Comment – Tired and Emotional

Needless to say, swanning off to foreign parts this week, has not been without its hitches. First, with a cracking week of weather, and despite it only being early July, everyone in Cumbria (and Lancashire, and Yorkshire) mowed and made hay. Well, almost. This has caused some consternation at HQ, but needs must.

The travel this week included a 2 day train extravaganza to Strasbourg and back via a well known international implement manufacturers press briefing, at Kuhn’s HQ and out in the field, at 35 degrees.

There were many insights this week, both technical (‘How do you fold a 14.5m mounted mower?’) and from a global perspective. According to Thierry Krier, CEO of the company, the last 20 months, have been the longest recession in 40 years in the agricultural machinery business. However he did continue to say “Current business is still not very good, but it is getting better”.  Which was encouraging.

I’m sitting here sweltering, and despite not mowing for hay yet, I am really looking forward to a drop in temperature over the next few days. And a little less travelling.

Elsewhere, the CPRE (the Countryside Charity) have had a reckon up regarding current, planned and future solar farms in the UK, and are concerned about where they will all go, have a look here.

Also if you have an interest in the state of the world’s food production and business, the Economist has launched the Food Imperative. 

I hope it cools down a bit, and you have a good week.

Andy