HC FARMS

[Denise Lloyd]

County farms management praised

Posted By: Jon Coleson: March 21, 2016In: Farming

Seven point plan: Pembrokeshire has been recognised for excellent management

THE TENANT Farmers Association has commended Pembrokeshire County Council for producing a forward looking program for its county farm estates.

Following a review of its county farms estate , Pembrokeshire has come forward with a seven point plan which will allow the estate to make a significant contribution to the Pembrokeshire agricultural sector, whilst maximising revenue to the local authority both through income generation and capital receipts.

TFA Chief Executive George Dunn said “In all of our dealings with local authorities we encourage them to take a sound asset management approach to maximise opportunity both for individuals to be farmers in their own account and in the harvesting of value for wider use within the local authority. It seems to me that in its review Pembrokeshire has struck the right balance here. Our only concern is the halving of the annual budget for ongoing management of the estate which may have consequences into the long termâ€.

“Pembrokeshire’s decision is in stark contrast to the terrible decision taken by Herefordshire County Council just a few weeks before. Against all of the advice to the Cabinet including by its own Overview and Scrutiny committee, Herefordshire Council has decided to divest itself of its estate doing huge damage to the agricultural sector in Herefordshire and without due regard to obtaining best value for Council tax payers,†said Mr Dunn.

“It’s a real shame that some of the expertise in Pembrokeshire has not transferred across Offa’s Dyke into Herefordshire which is in my view guilty of gross mismanagement. For example, a barn ripe for development near Ledbury which has had planning permission in place for some time, has spent the last five years languishing under scaffolding and tarpaulins going nowhere. Council tax payers are being denied the value that could be obtained from such a development and other potential developments across the Herefordshire estate,†said Mr Dunn.

Ad

[Denise Lloyd]

http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/14376343.Don_t_allow_Wales_to_follow_Herefordshire_s_tenant_farmers_lead___Assembly_member/

 

This article I am unable to copy across but in it there is a piece offering the evicted tenants a fund of £500.00 to assist them in letter writing CV completion business management - not quite sure how that will be received!

[Denise Lloyd]

An article from the Farmers Guardian.  Why do I get the feeling HC will rue the day they took the decision to dispose of the Council farms.

 

MIKE TRAYTE AND JOSEPH TATTERSHALL

Mike moved onto his holding in September last year with his wife Laura and twin sons Oscar and Henry, who are 18-months-old.

 

Mike, with a degree in agriculture with countryside management from Aberystwyth, met Laura, who graduated at Shropshire’s Harper Adams University while working at a 300-herd dairy unit.

 

SHARE-MILKING

 

The couple were then invited to take on their own share-milking business in Lincolnshire, providing all management to a 350 cow dairy herd.

 

This included employing labour, organising contractors and suppliers and day-to-day running of the unit. This invaluable experience demonstrated their business aptitude and set them in good stead for the county farms selection process.

 

The Trayte’s business, M & L Dairying Ltd, involves managing an 85 cow dairy herd, supplying Muller Wiseman.

 

GROWTH

 

As well as the landlord investing in the holding’s infrastructure including a new, 100 cow cubicle building with dry cow yard, Mike and Laura have also invested and have already seen business growth in the first six months.

 

Mike said: “One of the key things to running the business is to be flexible – you can’t be stuck in your ways. Our experience share-milking and managing a herd definitely put us in good stead through the selection process for our county farms tenancy.

 

“Staffordshire has a good reputation for its county farms and its Facebook page was excellent – giving us all the information we needed to make the move.

 

We’re ambitious to progress and have been given good support here. Eventually we’d like to be in a position where we could build up a herd of up to 300 cows which we could pass on to the twins if this is what they want to go in to.â€

 

NEXT DOOR

 

Next door James is managing a herd of 110 cows having started out with 20 in 2011.

 

James has invested in the holding and is now taking on an additional 20 acres of land to expand his holding.

 

Together with his wife Vicky, who also runs her own egg selling enterprise, James has his sights firmly set on future growth. The Tattershalls supply their milk to Joseph Heler Cheese.

Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for county farms Gill Heath said: “Mike and James are fine examples of rural entrepreneurs whose businesses are thriving as a result of their hard work, innovation and knowledge of the industry.

 

"We are pleased to be able to give them the backing to achieve success in what is a challenging business.

 

"Our tenant farm programme is one of the strongest in the country: it offers the brightest skilled young farmers a foothold in the industry, develops the next generation of agricultural skills, manages a prime Staffordshire asset and makes a positive contribution to the economy.â€

 

ENCOURAGING NEWCOMERS

 

The county council’s tenant estate comprises 94 farms, with houses, buildings and 8,600 acres of agricultural land.

 

Some of the units are deliberately sized to encourage newcomers to the industry and would-be tenants must show a focus on commercial food production in their application to convince the council of their profitability.

 

Of the 19 units let to new starters since 2008, all have been aged 20 and 30.

 

POSITIVE IMPACT

 

In addition to providing opportunities for people to set up an agricultural business, the county farms estate has a positive impact of other local businesses, such as contractors working on the farms.

 

It also provides environmental benefits, including preservation of wildlife habitats and landscape.

 

George Dunn, chief executive of the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) said: “The Tenant Farmers Association welcomes the more positive stance to County farms being taken by Staffordshire County Council in comparison to some other local authorities which are neglecting their estates or selling them off.

 

Where they are run well, County farms estates continue to provide opportunities for new entrants to farming as well as resources to deliver front-line Council servicesâ€.

[Denise Lloyd]

An excellent and very brave letter headed by Con Councillor W C Skelton in the HT this week if it should become available I will copy it across. 

 

What a missed opportunity for the "New Uni" and HC.  Now that would have put Herefordshire on the map and make it famous for something present day. Such a shame that there is absolutely no foresight.

 

 

http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2F1PJuX1m&h=9AQGIYett&enc=AZPug_lLemQfY0T0-Vnm-T8KTPAY6cCbepXbdk3t9fHuoj7fzm82r7Zg2KUT-uodph9MsZBzprWIZH3Zj9kdnpA70kaBzlRzes3ZRyUO7WiDMopK0AXNrebkoxpfR45sGv7wNqDir7zE7IUWuX7zCbFVQ6Y6tm8qlFsY3O1nd3HcQvscmE_s1KNQAWcBP2qODEnNDvq0epQstgRYRLfH09rm&s=1

 

[Cambo]

 

An excellent and very brave letter headed by Con Councillor W C Skelton in the HT this week if it should become available I will copy it across.

 

What a missed opportunity for the "New Uni" and HC. Now that would have put Herefordshire on the map and make it famous for something present day. Such a shame that there is absolutely no foresight.

 

 

 

http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2F1PJuX1m&h=9AQGIYett&enc=AZPug_lLemQfY0T0-Vnm-T8KTPAY6cCbepXbdk3t9fHuoj7fzm82r7Zg2KUT-uodph9MsZBzprWIZH3Zj9kdnpA70kaBzlRzes3ZRyUO7WiDMopK0AXNrebkoxpfR45sGv7wNqDir7zE7IUWuX7zCbFVQ6Y6tm8qlFsY3O1nd3HcQvscmE_s1KNQAWcBP2qODEnNDvq0epQstgRYRLfH09rm&s=1

 

 

 

 

You Maybe right on this Denise especially if it was to specialise in things like agricultural engineering, technologies, machinery design etc it would also bring money into the city as you never see a poor farmer?! Lol

[Denise Lloyd]

User Actions

 Following

Nick Lloydâ€@LloydNj

News - Smallholdings report goes to Cabinet http://www.newsroom.herefordshire.gov.uk/2016/april/smallholdings-report-goes-to-cabinet.aspx#.VwX76SQRouQ.twitter â€¦ via @hfdscouncil

 

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[Maggie May]

Funny that the Hereford Times report this news item from the Council newsroom. The Hereford Times never published online the Parish Council's letter of objection to the sale of the small holdings estate that Denise referred to earlier.

Can I say thank you Denise for keeping us so well informed on this and so many other matters. You do a better job than many of the paid reporters in Herefordshire in keeping the public up dated about what is really going on. I see from some of the comments on the HT website that the SLR just happens to go through the farms the Council owns at Grafton. Has this gone to planning yet? Not much need as the Council are hardly going to say no to a road that increases the value of their own land for housing development. Anyone else ever read Tom Sharpe's "Blot on the Landscape" - seems tame in comparison with Herefordshire Council and Harry Bramer doing land deals when he is not visiting Central America.

[Denise Lloyd]

Thank you Maggiemay for your kind words I have copied across an extract from The Smallholdings Disposal Plan drawn up by Tony Featherstone which will be basis of next week's meeting of the Cabinet

 

 

The policy recognised the need to exclude from sale certain sites with development potential. It is proposed that the following sites be excluded

:  Hospital Farm, Burghill, Hereford – potential for housing development site

 Grafton farms, Hereford – on route of southern relief road

ï‚· Model Farm, Hildersley, Ross-on-Wye - potential for economic development

ï‚· Tow Tree Farm, Burghill, Hereford – identified in the core strategy as potentially on route of the by pass. 

 

The land belonging to Hospital Farm has been rented out to the adjoining farm for quite sometime.  Will this land be taken back off the neighbouring farmer?  I imagine the house has been let separately as for the buildings they are probably using a popular council term not fit for purpose.  

Is all the farm to be covered with houses?

Grafton Farms - only a portion of the land is to used for SLR - the remaining farmland will be?

Model Farm tenant Simon Cutter Ross on Wye please explain the term economic development 

Tow Tree Farm again will the farm be used for the bypass and in how many years?

 

Will the land with development potential be sold with outline planning arranged by the Council on Council land passed by members of the Council?

 

Answers please any member of the Council who is brave enough to come forward 

[Maggie May]

Thank you again Denise. The Herefordshire Council website shows Model Farm Ross-on-Wye on its Economic Development Projects as a Current Project. The website says:-

 

Model Farm

 

We are hoping to develop a new employment park at Model Farm, Ross-on-Wye. The 10ha site will be aimed at attracting high skill knowledge, science and engineering based companies looking to locate in an attractive rural setting but still close to the M50 and wider motorway network.

The principle of development has already been approved and a planning application has been submitted for the proposed infrastructure works. We are keen to encourage innovative building designs to good sustainable standards and are now looking for a development partner to take the project forward.

For more information, contact us on 01432 261758 or at economicinvestment@herefordshire.gov.uk

 

Is this 10 Hectarres the size of the Smallholding? If so it looks like planning permission or development has already been granted. Or is this another site altogether?

[Denise Lloyd]

1 acre = 0.41 hectare.  I have just had a quick look at the HT and this PA was rumbling around back in 2005 in Keetch's day so it must have been resurrected.  However I  seem to remember an article with Cutter's photo in the HT a couple of weeks ago I will have another sometime over the weekend.

 

I am sure it is absolute coincidence that there is a Councillor Phil Cutter in the Ross area.  

[Denise Lloyd]

The planning application for Model Farm was passed in December 2014 - a classic case of council land council pa and council approval - there should be a law against it!

 

Herewith a link for the article in the HT this week which is attracting interesting comments -  a lot more to come out.  The matter comes up in the Cabinet Meeting on Thursday 14th April - how a decision can be made when it all appears to be still so subject to investigation leaves me speechless! Come on opposition show us your colours please!

 

 http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/14410801.Farm_tenancy_disposal_plan_will__ensure_best_value_for_taxpayers____Herefordshire_Council/?ref=mrb&lp=33

[Denise Lloyd]

Now here is the letter Maggie May referred to that for some reason had not been published on line - thank you HT - you're coming

 

goodhttp://www.herefordtimes.com/news/letters/14413671.Decision_to_sell_tenant_farms_just_short_sighted/

 

It is well worth a read and well done you brave people for writing it!

 

 

 

[Denise Lloyd]

 George Dunn Retweeted

TFA â€@tenantfarmers  3h3 hours ago

TFA @georgewdunn says that tenant farmers could be badly affected by moves to relax planning controls. https://madmimi.com/s/9c7097 

[Denise Lloyd]

 You Retweeted

TFA â€@tenantfarmers  33m33 minutes ago

TFA calls on @HfdsCouncil to rescind Notices to Quit served on 15 farm families. https://madmimi.com/s/2b9097 

 

 

[Denise Lloyd]

I expect HC would like George Dunn to retire - good work and thank you Mr Dunn!

 

I will try to copy across in full later

[Denise Lloyd]

Here it is as promised:-

 

TFA Media Release No. 22 – Herefordshire Council Must Keep its Word to Farm Tenants

• Media Releases,
  
• News
  
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• Jenna Kirkpatrick
  

Herefordshire Council Must Keep its Word to Farm Tenants

The Tenant Farmers Association is calling on Herefordshire Council to rescind Notices to Quit served on fifteen farm families.

In December last year Herefordshire Council decided to dispose of all forty-five of its County farms and its Cabinet meets on Thursday (14 April) to decide its disposal plan.

TFA Chief Executive George Dunn said “The TFA was bitterly disappointed that the Council decided to sell its estate, despite the Council’s own internal advice to the contrary.  However, what is unforgivable is the way in which it has broken the promises made to tenant farmers on its estate about how they should expect to be treated.  Those assurances were given by Council Leader, Councillor Anthony Johnson.â€

“At the Cabinet meeting on 03 December, Councillor Johnson told tenants that they would not be kicked out of their homes and businesses but this is exactly what is happening to tenants on Farm Business Tenancies.   All tenants with a tenancy expiry date in 2017 or earlier have now received Notices to Quit their farms.  Councillor Johnson went on to say that the estate’s tenants would be advantaged by a change of ownership for the estate.  I cannot see how tenants who have been served Notices to Quit have been anything but disadvantaged by the decision to sell.  The Council has reneged on Councillor Johnson’s promise,†said Mr Dunn.

Councillor Johnson was particularly angry about suggestions made by Councillors opposed to the sell-off of the farms that tenants felt ‘kicked in the teeth’.  He claimed this to be ‘wide of the mark’ repeating that tenants would not lose homes or livelihoods.

“Having received Notices to Quit, how else are tenants expected to feel other than ‘kicked in the teeth’.  Councillor Johnson said that the Council would do everything it could to make life as comfortable as possible for those affected by the sell-off and I fail to see how serving Notices to Quit falls within that objective,†said Mr Dunn.â€

“The TFA is calling on the County Council to rescind the Notices to Quit allowing individuals occupying on Farm Business Tenancies the ability to negotiate terms with a new owner or the ability to move on if another opportunity emerges,†said Mr Dunn.

end

Ref:  MR22 Date: 11 April 2016

Notes for Editors:

Below are direct quotes from Councillor Johnson made during the County Council’s Cabinet Meeting on 03 December 2015 when the decision to sell the estate was made:

“There has been much rumour and I think some conversation on the radio yesterday that this was going to turn people out of their homes etc and that is extremely wide of the mark. What we are talking about is a possible change of ownership of the tenancies not a change of the tenancies themselves.  There will be some changes if it moves out of the ownership of this council.  But to many people it will arguably be to the advantage of the tenants.â€

“I must take exception to “kicking in the teeth†that implies that these people will lose their homes, lose their livelihoods or whatever, that is not the case.  We are talking about a potential change of ownership if the decision is taken to dispose.  There will be new owners.  The tenants are protected by the terms of their tenancy and that protection will continue.â€

“I promise Councillor Price and everybody else in this room we will do everything we can to make life as comfortable as possible for those affected in this way and we will be inviting them all to come and talk to us either collectively or individually.â€

For further information contact George Dunn on 07721 998961 or the TFA’s Communications and Events Co-ordinator Jenna Kirkpatrick on 0118 930 6130.

[lpusseycat]

The obvious question is when you have nothing to sell to raise money what happens then ? simple you save your assets which earns revenue for the council like the housing used to .Just do the maths you need a continued flow of revenue all the time . We have never used the racecourse to it's full potential nice to see the football club up and running again bringing much needed business to the city and raising the profile of the city by reaching wembley for the F.A. Vase final. There was over 3,000 watching the game saturday my wife dropped me off to watch the game and she went shopping how many others in that ground did that, well i can tell you quite a lot of the men do it .Then for example when they played F.C United of Manchester around 200 from Manchester stayed in and around the city to make a weekend of it. You have to do the maths and this council is not very good at forward thinking and looking at the whole picture.

[Denise Lloyd]

Absolutely - the long term implications of this decision are best not contemplated.  The asset base will be greatly reduced causing the interest on borrowings to escalate. Borrowing money will become more difficult because there are less assets. There are not too many buyers for second hand roads but there is always a buyer for farmland!

[Denise Lloyd]

Farmers Weekly â€@FarmersWeekly  7m7 minutes ago

Is the market turning? Farmland values fall as uncertainty makes buyers cautious... http://bit.ly/1VN1Q4n 

[Denise Lloyd]

"I promise Councillor Price" Tony Johnson is reported to have said on 3rd December 2015.  Councillor Phillip Price the only one to have first hand experience born into a Herefordian family that had farmed for many generations before him married to a farmer's daughter friends with people from Council farms and would understand just how wretched the tenants must feel at being so let down.  Whilst Cllr Price has said he does not give a buggar for many things he would truly care for these farmers and would know just how hard they have worked to make a living.   He would know that this is wrong both financially and morally.

 

Councillor Price be true to your roots and stand up for what you believe in and for what your forebears worked so damned hard for.

 

Councillor Price think very carefully where your loyalties really lie.

[lpusseycat]

When tories are in power it reminds me of the sick old B Movies everything has to be sold to benefit  a handfull of people. Typical tory politics everything that has been done by people who fought and died for this country is taken from them to put people in debt so they have complete control over people. We now have dodgy Dave sending out lies about leaving the E.U. in a leaflet that was printed by a German company is the British printing industry not capable or could it be tories showing there true Facist colours.

[Denise Lloyd]

New food and farming degree apprenticeships to boost innovation 

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-food-and-farming-degree-apprenticeships-to-boost-innovation

 

 

It's  a bit like picking the petals off a daisy farming has suddenly become popular with the Cons and in particular Liz Truss who is promoting degrees and apprenticeships.

 

There does appear to be a total lack of joined up thinking with the Government.  

 

 

 

 

[Denise Lloyd]

The following is from John Llewellyn Perkins on his FB page reporting on the Cabinet Meeting this morning.

 

 

Ombudsman to investigate maladministration by Herefordshire Council in this matter, announced this morning. Video later.

TFA Chief Executive George Dunn said “The TFA was bitterly disappointed that the Council decided to sell its estate, despite the Council’s own internal advice to the contrary. However, what is unforgivable is the way in which it has broken the promises made to tenant farmers on its estate about how they should expect to be treated. Those assurances were given by Council Leader, Councillor Anthony Johnson.â€

“At the Cabinet meeting on 03 December, Councillor Johnson told tenants that they would not be kicked out of their homes and businesses but this is exactly what is happening to tenants on Farm Business Tenancies. All tenants with a tenancy expiry date in 2017 or earlier have now received Notices to Quit their farms. Councillor Johnson went on to say that the estate’s tenants would be advantaged by a change of ownership for the estate. I cannot see how tenants who have been served Notices to Quit have been anything but disadvantaged by the decision to sell. The Council has reneged on Councillor Johnson’s promise,†said Mr Dunn."

 

 

[Denise Lloyd]

What has not really been made clear to people is that although they have flashed the figure of £45 million in front of people's eyes and everybody likes money this money will not come in as one lump sum - it will come in as dribs and dabs and will be frittered as soon as it hits  the desk of the Council.  

 

The only hope is that they have their sums right on this - it certainly would be a novelty! 

[Denise Lloyd]

https://t.co/TteKUmIBn6 this link will take you to the video of the Cabinet Meeting yesterday recorded by JLP

 

Tenant Farmers Association Bombshell" IOC are fighting for the rights of our tenant farmers

[lpusseycat]

Chris Chappell is so negative it takes my breath away you will go far with your attitude as it fits into the past and present profile of inept people we have had running this county.Do what the football club has done put the city on the map develop an infrastructure that will attract new business on a large scale. Ask yourself a question why are multi national companies located where they are it is because of the infrastructure just in case you did not know we had 2 large multi national companies in Hereford Rexam and R.P.C. and they both left Hereford because of the infrastructure i know because i worked for both.

[Denise Lloyd]

Taken from IOC's website - good work and it has not gone unnoticed just how quiet the Indies have been on this

 

 

Sale of Herefordshire Council Smallholdings Investigation 15 April 2016/0 Comments/in News /by PaulNeades

Sale of Herefordshire Council Smallholdings: Government Ombudsman to investigate maladministration and injustice claims.

At yesterday’s Cabinet meeting Cllr Anthony Powers, group leader of It’s Our County, challenged the Cabinet of Conservative-run Herefordshire to halt its decision to progress with the disposal of the county’s smallholdings estate. He told Cabinet and officers – who appeared to be unaware of it – of information from the national Tenant Farmers Association that the Local Government Ombudsman will investigate the council following claims of potential maladministration and injustice in its notices to quit that were served on Farm Business Tenancies in January.

When the Cabinet decision to sell was made in December 2015, tenants had been assured that a Disposal Plan would be drawn up before any notices to quit were served. The Leader of the Council stated then that “there has been much rumour that this was going to turn people out of their homes, and that is extremely wide of the mark. We are talking about a change of ownership if the decision is taken to dispose. The tenants are protected by the terms of their tenancy and that protection will continue.†But by January this promise had been broken, with notices to quit served on all Farm Business Tenancies (FBTs).

“It’s Our County has fought all along for Herefordshire Council to retain its farms estate, called for proper dialogue with the tenants and for this decision to be debated by all elected members at Full Council. These notices to quit should be withdrawn and the FBTs be allowed to continue so the tenants can negotiate terms with any new owner. I’m glad to see the case is recognised by the Local Government Ombudsman and fully support this investigation into possible maladministrationâ€, said Cllr Powers.

ENDS

Contact: Cllr Anthony Powers     07710 943313

Notes for Editors

Others who lined up with It’s Our County to keep the smallholdings in public ownership included the Tenant Farmers Association, the National Farmers Union, the Bishop of Hereford, Hereford & Ludlow College (Holme Lacy) and over 2000 signatories of a petition. Local authorities in Wales have been urged by the Welsh Assembly Government’s rural affairs spokesman William Powell not to follow Herefordshire’s example

Tags: farms, herefordshire, tenant

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[Maggie May]

Thank you again Denise for keeping the people on Hereford Voice up to speed on what is REALLY happening. Hereford Voice is where people are informed right up to date with what is happening in Hereford.

When you see the film clip and then read the Hereford Times, it seems that the local newspaper just regurgitates the Council's press release with no thought to what is happening behind closed doors. As I have said before, I dont trust Cllr Bramer after what I heard about him voting to keep a paid job on the Council. It now looks like the Leader of HC is equally unreliable in what he says and what actually happens. I feel so sorry for all the people who have been lied to and stand to lose their homes. I am sure they would rather have been told the bald facts that they didn't stand a chance from the outset, and needed to sell up, move home, find schools for their children, etc rather than being promised that nothing nasty would happen, when there was every intention of kicking them out. 

Also, well done Hereford Voice on offering this platform where informed people like Denise can tell it as it is, and give the proper facts, unpolished or skewed by some Council spin doctor.

[Denise Lloyd]

Thank you Maggie May. HT has become just a mouthpiece for the Council.  The journos who are trying to make a name for themselves must get so frustrated to have all their reports vetoed.  

 

Yes must not forget to thank Colin J for allowing all this to be published unedited! 

 

I think there will be more to come!

[Denise Lloyd]

Tenants to protest in London at council farm sell-off

Jez Fredenburgh

Thursday 14 April 2016 12:54

© Rex/Shutterstock

Small-scale and tenant farmers are taking to the streets of London on Sunday 17 April to protest against the sell-off of council farmland.

The farmers will drop a banner over an iconic London building and hold public speeches to highlight the issue.

The protest is being organised by the Landworkers’ Alliance (LWA), which represents small-scale producers and family farmers and is being supported by the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA).

See also: Council accused of ‘misleading’ tenants on estate sell-off

The LWA said it was holding the action to highlight the recent reduction in the number of council farms as a result of pressure from the governments’ austerity measures.

Over the past 30 years the number of county council farm tenants had halved and about one-third of the acreage of council farmland had been lost, said George Dunn, chief executive of the Tenant Farmers Association, who will be speaking at the event.

“We believe the county council farm system continues to provide a very important place for new entrants. We think councils that have sold off their farms are guilty of bad management, which not only affects the agricultural industry, but does not provide best value for money for taxpayers,†said Mr Dunn. 

As of the 31 March 2014, there were 61,621ha of land let by county councils in England, bringing in £17.93m in rent, according to Defra. This was a 1.25% decrease in the area let compared to the year before.  

There were 1,464 tenants during 2013-14 – a 12.5% decrease on 2012-13.

“Council-owned farms have traditionally played a vital role in providing successive generations with a first step on the farming ladder,†said LWA member and farmer Humphrey Lloyd.

“The loss of 8% of the public farm estate over the past five years has had a massive effect on new entrants into farming. It has turned public resources for the many into private wealth for the few.

“We would like to point out that the continued privatisation of this essential public resource is proceeding with no public consultation whatsoever and shockingly little media attention.â€

Farmers who wish to participate should meet the LWA at 3pm on Sunday. The venue of the meeting will be announced shortly.

The protest will form part of an annual international day of action by members of La Vie Campesina, a global small producer movement, which the LWA is a member of. Farmers in different countries will be protesting about issues most pertinent to them.