. By presenting this award it recognises the dedication and entrepreneurial spirit of those who have made outstanding

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contributions to any sector of the GB potato industry.

Allan Stevenson, Potato Council chairman, comments: ‘”The British potato industry is made-up of many wonderful people who have helped shape it to what it is today.

With new developments within the industry, the award is a great way to acknowledge those who have made a significant impact towards the advances made in the potato industry. We are asking for nominations of outstanding people for this award from all sectors within the industry.

“Please help us find a new, worthy winner for 2012, someone you think deserves recognition for going the extra mile.”

To nominate a person for the British Potato Industry Award visit https://secure.jotform.com/form/35 00440926 or contact Margaret Skinner for a nomination form to complete before September 30, 2012. The award committee, drawn from the different sectors of the GB potato industry, will select the winner from those nominated.

The winner of this prestigious award will receive a rose bowl

which will be presented at the Seed Industry Event in Crieff on November 20.

Nomination forms are available from the award committee secretary, Margaret Skinner, British Potato Industry Award, Potato Council, Rural Centre, West Mains, Newbridge, Midlothian, EH28 8NZ. E-mail: bpindustryaward@potato.org.uk Tel: 0131 472 4064 Fax: 0131 472 4065

July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 29

| Fuels

Fuel and oil storage or dispensing - do I comply?

Most in the farming community are aware of their duties and responsibilities regarding environmental matters and compliance with legislation. Not wishing to run foul of the law many have taken appropriate action. It is evident, however, that some confusion still exists. Here, Bundedtanks.com’s David Mears looks at the main issues which, borne out by recent web postings and enquiries, are the most topical. any will have diesel tanks to refuel machines and all will store oils. To help you comply with legal requirements; The Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 2010, OSR in England, The Water Resources (Control of Pollution) (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil) Regulations 2010, SSAFO in England and Wales and the Water Environment (Oil Storage) (Scotland) Regulations 2006 in Scotland, the following interpretation (of the legal documents and Pollution Prevention Guidelines) hopefully will prove of help: The OSR Regulations require anyone who stores more than 200 litres of oil in England for nonagricultural purposes (or any

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quantity in Scotland for all purposes) to provide secure containment facilities for tanks, drums, Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs) and mobile bowsers, to prevent oil escaping into the environment. The SSAFO regulations are applicable where the total quantity of agricultural fuel oil stored on the farm is more than 1500 litres. This is oil used only for agricultural purposes.

All oils are covered; petrol, diesel, mineral oil, heating oil, vegetable and plant oil (waste oil is covered under the Scottish regulations and by a separate act in England and Wales).

All oil containers (drums, tanks, barrels, etc.) should be situated within a secondary containment

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| Fuels system (bund) which is strong enough and will not leak or burst under normal use. This secondary containment must be capable of holding a minimum of 110% of the capacity of the stored container or 25% of their aggregate storage capacity, whichever is greater. The base and walls must be impermeable to oil and water and must not be penetrated by any valve, pipe or other opening which is used for draining the system.

In simple terms, the best solutions for compliance are; Install an OFTEC approved bunded (plastic or steel) diesel dispensing tank with integral pump and hose, a bunded oil tank for heating oil and place all of your oils on sump pallets. Petrol can be stored in a SiteSafe or a Transit Box that holds 4 x 20 litre jerry cans. The transit box is also legal for placing on the back of an open trailer or pick up to collect petrol.

Collecting quantities in a car in a closed boot is not permitted as you can only carry 2 x 5 litre petrol cans in a car. A properly bunded diesel tank can be placed inside buildings unless your insurers have any special requirements.

Best practice is to

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ensure whatever tank is used, that it is top fill – top offtake. This prevents any chance of pollution as would be possible if a bottom offtake tank were used. The practice of a tank raised up on blocks and using a gravity hose is definitely frowned upon. Consider the pollution possibility; knock the gate valve off and the whole contents flow out! The use of single skin tanks is gradually being phased out with many manufacturers reducing or stopping production. A number of companies selling these tanks previously have now de-listed them and so their days are numbered. We know of a growing number of instances too where tanker drivers have refused (and rightly so) to deliver fuel to noncompliant or dangerous tanks.

It may also be worth noting that, as the Scottish regulations are more encompassing, it is anticipated that the England and Wales regulations will be updated to a similar level. Both the Environment Agency (EA) and the Scottish Environment Protect Agency (SEPA) now have extended powers to ensure compliance.

Waste not...want not Clean fuel made from landfill waste for Asian market. azasia, a UK company that develops wastederived biofuels, is to begin operations in the Philippines to develop a vehicle fuel made from organic waste products in landfill. Gazasia creates liquid biomethane - a carbon-neutral, sustainable and high-quality vehicle fuel – by cleaning and refining the natural gas produced by organic waste found in landfill sites.

In the Philippines, as throughout much of the world, landfill remains the most common means of waste disposal. But left alone, it creates potentially damaging gases, including methane and carbon dioxide.

Gazasia cleans this methane and converts it to liquid biomethane, creating a clean and commercially viable fuel, as well as preventing harmful methane being released into the environment.

Last month, Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc (AEV) announced it had signed an agreement in London with Gazasia worth USD 150 million to fund the development of plants to create liquid biomethane from organic waste.

Vehicle fuel prices in Asia have

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risen sharply over the last year and are expected to continue rising.

Many governments throughout the region are subsidising fuel costs but have insufficient resources to maintain their subsidies indefinitely.

“The impact of higher vehicle fuel prices has been especially severe in South East Asia,” says Richard Lilleystone, CEO of Gazasia. “Public transport is essential to the workforce. Rising fuel costs have a direct impact on transport costs and food prices, which of course has the greatest impact on those least able to afford it.”

The use of biomethane as a vehicle fuel is growing across the world, and particularly in South East Asia. It is an economical alternative to fuel, and has a positive impact on air quality.

Waste organic material is abundant and inexhaustible, making the fuel sustainable, and unaffected by the sort of geopolitical events that impact on oil-based fuels and lead to price volatility.

For more information on creating liquid biomethane from organic waste contact +44 (0)20 7436 6805 or visit Gazasia.com

July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 31

| Royal Welsh

Cossacks to perform at £2000 RWAS prize for farm worker Royal Welsh Show Ukraine horsemen make it a hat-trick.

Maintenance skills see Rhodri Wigley stand out winner.

display of the equipment used on farms in hay making and harvesting over the last 100 years featuring the evolution from one horse power to the latest machines with over 600 horse power available will be staged at next month’s Royal Welsh Show.

The display, organised by Brecknock, the feature county at the show, will take place daily and will be one of the major attractions in the show’s main ring.

The Cossacks, those remarkable horsemen from the Ukraine, will make a welcome return for the third time to thrill the crowds at the show and, weather permitting, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire Display will take place on the first three days of the event.

Other displays included on the main ring programme will be the Steve Colley Motorcycle Stunt Show and Layla Bennett’s Hawksdrift Falconry Display.

Royal Welsh Show Director,

farm worker from Montgomeryshire has won this year’s Royal Welsh Agricultural Society’s Dr Emrys Evans Award for his exceptional contribution to rural skills.

The £2000 prize – sponsored by Wales and West Utilities Ltd – together with a certificate and piece of Welsh Royal Crystal goes to Rhodri Wigley, a candidate from Montgomeryshire, of Darowen, Machynlleth, one of five entrants in the competition. He was the unanimous choice of the judges.

The theme of the competition for 2012 was maintenance skills and the judges said they were looking for an individual with the ability to carry out multi-skill maintenance tasks such as dry stone walling, fencing, hedge laying, making and erecting gates and tree planting.

All five entrants were a credit to their counties and they specialised in several skills but the overall winner stood out for his range of skills and exceptionally high

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Harry Fetherstonhaugh, told the society’s annual meeting that the programme would also include the World Mounted Games, the Inter Hunt Team Relay, the Pony Club Mounted Games, Harness Trotting and a Fferm Factor live elimination round will again be filmed in the cattle ring on the Tuesday afternoon of the show.

A total of 7649 livestock entries had been received for the show and once again there was “a marvellous response” from agricultural exhibitors in the trade stand section, said Mr Fetherstonhaugh.

“Bearing in mind the severity of the recession it is no mean feat to fill the showground with some 1000 trade stands. Their support in these difficult times is much appreciated and we wish them all a successful and prosperous event,” he said.

The four day show takes place at Llanelwedd, Builth Wells, on July 23 – 26.

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standard, said the judges.

The award is a once-in-alifetime prize given in memory of Dr Emrys Evans, a Royal Welsh Gold Medallist and chairman of the RWAS board of management, who died on the eve of the centenary Royal Welsh Show in 2004.

New Championships Various new championships are on the cards for this year’s show. ix new championships have been listed in the livestock schedule for this year’s Royal Welsh show in July – one for sheep, two for horses and three for cattle.

The Royal Welsh stages the largest display of sheep breeds in the world and a new interbreed ram lamb championship will aim to find the best ram lamb at the show. The winner will receive a new award in memory of George Hughes who was a leading figure in the sheep industry in Wales and a former chairman of the Royal Welsh Winter Fair.

The new horse championships include the introduction of a ridden championship and to add to the excitement all the champions in the horse section will compete for the title of Supreme Champion Horse of the Royal Welsh. The winner will be awarded the Dillwyn Thomas Trophy, £500 and the Dimneth Sion Annual Crystal Award.

The new cattle championships feature two for beef animals and one for dairy cattle. In the beef section a new junior heifer

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interbreed championship will be awarded to the best heifer born after January 1 2010 and the best pair of heifers under two years of age will become the RWAS Females of the Future pairs champions.

A similar Females of the Future pairs championship will be awarded to the best pair of heifers under 18 months old in the dairy section.

There will be a special competition for young handlers in both the beef and dairy sections with prizes of £100 to the winners.

Forty-three sheep breeds have been scheduled for the show together with a lamb carcass competition and a butcher’s prime lamb pairs championship.

The schedule lists 57 classes and special awards for pigs including those for Welsh, British Saddleback and other traditional and modern breeds.

The goat section has 48 classes and specials for dairy breeds and Angora and there will also be an Angora fleece competition.

32 | Farming Monthly | July 2012

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| Livestock 2012

Livestock Incorporating Dairy Event at The NEC, Birmingham Investing time at the UK’s largest livestock business event, 4th and 5th September. ivestock Incorporating Dairy Event will provide a comprehensive learning and business opportunities for all producers whether farming dairy, beef, sheep, pigs or poultry, on Tuesday 4 and Wednesday 5 September, at The NEC, Birmingham, its’ venue just 10 to 15 minutes walk from Birmingham International railway station and airport.

“The rebranded Livestock 2012,

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the UK’s largest business event in the sector, will be welcoming more than 16,300 farmers, their partners and their staff from the UK and beyond. With exhibitor bookings on course to exceed last year’s 480, an additional sixth exhibition hall has been taken to provide the extra space required,” explains RABDF chief executive, Nick Everington.

“Dairy farmer visitors continue to remain dominant at the event

and we will not be diluting the dairy content. The milking and genetic zones and foot trimming demonstrations will all remain key features, as will the National All Breeds Show, the dairy sector’s premier competitive event staged over two days of judging featuring leading genetics from seven different breeds and a comprehensive range of classes covering calves, heifers and milking cows.

“However over the past 10 years, as the number of UK dairy farmers has fallen by approximately 11,500 to 15,000, exhibitor numbers have increased by 70% and visitors by 42%. At the same time, we have widened the event’s appeal to not only beef and sheep farmers, but also to our dairy farmer visitors, almost 60% of whom have additional livestock or arable enterprises. Consequently, Livestock 2012 will provide a comprehensive range of products and advice covering most aspects of livestock farming. And the event will continue to be divided in to 13 clear product zones to help all visitors to find exhibitors more easily and make better use of their time. Also, this year exhibitors will be launching more than 80 new products and services.”

Brand new for 2012 are the Farm Safety Demonstrations offering advice on various issues from what to look out for with PTOs and blockages, driving ATVs and working at heights to stacking bales and handling stock. A series of popular seminars and debates covering animal health, feed and business will be staged over the two day event.

He adds: “The NEC venue is continuing to provide us with the opportunity for future expansion as we continue to build the Dairy Event and Livestock Show to become the flagship not only for the UK industry, but also to rival its European counterparts.

“While farmers may want to take advantage of the free car parking, they should consider joining the 1,500 visitors who took the train to last year’s event, and catch one of the many direct services in to Birmingham International, just an easy 10 min undercover walk away from the exhibition halls.”

For further details see www.livestockevent.co.uk

July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 33

| Livestock 2012

Easy Cow Lift Makes light work of a difficult problem.

Trade-in your cluster and boost your IQ Trade-in your existing milking clusters for the awardwinning GEA Farm Technologies IQ Cluster. he world’s first four way milking cluster, IQ, collects milk in four separate guide chambers. This allows each individual teat to be milked separately – effectively isolating each quarter, helping prevent intramammary cross-infection, improving udder health, operator efficiency, milk quality, yield and milking time.

Commercial Manager at GEA Farm Technologies, David Wenner, said: “The innovative four way cluster design of the IQ won the RABDF Prince Phillip Award 2009 and is the world’s first cluster of its kind. More and more farmers are reaping the benefits of the IQ and the trade-in offer is part of our commitment to help dairy farmers

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orkshire Dairy Farmer Jonathan Caygill has designed an effective and easy to use cow lifter to help save increasingly valuable dairy and beef cows.

Mr Caygill milks more than 200 Holsteins at Manor House Farm, Rylstone near Skipton and developed the Easy Cow Lift after being unable to find anything on the market for his own use to match it.

Made from recycled rubber and galvanised steel the Easy Cow Lift is placed next to the “downer” cow who is then pushed over so that she is sitting on her other rear leg allowing the belt to be pulled through with the pallet forks. Mr Caygill believes its ease of use will encourage farmers to lift cows earlier thus preventing permanent paralysis, nerve and muscle damage

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and resulting in a more successful outcome.

The Easy Cow Lift can be raised from either side of the cow or from the front or rear and it is easy to remove when the cow is standing. If the cow is lifted from the front or behind the pallet forks can be tipped back allowing the correct amount of pressure to be put on the rear legs.

Described as simple and humane it fits onto pallet forks.

The cow can be lift in the raised position for long periods and can be stripped and milked. It can also be left under the cow until the next time she needs lifting. It is easy to clean and store.

For more information please contact Jonathan Caygill on 01756 730 277 or 07949 100779. www.easycowlift.com

Grants still available Second chance to access 40% Defra grants towards GEA Farm Technologies milking and cooling equipment. armers that missed out on the first round of the Defra Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme (FFIS) have another chance to apply for grants of up to 40%, which can be used on GEA Farm Technologies milking and cooling equipment.

The FFIS is part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) and aims to help make farming businesses more profitable and resilient whilst reducing the impact of farming on the environment.

David Wenner at GEA Farm Technologies, said: “We’ve had a number of farmers successfully receive grants from the first round which ended in January. This funding is a great opportunity to help farmers and agricultural contractors improve the competitiveness of their business.

Together with the range of products that GEA Farm Technologies has to offer we are urging all dairy farmers in England that missed out the first time to look closely at their farm improvements and take advantage of the second round of funding available.”

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34 | Farming Monthly | July 2012

improve their herd health and milk quality in an affordable way – So there is no excuse for all other dairy farmers to benefit as well.”

Farmer Michael King at Kingspool farm in Iron Acton, near Bristol said: “We’re really pleased with the IQ Clusters, they stay on extremely well with no liner slip. They are better for the cows, better for us and better for our milk buyer as our cell counts have improved. I would definitely recommend them to other farmers.”

Contact your local GEA dealer for more information or visit www.geafarmtechnologies.co.uk, call 02476 692 333 or email us at info.geafarmtechnologies.uk@gea.c om.

Here are just some of the Total Solutions from GEA Farm Technologies that could qualify: • Cluster flushing systems such as SureFlush • Milking clusters for improved animal health such as IQ cluster • Automatic foot baths including PediCuRx • Heat recovery systems including ExtraHeat • HeatWatch for improved health and welfare of your dairy cows • Variable speed vacuum systems VoD EnergySaver • Livestock housing accessories for improved animal welfare • Slurry management systems including those for sand-laden slurries.

The deadline for the second round of applications is 5pm on 17 July 2012 and farmers are encouraged to submit their applications in as soon as possible, as the process is competitive.

For more information visit www.gea-farmtechnologies.co.uk or email info.geafarmtechnologies.uk@gea.c om.

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Livestock 2012

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 35

| Livestock 2012

Sand and aggregates Quality materials supplied and transported direct to you. id Hants was established in 1997 from a family run farm in Hampshire with generations of experience and commitment to the farming community. We diversified away from only providing haulage and storage to offering the farming community the opportunity to order material through us, this means that our customers can remove the middle man and know that from raw product to delivery our dedicated team are ensuring the quality of your order and its swift delivery.

Our supply of material is backed up by our helpful, passionate, full–time customer service team based at our on-site custom built offices. We have developed a reputation for excellent customer service and a strong rapport with our customers.

Located near Basingstoke we are ideally located with excellent links to all of the UK’s major roads.

We can deliver material nationwide and have a number of quarries and sites that we can supply material from.

Guaranteeing premium products we are passionate about the quality of our products including: • Type 1 Scalpings • Decorative Aggregates • Oolitic stone and Dust • Sands–including bedding sand • Equestrian Products • Sports Pitch Products • Soils and Compost • Biomass • Haulage • Excavator Hire • Grab Loader Hire We pride ourselves in providing the dairy industry with natural sands for animal bedding that is not recycled from muck away as with some suppliers, it is washed and regularly tested to ensure you are receiving a high quality, clean sand.

Our bedding sand is available all year round, so we can provide consistent sand that your cows love! John Peck Dairy Manager, Redlands Farm, Oxon says “I have been using sand from Mid Hants for over 7 years and I am always pleased with the quality of sand and service provided.”

With the cost of straw rising, sand is a cost effective alternative that has benefits to your dairy cows and their performance, did you know…

•Sand is inorganic so does not harbour bacterial growth •Provides a soft, safe and secure surface for cows to lie on •Keeps cows cool in the summer and warm in the winter

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•It is a cost effective solution to hygiene in cubicle bedding •Sand on concrete reduces slippage which ultimately reduces trauma If you would like to know more about sand for cubicle bedding or any other products please contact us on 01256 861016 to discuss your requirements or visit our website www.midhants.com

July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 37

| Cereals

Cereals 2012: Wealth of advice proves a strong draw Strong attendance figures at Cereals 2012 have underlined the event’s importance in keeping the arable sector abreast of the latest developments and advice. total of 25,800 farmers, agronomists and other industry professionals passed through the gates at Boothby Graffoe, Lincolnshire, on 13th and 14th June. It was an excellent result given the inclement weather leading up to Cereals followed by dry and sometimes sunny conditions during the event itself, which may have kept some visitors away with work on the farm, said event director Jon Day of Haymarket Exhibitions.

Attendance was about 4% down on last year’s record but

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well ahead of 2010. Describing the figures as very healthy, Mr Day added: “Professional farmers and key decision makers are as hungry as ever for knowledge, and 493 exhibitors, the largest number ever at Cereals, provided a wealth of information to help them take their business forward.

“We were also delighted to welcome back agriculture minister Jim Paice, whose presence reflects farming’s renewed importance on the political agenda.”

Despite buoyant commodity prices, much advice was aimed at containing climbing costs and protecting against the

38 | Farming Monthly | July 2012

impact of uncertainty over the euro, the latter point being aired during an HSBC forum with Mr Paice on Wednesday morning.

Increasing problems in the eurozone would affect discussions on the size of the EU and CAP budget, Mr Paice said. “Many member states are feeling the squeeze and the UK is not alone in saying that should be replicated in the EU budget.” The UK’s stance was to reduce the budget over its seven-year lifetime rather than overnight, he added.

The government had made no plans for a collapse of the euro, he said. “We don’t believe as an entity it will fail.” Given the importance of

the EU for UK exports, colleagues were “as heavily engaged” as others in Europe to find a way forward.

On a brighter note the UK government was maintaining pressure on the European Commission’s controversial greening proposals. Mr Paice believed progress was being made on Entry Level Stewardship being accepted as a greening measure.

Allan Wilkinson, head of agriculture at HSBC, principal sponsor of Cereals 2012, urged farmers to reassess budget forecasts. Returns could be hit by nearly a third on an average

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Cereals combinable crops farm. The recent reduction in the sterling/euro exchange rate to 80p could reduce single farm payment receipts by 8% while upward pressure on machinery, fertiliser and rent could increase costs by 15%. On the plus side markets were moving in farmers’ favour.

Those attending Cereals would have helped prepare the way, he added. “The event has gained a well-deserved reputation for offering the technical and business information forward-thinking farmers need to hone their business. We are proud of our association with it and look forward to Cereals 2013.”

A line-up of some of the most influential and knowledgeable individuals in the sector ensured crowds packed the four sessions held at the Arable Conference at Cereals, in partnership with the Oxford Farming Conference.

Topics included food versus environment, raising crop output, new entrants to farming and CAP reform.

Mike Gooding, chairman of the 2013 Oxford Farming Conference, was delighted that so many people attended, adding that it reflected the mood of optimism as well as the challenges that lay ahead.

Key messages were the need to push ahead with plans without waiting for CAP reform and for a more holistic approach to farming,

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he said. “Overall we are in time of change, and with change comes opportunity. It was encouraging to hear DEFRA say it was important that the trajectory of change does not hinder competitiveness.”

Hundreds of combinable and root crop varieties took centre stage at the event. Further crop plots demonstrated the latest technology and agronomy advice from weed control to the SDHI fungicides, which proved their worth on the Velcourt stand in the first really testing disease year since being commercially introduced.

New R&D initiatives were announced, with HGCA revealing a £2.6m investment in a four-year R&D programme to help UK soils meet increasing demand for arable production, including work on soil variability, organic matter and cultivations.

Agrii unveiled a multi-millionpound expansion in applied agronomic research, development and technical support, creating new R&D centres and many additional plot and field demonstrations.

New marketing partnerships were also outlined. LEAF struck a deal with ADM to increase use of LEAF-Marque oilseed rape, RAGT announced a buyback contact with ADM Milling for its group 3 variety Torch for 2013 and Senova said Allied Mills would pay a £10/t

premium over Group 1 rates for spring wheat Mulika.

Nuffield Faming Scholarships used Cereals as a springboard for a new arable award, sponsored by HGCA and open to candidates in the arable sector and related industries.

The next generation of farmers and employees in related industries was also well represented. The new Careers and Education Initiative at Cereals 2012, supported by many exhibitors, proved a popular draw.

The standard of new entrants was also highlighted in the Velcourt/Hutchinsons Young Cereals Challenge, which saw the team from Harper Adams collect the £1500 prize for producing the best plot of winter wheat.

New machinery, including a host of cultivation equipment and drills, was in abundance.

Other key developments included a global launch for New

Holland’s BigBaler 1290, designed to boost throughput by 20%.

McCormick showed its new sixcylinder X70 tractors – five models spanning 150-232hp, while Kubota unveiled its new M110GX and range-topping M135GX machines.

John Deere revealed its new 6R Series small and medium sized tractors, rated from 105 to 150hp.

Massey Ferguson showed two new combines, the five strawwalker Activa 7345 S and 276hp six straw-walker 7347 S. More than 50 of the latest sprayers were demonstrated in the Syngenta Sprays and Sprayers arena, including Horsch’s selfpropelled PT 270, Berthoud’s new Raptor ‘Front Cab’ sprayers fitted with a hydraulically elevated cab and Tecnoma’s FC laser sprayer with 3200 to 5200-litre tanks.

Cereals 2013 took place at Boothby Graffoe, Lincolnshire on 12th and 13th June.

July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 39

| Cereals

Advanced braking T7

Cereals success story

New Holland shows ABS SuperSteer™ system.

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Micron Group showcases its agricultural sprayers. icron Group used its stand B206 to showcase its agricultural range at Cereals 2012.

For the first time, visitors were able to see Varidome S3 kitted with a dual spray system. This shielded inter-row sprayer for OSR and vegetables can treat three beds and apply two different products at the same time, thus greatly increasing productivity. For example, users could treat the inter-row with a contact weed spray contained under the shield whilst simultaneously applying a selective spray over-row.

Micron also promoted the Enviro range for tackling weeds in a variety of agricultural situations including field margins, pathways and fencelines. The Enviro sprayers combine a shielded

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or the first time in the UK, New Holland publicly showcased its Advanced Braking System (known as ABS SuperSteer™) fitted to the T7 flagship tractor models - T7.220 to T7.270.

At the 2012 Cereals Event in June the pioneering technology was on show. With the increasing focus on safety the New Holland ABS system can deliver excellent vehicle stability while combining steering together with hard braking. It can also control braking between wheels independently on low friction surfaces preventing a loss of vehicle control through a skid.

Using technology from the Iveco, the commercial vehicle partner of Fiat Industrial, New Holland has designed a braking system that can finely control the tractor brakes, taking signals from axle speed sensors to prevent any wheel lock up.

It gives the driver confidence in the machine’s secure stopping power, but also delivers benefits for manoeuvrability and improves safety when operating on steep hills.

ABS SuperSteer™ has already had a proven pedigree having won

design and Micron’s proven CDA technology to offer users improved spraying efficiency, reduced water requirement and minimised risk of spray drift.

Additionally, growers were able to find out more about Micron’s WeedSwiper, a non-drip weed wiper for controlling tall weeds in pasture, sugar beet and amenity grass, as well as the company’s hand-held equipment, including the Herbi range of batteryoperated CDA sprayers for a wide range of weed control applications and the Micron AU8000 mistblower for low volume spraying in orchards and greenhouses.

To learn more about Micron products call +44 (0)1885 482397 or visit www.micron.co.uk

40 | Farming Monthly | July 2012

a silver award in 2009 at Agritechnica. It takes the ABS brake control system and uses it to reduce the turning circle by as much as fifty percent compared to a standard T7 tractor. As the operator turns the steering wheel with the ABS SuperSteer™ engaged, the inner independent rear axle brake will be applied automatically. The level of braking can be adjusted on the IntelliView III touch screen to accommodate sensitive surfaces such as grassland. The same adjustment can be applied to the independent brake pedals, not allowing them to lock the wheels. For safety the independent brakes are automatically electronically locked for road speeds.

The hill holder function on Power Command models improves tractor control on slopes, automatically engaging the brakes to prevent the machine rolling back during hill starts and easing clutch engagement. On the Auto Command this safety feature is provided by the active stop incorporated within the CVT logic.

The T7 ABS SuperSteer is a technologically advanced step forward in tractor design for control, safety and driving stability.

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Cereals

Romsey Agricultural Machinery Ltd Shorts Farm, Romsey, Hampshire SO51 6DX Tel: 01794 323159

Oliver Landpower Limited Home Park Works, Kings Langley, Hertfordshire WD4 8LW Tel: 01923 265211

Nigel Quinn (AMS) Limited 89 The Marshes Lane, Mere Brow, Preston Lancashire PR4 6JR Tel/Fax: 01704 822272 Mobile: 07973 519491

A14 Telford Road, Bicester Oxfordshire OX26 4LD Tel: 01869 329988

Wilfred Scruton Limited Maxwell House, Riccall Grange, King Rudding Lane, Riccall, York YO19 6QL Tel: 01757 249799 Providence Foundry, Foxholes, Driffield, E. Yorkshire YO25 3QQ Tel: 01262 470221

Wandon End, Luton, Bedfordshire LU2 8NY Tel: 01582 727111

Brockhills of Yorkshire Dalton Lane, Dalton, Thirsk North Yorkshire YO7 3HR Tel: 01845 577242 www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 41

| Cereals

Latest ARION sets new mid-range standard New generation of ARION 500 & 600 tractors available from this autumn. irst launched at the 2007 Agritechnica Show, the ARION 600 and 500 tractor range has proven to be a major seller for CLAAS on account of its versatile power to weight ratio, comfort and economy.

Since its launch, over 10,000 ARION tractors have been sold around the world, and in the UK, where the ARION range straddles the current average horsepower, and the Irish market, the ARION 640 has consistently been the top selling CLAAS tractor.

As part of its ongoing product development and investment in its product range, CLAAS has introduced a completely new generation of ARION 600 and 500 range tractors, which will be available from this autumn.

Under the bonnet the new ARION range features the latest engine technology in order to fully comply with the TIER 4i emissions regulations whilst also offering enhanced performance. However, of particular benefit to operators will be the new ARION cab, which incorporates many features first introduced last autumn on the high horsepower AXION 900 range and will set a new standard

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for this size of tractor.

Greater engine performance The new ARION range comprises seven models, which are available in either CIS (CLAAS Information System) or CEBIS versions, with maximum power outputs ranging from 145hp for the new ARION 530 up to 184hp for the ARION 650.

Power for the new ARION range comes from the latest DPS Powertech PVX engines which use DOC and DPF emissions treatment technology in order to meet TIER 4i standards. As part of the CLAAS POWER SYSTEMS (CPS) philosophy of using the optimum technology and components, this engine has been chosen both for its performance and compatibility with the tractor’s transmission and other components.

The engines also feature 4-valve technology, a variable geometry turbocharger, intercooling and a new common rail injection system that operates at a higher pressure of 2000 bar, compared to 1320 bar previously.

The ARION also features the new VISCTRONIC electronic fan control system first introduced on the AXION 900. This provides

42 | Farming Monthly | July 2012

precise control of the cooling fan, ensuring that noise level and power requirement is kept as low as possible, so helping reduce power requirement. The layout of the cooling pack has also been designed for optimum efficiency, but the components can be quickly swung open for easy access and cleaning.

A particular feature of these new DPS engines are the high power output and torque levels they offer, especially when used in conjunction with the CLAAS HEXASHIFT transmission.

With its combination of a short wheelbase and low operating weight, the 4-cylinder ARION 500 has proven to be an exceptionally versatile tractor, and especially ideal for use with a front-end loader. Thanks to the latest technology used on the 4-cylinder, 4.5 litre engine fitted to these models, the most powerful model in this range now has a maximum power output of 163hp, making this one of the most powerful 4cylinder tractors on the market.

The larger ARION 600 range has proven to be extremely versatile, being light enough for top work, yet powerful enough for heavy cultivations when weighted up properly. The new ARION 600 is no exception with maximum

power outputs from the new 6cylinder 6.8 litre engine ranging from 158hp up to 184hp on the ARION 650.

EASY and TELEMATICS To provide greater accuracy and output, the new generation ARION 600/500 range tractors are ready for use and fully compatible with the complete range of CLAAS GPS steering systems. These range from the simplest EGNOS GPS COPILOT steering guidance up to the highly accurate automatic steering using an RTK signal from either the CLAAS network or BASELINE. The new ARION can also be specified with the unique CLAAS TELEMATICS performance monitoring system. All aspects of the tractor’s performance, settings and position can be remotely monitored and saved for future reference and analysis, and if need be the tractor can also be accessed by the dealer for remote diagnosis, so saving downtime and repair costs.

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Cereals

Farmstar Limited - Marr, Doncaster DN5 7AU T: 01302 786786 Market Weighton, York YO43 3GA T: 01430 875900 Brigg, North Lincs DN2 8NF T: 01652 654944 www.farmstar.co.uk Sharnford Tractors Ltd - Lutterworth, Leicestershire LE17 5EH www.farmingmonthly.co.uk T: 01455 209300 www.manitou.co.uk

Anker of Coates - Peterborough PE7 2DD T: 01733 840777 Huntingdon PE28 0AE T: 01480 890990 www.ankerofcoates.co.uk Ravenhill - Hereford HR4 9QJ T: 01432 352333 www.ravenhill.co.uk July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 43

| Cereals

Dealers: AGRATECH NW LTD Unit 8 Dale Mill, Burnley Road East, Lancashire BB4 9HU Tel. 01706 211399 www.agratech.co.uk LW VASS (AGRICULTURAL) LTD Springfield Farm, Bedfordshire, MK45 2AX Tel. 01525 403041 www.vassgro.co.uk CENTRAL CROPSPRAYERS LTD Unit B, Sandford Ind. Park, Shropshire SY13 2AN Tel. 01948 840187 Mob. 07850 744335 ACARE SERVICES LTD Norfolks Sprayer Specialists, Bunkers Hill, Norfolk NR22 6AZ Tel. 01328 820449 www.acareservices.co.uk 44 | Farming Monthly | July 2012 www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Cereals

New John Deere 6R Series tractors for 2012 Including the new smaller madels, nine tractors are now available. ew small and medium frame tractors from the John Deere 6R Series tractor range were seen on the John Deere stand at the Royal Highland Show 2012 in June.

With the addition of these new smaller models, nine tractors altogether are available for 2012, from 105 to 210hp (or 125 to 240hp with Intelligent Power Management, for road and pto applications). Featuring the new John Deere tractor family styling, all 6R models offer new levels of power, performance and operator comfort, including improved suspension and cab visibility, more powerful hydraulics and increased lift capacities.

The small frame 6105R, 6115R and 6125R models are equipped with a Stage IIIB 4.5-litre four-cylinder PowerTech PVX engine rated from 105 to 130hp. John Deere’s fuel efficient dieselonly PowerTech engines use field proven technology to meet the latest emission standards, based on exhaust gas recirculation.

The medium frame 6130R model is powered by a 130hp four-cylinder engine mounted on a six-cylinder frame, while the other two medium frame models, the 6140R and 6150R, are equipped with a Stage IIIB 6.8-litre six-cylinder PowerTech PVX engine rated at 140 and 150hp respectively.

Employing John Deere’s established full-frame design, these

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new tractors also have a longer wheelbase to provide improved stability for loader applications. In addition, a higher permissible weight and payload allow bigger and heavier implements to be carried.

An integrated front hitch with a lift capacity of 4000kg and a new front pto are also available ex-factory for the first time on 6R Series tractors. The front hitch is fully compatible with the new John Deere H-Series front loaders, which have been designed to provide maximum visibility and to match the new tyre sizes and tractor chassis dimensions.

Transmission options include the newly designed 24-speed DirectDrive, which combines the handling comfort of an infinitely variable shift transmission (IVT) with the power efficiency of a mechanical unit, while providing fuel savings of up to 10g/kWh compared to an IVT. The new 6R ComfortView cab has over 20 per cent more space and a similar increase in visibility. It offers a completely new level of operator comfort, with features such as the 7in full-colour GreenStar 3

CommandCenter display with optional touch screen and video capability, integrated climate and radio controls, Bluetooth connectivity with SIM card access and an optional panorama roof. The display is fully compatible with ISOBUS and tractor-implement automation (TIA) applications.

Further options include the new HCS Plus hydraulic cab suspension and TLS Plus triple link suspension for the front axle, to provide optimum traction and operator comfort. A new versatile lighting system also delivers 185 per cent more light output compared to previous models.

Derwent Road, Malton, North Yorks YO17 0NW Tel: 01653 695094 Fax: 01653 697979 Holme Road, Market Wighton, York YO4 3EW Tel: 01430 872421 Fax: 01430 872461

Agricultural Ltd

RBM

Clarborough Hill, Redford, Notts DN22 9EA Tel: 01777 704823 Fax: 01777 710299

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Westrum Lane, Brigg, Lincolnshire DN20 9EY Tel: 01652 650600 Fax: 01652 658180 Bolingbroke Road, Fairfield Industrial Edtate, Louth LN11 0WA Tel: 01507 617588

www.rbmagricultural.co.uk July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 45

| Cereals

Andrew Marwood Ltd

Newman Enterprises Ltd

Stewart Morley

Unit 2, Full Sutton Ind. Estate, Full Sutton, Yorkshire YO41 1HS Tel 01759 372888

The Gables, Brinkworth Road, Wootton Bassett, Swindon SN4 8DT Tel 01793 853807 Mob 07435 780028

The Workshop, Bonds Farm Morley Lane, Pilling, Preston PR3 6BY Tel 01253 799124 Mob 07802 638385

Lyndon Tucker

Cranworth Farm Services

A G Ford Agricultural Engineering

Oldwalls Garage, Llanrhidian, Swansea SA1 1HA Tel 01792 391007

Cranworth Common, Thetford, Norfolk IP25 7SX Tel 01362 820077

Nearton End Farm, Nearton End, Swanbourne Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK17 0SL Tel 01296 728298

46 | Farming Monthly | July 2012

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| Cereals

Master Driers 2012 range

BDC attract the crowds

30 years in business and the range of equipment is better than ever.

Great interest in new Svegma heat driers at Cereals.

his year Master Driers celebrate their 30th anniversary of supplying the UK Agricultural industry with its highly acclaimed range of mobile grain Driers. From small beginnings back in 1982 supplying a small 5 Ton drier we have grown to become one of the leading Grain Drier suppliers in the UK. Our range today covers models from 12-45 tons incorporating tractor pto drive or electric drive with the option of full automation with Mastermatic control systems.

Add to this dust extraction, a three stage burner system and a 450 mm diameter centre auger and you are looking at the very best in mobile grain drying.

So come and see us at the Yorkshire show and learn more about our range. Also on display will be our brand new moisture meter that can be fitted on to your mobile grain drier. This will provide you with the exact moisture of the crop throughout the drying cycle from loading to unloading.

ccording to Andrew Head, Managing Director of BDC Systems, the Cereals 2012 was a great success.

“Attendance numbers may have been down, but there was considerable interest in both our new Svegma heat recovery drier and our standard Svegma drier range. The exhibition generated many enquiries for us.”

With its ability to recirculate drying and cooling air prior to the burner or other heat source, there are significant potential energy savings to be made with the new Svegma heat recovery drier. “At a time when saving energy is an important consideration for those involved in grain handling and drying, this new drier has created a lot of interest,” says Andrew Head.

Energy savings are achieved because firstly the required amount of air that needs heating from ambient to operating temperature is decreased. Then, the recirculated air needs less heat

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For those who want upgrade your Drier next season come and talk to us about ‘trade ins’ and financing. For those of you who value pre season Services we are offering some very special deals which can include free fitting of our moisture meter.!

Telephone: Master Driers 01787 228450 or visit our website at: www.masterfarm.co.uk

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input to achieve operating temperatures. The result is a calculated energy saving of up to 15% for the user.

The drier features RadiClean particle separation technology, developed by manufacturer Akron, and really is a major step forward in the drive to minimise energy consumption in grain drying operations.

The first specification in the UK of the new drier was made by Tim Piper and it is to be used on his 4000 acre mixed farm. The investment underlines his commitment to an energy saving policy for the farm. This has included the installation of 49.8kw of photovoltaic panels whilst plans are also in hand for the installation of a biomass boiler to provide energy from either, an air to air or hot water to air, heat exchanger to give a base load of approx 750kw of heat. This will then be topped up with recirculated heat, with gas providing the rest.

July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 47

| Cereals

New Kubota M-GX range launched at Cereals An excellent solution for arable farmers, contractors and demanding mixed farming enterprises. he Cereals launch of the new Kubota M-GX tractor range showcases more than 50 years of expertise in tractor innovation. Providing higher levels of practicality and reliability, with clean fuel-efficient performance and a more spacious cab, the M-GX deliver an excellent solution for arable farmers, contractors and demanding mixed farming enterprises.

The M110GX delivers109.5 net HP and the M135GX 135 net HP -

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maximum performance with outstanding economy and low emissions. The advanced, direct injection (E-CDIS) 4 valves per cylinder, common-rail engines are fully electronically controlled. Euro Stage IIIB compliance is achieved through a combination of the DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) and EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) to reduce engine emissions. Using Kubota’s proven engineering, alongside the latest emission control techniques, gives busy operators the peace of mind that reliability and economy will remain optimised in especially demanding periods such as harvest.

“With these latest developments, Kubota has taken its respected farm tractor range to a new level that will help cereal growers become more productive and efficient.” says

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General Manager of Sales and Marketing, Dave Roberts. “The new M110GX and M135GX are a clear indication of the growing strength of Kubota in the UK agricultural market, and we are confident that their advanced features will be well received by the arable sector as well as by mixed farming enterprises and contractors.”

Using multi-stage fuel injection provides optimal fuel injection process timing and precise injection pressure to enhance power and torque while keeping fuel consumption to a minimum.

The result is smooth responsive performance with low fuel consumption, reduced noise and vibration. Engine design also features a powerful Waste Gate System turbocharger, for impressive lugging and power recovery.

Equipped with Kubota’s new ‘Intelli-Shift’ transmission, the MGX provides eight power shift speeds with three ranges to give a total of 24 forward and 24 reverse speeds. This offers precise shifting with minimal shift shock and power loss. Power and range shifting can be achieved with a single lever or push-button control, eliminating the need to use the

clutch pedal and offering fatiguefree operation throughout the range.. Two convenient upshift/downshift buttons found on the shift lever as well as on the right-side armrest give easy eightstep power shifts.

The M-GX range features ‘Auto Mode’ to enable automatic shifting to maximise performance under varying load or terrain. In Travel mode, the gears will be adjusted depending on road conditions and amount of acceleration; uphill and downhill. In Field mode, a downshift of two gears occurs once the three-point linkage has been raised. Field mode also minimises falls in PTO revolution when the PTO switch is engaged.

At the press of a button, operators can use RPM dual memory to save up to two frequently used engine RPM settings, for example for heavy cultivations, changing direction or making turns, without having to adjust the throttle. To keep the engine revolutions constant, in order to prevent the engine rpm falling in challenging working conditions and ensuring consistent operation, there’s ‘Work Cruise’. Used in conjunction with the

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| Cereals transmission’s ‘Auto Mode’ feature, ‘Work Cruise’ makes using PTO-driven implements such as powered cultivators much more efficient.

The M-GX has a long wheelbase to provide outstanding straight-line stability and pulling power, yet it offers the manoeuvrability and versatility of more compact tractors using Kubota’s unique Bi-Speed Turn steering system. Bi-Speed is a standard feature that enables the tractor to turn quickly and smoothly, even in narrow or confined spaces, with little damage to the ground surface.

The M-GX models can achieve a turning circle of only 4 metres!

A brand new three-stage Front Suspension System with Auto Lock is available on the M135GX. This enhances ride quality and performance on challenging tasks such as road speed haulage, a vital element of harvest operations as well as increasing driver productivity when working on hard or rutted ground during crop establishment and husbandry.

Suspension stiffness can be adjusted manually or automatically in three stages (Firm/Normal/Soft) or locked to best meet the operator’s needs.

With modern farming requiring longer days behind the wheel, the operator environment is of prime importance, and the M-GX’s new cab offers the ultimate in convenience and comfort. A wide and virtually unobstructed field of view from every angle is provided by the new rounded cab which has no centre pillars, while the corner-post exhaust pipe is specially positioned to remain out of the way. The cab has also been raised to provide a higher

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viewpoint, while the hydraulic control levers and air conditioner are positioned for greater rearward visibility. A good view of implements is important to perform jobs more efficiently and safely, so the lower rear panel has been replaced with glass, giving the operator a clear view of what’s going on behind.

A tilt and telescopic steering column offers the ideal driving position while power steering makes steering easier and put the fingertip-operated Power Shuttle lever always to hand regardless of the steering wheel position. The MGX is equipped with a reclining air suspension seat, purposedesigned to absorb shock and reduce operator fatigue. The seat

also features a left-and-right swivel function, which eases rearward viewing, as well as cab access.

Air conditioning brings yearround comfort regardless of the weather and ventilation ducts are strategically placed to prevent the front window from fogging and to warm the feet in the cold. The rounded cab shape further enhances the airflow. Offering fresh air ventilation for added comfort, a new tilting roof panel gives a clear view above, especially handy for loader work.

Creature comforts are completed by a Radio-CD Player, and proving that the Kubota design team has thought of everything, audio controls have been moved to the right control console for easier access to controls.

Routine maintenance is made easier as the sliding, louvrelesstype, AC condenser and condenser protective screen can be easily removed. The flat surface of the battery and tray also boosts serviceability. A new one-piece hood fully opens for easier access to the engine for maintenance. The

hood is also slanted to increase visibility.

Kubota’s Front Loader is integral to the design of the M-GX, with the Right Console Lever located to enable the operator to remain constantly aware of tip end conditions. The loader provides dramatically increased lifting power, up to 2.2 tonnes; capacity with simple joystick control; Euro-8 quick hitch; 3rd function valve and Kubota’s shockless ride that reduces loader shock and operator fatigue.

The M-GX series is ably supported at Cereals by the new M-60 range which also features the latest Stage IIIB-compliant engines on the M8560 and M9960 models.

At 85.5 and 100hp respectively, these two tractors are the perfect farm workhorses, yet feature the highest of specifications, with up to 36x36 speeds, superb, spacious cab and air conditioning. Offering enhanced all-round performance and refinement, the engines are matched to advanced transmissions and are fitted with Work Cruise and Eco 40K as standard.

July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 49

| Cereals

50 | Farming Monthly | July 2012

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| Cereals

McCormick for Hawk

Knock-On points are go

Hire firm Hawk orders McCormick six-cylinder tractors for 2012 fleet.

Effortless replacement means more productivity.

consignment of 20 new McCormick tractors is being handed over to one of Britain’s leading tractor rental companies.

Hawk Tractors will supply the MTX and XTX six-cylinder machines to farmers and contractors throughout Britain as part of a fleet that continues to expand to meet demand for shortand long-term hire.

he wraps came off an allnew development in wearing parts at Cereals this summer, and it’s called KnockOn. Engineered specifically for cultivators, Knock-On Fit is based on the same Quick Fit technology that has proved so successful on our ploughs. And Suffolk farmer James Nott of JR & EH Nott has been testing them on his 4m CTC cultivator with impressive results.

“With Knock-On, it is quite literally a couple of minutes’ job to swap all 15 points on our CTC,” he says.

Previously, Mr Nott was using a standard Kverneland reversible point on the cultivator, which could take anywhere from 1-2 hours to replace a full set depending on the severity of wear around fasteners.

“The standard reversible point is great value and cheap too, and turning the point means we can get 200-250 acres from a set, but it means getting the spanners out when it’s time to turn or replace,” he says. “And on our land, you’ve got to keep an eye on how suddenly metal can wear away.”

“With Knock-On Fit, it really is a case of knocking them off with a hammer and punch, and then tapping a new point back on in its place – it’s effortless,” he says.

“Wear rates are similar to standard bolt-on reversible points at 180200 acres for a set of Knock-On cultivator points, though our big saving is with a reduction in downtime.”

Mr Nott appreciates the simplicity and aggressiveness of the CTC as a one-pass tool on his 2,350 acres of combinable crops grown on a mix of soil types form sandy clay loams to boulder clay.

“The leg design and hollow tine technology is superb – it does a fantastic job in shattering and

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“We now have more than 270 tractors, including tracked machines at the top end of the power scale,” says John Smith, operations manager. “Having a cross section of tractor makes and models gives a choice of power output, features and sophistication for customers with different needs and preferences.”

Hawk Tractors is a division of Hawk Group, a £70m business supplying operated and self-drive rental plant from its new headquarters base near Whitchurch, Shropshire and a branch at Blythbridge near Peebles, south of Edinburgh.

The agricultural division, run by a team experienced in the farming industry, manages a fleet of telescopic handlers as well as tractors.

“Customers hire our machines for just three or four weeks or for several months,” explains John Smith. “They take them to supplement their own tractors when extra units are needed or to have use of a more powerful tractor for seasonal work.”

Hiring is an economical way of getting a modern, up-to-date tractor, he points out. There is no big capital outlay and routine servicing and repair costs are included in the rental charge, which qualifies as a business expense.

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The hire season gets underway in March when potato growers need extra tractors for field preparation and planting, and continues with first-cut silage. It then picks up again when the pea harvest is imminent and plenty of tractors and trailers are needed to ferry the crop into freezing plants.

“But our busiest period is from July to November when farmers and contractors need extra units for harvesting grain, rapeseed and potatoes, and more power for cultivations and sowing,” Mr Smith points out.

The McCormick additions to Hawk’s 2012 fleet comprise ten each of the 141hp MTX150 and 171/183hp XTX185 XtraSpeed models.

The tractors are supplied through McCormick dealers who then provide local parts, service and repair back-up. For customers in areas lacking a McCormick dealer, Hawk’s own team of 15 regionally-based technicians provide this support.

“One question we’re always asked by potential hire customers is: ‘How good’s your service?’ which really comes down to the dealer involved,” says John Smith.

“In our experience, the McCormick dealers who work with us have always provided good back-up, treating the tractor and customer as one of their own.”

As for the tractors themselves, Mr Smith says he is pleased to have McCormick machines in the fleet to maintain a long association with the make and intends adding more in the coming years.

“A lot of our regular customers specifically ask for McCormick tractors because they know they’ll get a machine that performs as well as anything else in the field and has easily recognisable, intuitive controls,” he points out.

“That makes it easy for drivers to familiarise themselves with the machines and get the best out of them from the start.”

For the first time this year, farmers can also rent a Leica GPS guidance system to operate their McCormick tractor with greater bout-matching accuracy for increased productivity and input savings.

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busting our soil,” he says. “And the introduction of fast-fit points makes it even easier to use.”

The new Kverneland Knock-On point for cultivators is available in six sizes, from 80mm tips to 470mm wing shares, and can be used across the entire range of tined stubble cultivators equipped with a C-tine.

July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 51

| Cereals

Whittinghams Farm Supplies

Robson Tractors Ltd

Highwood

119 Garstang Road, Claughton On Brock Lancashire PR3 0PH Tel: 01995 640302 www.whittinghamsfarmsupplies.co.uk

Ings Lane, Carlton Husthwaite, Thirsk, North Yorkshire YO7 2BP Tel: 01845 501602 www.robsontractors.co.uk

Yeovil Branch: 01935 478877 Dorset Branch: 01305 266058 Shepton Mallet Branch: 01749 841651 service@highwood-ag.co.uk sales@highwood-ag.co.uk parts@highwood-ag.co.uk

52 | Farming Monthly | July 2012

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| Cereals

Twose’s triple treat goes live at Cereals 2012 Twose has unveiled three exciting new products at Cereals 2012. he Tiverton-based company gave a full UK show debut to its next-generation TP525 reach arm mower as well as showcasing its new high-performance fivegang roller and offset rotary mower.

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Five-section horizontal hydraulic folding cast roller

TP525

•Continuous motion linkage for the outer arms replaces the old rack and pinion system and protects the arms when folding and unfolding •Heavy-duty clamps secure the rollers in place and prevent movement •Strengthened axle support for the 24-inch heavy-duty Cambridge rollers Pasture Topper 275 Offset

The TP525 has been created to deliver a professional specification at a great price, making it an ideal machine for both farmers and contractors.

Featuring a robust, heavy-duty design, a choice of 50hp and 65hp hydraulics, and 5.25 metre reach, the TP525 packs a punch and is ideal for both verge mowing and hedge cutting.

Key features include: •Three point linkage mounting •240 degree head rotation •200 litre oil tank capacity •Cast iron oil pumps •1.2 metre belt-driven DS flailhead •A choice of cable controls or a hydraulic proportional joystick.

•100 degree hydraulic slew •Road lighting kit as standard

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Twose’s huge new five-gang hydraulic roller was also showcased at Cereals.

The roller comes in 10.4m and 12.4m working widths and has unique castellated ring profiles which offer outstanding clod breaking and tilling to produce a surface seedbed with a strong capillary action perfect for maximum crop establishment.

New features include: •A strengthened main frame and reinforced draw bar have been developed to enhance the durability and lifespan of the machine •A commercial-spec braking system not only reduces stopping distances but also prevents excessive strain on tractor brakes •Optional 24-inch Cambridge breakers and rings are available (standard size: 22 inches) to ensure peak performance when rolling the soil aiding consolidation and moisture retention •A new pressure relief system protects both the rams and arms over uneven ground when stress may be placed on the end rollers

Twose’s new offset rotary mower went on display for the first time at Cereals.

Key features include: •Three-point linkage mounting •Low tractor horsepower requirement •Quick and easy mounting •Free-swinging blade alignment reduces shock loads on the gearbox •Streamlined design prevents debris buildup and water trapping •Easily adjustable cutting height •A deep cranked blade arrangement protects the gearbox •Parabolic skids reduce ground marking for a better finish

July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 53

| Cereals

P & D Engineering Fleet Lane, Bredon, Tewkesbury, Gloucester Gloucestershire, GL20 7EF Tel: 01684 772912

Cooks Midlands Limited Horsepool Grange, Stanton Under Bardon, Leicester LE67 9TW Tel: 01530 249191 Fax: 01530 249199

E.A. Clayton Limited Willow Bridge Works, Carlton, Stockton On Tees, Cleveland TS21 1EB Tel: 01740 630254 Fax: 01740 631097

Cranworth Farm Services High Common, Cranworth, Thetford, Norfolk IP25 7SX Tel: 01362 820391

Romsey Agricultural Machinery Limited Shorts Farm,Romsey, Hampshire SO51 6DX Tel: 01794 323159

Craggs of Conder Green Thurnham Mill Buildings Conder Green, Lancaster Lancashire LA2 0BD Tel: 01524 751405

TRP Pride Parkway, Enterprise Park, Sleaford, Lincolnshire NG34 8GL Tel: 01529 300111 Fax: 01529 300310

Hayward United Farmers Ltd Heliport Site, Ellough, Beccles, Suffolk NR24 7XD Tel: 01502 475111

Fax: 01362 820077 Day & Coles (Agricultural) Limited Park Farm Industrial Estate, Wellingborough, Northants NN8 6UW Tel: 01933 673900 Fax: 01933 675858

Keith Davies Agricultural Hem Manor Farm, Hem Lane, Shifnal, Shropshire TF11 9PT Tel: 01952 463840

54 | Farming Monthly | July 2012

Yorkshire Handlers Limited Unit 4-5, Fryors Close, Murton Lane, Murton, York YO19 5UY Tel: 01904 489988

Fax: 01904 489061

Andrew Curtis Tractors Limited Pensford, Nr Bristol BS39 4DB Tel: 01761 490372 Fax: 01761 490004

B. W. Mack (Machinery) Limited Downham Market, Norfolk PE38 0AL Tel: 01366 324256 Fax: 01366 324431

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| Machinery

McConnel showcases next generation Power Arms Last month’s Royal Highland Show was the stage for machinery unveiling. cConnel gave a UK show debut to its new 60-series Power Arms at the Royal Highland Show last month.

Featuring a robust heavy-duty design, powerful hydraulics, and an advanced feature-set, the 60series has been specially designed for farmers, contractors and local authorities.

Two models are available – the new PA5360 with a reach of 5.3m (17’ 5”), and the PA5860 with a 5.8m reach (19’). Power is delivered by 60hp 100/litre-aminute hydraulics from a heavyduty cast iron pump and reinforced steel gearbox.

Key features of the new machine include: •A choice of five different control systems – including the state of the art REVOLUTION which offers eight proportional and two bang-bang functions.

•McConnel’s Easy Drive

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System (EDS) comes equipped with REVOLUTION – delivering hands-free cruise control for verge-mowing and a dramatic increase in working speed.

•The option of Variable Forward Reach, which allows operators to position the arm alongside the cab for greater visibility, comfort, and precision.

•A redesigned mainframe made from super-strength Domex steel and a new hydraulic layout for an improved performance •Easier access to the oil tank for maintenance and servicing •And a cushioned top link for added protection and comfort when in transport mode The machines succeed McConnel’s iconic PA53 and PA58 models which have proved extremely popular with customers around the world.

The 60-series also features hyreach geometry and hydraulic

breakaway with a fast-acting autoreset offering unrivalled protection if the arm comes into contact with an obstacle.

The arm allows 245-degree head angling for perfect precision whether you’re cutting in close or topping a hedge at full extension, while optional lift and angle-float kits enable the flailhead to automatically follow the contours of the ground in a vertical plane – reducing the amount of operator input needed.

A hydraulic Power Slew enables safe, comfortable transport and gives operators the flexibility to mow precisely in tight corners.

The machines are available in left or right-hand builds, while a front-mounting option is available on the PA5360 model.

McConnel also displayed a full range of grass maintenance and cultivation technology at the show.

July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 55

| Machinery

New Stihl clearing saws New CaseIH range They now have a ‘brain’.

Farmall A tractors have a multitude of tasks covered. he new seven-strong Farmall A range made its debut to UK and Irish customers at the respective grassland events this year. The range extends from the 55hp Farmall 55A to the 115hp Farmall 115A tractor.

Farmall 55A – the farmyard specialist Farmall 55A is a new 55hp single specification tractor open station tractor. Standard specification is an 8x8 synchro transmission with left hand mechanical shuttle enabling quick and easy direction changes in shuttle type operations. Standard equipment also includes one rear double-acting remote valve and 540 rpm pto.

Whilst these tractors are designed primarily for working in and around yards and livestock buildings, the rugged and robust construction also makes the tractor very capable in a support role within many other environments. Available in either 2wd or 4wd, these tractors are equipped with an easy access spacious, comfortable operator’s platform.

A folding roll over protection is also part of the standard equipment. When folded this allows the tractor to access areas with a door height of 2m.

Farmall 65A, 75A, 85A, 95A, 105A, 115A – for farmyard and field Farmall A, which supersedes JX range, brings new features, an increase in power, two additional higher powered models and a new ergonomically designed cab.

These six new models which span the 65 – 115hp range are all available in 4wd.

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TIHL launched its advanced ‘MTronic’ engine two years ago : its selftuning technology means it is not only simple but truly outstanding in use. Now two new clearing saws extend the STIHL M-Tronic range : the STIHL FS 490 C-EM and FS 560 C-EM are powerful professional workhorses, available from Approved Dealers now.

Clearing saws are among the most well-used power tools in a landscapers’ armoury – clearing wild shrubbery along farm tracks and roadsides they can tame tough grass and brambles, even cut sapling trees. STIHL clearing saws are recognised among the best in their class; they are practical, robust and a real pleasure to use.

Making two new STIHL clearing saws even easier to use, the fully electronic M-Tronic engine management system adjusts ignition timing and fuel/air mix in all operating modes. This selftuning technology ensures engine performance is always optimised for consistently high power; it also makes manual carburettor adjustments a thing of the past.

And that means minimised user

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intervention and thus optimised workflow.

The STIHL FS 490 C-EM Clearing saw comes with a brush knife as standard; the FS 560 CEM is fitted with a circular saw blade.

Key features : • High-torque, eco-friendly and fuel-efficient STIHL 2-MIX engine.

• STIHL M-Tronic engine management system.

• Simple 3-step starting procedure : Prime, set choke, pullstart.

• Engine virtually impossible to flood.

• ErgoStart system for light, gentle pull-starts.

• Highly effective 4-point antivibration system.

• Specifically designed for easy operation and maintenance.

• Tool-free handlebar adjustment, plus ‘swivel and fold’ storage position.

• Wide choice of cutting heads available.

• ADVANCE Universal Harness as standard.

Full details on the range of STIHLClearing Saws are available from the website : www.stihl.co.uk or from specialist Approved Dealers nationwide.

56 | Farming Monthly | July 2012

Standard specification on Farmall 65A, 75A, 85A, 95A is a 12 x 12 mechanical shuttle, while the Farmall 105A and 115A benefit from a 12 x 12 powershuttle. In addition, the powershuttle is available as an option on Farmall 85A and 95A. Internally the ergonomics of the cab have been given a complete overhaul with remote valve levers, hand throttle and rear 3-point hitch control relocated to improve the simplicity of operation. The heating and ventilation unit is now relocated to the rear of the cab to improve the feeling of spaciousness and enable a high visibility panel to be incorporated into the roof. This optional high visibility panel will be especially valuable for front loader operations enabling drivers to keep the loader in view when stacking bales or operating in low roof buildings.

Farmall 65A and 75A are ideally suited to perform the support role on large livestock units whether operating yard scrapers or powering straw choppers. The Farmall 85A and 95A combine power with economy and make ideal loader tractors, while the extra power available from the Farmall 105A and 115A makes these tractors ideally suited for high pto power tasks like operating diet feeder wagons.

Outside of the farmyard these tractors will play an important role in transport, slurry / manure spreading, fertiliser application, silage making and a variety of other field operations. Maximum rear lift capacity is an impressive 3,565kg and up to three rear remote valves can be specified.

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| Shooting

It won’t be long!

If you are a game shooter, Grouse, Pheasant, Partridge or whatever, your trigger finger will be getting itchy. t all starts on 12 August right through to the end of January and if you love the countryside and all it has to offer then the autumn will be a special time for you.

How about a new shotgun for the season ?

As per our May issue of Farming Monthly, you may have just seen an article on a man who specializes in a very special shotgun giving you the very best performance on whatever your choice of quarry.

John Jeffries, from High Pheasants will design and customize for you a perfectly fitted, balanced and tuned shotgun to suit your requirements perfectly.

As previously mentioned in the May edition, his service is unique as he customizes an up-market Italian gun which already has one of the worlds best pedigrees in the shooting world, into a true ‘State Of The Art’ design that will remain your pride and joy for the rest of your life and many years after you have finished with it too.

Yes it’s a great investment too.

John tailors each gun to a very special configuration, he was the

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first to introduce very long barrels that are specially designed, balanced and tuned to tackle extreme long range targets. His guns also come with a complete and full fitting service which if you know anything about shotgun shooting, you will be well aware that this is possibly the most important part of performing well with a shotgun either for game or clay pigeons. He also offers a full range of guns in various bores and barrel lengths and he caters for all comers, youngsters and ladies too.

His guns are now being heralded as the finest available for shotgun shooting and a visit to the High Pheasants web site (www.highpheasants.com) will surely confirm such a dedication to supply only the very best, performance wise and aesthetically too.

He boasts the highest clay target in Sussex at his shooting range near Alfriston where he offers a free trial of any gun from his special range. So, if you are interested in either a new shotgun, a lesson at these special targets to get your eye in or an introduction

to the fabulous sport of game or Clay Pigeon shooting, then he is the man to call.

If your going to the Gamefair on 20-22 July, he will be showing the guns at a separate shooting ground nearby, the Grimsthorpe Shooting ground where you will be able to try any of his amazing

Perazzi HPX shotguns. Give him a call and prepare yourself for the next shooting day.

He says, his guns are for a lifetime and by what we can tell, you will struggle to get better service or advice anywhere and you will end up shooting straight too.

July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 57

| Buildings

New Roundhouse 45 brings greater economies of scale Twice as big as the original model. oundhouse Building Solutions Ltd (RBSL) – the designer and builder of the innovative Roundhouse livestock building - has launched the Roundhouse 45, which is twice as big as the original building and capable of holding double the number of animals.

The original Roundhouse (RH30) has a diameter of 30 metres, a circumference of 95 meters and an internal area of 720 sq. meters. At recommended stocking rates for livestock it holds around 140 beef animals at 500kgs, or 70-90 dairy cows.

The new Roundhouse 45 (RH45) has a diameter of 45 meters, a circumference of 144 meters, and an internal area of over 1500 sq meters.

Consequently it can hold just over 300 beef animals at 500 kgs, and 180 dairy cows. Although the Rh30 is already used on dairy farms it is primarily used for calves, heifers and dry cows. The Rh45 makes the round building concept applicable for milking cows for the first time, and one has already been erected for that purpose in Nottinghamshire. This building (which currently has no internal fittings) will have three robots adjacent.

The design and construction of the building has been an engineering challenge because of the forces and weight involved in doubling the size, according to its designers Geoff Simpson and John Allinson, managing partners and owners of RBSL, which is part of the Simpson and Allinson group from Barnard Castle.

For example, the RH30 is made up of 13 tonnes of steel and a single sheet of high-tensile PVC coated polyester fabric, which can be maneuvered into place by hand

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during construction. The RH45 consists of 40 tonnes of steel, with the roof made from two sheets that are joined together in-situ. Both buildings are erected from groundlevel using a hydraulic lift pack, thus significantly reducing the risks of working at heights.

“The engineering similarities between the two buildings are purely the appearance and we had to rethink our entire process of manufacture and erection to cope with the additional steel and the two piece fabric,” says Geoff Simpson.

The RH45 costs around £149,500, compared to £57,000 for a RH30. However these costs do not include other elements of the project, such as the internal steelworks and groundwork (leveling, hard core, water and drainage.) These costs in most cases will not be double for the larger building compared to the smaller one, so if these costs are factored-in then it is estimated that the overall RH45 project cost will be around twice as much as a RH30, giving a similar cost per animal space. A general project excluding groundwork would be around £1050 per dairy cow place.

This is comparable with the costs of conventional dairy buildings.

Since 2008 (when the Roundhouse began to be actively marketed) over 50 RH30s have been sold into every sector of the livestock industry, although the majority of sales are into the beef and dairy (non-milking) sectors.

Farmers are attracted to the building because of its excellent ventilation (the air comes in evenly all around the building and out through the hole in the centre of the roof); because the stock are calm and generally stress-free inside of it, and because the

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animals are easy to handle through the dedicated handling system in the middle of the building. It is believed that livestock like to be in a round building because their herding instincts are such that they like to be able to see all around them, and also like being moved through a circular system because they think they will be returning to where they came from.

Feedback from farmers who use the RH30 say that labour, straw use and veterinary costs are all lower than with their conventional buildings.

“For five years we have been offering a one-size-fits-all Roundhouse, but it was clear from customers that the demand for a larger building was there,” says

Geoff Simpson.

“The RH45 is attractive because it has all the social, environmental, ventilation and labour efficiency advantages that come with the RH30, but has greater economies of scale as more animals can be looked after by one person in the same amount of time,” says Geoff Simpson. “Thus the labour is much less on a per animal basis.”

“The RH30 revolutionized the farm buildings industry and now the innovation to create something twice the size is quite simply exceptional,” says John Allinson, Technical Director.

John continues: “The handling of farmed livestock, resulting in better animal and operator welfare, I believe is the real selling point of the Roundhouse”.

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| Buildings

CEMSIX protects the grain High quality roofing material replaces asbestos cement. he recent refurbishment of a seven bay grain store on Mere Farm, Lincolnshire, has seen asbestos cement sheeting replaced with a high-quality roofing material from Cembrit. Cembrit’s Cemsix, in natural grey, was chosen for the 4000m² building and delivers a robust and weatherproof solution to protect the stored crop.

Mere Farm, owned by Patrick Dean Ltd, is a mainly arable farm, but also has a large pig unit. Located near the large village of Waddington, Lincolnshire, the farm has seven linked grain storage buildings. The buildings are approximately sixty years old and a refurbishment was needed, to replace the original asbestos cement roof. Cembrit’s Cemsix was the perfect replacement, as the fibre cement sheets were the identical profile to the old asbestos sheeting (6" profile). Cemsix also incorporates integral polypropylene reinforcing strips making it a safer sheet for installers to use.

The installation of the new roofing sheets was not an easy task for the engineer. There were several obstacles including; different roof pitches, towers requiring cladding and several valley gutters to negotiate. The multi bay roofs incorporated two large "wendy houses" containing a batch drier and elevator head gear approximately 70' to the apex.

Engineering company, K.W. Timmins & sons, based in Lincoln, were in charge of the refurbishment at Mere Farm, and supplied

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Cembrit’s Cemsix. “We chose Cemsix because it is a first-class material and the perfect replacement for the old roof,” says Edward Timmins, from KW Timmins & Sons. “We always use Cembrit because their service is unbeatable and the material is manufactured to a high standard. On this project, the existing steel structure could be retained and the Cemsix non-asbestos formulation is equally as porous as the original material so provides protection from moisture condensation as well as being rust and rot proof. I expect the roof will now last another sixty years.”

Cemsix has the advantage of being slightly porous. This means that high levels of water vapour or humidity within agricultural buildings can be absorbed by the sheets and gradually released into the atmosphere, rather than condensing on the underside of the roof and dropping back onto the crop. In effect the Cemsix sheets offer passive environmental control for the building interiors.

Cemsix is ideal for agricultural, commercial and industrial buildings, and is robust practical and requires no maintenance to preserve its strength. The durable and weatherproof sheets are not affected by destructive fungi, vermin or insects, so will not rot or decay; and are available in natural grey, matt black or matt green and ten attractive coated colour options.

Offered in a standard imperial 6 inch profile it is strengthened with strategically placed polypropylene reinforcement strips. These are

incorporated within the fibre-cement sheet to comply with BS and H&S requirements for site safety and fragility.

Cemsix also conforms to the necessary fire safety requirements being a Class 0 surfaced material with an EXT.S.AA rating. Available in a variety of sheet lengths, the Cemsix range also offers a wide range of corrugated sheet accessories including ventilation to satisfy any roof design. Cemsix has full BBA certification: 03/4049 and a warranty is available on request.

Using skills built up over 80 years, Cembrit offers a wide range of cladding panels, corrugated sheet and natural and man-made roofing slate. Quality levels at group factories are rigorously maintained to high standards with many products manufactured under the control of ISO 9001 and British Board of Agrément. Cembrit UK is a member of Cembrit Holding A/S (formerly the Dansk Eternit Holding A/S) of Denmark, one of Europe’s major building material producers of fibre reinforced cement products for the roofing and cladding industry.

Bock has it covered Bock UK reports 'unexpected demand' from UK farming industry ust a few months after its official UK launch, Bock UK says it has received unprecedented demand from the UK farming market. Silage clamp enquiries have been exceptionally high, with a flurry of orders and installations taking place throughout the UK. Ben Chalk, Bock UK’s Business Development Manager says the response so far has been promising. ‘We are absolutely delighted with the response from the UK farming community and are busy working on a range of projects. Given the pressures they face, farmers are naturally interested in increasing silage performance as well as time and cost savings. Both the Bock clamp and its covering systems are pretty unique, so we have been answering a lot of questions.’

Although Bock UK has talked widely about the unique design and functionality of the Bock silage clamp, its covering system also offers an exceptional range of benefits promising to improve

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performance even on existing silage clamps in addition to significant savings on labour.

‘Bock has worked with farmers around the world over many years to develop its unique covering system,’ says Ben. ‘Silage is a valuable commodity and our covers will produce maximum output for either livestock or an anaerobic digestion plant.’

Ranging from protective side wall films to flexible silage film available in more than 40 sizes, Bock has a dedicated package of covering solutions aimed at any size silage operation.

‘Probably the most valuable product is the Bock Gitterflex netting’ says Ben. Bock UK offers a range of silage clamp and covering solutions that meet the latest UK environmental requirements. For more information visit www.bock-uk.com or telephone 01787 220560

July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 59

| News

Bumper profits announced for Crown Estate The Crown Estate announces another record year with £240.2 million profit and an £8.1 billion capital value. he Crown Estate earned a net profit (income surplus) of £240.2 million in the year ending 31 March 2012, up 4% on the previous year. This marks another record return for the business, which pays its profit to the Treasury for the benefit of the nation’s finances.

For the first time The Crown Estate’s total capital value has reached more than £8 billion, rising in the year by 11%. Total property value of the Estate now stands at £7.6 billion, up 7.4% on the previous year. The Crown Estate total return, as measured by IPD, was 16.8%, outperforming the industry benchmark by 10.4 percentage points and its bespoke benchmark by 7.3 percentage points. During the last 10 years the portfolio has contributed £2 billion to the Treasury.

Sir Stuart Hampson, Chairman of The Crown Estate, said: “We’re pleased to report another record financial performance and a year of remarkable achievement, which has seen us yet again make the very most of our diverse and high quality ownership by looking at the bigger picture and taking long-term investment decisions.

“Whilst we remain cautious about the prospects for the coming year we are confident that we can build on these achievements with a world-class team of energy and real estate professionals, and continued focus on our core areas.”

Alison Nimmo, Chief Executive of The Crown Estate added: “It has been another tremendous year for The Crown Estate. Our super prime portfolio and active asset management have been the cornerstones of this strong financial performance and resilience during recent market volatility.

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“Highlights for the year have to be the completion of our Quadrant 3 development ahead of time and budget, the launch of our most ambitious development yet in St James’s and reaching the milestone of 1.5% of the UK’s electricity being generated by offshore windfarms on seabed we that manage.”

During the year The Crown Estate continued to deliver on its investment strategy to drive performance. The Urban Estate’s £300million Quadrant 3 scheme on Regent Street is now 70% let or under offer to tenants including UGG, Wholefoods, Jack Spade, REX Restaurants, Telefonica Digital and Al Gore’s Generation Investment Management. A cohesive investment programme was launched for the St James’s portfolio, which consulted the public on a landmark £400 million redevelopment proposal, known as St James’s Market. Investment also continued in prime retail property outside London with acquisitions in Maidstone, Swansea and Milton Keynes, taking this part of the portfolio past £1 billion in value for the first time.

The value of The Crown Estate’s Marine Estate rose by 23.4% and it also reached a number of important milestones during the year. There are 4.2GW of offshore wind operational or under construction, a further 0.9GW consented and an additional 4GW in the consenting system. Installed capacity of offshore wind farms is now close to doubling year-on-year and already accounts for around 1.5% of UK electricity production; piling began for the installation of the first met mast for Round 3 and on wave and tidal, the UK now has 36 sites operating or under development, more than any other country in the world.

During the year the rural estate’s

achievements included the completion of a number of sales and major re-lets and securing a resolution to grant planning permission for a 580 home development scheme on its Taunton estate, a major step forward in a renewed focus on strategic land for the delivery of capital values increases.

Financial highlights by estate: • The value of the urban estate’s property, including shares of property held in joint ventures, increased by 4.4% to £5.5 billion, with an additional £539 million under management.

It outperformed the IPD Annual March Universe benchmark by 6.4%, delivering a total return of 12.5%. Sales, acquisitions and development expenditure totalled more than £1billion. Void rate and arrears were just 2.7% (excluding Quadrant 3) and 0.4% of total rental value at year end.

• On the marine estate revenue rose by 17.3% to £55.6 million and property value by 23.6% to £725.6 million. Total return was 27.9%.

Revenue from the renewable sector more than doubled to £7.8 million from £3.5 million last year. With activity in the construction industry picking up, demand for dredged aggregates also rose delivering a revenue increase from the sector of 14.2%, to £17.7 million.

• The rural estate delivered an impressive 19.5% total return, comprising a 13.3% uplift in value, to £1.2 billion, and a revenue return of £25.9 million, up 0.8%.

• The Windsor Estate delivered a solid performance with revenue up 8.8% to £7.4 million and capital value up 5.4% to £195.9 million.

The full annual report and accounts for 2011/12 can be viewed at www.thecrownestate.co.uk/annual-report/

AIC Launches collaborative sampling for Dioxins Project aims to establish robust, representative data on uk animal feed levels. he Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) has launched a collaborative sampling plan for the UK feed industry. It is designed to establish robust, representative data on background levels of dioxins in UK

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animal feed.

The project was established following a dioxin incident in which came to light in Germany during 2010/11. As a result of this incident the EU had proposed introducing legislation for the compulsory

60 | Farming Monthly | July 2012

testing of feeds for dioxins.

These proposals were opposed

by AIC as disproportionate and as a result were amended. However, the European Commission has incorporated into the legislation a two-year review.

Simon Williams, Technical Manager at AIC Services says: “Although we have helped to prevent the implementation of legislation that would have been very costly for UK feed business, it is vital that we can make a strong case when it is reviewed. In order to do this we need gather a significant number of dioxin results.”

By their nature dioxin tests are expensive, so AIC, with the help of industry representatives has devised a collaborative sampling regime under the control of the UFAS scheme, and most importantly, negotiated a favourable rate with the laboratory contracted to carry out the

analysis.

The cost per UFAS participant site is £135, which will be added to the SAI Global renewal fee for inspection and certification. The regime calls for just over 100 samples to be analysed per year, so not everyone will take a sample each year, but all participants will have access to the results. The fee represents approximately a third of the cost of a typical dioxin analysis, but will give access to a database which should ultimately be in excess of 200 results. This will provide a sound basis for companies to assess the dioxin risk to their business.

In addition, participants will, subject to agreement, be able to submit additional samples to the contracted laboratory for analysis at a preferential rate. The first samples will be taken during July, and the regime will run initially for two years.

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| Animal Health

Scaly leg ointment Intense action against scaly leg mite for birds & poultry including chickens, turkeys, game and cage birds. caly Leg Ointment acts as a wonderful barrier against Scaly Leg Mite.

Soothes, calms, provides instant relief against irritation and by physical means, suffocates mites on infested Chickens, Turkeys, Game and Cage Birds by direct application to the legs, feet, comb & wattle.

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Regularly check for the tell tail signs of crusty, white deposits on enlarged, rough and lumpy legs where the scales have become raised. Living entirely on the bird Scaly Leg Mite cause intense irritation and discomfort for the bird as they burrow under the scales and into the skin of the legs and sometimes the comb and wattles. In severe cases of infestation the birds find it difficult to walk, may lose a toe and become severely deformed.

Caused by Cnemidocoptes mutans and evident as tiny white spherical creatures with a diameter of less than 0.5mm Scaly Leg Mite is difficult to spot in the early

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stages. For this reason we recommend you use Scaly Leg Ointment regularly as a deterrent and to treat infested birds. Scaly Leg Mite affects birds of all ages, although older birds and feathered leg breeds tend to be more susceptible. Affected birds should be isolated and all housing cleared and thoroughly cleaned.

• Scaly Leg Ointment suffocates Scaly Leg parasites instantly, whilst soothing and calming irritation.

• Scaly Leg Ointment will not taint eggs.

• Scaly Leg Ointment contains the purest Lanolin combined with 100% Natural Herbal & Essential Oils.

Suitable for use in both organic and intensive farming systems.

This product falls into the exempt category of products which use only plant oils as active ingredients, as listed in Annexe IIB (Pesticides) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 (as amended) and is therefore suitable to use in organic systems.

Use regularly as a barrier: When buying in birds always check them very carefully and treat them as a matter of course before introducing them to clean birds.

Use in accordance with the instructions on the container. As an ongoing maintenance generously massage into the legs, feet, comb and wattle, every few weeks.

Where infestation exists: Affected birds should be isolated until clear of the problem.

Generously massage into the legs, feet, comb and wattle, repeat every 5-6 days to break the egg cycle and get on top of the problem.

Designed, Manufactured & Marketed by Barrier Animal Healthcare. Visit www.redmite.com for further details of our complete agricultural range.

Instant relief Suffocates Mites Soothes & Calms No More Scaly Leg

New vaccine developed MSD Animal Health presents results of a vaccine against Schmallenberg Virus to protect sheep and cattle.

SD Animal Health (known as Merck Animal Health in the United States and Canada) announces the successful development of a candidate vaccine against the Schmallenberg virus.

Immediately after the first cases appeared at the end of 2011, MSD Animal Health started the emergency development program. In a very short timeframe research was able to produce a vaccine and it was demonstrated that vaccinated animals were protected against a challenge with Schmallenberg virus. The results of several studies were presented as a poster presentation at a satellite symposium on the Schmallenberg virus during the 6th Annual Meeting of EPIZONE (an international network of veterinary research institutes working on epizootic animal diseases), which took place in Brighton (United Kingdom) from June 13-15, 2012.

The vaccine is based on wildtype Schmallenberg virus that has been inactivated and contains an adjuvant that stimulates the immune response. In the studies to date, safety and efficacy has been demonstrated in calves, lambs and pregnant ewes.

“In our studies we looked at the serological response as well as viremia and we have now reported that all vaccinated animals responded with formation of virus neutralizing antibodies. During the trials, all vaccinated animals were protected against Schmallenberg virus infection (complete blockage of viremia), whereas all controls developed viremia after challenge.

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Moreover, we found a good correlation between antibody titers and viremia”, said Veronique Moulin, research scientist at the virological R&D department at MSD Animal Health.

“Using our experience gained a few years ago during the fasttrack development of the first vaccine against bluetongue 8 virus in just 21 months, we are now on track to develop a vaccine against Schmallenberg virus in an even shorter time.

After we isolated the virus last December, we have diligently worked in an integrated and interdisciplinary team at BioSciences Center Boxmeer (the Netherlands) and our manufacturing site in Burgwedel (Germany) to develop this vaccine. We anticipate, pending regulatory approvals, to have a vaccine available for our customers by the end of this year”, said Dr. Rene Aerts, vice president Global Biologicals R&D Animal Health.

“Since the emergence of the Schmallenberg virus late summer of 2011, it has spread across several countries in Europe. At this moment it is not possible to predict the course and impact of the endemic in Europe in the near future. We see a potential role for the vaccine in the protection of young breeding stock on infected farms and protection of non-infected farms in risk areas.

Nevertheless, this project clearly shows that, as an animal health company, MSD Animal Health has taken its responsibility as a global leader in this field to make resources available in order to develop an efficacious vaccine in the shortest possible time”, Dr. Aerts added.

July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 61

| Loyalty

Sticking together Supporting each other in the good times...and the not so good. nother year notched up and it's time to celebrate the loyalty of our valued readers, advertisers and suppliers. But why do we run this feature every year?

The feature exists so that we can convey a very public thank you to the companies that have supported us over time and that we are happy to recommend to our equally valued readers.

There’s no doubt that times are tough. Recent reductions in the prices offered to milk producers will create mayhem for many. Input prices in general are higher and the near apocalyptic weather continues to cause chaos for farmers across the country.

The Euro crisis is in full effect, dubious practices with regards to the banking system are under scrutiny as the economic crisis bites harder than ever.

No business is immune to

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the struggle. For our part, Royal Mail price hikes have had an enormous effect on the cost of distribution along with other rising costs that all businesses must suffer.

Whilst there is doom and gloom all around us, there is still some light shining through.

As we continue to serve our loyal and values readers and advertisers in the best way that we can - they continue to support us in the best way that they can.

Welcoming recent new readers and advertisers to Farming Monthly we thank everyone for their support over the past year and look forward to continuing our excellent relationships in the future.

Be in no doubt that Farming Monthly will continue to go from strength to strength as we march ever onward to better times ahead.

62 | Farming Monthly | July 2012

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| Feature

Despite drop from 2009 peak, agricultural land grabs still remain above pre-2005 level New Worldwatch Institute report discusses worldwide developments in land acquisitions by foreign investors.

n estimated 70.2 million hectares of agricultural land worldwide have been sold or leased to foreign private and public investors since 2000, according to new research conducted by the Worldwatch Institute (www.worldwatch.org) for its Vital Signs Online service. The bulk of these acquisitions, which are called "land grabs" by some observers, took place between 2008 and 2010, peaking in 2009.

Although data for 2010 indicate that the amount of acquisitions dropped considerably after the 2009 peak, it still remains well above pre-2005 levels, writes Worldwatch author Cameron Scherer.

Although definitions vary, "land grab" here refers to the large-scale purchase of agricultural land by foreign investors. Thus, land leases or purchases among domestic actors are omitted. In April 2012, the Land Matrix Project, a global network of some 45 research and civil society organizations, released the largest database to date on these types of land deals, gathering data from 1,006 deals covering 70.2 million hectares around the world.

Africa has seen the greatest share of land involved in these acquisitions, with 34.3 million hectares sold or leased since 2000. East Africa accounts for the greatest investment, with 310 deals covering 16.8 million hectares. Increased investment in Africa's agricultural land reflects a decade-long trend of strengthening economic relationships between Africa and the rest of the world, with foreign direct investment to the continent

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growing 259 percent between 2000 and 2010.

Asia and Latin America come in second and third for most heavily targeted regions, with 27.1 million and 6.6 million hectares of land deals, respectively.

Investor countries, in contrast, are spread more evenly around the globe. Of the 82 listed investor countries in the Land Matrix Project database, Brazil, India, and China account for 16.5 million hectares, or around 24 percent of the total hectares sold or leased worldwide. When the East Asian nations of Indonesia, Malaysia, and South Korea are included, this group of industrializing countries has been involved in 274 land deals covering 30.5 million hectares.

The United States and the United Kingdom account for a combined 6.4 million hectares of land deals. The oil-rich but arid Gulf states make up the final group of major land investors, with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar responsible for 4.6 million hectares.

"In several cases----namely, South Africa, China, Brazil, and India----there is an overlap between investor and target countries," said Scherer. "Yet most of the data paint one of two pictures: First, there is a new 'South-South' regionalism, in which emerging economies invest in nearby, culturally affiliated countries. The other trend is one of wealthy (or increasingly wealthy) countries, many with little arable land, buying up land in lowincome nations----especially those that have been particularly vulnerable to the financial and

food crises of recent years."

The food crisis of 2007-08 helped spark the dramatic uptick in foreign acquisitions in 2009, as investors rushed to capitalize on the rising prices of staple crops.

But food prices are not solely responsible for the land-grab trend. As fuel consumption and oil prices continue to rise, the demand for land on which to grow feedstocks for biofuels will likely rise too, increasing the pressure on limited cropland.

The implications of the recent surge in foreign land acquisitions are still unclear. In many cases, the deals displace local farmers who already occupy and farm the land, but who frequently lack formal land rights or access to legal institutions to defend these rights.

The land grabs also often result in the use of industrial agriculture and other practices that can bring serious ecological and other impacts to these regions. In the absence of clear regulations, robust enforcement mechanisms, government transparency, and channels for civil society participation, further investments in land may benefit a group of increasingly wealthy investorsat the expense of those living in the targeted land areas.

Further highlights from the report: Approximately 56.2 million hectares of land have been sold or leased in Africa----4.8 percent of the continent's agricultural land Of the 658 land acquisition deals that took place in 2000-2010 that provided information on individual investors, 442 (67 percent) of them were carried out by private companies.

Just over a quarter of the acquired land is used for nonagricultural purposes: some 11 percent of investors are in the forestry sector, and 8 percent are from the mining, industry, livestock, or tourism sectors.

The United States and the United Kingdom account for a combined 6.4 million hectares of land deals. The oil-rich but arid Gulf states make up the final group of major land investors, with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar responsible for 4.6 million hectares.

July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 63

| ATV

Suzuki return to the Royal Welsh Show The ‘Comfort Zone’ concept aims to demonstrate all important rider-comfort of the KingQuad range. uzuki has confirmed that they will be returning to the Royal Welsh Show for 2012 with their popular range of dynamic All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs). This year's exhibition stand will be based around the newly launched Comfort Zone concept, which focuses on the all-important rider comfort that their KingQuads are famous for.

With Suzuki's exclusive T-shaped seat featuring on every model in the KingQuad range, feedback received from customers regularly praises the

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comfort of the machines. "We prefer the features on the Suzuki KingQuad 400, especially the high/low range gear box and twin shock suspension. Also, everybody finds it far more comfortable to ride than other ATVs." commented Simon Hall, a livestock farmer in County Durham.

Features such as fully independent suspension, speedsensitive power steering and artificial engine braking from the Quadmatic transmission make the KingQuads easy to use even for inexperienced riders, meaning that no matter how tricky the terrain, the rider will feel in control, safely within their comfort zone.

With the full ATV range on display at the Royal Welsh Show from 23rd-26th July 2012, Suzuki is inviting customers to join them on their stand located on Avenue F,

64 | Farming Monthly | July 2012

Wadsworth Quads Flockton (Head Office) 204 Barnsley Road, Flockton, Wakefield, W.Yorks WF4 4AB T: 01924 840319

Cornish Tractors Timberlake, Week St Mary, Devon EX22 6XG T: 01288 341326

28 Derwent Road, York Roadd Ind Est, Malton, N.Yorks YO17 6YB T: 01653 692244

Mike Pryce Agricultural Machinery Greenfields, Four Crosses, Powys SY22 6RF T: 01691 830308

MKM Agriculture Sun Valley Works, Wood End, Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire MK43 0NJ T: 01234 768889 www.mkmagri.com

A&D Motorcycles Ltd Spencer Trading Estate, Colomendy, Denbigh LL16 5TQ T: 01745 815105 www.admotorcycles.co.uk

Contact your local dealer Plot 449 to experience the Comfort Zone for themselves. "This year's stand is well worth a visit, with a unique display of ATVs in real working environments." commented Gareth Lumsdaine, Sales and Marketing Manager ATV & Marine, Suzuki GB PLC. A number of Suzuki staff and dealers will be on the stand throughout the show to answer any questions and take

bookings for test rides at your local dealership.

So make sure you experience the Comfort Zone for yourself and join the team for a coffee on the Suzuki stand.

For more information or to book a test ride, find your local dealer at www.suzuki-atv.co.uk

www.farmingmonthly.co.uk

| ATV

The Bear necessities Adventurer tours Scotland Scout camps. ear Grylls, the adventurer, writer and TV presenter went on a whirlwind tour of scout camps in Scotland at the end of May. The youngest ever Chief Scout flew by helicopter to eleven different camps and activity weekends meeting around 10,000 Scottish scouts participating in sailing and high rope activities. On his visit to the Haughs showground in Turriff the landing

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area was some distance from the scout camp. He was met by local Polaris dealer CC Supplies who provided transport to and from the site in the shape of a Polaris Ranger Diesel and six wheel Ranger CREW. They were joined by Graham Haddock, the Chief Commissioner for Scotland and

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he, Bear Grylls and the scouts had the opportunity to have a good look over the Polaris Rangers. CC Supplies are the quad bike specialists of Scotland.

Established in 2007 they were appointed in 2009 as the official dealer for new Polaris ATVs and Rangers in Aberdeenshire and carry a good selection of the largest range of youth, leisure, Utility ATV and Utility UTV on the market. In 2010 and 2011 they

were winners of the coveted Polaris award for the Most Improved Dealer Northern Region.

Due to demand CC Supplies have recently opened an ATV sales and service centre in Fife. Polaris: 0800 915 6720 www.polarisbritain.com

Good sales in the Vale First year success for dealer. ale of Glamorgan Polaris dealer, David Evans, reports good sales in what is their first year selling Polaris UTVs. Originally started as an independent engineering facility repairing farm machinery, the dealership has grown extensively since taking on its current premises in Barry, South Glamorgan in 1997. They have

have found the two-seat Polaris Ranger side by sides have been selling well in the first half of the year and complementing the agricultural sales. The general feedback they are getting from customers is that they are happy with their Polaris Rangers, finding them reliable, economical and up

expanded into turf and horticultural machinery as well as quads and ATVs. Today they line up Polaris Ranger UTVs alongside the McCormick, Kuhn, Fendt and Valtra agricultural equipment, covering farmers’ needs in South Wales with sales and service. They

to the job. Although it’s still early days, they say they are expecting a good level of sales as they approach their first full year in November.

Polaris: 0800 915 6720 www.polaris-britain.com

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July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 65

| ATV

So Farr so good...

Top quality topper

Almost 60 dealers supply the range.

Designed to suit the ATV user on a budget.

ARR All-Terrain Vehicles are renowned throughout the UK for providing uncompromising quality at industry leading prices. With almost 60 dealers currently stretching the country from Cornwall to the Orkney Islands, our dealers are well placed to offer FARR’s industry leading after sales service.

Our current fleet of Quad bikes and Farm Utility Vehicles are supplied AS STANDARD with an integrated road legal kit, electric winch, tow bar and switchable 2 and 4 wheel drive system. Select

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machines also come with front differential lock and a high/low gearbox.

Graham Joll, Sales Director for FARR stated that ‘over the past few years the price for Quad Bikes and Farm Utility Vehicles has increased dramatically, we at FARR believe in offering a reliable and strong product for an exceptionally competitive price’.

If you have never heard of FARR then please contact us on 01392 444887 or have a look at our detailed website www.farruk.com and find your local dealer.

66 | Farming Monthly | July 2012

he Wessex Country range has been developed to meet the needs of landscapers, private estate owners and smallholders.

In the range, the AT110 ATV topper is designed specifically to suit the ATV user working to a budget, without sacrificing the top quality associated with the Wessex brand.

The topper has a 1.1m working width and power comes from a 12.5hp (9.32kW) Briggs & Stratton engine. Cutting is from a single blade bar, height adjustment is

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simple and the drawbar allows for use to the left, right or centrally behind the ATV. The Wessex ranges for ATV’s and UTV’s also include further rotary mowers, flail mowers, collectors, trailed spreaders, sprayers, land rollers, drag harrows, trailers and accessories for equestrian facilities.

Wessex products are manufactured and distributed in Great Britain and worldwide by Broadwood International 01420 478111 www.broadwoodintl.co.uk

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| ATV

Carstins 324 Station Road, Balsall Common West Midland CV7 7EF Tel: 01676 533145 www.carstins.co.uk

Cross Roads Treadington, Shipston on Stour Warwickshire CV36 4NN Tel: 01608 661544 www.subaruvehicles.co.uk

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Holdcroft Subaru Leek Road, Hanley Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire Tel: 0800 881 5546 holdcroftsubaru.com

Lifestyle Subaru Mount Ephraim, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 8AG Tel: 01892 515666 www.lifestylesubaru.co.uk

Newcastle Subaru 53 Queen Alexandra Road West, North Sheilds, Tyne & Wear NE29 9AA Tel: 0191 257 3309 www.newcastlesubaru.co.uk

July 2012 | Farming Monthly | 67

| Motors

Britain’s Chinese revolutio Great Wall Motor Company is the first major Chinese car brand on sale reat Wall Motor Company – market leaders in China for Pick-Ups for over 14 years – has become the first Chinese automobile brand to commence volume vehicle sales in the UK, with the launch of the 2012 Steed pick-up, through a nationwide network of 45 handpicked Great Wall dealers (for locations, visit

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68 | Farming Monthly | July 2012

in the UK with the company promising unrivalled valu

www.greatwallmotor.co.uk).

The new Steed is the most affordable 4x4 double can pick-up in the UK. Prices start at just £13,998 (CVOTR) for the generously equipped Steed S model, and the vehicle’s newly-developed 2.0-litre, 16-valve turbocharged diesel powerplant delivers classleading fuel economy (30.1 mpg urban; 37.7mpg extra urban; 34.0 mpg combined). To further keep down ownership costs, the Steed boasts the lowest insurance ratings (from 7A) of any vehicle in the pick-up segment.

The Steed’s chunky appearance – amplified by muscular wheelarches and high ground clearance – signals its durability as well as its capabilities as a versatile loadlugger, both

on- and off-road. Under the galvanised steel skin lies a safe and robust, rust-proofed ladderframe chassis, strengthened and braced by reinforced middle cross-members, an impactabsorbing rear beam and a reinforced cargo bed.

Carrying capacity compares very well with established pick-up rivals, the spacious cargo bay measuring 1,380 mm x 1,460 mm x 480 mm (length, width, depth). The 1,050 kg maximum payload is also very competitive – and towing capability is an impressive 2,000 kg with a ‘braked’ trailer and 750 kg unbraked.

Inside the four-door Steed’s generously proportioned double-cab body there is ample head, leg and shoulder room for the driver and up to four passengers. Storage areas are plentiful, including a lockable glove-box, front centre console, front door pockets with cup holders and front seatback map pockets.

When the terrain gets more challenging, the driver can engage the Steed’s low-range gearbox, as well as the ‘on demand’ fourwheel-drive system – the latter at speeds of up to 12 mph.

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| Motors

on begins with Great Wall

ue and superb customer service.

Unrivalled value The Steed might be able to work hard when required, but it is not a stripped-down, utilitarian device. It is luxuriously appointed, and no similarly priced pick-up on sale in the UK will rival its impressive tally of standard equipment.

The entry-level Steed S (£13,998 CVOTR) comes with a host of features typically offered as high-cost options in competitor vehicles, including 16-inch alloy wheels, daytime running lights, remote central locking, a Thatchamapproved Category 1 alarm, electric front and rear windows, an Alpine CD/radio with USB/MP3 and Bluetooth connectivity, steeringwheel-mounted audio controls, air-conditioning, heated fronted seats and a full leather interior.

The range-topping Steed SE costs just £2,000 more (£15,998 CVOTR), and adds bodycoloured hard-top canopy, body-coloured spoiler, chrome trim to the daytime running lights, chrome side bars, black roof rails, load bay liner, and rear parking sensors.

The Great Wall Promise In order to ensure that the buying and ownership experience of a Steed is as

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rewarding and trouble-free as possible, all dealers for the new brand have committed to the ‘Great Wall Promise’. This will include customer benefits such as inflation-proof servicing plans, service pick-up and drop-off, and even the option of arranging a test drive at a location of the customer’s choice if they live or work within 20 miles of their nearest Great Wall dealership.

All Steeds come with a comprehensive threeyear / 60,000-mile mechanical warranty, a sixyear anti-perforation warranty, three-year paint warranty, and three years’ roadside recovery and assistance.

Pick-up pedigree The UK launch of the Steed comes 35 years after the first Great Wall vehicle rolled down the company’s production line in Baoding, Hebei Province, near Beijing. In the interim period, Great Wall has assets of £2.7 billion, an employee base of over 45,000 people and an annual production capacity of over 800,000 vehicles, with plans to increase to 1.5 million by 2015.

Great Wall boasts impressive credentials in the production of pick-ups. It has

manufactured the best-selling pick-up in China every year since 1998, and the Steed pick-up that makes the brand’s debut in the UK attracts around 100,000 sales in its domestic market each year, with over 700,000 sold to date.

“As the UK’s most affordable 4x4 Double Cab Pick-Up, The New Steed has already attracted lots of interest” said Paul Hegarty, Managing Director, Great Wall UK. “Our pickup boasts unrivalled value and a tried and tested pedigree. In these difficult economic times, Great Wall makes great sense.”

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The Jeep brand debuts on new Juventus football club jersey 3 season deal means Jeep will be at Juventus’ side in national and international events. he logo of the legendary Jeep brand, sponsor of the Juventus football club for the 2012/13 football season, has made its first appearance – on the Italian team’s new away strip.

Officially unveiled to supporters last Friday, the all-black strip with iconic Jeep badge highlights some of the key values of the Italian Championship-winning club, which boasts 295 million followers worldwide.

A crew neck design is inspired by the 1941/42 Coppa Italia winning jersey, while the inner neck graphic on the shirt is the club motto: "Vincere Non È Importante È L'Unica Cosa che Conta" (Winning is not important, it

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is everything).

The initiative results from a sponsorship agreement signed in April between Fiat S.p.A. and Juventus Football Club S.p.A., in which Fiat will be sponsor on the Juventus jersey for the next three seasons. Jeep and Juventus are two icons in the history of their respective worlds. Both have in their DNA values such as authenticity, passion and the ability to take on any challenge.

Jeep will be at Juventus’ side in national and international events before the new football season starts, including test-drives, contests and outdoor activities related to the world of sports. In July, Jeep will showcase the

preview of the Grand Cherokee S Limited, the new trim line of the Jeep flagship that will be introduced in European markets in September.

Boasting black-gloss 20inch alloy wheels, distinctive SRT (Street and Racing Technology) styling cues, interior trim and exterior treatments, new S Limited combines a stand-out exterior design and sporty appeal with the efficiency of the new 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine fitted with MultiJet II technology and delivering 241 horsepower and 550 Nm of torque.

Stars gather for Jeep-sponsored countryside charity event Worthwhile cause deserved Jeep support.

egends from TV, sport and music joined Jeep to support a charity’s biggest-ever fund-raising event last month.

Cricketers Sir Ian Botham and Mike Atherton, TV presenters Adam Henson and Muriel Gray, Judas Priest guitarist Glenn Tipton and Simply Red saxophonist Chris de Margary were among the celebrities fly fishing and sporting clay shooting at the Fishing For Heroes Cast and Blast day, in Meon Springs, Hampshire.

Jeep UK supplied a fleet of Grand Cherokee and Wrangler

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Unlimited 4WD vehicles to drive the stars to and from various sports activities. It was also an opportunity for the company to showcase the new Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT, the 6.4-litre V8 flagship off-roader, which has just gone on sale here.

More than £20,000 was raised for the charity, which helps forces’ veterans who are suffering from emotional issues after active service.

“We were absolutely delighted to support this very worthwhile cause,” says Nigel Land, brand director, Jeep Chrysler UK. “The

setting was perfect for Jeep, the celebrities were out in force supporting the event, and the charity raised some useful funds. It was a great success all round.”

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Low cost finance makes all-new Isuzu D-Max exceptional value le with a The tough, capable and refined new Isuzu D-Max pick-up is now availab range of flexible, low-cost contract-hire packages.

Contact your local dealer

acked by Black Horse Contract Hire, the finance agreements make it possible to secure an all-new DMax with an initial payment of only £1,100 followed by monthly payments from just £185. The scheme can be tailored for a wide range of affordable rental arrangements covering all model specifications. Buyers can choose from two-, three- or four-year terms and can add maintenance cover for a small premium.

The Isuzu D-Max single cab 4x2 – which comes with features such as air conditioning, electric windows and six airbags as standard – is available from £185 per month on a four-year deal with a first month’s payment of £1,100.

Over three years, the monthly payment is £193, and a two-year rental is £198 per month.

The mid-specification Isuzu DMax Eiger is available from £229 per month, the Yukon – expected to be the best-selling model – from £233 per month, and the rangetopping Utah from £254 per month. All contracts are subject to an initial payment (equivalent to six months’ payments), and are contracted to 10,000 miles annually.

The new finance packages add to an already compelling ownership proposition. Every Isuzu D-Max is available with a transferable five-year / 120,000mile warranty and benefits from class-leading fuel economy (38.2 mpg combined).

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William Brown, General Manager of Isuzu UK, said: “Many professional tradespeople depend on a reliable, durable pick-up, but a primary consideration will always be its affordability.

“The all-new Isuzu D-Max marries its extensive technical capabilities and impressive loadlugging capacities with a refined and comfortable interior. And in conjunction with our unique fiveyear / 120,000-mile warranty, these newly-announced affordable contract hire rates signal our determination to make the Isuzu D-Max the number one pick-up choice in the UK.” The Isuzu D-Max is available in three body styles – single, extended and double cab – with prices starting from £14,499 (CVOTR) for the entry-level single cab 4x2, rising to £21,499 (CVOTR) for the top-of-the-range Utah double cab 4x4 Automatic.

The pick-up is powered by a completely re-engineered, 2.5-litre twin-turbo diesel engine, producing 163 ps and 400 Nm of torque, and achieves fuel economy of 38.2 mpg (combined).

It is available with either a sixspeed manual or five-speed automatic transmission.

More information on the all-new Isuzu D-Max is available from Isuzu dealers. Alternatively, they can register their interest by visiting www.isuzu.co.uk, can ‘Like’ Isuzu’s Facebook page or follow @IsuzuUK on Twitter.

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Ashburton Motor Works Ltd Devon - 01364 652302 devon-isuzu.co.uk

Hyltons of Shrewsbury Shropshire - 01743 450450 www.hylton.co.uk

B & B Tractors Staffordshire - 01283 521522 www.bandbtractors.co.uk

Jeffries of Bacton Suffolk - 01449 781087 www.jeffriesofbacton.co.uk

Bob Gerard Limited Leicestershire - 01162 592224 www.bobgerard.co.uk

Lifestyle Isuzu Kent - 01892 515666 www.lifestyleisuzu.co.uk

Bulldog Twyford Berkshire - 0118 9321 331 bulldogtwyford.com

Maple Garage Ltd East Yorkshire - 01964 670392 www.maplegarage.co.uk

Cartsins West Midlands - 01676 533145 www.isuzurodeos.co.uk

Newcastle Isuzu Tyne & Wear - 01912 573309 www.newcastleisuzu.co.uk

Cross Roads Warwickshire - 01608 661544 www.isuzuvehicles.co.uk

R. Hunt Isuzu Hampshire - 01264 860532 www.rhunt.co.uk

Culverwells East Sussex - 01580 880567 www.culverwells.co.uk

Sheaf Motors Derbyshire 01246 296969 isuzusales@sheafmotors.co.uk

Duckworth Isuzu Boston - 01205 725700 www.duckworthisuzu.co.uk Duckworth Isuzu Market Rasen - 01673 841410 www.duckworthisuzu.co.uk Hammonds of Halesworth Suffolk - 01986 834090 www.hammondgroup.co.uk

Unity Automotive Cambridgeshire - 01733 893704 www.unityisuzu.co.uk Victor Wood (Isuzu) Lincolnshire - 01476 512 460 victorwoodisuzu.co.uk Welch Group Cambridgeshire - 01223 843015 isuzu-cambridge.co.uk

Holdcroft Isuzu Staffordshire - 0800 881 5546 holdcroftisuzu.com

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The SUV for Supermini money Dacia poised to clean up with “shockingly affordable” Duster SUV from £8,995. he UK car industry might never be the same again after today’s announcement by Dacia that its first model on sale here, Duster, an SUV, will be priced from only £8,995 on-the-road.

After an anxious wait, British buyers will finally get to see for themselves just what all the fuss has been about in recent years when it comes to the Dacia phenomenon, which continues to take the motoring world by storm.

Since its resurgence under Renault Group ownership, international demand has been so high for the Dacia value brand, including the Duster SUV, that right-hand drive production has not been possible. Until now. By the end of 2012, the all-new Renault-Nissan Alliance factory in Chennai, India will be producing Britain’s most affordable SUV. Versions reaching UK shores will also benefit from several changes, including improved interiors and facelifted exterior touches. Shortly afterwards, the all-new Sandero supermini will also join the fray, giving Europe’s fastest-growing automotive a two-pronged assault on the UK car market, both new and used.

Aiming to mirror its unprecedented success in other Western European markets, including France and Germany, Dacia will offer a simple three trim level Duster line-up in the UK, in both 4x2 and 4x4 guises.

Everything that Dacia does is centred around simplicity and eliminating the unnecessary. Its model range for the UK reflects this strategy, giving customers the ability to buy exactly what they need and nothing more. In spite of eye-catching entry model prices, contrary to what one might

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expect, a significant proportion of Western European buyers tend to treat themselves. Most tend to plump for top-of-the-range versions such as the Laureate, which offers alloy wheels, air conditioning and electric windows and mirrors, all for the price of a mid-range supermini.

Duster – Options and accessories The Dacia philosophy is to make an enemy of the unnecessary. One prime example of this relentless focus on keeping costs in check is option availability and paint colours on its vehicles.

By limiting the number of options and colour palette choices available on its cars and vans, the brand can reduce production line complexity, thereby passing the savings onto its customers through lower list prices.

Duster is no exception. In the UK, this leads to an easy-tofathom options list incorporating simply two items, ASR traction control and ESC on diesel-engined versions for £350, and metallic paint. All trim levels have non-metallic white as standard.

Although factory option complexity is deliberately toned down, unsurprisingly as an SUV, Duster lends itself to plenty of customisation. Customers seeking to enhance its rugged looks can choose from a set of four accessory packs.

The first pack, Adventurer, includes door sill protective mouldings and front and rear wheel arch protectors, at £445 including VAT. The second, Styling, costs £655 and brings daytime running lights and chrome for the side and front bars and exhaust tailpipe. The penultimate, Protection, as befitting its name and undoubtedly a boon for city dwellers, pet owners or the odd mud-plugging adventure, offers an alarm, rear parking sensors, tailgate protection, bootliner and front and rear mudguards at £575. The last, Touring, costs £555 and should prove ideal for outdoor types, boasting a towbar and transversal roof bars, plus a front centre armrest for increased comfort on the longer journey.

Dacia expects UK sales to be

predominantly 4x2. However, with 4x4 ve just £10,995 on-the-road, nothing else in the same size, price and equipment for th Based on Renault-Nissan Alliance four technology, Duster is not your average u More than capable of tackling the rough versions feature selectable three-mode, f as standard (2WD, Auto and Lock), plus ground clearance and impressive clearan 30°(approach), 23°(ramp breakover) and Duster – engines and transmissions In the UK, Duster will be available with tried and tested Renault Group engines, and 1.5 dCi diesel. The former gives fuel mpg (35.3 in 4x4) andCO2emissions of 1 (185g/km 4x4).

Renault Group’s best-selling diesel en 110, is put to effective use in Duster, part car’s sub-1,300kg kerbweight. Giving the performance in the range, in 4x2 models 130g/km, as well as an impressive 137g/ together with a wallet-friendly 56.5 mpg ( In 4x2 models, the 1.6 is mated to a fiv gearbox. 1.5 dCi 110 versions, are paired manual, as are 1.6 4x4 versions. 4x4 vers short first gear ratio for greater traction o ground. Italso helps to maintain grip whe slope, tackling steep descents or acceler such as when towing.

Dacia– UK warranty All new Dacia’s come with a 3 year/60 warranty (whichever is reached sooner). forcing buyers to pay a premium for a lon they might not want, the new brand will b customers the option to extend their war (60,000 miles), or seven-year (100,000 m £395 or £850, including VAT. Dacia Store, www.dacia.co.uk Those keen to be among the first to re in a few months time will be able to pre-order one from

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New Hyundai Santa Fe Prices announced for premium new range.

ersions starting at n the market offers he money. r-wheel-drive urban soft-roader. stuff, all 4x4 four-wheel drive a useful 210mm nce angles of d 36°(departure).

h a choice of two the 1.6-litre petrol l economy of 39.8 165g/km

tomorrow with a £100 deposit online. Visitors to the Dacia Store on www.dacia.co.uk will be able to configure their exact Duster, including paint colours, options and accessories 24 hours a day, seven days a week from the comfort of their own home.

127 Dacia Retailers in UK As announced last week, giving the new brand impressive national coverage from the outset, a total of 127 Dacia Retailers have been appointed across the UK. From 28 June, each one will have a left-hand drive Duster available in the showroom for display purposes, as well as a trained sales person to guide potential customers around its key features and selling points. An easy-to-use Dacia Retailer locator is available on www.dacia.co.uk, or by calling 0800 99 11 99.

ngine, the 1.5 dCi ticularly given the e best CO2 s it offers /km in 4x4, (53.3 in 4x4). ve-speed manual d with a six-speed sions also boast a over rough en starting on a rating under load,

0,000 mile Rather than nger warranty be giving rranty to a fivemiles) policy, for

eceive their Duster

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yundai can now confirm pricing and specification for the New Generation Santa Fe SUV, which goes on sale in the UK on October 15. Prices will start from £25,495 OTR for the 2.2-litre CRDi Style 2WD model.

Since its launch in the UK in 2001, the Hyundai Santa Fe has sold 37,500 units in total. Last year, was the second best year in terms of sales for the SUV in Britain with just over 4,200 sold – which equated to a third of European Santa Fe sales in 2011.

Produced at the world’s largest car manufacturing plant in Ulsan, South Korea, the New Generation Santa Fe represents a significant leap forward in terms of desirability, refinement, interior quality and technology.

Tony Whitehorn, President and CEO, Hyundai Motor UK, said: “Globally Hyundai has decided to keep the Santa Fe nameplate as it has, and continues to be, a hugely popular product with customers and is synonymous with the Hyundai brand. We know that Santa Fe buyers are amongst our most loyal customers and it is their feedback that has helped to shape the new model.

“We think that the New Generation Santa Fe will not only appeal to existing customers with its fresh design and improved levels of standard technology, but will attract a new range of buyers looking for a stylish, premium and authentic SUV.” The New Generation Santa Fe will be powered by a 2.2-litre CRDi engine which develops 197PS and 311lb ft of torque. Six-speed manual or automatic transmissions will be available. The engine has been worked to ensure significant improvements in fuel economy along with associated reductions in CO2 emissions. The 2WD version returns 47.9mpg on the combined cycle and emissions fall below the benchmark 160g/km level for the first time (155g/km) making it an attractive proposition for fleets. The 4WD manual Santa Fe too makes an appealing fleet choice with a combined fuel

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consumption figure of 46.3mpg and 159g/km. The automatic model is almost on par with the outgoing manual version delivering 41.5mpg and just 178g/km.

Three trim levels are available and there is still a choice of either five- or seven-seat configurations.

In keeping with Hyundai’s philosophy of offering customers maximum value for money, the Santa Fe comes standard with a number of key features that are traditionally cost options with rivals.

Hyundai engineers have tuned the New Generation Santa Fe’s suspension specifically for UK roads to ensure a refined and cosseting ride. Dampers have been stiffened over the European set-up in order to cope with bumps and uneven road surfaces that are more common in the UK. A number of safety features are also standard from entry including ESP, Hill Start Assist, Vehicle Stability Management, Trailer Stability Assist and seven airbags.

A first for Santa Fe is the Active Bonnet System, which raises the bonnet by 60mm in the event of a pedestrian collision to help minimise the impact of head injuries. The system complements the New Generation Santa Fe’s already high safety package.

Interior space and packaging differs from the outgoing Santa Fe with improvements to rear legroom (+45mm) and first row headroom (+11mm). The New Generation Santa Fe still remains a functional and versatile SUV with luggage capacity at 534 litres plus an additional 48 litres under the boot floor. For added convenience the Santa Fe is fitted with two quickrelease levers inside the boot to flatten the second row of seats for maximum load space.

The Santa Fe is backed by Hyundai’s 5 Year Triple Care package, which means owners get a fully transferable five year unlimited mileage warranty, five years roadside assistance and five years free vehicle health checks.

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Mitsubishi Motors in the UK makes it a threesome Launches special edition L200 Barbarian Black

here is definitely no environment too tough for the latest L200 special edition model, the Barbarian Black, with its striking new moody image. Added stylish accessories in the form of a black satin roof, sports grille, resin guard, wing mirrors and door handles, plus the fuel filler cap, light bezels, rear bar and side steps all transform the L200 Barbarian into its cool, BLACK guise. This is all finished off with moody black 17” alloy wheels and all new carbon effect leather seats.

Specification Available in both manual and automatic derivatives, the L200 Barbarian Black features an impressive range of additional equipment to the standard Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian. The Black special edition features: • Black 17” alloy wheels

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• Black wrapped roof • Black front resin guard • Black fog lamp surrounds • Black front sports grille • Black wing mirrors • Black door handles and recess covers • Black side steps • Black fuel filler cap • Black tailgate handle cover • Black rear bar • Stunning new embossed leather design • Outside Temperature/Direction/MPG display panel – a conveniently located complement to the Kenwood system • Barbarian Black side decals Colours & Availability The L200 BLACK is available in all colours although Granite Brown and Sapphire Blue will be available via special order only.

• Starlight Silver (Metallic) • Eisen Grey (Pearlescent) • Aztec Red (Solid) • Sapphire Blue (Metallic) • Polar White (Solid) • Cosmos Black (Pearlescent) • Granite Brown (Metallic) Pricing L200 Barbarian Black is priced at £1,000 ex VAT over the current Barbarian list price with a metallic paint surcharge of £410.

L200 Barbarian Black Manual £23,899 L200 Barbarian Black Auto

£25,299 The ultimate L200’s Barbarian specification makes a fabulous, versatile family vehicle, for those with a sense of adventure and who demand great value, but not at the expense of getting the equipment, style and engineering prowess they demand. It provides the ultimate pick-up experience.

New Outlander plug-in hybrid EV world premier Unveiling at Paris Motor Show 2012. t the forthcoming 2012 Paris Motor Show ("Mondial de l’Automobile"), Mitsubishi Motors will continue to roll out its ambitious, global and green new product generation with a series of significant premieres. Highlight of this offensive will be the world introduction of the all-new Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV. New Frontier Neither a mere adaptation of an existing Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) – powered vehicle, nor a dedicated Plug-in Hybrid technology showcase, the New Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV (or “PHEV”) will share its architecture with the soon-to-be-introduced

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New Outlander’s ICE versions – an engineering feat in itself.

As such, it will be the first mainstream car from a major manufacturer envisaged from the outset with built-in provisions for either ICE or PHEV power trains.

Plug-in Hybrid EV Adding to its credentials, the New Outlander PHEV will further distinguish itself: • Mitsubishi Motors’ first Plug-in Hybrid car, it will be an EV-based vehicle, relying on MMC’s extensive EV and electronic know-how, supplemented by a petrol engine when needed – a solution more suited to global markets than Diesel.

• Making the best use of

Mitsubishi’s renowned 4-WheelDrive expertise, it will also be the first permanent 4WD electric car in series production.

Long haul The New Outlander PHEV unique drive train combination of front electric motor + rear electric motor + front traction/generator petrol engine will translate into a choice of three driving modes: • Pure (Twin Motor 4WD EV) • Series (Twin Motor 4WD - EV supported by generator) • Parallel (ICE engine supported by Twin Motor 4WD).

When fitted to the New Outlander, the Mitsubishi Plug-in Hybrid system will allow for a long haul range and very low

emissions similar to that of the Concept PX-MiEV II show car, i.e. a driving distance of over 800 km and a CO2 target below 50 g/km.

Further…

Whilst the New Outlander ICE will start its commercial career in Western & Eastern Europe in the fall of 2012, the Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV will be retailed in Europe during the course of 2013.

Contact your local dealer: Ashby & Mann Mitsubishi

Lewis Mitsubishi

Tees Valley Mitsubishi

Hinckley, Leicestershire, LE10 1RL Tel: 01455 250052 www.ashbyandmann-mitsubishi.co.uk

Ronic House, Chicester PO18 8PN Tel: 01243 574141

McMullen Rd, Darlington DL1 1XP Tel: 01325 462222 www.teesvalley-mitsubishi.co.uk

Grenson Mitsubishi

Rodgers of Plymouth

Middlewich Rd, Crewe CW2 8UY Tel: 01270 507490

Brixton Rd, Devon PL8 2BL Tel: 01752 402623 www.rodgers-mitsubishi.co.uk

www.grensonmotor.co.uk

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www.lewis-mitsubishi.co.uk

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