A DEFRA u-turn on the abrupt closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) in the face of legal action by the NFU has provided a lifeline to an estimated 3,000 farmers across the country.
Daniel Zeichner, minister for food security and rural affairs, confirmed that as a result of what he described as a “technical issue”, applicants who had started and saved an SFI application within two months of 11 March this year but had not submitted it by the time the scheme was closed without warning would be given six weeks to complete their application.
Farmers were stunned when the scheme was closed without notice after DEFRA claimed all the SFI funding had been spent, leaving many with no way of earning cash for carrying out environmental schemes following the end of basic payments.
On 12 May, two months after the initial bombshell, Mr Zeichner accepted that “an error” had been made when the scheme was closed and agreed the change. Agreements, though, will be limited to a maximum of £9,300 per year for the duration of the agreement, a figure DEFRA claims “reflects the median average agreement value for existing SFI 2024 agreements”.
The announcement came after a group
of farmers supported by the NFU wrote to the DEFRA Secretary of State to inform him of their intention to legally challenge his decision to close the scheme to new applicants without notice.
One of their arguments related to the assurance which had been provided by DEFRA that they would be given six weeks’ notice of any intention to close the scheme to new applicants.
In his statement, Mr Zeichner said he had not been aware that people who had started an application and then saved it without submitting had been shown a ‘We’ve saved your application’ screen containing two messages, one of which promised: “If we need to close applications, we will give you six weeks' notice”. He claimed it was “shown in error due to a technical issue”.
He added it “should not have been included” and apologised for the confusion it caused.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: “The Government’s abrupt and wholly unacceptable decision to close the scheme was always wrong. While it’s good to see an acknowledgement that the decision to close the scheme was flawed, we are disappointed by the constraints imposed which will still leave many farmers unfairly disadvantaged.
“This is a really critical time for the farming industry, and while today’s announcement falls short of what our members deserve, this issue highlights the NFU at its very best, working with its members to stand up for what we believe is right.”
The farmers concerned received significant support from the NFU’s policy and legal experts, as well as funding support from the NFU’s Legal Assistance Scheme.
Mr Zeichner also said that while SFI remains closed for all other farmers, work on the next version of SFI was “already well underway”, with more detail about the reformed offer set to be published “this summer”.
Country Land and Business Association (CLA) President Victoria Vyvyan welcomed the announcement, pointing out: “It’s a limited amount of money, but it does take a bit of the sting out of the suddenness of the closure.
“The way for DEFRA to avoid such a shock again is to be open and transparent, and work with industry to design the revised scheme.”
She said the CLA had been lobbying for the government to take note of the thousands of farmers who were mid-application when the SFI scheme suddenly shut. “We’re glad they have now listened,” she added.
CALL TO DELAY INHERITANCE TAX CHANGES
A report by the cross-party Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EFRA) has called on the Government to delay announcing its final agricultural property relief (APR) and business property relief (BPR) reforms until October 2026, to come into effect in April 2027.
The committee said a pause in implementing the reforms “would allow for better formulation of tax policy and provide the Government with an opportunity to convey a positive long-term vision for farming”. It added that it would also protect farmers and give them “more time to seek appropriate professional advice”.
The MPs expressed concern that “high-profile policies have been announced prior to the completion and publication of the strategies and reviews that DEFRA says will inform and guide its vision”.
They raised concerns that changes announced in last year’s autumn budget were made without adequate consultation, impact assessment or affordability assessment and suggested the changes risked producing unintended consequences.
EFRA said the proposals “threaten to affect the most vulnerable” and called on the Government to consider alternative reforms before justifying its final approach.
It referred to a survey that found the percentage of UK farmers feeling optimistic about the future of their rural businesses fell from 70% before the budget to 12% after it. The survey in Farmers Guardian said 84% of those responding felt that their mental health had been affected by the proposed inheritance tax relief changes and by the no-notice closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive.
The committee said it supported the Government’s aim of closing the loophole which allowed wealthy investors to buy agricultural land to avoid inheritance tax, but said stakeholders and experts had proposed alternative ways of tackling this issue without harming small family farms.
The EFRA report also said there was “a pattern within DEFRA of poor communication and last-minute decision-making following rumours and departmental leaks”.
EFRA Chair Alistair Carmichael MP said: “The way in which the Government has behaved over recent months has clearly negatively affected the confidence and wellbeing of farmers.
“Changes to APR and BPR in the budget, the sudden closure of the capital grants scheme in November 2024 and the abrupt ending of SFI applications in March have all led farmers to feel that they cannot rely on the Government to live up to its commitments. The Government, however, seems to be dismissing farmers’ concerns and ignoring the strength of feeling evidenced in the months of protests that saw tractors converge on Westminster and up and down the country.”
“You turn if you want to”
It was former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher who catapulted the u-turn to political prominence when she told the House of Commons: “You turn if you want to”, following it up with the equally witty: “The lady’s not for turning”, a pun, in case you are interested, on the 1948 Christopher Fry play The Lady’s not for Burning.
While it was perhaps not a great move to use up two of her best lines in the same speech, made, incidentally, 45 years ago, it cemented what she described as “that favoured media catchphrase” as an integral part of the cut and thrust of modern politics.
The current sub-optimal (who invented that word, and why?) level of integrity in politics has made the u-turn extremely rare. At best we get a u-slither from a politician who couldn’t possibly be seen to have changed his or her mind and will twist and turn and play with words to avoid doing so.
It was refreshing, then, to see such a clear correction and a move to put things right when DEFRA realised that a closing message that had lingered too long on its Sustainable Farming Incentive website had rendered its sudden axing of the scheme in March subject to challenge.
With farmers, backed by the NFU, threatening to take legal action, the department was quick to accept that it needed to put things right and has allowed those affected to submit their applications. DEFRA should be applauded for that move and for reacting swiftly, given its size.
Farmers must be hoping that the u-turn habit will catch on, with the NFU and the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) pushing the Government to justify its dismissal of the ‘clawback’ alternative to the planned changes to the inheritance tax rules that are threatening to harm the future of many family farms.
The Treasury has said the alternative, which would tax business assets at the full 40% inheritance tax rate, but only if sold by a family successor within seven years of the owner’s death, would raise “much less” than the current proposals, but hasn’t shown its back-of-the-envelope workings out, despite being sent Freedom of Information requests by both organisations.
After a series of setbacks, the agricultural industry needs a boost. Let’s hope that continued pressure will persuade the bean counters to take a leaf out of DEFRA’s book and be transparent enough to at least justify their calculations, even if they don’t immediately change tack. Farming needs to know that the Government has its back and that it will at least listen to sensibly thought through, alternative proposals.
EMAIL YOUR VIEWS, LETTERS OR OPINIONS TO: sef.ed@kelsey.co.uk or write to the address on page 3
® MALCOLM TRIGGS - EDITOR
INTEREST-FREE LOANS SUPPORT ORGANIC SWITCH
Interest-free, unsecured loans of up to £25,000 are now available to organic and ecological farmers following the relaunch of the charitable Dean Organic Fund.
Run by the Organic Research Centre, the fund was established by Jennie Bone, a passionate organic farmer who wanted to create a legacy for conservation and organic farming methods.
The loans are available to small or start-up farming businesses that might otherwise struggle to secure commercial funding, explained Chris Jones, adviser to the Dean Organic Fund.
Terms range from two to five years, with loans from £5,000 to £25,000. “We are looking to make a big impact and support a wide variety of enterprises founded on organic farming principles. The Fund is open to applicants from all walks of life and may just provide that turn-key investment to a well-founded enterprise,” he said.
Since 2018, the fund has supported
nearly 50 farmers, producers and food businesses, ranging from market gardens in the Cotswolds to a pop-up organic shop, organic dairies and a community-led vegetable enterprise.
Loan terms are moulded to suit the business requirements in each case and benefit from realistic repayment terms, said Chris, adding: “We do not expect a return on our investment, but we do expect to see the legacy fund delivering growth in the organic sector, with loan applications reaching a high bar of planning and thought.”
Applications are welcome from private or public companies, sole traders, partnerships and community/social or charitable enterprises with a legal entity.
“Applicants will preferably be certified organic producers or in conversion, but otherwise should follow practices closely aligned to organic principles,” said Chris.
“This really is a golden opportunity for businesses exploring, innovating or expanding in the organic sector.”
Sheep farmers in the south and east of the country have been put on red alert over the risk of blowfly strike.
The free Blowfly Watch service, run in partnership with the National Animal Disease Information Service (NADIS), uses factors including soil temperature and humidity to predict a blowfly strike risk in a 40km area.
Matt Colston, ruminant technical consultant at Elanco, suggested farmers should consider taking early preventative action when high risk alerts were issued.
“Damage happens fast. It can take as little as 36 hours from an egg being laid on a sheep to maggots eating its flesh, so prevention is better than waiting to see a struck lamb before treating the whole flock,” he said.
“You can protect your flock by applying an insect growth regulator (IGR), such as those in the CLiK range.”
Matt added that the efficacy of preventative treatment relied on the product being applied to clean sheep and was helped by effective worm control as well as actions such as dagging and timely shearing.
“Worm management plays a valuable role in preventing strike, because scouring, due to worms, can cause dirty backends and encourage flies,” he added. “Regularly faecal egg counting will help identify worm burdens early and prompt treatment before lambs scour.”
Farmers are encouraged to report cases on the Elanco Blowfly Tracker: �� https://bit.ly/3Fn3avi
�� www.blowflywatch.co.uk
FARMERS AND CONSERVATIONISTS URGE HIGHER TIER EXPANSION
Nature-friendly farmers and conservationists are calling on the Government to channel more funding into the countryside stewardship (CS) higher tier scheme.
The Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN) and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) say the scheme has supported farmers in safeguarding vital habitats such as wetlands and meadows, providing homes for rare birds, invertebrates, and plants, while reducing emissions and minimising the environmental impact of farming.
Higher tier is the most ambitious level of countryside stewardship currently available, offering funding for complex, longer-term environmental projects that deliver the greatest benefits for nature.
The two organisations want more farmers across England to be able to access higher level funding support and say scaling up the scheme is “essential for meeting legallybinding targets to halt the decline of nature by the end of the decade”.
Sussex Farmer and South East Farmer correspondent Martin Hole is one of a number of NFFN members featured in a series of videos highlighting the scheme’s impact to date.
Mr Hole, whose farm has extensive wetlands, reedbeds and marshes, said: “The CS scheme has been a fundamental part of how we have been able to manage these internationally important wetlands and increase vegetation and bird numbers.
“We now have more than 20 dragonfly species and over 100 types of aquatic plant. There is still a lot more we can do for nature conservation on our farm, but we need the long-term investment from the higher tier scheme to continue this process.”
The NFFN and RSPB have warned that many farmers ready to do more for nature are being held back by strict limits on the number of higher tier applications accepted. They say that with applications due to reopen this summer, the number of agreements still falls far short of what is needed to meet nature and climate targets.
Jenna Hegarty, NFFN head of policy, said: “Getting the higher tier right is crucial for the scale of change we need. Farmers are on the front line of the climate crisis and nature loss, but nature-friendly farming is a major part of the solution.
“Nature and farming are two sides of the same coin. By supporting nature, we protect our soils, clean our water and air, and produce high-quality food.
“The Government must protect the farming budget through to the end of this parliament. At the same time, farming ministers across the UK must ensure that public money delivers environmental improvements, and that ambitious, highlevel schemes remain accessible to the farmers who want to go further for nature.”
Martin Hole
Internationally acclaimed author Gabe Brown, hailed as the father of regenerative farming, is set to share his thoughts on the subject at Plumpton College on Friday 4 July.
The 6pm talk, followed by a Q&A session and refreshments, promises to outline how Gabe, the author of Dirt to Soil, transformed the profitability of his farming business by revitalising his soil, reducing costly inputs, boosting biodiversity and building resilience to climate change.
One of the event organisers, Sussex Farmer Elizabeth Buchanan, told South East Farmer: “More than one million acres in the US are now certified regenerative, allowing farmers to monetise their transition to regenerative farming practices.
THE FATHER OF REGENERATIVE FARMING HELP AVAILABLE
“That is the message for British farmers. We are also doing this to raise funds for The Royal Countryside Fund, which has worked with a number of farmers in the South East to give them the skills not to just to survive, but to thrive.
“We are thrilled to be doing this with Plumpton College, where tomorrow’s farmers are being trained – and that is where we need to communicate the message. Gabe is passionate about engaging with the next generation. As he says, ‘we cannot implement what we do not understand. We need to take time to educate ourselves’.”
Tickets for the event cost £20 (concessions available): �� https://www.trybooking.com/uk/EUCQ
Gamekeepers who have fallen on hard times have been reminded of the help available from the Gamekeepers’ Welfare Trust (GWT), a charity set up more than 30 years ago.
The GWT supports people who depend on gamekeeping roles, or have done in the past, and are experiencing ill health, disability, financial hardship or problems caused by old age.
Help can be given with residential home fees, the cost of mobility aids or home adaptations, or new essential household appliances like a cooker or energy bills to help keep the household warm. The charity promises an easy application process and a confidential and sensitive approach.
There is a wide range of grant categories, including family and emergency support. Call the GWT on 0300 1233 088.
CHARITY GRANT HELPS GROW CHILDREN’S ENTHUSIASM FOR FARMING
The Rochester Bridge Trust has committed to supporting the rural education of young people by agreeing three years of funding for Kent County Agricultural Society’s Living Land event at Kent County Showground, Detling.
The £60,000 grant will help primary school children enjoy the annual day of hands-on activities which helps them learn more about the origins of their food and the importance of farming, as well as experience some of the rural traditions within Kent.
Nicola Parks, director of charitable projects at the Rochester Bridge Trust, said: “The trust was endowed with land across Kent, Essex and London more than six centuries ago and understands the importance of farming and food production and the opportunities for a career in the rural sector.
“We were pleased to agree this grant, which contributes towards the cost of this free event enjoyed by 3,000 students each year. At this year’s event on 1 May our education mascot Langdon the Lion was on hand to welcome young people.”
The £60,000 grant will include the cost of travel bursaries to help schools in disadvantaged areas attend the event.
Living Land is a private event that is free to attend.
�� www.kcas.org.uk/living-land
More information about Rochester Bridge Trust grants: �� www.rbt.org.uk/grants
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CHANGING LIVES THROUGH THERAPEUTIC FARMING
A former Buckinghamshire livestock farm is being transformed into a haven for education, community and sustainability in a bid to bridge the gap between agriculture and social care.
Chloe Brown and family are creating a space at The Wilds Farm CIC in Ledburn where individuals, particularly those from disadvantaged or marginalised backgrounds, can reconnect with the land, learn about food production and develop essential life skills.
Chloe, who has a background in teaching young people with special needs, was inspired to combine a passion for education with the family’s farming heritage.
“There’s so much misunderstanding about the realities of farming,” Chloe explained. “We want to dispel those myths, educate people on consumer choices and help them understand the journey from field to fork.”
Set across four acres of land, part of a former 60-acre livestock farm once home to cows, sheep, chickens, ducks, geese and even Mangalica pigs, The Wilds Farm is now focused on small-scale, sustainable horticulture.
“We’re currently in an action-research phase, trialling crops and gathering feedback
from students to shape our growing plans for next year,” explained Chloe. “Right now we’ve got potatoes, tomatoes, capsicum, broccoli, kale and cauliflower in the ground. The idea is to let students grow what they like to eatand learn how it’s produced.”
Accessibility is key to the farm’s mission. Thanks to a family support grant via Kramp’s Cultivate a Generation initiative, Chloe was able to purchase equipment and make site improvements, enabling people with a variety of needs to access the farm.
As the site develops, the idea is that adaptations such as trails and resting spaces will be introduced to accommodate individuals with complex mobility issues, ensuring the farm becomes a welcoming environment for visitors of all abilities.
“The grant enabled us to buy our first accessible horticulture equipment and make repairs to the polytunnel, greenhouse and stables. It was incredible. It was our first grant, and it felt like such an endorsement of what we’re trying to achieve. It reinvigorated me and proved that others value therapeutic farming as much as we do,” said Chloe.
Chloe’s work goes beyond accessibility. Through partnerships with local schools,
The Wilds Farm is teaching children about pollination, biodiversity and healthy eating. This February, students from a nearby school were helped to plan and grow their own food on land at the farm.
One of the farm’s core goals is to challenge the stigma around ‘perfect’ food and reduce waste. Chloe hopes to foster an understanding of the value of imperfect produce and encourage people to reuse and repurpose materials safely.
In time, the farm aims to produce food that can be donated to the community and sold through local non-profit organisations, further strengthening the bond between agriculture and social care.
Looking ahead to 2025, Chloe hopes to introduce livestock, starting with sheep, chickens, ducks and pigs, into a small circular system that complements the farm’s horticultural focus.
For Chloe, the Kramp grant not only provided practical support but also reinforced the farm's mission and prompted this heartfelt comment: “It’s amazing to see a big company like Kramp sharing our values and supporting small, community-focused initiatives.”
CLARION CALL TO THINK DIFFERENTLY
Dear sir,
The Climate Change Committee's adaptation progress report is a clarion call to think differently about land.
It supports CPRE’s evidence that most productive agricultural land is at high risk of flooding, and research from this year that shows that farms around our towns and cities are vanishing at an alarming rate. We need to safeguard our remaining farmland to boost biodiversity and ensure the UK’s food security.
Making the best use of our finite supply of land means taking a smarter approach to renewables, infrastructure and housing. If agricultural land is as precious as this report demonstrates, we can’t afford to keep wasting opportunities to put solar on roofs, not on prime farmland.
Likewise, the default for building new homes is too often a needless take of agricultural land while opportunities to develop 1.2 million homes on brownfield sites are ignored. This report urges a rethink on how the government delivers its targets and a recognition that land might be our most precious resource in adapting to climate change.
Roger Mortlock, Chief executive CPRE, the countryside charity
WAKE-UP CALL FOR THE GOVERNMENT
Dear sir,
News that the experts at the Climate Change Committee have found the UK is failing to adapt to climate change, with consequences including putting swathes of agricultural land and many homes at risk of flooding, should come as a wake-up call for the Government.
Alarming as these findings are, they will come as little surprise to the many farmers who are on the front line of the climate crisis and have seen weather patterns and their ability to produce food changing in front of their eyes.
It is shocking how unprepared we are for a future of extreme temperatures, rainfall and droughts, given how long scientists have been warning us about it.
Ministers must urgently grasp the seriousness of this report and the scale of the effect on farming. Without putting nature and climate mitigation at the heart of food production, food security and the long-term future of farms will be impossible to secure. We need funding that is focused on delivering public goods for public money and developing farm resilience.
Fortunately, nature-friendly farming provides solutions to many of the problems outlined by the committee, from natural flooding solutions to providing shelter to cope with extreme heat.
The Government must recognise that an immediate, widespread transition to nature-friendly farming practices is the only way forward.
Martin Lines, CEO, Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN)
THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO TAKE URGENT ACTION
Dear sir,
News that the UK is woefully ill-prepared for the worst impacts of climate change, as revealed by the Climate Change Committee, is no surprise. The Government needs to take urgent action if it is going to rescue our climate, nature and future food resilience.
We know that intensive farming, which depends on fossil-fuel based fertilisers, is causing climate change while also being more vulnerable to its effects, which threaten our environment and our food security.
We therefore need to see a rapid, system-wide transition to agroecological farming practices, such as organic, which reduces the environmental impact and not only secures our food system for the future but also secures the natural world, too.
We have more farmers than ever wanting to transition to organic, so it's vital that the Government restores support that was frozen recently alongside other Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) payments so that farmers can begin that journey immediately.
More broadly, the Government needs to reinstate all the SFI schemes that have been correctly targeted at improving soil quality, like cover crops and herbal leys. Improving soil quality is probably the most important thing farmers can do to protect themselves from floods and droughts and deliver a climate resilient food system.
Brendan Costelloe, Policy Director Soil Association
Rob Morris, 81, shears a sheep with a renovated 1940s, water-cooled Lister sheep-shearing machine, while Ed
a running commentary for the crowd
TWO OCTOGENARIANS ON SHOW
Rob Morris, 81, shears his first sheep in more than 30 years
Thanks to Tom Lovejoy for story and pictures.
It was like old times for former shearing and sheep-dipping contractor Rob Morris when he picked up a handpiece for the first time in more than 30 years to give a 1940s water-cooled, Lister-built sheepshearing machine its first run out since it was restored to full working order.
Now 81, Rob was taught to shear on a similar unit around 65 years ago, and showed off his skills as he put the 1.5hp, 700rpm machine through its paces at Ashford Young Farmers’ Club’s Lambing Day event at Hope Farm in Wittersham, Kent.
The demonstration was the culmination of months of work by Rob and a group of his former farming friends, who brought the machine back to life at their self-titled weekly Tractor Club – where he joked that more time had been spent drinking tea than restoring tractors and other pieces of agricultural machinery.
Rob, the president of Southern Shears UK, said: “Shearing sheep is like riding a bike; once you have mastered it, it never goes away. It came quite natural to shear the sheep, although it took a little longer than it used to.
“The machine worked really well and I felt comfortable using it. It was a good experience, knowing all the hours of work that had gone into it – and the numerous cups of tea we had all drunk.”
Current farmer and shearer Ed Langrish, from Beckley, followed Rob’s demonstration
with one of his own on a modern-day, electricpowered shearing machine to show the audience – among a total crowd of 700 people at the event – how times and speed of finish had changed.
Asked for information on the restored machine’s history, Lister Shearing Equipment said: “This setup could be classified as the first portable-powered shearing machine and was very popular. The engine was built in the engine side of the business in Dursley, Gloucestershire, and the shearing parts would have been machined and built in the sheepshear section on the same site.
“Unfortunately, there was a major fire in the factory back in 1983 and all the older product history was lost. We also lost a lot of older drawings and products on the sheepshearing side. The machine would have been from the 1940s … and has been restored to a very high standard.”
The Tractor Club meets most Fridays, when Rob Morris is joined by Peter Curd, Chris Fryer, Ian Linch, Sunny Moore, Alan Pilcher and David Lovejoy, the father of Hope Farm owner and lambing day host Ed Lovejoy.
The Southern Shears UK competition, which took place at Copford Farm in Waldron, East Sussex, saw Andrew Mudge claim first place in the Open Blades competition, with Michael Churchouse in second place and George Mudge third. The South East Plate went to Tom Evci, ahead of Malcolm Sweeney and Ed Gingell.
From left: 'Tractor Club' members
Rob Morris, Chris Fryer and David Lovejoy with their restored Lister machine
Langrish provides
November 1979, four years into my love affair with Tanyard, saw the farm kick me in the backside and tell me in no uncertain terms that working on a farm has its dangers, many of which lurk in the plainest of sight and in the most innocuous situations.
My two colleagues and I were in the middle of straw carting, the annual November routine of loading up the trailer with straw bales before setting off, with one driving, one walking behind to help offload and position the bales in the rows and one – usually the youngest and dumbest, in this case me – perched atop the trailer and carefully offloading. With the bales off-loaded and centred in the rows, we would walk through, cutting and collecting the baler twine as we went and putting it safely out of reach for burning later.
Following behind a day or so later a couple of women, wives or partners, would fork out the bales ready for Richard to drive his tractor-mounted straw chopper and blower through, covering the hop gardens with an even snow of golden straw, providing frost protection for the new shoots and good material to ultimately rot down and act as a wholesome mulch. It was always pleasing to see the snowy, strawcovered carpets, and we didn’t need pristine golden bales; it wasn’t animal bedding.
November ’79 had been wet, and that year’s straw had literally been dragged from a pond, presumably due to ‘driver error’. To use the vernacular, “each bale weighed a ton”, having been well soaked for days. Slowly taking the corner into a garden known as Cow Field, one of the trailer wheels tripped over an old tree root, “and down came baby, cradle and all”. A*se over elbow, head over heels, I landed badly from about 12 feet and a trailer-load of deadweight bales landed around and on me.
My colleagues walked off to find a jack, assuming I was OK. I, however, knew I was not 100 per cent and crawled my way to the farmhouse, where I cradled the phone on the floor, being unable to stand up, and called the cavalry.
When the doctor arrived, his first words upon examining me were: “You’ll never walk again.” Well, I was 26 and full of vim and vigour, and not prepared to accept that. It was a heroic struggle, but before the
AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN
By Declan Hughes, founder of the Irish Veterans military history charity.
ambulance arrived I had proved him wrong. His reaction? “You’ll never work again!”
That man has long since passed to his eternal reward, and I’ve been walking and working ever since – though not in agricultural environs since 1986, and not without a backdrop of continuing back pain. The Doc, however, wasn’t quite finished with me, as I presented to him repeatedly over the next few months, being unable to walk properly.
By the fourth or fifth visit, he felt I shouldn’t be annoying him and should go home and just “get on with it!” In exasperation, he finally sent me to the local cottage hospital, where an astute physiotherapist ran a finger down my back before asking: “Did you know you’ve got four
discs out?” Had I the full use of my limbs I could have hugged her, as the doctor had had me halfway to believing I was psychosomatic. She immediately put me in traction, and before too long the upper three discs had been manipulated (gently) back into their rightful positions. The fourth disc, in the lower lumbar region, was, and remains, prolapsed, and my body – and my brain, such as it was – have accommodated themselves to the disability. And often do I recall those sage words of that dear, departed doctor: “Just get on with it.”
Today, as we gallop through 2025, I carry with me a prolapsed disc in my back, five stents in my chest and strongly suspected arthritis in both feet. But yes, Doc, I AM just getting on with it.
MONICA AKEHURST AT THE KITCHEN TABLE
EWE-LAMBS CAN BE SO IRRESPONSIBLE
I expect you, like me, were delighted when, after a long, wet winter, the weather turned dry. That golden globe appeared in the sky, we basked in the warmth, shed our layers, reached for the sun cream and dusted off the sunglasses. We welcomed the early turnout of cattle, got crops drilled, and marvelled at the ideal conditions for outdoor lambing. So, what could possibly go wrong?
I prepared for the usual pre-lambing problems; abortions, twin lamb, prolapses etc, but none occurred. A good start. Though the nights were surprisingly cold, we didn’t have rain. Only one hypothermic lamb needed attention; the rest were up and sucking in no time.
Some of the triplets were a good size. I tend to leave them with the ewe for a few days before removing the strongest one. I wet fostered one successfully, but, as ever, singles were in short supply just when you want them. We tried some in foster units, but not all were successful, so inevitably we’ve ended up with a few bottle lambs. This year I’ve had to assist with very few
lambings, which is great, probably thanks to a younger flock and culling troublemakers.
We had one case of overly enthusiastic ‘auntie-ing’. Both ewes had water bags out; one perplexed lamb was being thoroughly licked by the competing ewes, each vying to coax it to her udder. Fortunately, both jumped into my trailer when I loaded the lamb. The real mother’s second lamb was a large breach, safely delivered. As for ‘Auntie’, she was clearly a ‘too posh to push’ type, so I assisted her delivery of twins. I then separated them into different fields to avoid further ownership disputes.
I try to let ewe-lambs figure out motherhood for themselves, but on the few occasions when I need to lend a hand, I pen them for 24hrs. It stops them from bolting as fast as they can after delivery. Essential lambing requirements are a good dog, a super-crook, a small halter and lubricant. Ewe-lambs can be so irresponsible. Sadly, many have paid a heavy price for their lackadaisical attitude towards protecting their precious offspring. Predation has hit us hard, and we’ve been fighting back… I’m not
sure who is winning.
In the first instance, I found a twin lamb in the paddock by our house with blood pouring down its face. Its eyeball was gone, pecked out by birds. There are a couple of ravens that sit high up on the pylons; these occasionally swoop down in our fields, much to the annoyance of the abundance of crows and rooks which also patrol our land.
Not sure who the culprits were. I made an eye-pad and treated the lamb, giving pain relief and antibiotics, penning the ewe for a few days. The other eye had been injured, too, but he has retained some vision and is doing remarkably well.
Next morning a lamb was missing altogether. I found a blood smeared patch of grass and bone fragments. Another of our twins had bite marks around its ears, face and neck. It was still alive, but his injuries obviously made it difficult to suckle. His mother lost patience with him, so he’s now a bottle lamb. He’s named Eeyore because of his droopy ears; he has a slow lumbering gait which reminds me of dinosaurs. Poor thing, he’s battling to survive.
At first light next day, several ewes had lambed overnight. Two new lambs from separate mothers had bite marks to their face and necks. One lamb born to a young mother was missing completely. It was time to take action, so we accepted the offer of a skilled rifleman who has some impressive night vision gear. So far, he has shot nine foxes, and still we are losing lambs, albeit mostly to inexperienced mothers.
I’m amazed by the sheer number of predators in a relatively small area. Maybe it’s the penalty for lambing late or a lack of predator control in the wider countryside. Or perhaps it’s the result of charities releasing town foxes into rural areas.
I swear my hair has turned whiter with the worry of it all, or is it the sunshine? Dare I ask, where is that desperately needed rain? Lambing time is a season I look forward to, bringing delights as well as challenges, but when it’s over (six more to lamb) it’s a huge
It was a hard pull to get her out; she’s keen to eat
relief. No doubt we’ll be doing it all again next year; we must be crazy.
We’re also calving, which has been smoother, thankfully. We had one odd day, when three cows needed help with their delivery in quick succession, which was very unusual. Emerald’s progeny seem to be slightly larger than those from our previous bull. Since then, however, calm has returned and we haven’t had to get involved, apart from tagging, ringing and turning out. Two left to calve.
We’ve a few British blue x friesians I’d politely describe as past their ‘best before date’. They’ve done well, but definitely don’t want any more liaisons with the bull. They’re on the home farm with their calves where we can easily monitor their progress, giving supplementary feeding as required.
In this field stood a roll of used stock netting, removal of same being on our ‘to do’ list. Well… Calamity-Jane decided to get her legs tangled in this wire. This was not part of
our building up plan; we de-tangled her, but couldn’t persuade her to get up.
I gave her pain relief and she drank three buckets of water. The moment I reached for the antibiotic spray, she’d had enough pampering and up she lurched, much to her calf’s delight.
We then moved this group onto fresh pasture, a field with a stream running through it. Next day Calamity-Jane was missing. We found her sunk into the silt in the stream. We had to tow her out. It’s amazing how tough these old cows are; food soon restored her spirit.
Enough farm tales. Now let’s all do a rain dance, to bolster grass and crop growth. Don’t overdo it, though, no floods please.
PS – bizarrely, my daughter just messaged to say 17 month-old grandson had been attacked by a seagull in the playpark. He was eating a chocolate biscuit. His fingers and face were lacerated; Thomas was upset about losing his biscuit.
Calamity-Jane stuck in the silt
Easy to spot the mother
The shepherd's hut is a good place to hang out
Bite marks to head and neck
Assisted lambing
Two claimants, one over-licked lamb
One of nine foxes shot
Successful calving
Hiding out
10,000 FLOCKED TO THE LAMBING WEEKENED
Neither the glossiest brochure nor the slickest online campaign is as effective as showing people exactly what you have on offer – but that means getting them through the door.
That may be a challenge for some, but it’s something Hadlow College has perfected over the years. The 10,000-plus people who flocked to the annual Lambing Weekend at the end of April will have gone home with a keener understanding of everything the college does for its students, for farming
and for the community.
Visitors young and old enjoyed a wide variety of activities and attractions, from the chance to get up close and personal with a snake to tractor rides, car and tractor simulators, fairground fun and plenty of food and drink options.
As a sign of the weekend’s growing status in the ‘days out’ calendar, this year’s event also featured the Sheep Show, an attraction that regularly draws the crowds at major agricultural shows across the country.
It also featured large numbers of Hadlow’s impressive students, who played a major part in running the weekend, meeting and greeting visitors and demonstrating the kinds of ‘soft skills’ that employers value alongside formal agricultural or horticultural qualifications. They were also on hand to demonstrate the various skills, courses and activities that Hadlow specialises in, from floristry and horticulture through to animal management, equine skills, fisheries, agriculture and motor vehicle engineering.
Emma Watts with farm manager Tania Bucknell
Assistant principal Daniel Cotton said the weekend aimed “to showcase Hadlow College and its curriculum and give the students an opportunity to demonstrate their hard work across all the subject areas taught there”.
While the aim is to highlight Hadlow’s facilities and courses and promote the opportunities offered by rural and landbased careers, the only ‘selling’ at the event is low-key.
“Hadlow is important in the industry, and we certainly want to let young people know that there is a great career waiting for them, but we are looking at the long term,” said Daniel. “We aren’t trying to recruit next September’s intake, but we do hope that some of the younger children who enjoy seeing the lambs or looking at some of our other animals will remember the experience when they are older and thinking about their future.”
And while there are no hard and fast statistics available, Daniel said many of the teenagers who attend college open days to find out more about the courses on offer tell staff that they first came across Hadlow at a lambing day.
Tabby Emerson, 16, who was visiting the event on Saturday with dad Mark, may well find herself in that category at some point in the future. Now doing GCSEs and planning on studying biology at ‘A’ Level, she said she was considering zoology as a degree option and had enjoyed her visit to the college.
Dad Mark said that as a Londoner who was now living in Maidstone, he felt himself “a bit of a townie” and felt that the lambing weekend had given him more of an insight into a more rural way of life. “It’s very well organised, as well,” he added.
While many visitors took the opportunity to visit the lambing shed, where farm manager Tania Bucknell and a number of students were helping them meet newborns, there were plenty of other animal attractions, including ferrets, goats, rheas and meerkats.
Daniel explained that Melvin the meerkat and the two sister females introduced to their new enclosure at the college last summer had already resulted in three litters of the cute creatures.
The newest attraction was the serval enclosure, which represents a significant investment and was opened in February this year. “We were receiving feedback from the
industry that while our students had plenty of experience with ‘petting’ animals, they lacked exposure to the types of animals covered by the Dangerous Wild Animals Act,” Daniel said. The serval and meerkats had been introduced to add that skillset, said Daniel, with a domestic white fox set to be housed next door to the serval within a few weeks.
Visitors to what Daniel referred to as the “hugely successful” weekend, which also benefited from glorious sunshine, also took the opportunity to visit the unique National Centre for Reptile Welfare, a standalone rehoming charity that has its home on the campus and had a wide range of fascinating creatures to look at.
Mark and Tabby Emerson
Lilly-Marie Cook with a Hawaiian Nene Goose
Daniel Cotton
NIGEL AKEHURST VISITS: PEVENSEY LEVELS
PEVENSEY LEVELS WETLAND RESTORATION
This month Nigel Akehurst meets Sussex Wildlife Trust nature recovery
project officer
Charlotte Pestell to learn more about an ambitious and inspiring wetland restoration project on the Pevensey Levels in East Sussex.
Stretching across 3,500 hectares of low-lying land between Eastbourne and Bexhill, the Pevensey Levels is one of the most ecologically significant wetlands in the South of England. It’s a landscape of ditches, wet grasslands and ancient grazing marsh, home to a wealth of rare flora and fauna.
Amongst its residents are the endangered fen raft spider, 25 species of rare aquatic mollusc and 16 species of dragonfly and damselfly, including the striking hairy dragonfly, but this unique landscape has been under growing pressure from climate change, intensive land use and fragmented management.
Now, thanks to a collaborative restoration initiative led by Sussex Wildlife Trust (SWT) in partnership with local farmers and Natural England and backed by £600,000 from National Highways' Network for
Nature programme, the tide is beginning to turn. Through rewetting, habitat creation and farmer engagement, a new chapter is being written for the Levels, one that places nature, food and people at its heart.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PEVENSEY LEVELS
Once a vast tidal bay, the Levels slowly filled with silt over millennia. By the medieval period, the area had become a patchwork of hand-drained meadows and pastures, criss-crossed by ditches (or "sewers" as they’re known locally).
Livestock grazing has long been central to its character – and to the upkeep of its delicate wetland ecology.
The Levels were designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 1990 and later received Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and RAMSAR status, recognising
their international importance. But despite these protections, intensive drainage and changing land practices took their toll, leading to biodiversity decline and the disappearance of key species.
SUSSEX WILDLIFE TRUST
In 1996, Sussex Wildlife Trust acquired more than 150 hectares on the Levels. Since then, the charity has worked to reverse ecological decline through land management, ditch restoration and community outreach.
Its latest flagship project is focused on rewetting key areas of its own reserve by re-profiling ditches, creating scrapes and encouraging natural flooding. Crucially, the approach is collaborative, working with farmers to ensure food is still produced in ways that benefit wildlife and build longterm landscape resilience.
CHALLENGES AND EARLY SIGNS OF RECOVERY
SWT Head of Nature Reserves Jamie Parsons led the project design, using LIDAR mapping from the Environment Agency to identify low spots ideal for scrapes and new ditches.
Planning began in earnest in July 2023, but securing permissions was tricky. "It wasn’t straightforward," admitted Charlotte. "It’s quite a novel project for the area."
Approval finally came in early autumn 2024, just as one of the wettest Septembers on record hit. Dumper trucks got bogged down in the mud, and work ground to a near halt.
Thankfully, three tracked dumper trucks were sourced from Wales, allowing contractors FGS Pilcher, Clarity Ecoworks and local contractor Darren Walker to resume operations, undertaking digging work under the watchful eye of archaeologists.
One scrape even revealed a suspected Iron Age settlement. "We’re still waiting on the final report," said Charlotte, "but it was an exciting find and adds an extra layer of cultural significance to the project.” Despite the
challenges, most earthworks were completed on budget by December 2024, with just one scrape and ditch deferred until the summer.
and bird counts are up, with larger flocks of lapwing spotted enjoying the new pools and scrapes, alongside ducks, geese and even majestic Marsh Harriers soaring above.
"It’s still early days," Charlotte said. "But the winter gave us the conditions we needed. If lapwing breed successfully this year, that’s a huge milestone.”
The results are impressive: over three kilometres of re-profiled ditches, 30 tennis courts' worth of new wetland and 15 football pitches’ worth of re-flooded landscape. Monitoring has shown promising signs >>
NIGEL AKEHURST VISITS: PEVENSEY LEVELS
The new pools are holding water well, even after one of the driest springs on record, demonstrating the resilience of the design. “These wetlands act like giant sponges, slowing floodwaters and creating habitat. We just need to give them room to function," added Charlotte.
MANAGING WATER
Raising water levels is not without its challenges. It must be carried out with care to avoid unintended consequences for neighbouring farms. This is where local knowledge and trust become essential.
The Pevensey and Cuckmere Water Level
Management Board plays a crucial role in managing the complex network of sluices and pumps. Its expertise ensures that water levels can be flexibly managed, allowing the higher levels needed for the emerging ‘archipelago’ wetlands to coexist alongside the lower levels required for traditional grazing systems.
<< refuge and connectivity for wildlife.
FUTURE PLANS – CREATING AN ARCHIPELAGO OF NATURE HOTSPOTS
Looking ahead, SWT and partners hope to develop a network of wetland ‘islands’ across the Levels, an archipelago of interconnected nature hotspots that offer
Martin Hole, co-founder of the Pevensey Farmers Group and one of the partner farmers involved in the SWT project, is keen to emphasise that the vision is not about rewilding everything. “We want to work with what’s already here, supporting low-intensity, nature-friendly farming alongside carefully managed restoration zones,” he explained.
For Martin, water is the unifying thread across the landscape. “To the eye of a bird,” he said, “water in the wider landscape is the essence of making the wetland work for all the species that use it.”
FARMING
AND ENVIRONMENT FOCUSED CONTENT CREATION
Storytelling through interviews, features, case studies, photography and short films.
For enquiries contact Nigel Akehurst via email on nigel@indiefarmer.com
Instagram @indiefarmer www.indiefarmer.com
LAND DRAINAGE, EARTHWORKS, GROUNDWORKS & CONSTRUCTION
LAND DRAINAGE, EARTHWORKS, GROUNDWORKS & CONSTRUCTION
FULL LAND DRAINAGE SERVICE
FULL LAND DRAINAGE SERVICE
Sportsfields, amenity and irrigation systems using Mastenbroek trenchers
Sportsfields, amenity and irrigation systems using Mastenbroek trenchers
PONDS, LAKES & RESERVOIRS
Construction and maintenance
PONDS, LAKES & RESERVOIRS
Construction and maintenance
GROUNDWORKS & CONSTRUCTION
GROUNDWORKS & CONSTRUCTION
Primary excavations, aggregate sub-base, agricultural construction and concreting
Primary excavations, aggregate sub-base, agricultural construction and concreting
ENVIRONMENTAL HABITATS
ENVIRONMENTAL HABITATS
Water course maintenance and improvement works
Water course maintenance and improvement works VINEYARD SERVICES
VINEYARD SERVICES
PEVENSEY FARMERS –A GROWING MOVEMENT
Founded in 2017 and facilitated by the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) South East, the Pevensey Farmers Facilitation Fund now links over 30 local farmers. The group has fostered a strong sense of community and shared learning through winter lectures, farm walks and
collaboration with external stakeholders.
With the DEFRA funding due to end this year, facilitator Prim Duplessis believes the group is ready for its next chapter. “The Facilitation Fund has done what it set out to do – bring people together. Now it’s time to build on that momentum.”
The group is actively exploring new funding models, from biodiversity net gain and carbon
credits to private investment. Plans are underway to establish a Pevensey Farmers Community Interest Company (CIC) to take this work forward.
In a recent ‘mapping session’, members developed a pipeline of investable projects, from habitat and species recovery to a possible Pevensey Farmers food brand linking local produce with the landscape. >>
Photo: Dave Kilbey
Lapwing
Great Water Parsnip Fen Raft Spider
Elaphrus ground beetle; a hunter on bare, wet mud
Photo: Evan Jones
Photo: Evan Jones
Photo: Evan Jones
NIGEL AKEHURST VISITS: PEVENSEY LEVELS
Among their current efforts is a water vole recovery project initiated by the Facilitation Fund and now led by Martin and his daughter Romney. With support from Waterlife Recovery Trust and the High Weald Nature and Community Fund, they’ve now deployed 25 mink traps across the Levels, removing 62 mink to date.
LOOKING AHEAD
Wrapping up our chat, I asked Charlotte what she made of the
Allied teams: vet tech services, foot trimmers, consultants, and front line, dedicated farm animal veterinary surgeons
Catering to all livestock needs: commercial, smallholdings and companion farm animals Meeting the needs of our clients with tailored services, health planning, preventative medicine and emergency care 24/7
Efficient. Sustainable. Productive: Our PRO: services focus on health, welfare and productivity on commercial farms; with access to experienced vets with specific qualifications
Our practices can offer: fertility and advanced breeding services, laboratory diagnostics, second opinion care, access to health schemes, export services and more
emerging natural capital markets such as biodiversity net gain.
She was cautiously optimistic, acknowledging there would be teething issues, but emphasised the importance of properly valuing land and its biodiversity.
“We need to embrace these schemes,” she said. “It all depends on everyone in the chain – local planning authorities, consultants, land managers – doing their bit. But when it works, it can all align.”
With projects like the Sussex Wildlife Trust’s wetland restoration demonstrating what’s possible in a relatively short time, the future of the Pevensey Levels is looking more promising than it has in decades. What’s emerging is more than just a restored wetland; it’s a compelling model for how low-input farming and nature can thrive together in a changing climate.
In the current agricultural climate, farmers are increasingly looking for ways to futureproof their business. Working with landowners through the recent DEFRA-funded Future Farming Resilience Fund highlighted the fact that diversification continues to be high on the agenda for farmers who are looking to add value to their business, with many considering a tourism venture.
Our research report, Spotlight: Tourism, leisure and events market, illustrates how the holiday accommodation, wedding and visitor attraction sectors are dynamic and evolving, presenting both opportunities and challenges. Here are the current trends shaping the industry:
1. INCREASED DEMAND FOR AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES
Travellers are seeking a holiday experience that is authentic and unique, with the desire for immersive and organic experiences stronger than ever. For some, this may be visiting a remote location with no internet connection to unplug from technology. Others may choose to engage in a more local experience, rather than conventional sight-seeing.
2. SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL
Increased awareness of our environmental impact has fuelled an interest in sustainable accommodation and environmentally friendly travel. Sustainable tourism brings significant benefits to
FIVE TRENDS SHAPING THE TOURISM, LEISURE AND EVENTS SECTOR
rural areas, boosting the economy by supporting local businesses and creating jobs through spending on accommodation, food, transport and activities. Additionally, sustainable and eco-tourism helps preserve the surrounding environment and wildlife in the area.
3. WELLNESS SPACES
Wellbeing has become a top priority in UK consumers’ daily routines and for holiday choices. The wellness market is expanding, with accommodation offering everything from wild swimming pools and saunas to fitness centres and plenty of outdoor space.
4. USING TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL MEDIA FOR INSPIRATION
Social media and technology have become incredibly influential for holiday inspiration, especially among younger generations. While travellers may be looking for a holiday which allows them to unplug from social media, it can help in the planning stages of a trip. Social media can inspire where to go on holiday, showcasing
destinations which someone new to the area may have been unfamiliar with.
5. COST-CONSCIOUS TRAVEL
Amid rising costs of living, travellers are looking to be more cost-conscious while still enjoying the high quality, authentic and unique experience they desire. Operators and tourists alike are thinking about how they can package items together to save costs. For example, accommodation providers often partner with local attractions to deliver discount tickets and increase the number of attendees. While managing costs, consumers want to maintain a high-quality holiday, so they might take a shorter trip yet keep their holiday up to their desired standards.
As the industry evolves, travellers are embracing destinations that prioritise authenticity, sustainability and wellness. As well as embracing these trends, tourism enterprises must provide value for money, leverage technology and use targeted marketing and social media platforms to stay competitive. Read
Cambridgeshire Lakes, a small, family run business of four bespoke lodges in a rural, lakeside setting –www.cambridgeshirelakes.co.uk
RICHES
STUART NICHOLLS
HEDGES SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE BIODIVERSITY
Tidy, symmetrically trimmed hedges with regular, straight rows of drilled corn and perfect tramlines are the sign of a good farmer, epitomising maximum yield at minimum cost.
Perhaps. But should farms be regimented like suburban gardens? How about an alternative view that mankind is over exploiting the planet? In creating farms we have highjacked habitat to our purpose and moulded it to suit our disordered desires. Hence the hole we are in and, Trump-like, we just keep digging.
Rich ecosystems need diverse habitats, which is not where much of farming is today, for there is some unavoidable conflict between producing economically for us and delivering for nature. Nature likes variety and a bit of mess. Hedges were grubbed out after the war to increase productivity and efficiency. Alarming ecological collapse led to changes on farm and, sometimes supported by government schemes, hedges were replanted. Yet there is not much to show from these miles of new hedging. Why? Where are we going wrong?
Driving round the country looking at hedges is depressing. Miles of massacred, gappy
‘bonsai’ trees, one metre high and even less wide, mainly ash, elder and sycamore, all given their autumnal short back and sides, like squaddies ready for inspection. That sort of hedge is ecologically useless and can’t help the arable crop either. So why are they still there, wasting money and time?
Removal would certainly speed up and simplify fieldwork, so why not do that? Are hedge protections too inhibiting? If so, why not embrace the alternative of restoration, for such hedges are redeemable? There is a view that hedges adversely affect crop yields through water, nutrient and light competition and by harbouring crop pests. I can find no convincing data to support this myth.
Is the case for conserving and improving hedges sound, and what does the ideal hedge look like? There is now a wealth of sciencebased work to show that good hedges provide excellent crop, soil and animal shelter, hold water and store carbon. They foster soil fungi and are a haven for beneficial insects that help control crop pests, so reducing the need and expense of chemical remedies.
Good hedges significantly increase biodiversity and provide excellent corridors
that facilitate the spread of wild organisms, so depleted by the large areas of monoculture. These tremendous ecological benefits stimulated Robert Crocker, a Cotswold farmer, to campaign publicly for hedges to be linked across the country from Tyneside to Lands End. A laudable goal yet to be achieved.
To maximise a hedge’s benefit, what should it look like? Foremost it should be a multi species to maximise habitat and biodiversity yield. Hawthorn, the commonest, and most reliable – though fairly slow growing – core of a hedge, could contribute up to 50% of the hedge, but the rest should be made up of six or more species to guarantee richness.
Each species is host to a different array of insects and provides food throughout winter to various birds and mammals, so no new hedge should have fewer than seven species, and preferably a dozen to deliver fully.
The reasons for this are legion. Blackthorn is host to the rare brown hairstreak butterfly and ripe sloes for late winter feed, buckthorns are host to brimstone butterflies, while spindles support many moth species and deliver winter seeds.
Native honeysuckle, quite rare now, feeds
Blackthorn
hawkmoths and provides nesting habitat and winter berries. And why not add specimen trees, such as oak or disease-resistant elms, to add even more diversity? The list is long and available online from the Woodland Trust. This potential bonanza is destroyed by annual hedge slashing, which defeats the ecological objective by leaving no bird food and destroying overwintering insects and their eggs for no extra crop yield.
Management, and to a degree lack of it, is key to hedge success. Ideally, new hedges should be laid about 12 years after planting to thicken the base and give linear structure, followed by a light annual trim for a couple of years to increase body, then left for 20 years before relaying. Where this is impractical, mechanical trimming every three to four years, on rotation, gives a compromise result.
I have found, however, that relying only on mechanical flailing leaves little in the base, so reducing available nesting sites (many of our birds nest on or near the ground in dense cover), weakening the structure, resulting in a poorer hedge that needs wire to make it stock proof.
Rotational flailing is much cheaper and better than the annual butchery, but is less durable than laying every 20 years or so. Laying becomes economic if a few metres can be done each winter, in house, and not to competition standard. The few metres I did, slowly, this winter were enjoyable and healthy exercise, but I am running out of winters!
Having decried the pathetic size of most hedges, how big should they be to deliver all the objectives with no downside? Variety is of the essence and rotational management achieves this. An average height and width should be three metres, for hedge volume correlates closely with bird breeding success. Using mechanical flails on a three-year rotation delivers some variety of height and width, but on a 20-plus year rotation the variety would be so much greater from 1.5m, freshly laid to five metres or more, awaiting the next laying.
A hedge’s value is vastly increased by an adjacent, botanically rich, margin. Just imagine the wild surge if all, or at least most, farms approached this goal at no significant loss of agricultural production. Good hedges really are “worth their weight in gold” ecologically. It must be done to reverse the decline and ultimately ensure our own survival.
Thick hedge. Great habitat
25 year old double hedge with mature trees
Four yearly flail trim with mature trees
Freshly laid hornbeam hedge Ideal for laying
Useless hedge
3m but no basal body
SARAH CALCUTT FOCUS ON FRUIT
Cliff Dorant,
City Harvest lorry driver, Chris Guidi of Richard Hochfeld, and Ben Logue, City Harvest Food team
SARAH CALCUTT ARA g S Chair, Fruiterers Awards Council
City Harvest and Charltons, partners since 2022
HARVEST FOR HUNGER
Before the last general election, the then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced at the NFU conference that there would be funds set aside to support food redistribution charities in their work with farmers across England.
A working group was established, made up of the heads of the major redistributors – City Harvest, Fare Share, the Felix Project and The Bread and Butter Thing – working together so that any programme resulting from this initiative benefitted growers, didn’t create competition and ensured that outgraded great English produce fed those desperately in need of food aid.
There is a wide range of projects across England benefitting from this initiative, which is all about the food waste hierarchy; ensuring that people get fed before waste/surplus heads into other streams like anaerobic digestion (AD) plants or animal feed.
Growers grow because they want to deliver healthy food, grown in a world class environment; farmers are all driven to feed people and I know how much it hurts when parts of the crop don’t make the grade. At a simple level, this is also about cost reduction. If it’s edible, don’t pay for an AD tipper; let us come and collect it, grade it and share it with someone in need.
I am delighted that Harvest For Hunger will expand. City Harvest will work with more UK growers collecting and holding fresh produce as you would in your stores and packhouses.
As an Ifco (International Food Container Organization) partner, City Harvest can de-hire your crates if you need us to collect rejected stock, and will also return your field bins to you, promptly. We will also be broadening the scope of our gleaning programme, piloted by James Smith at Loddington Farm last year, and have teams of our corporate and community volunteers standing by, keen to recover any fruits or vegetables left behind after the commercial pick.
Having personally experienced ‘less good’ gleaning teams, trust me, our team will be well supervised. The whole programme is carefully
designed and insured and we always remain responsible for our people. So, how does it work? We’ve tried hard to keep it simple and hope you will join us in improving the diet of the 20% of the UK who can’t afford food now.
For farms and packers:
1. Ring City Harvest and speak to a man called Ben, who will either arrange a visit so you can learn more about us and how we can help reduce your waste bill or organise an immediate collection.
2. A named account manager will be your point of contact for collections, packaging return and reporting.
3. Our lorry will be dispatched to collect your donation at a time that suits you.
4. We will give you a report on your donation and arrange for bins/ crates to be off-hired or returned to you
If you would like to host a gleaning team:
1. Ring City Harvest and ask to speak to Josh or Kathryn.
2. We will conduct a risk assessment, share our insurance details and confirm what/where we will be harvesting.
3. Details of the day will be confirmed with you in advance, with City Harvest taking responsibility for picking equipment, containers and people.
4. We will collect the harvested crop the same day/next morning and do everything we can to minimise the impact on your operation.
5. You will receive an impact report showing the social impact of your donation.
Ring City Harvest and ask for Ben 0207 041 8491. Ben looks after farms and will either arrange a visit so you can learn more about us and how we can help reduce your waste bill or organise an immediate collection. Or visit the website and make an online enquiry.
�� www.Cityharvest.org.uk/harvest-for-hunger
MAKING CARBON COUNT
Helping fruit growers calculate carbon footprints and credits.
As environmental expectations grow, fruit growers are being urged to understand and manage their carbon footprint. Whether supplying major retailers or running independent operations, measuring emissions and exploring carbon savings are key for long-term resilience.
While carbon accounting is often associated with livestock or large-scale arable farms, it’s just as crucial for fruit production. For mixed farms, the same principles apply across all sectors, including livestock, cropping and horticulture.
COUNTING CARBON ACROSS THE FRUIT FARM: FROM ORCHARDS TO TUNNELS
A carbon footprint in fruit farming refers to the total greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted by the operation, including carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O). Emissions come from:
• Fuel use: Tractors, sprayers, irrigation pumps, and generators
• Fertiliser and chemicals: Including nitrogen fertilisers and crop protection products
• Cold storage and packing: Energy consumption from refrigeration and processing
• Plastic use: Tunnels or mulching materials
• Transport and distribution: Especially for fast moving soft fruits. These emissions are measured as carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂e) to standardise comparison.
THE OPPORTUNITY IN CARBON CREDITS: UNLOCKING NEW REVENUE
Carbon credits represent verified reductions or removals of GHGs. Fruit growers can earn credits through various improvements:
• Switching to renewable energy: For cold storage, irrigation, or processing
• Improving soil health: Using organic amendments, cover crops or agroforestry
• Reducing fertiliser inputs: Through precision application
• Increasing tree and hedgerow planting: Enhancing carbon sequestration
• Adopting minimum or no-till systems. These improvements must go beyond what’s normal for the farm, known as “additionality”, to qualify for carbon credits, which can then be sold on the carbon market.
MEASURING EMISSIONS: THE FIRST STEP
To get started, a farm-level carbon audit is essential. Fruit producers need to collect data on:
• Fuel use: Litres of diesel per hectare
• Fertiliser and chemical applications
• Energy consumption: For cold storage and packing
• Land use: Breakdown of areas like grass margins and hedgerows
This data can be entered into agricultural carbon calculators available in the UK. Though designed for various farm types, these tools can be adapted to fruit farming. For mixed farms, it's useful to break the data down by enterprise to get more accurate results.
TAKING ACTION: SMALL CHANGES, BIG RESULTS
Once emissions are calculated, identifying areas for improvement is next. In fruit production, energy use is a major contributor,
especially for refrigeration and packing. Optimising these systems or switching to renewables can make a significant impact.
Improving soil health is another underused strategy. Practices like incorporating organic matter, reducing tillage and protecting soil cover not only reduce emissions but also boost productivity in the long run.
Those practising agroforestry or using wildflower strips should not overlook the carbon storing potential of these features. Properly documenting these areas can contribute to lowering the overall footprint.
LOOKING AHEAD: POSITIONING FOR THE FUTURE
Whether you’re a specialist fruit grower or part of a mixed enterprise, understanding your carbon position is vital for preparing for future regulations and accessing new opportunities. Retailers and processors are increasingly asking for carbon footprint data, and growers with clear, credible records will have a competitive edge.
Managing carbon doesn’t always require drastic changes. Small adjustments like smarter input use, improving energy efficiency and better data tracking can add up. Over time, these changes lead to savings, resilience and potentially new income streams through carbon markets.
By embracing carbon accounting today, fruit producers in the South East can lead the way in sustainable farming tomorrow.
MEGAN FITZPATRICK MRES Horticultural Agronomist at Hutchinsons, SFI Specialist and BASIS qualified
RESPECT THE T3
Recent years have seen a distinct trend of higher disease pressure later in the season, with 2024 proving a rather stark example of this.
It remains to be seen how the rest of this season plays out, but if conditions around flowering are unsettled, then a robust ear wash fungicide will be a worthwhile investment to guard against ear diseases, such as fusarium, microdochium and sooty moulds and to top up foliar disease control.
Growers cannot afford to let rust or septoria run rampant on upper leaves and risk wiping them out before grain filling occurs and, particularly in high value milling wheats, before protein is moved into the ear.
Even if disease pressure is relatively low around flowering, a T3 applied at growth stage 63 to 65 is still worthwhile to maintain protection through the remaining weeks to harvest. A dry spring may slow disease spread up the canopy, but rust and septoria inoculum is still present, and we know from past experience how quickly diseases can take off, particularly if fungicides are compromised in any way.
CHOOSING THE BEST OPTION
As ever, tailor product choices to individual situations and disease risk, balancing the need for both foliar and ear protection.
Traditionally, T3 applications are azolebased, possibly with a strobilurin for disease control and green leaf retention.
Prothioconazole, metconazole and tebuconazole all remain cost-effective options for protecting against ear diseases, particularly when used in combination (e.g. prothioconazole + tebuconazole). In lower risk seasons, this may be sufficient for many crops. However, if septoria and rust pressure is building, a more robust T3 may be required.
The arrival of fenpicoxamid-based, non-SDHI options in the programme gives
When margins are tight, some growers may look to make savings on the T3, but with changing weather patterns, is it a risk worth taking? James Boswell, Hutchinsons agronomist based out of Canterbury, shares his views.
the opportunity to use an SDHI at T3 instead of earlier timings, or applying fenpicoxamid itself as the ear spray. Many growers did apply fenpicoxamid + prothioconazole at T3 last year to help manage high levels of active disease, particularly septoria, with good results.
Other SDHI-type chemistry, such as bixafen + fluopyram + prothioconazole, or bixafen, prothioconazole and tebuconazole, is also worth considering to cover septoria, rust and fusarium risks. There is a new option too, based on pydiflumetofen, which offers very good fusarium control at higher rates, so is worth considering in high value crops that can justify the extra investment (e.g premium quality milling wheat).
Applying pydiflumetofen at T2 may help reduce fusarium risk at T3, but will not remove the threat if conditions are wet during flowering.
This season, Hutchinsons is conducting trials at two sites, examining the merits of different modes of action at each main timing, to see where value can be gained and resistance managed better, and help guide future decisions.
FLOWERING NUTRITION
Before flowering and T3, make sure there are no nutrient deficiencies that could extend flowering longer than is ideal. Boron and sulphur are particularly important in this respect, and are usually best addressed at T2 where tissue testing identifies a need.
Where required, there may be merit in applying additional foliar nutrients at T3 to extend greening and help build grain quality, as root uptake is generally much lower by this point in the season.
ASSESS RISK
Canterbury: 01227 830064 www.hlhltd.co.uk
JAMES BOSWELL Agronomist
T: 07721 888382
E: james.boswell@hlhltd.co.uk
Before applying any T3, growers must complete the AHDB mycotoxin risk assessment (https://ahdb.org. uk/mycotoxins), as there are legal limits for fusarium mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZON), in wheat intended for human consumption, and guidance limits for feed grain.
STEPHEN CARR
EXTREMELY UNSETTLING VIEWING
Oh dear, we’ve done a trade deal with Trump. I don’t know how many of you watched the live broadcast from the Oval Office. It made extremely unsettling viewing, with a typically bombastic Trump running the event like it was a reality TV show.
Food did get a passing mention. British consumers were in for a treat as they would soon be able to access more and more US food products with reduced tariffs. The details are still to be haggled over in coming weeks and months, but the last time a British government agreed to reduce tariffs on US food imports, almost exactly 100 years ago, things didn’t turn out too well for British farmers.
My family was farming near Lewes in East Sussex in 1921 when PM David Lloyd George broke his promise to farmers not to water down or repeal the Corn Production Act without plenty of notice. He’d brought in the act to boost domestic grain production during the First World War.
To start with the deal had no impact, as it took four or five years for US agriculture to gear itself up to exporting grain to the UK. Railroads had to be laid to get wheat from the prairies in the mid-west to the eastern seaboard ports of the US. Ships had to be built to bring the grain across the Atlantic. Facilities in ports like Liverpool had to be created to unload large quantities of crops. This fooled a lot of farmers into thinking there was nothing to worry about. But once the grain started to pour into the country, and at a price few British farmers could compete with, the impact on farm incomes was devastating.
So catastrophic was the decline in grain prices that my father was forced into the merchant navy at the tender age of 15 as my grandparents simply could no longer afford to feed and clothe him. It would be nice to think that we won’t see a repeat of all that, but there are worrying signs that UK farmers are already in trouble less than five years after we left the farmer-friendly EU.
A terrible precedent was set, in terms of food trade agreements, only a few months after Brexit by Liz Truss when she was trade secretary. She signed agreements with Australia and New Zealand that will see UK farmers exposed to unlimited quantities of tariff-free exports of beef, lamb and butter from two of the lowest-cost food producing countries on earth, and, in the case of Australia, with farm animal welfare standards that would not be tolerated here.
And our Labour government has already signed a trade deal with India that will allow food into the UK that can be produced using an array of agri-chemicals that British farmers are banned from using.
As in 1921, the priority for British governments is not ensuring a high level of UK food self-sufficiency. Instead, the policy is to import food from wherever it can be sourced in the world combined with the opportunity to export UK manufactured goods abroad.
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STEPHEN CARR
Stephen farms near Eastbourne in East Sussex in partnership with his wife and four of his daughters. The farm has a pub, the Sussex Ox at Milton Street, which serves the farm's pedigree Sussex beef, Southdown-cross lamb and fruit and vegetables from the farmhouse kitchen-garden.
ANITA HICKSON ORGANISED CHAOS
SECOND CUT SILAGE IS ON THE HORIZON
Well, what a month May has been. A big birthday and a new granddaughter on the same day. What a privilege to be able to share my birthday with a beautiful little girl. Erin Jane Hickson-Cannon made her appearance at 12.11pm on a lovely sunny day and has so far been angelic.
Please excuse the ‘Erin’ spam as we are all rather taken with her. The race is on to see if we can get her on a pony before the boys find her an electric tractor. Going to Badminton horse trials after she was born was a dangerous visit to make.
GCSE and ‘A’ level exams will be nearing a conclusion by the time this is published, and I hope everyone achieves the results they need to go onto the next step in their lives. The important thing to remember is that they are only a stepping stone onto the next chapter.
Second cut silage is on the horizon and as I write this article a little rain wouldn’t go amiss. It feels like summer but without the heat. The nights have still been cold, and the days have been hot.
With first cut silage being taken so early we are hoping the grass will bounce back with a reasonable second cut, but we are in the hands of the weather (yet again). On reflection, we will take a dry year every year rather than the quagmire of 2024.
The maize has all been drilled and is growing nicely. This could also do with a drink. Dunging out has been completed, and with the wheat ears emerging the countdown to harvest is beginning. The combine is being serviced.
After 24 harvests we decided to assist the old combine and purchase a newer version. While it is not brand new, we are hopeful that it will streamline combining and keep both boys happy!
As much as I love the longer days, unfortunately the longest day of the year is looming. It seems to have flown by and before we know it the evenings will start to draw in.
With the new trade deals on the horizon with the USA, I cannot help but feel a little despondent for the future of agriculture.
President Trump’s 10% tariffs on imports from countries around the world still applies to most goods entering the USA.
US beef exports to the UK had been subject to a 20% tariff within a quota of 1,000 metric tonnes. Starmer has scrapped this tariff and raised the quota to 13,000 metric tonnes. In return, the UK has been given the same quota at a reduced rate. Many American farmers use growth hormones in cattle although it is not supposed to be exported as part of the agreement. How will they stop it?
American farmers also use sow stalls, battery cages, veal crates and chlorine washing, and do not have to adhere to the standards that are enforced on UK farmers. Many of these practices are banned in the UK. How is this a level playing field?
The tariffs on ethanol coming into the UK from the US have also been scrapped, which in itself raises alarm bells for the UK arable farmers. This could potentially mean the loss
of a million tonnes of wheat sales into UK ethanol plants.
It would appear the Government feels the country can import food rather than producing it ourselves. It would also appear that no one in the Government is paying the slightest bit of attention to anything a farmer has to say.
Until next time, stay safe.
ANITA HICKSON Farmer
ONLY 30% TO 50% OF AVERAGE APRIL RAINFALL FELL
By Brett Pointing, Agronomist based in Dorset for CCC Ltd.
The saying “two years are never the same” couldn’t be any more accurate than between this season and last.
Winter wheat is around two weeks earlier to reach GS39, and in fact the earliest drilled crops had flag leaves fully emerged in the last few days of April. In the South East only 30% to 50% of average April rainfall fell, with only five days of rainfall above 1mm.
We therefore have levels of septoria lower than we’ve seen in several years, making T2 decisions incredibly difficult. With the price of wheat as low as it is currently, we are very aware not to overspend, but as the majority of varieties being grown are for milling, keeping disease levels to a minimum is paramount.
Due to the low levels of septoria, T2 applications have been built around brown and yellow rust, depending on variety. Combinations of actives such as isoflucypram (Vimoy), mefentrifluconazole (Revysol), prothioconazole, tebuconazole and pyraclostrobin (Comet) will all provide very good activity on both yellow and brown rust,
while Vimoy and Revysol and fenpicoxamid all offer reasonable septoria activity, which will be adequate in a low pressure year like this.
T3 decisions will be equally difficult, as so much depends on what the weather does at the end of May/early June. Where costs have been cut at T2, it might allow a more comprehensive T3 if it turns wet. Actives such as pydiflumetofen (Miravis) and fenpicoxamid (Univoq) fit the T3 slot well, as both will give good septoria and fusarium protection, provided they were not used at T2.
Spring barley has now had its T1 based around prothioconazole, fluxapyroxad (Imtrex), mefentrifluconazole (Revysol) and pyraclostrobin (Comet) depending on drilling date and disease levels. T2s will be predominantly built around pydiflumetofen (Miravis) due to its market-leading ramularia control.
Maize has had a much better start to life this year than last. Soil temperatures have been much higher than previous Aprils, and so even early-drilled maize has come up a good shade of green, unlike last year’s pale
CCC AGRONOMY
Chichester Crop Consultancy is a farmer member run co-operative agronomy service that aims to deliver truly independent, research/ science-led agronomy advice with no commercial bias and now covers the South of England.
CCC works closely with Crop Advisors, which supplies independent group purchasing on crop inputs as well as sourcing cover crop/environmental scheme seed mixes.
yellow. Pre-ems have been hit and miss this year with the lack of moisture, and therefore early post-ems have been, or are imminently, planned. It is incredibly important to get maize herbicides on before the fourth leaf stage, as numerous trials suggest that if it is left any later, weeds will start to reduce yield.
Eary drilled peas are looking very well and have so far escaped weevil damage. Sadly, the same can’t be said for beans; warm dry weather has not been favourable and weevil damage has been severe in areas, resulting in some crops needing to be treated.
Beans have already started flowering but are only four to eight inches tall; if rain does not arrive in the next week or two then yields will be severely reduced.
Oilseed rape crops, bar a few exceptions, have finished flowering. It was a reasonably short flowering period this year, yet pod set has been good, mainly down to the dry, warm, flowering period. This has meant there’s been no need for two flowering sprays, with the next pass likely to be either podstick or desiccation.
SPRING INTO SUMMER
THOUSANDS FLOCK TO CAMPUS FOR LAMBING WEEKEND FUN
Around 10,000 people made the most of the clear skies and glorious sunshine for Hadlow’s ever-popular Lambing Weekend at the end of April.
The college was a hive of activity as visitors enjoyed the opportunity to meet newborn lambs, explore the beautiful grounds, find out about the wide range of courses on offer and more.
HADLOW SCOOPS SILVER GILT AT CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW!
We are delighted to announce that the college was awarded a silver gilt medal at last month’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Our eye-catching exhibit, titled “No Such Thing as a Toadstool”, invited visitors into a woodland-inspired space, where fungi took centre stage, not just as familiar mushrooms sprouting from tree stumps, but as critical players in everything from ecosystem health to future technologies.
A huge amount of work from staff and
students went into putting the exhibit together, so a massive congratulations to everyone involved.
YOUR FUTURE STARTS HERE: JOIN US AT HADLOW
There is a wide range of both further and higher education courses on offer at Hadlow College, and for those who are interested in learning more there are open events planned:
• Open evening:
Wednesday 4 June, 3pm to 7pm
• Higher education morning: Thursday 26 June, 10am to 12noon.
Both of these events will allow potential students to explore Hadlow’s wonderful rural and land-based facilities and speak to industry trained lecturers and current students.
The higher education morning is for students looking to join for September 2026 entry. Courses on offer are in zoo husbandry and management, applied behavioural and welfare science, commercial horticulture, equine training and management and animal management (level 6 top up only).
As we enter the summer months of the year, our beautiful campus can be enjoyed to its fullest.
START THE JOURNEY
To start the journey to studying at Kent’s only rural and land-based college, visit www.hadlow.ac.uk/courses, or visit www.hadlow.ac.uk/events to book a place at an open event.
CAN THE SUSTAINABLE FARMING INCENTIVE BE RELIED ON?
By Peter Knight, managing director of Burgate Farms Ltd, Hambledon, Surrey.
When SFI24 was withdrawn without any notice, it caused shock, anger and disbelief, especially to those who were part way through the process of applying. The fact that the Rural Payments Agency had been displaying a message stating that there would be six weeks’ notice of the scheme closing just rubbed salt in the wound.
Given the way DEFRA pulled SFI24, leaving around 3,000 applicants in limbo having started an application, the NFU took the decision to support members in legal action. Resorting to the courts is not without risk, not only the risk of losing but also the length of time it can take to conclude cases. Those applying for SFI were expecting payments within a few months; a court case can take years.
Fortunately, the legal case put forward by the NFU on behalf of its members was strong enough to convince the minister to make a u-turn and allow those who had started an application after 11 January to continue.
As always, the devil is in the detail, which is still emerging as I write. Applications are going to be limited to £9,300 per year for the three years of the scheme. Why this arbitrary figure? There was no ceiling on applications before 11 March. Many SFI24 applications were replacing countryside stewardship schemes which ended on 31 December and paid farmers way more than £9,300 a year for environmental work. Surely, if closure without notice was legally flawed, then so must setting arbitrary caps on payments be.
The way the DEFRA budget has been handled has destroyed any trust farmers had that they would be fairly supported for producing food in an environmentally friendly way. To start and rebuild trust we need transparency of all DEFRA budgets; it is not acceptable to have funding streams turned on and off without oversight or an
explanation. Stating that the money has run out at the eleventh hour is not adequate. We are assured that SFI26 is coming later this year, following the Government’s spending review, but can this be relied upon? I fear any new offering will not materialise until late this autumn; first applications being approved for a January start with payments not arriving before March at the earliest. Is SFI26 going to be significantly different from SFI24? Unless more money is allocated it will have to change, or the money will run out again. The ask from the NFU is for DEFRA to give us sight of the budget and talk to us about how SFI26 can be designed and implemented to be fair to all.
SFI24 was far from fair and we have ended up with the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’. Many of the ‘have nots’ were relying on SFI to cushion the blow from the rapid basic payments reduction; managing cash flow is likely to be difficult.
I am asking for a more thoughtful design for SFI26. Regarding payment limits, it seems reasonable that a holding should not get more under SFI than it did under BPS. Some options should have area limits. After all, in most cases wild birds do not need whole fields to feed on, and smaller plots spread around the farm could possibly be better.
Let’s hope we have had some meaningful rainfall by the time you are reading this.
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
RAIN DESPERATELY REQUIRED
The talking point around the market is the very dry spring we are having and serious concerns about grass growth and winter arable crop maturity, with the lack of rain causing serious concerns as this report was being written.
The trade in the cattle ring remained fierce throughout the period, with plenty of cattle now 400p/kg live weight and above every week, which, as one vendor stated, seems now to be the norm for the better end cattle.
Plenty of cattle now trading over £3,000 a head, which was remarkable, equating to some 100p/kg more than 12 months ago. Indeed, on Tuesday 11 May 2024, Colchester cattle averaged 279p/kg in the ring; on 13 May 2025 the average was 381p/kg, equating to some £600 and above per animal more. This has been seen throughout the cattle trade, with the store cattle reflecting the finished trade.
As this report was being written, dead weight quotations were being reduced and there were reports of waiting lists for cattle again at abattoirs. However, in the live ring trade remained firm, if not quite as fast as it was at the beginning of May. Numbers are still generally short and more could be
sold to advantage in the live ring, but open competition exists.
The over 30-month and cull cow trade remains strong throughout, as would be expected given the demand for processing beef. The average was well above 12 months ago, with best cows trading nearer £3,000 than £2,000. This is the one section of the beef trade where farm assurance is still beneficial, but in all honesty with the shortage of beef it is becoming less of an issue. Farmers need to see a real benefit to spend the extra money.
Store cattle trade throughout the period remained very strong, with numbers insufficient to meet the demand from buyers looking to restock yards. The general feeling is still that there is a shortage of beef, and in all likelihood that shortage is likely to get more extreme through the summer.
It has been a difficult month in the sheep pens, particularly for lambs over 50kg live weight. This time last year, old season lambs at that weight were keenly sought, with prices over £200 a head. This year the trade has been completely reversed.
With a few exceptions, most heavy lambs were trading at £140 to £160 a head, but considering many of these were purchased as
stores in the range of £100 to £130, this is no return for finishers.
Numbers of hoggs have remained at higher levels than last year, which is also perhaps one of the reasons why trade is somewhat subdued this year. With the drier weather also causing a lack of grass, and extra feed costs, it hasn’t been the greatest of years for sheep producers. However, the market still provides an outlet and demand.
New season lambs were still coming forward in very short numbers through the period and trade was again some 50p to 60p/kg less than 12 months ago. It has been a disappointing start, but let us hope the trade stabilises.
The cull sheep trade remained very strong throughout, this being the one bright spot in the sheep trade, with plenty of good ewes over £200 and no sign of a reduction in that trade as this report was being written. More could certainly be sold to advantage.
With the very dry weather, arable crops were beginning to suffer in mid-May, with irrigators working full time and serious concerns with regard to grass growth and potential low yields of winter-sown and spring-sown arable crops. Rain was desperately required.
A SPRING OF RECORD PRICES AND ANTI-CLIMAXES
The spring of 2025 has been one of delight and elation for cattle producers, with those who held tight and sold later, rather than jumping the gun before Christmas, being rewarded with a huge spike in prices. We have seen some cattle increase in value upwards of £500/head on the basis of a like-for-like comparison with last season.
Globally, there is an increasing shortage of beef, be that in meat products, by-products or live animals in the breeding herd. Several years of diminishing returns and high prices for cull cows in the sale ring have pushed the national herd lower as each calving season passes.
The introduction of easier ways to farm, through environmental payments and schemes, have also played their part in bringing about the situation we are in now, with store cattle this season pushing towards £3,000/head for the first time in history.
In the short term, these prices are wonderful for the producers, for us as auctioneers and for all those involved in the wider beef industry. However, there is an issue with these levels making it almost impossible for new starters in the industry to get a chance to build a herd of cattle - and ultimately these people will become our future producers in years to come.
The new trade deal with the USA that has been broadcast across farming media in recent weeks is said to be the factor that will put a stop to our improved prices. However, if you search online for cattle prices in the USA currently, you will see month old, dairy bred calves selling for more than $1,000/ head. I am not sure how this will be shipped to the UK as a cheaper alternative?
In the sheep pens this spring we have had a bit of an anti-climax compared with last season and with what many (store lamb buyers!) hoped we would see a repeat of. There are a few simple reasons for this
which I will try to pick apart, but I would say that despite the prices being lower than last year in some weight categories, the prices we are now seeing for home-produced hoggets are sustainable and acceptable. We would all like a bit more at times, but we must remember that all members of the supply chain must be able to make a living.
This season we started with prices in January over 300p/kg, which is far ahead of the prices we were seeing at the beginning of 2024, which was the reason a big jump in prices was less likely to materialise. More sheep finishers then chose to hold onto their hoggets, which has created a supply that has outweighed demand and caused prices to stay pretty steady at around 300p/kg to 330p/kg.
Lighter weight hoggets have almost been able to push on to last year’s levels and the best hoggets have gone over 400p/kg most weeks, albeit in limited numbers for
the better shaped sheep. Weight has been a decisive factor in the prices achieved this year, with sheep doing so well, in favourable weather conditions, which has resulted in a huge percentage of each week’s entry falling into the heavy weight category. At times, over 75% of the sheep on offer on a Tuesday in Ashford weighed in excess of 47kg, levels we would have loved to have achieved this time last year, with the prices to boot!
As we move into a transition period between the end of last year’s hoggets and the beginning of the 2025 lamb crop, it looks as though the current price trend will continue, without many peaks or troughs in sight at the moment. Lambs are doing well on farm and will come considerably earlier this year, potentially all at once.
The advice would be to sell as soon as they are ready, especially if they are on concentrate feed, and not hold off for the anticipated price lifts which we may have seen in the past.
CONTROL OF JOHNES IN BEEF HERDS
By Laura Gibson at Westpoint Winchester.
Johnes disease is an incurable, progressive, chronic wasting disease of ruminants caused by mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). Infected animals shed the bacteria in faeces and through colostrum and milk and to a lesser degree it can spread across the uterus to infect calves whilst in utero.
Infection most commonly occurs in highly susceptible young animals, especially in the first few days of life, through contamination of the environment with infected faeces and through ingestion of colostrum and milk from an infected cow.
The disease has a long incubation period, so although animals are generally infected at a young age, we don’t typically see clinical signs of the disease (diarrhoea and weight loss) until an animal is at least four years old and sometimes far later than this.
The presence of Johnes disease within a herd comes with large economic impacts; it is not only the clinical cases of Johnes (diarrhoea and wasting) that have implications, it is also those animals that are infected but not yet showing clinical signs yet often have poor performance such as fertility and milk yield.
These infected cows typically do not get in calf in the desired time frame and have smaller calves at weaning due to poor milk production, and therefore end up having to be culled.
The main priorities for controlling Johnes are identifying infected animals, improving hygiene around calving to reduce new infections and control around bought-in animals.
TESTING BREEDING STOCK
Identifying animals within the herd that are infected allows management decisions to be made on a case-by-case basis. An antibody blood test is available to identify those animals; due to the long incubation period of the disease, we are only able to use the test reliably on animals of at least two years of age.
Testing is recommended annually to ensure any new cases are picked up. This information allows us to make culling decisions or, if keeping infected animals, manage them separately, for example calving them in a separate shed or field to prevent calves being infected. Calves from positive cows can also be identified and not kept as breeding animals.
HYGIENE
Hygiene around calving is challenging in a beef system where it is not practical to take calves away from the dam at birth and feed separately. The aim is to reduce transmission by exposing highly susceptible newborn calves to as little faecal contamination as possible. This may be by delaying calving so that cows
can be turned out to calve in a larger area. Another option is to monitor cows at calving extremely closely to be able to separate a cow off into a pen on her own once she starts calving and then turn the cow and calf out rather than mixing them back in with the cows still to calve.
When buying in breeding stock, there is a risk of purchasing animals infected with Johnes. To reduce the chances, buy in from a Johnes-accredited herd or have the animal tested before introducing it to your herd. Though there are logistical considerations to beginning your Johnes management journey, your vet can tailor a plan to suit your herd and system to allow for minimal economic impact, safeguarding the future of your herd and the longevity of your breeding stock.
CONSULTATION ON TIERED APPROACH TO PIG STANDARDS
Tiered welfare standards and labelling for UK pig meat could be introduced by the Red Tractor Pigs Sector Board following industry consultation.
Red Tractor has said the approach “could reduce audit cost and complexity for producers and simplify consumer choice” but has also pledged that it will only happen if the consultation shows there is “clear support” for the proposal.
The suggestion is that the assurance scheme should take a “modular approach to welfare standards for the pigs sector” which would be similar to the tiered model introduced for the poultry sector in 2020.
The proposed system would include two new voluntary tiers, each with its own dedicated logo:
• Enhanced welfare: Pork from outdoorbred or outdoor-reared pigs finished indoors, with more space and a solid, bedded lying area.
• Free range: Pork from pigs with continuous outdoor access.
Respondents will also be consulted on some adjustments to the existing standards aimed at delivering reduced cost and complexity and
ensuring core standards reflect best practice.
Red Tractor said that while its pigs technical advisory committee believed many outdoor and indoor producers already operated at the proposed standards, the consultation would help establish precise views.
“Expanding the use of these tiers from poultry to pork aims to provide a clear, trusted guide for shoppers, reassuring them that Red Tractor-certified pork meets a range of high standards for welfare and distinguishing those that go beyond Red Tractor’s core standards of animal welfare,” it commented.
Red Tractor Pigs chairman Stewart Houston commented: “The Red Tractor Pigs Sector Board believes the proposed labelling system would provide a clearer, simpler way for our members to communicate and differentiate their welfare standards. It could also enhance consumers’ ability to make informed purchasing decisions by uniting existing tiers within the pork category under a suite of Red Tractor logos.
“The development of the voluntary ‘enhanced welfare’ and ‘free range’ tiers for pork also demonstrates Red Tractor’s swift delivery against the farm assurance
review. The proposed system could remove the need for producers to juggle multiple assurance schemes, reducing audit burden and associated costs. Processors could also benefit from lower licence fees and simplified packaging by using a unified Red Tractor logo system.”
The consultation runs until 6 June, with the board promising it will only introduce the changes with “majority support from the UK pig industry”.
Red Tractor is also considering a new ‘certified standards plus’ tier, with flexible farrowing as the key criteria. It is seeking views from the pig sector on whether such a tier would “help support an industry-led transition to flexible farrowing, to avoid conflicting retailer requirements and reduce business uncertainty”.
“It never rains but it pours.” So goes the old saying; one could certainly be forgiven for thinking that the first part of this is a truism. With parts of the South East not seeing any significant precipitation for almost three months now, and only 18% of average March and April rainfall, many sheep keepers are becoming concerned about the availability of grass, and not just for grazing. The dearth of rainfall so far this spring will no doubt impact on both yields and the quality of this season’s hay and silage crops.
Grass in much of the region has simply not known what to do this year. The near drought
WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO OUR SPRING?
and scorching sun was preceded by cold and wet conditions with low soil temperatures, delaying the onset of grass growth and resulting in grass simply not having a chance to get going. Last year was a stop start sort of a year, but this year so far it seems to be a stop stop sort of year, with grass unable to realise its normal seasonal potential. The spring flush has simply not happened.
Having come under some considerable stress, first cold and now moisture, I suspect that if and when grass has a chance to get away it will simply miss out much of the leafy phase and go straight to the flowering and seeding bit; I imagine that toppers will be out and rather busier than normal this season in an endeavour to prevent grass running to seed and to maintain some leafy production, moisture permitting, that is.
Tight grass supplies have already impacted our own feeding regime. As a prolific breed on relatively poor permanent pasture, our Lleyn almost always need a bit of hard feed post-lambing simply to stimulate the level of milk production needed to do a respectable pair of twins well. This generally includes a bit of challenge feeding to build towards a good peak milk yield at three or four weeks into lactation; tailing off towards weaning from a high peak yield will significantly increase total lactation production.
Ordinarily, after a bit of feed post-lambing for a decent peak yield, I will let grass do the rest, or grass plus a bit of a contribution from mum; allowing her to do what sheep were designed to do, milk off her back, a perfectly natural process and why we try to get them into good condition pre lambing. Normally ewe feed would have stopped weeks ago, but with the uncertain grass supplies I’m still feeding a bit (mid-May) simply to help and stretch grass supplies.
My approach to creep feeding has always been strategic rather than routine. In a good season, lambs will never see it but this year the feeders have been deployed and I’m now beginning to introduce a bit of creep. I don’t like pushing lambs on too hard and will never feed ad lib, but the time has come to switch from helping the ewes produce milk to feed lambs to putting the feed directly into the lambs, which is rather more efficient.
The latter part of the adage I started with, “but it pours”, we wait and see. Fingers crossed that this is equally true; we already have a substantial moisture deficit to make up and it’s not even summer yet.
The dry spring has also impacted on arable producers, particularly following a poor autumn and winter which have together generated substantial issues which will no doubt inflate next winter’s feed prices. As an industry, sheep production (and the rest of agriculture) is coming under pressure from all sorts of directions. We certainly cannot rely on any positive support from our current administration, which seems to have little understanding or empathy for the sector.
TO WORM OR NOT TO WORM?
With turnout of youngstock now underway, attention turns to how best to control for parasites in first grazing season calves, the cohort most vulnerable to parasites due to their lack of exposure. The main parasites to consider now will be ostertagia and cooperia (roundworms), which cause parasitic gastroenteritis, and dictyocaulus (lungworm).
The ‘easy option’ is to dose youngstock at turnout and then avoid any further handling until housing. The only worm dose that is suitable for administration at turnout is the pulse release bolus product on the market. This releases five doses of oxfendazole at three-weekly intervals, with the first dose being released after three weeks. However, this year, there have been supply problems with this product as well as a significant price hike and a six-month meat withhold, and so other options have been discussed with some of our clients.
If calves are turned out on pastures that were grazed by youngstock the previous season, it is likely that they will encounter
overwintered larvae from the previous autumn and may need a strategic worm dose to minimise further build-up of roundworm larvae on the pasture, especially if set-stocked. This dose should be given approximately three weeks after turnout. The timing is critical, as the intention is to allow enough time for worm larvae to be hoovered up by the youngstock but not long enough for adult worms to lay eggs and contaminate the pastures again. On this occasion, counter intuitively, a worm dose is recommended with a low worm egg count.
For the rest of the grazing season, the youngstock should be monitored with regular worm egg counts and/or regular weighing. Our sheep clients are much better than our cattle clients at following these recommendations, but as the risk of wormer resistance is now increasing in cattle as well as sheep, it is vital that worm doses are more targeted and not overused.
A group average faecal worm egg count of over 200 eggs per gram and/or failure to achieve a daily live weight gain greater than
We are at a time when we need all the support that we can get from the general public; they are our customers and we now really, more so than for a long time, need them onside and buying British. To that end I would, on behalf of the whole sheep sector, like to say a big ‘thank you’ to all of those producers who have had the courage to put themselves out there, committing a tremendous amount of time and effort into organising lambing open days and weekends.
We have all, for years, been encouraged to diversify and seek alternative income streams and to some that has been the prime motivator in throwing their farm open to the public for a day or two to generate cash, some rather too much so, but I know that many of the producers who have hosted lambing events have rather more than simply generating income in mind; a large part of their motivation, for some the primary function, has been the desire to inform and educate the general public, our customers.
Almost any conversation with a member of the public, at shows, over the gate, at lambing time etc, quickly demonstrates how ignorant many of them are about what we do as a sector. I don’t mean that unkindly, after all we all have gaps in our knowledge, although some rather more so than others. There is a huge knowledge gap between the sheep sector and most of our customers, many of whom have no idea how much time, effort, cost and commitment goes into producing a good crop of lambs each year, and it is only by helping
0.6 kg/day may indicate the need for potential wormer treatment.
The most popular treatments are variations of ivermectin pour on, but if you suspect a wormer resistance problem is developing, and are not seeing a satisfactory response to treatment, repeat worm egg counts are recommended two weeks after the most recent treatment.
Finally, it’s also important to be on the lookout for other parasites such as lungworm and liver fluke that can emerge as problems later in the grazing season and may require different treatment. So, it really is not possible, nor appropriate, to dose at turnout and then not handle them until housing!
to inform and to fill some of those knowledge gaps that we can really begin to have some degree of meaningful communication and mutual understanding.
Inviting the general public onto your farm, often in significant numbers, at a busy time of the year, is not easy; it’s a lot of work and it invites scrutiny and, inevitably, some with alternative agendas who seek only to criticise. But every member of the public who, after a visit to a lambing event, returns home a little wiser and more sympathetic to the industry and what we do, is a win for the whole sector. So, to all those who have put themselves out there for the benefit of the industry to help inform, educate and open up channels of communication, a very big well done; give yourselves a well-earned pat on the back!
ALAN WEST Sheep farmer
FOCUSING ON THE FUTURE WHILE CELEBRATING THE PAST
Local historians with an afternoon to spare could do worse than delve into the archives of Lambert & Foster, the highly regarded Kent and Sussex surveyors, estate agents and, more recently, planners currently celebrating 125 years in business.
Such an activity would, though, come with a health warning, as anyone with an interest in the area would inevitably find themselves still leafing through the mountains of old documents several hours later, unable to drag
themselves away from a fascinating glimpse into the rural history of this part of the world.
On director Alan Mummery’s first dip into the archives while talking to South East Farmer, he pulled out the particulars of one property sale and quickly realised that the map he was looking at showed the land just south of Lamberhurst on the Kent/Sussex border that went on to become Bewl Water reservoir between 1973 and 1975.
It was a fascinating and unexpected discovery and highlighted the wealth of history
contained in the archives of a firm that has played a major part in the lives of so many people who have bought and sold land and property in Kent and Sussex since the first link in a long chain was forged in the year 1900.
But while history is important to the current directors and staff at Lambert & Foster, the team has not allowed that emphasis on the past to stand in the way of a dynamic, forward-thinking business that has moved with the times while being proud of its roots.
Pride in what they do, a loyalty to the local community and a sense of being part of farming history run through the entire Lambert & Foster team, with the word “privilege” cropping up in nearly every conversation with staff members at every level of the business.
That sense of heritage, but also of being part of a team that is not just proud of its past but committed to creating an even brighter future, runs through the organisation, as does the sense of responsibility generated by supporting, in some cases, four or five different generations of the same family.
The investment in planning consultancy Bloomfields Chartered Town Planners in 2013, an example of Lambert & Foster’s determination to continue to grow, created a whole that is considerably greater than the sum of its parts, bringing a synergy that is benefitting clients across its broad customer base.
While Lambert & Foster and Bloomfields share the same owners and work seamlessly together as one corporate unit, the two companies have remained separate from day one. This allows the businesses to offer different but complementary services.
Despite often not being aware of the link, clients regularly benefit from the close co-operation between the two firms. “Having specialist planning advice on tap can allow us to help clients who come in to talk to us about a sale or purchase, while Bloomfields’ planning clients can benefit from our expertise in selling land and properties,” explained Alan.
Director Tom Ogden applied to Lambert & Foster for a job back in 2013 and found himself heading up the planning side of the business, becoming a director of Bloomfields in 2015 and a director of Lambert & Foster three years later. The business has since grown to 15 people, including a number of chartered town planners.
Bloomfields is now an established name in planning, architecture and development in the region and advises on major housing and commercial schemes across the South East. It offers a broad range of advice and support to rural landowners looking to unlock the potential of their land.
The consultancy’s success is highlighted by a short listing for the RTPI South East Planning in Excellence awards for mid-sized firms which Bloomfields achieved this month.
"Dear Alan,
Thank you for everything over the past six years, at times it has been a real slog for us all. We much appreciate the time and effort given by yourself over all our sales and I am sure we are all happy it’s now nearly finished.
Obviously, as you say, it’s the end of an era for my family and it has been very difficult for me to say goodbye to the farm and family home, where I have spent so many happy years.
It’s the last part of my parents’ legacy, but with your help and kindness over the years it was the right decision and we have maximised the value and done ourselves and Jack proud.
Ann & Andy
Alan Mummery
Paddock Wood office
Tom Ogden >>
CELEBRATING 125 YEARS
Expanding into a strategic development role is an example of the forward thinking that has characterised Lambert & Foster over the past 125 years. “We are rightly proud of our history, but we have never allowed it to limit our future,” explained Alan, who has been with the company for almost four decades.
<< of which five are comparative youngsters at under 45. “Importantly they all share the Lambert & Foster ethos,” said Alan. “They are aware of the history, but they are also driving the business forward. We don’t have the constraints that can sometimes hinder a family business, but we certainly reflect a family business culture.”
“Of course history is important,” he explained. “We have built up 125 years of client trust and business profile and Lambert & Foster is now a household name in buying and selling agricultural land and property, as well as in domestic house sales.
“We have worked generationally for many families in Kent and Sussex, with some of our client families going back four or five generations. We have also built up a reputation for our community support and we work hard to continue to build that reputation.”
As an example of that commitment to the wider community, Lambert & Foster has sponsored the popular Paddock Wood Half Marathon since 2017.
While the firm is proud of its reputation, it is also determined to move forward, and continues to evolve its services to meet modern needs, positioning itself as a firm with long horizons and reflecting that approach by building a strong team of committed professionals.
That team is headed up by seven directors,
Other members of the team also praise the ‘family feel’ at Lambert & Foster, with director Jon Booth adding that he and his colleagues are “a group of unpretentious, straightforward professionals with a wide range of expertise and a proven record of providing high quality professional guidance and advice”.
Katie Hurley added: “There is a lot of cross over in the professional work we all undertake. As a result, there is a strong link between the departments, which makes for a good and collaborative working environment.”
When it comes to seeing Lambert & Foster as a long-term career, Alan sets a high bar, having only worked for that company since leaving the Royal Agricultural College as a surveying graduate.
“At Lambert & Foster we seem to attract people who want to leave a legacy and who enjoy being given the opportunity to forge good careers here without the need to move on,” he said. “Those people are committed to helping us build the firm’s 125-year legacy of serving rural landowners and homebuyers. It
Just a short note to say many thanks indeed for all your assistance with the successful sale of our land.
Throughout the whole process your regular communication was very much appreciated, and in addition you were able to give much needed advice immediately when needed which made the whole process seamless and stress free.
Since purchasing this land and the subsequent sale, I have always enjoyed the interaction with everyone at the Paddock Wood office of Lambert & Foster who are always efficient, extremely helpful and friendly. This transaction has been no exception. SB
has a long and rich history and a reputation which is second to none.”
The firm enjoys a low staff turnover, which allows more senior staff to support younger members and watch them grow, ready for the baton to be passed to them.
One of the longest-serving members of the team is partner Tim Duncan, who has enjoyed a 30-year career at Lambert & Foster and describes it as having “a family feel and friendly atmosphere”, which is why he believes clients “return generation after generation”. Tim has been involved in a wide range of issues, from brokering major option and promotion agreements to helping provide a car park for the famous Winnie-thePooh Bridge near Ashdown Forest. >>
CELEBRATING 125 YEARS
Lambert & Foster has its main rural office at Paddock Wood, with other agencies at Cranbrook in Kent and Wadhurst in Sussex and a planning and rural services office in Hythe, Kent.
It offers valuations, rural land and property sales, professional advice, support with grant and subsidy applications and estate management across Kent and Sussex. “When you combine that with the planning and development services on offer from Bloomfields, it is a full service offering that supports farmers and landowners across the patch,” said Alan.
It was with a touch of sadness that Alan admitted the auctioneering side of the business is not what it used to be, but he pointed out that the change simply reflected the way Lambert & Foster, which now employs around 50 people across the two businesses, had continued to evolve to
meet the needs of the 21st century landowner.
One of Lambert & Foster’s biggest ever land sales came during a period of selling farms for brewers. The company sold the Whitbread hop farm and all of the farms in Kent owned by Guinness, which resulted in both land sales and machinery sales – major events at the time.
Another historic sale took place more recently, when in July 2021 Lambert & Foster sold almost 60 old farm carts, an event that has been preserved for posterity as the carts now feature on the Google Earth image of the auction site.
Tom Ogden, who worked on farms growing up and studied at the then Royal Agricultural College, worked for another well-known planning practice for six years before applying to Lambert & Foster and finding himself heading up the Bloomfields operation.
The planning consultancy has since amassed many big-name clients, including fruit growers A C Goatham & Son, Adrian Scripps, Clock House Farm and Cottage Farms.
Along with preparing planning applications for packhouses, polytunnels and other infrastructure for such rural clients, Bloomfields has been responsible for planning a number of large-scale housing developments across the region, including a number of urban schemes and some on the London fringe, which makes it well placed to undertake strategic reviews of estates and entire farmsteads.
An important part of the planning work is communicating with councils and encouraging them to understand and support rural businesses, as well as creating viable schemes that can win planning permission and release value from farm assets.
Cranbrook office
Horsmonden lamb sale
Bloomfields were instructed to provide expert witness evidence at a public inquiry relating to an enforcement appeal. In reviewing the case Bloomfields saw another way forward. Over many months, they negotiated with all parties to postpone the Inquiry, submit a revised planning application and achieve planning permission for the works that had been enforced against.
The appeal has now been withdrawn and my business can continue, which has been such a relief. Bloomfields was professional and conscientious and never gave up, even when there were many obstacles placed in the way. I would not hesitate to recommend Bloomfields for planning related work.
Ideal Group Ltd
The link between the two arms of the business means that any crossover between the two areas can be handled seamlessly, with alternative ideas – often things the client hasn’t even thought of –able to be discussed with fellow professionals whose advice is just a phone call or a walk down the corridor away.
Director Dan Page could have been speaking for the whole organisation when he summed up: “Lambert & Foster is well rooted, with an excellent reputation in the county and a longstanding history of helping any customer who may come in through the front door.
“The firm is progressive and adopts and embraces new technologies to provide a more efficient and effective service to our customers.”
But the final word on Lambert & Foster’s vision goes to Tim Duncan, who declared: “Honour the traditions, but keep pace with the future.”
Wadhurst office
LONGSTANDING COLLABORATION
Lambert & Foster has been a mainstay of the local agricultural community for much of their 125 years, and at Whitehead Monckton we’re proud of a longstanding collaboration to provide the highest quality services.
Over many decades, our relationship has offered our mutual clients seamless access to advice covering agricultural property valuations, sales and lettings, as well as all aspects of property law, succession and estate planning, to ensure that their wishes are carried out and that their beneficiaries gain maximum benefit from their inheritance.
It helps that Lambert and Foster’s ethos aligns closely with ours; elevating expert advice with a commitment to excellence in customer service.
SUPPORTING YOU TO PROTECT YOUR LEGACY
As most agricultural property owners know, changes to agricultural property relief (APR) and business property relief (BPR) are looming, pushing many farming families to revisit succession plans.
Although the ultimate combined effects of changes to inheritance tax (IHT) have yet to be clarified, we do know that, as of April 2026, 100% APR and BPR relief will be limited to the first £1million of combined agricultural and business property, with the reliefs thereafter limited to 50%.
With approximately 22% of farm owners having already diversified their business to protect it for generations, and more than 30% considering changes to their business before passing it on, the reforms could affect many farming families.
A LONG HISTORY OF SUPPORTING THE FUTURE OF FARMING
PLANNING FOR LIFE
Succession planning doesn’t just mean planning for when you have passed away. For farmers, it’s also important to consider how the farm and related businesses would continue to operate if you were to lose capacity.
Not having clear instructions for what should happen should someone critical to a farm’s day-to-day running or decision-making lose capacity, could open the way for disputes. This could not only be financially costly, but also put strain on family relationships, ultimately resulting in the business being divided or even wound up.
A power of attorney is one way to ensure that someone can step into your shoes and continue to run your farming business as you would wish, as it gives you complete control to appoint whoever you believe has your best interests at heart.
Regardless of your health, or whether or not you believe your estate will be affected by the IHT reforms, it’s advisable to review your succession planning arrangements regularly to ensure that you are maximising the allowances available to you, reducing any potential tax liability and protecting your legacy for future generations.
SPECIALISTS IN RURAL AND AGRICULTURAL LAW
Whitehead Monckton is a leading law firm for Kent and the South East. With offices in Maidstone, Canterbury, Tenterden and Ramsgate, it is one of the area’s largest and most widely recommended law firms, known for specialist rural and agricultural expertise and exceptional service.
Our clients often stay with us for generations because they trust our expert advice and know that we care about them, their family and their farm’s future.
Succession experts will take time to understand your aims and your concerns, to guide you through all aspects of estate planning, power of attorney and wills.
Our commercial real estate team’s rural and agricultural property specialists will assist with matters relating to property and business ownership, and our colleagues at Lambert & Foster will offer expert advice on valuations, sales and lettings.
We’re here to offer the practical, pragmatic and empathetic advice you need to grow, protect and share your wealth now, and for future generations. Like Lambert & Foster, we’re proud of our heritage, but focussed on the future.
The roots of Lambert & Foster’s longestablished reputation for quality service to rural clients across Kent and Sussex stretch back to 1900, a year before the reign of Edward VII began.
Harry Foster was a partner in the original company known as Ambrose and Foster, which was later taken over by his son Richard. They dealt with all manner of property issues while, in the 1900s, managing the livestock auction more commonly known as Maidstone Market.
Seven years later saw the formation of Lambert & Symes, a practice opened in Paddock Wood by Eddie Lambert and Douglas Symes in the building which is still in use today as Lambert & Foster’s main Kent office. It was originally a residential dwelling with an office at the front.
The 1930s saw auctions thriving, with the Horsmonden Hard Fruit Sale originally covering more than 1,000 acres and 120 lots, and the Horsmonden Lamb Sale seeing up to 10,000 lambs sold on the village cricket pitch. The lamb sale was only ended in 2001 by the foot-and-mouth crisis. The growing business served under a second monarch with the beginning of George VI’s reign in 1936 and a third when Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne in 1953.
David Benson joined Ambrose & Foster in 1956, followed in the 1960s by Mike Foster, son of Richard and grandson of Harry. David and Mike later became partners in Ambrose & Foster.
In 1964 John Butler, who sadly died earlier this year, joined the firm at the age of 20 and went on to become its longest-serving employee. He was recruited by Charles
CELEBRATING 125 YEARS
LONG-ESTABLISHED REPUTATION
Hillier, whose son Richard later became one of the partners in the merger which created Lambert & Foster.
That merger took place in 1981, when Ambrose & Foster and Lambert & Symes joined forces. Alongside Charles Hillier, the original partners were Mike Foster, David Benson, John Butler and Hugh Chalcroft. With the new firm based in the Paddock Wood building, an office in Staplehurst was opened in that same year.
Other well-known names who joined the new set up were Nick Brandreth in 1984 and Alan Mummery two years later, while Lambert & Foster opened offices in Tenterden and Maidstone in 1990 and another in Cranbrook later in the decade.
Alan Mummery became a partner in 1991, followed by Nick Brandreth a year later, while Tim Duncan, who joined in 1994, was made a partner in 1999. Two years later saw the devastating UK outbreak of foot and mouth disease.
In 2000, as Lambert & Foster celebrated its centenary, property portal Rightmove, which hosts all of the firm’s properties, was formed. The year 2000 also saw David Benson retire as a partner.
Katie Hurley joined the team in 2010 and was made a director in 2018, while in 2013
Lambert & Foster incorporated Handleys and took on Bloomfields Chartered Town Planners. Tom Ogden joined the company in the same year, becoming a director of Bloomfields in 2015 and a director of Lambert & Foster three years later.
Gary Mickleborough and Jon Booth both joined in 2014, with Gary becoming a director of Bloomfields in 2016 and of Lambert & Foster in 2018. The business became a limited company in 2017, with Katie Hurley and Jon Booth becoming directors in 2018, joined by Tom Ogden and Gary Mickleborough. The year 2017 also saw the business begin its long-running sponsorship of the Paddock Wood Half Marathon, one of the most popular of Kent’s annual road races.
In October 2020 Lambert & Foster and Bloomfields opened a new office in Wadhurst, East Sussex, as the firm’s new Sussex base for property and planning services. That was followed a year later by the opening of a new office in Hythe to support clients in that part of Kent.
The most recent link in the chain of growth enjoyed by Lambert & Foster over an impressive 125 years was the promotion of Dan Page, who joined at the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, to director in 2022.
John Butler at a Paddock Wood sale
Moorcocks Farm, Mereworth, Kent
Offered for sale to the market for the first time in over 80 years, a superbly located mixed residential farm with handsome Grade II listed farmhouse, extensive range of traditional and modern agricultural buildings (12016 sq ft/ 1116.3 sq m), now in commercial use and approximately 25.60 acres (10.36 ha) of agricultural land immediately adjoining the village.
Contact the Kent office on 01892 832 325 Option 3
Whiteacre Farm Nursery, Waltham, Kent
Guide Price £950,000
A truly rare opportunity to acquire a smallholding in a stunning rural location with significant potential for redevelopment comprising of a detached 3 bedroom chalet style property, a detached 1 bedroom holiday let, a traditional Kent Barn (currently subject to a planning application) and further former nursery buildings with land extending to some 4.51 acres/1.82 ha historically been managed as a wholesale plant nursery.
Contact the Kent office on 01892 832 325 Option 3
Orchard View, Matfield, Kent
Contact the Kent office on 01892 832 325 Option 3 Guide Price £750,000
An opportunity to purchase a 6.47 acre (2.61 ha) smallholding comprising a 3-bed detached Potton Home subject to (AOC) a detached brick double garage with an implemented planning consent, a detached workshop/garage and adjoining orchards. Located at the end of a private Lane on the outskirts of the much-favoured village of Matfield.
Cradducks Farm, Staplehurst, Kent,
Guide Price £2,750,000
A compact, traditional Wealden estate comprising a large 5 bedroom unlisted farmhouse with garage/workshops and storage barn, a detached four bedroom unlisted oast house with double garage, seven residential Colt designed cedarwood chalets currently let on ASTs, a detached steel frame barn incorporating four 15 sq ft loose boxes, all set in gardens and paddocks, extending to approx 10 acres / 4.04 ha adjoining and enjoying southerly views. CSCA.
Contact the Cranbrook office on 01580 712888 Option 1
Horsalls, Harrietsham, Maidstone, Kent
Guide Price £1,650,000
For the first time to the market in 40 years and only the second time to be sold since it was originally built, this superbly located six bedroom country house (3,888 sq ft / 361.2 sq m) together with a link detached cottage, several agricultural buildings and garages offering opportunity for complete refurbishment. Farmland and woodland extending in all to some 39.84 acres / 16.12 ha within a ring fence. FOR SALE
Contact the Kent office on 01892 832 325 Option 3
As part of its 125th anniversary celebrations, Lambert & Foster is supporting a grand reunion of Lambert and Horsmonden steam engines at an event that marks the 70th anniversary of the passing of Christopher Lambert and the famous Lambert Steam Auction.
The event, at the Weald of Kent Steam Rally and Country Show, is being held over the first weekend in August at Little Engeham Farm, Woodchurch, with Lambert & Foster hosting a
GRAND 2025 REUNION OF VINTAGE STEAM ENGINES
‘mock auction’ featuring many of the original engines from the 1955 sale.
In 1955, Lambert & Symes (now Lambert & Foster), sold 26 steam engines and much equipment, with around 20 of those engines now restored or in preservation.
The grand reunion, hosted by Bill Giles, is being organised by the Horsmonden History Research Group as part of its project to preserve the history of the Lambert family and steam engines in Horsmonden.
Chris Lambert, a founding member and, in 1951, President of the Road Locomotive Society, was one of the first pioneers and an important player in the restoration and preservation of steam traction engines. His steam ups and runs around Horsmonden with invited guests as early as 1951 were the forerunners of the steam rallies of today.
Chris and his father William Lambert owned, or had pass through their business, over 200 engines and today 53 of those engines have been restored or are in preservation.
We were recommended to Bloomfields after we purchased an unusual building with a very difficult planning history, with the aim of converting it into a house. They worked tirelessly, through many setbacks and achieved our desired outcome. We now have a home of which we are justly proud.
The professional team treated us as individuals, not ‘clients’ and their enthusiasm for the project matched ours. They exceeded any expectations we had and shouldered all of the stress and worry associated with liaising with the council.
They always kept our aims to the forefront and kept us well informed at every stage. We have no hesitation in highly recommending Bloomfields to others facing planning related issues.
A SERIES OF EVENTS AND INITIATIVES
Lambert & Foster is marking a century and a quarter of service in the South East with a series of events and initiatives designed to highlight a 125-year journey that has seen the firm grow to become a trusted name in property services, renowned for its professionalism and local expertise.
Remaining true to its core values of integrity, dedication and unparalleled customer service, the company has helped generations of clients buy, sell and manage properties, becoming a cornerstone of the property market in Kent, Sussex and beyond.
To mark this significant anniversary, Lambert & Foster will be hosting a series of celebratory events and initiatives throughout 2025, including:
• A historical retrospective: Sharing fascinating stories and extensive archival materials that highlight the firm’s place in Kent and Sussex history.
• A charitable giving campaign: Partnering with local charities to give back to the community that has supported Lambert & Foster for generations.
• Hosting events to thank current and past employees, clients and other professionals from allied businesses for their contribution towards making Lambert and Foster the firm it is today.
Lambert & Foster will also be celebrating its 125th anniversary alongside the farming community, fellow professionals and members of the public throughout this summer’s events season, beginning at the Heathfield Show on 24 May.
The firm will also be taking stands at a number of the region’s ploughing matches, the Weald of Kent event on 13 September, at Laughton on 17 September and finally at the East Kent match on 24 September. Later in the year Lambert & Foster will also be exhibiting at the National Fruit Show, which is taking place at the Kent Event Centre, Detling, on 5 November.
Director Alan Mummery commented: "We are incredibly proud to celebrate 125 years of service to our community. This milestone is a testament to the hard work of our team, past and present, and the trust our clients have placed in us.
“As we look to the future, we are excited to continue building on our heritage while adapting to the needs of a changing world."
Details of events and initiatives will be shared on the company’s website and social media channels.
�� www.lambertandfoster.co.uk
Bloomfields is proud to have been shortlisted in the Royal Town Planning Institute’s Planning Excellence Awards for the South East in the mid-size planning consultancy of the year category
Director, Tom Ogden, says; “The RTPI South East Awards for Planning Excellence 2025 celebrate the region’s most outstanding plans, projects, and professionals. Being shortlisted is a true testament to the hard work, dedication, and expertise of our planning and architectural team. I’m incredibly proud of the team we’ve built at Bloomfields and look forward to the results being announced on 3rd July. “
⊲ As part of the award submission, Bloomfields showcased a portfolio of impactful projects that are driving the future of domestic food security – projects that strike the crucial balance between environmental sustainability, worker welfare, and land-use efficiency. From modern barns and cold stores to innovative polytunnels, polyhouses, and renewable energy solutions, Bloomfields has helped agricultural businesses evolve and thrive. They’ve delivered both temporary and permanent worker accommodation and supported bold diversification into vibrant mixed-use commercial and residential developments – all while skillfully managing complex planning and environmental
challenges to gain the backing of Councils and statutory consultees.
To learn more about the work Bloomfields has undertaken, simply scan the QR code below to visit their website.
Bloomfields is proud to draw on the full strength of Lambert & Foster’s wider services – from expert agency and lettings, to trusted valuations and hands-on rural consultancy. And what better moment to celebrate this recognition than in the same year Lambert & Foster marks an incredible 125 years in business?
Happy 125th, Lambert & Foster – here’s to the past, present, and future!
Call us today or visit our website: 01227 763939 furleypage.co.uk
THE COMPLEXITIES OF SUCCESSION PLANNING
Succession planning for farming families can be stressful and complicated, so it’s important to have the right team onboard early to ensure business continuity and make sure family members who do not work in the business are also taken care of.
Farmers lead busy lives, but it is important to understand the implications of doing nothing to plan for succession, especially in the event of an unplanned transfer following the sudden death of the farm owner.
Farming families should seek expert advice from an agricultural solicitor, accountant, financial advisor and a trust and will solicitor, who should all be involved in the discussions around succession planning to ensure all documents align for a smooth transition.
BUSINESS STRUCTURE
The key points to consider include the business set-up and, depending on what is most tax efficient for the family, whether the business is structured as a company or a partnership.
It is important to understand that partnerships will automatically end if there are less than two partners in the partnership and, in fact, some old partnership agreements may automatically end on the death of any partner, regardless of how many remaining partners there are.
Farmers need to put in place a solid agreement which deals with the death of a partner or shareholder to ensure business continuity and make sure shares or assets cannot be left to anyone outside the family or the business.
Where a partner may wish to retire, it is important the partnership agreement has a mechanism whereby they can withdraw from the business and be paid over time, to ensure this does not impact the financial stability of the business.
By Louise Trist, Mayo Wynne Baxter Solicitors.
WILLS
Wills, as far as possible, should provide fairly for family members to prevent claims against the estate and disputes.
This can be done by making use of a trust or by gifting different types of shares, or gifting assets not needed for the farm business, such as unused land or buildings, which could provide a place to live or be sold.
Farmers should also account for family members who are not involved in the business when they make a will. This is especially true if the majority of the deceased’s estate is the farmland and distributing this asset would jeopardise the future of the business.
TAX PLANNING
An accountant is needed to advise on the tax planning element which is far more convoluted for farming families.
Farming families could consider lifetime gifts to their relatives, which requires
a thorough understanding of the tax consequences of gifts, including capital gains tax, stamp duty, inheritance tax and of course a loss of income to the person giving away the asset. The issues around this are complex and there are lots of potential traps.
Agricultural property relief (APR) and business property relief (BPR) can be valuable tools in minimising the amount of inheritance tax payable on death and therefore need to be understood and considered when succession planning, particularly given the changes proposed in the most recent budget.
An expert team can also advise how farming families can pay inheritance tax when the money needs to come from assets which are used by the business.
This is a multifaceted and complex area, especially when there are multiple beneficiaries of a will, not all of whom are involved in the business, but with experts on hand it’s possible to find a practical solution which works for all involved.
RESHAPING WORKERS’ RIGHTS
As part of the Labour Party’s 100-daypledge to reform workers’ rights, the Employment Rights Bill was published in October 2024, proposing a significant shift in the UK employment landscape with far-reaching implications in the agricultural sector.
While many provisions of the Bill are unlikely to take effect before 2026, and details are still awaited, agricultural employers should stay informed about the proposed changes and their potential impact. We explore some of the bill’s key proposals and their impact on farm workers’ rights.
UNFAIR DISMISSALS: A DAY ONE RIGHT
The Bill removes the current two-year qualifying period for unfair dismissal claims, allowing employees to claim unfair dismissal from day one of employment.
To balance the scales slightly, the new right will be subject to a statutory trial or probationary period (predicted to be nine months), allowing employers to dismiss an employee during this initial period by following a ‘light touch’ procedure. Details of this new right (including how the light touch process will operate) are awaited.
For employers, this landmark change may increase administrative obligations and risks of
legal claims. Employers will need to implement and document fair dismissal procedures from day one and ensure they have robust procedures for measuring performance within the probation period.
STATUTORY SICK PAY REFORMS
Another significant aspect of the Bill is that statutory sick pay (SSP) will become payable from day one of sickness (rather than the current day four) and will allow all workers (regardless of earnings) to qualify. Payment will be at the lower of either 80% of average weekly earnings or a flat prescribed rate.
This is an additional cost for employers to budget for, as more workers will become eligible for SSP.
ZERO HOURS WORKERS: GUARANTEED HOURS
While the Bill does not ban zero-hour contracts, it seeks to limit their use. Employers will need to offer guaranteed-hours contracts to workers who consistently exceed their contracted hours over a defined “reference period”. The specific threshold and period will be set by regulations, but the intent is to ensure regular work patterns are reflected in formal contracts.
If they qualify, a worker must be offered a new or revised contract that guarantees the average
hours worked during the reference period. This obligation will also apply to agency workers. This could impact the agriculture sector, where work is highly seasonal. For example, workers regularly exceeding their contracted hours during peak seasons may become entitled to guaranteed hours even during quieter periods. This could force employers to offer unneeded hours, or face legal consequences.
The proposals are being consulted on and may lead to exceptions being introduced for seasonal workers.
SHIFT RIGHTS: NOTICE
Zero-hour workers, and workers whose guaranteed hours fall below a certain threshold (yet to be decided), under the Bill, will be entitled to receive reasonable notice of how many hours are to be worked and at what time on which days, and if those hours change.
The Bill also introduces entitlement to workers to be paid if shifts are cancelled, curtailed or moved at short notice.
These provisions will affect farming, where short-notice scheduling is common and the cancellation of shifts can occur where weather conditions dictate.
OTHER AREAS
In addition to the above key areas, other measures included in the Bill include changes to flexible working, family related leave, enhanced redundancy protections and the widening of harassment provisions. Businesses should keep up to date with developments as the Bill progresses to ensure they are compliant with new obligations when they come into force.
Land & Property Experts
Tanyard Farm
Waldron, East Sussex
A traditional residential and grassland farm that has been within the same family since 1958. The property includes a four-bedroom farmhouse (EPC: E), yard with a range of outbuildings (extending to approximately 24,407 ft2), and hedge enclosed pasture fields. An additional 37 acres of off-lying pasture available by separate negotiation.
Approximately 61.34 acres Guide:
Hecton Farm, East Sutton, Kent
A unique & enchanting equestrian property in a hidden secluded setting in the Weald of Kent with beautifully restored Grade II listed detached 5 bedroom farmhouse. Detached period barn with potential for a variety of uses (STPP). Recently built stable block and turn out pen. A 20m x 55m Sand School with top of the range surface built by Mark Scott Arenas. Converted outbuildings including Gym and Games Room.
Approx 19.58 Acres
Tillinghurst
Farm,
Ardingly, West Sussex
An isolated yet accessible small holding on the outskirts of Ardingly in the beautiful rolling Sussex countryside. The property includes a detached 4/5 bedroom dwelling in need of modernisation, granary, stables, telecoms mast, range of general purpose agricultural buildings along with agricultural land and woodland running south and west into the valley.
Approx 80.79 acres Guide
DIVERSE RURAL INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY IN WEST SUSSEX
A diverse, well located 60-acre farm near Petworth, West Sussex, has come to the market through Savills.
River Farm, within the South Downs National Park between Petworth and Midhurst, includes about 50 acres of mixed-use farmland and a reservoir with capacity for 10 million gallons.
There is also a modern, steel portal frame
packhouse producing significant rental income.
Chris Spofforth, of Savills rural agency in the South East, said: “The sale of River Farm presents an excellent opportunity to acquire a well located and diverse, mixed-use investment, with the benefit of established rental income from the packhouse building.
“It is rare to find land with a sizeable
capacity for water extraction and storage; with the growing scarcity and value of water, the reservoir adds an exciting dimension to the sale. In addition, the farm’s south/south west facing slopes also offer potential for growing vines and creating a standalone vineyard.”
River Farm, which lies off the A272, is being marketed by Savills for a guide price inviting offers in excess of £1.62m.
For more information, contact Savills rural agency team in the south east on 07812 965379 or 07967 555724 –https://search.savills.com/property-detail/gbmqrumru250005
East Sussex, Rushlake Green Guide Price £5,000,000
An idyllic ring-fenced mixed farm nestled in the golden triangle of East Sussex
Rushlake Green: 2.1 miles, Hailsham: 6.9 miles, Mayfield: 9.6 miles, Etchingham Station (London Charing Cross 74 mins): 9.5 miles, Polgate Station (London Victoria 84 mins, Gatwick 46 mins): 9.6 miles, Central London: 55 miles
6-Bedroom Grade II listed farmhouse | Landscaped gardens | A number of supporting residential properties
Extensive range of farm buildings including superb equestrian facilities | Secure air conditioned car storage building
Indoor arena | Outdoor manège and gallop | Railed paddocks | Rolling grassland | Well managed woods and ponds About 249 acres
Mark McAndrew
National Estates & Farm Agency | 07702 317 231 mark.mcandrew@struttandparker.com
@struttandparker
struttandparker.com
Liza Howden
National Estates & Farm Agency | 07469 154 771 liza.howden@struttandparker.com
UNIQUE & ENCHANTING
BTF Partnership is offering for sale a beautifully restored, Grade II listed medieval hall house in the Weald of Kent, with excellent equestrian facilities, outbuildings and land extending to 19.58 acres, with a guide price of £2,375,000.
Hecton Farm sits within its own, ring-fenced land and is located in the tranquil and rural village of East Sutton, six miles southeast of Maidstone and three miles from Headcorn which has rail services to Charing Cross.
Hecton Farm was comprehensively restored by experts with English Heritage in 2003 and has been sympathetically modernised and updated by the current vendors in the past four years, creating a high specification equestrian unit. On the doorstep are quiet country lanes, various bridleways and TROT rides.
The accommodation, which includes many stunning period features throughout, consists on the ground floor of an entrance hallway, dining room, family room, sitting room, kitchen, utility room and bathroom. On the first floor there is a hidden, galleried study, family bathroom and three double bedrooms, one of which has stairs to a mezzanine floor currently used as an office and storage. The master bedroom suite has a further room used as a dressing room which could be an additional fifth bedroom, and an ensuite bathroom.
Outside there is a covered seating area, patio area, vegetable garden and greenhouse and a brick outbuilding currently used as a laundry with a separate outside w/c.
Accessed through separate electric gates is a six-bay, timber framed, insulated barn by FarmPlus with three enclosed bays and three open bays. There is a detached period barn which has been converted into a games room with a log store which has potential for conversion into ancillary accommodation subject to planning permission.
Accessed via the main driveway is a further detached workshop/store timber-clad building currently used as a general store.
The equestrian facilities located to the east of the house include a detached, insulated, timber-framed building split into a secure tack room, utility room and gym. There are six loose boxes, a covered wash down area, all-weather turnout pen and 20m x 50m Mark Scott sand
school with a fibre wax surface.
The land is split into multiple paddocks which are all post and rail fenced. Ten acres is currently used as part of the equestrian yard and for all year-round turnout and the remaining land is grazed by sheep and cut for hay in the summer months.
LAND AND FARMS
For the first time to the market in 40 years and only the second time to be sold since it was originally built, this superbly located six bedroom country house (3,888 sq ft/361.2 sq m), together with a link detached cottage, several agricultural buildings and garages offering opportunity for complete refurbishment is on the market with Lambert & Foster.
The farmland and woodland extends in all to some 39.84 acres/16.12 hectares within a ring fence.
The striking and substantial unlisted country
OPPORTUNITY FOR COMPLETE REFURBISHMENT
house is believed to date back to the 1920s and is built in ‘arts and crafts’ style. The house retains many original period features and now requires complete updating and modernisation throughout. Internally, features such as original oak floorboards and wooden panelling have been preserved, along with many of the distinct leaded Crittal windows. There are four bedrooms on the first floor with bedroom two accessed through bedroom one, or via the Jack and Jill ensuite bathroom they share. Bedroom four is also only accessible through bedroom three at present. The large room proportions lend the accommodation to be reconfigured to accommodate more modern living. The second floor has a further two large double bedrooms.
Attached to the house, but separately accessed from outside, is a large games room. This is a versatile space and would previously have been accessed from the main house.
The gardens and grounds are well established with mature planting, including extensive shrubs and trees which wrap around the entirety of the property, and extend to approximately 1.44 acres/0.58 ha.
There is a range of traditional outbuildings around the courtyard area, including the attached garage, together with a further single garage between the main house and the cottage. Across the far side of the courtyard is a detached garage/workshop. The attractive courtyard provides ample parking and is shared with the cottage.
The former housekeeper's cottage is attached to the main house. This property has not been lived in for approximately 20 years and is in need of updating and refurbishment, but, the cottage presents a good opportunity with the generous room sizes and attractive outlook.
The Atcost barn and kennels can be separately accessed through the agricultural entrance off Stede Hill which passes the poultry shed and leads through these buildings to the field/ woodland. The Atcost barn comprises a three-bay concrete portal frame shed (2,658 sq ft/246 sq m). Internally, the barn has been partially subdivided to provide a wash down room, and a range of kennels previously used as part of a working kennels and could equally be adapted for equine or agricultural use.
Adjoined to the Atcost barn is a further range of substantial kennels (1,112 sq ft/103 sq m). A range of outdoor isolation buildings back on to the pasture field and could be adapted to a number of uses.
The property extends in all to 39.84 acres/16.12 ha. Approximately 1.44 acres/0.58 ha is mature garden and the farm buildings occupy a further 1.13 acres/0.45 ha. The remainder of the land comprises grassland and woodland. The grassland (8.92 acres/3.60 ha) is to the north of the farm buildings and comprises a broadly level, rectangular block of permanent pasture.
Horsalls Wood and Redsells Wood (28.68 acres/11.60 ha) are located predominantly to the north and west of the property and comprise a single block of unmanaged mixed deciduous woodland. The woodland floor in spring is a sea of bluebells and is an attractive and rare acreage to be offered with this property. The majority of the woodland is designated as ancient and semi-natural.
The former poultry shed sits within a grass paddock to the east of the residential properties, extending to 1.03 acres/0.41 ha surrounded by mature trees which act as a good buffer. It has separate gated access from Stede Hill.
Sustained Success in the Land Market
Speak to our expert team to discover what your land could achieve in today’s active market.
THE VALUE OF SHARED EXPERIENCE
When it comes to crop marketing, Virgin Money’s senior director for agriculture and large estates south east Justin Ellis believes we can all learn from our shared experience.
As we head from spring into summer, I write this at the end of an almost completely dry April, another persistent weather pattern we would not expect from our traditionally temperate climate.
In a period when there are already plenty of headwinds to challenge confidence and optimism, particularly for arable farmers and cereal producers, I am taking the opportunity to talk about crop marketing and its potential impact on decision making for the next 12 months.
There is still a sizeable number of farmers who have a fundamentally positive outlook, but with 80 years of subsidised food production now effectively at an end, it has never been more crucial to ensure that resources invested yield some form of positive return.
Recent conversations highlight one point of focus for me; marketing strategy. I am considering learnings from producers who have been allied very closely to the free market and without material reliance on the likes of basic payments or the sustainable farming incentive (BPS/SFI).
For the pig, poultry, dairy and horticulture sectors, the proportion of BPS/SFI has been significantly lower for some time than for arable and red meat producers. By nature, these sectors continue to be cyclical, but many of these enterprises have a laser-like understanding of their cost of production and an agile grasp of their margins, overheads,
and bottom-line profit per unit of production. As much as pig, egg, broiler and milk prices vary, these businesses adapt rapidly to market conditions.
Arable farmers also have this focus, but there is a much greater gap in the relationship between expenditure and market returns for their produce. The sectors above have a crop or produce to sell on a daily, weekly or monthly basis, so cashflows are more predictable and income is more immediately linked to production costs.
With potentially a two-year gap between beginning crop expenditure and selling, costs become disconnected, and if the market does not come back to you in the spring, you can be exposed to added storage costs to compound the problem.
For cereal producers, preserving profits demands a marketing strategy that has to be adapted through the year, and this is where I feel focus could be better enhanced.
“Do I sell at harvest or later in the season?” In some cases, storage is not possible or available and so this becomes a moot point, and over time selling off the combine becomes a default option where on average, over time, you ‘do ok’.
As you head into harvest 2025, assuming the crops are currently planted and awaiting some rain, it seems sensible to start making yield and input assumptions that indicate where your breakeven point for each crop lies. As assumptions change, this can be
adapted through the season but will at the very least let you know if you are selling crops at a profit or loss.
Of course, the ideal plan is to sell all the crop at the high point in the market, and I hope you do, but working from a known break-even price will make decision making easier and limit risks of trading deficits. This is particularly important now there is less government support to insulate against a poor year, and a more conservative approach to marketing may be a better long-term strategy.
Every business is different and there is no simple template, but I am confident that using your professional advisors appropriately, and allocating time previously allocated to SFI/BPS, will allow you to de-risk, or at the very least make better predictions and minimise the impact to your businesses in low return years.
Virgin Money has huge confidence in our food producers to adapt to what appears to be systemic change in our industry, and as a bank with over 180 years’ experience in supporting the sector, we base decisions on a long view.
As an agricultural financing specialist with 20 years’ experience, my role involves working alongside customers to help them consider the long-term impact of decisions. It is a privilege to provide experience-based advice to sustain the resilience and agility which I know will define the most durable enterprises over the next decade.
“As always, the truth lies somewhere behind the headlines; make sure you are ready and compliant, engage the right professional letting agent and you will find little will change. The industry is set for reform, and this latest legislation will target ‘rogue’ landlords who operate outside of the law,” she explained.
While the new legislation makes new demands of landlords, the Government seeks to give tenants security of tenure in healthy, habitable homes.
“The removal of the supposed ‘no-fault evictions’ has hit the headlines, but landlords will still be able to regain possession should they wish to move in to the property, or sell it, or if a tenant doesn’t pay the rent or breaches their tenancy,” said Lucie.
Batcheller Monkhouse benefits from the expert knowledge and many years of experience in the rental field brought by Lucie, who ran her own multi-site agency for more than 20 years.
The key changes due to become law later this year will affect all Housing Act tenancies, with the removal of assured shorthold tenancies (AST) and their replacement by assured periodic tenancies (APT), something Lucie stressed landlords needed to be prepared for as new paperwork will need to be issued to all tenants who currently have an AST agreement.
KEY CHANGES
• Future and current AST rental agreements will all become APTs, with no more fixed or secure tenancy terms. Tenants will have security of tenure for an initial 12 months as opposed to six months currently.
• Landlords will still be able to regain access if they wish to sell the property or move back in, or if the tenant fails to pay the rent or there are fundamental breaches of the tenancy. There is concern over the court system, struggling as it is, being able to cope with the increased caseload, which is why it is key to ensure landlords carry out sufficient checks on tenants before signing them on.
LANDLORDS – ARE YOU READY FOR THE RENTERS’ RIGHTS LEGISLATION?
Speculation around the impact of the incoming renters’ rights legislation has been worrying landlords and tenants for some time, but the advice from Batcheller Monkhouse’s Lucie Allan has a calmer tone.
• Landlords will not be able to accept any rent until the tenancy agreement is signed and dated, nor ask the tenant to pay any additional rent in advance. This will make things more difficult for tenants with adverse credit history, are newly self employed or have just arrived in the country, who would normally offer to pay for the rent period in advance. Guarantors will still be accepted.
• Reasonable annual rent increases, in line with the market, will be allowed using a Section 13 Notice, but this could be challenged at the First Tier Tribunal.
• Tenants can ask to be allowed to keep a pet, and this can only be turned down if the landlord has a valid reason, for instance where a rural home is adjacent to a field housing livestock or it would contravene the lease.
• All rental properties and landlords will need to be registered on an online portal that will hold landlord and property details and looks to include gas and electric certification along with energy performance certificates.
• A decent homes standard is being introduced to ensure properties are safe and fit for purpose. The new legislation is designed to protect tenants from damp and mould, with Awaab’s Law, which already applies to social housing, set to be introduced. There will be strict timeframes for addressing damp and mould.
“The best advice for a landlord is to act quickly if damp or mould is reported and ensure regular property visits, either by yourself or your agent,” said Lucie. “We are able to offer landlords a ‘property MOT’ whereby we can check whether it is currently compliant and make the necessary changes to ensure it is ready for the renters’ rights legislation when it becomes law later this year.
“Robust referencing and rental protection insurance, along with good professional advice from a reputable lettings agent and careful choice of tenant, has never been more important,” Lucie went on. “Ensuring your property is of a decent standard and complies with current legislation is key to being a reputable landlord.”
You
The rental market remains strong and offers good returns, but landlords need to be aware of the changes and prepare accordingly.
LUCIE ALLAN
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Two Biddies 8, four Biddies 5, one Special Reserve and one Special Mead
ACROSS
1 Quick tempered, irritable (9)
5 Disease of sheep (4)
8 Used to alert householder to presence of visitors (8)
23 Female parent of an animal (3) 24 Calf and lamb disease (5)
To celebrate Father’s Day we are offering readers the chance to win two Biddies 8, four Biddies 5, one Special Reserve and one Special Mead. For more information about the vineyards, please visit www.biddendenvineyards.com or call 01580 291726.
