Tenants' relief as county farms saved from sell-off

Farm leaders have welcomed moves to protect county farms, after councillors were told there was "no good reason" to sell off the 10,000-acre estate despite growing financial pressures.

A Cornwall Council inquiry found the network of about 80 farms should be kept largely intact, following a backlash last year when a potential sell-off raised alarm among farmers and campaigners.

Instead, councillors on the sustainable growth scrutiny committee backed a plan to modernise the estate and improve its performance.

Lynette Steel from the Tenant Farmers Association said the group was "really pleased" there was "no fire sale".

County farms are publicly owned agricultural land managed by the local authority - there are 87 "fully-equipped holdings" in Cornwall, according to the council.

Rory Gow, who chaired the inquiry, said the farms were "not just a nice-to-have" but "a valuable asset", adding the council should not "throw out the family silver just to make ends meet" but make better use of what it already owned.

The review also found dairy farming, long at the heart of the estate, would need to shrink because upgrading all existing farms to modern standards would cost millions. Some holdings would instead be repurposed for other farming uses, with the land remaining in agriculture.

Steel said the report had reassured tenants but added: "What we really need to see now from the council is engagement with their tenants."

On proposed changes to dairy farming, she said "the environmental pressures are far greater now than they ever have been before", and added fewer farms could help ensure those that remain are "fit for the future".

Steel stressed councils still had a key role, saying "farming is at the heart of the county" and welcoming what she called a long-term vision to protect opportunities for future generations.

Josh Nicholls, a dairy farmer from Scorrier, said there was "definitely a sense of relief that they don't plan on selling off yet", after months of uncertainty.

"I think it needs to be worked through on a case by case basis to make sure it's not a blanket decision across the whole estate," he said.

He also stressed how important county farms were for young farmers like him trying to get started, saying "they're completely vital".

He explained that "as a new farmer setting up, there's no chance of buying land unfortunately these days," and added rented farms were often the only route in.

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