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| Q |
What cash and assets do I need?
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| A |
Every farm will vary, but you need to have sufficient cash and assets to demonstrate that you can stock and equip the holding for what you propose to do, and have sufficient cash at hand to pay for the items covered in the ingoing valuation. This will include items such as silage, harvested crops in store, growing crops (including pasture), and straw. The relevance of these all depend on the type of farm and the time of year in which the tenancy is commencing. The valuation will also cover any fixtures to be taken over (such as cow cubicles, feed bins, some buildings, and some items in the dwelling house and so on). You also need to satisfy the authority that you have sufficient financial resources to cope with the initial period of trading.
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| Q |
What farming experience do I need?
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| A |
The statutory requirement is that you have 5 years practical farming experience of which 3 years can be relevant college training. |
| Q |
Why do Councils hold farm estates? |
| A |
County Councils were legally obliged under the Smallholdings and Allotments Acts of 1907 and 1908 to meet the demand for applications by young persons to enter into farming. Funding was provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and each County purchased and leased land to meet the demand. After the First World War, the Land Settlement (Facilities) Act 1919 further encouraged County Councils to expand their estates to accommodate, in particular, the settlement on the land of the returning ex-servicemen who had to be given preference over all other applicants. This led to the purchase and lease of even more land by County Councils and led to the national estate getting to its maximum size during the late 1920's and 1930's. |
| Q |
What types and sizes of farms do they offer? |
| A |
Generally, those Councils located in the East tend to offer predominantly arable farms, those located in the Midlands offer predominantly mixed farms and those in the West tend to be dairy farms. Sizes vary from a few acres of bare land to fully equipped dairy or arable farms of 250 acres or so. |
| Q |
How are farms let? |
| A |
Each Council has its own specific policy for re-letting, but all are guided by The Agriculture Act 1970 and The Smallholdings (Selection of Tenants) Regulations 1970 [S.I. 1970 No. 1049] and The Smallholdings (Selection of Tenants) (Amendment) Regulations 1976 [S.I.1976 No. 2001] for selecting suitable applicants.
Local, regional and national advertisements are usually placed in the farming press informing prospective tenants of the opportunity. Viewing days are then held to allow inspections and prospective tenants must then submit proposals to include detailed projected business plans, a rent offer, references and details of qualifications.
If applications then get short listed they are invited to attend an interview by a selection panel. Some Council Tenant Selection Panels are larger than others, some include Council Members and others don't. Ask the Managing Land Agent who will be sitting on the Panel if you get offered an interview so that you know before hand how many people to expect.
Generally, applicants should be able to demonstrate that they have:-
At least five years appropriate practical experience of farming of which up to three years of appropriate further education or training can be included, some Council;s give preference to applicants that are between the ages of 24 and 40. TIP! - check before applying what the selection criteria is for the Council that your applying to so that you can make sure your application full fills their requirements.
The ability to show that they have sufficient capital to enter a holding and work it. This can be quite substantial for a fully equipped dairy farm where an ingoing tenant may be required to pay for the outgoer's fixtures and fittings, the tenant's portion of the milk quota and provide the required live and dead stock, to properly farm the holding.
- The most suitable practical and theoretical knowledge and experience required for the type of farming most suited to the available holding.
- The ability and inclination to reside in the farmhouse when let with one and to personally farm the holding.
- Environmental management proposals for the holding on offer. |
| Q |
What type of agreement is used and who is responsible for repairing and maintaining the farm? |
| A |
Generally, Council;s use Farm Business Tenancies as governed by the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995 of varying lengths depending on type and size of farm on offer. Each Council has its own policy on the split of responsibility for repairing and maintaining fixed equipment. TIP! - Make sure you fully understand what your responsibilities will be before submitting an application and rent offer by getting a blank copy of the agreement. |
