Ahdb Cereals & Oilseeds

The Environment Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee is the topic for this podcast. As a levy payer the work of the EFRA committee is relevant and so too, is the liaison AHDB does on your behalf to inform discussions and decisions made by the committee. Select committees are an important part of examining the work of government. Put simply they check and report on areas of government departments such as spending, policies and administration. John Bates speaks to the chair of the EFRA committee MP, Neil Parish and to AHDB’s Sarah Baker both have got a tale to tell albeit from different sides of the table. Shape the future of farming Levy payers are at the heart of everything we do, so it’s only right that we give you a greater voice in how we spend your levy. Find out how your levy is invested and how it makes a difference to your business and the industry.  In April 2022, you’ll get to have your say on the challenges you want AHDB to focus on and the services we will deliver for you in the future. It

It feels like dairy farmers move from one challenge to another, with few periods of stability in between. Currently high input costs are challenging margins, and while milk prices have moved up to help offset them to a degree, periods of tight margins occur on a regular basis.   On top of that, the industry is being faced with increased scrutiny and pressure to justify its environmental credentials and about to embark on the biggest adjustment to agricultural policy in a generation. So, with all this change happening around them, how can dairy farmers get a heads up on what changes are in the pipeline, and ultimately, prepare their businesses for the future? In this episode, Senior Knowledge Exchange Manager Steve West talks to Martin Wallis, forum member for the DCD producer organisation and a regional NFU representative, and Patty Clayton, Lead Dairy Analyst in our Market Intelligence team, to get their views on how having information can help famers deal with new and rising challenges. Visit our

In our latest Food and Farming podcast, we headed to Scotland to chat about agricultural policy, climate, digital data, barley (and of course whisky!), costs of production, AHDB’s Monitor Farm and the legacy that followed. Grab a cuppa and join us in the grain shed. Shape the future of farming Levy payers are at the heart of everything we do, so it’s only right that we give you a greater voice in how we spend your levy. Find out how your levy is invested and how it makes a difference to your business and the industry.  In April 2022, you’ll get to have your say on the challenges you want AHDB to focus on and the services we will deliver for you in the future. It’s your chance to influence how your levy is spent on the things that matter to you most. Register before 31 March 2022 to have your say 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:

Last year, we conducted a review of leadership and management in the UK farming sector, looking at best practice, traits, qualities, uptake, barriers and future needs. This review highlighted a shocking statistic that only 0.37% of farmers and their employees engage each year in any formal leadership and management training. In this episode, AHDB’s Mark Campbell talks to two farmers about their experiences and thoughts on leadership and management, and their take on this review, which you can read in our Bridging the gap report. Phil Halhead is a third-generation dairy farmer with a herd of 300 dairy cows. He is also the founder of Norbreck Genetics. Phil was the 2007 Farmers Weekly Young Farmer of the Year and has travelled extensively through his career. His contributions to agriculture resulted in Phil receiving a Fellowship of the Royal Agricultural Societies (FRAgS) and the Freedom of the City of London in 2012. Phil has a passion for ongoing development, especially around leadership and empowering hi

In this podcast Bryony Ennis talks to specialist sheep vet Fiona Lovatt and farmer Clare Wise to get a practical take on best practice advice at lambing time to prevent watery mouth, with their top tips for managing ewes and lambs to prevent disease. They discuss nutrition, body condition and the importance of colostrum.  Speakers: Clare Wise is a 5th generation beef, sheep and arable farmer from lowland County Durham. Winner of Northern Sheep Farmer of the Year 2018, Clare has a particular interest in sheep health and welfare, especially reducing the use of anthelmintics and antibiotics on farm. A strong advocate for British farmers and promoting British Farming, Clare is an actively involved in ‘Facetime a Farmer’, connecting schools and farms together, YAS Countryside days and NFU Education.  Fiona Lovatt is a RCVS recognised Specialist in Sheep Health and Production and is the clinical lead for the RCVS Knowledge initiative Farm Vet Champions. Fiona runs Flock Health Ltd, a sheep veterinary consultancy

In this pork-focused edition of AHDB’s Food and Farming podcast, AHDB’s John Bates chats with pig farmers Rob Mutimer and Fergus Howie, and AHDB Senior Marketing Manager Nicola Dodd. They discuss our Mix up Midweek with Pork marketing campaign, as well as our We Eat Balanced campaign, which are both targeting consumers during January and February. Since 2017, we have been changing the perceptions of pork by positioning it as a tasty, healthy, quick and easy dish to cook during the busy week. Independent evaluation of the January 2021 pork marketing campaign shows it reached more than 85% of UK households, with consumers’ desire to buy pork at its highest level in three years. Now in its fifth year, we are promoting the health and taste credentials of pork at the start of the year – a time that is associated with consumers trying a healthier diet and new lifestyle changes.   Find out more about the Mix up Midweek activity and how you can get involved Find out more about the We Eat Balanced campaign

This podcast introduces AHDB’s analysis of the prospects for the UK’s farming industry over the coming months. Covering beef, lamb, pork, dairy, cereals, oilseeds . The farming world has had a lot to contend with in the last couple of years, the consequences of Brexit, the pandemic, the weather, changes to subsidy payments and a whole lot more.  It would be easy for busy levy payers to find it difficult keep up. For Livestock farmers this Agri Market outlook podcast will help give some understanding of what the future holds to assist with business planning for the next 12 months. AHDB’s Agri-Market Outlook, produced every six months, is intended to highlight the various elements that will shape farming’s fortunes, along with preparing and budgeting for the challenges and opportunities ahead.  It features detailed market outlooks for each levy-paying sector – beef & lamb, cereals & oilseeds, dairy and pork – alongside sector-by-sector insight into retail and consumer demand. As a Livestock

This AHDB Food and Farming podcast introduces AHDB’s analysis of the prospects for the UK’s farming industry over the coming months, covering cereals and oilseeds. The farming world has had a lot to contend with in the last couple of years, the consequences of Brexit, the pandemic, the weather, changes to subsidy payments and a whole lot more. It would be easy for busy levy payers to find it difficult keep up. For Cereals & Oilseeds farmers this Agri Market outlook podcast will help give some understanding of what the future holds to assist with business planning for the next 12 months. AHDB’s Agri-Market Outlook, produced every six months, is intended to highlight the various elements that will shape farming’s fortunes, along with preparing and budgeting for the challenges and opportunities ahead. It features detailed market outlooks for each levy-paying sector – beef & lamb, cereals & oilseeds, dairy and pork – alongside sector-by-sector insight into retail and consumer demand. As Cereals

Much has been written and said about landowners and  farmers adopting new approaches to land management and being incentivised by Government to produce food in a sustainable way. It is in everyone’s interest to farm efficiently without costing the earth. In common with other aspects of life there is a balance to be struck  as the nation needs feeding and demand is ever growing, as the population  increases but is there a conflict between two sides or are we in fact  being drawn closer together?  John Bates welcomes to the podcast two guests who have a passion for looking after all that surrounds us and both are very much at the heart of the thinking to drive change on farm, in a sensible and practical way.   Baroness Natalie Bennett was Leader of the Green Party from 2012 to 2016 and introduced as a peer into the House of Lords in the October 2019.  You will be interested to hear how Natalie believes there is a lot to be gained from  balancing policy with productivity. Dr Jon Foot is head of environmen

Hear from three AHDB Cereals and Oilseeds Monitor Farmers – Richard Orr (Downpatrick), Roger Wilson (Malmesbury) and Colin Chappell (Brigg) as they discuss their respective journeys and share their views on the future of AHDB. Could you be a Monitor Farmer? How important are the meetings? What are the benefits of working with AHDB? These questions and so much more are laid bare during this Monitor Farm special episode.

There have recently been many announcements of milk price increases, however we have also seen fuel increase by 54%, fertiliser increase by a whopping 238% and feed increase by 12.5%. Margins and cash flows are tight, even with the milk prices responding. In this episode Senior Knowledge Exchange Manager Steve West talks to Roy Eastlake, retired nutritional consultant who formerly worked with Lallemand, to find out how farmers can help improve their feed efficiency by focussing on the 4 S's: silage, soil, slurry and sheds. Resources discussed in this podcast: Feed and forage calculator Forage cost calculator Marginal litres webinar with John Roache AHDB Dairy webinar recordings Shape the future of farming Levy payers are at the heart of everything we do, so it’s only right that we give you a greater voice in how we spend your levy. Find out how your levy is invested and how it makes a difference to your business and the industry.  In April 2022, you’ll get to have your say on the challenges you want AHD

Levy payers tell AHDB one of the things they value most is the marketing and advertising activity we do. A key component of the proactive work is AHDB’s hugely successful We Eat Balanced advertising campaign which returned to national TV screens from 4 January 2022.  In this episode, John Bates goes behind the scenes of the AHDB marketing department to hear how the £3m campaign aims to highlight the role meat and dairy from the UK plays in a balanced and sustainable diet. AHDB’s Nicola Dodd and Peter Park from ad agency Ogilvy tell the story from concept to on screen delivery. You can watch the full TV advert here. How to get involved AHDB works with farmers from across the country to make them central to the social campaign and share their personal stories of how they work to make meat and dairy some of the most sustainable in the world. The easiest way to get involved by supporting and sharing the campaign is to follow AHDB’s social channels and ‘like’ and share the content. Twitter: @TheAHDB  Facebo

Do you get the most out of your breeder when buying in new stock? If you’re selling, do you know what your buyer really wants? Whether you are struggling to find the right stock to fit your system or worried about bringing in health problems to your herd, building a strong and trustworthy relationship between breeder and buyer is priceless. In this podcast, AHDB’s Knowledge Exchange Manager Emma Steele speaks to suckler farmer and AHDB Strategic Farmer Mark Jelley, and Stabiliser breeder Tim Phipps. Mark started buying bulls and replacement heifers from Tim a few years ago after meeting at a local discussion group where it became clear their businesses shared a lot of similarities.  Mark and Tim have developed a successful business relationship that is based on honesty and trust which both parties value. Two-way communication between breeder and buyer allows both businesses to benefit and they share their experiences and top tips on how to make it work – for both breeder and buyer. They also share their

In this episode of AHDB’s Food and Farming podcast, John Bates talks to Lyndon Edwards, dairy farmer and new chair of the AHDB Dairy sector council, to find out more about his background, his experiences so far and his aspirations upon joining the AHDB board. Lyndon Edwards was appointed as Dairy sector chair and began his three-year term in September. Lyndon is an experienced organic dairy, beef and arable farmer with more than 40 years’ experience in the agricultural industry. Shape the future of farming Levy payers are at the heart of everything we do, so it’s only right that we give you a greater voice in how we spend your levy. Find out how your levy is invested and how it makes a difference to your business and the industry.  In April 2022, you’ll get to have your say on the challenges you want AHDB to focus on and the services we will deliver for you in the future. It’s your chance to influence how your levy is spent on the things that matter to you most. Register before 31 March 2022 to have you

This is the third in the series of podcasts that looks at how your levy is spent and also gives advice around how to register for the Shape the Future vote in the spring. Host, John Bates, chats to two sheep farmers; Matt Harding and Chris McWhirter, about how they have worked with AHDB in the past and what they hope the organisation can do more of You can find out more about the vote and register here There is more information on how the AHDB Beef & Lamb levy is invested here If you have any comments about this podcast or ideas for future episodes you can email foodandfarming@ahdb,org.uk  This podcast was hosted by John Bates and podcast producer Gemma Pamment

In April 2022, levy-paying businesses have an excellent opportunity to voice how we should invest AHDB income to help shape the future of farming.   This podcast features views on levy-fund investment – covering the positives and the negatives. Rutland farmer and AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds Sector Chair, Sarah Bell, explains how (after registering online) levy payers can express opinion on the products, tools and services AHDB delivers to industry. Independent agronomist, Patrick Stephenson, discusses how AHDB’s information helps him deliver advice to his North Yorkshire clients. Finally, Lincolnshire monitor farmer, Colin Chappell, outlines the financial costs and benefits to his business associated with the levy – including how he feels that knowledge exchange should be at AHDB’s heart. Please listen in and encourage levy payers to get involved – the stronger the voice, the better the outcome for industry. To find out more about the process, visit: ahdb.org.uk/shape-the-future

In this pork-focused edition of AHDB’s Food and Farming podcast, Andrew Palmer, a pork knowledge exchange manager in the East of England, chats with farmer David Childerhouse. They discuss some of the activities and groups David has been involved with over the last few years, which have helped him develop as a farmer and business owner. From the Professional Manager Development Scheme to AHDB’s Mastermind group and Lean management activity, David has built a network of contacts over the last decade who he trusts and can discuss business dilemmas with.  Shape the future of farming Levy payers are at the heart of everything we do, so it’s only right that we give you a greater voice in how we spend your levy. Find out how your levy is invested and how it makes a difference to your business and the industry.  In April 2022, you’ll get to have your say on the challenges you want AHDB to focus on and the services we will deliver for you in the future. It’s your chance to influence how your levy is spent on the

AHDB’s free Farm Business Review service, funded by the Defra Future Farming Resilience Fund, is designed to help those most affected by the move away from direct payments prepare for the biggest agricultural policy shift in a generation. You can: access tools and resources, tailored to you, keep a record of how your business is performing, connect with a consultant for free advice and support.   Podcast host John Bates speaks to Savills, Adrian Mathews, Sam Dale from GSC Grays and AHDB’s Derek Carless about the free support available, how easy it is to access and what levy payers have gained from taking part in a Farm Business Review. Website: www.ahdb.org.uk/farm-business-review Phone: 02475 189300 Email: farmbusinessreview@ahdb.org.uk The podcast was hosted by John Bates and produced by Gemma Pamment.

Integrated pest management (IPM) is moving up the farming and political agendas. At the AHDB Agronomists’ Conference 2021, Neil Paveley (ADAS) and Phil Jarvis (Voluntary Initiative chairperson and farmer) took part in an evidence-based discussion. Hear how further adoption of IPM requires economic barriers to be addressed (such as through the Environmental Land Management scheme) and approaches made less risky (compared to chemical alternatives). Learn how a combination of economic incentives and improved knowledge will help farmers strike a balance between the production of food and the stewardship of land. For more information visit AHDB's IPM page

This Food & Farming podcast episode is part of the Maternal Matters campaign being led by AHDB promoting the production of heifers that are efficient, profitable and fit for the future.  Our Knowledge Exchange Manager Amy Hughes speaks to suckler producer Pete Burbage who farms alongside his brother Richard in Northamptonshire. Pete talks about breeding technologies in the suckler herd and how using synchronisation, AI and sexed semen has benefited his farm business. Pete has been able to tighten the calving period to nine weeks and the new technologies have improved the maternal traits being bred into the herd.  It can be an expensive investment, however, Pete and Richard have seen a significant return on investment and believe they are better off than they would be having a bull on farm and paying to manage it all through the year.  Pete calves his heifers at two-years old and puts a lot of emphasis on the importance of good management and good nutrition for the heifers when trying to get them in