The Farmers Fight

madalene

^hopefully one of them will end up in my freezer ^

Oh noooo 🐑 🐑 🐑 🐑

Just don't give it a name!!

Wyllow3

madalene

Absolutely escaped. Whatever science brings us in the future, humans will always need food. And since our population is growing, we actually need more of it every year.

Unfortunately this means if we carry on as we are it does mean large unit farming if people are to buy UK food at the prices we expect (and many rely on) and eat the range of food we do.

(We've been competing with Australian/New Zealand meat for some time but especially since trade agreements in 2021)

"As of April 2024, UK lamb was almost three times more expensive than New Zealand and Australian lamb, and UK beef was over 50% more expensive than Australia's."

So far I haven't seen any Australian beef in the shops, and can't remember the last time I saw any Australian lamb.

We usually buy Welsh lamb if possible, but if the price is more than twice as high as New Zealand lamb, then NZ it is.

Anniebach

Quote Allira Wed 20-Nov-24 14:20:03
^Why do farmers choose to stay farming when the life is so
allegedly harm. ?^
Why indeed?
After generations, DGS has decided not to.
Bookmark
Add comment | Report | Private message | Quote madalene Wed 20-Nov-24 14:20:30
Because it’s a way of life Annie.

As was ironworks, steelworks and coal mining ,

As was ironworks, steelworks and coal mining ,

I'm pondering what substitute we can invent for food.

madalene

I confess, I do eat meat.
Just not very much of it!

Farming is about more than eating meat though, isn't it??

madalene

Absolutely escaped. Whatever science brings us in the future, humans will always need food. And since our population is growing, we actually need more of it every year.

Unfortunately this means if we carry on as we are it does mean large unit farming if people are to buy UK food at the prices we expect (and many rely on) and eat the range of food we do.

(We've been competing with Australian/New Zealand meat for some time but especially since trade agreements in 2021)

"As of April 2024, UK lamb was almost three times more expensive than New Zealand and Australian lamb, and UK beef was over 50% more expensive than Australia's."

David49

GrannyGravy13

I guess a lot of people who live in cities and suburbs know more about farming and land management than farmers /land owners.

No most are convinced milk come from Tesco and don’t care where it comes from they live on takeaways and junk food in any case.

Farm shops vary widely, if they are good they are expensive.

Rather judgemental. Have you done some sort of survey? Where I volunteer the fruit and veg always goes first. It is highly prized, unlike the junk.

David49

GrannyGravy13

I guess a lot of people who live in cities and suburbs know more about farming and land management than farmers /land owners.

No most are convinced milk come from Tesco and don’t care where it comes from they live on takeaways and junk food in any case.

Farm shops vary widely, if they are good they are expensive.

Some of them are not very good and very expensive.

Absolutely escaped. Whatever science brings us in the future, humans will always need food. And since our population is growing, we actually need more of it every year.

I confess, I do eat meat.
Just not very much of it!

But in years to come we could do without coal. We could never do without food.

hopefully one of them will end up in my freezer

Oh noooo 🐑 🐑 🐑 🐑

Quote Allira Wed 20-Nov-24 14:20:03
^Why do farmers choose to stay farming when the life is so
allegedly harm. ?^
Why indeed?
After generations, DGS has decided not to.
Bookmark
Add comment | Report | Private message | Quote madalene Wed 20-Nov-24 14:20:30
Because it’s a way of life Annie.

As was ironworks, steelworks and coal mining ,

People are right: it's a vocation, it has emotional meaning beyond that of just the farmers, but we cant turn the clock back on the supermarkets or food imports or expectations on food prices?

Allira from admittedly limited knowledge, food standards can stay high with large scale farming, UK standards by law are fairly high (Dyson being an example) it's not a "given" they will drop.

(Except for poultry, not currently meeting RSPCA standards) but that has been "Factory farming" for a very very long time indeed except for the high value independent production).

* Grantanow * exactly my point according to govt docs, the average farm size is 82 hectares but over half of all farms are under 20 hectares. Average value of an acre of agricultural land is about £10K an acre, so for half the farms that is less than £500K which won't attract IHT. More than half of agricultural land is farmed by businesses with in excess of 500 acres (202 hectares) and I've no problem with businesses like this paying their fair share of tax, they will have good accountants and lawyers to advise them etc (fwiw Clarkson is in this category) So that leaves farmers running family farms that don't come into either category and most of those won't fall into the IHT category either especially if they are married and can take advantage of passing on to a spouse. They also have until April 2026 to sort out their tax situation eg a farm can be given to a son or daughter and the CGT can be postponed until that son or daughter sells or it can be put in a trust. Farmers have every right to be angry, but on this occasion I think they have picked the wrong target.
BTW, I live in the country, own land, OH comes from farming stock and I am neither ignorant nor believe milk comes from Tesco (I sometimes get mine from a farm up the lane that sells it out of a vending machine). I also have real sheep grazing next to my house at this very moment in one of my fields and hopefully one of them will end up in my freezer!

Allira

Perhaps when you eat your Christmas dinner, look at the different food items on the plate and ask yourself how it was produced.

Better still ask this when you go grocery shopping.

Wyllow3 yes I do feel politicians are "piggy backing" on the IT issue but not addressing the real reasons farms are struggling.

Indeed. Farm issues are complex - IT issue is not helping.

Dyson is one who cares about the countryside and the environment.

Dyson has been very successful: he's an example of someone coming in who is concerned about food production

But...... the "cost" of course is that once the land Dyson farms was occupied by small farmers and now its management and workers. Is that "all bad"? I hardly feel fit to judge, many of the jobs may be satisfying and rewarding?

Dyson:
"Dyson Farming made a pre-tax profit of £5.2m in the year to 31 December 2023, up by £527,000 on the previous year.

Sir James Dyson’s farming business also increased its turnover by 16% to total £40.6m, according to the company’s accounts, with arable farming continuing to be the principal business activity.

It classes itself as the UK’s largest farming business, covering 14,600ha of farmland across Lincolnshire, Oxfordshire, West Berkshire, Somerset and Gloucestershire.

The enterprise typically produces 40,000t of wheat, 9,000t of spring barley, 12,000t of potatoes, 29,000t of sugar beet and 1,250t of strawberries, alongside 2,000 sheep and 800 cattle.

I don't have the same regard for Clarkson - he did buy land for tax relief as he said himself in 2010 (tho later calling it "for shooting", and his "farming" is really hobby farming, people visit for the "Clarkson" experience.

and yes I do feel politicians are "piggy backing" on the IT issue but not addressing the real reasons farms are struggling.

Perhaps when you eat your Christmas dinner, look at the different food items on the plate and ask yourself how it was produced.

escaped

A vocation.

Yes.

A vocation.

Because it’s a way of life Annie.

^Why do farmers choose to stay farming when the life is so
allegedly harm. ?^
Why indeed?
After generations, DGS has decided not to.

Good points, Wyllow3

The result of all this, of course, is that these large farms become more like factories, mass producing food with animal welfare becoming at risk resulting in disease, perhaps an increased use of antibiotics etc with the result that our own health will be put at risk.

Quote GrannyGravy13 Wed 20-Nov-24 14:15:33
Colin Rayner a farmer had this to say about the PM

Keir Starmer came and told farmers at the NFU conference that we would not have any tax rises

He sat in the hall in front of 3,000 NFU members and loved for an hour

Keir Starmer is an incompetent, heartless, corrupt, compulsive liar. The man is not fit for office

I very much doubt many farmers voted for him