The best farmers are not farming as we know it

[Humble Village Farmer]

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

Uk ag is capable of being alot more productive.

A large area of farmland in this country is in non food use, usually paying better than food crops.

Slowly but surely food is imported because trading conditions in the UK are close to prohibitive.

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

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.

Although if there were better economic prospects, I doubt we would grow so much feed barley for export.

 

[yoki]

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.

Ironically the cavendish banana, which accounts for almost all bananas traded around the globe, was bred in the UK in the 1800's.

 

[Poorbuthappy]

I would suggest land costs are the biggest barrier to profit in the UK.
But farmers also have a habit of making production systems dearer as product gets dearer. This is in part because of the land costs.

 

[ollie989898]

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!!!

What you are writing is intrinsically correct but in reality here there is such a huge range of production costs between businesses in the UK that it is hard to actually put down a figure on paper as to what is an acceptable price for the product at the farm gate. This has plagued parts of the livestock industry for years.

 

[ollie989898]

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

There are businesses making serious money out of UK agriculture. There are farmers making big money out of the game, too. Some of them are very very good at the job and live a lifestyle way in excess of what the average UK punter has. They often have to work themselves and their family/staff very hard but that's the same in any kind of business.

The feeding the world thing is and always will be BS and I've tried to deter anyone here or anyone else thinking that they have some kind of duty to anyone but their own family.

 

[ollie989898]

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

I agree. I don't think that subsidy money has actually helped the industry long term. It certainly has led to resistant blackgrass, the environment being fudged (in places, not everywhere) and farmers exposing themselves to a lot more financial risk all the while lining the pockets of huge multinational companies. At times, it also led to massive surpluses of product that cost the European tax payer insane amounts of money.

 

[Hilly]

I agree. I don't think that subsidy money has actually helped the industry long term. It certainly has led to resistant blackgrass, the environment being fudged (in places, not everywhere) and farmers exposing themselves to a lot more financial risk all the while lining the pockets of huge multinational companies. At times, it also led to massive surpluses of product that cost the European tax payer insane amounts of money.

Yes , when inwas a kid my dad used to waych this farming program it was very serious …. All i remember is every week farmer s bleating for more subsidy all the time … even as kid i thought this can not be right …….. it has shaped the industry to what it is .

 

[ajd132]

Yes , when inwas a kid my dad used to waych this farming program it was very serious …. All i remember is every week farmer s bleating for more subsidy all the time … even as kid i thought this can not be right …….. it has shaped the industry to what it is .

There is a lot of farmers/land owners who live seriously beyond their means. There is certainly many who grew up in the 70’s and 80’s when farming made a lot of money that think now they can still live the lifestyle they grew accustomed to. 400 acre farms with 4000 acre lifestyles.

 

[Vader]

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

No sidelines here. Pure farming.

 

[PSQ]

The best farmers are not farming as we know it​

Define 'best farmers'?

The local 'Crop and Grassland' competition is run by a guiding motto: "It's not what you have, it's what you do with what you have".
Core farming activity has to stand on it's own, subsidising a farming loss with sideline is neither good farming or good business.
In that case you'd be better ceasing production and letting the land / subletting the loss making enterprise, and concentrating your resources on chasing profit.
In which case:

The best businessmen are not farming​

And if you're not making money, stop producing food at a loss. It's not our job to "feed the world" oversupply a market that doesn't care if you live or die. All that does is kick the legs out from under every other farmer.

But to be honest it's all going to change in about 10 years when the climate swings into prolonged drought in Oz.
European farmers will have to expand production as shortages appear and prices rocket, and certain posters will have a lot more time on their hands, but they won't be quite as cocky.

 

[Huno]

Define 'best farmers'?

The local 'Crop and Grassland' competition is run by a guiding motto: "It's not what you have, it's what you do with what you have".
Core farming activity has to stand on it's own, subsidising a farming loss with sideline is neither good farming or good business.
In that case you'd be better ceasing production and letting the land / subletting the loss making enterprise, and concentrating your resources on chasing profit.
In which case:



And if you're not making money, stop producing food at a loss. It's not our job to "feed the world" oversupply a market that doesn't care if you live or die. All that does is kick the legs out from under every other farmer.

But to be honest it's all going to change in about 10 years when the climate swings into prolonged drought in Oz.
European farmers will have to expand production as shortages appear and prices rocket, and certain posters will have a lot more time on their hands, but they won't be quite as cocky.

Love it " The best businessmen are not farming" correct.. we may want to farm but we are not a charity sector for our woke public.. They will wake up one day or not... PROUD not to farm at a loss...

 

[lloyd]

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

Is that why Australian sheep are virtually worthless?An inferior product imo that few want to pay
up for.

 

[lloyd]

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

Not keen on making SERIOUS money.

Have you not seen how long their droughts last?
A two year drought creates a lot of spare time.
if you look at their average wheat production it is pitifully poor
considering the scale of area involved.

 

[Bald n Grumpy]

Is that why Australian sheep are virtually worthless?An inferior product that few want to pay
up for.

Read an article that an Australian farmer was digging a pit to bury 3000 as nobody wants them and he can't keep them, Watching YouTube it seems lamb trade is on it's backside in New Zealand but here in Britain sheep trades flying. So subsidies or not what goes round comes round and at the moment it's our turn

 

[lloyd]

Read an article that an Australian farmer was digging a pit to bury 3000 as nobody wants them and he can't keep them, Watching YouTube it seems lamb trade is on it's backside in New Zealand but here in Britain sheep trades flying. So subsidies or not what goes round comes round and at the moment it's our turn

Not good but as we would not be allowed to do that in the UK it just
highlights another difference.
It's interesting the comments coming from NZ regarding UK lamb prices
as not long ago there was a lot of self congratulation regarding their own marketing
and how we could learn from them.

 

[robs1]

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

If you own ground or pay a sensible rent, don't have lots of £200,000 tractors, drills, sprayers and an even more expensive combine, not forgetting the range rover of course , do the work yourself and spend to the grounds potential not to a hoped for five tonnes and acre then you can make money.
The other enterprises can be used to pay for the previous items and a nice lifestyle if you choose to.

 

[Hilly]

Love it " The best businessmen are not farming" correct.. we may want to farm but we are not a charity sector for our woke public.. They will wake up one day or not... PROUD not to farm at a loss...

I had a retired stock broker here one day and i was asking alot of questions about his old job in the city , he was very much your typical bowler hat stock broker …… at one point he looked over my hill with yows n cows and said “ you know dear chap when i was a young man if i had known this lifestlye you have farming away hee in the hills was available i would have traded my grossly over paid job in and the millions that i could earn to live your life ! “ i felt quite sad for him , he has made millions but spent far to mich of his life doing work he didnt enjoy and now in mod 80s was regretting it ….

 

[toquark]

I had a retired stock broker here one day and i was asking alot of questions about his old job in the city , he was very much your typical bowler hat stock broker …… at one point he looked over my hill with yows n cows and said “ you know dear chap when i was a young man if i had known this lifestlye you have farming away hee in the hills was available i would have traded my grossly over paid job in and the millions that i could earn to live your life ! “ i felt quite sad for him , he has made millions but spent far to mich of his life doing work he didnt enjoy and now in mod 80s was regretting it ….

The Mexican fisherman paradox

The Story of the Mexican Fisherman

photo credit: click here This is the story that started the “be more with less” movement for me. While I knew all work and no play wasn’t the way, I thought I would forever be stuck in the cycle of working to live. I thought I would always have a car payment, credit card debt and […]

bemorewithless.com

 

[Hilly]

The Mexican fisherman paradox

The Story of the Mexican Fisherman

photo credit: click here This is the story that started the “be more with less” movement for me. While I knew all work and no play wasn’t the way, I thought I would forever be stuck in the cycle of working to live. I thought I would always have a car payment, credit card debt and […]

bemorewithless.com

Exactly .