Concerns about the sale of county farms has prompted Defra Minister George Eustice to call for discussions about how new entrants to the industry can be better served.
"There has been concern about those, particularly in Herefordshire, which prompted me to set up some discussions," said Eustice.
"We cannot block them from selling those assets—they have a statutory right to do that—but we have a role to play in working with them on any plans for reorganisation of their county farms.
"That is why I am keen to have discussions with them about how we can try to refresh the model and make it a real option for new entrants to the industry."
Eustice said there were some interesting models that enable new entrants, who perhaps do not have capital behind them, to get access and set up a new business.
The Defra Minister cited an example of a large pig producing company which uses franchise farmers, who run the unit for a fee.
"That is a great way to give young people who want to farm, but have no capital behind them, the first stepping stone into the industry.
"It is also a model that can lead to better knowledge transfer and access to technology."
"We think about the future of farming in this country, we perhaps need to move beyond the traditional notion of tenancies and land ownership and look at some of those other, more creative models, which may actually have far more promise for new people trying to get into the industry."
'Availability of land'
The availability of land for purchase or rent is the most difficult challenge young farmers face.
The report, published by the European Commission this week, identified issues such as land ownership laws, inheritance rules and land prices as some of the main hurdles young farmers face.
Following extensive interviews with more than 2,200 young farmers across the EU in order to identify the main challenges faced in each Member State, the report shows that access to credits and subsidies are also perceived as difficult by more than one third of young farmers.
There is relatively little difference on these issues between young farmers in the EU-15 and those in the EU-13, but for questions such as access to qualified labour, seasonal workers and machinery, there is clearly a stronger problem perceived by young farmers in the new Member States.
This study also indicates that young farmers do not consider knowledge acquisition as a crucial element for successful farming.
In their opinion, knowledge and lessons can easily be available and therefore the respective need is perceived in a less prominent way than other needs.
