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17 Nov
2:51pm, 17 Nov 2024
6,989 posts
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paulcook
Definitely
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17 Nov
2:55pm, 17 Nov 2024
1,171 posts
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Non-runner
Bill Gates has bought up huge swathes of farmland in America, I’m sure he would be happy to add to his portfolio. I would prefer a variety of small family farms myself rather than agribusiness owned by billionaires but there you go.
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17 Nov
3:11pm, 17 Nov 2024
9,047 posts
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um
In answer to jda's question - possibly because it's been in the family for generations and the farmers see themselves as the custodian for future generations? Rather than an owner or asset stripper?
Many of the farms round here have been hoovered up by big estate management companies. Which are probably funded by pension funds. Although rather than individuals so maybe not IHT, unless they take on the management for individual investors / IHT avoiders.
There's quite a lot fewer farm owners, a lot more farm managers.
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17 Nov
3:29pm, 17 Nov 2024
30,153 posts
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richmac
I don't necessarily share all the nostalgia for the small farmer argument TBH. That the NFU is trying to make it an emotional argument rings warning bells to me.
Let's not forget that the NFU urged farmers to vote leave, so in my book they're not really an organisation that can be trusted.
You have to ask yourself who do they really represent? The genuine 100 - 500 acre small farm or the wealthy owners of vast estates?
You also have to fully expect that the likes of Dyson and other hedge fund managers who have bought land are fully paid up and very vocal NFU members.
The article that WF linked to, I'm not a huge fan of Unheard btw, but the guy seems to complain about farming not being left to market forces while still wanting subisidys
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17 Nov
3:35pm, 17 Nov 2024
18,132 posts
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jda
If the farms really are yielding well under 1% as claimed they make no sense as an investment for any agribusiness or pension fund or anyone else other than as a tax shelter or as property speculation.
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17 Nov
3:49pm, 17 Nov 2024
9,990 posts
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simbil
Nostalgia isn't it for me, more that I trust lots of small family farmers more than big ones, or at least am less concerned about who owns half the land in the country when it is many people rather than a few people.
jda, a farm here just sold a couple of fields for 800k. There is lots of investment potential, especially if coupled with greasing the palms of planning or having the power to lobby government.
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17 Nov
3:55pm, 17 Nov 2024
30,154 posts
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richmac
Sorry, but trust them to do what exactly?
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17 Nov
4:35pm, 17 Nov 2024
9,991 posts
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simbil
Be better custodians of the land - more individual owners so more chance of some being good uns especially if they are multi-generational farmers rather than hard nosed business types, and also individual farmers have joint power through the union but less likely to have individual power to lobby and corrupt if they're bad uns.
Whereas the likes of Dyson have significant land ownership and significant leverage and are completely unaccountable.
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17 Nov
5:11pm, 17 Nov 2024
30,155 posts
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richmac
Well, while theres probably a grain of truth in that it's also pretty much repeated NFU propaganda.
Because none of us have ever driven past a farm that looks more like a tip or scrap heap, none of us have ever seen unhealthy looking live stock on farms and water companies have never blamed water quality on run of from farms.
I'm not saying all small farmers are evil I'm certainly not swallowing the emotional reaction that's beyond stoked up and seemingly bought into.
Remember Arla are a huge farming concern and don't find themselves in court on a weekly basis Morrisons similarly are a big company and hold their suppliers to a high standards.
If, for you, it's all about environmental stewardship then perhaps support bringing food production into public ownership? After all, a lot of us feel that water, energy and even buses are too important to be left to the private sector, especially when they receive government subsidy., but we're ok with people supplying food to us because their grandparents did so?
It's a good example of how rose tinting an issue gets in the way of rational debate
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17 Nov
5:17pm, 17 Nov 2024
18,133 posts
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jda
I’m sure Lord Tophat thinks he’s just keeping his hereditary seat in the Lords warm as a selfless act of stewardship for future generations too.
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Fantasy General Election
Jul 2024