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

Aug 22, 2025 · 44 min
A New Chapter: Embracing Life After Dairy Farming
In this poignant episode of the Kite Podcast, hosts Ben Eagle and Will Evans are joined by Cheshire dairy farmers Tom and Karen Halton, who share their heartfelt journey of deciding to sell their herd after a remarkable career in dairy farming. Winners of the Dairy Farmer of the Year category at the British Farming Awards 2024, the Halton’s reflect on their successful tenanted dairy business and the emotional challenges surrounding their decision to step away from the industry. As they discuss t
Aug 18, 2025 · 37 min
From Pitch to Plate: How Dairy Fuels Young Athletes
In a rare Monday Kite Podcast, hosts Ben Eagle and Will Evans delve into the exciting intersection of dairy and women's sport, highlighting the recent successes of the English Lionesses and the upcoming Women's Rugby World Cup. Joined by Carrie McDermid, Head of Marketing at AHDB, Cheshire dairy farmer Jack Allwood and Will Roberts, CEO of British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS), the discussion centres around AHDB's summer sport campaign promoting milk as a vital recovery drink for young
Aug 1, 2025 · 41 min
Small-Scale AD in Dairy: What’s Possible, What’s Practical
In this episode, hosts Ben Eagle and Will Evans explore the role of on-farm anaerobic digestion (AD) in the UK dairy sector with guests Gary Hague, UK Sustainability and Development Manager for Biolectric, and Kite’s Sustainability Lead, Helen Dent. The discussion provides an overview of AD technology, its role in managing slurry and manure more sustainably, and its potential to reduce the environmental footprint of dairy farming. Helen and Gary share insights on adoption rates, farmer perceptio
Jul 25, 2025 · 51 min
The future of genomic breeding: driving faster gains & financial returns
After Chris Walkland’s dairy market update this week, Ben Eagle is joined by Kevin Ziemba, Global Applied Genetic Consulting Manager at STGenetics (parent company of Cogent Breeding) and Steve West, Senior Consultant with Kite to explore the latest in genetics and genomics in dairy farming. They discuss the financial benefits of breeding for Ecofeed to improve feed efficiency and profitability, as well as how to build a genetic strategy to best fit your business. They also discuss the newly dis
Jul 18, 2025 · 42 min
Muller confirm £45million investment in Skelmersdale site & new contracts for Yew Tree suppliers.
In episode 260 of the Kite Podcast, hosts Ben Eagle and Will Evans explore major upcoming developments at Yew Tree Dairy, including a £45 million investment in its Skelmersdale production site—just nine months after acquisition from Muller. This strategic move is not only aimed at expanding the business but also at further aligning Yew Tree Dairy offering farmers new and updated supplier contracts, Joining the conversation are Rob Hutchison, CEO of Muller Milk & Ingredients, and podcast producer
Jul 11, 2025 · 38 min
United for sustainable Dairy: The future of the UK Dairy Roadmap
In this episode, hosts Ben Eagle and Will Evans dive into the latest developments in the UK Dairy Roadmap. They are joined by Bas Padberg, Managing Director at Arla Foods UK, Dairy UK Vice-Chair and Chair of the UK Dairy RoadMap along with Kite Director, John Allen and the ever-insightful dairy market analyst Chris Walkland with his report. The discussion focuses on the expansion of the Dairy Roadmap's scope, which now includes retailers and food service organisations, fostering a shared commitm
Jul 4, 2025 · 33 min
From Fields to Futures: Insights on harvest prospects & feed prices
In this episode, hosts Ben Eagle and Will Evans delve into the current harvest prospects as combines begin to roll across the UK. Joined by James Bolesworth, Managing Director of CRM AgriCommodities and Chris Pickles, Procurement Manager from KW Feeds, they examine the impact of recent dry weather in the UK on forage stocks, complexities of the feed markets and the factors influencing supply and prices. The conversation also touches on the impact of geopolitical events, currency fluctuations and
Jun 27, 2025 · 43 min
Cooling the Herd: Effective solutions for heat stress in dairy farming
In this episode, hosts Ben Eagle and Will Evans tackle the pressing issue of heat stress in dairy cows, exploring its impact on both individual animals and herds. Joined by dairy farmer Charlie George and Kite's Tim Davies, the discussion delves into practical measures farms can take to mitigate heat stress and build resilience for the future. The team examines the importance of proper ventilation, water supply and shed design, while also considering the broader implications of climate change on
Jun 20, 2025 · 41 min
From Determination to Dairy: Frank Dunne's Ambitious Farming Vision
In this episode, hosts Will Evans and Ben Eagle continue their exploration of Irish agriculture with an inspiring story from Frank Dunne and his farming journey after he bought his first dairy farm at 26 years old. Joined by podcast producer Becki Reay and dairy market analyst Chris Walkland, the team delve into Frank's evolution from leaving his uncle’s dairy farm, to beef and progressing onto become a successful dairy farmer; discussing his innovative approaches and future aspirations, redefin
Jun 13, 2025 · 48 min
Controversial Nutrient Action Programme: Farmers Demand Change in Northern Ireland
In this week’s episode, we explore the proposed Nutrient Action Programme (NAP) in Northern Ireland, which has sparked significant debate within the agri-food sector. Join hosts Will Evans and Ben Eagle, along with guests Aileen Lawson from the Ulster Farmers Union, Jason Rankin from AgriSearch and dairy market analyst Chris Walkland, as they delve into the implications of the NAP, the concerns raised by farmers and the potential impact on the agricultural landscape. With insights from their rec
Jun 6, 2025 · 43 min
From Farm to Fork: The Value of Engaging the Public
Following Chris Walkland’s market update, with Ben away on honeymoon this week Becki joins Will hosting our guests, PR consultant Amy Jackson and dairy farmer Rob Goulding as they explore the benefits for farmers and wider industry in engaging with the public. They share their insights on the importance of promoting transparency and building relationships with the public and with Open Farm Sunday coming up this weekend, see this as a great opportunity for this. They discuss how this initiative h
May 30, 2025 · 55 min
Compact feeding masterclass with Niels Bastian Kristensen
Following Chris’ milk market report, Will Evans is joined by compact feeding pioneer Niels Bastian Kristensen, Kite consultant Mike Bray, JG Vigar and Son’s herd manager Dane De Boorder based in Wiltshire, and podcast producer Becki Reay. Together, they explore the transformative potential of compact feeding, delving into its advantages, potential drawbacks, and the unique challenges faced by UK dairy farmers. Dane De Boorder discusses the recent masterclass hosted by JG Vigar and Son, he talks
May 23, 2025 · 33 min
Unlocking Potential: The Importance of CPD in Agriculture
After Chris’ report this week, Will & Ben explore the vital topic of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in agriculture, Joined by Tillie Williams, Kite’s Lead on People and dairy farmer Ed Fearnall, they discuss the skills needed for herd management, the current job market and the importance of tailored training. Ed also shares his experience as a participant of Kite’s Herd Management training and Tillie explains how the programme aims to equip future leaders in dairy farming with essenti
May 16, 2025 · 50 min
Exploring Dairy Futures: DIN Conference Highlights & Market Stability
In this week’s episode, Will and Ben are joined by Chris Walkland and Kite Director John Allen, fresh from the Dairy Industry Newsletter (DIN) Conference with the theme of "Navigating the Changing Dairy Landscape,". Chris kicks off with his Milk Market Report before the discussion dives into key takeaways from the event. The team reflects on the standout speakers and their insights, particularly regarding global dairy consumption trends, the impact of weight loss drugs like Ozempic and the evolv
May 9, 2025 · 42 min
Feed market insights: forage updates, harvest outlook & EU regulations
After Chris’ market report this week, highlighting a positive outlook for dairy prices, Will and Ben shift their focus from milk markets to the intricacies of feed markets, featuring insights from Chris Pickles, Procurement Manager at KW Feeds and Kite Technical Consultant Maimie French. Maimie provides an overview of the spring season, noting the quality of first cuts and the impact of weather on forage yields across the UK and touches on the challenges of heat stress. Chris discusses feed comm
May 2, 2025 · 37 min
Milk market predictions: navigating volumes, prices & processing challenges
Will and Ben are back this week, joined by Chris, who has just returned from holiday. In this episode, they delve into the current milk volume situation and the evolving milk market dynamics. With insights from Kite Director John Allen and podcast producer Becki Reay, the team discusses the implications of spring peak milk production, processing capacity, and the unexpected stability of milk prices amidst high volumes. Chris shares his market report, revealing how recent weather patterns and fac
Apr 25, 2025 · 46 min
An update on NZ dairy: milk markets, politics & dairy economics
Will and Ben return after a short break for Easter, to explore the current state of the dairy industry in New Zealand with insights from James Allen, CEO of AgFirst and John Allen, Kite Director. Following Chris’ market report, James and John discuss the impact of recent weather patterns on milk production, dairy economics, and the implications of environmental policies. With an analysis of production figures, market trends and the future of dairy in New Zealand and where these sit in a global c
Apr 11, 2025 · 38 min
Spring peak - predictions, milk flows & forage
After Chris’ report this week on the Kite Podcast, Will and Ben bring you a timely spring update, joined by Kite Consultant Marcus Doig and Cumbrian dairy farmer Paddy Morris-Eyton. They share insights into the potential long-term effects of this spring’s weather on forage and milk flows, they also discuss the impact of recent market fluctuations, including milk price feed price ratio and the ongoing demand for beef on breeding strategies for dairy farmers. The conversation delves into the curre
Apr 4, 2025 · 49 min
The Future of Johne's Management: Implementing Phase Three for Dairy Farmers
This week, after Chris’ milk market report, Will and Ben dive into the important topic of Johne’s disease management as they discuss the recent launch of Phase Three of the National Johne’s Management Plan. They are joined by Karen Bond, Veterinary Technical Advisor at National Milk Records (NMR), along with Ben Watts, Kite's Head of Technical and Innovation, and Norfolk farmer Jonny Burridge. They discuss the new phase of the plan which builds upon the previous efforts aimed at controlling and
Mar 28, 2025 · 45 min
Understanding Soil Organic Carbon: Benefits, Challenges & Best Practices
This week, Will and Ben explore the crucial topic of soil organic carbon, delving into its definition, benefits and ways to enhance its presence in our soils. They are joined by Robert Nightingale, Sustainability Technical Lead at Frontier Agriculture and Kite's Sustainability Lead, Helen Dent, along with everyone's favourite dairy market analyst, Chris Walkland. The discussion covers the significance of soil organic carbon in relation to climate change, soil health and farm resilience and how i