MP shares fears over future of farming industry
Sarah Gibson says young people are facing enormous barriers to get into the industry
A Wiltshire MP has raised concerns over the future of the farming industry, saying soaring land costs and the lack of access to skills and training are preventing young people from entering the farming industry.
Sarah Gibson, MP for Chippenham, Calne, Corsham and Royal Wootton Bassett, said the next generation of farmers are being priced out by extraordinarily high land costs, with aspiring farmers face additional expenses with machinery, livestock, buildings, and staffing required before starting in the industry, with up to a third of farming businesses not making a profit.
She's calling for stable policies and investment to sew the seeds of success for the farming industry, saying she fears the consequences could leave our infrastructure vulnerable.
"There’s a barrier around the access to skills and training," she said. "With agricultural affairs often left off primary and secondary education curriculums, it's no surprise that there's a disconnect between young people and the countryside, even in our fairly rural areas like Wiltshire."
Policy changes and their impact
According to Ms Gibson, recent policy changes have further complicated the situation, including the closure of key support schemes, like the sustainable farming incentive, to new applicants.
This has resulted in many farmers feeling uncertain about their future.
"I think the consequences will be damning. What the government do not seem to realise is farming is not just any industry, it's a critical national infrastructure. Yet the UK already imports around 40% of the food we consume and far more in certain sectors like fruit and vegetables."
Ms Gibson expressed concern that policy instability and rising costs complicate investment and planning in the sector, which should be enhancing resilience but is instead stagnating.
"If we don't act, we risk losing not just the farms, but the next generation of farmers. And with that, our ability to produce our own food sustainably."
Government action needed
The Lib Dem MP has raised her concerns in Parliament, with Minister for Rural Affairs, Dame Angela Eagle.
She said that while her concerns were acknowledged, Wiltshire farmers need more than recognition—they require definitive action.
"There are three key things that the government needs to do," Gibson proposed. These include restoring confidence and stability with predictable farming support schemes and lowering the barriers to entry through access to affordable training, land, and equipment support.
She emphasised the need for significant investment in British farming, including long-term funding enabling farmers to plan, grow, and nurture the next generation.
"If we want food security, thriving rural communities and a strong local economy, we have to back our farmers and that starts with the next generation."
A Defra spokesperson said: "This government is working closely with farming stakeholders, including the NFU, to make sure the sector gets the backing it needs to support the next generation.
“That is why we've invested a record £11.8 billion into the farming sector, more than any other government, to create a productive, profitable, and sustainable future for farming.”