By Charles Bourns, broiler grower, Gloucestershire
Another year has passed and what a year it has been for us all. It started with the industry thinking of changing to 30kg stocking density, which by the end of the year most retailers and foodservice companies have now adopted. But as usual they are all going at different times and now adopting different breeds which will cause total confusion amongst our customers and price pressures on the farm and above. Why can they not be honest and say they really do not care about the stocking density etc they just have moved thanks to NGO pressure? Bird welfare is down to stockmanship and not the farm system. Anyway we are where we are and hopefully we will make the most of it as the industry always does.
The big news of the autumn was the budget which included the policy of inheritance tax on farms, something they had promised not to do. The whole policy shows a complete lack of knowledge as to the way farmers operate. Farmers do not tend to build up big pension pots. They invest spare money in the farm as I did, as they have always looked upon the farm as their pension.
If the Chancellor was trying to stop people investing in land she will have failed because as one person said to me paying 20% tax on land is better than paying 40% elsewhere and the very wealthy put in their money in trusts. I just hope common sense prevails and we see a change of heart in the spring budget.
The shed age survey that the NFU did some time ago demonstrated this point very well. It showed that when the industry is profitable it invests in houses and equipment thus becoming more efficient as well as it being able to invest to meet new Red Tractor and retailer standards.
I did the other day go to a Young Farmers Pudding Evening; not good for an overweight diabetic. But I did ask what they thought of the budget. Most were concerned about the loss of VAT on a double cab truck. It just shows the generation gap. I suppose who knows what the tax situation will be in 30 plus years’ time.
Lastly it is very worrying to see AI back again. We have certainly made sure that everyone entering the farm goes through the full PPE procedure not that we encourage visitors as we are under the flight path of Slimbridge.
Anyway, here’s to a great 2025. I hope to see you at the SWCA Conference in April or the NFU Conference in February.