Anglia Farmer


EDITORIAL


Editor: Johann Tasker T: 07967 634971 E: johann@ruralcity.co.uk


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Anglia Farmer is a controlled circulation magazine published monthly for farmers and growers in the eastern counties. To be included on the circulation list, a farmer must have a minimum of 70 acres of land, or 50 dairy/beef stock, or 50 breeding sows/250 growing stock, or 15,000 laying hens/broiler chickens. Intensive horticulture units are required to have a minimum of two hectares. Subscription is £18 a year (including postage). No responsibility can be accepted by the publishers for the opinions expressed by contributors. If you no longer wish to receive this magazine, please email your name, address and postcode as it appears on the wrapper to info@ countrywidepublications.co.uk


© Countrywide Publications 2018 Published by Countrywide Publications, Fountain Way, Reydon Business Park, Reydon Suffolk IP18 6DH T: 01502 725800 Printed by Micropress Ltd, Suffolk. T: 01502 725800


Time for government to take water seriously


taken for granted all too often by consumers and policy-makers.


T


Growers and livestock producers view water dif- ferently of course. Ongoing access to adequate wa- ter is fundamental to producing the food that feeds the nation. Without it, farmers would go out of busi- ness. Ultimately, people would starve. The government is slowly waking up to this life-


or-death fact. Demand for water is increasing – from both consumers and businesses – and there is a dawn- ing realisation that water as a resource must be tak- en much more seriously.


Increasingly unpredictable weather is adding


to the challenge. The past 10 months were the sec- ond driest for the eastern region since records be- gan in 1910. In February, the region received only 28mm of rainfall, about three quarters of the long term average.


An NFU survey published last month asked farm- ers about the potential impact on farms if they re- ceive only 75% of long-term average rainfall during the 2019 growing season – a prospect which is con- sidered a ‘reasonable worse-case scenario’. The survey results were sobering – and not just


Contents


hings that are plentiful are often undervalued. That has been the case with water for many years – a vital resource


among arable farmers. Two-thirds of livestock pro- ducers said they were already experiencing – or ex- pect to experience – a shortage of forage as a result of growing conditions in 2018. One third of irrigated crop growers are already


changing their cropping due to lack of rain. One quar- ter are reducing the planted area of particular crop types, with half investing in new irrigation equip- ment to increase effi ciency and optimum. Some 20% of water is lost before it comes out of the taps – due to leaky pipes that aren’t fi xed by wa- ter companies. Yet the government has suggested ending compensation for irrigators who see their licences scaled back. Such a situation is manifestly unfair. Yes, we all need to play our part in using water sensibly. Rath- er than beating producers over the head, however, the government should use incentives such as tax breaks to encourage more farm investment in infra- structure such as reservoirs. As NFU water resources specialist Paul Ham- mett has warned: “We could be in a situation, as last year, where car owners can still wash their cars, gar- deners can still water their lawns but farmers won’t have the water they need to grow our food.”


Johann Tasker, Editor


OPINION Johann Tasker


Vol 39 • No 4 • April 2019


News ................................................................. 4 Arable ............................................................... 8 In the field ....................................................... 13 Profile: Scarff’s Farms ................................. 20 Potatoes ........................................................... 24 Technology ..................................................... 41


Profile: Wantisden Hall Farms ................. 53 Livestock.......................................................... 57 Profile: Fendale Farm.................................. 60 Animal health ................................................ 63 Property ........................................................... 73 Final say ........................................................... 74


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APRIL 2019 • ANGLIA FARMER 3


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