If any of you read last month's article you will remember we were having problems with one of the feed mills accepting our wheat, and we had asked for an independent test to be done on the sample.

Well I am very pleased to say that where the mill said the moisture was 15.8%, the independent test came back 15.2% - not even worth a dispute on their part.

On the bushel weight, the results have come back 2.8 higher than they said! So that was worth me fighting just to prove a point! The company involved said it was new equipment in the spring of this year which still had not given a correct reading. This is a big company and it is not right that we have to calibrate all our equipment for FABBL and crop assurance, only to find higher up the line this is not done even if it is brand new. At the time of writing this article they have offered me £1.50 per ton compensation which I have rejected and I am prepared to take this to the courts to be tested. In past years when the corn has been above what is asked for they never paid extra, so it is about time we got to the bottom of this. They are very quick to take above quality samples and will not pay extra, but start to quibble when they are slightly under. Where is the fairness? We have proved them wrong, so don't be afraid of having an independent test done if you think you are being done.

Livestock - we are still waiting for more news on the CAP. There is a lot of frustration out there, so please make sure you have had your digital maps back. We haven't had ours back and rang up RPA, who apologised profusely, saying we should have had them six months ago.

Most of the staff working for Defra at Exeter will see the end of their jobs with the new CAP coming in. So they are under severe pressure, as you can imagine, just trying to catch up with everything, and then to have no job at the end is a bit unfair on some of them who have been so helpful over the years.

So, for once, the farmers and staff at Defra are both in the same uncertain times with this new CAP.

The wet weather hasn't helped getting the winter cereals in, but with three dry days in three weeks our lads have managed to get everything in. Well done to them. Now we start the steady housing and weaning off of calves and a few sleepless nights to go with it! And we are taking a couple of weeks away to recharge the batteries, and hopefully all the bellowing will have finished by the time we get back! Happy Christmas.