Kite Consulting

After a successful day at Dairy Tech, Chris presents his usual market report. Will and Ben are joined by James Bolesworth, CEO of CRM Agricommodities, and Kite Consultant Amy Watson to discuss the effects of Trump's tariffs, particularly on agricultural commodities & feed markets. James updates on the market impact of tariffs on China since Trump's inauguration, focusing on Europe’s protein market...

After Chris’ report this week, Will and Ben are joined by Luis Cubel, Group Vice President and Managing Director of Arla Foods Ingredients to discuss the acquisition of the Volac Whey nutrition business last year. Luis gives an overview of why AFI was interested in Volac, with a change in consumer habits and the growth in popularity of Whey protein and where Volac sits in the context of other inve...

After Chris’ report this week, Will & Ben are joined by podcast regulars, Erik Elgersma, founder & director of Strategic Analysis Services BV & Kite Director John Allen to discuss US & global dairy following the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the USA. Erik & John discuss if there is any predictive value in what Trump did in his first term in relation to how the current term...

We are starting the year as we mean to go on, our first podcast of 2025 is a positive one; featuring the milk market report from Chris and discussing the exciting developments from Muller. Ben is joined by Rob Hutchison, CEO Muller Milk and Ingredients, Kite’s Becki Reay and Chris Walkland as they debrief on the Semex conference earlier this week and discuss what’s going on at Muller in more detai...

In the final podcast episode of the year, we are joined by Dale Farm’s Group Chief Executive, Nick Whelan and podcast producer Becki Reay. Following on from Chris’ milk market report we discuss Dale Farm, the largest UK only farmer-owned dairy co-op. Located in Northern Ireland, Dale Farm has recently invested £70 million in their cheddar processing facility at Dunmanbridge. The podcast team discu...

After Chris’ report this week, Will and Ben are joined by Rachael Madeley-Davies, AHDB’s Head of Environment Technical and Dorset dairy farmer and Nuffield scholar Sophie Gregory to discuss the most recent UN Climate Change Conference - COP29. They outline some of the key themes from COP and how agriculture was featured; with a full day looking at food and farming for the second year in a row. Rac...

Following a week long media storm triggered by Arla’s press release relating to Bovaer, we couldn’t not discuss on the podcast this week. And who better to join Ben & Will than Bas Padberg; Managing Director of ARLA Foods alongside John Allen, Becki Reay & Chris Walkland. They discuss the timeline of events including ARLA’s response along with unpicking some of the detail around the product, ARLA’...

This week after Chris’ report and discussion on the media flurry around the use of Bovaer, Will and Ben are joined by Robert Martin, Chair of the Tenant Farmers Association and Kite’s John Allen to discuss farm tenancies and landlord tenant relationships in the context of the UK Inheritance Tax reform. Rob firstly explains the role of the TFA in making sure tenancies work for tenant farmers and th...

Read the Dairy UK report here 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 podc...

After Chris’ usual report and following on from last week’s episode on the Governments new Budget, Will and Ben are joined by Rob Hitch, Partner at Dodd Accountants and Alex Jack, dairy farmer from Fife, to discuss what farming families and businesses can practically do to make sure they are fit for the new legislation. Rob outlines some advice to farmers in terms of working out assets and risks a...

NFU Online - what is a mass lobby 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...

After Chris Walkland’s usual report, he joins Kite Director John Allen to discuss autumn milk flows, first touching on the outcome of the CMA in relation to Muller’s acquisition of Yew Tree and what this means for the industry. They discuss the milk flows this autumn with record high volumes being produced throughout October as the trend for moving to autumn block calving continues. They go on to...

After Chris’ report, Will and Ben are joined by Tom and Karen Halton who are finalists for British Farming Awards ‘Dairy Farmer of the Year’, as well as last year’s winner Patrick Morris-Eyton, to discuss the Awards ahead of the ceremony later this evening. Tom and Karen introduce their business including their priorities on farm in terms of maintaining high herd welfare standards and looking afte...

After Chris’ report this week, Will and Ben are joined by Nuffield scholar Ruth Grice, who works on her family’s dairy farm in Leicestershire as well as being the Farm Liaison and Sustainability Manager for Long Clawson Dairy, along with Rachael Madeley-Davies, Head of Environment Technical at AHDB to discuss how dairy farmers & environmental organisations can work together to achieve sustainable...

Following Chris' report this week, Will and Ben are joined by Kite consulting’s Eliot Greenfield consultant based in Cumbria with special interests including business management and planning, ruminant nutrition and technical consultancy, Scottish Dairy Farmer Robin Campbell, and podcast producer Becki Reay, who thinks it was a good time to look back on farms costs and profits for the last financia...

In episode 223 of the Kite Podcast, Will and Ben are joined Canada’s Farm Whisperer, Elaine Froese, AHDB’s Amy Hughes and Kite podcast producer, Becki Reay. The group talk about the taboo subject …Succession. Elaine a certified coach, speaker and author and an expert in helping farm families to improve their communication has been brought over to the UK by AHDB to speak in their upcoming Autumn wo...

This week after Chris’ report, Will and Ben are joined by Andrea Lendewig, Head of Research and Development at IFCN and Dominik Streyl from Josera, who along with Becki attended IFCN Supporter Conference which was held in Poland last week. With Andrea’s presentation this year on global dairy status, she discusses the challenges the industry has been facing over the last few years, including the ef...

DEFRA Bluetongue information 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 podca...

This week after Chris’ report, Will and Ben are joined by Paul Macer and Amy Watson from Kite as well as James Bolesworth, CEO at CRM AgriCommodities for an update on the feed markets & forage situation on farm. Paul and Amy discuss the growing season and the quality and quantity of forage in clamps, in particular the variability in quality, but with lower protein forages being more common. They c...

Following Chris' report this week, Will and Ben are joined by Kite consulting director John Allen and Erik Elgersma, founder and director of Strategic Analysis Services BV. The group talk about the current record high butter prices and how these are underpinning milk prices at present as reflected in today’s milk price announcement by Arla and Muller. They go on to debate the potential risk of a m...

Book the Kite PDO Conference here 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...

Report - Organic Dairy: battered, bruised, but back on the up? Kite Progressive Dairy Operators Conference - click for info & to book.  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 accurac...

Uncommonly at this time of year, Chris Walkland’s milk market report is distinctly positive this week! Will, Ben & the podcast team are then joined by Kite consulting’s Emma McAvoy and Derbyshire dairy farmer Adam Sills to talk about a recent report published by Kite Consulting which highlights £4 billion worth of investment required by the sector in order to future proof farm businesses against t...

A bit of good news in Chris’ report today before Will and Ben are joined by Conor Mulvihill, Director of Dairy Industry Ireland and Kite Director John Allen for an update on the dairy situation in Ireland. Conor gives us a general update on how the year has been for Irish dairy including how adverse weather and environmental regulations are affecting farmers and current farmer sentiment. Connor an...

Will and Ben are joined this week by Erik Elgersma - founder and director of Strategic Analysis Services BV – a Dutch-based globally active consulting firm in strategy, market and competitive intelligence and training. Also with us is Kite Director John Allen, and Senior Consultant Becki Reay. As the new Labour government settles in here in the UK we thought we’d take a look at the political lands...