Laxfield farmer looks to get 'fairer prices' for produce by selling directly to customers
"You're getting what you feel is a fair price at the supply chain"
With financial pressures and uncertainty growing for farmers in Suffolk, one man in the industry is telling Greatest Hits Radio he's been forced to diversify his business to keep it up and running,
It's as stats show more than 80% of farmers say rising costs have 'significantly' impacted their cash flow.
John Watt farms in Laxfield': "I felt pressure to diversify for financial reasons...
"A small herd is just not profitable and can't justify its existence... extra income makes a massive difference...
"You don't feel like you get a fair price for the product you produce if you're selling it wholesale.
"One of the ways to get a fairer price is to cut out the middle man and get a fair price for yourself by selling it directly."
"I don't think it's the silver bullet to farm success"
As a result, John's started selling beef directly to the public in so called 'beef boxes': "It has definitely helped massively because it's increased how much more money's coming into the business.
"Because you're selling directly to the customer as well, you're getting what you feel is a fair price at the supply chain."
He also does contractual work for other local farms, but doesn't think farmers should be forced into diversifying, arguing they should be able to survive on 'traditional' farm work alone: "I don't think it's the silver bullet to farm success that everyone thinks it is.
"Most people don't have the time to do it. Most farmers I know work incredibly hard all of the time just running their farms.
"They don't have enough time to run a side business."