Farming in littleborough

Farming in Littleborough by Dr John Lingard

Agricultural Economist ex Newcastle University - April 2025

HISTORICALLY UK has had a CHEAP FOOD POLICY reliant on Food Imports

Exception 15TH Century CORN LAWS (tariffs), REPEALED 1846.

COBDEN & BRIGHT, the MANCHESTER FREE TRADE SCHOOL

FREE TRADE kept Food Prices Low, Low Wages made Industry Competitive.

2ND WORLD WAR 1939-45

Threatened Food Security as German U boats hit grain ships.

REDUCED FOOD IMPORTS, FOOD RATIONING, DIG for BRITAIN, LANDGIRLS

FARMING in LITTLEBOROUGH 1950

Unfavourable Farming Environment – wet, hilly, heavy soils.

Estimated 50+ Small Family Farms in Littleborough using traditional methods.

Size - 25 to 60 acres,

6 to 15 DAIRY COWS (Shorthorns/Ayrshires),

4 to 8 Calves and Followers/Stirks

2 to 4 SOWS (Large Whites), 8 to 14 PORKERS,

200 LAYING HENS (Leghorns, Sussex and RIR)

A few hill farms had Sheep (Lonks and Gritstones)

Low Yields – 400 - 650 gallons milk per cow, 120 - 150 eggs per hen

Tractors but some (5+) still had Horses – Milk Rounds, Producer - Retailers.

Hay Making - mowers, shakers, side delivery rake; chain harrows, muck spreaders

Milking machines but some still hand milking

Labour Intensive relying on manual family labour but a few hired workers.

1947 AGRICULTURE ACT - to promote a stable and efficient industry.

ANNUAL PRICE REVIEW between NFU’s and GOVT fixed GUARANTEED PRICES announced in advance supported by DEFICIENCY PAYMENTS

INPUT SUBSIDIES & GRANTS to speed up TECHNICAL CHANGE and adoption of IMPROVED FARMING PRACTICES

1. subsidies on inorganic fertilisers ( N & P),

2. farm improvement grants - drainage, lime, buildings

3. depreciation allowances against tax for investment in farm machinery and equipment;

4. publicly funded advisory service

5. experimental husbandry farms, agricultural education, agricultural research institutes.

AIM to KICK-START the INDUSTRY from :-

1. Labour - Intensive, Low Productivity, Organic.

2. Capital- Intensive, High Productivity, Chemical- Using.

Littleborough Farms Responded To The 1947 Act.

Used inorganic fertilisers, improved genetic potential of animals, Artificial Insemination, high yielding Black and White Friesian Cows (1000+ galls/yr), Thornbers (Mytholmroyd) hybrid poultry (320 eggs/yr), Battery cages, Broilers and Turkeys, Balers introduced 1960 speeded up haymaking,

Food Rationing ended 1954.

1960s period of dynamic change in local farming – increased productivity and profitability.

Rochdale Agric Discussion Society

Rochdale Young Farmers Club

Rochdale Observer – Livestock for Sale Column, Farm Dispersal Sale adverts

Rochdale Agricultural Show on Lenny Barn

Livestock Markets – Haslingden and Stacksteads, Bacup

Slaughterhouses (2)

Knackersyard on Dyehouse Lane

Animal Feed Suppliers – Mallinsons (Cornholme), BOCM, Bibby’s, Spillers

Egg Marketing Board - packhouses – Lion symbol stamped on tested eggs.

Milk recording.

Daily Milk churn collection by MMB lorries, later bulk milk tankers but access problems for small farms.

Period of prosperity despite losses of land to Housing

eg Calliards farm vanished as did Cleggswood Hey, Fielden’s land between Little Clegg & Milnrow rd, Bents farm, Stubley.

ADVERTISING

“Drinka Pinta Milka Day”

“Go to work on an Egg”

New technology – milking parlours, cubicles, slatted floors, slurry disposal systems, electronic out-of parlour feeding but mainly suitable for large farms – Littleborough missed out.

Late 1970s UK Milk Supply > Demand - Surplus Production.

Butter Mountains in EEC which UK had joined in 1973.

Falling milk prices

Much low-value milk being diverted to manufacturing.

PRODUCTION QUOTAS introduced APRIL 1984 to attempt to achieve market balance. Set at 1983 DELIVERIES minus 9% for UK FARMS.

By late 1970s many high-cost, small dairy farmers in Littleborough had exited the industry.

Few full-time commercial farmers remain.

Average Herd Size UK 2024 was 219 milking cows.

Need to retain a Green Environment around Littleborough to provide landscape, amenity, habitats for flora and fauna, recreation given possible further land losses to housing.

CONCLUSION

Farms played an important part in helping Littleborough recover from the War providing local foodstuffs at time of shortages but Production Agriculture on any scale is unlikely to return.

UK Milk Production and Consumption 2020

Dairy Herd 1.85 million cows

Average Yield 8,200 litres per annum

Production 15,300 million litres

Imports 701

Exports 1046

Consumption

Liquid 6254

Butter 398

Cheese 4620

Cream 333

Yogurt 531