Blogs by tag - Rural Professionals

For the last six weeks, conversations within our industry have been heavily based around the future of policy in food and agriculture. With a new Labour government confirmed by Friday morning, the question now is what exactly they will do for farmers, landowners and importantly the general public who rely on the production of food. Whilst the Conservative Government successfully ran a Food to Fork Summit at Number 10, Labour did not commit to this in their manifesto. The Food to Fork Summit demonstrated to UK Agriculture that the Government were listening and provided discussion for trade bodies and over 70 businesses to meet with key political figures, including the Prime Minister. It will certainly be interesting now to see whether Labour bring something similar in to bridge the gap between politicians and farmers. There was no mention of an agricultural budget in the labour manifesto whilst the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats promised an extra £1 billion and Reform pledging to increase the Farm Budget to £3 billion. We are almost at the end of the Transition Period where we see subsidy payments phased out and replaced with environmental schemes paying farmers to implement practices that positively impact the countryside. Labour has committed to not changing the schemes that have already been implemented, a welcomed response to a policy that has many up and downs over the last few years with new ‘Standards’ (actions) being added. Labour recognises food security as a national security and will champion British farming whilst protecting the environment. This is crucial with a move away from the European Union causing a ripple effect to our empty supermarket shelves. It is also important that the new Labour government look at supply-chain fairness and evaluate existing relationships between supermarkets and farmers. Many key rural and agricultural MPs, including Minister for Food and Farming Sir Mark Spencer MP and Therese Coffee, previous Secretary of State lost their seats in the Election. A handful of other key figures also lost their seats whilst newly elected Secretary of State, Steve Reed MP and Minister of Food and Farming, Daniel Zeichner MP both won their seats and then were selected into post. Since his appointment as Shadow Minister last year, Steve Reed and Daniel Zeichner have both been active and present in key agricultural discussions, including appearing on NFU panels. To some degree, with this in mind it would be expected that farming would have been more prominent in the manifesto. In an online video message, Steve Reed said it will take “years to reverse the damage that ahs been done” and laid out his 5 key priorities: Cleaning up Britain’s waters. Supporting farmers to boost Briain’s food security. Creating a road map to move Britain to a zero waste economy. Ensuring nature’s recovery. Protecting communities from the dangers of flooding. Whilst broader policy changes, such as housing developments, will be impacting farmers and landowners, agricultural policy is crucial in supporting our industry and providing food security as a national security.

2023 saw a record year for farm dispersals, second-hand machinery and land sales and halfway through 2024, the trend is showing no sign of abating. Land sales in 2023 were up by 20%, and in the first quarter of 2024, the figure was already 6% higher than the preceding year. In total, circa 157,000 acres were marketed in 2023. The figures for farm machinery dispersal sales follow a similar trend, with an East Anglian firm reporting record sales totalling £71m in 2023. Those leaving the industry will be keen to realise the best value for their assets, and with the market for second-hand machinery stronger than ever, a collective sale is often viewed as the best way to dispose of anything from high-value equipment to pallets of bent drying ducts. Whichever way you look at it, the uptick in both land sales and dispersal sales point to a worrying trend; the UK is losing its farmers. Gov.uk data shows that the total number of people working on agricultural holdings decreased 2.9% between 2022 and 2023. In terms of total holdings, comparing 2018 and 2023 the UK lost circa 9,000 working farms (209,000 down from 218,000). What does this mean? Experts attribute these trends to the increasingly difficult times in farming, with many farmers opting for retirement or diversification into alternative industries. The reasons behind this shift are multifaceted, but some potential contributing factors include the increasing age of the average farmer, lack of succession planning, and difficulties in finding reliable labour and access to affordable finance. Additionally, the ongoing challenges posed by Brexit, climate change, and environmental regulations may also be driving some farmers to reconsider their involvement in the industry. Some even use the phrase “the three D’s”; death, divorce, debt. As gloomy as this sounds, it isn’t something which should be ignored. This brings into focus another topic; young farmers and the accessibility of the industry to the younger generations. But that’s something we’ll cover in another blog! As the number of experienced farmers leaving the industry increases, the loss of knowledge and expertise accumulated over generations could have a significant impact on farming practices, potentially leading to a decline in productivity and competitiveness. Furthermore, rural communities that rely heavily on agriculture may experience a decline in economic activity and population growth. It is crucial for policymakers, agricultural organisations, and farmers themselves to further dive into the root causes of this trend and develop strategies to address the issue. This could involve initiatives to support succession planning, provide training and development opportunities for younger farmers, and promote more affordable access to finance and resources. MorePeople have recently released a White Paper on Succession Planning, which may be relevant to those struggling to see where the future of their farm lies.

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