Pioneering Suffolk farmer Julian Swift has joined the board of Eastern Machinery Ring (EMR). His appointment was announced at EMR’s annual general meeting which was held recently at the Claas Conference Centre in Saxham near Bury St Edmunds.

Mr Swift of Belchamp Farm Services, farms 4,800 acres – mainly under contract farming agreements – in an area known as The Belchamps, just south of Sudbury. He formed the contract company in 1988 with his cousin Charles Raymond covering 1,000 acres and has built the business through innovative husbandry and shrewd machinery investments.

He joins six directors headed by chairman Robert Alexander.

“Julian is an excellent addition to the board. His front line machinery experience is invaluable and he will strengthen the ring’s presence in the southern part of our region.”

EMR covers Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Lincolnshire. Not distracted by commodity trading or other add-ons, it is a dedicated machinery ring working for its members as a pro-active service rather than a reactionary ‘fire engine service’. Benefits go way beyond the considerable reduction in overheads. Currently, the ring is meeting demands at a rate of more than 95%.

Based within Anglia Farmers at Honingham Thorpe, the general manager is Philip Brown who can be contacted on 01603 881810 or visit www.easternmachineryring.co.uk