Ahdb Cereals & Oilseeds

A successful weaning programme reduces stress, disease, and ensures dairy calves maintain target growth rates so they will enter your herd at the optimum time. And since adult cows will spend half their time ruminating, developing a calf’s rumen is critical if you want them to utilise energy for efficient production in later life. In this episode, AHDB Knowledge Exchange Manager Alan McFadzean is joined by dairy farmer Johnnie Sloan and vet Ali Haggarty to discuss the practical aspects of weaning calves and the practices we should be aiming for. We are currently running a series of practical on-farm meetings across the country to help farmers improve calf weaning. Visit our website to find your nearest event. Feedback We'd love to know what you think of our podcasts. If you'd like to give your feedback, please complete our short questionnaire, which will help us to improve the podcast on an ongoing basis, or email: foodandfarming@ahdb.org.uk.    This episode was produced and edited by Kate Herrick, Marcomm

In this episode of the Food & Farming podcast, our host John Bates speaks to AHDB’s CEO Tim Rycroft as he reaches his 12-month anniversary at the helm of the organisation. Tim reflects on the momentous challenges faced over the past year, both within the organisation and in the wider industry. This includes a discussion around the loss of the two sectors; potatoes and horticulture, which ultimately led to a reduction in income for AHDB and subsequently a reduction in head count.  Following the call earlier in the year for levy payers to have their say on the future of AHDB’s areas of work and priorities, the sector councils have taken the information and devised a strategy on how this will be delivered over the next five years. Tim speaks about what he hopes will come from the next 12 months in the role including an element of ‘business as usual’ as AHDB settles into a new era.   If you have any comments about this podcast, or would like to be a guest, please get in touch. You can email foodandfarming@a

Knowledge is power but the clever thing is to use that power wisely and to good effect. Knowledge Exchange is at the heart of what we do at AHDB, sharing knowledge, research and skills with levy payers. Our pork knowledge exchange team consists of experienced and enthusiastic individuals located across England. They share best practice and facilitate discussions among levy payers. They run pig clubs, work on research projects, plan events and webinars, and so much more. Joining host, John Bates, are the following members of the team: - Zanita Markham, Projects & Engagement Relationship Manager Andrew Palmer, Knowledge Exchange Relationship Manager (East) Patrick Loten, Knowledge Exchange Manager (South) Tony Bayles, Knowledge Exchange Relationship Manger (North) Useful links How does AHDB Pork support you and your business? SmartPork Getting to know Patrick Loten | AHDB Getting to know Zanita Markham, Knowledge Transfer Pork | AHDB Getting to know Tony Bayles | AHDB Getting to know Andrew Palmer | AHDB

In this episode, Hannah Bowden chats to two Monitor farmers who have just wrapped up harvest 2022 in different parts of the UK.  Dan Moore, arable manager at R&L Anthony in South Wales and Rob Waterston from the Welford estate partnership near Newbury, are today’s guests. They both discuss their successes and struggles of this year’s harvest, how the drought has impacted them and their plans for the growing season ahead. Hannah asks them what challenges and opportunities lie ahead for their farm businesses. One of the aims of this episode is to highlight the diversity between systems and how growers adapt to change. Useful links Harvest progress in Great Britain Newbury Monitor Farm Vale of Glamorgan Monitor Farm Get in touch If you have any comments about this podcast, would like to be a guest because you have something of interest to say to levy payers, or to suggest a topic for a future episode, please get in touch: foodandfarming@ahdb.org.uk We'd love to know what you think of our podcasts

In this episode of the Food & Farming podcast, independent specialist Liz Genever speaks to three of our AHDB Beef & Lamb Strategic Farmers located in different parts of the country to ask them how the dry summer has affected their farm business. Focusing on how farmers have dealt with the dry summer we find out what decisions they made and what they would do differently given the chance. It’s all down to good management, tactical timing and a little bit of luck! Chris Elkington farms with wife Louise along with running a catering company, Gelston Lamb in Grantham, Lincolnshire. Read more https://ahdb.org.uk/farm-excellence/chestnut-farm  Steve Lawson farms with his father, Alan, in Newcastle, Northumberland. Read more https://ahdb.org.uk/farm-excellence/south-farm  Adrian Coombe farms with his wife, Lyn and father Peter, in Callington, Cornwall. Read more https://ahdb.org.uk/farm-excellence/dupath-farm  Useful links: For more information on managing dry weather, visit https://ahdb.org.uk/knowle

A healthy body, a healthy mind, many people live by that mantra.  To help the young understand the importance of a healthy, balanced diet, teachers are using the free, fact-based resources available on the Food – a fact of life website. A site backed by a partnership between AHDB and the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF).  As the new school year begins, we ask teachers Amy Bergiers and Michaela Ryan to share their stories about showing primary and secondary school pupils where their food comes from. Listen to them chat with host, John Bates, and AHDB’S Roz Reynolds, Head of Strategic Operations, Education and Nutrition. Useful links Food A Fact Of Life Education | AHDB British Nutrition Foundation   Get in touch if you have any questions or to find out more about anything discussed in this podcast: Roz Reynolds, Head of Strategic Operations, Education and Nutrition, AHDB Roz.Reynolds@ahdb.org.uk  Your Feedback We'd love to know what you think of our podcasts. If you'd like to give feedback, please

Exports is one of the activities levy payers rated highly when asked to comment on AHDB’s priorities.  In this episode of AHDB’s Food & Farming podcast, John Bates chats to members of our export team to find out what’s involved in getting red meat and dairy from Britain into homes, supermarkets and restaurants around the world and why levy payers support the work. This week’s guests: Phil Hadley, Director of International Market Development E: phil.hadley@ahdb.org.uk  Lucy Randolph, Senior Exports Manager (Livestock) E: lucy.randolph@ahdb.org.uk Follow on Twitter: @Export_Foodie  Susan Stewart, Senior Export Manager (Livestock) E: susan.stewart@ahdb.org.uk  Susana Morris, Senior Exports Manager (Americas) E: susana.morris@ahdb.org.uk Follow on Twitter: @SusanaMorris_ Our export team is focused on developing international markets for British exporters, actively engaging with key supply chains in numerous markets – attendance at global trade fairs is key. By hosting British exporters on AHDB's pa

In this episode of the Food & Farming podcast, our host John Bates turns his attention to the marketing activity going on at AHDB. Our market development strategy is about helping your businesses thrive. We work to create a healthy market for your product by developing and maintaining domestic and overseas markets and helping you give the customer what they want and will enjoy.  Speakers: -          AHDB’s Senior Retail Insight Manager Kim Heath gives us an overview of how the cost-of-living crisis is changing consumer behaviour -          AHDB’s Head Of Marketing Carrie McDermid talks about some of the marketing activity going on right now and what to look forward to in the weeks ahead -          AHDB’s Food Communications Manager Denise Spencer-Walker inspires us with some easy sounding recipes which don’t break the bank as well as giving us some ideas for a special occasion meal  The We Eat Balanced campaign has successfully changed consumer perceptions and protected purchase intent.  At a time when

The combination of the post Brexit new world, recent dry weather and the wider environmental challenges, political uncertainty, food security, the rising cost of living, we’re all impacted in one way or another. Add ELMS and reducing subsidies into the mix and all make life just a little more complicated if you’re a farmer. AHDB is not immune to pressures either with the recent Shape the Future vote prompting huge changes to ensure levy payers are closer and put at the heart of everything, as the organisation moves towards delivering the priorities set by the vote.  One early shift is the creation of sector councils to replace the previous sector boards. The intention is for the sector councils to give a greater voice to levy payers and help guide and steer everything AHDB does. In this episode John Bates is joined by levy payer and dairy sector council member Mary Quicke, to tell us more about the dairy sector council, her role in it and her views on AHDB and the benefit levy payers can get from the work

In this episode of the Food & Farming podcast, John Bates discusses AHDB’s latest Agri Market Outlook for the arable sector with guests Millie Askew, lead analyst for Cereals & Oilseeds and Olivia Bonser, an analyst in AHDB’s market specialist team. Within this podcast, Millie will highlight the impact of the hot, dry weather on this year’s harvest, examining what cereal and oilseed rape production is looking like for this season, along with the demand for the coming season in the UK. Also, Olivia will highlight how harvest is progressing across the rest of the Northern Hemisphere, the outlook for production globally and what are the watch points globally that may impact the UK market going forward. Useful links Agri market outlook Oilseeds market outlook Cereal market outlook Get in touch If you have any comments about this podcast, would like to be a guest because you have something of interest to say to levy payers, or to suggest a topic for a future episode, please get in touch: foodandfarm

In this episode of the Food & Farming podcast, our Signet Breeding Manager at AHDB, Samuel Boon, talks through the role of CT scanning when making breeding decisions, whilst Signet consultant Laura Eyles speaks to Kirsty McClean and John Gordon from SRUC to find out the how and the why. Using Computed Tomography (CT) scanning is a great tool for identifying superior genetics within terminal sire flocks by measuring fat, muscle and bone in the live animal. This near perfect predictor of carcase composition can also be used to measure the muscling in different parts of the carcase, such as the rib, loin and gigot. For many years, ultrasound scanning of lambs provided our only way of assessing the carcass attributes of live sheep. Whilst ultrasound scanning still provides the backbone of our service, levy-funded research and investment in late 1990s led to the introduction of world leading CT scanning technology, allowing us to take the assessment of elite ram lambs to a whole new level.  Additional infor

In this AHDB Food & Farming podcast episode, our resident podcast host John Bates speaks to AHDB’s Senior Market Analyst, Amandeep Kaur Purewal, to discuss whether the UK-New Zealand free trade agreement is likely to be a threat or an opportunity for UK producers and explains the likely impact on the UK supply chain. There has been intense scrutiny over the impacts this new trade deal will have on British farming, so we have partnered with Harper Adams University to model the impact of the trade deal and provide economic analysis.  Also joining John on this special edition podcast, is Frances Duignan - Senior Manager for International Trade at Beef and Lamb New Zealand, along with kiwi beef and sheep farmer Mal Poulton who farms in the North Island of New Zealand. They explain the opportunities the trade deal can present to different markets and tell us about how their production systems vary from the UK, including the pressures they are facing in the rising cost of production. They are well placed to sh

In this Food and Farming Podcast, John Bates examines the introduction of a Digital Grain Passport with guests George Mason from Heygates Flour Millers, Ed Ford from Dyson Farming, James Mills, a Yorkshire grower and NFU Combinable Crop Board member and Derek Carless, Head of Farm Economics at AHDB.  This podcast will examine where the idea for a digital grain passport came from and its benefits to the levy payers and others. As well as discussing the benefits and challenges expressed by the NFU Combinable Crop Board and reviewing the next steps with future projects coming up in September and October. In addition, looking at the cost-benefit analysis work conducted to ensure it is valuable to the levy payers. Useful links: Time to go digital Digital grain passport The benefits of a digital grain passport Feedback We'd love to know what you think of our podcasts. If you'd like to give your feedback, please complete our short questionnaire, which will help us to improve the podcast on an ongoing basis, or

With food price inflation still on the rise, and persisting for longer in the UK than in Europe, margins will continue to be squeezed over the coming months.  In this episode, John Bates speaks to some of AHDB’s market specialists and analysts to find out what impact this will have on the beef, lamb, pork and dairy sectors, as they discuss the latest Agri market outlook for livestock. Guests Sarah Baker, Senior Strategic Insight Manager Kim Heath, Senior Retail Insight Manager Patty Clayton, Lead Analyst (Dairy) Hannah Clarke, Senior Analyst (Red Meat) Agri market outlook AHDB’s latest Agri market outlook looks in detail at the issues and shifting consumer behaviours. It’s produced every six months and examines the factors that will affect farm businesses, helping levy payers plan and budget for what may lay ahead. Key findings for the livestock sectors: Beef  Beef production is expected to be up for 2022, bolstered by higher than anticipated cow throughput Overall beef consumption is forecast to drop b

Most pig farmers are already aware of the biosecurity measures they need to take to reduce the risk of disease outbreaks, such as ASF. So, what are the threats and what can we all do to keep ASF out of the UK? ASF is well-established in parts of Europe, Russia and China, with a reservoir of infection in the wild boar population. The recent announcement of ASF in a pig dense area of Germany, close to the Netherlands border, shows that the risk through human-mediated spread is high. The focus now must be on ensuring ASF does not spread further.  In this episode of our Food and Farming podcast, hosted by Lauren Dimmack, Senior Animal Health & Welfare Scientist, we discuss biosecurity with guests Gemma Thwaites, President, Pig Veterinary Society; Chris Dodds, Executive Secretary, Livestock Auctioneers Association; Rebecca Veale, Senior Policy Adviser, National Pig Association (NPA) and Tony Bayles, AHDB Knowledge Exchange Relationship Manager, Pork (North). Useful links Biosecurity on pig farms | AHDB Bio

France used to lead the way with the many varieties of cheese they produced. But Britain has been playing catch up and some say they now offer more choice than any other country in the world. From classic cheddars to more unusual varieties, there’s no doubting that British cheese is some of the tastiest around. In this episode Alistair McLaren is at the International Cheese and Dairy Awards in Stafford to chat with Paul Blake, AHDB’s North American Agent, and AHDB Export Manager Lucy Randolph to learn more about the opportunity to export cheese to the other side of the pond. Find out more about our export work Feedback We'd love to know what you think of our podcasts. If you'd like to give your feedback, please complete our short questionnaire, which will help us to improve the podcast on an ongoing basis, or email: foodandfarming@ahdb.org.uk.    This episode was produced and edited by Kate Smith, Marcomms Executive (Dairy).

In this Food and Farming podcast Olivia Bonser, Analyst (Arable), will discuss the Planting and Variety Survey, released a few weeks ago, with guest speaker Anthony Speight, Senior Analyst (Arable). This podcast will discuss the changes to the Planting and Variety Survey, including new data from Northern Ireland. Data collection has been difficult over the last few years due to the coronavirus, which has resulted in the postal survey changing to an online-only survey, creating further issues and solutions which will be discussed.  Furthermore, examining the weather impacts on the growers working their land and sowing the crops and looking at different regions in the UK. Useful links: For more information and insight, subscribe to Market Specialist - Arable weekly and daily outputs. Access to the full planting and variety survey results can be found here. Feedback We'd love to know what you think of our podcasts. If you'd like to give your feedback, please complete our short questionnaire, which will help

In this Food & Farming podcast, AHDB’s Senior Knowledge Manager, Sarah Pick, talks to Professor David Kenny, Head of Animal and Bioscience at TEAGASC in Ireland about how early life nutrition impacts heifer reproductive development. Download today to find out about what studies Professor Kenny has been working on and what these results mean for breeding your own beef replacement heifers. This podcast is part of the AHDB Maternal Matters campaign.  Further information: Breeding, selecting and managing replacement beef heifers  Feeding suckler cows and calves for Better Returns Maternal Matters

In this Food and Farming podcast, John Bates discusses the New Zealand - UK lamb trade deals since the UK exited the European community with guests - Steven Evans, Senior Consumer Insight Manager and Sarah Baker, Senior Strategic Insight Manager. Addressing the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that is being negotiated with commonwealth member New Zealand. Some people see this as an opportunity; however, others are worried about the flood of imports and its impact of this.  Furthermore, discussing the influence of consumers’ behaviour towards the likeness of purchasing homegrown meat or imported from New Zealand. Useful Links: https://ahdb.org.uk/retail-and-consumer-insight https://ahdb.org.uk/news/consumer-insight-uk-consumer-perception-of-new-zealand-red-meat-imports Feedback We'd love to know what you think of our podcasts. If you'd like to give your feedback, please complete our short questionnaire, which will help us to improve the podcast on an ongoing basis, or email: foodandfarming@ahdb.org.uk.    Th

Farming is an industry facing unprecedented change and upheaval. Mental health has emerged as one of the most significant issues facing the industry and the 160 years old Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution or R A B I as it’s known have conducted a detailed survey involving thousands of people to uncover information and trends not previously recognised concerning individuals’ mental health.  John Bates speaks to RABI Chief Executive Alicia Chivers about the findings of that survey and the steps the charity is taking to reach those needing support. Hear RABI’s perspective on the current challenges affecting farming people, how these impact on peoples wellbeing, and how RABI is helping ease the burden.  Links RABI helpline: 0800 188 4444 RABI website Email: info@rabi.org.uk