100 years of farming in Britain

With the passing of HRH Queen Elizabeth II, we join the nation in reflecting on the incredible life of a Queen, a grandmother, a mother, and figure of poise, dedication and selflessness in all our lives. Like so many have said, Queen Elizabeth II’s constant presence has been a comfort throughout both tumultuous and celebratory times. Her legacy and love for animals will stay with us for many years to come.

This British food fortnight (17th September – 2nd October 2022) we are continuing to fly the flag for traditional farmers and producers. Here we refer to grass-fed grazing, slow-rearing, and a life lived outdoors for our animals, but even the most traditional farmer has seen his or her profession completely transform over the past century. To commemorate our late Queen, we’ve taken a look back at some of the changes in farming since her birth in 1926 and coronation in 1952.

Machinery took over

Though becoming a rarity, the horse-drawn plough would have been in use when Queen Elizabeth II was born. This soon came to an end as our increasing population drove the need to improve agricultural efficiency – eventually meaning that mechanised machinery took over. In 1925 there were approximately 0.98 tractors per 1,000 cultivated acres. A little under 30 years later in 1954, this number had risen to 13. To put these efficiency developments into perspective, it has been estimated that one farmer in 1962 could feed 25.8 people. With the introduction of modern agricultural machinery, the equivalent farmer could now feed 155 people.

1947 Agricultural Act

In the 40s the mid-war recession had negatively impacted farming wages. We had also been given a glaring reminder of our reliance on imported food and the risk of starvation if crops were to fail or underperform. As such, the focus shifted towards improving farming livelihoods and outputs. The 1947 Agricultural Act set out to achieve this in a number of ways; providing stability for crop and livestock prices, focusing on good farming practices to improve efficiency and yield, and ensuring security for farmers and tenants. Self-sufficiency for all food peaked at around 78% in the 80s. Today, this figure sits at around 60%.

The rise of the supermarket

When Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne in 1952, attitudes towards food and farming were starkly different to the modern-day. Post-war food rationing was still in place for a range of every day foods. Average farmland values stood at £1,700 per acre (inflation adjusted) whilst this value now stands at around £7,800 per acre. Families would buy seasonally and locally, relying on greengrocers, butchers and fishmongers.

In 1948 the first large-scale supermarket opened in the UK and the way in which we shopped changed forever. There was more competition for farmers, all-year presence became the norm as opposed to seasonality, and the larger and more complicated supply networks meant that provenance gradually faded away. The public also spent more on food. In the 40s, the average household spent around 1/3 of their income on food compared to just 12% today.

The new and intensive normal

For farmers, the price race to the bottom was on. From the 70s onwards farming steadily intensified as supermarkets and consumers demanded the cheapest possible price. In pig farming, the average herd size in 1968 was 70. In 2000, this number stood at just under 600.

Defining an intensive farm is contentious but typically accepted to be 40,000 poultry birds, 750 breeding pigs (sows) or 2,000 pigs reared for meat. The UK is believed to have around 1,600 intensive pork and chicken farms, as well as a number of intensive ‘mega’ farms. The largest poultry farm in this country holds over 1 million birds, the largest pig farm holds 23,000 pigs, and the largest cattle farm holds 3,000 cows. These numbers, in comparison to 70 pigs in 1968, are staggering.

Changing attitudes

The changes Queen Elizabeth II witnessed in agriculture were both incredible and hugely detrimental. To feed our growing population and maintain a level of self-sufficiency is a commendable feat, but have we gone too far in our pursuit of efficiency? Will moving forwards including looking back to a time when our relatives shopped locally and did not consume in excess? The next 100 years of agriculture is our decision to make.