Farming Focus

Today on the show, we’re looking at climate resilience and how south west farmers can reduce overall farm emissions.  

Host Peter Green is joined by Becky Willson from the Farm Carbon Toolkit and Mike Roberts, a third generation Cornish beef and mixed crop farmer.

Throughout this series we are focusing on the topic of resilience. 

Farming Focus is the podcast for farmers in the South West of England, but is relevant for farmers outside of the region or indeed anyone in the wider industry or who has an interest in food and farming. 

For more information on Cornish Mutual visit cornishmutual.co.uk

For our podcast disclaimer click here. 

Timestamps

00:01 Cornish Mutual jingle. 

00:14 Peter Green comes in. 

01:08 Becky Willson introduces herself and the Farm Carbon Tool Kit. 

02:26 Mike Roberts introduces his farm.

03:38 What does resilience mean for Becky?

05:08 Resilience for Mike. 

06:45 Mike has gradually reduced his fertiliser usage. 

07:47 What is happening on farms when it comes to climate resilience?

10:08 Farmers need to provide that climate solution. 

12:06 2040 aim from the NFU to achieve net zero. 

14:32 What to say to farmers who say that there isn't any point...it can't be done? Why should we all care?

17:38 Becky takes us through some of the best practice that she has seen on different farms that listeners could try?

20:03 Cornish Mutual jingle

20:12 Farm Carbon Calculator - Peter has used this himself. Becky provides an insight into the calculator. 

22:30 Showstoppers and key points to take away. 

24:43 Peter rounds up (including cream teas)

This week we are looking at communication and connecting with the public. How can telling your farming story help not only the reputation and resilience of the farming sector as a whole but also your own farm, influencing how you are perceived in your local community? Why is having positive farming PR important for the overall resilience of the sector? 

Host Peter Green is joined by two seasoned communicators who wear slightly different hats. Firstly Anna Jones who is an experienced radio and television broadcast journalist as well as the founder of Just Farmers, a communications project linking the media and farmers. Also on the podcast is Kendra Hall who, as well as being an account director with rural and agri PR agency Reverberate PR where she helps clients with their communications strategies, undertook a Nuffield Scholarship on the subject of building trust in British farming through increased transparency of on farm livestock production.  

Throughout this series we are focusing on the topic of resilience. 

Farming Focus is the podcast for farmers in the South West of England, but is relevant for farmers outside of the region or indeed anyone in the wider industry or who has an interest in food and farming. 

For more information on Cornish Mutual visit cornishmutual.co.uk

For our podcast disclaimer click here. 

Timestamps

00:01 Cornish Mutual jingle. 

01:37 Anna and Kendra come in.

01:50 Anna's first farming memory.

02:38 Kendra's earliest rural memory. 

04:06 How does Anna help farmers to tell their stories?

05:58 Understanding how to engage more with the end consumer and gain trust - being candid and 'real'.

09:00 Anna explains how so many people don't find it easy to communicate.

11:38 Important to engage with people. 

13:27 Resilience and what it means to Anna

14:35 What is resilience for Kendra?

15:50 Some of the ways that farmers can engage locally.

18:20 Kendra's Nuffield.

21:38 The need to tell that story.

22:15 More about listening than telling. 

25:55 Peter sums up. 

28:00 Cream teas...

29:35 Peter ends the episode.

Today on the show, we’re putting our focus on the new policy landscape across England and asking to what extent can the sustainable farming incentive, and other schemes make your farm business more resilient, economically and environmentally, over the next few years?

Peter is joined by Sabine McEwen who is Farm Environment Advisor and Devon Team Leader for FWAG South West. FWAG provides independent advice to farmers and landowners across the region. Also with him are Dorset sheep farmers David and Carolyn Gill from Upping Down Shetlands, to get their perspective on how the new schemes can help their business. =

Throughout this series we are focusing on the topic of resilience. 

Farming Focus is the podcast for farmers in the South West of England, but is relevant for farmers outside of the region or indeed anyone in the wider industry or who has an interest in food and farming. 

For more information on Cornish Mutual visit cornishmutual.co.uk

For our podcast disclaimer click here. 

Timestamps

00:01 Cornish Mutual jingle. 

00:06 Intro music.

00:15 Peter Green introduces the episode.

01:27 Sabine's first farming memory.

02:03 David's first farming memory.

02:45 Carolyn's first farming memory.

03:22 David and Carolyn are first generation farmers - how did they get into it? Carolyn explains.

04:45 Cornish Mutual jingle

04:56 What does resilience mean to David and Carolyn?

05:25 Resilience for Sabine.

06:12 Foresight and the long term nature of farming. 

06:32 The Future Farm Resilience Programme.

08:30 What role have environmental schemes played for David and Carolyn?

10:56 Cornish Mutual jingle

11:47 Sabine explains the new schemes including Sustainable Farming Incentive.

15:17 Is there more hassle with these new schemes? Is this a common attitude?

17:23 Assessing success.

17:58 Cornish Mutual jingle

18:13 The difference between SFI and Countryside Stewardship. 

21:00 How does the new system compare for David and Carolyn (SFI Pilot).

21:50 Farm size.

22:30 How has the feedback process been for David and Carolyn with Defra?

24:10 The claim process for David and Carolyn.

24:48 Experience of FWAG team on SFI and Countryside stewardship changes.

26:12 Rolling application window.

27:50 What advice would Sabine give to anyone listening who is sceptical about the new system?

30:30 The new schemes have the potential to make farmers more resilient if they are used part of a bigger system.

32:32 Carolyn explains how SFI encourages you to collect data.

33:14 David talks about baselining.

34:55 Peter rounds up with the cream tea question.

36:18 Peter rounds up with the '3 showstoppers' - SFI can support good practice; don't put your head in the sand; use your network; don't let the tail wag the dog with your business; collect data

Farm Safety Week this year is 17th-21st July 2023. In this episode we discuss farm safety in the south west, reviewed by two members of the Cornish Mutual team - Paul Mahon, who is Head of Technical Development, and Nick Lay who is a Chartered Legal Executive and Claims Technician. 

Devon based dairy farmer Fred Collins is also on the show. In February last year Fred was changing a tractor tyre when the jack failed and his arm was trapped and crushed for a considerable amount of time. Surgery took 8 ½ hours to insert a metal plate and 32 screws to his arm. Severe nerve damage left him without any feeling in his hand. His story is certainly one of resilience, both personally and in terms of his business. 

Throughout this series we are focusing on the topic of resilience. 

Farming Focus is the podcast for farmers in the South West of England, but is relevant for farmers outside of the region or indeed anyone in the wider industry or who has an interest in food and farming. 

For more information on Cornish Mutual visit cornishmutual.co.uk

For our podcast disclaimer click here. 

Timestamps

00:01 Cornish Mutual jingle. 

00:06 Intro music.

00:15 Peter Green introduces the series.  

01:57 Nick Lay recalls his earliest rural/farming memory.

02:45 Paul Mahon recalls his earliest rural/farming memories (including Farmer Fish!)

03:45 Paul gives some information about farm safety in the south west.

04:50 Agriculture employs 1% of the working population in Great Britain but suffers from nearly 20% of accidents. 

05:29 The situation from Cornish Mutual - relayed by Nick. 

06:39 Why is it so important that Farm Safety Week exists?

07:07 Nick talks about farm accidents and how they make him feel.

07:57 Fred Collins section. 

08:46 Fred talks about his accident in February 2022. 

11:52 What makes people and farmers in particular take short cuts? Being busy and the challenge of this. The need to slow down. 

14:50 Fred's main learning points since the accident. 

15:36 Everything was in place already. 

16:33 Back to Nick and Paul.

16:44 Nick shares some of the common farm accidents. 

18:22 What does resilience mean for Paul?

19:00 What is resilience for Nick? How does it link to safety?

19:54 Paul talks about action on farm.

21:10 Not enough hours in the day - how can people be encouraged to slow down?

22:35 Paul explains about action plans and highlighting the things that are the most important. 

23:13 Peter rounds up. 

24:20 Cream tea questions...

25:34 Peter rounds up. 

Peter Green is joined for the second episode of this series by Heather Wildman, who is Managing Director of Saviour Associates. Heather did a Nuffield scholarship in 2012 titled ‘’Communication: influencing and motivating change’’ and having been brought up on a sheep and beef farm in the Lake District, she now lives and works in Scotland. 

In this series we are focusing on the topic of resilience. 

Farming Focus is the podcast for farmers in the South West of England, but is relevant for farmers outside of the region or indeed anyone in the wider industry or who has an interest in food and farming. 

For more information on Cornish Mutual visit cornishmutual.co.uk

For our podcast disclaimer click here. 

Timestamps

00:01 Cornish Mutual jingle. 

00:06 Intro music.

00:15 Peter Green introduces the series.  

02:03 Heather relates her earliest farming memory.

02:58 Cornish Mutual jingle.

03:11 How often does Heather get down to the south west?

03:44 Heather works all over the country.

05:15 What does resilience mean to Heather? - the art of holding your shape and bouncing back. 

07:16 Perspective - how are people best able to get perspective?

09:29 'Owning' your mistakes and how to do this. 

12:00 Where are you? Where do you want to be? How to get there?

13:26 Write down five things that you have achieved.

15:50 How can you add value? Ignore others and think about what you can do.  What do you want?

16:23 Working with families - why is it important that as farmers we think about mindset in the first place?

18:56 Cornish Mutual jingle.

19:05 To what extent does Heather think that farming as an industry is mentally fit?

21:04 Having time off.

21:20 Thinking about change and dealing with change as a whole. 

23:45 Cornish Mutual jingle.

23:58 Scenario analysis and dealing with figures.

25:35 Sir Tom Hunter says 'don't come to me unless you've failed at least four times'. 

26:38 Making mistakes.

26:54 Cornish Mutual jingle.

27:00 Prince's Countryside Fund course - Peter's memories from this and the importance of learning from your peers

28:45 Heather's Nuffield - take away points. 

29:10 Discussion groups - 'a group without goals is a group that refuses to take responsibility for themselves - information itself does not make things happen - it is the people that make things happen'. 

32:46 Cream tea question...jam first or cream first??

33:24 Cornish Mutual jingle

33:29 What does Heather most enjoy about her job?

33:50 Peter starts to round everything up - taking responsibility for yourself; understanding your own value and learning from your mistakes; how you are away from the business and making space for reflection/taking time off. 

34:56 'Make time for you'.

35:45 Peter starts to round things up. 

37:04 Cornish Mutual jingle.

Peter Green is joined for the first episode by Tom Tolputt and Professor Andy Neal to discuss soil health in the South West. What state are the soils of the South West in and what could be done to improve them? How can better soils make your farm more resilient? 

In this series we are focusing on the topic of resilience. 

Farming Focus is the podcast for farmers in the South West of England. 

For more information on Cornish Mutual visit cornishmutual.co.uk

For our podcast disclaimer click here. 

Timestamps

00:01 Cornish Mutual jingle. 

00:06 Intro music.

00:15 Peter Green introduces the series.  

01:25  Cornish mutual jingle. 

01:34 Peter introduces today's subject - soil and soil health - and today's guests. 

02:29 Tom and Andy come in.

02:42 Tom talks about how he got into soil and farm consultancy. 

03:21 Andy discusses his background. 

04:17 Cornish Mutual jingle. 

04:24 What does resilience mean for Tom?

05:03 What does resilience mean for Andy?

06:00 A shift towards soil being the most important element - what has caused that shift in focus? Why is it important to discuss soil first when thinking about resilience?

07:52 Tom discusses the importance of soil and building biology within the soil. 

09:05 Grazing is associated with higher organic matter in soil. There are benefits of grazing in rotation for the function of soil. 

09:56 Why did Tom take the decision to go organic?

11:37 What is the state of our soils in the south west?

15:12 Could we be doing more to improve soils in the south west? Andy explains the role of tillage.

16:40 There are instances when ploughing helps. 

18:32 Rothamsted's long term experiments. 

20:20 Cornish Mutual jingle

20:31 Carbon, soils and organic matter - are they the same thing?

23:18 Resilience comes from the driving of microbial processes.

23:43 Carbon credits.

27:33 Understanding where we are at the moment and taking stock - the importance of this. Getting baselines and practical steps to achieve this. 

30:00 Andy's tips for taking soil samples.

31:17 The importance of context. Sandy soils and soil texture. 

33:27 Tom discusses different soil types. 

34:44 What can farmers do more of?

36:05 Andy reiterates that soil is a living system. 

37:55 Peter sums up the podcast. - understanding your farm and your soils; know your context; earning the right to plough, perennial cropping; building organic matter is a slow thing but what we need to do. 

39:09 The cream tea question...

40:22 Peter rounds up. 

In this episode we hear from Cornish Mutual's Managing Director as he reflects on Cornish Mutual's past, present and future. We also reflect on why Cornish Mutual is making the Farming Focus podcast.

For more information on Cornish Mutual visit cornishmutual.co.uk

Farming Focus is out every fortnight on Tuesdays. 

Timestamps

00:09 Host Peter Green comes in.

00:29 Peter Beaumont comes in. 

00:46 Cornish Mutual is a trusted partner for farming families in the south west and the wider rural community. 

01:35 Peter Green's grandparents were members of Cornish Mutual and it was always another trusted partner for them. 

04:22 Getting out to the county shows. For Peter Beaumont it's a very important time. 

06:44 New entrants and who are they interacting with. It is those who are reaching out to others and looking to the outside who are making things work. 

08:39 What marks out the businesses that are more successful? Peter Beaumont thinks it is thinking ahead and planning. 

10:11 Cornish Mutual is looking to do more in terms of helping members through the changes that are coming. The communications space is key here. 

11:50 The importance of withstanding shocks. Resilience comes with taking a holistic view at what could happen.

14:58 The importance of getting off the farm now and then. 

16:28 The importance of using your networks. 

19:24 Business is a different journey for everybody.

20:30 What is Peter excited about for the year ahead?

22:05 The killer question...cream teas...

23:30 What is special for Peter about Cornish Mutual.

25:49 Cornish Mutual ad.

25:55 Peter Green rounds up. 

For more information about Cornish Mutual visit  cornishmutual.co.uk

Farming Focus will be available from Tuesday 20th June 2023.

The theme for this series is 'resilience' in all its forms. 

Episodes will be released every fortnight on Tuesdays. 

For more information about Cornish Mutual visit cornishmutual.co.uk