So at a time that food banks are busier than ever, the government is paying farmers to produce less food which will in turn increase prices. Does anyone else see the problem here. I appear to be living in a dystopian horror film!
Farmers paid to rewild & not farm too. Madness, but the farmers suck up the government subsidies & then complain they've got to pay tax like the rest of us.
@@tomsdaddy What a completely tin eared and irrelevant point - whether we have every been self-sufficient or not is immaterial when we are currently not self-sufficient and the Government pays farmers NOT TO GROW FOOD!
Perhaps the government are taking a lead from the BBC, Countryfile has nothing to do with farming and working in the countryside, unless you are farming 1000 acres and can therefore afford your new landrover, and waste money on rare breeds. Hobby farming.
Friends in farming say the most important employee is the administrator who deals with all the grants applications and planning. Food is a secondary or tertiary issue!
Scary really, because in 2021 we already only produced half as much food as we consumed. With land being taken out of production and 3 million new migrants to feed since then, I bet that ratio has already gotten worse. Who knows where it'll be a few years from now. Probably we'll be importing almost all our food, and only growing a few token organic crops. If anything goes wrong with our ability to import food there'll be mass starvation.
I am still shocked that no-one in government seems to care about food security or farming in a world where we are not in the EU, farming should be celebrated!
When we left the EU there were people saying we were all going to starve because we couldn't import food from the EU and now those same people are saying we don't need farmers
You do a sterling job shining a light on the reality of policies, Harry. As a born Londoner, the world of farming is totally foreign to me, but I am totally shocked with the policy reality and lack of vision successive governments seemed to have had. Watching your videos over the years has been hugely educational - thank you.
Very well said comment. If you can find the time you might want to consider going to the march on Tuesday in London. Im sure your support would be appreciated every pair of feet counts even if only for a few minutes.
He does it's good and hyperbole free which I appreciate. Too much of that around. I'd like to hear opinions on if we should attempt to farm carbon. How could we use less fertilizers, protect pollinators etc which are key. I'm not against what the government are trying to achieve.
The government is for the government and is working against the people. Don’t you see all government growing and getting nice fat pay increases ? Where does all this extra money have to come from ? Not the productive sector ? But the government is suppressing that too. 😵💫
Hugo ..... sorry mate but there is absolutely no "lack of vision" at all. These government know PRECISELY WHAT THEY'RE DOING. They are Marxist Socialists ........... make the population poorer, give them social "security" payments and bingo they have you controlled ......... this aint by accident it is by DESIGN.
A vital insight to the disaster for farms and therefore all of us in the future. Harry, you are very well connected, I hope you manage to help those in power see some sense.
Who are the government taking advice from? Harry Metcalfe seems to be well placed to put some well-informed opionions forward for politicians to consider
These greed marches are only about keeping generational family wealth. Farmers are not protesting to reduce the price of agricultural land, so that it can simply be kept in the same family. If they just wanted to deny other families a chance to own a farm that wouldn't be quite so bad.
It's the globalisation thing. They want to remove production from us common folk. They don't want a middle class. As technology has improved, the need for the human race to carry out labour intensive tasks is quickly reducing and therefore, so does their want for us to keep existing.
Although that word has connotations of "we know best". But that's not the case as we see with nitrogen pollution from farming spoiling the water. Every industry benefits with outside-in views contibuting to its governance. The pace of pollution and global warming is such that every country is struggling with what to do, and unfortunately that translates to zigs-and-zags of policy. Nobody appears to have a worst case scenario 50 year view. If they did, I suspect the rules would be far, far more radical than the relatively mild changes so far ( considering the scale of the problem )
1) The goverment want people to work longer to save on pensions and increase tax income. 2) Farming may be one of the few sectors where people actually want to work until they die. 3) The goverment punishes them for it.
state owned farms maybe, but we have to eat the bugs so no meat, dairy or bread for us. And owning nothing by 2030 - seems to be going to plan. Solar farms needed because 5G uses masses of electricity
@Rugbyman269 Have you seen the figures for how much beef is produced in Australia annually? It was a Tory government that signed the trade deal with Australia - that was sold to us as a Brexit benefit if you remember.
All I know about farming has come from listening to Harry and to a lesser extent Clarkson. I wish to God that the lunatics running the asylum would take some time to listen to this episode. It's all there with simple clarity detailing the ruin being brought upon our agricultural industry.Well done Harry. I also note that you got a good mention in today's Telegraph. Keep up the good work.
The 'Lunatics' know exactly what they're doing, and until the populous wake up to that fact the demolition of society will continue apace! This is all deliberate.
It amazes me, after the initial impact of the Ukraine invasion and the spiralling grain costs etc. demonstrated just how important food security is. One would have thought a total idiot would recognise cause an effect from that! Great informative video as always, thank you.
just remember the farmers may not be able to pass on *their* farms to *their* kids but there are plenty of farming conglomerates that will hover up that productive land...its just yet another way to consolidate wealth into fewer and fewer hands plain and simple
Very interesting video. As an ex farmer it appears to me nobody is interested in food security and farmers in general. Sadly I’m old enough to have met and spoken to farmers and one farmer in particular who worked for the ministry of Agriculture during the last world war and had the job of increasing food production for the ministry during the war. Jim told me it took him years to alter the dog and stick approach to farming entrenched in farming during the 1930’s due to lack of profitability. He had powers to force farmers to plough up fields to grow wheat and often had to use them and or threaten to use them. He could allocate tractors and other machinery to farms but the farmers didn’t want them. Tractors in those days were cutting edge technology and replacing horses. The reason I mention this if the present day farmers all go down the ecological route I suspect none will want to return to growing food if and when we need to feed ourselves. It could ultimately be a disaster for farmers and the country. We can’t eat ecological schemes.
On the flip side, we can't survive with polluted water due to excess nitrogen use, a lack of biodiversity due to pesticide use, and global warming gases produced by livestock. Where the divide will lie in 50 years between production and solving global warming is the question. Either way, food price inflation will/ should be a lot higher over the next 50 years. But who will benefit from it ( hopefully not the food chain shareholders ... )
The Labour party decided that Farms and Businesses are easy targets. This is also affecting businesses. Neither I nor my business can afford the IHT, which will inevitably mean that the business that I have been building for the last 25 years will cease to exist. It is with great regret that I am unable to attend the 'rally' in London on Tuesday 19th for Farms and small Businesses need support now like never before!
My crazy uncle has been saying for about ten years that us farmers will be sitting back in our rocking chairs watching the flowers grow before long. He wasn’t wrong.
@alfsmith4936 Have you ever heard of Clarkson ? He has shown in his farming series how well diversification work ! With every Tom Cobley from the council down just queue up to stop you trying anything and just say no and force you to follow impossible rules in order to shut you down . Then there is the massive cost to trying to do something just to be told no and to stop .
A very good summary of the crap we are having to face day in day out as small farmers. If you had to pay rent on your farm that would wipe out any profit last year.....food security? This country never learns...and even if we achieve the bs net zero, all that we have done is exported the problems to the places we get the cheap food from, places that give not one f..k about carbon net zero etc etc.
@@apennell3575 Me too. I remember the surplus going down and down, then it was only in surplus due to 'invisibles' and then they stopped mentioning it altogether.
My guess is that there's going to be a sovereign debt crisis sometime in the next few years, and all the countries (like the UK) that have very high debt to GDP ratios, are suddenly going to find themselves unable to continue borrowing more money. We'll be in serious trouble because the country is now running on borrowed money to cover everyday spending, and our exports are far below our imports, so we need to borrow to pay for imports as well.
I honestly don't understand why the organisers of yesterday's protest even let Jeremy Clarkson speak. If your main aim is to convince people that this ISN'T about helping rich land owners avoid paying their fair share... Letting HIM be the face of your movement is BAT SHIT.
Thanks for another great video Harry. FWIW, I think your strategy of 'pausing' for a few years is absolutely the right one. Good luck with the new ventures in the meantime.
Thank you Harry for using your not insubstantial voice and reach to speak about this vital issue. It's a shame you cant attend by thank you for shining some light on it.
Harry, looking in on your situation from Australia, I find it remarkable that any farmer could turn a profit from 500 acres. Here, only a sugar cane farm can generate a profit from a small acreage. The wheat and sheep farms that our family runs are in the order of 10,000 acres. With all the crazy government restrictions that you have to tolerate, the whole equation is just terrible. Good luck on the 19th. We'll be following this with interest.
I'm a Brit living in Austria in the foothills of the Alps. And it's farming country and thanks to you and Clarkson I have a deep appreciation of Farm people. Add to that I've come home in the winter at 3 am and seen the lights on at the farm then heard the farmers tractor coming past my house clearing the snow so I can get out and onto the road in my motor. But British Farmers like Fishermen, Medics, Police, Firefighters have a problem... You have an ACHILLES HEEL... You have a CONSCIENCE and the politician know that and will play on it..... You peeps (as you Harry would know) should take a leaf out of the French Farmers Book.....
Alienating consumers is not a good option. When things get tight the Government will try and drive a wedge between the farmers and consumers for their own political ends. I would say best to keep them onside if possible.
I did find this video interesting, but it filled me with a sense of dread as to what is to become of the farming industry. More importantly the decades or centuries the yeomen of England have invested in their land for the greater good to be wiped away by the sheer economic illiteracy of a government bent not on reward or incentive, but punishment and disincentive.
If family farms are forced to liquidate, what will be the outcome? Surely the wealthy and government connected will take ownership. And then, no doubt, the politicians will loudly decry the corporate takeover of British farming...
Watching this in Australia, it must be a very upsetting time for you. Wishing you and all farmers (the salt of the earth) all the best. I love the show, and Harry’s Garage. Im really looking forward to seeing what you have to show us in future episodes.
There’s a very narrow gap between surplus and shortage. It’s only a matter of time before we run out of food. It’s all madness. Thanks for your updates.
Look in your shopping basket and tell us how much of that food is actually UK produced 100%. Then look at who is making that food, it will most likely be one of a few super huge companies. These companies source the ingredients from wherever, whomever is the cheapest. They have zero loyalties, only loyalty is to the shareholder.
@@JohnnyMotel99spot on but the consumer has to take responsibility too. People claim to care about the environment but are happy for their food to come from food grown where rainforests were, spayed with chemicals that have been banned here for years and then obviously transported half way round the world.
@@danielharrison10 when I’m in the till queue I would love to question the shopper in front about the source of the items in their basket, but I’m not that ballsy!😝 I do try to be as conscious as possible when I shop in the supermarket, but then I am not influenced by ads etc. I feel for the mums whose kids are under a lot of peer pressure to buy them junk food.
I fully understand your plans and as a business your hands are very much tied as to profitability, but how I wish you were there boasting about how much food you were going to produce in 2025. Incidentally, I love your use of a proper notebook.
I was fortunate that my Secondary Comprehensive school had a half share in a neighbouring farm. That meant we had 2 x double lessons a week being taught the realities of farming by good people who were doing it for real. Because of the start in school I was given alongside my Dad having a huge veg plot in our garden I appreciate food that I know how it's grown or raised and cared for. The fact that as a country we struggle to supply 30% of what we need for basic food security is very odd in my opinion. Thank you Harry, for helping show in a clear way some of the realities UK farmers are up against. Please, keep sharing what you can from the farming world, anyone in the UK needs to understand the basics of the realities.
I think many people, not aware of all the facts, look on farming through rose tinted specs, living and working in the countryside, fresh air, government subsidies and handouts etc but, like any business, if profits are down you have to look at ALL options to limit any potential future losses and de risk, ad Harry put it. Ceasing crop production in favour of "environmental" schemes may not be the preferred choice of many farmers but if things carry on in this direction it could turn out to be Hobson's choice for all of them.
Always an informative watch Harry. Cannot blame you for the decisions you have made. At some point this madness will lead to food riots in the UK though.
That's diabolical to learn about. I'm an Architect and we have to show a Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) on all new projects of at least 10%. This is mostly impossible as development increases built form and decreases biodiversity. The result of this is you can purchase BNG credits. BNG credits are sold by DEFRA and start at £42,000 up to £650,000. That is a tax on development as BNG gain is not achievable in most instances. However I assume (perhaps someone knows) that DEFRA is selling these via farmers land? So not only will house prices go up but food production will go down. I also assume the land set aside to achieve BNG credit will have to stay un farmed for as long as the house exists. The whole situation is absolutely f***ed. No food security and house price inflation.
Very strange and worrying times with us being a livestock farmer. Children wanting to farm! Can’t fathom the mentality of the government. Just worried for the people in this country having to rely on foreign imported food. How is that net zero ???
@@dab. The point is that when they sell up, they free up the money to pay the tax, and do so. Does your bank account equal the value of your home/ car/ business? Assets don't equal wealth.
@Chex_B I support British taxpayers. Farmers must stop being given benefits handouts paid for by British taxpayers. They should also pay inheritance just like we all have to.
@blzebub2 well said. The rules for most of the population are much harsher than the new one for farmers as well. Selfish farmers are too drunk on their benefits that they receive from British taxpayers.
@@procatprocat9647 Hard-up Harry might have to sell his yacht on the French Riviera or perhaps a supercar or two. Which cars to keep? Must be a tough life.
Thanks for your video. The one place I feel confident about finding out about farming. I am not a farmer, but I am interested in having a supply of food; so far as we can manage it, from our own country. Surely we need to have some future planning in case importing it from overseas becomes hazardous. I find it difficult to see how we can continue even as we are, when government plans include paying farmers not to grow food, rear animals, all that. At the same time I am also keen that we don’t mess up the planet. It is a big dilemma. Whatever short term visions come out I hope you and all our farmers keep going. Very best wishes. Peter
I very much appreciate your discussions of agricultural policy and realities. Much of what is available on the topic (at least on YT) is overly tribal. Instead you calmly explain problems with policy and point out potential adverse outcomes, which I appreciate. I'm very much a progressive, but I also very much enjoy eating.
So land that is not used for Farming will have its classification changed by the government. So if it’s not farmland what can they do? Build on it. We’re all being played.
@@Mal_Outdoors Both halves of The Uniparty are full of WEF puppets. The fact that people think there's a difference shows how well Klaus's divide and conquer tactics have worked.
Profit about the same as working full time at McDonald’s but you need to have a million dollars worth of machines and supplies. It’s criminal how much profit Supermarkets make.
I'm really looking forward to the new direction of the farm in 2025. The woodland and hedgerows will be quite a change. I feel sickened at the government forever messing as it worries me we are not growing our food. I live in Lincolnshire where all the farming is arable. G x
When the government last relied on food from abroad and wanted everyone in the factories, it all came unstuck when the Uboats stopped that food coming in.
CHAPEAU for all the work and enthusiasm ! CARS and FARMING . Politics jump around and don't consider the damage they are doing. Thank you for speaking up.
@@martinlaver007 I don’t exactly blame Harry , all industry is being made non viable by rising cost . Why is a combine £500,000 ? It’s old tech really as are tractors and the such . So are the costs being made artificially high . If Harry cleans up some fly tipping it’s maybe a couple of hundred quid and some time , if the council do it it’s £6000 by the time they are done . There are loads of problems across all businesses and I think exaggerated cost is the main one .
@@martinlaver007 What food security?! They barely grow any food anymore. They just get taxpayer money for growing flower. IHT should be abolished, or should be equal for everyone, no exceptions for special classes of people.
I’m so torn on this. There are wealthy landowners using APR as tax avoidance. To deny this is unrealistic and these people are hiding behind real farmers. I recognise my inherent bias, I don’t like this govt at all (bias), I see this as a land grab for global corporates (bias), my family is involved in farming (bias). But the line must be drawn somewhere, once it’s gone it’s gone. I fully support our farmers doing whatever they feel is appropriate to correct this huge mistake. The UK population stands behind our farmers. Harry, your integrity matters so much. Please don’t ask to fiddle the threshold values, we end up in a weak compromise that benefit some. This needs a complete rethink. When it became reasonable to spray Glyphosate all over the place, we have lost our way here too. I fully expect the US Govt to correct this error first.
I wouldn't bet your life on the US Government banning pesticides over the next 4 years, team Trump is hell bent on eliminating as much regulation as they can. With respect to farming, I grew up on a hill farm - like the ones Harry dismissed as not affected because they don't operate as much plant. Most of the farmers in that valley are not affected because they are no longer land owners. They couldn't operate on the margins available to them so they sold their land and operate as tenant farmers now. The flip side of this is that they are now forever priced out of owning their farmland because folks have bought the land at inflated prices to exploit the IHT related reliefs. This phenomenon was already apparent by the early 90s - shortly after APR was introduced in 1984. The coffin lid was already firmly nailed down before Brexit became a factor (eroding their margins further).
Land grab already happened though. Eg Dyson. And to a lesser extent rich Londoners buying farms so they pay ‘diddly squat’ in tax. Ahem! I’d like to see the govt tackle the poorly performing agricultural markets where supermarkets can squeeze prices too hard. Farming should be FAR more profitable and financially stable. That would be beneficial to all in the long term.
@ well that’s an excellent point. The old saying, every tax rule creates a loophole. I wish the response from the Conservatives had been more solution focussed. There must be some way of addressing the over inflated land value prices that set the level of tax, to be paid by family-scale farm estates which earn relatively little. To more fairly set a value on land passed down. There’s so many variations of circumstances.
@@markukblackmore they could adjust it to only include the farmstead. It seems the land and the farm working assets should not be included from a first principles perspective. I know, this will create more fiddles, but basing the calculation on all the land and the working tools, even the livestock. seems wrong.
Thank you for another interesting and informative video. Living Ireland and retired from farming, I realise British farmers are losing their area payments, I cannot understand how these large fertile farms make so little. We can get 300 to 400 and more euros per statute acre renting out our land and the renters must be making over and above this. Our better dairy farmers are 2000 euro per ha. The all arable farmers now that no ploughing and huge machines are here should consider keeping cattle, sheep and dare I say it pigs again. It would need fencing, housing and again dare I say it all year round work. It would lessen the risks, provide manure and allow for better rotation.
Very well explained Harry thank you. Hopefully, the public who would not normally understand will know more as an ex farm employee. You have brought me up to date a little also. Thanks Nick Browett Oxfordshire UK.
Don't 'tidy up' the wood Harry! Yes thin it out, let more light in but please leave dead wood, standing or not. It's so important for a woodland habitat.
It seem absurd that farmers can only make some sort of profit by not planting crops and just allow farm land to go to waste, what also seems absurd is the involvement of the government deliberately harms the farmer and crop output so money has to be spent in importing grain.
Unfortunately this is a negative effect of the "free" market. Produce too much and the price drops, the farmers earn less, so pay them to produce less and keep the prices high. Farming isn't easy. It's a real job, but it is being artificially supported by us. Not free market at all. The whole business needs a rethink. Maybe less importing would help.
Fascinating as ever Harry. Never ceases to amaze me how little income is generated. It will be really interesting to get an insight into forestry as well as the trials and tribulations of arable farming.
This decision stands to change British farming FOREVER. We will loose small farms, we will loose the countryside as we know it. They haven’t been in government long enough to have properly considered a decision like this!! There should be YEARS of consultation about such a huge decision for the country. Not just made on a whim, on a bored Tuesday.
livestock farms will run out of straw. The country will run out of food. The direction of travel, is difficult to comprehend. An excellent real time explanation, as to the political class's real lack of common sense & understanding the economical impact on UK Ltd.
I found myself shaking my head in disbelief all through this video. Food security isn’t a priority to this so called government. Paying farmers not to farm! Insanity. Deliberate destruction is taking place in all areas of our country. Starmer needs booting out and only the farmers can start this off
It's not just this government, the previous incumbents didn't have a rational approach to farming and food supply... The supply of food and hosting us above politics. There should be an integrated long term policy for infrastructure. Food supply, housing, transport in all is forms... However political ideology dictates how these are achieved and it's not in the interest of it's population. Short termism rules no joined together thinking.
As he explains, the SFI scheme was the scheme introduced by the previous government, post Brexit, as a replacement for the previous EU common agricultural policy scheme, which did give him the support to farm the land. Absolutely nothing to do with the current government
@@karenbarker9474 You specifically laid this at Starmer's door. That's demonstrably not the case. Much can be argued concerning what Labour should do in the future, but this current reality is entirely at the feet of the Conservatives and those who voted for their Brexit project
I love the videos Harry, I enjoy them. But they fill me with fear for the future. What on earth are these government types doing?! They're destroying Britain's ability to feed itself... Utter madness
This is so scary. On so many different levels. Food security, overall food production volume, land use changes, the shrinking of independent farm numbers, the growth of corporate farming. Countryside stewardship, soil health.
Harry, I feel for you farmer's Sooo Much!... You work extremely hard with passion for the industry, not for profit in my eyes but as a way of life to do good for the Country, and yet you are crucified by the Government. I wish society could see and hear more about the difficulties you face. Wish you and all the farming community the very best.
Like the way your looking at survival of the farm for future. Hopefully the government will waken up and face there responsibility to ensure the native people of this country are fed
Great insight as usual Harry, I am sure the vast majority of the population is with you May I also recommend a recent Daily Telegraph podcast with a Staffordshire farmer for another supportive view
Like the conservation work Harry. Maybe in the future food will be at the right price and not heavily subsidised. It might focus people's minds on what is really important.
Having had substantial experience of woodland management the main work consisted of thinning out trees. A simple fact is sadly ignored - trees grow and room for this growth must be allowed for when planting them. So take this on board Harry if you are thinking of adding to your woodland.
Thank you Harry, Another superb analysis of the mess this and the last Govts have/are making of British Agriculture. To be honest I think we are fast approaching a major political revolution. where Central Govt is massively slimmed down and local people take back control. I just hope that the damage being inflicted by Rachael Thieves does not inflict lasting damage. Both Reform and the Tories have pledged to reverse the wrongs inflicted by this mean spirited London centric govt, who seem only interested in furthering their own ideologies (U'man Rights, Net Zero, trade Unions, the Public Sector and mass migration) Be assured the public are on your side.
I'm sorry to say that the British people are just like the sheep in the fields - they voted this government in with a massive majority so we stuck with Starmer for five years. In some ways you can't blame them - I mean what were the alternatives? Can you point to just one good thing that came out of all those years of Tory rule? Oh yes I suppose gay marriage could qualify.
Thanks Harry, as always, for a well-informed commentary. I would be interested to hear how the economics of planting solar panels has changed with the appointment of Ed Milliband as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that weeds will be more profitable and less invasive than solar panels .
As always the best explanation of what is happening to UK farming, I hope there is going to be a change of direction soon ,though I am not optimistic there will be.
Very interesting video, thanks. It’s unbelievable, the disastrous policy’s this socialist government are following! They are completely disconnected from the countryside and are clueless as to how farming works! I will be at Tuesdays event, in spirit, as I am in France. Where farmers are also be treated with contempt by their government, as are many other’s throughout Europe. The loss of food security is, frankly, extremely scary! Best wishes, Colin.
Harry a couple of suggestions for future features for the channel - which MUST continue! Maybe about how some of the farm machines work? I find combine harvesters fascinating pieces of kit! Or maybe combining your Garage channel and doing more features on farm 'cars' -e.g the Grenadier type of programme which you did (and I really enjoyed!). I know there aren't too many vehicles around, but.... Also updates on your solar kit, or future trends in farming (not actually farming one could argue...!).
In the face of such clear evidence of economic mismanagement by Government, it is equally shocking that a feeling of hopelessness might descend upon the agricultural community. Agricultural supply chain losses will add fuel to the flames. Full support for the forthcoming rally. MP's appear insouciant and distant as opposed to engaged.
Sorry abit late watching this video. As a fellow farmer I feel incredibly sad that this is the way farming is going. Long gone are the days when there were many family members and staff working night and day to produce as much food as possible, doing a very good job,and really enjoying what we did,it also made us feel immensely proud of our efforts. Now look where we are! Our forebears would be ashamed . Unfortunately I agree with most of what you are doing and think most of us will be doing the same.
i give up on this country. We used to be, in my younger days, a happy country. When I started in farming we were left alone to do one thing, to produce food. Now it seems they're being paid to produce nothing but pretty flowers etc. How can it be that this so called government is happy to rely on imports for the vast majority of our food. They havent thought of what's going to happen when our suppliers close their doors to exports and our land is covered in solar panels and wind turbines. However there is an upside to it. At least we'll be nice and warm while the sun shines and the wind blows, never mind about us all being hungry.
dont know how, but people need a way to buy directy from the farmer and shut the goverment and big supermarket chains out to end there control. things are starting to get very scary and orwell at this point.
@ I’m not sure it’s that. When a nation is reliant on other nations for food when it could grow more itself. That is a dangerous road to go down. In my grandparents generation food was only available seasonally. If you didn’t grow you didn’t have it. Eg Today if you want a punnet of raspberries you can have it any day of the year When I ask my grandkids where food comes from they say from the supermarket The knowledge my grandparents had about growing their own is disappearing fast. This is dangerous. Sure there are allotments but all the people I know who still use them are my age or older. This is dangerous. Food and water security matters for all of us
@@mariemccann5895 It’s coming, during Covid the world’s supply chains shut down and people fought over toilet paper. This could be a much worse situation. The greenhouses in Spain that produce 30% of our fruit have just been destroyed. A good majority of our wheat came from Ukraine and has been lost. We are better to be able to look after ourselves
Another excellent episode and I do feel so sorry for farmers. Labour seem hell bent on ideology beating logic and economics (farming taxes, independent school VAT etc). I’d love to support the farmers next week but I’m away. Shame it’s not at the weekend
Excellent but very sad summary. In addition, having just paid £90 for a builders bag of logs that I paid 60 for 2 years ago I can recommend you host a log supplier on your farm .
Why shouldn't the richest farmers pay inheritance tax? Pay up like everyone else. I sympathise with other aspects of farmers having a tougher time, but the richest few kicking up a stink over paying their fair share - bore off
What I really like about Harry is his transparency about the farm costs and also with his cars. If our successive governments were like that, I think there would be a lot more trust in them, and also a better chance to protest when we are in disagreement. Thanks for the content.
Saddened by the way things are going for the industry keep on battling Harry hope the weather is kind for the 2025 season . !! Thx for sharing information top vlogger top bloke .
Inheritance tax on businesses and property is pure evil generational wealth destroying double taxation and should be abolished. It looks to me like the government is intentionally making small farming impossible to do profitably or for more than one generation. The only logical conclusion for doing this is because they want the land. They are going after farmers in the Netherlands in the same way I believe because they want to build that tri state mega city they have drawn up but can't because those darn pesky farmers own the land they need. My prediction is that when small farmers cannot pay the inheritance tax and are forced to sell, multi billion dollar mega corporations will buy them up and where they want to city expansion, it will promptly get rezoned residential/commercial yielding massive profits. They can sit on the land and do nothing for a decade and just wait, it won't matter to them. I don't trust this paying farmers to not grow food either. I think its a back door way of getting farmland out of being farmed so it's no longer "farmland".
@theslimeylimey if that's your attitude then you should be demanding that all inheritance is scrapped for everyone in the UK, not just the farmers. However, you would have to increase other taxes massively to pay for such a change. Best of luck 👍
Great education for the farming and non farming folk out there (as usual) Harry. Totally understand your thoughts and possible direction. If you scale up your ha's to the whole country, I'd imagine this will spell the end for many contractors, or at best, mean they cannot justify the machinery purchases for the smaller area being farmed. In turn, machinery dealers will go bust along with many other areas of the agricultural supply chain. Very worrying and keeps me awake at night.
Rachel Thieves is deluded. Surely the tax should only be paid if the farm is ever sold and the value is realised. Otherwise, there is surely no value as the farm is passed through the generations. They should be concentrating on encouraging farming to provide the country with food security.
So at a time that food banks are busier than ever, the government is paying farmers to produce less food which will in turn increase prices. Does anyone else see the problem here. I appear to be living in a dystopian horror film!
Just imagine the charity tax relief that tesco and co get from giving food to food banks
Careful--many are in prison for expressing forbidden opinions in the UK today.
Farmers paid to rewild & not farm too. Madness, but the farmers suck up the government subsidies & then complain they've got to pay tax like the rest of us.
We haven't been self-sufficient in food since the late 18th century, when most people were half-starved anyway !
So 'Grow Up' you silly person.
@@tomsdaddy What a completely tin eared and irrelevant point - whether we have every been self-sufficient or not is immaterial when we are currently not self-sufficient and the Government pays farmers NOT TO GROW FOOD!
So very sad that farming is not about food production anymore! Excellent report Harry thank you for sharing.
It's been about milking subsidies ever since we joined the EU and the legacy is that is still what it is about.
Perhaps the government are taking a lead from the BBC, Countryfile has nothing to do with farming and working in the countryside, unless you are farming 1000 acres and can therefore afford your new landrover, and waste money on rare breeds. Hobby farming.
Friends in farming say the most important employee is the administrator who deals with all the grants applications and planning. Food is a secondary or tertiary issue!
@@AaaaandAction Exactly.
Scary really, because in 2021 we already only produced half as much food as we consumed. With land being taken out of production and 3 million new migrants to feed since then, I bet that ratio has already gotten worse. Who knows where it'll be a few years from now. Probably we'll be importing almost all our food, and only growing a few token organic crops. If anything goes wrong with our ability to import food there'll be mass starvation.
I am still shocked that no-one in government seems to care about food security or farming in a world where we are not in the EU, farming should be celebrated!
A denuded landscape with a few sheep on is hardly the model for sustainable food security.
They do care about care about food supply
You're the carbon they want to reduce
When we left the EU there were people saying we were all going to starve because we couldn't import food from the EU and now those same people are saying we don't need farmers
They are living in fantasy land, don't dare pop their bubble or U may end up in prison as others in UK have for expressing an opinion.
Governments don't care about much than themselves to be honest.
You do a sterling job shining a light on the reality of policies, Harry. As a born Londoner, the world of farming is totally foreign to me, but I am totally shocked with the policy reality and lack of vision successive governments seemed to have had. Watching your videos over the years has been hugely educational - thank you.
Very well said comment. If you can find the time you might want to consider going to the march on Tuesday in London. Im sure your support would be appreciated every pair of feet counts even if only for a few minutes.
He does it's good and hyperbole free which I appreciate. Too much of that around.
I'd like to hear opinions on if we should attempt to farm carbon. How could we use less fertilizers, protect pollinators etc which are key. I'm not against what the government are trying to achieve.
The government is for the government and is working against the people. Don’t you see all government growing and getting nice fat pay increases ? Where does all this extra money have to come from ? Not the productive sector ? But the government is suppressing that too. 😵💫
Hugo ..... sorry mate but there is absolutely no "lack of vision" at all. These government know PRECISELY WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
They are Marxist Socialists ........... make the population poorer, give them social "security" payments and bingo they have you controlled ......... this aint by accident it is by DESIGN.
Trouble is, Government do have a vision and it's not one we'd like.
A vital insight to the disaster for farms and therefore all of us in the future. Harry, you are very well connected, I hope you manage to help those in power see some sense.
Who are the government taking advice from? Harry Metcalfe seems to be well placed to put some well-informed opionions forward for politicians to consider
@@TheChannel1978probably that internationally renowned US Farmer Gates
These greed marches are only about keeping generational family wealth. Farmers are not protesting to reduce the price of agricultural land, so that it can simply be kept in the same family. If they just wanted to deny other families a chance to own a farm that wouldn't be quite so bad.
@@TheChannel1978they all ready know what they are doing and they don't care, that's the big problem.
It's the globalisation thing. They want to remove production from us common folk. They don't want a middle class. As technology has improved, the need for the human race to carry out labour intensive tasks is quickly reducing and therefore, so does their want for us to keep existing.
'A huge amount of interference' is about the most polite expression of this debacle I've heard to date....
Have to be careful expressing an opinion in UK today, may end up in prison for it.
Farms have had subsidies for decades. They wilfully accepted interference.
Although that word has connotations of "we know best". But that's not the case as we see with nitrogen pollution from farming spoiling the water. Every industry benefits with outside-in views contibuting to its governance. The pace of pollution and global warming is such that every country is struggling with what to do, and unfortunately that translates to zigs-and-zags of policy. Nobody appears to have a worst case scenario 50 year view. If they did, I suspect the rules would be far, far more radical than the relatively mild changes so far ( considering the scale of the problem )
@@Mrbfgrayain't that the truth
1) The goverment want people to work longer to save on pensions and increase tax income.
2) Farming may be one of the few sectors where people actually want to work until they die.
3) The goverment punishes them for it.
state owned farms maybe, but we have to eat the bugs so no meat, dairy or bread for us. And owning nothing by 2030 - seems to be going to plan. Solar farms needed because 5G uses masses of electricity
Path to tyranny well underway. Careful about expressing an opinion in the UK today, might wind up in prison for it.
So what is the Tories excuse for dropping Farming in the Shit like this in the first place ?
@Rugbyman269 Have you seen the figures for how much beef is produced in Australia annually? It was a Tory government that signed the trade deal with Australia - that was sold to us as a Brexit benefit if you remember.
Need a tissue? Your choice
All I know about farming has come from listening to Harry and to a lesser extent Clarkson. I wish to God that the lunatics running the asylum would take some time to listen to this episode. It's all there with simple clarity detailing the ruin being brought upon our agricultural industry.Well done Harry. I also note that you got a good mention in today's Telegraph. Keep up the good work.
Go look up what the World economic forum is. They own all the politicians.
Agree with you a completely clueless goverment
@brianlever3767 not clueless at all.... they know exactly what theyre doing. Landgrab. Etc.
The 'Lunatics' know exactly what they're doing, and until the populous wake up to that fact the demolition of society will continue apace! This is all deliberate.
Tax Dodgers.
Clarkson, Dyson etc have screwed the farmers........reap what you sow.............
Brexit did more damage.
As always Harry explains everything so well, and removes confusion. Thank you Harry.
Or just gaslighting you, so that he can pass on his massive wealth paying a lot less tax.
It amazes me, after the initial impact of the Ukraine invasion and the spiralling grain costs etc. demonstrated just how important food security is. One would have thought a total idiot would recognise cause an effect from that! Great informative video as always, thank you.
Remember the war in Ukraine is being encouraged by the government to keep going.
Surprising our government haven't recognised it, because they are all total idiots.
Remember a total idiot is way smarter than those in government right now...
just remember the farmers may not be able to pass on *their* farms to *their* kids but there are plenty of farming conglomerates that will hover up that productive land...its just yet another way to consolidate wealth into fewer and fewer hands plain and simple
Remember, Kier Starve is a communist, they are beyond stupid
Very much supporting you Harry and all UK farmers. Thank you for the work you do to feed us.
Madness. Securing food should be the #1 priority of any government. Putting farmers out of business is disgusting.
So why should Farmers get massive Tax Breaks that no-one else does ?
@@tomsdaddywhy should you get food😂😂😂
Very interesting video. As an ex farmer it appears to me nobody is interested in food security and farmers in general. Sadly I’m old enough to have met and spoken to farmers and one farmer in particular who worked for the ministry of Agriculture during the last world war and had the job of increasing food production for the ministry during the war. Jim told me it took him years to alter the dog and stick approach to farming entrenched in farming during the 1930’s due to lack of profitability. He had powers to force farmers to plough up fields to grow wheat and often had to use them and or threaten to use them. He could allocate tractors and other machinery to farms but the farmers didn’t want them. Tractors in those days were cutting edge technology and replacing horses. The reason I mention this if the present day farmers all go down the ecological route I suspect none will want to return to growing food if and when we need to feed ourselves. It could ultimately be a disaster for farmers and the country. We can’t eat ecological schemes.
Bill gates has our food supply covered.. That’s why he’s been speaking to Starmer.
Agenda 2030 “You will eat the bugs” 🐜 🦟🪳🪲🐞
That's obviously the whole idea of those scheme's.
On the flip side, we can't survive with polluted water due to excess nitrogen use, a lack of biodiversity due to pesticide use, and global warming gases produced by livestock. Where the divide will lie in 50 years between production and solving global warming is the question. Either way, food price inflation will/ should be a lot higher over the next 50 years. But who will benefit from it ( hopefully not the food chain shareholders ... )
@Czechbound I knew it had to be a government bot channel making such a statement
@@martymartin2894 Explain yourself would help
The Labour party decided that Farms and Businesses are easy targets. This is also affecting businesses. Neither I nor my business can afford the IHT, which will inevitably mean that the business that I have been building for the last 25 years will cease to exist. It is with great regret that I am unable to attend the 'rally' in London on Tuesday 19th for Farms and small Businesses need support now like never before!
Same for me, except I hope to be there.
Is your farm is worth more than £2.5m?
and what was the Tory policy before them? It’s a larger trend, which makes it more disturbing
Same for my business. Active since 1964, but if dad dies we are stuffed now.
Successive Governments have done this - it isn’t just Labour…..
My crazy uncle has been saying for about ten years that us farmers will be sitting back in our rocking chairs watching the flowers grow before long. He wasn’t wrong.
We all will .
@@simon-k7mHe’s not crazy but just has a good inclination.
And getting paid for it :)
Have you ever heard the word "Diversification"? Most farmers have been branching out for decades. Why haven't you?
@alfsmith4936 Have you ever heard of Clarkson ? He has shown in his farming series how well diversification work ! With every Tom Cobley from the council down just queue up to stop you trying anything and just say no and force you to follow impossible rules in order to shut you down . Then there is the massive cost to trying to do something just to be told no and to stop .
A very good summary of the crap we are having to face day in day out as small farmers. If you had to pay rent on your farm that would wipe out any profit last year.....food security? This country never learns...and even if we achieve the bs net zero, all that we have done is exported the problems to the places we get the cheap food from, places that give not one f..k about carbon net zero etc etc.
That is what they want because it’s cheaper to farm the land in those countries hence more profit to tax.
And why should they ? Just another example of western lunacy, the whole of life revolves around carbon .
Can’t Remember the last time The Balance Of Trade was mentioned 😳 probably be an eye watering deficit.
Great content as usual 👌 Thanks Harry.
I recall when it was mentioned on BBC news every week. The Uk has not had a trade surplus since 1960. Germany was/is usually 15-25 Billion a month.
@@apennell3575 Me too. I remember the surplus going down and down, then it was only in surplus due to 'invisibles' and then they stopped mentioning it altogether.
My guess is that there's going to be a sovereign debt crisis sometime in the next few years, and all the countries (like the UK) that have very high debt to GDP ratios, are suddenly going to find themselves unable to continue borrowing more money. We'll be in serious trouble because the country is now running on borrowed money to cover everyday spending, and our exports are far below our imports, so we need to borrow to pay for imports as well.
Crazy bastards haven't got a clue. Thanks for politely shining a light on this.
I honestly don't understand why the organisers of yesterday's protest even let Jeremy Clarkson speak.
If your main aim is to convince people that this ISN'T about helping rich land owners avoid paying their fair share...
Letting HIM be the face of your movement is BAT SHIT.
Thanks for another great video Harry. FWIW, I think your strategy of 'pausing' for a few years is absolutely the right one. Good luck with the new ventures in the meantime.
Even the Bible, mentions, let the Land rest a Year, imagine if ALL FARMERS DID THAT,?
One way of striking! 😂
Thank you Harry for using your not insubstantial voice and reach to speak about this vital issue. It's a shame you cant attend by thank you for shining some light on it.
I think you’re taking it very well Harry; accept and adapt! Hats off to you.
Harry still has his government subsidies (paid for in part by you) and his inheritance tax relief.
Harry is a good strategist 🙂 well apart from being a farmer
Harry, looking in on your situation from Australia, I find it remarkable that any farmer could turn a profit from 500 acres. Here, only a sugar cane farm can generate a profit from a small acreage. The wheat and sheep farms that our family runs are in the order of 10,000 acres. With all the crazy government restrictions that you have to tolerate, the whole equation is just terrible. Good luck on the 19th. We'll be following this with interest.
How much beef does Australia produce each year? How much is consumed in Australia? How much does Australia want to export?
I'm a Brit living in Austria in the foothills of the Alps. And it's farming country and thanks to you and Clarkson I have a deep appreciation of Farm people. Add to that I've come home in the winter at 3 am and seen the lights on at the farm then heard the farmers tractor coming past my house clearing the snow so I can get out and onto the road in my motor. But British Farmers like Fishermen, Medics, Police, Firefighters have a problem... You have an ACHILLES HEEL... You have a CONSCIENCE and the politician know that and will play on it..... You peeps (as you Harry would know) should take a leaf out of the French Farmers Book.....
Alienating consumers is not a good option. When things get tight the Government will try and drive a wedge between the farmers and consumers for their own political ends. I would say best to keep them onside if possible.
If you think those two represent farmers you are one of the biggest fools on the planet.
I did find this video interesting, but it filled me with a sense of dread as to what is to become of the farming industry. More importantly the decades or centuries the yeomen of England have invested in their land for the greater good to be wiped away by the sheer economic illiteracy of a government bent not on reward or incentive, but punishment and disincentive.
If family farms are forced to liquidate, what will be the outcome? Surely the wealthy and government connected will take ownership. And then, no doubt, the politicians will loudly decry the corporate takeover of British farming...
Watching this in Australia, it must be a very upsetting time for you. Wishing you and all farmers (the salt of the earth) all the best. I love the show, and Harry’s Garage. Im really looking forward to seeing what you have to show us in future episodes.
In Australia there is no Inheritance Tax. Here farmers just want IHT to not apply to farms.
There’s a very narrow gap between surplus and shortage. It’s only a matter of time before we run out of food. It’s all madness. Thanks for your updates.
Look in your shopping basket and tell us how much of that food is actually UK produced 100%. Then look at who is making that food, it will most likely be one of a few super huge companies. These companies source the ingredients from wherever, whomever is the cheapest. They have zero loyalties, only loyalty is to the shareholder.
@@JohnnyMotel99spot on but the consumer has to take responsibility too. People claim to care about the environment but are happy for their food to come from food grown where rainforests were, spayed with chemicals that have been banned here for years and then obviously transported half way round the world.
@@danielharrison10 when I’m in the till queue I would love to question the shopper in front about the source of the items in their basket, but I’m not that ballsy!😝 I do try to be as conscious as possible when I shop in the supermarket, but then I am not influenced by ads etc. I feel for the mums whose kids are under a lot of peer pressure to buy them junk food.
Well done H. For letting us "City Slickers" know about Farming (in a small way, but more than we did before.). 👏
I fully understand your plans and as a business your hands are very much tied as to profitability, but how I wish you were there boasting about how much food you were going to produce in 2025. Incidentally, I love your use of a proper notebook.
Look forward to these videos immensely . Very good as usual
I was fortunate that my Secondary Comprehensive school had a half share in a neighbouring farm. That meant we had 2 x double lessons a week being taught the realities of farming by good people who were doing it for real.
Because of the start in school I was given alongside my Dad having a huge veg plot in our garden I appreciate food that I know how it's grown or raised and cared for.
The fact that as a country we struggle to supply 30% of what we need for basic food security is very odd in my opinion.
Thank you Harry, for helping show in a clear way some of the realities UK farmers are up against. Please, keep sharing what you can from the farming world, anyone in the UK needs to understand the basics of the realities.
I think many people, not aware of all the facts, look on farming through rose tinted specs, living and working in the countryside, fresh air, government subsidies and handouts etc but, like any business, if profits are down you have to look at ALL options to limit any potential future losses and de risk, ad Harry put it. Ceasing crop production in favour of "environmental" schemes may not be the preferred choice of many farmers but if things carry on in this direction it could turn out to be Hobson's choice for all of them.
Always an informative watch Harry. Cannot blame you for the decisions you have made.
At some point this madness will lead to food riots in the UK though.
That's what they want. Everyone who isn't in a wealthy situation to fight. Reduces the carbon you see.
The Government don't know what they are doing.....Shock!!!
ohh they do! they want the land in the hands of the government like the old soviet union.
They know exactly what they are doing
@@danielryan3061yes, they are just continuing to do what the Tory’s started!!!
That's diabolical to learn about. I'm an Architect and we have to show a Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) on all new projects of at least 10%. This is mostly impossible as development increases built form and decreases biodiversity. The result of this is you can purchase BNG credits. BNG credits are sold by DEFRA and start at £42,000 up to £650,000. That is a tax on development as BNG gain is not achievable in most instances. However I assume (perhaps someone knows) that DEFRA is selling these via farmers land? So not only will house prices go up but food production will go down. I also assume the land set aside to achieve BNG credit will have to stay un farmed for as long as the house exists. The whole situation is absolutely f***ed. No food security and house price inflation.
F**ked for who? House price inflation and food insecurity gives some folk a hell of a lot of money and power.
Thank you Harry, you explain this very well👏👏👏
Without bias of course 🤣!
Very strange and worrying times with us being a livestock farmer. Children wanting to farm! Can’t fathom the mentality of the government. Just worried for the people in this country having to rely on foreign imported food. How is that net zero ???
What about the children who don't want ot farm? Should they be able to sell the estate and bank the proceeds without paying tax like the rest of us?
@@dab. The point is that when they sell up, they free up the money to pay the tax, and do so. Does your bank account equal the value of your home/ car/ business? Assets don't equal wealth.
Your voice and knowledge are more important than ever
I support the farmers
@Chex_B I support British taxpayers.
Farmers must stop being given benefits handouts paid for by British taxpayers.
They should also pay inheritance just like we all have to.
I don't. Everyone else pays inheritance tax, so why not extremely rich farmers?
@blzebub2 well said.
The rules for most of the population are much harsher than the new one for farmers as well.
Selfish farmers are too drunk on their benefits that they receive from
British taxpayers.
@@procatprocat9647 Hard-up Harry might have to sell his yacht on the French Riviera or perhaps a supercar or two. Which cars to keep? Must be a tough life.
@@blzebub2 HARD-UP HARRY
🤣🤣🤣🤣
LOVE IT !!!!
Thanks for your video. The one place I feel confident about finding out about farming. I am not a farmer, but I am interested in having a supply of food; so far as we can manage it, from our own country. Surely we need to have some future planning in case importing it from overseas becomes hazardous.
I find it difficult to see how we can continue even as we are, when government plans include paying farmers not to grow food, rear animals, all that. At the same time I am also keen that we don’t mess up the planet. It is a big dilemma. Whatever short term visions come out I hope you and all our farmers keep going. Very best wishes. Peter
I very much appreciate your discussions of agricultural policy and realities. Much of what is available on the topic (at least on YT) is overly tribal. Instead you calmly explain problems with policy and point out potential adverse outcomes, which I appreciate.
I'm very much a progressive, but I also very much enjoy eating.
So land that is not used for Farming will have its classification changed by the government. So if it’s not farmland what can they do? Build on it. We’re all being played.
Exactly, they play with people's minds, and they are very successful. The clever ones will win.
They've no idea
I Must Say That I Found This Episode To Be Terrifying!!!
Unfortunately it shows the Tory Party is on the same page with this madness.
@@Mal_Outdoors Both halves of The Uniparty are full of WEF puppets. The fact that people think there's a difference shows how well Klaus's divide and conquer tactics have worked.
Profit about the same as working full time at McDonald’s but you need to have a million dollars worth of machines and supplies. It’s criminal how much profit Supermarkets make.
Your Capitalisation Of Every Single Word Is What I Find Terrifying! 😟
@@royfontaine5526 Important people use capitlals everywhere and they don't like paying tax.
Harry, Your explanations regarding the financial workings of a farm are eye opening 👏👏👏
I'm really looking forward to the new direction of the farm in 2025. The woodland and hedgerows will be quite a change.
I feel sickened at the government forever messing as it worries me we are not growing our food. I live in Lincolnshire where all the farming is arable. G x
When the government last relied on food from abroad and wanted everyone in the factories, it all came unstuck when the Uboats stopped that food coming in.
I know absolutely shit about farming, but Harry is such a pleasure to listen to...
He sounds like someone doing a Clarkson impression
CHAPEAU for all the work and enthusiasm ! CARS and FARMING . Politics jump around and don't consider the damage they are doing. Thank you for speaking up.
Farmers have my full support. We should be doing everything possible to promote sustainable farming, not this.
Money for nothing and the chicks are free .
Why? They don't care if your estate has IHT applied to it.
@ I can plan for that without decimating a family business important to our national food security.
@@martinlaver007 I don’t exactly blame Harry , all industry is being made non viable by rising cost . Why is a combine £500,000 ? It’s old tech really as are tractors and the such . So are the costs being made artificially high . If Harry cleans up some fly tipping it’s maybe a couple of hundred quid and some time , if the council do it it’s £6000 by the time they are done . There are loads of problems across all businesses and I think exaggerated cost is the main one .
@@martinlaver007 What food security?! They barely grow any food anymore. They just get taxpayer money for growing flower.
IHT should be abolished, or should be equal for everyone, no exceptions for special classes of people.
I’m so torn on this.
There are wealthy landowners using APR as tax avoidance. To deny this is unrealistic and these people are hiding behind real farmers.
I recognise my inherent bias, I don’t like this govt at all (bias), I see this as a land grab for global corporates (bias), my family is involved in farming (bias).
But the line must be drawn somewhere, once it’s gone it’s gone.
I fully support our farmers doing whatever they feel is appropriate to correct this huge mistake. The UK population stands behind our farmers.
Harry, your integrity matters so much. Please don’t ask to fiddle the threshold values, we end up in a weak compromise that benefit some. This needs a complete rethink.
When it became reasonable to spray Glyphosate all over the place, we have lost our way here too. I fully expect the US Govt to correct this error first.
I wouldn't bet your life on the US Government banning pesticides over the next 4 years, team Trump is hell bent on eliminating as much regulation as they can.
With respect to farming, I grew up on a hill farm - like the ones Harry dismissed as not affected because they don't operate as much plant. Most of the farmers in that valley are not affected because they are no longer land owners. They couldn't operate on the margins available to them so they sold their land and operate as tenant farmers now.
The flip side of this is that they are now forever priced out of owning their farmland because folks have bought the land at inflated prices to exploit the IHT related reliefs. This phenomenon was already apparent by the early 90s - shortly after APR was introduced in 1984. The coffin lid was already firmly nailed down before Brexit became a factor (eroding their margins further).
Land grab already happened though. Eg Dyson. And to a lesser extent rich Londoners buying farms so they pay ‘diddly squat’ in tax. Ahem!
I’d like to see the govt tackle the poorly performing agricultural markets where supermarkets can squeeze prices too hard. Farming should be FAR more profitable and financially stable. That would be beneficial to all in the long term.
@ you think Dyson or Clarkson haven’t put their estates in trust more than 7 years ago?
@ well that’s an excellent point. The old saying, every tax rule creates a loophole. I wish the response from the Conservatives had been more solution focussed. There must be some way of addressing the over inflated land value prices that set the level of tax, to be paid by family-scale farm estates which earn relatively little. To more fairly set a value on land passed down. There’s so many variations of circumstances.
@@markukblackmore they could adjust it to only include the farmstead. It seems the land and the farm working assets should not be included from a first principles perspective. I know, this will create more fiddles, but basing the calculation on all the land and the working tools, even the livestock. seems wrong.
Thank you for another interesting and informative video. Living Ireland and retired from farming, I realise British farmers are losing their area payments, I cannot understand how these large fertile farms make so little. We can get 300 to 400 and more euros per statute acre renting out our land and the renters must be making over and above this. Our better dairy farmers are 2000 euro per ha. The all arable farmers now that no ploughing and huge machines are here should consider keeping cattle, sheep and dare I say it pigs again. It would need fencing, housing and again dare I say it all year round work. It would lessen the risks, provide manure and allow for better rotation.
Very well explained Harry thank you. Hopefully, the public who would not normally understand will know more as an ex farm employee. You have brought me up to date a little also. Thanks
Nick Browett Oxfordshire UK.
Don't 'tidy up' the wood Harry! Yes thin it out, let more light in but please leave dead wood, standing or not. It's so important for a woodland habitat.
It seem absurd that farmers can only make some sort of profit by not planting crops and just allow farm land to go to waste, what also seems absurd is the involvement of the government deliberately harms the farmer and crop output so money has to be spent in importing grain.
Unfortunately this is a negative effect of the "free" market. Produce too much and the price drops, the farmers earn less, so pay them to produce less and keep the prices high.
Farming isn't easy. It's a real job, but it is being artificially supported by us. Not free market at all.
The whole business needs a rethink. Maybe less importing would help.
Do you mean the numbers of the affected were wrong? Surely not! #ULEZ
Fascinating as ever Harry. Never ceases to amaze me how little income is generated. It will be really interesting to get an insight into forestry as well as the trials and tribulations of arable farming.
This decision stands to change British farming FOREVER. We will loose small farms, we will loose the countryside as we know it.
They haven’t been in government long enough to have properly considered a decision like this!!
There should be YEARS of consultation about such a huge decision for the country.
Not just made on a whim, on a bored Tuesday.
And the damage is permanent, irreversible, for ever. 😢
livestock farms will run out of straw. The country will run out of food. The direction of travel, is difficult to comprehend. An excellent real time explanation, as to the political class's real lack of common sense & understanding the economical impact on UK Ltd.
Very watchable excellent content. Thanks for posting.
All the best Harry thanks for taking the time to post - always very interesting
I found myself shaking my head in disbelief all through this video. Food security isn’t a priority to this so called government. Paying farmers not to farm! Insanity. Deliberate destruction is taking place in all areas of our country. Starmer needs booting out and only the farmers can start this off
The next thing you know they'll be giving free travel around London for illegal immigrants....oh, hang on a minute....
It's not just this government, the previous incumbents didn't have a rational approach to farming and food supply... The supply of food and hosting us above politics. There should be an integrated long term policy for infrastructure.
Food supply, housing, transport in all is forms... However political ideology dictates how these are achieved and it's not in the interest of it's population. Short termism rules no joined together thinking.
As he explains, the SFI scheme was the scheme introduced by the previous government, post Brexit, as a replacement for the previous EU common agricultural policy scheme, which did give him the support to farm the land. Absolutely nothing to do with the current government
@ same train, different driver.
@@karenbarker9474 You specifically laid this at Starmer's door. That's demonstrably not the case. Much can be argued concerning what Labour should do in the future, but this current reality is entirely at the feet of the Conservatives and those who voted for their Brexit project
I love the videos Harry, I enjoy them. But they fill me with fear for the future. What on earth are these government types doing?! They're destroying Britain's ability to feed itself... Utter madness
This is so scary. On so many different levels. Food security, overall food production volume, land use changes, the shrinking of independent farm numbers, the growth of corporate farming. Countryside stewardship, soil health.
Harry, I feel for you farmer's Sooo Much!... You work extremely hard with passion for the industry, not for profit in my eyes but as a way of life to do good for the Country, and yet you are crucified by the Government.
I wish society could see and hear more about the difficulties you face. Wish you and all the farming community the very best.
Like the way your looking at survival of the farm for future. Hopefully the government will waken up and face there responsibility to ensure the native people of this country are fed
Great insight as usual Harry, I am sure the vast majority of the population is with you
May I also recommend a recent Daily Telegraph podcast with a Staffordshire farmer for another supportive view
Like the conservation work Harry. Maybe in the future food will be at the right price and not heavily subsidised. It might focus people's minds on what is really important.
Thanks Harry great update 👍🇨🇮
Having had substantial experience of woodland management the main work consisted of thinning out trees. A simple fact is sadly ignored - trees grow and room for this growth must be allowed for when planting them. So take this on board Harry if you are thinking of adding to your woodland.
Far easier it make up pretendy money in London, then con other counties into thinking it is real and import their hard work.
Harry, please keep doing what you're doing, superb content... very informative. Thank you. 😊🇬🇧
Thank you Harry,
Another superb analysis of the mess this and the last Govts have/are making of British Agriculture. To be honest I think we are fast approaching a major political revolution. where Central Govt is massively slimmed down and local people take back control. I just hope that the damage being inflicted by Rachael Thieves does not inflict lasting damage. Both Reform and the Tories have pledged to reverse the wrongs inflicted by this mean spirited London centric govt, who seem only interested in furthering their own ideologies (U'man Rights, Net Zero, trade Unions, the Public Sector and mass migration) Be assured the public are on your side.
I'm sorry to say that the British people are just like the sheep in the fields - they voted this government in with a massive majority so we stuck with Starmer for five years. In some ways you can't blame them - I mean what were the alternatives? Can you point to just one good thing that came out of all those years of Tory rule? Oh yes I suppose gay marriage could qualify.
Thanks Harry, as always, for a well-informed commentary. I would be interested to hear how the economics of planting solar panels has changed with the appointment of Ed Milliband as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that weeds will be more profitable and less invasive than solar panels .
Informative and educational, thanks Harry
Don't be fooled!
@ I can form my own opinion thanks
As always the best explanation of what is happening to UK farming, I hope there is going to be a change of direction soon ,though I am not optimistic there will be.
Farms have to be businesses, but government should promote food production, not subsidies that just result in imports.
Why?
Fantastic analysis as always! Lots of uncertainty in an industry that has to try and plan long term 😬
Very interesting video, thanks. It’s unbelievable, the disastrous policy’s this socialist government are following! They are completely disconnected from the countryside and are clueless as to how farming works! I will be at Tuesdays event, in spirit, as I am in France. Where farmers are also be treated with contempt by their government, as are many other’s throughout Europe. The loss of food security is, frankly, extremely scary! Best wishes, Colin.
Harry a couple of suggestions for future features for the channel - which MUST continue! Maybe about how some of the farm machines work? I find combine harvesters fascinating pieces of kit! Or maybe combining your Garage channel and doing more features on farm 'cars' -e.g the Grenadier type of programme which you did (and I really enjoyed!). I know there aren't too many vehicles around, but....
Also updates on your solar kit, or future trends in farming (not actually farming one could argue...!).
An absolute must watch.. fancy the Government cocking up the business relief.!
Harry great video, rally sad to see what is happening to family farms in UK support from us farmers in Slovenia to you all🤟💪🧑🌾
In the face of such clear evidence of economic mismanagement by Government, it is equally shocking that a feeling of hopelessness might descend upon the agricultural community. Agricultural supply chain losses will add fuel to the flames. Full support for the forthcoming rally. MP's appear insouciant and distant as opposed to engaged.
Sorry abit late watching this video. As a fellow farmer I feel incredibly sad that this is the way farming is going. Long gone are the days when there were many family members and staff working night and day to produce as much food as possible, doing a very good job,and really enjoying what we did,it also made us feel immensely proud of our efforts.
Now look where we are! Our forebears would be ashamed .
Unfortunately I agree with most of what you are doing and think most of us will be doing the same.
i give up on this country. We used to be, in my younger days, a happy country. When I started in farming we were left alone to do one thing, to produce food. Now it seems they're being paid to produce nothing but pretty flowers etc.
How can it be that this so called government is happy to rely on imports for the vast majority of our food. They havent thought of what's going to happen when our suppliers close their doors to exports and our land is covered in solar panels and wind turbines.
However there is an upside to it. At least we'll be nice and warm while the sun shines and the wind blows, never mind about us all being hungry.
Great video thanks Harry.
Please fight for more livestock too.
When famine sets in, at least farmers will have venison for a yr until that runs out.
And wildlife.
@@Mrbfgray Then we start eating each other?
@@railway-share3820 Already are, no? Not literally yet but that's the endgame of welfare state.
Wokey dokey.
Thank you for keeping us updated!
dont know how, but people need a way to buy directy from the farmer and shut the goverment and big supermarket chains out to end there control. things are starting to get very scary and orwell at this point.
So crazy! I hope you are able to keep the farm, working at something, hopefully profitable.
Remarkable thanks for explaining to non farmers Harry good luck
Fascinating Harry , I can’t get my head around what we do in this country but hope all goes well.
Seems like a dangerous direction if we cannot feed our own country
Dangerous for some, business for others.
I love a bit of sensationalism. Since when have we ever not been able to feed the people?
@ I’m not sure it’s that. When a nation is reliant on other nations for food when it could grow more itself. That is a dangerous road to go down.
In my grandparents generation food was only available seasonally. If you didn’t grow you didn’t have it.
Eg Today if you want a punnet of raspberries you can have it any day of the year
When I ask my grandkids where food comes from they say from the supermarket
The knowledge my grandparents had about growing their own is disappearing fast. This is dangerous.
Sure there are allotments but all the people I know who still use them are my age or older. This is dangerous.
Food and water security matters for all of us
@@mariemccann5895now
@@mariemccann5895 It’s coming, during Covid the world’s supply chains shut down and people fought over toilet paper. This could be a much worse situation. The greenhouses in Spain that produce 30% of our fruit have just been destroyed. A good majority of our wheat came from Ukraine and has been lost. We are better to be able to look after ourselves
I think I understand a bit better about farming, still not a lot. Excellent content Mr H
Another excellent episode and I do feel so sorry for farmers. Labour seem hell bent on ideology beating logic and economics (farming taxes, independent school VAT etc).
I’d love to support the farmers next week but I’m away. Shame it’s not at the weekend
Excellent but very sad summary. In addition, having just paid £90 for a builders bag of logs that I paid 60 for 2 years ago I can recommend you host a log supplier on your farm .
Why shouldn't the richest farmers pay inheritance tax? Pay up like everyone else. I sympathise with other aspects of farmers having a tougher time, but the richest few kicking up a stink over paying their fair share - bore off
What I really like about Harry is his transparency about the farm costs and also with his cars. If our successive governments were like that, I think there would be a lot more trust in them, and also a better chance to protest when we are in disagreement.
Thanks for the content.
I remember paying £150/ton for wheat off back of combine 30 years ago
Judging by Harry’s profit on a good year, it seems to be our food is too cheap. 32 k for the risk is not good
Saddened by the way things are going for the industry keep on battling Harry hope the weather is kind for the 2025 season . !! Thx for sharing information top vlogger top bloke .
Inheritance tax on businesses and property is pure evil generational wealth destroying double taxation and should be abolished. It looks to me like the government is intentionally making small farming impossible to do profitably or for more than one generation. The only logical conclusion for doing this is because they want the land. They are going after farmers in the Netherlands in the same way I believe because they want to build that tri state mega city they have drawn up but can't because those darn pesky farmers own the land they need.
My prediction is that when small farmers cannot pay the inheritance tax and are forced to sell, multi billion dollar mega corporations will buy them up and where they want to city expansion, it will promptly get rezoned residential/commercial yielding massive profits. They can sit on the land and do nothing for a decade and just wait, it won't matter to them.
I don't trust this paying farmers to not grow food either. I think its a back door way of getting farmland out of being farmed so it's no longer "farmland".
@theslimeylimey if that's your attitude then you should be demanding that all inheritance is scrapped for everyone in the UK, not just the farmers.
However, you would have to increase other taxes massively to pay for such a change.
Best of luck 👍
Great education for the farming and non farming folk out there (as usual) Harry. Totally understand your thoughts and possible direction. If you scale up your ha's to the whole country, I'd imagine this will spell the end for many contractors, or at best, mean they cannot justify the machinery purchases for the smaller area being farmed. In turn, machinery dealers will go bust along with many other areas of the agricultural supply chain. Very worrying and keeps me awake at night.
Rachel Thieves is deluded. Surely the tax should only be paid if the farm is ever sold and the value is realised. Otherwise, there is surely no value as the farm is passed through the generations. They should be concentrating on encouraging farming to provide the country with food security.