By unlocking the export potential China offers the pig industry, not to mention the red meat sector as a whole, we could gain entry into a marketplace which comprises a fifth of the world’s population.Agriculture lacks significance and skills
A GOVERNMENT report has ranked agriculture a lowly 26 out of 27 industry groups in a table charting economic significance across England.
The ‘National Strategic Skills Audit 2010’ ranked agriculture, which contributes £7 billion to the national economy, above only wood and paper manufacture.
The audit also found agriculture, which employs nearly half a million people, had one of the largest skills gaps of any industry in England.
Jim Paice MP, shadow Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs, slammed the report which he said highlighted the Government’s lack of commitment to farming, an industry worth £21 billion in terms of added value to the food and drink industry.
“First we have Government policy which states that domestic production is not necessary for our food security. Now we have a document which claims that the farming industry is of low economic significance.
“For the massive contribution of our farmers to be devalued in this way confirms that this Government just does not appreciate the importance of British agriculture to our economy, environment and national well-being,” he said.
The skills audit found 13 per cent of agricultural establishments were lacking in skills – compared to an average of 3 per cent across all English industries.
In total 18,400 people involved in agriculture were found to be ‘not fully proficient’ in their job – equivalent to 6 per cent all agricultural workers.
“It is time for a Government which relentlessly promotes rather than consistently undermines British farming,” said Mr Paice.
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Readers' comments (11)
Dairy Farmer | 29 March 2010 12:17 pm
They just might think differently about agriculture's significance when they're all starving!
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Retired farmer | 30 March 2010 1:29 pm
I agree,let them starve. Then they will understand just how much they depend on farmers.
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Retired Farmer again | 30 March 2010 1:54 pm
Where do they think the food they eat every day comes from? Everything else you could do without, but if you get no food you die. We could even survive without this government quango producing a useless report which ,no doubt, has cost us millions.
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Alistair M Smith - Environmental Consultant | 30 March 2010 2:09 pm
Typical comment from this Government. Where is the reduction in the carbon footprint when one is dependent on imports. Why can't we be pro-active in developing export opportunities whilst at the same time being self sufficient to a degree in our own country.
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Anonymous | 30 March 2010 3:20 pm
I don’t see what’s wrong with this report at all.
It is about economic significance- economically agriculture is very insignificant if we measure its financial statistics relative to the national economy.
Its importance to the nation as a source of food is a different matter.
As for the skills gap i recently read the devastating article about a young lad (16) killed whilst driving a tractor.... It’s incredible farming gets away with this.
I am but the above attitudes are indicative of the terrible attitude of the majority of farmers which does nothing to help the cause.
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Anonymous | 30 March 2010 3:31 pm
I'm guessing that the Government weren't assessed by the National Stategic Skills Audit, it would have found that at least 95% of them are 'not fully proficient' in their jobs or even partially proficient!
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Anonymous | 30 March 2010 3:50 pm
Typical government Ok. One thing they knowv about very well in relation to Farming is bull****.
People would be amazed at the multitude of skills farmers have to learn in order to run their business because they can't afford the staff they need . Most other businesses put their prices up for that but we can't.Seven days a week no holidays thats dedication.
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Anonymous | 30 March 2010 5:58 pm
well this is a live one , lets face facts .farmers for many years have payed there staff below the average wage so only attract those workers with low skill levels . but now they can not match the wages needed for some one to live on so have to work seven days a week . how many other business get has many hand outs from europe and the govermant the way a farmer does. they will tell you the are custodians of the country side but want to keep you off it . have you looked at the state of some famrs .they are like tips with old tractors dumped rusty sheds .little invetsment in the farm then moan life is hard .. then moan about cheap imported m eat and grain but drive around in a japanese pick up truck ?????
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Anonymous | 30 March 2010 6:19 pm
It's interesting to note that, of the comments so far, those speaking against farmers appear to be barely literate.
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Newt | 30 March 2010 7:02 pm
I wouldn't have put it past this government to rank us last! They certainly treat us with absolute contempt!
As for skills, apart from stockmanship that pays the bills, I drive tractors, lay hedges, build drystone walls, manage the landscape, work sheep dogs and fill in the thousand and one forms and pieces of paper needed to run a farm. In fact, like most farmers I know, I can turn my hand to just about anything - show me a government employee capable of half of that?
Who cares what these idiots think anyway, soon they'll all be unemployed when their bosses realise that they can't pay their bills!
Starve? They'll be lucky!
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