3^rd February, 2012, Cambridge, UK. Anglia Business Solutions has today named Robert Frost as its new Group Chief Executive Officer, with immediate effect.

Robert has been on the Board of Directors at Anglia for 12 years and formerly held the positions of Finance Director and Commercial Director. 

Speaking about the appointment, Robert said, “With the full support of my fellow Directors, I am delighted to take up this position at such an exciting time for the business. In Europe we are committed to support and expand our Microsoft Dynamics based LINKFresh solution in the fresh food marketplace and also to push forward to take up the emerging opportunities for LINKFresh in the wider food supply chain.”  Robert continues, “In addition, we are continuing with our strategy to drive the LINKFresh solution into new International markets, such as the USA and Canada, where we are already working with several high profile customers”

“We intend to continue investing heavily in all of Microsoft’s technology platforms, thus enabling us to reach all companies, large and small, within our chosen market sector.  We will be announcing, very soon, significant steps towards this goal.”

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 Greenery UK has acquired all the shares in John Baarda after the tomato specialist approached it for financial assistance for the third time in less than two years.

Baarda, which is the second largest tomato grower in the UK, has struggled in recent years with poor financial performance and operational challenges.

The board of directors, which includes both Greenery UK and an outside director who served as chairman, accepted financing terms presented by Greenery UK after it became clear doing so was in the best interest of John Baarda, the employees and creditors, according to the company. There was no alternative brought forward to the board, and Greenery UK was left to consider its options, it added.

“The domestic supply of tomatoes is obviously what is important to our retail partners, the British customers and consequently our business,” said Kevin Doran, MD of Greenery UK. “Across Europe we are involved in ‘local for local’ partnerships with domestic producers. This is consistent with that posture, so with the support of producer partners we stepped in with the required financing.”

The move means Greenery UK has become the sole shareholder in John Baarda, which is the second largest tomato producer in the UK, after the transaction completed on January 19. It has also resulted in the resignation of directors including chairman Andrew Lesser, company finance director Adrian Burrows and MD David Baarda. “David Baarda wants to consider other opportunities he can now pursue, so I certainly understand his decision,” said Doran, who added Baarda would stay on as a consultant for a period of transition and handover.

“Given the very difficult circumstances, this is certainly the right way forward for the company,” David Baarda explained. “The Greenery has the resources and expertise to realise the full vision we had for Billingham. There is room to grow up there, which was one of the reasons we chose that site.”

A new board has been named and has taken over operations, with Nigel Bartle, the current general manager of Cornerways Nursery in Wissington, named equity partner and MD. He takes over from March 1. “He was a natural [choice] and certainly Nigel Bartle requires no introduction from me”, said Doran. “It goes without saying we are thrilled with this announcement.”

Bartle has been managing British Sugar’s horticultural business, Cornerways Nursery, since 2001 and is also chairman of the British Tomato Growers Association. “It is a very exciting opportunity for me”, Bartle said “and, as I am from that part of the country, it also just felt like a natural fit.”

Colm McKay, agriculture director of British Sugar, added: ”We are pleased that Nigel has an opportunity to pursue a dream he has had since a young age. I would like to thank him for his superb contribution and support over the past 10 years in establishing Cornerways Nursery as an award-winning horticulture business, and I wish him all the best for the future.”

Paul Simmonds, who has been integral in the successful operation of Cornerways Nursery, has been appointed as general manager with effect from 1 March. “We are delighted to appoint Paul as general manager of Cornerways Nursery, with over seven years of experience within the tomato industry and the NFU’s Young Grower of the Year in 2010, this is the next step in his successful career at Cornerways”, said McKay.

Both Cornerways Nursery and John Baarda are members in the grower group and producer organisation Coforta UA, the single shareholder of The Greenery BV. A new board of directors and advisory board has also been named and will be made up of Theo van Noord, who is a key producer in the Netherlands and sits on Coforta’s Grower Member Council, Nigel Bartle and Kevin Doran, who will serve as chairman.

Source: Freshinfo

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 THE full extent of the Schmallenberg virus (SBV) outbreak in Britain will only become clear when the lambing season gets fully underway, a Norfolk vet has warned.

Toby Kemble, of the Wensum Valley Veterinary Surgery, in Fakenham, believes the virus could already widespread in eastern England.

AHVLA has so far confirmed infection on four sheep farms in Norfolk, Suffolk and East Sussex. More samples are being analysed and confirmation of more cases is expected soon.

Mr Kemble’s veterinary practice dealt with one of the confirmed outbreaks.

“It is going to hit farmers, I fear, over the next few weeks. The farm where we had the case had about 25 per cent of the lamb crop affected so, potentially, if that is reproduced throughout the region, it is going to really hit people,” he told the BBC Farming Today programme.

He said it was impossible, at this stage, to gauge how far the disease could spread but said a clearer picture would emerge over the next few weeks. 

The likelihood is that the virus, which AHVLA officials believe probably reached eastern England via midges from infected coastal areas of northern Europe,  has been circuiting in the region since September, he said.

However, as the symptoms are most obvious in newborn lambs and calves, with infected adults often showing few signs, the cases announced so far might just be the tip of the iceberg, he suggested.   

 “The problem is not many people have started lambing yet. We are only going to know the extent of it once people have started lambing and calving because the main signs are deformed lambs and calves,” Mr Kemble said.

He said the starkest symptoms were limb contractures, badly twisted legs that make it difficult to deliver the lambs and impossible for those that survive to stand.  

Mr Kemble said the cattle and sheep most at risk of infection in foetuses they are carrying were those in-lamb or in-calf last autumn when midges were still circulating. Sheep intended for later lambing could be more likely to escape the virus, he said.

Source: Farmers Guardian

 FARMING organisations have welcomed a new Government report into the impacts of climate change will help improve farming’s understanding of how agriculture can be part of the solution to a major problem.

They were responding to today’s launch of the first Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) which looked at the risks and opportunities from the impacts of current and future climate change to the UK, on a number of specific sectors including agriculture. 

CLA president Harry Cotterell said it was a ‘crucial and welcome first attempt’ to highlight the risks for farmers and foresters.

“Meeting these challenges will require new management skills with support from better technology and clear guidance to allow forestry and agri-businesses to adapt to climate change more effectively.”

He said the land management sector could make a big contribution towards adapting to climate change.

“Growing food crops that are more resistant to disease and drought and changing land management practices to allow more water and carbon storage in soils would all make a huge difference.

“Planning ahead and planting the right tree species in the right places would provide biodiversity corridors and shade, store carbon and buffer the impact of flooding.

NFU climate change adviser Dr Ceris Jones said: “The report will help us improve our understanding of some of the risks and opportunities ahead so we can better respond to what the climate might throw at us.”

Dr Jones said they agreed with the assessment that climate risks were only one aspect influencing the decisions made by farmers, and the way UK agriculture adapted and responded must recognise the complexity of targets and expectations placed upon food production now and in the future.

Launching the report, Defra Secretary Caroline Spelman said it provided the most comprehensive case yet why action should be taken to adapt the UK and the economy to the impacts of climate change.

Lord John Krebs, part of the Committee on Climate Change, added: “Without an effective plan to prepare for the risks from climate change the country may sleepwalk into disaster.”

The report will be used to develop a National Adaptation Programme which will set out timescales for Government actions to meet the challenges of climate change.

Source: Farmers Guardian

 Farms in East Yorkshire saw a 36% rise last year in the number of livestock thefts compared to 2010, according to an insurance company.

Specialist agricultural insurer NFU Mutual said it had received 360 claims for livestock rustling in the region in 2011, compared to 264 in 2010.

The insurer said the increase in meat prices was behind the rise in thefts.

The average price of lamb chops rose from £10.39 per kilogramme in July 2008 to £14.24 in July 2011.

Peter O'Reilly, an agent for NFU Mutual in the East Riding, said that criminal gangs were "systematically targeting" farms across the region.

"They're highly organised thieves, sometimes stealing to order," he said.

'Relies on community'

"Rural areas are hard to police and they're seen as easy targets for criminals."

Supt Christine Kelk, Humberside Police's superintendent of operations, said the force deployed a significant amount of resources in rural areas to try to combat crime.

She said the police had developed partnerships with local authorities and other groups to try to tackle countryside crime.

The officer highlighted initiatives such as Country Watch, which allows farmers to send text messages reporting suspicious activity to the police and other members of the scheme.

"A lot of it relies on the community to report to us suspicious activity," she said.

"So, we've actually developed quite a wide network of mechanisms for the community to tell us about suspicious activity, and then we can respond to it as quickly as we can."

Source: BBC News

 THERE is a general lack of demand for fertiliser in the UK, Europe and globally due to the combined effects of economic problems and tight money supply.

But the general outlook is global demand will pick up over the coming weeks and there is a large backlog of buyers who are yet to commit to purchases.

The commodity urea market reflected an upward trend from last summer and had reached a high of around US$520 (£332) free on board (FOB)/tonne (granular) by mid-November 2011, but then fell to around US$390 (£249) FOB by the end of December.

Recovery

The price has now recovered to around US$420 (£268) FOB and the market is said to be stable, but still US$100 (£64) below November levels. Global demand for spring application will now very likely take up any slack in the supply chain, so prices may remain stable until the application period is over.

As a result of a recent period of lower demand and uncertainty over urea prices, UK AN manufacturers have revised their AN prices downwards by about £10/tonne to £330-£335/tonne bagged delivered farm.

The nitrogen market for the current season from June 2011 to date has been one of mixed fortunes for many buyers and manufacturers alike.

During the 2010/11 season UK AN prices started at around £210/tonne delivered farm in July, rising to around £300/tonne in January 2011, but comparable figures for the same period in the current season have ranged from about £315/tonne to about £330/tonne. So whereas early buyers during the 2010/11 season did well saving up to £90/tonne, the saving for the 2011/12 season is only around £15/tonne. But, buyers who have decided to wait until now are little or no worse off.

The nitrogen market in the UK is driven by international urea prices, so whereas the 2010/11 season was influenced by a consistent upward trend in commodity urea prices, that trendappeared to stall towards the end of 2011. Although a recovery did take place early this year, prices did not return to earlier levels. This illustrates the volatile nature of fertiliser buying, and what might seem to be the right thing to do in one season does not necessarily mean it will be right for successive seasons.

Negative impact

From the manufacturer’s perspective this is not a good scenario either, because it und-ermines their credibility with early buyers and could have a negative impact on their early business in the following season.

The phosphate market has also experienced some weakness, but not to the same extent as nitrogen, and commodity prices have fallen by around 10 per cent over the last couple of months, and there appears to be some uncertainty as to where prices will go from here.

Typically triple superphosphate (46 per cent P2O5) is currently selling at around £400/tonne bagged delivered farm. On the potash front the market seems fairly stable with muriate of potash typically selling at around £350/tonne bagged delivered farm.

Source: Farmers Guardian

 THOUSANDS of farmers face having to rebuild farm stores, under Government proposals the NFU fears could cost the industry tens of millions of pounds.

Defra and the Welsh Government are proposing to remove the current exemption to stores erected before the SSAFO (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil) regulations came into force in March 1991.

Silage clamps and slurry and fuel stores built before that date will have to comply with SSAFO regulations by the end of 2015, under the proposals.

Defra figures show 23 per cent of slurry stores are more than 20-years-old, while similar proportions of silage clamps and fuels stores are likely to fall into this category according to NFU head of policy Andrew Clark. Most of these would have to be rebuilt, he said.

The requirement, which would apply inside and outside of Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) could cost farmers tens of millions of pounds, he said.

“Hardly any of the stores built before 1991 would comply. For example, silage clamps and slurry stores have to be impermeable and the levels of permeability required now under the SSAFO regulations are way higher than pre-1991,” he said.

It is also proposed that the current four-month storage capacity required under the SSAFO regulations will be extended in line with the stricter requirement of the NVZ rules, which would affect thousands of  farmers outside the zones.

Mr Clark said there was no scientific justification for requiring all pre-1991 buildings to comply, regardless of their individual state of repair. “This is unjustified and uncosted,” he said.

He added that, ironically, the SSAFO was being driven in part by Defra and the Environment Agency’s commitment to ‘better regulation simplification’.

He told NFU council on Tuesday that Defra was like ‘bull in a China shop’ in its approach to nitrate pollution, which also include proposals to turn the whole of England into an NVZ.

NFU dairy board chairman Mansel Raymond warned that the additional costs could prove to be the ‘death knell’ for parts of dairy industry.

NFU president Peter Kendall said the union would the ‘throw kitchen sink’ at the challenge of showing Defra the scientific flaws in its ‘irrational’ nitrate policy.

A Defra spokesperson said suggested the Department is open to negotioation on the SSAFO proposals, which are part of the ongoing Nitrates Directive consultation, which closes on March 16.

“It is intended to apply to fuel stores and silage clamps as well as slurry stores. These regulations are important for the health and safety of farm workers, as well as protection of the environment.  We believe farm workers should not be exposed to unnecessary risks,” he said.

“We recognise that some stores have a long lifespan, and wish to discuss with industry representatives what transitional rules might be necessary if this proposal were implemented.” 

 Source: Farmers Guardian

 Tesco has replaced Bob Robbins as UK chief operating officer.

The news comes just weeks after Robbins hit the headlines for controversially selling shares in the supermarket before its recent profits warning.

Robbins has been handed a new strategic role reporting directly to Philip Clarke, as Tesco bids to restore momentum to its domestic business.

He will be succeeded as COO by Tesco veteran Chris Bush, who returns to the UK from a stint heading up the Thai business. Slovakia chief John Christie will step in for Bush in Thailand.

“As we move closer to the new financial year, I have reflected on the changing needs of the business and I have asked Bob Robbins to change his executive committee accountabilities,” Clarke told staff in an internal memo.

Brasher said: “Last month we set out our determination to invest in the UK business. These changes give the UK board the combined strength of a very experienced leader of change and a talented country CEO who has done an extraordinary job in Thailand.”

Robbins hit found his name in the headlines after selling off shares worth £200,000 just eight days before Tesco unveiled a sharp fall in like-for-like sales over the key Christmas period. He became COO of the UK business in March 2011, having previously held roles including head of the Central  & Eastern European business.

Source: Grocer

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