MPs see farming in harmony with nature

MPs saw food production and outstanding environmental success being achieved in harmony when they visited a Suffolk arable farm.

Rushcliffe MP James Naish, Cannock Chase MP Josh Newbury and Ribble MP Valley Maya Ellis visited Lodge Farm at Westhorpe, near Stowmarket, as part of the NFU Food and Farming Fellowship Scheme.

The scheme showcases the industry to politicians – enabling MPs from all political parties to see first-hand how sustainable and affordable food gets from field to fork. It was launched last year in partnership with industry sponsors.

Positive work

The Suffolk tour was hosted by NFU member Ed Barker, who is also head of policy at the Agriculture Industries Confederation. Mr Barker said: “This scheme is an excellent way of getting MPs out on farm to see up close the work that goes on.

“It was great to be able to demonstrate how arable farms are run and show the positive work farmers do to support the environment and to help the MPs understand the pressures and challenges farmers are facing on the ground.”

Lodge Farm has been in the Barker family since the 1950s. It grows wheat, barley, oilseed rape and beans across more than 500ha, optimising fertiliser and pesticide applications while reducing carbon emissions.

Environmental success

MPs were able to learn about the many environmental successes achieved on the farm – including through the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), the government’s flagship support scheme for nature and environmentally friendly farming.

Lapwings, skylarks and turtle doves are among the rare bird species regularly seen on the Barkers’ farm.  All three are on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s UK Red List of birds needing urgent conservation action.

NFU national combinable crops board chair Jamie Burrows attended the Suffolk farm tour. He said: “This was a great event and the MPs were fully engaged and asking lots of good questions.

“The Barkers do some excellent work and it is a great example of food production and environmental work going together hand-in-hand. This was just one example and there are many other farms across the country doing fantastic work like this.”

‘Significant’ fenland farm on the market for £13.5m

A Cambridgeshire fenland farm encompassing more than 400ha (1000 acres) is on the market with a guide price of £13.5 million.

Carter’s Bridge Farm near Chatteris extends to some 472ha, of which approximately 456ha is irrigated arable and vegetable land of mostly Grade 1 and 2 soils. The balance is woodland, buildings and infrastructure including a concrete yard and reservoir.

The farm is listed for sale through rural agents Savills. It is available as a whole or in four lots, with cereals, oilseed rape, potatoes, onions, sugar beet and maize successfully grown in recent years.

Property agent Oliver Carr said: “Carter’s Bridge Farm offers a rare opportunity for farmers and investors alike to acquire a significant, highly productive and well-connected commercial farm in an area known for its fertile soils.”

Water is moved across the farm via a series of overground pipes leading from the reservoir and connected to mobile irrigators, with additional water taken by way of a 69,500m3 summer abstraction licence.

There is also a concrete yard with a range of modern buildings including 2,750 tonnes of grain storage, 1,950 tonnes of potato stores and an open fronted machinery store and workshop.

Other buildings provide potential for ancillary storage or redevelopment, subject to planning consent.