Events

An event by Growing Rural Enterprise Ltd. Marketing is the weakest link in many rural businesses. They have fantastic products or services, but they only work if they have enough customers and are making a profit!
Come along and spend some time making marketing work for your business.....

Creative low cost/no cost ways to promote your rural business. Lots of ideas, very practical with realistic achievable ideas. Making the most of your website, how to set up a website, leaflets and flyers, promotional events, social media and much more.

You will go away with a simple - ‘one side of A4 paper ‘Marketing Plan for your business.

Location: The Arthur Rank Centre, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, CV8 2LG
Time:10am- 3.30pm
Cost: £31

To book your place please see contact details below.

Contact: Julie
Contact number: 07971 666474
Email: julie@growingruralenterprise.co.uk

In collaboration with the Warwickshire Rural Hub, this course is being funded by Land Skills West Midlands and sponsored by RainWater Harvesting Limited.

This event is aimed at farmers & growers wishing to learn more about Rain Water Harvesting and how it can be implemented on their farm. Steve Holt from Rainwater Harvesting Ltd will be presenting an overview of Rainwater Harvesting which will give advice on how its adoption may benefit their businesses and save you money. He will give a guided farm walk around the host farm to help demonstrate the benefits of Rain Water Harvesting and tips on installation from Balmoral tanks.

There will also be the opportunity to ask questions to representatives from DEFRA, the Environment Agency and Balmoral Tanks. Come along to this FREE talk to learn about:

• WHY RWH?
• HOW IT WORKS - Tank, Filter, Pump, Mains back up, UV filtration
• INSTALLATION - Tank size calculation, Above ground, below ground, direct, indirect
• USES WITHIN FARMING - washing down, irrigation, water for livestock

Chris from DEFRA’s RDPE Team will be attending the talk to discuss the latest funding available and to help with any of you funding queries.

Time: 10.30 - 12.30pm, Lunch will be provided
Location: Pleasance Farm, Chase Lane, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 1PR


To book your FREE place to attend please contact Jenny Gunnell
on 02476 858244 or jennyg@rase.org.uk

All attendees will receive a FREE Environment Agency publication,
‘Rainwater Harvesting: an on-farm guide’

This course is funded by LandSkills West Midlands, managed by Lantra, as part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE). RDPE is funded by Defra and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

A Rural Hub event in collaboration with: Severn Trent Water, Environment Agency and Catchment Sensitive Farming.

PLANET Nutrient management Computer Training (2 Part Courses)

How to set up the farm with current and historic records, how to ensure NVZ compliance is covered, entering soil analysis records

These Landskills courses are being run by Warwickshire Rural Hub in conjunction with sponsorship from Catchment Sensitive Farming to enable farmers to attend these courses FREE OF CHARGE. The courses are available on two different sets of dates.

PLANET Group 1
Dates: Wednesday 18th January (Part 1) & Tuesday 24th January (Part 2)
Time: 10.30 - 2.30pm (lunch provided)
Address: Pleasance Farm, Chase Lane, Kenilworth, Warks, CV8 1PR

PLANET Group 2
Dates: Thursday 9th February (Part 1) & 16th February (Part 2)
Time: 10.30 - 2.30pm (lunch provided)
Address: Pleasance Farm, Chase Lane, Kenilworth, Warks, CV8 1PR

Places are limited and will be awarded on a first come first serve basis. Places must be booked in advance. To book a place please contact Jenny on 02476 858244 or email jennyg@rase.org.uk

These courses are funded by LandSkills West Midlands, managed by Lantra, as part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE). RDPE is funded by Defra and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

Once again the West Midlands Rural Hub Network, CLA, NFU, Environment Agency, Natural England and Farm Advice Service are working together to help farming businesses comply with cross compliance and environmental legislation by organising seminars across the region.

You are invited to attend a seminar in your area looking at:

- Cross compliance issues, including 2012 update and livestock record keeping
- CAP Reform - latest news- Campaign for the Farmed Environment - where we are now and what more can farmers do
- The Environment Agency will give an update on:
- Inspection process
- Waste Exemptions reminders
- Water Framework Directive
- ELS and HLS update from Natural England
- Rural Hub - will provide information on funding that is relevant and available in your area

Location: The Council Chamber, The Arthur Rank Centre at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire CV8 2LG.
Time: 7pm - 9pm
NRoSO and Basis registration applied for

To book a place please email shropsruralhub@wnsc.ac.uk or call 01939 262106

A talk about Life in the Soil by Martin Wood. Soil is teeming with life but what exactly is all this biodiversity and what does it do? How resilient is it to changes in farming practices and climate? Can it be managed, and how can we use it to help achieve sustainable crop production?

Time: 7.00 - 8.30pm
Location: The Peter Buckler Room, Arthur Rank Centre, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, CV8 2LG

The talk is being sponsored by the Environment Agency.

To book to attend this talk please contact Jenny Gunnell on 02476 858244 or jennyg@rase.org.uk.

Molecatching expert John Finnemore has 50 years experience of catching moles on farms. His practical seminar will include:

• How to set a mole trap.
• The best mole traps.
• Mole trap problems solved

Bring your own mole traps to the event so that John can advise you how to use your own equipment.
This event is free to attend but places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Time: 10.30am - 2.30pm
Location: Pleasance Farm, Chase Lane, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 1PR

If you would like to book your place at this event please contact Jenny on 02476 858244 or jennyg@rase.org.uk

Tim Chamen will provide an overview of the impacts of machinery compaction on soils in terms of tillage requirements, energy use and crop yields, as well as the associated effects on farm profit and the waste of chemicals and fertilisers. He will also touch on the environmental effects and their likely impact on future legislation. He will then look at controlled traffic farming as a means of managing soil compaction, outlining its principles and the means by which it may be achieved, with working examples from UK farms.
Following this formal presentation, attendees will make a field visit (weather permitting) to look at techniques for soil sampling and assessing characteristics, such as friability and water infiltration. In the event of poor weather, most of these techniques will be demonstrated either with slides or using previously extracted soil samples. Also in poor weather and where available, Tim will look at machinery (if available) to demonstrate aspects of controlled traffic farming systems.

Time: 10.30 - 2.30pm
Location: Pleasance Farm, Chase Lane, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 1PR

Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

The event is being sponsored by the Environment Agency.

To book your FREE place to attend the event please contact Jenny Gunnell on 02476 858244 or jennyg@rase.org.uk.

Run as 4 middle of the day workshops.

The “Succession Agenda”: Challenges and Barriers
• Aims and Objectives: What we aim to achieve through succession.
• The barriers and concerns to succession: Achieving Change
• Financial: Know the Numbers - Incomes versus Asset Base
• Housing implications
• Tax Implications - overview
• Gifting Assets and losing Control: Divorce, Sale, the “Care Home trap”
• Being ‘fair’

The inheritance tax implications
• Agricultural Property Relief
• Business Property Relief
• Zero band allowances
• Wills and letters of wishes
• Implications of debt structure
• Spouse allowance
• Gifting Implications and Tapered relief
• The ‘farmhouse’: legal implications
• HMRC viewpoints and Legal case law: Antrobus, McKenna, Balfour

Business Structures, Tenancies and Valuations
• Business structures and their implications
partnerships, joint ventures, contract farming
• Valuations
Tenancy succession: Understanding the law and the Landlord’s viewpoint 1986 Agricultural Holding Act implications Farm Buildings Tenancies

Achieving Succession: Making it Happen
• Managing the change
• Managing the bank manager and supply chain through succession
• Priorities and action planning

10 questions you should be able to answer positively on programme completion:

1. Do you know your current inheritance tax liabilities?
2. Is your debt structured effectively to reduce this liability?
3. What impact does the “value” of your assets have?
4. Does your business structure facilitate effective succession and transition - What are your vulnerabilities?
5. Are your wills effective? Do you have one? Do you have letters of wishes?
6. Have you made effective and full use of spouse allowance?
7. Are you structured well to benefit from CGT re basing on IHT Transfer?
8. Are you contract farming (share farming) - Are your arrangements being properly run, and do you understand the implications of Antrobus and McKenna cases?
9. Can you protect your asset and wealth base from the “care home trap”?
10. Have you ever considered trusts, prenuptial agreements, SIPP’s?

Even in a small family farm not getting the above right can cost you several hundred thousand pounds, can you afford not to…………?!

Event Dates:
Session 1: Monday 5th March
Session 2: Tuesday 13th March
Session 3: Tuesday 27th March
Session 4: Tuesday 10th April

Time: 10.15 - 4.00pm

Cost: £150 plus VAT - Please make cheques payable to Warwickshire Rural Hub

Location: Arthur Rank Centre, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, CV8 2LG

To book your place please see contact details below.

In conjunction with Smiths Gore these courses are being funded by LandSkills West Midlands, managed by Lantra, as part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE). RDPE is funded by DEFRA and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

Contact: Jenny Gunnell
Contact number: 02476 858244
Email: jennyg@rase.org.uk

Run as 4 middle of the day workshops, participants are taken through a series of case study examples to build the analysis of the case study farm. Between sessions they are supported to undertake the various forms of analysis on their own farms, working step by step towards analysing their own financial performance and producing their own Unit Cost of Production.

Understanding Profitability
• Analysing financial performance from the ‘accounts’
• The Business Structure
• Profitability: Identifying Profit Sufficiency - the “sustainable” level of Profit
• Non Cash Costs
• Proportional analysis:
Output
Variable costs
Gross margin
Labour
Machinery
Rent and interest
Overheads
Net margin
• Analysing trends against target benchmarks

Cash and Capital:
• Balance sheet analysis and lending structure
• Linking profit to the cashflow position - sustainability
Sources of capital
Investment
Debt repayment
Withdrawals from the business
• Trend analysis
• What If? and Sensitivity Analysis - Assessing Risk

Completing your own UCP
• Adapting the recording system to capture relevant information
• Producing ‘unit cost of production’ (UCP):
The methodology and allocating figures
i. Per head
ii. Per kg of production (or per litre)
iii. As % of output
iv. Margins per unit of output
v. Breakeven and sensitivity analysis
vi. Benchmarking outputs
vii. Comparing with industry benchmarks

Analysing your UCP and Developing the “Business Improvement Plan”
• Identifying scope for business improvements:
What? How? Financial impact - Defining priorities
Traffic Light Assessment
• Contrasting own performance against UCP Benchmarks
The Improvement challenge:
• Setting the Business Improvement agenda: priorities for action
• Setting targets and Benchmarks
• Budgeting forward ‘unit cost of production’

Event Dates:
Session 1: Wednesday 7th March 2012
Session 2: Monday 12th March
Session 3: Wednesday 28th March
Session 4: Wednesday 11th April

Time: 10.15 - 4.00pm

Cost: £150 plus VAT - Please make cheques payable to Warwickshire Rural Hub

Location: Arthur Rank Centre, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, CV8 2LG

To book your place please see contact details below.

In conjunction with Smiths Gore these courses are being funded by LandSkills West Midlands, managed by Lantra, as part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE). RDPE is funded by DEFRA and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

Contact: Jenny Gunnell
Contact number: 02476 858244
Email: jennyg@rase.org.uk

After studying Soil Science at University, John Prentis of R & T Liming has been intimately involved in Agricultural Lime for more than thirty years. This will be a wonderful opportunity to talk about lime and soils in a little more depth than is usually possible on farm.

Time: 7.00pm,
Location: The Arthur Rank Centre, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, CV8 2LG

The talk is being sponsored by the Environment Agency.

To attend this FREE evenings talk please book your place with Jenny Gunnell on 02476 858244 or jennyg@rase.org.uk

In collaboration with the Warwickshire Rural Hub

This morning session is aimed at providing you with assistance in completing your Catchment Sensitive Farming Capital Grant form.

This session will ensure you have completed the form correctly, have included the required documents, and stand the best chance in receiving a grant for your farm. This informal session will also allow you to ask questions relating to your application.

A member of the local planning authority will also be present to answer any planning related questions.

Time: 10.00am - 1.00pm
Address: Council Chamber, Arthur Rank Centre, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire CV8 2LG

To book your FREE place to attend please see contact details below.

Contact: Melissa Hoskings
Contact number: 07557 338642
Email: melissa@severnriverstrust.com

A talk by Steve Townsend “The factors behind successful direct drilling”

Time: 7.00pm
Location: Council Chamber, Arthur Rank Centre, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, CV8 2LG

The talk is being sponsored by the Environment Agency.

To book your FREE place to attend this talk please contact Jenny Gunnell on 02476 858244 or jennyg@rase.org.uk

By kind permission of Andrew Hall, Dudley Wood Farm, Bentley, Atherstone, Warwickshire, CV9 2JT

Grassland expert Simon Draper will be taking the first Grassland Group practical meeting of the year at Andrew Halls Dairy Farm in North Warwickshire. The practical event will cover various aspects of grassland management and soil structure with the objective of notably increasing the productive capacity of grassland.

Areas covered will be:
• Soil management - good grass growth relies on good soil structure - Andrew has on demo an Opico Sward Lifter and Twose Grassland Slitter to include in the demonstrations and practical.
• Better use of fertilisers and manures - how to reduce variability in spreading slurry and FYM, what is FYM and slurry worth - how to complete the calculations, and determine how much bagged fertiliser is needed.
• Variety choice - what variety or variety mix is most suited to your situation - how do you decide?

Time: 11.00 - 3.00pm

This event is being sponsored by the Environment Agency.

To book your place on this event please contact Jenny on 02476 858244 or jennyg@rase.org.uk.

How much N in fertilizers ends up in crops and what happens to the rest? How can we make best use of N from organic manures? What can be done to improve N efficiency thereby protecting the environment and reducing costs?

Time: 7- 8.30pm,
Location: The Peter Buckler Room, Arthur Rank Centre, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, CV8 2LG

This talk is being sponsored by the Environment Agency.

To book your FREE place to attend this talk please contact Jenny Gunnell on 02476 858244 or jennyg@rase.org.uk.

HGCA, the cereals and oilseeds division of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, is running a grain marketing workshop. The workshop will have two main elements; what is driving the grain markets and an interactive session about how to respond (including risk management tools.

Time: 12.30 - 4.30pm
Location: Arthur Rank Centre, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, CV8 2LG


If you would like to book your place at this event please contact Jenny on 02476 858244 or jennyg@rase.org.uk


Contact: Jenny Gunnell
Contact number: 02476 858244
Email: jennyg@rase.org.uk

However please do send us your Name and Contact Details if you would like to be on a future Mole Catching Course in the New Year!!


Pleasance Farm, Chase Lane, Kenilworth, Warks, CV8 1PR

Molecatching expert John Finnemore has 50 years experience of catching moles on farms. His practical seminar will include:

• How to set a mole trap.
• The best mole traps.
• Mole trap problems solved

Bring your own mole traps to the event so that John can advise you how to use your own equipment.
This event is free to attend but places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Time: 10.30am - 2.30pm

If you would like to book your place at this event please contact Jenny on 02476 858244 or jennyg@rase.org.uk

Very practical - the best way to learn is to do it!
Participants bring their own meat/carcases- and will take home what they make/cut up. Full details given nearer the date.

Price: £46 Including VAT
Time: 9.30am for Coffee / Registration with 10am start - 3.30pm

Location: Jersey Pavilion, Stoneleigh Park

For further information or to book your place on the course please contact Julie at Growing Rural Enterprise Ltd.

Contact: Julie
Contact number: 07971 666474
Email: julie@growingruralenterprise.co.uk
Website: www.growingruralenterprise.co.uk

Pleasance Farm, Chase Lane, Kenilworth, Warks, CV8 1PR

Basics of importance of nutrients to plants and animals, problems with excesses as well as deficiencies, regulations - NVZ’s, future issues - phosphates.

Nutrient Planning - paper based or computer based, importance in relation to current and possible future legislation. Indicate possible financial savings.

Time: 10 - 3pm

If you would like to book your place at this event please contact Jenny on 02476 858244 or jennyg@rase.org.uk

Changes under the Environmental Permitting Regulations mean that new actions will be needed to maintain any exemptions registered with the Environment Agency. You will need to periodically review waste production, use, storage, treatment and disposal activities carried out on the farm and register any waste exemptions required. Come along to find out what this will mean for you.

Information links:

Link to main page: http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/sectors/32777.aspx
More info about exemptions: http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/sectors/32779.aspx
Further info about the new system: http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/sectors/115673.aspx
This web page has a link to the exemption registration system.
Guidance Booklet: http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Business/Changes_to_the_exemption_system_Final.pdf

Time: 2.30pm
Location: Wootton Hill Farm, Wootton Wawen, Henley in Arden, B95 6BL

Soils group member, Mark Holland kindly agreed for the soils group to use his land to have a cultivation challenge! During the first meeting a field was split into 4 sections and a section was given to each of the following
• the farmer using the process he would normally on his field
• Soil expert Simon Draper
• Soils Group x 2

The same crop was used but each group had to decide how it will be cultivated etc using only the machinery at the farmers disposal. The process of the autumn crop was then decided by the groups.

On the 9th November we shall be returning to the field to see how the crop is progressing. Marks initial feedback on the result of different primary cultivators working at different depths is “deep is not good”.

The “Stubble Stomp” is something that Mark and Tom Newbery (Soils Group Chairman) have been working on. They have had four drills in, each with the ability to drill straight into stubble. Each drill had to drill barley into a wheat stubble and then on a second field drill into a linseed stubble. Drills used were the Kuhn SD, Claydon Hybrid, Mzuri and the Sumo versa Plus. Mark commented “certainly these trials have been very interesting for us, enough so that we may have a change in direction of cultivation policy”.

All farmers are welcome to attend the meeting and take part in the cultivation challenge.

Contact: Hub Office
Contact number: 02476 858244
Email: jennyg@rase.org.uk

Pleasance Farm, Chase Lane, Kenilworth, Warks, CV8 1PR

1st Part (3rd November): How to set up the farm with current and historic records, how to ensure NVZ compliance is covered, entering soil analysis records,

2nd Part (8th November): Revision of previous day then reports and planning so that people get as much as possible from the system.

Time: 10.00am - 2.00pm / Lunch Provided

To book your place please contact Jenny on 02476 858244 or at jennyg@rase.org.uk.

3pm - 6pm
Following an introductory meeting in September the first post harvest meeting of the new Warwickshire Rural Hub Arable Business Group will take place in the Arthur Rank Centre at 3pm on 2nd November. The benchmarking group provides a practical way of improving your understanding of true costs of production and accessing free advice and information on your cost issues. The group uses HGCA free Cropbench software to confidentially benchmark performance, similar groups across the UK have seen their members achieve significant reduction in production costs. The group will be facilitated by Keith Barriball an experience consultant and Partner at Smith Gore. Attendance is free to Warwickshire Rural Hub members and HGCA levy payers. If you missed the introductory meeting there is sill time to get involved just contact Jenny Gunnell to register your attendance.


Contact: Jenny Gunnell
Contact number: 02476 858244
Email: jennyg@rase.org.uk

By kind permission of Chris Gardner, Mill Farm
Ashorne, near Warwick CV35 9AA

A practical event where Grassland expert Simon Draper will be demonstrating how to manage and improve Grassland Equine Paddocks.
• Soil Cultivations / Sub soiling
• Fertilising
• Weed Control
• Cutting to keep the best sward for Horses

At Mill Farm they specialise in the following:
• Agricultural Contractors specialising in Grassland and Paddock Care, as well as general contracting
• have recently opened an Equine Treatment Centre, available for hire
• offer Equine Artificial Insemination, and also a complete Equine Breeding & Foaling Service
• supply the Simple System Ltd. range of Natural Horse Feeds
• make and supply top quality Meadow Hay in conventional bales
• breed high quality Sport Horses for competition.

Maddy Gardner will be about at the event to answer any Equine questions you may have.

Time:10.30am - 2.30pm

For more information or to book your place for this event please contact Jenny Gunnell on: 02476 858244 or jennyg@rase.org.uk.

For anyone thinking about retailing meat direct to the consumer. Marketing is the key to success! Participants need to do this course before undertaking any of the practical workshops
- Ideas for marketing and promotion, market segmentation
- 4 Ps of marketing, ideas that would work for your business
- Comparing the cost and effectiveness of different ideas, running a successful tasting event, identifying your customer and market,
- Image and first impressions, creating a marketing plan

Price: £31 Including VAT
Time: 9.30am for Coffee / Registration with 10am start - 3.30pm

Location:Council Chamber, Arthur Rank Centre, Stoneleigh Park

For further information or to book your place on the course please contact Julie at Growing Rural Enterprise Ltd.

Contact: Julie
Contact number: 07971 666474
Email: julie@growingruralenterprise.co.uk
Website: www.growingruralenterprise.co.uk

Hosted by dairy farmer Simon Hughes, Walton Farm, Walton Pool,
Nr Stourbridge, DY9 4RY

Hydroponics - A Revelation in Feed
10am - 12pm

The free of charge demonstration is a practical introduction to Hydroponics. The event will include:
• What is Hydroponics
• How it works
• Benefits & results
• Discussion with livestock/equine vet on the effects/benefits of hydroponic feed
• Case study: Simon Hughes, dairy farmer, will discuss his experience of hydroponics on his farm and the effects on his stock including the elimination of ring-worm

Practical Soil Compaction Workshop - Arable & Grassland
1pm - 3.30pm
Agronomist Simon Draper will lead a practical on-farm workshop looking at soil compaction issues on arable and grassland soils. The free of charge workshop will include:
• How to identify soil compaction using spades and probes and determine what type of cultivation is required
• Determine what would be the best depth to cultivate
• How to set up, use and get the best from a subsoiler/swardlifter

A free lunch will be available from 12pm - 1pm.

The events are free of charge to attend but, due limited places and catering requirements, booking is essential.

To book please contact:
Warwickshire Rural Hub - 02476 858244 email: jennyg@rase.org.uk

Worcestershire Rural Hub - 07833 051602 email: valerie.breakwell@wrh.org.uk

Please ensure you have suitable clothing and footwear for the outside elements.

Contact: Jenny Gunnell
Contact number: 02476 858244
Email: jennyg@rase.org.uk

Time: 6.00pm
Wootton Hill Farm, Wootton Wawen, Henley in Arden, B95 6BL

Soils group member, Mark Holland kindly agreed for the soils group to use his land to have a cultivation challenge! During the first meeting a field was split into 4 sections and a section was given to each of the following
• the farmer using the process he would normally on his field
• Soil expert Simon Draper
• Soils Group x 2

The same crop will be used but each group had to decide how it will be cultivated etc using only the machinery at the farmers disposal. The process of the autumn crop was then decided by the groups.

On the 23rd June we shall be returning to the field to reassess the soil and whether the recent weather conditions have caused any changes to occur which may make the groups reconsider their cultivation processes. All are welcome to attend the meeting and take part in the cultivation challenge.

If you are interested in participating in this challenge please see details below.

Contact: Hub Office
Contact number: 02476 858244

Time: 7pm
The Arthur Rank Centre, Stoneleigh Park

HGCA have agreed to provide support for some detailed benchmarking meetings. The meeting will use ‘Cropbench’ which is HGCA’s free confidential benchmarking software. HGCA will also provide an experience agricultural facilitator to run a series of meetings to assist with interpreting the data and help the group get some real benefit out of the sessions. The June meeting will ensure farmers are set up on the system and get an understanding of how the software operates and are able to input 2010 data. This will ensure the group is ready for meetings looking at the 2011 harvests in October/November.

Please could you let us know if you are interested in taking part in the benchmarking group.

Precision Farming
Following the introduction to Precision Farming by Ian Beecher-Jones there is the opportunity to attend more in-depth workshops on this subject. Please register your interest for the workshops below. If there is enough interest HGCA will arrange the events for Hub Members.

Precision farming, does it pay?
What are the financial opportunities of precision farming?
The course will cover
1) How does PF work
2) The Cost: Benefit opportunities of precision farming
3) What’s variation costing me?
4) What’s inaccuracy costing me?
5) Making the decision
This course provides an overview of precision farming and the range of opportunities to explore the costs and potential benefits of adopting precision farming techniques through utilisation of the HGCA Cost: Benefit tool.

Precision farming for operators
The role of operators in a successful precision farming operation
1) The fundamentals of precision farming
2) How precision farming fits together
3) The role of the operator
4) Getting the basics right
5) Fitting it all together
This course is designed for operators new to precision arming and wanting to understand how it all works and how important their role is to making it all work.

Contact: Jenny Gunnell
Contact number: 02476 858244
Email: jennyg@rase.org.uk

Time: 6.30pm

Syngenta have a number of demonstration and trial sites situated throughout the United Kingdom. The purposes of the sites are to evaluate current and new product performance, demonstrate crop varieties and growing systems. Work currently being undertaken at the Warwickshire site:-

• Winter Wheat variety/fungicide plots
• Winter .Barley fungicide plots
• Black Grass herbicide plots reviewing current product performance and seeing what has worked this season
• The Fungicide Grower challenge an opportunity for growers to construct a cereal fungicide programme and monitor performance throughout the season plots replicated and taken to yield
• Environmental strips, evaluating the effect of different sown mixtures and on habitat and species

Venue: Chesterton Fields Farm, Fosse Way, Nr. Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV33 9JY
By kind permission of Mr R and Mr J Hadley

Booking is essential for catering purposes.
To book your place for this meeting, please see contact details below.


Contact: Jenny Gunnell
Contact number: 02476 858244
Email: jennyg@rase.org.uk

The Arthur Rank Centre, Stoneleigh Park

The Hub is collaborating with Growing Rural Enterprise to host a one day workshop to explore the secrets behind a happy, motivated team that are productive and a credit to your business. Suitable for business owners and employees who are managing people.

Managing people is probably one of the most stressful and difficult tasks we do as managers, and yet many of us have no training! This one day course will be an investment in the future of your business. For many small businesses the key people are business partners and family members too- the course deals with getting the best from everyone, regardless of who they are!

• Motivation and delegation
• Teamwork
• Leadership styles and skills
• Dealing with conflict and personality clashes
• Creating simple job descriptions that eliminate mis-understandings
• 360 degree appraisals- how do they work- a simple and very effective tool where everyone in the business comments on everyone else’s performance, what they do well suggestions for improvements and training needs.
• Training- assessing what training is needed and the most cost effective ways to do it

Cost: is £31 per person including VAT and lunch.

Contact: Growing Rural Enterprise
Contact number: 07971 666474
Email: julie@growingruralenterprise.co.uk
Website: www.growingruralenterprise.co.uk

Location: Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire

The Warwickshire Rural Hub along with the RASE, CLA, NFU and the Renewable Energy Exchange are supporting the FiT for Farming event.

Agriculture is an energy-intensive business and the need for alternative energy sources has never been greater, both to cut energy bills and carbon emissions.

The Feed-in Tariff (FiT) scheme and the upcoming Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is creating tremendous interest from landowners. However, reviewing potential options and deciding upon the most suitable renewable technologies can be a very time-consuming exercise.

The FiTfor FARMING event, supported by the CLA, is designed to provide a time-efficient way for landowners to explore the commercial opportunities from renewable technologies and so short-list potential suppliers.

A programme of workshops and roundtable discussion groups, together with a pre-arranged meetings service, enables attendees to link-up with those who can share relevant experience and resolve specific questions.

• Opening Plenary ~Overview of the UK Feed-in Tariff (FiT) and the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) schemes ~ Eligible installations ~ Tariff Levels ~ Technology Choices ~ Investment Paybacks ~ Planning guidance

• Choice of Workshops ~ Wind Energy ~ Solar Energy ~ Combined Heat & Power ~ Hydroelectric ~ Bio-Energy ~ Anaerobic Digestion ~ Financing Options ~ Planning and Legal Hurdles

• Share Good Practice ~ Farmers who have already embarked on renewable energy projects will be available at informal discussion groups to share their experiences and discuss the challenges.

• Personalised Programmes~ All participants can create their own personal networking programme, focused around their particular interests.

FREEPLACES for Farmers & Landowners participating in order to plan their own renewable energy/heating project. Apply for a free place online at www.FiTforFARMING.com/Midlandsor alternatively telephone Elodie Robertson on 01883 344 799.

FREE places are limited and are now being allocated on a first-come first-served basis.

For more information please see contact details below or visit the website.


Contact: FiT for Farming
Contact number: 01883 344799
Website: www.fitforfarming.com/midlands

Time: 9.30am- 3.30pm
Warwick Complex, Stoneleigh Park

The Hub is holding an information day for rural businesses in Warwickshire. This free event will have a variety of organisations on hand to offer information and advice on all aspects of rural business. There will also be mini seminars on relevant current issues. More information will follow...but keep this date free so you can come along!
If there is a particular type of information or assistance that is relevant to your business please let us know and we will endeavour to include it at the event.

Contact number: 02476 858244

Soil Organic Matter - what's new?
Sponsored by the Environment Agency

Time: 7.00pm
Arthur Rank Centre, Stoneleigh Park

A talk by Dr Martin Wood, Earthcare Technical Ltd

Martin Wood trained as a soil scientist and lectured at Reading University for 20 years before moving into consultancy. This talk will provide a detailed overview of the main features of soil organic matter, describe the different types of organic materials now available for use on farm and how they can best be used, and consider the importance of organic matter in terms of sustainable crop production and the emerging areas of carbon and energy management.

To book a place, please see contact details below.

Contact: Jenny Gunnell
Contact number: 02476 858244
Email: jennyg@rase.org.uk

Improving Grassland Yields - What Can You Practically Do?
Sponsored by the Environment Agency

Time: 10.00am - 2.30pm (lunch provided)
Chris Gardner, Mill Farm, Ashorne, Warwick, CV35 9AA

A practical farming event on how to improve your grass yields by Grassland expert Simon Draper.

Includes:
• Identify what the problems are and why they are limiting grass growth
• How to choose correct machinery to effect change
•How to set the machinery up
• How to decide when the ground is too wet or too dry
• See the machinery inaction AND determine if it is working to achieve the end required
• Identify WHEN it’s time to give up and think about re-seeding
• Determine correct fertiliser and manure use
• How to determine the correct application rate of manures and slurries

If you are interested in participating in this challenge please see details below.

Contact: Jenny Gunnell
Contact number: 02476 858244
Email: jennyg@rase.org.uk

From 10am - 2.00pm

Arthur Rank Centre, 6th Street (opposite the old grand ring) Stoneleigh Park
The Hub is holding a drop-in clinic for Farmers and Rural Businesses to come along and get one to one advice on funding and business issues. Help and advice will be on hand from a variety of organisations including:

Business Link West Midlands - David Lindsay
Independent Farm Consultant - Terry Draycott
Warwickshire College - Laura Stewart
Warwickshire Rural Hub

At the March clinic there will also be:

Lodders Solicitors

FWAG

Sponsored by the Environment Agency

Time:4.30pm - 6.30pm
Mark Holland, Wootton Hill Farm, Wootton Wawen,
Henley-in-Arden, B95 6BL

Soils group member, Mark Holland has kindly agreed the soils group to use his land to have a cultivation challenge! A field will be split into 3 sections and a section given to each of the following
• the farmer using the process he would normally on his field
• Soil expert Simon Draper
• Soils Group

The same crop will be used but each group decides how it will be cultivated etc using only the machinery at the farmers disposal. The process of the autumn crop will be decided by these groups and followed from beginning to end.

If you are interested in participating in this challenge please see details below.

Contact: Jenny Gunnell
Contact number: 02476 858244
Email: jennyg@rase.org.uk

Arthur Rank Centre, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire
From 7pm

A must for every farmer! Are you up to date with your form filling? Update yourself on any changes in the regulations that you need to know (covering cross compliance. NVZs, resource protection legislation, livestock ID and record keeping; and the Campaign for the Farmed Environment). Get to grips with any paperwork you may have fallen behind with. These popular evening workshops will, as always, be manned by CLA, NFU, Environment Agency, Natural England and the Hub.

For further details or to book, please see contact details below.

Contact number: 0845 3451302

Peter Buckler Room, ARC, Stoneleigh Park
From 9.30am - 11.00am

Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport and related operations required that from the 5 January 2008 transporters of vertebrate animals in connection with an economic activity and market assembly centre staff handling animals are trained in the relevant technical provisions of the Regulation. The purpose of the Lantra Award qualification ‘Level 2 Award in Animal Transport by road’ (accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and approved by Defra) is to enable drivers and attendants using road vehicles for transporting farm animals, birds and horses in connection with an economic activity to meet the requirements of European Council Regulation 1/2005.

To register for the test please contact Jill Salt with the following details:
- Full Name
- Copy of ID passport/driving licence etc (doesn’t have to have photo on it)
- Postcode
- DOB
- Place of Birth

The test is £50 per person, payable by cheque to MWTG / cash or Bacs

Address: 11 Crossfields Rd, Warwick, CV34 5HU

Contact: Jill Salt
Contact number: 01926 495024
Email: jill@warwickshiretraining.co.uk

Arthur Rank Centre, 6th Street (opposite the old grand ring) Stoneleigh Park
The Hub is holding a drop-in clinic for Farmers and Rural Businesses to come along and get one to one advice on funding and business issues. Help and advice will be on hand from a variety of organisations including:

Business Link West Midlands - David Lindsay
Rural Enterprise Grant Scheme - Robin Cardwell
Independent Farm Consultant - Terry Draycott
Warwickshire Rural Hub

At Februarys clinic there will also be:

Wright Hassall Solicitors
A drop in service for preliminary advice on any legal issue, free of charge.

FWAG
One to one advice on ELS on-line

No appointment needed - just drop in!
Time: 10am - 12pm or 1.30 - 3.30pm

A talk by Soils Expert Robert Evans
Peter Buckler Room, ARC, Stoneleigh Park
Start 7.00pm

The Warwickshire hub Soils Group Chairman, Tom Newbury, met Robert Evans at a Soils Seminar last year and found Robert to be extremely interesting and informative....an ideal candidate to come and talk to our group!

Roberts career in soils has included a lot of work on soil erosion and he has also worked on crop growth and yield. His talk will include:
• The range of soils and their properties, drainage and implications for crop growth and yield.
• Impacts of farming on the soil - decline of organic matter, soil compaction, soil erosion and runoff from the land
• Implications for society - over the short term - diffuse pollution of water, over the long term - loss of soil and productivity.
• Reducing the risk of soil erosion and runoff.

For further details or to book, please see contact details below.

Contact: Jenny Gunnell
Contact number: 02476 858244
Email: jennyg@rase.org.uk

AVOID CROSS COMPLIANCE FAILURES
Livestock Identification and record keeping remain the cause of the majority of Cross
Compliance failures. In 2009, over 50% of cattle keepers inspected failed the cross compliance inspection due to discrepancies relating to cattle record keeping and identification.

The Cross Compliance Advice Programme is running this free event for the Warwickshire & Worcestershire Rural Hubs. The advice provided will concentrate on areas where high numbers of inspection failures occur, such as; cattle and sheep identification, movements and record keeping.

An independent cross compliance adviser will give you all the information you need to comply with new and existing regulations.

The event will take place at Adam Quinneys Farm:
Reins Farm, Oak Tree Lane, Sambourne, Redditch, B96 6EX

Please contact the Hub office to book a place, stating which time slot you wish to attend.

Time: 10am - 12pm or 1.30 - 3.30pm

Learn about Renewable Energy Solutions for your business at this two day event. 15th / 16th February 2012.

OPTION 1
Book as a delegate to the conference on the Wednesday or Thursday or both days and your package will include:
• Access to the conference
• Light lunch
• Entrance to the exhibition
• Free copy of Energy Now magazine, Exhibition & Conference Programme
• Prices start from £79 + VAT per day

OPTION 2
Register as a day visitor to the exhibition on either or both days -
Entrance is FREE if you pre-register before the event, or pay a £5 entrance fee on the day. This option also gives you access to the workshops.

Location: Malvern Show Ground, WR13 6NW
For more details, costings and booking form please see contact details below.

Contact: Renewable Energy Events Ltd
Contact number: 01293 854405

For the first time, Catchment Sensitive Farming Capital Grants will be available to farmers within the Leam Catchment. The grants are aimed at the installation of facilities that help to reduce diffuse water pollution and benefit our farmers by improving their farms. Many of these improvements often result in cost savings for the farm business as well.

The Grant application window is 1st March 2012 - 30th April 2012
To find out more about the grant scheme, how to apply, and how to stand the best chance of receiving a grant then come along to one of the CSF Capital Grant talks being held on the following dates:

Date: Tuesday 7th February 2012 (evening)
Time: 7.30pm - 9.00pm
Address: Blue Lias Inn, Stockton road Southam, CV47 8LD

Date: Wednesday 15th February 2012 (evening)
Time: 7.30pm-9.00pm
Address: Council Chamber, Arthur Rank Centre, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire CV8 2LG
(Refreshments included)

These events will attract NRoSO and BASIS CPD.
These events are being jointly hosted by the Warwickshire Rural Hub and the Upper Avon & Leam Partnership.

To book your FREE place please contact Melissa Hoskings on 07557 338642 or melissa@severnriverstrust.com.

Expert speaker Bill Basford of the Voluntary Initiative will cover:

• Pesticides in water - why does it matter?
• Good filling and handling practices
• Biobeds - what they are and how they benefit water quality
• How a biobed could save you money on expensive waste removal
• The use of biobed filtered washings on crops to save money on irrigation
• How to apply for a Capital Grant to help towards construction costs.
• Book a free Biobed/sprayer wash down design visit for your own farm

Time: 10.00am - 1.00pm (lunch included)
Address: Toft Farm, Kites Hardwick, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV23 8AD
This event will attract NRoSO and BASIS CPD.
To book your FREE place please see contact details below.

Contact: Melissa Hoskings
Contact number: 07557 338642
Email: melissa@severnriverstrust.com

If you, your contractor, or farm staff need their PA1, PA2 and / or PA4S training then get in touch. Each of the training courses are paid for, and you can complete all 3 if needed. The assessment fee will have to be paid for by the individual.

Training will be held locally in the Southam area, or can be arranged at your farm. Holding the training at your farm will provide you with a 50% discount on the assessment fee.

These training courses will:
• Give you best practice in pesticide application, storage, handling and disposal.
• Provide tips on field procedures, checking spread widths and uniformity, applicator/sprayer cleaning and storage.
• Save you money on pesticide costs and help the environment.

Dates:
Safe Use of Pesticides (PA1)- Wednesday 8th February 2012 (this is a pre-requisite to any PA units)

Slug Pellet Application (PA4S) - Thursday 23rd February 2012

Tractor Mounted Sprayer (PA2A) - Tuesday 6th March 2012

Each training course will attract NRoSO and BASIS CPD.
To book your FREE place please see contact details below.

Contact: Melissa Hoskings
Contact number: 07557 338642
Email: melissa@severnriverstrust.com

The British Pie Awards are back for a fourth year and have started to accept entries.

The event, organised by the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association, will take place on 25th April at St Mary's Church in Melton Mowbray.

Pies can be entered into 18 different categories, and will be judged by a panel of celebrity chefs, experts and food writers. Closing date is: 13th April 2012

For further details and how to enter please visit: www.britishpieawards.co.uk

Location: Stoneleigh Park

The Feed-in Tariff (FiT) scheme and the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) means landowners who invest in renewable energy technologies can claim attractive payments for the electricity and heat that they generate.

However, for those with busy work schedules, it can be difficult to commit the necessary time to assess the opportunities, decide on the best technologies to utilise and the most suitable suppliers to work with.

The Midlands FiT for FARMING networking event provides a time-efficient opportunity for those planning renewable projects to have pre-arranged appointments with technology companies and services firms, in order to evaluate options and short-list potential companies to work with.

A wide range of companies are using the event to host meetings to discuss the viability and practicalities of potential renewable projects, including: Wind Turbines, Solar PV, Hydropower, Anaerobic Digestion, Solar Thermal, Heat Pumps and Biomass Heat Projects

Participation is free for those looking to invest in a renewable project on their own land. On the run-up to the event all registered participants are invited to select, either online or by phone, which companies they would like to meet with and so create themselves a programme of individual pre-arranged appointments.

The networking event is open from 9:00 - 17:00 on Thursday 10th May, with appointments scheduled at times convenient for each individual participant.

Online Registration: www.fitforfarming.com
Telephone Registration: 01883 344799