Kite Consulting

Becki Reay

Kite Consulting provide business services to the entire food supply chain, from farmer to retailer and are widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading dairy consultancy companies.

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305 episodes
Updated Friday

Episodes305

Newest first

Jul 16, 2021 · 26 min
How is China demand & USA supply effecting the milk market?
On this week’s podcast we have the regular milk market update from Chris Walkland who then joins Erik Elgersma; Director of Strategic Analysis Services BV & former Director of Strategic Intelligence at Friesland Campina and John Allen to discuss the global drivers of milk markets. They consider how the current demand from and supply from the USA is effecting the short and longer term market outlook and pricing.
Jul 9, 2021 · 26 min
Labour Challenges – is a Skilled Worker Visa the solution?
On this week’s podcast, we cover the two topics most farmers are discussing at the moment; the football and farm labour. After Chris Walkland has given his analysis of the football and the milk markets, hosts Ben Eagle and Will Evans are joined by Devon dairy farmer Julie Webber alongside Kite’s Rachael Madeley-Davies and Becki Leach to discuss current labour challenges on farm and the opportunities and possible solutions including the Skilled Worker Visa.
Jul 2, 2021 · 24 min
Is there a silver bullet and commercial return for Methane reduction?
On this week’s podcast, hosts Will Evans and Ben Eagle are joined by Professor Jude Capper; Livestock Sustainability Consultant and Harper Adams Professor of Sustainable Beef Production alongside John Allen and Chris Walkland. After the usual milk market update from Chris, Jude and John discuss the science behind products designed to reduce methane output from cows, the challenges of measuring reductions and a discussion on who will pay.
Jun 25, 2021 · 26 min
Helers Cheese – Business succession and investment, product innovation and growth
On this week’s podcast, hosts Will Evans and Ben Eagle are joined by John Allen and George Heler; grandson of Cheshire Cheesemaker Joseph Heler and Managing Director of his namesake business. George describes succession of the business from his Dad, Mike, to him and how he is continuing the family legacy of investment, innovation and growth through investing in secondary processing allowing the business to retain and increase the value of outputs and the development of brands such as ‘Eat Lean’
Jun 17, 2021 · 26 min
Breeding efficient cows delivers increased profits and improved carbon footprint
Given the turn in the market, a somewhat subdued milk market report from Chris Walkland precedes a very upbeat discussion with Cogent Chairman and Managing Director at Grosvenor Farms; Mark Roach and Kite’s Managing Partner; David Levick. They debate the return on investment from genetic spend, the increasing importance and potential impact of Feed Conversion Efficiency (FCE) and how breeding efficient cows delivers both increased profits and improved carbon performance.
Jun 11, 2021 · 26 min
Can Muller realise the Advantage, with Rob Hutchison
On this week’s podcast, hosts Will Evans and Ben Eagle are joined by Muller’s Chief Operating Officer; Rob Hutchison alongside John Allen and Chris Walkland. We ask: will Muller Advantage help the business and its suppliers regain the Advantage with retailers? Along with discussing the recent deal with Lidl to offer a 3-year fixed price of 29ppl and hear the outcomes and opportunities from project Darwin. Chris Walkland gives his usual milk market update from the most unlikely location.
Jun 4, 2021 · 25 min
Australian Trade Deal Details and Brexit Trade Update
Hosts Will Evans and Ben Eagle are joined by Tom Forshaw; Senior Policy Analyst at AHDB with comments from Chris Walkland and Becki Leach as they discuss the details of the proposed trade deal with Australia and what this might mean for dairy, along with an update on how Brexit continues to impact trade and prices. Chris Walkland also gives his usual milk market update.
May 28, 2021 · 26 min
Dairy in India, the Sacred Cow & World Milk Day
It’s World Milk Day on 1st June and whilst in the western world dairy, milk consumption and cows are often challenged on how important and relevant they are in the modern world, the story is very different elsewhere. In India, the largest producer and consumer of dairy in the world, not only are cows sacred and culturally significant, dairy supports local economies and is a vital source of nutrition. We discuss this and celebrate World Milk Day with Prashant Tripathi; Director of Market Developm
May 21, 2021 · 25 min
Leading Agriculture Through a Period of Change
It’s #AgriLeadership week so hosts Will Evans and Ben Eagle are talking to Stuart Roberts; NFU Deputy President and Becki Leach about what they think great leadership looks like both at industry and farm level. They discuss the challenge of leading through significant change and the complexities of leading a membership organisation.
May 14, 2021 · 29 min
Climate & Cows with Frank Mitloehner
Well known UCD Professor; Frank Mitloehner (@GHGGuru) joins our Head of Sustainability; Rachael Madeley-Davies this week to debunk myths about the climate impact of cows. They discuss the limitations of the GWP100 climate calculation in accounting for methane, possible alternative calculations, the UN Conference for Climate Change (COP26) later this year and how ruminant agriculture could contribute to climate cooling. As always, we have the latest milk market update from Chris Walkland.
May 7, 2021 · 26 min
Weather impact on milk, feed & forage in the UK & across the world
Whilst most of the UK has had at least some rain in the last week, persistent low temperatures are still limiting grass growth and impacting milk flows. Similar challenging weather conditions have and are impacting crop establishment and growth worldwide and could impact commodity and feed prices in the coming weeks and months. James Bolesworth; Managing Director at CRM AgriCommodities, John Allen and Chris Walkland discuss on this weeks podcast. Please note: The information provided during this podcast has been prepared for general informational purposes only and does not constitute advice. The information must not be relied upon for any purpose and no representation or warranty is given as to its accuracy, completeness or otherwise. Any reference to other organisations, businesses or products during the podcast are not endorsements or recommendations of Dairy Consulting Ltd or its affiliated companies. The views of the presenter are personal and may not be the views of Dairy Consulting Ltd. The contents of this podcast are the copyright of Dairy Consulting Ltd.
Apr 30, 2021 · 25 min
First Milk: Strategy, Sustainability & Success
Hosts Will Evans & Ben Eagle are joined this week by First Milk’s CEO Shelagh Hancock and Kite’s David Keiley to reflect on First Milk’s strategy and transformation over the past 5 years and to share more details about their recent announcements on Net Zero and Carbon Capture which form a key part of their sustainability strategy going forward. We also have the usual milk market update from Chris Walkland.
Apr 23, 2021 · 25 min
Focussing on Genetics at Grosvenor Farms
On this week’s podcast, host Will Evans is joined by David Craven from Grosvenor Farms and Marco Winters from AHDB. They discuss the genetic progress and performance of the Grosvenor herd and David shares his thoughts on selection criteria to breed a herd which meets the needs of the future. Marco gives us a sneak preview of some new metrics; FCE and EnviroCow which are due to be incorporated into PLI later this year and we get a rather patriotic milk market update from Chris Walkland this week.
Apr 16, 2021 · 25 min
The Role of Dairy Around the World
12 months ago hosts Ben Eagle & Will Evans didn’t have a clue what they were letting themselves in for & Chris Walkland was still practising his stand-up in front of the bathroom mirror and getting rave reviews from his two pooches. So this can only mean one thing…..it's the Kite Podcast’s first birthday! To celebrate (& eat virtual cake) we’re joined by Mitch Kantar from Global Dairy Platform to reflect and discuss the role of dairy around the world, covering everything from dairy’s contributi
Apr 9, 2021 · 24 min
Spring milk & markets in the UK & Europe
Hosts Will Evans & Ben Eagle welcome Erik Elgersma; Director of Strategic Analysis Services BV & former Director of Strategic Intelligence at FrieslandCampina back to the show alongside John Allen & Chris Walkland to discuss the milk markets including what spring volumes are looking like in the UK and across Europe alongside a longer term outlook for volumes and prices.
Apr 1, 2021 · 32 min
Don't be a crazy farm safety fool on April Fools day (or any other!)
This week the whole Kite Podcast team were in on an April Fools Day prank on our podcast producer Becki Leach, who fell for it hook, line and sinker! But hosts Will Evans & Ben Eagle manage to curtail the frivolity to discuss a very serious topic with the Manager of the Farm Safety Foundation (also known as Yellow Wellies); Stephanie Berkley, plus our very own Becki Leach, who is running this year's London Marathon on behalf of Yellow Wellies. John Allen and self-professed prankster & dairy ha
Mar 26, 2021 · 25 min
Kite Consulting Milk Market Update & Carbon Calculators
Hosts Ben Eagle & Will Evans are joined this week by NMR’s Managing Director, Andy Warne, to discuss the business, including their livestock genomic testing service. Andy & Kite’s Rachael Madeley-Davies go on to discuss Carbon Calculators and how the data might be used by farmers alongside other farm datasets. Chris Walkland gives listeners an insight into both the milk markets and his hopes for tonight’s rugby.
Mar 19, 2021 · 25 min
Kite Consulting Milk Market Update & Global Dairy Trade (GDT)
On this weeks podcast, hosts Ben Eagle & Will Evans are joined by Eric Hansen; Director at Global Dairy Trade (GDT), farmer Robert Martin along with Chris Walkland to discuss the mechanics of the Global Dairy Trade auctions including products traded and who are the buyers and sellers along with a discussion on how this impacts and influences world and UK milk markets.
Mar 12, 2021 · 26 min
Kite Consulting Milk Market Update & Scotland’s Dairy Ambitions
This week, Chris Walkland gives another upbeat dairy market update and the podcast team head (virtually) to Scotland to discuss the recently launched Scottish Dairy Growth Board strategy with its Chairman; Paul Grant, Kite’s Senior Consultant in Scotland; David Keiley and Chris Walkland. They share thoughts on the current position of Scottish dairy and how, if the ambition to increase export opportunities and processing capacity are realised, this could impact both Scottish and UK dairy.
Mar 5, 2021 · 24 min
Kite Consulting Milk Market Update & Bank Lending including Green Finance Opportunities
In this week’s podcast hosted by Ben Eagle & Will Evans, Chris Walkland explains in his milk market report what the 15% rise in the GDT auction translates into in milk price terms before Neil Wilson; Director at SAB Advisory Ltd & John Allen go on to discuss bank lending and access to finance across the food and agricultural sector. In particular; what ‘green finance’ might mean to farmers – will green finance mean preferential interest rates, how will farmers prove their green credentials & doe