Ukraine is the bread basket of Europe and the consequences of war will be felt by all of us
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COLUMN: From the Farm by Victoria Ballantyne
I have just returned home from the Nuffield Farming International Contemporary Scholars Conference (CSC) – nine days with 130 delegates from 15 different countries, representing anything and everything to do with agriculture.
Nuffield Farming was set up by Lord Nuffield (aka William Morris of the Morris Minor) under the Nuffield Foundation in 1947. Their motto is “Leading Positive Change in Agriculture” and they support people from all over the world to undertake travel, learning and personal development.
Along with 17 of my fellow 2022 UK Nuffield scholars, I attended a three-day pre-conference event in London to prepare us for the conference proper.
The original plan to travel to Agritechnica in Germany was cancelled so I used my spare days to visit Innovis sheep genetics in Wales, Exlana sheep in Somerset and other farms.
The CSC started on Monday, March 7, just outside Norwich,and was a whirlwind of talks, presentations, debates, challenges, questions and socialising. Both the 2021 and 2022 year groups attended due to Covid delays.
There were beef and arable farmers from Brazil and Paraguay, environmental experts from Chile, soil specialists and cheese producers from France, camel and goat farmers from the Netherlands, a Zimbabwean crocodile farmer, bee farmers from Australia and Canada, a Kenyan dairy farmer, a Californian viticulturist, a UK micro-biologist insect farmer, vets from everywhere, plus the tattie, chicken, sheep, fruit, veg and dairy farmers that we are more familiar with.
We talked a lot about climate change, soil, environment, food, inflation, fertiliser and fuel prices. We visited grand estates, research parks, farming businesses, Westminster and were given a private tour of Wimbledon as one of our group works on the science behind the turf there.
Stories from those in developing nations reminded us of our privilege in living in a peaceful and wealthy country. Though perhaps the most memorable and moving moment for everyone was the Zoom call from Kees Huizinga – a Dutch farmer in Ukraine. He farms 15000 ha and employs 400 people. The Ukrainian farming community has tasked him with communicating to Europe, on their behalf, the seriousness of the situation.
He made it blatantly clear that politicians did not understand the urgency. No seeds in the ground means no bread on the shelves and time is running out to get wheat sown.
Ukraine is very much the bread basket of Europe, so the consequences of this war will be felt by all of us. However, it was his telling of waking his children last month to rush them to the cellar and explain to them that they were at war that left not a dry eye in the room.
Over 2000 miles later and I have never been so tired. It has taken a week for my head to stop buzzing and my brain to start functioning. I am extremely grateful to the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland and the Worshipful Company of Farmers for making this possible through their sponsorship.
Back to earth with a thump and the next step is to prepare for lambing and calving! We don’t start until late April so have a few weeks to get organised yet.
Victoria and Jason Ballantyne run Clynelish Farm, Brora.
