14091 fcj 252 autumn 2014 web

FarmersClub

AUTUMN JOURNAL 2014 • ISSUE 252

Levy work rethink New AHDB chairman explains his plans p4

www.thefarmersclub.com

INSIDEPasture perfect p6

Mutton renaissance p8Renewable insurance p11

Canadian suckler beef p12 Club AGM report p14

Livestock sculpture p16Autumnal poetry p19

INSERTSMadam Butterfly

St Andrew’s Day LunchCommittee Ballot form

Staff Christmas fund

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02 • The Farmers Club Autumn Journal 2014

ContentsDisclaimer: The articles published in The Farmers Club Journal do not necessarily reflectthe views of The Farmers Club. No responsibility for the quality of goods or servicesadvertised in the magazine can be accepted by the publisher. Advertisements areincluded in good faith’. All rights reserved.

FRONT COVERMaize harvest in full swing on member John Corsan’sBridgwater farm as Ambition yields 44t/ha (18.5t/acre) at 35% DM on 9th October 2013

Farmers ClubOver 170 years of service to farming

3 Whitehall Court, London SW1A 2ELPatron – Her Majesty The Queen

3 Chairman’s Comments Club’s autumn agenda explained

4 Fresh focus for near-market research Newly appointed AHDB chairman Peter Kendall reveals his plans for the levy-funded organisation

6 Pasture perfect Can improved grazing systems put more profit in farmer’s pockets? An expert conference provides answers

8 Mine’s mutton The demise of mutton needs to be reversed, argues a Club member with a new book on the topic

9 Water wars Competition for water is intensifying and it is far from clear that farming is getting its fair share

10 Expo 2015 Feeding the planet, energy for life is the theme for Expo 2015in Milan, putting farming at the centre of the world stage

11 Renewable insurance Are your renewable enterprises adequately covered?

12 Canadian suckler beef Novel strategies are helping Saskatchewan producers survive.Could they inspire fresh thinking on UK beef farms?

14 AGM report Insight into the Club’s Annual General Meeting

16 Animal art Stunning livestock sculptures catch the eye

17 Christmas card Time to order your Club Christmas cards

18 Under 30s Under 30s chairman reports on recent events and a look at farming poetry

20 Club News and Calendar Changes continue at the Club

22 Club Information and Contacts

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“Volatilityappears to

have increasedin recent

years, withmore extreme

weatherevents and

a greaterexposure tofluctuating

worldmarkets, asEU marketprotection

has beenreduced.”

www.thefarmersclub.com • 03

Chairman’s Comments • Jimmy McLean

Chairman’sComments

AS I write, harvest is drawing to a close, even up herein the north, with much of next year’s winter barleyand oilseed rape already sown. With land lyingfallow for such a short period in a modern farmingsystem, it is a reminder of how much time pressurethere is on the farm workforce at this time of year.

Although August has lived up to its reputation of being one of our wetter summer months, harvestconditions have generally been good. After two‘tricky’ years, I think many farmers will haveappreciated a season when they could look out overtheir crops and livestock, satisfied by a job well done.

Arable farmers will not appreciate the low ‘spot’prices for their cereals, although those in the intensivelivestock sector may well have a different view. As theautumn sales of store cattle and sheep begin, pricesare also expected to be weaker, reflecting the currentreduction in finished prices – particularly for cattle.

Farmers have always had to deal with pricevolatility, with weather patterns affecting productionand changing the supply:demand balance. However,this volatility appears to have increased in recent

years, with more extreme weather events and agreater exposure to fluctuating world markets, as EU market protection has been reduced.

Price volatilityFarmers have dealt with this volatility so far, but

as businesses become larger so does the potentialimpact of such price fluctuation on farm finances. As a result this is a challenge that may have to begiven more attention in future. This will probablyrequire more transparency in supply chains in order to improve the understanding of their operation. It may also require a wider range of hedgingmechanisms to be available to farmers and, ofcourse, a greater willingness to use them.

Following successful events at the Game Fair andThe Royal Welsh Show our busy schedule of Clubactivities on the ‘show circuit’ has now slowed. Themain event in our social calendar during August was a visit to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, wherewe enjoyed a perfect summer evening, with excellentviews over the city, as we climbed to the top ofEdinburgh castle for dinner in the Queen Anne Room.

Whisky event One potential mishap was narrowly avoided as, en

route to the castle, our guide mistakenly led the partyinto the Scotch Whisky Experience (at least those atthe front of the group blamed the guide). However,no damage was done. Indeed, as one senior membernoted, to get 60 members of the Farmers Club into a purveyor of Scotch whisky and back out again,without one drop being consumed, was somethingof an event in itself!

We all enjoyed an excellent dinner in the castle,followed by an introduction to the show by theproducer Brigadier David Allfrey. Returning to theEsplanade we chatted to some of the performers and took some pictures with them, before getting to our seats for a superb show – which was bothentertaining and moving.

In the Club itself, August was a quieter month,which enabled the kitchen upgrade to take placeahead of, what we expect to be, a busy autumnseason. The new rooms on the ‘eighth floor’ are nowin service, with some excellent views over the cityfrom those with a southerly aspect. I look forward to seeing you in the Club this autumn.

A transformed version of the Club’s website(www.thefarmersclub.com) is due to be launchedthis autumn, to make on-line booking ofbedrooms and Club events easier than ever.

The professionally designed site will integrate fullywith the Club’s bedroom management and Clubevent booking systems to offer a much improvedservice to members.

To make full use of the new website you will need to register, which is easy, provided you have your membership number to hand. This eight digit number can be found on the addresslabel on the front of the envelope that this Journal arrived in – so why not make a note of it right now? Alternatively, [email protected]

New Club Website

The new Club website, due to launch this autumn, brings much improved functionality, including on-line bedroombooking, explains Communications sub-committee chairman George Jessel


PETER Kendall rarely pulls his punches. Seen as one of the National Farmers Union’s most successfulpresidents he transformed government attitudes tofarming during eight years in office. Now his focushas turned to the role of the levy-funded Agriculturaland Horticultural Development Board.

As its new chairman he wants to draw bettervalue from its £62m/year budget, by reducingbureaucracy, improving decision-making and better aligning its work to the needs of farmers and growers.

Speaking at a special lunch after the FarmersClub’s Annual General Meeting he said joining agovernment body was almost completing the circle of what he started at the NFU. “We have come along way from Margaret Beckett seeing farmers aspark keepers for a nation that could buy its food onthe world market.”

In his new government-appointed role he wantedAHDB to provide farmers and growers with the toolsto grow UK Agriculture – through better research anddevelopment, market intelligence, promotion, skillsand training.

With the UK population forecast to grow by4.5million by 2020 he said farmers needed to feel the benefit of that extra demand, not French, or Irishproducers. “Ireland’s Harvest 2020 plan is to producefood for our market. We need to counter that.”

He saw levy payers as “absolutely the customer”.There had been too much talk about whatgovernment wanted addressing. “If we do a goodjob, government will naturally support our work.”

Intensive care Sustainable intensification was the way forward,

with a strong focus on how inputs are used. “I see a massive intensification of management, to ensureinputs are used smartly - so we do the right thing, in the right place, at the right time, with the rightamount of input. And I do disagree with it beingcalled sustainable intensification – what we’re talking

about is more sustainable intensification. Feeding 9bn people with no impact on our planet is just not viable.”

New Zealand showed how R&D investments candrive productivity. But the wholesale rejection of new technologies in Europe, be they neonicotinoidinsecticides [banned due to bee health concerns] or alternative plant breeding techniques [includinggenetic modification] ran the risk of the EU becoming a ‘green backwater’. An EU AgricultureCommissioner who wanted a competitive industrywas important.

Making AHDB faster acting and more efficientwas a key goal, particularly as its 290 staff move into a new combined headquarters building thisautumn. “I’m not putting the boot in, because there is a massive amount of good being done, but we dowant to get more from the money invested and getthings done more quickly.”

He felt the existing structure of six separatedepartments to deal with cereals and oilseeds(HGCA), potatoes (Potato Council), horticulture(HDC), dairy (DairyCo), beef and sheep (EBLEX), and pigs (BPEX), was an historical structure that must adapt to facilitate more collaborative working.

“To get support for cross-industry work involvesdecisions from each sector, which just takes toolong,” Mr Kendall commented. Setting the agendaand agreeing industry priorities involved a lengthydecision making process across the sectors. “Weneed to find a quicker and smarter way of detectingthe bigger issues farmers need addressing. Farmminister George Eustice challenged us to work more as one body, working across all sectors, ratherthan the current loose federation of six veryindependent bodies.”

€4billion funds Without changes there was a real risk the UK

would struggle to secure its fair share of the EU’sHorizon 2020 €4billion budget for rural research and innovation. “The Netherlands and Denmark

“We want toget more from

the moneyinvested and

get thingsdone more

quickly.”

Charles Abel • Farm research

Levy boardshake-up Recently retired NFU chairman Peter Kendall is breathing fresh life intoAHDB, the industry’s levy-funded development board. Charles Abel reports

Farm research • Charles Abel

are at the front of the queue and we’re already someway behind.”

He wanted more sharing of expertise betweensectors, with individuals working co-operatively toproduce co-ordinated messages for levy-payers. “Wewant to get the right bangs for our bucks, and thereis enormous potential for that, if we work togethermore co-operatively.”

It was a shame AHDB did not have a moredynamic name, like Denmark’s Knowledge Centre forAgriculture (AHDB’s current name was laid down byStatutory Instrument). “We want to provide a one-stop-shop to help farmers grow their businesses, so it would be much better if our name reflected that.”

Mr Kendall felt government was behind farming.“Defra has been working hard trying to open upmarket opportunities across the world. I don’t thinkthis is a government that doesn’t want to drivefarming forwards.”

Furthermore, whilst AHDB must not and will not lobby, it certainly needed to provide tradeorganisations with the information required to put the farming case.

This NFU past-president may have stepped out of the political limelight, but his impact on the farming industry is clearly far from over.


Peter Kendall• NFU President 2006-2014

• President of World Farmers’ Organisation, representing millions of farmers worldwide through over 50 producer organisations and agriculturalco-operatives.

• Farms in east Bedfordshire with brother Richard – 700ha arable farm and1500ha contract farming.

• Degree in Agricultural Economics, University of Nottingham

Club debate What topics do you want to have debated at The Farmers Club? Visit the new websitewww.thefarmersclub.comto have your say

Former NFU president Peter Kendall, now chairman of the AHDB, shares some thoughts on levy-funded work with Farmers Club chairman Jimmy McLean before addressing the Club

Sara Gregson • Grasslands

Putting grasslands to workLivestock farmers and ranchers from across the globe gathered in London to discuss howrestoring badly degraded grasslands can benefit food producers, the environment and mankind.Sara Gregson reports

Now, as he sits, as he says, in ‘life’s departure lounge’, he seeks further wide-scaleacknowledgement from policy-makers, city-dwellers, investors, entrepreneurs, economists andgovernments, that this approach offers one of veryfew practical solutions on the table for securingglobal food supplies and tackling climate change.

In his opening address he outlined a dream of ahealthy planet teeming with life – not just on farmsbut in the lakes, forests and oceans too. But for thisto happen the earth needs to have much morehealthy, living soil.

“Humans require half a tonne of food a year tobe healthy,” he explained. “But at present there are75 billion tonnes of eroding soil across the world,roughly ten tonnes for every human alive. We areproducing 20 times as much dead soil as the foodthat we need. Soil is a diminishing resource and we have to do something to reverse this.”

Spreading the wordAround the world there are 10,000 Holistic

Management practitioners – farmers and ranchersrestoring more than 16 million hectares ofgrasslands.

The Savory Institute has set a goal for 2025 of raising this to 1 billion hectares – around one fifth of the world’s grasslands – by establishing 100self-sustaining Savory hubs across all continents;empowering local people to use properly managedlivestock to heal degraded land.

At the conference ten new hubs wereannounced, including ones in Sweden, Zimbabweand Chile. The Institute is keen to set a hub up inthe UK and is seeking producers who might takethis forward. Visit www.savoryinstitute.com formore information.

PUTTING grasslands to work’ was the secondinternational conference of the American-basedSavory Institute, which encourages farmers andlandowners across the world to regenerate worn-out soils by practicing ‘Holistic Management’.

At its very simplest, this is a six-step decision-making process that supports a whole-farmapproach to managing resources such as soil, water, time and labour.

Farmers are encouraged to set outcome goals, to constantly test their decisions and pro-activelymonitor the results of their actions until allobjectives have been achieved. The primaryoutcome is the rejuvenation of soils to a pointwhere they can once again sustain families andcommunities, animals and wildlife, while providingessential ecosystem services such as water captureand carbon storage.

The Institute offers a ‘tool-kit’ to do this – butthe two essential, and perhaps surprising elements,are growing pasture and then grazing it in acontrolled manner with ruminants. Their transitoryeating, trampling and manuring over a very shorttime, provides ideal conditions for soil organisms to rebuild and flourish in partnership with thepasture plants and their roots.

The conference saw many examples where this approach has generated positive ecological,economic and social/cultural impacts. I saw it inaction on my Nuffield Farming Scholarship, wheremanaged grazing had transformed suckler cow/calfoperations in Canada – doubling pasture andanimal output and boosting biodiversity, bydelivering biologically-active soil.

Wider implicationsHolistic Management was developed 50 years

ago by Allan Savory, a Zimbabwean biologist andfarmer, while searching for ways to save thesavannah and its wildlife in southern Africa.

“Humansrequire half atonne of food

a year to behealthy. But atpresent there

are roughly ten tonnes of

eroding soil forevery humanalive. We areproducing 20

times moredead soil than

the food we need.”



Using herbal leys to rescue soilsIt is easy to see the potential for restoringgrasslands on the vast American plains, Africansavannah or Australian outback – but doesplanned grazing have a place in the UK?

Tim May, managing director of the 1,000ha(2,470 acre) Kingsclere Estate in NorthHampshire believes so.

He has sown 370ha (913 acres) with mixturescontaining ryegrasses, festulolium, timothy,cocksfoot, chicory, sainfoin, yarrow, burnet and red and white clovers. These will be downfor four years before the fields go back into a rape, barley, rape, barley undersown withgrass, rotation.

He told the conference he is turning to herballeys and livestock – sheep now, cattle later – to improve the depth and nutrient content of his soils.

“The motivation for taking such drastic action is to get the soils right, so we can halt our ever-declining arable yields,” said Tim. “Bygrowing grasses, legumes and deep-rootingherbs we can increase soil structure, chemistryand biology.

“We need the animals to eat the grass, andtrample some of it into the soil to build organicmatter, while adding their manure. Grazed grasscould become the most essential arable crop on our farm.

“Pasture-fed meat will be a useful by-product of the system, and I believe the vastly improvedsoils will produce more grain from less external inputs.”

Tim May's herbal ley growing up througharable stubble

Controlled grazing – just part of an holistic plan to help grassland deliver more and avoid environmental degradation, says Allan Savory (inset)

Herbal leys are helping revitalise tiredarable fields on Tim May’s Hants farm

Grasslands • Sara Gregson

Bob Kennard • Meat


“Mutton waseaten at thelast dinner

served on theTitanic, andwas Captain

Robert Scott’slast birthday

dinner en-routeto the South

Pole”

IT is difficult today to imagine just how ubiquitousmutton once was. According to Mrs Beeton in 1861“Mutton is undoubtedly the meat most generallyused in families.” Many Victorians thought lamb to be too immature, and lacking flavour.

In 1906, John Galsworthy wrote in The ForsyteSaga “No Forsyte has given a dinner withoutproviding a saddle of mutton. There is something in its succulent solidity which makes it suitable topeople ‘of a certain position’. It is nourishing andtasty; the sort of thing a man remembers eating. It has a past and a future, like a deposit paid into abank; and it is something that can be argued about.”

The fall from grace of this once great icon ofBritish cuisine has been almost complete over thepast 50 years. Changed farming practices, includingthe collapse of the wool price and cheaper lambimports, modern lifestyles and bad wartimeexperiences all contributed to its demise.

In turning our backs on mutton, does the modernconsumer know what we have lost? Quality mutton,

well hung, and slowly cooked is beautifully succulentand has a superb depth and complexity of flavour,like no other meat. Recent research in Australia hasalso shown potential health benefits, with muttonhaving the best Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratio of any meat.

After 10 years working in African agriculture Ireturned to the UK in the mid-1980s to find theflavour of meat had diminished noticeably. I was alsoconcerned at the intensity of some meat production.

In 1988 my wife and I established Graig FarmOrganics in mid-Wales, to offer consumers a realchoice of traditionally reared meat, with a taste which one customer wrote to say was just as sheremembered it when serving it in the Women’s Land Army in 1942.

Whilst researching traditional butchery methods I became fascinated with the potential for puttingmutton on the menu again. Furthermore, with thevagaries of the meat market, it seemed importantthat we established a quality market for mutton toenhance the income of struggling hill farmers inparticular. After some experimentation, we produceda quality meat which sold well, and won us a numberof awards.

In 2004, the Prince of Wales started the MuttonRenaissance, which shone the spotlight on thisunderrated meat.

Now, in Much Ado About Mutton, I have recordedfor the first time the fascinating story of mutton,including the profound impact it had on ourlandscape, history and culture, why it declined, andimportantly, how we can enjoy quality mutton today.

The book has the support of the National SheepAssociation and a foreword by HRH the Prince ofWales and includes advice on cooking, a recipesection, and directories of mutton suppliers andsheep breeds.

I hope it will help popularise mutton again, asmore people realise what a national culinary gem we have all but lost.

Much Ado About Mutton from Merlin UnwinBooks (ISBN 9781906122614) is available from all good bookshops or www.merlinunwin.co.ukfrom 4th September priced £20.www.aboutmutton.com Twitter: @aboutmutton

Bob Kennard – author ofMuch Ado About Mutton

By Club member Bob Kennard

Much AdoAbout Mutton

Water • Charles Abel

Water – too much ortoo little – is puttingfarming underincreasing pressure

WATER has dominated farming and nationalheadlines over recent years and is set to do so evenmore with predictions pointing to increasingly drasticvariations in rainfall. So what can be done to makefarming more resilient?

Such was the focus of a conference sessionorganised by the Oxford Farming Conference at thisyear’s Cereals Event, which was chaired by Oxforddirector, Farmers Club member and Rutland farmerAndrew Brown.

“Water is a precious resource, not a throwawaycommodity, and it needs a long term strategy,” he noted. But with forecast investment in waterinfrastructure of £96bn needed by 2030, and just£4bn/year being invested currently, there was clearlyhuge under-investment.

The tension with non-farming uses wasparticularly evident in East Anglia, where waterprovision for new housing for a growing populationwas sorely lacking. Abstraction cuts in 2011 hadforced drastic cropping decisions, noted Euston Estatedirector Andrew Blenkiron. “We can’t sustain that.We need a fair share of water for livelihoods.”

Further legislation through the EU’s WaterFramework Directive posed ‘grave dangers’ to those farming on certain rivers and ground-waters,he added.

Faster and more flexible planning decisions wereneeded. In the previous six years the estate hadinvested £2m in water storage and would spend a further £0.5m on reservoirs and piping next year. But decisions often took far too long.

Thames valley farmer John Hook, who had1200ha (3,000 acres) of crops flooded last winter,agreed that policies needed to change. Water was

held back to protect housing and benefit wildlife. “I want it stopped, not compensation.”

Ian Johnson from the Environment Agency saidfarming needed to take greater account of climatevolatility. “We can’t control these extreme events.”He acknowledged the Oxfordshire floods hadprotected 4.1m homes, and on the abstraction side urged producers to pool licences and ensure they made the most of the water available to them.“That is critical.”

New Met Office/Newcastle University data showed more intense summer rainfall, with evenmore localised extremes, was likely, said the MetOffice’s Sarah Jackson. So, while summers would get hotter and drier, and winters wetter, as a nationalaverage, there could be huge variations from year to year, particularly at farm level

More localised forecasting would help, with 7,000local weather stations and crowd-sourcing fromprivate recording devices set to improve accuracy.

That could help timeliness of operations, a priorityfor Lincs farmer Andrew Ward. “On our heavy landwe get one chance to cultivate, as soon as possibleafter harvest. If we leave it the soil never forgets howit has been cultivated.”

Dr Nigel Davies, sustainability director at maltsterMuntons, said organic matter applications could help boost water resilience. In Yorkshire maltingbarley trials applications had lifted yield 12% in a drought year.

Clearly, farming can work to be more resilient. But investment and national policies must keep pace. Currently, they seem not be – and farmingis suffering.

Farming’swater crisis


RECENT research by NatWest bank and theNational Farmers Union found that renewable energy is set to overtake rural tourism as the secondmost lucrative income for the agricultural sector.Renewable energy has proved a popular way forfarmers to generate additional revenue while facingmounting financial pressures in recent years.

Two of the most popular choices have been wind farms and anaerobic digestion plants. However,while hoping to capitalise on the growing demandfor renewable energy, farmers face a range ofchallenges in managing the associated risks.

Obtaining specialist advice is essential and havingthe right risk management and insurance in place is important to avoid delays, contain the risks andprotect assets and revenue, says David Wilson,renewable energy specialist and Stockton BranchManager at Bluefin, an insurance broker with over 50 years of experience in the agricultural market.

By 2020, the UK Government has set a target for 15% of the country’s energy to be generated by renewable sources, with support being offered to farmers who wish to set up wind or solar farmsand anaerobic digestion plants.

Lost profit When entering into these ventures farmers often

rely solely on the Erection All Risks insurance providedby the contractor. However, the definition of what is covered by this policy is usually limited to the powergeneration infrastructure being installed, warns Mr Wilson.

Policies that will provide cover for the anticipatedloss of profits in the event of an incident are available,but are far less common. Given the specialist natureof these projects, plus the involvement of investorsthat fund them, it is advisable to obtain cover toprotect the interests of all concerned, he comments.


Renewableenergy risks

Charles Abel • Insurance

Safety issuesAnaerobic digestion (AD) is attractive to farmers

as the biogas it produces can generate renewableheat, power and income from the natural gas grid.The second product, digestate, is full of nutrientswhich makes an excellent fertiliser.

However, insurance claims from AD plants havehighlighted the need for safe installation and safeoperating protocols once commissioned. Explosionshave been reported as a result of the pressure releasevalue failing to operate, and there have been reportsof plant break-downs, both potentially stemmingfrom poor maintenance regimes. Pollution is a seriousrisk too. Without proper measures in place digestatecould leak into water courses, says Mr Wilson.

Having the correct insurance should be a priority and part of a wider package of safeguards for farmers as they venture into these relatively new forms of energy generation. This will help toensure that protection is in place for the physicalinfrastructure itself and also the revenue that farmers seek to derive from renewable energy.

Farmers are being urged toconsider the risks and associatedinsurance cover for theirrenewable energy enterprises

Bluefin is one of the UK’s leading insurance brokers with over 1400 staff in over 40 offices providingindependent advice and insurer recommendations. It places over £500 million of insurance premiumannually, and is backed by AXA UK, part of one of the world’s largest financial services companies.

David Wilson of Bluefin

Farming industry • Charles Abel


Food in focus

Expo 2015 is being developed on a prodigiousscale, investing around £1bn (Euro 1.3bn) of publicfunds, £238m (Euro 300m) from the private sectorand £800m (Euro 1bn) from official participants. Italy anticipates a £4bn (Euro 5bn) boost to itstourism sector.

Pavilion Zero, developed with the support of theUnited Nations, launches the overall event topic –whether it is possible to guarantee sufficient, healthyand sustainable food for all humanity. The FutureFood District, in collaboration with MIT, will helpvisitors understand how conservation, distribution,purchase and consumption of food will evolve.

Exhibits will outline the excellence of methods,techniques and regulations of food production, the strategies to combine production and energysaving, the use of renewable energy sources, and the protection of natural resources, including water – the primary food of both humans and Earth.

Having fed humans for millennia planet Earth now needs ‘nourishment’ itself, through respect,sustainable attitudes, use of advanced technologiesand political visions reflecting a new and differentbalance between resources and consumption, Expo’s organisers explain.

FEEDING the Planet, Energy for Life is the theme ofthe 2015 World Expo in Milan, where over 20 millionvisitors are expected to participate in an extravaganzadedicated to the food and farming sectors.

From May 1 to October 31 over 140 participatingcountries and organisations will take visitors on a trip around the world, sampling national foods andinvestigating new food systems and technologies.

Dramatic pavilions housing lavish exhibits willfocus the world’s attention on the challenge ofdelivering healthy, secure and sufficient food for the whole world population.

Sub-themes on show include:• Technology for agriculture and biodiversity• Science for food safety, security and quality• Innovation in the agro food supply chain• Food for better lifestyles• Dietary education• Food in the world’s cultures and ethnic groups• Solidarity and cooperation on food

This latest World Expo builds on the themes ofearlier Expos, including Water (Expo 2008, Zaragoza,Spain), Better City – Better Life (Expo 2010, Shanghai,China) and Living Oceans and Coasts (Expo 2012,Yeosu, Korea). One of the earliest World Expo eventswas The Great Exhibition held in The Crystal Palace,Hyde Park, London in 1851.

The UK’s £6m pavilion, Hive, designed by Wolfgang Buttress, will allow visitors to Expo 2015 towalk through an orchard and a natural meadow of wild flowers to an imposing central structurein the shape of a golden sphere, made entirely of steel, which will pulsate and buzz with thesound of a real bee colony. Could be well worth experiencing!

Sustainable suckler beef – the Canadian wayAnya Westland of Myerscough College used a Farmers Club Charitable Trust AgriculturalEducator Award to seek ideas to help beef production become more sustainable

BEEF operations in the UK face many challenges,requiring the next generation to find ways of making production more sustainable, in terms ofenvironmental, economic and social impacts.

Travelling to Saskatchewan in the heart of theCanadian Prairies it was fascinating to find such largefarms run by so few people, typically 480ha (1200acres) with two people, and with such a strong focuson creating profitable systems that fit the naturalenvironment.

Saskatchewan’s beef industry is shrinking, down20% in the past four years to 1.2 million head, withfeedlot capacity down more than a third since 2009.Suckler beef farmers – known as ‘backgrounders’ –rely on feedlot capacity to take their yearling andweaned calves for fattening, so store calves are nowhaving to be sold to the US and Alberta instead.

The main drivers of the decline are bankruptcyafter the Canadian BSE crisis, rising grain prices and the cost of haulage to feedlots and packers(abattoirs). Saskatchewan has no packers, so allfinished cattle are hauled to Alberta or over theborder into the US.

Further pressure comes from the cost of removingand spreading manure from over-wintering yards, anda shortage of labour, as high wages from Alberta’s oilboom attract young people away from farming.

For spring born calves, weaned in mid-Oct,producers in Saskatchewan have three options:

1. Continental crosses go for feedlot finishing at 12-14 months old.

2. Aberdeen Angus crosses go either to the feedlot or into the ‘background’ system to be ‘stored’ over winter with the aim of hitting 1kg dailyliveweight gain (DLWG) from a 250kg weaningweight to 400Kg after 140 days. Calves are thensold to feedlots to finish at 650kg at around 18-20 months old.

3. May-born calves are weaned at 200kg and stored at 0.6-0.7kg DLWG through the winter until mid-May, with compensatory growth andhormones used to finish at 22-24 months.

Lowering costs of productionLowering production costs and reducing labour

is a key focus for government and industry fundedapplied research, as typified by the Western BeefDevelopment Centre near Lanagan, NorthSaskatchewan. Studies are geared to cow-calfoperations (suckler cow systems), addressingbreeding, nutrition and animal health in the centre’s350-400 head pedigree Black Aberdeen Angus herd.

Extended grazing techniques for cows, heifers andcalves are a key area, with three new approachesnow being widely adopted.

1. Bale grazing• Big bales placed in ring feeders or left on the

ground in a grid pattern • Access managed by electric fence • Poorer quality fields used so cattle fertilise and

‘rotovate’ the ground• Access to 10 days of bales initially to avoid

wastage or hunger• Supply increased to 15 days and eventually

30 days

Bales are either whole-crop barley or haylage, withfurther labour gains where bales are left in the fieldin-situ after baling. Reduced manure haulage fromwintering yards and increased nitrogen content in thesoil are further benefits.


Anya Westland • FCCT BEEF

Anya Westland

HE Assistant Head of Agriculture &Countryside, Myerscough College,Lancashire

01995 642191

[email protected]

www.myerscough.ac.uk

Saskatchewan farmers have developed novel ways to cut beefproduction costs.

FCCT BEEF • Anya Westland


Canadian Beef

• Beef from beefherds only

• 12.275 million cattleand calves

• $6.6 (£4) billionindustry, contributing12.2% of total farmincome

• 271,040 tonnes ofbeef exported, down21% in 2 years

• 75% of exports to US • Over 500,000

head/year sold to USfor feedlot finishing orprocessing

Source: Agriculture andAgrifood Canada 2013

Trip benefits

Whilst in Canada I set up a Facebook page and uploaded photosand comments daily.Back at home I lecturedstudents, theMyerscough Researchconference in November2013 and have alsospoken to students froma number of colleges andfarmers to highlight thebenefits of seeing ideasfrom other countries. We are currently seekingfunds to lead a studenttour to Saskatchewan in May 2015.

Bale grazing Saskatchewan-style

Feed lot systems (below) are being challengedby more extensive approaches (above)

Favourable climate allows cereal swaths to beleft in-situ for winter feeding, through up to2ft of snow (Source: Alberta Agriculture Food& Rural development 2004)

Corn grazing is controlled via an electric fence

2. Swath grazing • Barley, oats, triticale and millet sown mid-May

to June • Cut late-August to mid-September at soft-

to late-dough stage• Crop left in swath• Crop windrowed and strip grazed behind

electric fence from October• Gap between swaths 6-7.5m (20-25ft) to

reduce wastage

Barley offers the highest digestibility and protein.Mixing in forage peas, ryegrass, and rye furtherimproves nutrient content, while under-sowing grassin a winter crop provides late summer or autumngrazing. Cows may require additional supplementsand minerals.

To avoid acidosis and laminitis from over-eatinggrain heads rather than straw the system needscareful introduction of cattle to windrows. Three daysof grazing is allocated at a time. It is not uncommonfor cows to graze through 60cm (2ft) of soft snow.

Over-winter swath grazing saves £191/ha(£79.64/acre), or over 80% of production costs,thanks to reduced labour, fuel, machinery andmanure handling costs (see table - adapted fromSwath Grazing – Economics, 2004).

Swath v yard £/ha (£/acre)Swath grazing barley Grazing costs 46.22 (19.26) Assumed losses 20%Total cost 46.22 (19.26) Baled silage in feed yard Yardage cost 154.00 (64.19)Baling and carting 83.30 (34.71)Assumed losses 20% Total cost 237.36 (98.90)

Research shows considerable environmentalbenefits from better manure management, with less nutrient loss and a 200kg/ha gain in soil nitrogen over 18 months.

3. Corn Grazing • Standing maize grazed in the field• Controlled access via electric fence aids utilisation

of whole plant• Issues with cows eating cob only and maize

being prone to frost damage

Such novel concepts may not suit high rainfallareas in the UK. But bale grazing and swath grazingcould work if under-sown with grass mixtures so part of a field is baled to give a lie back area.

Canadian farmers are clearly extending over-winter grazing to reduce the cost to gain for weanedcalves, as well as improving feed efficiency duringfinishing, whilst reducing labour, feed inputs andmanure handling costs. Maybe their innovative mind-set could inspire hard-pressed UK beef producers.

Report on the

2014Annual GeneralMeeting

Minutes, Club Accounts and Annual Report THE Minutes of the 171st Annual General Meeting of the Club were approved and the Report andAudited Accounts of the Club for the year ended31st December 2013 were adopted unanimously.

Election of the Club Chairman and the Vice-Chairman

Anne Chamberlain and Richard Butler wereproposed and unanimously agreed upon as Chairmanand Vice-Chairman for 2015.

Proposing the election of Anne Chamberlain asChairman of the Club, Barclay Forrest, Chairman of the Trustees, said he had known Anne for a verylong time, and knew her father for much longer! Her father was one of the leading breeders of BorderLeicester Sheep and was world famous for hisWheatrig herd of Ayrshire cattle.

Anne’s career included positions as Business Editorof Farmers Weekly, Marketing Director of New FarmCrops during a very dynamic breeding period, andDirector of Blackshaws Farm Park in Scotland, whichwelcomes over half a million visitors and childrenevery year.

She and husband Denis (a former Chairman of The Farmers Club) set up The ChamberlainPartnership, a very successful company, and she wasVice President of The Consumers Association. Annewas an expert on all things aquaculture and set upthe first Fish Farming Magazine. Her expertise hadbeen recognised in the fish farming world and shetravelled the globe speaking on that subject.

She had advised British Cereal Exports, visitingmany countries, including China, Sweden, Spain and Portugal. At the Club she chaired the JournalCommittee for three years. Indeed, Barclay felt Annewas probably the most impressive person he hadknown in communications and he would not have an OBE behind his name without her help.

Anne has two very successful children and fourgrandchildren.

Peter Jackson seconded the proposal, which was approved unanimously.

Replying, Anne Chamberlain said it was a privilegeto be asked to chair The Farmers Club, a fellowship ofpeople who care for agriculture and the countrysideand who wish to come together to enhance it. Itwould be important to get the right blend betweenmaintaining traditions and all that is best in thehistory of agriculture and also looking forward.

Proposing the election of Richard Butler as Vice Chairman for 2015 Nicki Quayle, Trustee, saidRichard joined the Club in 1990 and very successfullychaired its House Committee before becomingTreasurer in 2011.

He had been NFU Council Delegate for Wiltshireand Chairman of the NFU’s National Cereals

The 172nd Annual General Meeting chaired byJimmy McLean was held at The Farmers Club onTuesday, 8th July 2014. The following is a summaryof the Minutes, full copies of which can be obtainedby email from the Secretary.

Charles Abel • Annual Meeting

2015Chairman

AnneChamberlain


Annual Meeting • Charles Abel


2015 Vice Chairman Richard Butler

Honorary Vice President John Parker

help it to continue to grow to become both biggerand better.

AuditorsThe Chairman and Committee recommended that

haysmacintyre continue in office, which was agreed.

Any Other Business After more than 50 years as an overseas member,

Mike Baker of Zambia, gave warm thanks to TheFarmers Club, its officers and staff. The Club Journalwas of a high standard and was a wonderful meansof keeping in touch with British farming, he said. Hehoped The Farmers Club would continue to flourish.

Teresa Wickham, asked whether ratio of farmersto ancillary trade members might be eased from two-to-one to one-to-one. The Chairman respondedthat the membership was continually monitored and 2014 figures showed the membership wascontinuing to grow and develop, so a change wasnot necessary. Campbell Tweed, chairman of theMembership Committee encouraged everyone to keep bringing good recruits.

The Chairman noted that the Club year meantthat all the good news that had been reported at theAGM reflected the work of 2013 chairman StewartHouston, whom he thanked.

Barclay Forrest thanked John Parker for all he had done for the Club as he stepped down from his position as Vice President. John, who had been a member for 58 years, Chairman in 1983, a Trustee,Chairman of Trustees and a Vice President, is now an Honorary Vice Present. Responding John Parker said his only concern was that he had never quite beenable to put back what he had taken out of the Club!

Peter Jackson, Honorary Vice President, proposed a vote of thanks to the Chairman for his excellentchairing of the AGM. His proposal drew hearty support.

There being no further business the Chairmanconcluded the Annual General Meeting.

Committee, a director of NFU Mutual, chairman ofthe 300 Cow Club and was currently chairman of theVoluntary Initiative on pesticides.

Richard runs a very successful business in Wiltshire,comprising arable, contracting, beef fattening and adairy, all in partnership with his wife Sue and sonRichard. In 2008 he won the prestigious CrownEstate Rural Business Award for Farming andConservation. The farm recently opened a new all-singing-all-dancing diary unit.

He has three daughters and three grandchildren,and another on the way! In his spare time he playstennis and shoots.

Paul Heygate seconded the proposal, which wasapproved unanimously.

Honorary Treasurer George Jessel was elected as Honorary Treasurer

for 2015. Proposing his election Julian Sayers, Trustee,said after a successful army career and two years atthe then Royal Agricultural College he returned toexpand and diversify the family business in Kent. Itnow farmed 1200 acres of arable, beef and sheep,with office units, holiday lets, storage units, arestaurant and livery activities alongside. He hadsuccessfully established and then sold The KentCheese Company.

George was a Deputy Lieutenant and ambassador of Kent, patron of Hadlow College,chairman of Wye Agricultural Museum and chairedKent Agricultural Society for six years and was nowan honorary life governor. At the Club he recentlychaired the Communications Committee as itdeveloped the new website. Married to Vicki he has two children and enjoys ski-ing and shooting.

Susan Kilpatrick seconded the proposal, whichwas approved.

Replying George Jessel said the Club was on a very good, sound financial footing and he would

2015 Honorary Treasurer George Jessel

ONE of the world’s most sensitive animal sculptorshas won high praise from a top pedigree cattlebreeder – and with good cause.

No better judge of stock than Angus Stovold,scion of the Surrey farming dynasty and formerpresident of the Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society, has commended sculptor Nick Bibby for hismeticulous accuracy and ability to suggest movement in ‘Rosemead Jeronny’ (pictured), a bull from the Rosemead herd of pedigreeAberdeen-Angus cattle based at Lydling Farm, near Godalming in Surrey.

Gerry Farrell, director of the SladmoreContemporary gallery in London, which exhibitsNick’s work, writes of his remarkable feel for the spirit of the animal. “The veins and muscles seemalmost to move under the skin. Bronze, a cold hardmetal, is transformed into very real fur, flesh andsinew by his incredible modelling skill.”

Widely acknowledged as one of England’s finestanimalier sculptors, Nick renders the form, texture,movement and character of each subject withastonishing attention to detail and a remarkable feel for the spirit of the animal.

The veins and muscles seem almost to moveunder the skin. Bronze, a cold hard metal, istransformed into very real flesh and sinew. His recent Champion Animals exhibition drewconsiderable media interest.

Born in County Durham in 1960, Nick has always been inspired by the natural world. Largelyself taught he sold his first artwork aged thirteen and began sculpting commercially at sixteen. His first bronze, a Kingfisher, sold out in weeks in 1992, setting him on the road to artistic success.

More recently he was in the news with the Oxford Street installation of his monumental bronzesculpture, Indomitable, depicting a life-size KodiakGrizzly Bear. Originally commissioned by BrownUniversity in the USA the 2250kg (5000lbs) 4.5m(15ft) giant involved over 100 skilled workers atPangolin Editions foundry in Chalford,Gloucestershire, to bring to fruition.

Nick lives and works in rural Devon with his wifeand daughter, surrounded by the landscape andsubjects that give him such inspiration.

Mr Stovold, a keen collector of cattle sculpture, is now hoping Nick will create a perfect cow as matefor Rosemead Jeronny.

Charles Abel • Farming Art

Nick Bibby – capturinglivestock spirit meticulously

‘Dittisham Lady’ from ChampionAnimals exhibition

Hard, cold bronze is transformed toconvey a truly lifelike impression


Championlivestock

Angus Stovold’s ‘RosemeadJeronny’ Aberdeen-Angus bull

FarmingFiguresA quick look at… the contribution of country sports… told through somekey statistics.

Christmas Card

Sources: CLA, Angling Trust, Countryside Alliance, BASC, British Falconers Club

£2.5 billionMoney spent by shooters each year on goods

and services, predominantly in rural areas

74,000 jobsEmployment directly connected to shooting

66%Proportion of rural land managed for shooting

600,000Number of people shooting live quarry,

clay pigeons or targets per year

2 million hectaresArea of land managed for conservation

as a result of shooting activities

4 millionPeople involved in fishing – the UK’s

largest participation sport

5,000People hunting with birds of prey in the UK

£3.5 billionSpent by fishing community

100,000Members of pro-hunting Countryside Alliance

97%Proportion of convictions under the Hunting

Act 2004 which relate to ‘poaching’

16,234Questionnaires completed to generate thecomprehensive “Value of Shooting” report


This year’s Farmers Club Christmas Card features an original photograph,“Northumberland Blackface Ewes near Hadrian’s Wall”, taken by Wayne Hutchinson.The card, which measures 171mm x 121mm (7"x 5"), is printed with the Club crest andthe greeting “With Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year”.

Surplus on the sale of the cards will be donated to the R.A.B.I. of England, Wales andN. Ireland and the R.S.A.B.I. of Scotland, both of which are dedicated to helpingmembers of the farming community facing hardship.

The card is available in packs of 10 and may be bought at Reception or ordered fromthe Secretariat using the order form below. The price per pack is £7.50 including VAT andsecond class postage (UK only). Please place your order promptly to avoid anydisappointment.

Members are requested, if possible, to collect their cards in person as it enables theClub to make a larger donation to the chosen charities.

‘Northumberland Blackface Ewes near Hadrian’s Wall’

Wayne Hutchinson/www.farm-images.co.uk

THE FARMERS CLUBCHRISTMAS CARD 2014

Christmas Card Order FormTo: The Secretary, The Farmers Club, 3 Whitehall Court, London SW1A 2EL.

I would like to order ………… packs of Christmas Cards (£7.50 per pack of 10). I willcollect the cards from Reception on ………………………… (approximate date ifknown)/please deliver to the address below* (*delete as necessary)

Payment can either be made by cheque payable to The Farmers Club or by Visa,Mastercard or Maestro card. I enclose a cheque for £ ………………. (Add £2.00 postagefor orders of 5-10 packs OR £4.00 for over 10 packs).

PLEASE COMPLETE IN BLOCK CAPITALS

Surname

First Name

Card Holder’s Name

Card No

Start Date Expiry Date Security No

Amount £

Signature

Address

Post Code

Telephone

Email #


Beth Hockham, Chairman; John Jacques, Vice Chairman; Lisbeth Rune, Secretary • U30s

ContactBeth for more

information

U30sChairman’s Jottings As I write, many of the farmers here in Wiltshirehave finished harvest and are ploughing up thefields again ready for next year’s crops. I amgearing up for a few late nights over the nextcouple of weeks as my Pol Dorset Sheep are due to lamb again.

Thank you to all the U30s who attended the recent U30s Pimm’s & Supper Evening at the Club.Despite the rain meaning that we could not usethe terrace, the staff organised a super reception inthe Cumber Room and we all thoroughly enjoyedourselves. See Anna Bowen’s report (opposite).

The next U30s event is the September DiningEvening to be held on Friday 12th September. We are fortunate to be joined by guest speakerTom Rawson from Evolution Farming. We are very much looking forward to finding out aboutTom’s experience as a ‘young farmer’ in the dairy industry.

The U30s October Farm Walk in Cirencester willrun from 17th-19th October. The highlight of thiswill be our visit to Duchy Home Farm where wewill be shown around by farm manager, DavidWilson. Clay shooting has also been arranged anda black tie dinner at the Royal Agricultural College.The flyer with full details for this event will bereleased shortly. It is anticipated that this will be a very popular event so if you would like to attend, do book your place early.

I am honoured to have been asked to carry abasket at the Farmers Club Harvest Festival serviceat St. Martin in the Fields on 14th October andhope to see lots of U30s faces at this special event.

The U30s section of the Farmers Club website is undergoing some exciting changes and Iencourage you to visit to see new photos and up to date information on events to be releasedsoon. Watch this space!

As usual, if you have any questions about the U30s or if you have any suggestions or comments,please do get in touch with me.

Rain may have stopped play on thebalcony, but the U30s Pimm’s eveningand weekend in London earlier thissummer was still very much enjoyed by all.

Following drinks in the Cumber Roommembers and their guests movedthrough to dinner, which was aninteresting menu put together by thenew chef. There were a number ofboth new and potential memberspresent, who were all very warmlywelcomed by existing U30s.

After supper everyone moved to thebar for drinks and a few memberspracticed their ballroom dancing in aside room. Dancing skills of a differentsort were required as the majority tookthe short walk to the notorious localclub Opal. For those educated atCirencester the club brought back fond memories of our own specialclub, although sadly Opal lacked itspole and cage!

Pimm’s in London

Beth Hockham U30 Chairman

07773 [email protected]

www.thefarmersclub-u30s.com

The fun continued on Saturday with a trip to the pedalo boats on theSerpentine. Amazingly, nobody fell in (or got pushed in), but a certainperson’s boot did end up bobbing onthe surface of the water after beencaptured by a pirate ship and thrown(in the general direction of its owner)by a certain member from the colonies.No harm was done to the boot and itwas fished out and dried in the sun.

Saturday night saw a smaller grouphead to Brown’s restaurant viaSimpson’s at the Savoy. After supperthe hardiest of those left made theirway to the Port House for cheese andport and some very amusing andcompetitive punning.

All in all, the weekend was, as oneattendee put it; “a barrel of laughs.”

Anna BowenU30s Member

Keep up to date with Under 30s members and all thelatest plans for Under 30s meet ups via the Farmers ClubU30s Facebook group. It has over 165 members already,but is a closed group for Farmers Club members only, sovisit www.facebook.com/groups/farmersclubu30s/ and click on the ‘Join Group’ tab so your request can be approved. Once in, be sure to scroll down to Emily Mcveigh’s great video of the Wiltshire Farm Walk, featuring cows, pigs, the butchery demo, point-to-pointaction – and of course Paul Mason and Samuel J Gordon's awesome dancing!(Also available at www.videofy.me/emcveigh/6332212)

U30s Facebook Group

U30s • Beth Hockham, Chairman; John Jacques, Vice Chairman; Lisbeth Rune, Secretary

In every bedroom I’ve stayed in at the Club there hasbeen a small book, Our Common Ground, usuallyhidden among old editions of the Farmers Guardian. It is a book of poetry, with verse touching on farming,the countryside and the rural way of life.

In some of the rooms the book appears to have been well read, in others it has hardly been touched.One of the first things I usually do when checking infor the evening, concurrent with making a start on the Shrewsbury biscuits, is to have a quick thumbthrough the volume and read a poem or two.

I was at the Cheltenham Festival three years agowhen Our Common Ground was launched. With aforward by the Prince of Wales, the book is what itsays it is on its front cover – a celebration of farmingand countryside.

Some of the poets featured in the book are very wellknown (the dead ones), while others are fairly obscure(the living ones). Many of the poems were writtenduring the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, whenthe countryside in general and agriculture in particularwas undergoing a profound and prolonged period ofchange from the medieval to the modern. Indeed,one of the major themes running through most of thepoems, like that through farming itself, is the themeof change.

When I was younger I didn’t take much notice of thechanging seasons. Summer simply meant seasideholidays in Dorset or Devon, while autumn meantback to school for the long run up to Christmas. Onlyin the last few years have I really taken notice – andreally appreciated – the changing seasons in nature,especially my favourite, that from summer to autumn.

Our Common Ground is published bySilverdart Publishing in association with theRoyal Agricultural University, Cirencester. This anthology is a poetic celebration of the richness and diversity of the Britishcountryside and its farming tradition,comprising over 100 poems from 82modern and traditional poets, includingBrian Patten, Roger McGough, TedHughes, Andrew Motion, Seamus Heaney,William Shakespeare and John Keats,providing a diverse and accessiblecollection of responses to the beauty and power of our common ground.

Available via www.amazon.co.ukPaperback 160 pagesISBN: 978-0955458163

Dominic Kirby

Season of mists: the poetry of farming

With appreciation comes pleasure; as I write thesewords in the last few days of August, the thin leaveson the poplar trees by the river have already mellowedfrom a vibrant yellow to a withered brown. Readingthe poems of Keats, Gray and Clare (my personalfavourites), it is clear that people in the past were justas interested and concerned with change in thecountryside as we are today. They celebrated – andcondemned – the changes they saw in fine verse.

Next time you have a spare ten minutes in your roomat the Club, take up this lovely little book and have aread, even if poetry is not really your thing. You maybe pleasantly surprised.

Dominic Kirby Under 30s member and failed poet


Authorsinvited If any U30s memberswould be interestedin writing an articlefor the Journal doplease get in touch.Submissions arealways very welcome– addressing anytopical issue, businessventure or farminginsight.

Contact BethHockham,Chairman U30s,[email protected] or call 07773 232264


Stephen Skinner • Club News

Club News

Magnificent eighth floor views

will like what the team has done toensure that expectations are met.

Of course, what is unique and truly quite stunning about the eighth floor, are the views across London from thefour rooms that face south. You reallywould be hard pressed to improve upontheir outlook to be honest! So, with greatrooms and great views, I look forward to hearing your comments.

Refurbishedkitchen open for business!To support thedrive to improvethe food availablein the Club wehave at long last carried outa significantrefurbishment of the kitchen. A key part of this process wasto develop the kitchen facilities so weare better able to provide great food for the restaurant and functions at the same time.

We’ve looked to make better use of the available space and improvedsome of the key pieces of equipment,including an additional combi-oven,and improved the lighting and airextraction.

This project has taken a lot of effortand careful planning and I would liketo thank Virginia, the Club Manager,and our Head Chef, Paul Hogben(above), who have done so much to bring this project to a successfulconclusion. Now, come and put us, and the new menu, to the test!

Talking of menus, when I say ‘newmenu’ I mean that Paul Hogben hasadjusted it to match the new season.So, for example, we will be serving PanFried Partridge with Partridge SausageRoll and Parsnip Cream, among manyother enticing dishes this Autumn.

We also have a new coffee machine,about which I can hear a certain‘Geordie’ member saying ‘not before time!’ This offers members the opportunity to enjoy the full range of quality coffees so often found today. So, if your thing is an Espresso or a Macchiato or a Cappuccino, then just ask.

I am very pleased to report that theredevelopment of the Eighth floor hasbeen completed, and the bedrooms areavailable for use by members. From what was six single rooms all sharing one bathroom, we now have five super single en-suite bedrooms and a doubleen-suite as well.

The facilities in the rooms have taken a great leap forward and I hope you

Dress CodeIn line with the Club’s desire to create amore relaxed atmosphere at weekends,smart casual dress may be worn from 6pmFriday to midnight Sunday. Smart cleanjeans, polo shirts and trainers are perfectlyacceptable. Children should conform withthe above guidelines as best they can.

Club News • Stephen Skinner

Club CalendarDiary DatesPlease check the dates carefully as they sometimes change and new dates are added foreach issue. Details of Club events circulated in the previous issues are available from theSecretariat on 020 7930 3751or email [email protected]

SEPTEMBERBeethoven’s Ninth at Royal Albert Hall – FULLSaturday 27th Supper in the Club and coach transfer to/from the concert

OCTOBERConstable – The making of a Master Friday 10th (also November 14)Luncheon, private talk and Constable show at the Victoria and Albert MuseumApplication form enclosed with last issue

Harvest Festival Service Tuesday 14th Service with choir at St Martin-in-the-Fields followed by Buffet Supper at the ClubApplication form enclosed with last issue

NOVEMBERConstable – The making of a Master Friday 14th (also October 10th)Luncheon, private talk and Constable exhibition at the Victoria and Albert MuseumApplication form enclosed with last issue

St Andrews Day Lunch Friday 28th At RBS HQ, Gogarburn, EdinburghApplication form enclosed with this issue

DECEMBERStatoil Masters Tennis at Royal Albert Hall – FULLFriday 5th Supper in the Club with coach transfer to/from the tennis

Messiah at Royal Albert HallFriday 19th Supper in the Club followed by magnificent Messiah at the Royal Albert Hall Application form enclosed with last issue

New Year’s Eve PartyWednesday 31st Application form enclosed with last issue

JANUARYOxford Farming ConferenceMonday 5th - Wednesday 7th For info only – not a Club event

LAMMA ShowWednesday 21st - Thursday 22nd For info only – not a Club event

Constable Exhibition

Saltire flag

Masters tennis

Magnificent Messiah

Harvest Festival


As I write we are approaching the end of an fine Show season, with just theWestmorland Show drinks reception on the 11th September to go.

We had an excellent gathering at the CLAGame Fair at Blenheim Palace where notonly were we able to welcome the keyexecutives of the CLA but also a goodnumber of members (including many U30s).While the weather was a little against us, all enjoyed the evening, with outstandingcanapés and first class Prosecco!

It was great to get back to the Royal Welsh Show too where the weather wasseriously hot. The Chairman, his wife Janeand I were honoured to be invited to thePresident’s lunch and then, after a gentleafternoon of looking at the splendour thatis the Royal Welsh, we enjoyed drinks withmembers and the key Show executives, inthe main marquee. Assuming the weatheris always as hot at the Royal Welsh, I willarrange ice cream next year too!

Finally, a party of 61 Club members andtheir guests were enormously fortunate tovisit the Edinburgh Tattoo. What an event!Led by the Chairman and his wife, we weretreated to a superb dinner in the splendourof Edinburgh Castle and then the Tattooitself, which was really quite exceptional.The colour, the music, the dancing, theexcitement, the fireworks all made for anight not to be forgotten. Can I take thisopportunity to publicly thank RBS for theirgenerosity and organization that went such a long way to make the evening the success it was.

Club Eventsand Shows

Edinburgh Tattoo

The Farmers Club • Club Information

Club Information020 7930 3557 • www.thefarmersclub.com

Watch out for your Winter issue of the Farmers Club Journal,due out in mid-November, with all the latest Club news, plus reports on a Farmers Club Charitable Trust study ofanaerobic digestion in Canada, the rise of farmland values,and profiles of Adam Henson, Duchy Farms and Ludlow Food Centre.

Office HoldersPatron – Her Majesty The QueenHONORARY VICE PRESIDENTSPeter Jackson CBE, Sir David Naish DL

VICE PRESIDENTSMark Hudson, Roddy Loder-Symonds, John Parker, Norman Shaw CBE, Mrs Susan Kilpatrick OBE

THE COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT OF THE CLUB 2014

PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMANJimmy McLean

TRUSTEESBarclay Forrest OBE (Chairman), Mrs Nicki Quayle, Julian Sayers, Paul Heygate

VICE-CHAIRMANAnne Chamberlain

HONORARY TREASURERRichard Butler

IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMANStewart Houston CBE

CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND SECRETARYStephen Skinner

CLUB CHAPLAINThe Reverend Sam Wells

COMMITTEE Elected 2009: John Stones

Elected 2012: Mrs Ionwen Lewis, Charles Notcutt OBE (Chairman – House Sub-Committee)

Elected 2013: Lindsay Hargreaves, Tim Harvey, Nick Helme, George Jessel DL (Chairman – Communications Sub-Committee), Peter Jinman OBE, Mrs Jo Turnbull

Elected 2014: Robert Lasseter, Allan Stevenson, Alison Ritchie,Martin Taylor, Campbell Tweed OBE (Chairman – Membership Sub-Committee)

Co-opted: Beth Hockham (Chairman Under 30s), John Jacques (Vice Chairman Under 30s), Martin Taylor

THE FARMERS CLUB CHARITABLE TRUST TRUSTEESJohn Kerr MBE JP DL (Chairman), James Cross, Vic Croxson DL,Stephen Fletcher, Mrs Stella Muddiman JP, The Chairman andImmediate Past Chairman of the Club (ex officio)


NEXT ISSUE

Club ClosureFrom 12 noon on Tuesday 23 December 2014 to 3.00pm on Friday 2 January2015. Members may book a bedroom to stay when the Club is closed on theunderstanding that it is on a room only basis as no other facilities are available.

The Royal Albert Hall will once again be turned into an enchanting Japanese water garden forthe return of the spectacular in-the-round production of Puccini's Madam Butterfly, and TheFarmers Club has tickets for the show on Friday 27 February 2015.

No opera can match the tragedy and sorrow of Madam Butterfly. Set in Japan at the turn ofthe century, this tale of the doomed love of an American naval lieutenant and his youngJapanese bride inspired Puccini to write some of his most sublime and beautiful music.

The differences in attitudes and styles of East and West are skilfully woven together inPuccini's ravishing score. The magnificent love duet which closes the first act, and Butterfly'scelebrated solo One Fine Day in which she shows her unwavering belief that Pinkerton willreturn to her, are just two of the greatest moments. And when, after several years, Pinkertoneventually returns with his American wife, Butterfly realises she has been betrayed and theopera moves to its powerful and tragic conclusion.

Madam Butterfly is sung in English using the highly acclaimed translation by Amanda Holdenand is directed by renowned opera and theatre director David Freeman. Oliver Goochconducts the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and a distinguished cast with the title role beingshared by Nam-young Kim, Hyeseoung Kwon and Myung-Joo Lee.

Our programme starts at 5.00pm with a two-course supper in the Club. At 6.30pm the coachdeparts for the Royal Albert Hall, in time for the start of the Opera at 7.30pm. After the Opera,at 10.15pm (approx) the coach returns to the Club.

The cost per person is £125 including supper at the Club, ticket for the Opera and coachtransfers to and from the Royal Albert Hall. All applications should be received by 17thOctober 2014. This event is limited to 40 places only. If oversubscribed, places will be decidedby a ballot.

Register your interest online at www.thefarmersclub.com or complete the booking formenclosed with this issue.

Madam Butterfly


Club Information • The Farmers Club

Deaths

It is with regret that we announce the death of thefollowing members:

Mrs G Borner Kent

Mr J Crittall Surrey

Mr J Gooderham Suffolk

Mr R Meyrick Cornwall

Mrs M Moult Derbyshire

Mr D Oliphant Wiltshire

Mr J Osborne Somerset

New Members

The following were elected:

UK Members

Mr N Bailey Lincolnshire

Mr R Barker Suffolk

Mrs W Barnes Cheshire

Mr S Barr Berwickshire

Mr M Beckett Sussex

Mr W Boase East Lothian

Mr D Butler Sussex

Mr M Corrie Shropshire

Mrs A Doughty Devon

Mrs K Farmiloe Worcestershire

Mr A Goddard Shropshire

Mr W Horne Cheshire

Mr C James Pembrokeshire

Mr M Jewers Suffolk

Mr J Marks Hampshire

Mr R McEwan London

Mr J McKenna Midlothian

Mr S Murphy Suffolk

Mr C Oulton Somerset

Professor W Purcell Devon

Dr L Smith Cambridgeshire

Mr J Stebbing Gloucestershire

Ms V Thirlwell Gloucestershire

Mr N Tuck Devon

Mr D Waller Berkshire

Under 30s

Miss A Beazley Norfolk

Mr S Beckett Sussex

Miss B Bone Hertfordshire

Miss C Frogley London

Miss R Gaymer Essex

Mr T Lockton London

Envelope SponsorshipMhe Farmers Club acknowledge the support of Agrovista, sponsor of the Journal envelope.Agrovista is the leading authority on all aspects of crop management advice, with many years of experience backed up with the most advancedand comprehensive range of Agronomy trials in Great Britain. For more information visitwww.agrovista.co.uk

Mobile Phones, Briefcases and Business MeetingsMobile phones must not be used in the PublicRooms (except the Shaw Room). Briefcases shouldbe left in the Cloakrooms and Business meetingsmust be conducted in the Shaw Room ordesignated and pre-booked meeting rooms.Members should speak with the MeetingsManager, Mrs Lynne Wilson for details on 0207925 7100 or, [email protected]

ParkingThe Club has no private parking at Whitehall Court and metered parking in the immediate areais extremely limited. The nearest public car park,open 24 hours a day, is situated in Spring Gardensoff Cockspur Street, approximately 5 minutes walk from the Club. Telephone: 0800 243 348. The Congestion Charge can be paid at this carpark. For more information on parking, see:www.westminster.gov.uk/services/transportandstreets/parking

Business SuiteThe Business Suite provides PCs, WiFi and a mobilephone signal amplifier for members.

Dress CodeMembers are requested to advise their guests ofthe following:

• Gentlemen must wear formal jackets and ties onweekdays. Polo-neck jerseys, jeans and trainersare not acceptable.

• There are Club jackets and a selection of ties at Reception which may be borrowed in anemergency.

• Ladies should be dressed conventionally.Trousers are permitted but not jeans or trainersduring the week.

• Smart casual dress may be worn by all from6pm Friday to midnight Sunday; smart cleanjeans and trainers are permitted.

• Children should conform, as best they can, with the above guidelines.

• Members must advise their guests of the dress regulations.

Reciprocal ClubsUKCity Livery Club, London (No bedrooms)Royal Overseas League, EdinburghRoyal Scots Club, EdinburghThe New Club, EdinburghNorthern Counties Club, NewcastleNote: We have informal agreements with theEast India and Caledonian Club for bedroombookings if we are full. Reception also holds a list of hotels within a 15 minute walk thatmight be considered ‘good value for money’.

OVERSEASThe Western Australian Club, Perth,Australia (Bedrooms not reciprocated)Queensland Club, Brisbane, Australia The Australian Club, Melbourne, Australia

Royal Dublin Society, Dublin, Ireland(Bedrooms not reciprocated)Stephen’s Green Hibernian Club, Dublin, Ireland The Muthaiga Country Club, Nairobi, KenyaThe Harare Club, Harare, ZimbabweThe Christchurch Club, Christchurch, New Zealand(operating from The George Hotelwww.thegeorge.com and able to offerreciprocal visitors preferredaccommodation rates) The Canterbury Club, Christchurch, New ZealandMembers wishing to use any of the above Clubs should obtain anintroductory card from the Secretariat.

Website: www.thefarmersclub.com

THE FARMERS CLUB JOURNALEditor and Advertisement Manager: Charles Abel 07795 420692E-mail: [email protected]

Designed and produced by:Ingenious, www.ingeniousdesign.co.uk The printing inks are made using vegetable based oils. No film or film processing chemicals were used.

Printed on Lumi Silk which is ISO 14001 certified manufacturer. FSC Mixed Credit. Elemental chlorine free (ECF) fibre sourced from well managed forests.

Chairman 2014: Jimmy McLean

Club ContactsTHE FARMERS CLUBOver 170 years of service to farming

3 Whitehall Court, London SW1A 2EL

Club Number 020 7930 3557Receptionext: 200/[email protected] Reservations ext: 204 [email protected] Room Reservationsext: 200/[email protected] & Banquetingext: 109 or direct line: 020 7925 [email protected] & U30sext: [email protected] Managerext: [email protected] Chefext: 111 or direct line: 020 7925 [email protected] ext: 106 or direct line: 020 7925 [email protected] ext: 107 or direct line: 020 7925 [email protected]

PA to Secretaryext: 104 or direct line: 020 7930 [email protected]

Bedroomsext: 3+ [two digit room number] eg. ext 301 for Room1

Whitehall Court Porters020 7930 3160Fax020 7839 7864

Chief Executive and Secretary:Stephen Skinner

THE FARMERS CLUB

ChristmasCard 2014

Members are invited to order this year’s Farmers Club Christmas Card, featuring thisstriking image “Northumberland Blackface Ewes near Hadrian’s Wall” photographed byWayne Hutchinson.

The card is printed with the Club crest and the greeting “With Best Wishes for Christmasand the New Year”.

Available in packs of 10 the cards can be bought at Reception or ordered from theSecretariat using the order form on page 17.

Profits from card sales will support the R.A.B.I. of England, Wales and N. Ireland and theR.S.A.B.I. of Scotland.

Documents

14091 fcj 252 autumn 2014 web