4 EDITOR’S INTRO
OCT/NOV 2018 • farmers-mart.co.uk
I’m coming to the end of
my first year as editor
of Farmers Mart, and it’s
been an eventful one.
THIS year was the first time I
had the opportunity to attend
the Great Yorkshire Show and
the Lincolnshire Show, both
were great events to attend,
and we had great weather for
both, though I do recall Lincoln
being a little windy. The last
time I managed to get to a
show was back when I was
living in Wales, which was a
few years ago, so it was great
to be able to attend two this
year. I managed to meet some
very interesting members of
the farming community at both
shows, and we were fortunate
enough to feature several of
them in the magazine. We’d
also like to congratulate Mark
Greensit, winner of the Russell’s
tractor competition at the Great
Yorkshire Show, be sure to
read our article on Mark in this
issue.
The topic of weather hasn’t
been far from anyone’s minds
this year, and the changing
climate is of particular con-
cern to the farming industry
and everyone in it. From snow
and very low temperatures at
the start of the year, causing
sheep farmers to lose prized
livestock to an extremely wet
spring that led to late planting,
and low yields. Then to top it
off we had a long period of hot,
dry weather, which was great
for those on holiday, including
myself, spending a glorious
week in Cornwall, but it’s had a
devastating effect on the farm-
ing industry; with large swathes
of the countryside becoming
Summer’s drought spurs on
efforts to reduce peat use
parched
and a spate of wildfires that
devastated areas of outstand-
ing beauty as well as large
areas of valuable farm land.
This year has been one of the
hottest on record, even hotter
than 1976, which was famous-
ly followed by an extremely
hard winter. The Met Office has
already warned that we could
see another such winter this
year, which could mean up to
four months of cold conditions.
To this end we have included a
preparation for winter feature,
to help get ready for the worst
that Mother Nature could possi-
bly throw at us.
To round off the year, we
also have an ATV feature
focusing on ensuring they’re
well maintained, along with
upgrading and renewing your
ATVs. Another piece this month
is looking at Siromer Tractors, a
family-run business that makes
owning a tractor more afforda-
ble to both the farmer and
small holdings, plus Darlington
Farmers Auction Mart recently
announced that work will begin
shortly on the long-awaited
new Northern Agricultural
Centre and Mart, which is great
news.
I look forward to 2019 and
hope it’s a fantastic year for all
farmers, and everyone living
and working in rural commu-
nities.
Well that’s all for now folks,
enjoy the magazine and have a
great Christmas and New Year.
Editor, Jason
INDUSTRY research and innovation on alterna-
tives to using peat in commercial horticulture will be
showcased at a series of AHDB events this autumn.
The hot dry summer has increased the urgency
to shift to responsibly-sourced growing media.
Professional horticulturalists have until 2030 to hit
a voluntary target of phasing out peat use in com-
mercial production, a target set in the Defra 25 Year
Environment Plan.
The latest Defra stats from 2015 suggest peat ac-
counts for around 50 per cent of all growing media
materials used in horticulture
A joint project funded by AHDB, Defra and growing
media manufacturers could speed up the transition
to responsibly sourced growing media use to reduce
peat use in horticulture.
Alternative growing media is currently in develop-
ment, using blends of coir, bark, wood-fibre or green
compost, however all require different commercial
irrigation regimes. This adds to the challenge for
growers to understand which is the best peat-free
or reduced-peat blend, and how best to manage it
within their production system, particularly during
the recent dry weather.
Dairy and fresh produce sales
lead the way as the organic
market continues to grow
THE Soil Association has her-
alded the continued success of
organic farming as sales grew by
4% in 2018, continuing a trend that
has seen seven consecutive years
of growth.
Despite an exceptionally cold
winter and hot, dry summer,
organic dairy and fresh produce
sales continue to be drivers of
growth for the organic mar-
ket, with both sectors showing
impressive figures over the 12
months to end June 2018 [Nielsen
Scantrack].
ISSUE 59 • OCT/NOV 2018
For more news, views and stories from
the number one farming guide in the
North, visit www.farmers-mart.co.uk
Helen Browning organic farm (C) Soil
Association_Graham Robertson
Organic produce sales grew by
5.3%, while dairy – the largest over-
all market sector for organic – saw
sales increase by 3.5%. Both catego-
ries’ growth comfortably exceeded
sales growth of their non-organic
counterparts.
Liz Bowles, Soil Association’s
Head of Farming, said: “We know
that interest in organic food has
been growing in recent years and
it’s great to see farmers continue to
be rewarded for growing food as it
should be, with no artificial additives
and fewer pesticides.” Consumer
research1 undertaken by Soil As-
sociation found several key factors
that have bolstered the continued
growth in these categories, research
that appears to be supported by
this summer’s sales figures2.
The research found that ‘health-
iness’ and ‘taste & inspiration’ are
increasingly important to consum-
ers. The growth in fresh produce is
in line with this trend, as health-con-
scious consumers increasingly look
to organic as a signifier of health,
particularly amongst younger
demographics.
www.soilassociation.org