Diss Monitor Farm Launch Meeting

This event will mark the launch of the Diss Monitor Farm. The day will provide an opportunity for local farmers, growers and agronomists and the industry to learn about the Rookery Farm business. The farm features varied soil types and an in-field beef enterprise alongside its arable cropping. The introduction to the business, programme and on-farm walk will allow participants to gain a good understanding of Rookery Farm.

A tour of the farm by trailer will include a look at soil pits across the farm, both in cropped areas and a comparison to a permanent pasture field, to look at and discuss the soil variation across fields and the farm. The farm walk will include a discussion on current cropping, including winter wheat, barley and oilseed rape and how manure is used.

The group will also conduct a SWOT (strenghts, weakenesses, opportunities and threats) analysis for the business which will be an opportunity to raise local issues facing farms in the area, along with topics attendees would like to discuss throughout the Monitor Farm programme – business, personal or technical areas.

Programme:

• 09:00: Registration with refreshments
• 09:30: Welcome and introduction to the Monitor Farm programme Teresa Meadows, Knowledge Exchange Manager, AHDB
• 09:50: Introduction to the Diss Monitor Farm business Richard Ling, Diss Monitor Farmer
• 10:15: Farm Walk, to include:
  
  • Soil types and variation – cropped areas vs uncropped areas and soil pits
  • Cropping: winter wheat, oilseed rape
  • Machinery
  • Beef enterprise and manure management
• 11:45: Group SWOT analysis of the farms (group debate facilitated by Richard Ling and Steering Group)
• 12:15: Group discussion on top ten issues for the Monitor Farm programme (group discussion)
• 12:45: Introduction to the winter meeting programme Teresa Meadows, Knowledge Exchange Manager, AHDB
• 13:00: Lunch