CMC Talks

In this episode, Karen and Will are joined by guest host Matt Holmes and Jonathan Hobbs, veterinary surgeon, Director of North Park Vets and newly appointed President of the Sheep Veterinary Society.

Their topic is bluetongue, which has become a real concern for livestock farmers across the South West. What started as a disease many farmers hoped would remain a distant threat has become an increasingly important part of livestock management, with implications for animal health, fertility, lambing, calving and the financial resilience of farming businesses.

They talk about what is happening on the ground right now, what bluetongue means for our sheep flocks, dairy and beef herds and, importantly, what farms should be thinking about as we look ahead to 2027.

Karen and Will travelled to Wiltshire for this episode of CMC Talks to meet Baroness Minette Batters - one of the most recognisable voices in British agriculture. They delve beyond the politics and talk about Minette’s life - her journey into farming, the challenges she’s faced, her incredible achievements, lessons learned and what drives her to get out of bed in the morning.

Mark joins Karen to discuss the current significant volatility in the raw material market in what is proving to be an incredibly challenging year for UK farmers.

In this episode, Karen and Will are joined by Danielle Priestley, Farm Vet and Director at St Boniface Veterinary Clinic. They chat about Danielle’s career journey, her research and what life is like balancing being a vet, mum to twin boys and wife to a dairy farmer.

Family, Faith and Farming

In this episode, Will and Karen are joined by Bridget Down - They discuss a range of topics including farming through the generations, how faith intertwines with agriculture, the value of the YFC organisation and loneliness in agriculture.

Mark Gulley joins Karen and Will in this bonus episode for a raw material update. They discuss harvest yields, raw material availability and prices and unusual freight and distribution challenges alongside the growing concerns for forage stocks and supply.

CMC Talks - Bluetongue Outbreak - What you need to know?

In this episode of CMC Talks, Karen and guest host Matt Holmes are joined by Jonathan Hobbs, Veterinary Surgeon & Director of North Park Vets for an informative discussion on the bluetongue virus (BTV-3) outbreak.

They cover what bluetongue is, the outbreak timeline, symptoms, treatment options, vaccinations, breeding stock advice, reporting requirements and much more.

Join Karen and Will for our first bonus episode with CMC forage specialist Mark Tucker for a forage update.

Disclaimer: Information was correct at the time of recording (Wednesday 8th July 2026).

CMC Talks Episode 25 – Inspiring the Next Generation

In this episode, Will and Karen are joined by their Crediton Milling colleagues - Sarah Kingdon and Ben Wonnacott. They cover an array of topics from their journeys within the business to their reflections of the agricultural industry with a healthy dose of friendly banter, CMC insights and anecdotal tales.

Episode 24 – Different Perspectives on Disease Prevention

Will and Karen are joined by Devonshire Dairy Farmer, Jon Cleave and Farm Vet, Josh Swain from Synergy Farm Health Vets. The pair share their fascinating insights from a recent AHDB study tour to Denmark highlighting the impressive success the country has made in eradicating diseases amongst their livestock. They discuss how we too could make strides in disease control and eradication in our UK herds.

We’re also joined by Mark Gulley with the latest RM update.

Disclaimer: RM information was correct at the time of recording ( 02/06/26 )