When was the WAR-AG wound up?

[Red Fred]

A rather random question, but I was just on youtube watching the wartime film Tawny Pipet about a village's efforts to protect a pair of rare birds, and there is a fair bit of farming on display. They have to go to MAF(F) in London to prevent the field being ploughed.
I was wondering how long the draconian Warag controls went on once the war finished, or was freedom of action restored immediately for the Autumn of 1945? I heard there was a fair bit of controversy and resentment locally over some of the interference, as shown in the film, Also rationing carried on for some years after the war, so did the government keep control over the whole industry into peacetime?

 

[glasshouse]

A rather random question, but I was just on youtube watching the wartime film Tawny Pipet about a village's efforts to protect a pair of rare birds, and there is a fair bit of farming on display. They have to go to MAF(F) in London to prevent the field being ploughed.
I was wondering how long the draconian Warag controls went on once the war finished, or was freedom of action restored immediately for the Autumn of 1945? I heard there was a fair bit of controversy and resentment locally over some of the interference, as shown in the film, Also rationing carried on for some years after the war, so did the government keep control over the whole industry into peacetime?

The war ag was dominated by large smart ass farmers who maneuvered it to their own advantage.
Same as nfu , farm assurance etc today

 

[thorpe]

i don't know the answer, but take a look at farming explained on you tube im sure you will find it intresting, i have!

 

[Bokey]

My great grandfather was a fairly large dairy farmer for the 40s and well regarded,
war ag came one day and started laying the law down told him he had to change his cattle ration no more split maize etc. Said they would be back following month to make sure changes were made,
When they returned not a beast was left on the place he'd ran them all into market

 

[JP1]

War Agricultural Executive Committee - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The War Agricultural Executive Committees (WAECs) were disbanded in 1972 and replaced by the County Agricultural Executive Committees (CAECs). The WAECs were government-backed organizations that were tasked with increasing agricultural production in the United Kingdom during both World Wars. They were responsible for:

• Draining marshes, fens, and bogs
• Cultivating lower mountain slopes
• Cutting back woodlands
• Ploughing commons, urban, and peri-urban spaces
• Clearing scrub
• Draining farmland
  
  

The WAECs were coercive and regulatory, and used threats of sanctions to control production.

 

[thorpe]

War Agricultural Executive Committee - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The War Agricultural Executive Committees (WAECs) were disbanded in 1972 and replaced by the County Agricultural Executive Committees (CAECs). The WAECs were government-backed organizations that were tasked with increasing agricultural production in the United Kingdom during both World Wars. They were responsible for:

• Draining marshes, fens, and bogs
• Cultivating lower mountain slopes
• Cutting back woodlands
• Ploughing commons, urban, and peri-urban spaces
• Clearing scrub
• Draining farmland
  

The WAECs were coercive and regulatory, and used threats of sanctions to control production.

disbanded in1972

 

[Nithsdale]

The War Agricultural Executive Committees (WARAGs) ended in 1947, when the County Agricultural Executive Committees (CAECs) was formed. It was later disbanded in 1971

 

[Nearly]

The war's over?

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Getting phased out in 2027

 

[SMID]

I can recall the previous generation talking about the "officials" here , one in particular milked the system for every penny he could get out of it.

 

[Campbell]

Heard of a local farmer in those times who, to the wroth of his neighbours, managed to 'acquire' a set of rubber tractor tyres when everyone else was on iron wheels. Feelings are still raw....

 

[Lowland1]

Wasn’t there a case of a farmer who wouldn’t do what the War-Ag wanted so they tried to take over his farm so he barricaded himself in the farmhouse and was killed in a shootout.

https://alresfordhistandlit.co.uk/74%20The%20Siege%20at%20Borough%20Farm.pdf

@Red Fred your part of the world too.

 

[yellowbelly]

A chap who worked for us, when I was little, had been employed by Warag, driving a crawler pulling a Jumbo-trac plough.
He always had a lot of tales about where they'd been sent and ploughing up land that had never been ploughed for centuries.

They ploughed up some rum old stuff and then had a helluva job working it down.

I seem to recall they used a Gyrotiller ( thing that looked like a shed on tracks) with a crude, early type power driven thing on the back, to hammer it into submission.
EDIT..

 

[NEmesis]

“Shameful Harvest” by A.G Street tells the story.

 

[ford 7810]

Some very poor land near here they say warag was sent to plough it which they did but it was never touched again, just left in the furrow, just ploughed up poor sub soil and clay ,it’s still poor land

 

[glasshouse]

My great grandfather was a fairly large dairy farmer for the 40s and well regarded,
war ag came one day and started laying the law down told him he had to change his cattle ration no more split maize etc. Said they would be back following month to make sure changes were made,
When they returned not a beast was left on the place he'd ran them all into market

When was this?1950?

 

[Nick Adams]

More recently the committees that ruled on milk quota appeals and disputes were seen as biased and unfair.

 

[glasshouse]

More recently the committees that ruled on milk quota appeals and disputes were seen as biased and unfair.

It was biased and unfair

 

[NEmesis]

Then came Natural England. December 3rd. 2024. Will be there latest attempt to take control of tenanted farmland against the occupiers will.
Apologies to OP. I know it’s not war ag. but it shares the principles and is happening here and now.

 

[Nithsdale]

Then came Natural England. December 3rd. 2024. Will be there latest attempt to take control of tenanted farmland against the occupiers will.
Apologies to OP. I know it’s not war ag. but it shares the principles and is happening here and now.

The Warag at least was in desperation to provide for this country and to make more land productive.

There will always be stories where they did wrong by someone or tried to turn the worst land into arable.... but on the whole they were very successful in their objectives - to the countries benefit.




What's happening now is not in the countries interest