South East Farmer September 2026 by KELSEY Media

Est 1982

September 2026

"WE CAN'T PRODUCE FOOD WITHOUT WATER" GOVERNMENT STEPS IN AS FARMING BODIES CALL FOR ACTION ON CRIPPLING DROUGHT

INSIDE

A full line up of this season's ploughing fixtures

Looking ahead to the South of England Farming Conference

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Mike Kettlewell shares more thoughts on DEFRA's land use framework

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www.southeastfarmer.net SOUTH EAST FARMER Kelsey Media, The Granary, Downs Court Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 6AL 01959 541444 EDITORIAL Editor: Malcolm Triggs Email: sef.ed@kelsey.co.uk Photography: Martin Apps, Countrywide Photographic ADVERTISING & MARKETING Jamie McGrorty 01303 233883 jamie.mcgrorty@kelsey.co.uk GRAPHIC DESIGN Jo Legg 07306 482166 jo.legg@flair-design.co.uk MANAGEMENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: Steve Kendall DIVISIONAL MANAGING DIRECTOR: Fiona Mercer PUBLISHER: Jamie McGrorty RETAIL DIRECTOR: Steve Brown SUBSCRIPTION MARKETING MANAGER: Claire Aspinall PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER: Kelly Orriss

S EP TEMB ER 2 02 6

CONTENTS

DISTRIBUTION

Distribution in Great Britain: Seymour Distribution Limited 2 East Poultry Avenue, London EC1A 9PT Tel: 020 7429 4000 www.seymour.co.uk Distribution in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland: Newspread Tel: +353 23 886 3850 Kelsey Media 2026 © all rights reserved. Kelsey Media is a trading name of Kelsey Publishing Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden except with permission in writing from the publishers. Note to contributors: articles submitted for consideration by the editor must be the original work of the author and not previously published. Where photographs are included, which are not the property of the contributor, permission to reproduce them must have been obtained from the owner of the copyright. The editor cannot guarantee a personal response to all letters and emails received. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor or the Publisher. Kelsey Publishing Ltd accepts no liability for products and services offered by third parties. Kelsey Media takes your personal data very seriously. For more information on our privacy policy, please visit www.kelsey.co.uk/privacy-policy/ If at any point you have any queries regarding Kelsey’s data policy you can email our Data Protection Officer at dpo@kelsey.co.uk

46 NEWS & REPORTS

04 Government support welcome, but

concerns remain over changing climate. 07 Bigger fines for fly-tippers. 08 Boring job led to lifetime passion. 09 BIFGA annual farm walk.

REGULARS

14 SARAH CALCUTT

16 MONICA AKEHURST

Water Meadow not living up to name.

18 MIKE KETTLEWELL

20 NIGEL AKEHURST VISITS... www.kelsey.co.uk Cover picture: ©Toby Lea/NFU

T Denne & Sons, where he learns how one of the county's longest-established agricultural merchants is expanding its wildflower seed business.

35 STEPHEN CARR

37 ANITA HICKSON 40 ALAN WEST

42 ADVICE FROM THE VET Bull and ram fertility.

44 LEGAL

46 LAND AND FARMS

FEATURES

10 SOUTH OF ENGLAND FARMING CONFERENCE Who’s responsible for the next generation?.

24 G J ELGAR CONSTRUCTION LTD Harvest-critical building projects completed on time.

28 PLOUGHING MATCH PREVIEWS

A full fixture list of matches across the region.

NEWS

AN OASIS OF GOOD NEWS Government support welcome, but concerns remain over changing climate.

A package of government measures announced in mid-August was an oasis of good news as farmers struggled to deal with drought conditions across the country. With farming bodies calling for government action to help landowners prevent and tackle wildfires and keep food on domestic tables, DEFRA announced a range of measures, including an extra £50 million for the sustainable farming incentive (SFI) and a further £15 million support for on-farm reservoirs. The news was welcomed by the NFU, which had earlier set out three “immediate actions” for government, and was announced as Prime Minister Andy Burnham met President Tom Bradshaw on a farm in Cornwall to see the problems for himself. Tom said the visit had provided “a brilliant opportunity for the NFU to highlight directly to the Prime Minister the serious challenges facing farm businesses across the country”. The NFU had earlier called on the Government to prioritise water for food production in the face of potentially poor harvests at home and abroad, stressing: “Homegrown food production must be treated as part of our nation’s critical infrastructure.” Its three ‘asks’ of the Government had been for flexible abstraction licences, a more streamlined planning system to make it easier for farmers and growers to build water storage facilities, and support for investment in on-farm reservoirs. In response, DEFRA announced: • More flexibility in environmental schemes, so farmers affected by drought can continue to receive payments and take practical steps to protect livestock, crops and land

Photo: Kevin Milner/NFU

SEPTEMBER 2026 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

• Extra SFI cash, taking the total budget to £290 million and helping more farmers access support • Action to make it easier to build reservoirs, including reducing unnecessary barriers and updating planning guidance through a revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) • Up to £15 million for on-farm reservoirs • Improved access to water during drought conditions, including Environment Agency support and simpler water access arrangements. Tom responded: “Providing this relief package and meeting with farmers to hear first-hand from them, it’s clear that the Prime Minister has recognised the serious impacts this drought is having on farmers and on our ability to water crops, feed livestock and keep food production on track. It signals that investment in farming’s resilience is an investment in the country’s resilience.” He added: “Today’s announcement is welcome and includes many of the NFU’s strategic asks, but more detail is needed to understand how these will work in practice. Investment in water is critical, it is the lifeline of our food system, and we must ensure the process is streamlined and that grants are accessible.” Earlier he had said: “If this summer teaches us anything, it is that we must prioritise food production. We have taken food production for granted for too long; we must create a more resilient food system to feed the 29 million households across the country, and we can’t produce food without water. This means urgent action to bolster our water security and ensuring our food security is treated as a vital part of our nation’s critical infrastructure.”

NEWS Photo: Lauren Hurley/No 10 Downing Street

Photo: Lauren Hurley/No 10 Downing Street

Kayleigh Taylor, managing director of South East-based TownPlanning.app, said the new NPPF, announced at around the same time, required planning authorities ”to support development that would maintain and enhance farm viability and sustainability and support domestic food production”. She added that the new policy covered on-farm reservoirs, greenhouses and polytunnels, as well as seasonal agricultural worker accommodation and farm shops. Meanwhile the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) has warned that tougher regulations around controlled burning have made the country “worse prepared” to tackle wildfires of the kind now being seen in this country and overseas. South East regional director Tim Bamford said wildfires were often “avoidable tragedies” and went on: “We know that careful and controlled burning, done at the right time of year, makes fires less likely to happen and easier to contain when they do. “But the system now required to apply for a licence to burn is so complex, time consuming and unwieldy as to be unfit for purpose. With hotter, drier weather making wildfires more dangerous, we cannot afford a system that blocks common sense. Government must fix it, fast, so the people who know this land can protect it.” The Central Association for Agricultural Valuers (CAAV) also joined the fray, calling for the Government to “expedite and improve its plans to make it easier for farmers to create reservoirs if it is remotely serious about food security”. The CAAV said the drought, which followed one of the wettest winters on record, had brought water management “sharply into

focus”, adding: “And unhelpful legislation is preventing farmers from taking necessary action.” Secretary and adviser Jeremy Moody, who pointed out that temperatures had so far this year exceeded 30°C for 35 days, said: “We need to identify how to harvest and abstract water best, store it well and then use it most efficiently, taking advantage of when our extreme weathers bring long periods of rain instead.” Referring to “restrictive legislation”, he explained: “Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) issues override permitted development rights, while the latter also restrict development within 25m of a trunk or classified road, prevent farmers from taking any minerals extracted off site, and prohibit bringing waste materials onto the land save for providing a hard surface. “The frustrating interactions with both EIAs and the abstraction rights needed to fill reservoirs require a much more serious approach by government. It needs to ease the complexity, delay and cost of processes that depend on Natural England and the Environment Agency as well as planners. “Accelerating the structures and buildings allowance for income and corporation taxes, so that it is of practical use for costs involved, would also help with such substantial and necessary investment. Alternatively, the annual investment allowance could be increased and widened to cover such work.” Jeremy concluded: “With yet more extremes of weather to come, this is reshaping what we do and how we do it. Farmers need to futureproof their businesses and food production, and the Government needs to make it easier for them to do so.”

OPIN ION

NEWS

A powerful metaphor for hope

While it’s clearly not true that “the darkest hour is just before the dawn”, the phrase is regularly used to inspire optimism in times that would otherwise inspire despair. Often wrongly attributed to wartime leader Winston Churchill, the proverb dates back to 1650 and was coined by English writer Thomas Fuller, who wrote: “It is always darkest just before the day dawneth”. The internet’s ‘AI Overview’, something I normally avoid like the plague (which, at least in the case of London, also dates back to the mid 17th century), calls the saying “a powerful metaphor for hope”, and that is certainly something farmers need this summer. Many have no doubt felt themselves to be enduring the ‘darkest hour’, with crop yields down, animals already tucking into winter rations and fields parched and unproductive. True, this year’s grain didn’t need a lot of drying and the price of wheat has been improving thanks to global events we shouldn’t really be pleased about, but otherwise there has been little cause for optimism. In the words of eighties pop group Bananarama, not a source I often turn to when looking for inspiration, it’s a Cruel Summer – but has incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham heralded a brighter autumnal dawn? We are used to warm words from politicians, particularly those who are enjoying their honeymoon period, but Burnham’s visit to a real farm, in the company of NFU president Tom Bradshaw, was accompanied not just by words of encouragement but by actions and – wait for it… cash. The improved flexibility on environmental schemes will come as a relief for farmers who are currently focused on tackling bigger problems, while £65 million extra for the sustainable farming initiative and reservoir creation will be welcome. For once the right and left hands seemed to be working in partnership, with a new National Planning Policy Framework released within a few days of DEFRA’s announcement also looking to support farming and the rural economy. The bubble may burst, but at face value it looks like one of the worst droughts the country has seen in recent years may at least have prompted real action by a government that has finally recognised the value of an industry that’s been going through some dark times over the past weeks and MALCOLM TRIGGS - EDITOR months. Let’s hope so.

WATER SUPPORT FOR LIVESTOCK

South East Water has launched a major new emergency support system to protect livestock and give farmers in its supply area a vital safety net during unplanned water outages. The new framework outlines a rapid, structured deployment of emergency water supplies specifically tailored to the needs of local livestock handlers across parts of Hampshire, Berkshire, Surrey, Sussex and Kent. The livestock register has been developed following lessons learned from previous water supply interruptions and feedback from livestock owners that water outages pose an immediate threat to animal welfare and farm livelihoods. The plan ensures that critical support is on the ground within 48 hours of an outage, with emergency teams prioritising areas facing the highest animal welfare risks. For livestock owners who have six or more animals, the drinking water company will deliver direct water support tailored to the setup of the farm. Depending on the individual needs, the business will use reasonable endeavours provide water through either emergency bottled water for young or vulnerable stock, mobile bowsers*, strategically placed static tanks, and direct bulk tanker deliveries straight into on-farm storage tanks. Douglas Whitfield, Water Supply Director at South East Water, said: "We know we need to make improvements and we're committed to doing things better. We recognise that disruptions to the water supply present a direct threat to livestock welfare and agricultural livelihoods. “Following lessons learned and feedback from previous incidents, this new approach gives our local farming community the support they need when unexpected disruptions happen." Although South East Water is providing this emergency support, it is still encouraging anyone with livestock to have their own contingency plans in place such as on-farm water storage. Livestock owners in South East Water’s supply areas, from commercial farms to private smallholders, are encouraged to register their details online via South East Water’s website: business.southeastwater.co.uk/livestocksupport

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

SEPTEMBER 2026 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

Photo: Monica Akehurst

NEWS

Fly-tippers who block farm gates and leave farmers and landowners with massive clean-up costs will face the prospect of bigger fines in future. DEFRA has announced that “as part of a major crackdown on waste crime”, the maximum fine for fly-tipping waste will rise from £1,000 to £5,000 – a 400% increase. The Government has also given local authorities clear instructions on identifying and seizing vehicles involved in fly-tipping, issuing new guidance that includes advice on taking cases to court and securing convictions against vehicle owners. The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) welcomed DEFRA’s announcement, although South East regional director Tim Bamford stressed: “These changes must be enforced. We also need to see more vehicles being seized to send a clear signal that criminals will face real consequences if they are caught fly-tipping. “Farmers and land managers have had enough. The countryside is increasingly being targeted by organised crime gangs – often

BIGGER FINES

FOR FLY-TIPPERS violent – who know that rural areas are under-policed and resourced. “It’s not just litter blotting the landscape, but tonnes of household and commercial waste which can often be hazardous –

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NEWS

BORING JOB LED TO

LIFETIME PASSION 8

It may have been the most boring job he ever took on, but Matthew Berryman’s 11 months working as a mastitis fieldsman for the Milk Marketing Board (MMB) was also, in his words, “the most important thing I ever did”. As one of eight advisers charged with visiting dairy farms across the whole country, Matthew found himself knocking on three farm doors every day of the working week. “I was bored out of my mind, but the job made me realise how much I loved talking to farmers about their business,” he recalled. “By the end of it I knew I wanted to keep working in agriculture, just not in mastitis prevention!” Matthew, who has now set up his own business after more than 30 years working with a number of consultancy firms, including Strutt & Parker and, until recently, CLM, was born to a farming family but has consistently made his own way in life. Now 61, he has also had to deal with early onset Parkinson’s Disease, with which he was diagnosed in 2009. He remains upbeat, focusing on the various breakthroughs that have been made in treating the condition, and

is confident that a cure will be found. “When I was first diagnosed, I asked how long I could expect to keep working for and was told I probably had ten years,” he said. “When I put the same question to my consultant neurologist Romi Saha recently, he replied: ‘How long do you want to keep working for?’” Matthew married Sigi in 2017 and they now live close to Plumpton Agricultural College. He grew up at Hunnyhill Farm on the Isle of Wight, where his father Max was a dairy farmer and contractor. “I wasn’t pushed into farming, but I knew that that was what I wanted to do,” he recalled. After working at a dairy unit at Petworth, West Sussex, for nine months, Matthew attended Sparsholt College, Hampshire, from 1984 to 1987, leaving with a National Diploma in Agriculture. He went home to Hunnyhill Farm, but two years later his father returned to his Cornish roots to buy a bigger farm. Matthew decided to stay, packed his belongings in his car and took a job lambing at White House Farm, just outside Biddenden, where Mike and Rosemary Sargent kept 800 mule ewes. “What was supposed to be a three-week job lasted eight months, and I had great fun,” said Matthew, who still counts the Sargents amongst his friends. The spell at White House Farm was followed by the 11 months with the MMB which fuelled his growing determination to work as a farming consultant at a time when there were only a handful of firms offering the service. His boss at the time managed to arrange him a telephone interview with the MMB’s Genus consultancy, but it was a brutal experience. “The interviewer asked what qualification I had and where I had got it from, and then told me to ‘forget it’,” Matthew commented. It was harsh, but it didn’t put him off, instead inspiring him to return to Sparsholt, where he

SEPTEMBER 2026 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

added a higher national diploma in business and finance (agriculture) to his qualifications. The hard work paid off when he was offered a post in 1992 with William H Brown (now Brown & Co) in Grantham, Lincolnshire, where he gained valuable arable experience. At the same time, he earned extra cash doing a late milking shift ten nights a month for four years at a 250-cow dairy unit nearby. After five years, Matthew applied for a job in Salisbury with Strutt & Parker but was instead offered a position in the firm’s Lewes office. He joined as number two, quickly took the helm and stayed there until 2007. “It was a good ten years with some fantastic people,” he recalled. In 2006, by his own admission “41 and ambitious”, he had decided that it was time to make the next move and meet a new challenge. He found new opportunities with CLM after founder Mark Weaver offered him a job with the then relatively new firm. Twenty years later, and with his Parkinson’s Disease well under control following groundbreaking deep brain stimulation therapy, Matthew has set up Honey Real Estate, offering “strategic and practical advice to landowners, farmers and rurally based businesses”. The name of the business is a nod to his childhood home as well as a reference to the importance of the honey bee in pollinating the plants and crops on which life depends. Matthew and colleague Anna Bihari offer a broad range of consultancy services on topics including farm management and restructuring, water management, sustainable farming incentive applications, diversification, planning applications and renewables, including battery storage. “This is not a change of direction, it’s just a continuation of what I’m passionate about,” said Matthew. “I probably love it more now than I ever did.”

NEWS

ANNUAL FARM WALK Educational innovation and commercial fruit production shared the agenda at the annual summer farm walk organised by the British Independent Fruit Growers’ Association (BIFGA) Association members joined supermarket fruit buyers for a day of learning, networking and discovering the latest developments in the fruit industry, which this year took in two venues. The day began at Hadlow College with an introduction to the college’s horticultural facilities. In the design centre, staff and lecturers from the college spoke about the horticultural courses and apprenticeship programmes available, highlighting the importance of developing the next generation of skilled professionals in the industry. Visitors also had the opportunity to explore the college nursery, where plants grown on site were on sale. Students also showcased apple juice produced from fruit grown at the college, allowing guests the chance to sample the finished product while learning about the practical skills taught at the college. One of the highlights of the visit was the impressive Thanet Earth Centre of Excellence @ Hadlow College, a pioneering partnership between Hadlow College, leading UK grower Thanet Earth and research innovation organisation Growing Kent & Medway. The state-of-the-art glasshouse features cutting edge technology used in modern tomato production, allowing visitors to see how advanced growing systems are helping improve efficiency and sustainability. Guests could also sample a selection of fresh tomatoes grown within the glasshouse. The second part of the day took place at nearby Boormans Farm, where the Kedge family welcomed visitors to their apple orchards. A guided farm walk allowed a number of BIFGA sponsors to talk about their products, services or research in support of modern fruit production. The sponsors included Smart CIG Ltd, Trellex, Fargro Ltd, HL Hutchinson Ltd and Landseer Ltd.

N P Seymour Ltd brought Fendt tractors along for the day, while Castle Refrigeration Ltd spoke about the work involved in designing and installing a new cold store at Boormans Farm. Following the farm walk, guests gathered for a presentation to recognise the outstanding contribution of BIFGA secretary Judi Perry, who has retired after devoting 34 years of service to the organisation. The event concluded with networking over a hog roast, supplemented by sparkling wine from Biddenden Vineyards.

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The South of England Agricultural Society’s 2026 Farming Conference on Wednesday 11 November will ask an important question: “Who’s responsible for the next generation?” Chaired once again by the highly respected Charlotte Smith, broadcaster and presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today, the event will take place at the South of England Showground in Ardingly, West Sussex, while also offering people the chance to join the debate online. This year’s event will bring together leading voices from across the agricultural sector, and is set to promote a lively debate on everything from farm families to business owners, supply chains, policymakers and consumers as those present consider the future of British farming. As British agriculture faces yet more challenges, the discussion will focus on how responsibility for the next generation of farming businesses is shared and contested in a time of economic, environmental, and social change. Can the industry really afford to cling

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MATT NAYLOR

Matt is group managing director of Naylor Flowers, and co-managing director of Socius. Since incorporating Naylor Flowers, Lincolnshire farmer Matt has grown it into one of the UK’s largest flower businesses, supplying supermarkets in the UK and the EU. Matt chairs the trustee board for the Institute of Agriculture and Horticulture and is also a past trustee of LEAF and a LEAF Marque farmer. He undertook a Nuffield Scholarship on the perception of the British brand in international markets and is a past chair of the Oxford Farming Conference. Matt was the co-originator of the Agrespect initiative in 2018, which aimed to promote inclusivity in the countryside. Naylor Flowers supports Open Farm Sunday and hosts school visits, while Matt is also co-managing director of Socius, a labour agency which employs up to 300 people.

HOLLY MORGAN

Holly is a first-generation farmer who, alongside her husband Gavin, runs Butterbox Farm in Scaynes Hill, West Sussex. In 2024 Holly and Gavin opened a farm shop through which they sell all their homegrown beef, lamb, pork and chicken direct to the public.

SEPTEMBER 2026 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

They welcome hundreds of visitors to their farm every weekend and are passionate about connecting people with where their food comes from, helping to bridge the gap between local farmer and consumer.

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TACKLING THE BIGGEST ISSUES

The South of England Agricultural Society's Farming Conference has established a reputation for tackling the industry's biggest issues, bringing together influential speakers and delegates from across the sector for informed discussion, practical insight and valuable networking. Mark Campbell, chair of the conference organising committee, said: “British farming is facing enormous change, bringing both challenges and exciting opportunities. This year's conference is designed to encourage honest discussion about the future of our industry and how we can support the next generation of farmers so that farming businesses can thrive in the years ahead. “By bringing together farmers, landowners, advisers, policymakers and others from across the food system, we hope to inspire fresh thinking, constructive debate and greater collaboration. The conversations we have today will help shape the future of British agriculture for generations to come." The conference itself will run from 7pm to 9pm on Wednesday 11 November, with those atteanding in person invited to enjoy pre-event refreshments from 6pm and post-event refreshments and networking opportunities until 10pm.

NEW EXEC CHAIR

FOR BAPL Claire Donovan has been named as the new executive chair of British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL), the grower-funded, not-for-profit organisation representing commercial apple and pear growers in the UK. Claire will work alongside current postholder Ali Capper during a two-month handover before formally taking on the role from November. The BAPL board said Claire's “breadth of experience, strategic leadership and deep understanding of the fresh produce sector made her the outstanding candidate to lead BAPL through its next phase of development”. It added that Claire’s extensive experience across the fresh produce supply chain spanned commercial leadership, technical standards, grower engagement and industry representation. She is also a director of the Welsh Rugby Union, where she has helped steer organisational change in one of Wales' highest-profile membership organisations. James Simpson, vice chair of BAPL, said Claire “stood out for her breadth of experience, strategic leadership and deep understanding of the British fresh produce sector”. He went on: “Alongside that, she brings outstanding board and governance experience from outside horticulture, where she has helped lead organisational change in a complex membership organisation. That combination of sector knowledge and proven leadership made her the outstanding candidate.” Claire said: "British growers produce exceptional apples and pears to some of the highest standards anywhere in the world. They deserve an organisation that is ambitious, influential and relentlessly focused on creating the conditions for a thriving domestic apple and pear industry.”

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DECLAN HUGHES HOP TALES

AN ENGLISHMAN,

AN IRISHMAN AND SOME FRENCH PEOPLE 12

In 1981, I turned 28 years old and was living with my beautiful collie/springer cross in a warm, 22ft caravan on the hop farm in Hawkhurst, Kent. Following my accident in 1979, I was now working parttime, but crucially still enjoying the way that hop-picking work would strengthen my back, forcing me upright and working wonders for my general posture. I had long mastered every aspect of ‘hopping’, bar oast house work, and knew the gardens like the back of my hand. I was also confident enough to know I had enough hop-picking expertise to lead some 20 to 30 people, often from diverse backgrounds, and with a range of English language proficiencies, over a month-long series of physical challenges and personal goals. All human life was there!

KIDNAPPED

In 1981 an article appeared in The Sunday Times which caught my attention. A Kent native – an Englishman named Michael – had been working as an engineer in Iraq and been kidnapped by Pesh Merga guerrillas, or Kurds, as we came to know them later, and was being held to ransom high in the Zagros mountains on the Iran/Iraq border. The group had been pressuring the British Government by demanding a £1 million ransom from his widowed mother, who obviously didn’t have it and couldn’t raise it. By this time Michael had been held hostage for longer than the American captives had in Tehran – and that had been 444 days. In true British tradition, ‘a chap from the Foreign Office’ had made the trip to see

Michael to tell him two important things. The first was that “Her Majesty’s Government does not deal with terrorists”, while the second was marginally more useful. He was urged to “remember everything that happens, and when you’re released, write a book”! I was an Irishman living in Kent, so what could I do? Well, what I could do was hope to make a ‘statement’ of some kind that might be recognised by someone in authority in the Zagros. As an Irishman, I could offer myself in exchange for the Englishman. In 1981, the world was still light years away from even dreaming of a Northern Ireland peace deal, while the insane violence just continued ad finitum. In my wilder thoughts, I’d hoped that such a gesture might be worth something in a world still suffering madness. To kick the idea off, I wrote to the journalist who broke the story (there was no internet, mobile phones, texting, googling or YouTube). I heard nothing back, but that was not an impediment. I simply wrote (as you do) to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Robert Runcie, who passed the case to his trusty sidekick, Terry Waite (who, some time later while working on other cases, managed to get himself kidnapped). Michael’s kidnapping was undoubtedly one of several being worked on at Lambeth Palace, so in the interests of ecumenism, and bringing in the firepower of the other Big Kid on the Block, I contacted The Vatican, getting them ‘on the case’ via The Council for Social Affairs. I wrote to anyone else I thought might have some skin in the game, but Michael had something else going for him that

SEPTEMBER 2026 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

even he didn’t realise. He was not the only kidnap victim in the Zagros but was being held along with a couple of French citizens. While the Foreign Office stood off from Michael’s captors, their French counterparts did not. Apparently, the French made some ‘contribution’, possibly in the form of medical supplies and perhaps cash, in return for their citizens.

DAY OF RELEASE

Come the day of release, however, the French captives declined the generous offer of release unless Michael was released with them! A strong bond had been forged in the mountains, and, just like the Irishman going in to bat for the Englishman, the French – enemies at different times through the centuries – refused to budge unless the Brit came too! In the depths of despair, a couple of surprising lights shone in the darkness, and won through. Some 44 years later, I don’t know if Mike had heeded the Foreign Office advice and written the book, but he did take the time to write a note of thanks. I was never called upon to undertake a stay in the Zagros, my beautiful dog never had to lose me for any extended period, and we went on to have another five years on the farm. I did learn another life-lesson though: that even the most insignificant and not particularly well-educated human being can write a letter or poke a nose into ‘international affairs’ and perhaps make a small difference. And it’s the small differences we make that may one day change heads, hearts and attitudes, locally, nationally or globally.

AGRICULTURAL FINANCE

RESILIENCE THROUGH

COLLABORATION By Justin Ellis, Senior Director, Agriculture – Virgin Money. Twelve months ago, I was writing about a dry summer, crop returns and product prices sitting at, or below, the cost of production. Sadly, many of those same pressures remain, and in some cases have become more acute, although there are signs of modest improvement as I write in mid-August. My thoughts therefore turn again to resilience, not as an abstract virtue, but as a practical necessity for farm businesses. The difficulty with an industry known for its resilience is that it can too easily be taken for granted. That places even greater pressure on food producers who work every day with no certainty over output, price or financial return. Many have reminded me of 1976, and the dry summer then, but this is a different time. Farm businesses are increasingly reliant on food production systems and other enterprises to make a return in a free market where consumers have less cash available for food, let alone wider discretionary spending. At the same time, government support is now focused on delivering environmental benefits, so making long-term, farm-based decisions is becoming harder for many businesses. One conversation has been on repeat over recent weeks: “The combine is back in the shed, oiled up and ready for next harvest” – in some cases before the end of July. Such an early finish reflects the dry year and the legacy of smaller crops. It is also a reminder that the equipment we use is getting larger, more expensive and capable of far greater output. Unless that machinery is spread across larger areas, the unit cost continues to rise. I sense we may now be entering a period when collaboration and cooperation become even more relevant in helping to drive those costs down. That broader question of sharing resources

extends well beyond machinery. When faced with uncertainty, it is easy to retreat into individual caution; to hold tight to what each business controls and wait for clearer signals before acting. I understand that instinct, but in more than two decades of supporting farming families and businesses through their financing needs, my experience is that the periods which appear to reward caution are often the periods when collaboration matters most. I am increasingly seeing farmers share intelligence, discuss agreements, compare agronomist advice, pool administrative burden and challenge each other’s thinking. In a difficult trading environment, practical, low-cost collaboration can sometimes be worth more than a single capital investment, because it multiplies the value of information and equipment while reducing the risk of costly mistakes. None of this makes the dry summer wetter, prices higher or the policy picture more generous, but farming has never had the luxury of waiting for ideal conditions before acting sensibly. What it has always had, at its best, is community; a willingness to share knowledge, spread risk and support one another through uncertain and transitional periods. At a time when businesses are weighing limited funding opportunities against competing priorities, collaboration may prove as valuable as any single support scheme. My hope is that working together in new and varied ways, in all its practical and unglamorous forms, remains the thread that underpins the resilience and adaptability the South East’s farming community will need in the years ahead. More important still is finding ways to share those outcomes, both successful and less so, for the benefit of other

farmers and food producers. Whether you are seeking working capital, navigating succession discussions, investing in equipment, building sustainability or planning for growth, Virgin Money offers more than funding. We offer partnership, perspective and proactive support. In farming, timing is everything. Let’s plan ahead, together.

JUSTIN ELLIS, BSC PSAG

Senior Director, Agriculture & Large Estates – Virgin Money T: 07917 559355 E: justin.ellis@virginmoney.com www.virginmoney.com

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2026

SARAH CALCUTT FOCUS ON FRUIT

MENTORING FUTURE FRUIT INDUSTRY LEADERS

This month I’d like to talk about mentoring. Many of us have been formally, and informally, mentored at some time in our careers and we may now be mentoring young members of the industry within our own businesses or in the wider industry. Incredibly rewarding to both sides, mentoring can be career changing in the way that it supports critical thinking, widening networks and sharing institutional knowledge. Recognising the importance of great mentoring relationships, Master Fruiterer Chris Newenham has introduced a formal mentoring offer from the livery which will run alongside its new alumni association. Working with Helen Wyman and the team from TwoCan Mentor, the Fruiterers are searching for their first cohort of mentees ready for a training day on 7 October. Just over 20 mentors have been agreed from across the livery membership, including leading growers, scientists, senior executives from sales and import desks, and retailers. Fruiterer mentees will also have access to the full cohort of mentors from across the produce sector already working with TwoCan Mentor, which offers a matching service to ensure a tailored approach to skills and personality matching for the mentoring relationship. The livery chose TwoCan Mentor because of its incredible network of mentors from across farming and food business, knowing that with the talent from the livery itself, the provision will give the greatest choice in

SARAH CALCUTT ARAgS Chair, Fruiterers Awards Council

finding the right mentors for the rising stars of the fruit and produce industry. The mentoring course cost has been heavily subsidised by the Fruiterers and TwoCan Mentor agreement, with a small amount contributed by each candidate, but if someone really would benefit from a mentor, there is a modest fund that has been set aside to support great candidates. So, who is this aimed at? Ideally, at someone at the beginning of their management career who is looking to grow their skills and build a bright pathway for themselves while enhancing their benefit to their current enterprise. The Fruiterers are looking to help fruit businesses with continuing professional development for their management team, helping them weather the challenges that hit the sector and build strong, resilient teams to lead in the future. What is the time commitment? There will be one in-person training day, preceded by an online induction to aid the matching process. The mentoring relationship is supported for six months with a recommended six hours of contact

SEPTEMBER 2026 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

time within that period, with regular check in sessions. The time commitment is agreed between the mentor and mentee, depending on their availability, and can be online or in person depending on geography. To find out more about the Fruiterers’ mentoring programme for young fruitinfatuated professionals, please email me, or the new clerk Stewart Halliday (and congratulations to Stewart on his appointment). In other great appointments, Claire Donnovan has been appointed the new executive chair of British Apples and Pears, replacing Ali Capper, who has been appointed executive chair of British Berry Growers. Claire is well known to many fruit growers and has extensive experience across the breadth of the fresh produce sector. Most recently she was the chief executive officer of the Modern Slavery Intelligence Network (MSIN).

SARAH CALCUTT

E: sarah@pip.business

STEWART HALLIDAY

E: Stewart.halliday@fruiterers.org.uk

IN CONJUNCTION WITH

FROM THE FRONT LINE Photo: Frank D Watson / Shutterstock.com

I am making no excuses for talking about the topic being discussed daily countrywide, namely drought and lack of water. Back in February and early March I was complaining that land was waterlogged and it was too wet to get on with cultivation work; that is now a distant memory. This summer’s drought has highlighted a problem that has been slowly growing over many years; the lack of investment in water infrastructure. The demand for water has been growing for decades as thousands of new houses have been built, but no new reservoirs. The Government is predicted to spend more than £100bn on HS2 to shave a few minutes of a train journey; surely it needs to be recognised that ensuring there is a resilient water supply for everybody is equally if not more important. It is not that this country does not get enough rainfall, it is just we are extremely bad at managing it. The NFU has been highlighting for some time the competing demands on water supply, and certainly since well before the current drought. That is no comfort to growers whose access to irrigation water has been limited or even stopped, but it has been obvious for some time that more on-farm storage is required. There is an appetite to construct more reservoirs on farms, but the planning system is over complicated, expensive and over burdensome. There also needs to be a sensible and pragmatic approach to granting winter abstraction licences. We are talking about catching and storing water to produce food, not for leisure or pleasure. Until recently the emphasis has been on water for high value crops, but this summer has shown that livestock producers are equally at risk from a lack of forage and a lack of water for drinking from mains supplies. Unfortunately, it is never likely to be economical to irrigate forage crops, but water from the mains to supply livestock is critical. Many in our region have experienced first hand the fragility of mains water supplies in times of high demand. If I think back to the times before mains water became available, many farms and estates had their own supplies, some very simple, others more extensive with ram pumps, reservoirs and underground pipe work.

TIME TO RETURN TO

PRIVATE WATER

SUPPLIES? Writes Peter Knight, managing director of Burgate Farms Ltd, Hambledon, Surrey. To take pressure off the mains water network and ensure drinking water for livestock, is it time to look at a return to private water supplies? Support from the water companies and capital grants would get much faster results than the 20-plus years it takes to plan and build a water company reservoir. Water is essential for all life. The warnings about climate change, periods of drought and flood have been predicted and largely ignored by those who should have planned for what we are now experiencing.

Farmers can help alleviate some of the problems of insecure water supplies, but the planning rules and abstraction regulations need reforming so decisions can be made in a couple of months rather than the years it can take at present. The answer to water shortages is quite simple; store more water from excess winter rainfall. I hope for all of us that we have had some sensible rainfall by the time you are reading this, although I have to say that the forecasts I look at are not showing anything much in August.

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2026

MONICA AKEHURST AT THE KITCHEN TABLE

WATER MEADOW NOT

LIVING UP TO NAME

How is everyone coping with the drought conditions? If the forecast is correct, we’ll still be grappling with the consequences when you’re reading this. Previously, we took it for granted that our ditches, ponds and rivers would always have plenty of water. We’ve now learned the importance of wellmaintained water infrastructure and back-up plans for all the areas we farm. Worrying times. With hindsight, we’re fully comprehending the value of plentiful grass. The heat and extra work involved in providing food and water for all our stock has been hard. Getting electric fence posts into the dry ground wasn’t easy, but was necessary alongside depleted rivers and ponds. Buying in feed is an added cost; the mills say they’ve been inundated with orders. Our winter hay and silage stocks are being eroded. We’re surrounded by scorched, cracked ground. Annoyingly, thistles we topped early to prevent them

spreading their seeds are re-emerging; the only greenery in a barren landscape. We’re wondering if these temperatures have affected our bull’s fertility. Tupping time isn’t too far off; how will conception rates be affected? We immunised our cows, but should we have immunised all our sheep against bluetongue? We need a crystal ball. Milk yields in dairy herds are down. Our cheesemakers will soon need more milk to cover Christmas demand, but will that be possible? Rising fuel costs and uncertain weather make growing crops risky. When will everyone realise that producing food comes at a cost? Today was eclipse day. The family announced that the farm was the best place to witness it, so grandchildren and some parents came for the day. For me, it was a 6am start, bagging feed for the fattening cattle, which we’re troughfeeding in Water Meadow. Unfortunately, it’s not living up to its name. There’s a trickle

Pevesey levels, not much water now SEPTEMBER 2026 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

in the stream, some of which we’ve had to electric fence off to contain the cattle. We’ve laid on a mains water trough, and shade is provided by trees. Initially, we put out good hay which they declined, but they’ve since condescendingly agreed to eat silage. Next, checking the lambs. They’re grazing over 50 acres, comprising a wood and four fields. It wasn’t grazed during winter, and we took a cut of silage/hay earlier this year. It had greened up, but now looks scorched. It’s the cleanest grazing available, and they’re browsing the hedges. I’m occasionally cutting branches with my mini chainsaw, and they’re scoffing the leaves. Under normal circumstances, I would have kept them tighter and rotated them. I generally give only the best-grown lambs access to feed for extra finish, leaving the others to grow on. I’m now giving all the lambs access to prime nuts. There’s lots of fencing to check, but at least the solar panels are keeping the batteries charged.

Escapee steer hiding up with dry cows

Temporary fix with string and wood

Girl power team

Water meadow is not living up to its name

Loading rushes for winter bedding Weaned ewes, walking away from lambs

Dazed and dirty calf recovering from its water adventure

Nigel and Zinnia checking out the eclipse One lamb pushed under a stock fence to reach a pond on neighbouring land. Luckily, its four mates had stayed close by and, when they heard the quad bike, called out. Standing precariously on a log, I managed to crook the lamb’s leg and pull it close enough to get a collar and rope on it, allowing me to reach firmer ground and pull it free from the black sludge. My pink shepherd’s crook (a birthday present) did a great job; ‘girl power!’ – but looked less smart afterwards. The dogs helped return the lamb, then I patched up its escape route with string and cut branches. The lambs have access to one mains water tank, so we’ve used a water bowser to supply another trough beside the wood, where they lie in the shade, situated close to feed troughs. The bowser’s water connection cracked, and replacement plumbing parts have proved tricky to get. Back home for breakfast, and the families arrived. Other half informed me that one of our cows was said to be swimming in the Old Haven on the Pevensey Levels. We collected ropes, a halter and straps, and headed down with the JCB and truck. It turned out to be a calf; its mother was

Lamb successfully rescued calling from the riverbank. We drove it along the river to a gully leading to a dyke, where luckily it climbed out by itself. We’ve got permission to put out energy blocks as supplementary nutrition for the suckler herd. It’s difficult to believe this is a designated wetland area. Many scrapes and ditches are now dry and, unsurprisingly, birdlife is reduced. We then discovered that one of the store cattle had crossed the river upstream and joined our neighbour’s dry cows. Their grazing is equally dire. It was a steer, so you can’t really blame its hormones, either. Three of us failed to get it out, so we agreed to meet the dairy team next morning. Even with the A Team, it proved no easy task. Meanwhile, the rushes on the marsh have been rowed up, ready for the baler. There’s certainly no quibble about them being dry enough. Back home for a hydration break, formerly known as a tea break, before collecting the fattening cattle, choosing four. Typically one had lost a tag, so we chose another animal. Paperwork sorted, cattle ready for collection; they would travel to the abattoir in the early

hours to avoid the heat. While home, we ate blackberry and apple crumble. The grandchildren had collected fallen apples and picked ripe blackberries. They’d had a great day playing together and were now preparing to leave. I felt the eclipse hadn’t lived up to the media hype, but the family claimed to have enjoyed it and departed, tired but happy. Feeding rolls to ewes can be precarious. No problems on the first morning; I quickly learnt not to get off the quad. On the second day, I put the feed into several buckets for easier distribution, but I made the error of answering my phone before entering the field. When I opened the gate, I wrongly thought the hungry ewes would follow me. No chance. They rushed through the gate and scattered everywhere. I fetched the dogs, who did an excellent job of putting them back, but on seeing the quad, they jumped up, knocking over the food. The quad was soon covered in determined ewes and horrified dogs. I couldn’t get near it. Absolute mayhem. The Government is being criticised for sending out an emergency alert ‘fire risk’ warning; they should have done it sooner.

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2026

MIKE KETTLEWELL IN PERSPECTIVE

WE MUST MOVE FASTER

This month I plan to comment on those parts of DEFRA’s land use framework that I failed to cover last time: namely food, biodiversity, human welfare and water management. No easy matter. I attended a small lunchtime meeting recently, organised by the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission on behalf of DEFRA. This meeting, to discuss farming and climate, was one of many being held around England at which the commission is collecting opinions. There were a dozen of us present to offer our thoughts, having read a pre-prepared document. Only three were under 50, emphasising the worryingly geriatric profile of UK farmers. The two-hour discussion was lively and friendly. Most people agreed that growing stuff today was unprofitable due to market dynamics, the exception being the sole dairy farmer with a long-term Waitrose contract. Everyone recognised that farming had

problems with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, biodiversity loss and farming in a hotter and more erratic climate. The difficulty was finding palatable solutions as we adapt to more heat, floods and droughts over the next century and more. One of our older participants, a beef farmer who kept his counsel throughout, announced to much laughter as a finale: “I have listened to everything said and it is all a load of b*****ks.” It was a natural and heartfelt response to the discomfort induced by change. The reality, sadly, is that emissions of nitrous oxide from farms are too high, and we are blamed for most of the methane. We must mitigate the consequences of the way we farm and start by cutting GHG emissions and restoring nature. Adaptation is something we will have to do quickly; most of the world’s big polluters bury their heads in the sand. We must

SEPTEMBER 2026 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

diversify our cropping and incorporate crops that are more tolerant of heat and drought, such as durum wheat, maize for grain, soya, millets and sorghum. For fruit, we may not become avocado or pineapple growers, but we will doubtless see more peaches, apricots and even olives grown. Some intrepid farmers have already started experimenting, but the market needs to encourage the processors and supermarkets to favour homegrown above imports. The logic to localising food production and processing wherever possible is obvious, for that would reduce pollution associated with intensive agriculture and the carbon costs of excessive food miles. Reconnecting farmers with consumers would increase farm incomes and community contentment. The big ‘but’ is that this kind of change flies in the face of big business’ wish to monopolise their corner of the market.

Calf high spring barley Power and influence comes with size, which can stimulate intemperate speeches from ministers. An example of this disconnection with consequences was offered recently by the erstwhile minister for agriculture Emma Reynolds, who claimed food insecurity in the poultry sector was the result of planning constraints. Get rid of good planning and we are back with too many intensive units clustered around major processors, resulting in large amounts of manure entering rivers, as happened disastrously to the river Wye, and releasing ammonia (which converts to nitrous oxide) and methane. Localised food production would reduce the risks of ill-informed politics, exacerbated by the rapidly revolving door of ministers and, indeed, prime ministers. Methane accounts for over half of farming’s GHG emissions, much of it from slurry stores, so there are two major issues cattle farmers face. Firstly, some reduction in stock numbers, particularly in the industrial sector. Secondly we must produce less slurry, give it more ‘body’, store it better and get it back into the soil quicker. The slurry problem is, of course, much greater with large, housed herds, but the flip side is how to ensure smaller herds are profitable. Before dismissing this as woke nonsense, remember the 2023 Texas farm fire that incinerated 18,000 cows. We should, however, resist wholesale reductions in ruminant numbers because they are important biodiversity engineers. Politicians need reminding that the planet’s millions of wild herbivores were largely killed off by humans but replaced by even more millions of cattle. The planet is well used to steady but lower levels of methane. Lest we forget, eight billion humans produce methane too! Nitrous oxide from fertilizer is a much larger problem, having ten times greater heating capacity than methane and huge longevity. Its rise is a measure of wastage and misuse. We must apply less, while targeting and timing applications better. I suspect rising prices of fossil-fuel derived inputs will help concentrate our minds on improving efficiency and effectiveness. Biodiversity continues its current decline, with few exceptions. Regenerative and

Spring beans in July!

Chicory has deep roots

organic farming are steps in the right direction, but it is worth examining the key agricultural changes that are causal and therefore reversible. Big kit and large fields, while labour efficient, are physically damaging, but can be partly mitigated by min-till or no-till. Large areas of monoculture crops with no genetic variation are breeding grounds for pathogens. Modern crops are too dependent on a multiplicity of inputs that all produce collateral damage to watercourses and nature. Poly cropping and agroforestry are solutions, but will they pay the bills? Yes if imports are restricted, but no if we continue to follow manufacturers and export our production and problems overseas. Consider this example; the unintended consequences of silage making. Beautiful swards of well fertilised, hybrid ryegrass are harvested rapidly and repeatedly, at peak sugar content, by a forage harvester and then clamped and covered to deliver perfect winter fodder, ensuring excellent livestock performance. Perfection? Sadly, not for the environment. The quantity of fertiliser required pollutes air and water. No small living creature can escape the gaping maw of foragers galloping across fields

every six weeks. So the silage fields have no grasshoppers, butterflies, moths, beetles, chicks or leverets. Nothing to feed passing birds and certainly no nesting birds, such as skylarks, corncrake, lapwing or curlew. Add in acres of whole crop and grass to feed biodigesters because it currently pays so well. Multiply across the country and it is no wonder nature capitulates and retreats to offshore islands. These situations occur too often, fuelled by single-minded approaches by farmers used to working and deciding alone. We cannot simply carry on regardless, for change is inescapable. The problems are now clear although solutions are still evolving. Farm clusters foster connection, community support and information exchange that delivers collaborative goals. Tomorrow’s arable farming might look very different, with small, lighter, electric powered and computer-controlled kit working the fields 24/7 in small fleets; cattle or sheep mob grazing fenceless pasture, again computer controlled, today with collars, but tomorrow perhaps with a small implant like a pacemaker or ear tag. The future could be very bright, but we must move faster and together.

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2026

NIGEL AKEHURST VISITS: T DENNE & SONS

FROM GRAIN TO

WILDFLOWERS

Nigel Akehurst visits T Denne & Sons at their Whitehill site near Ashford, Kent, where he catches up with fifth-generation managing director Fred Denne and his wife Charlotte, the company's chief marketing officer. They explain how one of the county's longestestablished agricultural merchants is expanding its wildflower seed business, investing in specialist crop processing and developing new food markets while creating opportunities for farmers across the South East.

Arriving at Whitehill, the scale and variety of the operation quickly becomes apparent. Seed cleaning and processing equipment sits alongside grain storage, bags of grass and wildflower seed waiting to be dispatched while, elsewhere on the site, a major new processing facility represents the latest chapter in a family business stretching back almost 150 years. T Denne & Sons was established in 1879, when Thomas Denne leased Abbotts Mill in Canterbury to produce flour for the baking industry, and has remained in family ownership ever since. Today, fifth-generation managing director Fred Denne is helping steer the family business through another period of change alongside his wife Charlotte, who joined

the wildflower and amenity seed side of the business as chief marketing officer in 2023. And while traditional agricultural merchanting remains firmly at its core, the business they are building increasingly stretches beyond it.

A BUSINESS BUILT ON GENERATIONS Sitting down with Fred and Charlotte in their boardroom, our conversation inevitably began with the company's history. The Denne family's connections with the farming and agricultural trade in East Kent stretch back generations, with T Denne & Sons growing over the years into a substantial grain storage, processing and seed business serving farmers across the region. At one point the company owned 11 wind

Photo: Poppy Hollis

SEPTEMBER 2026 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

and water mills across east and central Kent, while later diversifications included everything from animal feed mills and seed processing plants to grain storage, haulage and fertiliser distribution. When South East Farmer last visited T Denne & Sons in 2018, Fred had only recently joined the family firm after a career in land management, and spoke about bringing new ideas and modernisation to a business then approaching its 140th anniversary. Eight years on, he is now managing director and helping lead its next phase of development. It has been an eventful eight years in which to do it. Brexit was followed by Covid, disruption to global markets, the war in Ukraine, rising energy and labour costs and increasingly unpredictable weather.

BUSINESS FACTS

At the same time, patterns of land use across the South East have begun to change. Vineyards have expanded, environmental schemes have taken land out of conventional production and the economics of traditional arable farming have become increasingly challenging. “My concern is the everdecreasing amount of arable acreage grown in the county,” Fred explained. “Costs are continuing to rise and, with fewer acres requiring combinable seed, we need to access new markets to remain relevant and sustain the future of the business.”

seed is growing, and the business is now looking for more farmers and landowners to work with across the South East. Some of that seed is harvested from existing species-rich meadows, while other species are grown as individual crops specifically for seed production. For farmers considering the latter, Fred's description was refreshingly straightforward. "It's high risk, very high reward," he said. Individual species can command impressive prices, but growing them is far removed from producing a conventional cereal crop.

GROWING KENT SEEDS

A DIFFERENT KIND OF HARVEST

One of the most visible examples of that diversification is Kent Seeds. Established by Fred's father Chris in 2018, the business initially focused on specialist grass seed cleaning and native wildflower production. Charlotte joined in 2023 and has since helped expand the brand, including establishing an e-commerce operation selling native wildflower seed directly to customers via www.kentseeds.co.uk Those customers now range from people creating a small patch of wildflowers in a London window box to smallholders, farmers, estates and major infrastructure projects. It is a strikingly different customer base from the traditional agricultural market T Denne & Sons has served for generations, but one rooted in much of the same expertise. Demand for native provenance wildflower

• T Denne & Sons established in 1879; agricultural merchant, grain storage and marketing, seed cleaning and processing • Fifth-generation family business; based at Whitehill, near Ashford, Kent • Wildflower and amenity seed business Kent Seeds established in 2018 • Around 80 acres of wildflower seed currently harvested under various agreements • £1 million investment in a new BRCGS-certified food processing facility • New markets include peas, beans, lentils and potentially plant proteins • www.tdenneandsons.co.uk • www.kentseeds.co.uk Fred Denne and his wife Charlotte

Timing is everything. With some wildflower species, Fred explained, there can be a remarkably small window between the seed being ready and falling to the ground. "There are some where they're there in the morning ready to be harvested and it's all gone by the afternoon," he said. "You stop your wheat harvest and go and get it.” Yellow rattle is one crop for which Kent Seeds is particularly keen to secure more supply. Often described as a "meadow maker", the semi-parasitic plant suppresses vigorous grasses, helping create space for other wildflowers to establish. Demand is strong, but production can be unpredictable. This year's hot conditions have left some yellow rattle plants unusually short, making harvesting difficult and reducing yields. >>

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2026

NIGEL AKEHURST VISITS: T DENNE & SONS

It demonstrates both the opportunity << and the risk involved. Kent Seeds currently harvests from around 80 acres under various agreements, with access to a larger area that is harvested on rotation. The business is interested in expanding its network beyond Kent, particularly onto different soil types elsewhere in the South East. "We've got a lot of chalk downland species because that's predominantly what we harvest," Charlotte explained. "So we'd be interested in more sand and clay." For farmers with the ability to combine and dry seed themselves, there could be opportunities to grow individual wildflower species under contract before sending the harvested crop to Whitehill for cleaning. Others may already have species-rich grassland from which native seed could potentially be harvested.

FINDING VALUE IN THE MEADOW

For Fred, the opportunity is particularly interesting as farmers reconsider the role environmental management plays within their businesses.

Rather than viewing a species-rich meadow purely as land supported through an environmental payment, harvesting native seed potentially gives it a commercial output of its own. On one former higher level stewardship site, Kent Seeds paid the farmer £250 an acre for permission to harvest native seed. The company carried the harvesting costs while the farmer received an additional return from an established meadow. Fred sees arrangements like this as another potential income stream for farms facing uncertainty over future agricultural support. "If we can provide an alternative crop which, one year out of every three, they'll earn a lot of money from and the other two hopefully break even, then it's another alternative source.” There are practical considerations. Kent Seeds needs to know the provenance of the original seed, while weeds such as docks and thistles can make harvested material considerably more difficult and expensive to clean. For the right farms, though, Fred believes there is considerable potential.

ADDING VALUE TO LOCAL CROPS

Wildflowers are only one part of the wider diversification taking place at Whitehill. More recently, Fred has spearheaded a £1 million investment in a new BRCGS (food safety)-certified processing facility designed to take the company's involvement in foodgrade markets considerably further. T Denne & Sons is no stranger to supplying crops for human consumption, with faba beans already being cleaned and sorted at Whitehill for export to North African markets. The new facility, due to be completed later this autumn, represents the next step. It will enable the business to process crops such as peas, beans, lentils and quinoa to a higher specification for human consumption, including the ability to remove skins and split peas and beans to open up new, higher-value, markets for farmers across the region. Fred's longer-term ambitions go further still. He envisages eventually expanding the facilities so the company can mill crops into flour and potentially separate protein from starch to create plant protein concentrates for the food industry. For a company whose roots

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lie in milling flour for human consumption nearly 150 years ago, there is perhaps a certain symmetry to that ambition. Fred, though, also sees it as a logical extension of what the business already does; rather than simply moving commodities onwards, the aim is increasingly to process and add value to them locally.

BECOMING A REGIONAL HUB

That could have wider benefits for farmers across Kent and Sussex. Fred would like Whitehill to become a hub through which local growers can access markets for both conventional and unconventional crops. Peas and beans remain part of the picture, alongside grass seed contracts, wildflowers and, potentially, crops such as lentils. Transport is an important part of the equation. Sending a crop hundreds of miles for specialist processing quickly eats into its value. If farmers can deliver into a facility within their own region, more of that value can potentially remain with the grower. "I'm hoping we can become more of a centralised hub," Fred said, "where we can support local growers through more conventional crops like peas and beans, slightly unconventional crops like lentils and wildflowers, and also our grass seed contracts.”

INVESTING THROUGH UNCERTAINTY The diversification comes at a time when operating an agricultural business is becoming increasingly expensive. Fred pointed to wages, business rates, insurance and energy among the costs that had risen substantially.

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Photos: Poppy Hollis

"Our cost base is only going one way," he said. "If we were still paying the rates we were paying 20 years ago, I probably wouldn't need to do all of this.” Yet rather than responding by cutting investment, T Denne & Sons has chosen to continue spending on the future of the business. "We have invested when nobody else is," Fred said. He believes that gives confidence not only to customers but to the team working at Whitehill. That team also reflects the increasingly diverse nature of the operation. One day staff might be moving grain or containers; another they could be packing peas for export or working with wildflower seed. That flexibility, Fred believes, is one advantage a relatively small, independent business has over some of the larger agricultural merchants. "We're a small business," he said, "but we're similar to the big guys in that we do everything on a smaller scale, and we're able to react far quicker than they can.”

LOOKING AHEAD

Walking back through the site at the end of my visit, it was difficult to define T Denne & Sons simply as a seed merchant or grain business. Traditional agricultural merchanting remains important, and Fred is clear that the company has no intention of walking away from the customers and markets it has served for generations. Instead, the aim is to build around that core, with native wildflowers, food-grade processing, grass seed, alternative crops and potentially plant proteins creating new opportunities for both the business and farmers across the region. "If it was easy, it would be boring," Fred said with a smile. "Having a challenge and thinking outside the box is pretty good.” For one of Kent's longest-established agricultural businesses, thinking outside the box may be precisely what allows the next generation to keep the family name above the door.

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CONSTRUCTION

FEATURED COMPANY:

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FINISHED ON TIME 24

Graham Elgar and Richard Ledger

With 4,500 acres to look after, mainly used for growing combinable crops, Richard Ledger can’t afford to make the wrong decision when it comes to commissioniong harvest-critical building projects. Timing was particularly important this year, with consecutive heatwaves pushing harvest forward by several weeks, but Richard’s chosen contractor, Ashford-based G J Elgar Construction Ltd, still managed to deliver a new grain store at Upper Venson Farm, Eastry, ahead of the arrival of the first trailer load. The decision to use Graham Elgar’s team was not a difficult one for Richard, who heads up Little Mongeham Ltd with son James, who looks after most of the day-to-day management of the farm and the contracting services the business also offers. For G J Elgar Construction, it was their

SEPTEMBER 2026 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

third visit to Upper Venson Farm in three years, with the grain store the third successful project at the busy farm and cementing a business relationship that has grown over the years. “Graham does a good job at the right price, and it was finished on time,” said Richard, who pointed out that the on-time finish was achieved despite the fact that he had made a last-minute change to the project. The barn, which measures 26 metres by 78 metres, and at five metres high can hold 10,140 tonnes of grain, is nine metres to the eaves and has been built with reinforced foundations and 200mm thick concrete panels so that it can be surcharged using an overhead conveyor. “It’s something we plan to do, but not until next year,” Richard explained. When surcharged it will be able to hold 12,500 tonnes of grain. >>

G. J. ELGAR CONSTRUCTION Ltd

• Steel frame buildings • Building conversions • Sheeting and cladding • Refurbishment and change of use • Demolition and asbestos removal • Groundworks and drainage

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After

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CONSTRUCTION << The barn has a galvanised steel frame and fibre cement roof. It’s a flat store, as the farm already has impressive drying facilities, although unsurprisingly they haven’t been used since much earlier this year. G J Elgar Construction’s first visit to Upper Venson Farm was to add a two-bay extension to a former workshop building on the site, which has been dug out considerably to reduce the impact of the buildings on the surrounding countryside.

REMARKABLE TECHNOLOGY

Last year the team returned to erect a cleaning building which includes a colour sorter, a remarkable piece of technology which can check for and remove ergot, imperfect peas and a host of other flaws, all at 40 tonnes per hour. “The technology is incredibly clever, but it also meant the building had to be carefully designed and built, with extra bracing so that the vibrations from the cleaner, which itself runs at 100 tonnes per hour, didn’t affect the operation of the colour sorter,” Richard explained. The high-tech colour sorter has become the responsibility of Dave Lilly, one of the Upper Venson Farm team who decided that he would take control of the kit and has since become an expert in using it to achieve great results. Richard is clearly proud of the fact that the team at Upper Venson Farm has slotted in neatly to the business' various roles. “We have one combine for 4,500 acres and Nigel Richardson treats it like it’s

Richard Ledger SEPTEMBER 2026 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

FEATURED COMPANY:

G. J. ELGAR CONSTRUCTION Ltd

his own,” he said. “Tim Harmer looks after all the spraying and fertilising, and my son James is in overall charge of the farm. Graham Elgar is equally proud of his long-standing team, which now numbers 32 people 40 years after he set it up on his own. Four members of staff joined in the past year alone as the business, which offers a full range of agricultural and industrial buildings, continues to grow. While surrounded by capable managers, Graham is still fully involved in the business. “I’m 72 but I have absolutely no intention of retiring,” he explained, pointing out that he had visited Upper Venson Farm virtually every day during the build. “I can’t be everywhere, but with key customers like Little Mongeham I make sure everything is going to plan,” he commented.

QUALITY OF THE WORKMANSHIP

Pointing out that G J Elgar Construction had completed 15 buildings in the past year, he explained: “I put our success down to the quality of the workmanship and value for money. We must be doing something right as we have a lot of regular clients and repeat business.” The new grain store, which includes forced ventilation at both ends of the building, was a turnkey project, with Graham’s team doing everything from the groundworks to the roof. Ahead of his team’s arrival, the mass dig out of the chalk-heavy site was done by the experienced team at Dover-based Rhino Plant Hire.

James Shearer

RHINO AGRICULTURAL SERVICES

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We are pleased to have carried out the excavation work for Richard and James on their new grain store at Upper Venson Farm

Self propelled forage harvester – Maize & grass Muck Spreading with high capacity equipment • Hedge cutting River weed cutting & de-silting machinery Low loader service STG02 category Silage & hay making equipment • Drilling & cultivation works Tele-handler & skid steer hire • 360 Excavator & bulldozer hire Bale wrapping – square or round •Big square & round baling

CONTACT Porlock Collingwood Road, St. Margarets at Cliff, Dover, Kent CT15 6EX

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www.rhino-planthire.co.uk “We also looked after the planning, but as that took some time to clear the system, we weren’t able to get on site until early April,” he recalled. “We still managed to get the building done by the start of July to meet the early harvest, though. It took a lot of commitment from the team and some weekend working, but it was important to the client.”

ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION IN SAFE HANDS

While looking after the structure of the building, G J Elgar Construction left the electrical installation in the safe hands of Acrise Electrical Services Ltd, based in nearby Elham. Business owner James Shearer pointed out that with agricultural installations having to meet specific requirements and complex regulations, it was important to use a specialist electrical company. Acrise Electrical Services, which focuses on agricultural and commercial systems, installed the lighting systems, cooling equipment and extraction fans at the new Upper Venson Farm grain store as well as upgrading the whole mains supply capacity to 800 amps. James also built and installed the control panels for the fans, having also wired the control systems for the cleaning and colour sorting equipment in the building erected by G J Elgar Construction last year. He has also been asked to install a generator on the site to boost flexibility for the Little Mongeham operation. "Acrise Electrical Services specialises in agricultural work and in meeting specific requirements,” he commented. “The regulations are complex, and when safety is important you need to employ the right company.”

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PLOUGHING MATCHES

The East Sussex Ploughing Match Society’s 60th match will be held at Warbleton Farm, Heathfield on Saturday 26 September by kind permission of Mr Steve Hutton and family. To mark what is a special year for the society, there will be two ploughs from yesteryear on display, formerly owned by skilled ploughman Robin Wintersgill, one of a number of members who were around in the society’s early years. There is more information on the society’s Facebook page, where competition results and pictures are also posted. Hailsham Young Farmers also play a valuable role with the society, particularly assisting with car parking on the day. The match includes a ‘Young Farmers’ class which is open to any bona fide member of the organisation. The ploughing classes reflect ploughing through the years, with teams of horses, steam ploughing, vintage ploughing, classic and modern ploughing, along with a new class for non-prize winners and novice ploughmen, helped by skilled ploughman who will be on hand to give assistance if required.

60TH MATCH The best ploughman will be able to go forward to compete at the Sussex Ploughing Championships on 3 October. The event will also feature a large domestic section, with several different categories for all age groups and a wide range of skill sets. Details are on Facebook and entries will be accepted on the day. There will also be a fun dog show which has proved popular in the past, and a grain sample and hay sample competition, with the best samples going forward to the Sussex Championships. Schedules will be available from businesses including Haynes, Ernest Doe Power, Rushlake Green Tyres, Shaw Agricultural, Tuckwells, and Culverwells or from the chairman Jim Braiden, who can be contacted on 07540 598877 or by emailing jgbraiden@hotmail.co.uk The host’s chosen charities for this year, which will each receive a proportion of the

SEPTEMBER 2026 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

day’s income, are the Kent , Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance and the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution. “By attending, you not only support the society but also kindly support two very worthy causes,” explained the chairman. “Public catering and a bar will be available, as well as trailer rides, so please come along and help support a rural craft and two good causes.” Jim went on: “With ever-changing agricultural pressures, it is becoming difficult to find a site for these events. Moving forward, we are looking for a site in 2027, so if anyone can help the society please contact one of the members.” The society would like to thank all the sponsors, advertisers and trade stands that help support the society and the event.

Date: Venue: Info:

Saturday 26 September Warbleton Farm, Heathfield secretary.espms@btinternet.com

AROUND 50 PLOUGHMEN The Romney Marsh Ploughing Match and Fun Dog Show will take place on Sunday 6 September at Shingle Hall Farm, St Mary in the Marsh, by kind permission of the Maylam and Furnival families. Offering “something for all the family”, the event starts at 10am, with the Romney Marsh Ploughing & Cultivations Society expecting a good number of ploughmen and a large crowd, as the event is hosting the national qualifying rounds in some classes this year. Around 50 ploughmen will be driving vintage tractors, including many novices, which the society is pleased to see. The fun dog show starts at 12 noon, with entries open from 11am. The event will also feature shire horses, steam ploughing, trade stands, craft stalls, 'have a go ploughing', a raffle, food and bar. Entry costs £10 for car and driver, plus £5 for additional adults, and card payments will be possible. Last year the society donated £10,000 from the proceeds of the match to the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance, Pilgrims Hospice, Medical Detection Dogs, the RNLI and Lydd Scouts. Secretary Diana Wimble said the donations reflected the muchvalued local support given to the event. Date: Venue: Cost: Info:

Support That Lasts a Lifetime

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Sunday 6 September 2026 Shingle Hall Farm, St Mary in the Marsh £10 for car and driver Diana – romneyploughing21@gmail.com or 07821 009693

DIFFERENT FARM EACH YEAR An annual event held at a different farm in the Sussex countryside each year, the Sussex Ploughing Championship celebrates ploughing through the ages, with heavy horse, vintage, classic and modern tractor ploughing. The event pulls together all the best ploughmen in Sussex, who qualify at a local match to go forward and compete to be named the best ploughman in the county. The champion is then entitled to go forward to plough at the British Nationals in 2027. With associations keen to encourage competitors to take part in this hobby, the Sussex County Ploughing Association is supporting that ambition by putting forward a bona fide young farmer to compete in the nationals. This year’s Sussex championships are being held at Burghill Farm, Chiddingly, Hailsham, on Saturday 3 October by kind permission of Mrs Charlotte and Josh Penrose. “We are always very grateful to farmers and growers for allowing the association to hold our competition to find a county champion,” said chairman Lewis Foster. “The association would like to thank all the supporters, sponsors, and advertisers, without whom this popular competition and craft could not go ahead, plus all the volunteers that assist on the day. “There will be public catering, a bar and trade stands, so please come along and have a wonderful day with us. See how we used to work the land and how the practice of ploughing has changed.” Date: Venue: Cost: Info:

Saturday 3 October Burghill Farm, Chiddingly, Hailsham £5 per person (cash only) Charlotte Morris – secretary.sussexpca@gmail.com or 07828 148101

COME AND SEE US AT: ROMNEY MARSH PLOUGHING MATCH AND FUN DOG SHOW Shingle Hall Farm, St. Mary-in-the-Marsh, Kent, TN29 0BS

6 SEPTEMBER 2026 EAST KENT PLOUGHING MATCH ASSOCIATION ANNUAL PLOUGHING MATCH & SHOW St Nicholas Court Farms, Monkton CT12 4AU

30 SEPTEMBER 2026

Ivychurch, Kent TN29 0AW www.bellag.co.uk 01797 344 688 WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2026

Weald Granary There’s a better future in store

2026 PLOUGHING MATCH FIXTURES Saturday 5 September Swale Area

Working with:

More and more farmers are seeing the real benefits of co-operative centralised storage and marketing. AT COST DRYING CHARGES ERGOT REMOVAL MINIMAL WEIGHT LOSSES

By kind permission of A Hinge & Sons MAP-MARKER Vinson Farm, Oad Street, Borden, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 8JY W3W 📞 Chris Hildyard at George Webb Finn LLP 01795 470556

Sunday 6 September Chertsey Agricultural Association

Includes a national vintage final MAP-MARKER Ten Acre Lane, Thorpe, Surrey, TW20 8EY

Romney Marsh Ploughing & Cultivations Society

Includes national vintage area final and Ferguson area finals MAP-MARKER Shingle Hall Farm, St Mary’s Road, St Mary in the Marsh, Romney Marsh, TN29 0BS 📞 Diana Wimble 07821 009693

Tuesday 8 September South Berks Agricultural Association

DRY GRAIN CREDITS

By kind permission of the Englefield Estate MAP-MARKER Mayridge Farm, Englefield, Reading, RG7 9JT ✉ John Strickland: secretary@sbaa.org.uk

PROMPT HARVEST MOVEMENT

Wednesday 9 September Royal Forest Agricultural Association

Grain conditioning and blending facilities adding up to £10/t

By kind permission of The Crown Estate MAP-MARKER Windsor Great Park, Windsor, Berkshire 📞 Teresa Ross 07849 762052

Saturday 12 September East Grinstead & Three Counties Agricultural & Ploughing Association By kind permission of the Hobbs family MAP-MARKER Saint Hill Farm, West Hoathly Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19 4NG 📞 Kate Lewis 07811 202493

Weald of Kent Ploughing Match Association

Weald Granary Ltd

Seven Mile Lane, Mereworth, Nr. Maidstone, Kent ME18 5PZ Tel: 01622 814458 Email: john@wealdgranary.co.uk Web: www.wealdgranary.com

By kind permission of John and Gillian Well, the Lovejoy Partnership and the Heathcote family. Celebrating 80 years. MAP-MARKER Hengehurst Farm, Shadoxhurst Road, Woodchurch, Ashford, Kent TN26 3PP 📞 Liz Miles 07872 501951.

Sunday 13 September National Vintage Tractor & Engine Club - Thames Valley Group By kind permission of Alan Bishop. Includes a national vintage area final and a Ferguson area final MAP-MARKER Vicarage Lane, Mattingley, Hook, Hampshire, RG27 8LI 📞 Roger Hannington 01189 832230 or 07720 760892

North Bucks Tractor Club Ploughing Match

MAP-MARKER Bourne End Farm, Wooten, Bedford, MK439AP ✉ Richard Cook: cowleylodge@hotmail.co.uk

Rochford Hundred Vintage Tractor & Engine Club Includes a national vintage area final MAP-MARKER Gore Farm, Hawkwell, Ballards Gore, Stambridge, Essex, SS4 2AD

Wednesday 16 September Laughton & District Agricultural Society By kind permission of E J Brickell & Sons MAP-MARKER Houndean Field, Brighton Road, Lewes, East Sussex 📞 Shauna Fenner 07737 668077 Donna Beard 07734 209178

Saturday 19 September Greenstead Green and District Agricultural Club

MAP-MARKER Black Notley Hall Farm, Church Road, Braintree, Essex, CM7 8LB 📞 Janice Vince 07967 794451 ✉ janicebodger@yahoo.co.uk for an entry form

Gravesend and Rochester Agricultural Association Ploughing Match and Gymkhana MAP-MARKER Newlands Farm, Station Road, Cliffe, Rochester, Kent, ME3 7RU

West Grinstead & District Ploughing & Agricultural Association By kind permission of John Goring and the Wiston Estate MAP-MARKER Fairoak Farm & Buncton Manor Farm, Spithandle Lane, Wiston, Steyning, West Sussex, BN44 3DS

Saturday 19 September Isle of Wight Ploughing Match

Basingstoke and District Agricultural Society

Sunday 20 September Chichester Ploughing Match

Sunday 4 October Henley and District Agricultural Association

MAP-MARKER Main Road, Godshill

📞 Mike Rowland 07891 075715

Saturday 26 September East Sussex Ploughing Match Society MAP-MARKER Warbleton Farm, Heathfield, East Sussex ✉ Julie Butler: butlerjulie55@gmail.com

Essex County Ploughing Match

MAP-MARKER Fairfields Farm, Mowden Hall Lane, Hatfield Peverel, Essex, CM3 2NT

Petworth & District Agricultural Association

By kind permission of Mr Peter Foulger and Simon Carter Farms MAP-MARKER Drungewick Hill Farm, Loxwood, Billinghurst, West Sussex, RH14 0RP 📞 Sarah Kenny, Joint Secretary 07973 797160

East Sussex Ploughing Match Society MAP-MARKER Warbleton Farm, Heathfield, East Sussex ✉ Julie Butler: butlerjulie55@gmail.com

Fairford, Faringdon, Filkins and Burford Ploughing Championship and Country Show By kind permission of Mr T Spence MAP-MARKER Red Barn, Ashbury, Oxfordshire, SN6 8LZ

Sunday 27 September Royal East Berks Agricultural Association

By kind permission of William Emmett & family MAP-MARKER Water Oakley Farm 📞 Stuart Wilcox on 07831 281121

Hurstpierpoint

MAP-MARKER Plumpton College, Plumpton, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 3AE

Wednesday 30 September East Kent Ploughing Match

MAP-MARKER St Nicholas Court Farm, Monkton, Kent, CT12 4AU 📞 Lorna Astbury 07538 547010

Crowborough Ploughing Match

By kind permission of Mr A Freeman MAP-MARKER Hale Court Farm, Beech Lane, Hartfield, East Sussex, TN7 4DD

Saturday 3 October Sussex County Ploughing Association

MAP-MARKER Burghill Farm, Chidingly, East Sussex, BN8 6JF 📞 Jim Braiden 07540 598877

MAP-MARKER Wield, Alresford Hampshire

By Kind Permission of the Mearns family and Mary Roadnight MAP-MARKER Red Lion Farm, Britwell Salome, OX49 5LG 📞 01491 413619 ✉ info@thehenleyshow.co.uk

Wednesday 7 October Royal South Bucks Agricultural Association

181st ploughing match. By kind permission of Whitby Farms and Guys & St Thomas Foundation Lynsters Farm MAP-MARKER Shire Lane, Hornhill, Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire, SL9 0QY (Field location: opposite The Dumb Bell pub) What3Words //tests.basket.punk

Saturday 10 - Sunday 11 October 75th British National Ploughing Championships & Country Festival

By kind permission of the William Corbett Farms Ltd MAP-MARKER Austrey, near Atherstone, Warwickshire 📞 The Society of Ploughmen 01302 852469

Saturday 17 October Newbury & District Agricultural Society

By kind permission of Rooksnest Estate MAP-MARKER Coldridge Copse, Shefford Woodlands Hungerford, Berkshire, RG17 7BP 📞 Nicki Head 01635 247111

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Sunday 18 October Southern Counties Heavy Horse Association

Great All England Match. By kind permission of Angus Stovold MAP-MARKER Lydling Farm, Shackleford, Godalming, Surrey, GU8 6AP What3Words:///singled.marsh.dragon Owing to the pressures of the extreme weather, these events may be subject to change. Please check before attending.

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PLOUGHING MATCHES

Laughton & District Agricultural Society will be holding its 96th annual ploughing match on Wednesday 16 September at Houndean Field, Brighton Road, Lewes, East Sussex. With entries described by the organisers as “a bit ‘dry’ on the ground for obvious reasons”, the society is hoping for some rain in the meantime, but can usually expect a turnout of more than 50 ploughmen and women who compete in 10 different classes, displaying their skills with a collection of vintage, classic and modern machinery, as well as the muchloved heavy horses. The family section will be taking entries

10 DIFFERENT CLASSES for cookery, preserves, arts and crafts, flowers, fruit and vegetable classes, with all the available opportunities featured on the society’s new website at www.laughtonagriculturalsociety.com Each year the society’s education section invites a local primary school to attend. This year Kingston Primary School will have an opportunity to experience a unique outdoor learning environment with a ‘hands on’ activity day. The event will include trade stands from a

wide range of local agricultural businesses and retailers, together with refreshments and the famous Long Man beer trailer. The society’s annual hedge-laying competition will be on Saturday 5 September at Heighton Street, Firle, East Sussex, starting at 8.30am, with spectators invited to watch this rural craft free of charge.

Date: Venue: Cost: Info:

Wednesday 16 September Houndean Field, Brighton Road, Lewes £7 per adult laughtonploughingmatch@gmail.com

We warmly invite you to join Furley Page at the

East Kent Ploughing Match 2026 Wednesday 30 September ST NICHOLAS COURT FARMS, MONKTON CT12 4AU

Our agriculture and rural business team look forward to welcoming friends old and new at our marquee.

Knowledge. Experience. Results. SEPTEMBER 2026 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

Legal Services 01227 763939 info@furleypage.co.uk furleypage.co.uk

LEGAL

WHY IS A FARM PARTNERSHIP

AGREEMENT ESSENTIAL? A farm partnership agreement is one of the most valuable legal documents a farming business can have. Many farming partnerships are built on trust, long-standing relationships and family understanding. Relying on verbal agreements, though, can create uncertainty and lead to costly disputes. Without a written agreement, the partners may also face outcomes that do not reflect what they intended. A well-drafted and up-to-date partnership agreement provides clarity, protects the interests of all partners, and helps ensure the long-term success of the business. What happens if there is no written farm partnership agreement? In the UK, many farming businesses operate as traditional partnerships that have evolved over generations. Without a formal, written agreement, these are generally governed by the Partnership Act 1890. This provides a default framework, but it was not designed for the complexities of modern farming. As a result, it can produce outcomes that do not reflect the partners' intentions or the commercial needs of the farm.

T: 01892 701179 E: info@ts-p.co.uk www.ts-p.co.uk

ESTHER LEE

Partner, Probate T: 01892 701339 E: festher.lee@ts-p.co.uk

How can a farm partnership agreement clarify roles and responsibilities? A partnership agreement allows farmers to define exactly how their business will operate, based on their particular needs. It can set out each partner's responsibilities, whether they are involved in livestock management, arable production, financial administration, machinery maintenance or strategic decision-making. Clear roles improve accountability, reduce misunderstandings and help everyone understand what is expected of them.

The agreement is also invaluable if circumstances change unexpectedly. Partners may wish to retire, become ill, or simply pursue different opportunities. Without agreed procedures, these situations can create significant disruption. A partnership agreement can include provisions covering retirement, resignation, death, incapacity, and the valuation of partnership interests on an exit from the partnership. Having these arrangements documented in advance helps reduce uncertainty during difficult periods.

How should farm profits, losses and capital contributions be dealt with? Financial arrangements are another important area covered by a farm partnership agreement. The agreement can set out how profits and losses will be shared, how partners are rewarded for their work, and how capital contributions, including valuable farmland, are treated. This is particularly useful where partners contribute different amounts of money, land, equipment or labour. The agreement can then reflect each partner's actual contribution.

Can a partnership agreement help avoid farming disputes? Disputes can arise even within a well-run partnership. A partnership agreement can establish clear processes for resolving disputes, such as requiring mediation before court proceedings. This can save considerable time, legal costs and stress while preserving important working relationships. A farm partnership agreement provides certainty in an industry where uncertainty is part of daily life. Weather, taxation, commodity prices, regulation and market conditions are largely outside a farmer's control. A clear legal framework helps partners focus on running the farm with confidence, knowing that expectations, responsibilities and future plans have been agreed. For many farming businesses, investing in a comprehensive partnership agreement is a practical step that can protect both the business and the family behind it for years to come. If you are setting up a new farming partnership, reviewing existing arrangements or planning for succession, taking legal advice early can help ensure the agreement reflects how the farm operates in practice and protects the people involved. The expert team at Thomson Snell & Passmore would be happy to help.

Why is a farm partnership agreement important for succession planning? Succession planning is a major concern for farming families, and a partnership agreement can support a smooth transition between generations. Farming businesses often involve substantial land, buildings, machinery and livestock, which can make succession particularly complex. A carefully prepared agreement can set out how new family members join the partnership, how retiring partners leave, and how ownership and management responsibilities are transferred. This can help preserve family relationships while providing continuity for the business. A professionally drafted partnership agreement may also support wider discussions around tax planning.

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2026

AGRONOMY

THE 5% FARM How marginal gains – not wholesale change – can transform profitability. Farm economics remain under pressure; input costs are high, commodity prices volatile, and the gap between a struggling business and a profitable one can feel impossibly wide. Yet the difference between a low and a top-performing farm rarely comes down to wholesale system change. More often it's marginal gain, explained Will Foyle, farm business consultant with Hutchinsons. His advice: focus on smaller improvements – to yield, fixed costs, and variable costs – each modest alone, but powerful in combination. "The difference between a farm business that survives the next few years and one that thrives may come down to less than you think," he said.

THE MATHS BEHIND MARGINAL GAIN

"If a farm turns over £1,000,000 on a 10% margin, it generates £100,000 profit against £900,000 of costs; tight but not untypical," said Will. "Increase turnover by just 5%, to £1,050,000, while costs stay the same, and profit rises to £150,000 – a 50% increase in profit from a 5% increase in turnover. The same logic works in reverse with costs. "Small percentage changes to turnover or cost translate into disproportionately large changes to profit, but only if you know your numbers." That means understanding cost of production per tonne and per hectare, by crop and by field; knowing your strike price and having a grain marketing strategy rather than simply selling at harvest. Benchmarking against comparable businesses then shows where costs are competitive – and where they aren't.

CUTTING FIXED COSTS

Fixed costs – depreciation, labour, machinery, rent, finance – don't disappear when output falls, making reductions especially valuable. Six areas to focus on: • Automation – upgrading grain drying and handling can cut labour needs at harvest • Benchmarking – for example, comparing the cost of owning slurry equipment against using a contractor • Renewables – compare on-farm solar with battery storage against rising electricity prices, particularly for energy-hungry operations like drying, refrigeration and irrigation • Contract vs ownership – weigh contracting out against in-house resource, or consider using farm machinery to contract out and spread fixed costs • Cropping choices – for example, consider winter barley to bring harvest forward, ease combine pressure and free time for oil seed rape establishment • Machinery replacement policy – a clear, regularly reviewed policy based on the true cost of change.

SEPTEMBER 2026 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

MANAGING VARIABLE COSTS

Variable costs are tied to agronomic decisions but still offer efficiency gains, provided plans are tailored field by field rather than applied uniformly. Focus on: • Realistic yield targets – treating a 10t/ha field the same as a 7t/ha field wastes inputs on one and under-invests in the other • Variable rate technology – directing nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium where they'll have most effect, using data from soil sampling, nutrient mapping and platforms like Omnia • Nutrient use efficiency – building resilient soils and better nutrient cycling to cut bought-in fertiliser without hitting yield • Variable rate seed – optimising plant populations by soil type, measuring plants/m² at establishment rather than relying on TGW (thousand grain weight) alone • Variety choice – reviewing performance against the evolving recommended list, rather than sticking with a variety just because it’s familiar. "In isolation, none of these changes appears transformative. But consider what happens when they're combined," said Will. "Modelling across a 400ha farm suggests a 5% improvement in yield, a 5% cut in fixed costs, and a 5% cut in variable costs together reduces cost of production by around £15/tonne, giving a net benefit of roughly £53,000 across the farm."

Canterbury: 01227 830064 www.hutchinsons.co.uk

WILL FOYLE

Farm business manager T: 07583 130881 E: will.foyle@hlhltd.co.uk

and

STEPHEN CARR

Off in s ser you

SUMMER TO FORGET

We have all experienced a summer we won’t soon forget in terms of extreme heat and prolonged drought, and it’s been an unpleasant season for our livestock, our crops and our pockets. Inevitably, our leaders are now asking the Government for more financial support measures like the easing of the planning system to allow us to build more reservoirs, and new buildings to adapt our farms to climate change. Our planning system is unlikely to ease significantly, though, because the electorate don’t want it to and, famously, our government is desperately short of money. So, what can we do off our own bat to adapt to a rapidly warming climate with an increasingly unpredictable rainfall pattern? This is a particularly pertinent question for farmers in this region, as we are experiencing the worst of these new weather patterns on our farms. The whole of France was described as having experienced an ‘exceptional drought’ during the months of June, July and August (crop yields for the whole country were down 35%) but the South East of England should be included in that description. My father used to say that if you move into a new area and want to know how to farm there, it’s easy; just look over the fence and copy what your neighbours are doing. So, as we are rapidly moving the equivalent of five kilometres south each year in climate change terms, do we all need to be looking at French farms for how to make a living? One of my neighbours has already taken this to an extreme and planted 500 acres of what was once a farm growing rotational, combinable, arable crops with vines for making sparkling white wine. The produce from this chalk downland can’t be called ‘champagne’ because the protected designation laws prevent it, but, apparently, the great French champagne houses are considering buying up land here so my neighbour is probably onto a winner in the long term. But short of going full ‘French vineyard’ (as most of us don’t have the financial resources to do so anyway) what else can we do to mimic our more southerly farming colleagues? We might consider growing more drought and heat-resistant crops like sorghum, sunflowers, chickpeas and quinoa. With our livestock, we might have to adopt lower stocking rates to allow for hot dry spells so we can allow the swards to grow away in case things suddenly brown off. Better that our cows and sheep find something to eat in the fields rather than require feeding with hay and silage from mid-July. But perhaps it’s in the philosophy of farming in a drier climate where our French counterparts have the most to teach us. If we need to learn that food production is going to be an increasingly uncertain way to earn a living, who better to teach us that than the French? Less hand wringing, more Gallic shrug.

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.

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ARABLE NOTES

IN CONJUNCTION WITH

RAINFALL DESPERATELY NEEDED BUT KEEP ONE EYE

ON SOIL TEMPERATURE

In recent years it has become common to be cutting wheat in July, but having most farms finish combining all cereals by the end of July is certainly a first. One benefit of an early harvest is that farmers will have plenty of time get oilseed rape established in optimum conditions. Moisture, though, is going to be the biggest factor for oilseed rape establishment this year, and it’s important not to rush into establishing crops poorly at the first sign of rain. Across most of southern England, prolonged dry weather has left soils carrying exceptionally high soil moisture deficits. Next to no volunteer cereals or oilseed rape plants have established in stubbles since harvest, so establishing next year’s crops is going to be extremely challenging. Calendar date should not be a driving factor when it comes to oilseed rape, with many of the better yields in the south in recent years coming from later-sown crops. As ever, success will likely depend on conditions at the time of drilling. This year conserving moisture will likely be key, be this through minimal soil disturbance, retaining surface residues where appropriate, and waiting for sufficient rainfall to ensure rapid, even emergence. A crop that emerges quickly and uniformly has the best chance of outgrowing early cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB) pressure and developing the root system needed to withstand what may become another challenging autumn. It is likely that on many soils 25mm to 50mm of rain will be required before establishing oilseed rape successfully. This may well mean delaying drilling well into September to ensure cooler temperatures and hopefully some more rain. While rainfall is desperately needed, growers should also keep one eye on soil temperature. Following one of the warmest

and driest summers in recent years, soil temperatures remain well above average and are likely to stay elevated well into September. Warm soils will accelerate germination and emergence, but they also favour the development of several soil-borne pathogens, including Verticillium longisporum. Although infection occurs early in the season, symptoms are not expressed until the following summer at pod fill, when premature ripening can occur, leading to significantly reduced yields. Wide rotations and variety choice can help reduce Verticillium pressure. Warmer conditions will likely also favour pests such as cabbage stem weevil, cabbage root fly and Sawfly. Whilst these pests are not usually as devastating as CSFB, they can still cause significant yield loss if left untreated. Nutrition will play a major part in getting crops away, and getting adequate nitrogen and phosphate in the seedbed is essential. Organic manures often help deter CSFB and slugs as well as providing nutrition, so should be favoured over inorganic fertilisers.

SEPTEMBER 2026 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

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.

Jonathan James These nutrients, however, can only be taken up when in solution, and with the lack of soil moisture available this is currently likely to be limited. Given the below average cereal yields seen across the board this summer, it is likely that soil mineral nitrogen levels are relatively high, and there may be a possibility to reduce the amount of nitrogen applied to seedbeds in some scenarios.

ORGANISED CHAOS ANITA HICKSON

DEDICATED EMERGENCY

LIVESTOCK SUPPORT What a year 2026 has been so far; the year that keeps on giving – or maybe not, as some would say. East Kent is very dry, not unlike the rest of the country. Two-thirds of the country have now declared drought status and fires seem to have been raging around the countryside. Winter forage is already being fed to livestock, and I would think many farmers could run out of forage in the new year. Several people have already foraged their maize crops, as growth has been severely stunted by this prolonged weather. Many farmers have only managed to take silage as a first cut and are still waiting to make a second, let alone the third cut that is so desperately needed. The wheat price has taken a small turn for the better since Ukraine and Russia have been attacking ports and terminals. Ukraine has lowered its grain forecast for the 2026/2027 season by more than 12%

from its previous projection, citing Russian attacks on the Southern Odesa port hub. This disruption could result in a grain shortfall of 39 million tonnes. This comes as yields are broadly in line with the 2025 harvest (which wasn’t a great year for yield). The differential in price from feed wheat to milling wheat is marginal, as although grain appears short in quantity, the quality seems exceptional this year. Fingers crossed that the markets will rise even further. Many farmers that have not grown rape for a few years seem set to make a return to rape as a break crop next year. Away from farming, I must congratulate the whole team that supports Zara in her quest to event. She has been selected to go to Sweden with the squad representing Great Britain in the 2026 European Junior Championships, having been placed third in the final trial on her horse DHI Purple Rain. There really are so many people to thank, but I must particularly thanks Francis

Whittington, her trainer, mentor and guide, for all his help and expertise. In August’s South East Farmer I referred to a certain water company and its failure to assist livestock farmers when water was not available. Interestingly, South East Water has launched a dedicated emergency support service for livestock owners during supply outages. This is a register which is used to tailor alternative support directly to agricultural customers. For livestock farmers with more than six animals, the drinking water company will deliver water support directly to you. You must register with them first. Please see www.business.southeastwater.co.uk/ livestocksupport. Until next time, stay safe.

ANITA HICKSON Farmer

SEND YOUR VIEWS OR COMMENTS: SEF.ED@KELSEY.CO.UK X-TWITTER @SOUTHEASTFARMER facebook-square SOUTH EAST FARMER

NEW ARRIVALS HAVE PICKED A BAD TIME Dear Sir, While there are differing opinions over whether or not the number of people crossing the Channel in small boats constitutes an invasion, it is clear to me that the 30,000 ‘passport-free’ individuals who have arrived in the past 12 months have done so at a time when the worst drought since records began has hit yields of all staple crops. That, combined with a reliance on southern European imports, should be

worrying the government in terms of its food security responsibilities. I know the Burnham ball is in full bounce mode, but with farmers questioning the viability of our food industry, with high inputs and low or negative returns, and the regime desperately wondering who to rob next, its real problem is the risk that the three-day supermarket supply chain will develop a weak link this winter. While optimistic, Steve Clarkson (“OF&G Responds to the Farming Roadmap”, Letters, August) must realise that the country’s 5,000 hectares of organic crops, coupled with a

three-year loss lead time for new growers, is not only reducing in area but beset with competition from so called "organic" imported products from the EU and other countries with much less stringent rules. David Steed, Manston, Kent

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2026

AT ASHFORD MARKET

DROUGHT PUTS PRESSURE ON SHEEP TRADE

There is no getting away from the fact that the weather has become the dominant talking point in farming across the South East. What started as a remarkably dry spell has now developed into a serious drought situation, and for sheep farmers in the South East the consequences are becoming increasingly obvious. July was exceptionally dry, with England recording just a fraction of its normal rainfall. The Met Office has confirmed that July 2026 was the driest July on record for England, while the Environment Agency has reported continuing dry conditions into August, with the South East among the areas receiving particularly little rainfall. For the sheep farmers, the immediate problem is obviously grass. Pastures that would normally be providing a useful bite through July and August have turned brown, and in many cases there is very

little regrowth. That inevitably changes the economics of keeping sheep. At Ashford, we have been seeing the effects in the market. The sheep trade remains remarkably strong, but it is becoming increasingly two-tiered. On Tuesday 14 July we sold 1,585 new season lambs, with the standard quality quotation (SQQ) averaging 378.2p/kg. The best lambs were still making well over £4/kg, with a top of 423p/kg and £198 a head. However, there was around £100 per head difference between the best finished lambs and those which were essentially strong, grass-fed stores. A lamb that has been well finished on creep or supplementary feed can still present extremely well and command a premium. The difficulty comes with lambs relying entirely on grass. When the grass runs out, they simply stop thriving. Farmers are then faced with a choice; buy feed, move

JOHN ROSSITER

Reporting on the market at Ashford T: 01233 502222 www.hobbsparker.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 2026 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

sheep onto additional grazing, or sell earlier than they originally intended; all three options have a cost. The temptation might be to assume that drought automatically means higher sheep prices because fewer finished lambs will come forward. There is certainly an element of that, but the market is more complicated. The recent school holidays and high temperatures have had a serious impact on meat demand in the shops, and if farmers are forced to sell lambs earlier, numbers could increase in the short term, putting pressure on the trade. We have already seen how quickly the market can change. On Tuesday 30 June, the top new season lambs reached £220/ head, with the best finished sheep around or above £4/kg, but at the time of writing in early August, we are almost £25 per head back from those levels. The first store sale on Friday 31 July saw a large entry of just under 7,000 lambs and the ring packed with people at the start, all keen to get a gauge on the trade. Not all of those were buyers, unfortunately, but the trade was good for both the sellers, who needed sheep away, and for those buyers who have got some spare keep at far reaching corners of the country. The overall average was £109/head, £6 up on last year, which is a good result given the current farming conditions. We all know that the key issue over the coming weeks will be rainfall. A decent break of rain could transform the outlook, producing some much-needed grass and allowing farmers to hold lambs longer. Without it, the pressure on forage, feed costs and stocking numbers will continue. Undoubtedly, if it did rain properly for a few days the store lambs would lift in price, but it is a fine balance and a risky game to play if it doesn’t.

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

OUTLOOK

FOR SHEEP

IS GOOD

The harvest in East Anglia is all but complete, with yields below average being reported. The main topic of conversation in the livestock market is the lack of water and how, if this is to be the norm, we address this problem. The other big topic of conversation is the escalation of bluetongue, especially in the West Country following perfect vector weather conditions. This is another worry for producers, along with the added concern that they have to ensure they have sufficient fodder for this coming winter. The cattle trade is steadily rising but below the high trade of 2025. The cattle supply remains tight, which will impact on trade, and hopefully prices will continue to rise. The other concern not to be overlooked is the threat of imports, especially from South America given the EU’s blockage of Brazilian beef. There is growing concern that this beef may be redirected to the UK, which potentially would have a significant downward impact on prices. The lambs have taken the usual seasonable price drop, but lamb prices are still higher than for the same period in 2025. For sheep, most slaughter figures are showing significantly less than five years ago, which is clearly being reflected in the prices for lambs and cull ewes. The outlook for sheep I believe is good, given the small lamb crop of 2026, which will ultimately result in a tightening of supplies and increase in values. The heatwave will clearly continue to delay finishing of lambs unless feeding creep. The well-fed lambs are now selling to a premium as processers are finding it more difficult to source wellfinished lambs. The cull cow and ewe trade averages are declining due to more lean cows and ewes being culled early due to the drought conditions. We can only hope that by the next edition of this magazine we will have received significant rainfall which will go some way to ease the pressures on livestock producers and arable farmers.

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WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2026

ALAN WEST SHEEP TOPICS

PUTTING SOMETHING BACK

Over five decades or more I have derived a great deal of pleasure from working with (for?) and around sheep in various environments, ranging from the mountains of North Wales and the Saudi Arabian desert to the South East of England – and many others in between. As a result, I appreciate opportunities to put something back in to the industry, which is why it is so satisfying to be invited to judge sheep at shows. This year’s shows have to date ranged from Hertfordshire, Royal Isle of Wight and Cranleigh to Mudchute City Farm, at which I was judging their annual show for the second time; on both occasions being pleasantly surprised at the number of sheep forward from all over the South East and beyond, sheep of a quality equal to those presented at any other show. Hence it was particularly agreeable to see Nigel Akehurst’s August piece in South East Farmer featuring Mudchute, set amongst the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf. Manager Tom Davies and his crew do an amazing job, not only in promoting British livestock to a large, urban audience, but also in their advocacy for rare breeds; they certainly deserve all the support they can get. I do enjoy my judging, particularly when faced with a line-up of good, quality sheep of the kind I have seen this summer, and many of the classes cover a range of breeds (any other native, rare and minority and the like), a situation that does sometimes generate one or two surprises. I came across my first Galway at a show a few years ago. Consequently I always request a list of breeds forward so that, if needed, I can do a bit of research prior to the show; you’re never too old to learn, particularly where sheep are concerned. Inevitably, when faced with a range of breeds, often varying widely in nature and characteristics, the focus is rather more on being good, correct sheep (teeth, feet etc. as

ALAN WEST Sheep farmer

Not bad for a small Lleyn flock from Kent; first in the fleece competition at the Kent Show and a good second at the National Sheep Association event at Malvern this year they should be), with breed points, although still important, a secondary consideration. In spite of the overall good quality of sheep forward, there are still some issues, and one of the main reasons why I move sheep down the final line-up, is teeth; to be an effective and efficient grazer a sheep must be correct in the mouth. I do appreciate that for some of the rare and minority breeds, selecting good, correct breeding stock, rams in particular, is not (with a limited gene pool) always straightforward, but the selection of either home-bred or purchased stock on looks alone, without scrutinising teeth, feet, testicles etc., does a great disservice to breeds and breeders alike. To be fair this issue is not confined to rare breeds. Go to any ram sale, either breed specific or general, and you will see buyers happy to spend good money on sheep for which their main selection criteria is that they “like the look of it” (with the possible addition of performance figures), without getting in a pen and checking that it is correct in all its key attributes. OK, if you’re going to be looking at them 365 days of the year, you do need to like the look of your stock, but a sheep that is wrong in the mouth, excepting possibly a shearling that is changing its incisors, will always be wrong in the mouth, and a young sheep that is wrong in the mouth will often get worse, with the risk that the fault will be passed on. I have recently noticed several social media posts from breeders selling “show flocks”. What on earth is a show flock? How do those sheep differ from a good commercial sheep, apart from the fact that they will probably be registered or registerable as pedigree sheep? Maybe I’m just getting a bit cantankerous and a little less tolerant in my old age, but standards are important and a good sheep should be a good sheep, not just a good-

SEPTEMBER 2026 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

looking sheep. To me they should be one and the same. If we are not careful, we will, to our detriment, end up with two tiers of sheep – pampered sheep, purchased, bred, reared and selected for their show potential – and those that are selected to function and perform efficiently in a range of conditions and production systems. Just look at what has happened with the promotion of border collies for the show ring. I have bred and shown pedigree sheep for almost 40 years now, sheep that have earned a good selection of reserve champion, breed champion and even reserve supreme rosettes (never, sadly, quite managing a supreme champion), but I have never bred show sheep. I like to think that I have bred good, honest sheep that will perform well and efficiently within my somewhat challenging system, sheep that I am also happy to show. The show ‘team’ are simply members of the flock, correct sheep, that I like the look of. Sheep which I hope will do well in the show ring. Sheep are drawn from the flock too frequently, rather belatedly, with no special feeding or treatment, except some rather hasty halter training. They are all pedigrees, but that does not disqualify them from being good ‘commercial’ sheep; sheep that will function efficiently and perform in the real, often challenging, world of sheep production, with a few rosettes at a show providing a bonus. As much as I enjoy my judging, there was

VET DIARY

After some recent exposure of (tuberculosis) TB testing on a well-known Amazon television programme, as well as in-house continuing professional development on TB risk rate, it felt like a good time to revisit the TB conversation. East Sussex is an ‘edge area’, meaning annual testing is required in ‘TB-free’ herds. Being on farm during the tests we often have difficult conversations around the economic and emotional impact of the disease. It is easy to think of it as an uncontrollable nightmare, but with a slight change in mindset it can be seen as just another infectious disease we need to manage.

THE TEST

The skin test that we use has a 99.98% specificity, meaning false positives are very rare. No visible lesions at slaughter does not mean that the animal is not infected; it is more likely to mean that we have caught the disease early, or that the sensitivity of slaughterhouse testing is lower. Equally, a clear test does not mean a clear herd. This is because, like Johnes, a few TB-causing bacteria can ‘hide away’ before triggering disease and causing a test breakdown.

TB – A CONTROLLABLE

INFECTIOUS DISEASE

OR A LOGISTICAL NIGHTMARE? this involve breeding to terminal sires, managing as a red group (as we would Johnes) or having this as a strike against the cow for culling?

THE BLAME

It’s easy to point the blame at wildlife, but infection goes both ways between cattle and wildlife. It isn’t a one-way street; it’s Spaghetti Junction. A badger on farm isn’t automatically a risk; not all badgers have TB. If we have ‘clean’ badgers, we want to keep them uninfected, which may mean keeping them away from our infected cattle.

PREVENTING THE BREAKDOWN

If you’ve had inconclusive reactors (IRs) or a reactor, then you have infected cattle and should be taking action to prevent spread. As with any other infectious disease, you need to isolate the infected animal to protect the rest of the herd and other susceptible animals (including deer, badgers and alpacas) on the farm. Control doesn’t stop when you regain ‘TB-free’ status. Resolved IRs are more likely than skin test – clear animals to become reactors in the future and are therefore worth managing as a risk group. Could

• Keep a healthy herd • Maintain good biosecurity • Drop barn gates to the ground or have rubber matting at the bottom of gates to prevent badgers accessing sheds (assuming the rest of the shed is badger proof) • Wash vehicle tyres when exiting other farms, and before re-entering your own • Use boot dips with approved TB disinfectant at the right concentration and regularly maintained • Read the advice on the TB181 form following a breakdown. • Disinfect buildings regularly and thoroughly with an approved disinfectant at the correct concentration • Protect feed and forage stores by using a wildlife-proof shed or simple low-to-theground electric fencing

one invitation that I sincerely did not want to receive this year, which was to judge at the Edenbridge and Oxted; not because of the show, which is always a lovely, friendly event, but because the Lleyn classes were due to be judged by Derek Bond, a wellknown and popular Lleyn and Charollais breeder from West Sussex. Sadly, Derek

passed away in July and I have been asked to stand in for what will certainly be a hard act to follow. Derek was a good friend, mentor and honest critic, well known on the show circuit, who, for more than 40 years, worked hard to promote and raise the profile of Lleyn sheep, both within the region and

AFTER A BREAKDOWN

• Allow VESBA (Vaccinating East Sussex Badgers) access to your land (if in the catchment zone) to allow for badger vaccination • Maintain a closed herd; if you buy in, look at the TB history of the herd you are buying from • Speak to your vet for advice and book in a free TB Advisory Service (TBAS) visit. After every test we will discuss the interpretation and outcome of the test, as well as highlighting ‘riskier’ animals and discussing the rate of bovine lumps seen. Management plans can be made from this. There are plenty of simple steps that can reduce the spread of TB within your herd to neighbours and to wildlife. Discussing TB control can be a point of debate, but one thing is clear: TB is an infectious disease, and biosecurity should be managed as such. And hang tight, because cattle vaccination is coming (and has been in clinical trials for some time).

ISABEL FIELD

Cliffe Veterinary Group T: 01273 473232 E: farmenquiries@cliffevets.co.uk www.cliffefarm.co.uk

nationally, and who made some significant contributions through his work on the council and breed development committee of the Lleyn Breeders Society, towards the ongoing improvement and development of the Lleyn sheep breed. Truly one of life’s characters, whose presence will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2026

ADVICE FROM THE VET

BULL AND RAM FERTILITY

Sub-fertile males are usually not obvious, especially when several are used or are rotated around the groups for an extended period of time. Subfertility in bulls and rams is around 20% in the UK and can have a substantial economic loss in terms of lost offspring. Just like in breeding females, the bull’s and ram’s fertility is reduced by stress, heat stress, systemic illness, lameness, back injuries, extreme body conditions and parasitic burdens. Any abnormalities or injuries to the penis, prepuce or testicles can temporarily or permanently make a bull/ram infertile. This can change throughout and between mating periods, so it’s important to examine the bull/ ram before each mating period. Pre-breeding exams are a cost-effective way of reducing the risk of using sub-fertile bulls or rams, although they do not eliminate the potential for illness or trauma during the breeding season that can affect fertility. Close observation during the mating period is also important, as it provides information on physical performance. The specifics of these exams have been covered in previous articles. Infectious diseases are an important factor in fertility which can be tested for and, in most cases, vaccinated against. Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) and leptospirosis can reduce fertility in

Knowing the fertility status of your ram or bull and the different factors that impact upon it has a huge impact on the success of your breeding season advises Mia Ellis, Westpoint Chelmsford. bulls and, if passed onto the cows, can cause reduced fertility, weak calves and abortions. Although Johne’s Disease does not directly impact bull or ram fertility, the condition loss in the clinical stage of the disease can indirectly lead to poor semen quality and reduced libido. Maedi-Visna (MV) and caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) cause indirect infertility in rams during the transient infection phase, and so it is important to include breeding males in health schemes or disease protocols. Venereal diseases should be considered as they can cause abortion and reduced fertility without any obvious clinical signs. Trichomoniasis and campylobacter are spread via artificial insemination, infected bulls and contaminated bedding or equipment. The bulls are asymptomatic, and often the only signs that cattle have been infected are reduced fertility, return to service and abortions. Diagnosis is via culture of the bacteria from the bull’s preputial sheath wash. Contagious epididymitis, mainly caused by Brucella ovis, is a common cause of infertility or sub-fertility in rams. It can affect one or both testicles and causes at least a 50%

reduction in sperm production. It should be picked up on a routine breeding examination due to increased scrotal circumference, and can be confirmed via a blood test. Strict culling is the best way to control this disease. Heat stress can have a direct impact on fertility, as spermatogenesis is a thermosensitive process, and causes changes to the sperm which reduce their ability to fertilise. This needs to be considered when deciding on mating periods. As trace element deficiency such as low levels of zinc, selenium and manganese can reduce fertility, it can be beneficial to run a trace element test prior to breeding or provide supplementation. The current lack of rainfall has led to poor grass quality and restricted grazing which is likely to lead to lower body condition scores at tupping, making it even more important to consider supplementary feeding. Bluetongue virus (currently serotype 3) impacts fertility in both cattle and sheep, with increased rates of infertility, abortions, stillbirths and dummy newborns. Discuss with your vet an appropriate time to vaccinate your flock or herd. In short, the health of a ram or bull has a huge impact on their reproductive performance and is something to be considered well before the breeding season.

If you would like to discuss anything covered in this article contact your local Westpoint practice Westpoint Ashford T: 01306 628208 Westpoint Winchester T: 01962 779593 Westpoint Chelmsford T: 01306 628489 E: info@westpointfarmvets.co.uk www.westpointfarmvets.co.uk SEPTEMBER 2026 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

RURAL EDUCATION EXPERIENCE

FARMING'S FUTURE Few television programmes have done more to bring farming into the public eye than Clarkson's Farm. Much of its appeal comes from the humour and challenges of life on the land, but it’s also highlighted something the industry has known for years: that modern farming demands far more than hard work alone. Success increasingly relies on technology, innovation and a highly skilled workforce. Clarkson’s series has showcased everything from GPS-guided machinery and precision mapping to automated equipment designed to reduce physical workloads. It’s also shown that adopting new technology is rarely as simple as pressing a button, but needs specialist knowledge and human decision-making. As a new academic year begins at NKC Hadlow College this September, it’s a reminder that the future of farming depends not only on new technology, but on developing the people who can use it effectively. As Kent's only rural and land-based specialist college, NKC Hadlow College provides learning environments that reflect the realities of modern farming, helping students build the practical skills and technical understanding employers are seeking. Learning takes place in classrooms as well as in facilities designed to mirror modern industry practices, giving students hands-on experience alongside the knowledge needed to thrive in their careers. Innovation and technology play a key role in that experience. Hadlow's state-of-the-art glasshouse, developed in partnership

with Thanet Earth, is home to the UK's first centre of excellence in greenhouse growing. Students work with industry-standard hydroponic systems, explore vertical farming techniques and use advanced environmental controls to understand how technology is helping to produce food more efficiently and sustainably. While technology continues to transform the sector, many of the qualities that underpin successful farming remain unchanged. Practical expertise, resilience, adaptability and good judgement are as important today as ever. By combining these attributes with emerging technologies, students are well prepared for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Explore modern agricultural training at the next NKC Hadlow College Open Event on Saturday 7 November, 10am - 1pm. Visit hadlow.ac.uk WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2026

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

01227 763939 furleypage.co.uk

NOT ALL TENANCIES

ARE EQUAL A guide to Service Occupancy, Assured Agricultural Occupancy and Assured Periodic Tenancy.

If you are an agricultural employer with properties you want your employees to occupy, you must consider what the employee’s work comprises. Ask yourself: have they been employed in agriculture for 91 weeks out of the last 104 weeks? Have they worked 35 hours or more? Work includes things

like intensive livestock, horticulture and forestry. If the answers to these questions are yes and the properties are owned by you as their employer, then their status would be one of assured agricultural occupancy (AAO), a protected form of tenancy.

AAO VS APT TENANCY

If an employer wishes to ensure it is an assured periodic tenancy (APT), which carries fewer protections than an AAO, then before any tenancy is entered into, a notice needs to be served on the employee to tell them that the tenancy will be an APT, despite it meeting the criteria for an AAO. The AAO will then be governed by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. An APT was previously known as an assured shorthold tenancy (AST). Under the new Renters’ Rights Act, since 1 May 2026 any new tenancies granted, or any existing ASTs on that date, automatically became APTs. An APT is essentially a rolling tenancy from month to month, with no fixed term and with new provisions for a landlord to get possession.

For advice on tenancy agreements or your legal obligations, contact our property dispute team today

SARAH WOOLNOUGH

Senior associate in the property dispute team, Furley Page Solicitors T: 01227 763939 E: slw@furleypage.co.uk W: www.furleypage.co.uk

GROUNDS FOR POSSESSION

Gone is the Section 21, ‘no reason’, process. What remains is the Section 8 process, with amended and new grounds a landlord can use to get possession, such as wanting to sell or wanting themselves or their family to occupy the property. There are two specific grounds; ground 5A, where a landlord can serve two months’ notice if

SEPTEMBER 2026 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

they want to house an agricultural worker in the property, and Ground 5C, where the employment has ended and the property was rented out as part of the employee’s employment, or where the tenancy was not meant to last the entirety of the employment and the landlord needs the property. Again, this requires two months’ notice. Both grounds 5A and 5C require tenants to be given prior notice that possession might be sought on those grounds in the future; this information can be contained in the tenancy agreement.

SERVICE OCCUPANCY AGREEMENTS

To qualify as a service occupancy arrangement, the employee needs to occupy the employer’s property because their contract or letter of employment says they needed to, or because it was for the better performance of their job or to enable them to do their job. In this case the employee would be a licensee rather than a tenant and would have less protection, although the occupation would still need to be terminated either automatically when their employment came to an end or by service of a notice. Ultimately, if they failed to vacate then, as with a tenancy, court proceedings would be needed to evict them. Whether you have existing tenants or are looking at hiring agricultural workers to live in your property, it is important to understand their status. Seeking informed legal advice will help protect you, your business and your property.

LEGAL

POWERS OF ATTORNEY

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE OF YOUR FARM There is much to consider when planning for the future of a farming business. Alongside land, machinery and assets, many farms depend on a small number of key individuals to make decisions, manage finances and maintain important relationships with banks, suppliers and professional advisers. While many farming families plan carefully for succession, it is equally important to consider what would happen if a key decision-maker became seriously ill, suffered an accident or lost mental capacity. Without the right arrangements in place, contracts may go unsigned, borrowing arrangements may be delayed, land transactions could stall and important business decisions may be left unresolved at a critical time.

LASTING POWERS OF ATTORNEY

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a registered legal document that allows another person to make decisions on your behalf should you require help or become unable to do so in the future. LPAs can cover both property and financial affairs and health and welfare decisions. For farming families, a property and financial affairs LPA is often particularly important. It can enable appointed attorneys to sign contracts, deal with agricultural subsidy

arrangements, manage bank accounts, deal with professional advisers and continue important transactions if the individual is no longer able to act for themselves. For many, it brings comfort to know that someone they trust can step in to protect their interests. Without an LPA, family members do not automatically have authority to make these decisions, even where they are heavily involved in the business.

THE RISK OF LEAVING IT TOO LATE

If someone loses mental capacity without an LPA in place, an application to the Court of Protection may be required before another person can act on their behalf. This process can be lengthy, costly and stressful, particularly where urgent financial or business decisions need to be made. Importantly, an LPA must be put in place while the individual still has mental capacity. If you are uncertain whether or not your existing arrangements are sufficient, or simply need assistance putting an LPA in place, Brachers’ private client and agriculture and rural teams are here to help. Brachers works closely with farming families to put appropriate legal safeguards in place as part of wider succession, estate and business continuity planning.

Once capacity has been lost, it is no longer possible to create one, which is why it is sensible to consider LPAs as part of wider estate and succession planning.

A KEY PART OF SUCCESSION PLANNING

LPAs should not be viewed in isolation. Farming businesses often involve partnerships, companies, trusts and assets that have been built up over generations, and each family’s circumstances will be different. Reviewing LPAs alongside wills, partnership agreements and wider succession plans can help ensure that the right people are able to make decisions and that the farm can continue to operate effectively if circumstances change unexpectedly. Taking a joined-up approach can provide reassurance for both the family and the business, while helping to reduce disruption at what may already be a difficult time.

MARY RIMMER

Partner, Private Client T: 01622 655296 E: maryrimmer@brachers.co.uk www.brachers.co.uk

Proud to support the Weald of Kent and East Kent Ploughing Matches

Protect your legacy Whether it’s your family, your home or your business, we provide tailored legal advice to help you safeguard what matters most Call us on 01622 690691

Visit us at brachers.co.uk 01622 690691 | brachers.co.uk

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2026

Ewell Minnis, Dover FOR SALE AS A WHOLE OR IN EIGHT LOTS A former dairy farm offering significant potential, subject to the necessary planning consents, comprising a charming two-bedroom Flint Cottage, in excess of 24,000 sq ft (2,230 sq m) of livestock buildings and yards, together with approximately 59.40 acres (24.04 ha) of pastureland. The farm is offered for sale as a whole or in a number of lots, with a range of land parcels available offering varying acreages. The extensive farm buildings may also offer potential for alternative uses, subject to obtaining the necessary planning permissions.

Land at Knowle Road, Wouldham

Caring Lane, Bearsted

Guide Price: £275,000 + VAT

Guide Price: £725,000

A strategically located block of Grade II Agricultural Land, extending in all to some 15.58 acres (6.30 hectares). The land is situated between Peters Village and Wouldham in the Medway Valley, Kent. The land is borderd by residential development, as well as Wouldham Primary School to the south. Unconditional offers only are sought from the vendors.

A most attractive smallholding on the immediate outskirts of Bearsted comprising of pasture with some woodland and a pond with two onebedroom detatched chalets, an L-shaped stable block and an agricultural barn. In all the land extends to 10.15 acres (4.11 hectares).

ALL ENQUIRIES TO OUR PADDOCK WOOD OFFICE. CALL US ON 01892 832 325 (OPTION 3) OR BY EMAIL TO AGRIC@LAMBERTANDFOSTER.CO.UK

PROPERTY PROFESSIONALS FOR OVER 125 YEARS

LAND AND FARMS DORKING | SURREY

204.55 ACRES

GUIDE PRICE: £4.5M FOR THE WHOLE OR LOT 1: £3.25M LOT 2: £1.25M

204.55 ACRE FARM IN THE SURREY HILLS NATIONAL LANDSCAPE Chadhurst Farm is an attractive and versatile farm which has come to market in the highly sought-after Surrey Hills National Landscape, offering a combination of residential, agricultural, environmental, equestrian and commercial appeal. The farm comes with a three-bedroom attached farmhouse, a three-bedroom detached granary (subject to an agricultural occupancy condition (AOC)), a range of traditional buildings and modern, fit-forpurpose agricultural buildings, together with surrounding farmland and woods. The farmstead comprises a range of well laid-out and versatile buildings, grouped around a practical and accessible yard. They provide a combination of commercial income, livestock/equestrian buildings and traditional structures with potential for alternative uses.

The farmland extends to approximately 199 acres and is a mix of arable, pasture, woodland and amenity areas arranged in a number of practical parcels. The land to the north of the farmstead is currently entered into a mid-tier countryside stewardship scheme and is managed on a rotational basis. Holmwood Field on the north-western boundary is currently laid to pasture and used as a stick and ball polo pitch. Overall the land is well suited to agricultural, equestrian and environmental use. There are two residential properties; the principal farmhouse at Chadhurst is an attractive and characterful attached property constructed in red brick with distinctive Dutch gables. The accommodation, which extends to 4,711 sq ft, is arranged over two floors with large windows, good ceiling heights and period features. Outside there is a large

double garage, driveway and established gardens with private front courtyard. The second property is The Granary, a three-bedroom detached property which is understood to have been converted from a traditional agricultural building and is subject to an AOC. The Granary is well-appointed, has views towards Ranmore Common and is characterful, with accommodation arranged over three floors. The farm is situated in a peaceful location just two miles south of the popular market town of Dorking, and provides a versatile mix of income-generating assets and buildings with potential for alternative uses, subject to the necessary consents. Chadhurst Farm is available as a whole or in two lots, with a guide price of £4.5m for the whole or £3.25m for the farm (Lot 1) and £1.25m for Chadhurst Farmhouse (Lot 2).

Contact Chris Spofforth or Hannah Riches of Savills Rural Agency on 07812 965379 or 07967 555724

P O T

K C PI

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2026

Land & Property Experts Land in Wagstaff Lane, Biddenden, Kent

FOR SALE BY PRIVATE TREATY

A ring-fenced parcel of Grade III arable land, arranged in six field enclosures with road frontage and access from Wagstaff Lane. Gently undulating, with ponds and small areas of woodland. The land produced winter wheat in 2026 and offers potential for Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). Approximately 70.08 acres

Guide Price £575,000 Challock Office

Residential and Grassland Smallholding, Nr Rye, East Sussex

FOR SALE BY PRIVATE TREATY

An opportunity to renovate or replace (subject to obtaining any necessary consents) a pair of semidetached bungalows with adjoining and adjacent pasture fields. Set well back from the road within the picturesque Tillingham Valley. Approximately 27.39 acres

Guide Price OIEO £700,000 Heathfield Office

Land at Waltham, Canterbury, Kent

FOR SALE BY PRIVATE TREATY

Two parcels of Grade III agricultural land extending to just over 95 acres, available in two lots. Lot 1 comprises 66.42 acres of south-facing arable and grassland with two access points and potential for vine planting. Lot 2 comprises 28.98 acres of permanent pasture with access via a right of way. Approximately 95.40 acres Guide Price Lot 1 - £525,000 Guide Price Lot 2 - £225,000

Guide Price As A Whole £750,000 Challock Office

Farm Machinery Dispersal sale

Wednesday 23rd September 2026

COME VISIT US AT OUR STANDS AT THE FOLLOWING PLOUGHING MATCHES

ADISHAM COURT FARM, ADISHAM, CANTERBURY, KENT CT3 3LH

WEALD OF KENT PLOUGHING MATCH

Auction to commence at 10.30am. Approx 300 lots. Full brochure will be available soon on our website. Contact us for more information 01233 740077

Saturday 12th September, Woodchurch

GRAVESEND & ROCHESTER PLOUGHING MATCH Saturday 19th September, Rochester

EAST KENT PLOUGHING MATCH

Wednesday 30th September, Monkton

www.btfpartnership.co.uk challock@btfpartnership.co.uk

CHALLOCK 01233 740077

HEATHFIELD 01435 864455

CANTERBURY 01227 763663

LAND AND FARMS

BLACKBOYS, | EAST SUSSEX

104.5 ACRES

GUIDE PRICE: £775,000

HIGH QUALITY WOODLAND

An extremely attractive block of mixed woodland with an exceptional nine acre lake with islands and three further ponds – in all about 104.5 acres – is on the market with Batcheller Monkhouse. Possingworth Park lake and woodland is situated in a glorious stretch of unspoilt countryside with excellent access via a modern double gate from the B2102. A stone track runs through an adjacent beech copse to a stone stacking area which connects to a selection of rides throughout the woodland. In addition, there is a secondary access via the entrance to Plovers Meadow. This offers a rare opportunity to acquire a combination of high quality woodland, both broadleaf and coniferous, and a glorious nine acre lake, both of which offer commercial and amenity potential. The woodland dates back to the 1600s and a pinetum was established in the 1800s, with beautiful trees remaining, including a superb wellingtonia. There is also a fine mature lime avenue together with some adjoining mixed crops which are understood to date back to circa 1900, which is believed to have been planted as a folly. During the 1980s and 1990s small areas were cleared, following the 1987 storm, and re-stocked or naturally regenerated. The planting included oak, cherry, sweet chestnut, Corsican, Scots and lodge pole pine. Naturally regenerating birch has been accepted in some areas. Re-stocking took place in 2020 with a mixture of commercial conifer – fir, cedar and spruce – and English oak. The woodland has been carefully managed in recent years. Of particular note is the outstanding nine acre lake, which offers enormous amenity value for both fishing and boating/sailing. It was created by the construction of a substantial retaining bank/ dam with a concrete spillway along the southern end. The spillway enables the water level to remain constant. At the northern end of the lake is an impressive timber bridge and a former boathouse of brick construction but now in a dilapidated condition. Due to the substantial nature of the lake, its water capacity brings it under the scope of the Reservoirs Act 1975/Flood and Water Management Act 2010. In compliance with this Act an annual inspection is undertaken by a qualified engineer. The most recent inspection occurred in December 2024. The woodland is sold subject to a claw-back on future non-woodland development. This is effective for 30 years from

AND A GLORIOUS LAKE

March 2018. Claw-back will only be payable to the vendor or the vendor’s representatives after planning permission for a non-woodland use has been granted and will be 30% of any increase in value created by that consent. The boathouse is excluded from this arrangement.

A RARE OPPORTUNITY 31.33 acres Hunston North, West Sussex. Chichester: 2 miles A rare opportunity to rent 31.33 acres of arable land near Hunston, West Sussex, from 29th September 2026. The holding comprises a mix of Grade I and III land. To rent Will Shepherd +44 (0) 1798 345980 william.shepherd@savills.com

James Pearson +44 (0) 1798 345980 james.pearson@savills.com

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2026

New Pond Farm Robertsbridge, East Sussex, TN32 About 164 acres A picturesque former fruit farm with incredible potential. A four-bedroom farmhouse subject to an AOC, an extensive range of farm buildings, a mobile home with Certificate of Lawful Use for a dwelling, lying in a secluded location, rolling grassland and woodland. Robertsbridge – 2 miles, Hastings – 10 miles, Central London – 57 miles.

Guide price £2,100,000 Arrange a viewing Liza Howden | +44 (0) 20 7591 2214 Harry Kennedy | +44 (0) 20 7591 2232

Manor Farm Frittenden, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 About 141 acres A ring-fenced residential farm with extensive views and a Grade II listed farmhouse at its heart. An additional adjoining cottage, Grade II listed oast and cart barn, a collection of supporting farm buildings. Gently undulating pasture, woodland and ponds. Cranbrook – 4.5 miles, Tunbridge Wells – 17 miles, Central London – 58 miles.

Guide price £3,350,000 Arrange a viewing Liza Howden | +44 (0) 20 7591 2214 Harry Kennedy | +44 (0) 20 7591 2232

LAND AND FARMS

DON’T BELIEVE

EVERYTHING YOU READ Renting property continues to be a viable business following the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act earlier this year, but the rules are complex. “The new legislation protects landlords’ interests as well as those of the tenants, but landlords who don’t comply, even unintentionally, lose that protection and could face penalties including forfeiting two years’ rental income or being unable to evict their tenants or raise rents,” Batcheller Monkhouse’s head of lettings Lucie Allan explained. “If a tenant makes a successful claim for a rent repayment order towards the end of their stay, they will have lived there rent free.” Lucie went on: “Landlords who think they can meet all the legislative requirements themselves, without professional help, are running a big risk. For peace of mind alone, using a reputable and professional letting agent such as Batcheller Monkhouse makes financial sense. “There are more than 150 pieces of legislation and 170-plus regulations involved, making it a potential minefield.” While Section 21, so-called ‘no fault’ evictions were banned from 1 May 2026, landlords can still obtain possession of the property if they want to sell it or if they, or a close relative, plan to live in it. Those arrangements, though, only apply to landlords who meet all the requirements, including registering on the new private rented sector database which is set to be introduced later in the year. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has issued a guide that

warns of a £7,000 financial penalty for a range of breaches of the legislation and a penalty of up to £40,000 for more serious offences. “With some breaches seemingly minor, the new legislation could trip up even a well-intentioned landlord who tries to ‘go it alone’,” Lucie commented. Batcheller Monkhouse offers landlords a Property MOT service which checks all elements of the tenancy, reviews the rent level and ensures the property is safe and compliant, with all necessary certificates valid and in place. As a member of Propertymark, Batcheller Monkhouse is campaigning for the introduction of a professional qualification framework for property agents, known as RoPA (Regulation of Property Agents).

THE NEW LEGISLATION – A SNAPSHOT

• All assured shorthold tenancies are now periodic/rolling assured periodic tenancies • Tenants can end a tenancy by giving two months’ notice in writing • Security of tenure is an initial 12 months rather than 6 months • Section 21 notices have been replaced by a Section 8 notice. A landlord can reclaim a property if they or a close family member plan to live in it or they wish to sell it • No rent taken in advance • ‘Bidding wars’ are now a thing of the past • Rent rises must reflect market rates and can be challenged at a tribunal • Landlords need a legitimate reason to refuse a tenant’s request to keep a pet.

FOR REASSURANCE AND PEACE OF MIND

For clients who manage their own residential property rentals, Batcheller Monkhouse offers The Property MOT. In effect, this is a ‘health-check’, designed to help landlords determine whether or not their property is fully compliant with current legislation. The Property MOT will review: • Safety certificates • Fuel and energy use • Smoke and CO2 alarms • Health and safety hazards • Security issues • Damp and mould hazard • Tenancy documentation.

PROTECTING YOUR TENANCY

There has never been a more important time to protect your tenancy. Rent protection insurance protects landlords from financial loss by securing rental income against tenant default. Crucially, it also includes legal expense cover. This funds the expensive process of tenant eviction, court representation and debt recovery. Essentially, it eliminates the unpredictable risk of prolonged arrears and costly legal battles. It transforms a major property risk into a manageable, fixed expense, providing vital financial stability. For information on how to ensure your tenancy is compliant in this new letting landscape, please contact the lettings team at Batcheller Monkhouse today to find out more about our services and associated costs.

LUCIE ALLAN

MARLA Head of Lettings T: 01444 415151 E: l.allan@batchellermonkhouse.com WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2026

LAND AND FARMS

SURVEY REVEALS UNCERTAINTY

DAMAGING FARM LETS

Increased uncertainty in the agricultural sector encouraged landowners and farmers to take a shorter-term view of agreements in 2025, according to the most recent annual agricultural land occupation survey by the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV). Using data from all 27 of the CAAV’s local associations across England and Wales, the 49th survey highlights land choices across 88,384 acres in the year to October 31, 2025. It found a net loss in let land of 4,510 acres, with the proportion of Agricultural Holdings Act (AHA) tenancies being re-let declining sharply. While 75% to 80% of AHA tenancies have historically been re-let, this dropped to under 53% in 2025. At the same time, the proportion of units being sold when AHAs ended increased from a typical eight to 10% to nearly 23%. Reflecting a climate of increased uncertainty, the average length of farm business tenancies (FBTs) declined to its lowest level since 2021, falling from 3.97 years in 2024 to 3.38 years in 2025. Excluding those tenancies shorter than a year, the average fell from 5.05 to 4.65 years, the lowest since 2018. “Over the years, these surveys have shown that periods of policy uncertainty see the average length of letting shorten,” said Jeremy Moody, secretary and adviser to the CAAV. “Wider issues, from farming economics to housing legislation, underpin this reality. “In practice, the survey shows a similar pattern to previous years

BATTLE | EAST SUSSEX

GUIDE PRICE: £800,000

A substantial block of mixed amenity woodland along with about 12 acres of pasture totalling 117.3 acres is on the market with Batcheller Monkhouse. The land comprises a substantial block of mixed woodland together with a single enclosure of permanent pasture with some mature oak trees of approximately 12 acres. The woodland is a mixture of established conifers interspersed with birch, sycamore, oak and other broadleaved species. The land is served by a network of pathways. Within the woodland are the remains of a former brick built structure, now roofless, and a further dilapidated outbuilding of corrugated construction with the remnants of stone walls. This building falls within the site of a Scheduled Monument (Historic England List entry 1002250), believed to be among the largest iron producing complexes in the entire Roman Empire, and the site includes the remains of a Roman bath house. There is an area of seasonal pond and an area of low lying ground providing a wildlife habitat, adding further interest to the holding.

SEPTEMBER 2026 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

but with a shortening of the shorter terms granted, fitting the recognised pattern of reactions to concern and uncertainty.” Larger holdings were more likely to be let on longer terms than smaller units, with new entrants also offered longer terms. The survey revealed that 79% of new entrants obtained tenancies of more than two years, compared to 62.5% of other tenants. “There may be seeds of change,” said Mr Moody, explaining: “Thirty per cent of new lettings where there was a change of tenant were to new entrants – the top end of the usual range. That could indicate the market opening up a bit.” Flexibility was the most common reason landlords gave for choosing the length of tenancy. It was cited by 37% of respondents, up from 27% last year, while five per cent referred directly to uncertainty against two per cent last year. “Uncertainty increased in 2025, after the October 2024 Budget’s inheritance tax proposals, alongside concern about schemes, economics and weather,” said Mr Moody. “Very few decisions were made in 2025 because of the inheritance tax changes, but they infused the wider mood of uncertainty.” He added: “However, access to land is a key tool to raise productivity, and the tenanted sector has a potentially salient role in answering British farming’s productivity challenge.” 💻 The full survey is available at https://shorturl.at/aSYOV

MIXED AMENITY

WOODLAND For an appointment to view please contact the Battle office on 01424 775577

Landlord income without the workload Vetted tenants Trusted management Local expertise Get in touch 01424 775577 batchellermonkhouse.com/property-lettings

Is your land management system fit for purpose? IHT

SFI26

Solar PV

Does this tax need to ruin your family business?

Is it right for your farm? What are the alternatives?

Is generating your own electricity always profitable?

Water

Diversification

Is a reliable water supply crucial to your farming system?

Are your non-farming enterprises as profitable as they can be?

Your farmland. Our support.

Honey Real Estate Call: Matthew 07710765323 Email: Matthew@honeyrealestate.co.uk Visit: www.honeyrealestate.co.uk WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2026

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T 01403 266124 M 07880 746474 / 07921 123920 E richmond.46@btinternet.com www.jdrichmondandson.co.uk

VIEW OUR FULL PRODUCT RANGE AT

southernsheeting.co.uk or call 01342 590 305 CS3652 SS SE Farmers 190mm x 133mm advert 2025.indd 1

13/03/2025 10:58

For further details and a no obligation quote, please contact us: 01829 423 123 info@acjackson.co.uk

www.acjacksonltd.co.uk

Design, fabrication and installation

/acjacksonltd @ACJacksonLtd SUPPLYING AND ERECTING STEEL FRAMED BUILDINGS FOR OVER 30 YEARS

Agricultural buildings

Equestrian buildings

Industrial buildings

SEPTEMBER 2026 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

CONSTRUCTION FENCING

G. J. ELGAR

CWP fenci f n ng

Standing StandingSweet SweetChestnut Chestnut Wanted Wanted Standing Sweet Chestnut Wanted

Cleft post and Cleft post and railrail Cleft post and rail Cleft field gates Cleft ﬁeld gates Cleft ﬁeld gates Fencing stakes Fencing stakes Fencing stakes Straining posts Straining posts Straining posts Chestnut fencing Chestnut fencing Chestnut fencing

CONSTRUCTION Ltd

Tel: 07985 298221 colin@cwpfencing.co.uk 07985298221 colin@cwpfencing.co.uk Tel:Tel: 07985298221 colin@cwpfencing.co.uk

Redhill Farm Services: Fencing Division

ALL TYPES OF FENCING & GATES

Supplied and erected & Repairs

• Steel frame buildings • Sheeting and cladding • Guttering and repairs • Groundworks and drainage • Demolition and asbestos removal • Refurbishment and change of use • Concrete frame and steel frame repairs • Insurance and general repairs • Concrete floor and block paving

Tel: 01737 821220 Mob: 07768 931891 Email: redhillfarmservices@gmail.com To advertise in South East Farmer telephone 01303 233883

CONTRACTORS

www.gjelgarconstruction.co.uk

For more information contact us: t: 01233 623739 e: enquiries@gjelgarconstruction.co.uk

G & S BROWN

Drainage Contractors Working with farmers since 1947

● LAND DRAINAGE ● DITCHING ● POND WORK ● WATER SUPPLIES ● SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS ● GROUNDWORKS ● PLANT HIRE 360° EXCAVATORS

TORRAN

CONSTRUCTION LIMITED A professional service at a competitive price

FOR ESTIMATES & ENQUIRIES

(01622) 890884 Email: info@brownsdrainage.co.uk

www.brownsdrainage.co.uk

Groundworks: Farm tracks, concrete floors, large-scale earthworks Land drainage with GPS controlled trenchers

Sports Turf & Land Drainage Contractors

Industrial Flooring

Groundworks

John Rodgers 07795 678389 john@torran.biz

Reservoirs, ponds, lakes, ditching Agricultural operations Rewilding and conservation works

Civil Engineering

Contact

Jason Glanville 07743 937875 jason@torran.biz

www.torran-construction.co.uk

01243 511337 - amscontracting.co.uk

To advertise in South East Farmer telephone 01303 233883

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2026

CLASSIFIEDS

FOR HIRE CROP DRYING

Manufacturers of centrifugal, low volume and portable fans, air tunnels, drive over floors, grain stirrers and gas burners

PELLCROFT www.pellcroft.com | sales@pellcroft.com | 01526 342466

To advertise in South East Farmer telephone 01303 233883

PRESSURE WASHERS

REACH FARMERS

58 To advertise in South East Farmer telephone 01303 233883

SALES SERVICE HIRE

MAXI-STIRRER 01825 705777

CONSTANT HUMIDITY CONTROLLER

Unit 4, 72 Bell Lane Uckfield, East Sussex TN22 1QL enquiries@pressureclean.co.uk

Pressure Clean Ltd – Supplying top-quality pressure cleaning equipment for farms, machinery, and buildings. Durable, efficient, and affordable. Serving the South East. Call today for expert advice and competitive prices.

STORAGE TANKS Precision gas burners that give total control for drying success.

Gantry grain stirrer that breaks compaction, boosts airflow, and supports high-temp drying.

Smiths of the Forest of Dean The Tank and Drum Experts

BUILD & MANAGE

DESIGN & FABRICATE

New and recycled IBCs, stainless steel IBCs, plastic drums and containers, steel drums and plenty of fittings. Buy from stock. Visit us to collect or same day dispatch with nationwide delivery.

Visit www.smdd.co.uk or call 01594 833308 Agricultural buildings and crop stores, from design through to completion.

Modelling and design, streamlined for precision fabrication.

VISIT WWW.HARVESTINSTALLATIONS.COM OR CALL +44 (0)1795 533903

SEPTEMBER 2026 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET

To advertise in South East Farmer telephone 01303 233883

CROSSWORD ®

COMPLETE OUR CROSSWORD TO WIN A selection of new juices

ACROSS

1 5 8 9

9 10

12 13

1 2 3 4 6 7 10 13 15 16 18 19 20 21 23 24

Courageous, fearless (5) UK's only venemous snake (5) Used for flying by birds, bats and insects (4) Learn a new skillset (7) Poison from animal or plant (5) Bird of prey (3,4) Dispense liquid (4) Sea bird (4) Rare breed duck (9) Smallest particle of an element (4) Used to save fruit crops from bird predation (3) Deliberately unbelievable comedy (5) Used to impart colour (3) Rows of houses separated by a road (6) Mammal (5) Without apparel (5)

DOWN

20 21

11 12 14 17 19 22 24 25 26 27

Hampshire village where treasure was found (9) Look intently (5) Kent village with a smuggling history (9) A combination of oxygen and another element (5) Body parts used for hearing (4) Satirical drawing (7) Jane Austen novel (10,5) A light cake (6) Divided leaves (6) Room where operations take place (7) Smooth, Palmate, Great Crested (4) Extremely bad (8) Component of a recipe (10) Food plan (4)

Crossword by Rebecca Farmer, Broadstairs, Kent

PRIZE ANAGRAM: Clostridial disease of horses, sheep, cattle and humans (7)

To enter, simply unscramble the anagram (7) using the green squares. Email your replies with your name, address and phone number to sef.ed@kelsey.co.uk Correct entries will be entered into a draw which will take place on 21 September. The winner will be announced in the October edition.

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS: 1

F 7

L L

A W

A thirst quenching selection

of new juices for this

hot, dry weather. For more information about the vineyards, please visit www.biddendenvineyards.com or call 01580 291726. *Subject to availability

L F

S B

U M

U I

N N

I V

A S

H T

R L

E E

A L

G W A

T 8

O P

R 26

T 25

E 11 12

N O

I 27

S O

Correct answer: Perseid meteor shower LAST MONTH’S WINNER: Kay Finch from Tenterden, Kent

WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET | SEPTEMBER 2026

THURSDAY

SEPTEMBER

11am

FARM DISPERSAL SALE ON BEHALF OF

GRANGE FARM PARTNERSHIP GRANGE FARM, TICHBORNE, ALRESFORD, HAMPSHIRE SO24 0NE New Holland CR8.90 2019, John Deere 7R 350 Gen 2 2023, John Deere 6250R 2018, John Deere 6930 2007, Horsch Sprinter 4ST 2016, Väderstad Rapid RDA 600S 2014, Kramer KT357 2021, Amazone ZA-TS 4200 2015, Dalbo PowerRoll 1530 2024 Other arable machinery, trailers and workshop equipment Quantity of high quality cattle equipment to include an IAE crush, race and handling system Selected genuine lots from local farms Please visit the Hobbs Parker website for catalogues. To register to bid online, please visit MartEye.

LIVE AUCTION WITH LIVE ONLINE BIDDING AVAILABLE FROM MARTEYE

HOBBS PARKER AUCTIONEERS LLP - 01233 502222 - WWW.HOBBSPARKER.CO.UK