|
News
Record crowd at Cereals 2008
 Plenty of post-harvest technology to feast your eyes on.
A RECORD was set at Heath Farm, near Leadenham, in Lincolnshire when 23,900 people flooded through the entrance gates for Cereals 2008.
For the two days of mainly dry weather, 64ha of Andrew Ward’s 650ha farm was transformed into Europe’s biggest arable technical field event.
It provided a perfect setting with the sound of skylarks and planes taking off from nearby RAF bases supplementing the buzz of the crowd and machinery at work.
“This year’s Cereals was a runaway success thanks to the diverse range of content put on by exhibitors and by the enthusiasm of visitors to support the event,” said Dominique Gill, Cereals Event Director.
Resident for the duration were more than 380 exhibitors, 33 of which presented more than 90 sown crop plots which gave visitors direct contact with some of the country’s leading researchers, plant breeders and technical managers.
In addition, there were
10ha of working machinery demonstrations and a line-up of over 40 trailed, mounted and self-propelled sprayers from over 20 manufacturers being put through their paces in the Syngenta Sprays and Sprayers Arena.
The machinery area demonstrated a host of new equipment, including New Holland’s new T9000 range of articulated tractors, JCB’s first outing for their 180-230hp 7000 Fastrac series, Landini’s five-model mid-range tractor series and Massey Ferguson’s 5400 series.
Principal event sponsors, HSBC, ran a number of sessions on the issue of agflation.
Event organiser Haymarket launched a sister event, which will be on 4-5 June 2009, near Poznan, in western Poland. The 2009 Cereals Event in the UK will be held on 10-11 June at Vine Farm, Wendy, Cambs.
• More reports and photos inside the current issue
Queen’s award for Yorkshire company
 Will I’Anson: “A real team effort.”
YORKSHIRE feed manufacturer I’Anson Brothers recently celebrated a 2008 Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category.
It recognises the development of the revolutionary quick-soaking sugar beet feed Speedi-Beet, which has become a market leader in the demanding equine feed sector.
The patented process used to produce Speedi-Beet was developed by I’Anson Brothers and turns sugar beet into a convenient quick-soak flake, which can absorb up to five times its weight of water in under 10 minutes. It is one of the most recent innovations from a company that prides itself on high quality, feedstuffs supplied to livestock owners.
Speedi-Beet is the only sugar beet feed to be awarded the seal of approval by the Laminitis Trust, thanks to its low starch and high fibre content.
The 108-year-old family business produces the British Horse Feeds range of products that as well as Speedi-Beet, includes Fibre-Beet, Natural Country Cubes and Natural Country Mix.
Director Will I’Anson described
it as a great achievement for
all concerned.
“The development and promotion of Speedi-Beet has been a real team effort with everyone from our loyal customer base, own staff, along with suppliers and marketing professionals, all playing a part in the product’s success.”
www.ianson.co.uk
Changing countryside opens new doors
AFTER the success of last year’s inaugural award, countryside insurance broker Lycetts has launched its search to find the 2008 Young Rural Entrepreneur of the Year.
Working in partnership with The Field magazine, a cash prize of £10,000 is on offer to the winner who can demonstrate the requisite entrepreneurial spirit by running a company that is either based in the countryside or is making a sustainable contribution to the rural economy.
The award celebrates and supports the entrepreneurial talent that exists in the countryside at a time of great change, when uncertain environmental and market conditions have forced farmers to change their farming habits or in some cases, get out of farming completely.
In 2007 brother and sister, Ben and Charlotte Hollins of Fordhall Community Land Initiative and Family Farm, proved themselves worthy winners of the award with a novel and enterprising approach to funding and managing the successful conversion of a struggling farm tenancy into a flourishing community owned business venture.
A panel of judges that includes: Financial Times journalist and rural commentator, Heather McGregor; food entrepreneur, Charles Bigham; Jonathan Young, editor of The Field; Angus Keate, chief executive of Lycetts; and Charles Seymour, managing director of Lycetts Rural Division, will choose the winner, to be announced at a reception in London on 16 October.
Entries close on 4 August, for information visit www.thefield.co.uk
Record entry for Beadlam Road Run
TRACTORS of all shapes and sizes lined the field at Beadlam Grange in North Yorkshire ready for the start of the 6th Beadlam Charity Tractor Run.
A record-breaking turnout of more than 150 entries, including vintage vehicles arrived for the event.
The route was carefully planned out by B Simpson and M Simpson with their many helpers. It took the tractors into the north Yorkshire countryside and the views which can’t be seen from a car were fantastic.
Although the weather was mixed with a few spots of rain along the way it didn’t spoil
the day, the event finishing
with through Pickering and then back to Beadlam Grange for 5.15pm.
Thanks go to the police, paramedics and stewards for helping the day go so well.
At the time of going to press, money was still coming in
for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Service.
Next year’s road run will take place on Sunday 3 May.
Farmers miss out on flooding fund
Between issue news...
Farmers will not share in the EU flooding fund set up for damage caused by the flooding during summer 2007 despite suffering losses worth millions of pounds.
The EU Commission has announced €162.4-million from the European Solidarity Fund to help deal with the ‘consequences of devastating floods’ that hit the UK last summer.
However, the NFU is angered none of this money will find its way to helping farmers and growers who had homes ruined, crops destroyed and livestock put at risk. Vice-President Paul Temple has spoken with farmers across the country who lost crops and suffered severe economic damage.
“Farmers and growers bore significant costs and disruption during last summer’s floods with estimates of almost 50,000ha being flooded,” he said.
“While farm businesses suffered losses of up to £250,000, help was limited to £2500. Farmers are seeking recognition of the problems that occurred and are looking for local solutions to be found.
“We hope Sir Michael Pitt, in his report on the summer floods to be published on Wednesday (June 25), will recommend increased help following the flooding of last summer.”
| 
