A sustainable and competitive sector needs to have fairness and transparency at its core. In this session, 'Delivering growth for combinable crops', the panel discussed how the NFU can leverage specific policy asks to deliver growth for combinable crops.
Attendees got a first look at the board’s roadmap for change, learning how the NFU will seek sector growth through specific asks on tax, budget and productivity measures, land use, plant health, fairness in the supply chain, and R&D.
What are NFU fringe sessions?
Sector updates were held during the run up to NFU Conference on 25 February.
These virtual events featured a panel of leading industry speakers who discussed themes such as growth, change and business. This means that our full-day Conference in London will be focused on political and policy developments.
The best thing? You can watch or listen to them on the go to fit in with your day on farm.
Meet the panel
Luke Cox
NFU combinable crops senior policy adviser
Jamie Burrows
NFU Combinable Crops Board chair
The joint venture has a mix of owned, tenanted and contract farming agreements, growing milling and feed wheat, milling oats, feed and malting barley, peas, beans and, for the time being, oilseed rape.
Due to the complex nature of the soils in South Herts, ranging from heavy clays to gravel, Jamie and his colleagues cover a wide range of cultivation and drilling methods. However, a happy medium of min-till normally takes place on 50% of the land farmed. All grain is sold through Openfield going to homes relatively locally, usually within 50 miles.
At home, the family farm has diversified, with an 80-horse livery and riding school, with all hay and straw produced in house.
Having been involved in the NFU locally since returning home from Harper Adams in 2005 Jamie has gradually become more and more involved at a regional level and now, as well as being Hertfordshire NFU County chair, he is also East Anglia Combinable Crops Board chair. He is also an ex-Cereals Development Programme participant, and keen to get others involved in these types of initiatives.
Jamie is passionate about achieving the best for cereal and oilseed producers, and proud to represent the cereals interests of East Anglia members.
James Mills
NFU Combinable Crops Board vice chair
Livestock are an important part of the rotation, grazing stubble turnips and cover crops. All cereals are produced with the focus on supplying local markets. A mixed wildlife offer represents an environmental diversification, alongside a recently developed wedding venue.
Matt Culley
NFU Combinable Crops Board member, regional chair (South)
Wheat is grown for the feed market, with a small area grown for seed. Winter barley is feed and spring barley is for malting. The farming partnership also runs a grain storage business with drying facilities and a soft fruit enterprise.
Matt served as NFU Combinable Crops Board chair from 2020-2024.