FARMESHOLDING
Farmes – Němcova farma Radonice

Agriculture

The family farm in Radonice works 852 hectares.

The Němcova farm site in Radonice seen across the field

History and family tradition

The Němec family is an old farming line whose history is documented in writing as far back as 1621, the year its earliest known ancestor Mikuláš Němec was born. By 1654 he was already working 60 strychs of fields at Cerhenice near Kolín and keeping two draught teams, four cows, two sows and a heifer. The family has been settled in the village of Radonice since the 1870s. Miloslav Němec, father of the present owner, farmed privately after the communist coup as one of the last independent farmers in the area, until 1958.

The family tradition was taken up by the current owners Stanislav and Hana Němec, both agricultural engineers, who have farmed since 1990. The holding grew from an initial 27 ha in 1990, through 40 ha the following year and 220 ha in 1992, to the present 852 ha the farm has worked since 2016. Since 2013 the couple's son Tomáš has also been a partner and managing director.

In 1991 a loose-housing cowshed and milking parlour were rebuilt at the original homestead in Radonice, and until 2002 the company kept some 60 head of Montbéliarde cattle. Yields ran at around 6,200 litres per cow. Because of the limited space, the location in the middle of the village and difficulties with labour, cattle rearing was given up entirely in 2002.

The company's ambition is to remain among the best agricultural businesses in the Czech Republic. In 2006 the farm was awarded the title “Farmer of the Central Bohemian Region” together with the Minister for Regional Development's prize.

Period photograph of the family homestead in Radonice with the farmer, children and a dog
Development of the farmed area
0200400600800ha1990199520002005201020151990: 27 ha1991: 40 ha1992: 220 ha220 ha2016: 852 ha852 ha
Development of the farmed area
199027 ha
199140 ha
1992220 ha
2016852 ha

Crop production

We currently work 852 ha of land in a fertile sugar-beet growing region, which is why the main emphasis is on crop production, run at high intensity.

At present one third of the area is under winter wheat, one third under malting barley and one third under industrial crops: caraway and sugar beet.

Wheat yields run at around 9 t/ha, barley 7 t/ha, caraway 1.5–2 t/ha and sugar beet about 80 t/ha.

Ears of winter wheat in evening light

Crop rotation

1/3of the area
  • Winter wheat
  • Malting barley
  • Industrial cropscaraway and sugar beet

Average yields

Wheat
9 t/haWheat
Barley
7 t/haBarley
Caraway
1,5–2 t/haCaraway
Sugar beet
80 t/haSugar beet

Machinery fleet

tractors in the fleet
5tractors in the fleet
combine harvester
Claas Lexion 670combine harvester
outside services only marginally
Self-sufficientoutside services only marginally
  • Massey Ferguson 9S.425
  • John Deere 8345R
  • John Deere 6120M
  • John Deere 6610
  • New Holland T 7040
  • Claas Lexion 670
  • Horsch 3 MT
  • Kverneland Enduro 4,5
  • Farmet Digger
  • Bednar Swifter 10000
  • Agrio Mamut 5024
  • Kuhn
  • JCB

The machinery park makes the farm fully self-sufficient; outside services are used only marginally for crop protection or harvesting. Its main components are the tractors Massey Ferguson 9S.425, John Deere 8345R, New Holland T 7040, John Deere 6120M and John Deere 6610, a Claas Lexion 670 combine harvester and further machines such as a Kuhn seed drill, Horsch 3 MT and Kverneland Enduro 4.5 cultivators, a Farmet Digger, a Bednar Swifter 10000 compactor, an Agrio Mamut 5024 sprayer, JCB handlers and others.

Interior of a storage hall filled with grain

For lack of space at the original homestead, the first buildings of an entirely new farm were put up on a greenfield site in 1994, with storage halls, a workshop and, first and foremost, the dairy. The two companies are linked in both ownership and organisation and thus form a working economic whole with deliberately diversified activity, around 30 permanent staff and an annual turnover of about CZK 160 million. In 2002 a hall for post-harvest treatment and grain storage with a capacity of 5,500 tonnes was built. In 2007 a new office building with staff facilities was added, and in 2010 a further storage hall for about 4,000 tonnes of grain. The company owns a third storage hall in the village of Veleň, so together these buildings serve as a purchasing and storage centre for malting barley and wheat with a capacity of over 14,000 tonnes.

In 2012 new stables, a clubhouse and storage space for the farm's own riding club were built. The same year the dairy building grew by a new packing room and cooling chambers, and garages for ten delivery vans were added.

All the buildings thus form a complete complex providing the necessary base for both agricultural production and the dairy. Since 2013 the company has also kept fish in its own pond.

People and the village

The company runs its own social programme, so most employees live in company flats. Its own riding club serves young people from the area in their free time. We regularly sponsor a range of cultural and social activities nearby.

The owner, Ing. Stanislav Němec, MBA, is also the mayor of the village of Radonice.

Aerial view of the village of Radonice and the surrounding fields

Events and visits to the farm

The farm and the dairy have hosted dozens of study visits from around the world and many distinguished guests, among them:

  • Former President of the Czech Republic Václav Klaus
  • EU Ambassador to the Czech Republic Ramiro Cibrián
  • Chief EU negotiator Pavel Telička
  • President of the European Agricultural Congress Lord Ben Gill
  • Minister of Agriculture Milena Vicenová
  • Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Mirek Topolánek
  • Ministers of Agriculture Milena Vicenová, Petr Gandalovič, Ivan Fuksa, Petr Bendl

As well as World Bank representatives, foreign diplomats, journalists and fellow farmers from many countries. On 10 April 2008 the farm hosted the official press conference of the Czech Ministry of Agriculture on the planned reform of Czech agricultural policy, attended by Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek, Minister of Agriculture Petr Gandalovič and his first deputy Ivo Hlaváč.

In May 2012 the farm hosted the Farmers' Festival, attended by some 9,000 visitors.

Former President Václav Klaus visiting the farm

852 ha

of farmed land

14 000 t

grain storage capacity

High yields

wheat 9 t/ha, sugar beet 80 t/ha

Since 1621

documented history of the family