Kite Consulting

In episode 288 of the Kite Podcast, hosts Will Evans and Ben Eagle are joined by Chris Walkland and Becki Reay to unpack the complex dynamics shaping today’s milk market, particularly as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East push oil prices toward $100 a barrel. Rising fuel and fertiliser costs — including a 50% jump in red diesel prices this month —putting mounting pressure on farmers, while m...

In this week’s episode of the Kite Podcast, Will Evans is joined by Kite Consultant Torin Nicholson, KW Feed procurement manager Chris Pickles, and producer Becki Reay as they unpack the growing regional disparities in forage availability across the UK. Torin highlights why some areas are seeing plentiful forage while others face shortages, and what this means for farmers trying to formulate effec...

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 re...

Following on from Chris Walkland’s milk market report, we’re joined by mental health advocate Tom York, who shares his powerful personal journey—from growing up in an urban environment to finding his way into agriculture. His unconventional route into the industry, combined with the strengths and challenges of living with ADHD, has shaped a strong focus on building resilience. That resilience was...

In episode 285 of the Kite Podcast, Will Evans and Ben Eagle are joined by Arla Foods UK Managing Director Baz Padberg, Kite Consultant Becca Oakley, and producer Becki Reay as they delve into a new cross‑industry initiative created by Arla alongside partners from universities, further education, retail, policy and food producers. They discuss why young people often overlook the huge opportunities...

Following Chris’ usual Milk Market Report, Will Evans and Ben Eagle welcome new senior consultants Beth Parry and Tim Kneale, who share insights from their specialist work with farms across the UK and discuss the practical on farm innovations they believe are genuinely transforming efficiency, resilience and long term sustainability in dairy. With DairyTech just days away, Becki Reay and the team...

Following Chris’ milk market report this week, Will and Ben are joined by Wigtownshire dairy farmer Rory Christie, Chair of the 2026 Semex Conference, and podcast producer Becki Reay. They look back at standout moments from the SEMEX International Dairy Conference in Glasgow last week and discuss current trends in the milk market, including how these may affect businesses over the coming months. T...

In this episode, we begin with Chris Walkland’s latest milk market report before celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Oxford Farming Conference with insights from OFC Director Ali Capper and dairy farmer Tracey Roan, who is based in Dumfries and Galloway. We delve into the report “UK Farming: Grasping the Opportunities,” led by Dr. Louise Manning, which explores the future of UK agriculture and...

Kicking off the New Year, this episode takes a close look at the current milk market. Ben Eagle, Chris Walkland and podcast producer Becki Reay discuss the latest trends in farmgate prices and milk volumes, and whether the sector is beginning to turn a corner. The discussion touches on the disruption caused by a plant breakdown over the Christmas period, which resulted in milk not being collected,...

As we approach the end of the year, we find ourselves in our final episode, just days away from Christmas. This festive season is often filled with gatherings, laughter, and indulgence in food and drink with loved ones. Yet, for some, Christmas can bring about feelings of loneliness, especially for those facing challenging family situations. It's a time when many reflect on the past and ponder the...

Following the results of the farm assurance review earlier this year, Red Tractor have this week announced its key priorities and planned actions, including a full review of standards. To discuss this, Will and Ben are joined on the Kite podcast this week by Tim Lock, the Dairy Sector Chair for Red Tractor to discuss the priorities for dairy, what actions are planned & how farmers can provide feed...

In this episode of the Kite Podcast, hosts Ben Eagle and Will Evans take a closer look at Ireland's dairy sector in light of the recent European Commission proposal to extend the nitrate derogation for another three years. They are joined by Joe Patton, Head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer at Teagasc and Emily Stafford, a Dairy Consultant with Kite, to discuss the implications of this decision for far...

In this episode of the Kite Podcast, Will Evans and Producer Becki Reay delve into the recent COP30 conference held in Brazil, exploring its implications for the agricultural sector, particularly dairy. Joining them is Brian Lindsey, an agricultural consultant and sustainability lead at Global Dairy Platform, who shares his insights from the conference. The trio discusses the key takeaways, includ...

In this episode of the Kite Podcast, hosts Will Evans and Ben Eagle explore the state of Argentina’s dairy sector, examining its current challenges and long-term potential amid significant political and economic shifts. They’re joined by John Allen, fresh from a visit to Argentina, along with Lukasz Wyrzykowski, Managing Director of IFCN, and Hugo Quattrochi, an IFCN dairy researcher based in the...

In this week’s episode of the Kite Podcast, we’re heading to New Zealand for a wide-ranging update on the country’s dairy sector. Following recent storms with winds reaching 155km/h and widespread power outages, we explore how agriculture has been affected and what it means for farmers on the ground. Will Evans is joined by James Allen, CEO of AgFirst, to discuss milk flows, pricing, farmer confid...

In episode 273 of the Kite Podcast, following this week’s Milk Market update from analyst Chris Walkland, we learn more about Freshways’ £25 million investment in a new processing hub in West Bromwich, set to handle up to 500 million litres of milk annually. Freshways Managing Director Bali Nijjar joins Becki and Chris to discuss the company’s growth, its farmer suppliers, and what the expansion m...

Let's Farm Foundation King's Foundation 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 durin...

In this week’s episode, we’re joined by the freshly crowned Farmers Weekly Dairy Farmers of the Year, Nicola and John Young. Hosts Will Evans and Ben Eagle dive into the Youngs’ remarkable journey—from starting with just 80 cows to building a thriving herd of over 500, averaging 14,000 litres and almost 1,000kg of milk solids per cow per year. Joined by Kite’s David Keiley, the conversation explor...

On this week’s podcast, there’s a very sobering milk market report from Chris Walkland following several drops announced this week. Kathryn Rowland and Marcus Doig from Kite Consulting join us to review dairy production costs and explore the trends we’re seeing in the data, including insights on investments and funding strategies. We’re also pleased to welcome southwest farmer Andrew Fry, who talk...

This week on the Kite Podcast, we dive into the heart of IFCN’s Supporter Conference in Graz, Austria, where the theme was “Making Sustainability Profitable: how to future proof the dairy industry.” We unpack the key discussions with Milica Kocić, Lead in Product Development at IFCN, and Kathryn Rowland from Kite, alongside our resident dairy market expert Chris Walkland and producer Becki Reay. C...

In this episode, we explore the rapidly evolving intersection of technology and the dairy industry with experts Caroline Hamilton from Intelligent Dairy Solutions and Matt Butlin, Head of Ag Tech from AB Agri. Join Will and Ben as we discuss the impact of robotics, AI, and data integration on dairy farming, as well as the challenges and opportunities these advancements present. From effectively ut...

https://www.kiteconsulting.com/2025/09/01/decoding-dairy-disruption/ 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,...

This week on the Kite Podcast, hosts Will Evans and Ben Eagle are joined by Rob Daykin, Managing Director of Daykin Partnership and organic farmer Will Armitage, as they delve into the current state of the organic milk sector. The episode explores milk flows, forage availability and the challenges faced by organic farmers in today's climate. Rob shares insights from his extensive experience in org...

This week Ben Eagle and Will Evans welcome Shelagh Hancock, Chief Executive of First Milk, to discuss the cooperative's impressive annual financial results and the broader implications for the dairy industry. Shelagh reflects on the significant progress First Milk has made over the past year, including the successful integration of BV Dairy into their operations. Additionally, Shelagh shares insig...

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 t...