Farmer Focus: Ditch Countryfile set and focus on real farms

We are getting good at doing things twice here. Some more oilseed rape has been knocked out and spring oats put in its place.

Early-drilled spring barley has been replaced with some very late “cuckoo barley”. And I’ve had a self-inflicted, partial re-drill of red clover because, in my rush to beat the next biblical downpour of rain, I left the calibration door ajar when calibrating the drill.

See also: Farmers call out BBC over Countryfile Red Tractor story

About the author

Doug Dear

Opinion Columnist

Doug Dear farms 566ha (1,400 acres) of arable crops and runs a custom feedyard, contract-finishing about 2,400 cattle a year near Selby, North Yorkshire. Most cattle are finished over 90-120 days for nine deadweight outlets, as well as Selby and Thirsk markets.

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In the meantime, maize is in the ground and has started to germinate, but how long do you wait for wet holes to dry up? I have gone round one or two puddles like a slew on the prairies.

There have been long periods of trying to keep busy and then longer periods of trying to catch up. I can safely say I’m done with this spring.

More arable farmers are realising that with 20% of the pig industry and 30% of the poultry industry gone, grain demand has eased. Combined with a steady release of Black Sea wheat, it’s caused markets to tumble.

As a grain buyer, I’m filling my boots at this price level and buying a sizeable chunk forward. It’s time to shine for the livestock sector (or what’s left of it).

I’ve had another look at the Sustainable Farming Incentive with Linda, our very own equivalent of Clarkson’s Farm’s Cheerful Charlie.

Even with the add-ons, I still can’t make it work. Why would you tie yourself in knots and have inspections from the Rural Payments Agency (and others) for such a small return?

Our government is hell-bent on running our industry into the ground, aided and abetted by our own union.

Net zero is very unappealing to the intensive livestock producer. We are trying to meet nigh on impossible targets – and 10 years early.

We all know it’s greenwashing and our industry will be decimated. And to what end? To source food from abroad.

There must be more pressing things the NFU could work on. Let’s stop pandering to the Countryfile set and concentrate on real farmers.

I’m all for one voice in agriculture – a strong, united voice. Dad and I have a membership going back to 1972, but the NFU is beginning to make me choke; it may be time for me to cut the rope.