South East Farmer September 2022

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Est 1982

September 2022

HOW WILL WE PLANT THE NEXT CROP? DROUGHT MEANS GOOD EARLY HARVEST, BUT BONE DRY SOIL POSES PROBLEMS

NIGEL AKEHURST VISITS...

A regenerative arable farming business with a direct-to-consumer brand

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PLOUGHING MATCHES

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NEWS

Well-known auctioneer puts down his hammer

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www.southeastfarmer.net SOUTH EAST FARMER Kelsey Media, The Granary, Downs Court Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 6AL 01959 541444 EDITORIAL Editor: Malcolm Triggs Email: sef.ed@kelsey.co.uk Photography: Martin Apps, Countrywide Photographic PUBLISHER Jamie McGrorty 01303 233883 jamie.mcgrorty@kelsey.co.uk GRAPHIC DESIGN Jo Legg 07306 482166 jo.legg@flair-design.co.uk MANAGEMENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Steve Wright CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER: Phil Weeden MANAGING DIRECTOR: Kevin McCormick PUBLISHER: Jamie McGrorty RETAIL DIRECTOR: Steve Brown RENEWALS AND PROJECTS MANAGER: Andy Cotton SENIOR SUBSCRIPTION MARKETING MANAGER: Nick McIntosh SUBSCRIPTION MARKETING DIRECTOR: Gill Lambert SUBSCRIPTION MARKETING MANAGER: Kate Chamberlain PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER: Georgina Harris PRINT PRODUCTION CONTROLLER: Kelly Orriss DISTRIBUTION Distribution in Great Britain Marketforce (UK) Ltd, 3rd Floor, 161 Marsh Wall, London, E14 9AP Tel: 0330 390 6555

44

CONTENTS

32

22 NEWS & REPORTS

04 Drought status now confirmed.

06 Investigations over ‘pay to work’ claims.

10 Mark Cleverdon puts down his auctioneer's hammer.

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www.kelsey.co.uk Cover picture: Tom Sewell of Sewell Farms, Hunt Street, West Farleigh

REGULARS

18

12 MONICA AKEHURST

Water levels are alarmingly low.

14 NICK ADAMES

FEATURES

Vital harvest almost finished.

18 NIGEL AKEHURST VISITS...

Nigel visits Eckley Farms, a regenerative arable farming business with a direct-to-consumer brand, Pure Kent, based near Staplehurst in Kent.

25 SARAH CALCUTT 28 ADVICE FROM THE VET 29 43 44 46 49

Helping farmers and growers meet standards.

22 MRF CONTRACTING

Impressive reputation for quality of workmanship.

Ploughing match season is here! We look at upcoming events in the South East.

ALAN WEST STEPHEN CARR ANITA HEAD LEGAL LAND AND FARMS

Kent Event Centre, Detling, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3JF

16 LB PRODUCE CONSULTANCY

32 PLOUGHING MATCHES

Preparing for winter.

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40 FURLEY PAGE

Growing demand from rural clients sees Furley Page expand agriculture and rural business team.

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NEWS

DROUGHT STATUS

NOW CONFIRMED 4

An easy harvest has given way to concerns over getting the next crop in the ground as the South East continues to suffer from an unprecedented dry spell.

The Environment Agency (EA)’s monthly water situation report revealed that 2022 saw the driest July across England since 1935, with monthly rainfall totals for most catchments classed as ‘exceptionally low’ for the time of year. It was also the fifth consecutive month to see below average rainfall across England.

With drought status now confirmed across eight areas, taking in the Solent and South Downs, Kent and South London, East Sussex and Thames, there seems little chance of a respite from the hot, dry weather that has made for challenging conditions.

The EA report predicts: “For the three-month period from August to October for the UK there is an increased chance of warm conditions consistent with an increased westerly flow from warmer than average seas. Any rainfall is likely to follow the typical pattern of wetter conditions in the northwest and drier conditions in the south-east.”

Arable farmer Tom Sewell, who farms as part of the Sewell Farms family business at Hunt Street, West Farleigh, near Maidstone, painted a mixed picture of the situation.

“The hot, dry weather was good for the harvest because we didn’t have to dry any of the crop, which saved what can be a considerable sum of money – perhaps £10 a tonne on 2,000 tonnes. It was easy to harvest and there was no damage to

the soil,” he said.

“On the other hand, there are now no volunteers growing so we can’t get rid of any unwanted growth before planting next year’s crop. The field of barley we cut on 10 July looks like it was cut yesterday (17 August).”

With dormant blackgrass seeds amongst the issues, min-till practitioner Tom is worried that he will struggle to get a clean seedbed if the dry warm conditions prevent anything germinating ahead of his next crop being planted, while oil seed rape is literally a non-starter in these conditions.

The weather has also slowed down worm activity, while the packed soil would make it hard to plant the crop even if there were a likelihood of it getting away, given the lack of moisture in the soil. “It was great to get this year’s harvest done, but we can’t do much on the land now,” Tom said.” We just have to wait.”

While Tom had seen less than 4mm of rain by mid-August, an uncle’s farm near Eastbourne received 62mm in one of the downpours in the middle of the month. “But most of that ran off the top of the dry soil anyway,” he said.

“You can’t get stressed, though, because there’s nothing we can do about it. You can only farm what’s in front of you,” added Tom. While his winter wheat harvest was “pretty good”, hitting his five-year average, and his barley and beans were “OK”, he said the maize harvest was likely to be poor and said livestock farmers would struggle with the lack of a third or fourth cut

> Tom Sewell harvesting

SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

of silage. “Farmers are already feeding cattle that would usually still be on grass,” he said.

Tom said that while this year’s high crop prices set against inputs bought the best part of a year ago would make for a good return, next year could be more difficult because input costs had since risen sharply.

As to the weather, he said it was just part of a natural cycle. “You just have to be patient and wait for the right conditions before planting the next crop. We’re doing other jobs and staying pretty relaxed about it. You can’t change it.”

The EA report said that soils were “much drier” at the end of July than they would normally be at that time of year and said river flows decreased at most of their indicator sites, with most classed as “notably low for the time of year”. Stocks of water also decreased at all reservoirs, dropping to 65.2% at the end July.

It added: “The July rainfall total for England was 23.1mm, the driest July since 1935, being 39% of the 1961-1990 long term average (LTA) [and] 35% of the 1991-2020 LTA.” It said five areas along the south coast received less than 2mm, with both the Pevensey Levels in East Sussex and the New Forest receiving only 3% of the LTA. South East Farmer correspondent and sheep farmer Alan West said the figures “certainly highlight that the current drought situation is not going to be readily resolved. A few showers in the coming weeks are not going to make a huge difference; we appear to be in it for the long haul.”

OP INI ON End-of-harvest treats

YOUNG FARMERS TO

PROMOTE BUDGET-BUSTING

BRITISH RECIPES Young farmers are being challenged to come up with budget-busting recipes using British produce in a competition launched by The National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC).

The top six recipes will be chosen by a judging panel including TV presenter Chris Bavin from BBC’s Eat Well for Less? and NFYFC President Nigel Owens MBE, and the results will be shared during National Young Farmers’ Week, which this year runs from 17 to 21 October.

The challenge, which is being supported by Oxbury Bank, is open to NFYFC’s 22,000 members, aged from 10 to 28, and is in direct response to the Government’s Food Strategy aim of ensuring secondary school children leave school knowing how to cook at least six healthy recipes.

It’s a topic NFYFC addressed in response to the National Food Strategy consultation and backs up a motion agreeing to promote British food and farming put forward at the NFYFC’s annual meeting earlier this year.

Chris Bavin said: “With pressures on food security and the high cost of living, this challenge is an ideal way to make more people aware of great British produce and how easy and affordable it can be to cook from scratch.

“It’s important that we celebrate British farming and encourage the nation to buy British produce as their first choice.”

Each recipe entered needs to feed four people and must not cost more than £1.50 per head. YFC members also need to think sustainably, as produce used in the recipes must be locally sourced or demonstrate sustainable production.

President and former international rugby referee Nigel Owens MBE said young farmers had “always played an integral part in the rural community”, adding: “This challenge will demonstrate their ongoing commitment to helping tackle the challenges ahead while also creating solutions for healthy eating and a healthy planet.”

Oxbury Bank, the only UK bank dedicated to British agriculture, is sponsoring NFYFC’s National Young Farmers’ Week this year and backing the #HomeGrown campaign.

YFC members can submit their recipe ideas at www.nfyfc.org.uk/nyfw-recipechallenge up until 18 September 2022.

After a summer in which event organisers haven’t, for once, had to worry about the ‘village hall if wet’ scenario wrecking months of planning and hard work, it seems a touch ironic that ploughing societies are now fretting about the opposite problem.

As previously, this magazine includes a comprehensive list of ploughing matches, the end-of-harvest treats that offer a unique combination of competition, arena events, attractions and a chance to enjoy a beer or glass of wine in the early autumn sunshine with family and friends.

This year the sunshine seems pretty much nailed on (and if that isn’t guaranteed to prompt much-needed torrential rain then you can’t say I haven’t tried), but the competition could face a bit of a challenge, with ploughmen and women taking on not just each other but concrete-like soil.

Without a deluge or two between now and 3 September, when the good folk of East Grinstead and Three Counties gather for the first event on the South East Farmer fixture list, turning over the soil threatens to be about as easy as predicting this weekend’s National Lottery numbers.

The drought – now officially ‘confirmed’, as if any of us needed confirmation – is causing major problems for farmers across the region, with the upside of not needing to spend money on drying grain offset by the impossible task of getting anything drilled or established under the current conditions.

There are, of course, those who still see the current climatic conditions as nothing more than a cyclical ‘glitch’ and who are convinced that talk of climate change is mere ‘doom-mongering’. The point, though, surely, is that even if this is nothing more than a cyclical event, it needs a robust response. Nature’s ‘cycles’ tend to be measured in hundreds or thousands of years, and even if this one only lasts for 50 before a return to the “good old British summer”, it will have had, by then, a devastating impact.

So let’s stop arguing about the cause – or lack of it – and work in partnership with water authorities, DEFRA, scientists and anyone who can help provide a solution to the issue of seasonal droughts. We need ways of retaining moisture in the soil, whether that’s through promoting min-till or cover crops or by increasing the amount of organic matter it contains – or by doing something none of us has thought about yet…

When it comes to working together, the industry can perhaps take a lead from the pages of the fruit sector, where the response to a ‘shock horror’ news story in a national newspaper has been to co-operate, forget about blame and work together to find out what happened and how it can be prevented from happening again.

As those involved in the ‘pay to work’ story have stressed (see page 6), the priority has been to support the Indonesian workers involved – and that’s clearly the right response. Let’s take a similar, partnership-led, approach to drought.

MALCOLM TRIGGS - EDITOR

EMAIL YOUR VIEWS, LETTERS OR OPINIONS TO: sef.ed@kelsey.co.uk or write to the address on page 3 ®

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5

NEWS

INVESTIGATIONS OVER ‘PAY TO WORK’ CLAIMS

6

Urgent investigations have begun into claims that Indonesian fruit pickers were charged additional fees to work in this country as part of teams signed up by a Kent recruitment agency approved by the Home Office.

The issue came to light when workers at Clock House Farm in Coxheath, near Maidstone, told a national newspaper that they had paid several thousand pounds to a third-party broker in Bali.

Clock House Farm Managing Director Oli Pascall said he was “deeply concerned” about the revelations and was working hard to support the workers affected and help find out how the issue had arisen. There is no suggestion that the farm had any knowledge of the payments.

Faversham-based AG Recruitment’s Doug Amesz, meanwhile, is also working with the authorities in a bid to work out what payments were made and why, and has stressed that he made it very clear to workers when they were recruited that they should not pay any additional fees to a third party.

He added that despite the issues raised by the Guardian newspaper, the workforce at Clock House Farm was “very happy to be here and hoping to be able to return next year”. Oli Pascall has guaranteed the workforce that they will be offered at least 35 hours work a week – an amount that is regularly surpassed – and has confirmed that they are paid the agreed minimum hourly rate of £10.10, above the £9.50 national minimum wage.

In a statement, the farm stressed: “Clock House Farm is compliant with all necessary legislation and meets the requirements defined in law to ensure the best working and living conditions for those employed under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme.”

Oli added: “Our overarching priority is the welfare of the staff. We are clearly concerned about the suggestion that workers have paid additional fees and we want to get to the bottom of the matter.

“This is not a failing of the farm – indeed, the newspaper was also looking into similar allegations at other farms, so this is clearly not an isolated incident specific to Clock House – but as an interested party we are collaborating fully in order to fully understand what has happened.

“We also have plans to spearhead a campaign to address this worrying industrywide issue to instigate positive change. Further details will be released in due course.”

Doug Amesz and his team had to work quickly following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which threw in to chaos his plans to recruit most of his 2022 workforce from those two countries. “After using workers from those countries successfully in 2021, we were planning to recruit 50% of this year’s workforce from Ukraine and 40% from Russia,” he said.

“Instead, we had to fast track our plans for future years and turn to countries including Nepal, India, Indonesia, Chile, Uzbekistan and Vietnam to make sure growers had the teams they desperately needed to bring in this year’s fruit.

We would normally have trialled the processes in those countries first, but that luxury went out of the window when Putin invaded at the end of February.

“We were staring down the barrel of a complete disaster, but against the odds, and with the support of the Home Office and the industry, AG Recruitment and the other three approved agencies pulled out all the stops and recruited the 38,000 workers, in total, that the seasonal workers scheme allowed to be offered visas this year.

“This was achieved despite delays caused by the issue of visas and biometric data processing in the new countries and despite us having to get to grips with the different labour legislation in each of the new countries we were working with.”

Doug said he first realised there was a problem when workers started to be interviewed in the UK. “The costs people told me they had incurred for their visas and transport were higher than

SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

they should have been, which was a shock to me because I had spent six weeks in Indonesia recruiting workers and I specifically told them not to pay any additional charges and that it was illegal to be asked to pay to work in the UK.” Doug confirmed that Jakarta-based Al Zubara Manpower had helped AG Recruitment with obtaining a demand letter, a document Indonesian citizens need before they can apply for a permit to work abroad, but said his own company had been responsible for the actual recruitment. The Guardian article suggested that it was a broker supplying workers to Al Zubara Manpower that had charged fees of between £4,400 and £5,000.

“It’s not clear what happened and we are working with the Home Office, with the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) and with the Indonesian authorities to get to the truth, but it does seem that some workers have paid money to a third-party broker,” he said.

“All workers face legitimate charges for visas and travel to the UK, but we are determined to get to the bottom of exactly what these pickers paid for, who it was paid to and whether or not it was justified. AG Recruitment made it quite clear that no-one should pay for a job.”

The statement from Clock House Farm also stressed: “All workers recruited by Clock House’s Home Office-approved labour partner AG Recruitment were required to confirm in writing that ‘they did not have to pay anyone to receive a job offer from AG Recruitment’.”

NEWS Moves by DEFRA aimed at helping farmers deal with the exceptionally dry conditions have been welcomed by the NFU. The department has relaxed the rules around agri-environment schemes to allow farmers to cut or graze set-aside land so that they can feed or provide bedding for their animals.

The changes, which came into effect immediately and will last until the end of the year, were designed to “allow agreement holders in the Countryside Stewardship or Environmental Stewardship schemes to take steps such as cutting or grazing additional areas of land to help ease shortages of bedding, fodder, grazing or forage crops."

The Rural Payment Agency (RPA) has published a full list of the changes, which include allowing ‘buffer strips’ and field corners to be cut early.

There is also guidance on how to record the adjustments they make.

NFU Vice President David Exwood said the measures “provide some welcome options for Countryside Stewardship and Environmental Stewardship agreement holders. It will allow actions such as cutting or grazing on land in these agreements, which will help to ease shortages of bedding, fodder, grazing and forage crops.

“This important derogation, which the NFU has been calling for, will provide some relief to livestock farming businesses which are already using vital winter feed supplies at a time when on-farm costs are continuing to increase significantly.

“We also welcome the announcement from the RPA that further rounds of funding for new applicants to the water management grant will open in the autumn, but we would like to

DEFRA EASES PRESSURE ON

DROUGHT-HIT FARMERS see DEFRA’s regulators working together more efficiently to ensure the permissions and licences are delivered alongside the funding approval.”

The Water Management grant, launched by the RPA in November 2021, made £10 million available for farmers to improve on-farm water management, such as by providing water reservoirs and new irrigation systems.

Referring to the “hugely challenging situation facing all farming sectors”, David Exwood said many farmers and growers were “facing serious impacts ranging from running out of irrigation water to using winter feed now to feed livestock: in short, increased costs across farming”.

Paul Caldwell, chief executive of the RPA, said: “We know that farmers are facing pressures as they deal with the consequences of these exceptionally dry conditions, and we hope these

practical steps will help farmers safeguard food production and help with animal welfare.

“We are committed to supporting agreement holders as much as we can during this difficult period and help ensure that they can maintain existing environmental commitments.” DEFRA has promised to continue to assess the impact of the dry weather and will consider further steps.

David Exwood continued: “The weather over the past six months has highlighted the urgent need for government to take our national food production and resilience seriously by ensuring all departments across Whitehall give due regard to the impact of environmental policies on the country’s ability to produce food and ensure its agencies manage the nation’s water resources more effectively so we’re able to store and move water in times of plenty for use when there is scarcity.”

Full details: www.gov.uk/government/publications/hot-and-dry-weather-temporary-support-for-farmers-in-2022

OVERWHELMING SUPPORT Organisers of this year’s Edenbridge & Oxted Agricultural Show were looking forward to a busy show reflecting record livestock entries as South East Farmer went to press.

Show organisers had to change the layout of the site to accommodate what they described as “overwhelming support from farmers and smallholders hailing not only from across the South East but from as far afield as Northumberland, Yorkshire, Wales and the West Country”.

They said the show, held at the Ardenrun Showground near Lingfield in Surrey on the Sunday and Monday of the Bank Holiday weekend (28 and 29 August) was expected to feature the largest gathering of show stock in the South East this year, with stewards preparing for around 1,000 sheep, 300 cows and calves, 200 pigs and 50 goats.

This year’s show hosted national pig breed championships for Oxford Sandy and Blacks and for Kunekunes, as well as adding new classes for Welsh Badger Face sheep and reintroducing a fleece competition.

Photo: Shona Galloway (Note – not from the 2022 show)

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7

NEWS

8

Battle lines are already being drawn ahead of the 2023 fruit and vegetable season as the industry makes its case for more overseas workers to be offered visas through the seasonal agricultural workers scheme next year.

As an NFU survey indicates that the 2022 harvest has been significantly impacted because there are not enough people to pick the crops, a Kent recruitment agency is also stressing the need for a larger allocation for 2023.

Four Home Office-approved agencies, including AG Recruitment, based in Faversham, were each allocated 30,000 visas, together with a share of an extra 10,000 permissions released during the year.

Ag Recruitment boss Doug Amesz commented: "We have already received many requests for seasonal workers to arrive next year, and based on the current trends we will almost certainly require more seasonal worker visas next year to meet the demand of growers in 2023." He also called for the 2023 allocation to be agreed by the end of October “so we can ensure continuity of seasonal workers to UK farms into next year".

Meanwhile the NFU survey results suggest £22 million worth of fruit and vegetables were wasted because of workforce shortages in the first half of 2022 alone. As the survey was completed by around a third of the UK

“WE NEED MORE

VISAS FOR 2023” horticulture sector, the NFU estimates the overall value of wasted food to be more than £60 million.

The NFU said the results “demonstrate the detrimental impact workforce shortages are having on the food and farming sector, resulting in significant crop losses at a time when the country is experiencing the worst cost-of-living crisis in generations”.

The survey showed that: • 40% of respondents are suffering crop losses as a result of labour shortages • 56% of respondents reported a fall in production – averaging a 19% reduction across the businesses • On average for the 2022 season so far, businesses are experiencing worker shortages of 14% (based on recruitment and not including the added effects of early leavers) • 17% of workers recruited did not turn up

• 9% left their contract early.

NFU Deputy President Tom Bradshaw said: “It’s nothing short of a travesty that quality, nutritious food is being wasted at a time when families across the country are already struggling to make ends meet because of soaring living costs.

“With the demand on the Seasonal Workers Scheme expected to increase again next year, it’s vital the scheme has the capacity to facilitate the people the sector needs to pick, pack and process the country’s fruit and vegetables.

“This means increasing the number of visas available to meet the sector’s needs and expanding it to a minimum of a five-year rolling scheme to enable growers to have confidence to invest in their businesses – particularly given growth in the horticultural sector is a government ambition set out in the National Food Strategy.”

OPPORTUNITIES FOR AUTOMATION Moves to introduce more automation into the horticulture sector should be supported by a long-term seasonal workers scheme “to help stabilise workforce pressures”, a government review has suggested.

The review, set up to explore ways in which the sector could use innovative technologies such as packhouse automation, AI-enabled robotics and autonomous guided vehicles to help with tasks like picking, packing and transporting fruit, vegetables and flowers, was set up by DEFRA. Co-chaired by Environment Secretary George Eustice and Professor Simon Pearson from the University of Lincoln, the Review of Automation in Horticulture

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was also aimed at reducing the sector’s reliance on migrant workers.

It brought together experts across horticulture, technology and supporting industries to, in DEFRA’s words, “understand what would be required to accelerate the development and uptake of automation technologies in both the edible and ornamental horticulture sectors”.

The recommendations include: • establishing a consortium to bring together government and industry to drive the adoption of proven technologies • adopting a mission-led approach to fast-track new technologies • the horticulture sector setting up working groups to share novel harvest practices and consider how best to make the industry more attractive for workers • developing the sector’s skills pipelines and considering ways to attract and retain staff • considering a long-term seasonal workers scheme for edible and ornamental horticulture to help stabilise workforce pressures.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said: “There are opportunities for new robotic technologies to reduce costs and labour requirements in horticulture in the years ahead and this review highlights the potential for this.”

Professor Pearson added: “Our successful horticulture industry is facing unprecedented pressure to step change labour productivity. Productivity gain reduces the reliance of the sector on seasonal migrant workers [and] secures vibrant rural businesses and the flow of high health foods at fair values to consumers.”

The Government will respond to the review in due course.

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FARMERS URGED TO VACCINATE AGAINST EAE BEFORE TUPPING

Any outbreak of Enzootic Abortion of Ewes (EAE) represents “a failure of flock health planning”, a top vet has declared.

Fiona Lovatt, sheep veterinary consultant and director of Flock Health Ltd, warned: “You must vaccinate before you see any evidence of EAE, both to protect your own ewes and the ones you buy in. An outbreak of EAE is a failure of flock health planning as measures should have been put in place to prevent it happening.”

Her straight-talking comment came at a sheep abortion round table discussion hosted by UK-Vet Livestock which brought together a panel of leading vets and commercial sheep farmers who urged farmers to vaccinate their ewes against the disease before tupping.

With losses estimated to cost the UK sheep industry up to £20 million annually, the experts expressed concern about the low uptake of vaccination for both EAE and Toxoplasma spp, Their concerns were shared by South East Farmer’s own sheep correspondent Alan West, who commented: "Enzootic abortion is a persistent problem in the national flock. It can cause real problems for some producers with major abortion storms and generally arises when ewes are purchased from non-accredited sources.”

Although a 2017 report by the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance (RUMA) recommended that farmers increase the use of vaccines for EAE by 5% per year over five years, the actual rates are disappointing and peaked in 2020, for ewes intended for first breeding, at 50% for EAE and 31% for Toxoplasma spp.

Fiona Lovatt and fellow vet Kate Hovers were among the top names on the panel who recommended that all farmers who brought in replacement ewes or had neighbours who lambed sheep should vaccinate against EAE and only source replacements from accredited flocks. The panel also suggested ewes should be lambed separately from the home flock for the first year.

“EAE is estimated to cost the UK sheep industry up to £20million annually, but vaccination uptake is low, which could potentially lead to financial and reproductive devastation,” commented Katherine Timms, ruminant veterinary advisor at Ceva Animal Health.

Alan West added: “Ewes within six weeks of lambing may pick up an infection from contaminated afterbirth which can lay dormant and generate a significant abortion problem the following season. The infection can be passed not just from aborted foetuses but from associated fluids, contaminated bedding, feed etc, which is why strict hygiene and isolation is important when dealing with abortion cases.

“The EAE vaccine is effective and is certainly a good insurance measure when buying in replacement females from non-accredited sources. At a cost of £2 to £3 per ewe it may seem expensive, but with the costs associated with each aborted ewe being anything up to £90 it does represent good value for money where there is a potential risk.”

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9

NEWS

RETIRING BUT NOT STOPPING 10

He may be retiring from his full-time job, but it’s clear that Mark Cleverdon’s voice will continue to be heard across the South East for some time to come.

Auctioneer Mark, who is leaving Hobbs Parker after exactly 27 years (“to the week”), will continue to deliver his unique and expert livestock commentary at agricultural shows up and down the land, as well as playing a vital role as a longserving committee member with the Weald of Kent Ploughing Match.

Factor in tending nine acres of land, including six acres of woodland, at his home, “a bit of casual work” and more time volunteering with the Farming Community Network charity and it is clear that this won’t be a quiet retirement.

Born in Cornwall, the son of auctioneer Basil Cleverdon and his wife Anne, Mark attended Shebbear and then Exeter Colleges before beginning his career as a cadet valuer in the valuation office in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. The role, which was with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, provided training as a chartered surveyor, at that time an essential qualification for the role.

“I didn’t work with livestock for the whole of that five-year spell. It was the only time in my career,” he recalled.

Leaving HMRC in his mid-twenties, Mark, now 66, joined Ambrose and Foster

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© Telegraph Media Group Limited 2022 (now Lambert & Foster) and spent 15 years with the firm in Maidstone, selling livestock in the county town and in Rye and running farm dispersal sales.

Mark moved to Ashford, Kent-based Hobbs Parker in 1995, part of a team including Richard Wood and Elwyn Davies. He has played a unique role in the business, working as an auctioneer but also heading up the administrative team, looking after farmers “from the point at which they decide to sell their animals to making sure they get the cheque. It’s not something everyone enjoys doing, but I have always taken a pride in getting that bit right as well as enjoying the selling”, he commented.

Of his career he said: “I have never woken up in the morning not wanting to go to work and I have always enjoyed whatever job I have done. It’s a people business and I have loved working with people and being part of the farming community. I have made lots of great friends and I am glad that I will still meet up with them at agricultural shows and ploughing matches.”

The livestock commentaries that have helped make him such a recognisable figure across the South East began in the mid 1980s, when Jim Howie moved to the west of England, leaving a vacancy for someone to deliver the parade commentary at the Kent Show. Mark took up the challenge and has made the job his own, not just at the Kent show but at around a dozen events each summer – and providing ring commentaries as well. “It’s essentially my hobby and one I plan to keep doing,” he confirmed.

Casual jobs he has already lined up to keep himself busy this summer include apple and grape picking, while looking after the land he and his wife Cynthia have at their home will also keep him busy. The couple have a son, Eoin, who farms in Staffordshire.

“I have enjoyed working with people, the buzz of the sales rostrum and the responsibility you have as an auctioneer,” Mark commented, “as well as taking a pride in making sure the job was done properly. Attention to detail is important.

If one cheque goes to the wrong person out of 200 processed in a week, that’s one too many, so I worked hard to make sure it didn’t happen.”

The painting of Mark on this page was presented to him as a leaving gift from the directors of Hobbs Parker.

LETTER A YAWNING GULF Dear sir, I have seen NFU presidents come and go for more decades than I care to count, each one promising more than their predecessor, each one almost unfailingly delivering less; which brings us to the current situation where the incumbent who was swept into office on a raft of fine words and expansive plans has ended up presiding over an organisation in which the cracks have simply become too wide to paper over.

There is a £7million hole in the accounts; a yawning gulf which the NFU can only hope to bridge by attracting new members. I leave it to you to calculate precisely how many membership subs it would take to make good the deficit, but whatever the figure turns out to be, I will tell you this... it is unattainable.

That’s because so dismal has been the NFU's recent performance, so little has it achieved at such a pivotal moment for British farming, that no one in their right mind is going to give it money (a commodity in exceedingly short supply in the farming world at the moment) so that it can continue providing such a monumental disservice to the industry.

Even the diehards who have faithfully kept up

SEND YOUR VIEWS OR COMMENTS: SEF.ED@KELSEY.CO.UK twitter @SOUTHEASTFARMER facebook-square SOUTH EAST FARMER their membership in the hope things would improve are now deciding there are many more worthwhile demands on their cash supply.

The warnings have been issued: unless the gap can be closed then the axe will be taken to large parts of the NFU's structure. Costs of both staff and establishments will have to be ruthlessly hacked back – in fact the process has already started.

The entire edifice, in other words, is crumbling – not that this has stopped the president occupying an entire page in one of the Sunday papers to voice her opinions on the two prime ministerial candidates.

As though those opinions counted for anything. As though anyone cared.

What has become abundantly clear is that the NFU has repeatedly failed its members. There have been plenty of fine words. There have been repeated assurances of its power to influence and bring about change for the better, based on the fact that it represents such a large sector of the farming community.

But when the money gets tight and people have to choose between an NFU sub and a fertiliser

bill, they start looking for the achievements – and discover they are as real as the emperor's new clothes.

Farmers are still at the mercy of processors and retailers. Prices, despite the occasional positive flurry in the meat market, are still shockingly and historically low. People are getting out of the industry because the only alternative is to stay and lose even more money.

And now it has emerged that, contrary to what the NFU asserted it was going to achieve, there are no cast-iron safeguards in our new trade deals with New Zealand and Australia to stop them sending us meat produced to far lower, and therefore cheaper, welfare standards than our own. Another failure to chalk up on the walls at Stoneleigh... assuming there is any space left.

No wonder the members are throwing in the towel. No wonder they have had enough of an organisation that has promised so much and achieved so little. It’s just a shame that it has taken them this long to realise.

John Lillywhite, Farmers For Action

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11

MONICA AKEHURST AT THE KITCHEN TABLE

WATER LEVELS ARE

ALARMINGLY LOW

12

Shutting the chickens up is a mundane chore, best done at dusk, when they’re on their perches and it’s a simple matter of closing the hatch. If you go too early it’s surprising how artful a chicken can be at evading capture.

Our spaniels and sheepdogs like to accompany me and do a final tour around the farmyard. On a recent occasion I heard a lot of crashing about in the workshop, followed by some squeaking, a sound which got louder. Floss jauntily advanced towards me, carrying a live rat. To my horror I realised that she intended to give it to me, just as she does with pheasants.

Floss must have overheard us discussing the lack of pheasants available for the forthcoming season and decided that she’d better earn her keep on rodent control. However, hard mouthed spaniels are not good, and to be fair, she hadn’t killed it. A miracle she wasn’t bitten, but from my point of view I’d rather receive a dead rat than a live one.

As I backed away, I hysterically yelled for help and luckily other half arrived on the scene. Floss was eventually persuaded to drop her squirming

trophy, which was quickly dispatched. I thanked her, explaining that rats’ tails freak me out so I’d rather she stuck with pheasants because at least you can eat them. I sure hope she understood.

Because of the hot weather, I delayed starting the sheep dogs’ training, to reduce stress levels for ewes, dogs and myself. I’ve now created a round pen and sorted out some suitable ewes and the sheepdog teenagers are beginning to refine their skills.

On their first go, Tip went around the pen like a tornado but eventually settled and balanced well. When she was exhausted, she obeyed my “lie down” command. Molly was calmer, interested in sheep but needing encouragement, lolloping cautiously around the pen, balancing the sheep to me but reluctant to react to my “lie down” command. Both came away from the sheep well.

The two pups are like chalk and cheese, from the same litter but with such different attitudes. Work wise I’m hoping they will complement each other.

Lambs were weaned later than planned. All sheep work has been carried out in the early morning or in the evening to avoid the heat of the

> Sheep dog training commenced using a round pen

SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

day. We have no fresh grass to turn the lambs on to. Even the fields that were cut early for silage and hay have little re-growth. Annoyingly, thistles are still looking strikingly green while everything else is depressingly brown.

Despite the drought conditions, the livestock generally look well. We’ve put hay out in round feeders for the ewes and cattle. The lambs are currently grazing on marsh ground beside Nunningham stream, pasture that was previously grazed by cattle and then rested. It’s the greenest grass we’ve got. Water levels are alarmingly low; when I was a child they’d put in sluice boards during summer to back up the water.

We’re not allowed to supplementary feed cattle grazing on the Pevensey levels and the stocking ratio is low. We received a call yesterday, one that every farmer dreads: “Cattle on the road.” It’s worrying dodging the crazy drivers with not a moment to spare and the actions of unpredictable cows and calves. It was less than 24 hours after moving the herd onto a fresh area of grazing, but the ungrateful beasts, mostly mischievous calves, decided that exploring in the dyke and clambering

up onto the road was fun. Luckily no one was harmed. We spent the rest of the day working on electric fencing to contain them. It’s a tiresome task on a hot day.

The low water levels in the larger rivers have also created problems, because the usual drinking places have become more difficult to access, resulting in cattle falling into the water and struggling to get out. We had a young calf fall in.

It happens in a moment, but it takes unplanned swimming and a lot of effort to get them safely back on dry land. Cows are surprisingly good swimmers, but a combination of silt and weeds tends to complicate rescue missions.

Our marshland neighbour has cows that are particularly ardent swimmers; this summer they had to extract two in one week. Whoever said farming is dull?

We took Angus, our two year-old grandson, to watch a combine harvester in action. Far from finding it dull, he was excited and overawed by all the activity going on. In fact he fell asleep in Grandad’s arms, but was talking about it for days afterwards.

There’s been an alarming number of fires related to harvesting this year. Fire in a standing crop, with the wind behind it, must be such a terrifying and devastating experience. Taking precautions, assessing fire risk and having an emergency plan can save lives.

Everyone has a right to be supplied with water and the South East region has increasingly been affected by low rainfall. I make no apologies for again voicing my concerns about building so many new houses in this area, creating greater demand for water at a time when supply is diminishing.

Looking to the future, what is the plan for maintaining an adequate water supply? Surely more water storage facilities are needed, along with quicker repair of leaks, less wastage and generally more conservation of water.

My eldest daughter, a nurse who works in Brighton, has recently moved to Seaford. She persuaded me to join her for a swim in the sea. I was therefore shocked to watch on the news and in videos on social media, raw sewage being released into the sea in several places along the south coast. Swimming on beaches being banned for health reasons at the height of the tourist season isn’t a good sales pitch. It’s worrying that even with the present housing numbers the sewage infrastructure isn’t coping.

Energy suppliers are making huge profits; CEOs are on eye watering salaries. Surely charging those on prepayment meters the highest prices when they can least afford it is morally wrong?

Spiralling costs, inflation, political chaos; “heaven help” farmers if Liz Truss becomes Prime Minister.

Think I’ll get out on farm and go work the dogs; it’s incredibly therapeutic.

> They say sheep are trouble, but cattle get themselves in pickles too.

Found the missing calf

> Usually the water levels keep cattle in, now they simply walk around the gate > Floss was reluctant to leave her catch

> We’re innocent until proven guilty > Angus fell asleep; watching harvesting is exciting but exhausting

13

> Tilley picked it up just to prove she could > Drought conditions; doesn’t look very appetising. The marsh fields are slightly greener

> Harvest time

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NICK ADAMES WEST SUSSEX DIARY > A hot day's work but luckily no fire I wrote the forerunner of this article (in brilliant original note form of course) a couple of weeks back, only to have a major power cut in the locality, and so without having first pressed ‘save’ lost the lot. Very frustrating. Turns out a glider from a local club was being winched up when the tow line dropped away onto the nearby mains power cables, cutting the supply to hundreds of homes and businesses for some two hours.

The gliding club has been literally ‘sailing pretty close to the wind’ for several months by using a noisy piston engine tow plane to get the gliders airborne and, in so doing, flying low and noisily over several previously quiet homes and local villages, including my own, causing no little irritation. Maybe this will tidy up their act.

So then I had to start again, while trying to remember the wording. A bit like an artist trying to repeat from memory a now destroyed ‘once in a lifetime’ painting of his favourite dog (or wife); not easy to do. But now I hear you asking: “What has this got to do with farming?” Not a lot…

Now we are almost in September, with a particularly vital harvest almost finished. Hopefully those of you with cereals will have escaped the fires which ravaged a number of crops. The only major crop we have here is maize, which has had a difficult year. Lack of rain and granular fertiliser has not helped and, while the crop is there, the bulk is very inconsistent. It varies from an estimated best of 17 to 18 tons to the acre down to something nearer eight tons, although the quality would seem good as it's all well ‘cobbed’. There is every likelihood of a really early harvest, which will help those wanting to get cattle fodder stored and winter cereals back in good condition.

Hay was generally disappointing, made well but no quantity and, from the look of the regrowth in August, there will be scarce pickings for any sheep following unless we get some substantial rain. As readers may have already realised, I don’t have a lot of faith in the doom-mongering global warming experts, so rather expect a wet year next year! Nevertheless, were I to be growing large areas of cereals I think I would probably be thinking of mixing things up a bit and using natural fire breaks of green or late maturing crops where viable.

The other main crop I am interested in is on the hill farm; the tenant’s vines.

They have put on huge growth through the summer despite the dry conditions, but it has been a bit worrying to see so many rooks perching above them on the trellising. Their numbers have been building steadily since I first noticed them

NICK ADAMES Former dairy farmer

VITAL HARVEST ALMOST FINISHED

14

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in mid-June… All will be revealed later in September. The surviving clusters look promising.

But how to deter them, because netting some 68,000-70,000 vines would be prohibitively expensive in material and labour. I suppose some of those scarecrows that suddenly rise up with the aid of a blast of air accompanied by a shot might help? Better still a few men with shotguns, but then it would be putting up the price of a bottle of fine Sussex Champagne… sorry, I should say ‘sparkling wine’… mustn’t upset our French neighbours, eh! Although I am assured by some of the local connoisseurs there are a growing number of English and Welsh wines which knock most of the best Champagnes into ‘le cocked ‘at’!

I see the price of milk from the big dairies has finally risen to where it should have been some dozen years ago. Early in August the top prices quoted were 50ppl, and not before time. Only about 13 or 14 years ago I remember having a very heated conversation with the boss of our milk buyer, as he told me he was going to cut his price for our consistently 4.5% butterfat milk to somewhere in the region of 15ppl and that we may have to take even less at certain times.

He seemed to be concerned he may have to trade down his very expensive car, although he had little concern about his producers. I think he lost very many herds, some to other buyers and others who packed up, particularly in Wales.

It turned quite nasty, as I think it did with a number of other buyers. I quickly found a Hampshire-based company that was prepared to collect our milk at a somewhat fairer price. I told him that two sides could break the terms of a contract. Fortunately things eased within a few months, although prices for other inputs were not rising quite as fast then as they presently are, thanks to the Russian attack on Ukraine.

Now, with fertiliser almost unobtainable for the past eight months, it has become nearly unaffordable. Grain prices certainly help a bit. The dry summer has made grass very scarce and many maize crops are, like ours, pretty uneven. It is going to be a hard winter for the average dairy farmer who is going to need to fill his silos and barns with a lot more food than most can probably produce. Even 50ppl will soon be totally inadequate, unless we get a dramatic change in the weather or some stray bullet runs into a certain Russian.

My heart goes out to every dairy farmer in this country, and indeed Europe, at this trying time and I thank our lucky stars our old herd is being well cared for, still altogether, in a green Northern Ireland. But we do still miss them…

IN CONJUNCTION WITH

FROM THE FRONT LINE

INVESTMENT IN WATER

INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED

"Is the summer of 2022 a once in 50-year event, or are we to expect drought more frequently?" asks Peter Knight, managing director of Burgate Farms Ltd, Hambledon, Surrey.

Unfortunately I am old enough to remember 1976, the year I left school and started working on the farm; harvest was all over by the first week in August and it didn’t rain until September, then forgot to stop raining for the following six months.

Our harvest has been easy and relaxed. We haven’t worked a Sunday and had a weekend off in August, as I was not going to cut beans in 34 degree heat. Wheat was cut in 40 degrees at 12% moisture, cooling being the only issue, which luckily has not proved a problem.

Yields have been all over the place, from surprisingly pleasing winter barley and first wheats to downright awful second wheats and beans. Given the unpredictability of the past 12 months (weather, grain prices, fertiliser prices and energy costs) I will settle for what is safely in the barn and what it has cost to get it there.

There is no doubt that weather patterns are changing and that exceptionally wet and dry periods will become more frequent, making farming a more

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challenging business to be in. Water is a precious resource and summers like this bring that into sharp focus; all food production relies on having enough water, no matter what sector.

The NFU has been highlighting for some time that there needs to be more investment in water infrastructure, from on-farm reservoir construction to a more joined up national pipe network to move water around the country. With increasing population and housing, demands on water are going to become greater. Agriculture requires substantial amounts of water and not only to irrigate crops; livestock units rack up sizeable water bills and supermarkets seem to need all veg washed for it to be marketable.

Agriculture could and should be part of the solution to the looming water shortages. We get plenty of rain in the UK; it just doesn’t come to order.

It could easily be captured and stored for use on farm. Reservoirs that are winter filled with surplus river water work for some, but they do require a large amount of capital investment.

All of us have buildings big or small which catch water every time it rains, and the investment needed to retain and use this does not need to be huge. This rainwater could be used to water livestock, wash down collecting yards or fill sprayers etc. When planning a new building, don’t just think about what’s going under the roof, consider catching what runs off it for free.

In the brave new world of “public money for public good”, a sensible measure of support for farmers to encourage investment in water management could be a win-win in reducing demands on mains water and savings on water bills for farmers. Before the arrival of mains water, all farms relied on their own water supplies; are we about to go back to the future?

There is a fair chance that by the time you are reading this the ‘drought’ will be over and will have been replaced by flooding. I sincerely hope not for all our sakes. Here’s to an average autumn when crops are sown into average seedbeds and establishment is average; extremes are impossible to plan for and manage, or maybe I am not up to the challenge any more!

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2022

15

CONSULTANCY

HELPING FARMERS AND

GROWERS MEET STANDARDS

16

> Leonie Britcher

SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

If time travel ever becomes a reality, Leonie Britcher will want to journey back to January 1945 to give her nana some food safety advice.

As a hard-working member of the Land Army, Barbara Britcher was tending lettuces in a glasshouse when a German V2 rocket exploded nearby, shattering the panes and covering the crop in broken glass.

The girls dived for cover, and when the coast was clear they went back to work. “They turned the lettuces upside down, shook out the glass and replanted them,” Leonie explained. “It may have been wartime, but they should really have had a better glass and hard plastics breakage procedure!”

If food safety had had a higher profile in wartime, Leonie would have been the ideal choice to advise her grandmother’s team. Her new business, L B Produce Consultancy, offers a wide range of support and advice aimed at helping farmers and growers meet the standards expected by today’s consumers and demanded by retailers.

With a wealth of experience gained supporting farmers and growers worldwide, Leonie now helps businesses looking for Red Tractor Produce, Red Tractor Combinable Crops or LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) accreditations.

“Meeting the standards consumers expect and that supermarkets insist on is increasingly important, but it can be an extra headache that growers really don’t need when they are trying to get on with ‘the day job’,” she explained.

“I have custom-built systems and procedures that allow me to come in, discuss the farmer or grower’s individual needs and then create easy-to-implement, bespoke guidance that will see them meet the standards required and support the growth of their business.”

Leonie comes from a strong horticultural background and is immensely proud of her heritage.

Nana Barbara was married to Harold Britcher, who grew lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber in Essex to supply the London markets. His father, another Harold, owned the Britcher market stalls at Borough and Old Spitalfields markets in the 1920s.

Meanwhile Barbara’s father George Shread (Leonie’s great grandfather) and Barbara’s uncle Alfred ran the Alfred Shread stalls at those same markets. Alfred owned Arnold Brae farm, which is just outside Leeds village near Maidstone in Kent, and has a National Fruit Show trophy named after him.

Despite the family history, Leonie’s father

FEATURED COMPANY: Roger became a successful flooring contractor, a new direction that failed to infiltrate the family’s genetic pool. At the age of 16 Leonie left school and moved from Suffolk to study at Sparsholt College in Hampshire, where she was awarded a National Diploma in Agriculture.

After travelling and working in Australia, she returned to the UK and worked as a technical assistant at Stourgarden Ltd before becoming site technical manager for Finlay’s Fresh Produce (now Flamingo) aged just 23.

Later in her career she broadened her experience working for Direct Produce Supplies (DPS), during which time she travelled abroad carrying out food safety audits on a wide variety of crops, from coconuts to strawberries. “I was checking on everything from which pesticides had been applied to whether or not the packers were washing their hands properly,” she explained.

Armed with her technical knowledge, wideranging experience and a gift for carrying out calm, methodical audits supported by well-designed systems, Leonie set up LB Produce Consultancy, based near Faversham in Kent but offering support across the South East and beyond.

“Audits aren’t going to go away; Tesco has already said that all its UK suppliers will need to be LEAF accredited by the end of the year and I’m here to

LB Produce Consultancy Farm Compliance Consultant

WHAT THE CLIENTS SAY

help growers who might find the challenge of the paperwork daunting,” she said.

“My career to date means that I have experienced audits not just from the auditor’s point of view but also from the grower’s, and that helps me understand the issues – and the stress that can sometimes result.

I also want growers and farmers to see the value of continually improving their systems rather than just seeing an audit as a yearly chore that has to be gone through.”

While the business itself is relatively recent, it’s not a new idea for Leonie, also a keen gardener and metal detectorist. “I bought a domain for ‘organisemyfarm’ back in 2015, but it’s only more recently that I decided I had amassed enough experience to launch the business,” she revealed.

Once word was out there, the telephone quickly started ringing – and hasn’t stopped. Remarkably – or perhaps not, given her skill set, enthusiasm and wide-ranging experience – LB Produce Consultancy has grown swiftly on word-of-mouth recommendations alone.

“My first client approached me while I was still planning the business and told me: ‘I hear you are doing consultancy now – we need some help’. I hadn’t actually told anybody by that stage, but word travelled fast – and things have moved swiftly ever since,” Leonie concluded.

TIM MALPAS, CEO G H DEAN & CO LTD In recent years it became apparent that our business needed to improve compliance systems and raise standards. Leonie has worked alongside the internal team to bring us up to speed with Red Tractor requirements and to reinstate our LEAF Membership. We had a fantastic performance at audit and it’s safe to say Leonie helped make compliance far more enjoyable!

MATT ATTWOOD, DIRECTOR K & MJ ATTWOOD Although we have historically completed our Farm Assurance/Red Tractor preparations in house, as we looked to start growing onions we knew that a fresh produce audit was going to be a new challenge that we weren’t looking forward to. We met Leonie through a chance encounter and her extensive experience of audit compliance from both sides of the table has helped us get through this years’ combinable, fresh produce and LEAF audits painlessly.

I understand the stress audits can often bring to growers, so I set up my business to help reduce those stress levels, leaving you with more time to focus on what you do best – growing!

Internal Audits

On site internal audits against Red Tractor Produce, Combinable Crops and LEAF standards. Helping you to find out what gaps need to be reviewed prior to your audit.

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Follow up support from the initial internal audits creating an audit management system which is tailored to your farm.

Audit day

Support on the audit day and assistance with closing off any audit NonConformances.

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Depending on whether you are already at audit level or looking to start from scratch to become Red Tractor and/ or LEAF certified. I offer day rates and hourly rates.

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17

PURE KENT

NIGEL AKEHURST VISITS: ECKLEY FARMS

18

Pulling into the yard at the home farm, I notice the large grain store is a hive of activity. Guy’s father Mike is busy pushing up with a JCB telehandler. A few fields away the roar of their rotary John Deere s685i combine can be heard cutting oats at an impressive speed. Carting the grain back to the store is 18 year-old James Eckley in a JCB Fastrac.

I find my way to the old farmhouse, where I meet Guy, Claire and their younger son Thomas, who has taken a break from planting cover crops to come and meet me. It’s a blisteringly hot, sunny day and we take a seat outside in the shade of a gazebo to chat.

“It has been a relatively ‘easy’ harvest,” said Guy. The weather has been on side and there is a capable team of seasonal staff that includes both their sons, James and Thomas. Sitting in the combine seat this year is George Edmonds, a local livestock farmer who always helps them out during harvesting and drilling.

“It’s George’s first full year on the combine and he is living his best life,” said Guy, who is free to get on with other things, “like agreeing to be interviewed,” he said with a smile.

This month Nigel Akehurst visits Eckley Farms, a regenerative arable farming business with a direct-toconsumer brand – Pure Kent – based near Staplehurst in Kent and run by Guy and Claire Eckley.

As we are chatting, Guy points out a bird call I’ve never heard before. It’s a turtle dove, he explained: “It’s like a pigeon cooing with a staccato in the middle.”

It’s a sound that had almost died out in the UK, I learn. However, thanks to an RSPB campaign (Operation Turtle Dove) working with farmers like Guy and Claire to create nesting and feeding habitats, populations are recovering.

BACKGROUND

Eager to learn more about their arable business, I ask Guy how long his family has been farming in Kent.

“Grandfather Jim moved to this farm in 1953 from Herefordshire. Jim and Gladys had two sons Edward and Mike, who is my father.

“Edward lived and farmed at Boarley Farm, north of Maidstone, before he passed away. Mike

SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

and Vera lived and farmed a rented farm up on the North Downs at Stalisfield, which is where he and his sister Sarah grew up.”

Guy and Claire now live with their sons in the farmhouse Jim and Gladys moved to in 1953. Guy has been here since spending some time working off farm and traveling in Australia after gaining his degree from Harper Adams. Mike was the last person to dry hops in the oast he and Vera now live in across the road from the farmyard.

Mike used to keep sheep and maintain arable production but felt he couldn’t run the two enterprises efficiently, so concentrated on arable production. Over the years Mike and Guy have bought more land and specialised in arable production.

Up until 2008 they farmed (relatively) conventionally, using minimum tillage and chasing inputs to maximise yield.

GOING NO TILL AND CONTROLLED TRAFFIC FARMING

Following the purchase of a sizeable block of land, they were forced to re-think their approach.

“We needed to cover more ground with the same kit,” said Guy. He began investigating how they could improve their efficiency and started looking at no-till drills. After looking at the options they bought a second-hand John Deere 750A drill from the Cherry family that now hosts the increasingly popular regenerative agriculture show, Groundswell.

“The 750A reduced our blackgrass burden on this Wealden clay over the 10 years it was on farm, but you don’t get any cracking or fissuring like you do with a tine,” he explained, pointing out that that is why they had used ultra-narrow coulters on their original Horsch sprinter drill.

“It has narrow Metcalfe openers on it, which are only 12mm wide. This doesn’t create the disturbance that encourages blackgrass, but you do get a bit of cracking below the point, which helps a bit of water get away in a wet autumn like the two previous winters we have seen,” Guy went on.

“The 750A worked well on sandier soils but the Horsch had lower wear rates on those soil types, was better for the clay silt soil type at Staplehurst and is an all-round lower maintenance drill,” he said. They sold the John Deere last year.

Moving to no-till has drastically cut their costs, said Guy, suggesting that this was one of the key reasons why a growing number of farmers have ditched their ploughs. Today around 12.5% of the world’s arable land has been converted to no-till.

The same year they also moved to controlled traffic farming. “If we were going to spend the money on auto steer guidance technology to make our lives easier,” said Guy, “I wanted to see more return from that investment.” He came up with a controlled traffic system that keeps machinery to the same wheel marks. This reduces compaction across most of the field and allows them to target any remedial action that is required.

By not establishing crops through cultivation, Guy decided to use some of their savings to start experimenting with cover crops and companion cropping to keep living roots in their soils throughout the year.

Initially they bought in a diverse Pedders mix of oat, vetch, buckwheat, linseed, millet, radish, pea and sunflower. They have since started >>

> Guy and Claire Eckley

19

FARM FACTS

• The Eckley family has farmed in Kent since 1953, when Jim moved from Herefordshire to grow hops. They now specialise in regenerative arable farming with a total acreage of 1,400 acres • Grow milling wheat, oilseed rape, barley, oats, beans and linseed in four locations around Maidstone • Home block of land is silty clay with some sandy soils behind Leeds Castle • Switched to no-till farming in 2008 in a drive to reduce inputs and improve efficiency after buying more land locally and expanding their arable operation • Moved the same year to controlled traffic farming and started planting cover crops to improve soils • Claire started Pure Kent in 2010, sending off rapeseed to be pressed and packaged before selling it locally in farm shops TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

COVER CROPS

• Approached by a large frozen food business in 2016 to supply oil in larger quantities and decided to build their own on-farm plant.

• Set up their own artisan flour mill to produce small batches of flour from the best of their farm-grown milling wheat • Currently in Countryside Stewardship, having been through two rounds of entry level schemes • Lockdown brought a flurry of flour orders as everyone stayed at home and baked their own bread, and a huge increase in oil production • Core team includes Mike, Vera, Guy and Claire. Seasonal staff include George Edmonds and their two sons, Thomas and James.

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NIGEL AKEHURST VISITS: ECKLEY FARMS << making up their own cover crop mixes. Buying in straights means the mix includes as many family groups of plants as possible. Running our fingers through a half tonne bag in the store we see seeds from the legume, brassica, borage, flax, polygonum and daisy families.

“We like that diversity. You can get deep rooting, shallow rooting, tall, short, climbing, prostrate growth types, plants that like high or low temperature or will germinate in dry or wet conditions. The same mix planted a week apart or into different stubble can look like a completely different proportion of components by the end of its term.

I asked how they terminated their cover crops.

“We have trialed rolling cover crops on a frost, but the only reliable method available to us at the moment is glyphosate,” replied Guy, who added that they were “open to new ideas”.

He went on: “We have grazed cover crops in the past, but this silty clay doesn’t recover well unless winter conditions are ideal, and with the last couple of wet winters we haven’t grazed any on the home farm recently.” > Diverse cover crop seed mix

20

> Checking the soil

REGEN AG AND SOIL HEALTH

Back in 2008 nobody was talking about soil carbon or different types of earthworms found in a healthy soil. A few years in they noticed that their soils seemed to be better, so they did some tests revealing that they were improving.

About the same time, BASE UK (Biodiversity, Agriculture, Soil & Environment) started up and a gang of farmers from Kent went up to the first meeting. He described how the group - which he affectionately refers to as the ‘Nutters Group’ - was all thinking along the same lines. The Nutters Group still meets today to share knowledge and ideas.

Guy talked about books dealing with the subject of ‘why’ such as Dirt, the Erosion of Civilisations by David Montgomery, and those books dealing with the subject of ‘how’, such as For the Love of Soil by Nicole Masters, the former tackling why a civilization should change and the latter explaining how a farmer can make these changes.

After reading a fair number of books on regenerative agriculture, he realised they were already doing the right things. They were no longer disturbing the soil, they had living roots in the ground all year round. Companion crops went in with the rape.

“We were building soil health without realising it,” he said.

An independent agronomist firm, Edaphos, run

by Mike Harrington, has also helped them better understand their soils and the importance of plant health.

“Their approach is based around the health of our soils, maintaining the health of our crops and helping our soils reach their full biological and physical potential,” explained Guy. “If you’ve got a healthy balanced soil with active biology in there, they are making the P and K and all the other nutrients available for plant growth. We’re not applying solid P and K to the soil, we’re trying to get the plant and soil biology to do that for us, so we do apply foliar nutrients to the plant so it has the energy to feed soil biology, to make more soil nutrients available to the crop. Also we’ve learnt that if you’ve got a healthy plant you don’t have to go in with a fungicide,” he continued.

> Bag of diverse cover crop seed

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“Nitrogen application rates have also been reduced to around 120kg per hectare (which includes some organic manures) with little to no negative impact on yields,” he added.

AVERAGE YIELDS AND NEW ROUTES TO MARKET

I ask how their yields compare to conventional systems.

“We no longer seem to have boom or bust years.

It normalises our yields,” said Guy. “I’ll take the averaging effect - it’s a lot easier to budget with. The bottom line is we are spending less on inputs, which means our margins are better,” he said.

He also points out that they are producing a more nutrient-dense crop.

CHALLENGES

It’s still not a perfect system and they are working to overcome a number of challenges on farm.

Top of the hit list is black grass, which has improved since going no-till but is still a problem.

One potential solution they have been exploring is hoeing between the rows. Guy made a prototype from a modified Wil-Rich cultivator, enabling him to use autosteer to hoe between the rows with 1cm accuracy.

"It’s the repeatability we need; because we’ve drilled it in the autumn and we go in to hoe it in the spring, we need to be able to find the same place, allowing us to knock out the stronger seed producing black grass plants between the narrower bands of wheat,” he said.

Guy wants to move to a nine-metre drill and hoe that would take one wheel mark out of their system.

Thomas remarked that hoes were big business at the Cereals show this year, with manufacturers showcasing expensive ones with cameras.

“Someone said they can make a 12-metre hoe for when we get a 12-metre combine,” he joked.

“The goal is to eliminate the need to use herbicides, which keep going up in price,” added Claire.

“We put up with some weeds and we spend less growing a healthier crop,” said Guy.

The other issue they are noticing on the home farm is that their clay soils are getting tighter. To combat this Guy has been experimenting with the mole plough. “Is the benefit the vertical fissure or the mole?” he asked. “I don’t know. We’re cracking the old plough pan and we’re getting air and water interchange with the soil.”

His aim is to aerate the soil without burning the carbon and mushing up all the soil biology. We take a quick spin out in the field to see Guy pulling his two-legged mole plough behind the tractor. He stops and uses a spade to dig down into the dry soil to see what impact it’s having.

It’s not immediately obvious but he describes how the fields he mole ploughed four years ago still show beneficial signs from that intervention.

Guy will trial operations or treatments across a field. With the controlled traffic system, it is easy to find your trials, “if you can make a field look stripy then something you have done has made a difference,” he quipped.

MARDEN FARMER CLUSTER GROUP

Guy and Claire are members of the local farmer cluster group. They attend regular meet-ups and have enjoyed getting to know farmers from different sectors all working together to explore novel conservation and regenerative farming ideas to enhance the landscape for wildlife. The group works closely with Marden Wildlife group and together they are boosting populations of scarce farmland birds like turtle doves and yellowhammers.

PURE KENT

In 2010 Claire decided to set up a direct-toconsumer food business, Pure Kent, from the farm.

At the time both her sons were still young, and it was something she could fit around childcare. She sent off some of their home-grown rapeseed to get pressed into oil and bottled. She then added a label and started selling the oil locally.

Sales were good and in 2016 a frozen ready meal company approached her wanting to buy in bigger quantities. They were presented with the dilemma - to wait for some diversification funding and jump through various hoops or build their own plant and

start supplying the customer after a shorter lead time.

Guy bought a second-hand press that is installed on the top of a shipping container that functions as the clean filtration room. With a gravity-fed hopper and a holding bin, the rapeseed is blown through to the plant from the next-door grain store. Within a couple of months they were in business and kept increasing their volume to a point where they were supplying 10,000 litres a month, buying in seed from other farms and with two additional presses to keep up with demand.

“We’ve since slowed up production. With the price of rapeseed increasing and the need to buy in to meet our requirements there was no longer a viable margin on the largest customer. Wholesale and retail customers took a realistic price increase and that work is still there, significantly reducing workload but still connecting the farm with customers, and it’s a lot less stress,” said Claire.

Guy doesn’t miss constantly being on call to fix any problems. He likened it to keeping livestock: “It needed checking twice a day and you were

> Finding the mole hole TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

wondering what was going to happen next,” he said. He’s glad of the extra headspace and being able to focus on the farm, which he enjoys.

Claire has also set up their own artisan flour mill which she uses to process the best of their milling wheat into small batches of flour for baking.

It’s a much smaller scale enterprise than the oil plant but more than paid for itself during lockdown, when everyone was at home baking their own bread, she said.

PLANS

I ask Guy and Claire if they have a five-year plan. Guy quips that they are waiting for the Government to come up with a plan first.

"We like the way we farm and can’t see us going back to being production led,” replied Claire.

“It’ll stay soil led or regen as a principle, because we’re not having to spend as much on inputs and we can make more of a margin while looking after the farm, building the condition of the farm. To hand it on to the next generation in a better condition than you took it on has always been the target,” added Guy.

> Oats

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2022

21

CONTRACTING

IMPRESSIVE REPUTATION FOR QUALITY OF WORKMANSHIP

22

Archie Montgomery knows that having the right equipment plays a vital part in delivering the best possible service to the many landowners, farmers and countryside organisations who rely on MRF Contracting for landscaping, tree and scrub clearance and fencing work.

His impressive line-up of machinery, which includes robotic flails, remote controlled tracked post knockers, heavy duty mulchers and tree shears that need a 22-tonne excavator to power them, is matched by the bespoke software he uses to run the business.

“It’s all on the computer and sent to team members on their mobile phones at the start of each day,” he responded when asked how he keeps tabs on which of his 20-strong team is doing what, where, at any point in time.

“It’s an off-the-shelf package but we have tweaked it so that everyone knows precisely what they are doing. All they need to do each morning is

look at their phone,” he said with the relaxed air of someone tasked with buying a round of drinks for a handful of friends.

It is perhaps not surprising that Archie has developed first class organisational skills, given that he also manages the 450 acres that make up Monkton Road Farm at Birchington and provides contract farming services, specialising in spraying.

He’s also a keen kite surfer, something he managed to squeeze in on Christmas Day last year.

MRF Contracting, which offers ecological, arboricultural and landscaping services across the South East, has developed an impressive reputation for the quality of its workmanship, based not just on the equipment it runs but on its well-trained and highly qualified team. “We have high standards, but those who make the grade tend to progress through the company and become team leaders,” he said.

While it has probably the best array of landscaping machinery in the South East, the

SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

team also tackles smaller jobs for local farmers, particularly when it comes to thinning or removing trees. “We can provide a climbing crew to take out one dead tree or we can cut back a whole row of poplars,” Archie explained.

The company also buys stands of timber, which it either supplies as wood chip to a power plant in Sandwich or, in the case of better quality hardwood, turns into planks for furniture or other uses.

“To be honest we will remove the odd one or two trees, perhaps because they are dangerous, without charge,” he said. “For larger areas we will agree a payment for the wood.”

Fencing is another important part of MRF Contracting’s range of services and is something the company is demonstrably skilled at providing.

The team provided 44 kilometres of double fencing strong enough to contain the five bison recently introduced by Kent Wildlife Trust at West Blean and Thornden Woods, near Canterbury.

FEATURED COMPANY: MRF Contracting

> Archie Montgomery “We were proud to be asked to support Kent Wildlife Trust in this exciting project,” said Archie.

“We cleared six metres of undergrowth before installing the fencing, which clearly had to be of a high standard to protect the bison and, of course, visitors to the woods.”

MRF Contracting has developed an impressive reputation for its work with wildlife organisations and was praised for its help in creating 1.6 kilometres of meander for the RSPB’s groundbreaking Sarre Penn restoration project, again in Kent.

It’s a skill that could prove to be valuable to farmers and landowners across the South East as the introduction of the Environmental Land Management scheme and the phasing out of basic payments creates opportunities for wildlife schemes

to be introduced across the region.

“Planting wildflowers is not just a question of scattering a bit of seed around, as anyone who has tried to do it themselves well knows,” Archie explained. “Clearing scrubland and creating wetland areas or wildflower meadows takes care, experience and the right equipment.

“We have machinery such as robotic flails, which have a much lower impact on wildlife sites than other equipment and can be used on steeply sloping sites, and we have a vast amount of experience that can help farmers take advantage of the new funding schemes on offer.” The company also planted 45,000 trees last year and carries out hedge cutting.

Archie’s grandfather Robert was the first member of the family to farm at Monkton Road, while his son, also called Robert, grew cauliflowers on the

MRF Contracting

land, which is now exclusively used for arable crops.

Archie set up MRF Contracting in 2007, having obtained a Diploma in Agriculture from the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester and worked as a tree surgeon and shepherd in Denmark, Sweden and Wales before working for a land agency and becoming an associate of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

The business operates a Fendt 724 and a Fendt 933 reverse drive tractors, a New Holland T7 and a Case 110 Quantum designed for narrower rows. It has three set of tree shears mounted on excavators from five to 22 tonnes and forestry flails powered by eight to 22 tonne machines.

“I am confident we have the best kit around – and a team with the knowledge and experience to use it,” Archie added.

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23

FRUIT

24

The steady growth of the solar PV industry over the past few decades has been supported by a wealth of technical data and computer programmes that can assess how much sunlight reaches any particular spot on the earth’s surface.

It was, then, only a matter of time before agronomists realised that same information could be used to good effect in fruit growing, another industry that depends on maximising the uptake of light.

“Yield is inextricably linked to the amount of light captured by the tree, which is why we set up our HELIOS trials at Hoaden Court Farm, just outside Canterbury,” explained Hutchinsons agronomist Rob Saunders. “HELIOS stands for Hutchinsons Enhanced Light Interception Orchard Systems and is a ten-year study into the different ways of growing top fruit.”

With light the critical factor, the HELIOS trial includes one batch of trees that has been planted in exactly the orientation that would be used to maximise the amount of light reaching a solar PV ground array.

The Gala Galaxy M9 trees in ‘photovoltaic’ configuration have been planted in an east/west row with the canopy sloping north at an angle of 50 degrees. It looks decidedly odd, but early results show an impressive yield. If replicated commercially, with a target canopy depth of 0.3m, it would allow 3,205 trees to be planted per hectare at 4m row spacing.

There are issues, of course – which is exactly why Hutchinsons is running the trials. “The whole idea of HELIOS is that we make the mistakes and iron out the problems before the growers risk investing in new systems,” Rob explained.

In the case of the ‘photovoltaic’ trials, the 50 degree lean is placing considerable strain on the supporting wires, and despite using a reflective mulch to bounce light back onto the underside of the canopy – as well as suppressing weeds – fruit colour on the ‘wrong’ side is not as good as it might be.

On the positive side, alongside the impressive yield, the unusual angle seems to suppress the tree’s vigour, making it easier to keep under control as it matures.

> Solar array style

MAXIMISING THE UPTAKE OF LIGHT Nearby there are more leaning Gala Galaxy M9s, although these are planted north/south at a more upright angle – 80 degrees – in pairs that create a V-shape. Planted on a commercial scale, the ‘leaning spindle’ would deliver 7,326 trees per hectare with 3.5m between the rows of paired trees, but Rob’s hope that the increased competition for root space would reduce the vigour has not been borne out.

Build up yield, though has proved impressive.

In another part of the HELIOS trial orchard, Rob’s team is growing apple trees in a way that resembles a vineyard layout. The basal stem is laid over at an angle of 15 degrees above the horizontal, with four to five vertical stems then coming off the main stem and bearing fruit.

One of the advantages of this ‘Guyot’, vine-style system is that it allows narrower rows and thus more trees per hectare. At 2.2m between rows, the configuration would allow 3,030 trees per hectare,

> Leaning spindle

SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

giving an estimated 12,120 to 15,150 fruit bearing stems.

While the trial still has five years to go, this configuration is so far producing an impressive yield, would allow for simpler pruning and is robot-ready, which has prompted Rob to think about the future of the industry, particularly given the current labour issues.

“This method of growing apple trees is more labour intensive at the start of the season because of the way the stems have to be laid at the correct angle and the vertical shoots trained. It also needs more supports to be provided. At the end of the season, though, harvesting is simpler and could in future be done robotically.

“Perhaps that would help us even out the labour demands across the season. Instead of having a small team establishing and pruning the orchard at the beginning of the season and then a huge team of pickers later in the year, we could move towards having a smaller, consistently sized team doing different jobs throughout the year.”

As Hutchinsons tries to help the industry break through the current yield barrier of 60 t0 70 tonnes per hectare, the rest of the trials site at Hoaden Court Farm is looking at more traditional variables such as different root stocks, alternative support systems and new varieties.

Rob’s team has also been trialling a pollinator called Jester. Not only is it a distinctive colour, which prevents it being picked by mistake, but it produces cold active pollen, which means it works better in cold weathers. “Producing great fruit and a good yield means getting all the factors right, and that’s what this trial orchard is all about,” explained Rob.

FOCUS ON FRUIT SARAH CALCUTT

WILL WE BE

SARAH CALCUTT Executive Chair, National Fruit Show

ABLE TO PICK OUR CROPS?

We should also look at the other sectors that also have enormous vacancy rates currently. From 1 August 2022, vacancy figures for the five most prominent sectors requiring more staff totalled 840,692. Office of National Statistics figures published in July 2022 put the total UK vacancies at 1.3 million, so now we have more vacancies than we have unemployed people yet still we are told that we don’t need overseas labour.

In summary, we need closer to 70,000 seasonal permits, it is travesty that we have lost crop this year, impacting on GDP, food security, food pricing and the mental and financial health of the farming sector. We are strong enough to trade our way out of the current crisis but we need to recognise that farmers are a big part of this and need to be empowered to really show what the rural powerhouse is capable of.

Better people Best placed SEASONAL LABOUR PLACEMENT tm ui

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On my Facebook feed is a post from Adrian Scripps Ltd with an image of magnificent Gala apples in a fruit bin (pictured above). It’s the earliest they have ever harvested Gala with the appropriate colour, pressures and sugars, all ready to be tucked away for sale late in the season next year.

If you talk to a top fruit grower, they’re not going to sound too confident about the storage potential for all varieties due to the warm weather; anything requiring good calcium levels is at risk following the hot spell, while sensitive varieties like Bramley are especially at risk (and many fruits will have scorched patches which further break down in store).

But, being positive, the warm spell has controlled size, it will have delivered colour (the day/night temperature differential kicked in well over the past few weeks) and as long as some of the rain forecasted actually soaks in, the later varieties should be looking amazing too.

On the negative side again, they may not be able to pick all their crop, of course. The 38,000 seasonal worker permits in use at the moment are covering approximately three out of five of the roles within edible horticulture this year.

Even with some horticulture sectors producing a fifth less of their potential capacity, the press is, sadly, full of reports of millions of tonnes of perfect food being ploughed in or cut for waste, all due to the lack of workers. This isn’t due to local workers’ lack of ability to ‘graft’; it’s because there simply are not enough people.

If you speak to an economist, the assumption is that anything under 5% unemployment is classified as full employment. It assumes that within a population of our size, the 3.8% who aren’t currently in work are those that, frankly, either cannot or won’t work.

If you look at the geographical dispersal of the 1.29m currently not in employment, they aren’t in a position to pop out each morning and join a picking team. They will need to move to another part of the country. Who would give up their home for a few months’ harvest work? There is no benefit holiday, so stopping universal credit and housing benefit for harvest work would leave them with no money and no rent support come Christmas. Not to mention family responsibilities; it just doesn’t work.

AUGUST 2022 VACANCY FIGURES BY SECTOR Food and farming

500,000

Catering and hospitality

174,000

Nursing

110,192

Construction

40,000

Care

16,500

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25

AT COLCHESTER MARKET

GRAHAM ELLIS FRICS FAAV FLAA

For and on behalf of Stanfords T: 01206 842156 E: info@stanfords-colchester.co.uk www.stanfords-colchester.co.uk

TRADE MAINTAINED AT REALISTIC LEVELS

26

With the exceptional hot weather throughout late July and early August, trade for prime cattle not surprisingly met some resistance, although best cattle are still regularly trading at satisfactory levels.

Numbers are generally short which, in the circumstances, has helped maintain the trade at realistic levels. Reports of massive quantities of boxed meat available for wholesalers is not helping the local trade.

Retail outlets are stating that the trade is lessening, particularly for the higher priced joints, but there is a strong trade for barbecue meats and other processed beef.

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Best cattle are still trading from 250p/kg to 280p/kg in Colchester and weight is not really an issue.

It was noticed that a few cattle were coming through which had not been finished to their full potential, which is probably a result of high feed costs.

The cull cow trade and over-30-month trade continued to be strong, with better numbers available, but again there were a few leaner cows coming forward which were more difficult to place, again caused by lack of feed on farms.

Store cattle are desperately short, and as a result there was a good trade for those available.

The sheep trade continues to be in line with 12 months ago, with best sheep probably a few p/kg above that period.

Best lambs are trading from £130 to £160 per head from the heavy weight end with medium lambs regularly £110 to £130. As always finish is important, but with the grass drying up many vendors are struggling to finish lambs as they would wish.

This is having a knock-on effect on the store trade, which was still hesitant as this report was being written. The forecast of rain for the middle of August may relieve the situation somewhat, but those planning to put in stubble turnips are understandably very nervous.

The cull ewe trade continues to be strong, but as reflected throughout this report several lean ewes are coming forward because of a lack of feed on the farm, and these are becoming more difficult to place. However, the overall ewe average is still well above what it was 12 months ago.

The pig market is now at levels which were hard to believe even six months ago, but with the exceptionally high cost of feed most pig producers are still being penalised. Numbers are becoming more difficult to find and there are still a large number of sows being killed, which is likely to reflect on the number of available finished pigs in the near future, with reports of a fall of between 6% and 10% in the national pig numbers.

Harvest is all but completed by mid-August in East Anglia, with yields very varied. Some wheat crops yielded better than expected but spring crops were generally disappointing, although those who had the rain earlier in the year after drilling were pleased with what they were able to harvest. Pulses yields were very varied, as was the yield for oil seed rape.

As stated above, the forecast rains in mid August are much wanted, with reservoirs at exceptionally low levels and root crops certainly suffering from the drought.

The next four to six weeks will be very interesting; the farmers’ view of the future will very much depend on moisture from above.

AT ASHFORD MARKET

GOOD TIMES CONTINUE? Both the beef and lamb industries have benefitted from improved prices in recent years, coinciding with the outbreak of Covid-19 in early 2020. Compared to the low point in 2019, the first six months of 2022 recorded a 40% increase in prices for both clean and cull cow beef and lamb, while the cull ewe returns doubled from an average of £56 to £112.

During this period store values improved accordingly, and while looking excessive at times, purchasers of both store cattle and store lambs have generally earned decent returns. This has given the industry a much needed boost, with the typical prices of the previous decade of around £1,000 for finished cattle, £750 for cull cows, £85 for finished lamb and an average of around £55 for store lambs and cull ewes clearly not economically viable and causing many to leave the industry.

With Covid-19 came restrictions and a greater dependence on home produce, creating a relatively strong demand at a time when supplies were tightening. The butchery trade flourished and retail meat prices rose in accordance with the increased price of the livestock.

Hopefully the days of cheap food are behind us and are now approaching levels which are more in line with the cost of production. The challenge will be to maintain and improve these much improved returns for prime stock, and with the recent escalation of costs this will be crucial for the long term sustainability of the livestock sector.

The first six months of 2022 have been encouraging, with prices across all sectors improving on 2021, except for finished hoggets.

This trade never really kicked on in the first third of the year, with the predicted large carry over of numbers from the previous year impacting on price.

Nevertheless, the overall average of £116 was only back by some 5% on the year and well above prices achieved in the spring of 2020. Store values were probably too high late in the season to leave any margin for the specialist finisher.

Producers of new season early lambs have done much better, and despite the high cost of concentrate feed have been well rewarded for their efforts. Average prices in excess of 300p have been the norm and only recently dipped towards 250p, with gross average prices of £130 and £122 for June and July respectively, up by some £20 per head on the year.

Again, the best fleshed ad lib fed lambs have attracted a big premium, with those with weight often selling around £150, while grass fed lambs have generally ranged from £100 to £120, with only lighter and leaner sorts at lower levels. The recent

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highlights include two of our bigger vendors, with 294 well finished Continental cross lambs averaging a remarkable £152 in mid-July from C & J Georgetti & Sons, Rolvenden and large consignments of lighter but very smart Beltex cross ranging in the £120 to £140 bracket from G H Dean & Co, Sittingbourne.

The cull ewe trade continues unabated despite high national slaughter figures and has only eased slightly following the Muslim Festival in early July. The overall market average has only recently dipped below £100, with the best crossbred ewes still attracting prices in the £110 to £140 bracket, medium sorts £80 to £110 and only plain leaner ewes below £70.

At this time of year, we all look forward to the Friday store and breeding sheep sales with great anticipation. While expectations were running high following the success of last year’s sales, the first sale on 29 July slightly disappointed, with the overall average back some £10 per head, although part of this reflected the strength of the lambs on offer.

The dip in the finished lamb price the week before and, more importantly, the high cost of concentrate feed and the prolonged dry weather throughout the country are all having an impact. At the second sale, prices improved by £5, with fresh buyers from the north, where more keep is available, in attendance.

Under the circumstances, those prices are in line and store lamb vendors would be well advised to sell in forthcoming sales rather than later when lambs may have lost more condition. Please keep in touch for updates in price and likely demand.

In the beef sector prices continue to be buoyant, with a gross average return of £1,380 and £1,050 for clean finished cattle and cull cows respectively, up by some 20% on returns achieved in the first six months of 2021. Best beef bred cattle have

ELWYN DAVIES

Reporting on the sheep market at Ashford T: 01233 502222 www.hobbsparker.co.uk consistently sold in excess of 250p and £1,500, with dairy and native bred cattle slightly less, in the 220p to 240p bracket. Recent highlights have included Limousin cross steers £2,102 (270p), M B Farms, Sittingbourne and £1,804 (264p), W Alexander, Shoreham; Angus cross steer £1,888 (261p), R G Gibson & Son, Canterbury; British Blue cross steer £1,709 (268p), R J T Farm Lands, Horsham; Limousin cross heifer £1,926 (268p), M B Farms, £1,517 (270p), A J Thompson & Sons, Romney Marsh, £1,507 (265p), W Alexander; British Blue cross heifer £1,511 (261p), R J T Farm Lands and a run of 10 Limousin x Friesian steers, ranging from 230 to 250p, grossing to £1,652 and averaging a very favourable £1,518 from regular consignor A J Down, Ashford.

Cull cows remain in short supply and many more could be sold at exceptional prices. Best young beef cows for feeding are up over 220p, best fleshed cows well over 200p and grossing up to £1,800 and decent types 170p to 190p. In the dairy section the better fleshed sorts are 160p to 190p and grossing in excess of £1,500, with only plainer sorts below 120p.

While the store cattle section is at a seasonal low, we anticipate cattle coming forward early in September, particularly if these dry conditions persist. As with store lambs, we recommend the sale of store cattle, particularly the stronger sorts, to be sold possibly earlier than usual and not risk selling later after the loss of condition. Fatteners always eye the Christmas trade and want to make a start.

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2022

27

ADVICE FROM THE VET

By Andrew Richmond As we are coming towards the end of summer, it is important to start planning and preparing for the winter to come. Whatever species you keep, here are some general principles that apply to most stock.

SHELTER/HOUSING WELFARE

All animals should have access to shelter 24 hours a day, seven days a week in case of inclement weather.

DISINFECTION AND MAINTENANCE

While the weather is still good, wash and disinfect shelters and allow them to dry. Carry out any required maintenance, fill in any gaps low down and make sure shelters are weatherproof to prevent rain getting in and soaking the bedding and animals.

DRAINAGE

28

The shelter/accommodation should be sited on a well-draining area. If you are on clay soil then site it on higher ground and consider raising the shelter on a base above ground level to prevent water ingress, such as raising a pig arc on a bed of sleepers or siting a field shelter on a raised concrete bed.

VENTILATION

Accommodation should be well ventilated to prevent the build up of moisture and ammonia, but not draughty. There should be very little air movement at the level of the animal, but good movement of air above animal level. Site the shelter so the opening is not facing the direction of the prevailing wind. Hanging a muslin sack over the entrance to a pig arc will help to block draughts and keep heat in. In open-sided sheds, provide wind breaks using walls of straw bales that animals can shelter behind.

LIGHTING

Artificial lighting in the accommodation enables observation and examination of the stock. This is far more effective than using a torch. To support the continued egg laying by your chickens/ducks over the winter, a light on a timer switch inside the coop extending the light period to 12-14 hours will be required. Combine this with environmental enrichment of the lit coop to reduce the risk of feather pecking when shut inside.

HEATING

Additional heating is not usually necessary.

Provide heat for at-risk animals such as neonates, geriatrics and sick animals. Due to the risk of fires, supplementary heating should be well planned.

PREPARING FOR WINTER Heaters and cables should be outside the reach of the animals and well away from flammable materials such as bedding.

BEDDING

Deep littered barley straw bedding is important for stock to keep warm, such as pigs that like to bury themselves in the straw. Deep litter will provide some insulation from the floor and will also start to produce some heat itself over time as the base layer starts to compost. Consider additional insulation of concrete flooring with rubber matting.

WATER

Ensure water pipes are adequately insulated to prevent freezing. Site the trough/drinker in a sheltered area and ensure it is well maintained.

Frequent checking will be required in freezing temperatures as will removing ice when found.

Consider providing a heated water trough. If you keep pigs, ensure the trough or drinker is fixed firmly in place so they cannot tip it over. Find a way to prevent your duck pond from freezing over or arrange a temporary bathing substitute for them.

NUTRITION

Animals will need extra feeding during a cold winter. Plan accordingly. Check how much conserved forage you have for feeding and, if necessary, buy some more. Monitor the body condition of livestock regularly and alter feeding levels accordingly to keep them in good condition.

Check any thin animals for tooth loss, parasites (faecal egg count) and possible diseases, and give them supplementary feeding.

SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

ANIMAL HEALTH

Late autumn/winter is a great time for various animal health maintenance programmes.

Pregnancy diagnosis – have mated animals tested for pregnancy. Pregnant animals will require extra feeding compared to their barren counterparts. You may decide to cull these barren animals rather than feed and house them over winter as a commercial decision (provided they are not pets, of course).

Routine foot trimming – It is a good idea to make sure hooves are in good shape before the muddy season starts. Check the feet of all animals and trim as necessary.

It is the ideal time to treat your stock for parasites, both internal (worms/liver fluke) and external (lice/mange). Get some advice from your vet on what they would recommend in terms of testing and treatments.

If you would like to discuss anything covered in this article contact your local Westpoint practice

ANDY RICHMOND

Westpoint Horsham T: 01306 628086

JACK BALKHAM

Westpoint Ashford T: 01306 628208

EMILY PHIPPS

Westpoint Sevenoaks T: 01959 564383 E: info@westpointfarmvets.co.uk www.westpointfarmvets.co.uk

SHEEP TOPICS ALAN WEST

THAT TIME AGAIN It’s that time of the year again, a time that I consider to be the start of the sheep year (writing in early August). Lambs have been weaned, ewes have settled after weaning and it’s time to think about next year’s lambing; even though it may be seven months away, it is a process which, contrary to what many think, actually starts now.

Weaning was relatively painless this year. We had a nice wedge of grass to move lambs on to, although it is now not looking quite so good; still an adequacy of grass but looking increasingly stalky and rapidly turning a lighter shade of what can only be called a yellowish brown buff, more of a standing hay crop.

Despite this, with a molasses block to improve the efficiency of utilisation (feed the rumen) it should provide plenty to keep them happy and sufficient to maintain some forward movement, albeit relatively slowly.

It is amazing how the perception of dry weather is relative, depending on what one is accustomed to. I was in Yorkshire a few weeks ago and even with green fields and knee-high grass they were complaining about the dry weather, but with relatively dry weather across much of the country there is bound to be an impact on the store lamb trade. With ever tightening grass supplies, some will be eager to move lambs on, but without buyers with plenty of grass, I suspect there will be limited demand for stores, which will result in disappointing prices. In a normal year a lot of lambs move out of this part of the world for finishing in the south west, but even there the dry weather has had a major impact, albeit rather patchy.

That said, even after the recent run of very hot weather the lambs look extraordinarily well, a definite nod to the ancestry of all our domestic sheep in the hot dry climates of the Middle East; all the time they have food in front of them (belly fill at least), plenty of fresh water and access to some decent shade, sheep will do well. There is an old shepherd’s saying: “Better a roast lamb than a boiled one”, i.e. sheep will do better in a hot summer than in a wet one, something that is very apt for this season.

For the ewes there was no problem finding somewhere to keep them tight for a while to dry them up post weaning, I had a number of tinder dry paddocks to choose from; now they have dried up and with no signs of mastitis (so far), they have access to some good hay for three or four weeks now, plus their molasses blocks to stop them loosing condition.

Considering the season they have endured and

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ALAN WEST Sheep farmer

the fact that they have done their lambs well (some very well), the ewes looked to be in remarkably good condition. Visually a fair proportion appeared to be just about where they should be at around body condition score (BCS) 2.5. There were, inevitably, a few poorer ones but nothing too plain and those that are at the bottom end of the scale were there for a reason, such as rearing triplets, older ewes etc. Surprisingly, once they settled post weaning and we went through them, handling more or less confirmed the visual assessment, with the majority around BCS 2.5. We just need to be able to hold them at that for the remainder of the summer and take appropriate action to address issues with some of the few plainer ones, which, sadly may result in a few more culls, but with some of them completing their sixth or seventh lambing they really do not owe us anything.

It has also been time to look to the rams, which, if anything, require a bit more time to prepare for breeding than the ewes. They have had their ram MOTs {teeth, toes, (feet), tone (condition) and testicles} and are all now getting a small daily allowance of hard feed, always very useful for a number of reasons; coming to the trough each day provides a good opportunity for close observation and to catch anything that requires attention and also helps to keep them sweet at a time when some are starting to get a bit “rammy”, plus it just puts a bit of a bloom on them before sales or going to work.

It is always worth bearing in mind that the spermatogenesis process takes about seven weeks, so when the ram is put to work, in say mid-October, that first service is of sperm that started life in late August or early September. For this season in particular, the weather may have an impact; very hot weather can significantly reduce ram fertility, so plenty of shade and fresh water are vitally important. It’s not what is happening when the ram joins the ewes; it is what was happening a couple of months ago that counts.

All too frequently, rams are ignored for ten or eleven months of the year, harnesses removed and put back into the ram paddock once they have finished work in the autumn, with a drive-by inspection some days, a bit of hay thrown at them if needed over the winter and then dragged out

of the ram paddock for a bit of attention about a week before they are required to go to work the next season; and people complain that rams don’t work as well as they should and don’t last? What a surprise!

At the time of writing we are just entering our second period of hot weather alerts, with just an amber warning so far, but still a time when we need to keep a careful eye on our sheep; fortunately there is the chance of some rain on the horizon going into next week, rain that we desperately need. If we don’t get some decent rains soon there will be a significant threat to the normal and much needed autumn flush of grass, so fingers crossed.

29

> Yorkshire and Kent at the end of July; even the nettles are surrendering in Kent

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2022

VET DIARY

AN UNUSUALLY

BUSY JULY 30

July at the practice has been unusually busy, with some autumn-calving beef herds experiencing problems. Calving difficulties, with large calves, neonatal acidosis, failure of passive transfer of immunity and neonatal disease have all been relatively common.

We have also started the advanced sheep breeding season with an increasing number of ewes for artificial insemination and flushing.

July has been a great month for harvesting but dreadful for grass growth. Many clients have been turning stock out into hay fields and also feeding hay to supplement their livestock at ‘grass’. East Sussex is looking like a desert. Lambs are being sold as stores as farmers look to protect what grass they have for their ewes.

Despite some farmers adopting early weaning of lambs, post-weaned ewes have not thrived and gained the expected condition. Many flocks will need to supplement with forage and/or concentrates to get ewes back into optimum body condition score by tupping time.

It is unwise to assume that your thin ewes are just nutritionally challenged. We have seen an explosion in Haemonchosis, a potentially fatal clinical disease caused by a gutworm called Haemonchus contortus or the “Barber’s Pole” worm. The unusually hot weather and downpours at the start of the month have no doubt contributed to this.

Haemonchus does not cause typical signs of high worm burdens like scour, but results in profound anaemia as it sucks the blood of its host sheep. This manifests as “bottle jaw”, weakness, hanging behind the flock, collapse and often death. Ewes will be affected as well as lambs because immunity is not long lasting. Faecal egg counts (FEC) in affected ewes and lambs are usually very high, often with tens of thousands of strongyle-type eggs per gram (epg) of faeces.

Haemonchus is not usually expected to survive well over winter, but we have seen one case this summer where overwintering is the only

explanation available, given the timing of worming treatments, pasture rotation and worm egg count results. Perhaps the milder winters and hotter summers mean this scenario will become more frequent.

The parasite seems to have selected ewes with weaker immune systems within flocks, and very often the morbidity rate (proportion of sick ewes) is not that high. Only a small proportion may get clinical disease, but if left untreated they will probably die. We had a case of ewes in poor condition with an average group egg count of 400 epg; a bit higher than expected for July but not too extreme. Within this group, however, there was a weak individual that died the following day with an egg count of 19,800 epg.

But before you reach for the wormer, consider the morbidity rate. Blanket treatment of a ewe flock with a wormer should be avoided where possible, and if only 20% to 30% might be affected, we don’t want to treat them all.

Employing a technique called FAMACHA scoring can be useful. This is where, following a positive diagnosis of Haemonchus, ewes are scored on the degree of pallor under their eyelids. Only the palest looking sheep need to be treated, and in ewes we can use a narrow spectrum wormer containing closantel. This means you are not exposing the ‘regular’ gutworms to routinely used products.

Perhaps the nutritional challenge facing the ewes this summer has impacted on their underlying immunity in the face of a larger than usual Haemonchus burden, tipping the scales in favour of the parasite.

So, get your FEC kits out and start looking! A group egg count and a couple of individual egg counts from poorer individual sheep should give you a good picture of what is going on in your flock.

SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

NICK PILE

> Haemonchus

BVM&S MRCVS, director of Cliffe Veterinary Group T: 01273 473232 E: nick@cliffevets.co.uk www.cliffefarm.co.uk

LIVESTOCK > Fidelity Weston receives the Emsden trophy from Paul Cobb of FWAG

“SHINING EXAMPLE”

OF CONSERVATION

A Kent farmer who produces organic Pasture for Life beef and lamb on species-rich land has been presented with a top conservation award.

The Country Land and Business Association (CLA), which represents farmers, landowners and rural businesses across the county, awarded its Emsden Trophy for 2022 to Fidelity Weston, of Romshed Farm near Sevenoaks.

Nominated by Kent Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG), Fidelity, well-known for working to spread positive messaging around farming and sustainable food practices, was praised as a “shining example of conservation in the service of food production”.

The awards presentation and drinks reception was hosted at the Offham site of 2021 trophy winner Laurence J Betts Ltd. Fidelity commented: “I feel very strongly that farming and conservation can, and should be, firm partners in the production of our food. At home we produce our organic, Pasture for Life beef and lamb in pastures teaming with insects, surrounded by thick hedgerows and small woodland shaws that harbour a huge range of species, from dormice to barn owls and other iconic species.

“We are using electric fencing to fence off areas to develop scrub against woodland and enable us to move our cattle and sheep every few days, benefitting the soil and wildlife. Farming can be done in a way that supports and encourages biodiversity both above ground and in our soils, and we as farmers should be seen as the solution and not the problem.

“As an active member of Pasture for Life I hope I can continue to promote the benefits of bringing conservation and farming together, to ensure we get the right policies in place to support farming into the future.”

Kent FWAG adviser Paul Cobb said: “Romshed Farm has been a shining example of conservation in the service of food production over many years.

Fidelity has worked tirelessly with neighbours and other organisations to achieve this, as well as showing a wider audience and especially the younger generation the benefits.”

CLA South East Regional Director Tim Bamford said Fidelity was “a very worthy winner”, adding: “The CLA is always thrilled to recognise the conservation and environmental efforts of farmers in Kent, and this year is no different. Farmers and landowners across the Garden of England are custodians of the landscape, as well as helping to feeding the nation, and we’re proud to celebrate their work in this small way.”

The event, which is supported by BTF Partnership, is held in memory of Brigadier Brian Emsden, the Kent and Sussex CLA Regional Secretary in the 1980s who died in post.

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PLOUGHING MATCHES

ULTIMATE GOAL The ultimate goal for many of the competitors taking part in this year’s ploughing matches across the South East will be a place in the national finals, taking place for the first time this year on the Chatsworth Estate in Derbyshire, by permission of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire.

Around 230 top ploughmen and women from all over Great Britain will be taking part in what will be the 71st British National Ploughing Championships, held on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 October.

The event promises to be packed with competitions for different types of plough and styles of ploughing, culminating in the crowning of the British Champions and the selection of the competitors who will go on to represent England at the 2023 World and European Ploughing Championships.

SUPPORTING

There will be a total of 15 different ploughing classes over the two days. In six of these classes, the top 10 competitors from the first day will take part in a ‘plough-off final’ on the Sunday to find the British Champion in each section.

Alongside the ploughing competitions, visitors will enjoy attractions including steam ploughing engines, vintage tractors and machinery displays, manufacturers and local dealers demonstrating the latest farm equipment, agricultural trade stands, stalls and country crafts.

With horse ploughing always one of the major attractions, there will be around a dozen pairs of heavy horses at work each day. Magnificently turned out with ornate brass and leather harnesses, these true farm ‘workhorses’ will compete to produce the best general-purpose ploughing on the first day and the stylish traditional ‘high cut’ work on the second day.

Photo: Paul Gregory

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UKRAINE

This year’s East Sussex Ploughing Match will be raising money for the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine appeal following Russia’s invasion of the country six months ago.

The match, which is being held at Linghams Farm, Ashburnham, Battle, TN33 9NR on Saturday 24 September, by kind permission of Monty and Amanda Worsam, will also be attended by Hailsham Young Farmers.

“I’m sure we all realise that we need to hear and see the benefits a younger generation can bring to these events, particularly when it comes to using technology,” commented East Sussex Ploughing Match chairman Jim Braiden.

“We have horse ploughing, steam ploughing – if conditions allow – vintage tractor ploughing, modern tractor ploughing, corn samples, a domestic section, a raffle supported by generous sponsors, a fun dog show, trade stands and many other activities,” he went on.

Date: 24 September 2022 Venue: Linghams Farm, Ashburnham, Battle, TN33 9NR

CRANLEIGH

Cranleigh’s ploughing match takes place this year on Sunday 18 September at Pound Lee Farm, Wildwood Lane, Cranleigh GU6 8JR by kind permission of John James The match starts at 8:30am, with refreshments available, including breakfast and lunch for both ploughing match competitors and visitors.

Date: 18 September 2022 Venue: Wildwood Lane, Cranleigh GU6 8JR Match starts: 8:30am

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Ploughing match season is here!

We look at upcoming events in the South East

PRESSING AHEAD DESPITE

SCORCHING WEATHER

Organisers are pressing ahead with plans for the Ongar Ploughing Match on Saturday 10 September despite the scorching weather and lack of rain so far this summer.

This year’s match will take place at Spencers Farm, Magdalen Laver, CM5 0ER, home of Robert and Zoe Padfield, and is expected to attract competitors from throughout Essex and some from Hertfordshire.

“We hope the vintage and classic tractors will be able to get their ploughs in the concrete soil if the forecast provides rain,” said show secretary Helen McTurk. “We are hoping for a good turnout by both ploughmen and local folk in the field for that long-awaited, post-very hot harvest catch up.”

Seven classes, six of them competitive, will be running from 9.30am till 1.30pm. Newcomers are encouraged to try their hand in the beginners’ class, with a little tuition provided if required.

The ‘pace the chain’ competition is back by popular demand, with visitors invited to pace out what they think is a cricket square, with prizes on offer in male and female classes. Ragmarsh Farm will be on site to provide food and drink, and there will be a bar on site.

“We will also have the straight furrow competition, with male and female prizes there, too,” added Helen. “Shire Horses from Audley End have also been invited to show off their long-lost skills, so why not come and view their splendid turnout and maybe even have a go? You'll need to be able to hang on and almost run behind their plough, though!

“This non-profit event is perpetuated by funds raised from our raffle, so please come along and let Ronnie and Simon amuse you with their ticket selling antics! After the raffle is drawn at around 2.30pm, the prize giving ceremony will take place, so please stay around to see who is the best at ploughing in the Ongar area.”

Date: 10 September 2022 Venue: Spencers Farm, Magdalen Laver, CM5 0ER Gates open: 9.30am Entry costs: Free entry and car parking

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2022 PLOUGHING MATCH FIXTURES 3rd September 2022 East Grinstead & Three Counties Agricultural & Ploughing Match Association

By kind permission of Mrs M Bennett & Mr J Wallis MAP-MARKER Imberhorne Farm, Imberhorne Lane, East Grinstead RH19 1TX

4th September 2022 Romney Marsh Ploughing Match

Ploughing starts at 10am.

MAP-MARKER White House Farm, Brookland, Romney Marsh, Kent TN29 9TH phone-alt Secretary of the Romney Marsh Ploughing & Cultivations Society 07821 009693

10th September 2022 Swale area ploughing match

G U S O N . C O . U K

9.30am. By kind permission of A Hinge & Sons MAP-MARKER Wrens Farm, Wrens Road, Borden, ME9 8AL phone-alt Chris Hildegard at George Webb Finn or Andrew Mew 07759 320496

34

Ongar Ploughing Match

MAP-MARKER Spencers Farm, Magdalen Laver, Ongar, CM5 0ER phone-alt Helen McTurk 01279 87615 / 07831 138403 ✉ opmsecretary@btinternet.com

CHERRY

P RO

11th September 2022 NVTEC Thames Valley

DUC T S

BROWNS

EST: 1830

Agricultural Machinery Co. Ltd

Manufacturers of Farm Implements & Machinery

By kind permission of Eric Denton MAP-MARKER Rinneralm, Mattingley, Hook, Hampshire RG27 8LJ

17th September 2022 Weald of Kent Ploughing Match By kind permission of J Emery and Mr & Mrs Graham Williams MAP-MARKER New Barn Farm, New Barn Road, Hawkenbury, TN12 0ED ARROW-POINTER www.wkpma.co.uk

Isle of Wight Ploughing Match By kind permission of Barfoots Farms Ltd MAP-MARKER Heasley Farm, Arreton

West Grinstead and District Ploughing and Agricultural Society

info@agwood.co.uk www.agwood.co.uk

By kind permission of David Exwood & Christ's Hospital Foundation MAP-MARKER Field Farm, Sands Lane, Dial Post, RH13 8NY ARROW-POINTER www.westgrinsteadploughing.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

Rochford Ploughing Match

MAP-MARKER New Hall farm, Canewdon, SS43PG

18th September 2022 Cranleigh & South Eastern Agricultural Society Ploughing Match Ploughing commences at 9:45am but all vehicles to be on site by 8:30am. Entries close 7th September MAP-MARKER Pound Lee Farm, Wildwood Lane, Cranleigh, Surrey, GU6 8JR ✉ info@cranleighshow.org.uk

21st September 2022 Laughton & District Agricultural Society

By kind permission of the Sclater Family & Sutton Hall Farms MAP-MARKER Vuggles Farm, Spithurst Road, Barcombe, BN8 4RU ✉ shaunafenner6@gmail.com

Newbury and District

MAP-MARKER Rookery Farm, Curridge, Berkshire, RG18 9EA

Rochford Hundred Vintage Tractor and Engine Club MAP-MARKER Hawkwell Hall Farm, Hawkwell, Rochford, Essex SS5 4LL

24th September 2022 Fairford, Faringdon, Filkins and Burford Ploughing Society

MAP-MARKER Shifford Manor Farm, Standlake, Oxon OX29 7QS

Gravesend & Rochester

MAP-MARKER Ringshill Farm, Wouldham, Rochester, Kent ME1 3TP

Petworth and District Agricultural Association

By kind permission of Mr & Mrs Drabble and Mrs & Mrs Fry MAP-MARKER Okehurst Farm, Okehurst Lane, Billingshurst, RH14 9HS

East Sussex Ploughing Match Society

By kind permission of Mr Monty & Amanda Worsam MAP-MARKER Linghams Farm, Ashburham, Battle, TN33 9NR

25th September 2022 The Royal East Berkshire Agricultural Association Ploughing Match and Show

2nd October 2022 Chichester Ploughing Match

By kind permission of Philip Mortimer MAP-MARKER Mumbery Hill, Wargrave RG10 8AL

By kind permission of Mr Rod Hague MAP-MARKER Madam Green Farm, High Street, Oving, PO20 2DD Opposite the Gribble Inn pub

Hurstpierpoint and District Agricultural association

Henley and District Agricultural Association

MAP-MARKER River Farm, Borde Hill Lane, Balcombe, RH16 1XS

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28th September 2022 Crowborough & District Ploughing Match

5th October 2022 South Bucks Agricultural Society

Plough off 9am. (Note, previous years was first Wednesday of October. Now last Wednesday of September). By kind permission of Mr Paul Cornford & Mr A Freeman MAP-MARKER Hamsell Wood Farm, The Forstall, Eridge, Tunbridge Wells, TN3 9JY

East Kent Ploughing Match

MAP-MARKER Stoneheap Farm, Little Mongeham near Deal.

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1st October 2022 Greenstead Green Agricultural Club

MAP-MARKER Pattiswick Hall, Pattiswick, Braintree, Essex, CM77 8BH

Essex County Ploughing Match in Conjunction with Greenstead Green

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8th & 9th October 2022 British National Ploughing Championships

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PLOUGHING MATCHES

RETURN VISIT

The 47th annual East Grinstead and Three Counties Ploughing Match takes place this year on 3 September at Imberhorne Farm, East Grinstead RH19 1TX, the site of the association’s first match in 1947. The event is returning to the site by kind permission of Mrs M Emmett and Mr J Wallis.

There will be the usual wide range of attractions alongside ploughing and hedge cutting competitions, a new horticultural plough class, cereals classes and children's classes that can be entered up until the day before the match.

There will also be a children's trail that can be completed from the tractor and trailer ride, along with a family fun dog show and terrier racing organised by Forest Row Young Farmers.

92ND SEASON Laughton & District Agricultural Society will be holding its 92nd season ploughing match on Wednesday 21 September at Vuggles Farm, Barcombe BN8 4RU, by kind permission of the Sclater Family and Sutton Hall Farms.

The match will feature the usual vintage and classic ploughing classes, together with a display of heavy horse ploughing, a family section, an auction of produce, trade stands and the ever popular digger dangle competition.

Children from a local primary school will be on site for a day of countryside activities in the education section. Admission costs £5 per person or £10 per car. The event starts at 9am.

Date: 3 September 2022 Venue: Imberhorne Farm, East Grinstead RH19 1TX Matches start: 9.30am Entry costs: Entry costs £5 per person on the gate (under 16's free)

FUN DAY OUT

Date: 21 September 2022 Gates open: 9.00am

Steam engines and tractor and trailer rides are among the attractions on offer at this year’s ploughing match organised by Henley and District Agricultural Association.

The event, at Church Lane, Ipsden OX10 6PU, takes place on Sunday 2 October, with organisers promising “a great fun family day out”.

The list of attractions includes vintage ploughing, craft and trade stands, a companion dog show and food and drink vendors.

Venue: Vuggles Farm, Barcombe BN8 4RU Entry costs: £5 per person or £10 per car

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Date: 2 October 2022 Venue: Church Lane, Ipsden, OX10 6PU Entry costs: £5 (cash only), accompanied under 16s are free (maximum two per adult)

DON’T GET CAUGHT OUT

Photos: Lucy Carnaghan Photography

Make sure any farming trusts are registered.

Many land owners hold some or all of their land within trusts. These trusts may have been set up for tax reasons or for the fair holding of land between different family members.

From 1 September 2022 UK trusts in existence since October 2020 must be registered with HMRC. This rule applies even if the trust has ceased to exist since October 2020 or has no liability to pay tax. All newly created trusts must be registered within 90 days of being set up. There are penalties for non-compliance ranging currently from £100 to £300.

There are, of course, exceptions to the new rule, with the most relevant to landowners being when the beneficial owners of a trust are the same as the legal owners, eg A B C and D hold the land on trust for A B C and D. Any deviation from this would mean the trust has to be registered, eg A B C and D

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hold on trust for themselves and also for E and F. If there is a trust which, for instance, granted a life interest to a farm occupant, this will be caught by the new rules requiring registration and could be easy to overlook as it neither requires a tax return or any other regular professional attention.

Although the sanctions are, at the moment,

minimal, if a transaction involves a trust, solicitors will have to check whether of not the trust has been registered before starting work. Lack of registration could therefore cause delays for future transactions, so we advise our clients to review all trusts with which they are involved and ensure they are registered promptly.

If you would like further advice, or if you are unsure whether or not you are involved with a relevant trust, please contact us as we would be happy to assist.

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WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2022

PLOUGHING MATCHES

MAKE A DATE IN YOUR DIARY Enthusiasts worried about fitting as many ploughing matches as possible into a succession of busy weekends should make a note in their diary to take in the Crowborough and District Ploughing Match Society’s event.

A break from tradition sees the society’s 77th horse and tractor ploughing match and show being held on Wednesday 28 September, starting at 9am.

This year it will be held at Hamsell Wood Farm

TN3 9JY by permission of Mr P Cornford and Mr A Freeman.

Other attractions alongside the ploughing event will include gun dog trials and a dog show, farrier displays, domestic and floral competitions, trade stands and demonstrations.

Refreshments and a bar will add to the occasion, which is free to under 16s. Car parking is free and entry costs £7.50, including a schedule. Schedules

EVER POPULAR

are free to society members.

“We have a great line up of competitions, displays and other attractions, together with trade stands and a good choice of food and drink. We are looking forward to a great day’s ploughing,” commented show secretary Jonathan Morris.

Date: 28 September 2022 Venue: Hamsell Wood Farm, TN3 9JY Matches start: 9.00am Entry costs: £7.50, unders 16s free

PLOUGHING MATCH

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Another packed day is in store for the everpopular Weald of Kent Ploughing Match, which takes place this year at New Barn Farm, Hawkenbury, TN12 0ED on Saturday 17 September.

In addition to the vintage, steam-plough, horseploughing and conventional ploughing classes, there is a full range of activities for all ages to participate in. These include a gymkhana featuring classes for children aged up to 14 including showing classes, show jumping, fancy dress and novelty classes for young or novice riders.

The match, held this year by permission of tenant J Emery and landowners Mr and Mrs Graham Williams, includes a fun dog show catering for all shapes and sizes and a clay shoot competition with six classes.

The main show ring will offer a full programme of events, including: • The Dorset Axemen • Birds of prey flying display • Tossing the sheaf competition, open to all visitors • Hounds parade • Gun dog demonstration • Gun dog scurry competitions • Terrier racing • Tug-of-war Tickets are now on sale for the event, which

attracts around 4,000 people each year and raises money for rural charities across the Weald.

Food and drink lovers will enjoy browsing the large farmers’ market, where local producers will be selling a delicious range of produce and gifts.

There is also an extensive trade show featuring local rural businesses, plus a bar and catering area.

Seth Nesfield, Chairman of the Weald of Kent Ploughing Match Association, said: “Despite the pandemic we managed to run a popular and successful event in 2021, donating £6,000 to charities across the Weald, and we look forward to repeating that success.

“This year we once again have a large site, a terrific range of activities for people to watch and of course the all-important ploughing classes, including a class for under 16s to encourage younger participants and have a go ploughing.”

Entry details for all classes, (ploughing, gymkhana, dogs and clay shoot) can be found at www.wkpma.co.uk Date: 17 September 2022 Venue: New Barn Farm, Hawkenbury, TN12 0ED Gates open: 8am to 7pm and car parking is free Entry costs: Early bird tickets can be bought online in advance at www.wkpma.co.uk and cost £7.50 or £8 on the gate, with children under 12 admitted free

SUSSEX WINNERS

MATCH UP

The Sussex County Ploughing Championships are being held at Bradfords Farm, Little Horsted TN22 5QP on Saturday 15 October by kind permission of Mr Paul Cornford.

The October championships are a culmination of matches held by 11 affiliated ploughing societies across the county. Class winners from each of the affiliated societies go on to plough in the championships, with the Sussex County Champion then entitled to plough at the British Nationals in 2023.

The championships will feature a variety of tractor ploughing, from vintage machinery through to modern day tractors and ploughs. This year will also see three teams of horses competing in the horse-drawn match.

Public catering, a range of trade stands and a bar will add to the attractions, while a grain sample competition will also feature class winners from the 11 affiliated societies.

“The support from the trade is very important, as without this support it would make the championships more difficult to put on,” commented honorary secretary Jim Braiden. “The level of sponsorship we have received has been welcome in the face of rising costs.

“Please come along and join us on 15 October to see the top plough persons competing for the coveted championship silverware.”

Date: 15 October 2022 Venue: Bradfords Farm, Little Horsted TN22 5QP

SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

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GOING STRONG

The West Grinstead & District Ploughing and Agricultural Society is holding this year’s annual Ploughing Match and Show on 17 September at Field Farm near Dial Post RH13 8NY, a new site being used by kind permission of David Exwood and Christ’s Hospital Foundation.

Established in 1871, the society has been holding shows for 150 years and works hard to promote the interests of the local farming community, including holding an extensive range of field competitions through the year.

On the day itself, spectators will be able to enjoy 12 ploughing classes including novice and open, vintage and, the great crowd-puller, horse ploughing. There will again be a demonstration of steam ploughing featuring some massive engines at work.

Other attractions include hedge laying, hedge cutting and welding competitions which will allow competitors to show off their rural crafts.

The livestock show will include a range of sheep classes, including the everpopular lamb handling classes featuring the future generation of farmers, along with a display of cattle. There will also be a selection of other rural based attractions including a parade of hounds from the Crawley & Horsham Hunt and the popular terrier racing, ferret racing, clay pigeon shoot and Utility Gundog Society scurry.

In terms of the year-round competitions, the winners of the Best Farmed Farms (over 500 acres) competition this year were David and Caroline Harriott of Lychpole Farm near Sompting and the competition for smaller farms was won by F. De Boer & Partners of Wappingthorn Farm, Steyning.

The winner of the Best Whole Farm Conservation Policy competition was Derek Crush of Daylands Farm on the Wiston Estate, and the prize for the Best Individual Conservation Project went to Dominic Gardner and the Lee Farm Partnership on the Angmering Park Estate.

The society is continuing its bursary scheme to support candidates working or living in the area and keen to pursue a career in agriculture or associated industries, with the 2020/2021 winner Romy Jackson being given help towards her Masters in Agricultural Professional Practice.

Visitors to the match will also be able to enjoy other field produce competitions featuring entries that are later auctioned for the society's funds, along with the domestic produce stall with its delicious range of home-baked cakes. There will also be the ever-popular Harris Fun Fair with its classic rides.

There will be numerous other attractions including tug-of-war, a sheep shearing demonstration, a tractor and plough parade, skittles and poultry display.

The West Grinstead match promises excellent catering facilities, a licensed bar with numerous local beers, many trade stands and demonstrations and the annual raffle, usually a sell-out, reflecting its many prizes.

Date: 17 September 2022 Venue: Field Farm near Dial Post RH13 8NY Entry costs: £10 per adult on the day - or £8 in advance online – with children under 14 free

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Recognised for its expertise by independent legal guides The Legal 500 and Chambers UK, Furley Page’s specialist agriculture and rural business team advises farm businesses diversifying into other areas such as farm retail and food and drink processing, as well as those looking to provide equine or other leisure facilities.

Partner Sarah Webster recently joined Furley Page from another leading Kent law firm and is the new head of the agriculture and rural business team.

She said: “The demands on modern agricultural,

Furley Page’s agriculture and rural business team will be attending the East Kent Ploughing Match on Wednesday 28 September at Stoneheap Farm, Little Mongeham, near Deal. For more information visit www.ekpma.co.uk food and rural businesses are complex and prone to constant change. Having acted for farmers and rural landowners for generations, Furley Page has gained extensive insight into their special requirements. Whether supporting with business or personal law, the team benefits from being able to draw on a huge variety of different legal specialists with vast experience working for farmers, landowners and rural businesses."0 Sarah’s appointment means the nine-strong multi-disciplinary team now has a combined experience of more than 140 years’ working for clients in the agriculture and rural business sector. The team comprises five partners, a consultant, a senior associate and two associates.

Team members have a wide range of specialisms, enabling the firm to provide clients with comprehensive solutions and a huge variety of legal services.

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Sarah continued: “Drawing on the expertise

> Left to right: Rich Risino, Aaron Spencer, Jeremy Ferris, Daniel Bridgland, Sarah Webster, Darren Philpot, Christopher Wacher, Tony Chester

SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

of lawyers from a wide range of specialisms ensures we can provide comprehensive solutions for our clients, whether they have professional or personal matters to arrange. Team members are drawn from across the firm, including our real estate, corporate law, dispute resolution and private client teams.

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Legal Services

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ELVED PHILLIPS ARABLE NOTES

GROWERS NEED TO FORGET ABOUT THE PRICES THEY COULD

HAVE SOLD AT BUT DIDN’T 42

We have probably now completed the quickest harvest since 1976, which was all over by the end of June, but that’s where the similarities end. Back then, there was hardly any yield and certainly no surplus in the UK. This is probably the best harvest since 2011 and of course, even though some prices are now lower than pre-war levels, they are still at record values and only surpassed by over-hyped prices seen in the spring of this year. The other big difference to 1976 is, of course, that we do have a big surplus of barley in the UK, at least three quarters of a million tonnes.

The wheat is less certain, but even the bulls admit to a 15 million tonne-plus harvest. So, with our need to import about 800,000 tonnes of high protein milling wheat (because we definitely don’t have that), the UK will have a 1.8 million tonne surplus to liquidate before there is any hope of feed wheat or barley improving much in price between now and Christmas.

The bulls keep recycling the scare stories about the problems of exports from Odessa and other Black Sea ports, but exports are happening.

Of course they are, because it’s in everybody’s interest for that to happen. The new harvest has to go somewhere, so the old crop has to move,

ELVED PHILLIPS Openfield

albeit slowly. Also, the bulls keep disbelieving the growing Russian wheat crop estimates, but the evidence (of good growing weather) in Russia and Ukraine is against them.

As I said two months ago, growers needed to forget about the prices they could have sold at but didn’t. It seems some in the merchant trade need to take heed of that as well! The values of six months ago have disappeared and will not be coming back! Of course, if China invades Taiwan who knows? But that outside chance should not form any part of your marketing strategy.

If you forget about the past six months, good values are still achievable; when coupled to the extraordinary yield most have had, these offer great opportunities from here for successful marketing. So, rather than hoping for new bullish developments in the Ukraine and Black Sea, look at the building picture around the 2023 harvest. An

SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

awful lot of rain must fall in many key production areas throughout the world before anything like a satisfactory new crop can be established. There is far more chance that a recovery in world prices will emanate from that for 2023 than from changes to the old crop situation, until the January to June 2023 position anyway.

UK spring malting barley has delivered a vintage crop of quality and quantity, the best I can recall for a long time; so have our big export rivals Denmark and France. Needless to say, the main maltster and brewer buyers have now withdrawn from the market.

As the leading UK exporter of malting barley, Openfield has already been able to secure some good export sales throughout Europe, but the UK surplus will need to be exported in all the months between now and harvest 2023. Because of the economic situation, beer sales are struggling. I fear we may reach a stage in the New Year where the malting premium disappears (with the lack of brewer buyers) and some malting may have to be sold as feed, which has happened before.

It has been suggested that some of my predictions about the market are “Nostradamus” like! Well, he prophesied the end of the world, yet my forecasts only correctly covered the loss of the war premium from the ridiculous overheated market. Trade people like to roll out the same old anecdotes like “sell the rumour, buy the fact”. Well, you could have got into a lot of trouble doing that in the fast-moving market of the past six months!

I prefer to work on good fundamentals when you know what they are, rather than sentiment or stories about locusts, La Nina, or export corridors in the Black Sea. For the next few months, we should forget about what President Putin is going to do next, or geo-politics. Instead we should perhaps concentrate on the marketing and movement of our UK surplus!

prod and

STEPHEN CARR

AN OMINOUS

Offe in so serv your

COMBINE RATTLE

As ‘droughts’ go, the 2022 version has surely been the most benign ever. A dry spring but enough rain to get the crops away. Then some useful rain in May and June. Now a hot July and August, perfect for harvesting. Haven’t even had to turn the dryer on.

About to finish cutting the last field of spring beans. The last of harvest 2022.

All is going swimmingly. The Met Office forecast gives rain later with thunder. The end of the long drought. Three acres left to cut before the storm arrives. Then harvest home.

I have just had that thought when an ominous rattle comes from the combine harvester’s engine compartment. Stop to check the problem. The fan belt has just disintegrated. Look at the temperature gauge, which is pointing safely into the green. Should be able to get the last few acres of beans into the grain tank before the needle even moves.

Wrong. The needle moves further towards the red. Drive on. Desperate to boast to all that harvest is done.

And not any ordinary done. Done and finished by 16 August 2022, with a combine harvester manufactured 32 years earlier. Ha. How about that, you? You with your expensive, shiny, nearly-new machine?

But now the needle is touching red. Have to face facts. My loyal servant deserves better than to have her engine block cracked by a crazed idiot determined to finish harvest at any cost just for bragging rights.

Besides, there is still a chance. There’s a spare fan belt in the toolbox.

Set to work to fit it double quick. Pulleys are slackened and then re-tightened. A lovely new dark black belt of rubber is soon driving the fan efficiently. Cooling the engine and my temper in equal measure. Slick pit stop over.

It’s starting to rain hard. Panic. Push the lever on the hydrostatic gearbox further forwards. Faster. Regardless. Not to be denied the harvest chequered flag with less than an acre to go.

“Whump-whump”. The familiar dreaded noise tells me the threshing drum is about to block up with the intake of increasingly wet bean haulm. Make a reluctant calculation that it is best to slow down to avoid a drum block.

Feed the last few beans through the threshing mechanism very slowly. Yes, that will surely get me to the finishing line. Then the header cutter knife jams. Lower it to the ground and turn the engine off. Clamber down the steps to start un-jamming.

Outside the cab now. Quickly soaked to the skin. The shock of the cold wet and the shock of the flashes of lightening bring me to my senses. Give up the struggle. Pat the combine as a form of apology. Trudge dejectedly towards my Land Rover as the ground shakes to the rumble of thunder. Then home.

The driest summer in England since 1935 has come to an abrupt end. About one tenth of an acre of unharvested spring beans too soon. Almost, but not quite, the perfect drought. Thanks.

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ANITA HEAD ORGANISED CHAOS

ANITA HEAD Farmer

44

As I sit down to write, we are all feeling rather jaded. Harvest has been completed for another year and so the cycle will begin again. This summer has produced the most amazing sunsets I have ever witnessed, and we seem to have been running at 100mph for an eternity.

For us this year harvest was uneventful. We are exceptionally fortunate to have an amazing team and for that we are grateful. Moving 12,000-plus bales is no mean feat. We are always thankful for an uneventful year indicating (bar a few punctures) that it has been relatively successful.

The dry weather has been an enormous help to all farmers, but while heat and a long period of dry weather allows you to continue uninterrupted, the disadvantage is the risk of fire. Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected as well as those who have been able to help create firebreaks across the county. The fire service has certainly had its work cut out this summer. They really have been incredibly efficient and helpful.

As always, carting straw through villages attracts the ‘social media warrior’ and posts on popular social media sites have been coming thick and fast. The long dry spell with people enjoying meals

DRY WEATHER ENORMOUS HELP outside has encouraged a new ‘brigade’ of warriors.

I really do wonder where the general public thinks food comes from.

It’s only for a short period of time but causes massive inconvenience to them if they must shut the bedroom window to dull the noise or the litter (straw) that is apparently contaminating the road.

We recently had a chap blockade the road in protest.

After 20 minutes and still getting nowhere, many of the drivers who were held up came to criticise the gentleman and so he moved rather swiftly, with no apology to anyone or anything.

The children are all now back at school after the most incredible summer holidays, but life seemed so much easier with them home. Fish and Chip runs, ice cream deliveries, not forgetting the diesel bowser runs, caravan sleepovers, showing sheep at the Edenbridge and Oxted Pony Club Championships – Ted has been in his element. It’s no wonder that we had tantrums galore when the time for school eventually came round. We even managed to get the boys away for a couple of days at the very end of August.

Harvest can be a very stressful time for many farmers, testing the patience of saints. Long hours,

SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

lack of sleep, no social time, loneliness etc, makes it very easy to snap at people or make accusations towards others and generally feel low.

Common signs of stress are headaches, frustration, irritability, a tendency to be short tempered, impatience, forgetfulness, fatigue, withdrawing from others, overeating and difficulty sleeping. How we take care of our health during harvest is different from the rest of the year but, equally important.

One factor to consider is taking breaks to help your mind and body recharge. Don’t get overtired; take a power nap. I feel very fortunate to have all the family around, albeit not at the same time, but others are not so fortunate. Wives and partners with small children can often feel isolated, especially if they don’t live on farm. Making the effort to meet up with likeminded parents or young farmer friends that are in the same situation makes the situation easier, but it’s still a very difficult time of the year.

Supporting each other is key to ensuring continued harmony.

If you feel you’d like further information please contact www.fcn.org.uk Until next time.

AGRONOMY

HOW TO PLAN FOR PROFIT USING

OMNIA DIGITAL FARMING The launch of Omnia Digital Farming’s Business Performance module offers an industry first capability for full farm rotational planning that takes the guess work out of decision making.

This exciting and ground breaking development uses farm data to cost out a range of potential cropping and machinery scenarios in terms of both financial and CO2 equivalent performance.

The development of the Omnia Business Performance module follows on from the 2021 launch of the Field Performance Module, which allowed the retrospective calculation of the cost of production of field operations in £/ tonne, CO2/tonne or CO2/hectare.

WHY IS THIS SO SIGNIFICANT?

Never before has British farming been under as much pressure to manage output in terms of production and emissions while also remaining financially and environmentally sustainable.

At the same time, planning a rotation is more complicated than ever, and no longer are growers looking at just the historical Norfolk four course or two wheats and an oilseed rape.

“There are several reasons for this,” said Will Foyle, farm business consultant at Hutchinsons. “The economics of different crops has changed in response to fertiliser requirements. There is also a greater demand for oilseeds – all of which means rotations are being analysed more closely than ever before.

“As we are well aware, this comes at a time when subsidies are reducing and there is a closer focus on increasing costs such as fuel and fertiliser.

“Currently demand for land use is strong, such as for short-term lets for roots, vegetables, maize and rye. Opportunities for third party payments from water companies funding cover cropping, the emergence of markets for biodiversity net gain and the impact of carbon are also contributing to both short and long term changes in cropping that need to be assessed.

“Alongside this, and coupled with schemes such as the Farming Equipment Technology Fund (FETF) and funding to support changes in machinery policy, growers are left doing the maths to see what is a viable option that could work for them.”

All in all it’s a really confusing picture, added Mr Foyle. “How easy is it to look at the implications of buying a new drill on fixed costs? What is the real difference in costs and carbon if land is taken out of production and replaced with environmental schemes? How will the bottom line be affected if potatoes are dropped from the rotation?

“These are questions that are being regularly asked but, until now, have not been possible to model within a precision farming system using real and accurate farm data,” he pointed out.

THE METHODOLOGY

As with all developments within Omnia, the data is visualised through several layers or maps, making it straightforward and user-friendly.

For each crop it is possible to build in variable costs and operations or pull in those already defined in the virtual machinery shed within the Field Performance module and then add in the rotation.

Income, variable costs, gross margin, fixed costs, net margin and tCO2e (tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent) are calculated per hectare, as well as over the year.

Different cropping or machinery scenarios can be run alongside each other.

Mr Foyle gives the example of using the Business Performance module to look

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

Since its launch in 2016 as a precision agronomy software tool offering variable rate drilling maps and manure management plans, Omnia has continued to evolve and develop by responding to customer requirements.

This approach has led to a range of innovative developments over the past six years, such as Cost of Production and Yield Performance mapping, Terramap, Carbon mapping, E Seed, and now the launch of Business Performance planning, which reflects its evolution to a farm business planning tool. at the implications of moving from a tillage-type disc drill to a direct drill across a five-year rotation.

“By inputting income, variable costs, gross margin and fixed costs it shows that despite income, variable costs and gross margin remaining the same over the year, fixed costs decrease using the direct drill from 27% to 22%, as a percentage of output. tCO2e is also reduced.

“What is noticeable is that, overall, net margin increases by £83/ha or £25,908/ year.

“Another scenario could be to assume crop rotation and output remains the same but with different yield penalties applied, for example.

“In short, it’s possible using the Business Performance module to cost out any range of scenarios in terms of pounds and carbon before implementing them on farm. This really is an invaluable exercise for any grower to undertake before making changes to current farm rotations or machinery to help them make the right decisions in what is currently a confusing picture,” said Mr Foyle.

WILL FOYLE

Hutchinsons Farm Business Consultant T: 07583 130881 E: Will.foyle@hlhltd.co.uk Canterbury: 01227 830064 www.hlhltd.co.uk

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2022

45

Legal services for farmers & rural businesses Call us today or visit our website:

01227 763939 furleypage.co.uk

WHERE THERE’S A WILL

THERE’S A WAY

Philip Whitcomb, a partner at law firm Moore Barlow and specialist in rural matters, shares the key things farmers should consider when drafting their Will.

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Farm owners spend every working hour ensuring the smooth running of their farm. This often means that when it comes to drafting a Will, it can be put off, leaving them only with rough notes rather than a formal declaration of how assets are to be divided.

This may seem obvious, but having a well constructed Will really is crucial.

Without it, it is very difficult to ensure your estate will be distributed exactly how you wish.

Wills can be complex, especially when it comes to farm ownership because

there can be an overlap between different assets, as well as business and private ownership. Employing a professional who has specialist knowledge in how farms work will help to ensure that you use the right procedures to specify what you want to happen when you are no longer here; for example they can advise when to use a succession plan.

They can also help you to validate your Will by ensuring you follow the correct procedure and have the right number of witnesses when signing the Will.

It’s also important to note that there are certain events which can make your Will void, such as if you get married. Naturally life changes, make sure your Will is regularly updated to protect your assets and ensure these pass on to the ones you want to benefit.

COMMUNICATION IS KEY

We’ll sort the wheat from the chaff.

As one of the oldest legal firms in the Garden of England, we have vast experience in responsive, accessible and informed legal advice to Farmers, Producers and Agri-suppliers.

HAVE A PLAN FOR THE INTERIM

+ Business restructuring, sales and purchases + Commercial agreements + Employment law + Planning and Environment + Property Development and Construction + Residential Conveyancing + Tax Planning and Trusts + Wills and Probate To talk to a legal specialist in rural matters, call us on 01622 698000 or email enquiries@wmlaw.co.uk whitehead-monckton.co.uk

Whitehead Monckton Limited (no. 08366029), registered in England & Wales.

Registered office 5 Eclipse Park, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 3EN. Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under no. 608279.

2128_Whitehead Monckton_East Kent Ploughing Match_A5_Advert.indd 1

For those who have more than one child, or individuals who they would like to benefit from the Will, it is crucial anything you say to them is in line with what is written in the document.

For example, if one of your children takes on more responsibilities on the farm as you move into retirement, they may feel they have a greater entitlement to your assets. It’s vital that if you do believe they should have a larger share that you clearly state this in your Will and communicate this carefully with your other children to avoid upset or anyone contesting the Will later down the line.

04/08/2022 10:15

SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

When a farm owner passes away, immediate responsibility falls to the executors. They maintain this role throughout the probate administration period.

Setting up a contingency plan is an important step for this period. It will help ensure the farm continues to run smoothly and removes some of the burden felt by those left behind.

You can have up to four executors, so selecting someone who already has knowledge of how the farm works will help with continuity and ensure animals are cared for, crops are tended to, staff are paid and invoices are actioned. A list with key professional contacts, for example vets, accountants, advisors, and even neighbouring farmers who’d be happy to help, can also provide extra support.

Ultimately, a valid Will is the only way to ensure your estate is distributed as you would like. Seeking guidance from a professional can help you to understand the nuances surrounding the business, the land ownership and the other assets. They can help you know when to use a succession plan so your assets and business can pass as you wish and prevent challenges during probate.

LEGAL

THE ROLE OF FARMING IN TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE Farming and other land-based businesses are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Given the nature of their business, farmers are going to be at the forefront of tackling the challenge it poses.

In an effort to slow rising temperatures in the UK, the Government has adopted a policy of aiming for net zero greenhouse gas emissions for the UK by 2050.

With over 70% of the UK’s land in agricultural use, and with the sector accounting for approximately 10% of the UK’s current annual greenhouse gas emissions, farming businesses are uniquely placed to be part of the solution. The NFU has set its own target of reaching net zero emissions across the agricultural sector in England and Wales by 2040.

Meeting this objective will require changes in farming practice to reduce direct emissions. Many farmers have already embraced these changes.

There are also ways to contribute by using land for low carbon energy generation such as wind and solar. This can present opportunities to generate an income through the sale or leasing of land to energy companies.

Reducing emissions is only part of the solution.

In order to tackle climate change effectively, it is also necessary to find ways of removing carbon from the atmosphere. One of the initiatives directed at achieving this is the development of

the market in carbon credits. This is the means by which permits evidencing the certified reduction, avoidance or removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere can be traded.

The trade in carbon credits is a potential business opportunity. Land owners can generate credits through activities such as planting trees or hedgerows, managing existing woodland or restoring peatland. These credits can then be sold to other businesses looking to reduce their net carbon footprint by offsetting their own greenhouse gas emissions.

The market in carbon credits is not yet fully established and is a complex area within which to operate. Before venturing into the carbon credits market, land owners should be aware of the challenges and the potential down sides.

In order to be tradable, the credit must be measured, quantified and verified to ensure that it represents a genuine reduction in carbon

LEE MAY

Partner, Brachers LLP T: 01227 949547 E: LeeMay@brachers.co.uk www.brachers.co.uk

emissions. It will also need to demonstrate a lasting reduction in CO2, rather than simply moving the CO2 generating activity elsewhere.

There are a number of other issues to consider when looking to trade credits, which include: • The restrictions on the management and use of the land which are required to generate the carbon credit • The impact on the farm’s ability to reduce its own CO2 emissions • The potential impact on Environmental Land Management schemes • Whether or not the farmer has the necessary rights over the land to enter into the agreement • Whether or not planning permission is required to undertake the activity which will lock up the CO2 • The time and costs associated with establishing the relevant verification • The tax implications.

The UK farming sector has a proud track record of rising to whatever challenge is put before it. If the complexities regarding the trade in carbon credits can be overcome, there is potential income to be generated while also contributing to the fight against climate change.

Legal services which deliver long-term solutions to support the future of farming Proud sponsor of the Weald of Kent Ploughing Match and East Kent Ploughing Match Maidstone 01622 690691 Canterbury 01227 949510

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

www.brachers.co.uk hello@brachers.co.uk

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2022

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F

O

R

S

A

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Land & Property Experts

Cranbrook, Kent One of the most exciting self-build projects in central rural Kent for many years. Planning for three new dwellings and land situated in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Lot 1 - Farm Buildings with planning permission to create three new contemporary dwellings with pasture & woodland - 35.51 acres Lot 2 - Grade III Arable Land with a parcel of woodland - 113.69 acres Lot 3 - A single arable field with woodland 18.08 acres

Situated in a rural location close to the town of Cranbrook In all approximately 167.28 acres Guide Prices: Lot 1: Lot 2: Lot 3: For the Whole:

www.btfpartnership.co.uk E challock@btfpartnership.co.uk T 01233 740077

£1,825,000 £ 1,000,000 £ 175,000 IEO £3,000,000

PLOUGHING MATCHES 2022

We’ll be at a number of Ploughing Matches across the South East. Join us in September at Weald of Kent, Laughton, Petworth and Hurstpierpoint.

LAND AND FARMS SPONSORED BY BATCHELLER MONKHOUSE

GRADE I LAND EXPECTED TO ACT AS ‘BELLWETHER’ SALE FOR FUTURE OF UK FARMING FAVERSHAM | KENT

AS A WHOLE OR IN TWO LOTS FOR £3.4 MILLION

A highly versatile block of first-class arable land has been put up for sale and could represent a litmus test for the UK land market, with domestic and global food security rising up the agenda and demand for farmland surging.

The 306 acres at the Lees Court Estate, stewarded by the pioneering farmer and entrepreneur The Countess Sondes, gives would-be buyers a rare opportunity to acquire Grade I land at a time when ground of such quality is seldom on offer, since it is estimated that only about 3% of England is classed as Grade 1.

The American born Lady Sondes, recently described by Tatler as “the most glamorous and intriguing character in the British aristocracy today”, has established a reputation as a world leader in integrating non-food crops alongside conventional food production. The land’s rotation has recently included echium, a purple coloured crop used in the skincare, pharmaceutical and baby food sectors, which has delivered significant

environmental benefits.

It represents the first time this land at Faversham, marketed by Strutt & Parker as a whole or in two lots for £3.4m, has come to the market in the estate’s 800-year history.

Mark McAndrew, Head of Strutt & Parker’s National Estate and Farm Sales Team, said: “At a time of considerable economic uncertainty, affecting almost all investment sectors, farmland stands out as a hugely attractive option. There is certainly a growing appetite for UK farmland from a wide range of buyers, resulting in recent reports of top quality farms and parcels of commercial land selling for significantly more than their guide prices.

“Farming and food security have never been more at the forefront of global sensitivities – as highlighted by the attention given to the sector by the two remaining Prime Ministerial candidates – so the most productive land is likely to be increasingly sought after.

306 ACRES

“It follows growing tensions within the rural community about what has been felt by some as a drive to push rewilding over food production. This is land capable of growing a wide range of crops, which is becoming evermore crucial as farmers seek ways to diversify their farming systems against the backdrop of extreme weather, supply chain disruptions and changes in agricultural policy.”

Adding to the appeal of the property is the sensitive and considered regenerative farming approach that Lady Sondes has taken over many years, which has ensured the land is in excellent heart for successive generations.

The estate has found that including non-food crops such as echium in the rotation has been hugely beneficial to pollinators, birds and other wildlife and helped to protect and enhance soil health. It is land that has demonstrated its productive potential, producing high-yielding conventional cereal crops while delivering awardwinning conservation and biodiversity benefits.

P O T TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

K C PI

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2022

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Savills Sevenoaks 01732 879 050 sevenoaks@savills.com

FOR SALE

Nutley, East Sussex A significant block of mixed conifer and broadleaf woodland within the High Weald AONB and close to Ashdown Forest. Exceptional amenity and biodiversity appeal. Good access tracks and forestry building. Uckfield 5 miles and central London 41 miles.

About 189 acres I Guide £1.5 million

Talk to us today Chris Spofforth Farm Agency 07812 965379 cspofforth@savills.com

Richard Mann Farm Agency 07967 555862 rmann@savills.com

LAND AND FARMS

GUIDE PRICE: £12.5MILLION

BINSTED | HAMPSHIRE

569 ACRES

For more information, contact Savills Winchester on 01962 857441

COUNTRY ESTATE WITH

A Hampshire estate with country house, period barn, cottages and 569 acres set in the South Downs National Park has come to the market through Savills.

The Hay Place Estate is on the southern edge of the popular village of Binsted and offers opportunity for development.

At the heart of the estate is an attractive, unlisted house with eight bedrooms and three bathrooms which provides flexible living accommodation with the potential to be extended and modernised, subject to the necessary

consents. The gardens are quiet and private, with a kitchen garden, lawn sweeping around the house and a wooded path down into the hanger and the farmland. There is a swimming pool and a tennis court, both of which need to be brought back to a working condition.

A range of Victorian agricultural buildings, also unlisted, is arranged in a courtyard and has permission to be converted into four residential units. There are four further let cottages at the top of the drive that provide a useful income.

The farmland is predominantly arable,

TUNBRIDGE WELLS | KENT

SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY

interspersed with pockets of woodland and pasture. The undulating topography of the estate lends itself to providing excellent sport.

Geoffrey Jones of Savills farm agency team in Winchester, said: “The Hay Place Estate is a conveniently positioned and fertile estate which offers significant development opportunity. The estate is in a truly unspoilt position nestled in rolling countryside, while maintaining excellent communication links.”

The Hay Place Estate is being marketed by Savills for a guide price of £12.5million.

42.79 ACRES

OFFERS IN EXCESS OF £350,000

EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO EXTEND BTF Partnership has launched for sale the Ashurst farmland near Tunbridge Wells, Kent. A 42.79 acre parcel of Grade III arable land, it has a guide price inviting offers in excess of £350,000.

Located two miles from Fordcombe and five miles from Tunbridge Wells, the land is set well back from the road and accessed along a track via a right of way.

The property comprises a single parcel of agricultural land with river frontage to

the River Medway.

Tim Crundwell at BTF Partnership commented: “Very few single parcels of this size have been released to the open market recently in this area, and I would consider it an excellent opportunity for a local landowner to extend their existing agricultural holding, or even for someone to start a new non-residential smallholding on the rural border of Kent and Sussex.

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Further details can be found at www.btfpartnership.co.uk

P O T TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

K C PI

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2022

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LAND AND FARMS MAYFIELD | EAST SUSSEX

42 ACRES

SALEHURST | EAST SUSSEX

22 ACRES

RESIDENTIAL GRASSLAND FARM

IN MUCH SOUGHT-AFTER LOCATION

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Watsons of Heathfield are delighted to have been instructed to market the idyllic Spring Farm near Mayfield, a much loved family home which has been in the same ownership for over 35 years. This sale offers a rare opportunity to acquire a residential grassland farm in a much sought-after location off a country lane.

Spring Farm Farmhouse is a charming, Grade II listed farmhouse. Originally two cottages, it is believed to date from the 18th century or earlier and has accommodation on three floors including a large, attractive sitting room, spacious kitchen/ dining room, utility room, family/television room and six bedrooms, with the main bedroom having an en-suite bathroom.

The property, which requires modernisation and refurbishment, is accessed from the driveway/ parking area via a brick pathway that leads to the entrance porch and then around to the rear of the property, where there is a paved seating area with views over the adjoining fields and beyond.

The gardens surround the property and are laid mainly to lawn with a number of established flower beds, a small mixed orchard, pond and workshop/ garden store built of brick with hung tile upper elevations under a tiled roof. This has the potential for conversion to an annexe, subject to obtaining the necessary planning permission and listed building consent.

To the west of the farmhouse are the equestrian and agricultural buildings, which comprise a

traditional brick-built stable block with two boxes, tack room and feed store, block-built workshop and log store, two timber stable buildings, traditional brick-built former cowshed, livestock building and a machinery/hay barn.

The farm has good frontage to, as well as numerous access points from, Spring Lane, and the fields are divided by mature hedges, many of which have been maintained at various times over the years using traditional hedge-laying practices.

On the southern boundary is a wood of about three acres with a small pond at one end, and adjoining part of the northern boundary is a further wooded area of just under one acre. The farm is for sale as a whole or in two lots.

Watsons of Heathfield has also received instructions to market another parcel of land within the Sussex, Kent and Surrey area covered by their sales and professional valuation departments. The instruction follows excellent results having been achieved by Watsons for two other blocks of land sold nearby, 18 acres within a mile and 41 acres just over two miles away.

Being offered for sale this time is 22 acres of pasture, divided into two fields, with good views, lane frontage and access, two ponds and occupying a tranquil rural setting close to the hamlet of Salehurst in East Sussex. The A21 at Robertsbridge is about 1½ miles away.

Another recent sale was of 45 acres of productive marshland grazing within half a mile of the beach

> Spring Farm – 42 acres

> Salehurst – 22 acres

at Normans Bay. This good sized parcel of land is situated within the Pevensey Marsh Site of Special Scientific Interest and Special Area of Conservation and has good lane frontage, as well as two access points onto the Pevensey to Cooden lane which adjoins the northern boundary along its entire length. The land is traversed and then bordered on the eastern edge by the East Stream, Waller’s Haven (river) is on the western boundary and there are ponds on the southern edge.

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SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

Watsons: 01435 865077

R FOALE S

R FOALE S

Cowbeech, East Sussex

Newdigate, Surrey

A fine Grade II* Listed house in a rural location. With a detached annexe cottage, garaging for 7 cars, swimming pool, tennis court and beautiful gardens, woodland and fields in all about 117 acres.

A residential and pasture farm in a rural location on the edge of the village with beautiful southerly views over its own land. Approximately 58.76 acres. For sale as a whole or in 3 lots.

Matthew Braxton BSc T: 01424 775577

Russell Parkes MRICS FAAV T: 01798 872081

E: m.braxton@batchellermonkhouse.com

E: r.parkes@batchellermonkhouse.com

GUIDE PRICE £3,300,000

GUIDE PRICE £2,500,000

batchellermonkhouse.com

53

TH & Co

TED HANDLEY & Co LIMITED

PROPERTY CONSULTANTS AND ADVISORS

FOR SALE NEAR EASTBOURNE, EAST SUSSEX 31 Acres. Grassland with future development potential NEAR GATWICK, SURREY 25 Acres. Grassland and woodland. Road frontage, Exors sale PEVENSEY LEVELS 75 Acres. Grassland within SSSI. Offers invited

URGENTLY WANTED

Two applicants urgently seeking residential farms.

60 - 130 Acres.

East Sussex or borders.

Funds available

**STOP PRESS**

House, PP for a conversion, Sussex Barn, Sand School and up to 20 Acres available late September. Also Betwixt Lewes and Polegate, 3 pony paddocks.

THE ESTATE OFFICE • HIGH STREET • MAYFIELD • EAST SUSSEX • TN20 6AB TELEPHONE: 01435 692058 MOBILE: 07483 108078 EMAIL: th@tedhandley.co.uk TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2022

LAND DEVELOPMENT Climate change is now recognised as one of the most significant challenges facing the global population.

Of the 82% of English local authorities that have declared a climate emergency, a significant number have set a target year of 2030 to achieve net zero carbon, which is considerably more ambitious than the 2050 target year set by the UK Government.

So, what is the planning system and the housing industry doing to help the country meet environmental goals and can building new homes really help?

CAN BUILDING MORE

HOMES HELP MEET OUR CLIMATE GOALS?

HOMES OF THE FUTURE

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The heating and powering of buildings currently makes up 40% of the UK’s total energy use. Reducing the CO2 emissions from homes is a key government target. In 2019 it consulted on proposed changes to building regulations which are set to increase the energy efficiency requirements for new homes.

The Future Homes Standards are set to apply to new homes from 2025. These standards will require CO2 emissions produced by new homes to be 75% to 80% lower than those from homes built to current standards. Homes will need to be zero carbon ready, with no retrofit work required to benefit from the decarbonisation of the electricity grid and electrification of heating. Fossil fuel heating such as gas boilers will be banned in new homes, with an expected shift to heat pumps and heat networks.

As well as being cheaper and cleaner to heat, new homes will also need to incorporate ventilation measures to help combat overheating, as well as measures to mitigate the risk of transmission of infection via aerosols. Houses in the UK have traditionally been mechanically heated, with the focus on retaining the heat that is generated. To cope with climate change, future homes will need to find ways to use natural methods of heating and cooling. This can be achieved through ever improving insulation methods and innovative layout design to allow effective natural ventilation and cooling. We can expect further advances in solar power and battery storage.

As hose pipe bans are being reintroduced across parts of the South East, reducing water usage is also key. With the average water usage per person currently around 150 litres per day, the target for new homes will be between 85 and 100 litres. Emerging planning policy is requiring new homes to prove this new target is met.

This requires installing ever more water-efficient appliances, as well as clever initiatives such as rainwater harvesting to feed toilet cisterns and even onsite water filtration systems to make rainwater safe to drink. The design of our gardens and outdoor spaces will also need to adapt to be more resilient to higher temperatures and lower rainfall.

Planning for more extreme weather events is essential. It is estimated that around 5.2 million

properties are already at risk of flooding, which has an estimated annual cost of £1billion. Surface water drainage solutions for new homes are already required to factor in one in 100 year flood events and additional capacity of 40% to allow for climate change. New homes are being designed to adapt to our changing climate.

TRANSPORT

Another key area for improvement is the reduction of CO2 emissions from cars. Reducing the dependency on the private car is a priority for new housing developments. Electric vehicle charging points, car share initiatives, bike hire provision and public transport incentives are now common on new housing developments.

Covid-19 has also led to a change in working practices and the role of the neighbourhood centre.

New developments are providing for home workers by installing fibre broadband and onsite flexible working spaces, either within the home itself or as part of a community building. There has also been the resurgence of the local shop, once unviable but now forming well used and valued multi-functional community facilities which can meet day-to-day needs.

More focus is being placed on the pedestrian and

cyclist at the design stage and this is extended to improving and introducing new footpaths and cycle links to nearby facilities. New communities are being built within which the car can be left at home.

HABITATS

We have seen a significant reduction in wildlife habitats over the past 50 years within the UK. While all new housing developments already have to demonstrate how onsite habitats will be protected, the introduction of the Environment Act has resulted in the need to demonstrate a minimum of 10% biodiversity net gain as part of any new housing development.

This requires skilful integration of new wildflower meadows, ponds and different types of planting to provide new habitats for a diverse range of wildlife.

On-site green infrastructure is a key consideration.

The design of on-site open space is key to delivering healthy communities and diverse wildlife habitats.

The industry has a lot to do if we are to achieve our environmental goals and technology to achieve real net zero homes as standard is not quite there yet.

That said, the direction of travel is clear and the new homes of the future will be significantly more efficient and will provide real environmental benefits.

It’s all in the planning!

Interested in how Catesby Estates, could help you bring forward sustainable residential development on your land? Find out more about land promotion.

VICTORIA GROVES

Associate Planning Director T: 01788 726810 E: victoriag@catesbyestates.co.uk W: www.catesbyestates.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

LAND AND FARMS A rare opportunity to acquire arable and pasture land on the edge of Romney Marsh with interesting conservation possibilities Court-at-Street, Hythe, Kent

FINN’S 82 Castle Street Canterbury Kent CT1 2QD t: 01227 For Sale as a 454111 Whole orwww.finns.co.uk in Two Lots e : n.rooke@finns.co.uk

RARE OPPORTUNITY TO BUY WOODLAND

IN EAST SUSSEX NUTLEY | EAST SUSSEX

For more information, contact Savills on 01732 879050

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

Chartered Surveyors| 01227 Valuers Planning Consultants Estate & Letting Agents since 1865 Canterbury Office 454111 | n.rooke@finns.co.uk

FINN’S 82, CASTLE STREET, CANTERBURY, CT1 2QD www.finns.co.uk Chartered Surveyors Valuers Planning Consultants Estate & Letting Agents

GUIDE PRICE: £1,500,000

A significant area of forestry has come to the market close to the Ashdown Forest.

Funnell’s and Tinkers Woods is a block of mixed conifer and broadleaf woodland extending to about 190 acres, set within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The woods are an equal mix of conifers including Corsican pine, Scots pine, Norway spruce and Douglas fir along with broadleaf species including silver birch, oak, ash, beech and sweet chestnut, amongst others.

There is a good hard access track into the woodland as well as a forestry barn of about 20m x 10m and hardstanding. There are also a couple of pretty streams running through the woods and a pond, adding to the exceptional amenity of the holding.

Having previously been owned by the Forestry Commission, the woods have been in private ownership since 2010 and are actively managed by English Woodlands Forestry Ltd. Chris Spofforth, Savills Head of Rural Agency in the South East, said: “Funnell’s and Tinkers Woods offers exceptional amenity and biodiversity appeal. Opportunities to acquire woodland on this scale and in this area are extremely rare.”

Funnell’s and Tinkers Woods is being marketed with a guide price of £1,500,000.

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FINN’S 82 Castle Street Kent CT1 2QD About 158Valuers acres (64 hectares) Chartered Surveyors Planning Consultants Estate & Canterbury Letting Agents since 1865 t: 01227 454111 www.finns.co.uk Guide Price: £1,500,000 e: n.rooke@finns.co.uk

TO LET

Viticultural Land Opportunity at Bassetts Lane, Mark Cross, East Sussex The holding is offered on a long term Farm Business Tenancy and is available as a whole. The land will be available from 29th March 2023.

Offers by informal tender are invited and tender applications must be received by 12 noon on 30 September 2022.

About 83 acres, with 53 acres of grassland, of which 25 identified as suitable for viticulture Talk to us today Stuart Nicholls 07786 944 666 snicholls@savills.com

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2022

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

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LAND AND FARMS

For more information please contact Matthew Braxton Batcheller Monkhouse Battle 01424 775577

COWBEECH | EAST SUSSEX

GUIDE PRICE: LOT 1: £2,350,000 LOT 2: £950,000 WHOLE: £3,300,000

ABOUT 117 ACRES

A SMALL COUNTRY ESTATE A small country estate in East Sussex, in all about 117 acres, is on the market with Batcheller Monkhouse. It is available as a whole or in two lots.

Court Horeham is a very fine Grade II* Listed six-bedroom house dating from the 17th century or earlier of timber framed construction, together with a detached, single-storey annexe cottage, excellent Sussex Barn/party room, garaging for seven cars and other outbuildings, swimming pool, tennis court, beautiful gardens and grounds, woodland, pasture and arable fields.

The annexe cottage is detached, single-storey, in need of improvement and comprises living room/kitchen; inner hall; two bedrooms, one with en-suite cloakroom and bathroom. The Sussex Barn comprises a fine, detached, timber-framed barn which has been converted into a wonderful party/billiard

DORKING | SURREY

room 33’7 x 17’7 with a staircase to a mezzanine floor 17’7 x 12’9. Attached to the barn is a single storey outbuilding 14’ x 12’6 and large log store 20’8 x 14’.

The outbuildings provide open-fronted garaging for four cars and a workshop, single garage 16’2 x 8’2 and a former chicken house 108’2 x 37’6. In addition, there are three excellent paddocks, one of which has gated access onto the lane.

In all about 27 acres.

The farmland (Lot 2) is a beautiful block of land with enclosures subdivided by mature hedges, tree screens and water courses. Situated across the lane from Court Horeham, it currently comprises arable/ploughable land of 45.5 acres, low land grassland of 24.5 acres and deciduous woodland with a pond, further copses and a waterway extending to about 20 acres. In all about 90 acres.

APPROXIMATELY 58.76 ACRES

RESIDENTIAL AND PASTURE

Horsielands Farm comes to the market with Batcheller Monkhouse after being in the same family ownership for over 70 years. It is a rare opportunity to acquire a residential and pasture farm in a rural location on the edge of the village with beautiful southerly views over its own land of approximately 58.76 acres – for sale as a whole or in three lots.

Lot 1 is a detached farmhouse and is ripe for modernisation and improvement. It offers enormous scope to extend or potentially replace (STPP).

Lot 2 comprises a range of farm buildings: • A fully enclosed Shufflebottom steel-framed agricultural building • Traditional timber-framed former granary • Four bay metal-framed hay barn with part sleeper walling • Four bay covered livestock yard building in need of repair • Further range of derelict agricultural buildings • Grass paddock. In all approximately 2.63 acres (1.07 hectares).

Lot 3 comprises a parcel of generally south facing pasture land adjoining Lot 2, which is divided into a number of traditional fields. The land is bordered by a small river known as Beam Brook. In all approximately 34.18 acres (13.83 hectares).

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For more information: Pulborough office 01798 872081

Thinking of diversifying?

Talk to us.

www.therpp.co.uk CRANBROOK 01580 201888 R

CIRENCESTER 01285 323200

office@therpp.co.uk

Chartered Town Planner

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PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

ENCYCLOPAEDIC

KNOWLEDGE 58

“Every pilot knows that there is only one situation in which you have to do things in a hurry, and that’s when the oxygen fails. Otherwise, even if the aircraft is on fire, you work methodically through a checklist,” Ryan Saunders explained.

He wouldn’t have known it at the time, but the methodical approach he learned to adopt in his first career now stands the former commercial pilot in good stead in his new role as a planning and development consultant.

His encyclopaedic knowledge of his subject – something which was equally vital when flying aircraft for a living – allows him to find the best solution to planning challenges facing farmers across the South East.

He set up the business, Saunders Rural Solutions, based near East Grinstead in Sussex, as a way of combining his master’s degree in Town Planning with his experience in rural surveying and his family’s farming and construction background.

The successful combination is supported by partner Chiara’s background in

> Ryan Saunders with his partner Chiara

SEPTEMBER 2022 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

journalism and PR. She carries out policy research and then uses her skills to help craft a story that puts the farmer or landowner’s application over to the deciding body in a convincing way.

“We were asked to support an application to allow an alpaca farmer to live on site,” she explained. “After researching the gestation period for crias (young alpacas) I was able to support the application by pointing out that after spending 11 ½ months waiting for the arrival of a valuable, newborn alpaca, the farmer really wouldn’t want to risk not being on site during an overnight birth.”

That ability to explain ‘technical’ issues in an accessible, ‘human’ way, together with a clear focus on making sure all the questions are answered and the boxes ticked helps Saunders Rural Solutions achieve the best possible result with the authorities that make the decisions that can have such an impact on farmers’ lives and livelihoods.

“Planning officers are busy people. You need to make their lives as easy as

FEATURED COMPANY: possible by understanding the relevant criteria and making sure you meet those criteria and by providing every last bit of information they need. Then you need to make your case in a convincing, real-world way,” explained Ryan.

Ryan’s parents, Charlie and Beverley Saunders, worked in farming and construction, but at the age of 21 Ryan gained his commercial pilot’s licence before working in the industry for 10 years, as well as training others.

It was a rewarding but high pressure job, and at the age of 30, after deciding the time was right to move back into the world of farming, Ryan began working with a well-known rural surveyors firm and studying for his master’s degree.

His plans could have been derailed when Covid-19 struck while he was studying, which meant the role he expected to move into no longer existed, but with typical ‘checklist’ calmness, Ryan finished the course, qualified and decided instead to set up his own business in partnership with Chiara.

His Master’s dissertation focused on the use of permitted development rights to support farm diversification, something he has put to good use in the newSRS_businesscard_Landscape_v4.indd 1 06/09/2020 business.

Ryan’s family moved to Morgans Farm two years ago, with the 66 hectares and additional rented land now being farmed by Ryan’s brother Ross and his fiancée Kate, a veterinary surgeon. The farm included a late sixties-built bungalow that was structurally unsound and would have cost a huge sum to repair and so Ryan applied for a replacement dwelling on behalf of Ross and Kate.

While a like-for-like application would have been automatically approved, Ryan used his skills to gain approval for a smarter, larger home and office, making sure it met all the relevant national and local policies.

Call us for a consultation The original agricultural occupancy condition (AOC) had lapsed because the previous owner had not fulfilled the condition, but Ryan knew that as soon as Ross moved in, it would have automatically been reactivated, so he took the precaution of getting that removed as part of a successful application for a new farmyard, four new barns and supporting infrastructure for the cattle and sheep operation.

Early in the company’s life Ryan acted for a smallholder who was using two shipping containers to store woodland maintenance equipment. Neighbours had claimed the containers represented permanent buildings and should be removed.

The local council initially agreed, pointing out that the containers had been there for several years, at which point Ryan proved they had been there for more than ten years and successfully applied for a Certificate of Lawful Existing Use or Development.

On a nearby farm, the owner wanted to create a forestry track to get into woodland in order to remove fallen trees, tackle an outbreak of ash dieback and plant more woodland as part of The Queen’s Green Canopy initiative. Despite a favourable report from an arboriculturist, the local council was unhappy about the planned track going within 15m of the boundary of nearby ancient woodland.

“A track that stopped 15m away from where it needed to be wouldn’t have been much use to anybody, so I prepared a long-term woodland management plan in association with the Forestry Commission and the council backed the scheme,” said Ryan. “It took a patient approach but by exploring all the options we achieved the desired result.”

It is that patient and knowledgeable approach that underpins Saunders Rural Solutions’ approach. “I’ve not met a farmer yet who isn’t smart enough to do what I do, but they lead busy lives and can only focus on one thing at a time.

While they are looking after their crops or animals, I can help with their next project.” www.SaundersRuralSolutions.co.uk Ryan, who also handles housing development applications, planning appeals and a wide range of other development issues, prides himself on a flexible approach and is happy to chat to farmers outside normal office hours. “We know how busy the farming life is – and we’re here to offer help whenever they need ryan@SaundersRuralSolutions.co.uk it,” he commented.

Planning and development services across South East England Agricultural appraisals Farm diversification Full planning applications Permitted Development Rights Planning appeals Planning enforcements Project management Woodland management plans

Get in touch!

07716 852660

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2022

18:38

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2022

For viticulturists in Great Britain

In association with

23rd November 2022 Kent Event Centre, Detling, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3JF

SEMINARS | WINE TASTING | MEET INDUSTRY ADVISORS

R U O ER Y

T E K TIC

T S I G RE

The Vineyard & Winery Show is an unmissable event for anyone working in viticulture in the UK and abroad.

The Vineyard & Winery Show will provide vineyard owners, winemakers and growers with a fantastic opportunity to keep up to date with the latest technology, meet with suppliers & allied trades that are supporting the industry as well as having the chance to network with key players in the UK wine marketplace.

FREE TO ALL ATTENDEES

You will be able to meet with industry experts, learn about new technology and view demonstrations of the latest machinery. Come and taste some of the UK’s best wines – up to 100 different UK producers are making their wines available for tasting on the day.

FREE SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS

Giving you the chance to learn from industry leaders and hear about how they built their businesses.

Expert speakers will cover viticulture, winemaking and marketing topics.

Register for your free ticket to attend at www.vineyardshow.com Sponsored by

Vitifruit Equipment Sales and Hire

LAND MANAGEMENT

BALANCE TILTED

IN FAVOUR OF OPERATOR Professional advice more essential than ever following telecoms rule change.

A u-turn in the way sites acquired for mobile telephone masts are valued has made it more important than ever for landowners to take professional advice when approached by an operator.

Few subjects have been as contentious in recent years as telecoms, where the Government’s bid to provide faster mobile and internet access has had a huge impact on landowners with sites in suitable mast locations.

In the past, landowners relied on market forces to fix the price for valuable mast sites, but recent changes in the way the Upper Tribunal decides the valuation has tilted the balance very much in favour of the operators. Essentially, deals are now based on what the land is worth to the landowner, rather than to the operator.

“It’s a major reversal of the ‘demand and supply’ argument that has underscored the free market for centuries, but it means a soggy corner of a field must be valued as such, regardless of how important it might be to the operator looking to take advantage of it,” explained Tom Bodley Scott, Head of Telecoms at Batcheller Monkhouse.

With landowners now on the back foot from the start, it’s an area in which it’s vital to take professional advice, and one in which the firm has considerable expertise, not least because Tom acted as expert witness on three major valuation cases in the Upper Tribunal that agreed the way payments are made by operators to landowners.

And while the basic framework of payments is fixed, there is still considerable scope to improve on an initial offer while also ensuring the landowner retains as much control over his or her land as possible.

“The terms of the deal and issues such as access can be as important as the rent,” explained Tom’s colleague Rob Hepworth. “Batcheller Monkhouse has become the ‘go to’ firm for telecoms issues and has been acting on behalf of three new clients a week on average.”

Over the past few years, the Batcheller Monkhouse team has studied the legislation and the unfolding case law closely and has the

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

experience to tell when an operator is offering a fair deal and when negotiation is likely to prove fruitful.

One infrastructure provider recently offered a Batcheller Monkhouse client an upfront payment for a 30-year lease of a mast site for £49,000.

Following the telecoms team’s intervention, that figure has now reached £100,000.

The team also has the bargaining power that comes with having many telecoms clients. “The operators are keen to engage with us because they know we can influence other landowners if they come up with a fair deal that could work elsewhere,” Rob commented.

“We talk to operators every few weeks and we know if they are putting forward a silly offer – and they know we know. Again, it’s not just the rent, but the terms that are important, along with issues such as rent review periods, mast height restrictions and the like.

“We have encyclopaedic knowledge of case law, not least because we acted for the landowners in many of those cases.

“Operators will inevitably quote the cases that suit them, so having someone who can counter that by referring to other recent case law can often result in better terms, including a higher rent.”

The other good news for landowners is that advice from Batcheller Monkhouse, or another company, will be paid for by the operator, as long as it ends in a consensual deal. It doesn’t, though, apply to litigation costs associated with going to court.

The Upper Tribunal has now agreed that operators must pay for the disturbance caused by apparatus being installed and has said that if an operator needs to be accompanied during out-ofhours access, the landowner should be paid £50 per hour.

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For further information and to discuss your plans

ROB HEPWORTH

MTCP MA MRICS Associate T: 07917 182465 E: r.hepworth@batchellermonkhouse.com www.batchellermonkhouse.com

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2022

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Law enforcer (9) ----- Wilde, playwright (5) Profusion (9) Sediment in a channel (4) Young adult (4) Arcade machine (7) Domestic appliance (7,7) Reduce the load (7) Ready for food (6) Not working (6) Fixed object in the night sky (4) Farm machinery (4,5) Rare breed pig (9) Sign of affection or a greeting (4)

1 2 3 4 6 7

Make three strands into one cord (5) Jeweller's tool (5) Cipher (4) Large dwelling (7) Used in spirit production (5) A substance that produces an immune response (7) Produced by a volcano (4) Lead pellets (4) ---------, Dartmoor sheep breed (9) River ---, Essex (3) Cooking appliance, ceramic, gas, electric (3) Movable joint of a door (5) Decay (3) Crustaceans (6) Competitions between horses and their riders (5) A dull green colour (5) Eg Basking, Blue, Nursehound (5)

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Crossword by Rebecca Farmer, Broadstairs, Kent

23 24

PRIZE ANAGRAM: Farm machinery (5,6)

To enter, simply unscramble the

anagram (5,6) using the green squares.

Email your replies with your name, address and phone number to sef.ed@kelsey.co.uk

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS: 1

VINEYARDS

While many farmers come to an end

7

full swing. Enter the crossword to

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For more information about the vineyards, please visit

draw which will take place on

www.biddendenvineyards.com or

26 September. The winner will be

call 01580 291726.

announced in the October edition.

*Subject to availability

2

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be in with a chance of winning four bottles of our favourite wine, Ortega.

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of their harvest, ours will soon be in

Correct entries will be entered into a

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01303 233883

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Correct answer: Himalayan Balsam LAST MONTH’S WINNER: Jan Darley from Little Kingshill, Buckinghamshire

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2022

67

JUST ANOTHER DAY AT THE OFFICE. Passionate people wanted.

We’re looking for land sector pros ready to make a difference.

Find out more and apply: plumpton.ac.uk/who-we-are/vacancies There’s never been a more appropriate time to consider a teaching career at Plumpton College.

With the significance of change in the industry and ambitious plans for continued development at the college including higher level (HNC/D equivalent) courses, we’re excited about the future.

The award-winning college farm provides one of the largest and most diverse educational estates in the country, and is home to a range of commercial mixed enterprises, delivering the very highest standards in education and training. If this wasn’t enough to tempt you, the college is in the final phase of a multi-million-pound investment to further enhance facilities at the farm to ensure students are exposed to the latest cutting edge technologies, including robotics in the dairy and a brand new state-of-the-art high welfare pig unit.

Coupled with this, the college’s newly opened destination garden One Garden Brighton and expansion of our offer as a centre of excellence in horticulture education and training provides a great opportunity for industry professionals looking for a career change. The horticulture industry in particular is in a period of significant growth and we are looking for the right candidates to train and inspire the next generation of students in to their career as a horticultural professional.

“Becoming a lecturer at Plumpton offered me the chance to give something back, advise young entrants coming into the industry and allowed me to pass on my passion for farming which, I hope, has made a real impact on the students I teach. We will all be dependent on their development as young people and farmers, and to play a part in their journey is a unique opportunity for anyone with agricultural experience looking to enhance the future of the next custodians of the countryside.”

Trainee Teacher.

What’s on offer: No teaching experience necessary Acclaimed teacher training scheme provided 37 days holiday plus Christmas closure Great pension scheme Teachers & Lecturers Up to £45k per annum, relocation incentives

LOOKING FOR NEW ENTRANTS FOR MANAGEMENT & TRAINEE POSITIONS Due to continued demand, we are looking for teachers (trainee or experienced) and managers across a number of subject areas (full and part-time considered):

Agriculture (livestock, arable, agri-business, land management) Agricultural Engineering Animal Management Butchery Horticulture Veterinary Physiotherapy