At Meadow, we pride ourselves on having a great network of producers, customers and employees. To maintain this network, Meadow provides industry-leading initiatives and regular training for all staff, working hard behind the scenes for all of our stakeholders. In our latest blog, we’re peeling back the curtains and showcasing some of the great things we do at Meadow.
Mental Health Training
There is a hidden problem facing farmers today. Recent research conducted on UK farmers under the age of 40 found that 92% of those surveyed identified poor mental as the largest challenge they face. As part of Meadow’s commitment to supporting our partner farms and producers, the Meadow team recently attended the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution mental health training day. As part of the training programme, the team were given invaluable guidance on how best to provide farmers with the support they need to protect their mental health. They were educated on signs of poor mental health, understanding the conditions and how to take care of their own mental health. Our Meadow team all obtained their Level 2 Award for mental health first aid – just a small part of our commitment to helping our partner farms thrive and succeed.
Farmer Engagement Programme
We regularly connect with our producers to ensure the continued success of our Farmer Engagement programme. We meet face-to-face at least twice a year in a relaxed forum where farmers can raise any questions or concerns that they may have in an environment where they know they will be heard and acknowledged. Our next round of meetings will be held in November and everyone is welcome to attend our open and honest sessions
Young Farmers Programme
We are eagerly looking forward to the outcome of our new Young Farmers Programme! Meadow was granted several exclusive places in the NFU Student & Young Farmer Ambassador Programme this year as a delivery partner of the School of Sustainable Food and Farming (SSFF). These places were snapped up almost instantly. The Student & Young Farmer Ambassador Programme is a year-long series of events designed to give qualifying NFU Student & Young Farmer members the opportunity to impact the future of the agricultural industry by working with the NFU and Meadow and putting their stamp on the future of British farming. The new programme will allow young farmers to develop their skills in sustainable agriculture, all with the backing of our dedicated Meadow team. The course started this month (October 2023) and includes face-to-face and live online tutorials. To find out more about this programme or enquire about next year you can visit the website here.
UK Dairy Day
On 13th September Meadow attended UK Dairy Day which was a huge success. It was attended by record numbers of trade and cattle exhibitors, and we were delighted to be part of it. The event provided us with a fantastic opportunity to network with our farmers and peers within the industry and our stand was busy all day, filled with some great conversations. Many of the visitors entered our free raffle to win a hamper packed with products containing Meadow ingredients, which was won by one of our producers; amazing how things come full circle!
There was a fantastic display of dairy cows in the show ring and our Head of Farms Jonathan Evans was delighted to present one of the awards Congratulations to all the winners, it was a wonderful event to be part of.
Our farm team worked hard to create an inviting stand and welcomed people from all over the dairy industry, providing insight into the essential ingredients that Meadow supplies. Working hard is something that our farm team is well known for – always on hand to offer support and guidance to all Meadow producers, you can count on our team to get the job done.
Welsh Dairy Show (24th October)
Last but not least, our next event will be the Welsh Dairy Show on 24th October. This one-day event showcases trade stands and dairy animals from across Wales and the borders. The event will feature small and large businesses promoting all aspects of the Welsh dairy industry with top-class dairy stock on show. We will be exhibiting during the show andwe hope to see you there!. To find out the latest info on the Dairy Show, including exhibitors, events and competitions you can download the full programme here.
Our team at Meadow provide support to our producers and customers year-round. To find out more about our team and what we do, you can contact us here or visit our website.
With the 13th May marking the start of Mental Health Awareness week, here Alex Phillimore from the Farming Community Network (FCN) tells us more about the support available for farmers in the UK.
As milk replacers rise in popularity, Jack McDill, Commercial product specialist for Feed at Lely, speaks on calf care priorities and the role of milk replacer diets in rearing a healthy herd.
Rob Hall, Veterinary Surgeon at LLM Farm Vets delves into what Johne’s disease is, how it affects cattle, and what dairy farmers can do to protect their herds.
