A no-deal would be massive blow for Britain’s farming

NFU communications advisor JAMES PECK updates us on what the union is doing to prepare for Brexit

£1373.68 616kg Char S & D Fearn; £1346.40 748kg Saler JT Ottewell, Calow; £1195.84 592kg Lim GC & BJ Cresswell, Atlow; £1186.56 576kg Blond x CH Ede & Son, Somersal; £1120.56 552kg Blond x CH Ede & Son.

19 Steers – overall average 179.2p

All shapes and sizes between 500kg and 818kg with prices to match, Nigel Birch had a corking Blue at 220p (£1306). Angus in second spot at 206p.

Sample prices: 220p/kg 594kg B Blue x NA Birch, Monyash; 206p/kg 558kg AA MG Mosley & Sons, Rivelin; 204p/kg 566kg AA JC Vickers, Taddington; 196p/kg 570kg B Blue x RW Ardern & Sons, Topley Pike; 196p/kg 590kg AA JC Vickers; £1208.88 584kg Lim JA Mosley, Stannington;£1208.66 542kg Lim JA Mosley; £1204.60 634kg Sim D Hadfield & Daughter, Tideswell; £1196.00 598kg Lim F Lomas, Kniveton; £1168.48 536kg Sim D Hadfield & Daughter; £1152.60 510kg Lim D Hadfield & Daughter; £1151.32 538kg Lim D Hadfield & Daughter.

155 STORE & BREEDING CATTLE

Market activity winding down for the Christmas break with only 155 Store and Breeding Cattle on offer. 14 Feeding Bulls

Sample prices:

£700 Lim x 9 mnths D & LA Critchlow, Sheen; £485 B Blue x 11 mnths SR Hinchley, Ashover; £455 Lim x 8 mnths J & E Hopkinson, Ashover.

The Breeding Section included Robert Wain’s Lily of Rose, a Pedigree Highland Heifer (43 mnths) with many show wins to her credit. She sold at £880.

Other Results:

£1040 Sim Hfr, 28 mnths & Hfr

Calf G & D Shuker, Whaley Bridge £1280 Pure Lim Stock Bull, 18 mnths Miss J Bonsall, Atlow

£865 Angus Hfr, 27 mnths i/c MJ Adams, Dalbury Lees; £440 Highland Bulls, 9 mnths R Wain, Matlock.

61 Steers Overall ave £781

A useful sample as the average indicates. Plenty of demand.

Sample prices:

£700 Char x 10 mnths D&M Collier, Great Hucklow;

£800 Lim x 8 mnths M Haslam, Cutthorpe; £635 Lim 8 mnths TJ Naylor, Kirk Ireton; £645 Angus x 8 mnths M & S Freer, Brackenfield; £595 Devon 8-9 mnths TC Lomas, Blythe Bridge; £930 Lim x 13 mnths DE Witham, Wessington; £800 Lim x 18-20 mnths CG Matkin, Alderwasley; £960 Angus x 19 mnths J Burton, Ilam;

£900 Sim x 16-20 mnths Miss B Foster, Hanch; £840 B Blue 16-19 mnths M & K Roworth, Etwall; £1020 Lim x 26 mnths B Kaye, Deepcar; £885 Sim x 17-18 mnths B Kaye; £730 Mont 17 mnths B Kaye; £1070 Lim x 19 mnths AG Tomkinson, Thorpe; £1165 B Blue x 23 mnths WJ Sessions, Hilton; £1060 Holst 22 mnths WJ

Sessions; £750 Hfd 22 mnths JE Swift, Dale Abbey; £800 Hfd 20-23 mnths Miss J Lomas, Aldwark; £660 Hfd x 16-17 mnths R&T Agriculture, Tideswell.

70 Heifers, Overall Average £682 A decent turnout with plenty of buying power in operation. All types well sold with Angus and Hereford crosses attracting attention as usual.

Samples: £560 Lim x 7 mnths M I WANT to highlight what principles the NFU has decided to guide us in our aim to deliver the best outcome from Brexit for British farmers.

Held at Central Hall in Westminster this month, the NFU

Heathcote, Hartington; £600 Char x 10 mnths D & M Collier, Great Hucklow; £570 Lim x 8 mnths TJ Naylor, Kirk Ireton; £460 Devon x 7-9 mnths TC Lomax, Blythe Bridge; £800 Lim x 20-27 mnths CG Matkin, Alderwasley;

£720 Angus x 16-19 mnths J Burton, Ilam; £770 Lim x 16-19 mnths M & K Roworth, Etwall; £795 B Blue x 16-19 mnths M & K Roworth; £1080 Lim x 23 mnths B Kaye, Deepcar; £990 B Blue x 25 mnths B Kaye; £970 Lim x 17 mnths AG Tomkinson, Thorpe; £735 Angus x 17-25 mnths H Andrew & Co, Dungworth;

£835 Angus x 22 mnths MJ Adams, Dalbury Lees; £775 Lim x 21-26 mnths J & LM Wood, Hazelhead £960 Lim x 23 mnths F Barker & Son, Lichfield; £790 Dev x 29-30 mnths EC Stoddard, Kingsley

£840 Hfd x 28-29 mnths EC Stoddard, Kingsley; £670 Angus x 27 mnths EC Stoddard, Kingsley £760 Hfd x 19 mnths Miss J

Lomas, Aldwark; £525 Hfd x Council’s six principles agreed were:

l Avoiding a ‘no deal’ outcome and any short-term political and economic turmoil

l Ensuring as free trade in agri-food goods as possible with our principal EU market

l Gaining greater regulatory control and discretion over UK farm practice

l Maintaining access to the seasonal and permanent workforce required by the UK food chain

l Ensuring our international trade respects domestic production standards

l Implementing a new agricultural policy framework that supports farmers as food producers, improves productivity and resilience and properly rewards the delivery of public goods.

17 mnths R & T Agriculture, Tideswell.

68 CALVES

A selective trade with some of the plainer Calves looking well sold and some of the better sorts looking reasonable value. Heifers attracting more interest than Bulls. Black & White Calves again attracting competitive bidding with the best to £90. Bulls

c Mont £165.00 £147.50 L Hadfield & Sons, Peak Forest;

Swed R/W £40.00 GPK Trickett, Rowsley; Hols £78.00 £34.67 JE Seals & Son, Shirland; Fri £90.00 51.00 L Hadfield & Sons, Peak Forest; AA £155.00 £147.50 RG Emmott, Stockport; BB x £195.00 £145.00 GPK Trickett, Rowsley; Lim £170.00 £119.00 JE Seals & Son, Shirland.

Heifers

v Sim £50.00 M & K Roworth, Etwall; AA £130.00 £117.50 W & A Cartledge & Son, Sparrow Pit S Horn £50.00 ER Herridge & Son, Tissington; B Blue x £175.00 £145.71 RG Emmott, Stockport; Lim £150.00 £97.50 JE Seals & Son, Shirland.

2344 SHEEP INCLUDING 1574 LAMBS, 763 EWES AND RAMS & 7 STORE LAMBS

A very good pre-christmas entry.

NFU president Minette Batters said: “The NFU is deeply frustrated and disappointed that nearly two and half years after the referendum, we are no closer to finding out the details of our future relationship with the EU and what trading environment we could be operating under in the future.

“We are due to leave the EU in a matter of weeks. It is

Best Farm Assured export spec and Butcher’s Lambs sold on a fantastic trade with a top of 236p/kg and six pens over 230p/ kg. The best overweight Lambs saw a top gross of £107.40. Overall market average 203.34p/ kg.

Leading Prices: absolutely unacceptable for agriculture to be left with this level of uncertainty.

“We have repeatedly said that a ‘no deal’ would be catastrophic for farming, but political events of the past week have created further doubt and uncertainty.

“I cannot emphasise enough the importance of getting this right for farming.

“The NFU has been clear

head for big Texel’s from the Fletcher Family at Peak Forest with Jason Craddock from the North to top at £138 and

£137 per pen. The best six pens were all Texel’s and averaged a splendid £134.16.

Best Mules well over £60 per head with plenty of continental cross Ewes mid £70’s to £87.

Very plain Ewes with Limited appeal but an odd feeding customer helping the trade.

All the Tups a good trade supported by Store Sheep purchasers. Top call Messrs Webster at £158 with Texel’s with others at £135 and £122.