EuroTrash

Yes but am I right in thinking that being a member of the NFU is purely optional?
I also get the impression that Defra are more about policy making and less hands on at a regional level with regard to land use and working with individual farmers.
I'm not convinced there is a UK equivalent to SAFER and MSA.

Rotor

Yes the NFU are optional to join , and best described as a Marmite organisation

EuroTrash

LOL - I came across that expression quite recently (in connection with bright orange cars) and had to have it explained to me

dmu

I give in, what does it mean?

Rotor

You either love or hate it , no in between

Marmite

dmu

Thanks for that, I love it!
The French equivalent of the NFU is the FNSEA, I presume, like any Union, it's not compulsory to join.
On the other hand the MSA is the Social Security organisation for farmers and, as mentioned above, it is compulsory to contribute.
I think the SAFER is essentially French - if you buy or sell a house with non-constructible land which is classified as agricultural, the sale can't advance until the SAFER has exercised, or not, its right of pre-emption. It's to give farmers the opportunity of buying land which comes up for sale, and to prevent developers from taking over rural land to build estates, Is there an equivalent organisation in the UK? If not, your friend is going to have to learn the quirky French ways!

dmu

Your friend would find out a lot about farming in France if he comes to Paris soon to visit the Salon de l'Agriculture, as per
https://www.salon-agriculture.com/
I imagine all the various agricultural organisations have stands there, and he'd also be able to make contact with Breton farmers. He could enquire about the possibility of being a "métayer" (sharecropper?) who rents land for free and gives the owner a percentage of his produce. I meant to mention this before, but forgot the French expression!

Rotor

Regarding buying land in the UK, anyone can, no restrictions, however you can't do as you please with it, planning permission for building houses is unlikely on most agricultural land.

Rotor

Interesting, thanks for that.