Tag: environment

Farm prices – a novice steps in….

There’s a lot of debate at the moment about the impact of the new imposition of inheritance tax on farms. The new budget proposals from HMG include imposing inheritance tax of 20% on any farm valued above £1m. The Government say it will only effect 500 farms, the NFU says it will be 70,000. That’s quite a big difference.

But nobody seems to be sharing their calculations. Especially Rachel from Accounts.

This is where I can help. Since I know nothing about farming, I’m terrible at growing vegetables and my training in estate taxation economics hasn’t begun yet, I’m clearly the ideal person for the job. I do have a Diploma in Music, though I’m doubtful if that will be much help.

Here goes…..

A quick Google online says UK farms range from the small (20 acres) up to large (over 1000 acres). The average (mean) size of a UK farm is 88 hectares – or 217 acres. (The median might be more representative for the following estimate, but since I can’t find a figure for it, the mean will have to do for now). Another look online says the current  agricultural land prices range from a little over £10,000/acre for good arable land, down to about £7000/acre for less good pasture land. So for these calculations I’ll take a rough average of £9000/acre.

So an average farm includes land to the value of £9000 x 217 = £1.95M.

Of course, there’s more to a farm than that – farmhouse, buildings, barns, equipment etc. So lets assume that’s another £1M at least, and more for prize livestock.

How that translates into a number of farms is not clear, but it’s probably safe to assume a very large number of farms will be affected and the lower figure looks unlikely. For example, based on the above figures, small farm may have buildings worth £500,000 and will be subject to inheritance tax if it has more than 56 acres of land.

But we should note the budget is bound to reduce land values, so that might reduce the number.

But here’s the thing: farming profits are low – a few % at best, so most farmers have been having a tough time of it recently. (See episodes of “Clarksons Farm” on Amazon Prime for details). They tend to be asset rich, but cash poor. This means that on a farmers death, the average farming family will have to find £400,000 to cover tax, and the only way of raising it is to sell some of their land.

Now, Rachel from accounts may have lied about her experience as an economist, but she’s probably not stupid either. She, and her team, can do these calculations too and will appreciate their impact. So, what is their real motive in the budget? Redistribution of land, freeing up land for solar farms or housing, or … err, what? We should be told, and if it is part of a strategic plan to change the makeup of rural Britain, it really should have been in the Labour Manifesto prior to the election.

Whatever. These figures are probably wildly inaccurate, but at least they’re something to discuss.

Any other views out there?

Oh dear – I’m a racist!

No – really, it’s true, and it upsets me greatly.  You see, I’ve always seen myself as a nice guy doing his best to be fair, who takes people as he finds them, and whilst almost certainly a little flawed, is essentially one of the good guys.  But I got up the other morning to find that I’m not just racist, but a product of “white British cultural values”, which rather points the finger at my family and friends too.

But before you start cancelling me for being the monster I clearly am, I’m sorry to have to say that if you live in the countryside (and presumably that includes Hasketon), you’re probably one as well.   

How do I know this?    Well an organisation called the ”Wildlife and Countryside Link”, which is a charity umbrella group whose members include the RSPB, RSPCA, WWF and the National Trust, made the claim in evidence provided to Parliament on racism and its influence on the natural world. The report makes claims such as:

  • the British countryside has been influenced by “racist colonial legacies” which have created an environment some fear is “dominated by white people”.
  • The country’s green spaces are governed by “white British cultural values”
  • The perception that the countryside is a “white space” prevents people from other ethnic backgrounds from enjoying the outdoors.
  • “Racist colonial legacies continue to frame nature in the UK as a ‘white space’”.

Obviously, it’s nonsense. In fact, it’s ridiculous beyond words.  Nobody I know would even remotely qualify as a racist, and I’m pretty sure I’m not one too. I mean, where actually are these colonial legacies?   The customs post in Blacksmiths Road; the checkpoint on the B.1079, the Boulge Road vigilantes?   Madness.  It’s woke inspired claptrap coming from people who like to knock British traditions, history and way of life and then in the same breath encourage us to be tolerant towards people who in some cases extend little tolerance towards us.    The irony is that in most towns there is more open public space than there is in the countryside.  It is more spacious of course, but most open spaces are farmland either under crop or being grazed, and you better stick to the footpath if you don’t want to upset the farmer.

I think a large part of the problem is that there’s far too many ‘activists’ these days.  You know the sort of person – the people who feel strongly about their cause but aren’t really interested in taking part in a democratic process to further it.   So, they shout loudly instead of seeking to persuade, block roads, wave placards or throw soup over paintings in order to gain attention.  They’re simply annoying most of the time, (though they did happily prevent some people getting their child to a hospital appointment) and achieve very little apart from making themselves feel virtuous.

The slightly more intelligent activists find a way of worming their way into positions of influence on QUANGOs, charities, PTAs, Trade Unions etc. The head of the Wildlife and Countryside Link is a man called Richard Benwell, who very much fits this picture. People like him are more of a problem since they’re focused, cunning and driven. They’ve usually no useful contribution in the form of practical ideas, but they are good at what really turns them on, which is gaining and exercising power – especially over other people.

But here’s the thing:  I, and many others, donate money to these charities because we like to see animals protected, we enjoy watching birds, we consider the natural world to be important, the countryside is important to us.  What we DON’T do is donate money so they can use it compile a report that seeks to make us feel guilty for being white.  It’s mad. I’ve not yet resigned my membership of the RSPB, but I’m seriously considering it.

So, everybody out there, please DO come to Hasketon.  We’re all very friendly, and it would be a pleasure to see you!