farmers can build whereever they like on greenbelt

TedButler

So why are not farmers building loads of houses? Maybe because its not that easy.

zcrat41

Suarez wrote: »

Farmers are the best paid people around! You will never see a farmer with a car less that 5 years old or without a new 40k tractor!

I drive a car more than 5 years old and all 3 of our tractors are not new and worth considerably more than 40k. All 3 tractors are required to do a job though.

I wish people would stop thinking farmers were loaded - yes there are a few "landed gentry" but most of those people in 5 or 6 bed farmhouses have land mortgaged up to the hilt.

I also don't mind people walking footpaths. What I do mind is the innumberable people who let their dogs roam through our crops causing us financial loss and poke their noses into our garden when the footpath runs futher away.

Incidentally, most farmers wish they could farm without subsidies. Be interesting to see what that did to the price of bread in Europe though.

leveller2911

zcrat41 wrote: »

I drive a car more than 5 years old and all 3 of our tractors are not new and worth considerably more than 40k. All 3 tractors are required to do a job though.

I wish people would stop thinking farmers were loaded - yes there are a few "landed gentry" but most of those people in 5 or 6 bed farmhouses have land mortgaged up to the hilt.


Still make enough money to build 5-6 bedroom houses many of which have been built within the last 20 years or so.Its their choice to get into debt to buy more land.I mentioned in my previous post I have respect for sections of the farming community but many don't deserve respect.We often see farming representatives on TV pleading poverty and saying how farming is on its knees and I'm sure sections of it such as dairy are but many of the arable farmers are coining it in, furtilizers prices have risen but nothing like grain prices.



I also don't mind people walking footpaths. What I do mind is the innumberable people who let their dogs roam through our crops causing us financial loss and poke their noses into our garden when the footpath runs futher away.

Well your in the minority ,most of the farmers I know would rather block the foot paths with hay bales or take down the sign posts if they could get away with it

Incidentally, most farmers wish they could farm without subsidies. Be interesting to see what that did to the price of bread in Europe though.

I've run my own business for nearly 20 years and I don't get any subsidies to compete with European businesses like farmers do so how can you justify it?.
If my workshop burns down or I have stock stolen if I don't have insurance I don't get any help but if a farm has TB or foot and Mouth they get compensation from the tax payer so how exactly is that right?.Yes I'm afraid many in the Farming community think they are "speshul" and think they have a right to be subsidised.Your business is a private entity and its down to your business skills to make money ,you don't have to sell your produce to Supermarkets who tell you how much they will pay you.

I don't speak from hear say I know quite a few farming families around East Sussex and Romney Marsh and know how the gravey train works.
They use to get £1,000,s for grubbing out hedgerows to make fields larger to increase yields and now they get £1,000,s for planting hedge rows to encourage wildlife.Yes the politicians are partly to blame for making policy but farmers should hold their hands up and take some too...

lostinrates

leveller2911 wrote: »

but if a farm has TB or foot and Mouth they get compensation from the tax payer so how exactly is that right?.

And if your farm is not desease affected but in an exclusion zone imposed by the government?

I agree with you, and I think many honest people woul that there are problems and grasping farmers.

Buying new land is a business decision, not a personal one.

The current subsidy situation is, I admit, crazy.

leveller2911

lostinrates wrote: »

And if your farm is not desease affected but in an exclusion zone imposed by the government?

I agree with you, and I think many honest people woul that there are problems and grasping farmers.

Buying new land is a business decision, not a personal one.

The current subsidy situation is, I admit, crazy.

My post may come across as being bitter, its not meant to be but I hear local Farmers whinging all the time.One minute they moan about price rises in fertilizer and in the next breathe saying what a nice job the builders have done on the Oast house conversion.

One local family were being interviewed on TV saying how tough things are and saying how their combined profit for their 5 farms was only £50k.Obviously the interviews weren't carried out out their 6 bedroom house or their 16th Century Oak timber framed Farmhouse or any of the Cottages they own.

I can assure people that in my area they are not the exception.There are also some very wealthy Farmers around the Ashford area now who have sold off hundreds of Acres to house building companies and Wind Farm Companies ,so much for being "Custodians of the Countryside".

lostinrates

leveller2911 wrote: »

My post may come across as being bitter, its not meant to be but I hear local Farmers whinging all the time.One minute they moan about price rises in fertilizer and in the next breathe saying what a nice job the builders have done on the Oast house conversion.

One local family were being interviewed on TV saying how tough things are and saying how their combined profit for their 5 farms was only £50k.Obviously the interviews weren't carried out out their 6 bedroom house or their 16th Century Oak timber framed Farmhouse or any of the Cottages they own.

I can assure people that in my area they are not the exception..

You know what, one comes across this in EVERY industry I've ever known. e.g. Builders, some of whom live hand to mouth and work hard, others who whinge while running several companies to minimise VAT. There are whingers, people who have earned what they have got, the derserving and the undserving everywhere.

edit: incidentally, I BORROW a tractor, or hire contractors when I can't, as on our very decent income we can't afford one of our own. The land based business will legitimately lose money for years and years and years: we couldn't afford to be doing it if we didn;t have a City income coming in, somewhat ironinc when you think of the big city successes of hedgefunders buying up land.

We wanted to buy more land, but even at relatively low fixes the acheivable rental for grazing was less than the interest payment, so a further loss simply to allow future business expansion for us. Not sure what that would be now.

leveller2911

lostinrates wrote: »

You know what, one comes across this in EVERY industry I've ever known. e.g. Builders, some of whom live hand to mouth and work hard, others who whinge while running several companies to minimise VAT. There are whingers, people who have earned what they have got, the derserving and the undserving everywhere.

Think I'm one of the ones who work like a dog , struggle and whinge.....:D Just can't quite get the "making a fortune" bit right.On a serious note its the Hypocrisy of people that I find hard to take..

lostinrates

leveller2911 wrote: »

Think I'm one of the ones who work like a dog , struggle and whinge.....:D Just can't quite get the "making a fortune" bit right.On a serious note its the Hypocrisy of people that I find hard to take..

DH works hard, but rarely whinges: we're pretty bloody lucky really.

I think most of us are hypocrites. I know I am at times. Most people aren't brave enough to admit it because most of us hate it so much!

lostinrates

Incidentally, report blocked footpaths and bridle ways that are not kept servicable at the reuired width. They are a right of access and should be maintained. Consider joining local volunteer networks for maintaining them and mapping lost ones. They are an importnat resource providing access for all of us. Bridle ways obstructed can be refered to the British horse society as well as to the council for further pressure to be applied for their maintenance.

leveller2911

lostinrates wrote: »

DH works hard, but rarely whinges: we're pretty bloody lucky really.

I think most of us are hypocrites. I know I am at times. Most people aren't brave enough to admit it because most of us hate it so much!

Your quite right in the grand scheme of things we are lucky compared to many in the world.We probably are all hypocrites at some point ,I think its because the pace of life is so fast we don't have time to step back and really think about an issue or options before we make a decision.So I think that can be forgiven but blatant hypocrisy is different.