A question for Ollybloggs Oliver Harrison

[Clive]

I understand where you're coming from, I'm no fan of RT either.

However, I think it is a little unfair for us to expect Olly to make personal sacrifices on behalf of all farmers, he owes us all feck all.

I watched Olly for around a year on YouTube, he had hardly any views and subscribers at that point. He has worked extremely hard to get to the point where he is at the moment social media wise, why should he jeopardise his networks for no personal gain?

If others asked you to do the same Clive, my opinion would be exactly the same. Us farmers can be a selfish bunch, sometimes I wonder is it even worth fighting on our behalf?

i don’t expect Olly to sacrifice anything - i’m suggesting as a farmer representive on RT board to be sure he’s well informed re import rules etc (which in his last video he seemed not to be re farm level assurance/ gatekeeper rules for imports) and uses his social media reach to draw awareness to issues …… which i think he already does a great job of. We are friends !

i have done exactly the same over the years and on occasion it has cost me commercially, equally on occasions it has also benefited me - if you take from an industry ( which both Olly and i do) you have to give back ( which Olly and i both also do, often more so than many realise or might want to acknowledge!)

 

[Phil P]

6:25

 

[lloyd]

I wish certain individuals would stop bigging up tractor values
and seeming to undermine the purpose of why they are bought.
Most of the tractors at protests would average a third of these hyped values
at auction and are far from new.The number of tractors on farms is probably tiny compared to 30
years ago so they have to do more work and comparing an essential work machine
to a car is just plain ridiculous.Feeding the general public this information is not helpful in my mind.

 

[Tubbylew]

I wish certain individuals would stop making tractor values up
and undermining the purpose of why they are bought.
Most of the tractors at protests would average a third of these muted values
at auction and are far from new.The number of tractors on farms is probably tiny compared to 30
years ago so they have to do more work and comparing an essential work machine
to a car is just plain ridiculous.Feeding the general public this information is not helpful in my mind.

More than a few would have a girt big finance bill also.

 

[cb387]

Quote from the video “we need the public to support us” no disagreement with that, but no recognition of getting shafted by the union that is supposed to support us either

 

[Richard Devon]

However I have a question or two which I would appreciate you answer, either on here or even better do an entire sit down video dedicated to it. So as I understand it you are a farmer NFU member? As well as being a NFU Combinable Crops Board member? Due to this position you then sit on the Red Tractor combinable crops board on behalf of the NFU? I think thats a correct summary of your none farm positions but please correct me if I am wrong?

...and also apparently on the steering group for the No Farmers No Food group.....but apparently we In Britian don't have anything to complain about - which I thought was downright insulting to those who have been and are now struggling...and not to mention the strain on their mental health ......lets see what it looks like after the next election...politicians from either side are not beyond imposing swathes of changes similar to that seen in Europe......Sunak knows how unpopular he is with the rural voters and is keeping a lid on it all at the moment...just you wait

I thought it rather ironic that he felt the tractor protest over cheap imports in Dover were an inconvenience to people getting to hospital - maybe a strongly worded letter from the NFU will work?, not to mention the fact that they were mostly imported brands....wonder if the same could be said for all the tractor road-runs or driving a combine from the top to the bottom of Britain.....and I wouldn't have said the Fendts or Deeres were cheap imports, rather a premium product.

....and finally if people want to make the most of AHDB team building courses then they can pay for it!

 

[Iben]

I am interested why olly thinks that European farmers are in a worse position?

Before their protest, they had the hike in fuel taxation, but I assume they still get full subsidies?

He mentions English farmers have the fall back of sfi. Is there any schemes like this in europe?

Genuinely interested.

@le bon paysan
@czechmate

 

[lloyd]

I am interested why olly thinks that European farmers are in a worse position?

Before their protest, they had the hike in fuel taxation, but I assume they still get full subsidies?

He mentions English farmers have the fall back of sfi. Is there any schemes like this in europe?

Genuinely interested.

@le bon paysan

Iben if your farming in England on poor arable land with large dd kit then the latest sfi payments
look fabulous, i wouldn't be protesting either but letting off fireworks in my back garden .
The thing is England is more diverse than that encompassing mixed farming with different
crop establishment techniques.along with quite varied landscapes and soil types.
SFI is NOT a one size fits all solution for many farmers in England and that is the mistake
that the minority seem to think just because it suits their own situation.

 

[kiwi pom]

That’s fine, so long as the same standards are applied to imports.

How far are you going with the "same standards"? I agree they should be the same as realistically possible, but you can't have everything the same and each country will have different views on which chemicals are safe, GM/GE etc.
How would you do it bearing in mind the UK needs to import food?

 

[kiwi pom]

you confuse farming and landownership again


Farming is a trade - landownership is an investment , they are not mutually dependant

it's clearly very different in the UK to NZ from what you post, mostly down to how tax works in the `UK I suspect

No inheritance tax here would be the biggest difference, so land is generally bought and farmed by those interested in farming, not those trying to dodge tax. Interesting to see how many actually sell the farm when they retire over here.

The UK seems to be a country of rich, lazy landlords who just pass their wealth from one generation to the next.
A lot of them are probably in power to make sure it continues.

 

[Clive]

No inheritance tax here would be the biggest difference, so land is generally bought and farmed by those interested in farming, not those trying to dodge tax. Interesting to see how many actually sell the farm when they retire over here.

The UK seems to be a country of rich, lazy landlords who just pass their wealth from one generation to the next.
A lot of them are probably in power to make sure it continues.

more accurate than you imagine ! sadly farmers get mixed up in this nonsense

 

[suffolksmallholder]

No inheritance tax here would be the biggest difference, so land is generally bought and farmed by those interested in farming, not those trying to dodge tax. Interesting to see how many actually sell the farm when they retire over here.

The UK seems to be a country of rich, lazy landlords who just pass their wealth from one generation to the next.
A lot of them are probably in power to make sure it continues.

Ha! So true. I have worked for the above and know several more.
TBH the lazy part is the sad part coz they have no goal/drive/incentive except to concentrate on the doing nothing bit and they IMO miss out on life in so doing.
SS

 

[slackjawedyokel]

How far are you going with the "same standards"? I agree they should be the same as realistically possible, but you can't have everything the same and each country will have different views on which chemicals are safe, GM/GE etc.
How would you do it bearing in mind the UK needs to import food?

For a start, anything that would land you in deep trouble or possibly jail here. Shouldn’t really be importing stuff treated with sprays that are outlawed here. Shouldn’t really be importing from countries with significantly lower minimum legal standards for animal welfare. If importing from countries where eg hormone treatment of animals is legal, then documented proof that animals being imported haven’t been treated.
After all, a lot of us are forced to jump through RTs hoops for the privilege of being allowed to trade certain commodities- why would we as a country accept anything less? (It’s what we are told the consumer demands after all…)
On other commodities- beef etc, we shouldn’t be accepting anything produced below the minimum legal standards for the UK. Why the heck would we?

 

[Old apprentice]

May be idea for BFU, advert notifying these type of thing what is going on in a national paper but the facts would have to be bang on this could stir things up and tv could pick up on it.

 

[Burrell Road Loco]

I replied to a thread just yesterday where a tenant farmer with 300 acres and a fulltime job claimed he couldn't feed his family.
There are many claims on here suggesting farmers live on less than minimum wage and there's nothing to be made while the "public" have it easy and make a fortune.

On the other hand, there are a lot of new toys, how do I avoid tax, what should I do with my money/rental properties threads too.

As an outsider I find it an interesting mix and regularly suggest it as the reason UK farmers won't stand together.

Obviously I was referring to the fact that I can’t feed my family from the FARM income, hence my full time job.
Please don’t use me as an example for any of your views, especially from the other side of the world in a completely different set of circumstances.
I wouldn’t have the audacity to comment on your personal situation.

 

[suffolksmallholder]

@Burrell Road Loco
Have you any links to the Burrell Road in Ipswich?
Or Burrell steam engines, or Mersea Island?
Just askin’
SS

 

[Gander]

Of course sfi suits certain farmers in England ie praire cereal
farmers much more so than family mixed farmers.
Where is the voice for these on the NFU?

Much of the sfi payments are skewed towards those who have done
the most enviromental damage in the past.

Your average mixed farmer will not be receiving
DD allowance
Variable fertiliser rate allowance
Non use of pesticide payment
targeted herbicide spraying allowance.

These 4 things alone give the large scale cereal farmer most of their bps back.
Much wonder they don't want to upset the boat.

SFI in England has succeeded in one thing by dividing farmers .
There seems to be a i'm alright Jack attitude by the minority who
can't believe their luck from this new found subsidy system.

Have you read the SFI handbook lately? All mixed farmers can spend a one off £150/ha max. and receive £380/ha per year for 3yrs by simply direct drilling a few legumes and herbs into every acre of grass they farm. How is that not aimed specifically at a mixed or grass farmer? Unless my calculator is broken, that’s £150/ac income each year for 3yrs after spending £40-50/ac ish once on seeds and contractors. On top of that you might reduce N use a bit as well.

I don’t think there is an ‘I’m alright Jack’ attitude. There is however a massive gap between those who have looked at SFI and decided to make the most of it and those who won’t look at it because of what they’ve read on her or heard at market.

 

[Tubbylew]

Have you read the SFI handbook lately? All mixed farmers can spend a one off £150/ha max. and receive £380/ha per year for 3yrs by simply direct drilling a few legumes and herbs into every acre of grass they farm. How is that not aimed specifically at a mixed or grass farmer? Unless my calculator is broken, that’s £150/ac income each year for 3yrs after spending £40-50/ac ish once on seeds and contractors. On top of that you might reduce N use a bit as well.

I don’t think there is an ‘I’m alright Jack’ attitude. There is however a massive gap between those who have looked at SFI and decided to make the most of it and those who won’t look at it because of what they’ve read on her or heard at market.

It's worth remembering that not all options are applicable to all farms, very much depends what land use code your fields are, temporary grass=happy days, permenant pasture, not so much.

 

[lloyd]

Have you read the SFI handbook lately? All mixed farmers can spend a one off £150/ha max. and receive £380/ha per year for 3yrs by simply direct drilling a few legumes and herbs into every acre of grass they farm. How is that not aimed specifically at a mixed or grass farmer? Unless my calculator is broken, that’s £150/ac income each year for 3yrs after spending £40-50/ac ish once on seeds and contractors. On top of that you might reduce N use a bit as well.

I don’t think there is an ‘I’m alright Jack’ attitude. There is however a massive gap between those who have looked at SFI and decided to make the most of it and those who won’t look at it because of what they’ve read on her or heard at market.

Yes I have thanks we have already been signed up to other schemes before sfi in both England and Wales.
I have experimented with direct drilling into swards before with mixed results ,
not always successful first time .it might be an education for some who think it's simple.

 

[Gander]

Yes I have thanks we have already been signed up to other schemes before sfi in both England and Wales.
I have experimented with direct drilling into swards before with mixed results ,
not always successful first time .it might be an education for some who think it's simple.

I don’t think people assume it’s simple or even that it will be successful. The difference with SFI seems to be that there will be more understanding if for some reason it hasn’t worked. The onus is on us to have tried to make it work rather than be penalised if on inspection there is a species or two missing. I might be naive but it seems very differently written to previous schemes.