Visit to farms in Northumberland

Northumberland is an agriculturally diverse county benefiting from a lower rainfall that allows it to produce substantial quantities of livestock and grain. The DEFRA website gives a good description of its agricultural qualities, its the mixed farming that allows farmers to focus on livestock farming using home or locally produced grain. What impressed me most was the way in which farmers were focussed on the qualities required for the marketplace with each farmer using elements of the following receipe:-

• Only buy breeding livestock of the highest quality capable of producing what the market requires;
• Maintain high health status at all times and minimise inter flock/herd contacts;
• Decide on a marketing plan that encompasses livestock breeding, accurate selection for the market, sale feedback and review;
• HAVE A STORY TO TELL;

The first two are part of common practice but the last two are not. The best exponent of the 'story to tell' is Steve Ramshaw and is a superb case study. The added value he produces from his farm is the result of high quality livestock, first class management techniques, a tightly managed slaughter process with emphasis on quality control, and selling to a predetermined sales story and ideal. There are excellent stockmen in Wales but we could learn a few tricks from these marketing farmers up in the North East.