Tractors and tractor drivers

[mudsticks]

We have lived in Normandy for 16 years now. During that time we have seen a huge increase in the size of tractors and machinery. At first there was a huge range of tractors varying greatly in size and age. I regularly used to see a farmer in an old Deuz tractor no cab pulling two trailers of hay and straw. It has all changed now. Every tractor seems to be enormous and brand new towing equally large pieces of machinery. I have to get onto the verge on my bike when I meet them on small roads.
Sadly the purchase of this machinery is all on credit and I understand that a John Deere of a 150bhp is in excess of €150k. Now the banks are not giving out so much credit and farmers are now leasing the tractors.
I cannot see that modern agriculture carrying so much debt is sustainable. Listening to the radio yesterday 1 in 5 French farmers live in poverty. Every 2 days a French farmer commits suicide. 40% of farms sold are bought in order to form one large farm. I suppose it is the industrialation of agriculture. In the next
ten years 180,000 French farmers will retire and there are not enough young people willing are able to enter farming. It doesn't paint a hopeful picture.

It's not a dissimilar picture in this country.

After the EU had to stop direct subsidies on production, because farmers got too good at it, and produced wine lakes, and grain and butter mountains.
This in turn produced more problems such as market flooding, price depression and over intensification.

So CAP reforms were made so that now farmers (or more accurately landowners) are paid a straight area payment depending on land held, and kept mowed (ie free of brambles) as a bare minimum.

Nothing to do with what is produced.

With no upper limit to payments to any one landholder.

Highly unfair many would say.

So this has lead to considation of holdings
And more 'efficiencies, in terms of big kit, automation, agrochemicals, etc.

There are some payments made for' green efforts' such as hedgerow restoration, tree planting, organic conversion, etc, but they aren't much, restrictive in operation, are fiendish to apply for, and just about cover the cost of doing them.

It all needs a big ol rethink, both in and out of Europe.

Succession issues, and an ageing farmer demographic compound these problems.

The frustrating thing is that there are many younger people who would like to come into farming, but land prices, tenancies, (let alone ready made farms) are way out of their reach, cost wise, even when they do come available - which is rarely.

No one really knows what's going to happen with farming support in the UK, over the next few years.

There's quite a few of us, in a broad coalition of food and farming organisations trying to help with moving things in a useful direction.

To get more new entrants into the industry, with decent opportunities, training, secure tenancies, and markets etc.

But it's a tangled web we have woven.

There are no easy answers, and many stakeholders with their own entrenched positions.

 

[nagden]

It's not a dissimilar picture in this country.

After the EU had to stop direct subsidies on production, because farmers got too good at it, and produced wine lakes, and grain and butter mountains.
This in turn produced more problems such as market flooding, price depression and over intensification.

So CAP reforms were made so that now farmers (or more accurately landowners) are paid a straight area payment depending on land held, and kept mowed (ie free of brambles) as a bare minimum.

Nothing to do with what is produced.

With no upper limit to payments to any one landholder.

Highly unfair many would say.

So this has lead to considation of holdings
And more 'efficiencies, in terms of big kit, automation, agrochemicals, etc.

There are some payments made for' green efforts' such as hedgerow restoration, tree planting, organic conversion, etc, but they aren't much, restrictive in operation, are fiendish to apply for, and just about cover the cost of doing them.

It all needs a big ol rethink, both in and out of Europe.

Succession issues, and an ageing farmer demographic compound these problems.

The frustrating thing is that there are many younger people who would like to come into farming, but land prices, tenancies, (let alone ready made farms) are way out of their reach, cost wise, even when they do come available - which is rarely.

No one really knows what's going to happen with farming support in the UK, over the next few years.

There's quite a few of us, in a broad coalition of food and farming organisations trying to help with moving things in a useful direction.

To get more new entrants into the industry, with decent opportunities, training, secure tenancies, and markets etc.

But it's a tangled web we have woven.

There are no easy answers, and many stakeholders with their own entrenched positions.

Organic Market gardening is popular here in France. The markets always have a good selection of organic veg available and it is encouraging to see a lot of younger couples selling their veg. I suppose it is the least expensive way to get a foot on the ladder. Small land requirement minimal machinery, it is the only option for a would be farmer.

 

[mudsticks]

Organic Market gardening is popular here in France. The markets always have a good selection of organic veg available and it is encouraging to see a lot of younger couples selling their veg. I suppose it is the least expensive way to get a foot on the ladder. Small land requirement minimal machinery, it is the only option for a would be farmer.

Yes it's similar here, although perhaps with not such mature markets.
Quite a lot of online marketing going on with various producers forming cooperatives online in a locality.

Getting access to good quality land to do these things is trickier in the UK.
Partly because of the way land is passed on.

There isn't the same 'small farm culture.


Smaller land holdings don't come up for sale or rent very often

And when they do, they often go for horsey culture, rather than horticulture.

Set up costs can be high,
Irrigation systems, polytunnels and all that aren't cheap.

At least in France you have more medium scale kit available.

Over here it's either mahoosove farm, or domestic garden scale, not much in between.

I've had to import a few devices myself, which are just not available here

 

[oldworld]

We have lived in Normandy for 16 years now. During that time we have seen a huge increase in the size of tractors and machinery. At first there was a huge range of tractors varying greatly in size and age. I regularly used to see a farmer in an old Deuz tractor no cab pulling two trailers of hay and straw. It has all changed now. Every tractor seems to be enormous and brand new towing equally large pieces of machinery. I have to get onto the verge on my bike when I meet them on small roads.
Sadly the purchase of this machinery is all on credit and I understand that a John Deere of a 150bhp is in excess of €150k. Now the banks are not giving out so much credit and farmers are now leasing the tractors.
I cannot see that modern agriculture carrying so much debt is sustainable. Listening to the radio yesterday 1 in 5 French farmers live in poverty. Every 2 days a French farmer commits suicide. 40% of farms sold are bought in order to form one large farm. I suppose it is the industrialation of agriculture. In the next
ten years 180,000 French farmers will retire and there are not enough young people willing are able to enter farming. It doesn't paint a hopeful picture.

Much the same here in the Vendee.
Not sure how typical this is but a local farmer here is going to retire but his son doesn't want to take over the farm.
The son is a farmer and works for a very large farm but doesn't fancy working as hard as his Dad.
I'm told the Dad has never had a holiday.
Another farmer we know ekes out a living on his small farm. He drives a 30 year old car and a Fiat tractor even older. It was his fathers farm who is still alive and 106 next year! Although he uses a stick he walks to check his postbox every day.
The family are very well know and the Dad had a large article about his life in the council newsletter when he reached 100.