Critical Mass

[DrWazzock]

I’m concerned.
Is U.K. agricultural approaching the point where it collapses due to lack of critical mass on a variety of fronts:
As well as loss of abattoirs, livestock markets and large animal vet practices, we have lost a big oilseed crushing plant and grain export facilities have been considerably reduced.
Another aspect for me is that as other farms rewild and public landowners like the forestry commission let it go wild and wet, those producers who carry on trying to grow a crop are now left dealing with an overwhelming number of various vermin including deer, rabbits, rooks and pigeons who thrive on environmental schemes and also difficulty shifting drainage water away down stream.
It’s getting to the point where even if we want to carry on production, lack of control of vermin, lack of maintenance of drainage by other landholders could force our hand and we decide to throw in the towel as we can’t fight on alone.
This isn’t meant to be yet another depressing whinge fest but a wake up call to anybody who cares to listen and can shape policy.
UK agriculture will struggle to survive in competition with too many rewilding and other environmental schemes due to the knock on effects of lack of scale for suppliers and buyers and the detrimental effect of increased vermin numbers.

 

[spin cycle]

I don't care....at least when we're gone they can't persecute us anymore

 

[cows sh#t me to tears]

It's worldwide. We are dealing with it here too.
Government buying up irrigation water, Supply company still has same amount of channels and infrastructure to manage with less farmers to carry the load. Meaning much higher costs. It will become unviable within the decade. Dairy industry contracting (farmer base). Meaning there will be a contraction of processors. Meaning less choice. It will get to a point where we will end up like NZ with little choice and greater collusion. The future is bleak in my opinion. It may take another 20 years , but it will happen. Governments here just don't want farmers.

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

I’m concerned.
Is U.K. agricultural approaching the point where it collapses due to lack of critical mass on a variety of fronts:
As well as loss of abattoirs, livestock markets and large animal vet practices, we have lost a big oilseed crushing plant and grain export facilities have been considerably reduced.
Another aspect for me is that as other farms rewild and public landowners like the forestry commission let it go wild and wet, those producers who carry on trying to grow a crop are now left dealing with an overwhelming number of various vermin including deer, rabbits, rooks and pigeons who thrive on environmental schemes and also difficulty shifting drainage water away down stream.
It’s getting to the point where even if we want to carry on production, lack of control of vermin, lack of maintenance of drainage by other landholders could force our hand and we decide to throw in the towel as we can’t fight on alone.
This isn’t meant to be yet another depressing whinge fest but a wake up call to anybody who cares to listen and can shape policy.
UK agriculture will struggle to survive in competition with too many rewilding and other environmental schemes due to the knock on effects of lack of scale for suppliers and buyers and the detrimental effect of increased vermin numbers.

Good points, sadly.

Also, the huge decline in numbers of farm units operating. This brings vulnerability on resilience of staff numbers available with key skills.

 

[Y Fan Wen]

It's worldwide. We are dealing with it here too.
Government buying up irrigation water, Supply company still has same amount of channels and infrastructure to manage with less farmers to carry the load. Meaning much higher costs. It will become unviable within the decade. Dairy industry contracting (farmer base). Meaning there will be a contraction of processors. Meaning less choice. It will get to a point where we will end up like NZ with little choice and greater collusion. The future is bleak in my opinion. It may take another 20 years , but it will happen. Governments here just don't want farmers.

Would that be to prioritise the supply of urban dwellers or wishing to increase the river flow in favour of nature?

 

[teslacoils]

Of course not. Number of rural workers will continue to fall as it has done since almost forever. Other industry will consolidate. But new ways will appear. I cite frequently the pee-poor £££ we get from sheep on aftermaths compared with a clutch of metal detectorists.

What I didnt realise, was the number of folk with guns who will pay me to come shoot vermin.

The next logical step, given I now have 160ac of flowering clovers for the next three years, is to see how much these beekeepers will pay.

Anyone with a hobby that trots out the "Im doing you a favour" line, while turning up with kit worth a big pile of dosh, and done by folk earning a heap in IT, can afford to throw £20 a month at a landowner for siting a hive or two.

A lot of the "jobs" like vermin, hedge laying, even recreational bricklaying, are actually now hobbies for the urban rich.

What you have to do is disassociate yourself from this idea that you need to be on-farm doing all this. All these folk with new Audis and the like are basically just displaying their wealth for you to milk.

 

[serf]

All these folk with new Audis and the like are basically just displaying their wealth for you to milk.

Like Quote

Not all that glitters is gold ....

 

[Spud]

I’m concerned.
Is U.K. agricultural approaching the point where it collapses due to lack of critical mass on a variety of fronts:
As well as loss of abattoirs, livestock markets and large animal vet practices, we have lost a big oilseed crushing plant and grain export facilities have been considerably reduced.
Another aspect for me is that as other farms rewild and public landowners like the forestry commission let it go wild and wet, those producers who carry on trying to grow a crop are now left dealing with an overwhelming number of various vermin including deer, rabbits, rooks and pigeons who thrive on environmental schemes and also difficulty shifting drainage water away down stream.
It’s getting to the point where even if we want to carry on production, lack of control of vermin, lack of maintenance of drainage by other landholders could force our hand and we decide to throw in the towel as we can’t fight on alone.
This isn’t meant to be yet another depressing whinge fest but a wake up call to anybody who cares to listen and can shape policy.
UK agriculture will struggle to survive in competition with too many rewilding and other environmental schemes due to the knock on effects of lack of scale for suppliers and buyers and the detrimental effect of increased vermin numbers.

The country cannot afford to pay for widespread enviro schemes, hang on in there

 

[cows sh#t me to tears]

Would that be to prioritise the supply of urban dwellers or wishing to increase the river flow in favour of nature?

Neither, but under the guise of the latter. Real reason is to maintain an adequate lake height at Goolwa and Hindmarch Island so the elite of South Australia have access to the marinas and moorings of their holiday homes

 

[zero]

Of course not. Number of rural workers will continue to fall as it has done since almost forever. Other industry will consolidate. But new ways will appear. I cite frequently the pee-poor £££ we get from sheep on aftermaths compared with a clutch of metal detectorists.

What I didnt realise, was the number of folk with guns who will pay me to come shoot vermin.

The next logical step, given I now have 160ac of flowering clovers for the next three years, is to see how much these beekeepers will pay.

Anyone with a hobby that trots out the "Im doing you a favour" line, while turning up with kit worth a big pile of dosh, and done by folk earning a heap in IT, can afford to throw £20 a month at a landowner for siting a hive or two.

A lot of the "jobs" like vermin, hedge laying, even recreational bricklaying, are actually now hobbies for the urban rich.

What you have to do is disassociate yourself from this idea that you need to be on-farm doing all this. All these folk with new Audis and the like are basically just displaying their wealth for you to milk.

Seen alot of new ish Audi's with bald tyre's and never serviced brakes scoring the disc's as the folks driving them can only just affors the finance payments and petrol but little else.

 

[Hilly]

Who cares.

Seen alot of new ish Audi's with bald tyre's and never serviced brakes scoring the disc's as the folks driving them can only just affors the finance payments and petrol but little else.

big hats and no cattle ..

 

[serf]

them can only just affors the finance payments and petrol but little else.

Exactly this , pee in pot to ...

 

[Hilly]

The sheep man were whinging about critical mass then the orice went up and its never been mentioned , i bet there are no more ewes now than then either.

 

[devonbeef]

It's worldwide. We are dealing with it here too.
Government buying up irrigation water, Supply company still has same amount of channels and infrastructure to manage with less farmers to carry the load. Meaning much higher costs. It will become unviable within the decade. Dairy industry contracting (farmer base). Meaning there will be a contraction of processors. Meaning less choice. It will get to a point where we will end up like NZ with little choice and greater collusion. The future is bleak in my opinion. It may take another 20 years , but it will happen. Governments here just don't want farmers.

well somebody somewhere will be needed to produce food

 

[DrWazzock]

My cousin’s husband died about 3 years ago. Farmer and more significantly pigeon, rook and fox controller. I didn’t think about this aspect of his work and interests at the time but it’s very very noticeable we’ve had a large increase in vermin since he passed away. The folk who come for three weekends a year for the sport can’t really replace the trusted man in the locality who is always there exactly when needed working quietly and effectively. We are losing all this kind of expertise and knowledge. Suppose we just have to try to do more ourselves but there’s only so many hours in a day and we are all getting older. Lack of people with the skills is a problem. Maybe they weren’t all working flat out or at maximum efficiency but what they did was still critically important. There’s no slack now, no finesse, no attention to detail.

 

[Hilly]

well somebody somewhere will be needed to produce food

Not our problem.

 

[teslacoils]

All these folk with new Audis and the like are basically just displaying their wealth for you to milk.

Like Quote

Not all that glitters is gold ....

As long as I get some of that gold.

 

[tje]

Around here deer are a massive problem especially next door to the forestry commission ,

 

[devonbeef]

Not our problem.

agree i look after myself and family only now

 

[Hilly]

agree i look after myself and family only now

Correct .