A SOUTH Lakeland and an Eden farm have been selected to become models of best practice as part of a Government-funded pilot scheme to encourage more farmers to work in new ways.

Myerscough College at Preston has been awarded a contract from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to support the setting up of demonstration or monitor farms in Cumbria, Lancashire and Cheshire.

Russell Farm, at Burton-in-Kendal, and Slosh Farm, Appleby, are two of eight dairy, beef and sheep farms in the North West to have been chosen by the college to become demonstration farms.

Over the coming months they will host regular "on farm" meetings where an invited expert will help improve general understanding of farming and food production. These gatherings will allow farmers to share ideas and experiences and help more to learn from good examples of business and environmental best practice.

Kate Cross, who is co-ordinator for the forward farming events based at Myerscough College, said the initiative had arisen from the Curry report on the future of farming following the foot-and-mouth outbreak. She said it was an idea taken from New Zealand where demonstration farms had proved very successful.

"Farmers who run similar operations to the demonstration farms will be invited to the on farm meetings," she said. "There will not be masses of people attending. It will probably be more of a discussion team exercise. If somebody has a problem they will be encouraged to share it."

Mike Taylor, who is NFU milk delegate for Cumbria, has 180 head of dairy cattle Russell Farm, Burton-in-Kendal. He said: "I don't see myself telling other farmers anything that they don't know. This is a way to discuss problems that are common to us all rather than to demonstrate excellence. It's a way of getting together to improve our efficiency."

Slosh Farm at Appleby is run by Robert Baxter and has 180 head of beef cattle and 150 head of sheep. He said that as far as he was aware the farm would be hosting four meetings but details were still very sketchy. "It's just too early for me to say

what will be happening until we get a bit more organised," he said.

Launching the scheme, Margaret Beckett, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said: "Our new network of demonstration farms can showcase some of the many ways in which forward-thinking farmers have improved their business performance and links with the wider economy, environment and rural communities. It is these farmers who are best placed to show others just what can be achieved, and how."

February 7, 2003 11:31