Wales Farmer 20 NEWS


Westproves the best for fruit and veg venture


By Debbie James


THE milder weather con- ditions of south west Wales, along with some key support from Farming Connect, has proved a winning combination for a


market garden. Experienced retailer and


grower Adam York and his part- ner Lesley Bryson, whoprevi- ouslyran amarketgarden busi- ness in Manchester,set up Glebelands MarketGarden at a six-acresite at St Dogmaels near Cardigan in 2010. They nowhavemorethan


5,000 squarefeet of protected growing space under polytunnels and asuccessful business provid- ing fresh produce to the local population, businesses and the manytourists whopass the cou- ple’sbusy roadside business. “Weconsidered various loca-


tions,but finallysettled on this six-acresite because we hoped thatthe milder coastal condi- tions would significantlyextend the growing season and our cropping period,”said Adam. “Wewerealso attracted by its


proximity to amarkettownand the potential forcustomers who would be keen to buyfresh, locallygrown produce rather than supermarketimports.” Adam describes Wales as


SAFE FROM THE STORMS: Adam and Lesley inside one of their polytunnels.


Spreading the word is key to progress


SMALL groups run by experi- enced facilitators arethe perfect model forinitiating innovation and knowledge transfer within the Welsh farming sector. According to anew report by


Welsh economic development company, Menter aBusnes,there is enormous potential forusing groups to increase productivity and viability in agriculture. “Organisations in both the pri-


vate and public sectors whointro- duce group or team methodologies report increased productivity and profits as well as moreeffective sales and marketing,’’ state the report’sauthors,Eirwen Williams and WynOwen. They saythatthereisinsuffi-


cient research into innovation and knowledge transfer in agriculture. Manyinvolved in the Welsh


Government’sFarming Connect programme,which is deliveredby


Menter aBusnes,agree thatsuc- cessful innovation stems from encouraging people to experiment with newdevelopments and giving them an opportunity to learn from each stage of the process. Based on Menter aBusnes’


experience,including its manage- ment development programme, Agrisgôp,the report concludes thatgroup-based processes can be extremelyeffective. “Menter aBusnes’ experience


indicates thatthe establishment of small, close knit groups with a dedicated experienced facilitator and utilising Action Learning methodology can result


in


extremelyeffective and sustainable innovation and knowledge trans- fer,” the report continues. The paper ‘The utilisation of


groups forinnovation and knowl- edge transfer’ can be viewedat http://dx.doi.org/10.7896/j.1218.


being ‘ahead of the game’ when it comes to promoting food products and encouraging farm- ers to diversify into horticulture and he praised the Welsh Government foridentifying the potential forthis growth area.


MOUTHWATERING SIGHT: Adam serves another happy customer at his stall. “The advice we received


through attending aFarming Connect planning surgery was invaluableand prepared us really well on TAN6(the Welsh Government’sTechnical Advisory Note forplanners) beforewesought planning per- mission from the local planning authority,” added Adam. Likeall Welsh growers,Adam


and Lesley were affected by this summer’shigh rainfall, which reduced their outdoor crop,but they areoptimistic about the


futureofthe business,and recentlyhad planning permis- sion to build anew timber shop on the site,replacing their cur- rent ‘marketstall’. “Getting planning permission


forprotected growing and per- mission to sell on site wascrucial to the success of this enterprise, and the advice we receivedfrom the Farming Connect planning surgery wasreallyhelpful,”said Adam. Adam nowplans to applyfor subsidised training on machin-


Connect February 2013 ■ Milder weather and stronger support are winning combination


ery handling through the Farming


Skills


Development Programme,as well as business advice through the Whole Farm Plan service. “Retailers and customers are


all nowaware of sustainability, and the need to reduce their car- bon footprint by supporting local producers. “By selling local produce to


local markets,wewill be doing our bit to help and we believe thatthereishuge potential for growth in this market.”


Booklets make for essential meat market reading


ANEW booklet has been published which aims to help boost the health of the nation’s cattle and protect the profits of Welsh farmers. Welsh red meat promotion agency Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC) has launched the new publication which explores the main health issues affecting beef enterprises and offers advice on herd health planning. Siôn Aron Jones, HCC’s industry development manager, said: “The health of animals within abeef herd can have amajor impact on the physical performance of livestock and the finances of the farm business. “A successful and profitable beef enterprise relies on productive and efficient cattle, and having ahealthy herd is an essential component of this.” The new booklet, Herd Health – Maximising your herd’s potential


through improved health, has been produced alongside an updated version of HCC’s beef producer handbook From Gate to Plate. This handbook offers guidelines for farmers on selecting livestock for the market by examining all aspects of the supply chain. “Healthy cattle that meet the market requirements and are selected at the correct time are at the core of getting the full potential from each animal,” added Mr Jones. “These two free publications have been designed to offer the latest advice for farmers to aid them in making the best decisions for their business.” HCC has also produced anew version of its guide to stock judging for young farmers. Know What You’re Looking At has been produced with the help of the Wales Young Farmers Club (YFC) as


For the latest Wales farming news: walesfarmer.co.uk


aguide for judging livestock and carcass competitions. For the first time the booklet also has afocus on the use of estimated breeding values (EBVs) which provide an objective way of assessing the genetic potential of animals. “This is becoming an increasingly important skill in the farming industry as the pressure of rising costs grows. “Being able to assess when animals are at the right levels for going to market is essential for getting the maximum profit potential from animals,” said Mr Jones. All three booklets can be downloaded from the HCC website, www.hccmpw.org.uk, or hard copies can be obtained by contacting HCC on 01970 625050 or emailing info@hccmpw.org.uk.


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