SKIPTON Auction Mart has published its annual magazine, CCM News, 28 A4 pages packed with agricultural-related features and informed comment from sector experts, both in-house and externally, along with an-in depth round-up in both words and pictures of the 2022 show and sale season.

The front page headline – ‘Call for urgent action to help plug farming skills shortage’ – shines the spotlight on a key issue facing modern-day agriculture, the ever-growing dearth of young farm workers currently coming into the sector.

In response, a ground-breaking local partnership between Craven Cattle Marts, Craven College and three local farms to help redress the balance is prominently featured, with plans in the pipeline to attend future careers events along with farmers and other representatives from the land-based sector to highlight the skills shortage and the range of opportunities available.

The continuing appeal and importance of the mart as a keynote business and social hub, and its major impact on the local economy, has the clarion call – ‘Sell Live and Thrive – while much food for thought is also provided by other specialist editorial contributors.

Agricultural supply chain analyst and journalist Cedric Porter, who regularly writes for Farmers Guardian and is vice-chairman of LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) and a member of the government’s Trade & Agriculture Commission, looks at why it’s vital to secure the future of British beef and lamb on the world’s plates.

On a similar theme Julian Smith, MP for Skipton & Ripon, rates British agricultural produce the best in the world and remains confident that new Free-trade agreements will reap benefits for regional farmers, while Mart Chaplain James Theodosius prays that the entire nation, from government to local people, will support British food and farming and understand the importance of food security and the investment it needs.

WBW Director Adam Winthrop, a director of the mart-based WBW Surveyors, covers some keynote current and future issues in their specialist sector, at the same time calling for Government action on support for farming.

Yorkshire Farming and Wildlife Partnership explores opportunities for farmers to adopt regenerative farming methods and how they may help build resilience in the farm business, while Jane Le Cocq, Farm Conservation Adviser, Yorkshire Dales National Park, reports that the whole of the park is now eligible for Catchment Sensitive Farming grants.

Neighbourhood Policing Sergeant for Craven PS 1006 Paul Evans calls on farmers to remain ever vigilant and review their security, while Livestock Vet Andy Barrett, of the mart-based Craven Farm Vets, returns with his annual Animal Health feature.

Julie Sokald, Craven College’s Marketing & Events Manager, reports on another year of exciting developments, most notably the opening of the new Craven Equine Arena on the auction mart campus.

The college, along with Skipton NFU Mutual, are again keynote sponsors of CCM News, with hard copies available from the mart office, while the company magazine can also be downloaded and viewed via the home page link at www.ccmauctions.com