The Association was delighted to be able to offer a North Yorkshire based trade awareness course after a 5-year gap. The 2024 course was based on grain and ruminants and aimed to show delegates two primary uses of grain following the journey to final consumer products.
The course was fully booked soon after the initial details were circulated and it was lovely to meet 14 delegates whose experience in the industry ranged from a few months to 25 years. The fantastic feedback received, with all rating the course as excellent and something they would recommend to others, reaffirmed our aim to make these courses suitable for all.
The first day saw delegates meeting for refreshments and introductions at the Kings Head Hotel, Masham before taking the short walk to Masham Micronized Feeds for the first of the day’s visits. The group then travelled by minibus to C W Britton and Son, a mixed arable and dairy site which gave delegates an overview of a traditional Dales farm. Unfortunately, our next planned visit had to be cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances but the day finished on a high note with a visit to Theakston’s Brewery which included a guided tour followed by an evening meal.
On the second day the group visited Alfred Hymas Ltd, one of the largest family-owned bulk hauliers in North Yorkshire. This was followed by a visit to Waterloo House, the brand-new production facility owned by I’Anson Bros. The day was completed by a visit to G W Leggott & Son, another family run farm but this time one which utilises modern technology and robotics to breed and manage high yielding dairy cows.
The host companies made the delegates feel very welcome and were all very generous with their time and facilities. The very informative tours and presentations gave the delegates the opportunity to learn about different sectors within the industry and also offered a comparison of different establishments within the same sector.
Lead chaperone Angela Sutherby and the rest of the Executive Committee would like to thank everyone who attended the course, and especially all the companies that continue to support us by either sending delegates or allowing us the opportunity to visit their premises, which we appreciate takes up a lot of their valuable time and resources.
