family succession and planning for the future? just wondering how many of you find this a positive experience and have any tips and advice for others?

merino

Member
Location
The North East
Why is our industry full of so many deluded, sheltered, arrogant fools?

There is a neighbour of mine who knows fine well he is leaving an absolute mess for his kids but appears not to care a jot.

These clowns who are so full of their own self importance seem unaware (or openly unaware anyway, I refuse to believe they don't know the truth deep down inside) of the fact that ;

a) nobody thinks they're being clever, in fact quite the opposite ie "have you heard what that old fool is saying now" chats down the local pub.

and b) when they do eventually pop off, all their stupid 'rules' die with them, and they leave a legacy of a total mess.

These things go against all of what apparently drives them in their everyday life ie "I'm the boss and I'm so clever".

A very, very odd situation, which occurs far to often in our industry.

I actually think a lot of it is driven by insecurity and fear of change. The farming life can be isolated, and if someone isn't shown or taught certain things, or is a stubborn personality, and / or indulged, or happy to follow what went before without question, these things self perpetuate.

But who am I to say? It just makes me sad reading how many of us are dealing with similar.
I've always wondered about that.

The quote 'All happy families are alike, but every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way' springs to mind, I suspect a sort of agricultural obverse, cause I know a few guys like that and they're exactly as you describe.
Difference is they're still under 30.

My personal theory is that abuse is to blame in a lot of these cases.

I've got no idea about child development, and I don't know very much about these people's pasts. So I've always hoped I was wrong.
 

Rob91

Member
Livestock Farmer
Why not suggest he could get the £50,000-£100,000 Retirement from the Government, unless he is one of those "I'll die with my boots on."
My Mum suggested that he have £50 a week instead of us if we were in the partnership but he says that is pittance for the work he's done, so I doubt £50000 would be enough for him. They had £50,000 each for overpaying on the mortgage and he still says he's had nowt.
 

dinderleat

Member
Location
Wells
My Mum suggested that he have £50 a week instead of us if we were in the partnership but he says that is pittance for the work he's done, so I doubt £50000 would be enough for him. They had £50,000 each for overpaying on the mortgage and he still says he's had nowt.
Have you looked for another job?
 

dinderleat

Member
Location
Wells
Just be careful you don't look back in 5 years and see you have now wasted 20 years.
Plenty of tales on here where people feel they have passed the point of no return and are now unable to get out.
What he said, plus legally you would be owed back pay for the last 15 years
 

Rob91

Member
Livestock Farmer
Don't be blinded by "winning"
20 years ago the farm was smaller, we've all worked to buy over 150acres extra land , my brother's invested in cows which he doesn't take any money back for and were getting a lot more milk from the same amount of cows. Not going to throw it away for the sakes of one selfish old man
 

Rob91

Member
Livestock Farmer
20 years ago the farm was smaller, we've all worked to buy over 150acres extra land , my brother's invested in cows which he doesn't take any money back for and were getting a lot more milk from the same amount of cows. Not going to throw it away for the sakes of one selfish old man
No disrespect to your comment.
 

Rob91

Member
Livestock Farmer
Why is it so many farming fathers are so proud when the son is born then treat them like crap for the rest of their lives .I know sometimes it’s not easy but honestly what is the point
The realisation that they can't sell the farm and pocket millions for their retirement...
 

Rob91

Member
Livestock Farmer
Why let your son or daughter come home to work on the (family) farm if all you want is a slave. who will keep it tidy for the sale my blood is boilin at this some people don’t deserve to be in farming
the thing is, they don't really want to sell up, and selling up is a big job anyway, they just like to have the control until they drop dead. I know another farming family nearby who are the same, in their 80s and their 50+ year old sons do all the work but are still controlled by the father
 
Slightly different experience for a friend of mine.

Family farm, 2 sons, 1 daughter.

Eldest son excels at school, goes to University, does non-agri related subject. Gets a city job 'for a few years' as the father is still young and fit to run the farm.

Second son (my friend) stays at home. Gets stuck into the farm, the business grows. More land is bought, more cows milked, better equipment etc.

Years pass. The eldest son is living a good life in the city; married, bought a home in the city, kids going to city school. Has barely done a days work on the farm in years.

The second son is getting married. Goes to ask dad about getting a site on the farm to build a house. Dad is not keen and states 'we will need to run this by your older brother'. It transpires that the older brother is to inherit everything, as it is is 'birth right' as the eldest son.

The news of a site for younger brother sparks older brothers interest. He isn't keen on handing over any of the good sites, 'in case he needs it one day'. He offers a site on the periphery of the farm.

Second son sees the light and is off the farm within 6 weeks. He left with nothing, as he wasn't a partner and his vehicle was owned by the farm. So were most of his tools. The only positive was that he was young enough to start fresh.

Fast forward many years, and he is doing well for himself. Runs his own non-agri related business. Dad has gotten older and is in poor health; eldest son is still in the city and rarely visiting; second son was so burned that he has no interest in helping. The herd has been reduced as dad is struggling to run things on his own. (Daughter is also living her own life away from the farm).

Looks like it will be a farm sale when the parents pass, after what will be a period of deterioration. All because of the belief that it is the eldest son's 'birthright'. Could have been so different...
 

Overby

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
South West
Slightly different experience for a friend of mine.

Family farm, 2 sons, 1 daughter.

Eldest son excels at school, goes to University, does non-agri related subject. Gets a city job 'for a few years' as the father is still young and fit to run the farm.

Second son (my friend) stays at home. Gets stuck into the farm, the business grows. More land is bought, more cows milked, better equipment etc.

Years pass. The eldest son is living a good life in the city; married, bought a home in the city, kids going to city school. Has barely done a days work on the farm in years.

The second son is getting married. Goes to ask dad about getting a site on the farm to build a house. Dad is not keen and states 'we will need to run this by your older brother'. It transpires that the older brother is to inherit everything, as it is is 'birth right' as the eldest son.

The news of a site for younger brother sparks older brothers interest. He isn't keen on handing over any of the good sites, 'in case he needs it one day'. He offers a site on the periphery of the farm.

Second son sees the light and is off the farm within 6 weeks. He left with nothing, as he wasn't a partner and his vehicle was owned by the farm. So were most of his tools. The only positive was that he was young enough to start fresh.

Fast forward many years, and he is doing well for himself. Runs his own non-agri related business. Dad has gotten older and is in poor health; eldest son is still in the city and rarely visiting; second son was so burned that he has no interest in helping. The herd has been reduced as dad is struggling to run things on his own. (Daughter is also living her own life away from the farm).

Looks like it will be a farm sale when the parents pass, after what will be a period of deterioration. All because of the belief that it is the eldest son's 'birthright'. Could have been so different...
Absolutely disgusting, how can people be so ignorant and pathetic in modern times?
 

Rob91

Member
Livestock Farmer
Slightly different experience for a friend of mine.

Family farm, 2 sons, 1 daughter.

Eldest son excels at school, goes to University, does non-agri related subject. Gets a city job 'for a few years' as the father is still young and fit to run the farm.

Second son (my friend) stays at home. Gets stuck into the farm, the business grows. More land is bought, more cows milked, better equipment etc.

Years pass. The eldest son is living a good life in the city; married, bought a home in the city, kids going to city school. Has barely done a days work on the farm in years.

The second son is getting married. Goes to ask dad about getting a site on the farm to build a house. Dad is not keen and states 'we will need to run this by your older brother'. It transpires that the older brother is to inherit everything, as it is is 'birth right' as the eldest son.

The news of a site for younger brother sparks older brothers interest. He isn't keen on handing over any of the good sites, 'in case he needs it one day'. He offers a site on the periphery of the farm.

Second son sees the light and is off the farm within 6 weeks. He left with nothing, as he wasn't a partner and his vehicle was owned by the farm. So were most of his tools. The only positive was that he was young enough to start fresh.

Fast forward many years, and he is doing well for himself. Runs his own non-agri related business. Dad has gotten older and is in poor health; eldest son is still in the city and rarely visiting; second son was so burned that he has no interest in helping. The herd has been reduced as dad is struggling to run things on his own. (Daughter is also living her own life away from the farm).

Looks like it will be a farm sale when the parents pass, after what will be a period of deterioration. All because of the belief that it is the eldest son's 'birthright'. Could have been so different...
I am the eldest son, but I would never want to take a bigger share than my brother, maybe because we've not had a social life so we don't have our own families to think of...
That also causes the problem that even If I could just walk away , I can't leave my brother to cope on his own with all the work and the future problems.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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