Why I believe UK farming in 2025 is broken

[@MartinReade]

Hello Harry. As a semi retired farmer now for 10 years, i regard your channel as possibly the most informative on youtube today. Thank you for showing your costed out information. This is a reality check as to why i pulled the plug on dairy farming in shropshire. As a mixed farm, 200 dairy and arable of over 400 acres, it was shocking the returns when you look back and compare to the 1980s and 90s. Staff issues and bank borrowings despite a good single farm payment, just didn t cut it. In 2008 i invested over £ 300000 in a new dairy parlour and handling facility with the view of reducing staff but after 2 years of dropping milk prices and evident cell count issues alongside T B problems, i lost 70 milkers in 1 hit, i was questioning my future as a farmer. The turning point came in 2010 when my 70 year old father died suddenly from pneumonia, trying to work on through illness. Well that was it for me, i have no sons and my decision was made, it was all going. By March 2011 the farm was sold, i have often wondered weather i made the right decision or not but in light of the recent inheritance tax debarcle and listening to you and the complicated way you are now supposedly making a living not growing grain, i am relieved to be out of it and was able to roll over capital without any capital gains or other tax to pay. My example is not good for the production of food in this country but it has surely made my life a whole lot easier. I am a farmer by trade and love the job even to this day but so glad to be out of it. Please do keep these really informative videos coming as you can ,i do appreciate your time on this, thank you.

[@daihedral9269]

'and was able to roll over capital without any capital gains or other tax to pay.' Rollover and IHT exemption have been the main drivers in the rise of the price of farmland.

[@MartinReade]

@daihedral9269 you are absolutely right there. My situation came about through unforeseen circumstances l had to loose my father to make me see sense . what i did was perfectly acceptable at that time, and i am grateful today that that decision was made then. It was quite a wrench ,but other less capital required business ventures pay far higher returns today. I accept not all farmers can do this for a variety of different reasons. My point is ,try and explore all other options and not be blinkered by farming. Professional advice is a must have

[@JmJmmmmm]

What do you do for a living now?

[@Andy_Holbrook332]

@daihedral9269absolutely spot on. The farming industry never mentions Rollover (to avoid CGT). IHT exemption was used by city folk to avoid IHT. Notice how they haven’t moaned about the removal of the tax break. Paying 20% is still better than 40%. And subsidies, well farmers have had taxpayer funded subsidies since the end of the war-its baked into their mindset. That said, Harry’s Farm remains an excellent channel.

[@MartinReade]

@@JmJmmmmm As a farmer you learn many different skills along the way, I have turned my hand to several different ventures, from property renovation, holiday rentals,groundworks and construction plus investments, equipment repairs and maintainance. I employ no staff directly and only sub contract work out where necessary. I drive a Range Rover exactly the same as Harry but mines black, i ve had it for 10 years now. Hope that answers your question,thank you. I never refuse work if i can do it

[@AndySnap]

Jeremy Clarkson gets the publicity ( and a TV contract worth more than farming...!), but Harry is by far the best explainer of British farming to the public, thanks to 'humble' KZbin. Always so informative....thanks.

[@native-american9049]

Harry explains nothing about farming. He along with this captured industry use cancer causing chemicals constantly - Farming grains unless organic is a toxic mess and this chump Harry could not care less. Either you reading or me writing statistically will get cancer?! We are exactly what we eat and this farmer is actually poisoning you!

[@mosgrovecleancutkid681]

some say, the reason Clarkson bought a farm in the first place was to avoid inheritance tax.

[@DaveScottADV]

@@mosgrovecleancutkid681 good for him.

[@willyfindlay4398]

Clarkson bought a Pheasant Shoot that was on a farm and happened to have a Tax break because it is Agriculture.

[@willyfindlay4398]

What was the average farm worth in 1984 when the Torries brought in the Agricultural Property Relief from inheritance tax. ?? What was Agricultural land worth just before the Rachel Thieves Budget ?

[@johnmackay5288]

The most clear and watchable program on farming out there. Thank you.

[@tims9434]

Better than the BBC

[@steveh545]

from an outsider (non-brit/non-farmer) i couldn't agree more.

[@antonylane2837]

Indeed it is. This guy should be the mediator betwixt farmers and the government.

[@richardwatson2348]

I agree with this!

[@cliffjesson8456]

He’s had a cushy run. Needs to get out

[@parkmantle489]

Wow, that was so incredibly interesting Harry. I had no particular interest in farming until I migrated from your Garage channel to watch the farm channel and now I'm hooked! For the government to pay farms not to grow food just seems crazy and to have two-thirds of your land unproductive just sounds ridiculous. Glad you were able to join Jeremy talking to Kemi but it's really Keir and the relevant ministers that should really have an audience with you and other farmers who can articulate the issues so clearly! Good luck with the 2025 harvest.

[@sandman8920]

Their excuse is that us farmers need to produce less and plant trees to save the environment/planet. Now you tell me how the hell anything we do in the uk is going to effect the planet to the extent that they are talking about.

[@BV-co7hy]

Save the planet from what exactly?

[@sandman8920]

@@BV-co7hy The working class I think.

[@davestevenson9080]

it's not crazy. it's an act of jenny o side

[@paularchard5796]

@davestevenson9080 Some say it is World Economic Form policy to get people to eat plant based meat and also to force farmers to sell to big commercial farmers like Bill Gates and other big landowners. Not sure why that should be preferable apart from possibly being easier for governments to manage?

[@stephentonkin6942]

Dear Harry. I’m not a farmer but my father was long ago. Your concerns regarding feeding our own nation are very valid and I take off my flat cap to you in explaining what our farmers are up against. Recent governments seem to have ignored the significance of UK farming, but have turned an ear to environmentalists without accepting responsibility for the consequences of food costs and Land husbandry. Our present govt seems deliberately anti-farming, which is extremely worrying. I know your Harrys Farm ‘programme’ has a huge following and I hope that this is one of the tools we can all use to get HM Govt to realise what wrongs are in place and what needs to be done to improve all our lives. You have my greatest admiration. Thank you,Harry

[@GT380man]

Governments of all countries in The West have been in cahoots with the anti-human agenda of the UN for several decades. That’s the motivating force behind all these schemes.

[@TheByard]

My father was born to a family of three sisters and one brother, on a market garden farm in North Wales. He and his brother were trained to take over the farm. With one girl becoming a quarry manager, and matron of a London hospital and the third a Queen Alexandra Army Nursing Officer. All this during WWII my father joined the Welsh Guards in 1938 through to 1944. The farm was heavily into fruit and vegetable supply through the war years, run by my uncle and a bank manager who did not have a clue of course. But they did manage to make quotas of stable produce with little fertilizer. On demob my father was put onto war damage repair and or rebuild, where he was paid higher rates than agriculture so he signed his share of the farm over to his brother, on condition help was given to the girls. Father went onto make a fantastic career in Civil Engineering and I followed him. I'm retired now and listening to Harry explain his farms income, I'm very glad my life was away from farming. With a day rate of GBP500 for an 8 hr. shift, I wonder who would want to gamble the weather, prices they can't control and Government's that more interested in Zero Emissions than feeding the tax payers.

[@AntonHu]

When you think, UK imports practically half its food and has to buy that on the international markets. Then consider the impending collapse of the UK economy - it's coming for sure - then how wil we pay the going rate for our food, given that countries like China and and India are relatively thrving and will be able to out-compete us in bidding for food? It is more essential that we strive for self-sufficiency in food than in energy which the Government seems to be obsessed with.

[@sarahann530]

​@@TheByard Farmers like your family did not provide enough food during the war either . UK farmers have been doing a half ass job for generations .

[@TheByard]

@@sarahann530 During WWII farmers were told which crops to plant and often when. The farms were governed by non agricultural professionals, like in uncles case the local bank branch manager. Who did not know the land and crop rotation etc. Chemicals and fertilizers were in short supply and crop rotation was important to try and keep bugs at bay, but that cleaning crop was not on his list, hence a poor yield.

[@KevsSanders]

As usual- well presented, incisive analysis. Thanks Harry.

[@ajadrew]

Your frustration is, & quite rightly, visible - I think I'd be screaming about it all because, with your clear & rational understanding & ability to put forward these points, it's blatently obvious farming is broken.

[@hedydd2]

I’m in the process of getting out of milk production. I’ll have sold half my herd by next Wednesday and am TB free [always have been] at the moment. However two of my neighbours have gone down with it in the last month and that would mean only selling my prized cows for slaughter or carrying on milk production until clear. Selling for slaughter would, apart from being heartbreaking, only raise a third of their true productive value. The risk is ridiculous. I honestly can’t wait to get out of the job and its costs, risks and stresses.

[@jamesthompson8865]

I think farmers mental health will be seriously tested in the coming years

[@buildmotosykletist1987]

@@jamesthompson8865 : Toughen up cupcake. Farmers are tough men.

[@brianlopez8855]

@@buildmotosykletist1987 toxic masculinity is very out of favour at the moment.

[@stephenholmes1036]

Utter tragedy, Milk is half the price it should be!

[@buildmotosykletist1987]

@ : There is no such thing and if there were men would see it was stopped.

[@geoffnewman3109]

Its very interesting that you talk about grain prices in 1984 when food production was heavily subsidised and there was massive over production. Farmers at that time were also paying inheritance tax at the full 40% rate.

[@TwoCylinderUK]

In 1984 land was £2000 an acre, 40% of £2000 is £800, wheat was £340 a tonne that means 2.35 tonnes of wheat paid the tax, today land is 10,000 an acre 20% of that is £2000 with wheat at £178 a tonne it would take 11.23 tonnes to pay the proposed tax. IHT implemented at half rate today is in fact 4.77 times less affordable.

[@stoney202]

@@TwoCylinderUK Yes, but by far the main reason farmland is that expensive is because of the lack of inheritance tax. It's not the only reason I'll grant you, but it is the main.

[@tonyedgecombe6631]

@@stoney202 Yes, even Clarkson admitted that he bought his farm to avoid inheritance tax.

[@thegreat7861]

@@TwoCylinderUKand you could buy farm kit for a fraction of what it costs now. Agflation is a real thing, it just doesn’t relate to the commodities that we sell

[@djowen5192]

And this is the problem, we have people sitting in committee making decisions on farming and food production who have never set foot on a farm and who have no idea about the situation farmers are in. They simply don't care, it's shameful.

[@andrewhead6267]

Same for the NHS, Education, Railways, the military. People chosen by the public to make decisions on parts of the economy and society that have never worked in the sectors they are making strategic decisions on.

[@cliffordmharland4684]

I don’t think they don’t care it’s a compleat lack of understanding

[@IanPritchard]

I think the issue is that they do know about farmers' situation, but they are following someone else's agenda.

yes, all the liebour front bench!!

[@rwalton159]

They have plenty of advisers who have or are provided information from various industries.

[@HedgehogChopper]

clear, concise and informative You could say Harry's hit the nail on the head

[@teryd5672n]

Anyone that owns or sits on the board of a business knows the importance of assessing the risks and will go on to build a resilience plan that manages those risks. Why isn’t the government doing the same for food and energy?

[@markrainford1219]

That stopped happening in about 1997.

[@rotorhead5006]

They did start talking about both food & energy security as a result of Covid/lockdown.... but then forgot all about it.

[@davestevenson9080]

they are. they consider a well fed population a risk to their regime

[@brianlopez8855]

they want to reduce population numbers, by increased deaths, it saves NHS bills and pensions

[@zx9mel]

Rachel from Accounts can just print the £££ to buy food and energy from abroad. A bit like eating out every night on your credit card . . .

[@grahamsouthon553]

Thank you so much for taking the time to explain what is happening in the farming world. We really appreciate news 'from the coal face' as opposed to the edited versions we get from various news agencies.

[@paulhannaford3657]

Thanks Harry,I’ve a arable & livestock farming background & do enjoy watching your videos 👍

[@edwardleigh-firbank7835]

Thank goodness we have Harry to fight our corner. Keep it up, Harry!!

[@nigelw512]

Thanks for the update Harry and your frustrations are clearly visible. .

[@paullawrence3541]

Harry. UK farming has been broken for a number of years now. It is a brave farmer who believes the Government will honour these current agreements. We now know they are gunning for farmers with their APR and nitrogen taxes. I am a similar age and went to Shuttleworth but my exposure to agriculture is now low (80acres instead of 1000) as I could see this decline starting. I mainly grow malting barley now. Enough for about 1 million pints of beer. Worth about £5 million in the pub. I receive approx £25,000 for that barley!!! That’s 1/200th of the price if a pint. If my price/tonne doubled it would only add 2.5 pence to the cost of a pint, but it would make my farming enterprise competitively profitable with normal business enterprises. I know you are aware if this but most of the public are not. Paul

[@omonkkonen6676]

Why aren’t you making pints of beer from your barley yourself?

[@paullawrence3541]

@ I am 67 and have another business that is unconnected with farming. It is way more profitable, less work and not weather dependent. My farming is now a hobby. I don’t want to start another business especially with a Labour government.

[@omonkkonen6676]

Governments come and go, but land remains. Brace your land and let it rest. Soon there will be a great need for farmers. People will be hungry.

[@antonylane2837]

​.. I grew a lot of cider apples... at the time £70 per ton... I vertically integrated...ie became a cider maker...the buildings became liable to business rates... and from the resultant cider, l collected for the government over £300 in excise duty from that very same ton of apples...

[@paullawrence3541]

@ And there is part of the problem. You do something to improve your income and the government grabs a big chunk of it even before you make any money for yourself. VAT and business rates take 30% of my gross business income and have no risk in the game. 🤬🤬

[@sianiswack633]

Glad that winter our wheat is serving you well in the cold weather. We're due for severe cold next week here, for a few days, and then just regular -5 to -10° C highs. It's still a bit dry. Thanks as always for your farming updates. Glad to hear some livestock producers have a local market

[@NickAsh-jl5nq]

I have been waiting for this harry.Thanks so much for this insightful video,keeping a non political,but realistic perspective on the situation.

[@primafacie6442]

Non political? Every important facet of our lives (and that of our children ) is based upon political decisions, it’s good intelligent people being non political (or PC) that’s allowed the politicians to run rough shod over the electorate, and get the UK into the state it’s in today.

[@edwardrook6246]

Have been waiting for another video. Excellent as usual and so informative. I am not a farmer but see the logic of what you say. These people in government have not got a clue about farming or even seasons which dictate when things need to be done. Well said Harry.

[@neildaniel8232]

It's very rare I disagree with you Harry but when you said that the meeting with Kemi wasn't political I'm afraid you're mistaken. She was part of the group that set up all of this environmental scheme and it's poor planning and implementation. The current Labour govt are now having to implement it knowing that it is not well-thought out and definitely not in the country's interests. She is now going around making out that her party want to fix the issue that Labour have caused when in reality her party are the architects of the current issues. Just you using that photo of her there with you and Jeremy is enough for her to make political capital out of an issue that her party created. The only current issue that you can pin on Labour right now is the IHT one, everything else belongs to the previous 14+ years of Conservative governments including the fallout from the word that everyone seemingly cannot say ie Brexit. Yes things are a mess right now and yes we definitely need to start recognising that and making future plans but a massive part of that is to recognise and say what and who caused that fault. Without doing that we are destined to make the same mistakes and the people responsible for those mistakes need to be held accountable, preferably in an adult manner but we all know that doesn't happen in politics. Apart from that a really good overview of the current situation and as always it's good to hear your viewpoint.

[@jimnyjolly278]

Well said.

[@Chris993RS]

Spot on

[@davidalexander-watts6630]

Quite so

[@cjreyn]

Agreed

[@peterdawson5115]

Harry, what a fascinating time, and thank you for explaining farmer’s predicament currently, I come from a rural background and understand your plight and can only hope at some point someone sees sense, worrying times nevertheless, take care and thank you.

[@cjreyn]

A few observations: 1. Asking Kemi Badenoch how government works is probably a mistake. She isn't in government, and when she was, hers didn't work very well. 2. Planning to receive a payment at the beginning of a payment window "because it usually comes in then" is poor management. Plan for the worst case. 3. It would have been interesting to hear from Kemi if she had a take on why 13 years of Tory cuts may have resulted in a decreased headcount in the department that pays the allowance. Tories don't seem to understand that if you cut too far, private business which relies on government departments, will suffer.

[@robinwells8879]

Any private business that relies on government is doomed to fail with that government.

[@Hopgop1]

In regards to point 2, that's the point Harry is making, the farm is seasonal, so if that payment is late, everything that money would usually go toward has to wait, the money for those things can't just come from nowhere even without "poor management". Although I do think it's quite clear the conservatives don't have a clue either and I don't think that will change until the party radically changes.

[@MrGrantgoulding]

Without knowing quite how the farm payments should or could work it's very hard to pass judgment. Without a doubt I would suggest the blame lay with the civil service which has grown beyond all realms and needs to be massively cut back. I for one, would like to know numbers. How many in this department and how many claims are to be processed? We never are kept in the picture from any aspect and it's an impossible task to actual pass any opinion that is valid.

[@kevinsenior8155]

They are all probably "working from home", or on Paterntiy Leave.

[@cjreyn]

I was assuming the payment window from the clip he showed of the email response. I'd like to think they would communicate the start and end of the window ahead of time. If they don't, then Harry absolutely has a point; such uncertainty is impossible to plan for. If they do, then it's best to assume it would be paid at the end of the window, and plan for that. I guess the best solution would to not have a window that spans 6 months, which seems ridiculous. My understanding (from a sister who works in central government, so it's just one person's view) is that the Civil Service was scaled up massively to cope with the paperwork resulting from Brexit. I imagine that demand will reduce over time and there will be layoffs. She paints a picture of Whitehall inefficiency spanning several years towards the end of the Tory government since ministers were too busy playing politics to debate and sign off bills. Things are at least moving again now. They also have issues recruiting good people since pay is well below the private sector. So departments like these are often staffed by the less capable, operating on reduced headcounts and budgets. Of course, one could privatise the departments, but then you end up with a situation like we have with the water companies, since we can't afford to pay regulators that actually have teeth. The really sad thing about this video is the illustration of how much of a decline the UK is in.

[@77sdb]

The absolute best farming program ever to exist. Raw, real it’s as if I’m there. Fantastic

[@petefletcher5380]

It's really refreshing to have someone like Harry explaining in layman's terms not just the current situation with regard to present day farming but also how it compares to yesteryear. We have annual increase in population and yet a decrease in agricultural production whilst all the while British governments are hell bent on the word "growth". The Dutch are in the process of doing a survey with regard to population growth and the future needs of the nation, something like that needs to be done here so that we can marry up (increase) farm production with population numbers. Alternatively, do the seemingly impossible, reduce population growth to match our production capacity.

[@leewilcox4044]

I'm not a farmer Harry, I mainly follow your Harry's Garage videos), but I found this video very informative. Thank you for explaining so clearly the issues facing farmers today. Having lived in rural Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, I'm very sympathetic to your challenges. I wish you and your family the very best.

[@Th3OmegaPoint]

My Dad was a dairy farmer in Lancashire, retired in 2003. Even then, there was no money in it unless you had massive scale. BSE, foot and mouth and supermarkets strangling the market had pretty miuch finished it off. I can only imagine what it's like now 20+ years later. Farming is not valued in this country at all, and when you speak to non-farmers, they're all convinced that every farmer is a secret millionaire, it's laughable.

[@lacdirk]

The problem is that with Clarkson literally saying he's buying a farm so he can pass on millions to his kids without them having to pay an inheritance tax, it will take a generation for that impression to wear off.

[@donaldshort1765]

Thank you for your insights Harry. I think this channel to be one of the most important on You Tube.

[@mattsmith1157]

Completely agree that the IHT issue is not the main problem. It’s been something HMRC have wanted to do for years as it’s just a tax dodge for the wealthy. What farmers really need is to be more profitable and paying subsidies for growing wild flowers is not the answer.

[@neil12nealison]

Straight to the point and very well presented, thankyou. Good see Stanley keeping an eye on the cows.

[@JamesYoung61]

Frustrated!!! Thank you Harry for keeping us up to date with what is going on in the farming world and giving us some historical perspective. If the BBC were worth their salt they would licence this and broadcast it Nation wide.

[@brianlopez8855]

no, keep your podcasts free from the BB Communists

[@tims9434]

I like to hear the updates straight from the horses mouth. Thanks Harry. I watch your car channel too. I hope these channels help subsidise your farm. I'm very much more involved with local farming as a result of your channel and I hope others are too. We desperately need good farmers like yourself and farming should remain a viable business. I plan to support my local farmers even more.

[@richardthomas6890]

Why was Kemi Badinoch talking to rich independently rich land owners rather than those farmers that politicians polices are effecting? It’s the small land rich but poor farmer that the politicians need to speak to, not those that are relative new comers to the farming lifestyle but have a television presence

[@germcevoy]

Not to mention the deficit her party left resulting in such policy changes to attempt a balancing of the books. All a shambles.

[@highlight9014]

exactly. I would argue that clarkson is exactly the wrong public face of farming. he is already wealthy from outside farming, his farm makes money from a tv show and numerous over priced linked businesses and like it or not he cannot escape the fact that he himself admitted that he only bought the farm to avoid inheritance tax. I would argue that he is the worst possible face of farming at this time and he simply feeds the narrative held by many that farmers are all wealthy whingers.

[@stever2168]

Because those guys won't share the meeting with millions of adoring and unquestioning followers and support her personal political agenda. Politicians of all parties seem to be at an all-time low of integrity and competence. But let's never lose sight of the fact that whatever your view of farming in the UK today, it's the result of 14 years of Conservative rule. Anyone blaming Starmer at the moment is a blithering imbecile. Oh and also a result of Brexit. So all Brexit and Tory-voting farmers, well done - you did this to yourselves.

[@davidfisher5507]

I'm gonna try and share this video to my MP and try and get them to watch it. Explains better than i could the mess that the industry is in right now.

[@JonDingle]

Very intersting young man and happy new year to you squire!

[@ianstewart56]

Thanks for your explanation Harry, for what is a most confusing situation for Farmers, created as always by government officials, in the short term it’s holding back investment, longer term knowing the current situation will certainly change, what a headache !! Keep up with the videos as always. Thanks.

[@JJ-zg1hh]

Fascinating insights, thanks Harry.

[@Ceebee53]

Thank you Harry a great and balanced update . Much more reliable getting news from “The Horses mouth “ than from newspapers and tv . I now understand the issues farmers have with inheritance tax 👍

[@stevenbennett3922]

Point well made Harry. However, because prices to the customer did not track the inflation point i.e., making a loaf of bread around £5-6 or a pint of beer around £10 (let's keep London out of it) it wouldn't be accepted by the public.

[@samuelchamberlain2584]

@stevenbennett3922 that is why you have to have subsidies of some sort . However they're implemented .

[@paullamont1187]

Fascinating and very informative Harry as per usual. Interesting times ahead, I just hope British farming can survive.

[@zerosilver87]

It’s people like Kemi Badenoch who put you in this position in the first place. Just remember that Harry.

[@JR-ii4lq]

"Round table wasn't a political thing" yeah sure, the professional photographer was there to make sure it wasn't...The recognition is awesome, but she will just parade those images and claim the party values farmers and is listening....

[@davide391]

Harry please watch Rachel's Farm on BBC4 and do a video on regenerative farming in the UK and your thoughts and ideas for your farm. Great videos by the way

[@CCP24]

Harry, I so enjoy your down to earth, easy to understand videos that explain so simply how hard it is to make farming pay. It seems to me that for the last twenty-five years or so farmers have been sacrificed at the altar of climate change, net zero and the environment. This country once prided itself on producing almost all of its food and being a net exporter too. Somewhere this has changed and we desperately need to return to make our farming sustainable. You are the custodians of our countryside and it saddens me to see so many farms barren with no crops or grazing animals.

[@birdie1585]

To make farming attractive/viable finacially, there are two options - increase the price of food or provide larger subsidies in one shape, form or another. Same ol' story in the UK, everyone wants everything very cheap and pay little or nothing by way of taxes - NHS, policing, food, roads/railways, the list is beyond number.

[@martymartin2894]

It's a set-up

[@anthony208]

@@birdie1585 Your first paragraph is no doubt true, but second paragraph is an odd statement when under this and the last government UK taxation is at record levels, only exceeded during wartime, likewise with NHS funding contrary to politicians and MSM propaganda. Maybe this and previous governments shouldn’t have or continue to throw away huge sums of the dwindling numbers of taxpayer’s money on insane net zero policies, undeserving demographic groups, increasing the civil service blob, MP’s salaries/expenses, the ever increasing numbers of people claiming benefits and more recently overpaid train drivers and the other union paymasters of the current government?🤔

[@brianlopez8855]

the climate fantasy indeed

[@birdie1585]

@@anthony208 Income tax is THE major tax in terms of income for the exchequer - it is unchanged - Ni is lower, VAT is basically unchanged, duty is unchanged except tweeking wine rates. That is the greater majority of income to the UK exchequer. Total tax take may have increased slightly in absolute terms, but not significantly as a %. The only reason the income tax take has increased at all as a % is that personal tax allowance have not changed. C19 is reckoned to have cost the UK £400 billion. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has cost a rather woolly amount, possibly around £1000 per average household, but increases in food prices, which are insanely low, and oil/gas prices are linked to one another and are a consequence of the invasion. Go back 50 years and look at what the average UK household spent on food as a function of average wages - it has shrunk substantially except very recently. What you suggest as cutbacks are just smaller than tiny drops in a very large ocean. All of the numbers are easily found online.

[@skygod1067]

Keep these videos coming. They are brilliant and very enlightening

[@kip8790]

Great insight into the world of UK farming in 2025 thank you Harry. We need to remember though that we cannot sustain farming as it has been for the past 20 years. Once you realise this you start to understand that the drop in output is actually a good thing for the sustainability of uk food production. We cannot afford to let all our pollinators and other insects die from intensive farming. Please can you research this and actually present the reasoning in detail as to why the government is paying us farmers to reverse the damage done from the past decades of intensive farming. Then other farmers will understand it’s the right thing to be doing.

[@Hugh-N-inKent]

Wine lakes and Cheese mountains.. shocks like the rise in fertilizer take time to work through the system and as you say grain is a global market. Great to learn of working with Diddly Squat.! Fascinating as always.

[@davidchalmers4969]

What a brilliant video Harry. Thanks for having such an honest discussion on the economics of your farming business. One of the major factors around the lack of profitability in the sector is the capitalisation of the subsidies the industry has received over so many years. Land prices have gone up, both owned, rented and FBTs and machinery costs too. This is all partly self inflicted. Then you add Brexshit...as soon as you give ANY UK politician the choice between supporting a nurse or a farmer, the nurse wins every time. Fortunately in Scotland we have a much closer relationship to the Holyrood Govt and they have maintained the BSP and will hopefully avoid the nonsense of ELMS and SFI. Of course it means that so support is diversifying across the UK, not a great outcome.

[@stevecarter5084]

Thank you for your clear and concise review into the current situation,it shows that there is no understanding into the details of farming by those in government. Growing our own should be encouraged and manage the environment alongside it but as with most government linked items they can only manage one aspect at a time while the others struggle/ fail through lack of input. We need to support farmers in these difficult times so,that in the long term we can get back to a balanced/ productive/ profitable situation. Please keep us informed Harry, we need to see the real world not the government fake outlook! Thank you 🎉🎉

[@urbanstrencan]

Just sad to see how little the government thinks of farmers, we have the same problems here in Slovenia. Farmers are just forgotten by the government somehow they still don't understand no farmers no food. Great video Harry and great to see you collaborating with Jeremy's farm shop

[@mikolv21]

Farmers were getting loads of help from the government... of EU. They were one of the main recipients of EU grants and benefited tremendously from cheap seasonal foreign labour but as a group they predominantly voted leave. They made this bed, now they can lie in it.

[@rogerdorrington]

Thanks Harry. We can rely on you for honest review of what's wrong for farmers in the UK.

[@hedydd2]

The fact that even though crop prices at unsustainably low while the tonnage grown and sold on the home market has and is declining rapidly, tells me that there is still far too much cereal grown worldwide. Any sign of a real international shortage would see the price shoot upwards. However, as a livestock farmer and a cereal farmer’s customer and end user, I can tell you straight that I’m paying more than enough for your grain. I used to buy around 400 tons of cow feed a year but from March that will reduce to near zero. Arable farmers and livestock farmers tend to have opposite price priorities… the horn verses corn dilemma.

[@pdwcave]

So impressed that, despite your obvious frustration, you could put forward a measured and clear response to the issues faced by the farming community. I have a nasty feeling that, like our manufacturing industry, farming is being 'outsourced'. This would certainly help towards the governments net zero target.

[@CauliflowerMcPugg]

Sounds like a death of a thousand cuts to me. Parliament, for the last 20 or so years, has been an asylum with no staff to control the inmates. We the people need to become the staff.

[@richardcoppack5357]

Thanks for explaining the background to farming. It seems growing food on marginal land is not economic anymore. What are the alternatives?

[@lewisreynolds5283]

Massive corporations owned by black rock that will be able to dictate the global market price, and most probably tamper with our food

[@sn00pgreen]

So I was home on the farm fresh from college in 1980, and I remember very well the price of wheat etc back then Harry..it has in my opinion to do simply with supply and demand..what were the yields then? two maybe two and a half tons an acre..four men employed, now one . seed breeding..huge advances in yield and general efficiancy, modern machinery, massive gear, our combine then had a 12 ft header and I thought it was fantastic..now look...this is all happening worldwide , so yeah we're producing what we want virtually when we want it and you're absolutely right, without the propping up of agriculture by various schemes, be it disguised as save the fluffy bunnies and orchids, or some pay not to farm thing then the whole thing is not looking good...what's the answer? well all you can do is diversify as much as possible I guess..which is no bad thing..probably.....I do miss ploughing though

[@greengreenie55]

As usual very interesting and informative. You always put things across so clearly for us none farmers.

[@kevhall4802]

What a sad state of affairs Harry It almost seems like they don't want farms to produce food and they want people to be facing starvation instead They don't need to force depopulation as all indicators right now are that most developed countries already going through dramatically lower birth rates Almost feels like we need to be building smaller more self sufficient communities like the Amish to get away from all this government madness doing their best to dictate how you can and cannot live your lives This channel and the other one are two favourites. Always worth a watch.

[@JSmith-b3h]

U.K. obesity rate is 26.2% for adults. They seem to be doing fine 😂😂😂😂

[@AntonHu]

@@JSmith-b3h Yes, apart from over-burdoning the NHS with their diabetes, heart conditions and cancers thanks to high-carb junk food.

[@williamwilliam5066]

Gotta love feminism

[@angermanagementstudios]

You and Jeremy are doing good things for farming and the country as a whole Harry. Thanks mate.

[@andybarnard4575]

I buy bread flour in a supermarket and make my own loaves of bread. 40p per wholemeal loaf. Flour bought like that is £860/tonne. That is some price increase between the farm gate and the supermarket!

[@SheepShearerMike]

Yep, similar to the eggs we sell to the company that packs them into boxes at £1.40/dozzen, then they appear on the supermarket shelves at £6.60/doz. As ever, we get the blame, but farmers aren't the ones making the profits.

[@andybarnard4575]

I remember my Mum driving up to the farm to pick up eggs straight from the hen house Very fresh, but you did have to take your own egg boxes. Dunno how much she saved but she liked the money going straight to the producer. Not so practical though when you live in a town.

[@MrLph427]

FYI, wholemeal flour is £2.30 per kg in Tesco, so retails £2,300 per 1000kg v’s wholesale £860 per 1000kg. Understandable that there are costs of packaging, transport and labour but near 150% increase on a commodity smells like price fixing to me.

[@theairstig9164]

Costs me about 40p in electricity

[@andybarnard4575]

​@@theairstig9164I use 50% solar electricity and an insulated bread machine, so my electricity cost is about 4p/loaf. But yes, it can be done less efficiently.

[@finbarreburn5112]

Highly informative vlog as always, Gudonya 👍

[@philipmichaelhughes5719]

Good getting a deal from Jezzer! 👏🏻

[@Ztandard32]

You mean the man who used tax avoidance to help drive up farm prices and cause the need for inheritance tax? If you care about ordinary farmers then steer clear of the man who helped cause the problem. Pretty clear who Harry really cares about hey!

[@brianlopez8855]

his tenant sheep farmer is.

[@Ztandard32]

@@philipmichaelhughes5719 seems shameful to do business with a man whose tax avoidance resulted in the increase of farms values and the need for inheritance tax on farms. Clarkson is the reason ordinary farmers are suffering and proper farmers need to call him out and not do business with him.

[@otm646]

​@@Ztandard32to claim that this agricultural exemption turmoil is because of Clarkson is insane. There are hundreds of other people in the UK with substantially more net worth than him. He's "only" worth 70 million, maybe 100 at most.

[@Ztandard32]

@otm646 I noticed your opinion is not accompanied with a reason, just very bad gaslighting. Maybe you just like cars as lot, as do I. When very rich people like Clarkson, Dyson and presumably now Mr. Metcalf use farms as tax avoidance mechanisms, they help destroy proper farmers' livelihoods by turning farms into financial instruments. If "for example", Clarkson wants to avoid paying £40 million inheritance tax on his £100 million, he simply buys a farm and avoids inheritance tax as he has already admitted. In turn, the agent selling the farm to Clarkson says, "this £100 million farm is worth an extra £40 million to your estate and I want £130 million and you still get to avoid £10 million tax". Proper farmers need to point the finger at Clarkson, Dyson and people like Mr Metcalf who openly and shamefully supports Clarkson and shows no real sympathy to proper farmers.

[@Jono-h5l]

Thank you for another excellent video, Harry. As someone who isn’t involved in farming, however holds a real passing interest (mainly due to this channel!), I really can’t see any logic behind what the government are doing. On the wheat prices, what is keeping them so low? Which country out there is producing all this wheat and keeping the prices suppressed (as it clearly isn’t the UK). Were you not tempted to crack on with wheat again this year with harvest numbers predicted to be so much lower? Potentially hiking price? Appreciate that is a bit of a gamble and your reasoning for going into the schemes was to de risk the farm.

[@robertjennings745]

A new YT channel, HP. (Harry's politics) because as plain as the nose on my face we need people with such experience of farming and business to have some input into the decisions the Civil Service and Gov't are making based on, as far as I can discern, less than a hunch.

[@icecaper]

Thanks H, feeling your frustration. Self sustainability must be the plan.

[@simono.sniper3214]

Just love your farm videos, Harry. Thanks.

[@andrewmaccall5871]

Just another great factual video. It's just great the way you put in across.

[@stakman78]

Here in NZ most farms have sheep beef and arable crops. Trouble in UK is they saw bigger money in one commodity and all in, diversity is the key. My granddad said here in NZ, never have all your eggs in one basket.! And livestock keeps your operators busy in the winter? Too easy. Glad you Poms are finally catching up.

[@Me1234utube]

An old farmer saying “ if you are going to sup with the devil , you had better use a long spoon “😂

[@williamwilliam5066]

We learnt all we know from you drongo pongos.

[@martinoban]

As so many others have said, yours is the most balanced and insightful analysis. I have one quick question and some thoughts. 1. You refer to your arable land as marginal. AIR in thinking that your land was permanent grass until the early 20th century when so much was ploughed up to prevent starvation during WW1? 2. The issues with the budget fall under two headings - what I think is called Business Asset Relief (BAR ) and IHT a) is BAR for farms the same as for any other family business? If so I think that there is a case for a general increase because any economist will tell you that growth both in employment and in everything else comes from small to medium businesses and I'm sure there are family enterprises of all sorts which stayed modest to avoid potential liabilities. b) the IHT relief was introduced to preserve family farms but has like so many other business reliefs had the opposite effect since the clever people in the City saw an opportunity through which they could drive their Ferraris, Range Rovers etc. Hence we have land values out of all proportion to any possible agricultural profit. It needs to be abolished - I see no reason for the 20% rate. However it's going to take some time for land values to fall back to realistic levels -I've seen no reports on the effect of the Budget on land sales. I would suggest that the threshold be temporarily increased until real prices are established

[@EL300B]

I farm in the US and the situation is pretty much the same.Don't like to depend on the government but we are in a situation where we almost have to.

[@alanprior9289]

Really enlightening Harry keep sharing - love both your channels.

[@TheXeroid]

My heart goes out to our farmers. It must feel that they are under attack from all angles. We as a country should be looking to become self sufficient in both food and energy. To my mind they are heroes.

[@peterdyke196]

Another very interesting podcast, thanks Harry. 🇬🇧

[@andrewhurstcars]

You’ve got two main choices if you really want to make the farm ‘pay’ Harry, and not just be a landowner. Either you do an Olly Blogs and go full-time and get stuck in, or you do a Jeremy Clarkson and open a farm shop, with merch, café, burger van, and do car storage in your large barns, which seem to be pretty lucrative. You have the following to do so.

[@F1Supremo1]

Awesome videos as always...not a dull moment...it is truly amazing and informative.

[@OverkillGamingPC]

The establishment want a managed decline for British farming over the next few decades. They'll reduce support while incentivising farmers to sell off land to developers to build houses for new arrivals. Let's hope that this doesn't happen, but that we don't starve when we're shut off from reliable shipping due to war (as has nearly been the case in the past) and thus can't import food.

[@jackwilliams1508]

Crazy times, but superb video as always Harry.

[@dalefriesen8676]

It seems odd that wheat prices in the eighties, inflation adjusted, compared to to those of today, were much higher, yet retail prices of wheat derived products at present, I assume, are much higher than in the eighties. I'm tying to wrap my head around that one.

[@davidchalmers4969]

Its quite simple, we are now exposed to global markets in a way we never were before..We are not as competitive at growing wheat as other big producers like Russia and Ukraine. The industry needs a major shock, like NZ did in the '80s

[@stanschloesser6725]

It’s also something called greed. The profitability on cereal has a 60 -70% margin, so those manufacturers have no incentive to pay more for wheat, since they’re running the show, and making boat loads of money.

[@carolcameron7716]

Fertiliser problem was caused by WEF around Covid time -they said they would stop the shipping of fertiliser from the Ukraine I think-it was broadcast from one of the conversations from Davos

[@anthonyfarnan5935]

Cost of producing goods and services has skyrocketed due to many anti-business government policies

[@dalefriesen8676]

@@anthonyfarnan5935 I can well imagine.

[@pt99810]

Excellent summary of a deeply concerning situation, thank you. Madness in government policies plus gross ineptitude in their implementation alongside reducing self-sufficiency in food production. Grim outlook.

[@johnstilljohn3181]

It's not just farming which is broken. Everybody who works for a living is in the same position - real world wages have fallen for 25 - 30 years and only the large corporations are doing well. We are all being robbed and forced into debt by them...

[@BerwhaleTheAvenger-b5s]

Everything has gone up, but at least my income has fallen. Small mercies etc.

[@tonytcook]

At last a well reasoned and presented explanation of the issues impacting on the farming community avoiding the political noise. Well done Harry and thank you.

[@andyjohnson4767]

It is not just the farming, its the complete UK, its destroyed

[@pbuxton]

This is really insightful. Thank you.

[@calumclark1719]

100% correct harry it needs to be profitable like fisheries, but people who live in suits and shop at waitrose dont understand it, But i would also say there is far far too many loopholes, currently to allow large land owners to try and avoid tax through farmland, Its bizzare nobody has pointed out the idiocy of paying farmers not to grow crops 🤷

[@ChocolateFrog]

Literally everybody thinks it's stupid to pay farmers not to grow crops and it's mentioned all the time.

[@calumclark1719]

@ChocolateFrog I mean nobody in the government or civil service has pointed it out

[@JesterEric]

Large land and property owners use trusts to avoid tax. Duke of Westminster paid zero IHT on a £9 billion estate

[@calumclark1719]

@ lots do that also that has to be looked into as well, but i have a bigger problem with someone buying more farmland when they wont farm it and stopping it from going to a young crofter or farmer who would and just doing it to precure wealth and usually buying it not with money but mortgaging it against there current already hefty wealth, I don't care if you put what you have in a trust but when you are using it to hide wealth then its a issue and that is the current issue in regards to most farm land purchases

[@danielmarshall4587]

Harry as always thank you for your insight.

[@russellmalone3532]

I genuinely feel sorry for all of our farmers especially those that own small farms. Our country is broken and the government doesn’t care. Do I really want to stay in England? I don’t know. Why on earth would I want to.

[@jonh9561]

That insight into the current economic situation in farming was very interesting. Those grain prices are way too low and there is a huge and increasing disparity in food production costs and those of food provision costs at the supermarkets. Farmers should form regional consortiums for their materials and produce and set their prices as opposed to the prices paid being set by buyers and supermarkets. The global population is set to continue to keep growing for another 20 to 30 years, so the demand for food will continue to increase, so farming still has plenty of potential.

[@MikeCSims]

Gosh, that was a breathtaking gallop through the woes affecting British farming. There was so much to take in. No trite comments from me but suffice it to say, I hope the Government and civil servants get the message. Good luck in 2025, may your overdue payments arrive sharpish, and you've tempted me to stop at the Farmer's Dog next time I drive along the A40 from Bucks!

[@GuyChapman]

The margin problem is massive, I’ve noticed this every time you’ve talked through yields and prices. No other business would work on these margins.

[@beijingbond]

I'm sure that Brexit hasn't helped on so many levels. Harry's farm videos make for a great watch even though I had no prior interest in farming. Keep it up and more of Stanley, please!

[@MrHasherd]

Another interesting video Harry. I understand your frustration.

[@SheepShearerMike]

Well said Harry. My farm boss has been saying for the last 8 mths, farming is knackered, and he can't see a way out. We have 35% of our land down to schemes, not growing food for humans!

[@petticlone]

Great video again, love it. How do you think Brexit was of influence on UK farming, Harry?

[@John-e5g4d]

Harry, farmers have made one bad decision after another of late. Apart from obvious external factors, backing brexit has been catastrophic. Now with inheritance tax, why is farming being represented by the wealthy landowner type, the jermey clarkson brigade? They are exactly why inheritance tax has been increased. They give the impression that farming is Barbour, Range Rovers and tax dodging. The average farmer needs to push to get these people off the air as they dont represent typical farming and are bringing ruin to the industry

[@andrewwilson1977]

Unhappy to hear about the non profitable wheat crops. I support the need for the country to be self sufficient. To me it is obvious. Clearly, we all know the government needs to take the initiative and be steered in the right direction by the farming community. That meeting you attended is how I see government being positive, providing the good advise is actioned. I appreciate your straight forward presentation. Andrew Wilson

[@martinbrown7587]

Im not a farmer and l don't know a single thing about farming, but it sounds like a massive benefit system cooked up by various previous governments for not producing food whilst the real cost of farming for food is far exceeding the cost of growing it.

[@johnhaynes9910]

Always good to get these insights from you Harry. In today's world the majority of the public, like me are 'divorced' from the realities of farming same as the military and many other national issues.

[@philcord4812]

Do the Farmers on here see a correction in land values to reflect the income that can be generated from it plus Labour's Inheritance tax changes. Is the reason values went up so high that wealthy people have been buying farm land for tax purposes?

[@rayofhope1114]

The price of farmland in France is £1,900 per acre. Yes France is a bigger geography so double the price for a UK comparison and it becomes £3,800 per acre. This compares to £10,500 in the UK - close to treble the cost of land for similar produce. Clearly the use of farmland as a property bank and tax loophole for wealth created in the City or industry and commerce has fundamentally altered the financials of British farming. The government are right to tackle this loophole abuse and the long term benefit should be a reduction in land values for farming but they need to address the issues of cost and incomes for genuine farmers in the short term.

[@puggzymalone5824]

Good video Harry I just wish more people would take notice! This country seems to not want famers to grow crops which is crazy. How have we got to a situation where the government things its a good idea for farmers not to grow the basics like wheat, barley and oats. How can it be unprofitable to provide the basic elements that we need. We seem to move further away from self-sufficiency. Is it really cheaper to buy everything like raw materials from abroad and then get it shipped here? Whats it going to take until the government realises a massive problem is just around the corner.

[@richardthomas6890]

Harry, traditional farming is the way forward. And glad you’re catching up with the small farmer

[@davidpinkney1412]

Harry I watched your video with interest. My father was a corn merchant, so I knew my way around farming. I think you're quite right to make a comment about the financial return of farms compared to their value. As far as I'm aware the value of land has increased by quite an amount. The obvious example of this is people buying farmland as an investment. Also land prices have increased around towns due to pressure from the population to build more houses. The other point that I would like to make is that farm production increased due to subsidies from what was then called the EEC which became the EU. I can't deny that I am a remainder. While in a general sense farming has its problems in Europe as far as I'm aware those problems are not as acute as here in the UK. The EU was a very big market for our farms, example bean the export of lambs to France. So, in my opinion country to what Jeremy Clarkson thinks we should have not left the EU. By the way I really like your car videos I make a point of watching them every week. Thank you for that.