17/07/2014: Over 270 arable farmers join HGCA Monitor Farm opening meetings

This summer, more than 270 arable farmers attended one of eight HGCA Monitor Farm meetings across the UK.

The opening meetings held in June and July 2014 launched each of the eight new HGCA Monitor Farms, as part of a major initiative which will eventually see 24 Monitor Farms hosted across England and Wales. The Monitor Farms are a key component of HGCA’s Business Development programme, which will help farmers to understand their cost of production, address key technical challenges and deliver more profitable businesses.

Local farmers attended open meetings held at Monitor Farms near to Colchester, Crediton, Driffield, Hereford, Leamington Spa, Louth, Royston and Wantage.

Richard Laverick, HGCA Head of Regional Development said: “This programme is designed to help arable farmers build a more resilient business, based on a sound understanding of their costs of production and by sharing best practice and experience when addressing technical issues relevant to their region.  It is underpinned by benchmarking; by looking at and understanding costs of production; and by an openness and willingness to share thinking on how to develop their business and ensure long-term viability.”

Focus points for future meetings at the eight new Monitor Farms will be drawn from the priorities identified by those who attended the first open meetings.  In this way, groups of local farmers can share ideas and solutions to common technical and business-related challenges.  Priority areas include calculating a true cost of production, marketing strategies, the cost and benefits of precision farming, black-grass management and long-term soil health.

Farmers involved in the Monitor Farm scheme will be able investigate full-cost analyses of particular issues through whole-farm or field-scale try-outs. For example, Farm Manager Mark Wood near Hereford will put three fields of poor, lighter land to wheat, triticale and hybrid barley to compare drought tolerance and profitability.  Near Louth, Farm Manager Mike Daniells will be testing a strip till drill on approximately 400ac over the three year Monitor Farm project, sharing first-hand his practical experience of the technology and a cost benefit analysis.

Commenting on their take-home message for the day, farmers who attended the opening meetings highlighted the need to understand a true cost of production, and to evaluate and identify risk by taking a hard look at their own production system.

“As one grower said at the end of the meeting in Louth, the more transparent the industry can be, the more progress will be made. We are very grateful to our Monitor Farmers for opening up their businesses to general scrutiny, and to the local farmers who have joined the project. Their input and peer review of decision taking on-site will be crucial to the success of this unique programme,” said Mr Laverick.

These eight Monitor Farms will have their next meetings in October and November 2014. Any interested farmers should contact their HGCA Regional Manager or go to hgca.com/get-involved/monitor-farms  for more information.

 
 The Global Miller
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