July 2016 Newsletter - Dartmoor National Park

33
Newsletter July/Aug 2016
Upcoming Events
Thurs 4 Aug –
2.00pm – 4.30pm
Thurs 11 Aug
Sun 14 – Weds 17
Aug
Thurs Aug 18
3.00pm – 5.00pm
Weds 24 Aug
6.00 for 6.30pm
27 Aug – 4 Sept
Thurs 1 Sept
10.00am – 4.00pm
Fri 2 Sept
10.am – 4.00pm
Tues 13 Sept
Tues 13 Sept
10.00am – 3.00pm
Weds, Thurs, Fri
14,15,16 Sept
Weds 28 Sept
10.00am – 1.00pm
Fri 30 Sept
Weds 12 Oct
Time TBC
Sheep Breeding & Grass Management - An AHDB Event Venue: Weir
Park Farm, Christow, Exeter, EX6 7PB. Free of Charge. Booking essential
via AHDB Beef & Lamb Events 01904 771211 or [email protected]
OKEHAMPTON SHOW
Study Trip to Cumbria – Limited places still available. Please call the
DHFP office for costs, travel arrangements and other details.
Farm Walk & Talk – High Value Nature Farming – Challacombe Farm
Please book with DHFP office
Pie and Pint Evening – Hosted by Cornwall Farmers, Tavistock, with Castle
Vets, Bimeda, Nettex, Zoetis and others. Venue: Tavistock Golf Club PL19
9AQ Call Neil or Ben 01822 614176 to book your place
Moorland Walking Festival
Bracken Cutting & Baling Demonstration – Green Coombe, Shapley
Common, TQ13 8RL Dartmoor. Refreshments
Rush & Gorse Cutting Demonstration – Tor Royal, PL20 6SL and
Whitchurch, PL19 9DZ. Please contact the DHFP office to book your place
Widecombe Fair
Healthy Silage – Free event for farmers and advisors Venue: Duchy
College Home Farm, Stoke Climsland,PL17 8PB.To book call 0845 4587485
or email to [email protected]
Spraying courses PA1, PA6 & PA2 - PA1 at DHFP Office, PA6 and PA2
On Farm Venue: TBC Book your place with the DHFP office
Cross-Compliance - On-farm open meeting with Ross Cherrington with
Westcountry Rivers Trust Venue Lizwell Farm
Spraying equipment NSTS Testing Day – Ride on spraying equipment
over 5 years must be tested by 26 Nov 2016. Book your sprayer in for
testing with DHFP. Test Venue: Tavistock Livestock Market. See inside for
more details
Thistle, Rush & Dock Control – A DHFP/Westcountry Rivers Trust Event
with on-farm demonstrations and discussions. Venue: Great Cator Farm
1
Contents
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Dates for your diary
Contents and Contacts
Paperwork Pile/NE housekeeping
DNPA – The local plan for Dartmoor
DHFP Photo Competition Results
Spraying Equipment Testing
Study trip to Pumlumon
DHFP Contribution Scheme
Study Trip to Cumbria
New Livestock movement rules
Bursary Programme – Ashburton Cookery School
Rodenticides courses
Rodenticides courses/DHFP farmer computer
Organised events on the Moor
FecPac Hire
WRT Dart Catchment Opportunities
Outside Dartmoor Catchment offer/Event Feedbacks
‘Just in Case’ Contacts
Dartmoor Hill Farm Project Contacts
Sandra Dodd, Project Officer 01822 890912 or 07513 801272,
[email protected]
Angela Wyke-Smith, Administrator, 01822 890913 or
[email protected]
Dartmoor Hill Farm Project, Old Duchy Hotel
Princetown, Devon, PL20 6QF
01822 890913
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.dartmoor.gov.uk/hillfarmproject
Find us on Facebook
Whilst every care has been taken to ensure accuracy, Dartmoor Hill Farm Project cannot accept responsibility
for any inaccurate, incomplete or out of date information, or any loss or damage that may result from reliance on
it. Inclusion of information should not be taken to imply recommendation or accreditation.
2
The Paperwork Pile and Key Dates
31 Aug – Deadline for requesting Mid-Tier Countryside Stewardship
application pack from Natural England
1 Sept – You can cut or trim hedges from this date (GAEC 7a and
GAEC 7C)
30 Sept – Deadline for submitting Countryside Stewardship applications
1 Oct – Swaling starts
26 Nov – Ride-on chemical application equipment must be tested by this
date – see article inside for further details
A reminder from Natural England about house- keeping
requirements for Commons’ Associations
In the next few months NE will be requesting the following evidence from
each Common to satisfy the requirements outlined in their HLS
agreements.
 Up-to-date Fire Management Plan
 Swaling and vegetation management plans. Application forms for
planned burns and bracken management are now with your
Common’s administrator. Forms need to be returned to Natural
England before the end of the year otherwise consent for burning
cannot be given for winter 2016/17.
 Stocking records to show compliance with your Common’s
stocking calendar and eligibility for the cattle grazing supplement, if
relevant.
 Monthly records of shepherding/herding activities to show eligibility
for shepherding supplement, if relevant.
Natural England advisers are:
Martin Longley 07798 877441 [email protected]
Jane Stuart 07733 208816 [email protected]
Highgrove 21 July 2016
Some members of the DHFP and 4 farmers were invited to an
evening reception at Highgrove by His Royal Highness Prince
Charles for the launch of his ‘Farm Resiliance Programme’.
This initiative has been put in place to help secure a viable
and resilient future for farm businesses.
It was a very informative evening and Prince Charles took
great interest in the Dartmoor Hill Farm Project
3
DNPA Planning – The Local Plan for Dartmoor
DNPA has begun reviewing the local plan for the National Park. The
local plan (www.dartmoor.gov.uk/planning) must align with national
planning policy, and covers the whole of the National Park. It looks
ahead 15-20 years but is regularly reviewed to ensure it is up to
date. The policies in the local plan cover areas including householder
(e.g. extensions), housing, economy, agriculture, natural environment
and historic environment.
All decision on planning applications should be based upon these
national and local policies. As such, if you feel planning decisions do not
deliver what you feel they should, or if you would not like to see local
policies change, you should get involved in the review of the local
plan. It is an important opportunity to influence what planning decisions
are made in the future. The local plan must balance lots of sometimes
competing priorities, but we will aim to understand what the farming
community sees as important.
We will be keen to have discussions with communities, businesses and
other groups and individuals, to enable you to shape how the local plan
might change. We are beginning to have these discussions, working
with the Hill Farm Project to help us talk with the farming community and
ensure we publicise these opportunities for you to get involved.
Chloe Nielsen, Forward Planning, DNPA
PLANNING REVIEW
FARMHOUSE KITCHEN TABLE MEETINGS
If you would like to consider hosting or attending a small
meeting around the kitchen table to share your thoughts on
planning within the DNP with planning officers so it can be fed
back into the review, please make contact. This is a great
opportunity for the farming community… don’t miss it!
Call the DHFP office to discuss this further
There is an opportunity to arrange training courses over the
autumn, if there are any that you would like to undertake please let
the office know
4
DHFP PHOTO
COMPETITION
Out of over 40
entries these
were the great
ten shortlisted
pictures
The Winning
Picture
HIGHLANDS
By
Kate Jones
CONGRATULATIONS!
Our warmest
thanks to Mike
Combes and Two
Bridges Hotel for
judging and
donating a prize
of
Dinner for Two
Two Bridges Hotel
A Dartmoor oasis
offering luxury rooms,
award-winning dining,
and classic Devon
Cream teas, in an
exceptional riverside
setting
www.twobridges.co.uk
A huge thankyou to everyone who took part in the competition!
5
New legislation for the use of the chemical application
equipment
By November 2016, all vehicle mounted sprayers, 5 years old and over,
where the operator rides on the machine, MUST BE TESTED under the
National Sprayer Testing Scheme (NSTS).
Each sprayer must then be tested again by 2020 and then every 3 years
thereafter. The requirement also covers granular and pellet applicators,
although re-tests on these are not required for 6 years after the 2016
test.
This does not apply to knapsack, hand-held or pedestrian controlled
machines although these need to be regularly inspected by a competent
person and results recorded.
You have until 26th November 2016, although it is advisable to act
sooner rather than later to avoid a mad rush as the deadline
approaches.
NSTS have a number of testing centres adjacent to the moor, the
nearest ones being Launceston and Newton Abbot, follow this link for
more information: http://www.nsts.org.uk/?mr=646.
On Friday 30th September DHFP have organised NSTS trained testers
to come to Tavistock Livestock Market where they will test 4 pieces of
spraying equipment during the day.
The testers charge individuals on the day according to time it takes to
run through the test. They charge £40ph + VAT and say it generally
takes 2 hours per test, but this will depend on the size and age of the
sprayer. Any spare parts required will be charged to individuals
separately.
If you are interested in taking part in this test day please call the DHFP
office. We are still finalising all the details and will be able to give you
more information when you call.
6
Dartmoor Study Trip to Pumlumon
The trip was open to members of the Dartmoor Peatland Partnership
and farmer representatives. 4 farmers and representatives from DNPA,
Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT), South West Water, Environment Agency
and the West Country Rivers Trust attended. The Peatland Partnership
is the new name for the Dartmoor Mires Project Board but with a wider
membership including the Dartmoor Preservation Association, Dartmoor
Society and the DWT.
The Montgomery Wildlife Trust have trialled a PES scheme (Payment for
Ecosystems Services) at Pumlumon and the trip was arranged to
explore the results of this in relation to restoration of peatlands. Pre visit
information looked very positive but the trip confirmed the difficulty of
attracting corporate funding for peatland restoration even with a
dedicated officer. A number of ideas had been considered but no long
term payments either for restoration or to farmers had been developed
and sustained. Some useful discussion took place about the difference
in agri-environment payments between Wales and England (there
appears to be a higher payment for peatland restoration in Wales) and
how to promote local meat. There was some discussion about the need
to better understand consumer habits when trying to sell direct.
Upcoming Autumn Study Trip – Pwllpeiran Upland
Research Platform
Pwllpeiran is an upland farm that has a long record of involvement with
change and development in the uplands, and discoveries at the site
have driven pasture-based agriculture internationally.
The range of vegetation types offered within the platform is extensive
and covers a continuum from intensively-managed improved swards to
mountain pasture. This diversity enables the impact of different
management systems to be tested on a range of vegetation types at a
single site, minimising confounding with climatic and other environmental
factors.
Some farmers have been asking how the Yellow Gold Project is
progressing having heard the John Davis presentation at the Farmers’
Forum 2 years ago. DHFP are arranging an autumn study trip to see the
ongoing success of the Yellow Gold Project plus several other research
programmes including Forage legume trials and the Miscanthus
performance under Upland Conditions Initiative.
More information will be sent out soon but if you would like to join this
trip please call or email the DHFP office to register your interest.
7
Farmer Contributions to HFP
Thank you very much to those who have responded to our request for
an annual contribution to the HFP. You will recall that we are
implementing this to support future funding bids so that we can show we
are supported by the farming community with a level of match funding.
We are asking for an annual contribution of £50.00 (plus VAT) with effect
from 1st September 2016. These funds will be ring fenced and used
solely for the Dartmoor Hill Farm Project. For those who make this
contribution we will offer a discount of up to 50% on a programme of
training courses and events.
If you would like us to send you the relevant paper work to join the
DHFP Participation Scheme or have any queries please call us or send
an email.
Rescheduled Spraying Courses
PA1 14 Sept ~ PA6 15 Sept ~ PA2 16 Sept
PA6 & PA2 Assessments ~ 26 & 27 Sept
NPTC Certificated courses with trainers Hush Farms
Cost for PA1 plus PA6 or PA2:
Dartmoor Farmers DHFP Scheme Contributors - £245 + VAT
Dartmoor Farmers (Non - DHFP Scheme Contributors) £295 +VAT
Full Cost to non-Dartmoor Farmers - £345 + VAT
Please contact the DHFP office to book a place
8
Study Trip to Cumbria
An opportunity to visit Cumbrian hill farms and the farmers who like you,
are trying to make a living from doing what they are passionate about,
has been issued by the Cumbrian Young Commoners! The trip will take
place 14th -17th August. We will be travelling by train and then collecting
a minibus from Penrith. There will be farm and common visits, looking at
management, practice, knowledge exchange as well as a social aspect.
There is some funding towards the trip and the cost will be £50, although
does depend on numbers.
Please confirm with payment asap before 8th August!
9
Roll-out of New Livestock Movement Rules 2016 - 2017
New livestock movement rules are being introduced with the aim of
reducing red tape and form filling.
The new system has started and all changes are expected to be
completed by summer 2017. If you own sheep, cattle, goats or pigs you
may be affected by the changes. If affected you will be receiving a letter
from Defra detailing the options available to you and any action you may
need to take. Under the new system, farmers will be able to move their
animals around their land, within a 10-mile radius, without the need to
report, and without standstills (the period during which further animal
movements are not allowed off a landholding). For further details follow
this link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/livestock-movementssimpler-rules-from-2016-to-2017
Moorskills
Following requests from farmers and potential farm workers, the
Moorskills apprenticeship is running again. There are some key
changes in delivery as each farmer is employing one apprentice rather
than through the company. This avoids gang master legislation, but will
allow up to 30% of time to be spent on other farms, extending
knowledge and practical experience. The 5 apprentices are farmer’s
sons or well known to the farms they are working on.
Moorskills application window for funding towards training is closed –
with 12 grants being offered.
10
Bursary Programme – Ashburton Cookery School
A report from Naomi Oakley
The Ashburton Cookery School operates a bursary program to support
residents and businesses of the Dartmoor community, I was lucky and
got a place on the weekend Italian Plus course and it was a revelation!
The course taught me lots of new skills and techniques, based around
using a few simple but beautiful ingredients. I was very impressed by the
professionalism of the staff and how great the facilities are. Other course
attendees had come from London and Carlisle, so it was really
impressive to find that we have such a facility so close to home.
I cooked a range of meat and sweet dishes, including fish, meat, breads
and pasta – but my favourite were these Ricciarelli, soft Italian
macaroons. I think they look beautiful and are so easy to make – some
people will be getting these traditional Italian Christmas gifts this year,
for sure.
I would encourage anyone who is interested to apply for a bursary, or to
give a Cookery School voucher, it is a great experience and good fun
too.
11
Rodenticides Courses
To buy rat bait from August 2016, purchasers will need to provide
evidence of a competency qualification in the form of either:
a) Farm Assured Red Tractor certificate, or
b) LANTRA affiliated course certificate
Date
Action
st
1 April 2016
First stewardship labels appearing on the
market
th
30 June 2016
Last date product can be supplied to store with
‘old’ labels
th
30
September Last date product with ‘old’ labels can be sold
2016
31st March 2017
Last date product with ‘old’ labels can be used
on farm
There are two routes for acquiring a LANTRA certificate:
Online: A Free 3 to 4 hour online learning session (see link) which can
then be followed by signing up with LANTRA to complete their online
exam at a cost of £50 + VAT for each attempt at passing the exam.
Classroom Session: A one day (approx. 6 hours including the test),
tutor- led, classroom group session ending with a 30 question multiple
choice written test, which if passed will give the attendee the following
LANTRA certificate: ‘Technical Award in Responsible and Effective
Control of Commensal Rodents’.
The classroom course will take you through the following subject matter in
detail:
 Understand your responsibilities under the law and help you become a
safe and competent biocide user
 Interpret and use product label information
 Store and transport biocides safely
 Dispose of biocides and containers safely
 Record information correctly
 Identify rats and mice and the typical symptoms of damage caused
 Identify non-target species
 Identify the degree and source of an infestation
 State the legislative obligations and responsibilities relevant to the
control of rats and mice
 Describe the lifestyle, habits and habitats of rats and mice
 Plan, implement and monitor an effective control programme for rats
and mice
 Select and carry out the most appropriate methods of rat and mouse
control, in line with current legal guidelines and recognised good
practice
12
Understand the effect rodent control can have on the environment and
ensure risks to non-target animals are minimised.
In addition, the trainers also focus on areas where prevention and control
of rats and mice can make positive contributions to the profits of your farm
business.

We have now negotiated a rate with trainers for this course at £100 plus
VAT, with members of the DHFP Participation Scheme being entitled to a
25% discount, so paying £75 + VAT.
Some people may prefer the online course which can be completed on
their own and in their own time. Some people may prefer a group, trainerbased learning situation. We are not saying either is better but feel
farmers should have the opportunity to have both options on offer to them.
Our next classroom based course will run in the autumn, dates tbc. Please
call the office 01822 890913 to register your interest.
DHFP Computer for Dartmoor Farmers
Should you wish to complete the online Rodenticides learning session
and the online LANTRA exam we have a computer and printer with
internet access set up in the DHFP office specifically for Dartmoor
farmers to use free of charge.
Also, if you have any other IT needs, the computer is available (during
hours the office is manned) and in some cases we can provide one-toone trainers. So if you want to brush up on Word or excel, want some
help with emailing on PC, laptop or tablet or to complete the online
Rodenticides course call the DHFP office on 01822 890913 to arrange.
13
Organised Events on Dartmoor
Every year there are more events being held on Dartmoor involving the
public who through their behaviour can affect rural livelihoods. Farmers
are becoming more concerned that damage occurring on their land
could impact on their businesses through reductions in payments from
agri-environment schemes.
John Holmes is Natural England’s Area Manager for Devon Cornwall
and the Isles of Scilly. He told us that some commoners had raised
concerns over organised events on the commons and the potential
impacts on wildlife or agri-environment schemes. He said “We
understand that some events can be disruptive to communities and
might affect management activities from time to time. People should be
reassured though that we won’t be pursuing farmers for damage to their
land that they had nothing to do with. Nor is it likely that Natural England
would be able to regulate or control such events – it is up to organisers
to get the permissions they need from landowners, and take precautions
to avoid damage when on site. That’s why we support initiatives such as
those run by the Dartmoor National Park Authority to raise awareness
and standards amongst event organisers through education and
workshops. If anyone has any evidence of an event damaging wildlife or
affecting their scheme, then they should let their adviser know and we’ll
be glad to advise.”
We are running a 3 month project with 10 farmers over the summer
asking them to record all their interactions with members of the public on
their land. We will use the information from these exchanges, (be they
good, bad or indifferent,) to analyse particular areas where solutions
could be put in place to improve relations between the moorland users
and farmers. If you have any comments of people being on your
farmland that you think could be relevant to this research we would like
to hear from you. Please also send any pictures you have to evidence
your findings.
14
Geoff Partridge NCH (Arb)
For all your Arboriculture work
Services include
All aspects of tree care
Garden, Hedge, Woodland or Forestry
Stone Walling, Hedge Laying,
Clearing Saw & Brush Cutting work
River Bank maintenance &
habitat work
Fencing (all types)
Tel: 01364 621468
Mob: 07759 774394
Email: [email protected]
Widecombe-in-the-moor
Over 30 years experience in the industry
5 Million Public Liability Insurance
FecPak Hire
DHFP have two FecPaks (faecal egg count kits) available to hire for £30
for a 3 month period.
These allow you to test your flock to see if they have a problem with
resistant worms and then allow you to make your worming strategy more
efficient and cost effective.
We received the following feedback from Farmers who have used
FecPaks:
‘The amount of wormer used has been reduced since discovering what
products the sheep were resistant to and also that they did not require a
worm drench before tupping.’
‘If the Fecpak was not available to me no doubt it would have been
much longer before the worm burden and the resistance to white
drenches would have been rectified. The FecPak will have saved me
money and improved the welfare of my lambs.’
Please contact the office for more information and to discuss hiring a
FecPak.
15
Soil Aerator
The Upstream Thinking project, which is funded by South West Water
and runs until March 2020, is working to improve water quality across
the Dart catchment, and as part of this is looking to reduce run off from
compacted fields. One of the Upstream Thinking partners, Devon
Wildlife Trust, has a soil slitter which is available for use by farmers in
the Dart catchment, for free. The machine helps alleviate soil
compaction, which in turn reduces the amount of soil, sediment and
attached nutrients and pesticides reaching watercourses. The slitter also
increases water percolation, promotes root development, helps prevent
slurry run off, and improves fertiliser intake.
It should be used when soil is moist but dry enough not to cause
smearing or further compaction through use. The only way to know for
sure if you have soil compaction is to dig a soil pit, and look for pores,
holes, stones, root growth and biological activity – generally if you have
earthworms you don’t need to be relieving compaction. The Upstream
Thinking farm advisers are able to help you identify areas of compaction
on your farm, and make sure the slitter is the right bit of machinery for
the job.
The soil slitter will be available in the Dart catchment from mid-August. If
you are interested please contact Louise Davis on 07785 622820
Agri-environment schemes
As part of the Upstream Thinking project, DWT are able to offer free,
confidential advice on both the new Countryside Stewardship schemes,
and on compliance with existing ELS/UELS/HLS schemes.
With RPA inspections and fines becoming more frequent, minor failings
on existing Environmental Stewardship schemes can add to crosscompliance breaches and increase the potential scale of RPA fines.
Typical problems with existing ELS/UELS/HLS schemes include;
 Boundary maintenance, particularly height of hedges, condition of
stone walls/stone-faced banks in ELS/UELS
 Grassland management, particularly sward height prescriptions
during growing season
 Earliest cutting dates on fields in agri-environment options
 Scrub within field parcels with ELS/HLS options
 Quality of fencing erected under capital grants
If you have any concerns that you may not be meeting the requirements
of existing stewardship schemes, DWT can offer a farm visit to assess
16
land and boundaries within options, to advise on whether they meet the
schemes’ requirements. All advice is completely confidential. This free
service is only available in the Dart catchment. If you are interested
please contact Kerry Smith on 07989 662540
If you are not within the Dart catchment and would like a health check
on your agri-environment scheme, DHFP are organising 4 x on-farm one
to ones with the WRT. Please contact the DHFP to register interest in
this opportunity for your farm and also to discuss the funding subsidy we
have to support this.
Feedback from events
Farm App Presentation
On Wednesday 22nd June, I attended a Dartmoor Hill Farm Project
meeting regarding a new farm app being launched by Paul Cottington to
help on farm decision making, it was a highly informative session, which
was made even better by the full english breakfast provided by Fox Tor
Café! The app had lots of potential, for helping day to day record
keeping on the farm, which would allow farmers to keep up to date with
cross compliance. However there was still a bit of tweaking to do, with
regards to data protection. We look forward to seeing the finished
product eventually.
Adele Colton
Succession
Being one of the lucky families that have children who have chosen to
come back to Dartmoor to live and work we found ourselves looking to
the future and the ever present and popular topic – Succession. The
open meeting that DHFP put on in May re Succession Planning at Betty
Cottle’s was informative and interesting. Hearing about issues that other
families have had to deal with and realising that every farming family will
have different dynamics within the business and the wider family eg
siblings who do not want to farm, only highlights the need to talk to each
other more. The communication may be awkward or difficult and the
independent non-judgemental help offered through the grant available is
extremely useful. The grant can also help towards the legal costs of
setting up the plan which the family is going to follow to make best use
of the current rules and regulations. We would recommend any family to
use the Dartmoor Farm Succession Grant to the max.
Gail & Miles Fursdon
17
The Farming Community Network
Helping farming people through difficult times
Open 7.00am – 11.00pm every day of the year
03000 111 999
Devon contacts: Joanne Jones 07897 540 278
Colin Smallacombe 07999 711 950
[email protected]
www.fcn.org.uk
ARC – Addington Fund
Supporting Britain’s Farming Communities
02476 690587
[email protected]
www.arc-addingtonfund.org.uk
Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution
Supporting Farming Families
General Enquiries: 01865 724931
Welfare Enquiries: 0300 303 7373
[email protected]
www.rabi.org.uk
The Samaritans
“Talk to us if things are getting to you”
24 hours a day, 365 days a year
UK: 08457 909090
www.samaritans.org
Rural Payments Helpline
03000 200 301
Mon – Fri 8.30am-5.00pm
18