A public "good" must be paid for from the public purse

[wrsni]

A lot of poor quality farmland should be planted in trees imho. The reason that it's not planted with trees is because farmers get so much in subsidies to keep sheep etc.

 

Totally agree, but that is dictated by government policy, not farmers.

 

Persuade the powers that be that you and enough of your fellow citizens care sufficiently about it to vote accordingly, and vast swathes of the UK countryside could have trees replacing sheep within a decade.

 

So if it that doesn't happen, who's to blame, the farmer who is simply implementing policy, or the public who are generally too indifferent to really care?

[eggsarascal]

Who do you pay to do it for you?

 

I'm not quite sure what this means.

 

If you are asking who I pay my tax to there is little chance of me getting much back.

[eggsarascal]

You do an essential public service. As you're self employed it's not fair that you don't know how much you will earn week to week. You should ask the Government for a guaranteed minimum income of £1000 a week.

 

Yes, I was thinking £1k/week was a good starting point but, I'm now running a van, a tipper and a trailer that I can't really afford to run.

 

Would you think it would be unreasonable for me to ask for fifteen hundred quid a week?

[wrsni]

I'm not quite sure what this means.

 

Thought it was pretty clear but......................!

 

Are you in a union, some sort of organisation, whatever?

 

Who do you pay to represent your interests?

[matelot]

Yes, I was thinking £1k/week was a good starting point but, I'm now running a van, a tipper and a trailer that I can't really afford to run.

 

Would you think it would be unreasonable for me to ask for fifteen hundred quid a week?

 

Ohhh, hang on a minute. I've realised there are too many plumbers in your area. How about the Government buys your van and trailer off you for £80k and you retire for a bit?

 

You then claim a grant for a new van in a couple of years?

[eggsarascal]

Thought it was pretty clear but......................!

 

Are you in a union, some sort of organisation, whatever?

 

Who do you pay to represent your interests?

 

I don't pay anyone to represent my interests.

[matelot]

Totally agree, but that is dictated by government policy, not farmers.

 

Persuade the powers that be that you and enough of your fellow citizens care sufficiently about it to vote accordingly, and vast swathes of the UK countryside could have trees replacing sheep within a decade.

 

So if it that doesn't happen, who's to blame, the farmer who is simply implementing policy, or the public who are generally too indifferent to really care?

 

I blame the vested interests that lobby to gain agricultural subsidies.

 

Agricultural subsidies are there to help farmers. I resent having farmers help themselves to the contents of my wallet and telling me its for my own good.

[wrsni]

You're obviously making the point that we need food to survive.

 

Well indeed but surely it doesn't need explaining that the virtues of farming go much further.

 

It's an industry which produces something that everyone needs, most produce something that some want, very different.

 

Most industries are regional, farming encompasses every part of the country.

 

Most industries are fairly self-contained, farming both uses product from, and produces raw material for, a vast array of other industries throughout the country. In fact it could support many many more jobs off it's back if there was the incentive to create them and willingness to work in them.

 

Most industries siphon profits off to wealthy individuals and/or faceless investors, farmers however are notoriously poor at hoarding money. They're like weans, they love to buy stuff therefore their money largely goes back in to the economy.

 

Most industries are either behind a huge shiney fascade, or a security fence with no access and no concept of what's happening. With farming you can set off and drive through the middle of the workplace anytime you want.

 

I'm sure there's more but lunchtime is over!

[wrsni]

I don't pay anyone to represent my interests.

 

Well how do you expect to be heard then?

[wrsni]

I resent having farmers help themselves to the contents of my wallet and telling me its for my own good.

 

 

That's just emotive drivel.

 

Farmers only get what they're given!