Bridget Baker, 24, is a fifth-generation farmer working alongside her father and grandfather in the rolling fields of South Somerset. She believes her classmates probably thought she was crazy, or perhaps they thought she would give up, but she didn't. This dedication reflects her deep-rooted passion for agriculture.
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03-31, 2025This is a farm primarily focused on beef and arable crops, while also raising a small number of lambs and pigs, and selling meat products to local customers. Facing the dissatisfaction of some farmers with the government's inheritance tax rules and adjustments to agricultural subsidy policies, why do young people still choose to stick with this industry? Their resilience highlights the enduring appeal of farming despite its challenges.
Bridget said that at school, they did not encourage students to go into agriculture, which she regrets. "Everyone thinks: 'Oh, you're smart enough to do other things.'" She added: "People think farmers aren't smart enough, but it's the most complex job. You have to be very intelligent to be a farmer." This misconception undervalues the skills and knowledge required for successful farming.
Bridget believes that the agricultural industry holds many opportunities and should be a choice for more people in schools. She said: "At 15, I started raising calves with my grandfather, and I really enjoyed it. From then on, I've stuck with it, getting up early every day to prove my passion." Now, her daily work starts with feeding livestock, including the rare breed pigs she raises. She said: "I really like this breed. They have good personalities." Her early start and continued dedication demonstrate her commitment to the farming lifestyle.
Bridget and her mother make and sell sausages using pork produced on their farm. "Of course, I'm going to be a bit biased, but I really like our sausages and bacon," she said. Bridget completed her agricultural studies a few years ago and returned to the family farm, where she hopes to work long-term. She said: "There will always be many challenges, but I hope that after establishing a complete system on the farm, I can have some free time to work in agricultural journalism or other part-time jobs." This highlights the need for diversification and adaptability in modern farming.
"In agriculture, you always need a backup plan, which is a bit disappointing because the farm's profitability isn't high, so my family has always been ambitious, trying to do two jobs at the same time." Since Bridget runs the farm with her father and grandfather, what are her views on the government's planned reforms to farm inheritance tax? The need for a backup plan underscores the financial pressures faced by farming families.
Bridget said: "When the government announced the inheritance tax, the rural community was very shocked." From April 2026, inheritance tax of 20% will be levied for the first time on agricultural assets worth more than £1 million, although the threshold for some farmers is £3 million. The government expects these changes to affect the wealthiest 500 estates each year. This tax change has caused considerable concern among farming communities.
Government officials insist that this will make things "fairer" and protect "small family farms." Bridget said that this means that family farms like hers now need to save in order to pay this tax "when a generation needs to pass the farm on to the next." However, she said, this means they cannot invest in the future of the farm, "because we need to plan for this expense." The tax could hinder investments in farm improvements and sustainability.
She worries that family farms may have to be sold, which would have an impact on the wider rural economy. She said: "We use tire companies, machinery dealers, veterinarians, mechanics, feed companies - this affects a lot of the local economy." Bridget also believes that if competition between family farms and imported meat and crops decreases, consumer food prices may rise. The potential impact on the rural economy and consumer prices is a significant concern.
Earlier this month, the government announced that it would close an environmental grant scheme designed to replace EU agricultural subsidies after Brexit and no longer accept new applications. The government said that the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) was successful and had reached 37,000 funding agreements. Bridget's farm receives funding through the SFI for environmental management, including protecting hedgerows and trees. The government said that all of the program's budget has been allocated and it is no longer accepting new applications. The closure of the grant scheme has raised concerns about environmental sustainability in agriculture.
Bridget said that this announcement "closes the door to farmers who were preparing to apply." She said: "They've done all the paperwork to calculate the land that will be included and all the other parts involved. So now, in this growing year on the farm, if anything goes wrong, they're not profitable, they don't have the SFI payments to keep them afloat." This sudden closure leaves many farmers without crucial financial support.
Bridget told me that she feels the government is "making very big decisions very quickly without much consultation." While the beef and arable business is the main source of income for her farm, Bridget's passion lies in the rare breed pigs she raises, and three-year-old Dotty is clearly her favorite. Dotty is pregnant with her third litter of piglets and is expected to give birth again in May. Her passion highlights the importance of animal welfare and rare breed preservation.
Bridget said: "She's always been a very good mother, she's taught me how to raise pigs - some pigs will look after you. She's handled all my mistakes. There's a lot to learn in agriculture. You can't learn unless you have experience." The importance of experience and mentorship in agricultural learning is evident.
A government spokesperson said that the government's commitment to farmers "remains unwavering." They said: "We have committed to investing £5 billion in the agricultural budget over two years, including more funding than ever before for sustainable food production, and we are developing a 25-year farming roadmap focusing on how to improve the industry's profitability in the coming decades." The government's statement aims to reassure farmers of their continued support for the sector.
