Dairy-Tech 2020 puts Wolfenden at the forefront of slurry management

At last month’s Dairy-Tech exhibition, the spotlight was on Wolfenden’s SUPA range and, in uncertain times for dairy farmers, questions of emissions and compliance were high on the agenda.

Pre-show stand set up, ready for Dairy-Tech 2020

Exhibiting at Dairy-Tech 2020: This was Wolfenden’s first time exhibiting at Dairy-Tech, where more than 300 key industry suppliers from across the dairy supply chain were present, showcasing innovative technology and helping dairy farmers improve efficiency and increase productivity through access to expert advice and cutting-edge research. Richard Moody, managing director at Wolfenden, explains the reasoning behind the company’s presence this year,
“Since launching our SUPA range last May, we’ve seen uptake in the products from our existing customer base as well as a lot of interest from the dairy sector, generally. We’ve had very complimentary feedback from farms where the products are in use and so it seemed timely to profile the SUPA range at Dairy-Tech, now the new products are showing tangible benefits for dairy farmers. We chose to exhibit in the Practical Solutions Hall at Dairy-Tech, reflecting the practical benefits of the SUPA range: improving farm productivity through practical design solutions.”

Hot topics and talking points: The Dairy Hub was, inevitably, one of the most popular zones at the show and experts were there to offer advice and address topics such as; Brexit, trends in dairy, the consumer’s perspective, nutrition, climate change and emissions. With panel debates, interviews and interactive sessions, the Hub was a focus for discussion around; combatting methane emissions, the impact of the Clean Air Strategy on dairy farms and working to net zero – especially as the NFU is aiming for farming to become net zero by 2040, ten years ahead of the Government’s target. Amid a host of influencing factors – such as calving patterns and nutrition and feed – slurry management was a common feature of discussion at Dairy-Tech, both in terms of herd housing and slurry spreading. Richard comments,
“With the Clean Air Strategy and the NFU net zero target Wolfenden are, increasingly, talking to farmers about the best and most cost-effective ways to ensure compliance around emissions, while developing strategies to help future-proof infrastructure and housing projects to help meet government standards. This was a key reason behind our decision to exhibit at Dairy-Tech this year: showcasing our SUPA range allowed us to demonstrate the products’ design elements and features and clearly show how they can help improve slurry management and so assist with emission reduction.”

Dairy-Tech 2020 debrief: Whatever the size of dairy farm – its model, system, cost base or location – emissions and greenhouse gasses will continue to be high on the agenda, both through government policy and mindful of consumer perceptions and environmental concerns. In the month since the show, Wolfenden have been busy following up on orders and enquiries, with 22 new customers quoted for and 12 site visits already undertaken. Richard reflects on Dairy-Tech,
“We’re very encouraged by the response to the SUPA range at Dairy-Tech, particularly given the amount of new tech and the variety of products at the show. Most valuable for us was the opportunity to talk to so many farmers over the course of the day. No two farms are the same and any discussion extends our understanding of the potential problems we could come across on a project – so, these conversations help us to negotiate issues other farmers may have, in the future. We’re pleased with responses to the SUPA range and farmers really seem to appreciate how we can help them with emission reduction, both in retrofit and in new building design, so we are reassured that Wolfenden products are at the forefront of slurry management – a successful and enjoyable show.”