Survey of the Views of Owner Occupier Farmers on Current Issues for Tenant Farming

3 CHANGES IN LAND AND TENURE OVER TIME

Summary

1. Most respondents said that the size of their land had not changed since 2000. Of those whose land had changed in size since 2000, it was more likely that they owned less land compared to 2000 than more land.

2. Those who had sold land were more likely to have sold the land to another party (not a farmer) or to a neighbouring farm within a 10 mile radius.

3. There was little change in terms of leased land that had previously been rented-in or rented-out.

Changes in the ownership of land since 2000

3.1 Respondents were asked to provide details of any changes to the size of the agricultural land they owned since 2000 and how these changes had been made.

3.2 The majority of respondents had owned all of their land since 2000 (70%). Three per cent of respondents said that they did not own the land in 2000, but that someone in their family did. Overall, 73% said that either they or someone in their family owned some or all of the land in 2000.

3.3 Overall, most respondents said that the size of their land had not changed since 2000 (77%). Of those whose land had changed in size since 2000, it was more likely that respondents owned less land compared to 2000 than more land. Seventeen per cent of respondents said that their land was smaller than in 2000, with 4% saying that it was more than 40% smaller. Six per cent of respondents said that their land was larger than in 2000, with no respondents saying that it was more than 40% larger (Figure 3.1)^[10].

Figure 3.1: Changes to the hectarage of agricultural land since 2000

Q. Compared to 2000, is the hectarage of all your agricultural land…?

3.4 As shown in Figure 3.2, a reduction in land ownership was most likely to have occurred through selling the land to another party (not a farmer) and to a neighbouring farm within a 10 mile radius than other types of sale (13% and 4% respectively).

Figure 3.2: Reasons for a reduction in land ownership

Q. Since 2000 have you… ?

3.5 An increase in land ownership was most likely to have occurred through respondents inheriting an owned farm or land or through buying land from a neighbouring farm within a 10 mile radius (6% and 5% respectively) (Figure 3.3).

Figure 3.3: Reasons for an increase in land ownership

Q. Since 2000 have you…?

3.6 In each case, 1% of respondents had sold land that they had previously rented-out, had either bought land they had previously rented-in or had taken land back in-hand when a tenancy came to a negotiated end.

Contract farming

3.7 Respondents were asked about whether they contracted in more, less or the same amount of agricultural land as in 2000, either as stubble to stubble or for specific activities. A similar question was asked about changes to the amount of land contracted out. The questionnaire also asked if there had been any changes to the amount of work they had carried out by contractors.

3.8 Overall, when asked about changes to the amount of agricultural land contracted out, 88% of respondents ticked not applicable/don't know, suggesting that they do not currently contract out land.

3.9 Among the remaining 12%, 9% contracted out the same amount of land compared to 2000, 2% contracted out more land and 1% contracted out less land.

3.10 When asked about changes to amount of land contracted in, eighty six per cent of respondents ticked not applicable/don't know, suggesting that they do not currently contract in land. Of the remaining 14%, 10% said that they contracted in the same amount of agricultural land compared to 2000, 1% contracted in more land and 3% contracted in less land. Overall, 9% indicated that they both contract in and contracted out land.

3.11 In terms of contracting out individual tasks, such as spreading fertilizer or harvesting, almost half of respondents reported that they had work carried out by contractors (44%). Of this group, 26% said they had the same amount of work carried out by contractors compared to 2000, 10% had more work carried out by contractors and 8% had less work carried out.