A framework for future farming
Jeremy Moody, Secretary and Adviser
| The Central Association of Agricultural Valuers
In an increasingly uncertain world our farming has the same productivity issues as the whole economy. The CAAV offers a framework for policy to answer this, complemented by farm-specific advice, for a more positive and resilient future
Recent policy developments in England, public spending constraints across the United Kingdom, climate change and the international outlook all point to the need to look afresh at our agricultural and rural land policies. The aim should be to ensure effective and resilient food production at home, aided by open trade abroad, and a sustainable future environment, all with limited public money.
The heart of this is managing accelerating change, relying on both a policy framework and the active individual advice that CAAV Fellows and others can give in helping farmers, landowners, government and others navigate their way successfully, seeking positive purpose. If we fail in this, many more individuals and farming families, the rural economy and our landscapes will suffer and we will be less resilient as a country in a more difficult world.
If some land is to be primarily environmental, we need to be more effective with the remainder when other countries become more affluent in bidding for the food we might expect. Decisions, planning, and investments in both environmental and agricultural management are long-term commitments that can be destabilised by short-term policy reversals.
Farming faces the same productivity challenge as the whole economy, best answered by enabling the most proficient farmers, existing and new, to have more access to the land that they can farm and manage well. Such times of change in the past have shown that this is about who occupies and uses land, not ownership. The erosion and loss of subsidies may drive some of this but Ireland’s use of an Income Tax relief for letting farmland shows one way to encourage this positively. That is then backing those with skills who will innovate and invest for better businesses – and adapt best to the real challenges of farming with more extreme weathers.
Legislation, better regulation and support for innovation, research and disease control remain important government roles.
Private finance for farming and environmental initiatives often comes best from owners and farmers. Bringing forward the timings for capital allowances can unlock crucial funding for essential infrastructure, including farm drainage, flood defences, relocation to mitigate flood risks, on-farm energy solutions or new technology, biosecurity measures, and the renewal of fixed equipment. This also means recognising the risk and damage to farming’s capital base from the Budget’s Inheritance Tax proposals. Could the government’s planning reforms help with development consents, whether through planning or environmental regulation?
We should build on the AHDB’s current 170 farm project for the information to support field-by-field management of soils, carbon and nutrients, building resilience and soil quality.
The sharpest challenge may be for fruit and vegetables. The home demand that may exist does not outweigh the strong headwinds here as production shrinks. The rewards do not warrant the risk and working capital required in what has become a low margin supply chain. Serious work is needed to find ways for some of our highest value production.
Those and other points are questions for policy. The individual answers will be found on the ground as farmers edge their way forward into a more diverse business future, outside the guidance of subsidy. More than ever, they will need advice, whether specific and technical but also the larger, rounded advice with perspective, weighing options with land tenure, resources, skills and family members. The trusted adviser’s role can be as a safe challenger or facilitating transition within a family. The CAAV and its members are ready to support this crucial task, supporting both policymakers and farmers – we have a future to make.
We should take the condition of our farming as seriously as our economic problems. Policy support, rather than financial, for the best farmers, innovation and resilience matched by practical professional advice can give us a good future.
For more information, visit our website at www.caav.org.uk or contact us at enquire@caav.org.uk.
