Top of his list of issues to tackle is bovine TB.
“The first time we went down with TB was back in 2012 and the experience was enough for me to throw in the towel as far as farming is concerned, losing 89 cows in a year,” explained Phil.
“Unfortunately the breakdown took place two months after our milk buyer had gone bust so it was like a double whammy. Compensation for TB needs a complete overhaul. If you trade up in risk your level of compensation should be reduced. It doesn’t seem fair that the person who has chosen to do the risky trading gets the same compensation as the neighbours who’ve been exposed to a risk that they cannot control. Cheshire needs to be speaking with one voice with our friends in Lancashire and Cumbria on this issue. We need to do what’s practical and what our members want. In my opinion the region with the most members and votes has the biggest say with regards NFU TB policy and we in the North West have to challenge that.”
Next on his hit list are NVZs, and more specifically the PLANET nutrient management software tool.
Phil said: “The language and design of PLANET is all about compliance and not farming. The only person who benefits is the consultant. We require a better system that farmers believe in and know will save them money if they use it properly. PLANET is just a tick box exercise. I don’t know anyone who uses it in practise.”
Phil has two farms – he is a tenant of Lord Cholmondeley at the 450 acre Brook House Farm in Chorley and owns Organsdale Farm in Tarporley which is 550 acres and is the home of Phil’s Kelsall Hill Equestrian Centre and Farm Ride diversification.
Kelsall Hill Equestrian Centre boasts over 350 acres of great riding country. The business caters for carriage driving, pony club, endurance riding, hacking, and events. It has livery, two all-weather arenas, cross country schooling area and a 900 meter all weather waxed gallop. Phil says the next step for the business is probably an indoor riding school.
With a degree in Zoology and Agriculture from Reading University, 47 year old Phil is motivated by systems and their outputs.
“I have brought science to the way I farm,” explains Phil.
“I came home from travelling in Africa and Australia to 240 Friesian cows at Brook House and another 300 at Organsdale. I was then seduced by the sales patter and went into Holstein Friesians with a limited amount of Brown Swiss which had been left at Organsdale by the previous owner. At peak we had 850 cows over both sites. We shut Organsdale down for cows in 2004 and ran with 500 cows at Brook House until 2012 when TB and our milk buyer going bust took its toll.”
A Nuffield Scholar, Phil looked at improving fertility on farm, clocking up just short of 100 talks around the country on the subject by the time he was finished.
Now with a 100% Brown Swiss herd at Brook House, Phil is nearly back to 2012 levels milking 450 cows. The cows peak at 38 litres but can be turned out to grass.
Married to Emma for seven years, Phil has two children – Sam (7) and Daisy (2).
At the age of 21, Phil went travelling spending three months in Africa before going to pick fruit in Australia.
Phil, who sadly lost his mum when he was just 13 years old, said: “The idea was to travel and then come home to do a PHD but I just knew that was not for me. I’d already spent three years at Reading and didn’t want to do it all again. However, I had no ambitions to farm. I had a dream to save the whale and was a keen diver and white water rafter. I didn’t fit the farmer stereotype one little bit but dad had invested in several businesses and gave me the chance to come home and run the farming enterprise. Not many people were going to give me the chance at running my own business so I accepted his offer.”
Looking forward to his two years in office for the NFU, Phil really hopes he can make a contribution.
Phil explained: “Life can be exciting. Losing your mum, TB and poor milk prices are big challenges but who’d of thought I’d have successfully delivered 53 days of British Eventing, own a course designed by Captain Mark Phillips and all whilst having absolutely no ambitions to ride myself. Life throws up all sorts of opportunities. We just have to be prepared to take them.”