Cornwall Beef & Lamb Strategic Farm: swards, stock & sustainability

Due to coronavirus restrictions, two sessions will run (10.30am – 1pm and 2pm – 4.30pm) limited to 30 people each time. Please book onto your preferred session:

• Morning session
• Afternoon session

Join us for a farm walk with our 2019 Cornwall Strategic Farmer Adrian Coombe, Independent Grassland Consultant Charlie Morgan and South West Farm Consultants.

When joining the Farm Excellence Network almost two years ago, Adrian’s key focus areas were to improve grassland management and utilisation whilst increasing grazing quality.

Within that time, farming in partnership with the Environment has accelerated in becoming a hot topic, gaining significant attention. However, the positive environmental results that can be achieved when improving livestock productivity are often overlooked.

Over the winter, Adrian completed a carbon audit of his business. Adrian will give us an honest account of the process; we’ll delve into the recommended actions to reduce Dupath Farm’s carbon footprint and discuss how they align to Adrian’s forage production goals.

The event will cover topics including:

• Grassland management practices to maximise yield and utilisation
• How carbon auditing can be implemented practically in a farm business
• Understanding Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and a demo of the new AHDB KPI Express tool

Adrian Coombe runs a flock of 600 North Country mules alongside 180 beef cattle each year in Callington, Cornwall. Adrian joined AHDB’s Farm Excellence Programme as a Strategic Farmer in September 2019. 

In addition to also being a member of AHDB’s Progressive Sheep group, Adrian contributes lamb performance data to the RamCompare project which aims to improve the genetic evaluations of performance recorded rams. 

Charlie Morgan began as a researcher in 1987 at Bronydd Mawr Research Station in the Uplands of the Brecon Beacons for IGER/IBERS before becoming the lead officer for sheep, beef and environmental management systems at IGER/IBERS Grassland Development Centre. 

Studying technology transfer methods and adult learning techniques in New Zealand and Australia, Charlie became a Meat Promotion Wales Scholar at Hybu Cig Cymru in 2002. 

In 2009, Charlie set up his own business ‘Charlie Morgan GrassMaster Ltd’ and has been employed across the UK and Sweden by the Red Meat Levy bodies, Farming Connect, AHDB and various agencies, Supply Chain companies and primary producers. More recently, demand has increased for work on water quality and soil management alongside Water authorities, River Trusts and Environmental agencies. 

A named author on over 60 scientific publications, Charlie has also been Secretary of the Welsh Federation of Grassland Societies for the last 15 years. 

For his distinguished service to Grassland and Technology Exchange, The Council for Awards of Royal Agricultural Societies awarded Charlie a Fellowship (FRAgS) in 2020, elevated from Associateship (ARAgS) in 2014. 

Refreshments will not be provided on this occasion.

You can register for a free place by booking online, emailing KE.events@ahdb.org.uk or calling 01904 771218. Attendees must be over 16 years of age.