Last week, as part of the #Farm24 Campaign, our rural team spent time supporting the regional farming community by co-hosting with HSBC an event at a large dairy farm in Lancashire.
The event was an opportunity to bring together a mixture of junior professionals who support the rural community, including accountants, land agents, banks, financial advisors and solicitors, with a view to update them on the law whilst also seeing the practical elements of a large working farm.
Senior associate solicitor Diane France, from Napthens’ rural team, hosted a discussion on AHA (Agricultural Holdings Act) tenancies, whilst the farm owners talked about the history of the farm and the latest news around dairy farming including how they adapt their farming business around the most profitable milk contracts.
Everyone also received a tour of the farm, demonstrating the latest robotic methods used in milking a herd of almost 400 cows. On initial showing the cows were a little shy but, after a while, carried out their routine of going onto the machine to get milked.
The latest technology isn’t for every farmer but has worked for this particular farm who installed them with the help of bank funding. This in turn has helped them achieve the best type of milk contracts. This of course all needs to be overseen by our own rural team to ensure all the paperwork is in order.
It goes to show how, with the right multi-agency support, dairy farms can survive and indeed thrive.
The event is one of a number that Napthens’ rural team supports or leads every year, to enable professionals associated with the farming community to be updated on the latest developments in agriculture, including legal updates and the ability to meet face to face to make life-long relationships.
The next generation rural professional group is for new or under five years PQE in the area of agriculture and welcomes new members who wish to gain connections and receive updates in a social setting.
For anyone wanting to become a member to contact June Higgins, associate solicitor in Napthens’ rural team june.higgins@napthens.co.uk.
