The Farmers Mart Jun-Jul 2019 - Issue 63 | Page 14

14 FARM NEWS
JUN/JUL 2019 • farmers-mart.co.uk
PROACTIVE STEPS MUST BE TAKEN
TO PROTECT FROM FLOODING
THIS week the Environment Agency
launched an eight-week consultation look-
ing at its new flood strategy. Simeon Disley,
partner at Roythornes Solicitors and head
of the firm’s water and flood management
team, warns that proactive steps must be
taken to protect from flooding.
The launch of the Environment Agency’s
consultation on its flood strategy is a timely
reminder that those at risk, particularly in
rural areas, should take proactive steps to
protect themselves.
Farmers and landowners should look to
take control of their own flood protection
as government planning will certainly prior-
itise areas with higher populations. Conse-
quently, there will be competition between
towns and communities seeking public
funding in order to improve flood defences.
Farmers and landowners in less populated
areas must step forward to make their case
for the protection of their areas, they can-
not expect others to do it for them.
Neighbours also need to collaborate.
Flood water has no respect for farm bound-
aries and those who share a risk in an area
should come together to present a com-
bined plan and case for their protection.
Accordingly, farmers and landowners
may also need to contribute to the cost of
their flood protection as it is not realistic to
expect public funds to pay for the entire
defence system. Those who are prepared
to contribute in kind or in cash will add
value to their proposals and be more likely
to get public support.
Roythornes recently acted for 14 land-
owners and four farming tenants who came
together to form a partnership with the
Witham Fourth District Internal Drainage
Board to significantly improve a 5.8 km
section of the sea bank around The Wash.
As a result, we saw the first substantial
improvements to The Wash flood defences
since 1982.
By improving flood defences through
partnerships between landowners and
internal drainage boards, great efficiencies
can be achieved. The value for each pound
spent can be more than doubled when
compared to the standard public procure-
ment methods.
The future will therefore be about
demonstrating the importance of the land
you are trying to protect and the value for
money for the country as a whole. Farmers
and landowners should start preparing
their best possible cases now ready for
the conclusion of the consultation in eight
weeks’ time.
www.roythornes.co.uk
JOHN DEERE AWARDS TOP APPRENTICES
A total of 31 young service technicians have
formally graduated from the latest John
Deere Ag Tech and Turf Tech advanced ap-
prenticeship programmes, which are run in
partnership with national training provider
ProVQ at the purpose-built John Deere
Apprentice Training Centre in Radcliffe-on-
Trent, Nottinghamshire.
Apprentice of the Year for 2018 was Henry
Smith of Cornthwaite Agricultural Ltd in
Ormskirk, who received a crystal plaque,
winner’s certificate and a John Deere
tool kit worth £500. The runners-up were
Martyn Burnett of HRN Tractors Ltd, Insch
and William Storr of Rea Valley Tractors,
Sudbury, who each received a certificate
and high street vouchers worth £250.
The annual apprentice graduation
ceremony was held at the East Midlands
Conference Centre on the University of
Nottingham campus for the first time, with
the students’ parents and dealer represent-
atives also invited to celebrate the occa-
sion. John Deere Limited managing director
Jonathan Henry presented the apprentices
with their graduation certificates, while af-
ter-dinner guest speaker and TV presenter
Guy Martin, together with ProVQ chairman
Julian Lloyd, handed over the three appren-
tice of the year awards.
These awards are based on the trainees’
consistently high standards of work, both at
their dealerships and at the training centre,
over the three years of the apprentice-
ship. In addition, all central government
approved apprenticeships in England now
require an end-point assessment, over and
above the log of work progress that was
kept for each apprentice before last year.
The majority of the 2018 graduates were
therefore the first John Deere technicians to
qualify under the new EPA rules.
John Deere’s three-year Ag Tech and
Turf Tech and two-year Parts Tech appren-
ticeships involve students being trained in
engineering, electronics, hydraulics, diag-
nostics, communication skills, computing,
sales and marketing. The programmes lead
to IMI Level 2 & 3 Diplomas in Landbased
Engineering and Vehicle Parts Competence,
and registration at LTA Intermediate level in
the industry’s Landbased Training Accredi-
tation scheme.
New student intakes are in September
each year; apprentices need to be resi-
dent in the UK, sponsored by a John Deere
dealer and aged 16 or over. The standard
programmes include on-the-job training
and assessment as well as eight weeks each
year at the John Deere Apprentice Training
Centre.
apprenticeshipfinder.co.uk/john-deere