Staffordshire beefs up support for dairy farmers

STAFFORDSHIRE County Council is working in conjunction with its dairy farmers to ensure they have all the support they need.

The local authority said it had some very successful entrepreneurs at its county farms and by encouraging them to share to knowledge and best practice with newcomers would help the rural economy to flourish.

County farmer James Tattersall, a tenant on a holding near Stafford, was one of those hosting a networking session at his farm. The event enabled farmers to discuss innovations and the day-to-day challenges they face growing their businesses.

DairyCo, an independent industry information and support organisation, coordinated the session.

The holding is Tattersall’s first county farm tenancy, having taken on the 66-acre holding in March 2011.

County farmer Giles Bristol, who attended the session, is a recent addition to the county farms estate, gaining a tenancy of a 61-acre dairy holding near Penkridge in September 2012. He said the event gave him a good insight into business planning and progression.

Bristol, who moved to Staffordshire from Gloucestershire because of the opportunities to get his business off the ground through county farms, said the event had been beneficial.

“Being able to access James’s business demonstrates how successful you can be, as he is probably around 18 months further down the line to where I am currently. Seeing how he has managed and overcome some problems gives me something positive to take away and means I’m already ahead of the game,” he said.

Another factor in his decision to relocate to Staffordshire was the proactive and supportive county farms team. The Harper Adams College graduate was formerly a dairy consultant and decided to use his industry knowledge to help start his own business.

Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet support member for environment and rural affairs Gill Heath said: “We have some very successful entrepreneurs on our county farms and it is pleasing to see them share knowledge and expertise for the benefit of others.

“It is important that we can link up with other organisations which support business to make our drive to improve the economy as effective as possible.  

“Our county farms are a valuable asset to us and to Staffordshire’s rural economy and we want to build on the successes of our tenants, as their hard work benefits the wider taxpayer in the long run.”