Beanstalk Global

As we’re all aware, currently there are multiple challenges and pressure faced both in our industry and lives. Join our panel to discuss and gain insight into how they are riding the current rollercoaster and adapting their businesses to become more resilient, motivating the people around them, whilst ensuring they look after themselves.

Our Speakers:

• Mark Campbell, Chair
• Chris Appleton, Dairy Farmer
• Tom Rawson, Director of Evolution Farming
• Charles Anyan, FCN Ambassador & Farmer
• Max MacGillivray, Beanstalk Global – Host

Chris has been fortunate enough to return to the family farm as a fourth generation dairy farmer managing 450 autumn block cows near Lewes, East Sussex. The farm has seen significant changes over the last 8 years with a project currently underway to build a new dairy unit and expand the herd to 650 cows. Chris is ably supported by a fantastic team that prioritise the welfare of the animals, allowing all to push forwards with the next stages of development for the farm.

Tom is married to Catherine and they have three teenage children. Tom’s journey into dairy farming started on his parents’ 50 cow tenanted farm in West Yorkshire when he finished Harper Adams University in 1999 having not milked a cow until he was 19 years old. In 2010 Tom co founded Evolution Farming which today milks over 3000 cows on 8 units and at peak employed over 80 staff in a variety of different enterprises. Tom also has wider industry involvement including being Vice Chair of Nuffield Farming, current Chair of The 1000 Cow Club and a Committee member of The Farmers Club.

Charles is an arable farmer and keen environmentalist from Lincolnshire who took up running during the Covid lockdowns. A five stone weight loss quickly ensued. Now a veteran of 4 marathons (and currently training for number 5) he still hasn’t stopped. He has found running to be a great way to look after both his physical and mental health, and is an advocate for breaking the stigma around this.

Anyan became an ambassador for The Farming Communtiy Network in 2021 and was also a judge of Britain’s Fittest Farmer in 2023.

We know how important it is to be inspired by both big businesses and individuals, which is why we are excited to present Talking Leaders, a monthly initiative from the AHDB which will see a series of inspirational speakers share their life experiences and deliver impactful stories to the AgriLeader community.

In our February broadcast were delighted to be joined by Kirsty Lewis - Founder of the School of Facilitation, discussing "A Business is Never Too Small for Effective Communication".

A bit about Kirsty and the School of Facilitation: "Hi, I’m Kirsty, Founder of the School of Facilitation, a dream I first journaled on in 2007. I was seeking comradery in the world of facilitation, working with corporates for the majority of my career, and  I was feeling the pull of real connection and people who just ‘got it’.

But, where would I find them? After months and years of soul searching and web scouring, I realised that the solution I sought was within me! In 2014 the School of Facilitation welcomed its first members, having been gradually formulating in the background for some time. By 2017 we were supporting and encouraging facilitators and corporations from around the world.

I’ve worked with powerhouse brands and household names, such as Diageo, Chanel and Jacob Douwe Egberts. My own personal facilitation journey spans decades (I know, I know, I don’t look old enough!) and I’ve worked for myself for much of that time. I understand the trials and tribulations of going it alone, being an associate or facilitating within a corporate structure, because I’ve experienced those facets myself."

In late 2024, Kegan Stubbs and Max MacGillivray are travelling to Zim to explore the best of the countries farming and produce whilst supporting agricultural industries. They will be visiting a number of key growers to film, to learn and to promote the countries fresh food output for both internal consumption and to also highlight them all for key export markets. We are keen to give this opportunity for key Partner Sponsors to benefit from the planned mission to Zimbabwe!

On the Broadcast was:

Kegan Stubbs – he is currently engaged in exploring the intricacies of the agricultural industry within the UK via the MDS scheme and is partnering Max MacGillivray of Beanstalk Global on the Zim “mission”! Having grown up on a diverse farm in Manicaland, Zimbabwe, he developed a profound connection to both agriculture and his home country.

Clarence Mwale – A global exporter and compliance manager of primarily blueberries, but also has an extensive small-scale out growers’ program which he markets and runs compliance.

Josh Burger – Grower, Exporter, and marketing agent for most of Zim’s paprika crop – near the town of Kwekwe

Graeme Webb –  A key Zim grower majoring on150 ha Avocadoes and 80 ha Citrus

Max MacGillivray – Host and Editor in Chief of Beanstalk Global

The road to Net Zero can be a challenging and tricky journey. Learning from the experiences of others can help make that journey a bit easier and enhance your business’ efforts to reduce its carbon emissions and make your operations more profitable and sustainable. This is why we at SLIPAH, together with our partners at Beanstalk Global, are assembling a star panel of sustainability experts for our upcoming ‘Net Zero Show and Tell’ Webinar on the 30th of January from 1pm-2pm. This webinar will provide the platform for our panellists to share the experience and knowledge they have had from the efforts undertaken by their organisations to progress towards Net Zero. Moderated by Max MacGillivray of Beanstalk, our panel will share their experience and knowledge of the challenges, pitfalls, success and solutions businesses need to bear in mind on their Net Zero journey.

Joining us on this panel will be: Shaun Warren, (Sustainability Advisor at Graf Uk Ltd), Simon Derrick (Head of Sustainability at Blue Skies Holdings Ltd), Nicola Pichel-Juan (Sustainability Manager at Satra Technology Centre), Joely Slinn (Sustainability Officer at West Northants Council), Martin Wilson (Sustainability Manager, West Northants Council), Guy Schanschief MBE, Founder of Bambino Mio and Dr Ebenezer Laryea (Associate Professor of Sustainable Development Law at University of Northampton).

Don’t miss this opportunity this opportunity to hear from this panel of experts and the stories of how their organisations have done so far in navigating their way on the road to Net Zero.

We know how important it is to be inspired by both big businesses and individuals, which is why we are excited to present Talking Leaders, a monthly initiative from the AHDB which will see a series of inspirational speakers share their life experiences and deliver impactful stories to the AgriLeader community.

In our January broadcast we are delighted to be joined by Chris Manley - Agriculture Sustainability Manager for Muller & Milk, and Nuffield Scholar.  The topic of conversation: his "Walk with Me" campaign - bringing farmers together with their supply chain partners to make a positive impact.

Chris has a sustained passion for the agriculture industry and is driven to make a difference. Brought up on a dairy, beef, and sheep farm in Devon, he flourished in Young Farmers and at Harper Adams before undertaking the Nuffield Farming Scholarship in 2021.

We know how important it is to be inspired by both big businesses and individuals, which is why we are excited to present Talking Leaders, a monthly initiative from the AHDB which will see a series of inspirational speakers share their life experiences and deliver impactful stories to the AgriLeader community.

This month, with the broadcast title of “Think Differently” we are delighted to be joined by Carol Glover aka “The Maverick Maker”  

Carol, a successful Maverick leader herself, helps clients understand why it matters to think different, be different and act different.

She is iLM level 7 Executive Coach and Mentor qualified.

She describes her self as “A ginger, punk-inspired, Maverick Intrapreneur, Disruptive Leader, Speaker & Transformative Coach & Mentor, from Isle of Man, who loves to dance.”

How do we take a fair approach to Net Zero which allows us to decarbonise airfreighted fresh produce without stopping vital market access for developing world producers?

Listen to this key round table that went live on Friday 15th December 2023 with a number of key people attending in person as well as a significant number that dialed in via Zoom and on social media. The discussion included:

• The impact of airfreighted fresh horticultural products from developing countries.
• Climate Justice considerations for corporate Net Zero strategies
• Recommendations for industry

We know how important it is to be inspired by both big businesses and individuals, which is why we are excited to present Talking Leaders, a monthly initiative from the AHDB which will see a series of inspirational speakers share their life experiences and deliver impactful stories to the AgriLeader community.

In our November broadcast we were delighted to be joined by Argentinian Arable Farmer Sean Cameron.

Educated at St George’s College in Argentina followed by Fettes College in Edinburgh, Sean Graduated in Chemical Engineering from Cambridge University. After 5 years working as a trader in London for Louis Dreyfus, he returned to the family farm in Argentina.

The farm was purchased by his Great Grandfather in 1916 on the south-eastern edge of the Pampas in the Province of Buenos Aires as a sheep farm.  This gradually veered towards Aberdeen Angus cattle and an ever-increasing amount of annual grain crops and potatoes. In 1993 Sean returned to manage the farm with his Canadian wife Jennifer, it then became 100% arable annual cropping, and by 1996 all the farm was farmed in a no-till farming system.

Presently, it includes 9 centre pivot irrigating machines, each sized between 53 and 88 Ha's and a 12,000 tonne drying & storage grain facility, as well as all the machinery necessary for planting, protecting and harvesting their crops.  They now own approx 2,200 Ha's & rent a further 1,600 Ha's.

The farms' main crops are wheat, barley, white clover seed production, sunflower, corn and seed corn and sweet corn produced under irrigation.  They occasionally produce peas and plant second crop soybeans after wheat and barley harvest.

A new campaign for a fair transition towards net zero kicked-off this month. Called Fairmiles, it calls on policy makers from government and the private sector to consider sustainability impacts on developing countries when pursuing carbon reduction strategies which seek to minimise so-called ‘food miles’ particularly with regard to airfreighted produce.

The campaign aims to engage key stakeholders in the retail, government and charity sectors to highlight the importance of maintaining crucial trade links with developing countries and to make recommendations for reducing emissions without marginalising vulnerable communities.

“Climate change is real and demands an urgent and radical response if we are to adapt to the significant threat it poses to our planet. However, with increasing pressure on organisations to act, there is a growing risk that corporate net zero strategies that seek to reduce emissions by reducing imported or airfreighted food, end up alienating and negatively impacting economically less developed countries, to the detriment of livelihoods in rural communities,” said Simon Derrick, global head of sustainability of Blue Skies, one of the companies behind the new initiative.

“The implementation of carbon reduction policies which target airfreighted fresh produce can disproportionately curtail opportunities for low-carbon agricultural products that support livelihoods in developing nations.This trade is a lifeline for millions of individuals in some of the world’s most impoverished and vulnerable communities, thus underscoring the need for carbon reduction policies to attain climate justice.”

Blue Skies supplies airfreighted fresh-cut fruit to retailers in the UK and across Europe, employing over 5,000 people in 10 factories spanning Ghana, Egypt, South Africa, Brazil, Benin and the UK. Its business model is built on the principle of adding value at source, which means that, wherever possible, fruit is cut, prepared, and packed in the same community that it is grown. This allows Blue Skies to return a higher margin to the communities that produce the fruit, and to harvest the produce at its optimal maturity, helping to ensure the best possible nutrition and flavour.

The Fairmiles launch was attended by 15 organisations representing African fresh produce businesses, the air cargo industry, academia and the international development sector. In addition to raising awareness of the issue among key stakeholders and the public, it hopes to conduct research on the impact of air freighted produce; agree best-practice guidelines for the industry and translate its aims into an action plan with quantifiable targets.

To create further awareness of the initiative as well as discussing the facts and figures and what is hoped to be achieved especially as we head towards the COP28 climate conference in Dubai late this year a number of group founders recently went on a Beanstalk Global Broadcast to discuss the initiative.

On the Broadcast was:

• Dr Ebenezer Laryea - Associate Professor in International Sustainable Development Law at the University of Northampton and Chair of the University's Centre for Sustainable Business Practices.
• James MacGregor – development economist and author of the 'Fair Miles: recharting the food miles map' published in 2009 by Oxfam and IIED.
• Jodie Keane - Senior Research Fellow with the International Economic Development Group at the Overseas Development Institute. 
• Alistair Djimatey - Public Affairs Manager at Blue Skies
• Simon Derrick – Head of Sustainability at Blue Skies, a fruit manufacturer that airfreights prepared produce from Africa and South America
• Max MacGillivray - Editor in Chief of Beanstalk Global

Beanstalk Global & the AHDB went live with some farming favourites at the Cidermill Theatre in Chipping Campden to chat farming, food and education. They were also joined by teacher: Iona Corbett, Head of Food & Nutrition at Chipping Campden School.

The livestream features the following people:

Joe Seels

Charlotte Ashley

James Herrick

Tom Martin

James Taylor

Iona Corbett

Andrew Hartshorn

Roz Reynolds

Izak Van Heerden (host)