Changes to the farm letting system have failed to allow tenant farmers the long-term planning required to make proper investments in their rented land, claims the Tenant Farmers’ Association.

Says TFA national chairman Greg Bliss: “It is clear after 15 years of farm business tenancies that the 1995 Agricultural Tenancies Act has not succeeded in providing a better framework for the landlord/tenant system than the 1986 Agricultural Holdings Act tenancies they replaced.

“Yes, more land is being let but it is typically for short durations on restrictive terms. There appears to be a lack of long-term thinking amongst virtually all categories of landlord and in the absence of the market doing what is required to ensure the sustainability of the let sector for the future of our nation, it is time again that the Government should consider what it needs to do to correct the market failures that exist.

“We need a system which allows tenants the security to invest and develop their businesses whilst giving a fair return to landlords. The current system whilst providing a return to landlords is far from adequate to provide the stability and security that farm tenants need to develop sustainable, long-term businesses.”