4 CUMBRIA FARMER February 2009FarmingLife
NextGeneration
Young Farmers' Club
members talk about their
lives in agriculture and what
the future holds
`The only way to stop farmers leaving
the industry is to pay them a fair price'
In the light of recent milk price
cuts, what do you think about
the prospects for your farm
and the industry as a whole?
The cuts make it very for farmers
to survive and have taken out any
profit there was. This will continue
to dampen farmers' spirits and will
surely see more people exit the
industry. Those that stay have to
continue cutting costs to survive.
Do you think changes will
have to be made to keep the
business viable?
Farmers need to cut costs by breed-
ing longer-lasting cows and cutting
down the costs of replacements.
Machinery must be well maintained
to ensure it works at a maximum.
Dairy herds are getting bigger
and Cumbria could soon have
its first thousand-strong herd.
Can a herd be too big?
I don't think a herd can get too
big as long as you have the space
and labour to expand and look
after the livestock. Farms need to
continue to get bigger to survive
and increase turnover.
What would stop dairy farmers
leaving the industry?
The only way to stop farmers leav-
ing the industry is to pay them a
fair price for the products they
produce � ie reduce foreign
imports and buy British. I don't
think any industry is assured in this
current financial climate, but
farmers will always be needed to
look after the countryside and
produce homegrown food.
Was there ever any doubt you
would follow your father into
the farm? What would you be
doing if you weren't a farmer?
Ever since I was a boy, I've always
wanted to be a farmer and if I
wasn't, I'd like to think I would be
a professional sportsman, but I'm
sure I would be involved in the
industry in some way.
My average day is about 12
hours long and begins with me up
bright and early at 5.30am to milk
the cows.
What do you think of the
prospects for farming?
The prospects are good. The
current financial situation and the
increased costs of importing food
make British products more
valuable. With the consumer
willing to pay more for fresh food,
it's up to the supermarkets to pass
these prices on to help the
industry move forward.
What is good about YFC?
I joined Skelton YFC when I was 13
after moving to Cumbria from
Lancaster and found it was a great
way to make friends with people
in the area. I have enjoyed the
social side, particularly making
friends with people in other clubs.
I have been chairman, secretary
and treasurer of Skelton, and
Northern District Minutes
Secretary in 2006.
YFC has given me many skills,
including public-speaking. I have
also taken part in stock-judging and
the pantomime. The club got to the
national semi-finals three years ago
with Alice in Wonderland.
Daniel Bargh, 23, is a
member of Skelton YFC.
He works on the family
farm with his dad just
outside the village
milking 175 cows. His
other interests include
golf, football and darts
Daniel Bargh: 'Farms need to continue to get bigger to survive and increase turnover' DAVID HOLLINS
"WANTED" Your milk
Meadow Foods over the last 12 months has established itself within Cumbria
and now has over 180 producers in the county. We are now looking to further
strengthen this supply base and are actively looking for new milk producers who
are looking for a long-term future in dairy farming. Our offer is simple, a contract
paying the best pence per litre in the county with no seasonality and which
rewards for high quality and volume.
To find out more or to arrange a meeting please contact:
Nick Wood 07979 244514
Jim Bebb 07919 118026
www.meadowfoods.co.uk

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