Our autumn drilling is finally finished, thanks to a kind November.

We’ve learnt that although the 12m Horsch Avatar works very well in damp November conditions, the crows love the drill as much as I do.

They seem to enjoy walking along the 25cm row spacings, more so than the conventionally drilled.

See also: Farmer Focus: All those political promises were lies

About the author

Robert Scott

Robert Scott farms 1,450ha of arable in mid-west Norfolk for seven different landowners. He grows combinable crops and sugar beet together with cover crops, grass leys and extensive countryside stewardship schemes. He also finishes 2,000 lambs a year. robert@thscottandson.co.uk Instagram: @thscottandson

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Like so many others, our family trooped down to London on the 19 November for the rally. I was buoyed to see so many farmers on the journey south.

But as I looked down Whitehall, I wondered how many of the family businesses represented there would still be producing food in 10- or 20-years time.

Despite the weather, I was proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with my wife Flo as we listened to Kemi Badenoch, among others, promise us “growth, hope and protection” if her party returned to power.

Statistically, like Clare Wise said, my business is an average family farm.

We own 125ha and tenant 76ha – the remainder of the business is whole-farm contracting for other landowners and tenants alike.

I farm in partnership with my parents both in their mid-60s, and some of the farm is still rented from Granny.

In order to grow the business and diversify, as we’ve been told to by successive governments, the bank now has charges on a proportion of our land.

Like most family businesses, we have followed policy, evolved with technology and been early adopters of new techniques, yet we are still struggling to make ends meet.

The overdraft gets bigger each year, we’re working more hours than ever before, and we pay our loyal staff more than we take home ourselves.

As primary food producers we are price-takers. Macroeconomics, government policy and the weather dictate our success or failure.

This is very evident when analysing present growing costs.

Last week, when undertaking a review, I noticed that since the outbreak of the Ukrainian war, the total variable spend for one unit I manage has risen by nearly 60%.

I draw from this that primary food production in the UK is not financially sustainable without government protection, be that by direct subsidy, tax relief or other means.

Our government needs to recognise this, before it is too late for many average British farms like mine.