As one Defra agency appears to be finally learning the painful lessons of IT rollouts gone wrong, another seems to have walked into the same trap. Strong tenant farm sector vital
THE vital importance of tenant farms to the future of British agriculture will be highlighted at a major conference today (Thursday, November 19).
Speaking before the inaugural NFU Tenant Farming Conference at Chatsworth House, Meurig Raymond, NFU deputy president, said that a strong tenanted sector was ‘paramount’ to meet the food challenges ahead.
“You read everywhere that this country will need to increase food production and cut carbon emissions at the same time.
“We will need a strong tenanted sector to meet these challenges and for that we need a strong work base.
“We need a strong tenancy framework to allow current tenant farmers to retire from farming with dignity and to allow new blood into the industry to continue their good work,” said Mr Raymond.
Apart from the need for smooth succession routes, delegates will discus the future of county farms, the need for professional advice for complex tenant issues, such as succession planning and the role Government can play in ensuring the sector has a viable future supported by legislation.
Conference delegates will be addressed by some of the industry’s leading figures including Julian Sayers, of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Stephen Morgan, the out-going rural chairman of the Association of Chief Estate Surveyors, Jim Paice, shadow farm minister and Lord Davies from Defra.
