This year’s Scottish Ploughing Championships will be held in Ayrshire for the second time ever in its 59-year history.

The event, which takes place on Friday, October 27 and Saturday, October 28 at Monktonhill Farm, Prestwick, Ayrshire, will feature stands and activities as well as an educational area, run by the Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET), for children.

Director of the Scottish Ploughing Championships management committee, Hugh Currie, said:

“We are very grateful to the owners of Monktonhill Farm for allowing us the space to host this year. Ayrshire is traditionally a livestock area and so it’s superb to find such a top-quality arable farm keen to work with us.”

Scottish Ploughing Championships

For this year’s Scottish Ploughing Championships, event organisers have said a ploughman will be coming out of retirement.

“For 2023, one of the best ploughers in the world, Andrew Mitchell Snr., is coming out of retirement and competing at Monktonhill Farm and so competitors are gearing up for a tight contest,” event organisers said.

“Mr. Mitchell has rarely been beaten on home soil and a number of competitors are keen to give him a run for his money.

“Winners of certain classes also get the opportunity to compete at the World Ploughing Championships in Estonia in 2024 and so there is much to plough for,” they said.

Currie said this year’s event has “17 different classes which include small tractors, vintage ploughs, horses and the chance for young people to get involved and compete.”

“We also have competitors from all four nations this year, for the first time in a while, so it’s great to have some nationwide competition. Ploughing is highly competitive and it isn’t easy,” he stressed.

“The best way to explain good ploughing to a non plougher would be that you’re aiming for the ground to look like corduroy – dead straight, all the same, nice and even and dead level.

“Each competitor hones his or her equipment like a Formula 1 racing car and it really is a case of marginal gains – combined with a bit of luck.”

‘A great day out’

Currie said the Scottish Ploughing Championships are a great day out for farming and non-farming people and families.

“We have vintage machinery, three pairs of horses coming along to do a demonstration, trade stands, food stalls, craft stalls and lots to see and do,” he said.

“It’s a great fun day with the chance to meet old and new friends and socialise. There is also a farm shop on site for those wishing to stock up on local produce.

“The championships have also paired up with RHET, the Royal Highland Education Trust, with four schools visiting on the Friday and a classroom on wheels open on the Saturday for children and families to pop in and learn more about food, farming, and ploughing of course.”

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Property consultancy Knight Frank’s latest farmland index Q3 has revealed that an acre of land is now worth £8,951 on average, showing that farmland demand “remains robust”.

The farm and estates team of the consultancy highlighted that the acre average price across England and Wales represents an 8% increase on the year.

According to the latest report, the firm predicts that, by the end of the year, average values may reach £9,000/ac, which could suggest the farmland market is either at or very close to its near-term peak.

Beyond that, 2024 is expected to bring in a period of consolidation as supply and demand finds stability, Knight Frank said.

Head of rural research at Knight Frank, Andrew Shirley, said: “Our latest Q3 figures show that demand for farmland remains robust, particularly among farmers who have sold land or faced compulsory purchase for housing and infrastructure projects like HS2, as they seek to reinvest their capital gains. In specific regions, this heightened demand has driven prices above £15,000/ac.

“However, environmental buyers, who have also been active in this market, are reportedly showing slightly less enthusiasm due to uncertainties surrounding the development of nature-based finance frameworks in the UK”.

Farmland values

Despite historically low levels of publicly advertised farmland, Knight Frank believes that there are a few indications of a “significant surge” in the coming year.

In Knight Frank’s annual flagship report, the Rural Report, the highest value of prime arable land that can be achieved sits across south west, south east, eastern and north east regions, where they can reach up to £12,536/ac.

Head of rural research at Knight Frank, Andrew Shirley, said: “Of the other asset classes Knight Frank tracks, only the FTSE 100 index, has significantly outperformed farmland in the past 12 months, boasting a remarkable 10% increase. Looking back over the last five years, farmland values have experienced a notable 27% growth, second only to gold, which saw an impressive 67% increase.

Head of farm and estates at Knight Frank, Will Matthews, said: “The land market continues to thrive with a minor uptick, showcasing its strength as we fight against inflation.

“There is a great deal of opportunity across the country, especially in the regional markets as premium land values continue soar to the top of the leader board.

“Currently, there is a lack of urgency to sell, resulting in a robust pricing for most of the stock, which is causing the gap between buyers and sellers to widen. However, despite this and increasing competition, quality stock is still in demand and selling well.”

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The 2023 World Food Forum (WFF), which is taking place in Rome, Italy, this week, has highlighted how improving soil health and avoiding soil degradation can help address food insecurity and environmental challenges.

The WFF‘s science and information forum met today (Thursday, October 19) to discuss how new technologies for soil and water management can help to tackle and adapt to climate change.

The forum, which is hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations (UN), showcased field examples, strategies, and management options in integrated and water management that have a direct impact on the livelihoods of small and medium holder farmers and their communities around the world.

Speaking at the forum, FAO director-general Qu Dongyu said: “We need to develop and strengthen integrated information systems to address pressing multisectoral challenges, which should be available to all, especially to farmers who are the custodians of our natural resources, as well as their final controllers.”

The forum heard that soil degradation, loss of water quality, and water scarcity are on the rise globally, limiting access to fertile and productive soils and water resources and contributing to food and nutrition insecurity.

Among the solutions highlighted at the science and innovation forum were innovations in re-carbonising soils, improving soil health, and enhancing water use efficiency.

As well as that, the forum discussed strategies for promoting integrated governance of natural resources and managing water scarcity, with the aim of strengthening the resilience of agri-food systems.

According to the FAO, average global crop yields could increase by 80% with more efficient water use, judicious fertiliser use, reduced pesticide use, and improvements in soil health.

The forum called for integrated, “climate-smart” land, soil, and water management technologies and practices, saying these are essential for improving efficiency and enhancing water and land productivity.

The forum also drew attention to the need for sustainable management of ecosystems in source areas and upper catchments, such as mountains, grasslands, and forests, which are deemed to be vital for ensuring a reliable and healthy water supply.

The forum called for governance actions to support innovative technologies like precision agriculture, remote sensing, and data analytics, which could enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of integrated soil and water management.

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Mark Donald Richardson (48) was sentenced in the Hamilton District Court yesterday (Tuesday, October 17) on two charges under the Animal Welfare Act that he earlier pleaded guilty to.

The sentence handed down by the court to Richardson followed a successful prosecution by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).

Sharemilker

Richardson, who was a 50:50 sharemilker, was in sole charge of a herd of about 165 cows at Te Awamutu between November 2015 and February 1, 2020.

He sold the herd and because the new owner noticed lumps in many of the cow’s tails, a veterinarian examined all the cows and found evidence of tail breaks.

“Mr Richardson admitted that he may have broken some tails accidentally, but 84 cows had injuries and would have suffered prolonged and significant pain, along with distress and the loss or damage to a body part.

“When we find evidence of animal neglect or deliberate abuse, we take action,” Richard Knight, MPI acting regional manager, said.

“MPI takes animal welfare very seriously. Most people in charge of animals treat their animals well.

“One of the disturbing aspects in this case was that four of these animals had to have their tails amputated because their injuries were so severe,” he added.

Cattle farmer

In a separate prosecution taken by MPI, a Northland beef cattle farmer was fined NZ$30,000 for failing to provide adequate feed for nearly 400 animals.

Jeffrey Allan Wood (69) pleaded guilty to six charges under the Animal Welfare Act and was sentenced recently in the Whangarei District Court.

MPI animal welfare inspectors found 387 cattle in poor physical health because of a chronic lack of grass, and a lack of supplementary feed.

“Most farmers do the right thing and Mr Wood is an experienced farmer and knew what he needed to do to feed and provide for the welfare of his animals,” Brendon Mikkelsen, MPI acting national manager of animal welfare and NAIT compliance, said.

“These animals were thin and fell well below meeting the standard of the Sheep and Beef Cattle Code of Welfare,” he said.

Complaint

Following a complaint from a veterinarian in July 2020, MPI sent animal welfare inspectors to Wood’s Ruawai farm to inspect 840 of his animals, over a series of visits until October 2020.

Some animals were affected by bad diarrhoea and emaciated.

In one case, when Wood was directed to euthanise a severely lame young bull to mitigate its suffering, MPI found it still had not been done a week later, which the farmer claimed was because he could not find the animal.

“These animals were suffering, and Mr Wood’s delayed action prolonged their suffering.

“He failed to meet the physical, health and behavioural needs of these animals.

“When we find evidence that animal welfare has been neglected, if appropriate – we will place the matter before the court,” Mikkelsen said.

Along with the fine, Wood was also ordered to pay NZ$2,834.80 in veterinarian expenses and NZ$6,057.97 in farmer consultant fees.

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The Synergy Rural Collaboration Project brings together IRL and Rural Action Northern Ireland to consider current issues facing rural communities, and to collaborate and devise possible solutions to address the issues identified. 

The launch is part of the initial round of the Shared Island Civic Society Fund that took place earlier this year. It offers a total of €37,385 in funding to this particular project.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin said: “Through the shared island initiative, which I established as Taoiseach, this government is committed to embracing the full potential of the Good Friday Agreement to build a shared, reconciled future on this island.

“The issues faced by rural communities do not stop at the border. We can be far more effective and far more impactful when we work together, to confront shared challenges and take advantage of opportunities.”

Shared Island Project

A survey to community groups and organisations, as well as focus groups will take place as part of the Shared Island Project.

The project will be delivered through a range of activities from consultative approaches, such as meetings, workshops, focus groups and regional rural surveys through to study visits, sharing practice and thematic working groups. 

Chief executive officer (CEO) of IRL, Seamus Boland said: “We recognise there is a significant amount of untapped innovation potential in rural communities. 

“Our aim, through this project, is to tap into that potential and support the development and progression of projects and programmes on a north, south basis.” 

Following the launch, the Irish Rural Link information day will commence from 10:00a.m to 3:00p.m.

This is an annual event where all members of the Oireachtas are invited to drop by to speak with community groups offering services in rural areas.

This includes services from transport to Meals on Wheels, to community education, domestic violence services and supports to migrants, refugees and people seeking international protection.

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Wales’ total ban on the use of snares and glue traps comes into force from today (Tuesday, October 17).

Rural Affairs Minister, Lesley Griffiths, announced the ban on September 26 and said that it will prevent “indiscriminate suffering” to animals.

From today, the use of snares and glue traps is illegal in Wales, and anyone found guilty of using a snare could face imprisonment or an unlimited fine or both.

Speaking on the ban coming into force today, Griffiths said: “This is an historic day for animal welfare. We strive for the very highest standards of animal welfare in Wales, and the use of snares and glue traps are incompatible with what we want to achieve. 

“Many animals will now be spared the most terrible suffering as a result of this ban. I’m proud Wales is the first of the UK nations to introduce such a move. 

“The banning of snares and glue traps is not about preventing predator or rodent control. There are other more humane ways to do this,” she said.

Animal welfare

Griffiths thanked all the Welsh government’s partners for working to bring about the ban on snares and glue traps, and said she is looking forward to continuing to ensure that Wales has the “very highest standards of animal welfare”.

Wales rural and wildlife crime coordinator, Rob Taylor, said: “I welcome the introduction of the ban here in Wales today.

“These traps are indiscriminate and over the years I personally, have seen various non-target species, such as badgers and cats caught in snares and suffering terrible injury.

“After today anyone caught using a snare or glue trap in Wales could face a fine or imprisonment, so we advise people to be aware of this new law and act accordingly,” Taylor warned.

Senior public affairs manager at RSPCA Cymru, Billie-Jade Thomas, said: “We very much welcome the ban on snares and glue traps coming into force today.  

“Both have the potential to cause immeasurable suffering to animals. Too often, our officers have dealt with animals in severe pain and misery at the hands of these devices; which are cruel, indiscriminate and totally unnecessary.

“The lives of many animals will be saved including wildlife, pets and farm animals such as sheep and lambs.”

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Police Scotland has said it is carrying out enquiries to “establish the full circumstances” of a fire at a farm at Heriot in the Scottish Borders.

The incident occurred around 6:30a.m on Saturday, October 14, and Police Scotland officers attended the scene as well as firefighters from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

Officers are appealing for information in connection with the Heriot farm fire, which saw two barns full of hay bales on fire.

Insp Colin Deans said: “Two barns full of hay bales were found to be on fire. Fortunately no people or livestock were injured and we are carrying out enquiries to establish the full circumstances.

“The farm buildings are located at the bottom of a lane that leads from the A7 and we are appealing to anyone who lives in the area or may have been travelling to work and saw anything suspicious to get in touch.

“In addition, if you were driving and have dash-cam footage that could help with our enquiries, then please make contact with officers.”

Anyone with any information on the fire is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0775 of Saturday, October 14, 2023.

Farm fires

The insurance branch of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU Mutual) said 1,700 farm buildings and 66,000 areas of grassland are destroyed by fire in the UK every year.

The most common causes include spontaneous combustion within stored straw or hay, particularly when baled too wet or green, and machinery striking flints and stones and working machinery during harvesting.

About half of all farm fires are started deliberately, the rural insurer said, often as an act of mindless vandalism.

A serious fire can affect the financial stability of even the most well-run business, it said.

Farms are considered to be particularly vulnerable to arson because of their isolated locations, open boundaries and readily ignitable hay an straw stacks making them an easy target.

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Strutt & Parker has said farmland is remaining “extremely resilient” despite rising interest rates and a squeeze on farm profitability.

The property consultancy’s latest Farmland Database shows the average price of arable land sold so far during 2023 is £10,900.

This is lower than the £11,100/ac reported for HI 2023, but is the same as the 2022 average – which was 15% higher than 2021.

The Strutt & Parker database also revealed that, since 2000, arable farmland has outperformed the commercial and residential property sectors, and equities, delivering an annualised return of 7.8%

The value of arable farmland has risen by 29% over the past 10 years and by 351% over the past 20 years.

Head of estates and farm agency for Strutt & Parker, Matthew Sudlow, said: “Although it appears the growth in values has slowed in some locations, this is only because there have been fewer sales at £12,000/acre or more.

“Our analysis shows that 60% of the arable land traded in England this year has still sold for more than £10,000/acre, compared to 33% in 2021, highlighting the continued strength of the market.”

Demand for farmland

Sudlow said the feeling amongst agents is that demand is more variable for farmland than it was a year ago, but prime farms in popular areas of the country continue to sell well.

Buyers include farmers with rollover money to spend, private individuals, the investment sector and green investors.

“We’re also seeing some significant purchases from a handful of overseas buyers, who like the fact it is easier to buy at scale in the UK than in some other European countries,” he said.

“The UK’s appeal is being enhanced by our farming industry’s enthusiasm for adopting regenerative farming techniques.”

Traditional farmer buyers have accounted for around 40% of transactions so far in 2023. Historically, this figure tends to be 50-60%, Strutt & Parker said.

Supply rose in Q3 of this year, taking the total amount brought to the open market in England during the first nine months of the year to 65,600 acres, which is 9% above the five-year average.

There also continues to be “plenty of activity” on the private market, the consultancy said, but overall supply remains constrained in historical terms.

Positive outlook

Sudlow said the outlook for the coming year remains positive, although greater polarisation in values is a possibility.

“With demand becoming more variable, location is once again becoming an increasingly important factor in determining the price,” he said.

“The expectation is that the market is set to remain buoyant in the perennially popular areas of the country, such as the Cotswolds and counties close to London, and in other parts of the country where there are existing landowners looking to upsize.

“However, farms in traditionally less popular regions focused on productive farming may struggle to achieve the same level of interest as they would have seen last year.”

Levels of supply remain a talking point in the industry, Strutt & Parker said, with questions being asked about whether there could be a noticeable rise in the volume of land available, if farmers decide to sell up in the face of a difficult harvest, high input costs and falling Basic Payment receipts.

“While this is clearly a possibility, there is little hard evidence that it is happening yet,” Sudlow said.

Overall, the sentiment is that farmland remains a solid investment prospect, with a proven track record of capital growth, for a range of buyers, he said.

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John Whelan and Eamonn Tracey from the Republic of Ireland ploughing team won their titles at the 68th World Ploughing Contest which was held in the Kuldigas region of Latvia.

Together with their coach, Brian Ireland from Co. Kilkenny, the Irish team competed against competitors from 23 other countries.

Conventional class

Beginning his defence of his world champion title in the conventional class on Friday in the World Ploughing Stubble Contest, Eamonn Tracey earned 213 points at plot 19, leaving him just one point behind Martin Lindberg Veling of Denmark.

Going into the World Grass Contest on Saturday in a strong position, Tracey, in a Valtra tractor at plot 11, finished in first place.

This effort was enough to gain the Garryhill, Co. Carlow man 195.5 points, which saw him achieve 408.5 points overall, and be awarded the Supreme World Conventional Ploughing Champion title.

Reversible class

John Whelan, in his New Holland tractor with a Kverneland plough, finished first in the World Ploughing Stubble Contest on Friday, October 13.

Competing in the reversible class, the Ballygarvan, Co. Wexford man earned a total of 209.5 points for his ploughing in plot 36.

On Saturday, October 14, in the World Grass Contest, Whelan picked up 207.5 points for his efforts in plot 40.

While finishing second in this competition, behind Marco Angst of Switzerland, Whelan achieved enough points overall from both contests, 417 in total, to retain his title as Supreme World Reversible Ploughing Champion.

World Ploughing Contest

Among the 23 other countries competing in the contest was the Northern Ireland team, which saw Adrian Jamison finish 10th in the reversible class, while his teammate Andrew Gill reached third place in the conventional class.

The World Ploughing Contest saw the Irish team surpass the New Zealand team of Ian Woolley and Bob Mehrtens, a welcome change for Irish sports teams last weekend.

Ireland was due to host the contest this year, but as it replaced Russia as the host nation last year, it will next host the contest in 2037.

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The Scottish government has announced a new Rural and Islands Housing Action Plan to support its commitment to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 – with 10% of these in rural and island areas.

The plan brings together public and private sector working with local communities to deliver more homes where they are needed and to “help drive sustainable economic growth”, the government said.

Commitments from the Scottish government include:

• Supporting affordable and community-led housing delivery;
• Bringing more empty homes back into use;
• Providing more homes for key workers;
• Commissioning research on affordable home ownership in rural and island areas;
• Addressing challenges with construction supply chains, skills and capacity.

Minister for Housing Paul McLennan said: “The Rural and Islands Housing Action Plan includes a range of commitments which will be taken forward with public and private sector partners to deliver the right homes in the right places, generate sustainable local economic growth and help rural and island communities to thrive.

“This plan supports Scotland’s long-term housing strategy Housing to 2040 and will help bolster the commitment to deliver 110,000 affordable homes up to 2032, of which 70% will be for social rent and 10% in rural and island areas.

“It has been informed by extensive engagement with a wide range of organisations representing rural and island housing interests.”

Despite the challenges posed by Brexit and high inflation, McLennan said, this plan demonstrates the government’s commitment to “supporting families, communities and businesses“.

As well as this, he said, it demonstrates the Scottish government’s commitment to “unleashing” the full economic potential of Scotland’s rural and island areas through providing more housing.

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The unions said it has been inundated with calls from members who are struggling to get silage and crop cut, and slurry out safely, with the poor weather and challenging ground conditions.

Northern Ireland’s slurry spreading deadline is midnight on Sunday, October 15, and the UFU said this has many farmers and contractors under pressure.

The union said the closed period dates are set in legislation and therefore any change or extension would require a change in the law and that, “with no ministers in Stormont, this is just not possible”.

“The UFU have always opposed farming by rigid calendar dates but at present there is no alternative.”

As the closed period approaches, the UFU said it is important that farmers comply with the spreading conditions of the Nutrients Action Programme to avoid penalties and risk to waterways.

Exceptional conditions

The ‘reasonable excuse’ clause in the Northern Ireland Action Programme caters for all exceptional conditions when farmers cannot fully comply with the rules, through no fault of their own.

This clause is used in years when weather and ground conditions made compliance impossible by individual farmers but could also cover other issues such as major disease outbreaks.

This also allows farmers on a case-by-case basis to spread beyond October 15, if a reasonable excuse can be shown, the UFU said.

It is still an offence for farmers to spread slurry during the closed period however, where in exceptional circumstances and if reasonable excuse can be proved, a defence may be made for non-compliance with the closed period.

“We would strongly urge farmers to proceed with caution and ensure they have exhausted every other appropriate avenue for dealing with slurry,” the UFU said.

“This does however offer more flexibility than a time-bound extension to the dates.

“The ‘reasonable clause’ should be used as a last resort, and it would be advisable to speak with your UFU technical officer.”

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Northamptonshire Police is appealing for witnesses after the theft of an orange and black mounted table saw from a Brown’s tractor in Oundle.

The theft is believed to have occurred between 10:00p.m on Tuesday (October 10) and 7:00a.m on Wednesday (October 11) in Harley Way, Oundle. A portable barbeque was also stolen.

“Officers would like to speak to anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the area between the stated times or who may have been offered any of the items pictured for sale in unusual circumstances,” Northamptonshire Police said.

“Anyone with information is asked to call Northamptonshire Police on 101, or alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

“Please quote incident number 23000632545 when providing any information to make sure it gets to the right person as quickly as possible.”

Making machinery secure

Northamptonshire Police has advice for farmers on keeping their machinery secure and safe from thieves.

The tips include securing machinery with:

• Trackers;
• Alarms;
• An immobiliser;
• CCTV.

Police asked farmers to consider fitting machinery and vehicles with a tracking device and/or tagging system.

“Lock or immobilise vehicles and equipment when you’re not using them,” Northamptonshire Police said.

“Remove keys from cars, tractors and any other vehicles you leave unattended.

“If you’re using a tracking company you must still contact police to create a crime report number.”

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Two lambs have been killed in a suspected dog attack in the Llanyre area of Radnorshire, Powys, Wales.

Dyfed Powys Police’s rural crime team said the incident of livestock worrying took place between October 8 and 9.

The team urged anyone with any information on the incident to come forward.

Livestock worrying

Dyfed Powys Police said livestock worrying is a criminal offence and comes under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953.

The definition of ‘worrying’ is where a dog attacks or chases livestock causing injury or suffering.

“This isn’t just a threat to a farmer or land owner’s livelihood, it’s also a dangerous situation for the animals involved, and could lead to more risk if the animals get onto the road,” the force said.

“A farmer is allowed to kill the dog if it’s worrying their livestock.”

Dyfed Powys Police urged dog owners to keep their dogs under control around other animals and to report any incidences of dogs on the loose worrying animals.

Livestock theft

On livestock theft, Dyfed Powys Police said farmers can implement preventative measures to reduce the risk of their livestock being taken.

These steps include:

• Make regular checks of the fields where animals are kept to check that fences haven’t been breached and that no one else is in the field with them;
• Use ear tags, horn brands, freeze marking or tattooing to make your animals more easily identifiable;
• Keep your hedges, fences and gates in good repair: field gate hinges should have capping hinges so they can’t be removed easily; cattle grids should be removable and locked out of position when they’re not in use; use locking posts to obstruct large openings to yards;
• Consider installing CCTV.

The force said farmers should check their livestock and the security of boundary fencing regularly.

“If they’re making more noise than usual this could mean something has disturbed them,” it said.

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North Yorkshire Council has refused planning permission for a solar farm and battery storage system on tenanted farmland in Old Malton, North Yorkshire.

The solar farm, had it been permitted, would have been built on 44.52ha of land currently farmed under a tenancy agreement by the Sturdy family, whose campaign ‘Save Old Malton Countryside’ had garnered national media attention.

The family welcomed today’s decision to refuse the planning application on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“Today is a good day for [tenant farmers] as the [council] overwhelmingly refused the solar application on our farm. The application was recommended approval but the committee fully recognised the impact this development would have on our livelihood,” they said.

The news has also been welcomed by the Tenant Farmers’ Association (TFA), which last week called for the Prime Minister to get involved and reject the proposal.

“I am hugely delighted for Rob and Emma Sturdy who have fought a long-running battle against this inappropriate solar farm application,” TFA chief executive George Dunn said.

“The TFA has been pleased to have stood with them in their fight.

“It is good that the planning committee understood its responsibility to consider the impact on the personal circumstances of Rob and Emma as tenants of the site and also in respect of the loss of best and most versatile agricultural land.

“I am greatly appreciative of the due diligence of the planning committee even though its planning officer recommended approval of the application,” he added.

“We will wait to see if the developer decides to appeal this decision, but it sends a really crucial message to all other developers that they cannot treat tenant farmers as merely collateral damage.”

However, Harmony Energy, which submitted the planning application for the solar farm and battery energy storage system earlier this year, said it is “disappointed” at today’s outcome.

“We are disappointed by the decision made today, as renewable energy is critical in creating a sustainable future for everyone, ensuring the future security of the UK’s energy supply, whilst helping to meet global targets to reduce emissions and mitigate climate change,” it said.

“Unfortunately, despite our strong track record in the renewable energy industry, our transparency and cooperation with the public, and our careful planning and preparation, we will now have to revisit our plans and carefully consider our next steps.

“We are disappointed, but that will not stop us from pushing for a more sustainable and greener future.”

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Extensive flooding over the weekend has caused significant damage to farmland in Scotland.

President of the Scottish branch of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU Scotland), Martin Kennedy, has said it is likely farmers will be left with a “bill for millions when the mop up is finally completed”.

And the damage is not over yet; there are currently four flood alerts, 34 flood warnings and two severe flood warnings in place across different parts of Scotland, and a Status Yellow weather in place for western Scotland tomorrow (Tuesday, October 10).

NFU Scotland’s Martin Kennedy met with MSP John Swinney in Highland Perthshire, one of the worst affected areas, this morning (Monday, October 9) to discuss what he called “unprecedented” damage.

They were joined by other local farmers, including Liam Stewart from Stewarts of Tayside, a major grower of root vegetables and soft fruit and Douglas Neill, from Denhead Farms, Coupar Angus.

“What this event clearly demonstrates is that, when it comes to risk, it is the farming industry that is left carrying the can,” Kennedy said.

“I ask the Scottish government to consider what short-term support it can offer to help the recovery process.

“Longer term, a realistic margin from the supply chain that builds enough of a buffer to absorb this type of hit is essential. It simply cannot be absorbed by businesses on the current price structures. “

Kennedy also supported the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution’s (RSABI’s) call for farmers or crofters who are really struggling as a result of the rain and flooding to get in contact with it for support.

There are road closures in place across western and central Scotland as a result of the flooding.

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Researchers from the James Hutton Institute are seeking arable and mixed farmers to help shape a new mobile phone app aimed at helping tackle on-farm greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Farmers are invited to attend a test-drive and workshop event on November 9, 2023, at Glensaugh research farm near Laurencekirk.

During the workshop, researchers from the James Hutton Institute will demonstrate the app prototype, which, alongside on-farm sensors, will estimate GHG emissions.

As well as this, it will point to ways to reduce and help store more carbon in arable and mixed systems, the institute said.

The event will also feature a discussion about the drivers and challenges of reducing emissions, a tour of Glensaugh – including the institute’s Climate-Positive Farming Initiative – and a talk about cutting carbon in arable farming from plant physiologist and soil scientist Prof Tim George.

Project leader Dr Jagadeesh Yeluripati said: “Our goal is to give farmers a way to identify practices that may effectively reduce their GHGs and also use their soil to store more carbon.

“This workshop is a unique opportunity to shape and improve this innovative technology.

“Together, we can identify the driving forces behind emissions, enhance usability and maximise its impact.”

The event on November 9 will run from morning to early afternoon and includes lunch. Farmers registering for the event will be paid travel expenses and compensated for their time.

The workshop is part of the Scottish government funded TRANSITION project.

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Planning consultancy Roger Parry & Partners has said the “huge barriers” facing Welsh farming families seeking housing need to be addressed.

Partner at the consultancy, Richard Corbett, said it is aware of a “massive problem in a Wales where housing is needed for farming families”.

Roger Parry & Partners said it is leading discussions in getting planning policy and government proposals to address the issue, which it said is “vital for agricultural businesses to surprise”.

Corbett said: “Farms face huge barriers to provide future generations with housing.

“We want to take things further and make the discussion more important in planning policies and government proposals.”

During the Royal Welsh Show in July, the planning consultancy hosted a workshop to discuss everything about housing on farms.

Roger Parry & Partners’ in-house planning consultants Richard Corbett, Gerallt Davies and Gail Jenkins were joined by planning barrister from No5 Barristers Chambers, Sioned Davies, and former Wales YFC Chair, Caryl Haf, at the event held in the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) pavilion.

Royal Welsh Show

Super early bird tickets are already on sale for the 2024 Royal Welsh Show, which will take place from Monday, July 22, until Thursday, July 25.

The four-day long event of livestock and equine competitions also includes different activities in all realms of agriculture.

Activities in forestry, horticulture, crafts, countryside sports, shopping and food and drink are featured at the event.

As well as this, there is a 12-hour programme each day of entertainment, attractions and displays.

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UK potato supply chain specialist, AKP Group, has announced that it will sponsor the ‘Take One a Day’ photography project and exhibition, which kicks off this weekend.

The Take One a Day photo exhibition will be available to view at Sprout Yard Park Gallery, Louth, Lincolnshire, from this Sunday (October 8) until Saturday, October 14.

The exhibition also coincides with World Mental Health Day on October 10.

The project, focused on well-being in the farming industry, is promoting finding positivity in your surroundings and “discovering something beautiful everyday”.

Managing director of AKP Group, Richard Arundel, said: “We’re driven by people, and as partners to farmers and growers across the country, we are no strangers to the prevalent mental health challenges within farming.

“It can be an isolating and lonely industry at times, and we are extremely proud to be supporting and championing this impactful exhibition and all that it stands for.”

Take One a Day

Take One a Day was created by photographer Paul Gutherson in November 2020, after he unexpectedly discovered a person who had died by suicide during a morning dog walk.

Afterwards, Gutherson began to ‘Take One a Day’ – one photograph every day to “rediscover the beauty of the Lincolnshire landscape”.

“Sometimes the photograph itself is not that important. It is the purposeful act of seeking something beautiful,” he said.

“Shutting out negative self-talk through the discipline of looking, especially on difficult days, is what becomes important.”

Gutherson’s exhibition will be supported by photographic artist and Samaritans volunteer Richard Ansett.

“‘It is a genuine privilege to be invited to contribute to Paul’s exhibition. I have been so warmly welcomed by many people who it turns out I share a great deal with,” Ansett said.

“In this exhibition, we have all tried to make sense of the terrible loss of life of an unknown woman. In her darkest moment, she has brought us together.

“I hope that this memorialisation reminds others in their moment of despair that people do care.”

Suicides in farming

“Suicide rates have risen in rural areas since 2016. Lincolnshire has a large farming community, responsible for £2 billion of the UK’s agricultural output, but mental health support is spread thinly,” AKP Group said.

“The severity of the mental health crisis within the farming sector is highlighted by the alarming statistic that more lives are lost to suicide each year, than to fatal farm accidents.”

According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), there were 36 suicides recorded in England and Wales among those working in the farming and agricultural industry in 2021.

Last month, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) reported that three people in the UK farming and agricultural industry die by suicide every week.

BACP fears that suicide rates in rural communities across the UK will rise due to the cost-of-living crisis.

Its chief executive, Anna Daroy, said that even before the cost-of-living crisis, male farm workers were three times more likely to take their own lives than the national male average.

The BACP said the UK government’s mental health supports for rural communities are not enough as “much more is needed to recognise the on-going impacts of the cost-of-living crisis alongside other factors such as Covid-19, Brexit, the war in Ukraine, farm succession, and labour shortages”.

“We know that the cost-of-living crisis will have a profoundly damaging and long-lasting effect on the mental health of farmers and those living in rural communities who already experience a unique set of challenging circumstances, unless the government acts now and invests more in counselling and psychotherapy support,” Daroy said.

“Even before the cost-of-living crisis, male farm workers are three times more likely to take their own lives than the male national average, and every week three people in the UK farming and agricultural industry die by suicide.

“Worryingly, we expect these figures to rise as the cost-of-living crisis exacerbates the longstanding challenges farmers already face – including higher living costs, known as the rural premium, increased rates of loneliness, and isolation.”

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A poll conducted by the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) has revealed that 65% of its members do not trust the Labour Party to support the English countryside.

The survey of nearly 300 respondents also revealed that 6% do trust the Labour party to support the countryside, with 28% remaining undecided.

CLA president, Mark Tufnell, said this snapshot of the support for the Labour Party shows how far the party has to go to “win over rural voters”.

“Labour says it’s the party of the countryside, but so far its policy announcements have suggested otherwise,” he said.

“Persistent rumours around access and right to roam are of huge concern to many, while scrapping agricultural property relief and business property relief, as was recently reported in the press, would be so damaging when many farmers are already on the brink.

“Removing business property relief would hit family businesses no matter their size, and stripping away agricultural property relief would jeopardise the future of farms up and down the country, at a time of profound change in the industry adjusting to new agricultural policies.”

Tufnell said the poll also reveals that a “significant proportion” of its members are undecided, meaning that the Labour Party still has time to prove itself to rural voters.

“It’s clear that whichever party produces a robust and ambitious vision for the rural economy will secure support,” he said.

In May of this year, a CLA survey revealed an 18% fall in rural support for the Conservative Party.

The survey of over 1,000 people in England’s 100 most-rural constituencies also revealed a surge in support of 16% for the Labour Party.

The organisation for rural landowners said swathes of the Conservative Party’s ‘rural wall’ are defecting to the Labour Party after “years of economic neglect”.

Political parties and British farming

Earlier this week, the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) said British food and farming needs to be a priority for all political parties.

The union said it is “more important than ever” for political parties to back British farming ahead of the next general election.

NFU president Minette Batters said: “It’s more important than ever for political parties to back British food and farming.

“The nation’s food security has rarely been more prominent than in the past few years, and with the challenges we’ve faced it’s clear that we need to reassess how we value food and farming.

“Let’s not forget, this is a sector which forms the backbone of our rural communities, our much-loved countryside and our food and drink industry, which is worth more than £100 billion to the national economy and employs four million people.”

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It routinely publishes monthly climate bulletins reporting on the changes observed in global surface air temperature, sea ice cover and hydrological variables.

All the reported findings are based on computer-generated analyses using billions of measurements from satellites, ships, aircraft and weather stations around the world.

September climate data

In terms of surface air temperature and sea surface temperature the latest report states that September 2023 was the warmest September on record globally, with an average surface air temperature of 16.38°C.

This was 0.93°C above the 1991-2020 average for September and 0.5°C above the temperature of the previous warmest September, in 2020.

The month as a whole was around 1.75°C warmer than the September average for 1850-1900, the pre-industrial reference period.

The global temperature for January-September 2023 was 0.52°C higher than average, and 0.05°C higher than the equivalent period in the warmest calendar year (2016).

For January to September 2023, the global mean temperature for 2023 to date is 1.40°C higher than the preindustrial average (1850-1900). 

For Europe, September 2023 was the warmest September on record, at 2.51°C higher than the 1991-2020 average, and 1.1°C higher than 2020, the previous warmest September.  

The average sea surface temperature for September reached 20.92°C, the highest on record for September and the second highest across all months, behind August 2023.

El Nino conditions continued to develop over the equatorial eastern Pacific.

Samantha Burgess, deputy director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said: “The unprecedented temperatures for the time of year observed in September – following a record summer – have broken records by an extraordinary amount.

“This extreme month has pushed 2023 into the dubious honour of first place – on track to be the warmest year and around 1.4°C above pre-industrial average temperatures.

“Two months out from COP28 – the sense of urgency for ambitious climate action has never been more critical.”

September 2023 also saw wetter-than-average conditions along many parts of the western seaboard of Europe, including Ireland, the western Iberian Peninsula, northern Britain, and Scandinavia.

It was also wetter than average in Greece following extreme rainfall associated with storm Daniel; this event was also responsible for the devastating flooding in Libya, the report states.

Southern Brazil and southern Chile also experienced extreme precipitation events. 

Drier-than-average regions included parts of Europe, the south-eastern US, Mexico, central Asia, and Australia, where the driest September on record was recorded.

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What will happen to farmland acquired for the construction of the now-scrapped leg of HS2 is uncertain.

Following days of speculation, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak today (Wednesday, October 4) confirmed that the HS2 new line between Birmingham and Manchester will no longer go ahead.

“We will deliver HS2 between Birmingham and Euston as planned but we will extend it no further,” Sunak said.

Agriland understands that HS2 Ltd. will begin the process of communicating with landowners and business to set out where property may be sold back to the original owners.

However, according to Mark Tufnell, president of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), there is currently “no right” for original landowners whose land was bought for the purpose of the scrapped leg of HS2 to get their land back.

“HS2 Ltd. may sell the land on the open market, and it could be bought by anyone,” he said.

“By contrast, land that is compulsorily acquired by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is covered by rules that oblige the MoD to offer back to the original owner at current market value, before it’s offered on the open market.

“Given the increased use of Compulsory Purchase Orders for infrastructure, the CLA is calling on government to extend this ‘right of first refusal’ to all land that has been subject to compulsory purchase by HS2 Ltd,” he added.

HS2 funds redirected

Prime Minister Sunak confirmed that funding set aside for the scrapped HS2 leg is being redirected into other transport projects. The cornerstone of this plan will be a new project titled ‘Network North’. 

The aim of these new projects is to improve local travel; travel within and to nearby cities.

“By scrapping [that part of HS2], every penny from the Northern leg of HS2 will go to the north and every penny from the Midlands leg to the Midlands,” he said.

“Rather than just connecting Birmingham and Manchester, we will invest £36 billion in hundreds of projects in towns, cities and rural areas across our whole country, and in roads, rail, and buses – investment on a truly unprecedented scale that will drive economic growth and provide jobs.”

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This year’s championships are being hosted at Millbank Farm in Killinchy, continuing the tradition of holding the event at a working farm.

The championship starts at 9:00a.m, and continues to approximately 3:30p.m, with prize-giving at 4:00p.m.

“Our last hedge laying championships were in 2021, so the anticipation for this event has been building for over two years,” said Katie Smirnova, campaigns officer at Hedgerows Ireland.

Smirnova told Agriland: “It’s going to be a huge day out. We have a lovely forecast for the day, and the hedge layers are all geared up.

15 competitors are expected to enter this year’s championships, with the champion from 2021, Clive Lyttle, returning to defend his title.

There are two categories, one for the novice competitors, and one for the professional and contractor competitors.

According to Smirnova, between the two categories, “the only difference is in the length of laying they have to do”.

“They’re working on the same type of hedgerow, it’s just a shorter length versus a longer length,” she said.

All-Ireland Hedge Laying Championships

The All-Ireland Hedge Laying Championships are an opportunity to meet people passionate about hedgerows and learn from experts at work.

Hedge laying itself is a traditional country craft that is experiencing a resurgence as the value of healthy hedgerows for the climate, wildlife and our landscape become more well known.

Hedgerows are human-made features of the Irish countryside planted mostly since the 1,700s and 1,800s.

They have since struggled with neglect and removal. Laying rejuvenates the hedgerow beyond the broadleaf tree species’ natural life span by taking advantage of their ability to regrow after being cut back.

Hedge laying is the art of cutting hedgerow stems partly through near ground level so that they will bend without breaking and remain connected to the roots.

New growth from the cut stump renews the hedgerow and thickens up the base, which provides better shelter for wildlife.

In addition, when properly maintained hedges provide low maintenance stockproof barriers and can survive indefinitely while creating an important source of carbon sequestration.

Events on the day

Visitors are encourage to attend the event in Co. Down, as it is suitable for all the family, with a range of artists, craftspeople, and other stalls on display.

Artist and sculptor Owen Crawford will be working live on a wood carving piece, while Mícheál of Fiach Rua Timber Crafts, will be demonstrating handle making and axe use.

Further exhibitors include:

• Hand spinning with Maureen from Hook Yarn Spinner;
• Musician, storyteller and writer, Willie Drennan;
• A look into honeybees with Mervyn Warrington from the Killinchy Beekeepers Association;
• A chance to learn about nature with Ulster Wildlife;
• Scything and a display of traditional countryside tools with Andy the Scythe Guy;
• For those keen on machinery, Husqvarna agents, McIlrath and Son, will be present, along with a display of vintage tractors and other machinery.

There will be demonstrations of leatherwork by the Irish Saddler, who will also be stamping keyrings to remember the great work of hedge laying, and will have items for sale.

A showcase of Ireland’s handweaving and spinning heritage will be given by Born In A Field, who, in addition to demonstrations, will have a range of our pure wool handwoven Donegal Tweed items available to purchase.

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Canavan spoke at the recent Irish Rural Link (IRL) conference, which looked at the challenges facing rural communities, in terms of energy, food and transport costs, along with what supports are needed.

“In terms of the cost of living crisis, it’s the same in the north and south, but in Northern Ireland we have no government at the minute, so that’s creating a whole different challenge in terms of accessing grants and supports,” Canavan said.

“There’s nobody there to take some initiative that would support communities right now,” she added.

Hannah Boylan from the Vincentian Minimum Essentials Budget for Ireland (MESL) Research Centre highlighted findings of the centre’s recent study at the conference, which showed a “stark deepening of income inadequacy” for rural Ireland.

The MESL research, which is published annually, breaks down expenditure areas based on a list of what researchers consider “needs”, covering everything from socks to Wi-Fi.

The study showed that food prices increased by 20.8% in the year to March 2023. Boylan stated that staples such as milk, bread and butter in particular showed a “significant increase”.

Canavan said that an “all-island approach” is needed to help Northern Ireland with increased cost of living.

She said she wants to see “better cooperation” between the north and south of Ireland to deal with the “inadequacy” described in the report.

“We can learn from each other, there’s definitely things that we can take away and implement in our own communities,” Canavan said.

“We don’t want to reinvent the wheel, but see if the existing wheel can be improved. It could be the first building block for what will become a strong foundation,” Canavan added.

She said that Rural Action is making sure that local communities are heard and that local voices are involved in decision making.

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The government has launched two consultations aimed at improving broadband connections in “the most remote and rural parts of the UK”.

The first consultation asks whether changes are needed to the Broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO), which gives homeowners and businesses the legal right to request an affordable, decent broadband connection.

It asks whether changes are needed to ensure the USO stays up to date with current technical standards.

The second consultation is on further proposals to improve broadband provision for what the government has called ‘Very Hard to Reach Premises’, which it said are unlikely to receive a gigabit-capable connection via either a commercial or government-funded intervention.

The consultation covers:

• The government’s policy position;
• Its evaluation criteria for determining policy options and the potential options available to it;
• The service parameters that very hard to reach premises may require;
• Barriers to delivery that remain for very hard to reach premises.

The government has also set out other actions to support rural communities including a strategic plan to deliver more affordable homes, and a new report aimed at encouraging local authorities to unlock the benefits of technology and innovation in rural transport.

Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Thérèse Coffey commented: “Our countryside, home to millions of people, is rich in potential and we want to make sure that everyone can develop their skills and reach the opportunities for success.

“So whether through improved connectivity, housing or transport I’m championing rural communities as we seek to grow our economy – so that every part of our country gets the support it needs to thrive.”

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Killyfaddy Farms Ltd., was convicted and fined £300 plus £15 offender levy for one charge of transporting an animal which was not fit for the journey.

This is contrary to Regulation 5(1)(a) of the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 and Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005.

Court case

The case arose when a Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) official veterinarian at an abattoir examined an animal presented for slaughter.

The cow had a large swollen left fetlock joint with swelling extending down the hoof. The cow was hesitant to move and when she did was unsteady on her feet.

The vet stated that, in her opinion, the animal was suffering from a longstanding condition which, given the inability to balance properly or place her foot directly on the ground, meant that this animal was caused unnecessary suffering by transporting her.

DAERA said it gives high priority to the welfare of animals and operates a vigorous enforcement policy to ensure full compliance of regulatory requirements.

Any breaches are investigated thoroughly and offenders prosecuted as necessary, it said.

Northern Ireland animal welfare legislation also requires that animals must be fit to travel and must be cared for if they fall ill or are injured during transport.

The animals must be accompanied by competent persons and must be transported to their destinations without undue delay.

All those who have animals in their care either on farm, in transit or at slaughter have a duty of care to look after the animals’ welfare.

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Firefighter operations are continuing in Kent to extinguish a barn fire that started on Wednesday (September 27).

Two fire engines remain at the scene of the fire involving two open-sided barns and a large haystack – approximately 200m x 10m x 10m in size – at a farm off Main Road, in Sellindge, Ashford. 

At the height of the fire, 14 engines and a bulk water carrier were in attendance.

According to Kent Fire and Rescue Service, fires of this nature can take some days to be fully extinguished.

“Crews…are continuing to clear debris and maintain a watching brief of the smouldering haystack to ensure it does not spread,” it said today (Friday, September 29).

It added that pulling away and dampening sections of haystack can cause smoke to increase and decrease and advised people working or living nearby to close windows and doors.

In the early stages of the incident, firefighters worked with the farmer overnight on Wednesday to move hundreds of cattle to safety.

The cause of the fire is unknown but an investigation is underway.

One person received also a minor burn during the firefighting operation, and has been checked over by paramedics.

Barn fire

Earlier this week fire fighters in Wiltshire put out a barn fire in Bromham.

The barn contained 75t of hay.

A number of appliances were in attendance and dealt with the blaze, including two crews from Devizes, one from Calne and a water carrier from Royal Wootton Bassett.

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The Countryside Alliance is seeking views from farmers and those who live in rural areas to uncover the “true level” of crime in the UK countryside.

The annual survey has been launched once again in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and will remain open for responses until Sunday, November 5.

The Countryside Alliance said the survey requires responses from those who work or live in rural areas to give their views on rural crimes.

The rural campaigning organisation will also be researching the impact that these crimes have on wider communities in rural areas and how the future of crime prevention and rural policing should be shaped.

The Countryside Alliance said that the true extent of rural crime is underreported, which is why it is important that everyone who lives and works in rural areas takes the time to respond to this survey.

Rural crime survey 2022

The Countryside Alliance’s 2022 rural crime survey revealed that 97% of those surveyed considered rural crime to be a “significant” issue in their community.

As well as this, almost half (49%) of respondents said they believe that police do not take rural crime seriously.

90% of the 2,016 respondents reported that they had not seen any police officers in their area in the last week.

Director of policy and campaigns for the Countryside Alliance, Sarah Lee, said: “The threat of crime can be as detrimental to people’s feeling of safety as crimes themselves and we also want to build a clear picture of the issue to shape future policing delivery and ensure funding is spent where it is most needed, rather than simply being channelled to urban conurbations.

“The ultimate aim is to make rural communities safer.”

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Wales has introduced the first total ban on the use of snares and glue traps in the UK.

Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths announced the ban today (Tuesday, September 26) and said it will come into force on October 17, 2023.

From this date, the use of snares and glue traps will be illegal in Wales, and anyone found guilty of using a snare could face imprisonment or an unlimited fine or both.

The Welsh government said this is to help prevent “indiscriminate suffering” to animals.

Griffiths said: “The use of snares and glue traps are not compatible with the high animal welfare standards we strive for here in Wales. These methods can cause a great deal of suffering and harm to all animals.

“The banning of snares is a Programme for Government commitment and we have been working towards this day for a long time with partners and stakeholders. 

“Many animals, including those which were not the intended target of the snare, will be spared suffering as a result of this ban.”

Griffiths said banning snares is about preventing “inhumane methods” being used, and does not prevent predator control using other methods.

“There are also many more humane ways to control rodents than through the use of glue traps,” she said.

“I’m pleased Wales is leading the way on this issue, and we will continue to strive for high animal welfare standards.”

Snare and glue trap ban

The Welsh government said snares cause a great deal of suffering to animals and are indiscriminate, as they harm species they are not intended for such as otters, dogs and cats.

“An animal caught in a snare can endure acute pain and suffering,” the government said.

“Similarly glue traps cause suffering to the trapped animal, including the rodent it was intended for and other animals such as cats. 

“If pets such as cats are caught in a glue trap it can tragically lead to the animal being put to sleep as a result of the injuries sustained.”

The Welsh government said that, while rodent control is “essential where prevention has failed”, more humane and targeted methods are available in place of snares and glue traps.

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Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has been tackling a barn fire in Bromham since shortly after 3:00a.m this morning.

The fire service was called to a fire in a barn containing approximately 75t of hay in Bromham, Chippenham, at 3:11a.m.

A number of appliances were in attendance and dealing with the blaze, including two crews from Devizes, one from Calne and a water carrier from Royal Wootton Bassett.

Firefighters used hose reel jets whilst allowing the fire to burn out under control overnight – the incident was then scaled back to just two appliances shortly after 5:00a.m.

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said “steady progress” has been made throughout the day today using on-site machinery and two main jets.

When the fire first broke out, the fire and rescue service advised nearby residents to keep doors and windows closed due to “the smoke plume”.

“It is expected that crews will remain in attendance for some time yet.”

Tractor and skip fires

Crews were also called to a tractor fire yesterday (Sunday, September 24) just after 7:00p.m.

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said a crew from Poole and Wareham attended the fire – which was in a car park near Lower Hyde Heath.

The rescue service said:

“The fire was extinguished using 2 breathing apparatus and 2 hose reel jets. The tractor was made safe and cordoned off.”

A fire crew from Poole was mobilised to reports of a skip on fire yesterday at Trinity Lane in Wareham.

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said the crew arrived at 6:26p.m.

“On arrival crews found the skip well alight and extinguished the fire using one hose reel jet and one main line,” it said.

“Crews also checked the surrounding area for any fire spread.”

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Rural land and property specialist GSC Grays has said the number of farmer buyers for farmland in 2023 has dropped by nearly 10%.

Head of land and farm sales at GSC Grays, John Coleman, said the market for farmland this year has seen a drop in farmer buyers, but other types of buyers are becoming “increasingly active”.

As a result, the market overall shows demand continuing to outweigh supply, Coleman said.

“In the buyer market in any one year we would expect the number of active farmer buyers to be at or just over 50% but in 2023 this is falling closer to 40%, ” Coleman said.

“The lack of farmer buyers has been compensated by private investors, lifestyle buyers, institutional investors, and environmental buyers.”

Coleman said institutional investors and environmental buyers prefer larger farms or land holdings, as their need for “green credentials” is hard to fill.

“ESG investment funds have been hugely influential recently and capital funding for environmental groups has made them very competitive with the need for Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and in Nutrient Neutrality (NN) where the better the land taken out of agricultural production the greater the reward and benefit to the environment,” he said.

“How long these conditions can continue is open to debate, as the government are threatening the removal of Nutrient Neutrality (NN) to assist housebuilders.”

“The lifestyle buyer and private investor face change as their competitive advantage over farmers comes from capital tax reliefs through Agricultural & Business Property Relief (APR and BPR) which a new government may affect.”

Misconceptions

Coleman said there is a perception that the supply of farmland has seen a significant increase, but that analysis of the market, particularly across the North of England, suggests otherwise.

“Various reports say anywhere from 33,000 to 62,000ac of openly marketed land was on offer by the end of June 2023 – a little down on 2022 and at least 10% below the 10 year average,” he said.

“For land parcels and farms greater than 50ac, the amount of land offered for sale in the north is around 5% up on last year and similar to the 10-year average.

“Northumberland is offering more farms for sale than it has done for the last 12 years. However, North Yorkshire and County Durham have remained relatively quiet, down over 6% this year, while Cumbria is even quieter. “

Despite the impact of interest rate rises, which have slowed the general rate of growth, Coleman said premium prices are being offered in the market with an increase in available land expected at the end of this year and heading into 2024.

“Prime arable land has traded in the north between £10,000 and £13,000/ac, whilst grassland prices have settled at between £8,000 and £9,000/ac” he said.

“Marginal land and upland grazing have benefitted again by competition from the forestry sector with land capable of supporting commercial plantations trading between £4,500 and £6,000/ac.

“Expectations are that there will be more land available in the second half of the year and going forward into 2024.”

However, Coleman said buyers are likely to face increased funding costs and the possibility of a change of government in 2024 may cause them to offer less or postpone any decisions.

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A record number of young competitors are set to attend this year’s English Winter Fair, organisers have said.

The event, which take place at the Staffordshire County Showground on November 18-19, 2023, will feature over a dozen classes specially for school-age competitors, as well as playing host to young farmers’ stock and carcase judging championships, and the final of the Young Shepherd of the Year.

Chief executive at the Staffordshire and Birmingham Agricultural Society (SBAS) – which organises the fair – Richard Williams, said investing in competitions for young people keeps both traditional and commercial livestock skills alive.

“We saw a particularly large entry in the young farmers’ stock judging events last year, which was very rewarding,” he said.

“There are two competitions: A one-day event specially for the English Winter Fair, organised by Staffordshire Young Farmers on behalf of our committee; and a two-day competition organised by the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC).

“Together, they attracted well over 200 entrants throughout England and Wales last year, and we hope there will be even more in 2023.”

Young farmers

“Winners will be presented with the original Smithfield trophies during the NFYFC’s presentation of awards for its competition,” Williams said.

Another competition which holds its final at the English Winter Fair is the Young Shepherd of the Year, which is organised by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.

Last year’s junior champion was 12-year-old Logan Doyle-Tyson, who started his showing career by helping his sister show Hebridean sheep.

“I started learning at home, then doing young handler competitions at shows. Our family are members of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, and it’s good to keep people aware of rare sheep by showing them,” Doyle-Tyson said.

“People like our sheep because they’re black and have horns, and I enjoy it when they come to our pens and ask questions because we’re helping to educate them.

“Lots of people think they’re goats because of their horns and how they look when they’ve just been sheared.”

Schools competition

The event’s special schools competition, introduced in 2017, is also going “from strength to strength”, SBAS said.

Students at the Thomas Alleyne School in Uttoxeter compete each year, honing their animal stockmanship and presentation skills, the society said.

Justine North, the teacher with responsibility for farm activities at the school, says many of those who take part aspire to have careers in positions like vets, farmers, zookeepers or dog groomers.

As only 10-15% of children who get involved are from a farming background, the livestock handling skills they learn are “invaluable in giving them confidence around all sorts of animals”, she said.

“The schools actually has its own farm with an array of sheep, goats, cows and poultry, run by farm manager Rosie Deakin-Gallimore, who is instrumental in preparing the students and animals for the Fair each year,” North said.

“More than 20 students competed last year in a range of classes. We used to enter the stock classes but it’s hard to win against people who are breeding champion animals for a living.

“So we focus on the schools’ class, and compete on handling and showing skills, as well as the sausage-making championship.”

The post Record number of young competitors set for this year’s English Winter Fair appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

Researchers at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) have highlighted the value of integrating remote sensing and data sharing for timely agricultural information critical for food security and sustainability planning in a new paper.

They say that real-time crop monitoring has become increasingly important, particularly for addressing climate-induced losses and damages, as discussed during the last United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP 27).

Satellite data

The researchers indicate that initiatives like GEOGLAM and the Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) have traditionally contributed to monitoring global food security by relying on existing data about crop locations and agricultural productivity.

However, these systems often provide static information based on past data at a coarse resolution, they said.

To address current limitations and advance real-time, global-scale crop monitoring, the WorldCereal project, funded by the European Space Agency (ESA), has reportedly created an open-source, highly scalable system.

This system utilises openly available satellite data provided by the EU Copernicus programme.

In 2021, the system demonstrated its capability to provide seasonal cropland information, crop-specific maps for maize and cereals, and irrigation maps.

In their paper published in Nature Food, IIASA researcher Linda See and colleagues from ESA, the Flemish Institute for Technological Research’s VITO Remote Sensing, Stellenbosch University, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), highlight the potential for the system to incorporate greater crop-specific data, thereby boosting the accuracy of sub-national and national agricultural statistics.

According to the authors, this enhancement in data quality and gap-filling techniques would significantly improve capacity to monitor domestic situations and contribute to established international protocols, including FAO questionnaires concerning production and land use statistics, UNFCCC initiatives, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Global database

A key innovation of the project, according to the researchers, is its community-based, open, and harmonised global reference database, which contains 75 million samples from 2017 onwards, which was contributed to by many organisations and individual projects worldwide.

To fully realise its potential, the researchers said that steps should be taken to evolve the project into a cloud-based, sustainable platform with diverse operational models.

Linda See, lead author and a senior researcher in the Novel Data Ecosystems for Sustainability Research Group of the IIASA Advancing Systems Analysis Program said: “ESA’s WorldCereal project leverages high-resolution satellite imagery to generate near real-time information about crop types and irrigation.

“This advancement is just the beginning, as it opens doors for continual improvement and global collaboration.

“The system can be used in a demand-driven manner to cater to the needs of various user communities, potentially encouraging countries to not only provide on-site data, but also enhance cropland maps through the incorporation of local knowledge and data.”

The WorldCereal system demonstrates the power of integrating remote sensing, machine learning, and shared reference data, offering critical agricultural production and yield estimates for food security and sustainability planning, the research team has said.

While it demands significant investment, the benefits of having high-resolution, data-rich agricultural information, supported by an engaged global community, far outweigh the costs according to the team.

“In collaboration with international organisations like the FAO, national agencies can leverage this technology to enhance their agricultural statistics and reporting capabilities to support global initiatives like the UNFCCC and the SDGs,” study author Sven Gilliams, WorldCereal project manager at VITO said.

The authors point out that, while the community-based nature of the WorldCereal system offers many benefits, there are still gaps that need to be filled with data from various regions and sources.

There is, however, great scope for improvement through contributions from public and private organisations, as well as emerging data types like street view imagery and citizen science, the research paper stated.

The post Using satellite data to enhance global food security appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

Bus fares in rural areas of England have dropped by 11%, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has said.

Defra said the drops in fares are due to the £2 fare cap, which was introduced in January of this year.

The ‘Get Around for £2‘ scheme was originally scheduled to end on March 31, 2023, but was extended until October 31, 2023.

After October 31, it will then run at £2.50 until November of 2024.

Yesterday (September 21, 2023), new statistics from the Department of Transport (DfT) showed the overall price of bus fares in England, outside London, has dropped by 7.4% between June 2022 and June 2023, mainly due to the extension of the scheme.

The £2 fare cap has cut travel costs, particularly in rural areas, where buses are crucial for so many people to get around, with the average fare dropping by 10.8% in rural and non-metropolitan parts of England, Defra said.

Minister for Rural Affairs, Lord Benyon, said: “We are putting the needs of people and businesses in rural areas at the heart of policy-making.

“Bus services are a vital part of this, as a lifeline for communities and in supporting local businesses in our rural economy.

“By easing the cost of transport in some of our most remote areas, we can help bring people together and build on the wider work we are doing to help rural communities thrive.”

Roads Minister Richard Holden said: “Our ‘Get Around for £2’ scheme has slashed overall bus fares for millions across England, as we continue to help people save money on travel, boost transport connections and grow the economy.

“Whether you want to visit loved ones, head to work or attend a medical appointment, taking the bus continues to be a vital link for people to get around.”

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Whitlaw Farm, sitting on over 107ha of land northwest of Lauder, has been brought to the market by Galbraith.

The property consultancy said the site is situated in a private position two miles outside the small Borders town which is located in the upper valley of the Leader Water.

Whitlaw Farm comprises a mixed farming unit with a farmhouse set within a private area of garden ground, a range of modern and traditional farm buildings and an area of farmland extending to approximately 107.18ha (or 264.84ac).

Galbraith is accepting offers over £1,215,000 for the whole site, but it can also be sold in four lots.

The farmland has been classified by The James Hutton Institute as Grade 4.2 and 5.1 with smaller areas of Grade 4.1 and 5.2.

The site features several areas of amenity woodland which comprises a mixture of commercial and amenity trees, Galbraith said.

The four lots, and their starting place for offers, are as follows:

• Lot 1: Whitlaw farmhouse, garden, outbuildings and paddock, 2.27ha (5.61ac) – offers over £595,000;
• Lot 2: Land extending to 89.04ha (220.02ac) – offers over £430,000;
• Lot 3: Farm buildings and land 6.24ha (15.42ac) – offers over £140,000;
• Lot 4: Land extending to 9.63ha (23.80ac) – offers over £50,000.

Country home

The property consultancy has also brought a “Gothic Tudor style” detached country home located in Ellon, Aberdeenshire, to the market.

Waterton House features four reception rooms and five bedrooms and, Galbraith said, retains many original features like log burners.

The house stands in a wraparound garden on grounds stretching to approximately 1.5ac.

“There is a productive orchard with both cooking and edible produce and a large timber log cabin offers a versatile outdoor facility, with a covered cooking and seating area,” the agency said.

Waterton House is on sale for offers in the region of £630,000.

The post Galbraith brings Whitlaw Farm on 107ha to the market appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

National Rural Crime Action Week, which is underway this week (September 18-22), is a timely reminder that farmers need greater protection from rural crime, the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has said.

In that vein the union is reiterating its call for the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act to be expanded to include “other agricultural equipment such as GPS systems”.

The bill currently makes provision to prevent the theft and re-sale of equipment and tools used by tradespeople and agricultural and other businesses and for connected purposes, aimd at deterring the theft of all-terrain vehicles (ATVS) or ‘quads’.

NFU vice-president David Exwood said: “Highly organised gangs of criminals have continued to plague the British countryside in recent years, stealing livestock, valuable farm machinery and expensive GPS equipment.

“We welcome the action government have taken to tackle hare coursing and ATV theft but urge the government to pass secondary legislation to widen the scope of the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act to include other equipment, such as larger machinery or GPS systems, and to fulfil its commitments on livestock worrying.

“Farms often double as family homes and small businesses and these crimes have a significant impact on farming families, both financially and emotionally, and have left many rural communities feeling vulnerable and intimidated.”

According to the union, the theft of tractor GPS units cost the UK over £500,000 in the first four months of 2023, more than double compared to the same period in 2022.

The NFU is also pushing for the government to follow through its commitment to introduce legislation, originally included in the Kept Animals Bill, to tackle livestock worrying.

National Rural Crime Action Week

National Rural Crime Action Week is ran by the National Rural Crime Unit and aims to highlight the work that it and the police do to tackle rural crime.

The National Rural Crime Unit was established by police and crime commissioners with significant rural constituencies.

Exwood said that its establishment is a “positive step”.

“We look forward to seeing the benefits of intelligence sharing and increased collaboration that it will bring and the NFU will continue to work with stakeholders and police forces to make the countryside a safer place,” he said.

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Staffordshire Police rural and wildlife crime team has appealed for information regarding the theft of a blue New Holland tractor from the Flashbrook area, near Newport.

The team took to Facebook to appeal for information on the incident, which took place between 10:30p.m on September 13 and 7:30p.m and September 14.

The team said two New Holland tractors were originally stolen from the yard by “unknown persons”, who then drove them through a hedge and abandoned one of them and stole the other.

Both tractors originally had trailers attached, which were both abandoned by the thieves.

Staffordshire Police rural and wildlife crime team urged anyone with any information on the theft to come forward to help it locate the tractor.

GPS theft

The rural crime team is also investigating the theft of a GPS system from a farm in the Newborough area of Burton-on-Trent.

The GPS system includes the internal screen to the value of £10,000.

The thieves removed the system after targeting a tractor between 7:00p.m on Monday, September 11 and 7:30a.m on Tuesday, September 12, 2023.

The make and model of the GPS system that was taken is currently unknown, Staffordshire Police rural and wildlife crime team said.

The team urged anyone with any information on the theft, or anyone who has been offered a GPS system, to come forward.

The post Staffordshire: Appeals for info after the theft of New Holland tractor appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

A “rarely available” combination of a derelict farmhouse, mixed outbuildings and land on 8ac outside Falkirk has been brought to the market by DM Hall Chartered Surveyors.

Broadside Farm is being marketed at offers over £250,000 and anyone interested in taking up the “unique opportunity” is urged to contact the head of rural agency, Jennifer Campbell.

The rural branch of DM Hall Chartered Surveyors said Broadside Farm, which is situated to the northeast of Denny and south of River Carron, has “beautiful views of the countryside within the Carron Valley”.

This area, it said, is ideal for outdoor pursuits with hacking routes as it has countryside walks and cycling routes nearby.

Head of rural agency at DM Hall Chartered Surveyors Jennifer Campbell, said: “This property has huge potential and is a fantastic redevelopment project in the heart of central Scotland, subject to obtaining the necessary consents.

“It has glorious panoramic views as well as 7.9ac of predominantly south facing grazing land.

“There has always been demand for rural redevelopment projects and this is a fantastic accessible location with a manageable parcel of land, shown on the Hutton Institute land capability for agriculture plans (partial cover) as being of Class 4.2 in quality. The grazing paddocks extend to approximately 2.6 Ha (6.4 Acres) in all.”

Campbell said the site was a “much-loved” family farm for many years and that it would be fantastic for its potential to be realised.

“There is already significant interest in the property and a closing date is likely to be set, viewings should be arranged by appointment,” she said.

The post DM Hall brings farmhouse and outbuildings on 8ac site to the market appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

Pest control products manufacturer, Lodi UK, has said rodent numbers have risen sharply following Covid-19 and, as temperatures fall, rodents will seek shelter on farms.

If not controlled, the company said, rodents could ruin grain stores.

Lodi UK pest control specialist, David Reece, said: “Farmers should take an integrated pest management approach and use a variety of baits to combat resistant rats and prevent infestations that can result in grain losses and contamination.”

Lodi warned that rats can thrive in a grain store and multiply quickly, with one breeding pair escalating to 1,250 in just one year.

Reece said protecting grain stores does not have to involve the use of rodenticides, and farmers should select bait carefully to avoid wasting money baiting resistant rats.

“Farmers can take many non-chemical measures such as proofing buildings, identifying areas that rodents may be using for harbourage and making regular checks by walking the farm,” he said.

“Rodenticides should contain actives such as cholecalciferol or brodifacoum because some rats are now resistant to the previously popular actives bromadiolone and difenacoum.”

Tips

Lodi and Reece’s first tip for farmers is to look for signs of rats and mice – this includes checking for droppings and gnaw marks.

Reece is encouraging farmers to make a farm plan and regularly walk their farm to look for burrows and record where rodent activity is apparent.

“Just because there are signs of rodents it doesn’t mean baiting in that area will always be totally effective,” he said.

“Understanding areas that rodents are using to access food and water can help make trapping or baiting much more effective.”

The second tip is to keep farm buildings and sheds free from clutter and rubbish.

Lodi said rats do not like open spaces, so farmers can reduce rodent activity by keeping their farm, especially areas around grain stores, clear of rubbish, weeds and objects that rats can use for harbourage.

“Although a simple process, keeping a farm tidy by removing rubbish can make a big difference,” Reese said.

“Preventing access to food and water by securely storing food, repairing dripping taps and making sure there is no food available outside will reduce the likelihood of rats seeking harbourage and breeding on a farm.”

Rodent control

Another tip from the pest control company is to ensure farm buildings have no access points for rodents to reduce the risk of infestation.

“Small measures like using mesh smaller than 10mm to cover gaps in grain stores will help to prevent both mice and rats gaining access,” Reece said.

The fourth tip is to establish bait boxes at least four weeks ahead of baiting at it will reduce a rat’s neophobic behaviour (a fear of new objects) and improve bait take.

“Rats have a fear of new objects (neophobia). Therefore, placing boxes ahead of time and even adding non-toxic bait can help the boxes become trusted,” Reece said.

Reece’s final tip is that rodenticides be used when non-chemical methods have been exhausted.

However, these should rodent controls should be carried out methodically and carefully, he said.

“The fastest acting bait available is Harmonix which contains cholecalciferol and can control a rodent infestation in just 7 days. It is not an anticoagulant so can be used inside and out, and also poses less threat to non-target species such as birds and other wildlife,” he said.

 Using a bait that is highly palatable is a particularly important consideration in grain stores where food is plentiful, Lodi said.

“Harmonix or Lodi Gems Sapphire both have a highly palatable wheat-based formulation that make it more appealing to rodents and represent the best choice for grain stores,” Reece said.

The post Lodi UK publishes tips to protect grain stores from rodents appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

Finance is the biggest source of stress for farmers and others living in rural communities, leading to their mental health not coming down to individual resilience, but their “financial resilience”.

This is according to Kris Ambler of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), who also told Agriland that a unique approach is needed to meet the unique mental health needs of farmers and rural communities.

Ambler said farmers face different challenges to those of other professions, as it is more like a lifestyle than an occupation.

“I can finish my work at 5:00p.m and that’s that. But, with farmers, it’s their life, it’s not a job,” he said.

“So you’re around it constantly. It puts strains on relationships. There are lots of issues around farm succession as well.

“Some younger people in particular are looking at farming and thinking: ‘You know what? Sod that.’ It’s incredibly long hours, it’s dangerous, it’s backbreaking work.”

Financial issues

Ambler said the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is being overlooked as both a financial issue and a mental health issue for farmers today.

“Just because we’re out of lockdown, it doesn’t mean that the impacts of the pandemic aren’t still being felt, because they are in terms of long-term sickness and the impact on businesses as well,” he said.

“Lots of agricultural businesses really suffered, some more than others, but particularly those that were supplying the restaurants and retail supply chain.”

Ambler said Brexit adds to the financial issues of farmers, but that discussions on it are regularly shied away from.

“You’ve got the additive impacts of Brexit as well, and nobody wants to talk about the ‘B-word’, but that’s having a huge impact,” he said.

Mental health funding

Ambler said the BACP’s ask is a simple one – that the UK government and policymakers realise that rural areas require different kinds of support than urban ones.

He said that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has committed to finding ways to reverse the “concerning rates” of suicide amongst farmers and those in rural communities, but that this is yet to be seen.

“Defra talks about being committed to finding ways to reverse the concerning rates of suicide and help save lives,” he said.

“It talks about transforming NHS mental health services with a major funding boost. But this is just smoke screen. This isn’t a major funding boost.

“The view from the front line is that NHS mental health services that are available are patchy and inconsistent.”

It can take months in some cases, Ambler said, to be seen by an NHS talking therapist provider because they’re “hugely overwhelmed” and are “not always appropriate to people in rural communities”.

“That’s the point that we make, is that these very unique circumstances that people are facing in rural communities require an equally unique and nuanced approach to mental health,” he said.

“There’s no one size fits all approach to this. There’s no sticking plaster. And it needs dedicated work from our point of view.

“Our message to policymakers and government is that this requires focused funding that recognizes that complex and very nuanced picture of need in rural communities.”

The post Mental health of farmers comes down to their ‘financial resilience’ – BACP appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

By Barbara Collins

Alan and Wendy Dempster breed sheep on their 50ac farm near Ballymoney in Co. Antrim. It is a fourth-generation, family-owned farm where they rear and breed 120 sheep.

The breeds are Suffolk and Texel crosses which they say make a good carcass. They are “hoping to work with Dutch Spotted lamb; it is very trendy at the moment, and we are interested to see what kind of meat they will produce”, Wendy said.

“My husband is a part-time sheep farmer. The sheep were housed for lambing in March, but they have now swapped to lambing outside in April because they think it is healthier. The dream is for him to go full-time.”

Wendy herself is a fairly recent recruit to farming. “My introduction to farming really happened during [the Covid-19] lockdown,” she explained.

“I had lived on the farm for about eight years with my husband and daughter but was really only ever involved at the weekends as I commuted to my accountancy job in Belfast all week.

“During the pandemic I was furloughed and started getting more hands on. It gave me a real appreciation for the work and dedication that goes into producing the high standard of lamb.”

Wendy started her own flock from orphaned lambs during the pandemic lockdown, bottle feeding six times a day to begin with.

“I was determined to learn the process from start to finish. Naively I named them: Snow White; Princess Fiona; Darcy; Missy; Harriett… you get the idea. These are some of the mothers to the Farm Quality Assured, grass-fed lambs which we now rear.

“The first lamb being born into my flock was extremely special to me and I love having the opportunity to be innovative in a hugely male dominated sector.

“It is small milestones that make my job in agri worth it. E.g., when I had an aged farmer from down the road tell me he had heard about my concoction for bloated lambs and could I make him up some?”

Diversifying from the sheep enterprise

Prices at the mart or the factory rarely pass £5.00/kg, with the average being £4.50/kg, so Alan and Wendy decided to diversify.

“After having the costs involved highlighted, we realised we needed to increase the value of our lambs to make sheep farming viable and the way to do so was to showcase the great quality of the product in a way to appeal to a larger market,” Wendy continued.

“We wanted to add value to our meat. I was interested in looking at different remedies. I love a wee bit of charcuterie and cheeseboard and that’s where the idea for lamb ham came from. There was nothing out there.

“I was on everything you could read or watch on how to cure lamb. It took a few months and a few mistakes but three months, takes about two weeks to cure. I use wet rather than dry cure because it’s quicker.”

She says some of her market research involved making dinner. 

“I held a few shepherdess suppers and got people to try it and the feedback was great. They were the first people ever to get to taste it. We had review cards and all but one said the lamb ham was the highlight of the evening for them,” Wendy said.

They converted a horsebox into a mobile kitchen and worked with the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) in Cookstown, Co.Tyrone to develop recipes. Since then, their business plan has evolved.

“The initial plan was to take our lamb to events and sell from our upcycled horsebox called the ‘Lamb Van’ at farmers’ markets and events. but we have since organically expanded into retail.

Lamb ham

So, is lamb a hard sell?

“It is seen as a special occasion meat, so the challenge was to get people to see its health benefits. People have this mistaken idea that lamb meat is very fatty, but it is actually a good type of fat,” Wendy explained.

She said that making and selling hand-held snacks is working for them.

“We hook them in with our lamb sausage rolls and burgers and then they come back for more,” she added.

“On the second day at an event, a young boy came to buy a lamb burger with the money his dad had gave him because he had loved the one he got the day before. That melted my heart. I sent him home with a few for his freezer.

“A few weeks later at an agricultural show he came back with his dad and brothers so they all could have burgers. Things like that make all the hard work worth it.

“Adding extra value to our lambs will hopefully make it possible for Alan to farm full-time. This is a driving factor for us,” Wendy said.

“I served my time as an electrician,” Alan added. “I always kept a few sheep. I knew from an early age where my passion lay. Sheep farming was in my blood.

“It is extremely hard to make sheep farming viable, especially with the ever-increasing costs involved.

“By increasing the value of the end product from the farm, I hope to make the transition to full-time. Time will tell,” Alan concluded.

The post Focus: Adding value to a sheep enterprise with ‘lamb ham’ appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

North Yorkshire Police’s rural taskforce has said it will spearhead a “major clampdown” on rural crime next week.

The taskforce is increasing its activity as part of National Rural Crime Action Week, which takes place next week from September 18-23, 2023.

Insp Mark Earnshaw of North Yorkshire Police’s rural taskforce said: “We aim to ensure the North Yorkshire countryside remains a hostile environment for criminals.

“That work involves intelligence-led operations and proactive patrols – but also building strong partnerships, including with Watch scheme volunteers, technology and security companies, rural businesses, and residents themselves.

“Policing our rural communities happens day-in, day-out, but Rural Crime Action Week is an opportunity to raise the profile of rural crime nationally, and send a clear message that it will not be tolerated in our area.”

Rural crime

North Yorkshire Police’s rural taskforce said rural crime is classified as any criminal activity that predominantly impacts on rural communities and business, such as machinery and agricultural theft, livestock theft, livestock worrying and wildlife crime.

It also defined it as criminal activity that can take place anywhere, but requires a unique approach due to specific issues associated with rural communities, such as isolation or a lack of access to services.

Throughout the National Rural Crime Action Week, the taskforce said its officers will attend auction marts in Craven, Northallerton and York to speak to farmers and other attendees, and will also be at the Stokesley Show and Nidderdale Show.

“In addition to engaging with local communities, specialist police teams will also carry out proactive enforcement activity at undisclosed locations throughout the week, focusing particularly on tackling poaching, quad bike theft and rural burglary offences,” it said.

“The Rural Task Force will also take to social media, sharing important crime prevention advice aimed specifically at rural residents and businesses.”

The post North Yorkshire Police to lead ‘major clampdown’ on rural crime appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

High suicide rates among farmers have been linked to a masculine workforce which “finds it harder to talk about their issues”.

This is according to Kris Ambler of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), who told Agriland that cultural barriers are responsible for men finding it hard to speak out about their struggles.

“Suicide is higher amongst men,” Ambler said. “They find it hard to talk; that’s one of the reasons, some men find it harder to talk about these issues.”

“I think that’s improving,” he added. “But amongst older farmers in particular and their families, it’s still a really big issue.”

Officer for National Statistics (ONS) figures show that men aged 45 to 64 years have had the highest rates of suicide since 2010 and around three quarters of suicides in 2021 were males.

According to the BACP, three people in the UK farming and agricultural industry die by suicide every week.

As well as the cultural barrier of a predominantly masculine workforce, Ambler said small rural communities can lead to more “bottling up” of feelings as people fear they will be put under a spotlight.

“Rural communities can be a really great source of strength because everybody knows each other, but actually it can also be a barrier to help-seeking behaviour because people think ‘I don’t want to do my dirty laundry in public’,” Ambler said.

“Another thing is the fears that some farmers have of disclosure, so they think ‘I disclose that I’ve got a mental health problem, I’ll lose my shotgun license’ or ‘I won’t have access to fertiliser’, and things like that.

“Again, that leads to sort of bottling things up and keeping things inside and, where people don’t have an outlet, quite often that can lead to suicide and suicidal thoughts.”

The cost-of-living crisis

The BACP has said that it fears suicide rates in rural communities across the UK will rise due to the cost-of-living crisis.

This fear was echoed by Ambler, who said that times of wider economic hardship lead to a rise in suicide rates.

“I think it’s true to say that whenever there’s times of economic hardship and recession, suicide rates increase. There’s a close relationship with them, and we’ve seen this before in this sector and others,” he said.

“We saw that in lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic and there are issues there, obviously, of isolation, but a lot of people were cut off from financial support from the government, particularly people in self employment.

“Increasingly, for more and more people in rural communities, their debt will increase alongside debt and financial pressures, and then we typically see an increase in suicide.”

The additional financial pressure being brought on farmers and those in rural communities by the cost-of-living crisis is “tipping people over the edge”, Ambler said.

The BCAP offers an online directory on its website where people can find a qualified therapist in their area, for themselves or for someone else, who can help if they are going through a tough time.

The post High suicide rates in farmers linked to a ‘masculine workforce’ appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.

This year’s UK Dairy Day takes place at the International Centre, Telford, tomorrow (Wednesday, September 13), with over 270 exhibitors expected across the indoor and outdoor areas.

The weather for the free, one-day event is expected to be good, with no rain forecast and a general temperature of 17° .

As usual with the annual event, attendees can expect to network, share knowledge, learn and conduct business.

There will be free Wi-Fi throughout the event with the code: TICUK.

UK Dairy Day 2023 map

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Timetable

• 8:00a.m – UK Dairy Day opens;
• 8:30a.m – Trade Stand Competition judging commences;
• 9:00a.m – Cattle show judging commences. ‘Beneath the Black and White’ calf painting demonstration commences in external trade stand area;
• 9:30a.m – Foot trimming, blocking and knife sharpening demonstrations commence in the external trade stand area. New Product Competition judging commences;
• 10:00a.m – Seminar presentations and industry panels commence on the first floor in Sharing Knowledge Zone;
• 10:20a.m – Grand Championship presentations for Dairy Shorthorn, Jersey, Guernsey and Brown Swiss;
• 12:30p.m – Type classification and linear scoring demonstration in the NBDC Breed. Village in concourse by Hall 3;
• 12:40p.m – Heifer Championship presentations for Ayrshire and Holstein;
• 1:00p.m – Presentation of 2023 Holstein UK Master Breeder Awards in the cattle ring;
• 1:20p.m – Cattle show senior judging commences;
• 1:30p.m – Presentation of New Product Competition awards;
• 2:30p.m – Presentation of Trade Stand awards. Type classification and linear scoring demonstration in the NBDC Breed Village in concourse by Hall 3;
• 2:40p.m – Presentation of 2023 Holstein UK Premier Herd Competition Regional. Winners and Overall Winner in the cattle ring;
• 4:20p.m – Grand Championship presentations for Ayrshire and Holstein;
• 5:30p.m – UK Dairy Day closes;
• 6:30p.m – Event breakdown commences.

Seminars and industry panels timetable

The UK Dairy Day industry panels and seminars will be held on the first floor within the ‘Sharing Knowledge Zone’.

Industry Panels will be 60 minutes and Seminars 20 minutes, both with opportunity to ask questions at the end.

Getting there

The International Centre is located off Junction 4 or 5 of the M54. Organisers recommend following AA yellow road signs for UK Dairy Day or brown signs for International Centre

The UK Dairy Show will validate pay parking tickets on behalf of its visitors and recommends the following car parks:

• The Centre Car Park (200) 24hrs;
• P1 Long Stay 1 (969) 6:00a.m to midnight;
• P2 Southwater Multi-storey (700 spaces) 24hrs;
• P3 Cinemas & Restaurants (600) 6:00a.m to midnight;
• P4 Next/Zara (500 spaces) 6:00a.m – 7:00p.m;
• P5 Long Stay 2 (260 spaces) 6:00a.m to midnight;
• P6 Long Stay 3 (243 spaces) 6:00a.m to midnight;
• P7 Next/Primark (420 spaces) 6:00a.m to midnight;
• P8 Debenhams (620 spaces) 6:00a.m to midnight.

It is important to remember to bring the car park ticket taken at the barrier gate to the event for validation at the UK Dairy Day visitor information desk in the concourse on arrival or departure.

If travelling by train the nearest station, Telford Central Railway Station, is a 10-minute walk away.

A free shuttle bus will also be running between the venue and Telford Central Railway Station throughout the day.

The venue currently has no electric car charging points, but the closest charging points are: the International Hotel Car Park, next door to venue and Asda Telford Superstore, Malinsgate, Telford TF3 4HZ which is a couple of minutes away.

UK Dairy Day 2024

Should you miss this year’s show the date has already been set for next year; September 11, 2024.

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Three people in the UK farming and agricultural industry die by suicide every week, according to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

BACP fears that suicide rates in rural communities across the UK will rise due to the cost-of-living crisis.

Its chief executive, Anna Daroy, said that even before the cost-of-living crisis, male farm workers were three times more likely to take their own lives than the national male average.

The BACP said the UK government’s mental health supports for rural communities are not enough as “much more is needed to recognise the on-going impacts of the cost-of-living crisis alongside other factors such as Covid-19, Brexit, the war in Ukraine, farm succession, and labour shortages”.

“We know that the cost-of-living crisis will have a profoundly damaging and long-lasting effect on the mental health of farmers and those living in rural communities who already experience a unique set of challenging circumstances, unless the government acts now and invests more in counselling and psychotherapy support,” Daroy said.

“Even before the cost-of-living crisis, male farm workers are three times more likely to take their own lives than the male national average, and every week three people in the UK farming and agricultural industry die by suicide.

“Worryingly, we expect these figures to rise as the cost-of-living crisis exacerbates the longstanding challenges farmers already face – including higher living costs, known as the rural premium, increased rates of loneliness, and isolation.”

According to the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for rural business, the average wage in rural areas is 7.5% lower than the urban equivalent.

At the same time, the costs of living in rural is “significantly higher” than in urban areas across the whole of the UK- for example rural households in 2022 spent almost £800 a year more on fuel than those in urban areas, the BACP said.

Asking for help

Daroy said rural communities are facing “extremely complex issues” and dedicated mental health support is needed as the solution.

“We’re committed to increasing access to psychological therapies for those from isolated and marginalised groups and playing a leading role in this agenda,” she said.

Chief executive of the Farming Community Network (FCN), Dr. Jude McCann, said it is vital for farmers and those in UK agriculture to have access to counselling and other forms of support, but that it is also important for them to be able to ask for that help.

“Counselling and other forms of support are vital in rural communities, but it’s not always an easy task to get farmers to talk,” she said.

“On many farms the kitchen table is often the office, and many find it hard to switch off.

“There are so many factors outside of their control and quite often it isn’t just one issue that affects their health and wellbeing.

“Farmers are sometimes proud people and often assume that others need support more than them. We need to normalise help-seeking behaviour – everyone of us will need help and support at some stage in our lives.”

Nathan Shearman, the director and clinical lead for Care Coins – a mental health service – said: “People in rural communities are fantastic at looking after each other, but the problem is that the government leave them to get on with it when they might need professional help.

“Quite often people in rural communities face barriers to access mental health support, including a lack of public transport, but when these barriers are removed, we know that people will access help and support.

“We’ve seen people coming forward in their 60s, 70s, and 80s to talk. Counselling and therapy are great, and we need to make sure everyone has access to it.”

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Galbraith has brought Cockmuir Farm – a 112ac site including a farmhouse, arable and pasture land, wetland and woodland – to the market.

The property, which is situated in Moray four miles from Elgin, is for sale through Galbraith for offers over £835,000.

Cockmuir Farm features amenity areas and productive land, the property consultancy said, with about 26ha of arable land, 1.2ha of paddocks, 12.9ha of woodland and 4.3ha of wetland.

Partner with Galbraith, Rod Christie, said: “Farms such as Cockmuir are rare to the market here in Moray. 

“With an elegant and substantial traditional farmhouse together with the land and steading, it will be of considerable interest to lifestyle buyers and to those with agricultural, equestrian and environmental interests.”

Adjacent to the farmhouse is a stone and slate built steading which offers storage and livestock accommodation (suitable for sheep and as stabling for ponies and horses), as well as potential for development into additional accommodation (subject to planning permission), Galbraith said.

Farmhouse

Galbraith said the farmhouse includes “many fine period features” including fireplaces, high corniced ceilings and bay windows.

It has an open plan kitchen/dining room, sitting room, dining room, four reception rooms and six double bedrooms.

As well as this, it has a utility room, shower room, bathroom, additional WC, dressing room and a loft room.

The house is heated by gas central heating and in addition is connected to a bank of 38 solar panels (circa 9.5kW) which generates a “modest” annual income and helps reduce ongoing electricity consumption, Galbraith said.

“To the side and rear of the house is a delightful garden with a timber decking, areas of lawn and mature hedges, flower beds and borders,” the property consultancy said.

“There is ample parking space for several vehicles. The grounds are nicely protected to the north by some relatively recently planted mixed species woodland in addition to a further strip planted on the western edge of the farm.”

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More than £200,000 worth of agricultural machinery, tools and equipment have been marked with forensic DNA codes as part of Northumbria’s fight against rural crime.

Farmers and rural communities are being invited to book a slot at the next machinery and equipment DNA tagging event which will be held on September 18 in Lucker.

The Northumberland Partnership Against Rural Crime (NPARC), which was launched in December 2022, recently teamed up with both NFU Mutual and SelectaDNA to mark the machinery to prevent theft.

The invisible code helps police easily spot stolen property that thieves may be attempting to sell on and quickly identify rightful owners.

Officers are now urging more farmers and rural communities to come forward and attend the further tagging event later this month.

Sgt Calum Meikle, of Northumbria Police, said: “We have been delighted with the early response to these events and it’s great that a large amount of rural equipment has already been forensically marked.

“This technology is a significant step in our ongoing battle against rural crime – and I’d encourage anyone from our rural communities who has yet to do so to come along.

“The free events provide a great opportunity for farmers and owners to bring ATVs, quad bikes, trailers and any other valuable equipment that could be the target of thieves.

“We can then mark their equipment with a specialist unique invisible code which will help us identify any stolen property, take robust action against thieves and return those goods to their rightful owners.”

Rural crime

Meikle said the DNA code marking is just one of the ways Northumbria Police is disrupting rural crime in the area.

“We want to make sure Northumbria stays at the forefront of tackling rural crime – and that’s exactly what we want to achieve through NPARC and the various operations that we run across Northumberland, including Operation Checkpoint,” he said.

“This work would not be possible without the invaluable contributions of our rural crime volunteers and partners – who are our eyes and ears out in the community. I would like to thank them for their amazing ongoing support and dedication.”

NPARC is a partnership involving various organisations including Northumbria Police’s Rural Policing Team, the National Farmers Union (NFU), NFU Mutual, Northumberland County Council, Northumberland National Park, Mountain Rescue, Forestry England and Northumberland Fire & Rescue Service.

Northumbria Police’s crime commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said: “There’s been a great response to this initiative to get agricultural equipment marked up.

“Local people in our rural communities are always fantastic at doing their bit to support Northumbria Police in the fight against rural crime.

“From our committed volunteers to the professional NPARC partnership I’ve funded, there is a really joined up effort in wanting to catch criminals, stop them in their tracks and make it really difficult for them to operate in our region.”

McGuinness said the more difficult it becomes for criminals to steal, the more crime rates will fall.

“I hope this and all the other robust operations and prevention initiatives make clear just how important our rural communities are to Northumbria Police and I,” she said.

Rural affairs specialist at NFU Mutual, Hannah Binns, said the rural insurer knows that the theft of agricultural vehicles and equipment is “incredibly disruptive” and causes pressures for farmers and their families.

“Combined with good farmyard security and effective policing, property marking is one of the best tools in the toolbox and we’re pleased to support this marking initiative to make it harder for criminals to operate in the countryside,” she said.

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A Sussex woman has been convicted of failing to keep her dogs under control after police received 27 reports of her dogs worrying livestock.

65-year-old Livia Morvay of Station Road, Heathfield, was sentenced at Hastings Magistrates’ Court for livestock worrying and nine breaches of her Community Protection Notice.

An investigation into Morvay by Sussex Police’s rural crime team began in 2020 after members of the local community reported multiple incidents of her dogs being out of control.

In total, there were 27 reports of her dogs worrying livestock, knocking people over and chasing other dogs.

She was convicted of nine breaches of the Community Protection Notice and fined £600 for each breach, totalling £5,400.

She was also ordered to pay £300 compensation to one of the victims and £190 to the court.

Livestock worrying

Morvay was arrested and charged with livestock worrying on three separate occasions and issued with a Community Protection Warning and a Community Protection Notice.

These required Morvay to ensure her dogs wore a muzzle when being walked in public, however she continued to breach the conditions of these orders, police said.

Morvay was also given a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO), which prevents her from keeping or controlling any dog for five years. If caught doing so, she could be arrested and face a prison sentence of up to five years.

Sgt. Jon Attfield of Sussex Police’s Rural Crime Team said: “This case is a reminder of the importance of responsible dog ownership.

“Morvay’s actions caused significant harm to the agricultural and rural community, to other dog owners and to members of the public.

“She did not take responsibility for her dogs, repeatedly ignoring the requirements of orders imposed by the court, and she has now been fined and banned as a result.

“We hope this sends a message to any other irresponsible dog owners that police and the courts will take action against those who fail to keep their dogs under control.”

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A train carrying 40 passengers and a tractor collided at a level crossing earlier today (Tuesday, September 5), British Transport Police (BTP) Lancashire has said.

BTP Lancashire were notified about the incident, which occurred on the Ormskirk Line near Lostock Hall railway station, at 10:22a.m.

No injuries have been reported and after inspection, the train was able to continue.

“Officers attended the scene and thankfully there were no reported injuries. Enquiries into the incident are ongoing,” BTP Lancashire said in a statement.

All lines have since reopened.

“Disruption caused by a collision at a level crossing earlier today between Preston and Ormskirk has now ended,” National Rail has confirmed on X, formerly known as Twitter.

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The Pembrokeshire County Show awards acknowledge people in Pembrokeshire, Wales, working in agriculture across a variety of categories.

Th awards coincide with Pembrokeshire County Show, which this year took place near the end of August.

This year, Mark and Caroline Davies of Little Newcastle, Haverfordwest, took home the Baron de Rutzen Award.

This award recognises Pembrokeshire farmers under 45 who can demonstrate the use of the latest techonological advancements to promote progressive and sustainable agriculture on their farm.

The Davies milk 230 pedigree Holsteins through a fully automated system. They rear their own replacements and also have a small beef enterprise.

The farm is all grassland and they follow a strict reseeding and liming policy to optimise the yield from their multi-cut silage system. The couple place significant emphasis on animal health, husbandry and breeding to maximise the efficiency of their system. 

The Student Bursary Award was awarded to Lottie Wilson from Hayscastle.

The £1,000 bursary is open annually to all qualifying students studying agriculture, veterinary science, agricultural engineering, food technology, forestry or other subjects clearly allied to agriculture.

Lottie studies agriculture at the University of Nottingham and is a general dairy farm worker when at home. She is also a lambing hand and a calving beef-herd assistant, and was the top agriculture student at Hartpury College in 2021.

There were two recipients of the Long Service Award: Darran Davies (pictured top) from Scleddau, Fishguard and Richard Davies from Treffgarn Owen, Haverfordwest.

This award recognises farm and estate workers in Pembrokeshire who have been employed on the land for 25 years or more.

During the Pembrokeshire County Show the role of Ambassador for 2024 was also given to Ffion Edwards, a nurse from Maenclochog.

As ambassador Ffion will help support officeholders in promoting and meeting the aims of the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society.

Ffion has been a member of Llysyfran Young Farmers’ Club (YFC) for 15 years.

The 2024 event is set to take place at Pembrokeshire County Showground in Haverfordwest on August 14-15.

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A dog owner in Wales has been convicted following a livestock attack whereby 22 pregnant sheep were killed and a further 48 were injured.

26-year-old David Hughes admitted to being in charged of a dog dangerously out of control and being the owner of a dog worrying livestock in court on August 22.

Two American XL Bulldogs in Hughes’ care attacked sheep on private agricultural land in March of this year after they escaped from their home

Police said that after “several attempts” by the farmer to stop the dogs one became aggressive towards him. Both dogs were eventually shot by the farmer on the scene.

According to police the financial cost of the dog attack amounted to more than £14,000.

Hughes has been banned from keeping dogs for five years and ordered to pay £900 in fines.

Across the UK as a whole, it estimates £1.8 million worth of farm animals were killed or injured by dogs in 2022.

PC Chris James from North Wales Police welcomed Hughes’ conviction.

“I welcome this result after what was a horrific scene for the victim, who is still suffering the effects of the incident today. The emotional and financial impact on the farmer has been considerable,” he said.

“Livestock attacks are extremely distressing not only for the animals, but for their keepers too. The costs, both financially and emotionally for such distressing incidents are wholly unacceptable,” he added.

“Responsible dog ownership is key in tackling these awful incidents, which are far too common. It is so important to ensure pets are always kept on a lead and under control around in the countryside – or if left at home alone, that the house or garden are secure.

“A dog’s owner is the only person who can prevent an attack from happening, and you may have to pay the ultimate price if you cannot control your animal.

“If your dog has escaped in a rural area, you should contact the police as early as possible so local farmers and landowners can be alerted.”

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The bull, a Watusi-longhorn mix named Howdy Doody, was seen in the passenger side of the car that was travelling at 10:00a.m on Wednesday, August 30, when Norfolk police received a call about a cow in a car on Route 275.

When receiving the call, the police had thought the report of a cow in the car meant it would be something that would fit within a car, like a small calf.

The man driving the car was Lee Meyer of Neligh, with his bull, whose Watusi origins originate from east and central Africa, characterised by very large horns.

The car had been modified to accommodate Howdy Doody fitting into the car, such as cuts made into the roof, and a yellow gate on the side to secure the bull into his seat.

Attached to the yellow gate is a sign saying, ‘Best Car Entry,’ a win that Meyer had picked up in Nebraska’s Big Rodeo Parade, meaning this is not the first time that Meyer and his bull have travelled together in this car.

They also recently visited Arbor Care Center in Neligh to show residents Howdy Doody, while Meyer also brought the bull alongside him in the car in 2019 in a parade in Nebraska.

Also visible on Meyer’s car is a set of longhorns attached to the bonnet, albeit much smaller than those belonging to Howdy Doody.

The modifications to the car however, did mean that Meyer would receive a traffic violation, after police conducted a routine traffic stop when the car had arrived to Norfolk, a city in Nebraska with 25,000 people.

The officer at the scene decided to write Meyer a warning, and send him, along with Howdy Doody, back home.

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Dorset Police rural crime team have arrested a 28-year-old man in connection with the suspected handling of stolen plant machinery.

The team arrested the man from south Dorset yesterday (Wednesday, September 30) following an allegation of his handling of a stolen dumper grab.

The man has been released under investigation while the force’s enquiries continue.

Dorset Police rural crime team said: “A search has been conducted in the Swanage area and a further item has been seized by police as it is suspected to be stolen.

“This Leica Roteo 35 Rotating Laser, which would cost approximately £5000 to replace, has been seized.”

PC Sebastian Haggett of the Dorset Police rural crime team thanked the Dorset Special Constabulary and Purbeck Police for assisting it in its investigations and the man’s arrest.

“The theft of tools and plant machinery can have a devastating impact on businesses and we will continue to take robust action to stop it,” he said.

“If you recognise this Leica Roteo 35 Rotating Laser, we would ask you get in contact with any serials you may have so that we can match it with the item seized.”

Haggett said anyone with any information should get in contact via the Dorset Polices rural crime team’s website.

Stolen machinery

Earlier this week, around £500,000 of stolen farm equipment was recovered across Shropshire by West Mercia Police.

The force said the recoveries had been possible thanks to help from the public.

Earlier this month, two tractors worth a combined total of £230,000 were recovered by two police officers, following information given to them by the public.

Since then a further two tractors, a pick-up truck, a JCB digger and a bowser containing 2,000L of fuel have been recovered and returned to their owners.

West Mercia Police said these thefts have been happening across Shropshire over the past several months, with the offenders dumping the equipment near the location it was taken from.

Anyone with information relating to the thefts is asked to contact the Rural and Business Team at Shrewsbury Police Station.

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Four pregnant cows have died following a suspected dog chase in Llannerchymedd, Anglesey, Wales.

As a result of being chased the cows fell down a steep embankment and sustained “catastrophic injuries”, North Wales Police Rural Crime Team has said.

Police are appealing for any information on the incident, which took place between 3:00p.m last Wednesday (August 23) and 10:00a.m the following day (Thursday, August 24) in a field in Maenaddwyn, just outside Llannerchymedd.

“We are appealing for information after four cows have died following an incident in Anglesey,” the rural crime team said on Facebook.

“This incident will result in a significant financial loss to the farmer as well as the emotional impact of finding his stock in such terrible circumstances.

“If you have any information in relation to this incident or if you know that your dog had escaped during the time frame given and you believe they may have been responsible, please contact us on 101, or via the website, and quote reference number A135912.”

Livestock worrying

Rural insurer NFU Mutual estimates that dog attacks on farm animals across the UK cost £1.8 million last year.

In Wales, it estimates farm animals worth £438,536 were severely injured or killed by dogs in 2022, a rise of 15.5% in cost compared to 2021.

In a livestock worrying survey earlier this year, NFU Mutual also found that nearly two thirds of dog owners that responded said that their dogs chase animals.

The same amount of respondents (64%) said they also let their dog roam off-lead in the countryside, and 40% admitted that their pets do not always come back when called.

North Wales Police Rural Crime Team believes the Maenaddwyn incident is as a result of a “loose dog”.

However, almost half (46%) of respondents to the NFU Mutual survey believe their dogs are not capable of injuring or killing livestock.

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Around £500,000 of stolen farm equipment has been recovered across Shropshire, West Mercia Police has said.

The force said the recoveries have been possible thanks to help from the public.

Earlier this month, two tractors worth a combined total of £230,000 were recovered by two police officers, following information given to them by the public.

Since then a further two tractors, a pick-up truck, a JCB digger and a bowser containing 2,000L of fuel have been recovered and returned to their owners.

West Mercia Police said these thefts have been happening across Shropshire over the past several months, with the offenders dumping the equipment near the location it was taken from.

Anyone with information relating to the thefts is asked to contact the Rural and Business Team at Shrewsbury Police Station.

Superintendent Edward Hancox said: “Following information provided by the public we have been able to locate the stolen equipment and return it to the rightful owners.

“This type of crime is sadly not uncommon in the farming community, and it is important that farmers remain vigilant and ensure all equipment is locked away securely when not being used.”

West Mercia Police have encouraged residents to also sign up to Neighbourhood Matters, which allows communities to raise concerns directly with their policing team.

The service is free and those who sign up can choose to receive news and appeals, local crime information and crime prevention advice via a number of different channels, the force said.

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Firefighters from East Sussex and West Sussex are working to put out a tractor fire on the A22, Forest Row.

Emergency services were called to the tractor fire around 3:00p.m. East Sussex Fire and Rescue said the tractor was “well alight carrying 20t of hay”.

It is using “firefighting foam” to extinguish the fire, as well as four breathing apparatus wearers and two hose reel jets.

The A22, Lewes Road, Forest Row road has been closed and is anticipated to remain this way for considerable time, the fire service said.

“Please avoid the area,” it added.

No casualties have been reported and police are also in attendance at the scene.

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Ayrshire Police has issued a reminder to dog owners of the law around livestock worrying by dogs following a recent incident in Brodick.

The force said it is the responsibility of the dog owners to “ensure attacks and worrying don’t happen”.

In a statement yesterday (Sunday, August 27), Ayrshire Police said: “Following a recent incident in Brodick, police are reminding dog owners of the law around livestock.

“‘Worrying’ is the phrase used when a dog attacks or worries livestock in rural and farmland areas. This usually occurs in the countryside when dogs are off leads or roaming without an owner or person in charge of them.

“Whilst many owners are unaware of their dogs’ impact on livestock, it is their responsibility to ensure attacks and worrying don’t happen.”

Police Scotland Ayrshire said it is “committed” to tackling rural crime – particularly livestock attacks and worrying.

Livestock worrying

Police Scotland Ayrshire chairs the Ayrshire Partnership Against Rural Crime (APARC) with its multi-agency partners including the National Farmers’ Union of Scotland (NFU Scotland), Scottish Land & Estates, Scottish Crofting Federation and NFU Mutual.

Earlier this month, the NFU reiterated and republished prevention advice and legal information regarding livestock worrying.

The union said livestock worrying remains a “serious cause for concern for many farmers” as it has a devastating impact on those affected.

As a result, the NFU compiled a “guide on action” for farmers to take if an incident occurs and steps to help prevent against the crime of livestock worrying.

The union’s insurance branch, NFU Mutual, published its rural crime report on Tuesday, August 1 which revealed that UK farm animals worth an estimated £1.8 million were killed or injured by dogs in 2022.

Rural business policy advisor at NFU Scotland, Rhianna Montgomery, said spring of this year saw a “constant stream of reports of cattle and sheep being attacked by dogs”.

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The sight of someone snuggled up to a cow is probably not something that the majority of farmers are used to seeing in their fields.

But that’s not the case for Fiona Wilson, who together with her husband Will, and brother James McCune, regularly offers visitors a chance to cuddle a cow on their farm in Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire.

Cow cuddling is a wellness concept that has been steadily growing in popularity across farms, from the US to the UK, over the past decade or so.

It typically involves spending time up close and personal with cows, petting them, brushing them, or simply laying with them.

On Dumble Farm, the session all depends on the individual person.

“Some people come because they just want to be close up to the cows to learn about them, find out about the character,” Fiona told Agriland.

“Other people really get into the whole cuddling thing, so just lay with them, stroke them really gently and just snuggle up to them, feel the warmth of the body and the breathing.

“Some people like it almost from a wellness point of view. Other people just like that, being close with big animals and learning about that line, learning about it. Some people like a mixture of the two.”

Dumble Farm

Dumble Farm is a working farm with a beef herd and conservation projects, that runs attractions like cow cuddling, Highland cow trekking, and Highland cow and wildlife safaris alongside their day-to-day farm work.

“We’re a working farm. But we’re doing the experiences alongside that really, as diversification,” Fiona said.

It was James who had seen cow cuddling online somewhere, and Fiona said since they sat and cuddled their own cows already, they thought they’d try it out.

“It’s going really well, everyone loves it,” she said.

The cows that they use for the cuddle experience are retired dairy cows that they had when the farm was a full-time dairy operation. They are a three-way cross of Montbéliarde, Swedish Red and Holstein.

Although their Highland cows might – to some – seem more cuddly, with their fluffy hair, and often teddy-like appearance, they are harder to hug, according to Fiona.

“We hug Highlands, but we’re very aware of the big horns. People do have to be aware of the big horns,” she said.

In terms of the safety of the experience, the farm has also done a full risk assessment for its attraction offerings, and has a licence and insurance. They also limit cow cuddling groups to six people and give a safety brief to start with.

“We only have six people at once, so that one of us, either myself, my brother and my husband, just spends time with one couple the whole time, and so we can watch them really closely and say to them, ‘I think that cow is going to move, it’s going to stand up, move out the way’,” Fiona explained.

Cow cuddling

The ‘cuddle cows’ are also specifically chosen based on their temperament and have had lots of practice and training.

“We chose cows that we knew had really good temperaments right from the beginning,” Fiona said.

“We’ve known them from being little calves. We’ve bred our dairy herd from the 70s, so we know the cows and we spent a lot of time getting them used to people socialising them so they know exactly what’s happening, they know what to expect.”

They also get the cows in a relaxed state, laying down and cudding, before people meet them, and explain to visitors how to approach the animals, how to brush them, what not to do and what a cow “might not like them to do”.

“And obviously we’re with them all the time so we can answer their questions,” Fiona added.

The general cow cuddling experience at Dumble Farm, which costs £40/person and lasts 1.5-2 hours, is also only open to people over 16 years of age.

After the cuddle session, participants have a chance to meet and groom Highland cows.

“A lot of people find that very therapeutic as well. Just the whole brushing the hair thing,” Fiona said.

“Some people just stand here all day just brushing them, just learning about them, the different characters.

“The dairy cows and the Highlands are different sort of characters and so people are seeing the contrast between them as well, which is a nice thing to do, learning about the different breeds and everything.”

Fiona also stressed that the cows enjoy the experience – especially the Highlands.

“Highlands absolutely love being groomed. They just love it,” she said.

“And the cuddle cows, as they call them, our retired dairy cows, they enjoy being brushed. Some of them will actually sort of almost go to sleep and put the head on one side while people are brushing them.”

And what surprised her about the whole farm venture, was that it didn’t just attract people from urban area.

“We do actually have some other farmers coming, which surprised me. We have other farmers that have cattle or come and do cow cuddling, and farmers with different sorts of cows, or some of them like Highland cows as well, and they want to meet those, too,” she said.

“A lot of people have had horses that have big animals already and like to interact with other big animals.

“But we do have quite a lot of people that have never been close to a cow before and just want to see what it’s like,” she said.

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The programme was established to reintroduce the bird of prey to Ireland so that it becomes a viable, free ranging population in the wild.

Over the next five years, the NPWS plans to reintroduce 50 osprey chicks as part of the programme.

NPWS

Ospreys are fish-eating birds of prey which require habitats close to rivers, lakes or coastal areas which ensure a sufficient supply of fish.

The species is known to be monogamous and faithful to both their mate and their nest.

Ospreys are thought to have become extinct as breeding birds on the island of Ireland over 150 years ago, but have continued to visit the island as part of their migratory pattern.

The release of the chicks follows confirmation that a breeding pair of ospreys and their chicks was discovered at a nesting site in Northern Ireland in recent weeks.

Ulster Wildlife said it was first time in over 200 years that ospreys have been recorded breeding naturally in Ireland.

The Republic of Ireland's Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan said the reintroduction programme is “an important tool in...efforts to conserve and restore nature”.

“We know from our European neighbours and our own firsthand experience that reintroduction programmes can bolster declining populations, gradually increasing them over time, while giving us valuable scientific insights into managing the return of this vulnerable species to our shores to plunge and dive for fish and eventually breed.

“Similar to the white-tailed eagle programme, the success of this initiative relies on the support of our farmers and landowners, who are working together with an experienced NPWS team, and I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to them for their contribution in bringing this spectacular bird back to our skies,” the minister said.

Philip Buckley, divisional manager with NPWS southwest, who heads up the osprey reintroduction programme said:

“In preparation for this programme, we drew on significant experience of countries around Europe who have reintroduced the osprey resulting in sizeable breeding populations over time.

“Identifying a suitable habitat which the birds will return to each year is key, and I would like to thank the farming community in the southeast for their engagement and co-operation.”

Similar to the white-tailed eagle reintroduction programme, the chicks are brought from Norway, and cared for at a secure location until they are ready to be released.

All of the chicks are satellite-tagged, so that NPWS staff can monitor their safety and welfare at this early stage, and their migratory pattern in the future.

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The Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland (IAAS) has appointed Alan Hutcheon as its new president.

The IAAS said Hutcheon has over 40 years’ experience in the industry as an auctioneer and in livestock market management.

Hutcheon will assume the role from Donald Young as he ends his three-year tenure.

The institute said its council has also been restructured at this time and joined by new elected members which “represent the breadth of the industry”. 

Speaking on his appointment, Hutcheon said: “I’ve been in the industry for a long time and have enormous respect for the work of the institute as a representative voice for what matters to all of us in this sector.

“It’s an honour to take up this position. The industry has its fair share of challenges and I’m looking forward to working with Neil, the council and our members to secure and enhance the future of the marts and be a constant voice on their relevance to Scottish agriculture and food security.

“Price discovery is at the heart of this, and nowhere is this more fair, transparent and simple than in the auction system.” 

Executive director of IAAS, Neil Wilson, said: “The insights, experience and enthusiasm for the industry that Alan brings with him, as well as an enviable network of contacts across the supply chain, will be an enormous asset to the Institute and the appointment is great news for members.

“I’d like to thank Donald personally as well as on behalf of the membership for his support to me as executive director.

“Over the last three years, he has worked both behind the scenes and out front through changing times to increase the effectiveness of the Institute and ensure its voice is heard in the most important conversations.”  

Hutcheon’s ambition for the future of the marts is to progress the use of EID tagging in all Scotland’s marts to improve efficiency, staff safety and make savings, IAAS said.

New structure

The new structure of the IAAS council now includes members of the Young Auctioneers group to “represent the next generation of auctioneers and valuers, with a view to bringing different experience and perspectives to the board table,” it said.

The new council includes Hutcheon as its president; Christopher Sharp of United Auctions; Grant MacPherson of Dingwall and Highland Marts; Oliver Shearman of Caledonian Marts; Grant Anderson of H&H; Brian Ross of Lawrie & Symington; and Andrew Hunter Blair of Craig Wilson.  

“Working across the differing regions of Scotland, IAAS has invested in its education and examination structure to nurture the talent and skill of new, up-and-coming auctioneers and valuers,” IAAS said.

“Under Mr Wilson’s directorship, it has also initiated a Young Auctioneers group designed to support leadership, networking and sharing of knowledge to benefit the whole industry.  

“The institute’s purpose is to advocate and raise awareness of the crucial role of the livestock market system in Scotland’s rural economy.”

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DM Hall Chartered Surveyors has brought Hawksland Hall, a rural Scottish package of house, land, and outbuildings, to the market.

The rural department of DM Hall said those interested in the “pristine property” should not delay, as it is likely that a closing date will be set for offers.

Offers over £765,000 are invited for the rural Lanarkshire site, which includes a seven-bedroom home.

Head of agency at DM Hall, Jennifer Campbell, said “Approached by a private road with secure electric gates, Hawksland Hall is an imposing building which stands proudly, with wonderful views of the surrounding countryside.

“We rarely get such a good property with exceptional modern outbuildings and land – in a great central location.

“The bar, music rooms and open plan kitchen and living space has been designed with entertaining in mind.”

Campbell said the cabinetry throughout the property is exceptional with tremendous attention to detail as well as a “state-of-the-art, in-built sound system”.

Hawksland Hall lies a few miles from Lesmagahow and is close to the Clyde Valley and the Scottish borderlands to the south.

“This property is not limited to equestrian use, the fantastic secure modern outbuildings, could be repurposed for general storage or commercial use subject to consents,” DM Hall said.

“An ideal scenario for those who want their commercial premises/workshops at home or perhaps extensive storage for a car collection.”

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Police are appealing for information after 150 hay bales were deemed to have been deliberately set alight at a farm in south Staffordshire.

Staffordshire Police said its officers were called to an address on the A449, Penkridge, at 9:45p.m on Saturday (August 19).

Firefighters from Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service were called to the scene and extinguished the bales, which were described as “well alight”.

Following an inspection of the scene, the fire was later deemed to be deliberate and an investigation was launched.

Staffordshire Police has urged anyone who was in the area at the time and who has any information that could help in the investigation to contact it.

Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service said crews from Brewood, Cannock, Codsall, Penkridge, Rugeley, Stafford, and Stone were dispatched to put out the fire.

“Firefighters used hose reel jets to contain and prevent the fire from spreading, with the fire reaching 20 feet in it’s height,” it said.

Hay bale fires

Farmers are being urged to continually assess the risk of fire on their land by Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service.

The service said it was issuing the warning following barn fires near Ulverston and Flimby in the last month caused by “spontaneous combustion”.

“Hay bales can catch fire due to a build-up of mould caused by moisture in the hay from time of baling or from being rained on,” it said.

“Hay naturally insulates, so once the hay reaches 55°C, a chemical reaction creates flammable gas.

“If the temperature of the hay continues to rise, the heat can cause the flammable gas to combust.”

Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service said there are things farmers can do to prevent the risk of hay bale fires on their farm.

These prevention measures include:

• Removing hay from fields as soon as possible after harvesting and ensuring that it is dry before storing it;
• Storing hay away from other buildings, especially those that store chemicals, fuels, fertilisers, and livestock;
• Storing hay in stacks at least 10m apart and with sufficient room between the stack and roof lighting;
• Checking the bales regularly for any heat.

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Farmers are being urged to continually assess the risk of fire on their land by Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service.

The service said it was issuing the warning following barn fires near Ulverston and Flimby in the last month caused by “spontaneous combustion”.

“Hay bales can catch fire due to a build-up of mould caused by moisture in the hay from time of baling or from being rained on,” it said.

“Hay naturally insulates, so once the hay reaches 55°C, a chemical reaction creates flammable gas.

“If the temperature of the hay continues to rise, the heat can cause the flammable gas to combust.”

Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service said there are things farmers can do to prevent the risk of hay bale fires on their farm.

These prevention measures include:

• Removing hay from fields as soon as possible after harvesting and ensuring that it is dry before storing it;
• Storing hay away from other buildings, especially those that store chemicals, fuels, fertilisers, and livestock;
• Storing hay in stacks at least 10m apart and with sufficient room between the stack and roof lighting;
• Checking the bales regularly for any heat.

Area manager from Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service, Ian Seel, said: “Farmers have really tight timelines to harvest and we know that these timelines can be very weather dependent.

“We had some great weather in May and June which provided farmers with the opportunity to harvest earlier than normal, and we fully appreciate that they have to take these opportunities when they can.

“What we don’t want to see if farmers losing their lives or livelihoods to fires that are avoidable.”

Seel urged farmers to assess fire risks to their property including arson prevention, separating other ignition sources such as heaters from storage areas and monitoring hay bales for any excessive heat being generated.

Cumbria’s county advisor from the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), James Airey, said the union is urging its members to check their hay bales and contact their local fire service if they need help.

“Farmers should also take extra precautions given the increased risk such as having checked fire extinguishers on all vehicles involved in the harvest campaign and to put firebreaks in around fields as soon as they are harvested,” he said.

“Our county advisers and group secretaries also work with the fire service to host events on farm fire prevention, security and access to water and these safety briefings for NFU members and young farmers remain vitally important to safeguard people, livestock, buildings and crops.”

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The pair has bred at a confidential nest site in Co. Fermanagh.

The bird of prey, which is also known as a fish hawk, has re-colonised naturally in the area.

The conservation charity believes that at least two, possibly three chicks have been hatched.

Chicks

The historic discovery was made by Giles Knight, environmental farming scheme advisor with Ulster Wildlife.

Giles has been observing the breeding pair for the last three seasons while carrying out his local farm visits in the area.

“I have been keeping this news close to my chest for a long time to ensure the safety and welfare of these spectacular but vulnerable birds,” he said.

“Along with my son Eoin, I have watched the adults return to the same site since 2021, so you can imagine my excitement the moment that I saw three chicks and two adults this year,” he said.

“It was a rub-your-eyes, once-in-a-lifetime moment; an absolute highlight of my 30-year wildlife career – like finding long-lost treasure.

“With at least two of the chicks fledging this season, this is a huge conservation success story and indicates a healthy wetland ecosystem with plenty of suitable habitat and fish to bring this apex predator back to our skies and plunging into the Fermanagh Lakelands,” he added.

Ospreys

The medium-sized raptor, which is a protected species, has a white head with a distinctive brown eyestripe.

The bird is a fish-specialist, rarely eating anything else. It is usually found near water, including freshwater inland rivers and loughs as well as coastal estuaries and shorelines.

Ospreys are thought to have become extinct as a breeding bird in Ireland in the late 18th century due to systematic persecution.

Although often sighted on migration to and from sub-Saharan Africa, confirmed breeding in Ireland has been elusive until now, with Scotland their UK breeding stronghold.

Dr. Marc Ruddock from the Northern Ireland Raptor Study Group said the confirmation of ospreys breeding in Ireland is “truly brilliant news”.

He said that the location of the nest will remain confidential to avoid the birds being disturbed.

“Now these birds are back in Ireland and breeding successfully, it is critical that they are left in peace so their numbers can continue to grow by returning year on year to breed.

“We believe and hope that this could be the start of a raptor dynasty.

“It has been both encouraging and heartwarming to see the landowner, the local farming community and our partners welcome the ospreys’ return.

“Their ongoing support will enable future generations to enjoy these magnificent birds far into the future,” Dr. Ruddock said.

Across Ireland, osprey monitoring, the erection of nesting platforms, and planning for translocation and re-introduction programmes have been ongoing for many years.

Earlier this year, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien announced that the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) was to embark on a re-introduction project for the species.

It was planned to release chicks in the southeast of the country during the summer months.

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The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has warned that extreme weather is the “new normal” and in some countries temperatures have “reached new heights”.

The WMO said today (Tuesday, August 22) that “high impact” weather will continue through August.

Alvaro Silva, a climate expert with WMO, said: “The frequency and intensity of many extremes, such as heatwaves and heavy precipitation, has increased in recent decades.

“There is high confidence that human-induced climate change from greenhouse emissions is the main driver.

“This gives us the long-term context for the increasing occurrence and severity of such extreme weather and extreme events.”

Extreme weather

The WMO has previously warned that soaring global temperatures will have “far-reaching repercussions” for food security.

According to Silva, the behaviour of the jet stream has been a contributing factor.

“There are several studies suggesting a connection between rapid warming and changes in the Arctic, due to human-induced climate change, and midlatitude weather patterns, including in atmospheric dynamics such as the jet stream, but further in depth research is needed to fully understand and explain the extremes occurring this summer,” he added.

The WMO’s climate expert pointed to a number of severe heat warnings which are currently in place across Europe from Switzerland, which is under level three amber alert to red alerts in parts of Italy, Croatia and Portugal.

According to the organisation, in Norway, where there has been prolonged heavy rainfall, floods and landslides, there is also a top-level red alert for rain in place in the southern part of the country.

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Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) has said the Scottish government’s intention to introduce a snare ban would deliver a “crippling blow” to attempts to reverse biodiversity loss.

The Scottish government announced consultation today (Tuesday, August 22) on prohibiting the devices. The consultation will run for six weeks from August 22 to October 3, 2023.

SLE said measures to conserve species such as black grouse, curlew, golden plover, grey partridge, lapwing and oystercatcher be severely harmed if the ban were to become law.

Director of moorland at SLE, Ross Ewing, said: “It is deeply regrettable that, at a critical moment in efforts to sustain biodiversity in rural Scotland, the Scottish government is moving towards a ban on the use of snares, thereby removing another tool to manage predation pressure on vulnerable species.

“Ground nesting birds such as curlew and lapwing were once common but are now red-listed species and are at risk from generalist predators, including foxes.

“Being able to undertake sensible predator control using legally set snares has helped to ensure those birds can breed and have the chance to maintain viable populations.”

Ewing said the SLE is urging the Scottish government to give consideration to retaining humane cable restraints (HCRs).

“Failure to retain HCRs would constitute an abdication of responsibility on the part of the Scottish government to do everything it possibly can to combat biodiversity loss. In a nature crisis, such an outcome is simply unconscionable,” he said.

Consultation

The Scottish government is seeking the public’s views on whether an outright ban on snares should be put in place or if any exemptions should be considered.

The consultation is also asking for opinions on extending the investigative powers of the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) – which would be a new measure to help tackle wildlife crime, it said.

This will involve giving SSPCA inspectors more authority to search, examine and seize evidence related to incidents of illegal hunting and other offences related to wildlife persecution.

Environment Minister Gillian Martin said: “Snare traps lead to unnecessary suffering for animals and these proposals are part of our ongoing efforts to ensure that wildlife management is both sustainable and humane.

“Currently, only a small number of farmers and land managers use snare traps. More effective and humane forms of managing wildlife are available and we will continue to support the industry to make use of these methods.

“Wildlife crime and the illegal killing of wild mammals continues to blight our rural communities. By extending the investigative powers of SSPCA inspectors, we can ensure that the destructive impact that these criminals have on our environment is diminished and that they are brought to justice.”

SSPCA chief superintendent Mike Flynn said: “The Scottish SPCA strongly supports this announcement by the Scottish government. As Scotland’s animal welfare charity, we have long called for an outright ban on the use of snares due to the level of suffering an animal is caused.

“Animals that are caught in snares can be caused unimaginable physical and mental anguish.

“Following reports from members of the public, we have found domestic animals, protected species and target animals that have all suffered dreadfully in both illegal and legal snares.”

Flynn said a ban on all snaring is the only way to stop “unacceptable suffering”.

“We are very pleased with the announcement of a ban, which will be a historic moment for animal welfare in Scotland.”

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When searching for a way to diversify their farm, Tim and Tan Spittle found a unique, and seemingly untouched avenue to explore: Sheep’s milk vodka.

“We knew about the cow’s milk vodkas and obviously researched sheep’s milk and wondered why there weren’t many people doing that sort of thing,” Tanya said.

After three to four years of research and development, they launched Blacklion Vodka in 2021 – becoming the first sheep’s milk vodka in Europe. No less than one year later, they had won multiple international awards.

“You’re not going to think about milk when you’re drinking it,” Tim told Agriland. “It doesn’t have a milky taste at all.”

It’s a little creamy he said, with “slight” notes of vanilla and a long aftertaste. “It is a sipping vodka rather than a bottle of fire that’s just going down your throat. It’s a real quality drink,” he said.

The couple, which run a large sheep farm in the Cotswolds, don’t just use any old sheep’s milk for the drink – they have dedicated “vodka sheep”.

“We cross two breeds,” Tim explained. “We cross a Swiss breed which is a Valais and we cross it with a commercial milker.”

The farm in its entirety normally has about 600 sheep. The ‘vodka sheep’ are kept in small groups and are milked, producing about 1L/ewe/day.

“It’s a small batch, super premium product,” Tim reiterated.

Making sheep’s milk vodka

The curds from the milk go to a friend of the couple who makes cheese, leaving them with the whey that they turn into vodka.

“With cheese making, obviously the separation of whey occurs,” Tim explained.

“Curds going off to make a nice sheep’s cheese; the whey is redundant, typically a waste product, a byproduct of that process, and it seems such a shame to not use those wonderful, tangible sugars.

“That’s what you can use to ferment and distill just as you would do with potatoes or grain, making a mash or beer-type solution; that is what you use to distill and make a spirit.”

They chose to make a vodka because they believe the vodka market is “just about to evolve” and that the gin market is “pretty saturated”. They also wanted it to be an artisian, small batch, premium product.

“Just because we’re farming doesn’t mean to say that that we should be in any way rough and ready,” Tim said.

“There’s a lot of good farm products out there and we think we should sit it at the very best end of the market.”

Blacklion Vodka is available in 20cl and 70cl bottles, and can be purchased online, or at various small shops listed on the company’s website – including Clarkson’s Farm star Jeremy Clarkson’s well-known Diddly Squat farm shop.

Farm diversification

The vodka venture started out, as mentioned, as a way to diversify the farm – which is something that the Spittles believe is really important.

And it’s not their only diversification move; around ten years ago, they converted old cattle barns and now have an “urban-style gym” – Freestyle360 – on the farm with a few hundred members, Tanya, who has a background in marketing, said.

“That helps subsidise our farming really,” Tim added. 

He believes that what’s holding other farms back from diversifying is time and money, but also the “inclination and possibly some of the skills to do other things which they’d be very good at”.

“I think farmers should be supported more in the diversification,” he said.

“We found that when we diversify, it’s never supported as we hope we’d want to be from things like planning and other areas – they should be.”

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Over £20,000 of prize money will be up for grabs at this year’s English Winter Fair at the Staffordshire County Showground.

The event will take place from November 18-19, 2023, and Bagshaws partner and auctioneer Mark Elliott has called it the pinnacle of the pedigree, prime and fatstock show season.

Elliott, who has presided over the fair’s concluding sale for nearly 30 years, said: “Many competitors who end up selling their animals in the auction have been showing them all year across the country.

“It’s an honour to see them compete at the winter fair against some tough opposition, then end up in your sale ring as their crescendo to the season.”

Elliott said the quality of livestock at the fair, whether pig, sheep or cattle, has been consistently high. Although, with cattle in particular, the type of animal has changed over time.

“We’re definitely looking at smaller frames these days. The 800kg steer of the past has fewer markets now, so we see this preference for smaller carcass weights reflected in the animals being shown in the ring, then making their way through for sale,” he said.

Entries at the fair were affected after the Covid-19 pandemic struck, but they have bounced back, with last year’s event taking in over 5,000 visitors.

“People really enjoy the chance to buy and sell at this very special event, as well as coming to compete and spectate,” Elliott said.

Competitions

In addition to livestock, large entries are expected for beef, lamb, pig and poultry carcass competitions, which are held in a refrigerated hall.

Local butcher Paul Sargeant, who operates out of Bramshall near Uttoxeter, will again be the judge for these categories. 

Those invited to judge the live animals this year include Herefordshire’s Colin Phillips and Cumbria’s Neil Slack, who are presiding over the pedigree and non-pedigree cattle classes respectively.

They will also join forces to decide the champion beef animals at the conclusion of the show.

Phillips said he will be on the lookout for a “fleshy and finished beast, but with correctness and mobility”. However, he also values “ring presence” and style.

As judge, Slack said he will be searching for an animal that catches his eye, is correct and walks well, and also has ring presence, as well as “meat in the right places”.

The judge covering all live sheep classes is Neil Glaves from near Scarborough in North Yorkshire.

As well as keeping pedigree Suffolks and Texels, Glaves runs a catering business including a bakery and butchers, and said he will be looking for lambs “suitable for both shop and catering trade” to appoint winners.

Entries for the English Winter Fair will open from September, with forms available on the Staffordshire County Showground website.

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Rural land and property specialist GSC Grays has brought a 1,800ac livestock farm site to the market.

The Northumberland-based farm has “significant natural capital” as well as commercial woodland and sporting assets, the company said.

Crow Hall Farm, which is located in the Tyne Valley between Bardon Mill and Haydon Bridge, has come to the market with an overall guide price of £7,500,000.

Its natural capital resource is listed as Muckle Moss – one of nine National Nature Reserves in the North East and borders the southern boundary of the Northumberland National Park.

The Crow Hall Farm sale includes:

• Fully equipped livestock unit;
• Traditional four bedroom farmhouse dating back to 1770 with superb south facing views;
• Farm manager’s bungalow with three bedrooms;
• Agricultural worker’s cottage with three bedrooms in cabin style;
• Livestock buildings capable of housing up to 200 head of cattle and 2000 ewes;
• Muckle Moss;
• Shooting grounds;
• Commercial and amenity woodland.

The farm is being offered as a whole or in two lots: the low ground and Whitshields Farm farmstead at £4,750,000, and the high ground including some livestock buildings at Seldom Seen Farm at £2,750,000.

The 1,070ac of high ground is Grade 5, with large areas of moss, rough and hill grazing and some rotational grass and woodlands while the low ground is Grade 3 and 4 and mainly down to grass, with some woodland and accounts for just over 700 ac.

Head of farm sales at GSC Grays, John Coleman, said: “For the past eight years this fully equipped livestock farm has been managed by Victoria Furlong, the 2017 Countryfile, Young Farmer of the Year Award Winner, and she has been responsible for a significant modernisation programme.

“Some of this work was in identifying the need to improve cattle handling facilities but also includes systematic improvement of the pasture, a significant amount of woodland management and repair and replacement of boundary walls and fences.”

GSC Grays said there is an extensive range of good-quality modern livestock buildings and handling facilities for both cattle and sheep, with a large main yard, silage clamps and slurry lagoon.

The whole farm is in a higher-tier Countryside Stewardship Scheme with grant assistance for walling and tree planting.

There are 32 commercial and amenity woodland plantations on the farm planted to provide shelter and cover for game extending in total to around 170.25ac (68.90ha) and are subject to a Woodland Management Plan.

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The UK Met Office has issued Status Yellow thunderstorm and wind warnings for parts of the country tomorrow (Friday, August 18).

The thunderstorm warning will impact the southeast of the country and into the midlands, as well as east Wales.

This warning comes into effect at 6:00a.m tomorrow morning and will remain in place until 12:00p.m.

The Met Office said the thunderstorm could cause some localised disruption during Friday morning.

The Status Yellow wind warning will effect the northern and western coastal areas of Wales and will come into force at midnight tonight and last until 6:00p.m tomorrow.

The Met Office said a period of strong easterly winds is expected which will be sufficient to cause some impacts to travel and tourism.

The national weather forecaster warned that the country will experience heavy rain as active weather fronts move from the southwest to the northeast, clearing northern Scotland on Saturday afternoon (August 19).

Deputy chief meteorologist at the Met Office, Steven Keates, said Friday evening has the potential for “intense thunderstorms” to break out over parts of England.

These may bring a lot of rain in a short period of time, he said, along with a risk of hail and frequent lightning.

“At the same time heavy rain, initially arriving into the southwest, will fairly steadily move northeast, potentially bringing some substantial rainfall totals to parts of Northern Ireland and eastern Scotland in particular,” he said.

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Pest control chemical manufacturer Lodi UK has urged farmers to be aware of the damage rodents can cause to farm machinery.

Every farm’s post-harvest rodent control strategy should be to protect storage and machines from rodents, the company said.

Pest control specialist at the company, David Reece, said baiting both inside and outside storage with rodent control paste can control rodents in just seven days.

Farmers should seek to implement solutions like this, he said, before rodent damage to machinery becomes costly.

“Rodents will seek food, water and harbourage following harvest, often choosing sheds where machines are stored,” he said.

“An integrated pest management (IPM) strategy is essential to prevent rodents chewing through wires to access food or places to nest, and baiting where necessary should be carried out to prevent or tackle infestations.”

Reece warned that machinery stored with grain or grass still attached will attract rodents and should be cleaned thoroughly before being stored.

Cholecalciferol baits

Reece has recommended that farmers use cholecalciferol baits as rodents are becoming more and more resistant to the effect of bromadiolone and difenacoum.

Cholecalciferol baits, he said, can also be used both inside and outside which “enables farmers to bait in all areas of the farm and reduce the effect of rodenticides to non-target species such as wild birds or livestock”.

“Whilst a cholecalciferol bait is more expensive than multi-feed baits such as bromadiolone, it requires 50% less bait and, crucially for busy farms, far less time to achieve rodent control.

“There is also the issue of resistance to consider. There are significant areas of the UK affected by so called ‘super rats’ that have become resistant to the effect of bromadiolone and difenacoum.”

Therefore, Reese said using an alternative cholecalciferol bait will save the farmer both time and money whilst also helping control the spread of resistant rats.

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This represents the longest period that a gene-edited pig kidney has functioned in a human.

Surgeons at New York University (NYU) Langone Health said that this is the latest step towards "the advent of an alternate, sustainable supply of organs for transplant".

The procedure, performed on July 14, 2023, was the fifth xenotransplant, where non-human tissues are transplanted into humans, to be performed at the New York facility.

Observation is ongoing, and the study will continue through mid-September 2023.

The research, which study leaders say could save many lives in the future, was made possible by the family of the 57-year-old male who had elected to donate his body to science.

Pig kidney

“This work demonstrates a pig kidney - with only one genetic modification and without experimental medications or devices - can replace the function of a human kidney for at least 32 days without being rejected,” Dr. Robert Montgomery, surgeon and director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute, said.

Dr. Montgomery performed the world’s first genetically modified pig kidney transplant into a human on September 25, 2021.

The first hurdle to overcome in xenotransplants is preventing the human body rejecting the animal organ when it is connected to the circulatory system.

This study involved "knocking out" a gene which has been identified as being responsible for a rapid rejection of pig organs by humans.

The pig’s thymus gland, which is responsible for educating the immune system, was also embedded underneath the outer layer of the kidney to prevent delayed immune responses.

Both of the transplant recipients' native kidneys were surgically removed. One pig kidney was then transplanted and started producing urine immediately without any signs of rejection.

Levels of creatinine, a bodily waste product found in the blood and an indicator of kidney function, were in the optimal range during the length of the study, and there was no evidence on biopsy of rejection.

While previous genetically engineered pig-organ transplants have incorporated up to 10 genetic modifications, this latest study shows that a single-gene knockout pig kidney can still perform optimally for at least 32 days without rejection.

“We’ve now gathered more evidence to show that, at least in kidneys, just eliminating the gene that triggers a hyperacute rejection may be enough along with clinically approved immunosuppressive drugs to successfully manage the transplant in a human for optimal performance - potentially in the long-term,” Dr. Montgomery said.

Transplant

In the US, there are more than 103,000 people on the waiting list for transplant, with nearly 88,000 of those waiting for a kidney, according to recent official data.

In 2022, about 26,000 people received a kidney transplant. Nearly 808,000 people in the US have end-stage kidney disease.

“There are simply not enough organs available for everyone who needs one.

“Too many people are dying because of the lack of available organs, and I strongly believe xenotransplantation is a viable way to change that,” Dr. Montgomery said.

Monitoring of the pig kidney recipient will continue for another month with permission from the family.

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The finding comes despite 61% of shoppers saying that they have or are intending to increase their intake of plant-based products in the next six months.

The survey of 1,000 consumers across Ireland, the UK and the US by plant-based company, Strong Roots, found that 51% of respondents preferred to eat traditional meat, while 47% said they do not like the taste of “fake meats”.

More than a third are afraid that such products are overly processed, while artificial additives were a concern for 36%.

The survey found that consumers are still buying veggie burgers, microwavable or ready-made meals, plant-based nuggets and frozen vegetables.

Alternative meat

Despite the drop in appetite for alternative meat, almost half of the shoppers surveyed were “climate conscious” and more inclined to buy from brands that included information on carbon footprint on their labelling.

Younger shoppers are driving this change as they are 20% more likely to buy from carbon-labelled brands.

The survey also revealed that half of consumers are confused by labels and have been unsure if a product contains animals ingredients.

Consumers are evenly split on whether buying plant-based products can help them to save money on their grocery bills.

Almost 20% of those planning to increase their consumption of plant-based products in the next month are doing so due to rising cost of living.

“The alternative meat bubble has burst,” Samuel Dennigan, chief executive and founder of Strong Roots, said.

“Our survey results have shown that consumers are sick of overly processed foods filled with additives, even if they are plant-based.

“We’re seeing a major shift towards consumers preferring whole plant, nutrient-dense food options with an ingredient list that isn’t miles long.

“Plant-based food companies once touted faux meat as the solution to the climate crisis, or the gateway to veganism, but this is a new era, ‘plant-based 3.0’, we need to focus on creating options that bridge the gap in taste, health, and sustainability that faux meat products can’t satisfy,” he said.

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Highland cattle have been brought in to trim the vegetation on the nesting grounds of lapwing at Arundel Wetland Centre in West Sussex.

Arundel Wetland Centre is one of 10 wetland centres across the UK managed by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) conservation charity.

Four Highland heifers were brought to the wetland nature reserve on August 2, and will graze the wet grassland for two months.

The aim of using the cattle to graze is to knock back the vegetation more sustainably than machinery. An added benefit, WWT said, is the beetles and worms that the cows’ dung attracts, which provides rich feeding grounds for nesting lapwing in springtime.

Reserve Manager Suzi Lanaway said: “These lovely girls will help keep vegetation in check in the summer months.

“Birds and wildlife aren’t bothered by the livestock – in fact the cattle egrets will enjoy the flies the heifers attract.”

According to the WWT, which runs Arundel, the land where the Highland cattle will be grazing was traditionally grazing marsh.

The cattle will be visible from the Ramsar Wildlife hide and the Lapwing Wildlife hide at the wetland centre.

WWT maintains thousands of hectares of wetland across its reserves with the purpose of supporting and protecting endangered species – the lapwing being one of these.

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The police and crime commissioner (PCC) for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight has announced that funding totalling nearly £84,000 will be shared among 10 projects focused on the prevention of rural crime.

PCC Donna Jones awarded the funding to 10 successful applications that were submitted in the first round of the ‘Commissioner’s Emerging Need Fund’.

Jones said the projects will target rural crime across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and make rural communities safer.

Successful applications include re-deployable automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras to target rural crime hotspots and thermal imaging equipment for police dog units.

PCC Donna Jones said: “I’m really pleased to be supporting a range of services that will help make rural communities safer and complement the existing initiatives and providers who are already tirelessly working to combat crime in the large rural areas that we have here in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

“Efficient policing and crime detection present their own challenges as 85% of the two counties is rural, countryside communities are more frequently becoming victims of serious and organised crime, and rural crime can often go unreported.”

Jones said the successful funding projects will add to the fight to counteract “countryside criminals who are intent of destroying livelihoods”.

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary (HIOWC) said the funding its successful projects received will bolster its capabilities to deliver on its commitments to the rural communities of the areas.

Insp. Cath MacDonald, leader of the HIOWC country watch team, said: “The ANPR cameras will be deployed to hotspot areas identified by intelligence analysis and local officer knowledge, and as the intelligence picture changes we can re-deploy the cameras to new hotspot areas quickly and efficiently.

“Deployment of these cameras is a clear priority for people, as this was something highlighted by our communities as a necessity in our recent rural crime survey.”

The successful applications being funded by the Commissioner’s Emerging Needs Fund, and the amounts they have been allocated, are:

• HIOWC, re-deployable ANPR cameras – £25,000;
• HIOWC, thermal imaging equipment & ANPR purchase for northern area dog handlers – £14,440;
• HIOWC, mobile battery operated ANPR kit – £13,000;
• HIOWC, Mounted Rural Patrol volunteers, kit & equipment – £11,799;
• Elvetham Heath Parish Council, improved rural lighting – £3,221;
• Beaulieu Parish Council, replacement ANPR cameras – £1,590;
• Northwood Parish Council, security camera equipment – £1,000;
• Family Values, engagement programme for parents of teenagers – £5,000;
• Winchester Street Reach, weekly youth club in Micheldever – £4,509;
• The Reanella Trust, supporting young people on the Isle of Wight – £4,440.

“We also couldn’t be happier with the funding being provided for the Mounted Rural Volunteers scheme as they provide an excellent service to the constabulary, patrolling on horseback in areas that are otherwise difficult to access, and they feed crucial information and intelligence back to officers relating to rural crime and suspicious people or vehicles,” MacDonald said.

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Two breeding pairs of lapwing were discovered this summer at Lecale Fens Special Area of Conservation (SAC), outside Downpatrick.

It follows ongoing efforts by Ulster Wildlife to help restore nature in the area.

The charity has been working closely with local farmer John Crea to improve the condition of this designated site by eliminating invasive species and scrub, such as rhododendron, using amphibious machinery.

Rare bird

Similar to many other ground-nesting birds, the lapwing has suffered major declines over the last 40 years due to the loss of wetland habitat and changes in farming practices.

The bird is now red-listed on the birds of conservation concern in Ireland and is a Northern Ireland priority species because of its decline, rarity and importance.

The lapwing requires “a mosaic of habitats” in order to breed and prefers boggy open areas with bare ground or short vegetation, avoiding areas of dense cover.

“After a chance conversation with the farmer, we visited the fen to witness several newly fledged chicks, alongside their parents,” Simon Gray, peatland conservation officer with Ulster Wildlife, said.

“It was fantastic to see them darting around the muddy pools that have formed since we removed four hectares of dense and encroaching vegetation – creating the ideal open wet habitat these endangered birds need to thrive.

“In the past, this area was managed by grazing or burning to stop scrub taking over and drying out the fen but given climate concerns associated with peat burning and risks to livestock from deep water, we had to come up with new and innovative solutions.

“Five years later and we’re thrilled to see our restoration efforts reap rewards for biodiversity with Lecale Fens moving towards a healthy condition again.

“This will have a knock-on effect on other wetland-loving wildlife too such as dragonflies, snipe and silver hook moth,” he added.

John Crea said he was delighted to see the lapwing back on his farm.

“It’s brilliant to see these birds doing so well and we hope they come back again next year to breed,” he said.

Ulster Wildlife is currently working with landowners across Northern Ireland to restore designated peatland sites along with large-scale peatland areas in need of restoration.

The aim is to help bring back the rich diversity of species these sites once supported, as well as the host of benefits peatlands provide from flood prevention to carbon sequestration.

“With over 75% of land in Northern Ireland farmed, it is vital that farmers and landowners are properly supported to help restore nature on a landscape scale with peatland sites, such as this, playing a vital role in helping to tackle the nature and climate crisis,” Gray said.

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A man has been jailed for the thefts of more than £55,000 worth of agricultural equipment from farms across Kent.

Jamie Broadmore, of Elaine Avenue, Strood, admitted to five burglaries, two thefts and two frauds and was sentenced to two years and four months in prison at Canterbury Crown Court.

Broadmore stole plant equipment from farms and businesses in Allhallows, Shorne, Sandling, Gravesend, Southfleet and West Malling between July 14, 2022, and March 6, 2023.

He used recovery trucks to steal the vehicles before selling them on.

Items stolen by Broadmore, and their locations, include:

• A Ritchie Cattle Handling System worth £20,000 – Allhallows;
• A Spearhead Topper worth £19,000 – Gravesend;
• A Pottinger hay tedder, four 200L barrels of Adblue and 10 orange ratchet straps worth a total of £16,000 – Gravesend;
• 20 cattle hurdles and a post knocker totalling around £10,000 – Southfleet.

‘He fooled victims’

Officers took statements from people who had purchased the equipment after Broadmore claimed his uncle had died and he was selling it on behalf of the family farm.

Investigating officer DC Paul Marsh of the Kent Crime Squad said: “Broadmore was brazen in his criminality.

“He went to great lengths to conceal his actions and even fooled victims by telling them a false story in order to gain their trust and to encourage them to buy the stolen items.

“These items were integral to these farms and businesses and his theft of the equipment caused them significant disruption.”

Investigation

When officers from the Kent rural task force began investigating the thefts, they used automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology to identify a recovery truck, which was seen on the M25 loaded with the stolen Spearhead Topper from Gravesend.

Further checks also revealed the same truck had been used to transport the other stolen items.

The truck was traced to a site in Gloucestershire and when the truck returned to Kent each time it was loaded with straw bales. Officers visited the site and although no stolen equipment was found, there were several large bales of straw.

Officers from the Kent rural task force carried out further investigation and Broadmore was linked to the burglaries and thefts.

Photos were found on a mobile phone belonging to him, which showed images of stolen agricultural equipment and his phone was also traced as being in the location as to where the burglaries and thefts happened.

Broadmore was subsequently arrested by officers and he was later charged with six burglaries, three thefts, two frauds, acquiring criminal property and failing to provide a sample for a drug test.

DC Marsh said he was pleased that the force has been able to return the stolen items to the victims and that Broadmore has been sentenced “accordingly” for his offending.

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Norfolk farmer Algy Garrod will host a miscanthus farm walk on his farm this September to display how he has benefitted from different farm diversification projects.

The free event will take place in Bintree from 9.30am until 11.30am on Thursday, September 7.

The walk, co-hosted by the AF Group and Terravesta, will explore how Garrod has planted miscanthus on his 405ha farm near Fakenham as a risk mitigation measure.

Attendees will receive a presentation from Terravesta about growing, harvesting and selling the crop, as well as a talk from head of crop inputs at the AF Group, Lee Oxborough, and a tour of the crop.

Garrod’s miscanthus planting was a strategic decision made to help future-proof his business.

“Miscanthus is planted in awkward corners of fields, in wet areas and on heavy land, and we have deliberately targeted less productive fields to improve the soil,” Garrod said.

“When I looked at my yield maps, certain areas of the farm performed poorly on an annual basis, typically areas on the edges of fields.

“So, I took the decision to put miscanthus on them. I’ve straightened these fields with GPS, taking out bits near hedgerows or curved field margins and edges.”

Garrod has planted 10ha of miscanthus in total, and has said that squaring off fields makes them more manageable and efficient for conventional food cropping.

“The aim is to replace some of the lost subsidies with diversification income streams and I’m hoping it will give me some efficiency gains – my sprayer works better when it’s driving in a straight line rather than going around corners, which causes inaccuracies in the application of our inputs,” he he said.

Garrod’s diversification projects include opening a farm shop, introducing more niche vegetable crops to supply the shop, pumpkin picking, Christmas trees and the 10ha of miscanthus.

Miscanthus also provides the farmer with “permanent cover” which means he does not have to establish it every year.

Those who attend the farm walk will have the chance to ask questions and can avail of some light refreshments. Booking for the event can be done via the Terravesta website.

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In a recent survey, 86% of farmers and agricultural industry professionals stated they believe cost is the biggest barrier to the use of technology on farms.

The survey was carried out by the Institute of Agricultural Management (IAgrM) ahead of the annual National Farm Management Conference in November.

The results also found 89% of respondents agreed that a return to regenerative agricultural practices can work in harmony with the use of technology.

When asked what they believe will cause the biggest disruption to agricultural and environmental management in the years ahead, 49% cited economic or cost uncertainty, and 46% said climate change.

The majority of respondents said they were already using regenerative practices.

A total of 61% said they used minimal or no-till, 48% use diverse cropping rotations, 44% integrate livestock into arable systems, and 29% provide constant soil cover through the use of stubble or cover crops.

It was a similar trend for the uptake of technology, with 63% using farm management planning and recording software.

A total of 45% use telematics and GPS tracking, 42% use livestock tech, and 41% use precision agronomic support systems.

IAgrM chairman, Carl Atkin-House said it was interesting to see such a high proportion of respondents agree that regenerative agriculture and technology can work together.

“From the survey results, it’s clear that these two could go very much hand-in-hand, as demonstrated by the vast majority of respondents believing so,” Atkin-House said.

He added that it was “clear” they would need to look at how the two would go together, when the cost of technology was “so high on the agenda for so many”.

The National Farm Management Conference takes place at the QEII Centre in London on November 7, 2023.

The conference title for this year is ‘What is the farm for? Technology v Tradition: The Future of Agricultural & Environmental Management.’

The opening session focuses on to the “two biggest challenges facing humanity”: Climate change and biodiversity loss. 

Speakers include Oxford University Prof. Charles Godfray, Conservative Environment Network representative Sam Hall, and chief executive officer (CEO) of Rabobank in the UK, Will Jennings who will set the scene for the important debates about regenerative agriculture and agri-tech.

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The Leominster Safer Neighbourhood Team’s (SNT) multi-agency rural crime operation – ‘Stop That Sheep’ – has been hailed a success by all agencies involved.

Officers stopped around 50 agricultural and livestock vehicles on Wednesday (August 9), as well as trade vans and drop-side lorries so partner agencies could check for valid licenses and assess the condition of the vehicles.

Run in partnership with Herefordshire Council Animal Health & Welfare Team and Herefordshire Council Community Protection Team, two vehicle check points were set up on Old Hereford Road and Mill Street in Leominster.

Leominster SNT officers checked vehicle and driver documentation, ensured the roadworthiness of vehicles, and confirmed the legitimate ownership of trailers being pulled and/or plant machinery being carried.

Animal welfare officers carried out document checks for livestock on board and assessed the suitability of vehicles being used for transport.

The enforcement teams looked at scrap and waste carriers and looked out for fly-tipping offences.

Sgt Nicola Holgate of Leominster SNT said the multi-agency initiative had been a success and will help deter rural crime in the area.

“Our objective was engagement first and enforcement where necessary. Most people stopped were happy to see us as some had themselves fell victim to rural crimes such as stolen machinery and plant, or livestock theft,” she said.

“We were positively received by the public and, fortunately, there wasn’t a huge requirement for police advisories on this occasion.”

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A five-year-old boy from Folkestone, Kent, has died following an accident understood to have involved a quad bike in the west of Ireland on Sunday (August 6).

Irish police (Gardaí) and emergency services were called to the scene of the incident which took place on private property, near Castlegregory, Co. Kerry.

It is understood that five-year-old George Francis Freddie Davenport and his family were visiting relatives in the area on holidays.

The child later passed away from his injuries.

He is survived by his parents, Laura and David, and siblings, Cian, Jake and Ellie-Rose.

In a statement to Agriland, Gardaí confirmed that a family liaison officer has been appointed to support the family at this time.

They appealed to the media to give the family privacy, adding that no further information is being made available at this time.

Ireland’s Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has confirmed to Agriland that it has been informed of the incident and has launched an investigation.

George Francis Freddie Davenport’s funeral notice said he will be “badly missed” by grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and extended family, relatives and friends.

He will be reposing at Liscarney, Cloghane, in Ireland, on Wednesday (August 9) from 2:00p.m to 9:00p.m.

A book of condolences has been opened on RIP.ie.

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