Growers want no frights in pumpkin sale figures

It’s hard to believe but we grow about 10 million pumpkins each year of which 95 per cent go to make Halloween lanterns.

In some areas where the erratic rains have fallen, farmers are predicting a shortage so perhaps you shouldn’t leave it until 5pm on Friday.

I hope they are a few pennies dearer, which will make up for the miserable corn trade. It’s the unpredictability of the seasons that makes our farming lives interesting but also difficult; and I remember last year talking to Guy Poskitt, who produced 50,000 pumpkins and ended up selling the last few himself at a car boot sale – and that was in a season of plenty.

Legislation on ‘fly grazing’

IN this brave new world of political rectitude, we are not allowed to speak unkindly about travellers and gypsies. I would immediately say that I have a lot of clients and indeed friends in the Romany tradition, but there are many who have no respect for the law and contribute little to society.

Fly grazing is the new PC term for illegal trespass and grazing on someone else’s land and has become an increasing problem in a world where the law tends to protect the rights of the criminal but forgets the victim.

But all is about to change. Julian Sturdy, the York MP, has successfully steered his “Control of Horses Bill” through its second reading.

The new legislation will give more powers to local authorities and landowners to deal with fly grazers in a timely, humane and cost-effective fashion. A recent report estimated that there were 3,000 horses grazing illegally on other people’s land; and I can vouch for 25 of them which were munching their way steadily through a crop of maize when I was called in recently to assess the damage near York.

MP responds to milk cuts

ANNE McIntosh has been and still is an excellent MP for our area; and on her performance alone should not have been deselected.

As chairman of the Commons EFRA Committee, she has always taken a close interest in the dairy industry and the uneasy relationship betwixt farmer and processor.

Mrs McIntosh has now written to Defra demanding to know what support is being given to dairy farmers in the light of the significant price cuts in recent months.

So far we have had five blockades of various processors and supermarkets by the direct action of frustrated farmers.

Grain trade lifts slightly

AS with most markets, it is supply and demand which rules the day; and with the current miserable grain prices, it is little wonder that farmers have been reluctant sellers unless forced to do so.

Despite the underlying record harvest, merchants have been finding themselves short, which has now created decent spot demand.

Many of the industry pundits see this as a temporary rally, which may prove to be a selling opportunity for the grower.

Feed barley has moved up to £100 – £107/tonne; feed wheat £110 – £120/tonne and OSR £240 – £245/tonne.

Road haulage opportunity

APPARENTLY, it’s a fact of life that 50 per cent of our transport lorries return empty having made their delivery and a Leicestershire entrepreneur, Glen Ward, is offering a solution. His company, graphically called “Drop 1 Off”, has a practical website on which hauliers and those requiring the service can get together.

If it works it could be a useful tool in our industry.

RPA website vacuum

LAST Tuesday saw the closure of entitlement transfers until next January when the system reopens.

Much of the RPA system is shut down while they work on the software and embark upon a gradual release of the new programme.

As agents, we were promised access to test out some of the facilities by the end of October but so far no word has come through for a start date.

There has however been some indication of what is promised on the farming advisory side with the Farm Advisory Service being put out to tender.

We are also told that Environmental Schemes, including woodland will survive as will Catchment Sensitive Farming.

The current Rural Development Fund will change to a Countryside Development Fund, but we await further details of all the above.