John Walton: ’Extremely biased’ words are a blow

So, on a positive note, what a month. We managed to get the third cut into the shed in one go without rain interruptions - coming in at about 30 per cent dry matter. Third cut is so important to us organic lot as it is predominantly red clover and therefore high in protein and a real bonus when dry.

After the silage, we went into the late sown triticale which was grown for seed as part of an 32ha (80 acre) contract. The first 12ha (30 acres) was cut in good conditions in early August managing almost 5t/ha (2t/acre), which is good for us.

It had already passed the germination test, the problem with the late stuff is the later it gets, the less the germination percentage. It was cut at 18 per cent and dried to 15 per cent and still came back with a germination of over 90 per cent - a real result. It has all gone off to be processed and sold at a £25/t premium over the deflated feed market.

Now for the rant, it comes under the name of a certain Prof Hugh Pennington whom, in his wisdom, has crippled part of my business with a comment that children under five should not be allowed on farms due to the recent outbreaks of E.coli.

This is the man who told us we would all die of CJD if we carried on eating beef, and also that we were at risk throughout the foot-and-mouth epidemic as there was a possibility the virus could mutate to humans.

This man should be brought to task over his extremely biased comments. If he only knew the effort which goes into making farms safe for children and the importance there is in getting young people on to farms to learn the importance of there food and where it comes from.

On a more positive note, September 8 was the first anniversary of the merger between Riverford organic vegetables and Stockley Farm, a year when the organic food delivery business grew and grew. We are about to employ a new general manager to take it to the next level.a

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