The Farmers Mart Dec-Jan 2019 - Issue 60 | Page 11

FARM NEWS 11
• DEC/JAN 2019
British Wool
- stronger
together at
65th Annual
Conference
British Wool held its
65th Annual Conference
last week at the Cedar
Court Hotel, Bradford,
providing an update on
the benefits delivered
by a refocused strategy.
BRITISH Wool is focusing on two key are-
as - increasing value per kilo and improving
operational efficiency. Some of the projects
delivered so far include:
• A new tactical approach to structuring
auctions, allowing trends and buy-
ing patterns to be analysed ahead of
each sale. This has helped to support
prices.
• A new office in Shanghai, China, which
opened in October 2018, designed to
support local marketing and allow Brit-
ish Wool to penetrate new markets.
• Ongoing marketing of British wool as
a distinct quality fibre, explaining its
unique features and benefits in a way
that is relevant to each product range.
This activity is delivered through retail-
ers, consumer facing digital advertising
channels, and at carefully selected
consumer focused shows such as
Grand Designs.
• Delivery of a c£600,000 labour cost
saving during the 2017 season.
SHEEP MEAT HEADING
TO INDIA IN NEW
EXPORT DEAL
Sheep meat from the UK will soon be heading to India for the first time in
a deal which could be worth around £6 million over the next five years.
THE agreement, which covers a wide
range of sheep meat cuts, is another fan-
tastic boost for farmers and producers in
the UK – with sheep meat exports already
worth £386 million internationally.
It comes after a detailed process of
inspections and negotiations led by the
Department for Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs (Defra) alongside the Agricul-
ture and Horticulture Development Board
(AHDB), the FSA, UKECP, DAERA, APHA and
others.
‘
Access to this new
market is the result
of ongoing work by
government, AHDB and
key industry stakeholders
and provides us
with another non-
European market’
’
AHDB International Market Develop-
ment Director Dr Phil Hadley said: “India
represents a smaller market for our sheep
meat exports but one with the potential
for future growth due to its growing popu-
lation and income.
“Access to this new market is the
result of ongoing work by government,
AHDB and key industry stakeholders and
provides us with another non-European
market for our sheep meat exports”
www.ahdb.org.uk
MPS UNITE TO SUPPORT
UPLAND FARMING
The Countryside Alliance has worked with a cross party group of MPs to help table
an amendment to the Agriculture Bill to support upland farming post Brexit.
THE amendment would allow financial
assistance under a new agricultural policy
to be provided for the purpose of “support-
ing upland landscapes and communities”
alongside other purposes set out in the
Bill, which include rewarding farmers who
protect or improve the environment and
support public access.
The Agriculture Bill provides the frame-
work for a new agricultural policy in Eng-
land, Wales and Northern Ireland outside
the EU. The Government has confirmed
that it will move away from direct income
support in favour of payments for certain
types of environmental/public goods along
with providing funds to support produc-
tivity. The Countryside Alliance has argued
that supporting upland landscapes and
communities is a public good and should be
included in the Bill.
The amendment has been tabled by
Helen Goodman MP, whose constituency
of Bishop Auckland includes 400 sheep
farmers, most of whom are in upland areas.
It has support from MPs across the House
of Commons, including former Conserva-
tive minister, Sir Nicholas Soames MP, and
former Liberal Democrat leader, Tim Farron
MP.
The amendment will be considered when
the Bill returns to the House of Commons
for its final stages before going to the House
of Lords. No date for this has yet been set.
www.countryside-alliance.org