Farmer Focus: We thought the government had our backs
© Tim Scrivener A new year dawns. Last year was momentous: packed, challenging, and vastly enjoyable throughout.
The first big event for me was the British Cattle Breeders Conference in January, which I chaired.
From there it was straight to Manchester for the Agrileader event.
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This was an amazing opportunity for personal growth, which I would recommend highly to all involved in agribusiness.
The latter half of the winter was challenging and wet, and the cattle found new and ingenious ways to get sick or die.
In April, at the National Beef Association (NBA) Beef Event at North West Auctions, I quizzed the agricultural representatives of all three major parties (blissfully unaware the election was only a couple of months away).
I took on another 110ha (272-acre) farm in May, which presents a great opportunity as well as a cashflow challenge.
And June saw me step away from the British Charolais Society after 17 years and get involved with the Medicine Hub.
Our wheat looked magnificent initially, but the record rain took its toll. Yields were just over 9.2t/ha. I would hope for nearer 10t/ha, and we didn’t manage to meet any milling specifications.
The UK wheat harvest was the worst in 20 years – ours was merely disappointing.
I shed the harvest blues by taking Dad (84 years old) and my son on a road trip in Texas. This included skydiving and shooting a ridiculous array of guns.
Then I took a new position with AHDB on the Beef and Lamb sector council, just in time to see bluetongue rear its ugly head and restrictions roll out across the eastern counties.
By September, confidence in agriculture was low. But we thought there was no need to worry.
After all, there was a Budget around the corner and the government said repeatedly that they had the backs of hardworking farmers.
Then I headed to London to participate in a peaceful and well organised rally to protest against the Budget.
Such demonstrations are important, but it’s also vital to get in the room talking to those with their hands on the levers of power.
The NBA does just that. My final message is that beef farmers should join the NBA. Help us to help you in the small rooms where the big decisions get made.