Of all the industries, farming has perhaps the greatest longevity. Being a way of life, many farmers have worked the land for a lifetime. It’s also an industry that neither is, nor can afford to be, stuck in the past. 

My own colleague, farmer and farm management consultant Peter Bennett, is now celebrating 50 years with Savills. I’m reminded of just how much about farming is as relevant today as when he started out. Yet how much has changed.

Terms such as biodiversity net gain, social value and net zero were barely being discussed five years, let alone five decades, ago, and this new language is a mark of how much farmers and landowners have had to understand, absorb and adapt. 

Driven by the need to replace income lost from BPS, farmers now have a far wider range of options to consider, not least ones where the principal driver is not food production but, for example, carbon sequestration, renewable energy generation and biodiversity enhancement.

Herein lies another challenge. Farming is no longer all about producing food – but produce food we must. Competition for land use means more food will need to come from fewer acres – no mean feat given 60% of UK produce comes from just 8% of land. Improving crop yields will be key, as will support. All parties have recently committed to food production and the hope must be that this translates into substantive support, particularly against the backdrop of severe weather conditions and the impact on this year’s harvest. 

Those who rise to the challenge of change, embracing new income streams and innovative ideas will keep the traditions of a thriving rural sector alive. And just as the farming industry celebrates the wealth of wisdom accrued over time, it’s important to plan for succession, valuing fresh talent and the expertise younger members of the family can bring to the business. 

Now more than ever, older and younger generations of farmers should work together to meet the future.

Further information

Contact Andrew Harle

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