Farming in the Seventies DVD

Following on from the best selling Farming in the Sixties, this new DVD features the 1970s which were a time of enforced change on British farming. Joining the European Common Market and becoming part of its Common Agricultural Policy were initially a benefit to efficient British farmers, but grain mountains and milk lakes meant that the initial enthusiasm soon faded.

A shortage of labour and rising fuel and machinery prices meant that farming costs rose and produce buyers such as supermarkets or food processors, were reluctant to increase what they paid for products. So farmers responded by using more mechanisation to counter the loss of manpower and new techniques to reduce fuel and machinery costs.

In this production, compiled from film shot on farms in Lincolnshire by farmers, farm workers and food companies we see those machines and techniques being put into action. Among the equipment being used we see British Leyland, David Brown, Track Marshall, Fordson and Massey Ferguson tractors; Claas and Massey combines, and machines from many other famous manufacturers, working with grain, sugar beet, potatoes and peas. Processes by which crops such as sugar beet and peas were turned into marketable commodities also feature here

Running time 1hr 17 minutes (77 minutes)
Written and Narrated by Alan Stennett
Featuring colour archive film from the 1970s