World at One.... Brexit special today.

7610 super q

Never Forgotten
Honorary Member
Yeah, as I've posted on here before, in the late 80's there were 15 small time carrot growers in West Wales, only growing about 10-20 acres each, but providing a good income for 15 family farms + local pickers.
Now it's in the hands of on big company growing 5000 acres probably.(n)
As an aside, big veg companies have always found ways of "importing" foreign "students". Nothing changes.
And we haven't even begun Brexiting yet.....so why the predicament ?
 

caveman

Member
Location
East Sussex.
Thing is.
Whenever migrant workers are claimed to be the only people willing to work in such a "mundane" job...... it is always trotted out that our own home bred, welfare reliant, scum won't do the job..... when the reality was that there were many growers and their families who were well willing to do the job, along with a hand full of part time locals, for a fair return.
 

Ashtree

Member
Thing is.
Whenever migrant workers are claimed to be the only people willing to work in such a "mundane" job...... it is always trotted out that our own home bred, welfare reliant, scum won't do the job..... when the reality was that there were many growers and their families who were well willing to do the job, along with a hand full of part time locals, for a fair return.

You have answers your own question in the last two words of your post!
Sorry fact of the matter is that fair returns for small to medium family farms producing primary products won't be coming to a farm near you anytime soon.
Cheap food for the masses who make up the electorate will continue.
The CAP of course is some buffer for the farmer. The Toffs in Westminster have never been a fan of the CAP.
That won't be changing either I expect.
 

czechmate

Member
Mixed Farmer
Felt really sorry for the Cornish grower who employs 400 odd migrants on his 3000 odd acres and his "predicament" caused by Brexit.

Guess he might even feel as devastated as the probable 400 odd small growers he has probably put out of business in his race to the bottom.

Well done pal.


I didn't hear it. You don't come over as the most sympathetic on the forum so it must have been bad:eek:. What are his problems that made you feel really sorry for him?
 

romneymarsh

Member
Location
Romney Marsh
Yeah, as I've posted on here before, in the late 80's there were 15 small time carrot growers in West Wales, only growing about 10-20 acres each, but providing a good income for 15 family farms + local pickers.
Now it's in the hands of on big company growing 5000 acres probably.(n)
As an aside, big veg companies have always found ways of "importing" foreign "students". Nothing changes.
And we haven't even begun Brexiting yet.....so why the predicament ?

This is all rather academic as after hearing Daniel Hannon on Channel 4 this evening, safe to assume, that veg growing in UK will be a thing of the past as we will be importing it all, 'cheap as chips' from 'developing countries ' under all these wonderful new trade agreements that are going to great for consumers.

Why am I not feeling great about that ?
 

rob1

Member
Location
wiltshire
This is all rather academic as after hearing Daniel Hannon on Channel 4 this evening, safe to assume, that veg growing in UK will be a thing of the past as we will be importing it all, 'cheap as chips' from 'developing countries ' under all these wonderful new trade agreements that are going to great for consumers.

Why am I not feeling great about that ?
cant see sprouts or parsnips growing very well in africa, no frost to make the taste
 

czechmate

Member
Mixed Farmer
This is all rather academic as after hearing Daniel Hannon on Channel 4 this evening, safe to assume, that veg growing in UK will be a thing of the past as we will be importing it all, 'cheap as chips' from 'developing countries ' under all these wonderful new trade agreements that are going to great for consumers.

Why am I not feeling great about that ?


It has been for years though. When I used to deliver my courgettes and leeks, most of the other lorries were from Spain. Talking over ten years ago now.
 

Hindsight

Member
Location
Lincolnshire
This is all rather academic as after hearing Daniel Hannon on Channel 4 this evening, safe to assume, that veg growing in UK will be a thing of the past as we will be importing it all, 'cheap as chips' from 'developing countries ' under all these wonderful new trade agreements that are going to great for consumers.

Why am I not feeling great about that ?

Yes, all slightly unnerving now - the honeymoon period is I fear coming to an end. So far at the G20 meeting we seem to be relying on Australia being our future trading partner. Trading in what I wonder - there are 26 million Aussies (plus the backpackers already here) versus 450 million over the Channel. I am watching with interest how Toyota view there excellent car factory at Derby going forward. Hey there you go.
 

Hindsight

Member
Location
Lincolnshire
It has been for years though. When I used to deliver my courgettes and leeks, most of the other lorries were from Spain. Talking over ten years ago now.


Well living as I do in South LIncs the whole area operates on East European labour and pretty much every fourth truck is Spanish or Dutch etc. Unless brexit government can get my kids to change their eating habits we shall still be importing quite a bit of Southern European fruit and veg for a while yet. I for sure cannot get them to eat a solid tasty Lincolnshire sprout or winter cabbage!?
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 79 42.0%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 66 35.1%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.0%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,291
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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