Give young farmers a chance
"Young farmers have got to be given support when they are young pay them their worth and encourage them to keep their own stock. Older generations must be there to support business decisions made by youngsters, as this knowledge is worth far more than the assets." This was the message Wil Prichard gave at the Ceredigion NFU Cymru County Conference.
Mr Prichard, a past Chairman of Future Farmers for Wales, outlined how his family dairy farm had progressed and where the future lay for the farming industry. Mr Prichard, the third generation to farm at Escalwen, Pembrokeshire, has increased the milking herd to over 700 cows, with the installation of a 44/88 herringbone swingover milking parlour and a feeding pad suffice for 750 cows, since becoming a partner in 1997.
"In order to succeed, I believe young farmers must have a hunger to achieve and set out their clear objectives. Of course there will be obstacles and unexpected opportunities but remaining focused is the answer," said Mr Prichard, who gave an address to the Oxford Farming Conference last year on his success in the dairy industry.
Mr Prichard said, "As a young farmer, I suggest it will take three years of the single farm payment regime until we see the true result of decoupling. We are now at a serious turning point and farmers are looking at their businesses with a lot more scrutiny.
"At present, farmers are being let down by processors and retailers. A lot of money is being made by someone else. We need to be more innovative and attach ourselves to the consumer. For me, the best farmers will be those who think outside of the box and those who have new ideas to create demand for their product will flourish."
Looking to the future he said, "There will always be threats on the horizon, not only in milk but throughout the industry. There are exciting opportunities to market milk and looking at getting demand for our product. Look at the organic market; this was one of the greatest marketing tools invented."
Members present expressed concerns about the level of bureaucracy currently placed right across the farming industry. Mr Prichard said, "There will always be legislative bureaucracy even if support comes from environmental schemes. Overburdening of bureaucracy has led to the demise of agricultural land and the rural economy. Farmers are nervous of environmental schemes but low market prices will make such agreements more attractive."
NFU Cymru County Chairman, Richard Tudor concluded, "The single farm payment regime places a heavy regulatory burden on farmers. All we ask for, here in Ceredigion and throughout the country, is fair treatment on inspection."
