Many commentators have highlighted the important role that the “agricultural ladder” or “phased entry” plays in attracting and retaining young and new blood to the farming sector. Peter Cook’s Getting New Talent into the Industry – A Guide to Methods for a Phased Entry into Farming suggests that a system whereby progression from incentivised employment contracts, to share farming and contract farming, then into tenancies or equity arrangements and business partnerships would help create a progression route which the current tenure and landownership system does not enable. The options available to potential entrants and landowners identified by Peter Cook’s report are as follows.

Owner

Situation: Farming actively, but need a motivated workforce to develop the business

Best option: Incentivised employment contracts.

Situation: Want to expand or specialist, but need to bring in motivated management expertise, new skills and capital

Best options: Equity arrangements and Partnerships, including Limited Liability Partnerships.

Situation: Don’t want to farm at all, want minimal day to day involvement and legal clarity

Best options: SLDT or LDT.

Situation: Want to be actively involved in a growing farming business, but lack expertise, time or fitness

Best option: Share farming.

Situation: Want a level of control at farming policy level and a relatively fixed income, but don’t want day to day involvement

Best option: Contract Farming Agreement.

Situation: Face short term decisions and uncertainty over policy direction, but want to maximise returns in the meantime

Best option: Annual lets.

Prospective farmer

Situation: Little capital, experience or track record

Best options: Employment and incentivised employment contracts.

Situation: Well established track record and significant capital

Best options: Formal tenancies or equity arrangements / partnerships.

Situation: Good technical and some business track record and experience, plus accumulated some capital

Best option: Share farming.

Situation: Good expertise in one area of farming, plus track record and machinery (such as through contracting) or access to buildings

Best options: Contract farming agreements or contract growing.

Situation: Some capital, but little experience and track record

Best option: Annual lets.

Source: Getting New Talent into the Industry – A Guide to Methods for a Phased Entry into Farming