Farming going down with hardly a whimper...

[7610 super q]

It was either harvest 1997, or 98, that CCF were offering growers £58/ ton ex farm for barley. It's £180- 210 today.
I'm sure at some point in the future it'll be down to £58 / ton again.
This is nothing new, and to pretend otherwise is ridiculous.

 

[robs1]

If you don't like mine, that is your problem.
Act your age not your shoe size.
Come back when you have a significant intelligent contribution to make. That'll take a few years by the sound of it.

Being rude isnt required, others see a future just because YOU dont doesnt mean they are wrong, I remember when milk quotas came in, loads on the roads tipping milk away claiming armageddon had arrived, the vast majority carried on, same with BSE and beef.
I accept you are a pessimist by nature not everyone is

 

[Cowabunga]

The difference between Ireland and the UK's politics is starkly highlighted in this quote from the Taoiseach...
"The agriculture sector is Ireland's most important industry. It plays, and will continue to play, a vital role in Ireland's economy and rural communities"
I have a feeling that he actually means it. Ireland continues within the EU of course. Contrast that with the Tory stance on food and fisheries and farming. It couldn't be more different.

 

[M-J-G]

If you don't like mine, that is your problem.
Act your age not your shoe size.
Come back when you have a significant intelligent contribution to make. That'll take a few years by the sound of it.

You haven't seen the size of his big clown feet!

 

[Barleymow]

How many off us can afford to tell them where to stick ELMS and Red Tractor then what will happen ?

 

[M-J-G]

Ansew the qusetin ducky why are you still farming when you know its Dooooooooooooooomed ?

You have enough bother right under your own nose old boy

 

[Cowabunga]

I'd you cant stand the heat get out of the kitchen, the solution is in the farmers hands, for dairy it started when the mmb was ended, dairy farmers all had the chance to join MM and keep the upper hand, too many sold out their own future for a penny a litre, I saw the end game and gave up in 98, sold my quota for a fortune and diversified into non food production, quite a few round here now sell their milk direct, there is a bright future for those farmers who look beyond their own gate. Those that moan and cry are finished unless they get a grip

Ah yes, you are telling farmers to get out of food production. I can see your point of view and it is not uncommon and is another reason why the industry is doomed. You had no stomach for the industry yourself and walked away years ago. That's your choice and I'm certainly not criticising it. The point here though is that the UK is on course to smashing a whole other industry by giving our market away to competitors for the sake of scoring political points with near zero gain for any other sector of the economy.

 

[Henarar]

Ah yes, you are telling farmers to get out of food production. I can see your point of view and it is not uncommon and is another reason why the industry is doomed. You had no stomach for the industry yourself and walked away years ago. That's your choice and I'm certainly not criticising it. The point here though is that the UK is on course to smashing a whole other industry by giving our market away to competitors for the sake of scoring political points with near zero gain for any other sector of the economy.

So why are you still farming ?

 

[Cowabunga]

I've listened to Dieter Helm's Audible book (well about 19 hours in) and in amongst the repetitive get the polluter (farmer) to pay for his damages to the environment, this Oxford academic and learned economist is constantly saying "with sheep and other marginal farming activities hardly being profitable let's re-wild much of Britain and save the planet". His assumption is that only some farmers can afford the new costs of compliance with ever more stringent regulation and a watchful educated consumer public. I note his PA's email address is listed on the e-packaging and I'm all for emailing him and just stating what might be the fatal flaw in his argument : if you don't get your food from this Country are you in danger of assuming there is a massive surplus produced to your ever more exacting standards elsewhere?

Indeed. There are periods, like right now, when world prices are actually higher than the UK's. Both Russia and Argentina are currently banning exports of certain food products, much to the consternation of China which can't find alternative sources in the bulk they need at sensible affordable prices. If the UK was to get into a similar position of compromises food security, there would be hell to pay from an aggrieved population which would soon have massive civil and political consequences.
Yet we have a government in power that is absolutely willing to sacrifice UK agriculture, as it has its fisheries, for fantastical ideological reasons such as 'zero emissions', animal 'rights' and 'free trade'.

 

[Cowabunga]

So why are you still farming ?

None of your business any more than it is my business as to why you are such an arsehole.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

So why are you still farming ?

Today's weather would put anyone off farming
But Duck as a plan, I'm sure,he's not the type to go swimming up the river when there are foxes about , hes very tight lipped about his plan though

 

[Henarar]

None of your business any more than it is my business as to why you are such an arsehole.

Doooooooooom glooooooooom

 

[Cowabunga]

Doooooooooom glooooooooom

Case proven.

 

[Henarar]

Case proven.

Absolutely
Dooooooom Gloooooom

 

[M-J-G]

None of your business any more than it is my business as to why you are such an arsehole.

So you're farming because it comes naturally then!

 

[Cowabunga]

Today's weather would put anyone off farming
But Duck as a plan, I'm sure,he's not the type to go swimming up the river when there are foxes about , hes very tight lipped about his plan though

Silage is going to be a month late for me this year, purely due to the weather. Hopefully it will greatly reduce milk production and keep the milk price high over Winter. The extra price, if we get any, will all go in increased concentrate use and reduced milk yield anyway I suppose.

 

[JP1]

Indeed. There are periods, like right now, when world prices are actually higher than the UK's. Both Russia and Argentina are currently banning exports of certain food products, much to the consternation of China which can't find alternative sources in the bulk they need at sensible affordable prices. If the UK was to get into a similar position of compromises food security, there would be hell to pay from an aggrieved population which would soon have massive civil and political consequences.
Yet we have a government in power that is absolutely willing to sacrifice UK agriculture, as it has its fisheries, for fantastical ideological reasons such as 'zero emissions', animal 'rights' and 'free trade'.

Far worse too. Almost compelling local councils to build on good ag greenfield sites to get more houses built, no plan for flood risks wth sewerage, listening to too many NGO's and litreally smothering the (wild) life out of hill areas with monoculture Sitka, wilfully ignoring the food labelling elephant in the room, trashing the Parrish amendment guaranteeing parity of production standards

 

[Cowabunga]

So you're farming because it comes naturally then!

I happen to be rather good at it. That doesn't mean I'm committed to stay in it though. I'll reluctantly let the population eat cake if it comes to it. What I am very angry about is the needless destruction of UK animal agriculture for some spurious political and ideological ideals that benefit no one except our competitors.

Other industries fight hard for their livelihoods. It seems that when reality is pointed out to farmers, as it was to fishermen, many choose to ignore it and attack the messenger rather than the perpetrators of the policies.

 

[Highland Mule]

Thankyou ......Have forwarded it to my MP......and I'm a tory !

Do you really think your MP is going to watch some random youtube video sent to him by a constituent? I know I would take far more notice of a well crafted letter than have to pick through a fringe commentator's ramblings.

 

[Henarar]

I'll happily let the population eat cake if it comes to it

If, not a certainty then