What's a fair wage on a family farm?

[Tarw Coch]

You don't really have to buy a fully customised 'Autobiography". The standard with 'poverty pack' is a perfectly respectable motor, so they say.

One day maybe, maybe sooner rather than later too. Having never drawn anything like a realistic wage off the farm there is a lot of comfort in knowing that in my later years of life I will be able to afford a lifestyle of my choosing, including the RR sport should I wish.

 

[bankrupt]

RR Sport Autobiography is in excess of 90k.

So, another 100k on the mortgage and that'll tax and insure it for 12months, no problem.

 

[Tarw Coch]

So, another 100k on the mortgage and that'll tax and insure it for 12months, no problem.

I'm sure there are those who would do that, intact I know a large dairy farmer who said at one point he was loosing 25k per month yet bought a new RR sport last year.

 

[flyonthewall]

@flyonthewall, what's your brother's take on the situation? Is he happy with his lot?

In discussing it with my younger bro he seems happy with his lot, thinks I should just get on with it. Accepted I do have a roof over my head, food and all of the rest of it. But I feel like time is ticking having been on farm for ten years, sought and achieved expansion, I'd basically just like a rise to a reasonable level. Funny thing is I'd be very happy with 18k/yr. Like a lot of farms around here without subs they will not be viable, hence me becoming a bit worried over long term viability.

I certainly won't be buying a RR sport in a hurry, and neither will I be condoning the farm buying a spanking new tractor. I think I'll just have to have the hg replaced a 3rd time and keep going this summer!!!

 

[gone up the hill]

In discussing it with my younger bro he seems happy with his lot, thinks I should just get on with it. Accepted I do have a roof over my head, food and all of the rest of it. But I feel like time is ticking having been on farm for ten years, sought and achieved expansion, I'd basically just like a rise to a reasonable level. Funny thing is I'd be very happy with 18k/yr. Like a lot of farms around here without subs they will not be viable, hence me becoming a bit worried over long term viability.

I certainly won't be buying a RR sport in a hurry, and neither will I be condoning the farm buying a spanking new tractor. I think I'll just have to have the hg replaced a 3rd time and keep going this summer!!!

With the accom etc you get you are already on 18k, if you want 18k + the free perks you get now then you will need to find off farm income or more than double the size of the farm overnight.

 

[v8willy]

You don't really have to buy a fully customised 'Autobiography". The standard with 'poverty pack' is a perfectly respectable motor, so they say.

You don't have to buy them at all, just lease them for 3 years then get another when the time is up, it's all about image these days.

 

[unlacedgecko]

So, another 100k on the mortgage and that'll tax and insure it for 12months, no problem.

When I'm in the last 1/3 of my life, I'd get more enjoyment and value for money from £100k of Russian hookers and Viagra.

 

[unlacedgecko]

With the accom etc you get you are already on 18k, if you want 18k + the free perks you get now then you will need to find off farm income or more than double the size of the farm overnight.

You can get 18k/year as an indoor pig unit stockman for someone else.

 

[Lazy Sod]

When I'm in the last 1/3 of my life, I'd get more enjoyment and value for money from £100k of Russian hookers and Viagra.

When you're in the last third of your life you'll probably find that even with viagra your enjoyment will be unachievable.

 

[unlacedgecko]

When you're in the last third of your life you'll probably find that even with viagra your enjoyment will be unachievable.

Maybe, but I'd give it a bloody good go!

 

[Cowabunga]

When you're in the last third of your life you'll probably find that even with viagra your enjoyment will be unachievable.

After a certain point in your life, so someone once told me, you apparently get more satisfaction from a good sh!t than a shag. So make the most of that aspect when young and enjoy the Range Rover later. Unless one pulls the other of course.

 

[capfits]

In discussing it with my younger bro he seems happy with his lot, thinks I should just get on with it. Accepted I do have a roof over my head, food and all of the rest of it. But I feel like time is ticking having been on farm for ten years, sought and achieved expansion, I'd basically just like a rise to a reasonable level. Funny thing is I'd be very happy with 18k/yr. Like a lot of farms around here without subs they will not be viable, hence me becoming a bit worried over long term viability.

Just as an aside would your brother be happy to buy you out in the business and allow you to move on?
I think you are wise to be thinking about the future and possible reality of your situation going forward. There is no shame in changing direction, as I say you would easily get another job elsewhere.

At the end of the day please make a desicion for yourself rather than for the benefit of others.

 

[Cowabunga]

£18k plus a house, which should be a tidy centrally heated three bedroom abode, which must be worth around £7k to £8k on top, isn't too shabby. Not great, but not shabby.

In your thirties, you should be a partner in the business though. Ideally now would also be the time to sort the inheritance out and transfer ownership of the land, possibly splitting the business up. No point doing all that in your late fifties and taking on debt when you should be thinking of your own retirement.

 

[DRC]

£18k plus a house, which should be a tidy centrally heated three bedroom abode, which must be worth around £7k to £8k on top, isn't too shabby. Not great, but not shabby.

In your thirties, you should be a partner in the business though. Ideally now would also be the time to sort the inheritance out and transfer ownership of the land, possibly splitting the business up. No point doing all that in your late fifties and taking on debt when you should be thinking of your own retirement.

I think the £18k is including the house and bills, as he said he's drawing £8k.

 

[gone up the hill]

You can get 18k/year as an indoor pig unit stockman for someone else.

Maybe but the difference is that the day you leave the job working for someone else you have nothing but the OP working for himself will/ should have built up a lot of assets via stock/ machinery/ poss land etc etc.

Reality is that I don't see how anyone can live on 18k a year unless they have a house thrown in/ have a partner earning really good money etc.

Cost of living is going up all the time.

Trouble for farming is that the returns aren't there to be paying wages in the 20k+ bracket unless its a large dairy farm.

 

[Cowabunga]

I think the £18k is including the house and bills, as he said he's drawing £8k.

Oh! It then depends on what bills are paid. If it is tidy car and fuel and everything else apart from food and clothes it may be OK. It also depends on who pays the income tax, if any.
Every farm business is structured differently. Many seemingly well run businesses make a complete hash of their family affairs one way or another.

The real benchmark must be the wage of a skilled farm worker, like a full time cowman. I reckon most really good ones earn around £35,000 a year before tax, give or take £5k depending on all kinds of things including hours and responsibility. No house in that. The elephant in the room is what does the farmer's son get out of it eventually and on what timescale and with what certainty for the reduced cash earnings over many years.

If there is no certainty of anything but a ''thank you and goodbye, it all goes to the dog sanctuary", then best to get out sooner rather than later.

 

[Cowabunga]

Maybe but the difference is that the day you leave the job working for someone else you have nothing but the OP working for himself will/ should have built up a lot of assets via stock/ machinery/ poss land etc etc.

Reality is that I don't see how anyone can live on 18k a year unless they have a house thrown in/ have a partner earning really good money etc.

Cost of living is going up all the time.

Trouble for farming is that the returns aren't there to be paying wages in the 20k+ bracket unless its a large dairy farm.

Yes, many farms are becoming only marginally viable at best if tidy incomes are given to family labour. That includes many large dairy farms believe it or not. Wages are a massive drain on their income. Which is part of the reason many are so focussed on expanding the business to try and create more income per person employed, so that they can actually have a normal middle class lifestyle and income.

 

[gone up the hill]

Oh! It then depends on what bills are paid. If it is tidy car and fuel and everything else apart from food and clothes it may be OK. It also depends on who pays the income tax, if any.
Every farm business is structured differently. Many seemingly well run businesses make a complete hash of their family affairs one way or another.

The real benchmark must be the wage of a skilled farm worker, like a full time cowman. I reckon most really good ones earn around £35,000 a year before tax, give or take £5k depending on all kinds of things including hours and responsibility. No house in that. The elephant in the room is what does the farmer's son get out of it eventually and on what timescale and with what certainty for the reduced cash earnings over many years.

If there is no certainty of anything but a ''thank you and goodbye, it all goes to the dog sanctuary", then best to get out sooner rather than later.

Only sector that can afford to pay 35k for a general farm worker is the dairy sector, you will not find this kind of wage in any other sectors because the returns simply aren't there to pay it.

Most farmworkers will be on £18/20k at best.

 

[yorkie]

Only sector that can afford to pay 35k for a general farm worker is the dairy sector, you will not find this kind of wage in any other sectors because the returns simply aren't there to pay it.

Most farmworkers will be on £18/20k at best.

you wont get many farm workers on £18k,must be nearly 20 years ago since I got that and never touched a cows tit in my life

 

[unlacedgecko]

Only sector that can afford to pay 35k for a general farm worker is the dairy sector, you will not find this kind of wage in any other sectors because the returns simply aren't there to pay it.

Most farmworkers will be on £18/20k at best.

Doesn't @Clive pay his tractor drivers in the region of £40k?