Shropshire Farming Talk: Back to the Future!
Having been asked to write this piece, one’s first thought is of course what shall I say which might be interesting and relevant?
By good fortune, I chanced upon the Farmers Weekly which contained the full copy of its first ever issue dated June 22, 1934.
Although a journal produced 90 years ago this month, I was struck by how much has changed and, at the same time, how little has changed.
An odd sentiment perhaps, but to explain there remain in today’s version a similar type of advertisement, agricultural show and sale reporting, features and reports as were in the original from 1934 – with perhaps fewer words to align with present day demands on time and information management.
There appears to be much evidence of protectionism regarding home food production in the 1930s with, for instance, a comment that ‘a permanent way of raising prices for the Milk Pool would be to exclude cheap Russian butter imports’.
Support for sugar beet, and egg and poultry producers was notable given that direct support for these sectors has long since disappeared.
Perhaps more surprising was a comment regarding quality of imports and ensuring that foreign dairy produce was subject to the same sanitary conditions as those imposed on British products.
So, in these respects, with relatively recent BREXIT and longstanding Common Agricultural Policy negotiations with Europe focussing to some extent on these same subject areas, little seems to have changed.
The simple conclusion to be drawn is that food security, whether it be in the sense of ensuring our farmers can continue in business productively or profitably, or to ensure that food safety standards remain paramount, is as valid today as it was 90 years ago.
With respect to innovation and productivity it is clear that farming today, with its many technological advancements whether it be implementation of robotic systems for milking, soft fruit harvesting and manual operations, or genome editing for crop breeding, veterinary medicine development and advanced animal breeding techniques, is massively advanced when compared with the 1930s.
In that sense there has been significant change. However, in terms of the desire to progress, enhance productivity and make the most out of the land, it is clearly evident that innovative production techniques were as relevant in the 1930s post great depression period as they are today and the uncertainty in the world seemingly similar in terms of potential conflict and national food security demands.
Rob McCabe, Nock Deighton Agricultural
