Fed up farming is there any light at end of tunnel

[Nigelhigginson]

Price are so poor as we head torwards 2020. Is it there really a need to force farmers to produce food at cost are below cost . I hear lad s say in 1970 they sold 20 lambs and a could buy new be car Now u want to sell 350 . Lads in the early 80s sell a double of cattle and pay for building a house. I have 3 young S sons that are bright and I will push them away from farming so they can have a better life that the 7 day a week drudgery and hard work for pittance

 

[czechmate]

Price are so poor as we head torwards 2020. Is it there really a need to force farmers to produce food at cost are below cost . I hear lad s say in 1970 they sold 20 lambs and a could buy new be car Now u want to sell 350 . Lads in the early 80s sell a double of cattle and pay for building a house. I have 3 young S sons that are bright and I will push them away from farming so they can have a better life that the 7 day a week drudgery and hard work for pittance

If they are bright, hopefully they will work it out for themselves. I was never a fan of pushing kids in any direction.
Loads of farms for sale here as the next generation don’t want the life you describe...

 

[Werzle]

Fair few thinking the same i reckon. If its making you unhappy or the sums dont add up i would get out tbh. Too many farmers see selling up and doing something else as failure, but its starting to look like the most commonsense thing to do. Far better to advise the kids to get a trade etc, at least as a back up . Loads of older farmers living in 3rd world conditions and poverty believing selling up would be seen as failure when in reality selling up and improving their living standards by buying a cosy modern house nearer civilisation with a lump in the bank would be the smartest thing they ever do.

 

[ColinV6]

Price are so poor as we head torwards 2020. Is it there really a need to force farmers to produce food at cost are below cost . I hear lad s say in 1970 they sold 20 lambs and a could buy new be car Now u want to sell 350 . Lads in the early 80s sell a double of cattle and pay for building a house. I have 3 young S sons that are bright and I will push them away from farming so they can have a better life that the 7 day a week drudgery and hard work for pittance

I think your sentiments are rife in the industry at the moment. I won’t encourage my daughter or if I have any more to carry on farming. It’s a good job for 5 months of the year, then you have the 7 month winter slog. Every days the same, I see my non farming mates having a great lifestyle, plenty of time off, holidays etc.

Wouldn’t be bad if the job paid for itself and improvements but anything you want to do needs borrowing from the bank.

 

[Hilly]

my Dad had a friend in the 80s 80 suckler cows 4oo ewes him son worked lived like kings new cars every year new tractors every 2 years holidays no debt etc etc etc couldn’t live like that now on double that .

 

[Tim W]

Price are so poor as we head torwards 2020. Is it there really a need to force farmers to produce food at cost are below cost . I hear lad s say in 1970 they sold 20 lambs and a could buy new be car Now u want to sell 350 . Lads in the early 80s sell a double of cattle and pay for building a house. I have 3 young S sons that are bright and I will push them away from farming so they can have a better life that the 7 day a week drudgery and hard work for pittance

I hear what you are saying and get the same comments from quite a few in the industry but i also hear of and meet many successful young people making a good go of it
If you're not happy with it then maybe getting out is a good option?

 

[lloyd]

Price are so poor as we head torwards 2020. Is it there really a need to force farmers to produce food at cost are below cost . I hear lad s say in 1970 they sold 20 lambs and a could buy new be car Now u want to sell 350 . Lads in the early 80s sell a double of cattle and pay for building a house. I have 3 young S sons that are bright and I will push them away from farming so they can have a better life that the 7 day a week drudgery and hard work for pittance

2020 will be probably one of the most
important years to influence farming
as the true intentions of this government
towards Uk food production is known.

On a brighter note sheep prices have been on fire
the last fortnight in the markets so not all bad.
Grain prices are on the rise along with OSR and
its stopped raining .

Unless one or more of your sons are completely
obsessed and connect with agriculture more than
school work I think you're wise in this day and age
not to brain wash them into hard graft type farming.
Good luck and let's hope for more dry weather.

 

[Hilly]

I hear what you are saying and get the same comments from quite a few in the industry but i also hear of and meet many successful young people making a good go of it
If you're not happy with it then maybe getting out is a good option?

Are they making a good go of it ? Are you sure they have not just taken on a heap of debt and it looks good ?

 

[ColinV6]

I hear what you are saying and get the same comments from quite a few in the industry but i also hear of and meet many successful young people making a good go of it
If you're not happy with it then maybe getting out is a good option?

How can you judge their success though? It may all look rosy but they could be in debt up to their eyeballs...

 

[Hilly]

How can you judge their success though? It may all look rosy but they could be in debt up to their eyeballs...

I can’t see how anyone regardless of age can start farming today without lots of debt unless they are given something or some money etc

 

[Zippy768]

Price are so poor as we head torwards 2020. Is it there really a need to force farmers to produce food at cost are below cost . I hear lad s say in 1970 they sold 20 lambs and a could buy new be car Now u want to sell 350 . Lads in the early 80s sell a double of cattle and pay for building a house. I have 3 young S sons that are bright and I will push them away from farming so they can have a better life that the 7 day a week drudgery and hard work for pittance

Thinking very much the same right now. Working long hours for a living that many other careers could match for much less hassle.
As been said - if rewards were better things would be very different.
Right now it just feels like "we're pissing against the wind".

It crossed my mind today that maybe, us particularly, we are trying to support to many people. Stretching and pushing to pay for everyone. Ultimately scaling it back to just a one man show would provide that one man with a pleasant lifestyle imo.

The idea of jacking in seems sad sometimes and sensible other times.?‍

 

[Tim W]

How can you judge their success though? It may all look rosy but they could be in debt up to their eyeballs...

I don't see the books but typically these guys are young, have good heads for figures and do things a little differently
I have no doubt some have taken on debt but also know that others despise debt and are doing it off hard work and careful planning


I know examples of good businesses in the arable/dairy & sheep sectors not far from me run by these kind of people (none of these people would have inherited farming setups )

I have seen the accounts for 2 sheep flocks run by these kind of positive folk and they are providing returns on investment/wages for all labour and a company profit

 

[Tim W]

I can’t see how anyone regardless of age can start farming today without lots of debt unless they are given something or some money etc

I did it with a small outlay on 300 ewes ---work for 4 years on a 2nd job whilst you build up numbers (few 100 ewes is a part time enterprise) and then take the leap ---before you know it you're a farmer!

 

[ColinV6]

Thinking very much the same right now. Working long hours for a living that many other careers could match for much less hassle.
As been said - if rewards were better things would be very different.
Right now it just feels like "we're pissing against the wind".

It crossed my mind today that maybe, us particularly, we are trying to support to many people. Stretching and pushing to pay for everyone. Ultimately scaling it back to just a one man show would provide that one man with a pleasant lifestyle imo.

The idea of jacking in seems sad sometimes and sensible other times.?‍

It’s a balancing act, between many hands, light work, and less each, or everything for yourself but there 365 days a year and too tired to enjoy anything you make.

We have 2 staff, plus Dad and myself. It works (just) but it’s easy to take for granted all the stuff that a milk cheque pays, like heating oil, council tax, electricity, towards a nice car. Also most farmers don’t have a mortgage.

However, my biggest dilemma is weather I want to be tied to an animal related job for the rest of my life. I’m 34 and currently enjoy the animal side the very least. Kind of ironic considering it’s the main source of income.

 

[lloyd]

I think the weather makes a huge difference .
We've had months of continual rain and now
short daylight hours so it can make the most
cheerful souls depressed .
Hopefully we will have an early spring and a kinder
place to work.

 

[beefandsleep]

I also think I will be the last of my family to farm here. Frankly I think my son or my daughter would be wasted here and hate to think they might come back farming because of the asset value or it being the easy way out compared to making something for themselves. If they are genuinely enthusiastic about farming and want it then that’s great but if not then I will not be losing any sleep about it ending with me.

 

[Shughie McFee]

nah, farming has been on the backfoot since time began. only 2 world wars lifted fortunes briefly. the trouble with selling up atm, is pish poor interest rates. you'll be living off your capitol.

 

[DRC]

It’s a balancing act, between many hands, light work, and less each, or everything for yourself but there 365 days a year and too tired to enjoy anything you make.

We have 2 staff, plus Dad and myself. It works (just) but it’s easy to take for granted all the stuff that a milk cheque pays, like heating oil, council tax, electricity, towards a nice car. Also most farmers don’t have a mortgage.

However, my biggest dilemma is weather I want to be tied to an animal related job for the rest of my life. I’m 34 and currently enjoy the animal side the very least. Kind of ironic considering it’s the main source of income.

There a lot of tenant farmers paying rent though, and still making a go of it. If someone owns a farm with no mortgage , and isn't making a go of it, I’d seriously wonder what they are messing at.

 

[Bald Rick]

Don’t really remember the 80s being a decade of unparalleled profit making tbh

 

[andybk]

my son is going to uni after getting his HND in electronics engineering next year , ive spent my working life thinking maybe next year it will come right it never has and i dont want him burdened with the same load , dont get me wrong farming has provided an income , but its a pittance compared to my friends 9-5 , be a good pension though