Tamar to Exe and the agricultural sector Paul Cottington, MSc, MIEEM Environment Adviser National Farmers Union in the South West The NFU champions British farming and provides professional representation and services to its farmer and grower members The NFU champions British farming and provides professional representation and services to its farmer and grower members
The NFU and the UK agricultural sector • The National Farmers' Union of England and Wales (NFU) represents the interests of some 10,000 members in the South West • With 75 per cent of national land area in the agricultural sector ( 18 million hectares ), farmers are in the front line of climate change, food production, resource management and biodiversity management. • We are leading on initiatives such as Tried and Tested, the Voluntary Initiative and the Campaign for the Farmed Environment. The NFU champions British farming and provides professional representation and services to its farmer and grower members
What will I cover • A pretty picture • Key issues for farming The market Regulations • Possible priorities for the Productive Landscapes theme • What might success look like from my perspective • Picture of a cow • End The NFU champions British farming and provides professional representation and services to its farmer and grower members
The NFU champions British farming and provides professional representation and services to its farmer and grower members
Sector divergence The NFU champions British farming and provides professional representation and services to its farmer and grower members
One of the challenges? Miscellaneous costs Dairy costs (less depreciation) Maintenance, repairs and insurance 300,000 Rent paid Share of net interest payments 250,000 Water, electricity and other general costs Bank charges & professional fees 200,000 Machinery running costs Labour (regular + casual) Costs £ Contract costs 150,000 other livestock costs veterinary fees & medicines 100,000 home grown feed & fodder purchased feed & fodder 79,096 78,061 50,000 59,404 other crop costs 40,992 31,618 crop protection 0 fertilizers 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 The NFU champions British farming and provides professional representation and services to its farmer and grower members seed
Farm Business Income per farm by cost centre 2009/10 Agriculture Agri-environment & Other Diversification SPS 60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 Cereals Dairy Lowland LFA Grazing Poultry -10,000 Grazing -20,000 The NFU champions British farming and provides professional representation and services to its farmer and grower members
The NFU champions British farming and provides professional representation and services to its farmer and grower members
Proposal for working for Productive Landscapes Theme Encourage balanced action through clear communication to farmers and landmanagers. Focus on 3 fundamental issues 1. Have thriving habitats and species 2. Improve the quality of our resources especially soil and water. 3. Producing good quality food to meet the needs of the locality and to bring income into the area and add in forestry. Be supported by good evidence and interpretation. Ensure that delivery is integrated across different ecosystem services. Activity is monitored and results are reported. The NFU champions British farming and provides professional representation and services to its farmer and grower members
What might success look like? The NFU champions British farming and provides professional representation and services to its farmer and grower members
Taken from WAgriCo: Key Messages from an Adviser perspective • It takes time to get catchment information. • It takes time to get farmer trust. • Target advice giving based on knowledge of the catchment. • You need funding to implement measures and undertake capital projects – helps with farmer engagement to have $£ € • Project needs to run for long enough so you can implement changes based on the baseline data. • Has to be practical and have an economic advantage to be achievable. • Personality is 50% of the role the other 50% is adviser expertise. The NFU champions British farming and provides professional representation and services to its farmer and grower members
The farmer is happy to do something if you tell them why they need to do it, what they need to do and what the results were. The NFU champions British farming and provides professional representation and services to its farmer and grower members
The NFU champions British farming and provides professional representation and services to its farmer and grower members
The End The NFU champions British farming and provides professional representation and services to its farmer and grower members
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