Accountants back call for professional farming body

High Wycombe-based specialist agricultural accountants The Fish Partnership have backed a call for a professional farming body.

Food and farming minister Jim Paice believes that as farming becomes more market-oriented, a professional body is needed to provide advice to farmers.

Mr Paice told the Oxford Farming Conference that he believed the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) is best place to take on that role.

"I don’t mean the role played by the NFU, but in terms of technical and business expertise," he said.

He added that he had already approached AHDB chairman John Godfrey and asked him to explore how the AHDB, currently a levy board, could evolve into a professional farming body.

Paul Laird, a director at The Fish Partnership, threw his support behind the scheme, but added that there were plenty of business advisors already operating in the sector.

He said: "Farming is continuously changing and efficient progressive businesses have to respond to this dynamic environment, implementing technical and strategic improvements to ensure they are best placed to grasp the opportunities presented.

"Without a professional body, farmers often do not know who to turn to in order to ensure they have the right strategies in place to cope with the ever changing industry.

"However, they should realise that there are plenty of business advisors, like The Fish Partnership, who are well equipped to provide the sort of business advice that Mr Paice is calling for.

"We know the ins and outs of the industry and well-placed to help farmers plan for the future.

"We would welcome the chance to work with a professional body to help farmers implement the right business plans."