"There is no future in sight for these younger ones coming into the business"
The Trailer of Truth is almost ready to deliver its messages from farmers at the Labour Party Conference on Sunday (September 28).
Having travelled from North Scotland, this trailer arrived at Skipton Auction Mart today (September 24), where farmers gathered to share concerns that the Government has failed to listen to them.
Robert Metcalf, attendee at CCM auctions today, said his worry was for young farmers and labour shortages.
READ NOW: Farming Minister meets NFU on first farm visit in new role
"Where are the workers going to come from. There is nobody wanting to go into farming."
Amy Snowden from Worth Valley YFC shared why farming is important to her.
"As a farmer's daughter, it is more than just farming to me and my family," she said.
"The Young Farmers movement has been in my family for three generations and my club is over 80 years old.
"Farming is a way of life, and Young Farmers teaches us skills for life while making friends for life."
Another young farmer, Ellen Wilson said: "As a butcher's daughter, will we have a future?
"If we reduce farmers now, how are we expected to feed ourselves and the nation?
"We should not need to import; we just need to be allowed to produce our own stuff, just importing stuff is increasing all your emissions and everything else, so where do we stand. What else can we do?
"They [Government] just need to wake up and see we are not bad people. We are out here to help everybody else."
With many concerned for the future of farming, especially for the younger generations, one farmer said: "There is no future in sight for these younger ones coming into the business"
Another replied: "I have three lads, but they do other things because they are worried about the future."
As well as this, farmers highlighted their concerns around Inheritance Tax, Government policies, tenant farms and environmental schemes which are pushing farmers off their land to make way for solar panels.
‘Do not bite the hand that feeds you' was the message from Tom Carlisle, an attendee at the market who travelled from his farm in the Yorkshire Dales.
"We just want the Government to listen to what farmers have got to say and to treat us better and treat us with respect," he said.
READ NOW: Young Farmer Focus - Ben Fenemore: "Farmers support their communities"
Having helped organise the Trailer of Truth's arrival, Ted Odgen, auctioneer at CCM Auctions, said: "What you have seen here today at the livestock market is the fear and the worry amongst these producers.
"They are worried about the future, how they are going to farm the ground, all the regulations, and the family farm tax.
"All they want to do is feed the nation, look after the countryside and have a vibrant rural community and a lot of things are harming the rural communities.
"They need to remember that a farmer's best asset is looking after his livestock and the countryside, growing vegetables and arable crops and stuff that the UK consumers need and want.
"These trailers that are around the UK are giving farmers from all over, all corners of the British Isles, a chance for them to send their own personal message."
