Agriculture in England - Current Issues in British Agriculture - County Farms

County Farms

In Quotes
"The private sector is not providing anything like sufficient opportunities for new entrants. Increasingly, holdings are of a size and capital requirement that would be unreachable for a new entrant."
George Dunn, Chief Executive of the Tenant Farmers' Association, speaking in 2010.

"County farms are the only consistent route of entry into agriculture for young people."
Carolyn Rule, Cabinet member, Cornwall County Council, speaking in 2010.

Local government authorities have powers under the Smallholdings and Allotments Act ] to buy and rent land to people who want to become farmers. Fifty County Councils and Unitary Authorities in England and Wales offer tenancies on smallholdings (called "County Farms") as an entry route into agriculture, but this provision is shrinking. Between 1984 and 2006, the amount of land available as County Farms shrank from 137,664 hectares (340,180 acres) to 96,206 hectares (237,730 acres), a reduction of 30%. The number of tenants on these smallholdings shrank by 58% in the same period to about 2,900. County Farms yielded an operational surplus of £10.6 million to local authorities in the financial year 2008–9. Although County Farms are the main route into farming for new entrants, Local Authorities are under increasing pressure to dispose of County Farms to obtain capital receipts, and some now manage their estate for purposes other than creating a first rung on the farming ladder. Somerset County Council proposes to sell 35 of its 62 County Farms.

As of March 2009, 39% of County Farms were of 50 acres (20 ha) or smaller, 31% of 50 acres (20 ha) to 100 acres (40 ha), and 30% of 100 acres (40 ha) or more.

Read more about this topic:  Agriculture In England, Current Issues in British Agriculture

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