Wednesday 2 November 2022
Moulton College is celebrating Back British Farming Day today (Wednesday 2 November) by showcasing the role its own farm plays in producing food for the nation.
2022 marks the 7th annual #BackBritishFarmingDay, which highlights the importance of the industry, and the work farmers and growers do to produce great British food.
Moulton College is home to an 1,100 acre mixed-use farm, which students from its agricultural courses are able to make use of as part of their studies. The range of courses on offer cover everything from crop production and livestock care through to farm management, with students able to expand their skills and knowledge both practically and in the classroom before taking advantage of the many career opportunities available in the agricultural sector.
Louise Fletcher, Head of School – Land-based & Equine, Moulton College, explains: “Agriculture is a hugely important industry in the UK and one dedicated to continuous development and innovation. At Moulton, we are lucky enough to have our own working farm, managed in-house by our commercial team, which means our students get hands-on experience from day one and develop their practical skills in ‘real life’ circumstances.”
Mike Davies, Farm Manager, Moulton College, says: “We have around 700 acres of arable land with a variety of crops including winter wheat, oilseed rape, feed barley, and beans. Alongside the arable enterprise we have around 70 beef cattle and 700 breeding ewes.
“We have a range of equipment in use, including a new combine, and we’re able to utilise the latest in technology on our machines. This includes GPS and mapping systems, which then get used in the classroom to help teach the students about the technology and how it is used to manage the enterprise.”
A further focus for Moulton College and its farm is sustainability and the environment and the role agriculture can play in this. Following a successful harvest, which saw an increase in yield across all crops, the farm is now preparing for a successful lambing and calving season in the New Year.
Louise concludes: “Back British Farming Day is a great opportunity for us to share the work we do at Moulton and to increase awareness of the importance of British farming and agriculture in general.”