Angus Gowthorpe, Approach Farm, Riccall: Selby Abbey 'family farm tax' protest farmer who won’t stop campaigning

Angus Gowthorpe farms at Approach Farm in Riccall. He farms regeneratively, he’s involved in new SFI schemes, in wildlife conservation and countryside stewardship, he cares for his soil. He ticks all the boxes.

Angus is one of the thousands of farmers all around the UK who is currently doing all he can to ensure the Government acts on what he terms a ridiculous situation and that he and everyone whose businesses depend on agriculture will not stop protesting until the proposal is reversed.

“It’s absolutely crackers,” says Angus. “It’s obvious that the Government haven’t done any homework and now they’re just stonewalling and are adamant they’re in the right and will not accept they’re wrong.

“We’ve got to keep ratcheting the campaign up. We’re not going to go away until the Budget announcements have been reversed, which includes others such as a fertiliser tax as well.

Angus has spent the previous two weekends doing his bit for the cause in keeping the message going and gaining further support in Selby.

“Two weeks ago I was part of something called Supermarket Sweep around Selby where we visited supermarkets in the town each for three-quarters of an hour. I drove to each in my tractor and we had three or four farmers at each to chat with the public about what’s happening.

“The response was all very positive. We heard from many that are already sick to the back teeth of Starmer and his party, whether that be due to the Family Farm Tax, heating allowance, and other broken promises.

“Betrayal and bewilderment were my first thoughts when the announcement was made. Betrayal because there had been promises made before the General Election that they wouldn’t do anything with APR or BPR.

“Bewilderment because to pay the level of tax we would have to, there just simply isn’t the profit in the business. That’s not just my farm but any farm business even if spread over 10 years, as they have mentioned. I’d need 40 years of whole farm profit to pay for it and that would be without me being able to make any investment in such as machinery or capital expenditure needed to keep everything going.

Last Saturday Angus was at Selby Abbey and took part in a Tractor Run around the town. His hope was that the local MP Keir Mather would turn up. He didn’t.

“Another farmer, Richard Bramley organised the day, which included tractors from local farm machinery dealers to also express how this is going to knock on to other local family businesses such as Wilfred Scruton’s and get the point across that it’s not just farms, it’s small family owned businesses that will be affected too.

“It’s YAMS (Yorkshire Agricultural Machinery Show) on Wednesday next week (Feb 5), goodness only knows how much business will actually be done there this year.

“At the moment we’ve stopped all spending and reinvestment, including replacement of machinery. That’s partly also on the back of last year’s poor harvest, like everyone else, but also because since the Government’s announcement we are facing an uncertain future.

“We know we can’t do that forever. Machinery needs replacing, but it’s indicative of where we are currently.

Angus is the third generation at Approach Farm and currently owns 430 acres, as well as contract farming another 100 acres. The farm is a predominantly arable concern with a breeding herd of 40 pedigree Salers cows.

“Our home farm here at Approach is 230 acres and then we’ve 120 acres in the Riccall Ings and 70 acres in Wistow. We managed to buy 60 acres in Riccall Ings more recently, which is more bodied land and will hold its moisture and yield better.

“Across our own acreage and contract farmland we are growing 160 acres of winter wheat this year, 100 acres of oilseed rape and will be drilling 90 acres of spring beans and 25 acres spring barley shortly. We also have 45 acres of legume fallow that is within the SFI and 45 acres of arable land in herbal leys, which is half for grazing, half for mowing. We also rent 30 acres of grass elsewhere.

“The land varies from blow away sand to heavy clay to everything in between, sometimes all in same field. We average 3.5 to 4 tonnes per acre on wheats.

Angus has long been a protagonist for regenerative farming and soil care.

“We don’t do any cultivations whatsoever. We drill the ex-cash crop without any soil movement into the previous residue. I’ve not used the plough in ten years and the soil

is improving all the time, through natural drainage and nutrient releases. You’ve just got to have the confidence to keep at it even during very challenging seasons.

Angus and his wife Kerry plus their children have found success and enjoyment with their pedigree Salers herd both in the sale and show rings.

“We’d had commercial Salers crosses from 2000 and started with pedigrees in 2010 as we had realised there’s a huge potential market for Salers heifers and it was an opportunity for Kerry and I to do something together.

“Salers have such ease of calving and their maternal characteristics triumph over any other breed. They have the biggest internal pelvic capacity of any breed, a great temperament, great milk and if you want to cross it with such as a Charolais or a Blue it will hold and mother that calf and grow it very well. There’s also a lot less feed required because there is more milk.

“We’ve had female breed champion at the Great Yorkshire Show with a cow. We’ve had heifer of year within the Salers Society, a homebred heifer; and we had breed champion bull a couple of years ago at Melton Mowbray Sale that went on to be champion of all breeds.

Angus’ children, currently 14 and 11 years of age, could be the fourth generation to farm at Approach. He’s hoping they will not have to bear what he feels would be a millstone around their necks if the Government’s proposals go ahead.

“Our daughter Bronwyn definitely wants to come into the business and I think Robert will in time. I hope this ludicrous proposal is reversed soon. Farming is such a long-term thing and we all need stability. Sadly, at the moment, there’s no inkling that the Government will be right with us. In the meantime we fight on until they learn the error of their ways.