Campaigning farmer  returns to Arable Event

Farmer and anti-inheritance tax campaigner Olly Harrison will headline the speaker list at next month’s Arable Event on the Shropshire-Staffordshire border.

Mr Harrison will join a panel of expert speakers during the day – including Roy Jackson and Claire Smith, both partners at business advisors WR Partners; Joe Lloyd from Savills; and industry experts from FMC and LKAB.

The Arable Event has established itself as a must-attend date in the farming calendar, attracting about 1,500 cereal and crop farmers for a free day out of entertainment, learning and socialising.

Bigger and better

This year’s event promises to be even bigger and better and takes place on Wednesday, 18 June, at the established trial plots off Offoxey Road at Weston Under Lizard, near to Junction 3 of the M54.

Mr Harrison, a farmer and entrepreneur, has a social media reach of more than 350,000 followers. He has also co-organised a number of London protests against government plans to impose inheritance tax on farm assets.

More than 147,000 people have subscribed to his YouTube channel, where Mr Harrison  shares videos about the challenges and triumphs of farming. The videos have been watched 77 million times during the past five years.

The Arable Event is organised by Wynnstay and Grainlink to provide growers with information ahead of harvest and autumn drilling. Attractions include machinery demonstrations, seminar sessions, seed trial plots and more.

Organiser Kelly Dolphin said: “The Arable Event is now firmly fixed in the diaries of farmers across the country, and it will be great to see new faces and old friends at this year’s event.

“Farming is never an easy occupation and it is often lonely and isolating, so the chance to get off the farm for a day, find out what’s happening in the industry and chat with other farmers over a drink or something to eat is invaluable.”

The Arable Event takes place at Woodlands Farm, which is part of Bradford Estates on the Shropshire/Staffordshire border. Free refreshments are included and BASIS & NRoSO points available to attendees.

For details and to secure your free ticket, www.thearableevent.co.uk.

MPs visit progressive livestock farm

MPs visited a farm pushing the boundaries of sustainable beef production.

Fourteen MPs from all political parties visited ABP UK’s demonstration farm, a 380-acre farm on the Shropshire / Staffordshire border, as part of the NFU Food and Farming Fellowship Scheme

The scheme launched last year for participating MPs to see first-hand how sustainable and affordable food gets from field to fork. The ABP demonstration unit is a mixed livestock, grassland and arable business, managed by Andrew Macleod.

Bigger and better

Talks were held on sustainable beef and lamb production – as well as the work being done by farmers to drive environmental benefits at a business and industry level.

MPs discussed the importance of healthy soil, the value of grassland and found out more about the activities that are being conducted to drive positive environmental objectives, while further improving their beef production footprint.

NFU livestock board chair David Barton said: “Now more than ever it remains essential we continue to engage with our politicians and give them the tools, knowledge and understanding needed so they are able to highlight the critical role of food security.

“The MPs will speak up in their constituencies but also in Westminster on some of the big issues impacting our industry which forms the backbone of the UK’s largest manufacturing sector – food and drink – contributing more than £146 billion to the economy.

“Farmers and growers need that commitment and support from Westminster so they can continue producing safe, sustainable and affordable homegrown food alongside caring for the environment and ultimately remaining viable for generations to come.”