Sheep sector at huge risk from ‘hard Brexit’ stance taken by PM

[gone up the hill]

Not talking the sheep trade down at all, just facing reality. A devalued pound is saving us now (but not as much as it should be), but I fear what will happen when exports to our biggest customer base is restricted/has tariffs imposed, as 'leaving the common market' will entail. Our great leader has now said is where we're going, not that it was hard to foresee if immigration is to be restricted/controlled.

You are living in fantasy land if you really think that HMG will somehow protect our industry from the fallout for that, when 2% of the electorate are involved in agriculture, and 98% want cheaper food and see foreign holidays as an essential.
We are a service economy, and have been increasingly for decades. Most of the other industries that actually 'produce' something, have already been thrown to the wolves, long before Brexit was ever on the cards. The car industry only survives because it has, up to now, given Toyota, Honda, etc tariff free access to the EU market.

You often post complaining that lambs need to be £100. Do you honestly think that's going to happen after the events to come in two years? I'd love to be convinced by your reasoning on that.

You have NO idea what shape or form trade tariffs will or will not take post brexit yet you are already taking the sheep trade down for no reason..

Lambs may be £100 post brexit or may be £50, no one at this time knows, your energy would be better spent on lobbying against trade tariffs into EU country's rather than shooting yourself in the foot and talking the sheep price into the gutter.

 

[Only]

You have NO idea what shape or form trade tariffs will or will not take post brexit yet you are already taking the sheep trade down for no reason..

Lambs may be £100 post brexit or may be £50, no one at this time knows, your energy would be better spent on lobbying against trade tariffs into EU country's rather than shooting yourself in the foot and talking the sheep price into the gutter.

Steady on we all hate uncertainty and we are all entitled to our opinions

 

[gone up the hill]

Steady on we all hate uncertainty and we are all entitled to our opinions

Two things are for sure, one is negativity breeds negativity and two nothing will be certain for the next 18 months so until the facts are known about trade post brexit then there is not much you can do about it and no point worrying about it.

When the facts are known is the time to then sit down and plan what to do.

 

[neilo]

Two things are for sure, one is negativity breeds negativity and two nothing will be certain for the next 18 months so until the facts are known about trade post brexit then there is not much you can do about it and no point worrying about it.

When the facts are known is the time to then sit down and plan what to do.

So in a discussion thread on the implications of a 'hard Brexit' on the sheep sector, we shouldn't discuss the implications or our thoughts and opinions on it? Or does that only apply to those of us that might think that the effect of the June opinion poll might actually not have a positive impact on a sector whose main customer is our nearest neighbour across the channel?

 

[Only]

Two things are for sure, one is negativity breeds negativity and two nothing will be certain for the next 18 months so until the facts are known about trade post brexit then there is not much you can do about it and no point worrying about it.

When the facts are known is the time to then sit down and plan what to do.

Maybe but some people will and are already looking extremely hard at moving from sheep into other sectors
In life there r people who make things happen
There r people who watch things happen
And there are people who wonder what the hell has happened

 

[new/man]

You must remember that NZ sold all their surplus.....about 90% of production..... to the UK before we joined the EEC. Then we had to dump them.


This Country is 60% self sufficient for food, so why should we worry about selling our produce ?

The pound is weaker post the Brexit vote which helps.

If sheep don't pay post Brexit then change. Be more efficient, cut out some of the middle men, collaborate with your neighbours, change to a cheaper system.

NZ farmers became more business minded post their subsidy removal and their agriculture industry has rallied since.

Is your glass half full or half empty !

You sir, are an idiot

 

[easyram1]

For the last 10 years Global Ovine has continually given me and many others in the UK the same advice which is that we should only worry about things over which we have control ie things that happen within our own farm gate. So blaming the NFU NSA or HMG or demanding that they do this or that will not make any difference to our individual sheep businesses over the next 5 or 10 years.
The reality is that Agriculture is not a big part of the UK economy and Sheep are not a big part of Agriculture so we should not expect too many favours from anyone
So I am surprised that no one is discussing what changes they are planning to improve the management and reduce the costs of their individual sheep businesses because that is something that we can do and which will at least make the best of where we all end up in the coming years. By having some carefully thought through plans you also will have the feeling that you are in charge of at least part of your future rather than obsessing over every news bulletin for the next 2 years or longer

 

[new/man]

Aye there will be no subs if the people representing farmers give up the fight before its even begun like your attitude seems to be.....

You are doing NO ONE a favour by your attitude Neilo..

Speaking the truth though

 

[Only]

For the last 10 years Global Ovine has continually given me and many others in the UK the same advice which is that we should only worry about things over which we have control ie things that happen within our own farm gate. So blaming the NFU NSA or HMG or demanding that they do this or that will not make any difference to our individual sheep businesses over the next 5 or 10 years.
The reality is that Agriculture is not a big part of the UK economy and Sheep are not a big part of Agriculture so we should not expect too many favours from anyone
So I am surprised that no one is discussing what changes they are planning to improve the management and reduce the costs of their individual sheep businesses because that is something that we can do and which will at least make the best of where we all end up in the coming years. By having some carefully thought through plans you also will have the feeling that you are in charge of at least part of your future rather than obsessing over every news bulletin for the next 2 years or longer

Excellent point

 

[firther]

Sadly we aren't selling our lamb to those wanting to sell us BMWs...


We are dealing with the French who upto now have HAD to take a lot of our lamb. A fact they've been unhappy with for a while.

no but French cars are some of the biggest sellers in uk, along with there wine etc. they'd lose more than us. Instead of talking us selves into a recession, lets start talking about the plus points of Britain

 

[Kevtherev]

@neilo I hope you are entirely accountable for your scaremongering doom and gloom etc.
I suggest you sit on the naughty step today.

 

[Kevtherev]

 

[Only]

Sadly we aren't selling our lamb to those wanting to sell us BMWs...


We are dealing with the French who upto now have HAD to take a lot of our lamb. A fact they've been unhappy with for a while.

Actually we are selling a lot of lamb to Germany now
The French market has being getting more difficult over recent times.
Spain are suppling a lot of lamb to France now but it does remain a huge market for UK lambs

 

[Only]

View attachment 458208

Great illustration of how much they need us

 

[Kevtherev]

 

[neilo]

Great illustration of how much they need us

And how we, as a nation, have exported our car industry, our shoe industry and our soft fruit industry perhaps?

 

[neilo]

For the last 10 years Global Ovine has continually given me and many others in the UK the same advice which is that we should only worry about things over which we have control ie things that happen within our own farm gate. So blaming the NFU NSA or HMG or demanding that they do this or that will not make any difference to our individual sheep businesses over the next 5 or 10 years.
The reality is that Agriculture is not a big part of the UK economy and Sheep are not a big part of Agriculture so we should not expect too many favours from anyone
So I am surprised that no one is discussing what changes they are planning to improve the management and reduce the costs of their individual sheep businesses because that is something that we can do and which will at least make the best of where we all end up in the coming years. By having some carefully thought through plans you also will have the feeling that you are in charge of at least part of your future rather than obsessing over every news bulletin for the next 2 years or longer

To be fair, I think there are probably plenty of other threads regularly on here, where lower input/more resilient systems of sheep production are discussed, often at extreme length.

 

[banjo]

St assaf sheep sale prices through the roof £2.20 kilo lambs high averages, be positive and look forward to the challenge ahead.
Maybe more tup lambs for the other religions in other country's, plenty to go at as our stuff is the best in my opinion.
Onwards and upwards

 

[Hilly]

Will upland store lamb production be able to compete with forestry?

No, hasnt been able to since the war thats why there are so many trees.

 

[Hilly]

You sir, are an idiot

Personally i think his post was very sensible, why do you call the chap an idiot whats he said thats so wrong iyo ?