Farming must adapt quickly to remain competitive after Brexit, increasing productivity through innovation and enlisting younger, more highly trained farmers.
According to the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV), young people will bring "renewed leadership" to the sector.
With changes to trade and tariffs likely, along with reorientation of farm support, the CAAV said it’s essential for farmers to start planning for more competitive times.
“There’s little doubt that Brexit will produce a more challenging environment for farming, but it will also create a more commercial one too,” said Jeremy Moody, secretary of CAAV.
“Though Brexit is not something that will happen overnight and is likely to feature a range of transitional periods, farming businesses should act now while there is time to control it.”
Farmers will need to improve productivity while embracing more environmentally focused practices and the highest animal welfare standards.
To maximise productivity, farmers will need to make efficient use of their skills, resources and technological advances.
Mr Moody added: “The overall drive needs to be toward greater innovation through a combination of business strategy, good information management, investment and adopting new technologies as they become available,” he adds.
“We appear to be on the edge of a major technological revolution; farm businesses need to take advantage of this to remain competitive. Equally, the right encouragement for research and innovation could establish the UK as a global hub for technology.”
Latest practices
Education and knowledge exchange are some of the key ways to tackle the challenges posed by Brexit.
The CAAV said those farmers who use the latest practices, techniques and innovations will be the ones who successfully take their farms into the future.
An Indecon study has shown that where land moves to a formally trained farmer there is an average 12% gain in yield, three times more than from generational change.
To meet environmental targets for soil, water and climate change, farmers will likely be expected to increase carbon storage, manage inputs more efficiently, use precision farming and improve soils.
Where commodity production may no longer pay, farmers are looking to create or exploit other market opportunities.
However, the CAAV has urged the Government to take steps to enable agriculture to thrive, with a practical policy framework for the industry’s adaptation and innovation.
