Beeston Hall Farm
want to find ways of not giving
any money at all. Hopefully
this can be addressed as there
is presently a major shortfall
of farmers entering into the
new deals. We have a great
relationship with the RSPB
and our landlords, Yorkshire
Water. It would be wrong for
our next agreement to be so
unrealistic.
‘The impact of what is
happening will affect other
local businesses too. Those not
re-entering into stewardship
schemes will then not be able
to give work to the likes of
dry stone wallers and fencing
contractors. So there is a bigger
picture here.
‘I’m also very concerned
that our treasury ring-fences
what we would have received
through the EU. I’m not 100
per cent convinced that
is happening at present.
Agriculture was made a lot of
promises prior to Brexit and
we need to make sure they are
delivered.’
Rachel is keen on getting
messages across both to
and from farmers in the West
Riding.
‘Let’s all start talking to
each other – farmers, Natural
England, the Environment
Agency, supermarkets. We are
integral to what each other
does. Farmers have traditionally
been very good at being
isolated, but increasingly many
more are now thinking about
what happens next when the
produce leaves the farmyard.
We need to get everyone
to engage and understand
everybody’s piece of the food
and environment jigsaw.
‘In the South Pennines we
get shelved a bit because
although we are hill farms,
we’ve not got National Park
status like the Peak District and
the Yorkshire Dales. We need
to talk to each more about
problems and how we might be
able to help each other. Equally,
we need to understand other
farmers in different areas of
our county. Should I care when
an arable area gets flooded in
Selby? Of course I should - not
just because he or she is still
a farmer but also because if
wheat or barley crops are lost
then our feed price goes up.
We all need to understand each
other and what we do.’
It was another chance
meeting that brought about
the start of the Salers cattle
operation at Beeston Hall
that now sees them with 90
breeding cows and 220 head
overall.
‘They’re hardy, go outside
on rough land which we have
plenty of and are such good
mothers. They spit a calf out
without any problem at all.
I liked them straight away
for their colouring, size and
temperament. They’re used
to being much higher up than
here. We’re at 1300 feet, but
in France they graze at around
4000 feet. We bought a few
while we still had the dairy
cows and also bought a bull.
Everything started coming
together around 2004-6. Our
landlords saw what we were
doing and helped us put up a
building. We’ve since added
another and are looking to
expand to 120 cows.
NFU MUTUAL AT ELLAND IS PROUD TO BE
ASSOCIATED WITH BEESTON HALL FARM
Taking the time to offer you attentive, personal, local service for your insurance, pensions and investments.
Call 01422 310 225 for a quote or pop in
NFU Mutual Office, Unit A4, Old Power Way,
Lowfields Business Park, Elland, HX5 9DE
Agent of The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited.
54 Summer 2017 www.farmers-mart.co.uk