Owning land isnt everything, says YFC leader

6 January 2000



Owning land isn’t everything, says YFC leader

By FWi staff

THE future leader of Britains young farmers has called for producers to forget their obsession about owning their own land.

Mark Spencer, who is vice-chairman of the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs, will become the organisations chairman later this year.

Unveiling his vision for the future of young farmers in Britain, he warned that traditional entry routes for potential producers into agriculture were limited.

Speaking at the Oxford Farming Conference, Mr Spencer said it was difficult for would-be farmers to start enterprises like dairying, pigs or egg production.

Young hopefuls should instead shed their obsession about owning land and turn to contracting, management or specialised niche markets, he said.

Mr Spencer has combinable crops, a small dairy herd and a farm shop on his 100ha (250 acre) farm on the urban fringes of Nottingham.

The Young Farmers organisation will tomorrow deliver a petition to the government calling on ministers to “put the young back into farming”.