As doomed as Arthur Scargill.

[DrWazzock]

We are the next coal miners. With no friends left in government who are willing to slap down the eco fascists, the future doesn't look very bright for tradional cropping and livestock farming. It will all carry on abroad of course. Out of sight out of mind.

In some ways democracy is the death of us. We will never be numerous enough for our votes to count and the only governments round the world who still value and stand up for primary industries that don't meet the middle class liberal elite idyll are those who don't take much notice of liberal sentimentalists. China Russia India South America will prosper as they supply us with evermore expensive commodities and manufactured goods.

That's unless somebody in government here wakes up to the fact that some industries might be dirty and unsavoury and do some unpalatable things but for all that they are still an essential part of the system and are a minority that needs defending.

We can do all we like on social media, do all the fine publicity events we can, but unless those in power have our backs, and they should do if they are honest and fair leaders, then we only decline and disappear as an industry.

 

[RAF]

Rubbish someone will always still drill it and milk

 

[Chae1]

We are the next coal miners. With no friends left in government who are willing to slap down the eco fascists, the future doesn't look very bright for tradional cropping and livestock farming. It will all carry on abroad of course. Out of sight out of mind.

In some ways democracy is the death of us. We will never be numerous enough for our votes to count and the only governments round the world who still value and stand up for primary industries that don't meet the middle class liberal elite idyll are those who don't take much notice of liberal sentimentalists. China Russia India South America will prosper as they supply us with evermore expensive commodities and manufactured goods.

That's unless somebody in government here wakes up to the fact that some industries might be dirty and unsavoury and do some unpalatable things but for all that they are still an essential part of the system and are a minority that needs defending.

We can do all we like on social media, do all the fine publicity events we can, but unless those in power have our backs, and they should do if they are honest and fair leaders, then we only decline and disappear as an industry.

More positivity.

We're all doomed.

 

[DrWazzock]

Rubbish someone will always still drill it and milk

They won't over thousands of acres of average land unless government attitude changes.

 

[RAF]

Less that’s produced the better though

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

The problem is a simple one, the UK in general is to well off, and therefore the export market is not that good, this applies to all goods including the agricultural sector, so a rich country that pays to much for producing goods are up against the odds, However poor countries that have far less inputs, ie labour and investment in machines etc, can produce goods far cheaper and export is far better, thus bringing money into the country to prosper, this does not happen in the UK,
As for anyone say rubbish, we still need to eat, Arthur Scargill had the same thoughts for the miners,
As more and more land is turned over to environmental projects and house building along with more roads, railway and other none agricultural uses, farm land will get less,
Sub payments will reflect environment side of things, and end up being a nation of park keepers, more a more inports will take place on food, as the nimbys will not bother if it comes from the likes of the Amazon or elsewhere,
And this will happen sooner than you think if labour get in power, and a Labour/snp government is very possible, for the many not the few, and agricultural is the few

 

[DrWazzock]

I'm not actually a miserable old git and am away now to get a drain running which is part of the farming in joy in a daily basis but I do fear lack of support from governments EU wide. It's not so outright persecution that I fear, but damnation by faint praise. There is not the oomph in DEFRA any more for food production. Priorities are all about rewilding and stuff like that. It might swing back. I hope it does. But the present situation is quite serious in my view.

 

[Chae1]

I'm not actually a miserable old git and am away now to get a drain running which is part of the farming in joy in a daily basis but I do fear lack of support from governments EU wide. It's not so outright persecution that I fear, but damnation by faint praise. There is not the oomph in DEFRA any more for food production. Priorities are all about rewilding and stuff like that. It might swing back. I hope it does. But the present situation is quite serious in my view.

I do agree with what your saying. The jobs not in a good place.

 

[andybk]

its not just us , copied from a french friends post , (sorry for translation)

Mathieu Mauries
17 hrs
Big anger
Farmer today what is it?
Well it's like you're asking a secretary to leave in the forest to cut trees and then make the paper of her printer... but not that... she would also have to go to the factory to make her office, His chair, his computer and the indispensable printer. And of course all this outside of his 35 hours of weekly work! Work 100 % FREE. Who would accept it?
To us, the company asks to produce - it is our basic job - but also now to transform and market, live, on the farm, in stores and over the internet. Stop it but it's not enough yet, we are still not profitable... so we have to welcome to the farm, do catering and accommodation or offer leisure. And we still can't do it. The Technician of the chamber of Agriculture (who costs us a crazy money like all the parasite organizations that suck our blood) comes to explain that it's not serious not to be profitable.
I think we should create gmo farmers who no longer need to sleep, here is an idea that it is in the air of time. And the famous cap aid will you tell me, no these are not gifts made to farmers... it's already the path of the fighter to fill the x files necessary without counting the controls and penalties. In the best case our sales cover the expenses of the farm and the aid turns out to be a salary... not so big as it reassure you since we are thousands to be in great difficulty and live in poverty... Despite the help.
And then it is that now we have to be insulted, harassed, dragged to justice and condemned by urban migrants in the countryside, with the complicity of the judges (City) because we simply do our job = feed you.
No but what is this sh!t world?
You'll have to explain to your children and grandchildren why they're going to die of hunger in not so long. Unless you have the means to buy your tomatoes in Spain, your potatoes in Belgium and your meat in Argentina... France kills its farmers and everyone doesn't care.
Mathieu Mauriès

 

[DrWazzock]

Less that’s produced the better though

Up to a point then your national industry loses critical mass, economy of scale, and imports appear even cheaper. I view the remaing beet factories like the last of the pits. They are holding on and long may they do so, but they aren't exactly enjoying a politically benign environment.

We need a bit more acknowledgement and commitment from government IMO.

 

[Shep]

I have put a freeze on all new investment for the time being, to see what the next handful of years brings. The children will be encouraged towards education as I think I could be the last generation to farm here, sad because we have been here farming since at least 1720 or that is as far back as records go.
If the worst happens, I don't know how it will affect me, it might kill me, I hope not, we are truly hefted here and have an incredible bond with the land and area.
That is unless someone comes up with a viable alternative, which could happen, I know there was a heck of a lot of flax grown in the past. We will keep a close eye on things for the time being, I just hope we can see an end to our present commitments.

 

[Shep]

Rubbish someone will always still drill it and milk

I used to think that.
I'm not overly concerned about demand for produce, more so being taxed and regulated out of business and also being branded the bogeyman.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

just listened to the food programme on radio 4, Patrick Holden was speaking up for meat production, all the rest of the programme was anti meat, the whole agenda on all the news media is "give up meat and save the world". It is all very depressing as farmers can't seem to do anything right.

 

[Lowland1]

We are the next coal miners. With no friends left in government who are willing to slap down the eco fascists, the future doesn't look very bright for tradional cropping and livestock farming. It will all carry on abroad of course. Out of sight out of mind.

In some ways democracy is the death of us. We will never be numerous enough for our votes to count and the only governments round the world who still value and stand up for primary industries that don't meet the middle class liberal elite idyll are those who don't take much notice of liberal sentimentalists. China Russia India South America will prosper as they supply us with evermore expensive commodities and manufactured goods.

That's unless somebody in government here wakes up to the fact that some industries might be dirty and unsavoury and do some unpalatable things but for all that they are still an essential part of the system and are a minority that needs defending.

We can do all we like on social media, do all the fine publicity events we can, but unless those in power have our backs, and they should do if they are honest and fair leaders, then we only decline and disappear as an industry.

I am a bit tired off this. I have had it from my Dad all my life. Farming will always go on in some form or other the skill will be in producing what the public wants in a way that it wants. The world is awash with food as a result farmers are not as valued as they’d like to be. If they don’t want meat no matter what we say you can’t make them eat it doesn’t matter how misguided they are. If kicking cows is something we’ve always done to get them where we want them but the public see it and don’t like it ,it doesn’t matter how the pictures were obtained If our customers don’t like they will vote with their feet or mouths.

 

[Werzle]

Rubbish someone will always still drill it and milk

and breed and fatten. Its trendy to bash farming atm but 'people gotta eat' so we will be alright.

 

[startinghandle]

My late father said for years the only
Time land was valued and taken seriously was wartime

 

[Danllan]

just listened to the food programme on radio 4, Patrick Holden was speaking up for meat production, all the rest of the programme was anti meat, the whole agenda on all the news media is "give up meat and save the world". It is all very depressing as farmers can't seem to do anything right.

Don't worry, it's just a trend, fashionistas, trendies, liberals... let them go for tofu, all the youngsters I know like bacon, eggs, chicken, lamb and beef.

I am a bit tired off this. I have had it from my Dad all my life. Farming will always go on in some form or other the skill will be in producing what the public wants in a way that it wants...

Quite right. (Good giraffe too, which bit of Kenya?)

 

[Lowland1]

My late father said for years the only
Time land was valued and taken seriously was wartime

‘Here’s to a famine or a bloody war ‘ was a popular toast

 

[Lowland1]

Don't worry, it's just a trend, fashionistas, trendies, liberals... let them go for tofu, all the youngsters I know like bacon, eggs, chicken, lamb and beef.


Quite right. (Good giraffe too, which bit of Kenya?)

Naivasha but down in the sludge of Lincolnshire at present

 

[Shep]

To be fair, I haven't seen much evidence of meat bashing in everyday life, McDonald's as the typical generic example is always chocca block, and the BBC have been trying to influence us for years while having the opposite effect. The whole thing could be an illusion, but that doesn't mean that we can be complacent.