Boris Johnson unveils ‘grow for Britain’ plan

[Hindsight]

Anyone seen the Boris Johnson Twitter video clip about the food strategy where he is in a field of Courgettes. Regulation Cabinet Minister Hi Vis warning. He specifically replies to Jeremy Clarkson. And says it is all well as government is funding automation - referencing Cabbage Planter. Don't know how to post links on here.

 

[Hindsight]

Let them witter on. Do these policy documents influence your decisions? There's no big change here.

The more pages = the more bs to hide that there is nothing new here.

No new money. Lots of consultation. So it nebulous waffle. Nothing to see here.

Price of wheat, price of wheat, price of wheat. Been same for several hundred years.

 

[Hindsight]

It was a system of fresh food production that evolved alongside the urbanization that came with the Industrial Revolution, and worked perfectly.
And then we fecked it all up by handing it all over to the cartel to centralize it all. Did I say: Market share is the root of all evil.

My 'A' level geography in the 70's one of the topics was market gardening around urban developments coinciding with city expansion in Victorian period allowing fresh daily deliveries. I can recall Lea Valley as an example. https://www.lvga.co.uk/

 

[Muddyroads]

Anyone seen the Boris Johnson Twitter video clip about the food strategy where he is in a field of Courgettes. Regulation Cabinet Minister Hi Vis warning. He specifically replies to Jeremy Clarkson. And says it is all well as government is funding automation - referencing Cabbage Planter. Don't know how to post links on here.

I saw that video, he was talking about automation allowing 150,000 cauliflowers to be planted in a single day. The problem I see is that if you plant them at that speed you need to be able to pick them at that speed when they’re fit. Not easy if you don’t have much labour about.

 

[Hindsight]

I saw that video, he was talking about automation allowing 150,000 cauliflowers to be planted in a single day. The problem I see is that if you plant them at that speed you need to be able to pick them at that speed when they’re fit. Not easy if you don’t have much labour about.

The large Veg players here in Lincolnshire are using automated planters. About £300k each. They do work. Main reason is to conserve labour. So rather than have an 8 or 10 row manual planter with staff required to man it the automated planter allows those 10 members staff to be deployed into packhouse or field cutting gangs.

 

[Henarar]

@henerar
Gammalex was used on all brassica seeds until about 2000

Aldrin was used in most root crop/veg fertiliser until 1982, it was still working for years after on wireworm.

Birlane was widly used until 2003 dursban was used till 2003 as a spray,m but on module plants till 2019

Swedes are really expensive these days, because they now need netting to keep the dreaded cabbage root fly off.

Agronomist says we are back to 1920 in our ability to deal with flea beetle.

In the 1930's mercury was used as a transplant drench pretty much cured everything.

would seed dressing have dealt with cabbage root fly ?

 

[Henarar]

Yes, British ag can only exist if there's a migrant underclass to exploit with long hours low pay and substandard housing.

Or employers could attract British workers with proper pay and conditions.

the UK could just grow things that don't require lots of workers and import the rest from places with long hours low pay and substandard housing

 

[Muddyroads]

The large Veg players here in Lincolnshire are using automated planters. About £300k each. They do work. Main reason is to conserve labour. So rather than have an 8 or 10 row manual planter with staff required to man it the automated planter allows those 10 members staff to be deployed into packhouse or field cutting gangs.

I’ve seen videos of them working and they are terrific but i find it a bit disingenuous when Boris talks about them as if they’re his idea and the answer to UK food production issues.

 

[Northern territory]

Somebody mentioned NFU not whingeing to government so that we at least get some thing. I know it’s not farmings thing but why does our industry not call for more militant action like the French always seem to do. Power seems to be with the wrong people and we as an industry are just passed form pillar to post.

 

[Tarw Coch]

the UK could just grow things that don't require lots of workers and import the rest from places with long hours low pay and substandard housing

Hasn’t that pretty much been various governments policy for pretty much my whole life, just thus far farming hasn’t been as badly affected as some industries

 

[Courier]

….
@Janet Hughes Defra
See above last 4 lines, this is why Farmers are so Frustrated. ……. Your Boss Mr Eustice should understand this, after all he is a farmers son. At the moment Farmers are scratching there heads and looking at the figures which do not add up while the supermarkets are screwing us for every penny they can get.
WB

I would suggest that Eustace, whilst being brought up on a farm, is more of an investor’s son than a farmer’s son - An investor who has put some of his wealth into Agriculture as a tax fiddle and who is doesn’t need to pay rent or a mortgage every month……..

 

[Henarar]

I still can't get my head round how cows cause climate change, yet millions of miles of air travel doesn't.

How long have we had domesticated cattle?
How long have we had any great volume of air travel?
How long has climate change been the big problem that lots of experts say it is ?

 

[Huno]

How long have we had domesticated cattle?
How long have we had any great volume of air travel?
How long has climate change been the big problem that lots of experts say it is ?

Nice sunny day here.. no problem with the climate i can see...

 

[Henarar]

We need to become more efficient.

At what ? And why ?

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

At what ? And why ?

So we can knock it out even cheaper to the supermarkets.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

My 'A' level geography in the 70's one of the topics was market gardening around urban developments coinciding with city expansion in Victorian period allowing fresh daily deliveries. I can recall Lea Valley as an example. https://www.lvga.co.uk/

makes a lot of sense, except, oooh flat land, ideal for housing, don't worry about food supplies we will have sold the houses by the time people realise they are short of food!

 

[Ffermer Bach]

How long have we had domesticated cattle?
How long have we had any great volume of air travel?
How long has climate change been the big problem that lots of experts say it is ?

I think climate change has been partly caused by land use and agriculture, soil carbon being released (and organic matter lost), mainly through cultivation and use of nitrogen fertliser (as well as burning of fossil fuels) and to a lesser extent burning of rainforests. So it would be equally valid to say ~ Vegans cause climate change with all their arable crops and ploughing! Eat pasture fed meat to stop global warming!

 

[Steevo]

So we can knock it out even cheaper to the supermarkets.

You've stolen Minette's line!!

Are you planning to run for her job next time...?



It's a sorry state of affairs that we're joking about this.

 

[Wolds Beef]

@Courier Well he should be very aware of his farming roots. The extended Family have a very good South Devon herd down there in the South West.!!
WB

 

[Turnip]

Somebody mentioned NFU not whingeing to government so that we at least get some thing. I know it’s not farmings thing but why does our industry not call for more militant action like the French always seem to do. Power seems to be with the wrong people and we as an industry are just passed form pillar to post.

But would you have to swap your tractor over to white diesel to do that???