Are Devon and Cornwall’s dairy businesses ‘Fit4Business’ as Brexit looms?

FOLK2FOLK, the South West’s multi-award-winning Peer-to-Peer lending company is hosting two ‘Fit4Business’ seminars this month aimed at Dairy Farmers, asking “Is your Dairy Business Sustainable?”. The seminars are being held in partnership with Mole Valley Farmers.

The question is increasingly pertinent. The summer may have been glorious for those businesses engaged in tourism, but it has created real challenges for livestock and dairy farmers. Lack of grazing, lower silage yields, poor maize growth, the use of winter feeding rations in July, combine to create real and potentially punishing challenges.

Ian Bell Head of Farm & Rural Engagement at FOLK2FOLK: ‘’Farming will always be a weather dependent industry and subject to the vagaries of world markets and politics.  However, farmers can concentrate on the elements of their business that they can do something about; husbandry, technical efficiency, innovation and cost control.

“We want to help dairy farmers secure their future by ensuring their business is sustainable and fit for purpose for the coming years as we approach, go through and emerge from Brexit. Our ‘Fit4Business’ seminars aim to candidly address issues facing the dairy industry and include a panel of subject-matter experts to provide new information and advice over a hot supper.

“We want to put some valuable, relevant and worthwhile information in front of our local Devon and Cornwall dairy farmers that will, at the very least, provide food for thought and options for the future.”

The informal evening seminars will provide insight and advice on how dairy farms can be more efficient, productive, and ultimately ‘fit for business’ to deal with the challenges that lie ahead.

Topics include: benchmarking dairy costings enabling farmers to see how they compare within the industry, innovation in herd health to increase milk yield, efficiencies in the lifetime cycle of the herd, the best structure for farm business, trends in cow prices across various life-stages, how the global milk market impacts on local farmers, the importance of investing in your farm business to grow or diversify and the experts will share their opinions on what lies in store for the industry.

Event details:

DEVON

• Date: 30th October from 6.30pm
• Venue: The Waie Inn, Zeal Monachorum, Crediton EX17 6DF
• RSVP essential

CORNWALL

• Date: 31st October from 6.30pm
• Venue: Heartlands, Robinson’s Shaft, Dudnance Lane, Pool TR15 3QY
• RSVP essential

Those unable to attend, who require information or guidance are advised to contact FOLK2FOLK directly on ev****@*******lk.com.