April 2008 - Posts
The Bluetongue vaccine should be available any day now and it's a relief that so many farmers have placed orders and are getting prepared. Large numbers of the Bluetongue carrying midges have been reported in Belgium and the Netherlands and, with warmer weather on the cards, these are worrying times.
Our message is to encourage everyone to be as vigilant as possible in looking for symptoms of this silent killer. Livestock editor Jonathan Long and FW photographer Jonathan Page have produced some videos, picture galleries and practical content as step by step advice to help you spot the signs and cope with the vaccination process.
There's a lot of material about on treatment options and prevention methods so make the most of it and keep us posted on anything else you require from us to help you through. Farmers can respond to this blog or use the website forums at FWiSpace share their experiences, express a view or just let off steam.
We need to hear your fears, concerns, ideas and thoughts and we need to know how our livestock content can best meet your needs this spring and summer. Keep us posted and we will respond.
What would you cook if you had a strict vegetarian coming for Sunday lunch and he just happened to be the Secretary of State for the Environment Hilary Benn?
Well, Peter Kendall and his wife Emma sensibly chose vegetable quiche but their kids were decidedly put out that accommodating their important guest meant missing their usual Sunday roast fare and, according to the NFU president, "they were disrespectful about it". These kids will go a long way - why stand on ceremony for a politician.
The Kendall family were hosting another Hilary Benn visit to their arable farm in Eyeworth, Bedfordshire so a hearty lunch was pretty important to helping the day go with a swing. Making the most of the opportunity, Peter showed Hilary Benn around the business that he runs in partnership with his brother Richard.
The Kendalls are big fans of GPS technology and use it regularly to inform their decisions on 620 hectares of combinable crops. A demonstration on the benefits of precision technology in one field was a key part of the visit. All of which set the scene perfectly for Peter then trying to convince the Secretary of State that incentives are desperately needed if farmers are to invest in smart solutions.
You have to admire these tactics.... One of the big challenges is trying to convince Government just what agriculture can do. We need a lot more effort like this to get the politicians on to farms to see what's going on first hand. And it seems the politicians want more of it. On the introduction to his own website, Hilary Benn actually states "I believe in a fairer society ....and that practical politics can help us get there". So say all of us......
Today,. we've launched a survey in conjunction with the Tenant Farmers Association and the NFU to find out what sort of rent rises tenants are facing and the issues cropping up in their relationship with landlords.
If you are affected by a rent review, take a few minutes to look at the survey and fill it in at www.fwi.co.uk/rentreviews.
The tenanted sector is bracing itself for some tough negotiating as an unprecedented wave of rent increases looms. FW is determined to provide practical advice for all involved in the process this year but we need information from you if we are to provide a really useful service.
Alongside the online survey itself, you will also find other guidance on what to expect as the rental demands come in and discussions start with the landlord. If you've already kick-started talks on your farm about this, then why not share your views and experiences at www.fwi.co.uk/forums
What is it they say... a problem shared is a problem halved.... or something like that!
Some interesting comments have come in on my last blog post about NFU bias. I don't think FW is biased towards the NFU and I tend to agree with Peter Wells when he says the NFU can do more to consult with its own members before entering talks with Government. A more joined up approach is definitely needed with members and other agricultural organisations if the industry is to speak with one, unified and more powerful voice. At times, not enough is done to reach agreements within the industry and so the politicians see internal squabbling and receive mixed messages. Arguments and misunderstandings about the future of the new levy boards were a classic example. I know the NFU is watching this blog with interest so here's an opportunity to direct your views at people who want to listen and can make a difference.
I disagree with Peter Wells on his point about the scope of the NFU. He suggests Peter Kendall and his policy team should concentrate entirely on farmer needs and leave politicians to worry about the interests of the nation. While the NFU's primary purpose is to represent UK agriculture, it cannot do this in a vacuum. For too long, farmers produced food without thinking about the end customer and look where that got us. We've ended up with a poor public image and consumers are ill informed about the origins of their food and the challenges farmers face.
Yes, we've got to talk more constructively to each other to find common ground but we've also got to do an awful lot more communicating beyond the industry. We cannot afford to leave it to politicians and celebrity chefs to do our batting for us.