The sale of Simms Farm provides an opportunity to purchase a traditional residential farm, predominantly contained within a ring-fenced block and located in a quiet yet accessible area of West Suffolk.

The farmhouse is surrounded by established grassland parcels, and the farm buildings provide scope for a range of alternative uses (subject to planning) with one of the period barns having previously been granted planning permission for residential conversion in 2011.

The arable land has been farmed by the same local contractor for over 20 years on a Contract Farming Agreement.

Simms Farmhouse: A glimpse into history

The heart of the property, Simms Farmhouse, is a charming Victorian residence dating back to around 1840. Constructed of solid red brick with a pitched tiled peg roof, it embodies timeless elegance.

Featuring four bedrooms, it offers ample space for a family, also including a kitchen, dining room, sitting room, living room, utility room, and cloakroom. The garden surrounding the house is adorned with mature trees and shrubs, creating a peaceful retreat.

Whyberries Cottage: A rustic haven

Tucked away from the main farmhouse and buildings, Whyberries Cottage exudes its own unique charm. This detached period cottage, constructed of rendered brick, features a pitched slate roof and a single-storey side extension.

Offering two bedrooms, a sitting room, dining room, kitchen, and additional amenities, the cottage provides a comfortable and welcoming living space.

Farm buildings and land

Simms Farm includes an array of traditional farm buildings, providing versatility for future use (subject to planning). Noteworthy structures include former stables, a period timber-framed barn with conversion potential, a Dutch barn, and a cart lodge.

The property’s 138.87 acres of arable land, classified as Grade 2, are well-maintained and predominantly contained within a ring-fenced block. This land has been farmed by a local contractor for over two decades, maintaining the land in prime condition for future use.

Mature woodland and grass paddocks

The farm also includes ancient woodland known as ‘Jollys Wood’ and a series of grass paddocks around the main house, offering opportunities for leisurely walks and equestrian pursuits. These areas enhance the overall aesthetic appeal of the property.

Simms Farm is offered for sale without overage, presenting a unique chance to acquire a traditional residential farm in the heart of Suffolk. With its idyllic setting, Victorian farmhouse, charming cottage, and extensive acreage, this property is a rare find.

For the particulars, visit the Cheffins website. To arrange a viewing, email Cheffins directly or call 01223 213777.

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Henry Louth gave visitors to the maize demo day a tour of the Limagrain variety trial where the latest forage, grain and energy crop varieties are being assessed in real-world conditions.

The pre-harvest tests, analysing dry matter; starch; non-digestible fibre; cell wall digestibility and metabolisable energy content; were carried out at a maize demonstration and testing day, hosted by Limagrain and Spunhill at Limagrain’s maize variety trial site on the outskirts of Wrexham.

The event was attended by more than 40 farm businesses from across the region who not only had their own crop samples tested for free, but were also given a tour of the Limagrain variety trial where the latest forage, grain and energy crop varieties are being assessed in real-world conditions.

“The tests clearly indicated that whilst a minority of crops are already at the point of harvest, the majority are still a week or more away from being ready, with dry matter levels still a little on the low side,” said Henry Louth, key account manager of Forage Crops at Limagrain UK.

“For most maize growers, the start of this year’s harvest has been delayed by about a fortnight as a result of July’s dull and overcast conditions which saw sunshine hours at 81% of the average for the month. Most crops have caught up well since then, with a few notable ‘very early’ varieties including Dignity and Gema really standing out in terms of maturity.”

He added those two varieties tested especially well for dry matter, starch and ME content, and recorded outstanding results for cell wall digestibilty.

“If conditions in early October are favourable, we should see most growers taking their crops before the middle of the month, which will hopefully make for a clean and easy harvest and a good quality ensiled crop,” he concluded.

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The new scheme has also been found to have major flaws and inaccuracies in the farm maps published last week.

The FUW said there is “real anger” about the scheme among Welsh farmers, many of whom have participated in environmental schemes for decades.

FUW president Ian Rickman said: “The scheme was foisted upon the industry at the 11th hour as a done deal, and while a small number of improvements have been made in response to FUW calls, it has certainly not been developed in cooperation with the farming industry as it should have been.

“The FUW has been clear in its warnings regarding the scheme since it was announced as the replacement for Glastir in July, and these warnings have come true.”

The Union is also concerned about the continued lack of clarity on the scheme budget and that the payment rates are significantly below what farmers would have received under the Glastir schemes.

“Many of our members are telling me that they are not going to enter the scheme because the income foregone and costs incurred payment rates fall well below their true value, meaning it is financially unworkable and not manageable in the real world,” Mr Rickman stressed.

“Some members have been in agri-environment schemes for up to 30 years yet they’re not going to apply because the rates are lower than they were decades ago. Surely that goes against what should be the Welsh Government’s objectives for a habitat scheme?”

Mr Rickman said the FUW has always been happy and willing to work with the Welsh government when it comes to designing Wales-specific policies and that the decision to design the scheme in isolation without union input and announce it as a finished article just weeks before launching it demonstrated the dangers of not listening to the industry.

He added that even with the support provided to government officials by FUW, the scheme remains unaffordable for many Union members.

“The Minister must therefore urgently review this scheme as it will fail thousands of farmers in its current form,” he concluded.

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The figures are reportedly up 16% on QMS’s survey statistics from the same period last year, pushing 14% ahead of their pre-Covid peak in 2018/19.

“These results buck any negative trends that could have crept in because of the additional cost and complexity involved in accessing the EU market following Brexit,” said Iain Macdonald, market intelligence manager at QMS.

He noted Scottish exporters’ long-established relationships with European importers had a large part to play in the successful set of figures.

However, some of the growth did reflect higher export prices, while it was also a strong year for trade in manufacturing-grade beef.

“Thanks to our long-running relationships with importers built on trust in high-quality products, export sales remain heavily dominated by trade with customers in EU countries,” Mr Macdonald said.

“Those relationships are built and strengthened by our presence at events like Anuga, where we’ll be providing visitors with a comprehensive understanding of what sets Scottish red meat apart – Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), quality assurance, provenance, sustainability, and animal welfare, for example.”

The report shows that almost 95% of overall export revenues were generated in EU markets, climbing to 98% for Scotch lamb.

Broadening horizons

While QMS says tight supply has made it hard to grow export sales to new customers, the results did show some emergence of new markets in Africa and Asia and 11 non-EU countries were exported to, up from seven in the previous year.

Main export destinations for Scotch beef remain France, Italy and The Netherlands, collectively accounting for nearly 75% of the total, with Belgium, Germany, Portugal and Hong Kong also proving important.

The Irish Republic is the primary destination for exported non-Scotch beef and, when combined with shipments to The Netherlands and France, they accounted for close to 90% of this trade. Switzerland remains an important outlet for high-value cuts of beef and lamb.

“The exports of Scotch beef to Belgium, France, Germany and Scandinavia trade at well-above average prices,” Mr Macdonald noted, adding some small volume markets are showing trade in high-value cuts of Scotch beef averaging well above £20/kg.

“This indicates the opportunity that exists for sales of premium cuts of Scotch beef to buyers seeking out the highest quality beef in a competitive global market.”

Lamb and offal

Although EU demand for lamb remained firm in the year to July 2023, Mr Macdonald warned export sales are likely to have been limited by reduced abattoir throughput in Scotland.

However, including trade in offal, lamb export revenues are still estimated to have risen towards £21m. Lamb exports are also believed to have accounted for an increased 17% share of abattoir turnover during the period, up from 15% in the previous year.

By comparison, beef sales are estimated to have risen to around 9.5% of turnover for abattoirs from 8% a year earlier. France remains the most important overseas market for Scotch lamb, with Belgium and Italy continuing as important destinations.

Sales of offal to overseas customers continue to make an important contribution to carcase balance for Scotland’s red meat processors. Overall offal sales were estimated to have risen beyond £9m with close to 80 per cent of this being from beef offal.

France leads the list of important outlets for offal, with other significant demands coming from the Irish Republic, Poland and Germany. Hong Kong, Japan and Africa are the main outlets outside the EU.

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The Association is now urging UK governments to consider what next steps will be made following the report to advance sheep health and welfare.

NSA chief executive Phil Stocker has welcomed the report, saying the Association is “especially encouraged to see the appreciation from the committee that there is value in a four-nation, consistent approach to any future action or amendments to the regulations, ensuring the removal of potential confusion on best practice in the different home nations and frictionless trade across UK borders continues”.

The report, titled ‘Animal Welfare Committee report on the Implications of Castration and Tailing in Sheep’, concludes that current operations of tailing or castrating lambs do impair the comfort of animals and that solutions should be investigated to minimise this.

Mr Stocker continued: “NSA is in agreement that work needs to be done to find solutions to minimise any discomfort felt by animals. This report is an opportunity for new techniques and innovations to be thoroughly explored and legislation amended to accommodate these.”

While in support of the report’s findings, the Association still considers it important that the the fundamental reasons for tailing and castration to improve the welfare of stock, including preventing flystrike and unwanted pregnancies must not be ignored in any future recommendations.

NSA is clear that any future amendments or proposals to legislation must consider the whole farm and supply chain implications.

So far, the report has been published on the Scottish and Welsh government websites, and Mr Stocker urged Defra to follow.

“Defra’s own findings and responses from this report were expected to be published months ago. We would welcome further opportunity to discuss this with Defra at the earliest given opportunity.”

The work was published by the AWC, formerly the Farm Animal Welfare Committee (FAWC), an expert advisory body on farm animal welfare matters. Read the full report here.

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Winner of the Beef Clamp section in 2022, SRUC farm manager, James Marshall.

The competition, which has attracted more than 3000 entries since it began, is the longest-running silage competition in Scotland, never missing a year since 2001 – despite disasters such as foot and mouth disease and the coronavirus pandemic.

Silage production is vital to farm enterprises across Scotland. Knowing the nutritional value of silage allows for accurate ration planning, and regular analysis means variations in quality can be quickly corrected, especially in years with volatile weather.

The competition is divided into four categories: Beef Clamp, Dairy Clamp, Big Bale and a Young Farmer class for those aged 30 and under, which can be submitted from any cut of silage.

Judges will examine the silage analysis report submitted by each applicant, evaluating metabolisable energy, crude protein, and dry matter.  Those in the top three of each category will be contacted about having a fresh silage sample collected – which will be judged live on the day of AgriScot.

Organisers of the competition are once again anticipating strong entries, with judges whittling submissions down to the top 12 finalists, before revealing category winners at this year’s AgriScot in November.

Farmers have until Monday 25^th October to submit their silage report for the competition.

Andrew Best, seed specialist at sponsors and competition organisers Watson Seeds, said it was especially important this year to understand the value of the silage to the business.

“This year’s silage season has been dominated by weather extremes, with generally good grass growth throughout the season, but tight harvesting windows.

First cut silage was of good quality though generated lower yields, and a later period of drought meant that second cut could contain higher fibre grass, reducing silage quality,” he noted.

In the main ring, Hugh McClymont, former SRUC research farm manager, and RHASS chairman and agronomist, Jim Warnock, will judge the final samples, explain their decisions, and entertain the crowd with their forage knowledge and silage analysis feedback.

Jim Warnock said: “Analysing silage this year is more important than ever, with silage being baled at less than optimum times, reducing ME value.  Analysis is a great starting block to understanding what supplements may be needed to perfect feed rations.”

Last year’s winner of the Beef Clamp class, SRUC farm manager James Marshall added: “We always do our best to make quality forage and, confirmation that we are doing a great job with our silage provides a real sense of pride and achievement.

“Having the chance to compare with others is inspiring, and to receive feedback from the judges during the competition is invaluable.”

Winners of each category will be awarded with ten acres of any Watson Seeds Castle mixture, with second and third place, receiving five and two acres, respectively.

Entries should be emailed to Andrew Best at abest@watsonseeds.com by 25^th October.

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At the Association’s October chairman’s meeting yesterday (3rd October), former vice chair Robert Craig begun his three-year tenure.

Mr Craig is a third-generation dairy farmer and operates three dairy farming businesses across Cumbria and Northumberland, milking 1,500 spring and autumn calving cows. A past chairman of Cumbria NFU, he still maintains an interest in local and national politics both on and off the farm.

He is also a non-executive director of First Milk and is currently the co-op’s vice chairman. All three of his businesses supply First Milk, and he also represents First Milk at Dairy UK, where he chairs the Dairy UK farmer forum.

Mr Craig is also a 2012 Nuffield Scholar and has worked closely with The Sustainable Food Trust since his travels, particularly on the Global Farm Metric project.

Robert has been active as RABDF vice chairman, representing the Association on the Ruminant Health and Welfare steering group, helping inform and guide on general dairy issues, and often acting as the spokesperson for wider press matters. He has also been instrumental in delivering a dairy labour roundtable, continuing to focus heavily on this crucial area.

Robert Craig has been appointed as chairman of RABDF.

Thanking Ms Wastenage for her work, Mr Craig said: “I am delighted to be the RABDF chairman and am thankful to Di for the work she has done during her term and for leaving the RABDF in such a strong position.

“Di has contributed to a wide range of topics, including the environment, animal health and welfare, and through her role as Patron of Women in Dairy, showcasing the importance of female roles and the exciting opportunities for women in the sector,” he added.

Commenting on his plans during the tenure, Mr Craig said: “As well as building on the foundations laid out by Di, there are some exciting projects that we hope to develop as an Association to help overcome labour shortages in the dairy sector and also to do more to promote the industry, particularly to the next generation.

“Undoubtedly, there will also be a focus on the here and now and the impact milk price cuts are having on farmers and ways in which we, as an Association, can help support our members as the pinch is felt.”

Succeeding Mr Craig as vice chairman is Shropshire dairy farmer Tim Downes.

Dairy farmers interested in being more involved with the RABDF and joining the council can contact the team for an informal chat on 02476 639 317 or by emailing Office@rabdf.co.uk.

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The purpose of increasing rates is to meet the request from levy payers to deliver more key services, including marketing and exports for the beef and lamb, dairy and pork sectors and more independent research for cereals and oilseeds.

The proposals come at a time when AHDB’s spending power has been greatly reduced by rising costs, which have been particularly affected by the increase in inflation.

Levy payers are being given the opportunity to ask questions about the proposals over the coming weeks, including during AHDB’s Funding Your Future livestream event on Thursday, 9^th November 2023.

Sector councils will make a final recommendation to the AHDB Board, which will put the proposals to government ministers and devolved administrations later this year. The proposed levy rates are as follows:

Beef and Lamb (levy rate last set in 2011)

Cattle (excluding Calves)
Producer – £4.05 to £5.06/head of cattle
Slaughterer/Exporter – £1.35 to £1.69/head

Calves
Producer – £0.08 to £0.10/head of cattle
Slaughterer/Exporter – £0.08 to £0.10/head

Lamb
Producer – £0.60 to £0.75/head of sheep
Slaughterer/Exporter – £0.20 to £0.25/head of sheep

Cereals and Oilseeds (levy rate last set in 2011)

Cereal grower – 46.00p/tonne to 58p/t
Cereal buyer – 3.80p/t to 4.80p/t
Cereal processor (human/industrial) – 9.50p/t to 12p/t
Cereal processor (feed) – 4.60p/t to 5.80p/t
Oilseeds – 75 p/t to 94 p/t

Dairy (set more than 20 years ago)

Dairy farmer – 0.06p/litre to 0.08p/l

Pork (levy rate last set in 1996)

Pig producer – £0.85 to £1.02
Pig processor – £0.20 to £0.24

AHDB chair Nicholas Saphir said while there is never a right time for such proposals, with the board’s spending power drastically reduced and inflation alone eroding the value of levy by around 40%, the decision could not be further delayed.

“The message from levy payers through Shape the Future was clear, that key services provided by AHDB, such as independent research, the Strategic Farm networks, activity to identify new export markets as well as domestic marketing, are seen as vital to levy payers,” he said.

“The Sector Councils are right to explore the option of increasing the current rates but by taking a proportionate approach that takes into account the impact of the current economic climate on farmers, producers and processors. Therefore, I do recommend that you fully support the proposed increases.”

QMS calls for levy increase to fund ‘vital work’

Proposals to increase levy have also been submitted by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), the public body responsible for promoting the PGI labelled Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb brands in the UK and abroad, as well as Scottish pork products under the Specially Selected Pork logo.

Commenting on the proposals, QMS chair Kate Rowell said: “QMS has not requested a levy increase since 2010, and we want to remain fit for the future of Scotland’s iconic Scotch brands, promotional work and market development.

“With this in mind, as we announced at the Royal Highland Show, we plan to hold industry workshops throughout Scotland during November and December, to discuss the delivery of our five-year strategy and, as agreed by the QMS board, a proposed levy increase to fund this vital work.”

To maintain good value for money, QMS will propose a new mechanism for setting the levy from Spring 2024, which will involve a small increase to fees each year to keep pace with inflation, Ms Rowell explained.

“This mechanism will be reviewed at the end of the five years, to ensure it remains fit for purpose,” she added.

Levy payers can find out more about the details of the proposals by visiting www.ahdb.org.uk.

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According to Dr Mark Young, innovation specialist at CIEL, the aim of the report was to identify gaps where the livestock sector can use nitrogen more effectively to help deliver sustainable and circular food systems.

The recommendations set our in the report, titled ’Why Nitrogen Matters in Livestock Production’, are based on considerations to the monitoring and management of nitrogen resources, as well as an appreciation of the nitrogen cycle.

“Nitrogen is essential for agriculture. It’s the key element needed for protein production, captured by microbes living in soil, in the roots of plants and colonising the gut of sheep and cattle,” Dr Young explained.

He said while some agricultural practices cause excessive loss of nitrogen to the atmosphere and waterways, others like growing legumes and using manure as fertilise have the ability to capture nitrogen.

“Losses from the nitrogen cycle cannot be eliminated, so the livestock sector needs to exploit the opportunity to minimise losses and hold more nitrogen in the system,” Dr Young stressed.

“This will make farming both more efficient and reduce losses of nitrogen as nitrous oxide (a greenhouse gas), ammonia emissions, and nitrate through leaching or run-off.”

To better understand nitrogen’s interaction with the environment, the report, published in September 2023, takes a deep dive into the natural nitrogen cycle, explaining how agricultural practices shape the cycle and the opportunities to improve nitrogen use.

“The report identified the critical need for farmers to have access to reliable tools to measure nitrogen on-farm, soils in particular, to identify and monitor where nitrogen losses occur, in order to maximise nitrogen use efficiency,” Dr Young said.

“By managing the land and on-farm nitrogen resources such as soils, manures and fertilisers, farmers can make management decisions that will make better use of nitrogen.”

One way to minimise the losses incurred by the nitrogen cycle is via developing on-farm technologies to help capture or hold nitrogen, such as by converting livestock manure into fertiliser for feed crops, Dr Young added.

Dr Young says: “This report provides a rounded picture of nitrogen in agriculture, highlighting its key role in producing high-quality protein from livestock and identifying where losses that impact on the environment occur.

“Sustainable agricultural systems should aim to maximise these nutritional benefits while minimising negative environmental impacts,” he concluded.

To read the full report, visit the CIEL website here.

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Gavin Green, Keith Davis, Pawel Wegele of Lydney Park Farms.

The Strategic Dairy Farm programme aims to improve business resilience and performance across the dairy industry through knowledge exchange and the adoption of best practices.

The programme represents a wide range of farm businesses across the UK, and the new cohort contains a mix of different systems and focus areas, with each farm acting as a focal point for regional and national discussions.

Lydney Park Farms, Dillington Farms and Moorhouse Hall Farm are the first three of ten farms in the new cohort, all solid performers who will openly share their experiences, performance figures and goals as part of the scheme.

Lydney Park Farms is part of the Lydney Park Estate in Gloucestershire, milking 850 Jersey-cross cows twice a day, producing around 4,750 litres of milk and calving in a 10-week block that starts in the spring.

The farm consistently grows around 12.5-15t dm/ha most years and as part of the strategic dairy farm programme, the team is planning to implement changes to their system to adapt to the principles of their consumer-conscious milk buyer.

Meanwhile, Dillington Farms is a successful mixed farming business in Somerset with dairying at its heart. With tourism and an array of enterprises running on the estate, farming that both enhances the environment and drives profit is a priority.

This 870-ha farm focuses on renewable energy, home-grown feeds and is involved in an extensive mid-tier scheme. The herd currently comprises a dairy herd of around 350 cross-bred cows, yielding approximately 10,800 litres per cow per year and calving all year round.

Last but not least, Moorhouse Hall in Wigton is a family run farm with 100 Holstein cows following an autumn calving cycle. The herd is genomically tested for superior genetics and the farm champions multi-cut silage practices.

The farm produces an impressive 3,500−4,500 litres of milk from forage and are proud partners with First Milk. As a strategic dairy farm, Moorhouse Hall farm are committed to continuous improvement and their goals include a focus on sustainable genetics and experimenting with new crops.

These farms will be involved in various on-farm and virtual meetings over the next few years, opening up discussions and giving farmers a chance to share their stories. The launch events for these farms will include farm tours, with an opportunity to find out more about operations, performance figures and goals for the farm.

The meeting dates for the three new strategic dairy farms launches are:

• 12 October – Lydney Park, Gloucestershire
• 25 October – Dillington Farms, Somerset
• 7 November – Moorhouse Hall Farm, Cumbria

Doreen Anderson, senior knowledge exchange manager (Dairy) said: “We are delighted to welcome three new farms into our network, and I would strongly encourage any dairy farmers to get involved in this programme and consider attending the launch events.

“Listening to farmers challenge and support each other while discussing ideas for improving their businesses is amazing. Ideas are constantly being shared both between the farmers individually, and between AHDB and the farmers, driving positive change for everyone involved.”

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