The environment is an ever-increasing consideration for farmers, with payments favouring practices to benefit wildlife, water and carbon sequestration. And visitors to the Midlands Machinery Show on 9-10 November can find out how to make steps towards net zero as well as the opportunities available. NFU East Midlands is holding its annual environment conference entitled, ‘Carbon – opportunity, not problem’ on the first day of the Midlands Machinery Show. Covering a range of technical topics from carbon audits to practical sequestration options, the seminar programme is sure to provide something for everyone, says show manager Elizabeth Halsall. “It’s a great opportunity to hear from farmers taking active steps towards reducing their carbon footprint and quiz speakers on how to make net zero work on their own farm.” NFU vice president Tom Bradshaw says: “The conference is taking place in the week of COP 26; we’re picking up the net zero challenge and exploring how we, as an industry, can lead the way in helping to get towards net zero. “We need to improve our productivity to reduce our environmental footprint – and farmers need to be world leaders in terms of carbon footprint. Feeding the population is always going to have an impact, we’re never going to produce food without having any emissions whatsoever, but we need to minimise that impact.” Carbon calculators can be the first step on the net zero road, and will be the focus of a seminar by NFU livestock advisor, Harriet Henrick. “Everyone’s net zero journey has to start somewhere, but for most that can seem pretty daunting in itself,” she says. “I hope to do a bit of myth busting and talk people through what different calculators have to offer and which one might be right for you – depending on your available information and what you want out of it.” The main calculators being discussed will be the Cool Farm Tool, Farm Carbon Calculator and AgreCalc; these are all free and available to anyone, although she will touch on some paid for options. “I believe there are options out there to meet most farmers’ needs, however, these calculators are constantly being updated to account for innovations and new technology in the industry. At the end of the day the volume of CO2 equivalent emitted per kg of product isn’t the most important part; highlighting areas where changes can be made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on farm is.” Two farmers will also offer their perspectives on how the process towards net zero actually works on their livestock and arable farms, respectively. Carbon offsetting could provide new income opportunities and is the subject of the final seminar by Bruno Gardner, managing director of NFU Enzero. “Net zero represents a fantastic opportunity for agriculture, with farmers and growers brilliantly placed to both contribute to and benefit from the transition,” says Mr Gardner. “Investing in renewable energy makes increasingly good business sense and is a great way to reduce carbon emissions. Demand for carbon offsets looks set to grow, and agriculture could be well placed to meet this demand,” he adds “I’ll share our latest thinking on the potential opportunities for farmers, as well as the key risks and uncertainties they need to be aware of.”

A new centre has opened in Loundsley Green providing start-up businesses in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire with work spaces, meeting rooms, expert coaching and advice. ‘The Green’ is run by Loundsley Green Community Trust (LGCT) who have been operating the adjacent community centre (previously a church) for over 10 years. One of the free services being delivered during that time has been an Enterprise Coaching programme, helping people to get back into work through self-employment. Over the years that has helped over 60 people to start new businesses. Around 3 years ago the Trust looked at the Old Vicarage which was unoccupied for most of the time, and saw in it the potential to grow its support for people looking to get back into work. The team behind the new business support centre overcame several hurdles before its opening, however the space now includes a large training room, a smaller meeting room, and five individual workspaces for use by new businesses. The downstairs meeting and training spaces have been used to provide employability training to young people, health and safety training for people looking to work in construction, first aid training and a variety of meetings of local organisations. An important feature of The Green is the continued support that will be provided for people looking to start new businesses, and additional funding has been received from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to deliver a programme of training and coaching through 2021-22.

Commenting on the first day of COP26, East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire) chief executive Scott Knowles said: “The world’s focus will be on events in Glasgow over the next two weeks and the outcomes could well shape the future landscape for businesses in our region. “We have already seen some key commitments at the G20 summit in Rome, including an end to international coal finance and a pathway laid out for transitioning towards a green economic recovery post-Covid, and we expect to see further key announcements made that will affect the private sector in the short, medium and long term. “It’s clear that sustainability will be a hugely important consideration for investors as we move forward from the pandemic and we believe the East Midlands has the raw ingredients to play a central role in the future low-carbon economy given our manufacturing heritage, innovative businesses and academic base. “While climate change is a significant threat to our way of life, companies should see the sustainability agenda as an opportunity to take a lead in creating the next generation of products and services – not to mention making significant cost and energy savings – which is something we are highlighting via our Sustainable East Midlands campaign, launched a year ago. “Research carried out by East Midlands Chamber and the University of Derby shows the proportion of businesses in our region that derived turnover from low-carbon environmental goods and services has grown from 16% in 2015 to 37% in 2021. Meanwhile, 36% of companies have wholly or partly integrated clean growth into their business strategies, up from 29% last year. “This signals we’re heading in the right direction as firms increasingly understand the need to embrace sustainability – not only from a commercial perspective as it can open up new avenues for revenue, and help to attract and retain staff, but the regulatory landscape will soon make it essential to do so. “However, there is a huge disparity between large and small firms – while 62% of companies with more than 250 staff have begun integrating clean growth into business plans, only 27% of those with fewer than 10 employees had done so. “Also, 42% of firms still don’t feel well informed about support for clean growth, which indicates there is a huge amount of work to do in raising awareness. “We hope COP26 will go some way to addressing this. After the struggles of the past 18 months, businesses desperately require some certainty and signposting of where they ought to invest. “It’s therefore of vital importance that our global leaders can come to an agreement of where our priorities lie in the fight against climate change because it will ultimately be in the private sector where the innovation and transformation takes place.”

As the agricultural sector tackles new subsidy regimes and the carbon-natural agenda, farming is going to be very different in the future. Understanding your own challenges, opportunities and options in the future will be key. Those who start on this journey early will be best placed to adapt and thrive. Farmers and landowners in the East Midlands wanting advice on planning for this future are invited to attend a 2021 rural seminar from ActiveBP and Virgin Money. This free seminar will be held at The Cross Keys at Sturton by Stow on Wednesday 24^th November at 6.00pm followed by a complimentary pie and pint. The seminar will feature the ABP team discussing the importance of farm business reviews, the move towards environmental schemes, and an update on the Sustainable Farming Incentive. This will be followed by Brian Richardson, Head of Agriculture for Virgin Money, who will discuss the bank’s view of the future and how Virgin Money can support the strategies farmers should adopt. Brian says: “Michael Gove said the new, post-Brexit agricultural policy will mean a revolution in the way we produce food and manage the countryside. Big changes are coming, and payments received this winter for BPS will be markedly smaller than last year. There are new schemes afoot, but the cost of compliance will likely be higher. “Times are a-changing for farming, with the climate agenda coming to the fore. I will be talking about what this means for you, and how the bank and your advisors will help you succeed. Looking deep into your business may be the only way to thrive and survive as this revolution takes place. You have five years to learn about your farming business’s performance and to adapt.” Alex Olivant, one such Farm Business Advisor from ActiveBP, is also clear that there is a need for practical guidance in uncertain times. “Our teams are committed to supporting farmers through the agricultural transition, and we are actively working with clients to plan strategically for the future.” The seminar evening which begins at 6.00pm will include opportunities for questions and discussion, as well as supper to conclude. It is timed to finish at 8.00pm. The ActiveBP team, along with the Virgin Money team, will be attending the Sturton by Stow seminar, to answer queries and to offer guidance on planning for the future.