Three tenant farmers – John Millington, Marc Jones and Guy Shelby – told the conference about the development of their farm businesses, and the challenges and opportunities they faced.
All three emphasised the importance of working with their landlord to achieve both their ambitions and stressed the need to maintain an ongoing dialogue to ensure a good and long-lasting working relationship.
Building trust
John Millington
John Millington, who farms with his partner in mid Staffordshire, explained how a good working relationship with his landlord involved showing they were responsible and professional tenants, and had led to opportunities to expand his business over the years.
He said that as a tenant, you can only build a better business if you have the trust of the landlord, and you can only build trust through setting clear expectations and then delivering on your word.
“We tried to do things that would enhance our reputation…and we also listened really hard to what the landlord was telling us,” he said.
A meeting between the landlord and the estate’s tenant farmers had provided a chance to discuss the goals and ambitions of both sides and changed their working relationship.
“At that meeting the landlord gave what could be called a ‘state of the union’ address – where the estate was, what their goals were, what their ambition was – so I took this as more than an open opportunity to do exactly the same from our point of view.
“He’d put his ambition on the line and so it was a great opportunity for us to talk to him about what we’d want to do and what we’d already achieved. We gave him a lot of our figures and it really changed the relationship between us as tenants and him as a landlord.
“We’d shown willingness to not just share information but to share ambition and share where we wanted to go. Again, it’s all about building trust and building a reputation.”
Communication is key
Marc Jones
Marc Jones, who farms a 700-acre holding on the Powis Estate near Welshpool with his family, told the conference how working with his landlord, and working to improve the farm, helped provide opportunities for the business to expand.
“We have a habit of taking on very run-down farms and there’s a lot of investment required with those landlords. But they’ve always allowed us to take on new farms knowing that we’re going to improve them, so we have got reduced rents,” he said.
“Probably the most important thing is trying to work with the landlord and have that good relationship and good communication. We’ve got a huge amount of staff around our farm at most times of the year – we’ve got game keepers, estate staff coming to fix up houses, buildings and fences, and forestry staff as well.
“What we were finding was previous tenants on the ground we’ve taken on were refusing to let any of those staff on to the farm at all. There was a real breakdown in communication.
“So, from our point of view, we’re very open and try and be as friendly as possible to everyone working with the estate.
“Being proactive with the landlord is very important as well. Our landlord is very keen on regenerative agriculture, so we’re pushing down that line at the moment. He’s been out with us probably twice a year just seeing what we’re doing, looking at the improvements on the new ground, and it’s very important to have that regular communication with him.
“On top of that, we’re always trying to improve the ground. If we’re improving the ground the business in the long run will do financially better.”
‘We were always having discussions’
Guy Shelby
Guy Shelby, who farms in partnership with this father, mother and brother on a 1,400-acre mixed farm on The Crown Estate in East Yorkshire, said regular discussions had helped secure a long-term tenancy for him and his brother.
“My dad always instilled in us to work with The Crown. You’ve got to remember it’s still their farm but if you’re willing to work with them they’ll generally work with you.
“The main problem we had was there was no succession on the AHA so, for a long time, it did hang over my dad’s head, and me and my brother, that we couldn’t really succeed the farm in the normal sense.
“But we were always having discussions. I think with us having a very good relationship with The Crown – we’re always willing to work with them and if you embrace what they’re trying to do and go with them I think you see the rewards.”
Guy said the long-term tenancy came about after The Crown came to them about putting a solar park on some of the farm’s land. Their good ongoing relationship meant the two sides could discuss the plans and what they meant.
“They came down and went round the farm and actually discussed the solar park, and the fact that they want to work with us as the tenants, and if the park gets planning and goes ahead there’ll be the biodiversity net gain ground.
“It will be a massive opportunity for us as young farmers, with the livestock side of the business, to manage the land and manage the solar park. So, actually talking and keeping that dialogue going now with the solar park, the flip side is we were offered a long-term tenancy.”