PLANNING FOR STORMY TIMES – LEADING WEATHERMAN TO SPEAK AT FREE MANAGING RISK EVENT FOR FARMERS
Planning for stormy times ahead is the best way to manage risk in farming – and one of the UK’s leading weathermen will be the guest speaker at a free seminar later this month aimed at helping agricultural businesses do just that.
Jim Bacon, who enjoyed a long career as a TV weatherman on both national and Anglia TV before co-founding Weatherquest, will join experts from Lovewell Blake at the Easton Campus of Easton & Otley College on Wednesday 16th November, for an event entitled ‘Managing Risk In The Agricultural Sector’.
Mr Bacon, who is now managing director of the UEA-based weather forecast and weather analysis company, will be outlining how modern meteorology can minimise risk and costs in agriculture, including the use of Growing Degree Hours to compare seasonal and annual crop performance, and data displays for farming.
Lovewell Blake agricultural partner Chris Solt will chair the event, explaining the range of risks that farming businesses face, from market fluctuations to cybercrime, Brexit to currency instability. His colleague Adrian Nicholls from Lovewell Blake Financial Planning will be explaining steps which can be taken to mitigate the risk to agricultural businesses which are reliant on small numbers of key individuals.
“You can’t mitigate against every risk that farming faces, but by identifying potential risks, you can take action to minimise them,” said Mr Solt.
“The worst thing agricultural businesses can do is to stick their heads in the sand and hope it won’t happen to them. We need to be thinking ahead, not just about the next harvest, but the next several, planning and budgeting for potential problems along the way.
“Weather is always one of the uncertainties in agriculture, and we are delighted to be welcoming one of the country’s leading meteorologists to speak at our seminar.”
Mr Bacon added, “There is so much weather data available to farming that sorting the useful from the interesting becomes a major part of getting a successful result. I hope to be able to show how a few small changes in their routine will add value to their bottom line and save them valuable time.”
The event takes place at the Easton Campus of Easton & Otley College on Wednesday 16th November from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. Attendance is free, and includes a buffet. Tickets, which must be reserved in advance, can be booked online at http://www.lovewell-blake.co.uk/events/Managing-risk-in-the-agriculture-sector, or by calling Bianca Mortimer on 01603 663300.