Supported by 15 of her fellow students, this was the challenging question Myerscough College’s Megan Swift put to the panel of experts during the NFU’s fringe event at the Conservative Party Conference.
The delegation of Myerscough College agriculture students who made the trip to Manchester
Although delighted that so many of the next generation of farmers had made the trip from college in Garstang to Manchester for the event, NFU President Minette Batters (who chaired the panel) was clearly horrified that a young agricultural student felt this way and instantly asked Secretary of State George Eustice what had gone so wrong.
Mr Eustice said qualifications gained at land-based colleges were extremely important and more young people should consider it as a great route into a vibrant industry. He said he wanted to see more lifetime learning in agriculture, creating a clear development ladder to progress upon.
Megan Swift, who asked why choosing a career in agriculture felt shameful, speaking privately to NFU President Minette Batters after the event
Fellow panellist Richard Holden, the Conservative MP for North West Durham, said: “I’m sure you’ll have had friends who have gone away to university and returned to jobs they would have done anyway. I personally think that is bonkers. You should never be looked down upon for the route you’ve taken.”
After the event which took place on Monday 4 October in the Edwardian Hotel in Manchester, Minette went straight to the students, and Megan in particular, to hear more about their concerns and with a clear message to inspire - they could go far in agriculture if they worked hard and were properly supported.
NFU North West members Olly Harrison and David Horton
Attracting a strong audience of 127, many being farmers rather than the party faithful, the panel, which also included the Conservative MP for North Devon Selaine Saxby and Opinium’s senior research manager Chris Curtis, fielded many questions from the floor – admittedly most aimed at the Secretary of State.
More wool to be used for insulation in public buildings was called for, NFU North West Regional Director David Hall pointed out that tenant farmers in his region were being priced out of the housing market and couldn’t afford homes in the local area they’d spent their life farming in, and NFU Cheshire County Chairman Richard Blackburn asked how he was supposed to increase wages to attract workers to his dairy farm after his business had suffered financially during the pandemic.
NFU North West Regional Director David Hall puts a question to the panel
Outside the venue pig producers were demonstrating to raise awareness about the crisis affecting their sector. Pig numbers have been building up on farms for weeks due to the shortage of slaughterhouse workers and has got to the point where a welfare cull of about 150,000 animals is said to be imminent.
When asked about the issue Mr Eustice said: “Absence rates of 12.5% at processors are contributing to this problem. In the run up to Christmas consumer demand increases by 50% so there is a definite need for temporary HGV drivers. The question then becomes what about the other sectors like pigs. The industry has reported that language difficulties are a barrier in recruitment processes, so we are looking into that. Butchers are being added to the skilled workers list so this should bring in the people we need depending on the correct salaries being paid. We do want wages to rise and don’t want to rely on cheap labour. Structural changes need to be made because we are not going back to free movement.”
NFU Cheshire County Chairman Richard Blackburn (left) chatting after the fringe event
NFU President Minette Batters responded by saying: “We are already in the highest bracket of wage payers in Europe because of the living wage. You are happy to see food inflation yet the supermarket wars will not cease so it appears the industry is in a lose-lose situation as cheap imports will be sucked in and will undermine us.”