The best farmers are not farming as we know it

[willy]

I think we all know that if we want to make money I mean a sensible amount farming is no longer the way, farming is becoming a sideline paid for by the other enterprises. One day people may wake up and smell the coffee but untill then farmers(anything but) will have to rely on other things to pay for their hoby that helps feed the world. Sad but true

 

[Kidds]

It has been this way for some time, loss of subs brought the pigeons home to roost for a lot of folk.

 

[deleted user 837354]

Nothing new there. It has been this way for years. The subsidy money going will just focus the minds of people who have for too long messed about whilst other people quietly put their businesses in order or diversified.

 

[Canada Farmer]

I think we all know that if we want to make money I mean a sensible amount farming is no longer the way, farming is becoming a sideline paid for by the other enterprises. One day people may wake up and smell the coffee but untill then farmers(anything but) will have to rely on other things to pay for their hoby that helps feed the world. Sad but true

The real question that needs to be asked, if farmers have to rely on external income from off farm or government support, then there is,something seriously wrong with the price being paid to producers.
If producers are selling at , near or below cost, then they in effect a subsiding manufacturer's, processers, wholesalers, retailers and ultimately customers.
Maybe farmers should be demanding their Range Rover dealer and John Deere dealer sell new machinery at below cost!!!

 

[Farmer Roy]

I think we all know that if we want to make money I mean a sensible amount farming is no longer the way, farming is becoming a sideline paid for by the other enterprises. One day people may wake up and smell the coffee but untill then farmers(anything but) will have to rely on other things to pay for their hoby that helps feed the world. Sad but true

maybe in the UK ?

SERIOUS money to be made from agriculture elsewhere in the world, why do you think there are massive private / family & corporate farms out there ?

 

[Farmer Roy]

I think we all know that if we want to make money I mean a sensible amount farming is no longer the way, farming is becoming a sideline paid for by the other enterprises. One day people may wake up and smell the coffee but untill then farmers(anything but) will have to rely on other things to pay for their hoby that helps feed the world. Sad but true

do UK “hobby” ( your words, NOT mine ) farmers actually “feed the world” ?

considering the UK itself is dependent on imports for a large proportion of its consumption ?

sorry, but I think “feeding the world” is mostly done by North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Australasia ( including NZ ), China & India . . . Even with the various challenges of extreme weather, climates, logistics or politics . . .

again, sorry - but you lot aren’t “feeding the world”, so don’t kid yourselves that you are


the countries that actually ARE feeding the world, agriculture is BIG business

that is the difference

sorry

 

[alomy75]

do UK “hobby” ( your words, NOT mine ) farmers actually “feed the world” ?

considering the UK itself is dependent on imports for a large proportion of its consumption ?

sorry, but I think “feeding the world” is mostly done by North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Australasia ( including NZ ), China & India . . . Even with the various challenges of extreme weather, climates, logistics or politics . . .

again, sorry - but you lot aren’t “feeding the world”, so don’t kid yourselves that you are


the countries that actually ARE feeding the world, agriculture is BIG business

that is the difference

sorry

He said ‘helps’ feed the world actually. A smallholder that grows one lorry load of wheat a year that ends up going on a boat ‘helps’ feed the world technically speaking.

Also; if we are such an insignificance why are you here on TFF?

 

[Banana Bar]

do UK “hobby” ( your words, NOT mine ) farmers actually “feed the world” ?

considering the UK itself is dependent on imports for a large proportion of its consumption ?

sorry, but I think “feeding the world” is mostly done by North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Australasia ( including NZ ), China & India . . . Even with the various challenges of extreme weather, climates, logistics or politics . . .

again, sorry - but you lot aren’t “feeding the world”, so don’t kid yourselves that you are


the countries that actually ARE feeding the world, agriculture is BIG business

that is the difference

sorry

I agree.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

"considering the UK itself is dependent on imports for a large proportion of its consumption "



Just correcting this^

We are not back garden farmers by a long way


The UK is around 91% self-sufficient in dairy production and 86% self-sufficient in beef production5. When it comes to lamb, we are 109% self-sufficient

The UK is largely self-sufficient in production of grains, producing over 100% of domestic consumption of oats and barley and over 90% of wheat
Uk Gov

If you have yoir bragging hats on do a caculation on food produced per square mile
Australia us 32 times bigger than the uk with less that half the population

 

[jackrussell101]

do UK “hobby” ( your words, NOT mine ) farmers actually “feed the world” ?

considering the UK itself is dependent on imports for a large proportion of its consumption ?

sorry, but I think “feeding the world” is mostly done by North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Australasia ( including NZ ), China & India . . . Even with the various challenges of extreme weather, climates, logistics or politics . . .

again, sorry - but you lot aren’t “feeding the world”, so don’t kid yourselves that you are


the countries that actually ARE feeding the world, agriculture is BIG business

that is the difference

sorry

What an utter load of rubbish 🗑 it's the supermarkets surely that feed the world, not a few tin pot countries that you mention

 

[Chae1]

maybe in the UK ?

SERIOUS money to be made from agriculture elsewhere in the world, why do you think there are massive private / family & corporate farms out there ?

Why did you go to cut grass for the council then?

Not keen on making SERIOUS money.

 

[toquark]

I do wish those that farm abroad would refrain from denigrating the UK industry on here whilst simultaneously blowing about how great things are wherever they are. If things are that great elsewhere why do they feel the need to come onto a UK farming forum and boast/look down upon our sector?

It’s not remotely helpful, plus, no one likes a braggart.

 

[Chae1]

I do wish those that farm abroad would refrain from denigrating the UK industry on here whilst simultaneously blowing about how great things are wherever they are. If things are that great elsewhere why do they feel the need to come onto a UK farming forum and boast/look down upon our sector?

It’s not remotely helpful, plus, no one likes a braggart.

There forums obviously aren't as good as there agricultural industry.

Do you go on many kiwi/Aussie agforums and provide advice/condescending comments.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

*their

 

[Hilly]

Subsidy has sculpted things , things will change as it changes …

 

[Kiwi Pete]

I think we all know that if we want to make money I mean a sensible amount farming is no longer the way, farming is becoming a sideline paid for by the other enterprises. One day people may wake up and smell the coffee but untill then farmers(anything but) will have to rely on other things to pay for their hoby that helps feed the world. Sad but true

Kind of agree with that, most of our neighbouring farmers simply seem to be hanging in there and waiting for retirement.

Ditto the previous owners of this place, practically gave it away at the end
(usual jive - rising input costs, tough seasons)

There is success to be enjoyed but unconventional practices seem to be (ever more strikingly) the pathway to realising that success.

Minimising debt risk and loss as opposed to increasing production - I mean that's always been the better option, but doing whatever however was more affordable

 

[Hilly]

I do wish those that farm abroad would refrain from denigrating the UK industry on here whilst simultaneously blowing about how great things are wherever they are. If things are that great elsewhere why do they feel the need to come onto a UK farming forum and boast/look down upon our sector?

It’s not remotely helpful, plus, no one likes a braggart.

Here here !

 

[ollie82]

I agree that in UK farming is not a 'Big' business in gdp terms and in terms.of production N.America, Russia and many others dwarf us, although in some areas we are nearly or more than self sufficient. Issue with price is that the UK is willing, to simply import at cheaper prices. Now I don't like this or think it is a good long term idea but I don't know how many politicians think that or whether the public see food security as a big issue.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

You know , there is something kinda nice about being small ,
As i strugle with my 1 acre of Weald Clay , my mate who farms a lot of it says its evil stuff

 

[snarling bee]

Whichever part of the world you are in there will be big farms and small farms, and farms making good money and those that aren't. Considering our population and the size of our country we do bl00dy well to be 65% self sufficient. We will never be able to grow some of the food we eat as we do not have enough heat units.