Herdsman pay

dave mountain

Member
Livestock Farmer
The ag industry at large needs to dig it's heels in and start saying: 'the price has to go up or we won't produce it any more'. It's that simple but too many people out there are farming for the hell of it or to avoid inheritance tax. How many woodchip operations would you estimate are being run solely because the owner likes it or because it is a way of negating any inheritance tax liability?
i would love to agree, but its a global market, and our government is quite happy to throw us under the bus and allow whatever imports are required to ensure food prices can continue to be artificially low.
 
Location
East Mids
Sorry @Princess Pooper but i think you actually prove my point, you (through circumstances) had to change direction to get advancement or else you may well have spent years tied to a cow's tail before spending the rest of your working life in the same managerial position.

The truth is that in relation to the number of entry level positions in farming there are very few supervisory or managerial positions for the simple reason that nearly every farmer "manages" their farm themselves. Most of the time they won't even stand aside for their own heirs!
And how many management positions are there in other industries!!!!?? If you are filling shelves or on the tills at Tesco at the age of 18 what are the chances of becoming a manager?

The point that I was making was that within the sector there are loads of opportunities to move up a pay scale and to different hours etc. I deliberately took the one year improver post. The reason I then went to the management trainee post was to be with a current boyfriend. The only reason I left it was for health reasons, which make it difficult for me to work in practical agriculture (my circulation is so bad in winter I am at risk of gangrene).

That was on an 800 acre non-dairy farm. I could have stayed and become manager and from there moved to another larger farm or estate if I had wanted to - which is what the other family member has done, working from GFW to specialist sprayer operator to assistant manager (1 of 2) to manager and then to another business to manage the agricultural enterprises across 3 farms.

But without those early years of practical agricultural work I couldn't have done the jobs I went on to.
 
Last edited:

dave mountain

Member
Livestock Farmer
I'm not convinced imports are always the threat so often voiced on here.
it really depends on the product and the prevailing global market. obviously not much threat to lamb at the moment for example. but if we just stopped producing as much of certain items, it would just increase imports rather than markedly increasing the price.
 

Keep On

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
SW
Sorry @Princess Pooper but i think you actually prove my point, you (through circumstances) had to change direction to get advancement or else you may well have spent years tied to a cow's tail before spending the rest of your working life in the same managerial position.

The truth is that in relation to the number of entry level positions in farming there are very few supervisory or managerial positions for the simple reason that nearly every farmer "manages" their farm themselves. Most of the time they won't even stand aside for their own heirs!
What a misery. If you’ve not got anything productive or positive to say do everyone dairying here a favour and take your energy elsewhere.
 

Scholsey

Member
Location
Herefordshire
Sorry @Princess Pooper but i think you actually prove my point, you (through circumstances) had to change direction to get advancement or else you may well have spent years tied to a cow's tail before spending the rest of your working life in the same managerial position.

The truth is that in relation to the number of entry level positions in farming there are very few supervisory or managerial positions for the simple reason that nearly every farmer "manages" their farm themselves. Most of the time they won't even stand aside for their own heirs!

You seem to have such a chip on your shoulder about farming, the dairy industry in particular yet you spend a great deal of time on a farming forum?
 

Dead Rabbits

Member
Location
'Merica
Trouble with farming as a career is that there's no real chance of job progression.

For instance, the OP is on (IMHO) shyte wages for his skills and the hours he puts in. He could change job and get better pay for looking after cows, but whatever he does and wherever he goes, if he stays in farming, he'll still be doing the same thing in 25 years.

What 18 year old wants to start a career knowing that whatever she/he is doing at 22, they'll still be doing at 52?
Farm size is increasing and will continue to do so with more larger farms producing the majority of the output. The trend in the Uk may be different due to geographic restrictions but that kind of environment will only drive the demand for farm managers. If that’s ones ambition rather than an owner operator. There just won’t be the steady supply of farmers kids to fill these positions that there used to be and they will come from non farming backgrounds. When has there ever been a surplus of competent capable managers in any industry?


Being a commodity producer will never be an easy endeavor with the constant removal of margin from the farm gate and increasing margins of the fewer and fewer but larger processors and retailers. Often operating in clear violation of fair market laws. This is a clear and very large issue that so far is supported by most governments as it has resulted in a lower price on average for citizens. It also allows more and more control of production thus decreasing unpredictable market movements.

Whatever your view is on this it does not mean fewer opportunities in agriculture but maybe different opportunities than have been available in the past. You could for instance be a food producer and sell direct or be someone that offers a service or variety of specialized services to farmers or landowners. As land prices are no longer tied to production capacity of that land there will continue to be more absentee, non farming landowners. I view all of this as highly detrimental to rural areas and democracy in general but that’s the world we live in, find your place if you want to be on the land somewhere.
 

Dead Rabbits

Member
Location
'Merica
The ag industry at large needs to dig it's heels in and start saying: 'the price has to go up or we won't produce it any more'. It's that simple but too many people out there are farming for the hell of it or to avoid inheritance tax. How many woodchip operations would you estimate are being run solely because the owner likes it or because it is a way of negating any inheritance tax liability?
Most of us produce a nameless, faceless, globally traded commodity to a set minimum standard. It seems to me this leads to a great sucking sound as all the money and brains leave rural areas. It’s been the trend for a very long time and is supported by our governments either creating laws, ignoring laws or tossing some scraps to the squealing peasants every year to shut them up.
 

Bipper

Member
Anyone saying it is better pay and conditions in Mcdonslds/Tesco had clearly never worked there from the bottom rung. It’s mind numbing and soulless. Farming has a lot going for it. I don’t remember Tesco staff being provided with housing either!

the trust is it is almost impossible to judge the going rate off a job without knowing the full situation, there is a huge range in roles, skills and responsibilities. As mentioned too, if the OP is happy then better to try and improve the money side but by bit then to storm off to anther job purely for money.

Im assuming there is a good reason for not living closer than 1hr away so that will also have an impact.
 
Last edited:

kiwi pom

Member
Location
canterbury NZ
I don't think I would find anybody to sweep the yard or any other simple job you care to think of for that money.
Lot of lads on farms in your area for similar to that, some are even self employed at that rate.
Of course many are struggling to find good help too but mention its because of the rates they just say they won't/can't pay more.
I know a place not far from you that has lads in with their own tractors and parks their own because they can't find people to drive them at the rate they offer.
12/13 quid isn't good but if you get plenty of guaranteed hours its not that bad compared to these 37 hour week or zero hours contract jobs.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 79 42.9%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 63 34.2%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.3%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 6 3.3%

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

  • 1,287
  • 1
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/
Top