North Norfolk farmer Tim Papworth says new ways of funding agriculture, new environmental schemes, and the drive towards net zero greenhouse gas emissions for farming by 2040 are among the factors driving change.
“Norfolk, and the East Anglia region, are the breadbasket of the UK and there are a lot of high value, productive businesses here. It’s going to be an interesting time and they will be facing a lot of change,” he said.
Tim farms in a family farming and contracting business that has been based in Norfolk since 1926. It grows cereals, oilseeds, potatoes, peas, and other crops alongside rearing livestock for its butchers shops.
He was educated at King Edward VI School in Norwich and qualified as a butcher during a year out before studying agriculture at the North of Scotland College of Agriculture. He then completed a post graduate diploma in farm management at Seale-Hayne in Devon before returning to work on the family farm.
“I have worked for the family firm all my life, during which the farming business has seen some dramatic changes, including a large increase in contract farming arrangements,” said Tim.
“When I started, we grew a lot of crisping potatoes and now we don’t grow any. Our potato production covers the chipping, processing, fresh and salad sectors, but it’s mainly salad potatoes.
“The soil type here is excellent for long-term storage of potatoes. We don’t have our own potato store - customers take our potatoes to their stores and look after them. It’s a business model that works well.”
Tim believes that the livestock side of the business will increase in importance, especially with the rising cost of fertiliser.
“Farmyard manure is now more valuable. We have other farmers’ sheep grazing here but I would not rule out having our own again. We have sugar beet tops and rye grass that the sheep can feed on, and it’s good for the soil structure,” he said.
Tim became involved with the NFU after he was one of two people selected from the UK to attend a potato industry leadership course, run by the US Potato Board. During the trip he visited Capitol Hill, meeting senators and congressmen and lobbying on behalf of the US potato industry.
“I thought to myself ‘what are you doing, when you haven’t even set foot in the Houses of Parliament?’ It was a real wake up call for me,” he said.
He served on the shadow board of Potato Council Ltd, as it transformed into AHDB Potatoes, and joined the NFU horticulture and potato board. He was the first chair of the NFU’s potato forum and chairs the NFU’s regional horticulture and potato board.
“I’m really excited to be taking over as county chair. I feel I have enough knowledge about how the NFU works to help me,” said Tim.
“There’s a great staff resource there, and I know how everything works. I’m looking forward to helping farmers in Norfolk succeed and to fight their corner. I’m not frightened to stand up and say what I think.”
During his time as chair, Tim is keen to champion the importance of home-grown produce, including the need to secure water for food production. He is a committee member of local abstractors group BAWAG, a member of the UK Irrigation Association and involved in water resource issues with the NFU.
He also wants to highlight health and safety issues, after he suffered a serious injury in 2010, when he fell off a ladder while changing a light bulb in a rented potato store. He was airlifted to Addenbrooke's Hospital by air ambulance, where he spent five weeks in a drug-induced coma. He now raises money for East Anglian Air Ambulance and has trained as a mental health first aider.
“I had significant mental health issues when I was recovering from the accident. I had my family to support and I was really worrying about earning enough money to survive,” he said.
“It’s so important to talk about mental health and it’s good to see more farm businesses training employees as mental health first aiders.”
Tim is married to Emma and they have three children, Jack, 25, Polly, 22 and Daisy 17. Away from the farm he is involved in local community work, including as life vice president to North Walsham Young Farmers Club, a parish councillor and a director of the Clan Trust.