I'm going to interview Prof Wynne Jones (the retiring principal of Harper Adams) - a guy who's very well known and respected in farming circles. I plan to talk to him about general agricultural education/training issues and the closure of rural colleges etc...

Just wondered if any FWiSpace users had any particular questions they'd like me to put to him?

"Given the increasingly scientific, technological, capital intensive and politically targetted nature of land use today, does he see a place for the philosopher farmer with an artistic soul in the future?"

What does he think of Cirencester?

        At a time when investment in agricultural training is being much requested, I was interested to read your article on Prof Bill McKelvey's thoughts for SAC (Scottish Agricultural College) with regard to being more federal and forming a world leading agricultural institute. (Farmers Weekly, 12th June, page 16).

        Perhaps, Tim, you could discuss this issue with him, perhaps with a view as to whether England could follow this approach.

All I can say Tim, is mind your manners! He's practically Royalty to us former Harper students. A legend! A genuine Agricultural Hero! In fact I may just go over to the Greatest Farming Figures forum and put his name down.

Oh you could just ask him what he plans to do next? Can't believe a man like him could simply retire without have another iron in the fire somewhere.

How do you feel about the way agricultural research and education has gone in this country relative to other nations. We used to be a "world class" farming nation in 1970, now we have fallen far in the productivity league table being essentially second division in Europe now. Why?

When you look back over your time, there was much research and education capacity for agriculture from 1945 to 1979. What went wrong? Was it Thatcher who destroyed agricultural research or was it Blair with his dumbing down policy and desire for 50% into HE with centralized Stalinist targets for education to meet?  My view is it was Thatcher who is culpable but Blair did not help.

What is the legacy of the generation that graduated in the late 60s and early 70s with agricultural degrees? So many left farming, but of the folk who remained such as your good self. What is the legacy? Do you feel that your generation walked the walk (you have and do) but generally or is more that the talk was good.  It is my view that the baby boomer generation inherited the earth and have left debts, environmental problems (climate change) and peak oil is past. So the agriculture of the morrow will have to be more diverse in this country to ameliorate risk, smaller and more local. Not big business, big oil and big acres, big herds, big flocks. Farming must become more part-time, specialist occupation with a family home supported by incomes from both agriculture and other income streams.

Do we have a problem with the reactionary nfu view promulgating what a farmer is. Farmers are no longer this nfu presentation of a fulltime farmer. Agriculture in Britain can no longer support full-time farmers. The farmer of tomorrow will need different skills than ear tagging and feeding stock, or seeding and spraying. They will need education in skills such as social skills, communication skills, negotiation skills, business succession and contract setting.

Much is made of soil erosion and depletion, how serious is the problem, in you view, in this country?

          I am a premium subscriber to the Agricultural College (Scotland) but I nearly withdrew in the 1990's. As their finance was being reduced our contributions were being increased. The College was doing more training and work overseas, presumably to increase funds as they were being cut from the home Government. In effect we were paying the College to advance the efficiency of our opposition. However, some of these countries are part of the EU now.

          Are we getting as good value for our money today as we were in the 1980's and earlier? 

Tim.Relf:

I'm going to interview Prof Wynne Jones (the retiring principal of Harper Adams) - a guy who's very well known and respected in farming circles. I plan to talk to him about general agricultural education/training issues and the closure of rural colleges etc...

Just wondered if any FWiSpace users had any particular questions they'd like me to put to him?