I'm a farmer - AMA!

[scorpiosquared]

I'm new to this forum but after briefly browsing I thought this would be a good way to get involved. The title says it all really, so ask away!

What do you farm? What impact will the lack of EU subsidies have on you? They were saying round my way a lot of farmers would have made a loss without them.

@HoneysuckIejasmine

What do you farm? What impact will the lack of EU subsidies have on you? They were saying round my way a lot of farmers would have made a loss without them.

We farm sheep and suckler cattle.

The lack of EU subsidies should not impact us personally as we do not claim many subsidies (we only receive one of very little value, which they never pay on time anyway - I believe they are 2-3 years behind currently). Many farmers do however rely on subsidies and will most definitely go out of business.

Unfortunately family farming is a dying industry. We are a family farm and we have had to increase our stock numbers to insane levels to even try to break even (we made profit for the first time ever last year and it was a laughable amount). The huge commercial businesses are taking over because the public aren't willing to pay for the value and welfare of family farmed food. The farmers who keep just a few hundred sheep or a hundred cattle and rely on the subsidies will without doubt be completely out of business when these subsidies are stopped.

Would you sell your land to property developers?

Are you, or any of your close family members if you’re from a farming family, called David? I know a lot of farming families and they all seem to have at least one David/Dave.

(Not a very serious question, sorry)

My son is going to agriculture college next year, is he mad ?

@sl07 "Would you sell your land to property developers?"

That would depend on the price and how crucial that part of land was to us. Most likely yes, as that is the only way many farmers have been able to carry on in the current financial climate.

@TheJoxter "Are you, or any of your close family members if you’re from a farming family, called David?"

There is a David in my husband's immediate family and he is also a farmer too. It is a very common name in farming, but even more common are James and John. So. Many. James-s.

How much do you worry about the weather on a daily/weekly/monthly basis?

What are your views about the people who believe all farmers ‘plead poverty’? (Not my view - heard it many times)

@notapizzaeater "My son is going to agriculture college next year, is he mad ?"

Not at all! It all depends what he does with his degree. Many high paying, prestigious, and very interesting jobs can be accessed with an agricultural or similar type degree.

There is a downside, I know in our local area councils are favouring agricultural graduates over unqualified but experienced farmers for schemes and taking on farming ventures, and every single time it has gone down the pan. Purely because the graduates haven't coped when living the real farming life. I would say, that whatever he does, never underestimate the value of hands on experience and learning from those with greater experience.

There's also the agri college drinking culture to contend with, but that's a whole other kettle of fish, haha!

@ByeByeBike "How much do you worry about the weather on a daily/weekly/monthly basis?"

Every single day! Our industry revolves around the weather. The daily weather can be the difference between getting everything or nothing done on that day - a current example would be shearing our sheep. The yearly weather can be the difference between how well the stock does throughout summer, and how much feed we'll have to sustain them through winter. It can affect how many animals survive birth and beyond and how many don't. It's a delicate, delicate balance.

How important is the welfare of the animals to you? Can farming be a cruel industry?

@user1471449295 "What are your views about the people who believe all farmers ‘plead poverty’?"

I'm not entirely sure what viewpoint you're talking about but I'll answer best I can. Many, many farmers live in poverty. Especially small, single family farms. We live on the borderline. I don't like to think of it as poverty but I know that my family (who aren't farmers) see it as an impoverished lifestyle. We do get the assumption that we must be wealthy because we are farmers, but that couldn't be further from the truth.

The other side of the coin is that some farmers are very wealthy. Not many are wealthy from farming alone. The farmers that I know that are wealthy are only that way because they are either receiving massive subsidies, diversifying into additional businesses (petting farms, B&Bs/hotels, horse livery, campsites, etc), or have sold their land to developers.

@SleepForTheWeak "How important is the welfare of the animals to you?"

Our animals' welfare is of utmost priority. There are so many aspects to animal welfare that I couldn't address them all in one go else I'd end up writing a novel, but I am happy to answer specific questions if you or anyone else has them.

"Can farming be a cruel industry?"

Absolutely. In the wrong hands farming can definitely be a cruel industry, but it shouldn't and needn't be.

How do you feel about factory farming?

It's a tough way of life and you don't make much profit.... would you consider a career change?

Do you recognise the stats about the poor MH of farmers?

@Nikhedonia "How do you feel about factory farming?"

That would depend on your definition of factory farming, I know different people have different beliefs as to what classifies as factory farming.

For what I understand factory farming to be, I don't like it. I have many reasons. One consideration is that with factory scale farming the animal welfare aspect can be let slip. Another factor is that as the factory farming industry grows it lowers the value of food, which in turn puts family farms out of business, as well as contributing to greater levels of waste and ecological damage.

@SarahBeeney "It's a tough way of life and you don't make much profit.... would you consider a career change?"

Not unless we were absolutely forced to. There's a whole lifestyle attached to the career, it's more than just giving up the job. It would mean giving up the passion for the animals, the love of the land, and that genuine connection to the earth that you'd be hard pressed to find in any other job. There's also a whole culture in and of itself to the farming community. It would be devastating to leave it all behind.

@BookBookBook "Do you recognise the stats about the poor MH of farmers?"

Took me a while to understand that shorthand, haha!

Absolutely. Depression is rife. I suffer myself, and know many others who do to. Suicides are not uncommon. I won't lie, there have been multiple occasions where suicide has been a genuine threat to both my own life and the lives of immediate family members. I honestly don't think any stats will truly represent the scale of the issue considering the majority of farmers are either too stoic, too scared, or too busy (or a combination of all three!) to seek help.

Really interesting thread, OP. I have some farmers in the family and it can be a brutally tough way of life but, like you, they wouldn't give it up for the world.

How do people get into farming if they’re not born into a farming family?

@Anothertempusername Thank you.

@Rahul88 "How do people get into farming if they’re not born into a farming family?"

I guess there are various avenues into farming and I doubt I can name them all. I personally married into it. I think it's unusual to be able to start your own farming business from scratch unless you are either born into it or have a large lump sum of money to kick start it with. A lot of people work in the farming industry without actually owning their own farm. Sometimes avenues and opportunities can arise from working in the industry to start building your own business.

Do you have someone to look after the farm if you want to go away on holiday/wedding etc?