Resources for a Harvest Reflection

Perhaps it is appropriate this year, especially in parishes which have been seriously affected by the foot & mouth outbreak, to have a Harvest “Reflection” rather than a “Festival”. The following is offered to stimulate ideas and to provide some relevant facts and figures. My thanks to Jackie Boys, Peter Privett and Andrew Talbot-Ponsonby for their assistance in developing these.

This Autumn will be critical time: for those who have had animals culled, it will be a time to think about re-stocking, or doing something else; those still under D or A Notices will be in a minority, and will be more isolated than before. Mental health professionals consider that Autumn will be a time of high risk for the onset of depressive illnesses for those affected by the crisis. A Harvest Reflection needs to look back at what has happened, to reflect on themes emerging from the crisis, and to offer hope and vision for the future. We also, of course, still have much to be thankful for.

Some general farming statistics

• Deloitte & Touche and the RASE have published figures suggesting that most farmers work a 70 hour week for an average of £4.70 an hour (60p above the minimun wage - which rises to £4.10 in October). It is estimated that 42% of farmers' time is devoted to hands-on farmwork, the rest is planning (16%), administration (19%), personal development (6%), buying and selling (7%) and "other" (10%).
• In the two years to June 2000, 51,300 farmers and workers left agriculture. The NFU estimates that F&M is costing the food supply industry about £250 million a month and predicts that thousands more will leave the industry.
• In the twelve months before F&M the average UK farmer earned just £5,200. Dairy farmers earned an average of £7,500 in the year to February 2001, a fall of 17% on the previous year. Hill farmers earned £3,500 whilst lowland sheep and cattle farmers were in the red. Cereal farmers earned an average of £4,400.
• Agricultural borrowing is at an all time high of over £10 billion, whilst farming investment is at an all-time low.
• Domestic beef production is estimated to fall by 11% this year, due to the F&M crisis. The fear is that foreign imports will take up the slack in the market. The relative strength of sterling makes the UK market very attractive for imported products.

• Nationally, there had been over 1900 confirmed cases of foot and mouth, and more than 3.5 million animals slaughtered.
• Within Hereford Diocese there have been 60 confirmed cases. The number of contiguous culls is not known, but a conservative estimate is probably 300+ farms. Substantial numbers of farmers have not been able to generate income because stock could not be moved or sold. Over-stocking was serious as lambing and calving commenced, and because of the movement restrictions. Significant numbers of animals have been culled under the welfare scheme.
• Concern about animals, and the effect that the crisis was having on family life, caused record numbers of calls to the support helplines and access to the ARC-Addington Fund. The Marches Stress Network processed well over 300 applications to the Addington Fund from Herefordshire & Shropshire, and these calls continue. Nationally the fund has dispensed over £6 million to more than 15,000 cases.
• The impact was also significant on large numbers of self-employed business people (dairy engineers, agricultural contractors) and on farm workers, some of whom have been made redundant.
• The impact of the crisis on tourism and other related industries has also been great. Surveys in Shropshire show between 30-70% of "normal" business for tourism in the county during March and April.
• Major social events in virtually every town and village have been cancelled or postponed and the opportunities for charitable fundraising etc., severely curtailed. The impact on young people and the elderly has been especially acute in some areas.