Do we appreciate our farmers? In the United Kingdom?

Question

I am at University Studying Agriculture and I am interested to hear what the public think of farmers,

I think from what I can see most people feel farmers are undervalued... and I intend to agree.. My parents farm In Ireland, Dairy and beef, which is what I shall be doing once I have completed...And I can say I have watched my parents struggle over the years they don't have a 4x4, but they deserve one! And much more...

Answer 1

They are taking a lot of taxpayers money in subsidies. If they were good at what they do why do they want these large subsidies?

Answer 2

Farmers, in general are critical for the survival of our species.

Even since human beings started specialising and with more and more of us not doing anything directly linked to food production, the importance of those who are is growing. Farmers are important.

However, just like not all metal workers are equal, neither are all farmers.

The same rules that apply to any workers whether they be from the service (such as call centres) or production/extraction (such as coal miners), all workers are faced with competition. This competition comes from within the economy, and from outside.

However, no other worker is afforded so much protection as the farmer in the developed world.

The subsidies Europe of the US pay to their farmers are huge. And they also are protected via tariffs, quotas, and also indirect restrictions on foreign products. The beauty of it all is that the non farmers gets hit twice, first by having some tax dollars diverted to farmers, and second by having to pay more for produce from farms.

Farming is romanticised, or too much of the idea of national security is put into farming. The same was said and much was done for coal miners decades ago, but where are they today? Why not call centre operators today?

What farming needs isn't subsidies, but actually people like you who want to make a career by increasing productivity, decreasing costs, benefiting the average customer instead of virtually living off them.

In sum I'd say that afrmers perform a critical role for teh world, but not necessarily those in the UK. We should have a level playing field so that the consumers get the products they want at a fair price (close to cost, not something bufetted by tariffs, or trimmed via subsidies).

As for buying British, that should come from the customer's heart/mind, a willing gesture, not something that is forced down our throats; unless there is a fear that, given a choice, the consumer would do what's best for his/her wallet and not buy expensive products when cheaper alternatives are available.

Answer 3

If we do not appreciate them, we had better think again, there are not many farmers left and when they do all `go` we shall be the ones held to ransom, by Europe and even our erstwhile colonials,Canada,Australia Amercia. I would not like to have to do their job and as far as the individual farmer is concerned, he becomes older but his work does not become easier. I have done a lot of business with farmers, and in to-days` world they really are struggling to make ends meet.

Answer 4

I am the daughter of a farmer. I am proud to say that. And I cannot believe how many dribbling idiots there are in this room. Most farmers do not want subsidies - they are forced on us by the EU to make us more equal to farmers on the continent. Subsidies are great for smallholders in France etc, but they screw over British farmers big time. We don't want to leave our land fallow. We don't want to compete against non-EU farmers when we're already cut off at the ankles by the EU. We don't want to spend most of our days filling in form after form after form and making change after change after change to comply with EU regulations.

People sit there and sneer at farmers in 4x4s - but how the hell are they suppposed to make it overland to check the crops without one? And it's not like people in the UK are supporting them by paying slightly over the odds for local produce; hasn't anyone ever heard of buying British? I know numerous farmers who have had to sell up and give up because UK farming has gone down the pan. I even know farmers who have killed themselves because they have seen no other way out.

So, underappreciated? I'd say understatement.

Answer 5

Well I am not in the UK but I would like to say a big thank you to farmers everywhere. I don't think they are really appreciated anywhere.

They are forever worried about the weather for the crops which we all depend on, and worry about the prices they will receive for them.....to be able to pay their costs make a decent living.

If they are working with livestock it is a worry there too.....will prices hold or will all their work be for very little profit.

I really appreciate all farmers. Bless them all.

May they reap a wonderful harvest and make a well deserved profit.

Best of luck in your career. x


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Answer 6

Farmers in Western Europe are ridiculously romanticised and over-subsidised.

* they cost tax-payers in subsidies, not just directly, but through subsidising services in isolated, underpopulated areas.
* protectionism means that Western consumers have to pay more for their food, than if the food was exported from major agriculture exporters. Plus it prevents the developing world from exporting one of the few commodites they have a comparative advantage in
* rural businesses are taxed at more generous concessionary rates than other businesses
* no other industry sector gets the same amount of attention and care when they fall on hard times. How many computer programmers got hand-outs after the dot-com crash?

Answer 7

My view of farmers is similar to my view of miners. Miners held the country to ransom for so long that they eventually shafted themselves, and farmers are now getting the sh*itty end of the stick from supermarkets after years of driving round in 4x4s, and shouting 'Git Orf Moi Land' at everyone.

Answer 8

why do they say poor farmers, you never see them riding a bike. they get cash for not growing any thing. i live in a farming area ,and i think the hardest working are cattle farmers a lot of real farmers have been forced out of business and sold the land to make way golf course's, and supermarket's, or wind farms, not the real tasting food that we use to get
" England in decline"

Answer 9

having worked on a farm i don't think people do. alot of people think you just ride up and down a field in a tractor because that's all they see,they don't see the hard work behind the scenes or the very late nights and some times extremely early mornings what ever the weather

Answer 10

farmers are undervalued and most are living on a shoestring, probably because we don't need them at the moment....during the war they ensured the country did not starve.

Answer 11

In general those involved in food production are massively undervalued.