Farmers Wont Strike, Why?

[nicebloke1]

If farmers decided to stop supplying produce to supermarkets they would have to plan that move months in advance or lose twice the amount of money.

Crops take weeks and months to grow before harvest. 

So you have the expense of of buying and planting the crop, looking after it for weeks then harvest. If you then decide not to send to market, and dump it you've not only lost the wholesale value but also the outlay to buy grow and tend the crop.

Either way they will be shooting themselves in the foot, no income. 

And I'm affraid its human nature for old McDonald down the road to see the chance of increasing his turnover by stepping in with his produce making more money. Like all strikes theres always somebody ready to make a quick killing. 

So all in all these farmers are up the creek without a paddle dont you think?

[Togo]

Dumb animals that need 24/7 care don't understand "strikes" any more than you seem to. 

[bookbinder]

I agree, completely. If a farmer says to a supermarket (or any other customer) "I've got tons of parsnips and gallons of milk ready for you, but I'm not going to send it to you", he's shooting himself in the foot. His cows still have to produce milk, his chickens still have to lay eggs, and the farmer has to do something with it all. A farmer is stuck in a cleft stick, and no strike action will make things better.

[nicebloke1]

17.16. I understand common sense, and in the farmers case there would be only one loser.

[naomi24]

Actually, there wouldn't only be one loser, nicebloke.  They've been telling the country they feed it.  Some people aren't listening.

[nicebloke1]

So do Ukraine. Its easy to lose customers than gain new ones. Once a customer seeks other providers they may be happy to stay. Then you have the task of trying to get them back. Striking would mean at least 2 years to get back on solid ground again.

[naomi24]

You haven't thought this through, nicebloke.  The little UK isn't the huge Ukraine where, despite the war, farms are still working.  If our farmers weren't working we would have to import all our food - and that would affect everyone.

[nicebloke1]

Ukraine and many other countries feed us at present, alongside British farmers. The risk to them is far far higher than any risk to us. In fact the import product a lot of the time is cheaper. They would be fools to strike.

[naomi24]

You're not listening - but no change there.  Think as you will.

[nicebloke1]

Shall we just say your right?

[Togo]

The farmers can, and should ensure, that the supply chain does not send goods to the subsidised restaurants in the parliament buildings. The greedy pigs would soon be squealing. 

[nicebloke1]

Here come the silly posts.

[davebro3]

They could take a leaf out the French farmers' book & cause widespread transport disruption...

[nicebloke1]

You mean like just stop oil?

[naomi24]

No comparison!  No one would miss them.  They're neither use nor ornament.  

[New Judge]

I think the best action the farmers can take is to sell all their land to rich toffs who have no intention of working it. They can put the money in the bank and live off it and do a bit of cash-in-hand work delivering pizzas. Far better than getting up at 5am 365 days a year,

There will be no shortage of takers among the very people the ridiculous inheritance tax revisions are said to be aimed at. They will still be avoiding at least half the IHT they would pay if they kept their assets in other forms – probably more after their advisers have exploited the facility to the full.

The country can then import all of the 60% of domestic food the farmers once produced – beef, pork, lamb, poultry, cereals, vegetables, fruit, milk – assuming it can be sourced, that is. That will increase food prices, cripple the country’s already dire balance of payments figure, which will weaken the Pound and raise interest rates. 

Never mind. The Exchequer will have around £300-400 million a year to offset all that, so we should be quids in. That’ll teach the farmers to get upset when they’re told they must sell heir land just because a member of the family dies.

[newmodarmy]

Excellent summary. This IHT change for farms is a  sledgehammer to crack a nut, it's throwing the baby out with a bathwater, and it's going to achieve the ooposite of what was intended- it'll benefit the Clarksons and other speculators who'll be able to buy up farms from proper farmers who'll be desperate to sell up

[jourdain2]

Farmking is not a job - it is a way of life.

As togo and bookbinder have said. 

Do they slaughter their stock? If so weare all doomed along with them.

[nicebloke1]

I do wonder why farmers large and small always insist on me paying them cash for parking my motorhome overnight?

[Clone]

I bet you don't have the balls to tell them how you feel about them.

[Togo]

I wouldn't trust a creep in a motorhome either. Would you give them a cheque? Do you expect farmers to carry card reading machines around with them? Do you take your crap home or just dump it like you do on here?