Claydon Drills

"We don't just listen to the end user, we are the end user"


The Claydon family have been farming the heavy clay lands of Suffolk since the early 1900’s, Jeffery and Frank Claydon are the third generation to be farming the land now under the E.T. Claydon and Sons family partnership name, the brothers have been farming since 1970 and still farm the land in the present day.

This is what makes Claydon Products unique; the fact that they are developed on a working farm by farmers for farmers and are truly tried and tested in real farming conditions in a real farm environment before they are brought to market.

The first Claydon product was the Claydon Yield-o-Meter invented by Mr. Jeffery Claydon in 1980, subsequently forming Claydon Yield-o-Meter Limited.

Jeff’s vision was to create a grain monitoring device that could be fitted to almost any combine and would give accurate readings of how tonnes where being harvested by the combine, as opposed to using the traditional method of a weigh bridge, this was to become the first ever grain monitoring device to be fitted to a combine.

This enabled the farmer to analyse data that they had previously had to guess helping them to determine high yielding crops and varieties much more easily than ever before, and giving the farmer an accurate reading of how much grain he had harvested that minute, hour, day month or year. The Yield-o-Meter has been fitted to many combines (mainly Class combines) through the UK and Europe and 1995 Claydon Yield-o-meter won an RASE Silver Medal for the Yield-o-Meter

In 1995 Claydon Yield-o-Meter Limited brought the Claydon Furrow Cracker to the UK market. A device that has been fitted to hundreds of ploughs throughout the UK that slices through the freshly turned clods at up to 6 inches deep in 2 inch rows allowing the weather into the soil to decompose the clod naturally.

In 2002 Jeff Claydon invented the first Claydon Strip Tillage drill; The Claydon V Drill. 12 years on and Claydon are now the European market leaders in Strip Till Drilling with over 550 Direct Drills and 270 Straw Harrows working across 27 countries. The Claydon Hybrid Drill is the latest Strip Till Drill offered by Claydon which is an increidbly veristile machines capable to drilling direct into stubble but also into cultivated soils.

Claydon now offer a full product range of fully mounted and trailed drills with fertiliser placement options. Claydon also offer a range of 3m, 7.5m and 15m Straw Harrows along with 6.3m, 8.3m and 12.3m Cambridge Rolls

Claydon are a rapidly expanding company and the 'Claydon system' is now tried and tested across all soil types and climates that Europe can offer
 

Chris F

Staff Member
Media
Location
Hammerwich
Trailing ahead - First Impressions of the Claydon Hybrid T
18 July 2014
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Growing European demand has driven development at Claydon, but after two years it has a high-capacity trailed drill aimed at bigger farms and a much wider global market.
Running a business requires dedication and hard work. Just ask any farmer. But to branch out and begin manufacturing your own farm machinery is a completely different matter. For that you need to speak to Jeff Claydon, CEO and founder of Claydon Drills.
The Claydon family has been farming in Suffolk since the early 1900s, and Jeff and brother Frank are the third generation. In 1980 Jeff Claydon invented the first yield monitoring system to be fitted internally to a combine harvester
and has been diversifying into engineering ever since.
Jeff hasn’t just followed the market though, and instead of producing something that is already on sale, he has looked to his own family’s farm to develop machinery around their own requirements. As Jeff puts it: “We don’t just listen to the end user, we are the end user.”

Read the article from Farm Machinery Journal August 2014.
 

Chris F

Staff Member
Media
Location
Hammerwich
Harvest pushes forward on the Claydon farm: second winter wheat 11-12T/Ha
Jeff has been smiling ear to ear as the combine is hard at work cutting his winter sown OSR (finished 18th July) and second wheats (currently cutting). These fields have been Claydon drilled for over a decade with no sub-soiling or heavy cultivation - just Claydon System Drilling. Before you say it - YES the yield monitor has been calibrated and is accurate!
We have had so many customers coming in with similar great results this season and we invite all customers to email us their harvest reports to [email protected] or to give us a call on 01440 820 327 to discuss over the phone...
 

Chris F

Staff Member
Media
Location
Hammerwich

Aerial video of the Claydon Direct Strip Till / Strip Seed Drill working directly into wheat stubble on the Claydon Farm in Suffolk drilling oil seed rape in 2014. How much ground can Frank cover whilst we film from the sky?!
 

llamedos

New Member
Independent trials highlight the benefits of strip tillage in 2014

Independent trials conducted by leading seed breeder Saaten Union have again confirmed the benefits of establishing crops using the Claydon Strip Tillage System, producing significant yield improvements worth approximately £150 per hectare compared with conventional establishment techniques.

Conducted across two heavy-land sites (Hanslope Grade 2) in Suffolk and encompassing almost 50 varieties the trials highlighted a yield benefit of almost 1t/ha in favour of strip tillage, generating significant additional revenues in addition to considerable savings in time and establishment costs.

“Even though the 2013/2014 season was atypical, yields from the 2014 harvest confirmed what we have found every year since we began these trials eight years ago,” states Richard Jennaway of Saaten Union. “The Claydon System allowed crops to be established at the correct time, under ideal conditions and throughout the growing season they looked as good as any second wheat crops I have ever seen.

“In a normal season we would expect to have drilled our second wheat trials by the second week of October. That was the case last autumn where we used the Claydon System, which went in on 1 October 2013. Then the weather closed in and it was 15th November before we drilled the conventionally-established plots which were ploughed, pressed, power harrowed and drilled using a disc-coulter unit.

“From then on the weather from then on was atypical, much milder and wetter than average. The results from the conventionally-established plots were therefore similar to what we might expect from drilling in October and the yield differential not as great as we might have been expected from such late sowing. The coefficient of variation was lower for the strip tillage system, 3.02 compared with 3.48 for conventional establishment.

“At harvest, that translated into an average yield of 12.79t/ha from the Claydon System, compared with 12.04t/ha from conventional establishment. The stand-out variety was KWS-Santiago, which achieved an average yield of 13.87t/ha, remarkable for second wheat. In a year when with little pressure from eyespot the cost of using either Redigo Deter or Latitude seed treatments was not justified.

“Farmers’ enthusiasm to drill winter wheat early is being tempered by the need to control blackgrass and this year’s early harvest provided an excellent opportunity to do so. Whereas a normal season might allow them to chit and spray off blackgrass once before drilling, this year some farms have been able to do so two or even three times, which is very unusual, but not something to rely on.

“Although we have recorded consistent benefits from using the Claydon System in terms of yields from second wheats, particularly in a dry autumn, it appears that farms which don’t have major weed and disease problems will see the greatest benefits from using it.”

The Claydon System makes it easy to establish crops directly into stubble, min-tilled or fully-cultivated soils, being approximately five times faster and one-third of the cost of a conventional plough-based system, with much greater certainty. On the Claydon family’s own 1000-acre heavy land farm in Suffolk, which has not been ploughed for 12 years, average yields have increased by approximately 10%, producing an extra 0.40t/acre, in addition to savings in establishment costs of approximately £40/acre, giving a combined benefit of over £80/acre.

Further information on Claydon products is available at www.claydondrills.com
 

llamedos

New Member
Low-disturbance direct drilling could put farm incomes

at risk, strip seeding pioneer warns


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The current trend towards 'low-disturbance' direct drilling could be a disaster waiting to happen if used in the wrong situations and without effective stubble management techniques in place to contain weed and pest burdens. That was the key message which Suffolk farmer and agricultural engineer Jeff Claydon gave to over 150 farmers who attended the four Open Days held at Claydon Drills factory in Suffolk last week.



Having pioneered strip seeding in the UK 14 years ago Jeff says that, despite short-term economic challenges, growers must take a long-term view to protect their key asset, namely the land they farm.



"Reducing costs is naturally at the forefront of every grower's mind because at current combinable crop prices those who use traditional establishment techniques are losing £30 to £40 per tonne. With no substantial price increases on the horizon they have to implement a more economically-sustainable method, but the key is to do so without compromising yields or the long-term viability of their business, which is why many are struggling to find the right approach for their situation. Jeff stated:



"On my own heavy land farm we have not ploughed for 14 years, but were we doing so now it would be costing over £300/ha to establish combinable crops, compared with £51/ha using the Claydon Strip Seeding System. Despite a very intensive rotation of two wheats followed by oilseed rape, wheat yields have increased by over 1t/ha during that time and last year we averaged 13.2t/ha, with oilseed rape at 4t/ha. Weed and pest issues have also been much reduced.





"It seems that the obvious way to cut costs is simply to do nothing but direct drill and despite all the historical evidence to the contrary some growers see 'no-till' or 'low-disturbance' establishment as a panacea for reducing production costs, often not considering the agronomic drawbacks or financial risks. To be effective over time a drilling technique must work under any conditions and be combined with effective stubble management, which involves more than just having a drill that will work in chopped straw," warns Jeff, who draws parallels with what happened 40 years ago.



"Direct drilling sounds like the simplest thing in the world. It was the same back in the 1970s and 1980s when several companies introduced disc-type machines, mainly from the USA, to improve timeliness of establishment and cut costs by enabling crops to be drilled straight into stubbles after any green material had been sprayed off. Although they could work well in dry conditions and on lighter soils, these disc-type drills were complex, heavy, expensive and caused compaction.



"Basically the concept was flawed from the outset and ultimately failed in the UK because it was unsuitable for our maritime climate and heavier soils. In wet weather, for example, the slots cut by the discs smeared and filled with water, so seed simply rotted or was eaten by slugs and had to be re-drilled. That got direct drilling a bad name and most farmers went back to ploughing until, at the turn of the century, cereal prices again fell to levels which made production uneconomic and forced them to look at alternatives again."





MORE COST-EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUE

Aware of the failure of disc-type direct drills, Jeff designed a direct drill based around a twin-tine system which eliminated unnecessary cultivations, providing a more cost-effective, faster and reliable way of establishing crops into stubble, min-tilled or fully-cultivated soils.



The key to the Claydon System is that the soil is cultivated only where absolutely necessary, in the seeding and rooting zones, creating a fine tilth which provides an ideal environment in which seed can germinate and plants put down deep roots. The remainder is left undisturbed, helping to improve fertility and creating a slow release of nutrients so that plants can develop their full potential. Soils are left well-structured and better able to support the weight of following machinery: such as sprayers and fertiliser spreaders, while this technique is also highly beneficial where it is essential to conserve moisture to get seed off to the best possible start and where soil erosion would otherwise be a problem.



"We have proved that direct drilling can work very well, but only because we quickly identified that it must be done correctly and in combination with effective stubble management to contain weeds and slugs," Jeff explains. "For the first two or three years we simply used the drill which I had designed directly into untouched stubbles. Mechanically it had no problems in dealing with any conditions, but I soon realised that to get the best results and avoid a build-up of weed and pest issues I had to manage stubbles effectively, which meant developing the tools to do it.



“Blackgrass is uppermost in many farmers' minds and some see ploughing as the solution, but if that is the case why after centuries of ploughing is blackgrass an increasing problem? Others feel that low-disturbance drilling will provide the answer and that by doing nothing apart from slot seeding blackgrass will magically disappear. Both concepts are flawed.



"All Claydon Hybrid drills can be equipped with a range of options to meet any farm's requirement, enabling one unit to cope with any crop or system, which minimises the capital investment and operating costs. For example, a twin-tine option can be specified instead of the rear seeding tine, the leading tine can be replaced with a cutting disc to minimise soil disturbance, or the seeding tine replaced with the twin-tine kit and the leading tine with a twin cutting disc. Various fertiliser options are also available to enable liquid, granular and/or micro-granular fertilisers to be placed directly into the seeded strip.



"Although we can offer various low-disturbance options to farmers who specify this, we always recommend our standard tine set-up. UK and international trials suggest that far from providing a solution, low disturbance direct drilling actually increases weed and pest problems and may ultimately make crops all but impossible to grow economically because of spiralling costs and lower yields.



"The key factors in managing blackgrass are good drainage, a high standard of stubble management and effective use of ag-chems.



"Drainage is a key consideration, as fields that lie wet are ideal for blackgrass, a marshland plant which thrives under moist, anaerobic conditions. In our experience, on heavy land at least, cover crops compound the problem by retaining moisture in the soil, providing ideal conditions for it to thrive.



"Blackgrass has to be hit hard pre-drilling using a combination of effective mechanical stubble management techniques to achieve a fine, clean seedbed and applying ag-chems at the optimum time, under the right conditions to achieve optimum control.



"We began developing the Claydon Straw Harrow in 2004 because after two years of drilling directly we found that if we left stubbles untouched and simply drilled straight into the chopped straw where the slugs lay their eggs these would then hatch and eat the growing plants. It was apparent that some form of surface soil movement was essential to control weeds and pests.



"Immediately after combining we go in with a Straw Harrow and depending on conditions in the autumn carry out two or more passes before drilling, spraying off green material with glyphosate as it flushes. Straw harrowing also helps to significantly reduce slug numbers by destroying their nests and drying out the eggs.



"The Straw Harrow disturbs the top 10-20mm of soil, creating a fine tilth which allows volunteers and blackgrass to germinate quickly. Because it is a very fast, low-cost operation the Straw Harrow can be used to hit blackgrass early, when it is at its most vulnerable. Even if you cannot see any green shoots they will be growing under the surface and harrowing when they are less than 20mm tall will achieve up to a 70% kill. Repeat this several times, whilst soil conditions allow, finishing with a late single application spray off with glyphosate and you stay on top of the problems.



"More recently, we introduced the TerraStar, a simple, low cost 6m-wide shallow cultivator which perfectly complements the Straw Harrow by creating an ideal shallow tilth that encourages volunteers and weeds to chit. When soil conditions are dry and hard this produces valuable tilth for the straw harrow to work, while greatly assisting with slug control, drainage and the incorporation of manures. Using the TerraStar and Straw Harrow allows for enhanced control of slug and weed/volunteers mechanically, reducing the need for chemical treatments, under the right soil conditions.



"The introduction of the three crop rule provides a further opportunity to reduce blackgrass through the use of spring cropping. Those who farm heavy land often avoid spring drilled crops fearing poor results but we have not found this to be the case and this year have drilled naked oats instead of spring wheat. Although we can drill early in the spring using our 6m Claydon Hybrid, we wait for perhaps two or three weeks later than most farms would to allow blackgrass more time to emerge and further improve the level of control.



"There is no single 'right' way to establish crops, or tackle blackgrass and slugs. However, effective stubble management is critical in any situation, combined with some form of soil movement to create a shallow tilth. Great caution is required when it comes to low-disturbance direct drilling, as highlighted by the fact that farmers in the USA and Australia where this technique started are showing enormous interest in Claydon Hybrid drills and Straw Harrows to help them put right the massive problems created by years of using disc-type 'low-disturbance' equipment. Yet here we are seeing the same ideas being re-introduced to a new generation."


Farming Hanslope Series Grade 2 land in Suffolk, Jeff Claydon has used the system he developed to direct drill crops very successfully for 14 years. In addition to greatly reducing crop establishment costs the farm has significantly reduced the agronomic and economic impact of blackgrass through effective stubble management.




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The Claydon System's twin-tine design overcomes the drawbacks of disc-type direct drills


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Operating at up to 25kph, the Claydon Straw Harrow thoroughly moves the top 10-30mm of soil, allowing crop residues to dry out as well as destroying germinating volunteers, weeds and slugs prior to drilling.​
 

llamedos

New Member
‘Back in Fashion’

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The light rotary cultivator, redesigned from the machines seen in the 1980s, is coming back into fashion as farmers look for more effective methods of stubble management, blackgrass, weed, volunteer and slug control, according to Claydon Drills.



The company re-introduced the concept earlier this year with the launch of its 6m TerraStar, a unique low-cost, high-output shallow rotary cultivator which can cover 90ha per day behind a 150hp tractor using less than 200 litres of diesel. Now, sales of the new implement, which is manufactured in Claydon’s UK factory, are booming on the back of strong demand from domestic and overseas customers.


“Farmers have been quick to recognise the benefits of the TerraStar as a valuable weapon in their armoury against blackgrass, cereal volunteers, brome grass and other weeds. They recognise its role in creating a shallow tilth and stale seed bed prior to direct/strip drilling, min-till or conventional establishment and for working down land after it has been cultivated or ploughed,” says Jeff Claydon, who has proven its effectiveness on his own arable farm in Suffolk. He adds:



“The TerraStar uses two banks of cross-blade rotors which move slightly more soil than a Claydon Straw Harrow but less than normal tine cultivators or disc-type implements, which create too much fine tilth and present a significant weather risk by either drying out or turning soils slushy. Instead, the TerraStar creates just enough tilth to encourage volunteers and weeds to chit, while assisting with slug control, drainage and the incorporation of manures or root crop residues. That makes it a very valuable stubble management tool, particularly in a season such we are experiencing at the moment”



The key to the TerraStar’s effectiveness are its 68 rotating star-shaped points which are fitted to the two knife bars in a 200mm grid pattern. These cut 80mm-square divots from the top layer of soil to create a shallow cultivation effect, which has the appearance of an egg tray if the surface soil is brushed away. The series of small peaks and hollows which the points create leave the soil surface largely intact and able to support the weight of following machinery, as well as helping water to drain from the surface.



Because of the implement’s high operating speed, around 15-20 km/h, the rotating blades produce thousands of miniature plugs which create a wave of surface tilth approximately 30mm deep, depending on soil type and conditions. This provides an ideal, high-humidity environment in which volunteers and grass weeds germinate quickly and can subsequently be moved by the Claydon Straw Harrow, breaking off germinating plants at the one-leaf stage and eliminating the need to spray while ground conditions allow harrowing.



“The declining effectiveness and increasing cost of agrochemicals is forcing us all to focus on more effective management of stubbles using mechanical solutions, and the TerraStar can be used prior to any cultivation / drilling system” says Jeff Claydon. “On our own farm we have fourteen years’ proof that direct drilling can work very well, but it must be done correctly and in combination with an effective stubble management strategy. Using timings of light surface cultivations with the TerraStar and Straw Harrow, in combination with strip seeding and wider rotations, we have been able to stay on top of weeds and seen yields increase progressively during that time. Ignoring weeds, volunteers and slugs does not make them go away - it is essential to make them grow and kill them so they cannot return.”

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The 6m Claydon TerraStar is fast, effective and incorporates a minimum of wearing parts, making for extremely low-cost operation.
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The TerraStar’s 68 rotary blades pluck divots of soil from the ground, creating a shallow tilth which encourages weeds and volunteers to germinate, yet supports the weight of following machinery.
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The Claydon Straw Harrow complements the TerraStar as part of an effective overall approach to stubble management​
 

llamedos

New Member
Claydon Drills appoint long-established agricultural machinery dealer group to handle sales and service in the South West
Claydon Drills, the European market leader in strip seeding technology, has appointed Hamblys, one of the largest agricultural machinery suppliers in the South West, to handle sales and service of Claydon Hybrid mounted and trailed drills, TerraStar cultivators, Straw Harrows and Cambridge Rolls in Cornwall, Devon and part of Somerset.
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Established in 1892, Hamblys remains a family-owned business. The main Claas dealer in the South West, it has an excellent reputation for supplying quality products, supported by excellent service from its five purpose-built branches, which are located at Launceston, Redruth and Whitstone in Cornwall, Honiton in Devon, together with Bishops Lydeard in Somerset. The company employs over 50 staff, 25 of them technicians.




Claydon’s patented direct strip seeding technique was developed by Jeff Claydon to increase the profitability and performance of his family’s 1000-acre arable farm in Suffolk. During the last 14 years the company has progressively developed its range and today thousands of Claydon products are operating in all climatic conditions, soil types and crops on farms in 29 countries. The company continues to expand and has recently made a series of major distributor announcements throughout the UK and Europe.



The cornerstone of the Claydon System, the Claydon Hybrid drill range, encompasses four Mounted ‘M’ models with working widths from 3m to 6m, together with a 3m mounted unit combining seed and fertiliser. In addition,
the Claydon line-up includes Hybrid T trailed drills in widths of 4m, 6m and 8m, four Straw Harrows from 3m to 15m wide, the 6m TerraStar shallow rotary cultivator and Cambridge Rolls from 6.3m to 12.3m wide.
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Announcing the appointment Spencer Claydon, Commercial Director of Claydon Drills, stated:



“We are delighted to be working with Hamblys and to be represented throughout the South West by a single, strong dealer group. This is part of the changing way that we are doing business, moving from selling direct to farmers from our factory in Suffolk to working closely with a fast-expanding national and international distributor network.



“The economic and agronomic advantages which the Claydon System provides for farmers gives our partners in
the agricultural machinery distribution sector an excellent opportunity to offer a highly-respected range of products which will attract new customers, generating additional sales and servicing revenues for their businesses. The Claydon brand is now even more compelling because importers of machinery manufactured outside the UK are set to raise prices significantly over the next few months to compensate for the fall in the value of Sterling.

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Mike Green, Territory Manager for Claydon Drills in the South and West, adds: “With farming businesses increasingly looking to reduce costs the well-proven Claydon System offers a very attractive alternative to expensive traditional methods of establishing combinable crops.



“Farmers and agricultural contractors in Hamblys’ trading area who operate Claydon equipment have already experienced the benefits for themselves in terms of increased returns, improved yields and better timeliness. Many have also used the system to reduce soil erosion on light land which is subject to wind blow when conditions are dry, and to reduce run-off later in the season by not having to use conventional tillage techniques following late-harvested crops such as maize.”



Steve Perryman, Sales Director for Hamblys, adds: “The Claydon range is a valuable addition to the portfolio of premium brands which we offer through our five depots. One of the major attractions of working with Claydons is that, like Hamblys, it is a family-run business and gives us the confidence to invest in the brand. We share the same proactive approach, have the same goals and will put the same energy into the partnership.



“To underline our commitment to the Claydon brand we have already added a 4m Hybrid T trailed drill, 3m Hybrid M mounted seed and fertiliser drill, two 6m TerraStar cultivators and a 7.5m Straw Harrow to our demonstration fleet.

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“Given the current challenges which face the agricultural sector our customers are looking to achieve more cost-effective production and Claydon products are designed to deliver significant cost savings, which is why we are already seeing significant interest. In the mixed farming area in which we operate the fact that Claydon drills can be used to establish any type of crop, from grass and cereals to beans and maize, is very attractive because it reduces customers’ capital and operating costs considerably compared with running multiple machines. Given the often-short window for establishing crops in the autumn we also see considerable potential for the new Claydon TerraStar, a fast, low cost shallow cultivator which ideally complements the other Claydon products.”
 

llamedos

New Member


Claydon Drills appoint premier agricultural dealer

to handle sales and service in East Anglia

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Claydon Drills, European market leader in strip seeding technology, has appointed Thurlow Nunn Standen Ltd, East Anglia’s premier agricultural machinery distributor, to handle sales and service of Claydon Hybrid drills, TerraStar cultivators and Cambridge Rolls in Norfolk and Suffolk, together with parts of Cambridgeshire and North Essex.



Having previously sold direct to farmers in these areas, with service and support provided from their factory near Newmarket in Suffolk, Claydon Drills say that the new distribution arrangement underlines their high regard for Thurlow Nunn Standen.



The agricultural division of the Thurlow Nunn Group, TNS is based at Littleport in Cambridgeshire. With additional branches at Attleborough, Hinderclay and Sculthorpe in Norfolk, together with Kennet and Melton in Suffolk, the company is one of the leading agricultural machinery distributors in Europe, offering a complete range of sales, servicing and parts to farming businesses in these areas.



Claydon’s patented direct strip seeding technique was developed by arable farmer Jeff Claydon in 2002 to increase profit margins and yields. During the last 14 years the company has progressively developed its product range and with thousands of Claydon products operating across all soils and conditions in 29 countries it continues to expand, having recently made a series of major distributor appointments throughout Europe, including the UK, France, Germany and Denmark.



Announcing the new agreement Spencer Claydon, Commercial Director, stated: “We are delighted that TNS appreciate the business opportunity presented by the Claydon range, which is particularly relevant given the current economic pressures facing farmers. The fact that our factory and 1000-acre arable farm are located within the TNS trading area makes it easy for their commercial team to offer potential customers the opportunity to see the Claydon System in action and machines being built in our modern production facility at Wickhambrook.



“The appointment of TNS represents a significant change in terms of the way that we do business on our ‘home turf’. We already have more than 100 units of Claydon equipment operating in the TNS trading area and with farming businesses increasingly looking to reduce their production costs the well-proven Claydon System offers a very attractive alternative to expensive traditional methods of establishing combinable crops. With many European machinery manufacturers raising prices to compensate for the fall in the value of Sterling since the UK voted to leave the European Union, Claydon products offer even greater value for money.”



“The economic and agronomic advantages which the Claydon System provides for farmers gives agricultural machinery distributors an excellent opportunity to target new customers, generating additional sales and servicing revenues,” adds Taig Norman, Territory Manager - East and North. “Prior to signing the agreement we hosted a visit by the TNS sales team to the factory, enabling them to learn more about the Claydon System and see the benefits first-hand during a tour of the farm. Since formalising the relationship we have passed all enquiries from potential customers who have contacted us directly or visited the Claydon stand at various national and regional shows to TNS and will be working with staff at their six branches to translate them into sales.”
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Chris Tew, Sales Director of TNS, adds: “We are delighted to be working with Claydons because, like them, we are a well-established family business and take great pride in delivering high quality products and service to our customers. The Claydon range provides an excellent fit with our business and is increasingly relevant to farmers in our trading area. We will be selling Claydon products through all of our branches and have a 3m Hybrid mounted drill, 6m TerraStar light cultivator and 7.5m Straw Harrow available for demonstration.”
 

llamedos

New Member
New Claydon products in action at TILLAGE LIVE






Claydon Drills, the leader in strip seeding technology, will exhibit three of its latest products at the Tillage Live event, which takes place at Monks Kirby, Warwickshire on Wednesday 14 September. These include the new 6m Claydon TerraStar shallow cultivator and 4m Claydon Hybrid T4 trailed drill, which will be working alongside a 7.5m Claydon Straw Harrow.



CLAYDON TERRASTAR

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The new 6m Claydon TerraStar is a fast, efficient and effective 6m shallow cultivator which uses two banks of cross-blade rotors to generate an ideal tilth in which volunteers and weeds can germinate rapidly, while assisting with slug control, drainage and the incorporation of manures.Costing from £15,000 + VAT, it can also be used as a mechanical weeder, multiple passes reducing the need for glyphosate.


Fast, efficient and highly effective, the TerraStar moves less soil than normal tine cultivators or disc-type implements, but slightly more than a Claydon Straw Harrow. Daily output behind a 110kW-plus (150hp) tractor, which is required to achieve the 15 kp/h forward speed (9.3mph) needed for optimum results, is approximately 90ha (225 acres), while fuel use is minimal at approximately 3 litres/ha (1¼ litres/acre).


The TerraStar’s 68 rotating 'star' points pluck 80mm-square divots from the top layer of soil on a 200mm grid pattern to create a shallow cultivation effect, the thousands of miniature soil plugs which are produced forming a fine surface tilth and levelling the field whilst leaving the surface intact. The uncultivated area between the 80mm divots helps to support the weight of following machinery and increases tyre grip, as well as generating ideal conditions for a Claydon Hybrid drill to operate.

The Claydon Straw Harrow

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A fast, effective straw and stubble management tool which rakes out and destroys weeds while reducing slug populations, can then be used to create a micro tilth in the top 30mm of soil. Straw Harrowing breaks off growing plants at the germinating stage and one-leaf point of growth, which eliminates the need to spray while ground conditions allow this to take place.


“Effective stubble management is a basic ingredient of any successful, sustainable farming enterprise, regardless of which crop establishment method is used, particularly if you direct drill,” says Jeff Claydon, the Suffolk Farmer who invented the Claydon System of crop establishment. This enables crops to be established with a lower capital investment, in 20% of the time and at 30% of the cost of a conventional plough-based approach, while compared with a typical minimum tillage system it generates 50% time and cost savings, together with yield improvements. It also provides a range of agronomic, environmental and wildlife related benefits, including significant improvements in soil structure, organic matter and earthworm populations, together with reduced carbon sequestration and a better habitat for wildlife.



CLAYDON HYBRID T4

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The new Claydon Hybrid T4 builds on the success of the company's existing 6m Hybrid T6 and 8m Hybrid T8 trailed drills. Delivering seed only or a combination of seed and fertiliser, it will sow directly into stubble, in min-till situations or on ploughed/cultivated land, across the widest range of soils, conditions and crops.


The Hybrid T4 can be adapted to whatever the customer requires. They can specify the standard tine set-up, have a twin-tine option instead of the rear seeding tine, choose to have fertiliser placed down the front or rear tine, can replace the leading tine with a cutting disc, or alternatively replace the seeding tine with the twin-tine kit and the leading tine with a twin cutting disc. This enables them to handle any establishment situation with just one drill and at a much lower level of capital investment.


Versatile, flexible, simple and with low operating costs, the Hybrid T4 incorporates 13 individually-adjustable tungsten carbide leading tines which eliminate compaction, aerate the soil, optimise drainage and create tilth for the seeding zone. The following seeding tines create additional tilth and place the seed at exactly the required depth, above the drainage channel. This highly-effective system encourages very deep, complex rooting structures to develop quickly, which minimises soil erosion and ultimately produces stronger, healthier crops with improved yield potential.


Delivering an average seasonal output of 1100ha behind a tractor of at least 149kW (200hp), the Hybrid T4 is supported on the tractor's lower link arms and incorporates a 3500-litre hopper which is completely independent of the seeding chassis. The seeding depth therefore remains constant regardless of the load in the hopper, which can be used for seed only or divided 60:40 between seed and fertiliser. Measuring 7.92m long and 2.95m high, the new model incorporates seven support wheels with 10.00/75-15.3 deep-cleated tyres that run on clean, dry, uncultivated ground to ensure an even seeding depth.


Folding to 3m, the Hybrid T4 weighs 6000kg and features single-point depth control, a stainless steel Accord metering system and an RDS Artemis control system for variable-rate seeding. The specification also includes an oil cooler, hydraulically-driven fan, Claydon-designed metering heads for improved flow and seeding accuracy, together with a tramline kit.


The front of the chassis is guided by the optional press wheels, simple depth wheels or shouldered cutting discs, while the double rear toolbar can be equipped with a range of press wheel and harrow configurations to fully cover the seed and leave the soil smooth and level.


Options include four cameras so that the operator can monitor the drill from the tractor cab, six work lights, blockage sensors and a front tool bar to carry cutting discs or press wheels
 

llamedos

New Member
Focus on managing stubbles to maximise returns

thumbnail_The Claydon TerraStar.jpg






Managing stubbles effectively is critical, regardless of which method is used to establish crops, according to the pioneer of Strip Seeding in the UK. Suffolk farmer Jeff Claydon says that getting this aspect right is vital to optimise financial returns and preserve the long-term viability of arable agriculture by minimising weed and pest pressures, while keeping agrochemical input costs in check.



“Current agricultural commodity prices are forcing farmers to consider how they can reduce crop establishment costs substantially. Unfortunately, some are being ‘sold’ the concept of direct drilling purely on the basis of theoretical cost savings, without being made aware of the need for correct stubble management techniques. Yet this is fundamental, and gaining in importance as agrochemicals become more expensive and less effective,” Jeff states.



“Direct drilling offers very significant potential cost advantages. On my heavy land farm, where we have not ploughed for 14 years, it would now cost over £300/ha to establish combinable crops using traditional plough-based techniques, compared with £51/ha for Strip Seeding.



Though the potential benefits are beyond doubt, this technique must be done correctly and encompass an effective stubble management strategy. Using timings of light surface cultivations, strip seeding and wider rotations, we have seen yields increase progressively, by 1t/ha for wheat. Weed and pest issues are also much reduced.



Doing nothing or just moving soil once or twice between harvest and drilling autumn-sown crops is insufficient, and no-till establishment IS deeply flawed. If stubbles are left virtually undisturbed slugs and weeds will multiply, particularly where straw is poorly chopped and distributed, as crops will be thin or non-existent in such areas.



The declining effectiveness and increasing cost of agrochemicals will force farmers to focus on more effective management of stubbles using mechanical solutions. The ‘little and often’ approach is best, the key being to achieve rapid germination of weeds/volunteers so they can be killed using mechanical or chemical methods. Conventional min-till is not ideal because it can move too much soil, slowing germination or burying weed and volunteer seeds so that they germinate after the crop emerges, creating major cost and control issues.



Deeper cultivations present a weather risk, as significant rainfall will reduce the soil to a sticky mess with no structure or ability to support following machinery. The surface can also seal over and become anaerobic, creating issues with water ‘ponding’ or run-off. In extreme cases, full cultivations may be necessary to put right the initial attempt at min-till, in which case weed/volunteer seeds will be buried even more deeply, making control impossible, as well as providing ideal conditions for slugs to survive and thrive.



Immediately after combining we use a 7.5m Straw Harrow which helps to manage trash and crop residues, control slugs and encourage weeds and volunteers to germinate. It covers up to 100ha per day, and because this implement is so fast and cheap to use we repeat this operation every 7 to 14 days when conditions are favourable. So little soil is moved that even if the weather does turn wet the mini-tilth which is created will quickly dry out and allow subsequent operations, either another pass with the Straw Harrow or drilling.



Harder soils may require something a little more aggressive, such as the Claydon TerraStar, a simple, low-cost, low-disturbance shallow cultivator which generates an ideal, high-humidity environment that enables volunteers and grass weeds to germinate quickly. The Straw Harrow is then used to create a wave of surface tilth to break off germinating plants at the one-leaf stage, eliminating the need to spray while ground conditions allow its use.



“Ignoring weeds, volunteers and slugs does not make them go away. It is essential to make them grow and kill them so that they cannot return.


thumbnail_Jeff Claydon uses this 7.5m Straw Harrow%2c operating at up to 25kph%2c to t....jpg


The Straw Harrow is a key part of an effective overall approach to stubble management



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The 6m Claydon TerraStar is a fast, effective, low-cost operation which complements the Straw Harrow.
 

llamedos

New Member
Claydon freeze prices until January 2017

claydon.JPG



Claydon have announced a price freeze on all new machinery in its range for orders taken by January 2017.

“Many agricultural machinery importers increased their prices by 10 per cent or more immediately after ‘Brexit’ because of the sharp fall in the value of Sterling which followed, particularly against the Euro,” Spencer Claydon, the company’s Commercial Director, explains.

“Being a UK-based manufacturer has helped us to maintain prices at existing levels, which has been reflected in strong and growing demand. However, the cost of the high-quality materials which are used in the manufacture of Claydon products has risen significantly during the subsequent months. While we have decided to hold our prices at current levels until January 2017 by absorbing the increased input costs, after that time the increases in raw materials prices must be reflected in higher prices throughout the Claydon range.”

Customers who are considering the purchase of a Claydon Hybrid drill, Straw Harrow, TerraStar cultivator or Cambridge Rolls can benefit from current prices by contacting their local dealer or Claydon on 01440 820327 for more information.

Developed and patented by arable farmer Jeff Claydon, the Claydon Strip Seeding System is now sold in 29 countries by the company's commercial team and ever-developing distribution network. Claydon products now operate and have been extensively proven across the widest range of climatic conditions, soil types and crops.
 

llamedos

New Member
Have a look through our handy infographic telling you the history of seed drills, and why they are so beneficial to farmers everywhere.

If you’d like to find out more about our services, don’t hesitate to get in touch! You can call us on 01440 820 327 or fill out our contact form.
History of Seed Drills.jpg
 

llamedos

New Member
Claydon appoints an importer for

Germany and The Netherlands


thumbnail_Peiffer press release image - Sebastian Ständer (left) and Erik Peiffer.jpg





Claydon, the world leader in strip seeding technology, has appointed Gebruder Peiffer GmbH & Co. KG as the sole importer for its range of drills and stubble management equipment in Germany and The Netherlands. A long-established company based in Grevenbroich, close to Cologne and Dusseldorf, it became the first Claydon distributor in Germany during April 2016 and initially handled sales in the Rhineland, Muensterland and Westfalen regions.



Claydon has been selling direct to farmers in Germany since 2011, when it first exhibited at Agritechnica. The appointment was the first step for both companies in developing the market for Claydon’s range of unique products in Germany, where low crop prices are forcing farmers to become even more efficient. Today, more than 70 Claydon machines are operating successfully in the country.



The Claydon range includes Hybrid M mounted drills with working widths of 3m, 4m, 4.8m and 6m, Hybrid T trailed drills from 3m to 8m, Claydon Straw Harrows from 3m to 15m, together with Claydon Rolls up to 12.3m and the 6m Claydon TerraStar shallow cultivator.



As sole importer, Gebruder Peiffer will be responsible for appointing a network of professional, forward-thinking dealers with a proven track record and enthusiasm for the concept to handle sales and servicing of Claydon products throughout Germany.



“This is a major step for these two well respected, family-owned companies,” Jacob Darby, Export Manager for Claydon, states. "Claydon products have an excellent reputation and interest in them is increasing because of the significant savings in machinery, fuel and labour costs which they provide, combined with improved timeliness and maximised yields. Together, these benefits increase farm profitability compared with traditional establishment techniques which are still widely used in Germany and The Netherlands.



“Strip seeding is still in its infancy in these countries but we believe its popularity will increase rapidly. The new distribution arrangement will provide farmers with access to the full range of Claydon products together with first-class service support through committed, local dealers. Gebruder Peiffer will work with the existing Claydon team in Germany, Markus Lang and Markus Vogler, who look after aftersales, service and spares.”



Erik Peiffer adds: “Low crop prices are forcing farmers to review how they operate, so the fact that all Claydon drills can sow directly into stubble, in min-till situations or on ploughed/cultivated land will be very attractive to arable and livestock businesses, as well as agricultural contractors, because it minimises their capital investment and operating costs. The Claydon Hybrid is also one of the few drills which can be used effectively in organic systems, as drilled crops establish quickly, therefore out-competing weeds in the seeding zone.



“Farming conditions throughout Germany and The Netherlands vary enormously, but Claydon offer a machine to suit every requirement. Many of our customers are family-owned farms with limited labour, where establishing crops more efficiently and effectively is a priority. At the other end of the scale, larger farms in Eastern German which produce commodity crops are finding that achieving improved timeliness, lower establishment costs and better crop performance using the Claydon System enables them to maximise profitability.”



“In recent years, farmers in Northern Germany have also had to contend with a much wider range of climatic conditions, which has impacted on the performance of crops and soil structure. Many of our customers are growing large areas of maize to supply biogas plants, but last year some crops which were established using conventional techniques, particularly on lighter soils, performed poorly because of drought early in the season. These methods also reduce the soil’s weight-bearing capacity and wet weather at harvest meant that machinery struggled for traction and many fields were left in poor condition because of compaction and run-off.



“In contrast, maize established using the Claydon System did well, because it was drilled into moist soil, germinated quickly and put down deep roots which were able to find moisture. At harvest, Claydon-drilled fields were better able to support the weight of machinery, which resulted in less soil damage, reduced run-off and often eliminated the need for cultivation before drilling, enabling the following crop to be established quickly and easily.”



Sharing a similar philosophy, Claydon and Gebruder Peiffer GmbH & Co focus on supplying customers with high-quality agricultural machinery.



Claydon Drills was established by English arable farmer Jeff Claydon in 2002 when grain prices fell to unsustainably low levels, making it uneconomic to produce crops using conventional plough-based establishment methods. Unable to buy the machinery he needed, Jeff developed the Claydon Drill. Incorporating a patented two-tine design which eliminated unnecessary cultivations, it enabled crops to be established in 20% of the time and at 30% of the cost of a plough-based system, and 50% that of a typical min-tillage system. The design was so successful that other farmers wanted to adopt the Claydon System and the company grew rapidly. It’s mounted and trailed drills, straw harrows and rolls are now used on farms in 30 countries, across a wide range of climatic conditions and soil types.



Gebruder Peiffer GmbH & Co. KG was founded by brothers Erich and Richard Peiffer in 1932 and is now managed by Erik Peiffer, the third generation to be involved in a business which is synonymous with the supply and servicing of high-quality agricultural machinery. The company will stock the entire Claydon range and its dealer network will offer a range of demonstration machines which are most relevant to their region.
 

llamedos

New Member
STRIP SEEDING PIONEER CELEBRATES 15 YEARS OF TECHNICAL INNOVATION AT LAMMA 2017 AGRICULTURAL SHOW


thumbnail_Happy 15th Birthday.jpg




UK agricultural machinery manufacturer Claydon celebrated the 15th year of the patented Claydon Crop Establishment System at the LAMMA 2017 agricultural show, where it launched two brand-new trailed models, the 3m Hybrid T3 and 4.8m Hybrid T4.8, to extend the range of Claydon strip seeding drills.

thumbnail_The new Claydon Hybrid T4.8 at LAMMA 2017.jpg

In 2002, the company developed the Claydon System, a revolutionary concept which enables farmers to reduce the cost of establishing combinable crops substantially compared with traditional cultivation methods. The Claydon drill was the only one to run a tine in front of a seeding share to create a tilled strip, then place the seed on each side. This leading tine lifted the soil, with the seeding share levelling and grading, then placing the seed accurately in the tilled strip, enabling drilling into the stubble to establish crops in one pass.



In addition to producing substantial overall financial savings and greater profitability, the Claydon System significantly improves timeliness, enabling crops to be drilled in optimum conditions, which reduces weather risk, results in more even establishment and higher yields. It also provides a range of agronomic, environment and wildlife related benefits, including significant improvements in soil structure, organic matter and earthworm populations, increased carbon sequestration and a better environment for wildlife.



Claydon-drilled crops stood out so well that soon other farmers were knocking on the Claydons’ door and demanding to know what they were doing differently!



While producing record-breaking crops, the Claydons spent the first five years further improving and developing the SR range of drills to cope with all types of crop residues and soils throughout the UK. They also began developing the Claydon Straw Harrow to help farmers improve the management of crop residues.



Having seen some of the conditions that customers were expecting Claydon drills to operate in, the company then spent five years developing the lighter Claydon Hybrid drills from 3m to 6m, with greater clearances and linkage-mounted to reduce wheelings. They also began selling large numbers of the Claydon Straw Harrow to effectively manage stubble, reduce slug activity, encourage volunteers/weed seeds to germinate and to rake them out. This equipment has proven extremely valuable in creating more even establishment and more competitive crops, helping to reduce the use of slug pellets and herbicides.



The last five years have seen the Claydon System evolve still further through the introduction of the latest Hybrid T series trailed drills, now available in five models with working widths from 3m to 8m and large seed/fertiliser hoppers of up to 5500 litres, as well as increased levels of monitoring and variable seed rate capabilities.



The simple, patented Claydon System offers so many advantages that the company’s drills are now used by farmers in over 30 countries to establish all types of combinable crops, in all soil types and conditions. The concept has exceeded all expectations and while many other manufacturers have tried, they have failed to emulate the patented Claydon System.



The Claydon System is becoming increasingly popular in the difficult economic climate which farmers currently face, namely low commodity prices and high input costs, while difficult to control weeds, less effective agrochemicals and a reduction in available products to do the job are making it even more challenging for farming businesses to remain profitable. The real challenge now is to grow crops profitably without running down natural resources.



Last year Claydon introduced the TerraStar®, a fast, low-cost light rotary cultivator, to help to germinate volunteers and weed seeds and, in conjunction with the Claydon Straw Harrow, reduce seed numbers and slug populations. With sensible monitoring and applying the technique on a need-only basis, the Claydon family have saved several applications of slug pellets and chemicals in producing arable crops on their farm at Wickhambrook in Suffolk.



The massive savings in establishment costs achieved by using the Claydon System means that in terms of profitability and sustainability, the farming family are well ahead of where they would have been had they tried to continue farming in a conventional manner.
thumbnail_Spencer Claydon%2c Jeff Claydon%2c Frank Claydon.jpg


From L-R
Spencer - Jeff - Frank Claydon
 

llamedos

New Member
New Aftersales & Warranty Manager

appointed by Claydon



thumbnail_Robert Shepherd%2c Aftersales Manager%2c Claydon Drills%2c with Oliver Claydon....jpg



Robert Shepherd, After Sales Manager, Claydon, with Oliver Claydon, Operations Director

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Rapidly increasing sales of its products throughout the world have led UK agricultural machinery manufacturer Claydon to appoint Robert Shepherd as Aftersales & Warranty Manager.



A key position within this fast-growing company’s senior management team, the role will further enhance Claydon’s reputation for superb customer service and aftersales support for its highly-regarded range of Hybrid Drills, Straw Harrows, TerraStar light cultivators and Cambridge Rolls. Now operating on farms in over 30 countries, they are thoroughly proven in all climatic conditions, soil types and crops.



Reporting to Oliver Claydon, Operations Director, Robert will support the company’s sales, production and design teams using the comprehensive knowledge and experience he has gained with machinery manufacturers and agricultural dealerships in the UK and overseas during the last 35 years. Within the new role, Robert’s responsibilities include all aspects of aftersales service and training, from commissioning new machines to working with dealers and staff to ensure they are fully conversant with Claydon products and adhere to the company’s high standards.



Raised on the Shepherd family’s 800-acre farm in Essex, which was sold in the 1970s, Robert’s first job was as an apprentice with agricultural engineers Blyth & Pawsey in Saffron Walden, Cambridgeshire, which he joined in 1979. By working in all the company’s departments, Robert gained a broad understanding of agricultural engineering and after attaining his City & Guilds qualification worked as a fitter on all types of machinery but specialised in drills, sprayers and spreaders.



It was while with Blyth & Pawsey that Robert’s connection with Claydon started, because in the 1980s he was responsible for fitting the Yield-O-Meter, the product on which Claydon was founded, to more than half of all the Claas combines which the dealership sold.



In 1994, Robert was head-hunted by Lely UK to become Territory Service Manager - South, working with customers and dealers throughout the South of England. After two years, he was tasked with establishing a completely new business within the Lely Group, Lely Welger Recycling Engineering, which expanded rapidly. During his time with the business Robert travelled extensively throughout Europe, Scandinavia and the Baltic States as part of a role which involved sales and service. Robert subsequently became International Sales Manager for Lely Aircon B.V., another Lely Group business.



Robert states: “I had been looking for a new challenge within a smaller, flexible, customer-focused business which would also involve greater contact with dealers and customers. Claydon is a fast-growing, very adaptable company with a strong focus in these areas and I look forward to building on the solid base which has already been established.



“Coming from a farming background, then working in a dealership and for a manufacturer I completely understand all the aspects of customer service and support which are required in an agricultural environment. As machinery becomes larger, seasonal output expectations increase and with farmers under enormous pressure at key times high-quality service and aftersales support are vital. My objective is to take this aspect of Claydon’s business to the next level, enabling dealers to get the most from the Claydon franchise and owners of Claydon equipment to get the most from their investment.



“Claydon have an excellent range of high-quality products which provide farmers with significant financial and agronomic benefits, so there is enormous potential for growth. As the key point of contact for all aspects of aftersales and warranty support within Claydon I will ensure that customers and dealers receive the service they expect and deserve. It is great to be part of a ‘can-do’ team where everyone has some connection with farming, understands what farmers need and the pressures they face, and strives to deliver better products and services.”

thumbnail_Robert Shepherd%2c Aftersales Manager%2c Claydon Drills.jpg


Robert, who is 53, lives with his wife and their two daughters in Cambridgeshire. He will divide his time between the Claydon factory at Wickhambrook in Suffolk, dealers and customers throughout the UK and in overseas markets.​
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 78 42.9%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 63 34.6%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.5%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 5 2.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,286
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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