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The impact of foot and mouth disease on farm businesses in Cumbria

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Jeremy Robert Franks, Professor Philip Lowe, Professor Jeremy Phillipson, Charles Scott

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Abstract

A survey of farm households in Cumbria shows that foot and mouth disease (FMD) caused a 60% fall in revenue from traditional farm enterprises, a 17% reduction in earnings from diversified activities and a 15% fall in salaries from off-farm employment. Costs fell by 32%, leaving a net shortfall of u41,840. When analysed by farms which had had stock culled and those that had not, the net shortfall was u51,516 and u15,235, respectively. Despite these losses, all but one farmer intended to continue farming and restock. Many also recognised the need to rebalance their income portfolio. In future fewer stock will be farmed, and more farmers will enrol in agri-environment schemes, diversify enterprises and work off-farm. Diversification will remain more popular than working off-farm despite being more affected by FMD. These findings suggest that an increasing proportion of farm households will benefit from any switch in agricultural subsidies to support rural development and the provision of public-good benefits and the countryside-upon which so much of Cumbria's service sector depends. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Franks J, Lowe P, Phillipson J, Scott C

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Land Use Policy

Year: 2003

Volume: 20

Issue: 2

Pages: 159-168

ISSN (print): 0264-8377

ISSN (electronic): 1873-5754

Publisher: Pergamon

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0264-8377(02)00080-7

DOI: 10.1016/S0264-8377(02)00080-7


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