A PROMISING young farmer has given Prince Charles and Michael Gove a piece of her mind on the uncertain future of agriculture in upper Teesdale.
Emma Johnson, of Herdship farm, in Harwood, showed the Prince of Wales around Newton Rigg college’s Low Beckside Farm, near Penrith, where she is studying for a level three agriculture diploma.
The 18-year-old was one of a number of students who got to grill the secretary of state for the environment, food and rural affairs, and ask questions of the monarch in waiting.
Calling on her own experiences, Ms Johnson aired her fears about straw prices and the external pressures affecting costs for tenant farmers.
“Because the power stations are using it as renewable fuel it’s up to £145 per tonne at the moment,” she added.
“Without us the public does not have food – at the end of the day we’re trying to be efficient as possible but there is only so far you can go.”
Uncertainty over Brexit, stock prices and challenges facing the younger generation coming into farming were hot topics at the Askham Bryan run College last week.
Ms Johnson shared some of her misgivings with the visiting pair but was unimpressed with the responses of the DEFRA minister.
She said: “Michael Gove did not have a lot to say at all. Prince Charles was keen on young farmers coming into the business and older farmers having a good retirement instead of being left with nothing.
“Michael Gove could have said more – since he is taking over you’d think he’d be more interested but he did not seem all that bothered.”
Ms Johnson was one of a number of students who demonstrated how handheld scanners were being used to record animal data during the royal visit.
These devices can find everything from the sheep’s ear tag number, to its weight and any health issues the animal may have.
But Ms Johnson explained why some of the new technology wasn’t financially sensible for many tenant farmers.
“To make the technology viable you need a stock of 2,000 or 2,500 – maybe you could get away with a 1,500 flock,” she added.
“It’s how much money you spend on something that’s not yours because you’re only there on a ten year tenancy period.”
Working with her mum, Jen, and dad, Paul, Ms Johnson helps farm 450 Swaledale ewes on a ten-year tenancy and a 25-head suckler herd in the upper dale.
Ms Johnson wants to run her own farm one day but believes there needs to be changes made by all parties in the upper dale to cope with future challenges.
She added: “We’re going to have change the way we farm and it’s not going to be easy.
“A modern housewife is wanting a smaller joint with less fat – we’re going to have to make lamb popular again.
“But if we have to change others have to change – we have to spread muck when we need. We are not trying to get rid of birds and flowers, we’re trying to make our farms efficient – not trying to get rid of nature,” she said.
“So it’s going to have to work in both hands.”
