Farmers don't want to be building holiday homes instead of farming - Cooper

Farmers don’t want to be building holiday homes to diversify their income from traditional farming, farmer and Clarkson’s Farm star Kaleb Cooper has said.

Cooper was speaking during a panel discussion at the Agri Aware and Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB) 'Intro to Ag Transition Year Fair' on Monday, where he spoke candidly about farm diversification in the UK and the challenges it presents for farmers.

Cooper explained that farmers have been encouraged by the government to diversify their businesses, as traditional farming alone is often no longer financially sustainable.

As a result, some have invested in ventures such as holiday accommodation. However, tensions have emerged between farmers, councils and the government.

“Farmers went out and put up holiday homes, but then what’s happened is there has been a massive argument with the councils,” he said, attributing the conflict to the lack of co-ordination between local and national authorities.

“All of a sudden, we have a triangle of arguments going on.”

He added that diversification is not only difficult to implement, but often it’s not what farmers truly want.

“They want to continue farming; they don’t want to be building holiday homes. They already work really hard on the farm; simply pay the farmers correctly for what they do, it’s that easy.”

Small family farms at risk

When Cooper was asked if he thinks the government appreciates the efforts and time put into producing British food, Kaleb said: “No, I don’t think they do.

“I don’t think they appreciate it. And actually, what they want as a government is bigger farms, not smaller farms. I think they want to build more houses and, unfortunately, the risk of that is losing small family farms.”

During the panel, Cooper also acknowledged how the bad weather is causing financial risks and affecting small family farms.

“We have had two bad years of weather, the first being really wet, the second being really dry. This year at home, we are risking another drought. If we have a third bad year, I think that’s going to stop these family farms financially.”