These deepest winter months give many in farming chance to pause, reflect and - perhaps - plan. AF Head of Member Services Louis Clabburn examines where farmers of all kinds draw ideas, comfort and determination.
“The farming and rural community is one of the most resilient I know. No matter the challenge ahead, there’s grit and determination to face it and overcome, even triumph. So where do they glean their resolve and inspiration from?
“At the start of the year, I represented AF at the Oxford Farming Conference. A look at the delegate list showed most Conference attendees were from large corporations and public bodies. Getting their ideas refreshed, no doubt.
“Outside, freezing temperatures didn’t stop farmers staging a demonstration against Labour’s changes to inheritance tax and agricultural property relief. I walked amongst hundreds of frustrated but good-humoured farmers, happy to honk their tractor horns whilst inside Environment Secretary Steve Reed addressed delegates.”
Horses for courses of action
“The same bone-numbing cold hung over a different venue later last month when AF Member Fakenham Racecourse invited those arriving at their Sunday races by tractor free entry. Colleagues there on the day tell me the crowd swelled with the farming community and there were many positive conversations."
Down-time gatherings aren’t a source of technical inspiration for rearing stock or crops. But there was a tangible feeling of solidarity and community: essential for rural business owners under immense strain.
Reducing the risk in change
“Taking a different tack in business is risky. What lessens fear of failure? Who best to consult? Ask arable farmer and AF Member Richard Ling those questions and his answer is clear. Farming at Wortham on the Suffolk-Norfolk border, his decisions and direction are influenced by his peers, with the help of technology. He’s part of a WhatsApp group with 14 local farmers. They regularly bounce ideas. This collaboration, Richard feels, is essential to comfortably push his farming boundaries.”
Tyre-kicking while morale-boosting
“The national 2025 show season started with LAMMA machinery and technology event, held a couple of weeks ago in Birmingham. My colleague and AF Fertiliser Procurement Manager Mark Southwell joined the throng. But with farm incomes so under pressure were there many farmers wanting to spend? No, it seems.
“Mark reports many conversations revolved around whether high cost of large equipment can be justified. Meeting with farming friends from around the country, sharing food and drink, seemed to be what many visitors felt recharged by.”
Getting ideas up close
“Later this month is our first big regional farming event. The annual Norfolk Farming Conference is on 11th February. I’ll be there. I’m particularly looking forward to hearing what Daniel Zeichner, the Minister of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has to say. But also seeing impressive AF Member (and director) Ian Baker’s illustration of his approach to outdoor pig production for Waitrose. It takes a lot to put together a presentation like that when you know your predominantly local audience will be scrutinising – and perhaps wanting to learn from - what you say and show.”
Sparking some northern lights
“Not all inspiration comes from such close quarters. This week I’m hosting a group of Scottish AF Members and other farmers from one of the oldest machinery rings in Scotland. Why come so far? They, like us, are a co-operative and curious to discover how we can work together and share ideas. We’ll have ‘boots on the ground’ visits to some of our Members so they take back north a plethora of practical ideas to make things better in business for them.
“Wherever, whoever and however you consult, I wish you a good harvest of ideas to help you in 2025.”
