Is it time to acknowledge the difference.....?

[Hindsight]

I think what @Jackov Altraids was getting at was that it would be up to the individual business to decide whether they were Category A or Category B for regulatory purposes. So you could farm 10000 acres but decide to run under the 'family' set of rules, and you could farm 200 and decide the 'agri-business' set of rules suited your business better. It would be a personal choice, not something imposed on you. The trick to getting it right (from a legislators point of view) would be to give large businesses an incentive to go for the higher regulation option, while making the lower regulation option less advantageous in other ways, so mainly the smaller ones would take that option.

I think the problem arises with enforcement. When a tractor and trailer are driving down the road, how does PC Plod know what set of rules applies to it? 'Family' rules or 'Agri-business' rules?

So, I am driving my car down a rural lane in South Lincolnshire and have an accident with a tractor and trailer. The Police arrive as it is a serious accident. And the tractor and trailer driver is at fault. But as he is a 'Family' farm that is OK.

You boys are living in cloud cuckoo land some days. But it does make for entertaining reading while I have a coffee and sandwich.

 

[delilah]

while I have a coffee and sandwich.

Agribusiness; coffee.
Family farmer; tea.
Simples.

 

[Hindsight]

Agribusiness; coffee.
Family farmer; tea.
Simples.

Earl Grey Agribusiness - Yorkshire Tea Family farm

 

[icanshootwell]

Clive,s quiet.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Sounds abit mental to me.

Agreed
As for Size ,I would not have a clue where I site and don't give a blind monkeys , load of tosh imo

 

[ajd132]

So, I am driving my car down a rural lane in South Lincolnshire and have an accident with a tractor and trailer. The Police arrive as it is a serious accident. And the tractor and trailer driver is at fault. But as he is a 'Family' farm that is OK.

You boys are living in cloud cuckoo land some days. But it does make for entertaining reading while I have a coffee and sandwich.

Don’t worry it’s a family farm and they have never made any money (despite all the inheritance and subs) so they are exempt from responsibility.

 

[7610 super q]

As per usual with these threads.....a nasty outbreak of pooh-poohing.........
I don't suggest anything can, or should be done about it, but the fact remains small family farms in the UK are disappearing rapidly.
I look at Swiss farms on Youtube, small, immaculate and seemingly properous.
Same as Amish farms, average size 70-80 acres, immaculate, and seemingly prosperous.

What's the deal there then ?

 

[GeorgeK]

So, I am driving my car down a rural lane in South Lincolnshire and have an accident with a tractor and trailer. The Police arrive as it is a serious accident. And the tractor and trailer driver is at fault. But as he is a 'Family' farm that is OK.

You boys are living in cloud cuckoo land some days. But it does make for entertaining reading while I have a coffee and sandwich.

You wouldn't be involved in a crash with a small farmer because despite no brakes, no lights and can of Scrumpy in hand they will be pottering along at little more than walking pace and have the years of experience required to safely bring the rig to a controlled stop using the nearest hedge or ditch.

 

[7610 super q]

You wouldn't be involved in a crash with a small farmer because despite no brakes, no lights and can of Scrumpy in hand they will be pottering along at little more than walking pace and have the years of experience required to safely bring the rig to a controlled stop using the nearest hedge or ditch.

Probably wouldn't be involved in farming tarmac either....... ( whistling face smilie emoji type thing )

 

[hendrebc]

Agribusiness = ltd company?
I agree in principle with the idea but how you define either of them I have no idea.

 

[Steevo]

Don’t worry it’s a family farm and they have never made any money (despite all the inheritance and subs) so they are exempt from responsibility.

I think that comment says more about you than them.

 

[ajd132]

As per usual with these threads.....a nasty outbreak of pooh-poohing.........
I don't suggest anything can, or should be done about it, but the fact remains small family farms in the UK are disappearing rapidly.
I look at Swiss farms on Youtube, small, immaculate and seemingly properous.
Same as Amish farms, average size 70-80 acres, immaculate, and seemingly prosperous.

What's the deal there then ?

Swiss farms massive subsidy and they all work other jobs. Not sure about Amish but it isn’t just farming they do and it’s a whole church based community, I’m sure they share everything.

 

[milkloss]

Field size and their respective boundary type could be a measure of a farm forced to be ‘less efficient’ as well as other features such as moorland. Electrified paddock grazers could be given the option of permanently hedging their paddocks to meet the criteria. Arable could do the same.
When you’re farming fields averaging 10acres you’re never going to match the performance of the more open farms

 

[icanshootwell]

Don’t worry it’s a family farm and they have never made any money (despite all the inheritance and subs) so they are exempt from responsibility.

Sounds like you been dealt a band hand in the past!!

 

[Spud]

I think what @Jackov Altraids was getting at was that it would be up to the individual business to decide whether they were Category A or Category B for regulatory purposes. So you could farm 10000 acres but decide to run under the 'family' set of rules, and you could farm 200 and decide the 'agri-business' set of rules suited your business better. It would be a personal choice, not something imposed on you. The trick to getting it right (from a legislators point of view) would be to give large businesses an incentive to go for the higher regulation option, while making the lower regulation option less advantageous in other ways, so mainly the smaller ones would take that option.

I think the problem arises with enforcement. When a tractor and trailer are driving down the road, how does PC Plod know what set of rules applies to it? 'Family' rules or 'Agri-business' rules?

Why though? How/who will benefit? Have we not got enough rules as it is?

Big weights and big speeds belong on trucks, not tractors.

Will Billy Agribusinesss park the combine up because his cart drivers hours are up? no. Pointless rules for the sake of it.

 

[icanshootwell]

As per usual with these threads.....a nasty outbreak of pooh-poohing.........
I don't suggest anything can, or should be done about it, but the fact remains small family farms in the UK are disappearing rapidly.
I look at Swiss farms on Youtube, small, immaculate and seemingly properous.
Same as Amish farms, average size 70-80 acres, immaculate, and seemingly prosperous.

What's the deal there then ?

They all work for free.

 

[Jackov Altraids]

I think what @Jackov Altraids was getting at was that it would be up to the individual business to decide whether they were Category A or Category B for regulatory purposes. So you could farm 10000 acres but decide to run under the 'family' set of rules, and you could farm 200 and decide the 'agri-business' set of rules suited your business better. It would be a personal choice, not something imposed on you. The trick to getting it right (from a legislators point of view) would be to give large businesses an incentive to go for the higher regulation option, while making the lower regulation option less advantageous in other ways, so mainly the smaller ones would take that option.

I think the problem arises with enforcement. When a tractor and trailer are driving down the road, how does PC Plod know what set of rules applies to it? 'Family' rules or 'Agri-business' rules?

Thank you. That is a perfect summary.

 

[ajd132]

Sounds like you been dealt a band hand in the past!!

I’ve been dealt a very good hand thanks to my parents.

 

[Jackov Altraids]

How does this work. Most ‘big’ farmers are farming lots of small family farms for lots of people.
Does the 13000 acre estate down the road owned by one family class as a family farm or agribusiness?
This whole thread just reeks of jealousy.

I do not know why you think this reeks of jealousy but given the apparent animosity between those who identify as the different groups I should probably make it clear;

Category a is not better or worse than category b
I do not propose taking from one category to give to the other.

Both categories are vital to each other.
Both categories are vital to the local communities but in slightly different ways.

The idea is that taxes, benefits, rules etc. are tweaked between the categories in a way that everyone benefits.

 

[Bald n Grumpy]

Not read much of this thread yet but we have virtually no voice as an industry now, will be even less if we become divided and be played off against each other