Jane Craigie

See, I did remember something from college...

2011-10-26T08:18:00.000-07:00

Wind the clock back 20+ years and I'm sitting in a lecture room in the North Block at Seale Hayne College, in true agric style probably nursing a hangover from the night before. My memories have become hazy with time but something that we were taught on that winter's day in Devon sticks vividly in my mind, the law of comparative advantage. Unlike some of the other theories of economics this law made perfect sense to me at the time and still does.

This law purports to the ability of an individual (a firm, or a country) to produce a particular good or service better, or at a lower marginal cost, than another. Our lecturer explained it in farming terms: western UK has a comparative advantage to produce milk and meat because it can easily grow lots of grass, whilst the drier east is more suited to growing cereal crops. I know it's not quite that simple, but the principles are right and we're increasingly seeing the law in practice.

Take Scotland. According to a Scottish Government report on Less Favoured Area (LFA) support, "the capability of Scottish farming is severely limited by climate, topography and soils, with the result that only about 11% of farmland is cropped". On paper, with 85% of Scottish agricultural land classified as LFA, the country shouldn't have the vibrant farming and food industry that it does. But it has.

And what's more, the Scottish Government, led by Alec Salmond (also fondly known up here as 'Wee Eck') is firmly behind farming. And why shouldn't he be? Despite Scotland's agrarian failings on paper, it has some real gems up its sleeve - loads of summer sunshine for fruit and grain fill, an abundance of grass for the world's most renowned beef to graze, a vibrant whisky industry quite literally at the end of the farm drive and some of the best scenery in the world for those predisposed to diversify into B&Bs or 'Glamping'.

OK, so I may be biased towards the land of my forefathers, but there is more. The Scottish Government gives financial and political backing to farmers. For example, 95% of Scottish SFPs are made in or before December. The Scottish Rural Development Programme (worth £680 million over six years) has its critics but it has enabled some Scottish farmers to invest in the future of their businesses with dirty water stores, new sheds and food processing facilities to name but a few projects.

There is an Agri-Renewables Strategy pending which will allow farmers to benefit from developing renewable projects on their land. And there is active communication between Ministers, the industry and farmers which has resulted in the likes of a derogation for sheep EID in Scotland and emergency funds for the rebuilding of sheds after the dreadful snows of last winter.

Maybe some will scoff at my rose-tinted view of Scotland, but I think the country's a good place for farmers and farming. We have developed a great reputation for beef, potatoes, vegetables, soft fruit and barley - but importantly a chain to buy that produce and add value to it. Scotland is the perfect place for renewable energy having Europe's largest wind, wave and tidal resource; farmers can play a part in this. We have majestic scenery and a history that has tourists flocking. And we have policy makers willing to support us.

So, looking back to my beer hazed memory of that economics lecture, my belief in the law of comparative advantage is steadfast. Its practice is alive and well in Scotland. But what I've learned in the 20 intervening years is that that advantage is nothing without the infrastructure to make it work for you. What I've also learned is that you have to make the most of the advantages that you've got - even if all you have is mountains, wind and a few old castles!

Channel 4 news report on Alzheimer's

2011-10-11T09:34:00.000-07:00

Communicating science and unpalatable subjects is something that we often have to undertake in farming. So I am always on the look out to see how journalists communicate tough stories. Once such report was run on Channel 4 News last night. It was about a community of people in Columbia. Many of this isolated community has inherited a gene for early onset Alzheimer's.

In an attempt to better understand, test and treat the disease (before onset and after it is established) this community is going to be engaged in a long term research project.

The report explored all sorts of moral, ethical and emotional issues such as who carries the gene, how will it manifest itself, the impact on families, communities as well as how the research will be conducted. One of the 'no go' areas that was handled really well was that the researchers have established and are studying a 'brain bank' of donated brains from deceased sufferers. There was footage of these brains being dissected and examined... all for science. What was even explained was one of the doctors was examining the brain of a patient he knew.

I thought the report was spot on in reasoning the scientific need with human tragedy. Well done Tom Clarke - very eloquently delivered. See: http://www.channel4.com/news/the-remote-hope-for-preventing-alzheimers

In praise of our NFUs

2011-09-01T04:51:00.000-07:00

Organisations representing industry sectors are often the target for vocal objectors and outbursts. Our industry's collective representation is conducted primarily by the NFUs of the devolved regions with specific sectors having their own champions i.e. the Tenant Farmers Association, the NSA etc..

This blog is in praise of the NFUs - knowing many of those involved it's plain to see the passion, the drive and the commitment to make our industry a better place to do business. I don't agree with all that they say and do, but then that's politics; we don't always agree with politicians and lobbyists, but that doesn't mean that they aren't being effective.

I'm particularly chuffed to see the NFU's new 'next generation' campaign - encouraging youngsters with an interest and aptitude to get involved is a great thing. I'd like to think that the process achieves a strong succession plan for the coming years and that it finds people with new thinking and the confidence to introduce these thoughts. New thinking and new enthusiasm are any organisation's life-blood.

Of the NFUs I'm familiar with (NFU and NFU Scotland) their position, commentary and focus on specific issues is sound. Stretching budgets and people resources will always be an issue for them, but I feel the balance of internal and external issue management is there. Keeping the NFU machines well oiled and fit for purpose is their perpetual challenge, but if you need a vote in support for what you're doing, you have mine.

The French never cease to amaze me

2011-08-24T12:39:00.000-07:00

Before my flight to Birmingham this morning I picked up three newspapers - one of my real pleasures when I'm travelling is reading as many as possible cover to cover! I know, I need to get out more!!

Today many features caught my attention, but my favourite was in the FT about France's wealthy - calling for the rich to be more heavily taxed to help the country out of recession. Those making the pledge total 16 and include Liliane Bettencourt (L'Oreal's heiress), Christophe de Margerie (head of Total and a member of the Tattinger family) and Maurice Levy (head of Publicis).

How very French, full of purpose and passion. And how refreshing that these prominent people have made such a pledge and come up with a solution to the massive issue of surviving the recession.

Indian social activist 'Anna-Ji' shows leadership in the most unlikely of circumstances

2011-08-23T07:08:00.000-07:00

I always find it inspiring reading about someone who's prepared to stand up for what they believe in and fight a cause. My vote this year has to go to Anna Hazare, the villager from western Maharashtra who is taking a stand against the corruption in Indian society by going on hunger strike.

The corruption is pervasive, whether you want a new passport, to get your children into a particular school or need a doctor's appointment you need to pay a bribe, otherwise known as a graft, or 'Permit Raj'.

Here's Anna-ji's story from a fantastic feature by Peter Popham in Saturday's Independent. If you're reading this Peter, I hope that you don't mind me relaying your words, which (undersantably liken Anna Hazare to Ghandi). See: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/anna-hazare-in-the-footsteps-of-gandhi-2340759.html

"When India went to war with China over Kashmir in 1962, Anna Hazare signed up for the army, aged 23. For more than 15 years he worked as an army lorry driver along the narrow, vertiginous mountainous roads of the frozen north as well as on India's other borders.

But long before he left the army he had already made up his mind about his future path. On 12 November 1965, during India's war with Pakistan, an air raid on India's base at Khem Karan in the Punjab killed all Hazare's comrades, leaving only him alive. It was the turning point in his life: the fact that he had been spared meant his life had a purpose.

Inspired by the 19th-century sage Swami Vivekananda, who preached commitment to social improvement, he discovered that purpose on his own doorstep. Every year he spent his army leave with his family, but on every visit, conditions in the village were worse. Ralegan Siddhi is in the drought-prone area of Maharashtra. During the frequent droughts, villagers were dependent on government water tankers for drinking water. Farm production plummeted; many villagers walked miles every day to labouring jobs, using the wages to buy grain from better-provided villagers nearby. More enterprising villagers set up drinking dens serving home-distilled "country liquor". The quality of life in the village, never opulent, went from bad to worse.

Hazare resolved to turn the village around. He planned his moves carefully. He took a vow of celibacy, so the need to provide for a family would never distract him from his goal. He remained in the army for another dozen years to qualify for a pension, so he would never be in material want. Then finally in 1977 he returned home for good, and began the task of redeeming the village.

In the process he became one of the green pioneers of the Indian countryside, persuading his fellow villagers to dig wells to harvest rain water, to terrace their fields, to make small dams and weirs to prevent water wastage and to plant thousands of trees. The results were spectacular: the rise in the water table made irrigation available for 1,500 hectares of land instead of 300 hectares before. The village began to prosper. A school, a hostel and a new temple were built. Following Gandhi's example, Hazare cracked down on the liquor dens: one of the most popular stories about him is how he tied village drunks to trees and flogged them with his army belt. Instead of the villagers walking miles to find work, the village was now importing labour.

This was development as Gandhi had conceived it, small-scale, village-based, a world away from the grand megastructure projects favoured by Nehru; a world away equally from the industrial and software development that has made India rich in the past 15 years. And it didn't stop with water: Ralegan Siddhi installed solar power right across the community, with individual panels for the street lights, with the result that it is now self-sufficient in energy. The village's achievements and those of its leader have been recognised with numerous awards at home and abroad.

What was to stop the village's example being copied right across India? Hazare came to believe that the problem lay in corruption. In 1991 he set up an organisation known in English as "Public Movement Against Corruption", focusing on a case in which dozens of forest officers had cheated the state out of hundreds of millions of rupees. He presented the evidence to the government but no action was taken as one of those involved in the scam was a minister in the ruling party. In disgust Hazare returned the high awards he had received from the government, and launched a hunger strike, "unto death" as Gandhi used to put it – an action which, thanks to its frequent use by Gandhi against the British, has unique symbolism in India. The government caved in: six ministers implicated in the scandal were forced to resign and hundreds of corrupt forest workers were sacked.

Suddenly, thanks to the simple commitment of a brave old man, the nation has awoken from its dreams of easy money. Anna Hazare offers his country a mirror: here is the squalid reality behind your prosperity, he says – and here is the cure."

Farming needs great leaders

2011-08-04T05:40:00.000-07:00

See: http://www.farmersguardian.com/home/young-farmers/young-farmers-news/farming-needs-great-leaders-for-the-future/40191.article

Throughout history there has been debate about whether a good leader is born or made. The answer is probably a bit of both with some guidance thrown into the mix. The most effective leaders are inspiring, strategic, energetic and possess a clarity of vision which can effect great change.

Certainly one of the greatest leaders of our times has been Nelson Mandela. Against the bitter adversity of apartheid and 27 years imprisoned on Robben Island he subsequently laid the foundations of modern South Africa, a single nation with a certain future.

In British farming we are not faced with a journey of such magnitude but we are on the precipice of great change. Our role has a heightened importance politically, economically, environmentally and socially. There’s a strong argument in the need for developing strong leaders within farming and why the representation of farming is fundamental to our future.

The challenges facing farming’s leaders over the coming decade are how we achieve consensus within the industry on what we say outside of it and then how we increase the voice and influence of British farming to ensure a viable farming sector. Fair prices, fair trade, fair policy and sufficient profit for reinvestment have to be fundamental to this viability.

The real benefit of good leadership for British farming, if we get it right, is we could really capitalise on the opportunities at our door. We need practical and technological strategies to address the issues of food production, water resource management and energy; and with the right vision and communication we maybe have more than our fair share of answers to the problems. But leadership can be physically and emotionally draining and picking yourself up after you have had a knock takes determination.

According to NFU president Peter Kendall, there is huge opportunity for those with the ability and desire to lead that change.

“We know farming is absolutely central to the big challenges of the 21st century. But it’s all too easy for policy-makers and the public to lose sight of that. Some of the debates, food versus fuel, extensive or intensive, GM/non-GM, are not straightforward and are certainly not moved on by scare stories from single-issue pressure groups.

“Farming needs credible, confident champions to steer the industry through the competing pressures and noise, ensuring we’re in a position to keep investing and keep producing in a way that meets the challenges.”

Of his own strengths, he’s unusually candid. “I really believe farming in this country has a good story to tell. If I didn’t I wouldn’t be able to stand up make the case for the industry.

“Yes, we may have had a bad press in the past, and we may still get a bad press every now and then, but the very worst thing we can do is retreat behind the farm-gate or our polytunnels and bemoan the fact that ‘they’ don’t understand us.

“If ‘they’ don’t understand us, let’s get out there and explain what we do and why. And if we need to change some of what we do, let’s be prepared to look at ways of doing that too.”

When you ask a business outside farming what they think, Duncan Murray-Clarke of a media agency, The Ad Plain, says able leaders have a real opportunity to capitalise on where farming is here and now.

“We must remember that key to Government and economic strategy is to encourage manufacturing for both fiscal growth and being globally competitive.

“With the service sector all but replacing manufacturing in the UK, agriculture is arguably our largest manufacturing base and a key economic and strategic resource. The agricultural industry therefore has a very strong reason to unify, deal with some of the more crippling man-made issues and promote itself as cleverly as any other manufacturing business would.”

Within farming businesses, leadership plays as big a part as it does in the wider industry and for many, particularly younger farmers taking on a leadership role can be daunting.

Stephen Watkins has an arable and vegetable farm in Worcestershire, he has also done a Nuffield Scholarship and has taken over the role of vice chairman of Nuffield. He has two bits of advice for those looking for leadership tips: “Don’t ask someone to do something you can’t or won’t do and don’t micro-manage your staff.”

“I leave the farm a lot, which means my workers have to sort things out themselves and it’s surprising how many step up to the plate. If they get it wrong, we can discuss it when I get back, if they get it right I praise them.

“I also learn. There’s been many a time we’ve changed the way we do things as a result of leaving someone else to a task.”

Alastair Leake works with farm manager, Phil Jarvis, in managing the Allerton Project’s farm where they undertake trials and initiatives to support the Game and Wildlife Conservancy Trust.

“I was brought up in the city,” he says. “The only way for me to get into farming was as an employee, and where better place to start than working for the Co-operative Farms.

“They actually discriminated against farmers’ sons when they recruited, because they knew they’d go home and take over Daddy’s farm, whereas those of us with nowhere else to go made damn sure we made a success of what we did,” he says.

For him, coming in from ‘outside’ means ‘you don’t have the baggage of others within the sector,’ allowing the conventional approach to farm practices to be challenged.

“When I switched away from ploughing I was told ‘we’ve been ploughing for centuries Alastair and you’ll find there are good reasons for it, and, 20 years later, I’m still waiting to learn what these are. In the meantime the area of land cultivated by non-plough tillage in the UK has risen from just 7 per cent to more than 40 per cent.”

“The success of the Allerton Project is down to the staff here. I try to do is to inspire and encourage innovation and then give support. As a result we’ve set up Allerton Recycling, CabCards and the Eyebrook Community Heritage Project; these are all great examples of ideas which have grown wings.”

Alastair believes good leadership is also about developing pride. “Who would have imagined our small farm plastics recycling operation would have got the world’s biggest chemical company, BASF, to change the design of its entire range of pesticide containers in Europe?”

Leadership training programmes in farming

To equip those with raw leadership talent and a will to effect change, there are a number of leadership programmes specific to farming which help to develop core leadership skills.
THE Leadership Development Programme 2012 (LDP) develops the individual’s management and communication skills to improve daily work as well as gaining a wider perspective to help the industry as a whole solve its many problems.
The course takes 12 delegates and attendance is for three separate weeks; February 19-24 at Cirencester, March 11-15 in Brussels and April 30 - May 4 in London. Closing date for applications is July 30.

To apply: For an application form email or call Rhonda Thompson, Tel 01285 652531, email: rhonda.thompson@ rac.ac.uk. Support for sourcing funding for the course can be provided.

THE Scottish Executive Rural Leadership scheme entails group workshops, one-to-one coaching some residential learning and improved communications skills.
It also includes study trips to the Scottish, British and European Parliaments. The course is open to those playing an active part in Scotland’s rural economy, specifically rural business managers and leaders.

To apply: It is split into regions and takes up to 45 people annually and runs over six months. For more details contact 0845 607 8787 or email enquiries@scotent.co.uk

THE Worshipful Company of Farmers Challenge of Rural Leadership Course consists of a programme of case studies, lectures and regional visits.
By course end, participants will be better informed about key issues affecting the rural economy in the UK and Europe. The 2012 programme takes 18 people and will run from January 15-21 at Dartington Hally, near Totnes, Devon.

To apply: The closing date for applications is September 16. For more information contact Richard Soffe on 0845 458 7485 or visit www.duchy.ac.uk/rbs. Financial assistance towards fee costs for the course is available. Limited funding support is available through the Worshipful Company of Farmers.

Scalp claims continue in the world of media

2011-07-21T03:02:00.000-07:00

If you'd been out of media reach over the past fortnight, on your return you'd be forgiven in thinking that you'd been transported into a Grisham novel set as you see the News of The World saga unfold. Two very senior police officers, the Murdochs, Rebekah Brooks and even the Prime Minister have been caught in the firing line or ducking the bullets.

In our modern world of huge, powerful corporates it is easy to see them as untouchable. But the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster and the latest News International phone hacking issues show that even the mightiest is vulnerable if they fail to adopt the basic fundamentals of integrity, responsibility, morality and ethics. A strong corporate ethical code is receiving sharper attention and greater importance and arguably it is of greater shareholder value. Conversely recent headlines have shown that those who sail close to the sun need to watch out for its destructive heat.

Leadership in Farming

2011-07-08T05:59:00.000-07:00

Leadership is many things. It's rewarding, uncomfortable, inspiring, time-consuming and it can be lonely.

Leadership requires courage, a dogged belief in one's causes, vision and boldness. But the overarching measure for good leadership is that the outcome is greater than oneself. Liked, loathed, good, evil or misguided, able leaders inspire passion and a following. They come in many guises.

So what relevance does this have to farming? A great deal. Our industry has a fundamental role to play in Britain's future. Yet I'm often perplexed at how few make the personal pledge to drive and lead our farming sector; how many have all the answers but will not raise a finger to effect change. I'm even more baffled at the criticism directed at those who do take a stand or campaign to make a difference.

Andrew Brown farms 243ha (600 acres) just south of Rutland Water. He is the chairman of the East Midlands NFU regional board, is signed up to HLS and an active communicator within and outside the industry. He says of his peers: "Farmers are very good at moaning, but unless you are prepared to do something about whatever your gripe is, don't moan. We in agriculture will become increasingly important players in government policy decisions, so the need for strong and decisive industry leaders is clear.

"Farmers are often unwilling to put their heads above the parapet and risk being shot at, but it is always better to be shot down in the air than when you are still on the runway. If you make enough noise for long enough, eventually the powers that be will start to take notice."

Peter Morris, chief executive of the National Sheep Industry, has had some challenging times in his role leading and representing the British sheep industry in the UK and Europe. He feels that "the constant knocking of leaders can deter the best people from taking on elected leadership roles, in some cases leaving roles of influence filled by individuals that work to the lowest common denominator, because that is the easiest thing to do".

Leadership in farming businesses is just as important as it is within the wider industry and it can really help grow a business and give it direction.

Robert Lasseter, a pig farmer near Weymouth in Dorset, sees vision, passion and a farm strategy as essential to his business and is doing his "little bit of leadership at home". He has developed the philosophy that the farm is like a retail outlet "open for business all day, every day, 24/7, shelves full".

He says that this allows him the confidence to welcome the farm's frequent visitors at any time, whatever the circumstances, which he says his team enjoys. "We have created a product with a unique selling point, that of having 'the best' animal welfare, and this is a major motivator for our team. We are one of only two commercial UK indoor-breeding units registered with Freedom Foods, and the team takes great pride in achieving that."

Andrew Blenkiron has recently moved from Crichel Estate in Dorset to become estate director at Euston Estate near Thetford; he sees vision and strategy as leadership fundamentals. "I need a clear view and need to know where I am going before I can expect anyone to come with me. Keeping people informed of, and therefore involved in, this vision is vital."

Another common thread for leading and inspiring a farm team is entering and winning awards. Heather Gorringe farms in Herefordshire with husband Phil and runs Wiggly Wigglers, an online "good life" store. She will use her runner-up win in the 2011 Observer Ethical Awards for Online Retailer to inspire her team, as well as to earn a voice to communicate farming to the general public.

Summing up leadership in farming, Andrew Brown says: "Every industry needs forward-thinking, positive leaders who have the passion, drive and vision to meet the challenges which face it in future years. Agriculture is no different, I believe we are about to enter a golden age where farmers and the industry regains the margins and status it has not seen for 60 years, we need the leaders to restore us to our rightful place in modern society."

To leave you with some lingering thoughts, Andrew borrows words from the philosopher Edmund Burke. "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

The Institute of Agricultural Management and the Royal Agricultural College are seeking applicants for the 2012 Leadership Development Programme. All of those quoted in this feature attended this course. Applicants must consider themselves of leadership potential and have a passion for farming. Split into three parts, it runs from 19–24 February 2012 at the Royal Agricultural College, 11–15 March 2012 in Brussels and 30 April–4 May 2012 in London. The cost is £6,000, although funding may be available. Closing date for applications is 31 July; forms can be obtained from Rhonda (Rhonda.Thompson@rac.ac.uk)

Royal Highland Show

2011-06-27T04:18:00.000-07:00

What a pleasure the Highland was last week. Lots of livestock, bacon rolls and chat. The Scottish Food and Farming industry is a vibrant one and the show was a perfect venue to see it all in full flow. All credit too the the Royal Highland Ag Society too for their organisation and also inititatives like the Royal Highland Education Trust which exposes 70,000 Scottish school kids to food and farming education. At the show itself 15,000 kids engaged with cooking demos, interactive play areas and got to meet celebrities like Chris Patterson and Adam Henson. Adam was there as part of his role as the farming ambassador for Lloyds TSB and Bank of Scotland.

Food debate: Horlicks vs Stocking

2011-05-31T07:18:00.000-07:00

Another prime time debate for farming on the Today programme (BBC Radio 4, 31st May) following drought reports last week.

This time a heated debate between Barbara Stocking of Oxfam and investment guru Nicola Horlicks. Oxfam's report 'Growing a Better Future' challenges Governments to bolster their policies to address food price volatility and the need to grow and feed more (they predict 70-90% increase in food demand by 2050). They are also challenging governments to deal with corporates and commodity traders who create some of the food price volatility they say.

Nicola Horlicks had a different notion - she said that external investment and dynamic commodity markets were essential to meet the growing food need challenges - the response won't come from small farmers and cooperatives, but from big business farming.

Where do I sit on this debate? Well probably in sentiment with Oxfam, but the realist in me says that the drive for change will come from those entities that can invest in and profit from their investment. Trade was always, and will ever be, thus.

Words matter - special or essential

2011-05-24T06:09:00.000-07:00

It seems the relationship between the US and the UK has been escalated to an 'essential' one rather than a 'special' one. These words mean something.

This change in tone and description has upped the political posturing of our two nations at an important time - when the BRIC economies and nations strengthen, the middle east continues in its heated exchange amidst its crucial position in oil supply and whilst the western economies still (in the main) struggle to recover from the downturn.

The symbolism of the meeting between Obama and The Queen and of his 'talks' with David Cameron will be much debated and captured over the coming days.

In times when we are losing, rather than gaining power, maybe the change of THE word is a good thing?

Foresight in education

2011-05-23T01:34:00.000-07:00

I love to see step-change and innovation. It doesn't matter what sector, what issue or what the perceptions, a step-change with momentum and support can bring big change. I read a feature in the 14th May colour supplement in the Telegraph on the ARK (Absolute Return for Kids) charity and the Evelyn Grace Academy. For over 1000 kids in Brixton, the Evelyn Grace Academy is giving them the tools and opportunity to choose what they want from life.

The school cost £38million to build and it was built by monies from the Ark charity, a charity founded 10 years ago by the French financier Arpad Busson to raise the bar for children living in the most disadvantaged communities. Last year Ark received £400 million from its donors to support its children's welfare programmes across the world. The school also received £2million in private contribution from David Gorton, the school's key Governor.

Evelyn Grace is one of 8 such schools, 6 in London, one in Birmingham and one in Portsmouth.

Brixton has a history of being a deprived area and, at times, a troubled area. Many of the children love coming to school because it is an escape from their home lives. This academy is strict in a 1950s style way (without the corporal punishment), it treats every child as an individual and it is very over subscribed with applicants 4:1. Quoted kids say things like you're singled out if you're an academic 'nerd' in most schools, in this school it's the opposite. Here kids are encouraged to fulfil their potential.

The core values at Evelyn Grace are self-discipline, endeavour and excellence with an unshakeable belief that deployment of the first two will achieve the last. Ark draws its philosophy, particularly its belief in the small school model, from the American Charter School movement, which has an emphasis on academic rigour, discipline and strong relationships with caring adults. Counsellors (16 I think) are on hand to deal with any personal issues amongst the children.

Teachers are the ones that 'get' the model and have boundless enthusiasm for the children. As a result of the teachers and the structure, these kids have high aspirations and drive.

What a refreshing feature this was to read. So often education and schooling is criticised... this approach and this place deserves huge praise. To read the feature go to: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/8497435/Inner-city-academy-thats-a-blueprint-for-the-future.html

Scottish elections - wow

2011-05-06T03:23:00.000-07:00

At time of writing this there are just under half of the Scottish seats declared from yesterday's elections (60 of 129 seats). The Scottish system is geared to us having no overall majority for any one party... but wow, it looks like the SNP will romp home to do just this. They need to get 65 seats for majority rule.

The politics of Scotland are exciting, Alex Salmond (like him or not) is exciting. Salmond will win this election for the SNP - he is vocal, combabtive, engagin and Scottish people beleive in him.

Personally, I see the SNP is good for farming and food which is why I support Salmond. Farmers in Scotland benefit from on time single farm payments, Scottish Rural Development funding and political engagement/interest in farming and food.

We've yet to see what the final outcome will be. But it just shows what a strong, forceful and engaged leader can do... against all the odds.

Salmond's next battleground will be Scottish Independence. For the record, I'm not for it. There is more power and strength in the UK as a collective. But the devolved regions (as seen in Scotland) bring local differences, sector differences and approaches which challenge the whole political arena and... from a personal point of view I think devolution has made politics very exciting.

X, Y and Z generations - what does it mean for the future?

2011-05-03T10:37:00.000-07:00

On holiday last week the differences between the X and Y generations came up twice - so I thought it deserved a bit more investigation and definitely a blog entry! Why the interest from me? Well both conversations came up with friends who work for large corporates which are using this social categorisation for planning things like how offices/places of work will be used (or not given the rise in mobile technology) and how people will be recruited/trained.

I'm from the X generation - born 1966-76 (some say up to '82). Some of the reading is not very complimentary! I'm from a generation of “latchkey” kids, exposed to lots of daycare and divorce. Fellow X generations, we are “the generation that dropped out without ever turning on the news or tuning in to the social issues around them,”(or so says Newsweek). Gen-X-ers are proprtedly sceptical but are some of the best educated, with 29% having obtained a bachelor's degree or higher. We are a cautious generation and we have a relatively recent uptake of technology, but in the main we are technologically engaged.

4 of my siblings (I'm one of 6) are from the Y generation born 1977-94 (some say after '82). The Gen-Y-ers are sophisticated, technology savvy and much more independently minded. They are hard to influence because of their diverse means of accessing media (internet, scoail media, extensive TV networks, internet/satellite radio etc.) Gen-Y-ers are often raised in dual income households and involved in purchasing decisions, so they are savvy on what things cost and what choices are available. I would argue that the myriad of options and opportunities makes for low attention span and less inquisitive souls... but that's just my view.

So what? Well, it seems many corporates are structuring their workplaces, graduate trainee programmes and career mentoring to cater for the new-to-workplace Gen-Y-ers. Things like because they are so technologically savvy, they can work on the move, don't need an office base; some companies are even thinking of relinquishing office space in anticipation of the cost-savings this techno-wave could bring to traditional bricks and mortar office space. Training programmes are being tailored to the Y-Gens' heightened awareness of their 'self' and their value... expectations are higher, menial jobs at the bottom of the office ladder are not longer expected nor tolerated... so look out us out-dated Gen-X-ers... the Y geneartion are hot on our heels and want to see us doing the virtual filing and making the coffee!

As for generation Z, well technology will be bread and butter for these guys, as will a heightened awareness of their economic and physical environment. In Western economies, maybe the legacy of debt, aging populations and greater environmental challenges will bring the whole cycle full circle to make them similar to the hard-working doers and builders of the post-WW2 era - but with the added bonus of modern technology to help. I hope so.

Germany still makes things and it's growing as fast as China

2011-04-18T13:55:00.000-07:00

Now who'd have believed that one of the Western economies hit by the economic downturn is now growing so fast that the European Central Bank is going to impose yet another interest rate rise to prevent the economy from overheating. Germany is the shining star. Because it still manufactures, on a large scale. Think of their brands and businesses - Volkswagen, Mercedes, BASF, Bayer... all very successful companies which have weathered a number of storms over the decades. Not least the most recent recession which affected all sectors, but particularly automotive, construction and manufacturing - all markets that these companies supplied.

Germany's return to industrial growth is only recent - according the the FT 'German industrial growth was similar to that of other big western European economies during the last cycle' I presume that means when the stats were last run, which you'd assume was either quarterly or annually - either way... growth is growth - and it's against the odds.

According to the FT, Germany's industrial production is growing at an annual rate of 14.8% which is almost identical to China's 14.9% growth. The US equivalent statistic is 5.8% and France 5.6%.

Like China, Germany’s growth is reliant on exports. The FT warns though, like China’s, it brings with it the risk of overheating. "Wholesale prices are inflating at 10.9 per cent per year, the most since October 1981." This "evidence of unhealthy price pressures" is why the European Central Bank has started raising interest rates before the US or the UK.

Whatever the fiscal analysis may be - I think it's great that the Germans are pulling this off. It shows... it still pays to make things. And, although we don't manufacture in primary production (farming) - we do produce a saleable commodity or value-added goods which is why, in commercial terms, I think it's a cracking industry to be in.

Please note - these are my thoughts and comments with some reference to editorial run in the FT (see FT.com) on 14th April 2011.

Public perceptions of farmers - your views please

2011-04-13T06:21:00.000-07:00

I've started a study on what the public's perceptions are of farmers and why it matters. I plan to conduct a review of recent similar studies around the world to see what we can learn and apply here in the UK, but more importantly to make some recommendations on how we can comminicate what matters better. The end goal is to contribute to the debate on how British farmers can take more control of their own marketing and gain more value for their produce.

We have an industry to be proud of, but we also don't get the value nor the recognition nor appropriate reward for what our farmers do. Nor do we play masters of our own destiny. I want to contribute to the understanding and debate.

If you would like to take part in an online survey that I will be running during July and August 2011, please leave me a message and your email address and I will send you a link to the survey. In return, I will also send you a copy of my final report in November 2011.

I will also capture any comments you make to me via this blog or directly.

Western world losing ground on science

2011-04-02T08:13:00.000-07:00

I wasn't surprised to read that the Royal Society says that the western world is losing ground to countries like Brazil and India in becoming leaders in science. Also countries including Iran, Turkey and Tunisia are rapidly emerging 'scientific superpowers'.

The countries mentioned in the report 'Knowledge, Networks and Nations: Global scientific collaboration in the 21st century' invest in education and in key, core subject areas like science and engineering. They also invest more in R&D. Apparently between 2002-2007 global spending on R&D rose by 45%, in the developing nations it had increased by 100% over the same time period.

There are two areas of concern for me, one is science education the other is R&D spend within the UK.

My fear is that the disparity in energy, enthusiasm and investment between countries is creating a self-fulfilling prophecy for the UK (and possibly other former science supercountries like the USA and Japan) that we are going to be so structurally lacking that we can no longer produce our own scientists, nor our own science.

Given that we have a future which is going to be incredibly reliant on new technologies, isn't our approach short-sighted in the extreme? I know the public purse is reduced to barely a few coppers, but surely this is an area of extreme importance and this report a wake-up call.

Back in November of last year, I heard Digby Jones say that Britain has two very important products to sell to the emerging economies (outside our banking/commerce offerings) they are 'value-added goods' and 'know how' -to sell 'know how' we need to develop it first, otherwise they will be selling it to us!

China - scale of its impact is mindblowing

2011-03-24T04:31:00.000-07:00

A couple of China features in the FT yesterday really got me thinking.

With a population of 1.4bn and rapidly growing, China is now the world's biggest exporter and second biggest importer (after the USA). It is the global trader we are all watching because it can tip the balance in so many ways - currency flow, political power, agricultural commodities, value-added goods.

It's the value-added goods that have interested me this week. As the country's affluence grows (mainly the 300 million in the south east of China) their demand for western value-added goods will grow. It is already doing so and the car market is a good case in point.

There 70million family cars in China (4-5% of the population owns them), car production in China has gone up from 5,000 (yes 5 thousand) cars 30 years ago to 11million last year. These stats compare with 70% car ownership in the USA - so car ownership equivalent of 220million in a total US population of 300million. China anticipates the saturation point of car ownership is 200million. That is a huge leap in manufacturing and, importantly raw material and oil consumption.

Spin the story out further still into economics and social factors. There is a big social factor to China's car ownership aspirations... they see cars as an extension of their personality in a state which encourages unifomity in all the citizens to/say. People pimp their rides big time (huge market for car accessories) they also use cars for scoail interaction (massive uptake of car club joining, racing etc.) Would you beleive one of the accessory manufacturers is also developing prosthetic limbs to replace those lost in car accidents by over exuberant young drivers... I just couln't believe this when I read it.

The other point I mentioned was economics - the Chinese market is so important to global manufaturers, their wants and tastes are influencing manufacturing - and not just for utility vehicles/4x4s which are so popular, also for the premium cars. Last year Mercedes Benz flew groups of 100 Chinese customers to Germany and LA to give feedback on the features they wanted for luxury cars. China is the third largets market for Mercedes after Germany and the USA (their sales rose by 115% last year in China). The sort of thing the Chinese customers want are reclining seats in the back of the car, the ability to log on to the internet from the reclining seat in the back of the car. BMW is seeing similar trends 39% of its Q4 operating profits were from China.

So we anticipate China to have a real impact on the commodity markets, global politics and currency... but their influence and spend on value-added goods will be massive, and given that we do 'value-added' so well, there is huge opportunity begging in this massive beast of a country.

Neat idea AirBnB - eBay of spaces - people's spare rooms

2011-03-22T04:43:00.000-07:00

Now here's a good idea. AirBnB is a website which promotes people's spare rooms, holiday cottages or empty houses for tourists to use. Neat idea. The idea after the co-founders let blow up mattresses on their floor during a busy conference. It's even diversified into storage space, cars etc.

Look at this place in Notting Hill - $139/night for two people - bargain: http://www.airbnb.com/rooms/37094

See: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8397476/Airbnb-the-website-that-wants-to-help-you-rent-your-spare-room.html

Carbon scrubbers - Wow

2011-03-18T03:56:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of carbon scrubbers? Amazing technology, plastic coated with a carbon absorbing agent absorbs CO2, it can then be rinsed to remove the carbon and re-used.

The technology basically traps CO2 from the air. A plastic coating agent absorbs carbon dioxide as air moves over the surface. A single scrubber the size of a shipping container could capture a ton of CO2 (the production from an average of 75 US cars).

Once the plastic surface has collected the carbon, it can be rinsed with water vapour which removes the lightly bound CO2 from the plastic leaves. The filters can then be returned to the scrubber to start again. The CO2 can then be serparated from the water and compressed... so what next.

Well, the compressed CO2 can then be pumped underground - either to flush out hard to reach oil reserves (oil companies currently buy CO2 to do this) or could be pumped into brine aquifers half a mile down into the earth's core and stored as a liquid. Another option is to inject the CO2 into volcanic basalt which lies under the oceans - and it could then be stored as a carbonate mineral.

What us humans are capable of doing... it doesn't mean we can carry on producing more and more carbon, but it does show we may have the technologies coming to help.

Economic power shifts east

2011-03-15T04:56:00.000-07:00

For a non-economist, watching the shift in economic and trading power since the Lehman Brothers client exodus in 2008 has been scarily fascinating. The powerful economies - Germany, USA, Japan, UK have all suffered. For Japan the suffering has become more accute as they deal with rebuilding their country as well as their economy. The shift in economic power has been significant and rapid. Goldman Sachs has made a prediction of economy size over the coming 40 years. Their prediction is that by 2050 China will overtake the US as No1 economy followed by India hot on the USA's heals. Other flourishing economies are predicted to be Brazil and Russia. It makes interesting brain fodder for us non-economists, because if you overlay political power, population growth, agricultural production and consumption, water shortages and energy issues... what will the political and economic landscape look like come 2050?

2050 Rank		Country Name	2000 GDP	2010 GDP	2020 GDP	2030 GDP	2040 GDP	2050 GDP
1	CHN	China	1078	2998	7070	14312	26439	44453
*	EU	European Union *	9395	12965	16861	21075	28323	35288
2	USA	United States	9825	13271	16415	20833	27229	35165
3	IND	India	469	929	2104	4935	12367	27803
4	JPN	Japan	4176	4601	5221	5810	6039	6673
5	BRA	Brazil	762	668	1333	2189	3740	6074
6	RUS	Russia	391	847	1741	2980	4467	5870
7	UK	United Kingdom	1437	1876	2285	2649	3201	3782
8	GER	Germany	1875	2212	2524	2697	3147	3603
9	FRA	France	1311	1622	1930	2267	2668	3148
10	ITA	Italy	1078	1337	1553	1671	1788	2061

Japan - where next for farming and what can the UK learn?

2011-03-14T05:02:00.000-07:00

Seth Wareing from Keenan (one of my clients) has just been to Japan to share cattle feeding knowledge and techniques as the Japanese strive to dramatically reverse their reliance on imported food. Japan is currently only 40% self sufficient in food (lowest of any of the developed nations; in the UK we are 59% self-sufficient). The Japanese Government is pushing hard for increased food production and domestic food consumption (rice, fish and vegetables).

But this background combined with the awful aftermath of the earthquake will leave this quest for more domestic production blighted. The local Government in the Sendai area has been trying to encourage young people back to farming and fishing (most farmers are over 65, and most rice farmers over 70). It looks like it will take a long time to rebuild this region... but how long will it take to rebuild and re-energise farming in the area given that it was only just starting before the Quake?

In a time when the UK's domestic food production is at an all time low, maybe we should take note of what's happened in Japan - maintaining British food prodcution capability for the future is key. How would we fare if our self-sufficiency went down to 40%? how would we re-build our production capability? what would it cost to do it? How would a natural disaster/reduction in production capability in a key agricultural region in the UK affect us economically and practically?

As we watch Japan with sadness and horror at nature's might... politicians and food companies take note - support British farming - or lose it.

Playing God

2011-03-11T07:01:00.000-08:00

The Today programme this morning reported on the work at Newcastle Uni on 3-parent IVF. Very clever and very worthy. Basically, where there are risks of genetically associated defects/diseases in babies linked with mitochonrial DNA (i.e. heart failure, musclar problems), the mitochondrial DNA (carried on the female line) can be obtained from another woman, with the rest of the genetic material coming from the mother and the father. Apparently the amount of genetic material in mitochondrial DNA is very small - 13 protein producing genes versus 23,000 genes inherited from the parents.

However, an ethical debate has arisen about the 'third parent' and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has been asked to assess the technique. I have to say, as much as I marvel at science and reserach like this... I do wonder whether this is taking one step too close to playing God.

Crazy policies to be debated by Guild of Ag Journos

2011-03-08T09:45:00.000-08:00

There's a great line up of content and speakers at the Guild of Ag Journalists' Press day on the 17th March - see: http://www.gaj.org.uk/dates-deadlines. Sadly I can't attend. Two topics in particular are close to my heart and raise my blood pressure - The role and consumer perceptions of genetic modification (GM) and practical and novel ways to control pests following EU pesticide bans.

For all the EU political rhetoric on food sustainability - the left hand really doesn't even know that there is a right hand, let alone that it doesn't know what it is doing! I'll give you an example, I was in Denmark a fortnight ago, and I was told about the Danes' Green Growth plan, which is basically a pesticide tax. It has been in a political log jam for some time, but the intent is that it WILL become law.

Basically, in Denmark, crop protection chemicals will be taxed on 4 key factors, the toxicity of the product, the environmental impact (i.e. effects on bees/earthworms etc.), the environmental fate of the product and a basic tax on the amount of active ingredient in the product. I certainly don't disagree with the sentiment at all; however, with a crop like potatoes which need up to 8 sprays against potato blight in a growing season, a tax of around £25/treatment will certgainly make potato production in Denmark untenable. So what then... there is talk of subsidising farmers against these costs so that they continue to grow the crop. Crazy, crazy politics.

The same is true of GM - one day we will need to uyse biotech. Period. But we have little or no expreience of it in Europe - conjouring up biotech varieties and systems quickly and robustly WILL not and CANNOT happen overnight.

Stop the crazy policies - let's get some balance going on here.

New technology key to feeding the world

2011-03-07T05:39:00.000-08:00

If you haven't seen the report in the Economist on the need for new technologies to feed the word - then you must. The link is here: http://www.economist.com/node/18200606/print

Long has it been an issue for me that the mainstream media follows the mantra that technologies like GM are bad - not taking the time to really understand what new technologies there are out there and how they might help square the circle of too many mouths, environmental constraints, sustainability etc. This feature is great - the journalist(s) have taken the time to understand, to communicate and to explore the arguments for an against.

Well done The Economist!

Profiting from food inflation

2010-08-23T00:58:00.000-07:00

My first blog spoke of UK Faming plc being seen through 'opportunity goggles' by many including investors, carbon traders etc. Article in the Daily Telegraph gives top tips on how to profit from food inflation... and guess what, agriculture majors in ways to make a quick buck. If you have some money to invest, the journalist, Emma Wall, suggests 10 ways to get started. The article also highlights the number of agriculturally focused investment funds. For her article see: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/investing/7955733/10-ways-to-profit-from-food-inflation.html

So what does Emma suggest? Here's her top tips:

Invest in Agriculture ETFs (exchange traded funds)
Buy Tesco shares
Invest in Eclectica Agriculture Fund
Invest in Unilever shares
Invest in Morrisons shares (Morrisons now has a stake in the whole supply chain in the UK, including farming, abattoirs as well as retail)
Invest in Aberdeen Emerging Markets Fund (fund managers say changes in food groups required in emerging markets and the increase in food demand will drive investment opportunities in agricultural production)
Buy Sainsbury's shares (Sainsbury's has a strong connection with producers - seems to see it as a core part of their ethos)
Buy Associated British Food shares
Invest in Sarasin Agrisar Fund - Sarasin invests in the agricultural supply chain: from machinery to supermarkets, including fertiliser producers, irrigation developers and salmon farming.
Invest in Landkom - This Aim-listed company owns land in Ukraine that yields many wheat and some rapeseed crops. Unaffected by the recent fires in Russia and poised to benefit from its neighbour’s export restrictions

Fisherman from Faroes ignore quotas

2010-08-19T03:57:00.000-07:00

Fishermen in Peterhead stopped fishermen from the Faroe Islands from unloading their catch of 1,000 tonnes of mackerel at Peterhead dock this week. This is the second time this has happened in a fortnight. The North East of Scotland has already faced a huge cut in the fishing fleet driven by quota, capital required to fish and declining fish stocks. I can understand their anger. The Icelanders and Faroe Islands have raised their mackerel quotas in defiance of international agreements. Concerns, rightly, are for Scottish fishermen's livelihood as well as furhter declining stocks. See: http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1876947?UserKey=

The big issues - farming solution or problem?

2010-08-10T04:16:00.000-07:00

History, policy and circumstance have governed British farming and arguably made us a pawn in other people’s games. Committing to long-term investment, direction and focus in farming is tricky given the short-term nature of policies, markets and contracts. But maybe our time is here and our time is now.

Britain’s perfect storm is brewing driven by budget deficit, extremes in social strata and an overworked national health service. Add to this the dilemmas of overpopulation, carbon footprints, energy, and water and food security and anyone could be forgiven for wanting to batten down the hatches.

These challenges seem a long way from the farm gate, but I reckon, as an industry we have the physical space, the resources and the skill set to deliver many potential solutions at a time when policy makers are desperate for ideas. I pose just some of ‘the signs’:

Society: Brits are living longer, communities are fractured and, for many, access to green space activities is limited. Obesity, substance abuse, lifestyle and age-related conditions are a growing drain on the NHS.
Water: Water shortages already impact beyond Britain’s occasional and familiar ‘hose-pipe bans’ i.e. East Anglian farmers lose £25m/year from dry conditions. The controversial and visionary 5,000 acre Thames Valley Reservoir planned for 2025 will be vital to the water security for the 8.5 million people living in the London/Thames Valley region.
Energy: Nuclear power and renewables have remained the focus for the coalition government. Energy Minister Charles Hendry has stated that there is a need to “decarbonise society while securing our energy supplies” which will require “£200bn of new investment over the next 10-15 years”.

Already others are seeing farming and farmland through ‘opportunity goggles’, including investors, government, carbon traders, biofuel producers and the food chain. But right now, it is them that are largely calling the shots, and not Britain’s farmers. How about we call them ourselves? If we play it right, collaborate, engage with the right agendas and invest soundly, the many diverse assets held by British Farming plc could deliver desperately needed solutions for society’s future.

Imagine the headlines in 2050:

For sale: Award-winning Tranquil Farm™ Carbon neutral care home set in young woodland overlooking established lake; being sold in 4 lots with micro-farm for seasonal vegetable/fruit production including free-range poultry unit and packing/processing premises. Self-sufficient in energy and water.
For Sale: Exceptionally high rainfall hill farm in North Wales with established water collection and distribution to Birmingham and the West Midlands
Investment opportunity: biomass and composting farm with planning permission for small ‘hub’ community incorporating biomass CHP plant, school, health centre and 30 zero emission 1, 2 and 3-bedroom houses.

Or will we see:

Family visit: EuroDisney Anglia FarmTheme Park – see how farming used to be in the UK
Land wanted: Air freight business importing 60% of the UK’s meat, dairy and fresh foodstuffs seeks 10ha for expansion

It’s a big vision, but could the challenges that society faces provide an invaluable opportunity for British farming? Could we become an indispensible part of the fabric and future of our country? Or will we remain a pawn in someone else’s game?