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The article reports on Stephanie Simmonite, a well-known character in British rallying in the 1990s, starting a 100ha farm near Doncaster in Yorkshire, England, with her husband Matt Lee, an engineer. Lee took over the farm he grew up on three years ago when his brother moved to a new farm and started a 1,000-head pig unit.

The article discusses the developments in the agriculture sector in Great Britain, particularly on the organic market. Based on the data from the Soil Association, many producers have already returned back to traditional production in order to improve their margins, which declined by 5% in 2012. The opinion of Clinton Devon Farms manager George Perrott on the developments is also cited.

The article focuses on the implication of the reappearance of tuberculosis (TB) at Clinton Devon Farms in England in 2011 after 18 months. According to farm manager George Perrott, there was a 2% increase in the overall replacement rate of the farm as a result of one routine TB test. He adds that the farm will also suffer from the lost milk income from reactor cows. The effort of Perrott to minimise disruption includes fitting testing around their normal routine.

The article reports that new support levels for large-scale renewable electricity generation proposed by the British government in 2011 could help increase demand for wood fuels and energy crops cultivated in British farms. According to the author, the banding review of the Renewables Obligation payment rates announced on October 20, 2011 sets out incentives for various technologies such as biomass co-firing and onshore wind power.

The article reports on the opposition of farm consultants to the proposed reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in 2011. It is suggested that the reforms will unfairly penalize larger, more efficient farming businesses. It also discusses the possibility that businesses will implement structural or operational changes to comply with the proposed rules.

The article discusses the reduction of establishment costs as the main focus at Overbury Farms in west Midlands, England, in 2011. It says that farm manager Jake Freestone is looking at new ways to enhance efficiency and reduce costs for the 2012 crop as autumn drilling gets into full swing. According to the author, Freestoneis cautious about the future use of direct drilling throughout the farm despite the impressive cost savings. The use of variable-rate drilling is also discussed.

The article reports that 90 megawatts of agricultural solar power capacity has been installed in Great Britain with the rush to get large-scale solar projects completed ahead of the August 1, 2011 reduction in Feed-in Tariffs. The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (OFGEM) estimated Britain's solar-generating capacity at 122 megawatts as of June. South-west England reportedly has the greatest concentration of solar farms so far, with the East Midlands region managing a close second place.

The article discusses the ground-mounted Deger 9000 NT dual-tracking photovoltaic units installed at James Peck's Scotland Farm in Dry Drayton, England, which made it one of the first to install a system of solar panels that tracks the sun's path in Great Britain. It says that the units could reduce the annual electricity bill by as much as 40 percent. According to Peck, the payback period will come down as electric prices increase. The capacity of the photovoltaic units is also discussed.

The article discusses the proposals being considered for the 80 hectare Houghton Farm in Houghton, England which was acquired by the Clinton Devon Farms in April 2011. It states that trustees of the estate, family members, and farm workers are working on a 10-year plan for the property and its operations. It reports that of prime concern is whether it will be absorbed into Clinton Devon's business as an expansion project, or if it will be run as a separate operation as a conventional farm.

The article discusses the Humber Court Farm in Herefordshire, England, which uses renewable energy for its business. It states that the property spans 80 hectares , grows beef and vegetables, and sports a five bedroom farmhouse. It reports that the compound relies on solar power for energy, and a biomass boiler for heating. It explains that while the Collins family who own the farm found the investments worthwhile, they learned some lessons about renewable energy, which are cited.

This article reports on the growing interest in farm-based renewable energy in Great Britain in 2011. It attributes the trend to the introduction of Feed-in Tariffs (FIT) by the government. It expects farms to adopt renewable energy technology in their operations. The article highlights the adoption of solar photovoltaics by farms in the country.

The article discusses renewable electricity generation in farms. It mentions that the introduction of the Feed-in Tariff incentive scheme (FiTs) by the British government in the spring of 2010 resulted in a surge in uptake of renewable energy systems. Meanwhile, Stephens Scown Solicitors head of renewable energy Sonya Bedford stresses the importance of getting expert advice because there are still some unclear areas around the tax treatment of income from the scheme.

The article discusses the long-term plan for Clinton Devon Farms in England to be overseen by farm manager George Perrott. According to Perrott, the plan will focus on building up the farm's organic dairy enterprise by constructing up slurry storage and handling facility. He talks about not going back to growing 1,600 acres of cereals because of less than satisfactory yields. Perrott also describes how arable rotation will continue to provide a significant contribution to the farm's business.

The article discusses how Tregeiriog Farm in Llangollen, Wales, owned by Rupert Greenwell and farmed under contract by Aled Jones, is improving its profitability. The farm carriers 1,275 breeding ewes and 300 ewe lambs. Jones claims he plans to increase the chicory area in 2011. He also plans to expand the use of high-index rams. Meanwhile, nutrition is a vital part of the preparations for winter at the farm. All ewes have received three trace element boluses from Animax.

The article describes the management at Clinton Devon Farms in England in terms of animal health protection. It cites several challenges that farm manager George Perrott faced in meeting the goal of the organic dairy enterprise to maximise the health and profitability of its two 250-cow herds, one is the threat of Johne's disease. Perrott has purchased a 110-litre batch milk pasteuriser to prevent the risk of spreading the disease. The stock management system at the farm requires the relocation of cows close to calving next to the dairy.

The article reports that there has been a dramatic decline in the number of potato growers in Great Britain as production has become concentrated among fewer, larger growers who are better able to cope with the tight margins across the sector. It states that some growers may be better off restructuring the business and letting land and/or storage to a specialist grower in order to concentrate efforts elsewhere.

The article focuses on the optimistic outlook for 2010 at Clinton Devon Farms in England despite experiencing some difficulties in the organic sector in 2009. Farmer George Perrott reports stable milk yields across the two 250-cow herds, strong sheep status, and cereal yields are expected to improve in the next harvest. For Perrott, the 1,300-head sheep flock has earned more in 2009 due to strong lamb price. The arable part of the business is cited as the most notable benefit from being organic.

The article features the Glebe Farm in Cambridgeshire, England. Owner Rebecca Rayner recalls that she decided to go down the added-value route because there was no point trying to get bigger just to compete on price. She adds that they made a move to make bread from other people's flour to sell at a farmer's market. She says she started milling her own flour as sales of homemade bread increased. According to the Rayner, the biggest break came when she discovered the popularity of bread-making machines.

The article offers advice on how farmers can pass the Entry Level Scheme inspection in Great Britain from Agricultural Development and Advisory Service (ADAS) environmental consultant Graham Hinton. He urges farmers to conduct accurate measurement of environmental features such as grass margins and hedgerows. He suggests that farmers should not force an option to fit in a specific situation. He recommends that management plan should be completed and kept up to date.

The article offers information on a surge in renewable energy uptake since the introduction of Feed-in Tariffs and industry estimations. It mentions that the starting point for farm business considering renewable energy generation should be to assess what resources, natural and man-made, are available on the doorstep. Also includes statement of National Farmers Union's (NFU's) Jonathan Scurlock.

The article offers information on the first floating solar farm of Great Britain, build by Berkshire, England-based farmer and energy Entrepreneur Mark Bennett, on a irrigation reservoir at his Sheeplands Farm near Wargrave. It mentions that the farmland is rented by a fruit company, which extracts irrigation water from the reservoir and buys the reduced-rate electricity from the panels on a power purchase agreement (PPA).

The article offers information on Horsecroft Hall Estate, a small country estate close to Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England which also includes 248 acres of arable land, and the views of real estate agent Anthony Holliday of property business consultants Brown & Co, on the issue.

The article discusses techniques to realize energy savings in farms across Great Britain. Topics discussed include the help extended by smart meters and other energy-saving technology in farmers' awareness of their energy consumption, the energy efficiency benefits associated with improving existing buildings, equipment and processes and the measures recommended to be adopted to save energy in different farming sectors.

The article focuses on the advice of Georgina Heal of accounting firm Old Mill to landowners in Great Britain who are planning to lease land to developers for a solar farm to check the inheritance tax (IHT) relief implications. Topics discussed include Her Majesty's (HM) Revenue & Customs' review of claims for agricultural property relief (APR) and the British law which stated that the primary purpose of land qualifying for APR must be agriculture.

The article reports developments in the arable farming sector in Great Britain as of November 2013. It features farmer Stephen Evans of Northamptonshire, England, whose rotational use of biosolids resulted in improved soil phosphate at his farm. It claims that the focus on biosolids combined with a more intensive fungicide strategy improved output by almost one-third at the farm.

The article looks at the impact of market conditions on the grain marketing approaches of British farms in 2013. Farm manager Jake Freestone has only committed 20% of wheat and oilseed rape ahead of its harvest as he addresses yield uncertainty, reduced crop areas, the need to secure a profitable return and management of tight cash flow. Information on wheat varieties at Overbury Farms' winter wheat area is provided, as well as the farm's storage capacity.

The article discusses the expected profitability of most contract farming agreements in Great Britain for landowners and contractors in 2012. Concerns that cost increases are affecting returns are addressed. A Bidwells contract farming survey of 80 farms managed under contract farming agreements is referenced. Factors affecting increases in arable costs are outlined, including fertilizers, pesticides, and the cost of drying, storing and hauling grain.

The article reports that a growing number of developers are looking for sites to build solar farms in Great Britain following a drop in the price of solar technology. According to Harry Edwards of Fisher German, developers are seeking sites of 25-50 acres with typical rents for a 25-year lease of about 1,000 British pounds per acre a year. He outlines the criteria that developers looked for when deciding a suitable site.

An interview with former Soil Association director Patrick Holden is presented. According to Holden, the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) scheme demonstrates the ideal use of policy instruments to drive change. He advises farms to create a plan for a progressive switch to renewable energy. When asked about the renewable energy technologies suitable to farms, he cites solar and a combination of such energy sources as wind and anaerobic digestion.

The article discusses the farming system at Overbury Farms in England, particularly how it contributes to carbon footprint reduction. Farm manager Jake Freestone mentions the importance of North Country mule and texel crosses in maintaining diversity in arable fields. The feeding routine given to lambs being observed under the Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) scheme is described. It is added that the farm continuously earned a notable score in the Environmental Scorecard project.

The article features West Mailing, Kent, England-based Broadwater Farm, which installed a huge solar photovoltaic system in its cold store to help reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and generate additional revenue.

This section offers news briefs on agribusiness in Great Britain as of August 2011. A Farm Business Tenancy on land and buildings is offered by the institutional landlord Crown Estate for its properties at Birthorpe Manor and Pointon Cottage farms on the Billingborough Estate in Lincolnshire, England. Funding for delivering courses on woodland management training is offered by Woodfuel East. NWF Group, a food, feed and fuel distributor, has posted its third year of having record profitability.

The article discusses the activation of the solar panels at the Brooklands Farm at Herefordshire, England in April 2011. It states that the private property belongs to Roger Bowens, who installed 1,600 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, covering 2,000 square meters of his property, a project started in December 2010. It reports that they will generate 300 kilowatts-peak (kWp) of power, which should provide 55% of the farm's yearly power, mostly for the heating and ventilation of poultry sheds.

The article reports on the decline in number of dairy farms to larger ones in Great Britain in 2008-2009 according to DairyCo. It says that Rural Payments Agency production data suggested that there are 3.484 dairy farms that account for 59% of the total milk supply from 48% in 2004-2005. Number of farms rose by 3,433 to 5,008 but their milk production of less than 500,000 litres fell from 18% in 2004 to 13%. Proportion of milk production from farms producing over 2 million litres rose to 26% from 12%.

The article reports on the denial by the Norfolk County Council in England to speculations that it intends to sell its entire farmland portfolio. According to the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA), a number of well-informed but unsubstantiated reports have been received by it concerning the plan of the council to sell its portfolio. Councillor Tony Williams denied that they will be conducting a wholesale sell of the portfolio yet admits that they are studying their policies. Williams adds that the council has little choice amid the economic downturn.

The article reports on the sale of 336 acres of land near Bedale, North Yorkshire, England by Robin Jessop with George F. White in 2009. Buyers may acquire the land as a whole or individual lots. A fishing lake, woodland and 217 acres of arable and grassland are included in the biggest of the four lots.

The article announces the sale of Rickham Farm in East Portlemouth, Salcombe, on the south Devon coast in England. It notes that the farm is being launched onto the autumn market by West Country agent Stags. It states that the farm has a mix of arable and pasture land, plus plenty of diversification opportunities. The farm also features 25,000 square feet of farm buildings and a two-bedroom cottage with extension potential.

The article reports on the emergence of the Hettons and Hortons Estate in Northumberland, England as the second-largest farm to be offered for sale since 1968, according to James Laing of Strutt & Parker. The arable and stock farm includes 4,327 acres of productive Grade 3 arable land. Laing mentioned that less than a quarter of the arable area is irrigated. One of the stone farmhouses included in the sale has five bedrooms.

This section offers news briefs on the farmland business in Great Britain as of October 10, 2008. A 1,766-acre stock farm at Wakefield in Scotland is being offered by Savills for sale. There was a 5% decline in English farmland prices in the third quarter of 2008, according to Smiths Gore. College Farm, a diverse arable and pasture farm in north Oxfordshire, England, is available for sale.

The article focuses on the results of the 2007 harvest contract farming survey conducted by agri-business firm Bidwells in Great Britain. Accordingly, the survey found that the net profitability of British farms has increased 48% across 26,305 hectares due to the rising commodities prices. Furthermore, David Cousins of Bidwells predicts that the returns on working capital in the agricultural sector can be in excess of 50% of British levels.

The article focuses on the fungicide programme employed in Velcourt farms in Great Britain. There is a lot of septoria at the base of crops and yellow rust is already featuring in many areas, says the firm's technical director, Keith Norman. Many T0 sprays have been delayed by poor weather, but that is no reason not to go on with one if farmers have not already done so, he says. Norman notes that average fungicide spend across Velcourt farms ranges between ?44 and 72/hectare for a four-spray programme.

The article reports on the reaction of British farmers to the Trading Standards video from Farmers Weekly Interactive (FWi) showing the conditions at Burnside Farm, the centre of the foot-and-mouth outbreak in England in 2001. Farmers extend their support to the group of former swill users taking legal actions against the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The Association of Swill Users argued that the video did not represent the British swill feeding industry. INSET: PRE-MOVEMENT EXTENSION FURY.

The article reports that over 6000 National Register of Sprayer Operators (NRoSO) members are in danger of failing to meet the minimum points required to continue their membership. 6422 or 43% of the 15,000 NRoSO members who are due to complete their first three-year term from the present to March 2007 had fewer than 30 points, explained Steve Hewitt from the National Proficiency Tests Council, which administers the scheme. The majority of those affected have at least 15 points.

The article focuses on the main areas wherein growers are failing to meet the Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) rules imposed in Great Britain according to the Environment Agency. Growers must keep records that show the rate, date and type of all fertiliser applications. The payment entitlement of farmers may be withheld if they fail to comply with the regulations. Half of the farmland area in Great Britain are accounted as NVZ. INSET: LIQUID N CAN CUT PASSES AND COSTS.

Reports on efforts to counter the pesticide tax through the Voluntary Initiative in Great Britain. Estimated number of farm operators have signed up for the National Register of Sprayer Operators (NRoSO) in Great Britain, as of October 2004; Action taken by NRoSO to encourage best practice this autumn; Update on the Crop Protection Management Plans.