This won't look good either.

[Greythundercloudys]

I see farmer in Ireland are planning some kind of convoy with tractors, if this makes the papers or media it won't look good with most tractors valued 50 grand + for biggish newer ones, nearly as bad as the 150 grand tups, the general public with think if you can afford those tractors why all the moaning about prices.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Maybe they’ll all turn up in fordson majors with straw hats on and holy wellies

 

[Goweresque]

I see farmer in Ireland are planning some kind of convoy with tractors, if this makes the papers or media it won't look good with most tractors valued 50 grand + for biggish newer ones, nearly as bad as the 150 grand tups, the general public with think if you can afford those tractors why all the moaning about prices.

You're making the assumption that Joe Public has a clue what a tractor costs, which he doesn't. Not only that, but also a large % of big expensive kit used by businesses will be on HP anyway, just like most of the new cars Joe Public drives around in, so the idea that driving a big flash vehicle means you've shelled out the full asking price is hardly a common view nowadays anyway.

 

[Greythundercloudys]

Yes, get the old 135 looked out, most folk don't have a clue , but if they find out some are 100grand, or if a reporter looks it up still looks bad.

 

[Goweresque]

What other industry has to pretend it uses kit thats 50 years old, for fear of being called extravagant? Do Barclays run ads showing their IT systems running on computers the size of houses and full of valves? Does Costain pretend it runs large construction projects with steam shovels and men with wheel barrows? Does British Airways make out that all its planes are ancient in order not to antagonise the customers? If not why should farming do so?

 

[An Gof]

I see farmer in Ireland are planning some kind of convoy with tractors, if this makes the papers or media it won't look good with most tractors valued 50 grand + for biggish newer ones, nearly as bad as the 150 grand tups, the general public with think if you can afford those tractors why all the moaning about prices.

£50k doesn’t buy you anything special. Tractor is a tool of the trade. We have to pay what the dealers sell them for. Public need a lesson on just how much agriculture has invested and why cheap food isn’t sustainable.

 

[7610 super q]

I have some old tractors, straw hats, 18th century clothes, and a yokel accent they can hire from me.

 

[Danllan]

What other industry has to pretend it uses kit thats 50 years old, for fear of being called extravagant? Do Barclays run ads showing their IT systems running on computers the size of houses and full of valves? Does Costain pretend it runs large construction projects with steam shovels and men with wheel barrows? Does British Airways make out that all its planes are ancient in order not to antagonise the customers? If not why should farming do so?

Fair point, but Joe Public will come straight back and ask what subsidy those you've mentioned receive...

 

[Yale]

The tractors will be as paid for as much the public’s cars.

 

[Greythundercloudys]

Iv had this said to me at weddings etc, when asked what you do, you say a farmer, they say you never see a poor farm, l say now you have.

 

[4course]

Maybe they’ll all turn up in fordson majors with straw hats on and holy wellies

have you misspelt holey or holy or not as it makes a lot of difference as to how some would read it .I can laugh at both in your sentence,but then im totally politically incorrect, thankfully

 

[Goweresque]

Fair point, but Joe Public will come straight back and ask what subsidy those you've mentioned receive...

They all do to some extent. BA pay no tax on their fuel, Costain and the like get huge Government contracts with built in profit margins, and the banks got bailed out by the taxpayer. The Government taxes and spends c. 40% of the entire economy, there won't be many businesses that don't benefit in some way from that spending. Farmers subsidies are just more visible because they are direct cash payments. How much extra profit does Tesco make because welfare payments to millions of people get spent in their stores for example?

 

[kiwi pom]

Iv had this said to me at weddings etc, when asked what you do, you say a farmer, they say you never see a poor farm, l say now you have.

If you're a tenant paying more in rent than you make you're poor. If you owe more on land than its worth you're poor.
If you own a reasonable chunk of ground debt free, you may live simply but you're not poor.

All depends which group you fit in I guess although I cant imagine the first 2 being long term situations.

Where'd I put my tin hat

 

[Danllan]

They all do to some extent. BA pay no tax on their fuel, Costain and the like get huge Government contracts with built in profit margins, and the banks got bailed out by the taxpayer. The Government taxes and spends c. 40% of the entire economy, there won't be many businesses that don't benefit in some way from that spending. Farmers subsidies are just more visible because they are direct cash payments. How much extra profit does Tesco make because welfare payments to millions of people get spent in their stores for example?

Another fair point, all you need to do now is to successfully pass on the good news to the general population in a way that they'll understand, take on board and retain.

 

[lazy farmer]

Nothing worse than a moaning farmer

 

[An Gof]

Nothing worse than a moaning farmer

Oh, I’m not so sure. A moaning Liberal remoaner is much worse

 

[lazy farmer]

Well I’m not the first.but am mostly definitely the second!

 

[Bury the Trash]

Being such an nfu man one could be forgiven for thinking he would be as well

 

[David.]

Was about to say, in local village most middle class couples have a Jag SUV or an Evoke each, both of which cost more than all of my kit put in a heap.
Should think few of them know the value of tractors nor care, the bright ones will know that a new Fendt tractor is a basic requirement of being a farmer.

 

[Goweresque]

Another fair point, all you need to do now is to successfully pass on the good news to the general population in a way that they'll understand, take on board and retain.

Thats easy, I'll put it on the side of a bus...........