AHDB Food & Farming

In this episode Knowledge Exchange Manager Shirley Macmillan talks to autumn block calver George Wade from Honeypot Farm about what changes he made to his mating programme following an online fertility workshop, and whether he still wants to achieve a six week calving block. 

We also hear from Dave Gilbert, consultant vet from Dairy Insight who worked with George, about what he found at Honeypot Farm and the benefits of reviewing fertility on farm.

 

Find more information and resources to help you improve fertility.

 

Feedback survey: 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.

 

Podcast produced and edited by Kate Smith.

In this episode Claire Hodge, Senior Knowledge Exchange Manager (Scotland) speaks with her guests about mental health and tips for maintaining positivity.

In the first part of this episode we speak to Jim Reid, our SPot Scotland host, who will talk about overcoming challenges in the potato sector, life on a family farm and taking on the mantle of SPot farm host. In the second part we speak to Mags Granger from RSABI who will talk about the isolation of farming and ways to overcome this issue. 

Podcast Producer: Maria Covlea, Marketing and Communications Executive

Email: [email protected]

In this episode, AHDB Knowledge Exchange Manager Harry Henderson focuses on regenerative agriculture. Harry chats to farmer David Miller, who has embraced regenerative agriculture on his farm, about his experiences of using it in the UK. 

Wayne Brough, AHDB Horticulture Knowledge Exchange Manager for Ornamentals is joined by Georgina Key, AHDB Research Manager, Alistair Hazel, Operations Manager at Darby Nurseries, and Gary Woodruffe, Growing Manager at Bordon Hill Nurseries. 

 

The group explore a wide range of subjects including everything vine weevil control to pansy mottle syndrome, weed control to regular deficit irrigation, bedding and pot plant centre and growing media.  

 

Georgina provides an overview of AHDB research into these areas, and Alistair and Gary give us an insight into the grower’s perspective on how they approach these issues and what value they’ve found in using AHDB’s research and products. 

 

This episode focuses on the importance of good colostrum management, the effect it has on the new born animal's health and shares practical advice to help you to optimise your management protocol. 

Receiving good quality colostrum, quickly enough and in the right quantity, could eliminate illnesses such as Watery Mouth in lambs, halve cases of pneumonia in calves, improve the survival rate in new-born pigs up to weaning age and beyond. It also supports the responsible use of antibiotics. But at busy times of year, we don’t always have time or resources to make sure every animal gets enough colostrum or gets it quickly enough. 

The award winning Colostrum is Gold campaign, led by AHDB, collaborates with the industry to highlight the importance of colostrum in cows, sheep and pigs. Colostrum is the first milk produced by the mother following birth and is full of antibodies, energy and essential nutrients that can benefit the newborn animal.

On this podcast hosted by AHDB's Head of Animal Health & Welfare, Mandy Nevel, we are joined by speakers Emily Gascoigne and Tim Potter who are both farm vets and Pete Webster who farms both beef and dairy cattle as well as running a sheep enterprise in Cumbria. Pete is also part of the Challenge Sheep research project funded by AHDB. 

Useful resources:

This podcast introduces AHDB’s analysis of the prospects for the UK’s farming industry over the coming months. Covering crops (potatoes, cereals and oilseeds), it explores production, trade and consumption for the year ahead.

John Bates invites Vikki Campbell (Senior Market Specialist Manager for Arable) and Sarah Baker (Senior Market Intelligence Manager). 

Our Agri-Market Outlook is produced every six months and is based on the most up-to-date information and insight, combining feedback from experts across the Agri-food industry with AHDB Market Intelligence (MI) expertise.

It is intended to cut through some of the uncertainty and help farm businesses and wider industry plan for the future.

Phil Bicknell, MI director said: “As 2021 gathers pace, Agri-Market Outlook highlights the elements that will shape farming’s fortunes over the next 12-18 months, as well as the longer-term policy and economic drivers.”

“The bottom line is that there won’t be a one-size-fits-all roadmap for navigating the potential impacts on farming sectors and individual businesses, but our evidence and insight can help the industry plan, prepare and budget for the challenges ahead.”

Learn more about the Agri Market Outlook by visiting: https://ahdb.org.uk/agri-market-outlook

Podcast produced and edited by Aisha Shabnam

Email: [email protected]

This podcast introduces AHDB’s analysis of the prospects for the UK’s farming industry over the coming months. Covering red meat (pork, beef and lamb) and dairy, it explores production, trade and consumption for the year ahead.

John Bates invites Richard King from Andersons Consulting, David Swales (Head of Strategic Insight), Patty Clayton (Lead Analyst Dairy) and Duncan Wyatt (Lead Analyst for Livestock). 

Our Agri-Market Outlook is produced every six months and is based on the most up-to-date information and insight, combining feedback from experts across the Agri-food industry with AHDB Market Intelligence (MI) expertise.

It is intended to cut through some of the uncertainty and help farm businesses and wider industry plan for the future.

Phil Bicknell, MI director said: “As 2021 gathers pace, Agri-Market Outlook highlights the elements that will shape farming’s fortunes over the next 12-18 months, as well as the longer-term policy and economic drivers.”

“The bottom line is that there won’t be a one-size-fits-all roadmap for navigating the potential impacts on farming sectors and individual businesses, but our evidence and insight can help the industry plan, prepare and budget for the challenges ahead.”

Podcast produced and edited by Aisha Shabnam

Email: [email protected]

Zanita Markham, AHDB Knowledge Transfer Manager

Mella Waitt, Environment Agency

Alison Frogley, Environment Agency

Since 2007, the Environment Agency has regulated large intensive farming installations under the Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR), formerly referred to as IPPC, and today (January 2021), there are 225 pig farms permitted in England. 

In 2017, a new Best Available Techniques Reference Document (BREF) was released which included a series of Best Available Techniques (BAT) Conclusions. 

These BAT Conclusions come into force for all permitted farms on 21 February 2021. The BAT Conclusions are the techniques to prevent or, where this is not practicable, reduce emissions from pig and poultry farms.

 

In this episode, we hear about the EPR application process, find out where to go for information specific to your site, and find out more about the changes being introduced through the BAT Conclusions. 

Use this information to help complete an EPR application when planning new pig housing or slurry storage facilities.

https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/environmental-permitting-regulations 

How to comply with your environmental permit, IPPC noise management and example EPR application forms.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/intensive-farming-introduction-and-chapters 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environmental-permit-pre-application-advice-form 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environmental-permitting-charging-scheme-2019

What you must do to carry out a risk assessment if you're a farmer applying for a bespoke permit for intensive farming.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/intensive-farming-risk-assessment-for-your-environmental-permit

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/farming-rules-for-water-in-england

Rules you must follow, who’s responsible and when to notify the Environment Agency.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/storing-silage-slurry-and-agricultural-fuel-oil

PO Box 544

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S60 1BY

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 03708 506 506

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.

Education, education, education! Our latest podcast discusses the importance of AHDB-funded studentships for the crop industry and to future students. John Bates and Rachel McGauley our Crop Protection Scientist invite three special external guests, who share life after their AHDB–funded PhD, opening them to multiple opportunities to support the UK agriculture and horticulture industry. 

At times students might find that is worth the hassle and struggle. Let’s find out from our guests how successful their careers have been once their PhD has been complete.

John Bates interviews:

Jonathan is a senior research associate at Lancaster Environment Centre and the St George’s University of London, where he’s involved in two European Union Horizon 2020 projects focussed on plant breeding. He finished his PhD – “Innovation in the Fresh Produce Industry – in 2017, which was funded by the AHDB. In that project, he explored what helped and hindered innovation in the sector, with a particular emphasis on research and communication.

Alex is Scientific Support Coordinator at Crop Health and Protection Ltd. (CHAP) one of the four UK AgriTech Centres funded by Innovate UK. In this role he acts as the key scientific and technical contact for CHAP, along with developing its network of academic and industrial partners, to build innovative research projects and new capabilities. In 2018 he completed his AHDB funded PhD at Harper Adams University, which examined soil-borne diseases in oilseed rape and their role in yield decline, using cutting edge molecular tools such as real-time PCR and Next Generation Sequencing.

Bethan Shaw has worked in horticultural entomology since 2012, after taking a summer job doing data collection and unexpectantly falling in love with the topic. She undertook a PhD between 2015-2018 at the University of Southampton and NIAB EMR, co-funded by the AHDB investigating behavioural patterns in spotted wing Drosophila. Since graduating, Bethan has returned to NIAB EMR as research leading in the entomology department and am responsible for the day-to-day management of a wide range of projects. Bethan is also active in applying for my funding and developing new international collaborations.

If you’d like to learn more about these projects contact: [email protected] or visit ahdb.org.uk

Podcast produced and edited by Aisha Shabnam

Email: [email protected]

Lameness is one of the most important and costly diseases on dairy farms.

 

In this episode Knowledge Exchange Manager Jamie McCoy talks to Owen Atkinson from Dairy Veterinary Consultancy about tackling mobility issues, why it’s something the industry needs to focus on now and what help there is available.

 

You can find more information to help you manage lameness on our dedicated lameness webpages.

 

Use our Lameness Cost Calculator to calculate the impact of lameness on your farm.

 

Feedback survey: 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.

Podcast produced and edited by Kate Smith.