An East Yorkshire farm is entering the poultry industry in a multi-million pound investment.
Gordon and Jill Hawcroft have operated their farm in Holme on Spalding Moor, with assistance from their son David, for over 40 years.
Now four contemporary, ecologically friendly poultry sheds spanning 105,000 sq ft have been added to the arable operation, with the plan to house more than 215,000 chickens.
Forest Farm Poultry now aims to sell high quality meat to new markets across the 海角视频. It will see four new jobs created.
Gordon said: “In farming, it’s important to be adaptable to change, which is why we’re excited to diversify the farm and try something we’ve never done before.
“We’re confident that we can operate successfully in both arable and poultry farming, with the new eco-friendly poultry sheds offering a fantastic base to build a responsible business. It’s an exciting time for the farm and we can’t wait to showcase some incredible produce.”
The sheds have been specifically designed to be integrated into the surroundings of the farm, with the intention of causing as little impact to the environment as possible.
The diversification has been made possible after securing a funding package worth £2 million from HSBC.
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Rob Mayson, agriculture relationship manager at HSBC, said: “Gordon’s farm in Holme spans an impressive amount of land and has been successful for many years, facing a range of challenges in this time. This latest investment shows that the farm has all the necessary tools to create long term prosperity under family ownership.
“Funding this latest expansion into poultry is an exciting prospect for the business and we look forward to seeing the results.”
The Hawcrofts have run the farm since 1980, growing a full range of arable crops, as well as running a seven-bed farmhouse operating as a high-class holiday let.