Is the “Heyday” period of contract farming coming to an end.

[L P]

So are you saying here that yes, they've been on the way out, but hang on - they look like they'll probably be on the way back in.........?!

I'm saying there's likely to be secure work out there.

 

[David.]

I heard some figures and percentages recently for a CFA, that would have me putting the lot in SFI, if I were paying them.

 

[Steevo]

SFI has made it that a landowner who has previously needed a CFA for a third party to manage their land will no longer need this.

A wheat, OSR or barley crop needs management and work throughout the cropping year, that’s where CFA comes in….FARMING!

A crop of wild bird food, or 2yr legume is more a case of plant it and forget it. No farming involved.

No farming, no need for a contract farmer.

Just a contractor with the machinery who can put the seed in the ground and come back again a year or two later when the next crop needs planting.

 

[Billboy1]

I heard some figures and percentages recently for a CFA, that would have me putting the lot in SFI, if I were paying them.

Care to share ?

 

[No wot]

There are no schemes that pay for just owning land.

Should I have said , amount of land controled not owned , may mistake

 

[nick...]

Been wondering for a while how contractors make this pay
nick…

 

[Andy26]

what’s clear now

government are not bothered about UK food production, it’s easier to meet environmental commitments if we import food and it’s cheaper for tax payer

what food is produced in the uk will be completely controlled by supermarkets and our representatives like nfu / ahdb think this is a good think as farmers can not be trusted to know what’s best for them

climate has changed making fighting against either of the above futile as eve if you beat them you will never beat mother nature

machinery purchase is unviable as price rises and interest rates vs stagnant output price make no sense

growing flowers and covercrops is lower risk, higher paid and more rewarding

i think i can see where this is all going !

Its just a different kind of farming, if the customer wants wildflowers and wildlife and carbon lock up, I'm happy to oblige.

The market signals we're being sent are don't produce so much, look at the argument going on in the Sugar Beet price threads, if not happy with market price, stop producing.

 

[Andy26]

I can’t see SFI being a long term scheme, but it’s going to upset the status quo pretty comprehensively while it’s here and goodness only knows what it will leave in its wake.

Looking at all the BNG and carbon lock in schemes these make SFI look poor, so unless the whole net zero, carbon reduction is completely abandoned then there is likely to be a ready market, unless that's outsourced and offshored too!

 

[Clive]

The Government have just shut down UK steel and now we will be reliant on imported steel for anything other than making baked bean cans in the name of net zero.

And now it seems it will be farming's turn to be shut down in favour of imported food in the name of net zero!

This country is heading to third world status

i'm not even sure its just nett zero (although thats clearly a big part of it). Fact is it's just cheaper to produce food in other countries and import it than home grow .......... the uneven playing field that trade deals, banning of product and practices plus farm assurance etc have put us on has done this

 

[Clive]

Its just a different kind of farming, if the customer wants wildflowers and wildlife and carbon lock up, I'm happy to oblige.

The market signals we're being sent are don't produce so much, look at the argument going on in the Sugar Beet price threads, if not happy with market price, stop producing.

me too - I'm actually enjoying it more already and increasingly see the food bit as a by product

 

[farmerm]

SFI has made it that a landowner who has previously needed a CFA for a third party to manage their land will no longer need this.

A wheat, OSR or barley crop needs management and work throughout the cropping year, that’s where CFA comes in….FARMING!

A crop of wild bird food, or 2yr legume is more a case of plant it and forget it. No farming involved.

No farming, no need for a contract farmer.

Just a contractor with the machinery who can put the seed in the ground and come back again a year or two later when the next crop needs planting.

er have you read the SFI handbook Steevo 2yr legume fallow is a CSS option not an SFI.... In SFI you can do it as 1, 2 or 3 year legume fallow... perhaps even longer if SFI still exists in 3 years time....

I may have been deaf but I have not heard many landowners who are going full on 100% wild bird/legume fallow, tempted though I am given this Autumn's

 

[Northern territory]

i'm not even sure its just nett zero (although thats clearly a big part of it). Fact is it's just cheaper to produce food in other countries and import it than home grow .......... the uneven playing field that trade deals, banning of product and practices plus farm assurance etc have put us on has done this

Said it for years that farm assurance is complete folly, rules and regs have made us uncompetitive

 

[colhonk]

The Government do not realise (or care ) that these schemes will put 1000`s of people on the dole, especially the cord wearing kind and all the Dealers staff ect. (could not find a SAD emojie thing)

 

[teslacoils]

This year could finish a few. Lots of undrilled acres = lots of sad contractors, landowners and agents.

 

[ajd132]

Yes I think so.
Joint ventures probably a better idea for the land worth farming, aslong as everyone can get on!
They don’t want us to grow food anymore, with all this red tractor nonsense, institutionalised thieving of farmers from both sides of the chain I am not very excited to be honest.

 

[MrNoo]

100% wild bird/legume fallow, tempted though I am given this Autumn's

Know some around here who are going 50% legume fallow and only planning on growing first wheats after. On marginal land 7t/ha stuff, it doesn't stack up growing crops with input prices and grain prices where they are, machinery too is unsustainable for the average sized farm. I have applied to put 100% into Stewardship, find out around Jan if successful.

 

[teslacoils]

Know some around here who are going 50% legume fallow and only planning on growing first wheats after. On marginal land 7t/ha stuff, it doesn't stack up growing crops with input prices and grain prices where they are, machinery too is unsustainable for the average sized farm. I have applied to put 100% into Stewardship, find out around Jan if successful.

I'm going 66 percent 3yr legume fallow.

It pays better than my existing three year grass leys.

 

[farmerfred86]

A number of ageing farmer neighbours will be looking for contractors in a few years... Currently dont think there will be many interested parties. But if sold, the land values will still be high (unless IHT changes devalue land).
Current landowners are going to struggle at reducing their prior charges. Which will slowly run things into the ground.

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

Should I have said , amount of land controled not owned , may mistake

You still have to do something to get a payment these days, but yes, there is always going to be a reward or return on capital for the landowner.

 

[David.]

Care to share ?

I can't.
But the loss of the BPS tips the balance away from landowner.